Published March 17, 2024
Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng confirmed on Thursday the presence of US Army Special Forces soldiers in Kinmen, a group of islands that are controlled by Taiwan but located just off the coast of mainland China.
Some parts of the Kinmen islands are just 2.5 miles away from the mainland Chinese city of Xiamen. The presence of US troops on the islands was first reported by Taiwanese media last month.
Chiu confirmed the highly provocative deployment when asked about a new report from the US outlet SOFREP that said US Green Berets have taken up “permanent positions” as military advisors in Kinmen. The US soldiers are also deployed in Penghu, a Taiwanese-controlled archipelago about 30 miles west of the main island of Taiwan and 70 miles east of mainland China.
The SOFREP report said the US Green Berets were stationed at the Taiwanese Army’s amphibious command centers. The deployment was carried out under provisions in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, which called for the US to create a comprehensive training program for the Taiwanese military.
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SOURCE: www.zerohedge.com
RELATED: Taiwan Confirms Presence Of US Green Berets On Islands Very Close To China’s Coast
Published March 14, 2024
Taipei, March 14 (CNA) Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) on Thursday confirmed that U.S. Army Special Forces personnel are stationed on Taiwan’s outlying islands and said their presence was part of an exchange and was meant to be a “learning opportunity” for Taiwan’s armed forces.
The defense minister made the remarks after he was asked by reporters on the sidelines of a legislative hearing to comment on recent media reports that American Army Special Forces, commonly known as the “Green Berets,” are training Taiwanese troops in Kinmen and Penghu.
Chiu said the U.S. presence was meant to help Taiwan’s armed forces identify any weaknesses or blind spots, and to allow forces to engage in exchanges with friendly teams or countries.
Such deployments allow the two sides to observe and learn from each other and address any issues, the minister said, adding that these exchanges “do not involve any proposals regarding the purchase of military equipment.”
U.S. military news outlet SOFREP earlier this month said military instructors from the U.S. Army Special Forces had “started to take up permanent positions” at the Taiwanese Army’s amphibious command centers in Kinmen and Penghu, and that their missions include regular training and exercises alongside Taiwan’s elite forces.
