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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.
Former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai (pictured in 2020). Photo: AP
Jimmy Lai trial

Jimmy Lai’s health stable, solitary confinement by his own will, court hears

Prosecutor says Lai ‘has never lodged any complaint in relation to the medical treatment at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre at all’.

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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?

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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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Illustration: Craig Stephens
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.

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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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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China and the US should work together to thwart any plot to revive the spectre of militarism in Japan, according to a Chinese embassy official in Washington. Photo: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
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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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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Special forces soldiers train with a Stinger portable air defence missile in New Taipei City in July. Photo: Handout
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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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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US President Donald Trump has rejected suggestions that the Venezuelan operation could set a precedent in the Taiwan Strait. Photo: Getty Images
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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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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Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivers a speech in Tokyo on Tuesday. Her approval rating has hovered around 68 per cent in the past few months, according to one poll. Photo: AFP
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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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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Ousted president Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela (second from right) and his wife Cilia Flores (second from left) arrive at the Wall Street Heliport in the New York City borough of Manhattan on January 5. Photo: TNS
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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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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A worker is seen at a semiconductor factory in China’s Jiangsu province. Beijing has launched an anti-dumping investigation against Japan over a chemical used in chipmaking. Photo: AFP
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.

Taiwan halts F-16 training missions after pilot and fighter jet go missing

Rescuers intensify search for Taiwanese airforce pilot who reportedly parachuted from F-16V during flight training exercise.

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