Former Taiwanese leader’s trip to security summit in Canada raises ire in Beijing

Former Taiwanese leader’s trip to security summit in Canada raises ire in Beijing

Former Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen is set to visit Canada on Wednesday in yet another overseas trip expected to provoke a strong reaction from Beijing. “[Tsai] will highlight the unwavering commitment of the Taiwanese people to safeguarding democracy and freedom and reaffirm Taiwan’s determination to collaborate with the international community in contributing to global stability … Read more

Taiwan’s Pegatron sells majority stake in India iPhone plant to Tata, sources say

Taiwan’s Pegatron sells majority stake in India iPhone plant to Tata, sources say

India’s Tata Electronics has agreed to buy a majority stake in Taiwanese contract manufacturer Pegatron’s only iPhone plant in India, forming a new joint venture that strengthens Tata’s position as an Apple supplier, two sources told Reuters. Under the deal announced internally last week, Tata will hold 60 per cent and run daily operations under … Read more

Will US let Taiwan buy F-35 jets with ‘protection fees’ demanded by Trump?

Will US let Taiwan buy F-35 jets with ‘protection fees’ demanded by Trump?

Taiwan is exploring the possibility of acquiring F-35 fighter jets and other advanced US weaponry, but pundits doubt the plan will get past Washington’s long-held concerns about military technology leaking into the hands of the People’s Liberation Army. According to a recent Financial Times report, Taipei has reached out to president-elect Donald Trump’s team about … Read more

New limited-edition Saicho sparkling tea inspired by a tiny Taiwan tea garden

New limited-edition Saicho sparkling tea inspired by a tiny Taiwan tea garden

Once upon a time, there was a Japanese monk by the name of Saicho. As the story goes, he was studying at Tiantai Mountain, in China’s Zhejiang province, in the early ninth century, when he encountered a drink that was said to be a meditation aid: tea. The monk became so enamoured by the drink … Read more

What does Trump’s pick for Pentagon chief mean for US-China military ties?

What does Trump’s pick for Pentagon chief mean for US-China military ties?

US president-elect Donald Trump’s surprise pick of Pete Hegseth, a television host and army veteran, to be his Pentagon chief is expected to inject more unpredictability into the already fragile US-China military relationship, according to analysts. Hegseth, 44, is a Fox News political commentator and a military veteran who served tours of duty in Iraq … Read more

Why Donald Trump’s win could mean a defence budget nightmare for Taiwan

Why Donald Trump’s win could mean a defence budget nightmare for Taiwan

US president-elect Donald Trump made Taiwan a focal point of his 2024 campaign, advocating increased defence spending by the island and casting a critical eye on its semiconductor dominance. While some Taiwanese officials have dismissed these statements as campaign rhetoric, Trump’s repeated calls for Taiwan to pay “protection fees” and increase its defence spending to … Read more

Taiwanese official watchdog blames coastguard for deaths of mainland Chinese fishermen

Taiwanese official watchdog blames coastguard for deaths of mainland Chinese fishermen

Taiwan’s government watchdog has criticised the island’s coastguard for “serious lapses” in a deadly incident involving a mainland Chinese boat. The February 14 incident resulted in the deaths of two fishermen whose boat capsized while being pursued by the Taiwanese coastguard near Quemoy, a Taipei-controlled outpost also known as Kinmen, a few kilometres from the … Read more

Taiwan says exploding pagers in Lebanon were not made in Taiwan

Taiwan says exploding pagers in Lebanon were not made in Taiwan

Taiwan on Monday said it had closed an investigation into pagers that exploded in Lebanon in September and caused a deadly blow to Iran-backed Hezbollah, saying no Taiwanese citizens or companies were involved. Israeli media reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed responsibility for the attack during a cabinet meeting, telling ministers that … Read more

In mainland China, Taiwanese books wait in limbo as censors bolster publishing barriers

In mainland China, Taiwanese books wait in limbo as censors bolster publishing barriers

In August 2018, Taiwanese writer Lung Ying-tai’s collection of essays – mostly about her love for her mother – was published in mainland China. It became a bestseller. Lung, who served as Taiwan’s minister of culture from 2012 to 2014, sold nearly 300,000 copies of her book in mainland China – an astonishing figure for … Read more

Qualcomm chip sales surge thanks to Chinese smartphone makers, but Apple’s shift looms

Qualcomm chip sales surge thanks to Chinese smartphone makers, but Apple’s shift looms

The company’s shares rose 5.5 per cent in extended trading. They had surged 12 per cent right after it reported results after the company also flagged a new $15 billion stock buy-back. The San Diego, California-based company is the biggest supplier of smartphone chips and is benefiting from a recovery in smartphone markets as consumers … Read more