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Taiwan is trying to boost its defences. It’s learning from Ukraine
- A year into the war, observers say there are clear lessons for Taipei, including on military reform, asymmetric warfare, unity and morale
- President Tsai Ing-wen has said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shows how a small country can resist a much bigger attacker
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Lawrence Chungin Taipei
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has led to tens of thousands of deaths on both sides and created Europe’s largest refugee wave since World War II. In this multimedia series marking the one-year anniversary of the conflict, we look at China’s response to what Russian President Vladimir Putin called a “special military operation” and its diplomatic, military, monetary and economic impact.
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When Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen announced that compulsory military service would be extended from four months to a year, she pointed to Ukraine as an example for the self-ruled island to learn from.
Tsai said Taiwan was “on the front line of authoritarian expansion”, and that Ukraine showed how a small country could resist a much larger attacker.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has passed its 300th day and continues unabated … but Ukraine has not fallen, and it is still fighting,” she told reporters on December 27, as she outlined a plan to boost Taiwan’s defences in the face of growing military threats from Beijing.
Taiwan extends mandatory military service as tensions with mainland China increase
Twelve months into the war in Ukraine, observers say there are clear lessons for Taiwan – that its much-criticised military needs reform, and that the island needs to invest in asymmetric warfare capabilities, strengthen unity, and improve morale, both in the military and among the public.
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The conflict in Ukraine also shows the importance of building strong relationships with allies and partners around the world, to ensure the island has the support it needs to defend itself in the event of a war breaking out across the Taiwan Strait.
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