Roundtable on the Taiwan Issue – Historical Background and Contemporary Developments

On 3 September 2024, the Japan Chair at the International Centre for Defence and Security was delighted to host a roundtable on the Taiwan Issue – Historical Background and Contemporary Developments with Professor Shin Kawashima from the ROLES think tank in Tokyo.  

The roundtable was moderated by Dr Ivan U. K. Klyszcz and addressed the following questions: 

• Why is China so obsessed with the unification of Taiwan?  

• Why do the US, Japan, and other countries place so much importance on Taiwan and why does Taiwan matter in the context of the US-China competition?  

• Third, what do Taiwanese people think about their relationship with China and what are their perceptions about the country’s future?  

• Fourth, how do they view the Taiwan issue in relation to the Ukraine issue and from a comparative perspective?  

The roundtable also touched upon the achievements and the ongoing developments in Japanese diplomacy efforts in the region. 

The discussion was held under Chatham House Rule.