U.S.-Taiwan defense relations

U.S. military aid and strategic support for Taiwan are being reshaped. What will that mean for arms sales, military assistance, and strategic commitments?

Taiwan’s defense challenges do not stem from a lack of spending per se but from inefficiencies in how its defense funds are allocated and utilized.

We can expect China to test the resilience of the Taiwan-U.S. partnership under Trump with more gray-zone operations.

Taipei is bracing for reduced patience and heightened pressure from the incoming Trump administration.

Overwarning and miscommunication risk Washington’s ability to detect – and convince Taiwanese about – real threats in the Taiwan Strait.

With arms sales dropping and recent deliveries fraught with problems, doubts continue to mount over the United States’ true commitment to Taiwan’s security.

Biden’s vice president seems less enthusiastic about fully committing the United States to defend Taiwan. For that matter, so does her rival in the presidential race.

The situation recalls the early 1950s, when U.S. arms sales to Taiwan were delayed by other priorities. Unfortunately, Taiwan’s need is much greater today.

The current political turmoil is a worrying sign not just for America’s European allies, but also those in Asia.

Should China mount an invasion, Taiwan's political leadership and degree of social cohesion will be the most important factors in its defense.

As the U.S. urges Taiwan to adopt a security strategy that requires foreign intervention, it also upholds a policy of strategic ambiguity, making it difficult for Taipei to commit to a purely defensive approach.

The United States bars most sales of weapons-related technology to China anyway, so it’s unclear what effect the sanctions will have.

Yes, “reunification” is a matter of national pride and prestige for China. But isolating Taiwan also serves a critical strategic function – and that helps explain Beijing’s response to Pelosi’s visit.

The invasion of Ukraine has sparked a conversation about how well Taiwan’s armed forces and civilian population are prepared to fend off a Chinese invasion.

Insights from Seth Cropsey.

When it comes to burden-sharing, banging the table doesn’t work -- doubt about the U.S. commitment does.

The history of the Flying Tigers is not only an inspirational story – it is the key to future Taiwan-U.S. security cooperation.

Deterring Chinese coercion will take a concerted effort across the economic, political, and military fronts.

American presidents have worried about the credibility of their threats since the beginning of the Nuclear Age.

Marine special forces – both Taiwanese but also American – will play a crucial role in defeating a large-scale Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

The concept’s developer explains the asymmetric approach to Taiwan’s defense.

U.S. public support for Taiwan’s defense – as evidenced by a recent CSIS study – is also critical to deterring Chinese military action.

Taiwan’s defense procurement strategy makes a lot more sense when viewed through the lens of the U.S. factor.

Putting a recent “60 Minutes” bombshell into context from the senator’s long legislative history with Taiwan.