America’s Taiwan Dilemma: Allies’ Reactions and the Stakes for US Reputation

Cambria Rapid Communications in Conflict and Security Series (Editor: Thomas G. Mahnken; Founding Editor: Geoffrey R. H. Burn)

America’s Taiwan Dilemma: Allies’ Reactions and the Stakes for US Reputation offers a rigorous open-source analysis of how America’s key allies-Japan, South Korea, and Australia-would respond to US intervention or inaction in a Taiwan conflict. If Beijing attempts to forcibly annex Taiwan, Washington’s decisions will have far-reaching consequences for its credibility in East Asia and beyond. Yet, the long-term implications of these choices on America’s alliances and global standing remain largely unexamined-until now.

Based on over 100 interviews with leading experts from Japan, South Korea, Australia, Taiwan, and the United States, this book provides unparalleled insight into how America’s allies view the stakes in a Taiwan contingency. It captures, in their own words, their perspectives-sometimes contradictory but consistently pragmatic-as they grapple with their reliance on the United States as a distant security guarantor and their unease with an increasingly assertive China nearby.

The book identifies both common ground and divisions among allies, examining how domestic politics, threat perceptions, and regional dynamics shape their expectations of Washington. By analyzing these complexities, America’s Taiwan Dilemma explores how US policies to deter China align-or conflict-with strategies to maintain its alliances in the Indo-Pacific.

Essential reading for policymakers, scholars, and security analysts, this book provides critical insights into the future of US alliances and credibility amid rising tensions across the Taiwan Strait, offering a roadmap for understanding America’s role in shaping regional stability.