In April, the U.S. and Taiwan navies held joint exercises in the Pacific that were not officially acknowledged, according to four individuals briefed on the matter, as the two militaries strengthen cooperation in response to increasing Chinese military threats.
Washington and Taipei have been enhancing their military collaboration in recent years due to nearly daily Chinese incursions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone and Chinese military drills near the island.
U.S.-Taiwan military engagements, such as visits and training, are kept discreet and often not officially confirmed because of China‘s opposition to any military contacts between Washington and Taipei. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, which the island firmly rejects.
Sources indicate the unpublicized drills took place last month in the Western Pacific. One source mentioned “multiple military assets” were involved. Another source noted that the drills were unofficial and described as “unplanned sea encounters,” suggesting a tacit agreement where both sides portrayed the exercises as coincidental encounters.
“It’s like I am dining in this restaurant and you also happen to be here,” the source said. “Then it looks like I am only sharing the same table with someone.”
This source also stated that about half a dozen navy ships from both sides, including frigates and support vessels, participated in the multi-day exercises, which focused on practicing “basic” operations such as communications, refueling, and resupply.
Taiwan’s navy, in a statement to Reuters, said that to handle unexpected scenarios at sea and to minimize “interference” with each other, the navy “acts in concert with the U.S.-promoted Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea,” also known as CUES.
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