Narrow Waters, Dangerous Currents

In recent years, tensions between Taiwan and China have heightened. A visit to the island by then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August 2022 was condemned by Beijing as »extremely dangerous«. Earlier this year, China deployed warships and aircraft near Taiwan in response to President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. There are few analysts anywhere in the world who think this story has already seen its final chapter. But how did we get here? What is the historical and cultural background to this conflict?

Narrow Waters focuses on the stories behind the conflict, on aspects that are often neglected in media discussions, which tend to dwell on military scenarios and realpolitik. The aim of this book is not so much to produce new knowledge or analyses on the topic, but to present the existing discourse and debates to an educated audience in an understandable and engaging fashion – but without compromising on accuracy and nuanced description. The book will also address key events that will unfold over the coming year, including the results of the Taiwanese presidential elections in January 2024 and the ensuing reaction from Beijing.

While informed by numerous interviews with key figures in Taiwan, China, and Washington – from military generals to members of indigenous communities in Taiwan – and drawing on influential work from US pundits, Narrow Waters will also provide an additional, uniquely European perspective on this topic of such pressing global relevance.