The United States has sent a team of coastguards to train their Taiwanese counterparts as Beijing steps up its presence east of the island.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said on Friday that its personnel were taking part in a two-week training programme led by US instructors. The training, which started on Monday, includes exercises aimed at strengthening small-boat operations and team coordination.

“The US instruction team hopes to deepen the partnership between the two sides through joint training and work together to promote maritime security and stability,” the administration said.

It added that in an increasingly complex environment, frontline officers needed not only proficient boat-handling skills, but also better teamwork, on-the-spot judgment and the ability to respond to emergencies.

“Recently, the American Institute in Taiwan [the de facto US embassy] also released the achievements of Taiwan-US coastguard exchanges and cooperation, demonstrating the close and steady partnership between the two sides in maritime security and law enforcement,” the Coast Guard Administration said.