A number of current and former US officials and scholars attended the Global Taiwan Institute’s (GTI’s) annual symposium on Monday, where they discussed Taiwan’s efforts to enhance social resilience and increase the national defense budget.
GTI, a Washington think tank mandated to enhance the relationship between Taiwan, the US, and other countries, hosts a symposium on US-Taiwan policy each year. This year, the theme of the symposium focused on defense and security cooperation between the two countries, the US election, China’s gray-zone warfare, and geopolitical security issues.
Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) was invited to deliver a speech through pre-recorded video in which he explained the serious challenges posed by authoritarian regimes and the need to jointly respond to these challenges through comprehensive diplomacy with other like-minded countries.
Lin pointed out that China has stepped up military intimidation, using law, public opinion, and cognitive warfare to further increase pressure on Taiwan. He expressed gratitude for the US’s support of Taiwan’s security and said that Taiwan continues to enhance its defense capabilities. In addition, Lin said he hopes that Taiwan and the US will continue to strengthen supply chain resilience and enhance cooperation in key areas through platforms such as the Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue (EPPD).
US Defense Department Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China, Taiwan and Mongolia Michael S. Chase delivered the closing speech of the symposium. He explained that the US supports the Taiwanese military’s acquisition of asymmetric combat systems, and noted that such capabilities must be supplemented by modernized defense strategies.
Chase indicated that he was happy to see the latest budget proposed by Taiwan’s Cabinet continues to focus on these goals. He added that US-Taiwan industrial cooperation, including the recent meeting between Taiwanese and US drone companies in September, will also play a valuable role in this regard.