An area long reserved to specialists of “Greater China” and overlooked in European policy circles, Taiwan has succeeded in carving out an important space for itself on the international scene in recent years. Its management of the Covid-19 crisis has proven exemplary. Its approach to managing new digital technologies has reinforced the rule of law. Its democratic model is held up as an example in an international context of increasing polarization between liberal and authoritarian regimes. Finally, its unique know-how in the field of high-performance semiconductors made Taiwan an indispensable actor for a wide range of industries across the globe during the pandemic, and now it is sought after by many states seeking to develop their own production chains.
In a context of growing rivalry between the United States and China, Taiwan is the most serious point of contention between the two adversaries and, as such, an area of extremely high-risk friction. In fact, the strategic interest in Taiwan is just as high for Washington as it is for Beijing.
Ifri’s Center for Asian Studies analyses and interprets the critical issues around Taiwan’s emergence and its role in contemporary international relations.
