The commander of US Indo-Pacific Command has refuted a news report from earlier in the week. Admiral John Aquilino, US Navy said there are no US Special Forces personnel permanently stationed on Taiwan’s forwardpositioned Kinmen (Quemoy) Islands. On Wednesday, during a hearing of the House Armed Service Committee, he was asked if Special Forces troops were based there permanently. Aquilino said the information was incorrect. “Let me just say the article is incorrect. There is no permanent stationing of U.S. forces there,” he told the committee. “We can talk in a classified setting for further evaluation, but that is just inherently inaccurate.”
When asked about the same report, Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng confirmed there are US personnel on the islands training Taiwan’s military on the islands. “This exchange is for mutual observation, to identify problems we have, figure out how to improve, and to recognize their strengths so we can learn from them,” he said. Pentagon spokespersons refused to comment on specific operations but reasserted US support for Taiwan.
So, how will China react to the presence of US Green Berets on Taiwanese soil for training purposes? Barring a major intelligence debacle, it is difficult to imagine Beijing did not have at least an indication that something along these lines was probable. For the short term, China can just remain silent on the issue and continue to apply heavy military pressure on Taiwan as it has been. In fact, the number of Chinese warplanes flying in near proximity to the island-nation has increased this week.
China has long warned of consequences stemming from supposed ‘American interference’ in the Western Pacific. The appearance of US troops in Kinmen County offers Chinese diplomats a new road to explore. Whether or not the US presence is long term and for the purpose of training the Taiwanese military is of minimal consequence. Beijing will make an effort to manipulate the situation for its benefit down the line.
Meanwhile, with American soldiers on the ground and Chinese aircraft in the skies over the Median Line, Taiwan edges nearer to potential crisis.
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