Formosan Association for Public Affairs

Formosan Association for Public Affairs FAPA is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that seeks to build worldwide support for Taiwan. Promote peace and security for Taiwan; and

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Established in 1982 in Los Angeles, the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) is a world-wide, Washington headquartered, non-profit organization that aims to:

1. Promote international support for the right of the people of Taiwan to establish an independent and democratic country and join the international community;

2. Promote relations and cooperation between Taiwan and the United Sta

tes;

3. Protect the right of self-determination for the people of Taiwan;

4. Advance the rights and interests of Taiwanese communities throughout the world.

Mark your calendars! 🗓️✨We are thrilled to announce that FAPA’s 45th Anniversary Gala is happening in Taiwan! Join us fo...
08/14/2026

Mark your calendars! 🗓️✨

We are thrilled to announce that FAPA’s 45th Anniversary Gala is happening in Taiwan! Join us for an unforgettable evening as we honor generations of dedicated advocacy for a free, democratic, and secure Taiwan. 🫶

Stay tuned for more updates!

📍 Taipei Marriott Hotel, Taiwan
🗓️ February 14, 2027
⏰ 5:00 PM

Han Kuang Exercises Test U.S.-Style Command Practices and All-Out Defense MobilizationㅤThe live-fire portion of Taiwan’s...
08/10/2026

Han Kuang Exercises Test U.S.-Style Command Practices and All-Out Defense Mobilization
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The live-fire portion of Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang military exercises is running from August 5 to 14. For the first time, the drills feature deliberate mobile internet slowdowns to simulate enemy attacks on communications networks. They are also examining how Taiwan would respond to mounting Chinese military pressure, amid concerns that Beijing is rehearsing blockade tactics aimed at severing Taiwan’s Pacific supply lines from its allies and partners.

The Han Kuang exercises have served as Taiwan’s primary war games since 1984 and are intended to test the nation’s combat readiness in the event of a possible Chinese invasion. This year’s drills are designed to be more realistic, unscripted, and decentralized, in response to past criticisms that earlier exercises were too highly staged.
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2026 Han Kuang Priorities

• Decentralized Command and U.S.-Style Training
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, this year’s exercises focus on decentralization and a transition toward unscripted, live-fire training. Following U.S. advice, the military has not shared the full exercise plans with its field officers to better gauge their real-time reactions to unexpected battlefield scenarios. Taiwan’s military is also incorporating key U.S.-style rehearsal methods, including backbriefs, to empower front-line troops to become active decision-makers during combat.

• Expanded Reserve and Civilian Mobilization
Taiwan’s military has called up more than 20,000 reservists, who are conducting a variety of training missions, including coastal defense. Separate exercises are also testing civilian vehicle requisitions to support wartime operations.

• Advanced Combat and Coastal Defense Capabilities
Taiwan’s newly deployed U.S.-made M1A2T Abrams tanks are participating in the Han Kuang exercises for the first time. The tanks are assigned to defend strategic locations in northern Taiwan, including beaches, critical infrastructure, and command centers, following the arrival in April of the final shipment of an order for 108 tanks. The exercises also feature the newly inaugurated Littoral Combat Command, established on July 1 to integrate the Taiwan Navy’s anti-ship missiles, coastal defense forces, mobile radar, and unmanned systems into a single unified command.

• Critical Infrastructure Resilience
Blockage drills are being staged at the recently opened Danjiang Bridge to simulate slowing an enemy advance toward Taipei’s central government district. Located in New Taipei, the bridge provides a key route into the capital, home to the Presidential Office and other major political and economic infrastructure sites. In another first for Taiwan, mobile network bandwidth is being deliberately reduced to simulate enemy attacks on communications infrastructure.
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Implications

The 2026 Han Kuang exercises reflect a broader shift in Taiwan’s defense training toward more realistic and decentralized preparations for a potential Chinese invasion. By introducing U.S.-style command practices and putting both military and civilian systems through unscripted wartime scenarios, the exercises demonstrate Taiwan’s serious commitment to defense preparedness. They also reinforce a whole-of-society approach to resilience and deterrence.

