TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan relies on its own military for defense, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said during a Legislative Yuan meeting on Wednesday (March 2).

Kuomintang Legislator Lai Shih-pao (賴士葆) asked Chiu if he thought, given the U.S.’ refusal to send troops to Ukraine, it is likely Washington would not help militarily in a Taiwan Strait conflict, CNA reported.

Chiu said that there are many strategies in the military’s playbook on how to defend Taiwan and its outlying islands, but not one of them considers how to fight if the country receives military assistance from abroad. Taiwan focuses on holding repeated drills in its northern, central, southern, and eastern regions, he said.

“The Taiwan military is entirely on its own,” Chiu said.

Additionally, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said, "We have never said that we will rely on troops sent over by foreign countries."