How to Invent a Country: Recent Episodes
BBC Radio 4
When did countries become countries? Misha Glenny on the borders, the stories and the people of countries worldwide.
At the beginning of 2024 the president of the Chinese People's Republic, Xi Jinping, claimed people living on both sides of the Taiwan Straits should reunite "and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation". But is Taiwan really part of China, and could this question lead to war? Misha Glenny and producer Miles Warde have been to the capital Taipei and Tainan City in the south to find out about this relationship with the Chinese mainland.
"I've obviously been following the situation in Ukraine, and it strikes me that before our eyes we're seeing the rapid development of a new Ukrainian consciousness and national identity. What's struck me about coming here to Taiwan is the same process is underway." Misha Glenny
Contributors include Amanda Hsiao senior analyst of the Crisis Group, Linda Jaivin the author of the Shortest History of China, and Chris Buckley, Chief China correspondent for the New York Times now relocated to Taipei. Plus you'll hear from long time resident Chris Taylor, author of the Lonely Planet Guide to Tibet. "All Xi Jinping understands is complete control .... he's given up on what the Taiwanese call the silver bullet, promises of great trade opportunities and get rich, join us. Nobody's buying that. So the only way he's going to get it is by force of some kind."
Taiwan is episode 57 of How to Invent a Country on BBC Sounds, the series that has previously travelled to Germany, Brazil, Turkey and Russia. Misha Glenny is a former Central Europe correspondent for the BBC and the author of McMafia. The producer for BBC Studios Audio in Bristol is Miles Warde.
Find out how the world's greatest civilisation found itself dragged into two opium wars
Misha Glenny and Miles Warde head east to find out what is China and where it came from?
Ep1 - Istanbul and Mehmet the Conqueror. Misha Glenny on the birth of the Ottoman empire
Ep 3 - Poland reborn and invaded again. Misha Glenny presents, Miles Warde holds the mic.
The Swedish Baltic Empire ... why it's not all Abba and social democracy with the Swedes
Dr Joan Redmond talks to Misha Glenny about Ireland, England and the early seeds of war
Insecurity - from Dover to Dublin, presented by Misha Glenny and produced by Miles Warde
Are we Italian or not? With Leoluca Orlando, Lucy Riall, Tim Parks, Lucy Hughes-Hallett.
To invent a country you have to define a country. Misha Glenny on the borders of the USA.
Misha Glenny on how a sandy backwater called Prussia began to change the shape and size of Germany
Misha Glenny presents a new history of Germany before the Nazis and two world wars, when this region was the stomping ground for foreign invaders
When did countries become countries? Misha Glenny on the borders, the stories and the people of countries worldwide.