The drills further underscore the important role that U.S. security assistance and defense cooperation continue to play in strengthening Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities and maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
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Sources:

[1] Focus Taiwan
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202608020004

[2] Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-launches-major-war-games-test-command-flexibility-2026-08-05/

[3] Taipei Times
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2026/08/06/2003862018

[4] Focus Taiwan
https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202608100019
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Photos: CNA

FAPA is pleased to announce our 2027 Emerging Leader Program - Taiwan Trek Join us for the info sessionInfo session I: A...
08/05/2026

FAPA is pleased to announce our 2027 Emerging Leader Program - Taiwan Trek

Join us for the info session
Info session I: Aug 19, 2026 7 PM EST
Info session II: Aug 26, 2026 7 PM EST

Sign up: https://forms.gle/epC2xPA9r4JLs3GV8

U.S. Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Counter PRC’s Growing Gray-Zone AggressionㅤOn July 29, 2026, U.S. Senators Ta...
08/03/2026

U.S. Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Counter PRC’s Growing Gray-Zone Aggression
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On July 29, 2026, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the bipartisan “Countering Gray-Zone Aggression by the People’s Republic of China Act” (S.5160). The legislation aims to bolster U.S. monitoring and deterrence capabilities to counter the PRC’s intensifying use of “gray-zone tactics” against Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific partners.

The bill defines “gray-zone tactics” as activities short of open warfare that advance a state’s interests while avoiding kinetic military responses through a mix of diplomatic, economic, informational, and paramilitary tools.
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Taiwan at the Center of PRC’s Aggression

The bill identifies Taiwan as a primary target of the PRC’s gray-zone tactics, citing the increased frequency of Chinese vessel incursions into national waters, airspace incursions, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and economic coercion.

Crucially, the legislation highlights that Beijing employs these tactics with the specific purpose of coercing Taiwan into so-called “reunification” by gradually eroding Taiwan’s political cohesion, economic independence, and societal confidence without triggering kinetic escalation.

In their official press release, Senator Duckworth underscored, “Increasing PRC aggression in the Indo-Pacific doesn’t just impact our partners in the region—it threatens America’s economic and national security.”

“This legislation would strengthen our ability to counter the CCP’s malign geopolitical interests and its increasingly aggressive tactics in the Indo-Pacific,” Senator Blackburn added.
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Key Measures to Counter PRC Gray-Zone Activities

The legislation contains key provisions to monitor, expose, deter, and counter PRC gray-zone activities. Specifically, the bill:

• Directs the Secretary of State to submit a strategy to better monitor and publicly expose PRC gray-zone tactics, while explicitly permitting the strategy to prioritize efforts to counter PRC activities in the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific.

• Mandates the establishment of an interagency task force to track, formulate, and strengthen tools to counter and mitigate gray-zone operations, evaluate progress toward the strategy’s objectives and performance indicators, and submit annual public reports to Congress.

• Instructs the Department of State to identify additional key areas for collaboration with U.S. Indo-Pacific allies and partners, the private sector, and academia to enhance collective capabilities to deter PRC gray-zone activities.
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Implications

The bill reflects a more concrete and institutionalized U.S. response to the PRC’s growing gray-zone pressure and operations in the Indo-Pacific. It closely aligns with Senator Duckworth’s advocacy during the 2026 Taiwan International Ocean Forum in Taipei earlier in July, where she urged like-minded democracies to actively exercise their freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait and resolutely reject Beijing’s coercive attempts to establish a “new normal” in the waters surrounding Taiwan.

If enacted, the legislation would require the U.S. government to formulate a more cohesive strategy and action plan to counter Beijing’s gray-zone tactics in close coordination with U.S. allies and partners. Furthermore, it would also strengthen the U.S. response through a dedicated interagency task force, along with annual assessments and public reports to Congress, aimed at exposing PRC coercion and holding Beijing accountable.
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Sources:

[1] Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s Office
https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-blackburn-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-counter-peoples-republic-of-chinas-gray-zone-aggression-against-indo-pacific-partners

[2] S.5160 (Countering Gray Zone Aggression by the PRC Act; See the Full Text)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5160
https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/countering_gray_zone_aggression_by_the_prc_act.pdf

[3] Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA)
https://fapa.org/2026-0713-democracies-condemn-beijings-nuclear-capable-slbm-test-taiwan-international-ocean-forum-calls-for-greater-maritime-resilience/
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Photos: CNA; Wikimedia Commons

