...
By Micah McCartney
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
United States-Taiwan military cooperation raises the risk of a Taiwan Strait conflict, the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., told Newsweek.
The warning was in response to reports that hundreds of Taiwanese troops joined an annual National Guard exercise that ended on Saturday, as part of Taipei's efforts to prepare for a potential Chinese invasion.
Newsweek has contacted the Pentagon, the Michigan National Guard and Taiwan's de facto embassy in the U.S. for comment via email.
Read More on World
Why It Matters
Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Tensions have risen sharply in recent years as China flies near-daily military sorties across the median line of the Taiwan Strait and steps up major military drills to punish Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
While the U.S., like most countries, does not formally recognize Taiwan, it maintains robust economic and unofficial diplomatic ties with the island and remains its top arms supplier. Since late last year, Taiwan has taken delivery of Abrams tanks, HIMARS rocket systems and other U.S.-made weaponry as it bolsters its defenses.
...
What To Know
This year's Northern Strike, hosted by the Michigan coast guard, took place across the peninsular state over two weeks, drawing more than 7,500 participants from 35 U.S. states and territories and nine foreign militaries, according to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
One international partner was Taiwan, which sent more than 500 troops, according to a senior National Guard official who spoke at a news briefing attended by the outlet Stars and Stripes.
While it was the first time Taiwan's participation had been disclosed publicly, a briefing slide seen by the newspaper's reporter suggested the island had sent military personnel since at least 2021.
Speaking with Newsweek, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu expressed "firm opposition" to military ties between the U.S. and Taiwan.
"Deepening such ties will not bring security to Taiwan or save 'Taiwan independence' from its destined failure," he added. "It will only heighten cross-strait tensions and the risk of confrontation."
"No matter how many 'exercises' the DPP authorities join—or how many weapons they obtain from the U.S.—none of this can shake our firm commitment to resolving the Taiwan question and achieving national reunification, nor can it obstruct our strong capacity to defeat 'Taiwan independence' separatism and safeguard territorial integrity," the official said.
This year's Northern Strike marked a shift from past iterations, moving the focus from European scenarios to potential hotspots in the Indo-Pacific.
Drills included maritime missions such as protecting high-value assets and "engaging targets within littoral and open-water environments," per the Military and Veterans Affairs Department statement.
What People Are Saying
Colonel Todd Fitzpatrick, the land exercise director for Northern Strike, said, according to Stars and Stripes: "We're right smack in the middle of the Great Lakes, so we are able to replicate that island environment."
Bryce Barros, an associate fellow at the think tank GLOBSEC, called Taiwan's participation "significant," telling Newsweek: "It signals that force-on-force training between Taiwan and the United States—and in some cases with allies and partners—is now a regular facet of security and cooperation.
"Northern Strike leverages Michigan's unique training environment, from inland maneuver space to the Great Lakes shoreline ranges, which can help Taiwanese forces prepare for island, coastal and littoral defense scenarios."
What Happens Next
Top defense and intelligence officials in Washington have warned that Chinese President Xi Jinping could move against Taiwan by the end of the decade.
In December, Xi said no force could stop the "historic trend" of unification with Taiwan, characterizing the two neighbors as "one and the same family."
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines