The strategic challenge posed by the increasingly assertive leadership of the People’s Republic of China needs to be met.
The new American Administration has a strategic opportunity to reshape its policies towards the PRC, rather than simply engaging in a “tit-for-tat” exchange, which the PRC is well postured to augment its global positions.
One of the opportunities opened up by a Trump presidency is a serious repositioning of Taiwan within U.S. policy.
It is time to exit the Madame Tussaud museum of policy initiatives and shape a Taiwan policy for the 21st century, which is part of a broader deterrent strategy.
Both the technology available to the United States and the policy shifts of core allies in the Pacific are enabling the forging of a deterrence in depth strategy.
As Japan has focused on its extended defense, Australia upon the integration of its forces with a capability also for the extended defense of Australia and with U.S. forces focus on shaping a force to operate over the extended ranges of the Pacific, now is the time for a serious rebooting of the role of Taiwan in extended Pacific defense and security.