Last week, Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy diverged – publicly and dramatically – on America’s role in ensuring Ukraine’s sovereignty. This week, many nations that have looked to the United States for a level of protection are wondering if they might be next.
Perhaps nowhere are the changing calculations over global security more urgent than in Taiwan. China’s threat of invading the island state grows more menacing by the day.
Already, Taiwan’s strategy for dealing with Mr. Trump shows signs of shifting. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s top manufacturer of computer chips, plans to build more facilities in the U.S.
As President Trump alters America’s role in global security, could Taiwan be next? If so, it might be protected by a defense beyond bombs or bullets.
Clearly, Taiwan can see the way the wind is blowing. Mr. Trump saw peace in Ukraine as inextricably linked to his demand for a share of its rare minerals as payment for assistance. Taiwan’s greatest economic resource is its semiconductors. It produces some 90% of the world’s most advanced microchips. Without these chips, many aspects of modern life would grind to a near halt.
And therein lies Taiwan’s great power. Like many nations, Taiwan is ramping up defense spending amid rising uncertainties over security. But its best defense may lie in “what is sometimes known as its “silicon shield.”
For Ukraine, its greatest weapons have been its ingenuity and courage. Its thriving tech culture has provided cybersecurity and a fleet of ingenious drones, while its spirit has struck a defiant note at home and on the battlefield.
The same is true in Taiwan. The silicon shield is not just an economic boon; it binds Taiwan to much of the world in mutual dependence and cooperation – even with China. Much of that comes from the values that drive TSMC – integrity, commitment, innovation, and trust from customers – values that the firm says account for its success.
Because of China’s attempts to isolate Taiwan, “We don’t have so many countries who we consider friends,” Cheng-Wen Wu, Taiwan’s science and technology minister, told the Financial Times. “But then, because of TSMC, Japan and Germany became more friendly to us.” The same is true in the U.S., he added.
Mr. Trump once claimed Taiwan “took” almost all of America’s chip industry. The reality is that “Taiwan simply outcompeted other countries,” Raymond Kuo of the Rand Corp. told The Guardian.
Through innovation, Taiwan has built its strongest defense.