Occasional Reports
Standalone reports published independently from the Global Taiwan Brief
Taiwan Themed Issue of the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) is pleased to announce the release of a special issue of the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs (JIPA), a peer-reviewed military journal published by Air University (Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama), the intellectual and leadership development center of the US Air Force and US Space Force. The spring 2025 issue of JIPA is a theme issue focused on Taiwan defense issues, jointly curated and edited by JIPA Editor Dr. Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell and GTI Deputy Director John Dotson. The articles selected for this special issue address a range of complex issues related to Taiwan’s defense, including human resources concerns, strategy, force structure, and the challenge of non-kinetic political warfare. GTI Advisor Wallace “Chip” Gregson and GTI Senior Non-Resident Fellow Eric Chan are among the distinguished contributors to this issue.
Contributors: Lt. Gen. Wallace “Chip” Gregson, John Dotson, Kerry K. Gershaneck and Eric Chan, Dr. Gregory J. Moore, CPT Andrew Faulhaber, CDR Jeremy (Yen-ming) Chen, Dr. Jared M. McKinney, K. Tristan Tang, and Major Nicholas Stockdale
Chinese Communist Party Lawfare and Economic Coercion Against Taiwan
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) is pleased to announce the publication of a new occasional report titled Chinese Communist Party Lawfare and Economic Coercion Against Taiwan. This report examines the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) use of non-lethal political warfare through lawfare and economic coercion—which point to a new phase in the PRC’s political warfare campaigns to subjugate and assert gradual political control over Taiwan through economic integration and manipulation of legal narratives.
Contributors: Russell Hsiao and Benjamin Sando
US-Taiwan Relations: Advancing Four Pillars of the Strategic Partnership
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) is pleased to announce the publication of a new occasional report titled US-Taiwan Relations: Advancing Four Pillars of the Strategic Partnership. This report examines the foundations of US policy toward Taiwan as defined by the Taiwan Relations Act, assessing how the strategic partnership has evolved across four key pillars—security, international space, economic ties, and people-to-people relations—and offering forward-looking policy recommendations to sustain peace and stability amid rising challenges from the People’s Republic of China.
The report was written by Derek Mitchell, non-resident senior adviser to the Office of the President and the Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Brent Christensen, an adjunct professor in Brigham Young University’s Political Science Department and an advisor at the Global Taiwan Institute, Russell Hsiao, executive director of GTI, and Adrienne Wu, program manager at GTI.
Contributors: Derek Mitchell, Brent Christensen, Russell Hsiao and Adrienne Wu
Chinese Communist Party Covert Operations Against Taiwan
The Chinese Communist Party’s Gray Zone Tactics Against Taiwan
South Korea’s Policy Responses to a PRC Maritime Blockade of Taiwan
Taiwan’s Museums: Exploring the Process of Taiwanesization
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) is pleased to announce the publication of a new occasional report titled Taiwan’s Museums: Exploring the Process of Taiwanesization. This report, which examines the question of Taiwanese identity through the framework of museums, was written by Lee Moore, currently an adjunct professor at the University of Oregon. Mr. Moore was the recipient of a GTI Taiwan Scholarship grant, which supported his field research in Taiwan.
Contributor: Lee Moore
The Chinese Communist Party’s Ideological Frameworks for Taiwan Policy
Taiwan’s Fight for Global Democracy: The Role of Civil Society
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) is pleased to announce the publication of a new occasional report titled Taiwan’s Fight for Global Democracy: The Role of Civil Society. This report was written by GTI Deputy Director John Dotson, GTI Program Manager Adrienne Wu, and former GTI Program Associate Will Kielm.
Taiwan’s quest to maintain its global presence and affirm its identity as a de facto sovereign democratic nation faces significant challenges due to the diplomatic pressure exerted by the PRC. Despite such pressure directed against both Taiwan’s democratic society and its international space, Taiwan, mainly through its active civil society due to its diplomatic isolation, has carved out a significant role for itself as a prominent member of the global community of democratic nations. This has been seen not only in terms of international engagement and narrative messaging, but also in terms of support to other embattled front-line democratic states such as Ukraine. In events throughout the preceding year, the Global Taiwan Institute (GTI)—supported by a generous grant from the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD, 臺灣民主基金會)—sought to explore these issues in greater detail, through both staff research and public seminars involving a range of expert voices, including civil society representatives from Taiwan. The findings of this research are summarized in this report.
