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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.
Illustration: Craig Stephens
Diplomacy

Opinion | What Putin, Trump summits say about China’s role in world affairs

Beijing’s desire for systemic stability guides its relations with Moscow and Washington, making it central to global mediation.

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United States

Why a Trump-Lai call could trigger ‘turbulence’ between Washington and Beijing

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US-China relations

US delegation may herald Hegseth trip to China

China-Russia relations

China-Russia joint statement on Xi-Putin summit

The two countries issued a statement following this week’s meeting in Beijing between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Photo: EPA
2026 Xi-Trump summit

Exclusive | Will US defence strategy architect Colby pave the way for Hegseth’s China visit?

Sources say the Pentagon’s undersecretary for policy could arrive in Beijing ‘within weeks’ to finalise arrangements for defence chief’s trip.

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United States

Beijing slams Taiwan’s Lai as ‘destroyer’ of peace after anniversary speech

William Lai portrays his government as responding firmly to mainland pressure, days after Trump said he did not support Taiwan independence.

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China exports

Japanese firms warn of ‘severe’ magnet shortages as China’s exports remain low

China’s exports of rare earth magnets to Japan recovered only modestly last month, with Japanese firms warning of ‘severe’ shortages.

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Workers transport soil containing rare earth elements for export at a port in China’s eastern Jiangsu province. Photo: Reuters
South Korea

Japan, South Korea hone diplomatic ‘muscle memory’ amid Taiwan worries

Energy security and supply chains topped the summit’s formal agenda. The subtext was a fear of ‘alliance abandonment’, analysts say.

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Art

How Asian artists at the 2026 Venice Biennale are making their voices heard

Using everything from baby dolls to tapestries, Asian artists’ perspectives are strongly reflected in a number of memorable exhibitions.

Artificial intelligence

OpenAI, which bars access to services in China, seeks Mandarin-speaking staff

US artificial intelligence giant wants to hire developer experience engineers in Singapore and growth partner managers in San Francisco.

The logo of OpenAI’s artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT. Illustration: AFP/Getty Images/TNS
Artificial intelligence

Tiny capacitors are the latest AI-driven investor darling

Artificial intelligence boom is triggering a surge in demand for multilayer ceramic capacitors, report says.

Ceramic capacitors. Photo: GettyImages
Japan

Japan plans island drone deployment to monitor Chinese naval activity

Tokyo hopes deploying US-built SeaGuardians on Iwo Jima and Chichijima will eliminate a Pacific surveillance ‘blind spot’.

China-Russia relations

Why China-Russia ties outpace Beijing’s engagement with Washington

Donald Trump’s recent state visit appears unlikely to fundamentally reshape or overshadow broader agenda of Sino-Russian cooperation.

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The Philippines

Beijing rebukes Manila over claim proximity will involve it in Taiwan conflict

Chinese embassy staff in the Philippines visit 69 Chinese workers detained during police raid.

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr says Manila does not want to be involved in any war over Taiwan, but would be forced to because of its geography. Photo: Handout
Environment

Letters | Naphtha shock must spur East Asia to cut its plastics reliance

Readers discuss a potential positive consequence of Middle East volatility, the Russian leader’s coming visit to Beijing, and AI’s impact on China’s real economy.

A woman packs her shopping into a plastic bag in a supermarket in Chiba, Japan. Photo: AFP
Diplomacy

Opinion | Xi-Trump summit affirms China’s role as world’s indispensable broker

In hosting his US and Russian counterparts within a week, President Xi Jinping shows that China’s vision rests on pre-eminence over hegemony.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

Trump’s China trip spurs bipartisan shift in Washington on Beijing

Lawmakers from both parties move debate from trade and engagement towards security, Taiwan and strategic rivalry with Beijing.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

Trump’s Taiwan independence comments: a blow to William Lai and ruling DPP?

Critics in Taiwan argue the island’s leader and his Democratic Progressive Party are rolling back decades of rhetoric under US pressure.

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US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One after departing Beijing on Friday. Photo: TNS
Japan

Why Beijing is outraged over Taiwan’s Lai honouring WWII-era Japanese engineer

Scathing People’s Daily commentary accuses Taiwan’s leader of ‘forgetting his ancestors’ and ‘ingratiating himself’ with Tokyo.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

Xi-Trump summit outcomes

US President Donald Trump touted his ‘successful’ meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping last week. While the leaders projected optimism, differences in their summaries of what was agreed hinted at tensions over the Iran war, trade and Taiwan.

Semiconductors

China’s Amec setting industry standard for chipmaking tech, founder says

The head of one of China’s leading semiconductor makers said its technology has been adopted by overseas competitors.

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The founder of chipmaker AMEC says its technology has become a standard in the semiconductor industry. Photo: Shutterstock
Aviation

Locked out of Russia, could Japan’s airlines face new risk in Chinese skies?

Pilots say such a move would mark a major escalation of retribution for Japanese PM’s remarks on Taiwan.

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People depart Japan from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on April 18. Photo: Kyodo
2026 Xi-Trump summit

Open Questions | Mainland China’s Wu Yongping on what the Xi-Trump summit means for Taiwan

Regardless of the meeting’s outcome, the trend towards resolution of the Taiwan question won’t change, according to the Tsinghua academic.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

Opinion | Xi-Trump summit: what ‘strategic stability’ means for US-China ties

The main question isn’t whether the summit resolved the China-US rivalry but if it created common ground for addressing disputes.

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China-Japan relations

Why does the PLA object to Japan’s drone plans for its southern islands?

Tokyo says it’s building a coastal defence system but Beijing sees an offensive purpose in the deployment.

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Japan will deploy a Type 88 surface-to-ship guided missile launcher (pictured) to Ishigaki, about 240km east of Taiwan. Photo: Reuters
US-China relations

Opinion | Xi-Trump summit reveals changing shape of US-China tech rivalry

Trump is acknowledging reality: if a full US-China decoupling is unrealistic, the alternative is to shape the terms of interdependence.

Members of the US delegation listen to the American national anthem as President Donald Trump takes part in a welcome ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14. Photo: AP
Open Questions series

Open Questions | Trump narrows space for Taiwan independence, mainland scholar says

Wu Yongping says US president’s comments after summit with Xi Jinping show a return to ‘strategic ambiguity’ about Taiwan after a shift away from it under Joe Biden.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

How will Beijing judge Trump’s take on Taiwan? Look for 1 critical factor

For Beijing, the island is the biggest issue in China-US relations and has the potential to lead to conflict.

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