Taiwan’s defense minister appeared to accidentally admit that U.S. troops were stationed off China’s coast, which would be a surprising escalation of hostilities in the region.
It is believed that if defense chief Chiu Kuo-cheng was correct, the US military would train Taiwanese forces on small islands near mainland China, including Kinmen Island.
If U.S. troops were stationed in Kinmen, it would mark a dramatic increase in the U.S. presence in the region. Kinmen Island is more than 160 kilometers from the main island of Taiwan, but only five kilometers from the Chinese coastal city of Xiamen.
This apparent admission follows a Sofrep report which claimed that US special forces had already been deployed to coastal islands – while it was previously thought that limited troops were only deployed to Taiwan.
“This exchange is about mutual observation, identifying the problems we face, figuring out how to improve and recognizing their strengths so we can learn from them,” Chiu said in response to a question about the report .
Taiwan’s defense minister appeared to accidentally admit that U.S. troops were stationed off China’s coast, in what would be a surprising escalation of hostilities in the region.
Shiyu or Lion Islet, part of Kinmen County, one of the islands off Taiwan, is visible with Xiamen, China in the background.
The United States has consistently said it would support Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, something Chinese President Xi reportedly warned President Biden of his intention to implement during a historic summit in San Francisco last year .
The United States has consistently said it would support Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, something Chinese President Xi reportedly warned President Biden of his intention to implement during their historic summit in San Francisco last year.
Questioned by the Wall Street Journal This week, to clarify Chiu’s remarks, a Pentagon spokesperson said he would not comment on specific operations.
“Our commitment to Taiwan is strong and contributes to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the region,” added Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Col. Marty Meiners.
Coastal islands such as Kinmen are barely populated and are primarily where most of Taiwan’s amphibious forces – which could now be reinforced by US special forces – are positioned.
Without international support, experts say Taiwan would have little ability to combat Chinese military might, a factor Chiu alluded to.
The defense minister said U.S. troops stationed on coastal islands are needed because Taiwan’s military “may have blind spots or gaps.”
It is unclear how long US special forces have been deployed on the coastal islands. In 2021, China reacted with fury following reports that US special forces had already been training in Taiwan for over a year.
During their stay, they focused on strengthening Taiwan’s rear security, focusing on preventing sabotage and enemy infiltration, according to Su Tzu-yun, an expert at the military think tank INDSR, as cited by the Wall Street Journal.
“The collaboration between Washington and Taipei is mainly focused on defense,” Yu said.
Pictured: Taiwan Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng
Coastal islands such as Kinmen are barely populated and are primarily where most of Taiwan’s amphibious forces are positioned, which may now be reinforced by US special forces.
The apparent escalation of US forces in the region comes after China worryingly intensified its preparations for a possible invasion.
In August 2022, Chinese air and maritime forces crossed the “median line” and surrounded the main island of Taiwan, before firing a barrage of missiles over the island in terrifying war exercises.
China later boasted that the war drills were preparation for an invasion, which also took place at the same time that Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the US House of Representatives, was visiting Taiwan.
A few months earlier, the Taiwanese military had distributed manuals to civilians on how to prepare for an invasion, including where to quickly find bomb shelters.
Fears were raised again in January this year, when Xi appeared to tactically purge his military commanders of anyone who might have opposed conflict.
The Chinese dictator replaced them with generals ready to go to war, and repeatedly declared that he considered Taiwan to be sovereign Chinese territory and that the island’s autonomy was that of a renegade government.
Although it is unclear how long U.S. forces have remained on Kinmen, this week’s revelation also comes at a tense time for the region.
A month ago, two Chinese fishermen died after their boat capsized while being pursued by the Taiwanese coast guard, in what Chinese authorities called a “brutal incident.”
In response, Beijing has stepped up patrols along the coast and Taiwan says hostile ships continue to enter restricted waters.