"Ukraine Next, Taiwan?" Amid Growing Anxiety... Taiwan Government Says "We Are Clearly Different"

Citizens are walking past the national flag, the Blue Sky with a White Sun, on the streets of Taipei, Taiwan. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Amid growing concerns about the situation between China and Taiwan following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan has drawn a clear line by stating, "We are distinctly different from Ukraine."

On the 25th, Chu Tai-san, Chairman of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, the department responsible for China, said in an interview with Taiwanese media, "There are concerns among the Taiwanese people that 'Today is Ukraine, tomorrow is Taiwan,' but I do not agree with this."

Chairman Chu explained that Taiwan differs from Ukraine in four conditions: geopolitical strategic position, geographical situation, economic importance, and relations with the United States.

First, he cited the geographical difference between Ukraine and Taiwan. Chairman Chu said, "Ukraine can engage in land warfare with tanks crossing the border directly, but Taiwan, surrounded by the sea, cannot be struck in the same way."

He continued, "Taiwan is a member of the Indo-Pacific democratic alliance and the focal point of the First Island Chain (a defensive line connecting Japan's Okinawa, Taiwan, the Philippines, and the Malacca Strait). If Taiwan falls, the situation in the Taiwan Strait as well as the South China Sea will be shaken."

This appears to emphasize that even if China invades Taiwan, the West, including the United States, will not stand by idly.

Chairman Chu also mentioned that unlike Ukraine, which is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and thus did not receive direct military intervention from the West, Taiwan can receive defense support from the United States under the Taiwan Relations Act.

He added, "Taiwan's economic status is different from Ukraine, which relies on agricultural products and natural resources, as Taiwan is an international hub for semiconductor supply. If Taiwan cannot supply wafers, the global economy will suffer a significant shock."

Furthermore, Chairman Chu stated, "We have been closely monitoring China's movements following the Russia-Ukraine conflict and have strengthened our response posture," adding, "The current situation is normal."

Meanwhile, on the same day, the United States, NATO, and other Western parties officially declared that they will not deploy combat troops to Ukraine.

They have imposed economic and financial sanctions on Russia and are providing weapons and military equipment to Ukraine. However, troops are only stationed in nearby Eastern European regions as a limit line and are not directly deployed to Ukraine.

This is because Ukraine is not a NATO member, so there is no basis for intervention.

There is also an analysis that Russia is a nuclear-armed country. There is a possibility that premature military intervention could lead to nuclear war.

According to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), Russia currently possesses approximately 4,500 nuclear weapons. The United States is estimated to have 3,800 nuclear weapons and 1,750 awaiting dismantlement.