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- The threat
of military conflict

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has long loomed over Taiwan,

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but recent flare-ups have
set off a new wave of fears.

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- There's currently not much
common ground to be found

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between the positions that are
held by China and Taiwan.

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I think Beijing has made it
clear that it will settle

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for no less than Taiwan's
unification with the mainland

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under a one-country,
two-system framework.

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And it said that it wants
to do this peacefully,

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but that it reserves the right
to use force if necessary.

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- In the first few days
of October,

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China sent a record number
of military aircraft

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into Taiwan's Air Defense
Identification Zone.

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A few days later, China held
military drills in an area

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just opposite Taiwan,
simulating beach landings.

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- The current situation,
to us the military,

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and I'm just reporting
to the legislators,

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is the most severe in the
forty years since I've enlisted.

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- Chinese president, Xi Jinping,

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reiterated his desire to preside
over what he has called

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the inevitable unification
of Taiwan with China.

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- Taiwan independence
is the biggest obstacle

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to the motherland's
reunification and a grave danger

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to national rejuvenation.
Those who forget their heritage,

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betray the motherland,
and seek to split.

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The country
will come no good end,

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and they will be spurned by the
people and condemned by history.

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- That threat received a strong
response the following day.

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- We will continue to bolster
our national defense

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and demonstrate
our determination

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to defend ourselves

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in order to ensure
that nobody can force Taiwan

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to take the path China
has laid out for us.

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This is because the path
that China has laid out offers

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neither a free and democratic
way of life for Taiwan,

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nor sovereignty
for our 23 million people.

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- China really just doesn't like
Taiwan's current president,

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Tsai Ing-wen.

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They call her a separatist
and an independent.

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So I think a lot
of this aggressiveness

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is to try to show we have force,
we have the power.

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These are the things
that can happen

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if you don't unify with China,
if you don't do what we say.

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- On the other hand,
a vast majority of Taiwanese

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have no interest
in unifying with the mainland.

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And President Tsai of Taiwan
has reiterated

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that Taiwan wants to maintain
the status quo,

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that it seeks the easing
of relations and dialogue

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based on the basis of parity

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and that it will not bow
to pressures.

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So at this moment, I don't see
much room for compromise.

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- President Biden said
that he hoped

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China would abide
by the Taiwan agreement,

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an apparent reference to the US
government's acknowledgment

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of the One China policy.

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- I've spoken with Xi
about Taiwan. We agree --

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We'll abide
by the Taiwan agreement.

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That's who we are.

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And we made it clear that
I don't think he should be doing

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anything other than abiding
by the agreement.

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- I think, on Taiwan,
the United States' position

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has always been to ensure
that Taiwan

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is never put in a position
where it's coerced

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into unification or some other
non-peaceful resolution

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on the dispute
over its status with China.

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- Taiwan relies more on the US.
And as tensions get worse,

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they are, you know,
they need the US even more,

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but there is mistrust
and kind of concern

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over whether or not
the US would really come

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to Taiwan's aid
based on this policy.

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- Taiwanese officials have
acknowledged that China

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will be capable of a full-scale
invasion of the island by 2025.

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But this could place China's
economic and diplomatic gains

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over the past decades at risk.

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- It'll be important to think
about

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how to convince Chinese leaders

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that using force
or other coercive measures,

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vis-à-vis Taiwan, is not in
China's ultimate interests.

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- Beijing, for so long,
they have been saying

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that unifying with Taiwan,

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taking Taiwan is,
you know, it is inevitable.

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It has to happen. It will happen
by force if necessary.

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And then, also, this idea that
Xi Jinping, it's part of legacy,

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and it's becoming
even more important

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for him to accomplish that.

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But then for Taiwan,
Taiwan's society is moving

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even farther away
from wanting that to happen.

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So that means the likelihood
of a peaceful unification

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is very difficult.