WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - Small numbers of United States special operations forces have been rotating into Taiwan on a temporary basis to carry out training of Taiwanese forces, two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday (Oct 7), speaking on condition of anonymity
The Pentagon, which historically has not disclosed details about US training or advising of Taiwanese forces, did not specifically comment on or confirm the deployment.
"I don't have any comments on specific operations, engagements, or training, but I would like to highlight that our support for and defence relationship with Taiwan remains aligned against the current threat posed by the People's Republic of China," said Pentagon spokesman John Supple.
Taiwan's Defence Ministry declined to comment, saying only that "all military exchanges are carried out in accordance with annual plans".
The sources declined to say how long the training had been going on but suggested it predated the Biden administration, which came into office in January this year.
While at least one Asian media outlet has previously reported on such training, any kind of official US confirmation could further aggravate US-China relations at a time when Beijing is carrying out muscular military exercises near Taiwan.
The Wall Street Journal published details on the training, citing unnamed US officials, earlier on Thursday.
"I wouldn't rule out the possibility that Beijing is aware of this," said Ms Bonnie Glaser, director of the Asia Programme at the German Marshall Fund, noting a social media post during the Trump administration about training by special operations forces.
"Making this public will compel the Chinese to react, and they will likely do so by stepping up pressure on Taiwan," she said.
Democratic Representative Ami Bera, who leads the House Foreign Affairs' sub-committee on Asia, was asked at a defence conference if he had been made aware of the deployment.
"Not particularly this deployment, if I call it a deployment. I think we have special operators and others there, and we have in the past that are there training (Taiwan's) military, working with them," Mr Bera said.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who is on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told the same event that he had not been made specifically aware and had only seen public reports, but added: "Actually I would be happier if that number was in the hundreds."
The US is Taiwan's largest supplier of weaponry and has long offered some degree of training on weapons systems, as well as detailed advice on ways to strengthen its military to guard against an invasion by China's People's Liberation Army.
China regards Taiwan as a renegade province awaiting reunification with the mainland, by force if necessary. Taiwan says it will defend its freedoms and democracy.
Chinese military aircraft have repeatedly flown in recent days through Taiwan's expansive air defence identification zone, which extends well outside Taiwan's airspace.
But China has avoided Taiwanese airspace, no shots have been fired and there have been no known close calls between Chinese and Taiwanese aircraft.
The Taiwanese government has denounced China's military exercises and says it will defend the island's freedom and democracy, insisting that only Taiwan's people can decide their future.
