Taiwan is refraining from providing military assistance to Ukraine due to the sensitivity of the issue, but it aims to establish a representative office in the country, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu.

Since Russia’s invasion two years ago, Taiwan has expressed strong moral support for Ukraine, drawing parallels to the threats it perceives from China, which claims Taiwan as its territory—a claim that Taiwan’s government firmly disputes.

Taiwan has contributed millions in humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees and has participated in Western-led sanctions against Russia. Although senior officials from Taiwan have engaged with some city mayors in Ukraine, there has been no formal acknowledgment of direct communication between the two governments.

During a visit to Berlin, Wu, who previously served as Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in Paris until August, stated that Taiwan’s objective is to cultivate as many allies as possible.

“Ukraine, while appreciating Taiwan’s support and recognizing the threat from China—given China’s partnership with Russia, which continues its aggression against Ukraine—remains cautious about its ties with Taiwan,” he noted.

“There is concern in Ukraine that provoking China might lead to a stronger alliance between China and Russia, thereby increasing military pressure.” Last year, China, which has not condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine, proposed a 12-point framework outlining general principles for resolving the conflict, but it lacked specific details. Additionally, China did not participate in a peace conference held in Switzerland earlier this year.

Wu stated that Taiwan is concentrating on building connections with Ukraine through its neighboring countries and is engaged in providing humanitarian assistance.

“Nonetheless, military support remains a delicate issue, so I don’t believe we are currently collaborating on security equipment with Ukraine.”

Last week, Taiwan’s defense minister indicated that the decision regarding the fate of Taiwan’s decommissioned HAWK anti-aircraft missiles lies with the United States, in response to inquiries about their potential transfer to Ukraine.

In Europe, Taiwan maintains formal diplomatic ties solely with the Vatican. However, it operates de facto embassies in several European nations, including Russia, but not in Ukraine. Additionally, there is no Ukrainian representative office in Taipei.

China consistently criticizes any form of engagement between Taiwan and other nations. In 2021, Lithuania provoked Beijing by permitting Taiwan to establish a representative office in Vilnius.

“We are making every effort to strengthen our relations with Ukraine. However, at this moment, we have not progressed to the point of setting up a representative office. It is certainly Taiwan’s aspiration for the future, but for now, I don’t believe we are at that stage,” Wu remarked.