Contributors: John Dotston, Adrienne Wu, and Will Kielm
The Chinese Communist Party’s Political Warfare Directed Against Taiwan: Overview and Analysis
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) is pleased to announce the publication of a new occasional report titled The Chinese Communist Party’s Political Warfare Directed Against Taiwan: Overview and Analysis. This report, written by GTI Deputy Director John Dotson, provides an overview of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) political warfare in seven areas—information manipulation, “lawfare,” gray zone operations, economic coercion, united front work, espionage, and cyber operations—as well as analysis of the implications of these subversive activities intended to undermine Taiwan’s democratic society.
This report is the first of five planned reports in GTI’s Counter Ideological Work and Political Warfare research series. Subsequent papers in this series, forthcoming throughout the course of 2024, will delve into these aspects of political warfare in further detail.
Contributor: John Dotson
An Untenable Status Quo: Structural Change and the US-China-Taiwan Relationship
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) is pleased to announce the publication of a new occasional report titled An Untenable Status Quo: Structural Change and the US-China-Taiwan Relationship. This report, which undertakes a structural realist international relations theory analysis of relations between the United States, Taiwan, and China, was written by Brendan Flynn, currently a PhD candidate at Wayne State University. Mr. Flynn was the recipient of a Class of 2023 GTI Taiwan Scholarship grant, which supported field research in Taiwan.
Contributor: Brendan Flynn
Sustaining Taiwan's Southbound Focus in the Indo-Pacific in a Period of Convergence and Change
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) and the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF) are thrilled to announce the publication of a new report titled “Sustaining Taiwan’s Southbound Focus in the Indo-Pacific in a Period of Strategic Convergence and Political Change.”
This comprehensive report explores the evolution and impact of Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy (NSP) in reinforcing Taiwan’s position within the Indo-Pacific region amid the changing global geopolitical landscape. Through the NSP, Taiwan has actively fostered deeper connections with the nations of Southeast Asia and South Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand, aiming to diversify its economic partnerships and solidify its role as a key player in regional development and cooperation.
Contributors: Russell Hsiao, Hsin-Huang Michael Hsiao, Alan Hao Yang, Adrienne Wu, Will Kielm, and Daniela Martinez
Quarterly Connections: Quarter 1, 2024
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) is very pleased to release the newest edition of Quarterly Connections, GTI’s online periodical published every three months analyzing global developments and their strategic significance for Taiwan.
This edition of Quarterly Connections examines critical issues at the intersection of Taiwan’s security and economic prospects. John Dotson analyzes the assessment of international security trends in the Indo-Pacific region as presented in the ROC National Defense Report 2023. Marshall Reid explores the potential for expanded trade between Taiwan and the European Union, offering insights into Taiwan’s economic opportunities. Finally, Russell Hsiao examines the impact of global conflicts on the Taiwan Strait, providing a crucial perspective on potential challenges and areas of strategic focus.
Contributors: Russell Hsiao, John Dotson, and Marshall Reid
A Geoeconomic Strategy for Enhancing the US-Taiwan Partnership
In recent years, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has greatly expanded its use of geoeconomic tools as part of its broader campaign to exert influence and reshape the global order. Perhaps predictably, Taiwan has faced the brunt of these efforts, forced to contend with a vast array of Chinese operations, from targeted trade barriers to large-scale economic infiltration campaigns. Despite Taiwan’s tireless efforts to push back against these tactics, Beijing’s geoeconomic policies could nevertheless pose substantial risks to the island’s economic and national security. Given Taiwan’s crucial role in global supply chains—particularly in the semiconductor sector—a threat to Taiwan represents a threat to the international economic system.
Recognizing that the US-Taiwan partnership is the strongest safeguard against Beijing’s coercive economic policy, the report’s authors provide an in-depth survey of geoeconomic cooperation between Washington, Taipei, and other likeminded capitals, finding that such collaboration is currently insufficient to meet the threat posed by the PRC. In response, they offer a variety of recommendations intended to expand and formalize geoeconomic ties between the United States and Taiwan, with the aim of developing a comprehensive and enduring strategy for countering China’s challenge.
