PRODUCER WORK

Voters in Taiwan are about to head to the polls to elect their next president and parliament. The election is set against the backdrop of increasing aggression from China, which claims the self-governed island as its own. The relationship across the Taiwan Strait is critical for the region and could be redefined by Saturday's vote. East Asia correspondent Kathleen Calderwood, Fletcher Yeung and Xin-yun Wu filed this report.

​Taiwan will elect a new president on Saturday in an election China has dubbed a choice between peace and war. No matter the result of the vote, Taiwan’s freedom is a danger to the Chinese Communist Party's hopes of unification. There are still those in Taiwan who see themselves as Chinese and look to China with admiration. On the other side are those who feel deeply Taiwanese and see Beijing as yet another colonising foreign power.

There has been an uprising in Taiwan this year with allegations of sexual misconduct reaching into nearly every part of society. As the 'Me Too' wave swept the island, some of those allegations have resulted in real action, with apologies made at the highest levels of Taiwanese politics. But one of the most prominent people to come forward has been met with a defamation suit, and some are concerned this will limit the movement going forward.

Dateline follows SBS World News' presenter Janice Petersen to Taiwan where the ancient Chinese practice of postpartum confinement has been given a modern twist. She meets the new parents who are spending a month in a luxury postnatal hotel and those doing traditional confinement at home.

In Taiwan, a growing number of ordinary citizens are joining civil defence groups and learning basic survival skills in preparation for a Chinese invasion.

As China’s threats to Taiwan escalate, the global economy is increasingly at risk of a catastrophic disruption to the supply of microchips -- which are responsible for shaping our modern world. In response, the U.S. is racing to up its manufacturing capacity, pouring billions of dollars into the domestic microchip industry.

A 10 episodes cooking show on Taiwan Plus. Two hosts with Taiwanese roots showcasing both traditional food and surprising twists to them.