Taiwan is pushing to lock in deeper economic and security ties with Washington, framing it as insurance against rising Chinese pressure — good news for Taiwan's chip and defense industries.

• Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung met a Stanford Hoover Institution delegation in Taipei and pitched joint work on resilient trade links and supply chains.
• China keeps escalating "gray zone" pressure around the island and is trying to make that the new normal in the Taiwan Strait.
• Taiwan wants cooperation with the US on semiconductors, critical minerals, and training skilled workers, building on economic security agreements signed this year.
• Taipei is also pushing "drone diplomacy," including a new international drone academy, and wants US arms ties to move from sales toward joint production and research.
• Visiting scholars, including former Australian foreign minister Marise Payne, backed closer Taiwan cooperation with the US and Australia across the Indo-Pacific.

Outlook: Expect Taipei to keep courting allies for co-production deals in chips and drones while Beijing's pressure campaign continues.