https://www.scmp.com/rss/522349/feed Tamkang University, a prominent private university based in New Taipei City, Taiwan, is the nation’s oldest private institution of higher learning, established in 1950. Dedicated to "Globalization, Information-oriented Education, and Future-oriented Education," it offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programmes across diverse fields including engineering, business, and international studies. Recognised for its strong internationalisation efforts, extensive... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese industry groups and businesses have broadly welcomed Beijing’s package of 10 measures to promote cross-strait exchanges across economic sectors. They said the proposals from the Communist Party’s Taiwan affairs authorities could help ease pressures weighing on local industries in recent years. Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang, also appeared relieved that the measures focused largely on economic and livelihood issues rather than politically sensitive themes. The Taiwan... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349938/taiwan-industries-cheer-beijings-10-point-plan-boost-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349938/taiwan-industries-cheer-beijings-10-point-plan-boost-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:52:47 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai has warned the chairwoman of the main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT) against engaging in talks or agreements involving government authority when she visits mainland China next month. Cheng Li-wun’s coming visit has rattled Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and exposed unease even within KMT ranks – highlighting mounting friction over the opposition outreach to Beijing amid heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Cheng is expected to lead a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348556/no-deals-mainland-china-visit-taiwans-premier-cho-jung-tai-warns-kmt-chairwoman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348556/no-deals-mainland-china-visit-taiwans-premier-cho-jung-tai-warns-kmt-chairwoman?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:13:27 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has pushed back against a growing number of foreign governments that label it part of China in their internal systems. But questions are mounting over whether Taipei’s retaliatory moves can deliver results. The dispute has widened in recent weeks after South Korea, Denmark and Cameroon were found to have changed how they designate the island in official systems, such as those that handle visa documents, residence permits and international conference credentials. Taipei has responded with... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348438/names-and-games-taipei-hits-back-over-china-label-will-it-pay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3348438/names-and-games-taipei-hits-back-over-china-label-will-it-pay?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 01:00:12 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung The survival of Iran’s political and military apparatus following a massive US-Israeli decapitation strike has ignited a strategic debate in Taiwan, with experts weighing the island’s ability to withstand a similar “surgical” opening to an attack from the mainland. Military analysts and officials in Taipei are closely studying the February 28 strikes that killed Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, and Iran’s ability to sustain organised resistance in the weeks that have followed. Iran’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347431/could-taiwans-military-continue-fight-after-iran-decapitation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347431/could-taiwans-military-continue-fight-after-iran-decapitation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Alyssa Chen,Vanessa Cai Alyssa Chen,Vanessa Cai Beijing has confirmed it remains in communication with Washington about a landmark visit by US President Donald Trump, who has requested to delay the trip by a month due to the US-Israel war on Iran. Chinese analysts characterised the delay as a strategic opportunity to ensure more substantive results. They also suggested the shift in timing was unlikely to derail the momentum towards stabilising ties between the two global powers. The White House previously announced that the trip – the first... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346923/why-trumps-china-trip-delay-could-open-door-more-substantive-results?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346923/why-trumps-china-trip-delay-could-open-door-more-substantive-results?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:00:11 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai has come under fire over what he said was a private visit to Japan to support the island’s team at the World Baseball Classic last week – a trip that drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing. Cho travelled to Tokyo on March 7, watching Taiwan defeat the Czech Republic 14-0 at the Tokyo Dome in the tournament’s Pool C round. He returned to Taipei the same day. It was the first visit to Japan by a sitting Taiwanese premier since Tokyo ended official ties with Taipei in 1972... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346546/swing-and-miss-taiwans-premier-under-fire-over-baseball-trip-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346546/swing-and-miss-taiwans-premier-under-fire-over-baseball-trip-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 04:00:15 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has reacted to the US strike on Iran with surprise, strategic calculation and renewed debate over the island’s air defence readiness. While some observers were struck by what they saw as overwhelming US military dominance, others said the conflict underscored the urgency of accelerating plans to build a more integrated, layered air defence network amid mounting pressure from Beijing. On Monday, the island’s cabinet said relevant ministries were “closely monitoring developments in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345172/us-strike-iran-fuels-taiwans-air-defence-debate-and-energy-supply-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345172/us-strike-iran-fuels-taiwans-air-defence-debate-and-energy-supply-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:00:22 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s parliament is set to prioritise review of a disputed NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget bill when its new session begins on Tuesday, as pressure mounts from Washington. But US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about consulting Chinese President Xi Jinping on arms sales could complicate the debate, potentially giving Taipei’s opposition parties greater room to manoeuvre and reshape the final version of the bill, according to analysts. The renewed push follows... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344220/how-trumps-beijing-bargaining-could-derail-taiwans-multibillion-dollar-defence-budget?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344220/how-trumps-beijing-bargaining-could-derail-taiwans-multibillion-dollar-defence-budget?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:00:26 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan is moving to plug one-year conscripts directly into frontline combined-arms operations, mandating joint live-fire training with troops across all services to bolster resilience against a potential attack from Beijing. But the push is facing challenges, with experts saying that the inexperienced recruits could become a battlefield burden while the military also deals with training capacity issues and weakening public resolve on defending the island. The Taiwanese cabinet’s latest policy... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342711/taiwan-wants-train-effective-reserve-force-will-live-fire-drills-do-job?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342711/taiwan-wants-train-effective-reserve-force-will-live-fire-drills-do-job?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 06:00:20 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung The United States’ decision to withdraw from dozens of UN and other international organisations may have dealt another blow to Taiwan’s efforts to raise its global profile amid mounting pressure from Beijing. While Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s government has sought to play down the impact, observers have warned that Washington’s retreat could further squeeze the island’s already narrow international space. US President Donald Trump on January 7 ordered the US to exit 66 international... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340149/taiwan-faces-possible-beijing-squeeze-after-us-quits-who-and-other-agencies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340149/taiwan-faces-possible-beijing-squeeze-after-us-quits-who-and-other-agencies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has moved to tighten conscription rules after a string of high-profile cases involving celebrities and young men who falsified their medical records to evade mandatory military service. In addition, the proposed changes would also mandate alternative service for transgender and intersex people, a move that has sparked backlash from rights groups and other members of the public. The island’s defence ministry on Monday unveiled a draft amendment to its physical classification standards,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336512/taiwan-moves-tighten-conscription-rules-after-high-profile-draft-dodging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336512/taiwan-moves-tighten-conscription-rules-after-high-profile-draft-dodging?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 04:00:10 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung A proposal to invite Taiwan to next year’s US-led Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) military exercises has been removed from defence policy legislation progressing through Congress, raising concerns in Taipei that Washington’s political calculus may be shifting. Some analysts have warned that the removal of language approved by the US Senate in the 2026 National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) could even pave the way for Beijing’s return to the world’s largest naval exercise. For the first time, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336217/why-has-reference-taiwan-attending-rimpac-been-removed-us-defence-bill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336217/why-has-reference-taiwan-attending-rimpac-been-removed-us-defence-bill?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 12:40:02 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s opposition lawmakers have blocked a proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget from being placed on the agenda for review this week. The suspension on Tuesday prompted angry protests from the ruling independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), injecting fresh uncertainty into Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s ambitious military modernisation plan. The legislature’s procedure committee voted down Lai’s government’s request to schedule the bill for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334936/taiwan-opposition-blocks-us40-billion-defence-budget-prompting-protests-ruling-dpp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334936/taiwan-opposition-blocks-us40-billion-defence-budget-prompting-protests-ruling-dpp?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:22:15 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has played down concerns that St Vincent and the Grenadines might switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing, insisting ties with its Caribbean ally remain stable despite a change of government in Kingstown. The reassurance follows last week’s victory by the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), with its leader Godwin Friday succeeding long-time Taipei supporter Ralph Gonsalves as prime minister. Friday did not publicly commit during the campaign to changing recognition from Taipei to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334803/will-election-st-vincent-and-grenadines-cost-taiwan-another-caribbean-ally?