Contributors: Christian Castro, Bonnie Glick, Russell Hsiao, and Zoë Weaver-Lee
Task Force Report: Advancing The US-Taiwan Partnership In A Changing Global Landscape
In 2022, GTI assembled an expert Task Force on US-Taiwan relations, chaired by Ambassador Robert C. O’Brien (ret.), with the goal of evaluating the current state of the relationship and providing recommendations for strengthening it. The bipartisan Task Force includes a diverse range of policy experts and practitioners, hailing from the government, private businesses, and academia. Together, its members possess a wealth of experience on Taiwan, China, and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Each member participated in a personal capacity; their views do not represent or necessarily reflect the views of their respective organizations and affiliations.
This report is the product of more than a year of discussions and briefings, during which participants engaged on a range of issues, including Taiwan’s diplomatic status, role in the global economy, military capabilities, and efforts to combat Chinese coercive measures, among others. The report was also informed by a task force delegation visit to Taiwan, which featured top-level meetings with Taiwanese government officials, military leaders, business figures, academics, and civil society groups. These meetings provided invaluable insights into Taiwan’s economic, political, and security priorities, as well as key areas in which the US-Taiwan relationship could be bolstered.
Contributors: Robert C. O’Brien, Allison Hooker, Keith Krach, Lieutenant General Wallace “Chip” Gregson (USMC, Ret.), Derek Mitchell, Kurt Tong, Stephen Young, Jennifer Hu, Ivan Kanapathy, Lanhee J. Chen, Carolyn Bartholomew, Jerrold D. Green, Jamieson Greer, and Shihoko Goto
The Effect of COVID Policies on Presidential Evaluations: Evidence from Taiwan
In this report, Dr. Rich examines how public perceptions of COVID-19 policies impacted the views of Taiwanese voters toward the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen. He uses multiple sources of polling data from 2020-2022, as well as an original survey conducted late in the pandemic (September 2022), to perform a detailed analysis of the views of Taiwan’s citizens toward the government’s COVID-19 response measures, and how these views correspond to other aspects of political identification and opinion.
Contributor: Timothy S. Rich
Quarterly Connections: Quarter 2, 2023
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) is very pleased to release the newest edition of Quarterly Connections, GTI’s online periodical published every three months analyzing global developments and their strategic significance for Taiwan.
In this issue, authors Marshall Reid and Zoë Weaver-Lee examine Taiwan’s evolving diplomatic and economic position in Central America; John Dotson profiles the ongoing delays in US arms sales to Taiwan, and the likely impacts on Taiwan’s defense planning; and Russell Hsiao and Eric Jung analyze the strategic implications of greater alignment between China, Russia, and North Korea for security of Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region.
Contributors: Marshall Reid, Zoë Weaver-Lee, John Dotson, Russell Hsiao, and Eric Jung
Chinese Information Operations against Taiwan: The "Abandoned Chess Piece" and "America Skepticism Theory"
The past year has seen ever-growing prominence in Taiwan’s information environment for “America Skepticism Theory” (in Mandarin, “疑美論”): a broad set of narratives that depicts the United States as an unreliable partner for Taiwan, and one that will withdraw its political and security support for Taiwan when it suits US interests to do so. This narrative has its origin in anti-American propaganda produced by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), which is intended to undermine the closer relations formed between Taiwan and the United States in recent years.
Employing a narrative, case-study approach, this GTI research report is intended to provide an analysis of the narrative elements of “America Skepticism,” and to demonstrate how they function as part of a directed Chinese Communist Party information operations campaign intended to subvert not only the US-Taiwan relationship, but also the resilience of Taiwanese society to resist PRC coercive pressure for “reunification” on the PRC’s terms. Overall, GTI hopes that this report will serve to further expose the efforts made by the CCP and its proxies to undermine US-Taiwan relations, and to subvert Taiwan’s democratic society.
Contributor: John Dotson
Quarterly Connections: Quarter 1, 2023
Quarterly Connections is an online periodical published every three months focused on analyzing global developments and their strategic relations to Taiwan.
