Taiwan looks to Ukraine’s wartime business resilience amid rising Chinese threats

Reuters reported the information.

China asserts Taiwan, a democratically governed island, as its territory, despite Taipei's opposition, and has increased military pressure, holding multiple 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 sensitivity of the matter.

The official highlighted that companies in Ukraine, including Uber and Microsoft, have continued to provide critical services. Taiwan is drawing inspiration from Ukraine's strategies, such as integrating supermarkets into the government's supply distribution network and using taxi services for medical emergencies, like blood donations, especially when the health system is overwhelmed.

The official stated that the government is working to link companies in Taiwan with their Ukrainian counterparts to help Taiwanese firms swiftly enhance their contingency planning.

"We have the will to fight, and now we must also look closely into our will to prepare," the official said. Taiwan is revamping its air-raid alert and shelter systems, taking into account lessons by northern European countries and Baltic states, the official added.

Andy Hunder, head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, told reporters that the Taiwan government must set up backup online systems, citing Russian cyberattacks that targeted Ukraine's infrastructure before the initial missile strikes.

"Technology, banking, food, delivery, retail - how do you keep the economy running? What we have seen is that during World War Two, the safest place for critical infrastructure is down in the tunnels. Today, the safest infrastructure is in the clouds," Hunder concluded.