Taiwan sees growing global support but walks a tightrope under threat from China

Taipei is building ties with Western allies but experts say its diplomacy risks provoking Beijing amid rising military tensions, writes William Yang

File photo: Chinese and Taiwanese flags are displayed alongside a military airplane in this illustration (Reuters)

Among the long list of participants that spoke at this week’s virtual Summit for Democracy held by the United States, Taiwan stood out for the controversy its inclusion generated.

Despite strong opposition from China, Taiwan’s digital minister Audrey Tang delivered a speech on Friday in which she highlighted the island’s transition from martial law dictatorship to fully fledged democracy.

“Although Taiwan is a young democracy, it’s standing firm on the front lines of the global struggle with authoritarianism,” Tang told the summit, which was attended by more than 100 world leaders and took place from 9-10 December.