TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s representative to the US, Alexander Yui (俞大㵢), has warned that a military crisis in the Taiwan Strait would have a greater impact than the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
In an interview on the podcast “American Thought Leaders," Yui was asked to comment on whether recent actions by the US in Venezuela and Iran have caused Chinese leader Xi Jinping to reassess his Taiwan strategy.
Yui replied, “I think it shows a resolve from the United States to use the necessary tools to fix problems or achieve its objectives,” and that this will have relevance to the Taiwan Strait.
Yui noted that Taiwan is part of the First Island Chain. He said that just as NATO is keeping the Atlantic Alliance secure, First Island Chain countries are “holding the line so United States borders are safe.”
He said that Taiwan is a key partner for the US in terms of maintaining AI supremacy. The envoy added that Taiwan not only manufactures 95% of the most advanced chips but also makes over 90% of the world's AI servers.
The envoy warned that any conflict in the strait would be much greater than the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.” He said several studies on a potential war have found that economic losses would amount to “trillions and trillions of dollars.”
Yui said that not only would Taiwan's ports and trade be affected, but also those in China, Japan, and South Korea. He warned that the scale of such a crisis would be “almost unimaginable.”
“So there is a lot at stake not only for us, the countries in the region, but also for the United States, which is obviously a main commercial partner with us,” said Yui.
