Taiwan seeking to participate in RIMPAC: envoy
ROC Central News Agency
2014/01/05 17:37:12
Taipei, Jan. 5 (CNA) Taiwan is seeking to participate in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise, in an effort to develop closer military cooperation with the United States, Taiwan's representative to the U.S. said.
Intensive military training programs are ongoing between Taiwan and the United States, King Pu-tsung said, adding that both sides had collaborated on 18 projects in the area in 2013 and were expected to join hands again for 35 projects in the coming year. He did not elaborate further on the projects.
'We will also continue to seek participation in important U.S. military exercises, including the RIMPAC,' King said in a report on the development of Taiwan-U.S. ties, which was delivered to the Legislature's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.
RIMPAC is hosted by the U.S. Pacific Fleet biennially in and around Hawaii. In 2012, a total of 22 countries had participated in the RIMPAC.
A group of eight U.S. congressmen had written to U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in October 2013, voicing their support for Taiwan's participation in the RIMPAC, and during the same year, Senator Dan Coats (R-IN) had also introduced an amendment backing Taiwan's participation in the exercise, King said.
The report said that this was the first time that the U.S. Congress had expressed support for Taiwan's participation in a multilateral military and security mechanism.
King, who took up the post as Taiwan's top envoy to the U.S. in December 2012, is scheduled to attend a hearing of the legislative committee Monday reporting on Taiwan-U.S. relations.
(By Elaine Hou)
ENDITEM/Shradhha
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