Richard Saunders, Associate Editor Taiwan enters 2026 with a booming economy driven by AI-related exports, but looming trade tensions cast uncertainty over the year ahead. A historic surge in demand for servers, graphics processors, and other AI hardware pushed growth forecasts sharply upward in 2025 Economists repeatedly upgraded Taiwan’s outlook last year, as global adoption…
Richard Saunders On January 1, 2026, President Lai Ching-te delivered his New Year’s Address at the Presidential Office, urging citizens to embrace resilience and unity as Taiwan enters a pivotal year. Marking the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s direct presidential elections, Lai reflected on the challenges of 2025, including economic volatility, international tensions, and natural disasters
Francis Tuschek Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has repeatedly stated that reunification with Taiwan is “inevitable,” reiterated the notion in his address to the nation on New Year’s Eve, touting an unbreakable “bond of blood and kinship.” Taiwan has been ruled by Chinese nationalist forces as the Republic of China ever since they retreated to…
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…