And in a world where deterrence increasingly depends on resilient economic networks rather than singular chokepoints, that may prove to be its most durable form.
There may be a misconception that China’s economic conditions are better than Taiwan, but when we compare the data, Taiwan’s workers are still better off than China.
Taiwan’s government should be watchful that China’s average wages were rising rapidly prior to its current economic downturn, and it should ensure that the minimum wage in Taiwan grows faster to uplift wages in general, if it wants to continue to stay ahead of China.
The silicon shield makes Taiwan indispensable to the global economy. A second shield must make Taiwan indispensable to sustained regional defense.
Threads has become something closer to a digital night market.
Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic space will not be preserved by symbolism or nostalgia, but by understanding how third-party constraints, especially those imposed by the United States, quietly structure decision making in the global south.