Staring down growing external threats across the Taiwan Strait, the last thing Taipei needs is a Covid-19 outbreak to shake its domestic scene. Yet, that is exactly what is unfolding, and the timing could not be worse. As Taiwan’s attention turns inward to manage the new outbreak and a string of infrastructure disruptions, it will be increasingly vulnerable to continued pressure from Beijing.

Taiwan’s previous deft pandemic response and domestic infrastructure stability have underpinned its resilience in handling increased Chinese threats and territorial incursions. Yet, surging Covid-19 cases, combined with power outages and dwindling water supplies, mean the coming weeks could be the greatest stress test Taipei has faced all year.