The Real Battle for Taiwan

In the long run, the battle over Taiwan may be decided not by missiles and destroyers but by words. And Beijing maintains a formidable armory of weapons in the propaganda fight. Sure, there's plenty in the news to bicker overAmerican arms sales, ex-President Lee Teng-hui's tourist diplomacybut this battleground is primarily historic.

Beijing will soon release a film, two TV mini-series, a full-length opera and countless books and articles about the historical conquest of Taiwan, all to fuel a sense of nationalistic indignation in its citizens. They focus mostly on events that occurred three centuries ago, when China...

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