Taiwan

Taiwan Special Forces Have Been Working With US Troops, but Who Are They?

Recent official confirmation of U.S. troops training with Republic of China (R.O.C.) forces in Taiwan is hardly shocking news. The U.S. Army 1st Special Forces Group even posted a video of joint training to Facebook more than a year ago.

Recently, U.S. foreign policy has placed increased attention on the decades-long Nationalist-Communist Chinese conflict. To the wider world, it may look like an international conflict between two sovereign nations. Yet, in reality, the civil war between Nationalist and Communist forces was only ever put on pause in 1949. To this day, both Taipei and Beijing maintain conflicting claims of legitimacy.

The Taiwanese government has stated that it could not last more than a month against a Communist assault. This forecast emphasizes the importance of international assistance in the event the mainland government makes a move.

Additionally, the R.O.C. armed forces which were once composed mainly of conscripts, are now moving towards an all-volunteer force. Some training remains obligatory in Taiwan, but with a military budget almost one-tenth of the mainland’s, the island is in a precarious position.

The Nationalist Party in Taiwan, descendants of the Kuomintang that led the fight against Japan in WWII, are realists. The Taiwanese government hasn’t seriously considered invading the mainland since the 1970s. Today, the emphasis is on deterring and surviving a potential invasion by the Communists.

But who are the R.O.C. forces who would stand in defense of the virtual fortress country of Taiwan? Who are the special operation counterparts that U.S. Special Forces have been training with, and what are they capable of?

Taiwanese Special Forces of all Shapes and Sizes

For a westerner to understand the R.O.C. Special Forces, first there has to be some understanding of the R.O.C. military.

One significant difference is the R.O.C. Military Police branch. That’s right, I said branch. Like the U.S. and most other countries, Taiwan has an army, air force, and navy.

Yet, the country also has a separate branch for military police, and that branch has its own special forces operators. In fact, even the R.O.C. Coast Guard has special operators.

In total, the island nation has at least five known special operations forces, each with its own unique backstory, history, and mission.

And that doesn’t even count the local police forces with their own SWAT-like units patterned after the National Police Agency’s (NPA) special forces.

Additionally, any defense of Taiwan would involve a “total war” footing. If the Communists were to invade, everyone from local police to construction workers would be pressed into service for defense.

Earliest Taiwan Special Forces

Taiwan Special Forces Sea Dragons — A recent graduate of the R.O.C. Army’s 101st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion’s 15-week training course has the Sea Dragon Badge shoved into his chest by his instructor. (Republic of China Ministry of National Defense)

The 101st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion is the oldest of the R.O.C. Special Forces units. Stood up in 1949 after the Nationalists retreated from mainland China, the 101st was founded with U.S. assistance. They are also the R.O.C. unit shown in the Facebook video posted by the U.S. Army 1st Special Forces Group.

While they belong to the R.O.C. Army, the 101st is operationally similar to the U.S. Navy SEALS. In a callback to the WWII predecessors of the SEALS, they are also known as “Sea Dragon Frogmen.” Their original role was amphibious reconnaissance and stealth missions on the mainland coast, though now they focus on a defensive role.

The members of the 101st qualify through the 15-week “iron-man road” training course. This has an 80 percent failure rate. Training covers such areas as scuba, underwater explosives, survival in the wild, and hand-to-hand combat. The R.O.C. frogmen also specialize in mountain, airborne and amphibious operations.

Prior to entering the longer course, candidates also have to complete a five-day qualification course that tests their physical endurance.

The Taiwanese government recently invested approximately $13 million on equipment and facility upgrades for the frogmen. New forward operating bases on Penghu and Kinmen islands are meant to bolster rapid response capabilities in the Taiwanese Strait.

Response to Terrorism From Taiwan Special Forces

Founded around 1980, the R.O.C. Army has another special forces unit tasked primarily with counterterrorism. The Airborne Special Service Company (ASSC) has a comparable mission to Delta Force.

While little is publicly disclosed about the ASSC, they were recently the alleged target of Communist espionage. Prosecutors in the case alleged that the ASSC is trained both for counterterrorism and defensive counterstrikes against Communist military leaders.

The unit is also known as the Liang Shan Special Operations Company. It is allegedly based out of Pingtung County.

A 2017 report from the R.O.C. Ministry of National Defense discusses ongoing training for defensive operations involving the ASSC. Along with other special forces units, they are part of the Joint Airborne Task Force. The task force is tasked with both homeland defense and airborne infiltration.

Both the ASSC and the 101st were put under the R.O.C. Army’s Aviation and Special Forces Command (ASFC) around 2007. As of 2010, the total troop strength of the ASFC was 9,500, including 300 women. The ASFC also includes the 601st and 602nd Aviation Brigades, the 603rd Aviation Training Command, and the Air Transport Battalion. The elite ASSC is reported to have approximately 150 personnel.

The ROC Marine Corps’ Role in Taiwan Special Forces

Taiwan Airborne Special Service Company training — Members of the Airborne Special Service Company conduct close-quarters training. (Office of the President, Republic of China)

The R.O.C. Army has the first amphibious special forces set up by the Nationalist Chinese. Yet, they aren’t the only amphibious Taiwan special forces unit. Founded in 1950, the R.O.C. Marine Corps Amphibious Reconnaissance and Patrol Unit (ARP) is almost as old.

The ARP’s 10-week course has a reported attrition rate of about 77 percent. Dubbed “Paradise Road,” the final test has the R.O.C. Marines crawl 50 meters over rock and coral. It’s so rough that, in 2014, the National Legislature felt the need to clarify that it is “necessary training.” Previously, critics had sought to have the final test labeled among “abusive acts.”

With the transition to the ROC Marine Corps from conscription to volunteer, critics alleged that harsh treatment could discourage recruitment. However, the counterargument stands that the kind of recruits the ARP wants would not be discouraged by a nosebleed.

The ARP has underwater demolition and reconnaissance teams. Members have allegedly conducted training with the U.S. Marine Corps on U.S. bases in recent years.

According to the official ARP Facebook page, the brigade falls under the Special Operations Command of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

In recent years, the R.O.C. Ministry of National Defense has also invested in new training facilities for special operations. Approximately $36 million was earmarked in 2018 for the new training facilities, with the majority going to naval installations. A portion will also go toward a joint training facility for use with the R.O.C. Military Police’s special operators — but more on this unit later.

The new training facilities are expected to be operational in 2022, providing both live-fire and computer-simulated training scenarios. They will focus on amphibious and conventional operations, as well as individual combat skills. Training will include airborne and amphibious insertion, as well as hostage-rescue drills covering air, land, and sea scenarios.

The joint training base will have urban environments, with plans for both R.O.C. Military Police and regular police to train in them.

‘Night Hawks’ in the Taiwan Special Forces

Taiwanese Marine Special Forces parade — R.O.C. Marine Corps Amphibious Reconnaissance and Patrol Unit members participate in a parade in Taipei. (Office of the President, Republic of China)

As mentioned above, the R.O.C. Military Police (ROCMP) are their own branch. The military police traces its history to the elite imperial guards of the Chou dynasty. The current branch was founded in 1914 by Sun Yat-sen.

Rather than guarding the emperor, Sun Yat-sen’s military police were tasked with maintaining military discipline. In 1925, Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek increased their numbers and used them in purging Communists from the Kuomintang. The Kuomintang is the Nationalist Party of China that originated with Sun Yat-sen and still dominates politics in Taiwan.

During WWII, the military police even served in conventional combat against the Japanese. With the 1946 outbreak of civil war, the military police served a primarily defensive role, guarding government facilities and officials.

