The US is “confident” that Taiwan does not face an imminent threat of a Chinese invasion, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Sandra Oudkirk told a US public radio show, adding that Washington remains committed to defensively arming the nation.She made the comment during an interview on All
MISSING PIECE: Palau’s environment minister called Taiwan’s exclusion from COP28 ‘unfortunate,’ adding that it has helped Palau to build sea walls
Paraguayan President Santiago Pena and Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr on Friday called for Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN’s annual conference on climate change.Calling climate change a common challenge for all countries, Pena, speaking in his national statement at the UN Climate Change Conferenc
Amendments to the National Security Act (國家安全法) that stiffen penalties for companies that supply products to the military using Chinese parts went into effect on Friday.The amendments to articles 11 and 12 of the act aim to prevent defense contractors from providing the military with China-made good
The health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip yesterday said that the death toll in the territory has surpassed 15,200 and that 70 percent of those killed were women and children.The previous toll given by the ministry was more than 13,300 dead. Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra did not explain t
From underwater drones to electronic warfare, the US is expanding its high-tech military cooperation with Australia and the UK as part of a broader effort to counter China’s rapidly growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Friday met with Australian Minist
BOOSTING DETERRENCE: In addition to munitions for fighter jets, Taiwan has signed a NT$9.47 billion deal for cannon ammunition, the Ministry of National Defense said
Taiwan has inked a NT$17.2 billion (US$546.5 million) deal to buy US-made bombs and missiles for fighter jets over nine years, the Ministry of National Defense said in a procurement notice yesterday.According to the ministry’s notice, Taiwan’s defense mission and the US finalized the contract on Nov
NEW FOUNDATION: The legislation is a milestone, lawmakers said, adding that they hope it helps improve Taiwan’s reputation of being a ‘pedestrian hell’
The Legislative Yuan yesterday enacted the Road Traffic Safety Basic Act (道路交通安全基本法), finalizing the nation’s new road and traffic policy in hopes of achieving the goal of zero traffic incident-related deaths.The act, passed by the Executive Yuan on Aug. 17, provides a legal basis upon which traffic
Nearly three-quarters of Americans would support the US recognizing Taiwan as an independent country to defend the nation in the event of a Chinese invasion, while a majority supported US defense assistance to Taiwan, a Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute poll showed on Thursday.The
Israeli fighter jets hit targets in the Gaza Strip minutes after a week-long truce expired yesterday, as the war with Hamas resumed in full force. Black smoke billowed from the besieged territory, and Israel dropped leaflets over parts of southern Gaza urging people to leave their homes, suggesting
A Hong Kong journalist group yesterday said that it was “very concerned” about the safety of an award-winning defense reporter who was reportedly missing after attending a security forum in Beijing.Minnie Chan (陳敏莉), a reporter with the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post specializing in defens
PEACE AND STABILITY: ‘Taiwan can be of tremendous value’ in building resilient supply chains, President Tsai Ing-wen said, as she encouraged closer ties with foreign businesses
A Chinese invasion of Taiwan is unlikely for the time being due to the internal challenges and international pressure that China is facing, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) told the New York Times in an interview shown on Wednesday.“My thought is that perhaps this is not a time for them [China] to consi
MOVING UPWARD: Taiwan’s leading performances can be attributed to the government’s efforts to provide incentives to telecoms, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said
Taiwan has been ranked as the ninth most digitally competitive country this year, moving up two places from last year, among the 64 countries evaluated by the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD), according to a report that was released yesterday.The IMD World Digital
The US Congress on Wednesday voiced bipartisan support for legislation to avoid double taxation between Taiwan and the US.US senators Ben Cardin and Jim Risch, chair and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee respectively, along with Ron Wyden and Mike Crapo, chair and ranking memb
Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, the diplomat with the thick glasses and gravelly voice who dominated foreign policy as the US extricated itself from Vietnam and broke down barriers with China, died on Wednesday, his consulting firm said. He was 100.With his gruff yet commanding presenc
Israel and Hamas yesterday extended their truce by another day as Washington’s top diplomat arrived to urge a more lasting break in the conflict.The warring parties have agreed to a pause in fighting to allow time for the militant group to release Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisone
MARKET SHIFTS: While Hong Kong has taken a hit from capital outflows amid a US-China trade row, the TAIEX climbed to an eight-month high, despite a lackluster economy
The TAIEX yesterday closed up 0.17 percent at 17,370.56, outperforming Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index for the first time in 30 years, as the local index continued to benefit from liquidity-driven rallies, analysts said.The TAIEX bucked downturns in most Asian markets with a turnover of NT$321.715 billi
BACK TO NORMAL: The number of travelers from Taiwan to Vietnam and vice versa so far this year is on track to match pre-COVID-19 levels in 2019
Taiwan and Vietnam aim to attract 2 million tourists between the countries next year under an agreement signed earlier this week, the Tourism Administration said yesterday.The nations on Monday held their 10th tourism meeting in Vietnam’s Thanh Hoa Province, where representatives signed a memorandum
Former vice minister of foreign affairs and top envoy to the EU Alexander Yui (俞大㵢) has been appointed representative to the US, replacing Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), who resigned to join Vice President William Lai (賴清德) as his running mate on the Democratic Progressive Party’s presidential ticket.Hsiao ea
The final arguments in Hong Kong’s largest national security trial began yesterday, more than 1,000 days after authorities filed charges against 47 democracy advocates under a law imposed by China to quell dissent.The defendants represent a cross-section of Hong Kong’s opposition — from democratical
A US Osprey military aircraft yesterday crashed off a Japanese island, killing one crew member and leaving five unaccounted for, the Japan Coast Guard said, in the latest incident involving the tilt-rotor aircraft.One unconscious person had been found in the sea near the scene of the crash off the i