The book provides an examination of the evolution of China and Taiwan after 1949. This starting point situates the history and contestation for power between the two entities in the region after Taipei was recognized by the international community as the representative of China. However, Taiwan's standing in the international community was drastically reduced when the international community recognized China as the sole representative of the country. The ramifications for Taiwan were drastic as country after country switched its recognition to China including those in the Caribbean and Latin America. Taiwan was able to maintain diplomatic relations with several countries in both regions through a number of diplomatic strategies including providing financial assistance. This has waned over time considering China's economic rise to power and Western Europe's and the United States' fall in global economic and political prestige and power.
This book discusses China's and Taiwan's continuing engagement with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with a particular emphasis on the sharp rise in trade between China and the two regions. China's foreign policy agenda, and how Taiwan reacts to China's policies, are also examined. The book also explores the immediate and future implications of China's ascendancy and Taiwan's increasing isolation in the regions' political, economic, and social space. As China continues its rise in the global community, its assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, its deployment of effective soft power, and its Belt and Road Initiative, Taiwan and leaders in the Caribbean and Latin America will have to adopt strategies that will result in policies that benefit their citizens.
