Written by Alexandra Whitehead. This article assesses the importance of Taiwan in the UK’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) published in June 2025. It argues that the SDR recognises Taiwan’s global significance in the context of countering China, both in security and economic terms. However, it lacks explicit contingency planning to support Taiwan and remains ambiguous towards China.
Written by Ritika Passi. The article discusses the weaponisation of different chokepoints, using the India-Pakistan water dispute as a case study. It applies these insights to Taiwan, underscoring its vulnerabilities in the Taiwan Strait for trade and subsea cables for data. The author emphasises the need for Taiwan to enhance its economic security and resilience against potential disruptions.
Written by Hsiao-Chen Lin. The article examines how South Asia’s recent strategic developments, particularly Pakistan’s use of integrated C4ISR systems, offer crucial insights for Taiwan’s defense. It highlights China’s export of integrated warfare doctrines and Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its resilience through defence reforms, societal readiness, and strategic realignment amidst evolving Indo-Pacific dynamics.
Written by Sana Hashmi. This article discusses how the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict served as a critical case study for Taiwan, especially concerning a potential Chinese invasion. The author argues that China’s indirect support for Pakistan during the conflict allowed Beijing to test limited war scenarios, grey-zone tactics, and cognitive warfare strategies, mirroring Taiwan’s own strategic environment. This highlights Taiwan’s need to diversify its defense partnerships and enhance its resilience against disinformation.
Written by Sameer Patil. This article discusses how the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict unveiled a new chapter of cyber warfare and cognitive warfare. As the two nations exchanged conventional blows, an intense battle simultaneously unfolded in cyberspace, targeting digital infrastructure and spreading disinformation. Pakistan aggressively launched cyberattacks and propaganda, while India largely adopted a retaliatory and defensive cyber posture. This highlights the critical and evolving role of cyberspace in modern conflicts and offers key lessons for Taiwan regarding cybersecurity and countering disinformation.
Written by Mei-chuan Wei. This article examines the recent India-Pakistan conflict’s implications for Taiwan, highlighting the importance of developing advanced defence systems like data links and integrated air defence. It underscores the critical need for Taiwan to bolster public awareness of security threats and cultivate an unwavering will to resist potential Chinese aggression, viewing these as crucial for national defence.
Written by Meng Kit Tang. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te faces a critical leadership test amid a budget standoff with an opposition-controlled legislature. Key defence cuts, including Taiwan’s submarine program, raise security concerns. Lai must balance strong leadership and negotiation to avoid political paralysis. Lessons from Taiwan’s political history offer guidance for effective crisis management.
Written by YouHao Lai and Gahon Chiang. This article explores the procedural and substantive controversies of the unprecedented budget cuts and their impact on Taiwan’s government and national security, ad what might come next. The cuts disrupt the core government’s functions and policy implementation and efforts to strengthen its self-defence. It is a test of national will to ensure Taiwan’s long-term security.
Written by Chieh-Ting Yeh. This article argues the Trump administration’s approach to Ukraine cast a long shadow over America’s commitment elsewhere. The Taiwan issue does not just have strategic significance beyond Asia, it is also the defining test of the US commitment to maintaining a rules-based international order. Abandoning Taiwan undermines the credible deterrence of the US.
Written by Dominika Remžová and Dominika Urhová. The article begins with the modernisation of China’s military and its implications for Taiwan’s defense strategies. It emphasises the need for Taiwan to adopt asymmetric warfare approaches amid increasing Chinese military pressures and to reform its armed forces. Taiwan’s reliance on its critical semiconductor industry is also highlighted, showcasing its strategic importance.
Written by Kai-Chih Chang. This article explores the evolving global data landscape and the challenges of data sovereignty. Although traditional notions of state jurisdiction over data remain relevant, the borderless nature of the internet necessitates a new regulatory framework that balances the needs and interests of businesses, governments, and other stakeholders to realise the multifaceted value of data in driving economic growth and innovation.
Written by Zach Meyers. The concept of data sovereignty presents challenges for Taiwan, which relies heavily on open digital trade. While Taiwan’s Personal Data Protection Act allows cross-border data transfers with some restrictions, it still faces difficulties in asserting its standards due to its smaller market size and reliance on larger economies. To navigate these challenges, Taiwan may benefit from supporting multilateral data standards and strengthening its role as a key tech partner globally.
Taiwan Insight 