US Navy SEALs Gear Up for High-Stakes Showdown: Taiwan Strait War Looms on the Horizon
US Navy SEALs Prepare for Possible War in Taiwan Strait
The US Navy SEALs, the elite unit that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011, are training to rescue Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Secretive Training Highlights US Commitment to Taiwan’s Defense
The Financial Times reports that SEAL Team 6 has been planning and training for over a year for a conflict over Taiwan at its Dam Neck headquarters in Virginia Beach. This secretive training underscores the US’s growing commitment to preventing China from attacking Taiwan.
US Military Prepares for Contingency Amid Rising Tensions
The US military has accelerated contingency preparations as the People’s Liberation Army rapidly modernizes to carry out Xi Jinping’s order to have the ability to seize Taiwan by force by 2027. While US officials stress that conflict with China is “neither imminent nor inevitable,” the US military is taking steps to prepare for a potential conflict.
SEAL Team 6: The Most Elite Unit in the US Military
SEAL Team 6 is the most elite “Tier 1” unit in the US military, ranking alongside the US Army’s famous Delta Force. The unit reports to the Joint Special Operations Command, which is a subsidiary of Special Operations Command. SEAL Team 6 has a long history of conducting high-profile missions, including the rescue of Richard Phillips, the captain of the Maersk Alabama container ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009.
US Military Increases Focus on China
The US military has increased its focus on China in recent years, with special operations forces joining other parts of the military and intelligence community in shifting their attention to the region. CIA Director Bill Burns recently stated that 20% of the CIA’s budget is spent on China, a 200% increase in three years.
Taiwan Relations Act Obliges US to Help Taiwan with Defense
Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the US is obliged to help Taiwan with its defense. While the US has long pursued a policy of “strategic ambiguity,” meaning it will not say whether it will provide defense for Taiwan, President Biden has repeatedly stated that the US military will defend Taiwan in the face of an unprovoked attack from China.
China Warns US Against Interfering in Taiwan Affairs
China has warned the US against interfering in Taiwan affairs, with the Chinese Embassy in Washington stating that Taiwan is “the core of China’s core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in Sino-US relations.” Chinese Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu called on the US to “stop strengthening military ties with the Taiwan region or providing weapons to Taiwan” and “stop creating factors that exacerbate tensions in the Taiwan Strait.”
The US Navy SEALs that killed Bin Laden are training for a possible war in the Taiwan Strait pic.twitter.com/Yovq99ZbNg
— RFI Chinese – Radio France Internationale (@RFI_Cn) September 12, 2024