PARALLELS WITH CHINA: Relocating from eastern Europe to Tunghai University the students said they bond with Taiwan through its familiar geopolitical circumstances/ AFP 《TAIPEI TIMES》Ukrainian students seek new lives in Taiwan - 焦點 - - 趣味新聞網

From left, Ukrainian students Roman Koval, Karyna Myshnova, Anna Fursyk and Alina Kuprii take a picture of themselves at Tunghai University, Taichung, on June 22. Photo: SAM Yeh/AFP

PARALLELS WITH CHINA: Relocating from eastern Europe to Tunghai University, the students said they bond with Taiwan through its familiar geopolitical circumstances

/ AFP, TAICHUNG

When Ukrainian student Anna Fursyk first moved into her Taiwanese university dormitory, the roar of passing military jets made her flinch, reminding her of the war she had fled.

She is among eight young Ukrainians who arrived in Taichung to study on full scholarships at Tunghai University, drawn by Taiwan’s democracy and a kinship born of living under a threat of invasion from a much bigger, increasingly aggressive neighbor.

The planes that spooked Fursyk were from a nearby air base that is scrambling jets more frequently to counter the growing number of incursions by Chinese warplanes into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone.

“I was scared at first because I thought there was a war starting. I was affected mentally by the war in Ukraine,” the 20-year-old said.

When Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine, he gave form to the darkest fears of many Taiwanese — that China would act on its pledge to annex the nation.

A top Chinese official recently warned that Beijing would “not hesitate to start a war” if Taiwan declared independence.

Roman Koval, 28, a former flight attendant from Ukraine’s eastern Lugansk region, said he decided to relocate to Taiwan partly because of what he called the “similar threats” it shared with his home country.

He called on Taiwan to learn from Ukraine’s experience and to “be always ready and be always prepared.”

“All the time Ukrainians were thinking... the US will come to save us, Europe will come to save us, but it turned out that no one is going to come to save us,” he said. “We are the ones who are going to protect ourselves and we are the ones who are fighting.”

There has been an outpouring of public support for Ukraine in Taiwan. A public fundraising drive collected NT$930.36 million （US$31.2 million） in just four weeks, with President Tsai Ing-wen （蔡英文） and other top officials each donating a month’s salary to the cause.

The students’ scholarships were made possible by a pledge of about US$1.38 million to the university.

Fursyk, who fled from the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, said she had chosen Taiwan precisely because she wanted to live in a “democratic and free” environment while studying to become a Chinese teacher.

“The reason I didn’t choose China to stay is because of communism, which would make my life less convenient,” she said in fluent Mandarin.

Her compatriot 21-year-old Karyna Myshnova said Ukraine needs attention and support from the world “to help us continue the fight.”

“Just putting Ukrainian flags on your house, on your Instagram. Just showing you understand” would help, she said.

Alina Kuprii, 20, said she thought Taiwan has an advantage over Ukraine regarding foreign intervention because of the former’s semiconductor industry.

Taiwanese chip foundries churn out some of the world’s most advanced chips, a component vital to the global tech industry.

“It would be really dangerous if China invaded Taiwan. It would affect world trade for real, not like in Ukraine,” she said. “And I hope that China will not do that.”

Kuprii, a Global MBA student, hopes she can eventually return home to start a career, using what she learns in Taiwan to promote business ties between the two countries.

However, she said she is tormented by thoughts of her parents, who chose to stay in Ukraine because “they care too much about their home.”

Kuprii’s application to the university was processed on an urgent basis because the city she is from — Kryvyi Rig, the same as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy — has been shelled more heavily recently.

“I miss Ukraine so much, I am so homesick,” she said. “I think people should appreciate any moment of life. Be grateful for every day.”

All the students remain hopeful that Ukraine triumphs over Russia.

“I think it’ll take some time, but I know we will definitely win,” Fursyk said.

“We are defending our land, our independence, our freedom and our decision not to be a part of Russia — as well as the principles of democracy,” she said.

新聞來源： TAIPEI TIMES

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