On this episode of IRR, we discuss the presidential election results in Taiwan and their ramifications. Why was this election such a pivotal event for 2024, as we look ahead toward the presidential election in the United States—which the whole world is watching? Statements made by the United States and China in the days following the election showed both nations solidifying their positions both militarily and diplomatically.
Is Taiwan the thorn in China’s side, or the missing jewel in its crown? As the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seeks to dominate the world through unrestricted warfare—by whatever means possible—a free Taiwan represents the most tangible expression of Beijing’s frustrations.
A small but well-fortified island nation off the coast of China that it claims as its own, Taiwan, with this election, continues to defy Beijing, preventing the CCP from taking over the South Pacific, an area of central strategic importance for international power.
What can the world learn from Taiwan’s commitment to secure elections and a free press in the face of the CCP’s information warfare and threats of invasion? We break down the complexity of Taiwan’s relationship with China by analyzing the self-ruled island’s recent presidential election with our guests: China expert and author Gordon Chang, Epoch Times senior correspondent Nan Su, and Senior Fellow at the Center for Security Policy, John Mills.