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U.S. Troops Have Secretly Been In Taiwan For Over A Year Helping Island Prepare For War With China: Report

   DailyWire.com
An AH-64 Apache attack helicopter releases flares during the Han Kuang drill at the Ching Chuan Kang (CCK) air force base in Taichung, central Taiwan, on June 7, 2018. - Taiwan on June 7 staged its largest annual drills simulating Chinese attacks as Beijing stepped up military and diplomatic pressure on the island amid growing tensions.
SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. military forces have secretly been operating in Taiwan for over a year to help train Taiwan’s military and defenses in preparation for a possible war with communist China.

“About two dozen members of U.S. special-operations and support troops are conducting training for small units of Taiwan’s ground forces,” The Wall Street Journal reported. “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.”

China has significantly increased its military posturing toward Taiwan during the Biden-era as numerous critics say that America’s enemies around the world have been emboldened by what they see as weakness from Democrat President Joe Biden.

“The special-operations unit and the Marine contingent are a small but symbolic effort by the U.S. to increase Taipei’s confidence in building its defenses against potential Chinese aggression,” the report added. “Current and former U.S. government officials and military experts believe that deepening ties between U.S. and Taiwan military units is better than simply selling Taiwan military equipment.”

The report said that officials were concerned that Taiwan has spent too much money on expensive military hardware and not enough on defensive systems that would be used to thwart an invasion.

Former Deputy National Security Adviser Matt Pottinger said, “Taiwan badly neglected its national defense for the first 15 years or so of this century, buying too much expensive equipment that will get destroyed in the first hours of a conflict, and too little in the way of cheaper but lethal systems—antiship missiles, smart sea mines and well-trained reserve and auxiliary forces—that could seriously complicate Beijing’s war plans.”

China sent 52 military planes from its air force into Taiwanese air space on Monday, the largest incursion ever by China, which came after the Biden administration said in a statement at the start of the week that it was “very concerned” about China’s repeated provocative military actions toward Taiwan.

“Since Friday, when China marked its national day, the country has embarked upon a massive ramping up of its missions, with almost 150 aircraft flying into the defense zone over the space of four days,” Reuters reported. “Taiwanese fighter jets scrambled to warn away the Chinese planes, while missile systems were deployed to monitor them.”

Taiwan’s military reported that China sent the following military aircraft into its airspace on Monday:

  • 34 J-16 sorties (Thirty four J-16)
  • Su Kai-30 aircraft 2 sorties (Two SU-30)
  • Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft 2 sorties (Two Y-8 ASW)
  • Air Police-500 aircraft 2 sorties (Two KJ-500 AEW&C)
  • H-6 12 sorties (Twelve H-6)

“The defense of Taiwan is in our own hands, and we are absolutely committed to that,” Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told Australia’s ABC. “If China is going to launch a war against Taiwan we will fight to the end, and that is our commitment. I’m sure that if China is going to launch an attack against Taiwan, I think they are going to suffer tremendously as well.”

“We would like to engage in security or intelligence exchanges with other like-minded partners, Australia included, so Taiwan is better prepared to deal with the war situation,” Wu continued. “We are pleased to see that the like-minded partners of Taiwan — the United States and the UK and Australia — are working closer with each other to acquire more advanced defence articles so that we can defend Indo-Pacific. Australia is a great country, and I’m very glad to see that Australia is going to shoulder more responsibility to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”

Wu warned that one of the things that Taiwan needs to prepare for is that China may try to impose a blockade around Taiwan, which he suggested would be an even bigger problem than if China were to launch an invasion.

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