Taiwan faces many internal issues, as well as pressures from China which exacerbate home-grown problems. Its responses to these internal and external challenges, and ultimately whether it can stand its ground against China’s ambitions, will be formulated within the island's lively democratic system. "In Difficult Choices: Taiwan’s Quest for Security and the Good Life," Richard Bush explores the issues and policy choices Taiwan confronts and offers suggestions for what Taiwan can do to help itself and what the United States should do to improve Taiwan’s chances of success.  In an interview conducted on June 8, 2021, Dr. Richard Bush discussed Taiwan’s predicament as it deals with internal issues and pressure from China, and recommended actions Taiwan and the United States could take to improve the likelihood that Taiwan will thrive.