Can the Taiwanese Resist China? - Taiwan Undaunted Ep4
The biggest consensus among Taiwanese people is to protect their free and democratic way of life. Taiwanese people have seen how Ukraine has resisted in the face of Russian aggression, and this has reinforced their own commitment to national defense. Preparing for what may happen is often a better chance for peace than hoping for what might not happen. A rising China and resurgent Russia seem to be forming a quasi-alliance to challenge US prominence in politics, the global economy, and in terms of values and institutions. However, the intensifying conflict between superpowers doesn’t always reflect the complex geopolitical reality for Taiwan existing as a nation. Taiwan has an independent government that persists as an example of a thriving democracy in Asia despite official recognition from only twelve nations of the world. Economic ties to China remain strong, but increasing effort to diversify Taiwan’s trading relationships and build connections with other neighbors resulted in trade with Southeast Asia exceeding that with China for the first time in 2023. While existing in a precarious position, Taiwan continues to build bridges with other nations, viewing trust in one another and friendship with like-minded democracies as the best defense of its current free and open way of life.
