Category：Politics

Taiwan’s emerging drone industry is taking off

The outbreak of the Russo-Ukraine war in 2022 drew attention to the importance of drones in modern warfare: countries around the world are now increasing investments in this industry. For Taiwan, which is pitted against a much larger enemy, drones are crucial: they can be made cheaply and can do a lot of damage to large expensive platforms like battleships. The government is strengthening supply chains free of Chinese components, and private companies have greatly increased their capabilities, with Taiwanese drone exports to Europe increasing by 40% last year. Let’s find out more.

The drone, equipped with gunpowder, hovers at high speed in the air, locates the target, and quickly swoops down to complete its mission with precision.

This is the Army’s drone unit, conducting flight training with attack drones.

Major Tsai
21st Artillery Command Drone Battalion
In our training, we’ll have it carrying munitions underneath, conducting a live-fire exercise. This is a bomb-dropping type; it’s not a suicide drone, but it’s still an attack drone.

However, did you know that the drones used in these combat exercises were entirely made by Taiwanese manufacturers? The military emphasized a 100% non-red supply chain, boosting Taiwanese companies to showcase their immense capabilities and rapidly capture global markets in just a few short years.

Yu Fu-yang
Taiwan Unmanned Vehicle Alliance
Ukraine actually sourced a large portion of its components from Taiwan for the Russo-Ukraine war. We don’t supply the complete units, but the components are ours. The demand has really boosted our industry.

Fan Wei-i
AbonMax
In the emerging drone market, the non-red supply chains we provide could actually become Taiwan’s next economic shield.

Since 2017, the US has banned the military from using Chinese-made drones on security grounds and has begun to promote "non-red supply chains," which has caused Taiwanese manufacturers to sniff out business opportunities.

Chen Shih-che
Brinno
The US is taking a phased approach; basically, Chinese components cannot be used in major parts right now. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s drone industry—especially in the defense sector—has a 100% total ban on Chinese components. Looking at this market opportunity from the perspective of a private enterprise, I am fully willing to invest our resources here.

Whether it’s creating non-red supply chains in industries or asymmetric warfare capabilities on the front line of national defense, drones may become Taiwan’s next economic shield.

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#Taiwan #crossstrait #drones #defense #UVAI

2026-06-19

Military boot camp captain indicted for racism against dual-nationality recruit

A captain surnamed Wen, who served as a company commander at a military recruit boot camp in Yilan, was indicted by the Yilan District Prosecutors Office on Friday for public insult, after he repeatedly using discriminatory language. He’d publicly harassed a recruit holding dual Taiwanese and Japanese nationality on the camp grounds, using a slur that can be translated to “Jap” and shouting “You’ve come to serve in the Taiwanese military to atone for your sins.” The abuse caused the recruit to suffer psychological trauma.

After the incident came to light, the Sixth Army Corps removed Captain Wen from his supervisory position, disciplined him, and proactively referred the case to prosecutors for investigation. Because Wen utilized his official power and position to commit the crime, the Yilan District Prosecutors Office indicted him for public insult under the Criminal Code, and requested that the court impose a heavier sentence based on regulations governing aggravated offenses by public officials.

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#Taiwanmilitary #consciption #militaryservice #discrimination #WWII

2026-06-19

Taitung commissioner to be probed for unauthorized contact with the CCP

Taitung County Commissioner Yao Ching-ling recently took part in China’s Straits Forum via a pre-recorded video. Now the Mainland Affairs Council is requesting the Interior Ministry to investigate her as she may have contravened laws prohibiting unauthorized contact with the CCP and its government agencies in China. Yao claims she was finding new markets for Taiwanese farmers, but the council says this could make farmers dangerously reliant on an adversary’s market. Let’s find out more.

Chiu Chui-cheng
Mainland Affairs Council
Everyone is protecting and defending farmers, so why are you putting their produce in a place that is most vulnerable to United Front tactics?

Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chiu-cheng angrily denounces an appearance from Taitung County Commissioner Yao Ching-ling at the Straits Forum in China via a pre-recorded video. Yao claimed that she was speaking up for farmers and promoting their agricultural products but Chiu hit back that this move would be detrimental to farmers.

Chiu Chui-cheng
Mainland Affairs Council
It’s easy to fall for mainland China’s bait and switch, because once you are highly dependent on that market, you’ll have to agree to many conditions imposed by mainland China. That’s not an order for fruit, that’s a political order.

The Mainland Affairs Council will now request the Ministry of the Interior to conduct an administrative investigation into Yao under Article 33-1 of the Cross Strait Act. Chiu also disclosed that five groups signed pacts at the forum and his ministry will entrust the Ministry of Agriculture to investigate. He then criticized Yao once more, saying it wasn’t the first time she’d stepped over a red line.

