American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene urged Taiwan to prepare for AI-powered disinformation and cyberattacks while highlighting defense and energy goals.
Key facts
- •Taiwan faces upcoming local elections on Nov. 28 that require vigilance against AI-powered information manipulation.
- •President William Lai has committed to increasing Taiwan's defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2030.
- •Greene stated that any conflict across the Taiwan Strait would have a larger global economic impact than the Second World War.
- •Taiwan is integrating lessons from Ukraine’s defense, including the adoption of mission-command concepts.
- •The US is reinforcing its Indo-Pacific partnerships to maintain a favorable regional balance of power.
American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene warned yesterday that Taiwan must guard against AI-enabled information manipulation ahead of local elections on Nov. 28. Speaking at the Taipei Security Dialogue, Greene emphasized that the nation faces a new wave of sophisticated cognitive warfare and must also secure its financial institutions and critical infrastructure from AI-powered cyberattacks.
Defense Spending and Military Strategy
Greene stated that Washington welcomes President William Lai’s commitment to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2030. He noted that Taiwan is financially well-positioned to boost its defense compared to many other US partners. According to Greene, the goal of military preparedness is to prevent conflict, as any cross-strait war would have a greater impact on the global economy than the Second World War. Taiwan is currently implementing lessons from Ukraine’s use of asymmetric warfare and emerging technology. The nation’s armed forces are adopting mission-command concepts, a shift highlighted during the recent Han Kuang exercises, to move away from rigid, hierarchical structures.
Energy Resilience and Regional Stability
The AIT director praised Taiwan’s progress in energy resilience, specifically noting increased importation and storage of liquefied natural gas. He also highlighted improvements in electricity allocation, power-grid decentralization, and the exploration of alternative energy sources, such as geothermal energy and small modular reactors. Regarding regional security, Greene stated that the Trump administration prioritizes peace in the Indo-Pacific. He described the upcoming US-China summit as an opportunity to foster strategic stability based on fairness and reciprocity. He dismissed claims that Taiwan’s defense efforts are provocative or that the US intends to change the regional status quo.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Taipei Times.
