Taiwan says must raise alertness over Ukraine crisis

Taiwan must increase its surveillance and alertness on military activities in the region and tackle foreign misinformation, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday at a meeting about Ukraine, wary of China's movements around the island.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up military activity near the self-governing island over the past two years, though Taiwan has reported no unusual manoeuvres by Chinese forces in recent days as tensions over Ukraine have spiked.

Tsai, at a meeting of her National Security Council's working group on the Ukraine crisis, said all security and military units "must raise their surveillance and early warning of military developments around the Taiwan Strait".

Taiwan and Ukraine are fundamentally different in terms of geostrategy, geography and international supply chains, she said, according to a readout of the meeting provided by her office.

"But in the face of foreign forces intending to manipulate the situation in Ukraine and affect the morale of Taiwanese society, all government units must strengthen the prevention of cognitive warfare launched by foreign forces and local collaborators," it cited Tsai as saying.

The statement did not mention China by name, but the country is the most significant military threat that Taiwan faces.

Tsai set up the Ukraine working group last month.

She has expressed "empathy" for Ukraine's situation because of the military threat the island faces from China.