TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The Tourism Administration recently reminded travel agencies to file reports about groups traveling to China or face fines of up to NT$50,000 (US$1,500), reports said Wednesday.

The warning level for travel to China issued by the Mainland Affairs Council stands at orange, advising against non-essential travel to China. The government recently pointed out the case of a former Amnesty International staffer facing hours of questioning by immigration after his arrival in Shanghai on a business trip.

Despite an official ban on Taiwanese tour groups heading to China, they have been assisting travelers and forming groups, supposedly for research or exchange purposes, per Liberty Times. Even in the event of individuals forming groups to travel in China, Hong Kong, and Macau, the details of the itinerary should be registered, the government said.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Labor Minister Hung Sun-han (   ) confirmed Tuesday that he received a formal invitation from APEC and will attend a Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting in Nanjing, China, on Sept. 21.

The visit would make Hung the first minister-level official in President Lai Ching-te's (   ) administration to travel to China. Hung said Taiwan will participate as a full APEC member and would be afforded equal participation, per LTN.

Addressing safety concerns over the trip, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday that more than 300 person-trips from Taiwan had been made to China for various APEC meetings since December, with no incidents reported.

Hung said APEC is an important multilateral cooperation mechanism through which Taiwan participates as a full member. "Under APEC's norms and model, all member countries adhere to the core principle of equal participation," said Hung. He added that the group has long provided Taiwan with an important platform for international participation and visibility.

He said Taiwan's willingness to engage with the international community would not change regardless of where an APEC meeting is held. Regarding the length of his stay and whether he plans to meet specific individuals in China, Hung said he is simply there to attend the meeting.

Hung added that the Mainland Affairs Council and the Straits Exchange Foundation have long been aware of the relevant travel and security issues.

The trip comes amid concerns over the treatment of Taiwanese officials in China. DPP Legislator Wu Szu-yao (   ) warned Tuesday that Taiwanese officials visiting China could face unequal treatment or political interference and said precautions should be taken.

A person familiar with Hung's itinerary said the minister's attendance would provide an opportunity to meet international experts and interact with counterparts from partner economies. The person said not attending would amount to self-imposed restrictions and could be interpreted as appeasing China, per LTN.

The person also noted that the APEC ministerial meeting is a closed international event that follows established international conventions, potentially reducing the risk of political interference.

KMT Culture and Communications Committee Director Chen I-hsin (   ) said the party has consistently supported Taiwan's participation in international organizations and hopes to see a resumption of normal cross-strait exchanges. Chen said cross-strait exchanges are not inherently problematic and claimed that visiting China should not automatically be viewed as risky, per UDN.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (   ) on Tuesday criticized China's harassment at the 55th Pacific Islands Forum in Palau after a Chinese official protested Taiwan's attendance.

China's special envoy to the Pacific, Qian Bo, warned there would be "consequences" for Taiwan's participation in the PIF.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Taiwan has donated drones to diplomatic ally Palau as part of its efforts to expand technology training and cooperation with Pacific countries, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (   ) said Wednesday.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The US announced more than NT$4.76 billion (US$150 million) in support for Pacific Island countries on Tuesday, including two projects in Palau involving cooperation with Taiwan.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau disclosed the funding at the Pacific Islands Forum Partners Dialogue in Palau, according to a press release. The State Department said the new US-funded projects and investments aim to promote economic prosperity and security for Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The State Department said the US commitment to the security and prosperity of the Pacific Islands remains a key pillar of its "America First" foreign policy. Washington said it is prioritizing commercial diplomacy and reshaping foreign assistance around US businesses and infrastructure that support private-sector-led economic growth.

The Palau National Hospital relocation project involves the US, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan, "a key partner of Palau," supporting the development and operation of a new, modern hospital facility, the department said. The project is subject to the outcome of a feasibility study and is intended to meet Palau's long-term health and infrastructure needs.

The US Environmental Protection Agency is also working with Taiwan on a drinking water sampling project in Palau. The project will also train Palau's drinking water operators and environmental laboratory regulatory staff in proper sampling and logistical techniques.

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun and KMT Zhubei mayoral candidate Wu Hsu-chih. (CNA photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   KMT Vice Chair Li Chien-lung (   ) on Tuesday rejected rumors that the KMT and TPP favored allowing TPP Zhubei mayoral candidate Chiu Chen-yuan (   ) to run on the opposition's joint ticket.

Former KMT lawmaker Lin Wei-chou (   ) announced Monday that he was facilitating cooperation between the two parties in the Zhubei mayoral race. In an interview with UDN, Lin said the consensus candidate for Zhubei mayor was Chiu, while KMT Legislator Hsu Hsin-ying (   ) was the preferred candidate for the Hsinchu magistrate race, adding that the final decision rested with the two party chairs.

TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (   ) said that although he had received calls from Lin, subsequent talks with KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun (   ) revealed that Lin's promises were not aligned with the situation within the KMT, per UP Media. Li also denied the rumors, stressing that Lin's comments were not true, per NOWNews.

Sources within the KMT suggested that KMT Zhubei mayoral candidate Wu Hsu-chih (   ) was not dropping out to allow Chiu to run on the opposition's ticket. Lin later wrote on Facebook that he had done all he could to facilitate the opposition coalition, per Storm Media.

Mirror Media reported that the KMT and TPP had not yet begun high-level talks on selecting a joint candidate for the Zhubei mayoral race. A source within the KMT told the paper that Hsu's poor performance in internal polling, along with anger among TPP supporters following the collapse of cooperation in Zhubei, had prompted Lin, a member of her faction, to release the information in hopes of forcing Wu to drop out and regaining TPP support.

The affidavit for the KMT's Zhubei mayoral primary recently came to light, per NOWNews. A clause specified that the winner must abide by the mechanism negotiated by the TPP and KMT, requiring the winner to support whichever candidate the mechanism selected for the opposition coalition.

KMT mayoral primary candidate Lin Chi-hsien (   ) suggested that talks between the two parties must have occurred for a clause concerning the candidate selection mechanism to appear on the affidavit. He acknowledged that although the party did not inform candidates that they would have to allow the TPP's preferred candidate to run, it also did not rule out the possibility.

Lin Chi-hsien called on the KMT to handle the situation carefully to avoid affecting the party's chances of retaining Hsinchu County. Fellow primary candidate Lin Yu-yu (   ) said the understanding among the candidates was that the TPP and KMT would decide the opposition candidate through polling.

Lin Yu-yu argued that the TPP had not discussed its next move with the KMT and, instead, sought to communicate its stance through the media. He added that KMT supporters were baffled by the TPP's insistence on pushing its candidate.

Commenting on the situation, a local KMT insider noted that, with Wu enjoying a commanding lead over Chiu in the polls, the KMT was ready for a three-way race in Zhubei, per ETtoday. The insider added that the latest poll on the Hsinchu County race indicated that the TPP had roughly 30,000 supporters remaining in the county.

Another KMT source told ETtoday that while no one wanted a three-way race in the county, Hsu had no basis to persuade Wu to drop out since they both won their nominations through primaries.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun (   ), accompanied by KMT Changhua County Branch Chair Hsiao Ching-tien (   ) and magistrate candidate Wei Ping-cheng (   ), visited Lukang Lung-shan Temple on Monday, amid County Magistrate Wang Hui-mei's (   ) continued absence from Wei's campaign.

Cheng's visit to Lukang Township, Wang's power base, has drawn attention after members of the wider pro-KMT coalition in the county announced their bids for the magistrate race, per Tai Sounds. When asked about the purpose of Cheng's visit, both Wei and Hsiao said it was to film and visit local political power brokers.

Both Wei and Hsiao denied that Cheng's trip to Changhua was connected to the magistrate race. However, Hsiao noted that he had invited Wang to chair Wei's campaign, stressing that there was no other candidate besides her.

When asked whether Wang could accompany him to officially register for the magistrate race, Wei said he had not received any information confirming the possibility, per UDN.

Wang, meanwhile, announced that she would meet with Premier Cho Jung-tai (   ) to lobby for support for 11 major infrastructure projects outlined by the county government, per CNA.

Wei commented on Cheng's Changhua trip in an interview Wednesday, saying that he had received full support from Lukang Township Mayor Hsu Chih-hung (   ), per CNews. He stressed that his polling numbers had improved since his campaign began and that feedback from supporters had been positive.

Cheng reportedly said Sunday that she had sought former Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng's (   ) assistance in persuading Wang Hui-mei to support Wei, per Tai Sounds. She continued, noting that Wang Hui-mei continued to refuse to campaign for Wei and had turned down his request for a meeting.

Commenting on Wang's attitude, former Changhua County Magistrate Cho Po-yuan (   ) suggested that the KMT's decision to directly nominate Wei while Wang was visiting other countries, along with the party's alleged refusal to respond to her inquiries about the decision, had contributed to Wang's current attitude, per CNews. He said Wang might not have been as hard-headed if the party had discussed the issue with her and given her more time to consolidate local factions.

Cho proposed organizing a survey to determine the KMT's magistrate candidate, adding that both Wang Jin-pyng and Wang Hui-mei believed the move would be the best path forward, per CNews. Local insiders suggested that if Wang Hui-mei continued to reject efforts to aid Wei's campaign, Changhua County Council Speaker Hsieh Tien-lin (   ), the longtime speaker, could take charge of Wei's campaign, per Liberty Times.

The insiders added that, as one of the most supportive political figures, having Hsieh at the helm would help consolidate local factions. Hsieh is currently embroiled in a dispute with Changhua County Council Deputy Speaker Hsu Yuan-lung (   ) over Hsu's ambition to become speaker.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Taitung District Prosecutors Office released seven witnesses Tuesday evening following questioning as part of an ongoing investigation into potential corruption connected to a road widening project.

Taitung County Councilor Lin Tsan-tien (   ) revealed in July that an access road widening project on Qinghai Road Section 3, Alley 338, serves only one household and a resort construction project connected to KMT candidate and Taitung County Council Speaker Wu Hsiu-hua (   ), per UP Media.

The county government said the widening project was intended to serve farmers in the area, though Lin's inquiry found that no traffic accidents had occurred on that section of the road since 2016.

Prosecutors believe the road widening project was arranged by Wu's family and other county councillors, adding that they have sufficient evidence suggesting the road work was intended to serve the resort project, per Liberty Times.

Prosecutors have detained three suspects, including Taitung County Agriculture Department Director Hsu Chia-hao (   ), former Deputy Director Tsai Ming-tan (   ), and Wu's aide Chiu Chia-ping (   ), who was initially questioned as a witness, per China Times.

Prosecutors searched the offices and residences of seven county councilors, including Deputy Speaker Lin Tsung-han (   ), per Liberty Times. They later announced that the witnesses had been released following questioning, but declined to disclose details of the case, citing the secrecy of the investigation, per CNA.

In related news, Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (   ) backed Wu's mayoral bid Saturday, highlighting her long service on the county council, per CNA. Lu also complimented DPP magistrate candidate Chen Ying's (  ) record in the legislature, urging her to remain in her post to work with Wu to improve Taitung.

Chen declined Lu's recommendation, noting that Lu also came from a legislative background before serving as a municipal leader.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (   ) said Wednesday that his family will give up a subsidy after his son's selection for a city-funded exchange program drew scrutiny over his US citizenship.

CNA reported that Taipei councilors questioned whether Chiang's son, who holds both Taiwan and US citizenship, should receive public funding for the program. They also raised concerns about a possible conflict of interest because Chiang heads the city government.

Chiang confirmed that his eldest son holds US citizenship and applied for the exchange program. He said the application was his son's decision and that the teenager completed the same registration and selection process as other applicants.

The education department said the program does not restrict applicants based on nationality. Students enrolled in Taipei schools may apply if they meet academic, English-language, and other eligibility requirements, per Liberty Times.

The department said several students selected this year also hold dual citizenship, while students with dual nationality have participated in previous years. It said no applicant has been excluded because of nationality or family background.

Officials said the city exchange program is separate from the education ministry's publicly funded overseas study program. The two programs are administered by different authorities and operate under separate rules.

The department said Chiang's son was selected under the same rules as other applicants and received no special treatment. It added that visa requirements vary by destination, and students who already have the right to enter a country may not need a separate student visa, per SETN News.

Chiang said his son is a Taiwan citizen who attended elementary and junior high school in Taipei and took the junior high school entrance examination. He said the teenager met all eligibility requirements for the program.

Chiang said he was proud that his son had been accepted through his own efforts. However, after discussing the matter with his wife and son, the family decided to give up the subsidy provided by the education department.

The mayor said politicians should expect strict public scrutiny and that he was willing to answer questions about the case. However, he said his son should not have to give up an opportunity to pursue his own plans simply because his father is the Taipei mayor.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   TSMC Vice President Hsu Kuo-chin (   ) said Monday that silicon photonics is gaining momentum as AI workloads push data center networks toward their physical and power limits.

Hsu said at a silicon photonics forum that silicon photonics could account for more than 50% of the optical transceiver market in 2027, per Liberty Times. He said some companies are expected to begin mass production of co-packaged optics (CPO) products in the second half of this year.

Hsu said AI is creating not only software challenges but also physical and power constraints as data centers handle rapidly increasing computing workloads. Optical transceivers are becoming important to data center infrastructure, with global sales rising 25% in 2025 and projected to increase another 50% this year, he said.

Demand for higher-speed products is also accelerating, per CNA. Sales of optical transceivers supporting speeds of 100G and above doubled in 2024 and increased another 60% in 2025, Hsu said.

Hsu said Taiwan's semiconductor foundry ecosystem can produce optical engines at scale and with high precision, making CPO the ultimate application of silicon photonics. He said concerns over CPO have eased as real-world data and market validation have accumulated.

The semiconductor industry has broadly embraced silicon photonics, Hsu said, but scaling up the technology will require progress across other parts of the supply chain, including lasers, fiber-optic connectors, and testing.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Premier Cho Jung-tai (   ) said Wednesday the government will prepare land and factories to help semiconductor and tech firms start operations faster, CNA reported.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of Semicon Taiwan, Cho said the Cabinet has instructed the economics ministry and science council to prepare land and factory facilities. Ready-to-use sites would allow investors to start operations with fewer delays, he said.

Cho said rapid advances in artificial intelligence are driving closer international cooperation in high tech. He said the country must remain part of that development as governments and companies invest in the next generation of technology.

More than 4,300 exhibitors from over 60 countries are taking part in Semicon Taiwan, Cho said. The US, European Union, UK, and other governments have also set up national pavilions, showing growing international interest in the semiconductor industry.

Semiconductor output reached about NT$6.7 trillion (US$209.1 billion) in 2025, up 22.7% from a year earlier, Cho said. Growth has exceeded expectations as demand for advanced chips and AI technology continues to rise, he added.

TSMC and other major international companies are investing heavily in advanced manufacturing, packaging, and memory technology, Cho said. The government also plans to strengthen the equipment and materials sectors to expand the industry's role in global supply chains.

Cho said continued investment by major companies shows confidence in the local technology sector. Their expansion could create further opportunities as the global semiconductor market continues to grow.

The government is also promoting 10 major AI infrastructure projects that Cho said will support the semiconductor industry's development. The projects aim to advance technology, strengthen international links, and encourage new AI applications.

Cho said the government will estimate how much electricity demand will rise as AI-related industries expand. It will work to provide enough power while preparing other resources needed for future investment.

The government will focus on land, energy, workers, and financing to support expansion, Cho said.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The Air Force will spend NT$36.04 billion (US$1.13 billion) through 2032 to develop and procure the indigenous Strong Bow medium-altitude anti-tactical ballistic missile system.

The system is designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles with ranges of up to 1,000 kilometers and will complement the nation's existing lower-tier missile defense systems, per Liberty Times. The ministry said the system is being developed as part of a multilayered defense strategy to counter the growing ballistic missile threat from China.

Strong Bow was originally expected to be funded through a proposed NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget, but was not included in the final proposal. The 2027 budget documents submitted to the Legislative Yuan instead show that the program will be funded through the defense ministry's annual budget.

The Cabinet said Strong Bow was originally among 23 weapons programs planned under the proposed special defense budget, but was shifted to the annual budget after the legislature approved NT$780 billion for US arms purchases, per CNA. The government said the defense ministry has since prioritized programs based on delivery schedules and operational needs, although the broader military buildup timeline has been affected.

The ministry did not disclose the number of missiles or weapons systems to be procured, citing classified information, Liberty Times reported. It said the missiles and associated weapons systems are scheduled for delivery starting in 2028.

The Strong Bow system is designed for mobile deployment to improve survivability and can operate alongside other air defense missile systems under a unified command-and-control structure. Its two-stage missile consists of an interceptor vehicle and booster, uses a composite-material casing, and employs thrust-vector control during the terminal phase to adjust its trajectory and improve interception capabilities at medium and high altitudes.

The missile uses a millimeter-wave radar seeker to detect and track targets, while its fire-control radar is the first domestically developed active electronically scanned array radar, according to Liberty Times. Military sources said the radar has a longer detection range than that of the radars on existing Patriot and Sky Bow III systems.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology is currently upgrading the land-based Sky Sword II missile, also known as the Land Sword II.

NCSIST aims to reduce reload time from 30 minutes to under 10 minutes, Liberty Times reported. The institute is also evaluating a shift from the current dual-missile canister design to a universal canister to increase the operational flexibility of the Sky Sword II missile family, which includes air-, land-, and sea-launched variants.

The Army has not stopped production of the Land Sword missile despite using up a special fund. Instead, it is continuing procurement through the defense ministry's annual budget, per Liberty Times.

According to next year's defense budget proposal, the commissioned production program for the Land Sword missile will run for five years from 2027 to 2031, with a total budget of NT$3.65 billion (US$115.08 million).

The Land Sword missile uses active radar guidance, and each launcher vehicle can carry four missiles. It features all-weather, all-direction, multi-target engagement capability and is highly maneuverable.

The missile is resistant to electronic jamming and can intercept fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles. It has a maximum range of 15 kilometers.

An American citizen has pleaded guilty to spying for China and acting as a paid middleman for collecting sensitive U.S. information. Thomas Pauken faces up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for September 1, 2026, as reported by Tech Radar.

Thomas Weir Pauken II, 50, admitted to conspiring with multiple individuals to exfiltrate data for the Chinese government. Court documents revealed that in 2017, Pauken met with an operative identified as "Cathy," who provided him with hardware and instructions to gather specific information. He received at least $100,000 and travel expenses for these activities.

Pauken also worked with others, believing they were Chinese intelligence handlers, and sold reports to individuals in Wuhan interested in U.S. technology and the Department of Justice. The FBI stated that Pauken attempted to infiltrate U.S. political circles and gather intelligence for China's Ministry of State Security.

The alleged Chinese spy who seduced ex-Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell met him through a nonprofit accused of Chinese Communist Party ties   which is still placing interns with politicians across the US.

Fang "Christine" Fang worked her way up to president of a chapter of The Asian Pacific American Public Affairs (APAPA) group, which she used to help get interns into other political offices in California, one of the group's stated missions.

Now-disgraced Swalwell told the FBI he considered glamorous graduate student Fang, whom he first met in 2012 before he took office, as his main point of contact with APAPA, according to declassified FBI files.

The same files detailed how Fang had also seduced two other politicians she had met through the APAPA network, both in the Midwest. One was an Ohio mayor, whom she had a sexual liaison with inside a car which was under electronic FBI surveillance, although the mayor's identity has never been revealed.

In a statement to The Post, APAPA said their "current national leadership has no information" Fang ever held an authorized role in the group.


The leaders of APAPA have been scrutinized by US watchdog groups over their apparent ties to China's ruling party.

Henry Yin, 79, is APAPA's national chair and has claimed to be an adviser to California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna.

Yin, a Chinese-American, is associated with numerous United Front groups, which are arms of the CCP. Between 2013 and 2023, Yin traveled to China to promote tech investment as the "head of the Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs Delegation," where he gave speeches on "perspectives as overseas Chinese in the US," according to the party-controlled Sichuan Daily News.

Yin is also named in reports by the CCP-controlled Sichuan Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, which refer to him by his Chinese name as an "overseas Chinese leader in California and Silicon Valley." A 2013 report from the ministry also mentions an education foundation scholarship in the Yin family's hometown in Sichuan province, which the ministry supported.

The Yin family is also credited as investing in Renshou County's "development of science and technology industries," and attracting investment from the US.

"APAPA is a locus of pro-CCP activity. Its mission is explicitly political," claimed Jackie Deal, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia. APAPA says its mission is to advance Asian and Pacific Islander communities "through increased leadership and civic engagement."

