According to weekend reports from Taiwanese media, under a collaborative program, the U.S. Department of Defense will be directly dispatching an official from the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy (OSW-P) and an expert from the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) to be stationed long-term at the headquarters of Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense. Taiwanese legislators have commented on this news.
It is reported that these two American military experts will assist in policy coordination and operational capability assessments as part of an expanded “Taiwan-U.S. Department of Defense Joint Cooperation Assessment Program,” which will run from 2026 to 2028.
Currently, American personnel in Taiwan mainly serve as instructors or work through the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).
Taiwan’s Liberty Times reported that senior Taiwanese officials have stated that American representatives can provide on-site consultations covering overall defense planning, the annual “Han Kuang” military exercises in Taiwan, and evaluations of major weapon acquisition projects.
The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense has not confirmed the specific arrangements mentioned in the media reports. On Sunday, the Ministry of National Defense only stated that Taiwan and the U.S. will continue to deepen military exchanges to enhance the overall defense capabilities and resilience of both armies. The Ministry of National Defense declined to disclose the specific details of the cooperation.
On Monday afternoon, a spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Defense stated that they have no comment on the related reports.
DPP legislator Wang Ting-yu from the ruling party in Taiwan described the Taiwan-U.S. arrangement in the report as a “significant upgrade” in military cooperation. He believes that in addition to the hundreds of American military instructors already assisting in training the Taiwanese military, American representatives will now directly work within the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense.
Wang Ting-yu said, “This means American personnel will directly enter the core of Taiwan’s defense policy-making institution to assist in policy coordination and operational capability assessments.” He referred to this move as a direct military cooperation “elevating to the highest level.”
However, KMT legislator Ma Wen-chun, from the main opposition party, questioned the significant increase in project costs. Ma Wen-chun said, “Supporting Taiwan-U.S. military exchanges and cooperation, supporting Taiwan’s defense, does not mean that budgets can increase without restraint.” She pointed out that the Ministry of National Defense has not provided a specific response.
Military analyst Zivon Wang from the think tank “Association for Strategic Foresight” in Taiwan stated that while active and retired U.S. military personnel have been providing training and consultations in Taiwan and participating in the “Han Kuang” exercises, this deployment of personnel within the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense is more sensitive.
He believes that despite the deepening of Taiwan-U.S. relations, American representatives will not dictate Taiwan’s defense strategy.
“Many aspects of Taiwan’s military strategy are already closely linked to the United States’ strategy,” Zivon Wang said. “Their main purpose in Taiwan is communication and coordination, not direct control of Taiwan’s defense policy or strategy. Taiwan will remain in the lead.”
Vice Chairman He Zhen-sheng of the Association for Foreign Relations Research and Development of Taiwan stated in an article on the “China Times News Network,” “You can invite American teachers to give lectures, but you should not let them write your graduation thesis.”
In recent military training exercises in Taiwan, American military personnel and advisors have been frequently seen assisting and observing, jokingly referred to as “English teachers” or “American teachers” by outsiders.
He Zhen-sheng urged that while the defense cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S. can be upgraded, Taiwan’s defense autonomy should not be downgraded; while the U.S. can become an important security partner for Taiwan, it should not become Taiwan’s “strategic driver.”