Taipei

The Taiwanese and U.S. Militaries Can’t Really Fight Together

A joint campaign to defend the island would struggle to operate effectively.

‘Strategic Stability’ requires Chinese accountability

Excerpt President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping left their Beijing summit speaking the same language. The official White House readout issued Sunday mirrored Xi’s...

Trump plays a dangerous game, bargaining with Taiwan’s defense

The president’s post-China-summit comments about arms for Taipei invite trouble.

U.S.-China Summit Underlines Stalemate Between Washington and Beijing

The United States and China remain stuck in a stalemate, but Beijing isn’t likely to be disappointed. President Trump and Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping convened in Beijing on May 14 to 15 to...

China Is Preparing for a Robot-Led Taiwan Invasion

China’s use of military robotics is a warning to the United States and Taiwan to accelerate robotics deployment and counter-robotics defenses to preserve deterrence.

Taiwan Authorizes New Defense Spending To Counter Chinese Coercion

Taiwan will ramp up arms purchases following the approval of new defense spending. On May 8, Taiwan’s legislature passed a $25 billion supplement to the island’s annual defense budget, ending months...

Previewing the Trump-Xi Summit 

KMT Risks Missing the Lessons of the Wars in Ukraine and Iran

Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang is poised to pass a defense budget that falls short of the lessons wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have made unmistakably clear on drones, layered air defense, and offensive deterrence. With the 2026 and 2028 elections approaching, can it afford to keep signaling weakness on the issue that matters most?

Stakes in the Straits and Chips on the Table

Unleashing American Drone Dominance

Taiwan to secure energy soft spots

The war in Iran indicates that the fight over controlling global energy flows is far from over. A close partner of Tehran, Beijing is no doubt factoring lessons from the conflict into its designs to...

Taiwan Looks To Lock In New Arms Deal With America Amid Defense Spending Debate

For both Taipei and Washington, spring is the season for defense budgets. On April 22, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense announced that it had signed six arms deals with the United States totaling more...

Readout of meetings with senior defense officials in Taiwan, Japan

What the 2026 Intelligence Assessment Gets Right—and Wrong

The US intelligence assessment identifies key threats but understates cyber risks and China’s Taiwan strategy, leaving US policymakers ill-prepared for emerging conflicts.

In Major Reversal, Taiwan Seeks To Rewire Its Energy Strategy by Restarting its Nuclear Plants

The Taiwanese government is reversing course on permanently closing its nuclear reactors. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has presented a plan to restart two of the island’s shuttered nuclear reactors...

Japanese Prime Minister Looks To Balance Regional Issues With Iran War During Meeting With Trump

Tokyo is looking to support the United States during its ongoing war with Iran. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with President Donald Trump on March 19 to discuss the possibility of...

Taiwan Strengthens Energy Resilience With Planned Purchases of American LNG

In the run-up to Lunar New Year, Taiwan is looking to keep the lights burning brightly. The Taiwanese Ministry of Energy pledged on February 5 to increase its purchases of liquefied natural gas (LNG)...

Why 2026 Could Prove as Important as 1989

The year the Berlin Wall came down marked the end of one epoch and the start of another. This year could do the same.

China Reportedly Blocks Rare Earth Exports to Japan, Targeting Defense Supply Chains

New Year, same bullying. On January 8, The Wall Street Journal reported that China halted the export of rare earths and rare earth magnets to some Japanese firms in direct retaliation for Tokyo’s possible...

China Wants To Switch Off Taiwan’s Critical Infrastructure

Chinese cyberattacks against Taiwan’s critical infrastructure have risen over the past year, according to Taiwan’s National Security Bureau’s (NSB) annual assessment. In its efforts to undermine...