Yin made inroads in US politics in the early aughts and was appointed to the California Commission for Economic Development in 2010 by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, which was renewed four years later by the next governor, Jerry Brown.

"With my many social networking resources in both the US and China and many, years experience in government, business and social communities, I won't hesitate if the [US] Federal Government chooses to use me for something in the future," Yin told the China Daily newspaper at that time.

Yin did not respond to requests for comment on this story from The Post, nor is he accused of any wrongdoing.

   Summary

- COSCO's gear seeks to intercept military communications near US and other target coastlines, US officials say
- Program lets China track vessels and aircraft across Europe, North America and Asia, US officials say
- Pentagon added COSCO to military-linked companies list  in January 2025

WASHINGTON, Sept 1 (Reuters) - China's state-owned shipping giant COSCO uses concealed equipment on board its ships to  spy on military communications near the coastlines of target nations including the U.S., two senior Trump administration officials said.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the U.S. assessment of the Chinese program, said COSCO has a decades-long intelligence-collection partnership with Beijing. The arrangement allows China to collect communication signals from vessels  and aircraft operating across Europe, North America and Asia, they said.

The advanced equipment aboard the ships is intended to enable China  to gather information about "military communications technologies and encryption developments," one of the officials said.

The effort also allows Beijing  to monitor key shipping lanes and maritime routes crucial for trade and military navigation, the official added.

COSCO did not respond to a request  for comment, while China's embassy in Washington rejected the U.S. claims.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping plan to meet in Washington for  a summit later this month, when they are expected to discuss a range of sensitive security and trade issues.

The officials did not detail the type of equipment COSCO ships were allegedly using, but said they were "sophisticated signals intelligence collection" platforms, not routine communications hardware.

They said Beijing uses the information gleaned to bolster its position  in territorial disputes and provide maritime reconnaissance and early-warning indications of foreign military targets.

China's embassy in Washington said the Chinese government would never  ask any company or individual to "collect or provide data, information or intelligence located abroad against local laws."

"We oppose vilifying China by peddling the so-called 'intelligence collection' narrative,  which is  totally baseless," embassy spokesperson Liu Chang told Reuters.

ALLEGED TIES BETWEEN CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND SHIPPERS


A report published by the U.S. Naval War College in April 2025 said it was likely that China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) was harnessing the country's fishing and commercial shipping fleets for intelligence and surveillance gathering.

The Pentagon put COSCO on its list of companies linked to China's military in January 2025, a designation that carries serious reputational costs for companies  as well as U.S. government procurement  bans, but does not entail  formal sanctions.

Chinese law requires the country's firms to support government intelligence work.

Nonetheless, COSCO remains one of the top global shipping companies calling at U.S. ports and has several terminal service joint ventures for container ships  at U.S. ports.

The Trump administration last year planned to implement billions of dollars in port fees on  Chinese shipping companies,  including COSCO, in an effort to revitalize the atrophied U.S. shipbuilding and maritime industries.

The plan was paused, however, after Trump reached an agreement last October with Xi for a year-long trade war d tente. The agreement expires in November, and a possible extension is expected to feature in the September talks  between the  leaders.

Isaac Kardon, an expert in Chinese maritime strategy at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced  International Studies, said the U.S.
government would likely have difficulty decisively addressing the security concerns given the degree to which COSCO is interwoven into U.S. trade.

"Taking COSCO out of  our supply chains and transport networks could be life-threatening surgery to U.S. trade networks," Kardon said.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The Nuclear Safety Commission said Wednesday it has finished a technical review of the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant's restart plan, pending final approval.

The commission's Regulatory Group Deputy Director He Kung-min (   ) said it received the plan on March 27, per UDN. He noted that once approved, Taiwan Power Co. can begin equipment inspections.

Taipower's Nuclear Power Deputy Director Lin Ying-chi (   ) said each reactor unit will require two major overhauls. He added that inspections by equipment manufacturers are ongoing and the plant can expect to become operable in 2027.

According to the commission, Taipower's permit application must include a restart plan for approval. Taipower must also conduct safety inspections and submit a report on serviceability, earthquakes, and radiation concerns, per Commercial Times.

On spent fuel storage, Lin said the new indoor storage is currently in the design phase. As for the official relaunch date, he said it has yet to be determined due to the approval process.

The plant ceased operations after 40 years of service when its operating license expired on May, 17, 2025. Although it did not restart despite popular support, as votes failed to meet the minimum number of eligible voters for the referendum on Aug. 23, 2025, President Lai Ching-te (   ) asked Taipower to begin evaluations, per CNA.

According to Taipower's 2027 budget, it has allocated NT$9 million (US$ 283,850) for nationwide inspections on earthquake resistance, NT$14.32 million (US$ 451,675) for severe incident probability assessments, and NT$37.9 billion (US$1.2 billion) for maintenance and upkeep of all power plants, power grid wiring, and overhauls for Maanshan and Kuosheng power plants.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The Nuclear Safety Commission said Wednesday it will oversee an anti-drone exercise inside the disused Kuosheng Power Plant.

The Commission said its 32nd nuclear safety exercise is from Sept. 8-10 and the drill will test the effectiveness of emergency plans, per CNA. Commission Emergency Response Director Lin Chen-hsuan (   ) said this year will feature countermeasures, while past drills only simulated drone attacks.

On Sept. 8, Taiwan Power Co. Deputy Director Lin Ying-chi (   ) said an "intruding" drone will be intercepted by security armed with signal jammers. He added that there will also be the extinguishing of a large fuel tank fire caused by drone strikes.

From Sept. 9-10, the exercise covers New Taipei and Keelung, with evacuations by alert notifications, supply deliveries, and radiation treatment. There will be radiation scanning and school safety demonstrations. The event will be livestreamed.

The public will be alerted by text messages, loudspeaker warnings, and radio broadcasts. Residents in New Taipei's Shimen, Jinshan, and Wanli districts will be notified on Sept. 9, followed by Keelung's Zhongshan, Qidu, and Anle districts on Sept. 10.

Taipower built and maintains the installation. The plant was fully deactivated on March 14, 2023

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   China denigrated Taiwan's status in a joint declaration at the end of an official visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Egypt, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.

The text described Taiwan as "an inalienable part of China," the ministry said. In a statement, it condemned the Chinese-Egyptian declaration.

Beijing continues to misrepresent reality and to demand that other countries subscribe to its worldview, the ministry said. None of China's statements could change the fact that Taiwan is a sovereign nation, according to the ministry.

China's threats will only reinforce the nation's determination to defend its freedom against the expansion of authoritarianism, the ministry said.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Changhua County Magistrate Wang Hui-mei (   ) revealed Friday that the KMT might have been considering nominating Wei Ping-cheng (   ) as early as December 2025, adding she had little input in the process.

In a Facebook post detailing her side of the story regarding the KMT's Changhua nomination, Wang pointed out that she was invited by KMT Vice Chair Li Chien-lung (   ) and KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun (   ) to discuss the November elections in December 2025, per Tai Sounds. After Wang detailed the challenges facing the KMT and the three candidates competing in the primary, the two asked her whether Wei was a suitable candidate, adding that he had a good resume and solid support from his family.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   A Chinese spouse whose membership of  Nantou County Council was previously nullified because she failed to prove she had renounced her Chinese citizenship has registered for the year-end elections, reports said Friday.

Shi Xueyan (   ) was elected to the council for the KMT in a by-election in 2021, but lost a re-election bid one year later. This was followed by a Ministry of Interior ruling in 2024 that she had broken the Nationality Act.

On the final day of registration for the Nov. 28 local elections Friday, she submitted the documents to run for a seat on Nantou County Council as an independent, per CNA.

The documents she presented included a copy of the statement she had submitted to the National Immigration Agency in 2007 confirming she had renounced her Chinese household registration. According to legislation, former Chinese nationals can only run for public office after having given up their original household registration and lived in Taiwan for at least 10 years.

Nantou County Election Commission will investigate whether Shi is qualified to run in this year's election, with the Central Election Commission conducting a review of its own, CNA reported. The procedure concerning the 2024 nullification had not been completed yet, with Shi's objections still being reviewed.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Cabinet Spokesperson Michelle Lee (   ) defended Thursday the Cabinet's decision to use NT$500 million (US$15.7 million) in funds frozen in its 2025 budget, stressing that the action was lawful.

During the review of the 2025 budget, opposition lawmakers, angered by then-Cabinet Secretary-General Kung Ming-hsin's (   ) decision to leave a legislative committee meeting without approval from the meeting's convener, proposed freezing NT$500 million from the Cabinet's budget, per UDN. While the funds could have been unfrozen if Kung apologized, he never did, and the proposal was approved by the committee.

However, the financial statement for the Cabinet's 2025 budget year revealed it spent nearly all of its NT$1.5 billion budget despite the freeze. When questioned by KMT lawmakers about the situation, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics explained that the Cabinet had decided that the frozen funds, which were not attached to any specific budget item, would be used for personnel expenses, a mandatory spending item.

Lee explained the Cabinet's reasoning, saying that to maintain basic operations and minimize the impact on contractors, the Cabinet had decided to designate the frozen funds as personnel expenses, per CNA. She said civil servants' pay is a mandatory expense under the law, so the Cabinet was required to issue the payments, stressing that its spending had undergone scrutiny by the National Audit Office.

KMT Culture and Communications Committee Chair Chen I-hsin (   ) criticized the move, arguing that the frozen funds were for operational expenses rather than personnel expenses, per Z.Media. He noted that under the Budget Act, operational expenses should not be used for personnel expenses, alleging that the Cabinet had bypassed legislative oversight to access the funds.

Chen argued that Premier Cho Jung-tai (   ) should be impeached for this. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (   ) echoed Chen's criticisms, noting that the Cabinet had previously refused to countersign legislation passed by the legislature, per Liberty Times.

TPP Legislative Caucus Convener Chen Ching-lung (   ) noted that the Cabinet had unilaterally decided to use the frozen funds despite not meeting the conditions for unfreezing them. He called on the National Audit Office to review the action immediately.

TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (   ) argued that the audit office should not allow the Cabinet to pass its financial statement review, per FTNN. He also suggested that the legislature should only propose budget cuts in the future, since the Cabinet might seek a workaround to access frozen funds.

DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Chuang Jui-hsiung (   ) defended the action, saying that the situation was the result of political maneuvering by the opposition, per RTI. He said the Cabinet had reasons to justify the move, adding that the legislature should be more precise in its budgetary oversight.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The number of Taiwanese who have gone missing in China since 2024 has continued to rise, Straits Exchange Foundation Vice Chair Luo Wen-jia (   ) said Friday.

Luo said the foundation has handled cases involving Taiwanese facing detention, questioning, or other problems in China. There were 1,027 consultations and complaints recorded in 2025, up from 692 in 2024 and 588 in 2023, per Liberty Times. The increase reflects growing risks for Taiwanese traveling to China, he said.

According to figures supplied by the Mainland Affairs Council and cited by Luo, 426 Taiwanese went missing in China between January 2024 and Aug. 27, with 160 still unaccounted for. More than 200 were detained by Chinese authorities, he said.

"The government has a responsibility to tell people not to casually assume that most people who travel to China will be fine," Luo told Liberty Times. "You do not know when something might go wrong."

Luo said seven Taiwanese went missing in China during the final week of August. Two were later located, while the whereabouts of the other five are unknown.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   A Chinese Public Security Bureau officer allegedly living in Taiwan was actually a convicted criminal who had already been deported, the Mainland Affairs Council said Friday.

An influencer posted a video online claiming to show the Chinese officer living freely in Taipei, per UDN. However, the council said the footage had been shot when the man was awaiting deportation to China.

He had resigned from the Public Security Bureau and been sentenced to prison for a robbery in China, the council said. In July 2025, he entered Taiwan illegally but was soon arrested by the Coast Guard Administration.

A court sentenced him to a prison term, which he served before being deported. Because his detention was to last longer than legally allowed, he was transferred to alternative detention before leaving Taiwan, explaining why the influencer obtained footage of him that made it look as if he were free, the council said.

The government called on the public not to spread inaccurate information, while it said it will continue to safeguard national security and social order, UDN reported. Legislators had tabled amendments to improve the supervision of alternative detention, the council added.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The US trade deficit with Taiwan reached a record NT$656.2 billion (US$20.7 billion) in July as booming investment in AI infrastructure drove a surge in technology imports.

The overall US goods and services trade deficit widened 24.4% from June to NT$2.8 trillion in July, its highest level since March 2025, according to data released Thursday by the US Commerce Department, per Liberty Times. Imports rose 2.8% to NT$12.6 trillion, while exports fell 2.1% to NT$9.8 trillion.

The department attributed the drop in exports to a decline in crude oil and gold exports. Imports were driven by a surge in capital goods, including computers, computer accessories, and semiconductors.

The US also posted record July trade deficits with Mexico, Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea, and Malaysia, Liberty Times reported.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Wednesday that the US was preparing a new, targeted tariff policy for semiconductors, while seeking to encourage chip production in the US.

The US remains locked in a trade conflict with neighboring Canada, though its trade deficit with Canada narrowed in July. Last month, the US imposed a 50% tariff on billions of dollars worth of Canadian goods, prompting Ottawa to prepare retaliatory measures.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The Cabinet on Thursday approved NT$145.7 billion (US$4.64 billion) in additional defense spending for 2026, including funding for missile systems and uncrewed vehicles excluded from a special defense procurement law.

The Cabinet approved a record NT$607.6 billion in supplemental spending for the 2026 central government budget, per Rti. The defense allocation includes NT$4.1 billion for personnel, NT$8.2 billion for operations, and NT$133.4 billion for military investment.

The personnel funding includes NT$2.5 billion to expand military recruitment and NT$1.6 billion to increase allowances for combat units and eligible personnel. The operating budget includes NT$7.3 billion for ammunition and NT$900 million for the Taiwan Tactical Network integration project.

The military investment portion includes NT$13 billion for seven projects, NT$55.9 billion for three types of drones, and NT$64.5 billion for two classified projects, Rti reported. The package also includes funding for the Integrated Battle Command System, Chien Kung missiles, and uncrewed vehicles covered by the recently passed unmanned vehicle law.

Cabinet Spokesperson Michelle Lee (   ) said Premier Cho Jung-tai (   ) directed that the systems be included because national defense could not wait for the legislative process, according to Rti. The Legislative Yuan previously approved a scaled-back version of the special defense procurement law that excluded the unmanned systems and other domestically developed weapons.

Lee said the government would review the legislation and its implementation after receiving it Wednesday. She said the supplemental budget was intended to make up for delays in military buildup.

Department of Strategic Planning Director Lieutenant General Huang Wen-chi (   ) said the special defense budget was originally NT$1.25 trillion and covered 23 items, per CNA. Because the full amount was not approved, the 13 items for domestic production, commercial purchases, and Taiwan-US joint development were included in the supplemental budget.

Huang said the supplemental budget was proposed primarily based on the military buildup schedule, as uncrewed vehicle units began forming last year and all units were in place as of January. The military plans to procure 40,000 coastal attack drones, 600 coastal reconnaissance drones, and 100 small one-way unmanned surface vessels in 2027, per Storm Media.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (   ) criticized China's "wolf warrior" diplomacy at the Pacific Islands Forum on Friday.

Lin said Beijing's behavior during the 55th Pacific Islands Forum summit in Palau was "offensive," after China warned there would be "consequences" for allowing Taiwan to participate, per Liberty Times. He said the forum's 18 member states are its decision-making core, while China and Taiwan participate as invited partners.

In a Radio France Internationale video, Lin said: "China's wolf warrior diplomacy is actually very likely to undermine the unity of the Pacific, and it is very offensive and disgusting. In fact, these island nations in the Pacific are composed of 18 member states, and they are the core of decision-making."

Taiwan has been included in Pacific Islands Forum joint communiques since 1993, and Lin said he was not the first Taiwanese foreign minister to attend the gathering. He accused China of acting against the host country's wishes and described its declaration of Palau as an unsafe travel destination as "absurd."

China's warning of "consequences" drew pushback from Pacific leaders, with former US Ambassador to Palau John Hennessey-Niland saying China's attempt to influence whom the forum invited and what it discussed "backfired," per Nikkei Asia. Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. reaffirmed Taiwan's status as a development partner and said it would continue participating in the forum.

Lin said China's threats were accompanied by actions, such as a surprise July launch of a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile that overflew several Pacific nations before splashing down in the exclusive economic zones of Kiribati and Tuvalu. Australia, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Palau, and other countries raised concerns that China provided no prior notice of the test.

Seventeen of the forum's 18 members supported language expressing concern over the test and calling on countries conducting ICBM tests to provide at least 24 hours' advance notice, with Naoero, the sole dissenter, Nikkei Asia reported.  

Lin also confirmed reports that Chinese operatives and espionage activity were observed around the summit venue, according to Liberty Times. He thanked the Palauan government for strengthening security and accused Beijing of infringing on the sovereignty and human rights of other countries.

He criticized China's Belt and Road Initiative and what he described as its use of "elite capture," saying Beijing had left countries facing financial difficulties. He said that although a small number of forum members had attempted to block consensus on the declaration, China's increasingly domineering behavior could strengthen international support for Taiwan.

Taiwan, Lin said, would continue promoting its Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, citing extensive talks with other countries during the summit, Liberty Times reported. He said Taiwan was also among the first to support a Pacific resilience fund aimed at helping small nations address climate change, digital resilience, and food security.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   KMT incumbent Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (   ) and his DPP challenger, Legislator Puma Shen (   ), expressed a willingness Saturday to debate each other.

Registrations for the Nov. 28 local elections closed Friday, with Chiang and Shen as the two major candidates out of six contenders. The KMT incumbent said he had indicated his agreement to a debate, per UDN.

During a visit to the Nanmen Market in Taipei Saturday, Shen said the traditional presentation of views by the candidates separately without interaction was only a  minimum. What the public expected, was a real debate, with the candidates asking each other questions and follow-up questions, and with citizens also allowed to ask questions, he added.

Formosa Television was reportedly inviting both Chiang and Shen to take part in a live televised debate. Responding to the report, the mayor said that during the previous election, in 2022, Taipei was the only of the six special municipalities to organize a debate between the main contenders.

Shen proposed a format with each candidate starting out with a statement lasting three to five minutes. After the brief opening, questions and answers should occupy all the rest of the debate, the DPP candidate said.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   More than 200 old procurement notices were sent to vendors after a hidden administrative interface on the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology's procurement system was breached from an overseas IP address.

The intrusion activated a scheduled command that resent earlier quotation notices, while NCSIST said the original developer had built the interface for maintenance convenience, per Liberty Times.

NCSIST initially attributed the Aug. 28 incident to an AI cybersecurity agent that went beyond its permissions during testing. The institute later said a full report from the developer showed the hidden scheduling function, rather than the AI test, was the cause, per CNA.

A Ministry of Digital Affairs document provided to KMT Legislator Wang Hung-wei (   ) said an external party had brute-forced a login and activated the scheduled command. The Investigation Bureau's Taipei City Field Office has opened an investigation, while NCSIST said no other information was leaked, per UDN.

The procurement system long predates NCSIST's 2025 software-supply-chain rules, and the institute said it never subjected the older system to a comparable review. NCSIST said that omission exposed a weakness in its management controls.

NCSIST said it is strengthening safeguards on the procurement system and requiring the developer to fully document its software components. New controls will be designed to detect abnormal outbound activity and automatically restrict or halt network service, while the institute reviews responsibility for the failures that led to the incident.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The Industrial Technology Research Institute has completed Taiwan's first verification platform designed to assess whether drones and components meet "non-red" supply chain and cybersecurity requirements.

The platform was developed with US partners after ITRI became the first organization outside the US to be authorized in June to conduct Green UAS evaluations, per Fount Media. It digitizes the process of tracing suppliers, checking component origins, and evaluating cybersecurity risks.

More than 20 domestic drone manufacturers and key component suppliers have requested assessments covering drone systems and batteries. Companies from Japan, Australia, and the Philippines have also inquired about the service.

Chien Jui-hung (   ), director of ITRI's Smart Machinery Promotion Office, said many domestically made drones are already technically mature, but companies often struggle to demonstrate that their products can be trusted, Fount Media reported. Firms previously had to compile extensive documentation and trace components through multiple supplier layers without a standardized system.

The new platform lets companies trace key components, identify documentation gaps, and flag potential Chinese suppliers before formal certification. It can help them address problems before testing and avoid repeated reviews.

