Deterrence By Denial: The Taiwanese Example

Published Octiber 12, 2021

Why is maintaining a modern military essential to protecting peace? Most scholars agree that convincing adversaries that they cannot achieve their goals through force, often called deterrence by denial, is one of the most effective ways to prevent war. This principle can be seen clearly in the case of Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The United States must embrace the concept of deterrence by denial to preserve peace and prevent the horrific costs of war.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it beneficial for Taiwan to practice deterrence by denial when confronting the People’s Republic of China?
2. How can embracing deterrence by denial help America preserve global peace?

Additional resources:

• Watch “Cold War II— Just How Dangerous Is China?” an episode of Uncommon Knowledge with H. R. McMaster and Matt Pottinger. Available here.
• Read “Realism and Deterrence in Cross-Strait Relations,” by Joesph Felter. Available here.
• Read “Taiwan: Time for a Real Discussion,” by Admiral Gary Roughead. Available here.