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Taiwan
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on Taiwan, covering politics, economy, society and the island's relationship with mainland China.
Pavilion co-founders Ysabelle Cheung (left) and Willem Molesworth (right) with Pavilion Taipei partner Michelle Hsieh. The new art fair, opening in Taipei on January 22, will provide a “more in-depth” art-viewing experience, meeting a need that the founders believe bigger events have “struggled to satisfy”. Photo: courtesy of Pavilion
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

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US-Venezuela conflict

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

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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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On January 5, Nicolas Maduro is escorted towards the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan after being abducted from Caracas by US forces. Analysts ask whether China has the capacity to carry out a similar opertion. Photo: Reuters
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.

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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.

This undated photo shows Chen Zhi (centre), who is accused of running a crime network from Cambodia, amid his extradition to China. Photo: Handout
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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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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Representatives of the KMT could once again be making the trip across the Taiwan Strait for a forum with the Communist Party. Photo: Reuters
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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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.

US-China relations

Trump wants US$1.5 trillion for military. Will China boost spending too?

Analysts say Donald Trump’s military budget proposal aims to blunt China’s influence, but some dismiss the spending plan as ‘fanciful’.

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US President Donald Trump says his administration’s tariffs on other countries will help fund his proposed increase in defence spending. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
China’s military drills

PLA drills target swarms of suicide drones – Taiwan’s front line of defence

CCTV footage shows naval unit conducting anti-drone and uncrewed target exercises as mainland China’s military launches 2026 training cycle.

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The People’s Liberation Army has been monitoring the use of counter-drone technology on the battlefield and testing its capabilities through regular exercises. Photo: CCTV
US-Venezuela conflict

Opinion | US invasion of Venezuela no guarantee of hemispheric dominance

By signalling how far it will go to defend its interests in Venezuela, the US might have intensified conflicts closer to home rather than resolving them.

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China stock market

Macroscope | Chinese stocks could be biggest winner of Venezuela fallout

Amid rising fears over an AI bubble and geopolitical strife, China’s push for self-reliance has left it more insulated from global storms.

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China-Japan relations

As Beijing targets Tokyo over Taiwan remarks, what levers does Japan have?

Japanese control of chemical used in semiconductors could prove significant, analysts say.

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Beijing has maintained a hardline stance against Tokyo since Takaichi said in parliament on November 7 that an attack on Taiwan could be interpreted as a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan. Photo: Reuters
China’s military

Opinion | How China’s history links military strength to fighting corruption

Lessons from the first Sino-Japanese War in 1895 shape Beijing’s drive to build a PLA defined by not just advanced weapons, but also institutional integrity.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China trade

China initiates anti-dumping probe against Japan over key semiconductor chemical

Beijing’s investigation targets imports of dichlorosilane from Japan, alleging dumping that harms Chinese production, amid escalating bilateral and trade tensions.

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China-South Korea relations

Lee’s bid for South Korea-China reset can only go so far

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s success in improving relations with China means little when it comes to the issue of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.

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