CALL FOR SOLIDARITY: If Ukraine were to fall, it would have a ripple effect in Asia and could embolden China, the Lithuanian minister of national defense said
The outcome of the war in Ukraine could have consequences for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region, Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Dovile Sakaliene said at the Shangri-La Dialogue yesterday, echoing statements made by French President Emmanuel Macron advocating for greater European engagement
The army is to take possession of an additional 42 US-made M1A2T Abrams tanks before the end of the month, and would hold live-fire drills with its existing Abrams tanks from June 18 to 27, a source said yesterday. The army received 38 of the tanks last year, and would hold drills with them at its s
Seven people were killed and dozens injured after bridges in two separate Russian regions bordering Ukraine collapsed overnight, officials said yesterday, with rail authorities blaming at least one incident on “illegal interference.” In Russia’s Bryansk region bordering Ukraine, a road bridge collap
The US sent Iran a proposal for a nuclear deal that the White House said is “acceptable” and in its “best interest” to accept, US media reported on Saturday. It came shortly after a UN report said Iran had stepped up production of highly enriched uranium. Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Ar
A PRIORITY THEATER: The secretary of defense reaffirmed the US’ commitment to the Indo-Pacific region and said it would not allow China to control or dominate it
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth yesterday warned that any Chinese attempt to use force against Taiwan would have consequences far beyond the Indo-Pacific region, calling for coordinated regional efforts to deter aggression and ensure stability.“Every day, China’s military harasses Taiwan. These
Taiwan should regulate contacts between online influencers and Chinese officials to prevent harm to national interests, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) said yesterday.The government has the authority to ban Taiwanese from forming quid pro quo relationships with Chinese
Five national universities are expected to establish six research centers in areas of national focus as part of the Ministry of Education’s goal of attracting international talent and supporting local academics to improve Taiwan’s academic competitive edge internationally.The centers will begin attr
CAUTION: An admiral said the US should not get into a shipbuilding arms race and must instead focus on building high-end, capable, large payload volume ships
The US Navy would start fielding an anti-ship version of its Tomahawk cruise missile on destroyers by late September in what US Fleet Forces Command Admiral Daryl Caudle sees as a “game-changer” against a numerically superior Chinese fleet. An anti-ship version of the US’ best-known non-nuclear miss
US President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that he wanted to assure Chinese international students in the country that they would be fine amid his administration’s crackdown on academia.Trump’s administration this week said it would specifically target permissions for Chinese students in its
‘A SURVIVAL QUESTION’: US officials have been urging the opposition KMT and TPP not to block defense spending, especially the special defense budget, an official said
The US plans to ramp up weapons sales to Taiwan to a level exceeding US President Donald Trump’s first term as part of an effort to deter China as it intensifies military pressure on the nation, two US officials said on condition of anonymity.If US arms sales do accelerate, it could ease worries abo
The Tourism Administration yesterday announced a NT$10 billion (US$334.12 million) investment through 2030 to boost tourism to southern Taiwan, including the nation’s outlying islands.Tourism Administration Director-General Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) made the comment at a forum in Japan’s Tottori Prefectur
WORK TOGETHER: The achievement was due to public-private efforts, and must continue so that the nation could maintain its status, an official said
Taiwan has officially become the only Asian country free of classical swine fever (CSF), African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease, after the World Organiation for Animal Health (WOAH) certified its CSF-free status at the 92nd General Session held in Paris on Thursday.CSF is a highly contagious
China signed a convention setting up an international organization for mediation in Hong Kong yesterday that Beijing hopes would be on par with the International Court of Justice and bolster the city’s international credentials.The move comes amid growing geopolitical tensions that have been exacerb
French President Emmanuel Macron and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth are among the world leaders, diplomats and top defense officials who are in Singapore this weekend for a security forum that is to focus on China’s growing assertiveness, the global impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine and the fl
EXEMPTIONS: Proposed changes to work rules for foreign professionals are part of broader efforts to make Taiwan more attractive to top talent, an official said
The Cabinet yesterday approved a draft amendment that it said would make it easier for foreign nationals to live and work in Taiwan, with proposed rules including expanding work experience exemptions and extending the digital nomad visa period to two years.Hsieh Chia-yi (謝佳宜), director-general of th
TECH CHASE: Wu Cheng-wen said the nation’s satellite manufacturing and design capabilities are gaining recognition, and attracting more interest from overseas
Taiwan aims to send its first rocket capable of carrying a 200kg satellite into orbit by 2034, National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday.Taiwan would obtain the technologies it requires through expanded international cooperation, Taiwan Space Agency Director-
The government is considering regulating the use of Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu (小紅書), or Rednote, as the platform could be used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to engage in “united front” campaigns, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday.MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) m
A US federal court on Wednesday blocked most of US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs from going into effect, boosting markets yesterday even as the White House appealed against the decision by “unelected judges.”Trump’s trade policies have roiled financial markets with planned import levies
China has removed its last buoy from Japanese economic waters, a Japan Coast Guard spokesman said yesterday, in what might be a move by Beijing to improve ties.Japan in December last year said that it had spotted a new buoy in its exclusive economic zone south of Yonaguni Island, near Taiwan, and de
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