**Taiwan’s Former President Urges US to Help Ukraine**
Tsai Ing-wen, the former president of Taiwan, said it’s very important for the United States to support Ukraine. She spoke at the Halifax International Security Forum on November 23.
Ms. Tsai thinks that helping Ukraine should be a priority for the US. She said, “They should do whatever they can to help the Ukrainians.” At the same time, she believes that Taiwan still has some time before it faces a threat from China.
**US Military Capacity is Being Strained**
The head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. Samuel Paparo, recently warned that helping Ukraine is starting to strain the US military’s ability to prepare for a potential conflict with China. He mentioned that critical weapon stockpiles are running low.
Ms. Tsai said that Ukraine’s success against Russian aggression would be a strong deterrent to future conflicts. She believes that a Ukrainian victory will show the world that aggression won’t be tolerated.
**Taiwan’s Defense Spending**
Taiwan has increased its defense spending by 80% over the past eight years, reaching $19 billion in 2024. However, Ms. Tsai doesn’t think it needs to raise its defense budget to 10% of GDP, as suggested by some US officials. She said that would be difficult and arbitrary.
**Concerns About Defense Strategy**
The Biden administration has said that it can balance supporting Ukraine and preparing for a conflict with China. However, Ms. Tsai remains cautious about Taiwan’s defense strategy under a potential new US president.