🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 16 (from laksa068)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa016.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34729538\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34729538\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-34729538","crawl_time":1774093815,"first_indexed_time":1527761776,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,bbc!www,\/news\/world-asia-34729538 s443","src_root_hash":"1643509356818581016","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"What's behind China-Taiwan tensions? - BBC News","meta_descriptions":["China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, but the self-ruled island sees itself as distinct."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Relations started improving in the 1980s as Taiwan relaxed rules on visits to and investment in China. In 1991, the ROC proclaimed that the war with the People's Republic of China was over.\nChina proposed the so-called \"one country, two systems\" option, which it said would allow Taiwan significant autonomy if it agreed to come under Beijing's control.\nThis system underpinned Hong Kong's return to China in 1997 and the manner in which it was governed until recently, when Beijing has sought to increase its influence.\nTaiwan rejected the offer, leading Beijing to insist the Taiwan's ROC government was illegitimate - but unofficial representatives from China and Taiwan still held limited talks.\nThen in 2000, Taiwan elected Chen Shui-bian as president, much to Beijing's alarm.\nChen and his party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), had openly backed Taiwan \"independence\".\nA year after Chen was re-elected in 2004, China passed a so-called anti-secession law, declaring China's right to use \"non-peaceful means\" against Taiwan if it tried to \"secede\" from China.\nChen was later succeeded by the KMT, which favours closer relations with the PRC.\nIn 2016,\nTsai Ing-wen\n,\nfrom the DPP, was elected to the presidency. Under her, cross-strait relations have soured. China also cut off official communications with Taiwan after Ms Tsai took over, saying it was because of her refusal to endorse the concept of a single Chinese nation.\nTsai has never said she will formally declare Taiwan's independence, insisting that it is already independent.\nThe US maintains official ties with Beijing, and recognises it as the only Chinese government under its \"One China policy\" - but it also remains Taiwan's most significant international supporter.\nWashington is bound by law to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons and US President Joe Biden has said that the US would defend Taiwan militarily - breaking with a stance known as strategic ambiguity.\nThe island has long been one of the most contentious issue in US-China relations, with Beijing condemning any perceived support from Washington for Taipei. In 2022, after a visit to Taiwan by US Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China responded with an unprecedented show of force, carrying out military exercises around Taiwan in retaliation.\nUnder President Xi, China has\nramped up this \"grey zone warfare\"\n- sending record numbers of Chinese fighter jets near Taiwan and holding military drills in response to political exchanges between the US and Taiwan. In 2022, China's warplane incursions into Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) nearly doubled.\nThe results of the elections will shape the course of US-China relations - and no matter who walks away the winner, will have an indelible impact on the delicate relationship between the US, China and Taiwan.","attrs_markdown":"[BBC Homepage](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/)\n\n- [Skip to content](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-34729538#main-heading)\n- [Accessibility Help](https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/accessibility\/)\n\n- [Sign in](https:\/\/session.bbc.com\/session?lang=en-GB&ptrt=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fnews%2Fworld-asia-34729538&sequenceId=791a1775-b89b-4aad-9076-4734fd00cb62)\n\n- [Home](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/)\n- [News](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news)\n- [Sport](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/sport)\n- [Business](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/business)\n- [Innovation](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/innovation)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/culture)\n- [Travel](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/travel)\n- [Earth](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/future-planet)\n- [Audio](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/audio)\n- [Video](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/video)\n- [Live](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/live)\n- [More menu](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-34729538#global-navigation-more-menu)\n\n[More menu](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-34729538#global-navigation-more-menu)\n\n[Search BBC](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/search?d=NEWS_GNL)\n\n- [Home](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/)\n- [News](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news)\n- [Sport](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/sport)\n- [Business](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/business)\n- [Innovation](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/innovation)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/culture)\n- [Travel](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/travel)\n- [Earth](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/future-planet)\n- [Audio](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/audio)\n- [Video](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/video)\n- [Live](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/live)\n\nClose