TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The world has not paid sufficient attention to tensions in the Taiwan Strait, former NATO secretary general and Alliance of Democracies Foundation (AoD) Chairman Anders Fogh Rasmussen told Taiwan News during a press conference on Thursday (Jan. 5).

“We should realize that the conflict between China and Taiwan has and will have global repercussions, so we have a global interest in preventing those tensions from escalating into an armed conflict,” Rasmussen said. A nation must prepare for war in order to secure peace, which he suggested is the appropriate way to counter a Chinese attack on Taiwan.

Rasmussen described Taiwan as “a beacon of liberty” in Asia and the world and said his visit was to express support for freedom and democracy and the Taiwanese’ right “to decide their own future in peace.”

He said that there are three key lessons to draw from the war in Ukraine for Taiwan.

Taiwan must have the ability to defend itself, he said. “Deterring an attack by China relies on the credible belief that any invasion would come at an immense cost.”

He commended President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) decision to extend conscription from four months to one year.

Rasmussen underscored the importance of a unified response if China attempts to change the Taiwan Strait status quo by force. Highlighting the severe economic consequences of any move on Taiwan would be a powerful deterrent, he said.

He also urged European countries to work more closely with the U.S. and partners in the Indo-Pacific.

The former prime minister said the most important way to prevent a Chinese attack on Taiwan is to ensure a Ukrainian victory against Russia. If Putin wins, it would send the powerful message that military aggression ultimately works and that the democratic world chooses appeasement over confrontation.

He added that a Ukrainian victory is for both Ukrainians and Taiwanese to decide their own futures. “The free world must give them our support,” he said.

With regard to the current status of democracy around the world, Rasmussen said there has been “a steady decline” in global freedom and democracy for 16 consecutive years, citing independent think tanks. This deterioration is partially why he established AoD, he explained.

“We have to really strengthen our efforts to protect and promote freedom and democracy and counter autocrats globally,” he said.

Commenting on the surge in visits to Taiwan by international delegations, Rasmussen said that if the world accepted China’s argument that trips to the East Asian democracy add to cross-strait tensions, then it would allow autocrats to run things. The constant stream of visits to Taiwan is “a clear demonstration of the democratic world’s willingness and determination to defend Taiwan," he said.

It is a part of the international community’s effort to build strong deterrence against a possible Chinese attack, Rasmussen said. “These visits serve the purpose of maintaining peace,” he said.

Rasmussen arrived in Taiwan on Jan. 3 and held discussions with Tsai and Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and attended a banquet hosted by Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮).

He also exchanged views with Taiwanese legislators and think tank scholars. He is departing the nation later on Thursday.