Chiu Chui-cheng
Mainland Affairs Council
At the beginning of the year, she went on a trip to the mainland. She changed her itinerary to meet with Song Tao without reporting this to the National Immigration Agency. We believe the application of Article 33-1 is entirely justified.

Although Yao emphasized that she was thinking about the livelihoods of farmers, Chiu shot back citing his own experiences. He said he had gone to Xiamen as a scholar in 2009 and, after experiencing it locally, concluded that the Straits Forum was a platform deliberately designed by the CCP for United Front work against Taiwan.

Chuang Jui-hsiung
Legislator (DPP)
The real problem to be solved is getting the central and local governments to work together to diversify in overseas markets.

Hung Meng-kai
Legialator (KMT)
The government should not splash all its political opponents with red ink, nor should it use its own political ideology to block routes for Taiwanese farmers.

Yao continues to navigate the gray areas of sensitive cross-strait exchange issues, sparking a political fallout that continues to reverberate.

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#crossstrait #Unitedfront #Taiwanesefarmers #Taitung #KMTpoliticians

2026-06-18

First F-16 Block 70 Jet delivery by September: Deputy defense minister

The Armed Forces are set to enter an unprecedented and critical phase for receiving military equipment in the second half of this year. Highly anticipated among these deliveries are 66 F-16 Block 70 fighter jets. Recently, military observers spotted the very first of these taking off from Lockheed Martin’s production plant in Texas and flying to the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.

Following the news, Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien on Wednesday reiterated that the first F-16 Block 70 jet is expected to arrive by the end of September, as previously stated by the minister.

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#taiwan #defense #military #armsprocurement #texas

2026-06-17

China pressure blamed for over 20-hour detention of Taiwanese academics in Kenya

Members of Taiwan’s delegation attending the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Kenya were jailed at the nation’s airport for over 20 hours, and their mobile phones and passports were confiscated-- all owing to Beijing’s pressure on Nairobi. The word “Taiwan” was also deleted from the event’s registration system. Following the incident, the Ocean Affairs Council decided to withdraw from this year’s conference. Let’s find out more.

The 11th Our Ocean Conference has been marred by allegations that Kenya, the host country this year, unreasonably obstructed the participation of the Taiwan delegation.

Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling took to social media to voice her outrage in a post titled "OOC Tarnished." She slammed the actions as "brutal," noting that not only was the option for "Taiwan" removed from the registration system, but entry permits for two delegates were also abruptly revoked. Furthermore, Taiwan’s delegation members from academia were detained at the airport, with their cell phones and passports confiscated in a virtual house arrest, although, fortunately, they have since been able to return to Taiwan. Observers have pointed the finger directly at pressure from China.

Chen Kuan-ting
Legislator (DPP)
We deeply regret this. We hope that if China wants cross-strait relations to ease, then such petty actions will be unnecessary.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lodged stern protests with China and Kenya. The Ocean Affairs Council and the Mainland Affairs Council also issued statements. The former condemned political interference in international maritime cooperation platforms and called on the international community to safeguard an open and fair space for Taiwan to hold exchanges. The Mainland Affairs Council’s statement strongly condemned the CCP’s pressure that obstructed Taiwan’s participation, stating that the people of Taiwan will never yield.

Chen Kuan-ting
Legislator (DPP)
In Uganda, Kenya, and other parts of East Africa, at the least we can see that China’s investment in water conservation facilities, various infrastructure and telecommunications facilities is enormous. Therefore, local leaderships have very deep ties with the CCP.

Kenya, with its capital Nairobi, is a financial center in East Africa. The ruling party is lambasting the East African nation for being China’s political henchman. The incident also confirms that China’s aggressive diplomatic bullying is intensifying.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#crossstrait #Taiwan #OOC #ocean #international #kenya

2026-06-17

Lai visits Greater Taipei troops ahead of Dragon Boat Festival

Ahead of the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival holiday, President Lai Ching-te on Tuesday visited two troops in Greater Taipei, the Navy’s Shongshan Radar Station and the Army’s Guandu Area Command, where he inspected drills and herd presentations.

In remarks, the president pledged to make remedies on slashed items in the special defense budget. He insisted that the administration will deliver on the difference, either through proposing an additional regular budget, raising the annual regular budget, or by introducing additional packages.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#defense #military #taiwanpolitics #drones #defensebudget

2026-06-16

Somaliland relocates representative office to Tianmu’s ‘diplomatic quarter’

The Republic of Somaliland has relocated to a new site in Taiwan, in Tianmu’s so-called “diplomatic quarter.” Previously its office was in Neihu. Though Taiwan and Somaliland do not maintain formal diplomatic relations, the two countries established representative offices in each other’s territories in 2020. The close exchanges make Somaliland one of Taiwan’s most important democratic partners in East Africa.

