On December 1, in an op-ed for The Diplomat, the director of International Affairs for Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, Vincent Chao, deliberately distorted the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, or KMT) position on compulsory military service. It misleads readers around the world who are eager to understand the issues that will determine the winner of … Read more
Advertisement On September 28, Taiwan unveiled the first of its Hai Kun-class diesel-electric submarines. Constructed in a local shipyard in Kaohsiung with major foreign assistance, the Han Kun (officially dubbed the Narwhal in English) is planned to be the first of eight vessels that will join two existing 1980s-vintage ships in frontline service. The new … Read more
Flashpoints | Security | East Asia Should China mount an invasion, Taiwan’s political leadership and degree of social cohesion will be the most important factors in its defense. Advertisement Ukraine’s dogged resistance to Russian aggression surprised many experts who anticipated a rapid Russian victory. It also elevated the importance of understanding a nation’s resolve to resist aggression as a … Read more
Advertisement In December 2022, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen announced the extension of military conscription for military-age males to one year. Prior to this change, conscription had been reduced to four months under the Ma Ying-jeou administration, with the original intention of eventually achieving an all-volunteer military. However, with power shifting from the Kuomintang (KMT) to … Read more
Advertisement Taiwan is now entering a busy season of election campaigns. Replete with its usual excitement and drama, the 2024 presidential election arrives at a moment of heightened anxiety in the Taiwanese political space, with the possibility of a Chinese invasion before mid-century. The defense policies adopted by Taiwan’s next president could make this election … Read more
Advertisement Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu didn’t mince his words when asked about any potential conflict with China in early May. “We think that war can be avoided … and we’re trying to work together to prevent war from happening,” he said. “We will not provoke a conflict between Taiwan and China … Taiwan is … Read more