16 h. ago Taiwan faces possible Beijing squeeze after US quits WHO and other agencies

The United States’ decision to withdraw from dozens of UN and other international organisations may have dealt another blow to Taiwan’s efforts to raise its global profile amid mounting pressure from Beijing. While Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s government has sought to play down the impact, observers have warned that Washington’s retreat could further squeeze the island’s already narrow international space. US President Donald Trump on January 7 ordered the US to exit 66 international...

Politics

16 h. ago Will US exit from world bodies deal fresh blow to Taiwan’s push to raise global profile?

The United States’ decision to withdraw from dozens of UN and other international organisations may have dealt another blow to Taiwan’s efforts to raise its global profile amid mounting pressure from Beijing. While Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s government has sought to play down the impact, observers have warned that Washington’s retreat could further squeeze the island’s already narrow international space. US President Donald Trump on January 7 ordered the US to exit 66 international...

Events

1 week ago Beijing puts 2 more serving Taiwanese cabinet ministers on sanctions list

Beijing has added Taiwan’s interior minister and education minister to its sanctions list of “stubborn Taiwan independence figures” for behaviours it said undermined cross-strait relations and promoted Taiwan independence. Chen Binhua, spokesman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), said at a press conference on Wednesday that the interior minister Liu Shyh-fang and education minister Cheng Ying-yao had been designated as “stubborn Taiwan independence figures”. Liu and Cheng are cabinet...

Politics

1 week ago Beijing puts 2 more Taiwanese cabinet ministers on sanctions list

Beijing has added Taiwan’s interior minister and education minister to its sanctions list of “stubborn Taiwan independence figures” for behaviour it said undermined cross-strait relations and promoted Taiwan independence. Chen Binhua, spokesman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), said on Wednesday that Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang and Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao had been designated as “stubborn Taiwan independence figures”. Liu and Cheng are cabinet members in William Lai...

Politics

1 week ago Beijing warns of war over Taiwan ruling party’s move to rebrand cross

Beijing has warned that a proposal by Taiwanese lawmakers to amend legislation is a move aimed at “de jure independence” for the island, heightening the risk of war. “This proposal disregards the mainstream public opinion in Taiwan publicly challenges the historical and legal fact that Taiwan is part of China, and blatantly promotes ‘de jure Taiwan independence’,” Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua said on Sunday. “Taiwan independence means war. We have full confidence and sufficient...

Events

2 w. ago Beijing changes tactics with ‘personalised’ attack on Taiwanese MP

Beijing changes tactics with ‘personalised’ attack on Taiwanese MP  The Times

Events

3 w. ago Chinese spy? Propagandist? Former Confucius Institute director tells his story

When Zeng Jinghan accepted an offer to lead the Confucius Institute at Lancaster University in England in 2018, he already had a plan to write a book. “I thought it would be very interesting if I could write about something that I know a lot about and participate in it personally, like Richard Crossman’s The Diary of a Cabinet Minister,” Zeng said, referring to the British politician’s memoirs published half a century ago. The job did not offer higher pay, and he was still an international...

Politics