Taiwan’s citizens live amid a constant, growing threat. The island has governed itself independently since 1949, but Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory—and has vowed to one day take control. As China has expanded its military and economy over the last few decades, its designs on Taiwan have felt ever more real.
How is Taiwan preparing itself? How is it seeking help from the Biden administration and from countries around the world?
In many of the policy discussions around U.S.-China competition, Taiwan’s perspective often doesn’t get enough attention. FP’s Ravi Agrawal spoke exclusively with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. The two discussed U.S. relations with Taiwan, tensions in the Taiwan Strait, semiconductors, and much else.
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu calls for deterring China from further expansion and explains that just as the Russians went on to invade Ukraine last year after taking over Crimea and parts of Georgia, China will target Japan and other countries in the Indo-Pacific if it is allowed to invade Taiwan.
How does Taiwan view U.S. presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s comments about defending Taiwan from China until the United States achieves semiconductor independence? Watch Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu’s answer. For more, watch the full interview.
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu explains why Taiwan will continue to have a competitive edge in semiconductors.
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu calls on the United Nations to accept his country as a member in order to ensure peace over the Taiwan Strait.

Jaushieh Joseph Wu
Foreign minister of Taiwan
Jaushieh Joseph Wu is the current minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Previously, he held positions with the Office of the President, National Security Council, and Democratic Progressive Party, serving as secretary-general of each. Wu holds a B.A. in political science from National Chengchi University, an M.A. in political science from University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a Ph.D. in political science from the Ohio State University.

Host
Ravi Agrawal
Editor in chief, Foreign Policy
Ravi Agrawal is the editor in chief of Foreign Policy, the host of FP Live, and a regular world affairs analyst on TV and radio. Before joining FP in 2018, Agrawal worked at CNN for more than a decade in full-time roles spanning three continents, including as the network’s New Delhi bureau chief and correspondent. He is the author of India Connected: How the Smartphone Is Transforming the World’s Largest Democracy.