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This narrow stretch of water
is all that separates
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the People's Republic of China,
ruled by the Communist Party,
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00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:21,480
from Taiwan, one of Asia's most
successful democracies.
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00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,920
What happens out here
in the Taiwan Strait
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isn't just about Taiwan and China,
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it's got the potential to spark
a global conflict
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that could threaten all of us.
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00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:48,800
Certainly, the Taiwan Strait right
now is one of the most dangerous
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and unstable flash points
that is facing our world today
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and for years to come.
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Taiwan is a cork in a bottle.
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Whoever controls Taiwan controls
the cork in that bottle.
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China says it's time for
its breakaway province
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to return to the motherland.
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But Taiwan is standing up to China.
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This is a mission impossible.
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This is a mission,
if it is done or executed,
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that may lead directly
to Armageddon.
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I've been reporting on conflicts
in the Pacific region for decades,
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but now this could just be the most
dangerous place on earth.
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You have two nuclear powers,
the US and China.
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There could be a disaster
for the region,
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even for the whole world.
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2016. Tsai Ing-wen
is elected president.
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CHEERING
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She's the first woman to run Taiwan.
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A new era begins.
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Her election is unprecedented
in another way.
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She openly refuses to accept
the idea
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that Taiwan is a province of China.
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For her, this is
an independent country.
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In China, the reaction is swift.
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President Xi Jinping cuts relations.
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The desire of the Taiwanese
for a more independent future
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reverberates across the world.
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One China, one Taiwan!
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Taiwan's a country!
This is my country!
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Yeah! Yeah!
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Taiwan is Taiwan
and China is China. Yes.
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Young people voted
overwhelmingly for Tsai Ing-wen
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and her
Democratic Progressive Party.
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UNTRANSLATED SINGING
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Fire EX. played at
the president's inauguration.
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UNTRANSLATED SINGING
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The band put politics at the heart
of their music.
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# Tonight we celebrate
our love... #
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The danger had already been made
clear during the election campaign.
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A Taiwanese star from
the K-Pop group TWICE
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appeared on an international TV show
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waving Taiwan's, not China's flag.
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Chou Tzu-yu didn't mean it
as a political statement,
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but under pressure from China,
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the show's organisers forced
her to apologise.
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If it was meant to frighten those
considering voting for Tsai Ing-wen,
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then it backfired.
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The new president promised there
would be no more such apologies.
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CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
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I've had a chance to get
to know her quite well personally.
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As a woman in a predominantly
male political environment,
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she faced a number of challenges,
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but she was able to put
her foot down.
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She has a strong personality.
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And Taiwan's way of life,
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its democracy,
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which is now universally embraced by
people here in Taiwan,
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is something that is
simply non-negotiable.
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Tsai Ing-wen and her inner circle
are always careful
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not to call
publicly for independence.
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First of all, we emphasise
that Taiwan has been
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an independent country,
so there's no need now
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to declare again
the independence of Taiwan.
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But we understand and we emphasise
that the people in Taiwan
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should have the final say
about the solution
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to the so-called "Taiwan problem".
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The "Taiwan problem" began in 1949.
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The Communists, under Mao Tse-tung,
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forced the nationalist government
out of China.
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ARCHIVE: One stronghold
after another
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has fallen to the advancing Reds.
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General Chiang Kai-shek fled
to the neighbouring island,
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taking over a million
people with him.
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ARCHIVE: War of one kind or another
has been their lot
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pretty well all their lifetime.
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He declared Taiwan,
just 100 miles off the mainland,
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the Independent Republic of China.
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Today, it's only officially
recognised as a sovereign nation
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by 13 countries.
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Victor Gao, a former diplomat,
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is regarded as a spokesman
for the Chinese government.
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From the very beginning, in 1949,
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China has always been calling
for the reunification of Taiwan.
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There is only one China
and Taiwan is part of China.
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And people on both sides of the
Taiwan Strait are Chinese people.
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Same blood, same civilisation,
same culture, same people.
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23 million people live in Taiwan,
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one of the richest and most dynamic
democracies in the world.
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Its high-tech industries have
made it
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one of the most digitally
connected societies, too.
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China seized advantage of that
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when Tsai Ing-wen moved into
the presidential palace
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in the capital, Taipei.
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From the moment she was
first elected,
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the president and her government
became a thorn in the side of China
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and the Chinese Communist Party.
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Their reaction?
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A campaign of misinformation,
intimidation and dirty tricks.
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00:09:32,680 --> 00:09:37,880
Puma Shen and his team investigate
attacks and disinformation online.
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They've identified disinformation
like this -
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claims farmers are being bankrupted
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00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,080
because Tsai's election damaged
trade with China.
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00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:24,920
As soon as social media sites
close down the accounts,
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new ones pop up.
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UNTRANSLATED SPEECH
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The barrage is relentless.
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UNTRANSLATED SPEECH
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And where is most of this
disinformation coming from?
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00:11:05,560 --> 00:11:10,800
President Tsai got Taiwan's digital
community involved in the fightback.
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00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:14,680
No country is an island
in cyberspace, not even Taiwan.
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So we stand ready.
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00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:22,800
Audrey Tang, a former hacker
and Taiwan's first trans minister,
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00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:26,880
is battling the online attacks
from communist China.
