US Troops Stationed in Taiwan Will Quadruple: US Media 美媒:美在台駐軍人數將增逾4倍 協助訓練

The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. is increasing the number of troops deployed to Taiwan, more than quadrupling the current number to bolster a training program amid the rising threat from China.

The international community is paying more attention to the Taiwan Strait situation on the first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war. The Washington Post reported on the 23rd that the United States will greatly increase the number of troops stationed in Taiwan to deal with China's threat. The U.S. military plans to station 100 to 200 troops in Taiwan in the next few months. This is more than four times the number of about 30 troops a year ago. The increasing troops will help expand the Pentagon's undisclosed training of Taiwanese troops and provide the defense capabilities needed by the Taiwanese military.

Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Spokesperson: “The relationship with Taiwan remains aligned against the current threats posed by the People's Republic of China and consistent with our One China Policy. That has not changed.”

Chiu Kuo-cheng, Minister of National Defense: “In fact, we have a lot of exchanges with the U.S. military. It's not limited to this single aspect. I need to understand this message thoroughly before I can explain it to you.”

Neither Taiwan nor the U.S. defense agencies made any further clarifications. However, experts believe the news should be very accurate, and the plan is long-term. The new U.S. troops stationed in Taiwan will not only train Taiwan's army to operate U.S. weapons, but also provide guidance on the tactical aspect of preventing Chinese attacks.

Su Tzu-yun, Director, Defense Strategy and Resources Div., INDSR: “The U.S. military is here to assist with military training and the design of Taiwan's strategic defense. So they are more like consultants.”

The report also pointed out that after the Russia-Ukraine war, the Pentagon has redoubled its efforts to get Taiwan to adopt a "porcupine" strategy to make itself more difficult to be attacked. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said that if Taiwan is invaded, it will have a devastating impact on the world.

Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State: “If there are crises in Taiwan as a result of China's aggression in some fashion, that would have, I think, disastrous consequences for the world economy and countries around the world. And that's the message too that Beijing is hearing increasingly.”

Blinken pointed out that one of the reasons why the whole world pays so much attention to the crisis in the Taiwan Strait is that this is not an internal affair as China claims, but a truly global issue. One of the factors that are bringing countries around the world together now is not just to support Ukraine, but also necessarily plan what China might do to Taiwan. 

俄烏戰爭屆滿週年，國際更加關注台海局勢，23日《華盛頓郵報》報導，美國將大幅增加在台駐軍人數，來應對中國威脅，美軍計畫未來幾個月在台派駐100到200名軍人，相較一年前的30人左右增加超過4倍，這能擴大五角大廈一直未公開宣傳的對台訓練計畫，提供國軍所需的防禦能力。

美國白宮發言人尚皮耶表示：「我們對台灣的支持，是因應當前中國構成的威脅，這符合美國一中政策，並未改變。」

國防部長邱國正提及：「事實上我們跟美方有很多交流，不限這個單一方面，這訊息我要徹底了解才能做說明。」

台美國防單位都沒有進一步說明，不過學者認為這消息應該十分準確，而且計畫已久，新增駐台美軍不僅將訓練國軍操作美國武器，也會在防範中國攻擊的戰術面加以指導。

國防院戰略所所長蘇紫雲說道：「（美軍）來協助台灣的軍隊訓練，還有戰略設計的部分，所以他是比較像是一個顧問性質的。」

報導也指出，俄烏戰爭之後，五角大廈已經加倍努力讓台灣採取刺蝟戰略，使台灣更難遭受攻擊，國務卿布林肯也表示如果台灣被侵犯，將有毀滅性影響。

美國國務卿布林肯說明：「如果台灣因中國以某種方式的侵略，而出現危機 我認為這將對世界經濟，和世界各國造成災難性後果，這也是北京聽到越來越多的訊息。」

布林肯指出全世界如此關注台海危機的原因之一，那就是這不是如中國聲稱的內政，而是確確實實的全球性議題。現在促使各國團結起來的因素之一，不僅只是為了支援烏克蘭，也必然設想到了中國可能對台灣採取的行為。