For decades, China has waged a campaign to isolate Taiwan, which in turn has fought a struggle for recognition. But until now there hadn’t been an episode so unusual as the recent test of wills over a tiny African kingdom www.wsj.com/world/asia/t... with quotes from @wenting.bsky.social and more

A @wsj.com analysis: By hosting KMT's Cheng Li-wun, Chinese leader Xi Jinping is presenting himself as a force for stability who can be entrusted with ensuring peace, as long as Taiwan participates. With quotes from @kharist.bsky.social and more sharp minds: www.wsj.com/world/china/...

🚨 NEW & UNREPORTED: China has taken the unusual step of reserving swaths of offshore airspace without explanation for a period of 40 days, issuing alerts similar to those used to warn aviation authorities of Chinese military exercises. More in @wsj.com: www.wsj.com/world/china/...

Nice read on the state of civil defense by @joyuwang.bsky.social. What has often surprised me is how recall groups, after the defeat of the Great Recall Movement, shifted to become civil defense groups www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

Beijing’s rapidly advancing spying operations have seen agents penetrate the island’s armed forces, enticing personnel to pledge allegiance to China.

Latest: a @wsj.com deep dive into the threat of Chinese espionage in Taiwan. “It’s all being used in preparation for annexing Taiwan.” Full story: www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

Latest from @wsj.com: When Beijing wants to intimidate its rivals, it has an extensive—and often menacing—playbook to draw from. Here are some pages of it, refined through years of squeezing Taiwan and redeployed against Tokyo: www.wsj.com/world/china/...

China’s military announced the start of the “Justice Mission 2025” exercises around Taiwan on Monday morning and on Wednesday afternoon declared the drills “successfully completed.” Here are our five takeaways: www.wsj.com/world/asia/f...

China launched major military exercises in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Monday in what it called a “stern warning” against outside interference in Chinese affairs, as tensions grow with the U.S. and Japan over the security of the island. Read more in @wsj.com: on.wsj.com/4qsRsRV

U.S. said it had approved $11.1 billion in arms-sales packages for Taiwan, a show of support from Washington. The possible sales include 82 HIMARS missile launchers and 60 howitzers among other items. Full story: on.wsj.com/3Y5psaS

A get-out-the-vote campaign failed to lift turnout much above historic lows in a Hong Kong election Sunday in which the ballot was limited to “patriots” vetted by Beijing, days after a devastating fire that spurred official warnings against spreading dissent. www.wsj.com/world/asia/h...

I’m quoted in the Wall Street Journal discussing US ambiguity towards Taiwan. Thank you kindly @joyuwang.bsky.social for reaching out! www.wsj.com/world/china/...

"This could be the Achilles’ heel of Taiwan." A Chinese blockade would quickly deplete resources on an island that depends on imported fuel. Here's a graphical look at why––and how: www.wsj.com/world/asia/c...

In years past, Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang exercises have been generally out of sight for the average resident. This year, the drills feel like something else entirely: They are twice as long, larger than ever in scale and far more visible in everyday life. Read more: www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

#Latest: Taiwan is demonstrating its fortitude against the Chinese threat with an annual defense exercise that is twice as long and far bigger than in the past. That includes: a record number of reservists, new weapons systems, and urban warfare scenarios. Read more: www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

🇹🇼 #HanKuang41: Taiwan’s annual military exercises have officially kicked off. Here at a middle school campus, more than a hundred reservists are getting a refresher, brushing up on their weapon skills, map reading and close-quarters battle.

#LATEST: Taiwan is accelerating efforts to develop a high-tech fleet of naval drones that military planners see as a potential game-changer in the island’s ability to fend off a possible Chinese invasion. Read more on Taiwan's sea drone ambitions: www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

Taiwan has embarked on a mission to purge any allies of Beijing from its civil service—vetting hundreds of thousands of workers and threatening to revoke the citizenship of those found to be Chinese citizens By @joyuwang.bsky.social www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

Taiwan will commission its first-ever army drone units and introduce sea drones to its naval forces, part of efforts to modernize its arsenal to prepare for a potential Chinese invasion, Defense Minister Wellington Koo said in an interview. By @joyuwang.bsky.social www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

NEW: Taiwan will commission its first-ever army drone units this year and introduce sea drones to its naval forces, part of its efforts to modernize its arsenal to prepare for a potential Chinese invasion, Defense Minister Wellington Koo said in an interview. www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

Taiwan is racing to build up new, asymmetric defenses aimed at making China’s much more powerful military think twice before attacking. Failing that, it aims to inflict enough pain to slow China while it seeks help from Washington. By @joyuwang.bsky.social www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

Taiwan wants to scrap a longtime focus on equipping the island for a conventional war. Instead, it is racing to build up new, asymmetric defenses aimed at deterring China. Our latest deep dive into the Taiwanese efforts––and the hurdles: www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

Latest: After weeks in which Trump’s pullback of support for Ukraine awakened fears of U.S. abandonment of Taiwan, officials in Taipei are increasingly confident that they have Trump’s backing as Beijing steps up its efforts to subdue the island. www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

China is still developing its capacity to invade Taiwan, but analysts say it is now able to carry out a blockade or quarantine. @joyuwang.bsky.social and I take a look at how that might unfold Gift link: www.wsj.com/world/china/...