menu\n\n[BBC News](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news)\n\n[Menu](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-34729538#product-navigation-menu)\n\n- [Home](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news)\n- [Climate](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/topics\/cmj34zmwm1zt)\n- [World](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world)\n- [UK](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/uk)\n- [Business](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/business)\n- [Tech](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/technology)\n- [Science](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/science_and_environment)\n- [Entertainment & Arts](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/entertainment_and_arts)\n- [Health](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/health)\n- [In Pictures](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/in_pictures)\n\n[More](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-34729538#product-navigation-more-menu)\n\n- [BBC Verify](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/bbcverify)\n- [Newsbeat](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/newsbeat)\n\n- [Asia](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world\/asia)\n- [China](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world\/asia\/china)\n- [India](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world\/asia\/india)\n\n# What's behind China-Taiwan tensions?\nShare\n\nclose panel\n\nShare page\n\nCopy link\n\n[About sharing](https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/usingthebbc\/terms\/can-i-share-things-from-the-bbc)\n\n![Flag of Taiwan](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/976\/cpsprodpb\/0566\/production\/_105028310_2b415d5f-0c2d-4cf5-91e0-03757db4f1dd.jpg)\n\nImage source, AFP\n\nImage caption,\n\nMany Taiwanese see their island as separate nation\n\n**China has launched major military drills around Taiwan for the second time this year, simulating a full-scale attack on the island - just days after the Taiwanese President William Lai delivered his first National Day speech.**\n\nThey come months after drills held, days after Lai was sworn in.\n\nThe exercises reinforce what is at the heart of the issue: China's claim over self-governed Taiwan.\n\nBeijing sees the island as a breakaway province that will, eventually, be part of the country, and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve this.\n\nBut many Taiwanese consider themselves to be part of a separate nation - although most are in favour of maintaining the status quo where Taiwan neither declares independence from China nor unites with it.\n## What is the history between China and Taiwan?\nTaiwan's first known settlers were Austronesian tribal people, believed to have come from modern day southern China.\n\nChinese records appear to first mention the island in AD239, when an emperor dispatched an expeditionary force to it - a fact Beijing uses to back its territorial claim.\n\n![Map of Taiwan](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/1280\/cpsprodpb\/3149\/production\/_132271621_taiwan_china_locator_v3_2x640-nc.png)\n\nAfter a relatively brief spell as a Dutch colony, Taiwan was administered by China's Qing dynasty, before it was ceded to Tokyo after Japan won the First Sino-Japanese War.\n\nAfter World War Two, Japan surrendered and relinquished control of territory it had taken from China. Afterwards, Taiwan was officially considered occupied by the Republic of China (ROC), which began ruling with the consent of its allies, the US and UK.\n\nBut in the next few years a civil war broke out in China, and then-leader Chiang Kai-shek's troops were defeated by Mao Zedong's Communist army.\n\nChiang, the remnants of his Kuomintang (KMT) government and their supporters - about 1.5m people - fled to Taiwan in 1949.\n\nChiang established a dictatorship that ruled Taiwan until the 1980s. Following his death, Taiwan began a transition to democracy and held its first elections in 1996.\n## So who recognises Taiwan?\nThere is disagreement about the status of Taiwan.\n\nIt has its own constitution, democratically-elected leaders, and about 300,000 active troops in its armed forces.\n\nChiang's ROC government-in-exile at first claimed to represent the whole of China, which it intended to re-occupy. It held China's seat on the United Nations Security Council and was recognised by many Western nations as the only Chinese government.\n\n![1938: Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek (1887 - 1975), speaking at a rally in Hangkow.](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/976\/cpsprodpb\/1AA8\/production\/_86542860_f66cb468-70c1-4c09-adbe-c1850adfb74e.jpg)\n\nImage source, Central Press\n\nImage caption,\n\nChiang Kai-shek, once the leader in China, fled with his supporters to Taiwan\n\nBut by the 1970s some countries began to argue that the Taipei government could no longer be considered a genuine representative of the people living in mainland China.\n\nIn 1971, the UN switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing. Once China began opening up its economy in 1978, the US recognised opportunities for trade and the need to develop relations. It formally established diplomatic ties with Beijing in 1979.