In this issue, we examine the Taiwan-Malaysia relations under Prime Minister Anwar bin Ibrahim; regional responses to rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait; and the past and present of Taiwan and China’s ties with the Pacific Islands.
Contributors: John Dotson, Russell Hsiao, Marshall Reid
Repositioning Central and Eastern European Approaches to Cross-Strait Relations
In recent years, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has emerged as a key battleground in the geopolitical competition between Taiwan (Republic of China, ROC) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Motivated by the prospects of building diplomatic support and gainingexpanded access to lucrative European markets, both governmentsx have worked to establish themselves in the region. To this end, Taiwan and China have utilized a wide range of political and economic tools—both formal and informal. While the results of these effots have varied significantly, the high volume of Taiwanese and Chinese interaction with CEE states suggests that the region has become—and will continue to be—a crucial focal point in the global confrontation between the two states.
In this occasional report, the authors analyze Central and Eastern Europe’s ties with Taiwan and China through the lens of four case studies: Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. In doing so, they shed light on the key factors influencing these increasingly complex interactions and provide insights into current trends.
Contributors: Marshall Reid, Dominika Remžová, and Katherine Schultz
Assessing Trends and Demand Signals for Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy and Building a US-Taiwan Coordination Mechanism
This report was produced in partnership with the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF).
In 2021, TAEF worked with GTI to initiate a policy-focused exchange on Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy (NSP) and US strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region, resulting in a policy brief, Connecting Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy with US Foreign Policy Initiatives in Asia: Recommendations for Taipei and Washington.
This 2022 policy brief follows up on the previous year’s brief to assess the implementation of NSP initiatives, dynamics within Southeast Asia, and coordination with the US’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. Implementation of the NSP has been broadly successful in deepening ties between Taiwan and NSP countries, and future complementary bilateral US-Taiwan development assistance in Southeast Asia presents a unique opportunity to promote shared interests and values and shape a new regional framework.
Contributors: Russell Hsiao, Robert Wang, Satu Limaye
Quarterly Connections: Quarter 4, 2022
Quarterly Connections is an online periodical published every three months focused on analyzing global developments and their strategic relations to Taiwan.
In this issue, we examine the implications of Mongolia’s “Third Neighbors” policy for Taiwan; Germany’s evolving approach to cross-Strait issues; and the role of Beijing’s messaging on Taiwan, as China makes a post-pandemic return to international fora.
Contributors: John Dotson, Russell Hsiao, Marshall Reid
Quarterly Connections: Quarter 3, 2022
Quarterly Connections is an online periodical published every three months focused on analyzing global developments and their strategic relations to Taiwan.
In this issue, we examine how elections in both the Philippines and South Korea may affect those countries’ approaches to the Taiwan Strait, the implications of NATO’s 2022 “Strategic Concept” for Taiwan, and the effects of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan on elite perceptions in Southeast Asia.
Contributor: Russell Hsiao
US-Taiwan Relations in the 21st Century: Building the Foundation for a Global Partnership
US policy towards the Indo-Pacific is intended to promote both democracy and a new economic framework for the region, as well as to maintain longstanding American commitments to Taiwan. This report examines ways that the United States—in consultation with Taiwan and like-minded partners—can help Taiwan strengthen relations with its diplomatic and non-diplomatic partners, actively participate in international organizations, and expand its regional and global economic ties.
Contributors: Russell Hsiao, Alexander Gray, Robert Wang
Mutual Legal Assistance in the Digital Age and Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy
Despite its efforts, Taiwan continues to lack access to key international organizations focused on combating transnational crime, cybersecurity, and law enforcement cooperation— particularly INTERPOL. Yet, considering the new and complex threats posed by transnational cybercrime, Taiwan’s ability to establish mutual legal assistance treaties (MLAT) is paramount. To this end, Taiwan’s revitalized New Southbound Policy—with its emphasis on South and Southeast Asia’s growing economic and digital footprints—presents an ideal platform for establishing and deepening such cooperation.
This policy backgrounder not only seeks to illustrate the importance of MLATs as criminal activity becomes more digitized, but also highlights existing partnerships and platforms that have proven successful in combating transnational cybercrime as well as their challenges.
