The US Guide will invite Taiwan to the largest joint teachings of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region (ATP) Rimpac in 2022. The Ministry of Defense of the country noted Taiwan’s participation in future teachings in the new military budget. It is reported by CNN TV channel.
The approved budget project says that Taipei’s participation will complement Washington’s efforts to support the island in the face of “aggressive behavior” of the PRC.
The US previously used RimPac as an attempt to weaken tensions in relations with the PRC and invited China’s People’s Liberation Army (NAK) as participants in 2016. Then the Naval Navy sent five ships and more than 1,200 servicemen to the exercises. However, in 2018, NAK was not invited, since the tensions between Washington and Beijing increased due to the Chinese military expansion in the South China Sea.
Former head of the department of operations of the United States of the United States of the Pacific Command of the USA, Karl Schuster believes that this step is a political signal Beijing. “Participation in RimPac is not only an opportunity for the extent of joint action, but also a political statement. Such an invitation notes Taiwan as a friend and partner of the United States of America,” said a former officer.
On December 28, US President Joe Biden signed a law on national defense (NDAA), within which Washington will send 770 billion dollars for the defense needs of 2022. Of these, 7.1 billion dollars will be spent to support Taiwan Protection and Pacific Initiative.
China’s relationship and Taiwan began to deteriorate in 2016, after coming to power in the unrecognized Chinese Republic of the candidate from the Democratic Progressive Party of Tsai Invention. Despite the loss of global diplomatic recognition, Taiwan de facto remains a state that has its armed forces, state bodies and currency. China’s leadership does not recognize the statehood of Taiwan and considers his government separatist.