Defending Europe’s Democracy Means Learning Form Taiwan

Europe is facing an onslaught of hybrid threats, from undersea cable sabotage to drone incursions. Countering these threats cannot be left to military departments alone. Grey-zone warfare is designed to operate just below the threshold of conflict and is designed to exploit the vulnerabilities inherent in liberal democracies that are geared towards peace, not war. In meeting this challenge, European policymakers should study Taiwan’s ‘whole-of-society’ defence resilience strategy – which works across government, civil society, and the private sector to bolster preparedness. Using public forums, table-top exercises, and nationwide drills, Taiwan has engaged a range of government and non-government actors to test and improve resilience to hybrid threats. Learning from, and working with, Taiwan can provide valuable lessons for Europe.