Taiwan's Quadrennial Defense Review and Defense Strategy

Presenter:

Alexander Chieh-cheng Huang
Professor of Strategic Studies and Director of
Graduate Institute of American Studies at Tamkang University
and CSIS Senior Non-Resident Associate

Commentators:
Mark Stokes
Executive Director,
Project 2049 Institute

Michael Swaine
Senior Associate, China Program
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Moderated by:
Bonnie S. Glaser
Senior Associate
CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies

On March 16, 2009, Taiwan issued its first Quadrennial Defense Review, a document that will henceforth be provided by the government to Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan every four years as a result of an amendment to the National Defense Act. The QDR announces plans to complete a transition to an all-volunteer force by December 2014. In addition, it outlines a doctrine for asymmetric warfare to cope with a military balance in the Taiwan Strait that it maintains is tipping in favor of Mainland China. Professor Huang presents and leads a discussion on the political and military significance of Taiwan’s QDR and Taiwan’s defense strategy under Ma Ying-jeou’s administration.