a defiant statement as he visited the recaptured city of his doom in the northeast and hockey region. the landscape greeted soldiers and thank them for their efforts in re taking the strategic city. he said ukraine was on the course for victory following a recent counter offensive against russian forces. d w. news of next we look at ty, one as it faces china's military threat. i am told me all laudable, myself and the 2 thanks for joining us. with the landscape, a reflection of a turbulent history. the cities, a mosaic of different people and languages. iran's mountains reveal unparalleled

beauty. a special look at a special country. he land from above. start september 16th on d, w. o. ah, it's midnight and we're in south taiwan. be headed toward an area where military exercises are scheduled to take place. a closed ah. it's september 13th, 2021. the 37th annual military drill will start at dawn. and these high school students from the capitol, taipei are here to watch the show. i just come here this year and last year

what are you going to do is a feature just upload sheila instagram and that everyone knows taiwan defense power. why is it important to show you? are we want love words, you know, we are a country not now stem to load peoples to your boundary of china. one of tie one's leading broadcasters, t v b s has the best spot right now. are we accompanied ting, ting? you the broadcaster, star presenter we are going to go to uh that the vantage points are the only one who are this girl who oh, there's a couple of other doubtless boys. oh, rent this kind of platform. so feel with fear less than 100 meters away. a war game is already underway. the airports have just been destroyed by the chinese army. taiwan needs to use the highway to start and

land. it's fighter jets. ah! we come across a surprising scene. the soldiers have swapped their weapons for brooms and dustpan . our photographer explains what's going on. i come and jabber their clearing obstacles from the road to make sure the aircraft can start and land safely on sundays and jump to prevent accidents. the highway has to be as clean and smooth as a runway. now the military exercises can begin oh, it was all about us, all right. come to the 37th major military exercise. and i think 3 aircraft models are taking part to day to be genji, sound good idea,

the f. 16 will be our very own mirage. 2001 course, the each, okay. rater equipped to aircraft who i want the largest broadcasters are reporting live. military also supplies stills and video material. a special guest is here to see the fighter jets, early warning aircraft. and the pilots, the president of taiwan, sy, in when she's the 1st woman to leave the country. as commander in chief of the armed forces. she's here in uniform. these exercises lasted 5 days and have taken place since 1984 the military films, the drills like this one showing the response to a chinese attack. it's

a deliberate demonstration of military might. that's especially directed at ty, one's neighbor and rival, the people's republic of china with but few people realize where taiwan true power lies. though ty, once population is only around $23000000.00, the global leading semiconductor manufacture is based here. t s m c is one of the most influential companies in the world. from the automotive industry to computers, smartphones and gaming console. so many sectors depend on components made in taiwan, which has helped the island territory prosper with strong exports and

one of ages most important seaports. ty, ones economy grew some 6 percent and 2021. 1 of the best growth rates in the world . despite its economic clamped tie, one finds itself in an unusual situation. only a handful of nations recognize it as an independent country. i, one has its own flag, national anthem, currency, and democratically elected president and government. but it is still not officially recognized by any major power. and it's all down to the countries complicated relationship with china. mouse at tongs, communist party has never forgotten that it's greatest opponent junk. i check the previous leader of china retreated to taiwan in 1949 defect or creating a new country. the peoples republic of china has never recognized taiwan and regards it as one of its own provinces. chinese president,

she jin pink continues to insist that taiwan must be re unified with john woman. we do not rule out the possible use of force. most taiwanese agree that they should keep a low profile rather than risk provoking china. even if it costs i won their independence. they see that as the best way to preserve peace and economic freedom to would be awesome. awesome. so everyone knows to try once an independent country . we don't need to shouted from the rooftops. they don't do them. but an increasing number of taiwanese are beginning to advocate for independence, including many young people, even though that risks, aggression from china. with a nod on the hall, women don't know if a conflict erupt. my friends and i are prepared to go to war, was he the again, jude signs on deja. freedom of the press. marriage equality,

