Taiwan’s Economic Statecraft and the future of Liberal International Order

Abstract

Over the last decade, China has punished countries that undermine its territorial claims and foreign policy goals with measures such as restricting trade, encouraging popular boycotts, and cutting off tourism. These coercive measures have caused significant economic damage to U.S. partners such as Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Australia. This talk focuses on Taiwan’s response to China’s economic sanctions, highlighting the agency of medium-sized countries in the shadow of a great power.

The second part of this presentation will propose a common understanding of the liberal international order in which state and non-state actors follow rules, norms, and legal procedures in conducting international affairs. This rule-based practice is an essential part of the Asian regional order. If Taiwan were integrated into the multilateral institutions in Asia, the chance of conflict would be greatly reduced. The future of Taiwan also depends on the resilience of the liberal international order and other middle-power states in the Asia Pacific.

Bio

Christina Lai is an Associate Research Fellow in the Institute of Political Science at Academia Sinica, Taiwan. Dr. Lai received her Ph.D. in Government from Georgetown University. In 2015-2016, she was a post-doctoral fellow in China and the World Program at Princeton University. She is interested in U.S.-China-Taiwan Relations, Chinese Foreign Policy, East Asian politics, and Qualitative Research Methods. Her works have appeared in the Politics, International Politics, Political Science, PS: Political Science & Politics, Journal of Contemporary China, Pacific Review, and Asian Security.

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