Navy Seal unit that killed Osama bin Laden trains for possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan
The group has been planning and practicing for more than a year at Dam Neck, its headquarters in Virginia Beach.
A member of the Taiwan Armed Forces watches the movements of a Chinese warship.
News sources reported that Seal Team 6, the Navy's clandestine commando unit that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011, has been training for missions aimed at assisting Taiwan if it is invaded by China.
The information came to light due to a report by the Financial Times. The news piece detailed that the group has been planning and practicing for more than a year at Dam Neck, its headquarters in Virginia Beach.
"The secret training underlines the increased US focus on deterring China from attacking Taiwan, while stepping up preparations for such an event," the Financial Times explained.
The preparations follow after a few months of escalating Chinese aggression toward Taiwan. China considers democratically ruled Taiwan to be part of its territory and has said it will never give up its efforts to bring it under its control.
In that regard, U.S. officials have sent more special forces to the island for Taiwanese military training. However, the training of Seal Team 6 would be a more forceful step.
"The Seal Team 6 activities are far more sensitive because its covert missions are highly classified. The people familiar with the team’s planning did not provide details about the missions," explained Financial Times."
The news outlet noted that "Taiwan is the most sensitive issue in U.S.-China relations, and tensions over the island have been a critical part of informal discussions between U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Wang Yi, China's top foreign policy official, over the past year."
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