Following the inauguration of Taiwan’s fifth democratically elected president, Beijing said the two days of military drills it conducted around Taiwan were “punishment” for “separatist forces seeking independence.” Taiwan has all the trappings of a modern nation state: democratic elections, its own currency and passports, and taxes paid to a directly elected government. In fact, following World War 2, Taiwan (as the Republic of China) was a founding member of the United Nations. But in 1971, the People's Republic of China raised a resolution to have Beijing take Taipei’s permanent seat at the U.N. and on the Security Council. We ask why U.N. Resolution 2758 remains controversial to this day, why it is so misunderstood and why it remains at the heart of Beijing's campaign to pressure Taiwan.

Our guests:

James Lee
- Assistant research fellow, Academia Sinica Institute of American and European Studies

William Vocke
- Treasurer, Fulbright Alumni Association