The Presidential Office and the Cabinet yesterday dismissed suggestions that the nation was considering sending troops to Iraq after two members of the US House of Representatives presented a resolution that would require the US president to ask Taiwan to send marines to the recently invaded country.
"As far as I know, it was just a proposal," Cabinet Spokesman Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said. "Up until now, the US government has never made such a request nor have we received any message from the US government in this regard."
The main aim of the nation's armed forces is to defend the country, Chen said, and the Cabinet has no plans to elevate its military cooperation with the US.
"As a member of the international community, we've dedicated ourselves to anti-terrorism, post-war reconstruction and humanitarian aid," he said. "I believe the communication channels with the US military have been smooth and interaction frequent, which has had a positive impact on security across the Taiwan Strait and regional stability."
Presidential Office Spokesman James Huang (
Two pro-Taiwan US House members introduced a resolution on Thursday calling for US President George W. Bush to ask Taiwan to deploy marines to Iraq.
Representative Dana Rohrabacher, co-chairman of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, and Representative Jim Ryun, also a member of the Taiwan Caucus, said in the resolution that Taiwan was studying the feasibility of sending up to 5,000 marines to Iraq to fight alongside US-led forces.
As a fellow democracy, the resolution said, Taiwan shares the US' passion for promoting freedom, democracy and human rights around the world; and its marines have a deserved reputation throughout the Far East for their high level of training and motivation.
Since the US is requesting other countries to send ground forces to Iraq to join international coalition forces in the global war on terrorism, Bush should "request President Chen to deploy Taiwanese marines to Iraq," said the resolution, which has been referred to the House Committee on International Relations for debate.
Ryun, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, also introduced a draft amendment to a national defense authorization act for next year that considerably raises the level of military exchanges between the US and Taiwan.
Taiwan has reportedly offered to donate US$200 million to help with Iraq's post-war reconstruction during the US-led war against Iraq. The US government reportedly turned down the donation for fear of angering China, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province.
Taiwan has participated twice in US wars overseas since 1949, according to the April issue of the Taiwan military monthly, Defense International. The nation sent interpreters to interrogate Chinese prisoners of war at the end of the Korean War (1950-1953). It also sent special troops to assist US forces during the Vietnam War (1954-1975).
Also See Story:
Editorial: Horse-trading in a hornets' nest
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from