In the 1970s, the Nationalists formed a special operations unit within the R.O.C. Military Police in response to global terrorism. The R.O.C. Military Police Special Services Company, also known as the Night Hawks, were established in 1978.

Their mission is primarily counterterrorism and “anti-atrocity,” though they engage in other traditional special operations missions as well. They also train special-service teams for the nation’s police departments.

During times of civil unrest, the Night Hawks have also performed operations related to maintaining public order, according to the ROCMP website. They continue to operate as a protective force for government officials and conduct counter-smuggling operations related to arms and drugs.

The Night Hawks have been deployed for various civil incidents, including a 1987 prison riot.

The Night Hawks have teams that specialize in attack, sniper operations, and explosives. ROCMP members who wish to join the Night Hawks must complete a nine-month training course.

In 2020, the Ministry of National Defense confirmed that the Night Hawks regularly train with Green Berets on U.S. soil. Additionally, the unit has been tasked with training the special forces of other countries.

Taiwan Special Forces of all Stripes

Taiwanese explosive ordnance robot — Members of the ROC Military Police Special Services Company with an explosive ordnance disposal robot. (Wikimedia Commons)

The special operators of the R.O.C. Army, Marines, and Military Police branches are the most readily recognized and discussed. Yet, they are not the only special operators in the country. Both the ROC Coast Guard Administration and the National Police Agency of Taiwan have their own special forces units.

Hardcore Coasties

The R.O.C. Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) Special Task Unit (STU) is the youngest of the nation’s special forces. The unit marked its 10th anniversary in 2010, and at the time had 52 members. While they are stationed at airports around Taiwan, their training includes scuba and underwater skills.

Like the nation’s other special operators, members of the STU train in multiple martial arts. Their initial training includes a three-month course with the ARP and a two-month course with the Night Hawks.

While efforts to form the unit began in 2000, the CGA website states the STU was fully formed in July 2005. The official mission of the STU is counterterrorism in maritime zones.

However, the STU has also participated in drills with other special forces units to counter attacks on the presidential office. The joint training also covered incursions in coastal zones and waterways. One of the primary defensive concerns for Taiwan is a “decapitation” strike by Communist forces. Such a strike would seek to disable the country by taking out senior leaders ahead of an invasion. This has led to increased emphasis on joint operations and training.

SWAT With Benefits

Taiwanese Coast Guard martial arts drill — Members of the R.O.C. Coast Guard Administration Special Task Unit participate in martial arts drills. (Office of the President, Republic of China)

Last, but certainly not least, there’s the R.O.C.’s National Police Agency Special Operations Group (NPASOG), commonly referred to as the Thunder Squad. The unit participates in training with other Taiwan special operations units; this includes anti-decapitation joint training.

Such joint training exercises include both live-fire and simulated exercises intended to secure the nation against a Communist invasion.

The NPA’s special forces are also known as the Wei’an, or Special Security Service Forces. Their missions include counterterrorism, as well as protecting senior leaders and critical infrastructure. That includes protecting nuclear power facilities and border control.

Yet, the Thunder Squad also takes on a role similar to SWAT teams and riot police. Local police units fulfilling that role are also referred to by the Thunder Squad name. The NPASOG supports local police departments in anti-terrorism operations.

NPASOG has even been on hand for demonstrations related to the legalization of marijuana, and led a manhunt for an armed fugitive.

The NPASOG is also deployed to areas facing high crime rates in order to help restore order.

Taiwan Police special operations group exercise — National Police Agency Special Operations Group members participate in an exercise in 2019. (Office of the President, Republic of China)

Is China’s Aggression Really Out of Control?

Headlines the last few days screamed about Chinese aggression and Chinese warplanes buzzing over Taiwan. Then, came the “bombshell” report of U.S. troops in Taiwan, training the Taiwanese military. To invade China? To repel a Chinese invasion? To quit losing at paintball? How about because we maintain an agreement with them that has been in place for decades?

