In it, Aum argues that the United States and Taiwan should seek to strengthen the latter’s technological capabilities in the event that China decides to invade. He proposes several possible ways to improve U.S.-Taiwan collaboration, including enhancing joint cyber training operations, pursuing open 5G architecture, and negotiating a free trade agreement between the two parties.

“The purpose of this agreement would not only be to defend U.S. and Taiwanese interests against potential Chinese aggression; it would also seek to strengthen the parties’ respective national technological bases, to exploit areas of mutual technological benefit, and to promote thicker bonds of dependence short of a clear security commitment,” Aum writes.

Read the full report from the German Marshall Fund.