Taiwan turns to companies in Ukraine for China contingency planning

Taiwan is learning from companies in Ukraine that continue to operate during the country's fight against Russia, a senior Taiwan official told Reuters on Wednesday, as the island speeds up contingency planning amid heightened Chinese threats.

China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its territory, despite the objection of the government in Taipei, and has ramped up its military pressure against the island in recent years, including holding several rounds of major war games.

"We hope to learn from Ukraine's first-hand experiences - how private companies helped build the resilience of its government and society during wartime," said a senior Taiwan security official, who requested anonymity due to the matter's sensitivity.

The official pointed to companies in Ukraine, including Uber and Microsoft, which continued to provide critical services.

Among the ideas Taiwan is taking inspiration from Ukraine for include how to incorporate supermarkets into the government's supply distribution network and utilizing taxi services for medical emergencies, such as blood donations when the health system is overwhelmed.

Reuters