China and Taiwan: What you need to know about di two kontries

Image of Taiwanese soldier

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China don launch several ballistic missiles inside water around Taiwan north east and south west.

Di launch na part part of China biggest ever military drills for di region around di island.

Di military exercises follow di visit of di Speaker of di US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi to di island.

China dey see Taiwan as breakaway province wey go eventually dey under Beijing control again.

However, Taiwan dey see imsef as independent kontri, wit im own constitution and democratically-elected leaders.

China President Xi Jinping don say “reunification” wit Taiwan “must be fulfilled” – and im never rule out di possible use of force to achieve dis.

Wia Taiwan dey?

Taiwan na island, wey dey roughly 100 miles from di coast of south east China.

E siddon for di so-called “first island chain”, wey include one list of US-friendly territories wey dey necessary to US foreign policy. China dey hold im biggest-ever show of military force for air and seas around Taiwan, including firing of ballistic missiles.

Map of China and Taiwan with neighbouring states...

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If China take over Taiwan, some western sabi pipo suggest say e fit dey freer to project power for di western Pacific region and e fit possibly even threaten US military bases as far away as Guam and Hawaii.

But China insist say im intentions dey purely peaceful.

Taiwan don everly dey separate from China?

Historical sources dey suggest say di island first come under full Chinese control for di 17th Century wen di Qing dynasty begin administer am. Den for 1895, dem give up di island to Japan afta losing di first Sino Japanese war.

China take back di island again for 1945 afta Japan lost World War Two.

But one civil war happun for mainland China between nationalist goment forces under Chiang Kai-shek lead Mao Zedong Communist Party.

Di communists win for 1949 and take control for Beijing.

Chiang Kai-shek and wetin remain of di nationalist party – wey dem sabi as Kuomintang – run go to Taiwan, wia im rule for di next several decades.

China dey point to dis history to say Taiwan bin originally be Chinese province.

But Taiwan dey point to di same history to argue say dem no ever be part of di modern Chinese state wey dem first form afta di revolution for 1911 – or di People’s Republic of China wey dem establish under Mao for 1949.

Chiang Kai-shek run to Taiwan afta im defeat by di communists for 1949

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Chiang Kai-shek lead di Kuomintang afta e run to Taiwan

Kuomintang be one of Taiwan most popular political parties ever since and im bin dey rule di island for most part of im history.

Currently, only 13 kontris (plus di Vatican) recognise Taiwan as sovereign kontri.

China dey put serious diplomatic pressure on oda kontris not to recognise Taiwan, or do anytin wey show say dem recognise am as kontri.

Taiwan fit defend imsef?

China fit attempt to “reunify” by non-military means like to make dia economic ties stronger.

But for any military confrontation, China armed forces go defeat Taiwan military.

China dey spend more dan any kontri except US on defence and fit draw on im plenty different powers, from im navy power to missile technology, aircraft and cyber attacks.

Most of China military power dey focus on oda areas, but in overall terms of active duty personnel for example, di two sides no balance at all.

Graphic of Chinese and Taiwanese active military personnel

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For open conflict, some western experts predict say Taiwan go at best aim to slow Chinese attack, try to prevent shore landing by Chinese amphibious or water forces, and mount guerrilla strikes while dem wait for outside help.

Dat help fit come from US wey dey sell weapons give Taiwan.

Until now, Washington policy of “strategic ambiguity” mean say di US bin dey deliberately unclear about weda or how e go defend Taiwan if dem ever come under attack.

Diplomatically, di US dey currently stick to di “One-China” policy, wey recognise only one Chinese goment – for Beijing – and e get formal ties wit China instead of Taiwan.

But for May, US president Joe Biden bin sound like im wan strengthen Washington position.

Wen dem ask am weda US go defend Taiwan militarily, Oga Biden reply: “Yes.”

Di White House however insist say Washington no change im position.

Di situation dey get worse?

Relationship between Taiwan and China be like e dey get worse sharply afta Madam Pelosi visit, wey Beijing condemn as “extremely dangerous”.

China say im military exercises dey focus on six danger zones around Taiwan, three of which overlap di island territorial waters.

Taiwan say di move, wey stop ships and planes from using dia space, violate im sovereignty and amounts to blockade.

Map showing China military exercises danger zones. Updated 4 Aug.

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Taiwan don warn companies on di island to expect strong cyber attacks for di coming days.

Tensions between China and Taiwan don already rise.

For 2021 Taiwan defence minister say relationship between di two kontris dey dia worst state inside 40 years.

Also for 2021, China bin be like say e increase pressure by sending military aircraft into Taiwan Air Defence Zone, dis na self-declared area wia dem dey identify, monitor, and control foreign aircrafts in di interests of national security.

Taiwan make informate on how many time China plane dey enta dia space public for 2020.

Di numbers of aircraft wey dem report increase for October 2021, wit 56 invasions inside one single day.

Graphic showing reported incursions into Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone. Updated 4 Aug 2022.

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Why Taiwan important to di rest of di world?

Taiwan economy dey seriously important.

Many of di world everyday electronic equipment – from phones to laptops, watches and games consoles – dey run on computer chips wey Taiwan dey make.

By one measure, one single Taiwan company – di Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company or TSMC – get more dan half of di world market.

Graphic showing computer chip manufacturing

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TSMC na so-called “foundry” – dis na company wey dey make chips wey im consumer and military customers dey design. Na very big industry, worth almost $100bn (£73bn) for 2021.

Chinese takeover of Taiwan fit give Beijing some control over one of di world most important industries.

Taiwan pipo dey worry?

Despite di recent tensions between China and Taiwan, research suggest say many Taiwan pipo no to worry.

For October 2021, di Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation ask pipo weda dem tink say dem go eventually go to war wit China.

Almost two thirds (64.3%) reply say dem no tink so.

Graphic showing that most Taiwanese people don't think there will be military conflict

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Separate research dey suggest say most pipo for dia dey identify demsef as Taiwanese – embracing very different identity.

Graphic showing whether people in Taiwan regard themselves as Taiwanese or Chinese

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Na National Chengchi University do dis survey since di early 1990s wey show say di number of pipo wey dey identify as Chinese, or both Chinese and Taiwanese don fall and most pipo consider demsef as Taiwanese.

Update 6 July 2022: Dem amend dis article to provide more historical background about Taiwan status.

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