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In Apparent Attempt to Deter China, U.S. Marines Train Local Forces in Taiwan

Marines americanos se encuentran en Taiwán entrenando las fuerzas locales

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The United States has had a small contingent of military personnel stationed in Taiwan for at least a year to train local forces against the perceived threat posed by China, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Thursday.

This contingent consists of about 20 or so members of the special forces and the Marine Corps, according to the WSJ, which cites anonymous officials.

The special operations group would be training small units of Taiwanese ground forces, while the Marine Corps would be training naval forces.

While the U.S. involvement in Taiwan had been rumored, the training was not confirmed until now.

The WSJ report comes amid growing regional tensions as China increases its air presence near Taiwan. Local authorities claim that these tensions represent the worst moment in the conflict in the last four decades.

Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng has claimed that China will be “capable of staging a full-scale invasion” of the island by 2025.

The United States and China are pushing to the limit the status quo created in 1979, when Washington recognized Beijing as the sole Chinese government with the understanding that Taiwan, considered a rebel province by China, would have a peaceful future.

China diplomat Yang Jiechi and White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met in Zurich (Switzerland) on Wednesday. Both leaders reportedly discussed Taiwan among other issues.

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