\n\nSince then the number of countries that recognise the ROC government has fallen drastically with only 12 countries recognising the island today. China exerts considerable diplomatic pressure on other countries not to recognise Taiwan.\n## How are relations between Taiwan and China?\nRelations started improving in the 1980s as Taiwan relaxed rules on visits to and investment in China. In 1991, the ROC proclaimed that the war with the People's Republic of China was over.\n\nChina proposed the so-called \"one country, two systems\" option, which it said would allow Taiwan significant autonomy if it agreed to come under Beijing's control.\n\nThis system underpinned Hong Kong's return to China in 1997 and the manner in which it was governed until recently, when Beijing has sought to increase its influence.\n\nTaiwan rejected the offer, leading Beijing to insist the Taiwan's ROC government was illegitimate - but unofficial representatives from China and Taiwan still held limited talks.\n\nThen in 2000, Taiwan elected Chen Shui-bian as president, much to Beijing's alarm.\n\nChen and his party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), had openly backed Taiwan \"independence\".\n\nA year after Chen was re-elected in 2004, China passed a so-called anti-secession law, declaring China's right to use \"non-peaceful means\" against Taiwan if it tried to \"secede\" from China.\n\nChen was later succeeded by the KMT, which favours closer relations with the PRC.\n\nIn 2016, [Tsai Ing-wen](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-16464515)**,** from the DPP, was elected to the presidency. Under her, cross-strait relations have soured. China also cut off official communications with Taiwan after Ms Tsai took over, saying it was because of her refusal to endorse the concept of a single Chinese nation.\n\nTsai has never said she will formally declare Taiwan's independence, insisting that it is already independent.\n\n![Tsai Ing-wen](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/976\/cpsprodpb\/A1A6\/production\/_105028314_deb2b8ef-22a8-4e0f-8c0c-cda59ce9df4f.jpg)\n\nImage source, Reuters\n\nImage caption,\n\nUnder Ms Tsai, cross-Straits relations soured again\n\nBut Tai's term also coincided with that of Xi Jinping, under whom Chinese claims have grown more aggressive. He has reiterated the message that China will \"surely be reunified\" with Taiwan, and has set 2049 as a target date for \"achieving the Chinese dream\".\n\nIn January 2024, Taiwan elected Tsai's vice-president, William Lai, as president - a man China has branded a \"separatist\".\n\n[China's drills](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cqvv29gpqn1o) - dubbed Joint Sword 2024A - came in his first week in office - which Beijing said were a \"strong punishment\" for \"separatist acts\". It also singled out Lai as the \"worst of all\" DPP presidents so far.\n\nThe second round of drills - titled Joint Sword 2024B - came days after Lai pledged to uphold Taiwan's self-governing status during a national day speech on 10 October.\n## What does the US have to do with China-Taiwan relations?\nThe US maintains official ties with Beijing, and recognises it as the only Chinese government under its \"One China policy\" - but it also remains Taiwan's most significant international supporter.\n\nWashington is bound by law to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons and US President Joe Biden has said that the US would defend Taiwan militarily - breaking with a stance known as strategic ambiguity.\n\nThe island has long been one of the most contentious issue in US-China relations, with Beijing condemning any perceived support from Washington for Taipei. In 2022, after a visit to Taiwan by US Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China responded with an unprecedented show of force, carrying out military exercises around Taiwan in retaliation.\n\nUnder President Xi, China has [ramped up this \"grey zone warfare\"](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-66851118) - sending record numbers of Chinese fighter jets near Taiwan and holding military drills in response to political exchanges between the US and Taiwan. In 2022, China's warplane incursions into Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) nearly doubled.\n\nThe results of the elections will shape the course of US-China relations - and no matter who walks away the winner, will have an indelible impact on the delicate relationship between the US, China and Taiwan.\n\n## Related topics\n- [China](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world\/asia\/china)\n- [Taiwan](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/topics\/cg41ylwvw2qt)\n\n## More on this story\n- [China military drill as US envoy visits Taiwan](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-54200913)\n  \n  ![A file photo of a Chinese People’s Liberation Army warship](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/976\/cpsprodpb\/C6CB\/production\/_114419805_gettyimages-104647930.jpg)\n- [US angers China with high-profile Taiwan visit](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-53719333)\n  \n  ![US Health Secretary Alex Azar (L) meets Taiwanese Tsai Ing-wen (L)](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/976\/cpsprodpb\/11889\/production\/_113871817_062853419-1.jpg)\n- [Why US-China relations have reached a low](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-us-canada-53517439)\n  \n  ![This combination of pictures created on May 14, 2020 shows recent portraits of China's President Xi Jinping (R) and US President Donald Trump.](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/976\/cpsprodpb\/3A67\/production\/_113615941_gettyimages-1212971297.jpg)\n- [China-Taiwan relations in 60 secs. Video, 00:01:04China-Taiwan relations in 60 secs](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/av\/world-asia-32583444)\n  \n  1:04\n  \n  ![Protesters](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/640\/mcs\/media\/images\/82760000\/jpg\/_82760313_82760312.jpg)\n- [Taiwan and China to hold key summit](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-china-34711923)\n  \n  ![Composite image of China's President Xi Jinping and Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/976\/cpsprodpb\/3A3D\/production\/_86490941_taiwan_china976.jpg)\n\n## Top stories\n- [Live. Iran fired missiles at UK-US base on Diego Garcia, BBC understands](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/live\/ce84073mr06t)\n- [UK allows US to use bases to strike Strait of Hormuz targets](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c36rny6xgppo)\n- [As Starmer faces war overseas, his party can't find peace at home](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cwyxy54pv9po)\n\n## More to explore\n- [Saturday Night Live UK is here - but can it make you laugh?](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cj40xxj4v5po)\n  \n  ![Saturday Night Live UK - Series 01 - Fox - Key Art](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/385\/cpsprodpb\/72c5\/live\/f5bb4260-2480-11f1-a673-e3b236a15253.jpg)\n- [Paying back my student loan is more painful now I have a young family](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cwyk0r34jy0o)\n  \n  ![Ben Richmond and his wife and child](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/385\/cpsprodpb\/85d9\/live\/f312d420-247f-11f1-a79a-77e93010d956.jpg)\n- [Sarah Ferguson is keeping a low profile, but pressure is mounting for her to give evidence on Epstein](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cn87j9ry43ro)\n  \n  ![Sarah Ferguson, the then Duchess of York, attends the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on April 20, 2025. She has long red hair with a black hairband and is dressed in a white jacket with back trim and is wearing black gloves. One arm is raised as she waves.](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/385\/cpsprodpb\/7c39\/live\/55135fd0-238d-11f1-934f-036468834728.jpg)\n- [Home working, long leases and rise of parking apps - what went wrong for NCP](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cgl5rwgr5l2o)\n  \n  ![A dark car parked in front of a big yellow NCP sign for an open-air car park](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/385\/cpsprodpb\/9f23\/live\/3ee13540-247b-11f1-9ac5-2fb77b4b4b71.jpg)\n- [A drug transformed my life. Now it's derailed my Australian dream](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c8eg03n4edzo)\n  \n  ![A young woman with long blonde hair smiles at the camera. She has dark eyebrows and a nose ring. She is wearing a light-coloured top and is sitting in front of a pale background.](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/385\/cpsprodpb\/8535\/live\/40329670-2465-11f1-b297-95b0a0a8331e.jpg)\n- [Russia's school propaganda was highlighted by Oscar-winning film - but does it work?](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c7vq5g64y98o)\n  \n  ![Russian teenagers with red berets take part in a ceremony of joining a patriotic cadet movement of the Youth Army](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/385\/cpsprodpb\/9a76\/live\/d2f8e2c0-239d-11f1-934f-036468834728.jpg)\n- [The fight to control the narrative in the Afghan-Pakistan conflict](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c5yxkj8gnr2o)\n  \n  ![Bodies are removed following reported Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul, Afghanistan on March 17, 2026. Afghan officials said the strikes allegedly hit a drug rehabilitation centre in the capital, causing civilian casualties. ](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/385\/cpsprodpb\/43a0\/live\/b7aecc30-246c-11f1-b187-ed35b97acec8.jpg)\n- [Remember Chuck Norris memes but never watched his films? You're not alone](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c62541e29z9o)\n  \n  ![Chuck Norris in Invasion USA (1985)](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/385\/cpsprodpb\/12f9\/live\/6565b550-2503-11f1-b297-95b0a0a8331e.jpg)\n- [News Daily: Our flagship daily newsletter delivered to your inbox first thing](https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/newsletters\/zhp28xs)\n  \n  ![A promo promoting the News Daily newsletter - a graphic of an orange sphere with two concentric crescent shapes around it in a red-orange gradient, like a sound wave.](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/385\/cpsprodpb\/f6e7\/live\/0a68e090-4b8e-11f0-8c47-237c2e4015f5.png)\n\n## Elsewhere on the BBC\n- [The world's first labradoodle](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/sounds\/play\/w3ct4xfz?at_mid=QHxTa7Vio1&at_campaign=Witness_History_The_Worlds_First_Labradoodle&at_medium=display_ad&at_campaign_type=owned&at_nation=NET&at_audience_id=SS&at_product=sounds&at_brand=p004t1hd&at_ptr_name=bbc&at_ptr_type=media&at_format=image&at_objective=consumption&at_link_title=Witness_History_The_Worlds_First_Labradoodle&at_bbc_team=BBC)\n  \n  ![Witness History: The world's first labradoodle ](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/480\/cpsprodpb\/705c\/live\/05249430-2446-11f1-934f-036468834728.jpg)\n- [The hit whimsical comedy‑drama audiences are loving](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/iplayer\/episode\/m002q768?at_mid=RqUvlsCj2B&at_campaign=Small_Prophets_S1_E1&at_medium=display_ad&at_campaign_type=owned&at_nation=NET&at_audience_id=SS&at_product=iplayer&at_brand=m002q765&at_ptr_name=bbc&at_ptr_type=media&at_format=image&at_objective=consumption&at_link_title=Small_Prophets_S1_E1&at_bbc_team=BBC)\n  \n  ![Small