Richard Saunders China launched large-scale live-fire military drills around Taiwan on Monday, deploying warships, fighter jets, and artillery in a multi-day operation soon after Washington approved its largest-ever arms sale to the island. The ‘Joint Sword – 2025A’ war games conducted by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) simulate a blockade of key ports, precision strikes…
Francis Tuschek, Washington The US ban on imports of new foreign drones discriminates against Chinese companies and should be lifted, Beijing has said. Shenzhen-based UAV manufacturer DJI, the largest in the world, currently sells more than half of all commercial drones operated in the US. On Monday, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) forbade imports…
Richard Saunders, Bangkok In a poignant reminder of the need for solidarity and vigilance, President William Lai (賴清德) addressed the importance of enhancing Taiwan’s emergency response capabilities during his opening speech at the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee workshop yesterday. His comments follow a recent knife attack on the Taipei metro, emphasizing the urgency of improving…
Richard Saunders TAIPEI — Investigators have revealed that the suspect behind the December 19, 2025, indiscriminate attacks in central Taipei had been meticulously planning the spree for over a year and a half. The series of knife and smoke-bomb assaults left three victims dead and at least 11 others injured. The Attack Timeline The violence began…
Richard Saunders, Taipei A man armed with a knife and smoke bombs carried out a violent attack in Taipei, Taiwan, killing three individuals and injuring nine more, according to local media reports from Friday. During the evening rush hour, the suspect threw smoke bombs from an exit of a metro station and randomly stabbed bystanders….
Richard Sanders, Phnom Penh—Recently Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has signaled that Tokyo may deploy military forces if China attacks Taiwan, a declaration that has reignited debate over Okinawa’s contested history and the unresolved sovereignty of the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands. Historical Roots of the Ryukyu Question The Ryukyu Kingdom, which ruled Okinawa until Japan’s annexation in…
Richard Sanders As geopolitical tensions rise in East Asia, Taiwan is taking a closer look at Ukraine’s wartime resilience, prompting a national debate over whether the island should adopt a more decentralized, militia‑style defense model. Analysts say the comparison is instructive—but not straightforward. Ukraine’s experience since Russia’s full‑scale invasion in 2022 has become a global…
Richard Saunders In a recent CNBC interview, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick suggested that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) might increase its investment in the United States to over $200 billion, potentially creating 30,000 new jobs in the process. Lutnick’s comments came in the context of his criticism of the CHIPS Act, where he…
Richard Sanders In a recent unveiling of the National Security Strategy (NSS) by the Trump administration, analysts spotlighted a notable shift in rhetoric concerning China, especially in relation to Taiwan. Unlike the Biden administration’s strong assertions regarding China as “America’s most consequential geopolitical challenge,” the new NSS takes a more subdued approach, focusing significantly on…
Martin Haffner, Associate Editor The US has approved the sale of technology and support for Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jets, the Pakistani website Dawn reported on Wednesday. The proposed sale aims to modernize Pakistan’s F-16 fleet and address operational safety concerns, the report said, citing a December 8 letter from the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency…