My wife is Taiwanese, and I have spent a lot of time there. One thing that non-Taiwanese may not realize is the extent to which the geopolitics and the Beijing threat are simply not on the radar of the average Taiwanese. Bread and butter issues are.
This complacency is a big problem for the US. There is mandatory conscription in Taiwan, but the training is pretty lousy. Based on my experience, I simply do not see the Taiwanese, even the more nationalistic Hokkanese-speaking Taiwanese, rising to the occasion as did the Ukrainians.
I personally am petrified for Taiwan, but my relatives there think I'm just paranoid. Not good.
My wife is Taiwanese, and I have spent a lot of time there. One thing that non-Taiwanese may not realize is the extent to which the geopolitics and the Beijing threat are simply not on the radar of the average Taiwanese. Bread and butter issues are.
This complacency is a big problem for the US. There is mandatory conscription in Taiwan, but the training is pretty lousy. Based on my experience, I simply do not see the Taiwanese, even the more nationalistic Hokkanese-speaking Taiwanese, rising to the occasion as did the Ukrainians.
I personally am petrified for Taiwan, but my relatives there think I'm just paranoid. Not good.