Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo said on July 31 that the island’s military cooperation with the United States may be more extensive than commonly perceived, as Taiwan seeks to deepen exchanges with the US Indo-Pacific Command to strengthen its defense capabilities.

Speaking to a small group of reporters in Taipei, Koo emphasized the importance of the US Indo-Pacific Command in maintaining regional peace and security and highlighted Taiwan’s strategic position within the first island chain extending from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines. “Our cooperation with the United States may be far closer than many people imagine,” he remarked, expressing gratitude for Washington’s ongoing support.

Koo noted that through continued military exchanges and cooperation across all levels with the Pacific Command, Taiwan has been able to enhance its defensive combat capabilities. The United States remains Taiwan’s most significant international partner and primary arms supplier despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations.

China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and rejects Taiwan’s self-governance, has consistently condemned military interactions between Taipei and Washington. In recent years, Beijing has intensified military pressure around Taiwan, including coast guard operations near Taiwan’s Pacific coast, an area crucial to the island for the receipt of wartime supplies from allies.

In response to these pressures, Taiwanese forces have conducted exercises simulating scenarios of Chinese escalation, including the possibility of a blockade. Addressing this, Koo cautioned that any maritime blockade imposed by China would entail significant risks for Beijing, particularly given the country’s heavy reliance on external trade and the global importance of its ports.

“In fact, a maritime blockade would pose an even greater challenge for China,” Koo said, adding that such a move could severely impact China during a period of economic difficulties and potentially trigger stringent international sanctions.

Beyond economic concerns, Koo suggested that the Chinese leadership would need to carefully consider the domestic political ramifications of a blockade. “Whether China’s regime could remain stable and whether Xi Jinping’s rule could be secured would be a very, very big challenge,” he said, stressing that these internal factors likely weigh heavily on the Chinese president’s decision-making.

The comments reflect Taiwan’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its defense posture amid a complex geopolitical environment and the broader contest for influence in the Indo-Pacific region.