A senior Taiwanese military officer has warned that a Russian victory in Ukraine could embolden China to step up aggression against Taiwan, urging Europe to support Kyiv’s defense as a matter of global security.
Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum on Tuesday in a rare European appearance, Hsieh Jih-Sheng, deputy chief of the general staff for intelligence at Taiwan’s defense ministry, said Taipei is closely monitoring the war in Ukraine.
“We wish for their victory,” Hsieh said in English, dressed in full military uniform. “The defeat of Ukraine will signal that China can take more aggression towards Taiwan.”
Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has faced intensifying military pressure in recent years, ranging from war games around the island to cyberattacks and undersea cable sabotage.
Hsieh cautioned that a simultaneous escalation by Russia in Ukraine and China in Taiwan could trigger a two-front global crisis.
“Europe today, you are fighting for your own security. If you help us, we can prevent the possibility of war in the Indo-Pacific,” he told participants, highlighting how Taiwan has studied Ukraine’s defense strategies against a larger adversary.
China’s foreign ministry, which condemned Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung’s attendance at the same forum earlier in the week, accused Taipei of exaggerating the “China threat.” Beijing has not yet responded to Hsieh’s remarks.
While most European nations do not have formal ties with Taiwan, parts of Central and Eastern Europe have grown more sympathetic toward Taipei since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Still, unlike the United States, Europe has refrained from selling major defense equipment to Taiwan to avoid angering Beijing.
Hsieh emphasized that Taiwan and Europe could strengthen cooperation by sharing experiences in countering disinformation and “grey zone” operations.
“There is a tremendous amount of experience that can benefit us, but also benefit European nations,” he said.
Taiwan has joined Western sanctions against Russia and continues to frame Ukraine’s struggle as a frontline defense for global security, a warning echoed in Warsaw this week.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