freedom of speech, and the right to protest and digital democracy spearheaded by a popular transgender cabinet minister to will on law. in the capital taipei, nearly every one rejects the chinese dictatorship and re unification. a small group though, continues to insist that taiwan belongs to china in time with these politics, 2 very different worlds collide. there are metal singers who go into politics, man, former gangsters who sparked violence between the 2 camps. ah, how do people and i want to deal with this situation of living in a country that officially does not exist. we want to know more about the last bastion of political resistance to communist party china. most time when you share the same goal for things to remain as they are,

wayne also doesn't want to provoke china, but opposes reunification is on the conservative side as 2 children and lives in an upscale taipei neighborhood. he values the stability and safety of taiwan and wants to keep it that way. we'll have shootings all the time. we don't have, you know, i'd say we don't have jihad is, you know, trying to blow themselves up. you know, we have freedom of speech. we have a very democratic society, our national health care. i mean, i'll tell you a secret, a lot of my friends who live in america would fly to tie one to do their health check. it's all wrong, good place to live, you know, and i, well come french, people to come the taiwan susie, it's a great country. taiwan has been good to wayne and his family as part of the country's top one percent. he also does business with china,

but they don't go, don't go get yourself on my see me, the businessman run 6 english language school including one in china as he heads off in his luxury electric car. he has a telephone meeting with the chinese schools, directed me when i wanted to ask how the students are doing right now. and they're doing well. but if you knew students are struggling, i want them to get tutoring, but we don't have enough teachers. the school in china accounts for 10 percent of wayne's business. so it comes as little surprised with the business that wants to avoid stepping on china's toes. that's true for many here. more than 40 percent of taiwan exports to go to china. ah. i hear

you get dancing, ready to go to de wayne, bringing his daughter to one of the 6 schools. he runs it's about 430 in the afternoon to come to our school after they're trying to school to get a us curriculum. if we were to calculate our students class time throughout the day, but our program, it will be longer than a full time work schedule. so how many kids work very hard? most? how many pairs actually a for us? only about 5 percent of families here can afford to send their children to schools like this when it's now headed to his mother's place. he checks on her everyday. visa runs

the show. here. she found at the fix was 30 years ago. or sun now handles the day to day management, but she still the one in charge. and when it comes to finances, she's all business tuition fees that you know, you mean for school next year, february to june. that's right. and today, lisa has an appointment with 2 bankers with an annual turnover of $4000000.00 a year. she is looking for investment at my my mom told me he bought stock in apple. he's happy because the return is 14 percent. my value keeps rising. we're good, but i want to invest in new in china that might have been doing quite well since when public business is good for lisa and wayne. and

they don't want politics to interfere with things that people have grown used to living in peace and happiness. and help that, and that's how it should be. nice, shiny, almost shall tell. people can buy what they want. ok, eat what they want to have such things going well. and she in turn. but if taiwan was, had become independent or decide to reject the status quo, serial society would become divided however, so and hate would grow among taiwanese being told that the woman lisa is satisfied with the meeting. she's always felt comfortable calling the shots about people in taiwan have grown, used to their way of life and freedoms. and they want to continue doing business with china. in other words,

taiwan wants to benefit from china's economic might. without the drawbacks of dictatorship, lou, that's why i'm pro status school because i when it comes to it, i do not want to risk my business. i do not want to risk my, my family. i'm a, aaron, you know, some people ask me, old high one is now recognized. so what, i don't care because of my, the taiwanese password on a dell, i use, you know, we can try where we are everywhere. you know, i did list the ice t, you could, you compare to tony's password versus the people's republic of china, passport to town. his passport can go more places than a china password. how long will taiwan be able to walk? bas tightrope and placate its powerful neighbor and rival especially given that some taiwanese are chafing at the status quo. like roy was

25 and advocates for taiwanese independence, blue vocal guardian, william check, and all the people in my neighborhood don't like mail, but they don't like people who demand taiwanese independence and who resist the status quo. roy lives in a conservative district in a suburb of taipei, which looks down on people like him. he's on his way to his apartment, where his girlfriend is waiting for him. a buffalo love i'm home for they live in a 3 room apartment which belongs to royce. grandmother roy met one way, 4 years ago at a political gathering. she has a time when he's father and a chinese mother. something that occasionally bothers her. just all of the, again, i speak with an accent, and people often ask me you chinese. like because i regard myself is tywon

a long way. his mother is worried that her partner is time and he i was when you, once my mother asked me, who will you vote for? i told her i would vote for sighing when. who's now president. she asked me why i told her. because citing when cares about taiwan, then she said, you're a treasurer if you vote for sy in when roy and wing way are both convinced that taiwan should become independent on the woman your lady feel what we may have the same culture and the same language. but our way of life is different. john thomas, we are a free and democratic country woman to the one there and authoritarian country a lot to that's why we need to oppose china and gain independence. it will not waste china as angry, even if nothing changes. china will still be angry if we let them have their way,

will end up like hong kong. eventually we'd be under the control of the communist party of china, a on the all those in the roy is even prepared to stand up to china himself. if need be powerful in an attack, most taiwanese would run away. that would be easier in guy, but i believe we should take up weapons and defend our families on our homeland and our way of life. so the time that we need to stand up to china to not run away or possible blue, what is roy under estimating the threat to taiwan? this is china's military propaganda images designed to impress and intimidate taiwan. china's army is much more powerful than ty wants

me every day. chinese fighter planes like these nuclear capable, 86 bombers are sent over the taiwanese air defense identification. so in 2021. there were more than $600.00 such incursions. but ty, one's government refuses to be intimidated. the country's leaders say they are ready to go to war if need be. foreign minister joseph is standing firm in we have been preparing is that we have the ability to defend ourselves even is going to happen to moral. so we are trying to make ourselves ready for

a possible conflict with china. and i want to say again, we have the determination to defend ourselves. this is our territory. this is our sovereignty. and this is our way of life. we want to protect it. the minister sales confident but others say the tier one is not ready to defend itself. this retired military officer is carrying 41 different awards on his shoulder or received during his 38 years. anti wants air force. today, the former deputy defense minister wants to draw attention to the mirage. 2000 fighter, which taiwan bought from france 30 years ago. former officer is convinced mirage. spider is no longer a match for china's fleet. but only a handful of broadcasters show any interest. you will find young gun, jesus. the mirage is a 4th generation fighter jet and china is already working on the 5th generation. we

have no choice but to up our game where you'll be, what i'm talking to. i want military knows it needs to be prepared for a chinese offensive particularly because the younger generation is increasingly against the status quo. which risk of backlash from aging in the sunflower movement began in march 18th, 2014. when a group of students and other activists stormed the national legislature, they wanted to prevent a sweeping trade agreement with china, which would have strengthened chinese influence. at the time, the ruling china friendly commented party planned to waive the agreement through what followed or 23 days of protest where the student vehemently showed their determination. ah,

ah, you have always a hole when we leave this parliament and we will have to live up to our responsibility. so you won't be easy, but we have to preserve the spirit of the movement. all the way to the sunflower movement helped pave the way for the election of president sy, in when the democratic progressive party in 2016. it was a bitter defeat for the old guard woman tongue, which had dominated taiwanese politics since the beginning of 1949. we pay a visit to one of the sunflower movement activists in the parliament building. audrey tang has now twice been appointed, taiwanese digital minister by the president. she's the world's 1st openly transgender national minister. and as a former hacker,

she's also an advocate for radical transparency. in his interview, i need to make ah, everything the minister says to the press is made available to the people of taiwan . our entire interview will be posted to her, you to channel. all her government statements are posted there to ah, the basically i just speak my mind, so that's no extra training required. i guess of course a lot of the actual work is of course also a group effort. i think my main contribution is the individual is to insist that the materials for forming the message and also the medium is delivered as creative coma. oh, today,

tang wants to encourage tie when he citizens to purchase government issued spending vouchers. the goal is to stimulate the local economy in the wake of the pandemic. unlike the more formal chinese style of official communication, audrey tang isn't afraid to let her personality, shon, blue swim virtual vouchers, come and get them all the humorous clips don't take much time to meet with. wow, hurry follow kyle young taiwanese love it. colorful, whimsical. a very effective public message minister audrey tag is very creative. she always has new ideas that are ahead of her time, especially when it comes to technology. but digital minister has contributed to

another unique instrument which emerged from the gob, 0 community called v taiwan for virtual taiwan. it's an online platform that allows for civic debate on legislative lou. fostering this digital democracy is one side of audrey tang's work, but there's another more disquieting side in late 2021 time when he's officials set the government faced up to 5000000 cyber attacks for probes per day. in may 2020 hackers, targeted a state run energy company causing payment issues and chaos at gas stations across the country to help protect against such attacks. the minister employs whitehead hackers to

test government projects and software programs. make sure that we also understand. so co the read him the thinking, how that penetration testers think about this isn't so we can defend ourselves better and also pro active leave hunt and the threats the c e o of team t 5. but tie, one based cyber security company is familiar with many cyber espionage groups. they were even able to identify the one responsible for the energy company attack called a p t 41. they are a notorious group of china backed hackers. also wanted to buy the f b i and they have very, ah high skill. they are really good as cyber attack and according to our raker, our research, we know them did compromise. lots are very large enterprises and buried on very important preschool infrastructures. and are some like technology companies?

yes. a p t 41. are hackers for hire? they work for organized crime as well as state entities such as china that they all the attack is very close to on taiwan, our presidential, our integration ceremony. so many people guess it might be related. they want to cause son, i impact because not only this company on it happened to a 2 major r oil of our product providers in taiwan. taiwan fears that critical infrastructure, like the electricity and power supply could also be hacked, which would bring the entire country to a standstill. some of these hackers work out of bass, 311 in the chinese city official. base 311 is where the chinese military cyber

warfare operations are headquartered just off the coast from a time when he's archipelago. much like with the kenman islands to the south, which is only a half hour vote right from the mainland. in kingman county, people worry more about a chinese attack than anywhere else in taiwan. that fear is exemplified by these defensive stakes, which recall the battles between mouse, communist and junk. i checked, nationalists in 1949 robin is from taiwan and works as a tour guide on kenman. so when it got here about 3 days during nice attacking was just came and was called a r o c troops. so there are standard file 900 boats as some tide a night time 2 o'clock. attacking to pin for 3 days. mm. hold

in taipei, the time when his government faces another challenger, the foreman tongue. it's the main opposition party and the oldest in taiwan. the conservative one china party tries to force the new government at every turn. freddy limb is a newer member of the legislature who won his district in january 2016 election. that socks i inc, when, when the presidency were only here ready, we are as signs i says on which is a market that, ah, ah, built in japanese colonial hero hero. almost 100 years. the small market is located in a historic type, a district in the heart of freddie limbs, constituency. i don't i go in? oh, this is one of the most famous dumpling shot in these areas,

surrounded by voters for any lim looks in his element. perhaps because he is not only a politician, he also possesses a special talent crazy for a very farmer's wife. emma's wife thing about martin luther. the see now is the politicians. oh yeah. don't. oh okay. oh, the front man for taiwan, most famous heavy metal band. ah ah, to night is performing before an audience of 20000 he also takes the opportunity to send his message to his fans appro independence message,

much to the displeasure of the conservative woman tongue omega. some greater regards our country is valuable even though it is small as ours. no dictatorships should be allowed to tell singers writers and artists what they can sing right or perform just to enforce their terrible policies and i was your code as or those. oh, that's ready, live one is election, the corman. tar is doing everything in its power to retake his district in parliament. lynn has even been physically seized by political opponents. ah, to keep lynn from voting, the opposition all wearing blue? grant him and held him in place. shocking images. what are the order of the day and taiwan? i think they can say all their,