The platform is also designed around requirements associated with the US Defense Innovation Unit's Blue UAS framework, according to Fount Media. Green UAS is primarily aimed at commercial and non-US defense markets, while Blue UAS is used for drones considered for US defense applications.

Obtaining Green UAS certification does not automatically make a drone Blue UAS-approved or guarantee US military contracts. Instead, it allows Taiwanese companies to establish supply chain and cybersecurity evidence at home before pursuing additional US government or defense-market requirements.

The nation's drone exports are expanding rapidly, with complete-drone exports reaching NT$3.64 billion (US$115 million) in the first quarter of 2026, exceeding the NT$2.95 billion recorded for all of 2025, Fount Media reported. The top three markets were the Czech Republic, Poland, and the US. More than 267 local companies have entered the drone industry, covering complete systems and component manufacturing.

ITRI hopes to eventually integrate Taiwan's broader drone testing capabilities, per CNA. Chien said a single-window system that coordinates testing resources across different organizations would help establish a more comprehensive drone verification system.

The term "dark tourism" refers to visiting locales connected with death or disaster, such as former concentration camps and memorials to people killed in atomic bombings.

Taiwan, which underwent four decades of authoritarian rule after World War II, is home to numerous such "dark" places.

"In Taiwan, sites associated with transitional justice can be divided into two categories," says Ling Tzung-kuei, a specialist in architectural heritage who serves as our tour guide on this occasion. "The first encompasses those sites deliberately built as symbols of authoritarianism. Those that fall within the second category are where people were arrested, interrogated, tortured, or executed they're called 'sites of injustice.

Sites repurposed or demolished


In Ling's view, sites symbolic of authoritarian power don't necessarily need to be demolished. We may learn from the ways Europe deals with Nazi architecture. With their Nazi insignia permanently removed, those buildings have been renovated for other purposes. The F hrerbau, for example, built between 1933 and 1937, now houses the University of Music and Theatre Munich. And the Norisring, a street motor-racing circuit in Nuremberg used for events such as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, is laid out around the grandstand of what was formerly a Nazi Party rally ground.

Most sites of injustice in Taiwan, on the other hand, were demolished after the abolition of the political regime that had brought them into existence, except for a small number which have been repurposed, such as Machangding Memorial Park formerly an execution ground used in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel stands on a site where political prisoners were detained and interrogated by the Military Law Division of the Taiwan Garrison Command.

The site of the Lions' Plaza Commercial Building in Taipei's vibrant Ximending area used to be occupied by Higashi Honganji, a beautiful temple built in the Japanese colonial era (1895 1945). After World War II, the place was turned into another detention center, where many suffered injustice and lost their lives. Locals often say that when they come to the cinema here, they can still get shivers down their spines.

Nevertheless, even though these buildings have been demolished, their histories continue to beckon. Ling tells us that in some 650 towns in Germany, as well as in other European cities, we can see brass plates embedded in sidewalks Stolpersteine. Each is inscribed with the name, year of birth, and fate of a local individual who fell victim to Nazi terror. By summoning up memories, these "stumbling stones" continue to commemorate the victims of that bygone era.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Taiwan must reshape its naval fleet around smaller ships capable of independent missions and coordinated attacks to increase its chances of repelling a Chinese invasion, defense analyst Holmes Liao and former US Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair wrote in a Foreign Affairs article published Friday.

The authors said Ukraine's Black Sea campaign against Russian forces beginning in 2022 showed that a weaker force can curb a stronger one without controlling the sea or possessing an equally powerful navy. Ukraine used land-based anti-ship cruise missiles, uncrewed surface vessels, aerial drones, and foreign intelligence to disrupt Russian naval operations in the Black Sea, they said.

Liao and Blair urged Taiwan to build stealthy corvettes weighing between 700 and 1,000 tons and armed with missiles and drones. Such vessels would be harder to detect while carrying enough firepower to strike Chinese ships in the Taiwan Strait, they said.

The authors criticized ships such as Taiwan's planned light frigates, writing, "These large ships are impediments to the radical transformation of the Taiwanese navy that the Chinese threat requires." Such vessels are too costly and vulnerable, they said.

They said ships such as the Navy's Tuo Chiang-class corvettes are better suited to Taiwan's defense. "Taiwan's shipbuilding industry can rapidly produce these vessels, and the more it builds, the more efficient it will become," they wrote. All 12 corvettes will be commissioned by the end of the year, the authors noted.

In addition to smaller ships, the military should upgrade its sensor network, communications, and weapons such as drones and missiles, Liao and Blair said. Taiwan's latest defense budget and upcoming naval plans aim to improve the military's ability to detect, track, and strike targets through maritime surveillance drones, improved command systems, and AI-assisted combat decisions, they said.

They added that a restructured naval fleet would complement Taiwan's plans to build eight Narwhal submarines. The first submarine is undergoing sea trials. "Missiles and drones launched from corvettes can disable ships by hitting them above the surface, and torpedoes launched from submarines can sink them," they wrote.

Taiwan should gradually retire its larger, older warships and focus its limited resources on building and maintaining smaller, more agile vessels, the authors said. However, they acknowledged that such a transformation would require top-down leadership.

"Moving away from familiar platforms will require political and military leaders to take risks and overcome the setbacks and criticism that accompany any institutional change," they wrote.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   US Pacific Command Commander Adm. Samuel Paparo met with Gen. Yang Zhibin, commander of the People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command, on the sidelines of the Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense Conference in Canada.

The conference was held in Victoria, British Columbia, from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2. The Eastern Theater Command is responsible for operations involving Taiwan, per Japan Times.

US Pacific Command said in a statement that "the two leaders discussed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between senior US and Chinese military leaders to reduce the risk of miscalculation and promote safe and professional conduct between forces."

The command added that it remains "committed to enhancing stability in the region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, and deterring aggression."

The Chinese defense ministry said that its delegation "held bilateral meetings with representatives from the US, France, Singapore and other countries."

Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, a ministry spokesperson, said, "The Chinese side delivered a keynote speech at the event, presenting China's stance and achievements in maintaining regional peace and stability, and proposing that regional countries enhance defense cooperation and jointly address common challenges."

The meeting comes ahead of Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to Washington on Sept. 24, when he is scheduled to hold talks with US President Donald Trump.

China has ramped up its gray-zone tactics around Taiwan this year. Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration said last month that Chinese ships had been tracked around Taiwan on 1,247 occasions since May. The growing activity has raised concerns that China could launch a maritime quarantine or full blockade by cutting off energy shipments and commercial shipping lanes, per AFP.

BEIJING, Sept. 4 -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Friday confirmed that General Yang Zhibin, commander of the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command, recently led a delegation to Victoria, Canada, to attend the 2026 Asia-Pacific Chiefs of Defense Conference jointly hosted by the Canadian Armed Forces and the US Pacific Command.

Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), said that the Chinese side delivered a keynote speech at the event, presenting China's stance and achievements in maintaining regional peace and stability, and proposing that regional countries enhance defense cooperation and jointly address common challenges.

The Chinese delegation also held bilateral meetings with representatives from the US, France, Singapore and other countries, the spokesperson added.

China is threatening Taiwan with blockade and invasion but it may be pushing Taiwan toward an unexpected solution: nuclear power. With nearly all of its energy imported, Taiwan is dangerously vulnerable to a Chinese blockade. Now, as Beijing ramps up military pressure, Taiwan is reconsidering nuclear power as a way to strengthen its energy security and prepare for war.

China's economy is struggling and the CCP's answer is increasingly looking like a crackdown. As jobs disappear, real estate collapses, and consumer spending weakens, Beijing is tightening controls on the very people who might want to leave. From purged financial officials to restrictions on wealthy elites and AI talent, China's economic crisis is turning into a freedom crisis.

China could potentially shut down America's power grid and the threat may already be inside the equipment we rely on. In this episode of China Uncensored, we look at Chinese-made transformers, inverters, cyberattacks, Volt Typhoon, and the growing risks to America's critical infrastructure. The scary part? Most people aren't paying attention.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The TPP on Sunday issued a directive barring its members from working with Hsinchu County candidates from other parties, signaling the formal collapse of the opposition coalition in the county.

Before the opposition coalition collapsed, Hsu, backed by TPP supporters, narrowly defeated Hsinchu County Deputy Magistrate Chen Chien-hsien (   ) in a contested primary. Chen's camp has seemingly remained at odds with Hsu.

Local insiders have expressed concern that Hsu's inability to manage friction within the opposition coalition could lead to a repeat of the failed joint presidential bid in 2024, per China Times. They also questioned whether TPP supporters would shift their support to the DPP.

Hsinchu County Council Speaker Chang Cheng-jung (   ), however, suggested that a breakdown in opposition cooperation would have a less significant impact because support for the TPP in Zhubei has declined, per Liberty Times. He said that while he was unaware of whether Hsu had made any personal promises to the TPP, neither KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun (   ) nor the KMT's county branch had made such a promise.

A local TPP insider warned that without campaign support from the magistrate candidate, local races would become more difficult for TPP candidates, per UDN. The insider urged the party to handle future cooperation efforts more carefully to prevent local election candidates from bearing the consequences of the dispute.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   DPP Spokesperson Wu Cheng (  ) accused KMT municipal candidates of allegedly abandoning orders from sheltered workshops, saying that their actions could draw voter backlash in the November local elections.

The KMT had vowed to take over sales of mooncake gift boxes from sheltered workshops affected by cuts to the presidential discretionary fund, per ETtoday. Sheltered workshops Slowly Angel in Pingtung County and Grass Care in Kaohsiung alleged that the KMT had inquired about bulk purchases but failed to follow through with orders.

The allegations prompted responses from politicians from both the DPP and KMT.

KMT Pingtung County magistrate candidate Su Ching-chuan (   ) announced that the Pingtung County branch would order 300 boxes from Slowly Angel. When asked about the KMT's order, KMT Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Ko Chih-en (   ) said she needed to seek clarification from her party before responding but was willing to purchase 600 boxes if the workshops had been affected, per Liberty Times.

Regarding Slowly Angel's order, KMT insiders said there had been misunderstandings during communication, per NOWNews. They added that although the workshop was not among the 37 sheltered workshops listed by the Presidential Office as having been affected by cuts to discretionary funds, the party was willing to placed the orders.

When asked about the issue, KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun (   ) said the KMT had already placed its orders, per UP Media.

Commenting on the controversy, Wu suggested that KMT candidates such as Ko and Su had contributed to the difficulties faced by the sheltered workshops and that the issue was ultimately resolved through DPP-led efforts. He argued that neither was qualified to lead their respective cities or counties and said they would face voter backlash in the November local elections.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Beijing is concerned about the US' "Hellscape" drone strategy to defend Taiwan in an invasion but is convinced it has not come to fruition yet, Ian Easton, an associate professor at the US Navy's China Maritime Studies Institute, said in a CMSI report.  

The US Pacific Command first used the term Hellscape in August 2023 to describe what a conflict in the Taiwan Strait would look like in the future, Easton said. That same month, the command announced the Replicator Initiative, which seeks to quickly deploy thousands of drones that could make the hellscape strategy a reality.

On June 10, 2024, PACOM Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo described the hellscape strategy as massive swarms of unmanned weapons targeting Chinese forces, per the report. "I want to turn the Taiwan Strait into an unmanned hellscape using a number of classified capabilities so I can make their lives utterly miserable for a month, which buys me the time for the rest of everything," Paparo said.

Later that month, Chinese defense ministry spokesman, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, said that "some Americans" wanted to use Taiwan to contain China and flood the Taiwan Strait with drone swarms, calling them "extremely psychotic." Wu claimed America would end up abandoning Taiwan.

In July 2024, Ren Guozheng, an expert on Taiwan affairs at the PLA Academy of Military Science, wrote that the hellscape strategy was part of American cognitive warfare and the US was trying to scare China with its plans and operations, according to Easton.

A Taiwan affairs program in China discussed the hellscape concept and Replicator Initiative during one episode that same month. The host, Li Hong, said the US was militarily inferior and called Paparo's remarks "full of provocative intent." She suggested America was in decline and could not keep up with the PLA.

In August 2024, another military affairs program about the Hellscape concept and Replicator Initiative was aired. Commentators said that US unmanned systems could be easily countered with electronic jamming and cyberattacks. They claimed that PLA air defense units could shoot down the drone swarms.

Despite Chinese propaganda dismissing the Hellscape strategy, many Chinese military experts are taking it seriously and respect its basic idea of using large numbers of cheap drones, seeing it as important for future warfare, Easton said.

In August 2025, the PLA Navy's top magazine, Navy Today, published an article linking Hellscape to several US Navy advances in different types of unmanned surface vessels. "Its current state of equipment development is comprehensive, focused on actual warfighting, and cutting edge," it said.

In January 2025, Shipborne Weapons, a China State Shipbuilding Corporation military magazine, called the Hellscape plan a "threat" and said shipborne laser weapons could be a potential countermeasure to swarms of unmanned vessels and unmanned aerial vehicles. It argued that missiles like the Hongqi-9 and Hongqi-16 were too expensive. One shot of a solid-state laser weapon would only cost a few thousand RMB.

Additionally, lasers are not limited by ammunition and are faster and more accurate. They can also destroy anti-ship missiles that are impervious to electronic jamming, the magazine said.

In a Modern Weaponry report, authors said the Replicator Initiative was a work in progress and not yet battle-tested. They said it was "basically still conceptually immature."

The authors said the US would need to transport huge numbers of drones close to Taiwan, which would strain limited long-distance logistics and put ships within range of PLA missiles. "This means the 'Replicator' plan's large numbers of unmanned systems could be destroyed before they can even be deployed," the report said.

Easton pointed out that while Chinese propagandists are dismissive of America's Hellscape plan, Chinese military experts take asymmetric warfare seriously and are worried about the increased US military support to Taiwan. He added that the experts view drone swarms as integral to future warfare.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The Armaments Bureau has said it plans to produce 120mm tank ammunition for the Army's Abrams tanks to bolster resilience.

In 2019, the military said that the Armaments Bureau Arsenal 202 could already produce 105mm tank rounds and would develop 120mm ammunition capacity through industrial cooperation and in-house research and development, per Liberty Times. Last year, Arsenal 202 publicly sought bids for a 120mm tank ammunition assembly system, indicating the project had moved from conceptual to the actual construction of a production line.

According to next year's defense budget, the Armaments Bureau's Production and Manufacturing Center plans to invest more than NT$14.14 billion (US$446.25 million) between 2026 and 2032 to carry out new projects at its 202, 205, 209, and 401 arsenals, Liberty Times reported. The defense ministry said the project covers production capacity for a wide range of military items, including armored vehicles, artillery, ammunition, explosives, optical equipment, specialized batteries, and anti-chemical, biological, and radiological gear.

The Armaments Bureau said that as demand for various types of ammunition rises, it will expand production lines for items such as shells, primers, propellants, explosives, gun barrels, optical systems, and gas masks, and introduce semi-automated and automated equipment, according to Liberty Times.

Horton has written on Taiwan for a long list of international publications, including The New York Times, The Atlantic, Nikkei Asia, and Bloomberg, where he was a staff writer. Before moving to Taiwan, he lived for many years in China followed by a stint in Hong Kong.

Although long known to people who follow English-language news about Taiwan, Horton's profile has risen with the book's publication, with the likes of Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (   ) even photographed handing out copies to visiting lawmakers.

The following draws on Horton's talk and written responses to questions from Taiwan News.

On Chinese namefare over Taiwan


"Taiwan isn't seen even when it is seen," Horton told the audience at his event. "When you win a gold medal in the Olympics, you have this ridiculous flag, this Olympic flag with the plum blossom and the KMT emblem in the center, and nobody in the world knows what that is."

"Actually, that KMT emblem is very appropriate because it was the KMT who negotiated the whole Zhonghua Taibei (    , Chinese Taipei) silliness in 1981," he explained.

He went on to note that Beijing has pressured journalists to refer to Tibet by the Chinese name Xizang (  ), while East Turkestan becomes Xinjiang (  ), meaning "new frontier" or "new territory"; Inner Mongolia becomes Beijiang (  ), or "northern frontier"; and even Manchuria, homeland of the Manchus whose loose and overextended Qing Empire provides the historical basis for many of China's expansive territorial claims, is simply Dongbei (  ), or "the northeast," in contemporary CCP parlance.

"That's what awaits Taiwan if it becomes part of China," he said.

On historical misconceptions about Taiwan


"I lived in China for 13 years and Hong Kong for two before ever visiting Taiwan," Horton wrote in an email. "I'd absorbed much more of the CCP line on Taiwan than I thought I had."

"I didn't realize the Dutch were the first outsiders to colonize Taiwan. I didn't realize just how big Japan's influence on modern Taiwanese identity was and still is. I had no idea about 228   not only the atrocities committed by the KMT, but also how the United States provided material support and political cover for the massacres of March 1947."

"When I first arrived in Taiwan, most international coverage of Taiwan was done by China-based reporters who wrote about Taiwan from a Chinese perspective, often only including Chinese and KMT commentators. I didn't know at the time that the four years between 1945 and 1949 were the only four years in all of human history that a Chinese-identifying government based in China controlled all of Taiwan. Perhaps the biggest surprise was that Taiwan controlled territory across the strait in Kinmen and Matsu."

On whether Taiwan has become less of a ghost in recent years


"I started writing the book in 2022. In the four-plus years since then, I would say the world sees and understands Taiwan much better than before. While there is much room for improvement of international media coverage of Taiwan, it is being covered with more breadth and depth than ever before, although starting from a relatively low bar," he wrote.

"Regarding Taiwan's global visibility, it is worth noting that China does not control this; it is the rest of the world's countries who actually control how visible Taiwan is, and most of them tend to pretend Taiwan and their relations with Taiwan don't exist in order to avoid offending Beijing. The CCP knows this, which is why it attempts to disrupt or suppress any display of Taiwan's sovereignty or international solidarity with Taiwan anywhere on the planet."

"It is the complicity of the world's largest and most powerful democracies in Taiwan's international isolation that I find most hypocritical. That said, as with international journalism, I would say that this has improved noticeably in recent years, and the diplomatic corps in Taipei is bigger than it's ever been since Taiwan's democratization in the 1990s, and Taipei-based diplomats have been more vocal than ever in speaking up for Taiwan, both here on the ground and when reporting back to their capitals."

On whether he is more concerned about Taiwan than before



"Certainly more," Horton wrote. "While I don't think an attack by China is likely this year or the next, I do see the next presidential election being likely to precipitate a crisis."

"Should Lai win, then Xi may abandon hope of the KMT ever returning to power and decide to increase pressure. Should the KMT win, the government would in all likelihood move closer to Beijing, leading to social unrest."

"Meanwhile as the PLA continues to upgrade its capabilities, especially in drones and robots, I worry that Taiwan's ability to deter is being weakened by the KMT-TPP coalition that currently controls the Legislative Yuan. With the PLA leadership whittled down by Xi's ongoing purge, Taiwan has a golden opportunity right now to build up its domestic defense industry, especially drones."

"But for Taiwanese companies to make large long-term investments, there must be signalling from the government that it is committed to procurement going forward. The KMT and TPP stripped that signalling from Lai's special defense budget, resulting in the stunting of the drone industry's development here, and just as crucially, wasted time as Xi works to get his military in order."

Green shoots and room to maneuver


"Taiwan's visibility is not determined by Taiwan, and it's not determined by China; it's determined by the outside world," Horton said to the crowd as the evening wore on. Regarding the Gwangju Biennale in South Korea, where China recently failed to pressure organizers to keep Taiwanese artists out of a major art world event, he said, "That was Taiwan winning one. China took its ball and went home. And that doesn't happen very often."

"What was the key?" he said. "Local solidarity. The communists aren't good at what they do. They're just relentless."

He reminded the largely Taiwanese audience that Taiwan has leverage too: last year, a threat to restrict semiconductor exports to South Africa after the country downgraded Taiwan's representative offices and sought to force its Pretoria office to relocate to Johannesburg marked a more assertive turn in Taiwanese diplomacy.

Toward the close of the event, Horton asked, "If everyone starts calling Taiwan a country, what's Beijing going to do? Blow up the whole world?"

The line drew a burst of uneasy laughter from the audience. Soon afterward, attendees began lining up for the book signing.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Central Election Commission Chair You Ying-lung (   ) held a press conference Monday and said registration for the nine-in-one elections had closed, with 26 Chinese spouses registering for 19 village and borough chief positions and seven other election categories.

Yu said 19,695 candidates had completed registration for 11,051 seats by the Friday deadline. Yu said candidate eligibility will be completed by Oct. 16, and qualified candidates will draw lots on Oct. 23 to determine ballot numbers, according to CTWant.

