Trump Holds Up $14 Billion Taiwan Arms Package as China Talks Shape Decision
Richard Sanders TAIPEI, May 21 – A proposed U.S. arms package for Taiwan worth about $14 billion remains stalled as President Donald Trump considers whether to use the sale as leverage in negotiations with China, raising concerns in Taipei and among U.S. lawmakers over the future of American security support for the island. The package,…
Taiwan Travelogue Becomes First Mandarin-Translated Novel to Win International Booker Prize
Dave Chamberlain, Guam A story of forbidden love, Taiwanese cuisine and colonial history has won the International Booker Prize, marking the first time a novel translated from Mandarin Chinese has received the prestigious literary award. Taiwan Travelogue, written by Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi and translated into English by Taiwanese-American translator Lin King, follows two women…
Catholic Church Reportedly Offers to Mediate as US-Cuba Tensions Rise
Frank Williams, Phnom Penh Diplomatic efforts may be underway to prevent a worsening confrontation between Washington and Havana, according to sources at the Cuban Embassy in Phnom Penh, who said there have been overtures from the Catholic Church to mediate between the two governments in the interest of avoiding military conflict. The reported mediation efforts…
CIA chief delivers Trump’s message to Havana
Frank Williams, Manila CIA Director John Ratcliffe has paid a rare visit to Havana to deliver a message from US President Donald Trump to the Cuban leadership amid a US-imposed fuel blockade of the island. According to Reuters, it was the first time a CIA chief had visited Cuba since the Communist Revolution in the…
US intel fears Iran war handed China strategic advantage – WaPo
Richard Sanders, Phnom Penh The US-Israeli war against Iran has handed China a strategic opening to chip away at US influence on every major front, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing a classified intelligence analysis. Two US officials familiar with the matter told the newspaper that the document was produced by the Joint Staff’s…
Defence Tech Firm Accelerates Indo‑Pacific Expansion
Richard Sanders, Phnom Penh The Pentagon has signed new agreements with Palmer Luckey’s Anduril and several other defence‑tech startups, creating a pathway for faster evaluation and deployment of emerging military systems. The framework is designed to overhaul slow traditional procurement cycles and more rapidly bring autonomous technologies, advanced sensors, and AI‑driven platforms into U.S. military…
Taipei Watches Trump’s China Visit With Cautious Resolve
Frank Williams, Phnom Penh Taiwanese officials and analysts will be closely monitoring the U.S. president’s visit to Beijing, viewing the high‑profile talks as a significant moment for regional stability. While the discussions centered on easing friction between Washington and Beijing, political leaders in Taipei remain steady but alert. From Taiwan’s perspective, great‑power dialogue is generally…
US Senators Press Trump to Fast‑Track Delayed Taiwan Arms Sale Amid China Visit
Richard Sanders, Phnom Penh A bipartisan group of US senators is urging President Donald Trump to advance a long‑pending US$14 billion arms package for Taiwan, which has been paused ahead of Trump’s upcoming trip to China. The sale, approved in principle last year, has reportedly been stalled as the White House seeks to avoid friction…
MI5 warnings after first UK conviction of Chinese spy ring
Richard Sanders, Bangkok MI5 issued an extraordinary public alert on Friday after the first-ever conviction of a Chinese espionage network operating in Britain, warning that foreign governments are directing crimes against dissidents living in the UK. The Security Service released new guidance on the threat of transnational repression, outlining how victims may face physical intimidation,…
China‑Focused Balikatan Drills Tighten Alliances
Francis Tuchek, Taipei Regional militaries wrapped up this year’s Balikatan exercises in the northern Philippines, drilling for large‑scale combat in the very waters that would matter most in a conflict over Taiwan. Troops from the Philippines, United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and France trained across Luzon and the Bashi Channel—territory that would sit…