Prophets](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/480\/cpsprodpb\/dd9c\/live\/486d6e10-02ea-11f1-b5e2-dd58fc65f0f6.jpg)\n- [A crime thriller full of dark family twists](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/sounds\/play\/m002rt0v?at_mid=s1ccs6NN5D&at_campaign=Limelight_The_Dentist&at_medium=display_ad&at_campaign_type=owned&at_nation=NET&at_audience_id=SS&at_product=sounds&at_brand=p09hbsqb&at_ptr_name=bbc&at_ptr_type=media&at_format=image&at_objective=consumption&at_link_title=Limelight_The_Dentist&at_bbc_team=BBC)\n  \n  ![Limelight](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/480\/cpsprodpb\/0710\/live\/ef602cf0-1648-11f1-9120-a910fc22c6ac.jpg)\n- [New drama inspired by Marian Keyes' bestsellers](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/iplayer\/episode\/m002qk54?at_mid=zx9vtRMgqX&at_campaign=The_Walsh_Sisters&at_medium=display_ad&at_campaign_type=owned&at_nation=NET&at_audience_id=SS&at_product=iplayer&at_brand=m002qk52&at_ptr_name=bbc&at_ptr_type=media&at_format=image&at_objective=consumption&at_link_title=The_Walsh_Sisters&at_bbc_team=BBC)\n  \n  ![The Walsh Sisters](https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/480\/cpsprodpb\/13ca\/live\/f1cb72d0-0d90-11f1-b5e2-dd58fc65f0f6.jpg)\n\n## Most read\n1. 1\n   \n   [Sarah Ferguson is keeping a low profile, but pressure is mounting for her to give evidence on Epstein](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cn87j9ry43ro)\n2. 2\n   \n   [Meningitis cases rise as vaccine queues continue](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cg40ql71p9yo)\n3. 3\n   \n   [A drug transformed my life. Now it's derailed my Australian dream](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c8eg03n4edzo)\n4. 4\n   \n   [Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor Nicholas Brendon dies aged 54](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/ckg9wgj9y5no)\n5. 5\n   \n   [Louise Minchin taken to hospital with frostbite during Arctic challenge](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cddq40lypldo)\n6. 6\n   \n   [Remember Chuck Norris memes but never watched his films? 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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. [Read about our approach to external linking.](https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/editorialguidelines\/guidance\/feeds-and-links)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Relations started improving in the 1980s as Taiwan relaxed rules on visits to and investment in China. In 1991, the ROC proclaimed that the war with the People's Republic of China was over.\n\nChina proposed the so-called \"one country, two systems\" option, which it said would allow Taiwan significant autonomy if it agreed to come under Beijing's control.\n\nThis system underpinned Hong Kong's return to China in 1997 and the manner in which it was governed until recently, when Beijing has sought to increase its influence.\n\nTaiwan rejected the offer, leading Beijing to insist the Taiwan's ROC government was illegitimate - but unofficial representatives from China and Taiwan still held limited talks.\n\nThen in 2000, Taiwan elected Chen Shui-bian as president, much to Beijing's alarm.\n\nChen and his party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), had openly backed Taiwan \"independence\".\n\nA year after Chen was re-elected in 2004, China passed a so-called anti-secession law, declaring China's right to use \"non-peaceful means\" against Taiwan if it tried to \"secede\" from China.\n\nChen was later succeeded by the KMT, which favours closer relations with the PRC.\n\nIn 2016, [Tsai Ing-wen](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-16464515)**,** from the DPP, was elected to the presidency. Under her, cross-strait relations have soured. China also cut off official communications with Taiwan after Ms Tsai took over, saying it was because of her refusal to endorse the concept of a single Chinese nation.\n\nTsai has never said she will formally declare Taiwan's independence, insisting that it is already independent.\n\nThe US maintains official ties with Beijing, and recognises it as the only Chinese government under its \"One China policy\" - but it also remains Taiwan's most significant international supporter.\n\nWashington is bound by law to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons and US President Joe Biden has said that the US would defend Taiwan militarily - breaking with a stance known as strategic ambiguity.\n\nThe island has long been one of the most contentious issue in US-China relations, with Beijing condemning any perceived support from Washington for Taipei. In 2022, after a visit to Taiwan by US Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China responded with an unprecedented show of force, carrying out military exercises around Taiwan in retaliation.\n\nUnder President Xi, China has [ramped up this \"grey zone warfare\"](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-66851118) - sending record numbers of Chinese fighter jets near Taiwan and holding military drills in response to political exchanges between the US and Taiwan. In 2022, China's warplane incursions into Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) nearly doubled.\n\nThe results of the elections will shape the course of US-China relations - and no matter who walks away the winner, will have an indelible impact on the delicate relationship between the US, China and Taiwan.","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34729538
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Meta Title	What's behind China-Taiwan tensions? - BBC News
Meta Description	China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, but the self-ruled island sees itself as distinct.
