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. With Taiwan and the US jointly confronting future challenges, we are actively seeking strategic opportunities for Taiwan.
After President William Lai (賴清德) took office, he began promoting a foreign policy direction of leveraging a prosperous Taiwan to strengthen our international standing and diplomatic relations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has carried out a strategy of integrated diplomacy centered on the vision of values-based diplomacy and making Taiwan a global economic powerhouse. We have drawn on the advantages that Taiwan enjoys in three strategic chains: the democratic values chain, the first island chain in the Indo-Pacific, and non-red supply chains. Taiwan is coordinating with the US and other like-minded countries to jointly maintain the peace, stability and prosperity of the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region.
The three pillars of integrated diplomacy are values-based diplomacy; alliance diplomacy; and economic and trade diplomacy. These cover multiple aspects, including values, security, technology, economics and supply chains. They also connect with Taiwan’s advantages in the three strategic chains. With the first 100 days of the Trump administration coinciding with the first anniversary of the Lai administration, this is a good time to assess the state of Taiwan-US relations, clarify the challenges on the horizon of the international landscape, and map out a path ahead.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S STRONG SUPPORT FOR TAIWAN PROVES THAT NARRATIVES AIMED AT FOSTERING SKEPTICISM ABOUT US COMMITMENT ARE UNFOUNDED
First, values-based diplomacy focuses on safeguarding Taiwan’s international status, striving for Taiwan’s right to international participation, and fostering cooperation with the US and like-minded nations in third countries. President Lai’s term in office has overlapped with the administrations of former US president Joe Biden and now President Trump. Despite the change in governing party, US support for Taiwan has shown a high level of continuity and is only growing stronger.
The Trump administration has continued to advocate for Taiwan’s international participation through joint statements with allies and partners. During the World Health Organization Executive Board session in February, the US backed Taiwan’s involvement in the United Nations system and spoke up for Taiwan in response to China’s misrepresentation of UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758. In April, it strongly condemned China for misusing the resolution at the UN Security Council for the first time, reiterating that the resolution did not preclude Taiwan’s participation in the UN system or other multilateral fora.
The Trump administration has also demonstrated strong support by helping Taiwan consolidate diplomatic alliances and develop relations with third countries. During a visit to Latin America, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio conveyed a positive message to Guatemala reaffirming support for its diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Moving forward, Taiwan and the US are expected to organize trade and investment delegations to foster cooperation in third countries. The US strongly endorses Taiwan’s efforts to forge ties with third countries and expand its international space.
In the international diplomatic arena, the Trump administration has neither made concessions to China nor raised the idea of abandoning Taiwan. The strength of US support for Taiwan is unprecedented, as reflected in statements on Taiwan’s international participation and UNGA Resolution 2758, as well as the backing of Taiwan at the UN Security Council. Moreover, the US has stressed the importance of Taiwan-US cooperation in third countries. Given both president Biden’s and President Trump’s support for Taiwan, the “US skepticism” and “Taiwan abandonment” narratives promoted by people with ulterior motives fall apart without need for debate.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S CLEAR INDO-PACIFIC STRATEGY; TAIWAN’S SELF-DEFENSE ENHANCEMENT TO ACHIEVE PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH:
Second, alliance diplomacy is focused on the issue of security. The Trump administration has significantly strengthened the US strategic role in the Indo-Pacific since it took office. It has identified the maintenance of cross-strait security and regional stability as core objectives. The US Indo-Pacific strategy clearly outlines a program to actively counter the threat posed by China in concert with democratic allies in the region.
Naval vessels from various countries have continued to transit the Taiwan Strait, demonstrating a firm commitment to freedom of navigation operations. During President Lai’s term, warships from the US, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand have sailed through the Taiwan Strait. US Navy vessels have already transited the Taiwan Strait on two occasions since President Trump took up his post in January. These concerted and concrete actions deter China’s attempts to make the Taiwan Strait its “internal waters.”
By incorporating Taiwan-friendly language into joint statements at the US-Japan leaders’ summit, the US-Japan-ROK (Republic of Korea) foreign ministers’ meeting, and the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, the US has continued to underline that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is indispensable to the security and prosperity of the international community. It has also opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo through force or coercion. Secretary Rubio has repeatedly stressed that Taiwan’s status must not be altered through military means, threats, or coercion. He has said that this is US policy and also President Trump’s policy. When US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited the Philippines and Japan in March, he said the US should re-establish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, including the Taiwan Strait, and cooperate with regional allies to counter China’s aggression. These developments demonstrate a strong US commitment to security across the Taiwan Strait and the rest of the region.
