U.S. Department of Defense report lists Taiwan as a “nation”

The U.S. Department of Defense recently released a report on its Indo-Pacific strategy that lists Taiwan as a country, alongside Singapore, New Zealand and Mongolia. Randall Schriver, an Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, said the U.S. would continue to strengthen military cooperation with Taiwan and safeguard regional security to counter increasing pressure from Beijing. At a forum in Taipei, economist Richard Koo also pointed out that in past U.S. strategic reports had called Taiwan a "region." This time even though China protested against Taiwan''s apparent new status, the U.S. ignored it, reflecting closer ties between Taiwan and the U.S.