Placeholder Image

Subtitles section Play video

  • (missile booming)

  • - [Narrator] For missiles you can carry on your shoulders,

  • to attack drones.

  • These are some of Ukraine's smaller weapons

  • and they've been effective at fighting Russia's bigger

  • and more powerful arms.

  • Military strategists say these lighter tools

  • can help an underdog army become more like a porcupine.

  • - The porcupine strategy is really

  • when a smaller military tries

  • to defend itself from a larger military,

  • which is the attacker.

  • And it uses lots of smaller weapons.

  • - [Narrator] This strategy has inspired Taiwan

  • and even its president to rethink

  • how to defend itself against a much larger adversary, China.

  • Beijing seized Taiwan as part of its territory.

  • (missile booming)

  • And as the possibility of an armed conflict

  • around the island has escalated,

  • (soldiers shouting)

  • Taipei is taking clues from Ukraine

  • to prepare to fight China's powerful army.

  • (pensive music)

  • For several decades, Taiwan has favored expensive gear

  • like fighter jets, helicopters and tanks

  • to prepare for a possible war with China.

  • (Wei speaking in foreign language)

  • - [Narrator] And this threat

  • has become heightened as tensions have soared

  • to the highest point over Taiwan in more than two decades.

  • After US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei,

  • Beijing began days of military exercises

  • that encircled the island.

  • (rocket whooshing)

  • Launching rocket and ballistic missiles

  • and sending navy ships and war planes nearby.

  • (gun shooting)

  • Defense analysts say if there were an actual invasion,

  • Taiwan alone wouldn't be able to ward off China

  • because its big-ticket weapons

  • would be quickly destroyed by a more powerful arsenal.

  • And Taiwan has far fewer soliders compared

  • with its neighbor, which has the world's largest military

  • by active personnel.

  • Given the disadvantages

  • that's where the so-called porcupine capabilities come in.

  • - Much like the animal,

  • it tries to inflict so much pain on the larger rival

  • that it stops the attacker.

  • (gun booming)

  • - [Narrator] And one way to inflict a lot of pain,

  • these handheld anti-tank and anti-aircraft equipment used

  • by individual soldiers.

  • Since the start of the war in Ukraine,

  • the US has sent thousands of stinger

  • and javelin missiles to the battlefield.

  • (weapon booming)

  • And these weapons are particularly useful

  • for smaller militaries

  • because they're able to have an outsized impact

  • on their rival.

  • - The Russians have been using lots

  • of large invasion forces using tanks,

  • and planes, and the Ukrainians

  • have been able to fight back

  • by using these smaller weapons

  • and using them very effectively

  • to destroy large targets.

  • - [Narrator] So far, hundreds of Russian tanks

  • and aircraft have been destroyed

  • since the war broke out in February,

  • according to an open source website

  • that tracks military equipment losses.

  • And that success has driven some Taiwanese leaders,

  • including the president to embrace these types

  • of anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.

  • Earlier this year,

  • Taiwan's legislature also approved a motion

  • to conduct more training,

  • possibly involving portable missiles

  • like the javelin and stinger.

  • But those handheld missiles have limitations

  • because they only have an operating range

  • of about 2.5 miles.

  • (missile booming)

  • That's why Taiwan, like Ukraine,

  • is also getting longer-range weapons

  • like these mobile rocket launchers called HIMARS.

  • In Ukraine, they've allowed the army

  • to reach beyond Russia's frontline,

  • sending missiles up to 53 miles away.

  • In 2020, the US approved the first sale

  • of the weapon to Taiwan

  • and the island's Defense Ministry said it's looking

  • to buy more of them.

  • (drone whirring)

  • Another relatively small weapon

  • that can impose heavy losses from very far away,

  • the attack drone.

  • - So attack drones can be very useful

  • for smaller militaries

  • because it enables them to do significant damage

  • behind enemy lines.

  • Ukrainians have been destroying Russian tanks,

  • convoys that have been coming into the country.

  • - [Narrator] The attack drones have also been effective

  • at hitting Russia's navy.

  • In May, Ukraine released footage

  • of what it said were drones hitting two Russian vessels

  • in the Black Sea.

  • Russia didn't comment on the Ukrainian claim.

  • (weapon booming)

  • This type of sea-based assault

  • could happen in Taiwan since military experts say

  • a Chinese invasion would involve a lot

  • of ships coming over the Taiwan Strait.

  • So the island has been developing its own indigenous drones

  • like this one.

  • The US has also agreed to sell some drones

  • and Taiwanese lawmakers have been pushing

  • to purchase four of them.

  • - Fire, fire, fire.

  • (weapon shooting)

  • - [Narrator] Taiwan's government

  • isn't just preparing weapons.

  • (guns clicking)

  • Its citizens are also taking action.

  • So some people are picking up shooting lessons,

  • just like the Ukrainians,

  • and rallying this type of public support

  • is also an important part of the porcupine strategy.

  • (guns shooting)

  • - In Ukraine, things didn't go as quickly

  • as the Russians thought they would.

  • One of the reasons for that is the motivation

  • and the willingness of the Ukrainian population

  • to take up arms and to defend their country.

  • - [Narrator] So to prepare its citizens for a war,

  • Taiwan's Defense Ministry is debating plans

  • to extend military conscription for up to a year.

  • (Chiu speaking in foreign language)

  • - [Narrator] And a survey found

  • that more than 70% of adults

  • are in favor of a longer service time.

  • While Taiwan can learn a lot from Ukraine's experience,

  • there are unique challenges.

  • Ukraine borders other countries

  • and that makes it possible

  • for its troops to continue receiving a steady flow

  • of weapons and supplies.

  • - But Taiwan is an island

  • and there may be difficulties

  • if there is a Chinese invasion for Taiwan

  • to receive weapons from other countries,

  • particularly if the Chinese form

  • a blockade around the island.

  • So it needs to have large stockpiles ready

  • for a conflict.

  • - [Narrator] So building that stock

  • has become a priority.

  • This year, the government pledged

  • any extra $8.7 billion for military equipment.

  • The US, which has promised to help Taiwan defend itself

  • has been selling military gear to Taipei for decades

  • and after Pelosi's visit there,

  • she said America wouldn't abandon its commitment

  • to the island.

  • - We've worked together for the security of Taiwan.

  • (Hua speaking in foreign language)

  • - [Narrator] China's National Defense Ministry

  • didn't respond to a request for comment

  • about Taiwan's military build-up.

  • But Taiwan isn't the only one keeping a close eye

  • on the war in Ukraine.

  • Military experts say China is taking notes too.

  • - [Alastair] And one of those would be that if you are going

  • to try and take over one of your neighbors,

  • you need to use overwhelming force.

  • - [Narrator] And that's been showcased

  • during its live fire drills,

  • showing its ability to effectively blockade Taiwan.

  • - [Alastair] If Taiwan is faced with one

  • of the world's most powerful conventional militaries coming

  • at you with everything,

  • that's a very difficult challenge.

  • (pensive music)

(missile booming)

Subtitles and vocabulary

Click the word to look it up Click the word to find further inforamtion about it

B1 US WSJ taiwan narrator military ukraine booming

Ukraine War Gives Taiwan Ideas for How to Defend Itself Against China | WSJ

  • 4 1
    林宜悉 posted on 2022/09/14
Video vocabulary

Keywords

overwhelming

US /ˌovɚˈhwɛlmɪŋ, -ˈwɛl-/

UK /ˌəʊvəˈwelmɪŋ/

  • adjective
  • So great as to be impossible to resist or overcome.
  • Impossible to resist
  • Very great or very strong; so powerful that you cannot resist or decide how to react
  • So strong as to be difficult to resist or overcome.
  • Very great or very strong; so powerful that you cannot resist it or decide how to react.
  • Covering completely
  • Having too much to handle (e.g. work)
  • Very great or very strong; so powerful that you cannot resist it or decide how to react.
  • Very great or very strong; so powerful that you cannot resist or decide how to react
  • Difficult to deal with; very large or greater than usual
  • other
  • To cover someone or something completely; to submerge.
  • Present participle of overwhelm; completely defeating someone or something.
  • To defeat someone or something by using a lot of force
  • To have a strong emotional effect on somebody
  • Present participle of overwhelm; affecting someone very strongly.
  • To cover or submerge completely.
  • To cover somebody/something completely
  • verb
  • To defeat something or someone completely
  • Present participle of overwhelm: to affect (someone) very strongly.
  • To affect someone emotionally in a strong way
  • Present continuous of overwhelm; strongly affecting
  • To cause to have too much to handle (e.g. work)
  • To affect someone very strongly.
strategy

