US-Taiwan relations

Time Magazine Calls for Appeasement on Taiwan in the Name of Peace

Brian Hioe
A recent trio of articles in Time Magazine has led to backlash in Taiwan, particularly seeing as the three articles frame current Taiwanese president Lai Ching-te as being dangerously pro-independence. The three articles are by thinktank analyst Lyle Goldstein, retired People’s Liberation Army senior colonel Zhou Bo, and Time editor Charlie Campbell...
EnglishInternationalPoliticsRegional Tensions5 min read

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

50-50 Chip Production Proposal Unlikely, But Will Prove a Stumbling Block to US-Taiwan Dealmaking

Brian Hioe
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently stated that the US would seek 50-50 production of semiconductors between Taiwan and the US, as well as that this was central to US-Taiwan cooperation. Such a proposal, however, is not likely to be well-received in Taiwan, and it is likely to be a pitfall for future relations between the US and Taiwan, encouraging further distrust in the US...
America and the Asia PacificEnglishInternationalOctober 2025Politics5 min read

“How Taiwan Lost Trump” Proves a MAGA Fever Dream That Does Not Reflect The Realities of Trumpism

Brian Hioe
A recent Substack post by Christian Whiton, an advisor to the Bush and Trump administrations, proves an odd fever dream about Taiwan. Even if not framed in such terms, the gist of Whiton’s argument about Taiwan is, in effect, that the Trump administration’s recent actions directed toward Taiwan are driven by a lack of faith in Taiwan because of its embrace of the woke Left...
America and the Asia PacificAugust 2025EnglishInternationalPolitics7 min read

Pan-Blue Camp Embraces Claims That Trump Intends to Impose 32% Tariff on Taiwan

Brian Hioe
The pan-Blue camp has hit out at US-Taiwan ties, through claims that the US intends to impose a 32% tariff rate on Taiwan. This proves a charged issue ahead of the recall vote set to take place on Saturday, as pan-Blue figures have begun claiming that the eventual tariff rate imposed on Taiwan will be 32%...
America and the Asia PacificEnglishInternationalJuly 2025PoliticsSelf-DeterminationSocial MovementsYouth Movements6 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