Trump

Why Would Lai Claim that Trump Deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for Resolving Cross-Strait Tensions?

Brian Hioe
In a recent interview, President Lai Ching-te raised eyebrows with a claim that US president Donald Trump would “surely win the Nobel Peace Prize” if he were able to convince Chinese President Xi Jinping to renounce the use of force against Taiwan. The claim was made during an interview with US radio host Buck Sexton of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show"...
America and the Asia PacificCross StraitEnglishInternationalOctober 2025Regional Tensions6 min read

TSMC Deal Will Only Placate Trump if He Is Convinced Taiwan is the Loser

Brian Hioe
Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturing giant TSMC announced today that it intends to invest 100 billion USD in the US over the next four years. TSMC’s plans for investment were announced jointly by the company and US president Donald Trump, who suggested that TSMC could avoid the tariffs he has threatened to impose on Taiwanese semiconductors with the deal, though it is unclear how that would work out as an investment framework...
America and the Asia PacificEnglishInternationalMarch 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

Trump Supporters in Taiwan and Hong Kong Likely to Compare US Capitol Storming to Sunflower Movement, LegCo Occupation

Brian Hioe
After comments by outgoing president Donald Trump, who lost to Joe Biden in 2020 American presidential elections, a pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capitol earlier today. Unfortunately, it is probable that one will soon see a wave of Trump supporters in Taiwan and Hong Kong claiming that the storming of the US Capitol was a legitimate action aimed at preserving democracy...
EnglishJanuary 2021Politics10 min read

Flattery During Asia Trip Shows That Asian Pacific Countries Hope To Pacify Trump’s Unpredictability

Brian Hioe
Donald Trump's recently concluded Asia trip was the site of much bizarre spectacle and pageantry, with Asia Pacific leaders going out of their way to tickle Trump’s ego. This illustrates that Asia Pacific leaders hope to keep Trump pacified through flattery, even when they could otherwise benefit from an American loss of face on the world stage...
America and the Asia PacificEnglishInternationalNovember 20177 min read

Trump’s Asia Trip So Far Inconclusive

Brian Hioe
Evaluations of Trump’s Asia trip remain ambiguous, with Trump’s unorthodox means of conducting diplomacy leading to difficulties evaluating whether his trip advanced or compromised American interests in the Asia Pacific. However, an early evaluation suggests that while no fundamental shift in the status quo of the Asia Pacific has yet occurred following Trump’s trip, China’s position has been strengthened due to the image that the irregularities of Trump’s actions present to the international world...
Cross StraitEnglishInternationalNovember 20175 min read