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00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:32,560
I think the main strategic goal
is to undermine people's trust
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00:11:32,560 --> 00:11:34,800
in democratic institutions.
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00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:36,880
There is a narrative going on
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00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:40,200
that says only authoritarian,
top-down systems
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is able to tackle
systemic challenges -
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00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,680
trying to say that democracy
only leads to chaos.
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00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:54,640
Billion Lee, a student, became
one of Audrey's digital warriors.
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Is a lot of this coming from China?
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00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:13,400
Billion and her friends created
this site,
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where thousands of facts can be
checked automatically by bots.
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00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:28,840
100,000 facts?
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00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:42,360
Billion was angry about what she
saw online.
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00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,760
Posts undermining Tsai's
government's proposal
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00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:51,680
to make same-sex marriage legal.
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00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:09,760
This is one such post.
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00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:11,440
AIDS patients from abroad
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00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,920
purportedly taking advantage
of Taiwan's health system.
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00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,640
There were false claims that
Tsai's government
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00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,000
spent millions on gay pride parades.
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00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:39,840
And disinformation exploiting the
fact the president isn't married.
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00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:01,640
Why did you decide to fight back
against the disinformation
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00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:03,760
you were seeing on the internet?
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00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,120
It wasn't just fake news online.
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00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:30,520
Inside Taiwan, China's supporters
were using other tactics, too.
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00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,040
DRUMS PLAY
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00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:38,640
Chang An-lo's been campaigning for
reunification with China
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for 20 years.
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00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,240
He was also a leader of
a criminal gang here.
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00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:49,720
He has deep connections with one
of the main Triads,
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00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:52,880
organised crime in Taiwan,
known as the Bamboo Union.
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00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:59,720
Mr Chang spent years in a US prison
on drug trafficking charges,
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then had to flee Taiwan
to mainland China.
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00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:07,400
The Bamboo Union has been
implicated in recent years
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00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:10,800
in at least one assassination
attempt against a Beijing critic
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00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:12,320
here in Taiwan.
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00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:15,960
And the authorities here in Taiwan
were able to trace the money
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for that particular operation
back to the PRC.
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Hi.Good afternoon.
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Mr Chang.
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Known as the White Wolf, Mr Chang
now heads a political party
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calling for unification with China.
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Mr Chang is accused of receiving
money directly
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from the People's Republic of China
to carry out his activities.
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00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:11,120
Are you funded by China?
Is your party funded by China?
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00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:30,760
Mr Chang's followers turn up
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when people gather to defend
Taiwan's independence.
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00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:36,720
UPBEAT GLAM ROCK MUSIC PLAYS
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00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:41,640
In 2017, a Chinese talent show
staged at Taiwan University
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sparked a student protest.
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So, I realised there is a group
of students.
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So they actually trying to boycott
the show.
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They rush in
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and basically they walk up the stage
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and say, "Stop".
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The event was staged by Chinese TV
from the mainland.
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The students said it was a cultural
influence operation
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by the Communist Party.
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Nolan Wu was just walking by.
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And then I realised there is
someone arguing
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and I think they are getting
kind of physical.
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SCREAMS
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A group of men arrived to confront
the student protestors.
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Mr Chang and his son Chang Wei
are keen to show me footage
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taken that day.
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So, who's this? Who's this there?
This person.
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These are your people. But they've
got big sticks.
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SHOUTING
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00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:50,840
Amongst the fray,
one man holds a baseball bat.
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Chang Wei rushes out of a car
towards the students.
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SHOUTING
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He throws a punch and the other
man hits out with the bat.
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So I got hit with a fist here,
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and then I got hit at my back
with a baseball bat.
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That's you, Chang Wei, there.
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Did you use violence?
Did you hit anybody?
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So what happened in the end?
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Four students were taken
to hospital.
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Nolan was one of them.
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I was really, really scared.
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I was really, really like,
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"This should not happen
here in Taiwan."
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Chang Wei and the man with the bat
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received detention orders
for assault,
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later reduced to fines.
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00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,720
Mr Chang still insists
he's just a politician
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who believes in reunification.
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Do you think that one day
there will be peaceful unification
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00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:27,520
between China and Taiwan?
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00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:48,120
Two years on from
her election victory,
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it's 2018 and President Tsai's
facing her first big test -
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00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:54,840
midterm parliamentary elections.
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As the campaign progressed,
her political opponents
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began to push a story.
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00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:19,760
They claimed Tsai had
fabricated her PhD
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00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:22,040
from the London School of Economics.
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00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:27,960
A journalist even tried to find
her thesis in the library there.
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I can try the author if you want me
to search by author?
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00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:34,280
Yeah. T-S-A-I.
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00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:37,280
Hmm. It's not coming up
by author either.
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00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:39,600
China spotted an opportunity.
222
00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:16,080
Finally, the LSE confirmed
she had earned her PhD there.
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00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,080
Tsai's fortunes were at
an all-time low.
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Her party lost the election,
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00:21:24,120 --> 00:21:25,960
though she remained the president.
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00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:36,920
China was winning the war for hearts
and minds without firing a shot.
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SOLDIERS CHANT
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00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:04,600
Meanwhile, China was building
up its military too,
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though President Xi said he wanted
peaceful reunification.
