Why Taiwan Matters - by Kerry Brown (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Taiwan expert Kerry Brown sums up the history of Taiwan and the danger of a Chinese takeover in this succinct and authoritative book. When the bloody Chinese Civil War concluded in 1949, two Chinas were born. Mao's Communists won and took China's mainland; Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists fled to Taiwan island. Since then, China and Taiwan have drifted into being separate political and cultural entities. Taiwan is now a flourishing democracy and an economic success story: just one of its companies produces over 90 per cent of the semiconductors that power the world's economy. It is a free and vibrant society. For the United States and the West, the island is a bastion of freedom against China's assertive presence in the region. And yet China, increasingly bellicose under Xi Jinping, insists Taiwan is part of its territory and must be returned to it. Should China blockade the island and mount an invasion, it would set off a chain reaction that would pitch it against the US--escalating a regional war into a global one. Taiwan is thus a geopolitical powder keg. Why Taiwan Matters helps us understand how and why we've arrived at this dangerous moment in history. With unparalleled access to Taiwan's political leaders and a deep understanding of the island's history and culture, Professor Kerry Brown provides a new reading of Taiwan, its twenty-three million people, and how they navigate being caught in this frightening geopolitical standoff. Why Taiwan Matters is the essential book for understanding Taiwan's unique story told in an accessible, expert and urgent way"--

Book Synopsis

Taiwan expert Kerry Brown sums up the history of Taiwan and the danger of a Chinese takeover in this succinct and authoritative book.

When the bloody Chinese Civil War concluded in 1949, two Chinas were born. Mao's Communists won and took China's mainland; Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists fled to Taiwan island. Since then, China and Taiwan have drifted into being separate political and cultural entities.

Taiwan is now a flourishing democracy and an economic success story: just one of its companies produces over 90 per cent of the semiconductors that power the world's economy. It is a free and vibrant society. For the United States and the West, the island is a bastion of freedom against China's assertive presence in the region. And yet China, increasingly bellicose under Xi Jinping, insists Taiwan is part of its territory and must be returned to it. Should China blockade the island and mount an invasion, it would set off a chain reaction that would pitch it against the US - escalating a regional war into a global one. Taiwan is thus a geopolitical powder keg.

Why Taiwan Matters helps us understand how and why we've arrived at this dangerous moment in history. With unparalleled access to Taiwan's political leaders and a deep understanding of the island's history and culture, Professor Kerry Brown provides a new reading of Taiwan, its twenty-three million people, and how they navigate being caught in this frightening geopolitical standoff. Why Taiwan Matters is the essential book for understanding Taiwan's unique story told in an accessible, expert and urgent way.

Review Quotes

"A cogent and unsettling exploration of one of the key geopolitical issues of our time." - Publisher's Weekly

"A thorough and unbiased overview. An excellent introduction for those newly curious about Taiwan and a handy refresher or useful reference for more seasoned readers." - William Hurst, Chong Hua Professor of Chinese Development in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge

"Brown is constantly interesting, always thoughtful, and refreshingly wise and knowing about China. He is also very readable." - Martin Jacques, author of When China Rules the World

"Why Taiwan Matters is an excellent account of a complex issue that is commonly misunderstood. The style is accessible, and the combination of political and historical context with on-the-spot observations is superb. Completely up-to-date, it presents information from the Taiwan side of the China-Taiwan conflict that is not readily available. This is the best introduction for anyone trying to understand this conflict." - Michael Dillon, author of We Need To Talk About Xi

"For those involved or just interested in international affairs, this is a readable and balanced primer on probably the most consequential global hotspot of our century." - Sir Nigel Sheinwald, former British Ambassador to the United States

"Kerry Brown is one of our most perceptive and accurate foreign observers of China." - John Simpson, BBC World Affairs Editor

"The great strength of Kerry Brown's book is that it treats Taiwan as a place and people with their own identity, forged by their own history, linked with but also distinct from the mainland, and not just as an 'issue' or 'problem' or potential 'flashpoint'...By exposing the complexities and ambiguities of the idea of Taiwan clearly, empathically but objectively, Brown has done a great service to readers everywhere." - Bilahari Kausikan, former Permanent Secretary, Singapore Foreign Ministry

"If you want to understand the twenty-first century, you need to understand Taiwan. And if you want to understand Taiwan, you need to read this book. A compelling synthesis of the issue by an expert in the field." - Elliot Ackerman, author of The Fifth Act: America's End in Afghanistan

"Kerry Brown's Why Taiwan Matters is a factual, thoughtful and very well-written account of Taiwan at a crucial time not just for the Taiwanese, but for all of us. The book's subtitle - How a Small Island Will Dictate the Global Future - could not be more apposite. The book explains, with great clarity, both why and how." - Sir Malcolm Rifkind, former British Foreign Secretary

"A thorough and nuanced analysis of Taiwan's history, present and potential future."' - Michael Booth, author of The Almost Nearly Perfect People

About the Author

KERRY BROWN is Professor of Chinese Studies and Director of the Lau China Institute at King's College, London, and has focused on China and Taiwan since 1991. He is the author of over 20 books on modern Chinese politics, including CEO China: The Rise of Xi Jinping (Bloomsbury), The World According to Xi (Bloomsbury), Xi: A Study in Power (Icon Books), China Incorporated: The Politics of a World Where China is Number One, and Fearful Asymmetry: A History of Britain's Relations with China 1570-2023 (Yale University Press). He has written and commented on China in every major international news outlet.