As attention turns to Trump–Xi summit in mid-May, Host and TAG Senior Advisor Mira Rapp-Hooper speaks with Managing Partner Ambassador Kurt Tong about what’s really at stake for Taiwan. Tong argues that Beijing’s approach is often less dramatic and more durable than portrayed: China seeks steady forward progress toward reunification while reacting sharply to perceived “backward progress.” They discuss how Ukraine and the Iran war shape perceptions of risk, how U.S. distraction could influence Beijing’s calculus, and why Taiwan’s domestic politics may look polarized even as public preference tilts toward the status quo.

What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe. 

What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.