US Troops Stationed in Taiwan's Military Intelligence Bureau? MND: No Comment on Speculative Reports

Taipei, June 15 (Central News Agency reporter Wu Shu-wei) — Media reports today claimed that U.S. military personnel have been deployed to Taiwan's Military Intelligence Bureau this year. In response, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) stated that the bureau conducts intelligence operations in accordance with the 'National Intelligence Work Act' and the 'National Secrets Protection Act' to safeguard national security. Regarding the speculative reports, the MND declined to comment.

The China Times, citing anonymous sources, reported that U.S. military personnel have been stationed inside the Military Intelligence Bureau this year — the first such instance — and that internal staff were surprised to see foreigners moving about within the agency. In response to the China Times report, the MND provided the above statement when contacted by the Central News Agency.

Chen Wen-jia, a national security strategy scholar and associate professor at Kainan University, told the Central News Agency that viewing 'U.S. personnel entering the Military Intelligence Bureau' as unprecedented is an over-interpretation of surface-level developments. He explained that since the cross-strait separation in 1949, Taiwan-U.S. intelligence cooperation has been built upon shared strategic needs regarding China. Despite the severing of diplomatic ties and legal transformations, this cooperation has continued through informal mechanisms, including intelligence sharing, technical support, and personnel training — never substantially interrupted.

Chen further explained that as the Military Intelligence Bureau is the core node for collecting and analyzing strategic intelligence on China, any U.S. effort to strengthen engagement with Taiwan signifies a shift from past 'indirect support' to 'front-end integration,' enhancing real-time responsiveness and coordination. Under the Indo-Pacific strategy, the Taiwan Strait is a highly sensitive frontline region with significantly elevated intelligence value. Such interactions indicate that Taiwan and the U.S. have entered a quasi-alliance level of operational coordination.

Su Tzu-yun, a scholar at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, noted that intelligence-related news is sensitive and requires objective verification. However, strategic intelligence exchanges can contribute to 'intelligence deterrence.' He pointed out that during a 2023 legislative session, Taiwan's National Security Bureau confirmed real-time intelligence exchanges with the 'Five Eyes' alliance — comprising the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Su added that if expanded strategic intelligence cooperation between Taiwan and its allies — or the permanent stationing of U.S. personnel in the Military Intelligence Bureau — is indeed true, potential areas of exchange could include human intelligence (HUMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT). (Editor: Lin Ko-lun) 1150615

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