Taiwan sends top military officials to US Pacific Command ceremony in Hawaii
Delegation’s attendance prompts speculation over whether the island could be invited to join Rim of the Pacific exercise in summer
Taiwan sent senior military officials to Hawaii for a ceremony marking Admiral Harry Harris handing over the reins of the US Pacific Command to Admiral Phil Davidson.
Their attendance has prompted speculation over whether Taiwan could for the first time be invited to join the biennial US-led Rim of the Pacific exercise to be held off Hawaii in summer. The Pentagon last week withdrew Beijing’s invitation to take part in the international maritime war games “as an initial response to China’s continued militarisation of the South China Sea”.
As well as the leadership change, the command was also renamed as the US Indo-Pacific Command, a move reflecting the growing importance of India in the region.
Two senior military officials led Taiwan’s small delegation attending the ceremony on Wednesday at Joint Base Pearl Harbour-Hickam, a government source said on Thursday.
“They represented the military and took part in the event at the invitation of the US Pacific Command,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
He said it was not the first time senior Taiwanese military officials had been invited to take part in events held by the US Pacific Command.