Resilient Island to Partner: Taiwan’s Civil Defense & Disaster Response

Taiwan lives under constant pressure from the People’s Republic of China: Beijing continues to rely on a range of gray-zone coercion tactics – to include military intimidation, economic pressure, and cyberattacks – and it has not ruled out blockade or invasion. These threats could cut power, communications, and supply lines at the same moment. Defending Taiwan depends on not only its military and government, but also on citizens knowing what to do when a crisis hits. Public awareness of that reality still lags behind the threat.

Moreover, natural phenomena constantly challenge Taiwan: Typhoon Champi, one of the strongest tropical cyclons of 2026, has swept across Taiwan in October, impacting travel and business activity, killing at least one person, and leaving thousands of households without power. Even though Taiwan is generally well prepared for typhoons and other disasters, the question remains as to whether or not that same readiness extends to a crisis that is man-made, deliberate, and far more disruptive.

In this regard, years of confronting natural disasters and security threats have given Taiwan real expertise in crisis response. This expertise is now robust enough to work alongside the United States and other international partners, and to be shared abroad as a form of diplomacy and development cooperation.

This panel will bring together experts from the United States and Taiwan to consider Taiwan’s level of resilience for disaster response, and what it still needs to do. The discussion will cover civil defense and deterrence; lessons that Taiwan’s civil society organizations have learned from the “front lines” of emergency response; US-Taiwan cooperation; and resilience as diplomacy.

Speakers:

• Aaron Huang, Director of International Affairs, Kuma Academy
• I-Chen Liu, Asia Pacific Program Officer for the NGO ARTICLE 19 and Visiting Fellow at the Global Taiwan Institute
• Amanda Hsiao, Distinguished Hu Chair in Taiwan Policy, RAND
• Katie Sizemore, International Affairs Fellow in National Security, Council on Foreign Relations
• Aaron Van Alestine, Senior Programs Manager, Pan American Development Foundation

Moderator: Jessica Shiao, Research Associate, Global Taiwan Institute

The event will be held at GTI’s office located at 1836 Jefferson Place NW in Washington, DC (approximately one block from the Dupont Circle Metro). Doors will open at 11:00 AM, and the event will begin at 11:15 AM. Light brunch food will be provided. Please direct questions or concerns to Senior Programs Manager Abby Fu at afu@globaltaiwan.org.

**Media: Please contact Ben Levine at blevine@globaltaiwan.org if you would like to bring additional crew members or equipment, so that we can be sure to accommodate you.

This event is supported by a grant from the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy.