Tracking China’s ‘grey zone’ balloon flights over Taiwan
About a month before Taiwan’s January presidential election, China began sending intruders over the Taiwan Strait: more than 100 balloons, some of which passed through the island’s airspace or busy,…
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Will 2024 bring a new military crisis in Taiwan Strait?
From the beaches of Kinmen island barely 10 km from the skyscrapers of the Chinese mainland port city of Xiamen, Taiwan military personnel – and a handful of U.S. special…
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Taiwan presidential banquet to showcase island’s identity`
Preparing for a state banquet reflecting the self-ruled island’s unique history, Taiwanese chef Wes Kuo places delicate vegetable fronds around sauces inspired by the cuisines of its five major ethnic…
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Lai Ching-te: from coal miner’s son to Taiwan president
Son of a coal miner, Taiwan’s Lai Ching-te takes the helm Monday as president of the self-ruled island, tasked with navigating the widening rift with an increasingly assertive China. The…
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Taiwan’s ‘cat warrior’ Hsiao takes on VP role
Taiwan’s incoming vice president Hsiao Bi-khim rose to prominence as top envoy to the United States, where her track record of securing support for the self-ruled island has put her…
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Taiwan’s incoming president faces angry China, fractured parliament
Lai Ching-te takes office as Taiwan’s president on Monday, facing a China that calls him a “dangerous separatist” and has ramped up military drills, as well as a fractured parliament…
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Taiwan drag queens bring their glamour to presidential office celebrating RuPaul win
Taiwanese drag queen Nymphia Wind celebrated last month’s win on RuPaul’s Drag Race by staging a riotous, emotional performance at Taiwan’s presidential office on Wednesday in front of President Tsai…
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China Sanctions Political Pundits in Taiwan to Pressure Lai
China said it would sanction five Taiwanese political commentators and roll out a law to punish “separatists,” moves aimed at piling pressure on incoming president Lai Ching-te just days before…
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Taiwan says WHO should let it attend all its meetings
Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu called on the World Health Organization on Wednesday to allow the island to attend all its meetings if it is serious about its goal of…
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U.S. and Taiwan navies quietly held Pacific drills in April, sources say
The U.S. and Taiwan navies conducted joint drills in the Pacific in April that, officially, did not take place, four people briefed on the matter said, as the two militaries…
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Taiwan air force holds live-fire training exercises using missiles, bombs
Taiwan’s air force conducted live-fire training exercises deploying fighter jets, missiles and laser-guided bombs, the island’s military news agency said Friday, releasing footage of the drills 10 days before the…
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US official says Chinese seizure of TSMC in Taiwan would be ‘absolutely devastating’
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Wednesday a Chinese invasion of Taiwan and seizure of chips producer TSMC would be “absolutely devastating” to the American economy. Asked at a U.S.…
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US sends warship through Taiwan Strait ahead of presidential inauguration
A U.S. warship sailed through the narrow Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, less than two weeks before Taiwan’s new president takes office, prompting an angry denunciation from Beijing. China claims sovereignty…
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Australia boosts funds to Taiwan-ally Tuvalu amid Pacific contest for influence with China
Australia will quadruple its financial assistance to Tuvalu, a Pacific Island nation at risk from rising seas, to cement a landmark climate migration and security deal as China also courts…
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Taiwan says its military is ready for China moves around new president’s inaugural
Taiwan’s military is prepared for any moves China may make around the time President-elect Lai Ching-te takes office later this month, the island’s deputy defence minister said on Wednesday. China,…
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Tsai may pardon former President Chen Shui-bian before May 20
Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen is rumored to be preparing to pardon former president Chen Shui-bian. Tsai is reportedly planning on issuing a pardon to Chen, before she leaves office on…
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Taiwan will have Trump’s support if he wins, ex-appointee says
A former U.S. ambassador appointed by Donald Trump said on Saturday he believed the former president would again support Taiwan if he wins back the White House. Taiwan, claimed by…
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Taiwan says Chinese planes crossed median line, China carries out landing drills
Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Friday it had detected a renewed incursion by Chinese military aircraft across the sensitive Taiwan Strait, as China reported its navy had carried out combat…
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Stay alert: Quake warning app demand surges in earthquake-rattled Taiwan
Earthquake warning smartphone apps have surged in popularity in Taiwan due to high demand from people eager to get a few extra seconds to take cover after more than 1,300…
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Former Taipei Mayor Ko listed as suspect in alleged corruption case
Former Taipei Mayor and Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je has been listed as a suspect in alleged corruption cases involving Taipei’s Core Pacific City mall redevelopment project and the…
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Taiwan approves $878 million for quake relief
Taiwan’s government on Thursday approved around $878 million for earthquake relief after a massive quake last month killed at least 17 people and damaged buildings and infrastructure. The magnitude 7.4…
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Taiwan says may be hard to attend WHO assembly, Blinken offers support
It will be hard for Taiwan to attend this year’s World Health Organization annual assembly, and it hopes more countries will support its presence, the island’s foreign minister said on…
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Taiwan on alert for post-inauguration Chinese drills
Taiwan is on alert for China to carry out military exercises after the inauguration of President-elect Lai Ching-te this month, the island’s top security official said on Wednesday, adding China…
Keep readingTaiwan warns against visiting China due to expanded state secrets law
Taipei has raised the alarm about the growing risks Taiwanese people could face when visiting China, pointing to an expanded state secrets law that will take effect on Wednesday. Chinese…
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Taiwan reports Chinese military activity after Blinken leaves Beijing
Taiwan reported renewed Chinese military activity near the island on Saturday with 12 aircraft crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait, a day after U.S. Secretary State Antony…
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Taiwan hit by several quakes, strongest reaching 6.1-magnitude
Taiwan was hit by a series of at least 10 earthquakes in the early hours of Saturday, with the strongest reaching 6.1 magnitude, according to the island’s Central Weather Administration.…
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China should have confidence to talk to us, Taiwan’s president-elect says
China should have the confidence to talk to Taiwan’s legally elected government, President-elect Lai Ching-te said on Thursday as he appointed his new national security and diplomacy team amid what…
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Taiwan happy with US aid package, China objects to arms sales
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday she was happy the U.S. Congress had passed a sweeping foreign aid package which includes arms support for the island, as China urged…
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Taiwan rattled by more than 200 quakes, but no major damage
Taiwan’s quake-hit eastern county of Hualien was rattled by more than 200 aftershocks late on Monday and early on Tuesday, but only minor damage was reported and no casualties and…
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Taiwan to discuss new funding with US as Chinese warplanes get close to island
Taiwan’s military said on Sunday it will discuss with the United States how to use funding for Taipei included in a $95 billion legislative package mostly providing assistance to Ukraine…
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Taiwan president congratulates Taiwanese queen for winning Drag Race
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday offered her congratulations to the Taiwanese drag queen Nymphia Wind for winning RuPaul’s Drag Race, the first person from East Asia to take the…
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Taiwan’s defence ministry detects 21 Chinese military aircraft
Taipei’s defence ministry said it had detected 21 Chinese military aircraft around the self-ruled island since 8:15 am (0015 GMT) on Saturday, a month before Taiwan’s May 20 inauguration of…
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Taiwan’s TSMC founder Morris Chang receives medal of honour
Taiwanese tycoon Morris Chang received one of the island’s highest medals of honour on Friday, in recognition of his achievements as the founder of semiconductor giant TSMC. Known as the…
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Taiwan says new Chinese air routes threaten Taiwanese islands’ flight safety
Taiwan said on Friday China’s decision to open new air routes that run close to two Taiwanese-controlled islands was a flight safety risk taken without consultation, and said it would…
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Taiwan’s next president among Time ‘Most Influential’
Taiwan’s incoming president Lai Ching-te has made Time Magazine’s list of the “100 Most Influential People of 2024”, which the island hailed Thursday as a recognition of its “democratic achievements”.…
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Taiwan submarine project chief quits, ministry says plans to proceed
Taiwan’s homegrown submarine programme will remain on track, the defence minister said on Wednesday, after the head of the programme resigned due to what he said were unfair attacks against…
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Taiwan, China can resolve differences, ex-president says after meeting Xi
Taiwan and China can peacefully resolve their differences, former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou said on Thursday after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping, adding that people on both sides of the…
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Taiwan quake death toll rises to 16
The toll from a massive earthquake that struck Taiwan last week rose to 16 on Wednesday after three more bodies were recovered on a hiking trail, officials said. The magnitude…
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Taiwan appoints ruling party’s former chairman as new premier
Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te appointed Cho Jung-tai, a former chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), to be his premier on Wednesday, with appointments for other roles such as…
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Taiwan war games to simulate repelling a Chinese drill that turns into attack
Taiwan’s annual war games this year will practice “kill” zones at sea to break a blockade and simulate a scenario where China suddenly turns one of its regular drills around…
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Australian lawmaker visiting Taiwan broaches sensitive topic of security cooperation
