Balancing Engagement and Confrontation: Taiwan’s Strategic Approach to National Security

Taiwan has long faced security threats from China, with different ruling parties adopting either engagement or confrontation as their policy approaches, each having its supporters and specific contexts of applicability. As China’s threats intensify, Taiwan must seek a balance between engagement and confrontation while fostering domestic consensus. To this end, Taiwan should formulate a guiding National Security Strategy to help the public better understand the security environment. However, an overly detailed strategy could undermine deterrence effectiveness; therefore, issuing a concise version that preserves strategic ambiguity would be a feasible option to articulate national core interests, build societal consensus, and provide a foundation for adjusting cross-Strait policy.