TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s deepening security partnerships with the United States and other nations have been kept deliberately low-key, said Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄). 

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday (Sept. 18), Koo said Taiwan has strengthened its combat readiness through cooperation with foreign militaries. However, "The defense ministry has never published this foreign military cooperation with great fanfare,” he said. 

“This is to take into account the international situation and respect for our friends and allies,” the defense minister said. In a veiled reference to China, Koo added, “It is also to avoid unnecessary interference.” 

Koo said, "In the past few years, Taiwan, the United States, and other friends and allies have continuously strengthened security partnerships and continued to expand and deepen military cooperation.” He said the cooperation is more than just “formality” and has “substantially improved” Taiwan’s military combat readiness and regional peace and stability. 

China takes countermeasures against countries that conduct international relations with Taiwan, which it views as interference in its internal affairs and sovereignty. This week it imposed new sanctions against nine US arms companies for selling weapons to Taipei.