Taiwan country profile

Taiwan is an island that has for all practical purposes been independent since 1950, but which China regards as a rebel region that must be reunited with the mainland - by force if necessary.

China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since the end of the civil war in 1949, when the defeated Nationalist government fled to the island as the Communists under Mao Zedong swept to power.

China insists that nations cannot have official relations with both China and Taiwan, with the result that Taiwan has formal diplomatic ties with only a few countries. The US is Taiwan's most important de-facto ally.

Despite its diplomatic isolation, Taiwan - official the Republic of China - has become one of Asia's major economic players, and one of the world's top producers of computer technology.

President-elect: William Lai

Taiwanese voters chose pro-sovereignty candidate William Lai as their president in January 2024, cementing a path that is increasingly divergent from China.

The move angered Beijing, which issued a statement after the results insisting that "Taiwan is part of China". While Beijing has called for "peaceful reunification", it has also not ruled out the use of force.

It was the third presidential election victory for the pro-sovereignty Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). In his first remarks President Lai signalled that this was an irreversible trajectory. "The country will continue to walk on the right path forward. We will not turn around or look backwards," he said.

But Mr Lai also had a message for China and said he favoured more exchanges and dialogue over obstructionism and conflict, and called for peace and stability with Beijing.

At the same time, he added, he would "maintain the cross-strait status quo" - neither