Yu noted that this year's overall registration figures are 130 fewer than four years ago. However, when compared with the candidate registration figures for the four local elections held since 2014, "overall local political participation in Taiwan is stable, with the number of candidates remaining around 20,000 for the past 12 years."

Regarding Chinese spouses participating in politics, Yu said the number had increased by seven compared with four years ago. Some of the Chinese spouses who registered are controversial candidates, such as Shih Hsueh-yen (   ), who was dismissed as a candidate two years ago over eligibility issues, and former TPP Legislator Li Chen-hsiu (   ), according to PTS.

Yu was also asked about former martial arts actress Chen Chu-yin (   ), who four years ago publicly announced her intention to renounce her Taiwan citizenship and National Health Insurance and settle in China, though she recently returned to Taiwan to register as a councilor for New Taipei's 11th electoral district.

Chen noted that she has yet to register as a citizen of China. "I did make such remarks at the time, giving people that impression, but I did not apply," Chen said. "The policies vary from province to province. Our province didn't have that policy, so I could not apply at that time."

Yu pointed out that election authorities administer and review candidates according to the law. "If the law does not stipulate that such words or actions disqualify someone from running for office, then we can only handle it according to the law," per PTS.

Regarding the CEC's recent review of three referendums submitted to the legislature, only the proposal to "abolish Taiwan's non-nuclear homeland" policy was approved and included in the year-end elections. Opposition parties have criticized the CEC's decisions as suppressing public opinion.

However, Yu said that under the law, the CEC has the right to review referendum cases. He added that this was the first time CEC voting results had been transparent and publicly disclosed. Taiwan's nine-in-one local elections are scheduled for Nov. 28.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Taiwan is preparing a guide to help citizens avoid risks when traveling to China amid concerns that five new Chinese laws and regulations will expand authorities' ability to restrict people, information, and cross-border activity.

A Taiwan official said concerns have grown as China prepares to tighten rules on leaving and entering the country, per SET News. The official said Taiwanese business travelers, particularly those in the technology sector, are increasingly worried about being questioned or facing difficulties when traveling to China.

The official pointed to rules governing cybersecurity inspections by Chinese public security agencies as another concern. The measure could allow authorities to inspect individuals, mobile phones, laptops, and messages, creating additional risks for Taiwanese working in China.

The five measures include the ethnic unity law, effective July 1, and the internet information rules, which closed their public comment period Aug. 2 but have not yet been approved, per CNA. The State Council's exit and entry regulations take effect Sept. 15, while a revised defense mobilization law and cybersecurity measures take effect Oct. 1.

The official said several of the laws were introduced within a relatively short period and share a broad interpretation of "national security," SET News reported. The concept is being extended to regulate industries, information, business activity, and the movement of people, goods, money, and data.

The official also warned that enforcement powers are increasingly being delegated to lower-level authorities. Under the new entry and exit regulations, powers related to industrial and commercial security that were previously handled by the Ministry of Commerce could be exercised by authorities in border counties and cities.

The cybersecurity inspection rules will give county-level public security agencies broader powers to investigate people, devices, and information, including the authority to detain individuals or devices and to require explanations of message content, according to SET News. The official described the broad authority as effectively giving local authorities a "blank check."

The official said the Mainland Affairs Council is reviewing Chinese laws that could pose risks to specific groups and plans to issue guidelines, per ETtoday. The review could cover concerns beyond Taiwan-specific issues, including what religious groups can bring into China and where they can conduct religious activities.

The council wants the guidelines to reach travelers more widely, including via cellphone alerts upon arrival in China and information at airports before departure. However, the official said the council has no media advertising budget and will need to consider other ways to publicize the warnings.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   China has ramped up pressure on Taiwan by deploying an average of two coast guard ships per month in waters east of Taiwan since June, Bloomberg reported.

The patrols covered 27,100 square nautical miles, according to Bloomberg calculations using ship-tracking data. The ships remained outside Taiwan-claimed waters but came as close as 55.5 kilometers from its eastern coast.

The Chinese coast guard said the patrols were routine and pledged to increase them to protect Beijing's maritime rights.

The Taiwan Coast Guard Administration told Bloomberg that this was an attempt to "leverage 'law enforcement patrols' to establish a new normal for its maritime presence in the waters east of Taiwan." It said it had sent ships promptly to monitor Chinese coast guard activities.

Controlling waters east of Taiwan would be vital to enforcing an effective blockade during a Chinese invasion, Bloomberg said. Disrupting shipping there could also have global implications for commodity flows.

On June 1, China sent two large coast guard patrol ships, the Daishan and the Baita, to waters east of Taiwan. Later that month, it sent the larger law-enforcement ships Haixun 09 and Haixun 06 to circle Taiwan.

They were accompanied by China's largest deep-sea survey ship and a rescue vessel, according to Bloomberg.

China's coast guard has expanded its role beyond maritime law enforcement since the introduction of a coast guard law in 2021, Bloomberg said. The law allows the coast guard to "take all necessary measures, including the use of weapons" in response to what Beijing considers infringements on China's sovereignty at sea.

The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission said that "using the CCG rather than the PLA Navy avoids military confrontations and allows Beijing to portray these activities as law enforcement while establishing the persistent presence necessary for a future blockade," per Bloomberg.

"What Beijing is testing east of Taiwan is whether it can gradually rewrite expectations about who governs navigation and maritime order in the Western Pacific," Zack Liao, a political risk analyst at the China Strategic Risks Institute, said. "That means the response should also be international."

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Four Chinese coast guard vessels entered restricted waters near Kinmen on Tuesday, prompting the Coast Guard to deploy patrol boats and issue warnings.

The Coast Guard said the vessels entered restricted waters southwest of Da Mao Shan in the morning, and its patrol boats shadowed them. It said warnings were broadcast until all four vessels departed two hours later.

The agency accused China of using purported law-enforcement operations to expand its jurisdictional claims, create pressure at sea, and broadcast unification propaganda. It said the actions sought to create the false impression that Beijing has jurisdiction over waters around Kinmen.

The Coast Guard said it would neither provoke nor back down while strengthening surveillance and maritime operations. It said it would take necessary measures to counter China's cognitive warfare efforts and safeguard Taiwan's sovereignty.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (   ) declared Tuesday that the party would confront the KMT in Hsinchu County elections, citing what he said was the KMT's breaking of a promise to the TPP.

The TPP claimed that KMT Hsinchu County magistrate candidate Hsu Hsin-ying (   ) promised the party that she would allow Zhubei mayoral candidate Chiu Chen-yuan (   ) to run on the opposition's ticket, per NOWNews. At a news conference, Huang accused Hsu of lying to cover up her actions, although he declined to reveal details of the failed negotiations to protect those involved.

Huang accused the KMT of claiming to support continued cooperation with the TPP while banning party members from campaigning with TPP candidates in the county. He added that the TPP would strive to contain the fallout from the breakdown in cooperation in Hsinchu County.

KMT Culture and Communications Committee Chair Chen I-hsin (   ) responded that the opposition cooperation agreement does not cover Zhubei, a county-administered city, per UP Media. He emphasized that the cooperation focuses on joint governance, adding that the opposition coalition is working well elsewhere.

KMT lawmaker Lin Szu-ming (   ) warned that, given former TPP Chair Ko Wen-je's (   ) strong showing in the county's major population center, Zhubei, voters there may be less inclined to support either the KMT or DPP, per Liberty Times. He said the failed Zhubei negotiations could consequently become a major issue.

Lin also noted that Hsu's failure to consolidate KMT factions continues to hurt her electoral prospects.

Another potential issue for the KMT is the dispute spilling over into other municipalities, despite calls from TPP leaders to prevent this. Former TPP lawmaker Chen Wan-hui (   ) warned Tuesday that TPP supporters in Yilan County were having difficulty supporting KMT magistrate candidate Wu Tsung-hsien (   ), per CNews.

DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Chuang Jui-hsiung (   ) said TPP supporters should feel free to vote for DPP Hsinchu County magistrate candidate Cheng Chao-fang (   ), per Liberty Times. He added that parties should focus on their ideals rather than political maneuvering during elections.

The breakdown of TPP-KMT cooperation in Hsinchu County has raised the possibility of TPP-DPP cooperation. However, TPP Secretary-General Chou Yu-hsiu (   ) said that although the race would be more difficult for the TPP going forward, the party had reservations about cooperating with the DPP in the near future, per Tai Sounds.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Former KMT legislative candidate Lin Chia-hsin (   ) criticized the party's handling of the Changhua County magistrate race, arguing that the strategy used to nominate former Premier Chang San-cheng (   ) in Taoyuan is not suitable for the current race.

Lin said that when Chang ran on the KMT ticket in 2020, he had a strong public profile and support from both the Hakka community and supporters of Legislative Yuan Speaker Han Kuo-yu (   ), per NOWNews. He said then-KMT Chair Eric Chu's (   ) efforts to coordinate different local factions allowed Chang's bid to take place.

Lin said that with many of the KMT's former local allies remaining silent, efforts to consolidate support may still have a long way to go. He argued that criticizing Changhua County Magistrate Wang Hui-mei's (   ) lack of support for KMT candidate Wei Ping-cheng (   ), rather than addressing the party leadership's poor handling of local elections, marks the party's biggest misstep so far.

In related news, Wei established his campaign headquarters Sunday, with Wang absent from the event, per UDN. KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun (   ) and Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (   ) both attended in support of Wei.

Cheng said the KMT had been able to clinch both the Changhua County magistrate and Taichung mayoral races under unfavorable conditions in 2020, per Storm Media. Lu argued that her victory showed candidates could overcome the odds through effort and perseverance.

New Taipei Deputy Mayor Liu Ho-jan (   ) said that although his duties prevented him from attending the event in person, he would campaign with Wei when given the opportunity, per ETtoday. He said Wei's experience and character make him an ideal successor to Wang.

Wei also announced Tuesday that he would stop conducting polls, arguing that he would instead seek to earn residents' support one vote at a time, per UDN.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Premier Cho Jung-tai (   ) on Monday defended his refusal to countersign eight passed bills, describing himself as the goalie from "Shaolin Soccer."

Cho noted his refusal to countersign amendments to the Radio and Television Act, the Cable Radio and Television Act, and the Satellite Broadcasting Act, suggesting that the amendments would allow political parties, the government, and the military to acquire shares in media corporations to exert influence, per Tai Sounds. He stressed that the Cabinet was reacting to the legislature putting forward what he described as problematic laws.

Cho emphasized that not countersigning the bills was the Cabinet's duty to history and his personal responsibility as premier. He also pointed out that the legislature had passed the 2026 budget but failed to forward it to the executive branch for promulgation and implementation, per Liberty Times.

Cho's comments drew strong backlash from the opposition.

DPP Legislator Lin Chu-yin (   ) previously defended Cho's refusal to countersign, arguing that the premier has the authority to take such action to defend the Constitution, per CNA. She urged the legislature to refrain from misconstruing the countersignature mechanism to cover what she described as a track record of destroying the Constitution.

President Lai Ching-te's (   ) Control Yuan member nominee and Soochow University Professor Hsu Yu-wei (   ) argued that countersigning laws is a power rather than an obligation for the premier, per Mirror Daily. He stressed that countersigning power has long been among the executive branch's arsenal, alongside discharging the legislature, requesting reconsideration, and seeking constitutional review.

Hsu emphasized that the legislature could request a no-confidence vote against Cho if it deemed that he had overstepped his authority. He warned that designating countersigning power as a duty could allow the legislature to effectively capture the executive branch and take power away from the president, who received a mandate to govern.

University of Warwick School of Law Reader Kuo Ming-sung (   ) pointed out that countersigning is a legacy mechanism from a system in which the appointment of the premier required legislative consent, per I CONnect. He argued that reconsideration most closely resembles an executive veto under the Constitution, requiring the premier to accept bills reaffirmed by the legislature.

Kuo said the countersignature mechanism was designed as a check on the president. However, the 1997 constitutional reforms, which gave the president unilateral power to appoint and dismiss premiers, have effectively deprived the mechanism of its significance.

Kuo stressed that the countersignature requirement is now effectively an "ultra-executive veto" that can be wielded against a legislature controlled by the opposition.

AIPEI (Taiwan News)   Taiwan needs to prioritize national security and strengthen asymmetric warfare capabilities, Oriana Skylar Mastro, a fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and Alessio Patalano, professor of war and strategy in East Asia at King's College in London, said Tuesday.

Mastro and Patalano made recommendations on how Taiwan can better strengthen its defense against a Chinese invasion during a Taiwan Foreign Correspondents' Club panel discussion Tuesday.

Mastro urged Taiwan to begin conscripting women into its military to improve whole-of-society defense. "You cannot be really serious about a whole-of-society defense if your conscription is only of men," she said. "You have half of the population who are completely incapable of defending (themselves). Not great," she added.

On Jan. 1, 2024, Taiwan began implementing one-year conscription for all males born in 2005 or later. Mastro suggested Taiwan learn from Israel's approach and "actually train everyone to resist and to fight."

Taiwan introduced a dual-track reservist training system in 2022. Reservists can either take the standard option of five to seven days of training, done four times over eight years, or choose 14 days of training, done twice within the same period.

Mastro also urged Taiwan to continue increasing defense spending and investing in asymmetric capabilities. She noted that the military has begun to do so but "there has to be a little bit more honesty about the quality of the capabilities that are developing."

Taiwan has proposed a defense budget of NT$1.1225 trillion (US$35.3 billion) for 2027, which Mastro noted is approximately 29% of the central government's approved NT$3.93 trillion budget.

Mastro said Taiwan must decide what its priorities are. "Everything has to be about the defense and resilience and security of Taiwan, and that means making some tough decisions and making some sacrifices," she said, pointing out that the opposition KMT still maintains close interactions with the Chinese Communist Party.

Taiwan has not made those sacrifices yet, which sparks doubt among the international community, she said. People are going to wonder, "Is Taiwan really going to put up the resistance necessary (to counter China)?"

"If Beijing is wondering that, that's not good. And if the American people are wondering that, that's not good."

She acknowledged that Taiwan has already made significant strides in decoupling from China economically. "No one thought that that was possible," she said.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Trafficking discussions on a minor's seized phone alerted investigators to an alleged scheme to send jobseekers from Taiwan to China for organ harvesting.

Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office said Wednesday (Sept. 9) it was seeking seven-year prison terms for seven adults it had indicted, per CNA. The charges included attempts to remove organs through deception for profit, buy or sell people, and trick people into going abroad for profit, along with participation in a criminal organization.

None of the three identified victims was sent abroad, though prosecutors said group members confined them in a residence in Taoyuan's Zhongli District while arranging their departure.

The group discussed possible typhoon delays to boat services in messages that used pig-head icons to represent victims, per Knews. The Criminal Investigation Bureau had seized the phone in a separate criminal case involving a minor. Investigators then examined financial and communications records.

Offers of lucrative smuggling and fraud money-mule work appeared on Telegram and Facebook. Three minors allegedly posted the ads after being promised payment of up to NT$300,000 (US$9,534) in the cryptocurrency Tether for each victim sent abroad for organ removal.

Investigators identified a man surnamed Chiang ( ) as the alleged organizer and traced planning to August 2025. Members allegedly coordinated their roles through Telegram groups and contacted buyers in China, according to the reports.

A court approved detention without outside contact for four defendants following searches at five locations on May 21 and July 15, while the three minors will enter the juvenile court system.

Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office issued a press release today, said that since August 114, Jiang male since the Republic of China, through the name of "who does not be obedient who was removed", "suplifting the death" Telegram group, contact Jiang, Chen, Jane, Zhou male, Xie male, Lai male division of labor, and each victim 100,000 to 300,000 teda for remuneration to recruit 3 teenagers, in Facebook, Telegram.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Chuang Jui-hsiung (   ) defended the government's new registration requirement for group travel to China on Wednesday, calling it a "necessary precaution" for people traveling to risky areas.

The Mainland Affairs Council had previously warned that new Chinese travel rules   including restrictions on leaving China on national security or other grounds   that are set to take effect Tuesday could increase risks for Taiwanese traveling to China, per Storm Media. In response, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications required travel agencies to assist customers with registering through the MAC's reporting system for travelers going to China.

Agencies that fail to comply could face fines ranging from NT$10,000 (US$317) to NT$50,000. MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (   ) clarified Thursday that the registration requirement was introduced to address a new form of group travel to China that emerged after the government banned travel agencies from organizing tours, per Storm Media.

The policy drew criticism from the tourism industry. Taiwan Strait Cross-Strait Tourism Development Association Chair Hsiao Po-jen (   ) said members of the public are not required to report their overseas travel to the government and argued that the new requirement was intended to discourage travel to China, per UDN.

Hsiao said travel agencies would sue the Tourism Administration if it imposed fines under the new rules. He also suggested that any penalties should be imposed on travelers rather than travel agencies.

Facing strong opposition, the Tourism Administration delayed enforcement of the requirement and gave travel agencies a grace period to adapt to the new rules. KMT Legislator Lee Yen-hsiu (   ) said that if the government intends to turn the registration requirement from discretionary to mandatory, it should apply the same standard to other destinations classified as Level 3 under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' travel advisory system, per ETtoday.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office Spokesperson Chen Binhua (   ) also criticized the measure, saying that the new rule was a tactic by the DPP administration to discourage cross-strait exchanges, per UDN. He added that Taiwanese in China are afforded equal protection under the law and can seek assistance from tourism authorities or local Taiwan Affairs Office branches.

Chuang defended the registration requirement, saying it is the government's responsibility to obtain information that could be used to assist citizens in an emergency, per CNA. Given the travel advisory and the risks associated with traveling to China, he said it was reasonable for the government to take precautionary measures.

Chung also urged the government to improve communication with travel agencies and called on the industry not to misconstrue the measure's intentions as surveillance. He argued that with the opposition controlling the legislature, the government does not have the time to "surveil its people."

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Four Chinese coast guard vessels entered restricted waters near Kinmen twice Tuesday, returning about four hours after a morning incursion.

The Coast Guard said it detected the same vessels in the area again in the afternoon. The vessels split into two groups, one heading east and the other west.

Taiwan deployed patrol boats to monitor each vessel and broadcast warnings urging them to leave the area. All four vessels departed Kinmen's restricted waters about two hours later.

The vessels had earlier entered the restricted waters southwest of Da Mao Shan in the morning before leaving two hours later. The Coast Guard said the repeated incursions were part of China's efforts to test Taiwan's response capabilities.

The agency accused China of using purported law-enforcement operations to expand its jurisdictional claims and broadcast unification propaganda. It said the actions sought to create the false impression that Beijing has jurisdiction over waters around Kinmen.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene said Wednesday that a conflict over Taiwan could be more damaging to the global economy than World War II.

Speaking at the Taipei Security Dialogue, Greene said securing peace in the Taiwan Strait is of the utmost importance, per Reuters. "Beyond the human toll, any conflict across the Taiwan Strait would cost the global economy more than the Second World War," he was quoted as saying.

Greene said the Trump administration has made preserving peace in the Indo-Pacific one of its top priorities and outlined three approaches, per SET News. These include: high-level diplomacy, strengthening the US military presence and partnerships in the region, and supporting Taiwan's efforts to improve its self-defense capabilities.

An upcoming US-China summit is an opportunity to advance strategic stability based on fairness and reciprocity while reducing the risk of misunderstandings and miscalculations, Greene said. He rejected claims that Taiwan's efforts to strengthen deterrence are provocative, or that US support for its defense preparations represents a policy change.

Greene said Taiwan's ability to deter conflict is essential to preserving its political, economic, and social stability. Effective deterrence can also create space for cross-strait dialogue without coercion or the threat of force, he said.

He added that Taiwan can draw lessons from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, including asymmetric warfare, emerging technologies, and operating on a transparent battlefield, SET News reported.  

Taiwan has several advantages in preparing for a potential conflict, including advanced technology and manufacturing capabilities, strong economic and financial resources, and a well-trained military, Greene said. Its geography also strengthens deterrence, as a large-scale landing on a highly urbanized, mountainous landmass across rough seas would pose major challenges.

Highlighting Ukraine's use of mission command, which delegates battlefield decision-making to the tactical level, Greene said Taiwan is rapidly adopting the concept to improve operational flexibility, according to SET News. He said Taiwan's defense preparations since Russia's invasion of Ukraine represent a fundamental shift rather than an incremental change, as demonstrated by the latest Han Kuang exercises.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Hualien prosecutors on Tuesday arrested incumbent Xiulin Township Mayor Sitang Yuci (   ) and her husband, Hu Chih-min (   ), over alleged vote-buying ahead of the local elections.

