TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — A strong earthquake struck off Taiwan on Thursday, causing buildings to shake violently in Taipei but with no immediate reports of damage or injury. The quake was of magnitude 6.2, the US Geological Survey which monitors earthquakes worldwide, initially said. It later downgraded this to 6.1. The quake struck off Yilan City on the island’s east coast at a depth of 73 kilometers (45 miles) at 9:19 pm local time (1319 […]
Tag: Taiwan
Taiwan expanding submarine fleet as China threat grows
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan began construction on a fleet of indigenous submarines on Tuesday, the latest move by the out-gunned island to bolster its defences against increasingly bellicose threats from Beijing. Democratic Taiwan lives under the constant threat of invasion by communist China, which views the self-ruled island as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary. Beijing has piled on military, economic and diplomatic pressure […]
Taiwan grounds all F16 jets after one goes missing
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan has grounded all of its F16 fighter jets for safety checks as rescuers continue to search for one that went missing during a training exercise, authorities said Wednesday. The decision removes around 150 planes from Taiwan’s skies, leaving the democratic island relying on an even more limited fleet to warn off Chinese jets that have been buzzing it at an unprecedented rate in recent months. The air force said a […]
Taiwan says it was not invited to WHO meeting after Chinese ‘obstruction’
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan on Monday said Chinese “obstruction” had prevented it from attending a key World Health Organization meeting focused on the coronavirus, accusing the global body of prioritizing politics over health. The self-ruled island of 23 million has seen remarkable success in combatting the pandemic — with only seven deaths and fewer than 600 confirmed cases — as many parts of the world report surging numbers of infections and deaths. But it […]
China to sanction US firms over Taiwan arms sale: foreign ministry
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China on Monday said it will impose sanctions on Lockheed Martin, a Boeing division and other US firms involved in arm sales to Taiwan, the self-governed island that Beijing views as its territory. The two US giants were involved in a recent sale of $1 billion worth of missiles to Taiwan, alongside Raytheon. Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian urged the US “to stop arms sales” to the island. The status […]
China threatens retaliation over US-Taiwan arms sale
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China on Thursday threatened to make a “legitimate and necessary” retaliation over the US sale of $1 billion worth of missiles to Taiwan as Beijing becomes increasingly strident over its claims to the self-ruled island. The US State Department said on Wednesday it had approved the sale of 135 air-to-ground missiles to Taiwan in a move Taipei’s defence ministry said would build its combat capabilities. Democratic and self-ruled Taiwan lives […]
US to sell air-to-ground missiles to Taiwan
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US government announced approval Wednesday to sell $1 billion worth of advanced air-to-ground missiles to Taiwan as the island shores up its defenses against the threat from China. The State Department said it had agreed to sell 135 of the AGM-84H SLAM-ER missiles, precision-guided, air-launched cruise missiles, and related equipment. Also approved was the sale of six MS-110 reconnaissance pods for air reconnaissance, and 11 M142 mobile light rocket […]
US to sell air-to-ground missiles to Taiwan
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US government announced approval Wednesday to sell $1 billion worth of advanced air-to-ground missiles to Taiwan as the island shores up its defenses against the threat from China. The State Department said it had agreed to sell 135 of the AGM-84H SLAM-ER missiles, precision-guided, air-launched cruise missiles, and related equipment. Also approved was the sale of six MS-110 reconnaissance pods for air reconnaissance, and 11 M142 mobile light […]
China ‘must back off’, says Taiwan
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan on Tuesday demanded that China “back off” and accused it of threatening peace after a Beijing official rejected a largely respected marine boundary following recent incursions. Foreign minister Joseph Wu urged Beijing to “return to the civilized international standards” after a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said there was no so-called median line in the Taiwan Strait “as Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory”. Wu told reporters: “The median […]
China holds military exercises near Taiwan as US diplomat visits
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China said Friday it was conducting military exercises near the Taiwan Strait, as a top US diplomat visits the self-ruled island in a move that has angered Beijing. Relations between the United States and China are at their lowest point in decades, with the two sides clashing over a range of trade, military and security issues as well as the coronavirus pandemic. Keith Krach, US undersecretary of state for economic […]
Thousands of Taiwan government email accounts ‘hacked by China’
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Chinese hackers infiltrated at least 10 Taiwan government agencies and gained access to around 6,000 email accounts in an attempt to steal data, officials said Wednesday. The damage done was “not small”, according to a top Taiwan cyber official, who said the full impact was still being assessed. Taipei has accused Beijing of stepping up a cyber campaign since 2016 when Taiwan elected President Tsai Ing-wen, who refuses to acknowledge […]
US cabinet member lauds Taiwan’s democracy during historic visit
by Amber WANG TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — A US cabinet member heaped praise on Taiwan’s democracy and its success in battling the coronavirus as he met the island’s leader on Monday during a historic visit that China has slammed as a threat to peace. Health Secretary Alex Azar is in Taipei for a three-day visit billed as the highest level visit from the United States since it switched diplomatic recognition from the island to China […]





