Strengthening Resilience in Taiwan

There is a lack of U.S. and international attention to systematically assessing Taiwan’s resilience and developing a comprehensive assistance plan to improve it. Taiwan’s geopolitical, technological, and economic importance in the Indo-Pacific region has made it a focal point of U.S. strategic interests, especially in countering Chinese influence and aggression. Taiwan has taken important steps to strengthen resilience over the last several years. However, the threat it faces is significant, and it falls short in many important dimensions of resilience. The question of the readiness and resolve of Taiwan’s civilian population to resist in the event of foreign aggression also remains concerning.

To help improve resilience in Taiwan, this report contains specific recommendations in such areas as (1) raising threat awareness among the people of Taiwan through a more systematic strategic communications plan; (2) improving ties to the private sector, including companies involved in critical infrastructure; (3) bolstering Taiwan’s energy infrastructure, especially in such areas as the power grid; and (4) increasing strategic reserves and redundancy of food and energy. These and other steps would not only help strengthen Taiwan’s will and ability to resist external pressure, influence, and potential invasion but also bolster deterrence by raising the costs and risks for an aggressor, reducing the overall risk of conflict.

This report was made possible by the generous support of the CSIS Strategic Investment Fund.