Beyond the China Lens and the Silicon Shield: The Case for Taiwan to Explore Credibility Diplomacy

Written by Noah Metheny. This article argues that the China lens and the silicon shield each capture part of Taiwan’s strategic importance, but neither explains its growing international influence. Moving beyond both narratives requires recognising that Taiwan increasingly derives influence from credibility rather than legitimacy, earned through decades of institutional development and democratic governance.

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Small State-itis: The Danger of Defeatism in Taiwan

Written by Thomas J. Shattuck. This article argues that local and foreign diplomats and politicians should not see Taiwan as a small country and therefore believe it has little chance against the PRC. There is so much more to geopolitical influence than landmass. When considering population, the stock market, per capita GDP, defence, and foreign relations, Taiwan plays a larger role in the world than one might expect.

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Preparing for the possible: Reflections from the US-Taiwan-European Next Generation Working Group Taipei meetings in June 2026

Written by Dr Kristina Kironska. This article identifies three observations of the week-long interdisciplinary visit to Taipei, namely the centrality of resilience, Taiwan’s self-perception of being a small country and the prominence of AI across diverse settings and policy domains. The Taipei meetings offer the opportunity to observe Taiwan through multiple institutional lenses in a compressed period of time.

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Comparative Analysis of Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement and Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement of 2014

Written by Matthew Lorence. This article compares Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement and Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement in 2014. This comparison illustrates how the structural differences between a sovereign democracy and a semi-autonomous territory operating under Beijing’s ultimate authority shaped the fate of each protest. The divergent fates of the two territories reflected precisely what the young people feared and fought so passionately to prevent.

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The “One China” Policy and Status Quo in the Taiwan Strait: A Gambit of Strategic Ambiguity

Written by Lourdes Ames-Rodriguez. “One China” and “status quo” are two contested concepts at the centre of the cross-Strait tension. This article argues that while differing interpretations of the concepts have been instrumental in maintaining short-term peace in the Taiwan Strait, they ultimately hinder prospects for a lasting, peaceful resolution by entrenching opposing positions and delaying necessary political decisions.  

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Taiwanese Identity and the Correspondence to Democracy

Written by Josh Boynton. This article argues that Taiwan’s democratisation did more than just change how Taiwan was governed, but also allowed Taiwanese to publicly express who they thought they were. It created a new social and political experience that solidified into a unique Taiwanese identity and became a moderating force, especially for the younger generation who have no memory of authoritarian rule. 

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