In 1958, China tried and failed to cut Taiwan off from American help. Taiwan’s 2026 war games rehearse the same scenario on a much larger scale—a blockade of the entire island, not just Kinmen.

Host Terri Wu unpacks what has changed since 1958, drawing on analysis from Taiwan-based experts Qi Leyi and Shen Ming-shih on the drills, Japan’s rising alarm, U.S. President Donald Trump’s ambiguity about defending Taiwan, and whether the risk of invasion is rising or falling.

Interviews for this episode were conducted by Gu Xiaohua, China Watch’s correspondent in Japan.

Views expressed in this episode are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

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Terri Wu is a Washington-based freelance reporter for The Epoch Times covering education and China-related issues. Send tips to terri.wu@epochtimes.com.

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