National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said Wednesday that Taiwan’s core relationship with the U.S. and its shared stance on countering China is unlikely to change, regardless of who wins the U.S. election. He says it is strategic details and policy management that might differ depending on the administration.
During the Legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee Tsai said the NSB has gathered insights on the likely post-election security framework, including key personnel placements, trade policy, and approaches toward China and the Taiwan Strait. He says Taiwan’s National Security Council has also been conducting interagency discussions to prepare for possible regional impacts after both the U.S. and Japanese elections.
Tsai says that while the two major U.S. parties have some minor differences in policies, their Indo-Pacific strategy has shown continuity, with Biden’s policies building on Trump-era strategies. In response to legislators' concerns that differences in approaches, such as unilateralism versus multilateralism, could impact Taiwan’s trade, Tsai acknowledged this as a current focus. A Trump administration may push for a full economic decoupling from China, and impose higher tariffs on China, while the Harris team might hold a more reserved stance and lean toward “de-risking.”
When asked if Taiwan’s security agencies had engaged with representatives from both U.S. parties, Tsai declined to disclose details but confirmed that Taiwan traditionally maintains strong exchanges with U.S. officials across different parties and government branches. He also addressed concerns about Chinese disinformation campaigns during the U.S. election period, emphasizing that Taiwan is tracking such tactics and managing their impact.