US military presence in Taiwan an ‘open secret’ for decades

Last week’s revelation by Tsai Ing-wen broke 40 years of a ‘tacit mutual understanding’ between Beijing and Washington

US military personnel have been deployed to the island as ‘advisers’ since diplomatic ties with Taipei ended in 1979, analysts said

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Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s confirmation that US military personnel were on the island ended 40 years a tacit understanding between Beijing and Washington, analysts said. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 6:17pm, 1 Nov 2021Updated: 10:14pm, 1 Nov 2021

Washington and Beijing had a “tacit mutual understanding” over the past four decades about the presence of US troops in Taiwan, but the understanding that it would remain low-key was broken with the public confirmation by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, according to military analysts.

Beijing was aware that the United States had deployed some military personnel to Taiwan as liaison officers since 1980 – in the aftermath of 1979’s end to diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei – for unofficial defence exchanges, a Beijing-based military source said.

“The mainland realised that the US has kept about one dozen low-ranking military officers under the official title of ‘advisers’ in Taiwan after the 1980s,” said the source, who requested anonymity because of the issue’s sensitivity.

“The group of US military officers is operating like a liaison team to take care of defence operations between Washington and Taipei, such as helping with training, which is supposed to be a strategic tacit mutual understanding between Washington and Beijing.”

Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, but the US retains cultural, commercial and other unofficial relations with the self-ruled island under three joint communiques signed by Beijing and Washington in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the US is committed to providing the island with security and self-defence support, which includes selling arms to Taipei, despite Beijing’s opposition.

According to the source, Beijing was also aware of another group of US marines stationed on the island to maintain security of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), Washington’s de facto embassy, but they were not incumbent US military officers.