Asia

Taiwan faces largest COVID-19 outbreak yet

Editorial Bureau April 29, 2022

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan, which had been living mostly free of COVID-19, is now facing its worst outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic with over 11,000 new cases reported Thursday. Cases have been on the upswing since late March. In April, the island’s central authorities announced that

USA

China says US hyped sailing of Navy warship in Taiwan Strait

Editorial Bureau April 27, 2022

BEIJING — China protested Wednesday against the sailing of a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer through the Taiwan Strait the previous day, accusing the American side of hyping the maneuver. The Navy’s Japan-based 7th Fleet said late Tuesday that the passing of the USS Sampson through the 160-kilometer- (100-mile-) wide waterway between Taiwan and China “demonstrates […]

USA

Former top US defense officials to visit Taiwan amid tension

Editorial Bureau March 2, 2022

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A delegation of former U.S. defense officials is visiting Taiwan this week in a sign of stepped-up communication between the sides amid the looming threat from China. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen is leading the five-person delegation that is due to arrive later Tuesday and is scheduled […]

Asia

Peace in Taiwan Strait a global concern, says Mullen

Editorial Bureau March 2, 2022

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is “not just a U.S. interest, but also a global one,” former Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen said Wednesday during a visit to Taiwan that comes amid the backdrop of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Peace and stability in the […]

Finance

Taiwan pays $900,000 for ally Guatemala to lobby Washington

Editorial Bureau January 18, 2022

MIAMI — Guatemala has hired for $900,000 a major supporter of former President Donald Trump to seek influence with U.S. officials in an unusual lobbying contract paid for by its ally Taiwan, foreign lobby records show. Ballard Partners registered as a foreign agent with the U.S. Justice Department on Jan. 13, according to new filings […]

World

Lithuania: Taiwan to set up $1B credit fund amid China spat

Editorial Bureau January 12, 2022

VILNIUS, Lithuania — Taiwan will set up a $1 billion credit program aimed at funding projects by Lithuanian and Taiwanese companies amid economic pressure from China over an office that the island opened in the European Union country, Lithuanian officials said Tuesday. It follows Taiwan’s announcement last week about creating a $200 million investment fund […]

Asia

Taiwan’s Tsai urges unity against rising authoritarianism

Editorial Bureau December 16, 2021

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Addressing a group of visiting French lawmakers, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called Wednesday for greater unity among democratic nations in the face of rising authoritarianism. Tsai also said the self-governing island republic would take on greater responsibilities to contribute to regional and global peace and stability. “Democratic allies should

Asia

Taiwan records first omicron case in traveler from Africa

Editorial Bureau December 12, 2021

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan has recorded its first case of the omicron variant in a passenger who recently traveled to the southern African country of Eswatini, health officials said Saturday. The passenger, a Taiwanese woman in her 30s who returned on Dec. 8, is now in quarantine in hospital, according to the Central Epidemic Command […]

Asia

Why did China woo away Nicaragua from Taiwan?

Editorial Bureau December 10, 2021

BEIJING — Nicaragua’s decision to sever diplomatic links with Taiwan and recognize China leaves the self-governing island democracy with just 14 diplomatic allies. Most are small, largely poor nations in the Western Pacific, the Caribbean and Latin America, the one exception being the Vatican. At the same time, Taiwan enjoys robust unofficial ties with the […]

USA

U.S. lawmakers visit Taiwan, plan to meet senior leaders

Editorial Bureau November 26, 2021

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Five U.S. lawmakers are in Taiwan on Friday in a surprise one-day visit, said the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto embassy. The lawmakers from the U.S. House of Representatives arrived in Taiwan on Thursday night and will meet with senior leaders on the island. No further details were provided about […]