Taiwan’s New Government Takes Office

In the face of growing security challenges, this episode discusses what is on the agenda for Taiwan’s new leadership. Taiwan is not merely a democracy; it is an outstanding example of a democracy. The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2023 Democracy Index ranked Taiwan top in Asia and 10th globally (ahead of the UK and US) among the 167 countries and territories it surveys. Like all democratic countries, Taiwan’s electoral preoccupations are a mix of domestic and foreign. But the inauguration of the incoming administration has been transformed into a global security event, because Taiwan is at the centre of a looming confrontation between the US and the People’s Republic of China. In this episode, host Neil Melvin is joined by Dr Winnie King, Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol, and Thomas des Garets Geddes, RUSI Associate Fellow, to discuss how the inauguration of a new government in Taiwan will affect cross-strait relations, and how might this play into the larger story of the Sino-US confrontation. What can we expect next?

Om Podcasten

Global Security Briefing provides regular insights from leading international experts to help you make sense of the far-reaching changes affecting international security around the globe. Hosted by analysts from RUSI's International Security Studies team, the podcast looks at how the UK can best shape its foreign and security policies in an increasingly dynamic international environment. The Global Security Briefing channel is also host to a back-catalogue of episodes from the concluded RUSI podcasts 'Bridging the Oceans' and 'Mind the Gulf'. Running from 2020 to 2023, 'Bridging the Oceans' aimed to create a platform to discuss the key defence and security questions of the world’s most dynamic region: the Indo-Pacific. Hosted by Veerle Nouwens, it explored what the Indo-Pacific is, where its limits lie, and what the fast-evolving defence and security issues are in this dynamic part of the world. Running from January to May 2022, the 'Mind the Gulf' Podcast Series explored how the Iranian nuclear programme – and international diplomatic efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon – interacts with regional security dynamics and the wider Middle East. The views or statements expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by RUSI employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of RUSI.