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Taiwan president confirms US troops training soldiers on island
While avoiding saying exactly how many US military personnel are on the self-ruled island, the president was quoted as saying that the number was "not as many as people thought."
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This handout picture taken and released on May 20, 2020 by the Taiwan Presidential office shows Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen (center) and Vice President William Lai waving during an inauguration event for their respective terms in office, at the Taipei Guest House in Taipei. (Handout/Taiwan Presidential Office/AFP/-)
T
aiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, in an interview with CNN, confirmed that US troops are on the island to train Taiwanese forces, the US news channel reported Wednesday.
While avoiding saying exactly how many US military personnel are on the self-ruled island, the president was quoted as saying that the number was "not as many as people thought."
The Wall Street Journal reported early this month that a US special-operations unit and a contingent of Marines have been secretly operating in Taiwan to train military forces there as part of efforts to shore up the island's defenses amid concerns regarding potential Chinese aggression.
Citing US officials, the US newspaper said the US forces have been operating in Taiwan for at least a year.
In the interview with CNN on Tuesday, Tsai said, "We have a wide range of cooperation with the US aiming at increasing our defense capability."
Taiwan and mainland China have been separately governed since they split as a result of a civil war in 1949. China regards Taiwan as a renegade province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.
The United States switched its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing in 1979. Washington, however, remains committed to unofficial relations with Taipei while continuing to assist the island in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability.
