Defense from within
Ryan Hass’ analysis (“External uncertainty should concentrate minds on domestic compromises,” April 14, page 8) offers a sober and clear-eyed view of the political uncertainties facing Taiwan in this new era of US foreign policy improvisation. His call for domestic compromise within Taiwan could not be more timely. Yet, this is precisely where the real challenge lies.
The greatest threat to Taiwan today might not be China’s growing military power alone — it is Taiwan’s inability to unite in the face of it. Hass urges all parties in Taiwan to compromise on how urgent and serious the threat from China is. However, that assumes a shared reality exists. The uncomfortable truth is that to certain opposition politicians in Taiwan, China is not a threat — it is a business partner, a benefactor or quite possibly their next boss, assuming they are not already on the payroll.
As long as such figures remain influential, unrestrained and politically active, Taiwan’s ability to present a unified front in defiance of China would remain crippled. That is the core of the problem — and the most formidable task ahead for President William Lai (賴清德). Enforcing the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法) more stringently is not about political witch-hunting; it is about national survival. Likewise, the ongoing recall campaign must be seen not merely as a political exercise, but as the public’s effort to defend democracy against those who would compromise it from within.
As Hass rightly points out, Trump’s transactional worldview means that Taiwan can no longer rely on abstract appeals to shared values. The era of strategic ambiguity from the US is morphing into one of strategic volatility. Taiwan must adapt — not just externally, but internally. Only a united Taiwan could credibly manage the “dual dependency” relationship with the US, and only a united Taiwan could resist Beijing’s strategy of exploiting division.
In short, before Taiwan can defend its sovereignty from external threats, it must first defend it from within.
John Cheng
Taichung
As strategic tensions escalate across the vast Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan has emerged as more than a potential flashpoint. It is the fulcrum upon which the credibility of the evolving American-led strategy of integrated deterrence now rests. How the US and regional powers like Japan respond to Taiwan’s defense, and how credible the deterrent against Chinese aggression proves to be, will profoundly shape the Indo-Pacific security architecture for years to come. A successful defense of Taiwan through strengthened deterrence in the Indo-Pacific would enhance the credibility of the US-led alliance system and underpin America’s global preeminence, while a failure of integrated deterrence would
It is being said every second day: The ongoing recall campaign in Taiwan — where citizens are trying to collect enough signatures to trigger re-elections for a number of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators — is orchestrated by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), or even President William Lai (賴清德) himself. The KMT makes the claim, and foreign media and analysts repeat it. However, they never show any proof — because there is not any. It is alarming how easily academics, journalists and experts toss around claims that amount to accusing a democratic government of conspiracy — without a shred of evidence. These
Taiwan is confronting escalating threats from its behemoth neighbor. Last month, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army conducted live-fire drills in the East China Sea, practicing blockades and precision strikes on simulated targets, while its escalating cyberattacks targeting government, financial and telecommunication systems threaten to disrupt Taiwan’s digital infrastructure. The mounting geopolitical pressure underscores Taiwan’s need to strengthen its defense capabilities to deter possible aggression and improve civilian preparedness. The consequences of inadequate preparation have been made all too clear by the tragic situation in Ukraine. Taiwan can build on its successful COVID-19 response, marked by effective planning and execution, to enhance
Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has upheld the core goals of “making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” fully implementing an “America first” policy. Countries have responded cautiously to the fresh style and rapid pace of the new Trump administration. The US has prioritized reindustrialization, building a stronger US role in the Indo-Pacific, and countering China’s malicious influence. This has created a high degree of alignment between the interests of Taiwan and the US in security, economics, technology and other spheres. Taiwan must properly understand the Trump administration’s intentions and coordinate, connect and correspond with US strategic goals.