In recent weeks China has released a series of statements, articles and photos, that analysts say signal an escalation in the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s approach to Taiwan. Beijing claims Taiwan as a province and has vowed to annex it under what it terms “reunification”. China’s military is not believed to be capable of a full invasion yet, but senior officials have recently started using sharper language. A series of “explainer” articles in state media in October outlined how Taiwan would be governed under Chinese rule: by vetted pro-China “patriots”…
Tag: Taiwan
Japan and China in growing row after PM Takaichi says Taiwan conflict could trigger military deployment
Japan and China are embroiled in a row about Tokyo’s potential military involvement in the event of a conflict over Taiwan. Beijing reacted angrily this month after Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, said an attack on Taiwan could trigger the deployment of her country’s self-defence forces if the conflict posed an existential threat to Japan. Insisting that Japan could exercise its right to collective self-defence – or coming to the aid of an ally – Takaichi said Tokyo had to “anticipate a worst-case scenario” in the Taiwan Strait. If…
Taiwan vice-president presses case at EU parliament for joint efforts to counter China
Taiwan’s vice-president, Bi-Khim Hsiao, urged the EU to boost security and trade ties with the self-governing island and support its democracy in the face of growing threats by China in a rare address to a group of international lawmakers in Brussels. “Peace in the Taiwan Strait is essential to global stability and economic continuity, and international opposition against unilateral changes to the status quo by force cannot be overstated,” Hsiao told lawmakers assembled for a China-focused conference in the European parliament building. While Hsiao did not formally address the whole…
Five key takeaways from Donald Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping
As Donald Trump flew out of Busan airport in South Korea after his meeting with China’s Xi Jinping, the US president sounded upbeat about progress made during less than two hours of talks. Trump discussed the outcome of the meeting, which he described as a 12 on a scale of one to 10, with “an outstanding group of decisions made”. He added: “We’ve come to a conclusion on many important points.” A Chinese statement quoted Xi saying the two countries had “good prospects for cooperation”, and relations had maintained “overall…
Trump says China ‘doesn’t want’ to invade Taiwan and reaffirms trust in Xi
Donald Trump has expressed doubt on Monday that China would invade Taiwan as he voiced confidence in his relationship with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, whom he will meet later this month. Trump was asked about an earlier Pentagon assessment that Xi could in the next six years attempt to seize Taiwan, a self-governing democracy claimed by China. “I think we’ll be just fine with China. China doesn’t want to do that,” Trump told reporters as he met the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese. Speaking of Xi’s designs on Taiwan,…
China issues rewards for information about Taiwan military’s ‘psychological warfare unit’
Chinese police have offered rewards for information about 18 people that Beijing accuses of being Taiwanese military psychological operations officers spreading “separatist” messages, a day after Taiwan pledged to strengthen its defences. China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, over the strong objections of the government in Taipei, and has increased its military and political pressure on the island. The public security bureau in the Chinese city of Xiamen, which sits opposite Taiwan on the other side of the Taiwan Strait, said the 18 were core members of…
The Missiles Threatening Taiwan
A Growing Hub for Missile Training and Launches New Generation of Missiles NYT
Super Typhoon Ragasa rampages through Taiwan, Hong Kong and southern China
Super Typhoon Ragasa pounded Taiwan, Hong Kong and China before moving into Vietnam on Thursday night, though as a much-weakened storm. At its peak Ragasa had mean wind speeds of 165mph as it moved to the south of Taiwan, where it brought significant heavy rain resulting in 17 deaths as a barrier lake burst. The storms then moved westwards just to the south of Hong Kong, before making landfall on Wednesday in the Guangdong province of China, with mean wind speeds of 150mph – equivalent to a category 4 hurricane.…
Super Typhoon Ragasa batters Hong Kong – video
Super Typhoon Ragasa has caused widespread flooding and damaged roads in Hong Kong, which resumed international flights on Thursday but kept kindergartens and some schools closed. Ragasa, the strongest storm so far this year, killed 14 people in Taiwan and 11 in the Philippines, according to officials. More than 100 people were injured in Hong Kong The Guardian
Taiwan convicts four former ruling party officials of spying for China
Four former employees of Taiwan’s ruling political party have been convicted of spying for China and handed prison sentences of up to 10 years. The four include a former aide to Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, when he was vice-president and for a time during his current presidency, and a senior staffer to Joseph Wu, then foreign minister and now the national security chief. The aides worked for the Democratic Progressive party (DPP), Taiwan’s ruling party. Huang Chu-jung, a former assistant to a New Taipei city councillor, received the lengthiest sentence…