Taiwan will elect a new president on January 13th as tensions in the region are rising. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and the US is watching. So why is Taiwan such a flashpoint between the world’s two biggest powers? #AJStartHere with Sandra Gathmann explains.

Note: This is an updated version of an episode that was first published in November 2021.

Is Taiwan a country? 00:45
How did Taiwan come to be? 01:13
Is Taiwan a member of the United Nations? 02:07
What does China want to do with Taiwan? 02:37
How does Taiwan’s status impact its domestic politics? 03:06
Do Taiwanese people want independence? 03:36
What is the United States’ relationship with Taiwan? 04:15
How have different US presidents viewed Taiwan? 05:14
Why are the 2024 Taiwanese elections so important? 06:37

This episode features:
Lev Nachman, Assistant Professor, National Chengchi University

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And let us know in the comments if there’s a topic you find confusing and would like Start Here to cover ⤵️