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, in a security road map released Tuesday, emphasized the usefulness of U.S. support. "The U.S. is a crucial strategic partner, working closely with us on military cooperation and helping to boost our self-defense capabilities." www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

Taiwan plans to step up efforts to combat Chinese espionage and influence, including by reinstating military courts to handle spy cases and scrutinizing the activities of Chinese citizens www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

Taiwan detained a cargo ship and its eight Chinese crew after an undersea fiber-optic cable was severed, in a stepped-up effort to police such incidents, which are often seen as part of China’s pressure campaign targeting the self-ruled island. By @joyuwang.bsky.social www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

A “democratic supply chain” starring Taiwanese drone makers is an inevitability, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun told @wsj.com. But examples of China punishing companies for their ties to Taiwan have made U.S. businesses cautious. Our latest: on.wsj.com/40EOsaX with Heather Somervill (📸 by me)

Also happening in Taiwan: the local franchise of McDonald's announced the cancellation of its collaboration with Japan’s Sanrio following boycott calls over allegations that the company downplayed a workplace sexual assault, which appears to have led to the victim’s suicide.

Once a month, under a highway overpass near military headquarters in Taipei, a small group of Taiwan army veterans band together in a coordinated act of defiance. For today's @wsj.com ahed, I talked to the goose-steppers about why they are fighting to keep the beloved tradition: on.wsj.com/4hcUZPQ

A cargo vessel accused of severing an undersea cable near Taiwan had been sailing back and forth around the island, a Taiwanese security official said. The official called it suspicious that the Chinese-owned ship was registered in a way that obscured its origin. on.wsj.com/3BSRmiV

🧵1/ It’s that time of year. As 2024 wraps up, let’s take a look back at some of Taiwan’s biggest moments covered by @wsj.com—plus a few highlighted features I was proud to deliver myself.

Drawing lessons from the Ukraine war, Taiwan’s Thunder Tiger showed off its FPV kamikaze drone. In a demo at Chiayi’s UAV R&D center, the drone shows how it could zero in and obliterate a target in a combat scenario.

Taiwan hailed the arrival of its first U.S.-made M1A2 Abrams tanks this week, celebrating what it described as “the world’s greatest war machine” –– the only hiccup being the five-year wait for delivery. Read @wsj.com latest report on the ongoing arms delivery backlog: on.wsj.com/4fJomIp

Incredible byline, incredible dateline, incredible story. Great to see Evan’s work again in the WSJ www.wsj.com/world/russia...

“Russia & China have pledged to support each other’s core interests,” said Jacob Stokes...“So, PRC supports Russia in Ukraine, & RU exercises near Taiwan are part of RU reciprocating by helping to pressure Taiwan.” Read @joyuwang.bsky.social & @austinramzy.bsky.social www.wsj.com/world/asia/c...

China massed dozens of navy and coast guard vessels in the largest maritime exercises targeting Taiwan and the Western Pacific since 1996, a potent warning to the incoming Trump administration of China’s increasingly aggressive stance in the region. on.wsj.com/3VzU8Ai with @austinramzy.bsky.social

🇵🇼 Greetings from Palau, last stop of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's Pacific tour. The region is a crucial diplomatic front for Taipei and could also play a strategic role in a potential conflict. Our latest on why his trip matters: on.wsj.com/4gozCu7 with @austinramzy.bsky.social

For Taiwan, an island democracy isolated and intimidated by its far larger rival regime in Beijing, a key to its fight for security and recognition lies in a handful of even smaller island democracies in the Pacific. Latest from @joyuwang.bsky.social and me www.wsj.com/world/asia/b...

Starting up a list of upcoming books on Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. There are so many books by many talented folks! Will update this list periodically

I’m quoted in the Wall Street Journal discussing Lai’s brief stop in the U.S. Thank you kindly @joyuwang.bsky.social for reaching out! www.wsj.com/world/asia/t...

In a speech and in a series of meetings with U.S. political heavyweights during his visit to Hawaii, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te signaled that Taipei hopes to enjoy the same support from Trump that it has enjoyed from Biden. on.wsj.com/49iuR38 With quotes from @lnachman32.bsky.social

On the first day of a sensitive trip to the U.S., Taiwan President Lai Ching-te sent a firm but conciliatory message to both China and Trump: While Taipei doesn’t seek a war, it is counting on U.S. support to deter any aggression from Beijing. My reporting from Honolulu: on.wsj.com/49wPhpn

While in the U.S., Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te plans to visit the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, explore a war memorial and a museum dedicated to Pacific Island history, and attend a dinner event with the local Taiwan community.  By @joyuwang.bsky.social www.wsj.com/world/taiwan...

🌴Aloha from Honolulu! Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has touched down in the U.S. this morning, kicking off his seven-day Pacific tour. Follow along with @wsj.com—we’re the only U.S. outlet traveling with him. MORE: on.wsj.com/3Oyg7n9

Regional security officials told @wsj.com that Beijing is highly motivated to respond to the trip with more military exercises in part to warn the incoming Trump administration that the so-called first island chain is “within China’s sphere of influence.”

Taoyuan International Airport is now buzzing with excitement as hundreds of fans eagerly await Team Taiwan’s arrival. The baseball team is returning home after their historic win in the WBSC Premier 12 Championship final, and the crowd is ready to give them a hero’s welcome.

Lovely news! #TaiwanTravelogue, by Yang Shuang-zi (author) and Lin Kin (translator), have won the 2024 National Book Award for Translated Literature! A first for Taiwan.

Benny Tai, a scholar at the heart of Hong Kong’s biggest national security trial, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday. Other sentences in the case, which crushed the pro-democracy camp here, ranged from just over 4 to more than 7 years in prison. Gift link: www.wsj.com/world/china/...