Senior Taiwan government officials have neither confirmed nor denied a recent media report saying that members of the US military have been deployed in Taiwan for at least a year.
The Wall Street Journal quotes unnamed US officials saying that “about two dozen” members of the US military are helping to train Taiwanese troops. The report says US Marines are “working with local maritime forces on small-boat training”.
Responding to questions about the report, Premier Su Tseng-chang thanked countries that share Taiwan’s values for their support. He says the government is doing all it can to defend the country’s sovereignty and its people, and to maintain peace in the region.
Meanwhile, Vice Defense Minister Po Hung-hui says that Taiwan’s military welcomes opportunities for international cooperation. However, Po declined to comment directly on the report of a US military presence.
The US Department of Defense also declined to comment on the report, only saying that it supports defense ties with Taiwan. The department is calling on China to live up to its promise to seek a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues.