The Struggle for Taiwan
| Author | Sulmaan Wasif Khan |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Subject | History of Taiwan, Politics of Taiwan, Cross-strait relations, Political status of Taiwan |
| Publisher | Hachette UK |
Publication date | 14 May 2024 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 336 |
| ISBN | 9780241674857 Search this book on  . |
The Struggle for Taiwan: A History of America, China, and the Island Caught Between is a 2024 nonfiction book by Sulmaan Wasif Khan. It examines the historical development of Taiwan's political status through the relationships between the Republic of China, the People's Republic of China, and the United States. The book places particular emphasis on diplomatic decision-making after the Chinese Civil War and argues that many turning points resulted from political choices rather than historical inevitability.[1]
The book also discusses Taiwan's democratization, changing identity, and the evolution of United States policy toward the country. It has generally been reviewed as a well-researched introduction to the history of cross-strait relations.[2]
Content
The book sticks to a relatively modern history of Taiwan, starting from the closing years of the Second World War, tracing how Taiwan came under the administration of the Republic of China after Japanese rule ended in 1945. Khan examines the outcome of the Chinese Civil War, the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, and the retreat of the government of the Republic of China to Taiwan.[3]
A central theme is the triangular relationship between Taiwan, China, and the United States. Drawing on diplomatic correspondence and government records, Khan argues that successive American administrations repeatedly considered alternative approaches to Taiwan's future, including proposals that could have produced different political outcomes. He contends that concerns about anti-communism, Cold War strategy and domestic politics often limited the options that policymakers were willing to pursue.[4]
The later chapters cover Taiwan's transition from authoritarian rule to democracy, the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, changing cross-strait relations, and growing tensions during the administrations of Chinese leader Xi Jinping and successive American presidents. Khan concludes that present-day tensions are the result of decades of accumulated diplomatic decisions and argues that future policy should be informed by historical experience.[5]
Reception
The book received generally positive reviews for its historical analysis and use of archival sources.
Writing in The Guardian, Charlie English described the book as a "deeply researched and fascinating history" that explains how nationalism, diplomatic compromises, and changing leadership in Beijing and Washington contributed to Taiwan becoming one of the world's principal geopolitical flashpoints. English highlighted the discussion of missed diplomatic opportunities and counterfactual scenarios as one of the book's strengths.[6]
Jeremy Brown, reviewing the book for The Times Literary Supplement, praised its examination of the historical contingency behind Taiwan's international status. Brown noted that Khan's exploration of diplomatic alternatives demonstrated how different policy decisions might have produced different outcomes, while arguing that the book's focus remained largely on the perspectives of the United States and China.[7]
In the Taipei Times, James Baron described the first half of the book as a strong introduction to the evolution of United States policy toward Taiwan and commended its analysis of Cold War diplomacy. He particularly praised Khan's discussion of diplomatic alternatives considered by American policymakers and the way the book reconstructs missed opportunities that might have altered Taiwan's international status. However, Baron was more critical of the sections dealing with Taiwan's domestic politics, arguing that the account of the 2004 Taiwanese presidential election omitted important context surrounding the election-eve shooting of President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu, as well as the large-scale post-election protests and allegations of electoral fraud that followed. He also pointed out that the book gave only limited attention to the political divisions within Taiwanese society during the period, including debates over ethnic identity and the tensions between benshengren and waishengren that influenced contemporary politics.[8]
Baron also considered the discussion of the Sunflower Student Movement incomplete. He noted that the book mentioned controversy surrounding the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement but did not discuss the disputed legislative procedures that preceded the occupation of the Legislative Yuan. He further observed that the book did not explain the role that the movement played in the subsequent rise of Ko Wen-je or its broader influence on Taiwan's political development. Baron identified several historical interpretations that he regarded as insufficiently supported or potentially misleading. These included the suggestion that organized resistance emerged unexpectedly after the February 28 incident, the characterization of the Taiwan independence movement as principally a reaction to that event, and the brief treatment of independence activist Su Beng. Despite these criticisms, he concluded that Khan's analysis of the diplomatic history surrounding Taiwan remained one of the book's principal strengths.
Brian Hioe, writing in The Nation, observed that the book concentrated primarily on international diplomacy and state actors, while giving comparatively less attention to Taiwan's social movements and the role of civil society in the nation's democratization.[9]
See also
- History of Taiwan
- Political status of Taiwan
- Cross-Strait relations
- Foreign relations of Taiwan
- Taiwan under Japanese rule
- The Taiwan Story
- Rebel Island
- The Taiwan Tinderbox
- Forbidden Nation
- Taiwan: A Contested Democracy Under Threat
- Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China
References
- ↑ Steinberg, James B. (October 16, 2024). "The Upside to Uncertainty on Taiwan". Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ "The Struggle for Taiwan: A History of America, China, and the Island Caught Between". Goodreads. May 14, 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ Brown, Kerry (May 14, 2024). The Struggle for Taiwan: A History of America, China, and the Island Caught Between. Hachette UK. p. 336. ISBN 9781405966085. Search this book on
- ↑ Robbins, Neal E (June 2024). "Tale of Two Chinas". Literary Review. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Halton, Shane (September 2024). "Book Reviews Vol. 150/9/1,459". United States Naval Institute. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ English, Charlie (9 May 2024). "The Struggle for Taiwan by Sulmaan Wasif Khan review – dire straits". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Brown, Jeremy. "Tug of war The uneasy history and contested status of Taiwan". The Times Literary Supplement. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Baron, James (August 29, 2024). "Book review: A history of alternatives". Taipei Times. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Hioe, Brian (October 24, 2024). "What No One Talks About When They Talk About Taiwan". The Nation. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
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