US-Taiwan Reportedly Held Secret Military Exercise

JAKARTA - Taiwan's defense authority Wellington Koomeng said Taiwan's leadership is conducting joint military exercises with the United States and the information has long been kept secret from the public.

Military cooperation between Taiwan and the US is closer than one might imagine.

"People may only see the sale of weapons, but in fact this is multifaceted and involves many other things. Through military exchanges, we have gained so much practical combat experience from the US," Koo explained as quoted by ANTARA from Sputnik, Tuesday, August 4.

The statement of the Taiwanese minister was reported to reflect Taiwan's attitude which began to reveal information related to joint military exercises with the US which had been kept secret.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Defense and the US Pacific Command declined to respond to the statement.

To note, China has repeatedly urged the US to stop selling weapons to Taiwan and triggered tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) said that US military interactions with Taiwan and the sale of weapons from the US to the island's authorities were a serious violation of the "One China" principle and the China-US joint communique.

This is also considered to violate China's sovereignty and security interests and disrupt stability in the Taiwan Strait.