well, i think in her national address, president tsai ing—wen said very clearly that as long as therea conversation to keep the taiwan strait peaceful and so on. but i mean, she says she will only talk if beijing drops that precondition that taiwan is part of china. and so you've got a deadlock. they're not going to do that. president xi has just reiterated unification must happen, and so you have no dialogue. maybe a video conference then. but, i mean, not even that's taken place. i mean, are you encouraging her to do that? my point here is that if there are ways for the beijing authorities and taiwan government to have a more matter of factly conversation around the day to day conversations matters when it concerns to people's livelihoods and so on, that has been going on for quite a while. what you're asking is essentially the political question, but from my point of view, because i'm nonpartisan, i think it's far easier if we focus on the parts, for example, advancing democracy, human rights and so on. we work as the ministry of digital affairs through the department of democracy

what can we expect president tsai—ing wen to say about china in her speech later today? the affirmation of taiwan's democratic system that you just heard and its importance in asia as a model or an example. heard and its importance in asia as a model oran example. i heard and its importance in asia as a model or an example. i think we can expect to hear from her the accomplishments of her administration during her time in office and what it's done for the taiwan economy. and it's place in the world. and finally, i expect to hear from the world. and finally, i expect to hearfrom her some very the world. and finally, i expect to hear from her some very strong words about taiwan's determination to develop its own military to defend itself against any threats from the mainland. ~ ., ~, itself against any threats from the mainland. ~ ., _ .,, itself against any threats from the mainland. ~ ., _ , , mainland. when nancy pelosi visited in au . ust mainland. when nancy pelosi visited in august she _ mainland. when nancy pelosi visited in august she seemed _ mainland. when nancy

war between taiwan and china is "absolutely not an option" — that is what taiwan's president tsai ing—wen to beijing over the future of the island. recent opinion polls suggest a greater number of people than ever identify as "taiwanese", wanting the island to maintain its democratic political system and open society. but beijing is waging an economic conflict — and recently banned the import of some 2,000 taiwanese products. our correspondent rupert wingfield—hayes sent this report from taiwan. it may not look like it, but these ponds in southern taiwan are filled with gold. the huge fish thrashing around in su gou—zhen's ponds are called grouper. on the tables of beijing and shanghai, each one can fetch up to us$2,000. 80% of taiwan's grouper used to go to china. now, it's zero. beijing's import bans are hitting taiwan where it hurts the most. so, is it working? "older fishermen like me are nervous," he says, "but the younger generation, they're not worried. "they think, �*fine, if china doesn't want to buy our fish, "�*we'll sell to other markets all over the world." china isn'tjust th

taiwan's president tsai ing—wen has pledged to bolster the island's combat power and defences in a majorech on taiwan's national day. now on bbc news, political thinking with nick robinson. hello and welcome to political thinking. there is one question which haunts the chancellor, haunts any chancellor of any political party stopping it is, what will the iss say? because the verdict of the institute for fiscal studies on whether the numbers add up, any budget or what we these days have to call fiscal event can be devastating for a politician. that verdict is treated like the word of god, not least by broadcasters like the bbc who have experts from the iss on our programmes all the time. our guest is the director of the institute for fiscal studies, the ifs, paul johnston, welcome to political thinking. if the ifs is the word of god, that makes you got. how does that feel? very stran . e! got. how does that feel? very strange! the _ got. how does that feel? very strange! the ifs, _ got. how does that feel? very strange! the ifs, all- got. how does that feel? very strange! the ifs, all we

it hit home in taiwan and led to president tsai ing-wen, leader of the aggressively anti-reunificationction in a landslide. >> we are firmly resolved to defend our freedom, democracy, and way of life. >> given what happened in hong kong and the recent military escalation, we were curious why the people are so stoic. asked if they're in denial or russians. it so inspired jack yao, a young taipei coffee vendor, that he went there to help the fight. did you go because you're taiwanese? >> yeah, because -- >> what's the connection? >> just, like, in the ukraine situation and our situation, it's very alike. they also have big neighbors. and they was the communists. and we have to face the china communists. and then they want to attack us. they always want to attack us. >> was it in your mind that if you go to fight for ukraine, other people will come here and fight for taiwan -- >> yes, yeah! >> what the ukrainians have done is raising a question here in taiwan. if that small democracy can stand up to its menacing neighbor, why can't we? you see civil defense classes sprouting up, like this