Talking points

Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...

Taiwan awaits Tsai's running mate

Who will be the campaign partner for the leader of Taiwan's main opposition party, Dr Tsai Ing-wen's (left), in next year's presidential election? This question will be asked but may go unanswered at the national congress of the Democratic Progressive Party tomorrow. Tsai said last week that she would announce her partner before the congress, but her spokesman said the announcement would be delayed, adding that Tsai's partner would be 'a man of age above 50'. Tsai later clarified that he would be over 40, without confirming when she would announce her choice. Local media believe eligible men include central bank governor Perng Fai-nan, ex-health minister Chen Jian-ren and former premier Su Tseng-chang.

WikiLeaks' latest American cables on China

As diplomatic chatter from the mundane to the geopolitically significant continues to be released by the whistleblowers at WikiLeaks, analysts will be assessing the latest tranche of American cables, which relate to Hong Kong, Macau and the mainland.

Super typhoon on direct course for Taiwan

Taiwan is watching the approach of Typhoon Nanmadol with apprehension. The system, classified as a super typhoon by the Hong Kong Observatory yesterday, is on a direct course for the island. Having passed the northern Philippines (left), the system is expected to intensify to a category four storm as it skirts along the eastern side of Taiwan today, moving over the East China Sea. It will bring strong winds, heavy rain and dangerous surf across Taiwan, the southeastern mainland and the Ryukyu Islands.