Share of each country’s news about armed violence, last 12 months
ChinaTaiwan
China vs Taiwan: which is more tense right now?
This week, 3.9% of the news located in China is about armed violence (#58 of 74), against 2.6% in Taiwan (#72). China is the more tense of the two right now.
China3.9%#58 · below its usual level
Taiwan2.6%#72 · far below its usual level
China tenser than Taiwan44%of weeks since 2017
Both most tense4 January 2026week with the highest combined reading
Weekly average since 2017
ChinaTaiwan
Year by yearshare of each country’s news about armed violence
| Year | China, average | Taiwan, average | More tense |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4.6% | 5.1% | Taiwan |
| 2025 | 4.5% | 5.5% | Taiwan |
| 2024 | 4.7% | 5.5% | Taiwan |
| 2023 | 4.2% | 5.7% | Taiwan |
| 2022 | 5.1% | 6.5% | Taiwan |
| 2021 | 4.9% | 5.9% | Taiwan |
| 2020 | 4.9% | 4.7% | China |
| 2019 | 4.1% | 3.7% | China |
| 2018 | 4.2% | 3.9% | China |
| 2017 | 4.6% | 3.7% | China |
Frequently asked questions
Is China or Taiwan more tense right now?
China is the more tense this week: 3.9% of its news is about armed violence, against 2.6% for Taiwan.
Which has been more tense since 2017, China or Taiwan?
China was the more tense of the two in 44% of weeks since 2017, Taiwan in the other 56%.
When were China and Taiwan most tense together?
In the week to 4 January 2026: 7.3% for China and 14.1% for Taiwan.
How is this measured?
For each country, Riftrate measures the share of the news located there that is about armed violence (war and terrorism, excluding ordinary crime), over 7 days, from the GDELT event database. It does not depend on the size of the country. It measures the news, not casualties.