Written by Huynh Tam Sang and Truong Tuan Kiet. This article argues that Cheng Li-wun’s claim that “Taiwan doesn’t have to choose” is implausible and misaligned with the current geopolitical context. Taiwan must accept the painful reality that neutrality is an illusion. It does not have the luxury to simply opt out of the geopolitical tug-of-war between the U.S. and China and should adopt the “porcupine strategy”.
Written by Meng Kit Tang. KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s recently used the European Union as a model for cross-strait engagement. This article examines why the EU analogy has become a recurring feature of KMT discourse and whether the conditions that enabled European integration resemble those of the Taiwan Strait, arguing that key elements of postwar Europe are largely absent across the strait.
Written by Chieh-Ting Yeh. Amid the fanfare and signals from the Cheng-Xi and Trump-Xi summits, this article suggests that Taiwan should be proactive in its own path forward, instead of being bogged down in trying to rely on certain individuals’ delusions of grandeur to solve complex global conflicts, or interpreting signals coming out of these political skits called “summits.”
Written by Ming-yeh T. Rawnsley (蔡明燁). Drawing on Behind The Scenes’ reflections on Taiwan’s democratic development and the Tangwai movement, this article explores contemporary debates over peace, security, and the costs associated with preserving freedom and democracy. At its core, it asks readers to reflect on the meaning of peace and the risks societies may choose to acknowledge – or ignore – in pursuing it.
Written by Jacques deLisle. This article argues that though Taiwan avoided the worst imagined outcomes from the Trump-Xi summit, the uncertainty and, in turn, the fears yielded by the meeting reflect, and are likely to worsen, the challenges Taiwan faces in cross-Strait and international relations. For Taiwan, all of this means deepening challenges in evaluating risks and making difficult policy choices.
Written by Brian Hioe. This article suggests that the state of play for cross-strait relations has taken an unexpected turn in the past months. In a relatively short time, Cheng Li-wun was not only able to secure a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but indirectly caused US President Donald Trump to echo her language on cross-strait relations through Xi.
