Taiwan

Taiwan

Forty years after the signing of the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States’ and Taiwan’s democratic values continue to provide a foundation for security and economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Today, the Taiwan Strait remains one of Asia’s most dangerous geopolitical flashpoints. Taiwan, facing diverse pressures from a rising China, continues to pursue means to defend its people, economy, and democracy in an increasingly complex strategic environment.

After the 2020 Taiwan election: Strengthening defense and security cooperation

Dispatches Jan 27, 2026

Taiwan has been a strategic blind spot for South Korea

By Bee Yun Jo

South Korea is beginning to acknowledge that cross-Strait stability is increasingly a foundational element of overall regional security.
China Indo-Pacific
After the 2020 Taiwan election: Strengthening defense and security cooperation

New Atlanticist Dec 18, 2025

Can US leaders convince Americans that Taiwan is worth fighting for?

By Phillip M. Ramirez

If elected leaders in the United States want to continue to deter Chinese military action, they must work to convince Beijing that Americans would be willing to fight for Taiwan.
China Conflict
After the 2020 Taiwan election: Strengthening defense and security cooperation

Report Dec 15, 2025

Beijing pressures Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic partners. Here’s what the US should do in response

By Kitsch Liao, Nik Foster, Santiago Villa

Taiwan’s shrinking circle of diplomatic partners plays a crucial role in deterring Chinese coercion, and the United States needs a more targeted strategy to help preserve this support and maintain cross-strait stability.
China Politics & Diplomacy

Projects

Close up of tiger

The Tiger Project: War and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific

Explore the Atlantic Council’s work on current and enduring defense and deterrence issues in the Indo-Pacific, featuring expert commentary, multimedia content, and in-depth analysis.

Explore the programs

The Indo-Pacific Security Initiative (IPSI) informs and shapes the strategies, plans, and policies of the United States and its allies and partners to address the most important rising security challenges in the Indo-Pacific, including China’s growing threat to the international order and North Korea’s destabilizing nuclear weapons advancements. IPSI produces innovative analysis, conducts tabletop exercises, hosts public and private convenings, and engages with US, allied, and partner governments, militaries, media, other key private and public-sector stakeholders, and publics.

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Events

Public Event Thu, February 12, 2026 • 11:00 am ET

Congressman John Moolenaar on deterring aggression against Taiwan

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, discusses how the United States and Taiwan can strengthen deterrence in the Taiwan Strait.
China Defense Industry Defense Policy Indo-Pacific
Public Event Wed, January 28, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

Taiwan’s critical role in global supply chains and the future of US-Taiwan ties
Economy & Business Energy & Environment Indo-Pacific Politics & Diplomacy
Online Event Mon, December 15, 2025 • 2:30 pm ET

How the US and Taiwan can deter Chinese coercion by shoring up Taiwan’s partners
China Politics & Diplomacy Taiwan

Content

New Atlanticist

Feb 12, 2020

After the 2020 Taiwan election: Strengthening defense and security cooperation

By Chang-Ching Tu

Seemingly good results at the polls do not negate the domestic and international issues that President Tsai and the DPP will have to face over the next four years, including internal battles over Taiwanese national identity, cooperation with the United States, and relations with mainland China.

China Elections

Issue Brief

Jan 9, 2020

Democracy under siege: Advancing cooperation and common values in the Indo-Pacific

By Dr. Kharis Templeman

“Democracy under Siege: Advancing Cooperation and Common Values in the Indo-Pacific” examines challenges and opportunities for advancing cooperation and common values in the Indo-Pacific as the region faces an increasing challenge from China.

Australia China
Surfing the Strait: China, Taiwan, and Twitter

Event Recap

Mar 28, 2018

Cross-Strait Series: Surfing the Strait—China, Taiwan, and Twitter

By Asia Security Initiative

In today’s new media environment, the opportunities for instant rhetoric add a novel element to national and international discourse that can complicate relationships between countries and leaders, as with China’s recent condemnation of President Trump’s December 2017 tweet on North Korea.

China Civil Society

Issue Brief

Dec 12, 2017

Shaping the Asia-Pacific economic order

By Robert A. Manning and Olin Wethington

Twenty years after the Asian Financial Crisis, Asian economies are buoyant, working with a smartly reformed IMF to brace for future crises, and rhetoric aside, it will a while before China’s RMB challenges the US dollar as the world’s first reserve currency.

Australia China

Issue Brief

Dec 12, 2017

Shaping the Asia-Pacific economic order

By Robert A. Manning and Olin Wethington

Twenty years after the Asian Financial Crisis, Asian economies are buoyant, working with a smartly reformed IMF to brace for future crises, and rhetoric aside, it will a while before China’s RMB challenges the US dollar as the world’s first reserve currency.

Australia China

Issue Brief

May 3, 2017

Strengthening the transatlantic-pacific partnership

By Robert A. Manning

This issue brief is the product of a pilot project of the Atlantic Council’s efforts to establish an Asia-Pacific Center. It is drawn from a series of workshops exploring the key question of how to strengthen Trans-Atlantic-Pacific cooperation on regional and global issues.

Australia China

Issue Brief

May 3, 2017

Strengthening the transatlantic-pacific partnership

By Robert A. Manning

This issue brief is the product of a pilot project of the Atlantic Council’s efforts to establish an Asia-Pacific Center. It is drawn from a series of workshops exploring the key question of how to strengthen Trans-Atlantic-Pacific cooperation on regional and global issues.

Australia China

Defense Industrialist

Aug 11, 2016

A modest arms sale of obsolete aircraft to India?

By Danny Lam

There may be more to Lockheed’s made-in-India deal than first meets the eye. The US Air Force and those of other NATO countries are phasing out F-16s much sooner than anticipated. This implies that performance of F-35s has met expectations, and that there are no obvious show-stoppers to ramping up production as fast as budgets […]

China Defense Industry

Report

Jun 24, 2015

Shaping the Asia-Pacific Future: Strengthening the institutional architecture for an open, rules-based economic order

By Olin Wethington and Robert A. Manning

Australia China

Past events

Oct 8, 2014

Transcript: The Future of US Extended Deterrence in East Asia

By The Atlantic Council

Atlantic Council The Future of US Extended Deterrence in East Asia Welcome: Jon Huntsman, Chairman, Atlantic Council Moderator: Barry Pavel, Vice President and Director, Brent Scowcroft Center for International Security Speakers: Richard Armitage, President, Armitage International Kurt Campbell, Chairman and CEO, The Asia Group, LLC Location: 1030 15th Street, NW, 12th Floor (West Tower), Washington, […]

China Defense Policy
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Experts

Fellow

Wen-Ti Sung

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

Australia China

Fellow

Dan Taylor

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

China East Asia

Fellow

Jessica Taylor

Nonresident Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Crisis Management East Asia
Kenton Thibaut

Staff

Kenton Thibaut

Senior Resident Fellow, China

Digital Forensic Research Lab Indo-Pacific Security Initiative

China Disinformation

Staff

Joseph Webster

Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center

Global Energy Center Indo-Pacific Security Initiative

Central Asia China

Fellow

Philip W. Yu

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

China Indo-Pacific