International Controversy: Defying Trump's Pressure! Wall Street Journal Confirms: US Military Has Quietly Established 'Comprehensive' Military Cooperation with Taiwan

US military training of Taiwanese forces has long been a sensitive issue. To avoid provoking retaliation from Beijing, both Washington and Taipei have historically kept such activities low-profile. However, Taiwan's Defense Minister Koo Tsai-hsiung stated during a small media briefing that US-Taiwan military cooperation may be far more extensive than many realize—a rare public acknowledgment of America's behind-the-scenes role in helping Taiwan bolster its defenses and deter China.

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) recently released a photo showing patrol vessels from Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration sailing side by side with those of the US Coast Guard. The Wall Street Journal interpreted this as a significant breakthrough.

These developments indicate that while the US officially maintains its 'One China' policy, it is increasingly supporting Taiwan's defense capabilities in practice. Amid rising military tensions, the deepening of unofficial cooperation is seen as a strategic move to maintain regional balance.

Taiwan is relying on US support to modernize its self-defense capabilities. Training includes intelligence sharing, joint exercises, and improving equipment interoperability. Meanwhile, China has strongly condemned these actions as 'external interference' and has hinted at military and diplomatic countermeasures.

Experts predict that such cooperation will continue to advance at an unofficial and operational level. While it is unlikely to evolve into a formal military alliance, analysts observe that a de facto defense partnership is gradually taking shape. This trend is expected to remain a focal point within the broader US-China power competition in the Indo-Pacific region.