編制曝光！美駐中國北京使館美軍數量 輸給我國AIT 自由 20190404

【Comment】

It seems to me that the liaison affairs office in AIT plays the role of MAAG, not only the role of military attaché; while the security cooperation office the role as USTDC.

編制曝光！美駐中國北京使館美軍數量 輸給我國AIT    自由 20190404

美國在台協會（AIT）3日首次證實海軍陸戰隊在內的現役美軍自2005年起就進駐AIT，媒體報導提到美軍駐我國的人數，比駐紮在中國北京的美國大使館人數更多。

根據《聯合新聞網》報導，美國駐紮在台灣美國在台協會（AIT）的人數，與駐紮在中國北京的美國大使館相形之下，駐我國美軍人數更多，差別在於美國派駐北京的是「正牌的陸戰隊警衛」，且軍階有「准將」，美方在全球僅有於英國、中國、俄國是派出將官擔任國防武官。

美國在台協會目前的編制有「聯絡事務組」及「安全合作組」，此2小組就是派出美軍擔任台美軍事交流安排工作，發言人孟雨荷3日提到2005年起就有陸戰隊進駐，意為「聯絡事務組」中除了3軍官員外，還有1位陸戰隊官員，當年第1個來台的陸戰隊官員階級是上尉，「中文譯名叫麥德威」。

美國在台協會現在的「聯絡事務組」共有5人組成，組長階級為陸軍上校，統領3名來自陸、海、空軍的「中校事務官」，還有1位「陸戰隊少校事務官」；「安全合作組」組長階級亦為陸軍上校，負責管理「訓練辦公室」及「陸海空小組」，每個單位有2至3位「軍職或國防文官」。

AIT confirms May 6 moving day for Taipei office    Taipei Times 20190404

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) yesterday announced that its Taipei office staff would move to its new Neihu District (內湖) facility next month, including military personnel.

US military personnel have been assigned to the Taipei office since August 2005, when a US Army colonel took up the post of liaison affairs officer, the equivalent of a military attache role.

In a video posted on the AIT’s Web site, AIT Director Brent Christensen, AIT Deputy Director Raymond Greene and AIT spokeswoman Amanda Mansour appeared alongside Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) to say that May 6 would be moving day.

“The AIT is finally moving,” they say.  “We look forward to serving you at 100 Jinhu Road.  See you in Neihu.”

After the Liberty Times (the sister paper of the Taipei Times) reported in July last year that US Marines would be posted at the new compound, rumors circulated that the move signaled closer US-Taiwan ties.

China’s Global Times said that stationing US Marines in Taipei would be seen as a “US invasion of China.”

Mansour said security for the new complex would be, as usual, staffed by a small number of US citizens and a large number of Taiwanese.

Since 2005, there have been active-duty members of the four branches of the US military stationed at the AIT, she said.

National Chengchi University Institute of International Relations adjunct research fellow Arthur Ding (丁樹範) said that while it is the first time the AIT has publicly spoken about non-uniformed military officers stationed at the institute, no one should be overly optimistic.

There have been visits to Taiwan by US officials in recent months, but those visits were cultural or academic in nature and did not touch upon sensitive political issues, he said, adding that whether military personnel stationed at the AIT would wear uniforms in the future remains to be seen.

Members of the US Marine Corps Embassy Security Group provide security at designated US diplomatic missions, and Taiwanese media questions about the stationing of US Marines at the Neihu facility have largely focused on marines providing this role.

The US military personnel that have been assigned to the AIT since 2005 wear civilian clothing, not their military uniforms.

Prior to August 2005, the liaison affairs posts were filled by retired US military personnel hired on a contractual basis, then-AIT spokeswoman Nadine Saik told the Associated Press on July 29, 2005.

Additional reporting by CNA and wire agencies

This story has been corrected since it was first published to indicate that there have been active-duty US military personnel assigned to the AIT office since August 2005.

U.S. confirms active military personnel posted at AIT since 2005    CAN 2190403

Taipei, April 3 (CNA) The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on Wednesday confirmed for the first time that active U.S. military personnel have been posted at its Taipei office since 2005, and those deployments will continue after it relocates to its new office in Neihu on May 6.

The de facto embassy of the United States in Taiwan announced the date of its official move to the new compound in a 30-second video clip posted on its Facebook page.

The address of the new compound is No.100, Jinhu Road in Taipei's Neihu District, according to the clip, which features AIT Taipei director Brent Christensen, his deputy Raymond Greene, AIT spokesperson Amanda Mansour and Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮).

Media reports previously said the U.S. had already informed Taiwan's national security officials that a small contingent of U.S. Marines would be posted at AIT's new compound in Neihu.

The reports followed a statement in 2017 by ex-AIT Director Stephen Young that contained similar information.

AIT has never publicly confirmed such military postings, saying only there was "a small number of U.S. personnel at the current AIT office on Xinyi Road who were coordinating with Taiwanese security staff and that the situation would continue in Neihu."

However, when asked by CNA to comment on possible marine postings on Wednesday following the announcement of the opening date of the new compound, Mansour confirmed the long-circulating rumor.

"Since 2005, U.S. government personnel detailed to AIT have included active duty military, including service members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines."

The spokesperson said these military personnel do not wear uniforms and she would not disclose how many are currently or will in future be posted at the new AIT compound.

Asked to comment on the significance of the confirmation, National Chengchi University Institute of International Relations professor Arthur Ding (丁樹範) told CNA the postings were common knowledge, but suggested AIT's official confirmation was a healthy sign, indicating the continued warming of Taiwan-U.S. relations.

U.S. marines are posted at U.S. overseas missions around the world to protect the diplomatic facilities and the personnel stationed there.  A marine house is built to accommodate marine guards posted at U.S. overseas missions.

A de facto embassy in nature, AIT is a private entity established in 1979 to manage U.S. relations with Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.

To meet growing demand, AIT rented a site in Neihu from Taipei City government for 99 years in 2004.  The new office compound is on a 6.5-hectare hillside site within walking distance of the Neihu stop on Taipei MRT's Brown Line.

A dedication ceremony was held June 12, 2018 to unveil the nearly completed 14,934-square-meter, five-story complex, though AIT is still operating out of its office on Xinyi Rd. that has been in use for nearly 40 years.

According to AIT, the new complex cost US$250 million and will unify its four current existing locations in Taipei under one roof.

From noon on May 1, all of its current facilities, including the AIT Main Office and Consular Section on Xinyi Road, the Commercial Section and the American Center at the International Trade Center, and the Agricultural Trade Office at Anhe Road, will be closed to the public in preparation for the grand opening of the new facility on May 6.