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334803/will-election-st-vincent-and-grenadines-cost-taiwan-another-caribbean-ally?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 12:38:27 +0000 Lawrence Chung,Amber Wang Lawrence Chung,Amber Wang Beijing hit out at Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s Double Tenth speech on Friday, saying it exposed his stubborn nature as a troublemaker. “Lai’s speech distorted right and wrong, peddled the separatist fallacy of Taiwan independence, and distorted and challenged historical facts and international consensus, once again exposing his stubborn nature as a troublemaker ... and warmaker,” said Guo Jiakun, a mainland foreign ministry spokesman. The Lai administration’s attempt to pursue... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328520/beijing-takes-aim-william-lais-t-dome-shield-and-defence-plans-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328520/beijing-takes-aim-william-lais-t-dome-shield-and-defence-plans-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 08:00:41 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan is poised to launch its first locally made observation constellation satellite in the US later this year, signalling a major boost for its lagging space programme. The move marks a critical step for the island in a global space race increasingly dominated by powers such mainland China, which is making rapid advances. The launch of the Chi Po-lin Satellite – named after the late Taiwanese documentary filmmaker famed for his aerial imagery – represents Taiwan’s pivot from manufacturing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3328142/taiwan-made-constellation-satellite-chi-po-lin-heads-high-stakes-us-launch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3328142/taiwan-made-constellation-satellite-chi-po-lin-heads-high-stakes-us-launch?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 12:04:43 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s reliance on imported energy is seen as its most critical weakness if a conflict breaks out with Beijing, and experts warn a prolonged blockade could paralyse the island within days. Those concerns deepened after Taiwan shut down its last nuclear power plant in May, and an August referendum to restart it failed. As debate continues over renewables versus fossil fuels, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government has little room to manoeuvre. At the heart of the problem is Taiwan’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325302/taiwan-faces-dangerous-possibility-it-relies-qatar-and-others-energy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325302/taiwan-faces-dangerous-possibility-it-relies-qatar-and-others-energy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 02:00:11 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan is moving to buy nearly 50,000 drones over the next two years as it seeks to bolster its asymmetric combat capabilities against mounting military pressure from Beijing. The move comes as the island’s military prepares to classify unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as consumables to accelerate procurement – a policy that mirrors a recent shift by the United States. According to a recent tender notice published on the Taiwanese government’s procurement website, the defence ministry’s Armaments... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322406/treat-drones-bullets-taiwan-seeks-50000-new-uavs-over-two-years-boost-defences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322406/treat-drones-bullets-taiwan-seeks-50000-new-uavs-over-two-years-boost-defences?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 12:12:27 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung An unprecedented wave of criticism from Japan’s major newspapers against William Lai Ching-te has sparked debate over whether Tokyo is losing trust in the popularly elected Taiwanese leader just over a year into his term. The “extraordinary” media backlash followed the failed July 26 mass recall vote targeting opposition lawmakers, which was initiated by Taiwan’s civil groups but publicly endorsed by Lai’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The recall bid was roundly rejected by voters,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3321758/why-taiwans-william-lai-facing-extraordinary-japanese-media-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3321758/why-taiwans-william-lai-facing-extraordinary-japanese-media-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:00:14 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings When a 90-day tariff-free grace period expired this month, Taiwan escaped the letters that US President Donald Trump sent to two dozen other governments fixing new rates, including a 25 per cent duty on goods from Japan and South Korea. Is Taiwan’s letter still in the mail? The Trump administration announced worldwide tariffs on April 2, including double-digit rates for a list of exporters in Asia and 32 per cent slated for Taiwan. The US later paused most tariffs, including Taiwan’s, for 90... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3318831/deal-or-no-deal-us-taiwan-avoids-tariffs-so-far-remains-edge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3318831/deal-or-no-deal-us-taiwan-avoids-tariffs-so-far-remains-edge?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jul 2025 21:46:45 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Beijing’s sudden activation of another civilian air route near the Taiwan Strait’s unofficial median line has renewed alarm in Taipei, with defence experts and lawmakers warning the move could raise the risk of miscalculation in an already tense air corridor. The mainland’s Civil Aviation Administration activated the last of three branches off the M503 north-south flight path through the strait on Sunday. The M503 and its offshoots were established in 2015 to connect various cities along the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3317268/alarms-ring-taipei-beijing-activates-another-taiwan-strait-flight-route?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3317268/alarms-ring-taipei-beijing-activates-another-taiwan-strait-flight-route?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 01:00:18 +0000