All articles tagged with #taiwan
Japan plans to place surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni, its westernmost island near Taiwan, by March 2031 (fiscal 2030), according to Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, as Tokyo steadies against China amid Taiwan security concerns and ongoing Senkaku/ Diaoyu tensions; locals worry about militarization of the small island that already hosts an SDF base.
The New York Times reports a 2023 CIA briefing warned a China-Taiwan invasion could disrupt global chip supply and harm both the US and Chinese economies; despite this, Apple and other chipmakers haven’t meaningfully moved production away from Taiwan. Apple is pushing some US manufacturing and TSMC is expanding in Arizona, but advanced nodes still rely on Taiwan. A conflict could trigger significant supply disruptions, though US-led allied production could mitigate some effects.
Japan plans to deploy medium-range surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni Island by March 2031 as part of a broader defense buildup amid rising tensions with China over Taiwan; the system has about a 50km range, 360-degree coverage, can track up to 100 targets and engage 12, with an electronic warfare unit planned for 2026, and timing may shift with facility upgrades.
Xi Jinping’s purge of senior PLA officers has disrupted the high command and delayed near-term war planning, but it may foster a new generation of capable commanders and a firmer party-led military that could push toward a Taiwan showdown in the late 2020s to early 2030s; long-term risk depends on the civilian successor and how deterrence messaging influences Xi’s calculus more than battlefield might.
In Tainan, Taiwan, temples host Temple Meltdown–style underground dance events that fuse religious spaces with bass-heavy music, reflecting a broader shift in public attitudes toward nightlife and sacred sites as civic, everyday spaces after decades of martial law and social conservatism.
A New York Times investigation reveals a July 2023 classified CIA briefing warned China could attack Taiwan by 2027, a session attended by Tim Cook and other tech CEOs. The report highlights Taiwan's central role in global chip production via TSMC and the potential economic fallout if access is disrupted. In response, Washington has pushed for domestic chip manufacturing through CHIPS Act subsidies, with Apple pledging substantial U.S. investment and TSMC committing large U.S. investments; however, the so‑called silicon shield remains uncertain as geopolitical tensions persist and Taiwan seeks to retain advanced manufacturing on the island.
Trump said he is discussing possible arms sales to Taiwan with Xi Jinping, a remark that alarms Taipei and fuels debate over whether Washington would consult Beijing, potentially signaling a shift from decades of policy and testing the long-standing framework anchored by the Taiwan Relations Act, Three Communiques and the Six Assurances.
Chinese tourists are shunning Japan during the Lunar New Year amid a Beijing–Tokyo row over Taiwan, with Chinese arrivals in Japan almost halving in December and expected to fall as much as 60% year-on-year, as South Korea and other regional destinations gain popularity.
China is ramping up pressure on Japan across diplomatic, economic, and military fronts after PM Sanae Takaichi signaled a tougher stance on Taiwan; Tokyo’s strong electoral mandate could cement a firmer line, and analysts expect a prolonged “greyzone” pressure campaign with limited de-escalation and closely watched US-Japan dynamics.
King Liu, founder of Giant Group, died at 93. He built Giant from a Taiwan OEM into Asia's leading bike maker and a global brand, expanded overseas, and promoted cycling culture through initiatives like the International Tour of Taiwan and CADEX carbon bikes; he retired in 2017 and funeral arrangements will follow the family's wishes.
Analysts argue Xi Jinping has centralized control of the PLA, purged top officers like Zhang Youxia, and steered the military toward a generation of commanders loyal to the Party. While this may dampen near-term readiness for a Taiwan operation, it could produce a more cohesive, risk-aware and appetite-for-force decision-making in the longer term, potentially increasing regional volatility by the early 2030s as a tightly controlled command seeks to act with less internal dissent.
A diplomatic clash between Japan and China over Taiwan’s security has driven a sharp drop in Chinese visitors to Japan—the country’s largest source of inbound tourism—after Japan’s prime minister signaled defense of Taiwan. December arrivals fell 45% year-over-year, illustrating how the feud is weighing on Japan’s economy, which relies heavily on tourism from China.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez faced online backlash after a meandering response to a reporter’s question about whether the United States would defend Taiwan with troops during a Munich Security Conference town hall, with critics citing a lack of a clear stance on foreign policy. The controversy spilled onto X, drawing comments from conservatives and pundits about her readiness and broader Gaza-related remarks on U.S. aid to Israel, highlighting ongoing scrutiny of her foreign-policy positions.
Taiwan’s foreign minister Lin Chia-lung rebuked China's Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference, saying China is the real security threat and accusing Beijing of hypocritically praising UN principles while repeatedly violating the UN Charter with military provocations around Taiwan. Lin stressed Taiwan’s sovereignty, arguing Beijing has no right to claim the island and noting China’s history of mass war games near Taiwan, while Taipei maintains that only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
At the Munich Security Conference, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declined to say whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan if China invaded, emphasizing an longstanding policy and a goal to prevent such a crisis, while noting the need to align economic and global positions to avoid confrontation amid speculation about a 2028 White House bid.