▁after ▁over ▁two ▁dec ades ▁of ▁relative ▁isol ation . ▁Senior ▁officers ▁from ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Pacific ▁Command ▁observed ▁the ▁annual ▁Han ▁Ku ang ▁military ▁exer cis es ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁The ▁US ▁also ▁upgrad ed ▁its ▁military ▁l ia ison ▁position ▁in ▁Tai pe i ▁from ▁a ▁position ▁held ▁by ▁retired ▁officers ▁h ired ▁on ▁a ▁contract ual ▁basis ▁to ▁one ▁held ▁by ▁an ▁active ▁duty ▁officer ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁regularly ▁sends ▁personnel ▁to ▁Taiwan ▁for ▁both ▁training ▁and ▁l ia ison ▁purposes ▁but ▁does ▁so ▁either ▁secret ly ▁or ▁in ▁an ▁un nof icial ▁capacity . ▁RO C ▁Mar ines ▁have ▁trained ▁with ▁their ▁American ▁counter parts ▁in ▁Hawai i ▁and ▁US ▁Mar ines ▁have ▁also ▁deployed ▁to ▁Taiwan . ▁ ▁Ts ai ▁Ing - wen ' s ▁request ▁of ▁purch asing ▁weapon ry ▁from ▁the ▁US ▁was ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁US ▁State ▁Department ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁The ▁deal ▁includes ▁ 1 0 8 ▁Abr ams ▁t anks , ▁ 2 5 0 ▁St inger ▁miss iles ▁and ▁related ▁equipment ▁worth ▁$ 2 . 2 ▁billion . ▁Ts ai ▁said ▁the ▁weapon ry ▁would ▁" gre at ly ▁enh ance ▁our ▁land ▁and ▁air ▁capabilities , ▁strength en ▁military ▁mor ale ▁and ▁show ▁to ▁the ▁world ▁the ▁US ▁commit ment ▁to ▁Taiwan ' s ▁defense ." ▁ ▁Military ▁par ades ▁ ▁The ▁Republic ▁of ▁China ▁held ▁their ▁first ▁military ▁para de ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁October