Written by Novatus Joseph Igosha. This article argues that the equilibrium restraining cross-Strait conflict is weakening as military pressure, technological competition and strategic uncertainty reshape incentives in Beijing, Taipei and Washington. From an African perspective, it explains how instability could disrupt semiconductor supply chains, increase technology costs and hinder digital development across the continent.
Written by Wai Yan Phyo Naing. The latest Trump-Xi summit highlights the risks of treating Taiwan as a bargaining chip amid shifting US-China relations. This article argues that Taiwan should avoid romanticising Taiwan-US relations and assess commitments through concrete actions, strengthen asymmetric defence and societal resilience, and deepen cooperation with regional partners to preserve deterrence and regional stability.
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.
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 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 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.
