Taiwan is one of the great paradoxes of the international order. A place with its own flag, currency, government and military, but which most of the world does not recognise as a sovereign country. An island that China regards as a 'rebellious province', but which has managed to survive defiantly for decades. Now with its neighbour China a major power on the world stage and ally United States looking increasingly inward, Taiwan's position has never been more precarious.Kerry Brown and Kalley Wu Tzu-hui reveal how the island's shifting fortunes have been shaped by centuries of conquest and by a cast of dynamic characters, by Cold War intrigue and the rise of its neighbour as a global power, explaining how this tiny island, caught between the agendas of two superpowers, is attempting to find its place in a rapidly changing world order. The Trouble with Taiwan relates the story of a fascinating nation and culture, and how its disputed status speaks to a wider, global story about Chinese control and waning US influence.

Timeline of Events Introduction - The Great Asian Game 1. Contested Histories: From the Ming to Today 2. The Great Transformation: Democratization and the Impact on Taiwan's Identity 3. At the Front Line of `Sharp Power': Taiwan's Relation with the People' Republic of China. 4. Worlds Apart: Taiwan's International Space 5. Parallel Lives: Taiwan's Economic Identity 6. Thinking Through the Issue of Taiwan Conclusion: The Trouble with Taiwan