The enduring quackiness of Taiwan

Renegade province, the most dangerous place of Earth – or an independent, cultured, fascinating place everyone should visit while they can? Here's my view.

Have you heard of the Duck Test? It goes like this: “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck." 

Let’s substitute countries for ducks. “If it looks like a country, acts like a country and its inhabitants and the people who visit it are convinced they are in a country, then it probably is a country." 

I …