AIT Signals Deeper U.S.-Taiwan Coast Guard Ties Amid Rising Chinese Maritime PressureㅤOn July 28, 2026, the American Ins...
08/03/2026

AIT Signals Deeper U.S.-Taiwan Coast Guard Ties Amid Rising Chinese Maritime Pressure
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On July 28, 2026, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) publicly released, for the first time, a photograph showing U.S. and Taiwanese coast guard vessels operating side by side. The image depicts Taiwan’s 4,000-tonne Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessel Taipei (CG5005) sailing alongside the U.S. Coast Guard’s 4,500-tonne Legend-class cutter USCGC Midgett (WMSL-757).

AIT’s post stated that “the United States Coast Guard and the Taiwan Coast Guard are busy coordinating on shared maritime objectives, such as search and rescue, preparing for tropical storms, disaster relief, preserving maritime resources, countering illegal fishing, and interdicting illegal drug shipments at sea.”
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International Pushback Against China’s Destabilizing Maritime Operations

The release came amid growing international concern over China’s recent “special maritime law enforcement operations” east of Taiwan. On June 24, 2026, the representative offices of the U.K., France, and Germany in Taipei issued a joint statement expressing concern over “novel Chinese activity in the waters east of Taiwan” and reiterating their opposition to “any unilateral change to the status quo,” particularly “by threat or use of force or coercion.”

On August 1, a U.S. Department of State spokesperson criticized Chinese Coast Guard activity east of Taiwan as “deeply destabilizing.” “By asserting authority over maritime areas that Taiwan has peacefully administered for over 70 years, China only exacerbates tensions,” the spokesperson said, adding, “We urge Beijing to cease its pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan’s democratically elected authorities.”
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Why It Matters

Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said AIT’s proactive release of the photo demonstrates that the U.S. fully recognizes that the Taiwan Coast Guard is the sole legitimate law enforcement agency in Taiwan’s waters and the exclusive partner for U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement cooperation in those waters.

Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific Program at the German Marshall Fund, said AIT’s post conveyed a message from Washington that “Taiwan is an important partner” and that “the United States is committed to working alongside Taiwan to promote shared objectives.” She added that the message reassured Taiwan and its people that they are not alone while warning Beijing that its attempts to isolate and bully Taiwan will not succeed.

Chen Wen-chia (陳文甲), a Taiwanese national defense strategy expert, noted that AIT’s post also reflected growing “paramilitary cooperation” between the U.S. and Taiwan. While the two sides lack formal military ties, such cooperation provides greater operational flexibility and facilitates intelligence sharing.
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Implications

Deterring the escalation of China’s gray-zone coercion requires the U.S. to work closely with allies and partners to counter Beijing’s activities at sea and in the air, said Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and an expert on Indo-Pacific security.

Taiwan’s frontline experience and growing maritime law enforcement capabilities make it an indispensable partner in addressing these challenges. Continued U.S.-Taiwan cooperation will remain critical to strengthening regional resilience, preserving peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific, and safeguarding Taiwan’s democratic sovereignty against China’s coercion.
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Sources:

[1] American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Official page
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19CvRHbuzV/

[2] Focus Taiwan
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202607290009

[3] Focus Taiwan
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202606240011

[4] Taipei Times
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2026/08/03/2003861830

[5] Taipei Times
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2026/07/29/2003861554

[6] Central News Agency (CNA)
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202607290018.aspx
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Photos: AIT Official page; Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration

Taiwan Unveils Quadruped Robots to Strengthen Defense and Societal ResilienceㅤBetween June and July 2026, Taiwan publicl...
07/27/2026

Taiwan Unveils Quadruped Robots to Strengthen Defense and Societal Resilience
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Between June and July 2026, Taiwan publicly showcased two separate quadruped robotics initiatives advancing both national defense and civilian resilience applications. The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) demonstrated military-specific quadruped prototypes, while the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) presented a domestically developed quadruped robot platform designed for industrial inspection, navigation, and emergency response.
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NCSIST Unveils Military Quadruped Prototypes

On June 2, 2026, NCSIST unveiled three military-specific robot dog prototypes designed for surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat support missions. Based on the Vision 60 quadruped robot developed by U.S.-based Ghost Robotics, the prototypes integrate NCSIST-developed systems that provide intelligence-gathering, patrol, and monitoring capabilities. The robot dog systems are being produced in Taiwan under U.S. technology licensing, reflecting Taiwan’s efforts to localize production and system integration.

The three prototypes include a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) and thermal-imaging model, an electro-optical reconnaissance model, and an armed model equipped with an NCSIST-developed remote-controlled weapon station. Their potential missions include security patrols, facility surveillance, nighttime monitoring, coastal defense, airfield security, riot control, and urban warfare. These robot dogs can also network with one another to share information and coordinate operations.
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Building Taiwan’s Robotics Supply Chain

On July 8, 2026, MOEA announced a domestically developed quadruped robot platform created by ITRI in collaboration with key Taiwanese industry partners. Designed for industrial inspection, autonomous navigation, firefighting, and disaster response, the platform integrates technologies spanning core components, key modules, full-machine control, and AI software, thereby enabling Taiwanese companies to develop domestic modules and prototypes.

The initiative is designed to accelerate quadruped robot development and commercialization. It also aims to strengthen Taiwan’s presence in the global industrial quadruped robot market, which is projected to exceed US$4 billion by 2035. It leverages Taiwan’s strengths in information and communications technology (ICT), semiconductors, and precision machinery to develop indigenous technologies and build a non-China supply chain for critical components.
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Implications

The parallel development of military and civilian quadruped robotic systems demonstrates how Taiwan is leveraging its technological and manufacturing strengths to advance autonomous technologies for both defense and civilian applications.

As Taiwan faces growing military pressure from China, expanding the deployment of unmanned systems will strengthen its self-defense capabilities by reducing personnel exposure to high-risk environments, improving operational flexibility, and enhancing overall societal resilience in a potential conflict.

At the same time, developing a trusted, non-China robotics supply chain can position Taiwan as a reliable partner in next-generation autonomous technologies while reinforcing its long-term defense and industrial resilience.
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Sources:

[1] Focus Taiwan
https://focustaiwan.tw/sci-tech/202606020019

[2] Taipei Times
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2026/07/12/2003860603
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Photos: CNA

TSMC’s US$100 Billion U.S. Expansion Deepens Bilateral Industrial IntegrationㅤOn July 16, 2026, Taiwan Semiconductor Man...
07/20/2026

TSMC’s US$100 Billion U.S. Expansion Deepens Bilateral Industrial Integration
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On July 16, 2026, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) announced a landmark additional US$100 billion investment in its Arizona operations. According to TSMC Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei (魏哲家), the new commitment will fund four additional leading-edge wafer fabrication plants and advanced packaging facilities. The announcement brings TSMC’s total planned U.S. investment to US$265 billion.

U.S. officials, including U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene, welcomed TSMC’s investment for strengthening supply chain resilience and creating high-paying American jobs.
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AI Demand Accelerates Taiwanese Investment in the U.S.

Surging AI demand is accelerating TSMC’s U.S. expansion. At TSMC’s second-quarter earnings conference, Wei highlighted “very strong signal and positive outlook” from major cloud service providers, reaffirming TSMC’s confidence in a “multi-year AI megatrend.” He added that agentic AI and rapid data center construction are driving massive demand for advanced silicon, CPUs, and AI accelerators.

Beyond TSMC, Taiwan’s broader technology sector is also scaling up U.S. operations. In May, 20 Taiwanese companies — spanning semiconductor suppliers and AI server manufacturers — expressed interest in investing a combined US$35 billion in the United States.

Taiwan’s government has also introduced measures to support companies investing in the U.S., including a government-backed financing guarantee mechanism with an initial US$1.375 billion financing pool. Applications for the credit guarantees are expected to open as early as this July.
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Urgent Double-Tax Relief for Deeper Economic Integration

TSMC’s latest U.S. expansion reflects a broader shift in U.S.-Taiwan economic relations toward deeper, long-term integration in investment and advanced manufacturing. Yet, the bilateral policy framework has not kept pace with this rapidly expanding economic relationship.

Taiwan remains the only top-ten U.S. trading partner without a bilateral tax agreement. The lack of bilateral double-tax relief poses a severe structural challenge, raising costs for Taiwanese firms operating in the U.S., with some estimated to face effective tax burdens of up to 51% on U.S. profits.

