China offers economic boons to Taiwan
Richard Saunders, Siem Reap China has unveiled a set of new economic incentive measures for Taiwan, offering to resume some ties with the island. The announcement comes after a visit by the head of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), to Beijing. Taiwan has been a de-facto self-governing territory since 1949, when Chinese nationalist…
China’s Xi touts ‘great rejuvenation’ during Taiwanese opposition leader’s visit
Francis Tuschek, Tokyo China’s President Xi Jinping met with the head of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), on Friday and stressed that no global changes would stop “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” including its people across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan de facto became a self-governed territory after Chinese nationalist forces lost…
Ukraine missile company under investigation
Richard Saunders, Phnom Penh In less than two years, a little-known Ukrainian startup has secured nearly $1 billion in state contracts, built one of the country’s most ambitious missile programs – and drawn the attention of anti-corruption investigators. A February article by Deutsche Welle and subsequent interviews with co-founder Denis Shtilerman have helped propel Fire…
Taiwan splits over One-China: Peace mission challenges war narrative
Jake Saunders, Kuala Lumpur Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Friday proposed a nearly $40 billion military buildup amid tensions with Beijing. This came just days after the head of the self-governing island’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), traveled to the mainland seeking rapprochement in the first such visit in a decade. Taiwan became a…
Hacker Claims Enormous Data Breach at China’s National Supercomputing Center
Richard Saunders, Phnom Penh A hacker group calling itself FlamingChina has allegedly stolen an unprecedented cache of sensitive Chinese data — including classified defense materials and missile schematics — from a state-run supercomputing facility in what experts say could be the largest known cyber theft targeting China. Cybersecurity researchers familiar with the case believe more…
Taiwan opposition leader in China
Richard Saunders, Phnom Penh The leader of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), is traveling to mainland China, marking the first such visit since 2016. Known as a vocal opponent of the island’s possible independence, Cheng Li-wun was invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping for what she has described as a peace-building mission. Taiwan…
Macron urges nations not to be ‘vassals’ of US or China
Francis Tuschek, Seoul French President Emmanuel Macron has called on nations around the world to not become “vassals” of the US or China, following his public spat with US President Donald Trump over Iran and NATO. During a trip to Seoul on Friday, Macron urged countries including South Korea, Japan, Brazil, India, Australia, and Canada to form…
Putin’s War Economy Strategy Seen as Deliberate, Analysts Say
Jake Saunders, Manila Russian President Vladimir Putin is deliberately prolonging the war in Ukraine to entrench Russia’s economy on a permanent war footing, analysts say, a move that recalls how the United States harnessed military mobilization for growth during World War II and the Cold War. Moscow has shifted from seeking rapid battlefield gains to…
Haven Gear Eyes Taiwan Market
Richard Saunders,Taipei, Taiwan — Haven Gear, a U.S.-based defense technology company specializing in advanced riot gear, is setting its sights on Taiwan as a potential new market for its innovative protective equipment. The company is working closely with Ollie Phipps, a former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer and seasoned private investigator who runs the renowned…
DPP Primary Winner Indicted for Spying, Paid a Pittance
Ollie Phelps- Manila Taipei — Chu Cheng-chi (朱政騏), a former legislative assistant who had recently won a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) primary for a Taipei City Council seat, was indicted yesterday on charges of espionage for China. According to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, Chu exploited his access to legislative offices while serving as an…
