Old 1500s Formosa maps

 

 A 1950 map foreshadows what Xi Jinping has in mind today

Nothing stirs our imagination like old maps. They can show us the realities our ancestors faced, tease us with the possibilities about how they might have lived or reveal where they buried their treasure.
 
They also tell stories about how countries used to deal with one another and where nations drew lines in the sand. Or maybe those lines circled oceans.
 
On his recent visit to Taiwan, China Up Close author Katsuji Nakazawa spotted a map at an exhibition that was originally published in 1950 by Time magazine of the U.S. The buried treasure it revealed was actually a key, a key to holding sway in the Asia-Pacific region. This key was labeled with its old Portuguese name, "Formosa." The map thus became a visual aid showing how crucial present-day Taiwan has historically been to powers aspiring to wield international influence.