
Talks from the Hoover Institution Niall Ferguson And Eyck Freymann Discuss Defending Taiwan: A Strategy To Prevent War With China
May 8, 2026
Eyck Freymann, author and Hoover fellow who specializes in geopolitics and deterrence, outlines a strategy to prevent war over Taiwan. He maps China's military and gray-zone playbook. He discusses Taiwan and U.S. readiness, economic coercion, supply‑chain decoupling, allied coordination, and the timing of potential Chinese action.
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China's Full Menu Of Taiwan Options
- Xi Jinping is developing a wide menu of military and gray-zone options against Taiwan beyond an amphibious invasion.
- Eyck Freymann lists blockade, decapitation, bombardment, cyberattack, Coast Guard legal moves, and coercive mobilizations as complementary tools.
Taiwan's Military Strength Masks Economic Vulnerabilities
- Taiwan has geographic and defensive strengths but acute vulnerabilities in energy and indirect control of trade.
- Freymann warns two weeks of gas reserves and potential quarantine/legal control by China could force Taiwan to sue for peace.
Treat Coast Guard Customs Moves As Strategic Crises
- Do not accept passive acquiescence if China forces customs control over Taiwan's trade because long-term modernization and autonomy would be lost.
- Freymann argues the US must treat such gray-zone moves as strategic crises, not minor paperwork changes.




