Taiwan is openly supporting Ukraine so that it can remind global democracies it's 'one of them' and garner support in case of a Beijing attack, expert says

• Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has placed blue and yellow-dyed orchids in the Presidential Office.
• The colors — the same as the Ukrainian flag — express Taiwan's support for Ukraine, she said.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen shared photos of orchids dyed the colors of the Ukrainian flag in the island's latest show of support for Ukraine amid Russia's invasion.

"I have placed these blue and yellow gradient Taiwan orchids in the Presidential Office Building," she wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. "The flowers are not only very beautiful, but they also express Taiwan's support for Ukraine."

Tsai also thanked the Taiwanese people for their concern about the situation in Ukraine and their donations to Ukraine relief.

Taiwan has raised more than $10.6 million in relief aid to help displaced Ukrainians, according to the South China Morning Post. Tsai, along with Vice President William Lai and Premier Su Tseng-chang, has pledged to donate a month's salary to humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine, per the Taipei Times.

The island has been openly throwing support behind Ukraine since Putin's forces attacked the country.

"Taiwan stands with Ukraine, and Taiwan stands with democracy and freedom," Tsai said in a speech last week.

Professor Chong Ja-Ian, a political science expert from the National University of Singapore, told Insider that Taiwan is showing support for Ukraine "simply to remind the world that elsewhere, there is also a democracy being threatened by an autocracy, and that democracies should stand together."

"That established democracies in North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania are doing the same further signals that Taiwan is 'one of them' and deserving of their support should Beijing launch an attack," he continued.

China has long claimed democratic Taiwan — a self-ruling nation for decades — as part of its territory. It has, in recent months, amped up its threats to engage in military conflict if Taiwan continues to assert its independence.

However, Chong noted that there are differences between Ukraine and Taiwan.

"Taiwan has been preparing for a possible attack since the 1950s, which means that, on some level, the Taiwanese military is more prepared — although more can still be done. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has sharpened the focus of Taiwanese about the need to enhance self-defense," he said.