TOPSHOT - Navy soldiers walk past a Taiwan-made corvette warship during the inauguration ceremony in Yilan on March 26, 2024.
Sam Yeh | Afp | Getty ImagesThe U.S. and Taiwan navies conducted joint drills in the Pacific in April that, officially, did not take place, four people briefed on the matter said, as the two militaries boost cooperation amid rising Chinese military threats.
Washington and Taipei have been expanding their military cooperation in recent years amid almost daily Chinese incursions into Taiwan's air defense identification zone and drills by Chinese forces near the island.
The drills, which were not publicized, took place last month in the Western Pacific, according to the sources, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter.
"The Navy often makes contact with vessels of other countries and conducts encounter drills as needed," the statement said, without elaborating.
Persons:
Sam Yeh
Organizations:
Navy, Afp, Getty, U.S, Pentagon
Locations:
Taiwan, Yilan, Pacific, Washington, Taipei, U.S, China, United States, Beijing