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I think President Xi Jinping
has the full support
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of the 1.4 billion Chinese people,
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as well as the soldiers
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and the officers of
the People's Liberation Army.
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Does anyone really expect
that President Xi Jinping
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will abandon the One China policy?
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Absolutely not.
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China's assertive stance
alarmed America,
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00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:46,280
Taiwan's closest and most
powerful ally.
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00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:48,360
Taiwan is a cork in a bottle.
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00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:52,720
Whoever controls Taiwan
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00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:55,680
controls the cork in that bottle.
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It's important geographically,
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00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:02,720
it's important technically
because of the industry...
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00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,000
..and it's important
because it's a significant
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and vibrant democracy.
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00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:14,200
America supplies Taiwan
with weapons, but has always
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00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,760
been careful not to openly
support its independence.
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00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:20,800
It's called strategic ambiguity.
249
00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:24,280
What strategic ambiguity is about
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00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:26,720
is being unclear
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00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:30,120
as to what American actions
would be
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00:23:30,120 --> 00:23:34,080
should Beijing move
with force on Taiwan.
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It blurs the calculus that Beijing
would have to deal with.
254
00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:44,800
The United States is illogical,
illegitimate, illegal, in a sense,
255
00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:48,880
and it is very much misleading
the whole world.
256
00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:54,360
I think it's absolutely absurd for
the United States to be so-called
257
00:23:54,360 --> 00:23:57,080
ambiguous about
the Taiwan situation.
258
00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,760
They need to come up with clarity
as to what exactly they want.
259
00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:16,760
Taiwan's close links with
the US military has made it a target
260
00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:18,360
for Chinese espionage.
261
00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:36,600
Captain Lu says he was approached
with an offer
262
00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:39,600
of an all-expenses-paid trip
to the mainland.
263
00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:02,920
He says he refused the offer, but
Chinese agents have wined and dined,
264
00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:05,640
and turned, dozens of
military officers.
265
00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:24,200
Chinese intelligence services
have used honey traps
266
00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:25,960
to snare their prey.
267
00:25:49,360 --> 00:25:53,000
China has even targeted
President Tsai herself,
268
00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,560
infiltrating her innermost
protection ring.
269
00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:58,880
Two officers from her
security detail
270
00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:00,920
were found guilty of spying
on her.
271
00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:28,480
Chinese spying operations
have taken their toll.
272
00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,440
Our military is one of the targets
that China
273
00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:33,080
has been trying to influence.
274
00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:36,080
So, of course, we have
counter-intelligence,
275
00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:38,720
countermeasures to deal
with the problem.
276
00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:43,800
But I have to say, it's not 100%
that we can defend ourselves
277
00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:45,880
from that kind of penetration.
278
00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:51,920
Though the Chinese mainland
is just across the water,
279
00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,720
the People's Liberation Army
would find it difficult
280
00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,720
to invade Taiwan.
281
00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:01,480
The island has a spine of high
and rugged mountains.
282
00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:07,480
It's only when you get up here
in the mountains that you realise
283
00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:12,280
what an incredible natural
geographical defensive position
284
00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:15,880
Taiwan has, even though it's one of
the most densely populated
285
00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:17,600
countries in the world.
286
00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:36,880
Taiwan is building up a bristling
array of formidable weapons,
287
00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:40,240
all part of what they call
their Porcupine Strategy.
288
00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:57,840
Taiwan may have these
advanced weapons,
289
00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:01,000
but Chinese forces are 12
times bigger.
290
00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:20,160
Taiwan has been slow to arm itself.
291
00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:23,800
It still depends heavily
on America for advanced weapons.
292
00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:30,200
The idea is to begin to take
advantage of the technology
293
00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:35,320
that's available today, to be able
to put in place small numbers
294
00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:40,520
of weapon systems that, for want
of a better term, could shred
295
00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:43,600
an invading force that wanted
to come across the beaches.
296
00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:55,440
After her party's poor election
showing, President Tsai
297
00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:57,320
is under pressure.
298
00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:01,400
President Xi is about to show Taiwan
he means business.
299
00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:14,320
CROWD CHANTS
300
00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,960
Taiwan watched as China
took back control
301
00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:23,680
of another wayward territory.
302
00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:25,640
Hong Kong.
303
00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:29,040
A pro-democracy movement
was ruthlessly put down there.
304
00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:34,840
So what's this, Kasey?
305
00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,320
Performance artist Kasey Wong
306
00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:40,600
was amongst the protesters
in Hong Kong.
307
00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:42,520
That's you dressed as the policeman?
308
00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:43,800
That's right.
309
00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:46,680
And what's the meaning?
310
00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,840
The Chinese government try to treat
the Hong Kong citizens
311
00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:52,680
as if they are the Chinese citizens
312
00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:54,080
and send the Hong Kong people
313
00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:57,320
to mainland for unfair trial.
314
00:29:57,320 --> 00:30:00,320
So I want to express that.
315
00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:04,280
Kasey fled to Taiwan, like many
others from Hong Kong.
316
00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:10,920
He's holding an exhibition
in an old jail in Taipei.
317
00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:13,960
Chiang Kai-shek locked up political
prisoners here
318
00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:16,640
during years of martial law.
319
00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:20,600
It's a reminder to people
of the fragility of their democracy.