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Boilerpipe Text	Relations started improving in the 1980s as Taiwan relaxed rules on visits to and investment in China. In 1991, the ROC proclaimed that the war with the People's Republic of China was over. China proposed the so-called "one country, two systems" option, which it said would allow Taiwan significant autonomy if it agreed to come under Beijing's control. This system underpinned Hong Kong's return to China in 1997 and the manner in which it was governed until recently, when Beijing has sought to increase its influence. Taiwan rejected the offer, leading Beijing to insist the Taiwan's ROC government was illegitimate - but unofficial representatives from China and Taiwan still held limited talks. Then in 2000, Taiwan elected Chen Shui-bian as president, much to Beijing's alarm. Chen and his party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), had openly backed Taiwan "independence". A year after Chen was re-elected in 2004, China passed a so-called anti-secession law, declaring China's right to use "non-peaceful means" against Taiwan if it tried to "secede" from China. Chen was later succeeded by the KMT, which favours closer relations with the PRC. In 2016, Tsai Ing-wen , from the DPP, was elected to the presidency. Under her, cross-strait relations have soured. China also cut off official communications with Taiwan after Ms Tsai took over, saying it was because of her refusal to endorse the concept of a single Chinese nation. Tsai has never said she will formally declare Taiwan's independence, insisting that it is already independent. The US maintains official ties with Beijing, and recognises it as the only Chinese government under its "One China policy" - but it also remains Taiwan's most significant international supporter. Washington is bound by law to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons and US President Joe Biden has said that the US would defend Taiwan militarily - breaking with a stance known as strategic ambiguity. The island has long been one of the most contentious issue in US-China relations, with Beijing condemning any perceived support from Washington for Taipei. In 2022, after a visit to Taiwan by US Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China responded with an unprecedented show of force, carrying out military exercises around Taiwan in retaliation. Under President Xi, China has ramped up this "grey zone warfare" - sending record numbers of Chinese fighter jets near Taiwan and holding military drills in response to political exchanges between the US and Taiwan. In 2022, China's warplane incursions into Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) nearly doubled. The results of the elections will shape the course of US-China relations - and no matter who walks away the winner, will have an indelible impact on the delicate relationship between the US, China and Taiwan.
Markdown	[BBC Homepage](https://www.bbc.com/) - [Skip to content](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34729538#main-heading) - [Accessibility Help](https://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/) - [Sign in](https://session.bbc.com/session?lang=en-GB&ptrt=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fnews%2Fworld-asia-34729538&sequenceId=791a1775-b89b-4aad-9076-4734fd00cb62) - [Home](https://www.bbc.com/) - [News](https://www.bbc.com/news) - [Sport](https://www.bbc.com/sport) - [Business](https://www.bbc.com/business) - [Innovation](https://www.bbc.com/innovation) - [Culture](https://www.bbc.com/culture) - [Travel](https://www.bbc.com/travel) - [Earth](https://www.bbc.com/future-planet) - [Audio](https://www.bbc.com/audio) - [Video](https://www.bbc.com/video) - [Live](https://www.bbc.com/live) - [More menu](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34729538#global-navigation-more-menu) [More menu](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34729538#global-navigation-more-menu) [Search BBC](https://www.bbc.com/search?d=NEWS_GNL) - [Home](https://www.bbc.com/) - [News](https://www.bbc.com/news) - [Sport](https://www.bbc.com/sport) - [Business](https://www.bbc.com/business) - [Innovation](https://www.bbc.com/innovation) - [Culture](https://www.bbc.com/culture) - [Travel](https://www.bbc.com/travel) - [Earth](https://www.bbc.com/future-planet) - [Audio](https://www.bbc.com/audio) - [Video](https://www.bbc.com/video) - [Live](https://www.bbc.com/live) Close menu [BBC News](https://www.bbc.com/news) [Menu](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34729538#product-navigation-menu) - [Home](https://www.bbc.com/news) - [Climate](https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/cmj34zmwm1zt) - [World](https://www.bbc.com/news/world) - [UK](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk) - [Business](https://www.bbc.com/news/business) - [Tech](https://www.bbc.com/news/technology) - [Science](https://www.bbc.com/news/science_and_environment) - [Entertainment & Arts](https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment_and_arts) - [Health](https://www.bbc.com/news/health) - [In Pictures](https://www.bbc.com/news/in_pictures) [More](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34729538#product-navigation-more-menu) - [BBC Verify](https://www.bbc.com/news/bbcverify) - [Newsbeat](https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat) - [Asia](https://www.bbc.com/news/world/asia) - [China](https://www.bbc.com/news/world/asia/china) - [India](https://www.bbc.com/news/world/asia/india) # What's behind China-Taiwan tensions? Share close panel Share page Copy link [About sharing](https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/terms/can-i-share-things-from-the-bbc) ![Flag of Taiwan](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/0566/production/_105028310_2b415d5f-0c2d-4cf5-91e0-03757db4f1dd.jpg) Image source, AFP Image caption, Many Taiwanese see their island as separate nation China has launched major military drills around Taiwan for the second time this year, simulating a full-scale attack on the island - just days after the Taiwanese President William Lai delivered his first