Why Taiwan is NOT Ukraine

Support PolyMatter & watch this video ad-free on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/polymatter-w...
Watch episode 2 of my new Nebula Original series on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/polymatter-w... ("Why China Won't Abandon Zero-COVID")
Sources: pastebin.com/Wg0E8UZC
Twitter: / polymatters
Reddit: / polymatter
Email: [e-mail]
How I Make These Videos: skl.sh/2OW1YQR
Music by Graham Haerther (www.Haerther.net)
Audio editing by Eric Schneider
Motion graphics by Vincent de Langen
Thumbnail by Simon Buckmaster
Writing & Direction by Evan
This includes a paid sponsorship which had no part in the writing, editing, or production of the rest of the video.
Music by Epidemic Sound: epidemicsound.com
Video supplied by Getty Images
Maps provided by MapTiler/OpenStreetMap Contributors and GEOlayers 3
Select footage from the AP Archive

[@PolyMatter]

Thanks for the great feedback on the first episode of my new Nebula Original series. Episode 2 is out now and I think it's even better. This one is about why China is still pursuing Zero-COVID after 900 days and with no end in sight. I've had theories about this for years but feel like it's starting to really crystalize, and the answer is not a pleasant one. If you've been holding off on signing up for Nebula, now is the time to pull the trigger, with the CS + Nebula bundle on sale for less than $1/month right now:

[@timtebow777]

I'll admit, I had my suspicions that Taiwan wasn't Ukraine, and this video just confirms it.

[@buckyhermit]

"Taiwanese are less concerned." Reminds me of what I noticed when I worked in Seoul .The South Korean public is way less worried about a North Korean attack than us North Americans. After living there for a few months, I settled into that pattern too and learned it was mostly empty threats, since it makes no strategic or economic sense to attack, not to mention they could lose the support of China (their only ally and lifeline) if they do so, since China does a lot of trade with South Korea. Not to mention the South Koreans and US being a good boogeyman to maintain fear and power over the North Koreans.

[@shoking9825]

man i wanted to go to ukraine but i booked my flight to taiwan thank god this video saved me and showed me they arent the same

[@mrflag250]

I had my doubts that an island off the coast of China was the same as a country on the North of the Black Sea and sandwiched between Russia and the west but thank you for confirming it

[@RichM3000]

Well, this explains why I was having trouble getting by speaking Ukrainian while in Taiwan. Taiwan really isn't Ukraine at all.

[@OkachaWasTaken]

Taiwan: Is an island

[@nanjiang1953]

Unlike Ukraine, the island of Taiwan is more difficult to invade but also near impossible to get any support from outside.

[@glenngilbert7389]

This is an excellent presentation which provides reasonable ideas to explain the situation in a non sensationalist way.

[@norsefire0110]

5:39

[@dariuszdudka1991]

Taiwan has a far better economy than Ukraine and is far more competitive, as well as having greater international influence despite not being internationally recognised as a state by almost everybody. Not to mention: semiconductor weapons. Taiwan also realises this and is diversifying its investment in the United States and the West to serve as plan B in case of a Chinese invasion. Though I will cast a big "if" when China also needs economic benefits from Taiwan.

[@DxModel219]

brilliantly written and well produced!

[@globalmyths6580]

"Ukraine is not Taiwan, and Taiwan is not Ukraine"

[@thomaslavery684]

I think it is also important to mention that Taiwan produces 90% of the world's advanced chips. Without them straight up every single industry will collapse. There are two reasons why this is important. One it will literally force the US to defend Taiwan whether they want to or not, plus the US also already has national security reasons for defending Taiwan. The second is that China straight up buys their chips from Taiwan too, it would be self-sabotage to invade Taiwan.

[@Karlach_]

11:36

[@d173928]

When people say Taiwan is similar to Ukraine they speak in the sense that US and the rest of the world will not be involved militarily not referring to the difficulty to invade. It's been made pretty clear before that invasion is not going to be walk in the park and most likely very brutal.

[@dnice374]

Wow. Very educational, thanks for this vid. Subbed

[@alcaulique8358]

Apart from mistakes other people outlined, I think that you overlooked one major element, urban warfare. Taiwan has a density of 652/km2, Ukraine 73/km2. During the first phase of the Russian invasion, we have seen Russia bypass major cities without trying to take them (apart from cities impossible to bypass). And there is a good reason for this, urban warfare (i.e. fighting in town or cities) is a real pain for modern armoured forces, especially when attacking. You are exposed to small groups of fighters, booby traps and snipers. So usually, attacking in urban environment you are left with two possibilities, clear building after building which takes times and men or obliterate the city. While the russian army bypassed every urban environment they could, they went for the destruction of other urban environment. But as I said, Ukraine is far less densely populated than Taiwan. Thus, when you factor in urban warfare, amphibious warfare and mountain warfare, you are left with a clusterfuck that takes time, men and logistic to take. While the alternative means the total destruction of Taiwan.

[@Nukesnipe]

"Conscript armies are more apathetic and less effective" except when it's their home on the line. I think we have seen in Ukraine just how hard it is to break someone's morale when A: you're trampling their stuff and B: they hated your even before that

[@giselle0131ae]

Thank you for making this video!!