TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's navy chief Tang Hua is set to visit the United States next week to attend a military ceremony and discuss enhancing Taiwan-U.S. naval cooperation amid rising threats from China, Reuters reported Friday (March 29).
Tang is scheduled to visit Hawaii, home to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, to attend the change of command ceremony for the Pacific Fleet. Sources said that he is also expected to participate in the Sea-Air-Space conference near Washington, D.C., from April 8 to 10.
According to three sources, negotiations are underway for a meeting between Tang and Admiral Lisa Franchetti, U.S. chief of naval operations, during the conference.
Tang's visit is part of the U.S.'s "Joint Island Defence Concept" initiative, aimed at coordinating with Taiwan, Japan and others to counter Chinese military forces within the "first island chain," two sources said.
A U.S. official revealed that plans for a meeting between Tang and Franchetti have not been finalized.
Born in 1964, Tang's career includes his current position as Navy Commander and previous roles as Deputy Navy Commander, Vice President of the National Defense University, Commander of the Naval Doctrine and Training Command, and Assistant Deputy Director of the Operations Room.