The New York Times recently revealed a leaked, top-secret US government assessment, the “Overmatch Brief,” warning that China could destroy American fighter jets, major naval vessels, and satellites in a potential conflict over Taiwan.
The report suggests that China’s growing arsenal of inexpensive but advanced weapons could exploit the US reliance on costly and vulnerable military platforms. It also points to significant weaknesses in the American supply chain.
Against these dark clouds of Chinese threats, an unusual gathering took place in Taipei, where Christians from around the world met to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The event, sponsored by the Zoe Arts Foundation, chaired by Ginny Chien, and the Jewish Taiwan Cultural Association, founded by Jeffrey D. Schwartz, brought together faith leaders, cultural figures, and international delegates for three days of music, prayer, and dialogue.
For many attendees, the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast’s arrival in Asia has been an inspiring story.
It began in 2019, when Catherina Chang attended the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast in Israel and dreamed of hosting one in Taipei. During the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast gathering at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, several Taiwanese Christian leaders expressed enthusiasm about bringing the event to Taiwan, and introduced us to Schwartz, founder of the Jewish Community Center. None of us could have planned how closely the timing of the Taiwan gathering would align with the historic anniversary of the Great Retreat to Taiwan.
On December 7, 1949, a turning point in modern East Asian history arrived. After losing the Chinese Civil War, the Kuomintang government and roughly two million people fled to Taiwan in what became known as the “Great Retreat.” The date remains a defining moment in Taiwan’s national identity.
Connecting friends from around the world
Representatives from 14 nations gathered in Taipei for a three-day event filled with Israeli music, prayer, cultural exchange, and meaningful dialogue—connecting friends from around the world who share a hope for peace.
Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and Israeli Knesset Member Ohad Tal delivered the keynote addresses. Hsiao invoked the biblical story of Moses as a metaphor for resilience amid adversity. Tal emphasized the importance of cooperation between democracies and drew parallels between Israel’s long-standing security challenges and Taiwan’s growing vulnerability to Chinese military pressure. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, was unable to attend and sent a recorded message.
Concerns about global leadership and moral clarity also surfaced during the gathering. Michele Bachmann, Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast co-host and former US congresswoman, cautioned that US foreign policy appears to be increasingly influenced by Qatar, a chief global funder of terrorism and the host and financier of Hamas, as well as by Turkey, which has also provided support and financing to Hamas. She warned that the world is living through a perilous moment, one in which leaders may make decisions that could permanently alter the destiny of a nation like the United States.
If America is sidelined, Bachmann asked, who is waiting in the wings to take its place? The mindset of those who seek Israel’s destruction, whether Hamas, Hezbollah, or the broader Muslim Brotherhood, is unified in purpose.
Such signals, she said, are perceived as a green light. They believe they can realize their ambition of destroying the Jewish people and seizing their land, just as described in Psalm 83.
That, she concluded, is why gathering in Taiwan matters. The purpose is not only to stand and to pray, but also to repent - not only for the actions of America’s leaders, but because the consequences will not fall on America alone. If America falls, she warned, the repercussions will be felt by the entire world.
The gathering occurred just as President Trump signed the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, requiring the United States to regularly review and strengthen its relations with Taiwan. The law passed with broad bipartisan support.
In parallel, Taiwan’s diplomatic landscape has continued to shift. Premier Cho Jung-tai said Friday that Taiwan had been “very moved” by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent comments emphasizing peace and stability despite mounting pressure. China and Japan are now in their most serious diplomatic standoff in years, following Takaichi’s statement in parliament that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo - an unusually direct warning from Japan’s leadership.
Since late 2023, Taiwan–Israel relations have deepened, driven by shared democratic values, parallel security concerns from authoritarian neighbors, and increased cooperation in technology and defense. Taiwan’s vocal support for Israel during the Gaza conflict, though symbolic in the absence of formal diplomatic ties, marked a shift.
Meanwhile, in Taipei, the Palestinian Authority’s alignment with Beijing has been viewed as counter to Taiwan’s interests.
Ultimately, time will tell how the prayers offered by Jews and Christians in Taiwan will be answered by the Almighty. One thing is already clear: Taiwan gained many new friends around the world. The gathering also strengthened Taiwan’s network of international supporters, while making its position regarding Israel unmistakably clear.
Albert Veksler is the global director of the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast, CEO and founder of JPBM Consulting, and executive director of Global Aliyah.