TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The U.S. military commander in the Pacific on Wednesday (March 20) refuted claims that the U.S. is deploying Green Berets to Taiwan's outlying island of Kinmen but acknowledged plans to support the development of Taiwan's "home guard" units.

Addressing concerns about potential Chinese infiltration into the Taiwanese military, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Commander Admiral John C. Aquilino said during a House Armed Services Committee hearing the U.S. Department of Defense intends to aid in the establishment of a volunteer defense force in Taiwan. He also dismissed assertions of a permanent U.S. military presence on Kinmen Island as false.

Congressman Matt Gaetz questioned Aquilino about the level of public willingness in Taiwan to defend against a Chinese incursion, drawing a comparison to the American Revolution. Aquilino reiterated the U.S.' commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to bolster Taiwan's defense capabilities.

Aquilino noted Taiwan's existing reserve activation program and recently extended conscription period as steps toward enhancing defense preparedness. He emphasized Taiwan's serious approach to the China threat.

Expressing apprehension about the vulnerability of Taiwan's regular army and reserves to potential PLA infiltration, Gaetz suggested augmenting Taiwan's defense capabilities with support from the U.S. Aquilino agreed, highlighting ongoing efforts in Taiwan to address such concerns.

Gaetz pressed Aquilino to provide an assessment of Taiwan's potential response to a Chinese invasion, citing Israel's swift mobilization during a conflict with Hamas as a reference point. Aquilino acknowledged Gaetz's concerns and affirmed efforts to bolster Taiwan's capacity for self-defense.

Gaetz reiterated the importance of clarifying the extent to which the Taiwan Relations Act authorizes working with a home guard, to turn Taiwan into an "effective porcupine." He said that while China can endure sanctions and other consequences, it cannot endure a protracted war with Taiwan.

Congressman Jimmy Panetta referenced media reports alleging the stationing of Green Berets on Kinmen, in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2023. Aquilino refuted these reports, saying there is no permanent U.S. troop presence on Kinmen. He offered to discuss the matter further in a classified setting but dismissed the reports as inaccurate.

Additionally, the Ministry of National Defense issued a statement on Thursday (March 21) expressing gratitude for allied support in strengthening Taiwan's defense capabilities. However, it refuted claims of foreign troops being stationed in Taiwan.

Previous reports suggested U.S. Army Green Beret advisors were stationed at Army amphibious bases in Kinmen and Penghu, conducting joint training exercises with Taiwan's special forces units. In February, UDN confirmed these stories.

However, when asked to confirm that Green Berets were permanently stationed in Kinmen, Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) on March 14 said Taiwan's military "may have some blind spots and shortcomings and therefore it is important to communicate with others who are friendly to us, whether they are teams, groups, or countries." Chiu described the exchanges as taking place on a "regular basis."

When asked about the presence of U.S. troops in Taiwan during an interview with CNN in October 2021, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said, "Well, yes. We have a wide range of cooperation with the U.S. aiming at increasing our defense capability."