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The Struggle for Taiwan

A History

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The Struggle for Taiwan

By: Sulmaan Wasif Khan
Narrated by: Austin Yang
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Brought to you by Penguin.

In the overwhelming chaos across Asia at the end of the Second World War, one relatively minor issue was the future of the Japanese colony of Taiwan, a large island some one hundred miles off the coast of Fujian. Handed to the Kuomintang-ruled Republic of China, in 1949 it suddenly became the focus of global attention as a random cross-section of defeated nationalists, including President Chiang Kai-shek, fled there from Mao's triumphant Communist forces.

The Struggle for Taiwan is a balanced and convincing account of the sequence of events that has left Taiwan for generations as a political anomaly, with issues around its status and future continuing to threaten war. With deepening democratization, Taiwan further goads Beijing, remaining functionally independent from China even as Xi Jinping clamours for unification.

This invaluable book allows readers to understand the complex story of this unique place and its role in international relations. With its striking economic dynamism and commitment to democracy, can Taiwan continue - as Hong Kong once did - to thrive, or will China conquer it? And will the world be able to maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait or will it stumble into war?

©2024 Sulmaan Wasif Khan (P)2024 Penguin Audio

 20th Century 21st Century Geopolitics International Relations Modern Politics & Government China Asia Southeast Asia War

Critic reviews

A rigorously researched and gripping account... a beautifully written book (Kathrin Hille)
Deeply researched and fascinating… China-US relations now stand “at the edge of chaos”, according to Khan. Beijing’s aggression in the strait has hit new heights, and Biden appears to have recommitted the US to defend Taiwan militarily. A cataclysm beckons (Charlie English)
Excellent and timely… Khan’s book suggests that military conflict is not inevitable and that calm heads, open communication and the spirit of compromise could yet save us from a third world war (Neal E. Robbins)
[The Struggle for Taiwan] is a brilliant example of the use of international history to illuminate a contemporary challenge that we are likely to be hearing a lot more about in 2025. It tells the story of how the island has been the source of great-power contestation going back to the 17th century, before its postwar history, democratisation and rapid technological leaps made it a geopolitical tinderbox (John Bew)
A rich and thoughtful book (Ian Buruma)
Thought-provoking…Perhaps the most powerful lesson of Khan’s book concerns agency. Repeatedly, Khan reminds readers that the path to the present was not inevitable but was rather the product of choices made by leaders in Beijing, Taipei, and Washington. That history should serve as both a cautionary tale and motivation for leaders in all three capitals (James Steinberg)
All stars
Most relevant
I’m really disappointed in this book. The author lacks the courage (or, perhaps, an adequate understanding) to elaborate on how the quest for independence has developed from a cause championed by a small minority to a position favored by the majority—at least, in theory. Listening to this book, one is left with the wrong and historically inaccurate impression that the people on Taiwan had always viewed themselves as a separate nation. I would have been more interested in a narrative that explored the complexities and the inherent contradictions of the Taiwan story, rather than a regurgitation of—from a Western perspective— politically correct views. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend this book in good faith.

A master class in viewing history through the prism of the present

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