Notes

Gathering storm. Since Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te (also known as William Lai) took office one year ago this week, his country’s relationship with China has tanked.

Not that it was good to begin with. But from Lai’s election in January 2024 and throughout the remainder of the year, the Chinese military flew 3,075 sorties into Taiwanese airspace. It was a record for any calendar year—and 80 percent higher than what they did in in 2023.

Meanwhile, Beijing staged three large-scale exercises around Taiwan over the past 12 months. The drill by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) last December was one of China’s biggest deployments of naval forces ever.

Why are things getting so tense?

—Michael Bluhm