Bonnie S. Glaser

Ongoing geopolitical shifts are placing increased pressure on the rules-based international order that has facilitated decades of growth and development across the Indo-Pacific. The United States and Taiwan have responded by redoubling their respective commitments to the region. Leaders in both Washington and Taipei recognize that securing freedom and openness across this vast geographic space is essential for maintaining peace and promoting prosperity across the region.The United States has advanced its vision for the region through the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy, which is founded on—and aims to protect—common principles that have benefitted all countries in the region. Taiwan upholds the same principles and has a similar vision for the Indo-Pacific. To this end, Taipei is implementing the New Southbound Policy (NSP), which seeks to leverage its cultural, educational, technological, agricultural, and economic assets to strengthen Taiwan’s relations across the Indo-Pacific.

The complicated question of Taiwan’s sovereignty has led to its exclusion from virtually all international security organizations. This marginalization has left a critical hole not only in the security of Taiwan’s twenty-three million citizens, but also the world at large. Despite possessing both the means and intent to play a role as a responsible stakeholder, Taiwan can neither benefit from most international security bodies nor share its considerable reservoir of knowledge and expertise for the common good. This report highlights challenges to Taiwan’s ability to play a more active role in eight areas of international security: counterterrorism, law enforcement, maritime security, nuclear security, transportation security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, human security, and cybersecurity. The report also offers recommendations for expanding Taiwan’s participation in key international security organizations.

This report puts the issue of Taiwan’s challenges in expanding its international participation in the broader context of the cross-strait relationship and explains the policies of Taipei, Beijing, and Washington. It discusses Taiwan’s participation in international governmental and nongovernmental organizations and its progress in signing free trade agreements with other nations and joining the regional economic integration process. The report includes policy recommendations for Taiwan, Mainland China, and the United States to manage this issue in ways that protect and promote the interests of all three parties.