Details on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework are in short supply, and the plan seems to offer little that Asia’s current bilateral and multilateral deals do not… South China Morning Post
Category: News
Taiwan and Shanghai – 2 different takes on tackling Covid-19
Taiwanese authorities have started easing restrictions to live with the virus while the mainland is sticking to its zero-Covid playbook
Both approaches involve stress for the people trying to navigate the systems South China Morning Post
Taiwan not included in launch of new Biden Indo-Pacific pact
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed that Taiwan isn’t among the governments signed up for the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, a pact that’s meant to allow the U.S. to work more closely with key Asian economies on issues like supply chains, digital trade, clean energy and anticorruption. AP
A new approach to defending Taiwan at the UN
Bowing to Chinese pressure for the fifth year in a row, the World Health Organization (WHO) is set to arbitrarily deny Taiwan’s request to attend the global health body’s annual agenda-setting meeting this month in Geneva. But, if the Biden administration and Congress are serious about undercutting Beijing’s campaign to delegitimize its democratic rival… The HIll
China decries ‘ulterior motives’ behind US support of Taiwan’s WHA inclusion
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) issued a press release citing Spokesperson Zhu Fenglian (朱鳳蓮) as saying the U.S. has ulterior motives for “making a deal out of” Taiwan’s lack of observer status in the WHA. She insisted that Taiwan’s participation in the body under the name “Chinese Taipei” from 2009-2016 was “a special arrangement” made under the one China principle and had not “set an example.” taiwannews.com.tw
US Trade Chief Meets Taiwan Minister Despite China Warning
US trade chief Katherine Tai met Taiwanese Minister Without Portfolio John Deng to discuss opportunities to deepen the nations’ economic relationship in the same week China’s top diplomat warned Washington it’s heading down the “wrong road” with its support for the island. Bloomberg
Majority of adults would take up arms if China invaded
More than half of the adults in Taiwan would be willing to take up arms if China attacked the country, a survey conducted and released by the Association of Chinese Elite Leadership (ACEL) suggested Friday. Focustaiwan.tv
Survey Results
61.4% Willing to take up arms to defend Taiwan
25.1% Would Not
The ACEL poll was conducted from May 18-, targeting individuals aged 20 or older.
The poll received 1,073 valid samples, with interviews conducted via telephone, and has a margin of error of 2.98 percent, with a 95 percent level of confidence.
A Fight Over Taiwan Could Go Nuclear
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has raised the specter of nuclear war, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed his nuclear forces at an elevated state of alert and has warned that any effort by outside parties to interfere in the war would result in “consequences you have never seen.” Such saber-rattling has understandably made headlines and drawn notice in Washington. But if China attempted to forcibly invade Taiwan and the United States came to Taipei’s aid, the threat of escalation could outstrip even the current nerve-wracking situation in Europe. Foreign Affairs
Japan warns of increasing Chinese naval activity east of Taiwan
China’s dispatching of its aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, in the waters east of Taiwan is not only meant to establish a military presence in the area but also is a test to see how the U.S. and Japan respond to its military activities, Japanese military authorities have said. Taiwan News
China Cautions U.S. Over Cost of ‘Bad Faith’ Policy on Taiwan
The Chinese government has accused the United States of acting in “bad faith” for continuing to back Taiwan, after senior American officials continued to draw relevant lessons for Asia from Russia’s protracted war in Ukraine. NewsWeek