320
00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,720
I kind of know the future
of Hong Kong is doomed.
321
00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:27,600
Why I decided to come to Taiwan?
322
00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:32,160
Because I know the next battlefield
will become Taiwan.
323
00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:36,400
China had promised Hong Kong
it could still remain a democracy,
324
00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:39,400
though it would be part
of communist China.
325
00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:42,200
The same offer was also
made to Taiwan.
326
00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:46,800
I think the Taiwan people sees
what happened to Hong Kong
327
00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:48,320
could happen to their own city.
328
00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:52,440
One country, two systems happened
to Hong Kong, and see what happened?
329
00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:54,800
It become one country, one system.
330
00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,880
And I don't think
the people of Taiwan will buy that.
331
00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:01,400
BAND PLAYS
332
00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:10,240
The events in Hong Kong revived
President Tsai's fortunes
333
00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:15,040
just in time. She was reaching the
end of her four-year term in office
334
00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,880
and was now campaigning
for re-election.
335
00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:33,160
China has been selling the so-called
one country, two system model
336
00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:37,160
to Taiwan, and they try to show
that it's workable
337
00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:41,560
or it's working in Hong Kong, so it
should be applicable to Taiwan.
338
00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:44,560
But, you know, it turned
out not to be the case.
339
00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:48,800
So it becomes a
very difficult product
340
00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:51,240
for Beijing to sell
to the people in Taiwan.
341
00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:56,120
The future of Taiwan will never
be decided by the 23 million people
342
00:31:56,120 --> 00:31:57,720
in Taiwan themselves.
343
00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:03,160
The future of Taiwan will be decided
by the more than 1.4 billion people
344
00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:06,040
on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
345
00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:14,680
The President already
had the support of the younger
346
00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:19,920
generation, but Hong Kong changed
views across Taiwanese society.
347
00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:25,240
In the parks here,
older residents gather
348
00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:27,800
for their daily dancing sessions.
349
00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:31,760
Many of them, or their parents,
came from mainland China.
350
00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:49,080
This generation didn't used
to be strongly
351
00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,400
in favour of independence.
It's different now.
352
00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:19,160
China's heavy-handed approach
to Taiwan, as we've seen in places
353
00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:21,440
like Hong Kong as well,
has actually backfired.
354
00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:24,240
So rather than win the hearts
and minds of the Taiwanese,
355
00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:28,520
it ends up alienating them
and further compounding a desire
356
00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:31,640
among the Taiwanese to defend their
way of life and their democracy.
357
00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:33,640
CROWD CHEERS
358
00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:37,120
PERSON SHOUTS OVER MICROPHONE
359
00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:42,680
After the events in Hong Kong,
in 2020 Tsai Ing-wen wins her second
360
00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:45,640
presidential term with a landslide.
361
00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:06,280
In the weeks following the election
result, Taiwan was hit with a series
362
00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:11,280
of cyber attacks. Petrol stations
across the land were disabled -
363
00:34:11,280 --> 00:34:14,280
people couldn't use their
cards to pay,
364
00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:18,320
sparking fears China was targeting
vital services here.
365
00:34:18,320 --> 00:34:22,280
What they have achieved
is just very shallow on the surface.
366
00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:25,280
But information manipulation,
the disinformation,
367
00:34:25,280 --> 00:34:28,240
tries to exaggerate it and say that,
368
00:34:28,240 --> 00:34:31,080
"Oh, we've taken over critical
infrastructure," and so on,
369
00:34:31,080 --> 00:34:32,320
which was not the case.
370
00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:39,320
And we also think that a lot of it
is about getting people's, uh,
371
00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:44,320
like, anxiety level high so that
even though they only achieve
372
00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:46,520
a little bit, they get amplified
373
00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:49,800
so that people feel very anxious
all the time.
374
00:34:53,080 --> 00:34:56,160
That year, the pandemic -
which began in China -
375
00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:57,640
added to the anxiety.
376
00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:03,920
Taiwan had one of the lowest
death rates in the world.
377
00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:08,400
But a new wave of disinformation
was directed at its citizens.
378
00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:18,760
There have been false claims
on social media of a mass outbreak
379
00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:21,520
of Covid here. Even fake news
380
00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:25,840
the President herself had been
infected and it was covered up.
381
00:35:25,840 --> 00:35:29,320
All attempts to discredit
Taiwan's strong performance
382
00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:30,800
during the pandemic.
383
00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:02,320
China's campaign to undermine
their government was affecting
384
00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:05,240
how Taiwanese people see
their identity.
385
00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:11,600
Traditional houses in the mountains
specialise in the tea ceremony.
386
00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:15,600
People still value their Chinese
heritage, but polls suggest
387
00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:18,840
that attitudes to reunification
are changing.
388
00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:24,360
The desire of the Taiwanese people
to have political union with China
389
00:36:24,360 --> 00:36:27,920
is at an all-time low, under 10%.
390
00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:32,280
The majority of people just want
things to stay as they are.
391
00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:36,680
But the numbers in favour
of independence are growing.
392
00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:41,480
A third of the population believe
they're both Taiwanese and Chinese,
393
00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:45,240
but nearly two thirds now
say they're Taiwanese only.
394
00:36:57,560 --> 00:37:01,720
Language has become important
in forging a separate identity.
