Officials say US forces have been in Taiwan for at least a year

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On Thursday, US defense officials revealed that US forces are in Taiwan, where they have been operating for at least a year.

The revelation, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, comes as the Chinese military has been pressing Taiwan in recent days and local officials worry about the possibility of conflict or an accidental strike.

According to the newspaper, a contingent of US Marines is working with Taiwanese forces in training on small boats, while a separate special operations group is working with Taiwanese ground forces.

Dozens of Chinese aircraft and other military aircraft have entered the Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone over the past few days, which includes part of the Chinese mainland due to the island’s proximity to China.

The flights sparked warnings from Taiwanese and US officials, as White House press secretary Jen Psaki urged China to step back from its platform on Monday.

“We urge Beijing to desist from military, diplomatic and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan,” she said. “We have an abiding interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. That is why we will continue to help Taiwan maintain adequate self-defense capability.”

Her comments come as President Joe Biden reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to the “One China” agreement, which recognizes Beijing as China’s sole authority but allows the United States to arm and support the Taiwan government as well.

Taiwanese officials told Reuters and other media outlets that the US relationship with Taiwan remained unchanged after Biden’s comments did not directly criticize China’s military actions.

The island’s president and foreign minister have grown increasingly vocal in their warnings of a possible Chinese invasion of the island, which is autonomous but claimed by Beijing as part of mainland China.

“We are very concerned that China will launch a war against Taiwan at some point,” Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told Australia’s ABC TV before adding to Beijing, before adding to Beijing: “We are very concerned if domestic discontent or economic slowdown is increasing. Very dangerous, Taiwan could become a target.”

“If China is going to war against Taiwan, we will fight to the end.” “I am sure that if China were to launch an attack on Taiwan, I think they would also suffer terribly,” Mr. Wu continued.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman denounced US arms sales to Taiwan and referred to the military build-up near the island as “necessary countermeasures”. She added that any attempt by Taiwan to declare independence will be crushed by the Chinese army.

“Taiwan independence” does not lead anywhere. Hua Chunying said China will take all necessary measures to resolutely crush all attempts at “Taiwan independence”. “China has firm determination and will to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Taiwan belongs to China and the United States is not in a position to make irresponsible statements. The relevant statements from the US side seriously violate the one-China principle and the terms of the three China-US joint communiques, and send a wrong and highly irresponsible signal, she said.

The United States has followed the path of direct support for Taiwan under the Trump administration, and politics between China and Taiwan is one area in which the Biden administration did not differ much from the previous White House.

In January, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken pledged that the US commitment to arming Taiwan for the purpose of resisting Chinese military pressure “will continue entirely in the Biden administration.”

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