What Drives the Taiwanese Fighting in Ukraine?
1 year, 7 months ago

What Drives the Taiwanese Fighting in Ukraine?

The Diplomat  

The timing and setting of an event in Taipei to mark the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine couldn’t have been more appropriate. “It’s a provocation,” said a journalist with the local Liberty Times newspaper who was in the square on his day off to show solidarity with Ukraine. “I’m looking for all you.” Lee Chen-ling is the same age as Lu and from the same city, Taichung, in central Taiwan, but the two are poles apart in terms of personality. Following four years’ service as in Taiwan’s army, Lee did a further year in the French Foreign Legion, a period that he described as “really difficult, with so much training.” A friend later described Lee as a career soldier who “wouldn’t really know what to do if you put him in a regular job.” Before journeying to Ukraine, he had been working in a maritime security role and as an UberEats driver. “I think this is important to Taiwan’s defense, because it’s been almost 70 years since the Taiwanese army had any experience of fighting,” he said.

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History of this topic

Taiwan says it is learning from Ukraine how a smaller country can stand up to invasion
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Taiwan says it is learning from Ukraine how a smaller country can stand up to invasion

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Taiwan is looking at Ukraine’s …

Fearing war with China, civilians in Taiwan prepare for disaster
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Fearing war with China, civilians in Taiwan prepare for disaster

Al Jazeera  

According to 30-year-old Jack Yao, Taiwan's people should not wait for a collective effort or for the government to fix the civil defence system. “I first landed in Poland, and they all wanted to know why I had come all the way from Taiwan to go to Ukraine,” he says. “They thought I was crazy.” But with his own training …

Taiwan’s Tough Call on How to Stop China: Bigger Weapons or Lots of Cheap Ones
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Taiwan’s Tough Call on How to Stop China: Bigger Weapons or Lots of Cheap Ones

Live Mint  

TAIPEI—David shouldn’t rely too much on slingshots to repel Goliath. In such scenarios, small, short-range weapons could be less effective at degrading the enemy, and Taiwan would need bigger hardware, Taiwanese defense officials and analysts say. For the past few years, Taiwan’s procurement, under U.S. pressure, has put more emphasis on asymmetrical weapons such as Harpoon antiship missiles, Himars rocket …

Some in Congress want to cut Ukraine aid and boost Taiwan’s. But Taiwan sees its fate tied to Kyiv’s
1 year, 3 months ago

Some in Congress want to cut Ukraine aid and boost Taiwan’s. But Taiwan sees its fate tied to Kyiv’s

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — To Rep. Mike Collins, China is a bigger threat to the United States than Russia. Ukraine’s success is Taiwan’s success,” Taiwan’s diplomat in the U.S., Hsiao Bi-Khim, said in May at the Sedona Forum hosted by the McCain Institute. She noted that the Taiwanese government “has argued that Ukraine’s victory is existential for Taiwan.,” “These worries exist even …

Taipei’s EU envoy: As a democracy, we understand Ukraine’s plight
1 year, 7 months ago

Taipei’s EU envoy: As a democracy, we understand Ukraine’s plight

Al Jazeera  

Taiwan has kicked off military drills, seeking to fortify its borders amid ongoing tensions with China in the Taiwan Strait. China has also sought to isolate Taiwan on the international stage, by objecting or vetoing its membership in international groups and events, such as the World Health Organization’s annual assembly in Geneva this year. Al Jazeera spoke to Remus Li-Kuo …

'Learn from Russia-Ukraine': US ex-general to Taiwan amid China threats
1 year, 8 months ago

'Learn from Russia-Ukraine': US ex-general to Taiwan amid China threats

Hindustan Times  

A retired US general on Wednesday urged Taiwan to heed lessons from Russia's war in Ukraine and bolster its unmanned drone defences, with the island facing increasing military threats from China. Retired US Marines lieutenant general Steven Rudder was part of a delegation of American defence contractors in Taipei on Wednesday to discuss the development of military hardware -- including …

Will Russia’s struggle in Ukraine help Taiwan — or hurt it?
1 year, 10 months ago

Will Russia’s struggle in Ukraine help Taiwan — or hurt it?

