Taiwan turns to Ukraine's war playbook amid China threat
Photo: Taiwanese military (Getty Images)
Taiwan is increasingly concerned about its own security amid threats from China, prompting Taipei to seek to learn from Ukraine’s experience in confronting a major aggressor, according to The New York Times.
A Taiwanese soldier named Lee, whose last name remains anonymous, is fighting in Ukraine against Russia and already knows a great deal about the specifics of military operations.
According to him, Taiwan would benefit from Ukraine’s experience with drones, particularly maritime ones, as well as robotic systems, which are also crucial on the battlefield. This is especially relevant given the escalating threat from China.
At the same time, although official ties between Ukraine and Taiwan are not particularly well-established for certain reasons, volunteers and defense companies are exchanging technologies and expertise.
International defense contractors have approached Ukrainian engineers with requests to develop specific projects tailored to Taiwan’s needs.
However, although the two countries have gradually grown closer following certain steps, Taipei has acknowledged obstacles to establishing official defense ties with Kyiv.
This is also linked to wartime secrecy regarding drone technology, which has complicated the study of Ukrainian methods.
Nevertheless, Taiwan still seeks to adopt Ukraine’s experience in confronting a major power, as the threat from Beijing looms ever larger.
"Ukraine’s experience in using drones in real combat environments is highly valuable," says Tsou Yu-hsin, deputy director-general of the Industrial Development Administration at Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Taiwan is determined to defend its sovereignty and strengthen its defenses in the face of China’s growing expansion, following Beijing’s firing of missiles at the island as part of military exercises.
Taiwan also recently detected two Chinese military ships in waters near the Penghu Islands in the Taiwan Strait. In response, the country deployed its Navy and Air Force to monitor the situation.
