The World: A China-Japan showdown

Good morning, world! We’ve been talking a lot about Ukraine in recent weeks. Less so about Taiwan. It’s a good moment to come back to it. East Asia’s two biggest powers, China and Japan, are in the middle of a serious crisis over the island democracy. The two stories aren’t unrelated, though. The current push for peace in Ukraine has implications for how emboldened China feels about Taiwan. If Russia is rewarded for its invasion, it might signal to Beijing that it could get away with something similar. President Trump has announced that he’s visiting China in April. Today my colleagues Keith Bradsher and River Davis, in Beijing and Tokyo, explain why this could be a key moment for Taiwan’s future. Also: By Keith Bradsher and River Akira Davis For evidence that we’re at a critical moment in Asian diplomacy, look no further than Trump’s phone calls this week with Xi Jinping, China’s top leader, and Sanae Takaichi, the prime minister of Japan. Xi and Trump spoke Monday, after Takaichi mad

Good morning, world! We’ve been talking a lot about Ukraine in recent weeks. Less so about Taiwan. It’s a good moment to come back to it. East Asia’s two biggest powers, China and Japan, are in the middle of a serious crisis over the island democracy. The two stories aren’t unrelated, though. The current push for peace in Ukraine has implications for how emboldened China feels about Taiwan. If Russia is rewarded for its invasion, it might signal to Beijing that it could get away with something similar. President Trump has announced that he’s visiting China in April. Today my colleagues Keith B