U.S. Retired General Warns of Chinese Infiltration, Taiwan Should Defend Comprehensively
Former U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Mike Studeman warned in an exclusive interview with CNA that China is attempting to infiltrate Taiwan by co-opting Taiwanese gangs, recruiting military personnel, bribing politicians, and using Mazu beliefs to manipulate Taiwan's economy and influence government decisions. He suggested Taiwan should emulate Ukraine's approach to Russian infiltration and implement comprehensive defense measures across all sectors of society.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 30, 2026 at 13:26
- 🔍 Collected: April 30, 2026 at 13:31 (5 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 2, 2026 at 12:30 (46h 58m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Reporter Wu Shu-wei, Taipei, April 30) Former U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Mike Studeman stated in an exclusive interview with CNA that China is attempting to infiltrate Taiwan by co-opting Taiwanese gangs, recruiting military personnel, bribing politicians, manipulating Taiwan's economy, influencing government decisions, and also achieving its goals by linking with Mazu beliefs. He suggests that Taiwan should emulate Ukraine's methods of countering Russian infiltration and implement comprehensive defense.
Studeman (also translated as Si Tudeman), who retired in 2023 from his position as the U.S. Navy's Director of Intelligence, published 'The Strongest Link: 46 Lessons from a U.S. Navy General for Future Leaders on Self-Training, Team Building, and Changing the World' last year.
The book reveals that he visited Taiwan during his tenure as the Director of Intelligence for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, briefing then-President Tsai Ing-wen in 2021 on China's potential invasion of Taiwan. Months after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, he again visited Taiwan to report to Tsai Ing-wen on lessons Taiwan should learn. He was also the first active two-star general to visit Taiwan since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the U U.S. and China in 1979.
Studeman recently visited Taiwan again and will hold a public lecture in Taipei on May 1st, conversing with former Military Intelligence Bureau Director Yang Ching-se.
On April 29th, Studeman accepted an exclusive interview with CNA, warning about China's infiltration of Taiwan. China employs a two-pronged strategy: on one hand, external pressure, using psychological warfare, attrition warfare, and demonstrating the consequences of voters supporting the Democratic Progressive Party; on the other hand, internal strategies, continuously collaborating with Taiwanese gangs, even attempting to provide weapons to gangs, or instigating defections among Taiwanese military personnel and bribing politicians, attempting to manipulate the economy and influence Taiwan's government decisions. These actions are ongoing.
Studeman stated that if one looks at what Russia has done to Ukraine and what China has done to Taiwan, many similarities can be found; Ukraine has successfully countered Russia's internal sabotage by plugging cyber loopholes and physical vulnerabilities, reorganizing its society to counter Russian predation. Taiwan also needs to take similar actions.
Studeman stated that Taiwan has already taken action, and its society has more resilience. However, at the same time, China's capabilities are strong and its actions frequent, so Taiwan needs comprehensive defense across all sectors of society, including economy, education, and religion. He mentioned that China seeks Taiwanese support and also attempts to achieve its goals by linking with Mazu beliefs, which is also a way to influence society.
Regarding intelligence exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S., Studeman revealed that the current level of intelligence sharing between the U.S. and Taiwan is vastly different from six or seven years ago, with more frequent exchanges and contacts. However, the limitation of cooperation is secrecy capabilities. Taiwan faces the most severe counterintelligence challenges globally, and the U.S. must carefully control the intelligence it provides because China, through infiltrating Taiwan, could quickly obtain this information. Therefore, Taiwan's strengthening of security protection is positively correlated with the U.S.'s willingness to share more information.
In 2021, then-Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Philip Davidson testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that Beijing had set a clear goal of controlling Taiwan by 2027. This statement sparked high concern and became known as the 'Davidson Window.'
With less than a year remaining until 2027, Studeman said the Davidson Window still exists. China under President Xi Jinping is attempting to complete military preparations, but this does not mean an invasion or blockade in 2027. However, China undoubtedly demonstrates strategic ambition, so Taiwan must perfect its defense plans to respond to China, and a responsible approach is to strengthen its own capabilities. 'The danger is real and not far away.'
Studeman believes that the American 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) faction believes that by being friendly to Russia and lenient towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, relations can be stabilized, and everything will get better. 'I think the Kuomintang and China are in a similar situation,' he said. The MAGA camp and the Kuomintang both misread the enemies of freedom and the opponents of democracy, and what those enemies and opponents are doing in the world.