395
00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:05,000
HE SINGS IN TAIWANESE
396
00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:12,400
Fire EX. mostly sing in Taiwanese,
not Mandarin -
397
00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:15,720
the main language of China
imposed on the population
398
00:37:15,720 --> 00:37:17,200
by Chiang Kai-shek.
399
00:37:34,560 --> 00:37:39,120
As the gap between the generations
narrows, it becomes harder for China
400
00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:40,880
to win hearts and minds.
401
00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:18,920
In Taiwan's National Museum,
children learn
402
00:38:18,920 --> 00:38:21,040
about their Chinese heritage.
403
00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:26,720
We have great paintings
and calligraphy and ceramics.
404
00:38:26,720 --> 00:38:30,920
So over here, you see
a Qing dynasty jade cabbage.
405
00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:33,760
Jadeite cabbage, to be specific.
406
00:38:33,760 --> 00:38:35,640
It's beautiful.
407
00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:39,240
This sculpture came from the palace
of the Chinese Emperor
408
00:38:39,240 --> 00:38:41,880
in Beijing's Forbidden City.
409
00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:46,240
Chiang Kai-shek brought it to Taiwan
with thousands of other treasures,
410
00:38:46,240 --> 00:38:48,440
and China wants them all back.
411
00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:54,640
That's why our collection never
travels, and is never publicly
412
00:38:54,640 --> 00:39:01,440
displayed in countries without
immunity from legal seizure.
413
00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:04,480
Because of China's desire
to have them back again?
414
00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:06,560
Yes. Yes, that's the fear.
415
00:39:09,240 --> 00:39:12,960
Late last year, it was discovered
three porcelain pieces
416
00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:15,120
in the collection were broken.
417
00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:19,520
The museum had known for a while,
but hadn't admitted it.
418
00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:22,840
The breakages were seized on
by the Chinese government,
419
00:39:22,840 --> 00:39:25,440
who slammed the Taiwan authorities.
420
00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:27,640
In a state newspaper, they said,
421
00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:31,160
"Only under reunification
can national treasures be better
422
00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:36,360
"protected and better play their
role in passing on the bloodline
423
00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:38,640
"of the Chinese civilisation."
424
00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:44,000
In museum work, incidents
like this are not very rare
425
00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:47,120
because sometimes,
due to structural...
426
00:39:47,120 --> 00:39:50,520
Um, due to the composition of
the object, due to age,
427
00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:53,200
objects would deteriorate. Yes.
428
00:39:53,200 --> 00:39:56,640
But China's been able to use it
to say the museum is not capable
429
00:39:56,640 --> 00:39:59,680
of looking after the treasures -
they should go back to China.
430
00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:01,960
SHE CHUCKLES
431
00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:01,960
Right.
432
00:40:01,960 --> 00:40:05,320
What I say represents my
personal opinion,
433
00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:09,800
but I do think here we take
great care
434
00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:13,520
of this cultural heritage
passed on to us
435
00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:17,840
that belongs to people
around the world.
436
00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:28,080
After Tsai Ing-wen is re-elected,
China steps up its military activity
437
00:40:28,080 --> 00:40:29,640
in the Taiwan Strait.
438
00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:33,400
Xi Jinping repeats his warning.
439
00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:46,600
Tsai responds on Taiwan's
National Day.
440
00:41:09,440 --> 00:41:12,320
America sends warships
through the Strait.
441
00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:15,840
Strategic ambiguity now becomes
a firm pledge
442
00:41:15,840 --> 00:41:19,400
to come to Taiwan's
defence if China attacks.
443
00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:26,160
The stalemate in
the Taiwan Strait continues...
444
00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:29,360
It's happened before, in the 1950s.
445
00:41:29,360 --> 00:41:32,280
Batteries on Red China's mainland
have almost sealed off
446
00:41:32,280 --> 00:41:34,320
the island from help.
447
00:41:34,320 --> 00:41:38,560
When Chinese artillery bombarded
Taiwanese islands closest
448
00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:41,200
to the mainland, America stepped in.
449
00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:46,480
Kinmen was one of those islands,
450
00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:50,040
only a few miles from China
in the Taiwan Strait.
451
00:41:57,600 --> 00:42:01,520
You can see the mainland and
the skyscrapers of a Chinese city
452
00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:03,120
from Kinmen's beaches.
453
00:42:06,200 --> 00:42:10,760
This place has borne the brunt of
war with its neighbour for decades.
454
00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:14,320
These rusting relics hold memories
of an earlier conflict
455
00:42:14,320 --> 00:42:17,160
that people here hoped they'd
never see again.
456
00:42:18,480 --> 00:42:21,760
Kinmen's still on the front line.
457
00:42:21,760 --> 00:42:24,800
Councillor Tung Sen-Pao
knows everyone here.
458
00:42:26,280 --> 00:42:28,200
What do people here feel
about China?
459
00:42:28,200 --> 00:42:30,120
It's so close, just over the water.
460
00:42:42,040 --> 00:42:45,200
Local people are ambivalent
about their relationship
461
00:42:45,200 --> 00:42:46,440
with China today.
462
00:43:06,160 --> 00:43:08,880
Wu Tseng-Dong grew up under fire.
463
00:43:35,320 --> 00:43:39,320
Now he makes his living turning
old shells into knives
464
00:43:39,320 --> 00:43:42,480
for sale to Chinese tourists
from the mainland.
465
00:43:55,160 --> 00:43:56,480
In the local market,
466
00:43:56,480 --> 00:43:59,600
memories of the last war
with China are still strong.
467
00:44:01,480 --> 00:44:05,720
But there are also close family
and economic ties with the mainland.
468
00:44:07,240 --> 00:44:10,120
And more support
here for reunification.
469
00:44:40,360 --> 00:44:43,000
SHOUTS ORDERS, THEY CHANT
470
00:44:47,160 --> 00:44:50,880
Chinese tourists are trickling
back to wartime sites here
471
00:44:50,880 --> 00:44:52,680
after the pandemic.
472
00:44:52,680 --> 00:44:55,720
They're a vital economic lifeline
for the island,
473
00:44:55,720 --> 00:44:59,040
which now capitalises
on its troubled history.
474
00:45:00,080 --> 00:45:02,400
SHOUTS
475
00:45:02,400 --> 00:45:04,440
LOUD BANG
476
00:45:04,440 --> 00:45:08,280
In Kinmen, they still feel
like a pawn between the superpowers.
477
00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:33,120
China doesn't treat any
of the Strait
478
00:45:33,120 --> 00:45:35,320
as Taiwan's territorial water.
479
00:45:38,040 --> 00:45:40,760
Out there in the sea is
the median line,
480
00:45:40,760 --> 00:45:44,720
the invisible boundary
between Taiwan and China.
481
00:45:44,720 --> 00:45:46,760
It was defined by America,
482
00:45:46,760 --> 00:45:49,640
but has never
been recognised by China.
483
00:45:51,600 --> 00:45:55,720
There are massive Chinese dredgers
here digging up sand to build
484
00:45:55,720 --> 00:45:58,600
infrastructure on the mainland.
485
00:45:58,600 --> 00:46:02,480
They also create new islands and
military outposts in the Pacific.
486
00:46:05,080 --> 00:46:08,560
These dredgers are stretching almost
as far as I can see.
487
00:46:08,560 --> 00:46:10,400
I'm counting more than a dozen,
488
00:46:10,400 --> 00:46:11,960
and there are more up ahead.
489
00:46:13,720 --> 00:46:15,000
SIREN WAILS
490
00:46:18,080 --> 00:46:20,520
UNTRANSLATED
491
00:46:20,520 --> 00:46:23,600
In just three years, the number
of dredgers expelled
492
00:46:23,600 --> 00:46:28,440
by the Taiwanese coastguard has
gone up from 600 to nearly 4,000.
493
00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:39,120
Dredgers have damaged internet
cables on the seabed
494
00:46:39,120 --> 00:46:41,880
connecting Taiwan with
the rest of the world.
495
00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:44,880
SPEAKS OVER RADIO
496
00:46:49,040 --> 00:46:53,080
China is accused of using vessels
like this in a campaign
497
00:46:53,080 --> 00:46:55,040
of grey-zone warfare.
498
00:46:55,040 --> 00:47:01,680
What Beijing is doing is creating an
environment where they can be
499
00:47:01,680 --> 00:47:05,320
much more aware of everything
that is moving above,
500
00:47:05,320 --> 00:47:08,240
on and under the water,
which would give them
501
00:47:08,240 --> 00:47:12,200
tremendous advantage should
there be a conflict in the Strait.
502
00:47:18,720 --> 00:47:21,640
An invasion, a naval blockade,
503
00:47:21,640 --> 00:47:24,640
destruction of
global communication links -
504
00:47:24,640 --> 00:47:27,320
a lot's at stake here.
505
00:47:27,320 --> 00:47:31,520
If there were to be war
in the Taiwan Strait,
506
00:47:31,520 --> 00:47:36,720
the impact, if only in economic
terms, would be in the trillions
507
00:47:36,720 --> 00:47:39,120
of dollars for the first year.
508
00:47:39,120 --> 00:47:42,840
Not to mention the fact that
the Chinese would then access
509
00:47:42,840 --> 00:47:48,360
the world's key producer
of the most advanced semiconductors
510
00:47:48,360 --> 00:47:51,000
that now fuel the entire
global economy.
511
00:47:58,320 --> 00:48:01,440
90% of advanced semiconductors -
512
00:48:01,440 --> 00:48:05,880
the chips we all use in our digital
devices - are made in Taiwan.
513
00:48:07,560 --> 00:48:11,320
America's racing to build
chip factories in Arizona
514
00:48:11,320 --> 00:48:15,000
with Taiwanese partners,
but it will take years.
515
00:48:33,960 --> 00:48:39,200
China's top priority is to develop
its own high-end chip industry.
516
00:48:39,200 --> 00:48:43,200
There have been accusations
of dirty tricks here, too.
517
00:48:43,200 --> 00:48:45,520
So there was human espionage.
518
00:48:45,520 --> 00:48:49,200
They have recruited individuals,
offered them large sums of money
519
00:48:49,200 --> 00:48:54,120
to be employed in semiconductor
firms back in China, but also
520
00:48:54,120 --> 00:48:57,280
with them in their luggage would
carry hard drives
521
00:48:57,280 --> 00:48:59,880
that contain plans for
a semiconductor,
522
00:48:59,880 --> 00:49:03,360
and try to replicate
that back in China.
