The U.S. Air Force commander in the Pacific warns that China could take advantage of the crisis in Ukraine to provoke action in the region. But security officials in Taiwan say Chinese leader Xi Jinping is too focused on the Communist Party's forthcoming conference to extend his tenure to take military action now.

We spoke with Grant Newham, a former U.S. Marine Corps officer and now an attorney and commentator on Asian affairs.

According to Newham, "Taiwan sees Ukraine, and it sees a kind of strong, aggressive and threatening country - Russia, trying to take part in another country. And you can see the relevance to Taiwan's situation. 

But what really interests Taiwan is to see the reactions of European countries. And of the United States in particular. Are they giving up? Will they make some concessions to the Russians, just hoping to achieve peace and prevent war? 

So for the Taiwanese the American response and the European response to the Russian aggression is very relevant to examine how much the West has a backbone and will stick up for them.