A senior Australian opposition party lawmaker broached the sensitive subject of security cooperation with Taiwan during a meeting on Monday with President Tsai Ing-wen, saying both sides have a vested…
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Earthquake aftershocks halt the demolition of a leaning building in Taiwan. Death toll rises to 13
The demolition of a building that is leaning precariously after an earthquake in Taiwan was halted on Saturday because of aftershocks that made it lean even more, media reports said.…
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Japanese leader visits new chip factory, stressing ties with Taiwan and support for key technology
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited a new semiconductor plant for which his government has pledged more than 1 trillion yen ($7 billion) of support to secure a steady supply…
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Taiwan helicopters pluck quake-stranded tourists to safety
Taiwan rescue helicopters flew sorties Saturday to pluck tourists to safety after a massive earthquake cut off roads and blocked tunnels, leaving hundreds stranded for days in the mountains. At…
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Taiwan slams Bolivia for quake solidarity with China
Taiwan’s foreign minister lashed out at Bolivia Saturday for expressing solidarity with China following an earthquake that struck the island Beijing views as its own. At least 10 people were…
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Families in Taiwan quake epicentre pick up the pieces of their lives
Residents wearing hard hats and carrying large backpacks stood outside a building Friday with a crumbling facade in Hualien, the epicentre of Taiwan’s biggest earthquake in 25 years, waiting to…
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Ceremony bids farewell to tilting symbol of Taiwan quake
Fruit, flowers and incense paper were laid on a table Friday as authorities prepared a ceremony before demolishing a precariously tilting building that has become a symbol of Taiwan’s biggest…
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Taiwan searches for 18 still missing after earthquake
Taiwanese rescuers looked for 18 people still missing on Friday after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the island’s mountainous and scenic east coast, as dozens of aftershocks rattled the disaster…
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Taiwan condemns ‘shameless’ China’s thanks for global sympathy on quake
Taiwan on Thursday condemned China as “shameless” after Beijing’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations thanked the world for its concern about a strong earthquake on the island. China claims…
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Life on the Ring of Fire: How Taiwan prepares for quakes
The strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in 25 years killed nine people and damaged dozens of buildings, but the destruction was largely contained thanks to decades of preparedness work. Taiwan…
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Taiwan earthquake cracks walls and shatters memories for one family
Linda Chen looked wistfully around her apartment in Taiwan’s eastern city of Hualien, which her family believes is now too dangerous to live in after it was hit by an…
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Drivers cheat death during Taiwan’s 7.2 magnitude earthquake
A video that has gone viral online shows some drivers cheating death after the boulders missed their cars in the powerful earthquake that struck Hualien, Taiwan on Wednesday. The heart-stopping…
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Families shelter in tents as rescuers seek people cut off by Taiwan quake
Relief workers set aside stuffed toys, blankets and baby formula for families sheltering Thursday in an elementary school in Hualien, the epicentre of Taiwan’s biggest earthquake in a quarter of…
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Helicopter plucks miners to safety as Taiwan searches for missing after quake
A helicopter plucked six miners to safety from a Taiwan quarry Thursday as rescuers worked to free scores of people trapped in highway tunnels after the island’s biggest earthquake in…
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Workers rush to stabilize and shore up damaged buildings in Taiwan after strong earthquake
Some buildings tilted at precarious angles in the mountainous, sparsely populated county of Hualien, near the epicentre of the 7.2 magnitude quake, which struck just offshore at about 8 am…
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‘Staunch’ friend of Taiwan’s to become top US diplomat in Taipei, sources say
A staunch friend of Taiwan’s will this summer take over as the top U.S. diplomat in Taipei, three sources briefed on the matter said, roughly coinciding with the island’s new…
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Taiwan earthquake injuries top 1,000, missing hotel workers found
Taiwan earthquake injuries top 1,000, missing hotel workers found The number of people injured in a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in eastern Taiwan climbed past 1,000 on Thursday though the death…
Keep readingTaiwan detects 30 Chinese military planes around island: ministry
Taiwan said Wednesday that 30 Chinese military aircraft were detected around the island in a 24-hour window — one of the highest daily numbers this year. China considers self-ruling Taiwan…
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Tsunami threat ‘largely passed’ after Taiwan quake
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said Wednesday that the tsunami threat from a major earthquake in Taiwan “has now passed”, with authorities in Taipei saying no injuries or deaths had…
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Taiwan hit by strongest quake in 25 years, one death reported
A 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked Taiwan on Wednesday, the strongest tremor to hit the island in at least 25 years, killing one person, injuring dozens and sparking a tsunami warning…
