China Resumes Military Activity Near Taiwan After APEC
Taiwan said nine Chinese aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line during joint combat readiness patrols with Chinese warships after a lull in activity during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which Chinese President Xi Jinping attended (Reuters)
Biden, Xi Discuss Taiwan and Agree on Direct Communication
Discussions yesterday between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit in California included a lengthy exchange over Taiwan in which Xi reiterated China’s intent for reunification but stopped short of mentioning the potential use of force (NYT)
Biden, meanwhile, emphasized that Washington’s “one China policy” has not changed and called for restraint in Chinese military activity in and around the Taiwan Strait (White House)
Biden said the meeting restored “direct, open, clear” communication, and Xi said the two countries are “fully capable of rising above differences” (FT;NYT)
Taiwan, UK Sign Framework Agreement on Trade
The deal is the first of its kind between Taiwan and a European country and commits Taiwan and the United Kingdom to future talks on clean energy, digital trade, and investment (Guardian)
Both Taipei and London said they hope it can be a model for deals that other countries can make with Taiwan, while China told the United Kingdom to stop enhancing its ties with Taiwan (Reuters)
Japan Scales Back Military Buildup Amid Drop in Yen Value
Japan’s plans for a military buildup total some $320 billion, aimed at helping to counter a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan (Reuters)
China Continues Campaign of Military Intimidation Against Taiwan
Taiwan scrambled its jets as forty-three Chinese aircraft and seven ships neared the island, with many crossing the median line that Beijing historically respected as an informal boundary but has repeatedly crossed in the last year (AP)
Taiwanese Presidential Frontrunner Accuses China of Pressuring Companies Ahead of Election
Democratic Progressive Party candidate Lai Ching-te decried what he called Beijing’s efforts to force Taiwanese companies like Foxconn to take sides and support its preferred candidates in elections (FT)
Taiwan Reports Thirteen Chinese Military Aircraft in Air Defense Zone
The “combat patrols,” which China has carried out with increasing frequency, included fighter planes and drones (Reuters)
President of Taiwan: Peace Is the “Only Option”
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen offered the remarks in a National Day address todayeven as she emphasized that Taiwan has strengthened its defenses to be able to respond to Chinese threats (AP)
Taiwan Accuses China of Attempting to Sway Its Election by Extending Trade Probe
Taiwan’s Office of Trade Negotiations said China was trying to interfere with the island’s January 2024 election by extending a probe into its trade practices by another three months until as late as one day before the vote (Reuters)
The probe could result in Beijing suspending some or all of an economic cooperation deal with Taipei (SCMP)
Taiwan to Announce List of Critical Technologies to Protect From China
The secretary-general of Taiwan’s National Security Council said the new policy will cover industries including aerospace, agriculture, and semiconductors (Nikkei)
Taiwanese Companies Helping China Develop Semiconductor Manufacturing Capabilities
Several Taiwanese technology companies are helping Chinese tech giant Huawei build the necessary infrastructure to produce semiconductors in southern China, which has been pushing to develop its own chip industry in the face of U.S. export controls (Bloomberg)
Flight patterns suggest that China’s military flew a jet under a civilian aircraft near the median line between the mainland and Taiwan, which experts warn could be practice for an undetectable aerial approach to Taiwan; China’s defense ministry declined to comment on the incident (SCMP)
China Reportedly Fomenting Suspicion of U.S. in Taiwan Ahead of Elections
A report by a Taiwanese research group found eighty-four suspected instances of China promoting the idea that the United States will abandon Taiwan in the country’s media (VOA)
Taipei Unveils First Domestically Built Submarine
President Tsai Ing-wen said the development, which many thought was impossible, is critical for Taiwan’s “defense self-sufficiency” and “asymmetric warfare” capabilities (Nikkei)
China Holding Drills to “Combat Arrogance of Separatists” in Taiwan
China has labeled President Tsai Ing-wen and her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) “separatists,” and Taiwan now faces almost daily incursions from Chinese military vessels in its surrounding skies and waters (Al Jazeera)
Taiwan Defense Minister: China’s Military Drills “Getting Out of Hand”
Following weeks of intense Chinese military activity near the island, Taiwan’s Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said his ministry is increasingly worried about an accidental incident sparking conflict (Reuters)
China Sends Over One Hundred Fighter Jets and Nine Navy Ships Into Taiwan Strait
Taiwan called on China to stop its “destructive” military activities; forty of the aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone by crossing the median line, an unofficial border (WaPo)
China Announces Plan to Deepen Economic Links Between Fujian and Taiwan
The announcement came as Taiwanese authorities reported Chinese warships in the waters near the island (CNN).
Eswatini Hosts Taiwan’s President
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen arrived yesterday in Eswatini, one of only thirteen countries that formally recognize Taiwan, for a four-day trip that will mark fifty-five years of bilateral relations; the visit comes as China pushes countries that share diplomatic relations with Taiwan to switch their allegiances to Beijing (Africanews)
U.S. Approves Sale of F-16 Fighter Jet Sensor System to Taiwan
The $500 million sale will help the island defend itself against potential threats, the State Department said (SCMP)
U.S., Japan, South Korea Make Military Consultation Pact
At a Camp David summit on Friday, the three countries made a “commitment to consult” with one another on responses to security crises; U.S. President Joe Biden hailed the agreement as a “new era” of cooperation between them, while China said the Asia-Pacific region should not be a “wrestling ground for geopolitical competition” (WaPo)
Taiwanese Vice President to Visit San Francisco
William Lai will stop in San Francisco today on the way back to Taiwan from a trip to Paraguay; he is not due to meet with U.S. officials on the trip (Reuters)
Lai said that any Chinese intimidation in response to his U.S. stopover would be an attempt to interfere in Taiwan’s election next year (Al Jazeera)
Taiwan Reports Second Large-Scale Chinese Incursion This Week
The defense ministry said ten aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone and five warships conducted “combat readiness” patrols; it reported similar activity earlier in the week (Reuters)
China Releases Documentary Showcasing Military’s Ability to Attack Taiwan
The eight-part series aired by state broadcaster CCTV emphasized the military’s capability and soldiers’ willingness to conquer Taiwan (AP)
U.S. Arrests Two Navy Sailors Suspected of Leaking Information to China
Authorities accused the California-based sailors of sharing sensitive military information with Chinese agents, the Justice Department said; a U.S. attorney for California said the schemes were part of a larger Chinese strategy to obtain U.S. military secrets (CNN)