The possibility of the US establishing an arms stockpile in Taiwan under the provisions of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act has been increasingly discussed in Taiwan. In particular, proponents of such measures and opponents of such measures often divide between the pan-Blue and pan-Green camps...
Chinese nationalist essayist and blogger Zhou Xiaoping recently proposed a resolution at a session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference for China to draw up a list of “Taiwanese separatists” to be killed during a “Special Military Operation” to take Taiwan. Zhou later claimed that the resolution had been adopted, though this could have been a way for Zhou to claim his own political relevance...
Reports indicate that a Taiwanese soldier stationed in Kinmen who disappeared from his post is in China. On Saturday, Next Apple reported that the soldier had been found in China and had been rescued by the Chinese Coast Guard after swimming there, while the Ministry of National Defense’s official stance was that the soldier’s location was unclear...
Comments by US Senator Josh Hawley made at the Heritage Foundation last month linked Taiwan’s fate to that of Ukraine, though in the context of calling for the US to decrease support for Ukraine and increase support for Taiwan. Hawley’s comments prove revealing about current views among American Republicans, particularly those of the MAGA camp, about the geopolitical role played by the US with regard to Taiwan and Ukraine...
A piece in The Atlantic in December by Damir Marusic, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, proves yet another example of when soi-disant western experts parachute into Taiwan and conclude they know Taiwan better than Taiwanese in a matter of days....
KMT deputy chair Andrew Hsia’s nine-day trip to China ended on the 17th, with Hsia seeing protests by pro-independence groups such as the Taiwan Statebuilding Party upon his return...
Two submarine cables connecting the Taiwanese mainland and the outlying island of Matsu, which constitutes Lienchiang county, have been reported to have been cut. Specifically, two wires, the No. 2 and No. 3 Taima submarine cables, were reported as having been cut. The No. 2 cable was cut by a Chinese fishing vessel, while No. 3 cable was cut by a Chinese freighter. In particular, the No. 2 Taima cable connects Dongyin Island to Tamsui in New Taipei, while the No. 3 Taima cable connects Nangan Island and Taoyuan...
A cross-strait political spat has broken out following the death of prominent Buddhist monk Hsing Yun, the founder of Fo Guang Shan. Fo Guang Shan is one of Taiwan’s major humanistic Buddhist organizations, sometimes referred to as the “Four Mountains.” These consist of Dharma Drum Mountain, Fo Guang Shan, Tzu Chi, and Chung Tai Shan...
KMT vice chair Andrew Hsia once again traveled to China last week in order to meet with Chinese government officials. This included not only newly appointed Taiwan Affairs Office head Song Tao, who took office in December, but also CCP chief ideologist Wang Huning. Hsia has indicated in comments that the main portion of his trip is over, however, he will continue to travel around China to meet with Chinese businessmen in China...