their idea about being closing with china so. so how, how they can position themselves and they've found it so difficult. so they, they've, it might be easier for them to go extreme and to get attention from the people. but that's as far as why i don't think it makes sense. but, but they just do that. the form in tongue is not the only party that poses a threat to time wants democracy. there's also the china unification, promotion party, or the c u. p. p, an extremist pro china party. though it's just a fringe party, it knows how to capture public attention. the lettering on their vests delivers a clear message. we support re unification with china. today mr. chung and his comrades are demonstrating for the 122nd time in front of taiwan center for disease control. their demand is always the same. taiwan should purchase chinese made cove . it vaccines, good. w, hugging, should china is prepared to make safe and effective vaccines available to us

quickly, you know, get power. so we have to protect people's lives here in taiwan. but we can't allow the government to block chinese vaccines all called and i was done mean though, somebody mentioned the job in our, into the protest. the police stepping with what are you in? i'm informing you that today, september 20th you must leave the premises. otherwise, we will remove you by force the c u. p. p activists comply and to leave the area we take the opportunity to follow chung futon to his headquarters just a few kilometers outside typing. in. as we entered the premises, we were struck with the impression that these could possibly be mainland chinese military forces on taiwanese soil, which could be

a serious danger to democracy here. ah. we 1st encounter a statue of the chinese communist leader dang, shall ping. in the 1950s thing was a close comrade of miles of dawn. 40 years later, he was responsible for the t n in mid square. i. in the next room, c u p. p. propaganda videos are being filled. the demonstration from earlier that day will also go online soon. a man in a blue track suit is keeping a careful eye on things. he has an air of authority that peaks or curiosity, especially since he is sticking close to the parties. chairman for the so i'm not the,

this is the office of the c u p. p. president bungles who? oh i'll introduce you to his son of thumb way. when his father chung on low the president of the c u p. p isn't here. his son chung way takes over the home, but the shadow of his father, who is in china right now is always present gam, villain in the issue. now this would sculpture was given to my father when he returned to taiwan. it's a souvenir, a wolf, because my father's nickname is white wolf wishing those who whoa drew joel. a long white wolf may have a romantic sound to it. but the name comes from the time when chung waste father was a leader of the bamboo union. the largest of ty, wants triads. chung on low spent 10 years in a u. s. prison on drug charges. more recently though, he's been investigated for claims that the c u. p. p. has been accepting funding from china. chung way it tries to convince us that he's different from his father

since he was raised in argentina by his mother. he conducts the rest of the interview with us in spanish. latino. this good joe? broke on me. i was 21 when i met him, the 1st time daniel's go with the car, so he'd spend 10 years in prison in the us father in law. my already others, or maybe i only knew my father from news reports of paper. you also get and listen to father. i knew he was my father, but i'd never met him in louis. you know, participate. i'm not in a gangster, but my father has forbidden of either. we meet another former member of the bamboo union. he succeeded in leaving the crime syndicate and has become a loyal supporter of independence. these days, he's glad for the freedom he enjoys. he runs 6 fitness centers. holy gracen may still look like a gangster,

but his babble union days are overt. now he's an entrepreneur and an internet celebrity with more than a 1000000 followers whatever he by should and is, is that his, i work out 3 to 4 times a week was bench pressing. what are those, those who sundance is usually 160 or 170 kilos? sometimes even 100. 80 it it bud. alyssa gordon advisory by g. bye bye. so he'll so as his son does this, his son, the buddha, was the good side. does it blow out that this isn't or move it is the bad side? i mean, this signifies that our world doesn't just have one side, but to another. if you encounter a bad person, you have to use your bad side to beat him on cold with all those he in 2020 holger chant paid dearly for his newfound political support for an independent taiwan. the

incident made headlines, foreign, white fishing. now for the news of the day, internet star held, our chin was shot in the harmon leg 3 times early this morning and paypal e controller fence hunger as he left. one of his fitness studios in the middle of the night, holger chen and 2 employees walk to his car. suddenly a gunman appeared, shot him at close range and fled. ah, wouldn't y'all mail bumble schedule every day? i still have pain in my legs. oh, i had a total of 7 entry and exit wounds. i was in critical condition by a very critical my results. i still have bullet fragments in my leg, and i worry that i'll have pain for the rest of my life to folds on. the reason for the attack was clear. in 2019 holger chant helped organize mass demonstrations

