Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) secretly visited Israel, three sources familiar with the trip said, at a time when Taiwan is looking to the country for defense cooperation.
Like most other countries, Israel only officially recognizes Beijing and not Taipei, and while senior Taiwanese diplomats travel abroad, trips to countries such as Israel are rare.
Still, Taiwan views Israel as an important democratic partner and offered strong support to the country after the October 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel and subsequent war in Gaza.
Photo courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Since then, there has been an increased level of engagement.
The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter, said that Wu had traveled to Israel within the past few weeks.
Two of the sources said the trip happened this month.
The sources declined to give details of whom he met or what was discussed, including whether he touched upon Taiwan’s new multilayered air defense system called “T-Dome,” which President William Lai (賴清德) unveiled in October and is partly modeled on Israel’s air defense system.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on whether Wu had visited Israel.
“Taiwan and Israel share the values of freedom and democracy, and will continue to pragmatically promote mutually beneficial exchanges and cooperation” in areas such as trade, technology and culture, it said in a statement.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to a request for comment.
Taipei has seen strong parallels between Israel’s situation, which has clashed with neighbors including Iran, and the military threat Taiwan faces from China.
Israel and Iran traded missile and airstrikes earlier this year, with Israel’s missile defense system shooting down many threats.
China, by contrast, has a close relationship with the Palestinians and has recognized a Palestinian state since 1988.
Taiwan has said it does not plan to recognize a Palestinian state.
Last month in Taipei, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said that “of course in terms of technology and defense there is mutual learning and some interactions” between Taiwan and Israel.
Just as Taiwan has proposed its T-Dome, so Israel has its Iron Dome, Lin said.
The T-Dome and Israel’s systems are similar.
Israel’s multilayered defense system includes the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow and US-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense.
The T-Dome is designed to establish a more efficient and integrated “sensor-to-shooter” mechanism for a higher kill rate, integrating existing systems such as the US-built Patriot, and Taiwan-made Sky Bow missiles and anti-aircraft guns.
Taiwan has little diplomatic footprint in the Middle East, although the nation and Israel have de facto embassies in Tel Aviv and Taipei.
Taiwan has been hosting Israeli officials and lawmakers.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in July thanked 72 members of Israel’s Knesset for jointly signing a statement supporting Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHO, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The statement also affirmed Taiwan’s significant contributions to global public health, medicine, the environment and aviation security.
In October, Wu met in Taipei with Yinon Aaroni, director-general of Israel’s Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, while in September, Lai met with six Israeli lawmakers at his office.
Also in October, Lai told a dinner in Taiwan of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that Israel’s determination and capacity to defend its territory provides a “valuable model” for Taiwan, and cited the Biblical story of David against Goliath.
Still, Taiwan ended up being embroiled in Israel’s attack last year on Hezbollah officials in Lebanon after the exploding pagers used carried the brand name of a Taiwanese company.
Taiwan and Israel at the time played down the impact from that on bilateral ties.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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