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Taiwan frontline island on alert over Chinese civilian drone provocations
Taiwan said Tuesday that soldiers on one of its tiny frontline islands just off China’s mainland were on heightened alert following provocations by Chinese civilian drones. In addition to military…
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Chinese official meets former Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou in Guangdong
Song Tao, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, met with Ma Ying-jeou,…
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Former Taiwan president Ma leaves for China, likely to meet Xi
Former Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou left on Monday for an 11-day trip to China where he is expected next week to have his second meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping,…
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Taiwan sees US support unchanged no matter who wins election
Taiwan’s foreign ministry said on Thursday it believes U.S. support will remain unchanged no matter who wins the presidential election, but it will stay on guard for Taiwan-China issues being…
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Taiwan commissions 2 new navy ships as safeguards against rising threat from China
Taiwan has commissioned two new navy ships as a safeguard against the rising threat from China, which has been ratcheting up its naval and air force missions around the island…
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Taiwan tests air defences in early morning missile drills
Taiwan tested its air defences on Tuesday in early morning drills using surface-to-air missiles, and air, land and naval forces, saying it would continue to intensify training in the face…
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Former Taiwan president Ma to make second trip to China
Former Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou will make his second trip to China next month, leading a group of students on an 11-day journey to visit locations including Beijing, his office…
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36 Chinese military aircraft detected around Taiwan
Taipei’s defence ministry announced Friday the highest single-day number of Chinese military aircraft around the self-ruled island this year, which analysts attributed as a reaction to Taiwan’s political outreach to…
Keep readingChina on Track to Be Ready for Taiwan Invasion by 2027, US Says
China is building its military and nuclear arsenal on a scale not seen since World War II and all signs suggest it’s sticking to ambitions to be ready to invade…
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32 Chinese warplanes detected around Taiwan: Taipei
Taiwan’s defence ministry said Thursday that 32 Chinese military aircraft were detected around the island in a 24-hour window — the second-highest number this year. In the 24 hours leading…
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Citing safety risk, Taiwan recommends president does not visit S.China Sea
Taiwan’s top security official said on Thursday he does not currently recommend President Tsai Ing-wen visit the South China Sea given the possible risk to her flight from “interference by…
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Taiwan warns of ‘enormous’ Chinese bases near its S.China Sea holding
Taiwan’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that China has built “enormous” military bases on three islands surrounding Taiwan’s main holding in the South China Sea, but Taipei is not looking…
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Taiwan’s vice president-elect makes Czech visit after US trip
Taiwan’s vice president-elect and former de facto ambassador to Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, is on a visit to the Czech Republic following a low-key trip to the United States, the foreign…
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Taiwan’s navy hosts warship tours before Pacific charm offensive
Executing concrete-smashing stunts and somersaults, Taiwan’s marines performed on Saturday at a northern port where the public was given a rare chance to board three warships before the navy embarks…
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‘Turn around immediately’: Taiwan warns off Chinese coast guard boats again as tensions simmer
Taiwan on Saturday warned off Chinese coast guard ships that entered its restricted waters near frontline islands close to China for a second day in a row, as tensions simmer…
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Taiwanese citizen found dead after boat capsize off Indonesia
A Taiwanese citizen missing for days following a passenger boat capsize off the Indonesia’s capital Jakarta was found dead on Friday, the coast guard said in statement. The boat, carrying…
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Taiwan, China in joint search for two missing fishermen
Taiwan and China are carrying out a joint search-and-rescue mission for two missing crew members after a Chinese fishing boat capsized Thursday near an outlying Taiwanese island, killing two, Taipei’s…
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Taiwan, China join rescue mission near sensitive islands
Taiwan and China dispatched teams on a rare joint mission to rescue a boat that capsized near Taiwan-controlled Kinmen islands on Thursday, amid heightened tensions in the sensitive Taiwan Strait.…
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Taiwan’s vice president-elect is on a ‘personal trip’ to US, says source
Taiwan’s vice president-elect, Hsiao Bi-khim, is in the United States this week for a low-profile private visit, a senior Taiwan official briefed on the matter said on Tuesday. The trip…
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Senior US lawmaker to attend Taiwan presidential inauguration
A top US lawmaker said Wednesday he would visit Taiwan for the inauguration of President-elect Lai Ching-te, a year after his last trip to the self-governing democracy provoked anger from…
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China steps up grey-zone warfare to exhaust Taiwan, defence report says