523
00:49:03,360 --> 00:49:08,120
But China still relies heavily
on Taiwan's advanced technology.
524
00:49:08,120 --> 00:49:12,560
This science park near Taipei,
full of semiconductor companies,
525
00:49:12,560 --> 00:49:15,360
is Taiwan's jewel in the crown.
526
00:49:15,360 --> 00:49:19,560
Some see it as a silicon shield
because it's just too valuable
527
00:49:19,560 --> 00:49:21,080
to damage or destroy.
528
00:50:03,480 --> 00:50:08,240
China ramps up its military activity
in the Taiwan Strait in 2022.
529
00:50:10,400 --> 00:50:13,680
In February, there's a wake-up call.
530
00:50:13,680 --> 00:50:16,760
The Russian invasion of Ukraine
531
00:50:16,760 --> 00:50:19,720
alarmed a lot of people in Taiwan.
532
00:50:19,720 --> 00:50:21,840
And in other words,
533
00:50:21,840 --> 00:50:24,280
war is not unthinkable.
534
00:50:24,280 --> 00:50:28,360
So people begin to believe
that we should prepare ourselves
535
00:50:28,360 --> 00:50:30,560
for the worst-case scenario.
536
00:50:30,560 --> 00:50:32,800
That's one lesson we learned
from the Ukrainian war.
537
00:50:34,640 --> 00:50:37,640
Taiwan's young people
are realising they, too,
538
00:50:37,640 --> 00:50:40,080
may have to defend their homeland.
539
00:50:42,360 --> 00:50:46,360
This is Camp 66, a civilian
defence training unit.
540
00:50:50,360 --> 00:50:54,120
They're drawing lessons here
from what happened in Ukraine.
541
00:50:54,120 --> 00:50:58,640
A citizen force galvanised
into action against an invader,
542
00:50:58,640 --> 00:51:01,280
and holding fast against
all expectations.
543
00:51:21,800 --> 00:51:25,880
The number of people paying to come
to private camps like this
544
00:51:25,880 --> 00:51:28,400
quadrupled in the past year.
545
00:51:28,400 --> 00:51:31,480
Compulsory military service
has been increased
546
00:51:31,480 --> 00:51:34,240
from four to 12 months.
547
00:51:34,240 --> 00:51:36,360
I hope that I don't need
these skills.
548
00:51:36,360 --> 00:51:38,600
I hope I don't ever need to do
this at all.
549
00:51:38,600 --> 00:51:41,320
But when it comes to it,
I need to be prepared.
550
00:51:41,320 --> 00:51:42,880
You're determined to fight?
551
00:51:42,880 --> 00:51:46,040
I think so. This is my home.
This is my family. Yeah.
552
00:51:46,040 --> 00:51:47,600
I should.
553
00:51:52,160 --> 00:51:56,040
Ukraine taught Taiwan it was vital
to stay connected
554
00:51:56,040 --> 00:51:58,120
in the event of war.
555
00:51:58,120 --> 00:52:00,720
They're developing their own
satellite network
556
00:52:00,720 --> 00:52:02,840
to keep communications going.
557
00:52:04,760 --> 00:52:07,440
We're quite similar in the sense
that we're both,
558
00:52:07,440 --> 00:52:09,760
well, in the front line,
standing firm
559
00:52:09,760 --> 00:52:12,120
in the face of
authoritarian expansionism.
560
00:52:13,480 --> 00:52:17,000
If, for example, we didn't
have the broadcasting,
561
00:52:17,000 --> 00:52:19,520
the daily addresses from Kyiv
and so on,
562
00:52:19,520 --> 00:52:22,400
then of course
the information manipulators,
563
00:52:22,400 --> 00:52:25,280
the deepfakes and so on,
will probably win the day.
564
00:52:31,800 --> 00:52:36,680
As tension increased in the Strait
last summer, a top US politician,
565
00:52:36,680 --> 00:52:39,920
Nancy Pelosi, made a controversial
visit to Taiwan.
566
00:52:43,960 --> 00:52:47,920
During her visit, there was another
wave of cyber attacks.
567
00:52:47,920 --> 00:52:52,080
Electronic boards at train stations
and thousands of convenience stores
568
00:52:52,080 --> 00:52:56,520
were hijacked. She was branded
a witch, a warmonger.
569
00:52:56,520 --> 00:53:00,840
Nancy Pelosi's illegitimate visit
to Taiwan
570
00:53:00,840 --> 00:53:04,600
was only serving one purpose
and one purpose only.
571
00:53:04,600 --> 00:53:07,480
She was encouraging
Taiwan independence.
572
00:53:09,760 --> 00:53:14,000
The visit coincided with emerging
signs of instability in China,
573
00:53:14,000 --> 00:53:18,040
a slowing economy, and a Xi Jinping
who was seeking a third term
574
00:53:18,040 --> 00:53:19,840
later in the year as well.
575
00:53:19,840 --> 00:53:24,560
So anything that appeared as a slap
in the face, that undermined his
576
00:53:24,560 --> 00:53:27,120
hardline position on Taiwan,
was also something
577
00:53:27,120 --> 00:53:29,000
that was deemed provocative.
