Media

Key Takeaways

• Neither Trump nor Harris has articulated a detailed approach to Taiwan. Both candidates see support for Taiwan as consistent with a broadly defined “tough on China” political agenda.
• Trump strengthened U.S.-Taiwan diplomatic and defense ties by increasing high-level visits, authorizing larger arms sales packages, and enhancing military-to-military engagement. The Biden-Harris administration maintained those practices but supplemented them with additional avenues of economic security cooperation and talks on trade.
• Trump and Harris have divergent views on Taiwan’s long-term value despite the overlap in their track records on bilateral relations. Harris would likely continue Biden’s efforts to deepen diplomatic, economic, and defense ties with the island, potentially including more work on trade. A reelected Trump could ramp up pressure on Taiwan firms to invest in U.S. manufacturing, levy higher tariffs, and make Taipei nervous about the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. Trump’s potential advisors, however, are more firmly pro-Taiwan than he is.