logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2021
39m 26s

Checks and Balance: Taiwan wonder

The Economist
About this episode

Taiwan is arguably America’s defining foreign-policy challenge. The calibrated ambiguity over whether the US would defend the island democracy from a Chinese attack is hard to sustain as China’s power grows. Would the US go to war over Taiwan?


The Economist's Beijing bureau chief David Rennie assesses the likelihood of a Chinese attack on Taiwan. We look back at the origins of America’s ambiguous Taiwan policy. And Anton La Guardia, our diplomatic editor, spots Washington doves. 


The Economist's US editor John Prideaux hosts with Jon Fasman, US digital editor and New York Bureau Chief Charlotte Howard. 


For access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe: economist.com/USpod



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Migration roots: the broken asylum system
Immigration is a political lightning rod in part because the ageing global asylum pact is no longer fit for purpose. We examine how best to update it. As paycheques for top-notch AI researchers go stratospheric, demand for rank-and-file coders is quickly cooling. And what a gimmi ... Show More
21m 49s
Yesterday
Sprawl of duty: Trump’s tariff drama
Once again President Donald Trump extended the deadline for spine-stiffening tariffs to go into effect on trading partners. We look at the effects of all the uncertainty. Brazil once dominated the world of football; we ask where it went wrong and assess the route to a comeback. A ... Show More
21m 53s
Jul 8
The French reconnection: Macron in Britain
Anglo-French relations have not been so good since before the Brexit vote. Beneath the state-visit pageantry, though, there is much co-operation for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss. Gangs have infiltrated many of Latin America’s mining operati ... Show More
21m 10s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2023
China and Taiwan: A Torrid Backstory
The posturing between the United States and China has been intensifying in recent weeks — China responded with condemnations and military drills after Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, met the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy.Today, Edward Wong, who co ... Show More
25m 4s
Jul 2023
US, China butt heads again on Taiwan
Despite a recent diplomatic push to reset relations with China, the Biden administration has now announced a weapons package worth as much as $345 million for Taiwan’s self-defense. Beijing has repeatedly demanded that the US stop the sale of weapons to the island. So, what is th ... Show More
36m 26s
Aug 2022
Will the US and China go to war over Taiwan?
A recent visit to Taiwan by Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, has heightened tensions between the US and China. Their relationship is the worst it’s been in decades. America has accused China of dangerous military provocations in the region. China has warn ... Show More
22m 58s
Jan 2023
Debating the Defense of Taiwan
Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss whether it is possible, and wise, to try to stave off a conflict with China over Taiwan — possibly for a very long time. A recent article by Jude Blanchette and Ryan Hass urges policymakers to find ways to forestall conflict. But is it a mistake t ... Show More
1h 1m
May 2022
Is the U.S. Changing Its Stance on Taiwan?
For decades, the U.S. has walked a careful line when it comes to Taiwan — vowing to protect the island from China, without saying exactly how far it would go to do that.On Monday, that appeared to change.Guest: David E. Sanger, a White House and national security correspondent fo ... Show More
23m 25s
Feb 2024
Why China Can’t Blockade Taiwan
Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Ivan Kanapathy, a former US military attache to Taiwan, about the looming threat of Chinese invasion and why a Chinese blockade or quarantine of Taiwan is unlikely to succeed. They discuss the implications of the recent Taiwan elections on the island ... Show More
53m 50s
Apr 2024
High stakes in the strait: US -China competition and Taiwan’s future
Taiwan has come to represent a strategic flashpoint in US-China relations. As Beijing ramps up its political and military pressure on Taipei, any escalation could trigger a major conflict between the two powers. Unlike Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China may have to reckon with d ... Show More
35m 28s
Sep 2023
How Taiwan Is Learning From Ukraine
Taiwan has long lived under the shadow of China’s desire to take over its territory. And as China’s economy and military have grown, so too has the threat of a potential invasion. What is Taipei’s strategy for defense and security, and how is it marshaling support from other coun ... Show More
45m 26s