U.S. Raid in Venezuela Alarms Taiwan: "Are We Next?"

A recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela has caused significant concern in Taiwan, raising urgent questions about its own defense guarantees. U.S. Special Forces conducted a raid in Venezuela last week, capturing a high-profile criminal suspect. While successful, the operation occurred without the knowledge or consent of the Venezuelan government. Venezuela, which has no formal defense treaty with the U.S., condemned the action as a violation of its sovereignty. Officials and analysts in Taiwan have taken note. Taiwan, which governs itself, is claimed by China. The U.S. has a long-standing policy to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself but maintains "strategic ambiguity" on whether it would directly intervene in a conflict. The Venezuela event has sparked a sharp debate in Taiwan. Some security experts express alarm, seeing it as a sign that the U.S. might act unilaterally in a crisis, potentially escalating tensions with China. Others argue it demonstrates decisive U.S. capability against an adversarial state. The core question in Taipei is whether the U.S. would treat Taiwan as a partner or as a zone for unilateral action. The lack of a clear mutual defense treaty, similar to Venezuela's situation, is now a central point of discussion for Taiwan's national security.