Contributors: Russell Hsiao, Zoe Weaver-Lee
Connecting Taiwan's New Southbound Policy with US Foreign Policy Initiatives in Asia: Recommendations for Taipei and Washington
This report was produced in partnership with the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF).
Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, has placed significant emphasis on the New Southbound Policy (NSP) as her administration’s signature foreign policy initiative since assuming office in 2016. The NSP, which aims to bolster Taiwan’s economic, political, and cultural ties with the nations of South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, has resulted in a marked increase in Taiwan’s engagements with the region. This shift has helped to bring Taiwan’s foreign policy into greater alignment with that of the United States, which has increasingly shifted focus to the Indo-Pacific region in recent years. While officials in Taipei and Washington have talked a lot about their shared interests, Taiwan and the United States have done relatively little to coordinate their approaches to the Indo-Pacific. This report seeks to highlight complementary features between the NSP and US foreign policy initiatives in Asia, with the goal of providing concrete recommendations for strengthening and expanding cooperation between the two governments and civil societies.
Contributors: Russell Hsiao, Robert Wang
Urban Governance in East Asia: Lessons from Taiwan's Open Green Program
Despite its small size, Taiwan has emerged as regional economic and industrial powerhouse. This evolution has been driven in large part by Taiwan’s cities, which have become the linchpins of the island’s growing high-tech economy. However, such urban growth should not come at the expense of sustainable development. In his report, Professor Hou examines the Open Green Matching Fund program in Taipei. Unlike typical urban regeneration approaches that focus on large-scale urban redevelopment, the Open Green program provides funding for neighborhood and community groups to engage in bottom-up, community-drive placemaking projects that improve local environments.
Contributor: Jeffrey Hou
David and Goliath: Strengthening Taiwan's Deterrence and Resiliency
As the new American administration sets out its agenda with US allies and partners to preserve and promote the rules-based order, it will have a natural partner in Taiwan. Tsai Ing-wen was reelected as President of Taiwan in January 2020—formally known as the Republic of China (ROC)—with a popular mandate. As a democratic ally and vital security partner of the United States, Washington and Taipei have many reasons to deepen their ties. This report provides policymakers in Washington and Taipei with a common reference point that both identifies the challenges as well as proposes some recommendations to ensure common purpose and policy objectives going forward.
Contributors: Lieutenant General Wallace “Chip” Gregson (ret.), Russell Hsiao, Ambassador Stephen M. Young (ret.)
Taiwan's Disaster Preparedness and Response: Strengths, Shortfalls, and Paths to Improvement
Taiwan is at risk from numerous types of natural disasters, including floods, typhoons, earthquakes. This occasional report provides an overview of Taiwan’s disaster preparedness and response since 1999, when a powerful earthquake struck the island on September 21 and killed more than 2,000 people. The 1999 earthquake exposed key inefficiencies in the central government’s disaster response, leading the government to initiate several reforms to its national emergency management system.
Contributors: Leo Bosner, I-wei Jennifer Chang
A Case Study of Recent Social Movements in Hong Kong and Taiwan: Convergence of Counter-Identities amid China’s Rise
This report provides extensive analysis of three recent social movements: The Sunflower Movement in Taiwan, as well as Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement and anti-extradition bill protests. In doing so, she investigates social, cultural, and political linkages between demonstrators in the two democracies, exploring the ways in which these movements have influenced one another.
Contributor: Christina Lai
A Survey of Public Perceptions on Diplomatic Recognition of Taiwan
This in-depth report explores Taiwanese public perceptions toward and evaluates the main actors as well as conditions influencing diplomatic recognition of Taiwan. This study examines these timely questions through probit regression analysis and original experimental web surveys in Taiwan.
Contributor: Timothy S. Rich
Taiwan Miracle Redux: Navigating Economic Challenges in a Contested Democracy
This research examines the differences in the policy making process under one-party rule versus the contested multi-party status quo to develop an understanding of the effect that Taiwan’s democratic system of governance has had on its economic development while providing recommendations on potential areas for reform or improvement.
Contributors: Tze-Ting Huang, Ryan Terribilini