TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Troops from the Army will reportedly go to the U.S. for exchanges at the battalion level for the first time in history in the second half of this year.

Sources familiar with the matter were cited by CNA saying the Army's 542nd Armor Brigade and the 333rd Combined Arms Battalion (CAB) will go to the U.S. for exchanges in the second half of this year. This will mark the first time Taiwanese troops have been dispatched to the U.S. at the battalion level.

In the past, Taiwanese troops were only sent to the U.S. at the platoon level or at most the company level. However, the Army Command Headquarters said all military exchanges with foreign forces are handled in accordance with planning, and it declined to comment further on the details provided in the media report.

After a meeting with a Congressional delegation at the presidential office on Tuesday (Feb. 21) led by U.S. Representative Ro Khanna, President Tsai said "Taiwan and the United States continue to bolster military exchanges." She also emphasized that "Taiwan will step up cooperation with the United States and other democratic partners to confront such global challenges as authoritarian expansionism and climate change."

Tsai did not specify what these future military exchanges would entail, but stressed that now is the time to "explore even more opportunities for cooperation" between Taiwan and the U.S.The reported plan to send battalion level Taiwanese soldiers could be an example of the military exchanges Tsai had referred to the day before.