Jake Sullivan on Taiwan, China, and the Age of Strategic Rivalry

Today’s conversation is about power, risk, and decision-making in a world where technology, geopolitics, and security are colliding faster than our institutions were designed to hand. Questions surrounding China, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, and national security are no longer abstract or academic. They shape real choices—often made under pressure, with imperfect information, and with long-term consequences.

Our guest today has been at the center of those choices. Jake Sullivan served as the U.S. National Security Advisor to President Joe Biden from 2021 to 2025, coordinating foreign policy, defense strategy, and emerging technology issues. Prior to that, he was a senior policy advisor to President Obama, playing a central role formulating U.S. strategy toward China, and helping to shape Washington’s approach to alliances, economic statecraft, and technology competition.

This episode was created in partnership with NOWNEWS, through its English-language platform Taiwan Current News (https://www.tcn.tw/).  

Timestamps
[00:00] Introduction
[01:42] From Competition to Structural Rivalry
[03:43] Potential Areas for US-China Cooperation
[05:30] Lessons Learned from Diffusing Taiwan Issues
[10:41] Revisiting Strategic Ambiguity
[16:56] Taiwan’s Defense Investments and US Political Support
[21:50] The Role of Allies in Deterrence
[25:39] China’s Critical Mineral Chokepoints
[29:25] Evolving US Export Controls and Objectives
[33:05] Assessing China’s AI Power and Strategic Risk
[38:24] Xi Jinping’s Unification Legacy
[43:42] Consequences of Revising Taiwan Policy