Defending Taiwan

Abstract Defending Taiwan is the definitive book about the greatest geopolitical flashpoint of our generation. It presents the first integrated grand strategy for deterring a U.S.–China war over Taiwan, drawing on political, military, economic, and technological tools. Xi Jinping is seeking to seize Taiwan bloodlessly but coercively, paving the way for domination of the Indo-Pacific region and a new world order that favors China’s interests. To deter the United States from intervening, Xi is systematically preparing for war. Drawing on Chinese-language sources and primary research across several disciplines, Defending Taiwan systematically works through the key scenarios, including quarantines, blockades, and invasions, and shows how the United States can deter aggression and manage risk. Among many original policy ideas, the book proposes a new concept called structured ambiguity, which would threaten to revise America’s One China Policy under certain conditions. It shows how conventional military deterrence depends not only on advanced technology but also on industrial resilience and alliance integration. It recasts our understanding of strategic deterrence, extending it beyond nuclear weapons to include space, cyberspace, and emerging technology such as AI. Finally, the book offers an original vision for U.S. economic statecraft in peacetime and crisis. Economic deterrence should be rooted in an affirmative vision for sustaining coalition unity, cooperating with neutrals, and successfully achieving avalanche decoupling—not economic mutually assured destruction. More than a plan for avoiding war, Defending Taiwan sets out a grand strategy for America to outcompete China while securing an honorable and lasting peace.