The discursive making of the Indo-Pacific event: Viewed from Taiwan

The showdown between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky on March 1 has cast fresh doubts over the United States’ credibility as a security ally. Just two days later, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s leading chipmaker, unveiled a staggering $100 billion investment in the U.S., raising concerns over the future of the so-called “silicon shield” and its role in safeguarding Taiwan’s security in the Indo-Pacific. As geopolitical tensions mount, the implications of these developments are being closely scrutinized by analysts and policymakers alike. The conference entitled ‘The Discursive Construction of the Indo-Pacific: Viewed from Taiwan’ held on 20th March 2025 sought to explore Taiwan’s increasing prominence in foreign policy discourse and news reporting in the United Kingdom and how this may influence British foreign policy approaches to the region. Moreover, the conference sought to analyse how shifting perceptions of security, amidst the change of administration in the United States and the enduring influence of war in Ukraine and the Middle East, have impacted upon the manner in which the Indo-Pacific is conceptualised and contrasted by policymakers focusing on global security. Scholars and practitioners in the field of international relations, global health, political communication, British foreign policy and maritime history outlined the fundamental facets of the Indo-Pacific’s importance for Taiwan and the United Kingdom.