Introduction: Asia Policy, Volume 19, Number 2, April 2024

Abstract

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

This roundtable considers what role, if any, Asia's so-called middle powers can play in response to growing tensions across the Taiwan Strait.1 What strategies and approaches are this category of states adopting as the likelihood of major conflict over this enduring flashpoint intensifies? How do Asia's middle powers view the costs and risks of conflict over Taiwan, and what key factors inform their assessments? To what extent do their respective approaches exhibit commonalities and potential complementarities, and to what extent are they distinct or even completely divergent? Perhaps most importantly, do this region's middle powers—either individually or in concert—have the agency to shape the course of the Taiwan flashpoint? Or are they merely pawns in a larger geopolitical game? Even if the latter is true, what strategic choices might they make, especially in the event of conflict, and with what consequences? Show more