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The changing face of Taiwan

What do Taiwan鈥檚 election results tell us about its identity and future?

Taiwan鈥檚 voters have chosen pro-sovereignty candidate William Lai as their next president, a result which has angered China. It means Mr Lai鈥檚 party has secured an unprecedented third consecutive presidential term at a time when the Taiwanese people are debating how best to deal with Beijing. China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since the end of the civil war in 1949, when the defeated Nationalist government fled to the island as the Communists under Mao Zedong swept to power. So, what do the election results reveal about how the Taiwanese people view themselves in relation to their much larger neighbour? And do they make a conflict between China, Taiwan and its allies more or less likely? Shaun Ley is joined by a panel of expert guests:

Amanda Hsiao - Senior Analyst with the International Crisis Group, based in Taiwan
Hsin-I Sydney Yueh - Associate Teaching Professor, Director of Online Education and Internships at the University of Missouri
Vickie Wang - Taiwanese writer, interpreter and stand-up comedian

Also in the programme:

Sean C.S. Hu - Owner of Taipei鈥檚 Double Square Art Gallery

Produced by Paul Schuster and Zak Brophy

Image: Honor guards lower down the flag of Taiwan in Liberty Square in Taipei, Taiwan, 16 January 2024. Credit: Ritchie B Tongo/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

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49 minutes

Last on

Sat 20 Jan 2024 15:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 19 Jan 2024 10:06GMT
  • Sat 20 Jan 2024 00:06GMT
  • Sat 20 Jan 2024 04:06GMT
  • Sat 20 Jan 2024 15:06GMT

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