Despite increasing Chinese military drills near the island, Taiwan faces significant challenges in readiness. Government officials point to shortages in manpower, training, and modern weaponry
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Representational image. File image/ Reuters
Chen Xi, a former fighter in Ukraine’s International Legion, has returned to Taiwan with a stark warning: the island is unprepared for a potential Chinese invasion.
The 32-year-old, who previously trained with the French Foreign Legion, said Taiwan’s military is hampered by outdated strategies and insufficient training. Years of peace, he argued, have lulled the nation into a false sense of security.
“We need a wake-up call or some kind of incident to prepare us, as Ukraine faced in Donbas in 2014,” POLITICO quoted Xi as sayin in a reference to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the ensuing conflict in eastern Ukraine.
China’s threat looms large
China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out forceful reunification. U.S. intelligence reports indicate Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed his military to be ready for an invasion by 2027.
Despite increasing Chinese military drills near the island, Taiwan faces significant challenges in readiness. Government officials point to shortages in manpower, training, and modern weaponry.
“Since January 2022, almost parallel to the Ukraine war, we have lost 12,000 volunteer soldiers,” said Alexander Huang, head of the opposition Kuomintang Party’s (KMT) International Affairs Department. “All the army services — the army, the navy — are short of readiness.”
Lessons from Ukraine
Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has intensified discussions on military reform, drawing parallels between Taiwan’s threat from China and Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
Xi highlighted the pivotal role of drones in modern warfare, citing Ukraine’s experience. “If a conflict does occur, drones will probably be part of the equation, so we should prepare,” he said.
China appears to have taken note, producing over 1.26 million drones in 2023, a 32 per cent increase from the previous year.