讀後心得

In just two months since taking office, U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked widespread attention with his foreign policy, heightening the "pro-America skepticism" in Taiwan society. Although Trump appointed a Secretary of State and Defense Secretary who emphasize countering China, his stance on Taiwan policy remains unclear. The key focus areas for observing Taiwan-U.S. relations are defense, semiconductor, technology cooperation, and energy. First, the Taiwanese government hopes to raise its defense budget from 2.45% to 3%, but if Trump asks for an increase to 5%, it could put pressure on Taiwan's development. Second, the semiconductor industry faces challenges, and changes in the supply chain, including companies like TSMC, may impact the economy. Regarding technology cooperation, Taiwan needs to avoid the influence of Chinese technology to facilitate market integration with the U.S. Lastly, in terms of energy policy, the Democratic Progressive Party government's poor resource allocation may lead to shortages, increasing Taiwan's dependence on U.S. energy products. Against this backdrop, it remains to be seen whether the DPP government can negotiate reasonable interests and space for Taiwan.

Within less than three months of taking office, U.S. President Trump has sparked a shocking response with his foreign policy, which has also raised concerns within Taiwanese society. Although the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense appointed by Trump have not overlooked U.S.-Taiwan relations, he himself has rarely mentioned Taiwan, and his policy intentions regarding Taiwan seem unclear. Aside from the recent tariff disputes, the focus of U.S.-Taiwan relations can be observed in four major areas: defense, semiconductors, technological cooperation, and energy.

• Defense: The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government is working to increase the proportion of its related budget to GDP from about 2.45% this year to 3% (approximately NT$790 billion), which is about 25% of the central government's total budget. If the Trump administration demands Taiwan to raise its defense budget to 5% of GDP (about NT$1.3 trillion), this would dramatically increase the budget to 41%, which could be detrimental to Taiwan's overall development. The timing of U.S. arms sales may also be delayed, as although the Russia-Ukraine conflict appears to be easing, Trump is urging allies to increase defense spending, which could compress the timeline for Taiwan to acquire U.S.-made weapons.
• Semi-conductor Industry: The "Silicon Shield," which many Taiwanese people believe in, has now become a bargaining chip, and this card had already been handed over to the U.S. before Trump announced reciprocal tariffs. The transfer of TSMC and possibly other Taiwanese semiconductor supply chain manufacturers will impact Taiwan's future economic development and talent outflow, and could even lead to a decrease in recognition of Taiwan's importance by U.S. political figures.
• Technological Cooperation: There is already a certain foundation for cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan in areas such as artificial intelligence, perception chips, and big data. The U.S. has restricted the use of Chinese technology in the cooperation process, which will inevitably lead Taiwanese enterprises and talent to participate more deeply in the U.S.-led high-tech market. However, whether the U.S. will further prevent cross-strait cooperation in the mid-range market, putting Taiwan in a difficult position, is worth paying attention to.
• Energy Industry: The DPP government's energy allocation has problems, which may lead to energy shortages and affect the development of livelihoods and technology industries. The U.S. has hinted that the Taiwanese government could consider opening up to nuclear energy and purchasing American nuclear, petrochemical energy, and grid equipment, which would deepen Taiwan's reliance on the U.S. and potentially increase the number of transport vessels entering and exiting; if the People's Liberation Army continues military exercises near Taiwan, this could lead to minor tensions.

Overall, it remains to be seen whether the DPP government can objectively assess the situation and strive for sufficient space and benefits.