TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The US Coast Guard is training its Taiwan counterparts in small-boat operations, team coordination, and maritime patrols as Chinese vessels increase their activities around the nation, the Coast Guard Administration confirmed in a press release Friday.
The two-week course began Monday at the Coast Guard Training and Evaluation Center, in Taoyuan City’s Luzhu District, and is scheduled to continue through Aug. 21, the administration said. The program is focused on improving the nation’s maritime law-enforcement capabilities in complex operational environments.
The administration did not disclose the number of US instructors or Taiwanese personnel involved, citing operational considerations. The course includes vessel handling, emergency response and rescue procedures.
The training comes as China has expanded coast guard activity around Taiwan. Even so, the US training is publicly described as maritime law-enforcement cooperation, rather than a military exercise.
Furthermore, it is not a new initiative, as the US and Taiwan signed a memorandum of understanding in 2021 to strengthen cooperation between their coast guard agencies.
