United States Reveals Coast Guard Cooperation with Taiwan Including Joint Maritime Exercise

The American Institute in Taiwan on Tuesday released the first public photograph of a US and Taiwanese coast guard vessel operating side by side, showing the cutter USCGC Midgett alongside the Coast Guard Administration patrol frigate Taipei; neither AIT nor Taiwanese officials disclosed the date or location 123. AIT said the two agencies are coordinating on search and rescue, typhoon preparedness, disaster relief, illegal fishing and drug interdiction under a 2021 memorandum of understanding 34. Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration said it recently worked with the US to uncover a high-end semiconductor smuggling case, without providing further detail 34. Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling called the disclosure highly significant and said it demonstrates continued US commitment to security in the Western Pacific, while separately criticizing Chinese coast guard deployments around Taiwan's waters 13. Midgett, a Legend-class cutter, returned to Honolulu on July 23 after a five-month deployment that included port calls with the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Japan 14.