Taiwan's vice president: US ties are solid; China's political warfare has four goals

Sep 21, 2026

Taiwan says its relationship with the US remains solid despite Trump's refusal to commit to defending the island, while warning that China is running a four-pronged campaign to weaken Taiwanese confidence from within — a cautious, reassuring message for Taiwan and its allies.

  • Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim says US officials have repeatedly confirmed that American policy on Taiwan has not changed, even after Trump's May meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing and his comments declining to promise a defense of Taiwan.
  • The US is Taiwan's most important security partner, and the economic link is deepening too: America is now a major destination for Taiwanese investment, especially in tech.
  • China's political warfare against Taiwan has four aims: undermine faith in democracy, in the government and the ruling DPP, in the military's ability to defend the island, and in the US-Taiwan relationship.
  • Much of this runs through disinformation and increasingly sophisticated cognitive warfare, but Taiwan's civil society and independent fact-checkers are pushing back, and democratic defenses must keep strengthening.
  • Approved US arms sales are moving ahead, with the legislature backing the budget and the government now working through funding and delivery.

Outlook: Taiwan will keep leaning on the US and building its own defenses, with the pace of investment set by China's military posture and its willingness to use force.

← Latest · Archive