When the new compound housing Washington’s de-facto embassy in Taipei begins operations in September, the Pentagon will assign an undisclosed number of its elite Marines to protect it. The symbolic move marks the return of US military personnel to Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its breakaway province.
Prior to Washington shifting its diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979, the Pentagon stationed its Military Assistance and Advisory Group in Taiwan. The group’s declared purpose was to provide consultation to the fledgling Taiwanese military in the wake of the Korean War.
Like most US embassies, legations and consulates overseas, the American Institute in Taiwan’s brand-new complex in Taipei will soon be guarded by members of the Marine Corps. However, the mission of the detachment set to descend upon the self-ruling island would be “different from that of other US Marines, whose primary mission would be confined to combat”, said the Taipei Times on Sunday, citing a source familiar with the matter.
The newspaper noted in a report that the stationing of the guards could be considered “a representation of how much the US values its relationship with Taiwan”.
In a reciprocal move, Taipei has also signalled its hopes to resume stationing military police at its office in Washington, which currently hires local security personnel.
Earlier this year, former AIT chief and US consul-general to Hong Kong Stephen Young revealed that a “marine house” would be established, and that this was something he fought for during his tenure.
Meanwhile, China’s Global Times has been quick to question the details of the US Marine deployment. It wants to know under what organisational name should the Marines operate, and whether they might maintain a low-key presence, or wear their uniforms when stationed at the AIT.
“Posting US Marines to the AIT would mean a public declaration that the AIT is equivalent to a US embassy or consulate instead of a non-governmental organization,” said the nationalist tabloid in an op-ed, which went so far as to suggest that such a deployment could constitute “an invasion by the US military of Chinese soil”.
Taiwanese secessionists tend to hype up issues related to such a deployment, but if Washington “stirs up trouble over the case and makes extreme arrangements, it knows how Beijing will respond”, Global Times warned.
Stationing Marines to protect US diplomatic missions has been a security arrangement since the end of World War II.
According to the US Department of State, Marine Security Guards provide a 24-hour, daily cleared American presence at designated diplomatic missions around the world. Their primary mission is to prevent the compromise of classified information and equipment vital to the national security and to protect US citizens and government property located within designated diplomatic and consular premises during exigent circumstances.
Yawn!
Bravo, another excuse for China to activate the anti-secession law. Bring it on!
We were never part to begin with
白恆禮 Of course you were never a part of taiwan china. I bet you are one of those 300,000 japs who chose to remain in taiwan after 1945 and now bred into almost 2,000,000. Now its time to pack up and go home. This is ChungKuo land.
THEN WHAT ACTION TAKEN OF CHINA TO THIS MATTER? MANY saids china can match america when iut comes to military. Now, this mis already happenning in China’s soil. I f China really can match USA and really dont afraid to USA, SHOW IT, AND NOT JUST TRUE TALKING!
just keep going US. One day you will add a single drop and the bucket of chinese patience will overflow and you will see why your Military does not want a major war in Asia against a real competator. you should send a lot of body bags with your marines, they may just need them.
If the report is true the US is digging itself a hole it could not get out when the time comes with grave consequences. China’s relative power will only increase over time a matter ought to be taken seriously by the US. Of course the US elites will not accept that they are a spent force.
PLA only useful for crushing students, Americans have larger weapons !
Robert Li No, like Americans or Aussies who decided they were no longer part of England, they have decided they want to govern themselves.
And your problem with that. Or should England take over HK and Jap, Nanking ?
Are you really
a) A sad, old Yank who hates his country (why ? what sort of failure are you ?)
b) Wumao
Small weapons, in the meantime your young ladies want something bigger ….
Well if I was in power, I’d shoot these traitors, just like I’d have shot the Yanks who wanted to get rid of the Brits, or the Irish, or the Africans, blah, blah.
If only the British, French, Roman, Chinese Empires could survive…..
(PS Sarcasm alert)
And Robert, will you (like Comrade Xi) be on the front line, putting your punny bodies on the line ?
Just remember the Yanks have larger weapons !
And in English ?
The Yanks outspend the next 6 nations (together) in military spending. So either the industrial-military complex are bunch of idiots, or the Chinese have smaller weapons.
Alan Wang Pls explain why so many Chinese ladies prefer foreigners to local ‘boys’ ?
Ivor Large difinitely sir
I am very much sure that USA is wise enough not to interfere too much in Taiwan. PRC is quite derermined to get back her lost province by any way, peacefully as far as possible or militarily if necessary.USA is , of course, a big power but she should not undermine the might of China, as well. The whole world want to see a good relationship between USA and China for a global peace.
If they attack the Taiwan the Chinese will die on both sides and US will only lose few thousand dollars.They want taiwan but both sides do care about the Chinese casulaties on both sides too.That’s why China is no mood for open war and if it did happen then it would be very brief and Taiwan will surrender in matter of hours.US can never match the Chinese military that close to their homeland and the people think wars are fun but if anyone invaded US and killed population then we will see,HOW MUCH OF A MAN YOU ARE?