In response to US concerns over the need for Taiwan to enhance its self-defense capabilities, Taiwan has taken concrete steps. President Lai has pledged to increase defense spending to 3 percent of GDP. This continues the trend of the past eight years, during which Taiwan has doubled its military budget, reformed its conscription system and bolstered whole-of-society resilience. If calculated by NATO standards — which include allocations for veterans’ affairs, coast guard operations, and other costs — Taiwan’s defense spending in 2025 will amount to 2.97 percent of GDP, in effect meeting the 3 percent target. This figure is expected to continue to rise in the foreseeable future, fully demonstrating Taiwan’s determination to achieve peace through strength.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S EMPHASIS ON ECONOMY AND TECHNOLOGY; TAIWAN’S GLOBAL DEPLOYMENT AND INCREASED INVESTMENTS IN US:
The third aspect is economic diplomacy. Three executive orders issued by President Trump — the America First Trade Policy, America First Investment Policy, and Developing an Artificial Intelligence Action Plan — demonstrate the high degree of importance his administration attaches to economic security and technological autonomy. They also highlight the Trump administration’s strategic economic policy goals of rebalancing trade, bolstering national security, and maintaining a global leadership role in AI and semiconductors.
President Trump’s announcement of reciprocal tariffs must be seen in the context of US national interests. The policy is designed to close the trade gap, stimulate investment, and raise productivity to strengthen US dominance in industry and technology. Taiwan has responded positively to the new tariff regime and is on the US priority negotiations list.
President Lai has proposed a five-point response strategy. In an article published in the international media titled “Taiwan has a roadmap for deeper US trade ties,” President Lai introduced the idea of a US investment team that could draw on the advantages the huge US market enjoys in technology, capital and talent. Together with a Taiwan investment team from the US, a joint Taiwan-US fleet could be formed. This task force could consolidate the advantageous position that Taiwanese businesses hold in global supply chains during a period of restructuring. It would also further enhance Taiwan-US relations, which are crucial to Taiwan’s economic security.
Taiwan’s investment in the US has surpassed US$100 billion. Its companies have created more than 400,000 job opportunities. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) announced that it would increase its investment in the US to a total of around US$165 billion. This injection of capital, together with President Lai’s proposal for a global semiconductor democratic supply chain partnership initiative, highlights the complementary and mutually beneficial nature of the Taiwanese and US high-tech sectors. This illustrates that Taiwan is willing to jointly bear the strategic responsibility of developing advanced technology together with the US. For AI industry development, a stable energy supply is crucial. While visiting Taiwan, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy witnessed the signing of a letter of intent on investment between Taiwan’s CPC Corp and the Alaska Gasline Development Corp. This will deepen Taiwan-US energy cooperation and boost Taiwan’s energy resilience. The agreement is another example of how the government of Taiwan is taking carefully planned steps to create mutual benefits and shared prosperity with the US.
I recently led a business delegation including representatives of Taiwan’s CIECA and TEEMA to Texas, a US hub for technology and innovation. The group attended the Texas-Taiwan AI and Innovation Summit and exchanged opinions with Taiwanese and US representatives from industry, academia and the public sector. We came away with a deep impression that the US regards AI as a crucial element of national security and economic development. For example, the Stargate Project together with Nvidia, Apple and other companies is expected to invest over US$1.5 trillion to launch a new wave of the AI industrial revolution. Taiwan holds an indispensable position in global non-red and trustworthy semiconductor and AI supply chains. We must actively seize the enormous business opportunities created by the development of AI and advance two-way investment between Taiwan and the US. This will allow us to utilize US advantages in technology, capital, and talent to strengthen Taiwan and integrate its businesses into the US innovation ecosystem.
CHALLENGES FACING BOTH TAIWAN AND US; STEADY DIPLOMATIC STRATEGY TO CREATE MUTUAL BENEFITS AND SHARED PROSPERITY:
Given the current upheavals in the global geopolitical landscape, restructuring of supply chains, and fierce technological competition, Taiwan and the US both face an uncertain and challenging future. However, looking at Taiwan-US relations during the second Trump administration from the perspective of the three pillars of integrated diplomacy — values-based, economic and alliance-based diplomacy — the two sides have clearly found a way forward. They share highly compatible strategic and policy objectives and can build on the firm foundations of existing collaboration. Looking further ahead, Taiwan and the US can draw up blueprints for cooperation in AI, semiconductors, and other emerging technology industrial chains, creating shared prosperity.
Since President Lai took office, he has worked with different political parties and two presidents of the US. He has followed a national strategy of staying rooted in Taiwan while expanding globally, strengthening US ties, and marketing worldwide. These and other proactive measures match the consistent and bipartisan US policy toward Taiwan. They also underline the steady advance of Taiwan’s diplomatic strategy in a changing international environment. Taiwan will continue to leverage the critical role it holds in the three strategic chains, expand cooperation and deepen partnerships with the US and other like-minded countries, and remain an indispensable force for good in promoting regional security and prosperity.
Lin Chia-lung is the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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