The Republic of China or the People’s Republic of China?

After World War II, the U.S. and China were not exactly allies, but not enemies either. Same with Russia. In order to defend against Japanese forces, the U.S. forged alliances with Chinese Nationalists. After the war, a pro-Communist government established the People’s Republic of China (P.R.C.) on the mainland, forcing Chinese Nationalists to flee to Taiwan, where they continued as the Republic of China in exile. Because the U.S. had backed Nationalist forces against the Japanese, they also backed the exiled Republic of China (R.O.C.). At least on paper. Or in words. Maybe it was thoughts and prayers?

The US and Taiwan

Shu Lin Kou Air Station Taiwan — The entrance to Shu Lin Kou Air Station, Taiwan. (Courtesy of Roger W./Wikimedia Commons)

Since the end of WWII and the standup of Communist China on the mainland, the U.S. has maintained ties with the R.O.C. government in Taiwan. The Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty was signed by the U.S. and R.O.C. in 1954, promising Taiwan aid in case of P.R.C. aggression. It also adjured Taiwan not to attempt aggression toward mainland China, effectively recognizing the two as separate entities. The problem is that both governments consider themselves to be the “true” Chinese government

What, then, is an ally supposed to do? From 1955 to 1979, the U.S. formally recognized the R.O.C. via the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty. The treaty was built on political, social, and economical welfare, and military needs, cementing a U.S. military presence in the Taiwan Strait. After President Carter nullified the Sino-American Treaty in 1979, the U.S. officially recognized the People’s Republic of China, and the Taiwan Relations Act was enacted.

Taiwan Relations Act

In an effort to be as ambiguous as possible, the TRA recognizes the “governing authorities” on Taiwan, and allows for continued diplomatic relations, even though the P.R.C. is the legitimate government. All of this is confusing and written in such a way as to offend the least amount of people. While we don’t recognize you as a sovereign country, we will act as if you are a sovereign country. Though we don’t explicitly say our military might is available, we don’t explicitly say that it is not. All that the Taiwan Relations Act says is we will help you to defend yourselves, but falls short of saying exactly how.

Taiwanese and US Military

To that end, U.S. military support for Taiwan has been steady for years. Taiwan has purchased billions of dollars worth of U.S. weapons and aircraft, building and maintaining an impressive defensive posture. Why shouldn’t the U.S. Army and Marine Corps also provide training? Whether that training is on the various weapons systems Taiwan has bought, or training on military tactics, the U.S. commitment to support Taiwan is still there.

Taiwan’s air force is trained to resist invasion. This includes operating from strips of highway if airbases are rendered inoperable. (R.O.C. Ministry of Defense)

The Taiwanese Air Force flies numerous aircraft bought from the U.S., including the F-16. Taiwanese pilots receive flight training at Luke AFB, Arizona. USAF officials would like to train alongside the Taiwanese air force, but the way is hampered by Washington’s fears of offending Communist China. Taiwan owns and operates hundreds of U.S.-made tanks, helicopters, and missile and rocket launch systems. It only makes sense for U.S. military personnel to provide training, but, again, what would Beijing say?

Indo-Pacific Region

In the South China Sea, the US, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan all feel the pressure of Chinese aggression. That is why there are regularly scheduled exercises that take place there. That is why the US works alongside our allies in the region, showcasing not only our might but our ability to project and sustain it. Because of tense US-China relations, the presence of ground troops in Taiwan is concerning to China.

But, and hear me out, the US has had a presence in Taiwan for over 60 years. Although the last official US military base in Taiwan closed in 1979, the Taiwan Relations Act assured the US would maintain close military ties with the country. Though they do not officially train together, US officials often act as observers during Taiwanese military exercises. According to The Foreign Relations Authorization Act for 2003, Taiwan is considered to be a major non-NATO ally to the US. Why, then, should we not work together?