Prosecutors said Wednesday that Sitang Yuci and Hu used cash, gifts, and free banquets to solicit voter support, while a charity group is suspected of helping channel local corporate contributions toward the activities, per Liberty Times. It is the first reported vote-buying case this year.

Sitang Yuci, a KMT member, is set to leave office and run for Hualien County Council, while Hu, a retired police officer who has never held political office, is running to succeed her as mayor. Prosecutors allege the couple held banquets in March and April under the pretext of celebrating Hu's 60th birthday, where eligible voters were encouraged to support his candidacy.

Xiulin Township receives more than NT$100 million (US$3.1 million) a year in corporate contributions from mining operations, cement plants, power plants, and other facilities that can face opposition from nearby communities, Liberty Times reported. Investigators suspect some of the money was allocated to the Little Sun Caring Association as charitable funding before an official with the association, surnamed Hsu ( ), used it to finance banquets for Hu.

Sitang Yuci and Hu also held a social gathering in Yilan where guests received cash gifts, and investigators are examining whether those expenses also involved the alleged misuse of corporate contributions. The couple frequently appeared together at township events during Hu's campaign, where they promoted his candidacy.

Hualien prosecutors said Prosecutor Chiang Ang-hsuan (   ) led investigators from the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau, Hualien police, and the National Immigration Agency in searches Tuesday at eight locations, according to Liberty Times. The searches included Xiulin Township Office and the suspects' residences.

Prosecutors said Sitang Yuci, Hu, and Hsu are suspected of breaching Article 99, Paragraph 1, of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, which prohibits vote buying. After questioning, prosecutors arrested the three and sought their detention without visitation, citing concerns that they could flee, destroy evidence, or collude with co-defendants and witnesses.

They could also face charges of embezzlement of public-welfare funds, per CNA. Investigators have identified suspected cash payments of about NT$1,000 to NT$2,000 per vote.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Flaws in the government have begun to undermine the nation's democracy, Dr. Kharis Templeman, a research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, said on Wednesday.

He pointed to the constitutional court crisis, in which the KMT-majority Legislative Yuan blocked President Lai Ching-te's (   ) seven constitutional court justice nominees in December 2024 and last July.

"I think Taiwan is on the edge of the point where healthy, political competition and pluralism are starting to damage the institutions of democracy," Templeman told Taiwan News.

Because of these vacancies, the court did not meet the 10-justice quorum requirement and was therefore unable to hear or rule on major cases. "When your constitutional court is no longer functioning, that is a pretty serious situation," Templeman said.

In December 2025, the court repealed the law that required 10 justices to hear and decide cases and at least nine justices to agree on rejecting a law. However, it remains understaffed and politically constrained.

Templeman also expressed concern about Premier Cho Jung-tai's (   ) refusal to sign legislation passed by the Legislative Yuan, "basically creating a power that no previous premier had ever claimed they had."

Cho said that signing amendments to the Radio and Television Act, the Cable Radio and Television Act, and the Satellite Broadcasting Act, would allow political parties, the government, and the military to acquire shares in media corporations and thereby exert influence.

The premier defended his decision on Tuesday, saying that not countersigning the bills was the Cabinet's duty to history and his personal responsibility.

Despite the political deadlock, the scholar said the three major political parties still pass much legislation, including a special defense budget. "A lot of legislation actually still passes by cross-party consensus," he said.

Regarding Chinese infiltration, Templeman said Beijing follows a dual-track strategy. The first is a hard track, which uses threats to try to prevent Taiwan from moving towards independence. The soft track includes people-to-people engagement and other methods to influence public opinion.

Templeman said that generally speaking, China has not succeeded in directly shaping Taiwan's politics. "They have certainly kept moves towards independence limited, but they have not changed hearts and minds," he said.

He argued this is because Taiwanese are politically engaged, highlighting their close attention to politics, high voter turnouts, and frequent protests.

"Large parts of Taiwan society are hyper aware, hyper sensitive to (Chinese) influence," he said, "so it's actually very easy for people to identify the more overt forms of (Chinese) interference in Taiwan's democracy."

Templeman said he was optimistic about the nation's democratic future. "There's a democratic DNA in civil society, in the engagement of ordinary people with politics, and over the long run, I think that will carry on forward."

He added that despite past and present political infighting, he was confident the country will overcome it and end up with a stronger democracy.

"Presuming that the (Chinese) threat is held at bay, I think Taiwan's democracy will be in a better place in 10 or 15 years," Templeman said.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Kitamura Haruo, a member of the House of Councilors from the Conservative Party of Japan, on Tuesday called for Tokyo to enact its own version of landmark US legislation supporting Taiwan.

Kitamura is leading a seven-member cross-party delegation to Taiwan from Monday to Wednesday, per CNA. He told reporters at Taipei Songshan Airport that after returning to Japan, he would work to promote legislation modeled on the Taiwan Relations Act and Taiwan Travel Act.

In a meeting with President Lai Ching-te (   ), he cited Taiwan's response to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, when the country sent a disaster relief team, and the government and public raised NT$5.13 billion ( 25 billion) in donations, according to the Presidential Office.

He said no other country could have done the same. He added that Japan would do everything possible to face a crisis alongside Taiwan if it were ever in danger.

Japan and its people must continue showing the world their determination to support and defend friends in times of crisis, Kitamura said. He added that demonstrating such resolve could help defuse crises.

Kitamura said he plans to pursue legislation modeled on the two US acts, as well as exchanges between senior officials and defense cooperation. He said he would rally like-minded lawmakers and press the Japanese government to build strong ties with Taiwan and promote peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, in line with former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's vision.

According to the Presidential Office, Lai said Taiwan, Japan, and other democracies must work together and strengthen their defenses to deter China's military actions. He said such cooperation is essential to safeguarding democracy, peace, and prosperity.

He said the country's defense budget reached 3% of GDP this year and is expected to exceed 3% next year, with the government aiming for 5% by 2030. He also called for closer cooperation with Japan in national strategy, economic and trade security, high-tech industries, and social resilience, particularly in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, drones, and robotics.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   A drone intrusion temporarily halted flight operations at Taichung's Ching Chuan Kang Air Base on Tuesday evening, forcing eight indigenous defense fighter jets to divert to Hsinchu Air Force Base, per MNA.

Air Force Command said the drone was detected in the airspace around the base at 7:37 p.m. The tower notified aviation control authorities to suspend takeoffs and landings. Local police were also contacted.

Although historically and militarily known as Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, the site also serves as Taichung International Airport. It serves as a dual-use airfield for both military operations and commercial civilian travel.

The drone left the controlled airspace by 8:02 p.m., allowing flight operations to resume. The incident also affected two civilian flights, the Air Force said. It added that weather had improved Tuesday evening, allowing fighter jets to resume night-flight training, per UDN.

Taichung Airport Director Chang Jui-shu (   ) said the drone intrusion occurred at about 7:40 p.m. and was cleared at 8:02 p.m. During that time, a flight from Macau to Taichung was forced to circle before landing after the situation was resolved, per LTN.

Police from Chingchuan Police Station were dispatched after being notified of the drone intrusion. Officers found no trace of the drone, though they will continue patrolling the area and reviewing surveillance footage to try to identify the operator, according to police.

The Air Force said the incident has been referred to the Air Police Bureau for investigation. It pointed out that operating a drone inside controlled airspace is illegal and poses a significant risk to aviation safety.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey on Tuesday highlighted recent live-fire tests of the company's Altius-600M anti-armor drones in Taiwan.

Taiwan purchased 291 Altius-600M drones, all of which have been delivered, and conducted three live-fire tests this year, per Liberty Times.

In a post on X, Luckey said it was "crazy" that China had sanctioned him as a "separatist terrorist," but "even crazier" that so many US executives and influencers continued to promote China. He warned that those people would eventually ask, "How could anyone have predicted this outcome?" when Chinese sanctions inevitably targeted them.

In another post, Luckey highlighted Anduril material featuring new warheads, airframes, and targeting technology, Liberty Times reported. He also reposted live-fire footage and tagged Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense X account.

Luckey commented on a video showing an Altius-700 anti-armor attack drone being tested from a US Black Hawk helicopter. He suggested that the drone could next be mounted on Taiwan's UH-60M helicopters.

1.Date:
6 a.m. Sep. 9 (Wed.) to 6 a.m. Sep. 10 (Thu.) (UTC+8)

2.PLA activities:
18 sorties of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN ships and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 13 out of 18 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern, and eastern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities.

   Summary

- China buys about 1 million tons of U.S. soybeans this week
- Purchases reach nearly half of annual 25-million-ton commitment
- China's buying of  U.S. soybeans rises ahead of Xi's U.S. visit

BEIJING/SINGAPORE, Sept 10 (Reuters) - China has bought around 1 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans this week, four traders told Reuters, as the world's top oilseed buyer steps up purchases ahead of  Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington later this month.

The purchases  take China's total U.S. soybean buying to nearly half of the  25 million tons the White House said Beijing had committed to annually through  2028.

While China's purchases of U.S. soybeans could help bolster trade and diplomatic ties with  Washington, the buying also coincides with tightening global oilseed supplies amid dwindling inventories in top exporter Brazil.

"There have been more purchases made by Sinograin in the past few days," said one Asia-based  trader. "They have been buying before Xi's visit to U.S."

State buyers Sinograin and COFCO  did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday reported  340,000 tons  of U.S. soybean sales to China and another 100,000 tons to unknown destinations.

China still has a 10% additional tariff on all U.S. goods, including agricultural products after a tit-for-tat tariff war last year. A cut to the tariff on soybeans  could draw private Chinese  crushers back to  U.S. supplies after tariffs largely shut them out of the market.

After a meeting between the two countries' leaders in May,  Washington said China had agreed to buy $17 billion worth of  non-soy U.S.  agricultural goods annually through 2028, while maintaining its commitment to purchase 25 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans each year over the same period.

In late July, U.S. President  Donald  Trump said Xi would visit Washington on September 24.  China has not confirmed the visit date or the volume of any planned purchases of U.S. soybeans  or other agricultural goods.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The war of words over UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 continues to rumble, with Taiwan insisting the 1971 text says nothing about its status while Beijing again reiterated its "one-China" position.

Speaking at a regular briefing Tuesday in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated that Resolution 2758 precludes "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan," and accused President Lai Ching-te (   ) and his administration of promoting "Taiwan independence," Euronews reported.

Lai had said at a lawyers' dinner last week that China is contorting Resolution 2758 and that Taiwan is a "sovereign independent nation," UDN reported. He argued that Resolution 2758 only settled who represents "China" at the UN and says nothing about Taiwan's sovereignty or political status, nor does it bar its participation in UN agencies.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (   ) has also been pushing for participation at the UN, with a Jerusalem Post op-ed last week headlined: "The UN cannot defend freedom without Taiwan's participation." In it, he wrote: "Ensuring Taiwan's meaningful participation in the United Nations is therefore essential to building a more inclusive, secure, resilient, and rules-based international order."

Meanwhile, China's Taiwan Affairs Office also weighed in, with Spokesperson Chen Binhua (   ) calling the one-China principle "a basic norm of international relations" and accusing Lai's Democratic Progressive Party of promoting a "new two-state theory," Euronews reported.

Taiwan has sought some form of UN representation every year since 1993. It has asked for full membership, observer status, and "meaningful participation" in the UN, but Beijing has blocked it.

Resolution 2758 was adopted in 1971 and recognized the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate representative of "China" at the UN, ending the representation of the Republic of China, then led by Chiang Kai-shek (   ) and the Kuomintang.

The UN General Assembly opened Tuesday in New York. The General Debate begins Sept. 22, as Taiwan continues its annual campaign for greater participation in the UN system.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   A KMT candidate for mayor of Yilan County's Zhuangwei Township was detained Thursday on suspicion of vote-buying.

Chang Chia-hao (   ) allegedly gave Japanese sake gift boxes worth about NT$600 (US$19) to village and neighborhood chiefs after a February banquet, per SET News. The Yilan District Prosecutors' Office on Wednesday led a 23-team raid and questioned Chang, former Zhuangwei Township Mayor Chien Wen-kuei (   ), and 20 others.

Prosecutors say the alleged vote-buying took place at a year-end appreciation banquet held by the Zhuangwei Township Office before Lunar New Year in February. The banquet had more than 20 tables for village and neighborhood chiefs and local elected officials.

Several candidates attended the banquet without an invitation and went from table to table to offer toasts, while Chien, a supervisor of the local fishermen's association, took the microphone to publicly endorse Chang, SET News reported. After the banquet, Chang allegedly visited village chiefs and representatives with sake gift boxes bearing his secretary's business card.

Chang denied wrongdoing, saying the gifts were simply customary Lunar New Year greetings. However, witnesses told investigators that Chang explicitly asked for their support when delivering the liquor, leading to conflicting accounts.

The Yilan District Prosecutors' Office on Wednesday directed a task force comprising the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau and the Yilan County Police Department to conduct searches at 23 locations, including the Zhuangwei Township Office and Chang's residence, per CNA. The team obtained search warrants issued by the Yilan District Court and seized evidence, including liquor gift boxes.

Four prosecutors oversaw the overnight questioning, with the other 21 people released. Investigators have also obtained information suggesting Chang may have been involved in alleged vote-buying at another banquet in September and are expanding their investigation.

Prosecutors determined early Thursday that Chang was strongly suspected of vote-buying in violation of Article 99 of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, per Mirror Media. Citing concerns that he could collude with co-defendants and witnesses, prosecutors sought his detention, and the court ordered him held incommunicado.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Cabinet Spokesperson Michelle Lee (   ) on Wednesday defended the Control Yuan and Agency Against Corruption's investigation into whether Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (   ) properly disclosed a potential conflict of interest when his son applied for a city government exchange program.

KMT Taipei city councillors said Tuesday that the Control Yuan had begun examining whether Chiang made the required disclosure during the application process, raising concerns about possible government interference ahead of the November election, per SETN. They also questioned why the Control Yuan had launched a new investigation when no Control Yuan members are currently in place.

Lee, citing Chiang's remarks, urged the opposition to refrain from "making the lives of civil servants harder," Liberty Times. She said relevant authorities should be allowed to investigate the matter and determine whether Chiang violated the conflict-of-interest law.

Agency Against Corruption Deputy Director-General Lin Chao-hung (   ) said the potential conflict of interest in the case concerns the relationship between a public official and an agency under that official's supervision, rather than whether the official actively participated in the specific case.

KMT politicians have largely characterized the investigation as a political attack. Chiang, quoting Confucius, said, "The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress," per UDN. New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (   ) said investigations should focus on political figures themselves rather than their family members, per UDN.

DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen (   ) defended the government agencies, urging the KMT not to characterize the investigation as the state "mobilizing" against a teenager, per Liberty Times. DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Chuang Jui-hsiung (   ) said the Control Yuan currently lacks the members needed to fully perform its constitutional functions, per Newtalk.

Political commentator Chen Tung-hao (   ) suggested that the KMT may be testing public reaction to determine whether allegations of government intervention could strengthen its political base while pushing independent voters away from the DPP, per Z.Media. Media commentator Shang I-fu (   ) said the conflict-of-interest and recusal law give both the Control Yuan and the Agency Against Corruption the authority to launch investigations.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Premier Cho Jung-tai (   ) said Wednesday that it was impossible for him to countersign eight bills passed by the legislature, suggesting that the deadline for doing so had already expired.

Cho has continued to clash with opposition lawmakers over his refusal to countersign legislation, including amendments to the Radio and Television Act, which he says violate the Constitution. During an interview Wednesday, Cho said the bills had already passed the 10-day period stipulated by the Constitution for the premier to countersign them, leaving him unable to complete the process, per ETtoday.

Cho also responded to criticism from University of Warwick School of Law Reader Kuo Ming-sung (   ), who said the premier had transformed a legacy mechanism from a time when Taiwan's government more closely resembled a parliamentary system into an "ultra-executive veto." Cho argued that Kuo's assessment reflected a lack of understanding of Taiwan's Constitution, saying the president could simply replace the premier if the premier refused to countersign legislation, per CNA.

Cho emphasized that while the president has neither veto power nor the authority to dissolve the legislature at will, the premier can support the president by refusing to countersign legislation that threatens to violate the Constitution, national security, or the commander in chief's authority. Kuo noted in his analysis that the 1997 constitutional reforms significantly weakened the role of countersigning by giving the president sole authority to appoint and dismiss the premier.

Stanford University's Hoover Institution Research Fellow Kharis Templeman said Cho's actions were politically understandable given that the Constitutional Court had been paralyzed by opposition lawmakers, per UDN. Although new quorum rules and repeated rejections of Constitutional Court justice nominees had temporarily paralyzed the court, a controversial ruling subsequently allowed it to resume operations.

Templeman said he understood the Cabinet's political reasoning and that the court could potentially rule that the opposition-backed bills were unconstitutional once it resumed normal operations. However, he argued that Cho had "created whole cloth a veto power for himself," calling the move "blatantly unconstitutional."

Templeman also said the current design of Taiwan's Constitutional Court was flawed and prevented it from effectively serving as an arbitrator when the executive and legislature clash. He noted that the process for nominating justices undermined opposition parties' trust in the court.

KMT Culture and Communications Committee Chair Chen I-hsin (   ) rejected Cho's characterization of the countersignature mechanism, suggesting that Cho was confusing its constitutional function with the political consequences of the president exercising appointment authority, per FTNN. He argued that if the Cabinet could opt not to countersign bills passed by the legislature, the executive branch could effectively ignore decisions made by lawmakers.

DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Chuang Jui-hsiung (   ) defended Cho's decision, arguing that the premier should not serve as a rubber stamp for the legislature, per Liberty Times. He said that if not for the controversies surrounding the opposition-backed bills, Cho would have countersigned them and allowed President Lai Ching-te (   ) to promulgate them within 10 days.

Chuang added that because the Constitutional Court remained paralyzed by the opposition, lawmakers could initiate a no-confidence vote to remove Cho.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The Cabinet said Thursday that freezing Premier Cho Jung-tai's (   ) salary violates Constitutional Interpretation No. 601 and exceeds the legislature's authority.

CNA reported that the legislature passed the 2026 central government budget on Aug. 14 and froze Cho's salary for the final four months of the year. Lawmakers also removed funding for the salaries of political appointees at the Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee.

Cabinet Spokesperson Michelle Lee (   ) said the premiership is established by law and protected under the Constitution. She said the premier's salary is a legally required government expense paid under public-sector compensation rules.

Lee said freezing Cho's salary through the annual budget process interferes with his ability to perform his constitutional duties. She said the move violates Constitutional Interpretation No. 601 and breaches the separation of powers by exceeding the legislature's authority.

The Cabinet also said the salary freeze conflicts with the proviso in Article 52 of the Budget Act. The provision allows lawmakers to attach conditions or deadlines to approved spending unless doing so is prohibited by law.

Lee said about three and a half months remain in the year, but the approved budget has not yet been sent to the Cabinet. She said the government will review the issue after receiving the budget.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (   ) on Thursday rejected suggestions that Taiwan lacks the will to resist a potential takeover by China.

Wu's remarks came after the US magazine The Atlantic published an article titled "Will Taiwan Just Give Up?" It questions the country's resolve to face down Chinese political and military threats.

The article has also drawn criticism online, including claims of inaccuracies and unfamiliarity with Taiwan and China.

Wu called the article's premise flawed. "It's a mistake to assume that Taiwan doesn't have the will to defend itself. With more investment, better equipment, tougher training & realistic exercises, the will has never been stronger," Wu responded in English on X.

At the Taipei Security Dialogue dinner the previous night, he emphasized that Taiwan "will never abandon ourselves" and "surrender has never been an option," per CTS News.

National security officials cited by CTS pointed to a long-running poll by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research. It commissioned the Election Study Center at National Chengchi University to track public attitudes beginning in September 2021.

In a March 2025 survey cited by the officials, 41% of respondents said they were "very willing" to fight to defend Taiwan, and 25% said they were "somewhat willing," for a combined 66%. CTS reported that according to seven surveys since 2021, the share of people "willing" to defend the country has hovered around 70%, despite escalating Chinese military threats and shifts in US politics.

Wu's comments came after Taiwan hosted the Taipei Security Dialogue on Wednesday. The annual gathering of defense and security experts focused this year on regional security, deterrence, emerging technology, and resilience against gray-zone threats.

