A US navy official paid a secret visit to Taiwan earlier this month in what was the highest-level visit by a US military official to Taiwan since the severing of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1979, defense sources told the Taipei Times yesterday.
Admiral Dennis Blair, commander in chief of the US Pacific Command, visited Taiwan for one day nearly three weeks ago, the source said.
Blair's visit marked a substantial upgrade of the relations between the two countries' militaries, he said. The source declined to reveal, however, why Blair came to Taiwan.
Blair was the highest-ranking US military official to visit Taiwan since the break-up of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and US in 1979.
Erich Shih (
"All I could say is `My God!' Blair's visit to Taiwan means a lot to us. It could mean a military alliance of some sort is forming between Taiwan and the US," Shih said. "It could also mean that the US military is planning to adjust its strategy in the Western Pacific region on the basis of the situation in the Taiwan Strait.
"Our military needs, for instance, to strengthen its communication with its US counterpart. It is a vital area that Taiwan needs to beef up," he added.
Blair arrived right at a time of worsening relations between the US and China because of China's detention of 24 crew members of a US surveillance plane that collided with a Chinese fighter plane.
But Blair's visit did not seem to have anything to do with that incident. It was more likely in connection with the mission of a US navy delegation, which came to Taiwan almost at the same time.
That delegation visited to provide wireless communication codes for use between the militaries of Taiwan and the US.
It was the latest renewal of communication codes between the two sides since 1996 when the US provided similar codes to Taiwan, which at the time was faced with military intimidation from China.
Almost at the same time, Taiwan Navy Commander in Chief Admiral Li Chieh (
During the visit, Li not only met with his US counterpart but was also invited to board an AEGIS-equipped destroyer.
The series of interactions between the Taiwan military and its US counterpart may indicate that the relations between the two are being strengthened to an unprecedented level since the US switched diplomatic recognition to China in 1979.
A defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said one of the greatest aims that the US military wants to achieve is to help Taiwan become better able to defend itself against military threats from across the Taiwan Strait.
"The US wants to achieve this aim by providing all sorts of necessary assistance to Taiwan. The provision of communication codes to Taiwan is one example," the official said.
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