US Military Presence in Taiwan

A small group of U.S. forces has been in Taiwan for over a year now. Initially reported in Taiwanese media in late 2020, both U.S. and Taiwanese officials have said that the troops’ presence was part of bilateral exercises, rather than straight training. The Army posted a video on Facebook last year of Operation Balance Tamper showing American troops working side-by-side with the Taiwanese military. Though the Army took the video down, it was widely reported at the time, and the video is still out there.

Fast rope insertion extraction training — A Green Beret with 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) conducts fast-rope insertion extraction system training from MH-60S Helicopter, June 2, 2021. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Hohman)

Taiwan exists in a Schrodinger’s box, as far as the U.S. and China are concerned. As long as the U.S. leaves Taiwan alone, China catcalls about unification but stays on its side of the street. As long as China leaves Taiwan alone, the U.S. continues regularly supporting it but doesn’t move in. It is a balancing act and has been for a very long time with both sides too evenly matched for it to tilt one way or the other.

Regardless of how it is portrayed in the media, the U.S. and Taiwan have maintained a working military arrangement since the end of World War II. For many of those years, the U.S. and Communist China also maintained military arrangements, including arms sales in the 1980s. Tensions are escalating in the region, but they have been escalating since a pro-Communist government was stood up in mainland China. This is not to say tensions won’t boil over, but there is no new threat to stability except China’s buildup. But, again, China is always building up.

As long as sabers are rattled, other sabers will also be rattled in response. Until one of those sabers is pulled and pointed, rattling is all it is. And it goes on and on and on…

China Vows Military Action to Stop US Weapons Sale to Taiwan

Syria isn’t the only area of the world with escalating violence. In Asia, the Chinese have stated that they will use military action to stop any attempts to support of Taiwan, through U.S. weapons sales to the island nation.

The Chinese Ministry of Defense blasted the State Department’s recent decision to grant U.S. firms the marketing license to sell Taiwan technology necessary for building submarines. The move came at a tense time for U.S.-Chinese relations as President Donald Trump slapped new tariffs on his economic rival, prompting Beijing to do the same. Both sides warned of a potential trade war.
“China firmly opposes the U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, this is clear-cut and consistent. Taiwan is a part of China. One-China principle serves as the political foundation for the China-U.S. ties,” ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Wu Qian said, according to the official China Military Online.
“China’s military has the ability and determination to defeat all attempts to separate our country, and will adopt all necessary measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,” he added.
As part of the One China Policy adopted by the U.S. in 1972, Washington only recognizes China’s mainland government. A civil war saw Communist fighters force the Nationalist Kuomintang leadership into exile in Taiwan, which China claims to be part of its republic. Trump has challenged this notion and controversially accepted a congratulatory call from the Taiwanese president shortly after winning the November 2016 election.
China’s Foreign Ministry urged the United States to avoid official contacts with Taiwan, end attempts to substantially improve relations and stop military contracts for arms sales “so that China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Straits will not be severely damaged,” spokesman Geng Shuang said Monday during a regular press conference.

Trump’s reversal of the existing policy and his decision to sell arms to Taiwan is a huge sticking point with the Chinese who are on the verge of major expansion. They recently set up their first military base outside their territory in Djibouti and now have plans for another in Vanuatu among others.

To read the entire article from Newsweek, click here:

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

Chinese Flyby Drills Closer To Taiwan Sound the Alarm

The Chinese are growing increasingly bolder and more aggressive toward Taiwan as their navy and aircraft get closer and closer to the island in a challenge to the Taiwanese armed forces.

