Why Taiwan Matters

A Short History of a Small Island That Will Dictate Our Future

By: Kerry Brown

Narrated by: Kerry Brown

Taiwan expert Kerry Brown sums up the history of Taiwan and the danger of a Chinese takeover in this succinct and authoritative book.

When the bloody Chinese Civil War concluded in 1949, two Chinas were born. Mao’s Communists won and took China’s mainland; Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists fled to Taiwan island. Since then, China and Taiwan have drifted into being separate political and cultural entities.

Taiwan is now a flourishing democracy and an economic success story: just one of its companies produces over 90 per cent of the semiconductors that power the world’s economy. It is a free and vibrant society. For the United States and the West, the island is a bastion of freedom against China’s assertive presence in the region. And yet China, increasingly bellicose under Xi Jinping, insists Taiwan is part of its territory and must be returned to it. Should China blockade the island and mount an invasion, it would set off a chain reaction that would pitch it against the US—escalating a regional war into a global one. Taiwan is thus a geopolitical powder keg.

Why Taiwan Matters helps us understand how and why we’ve arrived at this dangerous moment in history. With unparalleled access to Taiwan’s political leaders and a deep understanding of the island’s history and culture, Professor Kerry Brown provides a new reading of Taiwan, its twenty-three million people, and how they navigate being caught in this frightening geopolitical standoff. Why Taiwan Matters is the essential book for understanding Taiwan’s unique story told in an accessible, expert and urgent way.

©2025 Kerry Brown (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Brown is constantly interesting, always thoughtful, and refreshingly wise and knowing about China. He is also very readable.” - Martin Jacques, author of When China Rules the World

“Why Taiwan Matters is an excellent account of a complex issue that is commonly misunderstood. The style is accessible, and the combination of political and historical context with on-the-spot observations is superb. Completely up-to-date, it presents information from the Taiwan side of the China–Taiwan conflict that is not readily available. This is the best introduction for anyone trying to understand this conflict.” - Michael Dillon, author of We Need To Talk About Xi

“For those involved or just interested in international affairs, this is a readable and balanced primer on probably the most consequential global hotspot of our century.” - Sir Nigel Sheinwald, former British Ambassador to the United States