Poland seeks permanent US base, aims to host 15,000 American troops

Poland is in talks with the United States to establish the first permanent U.S. military base on its territory and is seeking the deployment of around 15,000 American troops.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Thursday that Poland is working with the U.S. to set up the base. Warsaw hopes President Donald Trump will honor his commitment to maintain a reassuring military presence in Poland without making Russia feel threatened.

Bloomberg earlier reported that Polish President Karol Nawrocki said he hopes the base can be completed before Trump's term ends in 2029, and that Poland is prepared to name it "Fort Trump."

Trump said on September 17 that "major progress" had been made on establishing a permanent U.S. military base in Poland. He is seeking to shift the burden of defending Europe to other NATO member states.

On September 21, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Stanislaw Wziatek said Poland is seeking the deployment of about 15,000 U.S. troops -- roughly 4,000 to 5,000 stationed at the permanent base and another 10,000 to 11,000 deployed on a rotational basis. The U.S. troop presence in Poland will be expanded in phases, with the target expected to be reached by 2039.

Earlier in September, a U.S. delegation led by Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas DiNanno visited Poland for talks on potential sites for the permanent U.S. military base.

The United States was also conducting a six-month review of its military presence in Europe, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

According to data compiled by the U.S.-based Council on Foreign Relations, tens of thousands of U.S. military personnel are stationed in Germany, Poland, Italy and other European countries.

Poland seeks permanent US base, aims to host 15,000 American troops

China's transit systems are handling a nationwide return travel rush on the last day of the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which runs from Friday to Sunday.

China's railway system is expected to handle 16.86 million passenger trips on Sunday. Many railway stations have opened all ticket-check and security-check channels, with each verification and security-check area featuring a "caring/urgent passenger" channel that provides priority entry for passengers whose trains depart within 15 minutes.

During the holiday, many travelers have also taken sightseeing trips by car, resulting in traffic flows briefly concentrating in popular tourism cities, scenic spots, and surrounding areas. Return traffic to large and medium-sized cities is expected to peak from around 16:00.

The civil aviation sector is expected to handle 2.1 million passengers on Sunday, while waterways across the country are projected to carry over 813,000 passenger trips.

Transportation authorities across the country increased capacity deployment and coordinated effective connections between road passenger transport, urban public transport, and rail and civil aviation.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Friday this year. Across China, people celebrate the day by gathering for moon-gazing, eating mooncakes, and lighting colorful lanterns.

China sees return travel rush as Mid-Autumn festival holiday comes to end