At the event, Wu warned that Chinese pressure has spread across the entire First Island Chain, with Taiwan at the center. However, he insisted that Taipei is strengthening both defense capabilities and societal resilience while deepening cooperation with like-minded democracies.

The Atlantic article by Simon Shuster, published earlier this week, is subtitled, "The Taiwanese don't trust Trump, and they don't believe America will come to their defense. A deal with China is starting to look inevitable." The article features KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun (   ) and describes her April trip to China, where she met CCP leader Xi Jinping.

Shuster suggested that Cheng and the CCP are aligned on Taiwan's future: "Cheng told me that she did not ask Xi to ease up on the military threats. Their talks focused instead on a plan for Taiwan to drop its claim to independence, stop preparing for war, and move toward reconciliation with the mainland."

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   A delegation from Stanford University's Hoover Institution visited the DPP on Thursday to discuss political polarization in Taiwan and ways to strengthen democracy.

The delegation, including Hoover Institution Senior Fellow Larry Diamond and retired US Navy Admiral James O. Ellis Jr., met with DPP officials and Legislator Puma Shen (   ), per CNA. Shen shared his grassroots efforts to ease social tensions and promote digital empowerment, as well as his views on wealth distribution.

Many political conflicts in Taiwan are not rooted in differences in identity but have been amplified by algorithms and cognitive operations, Shen said. He said more direct human interaction could ease tensions.

Shen also discussed his "Mayor, Listen Up" LINE account, launched Wednesday, which lets residents share views on issues such as transportation, education, and housing. He said the platform is designed as an online version of London's Speakers' Corner and to help people feel their voices can influence politics.

Regarding the economy, Shen said ensuring traditional manufacturers and frontline service workers have security and dignity amid economic growth would help reduce deprivation and social division. The visiting delegation said turning economic gains into a safety net for people at the grassroots level is essential to strengthening democratic resilience.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene warned Wednesday that increasingly sophisticated AI could pose new threats to Taiwan's elections and democratic institutions.

Speaking at the Taipei Security Dialogue, Greene said Taiwan continues to face persistent propaganda attacks from adversaries aimed at creating divisions and undermining confidence in democratic institutions and the US-Taiwan partnership. While the country has long been regarded as a model for countering such manipulation, he said it must prepare for a new wave of more sophisticated AI-driven information operations ahead of the upcoming local elections.

AI-enabled cyberattacks could also pose significant threats to critical sectors, including the banking industry and critical infrastructure. Greene said immediate action is needed to address these emerging risks.

He said Taiwan has made significant progress in strengthening the resilience of its public and civil sectors against such campaigns. Taiwan's experience in countering information manipulation provides an important model for other democracies facing similar pressures, he said.

Greene also praised President Lai Ching-te's (   ) administration for taking steps to strengthen the country's defense capabilities amid unprecedented global security concerns. He cited the government's commitment to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2030, saying Taiwan is fully capable of making that commitment.

Greene said Taiwan is systematically addressing vulnerabilities in its economy, particularly in critical areas such as electricity generation. While the international community has focused heavily on Taiwan's efforts to expand liquefied natural gas imports and storage, he said it has paid less attention to the nation's broader efforts to strengthen energy resilience.

He cited energy rationing plans, a more decentralized power grid, the use of coal and renewable energy, and assessments of potential sources such as geothermal power and nuclear. "Taiwan is far better positioned today than it was just a couple of years ago," Greene said.

Greene said Taiwan's ability to cope with the effects of Middle East conflicts on energy supplies and critical imports such as helium highlights its progress in building resilience. He said Taipei's preparations demonstrate that its efforts to strengthen energy security are producing tangible results.

Taiwan's first two F-16V Block 70 fighters left the United States on Aug. 17, but as of Sept. 3 they had still not arrived at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung, and Taiwan's military had not publicly disclosed an exact arrival time.

They are built but not yet delivered. Even after they arrive, they will not yet be an operational capability.

Taiwan has spent years recovering from production delays. The harder test begins after production.

The aircraft must reach Taiwan, be accepted, integrated, and used for training before they add real capacity to the Air Force. What happens to these first two jets may indicate what the remaining 64 will face.
First clock

Taiwan signed a contract in 2019 for 66 new-build F-16C/D Block 70 fighters, with completion originally expected by the end of 2026. The program fell behind after COVID-19 disrupted production and supply chains, and Lockheed Martin had to rebuild its F-16 line in Greenville, South Carolina.

By October 2025, Defense Minister Wellington Koo (   ) acknowledged that completing all 66 aircraft in 2026 would be difficult. Lockheed Martin responded by running two shifts, with production operating as much as 20 hours a day.

The effort produced the first two aircraft, tail numbers 6727 and 6728.

That is where one delay ends and another begins. The first was about building the aircraft. Now it is about getting them to Taiwan.

Ferrying fighters across the Pacific is not simply a matter of distance. Taiwan's first F-16s made the same journey in 1997, requiring 19 aerial refuelings across the route: nine on the Fort Worth-to-Hawaii leg, six to Guam, and four on the final approach to Taiwan.

The Block 70's conformal fuel tanks extend range, but the fighters still need tankers, maintenance stops, and suitable weather.

The current aircraft spent more than five nights at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, longer than the 1997 stopover there. Reports on Aug. 26 placed the jets at Guam and expected same-day arrival in Taiwan, but unsettled weather pushed the timeline back again.

A reported Aug. 28 arrival also came and went. By Aug. 30, aviation enthusiasts were still waiting outside Chihhang Air Base, watching an empty runway.
Separate delays

The F-16V program now contains several separate issues that should not be treated as a single delay.

In June, lawmakers questioned whether Taiwan's AN/ALQ-254 Viper Shield electronic warfare system complied with a 2012 Legislative Yuan requirement tied to US Air Force equipment standards.

Koo argued that the requirement applied to Taiwan's earlier Block 20 upgrade, not the new Block 70 purchase, and pointed to other Block 70 operators using the same system.

It remains unconfirmed whether the internal suite is even installed on the first two aircraft.

There is no evidence that this dispute caused either the production or ferry delay. It is a separate procurement question and should be judged on its own.
Cost sharing

Taiwan also helped finance F-16V-related development after the United States and Egypt withdrew, and it recovers part of that contribution when other countries later buy systems covered by the investment.

A National Audit Office review through October 2025 put the contribution at about US$319.85 million, with US$245.23 million paid or under US review and US$74.62 million still outstanding.

This is cost sharing, not an open royalty on every F-16V sold. Taiwan is recovering part of an earlier investment while still waiting for the aircraft it ordered for itself.

The 66 new-build fighters are costing about NT$247.2 billion, or roughly US$7.7 billion.
What Taiwan bought

Taiwan already has F-16A/B fighters upgraded to the F-16V Block 20 standard under Peace Phoenix Rising. AIDC says it completed delivery of 139 upgraded aircraft in December 2023.

The 66 aircraft being built under Peace Phoenix Soaring are different. They are new Block 70 fighters, with systems such as the APG-83 AESA radar and conformal fuel tanks.

Taiwan is not simply replacing older fighters. It is adding a newer version to the F-16 fleet it already operates.

Those systems matter. But they add no operational capacity while the aircraft remain unavailable to Taiwan's Air Force.

The strategic question is not whether 66 F-16Vs can match the PLA's much larger air fleet. They cannot, and that was never the point.

What matters is how much extra capability these aircraft will add, and how quickly Taiwan can turn that capability into a usable force.
After delivery

Taiwan's revised schedule now calls for all 66 aircraft to be delivered in 2027 and 2028. The first test is production.

Once the aircraft begin arriving, another clock starts: acceptance, integration, and training before they are ready for operations.

The first two aircraft offer an early look at how Taiwan handles the gap between buying a weapon and putting it to use.

The Viper Shield dispute, the ferry delay, and the production schedule are separate issues, each with its own timeline. But the Air Force has to absorb the results of all three.

A revised delivery schedule does not make the aircraft obsolete. A weapon that has been paid for is not the same as one that has arrived, and neither is the same as one that is ready for use.

Two jets can wait out a typhoon. Taiwan's Air Force cannot wait indefinitely for the rest of the fleet.

The real test is whether the remaining 64 aircraft move from production to Taiwan, acceptance, integration, training, and operational readiness on schedule.

The first two F-16V Block 70 jets Taiwan purchased from the US were spotted unexpectedly turning back after departing from Hawaii yesterday, potentially further delaying delivery of the aircraft.

Taiwan has purchased 66 of the F-16 C/D Block 70 jets to be deployed at Chihhang Air Base (    ) in Taitung County and operated by the air force's 7th Tactical Fighter Wing to defend Taiwan's eastern region.

Two single-seat jets, bearing serial No. 6727 and 6728, were spotted taking off from Hickam Field in Hawaii yesterday, observers said.

Based on the precedent set during the delivery of Taiwan's older F-16 Block 20s, the new jets were expected to fly to Guam for resupply and wait for a window to fly to Chihhang Air Base.

The flight from Hawaii to Guam takes about eight hours and 20 minutes, while the leg from Guam to Taiwan takes about four hours and 40 minutes.

However, eyewitnesses saw the two jets turn back and land at their point of origin shortly after taking off for unknown reasons.

Delivery had been anticipated for this week.

They were initially expected to be delivered in 2023, but the schedule was delayed due to the relocation and restart of the production line and supply chain disruptions.

The rest of the jets are scheduled to be delivered next year and in 2028

Gilberto C. Teodoro, the Defense Secretary for the Philippines, publicly bashed China after he was handed a note outlining China's position on the South China Sea while he was speaking during the Seoul Defense Dialogue in South Korea on Tuesday.

While Teodoro was in the middle of speaking, a man in a white sports coat walked up behind him and placed a sheet of paper on the table beside him.

"I have a note here, I think this is from China," Teodoro said, stopping short in his remarks.

"And may I read it?" he asked the crowd, before proceeding to read aloud from the note.

"China's position on the South China Sea arbitration is clear, consistent and firm. They have no position. The arbitration violates fundamental principles of international law," the note read.

The note likely referred to the 2016 legal case that the Philippines brought against China under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The case, titled the South China Sea Arbitration, determined that China was unlawfully reclaiming land in the Philippines' territorial waters.

China has long rebuked the ruling and consistently accuses the Philippines of infringing on China's sovereignty in the disputed waters.

The long-running dispute has created a number of tense standoffs between the two countries' navies.

"How can you deal with a country in an international forum   beyond the question asked to me   disrespecting the organizers of this forum, how do you expect to deal with it civilly?" Teodoro asked the crowd.

"I ask you the question, is this the right paper to post to me when I'm being asked a question on the floor? And how will you treat this kind of behavior? It not only disrespects, shows, if this is a Chinese position sent to me, it not only disrespects international law, throwing UNCLOS to the floor and trampling upon it, but it also disrespects the basic decency accorded that should be accorded to our most gracious host, the Republic of Korea and the rest of the audience here," he continued.

"So, perhaps basic decency and behavior is what China needs to do. This is actual coercion, bullying and aggression. I will keep this paper as a memento of how desperate China is and how ineffective its position is in the face of a free audience. Thank you very much for the person who gave me this piece of paper. You have just done your country a great service," Teodoro added.

"I think it is well known to the public, to everyone here about the Philippine situation where we face challenges daily from the People's Republic of China which tries to occupy and illegally assert its presence over our territory and especially our exclusive economic zone. In contravention with the UNCLOS. We live in a very interconnected world, and there is no right for any state of that matter to appropriate an international common for its exclusive use or right, contrary to what the international norms clearly state. So the Philippines has been forced to enter into creative defense arrangements and alliances," Teodoro concluded.

For decades, Europe's China strategy rested on a simple premise: more than a billion people, a rising middle class, and an insatiable appetite for European goods. Improve political ties, secure market access, and European industry would thrive.

That logic is not just outdated. It is dangerously delusional.

The China-Europe economic relationship has undergone a structural transformation. China is no longer Europe's complementary consumer market.

It is Europe's primary, state backed industrial competitor, explicitly aiming to reduce dependence on European imports at home while challenging European manufacturing abroad.

The old model assumed mutual benefit. Europe supplied high value technology, specialized machinery and premium cars.

China supplied low cost manufacturing and vast demand. For years, especially in export driven economies like Germany, the arrangement worked.

Numbers behind the story


That division of labor is vanishing. China did not merely grow richer, it became an industrial and technological powerhouse.

It now leads in batteries, solar panels and electric vehicles, and is rapidly closing the gap in robotics, artificial intelligence and industrial machinery. Beijing's drive for technological self reliance functions, in practice, as import substitution in many high value sectors that underpin European prosperity.

The numbers tell the story. In 2025, the EU exported NT$7.3 trillion (199.5 billion euros, US$231 billion) in goods to China and imported NT$20.5 trillion, leaving a goods deficit of nearly NT$13.2 trillion.

More tellingly, the two sides are moving in opposite directions. EU exports to China fell 6.5%, while imports from China rose 6.4%.

Germany, long the biggest European beneficiary of China's rise, offers a sharper warning. Its exports to China dropped 14.5% in early 2025, driven in part by a 26.1% plunge in automobile shipments.

This is not a temporary cyclical slump. It signals the erosion of the industrial complementarity on which Europe's China strategy was built.

BYD or Mercedes


Why, then, are China's 1.4 billion people not delivering the consumer bonanza Europe once imagined?

Part of the answer lies in the structure of the Chinese economy. Beijing's state led industrial policies channel enormous resources into manufacturing capacity, while household consumption remains unusually low as a share of GDP. The result is a double squeeze on European industry.

Inside China, state incentives, technological advancement and increasingly capable domestic firms are replacing European products with Chinese alternatives. A consumer who once aspired to a Mercedes may now choose a BYD. The same shift is underway across machinery, electronics, renewable energy equipment and other sophisticated goods.

Outside China, the problem reverses. Manufacturing capacity that cannot be absorbed domestically seeks markets abroad.

Chinese companies therefore compete not only with European firms in China but increasingly with them in Europe and in third country markets across Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Europe is being squeezed at both ends, losing ground in the Chinese market it once expected to dominate while facing ever formidable Chinese competitors in its own backyard.

That is why the familiar European prescription, improve relations with Beijing to gain greater market access, is no longer sufficient. Even if China eliminated every tariff and trade barrier tomorrow, European industry would still face the deeper challenge of competing against highly capable Chinese firms embedded in a state supported industrial ecosystem.

Strait peace


The political implications are profound. For years, the promise of the Chinese market encouraged Europe to tread carefully on Taiwan, invoking its "one China policy" to justify caution. But the economic relationship is no longer so one sided.

China needs European markets as much as Europe needs China. The fear of displeasing Beijing should therefore carry less weight.

Indeed, a war in the Taiwan Strait could do far more damage to Europe's prosperity than better relations with China could ever offset. Peace across the strait is not separate from Europe's economic interests. It is essential to them.

Taiwan sits at the nexus of global semiconductor production and vital maritime trade routes. Bloomberg Economics has estimated that a war over Taiwan could cost the global economy about US$10 trillion in its first year, roughly 10% of global GDP, with Europe suffering severe consequences of its own.

The precise figure is necessarily hypothetical, but the broader conclusion is hard to dispute. A major conflict in the Taiwan Strait would deliver an economic shock dwarfing almost any commercial advantage Europe might gain through improved access to the Chinese market.

For European policymakers, preserving stability across the Taiwan Strait is therefore not an act of distant idealism, nor should it be understood simply as ideological solidarity with a small democratic state. It is a matter of economic self preservation. Spending decades negotiating incremental access to Chinese markets means little if an Asian geopolitical crisis can erase those gains many times over.

None of this requires Europe to decouple from China or enter an ideological cold war. China remains a major trading partner, and Chinese competition can spur European innovation.

Nor should Europe abandon dialogue with Beijing. The question is not whether Europe should engage China, but what assumptions should guide that engagement.

Nostalgia no longer works


European leaders must replace nostalgic expectations with a strategy grounded in economic security. That means responding selectively to heavily subsidized overcapacity when it threatens strategically important European industries.

It means reducing dangerous dependencies in critical raw materials, green technologies, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and other essential supply chains so that commercial dependence cannot easily become political leverage. It also means taking a more active diplomatic interest in Indo Pacific stability, particularly the preservation of peace across the Taiwan Strait and the security of the maritime routes on which European trade depends.

The political temptation to revive the old promise will remain strong. China still has 1.4 billion people. The number is enormous, easily understood and electorally seductive.

Better relations mean better access. Better access means more exports. More exports mean more jobs and prosperity. But population is not a market strategy.

The promise of 1.4 billion Chinese consumers was enticing when China needed what Europe made. Europe must now adapt to a world in which China increasingly makes those goods itself and, in many cases, wants to sell them to Europe.

European strategy can therefore no longer begin by asking what Europe can sell to China. It must begin with the harder question: What can Europe continue to make when China can make almost everything Europe can?

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (   ) arrived Friday at Italy's Ventotene Island for an unannounced appearance at a democracy forum, with a European Parliament official saying China has no say in her participation.

European Parliament Vice President Pina Picierno said Hsiao's visit had been kept secret until her arrival to protect her participation, per Reuters. Hsiao was accompanied by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (   ).

Picierno announced Hsiao's arrival at the conference, saying, "I am happy to announce that Hsiao Bi-khim, vice president of Taiwan, has just arrived on the island of Ventotene," per ANSA. She added, "No one, not even China, can decide who can or cannot speak here."

In a Facebook post, Picierno said, "In Ventotene, no one decides who can be there. Much less a regime." She said no government should be able to determine which political figures can appear on European soil or which voices can be heard.

She also said the visit sent "a simple and very clear message: intimidation cannot decide who participates in our democratic debate." She added that "freedom of debate is not negotiable with autocracies."

The Ventotene Conference for Freedom and Democracy was launched in 2025 by Picierno and brings together dissidents, advocates, and European leaders to discuss resistance to authoritarianism and the defense of democracy, per CTS. The conference is held on Ventotene, a small 1.54-square-kilometer island off Italy's western coast.

Now a tourist destination, it once served as an internment site for opponents of fascism and is regarded as a symbol of Italian democracy. In addition to Hsiao, Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties Chair Oleksandra Matviichuk participated in this year's conference via video link.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The minister of agriculture, fisheries and food industry in the Malaysian state of Sabah visited Taiwan to study the use of AI in the local farming sector, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday.

During the Sept. 7-11 visit, Minister Datuk Jamawi Ja'afar visited agricultural research and extension stations in Taoyuan and Tainan, and exchanged views about rice and avocado cultivation, the ministry said in a statement. His delegation also attended the opening of the Taiwan Smart Agriweek fair.

The minister held discussions with Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (   ) and visited the Ministry of Agriculture and the International Cooperation and Development Fund. The exchanges focused on Taiwan's successful experience with agricultural cooperation overseas and on farm policy planning.

As the Malaysian delegation expressed a high degree of interest in the training of agricultural experts, a visit was arranged to National Pingtung University of Science and Technology and to Pingtung County Government. Poultry farming in Chiayi and grouper aquaculture in Kaohsiung also drew the group's interest, the ministry said.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The campaign of KMT Changhua County magistrate candidate Wei Ping-cheng (   ) declined Friday to comment on whether New Taipei Deputy Mayor Liu Ho-jan (   ) could chair the campaign, saying Wei is still waiting for Changhua County Magistrate Wang Hui-mei (   ) to take the helm.

KMT Vice Chair Li Chien-lung (   ) said Thursday that Liu would serve as chief policy director for Wei's campaign, adding that Liu had volunteered to assist, per China Times. When asked whether Liu would chair the campaign, Li said the campaign was still "waiting for him."

Liu responded the same day, saying he had never discussed the position and that it should be held by someone more familiar with Changhua's political scene, per Liberty Times. He emphasized that assisting the county's development did not require an official position, adding that he could help with policy discussions and campaigning.

Wei suggested that because Liu remains focused on New Taipei, the campaign would need to discuss the possibility and ask Liu whether he was willing to take on the role, per Liberty Times. KMT Changhua County Branch Chair Hsiao Ching-tien (   ) said he needed to ask both Li and Liu about the proposal, but still hoped to see Wang take charge of Wei's campaign, per UDN.

Despite the KMT's efforts to involve Wang, she has continued to distance herself from Wei's campaign. After missing the establishment of Wei's campaign headquarters, Wang posted Thursday on Facebook thanking the Cabinet for supporting policy proposals and tagging local lawmakers in the post, per Tai Sounds.

Wang specifically stressed that county governance should be bipartisan and that the next magistrate would need to continue her work, per Mirror Media. Her comments, along with her tagging of DPP lawmaker and magistrate candidate Chen Su-yueh (   ), sparked strong backlash from KMT supporters.

