Today's episode of Hidden Forces is made possible by listeners like you.

For more information about this week's episode or for easy access to related programming

visit our website at hidden Forces. I.O. and subscribe to our free email list.

If you listen to the show on your Apple Podcast app, remember, you can give us a review.

Each review helps more people find the show and join our

amazing community. And with that, please enjoy this week's episode. And the What's up everybody? My guest on this episode of Hidden Forces is Ian Easton, senior director at the Project 2049 Institute,

where he conducts research on defense and security issues in Asia.

He is also the author of the Chinese invasion threat, Taiwan's

defense and American strategy in Asia. The Taiwan Strait is one of the most dangerous flash points on Earth, and the island of Taiwan sits

right in the middle of one of the busiest maritime sea and air routes in the world.

It is situated at the very center of what is known as the first island chain,

stretching from as far south as Vietnam and Indonesia,

all the way up through the Philippines and north of Japan, giving

it unique strategic and commercial significance as a gateway to the Pacific.

In this two hour long conversation, Ian provides us with an extraordinary

overview of the island's history, its strategic, commercial, and political significance,

what an invasion of Taiwan would mean for the United States,

for its allies, and for the world.

It's an episode you won't want to miss. I promise.

And with that, please enjoy this timely conversation

with my guest, Ian Easton. Ian, welcome to Hidden Forces.

Dimitri, thanks for having me.

...