This Week in Taiwan

US Bipartisan delegation pressures Taiwanese lawmakers to pass the special defense budget. US issues first-ever initial payment deferral as Taiwan misses payment deadline for rocket systems. KMT Chairperson Cheng Li-wun scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Vermont passes resolution in support of establishing trade office in Taiwan. Foreign Minister: Taiwan’s interests unaffec...

Taiwan must strengthen defense despite US intelligence predictions according to the Presidential Office.   The President says only determination, perseverance, strength can safeguard Taiwan's democracy and freedom. United States politicians lead a bipartisan Senate resolution commemorating the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first presidential election Poll shows 60% public support for spe...

President Lai outlines importance of defense budget while speaking on elections. Government expands measures to combat China’s AI disinformation campaigns. Taiwanese-developed enterovirus vaccine approved in Vietnam. China has no plans to attack Taiwan in 2027: US intelligence report. Middle East conflict disrupts fertilizer imports, Taiwan has 6-8 months supply. Foreign Minister Lin urges S...

Over 1,800 Taiwanese evacuated from Middle East as tensions rise. President Lai Ching-te announces NT$24 billion drug supply resilience plan. Taiwan launches online climate course for high school students. President Lai marks 15th anniversary of Japan’s 3/11 earthquake. Taiwan’s baseball team returns home after WBC elimination. US Navy aircraft transits Taiwan Strait ahead of Trump&rsq...

228 Incident memorial march held in Taipei. President Lai marks 79th anniversary of 228 Incident with vow to defend Taiwan’s democracy. Amid rising Middle East tensions, ministerial groups weigh energy stabilization and evacuation measures. Taiwan’s CPI could exceed inflation threshold as fuel and electricity prices rise. Middle East conflict could impact Indo-Pacific, Taiwan must bols...

Cabinet continues advocating for Taiwan’s best interests despite US tariff upset. The Foreign Ministry warns that crime via visa-free entry undermines trust in Taiwan. Chancellor Merz consults Taiwan-based novelist before China trip, signals shift in Germany’s China policy. Tariff pressure eases as Taiwan sees “Goldilocks economy” signs. Taiwan to participate in Pacific Isl...

Premier Cho highlights tariff deal as proof of US democratic partnership. Taiwan congratulates Thailand’s PM on election win. City response to weekend MRT arson attempts show improved emergency response. The Hong Kong Outlanders rally outside of Taiwan’s Legislature this Tuesday in support of Jimmy Lai. President hopes post-holiday tea with 5 branch heads will ease political tensions....

Digital minister calls for the swift removal of disinformation and support for traditional news outlets. Deputy foreign minister says bilateral ties outweigh multilateral systems amid global shifts. Chinese Ambassador to Australia tells those opposed to unification to “leave Taiwan.” The President reaffirms goal to cut cancer deaths by one-third by 2030 on World Cancer Day. Trump-Xi ca...

American climber Alex Honnold free-solos Taipei 101, setting new record in human climbing history.   President Lai Ching-te plans to expand Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative, sending more youth abroad. The Central Bank announced Tuesday that Taiwan’s new series of the New Taiwan Dollar banknotes will carry the theme “Taiwan’s Beauty.” MAC deputy minister details 3 s...

The Defense Ministry briefs lawmakers on a NT$1.25 trillion arms procurement plan Taiwan and the United States have reached an outcome in their reciprocal tariff negotiations President Lai honors former Chamber of Deputies speaker for strengthening Taiwan-Czech ties US confirms 2 warships made first Taiwan Strait transit of the year Defense Ministry can’t ‘scrape by’ anymore on b...

Rescue teams have located the black box of the missing F-16V fighter jet in deep waters.  Phoenix May Kate Gallego met with President Lai Ching-te this Wednesday. Opposition parties say the government's NT$ 1.25 trillion (US$39.6 billion) defense budget lacks a detailed procurement list. The Defense Ministry pushes back and say delays are putting national security at risk.  Taiwan and th...

PLA unilaterally launched the Justice Mission-2025 military around Taiwan without warning, and announced that it would hold live-fire drills prohibiting water and air traffic from entering five areas. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Taiwan’s northeastern coast late Saturday, triggering widespread public warning alerts across nearly every county and city in Taiwan.  President...

President Lai Ching-te urges coorperation between local and central governments in the aftermath of the metro attack.  Foreign Minister Lin China-lung has instructed his ministry to fully support Palau in hosting the Pacific Islands Forum.  Nvidia tells its Chinese customers it plans to being shipping H200 chips to China.  Taiwan’s Legislature passed the third and final readin...

Taiwan and Slovakia have reac hed a significant mile stone in t echnologic al coop eration with the inaugur ation of a joint s emiconduc tor labo rat ory. The  remaining amendments compris ing the “seven submarine cable laws” passed third r eading at the legislat u re and will requ ire vess els to ac tivate their Automatic Identificat ion Sy stem (AIS) . T h e Nat ional Security B...

The White House released its 2025 National Security Strategy report.  Honduras is in the middle of the country’s most intense presidential race in history. The Interior Ministry says its decision to suspend the Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu for one year is not a restriction of free speech. The Legislature on Monday passed third readings of the so-called “seven undersea cabl...

Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu says the US will not “sell out” Taiwan due to strong shared interests.  KMT legislators question transparency and demand a formal state-of-the nation address over the administration’s NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget.  Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim speaks with  War Room host Natalie Winters about Taiwan’s determinatio...

Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu stresses de-escalation and alliance building amid China-Japan escalation.  US reported first death from new H5N1 virus. President Lai is adding US$40 billion to defense budget. US Congress introduces bill to support Taiwan’s interpol participation. Taiwan sends more emergency vehicles to Ukraine. Taiwan announces new national security action plan.

China is carrying out live fire drills in the Yellow Sea and increased patrols in contested waters. The latest developments in escalating China-Japan tensions following remarks by the Japanese prime minister on Taiwan last week. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung says Taiwan’s cooperation with the U.S. and Japan is expanding across political, economic, technological, and cultural fronts. China i...

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) urges European countries to expand their collaboration with Taiwan, and to oppose the use of force in the Taiwan strait.  President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) announced on Saturday that Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) will surpass NT$1 trillion (about US$31 billion) in the 2026 budget, aiming to enhance healthcare services and retain medical pro...

An investigation points to food waste as the most likely source of the African swine fever outbreak in Taichung in central Taiwan.  President Lai Ching-te meets with North Carolina Governor Josh Stein. Taiwan launches the Asia Asset Management Center (AAMC) to attract global capital. Taiwan not a bargaining chip in US-China talks: Foreign Minister Lin. Taiwan to boost international cooperatio...

Taiwanese tourists are wearing nationality badges to avoide being harassed in South Korea amid anti-China protests. Taiwan envoy Lin Hsin-i attends APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in South Korea.  Nvidia’s Taiwan headquarters will be located in Taipei, Mayor Chiang Wan-an confirmed.  Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung attends the 2025 Taiwan-Europe Submarine Cable Security Coopera...

President Lai Ching-te: Taiwan won’t achieve peace by accepting the 1992 Consensus or the One-China Principle. KMT elected Cheng Li-wun as its party chair. Chinese President Xi Jin-ping congratulated her in an unprecedented gesture. Taiwan confirms its first African swine fever case.  The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations passed 4 Taiwan-related bills. Sen. Chris Coons says he...

President Lai Ching-te announces plans to build the “T-Dome,” a comprehensive missile defense system.  National Health Insurance Administration and FDA are forming plans to deal with 47 medicines’ upcoming withdrawl from Taiwan market. Official says Taiwan’s chip-making capacity is 2.5 years ahead of the United States.   National Security Bureau released a report...

President Lai Ching-te ( 賴清德 ) visited Chiayi, Tainan, and Hualien over the weekend and this Monday during the Mid-Autumn Festival to assess the progress of post-disaster reconstruction efforts following recent typhoon damage.  A Swedish cross-party delegation has arrived in Taiwan.  Allies celebrated Taiwan's National Days.  MOFA voiced conffidence in ties with the Czech Republi...

The government revised Typhoon Ragasa’s death toll to 18 as rescue operations continue in Hualien County, where seven people remain missing and hundreds are still displaced. Taiwan’s Legislative Budget Center says birthrate policies remain overly focused on one-time subsidies as the fertility rate dropped to 0.8856, urging the government to tackle long-term issues like housing, workpla...