Taipei: Former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said Tuesday that the international community could find it "much more complicated" to respond to Chinese coercion against Taiwan than to Russia's invasion of Ukraine because of the "one China" policy.According to Focus Taiwan, during a QandA session after her keynote speech at the 10th Ketagalan Forum in Taipei, Marin highlighted Europe's unified response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, contrasting it with the complexities posed by the situation across the Taiwan Strait. She noted that the "one China" policy could influence how the international community reacts to developments involving Taiwan.Marin expressed concern that the response to potential aggression against Taiwan could be more complicated for different countries worldwide. She emphasized speaking from a realistic perspective, acknowledging that this situation should not be as complex but recognizing the reality of international diplomacy.The "one China" policy is a diplomatic stan ce adopted by most countries, including Finland, recognizing the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the sole legal government of China. After the PRC took over China's seat at the United Nations in 1971, many countries shifted diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, resulting in a lack of formal diplomatic ties with the Republic of China, Taiwan's official name.Marin also pointed out that challenges facing Taiwan might not always manifest as direct military threats but could include gray-zone actions, which are more challenging for the international community to address. She urged the international community to remain strong and uphold its "values and principles," warning democracies against appearing "weaker" to aggressors or authoritarian regimes.In her keynote speech, Marin described Russia's aggression against Ukraine as "only the tip of the iceberg" in a broader battle of values that connects the Indo-Pacific, Europe, and the rest of the world. She stressed the importance of not allowing coun tries like Russia to attack independent sovereign nations without facing "serious and long-lasting consequences," warning that such actions set a dangerous precedent.Drawing on Finland's experiences, Marin explained how the country, which shares a border with Russia, maintained a different approach than many European countries by retaining mandatory military service and investing in defense capabilities. This approach was influenced by the memories of past wars with its larger neighbor, as she cited a survey where nearly 80 percent of Finns expressed willingness to defend their country with arms if attacked.In Taiwan, a similar sentiment was reflected in an Academia Sinica survey conducted in January, where 58.7 percent of respondents stated they would "resist" a Chinese invasion even without U.S. military support. Marin supported Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim's earlier remarks, emphasizing the need for strength and deterrence to build lasting peace.This year's Ketagalan Forum, hosted by Taiwan's Ministr y of Foreign Affairs and the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, also featured other international political figures, including U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul and former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.