HISTORY CASTS a long shadow over relations between the Chinese Communist Party and the Kuomintang (KMT), which ruled China until Mao Zedong’s Red Army forced it to flee to Taiwan in 1949. The two parties remained sworn enemies for decades afterwards as the KMT fortified its island refuge with American weapons. Only in 1991, as…
Taiwan’s plan to acquire Israeli “takeover” technology as part of a counter-drone network has set off a debate over its use and the island’s security strategy as it tries to keep pace with rapidly evolving unmanned threats. At a briefing for suppliers on the procurement requirements earlier this month, Taiwan’s homeland security office outlined specifications…
In a high-stakes bilateral exchange where Taiwan has historically been an enduring flashpoint, the unusual silence was deafening. Last week’s summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump produced a rare omission – no mention of Taiwan at all in official readouts from both Washington and Beijing. The rare departure from diplomatic…
A commentary by state news agency Xinhua on Monday said that Taiwan will be “governed by patriots” after reunification with mainland China, and that all of its products could enter the mainland’s market duty free. “We not only seek reunification in formality, what’s more important is the mental bonding of compatriots on the two sides…
Beijing will leave no room for any form of “Taiwan independence” separatist activities, one of Beijing’s most senior leaders said on Saturday, marking the 80th anniversary of the island’s return from Japanese rule. “[We] must continue to deepen cross-strait exchanges and integration, and foster a shared sense of Chinese national identity.” Beijing’s ratification of the…
Beijing has formally designated October 25 as the day to commemorate Taiwan’s restoration, as it again asserts its sovereignty over the self-ruled island. The National People’s Congress Standing Committee, the country’s top legislative body, ratified the decision on Friday. State news agency Xinhua reported that commemorative events would be held on Saturday, the 80th anniversary…
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday sent his congratulations to the newly elected leader of Taiwan’s main opposition Kuomintang, Cheng Li-wun, calling for joint efforts to promote reunification. Xi said he hoped both the mainland’s ruling Communist Party and the island’s KMT could “strengthen their common political foundation and unite the vast majority of people…
Ahead of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, marking the end of the Sino-Japanese war and the global fight against fascism, we look at the profound changes of the post-war period and how they continue to affect China’s place in the world. Part four of this series examines how the history of Sino-American cooperation has…
This article was first published on August 30, 1945 Fleet entering The first communique from the Hongkong Government to the people of Hongkong since December 1941 was issued this morning at 11 o’clock as follows: “Rear Admiral Harcourt is lying outside Hongkong with a very strong fleet. The Naval Dockyard is to be ready for…
This article was first published on August 30, 1945 Fleet entering The first communique from the Hongkong Government to the people of Hongkong since December 1941 was issued this morning at 11 o’clock as follows: “Rear Admiral Harcourt is lying outside Hongkong with a very strong fleet. The Naval Dockyard is to be ready for…