US /ˈstrætədʒi/

UK /'strætədʒɪ/

  • noun
  • Careful plan or method for achieving a goal
  • A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim.
  • other
  • Branch of military dealing with command
debate

US / dɪˈbet/

UK /dɪ'beɪt/

  • other
  • To argue about a subject, especially in a formal manner.
  • other
  • To consider something; to think about something carefully before making a decision.
  • To discuss a subject in a formal way.
  • To discuss a subject in a formal way, presenting different opinions.
  • noun
  • General public discussion of a topic
  • A discussion or argument on a subject where people express different opinions.
  • A formal event where two sides discuss a topic
  • A formal discussion or argument about a subject.
  • verb
  • To consider options before making a decision
  • To take part in a formal discussion
impact

US /ˈɪmˌpækt/

UK /'ɪmpækt/

  • noun
  • A striking effect or result to hit with force
  • Act or force of one thing hitting something else
  • A marked effect or influence.
  • other
  • To collide forcefully with something.
  • verb
  • To hit or strike someone or something with force
  • other
  • (especially of a tooth) wedged so that it cannot erupt.
  • To have a strong effect on someone or something.
conflict

US /ˈkɑnˌflɪkt/

UK /'kɒnflɪkt/

  • verb
  • (of two things) be incompatible or at variance; clash.
  • To have opposite ideas; to disagree; To not match
  • noun
  • A serious disagreement or argument.
  • Argument or struggle between two or more parties
  • Mental struggle resulting from incompatible or opposing needs, drives, wishes, or external or internal demands
  • A serious incompatibility between two or more opinions, principles, or interests.
  • A prolonged armed struggle; war
  • other
  • To be incompatible or at variance; clash.
effective

US /ɪˈfɛktɪv/

UK /ɪˈfektɪv/

  • adjective
  • In operation; operative.
  • Successful in producing a desired or intended result.
  • Working efficiently to produce a desired result
  • In operation; in force.
  • Successful in producing a desired or intended result.
  • Producing a desired or intended result.
  • Actual rather than nominal; real.
  • Skillful and producing the intended result.
develop

US /dɪˈvɛləp/

UK /dɪ'veləp/

  • verb
  • To explain something in steps and in detail
  • To create or think of something
  • To grow bigger, more complex, or more advanced
  • To make a photograph from film
  • other
  • To invent something or cause something to exist
  • To start to suffer from an illness or other medical condition
  • To improve the quality, strength, or usefulness of something
  • other
  • To (cause something to) grow or change into a more advanced, larger, or stronger form
comment

US /ˈkɑmɛnt/

UK /'kɒment/

  • noun
  • Something you say, giving an opinion; remark
  • An explanatory note in the source code of a computer program.
  • An explanatory note in a computer program.
  • A verbal or written remark expressing an opinion or reaction.
  • verb
  • To say something that gives your opinion
  • other
  • To add explanatory notes to the source code of a computer program.
  • To add explanatory notes to a computer program.
  • To express a negative opinion or criticism
  • To express an opinion or reaction verbally or in writing.
  • other
  • To express an opinion or reaction verbally or in writing.
ability

US /əˈbɪlɪti/

UK /ə'bɪlətɪ/

  • other
  • The power or capacity to do something.
  • The power or capacity to do something.
  • The legal power to perform an act.
  • Potential for achievement or accomplishment.
  • The resources or means to do something.
  • noun
  • The financial capacity to do something.
  • The legal power to perform an act.
  • A particular skill or talent.
  • The power, resources or skill to do something
  • other
  • The power or capacity to do something.
  • Potential or aptitude.
  • other
  • A particular skill or talent.
conduct

US / kənˈdʌkt/

UK /kənˈdʌkt/

  • other
  • The manner in which a person behaves, especially in a particular place or situation.
  • noun
  • Your behavior
  • other
  • To direct the performance of musicians or a musical work.
  • To transmit electricity or heat through a substance.
  • To lead or guide someone through a place.
  • To organize and carry out.
  • To direct the performance of an orchestra or choir.
  • To transmit (heat or electricity) through a substance.
  • verb
  • To behave in a certain way; e.g. at a party
  • To let electricity or heat travel through
  • To lead or guide people
  • To direct a group of musicians in performance
  • To direct or control some process or procedure