For the flourishing democracy of Taiwan, which China claims is simply a renegade province, the headlines could have sounded like harbingers of doom.
Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, opened the Communist Party congress in Beijing with a vow to “reunify” the island with the mainland, by force if necessary. A few days later, Admiral Mike Gilday, a US naval chief, gave a stark warning that China could try to invade this year.
Added to the bellicose posturing of Beijing and alarm bells from Washington is the worrying example set by Russia of a bullying giant following up on threats against a smaller neighbour, Ukraine.
But in spite of all that, Taiwan is in a celebratory mood as it emerges from its pandemic border restrictions with
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