China News
TAIWAN NEWS
US drawing up contingency plans for cemergency; US senator critical of China visits Taiwan
Reuters Events SMR and Advanced Reactor 2025
US drawing up contingency plans for cemergency; US senator critical of China visits Taiwan
by AFP Staff Writers
Tokyo (AFP) Nov 25, 2024

The United States is drawing up contingency plans for military deployments in Japan and the Philippines in case of an emergency over Taiwan, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported.

They will be incorporated in a first joint operation plan to be formulated in December, Kyodo reported late Sunday, citing sources familiar with Japan-US relations.

A US Marine regiment which possesses the multiple-launch HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) would be deployed along Japan's Nansei island chain stretching from Kyushu to Yonaguni near Taiwan, Kyodo said.

From an early stage, if a Taiwan contingency becomes highly imminent, temporary bases will be set up on inhabited islands based on US military guidelines for dispatching marines in small formations to several locations, the report added.

Japan's military is expected to mainly engage in logistical support for the marine unit, including supplying fuel and ammunition, it said.

Kyodo added that the US Army would deploy Multi-Domain Task Force long-range fire units in the Philippines.

The Japanese and Philippines defence ministries were not immediately available for comment.

The US embassy in Manila declined to comment.

Asked about the report on Monday, Beijing's foreign ministry said that Taiwan is an "inalienable part of China's territory".

"China firmly opposes relevant countries using the Taiwan issue as an excuse to strengthen regional military deployment, provoke tension and confrontation, and damage regional peace and stability," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

China is building up its military capacity while ramping up pressure on self-governed Taiwan.

Washington has been strengthening alliances in the region, while infuriating Beijing with regular deployments of ships and fighter jets in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

US senator critical of China visits Taiwan
Taipei (AFP) Nov 25, 2024 - A US lawmaker, who has been critical of China, arrived in Taiwan on Monday for talks with the island's senior leaders, Washington's de facto embassy in Taipei said.

Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley has spoken out against China's human rights record, including Beijing's treatment of Uighurs in the Xinjiang region and pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

A member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Merkley's trip to Taiwan was "part of a larger visit to the Indo-Pacific region", the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement.

"The Senator will meet with senior Taiwan leaders and other counterparts to discuss US-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and investment, and other significant issues of mutual interest," it said.

Merkley will stay in Taiwan until November 27, the AIT said, without providing further details.

The United States is Taiwan's most important backer and biggest supplier of weapons, but like most other countries it does not have official diplomatic relations with the island.

Visits to Taiwan by foreign politicians often elicit an angry response from China, which claims the self-ruled island as part of its own territory and bristles at any attempt to offer Taipei international legitimacy.

Merkley's trip comes as Republican President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.

Taipei has publicly congratulated Trump on his victory, joining other governments around the world in trying to get onside with the mercurial magnate, whose diplomatic style is often transactional.

Related Links
Taiwan News at SinoDaily.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TAIWAN NEWS
Taiwan foreign minister stops in Brussels for European Parliament visit
Taipei (AFP) Nov 20, 2024
Taiwan's foreign minister Lin Chia-lung met with European Parliament members this week in an unannounced stop in Brussels as part of his first visit to Europe to firm up ties. Taiwan has worked to strengthen ties with European countries as it faces an increasingly assertive China, which claims the self-ruled democratic island as part of its territory. The foreign ministry in Taipei had previously announced that Lin, leading a delegation of representatives of 20 Taiwanese drone companies, was sch ... read more

TAIWAN NEWS
China inflatable space capsule aces orbital test

Tianzhou 7 completes cargo Mission, Tianzhou 8 docks with Tiangong

Zebrafish thrive in space experiment on China's space station

China's commercial space sector expands as firms outline ambitious plans

TAIWAN NEWS
French lawmakers back Macron in rejecting EU-Mercosur deal

Asian markets mixed after subdued pre-holiday shift on Wall St

Most Asian markets drop, dollar gains as Trump fires tariff warning

Autos, food: What are the risks from Trump's tariff threat?

TAIWAN NEWS
TAIWAN NEWS
Swiss government rejects tightening neutrality rules

What to expect from the new EU top team's first 100 days

Cyprus seeks NATO membership with US help

Pro-Kremlin Muscovites galvanised by Putin's warning

TAIWAN NEWS
Serbia lifts moratorium on nuclear power

Cheers, angst as US nuclear plant Three Mile Island to reopen

Argonne evaluates small modular reactors for Ukraine's economic recovery

Framatome's PROtect fuel achieves key milestone at Gosgen Nuclear Plant in Switzerland

TAIWAN NEWS
Philippines, China clashes trigger money-making disinformation

Four years in prison for US telecom worker who was Chinese agent

Sweden seeks China's cooperation in severed cables probe

Denmark says in talks with China over ship linked to cut undersea cables

TAIWAN NEWS
Serbia lifts moratorium on nuclear power

Cheers, angst as US nuclear plant Three Mile Island to reopen

Argonne evaluates small modular reactors for Ukraine's economic recovery

Framatome's PROtect fuel achieves key milestone at Gosgen Nuclear Plant in Switzerland

TAIWAN NEWS
Baltic Sea wind farms impair Sweden's defence, says military

Sweden blocks 13 offshore wind farms over defence concerns

Sweden's defence concerned by planned offshore wind power

On US coast, wind power foes embrace 'Save the Whales' argument

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.