DSET) welcomed a high-level delegation from the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security (IIPS) to discuss key challenges in the semiconductor supply chain, energy security, and disinformation.
The delegation was led by Hon. Randall G. Schriver, Chairman of IIPS and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense. Members included Lt Gen (ret.) Jennifer Short, former Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense; Mr. John Gastright, Jr., President of IIPS and former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State; Ms. Annie Kowalewski, former Senior Professional Staff Member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee; Ms. Jennifer Hong, Senior Director at IIPS; and Mr. Griffin Allen, Research Associate at IIPS.
In his welcome remarks, DSET CEO Dr. Jeremy Chih-Cheng Chang expressed his pleasure at meeting Chairman Schriver and the IIPS team again in Taiwan. He highlighted China’s rising dominance in global supply chains, calling it the “second China shock,” and stressed that semiconductors may be the last strategic industry where the United States, Taiwan, and their allies must secure leadership.
Chairman Schriver commended DSET’s research output over the past year and shared insights on IIPS’s evolution, noting its transformation from the Project 2049 Institute to IIPS in May 2025. He underscored IIPS’s long-standing focus on China’s political and economic trajectory, PLA modernization, cross-Strait security, alliance building, and democratic governance.
Dr. Chang emphasized that DSET’s mission is to ensure Taiwan’s voice is heard internationally, particularly on semiconductors, energy, and disinformation. He noted that DSET’s reports not only inform Taiwan’s policy community but also provide open-source insights and constructive recommendations for allies in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and South Korea, with several studies already cited by international think tanks.
Mr. Kai-Sheng Huang, Director of Democratic Governance at DSET, added that DSET has published two major reports on disinformation. One applies the DISARM framework to analyze disinformation campaigns targeting Taiwan, while the other explores defensive strategies for government and civil society to jointly counter information manipulation.
During the exchange, Ms. Jennifer Hong inquired about DSET’s approach to setting research agendas and mobilizing teams. Dr. Chang explained that DSET leverages the expertise of former government advisors and interdisciplinary scholars to prioritize issues vital to both Taiwan and its allies. He also emphasized proactive engagement with international media to help shape policy agendas.
On energy security, Chairman Schriver highlighted interest in DSET’s recent tabletop exercise (TTX) conducted with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). Dr. Tsai-Ying Lu, Director of Energy Resilience at DSET, explained that the TTX modeled scenarios of a potential PRC “quarantine” of Taiwan, finding that renewable energy could sustain a significant portion of Taiwan’s electricity needs. She noted that resilience depends not only on fuel substitution but also on maritime insurance frameworks and allied contingency support.
Both sides agreed that Taiwan’s challenges in semiconductors, energy, and information warfare are not only regional concerns but also shared issues for the global community of democracies. Continued think tank collaboration between Taiwan, the United States, and their allies will help reduce strategic dependencies on China and reinforce security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
