--- title: "INDO 2026 — Taipei | Model Diplomat" description: "INDO-PACIFIC CROSSROADS: CANADA, TAIWAN AND REGIONAL PARTNERS IN DIALOGUE ON SECURITY is a professional conference in Taipei, Taiwan, Mar 17, 2026." url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/conferences/professional/indo-pacific-crossroads-canada-taiwan-and-regional-partners-in-dialogue-on-security-2026" --- # INDO-PACIFIC CROSSROADS: CANADA, TAIWAN AND REGIONAL PARTNERS IN DIALOGUE ON SECURITY Mar 17, 2026[Taipei, Taiwan](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1\&query=Taipei%2C%20Taiwan)In-person [Registration open](https://www.asiapacific.ca/sites/default/files/inline-files/Track%202%20Agenda_final%20version.pdf) The Indo-Pacific Crossroads dialogue, held in Taipei, brings together CAN, TWN, and regional partners to discuss security in the Indo-Pacific. This Track 2 dialogue facilitates discussions among experts, policymakers, and academics on critical issues affecting the region, including geopolitical shifts, economic security, and regional stability. The event aims to foster deeper understanding and collaboration on shared security challenges and opportunities. ## Committees & topics - Topics Economic Security in the Indo-Pacific · Middle Powers and Regional Security · Lawfare and Contestation in International Law ## Why it matters The Indo-Pacific region is a focal point of global geopolitical and economic competition, making dialogues like the Indo-Pacific Crossroads essential for maintaining stability and fostering cooperation. The participation of CAN and TWN, alongside other regional partners, underscores the growing recognition of the interconnectedness of security challenges and the need for multilateral approaches. The discussions cover a range of topics from traditional security concerns to emerging threats, providing a comprehensive platform for addressing the complexities of the region. This dialogue is particularly significant given the evolving security landscape in the Indo-Pacific, characterized by increasing strategic competition and the assertion of influence by major powers. By bringing together diverse perspectives, the event contributes to the development of nuanced policy recommendations and strengthens informal diplomatic channels. The focus on regional partners highlights the importance of inclusive approaches to security, ensuring that a wide array of voices and interests are considered in shaping the future of the Indo-Pacific. ## How to prepare Participants preparing for the Indo-Pacific Crossroads dialogue should focus on understanding the current geopolitical dynamics of the Indo-Pacific, with particular attention to the roles and interests of CAN, TWN, and other key regional actors. Reviewing recent policy statements and strategic documents from these countries regarding Indo-Pacific security will be beneficial. Familiarity with the concept of Track 2 diplomacy and its objectives will also be valuable, as this format encourages candid and exploratory discussions outside formal governmental channels. To maximize engagement, delegates should consider how their expertise aligns with the event's themes, such as economic security, maritime security, or regional partnerships. Developing a clear understanding of potential areas for cooperation and divergence among participating nations, especially concerning sensitive issues like cross-strait relations or regional power balances, is crucial. Resources like the "Dynamic Analysis" and "[Engagement Strategies](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/engagement-strategies)" lessons can offer frameworks for effective participation in such complex dialogues. Additionally, exploring the "[Hidden Stakeholders](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/hidden-stakeholders)" lesson can provide insight into identifying and understanding the various actors influencing regional security. ## Country perspectives Where the most-relevant 8 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile. [Canada](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Canada seeks to enhance its presence and engagement in the Indo-Pacific, emphasizing a rules-based international order and economic diversification.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Canada participates as a key partner, aiming to contribute to regional stability and security through diplomatic engagement and collaboration with like-minded countries. Its involvement reflects a broader strategy to deepen ties in the Indo-Pacific.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Taiwan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/taiwan) [Taiwan aims to strengthen its security partnerships and maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific region.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/taiwan) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/taiwan) [Taiwan serves as the host and a central participant, highlighting its critical geopolitical position and its efforts to engage with international partners on security matters, particularly in the face of regional challenges.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/taiwan) [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [The United States maintains a robust security presence in the Indo-Pacific, supporting its allies and partners to uphold a free and open regional order.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [While not explicitly listed as a direct participant in this specific dialogue, the US's strategic interests and alliances significantly influence the regional security discussions. Its policies often serve as a backdrop for the perspectives of other regional partners.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Japan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Japan actively promotes a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific' vision, focusing on maritime security, economic connectivity, and upholding international law.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Japan is a crucial regional partner, bringing its extensive experience and strategic interests in maritime security and regional stability to the dialogue. Its perspective is vital for understanding the broader security architecture of the Indo-Pacific.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Australia is committed to a secure, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, strengthening alliances and partnerships to address regional challenges.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Australia's participation as a regional partner underscores its commitment to multilateral security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Its insights into regional defense and strategic partnerships are valuable contributions to the discussions.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [South Korea](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-korea) [South Korea seeks to enhance its role as a global pivotal state, contributing to regional peace and prosperity through cooperation and diplomacy.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-korea) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-korea) [South Korea, as a significant regional player, offers perspectives on economic security, technological cooperation, and regional stability, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of Indo-Pacific challenges.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-korea) [Philippines](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/philippines) [The Philippines prioritizes national security and territorial integrity, strengthening defense capabilities and alliances in the face of regional maritime disputes.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/philippines) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/philippines) [The Philippines, situated at a critical maritime crossroads, provides a frontline perspective on maritime security challenges and the importance of international law in resolving disputes within the Indo-Pacific.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/philippines) [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [China asserts its sovereignty and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific, advocating for a regional order that reflects its growing influence.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [China's actions and strategic objectives are a central theme in Indo-Pacific security discussions. While not a direct participant in this Track 2 dialogue, its regional posture is a primary driver of the security concerns and cooperative efforts discussed by other nations.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) ## Topics & background The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it. 1 ### Economic Security in the Indo-Pacific Economic security has moved from a niche trade concern to a central pillar of Indo-Pacific statecraft over the past decade. The 2010 rare-earths episode between China and Japan, followed by Beijing's coercive trade measures against South Korea (2017, over THAAD), Australia (2020, over a COVID-19 inquiry), and Lithuania (2021, over Taiwan representation), demonstrated how deeply integrated supply chains could be weaponized. In parallel, the US-China tariff war that began in 2018, expanding US export controls on advanced semiconductors and AI chips (October 2022 and successive updates), and Beijing's counter-controls on gallium, germanium, and graphite have hardened a logic of 'de-risking' across the region. The core dispute is how open economies should defend themselves against economic coercion and technology leakage without dismantling the rules-based trading system that underpinned Asian prosperity. Initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), the CPTPP, the Quad's critical and emerging technology track, the EU-Japan and Canada-Japan economic security dialogues, and the G7 Hiroshima Leaders' Statement on Economic Resilience and Economic Security (2023) all attempt to coordinate export controls, outbound investment screening, supply-chain diversification (notably semiconductors and critical minerals), and anti-coercion tools. Taiwan sits at the centre as host to TSMC and the bulk of advanced-node fabrication. Today, governments are wrestling with practical trade-offs: how to align export-control regimes among allies without fragmenting markets, how to build redundancy in semiconductors and critical minerals without subsidy races, and how to deter coercion through instruments such as the EU Anti-Coercion Instrument while preserving WTO consistency. For Canada and middle powers, the question is whether to plug into US-led frameworks, build plurilateral coalitions, or hedge. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Architect of export controls, IPEF, and allied economic-security coordination](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Principal target of de-risking and main user of economic coercion tools](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [Taiwan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/taiwan) [Indispensable node in advanced semiconductor supply chains](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/taiwan) - [Japan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Leader in chip-equipment controls and supply-chain resilience policy](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) - [Canada](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Critical-minerals supplier advancing an Indo-Pacific Strategy and investment screening](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) - [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Veteran of Chinese coercion; key partner on critical minerals and AUKUS tech](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) 2 ### Middle Powers and Regional Security The Indo-Pacific security order has long been described as a US-led 'hub-and-spokes' system anchored on bilateral alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Over the past decade, however, intensifying US-China competition, North Korea's accelerating missile and nuclear programs, Russia's war on Ukraine, and tensions across the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea have pushed so-called middle powers to take more agency. Japan's 2022 National Security Strategy, South Korea's 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy, Australia's 2023 Defence Strategic Review and AUKUS, Canada's 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy, and the EU and several member states' Indo-Pacific frameworks all mark a shift from passive alignment to active shaping. The core debate is whether middle powers can meaningfully stabilize the region by forming overlapping 'minilateral' arrangements — the Quad, AUKUS, the Japan-Republic of Korea-United States Camp David framework (2023), Japan-Philippines-US, Japan-Australia Reciprocal Access Agreement, and growing partnerships with Taiwan and ASEAN states — or whether such groupings deepen bloc dynamics and marginalize ASEAN centrality. Capacity gaps in defence industry, intelligence, and maritime domain awareness, plus domestic political volatility, constrain how far middle powers can substitute for US leadership. Today, middle powers are experimenting with joint patrols in the South China Sea, coordinated sanctions and export controls, capacity-building for Pacific Island states, and Track 1.5 dialogues that include Taiwan on non-traditional security. The challenge is to deter coercion and preserve open sea lines without precipitating escalation, while keeping Southeast Asian partners engaged rather than forced to choose sides. Key players - [Canada](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Convenor of Indo-Pacific Strategy emphasizing rules, partnerships, and naval presence](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) - [Japan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Leading middle-power security actor reshaping its defence posture](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) - [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [AUKUS partner and key Pacific and Southeast Asian security provider](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) - [South Korea](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-korea) [Expanding Indo-Pacific role via Camp David trilateral and defence exports](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-korea) - [Philippines](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/philippines) [Frontline state in South China Sea, hub of new minilateral cooperation](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/philippines) - [Taiwan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/taiwan) [Central security concern and emerging partner in non-traditional security dialogues](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/taiwan) 3 ### Lawfare and Contestation in International Law 'Lawfare' — the strategic use of legal instruments, institutions, and narratives to advance state interests — has become a defining feature of Indo-Pacific contestation. The 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration award in Philippines v. China rejected Beijing's nine-dash line claims under UNCLOS; China refused to participate and has since rejected the ruling, while continuing island-building, maritime militia operations, and incidents against Philippine vessels at Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal. Beijing has simultaneously promoted alternative readings of UNCLOS on innocent passage, historic rights, and straight baselines, and has invoked domestic legislation such as the 2021 Coast Guard Law and 2024 maritime regulations to assert jurisdiction. Contestation extends well beyond the maritime domain. Competing interpretations of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 (1971) shape Taiwan's international space; ICJ proceedings on Gaza and Ukraine have exposed selective engagement with international humanitarian law; ICC arrest warrants have triggered debates over universal jurisdiction and immunities; and sanctions, secondary sanctions, and export controls have been challenged at the WTO. Cyber operations, undersea cable interference, and grey-zone activity push the boundaries of the law of state responsibility and the UN Charter's thresholds on use of force. Today, the question is whether established institutions — UNCLOS tribunals, the ICJ, the ICC, the WTO dispute settlement system — can adapt to coordinated legal contestation, or whether parallel orders are emerging. For Canada, Taiwan, and like-minded partners, the agenda includes defending the 2016 award, clarifying rules on grey-zone coercion, supporting Taiwan's participation in technical bodies (ICAO, WHO, Interpol), and restoring functional dispute settlement. Key players - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Principal revisionist actor on UNCLOS, Resolution 2758, and sovereignty norms](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [Philippines](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/philippines) [Litigant in the 2016 arbitration and frontline of maritime legal contestation](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/philippines) - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Champion of FONOPs and rules-based order, though non-party to UNCLOS](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Canada](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Advocate for international adjudication and Taiwan's meaningful participation](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) - [Taiwan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/taiwan) [Subject of Resolution 2758 debates and excluded from key UN bodies](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/taiwan) - [Japan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Active defender of UNCLOS and proponent of a 'free and open' legal order](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) ## Resources News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for INDO-PACIFIC CROSSROADS: CANADA, TAIWAN AND REGIONAL PARTNERS IN DIALOGUE ON SECURITY. Recent reporting to ground your prep [US Job Openings at 6.7M](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/us-job-openings-at-67m-implications-for-2026-elections) [Trump's Economic Reset](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/trumps-economic-reset-aiming-to-tackle-high-gas-prices) [Trump's Economic Approval Hits 30% Amid Iran](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/trumps-economic-approval-plummets-to-30-amid-iran-tensions) [GOP Promotes Trump's Tax Savings on Deadline](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/gop-highlights-trumps-tax-savings-on-filing-deadline-day) Lessons Bite-sized lessons to build the basics [Hidden Stakeholders](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/hidden-stakeholders) [Engagement Strategies](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/engagement-strategies) [Dynamic Analysis](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/dynamic-analysis) [Stakeholder Mapping Workshop](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/stakeholder-workshop) Courses Guided courses that go deeper on the topic [Advanced Negotiation](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/advanced-negotiation) [Multilateral Negotiation](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/multilateral-negotiation) [Policy Brief Writing](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/policy-brief) [Conflict Resolution](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/conflict-resolution) The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Taiwan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/taiwan) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/taiwan) [Japan](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/japan) [Canada](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [South Korea](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-korea) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-korea) [Philippines](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/philippines) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/philippines) ## Frequently asked questions - - Free account Save conferences, research any topic with AI, build position papers, and keep your daily prep streak — free. 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