Security and Democracy in the Indo-Pacific: A View from Taiwan

China is implementing a multifaceted pressure campaign against Taiwan that is aimed at undermining the confidence of the people of Taiwan in their democratically elected government and weakening their will to resist integration with China. Beijing’s toolkit includes military and economic coercion, cyber operations, and disinformation campaigns. Despite Taiwan’s relative success in combatting the spread of the pandemic, China has blocked Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization for the past 5 years. To strengthen U.S. ties with Taiwan, Congress passed the Taiwan Travel Act in 2018 and the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative 2019.

What more can and should Congress do to bolster Taiwan’s security? Is China likely to use force against Taiwan in the near term? Are Taiwan and the United States taking the steps necessary to strengthen deterrence? How can like-minded countries help strengthen Taiwan’s resilience and protect its freedoms?