Taiwan, Formosa, “beautiful island” as the Portuguese called it. Or even “Rebel Island” for Beijing, which keeps the world in suspense. Because this island, slightly larger than Sicily and with just 23 million inhabitants, has become of crucial importance. It is where the world's most advanced microchips are made and is surrounded by bodies of water through which trillions of dollars' worth of goods are transported each year.
The vote will take place on January 13th in Taiwan: A large part of the conflict with Beijing, which is not just political, depends on the outcome of the elections between the KMT and DPP. Who will win? The Kuomintang, Chiang Kai-shek's party (defeated by Mao, fled to Taiwan and founded the Republic of China) or the Democratic Progressive Party of outgoing President Tsai?
On Speciale Tg1, Sunday January 7, at 11:30 p.m. on Rai 1, Marco Clementi's journey to the country that, more than others, plays a crucial role in the conflict between the United States and China, and the history of the electoral campaign and daily life on the island. How do people in Taiwan, young and old, experience all this? Do they believe that conflict is really possible and imminent? And is Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” model applicable to Taiwan? A journey that takes you all the way to Kinmen, the closest point to mainland China, where Taiwan is just 3 kilometers from the shores of China's Fujian province. The area under special Chinese surveillance aims to return the island to the motherland at any cost. Even with the use of force. If necessary.
