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Defense ministry refers to US as ‘semi-military ally’

In its budget proposal for next year, the Ministry of National Defense referred to the nation’s relationship with the US as a“relationship between semi-military allies.”

It was the first time that the ministry has used the word “ally” in this context since the US broke diplomatic relations on Jan. 1, 1979, and the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty expired on Jan. 1, 1980, which could indicate that the military relationship between the two parties is warming up.

Taiwan and the US cooperate on military matters despite the lack of formal relations.

The ministry said it would further seek to observe and participate in US military exercises and build mutual trust and consensus.

Military relations between the US and Taiwan were intense last year, with the US sending 52 delegations comprising 430 people to Taiwan, while the Taiwanese side sent 19 delegations — a total of 135 people — to the US.

In the budget’s policy goals, the ministry said it would emphasize rebuilding mutual trust with the US and consolidating the bilateral relationship.

This would help increase a variety of military exchanges and cooperation with the US, it said, allowing the nation to maintain a good national defense relationship with the US to build mechanisms for maintaining cross-strait peace and stability.
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