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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has said she has “faith” that the United States will defend the island in the event China launches a military strike, in an interview with CNN broadcast Wednesday. “I do have faith” that US forces would help defend Taiwan, Tsai told the news network, highlighting the “wide range of cooperation with the US aiming at increasing our defense capability.” US President Joe Biden last week said the […]
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan’s president has given a speech in the United States — the first time in 15 years that a leader of the island has spoken publicly on American soil — in a move likely to anger Beijing. During a stopover en route to Paraguay, Tsai Ing-wen, whose government refuses to endorse Beijing’s view that Taiwan is part of China, vowed to defend democratic values. “We will keep our pledge that we […]
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Frequent and increased Chinese military drills pose an “enormous threat” to Taiwan’s security, Taipei warned on Tuesday in an annual defense review that starkly highlighted rising cross-strait tensions. China views Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified at some point — by military force, if necessary. The two sides split after a civil war in 1949. Although Taiwan is a self-ruling democracy, it has never formally declared independence. Beijing […]
TAIPEI, China (AFP) — Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen launched the island’s first ever home-grown submarine project Tuesday in the face of what the government says are growing military threats from China. The move comes after China sent its only aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, through the Taiwan Strait in January, in one of a number of military drills held as relations deteriorate. Taiwan last week warned of an increased invasion risk from China and has pledged […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US Senator Ted Cruz met on Sunday with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-Wen, despite objections from Chinese diplomats. The Republican from Texas, who lost in the US primary elections to President-elect Donald Trump, said in a statement that the two discussed arms sales, diplomatic exchanges and economic relations during the meeting in Houston. “Furthering economic cooperation between our two nations must be a priority; increased access to Taiwanese markets will benefit […]
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan will not bend to pressure despite China returning to its “old ways” of intimidation, President Tsai Ing-wen said Saturday, following protests from Beijing over her call to US President-elect Donald Trump. China has stepped up military drills near Taiwan since the call earlier in December, in a move seen as putting on a show of strength as its ties with the self-ruled island and the United States deteriorate. The call […]
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — An unsupervised Taiwanese naval officer who decided to experiment with a missile launcher and accidentally fired towards China was one of three people charged Monday over the fatal incident. The misfiring of the supersonic “aircraft carrier killer” last month struck a damaging blow to the military’s image, embarrassing new president Tsai Ing-wen and angering Beijing. The Hsiung-feng III (Brave wind) missile hit a Taiwanese trawler, killing the skipper on board and […]
TAIPEI , Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan swore in Tsai Ing-wen as its first female president Friday as relations with rival China rapidly cool. Beijing-sceptic Tsai took the oath of office at the presidential palace in Taipei after winning a landslide victory in January signalling the end of an eight-year rapprochement with China. Public support for outgoing president Ma Ying-jeou plunged as voters felt he moved too close to Beijing, which still sees the island as […]
by Amber WANG TAIPEI , Taiwan (AFP) — When Tsai Ing-wen takes office as Taiwan’s president Friday she steps onto a tightrope between voter dreams of national pride and a Beijing that wants the island on a short leash. Tsai’s election victory reflected public desire for a president who would put self-ruling Taiwan first, not “sell out” to China, which still sees the island as part of its territory. Her political message revolves around the […]
Taiwan’s elections are just days away with little clarity about how a likely win by a party that traditionally favours independence from China will go down with a neighbour that has threatened force to ensure the island never goes it alone. Taiwan votes in a new president and parliament on January 16 when the ruling Nationalists (KMT) are expected to be soundly beaten by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), supported by youthful voters angered by […]
Taiwan’s opposition leader and presidential front runner on Sunday (December 27) called on China to respect the island’s democratic process and said she believes Beijing will have a “rational attitude” when dealing with her independence-leaning party. Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), made the comments in the first live, televised presidential debate with three weeks to go before Taiwan votes in a new president and parliament. Tsai, with a double-digit percentage lead […]
