How do porcupines make love? Very carefully. Israel and Free China exchange diplomats but have no official relations. Any attempt to completely hide the affinity between these two unique democracies, though, would be futile. Both are cautious about publicizing their similarities. A recent visit to Tel Aviv by the Taiwanese deputy foreign minister, Francois Wu, was kept under wraps until Reuters spilled the hummus on Thursday.

How similar are Israel and Taiwan? Let us count the ways. Since its independence in 1948, the Jewish state has had to contend with constant threats from powerful neighbors that refused to accept its existence. Since Chiang Kai-shek arrived on the island of Taiwan a year later, Communist China has threatened to invade and to quash any sign of nationhood. Only 12 countries officially recognize Taiwan. A mere handful of Muslim countries recognize Israel. 

After Beijing inherited Taipei’s seat at the United Nations in 1971, the Communist camarilla systematically maneuvered to delist the island state from all international organizations. Even as tourists, Taiwanese citizens are banned from entering the UN headquarters at New York. In a way, though, Taiwan is luckier than UN member Israel. The Israel-obsessed world body attacks the Jewish state more often and more viciously than all world countries combined. 

Taiwan got rid of its authoritarian roots, and Israel shed its Socialist shackles. Despite constant threats of sanctions, embargo, and isolation — or  because of it — Israel and Taiwan have become giants of innovation. Taipei is a leading source of personal computers. It manufactures 90 percent of the world’s advanced semiconductors. Israel’s hardware and software developments are legendary. Despite its small size, its startups are the world’s envy. 

“Taiwan and Israel share the values of freedom and democracy, and will continue to pragmatically promote mutually beneficial exchanges and cooperation” in areas such as trade, technology and culture and welcome more “mutually beneficial forms of cooperation,” the foreign ministry at Taipei tells Reuters. The ministry, though, declines to comment on Mr. Wu’s Israel visit. At Jerusalem, Israel’s foreign ministry is totally mum. 

One unmentioned, but likely a top impetus for the unpublicized tightening of relations is that Israel is a war-tested country and Taiwan fears a military invasion by Communist China. Israel’s missile defense systems have successfully defended the country against short-range rockets from Gaza and long-range ballistic missiles from Iran and Yemen. Taiwan would love to incorporate that experience to improve its version of the Iron Dome, the T-dome. 

After October 7, 2023, Taipei consistently sided with Israel while several of its Asian neighbors hedged. Communist China is a champion of the Palestinian Arabs in international fora, and often leads the charge against Israel at the UN. At the same time, Chinese companies deepen investments in Israel’s infrastructure despite some recent pushback. Suffering diplomatic assaults, Jeruesalm can ill-afford antagonizing Beijing. 

All of which explains the sensitivities involved in such events as Mr. Wu’s recent visit and the care with which the two countries express their mutual admiration. As Beijing constantly threatens to “unify” the two Chinas by invading Taiwan, the free island has developed a defense doctrine known as the “porcupine strategy,” designed to complicate the invader’s calculation. And they carry on their direct diplomacy like the porcupines — very carefully.