US' 500 military personnel in Taiwan an ‘open test' of Beijing's red lines
Washington's disclosure that around 500 US military personnel are stationed in Taiwan signals more open and substantial defence support for the island – a pivot from a previously discreet partnership that is openly testing Beijing's
red lines, according to analysts.
The disclosure, made on May 15 by retired US Navy Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery during congressional testimony, was the first official acknowledgement of such a substantial American military presence on the self-governed island.
Taiwanese experts say the number refers to training personnel. It also vastly exceeds the previously known 41 personnel that were confirmed in a US congressional report a year earlier.
Montgomery told lawmakers that the US military involvement was essential to training Taiwan to become a credible 'counter-intervention force' capable of real combat or complicating Beijing's military options.
'If we're going to give them billions of dollars in assistance, sell them tens of billions of dollars' worth of US gear, it makes sense that we'd be over there training and working,' he said.
Days after the hearing, mainland Chinese state broadcaster CCTV took the rare step of airing commentary on Montgomery's remarks about the American military presence on the island.
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