578
00:53:30,920 --> 00:53:34,000
Nancy Pelosi is playing with fire -
579
00:53:34,000 --> 00:53:36,280
with the lives of
the American soldiers,
580
00:53:36,280 --> 00:53:38,400
with the lives of
the American people,
581
00:53:38,400 --> 00:53:42,880
with the lives of the Chinese people
on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
582
00:53:49,680 --> 00:53:54,960
Hours after Nancy Pelosi left,
China launched live fire exercises,
583
00:53:54,960 --> 00:53:57,280
unprecedented in recent history.
584
00:53:59,080 --> 00:54:02,840
11 missiles landed in Taiwan's
territorial waters
585
00:54:02,840 --> 00:54:07,200
and flew over the island
eastwards, towards Japan.
586
00:54:07,200 --> 00:54:10,720
SHOUTS
587
00:54:13,280 --> 00:54:15,000
Was it wise for her to come?
588
00:54:15,000 --> 00:54:18,440
Wasn't it just antagonising
China unnecessarily?
589
00:54:18,440 --> 00:54:22,160
I think China just used
that as a pretext
590
00:54:22,160 --> 00:54:27,520
to justify its military
exercises in the region.
591
00:54:27,520 --> 00:54:32,480
China would do it with or
without Nancy Pelosi's visit.
592
00:54:32,480 --> 00:54:34,880
They just used that as an excuse.
593
00:54:36,960 --> 00:54:41,120
Chinese jets crossed the invisible
boundary in the Taiwan Strait...
594
00:54:43,040 --> 00:54:45,800
..to show it would never deter them.
595
00:54:45,800 --> 00:54:49,920
This was psychological warfare aimed
at the Taiwanese to punish them,
596
00:54:49,920 --> 00:54:53,160
to try also to demonstrate that
the Taiwanese military does not
597
00:54:53,160 --> 00:54:56,920
have the ability to counter
these activities very close
598
00:54:56,920 --> 00:54:59,200
to Taiwanese-controlled waters.
599
00:55:00,560 --> 00:55:05,080
China has demonstrated
to the United States that China
600
00:55:05,080 --> 00:55:11,000
has the military capabilities
to completely encircle Taiwan,
601
00:55:11,000 --> 00:55:15,600
to cutting off its connection by
sea or by air, if necessary,
602
00:55:15,600 --> 00:55:17,240
with the rest of the world.
603
00:55:17,240 --> 00:55:22,120
And China has the political will
as well as military capabilities
604
00:55:22,120 --> 00:55:26,560
to achieve national reunification
by force if it is necessary.
605
00:55:35,680 --> 00:55:40,560
Life goes on here, though China
keeps ratcheting up the threat.
606
00:55:40,560 --> 00:55:41,720
BELL DINGS
607
00:55:45,880 --> 00:55:49,280
President Tsai is in the last year
of her final term,
608
00:55:49,280 --> 00:55:51,280
and many people are fearful.
609
00:56:05,320 --> 00:56:09,160
Fire EX. still play the song
they wrote nearly a decade ago.
610
00:56:14,920 --> 00:56:17,480
They believe their fight
for independence
611
00:56:17,480 --> 00:56:19,200
is even more vital today.
612
00:56:33,240 --> 00:56:37,840
Sam, if there was military action
by China, even an invasion,
613
00:56:37,840 --> 00:56:39,880
would you fight for Taiwan?
614
00:56:39,880 --> 00:56:41,000
Sure.
615
00:56:51,080 --> 00:56:54,080
ECHOEY MUSIC PLAYS
616
00:56:54,080 --> 00:56:58,680
On Kinmen Island, propaganda songs
played during the war in the '50s
617
00:56:58,680 --> 00:57:01,520
still drift across
the Strait at night.
618
00:57:06,560 --> 00:57:11,400
A ghostly echo of the unfinished
business between China and Taiwan.
619
00:57:16,680 --> 00:57:21,280
You have two nuclear powers,
the US and China.
620
00:57:21,280 --> 00:57:25,200
So it's not just a war
between Taiwan and China.
621
00:57:25,200 --> 00:57:28,720
There could be a disaster
for the region,
622
00:57:28,720 --> 00:57:30,880
even for the whole world.
623
00:57:30,880 --> 00:57:34,120
How likely is that, do you think,
from where we sit now?
624
00:57:34,120 --> 00:57:37,760
Well, again, the ball is not
in our court.
625
00:57:39,080 --> 00:57:41,760
The ball is in Beijing's court.
626
00:57:41,760 --> 00:57:46,800
How can any power in the world
of today really believe
627
00:57:46,800 --> 00:57:51,640
they have the wherewithal to take
Taiwan away from China?
628
00:57:51,640 --> 00:57:53,560
This is a mission impossible.
629
00:57:53,560 --> 00:57:57,160
This is a mission, if it is done
or executed,
630
00:57:57,160 --> 00:58:00,000
may lead directly to Armageddon.
631
00:58:08,520 --> 00:58:13,280
The last seven years have turned
most Taiwanese against reunification
632
00:58:13,280 --> 00:58:17,360
with the mainland. China is
running out of options
633
00:58:17,360 --> 00:58:20,680
to solve its Taiwan
problem peacefully.
65101
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