Why are Blue Camp supporters unhappy?

However, after the release of this late-night post, the blue-green netizen's pen battle was immediately attracted, and the blue camp supporters questioned Wang Huimei's continued frequent interaction with the green camp high-level, but he snubbed his own candidate Wei Pingzheng, and was angry to leave a message "without going back to Changhua, directly in the hospital", "the county governor will not play again", "not auxiliary election for the exchange", "There is a feeling of giving a stick to Chen Suyue."

The DPP Changhua County Governor Chen Suyue also left a message under the post: "Will continue to work with you to make Changhua develop faster", but also let the message area instantly "crooked", Blue Camp netizens questioned the two "eyebrows", alluding to Wang Huimei in preparation for the change of runway. Compared to the day before Wang Huimei sent a letter to tear up the Party Central Committee to attract 10,000 people to praise, although the number of posts to the Political Council was less interactive, it was still clear that the blue camp grassroots was strongly anxious and dissatisfied with Wang Huimei's lack of support for Wei Ping's political election.

In related news, Wei announced that he would seek to file a lawsuit over attacks targeting a video featuring his daughter that was displayed at his campaign headquarters, per UDN. He said that although he has always supported freedom of speech, sexual attacks and bullying crossed the boundary of reasonable criticism.

The KMT also expressed support for Wei and his family, saying campaign attacks should be directed at politicians rather than their family members, per Tai Sounds.

Wei Jinglun, 22, is Wei Pingzheng's eldest daughter and the only daughter, just graduated from college, and volunteered as a father to help. Since childhood, she and her father Wei Pingzheng have played Facebook likes games, for example, as long as 1,000 netizens like, they took her to South Korea to play. This time, Wei Jinglun released an open-box video of his father's competition, saying, "Dad said 10,000 messages, so I took me to Disney all over the world." As of this morning, more than 2,000 messages were shared, and some netizens left messages "you are a meat pone" and "show us your two balls" involving sexual bullying.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   KMT Vice Chair Li Chien-lung (   ) hinted Thursday at possible progress toward opposition cooperation in the Zhubei mayoral race, days after the TPP said it would seek to win local races in Hsinchu County on its own.

TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (   ) had said Wednesday that although the KMT had allegedly agreed to let the TPP run a candidate for Zhubei mayor on a joint opposition ticket, the party reversed course after DPP Zhubei Mayor Cheng Chao-fang (   ) announced his bid for Hsinchu County magistrate, per UP Media.

He claimed Hsinchu County magistrate candidate Hsu Hsin-ying (   ) had promised the TPP she could persuade the winner of the KMT's Zhubei mayoral primary to step aside, but later reneged.

KMT lawmaker Lin Szu-ming (   ) confirmed Huang had discussed the Hsinchu County race with Hsu, saying it would be acceptable for the TPP to run a joint candidate in Zhubei in exchange for its support in the countywide race, per CTS.

However, KMT Zhubei mayoral candidate Wu Hsu-chih (   ) said talks had only covered a possible candidate-selection mechanism. He also questioned why the TPP was reluctant to choose a joint candidate through polling.

In related developments, KMT Hsinchu County Branch Chair Yang Wen-ke (   ) voiced support for Hsu's bid for county magistrate, calling for opposition unity, per UP Media. The KMT in Hsinchu County is still dealing with fallout from its magistrate primary.

TPP Zhubei mayoral candidate Chiu Chen-yuan (   ) said Friday he had met with Hsinchu County Deputy Magistrate Chen Chien-hsien (   ), who lost the KMT primary, and sought his advice on campaigning, per Tai Sounds. Chiu said Chen told him, "You cannot beat these people at this game," because he was "too honest and kind."

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The Office of the President issued an executive order on Friday disclosing the countersigned national defense and drone development law, per CNA.

The Legislative Yuan passed the Act to Strengthen National Defense Self-Reliance and Promote the Development of the Unmanned Vehicle Industry on Aug. 27. It requires the government to allocate NT$40 billion (US$126.48 million) annually over six years, totaling NT$240 billion.

The Cabinet proposed its legislation in June after drones and unmanned boats were excluded from the NT$780 billion special defense procurement law passed in May. Its NT$210 billion proposal focused on gradually acquiring three categories of military systems through December 2031.

The passed bill retains those three categories. The act designates the Ministry of Economic Affairs as the lead agency, while the Ministry of National Defense will oversee military procurement.

Cabinet Secretary-General Chang Tun-han (   ) said the Cabinet countersigned the act. He noted the main reason is that the sooner Taiwan steps up defense, the greater the deterrence against foreign aggression.

The law forbids participation by firms based in China. It also prohibits the use of Chinese communications technology that may pose national security risks, per Article Six.

On test sites, competent authorities must plan with local governments within a year for three test sites suited for dual-use (military and civilian) flights. The tests are for flight controls, anti-jamming, and war simulations, per Article Seven.

On economic contributions, agencies must evaluate the budget's added value to industries, job creation, income, expansion to include civilian and commercial use, and export value. Reports are to be submitted to the legislature for the record, per Article Eight.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Nine Taiwanese went missing in China last week, taking the total since Jan. 2024 to 440, the Mainland Affairs Council said Saturday.

The total also included people believed to have been detained or in other ways prevented from moving or returning home to Taiwan, per Liberty Times. The latest data release came as officials called for increased vigilance ahead of new Chinese exit and entry regulations.

The council list counted cases from Jan. 1, 2024 until Friday. There were 163 Taiwanese who lost contact with the outside world, an increase of two over the previous week, 36 who were forced to stay in place, and 241 who were detained. Over the past week, there was an increase of seven detentions, while two people previously listed as missing were found to have been detained.

The council said it had not discovered any evidence of links between disappearances and an alleged scheme to send Taiwanese jobseekers to China for organ harvesting.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The government is preparing guidance for travelers to China as Beijing tightens exit and entry rules, with National Security Council Adviser Alex Huang (   ) warning that officials, religious figures, and sensitive technology workers face high risks.

Huang told Liberty Times in an interview on Friday that the Mainland Affairs Council and Ministry of Economic Affairs are drafting guidance to help Taiwanese reduce risks when traveling to China. China's new exit and entry management regulations are scheduled to take effect Tuesday, while random inspections of travelers' communications devices are expected to begin in October, Huang said.

Huang said the planned device inspections could expose trade secrets or past social media comments. Many foreign companies already provide employees traveling to China with dedicated phones, he said.

The first high-risk group is civil servants at all levels, from local government officials to central government and security personnel, Liberty Times reported. Huang said Chinese authorities could seek information on critical infrastructure, judicial operations, air-raid shelters, emergency supplies, and distribution channels handled by local officials.

The second group is religious figures, who Huang said face heightened risks because of China's lack of religious freedom. He said religious activities require the presence of officials from religious affairs authorities under China's United Front Work Department.

Huang said some religious Taiwanese have been detained without apparent cause while traveling to China for tourism.  

The third group comprises workers in sensitive technology fields, including semiconductors, quantum science, advanced materials, and defense-related industries, according to Liberty Times. Those working for key foreign companies or businesses linked to Chinese sanctions also face a high risk of personal restrictions, Huang said.

Huang attributed Beijing's tightening controls to an economic slowdown and concerns about people leaving the country. He added Beijing is trying to prevent citizens from seeking greater freedoms overseas while keeping strategic resources and expertise under its control.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The Foreign Ministry on Friday rejected Beijing's objections to a visit by Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (   ) in Italy for a European democracy forum on Ventotene Island.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei (   ) said "China has no right to interfere," per Mirror Media. The Presidential Office will provide information about Hsiao's trip after she returns to Taiwan, he said.

European Parliament Vice President Pina Picierno announced Hsiao's arrival at the second Ventotene Conference for Freedom and Democracy, saying, "I am happy to announce that Hsiao Bi-khim, vice president of Taiwan, has just arrived on the island of Ventotene," per ANSA. She added, "No one, not even China, can decide who can or cannot speak here."

Picierno said in a social media post, "Freedom is not only defended at our borders. It is defended wherever it is threatened." She added that democracies from the Indo-Pacific to the Mediterranean face common challenges from authoritarian regimes, powers seeking to redraw international balances by force, disinformation, and new forms of pressure on their societies, Mirror Media reported.

"That is why dialogue between Europe and Taiwan is important," Picierno said, stressing that security and freedom are issues that affect everyone. She said the Ventotene forum serves as a reminder that European democracy was born from resistance to totalitarianism and that democracies must defend it with the same determination today.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The National Security Council has raised the alarm over a closed-door screening of an 81-year-old black-and-white Soviet documentary in Taipei, saying it appears to bolster China's "new militarism."  

The Russian representative office in Taipei last week invited about 20 guests from the academia, media and business circles to watch the 1945 black-and-white film "The Defeat of Militarist Japan," translated by the Russian office into Chinese as "Smashing Militarist Japan," Taiwan's foreign ministry informed Reuters. Journalists were turned away at the door, with organizers saying attendance was by invitation only, the story published Friday continued.

The NSC was quoted by Reuters as saying it is "closely monitoring" China Russia cooperation and added, "The two countries are attempting to amplify specific topics and distort historical facts and political issues."

The film depicts Soviet operations against Japanese-occupied Manchuria and the Kuril Islands. It includes a voiceover denouncing Japanese racial supremacy and shows footage of Japanese atrocities against Chinese civilians. The film is available to watch on Youtube, where it is titled, "The Defeat of Japan."

After the screening, Russian representative Pavel Lapin said the Moscow office in Taipei hopes to organize similar events in the future, according to a person who attended, Reuters reported.

The term "new militarism" (also called "neo militarism") is a label Beijing uses to describe what it claims is Japan's shift away from its pacifist post-war position, toward a more offense capable military and security role in the Indo Pacific, according to Nippon.com.

Beijing routinely links its "new militarism" accusations against Japan. Its broader narrative is that Tokyo is colluding with Taiwan and Washington to contain China and interfere in cross strait affairs.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Taiwan Coast Guard vessels will fire Hsiung Feng-series anti-ship missiles during a joint precision munitions exercise next week to test their ability to rapidly convert from peacetime law enforcement ships into wartime combat platforms.

The exercise will test a capability already demonstrated during the Han Kuang military exercises in August, when an Anping-class patrol ship underwent the conversion after arriving at a naval port, per Liberty Times. The process, from installing missile launchers to having a Navy weapons team board and deploy from port, can be completed within several hours, according to military sources.

Vessels from this class can be configured to carry up to 16 subsonic Hsiung Feng II or supersonic Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles, giving Taiwan an additional mobile coastal strike capability. The capability is intended to strengthen the military's deterrence and flexibility in littoral operations.

The vessels were built with space reserved on the aft deck for missile launchers, Liberty Times reported. Removable protective panels cover the area during peacetime, allowing the vessels to operate without missiles.

When a wartime conversion order is issued, a Coast Guard vessel can sail to a designated naval port, where personnel remove the protective panels and use heavy-duty cranes to install preassembled missile launcher modules. The launchers are secured to reserved mounts, and their signal cables are connected to interfaces built into the vessel.

Instead of replacing crews, the conversion lets the Coast Guard keep operating the ship while the Navy handles the missiles, according to Liberty Times. The Navy sends a weapons team of about four to six personnel, including a fire-control officer, operators, and communications specialists, to operate the missile-control system and receive target coordinates from military command networks.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Taiwanese lawmakers, NGOs, and overseas Taiwanese marched through Manhattan on Saturday in support of Taiwan's inclusion in the United Nations, chanting slogans including "UN for Taiwan" and "Keep Taiwan Free," per CNA.

The annual march took place during the opening week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, which began Sept. 8 at UN headquarters in New York. The General Assembly's 2026-27 session is being held under the theme "Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All," per a UN press release.

The march was organized by groups advocating Taiwan's participation in international organizations. Participants included Taiwanese lawmakers and overseas Taiwanese from New York, Boston, Washington, and other parts of the US. Marchers traveled along 42nd Street in Manhattan, passing the Chinese Consulate General, Times Square, and Bryant Park before reaching the New York Public Library, according to organizers.

Participants chanted "UN for Taiwan" and "Keep Taiwan Free," while some passersby stopped to take photographs and show their support. DPP Legislator Wang Yi-chuan (   ) led the march with Shih Shu-hua (   ), chair of the Taiwan United Nations Alliance.

Participants chanted "UN for Taiwan" and "Keep Taiwan Free," while some passersby stopped to take photographs and show their support. DPP Legislator Wang Yi-chuan (   ) led the march with Shih Shu-hua (   ), chair of the Taiwan United Nations Alliance.


Wang said Taiwan is already an important member of the international community, particularly in semiconductors and technology, and called for the annual demonstration to continue so the voices of Taiwanese supporters can be heard by UN member states, per CNA.

He said he hoped Taiwan could eventually join the United Nations under the name "Taiwan." Lee Chih-chiang (   ), director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, addressed participants at the conclusion of the march and called on the UN to allow Taiwan to participate.

Shih said TAIUNA continues to support Taiwan's membership in the UN and World Health Organization, but the group has broadened its objectives to promote Taiwan's participation in international organizations more generally.

"Our goals are now broader," Shih said, arguing that Taiwan should be able to engage in exchanges with international organizations and friendly countries, per CNA.

Marshall Islands Permanent Representative to the UN John Silk also attended the event in support of Taiwan. His government has previously voiced support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the UN system.

The Taiwan government has also launched a promotional campaign in New York during the General Assembly session. The Foreign Ministry said it would use public diplomacy and other activities to highlight Taiwan's contributions to the international community and advocate for its participation in the UN system.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The military will conduct a three-day joint precision munitions live-fire exercise from Wednesday to Friday at the Jiupeng base in Pingtung to assess long-range precision-strike capabilities and test new equipment.

The exercise will include routine live-fire operations involving fighter jets, Patriot and Sky Bow air defense missiles, and the Navy's Hsiung Feng II and III anti-ship missiles, per CNA. The Army will deploy High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and ALTIUS 600M loitering munitions. The retired Chi Yang-class frigate Lan Yang will serve as the target.

The exercise will test integrated strike capabilities across air, sea, and coastal domains. The Navy will also conduct wartime transition drills.

Three warning zones have been designated. The first lies in waters east of the coastline from Taimali in Taitung to Eluanbi in Pingtung, according to CNA. The second extends from the Taitung-Pingtung boundary eastward to waters off Green Island and Orchid Island. The third is located in waters east of Chenggong and Taimali in Taitung.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo left one of the most important strategic legacies in Taiwan-Japan relations, Lai I-chung (   ), president of the Prospect Foundation, said Sunday.

Abe's statement that a contingency for Taiwan is a contingency for Japan and for the US-Japan alliance changed the way Japan views Taiwan, Lai said, per CNA. This shift in thinking has gradually become a key foundation for Japan's political discussions on the Taiwan Strait, he added.

Lai said that in the past, Japan often viewed Taiwan "through the lens of China." Japanese government officials handling Taiwan affairs were mostly from the so-called "China School," with expertise in China.

Taiwan also tended to position itself within the Japan-China-Taiwan framework, seeking to compete with China for Japan's support, according to Lai. He said that after the DPP first came to power in 2000, Taiwan elevated its framework to "US-Japan-Taiwan."

Lai also cited TSMC's investment in Kumamoto as an example of structural changes in Taiwan-Japan economic ties. "It is no longer just Japan supporting us; we are also able to help Japan," he said.

While the two peoples share goodwill and maintain close exchanges in disaster relief, tourism, and culture, security and strategic cooperation between their governments remain limited, Lai said.

He suggested that Taiwan and Japan should set clear, measurable shared goals. For example, the two countries could set targets for bilateral investment and define the level of cooperation in scientific research and advanced technology following TSMC's investment in Japan.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Legislator Puma Shen (   ), the DPP candidate for Taipei mayor, met with Taiwanese supporters in Tokyo on Saturday and launched an overseas campaign group aimed at strengthening ties with the community and supporting future Taipei-Tokyo exchanges.

Shen said establishing the group marked an important milestone in the election, CNA reported. He said overseas support groups were among the earliest organizations established for his campaign. The Japan group will support his election campaign while bringing together the Taiwanese community, promoting exchanges, and serving as a bridge for Taipei's city diplomacy, he said.

Shen said his trip to Japan has three main goals: establishing the campaign support group, advancing parliamentary diplomacy, and studying Japan's urban governance while expanding city diplomacy, per CNA. He said he would engage with Japanese officials and use the exchanges as a reference for future Taipei policies and city diplomacy.

Shen said future exchanges between Taipei and Tokyo involving NGOs, residents, or industries will rely on the support of Taiwanese living in Japan.

In May, Shen said he planned to hold numerous forums and small community gatherings in Taipei to discuss policy visions in every neighborhood and seek voter support. The Taipei mayoral election is scheduled for Nov. 28.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The DPP Taichung Branch is considering expelling founding member and former Legislator Lin Feng-hsi (   ) after he campaigned for KMT Taichung mayoral candidate Johnny Chiang (   ).

DPP Taichung Branch Chair Hsu Mu-kuei (   ) said Sunday that the branch had received calls to expel Lin and would discuss the matter at a meeting Wednesday, per Liberty Times. The meeting was originally scheduled to consider the expulsion of Taichung City Councilor Lin Yu-mei (   ).

Chiang, a former Army frogman, established a frogmen support club for his mayoral campaign Saturday, with Lin Feng-hsi, who also served as a frogman, heading its advisory group, per UDN. Chiang said his military experience taught him discipline and a strong sense of duty, qualities he said he would bring to city governance.

Explaining his support for Chiang, Lin said his relationship with the Chang family, as well as with Chiang's father-in-law Liu Shen-liang (   ), prompted him to back the KMT candidate. Lin also accused the DPP of abandoning its founding ideals, noting that he was among the party's founders and helped establish its Taichung branch.

Lin's endorsement drew criticism from some DPP supporters, who called for his expulsion. However, former Taichung County Magistrate Liao Yung-lai (   ) said removing Lin from the party at this stage would have little significance.

DPP Legislator Tsai Chi-chang (   ) similarly downplayed the issue, noting that Lin has not participated in political activities for more than a decade since retiring.

Former lawmaker Shen Fu-hsiung (   ) said Lin has limited political influence and that some of his supporters may already favor Chiang, per China Times. He added that Lin belongs to the Formosa Faction (    ), which has often been at odds with the New Tide faction (     ), making his support for Chiang unsurprising given that DPP Taichung mayoral candidate Ho Hsin-chun (   ) is associated with New Tide.

Ho on Sunday established her coastal campaign headquarters with the backing of several DPP city councilors, per UDN. They criticized Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (   ) for failing to develop Taichung's coastal area and accused her of blocking plans to install gas turbine generators at the Taichung Thermal Power Plant.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Chuang Jui-hsiung (   ) said Monday that a national affairs conference could help resolve political disputes but would have no authority to determine the constitutionality of legislation.

Chuang was responding to opposition calls for a national affairs conference to address growing tensions between the ruling DPP and opposition parties, per ETtoday. He said that while political parties could seek consensus through such a conference, it could not replace the Constitutional Court in determining whether legislation complies with the Constitution.

Chuang added, however, that the forum could help ease political tensions and rebuild trust among parties.

The Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation held a conference marking 30 years since the country adopted direct presidential elections. During a discussion on the challenges facing constitutional order, former Premier Jiang Yi-huah (   ) warned that the country's semi-presidential system has created a situation in which the president exercises significant power without corresponding oversight, while the premier faces the opposite problem, per CNA.

Jiang said using the countersignature mechanism to block the promulgation of laws undermines the constitutional system, arguing that the mechanism was intended to constrain presidential power. Former DPP Chair Hsu Hsin-liang (   ) agreed with Jiang's characterization of the countersignature mechanism and Premier Cho Jung-tai's (   ) use of it, per Liberty Times.

Hsu said Taiwan's previous constitutional reforms sought to move the country toward France's semi-presidential model and argued that future amendments should continue in that direction. He proposed convening a national affairs conference to build consensus on further constitutional reform.

Hsu also opposed restoring the legislature's power to approve the president's choice of premier, saying such a change would reduce the president to a largely ceremonial head of state and conflict with the nation's political culture. He urged President Lai Ching-te (   ) to convene a national affairs conference to bridge the divide between the DPP and opposition parties.

The KMT, which has long advocated such a meeting, quickly seized on Hsu's remarks.

