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Taiwan welcomes U.S. military instructor help with training

ROC Central News Agency

04/18/2023 04:00 PM

Taipei, April 18 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Tuesday said it welcomes the ongoing efforts of the United States to help the country train its troops after a source told CNA Monday that nearly 200 active duty American military instructors are currently in Taiwan training military personnel.

Around 200 U.S. military instructors are currently stationed at bases across Taiwan, an unnamed source told CNA Monday.

They are primarily assigned to boot camps and reserve brigades to observe Taiwan's protocols and provide practical consultations on training methods.

The inputs from American advisers will be later used to help Taiwan formulate better training when mandatory military service is extended from the existing four months to one year in 2024, the unnamed source added.

Asked to comment, MND spokesman Sun Li-fang (孫立方) expressed the ministry's appreciation toward "an allied country in boosting the nation's armed forces by means of military training," without elaborating.

However, Sun said he would not go into details on such programs, citing mutual understandings, when asked to comment on the report Tuesday.

Meanwhile, asked for a comment on the same report, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de facto U.S. embassy, told CNA that although AIT does not comment on specific operations, engagements, or training the U.S. has in Taiwan, it reiterated Washington's support for Taipei in the field of defense.

"We don't have a comment on specific operations, engagements, or training, but I would highlight that our support for, and defense relationship with Taiwan remains aligned against the current threat posed by the People's Republic of China," an AIT spokesperson told CNA in an email.

"Our commitment to Taiwan is rock-solid and contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within the region," the spokesperson added.

(By Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/AW