Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen: "US National Guard and Taiwan Military Cooperation Plan Underway"

Potential Rise in Tension Index Surrounding Taiwan Strait Amid Chinese Backlash

U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (left), who visited Taiwan, met with President Tsai Ing-wen at the Taipei Presidential Office on the 31st (local time) for a discussion.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Nayeon] Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen announced that a cooperation plan between the Taiwanese military and the U.S. National Guard is being promoted. Since China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory, strongly opposes this as a violation of the "One China" principle, tensions around the Taiwan Strait are expected to rise further.

According to Taiwan media Zhongguang News Network on the 1st, President Tsai Ing-wen met with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth from Illinois on the same day and stated, "The U.S. Department of Defense is actively planning cooperation between the U.S. National Guard and the Taiwanese military." She added, "We look forward to closer and deeper Taiwan-U.S. cooperation on regional security issues."

The cooperation mentioned by President Tsai is based on the U.S. "National Guard State Partnership Program," which regulates training-related cooperation between the U.S. National Guard and foreign militaries.

Zhongguang News Network reported that Senator Duckworth brought along the National Guard officials involved in the "State Partnership Program" during her visit to Taiwan.

Earlier, Taiwanese media reported that Taiwan could cooperate with the Hawaii National Guard under the State Partnership Program.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian expressed "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to Senator Duckworth's visit to Taiwan and her meeting with President Tsai during a regular briefing on the 31st of last month, and stated that China lodged a protest with the U.S.

Spokesperson Zhao also urged the U.S. to strictly adhere to the "One China" principle and immediately cease official exchanges with Taiwan, warning that "China will continue to take powerful measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Earlier, on the evening of the 30th of last month, when Senator Duckworth visited Taiwan, the Chinese People's Liberation Army conducted a show of force by sending 30 military aircraft, including 22 fighter jets, into Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

China's state-run Global Times reported on the 1st that the 30 Chinese military aircraft consisted of 2 KJ-500 early warning aircraft, 4 Y-8 electronic intelligence aircraft, 1 Y-8 electronic warfare aircraft, 1 Y-8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft, 6 J-16 fighter jets, 8 J-11 fighter jets, 4 J-10 fighter jets, 2 Su-35 fighter jets, and 2 Su-30 fighter jets.

According to the Global Times, this is the second-largest scale this year, following the deployment of 39 aircraft entering Taiwan's ADIZ on January 23rd.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.