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· Carl Samson
Taiwanese novel is 1st Mandarin Chinese work to win International Booker Prize
Yáng Shuāng-zǐ and translator Lin King’s queer colonial romance has become the first Mandarin Chinese work to win one of fiction’s most prestigious international honors last week. A love story layered in colonial history Set in 1938 Japan-occupied Taiwan, “Taiwan Travelogue”…
· Ryan General
Former Taiwan coach ejected from Women’s Asian Cup match for chanting ‘Taiwan’
Chants of “Go Taiwan!” during a Women’s Asian Cup match in Sydney on Tuesday led to the removal of a former Taiwan men’s national team coach from the stadium. Chen Kuei-jen was asked to leave after security said the chants were considered political because the team competes…
· Ryan General
Maduro arrest fuels Taiwan-focused debate across Chinese social media
The Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3 triggered a surge of debate on Chinese social media, pushing related hashtags to the top of Weibo’s trending charts. While Beijing has framed the seizure as a sovereignty violation, online…
· Ryan General
Taiwan’s population drops for 23rd consecutive month as births fall to record low
Taiwan’s population fell again in November, marking 23 straight months of decline with only 7,946 births recorded. The Ministry of the Interior reported a total population of 23,306,085, down 96,710 from November 2024 and 4,768 from October 2025. Deaths in the same month…
· Carl Samson
Taiwan’s 2027 defense push reflects deepening U.S.-China-Japan strategic competition
President Lai Ching-te unveiled Taiwan’s most ambitious military spending program last week, committing $1.25 trillion Taiwan dollars ($40 billion) over eight years to bolster the island’s defenses as Beijing intensifies pressure and cross-strait relations grow increasingly…
· Carl Samson
Beijing unleashes economic pressure on Japan over escalating Taiwan dispute
Japan dispatched a senior diplomat to Beijing Monday to calm a deepening dispute after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that Tokyo might respond militarily to a Chinese attack on Taiwan. Driving the news: Tensions flared after Takaichi told parliament Nov. 7 that a…
· Ryan General
Italian pizzeria owner apologizes for mocking Taiwanese tourists
An Italian restaurant owner has issued a video apology to the Taiwanese community following a wave of negative online reviews sparked by his criticism of a tour group’s dining habits. Patrizio Pazzini, owner of Pizza Dal Pazzo, posted a video statement on TikTok last Friday…
· Ryan General
Trump again claims Xi told him China won’t act on Taiwan
President Donald J. Trump has repeated his claim that Chinese leader Xi Jinping assured him China would not move militarily against Taiwan while he remains in office. In a “60 Minutes” interview broadcast from Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump on Sunday, he said the U.S.…
· Ryan General
Beijing creates new national observance linking Taiwan to China’s wartime victory
China has designated Oct. 25 as the Commemoration Day of Taiwan’s Restoration, a new national observance intended to reinforce Beijing’s sovereignty claim over the self-ruled island. The measure was approved Friday in Beijing during a session of the Standing Committee of the…
· Carl Samson
Taiwanese visitors wear badges in S. Korea to avoid anti-Chinese hostility
Taiwanese tourists visiting South Korea have begun wearing identification badges to avoid being mistaken for Chinese nationals amid escalating xenophobic incidents targeting Mandarin speakers. State of play: A Taiwan national sparked social media discussions earlier this month…
· Ryan General
Beijing denounces Taiwan president for ‘prostituting himself’ to Trump
Beijing accused Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te of “prostituting himself” to foreign powers after he praised U.S. President Donald Trump during a recent interview on “The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show.” Lai, who is set to deliver his National Day address in Taipei on Friday,…
· Ryan General
Beijing denies Trump’s claim that Xi vowed not to invade Taiwan during his presidency
Beijing rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent claim that Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him there would be no invasion of Taiwan during Trump’s term, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry firmly reiterating the position that Taiwan is an internal Chinese matter. The…
· Ryan General
Taiwan warns citizens against China’s WWII events over ‘distorted’ history
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Friday reinforced a call from Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng for citizens to reject participation in China’s commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, including a military parade in Beijing’s…
· Ryan General
Trump claims Xi vowed no Taiwan invasion during his presidency
President Donald Trump claimed during a Fox News interview on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him China would not invade Taiwan while he remains in office. The claim comes as U.S.-China relations remain strained and military activity around the Taiwan Strait…
· Ryan General
Drama about Chinese invasion becomes surprise hit among Taiwanese viewers
A fictional Taiwanese TV series depicting a Chinese military attack has become a major sensation with viewers since its premiere in Taipei on July 29. “Zero Day Attack,” a 10-episode speculative thriller released nationwide on August 2, has drawn unprecedented attention and…
· Carl Samson
Taiwan president’s Americas trip shelved over Beijing’s objections
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has reportedly shelved his planned August trip to diplomatic allies in the Americas amid reports that the Trump administration blocked a New York stopover after Beijing raised objections. State of play: Lai was expected to travel to Belize,…
· Ryan General
Taiwan’s Great Recall: Historic bid to remove ‘pro-China’ lawmakers fails
A historic vote in Taiwan on Saturday targeting 24 opposition Kuomintang (KMT) legislators accused of being too friendly with Beijing ended without any removals but nonetheless shook the island nation’s political landscape. The so-called “Great Recall,” Taiwan’s largest…
· Ryan General
Taiwanese President Lai: ‘Of course Taiwan is a country’
President Lai Ching-te is traveling across Taiwan to urge unity against growing Chinese pressure, declaring the island an independent country as Beijing increases military activity and Taiwan prepares for a crucial recall vote. Asserting Taiwan’s sovereignty
· Ryan General
Pete Hegseth: US will go to war to stop China from taking Taiwan
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. would take military action to stop China from invading Taiwan, outlining a defense policy that shifts strategic focus from Europe to Asia to deter what he called “an imminent threat” from Beijing. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue…
· Ryan General
Kaitlyn Chen makes WNBA history as 1st Taiwanese player to take the court
On Tuesday night, Kaitlyn Chen became the first player of Taiwanese descent to officially take to the WNBA court. The 23-year-old guard debuted for the Golden State Valkyries during their inaugural preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco. Chen received cheers and…