![Frontline Formosa](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20230311_SRR_SQ.jpg)
Taiwan
Frontline Formosa
Taiwan’s fate will, ultimately, be decided by the battle-readiness of its people, says Alice Su
- Taiwan: Taiwan is a vital island that is under serious threat
- The past: How Taiwan is shaped by its history and identity
- The economy: It is time to divert Taiwan’s trade and investment from China
- Semiconductors: Taiwan’s dominance of the chip industry makes it more important
- The home front: The battle with China is psychological as much as physical
- Defence: Taiwan needs a new defence strategy to deal with China
- Politics: Taiwanese politics faces a crucial election in early 2024
- What Taiwan needs: Taiwan desperately needs support from the world
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20230304_SRP045.jpg)
Taiwan
Taiwan is a vital island that is under serious threat
Taiwan’s fate will, ultimately, be decided by the battle-readiness of its people, says Alice Su
![Guards march during the changing ceremony at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 12, 2023](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20230304_SRP046.jpg)
The past
How Taiwan is shaped by its history and identity
Understanding Taiwan requires study of its history
![Motorists commute past shipping containers at the port in Keelung on September 17, 2022. (Photo by I-HWA CHENG / AFP) (Photo by I-HWA CHENG/AFP via Getty Images)](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20230311_SRP518.jpg)
The economy
It is time to divert Taiwan’s trade and investment from China
Taiwan’s economy is strong, but it needs to reduce its dependence on China
![A staff walks in the lobby of the headquarter of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) in Hsinchu, Taiwan, February 16, 2023](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20230311_SRP524.jpg)
Semiconductors
Taiwan’s dominance of the chip industry makes it more important
No industry matters more to Taiwan than chipmaking
![A participant practices using bandage during the basis camps at KUMA Academy in Taipei, Taiwan, February 18, 2023](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20230311_SRP526.jpg)
The home front
The battle with China is psychological as much as physical
The importance of psychology in resisting China
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20230311_SRP516.jpg)
Defence
Taiwan needs a new defence strategy to deal with China
Taiwan needs to prioritise becoming a porcupine, but ambiguity clouds its strategic decisions
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20230311_SRP525.jpg)
Politics
Taiwanese politics faces a crucial election in early 2024
The presidential election will do much to decide Taiwan’s future
![Children play with pigeons at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 15, 2023](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20230311_SRP520.jpg)
What Taiwan needs
Taiwan desperately needs support from the world
A vibrant small democracy needs protection from a big autocracy
Previous report
![Erdogan’s empire](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20230121_SRR_SQ.jpg)
Turkey
Erdogan’s empire
Approaching its centenary, Turkey faces an election that could decide its future as a democracy, argues Piotr Zalewski
- Turkey: Turkey faces a crucial election this summer
- The economy: The Turkish economy is in pressing need of reform and repair
- Friends and relations: Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s relatives are becoming increasingly powerful
- Syria: The effects on Turkey of Syria’s civil war
- Political Islam: Turkey has given up promoting political Islam abroad
- Foreign policy: Turkey has a newly confrontational foreign policy
- Politics: The Turkish opposition faces big obstacles to winning the election
- The future: Turkey is still just a democracy, but it is not certain to remain that way