A second KMT leader from Taiwan plans a visit to mainland China next week

Hau Lung-bin, a former mayor of Taipei, will visit mainland China next week, following the “journey of peace” visit by former Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou which began this week. Speaking on a radio programme on Wednesday, Hau, the son of former Taiwan premier Hau Pei-tsun, said he would spend three to four days visiting central … Read more

Taiwan puts Quemoy live-fire drills on hold after Beijing warns against ‘targeted’ provocation

On Tuesday, citing bad weather, the Kinmen Defence Command, which had been set to stage the drills, put off the exercises, which include using land-based weapons to fire at sea. “We need to postpone the drills due to adverse weather conditions,” an officer at the Kinmen Defence Command said by phone. “Shooting training at land-based … Read more

Ma Ying-jeou calls for both sides of Taiwan Strait to work together and ‘avoid war’

Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou has called on the two sides of the strait to work together and “avoid war” on the second day of his mainland China tour. Ma, a senior member of the Beijing-friendly opposition Kuomintang, made the remarks during a visit to the former residence of Sun Yat-sen, the founder of modern … Read more

Ex-Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou starts ‘journey of peace’ in mainland China

Before he left for Shenzhen on Monday, Ma told reporters at the airport that his trip would be “a journey of peace and a journey of friendship”. “In the face of the increasingly tense situation in the Taiwan Strait, I hope we can convey the sentiments of the Taiwanese people that they love peace, hope … Read more

Mainland China says it will watch Taiwanese military exercises closely for signs of ‘provocation’

Taiwan is planning a series of offshore live-fire military drills throughout April around its offshore islets, including Quemoy, a Taiwanese-held outpost which is a short distance from the mainland city of Xiamen. On Wednesday, Chen Binhua, a spokesman for mainland China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said Beijing is closely monitoring the movements of the Taiwanese army, … Read more

‘President did not dare attend’: Taiwan opposition questions Tsai Ing-wen’s absence from Taiping pier ceremony

Tsai, of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, has come under fire from opposition legislators for not taking the opportunity to uphold the island’s claim over Taiping. “We all know clearly that we have spent NT$1.7 billion (US$53 million) in [renovating] the pier at Taiping and an inauguration ceremony is held there today …. But President … Read more

Chinese Premier Li Qiang raises threat of ‘external interference’ in Taiwan during first ‘two sessions’ work report

Former premier Li Keqiang also mentioned foreign interference in his remarks at the NPC session in 2022, but the topic did not appear in any other government work report in the past decade. 02:40 Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivers his first work report amid concerns about state of the economy Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivers … Read more

DPP does not reflect mainstream Taiwan, Beijing’s point man tells visiting industry group

“The DPP remains in power but it will not change the basic pattern and direction of cross-strait relations … and it cannot prevent the historical trend of the reunification of the two sides,” he said, according to a TAO statement. The DPP’s Tsai Ing-wen has refused to acknowledge the one-China principle since becoming president eight … Read more

Taiwan’s KMT opposition secures speaker’s chair and strengthens power to check next president William Lai’s policies on mainland China

Johnny Chiang, a KMT legislator and former party chairman, took the vice-speaker’s post. Han defeated his opponent You Si-kun of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in a 54-51 narrow victory, securing the support of two independents to take the speaker’s chair after eight years of DPP control. The smaller opposition party – the Taiwan People’s … Read more

Mainland Chinese journalist Wang Zhian banned from Taiwan after mocking disabled DPP candidate

Beijing sees ‘hope and opportunity’ in DPP’s weak Taiwan election result Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency said on Wednesday that the ban was imposed because Wang entered Taiwan on a tourist visa, but his participation in the show did not correspond with the purpose of the trip. For years, Taiwanese authorities turned a blind eye to … Read more