Haley draws fire in 4th GOP debate, Christie warns absent Trump is biggest issue

Recent polling found that Americans believe Taiwan is an ally and important to U.S. security. In September, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that 65% of Americans felt that the country's security relationship with Taiwan does more to strengthen national security than weaken it. And large majorities backed supporting Taiwan in different ways if China were to invade the self-governing island, save sending U.S. forces to the theater. Overall, 78% of Americans would want the U.S. to airlift food and medicine to Taiwan, 75% would want economic and diplomatic sanctions on China and 62% would want the U.S. to send more arms and military supplies to Taiwan. But in terms of military intervention, half said they would support using the U.S. Navy to break a blockade, while 56% opposed sending U.S. troops to Taiwan.

--Analysis by Geoffrey Skelley of 538

Ramswamy defended his position that the U.S. should arm the Taiwanese people with assault-style weapons, despite a Taiwanese zero-gun policy, and added the U.S. should “for the foreseeable future” promise to defend the self-governing island from China, which claims it as its own.

Ramaswamy drew a contrast with DeSantis, who hewed closer to the strategic ambiguity behind America’s longstanding deterrence posture. Haley, separately, said America must continue to defend Ukraine as a signal to Beijing that it can’t attack Taiwan and said the U.S. should not depend on China for national security.

Christie said he would engage militarily if Taiwan is invaded by China.

-ABC News’ Chris Boccia

Asked what threats she worries could blindside the U.S. amid what federal officials have called a heightened threat level during the Israel-Hamas war, Haley focused on "foreign infiltration."

"America right now is acting like it's Sept. 10. We better remember what Sept. 12 felt like, because it only takes one," she said.

"We've got to get the foreign infiltration out of our country -- whether it's in our schools, whether it's on our social media, we need to stop all foreign lobbying that's happening to members of Congress, and we need to start securing America again," she continued.

-ABC News' Meredith Deliso

Ramaswamy again trained his ire toward Haley, with whom he has feuded across the debates this year, saying she was “woke” and “had a corruption problem.” Ramaswamy raised a notepad which had the message “NIKKI=CORRUPT.” A chorus of boos filled the venue.

The entrepreneur said Haley would “send your kids to die so she can buy a bigger house.”

Given the chance to respond, Haley said only, “No. It’s not worth my time to respond to him.”

- ABC News’ Chris Boccia