Taiwan strengthening its self-defense capabilities is not provocative, but rather key to creating the conditions for equal dialogue across the Taiwan Strait. That came from American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene at the 2026 Taipei Security Dialogue, which began on Wednesday, September 9.

The 2026 Taipei Security Dialogue is hosted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR). This year’s forum brought together leaders, officials, and experts from the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Germany, Ukraine, Poland, and other countries. The goal of the event is to hold a cross-regional, in-depth security dialogue on topics including wartime experience, critical sea straits, uncrewed systems, and gray zone threats.

INDSR Chairman Huoh Shoou-yeh (霍守業) said that in the face of authoritarian attempts to unilaterally change the status quo, democratic allies must transform their geopolitical concerns into a consensus on global security. He noted that as authoritarian regimes align and seek to dismantle the existing security order, democracies must shift from a reactive posture to proactive readiness, using “integrated deterrence” to build a resilient defense network.

AIT Director Raymond Greene said in a keynote address at the forum that maintaining peace in the Indo-Pacific is a core priority for the United States. Should a conflict erupt in the Taiwan Strait, the resulting impact on the global economy could exceed that of World War II. He said the U.S. approaches maintaining regional stability from three angles: avoiding miscalculation through diplomatic communication, strengthening security partnerships with countries along the first island chain, and fully supporting Taiwan in enhancing its self-defense capabilities.

Greene noted that some argue Taiwan bolstering its defense constitutes provocation, but this view is entirely at odds with reality. He said that the capacity for effective deterrence is precisely what creates the conditions for cross-strait dialogue.