Taiwan must unequivocally display its military determination to the United States
In the global political landscape, the anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is shrouded in significant importance. The encounter, expected to take place at the APEC leaders' summit in South Korea at the end of next month, is likely to revolve around three central themes.
The first theme is the establishment of economic guardrails to reduce uncertainty and tame market volatility. The US and China are major economic powers, and the stability of their relationship significantly impacts global economics.
The second theme could be cooperation on stopping the flow of fentanyl to the US. This issue is of great concern due to the devastating impact of the opioid crisis in the US.
The third theme might involve institutionalizing dialogue between their armed forces, codifying rules of engagement for air and maritime encounters, and enhancing direct policy hotlines. This is aimed at reducing the risk of misunderstandings and potential conflicts between the two nations.
For Taiwan, the meeting comes with great risk. Beijing might pressure Washington into shifting its rhetoric regarding Taiwanese independence, and it is crucial for Taiwan to avoid becoming a pawn on Trump and Xi's chessboard. Taiwan must clearly distinguish its diplomatic language between "not supporting" and "opposing" Taiwanese independence.
Taiwan's role in the global high-tech supply chain and its democratic values make it indispensable to the US. As such, the US must increasingly rely on a Taiwan that is capable of defending itself. To this end, Taiwan needs to bridge the political divide between central and local governments, foster interparty consensus, and enhance its capacity for a comprehensive social mobilization.
Multiple polls showed that more than two-thirds of Taiwanese would defend their homeland in the event of an attack. Approval for implementing conscription in Taiwan exceeds that of South Korea, demonstrating Taiwan's resolve to protect its sovereignty.
The government must translate Taiwan's defense and industrial resilience measures into a set of "verifiable benchmarks" by next month and demonstrate Taiwan's resolve with measured diplomatic signals.
Regional security is becoming more precarious due to the deepening strategic alignment between China, Russia, and North Korea. The US support for Taiwan is rooted in shared values, legal commitments, and Taiwan's irreplaceable role in the global high-tech supply chain.
A US think tank report rebutted claims that Taiwanese might not be willing to fight in a Chinese attack, attributing defense mobilization shortcomings to political polarization. Imports from the US by Taiwan during the same period were $23.7 billion, making the US Taiwan's fourth-largest trading partner.
Taiwan's exports to the US in the first half of this year amounted to $78.9 billion, making it the US' sixth-largest trading partner. The potential meeting between Trump and Xi is expected to have far-reaching implications for the region and the world.
Liao Ming-hui, an assistant researcher at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, has been affiliated with the institution. However, the search results do not specify the name of any other organization that Liao Ming-hui is associated with in the report. The researcher's insights on the matter are valuable in understanding the complexities of the situation.
The Trump-Xi summit might install a few guardrails in the US-China relationship, making bilateral interactions slightly more predictable. However, the outcome remains uncertain, and the potential implications for Taiwan and the region are significant.
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