WASHINGTON – The US is significantly increasing the number of troops sent to Taiwan, quadrupling the current number, to support a training program for the island’s military in the face of an increasing threat from China.
According to US officials, the US plans to deploy between 100 and 200 troops on the island in the coming months, up from about 30 a year ago. The larger force will augment a training program the Pentagon has been careful not to disclose while the US works to give Taipei the capabilities it needs to defend itself without provoking Beijing.
The number of American troops, which included special forces and US Marines, has fluctuated by a handful in recent years, according to the Defense Department. The planned surge would be the largest deployment of US forces in Taiwan in decades as the two move closer together to counter China’s growing military might.
In addition to training on Taiwan, the Michigan National Guard is also training a contingent of the Taiwanese military, including during annual multi-country exercises at Camp Grayling in northern Michigan, according to people familiar with the training.
An aerial view of the Michigan National Guard Training Center in Grayling, Mich.
Photo: John L. Russell/Associated Press
The expanded training, in both the US and Taiwan, is part of a joint US push to help a close partner prepare to thwart a possible invasion by China. US officials said the expansion had been in the planning for months, well before US-China ties plummeted again this month after a suspected Chinese spy balloon criss-crossed North America for more than a week before being shot down by the Air Force.
As a decades-long military buildup gathers momentum, China’s People’s Liberation Army has become increasingly involved in aggressive maneuvers, sending planes and ships near Taiwan. Following Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine last year, the Pentagon has redoubled its efforts to get Taiwan to employ what some military specialists call a “porcupine” strategy, focusing on tactics and weapons systems that support the attack on the island would make it difficult.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
What support should the US give Taiwan? Join the conversation below.
The additional troops will be tasked with training Taiwanese forces not only on US weapons systems but also on military maneuvers to protect against a possible Chinese offensive, US officials said. Officials declined to reveal further details about the operation that were not previously reported.
Unnerved by increased US-Taiwan defense coordination, Beijing accused Washington of undermining previous commitments to maintain unofficial ties with Taipei. When The Wall Street Journal first reported in 2021 on the previously undisclosed training of Taiwan’s armed forces by a small American military contingent, China’s foreign ministry said Beijing would take unspecified steps to protect its interests.
“One of the hardest things to determine is what’s really offensive to China,” one of the US officials said of the training. “We do not believe that we are anywhere near an inflection point for China at the level at which we are and will be engaging in the near future, but this is an issue that is constantly evaluated and specifically examined with every decision.” , which concerns support for Taiwan.”
A spokesman for the US Indo-Pacific Command, which is responsible for US military operations in the Asia-Pacific region, declined to comment. The White House had no immediate comment, and the Pentagon declined to comment on the additional forces.
WSJ’s Shelby Holliday takes a look at how a war over Taiwan could devastate the island nation, shake major Pacific powers and shatter the global economy. Illustration: David Fang
“We have no comment on specific operations, engagements or training, but I would like to emphasize that our support for Taiwan and our defense relationship with Taiwan remains aligned to the current threat posed by the People’s Republic of China,” said Army Lt. Col. Marty Meiners, a Pentagon spokesman said. “Our commitment to Taiwan is unwavering and helps maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and the region.”
Taiwan has long been a flashpoint in US-China relations. After then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., California) visited Taiwan last summer and became the top US political leader in 25 years, China sent fighter jets and warships and fired missiles around the island To protests and display abilities it could potentially use to stage a temporary blockage.
Beijing considers Taiwan part of China and has vowed to take control of the island, by force if necessary, while Washington is required under US law to help Taiwan maintain its defenses.
Subscribe to Newsletter
What’s new
Catch the headlines, understand the news and make better decisions, every day for free in your inbox.
The US maintained a large military presence in Taiwan for much of the Cold War. Upon the establishment of formal US-China relations in 1979, Washington agreed to sever formal ties with Taiwan, cancel a defense agreement, and withdraw its armed forces from the island.
China’s more aggressive military pressure campaign and US efforts to strengthen the island’s defenses in recent years have further increased tensions. US defense and intelligence officials said Beijing has set a goal for the Chinese military to be ready to take the island by force by 2027, although some experts and officials believe the PLA may be ready sooner.
The additional U.S. forces going to Taiwan are the latest in a steady increase in numbers since 2019. According to the Defense Manpower Data Center, which produces quarterly reports on U.S. presence around the world, 30 U.S. troops were in as of spring 2022 Taiwan stationed, declining to 26 by last summer and 23 by fall.
Likewise, training by the Michigan National Guard was unremarkable. Michigan National Guard chief Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers told reporters last year that the training was mutually beneficial.
“We’re an aspect of the US-Taiwan relationship that I think helps both countries,” he said in an interview with Sinclair Broadcast Group. “We understand how they prepare and they understand how we prepare.”
Write to Nancy A. Youssef at [email protected] and to Gordon Lubold at [email protected]
Copyright ©2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8