Panel Discussion: Re-Examining the Missile Threats to Taiwan

Please join the Global Taiwan Institute for a discussion with a panel of experts: Eric Gomez (Cato Institute), Erum Jilani (Lockheed Martin), and David An (GTI).

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force held its ‘Sky Sword’ exercise in late June highlighting its ever-expanding arsenal of missiles. While it is commonly known that China has well over 1,500 missiles aimed at Taiwan, what is less well known is the placement of surface-to-air and anti-ship cruise missiles on disputed islands in the South China Sea. These new and other deployments are extending China’s missile threat to the entire Indo-Pacific region. The 2017 US National Air and Space Intelligence Center report stated that “China continues to have the most active and diverse ballistic missile development program in the world,” citing China’s procurement of both conventional and dual-use missiles, including the DF-21D and the DF-26’s anti-ship variants. Simultaneously, China has fielded new vessels capable of launching missiles far afield from the Taiwan Strait, leaving Taiwan’s indigenous Tien Kung surface-to-air missile systems and the United States own missile defense networks at Guam and American Samoa vulnerable. However, Taiwan’s own indigenous missile systems and defenses are also ramping up. Taiwan has developed impressive indigenous missile systems such as the Hsiung Feng, and it has set aside significant funding for advanced medium-range missiles (MRMs). Furthermore, Taiwan’s long-range radar penetrates deep into China, which gives Taiwan the potential to be a valuable partner to the United States and others in the region. Please join us for a discussion with a panel of experts: Eric Gomez (Cato Institute), Erum Jilani (Lockheed Martin), and David An (GTI).

Doors will open at 12:00 pm. A light lunch will be served, and the event will begin at 12:30 pm. Kindly RSVP by August 29.

Please direct questions or concerns to Global Taiwan Institute Program Associate Marzia Borsoi-Kelly.

** Media that would like to bring additional crew members or equipment, please contact Ms. Borsoi-Kelly directly.

Panelists

Eric Gomez is a policy analyst for defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute. His research focuses on U.S. military strategy in East Asia, missile defense systems and their impact on strategic stability, and nuclear deterrence issues in East Asia. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the State University of New York-College at Geneseo, and a Masters of Arts in International Affairs from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.

Erum Jilani is a strategic planner at Lockheed Martin where she serves as the strategy lead for Asia-Pacific. In this capacity, her primary role is to assess geopolitical trends in the Asia-Pacific and shape research and development investments based on rising challenges and opportunities. She recently served in the Obama Administration as senior advisor Asia-Pacific policy with the Office of the Secretary of Defense. She managed the US-Australia-Japan portfolio, building trilateral initiatives on maritime security and military exercises. In this capacity, she was also the lead negotiator for the US-Australia-Japan Trilateral Information Sharing Arrangement. Her other appointments during the Obama Administration included serving as a defense fellow to Secretary Hagel, Mongolia Country Director, and advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense.

David An is the senior research fellow at the Global Taiwan Institute. He was a political-military affairs officer covering the East Asia region at the U.S. State Department from 2009 to 2014, and initiated the first Taiwan interagency political-military visit to the U.S., which have continued to occur annually. His responsibilities involved coordinating bilateral diplomatic dialogues, arms sales decision making, and reviewing military strategy with the Department of Defense. Mr. An received a State Department Superior Honor Award for initiating this series of political-military visits from senior Taiwan officials, and also for taking the lead on congressional notification of $6.4 billion dollars in U.S. arms sales to Taiwan in 2010. Prior to joining the State Department, he was a Fulbright scholar researching democracy in Taiwan and village elections in China. He received his M.A. from UCSD Graduate School of Global Policy and Strategy and his B.A. from UC Berkeley.