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Tsai Ing-wen

Taiwanese soldiers display the self-governed island’s national flag during Taiwan’s National Day celebration in Taipei on Thursday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Beijing could elaborate law for ‘non-peaceful’ Taiwan reunification

Cautionary remarks by former US envoy, Taipei lawmaker come after PLA unleashes blockade drills over speech by island’s ‘separatist’ leader.

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Editorial | Drills that blockaded Taiwan a reminder of Beijing’s red lines

Beijing hits out at Lai’s speech arguing mainland lacks authority over island

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Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-wen to visit Europe in first overseas trip since stepping down

Details of 8-day visit kept quiet amid security concerns, reports say.

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Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te and former leader Tsai Ing-wen discussed her coming trip at the presidential residence on Sunday. Photo: CNA

Taiwan sets war readiness goals at meeting of new defence resilience committee

Whole-of-Society Defence Resilience Committee aims to mobilise around 400,000 people, security official says.

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No 2 Taiwan official visiting US for 2 weeks seeks ‘better understanding’

Speculation about how much Washington trusts island’s new leader looms over tour by Democratic Progressive Party’s secretary general.

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William Lai pushes Taiwan identity to counter Beijing. But how far will he go?

Island’s leader wants to rename local dialect and boost cultural pride, but analysts say he is unlikely to officially declare independence.

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Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te stands in front of a portrait of Sun Yat-sen, founding father of the Republic of China, during a graduation ceremony of military academies in Taipei on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

Xiamen forum reveals state of tourism between mainland China and Taiwan

Straits Forum shows up Taiwanese concerns and the limitations of Beijing’s new policy.

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Czechs to open cultural centre in Taiwan, risking Beijing’s ire

Czech official says centre is meant to deepen understanding among Taiwanese of traditional and contemporary Czech culture.

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Lithuanian president re-elected in vote marked by Russia fears

Gitanas Nauseda elected to a second, five-year term as rival Ingrida Simonyte concedes defeat. Russia’s war in Ukraine dominated the presidential campaign in the Nato member nation of 2.8 million.

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Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda celebrates victory. Photo: AP

Harder to respond: why Beijing may prefer a blockade to armed conflict on Taiwan

PLA exercise was planned before William Lai’s inauguration and calibrated to ‘signal displeasure, but hopefully not escalate’, says analyst.

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The People’s Liberation Army has launched a two-day exercise around Taiwan which could be a practice run for a blockade of the self-ruled island, according to analysts. Photo: CCTV

‘Empty talk’: Beijing rebuffs Taiwan leader’s bid to revive tourism, exchanges

Taiwan Affairs Office releases another strongly worded statement following William Lai’s inauguration on Monday.

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Taiwan’s new leader William Lai takes the helm, and a tougher line

Taiwanese leader made no mention of the ‘one China’ consensus in his inauguration speech, but spoke of the island as a ‘nation’, drawing a swift rebuke from Beijing.

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The big difference between Taiwan’s William Lai and Tsai Ing-wen on day 1

In his first speech as leader, Lai omits any reference to the 1992 consensus, saying the two sides of the Taiwan Strait ‘are not subordinate to each other’.

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Taiwan’s former president Tsai Ing-wen and new President William Lai Ching-te wave during the inauguration ceremony outside the presidential office building in Taipei on Monday, May 20. Photo: Reuters

In Taiwan, eyes are on the next president and the ghost of Chiang Kai-shek

In the run-up to William Lai’s inauguration on Monday, reluctance in the military to remove statues of the late leader raises questions about its loyalty.

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Illustration: Henry Wong

Taiwan’s concerns grow and options shrink as Beijing patrols Quemoy waters

Taiwan’s authorities may have limited options in enforcing rules, with tougher action potentially escalating into unintended cross-strait conflict, say analysts.

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Taiwan leader is open to Beijing dialogue ‘on equal footing’: envoy

Taipei’s de facto diplomatic envoy to the US under president-elect William Lai Ching-te also says most on the island ‘prefer the status quo’.

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Beijing wields warplanes, trade and travel to pressure Taiwan’s next president

Mainland China sends mixed messages as island’s president-elect William Lai Ching-te prepares to take office, sending PLA planes in closest known fly-by while signalling goodwill through eased tourism and imports.

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Beijing has labelled Taiwanese president-elect William Lai an “obstinate separatist” who would bring war to the island. Photo: AP

As relations with Beijing cool, Israel seeks closer bilateral ties with Taiwan

Israeli cross-party delegation meets representatives of island’s current and incoming governments, visits science park and attends Holocaust Memorial Day event.

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Incoming Taiwan cabinet to feature fresh faces but security left to old hands

William Lai Ching-te’s ministerial team is expected to show Lai has no desire to alter cross-strait status quo: analysts.

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Opinion | Scandals, cross-strait tensions have Taiwan’s Lai starting from behind

A series of high-profile incidents and scandals, plus heightened cross-strait tensions, have piled the pressure on president-elect William Lai and his team before they even take office.

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William Lai Ching-te gestures to the crowd at a campaign rally in front of the presidential building in Taipei on January 11. Lai’s administration needs to hit the ground running after a series of high-profile incidents damaged public trust in the ruling party. Photo: EPA-EFE

Taiwan quake: Taipei rebuffs aid offer from mainland China amid deadly disaster

The dead include three hikers and a truck driver killed by falling rocks in Hualien on the east coast of the island.

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Buildings were shaken from their foundations in a magnitude 7.3 earthquake in Hualien City, Taiwan on Wednesday morning. Photo: CNA

Taiwan postpones Quemoy live-fire drills after Beijing warns against ‘rash’ act

Kinmen Defence Command was scheduled to start exercises on Tuesday but postponed citing bad weather.

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Taiwan opposition questions President Tsai’s absence from Taiping pier ceremony

Taiwan launched its newly renovated pier on Taiping islet in the disputed South China Sea on Tuesday but Tsai Ing-wen’s absence was noted by the opposition.

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Beijing hits back as Biden team seeks US$100 million to help Taiwan military

Request for 2025 budget is ‘historic investment in Taiwan’s security’, US State Department says, as Pentagon seeks US$500 million in arms support for island.

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The Taiwan-related funding requests are part of a US$7.27 trillion budget put forward by the government of US President Joe Biden for the 2025 financial year. Photo: Reuters

Why Taiwan’s new pier on South China Sea islet may have put its leader in a spot

President Tsai Ing-wen is facing calls to lead the opening of renovated pier in assertion of Taiwan’s claims over disputed islet, contested by Beijing, the Philippines and Vietnam.

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Taiwan has controlled Taiping since 1956 and has a garrison and rockets stationed there. Photo: AFP

China-Nauru foreign ministers meet in Beijing to shore up shift in allegiance

‘We look forward to the practical cooperation that’s going to happen between Nauru and China. The prospect is bright’: Nauru foreign minister Lionel Aingimea.

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China experts urge Beijing to revive communication with Taiwan

The recommendation comes as cross-strait tensions are expected to rise following William Lai Ching-te’s victory in the island’s presidential election.

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Tsai Ing-wen
Tsai Ing-wen is a former Taiwanese leader. She took office on May 20, 2016, after her Democratic Progressive Party won a landslide victory over the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang in the presidential election in January of the same year. She was the first woman elected leader of the self-ruled island.
Born
31 Aug 1956
Industry
Politics
Job Title
Former Taiwanese leader
last updated:
25 October, 2024
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