TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s military confirmed a NATO general visited Taiwan in March after the news broke on Wednesday (May 24).
Lieutenant General Olivier Rittimann, director of NATO’s National Defense Academy, met with his counterparts at Taoyuan National Defense University from March 27 to 31, and President Tsai Ing-wen met with House Speaker Kevin K. McCarthy.In the U.S
Following the “China Project” report that NATO and the National Defense University confirmed the visit, Taiwan’s military also confirmed to Central News Agency that the exchange took place in Taiwan. The visit was not reported by local or international media at the time, nor was it announced by the National Defense University or NATO.
Taiwan News asked whether the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was aware of the incident before or after the visit, but they declined to comment.
In recent years, NATO’s involvement in the Asia-Pacific region has increased. On May 3, it was reported that NATO will set up a representative office in Japan, which is the first permanent liaison office established by NATO in Asia.
The alliance’s “strategic concept” also saw China as a threat for the first time last year, and in February, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Beijing was threatening Taiwan. “Beijing is massively building up its military power, including nuclear weapons, without transparency,” he said.
