The root of the dispute over Taiwan —&nbsp;<a data-evt-val="{&quot;control_fields&quot;: {&quot;mparticle&quot;: {&quot;keys&quot;: {&quot;click_source_type&quot;: &quot;click_source_type&quot;, &quot;anchor_text&quot;: &quot;anchor_text&quot;, &quot;target_url&quot;: &quot;target_url&quot;, &quot;layout_section&quot;: &quot;layout_section&quot;}, &quot;mp_event_type&quot;: &quot;Navigation&quot;, &quot;extra_keys&quot;: [&quot;click_vertical_position_percentage&quot;, &quot;click_vertical_position_pixels&quot;]}}, &quot;click_source_type&quot;: &quot;in-page link&quot;, &quot;anchor_text&quot;: &quot;which The Economist once called the most dangerous place on Earth&quot;, &quot;target_url&quot;: &quot;https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/05/01/the-most-dangerous-place-on-earth&quot;, &quot;layout_section&quot;: &quot;in-page-link&quot;}" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-evt="click" data-evt-typ="click" href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/05/01/the-most-dangerous-place-on-earth" target="_blank">which The Economist once called the most dangerous place on Earth</a>&nbsp;— is a confusion of ideas: Beijing thinks the island’s inhabitants are Chinese, and most of the people of Taiwan think they aren’t.

The bad news for democracy, as if more were needed, is that Xi is soon likely to have the capability to invade Taiwan if he chooses to.{ai:summary}Beijing says Taiwan inhabitants are Chinese.Most Taiwanese disagree and see themselves as separate; The Economist called the island the most dangerous place on Earth. #foreignaffairs

John Ivison: Taiwan is our defence, too, against China’s authoritarian ascendancy

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