TOPIC
 / location

Taiwan

Taiwan
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on Taiwan, covering politics, economy, society and the island's relationship with mainland China.
Illustration: Henry Wong
Mainland China

How Beijing’s strategy shift explains decreased PLA activity in the Taiwan Strait

PLA warplanes and ships have been less active around the island in the second half of the year, Taiwanese data shows.

videocam
6
SCMP Highlights

China, Russia clash with US at UN; Taipei mayor visit: SCMP daily highlights

US-China relations

China vows to retaliate against ‘unreasonable’ US semiconductor tariffs

videocam
14
China’s military drills

China’s PLA simulated battles near Mexico, Cuba and Taiwan, CCTV report shows

Rare insight revealed on state television in footage from a PLA wargaming event in central China where dozens of systems were demonstrated.

videocam
27
Screen shows red and blue opposing unit “indicators”, represented by aircraft and ships, manoeuvring near the coasts of Cuba and Mexico in footage recorded at a PLA wargaming event held in China’s Henan province. Photo: CCTV
Mainland China

Taipei mayor cuts Shanghai visit short to oversee security after mass stabbing

Chiang Wan-an has trimmed his visit to joint forum, one of only a few events attended by officials from Taiwan and mainland China.

videocam
Trending in China

Japanese tourist in China gets extreme kindness after car crash, changes perceptions

Amid Sino-Japanese tensions, woman describes treatment she received as ‘incredibly warm, genuine and professional’.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
US-China relations

Pentagon says Chinese aircraft carriers, 6th-gen fighters make US ‘vulnerable’

Report adds that Americans’ security is threatened by Beijing’s development of its ‘historic military build-up’, including nuclear arsenal.

videocam
146
The Chinese military’s nuclear missile formation takes part in a parade in Beijing on September 3. Photo: Xinhua
US-China trade war

Explainer | Will US-led ‘Pax Silica’ be a new dawn for the international AI supply chain?

Trump administration aims for deeper technology cooperation on new AI infrastructure with allies.

videocam
15
SCMP Highlights

China’s reusable rocket recovery fails, US blacklists DJI: SCMP daily highlights

From China’s booster rocket woes to Beijing condemning US seizure of oil tankers, here’s a round-up from today’s coverage.

Taiwan ramps up security measures for coming holidays after mass stabbing

Tighter police deployments at transport hubs and major events ordered after deadly violence in central Taipei stokes public anxiety.

videocam
A passer-by places flowers at a make-shift shrine for the victims inside a Taipei shopping mall on December 20, the day after a deadly knife rampage shook Taiwan. Photo: EPA
China-Japan relations

China CP comic fan event stripped of Japanese content, dozens of booths affected

Organisers of the weekend convention in Hangzhou did not name Japan directly in its pivot to a ‘Chinese style’ theme.

videocam
4
The diplomatic row between China and Japan has spread to Chinese fans of Japanese content at a comic event. Photo: AFP
Year in Review

SCMP Plus Year in Review 2025: China

As the year comes to a close, SCMP Plus highlights the biggest China-related stories of the year.

US-China relations

Beijing’s recalibration of its Taiwan policy

All eyes are on how Beijing’s “Chinese dream” of eventual Taiwan reunification will unfold at a time when the leader of the United States – Taipei’s top international backer – appears less likely to intervene in case of a cross-strait conflict. In this three-part series, Amber Wang looks at how recent moves signal a recalibration of Beijing’s Taiwan policy – outlining post-unity governance visions, ramping up messaging to the island’s public and scaling back military intimidation.

United States

F-16V fighter jet tested as Taiwan presses US and Lockheed Martin for delivery

Taiwan’s air force says it is pushing US side on production speed and quality control amid mounting scrutiny from lawmakers over delays.

videocam
17
Photos that were first posted by Owen’s Aviation Photos show at least one Taiwan-bound F-16V Block 70 two-seat aircraft undergoing taxi and systems checks at a US airfield. Photo: Handout
US-China relations

Mistrial in case of ex-top aide to New York Governor charged as China agent

Linda Sun, ex-deputy chief of staff to Kathy Hochul, walked free after jury was deadlocked on all 19 counts and could not reach a verdict.

videocam
29
Linda Sun arrives at US District Court in New York earlier this month. A mistrial was declared on Monday in the case of the former senior New York official charged with acting as a Chinese agent. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
China-Japan relations

Beijing ‘firmly opposes’ Japanese lawmakers’ trips to Taiwan

Visits to the island by parliamentary members ‘seriously violate’ political foundations underpinning bilateral relations, Beijing says.

videocam
15
Year in Review

10 most read Daily Pulse briefings of 2025

SCMP Plus looks back at the year’s 10 most popular Daily Pulse bulletins, covering China issues related to diplomacy, trade and economics.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Malaysia

Malaysian rapper Namewee acquitted of drug use charge after negative test

The 42-year-old still faces a drug possession charge and remains under investigation following the death of a Taiwanese influencer.

videocam
Malaysian rapper Namewee has been under investigation for drug-related charges and over the death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Handout
China-South Korea relations

Blackpink for Ayumi? Why China may reward South Korea’s soft stance on Japan row

Beijing is reviving stalled trade talks with Seoul as the Lee administration breaks with Tokyo on Taiwan, and analysts say Chinese market access could be the geopolitical prize.

videocam
5
Singapore

Open Questions | George Yeo on superpower ‘headaches’ and why the US dollar could crack

Singapore’s former foreign minister also discusses Trump, the latest China-Japan dust-up, and rivalry between Hong Kong and the city state.

videocam
21
Japan

Losing ground: Japan sounds alarm over foreign-owned land

From next year, anyone buying property will have to confirm their nationality – a move some analysts say is overkill.

videocam
The Tokyo Skytree is seen from buildings in a residential area of the Japanese capital. Photo: AFP
US-China relations

Editorial | Less hostility towards China in new US security strategy is welcome

The plan’s watering down of America’s antagonism towards China bodes well for both nations and the world.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks as President Donald Trump listens at a meeting in the White House in Washington on December 2. Photo: CNP/Abaca Press/TNS
US-China relations

Pentagon’s Taiwan war games reflect US anxiety over PLA power: defence experts

Leaked report projects heavy US losses in potential cross-strait conflict and highlights Beijing’s ability to destroy warships and planes.

54
William Lai

Taiwan’s missile shield plan has ‘critical flaws’, mainland Chinese report says

Military magazine claims the island’s proposed air defence system would be unreliable against an attack by the PLA.

videocam
22
China's military weapons

Is China’s Fujian gearing up for a dual aircraft carrier exercise?

Satellite images indicate the vessel has docked with the Liaoning at a naval base in the country’s east.

videocam
20
Satellite images indicate the Fujian and the Liaoning have docked in Qingdao, Shandong province. Photo: X/CHINAPLA1
Mainland China

Video | Knife-wielding attacker kills 3 in Taipei

Attacker let off smoke bombs at main train station, then attacked people before jumping off a building and dying.

z
02:28
China-Japan relations

Bearly any time left for Japan’s panda lovers? Row with China threatens to end loans

A 50-year tradition of panda diplomacy appears to be reaching its end with the last pair set to leave amid heightened diplomatic tensions.

videocam
8
Mainland China

Will Taiwan’s decentralised military model raise more questions than it solves?

Defence ministry briefs lawmakers on ‘heightened risk’ of sudden strike designed to paralyse command and control systems at start of conflict.

videocam
11
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement