America and the Asia Pacific

What Can We Expect for Taiwan with the Second Trump Presidency?

Brian Hioe
Recent comments by US President-elect Donald Trump have called for the US to annex Greenland, Canada, and the Panama Canal. Trump has also suggested renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” With Trump set to take office today, this already shows the instability that is potentially ahead for Taiwan with a second Trump presidency...
America and the Asia PacificEnglishFeaturedInternationalJanuary 2025Politics6 min read

Taiwan Contemplates Increasing Defense Spending to Pacify Trump

Brian Hioe
In the wake of the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election, debates have broken out in Taiwan about how to ensure the strength of US-Taiwan ties. Most suggestions have been that Taiwan should increase the amount of money that it spends on defense in order to placate the US. Taiwan currently spends 2.5% of its GDP on defense, which is comparable to members of NATO...
America and the Asia PacificEnglishInternationalNovember 20245 min read

Lai Strikes Conciliatory Tone to China, KMT in National Day Speech

Brian Hioe
Lai Ching-te delivered the first National Day address of his presidency today. Very little surprised about the speech, in that Lai made no surprising statements on Taiwan’s sovereignty or about Taiwan’s relationship with China. What one does observe from Lai’s speech, however, is the contours of a new historical perspective bridging adherence to the ROC and the resistance against authoritarianism that occurred in the course of Taiwan’s democratization...
America and the Asia PacificCross StraitEnglishInternationalOctober 2024Politics7 min read

What Now for Taiwan, with Biden Out of the US Presidential Election?

Brian Hioe
There was much discussion about the implications for Taiwan in the wake of the first US presidential debate, which took place late last month between Joe Biden of the Democratic Party and Donald Trump of the Republican Party. Biden is the current US president, while Trump is the former president, but Trump is running for reelection...
America and the Asia PacificEnglishInternationalJuly 2024Politics6 min read

Hou You-yi Travels to the US, Emphasizes Similar Policies to Tsai

Brian Hioe
KMT presidential candidate Hou You-yi recently traveled to the US. Taiwanese presidential candidates traditionally travel to the US ahead of elections. This is not only to meet with US government officials and conduct meetings, but to meet with wealthy members of the Taiwanese diaspora that live in the US, so as to solicit campaign funds. TPP presidential candidate Ko visited the US in April, while independent presidential candidate Terry Gou visited both in April and in late July. Ko has announced another trip for October. DPP presidential candidate William Lai visited the US in September...
America and the Asia PacificEnglishInternationalPoliticsSeptember 20235 min read