Amidst the trouble in US Elections that can upend allies if Biden sits, a U.S. Navy Admiral makes a surprise visit in Taiwan that is high level in nature.
A two-star Navy admiral is tasked with the gathering of intelligence in the Asia-Pacific region. According to Reuters, the information was passed last Sunday. The US and China have been at odds since it has thrown its support that China dislikes, reported Oann.
Among the sources is a Taiwanese official, who is privy to the circumstances. They revealed it is Admiral Michael Studeman who the sources don't want to be identified, as the situation calls for the utmost secrecy.
Studeman is the director of J2 based on the Navy's website which deals with overseas intelligence. One, in particular, is the volatile Indo-Pacific which is the jurisdiction of the military's Indo-Pacific Command.
Both the US Pentagon and the Taiwanese Defense Ministry when the press asked for comment. It was the confirmed officials that the Navy Admiral did arrive but keep the envoy's visit hush-hush. The last official visit from a visiting US official had China send several planes up in the Taiwan Strait.
That official that caused a big hiccup was the U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar when he flew to the Island in August. Next was by U.S. Undersecretary of State Keith Krach last September, in which China sent fighter jets to cow Taiwan. For the record, China is intent on fulfilling the 'ONE CHINA" policy and regards Taipei as mainland China's property.
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In 2020, the Trump administration has amped up its support for Taiwan and its resistance to Xi Jinping's effort to claim. More arms have been sold to Taipei as China's aggression is increasing gradually. Beijing does not take kindly the US in giving the enclave a fighting chance against the PLA.
It is everyone's guess if the visit of Studeman is consider an escalation of the Beijing-Taiwan row. To date, for an ally Taiwan may have been visited by one of the highest ranked military person to visit Taiwan.
Douglas Paal, a former head of the U.S. representative office in Taiwan said that the visit is by Indopacom J2 Studeman. This might be more serious than usual.
Although, Randall Schriver, a former assistant secretary of defense for Asia said in the Trump administration there are regular sending of one-star flag officers on a usual basis. More so that China belligerency has increased more.
As China's threat grows in the Indo-Pacific, the US-Taiwan ties are more critical as intel on Chinese military activities come at a premium.
According to Bonnie Glaser who is a regional security expert in Washington think-tank said if that a ranked officer like Studeman went to Taipei, she echoed Paal's assessment.
Mentioning the close relationship of the US and Taiwanese which is something that Beijing frowns on.
Eric Sayers, an ex-adviser to former PACOM commander Admiral Harry Harris said that before Studeman, there were two others who visited before him.
Officials on both sides need to keep up the contact without being visible, keeping up to date and avoiding unnecessary publicity. China is continually watching Taiwanese activity in the strait.
The U.S. Navy two- star Admiral Studeman is not a rare occurrence but signals something more in Indo-Pacific situation.
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