Francis Tuschek, Taipei, May 31, 2026 — Taiwan’s President William Lai declared Friday that the island will accelerate efforts to strengthen its military capabilities and economic resilience in the face of escalating threats from Beijing, framing the strategy as one of deterrence through strength rather than provocation. Speaking at the Presidential and Youth Forum hosted…
Richard Sanders, Taipei The US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC) today announced that its 9th annual defense delegation will take place May 26-29, 2026. Led by General (Ret.) Charles A. Flynn, the delegation of 41 senior executives is visiting Taiwan to promote expanded bilateral cooperation with the United States and in support of the national security goals…
Richard Sanders in Kaohsiung Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey has rapidly become one of the most talked-about figures in Taiwan’s defence circles. Known for his unconventional scruffy style – Hawaiian shirts, flip-flops, and blunt public commentary – Luckey is increasingly viewed by some in Taiwan’s military community as a Silicon Valley defence entrepreneur in the…
Richard Sanders, Tainan Taiwan’s government said it has not received any notification from Washington about changes to planned US arms sales, after a senior American official suggested that some foreign weapons deliveries had been temporarily paused because of US military needs following the attack on Iran. The comments came after US Acting Navy Secretary Hung…
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…
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…
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…
Richard Saunders, Phnom Penh Taiwan’s skies recently saw an unexpected pause in Chinese military activity that left defense observers guessing. For nearly two weeks, no People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft were recorded flying near the island—a rare silence in what has become a near-daily pattern of incursions. According to Taiwan’s defense ministry, Chinese warplanes resumed…
Francis Tuschek in TAIPEI — Beijing has issued its harshest warning in months, threatening “annihilation” against any Taiwanese forces that might use U.S.-supplied missile systems for preemptive strikes, following reports that Taiwan is considering deploying advanced missile launchers on outlying islands near China’s coast. The latest remarks came after international media reports suggested that Taiwan’s…
Richard Saunders, Macau — The U.S. military intervention in Venezuela in January 2026 — codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve — reverberated well beyond Latin America, prompting close scrutiny in Taipei and across Asia. By capturing President Nicolás Maduro and striking key targets in Caracas, Washington not only reshaped Venezuela’s political landscape but also redrew the boundaries…