Taiwanese legislator Chen Guanting has expressed his views on Taiwan’s defense issues, emphasizing the importance of drawing lessons from Ukraine’s resistance to Russia. Chen Guanting pointed out that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has brought many insights to Taiwan, especially in the face of military threats from China, addressing how to respond to modern warfare has become a top priority for Taiwan.
According to a report by online media outlet “Newtalk,” Taiwan has invited Ukrainian military officials to Taiwan to share their experiences from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. National security personnel stated, “Our country has been inviting Ukrainian military personnel to Taiwan for some time.”
Central News Agency reported that Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense stated that the media reports are unverified information. The Ministry of National Defense explained that the National Defense University aims to enhance Taiwan’s international integration by accepting applications from visiting scholars each year, facilitating exchanges with various countries, diversifying international perspectives, and drawing insights from experts and scholars from different nations to enhance Taiwan’s defense diplomacy research capabilities. The Ministry of National Defense emphasized that information about visiting scholars in previous years is disclosed on its website, with the current presence of Ukrainian visiting scholar Yurii Poita stationed at a think tank focusing on China’s military and political activities.
Legislator Chen Guanting posted in a media group expressing, “Although it is inconvenient to confirm, if our country indeed invited Ukrainian Ministry of Defense officials to Taiwan to share experiences, it should be actively encouraged.” Chen Guanting highlighted that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has provided many insights for Taiwan, especially in the face of China’s increasing military threats, addressing how to respond to modern warfare has become a top priority for Taiwan.
Chen Guanting stressed that Ukraine, in the late 2020s, challenged the military might of Russia, the world’s second-largest at the time. They applied the latest technology and combat skills on the battlefield, making them currently one of the most capable nations in this aspect. He believes that exchanging war experiences with Ukraine would help Taiwan enhance its asymmetric warfare capabilities and overall defense strength. “We must learn from Ukraine’s experience, especially in information warfare, drone operations, and civil defense mobilization.”
Regarding recent remarks by China’s Ministry of State Security on the “New Three Nos” in Sino-US relations and claiming that the Taiwan issue is the top red line that cannot be crossed in Sino-US relations, Chen Guanting stated that the US House of Representatives recently passed the Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act as the best response, effectively countering China’s threats to peace in the Taiwan Strait.
Chen Guanting emphasized that this act would prevent Chinese officials from isolating themselves from the consequences of their actions. “The only reason for Chinese officials’ ‘wolf warrior’ behavior is that they believe that even if a conflict occurs, they can safely hide behind layers of protection.” He further explained, “These officials place their funds, children, and wealth in a stable, institutionalized country like the United States. The deterrence law is to make them pay the price for their mistakes and hold them accountable for the consequences, which is crucial.”
In response to China’s ongoing pressure on Taiwan, Chen Guanting urged the government to continue strengthening cooperation with countries that share similar values as the United States and actively learn from international experiences in countering threats from major powers to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Furthermore, the US House of Representatives launched a legislative action called “China Week” from the 9th, passing several bills related to China or Taiwan, including the Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act and the Pacific Partnership Act, which calls for close cooperation with Taiwan and Pacific island nations like the Pacific Islands Forum, as well as supporting Taiwan’s full participation in WHO, all of which were unanimously passed without objection.
Foreign Minister of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Jason Lin attended the joint opening ceremony of the “2024 Connecting New Southbound Elite Training Program” involving five universities on the 13th. He later stated in a media interview that the US House of Representatives passing multiple pro-Taiwan bills and numerous countermeasures against China’s authoritarian expansion, particularly expressing concern for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, supporting Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, and highlighting concerns about China’s threats in areas such as technology, data, and cybersecurity. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes and supports these bills.”