Taipei: Taiwan's cooperation with the United States "may be far closer than many people imagine," Defense Minister Wellington Koo disclosed during a recent media interview, as reported by Taiwan's Central News Agency.

According to Anadolu Agency, Koo highlighted the role of the US Indo-Pacific Command in assisting Taiwan to enhance its defense capabilities in various areas. He discussed the US Indo-Pacific strategy, which emphasizes "collective defense and shared responsibility," suggesting that nations should increase their defense spending and boost their self-defense capabilities. This, Koo argued, is crucial to building "collective deterrence" against any "unilateral attempt to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by force."

China views Taiwan as a "breakaway province" and has not dismissed the possibility of using force for full unification with the mainland, from which Taiwan is separated by the Taiwan Strait. Despite this, Taipei has maintained its stance on independence since 1949.