The Economic Development organization serving Alaska

Taiwan Tells Tale of Alaska's Future:
By Melanie Welsh, Executive Director, Alaska Unlimited 

 

“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” - Sun Tzu

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Sun Tzu wrote that over 2,000 years ago. Today, China is applying that doctrine not just in boardrooms or battlegrounds—but deep inside the social fabric of Taiwan.

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I recently returned from Taiwan to better understand the threat that exists to the island fighting for independence and sovereignty. What had interested me the most was a recent interview with one top official who talked about the Indigenous Taiwanese and their right to independence. Never have I heard a world leader be a larger proponent of Indigenous rights to independence and sovereignty than the leader from Taiwan—who faces one of the most imminent threats to their survival.

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Yet while the spirit of resistance and self-determination runs deep, it’s met with an equally sobering reality: Taiwan’s ability to defend that right remains dangerously limited. The strength of their conviction is clear, but strength on the battlefield is another matter entirely.

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Taiwan is grossly unprepared. They currently have neither the means nor global support to counter any attack, let alone from a world power like China. Equipment, weapons, and warfighters are too few. And although the U.S. and other nations have been promising support, it’s not evidenced in Taiwan’s readiness. With a military force of 165,000 active-duty troops and an underdeveloped reserve system, their posture is modest at best. Much of Taiwan’s equipment is antiquated, and promised U.S. arsenal procurement is delayed. This is especially concerning, as battleships and aircraft provocations circled the island during my visit.

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There’s also a significant fight happening in the digital battlespace. Taiwan endures constant cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure and widespread disinformation efforts designed to fracture society and undermine public trust in government. China treats Taiwan as a proving ground for cognitive warfare. To date, the island’s cyber and psychological defenses are minuscule in comparison. Most concerning is the lack of civilian preparedness, simply Taiwan is not war-ready.

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Geopolitically, it’s far more difficult to ascertain alliances and allegiances. The writing in the sand has since faded with the tide of the new U.S. administration, and we’re still trying to understand who stands where, and with whom. All while China has made tremendous diplomatic and economic advancements, with their interests outpacing exponentially the rest of the world.

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I’ve long argued that America suffers from an identity crisis. Who we are in the world doesn’t equate to how we participate. How we fund and posture on the global stage has never been consistent for a notable length of time to effectively maintain our status. Meanwhile, nations like China and Russia are well aware of their history, identity, and aspirations—and they execute against that. The duality and social politics of the American system allow distracting priorities to advance while the world moves strategically beyond us.  One must understand, this is by design in unconventional warfare.

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Ceding control of this “treasure island” to communist China is far too large a loss for the global economy and the technological ecosystem. The manufacturing and technology infrastructure in Taiwan, under Chinese control, would shift the global balance of power even more significantly toward China who already controls too many components of global markets such as the critical materials industry. Taiwan is the beating heart of the global chip industry. If China gained control of that supply chain, it wouldn’t just shift the balance of power, it would tilt the scale indefinitely.

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The next iterations of warfare and technology necessitate chips and we aren’t producing them or safeguarding the markets as the industry demands. One of my most interesting reads, Ghost Fleet by P.W Singer and August Cole, predicts that the next world war is predicated on the tiny little chip and who controls them. It may prove to be more prophecy than fiction. We are witnessing a new kind of war and if Taiwan falls, it won’t just be a political failure. It will be a global humanitarian crisis and economic collapse with ripple effects for generations.

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As an Arctic state and geopolitical keystone, Alaska has more in common with Taiwan than most realize. Both sit on the front lines of global competition between superpowers. Both are rich in critical resources, exposed to strategic vulnerabilities, and home to Indigenous communities whose rights and futures are often negotiated far from home.  Like Taiwan, Alaska holds vast potential in shaping the future of global development. Our region is key to reducing foreign dependence and building resilient economies. But as Taiwan shows, resources mean little if they're not protected by political will and infrastructure. Alaska’s path forward demands strategic investment—not just in assets, but in people, partnerships, and purpose. The fight for Taiwan is a reminder: freedom isn’t inherited, it’s defended and Alaska needs to posture accordingly, now. 

 

Melanie Welsh is the Founder and Executive Director of Alaska Unlimited, a non-profit organization building opportunity in Alaska. A Yupik Eskimo from the Native Village of Aniak and daughter of Mark and Cecilia Matter, she is a generational gold miner, mother of three, and wife of a retired U.S. Airman. Welsh is a subject matter expert in Arctic policy, global security, Indigenous intelligence, and sustainable development, with a focus on bridging traditional knowledge and modern strategy in complex geopolitical landscapes.