“Full combat readiness, vigorous training, [Taiwan’s armed forces] are the guardians of national security and the defenders of freedom and democracy!” the post said. Who is running in Taiwan’s presidential race and what does it mean for Beijing? Taiwan will hold its presidential and legislative elections on Saturday. William Lai Ching-te, vice-president and candidate of … Read more
BEIJING — You stay out of our politics, we’ll stay out of yours: that’s the message delivered by Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Friday. In a statement to the press ahead of his meeting with President Xi Jinping’s No. 2, De Croo told Beijing not to meddle in … Read more
PARIS — Emmanuel Macron picked Renew Europe Group President Stéphane Séjourné as France’s new foreign minister, the French presidency announced Thursday, in a widely expected government reshuffle. Séjourné’s appointment is likely to have big repercussions for European centrists ahead of the European election in June. The 38-year-old is a key operator in the Macron galaxy, … Read more
Latvian Foreign Minister Krišjānis Kariņš, who has joined the race to become NATO’s next secretary-general, thinks the job should go to someone from a country that walks the talk on defense spending. Latvia is investing “about 2.4 percent of our GDP into defense this year, and we’re heading up to 3 percent in the next … Read more
When public polling stopped in early January, multiple pools reported Hou and his running mate Jaw Shaw-kong trailing Vice-President William Lai Ching-te of the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) by one to five points, while Ko Wen-je, who heads the smaller Taiwan People’s Party was lagging behind both. The middle way Hou’s “middle way” vision … Read more
BRUSSELS — With time running out, the only name being touted to lead the Socialists’ campaign for the European Parliament elections in June Luxembourg’s EU Commissioner Nicolas Schmit. Schmit is the only politician so far to have publicly declared an interest in the role, which could pit him against his current boss, European Commission President Ursula … Read more
Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron has propelled rising star Gabriel Attal center stage in a high-risk gamble aimed at stopping the far right’s surge ahead of the European election. In a surprise move on Tuesday, Macron appointed his former education minister and one … Read more
In a dramatic escalation of Poland’s battle to restore rule of law, the police entered the country’s presidential palace on Tuesday evening and took two MPs into custody who had been hiding under the protection of President Andrzej Duda after being sentenced to prison terms for abuse of power. The arrests cut to the heart … Read more
BRUSSELS — The head of European Parliament’s liberals ruled out working with nationalists if European elections deliver a right-wing majority in June. “We should take the control of our destiny and of European policy, and not let the far right in the next six months tell us that all is out of control,” Stéphane Séjourné said, … Read more
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Europe should deepen exchanges on peace and security as well as trade with Taiwan, the frontrunner in the island’s upcoming presidential election said Tuesday. William Lai, of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, also called on China to play its role in ensuring stability in the Taiwan Strait, as Beijing continues to cast … Read more