National Day speech. They come months after drills held, days after Lai was sworn in. The exercises reinforce what is at the heart of the issue: China's claim over self-governed Taiwan. Beijing sees the island as a breakaway province that will, eventually, be part of the country, and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve this. But many Taiwanese consider themselves to be part of a separate nation - although most are in favour of maintaining the status quo where Taiwan neither declares independence from China nor unites with it. ## What is the history between China and Taiwan? Taiwan's first known settlers were Austronesian tribal people, believed to have come from modern day southern China. Chinese records appear to first mention the island in AD239, when an emperor dispatched an expeditionary force to it - a fact Beijing uses to back its territorial claim. ![Map of Taiwan](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/1280/cpsprodpb/3149/production/_132271621_taiwan_china_locator_v3_2x640-nc.png) After a relatively brief spell as a Dutch colony, Taiwan was administered by China's Qing dynasty, before it was ceded to Tokyo after Japan won the First Sino-Japanese War. After World War Two, Japan surrendered and relinquished control of territory it had taken from China. Afterwards, Taiwan was officially considered occupied by the Republic of China (ROC), which began ruling with the consent of its allies, the US and UK. But in the next few years a civil war broke out in China, and then-leader Chiang Kai-shek's troops were defeated by Mao Zedong's Communist army. Chiang, the remnants of his Kuomintang (KMT) government and their supporters - about 1.5m people - fled to Taiwan in 1949. Chiang established a dictatorship that ruled Taiwan until the 1980s. Following his death, Taiwan began a transition to democracy and held its first elections in 1996. ## So who recognises Taiwan? There is disagreement about the status of Taiwan. It has its own constitution, democratically-elected leaders, and about 300,000 active troops in its armed forces. Chiang's ROC government-in-exile at first claimed to represent the whole of China, which it intended to re-occupy. It held China's seat on the United Nations Security Council and was recognised by many Western nations as the only Chinese government. ![1938: Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek (1887 - 1975), speaking at a rally in Hangkow.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/1AA8/production/_86542860_f66cb468-70c1-4c09-adbe-c1850adfb74e.jpg) Image source, Central Press Image caption, Chiang Kai-shek, once the leader in China, fled with his supporters to Taiwan But by the 1970s some countries began to argue that the Taipei government could no longer be considered a genuine representative of the people living in mainland China. In 1971, the UN switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing. Once China began opening up its economy in 1978, the US recognised opportunities for trade and the need to develop relations. It formally established diplomatic ties with Beijing in 1979. Since then the number of countries that recognise the ROC government has fallen drastically with only 12 countries recognising the island today. China exerts considerable diplomatic pressure on other countries not to recognise Taiwan. ## How are relations between Taiwan and China? Relations started improving in the 1980s as Taiwan relaxed rules on visits to and investment in China. In 1991, the ROC proclaimed that the war with the People's Republic of China was over. China proposed the so-called "one country, two systems" option, which it said would allow Taiwan significant autonomy if it agreed to come under Beijing's control. This system underpinned Hong Kong's return to China in 1997 and the manner in which it was governed until recently, when Beijing has sought to increase its influence. Taiwan rejected the offer, leading Beijing to insist the Taiwan's ROC government was illegitimate - but unofficial representatives from China and Taiwan still held limited talks. Then in 2000, Taiwan elected Chen Shui-bian as president, much to Beijing's alarm. Chen and his party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), had openly backed Taiwan "independence". A year after Chen was re-elected in 2004, China passed a so-called anti-secession law, declaring China's right to use "non-peaceful means" against Taiwan if it tried to "secede" from China. Chen was later succeeded by the KMT, which favours closer relations with the PRC. In 2016, [Tsai Ing-wen](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16464515), from the DPP, was elected to the presidency. Under her, cross-strait relations have soured. China also cut off official communications with Taiwan after Ms Tsai took over, saying it was because of her refusal to endorse the concept of a single Chinese nation. Tsai has never said she will formally declare Taiwan's independence, insisting that it is already independent. ![Tsai Ing-wen](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/A1A6/production/_105028314_deb2b8ef-22a8-4e0f-8c0c-cda59ce9df4f.jpg) Image source, Reuters Image caption, Under Ms Tsai, cross-Straits relations soured again But Tai's term also coincided with that of Xi Jinping, under whom Chinese claims have grown more aggressive. He has reiterated the message that China will "surely be reunified" with Taiwan, and has set 2049 as a target date for "achieving the Chinese dream". In January 2024, Taiwan elected Tsai's vice-president, William Lai, as president - a man China has branded a "separatist". [China's drills](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqvv29gpqn1o) - dubbed Joint Sword 2024A - came in his first week in office - which Beijing said were a "strong punishment" for "separatist acts". It also singled out Lai as the "worst of all" DPP presidents so far. The second round of drills - titled Joint Sword 2024B - came days after Lai pledged to uphold Taiwan's self-governing status during a national day speech on 10 October. ## What does the US have to do with China-Taiwan relations? The US maintains official ties with