TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a high-profile appearance at the Ketagalan Forum: 2025 Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue (凱達格蘭論壇：2025印太安全對話), a prominent regional security conference in Taiwan's capital, on Tuesday (Aug. 5) following his arrival the previous day. Johnson shared a notably cordial exchange with Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) during the forum, where he drew explicit parallels between Russia's invasion of Ukraine and potential cross-strait scenarios involving Taiwan and China.
The British political figure delivered a pointed assessment of Russia's miscalculations in Ukraine, emphasizing that Vladimir Putin severely underestimated both the human cost and territorial gains limited to just 18% of Ukrainian land since launching the 2022 invasion. Johnson asserted that historical accounts would ultimately judge Putin harshly for his hubris and strategic impatience, qualities that have paradoxically strengthened Ukrainian national identity and intensified the country's determination to maintain independence.
Johnson referenced the Trump administration's evolving stance toward Putin, suggesting potential secondary sanctions could impact nations like India and China in future conflicts. The former prime minister emphasized that any resolution to Taiwan Strait tensions must fundamentally respect the democratic will of Taiwan's 23 million citizens. He delivered a thinly veiled warning to Beijing, urging Chinese leadership to carefully weigh both the military necessity and international repercussions of any attempt to forcibly incorporate Taiwan.
The former British leader highlighted Taiwan's expanding global economic footprint, noting bilateral trade with the United Kingdom has surged to 9 billion pounds (approximately NT$347 billion or US$11.6 billion) this year. Johnson advocated for deeper economic collaboration between the two island nations, framing British support for Taiwan as rooted in shared democratic values and mutual commitment to liberty. He concluded his remarks by expressing appreciation for Taiwan's steadfast defense of democratic principles in a geopolitically contested region. ◼