A U.S. special-operations unit and a contingent of Marines have been secretly operating in Taiwan to train military forces there, U.S. officials said, part of efforts to shore up the island’s defenses as concern regarding potential Chinese aggression mounts.
According to the WSJ, About two dozen members of U.S. special operations and support troops are conducting training for small units of Taiwan’s ground forces, officials said. The U.S. Marines are working with local maritime forces on small-boat training. The American forces have been operating in Taiwan for at least a year, the officials said.
The U.S. special-operations deployment is a sign of concern within the Pentagon over Taiwan’s tactical capabilities in light of Beijing’s yearslong military buildup and recent threatening moves against the island.
According to Fox News, Officials told the publication that over the last year roughly two dozen members of U.S. Special Operation units and supporting troops have conducted ground training while the Marines have worked to train small boat units.
The news comes just days after a record number of Chinese military planes entered Taiwan’s air defense zone. China’s air force flew roughly 150 fighter jets and bombers into the defense zone over a period of four days.
Though the aircraft did not officially enter Taiwan’s air space, the show of force concerned the international community and prompted the U.S., U.K. and Japan to conduct multi-national military exercises in the region Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang warned this week that “Taiwan definitely needs to be on alert.”
