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Taiwan

Taiwan
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on Taiwan, covering politics, economy, society and the island's relationship with mainland China.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (right) during the Apec summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, last year. Photo: Yonhap via AP
Japan

Japan PM seeks unity with South Korea’s Lee as China tensions persist

Takaichi aims to bolster ties with Seoul by avoiding ‘divisive’ issues as Tokyo grapples with Beijing’s economic retaliation.

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United States

Opinion | The US wants to block China’s peaceful reunification. It won’t work

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Diplomacy

Opinion | Why China now needs North Korea’s denuclearisation

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China trade

Japan firms seen ‘stockpiling’ rare earths as Tokyo looks to G7 amid China row

Amid fears of potential mineral export curbs by Beijing, Japanese industry is bracing, and Tokyo appears keen on a united international response.

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Japan’s finance minister said she would attend a G7 gathering in Washington on Monday with the “risk of a rare-earth-supply interruption from China in mind”. Photo: Getty Images
Mainland China

Taiwan targets Beijing-linked infiltration with push for stricter punishment

Lawmakers propose minimum sentences and tighter rules for political candidates, while critics warn the changes amount to more social control.

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Asean

Opinion | Why US ops in Venezuela have shaken Asia-Pacific’s middle powers

Middle powers fear a return to ‘rules of the jungle’ geopolitics as rival powers carve out spheres of influence.

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Japan

Japan’s top diplomat heads to Philippines with South China Sea top of mind

The talks are likely to focus on Manila’s push for a South China Sea code with ‘teeth’ as this year’s Asean chair, analysts say.

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Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi looks on during a meeting in Israel on Sunday. He is due in Manila on Thursday. Photo: AP
China-Africa relations

China’s Wang Yi cites ‘severe risks’ after Somalia dropped from Africa itinerary

In a call with the Somali foreign minister, China’s top envoy reiterates Beijing’s support for Somalia’s territorial integrity.

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Art

New art fair to offer Taipei and Hong Kong ‘a different kind of experience’

Pavilion offers a slower alternative to the ‘hyper-accelerated pace’ of Asia’s big contemporary art fairs, says one of its co-founders.

Jimmy Lai trial

Jimmy Lai may complete non-national security jail terms by June: prosecutor

Prosecutor says with one-third guilty plea discount factored in, Lai may finish sentences for four other criminal cases on June 11.

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Former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai (pictured in 2020). Photo: AP
US-Venezuela conflict

Open Questions | Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

Political scientist says the Western-led global order remains useful, and the Belt and Road Initiative isn’t a geopolitical project.

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
US-Venezuela conflict

Could China execute special forces operation like US precision Maduro abduction?

The Pentagon sees China’s 20,000-30,000 special operation personnel as limited by logistics support and fragmented command structure.

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US-China relations

Opinion | How Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine’ is escalating US-China rivalry

Maduro’s capture not only challenges China’s influence in Latin America but also signals a bolder US security posture that could reshuffle great-power competition.

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Indonesia

Asian Angle | Indonesia’s digital 2045 ambition rests on a fragile seabed spine

With few domestic repair ships and convoluted laws, Indonesia struggles to safeguard the 115,000km of cables powering its digital future.

An illustration of a submarine cable. The main threats to Indonesia’s undersea infrastructure are fishing and anchor damage. Photo: Shutterstock
Mainland China

F-16 fighter crash brings fresh scrutiny to Taiwan’s ageing military equipment

Opposition politicians frame incident as readiness problem created by high operational tempo, ageing airframes and slow equipment delivery.

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A single-seat F-16V fighter jet belonging to Hualien Air Force Base in Taiwan crashed off the coast of Hualien this week while conducting a routine night training mission. It has drawn attention to the maintenance and upgrade of the island’s military equipment. Photo: Handout
China-Japan relations

China calls on US to form united front against Japanese militarism

Tokyo is blurring the line between civilian and military sectors, undermining Beijing’s interests in Taiwan, state media account says.

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US-China relations

Taiwan to fortify key facilities and ramp up ammunition output to ward off PLA

Senior official says the island must be ready for drones and new grey-zone tactics as Trump fuels doubts about US commitment.

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China-South Korea relations

North Korea: the elephant in the room when Xi met Lee in Beijing

Lee Jae Myung and Xi Jinping found common ground on ‘one China’ but there was no word on what to do about Pyongyang.

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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung holds summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday. Photo: EPA
Scams and swindles

Editorial | Regional cooperation led to arrest of alleged scam kingpin Chen Zhi

The cross-border nature of his alleged criminal network required governments and law enforcement agencies to work together.

China’s military

How PLA could use ‘decapitation’ strike to counter Taiwan’s ‘porcupine’ strategy

Mainland Chinese military magazine warns of ‘threat’ posed by island’s asymmetric warfare plan and calls for multipronged response.

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Semiconductors

The great chip leap: China’s semiconductor equipment self-reliance beats targets

Domestic suppliers capture 35 per cent share as China accelerates push for semiconductor self-sufficiency.

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China’s semiconductor industry is being encouraged to favour local suppliers over US rivals. Photo: Reuters
United States

As I see it | Welcome, world, to the American jungle

Far from deterring China and Russia, the operation signals that brute force, not international law, now defines American action.

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US Drug Enforcement Administration agents move captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores out of a helicopter in New York City, on January 5. Photo: Reuters
Mainland China

Are the Communist Party and the KMT reviving a cross-strait political channel?

The Kuomintang’s vice-chairman is expected to head a party delegation from Taiwan to the mainland later this month, reports say.

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US-China relations

Trump’s comment that Taiwan issue is ‘up to Xi’ stirs defence concern in Taipei

In a New York Times interview, the US president says he does not believe the island would be attacked during his term.

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Legacy of war in Asia

Opinion | Amid historical tensions with Japan, Hong Kong must engage for the future

Remembering the pain of the Nanking massacre does not preclude engagement, but ensures lessons of the past strengthen our shared commitment to peace.

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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and government officials at the ceremony of the Nanking massacre memorial held at the government’s headquarters on December 13. Photo: Jonathan Wong
China trade

With US focused on Venezuela, China has window to pressure Japan: analysts

Beijing’s trade actions raise stakes with Tokyo, as China’s rare earth power and Japan’s chip dominance are seen as potentially key levers in their bilateral dispute.

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A worker helps make semiconductor chips for export at a factory in China’s Shandong province. Japan has a commanding market share in semiconductor equipment and materials. Photo: AFP
Japan

Japan’s Takaichi tipped for snap election gamble as poll ratings soar

The Japanese prime minister has won plaudits at home over her tough stance towards China, but inflation remains a major voter concern.

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Diplomacy

Editorial | For South Korea to reset relations with China, it must withstand US pressure

The South Korean president’s visit to China was a sign of a more pragmatic approach that departs from that of his US-leaning predecessor.

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