The Taiwan-China dispute explained, and where the US fits it | Start Here

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 You can find all Start Here episodes here: https://bit.ly/3o0BEIW Subscribe Al Jazeera so you don’t miss future episodes: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow Sandra Gathmann on Instagram and X: @SandraGathmann And let us know in the comments if there’s a topic you find confusing and would like Start Here to cover ⤵️