Xi Jinping

China Again Seeks to Intimidate Taiwan with Drills, Taiwan Scarcely Blinks

Brian Hioe
China has again set records with drills directed at Taiwan, carrying out “strike drills” around Taiwan in the past week. This is in response to US president Joe Biden signing the Fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act into law. Part of the provisions of the law authorized 12 billion USD in loans for Taiwan to purchase arms across six years, between 2023 and 2027, with 2 billion USD per year...
Cross StraitDecember 2022EnglishInternational6 min read

20th National Congress Results in Leadership of Xi Loyalists, Potentially Amplifying Echo Chamber on Taiwan

Brian Hioe
The new Politburo standing committee of the Chinese Communist Party has been announced, following the CCP’s weeklong 20th National Congress. As was anticipated by many experts ahead of time, Chinese president Xi Jinping has been confirmed for an unprecedented third term in power, with the limits on the number of terms that a Chinese leader can serve having been undone at the 19th National Congress in October 2017. This was seen as potentially paving the way to lifetime rule by Xi...
Cross StraitEnglishInternationalOctober 20225 min read

Few Surprises in 20th National Congress Comments on Taiwan by Xi

Brian Hioe
Comments by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the start of the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th National Congress highlighted Taiwan as an issue that he intends to address, as part of his political mandate ahead of what is expected to be a third term in office. Xi is expected to be confirmed for an unprecedented third term at the 20th National Congress, with the limit on the number of term limits that a Chinese leader can serve having been undone at the 19th National Congress in 2018. The 20th National Congress began on Sunday and is expected to last for several days...
Cross StraitEnglishInternationalOctober 20226 min read

Biden Comments on Taiwan Commitment Again Walked Back, but Likely to Be Interpreted as of Greater Significance

Brian Hioe
Earlier today, US president Joe Biden confused again with comments on CBS’ “60 Minutes” that suggested US commitment to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack. Subsequently, as with previous such incidents in which Biden indicated US commitment to defend Taiwan, these comments were quickly walked back by the White House, which stated that US policy on Taiwan had not changed...
EnglishInternationalPoliticsRegional TensionsSeptember 20227 min read

Questions Raised About Normalization of Chinese Military Drills, Following Live-Fire Exercises Around Taiwan

Brian Hioe
It remains opaque as to whether military drilling by China around Taiwan will continue in the coming days. Namely, although the People’s Liberation Army initially announced that its four days of live-fire drills would end on Sunday, yesterday it announced that military exercises in the area would continue. The drills are an escalation for the Chinese military, seeing as they take place closer to Taiwan than took place during the Third Taiwan Straits Crisis...
August 2022EnglishInternationalRegional Tensions7 min read

First Day of Chinese Live-Fire Drills Around Taiwan See Missile Launches, Relative Calm in Taiwan

Brian Hioe
Today was the first day of live-fire drills conducted by the People’s Liberation Army in maritime areas around Taiwan. The drills are as close as 20 kilometers to metropolises such as Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s major southern port city, and are nine kilometers away from the island of Little Liuqiu. Another zone was added by the Maritime and Port Bureau for ships to avoid during the drilling, which is to last until Sunday, bringing the number of such zones to 7...
August 2022EnglishInternationalRegional Tensions7 min read

Biden Comments Suggest Disapproval of Pelosi Visit to Taiwan

Brian Hioe
A scoop by the Financial Times on Tuesday reported that US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi planned to visit Taiwan next month. However, US president Joe Biden surprised today with apparent off-the-cuff comments suggesting that his administration viewed the Pelosi visit as a bad idea. When asked about the prospect of a Pelosi visit, Biden stated, “Well, I think that the military thinks it’s not a good idea right now. But I don’t know what the status of it is”...
EnglishInternationalJuly 2022Regional Tensions8 min read