Premier Cho Says Weapons LOA Received
Premier Cho Jung‑tai announced that draft Letters of Offer and Acceptance for four U.S. weapons packages—including HIMARS rocket launchers and the Altius 700M ISR drone—have been received. The Special Act for Procurement Projects, passed on May 8, requires the Executive Yuan to submit a detailed budget within two months, and the legislature has now authorized the cabinet to begin sourcing funds. The first HIMARS installment is due May 31, making immediate financing critical. Cho urged lawmakers to ratify the special budget quickly to enhance Taiwan’s asymmetric defense capabilities.
China Ratcheting up Aggression, Ex-AIT Head Says
Former American Institute in Taiwan director William Stanton warned that Beijing has moved from a peaceful‑development stance to a more urgent, aggressive posture toward Taiwan. He highlighted heightened "gray‑zone" military activities, political warfare, and a two‑pronged strategy of force threats...
Trump Refuses to Let Xi Haggle over Arms Sales
U.S. President Donald Trump concluded his state visit to China by refusing to let President Xi Jinping negotiate over Taiwan arms sales. A Taiwanese security official said the White House, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump all reiterated that...
Trump Weighs Taiwan Arms Package
President Donald Trump said he has not yet decided whether to move forward with a major arms package for Taiwan, after hearing concerns from Chinese President Xi during their summit. The administration previously authorized an $11 billion weapons package in December...
Drone Task Force Inks Deal with US-Based Association
The Drone Diplomacy Task Force signed a letter of intent with the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) at the XPONENTIAL robotics show in Detroit, aiming to foster talent exchanges and joint certification for unmanned aircraft. Taiwan was highlighted...
Donald Trump Vows to Push Xi to ‘Open up’ China
U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing for the first presidential visit in nearly a decade, pledging to ask Chinese President Xi Jinping to “open up” the Chinese market to American firms. The trip featured a high‑profile entourage of tech...
Groups to Protest Slashed Defense Budget on May 23
A coalition of civic groups announced a protest in Taipei on May 23 against the legislature’s sharply reduced special defense budget of NT$780 billion (≈US$24.8 billion). The opposition‑controlled legislature capped the first round of U.S. arms procurement at NT$300 billion (≈US$9.6 billion) and the second...
US Senators Urge Expedited Arms Sale
U.S. senators have urged President Donald Trump to approve a stalled $14 billion arms package for Taiwan ahead of his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The sale, cleared last year, was paused to avoid disrupting the upcoming US‑China talks, prompting bipartisan...
Residential Electricity Rates to Rise on June 1: Taipower
Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) will raise its summer residential electricity rates starting June 1, with the average monthly bill expected to reach NT$1,084 (about $36) through September. The increase reflects both higher consumption—averaging 418 kWh versus 308 kWh in non‑summer months—and a 27%...
‘Taiwan Action Team’ Set to Head to Geneva
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Health and Welfare announced a delegation, the “Taiwan Action Team,” led by Health Minister Shih Chung‑liang, will travel to Geneva for the 79th World Health Assembly. Although Taiwan has not received a...
Taiwanese Indicted over Illegal Chinese Company Operations
A Taipei District Court indicted Kidder Shen, the East Asia sales director of Chinese IC‑design firm Novosense Microelectronics, for operating the company in Taiwan without the required government approval. Shen rented office space, hired four former Texas Instruments employees, and...
HIMARS to Be Deployed to Islands
Taiwan plans to forward‑deploy its newly acquired High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) to Penghu and Dongyin islands, creating a 100‑km “dead zone” that would push People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces inland. Once all U.S. deliveries are complete, the island...
Peace in Everyone’s Interests, Including China’s: Envoy
Taiwan’s US representative Alexander Yui told Fox News that peace in the Taiwan Strait serves the interests of Taiwan, the United States, Japan and China. He made the remarks ahead of a high‑profile US‑China summit in Beijing between President Donald...
US Bill Introduced to Deter Chinese Aggression
U.S. Representative Young Kim has introduced the Deter PRC Aggression Against Taiwan Act, which would establish an interagency “tiger team” to develop pre‑planned sanctions and economic responses to any Chinese move against Taiwan. The task force, led by the State...
MOA Limits Animal Testing at Poorly Rated Institutions
Taiwan's Ministry of Agriculture announced stricter animal‑testing rules that will bar laboratories with poor welfare ratings from initiating new experiments until they pass a re‑inspection. Effective as early as July, all research animals must be sourced from accredited providers and...
Honduras Reviews China Deals and Taiwan Relations
New Honduran President Nasry Asfura announced a review of the previous administration’s agreements with China, including Huawei telecommunications equipment, as part of a broader effort to pivot toward the United States and potentially recognize Taiwan. The review coincides with talks...
Action Urged over Spy Camera Products
Taiwanese legislator Lo Ting-wei called for swift action after allegations that Airlee Group installed covert spy cameras in smoke detectors across its medical‑aesthetic clinics. He urged a ban on high‑risk cameras, keyword blocking on e‑commerce sites, and inspections of vulnerable...
