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Taiwan Elections
The Trump administration has announced a massive package of arms sales to Taiwan valued at more than USD 10 billion, including medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones, a move that is sure to infuriate China. The State Department announced the sales late Wednesday during a nationally televised address by President Donald Trump, who made scant mention of foreign policy issues and did not speak to trade or other issues with China. The eight arms sales agreements cover 82 high-mobility artillery rocket systems, or HIMARS, and 420 Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS similar to what the US had been providing Ukraine during the Biden administration to defend itself from Russia worth more than USD 4 billion. The sales also include 60 self-propelled howitzer systems and related equipment, also worth more than USD 4 billion, and drones valued at more than USD 1 billion. Other sales in the package include military software valued at more than USD 1 billion, Javelin and TOW missiles
Taiwan has urged its citizens to avoid travel to China and the semi-autonomous Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macao following threats from Beijing to execute supporters of the self-governing island democracy's independence. Spokesperson and deputy head of the Mainland Affairs Council Liang Wen-chieh issued the advisory at a news conference Thursday. That came amid growing threats from China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary. China's threat to hunt down and execute hardcore Taiwan independence supporters follows the election of Lai Ching-te of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party as president. China has refused all contact with Taiwan's government since the election in 2016 of former president Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP, who refused to endorse Beijing's demand that Taiwan recognizes itself as a part of China, seen as a prelude to political unification between the sides. In response to the new guidelines related to the ...
A suspected Chinese state-sponsored hacking group has stepped up its targeting of Taiwanese organisations, particularly those in sectors such as government, education, technology and diplomacy, according to cybersecurity intelligence company Recorded Future. In recent years, relations between China and Taiwan, a self-governed island across the Taiwan Strait that Beijing claims as its territory, have deteriorated. The cyberattacks by the group known as RedJulliett were observed between November 2023 and April 2024, during the lead up to Taiwan's presidential elections in January and the subsequent change in administration. RedJuliett has targeted Taiwanese organisations in the past, but this is the first time that activity was seen at such a scale, a Recorded Future analyst said, speaking on condition of anonymity out of safety concerns. The report said RedJuliett attacked 24 organisations, including government agencies in places like Laos, Kenya and Rwanda, as well as Taiwan. It a
Amid China's protest over the exchange of greetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, the US State Department said such congratulatory messages between two foreign leaders are a part of diplomatic business. I would say that such congratulatory messages are the normal course of diplomatic business," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Thursday at his daily news conference. He was responding to a question on China protesting over Modi's comment that he looked forward to having closer ties with Taiwan after his victory in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections. Earlier on Wednesday, Modi's remarks came in response to a congratulatory message from Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on his election victory. Lai, elected as Taiwan's President last month, in a message posted on X said: My sincere congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi on his election victory. We look forward to enhancing the fast-growing #Taiwan-#Indi
In a campaign ad for Taiwan's president-elect Lai Ching-te, incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen was shown driving with Lai in the passenger seat, exchanging reflections on their years governing together. Tsai later turned over the driving to Lai, who was joined by running mate Bi-khim Hsiao. The message was clear: Lai would steer the island in the direction set by Tsai, who after eight years in power was barred from running again. Lai, 64, will take office Monday. Continuing Tsai's legacy means aiming to strike a balance between cultivating Taiwan's unofficial alliance with the United States and maintaining peace with China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, to be retaken by force if necessary. Lai is also expected to build on some of Tsai's domestic reforms, despite political gridlock. Lai and Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party has lost the majority in the legislature, making it hard for Lai to push through legislation, including the approval of crucial national defense ...