Taiwan Says Xi Jinping Is Learning From Putin's War In Ukraine To Develop 'Hybrid' Strategies

Taiwan on Wednesday said Xi Jinping is gaining experience from Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine to develop "hybrid warfare" strategies against the island nation.

What Happened: A senior Taiwanese security official said China is watching the war in Ukraine with an eye on Taiwan and is preparing itself to use force to enforce its sovereignty claim, reported Reuters.

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Taiwan's National Security Bureau Director-General, Chen Ming-tong, speaking in parliament, said Xi’s administration is paying attention to what was happening in Ukraine.

"This year, the communist military has borrowed from the experience of the Russia-Ukraine war to develop 'hybrid warfare' against Taiwan and strengthen its combat training and preparation against strong enemies," he told lawmakers.

Taipei has been carefully studying the lessons of the war in Ukraine to stay informed on how it may react in case of a similar attack. Meanwhile, Taiwan is also ramping up its defense system after China conducted military drills around Taiwan Strait. "We're planning for the capital ships, but the tonnage is yet to be decided," he told the same parliament session.

On the National Day of the Republic of China, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called on Beijing to work with her country to find a “mutually agreeable arrangement.”

“I want to make clear to the Beijing authorities that armed confrontation is absolutely not an option for our two sides,” said Tsai. However, Beijing responded that the Taiwanese government's push for independence is the root cause of the problems in the Taiwan Strait.

This story was originally published on Oct. 12, 2022.

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