A Question of Time: Enhancing Taiwan's Conventional Deterrence Posture

In this monograph, a team of researchers from George Mason University and the University of Waterloo suggest a holistic strategy that Taiwan can use to enhance its conventional deterrence posture. Their conclusions are simple but radical: instead of organizing its defenses around a small inventory of conventional jets, ships and tanks, Taiwan should acquire large numbers of cheap, asymmetric weapons. It should also transform its massive reserve command into a territorial defense force trained to wage guerrilla warfare. By threatening to wage a never-ending war of denial against an invader, Taiwan can more credibly impact China’s cost-benefit calculus.