Taiwan in 2020: Beyond the pandemic

Abstract

Taiwan saw a series of crucial developments at home and abroad in 2020. Externally, the massive confrontations in Hong Kong were taken as justifying the ruling DPP's anti-China cross-Strait policy. The impacts of the intense US-China trade war reshaped relations in the US-China-Taiwan triangle. Internally, the results of the 2020 general election strengthened the DPP's political dominance. Likewise, the successful fight against COVID-19 buttressed the government's popular support. Still, there are old and new socio-economic issues that will continue to challenge the governing capability of the DPP in 2021.