China has stepped up grey-zone warfare against Taiwan, aiming to make the areas around the democratic island “saturated” with balloons, drones and civilian boats, a Taiwan defence ministry report said…
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US warships transits Taiwan Strait as China opens annual congress
An American warship passed through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, the US Navy said, in a routine voyage through the narrow waterway separating the self-ruled island from mainland China. Beijing,…
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Philippines, US to hold military drills in islands facing South China Sea, Taiwan
The Philippines and the United States will carry out annual military exercises next month in key locations including Philippine islands facing the South China Sea and Taiwan, as tensions with…
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Taiwan to increase missile drills amid China threats
Taiwan’s armed forces will increase the number of missile drills they hold this year, defence minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said on Tuesday, amid China’s ramped-up military pressure to force the island…
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Hackers stole ‘sensitive’ data from Taiwan telecom giant: ministry
Hackers stole “sensitive information” including military and government documents from Taiwan’s largest telecom company and sold it on the dark web, the island’s ministry of national defence has said. The…
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Taiwan faces steady ‘drip’ of pressure as China tightens pre-inauguration squeeze
Taiwan is facing a steady “drip, drip” of Chinese pressure ahead of the inauguration of its next president in May, with officials in Taipei fearing Beijing could further squeeze the…
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New Tuvalu PM says focused on development, not Taiwan ties
Tuvalu’s new Prime Minister Feleti Teo says his government is focused on the “many key development priorities” facing his Pacific Island nation, not debates about Taiwan relations that have consumed…
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After Taiwan’s striking lantern festival, school kids help clean up the mess
Every year on the cusp of spring, hundreds of lanterns float into the skies around a small town in northern Taiwan, a spectacular light show that is one of the…
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Taiwan says 5 China coast guard ships entered waters near frontline islands
Five Chinese coast guard ships entered prohibited or restricted waters around Taiwan’s frontline islands of Kinmen on Monday but left shortly after being warned away, a Taiwan minister said on…
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Taiwan ally Tuvalu names Feleti Teo as new prime minister
Tuvalu on Monday announced former attorney general and fisheries official Feleti Teo as its new prime minister, after he was elected unopposed by lawmakers in the Pacific Islands nation, officials…
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Taiwan marks Lunar New Year end by lobbing firecrackers at fortune god
Donning only red shorts and protective eyewear, four men hoist a palanquin bearing a god of fortune on their shoulders and walk through a bombardment of firecrackers aimed right at…
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Fate of US aid to Ukraine package discussed on Taiwan trip, lawmakers say
A stalled U.S. bill on military aid to Ukraine which will also help fund weapons for Taiwan was discussed this week during a visit to Taipei by U.S. lawmakers, two…
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US lawmaker in Taiwan visit reassures support regardless of U.S. election outcome
U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher, who chairs the House of Representatives select committee on China, said in Taipei on Thursday that no matter who wins the coming U.S. elections support for…
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On frontline Taiwan islands, fishermen wary of China tensions
Taiwanese fishermen in sensitive waters around frontline islands near the Chinese coast say they are worried about rising tensions, after two Chinese nationals died during a chase with Taiwan’s coast…
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Taiwan says it has not stepped up military deployments on frontline islands
Taiwan has not increased military deployments on frontline islands facing China and there is nothing unusual in the military situation around Taiwan, the defence ministry said on Wednesday amid a…
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Foxconn founder Terry Gou makes first high profile appearance in months
Terry Gou, the billionaire founder of major Apple supplier Foxconn, made his first high profile appearance in months on Tuesday at the firm’s 50th birthday, following the ending of his…
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Taiwan minister says China coast guard triggers panic by boarding Taiwan tourist boat
The boarding of a Taiwanese tourist boat by China’s coast guard triggered panic among Taiwanese people, a Taiwan minister said on Tuesday, as tensions rise across the sensitive Taiwan Strait.…
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Taiwan reports another Chinese ‘combat readiness patrol’ nearby
Taiwan’s defence ministry said it detected 14 Chinese air force planes operating around Taiwan and carrying out “joint combat readiness patrols” with Chinese warships on Wednesday. China, which views Taiwan…
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KMT’s Han Kuo-yu elected Legislative speaker, backed by 2 independents
The Kuomintang’s (KMT) Han Kuo-yu was elected speaker of Taiwan’s 11th Legislature in a runoff vote on Thursday, triggered after Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) lawmakers voted for their own candidate…
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Taiwan holds military drills to defend against the threat of a Chinese invasion
Taiwan’s military was concluding a two-day exercise at sea and in the air on Wednesday to practice defending against such a surprise attack. Journalists observed the training from fast boats…
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