A Primer on TAIWAN—THE OTHER CHINESE MODEL
How Communist China will react to Taiwan's election result and how the United States will respond to China's possible military aggression may determine the war timetable.
Taiwanese go to the polls on January 13 to choose the island’s next president. It will be the first consequential election of 2024. How Communist China will react to Taiwan's election result and how the United States will respond to China's possible military aggression may determine the war timetable near the Taiwan Strait. Since many people are not familiar with Taiwan’s history and politics, I am sharing an excerpt about Taiwan from my book, “Backlash: How China’s Aggression Has Backfired.” Next week, I will discuss Taiwan’s current presidential election in more detail.
“ Taiwan is a tropical island close to the southern tip of mainland China. A number of aboriginal groups lived there for centuries before Han immigrants from mainland China and later Europeans began to settle on different parts of the island. Early European adventurers called Taiwan “Ilha Formosa,” or “beautiful island.” From the 16th to mid-17th century, it changed hands several times from Dutch to Spanish occupiers. After the Manchu conquered China and overthrew the Ming empire, one Ming general, Zhen Chengong, led his troops to Taiwan. He drove the Dutch settlers out and established a stronghold on the island in 1662. Manchu emperor Kangxi (1661–1722) eventually conquered Taiwan in 1683, and Taiwan was named a province of China in 1885.”
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