American and Taiwan navies quietly hold joint drills in the Pacific

The US and Taiwanese navies conducted joint drills in the Pacific in April that, officially, did not take place, four people briefed on the matter said, as the two militaries boost cooperation amid rising Chinese military threats.

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Washington and Taipei have been expanding their military cooperation in recent years amid almost daily Chinese incursions into Taiwan's air defence identification zone and drills by Chinese forces near the island.

military US-Taiwan engagement, including visits and training, are kept low-key and are often not officially confirmed because of China's objection to any military contacts between Washington and Taipei.

China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, which the island strongly rejects.

The drills, which were not publicised, took place in April in the Western Pacific, according to the sources, who requested anonymity.

One source said "multiple military assets" were involved.

A second source said the drills did not officially exist and were dubbed "unplanned sea encounters", pointing to a tacit agreement in which both sides claim the exercises were simply the result of coincidental encounters.