Planes from China flew near Taiwan in November and December, raising concern last week at the presidential office in Taipei. Over the past two years, Chinese military units have sent planes 10 times just outside the Taiwanese air defense zone, former Taiwan defense minister Andrew Yang estimates.
China considers self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory that must eventually be unified. Officials in Beijing resent Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen for not accepting their “one-China” principle, which would bind the two sides under one flag, as a condition for any talks.
China is conducting the long-range flights in part to warn Taiwan against moving toward formal independence at the risk of a military strike, analysts say.
The two sides have been separately ruled since Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists fled to Taiwan after the Chinese civil war, but the government in Taipei has never declared official independence. Surveys in Taipei show most Taiwanese oppose unification.
China wants to prove it can send ships and planes past the “first island chain,” said Joshua Pollack, editor of The Nonproliferation Review in Washington.
Taiwan, which sits 160 kilometers from China at its nearest point, has sent its own aircraft to monitor China’s movements and urged people on the island to stay calm.

Neither side wants a mishap, but the Chinese have shown that they are growing increasingly impatient to a unification that they want and are willing to use force. These drills are putting both sides in dangerous situations that may ignite at any time.

To read the entire article from Voice of America click here:

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

China Flexes Military Muscle in the Western Pacific as a Warning to Taiwan

The Chinese continued to act more aggressively in the Pacific, the latest bellicose move by Beijing was a series of military exercises in the Western Pacific in what Chinese officials described as “island encirclement patrols” over Taiwan by their air forces.

These latest drills came just a week after a spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army said that the Chinese Air Force had recently staged drills over the Yellow and East seas near the Korean peninsula, using “routes and areas it has never flown before”. The latest moves are messages to Taiwan and to the US and South Korea that they intend on increasing their influence, far beyond their borders.

Monday’s drills involved aircraft flying over the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines, and the Miyako Strait near the Japanese island of Okinawa. Other patrols encircled Taiwan, air force spokesperson Shen Jinke said, according to a statement posted on the air force’s website.
“Exercises near Taiwan are [primarily] a warning to the DPP, which always plays down Beijing’s military might, and a reminder to the Taiwanese public,” Beijing-based military expert Zhou Chenming said.
“In the East China Sea, however, where China’s air defence identification zone overlaps with Japan’s, drills are more complicated and challenging, because Tokyo scrambles its fighters to [effectively] join the training, which helps the Chinese pilots to improve their combat skills,” he said.
Taiwan’s Defence Minister Feng Shih-kuan said on Tuesday that the island had dispatched aircraft and ships to monitor the PLA’s exercises, but said they were not unusual and that the public should not be alarmed.

Chinese actions continue to show their aggressive and confident nature in pushing their influence in the region. With the situation in North Korea bubbling, the Chinese are not limiting their attention there. And are preparing for any scenario.

To read the entire article from The South China Post click here:

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

Taiwan’s President Arrives in Hawaii Amid Chinese Protests

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is on a trip to visit and strengthen its support among its allies its diplomatic allies in the Pacific, stopped over in Hawaii despite strong objections from China.

The Chinese considered Taiwan, part of their territory, despite the Taiwanese having a self-governed body ruling it. The Taiwanese have been in control of the island since the end of the 1949 Chinese Civil War when Mao Zedong’s communist forces drove out the Nationalists of Chiang Kai-Shek. They frequently have mentioned using force to bring Taiwan under its control.

Tsai, who China believes is seeking formal independence for Taiwan, left on Saturday on a week-long trip to three Pacific allies – Tuvalu, the Solomon Islands and the Marshall Islands – via Honolulu and the US territory of Guam.
For her part, Tsai has said she wants to maintain peace with Beijing but will defend Taiwan’s democracy and security.
Earlier this week, the US State Department said Tsai’s transits through American soil would be “private and unofficial” and were based on long-standing US practice consistent with “our unofficial relations with Taiwan”.
It noted there was “no change to the US one-China policy” which recognises that Beijing takes the view that there is only one China.

Tsai is on her second trip to the US in 2017, having stopped over on a trip to Latin America. She visited Pearl Harbor and laid a wreath at the memorial site for the Battleship Arizona.

To read the entire article from the South China Morning Post, click here:

Photo courtesy Wikipedia