Beijing’s justification for wanting to invade Taiwan

Beijing’s justification for wanting to invade Taiwan

From Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today by ABC

March 20, 2026 · 30 min

About this episode

The episode discusses China's justification for wanting to invade Taiwan and the implications of US military actions in the region.

Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping are due to meet in Beijing in the near future, following a March postponement. China’s wish to subsume democratic Taiwan is certain to be one of the topics on the summit agenda. President Xi has reportedly instructed his military to be at capacity for an invasion by 2027, so 2026 could be Taiwan’s last year of freedom. Some analysts fear US military action in Iran and Venezuela may embolden Beijing. The Chinese Communist Party justifies its claim to Taiwan based on what it calls its “One China Principle”. But what exactly does “One China” mean? Guests: Jessica Drun – Washington-based China and Taiwan analyst Dr Andrew Phillips – Professor of International Relations, University of Queensland Dr Mei-fen Kuo – lecturer in Contemporary Chinese Culture and History, Macquarie University Dr Sow Keat Tok – Asia Institute, University of Melbourne Dr Mark Harrison – Senior Lecturer, Chinese Studies, University of Tasmania

People in this episode

Guests: Jessica Drun, Dr Andrew Phillips, Dr Mei-fen Kuo, Dr Sow Keat Tok, Dr Mark Harrison

Topics covered

  • Taiwan
  • China
  • US-China relations
  • military strategy
  • international politics
  • One China Principle

Keywords

  • Taiwan invasion
  • One China Principle
  • Xi Jinping
  • Donald Trump
  • US military
  • China-Taiwan relations
  • international relations

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Chinese Communist Party

Places: Taiwan, Beijing, Iran, Venezuela

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