Can Taiwan Survive?

🎙️ Imagine a world where Taiwan's fate hangs in the balance. As tensions rise, what does the future hold for this island nation? Join us as Dr. Alice Yang reveals the critical factors that could determine Taiwan's survival in today's volatile landscape. 🎧 Available now on Spotify, iTunes & the Auscast Network. *Subscribe and Support our Channel* / https://www.youtube.com/@thefocus_SAGEIntl *The Focus Social & Website* X: https://x.com/TheFocus_SAGE IG: https://www.instagram.com/thefocus_sage/ LinkedIn: sage-international Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFocus.SAGEInt/ Website: https://sageinternational.com.au/ *You can also listen to our podcasts on* iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-focus/id1579317546 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5SsaNdoLkIgbO6oVCFOseu?si=yp_mRnXTReW8I2_DJm1i5A Auscast Network: https://auscastnetwork.com/shows/news-politics-shows/the-focus/ 🔗 *Connect with Alice Yang* Institute for Defense and Security Research (INDSR) indsr2018@indsr.org.tw Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/INDSRTW X - @INDSRTW YouTube - https://youtube.com/@indsr8906?si=diU9m_YM3w2438vp *Interesting point raised by Alice* According to the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Democracy Index—published in February 2025, out of 167 countries listed, Taiwan is rated as number 10 among the top twenty states. Australia is at number 15, but the United States is at number 28. *Taiwanese Political Parties* 🇹🇼 1. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) • Position on China: o Pro-status quo with an emphasis on sovereignty o While it doesn’t formally push for de jure independence, it views Taiwan as already independent under the name “Republic of China (Taiwan)” o Strongly resists unification with China ✅ Supports a Taiwanese identity distinct from China 🚫 Opposes “One China” or any future unification with the PRC 🇹🇼 2. Kuomintang (KMT) • Position on China: o Supports eventual peaceful unification under the right conditions but rejects the use of force o Favours closer economic and cultural ties with China o Supports the "1992 Consensus" (One China, but each side has its own interpretation) ⚖️ Seeks peace and dialogue with Beijing 🧩 Ambiguous on independence vs. unification, but tilts toward eventual integration if democratic and safe 🇹🇼 3. Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) • Position on China: o Promotes the status quo o Calls for pragmatic engagement with both the U.S. and China o Avoids strong ideological stances on unification vs. independence 🧭 Middle-of-the-road approach: avoid provoking China while protecting Taiwan’s democracy 🇹🇼 4. New Power Party (NPP) • Position on China: o Advocates for formal independence o Strongly opposes unification or the “1992 Consensus” 🔥 More hardline than the DPP on Taiwanese independence 🇹🇼 5. People First Party (PFP) (Now marginal) • Position on China: o Pro-unification under peaceful, negotiated terms o Supports “One China” framework 📉 Formerly significant, now politically marginal *Top Publications by Alice* “Japan’s Defense Policy and Armament Changes” Published: January 10, 2025. Included in the 2024 Report on the Defense Technology Trend Assessment, this chapter analyses Japan’s evolving defence posture and its implications for regional security. “The Expansion of China’s National Security Concept and Strategic Implications in the Arctic” Published: December 22, 2022. Co-authored with Wen-Chung Chai in the Defense Security Brief, this article explores China’s growing strategic interests in the Arctic and the broader implications for global security dynamics. “Legal Analysis of the PRC’s Defense Industry in Recent Years under the Military-Civil Fusion Strategy” Published: June 7, 2022. This chapter, featured in the 2021 Report on the Defense Technology Trend Assessment, examines how China's Military-Civil Fusion strategy has reshaped its defense industry, with implications for international legal and policy frameworks. #taiwan #taiwanstrait #aliceyang #eastasiasecurity