TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A retired United States diplomat says troops from Taiwan are receiving military training at a National Guard base in the state of Michigan, reports said Saturday (Sept. 28).

Joseph Cella, a former ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu, made the claim during a congressional hearing on September 24, the Liberty Times reported. The facility in Michigan where the Taiwanese troops were reportedly training was the National All-Domain Warfighting Center at Camp Grayling.

While a National Guard facility, the site also provided training to Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force officers, as well as to troops from allied nations.

In past years, Taiwan’s 333 Mechanized Infantry Brigade reportedly took part in the Northern Strike summer maneuvers in Michigan, while the 542 Armored Brigade received training in Hawaii. However, Cella did not provide any dates or details of the alleged Taiwanese military presence at Camp Grayling.

During the congressional hearing, the retired diplomat also issued a warning against China’s actions, both in the U.S. and overseas. He criticized investment by a Chinese just 70 miles (112 kilometers) from Camp Grayling, and Beijing’s aggressive campaign to persuade Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the Pacific to switch sides.