Beijing, and recognises it as the only Chinese government under its "One China policy" - but it also remains Taiwan's most significant international supporter. Washington is bound by law to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons and US President Joe Biden has said that the US would defend Taiwan militarily - breaking with a stance known as strategic ambiguity. The island has long been one of the most contentious issue in US-China relations, with Beijing condemning any perceived support from Washington for Taipei. In 2022, after a visit to Taiwan by US Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China responded with an unprecedented show of force, carrying out military exercises around Taiwan in retaliation. Under President Xi, China has [ramped up this "grey zone warfare"](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66851118) - sending record numbers of Chinese fighter jets near Taiwan and holding military drills in response to political exchanges between the US and Taiwan. In 2022, China's warplane incursions into Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) nearly doubled. The results of the elections will shape the course of US-China relations - and no matter who walks away the winner, will have an indelible impact on the delicate relationship between the US, China and Taiwan. ## Related topics - [China](https://www.bbc.com/news/world/asia/china) - [Taiwan](https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/cg41ylwvw2qt) ## More on this story - [China military drill as US envoy visits Taiwan](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54200913) ![A file photo of a Chinese People’s Liberation Army warship](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/C6CB/production/_114419805_gettyimages-104647930.jpg) - [US angers China with high-profile Taiwan visit](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-53719333) ![US Health Secretary Alex Azar (L) meets Taiwanese Tsai Ing-wen (L)](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/11889/production/_113871817_062853419-1.jpg) - [Why US-China relations have reached a low](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53517439) ![This combination of pictures created on May 14, 2020 shows recent portraits of China's President Xi Jinping (R) and US President Donald Trump.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/3A67/production/_113615941_gettyimages-1212971297.jpg) - [China-Taiwan relations in 60 secs. Video, 00:01:04China-Taiwan relations in 60 secs](https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-32583444) 1:04 ![Protesters](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/640/mcs/media/images/82760000/jpg/_82760313_82760312.jpg) - [Taiwan and China to hold key summit](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-34711923) ![Composite image of China's President Xi Jinping and Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/3A3D/production/_86490941_taiwan_china976.jpg) ## Top stories - [Live. 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Readable Markdown	Relations started improving in the 1980s as Taiwan relaxed rules on visits to and investment in China. In 1991, the ROC proclaimed that the war with the People's Republic of China was over. China proposed the so-called "one country, two systems" option, which it said would allow Taiwan significant autonomy if it agreed to come under Beijing's control. This system underpinned Hong Kong's return to China in 1997 and the manner in which it was governed until recently, when Beijing has sought to increase its influence. Taiwan rejected the offer, leading Beijing to insist the Taiwan's ROC government was illegitimate - but unofficial representatives from China and Taiwan still held limited talks. Then in 2000, Taiwan elected Chen Shui-bian as president, much to Beijing's alarm. Chen and his party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), had openly backed Taiwan "independence". A year after Chen was re-elected in 2004, China passed a so-called anti-secession law, declaring China's right to use "non-peaceful means" against Taiwan if it tried to "secede" from China. Chen was later succeeded by the KMT, which favours closer relations with the PRC. In 2016, [Tsai Ing-wen](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16464515), from the DPP, was elected to the presidency. Under her, cross-strait relations have soured. China also cut off official communications with Taiwan after Ms Tsai took over, saying it was because of her refusal to endorse the concept of a single Chinese nation. Tsai has never said she will formally declare Taiwan's independence, insisting that it is already independent. The US maintains official ties with Beijing, and recognises it as the only Chinese government under its "One China policy" - but it also remains Taiwan's most significant international supporter. Washington is bound by law to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons and US President Joe Biden has said that the US would defend Taiwan militarily - breaking with a stance known as strategic ambiguity. The island has long been one of the most contentious issue in US-China relations, with Beijing condemning any perceived support from Washington for Taipei. In 2022, after a visit to Taiwan by US Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China responded with an unprecedented show of force, carrying out military exercises around Taiwan in retaliation. Under President Xi, China has [ramped up this "grey zone warfare"](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66851118) - sending record numbers of Chinese fighter jets near Taiwan and holding military drills in response to political exchanges between the US and Taiwan. In 2022, China's warplane incursions into Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) nearly doubled. The results of the elections will shape the course of US-China relations - and no matter who walks away the winner, will have an indelible impact on the delicate relationship between the US, China and Taiwan.
Shard	16 (laksa)
Root Hash	1643509356818581016
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