Southeast Asia is under a relentless political warfare attack by China. Taiwan should play a major role in helping willing Southeast Asian countries successfully respond to this existential threat.
The Solomon Islands will decide in less than 100 days whether to break relations with Taiwan in favor of China, a sign of growing efforts by China towards Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic partners in the Pacific.
In establishing itself as a champion of religious freedom, and in distinguishing its record from that of China, Taiwan can garner more international support for its continued de facto independence.
Beijing’s intense pressure may be the reason for Carrie Lam’s reckless decision to revive the idea of an extradition law. The ongoing political crisis in Hong Kong will likely have implications for Taiwan and beyond.
For the prospects of even greater US-Taiwan space cooperation in the future, the challenges for Taiwan include US export control, the Missile Technology Control Regime, and the difficulty in scaling up Taiwan’s space industry.