Securing Taiwan Focus of Â鶹ÊÓƵ-TECO Symposium
An important milestone occurred on October 20, 2026, when the University of North Georgia (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) hosted its first Taiwan Symposium in collaboration with Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta (TECO). TECO offers services across Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee promoting economic, cultural, and political cooperation and mutual understanding between Taiwan and the Southeast United States. Through these close ties, the Southeast is enriched, and Taiwan experiences increased visibility and support in their freedom, democracy, and international engagement.
Organized by a collaborative team, including PSIA Assistant Professor Dr. Scott McDonald, and centered on “Deterrence, Partnership, and the Future of the Indo-Pacific,” the Taiwan Symposium brought together experts across academia, diplomacy, policymaking, technology, national security, and business to examine U.S.-Taiwan relations, shared challenges, and Taiwan’s role in the international community. It sought to answer one central question: “How can we ensure Taiwan’s Security?” and why Taiwan’s security matters to the United States and the future of the Indo-Pacific. From this central question, thoughtful presentations and discourse emerged on Taiwan’s role in the international system and the challenges the Indo-Pacific faces in economic security, regional stability, and international order.
Ellie Wu, representative of TECO Atlanta, explained, “Our goal is to introduce Taiwan and the challenges it faces to the general public. We want to discuss what we can do for the United States, and how we can foster a mutually beneficial relationship between Taiwan and the U.S. In doing so, we hope to expand the public’s level of awareness on Taiwan security issues.” Speakers included Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, Horng-Huei Po, and panelists such as W. Brent Christensen, former Director of the American Institute in Taiwan and Taiwan Coordinator at the State Department, and Dr. Bonny Lin, Director of China Power Project and Senior Adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). These esteemed experts, along with four Â鶹ÊÓƵ professors, examined issues such as China’s growing presence in the region, Taiwan’s critical role as a supplier of advanced semiconductor logic chips, and a need for non-military approaches to Taiwan's security.
Deterring war is paramount to Taiwan, but all speakers and panelists contend that security across the Taiwan strait cannot be achieved through military capabilities alone; security also depends on strengthening Taiwan’s resilience through international partnerships, sustained deterrence efforts, and continued economic and academic exchange. Recognizing Taiwan’s international role as an “asset and a partner rather than a liability” is essential. Speakers asserted that although Taiwan may be small geographically, its capacity to help is mighty; for example, in a dynamic world in need of constant advancement, Taiwan has a significant part to play in the development of global technology systems. By strengthening U.S.-Taiwan relations, both partners stand to benefit, and measures can be taken to counter rising pressures and disruption to Taiwan’s supply chain, which could have widespread political and economic consequences, particularly in the areas of global AI, communications, and modern defense systems.
The symposium concluded with a poignant observation: “A relationship atrophies when there is no shared destination.” As a result, panelists called for a more concerted, “whole-of-society” approach to Taiwan’s security, noting the vital role education plays in helping individuals and communities recognize shared interests so they can advocate for stronger U.S.-Taiwan relations. Achieving this outcome requires continued investment in people-to-people connections as well as creating opportunities for thoughtful dialogue in gatherings such as the symposium. Together, this builds broad networks that help Taiwan withstand external pressures.
The Taiwan Symposium also marked the beginning of the Center for Taiwan Studies at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, which will launch virtually under the College of Arts and Letters in Spring 2027, with plans to reach full operational capacity by Fall 2027. The mission for the Center for Taiwan Studies is to introduce the Â鶹ÊÓƵ community to Taiwan and engage students in Taiwan-related issues through events, scholarship, and experiential learning. Through these initiatives, the Center aims to deepen the university community’s understanding of Taiwan’s role in the world and its relevance to our lives. Dr. McDonald outlined a few of the Center’s plans to strengthen ties between Taiwan and Â鶹ÊÓƵ, including pursuing funding for student scholarships, inviting Taiwanese professors to share their expertise, and reducing the costs of study abroad and other travel opportunities to Taiwan for students and faculty. Through its planned programming and partnerships, the Center for Taiwan Studies will equip students and faculty with the knowledge and experiences needed to better understand Taiwan’s global significance and its implications for the future.
“The establishment of the Taiwan Center is absolutely critical to having the necessary discussions and conversations as well as raising awareness on Taiwan’s importance,” said Dr. Lin; “I hope this is the beginning of a much more robust discussion about Taiwan and U.S. policy towards Taiwan and the broader Indo-Pacific here at Â鶹ÊÓƵ and in the Southeast of the United States.”
Echoing her call for continued engagement, Lt Gen (Ret.) James Glynn of JGlynnStrategies expressed hope that the symposium has sparked attendees’ interests to remain engaged with Taiwan-related issues. “It is clear that Taiwan’s security is multifaceted and dynamic. Just when you think you’ve got one piece of the puzzle figured out, things change.”
Lt Gen (Ret.) Stephen Sklenka, strategic Pallas advisor, further underscored the importance of solving this puzzle through a diverse approach: “It was nice to see full representation of academics, entrepreneurs, technologists, diplomats, and service members… all who understand it’s going to take a united approach in order to safeguard Taiwan. Everybody here has a good scope of the problem; it’s our responsibility to go out and educate our fellow citizens about the importance of Taiwan and our relationship with them, ensuring that we keep Taiwan free.”
Through the Taiwan Symposium, Â鶹ÊÓƵ reaffirmed its investment in national security and in facilitating scholarly exchange among leaders who share a desire and capacity to serve in this area, an investment that will carry on through the establishment of the Center for Taiwan Studies at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, continued discussions on Taiwan security and cooperation, and future symposiums. Director General Jared Lin of TECO Atlanta, confirmed, “This symposium is just the beginning of a growing partnership. There is more to be done in the future.”