Taiwan voters will decide on referendum to restart nuclear power as the island faces energy dependence vulnerabilities amid potential conflict with China.
Voters in Taiwan are headed to the polls on Saturday to decide whether Taipei should reignite its nuclear power capabilities as the island faces immense energy vulnerabilities amid growing concern over threats posed by China.
In May, Taiwan shut the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant — its last remaining nuclear plant — after the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) pledged in 2016 to phase out nuclear power by 2025 over concerns relating to nuclear fallout following the 2011 Fukushima accident in Japan.
Security experts have since been sounding the alarm that the move further exposes Taiwan’s vulnerabilities to China as the island is highly dependent on energy imports, relying heavily on nations like the U.S., Australia, Saudi Arabia and Qatar for both Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and crude oil imports.
«Taiwan’s energy dependence is an Achilles heel», Craig Singleton, China Program senior director and senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), said during a media call following a delegation’s visit to the island earlier this month.
«Beijing can exploit this issue without firing a single shot», he added, noting the ease at which China can cut off trade to the island. «China can leverage its maritime dominance, its legal warfare and cyber tools to choke supply and test Taiwan’s political resilience.