Al Jazeera  

The answer may lie in the differing personalities of Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, say analysts. CIA Director William Burns recently said although Xi was likely “unsettled” by Russia’s failures in Ukraine, he had still told China’s military to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027. “Now, that does not mean that he’s decided to conduct an invasion in 2027, …

China ‘deeply concerned’ over Ukraine but don’t draw parallels with Taiwan: FM
1 year, 10 months ago

China ‘deeply concerned’ over Ukraine but don’t draw parallels with Taiwan: FM

Hindustan Times  

Beijing: China is “deeply concerned” about the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, Chinese foreign minister, Qin Gang said on Tuesday even as he urged the international community not to draw parallels between Ukraine and Taiwan, the self-ruled democracy, which Beijing claims as a breakaway region and has never ruled out using force to merge it with the mainland. China is …

Ukraine invasion reshaped global alliances, renewed fears
1 year, 10 months ago

Ukraine invasion reshaped global alliances, renewed fears

Associated Press  

BANGKOK — Nearly a year after Russia invaded Ukraine, the battlefield has narrowed and stiff resistance has forced Moscow to scale back its military goals. Some six months after the invasion of Ukraine, China issued a white paper on Taiwan, saying the island “has been an integral part of China’s territory since ancient times.” The paper said Beijing seeks “peaceful …

How Ukraine war has shaped US planning for a China conflict
1 year, 10 months ago

How Ukraine war has shaped US planning for a China conflict

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — As the war rages on in Ukraine, the United States is doing more than supporting an ally. While there are key differences in geography and in the U.S. commitment to come to Taiwan’s defense, “there are clear parallels between the Russian invasion of Ukraine and a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan,” a Center for Strategic and International Studies …

Explained: What US can learn from the Ukraine war as tensions rise with China
1 year, 10 months ago

Explained: What US can learn from the Ukraine war as tensions rise with China

Firstpost  

As the war rages on in Ukraine, the United States is doing more than supporting an ally. While there are key differences in geography and in US commitment to come to Taiwan’s defence, “there are clear parallels between the Russian invasion of Ukraine and a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan,” a Centre for Strategic and International Studies report found last …

December 6, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news
2 years, 1 month ago

December 6, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

CNN  

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that the strong international support for Ukraine has likely impacted China’s thinking about Taiwan. His comments came in response to a question from CNN’s Kylie Atwood about a letter to Blinken from Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, who voiced “concern about reports that U.S. arms transfers to Ukraine are impeding our ability to …

Lessons for Taiwan from the war Russia is waging against Ukraine : Consider This from NPR : NPR
2 years, 6 months ago

Lessons for Taiwan from the war Russia is waging against Ukraine : Consider This from NPR : NPR

NPR  

China and Taiwan: What's Ukraine Got To Do With It? Enlarge this image toggle caption Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images The war between Russia and Ukraine is reverberating in Taiwan, a self-governed island that China claims as its own and has threatened to invade if Taiwan declares independence. The U.S. has a longstanding policy of …

China looks to learn from Russian failures in Ukraine
2 years, 8 months ago

China looks to learn from Russian failures in Ukraine

Associated Press  

BANGKOK — With its ground troops forced to pull back in Ukraine and regroup, and its Black Sea flagship sunk, Russia’s military failings are mounting. “The big question Xi and the PLA leadership must be asking in light of Russian operations in Ukraine is whether a military that has undergone extensive reform and modernization will be able to execute operations …

US general: Ukraine resistance highlights need to prepare
2 years, 9 months ago

US general: Ukraine resistance highlights need to prepare

Associated Press  

BANGKOK — Ukraine’s stiff resistance to the Russian invasion, which has turned Moscow’s advance into a grinding war of attrition, has underscored the importance to American allies of the need to be prepared for any eventuality, the top U.S. Army commander in the Pacific said Friday. “The will of the Ukrainian army, the will of their government, the will of …

Ukraine’s resistance offers a useful lesson to Taiwan
2 years, 9 months ago

Ukraine’s resistance offers a useful lesson to Taiwan

LA Times  

Russia’s war in Ukraine has taught the world’s autocrats some useful lessons: Invasions may be harder than they look. Finally, the United States has a more direct economic interest in Taiwan than in Ukraine; Taipei is a major trading partner, the source of more than half of the world’s high-end microchips. “What we’ve seen in Ukraine raises serious questions for …

Taiwan: Concern over readiness for conflict with China sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
2 years, 9 months ago

Taiwan: Concern over readiness for conflict with China sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

CNN  

Taipei, Taiwan CNN — On a regular day, they’re lawyers, software engineers and blacksmiths. Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images This month’s strengthened military training has already drawn the ire of Beijing, with China’s Taiwan Affairs Office calling the move a “provocation.” “It is very dangerous for them to go on like this,” spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian said in a regular briefing in Beijing …

Ukraine: China's President Xi says he is 'pained to see the flames of war reignited in Europe'
2 years, 10 months ago

Ukraine: China's President Xi says he is 'pained to see the flames of war reignited in Europe'

