WAR GAMES:The nation’s military is attempting to establish ‘actual’ alliances with neighbors in an effort to ensure Taiwan is active in maintaining regional stability

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 21, 2015
By: Lo Tien-pin and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

The nation’s defense policy plans include expanding the number of units sharing sister relations with US military units in the coming year and further solidifying the “virtual alliance” between the Taiwanese and US militaries, while looking to establish “actual alliance” relationships with other allied nations, military officials said.

The military has been invited to visit the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico next year to conduct live-fire tests of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 surface-to-air missiles, officials said.

Planned exercises for the visit to the US Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana ,include observation of the training of US forces prior to deployment in simulated scenarios.

The air force has also been invited to attend national air force drills in Europe as an observer next year, officials said, adding that it was a big step toward establishing “actual” military alliances in the region.     [FULL  STORY]