Taiwan FM to 'Post': Intel, tech exchanges a 'must' between Taiwan and Israel - interview

TAIPEI – Intelligence exchanges and technology cooperation between Taiwan and Israel are critical in combating shared threats, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

“For Taiwan’s relations with Israel, intelligence exchanges are a must, and technology cooperation is very important between the two countries, especially technology related to national defense and security,” Lin stated at a meeting in the Asian island’s capital of Taipei.

Taiwan is grappling with increasing aggression from China regarding the island’s sovereignty as Beijing looks to extend its control over the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. Tensions have recently increased too between China and the Philippines, with China being accused of “dangerous actions” as heightened maritime confrontations between ships and aircraft escalate.

Earlier this month, Taipei angrily rebuked claims by Chinese President Xi Jinping that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.

Minister Lin frames China as part of a broader coalition of authoritarian regimes looking to exert pressure on smaller neighbors. Taiwan, which has long endured threats of invasion, sees parallels with Israel as both nations confront persistent regional challenges — Taiwan with China and Israel in the Middle East.

“When it comes to the Middle East’s issues and Taiwan’s relations with Israel, simply put we are now seeing a very clear manifestation of the ‘Axis of Evil’ or CRINK – China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea,” Lin told the Post.

“All of these countries are located on the Eurasian continent, so they are even more interconnected than ever before. They are using all sorts of international mechanisms, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization framework, BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), or the Global South framework, to build up their cooperation and their dependence on each other, and this trend is very obvious.

Taiwan is not alone

“This is why I believe that Taiwan is not alone,” Lin said. “All countries are facing a similar issue. With our interconnectedness of economies, Taiwan can better support our values-based diplomacy.”