The Minsitry of National Defense has set up a working group to study the tactics of the war in Ukraine, including how Ukraine has been able to hold out against Russia, and has been discussing its analysis with the US, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said yesterday.
Taiwan has raised its alert level since the Russian invasion, wary of Beijing possibly making a similar move on Taiwan, although it has reported no signs that this is about to happen.
The potential impact of the Ukraine war on China’s military thinking, and how China could attack Taiwan, has been widely debated in official circles in Taipei.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a legislative meeting, Chiu said they have had “contact” with foreign countries to discuss how the war was being fought, and had established a working group to study the situation.
Situations that Taiwan is examining include Russia’s poor military performance and Ukraine’s resistance, he said.
“It has not only been discussed in exchange meetings between the United States and Taiwan, but also discussed with other countries that have regular contact with Taiwan,” Chiu said, without giving details.
Taiwan’s team on Ukraine includes academics from National Defense University, he said.
“However, we will not make remarks rashly, but through internal discussions which are important, to get results that are helpful for building armaments and preparing for war,” he said.
While Taiwanese officials have seen many parallels in the Ukraine war and their own situation, including having a large neighbor with territorial ambitions, they have also highlighted major differences.
For example, Taiwan has talked of the “natural barrier” of the Taiwan Strait, which would make it much more difficult for China to put troops on the ground compared with Russia crossing a land border.
Taiwan also has a large and well-equipped air force, and is developing a formidable missile strike capability.
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