Studeman said that dictators do not easily change their ways. The national interests of Russia and China always outweigh those of any other country, and they possess many oppressive and tyrannical means, which they have been using to achieve their goals. If one thinks they can win the support of Putin or Xi Jinping, 'you might be betting on the wrong horse.' (Edited by Hsieh Chia-chen) 1150430
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(Central News Agency, Reporter Wu Shu-wei, Taipei, April 30) Former U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Mike Studeman stated in an exclusive interview with CNA that China is attempting to infiltrate Taiwan by co-opting Taiwanese gangs, recruiting military personnel, bribing politicians, manipulating Taiwan's economy, influencing government decisions, and also achieving its goals by linking with Mazu beliefs. He suggests that Taiwan should emulate Ukraine's methods of countering Russian infiltration and implement comprehensive defense.
Studeman (also translated as Si Tudeman), who retired in 2023 from his position as the U.S. Navy's Director of Intelligence, published 'The Strongest Link: 46 Lessons from a U.S. Navy General for Future Leaders on Self-Training, Team Building, and Changing the World' last year.
The book reveals that he visited Taiwan during his tenure as the Director of Intelligence for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, briefing then-President Tsai Ing-wen in 2021 on China's potential invasion of Taiwan. Months after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, he again visited Taiwan to report to Tsai Ing-wen on lessons Taiwan should learn. He was also the first active two-star general to visit Taiwan since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the U U.S. and China in 1979.
Studeman recently visited Taiwan again and will hold a public lecture in Taipei on May 1st, conversing with former Military Intelligence Bureau Director Yang Ching-se.
On April 29th, Studeman accepted an exclusive interview with CNA, warning about China's infiltration of Taiwan. China employs a two-pronged strategy: on one hand, external pressure, using psychological warfare, attrition warfare, and demonstrating the consequences of voters supporting the Democratic Progressive Party; on the other hand, internal strategies, continuously collaborating with Taiwanese gangs, even attempting to provide weapons to gangs, or instigating defections among Taiwanese military personnel and bribing politicians, attempting to manipulate the economy and influence Taiwan's government decisions. These actions are ongoing.
Studeman stated that if one looks at what Russia has done to Ukraine and what China has done to Taiwan, many similarities can be found; Ukraine has successfully countered Russia's internal sabotage by plugging cyber loopholes and physical vulnerabilities, reorganizing its society to counter Russian predation. Taiwan also needs to take similar actions.
Studeman stated that Taiwan has already taken action, and its society has more resilience. However, at the same time, China's capabilities are strong and its actions frequent, so Taiwan needs comprehensive defense across all sectors of society, including economy, education, and religion. He mentioned that China seeks Taiwanese support and also attempts to achieve its goals by linking with Mazu beliefs, which is also a way to influence society.
Regarding intelligence exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S., Studeman revealed that the current level of intelligence sharing between the U.S. and Taiwan is vastly different from six or seven years ago, with more frequent exchanges and contacts. However, the limitation of cooperation is secrecy capabilities. Taiwan faces the most severe counterintelligence challenges globally, and the U.S. must carefully control the intelligence it provides because China, through infiltrating Taiwan, could quickly obtain this information. Therefore, Taiwan's strengthening of security protection is positively correlated with the U.S.'s willingness to share more information.
In 2021, then-Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Philip Davidson testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that Beijing had set a clear goal of controlling Taiwan by 2027. This statement sparked high concern and became known as the 'Davidson Window.'
With less than a year remaining until 2027, Studeman said the Davidson Window still exists. China under President Xi Jinping is attempting to complete military preparations, but this does not mean an invasion or blockade in 2027. However, China undoubtedly demonstrates strategic ambition, so Taiwan must perfect its defense plans to respond to China, and a responsible approach is to strengthen its own capabilities. 'The danger is real and not far away.'
Studeman believes that the American 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) faction believes that by being friendly to Russia and lenient towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, relations can be stabilized, and everything will get better. 'I think the Kuomintang and China are in a similar situation,' he said. The MAGA camp and the Kuomintang both misread the enemies of freedom and the opponents of democracy, and what those enemies and opponents are doing in the world.
Studeman said that dictators do not easily change their ways. The national interests of Russia and China always outweigh those of any other country, and they possess many oppressive and tyrannical means, which they have been using to achieve their goals. If one thinks they can win the support of Putin or Xi Jinping, 'you might be betting on the wrong horse.' (Edited by Hsieh Chia-chen) 1150430
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The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.