Minister of National Defense Kao Kuang-chi (高廣圻) yesterday said a Taiwanese military delegation is taking part in a US Marine Corps conference on maritime and amphibious operations in Hawaii this week.
Replying to questions at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, Kao said the delegation is attending the US Pacific Command Amphibious Leaders Symposium (PALS).
“We always had military exchanges with the US, which have been ongoing and are being maintained steadily,” Kao said.
A military official told reporters that the ministry welcomed the invitation to join the three-day event and sees the nation’s participation as a positive development, enhancing the relationship between Taiwanese and US military forces.
The delegation is being led by the commander of the Kaohsiung-based 99th Marine Brigade, Major General Liu Yu-ping (劉豫屏).
More than 22 nations, including the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Chile, are taking part in the inaugural PALS event at US Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, with about 110 international and US groups participating.
“PALS brought together senior leaders of allied and partner marine corps, naval infantries and militaries spanning the Indo-Asia-Pacific region who have an interest in military amphibious capability development,” US Department of Defense spokesperson Colonel Steve Warren said earlier this week.
Group briefings and discussions are centering on observations of an amphibious landing as part of the joint sea-based exercises, and are to conclude with scenario-based tabletop exercises, Warren said.
Participants have discussed ship-to-shore tactics, capabilities of their respective militaries and new opportunities to work together, US officials have said.
“These types of engagements result in better training and interoperability with our friends and partners throughout the region,” Warren said.
PALS participants on Tuesday observed an amphibious landing by the US 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, launched from the USS Rushmore, a news release from US Department of Defense said.
The landing was part of the US Pacific Fleet’s Culebra Koa 15, a joint exercise taking place in Hawaii at the same time as the symposium.
China was not invited to the symposium “due to specific US laws prohibiting the involvement of the People’s Liberation Army [PLA],” Warren said on Tuesday.
“Because we will be including discussions and demonstrations of ship-to-shore assaults, US Public Law 106-65, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2000, prohibits us from having [military-to-military] exchanges or contact with representatives of the PLA that include force projection operations and advanced combined-arms and joint combat operations,” he said.
Warren said that PALS “also paves the way for enhanced regional stability and economic ties.”
Political pundits said the Taiwanese delegation’s trip to Hawaii is significant and positive development, since Taiwan has not been invited to attend large international military events in the past decade.
Additional reporting by CNA and staff writer
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