Former US Rear Admiral: Tyranny is Nigh, Hopes Taiwan Expedites Passage of Special Defense Budget
Former US Navy Rear Admiral Mike Studeman emphasized the urgent need for Taiwan to strengthen its defense against the looming threat of Chinese invasion. He urged the Kuomintang to expedite the passage of the special defense budget to ensure Taiwan is in a stronger position against Beijing's pressure.
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- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 19:52
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Wu Shu-hui, Taipei, 1st) Regarding China's threat to Taiwan, former US Navy Rear Admiral Mike Studeman said today that tyranny is nigh, and Taiwan's leaders have a plan to defend Taiwan. He also hoped that Kuomintang leaders would realize they need to stand with Taiwan, not Beijing, and promote the passage of the special defense budget to put Taiwan in a more advantageous position.
"The Memorandum for Future Leaders in the Face of a Disorderly Era" forum was jointly organized by Rational Culture and VIS International Experimental Education this afternoon, inviting Studeman (Mike Studeman, also translated as Si Du De Man), who served as the Director of Intelligence for the US Indo-Pacific Command, to speak. Retired Navy Rear Admiral Wang Kuo-chiang also attended and participated in the discussion.
Regarding the special draft bill for national defense that has not yet passed the Legislative Yuan, Studeman said in an interview before the event that China's threat is obvious and pervasive. Taiwan must possess sufficient strength to respond to and deter possible actions by China. If Taiwan is too weak, it might encourage Chinese leader Xi Jinping to take advantage of the opportunity to invade. Therefore, Taiwan must ensure the strengthening of its defense capabilities. If Taiwan does not strengthen its self-defense, it will lose the trust of other countries.
Studeman stated that the special defense bill must be passed as soon as possible, and not just partially or with a reduced version. He said that experts propose these budgets for a reason, so if one is not a national security or military expert, they should not question the proposed plan. "If you obstruct the defense plan, people will question whether you are working for Beijing," because the longer it drags on, the only beneficiaries are China and the Chinese Communist Party.
Regarding his focus on Chinese issues during his military career, Studeman explained at the forum that he decided to study China as a junior officer because he believed China would become the next Soviet Union. He knew how serious the threat was when a nationalist great power, dissatisfied with the status quo, wanted to change the world to serve its own interests and expand its influence. Therefore, long before the Chinese threat became prominent, he began to learn Chinese and pursued a master's degree in East Asian affairs.
Studeman stated that in 2021, the United States was concerned whether the Taiwanese government truly understood the dangers posed by Xi Jinping and China's political and military activities. Therefore, he was assigned by the White House to Taiwan to brief then-President Tsai Ing-wen and her national security team, clearly explaining the situation and the US response, enabling Taiwan to make the most informed decisions. He commended Taiwan for taking the dangers seriously and adopting measures to address severe challenges, thereby defending Taiwan's democracy.
Studeman told the Taiwanese audience that no matter which day they look out to sea, they will find Chinese military forces patrolling, not for Taiwan's benefit. "Tyranny is nigh." The leadership of Taiwan's presidential office already has a plan to defend Taiwan, and he hopes that Kuomintang leaders will also realize they need to stand with Taiwan, not Beijing, and promote the passage of the special defense budget, putting Taiwan in a more advantageous position when facing danger.
Regarding the upcoming Trump-Xi summit between US President Trump and Xi Jinping, Studeman said in an interview that both the US and China hope to stabilize the relationship between the two superpowers. Communication channels need to be kept open, and some way of coexistence needs to be found. He believes that both Beijing and Washington hope this meeting will take place, and it may not be the only meeting, but a series of summits. He sincerely hopes for productive outcomes. (Editor: Pan Yi-ching) 1150501
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(Central News Agency reporter Wu Shu-hui, Taipei, 1st) Regarding China's threat to Taiwan, former US Navy Rear Admiral Mike Studeman said today that tyranny is nigh, and Taiwan's leaders have a plan to defend Taiwan. He also hoped that Kuomintang leaders would realize they need to stand with Taiwan, not Beijing, and promote the passage of the special defense budget to put Taiwan in a more advantageous position.
"The Memorandum for Future Leaders in the Face of a Disorderly Era" forum was jointly organized by Rational Culture and VIS International Experimental Education this afternoon, inviting Studeman (Mike Studeman, also translated as Si Du De Man), who served as the Director of Intelligence for the US Indo-Pacific Command, to speak. Retired Navy Rear Admiral Wang Kuo-chiang also attended and participated in the discussion.
Regarding the special draft bill for national defense that has not yet passed the Legislative Yuan, Studeman said in an interview before the event that China's threat is obvious and pervasive. Taiwan must possess sufficient strength to respond to and deter possible actions by China. If Taiwan is too weak, it might encourage Chinese leader Xi Jinping to take advantage of the opportunity to invade. Therefore, Taiwan must ensure the strengthening of its defense capabilities. If Taiwan does not strengthen its self-defense, it will lose the trust of other countries.
Studeman stated that the special defense bill must be passed as soon as possible, and not just partially or with a reduced version. He said that experts propose these budgets for a reason, so if one is not a national security or military expert, they should not question the proposed plan. "If you obstruct the defense plan, people will question whether you are working for Beijing," because the longer it drags on, the only beneficiaries are China and the Chinese Communist Party.
Regarding his focus on Chinese issues during his military career, Studeman explained at the forum that he decided to study China as a junior officer because he believed China would become the next Soviet Union. He knew how serious the threat was when a nationalist great power, dissatisfied with the status quo, wanted to change the world to serve its own interests and expand its influence. Therefore, long before the Chinese threat became prominent, he began to learn Chinese and pursued a master's degree in East Asian affairs.
Studeman stated that in 2021, the United States was concerned whether the Taiwanese government truly understood the dangers posed by Xi Jinping and China's political and military activities. Therefore, he was assigned by the White House to Taiwan to brief then-President Tsai Ing-wen and her national security team, clearly explaining the situation and the US response, enabling Taiwan to make the most informed decisions. He commended Taiwan for taking the dangers seriously and adopting measures to address severe challenges, thereby defending Taiwan's democracy.
Studeman told the Taiwanese audience that no matter which day they look out to sea, they will find Chinese military forces patrolling, not for Taiwan's benefit. "Tyranny is nigh." The leadership of Taiwan's presidential office already has a plan to defend Taiwan, and he hopes that Kuomintang leaders will also realize they need to stand with Taiwan, not Beijing, and promote the passage of the special defense budget, putting Taiwan in a more advantageous position when facing danger.
Regarding the upcoming Trump-Xi summit between US President Trump and Xi Jinping, Studeman said in an interview that both the US and China hope to stabilize the relationship between the two superpowers. Communication channels need to be kept open, and some way of coexistence needs to be found. He believes that both Beijing and Washington hope this meeting will take place, and it may not be the only meeting, but a series of summits. He sincerely hopes for productive outcomes. (Editor: Pan Yi-ching) 1150501
Choose to stand with facts; every sponsorship you provide is a force for protecting press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Without authorization, the text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used.