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Taiwan’s authorities expect the administration of US President Donald Trump to continue to provide military and diplomatic support to the island in the event of an escalation of the conflict with China. This was stated by Deputy Secretary General of the National Security Council of Taiwan Hsieh-Chien Hsieh during the Raisina Dialogue conference in New Delhi, Bloomberg News reports.
“We need the support of the United States to purchase the most modern weapons and train our military. And they are doing it,” he stressed.
Betting on your own defence
Xu stressed that Taiwan does not expect the United States or anyone else to fight for it:
“We will wage our own war,” he said, noting that in the event of a Chinese amphibious attack, the island’s defence systems are capable of fighting back.
According to him, Taiwan is focused on strengthening its defence capabilities, in particular on building a missile shield to protect key strategic facilities.
US support: can we rely on it?
The issue of Washington’s military assistance has become particularly acute amid changing US geopolitical priorities. Taiwan is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine, where the Trump administration is trying to reach a truce with Russia, raising concerns about a possible change in approaches to other international partners.
Although the US has accelerated the supply of arms to Taiwan, this process has slowed in previous years due to Washington’s predominant focus on supporting Ukraine after Russia’s invasion. In this regard, Taipei is increasingly aware of the need to guarantee its own security.
China’s global ambitions
Xu also stressed that Beijing is keen to demonstrate its military strength, as evidenced by the recent Chinese naval exercises off the coast of Australia. According to him, China wants to establish itself as a global power capable of competing with the United States, and Taiwan is at the centre of this rivalry.
At the same time, he stressed that security and stability in the Taiwan Strait are in the strategic interests of the United States and its allies in the region.
Prospects for economic cooperation with India
In addition to security issues, Taiwan is also seeking to expand trade ties with India. Xu noted that India’s high import tariffs are a serious barrier for Taiwanese companies, and Taipei is interested in negotiating their reduction.
“We have a strong intention to hold trade talks with India. Its tariff policy is a serious challenge for Taiwanese businesses,” he stressed.
New Delhi is gradually reducing some tariffs, in particular under pressure from the United States, which plans to impose retaliatory duties on Indian goods from 2 April. Taiwan hopes that this process will open up new opportunities for cooperation.
What’s next?
Taiwan continues to balance the need to strengthen military cooperation with the United States with the awareness of the need to counter threats from China on its own. The question of Washington’s support remains open, especially amid changes in the Trump administration’s global policy.
Will Taiwan be able to maintain US support while strengthening its own security? The answer to this question will be crucial in the coming years.