FAPA therefore urges the U.S. Senate to swiftly pass the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act (S.199), whose House companion (H.R.33) passed by an overwhelming 423–1 vote in January 2025. Enacting the legislation would provide treaty-like tax relief and remove a major competitive disadvantage facing Taiwan.
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Sources:

[1] Focus Taiwan
https://focustaiwan.tw/business/202607160019

[2] Focus Taiwan
https://focustaiwan.tw/business/202607170005

[3] Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/tsmcs-second-quarter-profit-seen-hitting-record-ai-boom-2026-07-15/

[4] Taipei Times
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2026/05/08/2003856940

[5] Focus Taiwan
https://focustaiwan.tw/business/202606120016

[6] Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA)
https://fapa.org/2026-0119-double-tax-relief-needed-after-taiwan-tariff-pact/

[7] S.199 / H.R.33 (United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/199
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/33
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Photos: CNA

U.S. House Passes FY27 NSRP Appropriations Bill, Reinforcing Support for TaiwanㅤOn July 15, 2026, the U.S. House of Repr...
07/20/2026

U.S. House Passes FY27 NSRP Appropriations Bill, Reinforcing Support for Taiwan
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On July 15, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the $47.32 billion Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP) Appropriations Act (H.R.8595) in a 217-209 vote.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) emphasized that the bill maintains strong support for key allies, including Taiwan, while countering threats from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and other adversaries.
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Key Taiwan-Related Provisions

The legislation includes several critical provisions that support Taiwan and bolster stability in the Indo-Pacific.

• Defense Support: Provides at least $500 million under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) Program to assist Taiwan in acquiring U.S. defense articles, services, and training. It also directs the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, to prioritize the delivery of defense articles and services to Taiwan.

• Taiwan “Honest Maps”: Prohibits funds made available by the Act from being used to create, procure, or display any map that inaccurately depicts Taiwan’s territory and social and economic system, or the islands administered by Taiwan authorities.

• Countering PRC’s Global Influence: Provides no less than $1.8 billion to advance U.S. national security interests in the Indo-Pacific, including at least $400 million for a dedicated Countering PRC Influence Fund. It also prohibits foreign governments from using funds provided under this Act to repay debts owed to Communist China.

• Leveraging U.S. Bilateral Aid: Directs the Secretary of State to review foreign governments’ UN voting records and their support for Taiwan’s participation as an observer in multilateral agencies, bodies, or commissions when considering U.S. bilateral assistance for a foreign government.
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Implications

The bill signals a more operational approach to supporting Taiwan. It provides direct military financing and incorporates foreign governments’ support for Taiwan as a factor in U.S. bilateral aid decisions. The dedicated Countering PRC Influence Fund and the Taiwan “Honest Maps” provision further counter Beijing’s global coercion.

Taken together, the legislation reflects continued congressional support for Taiwan’s self-defense and international participation while underscoring Taiwan’s strategic importance to U.S. national security interests in the Indo-Pacific.
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Sources:

[1] Taipei Times
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2026/07/16/2003860850

[2] H.R.8595 (FY27 NSRP Appropriations Bill)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8595

[3] House Appropriations Committee
https://appropriations.house.gov/news/remarks/cole-floor-remarks-hr-8595-national-security-department-state-and-related-programs
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Photos: CNA; Wikimedia Commons

📢 GOOD NEWS: WE’VE EXTENDED “SHARE OUR VOICE” CAMPAIGN UNTIL JULY 31! 📢 Thanks to the incredible wave of responses from ...
07/16/2026

📢 GOOD NEWS: WE’VE EXTENDED “SHARE OUR VOICE” CAMPAIGN UNTIL JULY 31! 📢

Thanks to the incredible wave of responses from our community to FAPA and TAA-USA‘s “Share Our Voice” campaign! The National Asian Pacific American Museum Commission has officially extended its public comment period to July 31.

Our voices are making a difference! Let’s seize this extension as a golden opportunity to secure accurate museum maps of Taiwan and ensure that Taiwanese Americans’ unique history, democratic journey, and distinct identity are recognized.