against powerful pro china media outlets. he's been speaking out for taiwanese independence since leaving the bamboo union. i was here all taiwanese should rise up against the red media here and against the chinese communist party. i the protests were mainly directed at one man. cy, aiming the billionaire owner, the china times media group, older chin had accused him of working for beijing and seeking to destabilize taiwan by spreading propaganda on his media outlets. including the cta cable news station . these are the tower that either he's an enemy of taiwan. we know that people like him are working for the enemy and getting money from the chinese school. i. in the wake of the 2019 protests,

the media magnate was asked to appear before the taiwanese national communications commission, which decided not to renew c, t. r. 's license, city i news will stop broadcasting after nearly 3 decades authorities of the queues, the owner, tiger and sy, in many, all the interfering with the broadcast as editorial independence. ah, older chin is not the only one to be threatened by pro china extremists. taiwan is also home to political exiles who fled chinese controlled hong kong. one of them is lum winkie. oh, he's a bookseller who specializes in books that are critical of beijing. as a result, he spent 8 months in a chinese jail. the chinese police have their site set on him again because he refuses to divulge the names of his customers meeting,

changing sonya and go, i used to send 5 kilos of books per day to china brookside sole and she had services done always home. oh, i did that for almost 2 years. she had on you guys for 2 reasons. foyer, john, 1st to turn money. there was a john and 2nd young. don't want to influence people. oak. i've been to g. g. i believed that china can only be transformed from within why mandarin schumacher people have the right to read books. so this is, i'm opposed to any and all bands. you joe with owen taiwan does not have an extradition treaty with china. that's why lum winkie was able to open a new bookshop and 2020. with sy in winds blessing the time when he's president even left behind, a simple handwritten note that said a free taiwan supports the freedom of hong kong. the post it note is still there. oh, words like these are

a provocation for china. a country where the word freedom here framed on the wall has little place in a bookshop of provocation. that would soon be an answer. i think red blotches on the walls of the floor and the table in on april 21st 2020 lamb when key was splashed with red paint. while eating at a cafe. with his attacker who was captured on a security camera, was determined to intimidate the anti china activist into submission. non and should i want to require a home shop? they arrested the people who threw paint on me are the on she goal. and now they're in jail, you order the really well yeah, i'm, well, how are you shipping ah, wife? louder than shower. i'm glad because taiwan is

a democratic country bobbing. plunge it into a void, provoking china. taiwan was long, reluctant to take in any one playing hong kong. but in 2020 taiwan gave refuge 211000 hong kong hers wanted to escape china's brutal suppression. dissent. ah, it had become clear that for president she jane pink, the promise of one country to systems meant something very different than what hong kong had hoped. and many here fear that taiwan could suffer the same fate. do you believe in one country to systems? it will taiwan be the next hong kong. ah. you along to dodge i lows are empty words. you go, do you understand what i mean by that funny. ha. you mean bala jealous on la joseph lum. something that doesn't exist? yeah. yes. sham. meaningless saying. ah,

china would like to re conquer taiwan territory that it considered its own to de taiwan. stands at a crossroads. will the de facto independence of their country become official or will be ging to everything in its power to assume control of taiwan? ah ah for 70 years she was a great comfort during turbulent times for many bred queen elizabeth the 2nd a devoted monarch who gave every thing for her country and she was loved for it.

now her son charles has ascended the throne. i shall strive to follow the inspiring example. i have been since focused on europe in 30 minutes on d w. if someone else to the hardwood t v highlights, it's selected for you. you every week in your inbox, subscribe now. closely. listen carefully. don't know how those 2 things you miss to the goal. ah, feel the magic discover the world around you.

subscribe to d w documentary on youtube. oh, vibrant habitat. ended go listening place of longing, mediterranean sea. we have almost heart enter far, dual career drift, along with exploring modern lifestyles and the mediterranean meeting, people are hearing their dreams ready to re journey this week on the d. w. ah, this is d dublin years, and these are our top stories. ukraine's president vladimir zalinski has made a defiant statement as he visited the. we captured city of is ume in the northeast and hockey region.