# Taiwan
Latest news and articles about Taiwan
Total: 46 articles found
Taiwan Recovers F-16V Black Box After Two Months at Sea, Pilot Still Missing
Taipei recovered the flight data recorder from an F-16V that crashed into the sea on January 6 after over two months of searching; the device was found at about 2,500 metres and will be sent to the U.S. manufacturer for analysis. Wreckage was retrieved but the pilot remains missing, and investigators hope the recorder will reveal whether technical failure or human factors caused the accident.
Taiwan Rhetoric, PLA Flights and a Shifting Calculus: Why One Provocation Matters as Trump Heads to Beijing
Lai Ching‑te’s recent declarations that Taiwan is a country and his provocative remarks about Japan’s colonial past have triggered sharp reactions from Beijing and coincided with a notable uptick in PLA flights and amphibious drills. The developments exacerbate electoral competition in Taiwan and complicate U.S.–China diplomacy at a sensitive moment, raising the risk of miscalculation in the Taiwan Strait.
Mature-node Price Shock: Taiwan Foundries Signal 2026 Cost Rises for Chips
Major Taiwan mature-node foundries — UMC, Vanguard/World Advanced and Powerchip — are implementing or signalling wafer price increases beginning as early as April 2026, with some hikes around 10% or higher. The adjustments reflect tighter capacity and higher costs in mature processes and will prompt downstream customers to raise prices, redesign products, or seek alternative suppliers.
Wang Yi’s Global Pitch: Stability, South-South Leadership and the Year China Seeks to Shape the Agenda
At a lengthy press conference at the NPC, Foreign Minister Wang Yi outlined a confident Chinese diplomacy for 2026 that emphasises high-level summitry, South-South cooperation, defence of multilateral institutions and concrete economic measures. Beijing seeks to position itself as a stabiliser and reformer of global governance while setting clear red lines on Taiwan, urging ceasefire in the Middle East, and deepening ties with Russia and developing regions.
China’s Modest 2026 Defence Bump: A Defensive Build‑Up or Regional Signal?
China’s 2026 defence budget of 19,095.61 billion yuan — a circa 7% rise — fits an 11‑year pattern of steady, single‑digit increases and sits at about 1.5% of GDP. Beijing frames the rise as defensive and remedial, but even incremental modernisation can reshape regional balances and spur reciprocal responses from neighbours and partners.
Li Qiang’s Fifth-Year Blueprint: Fiscal Firepower, Tech Push and a Focus on Domestic Demand
Premier Li Qiang’s government work report for 2026 balances modest growth targets with an expanded fiscal programme, a reinforced industrial-technology push and stronger social supports. The plan emphasizes domestic demand, strategic R&D investment, and risk-managed stabilisation of property and local-government debts while reaffirming Beijing’s assertive foreign-policy and security posture.
In a Crisis, Whose Papers Protect Whom? What Taiwan Travel Documents Reveal About Cross‑Strait Calculations
Commentary prompted by the question "what do Taiwan compatriots' documents deliver in a crisis?" highlights how travel permits and passports perform both practical and symbolic roles across the Taiwan Strait. In emergencies, legal status, institutional capacity and political will matter more than paperwork, yet documents remain central to the competition for legitimacy and the protection of civilians.
Beijing Warns Taiwan: 'Independence Is a Dead End' as Mainland Signals Leverage in 15th Five‑Year Plan Era
A senior Chinese NPC delegate warned that Taiwan independence is a ‘‘dead end’’ and urged Taiwanese to distrust external backers, framing unification as inevitable amid Beijing’s growing economic and military strength. He presented the mainland’s upcoming 15th Five‑Year Plan as a major opportunity for Taiwan’s participation, while blaming the DPP and foreign arms sales for raising tensions.
Beijing Delegate Tells Taiwan Voters ‘Independence Is a Dead End’ as Beijing Offers Economic Pull, Military Push
An NPC delegate, Zeng Liqun, warned Taiwanese that independence is a dead end and urged engagement with the mainland’s upcoming 15th Five‑Year Plan, while condemning the DPP and external actors for undermining cross‑strait ties. His comments blend economic inducements with security warnings, reflecting Beijing’s simultaneous carrot‑and‑stick approach to Taiwan amid heightened regional tensions.
Japan’s Push to Remilitarise Sparks Cross‑Society Alarm and Fears of Regional Escalation
Prominent Japanese figures convened in Tokyo to denounce Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s proposals to loosen arms‑export controls, revisit the Three Non‑Nuclear Principles and expand southwest deployments. Critics warn these policies could heighten regional tensions, damage Japan’s moral standing on wartime history, and impose domestic economic costs.
U.S. Softens Tone as Taiwan’s Parties Pivot — A Trillion‑TWD Arms Push Looms
U.S. restraint toward Beijing and heightened Middle East risks have prompted a rapid political realignment in Taiwan, enabling President Lai to consolidate power and propel a NT$1.25 trillion arms procurement toward a legislative showdown. The Kuomintang’s sudden willingness to lead review of the defence bill reflects U.S. pressure and internal pro‑American currents, but accelerated purchases could provoke mainland countermeasures without delivering guaranteed security.
Fewer Visible Sorties, Not Less Pressure: How J-20s and Information Warfare Are Reworking the Taiwan Air Picture
A reported drop in PLA sortie counts around Taiwan has prompted speculation of de‑escalation, but evidence points to a qualitative shift in operations. The deployment and massing of J‑20 stealth fighters, combined with integrated sensor networks, mean fewer visible flights can still impose significant military pressure and complicate Taiwan's defence picture.