A military official has shot down international media reports of a monthlong deployment of Taiwanese marines to Guam, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero told reporters Thursday.
Although the Department of Defense so far has been mum on multiple articles that confirmed an on-island exercise, Guam’s chief executive was told it wasn’t true by the official.
Leon Guerrero said when media reports began to circulate, the official called her "and said that that was fake news," in response to a question on the matter from The Guam Daily Post.
Earlier this month Newsweek, Taipei Times and the South China Morning Post, among others, reported that Chiu Kuo-cheng, Taiwan’s defense minister, appeared to confirm initial reporting that a group of about 40 members of Taiwan’s Marine Corps were on Guam.
The Pentagon did not deny the reports when speaking to Newsweek on the matter.
"I don't have any comments on specific operations, engagements, or training, but I would like to highlight that our support for and defense relationship with Taiwan remains aligned against the current threat posed by the People's Republic of China and is in line with our commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act and our One China policy,” Lt. Col. Martin Meiners, U.S. Defense Department spokesperson, reportedly told the magazine.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific command in Hawaii has yet to respond to a request for comment from the Post. The Joint Region public affairs office was not able to comment on the reports.
“(From) his sources, and up through the chain (of command) of DOD – there was no exercise,” Leon Guerrero said, referring to her conversation with the official. “And we know that because we didn’t see any Taiwan exercise event happening here.”
The island is seen as a “safe harbor” for military port calls during the pandemic and continues to serve as the location for multinational war games.
Guam has played host to various military units of America’s allies this year, including the United Kingdom, Singapore, India, Australia, Japan and Germany.
