Politics

The skyline of Taipei. Growing tensions between Taiwan and mainland China have raised security concerns in Japan. 
Politics

Japan Foreign Ministry to create senior post on Taiwan

Coordinator also to monitor Senkakus, other East China Sea flashpoints

18 December 2021
Chinese soldiers browse the internet at a garrison of the People's Liberation Army in Chongqing: China has built up an array of military cyber capabilities to disable Taiwanese networks.
Opinion

How Europe can help defend Taiwan

Cyberspace has an increasingly important role to play

17 December 2021
An attack submarine moors at the U.S. naval base in Guam. The defense bill calls for building an advanced missile defense system on the island. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Defense)
Indo-Pacific

U.S. defense bill triples Indo-Pacific fund and heads to Biden's desk

Congress authorizes more ships, aiming to meet China challenge

17 December 2021
Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang is reopening an office in Washington after 13 years with a presence in the U.S. capital. (Source photo by Reuters and Akira Kodaka)
International relations

The Kuomintang, Taiwan's opposition, returns to a wary Washington

Nationalist party seeks to show it is not accommodating Beijing

16 December 2021
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivered a prerecorded speech at the Taiwan-U.S.-Japan Trilateral Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue. (Photo from Shinzo Abe's Twitter account)
International relations

Japan, U.S. and Taiwan should share new defense tech: Abe

Military adventurism by China 'could be suicidal,' former Japanese leader warns

15 December 2021
Demonstrators protest against additive-containing U.S. pork in Taipei, Taiwan, on Nov. 22.
Trade

Taiwan vote on pork ban risks U.S. relations at critical time

Tsai's efforts to join CPTPP also would be set back

14 December 2021
"The People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government that represents all of China and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory," Nicaragua's foreign ministry said in a statement issued in Spanish and English.
International relations

Nicaragua severs ties with Taiwan, switches allegiance to China

Taipei now has just 14 formal diplomatic allies; US calls for expanded engagement

10 December 2021
A delegation of lawmakers from Lithuania and two other Baltic nations met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen last month.
International relations

Lithuania's Taiwan overtures create outsize challenge for China

Beijing treads carefully to avoid ripple effects on delicate relations with EU

7 December 2021
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin attends a NATO meeting in Brussels.
Indo-Pacific

U.S. defense chief concerned about China 'rehearsal' incursions on Taiwan

Lack of rules for cyber, outer space pose risk of conflict: Austin

6 December 2021
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen speaks at a hospital in April. Tensions in the Taiwan Strait have risen in recent months.
Politics

China warms to Taiwan company that donated to Tsai after apology

$74m fines for Far Eastern raised fears of wider crackdowns

2 December 2021
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks with Nikkei on Dec. 1. (Photo by Uichiro Kasai)
Interview

Japan needs stronger defenses, more frequent security reviews: Abe

Deterrence keeps rogue countries 'from hitting the missile launch button,' former PM says

2 December 2021
Japan is extending the range of its cruise missiles as deterrence. (Photo courtesy of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force)
Politics

Japan starts to extend range of its missiles to over 1,000 km

Tokyo sees $880m move as deterrence, as China, US develop sophisticated weapons

1 December 2021
U.S. President Joe Biden listens as he meets virtually with Chinese President Xi Jinping from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington on Nov. 15. 
Interview

Biden's China playbook: Cooperation or confrontation?

2 experts weigh in on merits and flaws of Biden-Xi summit

1 December 2021
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen celebrates her relection at a rally in Taipei in January 2020. Far Eastern Group donated mostly to Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party during the campaign.
Politics

China jolts Taiwan Inc. with $74m fine on Tsai corporate backer

Far Eastern Group chairman denies supporting island's independence

30 November 2021
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, right, meets with a member of the Baltic delegation Nov. 29. (Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Presidential Office)
International relations

Taiwan's Tsai hosts Baltic lawmakers, seeking closer cooperation

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have no diplomatic relations with the island

30 November 2021
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang hosts Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in October 2019: The small Pacific island state switched diplomatic ties to Beijing away from Taiwan that year.
International relations

Solomon Islands unrest magnifies Pacific unease over China ties

Calm returns but perceptions of 'checkbook diplomacy on steroids' persist

29 November 2021
Washington and Beijing are trying to arrange a telephone or online meeting of top defense officials by Christmas.
US-China tensions

U.S. aims for year-end defense talks with top China officials

Superpowers agree to avoid unintended clashes over Taiwan, in South China Sea

25 November 2021
U.S. President Joe Biden remains at odds with China and Russia, as he invites 110 other participants, including Taiwan, to join his "Summit for Democracy."
US-China tensions

U.S. invites Taiwan to first 'democracy summit,' angering China

Beijing and Moscow left out of Biden's guest list of 110

24 November 2021
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi agreed with his Chinese counterpart that the two countries should stabilize relations and promote economic and people-to-people exchanges. (Pool photo)
19 November 2021
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in New Hampshire on Nov. 16. Taiwan "makes its own decisions," he said that day.
International relations

Gaffe or warning? Biden remarks on Taiwan keep the world guessing

U.S. leader makes 'independence' comment and walks it back, a day after meeting with Xi

19 November 2021
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen inspects the island's fleet of F-16 fighters on Nov. 18. (Photo courtesy of Taiwan's presidential office)
Politics

Taiwan upgrades F-16 fighters with U.S. stealth-busting radar

Retrofit project underway despite China's objections

19 November 2021
Xi Jinping is halfway to his goal of overtaking Deng Xiaoping, a leader who clashed with Xi's father and gained veneration for enriching China. (Nikkei montage/Reuters)
China up close

Analysis: Xi's need to overtake Deng poses big risk for Taiwan

Unification would cement his legacy. Does he have a timeline?

18 November 2021
Experts say that this week's summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping may temporarily help ease tensions over Taiwan, which is led by Tsai Ing-wen. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
US-China tensions

Biden-Xi summit offers brief respite for Taiwan tensions

Beijing likely reassured that U.S. president said he doesn't support independence

17 November 2021
A containership at a port in a Shenzhen free trade zone: APEC's joint statement called trade a "pillar for the development and future prosperity of all our people."
International relations

At APEC, Xi vows to open China as Taiwan promotes CPTPP bid

Biden raises U.S. engagement while grouping seeks trade-led COVID recovery

13 November 2021
China's President Xi Jinpin, left, and Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
Comment

Asia must examine costs of involvement if China invades Taiwan

Cool analysis of consequences needed for countries to make correct moves

12 November 2021