Cabinet Mulls New Special Bill
Taiwan's Cabinet is preparing a special budget act to fund critical defense projects after the Legislative Yuan trimmed the original NT$1.25 trillion (≈US$39.8 billion) plan to NT$780 billion (≈US$24.8 billion). The cut excludes AI‑driven kill‑chain systems, the T‑Dome radar network and domestic arms production,...
Taiwan Makes It to Top 20 in Report on AI Diffusion
Taiwan entered the top‑20 for AI diffusion, ranking 20th globally with a 31.8% generative‑AI usage rate among its working‑age population in Q1 2026. The figure places Taiwan ahead of the United States, Denmark and Germany, which sit at 21st‑23rd with...
Cuts to Budget ‘Concession’ to China: US
Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed a NT$780 billion (≈US$24.8 billion) supplementary defense budget, allocating NT$300 billion for a previously approved U.S. arms sale and NT$480 billion for a forthcoming package. The bill cleared unanimously (59‑0) with 48 abstentions, falling short of the NT$1.25 trillion (≈US$39.8 billion) request....
US Attacks Iran Tankers as Deal Hangs in Balance
The United States shot down two Iranian‑flagged tankers in the Persian Gulf, accusing them of breaching a naval blockade, prompting Iranian retaliatory strikes. The incident occurred as Washington awaits Tehran’s response to a U.S. proposal, mediated by Pakistan, to extend...
Average Monthly Number of Chinese Sorties Falls in Q1
The Mainland Affairs Council reported that the average monthly Chinese military aircraft sorties around Taiwan in Q1 2026 dropped by more than half compared with the early months of President William Lai’s administration. Despite the reduction, the People’s Liberation Army kept...
Spy Cameras Common at Clinics: Source
Taiwan’s Airlee aesthetic clinic chain was found to have hidden surveillance cameras in consultation and treatment rooms across the country. Police detained three executives after a complaint revealed a camera disguised as a smoke detector, while a fourth manager was...
No Taiwanese Were Aboard Hantavirus Ship, CDC Says
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed that no Taiwanese nationals were aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, dispelling earlier reports of exposure to a hantavirus outbreak. The ship has recorded five confirmed and three suspected hantavirus...
North Korea to Deploy New Type of Artillery Along Border with the South
North Korea announced it will field a new 155‑mm self‑propelled gun‑howitzer along the demilitarized zone, with a reported range of over 60 km. The weapon, inspected by Kim Jong‑un at a munitions plant, could strike central Seoul and the densely populated Gyeonggi...
Russia Spurning Kyiv’s Ceasefire, Zelenskiy Says
Ukraine announced that Russia has ignored a Kyiv‑proposed ceasefire, tallying 1,820 violations by May 7, 2026. President Zelensky offered the pause to coincide with Russia’s Victory Day ceasefire, but Moscow has continued air, drone and artillery strikes across major cities. The Russian...
Stable Strait in US’, China’s Best Interests: Rubio
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said stability in the Taiwan Strait is a shared interest for Washington and Beijing as President Donald Trump prepares to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next week. Rubio affirmed Taiwan will be discussed at...
German Delegation Eyes Aerospace Deals
A German delegation from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, accompanied by 12 aerospace and technology firms, visited Taipei to explore partnerships in satellites, drones and related components. Officials highlighted Taiwan’s rapid development pace and Germany’s reputation for...
CPC Forecasts Stable Oil and Gas Supply, Official Says
Taiwan’s state oil firm CPC Corp says oil and gas supplies will stay stable through September despite Middle East tensions, thanks to a diversified procurement strategy and a database covering 180 products from over 40 countries. The government is also...
No Consensus Reached on Defense Funds
Taiwan’s Executive Yuan presented a NT$1.25 trillion ($39.7 billion) eight‑year special defense budget, while the Taiwan People’s Party offered NT$400 billion ($12.8 billion) and the KMT suggested NT$380 billion plus an “N” supplement. The fourth cross‑caucus meeting failed to resolve disputes over specific budget items,...
Submarine Conducts 13th Sea Test
Taiwan’s first indigenously built submarine, the SS‑711 Hai Kun, embarked on its 13th sea trial and seventh submerged test, moving the program closer to a July delivery. The vessel was accompanied by CSBC Corp’s uncrewed surface craft Endeavor Manta and a navy...
KMT Fails to Find Consensus on Its Defense Proposal
The Kuomintang (KMT) caucus failed to reach a consensus on a special defense bill, with members divided between an NT$800 billion (US$25.3 billion) package and a smaller NT$380 billion "plus N" proposal. The debate centers on how to secure timely U.S. weapons deliveries and...
Expert Warns over Dangers of Amap
A Taiwan security expert warned that China could exploit data collected by the Amap navigation app against Taiwan. Amap offers 3D street views and traffic‑signal countdowns, gathering real‑time location and movement data. Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs has banned government...
Taiwan’s Global Cybersecurity Role Touted at Event
Taiwan is positioning itself as a global cybersecurity leader, announcing its first international certification for semiconductor‑equipment security at the CYBERSEC 2026 conference. The island’s cyber industry is approaching NT$100 billion (≈US$3.16 billion) in output, while critical infrastructure faced up to 2.63 million intrusion attempts...
Vice President Defends Bill Costs
Taiwan’s cabinet has unveiled a NT$1.25 trillion (≈US$39.5 billion) special defense budget spread over eight years, translating to roughly NT$6,000 (≈US$170) per citizen. Vice President Hsiao Bi‑khim defended the plan, arguing that a layered deterrence is essential to counter China’s rapidly expanding military...
Legislature Votes Down Prosecutor-General Nominee
Taiwan’s opposition‑controlled Legislative Yuan voted down President William Lai’s nominee, Hsu Hsi‑hsiang, for prosecutor‑general. The KMT and Taiwan People’s Party united to block the appointment, citing concerns over independence and experience. The rejection triggers a Ministry of Justice recommendation for...
Kyiv Hits Russian Oil Sites as 5 Killed in Both Nations
Ukraine said its forces struck a cruise‑missile‑capable ship at the Primorsk oil terminal and three sanctioned “shadow” tankers in Russian waters, while Russia launched 268 drones and a ballistic missile at Ukrainian targets. The exchange of hundreds of drones on...
Draft Amendments Aim to Combat Cognitive Warfare
Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers have drafted amendments to the National Intelligence Services Act that formally define “cognitive warfare” as AI‑driven misinformation aimed at destabilizing government and democratic institutions. The proposals obligate intelligence agencies to counter such threats, use AI...
Experts Discuss Issues in Defense-Related Reporting
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense altered its daily PLA activity reports in January 2024, moving from detailed flight paths to broader regional zones. The change, intended to protect surveillance methods, has limited analysts' ability to interpret Chinese intent and sparked...
US Military Operation ‘Impossible’: Iran
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned the United States that it faces either an “impossible” military operation or a “bad deal” after President Donald Trump dismissed Tehran’s 14‑point peace proposal. The proposal, submitted through Pakistan, seeks a one‑month deadline to...
Taiwan Dismisses China Jibes over Eswatini Trip
Taiwan’s President William Lai arrived in Eswatini on a government aircraft after three Indian Ocean nations—Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius—revoked over‑flight permissions allegedly under Chinese pressure. Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office condemned the trip as “sneaky,” while Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council and...
Space Startup Hub Set to Open in Q3
Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) will launch its first space startup hub, iSPARK, in Q3 2026 on the Boai campus of National Yangming Chiao Tung University in Hsinchu. The incubator, modeled after NASA, ESA and JAXA programs, is reviewing more than...
US Citrus Imports Would Not Affect Domestic Supply
Taiwan's agriculture ministry says U.S. tangerine imports, averaging 1,115 tonnes a year, represent only about 1% of domestic consumption and will not disrupt the local citrus market. Imports arrive from March to May, a period that does not coincide with Taiwan's...
Birthrate Initiative in Works: Sources
President William Lai is set to unveil a sweeping birth‑rate initiative on May 20, targeting Taiwan’s 10‑year decline to a record low of 107,812 births. The plan expands government childcare subsidies to cover children up to 18 years, introduces a second‑generation...
MOFA Speaks Out About Threats in China-US Call
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) voiced concern after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned the United States during a call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The remarks came ahead of a high‑profile US‑China summit scheduled for May 14‑15 between President Donald Trump...
Employers Protest Unfair Migrant Caregiver System
On May 2, 2026, families employing migrant caregivers in Taiwan staged a Workers’ Day protest demanding the abolition of the replacement wait period and the employment stabilization fee, as well as mandatory prepaid airfare deposits. Hiring a caregiver can cost up...
Amendments to Protect Doctors
Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare unveiled amendments to the Medical Care Act aimed at strengthening labor protections for doctors, especially those employed as attending physicians. The changes require hospitals to guarantee labor rights, implement a seniority‑based promotion system, and...
Workers March for a Reform of Pension System
On Taiwan’s Workers’ Day, labor unions staged marches in Taipei and Kaohsiung demanding comprehensive pension reform. They presented eight demands, including raising the mandatory employer pension contribution from 6% to 12%, abolishing the service‑year cap, and extending labor‑insurance coverage to...
US Proposes New Coalition to Restart Traffic in Hormuz
The United States is mobilizing an international coalition called the Maritime Freedom Construct to reopen commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where talks with Tehran have stalled. The plan designates the State Department as a diplomatic hub and U.S....
Taiwan Falls Four Places in RSF’s World Press Freedom Ranking
Taiwan slipped four places in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index, falling to 28th out of 180 with a score of 75.44, down from 24th and 77.04 last year. Despite the drop, the island’s media environment remains one of...