KMT Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Hsu Yu-chen (   ) accused Lai of selectively deciding which laws to promulgate through Cho's refusal to countersign them, per Tai Sounds. She called on Lai to end what she described as political confrontation and invite all parties to address issues surrounding constitutional order, national defense, and other major national challenges.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Chen Tsui-lien (   ), who took office as director of Academia Historica on Monday, pledged to deepen studies of Taiwan's democratization history.

Chen said she would carefully examine authoritarian and dictatorial rule and how such systems harm society, per CNA. She emphasized that this work is about remembering Taiwan's struggle for democracy and freedom and cherishing its hard-won democratic system.

Chen said she has observed increasingly serious conceptual distortion in news and political discourse in recent years. Elected governments that are subject to checks and balances are being maliciously labeled as authoritarian or dictatorial and described using terms associated with political terror, she said, according to CNA.

Chen argued that such political attacks could undermine public confidence in the nation's democratic system and erode the core values of democracy and freedom, causing irreparable harm to society. Only continuous remembrance and clarification can defend the democratic system, she said.

Chen said it is also necessary to promote a shared understanding of Taiwan's history and address difficult historical issues, CNA reported. With the increasing availability of political surveillance archives, society has gained a greater understanding of the past, but these documents also raise complex and challenging questions, she said.

She warned that if such archives are made public without careful analysis, research, and contextualization, they could allow the legacy of authoritarian-era intelligence agencies to continue dividing and harming society.

Chen said she hoped Academia Historica could become a platform for building a shared understanding of Taiwan's history.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The Mainland Affairs Council warned Monday that five groups could face greater risks when traveling to China after new entry and exit rules take effect Tuesday.

CNA reported that the groups include Taiwan businesspeople in China, corporate executives, semiconductor and high-tech workers, lower-level government employees, and certain religious figures. Deputy Mainland Affairs Council Minister Shen Yu-chung (   ) urged people in these groups to register their travel information online before visiting China.

Shen said the number of people questioned, detained, or reported missing in China has risen in recent years. He described the increase as unusually large compared with previous years.

China's new regulations on entry and exit management take effect Sept. 15. Shen made the remarks before a Taipei forum examining the risks and possible effects of the measures.

Central Police University professor Wang Chih-sheng (   ) said the rules could pose particular risks to people in high-tech industries. He said businesspeople and technology workers may draw attention from Chinese authorities because they have access to sensitive technical information, per CTS News.

Wang said some travelers could be prevented from leaving China or pressured to provide information before being allowed to depart. He said this could create greater uncertainty for people traveling there for technology-related business.

The measures could also affect other travelers, Wang said. Chinese authorities may demand electronic information from mobile phones,
computers, or social media accounts if they believe it is linked to national security.

Wang said travelers may not know what authorities consider a security concern. Information involving relatives who express support for Taiwan, participation in international organizations, or religious beliefs could lead to further scrutiny.

Taipei District Court Judge Hsu Kai-chieh (   ) said China has already imposed similar restrictions under laws such as its revised Counter-Espionage Law. He said the latest regulations add another layer of controls involving technology and exports, per PTS News.

Hsu said the rules could give Chinese authorities broader legal grounds to restrict both entry and departure. Officials could block people they consider troublesome from entering China while also preventing people viewed as important from leaving, he said.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Taiwan High Court upheld a six-month prison term for a captain who smuggled a fugitive criminal from China to Penghu, reports said Saturday.

The fugitive, named Lin ( ), paid NT$550,000 (US$17,000) to three men to help him re-enter Taiwan via Penghu, per UDN. After fleeing to China earlier, he contacted one of the men in July 2023 to arrange the journey.

He first took off from China in a Chinese ship before transferring to a Taiwanese fishing trawler captained by a man named Yu ( ) on July 30 the same year. The following day, late at night, he left the ship at Magong Port unnoticed.

A man named Wang ( ) allowed Lin to stay at a room he had booked at a holiday resort for one night, before another suspect, Hsu ( ), moved him to a hotel room. Wang allowed Lin to use his ID to buy a ferry ticket to Budai in Chiayi County, but Lin abandoned the plan when he suspected he would not be allowed to board the ship.

Lin paid Yu NT$200,000, and Hsu and Wang NT$120,000 each, prosecutors said. At the end of their trial, Penghu District Court sentenced Yu to six months in prison and Hsu and Wang to one year, UDN reported.

Penghu District prosecutors said the sentences were too lenient and filed appeals requesting prison terms of at least three years and six months. However, the Taiwan High Court in Kaohsiung ruled the penalties had been appropriate and rejected the prosecutors' requests. New appeals are still possible, CNA reported.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned Thursday that a conflict involving Taiwan could have repercussions far beyond the Indo-Pacific, saying China could turn to Russia to create a simultaneous security crisis in Europe, per CNA.

Speaking at the annual Conference of the Heads of German Missions in Berlin, Rutte said Europe and the US are increasingly aware that a Chinese move against Taiwan or elsewhere along the first island chain could be accompanied by Russian action in Europe.

"The US is deeply convinced that it is spreading its resources too thinly if we, in Europe, are not stepping up," Rutte said, noting that Washington also has to address its interests in the Indo-Pacific, per a transcript of his address.

"There is also the realization, increasingly, both in Europe and in the US, that if China were to move against Taiwan or anything in the first island chain, Xi Jinping will first call his junior partner in all of this, which is Vladimir Putin in Moscow, to keep us busy here," he said.

Rutte said such a scenario could leave the West facing "a serious problem in both theaters," referring to Europe and the Indo-Pacific. "In other words, the Indo-Pacific and Europe are more and more interconnected," he said.

His warning reflects a concern he has raised repeatedly over the past year: that China and Russia could create simultaneous challenges for Western countries, forcing the US and its European allies to divide their military and political attention between Europe and the Indo-Pacific.

Rutte made similar comments about the potential for a Chinese attack on Taiwan to coincide with Russian military action against NATO territory. In July 2025, he said Russia could be asked to keep NATO occupied in Europe if China attacked Taiwan. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time said Rutte had warned that China could partner with Russia to create a parallel conflict in Europe.

NATO's official position focuses on collective defense of its 32 member states. However, Rutte's comments about the increasing interconnectedness of the two regions means NATO members cannot consider European and Indo-Pacific security challenges separately.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Taiwan's first two MQ-9B drones conducted their initial flight tests at Hualien Air Force Base on Monday, according to a military source.

The drones were handed over to the Air Force in the US in March and recently arrived in Taiwan. Personnel from manufacturer General Atomics and the military assembled and tested them in Hualien, CNA reported. The military hopes to leverage their long endurance and round-the-clock surveillance capabilities to strengthen monitoring of air and maritime activities around the Taiwan Strait.

The Air Force allocated NT$21.7 billion (US$684.03 million) from 2022 to 2029 to procure four MQ-9B drones, along with related equipment such as ground control stations. The remaining two drones are scheduled to arrive next year.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   President Lai Ching-te (   ) said Tuesday that Taiwan was advancing the Ten Major AI Infrastructure Projects, which aim to train at least 500,000 AI professionals by 2040.

Lai said the economy grew 8.76% last year and 14.15% in the first half of this year, its strongest first-half performance in five decades, per CNA. He said full-year growth was expected to exceed 11%, which would be the best result in 39 years, while Taiwan could join the world's 20 largest economies next year.

The AI projects will promote smart applications across industries and support the development of quantum computing, silicon photonics, and robotics. A NT$100 billion (US$3.2 billion) fund will help small and medium-sized businesses upgrade and improve their competitiveness.

Lai said the government was seeking more investment from Taiwanese and foreign companies. Its three major investment programs have been extended through next year and expanded to include companies worldwide.

Stronger economic growth has also increased tax revenue, allowing the government to devote more resources to national defense, Lai said.

The president said the government was expanding education support so children could pursue their ambitions regardless of their family income or where they lived. He added that Taiwan would deepen cooperation with countries worldwide, particularly Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   US memory chipmaker Micron Technology is awarding its largest-ever employee rewards package, with Taiwan workers set to receive a NT$1 million (US$31,300) cash bonus.

Micron said the fiscal 2026 rewards are the largest in the company's history, recognizing employees' contributions to its operating results and reflecting its commitment to sharing the benefits of growth, per UDN. In Taiwan, employees who joined the company by Aug. 29, 2025, will receive the NT$1 million cash bonus, while employees hired during fiscal 2026 will receive a prorated amount based on their time with the company.

In addition to the cash bonus, Taiwan employees can receive annual performance bonuses of up to 500% of their target bonus, along with additional stock awards. For Taiwan production workers, overall compensation is equivalent to about 35 to 68 months of salary.

Micron said cash compensation for its Taiwan employees will start at NT$1.7 million for fiscal 2026, while entry-level engineers earn an average of about NT$2.9 million in cash compensation, UDN reported. Their average total compensation, including stock awards, can reach NT$3.4 million.

Taiwan is a key manufacturing and technology hub in Micron's global operations, with about 15,000 employees and cumulative investment exceeding NT$1.6 trillion. It is one of the company's core locations for DRAM manufacturing and technology development.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Election bulletins provided to voters should include information about the criminal records and convictions of candidates in the year-end elections, Taiwan Go Go said Tuesday.

The group is an alliance formed by the New Power Party, the Taiwan Statebuilding Party, the Green Party Taiwan, and the Taiwan Obasang Political Equality Party. At a news conference Tuesday, the alliance said it had identified 125 of more than 1,500 candidates in the Nov. 28 local elections as having criminal records, per Liberty Times.

The KMT had 42 candidates on the list, the DPP 20, and the Taiwan People's Party one, CNA reported. Among the smaller parties, the New Party had fielded two candidates with criminal records, while the People First Party, Left Party, and Rehabilitation Party had fielded one each.

Ten previously elected candidates whose elections had been annulled were running again in November, Taiwan Go Go said. The alliance also said relatives were running in place of 31 people facing legal proceedings, per CNA.

"First-class citizens should not elect third-class representatives," the alliance said.

NPP Chair Claire Wang (   ) said that although people convicted of corruption, weapons, and drug offenses were already barred from running in elections, those restrictions were insufficient.

Voters should not be left to seek out the information themselves, Wang said. She called for the Election and Recall Act to be amended to require that all relevant information be included in election bulletins.

Taiwan Go Go also cited South Korea, where election laws require candidates to disclose information about sentences beginning with fines of NT$23,000 (US$722), CNA reported.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Taiwan's EU envoy Shieh Jhy-wey (   ) said Tuesday that a woman removed from a restricted area before Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim's (   ) speech in Italy was suspected of gathering intelligence for China.

Hsiao spoke at the second Ventotene European Conference for Freedom and Democracy on Friday. Her visit was not disclosed until she arrived in Italy to reduce the risk of Chinese interference. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (   ) and Shieh, who represents Taiwan at the EU and in Belgium, accompanied her.

Shieh wrote on Facebook that about three hours before the speech, he saw a "young woman with Asian features" sitting alone on a bench outside the venue and looking at her phone. A member of the security team became suspicious because the area was otherwise empty and access was restricted, per Liberty Times.

The woman reportedly told the security staffer that she was part of the cleaning crew for the next event. However, the organizers had not hired any cleaners, Shieh said. The staffer told her to leave immediately or accompany him to a police station for questioning.

Shieh said those present believed the woman had been sent by China to gather intelligence. He added that it was a pity she had not returned to hear Hsiao's speech, as she might have been inspired by the vice president's message of freedom and democracy.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   German journalist Jurgen Kremb said Thursday that fear of Chinese spies in Taiwan "plays right into the hands of China's security apparatus."

Kremb made the remark at an event hosted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and European Values Center for Security Policy in Taipei, per Liberty Times. He recounted his experience last June of being followed by someone he believed was a Chinese agent while traveling in Taiwan and discussed findings from a research paper he published in June.

The paper, published in a journal by the Investigation Bureau, argues that China's intelligence operations extend beyond traditional espionage and threaten global security. "Taiwan is the bulwark of freedom in Asia   if this bulwark falls, freedom worldwide will be at stake," it concluded.

Kremb said those involved might not receive direct payment from the Chinese government but could provide information or submit reports to the Ministry of State Security. He told Taiwan News that terms such as "agents" and "spies" might not accurately characterize their roles in the security network.

European Economic and Trade Office Head Lutz Gullner said governments needed stronger capabilities to deter efforts to silence speech and protect those targeted. He also called for greater transparency and public awareness to strengthen democratic resilience.

Drawing on eight years of experience working in China, Kremb urged Taiwanese not to fear the threat posed by such operatives.

Kremb previously headed Der Spiegel's Beijing, Singapore, and Vienna bureaus. He came to Taiwan in 2025 as a visiting scholar at Soochow University.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   The Air Force has signed a NT$1.64 billion (US$51.6 million) contract with German defense company Rheinmetall to purchase 35mm training ammunition for its Oerlikon GDF-006 twin-barrel anti-aircraft guns.

The defense ministry announced the contract award Tuesday, with deliveries scheduled to be completed by the end of June 2028, per Liberty Times. Military sources said the ammunition would support the Air Force's Skyguard air defense system, amid speculation that its 35mm guns would eventually be retired.

The Air Force has invested heavily in the US-made National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, prompting earlier plans to phase out older Skyguard components. However, military sources said recent combat experience in Ukraine and the Middle East had underscored the value of guns against inexpensive drones and other low-cost aerial threats.

The new contract will help maintain the live-fire training needed to keep air defense crews proficient. Rheinmetall is a major supplier of 35mm ammunition, and the purchase includes training rounds intended to support regular exercises and preserve the guns' operational readiness.

The Air Force operates 48 35mm guns under the Air Force Air Defense and Missile Command, military sources said. The guns protect military airfields, strategic facilities, fuel depots, and the Leshan Radar Station, among other high-value sites.

The guns have been upgraded to the GDF-006 configuration and can fire Rheinmetall's Advanced Hit Efficiency and Destruction airburst ammunition, according to Liberty Times. The ammunition can release a dense cloud of tungsten projectiles near an incoming target, while the guns can fire up to 1,100 rounds per minute, making them particularly suited to short-range defense against drones.

Older radar vehicles and Sparrow missiles associated with the Skyguard system are expected to be retired as NASAMS enters service, while the 48 guns will remain operational, military sources said. The military is also studying ways to integrate the guns with NASAMS radar or new air defense radars developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology.

Such integration would create a layered network combining missiles and guns.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Taiwan's military will begin its annual Joint Precision Munitions Live-Fire Exercise at the Jiupeng base in Pingtung on Wednesday.

The three-day drill will include a sinking exercise modeled on those conducted during the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, per Liberty Times. Military units will demonstrate their long-range strike capabilities by targeting decommissioned vessels, including the Chi Yang-class frigate Lan Yang.

The exercise will be among the largest and most intensive held in recent years, according to Liberty Times. Several systems will participate for the first time, including High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, ALTIUS 600M loitering munitions, and land-based Sky Sword II missiles.

Patriot PAC-2 and Sky Bow III air defense missiles will also be deployed, along with Hsiung Feng II and III anti-ship missiles.

Three warning zones have been designated. The first lies in waters east of the coastline from Taimali in Taitung to Eluanbi in Pingtung. The second extends eastward from the Taitung-Pingtung boundary to waters off Green Island and Orchid Island. The third is in waters east of Chenggong and Taimali in Taitung.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (   ) on Tuesday urged a visiting Japanese lawmaker delegation to support a Taiwan-Japan free trade agreement and its accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Democratic Party for the People Representative Toshihide Muraoka is leading the delegation.

Lin said an FTA would deepen economic ties and contribute to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, according to the foreign ministry. The two countries maintain close trade and people-to-people exchanges, he said.

The foreign minister said the two countries are located in the First Island Chain and face increasingly severe regional security challenges, making closer cooperation essential. He highlighted that both countries are facing gray-zone threats such as cyberattacks and cognitive warfare from China and called for stronger security cooperation and information sharing.

Lin thanked the DPFP for repeatedly emphasizing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. He said the party has become an increasingly influential force in Japanese politics and expressed hope for further exchanges and cooperation.

Toshihide said Taiwan-Japan relations are built on strong mutual goodwill. He noted that Taiwan is always among the first to assist Japan during natural disasters such as earthquakes and expressed gratitude for the support.

He stressed that his party places great importance on peace and stability in the strait and recognizes that Taiwan's security is closely linked to Japan's own security. He said the party will continue urging the Japanese government to strengthen cooperation with Taiwan to safeguard peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

The foreign ministry said the delegation's visit would help deepen exchanges between Taiwan and Japan in national security, economic security, and supply chain resilience.

e foreign ministry said the delegation's visit would help deepen exchanges between Taiwan and Japan in national security, economic security, and supply chain resilience.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (   ) said Tuesday that Beijing is seeking to influence US President Donald Trump's handling of relations with China and Taiwan.

Trump and Xi are scheduled to meet in the US on Sept. 24, with Lin saying Xi is expected to raise the Taiwan issue during his visit, per UDN. He said Trump has a range of issues to discuss with Beijing, including trade, investment, procurement, and AI competition.

Taiwan-US relations should not be tied to US-China relations, Lin said, noting that Xi has sought to link the two issues, according to Liberty Times.

He cited reports that Xi could cancel his US visit if Washington approves arms sales to Taiwan before the meeting, saying such reports create a narrative that Trump would refrain from selling weapons to Taiwan because he values Xi's visit.

When host Huang Wei-han (   ) asked when President Lai Ching-te (   ) might visit the US and make a transit stop, Lin said the government would arrange the trip at an appropriate time.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   China is seeking to exploit Taiwan's democratic system by pushing extreme political figures into the political arena to sow division, National Security Council Adviser Alex Huang (   ) said Tuesday.

Asked about Chinese nationals or pro-China figures seeking to run for office, Huang said democratic countries must apply the same legal standards to everyone. Candidates in Taiwan must meet citizenship requirements and give up residency rights and green cards in other countries. The Central Election Commission and other agencies conduct checks when questions arise about Chinese nationality.

Once elected, such politicians could pose a risk by obstructing major legislation, Huang said, pointing to delays in President Lai Ching-te's (   ) national security legislation, Liberty Times reported. He said opposition to such measures does not come from every legislator, but that some figures seek to influence public opinion and undermine efforts to advance the legislation.

"The goal is to weaken Taiwan," Huang said, adding that Beijing does not necessarily need to attack the country if it can keep the society divided and embroiled in political infighting. Such divisions could leave the nation without enough time to purchase essential drones, prevent society from uniting, and potentially lead to the disclosure of sensitive information during political conflicts.

Huang also described the nation as a "living encyclopedia" of Chinese election interference, saying Beijing is constantly updating its methods with artificial intelligence, according to Liberty Times. He cited the creation of thousands of interactive "live accounts" overnight and the mass production of AI-generated videos targeting former President Tsai Ing-wen (   ), President Lai, and Legislator Puma Shen (   ), the DPP candidate for Taipei mayor.

Huang said a new "nurture, entrap, and kill" tactic has emerged on social media platforms, in which seemingly harmless channels build audiences before abruptly shifting to political messaging. He cited Youtube channels that initially attract viewers with health advice before dozens of channels simultaneously promote a particular candidate or attack an opponent.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)   Premier Cho Jung-tai (   ) criticized the legislature Tuesday for failing to forward the 2026 budget to the Cabinet after it completed its third reading in August.

Cho said that while the Cabinet is still waiting for the legislature, important work remains to be done, per NOWNews. Cabinet Spokesperson Michelle Lee (   ) added that the delayed implementation of the 2026 budget could have a knock-on effect on a supplementary budget proposal submitted to the legislature Sept. 3, per Liberty Times.

Lee said the supplementary budget includes increases in welfare benefits and bonuses for civil servants, teachers, and military personnel, benefiting roughly 3.9 million people. Lee explained that a delay in forwarding the 2026 budget could affect benefits for millions of people, as well as the NT$145.7 billion (US$4.58 billion) allocated to strengthen Taiwan's defense capabilities.

KMT Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Hsu Yu-chen (   ) rejected the characterization of the situation as a delay, noting that the deadline for forwarding the budget was set for Sept. 29 during a previous caucus negotiation, per UP Media. She said the DPP understood and agreed to the deadline to allow sufficient time for officials to organize and proofread the documents before forwarding them to the Cabinet.

However, DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Chuang Jui-hsiung (   ) argued that the legislature has taken too long to complete the administrative work, per CNA. He said it was reasonable for the public to question the legislature's efficiency after a month had passed without the budget being forwarded.

Chuang reiterated his criticism Wednesday, saying the outcome of caucus negotiations should not prevent Cho from commenting on the issue, per Newtalk. He said roughly NT$224 billion in spending could not proceed because the 2026 budget had not yet taken effect.