Former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen suggested in her keynote speech at the annual Halifax International Security Forum summit that the US should focus on supporting Ukraine before prioritizing Taiwan (Politico) reported Saturday.
“They should do whatever they can to help Ukrainians. [Taiwan] There’s still time,” she said, as reported by Politico.
Ukraine's defensive war against Russia passed its 1,000th day this week, as unrest grows in Kiev over President-elect Trump's return to the Oval Office. Trump has promised to pursue “peace through strength,” but his criticism of U.S. spending on Ukraine means his push to end the war includes painful concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Concerns are growing in Kiev and among Ukraine's allies that the U.S.
Meanwhile, Taiwan is preparing for a possible Chinese invasion in 2027, although whether China will do so remains uncertain. Chinese President Xi Jinping has instructed the military to prepare for a potential attack in 2027.
Tsai's proposal comes after Adm. Samuel Paparo, the commander of the U.S. Navy in the Indo-Pacific region, said the Pentagon's arms shipments to Ukraine and Israel are “eaten into inventories” that could be directed toward responding to China. The announcement was made in response to the incident, Business Insider reported. reported.
Some warn that if Ukraine collapses first, Taiwan will follow. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who is retiring as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has criticized far-right members of his own party for rejecting U.S. aid to Ukraine and the Biden administration for moving too slowly. This has to do with aid to Kiev, which poses an obstacle in the fight against Russia.
“Now we have pro-Putin, Russia-loving people who don't understand that,” he said during a panel discussion at the Atlantic Council earlier this week, saying Biden would allow Ukraine to use Western weapons. Referring to criticism of the decision, he said: It provided weapons for attacks deep into Russian territory.
“We cannot afford to lose this battle and it is vital to our national interests because if Ukraine collapses, next will be Taiwan. And that will be World War III,” he warned.
According to a report by Politico, Tsai expressed similar sentiments during her remarks.
Taiwan relies primarily on U.S. arms purchases and U.S. military aid for defense, and Tsai said that “U.S. assistance to Ukraine will help deter China's cross-strait attacks,” according to Politico. Reported.
As reported by Politico, Tsai said that globally, “a victory for Ukraine will be the most effective deterrent against future aggression.”
