Assignment Desk

Prosecutors are widening their probe into former TSMC executive Lo Wei-jen after Taiwan’s leading chipmaker accused him of leaking trade secrets to his current employer, Intel. Authorities have raided multiple residences and seized computers as investigators determine whether national security laws were violated. Taiwan considers advanced semiconductor technologies “national core key technologies,...

We had planned to center the afternoon show on Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s Washington Post opinion piece, but a sudden late-morning press conference invitation forced a quick recalibration. Assignment editor Chia Chang breaks down how the team weighed the options before deciding to shift the rundown. Also on our radar today: Panamanian lawmakers proceeding with their Taiwan visit despite press...

Today we speak with Assignment Editor Jeremy Olivier about Taiwan’s plan to distribute 10 million civil defense handbooks in multiple languages. The books offer useful information like how to pack a “go bag” and what to do if you hear a tsunami siren. So why has the move drawn criticism? We’re also tracking the China–Japan diplomatic spat, which Beijing has now escalated to the UN, and new charges...

Charlie Storrar talks to editor Jeremy Olivier about a planned visit to Taiwan by lawmakers from Panama that’s raising China’s hackles, how Taiwan’s president is urging the public to show its support for Japan in Tokyo’s ongoing row with Beijing, and a special report on the safety issues affecting migrants workers on Taiwanese fishing boats. Watch John Van Trieste’s report: Preventing Accidents in...

Chia Chang walks us through the top stories of the day, including the latest fallout from the ongoing diplomatic row between Beijing and Tokyo, and how warnings of Chinese espionage and infiltration are now being heard in Britain's Parliament. Plus a look ahead to the G20 summit that gets underway this weekend and how Japan is working to counter an alarming rise in bear attacks. -- Hosting provide...

Chia Chang takes us through the day’s main stories, including the latest on escalating tensions between China and Japan, which began with the Japanese prime minister’s remarks concerning Taiwan. We also look at Beijing’s pressure on the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China and why authorities in Taiwan are advising against using Chinese AI models like DeepSeek. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Editor Jeremy Olivier talks us through the leading stories of the day, including the first US arms sale to Taiwan of the second Trump presidency and a vote of support as the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China opposes any forcible change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, for the first time laying down a definition of what such a change would look like. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Heavy rain and flooding are disrupting life across Taiwan — resulting in flight disruptions, evacuations, and cancelations across 12 cities and counties. On today’s program, Assignment Editor Stacy Hsu talks about how TaiwanPlus is covering the storm’s impact. We have reporters stationed in Hualien and Kaohsiung, two areas seeing very different effects from the same weather system. We’ll explain w...

Stacy Hsu takes us through the top stories from the start of the week, including Taiwan’s push for democratic solidarity from European nations, with visits and speeches by former President Tsai Ing-wen and current Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao. And as Typhoon Fung Wong bears down on Taiwan after battering the Philippines, we discuss how TaiwanPlus prepares to cover weather events and protocols for...

Stacy Hsu takes us behind the scenes of the newsroom on Friday, including railway workers carrying out a 100-hour hunger strike at Taiwan’s largest station. Also, how and why TaiwanPlus changed the way it reports on Chinese military activity around Taiwan. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

A former military police sergeant is charged with spying for China. Questions being asked about Taiwan’s status at next year’s APEC summit, and a follow-up on the controversy surrounding Taiwan’s planned representative office in Estonia. Plus, a Pentagon nominee grilled on delays in US arms deliveries to Taiwan. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

US President Donald Trump’s new comments about Taiwan in an interview on CBS’s program “60 Minutes” have renewed speculation on both sides of the Pacific. TaiwanPlus Assignment Editor Chia Chang weighs in with how we’re covering the remarks. Plus: Taiwan’s defense minister faces tough questions in the legislature about delays in receiving US military hardware. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

The APEC summit is under way in South Korea. Assignment Editor Chia Chang talks about our reporter who is trailing Taiwan’s envoy as he interacts with world leaders. We’ll also take a closer look at the man chosen to represent the country – businessman and politician Lin Hsin-i. Plus: What we’re keeping an eye on this weekend as the summit concludes. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

As protests break out on the sidelines of the APEC meetings in S. Korea, the TaiwanPlus assignment desk is busy coordinating with our reporter in the field Cadence Quaranta. Assignment Editor Laurel Stewart gives us an inside look at what that involves. Plus: a look at our top story about Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party blasting China for targeting one its lawmakers with a criminal in...

It’s a who’s who of Asia-Pacific politics: US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae. These are just some of the big names expected at this year’s APEC Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. Here’s how TaiwanPlus News is planning to cover the event and what it could mean for Taiwan. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Editor Jeremy Olivier takes us through the top stories from Wednesday, including a proposed special defense budget, what Japan’s first woman prime minister may mean for Taiwan, a key Communist party meeting in Beijing, a possible outbreak of African swine fever in Taiwan and fresh flooding fears in Hualien County. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Assignment editor Chia Chiang walks Charlie through Monday’s top stories, including five Taiwan companies linked to officers with bounties—and the Taiwan government’s pushback; what deeper coverage of the KMT chair election will look like once analysts weigh in; questions for officials on the indigenous submarine timeline and public transparency; plus how we’ll frame Nvidia–TSMC Arizona news amid...

Assignment editor Jeremy Olivier walks us through a packed Friday lineup—Taiwan’s newly passed NT$18 billion budget and planned universal cash handouts, a surge in PLA aircraft and naval movements, and Taipei Fashion Week’s crossover with TV dramas. He also reveals how the TaiwanPlus newsroom works in real time to spot on-air mistakes, correct them fast and keep transparency front and center. -- H...

Assignment editor Jeremy Olivier explains how cyberattacks from China on Taiwan’s government websites and infrastructure have surged to nearly three million daily, according to national security officials. The aim: to disrupt systems, spread disinformation and intimidate the public. Jeremy also touches on related stories this week—from the Rti website breach probe to new espionage allegations at E...

Mondays in the newsroom mean catching up after the weekend — and making sure every angle gets its due. Assignment Editor Chia Chang explains how TaiwanPlus ensures balance in its coverage of domestic politics, especially during sensitive moments like the chair election for the main opposition party – the Kuomintang (KMT). From verifying reports of Chinese interference to clearly labeling AI-genera...

Ever wonder what a newsroom looks like on National Day? Assignment Editor Stacey Hsu takes us inside TaiwanPlus on October 10 — from staffing a three-hour live show and fielding on-site vox pops at the Presidential Office, to lining up expert analysis of the president’s address and triaging the rest of the day’s agenda (think ADIZ watch, sanctions reaction, and social content). Go behind the scene...

Ever wonder how a newsroom decides what makes the headlines? Assignment Editor Chia Chang sheds a light on the TaiwanPlus editorial process. From pitching ideas to shaping coverage, go behind the scenes to see how a story comes to life. Tune in to a fresh episode of Assignment Desk every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from the TaiwanPlus newsroom. You’ll find more from Taiwan and around the world a...