On October 10, in his Republic of China National Day address, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te made his country’s position clear: “Taiwan cherishes peace, but we will not give up our freedom. We are open to exchanges but will not accept subordination.” As evidenced by Taiwan’s recent arms build-up, in direct response to Beijing’s aggression, the conventional wisdom which has come to regard Taiwan’s security situation as being partially bound by the resolve of Western states is flawed. A better explanation is rooted in understanding the managerial role Taipei plays against the internal dynamics of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which incentivize external aggression. Despite not being formally recognized as a sovereign state, the Republic of China is a full member of 45 intergovernmental organizations and holds a further 30 positions which range from observer roles to non-member participant status. Taipei’s consistent assertion of its national interests, of its right to self-determination, and its participation within international frameworks make it a source of moral legitimacy for its democratic allies, in stark contrast to Beijing's revisionism.

In the context of cross-Strait security, declarations made in Washington or Brussels, while reassuring, are not the most effective tool of support for Taiwan, as the People's Republic of China (PRC) either ignores the messaging or responds by reasserting the “One-China Principle”. While democracies almost uniformly perceive the PRC's view of Taiwan as an affront to the values of self-determination, Beijing does not. This is because it sincerely believes in the strength of its “reunification” narrative, due to its domestic legitimation. To counter this, Western support should not solely seek to confront Beijing; it should also seek to validate and moralize Taiwan's position as a self-governing democracy which seeks to safeguard its own national interest.