About our China-Taiwan news
Latest news on China-Taiwan relations, including cross-strait tensions, the Taiwan Strait, Beijing and Taipei, military drills, trade, diplomacy and US involvement.
Beijing claims Taiwan as part of China and has not ruled out force to achieve unification. Taiwan, formally the Republic of China, has its own elected government, military and currency, and its leaders say its future is for its people to decide. The strait between them is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, and Taiwan is a global centre for advanced semiconductors.
Coverage often focuses on Chinese military and coast guard activity around the island, Taiwan's defence spending and arms purchases, and the role of the United States and its allies. Other themes include diplomatic recognition, Taiwan's place in international bodies, trade and investment, sanctions and cyber threats. Taiwan's president, Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office and the Kuomintang and other main parties in Taipei shape the debate.
Despite the political divide, millions of people have family, business and cultural links across the strait. Taiwan's lively democracy, its Mandarin, Hokkien and Indigenous heritage and its growing sense of distinct identity are central to how the island sees its future. Public opinion in Taiwan generally favours keeping the status quo.
The dispute dates to 1949, when the Nationalist government lost the Chinese Civil War and withdrew to Taiwan while the Communist Party founded the People's Republic. The United States later switched recognition to Beijing, while keeping unofficial ties with Taipei under the Taiwan Relations Act. The One China principle and the 1992 Consensus remain contested.
Our ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ China/Taiwan feed collects the latest news on cross-strait relations, Taiwan Strait security, Beijing and Taipei politics, trade and diplomacy, and international reaction from Washington to Tokyo and Brussels.