Ghost Nation: The Story of Taiwan and Its Struggle for Survival

On Thursday, February 19, the Asia Policy Program hosted Chris Horton, a veteran freelance journalist based in Taiwan, for a discussion on his first book, Ghost Nation: The Story of Taiwan and Its Struggle.

Chris Horton is a freelance reporter in Taiwan, having covered cross-strait policies, domestic politics, the economy, culture, and breaking news in Taiwan for the New York Times, Bloomberg, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Financial Times, and Quartz. He has lived in Taiwan since 2015 and in China and Hong Kong for the decade preceding that.

In Ghost Nation, Horton provides a panoramic view of Taiwan’s history from its indigenous roots and colonial past to its modern evolution into a vibrant, tech-heavy democracy. The work explores why Taiwan, despite being diplomatically isolated, has become a “pivot point” for global security and why its struggle for self-determination remains a critical flashpoint in US-China relations.