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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.
US President Donald Trump might ask his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to “twist some arms” in Tehran, according to one US analyst. Photo: AP
2026 Trump-Xi summit

Iran war could give Xi the upper hand in meeting with Trump: US experts

The conflict is likely to give Beijing an edge in discussions on hi-tech supply chains and Taiwan, analysts argue.

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Diplomacy

Strait of Hormuz woes, US-Nato ‘crisis’: 7 global relations reads

United States

Wall Street hesitates, oil prices rise amid uncertainty in Strait of Hormuz

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Han Kuo-yu

What’s behind the KMT’s internal splits over Taiwanese defence spending?

The opposition party can’t agree on what spending package to back despite warnings it could hurt its prospects in this year’s elections.

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KMT leader Cheng Li-wun has tried to stop the internal row escalating. Photo: EPA
SCMP Highlights

Cheaper durians for China, Hong Kong helpers camp in tents: 5 weekend reads

From freight routes bypassing Hormuz to Hong Kong helpers in tents on days off, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

US-China relations

Opinion | China’s Manus block a show of strength ahead of Xi-Trump summit

Beijing’s manoeuvring highlights its resolve and suggests it feels it has the upper hand in negotiations ahead of Trump’s visit.

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Thailand

The cost of cute: how ‘petfluencers’ are driving Asia’s wildlife crime

Thailand is a key pipeline in a lucrative global trade that animal activists warn risks spreading zoonotic diseases and erasing biodiversity.

Indian star tortoises confiscated from a woman attempting to travel with them at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok on Wednesday. Photo: Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation / AFP
Mainland China

Faith, hope and ancestry: how Beijing is trying to win over Taiwan’s next generation

Xintian village is symbolic of efforts to reinforce Taiwanese people’s historical and religious links to the mainland.

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United States

Taiwan’s William Lai lands in eSwatini on trip Beijing calls a political ‘stunt’

Lai travels to island sole African ally after earlier visit cancelled because of overflight permission withdrawn.

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2026 Trump-Xi summit

China trip will go ahead as planned – and it will be amazing, Trump insists

US president says the visit will go ahead as planned later this month despite the ongoing stalemate in peace talks with Iran.

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US President Donald Trump said his upcoming visit to China will be great. Photo: AP
Mainland China

Counting gains from Beijing, Taiwan’s opposition leader eyes US trip in June

KMT chairwoman will test her cross-strait message when she meets think tanks, overseas Taiwanese and potentially policymakers in America.

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Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the main opposition Kuomintang, is expected to visit the United States next month. Photo: EPA
Mainland China

Why Beijing now wants its spies executed in Taiwan back in the spotlight

Mainland China is seeing a surge in interest over ‘invisible martyrs’ such as Wu Shi, a KMT defector who was executed in Taipei in 1950.

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Ukraine war

Ukraine sees path to Japanese arms after Tokyo eases export rules

Japan has linked Ukraine’s fate to its own security as it faces China’s growing military power.

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Asean

Why Singapore, Thailand are among the world’s ‘happiest’ economies

Southeast Asian countries outdid larger economies in the 178-nation Hanke’s Annual Misery Index for 2025.

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People walk on the boardwalk in front of Singapore’s financial centre. Photo: AFP
China-Africa relations

China cuts tariffs on African goods but is it enough to close the trade gap?

Analysts urge Beijing to invest in Africa’s industrial capacity to reduce its substantial trade deficit and create a more balanced relationship.

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For the moment, Africa exports mostly raw materials to China, resulting in a wide trade imbalance. Photo: Getty Images
Food and Drinks

Unsung Eats: 5 best places to eat and drink in Taipei

Fresh takes on Taiwan’s famed fried chicken and breakfast, to tea cocktails and artisanal coffee, here are our Taipei foodie picks.

US-China trade war

From apps to autos: China’s data reach sparks US espionage and sabotage concerns

Washington accused of not doing enough to counter Beijing’s harvesting of key American data and weaponising it as a strategic asset.

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2026 Trump-Xi summit

US and Chinese officials air concerns in build-up to Trump’s Beijing visit

Despite the latest diplomatic initiatives, Beijing warns the US is threatening ‘hard-won stability’ with new smartphone restrictions.

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (left) and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Macroscope | How the AI boom is helping Asia weather the Iran war energy shock

The war in Iran might as well be over for investors as positive sentiment, strong corporate earnings and the AI boom lift Asian markets.

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Food and Drinks

Asian-American mother challenges tough Chinese traditions for new mums

Clarissa Wei’s cookbook ‘Sitting the Month’ puts a modern spin on the traditional Chinese foods typically given to post-partum mothers.

China's military weapons

Why Beijing’s weaponised cargo ship could be crucial in the Taiwan Strait

Beijing’s ‘containerised destroyer’ can carry missile launchers and hide within commercial shipping lanes, military magazine says.

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The Zhong Da 79 is a medium-sized civilian cargo ship capable of carrying containerised vertical missile launchers, radar sensors and self-defence systems. Photo: Handout
China-Japan relations

In a fragmenting global order, former Japanese leader urges pivot to China

Yukio Hatoyama says the two powers should work together against ‘US arrogance’ and expand coalitions with like-minded nations.

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Yukio Hatoyama said expanding coalitions would “increase our bargaining power”. Photo: AFP
Japan

Why Japan’s travellers are rushing abroad for ‘golden week’ despite falling yen

The operator of Narita airport anticipates that 1.59 million travellers will pass through the airport over the two-week holiday season.

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China-Japan relations

Japan’s revised security policy to get ‘more aggressive’: Chinese expert

Rewritten policies could even include changes to nuclear weapons stance, analyst says.

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Mainland China

Is it wrong to show Taiwan officers a WWII film about KMT forces fighting Japan?

Battalion commander’s screening stirs debate over Beijing’s state-led messaging to sway opinions on the self-ruled island.

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Wellington Koo, Taiwan’s defence minister, has pledged a review of the island’s oversight mechanisms, including stricter vetting of teaching materials. Photo: Reuters
Diplomacy

Opinion | Without diplomacy, deterrence in Asia is a path to escalation

The danger is that every state insists it is acting defensively while collectively building the habits and infrastructure of confrontation.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Mainland China

Taiwan completes US tank deal as final Abrams shipment reaches port

Acquisition marks the biggest upgrade to Taiwan’s armoured forces in decades as island moves to bolster northern defence.

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China's military weapons

PLA showcases YJ-20 anti-ship missiles as US-Japan-Philippines test war moves

Video of PLA Navy strike tests emerges as US, allies take part in Balikatan 2026, marking Japan’s first-ever operational role in the drills.

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