Adm. Timothy Keating, new commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, said April 15 in Guam that tensions over Taiwan are a factor in the military buildup of Guam but the U.S. was working with China and Taiwan to avert any conflict over the island.

The U.S. Air Force and Navy have been increasing their presence on Guam for several years. The Navy moved three nuclear-powered attack submarines to Guam's Apra Harbor in 2002. Two years ago, the Air Force started rotating F-15 fighter jets and B-2 stealth bombers to Andersen Air Force Base from the U.S. mainland and Alaska. The base is also home to B-52 bombers. Later this year, workers will break ground on a US$52 million complex that will host four to six Global Hawk unmanned spy planes. The Marine Corps, meanwhile, plans to move 8,000 of its forces to Guam from the southern Japanese island of Okinawa. (Source: Audrey Mcavoy, Terrorism Research Center, Apr 16, 2007).