🎯 Let’s use this extra two weeks to make a massive impact. Take these 3 simple actions today:

📝 1. Submit your public comment by July 31 👉 https://reurl.cc/ep4nnj

🔥 2. Need help answering the questions? Feel free to copy and paste our suggested answers 👉 https://reurl.cc/Ga9ZXA

📣 3. Share this with your family, friends, and local chapters immediately! 👥

Every single comment helps ensure our history is told correctly. Let’s keep pushing until the very end! 🤝

📢 好消息：「Share Our Voice」活動延長至 7 月 31 日！ 📢

感謝大家踴躍響應 FAPA 和全美台灣同鄉會發起的「Share Our Voice」活動！在台美人社群的積極參與下，國家亞太裔博物館委員會已將公眾意見徵詢期限延長至 7 月 31 日！

我們的聲音已帶來改變，但行動尚未結束！請大家確保提交意見並繼續分享，讓我們一起推動博物館的地圖正確標示台灣，並確保台美人的獨特歷史、民主歷程與身份認同被完整呈現！

🎯 把握延長的最後兩週，立即完成 3 個簡單步驟：

📝 1. 7 月 31 日前提交意見書 👉 https://reurl.cc/ep4nnj

🔥 2. 不知道怎麼回答？請參考我們的回答建議，歡迎直接複製貼上送出 👉 https://reurl.cc/mpmWAV

📣 3. 立即分享給親朋好友！ 👥

每一份意見都是讓台美人的故事與貢獻被看見的關鍵力量，讓我們堅持到最後一刻！🤝

Taiwan International Ocean Forum Calls for Collective Maritime Resilience to Counter China’s Gray-Zone AggressionㅤOn Jul...
07/13/2026

Taiwan International Ocean Forum Calls for Collective Maritime Resilience to Counter China’s Gray-Zone Aggression
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On July 8, 2026, the Taiwan International Ocean Forum opened in Taipei, bringing together participants from 15 countries, including more than 100 experts from government, industry, academia, and research institutions, as well as international lawmakers. Centered on the theme of “Maritime Resilience,” the forum serves as a crucial platform for high-level dialogue on Indo-Pacific maritime security and regional cooperation.

Amid rising regional tensions, the forum focused on Beijing’s expanding gray-zone activities and aggression, including the China Coast Guard’s unilateral “law enforcement patrols” in waters around Taiwan and across the wider Indo-Pacific, as well as the sabotage of undersea communications cables involving China-affiliated vessels.

Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) warned that these incremental tactics risk creating an entirely new “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, underscoring the need for closer international cooperation to strengthen maritime resilience and safeguard regional stability.
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International Lawmakers Urge Robust Collective Maritime Deterrence

U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) attended the forum during her visit to Taiwan, where she and British Member of Parliament Tom Tugendhat warned that China is using coast guard enforcement and other coercive tools to establish a “new normal” in waters east of Taiwan and across the South China Sea, in violation of existing maritime law.

Highlighting recent Chinese Coast Guard patrols that required commercial vessels transiting waters east of Taiwan to report their destinations, Duckworth stressed that countries must steadfastly exercise their freedom of navigation rights.

She argued that like-minded partners should collectively assert their right to transit the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law and resolutely reject Beijing’s attempts to establish a foothold for a different maritime order through coercive actions.
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Strategic Implications

The forum underscores that diplomatic rhetoric alone is no longer sufficient to preserve peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific. Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) Executive Director Luke de Pulford warned that while G7 statements have helped raise awareness, governments have yet to develop meaningful deterrence or reach an international agreement on the “red lines” that would trigger coordinated international action.

Taken together, the discussions at the forum further highlighted the growing urgency of closer maritime cooperation and practical policy coordination among Taiwan and like-minded democracies. Such collaboration is vital to uphold freedom of navigation, defend the rules-based maritime order, and prevent Beijing from normalizing coercive changes to the status quo.
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Sources:

[1] Taiwan International Ocean Forum Agenda
https://www.tiof2026.tw/en/agenda.php

[2] Taipei Times
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2026/07/09/2003860448

[3] Radio Taiwan International (RTI)
https://www.rti.org.tw/en/news?uid=3&pid=219423

[4] Focus Taiwan
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202607080009

[5] Taipei Times
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2026/07/09/2003860457
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Photos: Taipei Times; CNA

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