Daily Mail  

President Xi Jinping has said China is 'pained to see the flames of war reignited in Europe' in the latest sign Beijing does not support Putin's savage war in Ukraine. President Xi Jinping joined Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz on a virtual call today in which they discussed Russia's invasion of Ukraine China had been seen as a bellwether on …

Taiwan watches China as China and the world watch Ukraine
2 years, 10 months ago

Taiwan watches China as China and the world watch Ukraine

CNN  

Seoul, South Korea CNN — China is closely watching the events in Ukraine to evaluate its own strategy towards Taiwan, the island’s foreign minister has warned. China has repeatedly refused to condemn Russian actions in Ukraine and on Monday the country’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi described relations between Beijing and Moscow “rock solid.” Allied democracies Wu’s comments Monday echoed remarks …

Watching Ukraine, Taiwan worries about its own fate
2 years, 10 months ago

Watching Ukraine, Taiwan worries about its own fate

LA Times  

Growing up in Taiwan, Huang Yu-lin has become accustomed to chatter about potential military conflict with mainland China. “We feel totally related because of the Chinese Communist Party’s threats to Taiwan every day,” said Chen Kuan-ting, chief executive of Taiwan NextGen Foundation, a think tank politically aligned with the governing Democratic Progressive Party. “Our military is committed to defending our …

Ukraine crisis and the dynamics in Taiwan Strait | Deep Dive
2 years, 10 months ago

Ukraine crisis and the dynamics in Taiwan Strait | Deep Dive

India Today  

At a time when the whole world is focused on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a different kind of war is playing out in the Taiwan Strait — a public opinion war. Firstly, it is argued that the Ukraine issue is “a diplomatic and security issue in the context of the game of great powers” while the Taiwan issue is …

Taiwan president to donate salary for Ukraine relief efforts
2 years, 10 months ago

Taiwan president to donate salary for Ukraine relief efforts

Al Jazeera  

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has announced that she, Vice President William Lai and Premier Su Tseng-chang will each donate one month’s salary to aid humanitarian relief efforts for Ukraine as it seeks to repel an invasion by Russia. The war has generated widespread sympathy in Taiwan for Ukraine’s people due to the threat the island says it faces daily from …

Taiwan after Ukraine? Why Gary Kasparov may not be wrong about Putin, Xi
2 years, 10 months ago

Taiwan after Ukraine? Why Gary Kasparov may not be wrong about Putin, Xi

India Today  

War and Chess have a connection. For many years, Russian propaganda has been denying Ukraine's existence.” He said that European and American response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine got delayed but it began because its larger global implications. If Putin succeeds in Ukraine, next is China-Taiwan.” TIMING OF UKRAINE INVASION Russia’s invasion of Ukraine happened just three weeks after Putin's …

Writing from Taiwan: How Taipei Has Reacted to Russian Invasion of Ukraine, What Makes It Anxious
2 years, 10 months ago

Writing from Taiwan: How Taipei Has Reacted to Russian Invasion of Ukraine, What Makes It Anxious

News 18  

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he calls “special military operations” to “demilitarise” and “denazify” Ukraine in the early hours of February 24, 2022. But more importantly for Asia, the Russian invasion brings a different set of challenges as it establishes a pattern for a Taiwan invasion campaign by the People’s Republic of China. Tsai and Taiwan’s Executive President Su …

Labor warns China against any 'aggressive changes' toward Taiwan in wake of Ukraine-Russia war
2 years, 10 months ago

Labor warns China against any 'aggressive changes' toward Taiwan in wake of Ukraine-Russia war

ABC  

Labor's Shadow Foreign Minister Penny Wong says no country, including China, should "take any comfort" from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Key points: Labor says it will support comprehensive sanctions against Russia The government has flagged it will place personal sanctions on Vladimir Putin Australia is in talks with UN agencies over how to help refugees fleeing Ukraine Senator Wong was …

For all its parallels, Ukraine war feels distant in Taiwan
2 years, 10 months ago

For all its parallels, Ukraine war feels distant in Taiwan

Associated Press  

TAIPEI, Taiwan — The Russian attack on Ukraine has put a spotlight on another place that could face an invasion by its larger neighbor, as some analysts draw quick comparisons to China’s threats to assert its control over self-ruled Taiwan. “China has many exchanges with Taiwan in several areas, so I don’t think it’s that dangerous.” Taiwan, an island of …

China-Taiwan tensions: China’s leaders may be watching events in Europe closely
2 years, 10 months ago

China-Taiwan tensions: China’s leaders may be watching events in Europe closely

CNN  

Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country’s rise and how it impacts the world. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has said Taiwan could “empathize” with Ukraine’s situation given its experience with “military threats and intimidation from China.” In the West, British Prime …

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