Somaliland’s de facto ambassador said the new office location will help facilitate closer diplomatic and professional exchanges. He noted that the deepening relationship between Somaliland and Taiwan reflects the high level of trust and cooperation shared by both sides, built upon common values including respect, democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. The diplomat added that Somaliland looks forward to further strengthening exchanges and cooperation with Taiwan in the future.

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#somaliland #taiwan #asia #africa #diplomacy

2026-06-12

Harsher penalties proposed for driving under influence of drugs

Cases of people driving while under the influence of drugs have captured media headlines in recent weeks, drawing much attention to the matter. On June 11, the Executive Yuan finalized a set of amendments to increase penalties for offenders. The proposal increases the maximum sentence to up to 5 years in prison, up from 3. Those who cause a fatal accident while driving under the influence of drugs would face up to 12 years in prison. And people who reoffend within 10 years could get a life sentence.

President Lai Ching-te reiterated the government’s stance during a Police Day commendation event, saying that the tougher penalties are intended to serve as a strong backing for law enforcement officers in carrying out their duties.

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#dui #driving #traffic #trafficsafety #transport #driving #driver

2026-06-11

Taiwan pushes back as China claims jurisdiction in eastern waters

China has stepped up its activities in waters east of Taiwan, dispatching its coast guard and government vessels that claim to be conducting law enforcement operations. Taiwan’s Coast Guard has pushed back, broadcasting warnings to both Chinese vessels and passing merchant ships, and stating that Beijing has no authority in Taiwan’s maritime zone. As tensions rise and concerns grow over China’s use of gray-zone tactics and cognitive warfare, Taiwan says it is closely monitoring the situation and remains committed to defending its sovereignty. The moves come as Japan and the Philippines conduct negotiations on maritime delimitation, which largely overlaps with Taiwan’s maritime zone. Both Japan and the Philippines have previously signed a fisheries agreement with Taiwan, and both have stated that the current negotiations will not affect Taiwan.

Japan and the Philippines have agreed to negotiate their maritime boundaries, a diplomacy breakthrough that China has used as an excuse to once again harass Taiwan. Beijing dispatched Coast Guard and government vessels to waters east of Taiwan, claiming the waters as their own and broadcasting messages to foreign ships. This is how Taiwan responds to them.

Changbin staff
Taiwan Coast Guard
This is the Exclusive Economic Zone of the ROC Taiwan. China has no jurisdiction here. Do not harass passing vessels. Your actions violate international law. We demand that you leave the area at once.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard vessels also sent broadcasts to passing merchant ships to counter China’s claims.

Changbin staff
Taiwan Coast Guard
This is the maritime zone of the ROC. China has no sovereign rights or jurisdiction here. Please continue your normal voyage and pay no heed to the broadcasts from Chinese vessels.

China is increasingly resorting to gray-zone tactics and cognitive warfare to create the false impression that it exercises jurisdiction over the area. More recently, it even deployed naval vessels near Taiwan’s eastern waters. And Taiwan is not sitting idle.

Xavier Chang
Executive Yuan Secretary-General
These actions by the CCP undermine our sovereignty and violate international laws and conventions. Our Navy and Coast Guard are monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of our people. We will not yield an inch of our waters. This year’s budget remains under review, and we hope that ruling and opposition parties will support funding the Armed Forces and Coast Guard.

Lin Chia-lung
Foreign minister
The governments of Japan and the Philippines have stated that their negotiations do not implicate Taiwan. As for the rights that Taiwan is granted under international law, we hope that everyone sees through the CCP’s attempts to expand its authority via claims of law enforcement, and that nobody falls for its cognitive warfare operations.

Opposition lawmakers had pointed out that the negotiations between Japan and the Philippines largely overlap with Taiwan’s Exclusive Economic Zone, and subsequently accused the government of compromising national interests. But Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has stepped forward to clarify the matter and stem misinformation.

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#japan #taiwan #philippines #international #UNCLOS

2026-06-10

VP Hsiao wraps up state visit to Palau

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim has concluded her state visit to Palau. In her final day in the country, she hosted a closing luncheon for Palauan leadership. A highlight on the menu was a Taiwan-shaped taro rice cake, Taiwan’s answer to Palau’s many taro dishes. The president of Palau hoped that Hsiao would visit again soon. Later at a press event, Hsiao encouraged Taiwanese to visit Palau, to counter China’s use of tourism as a leverage against the Pacific island nation.

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim has wrapped up her state visit to Palau. At the closing luncheon, Taiwan-shaped ōo-kué-khiau, a type of savory taro rice cake, was served to guests.

Hsiao Bi-khim
Vice President
I’ve had tastes of different versions of taro leaf soup during my stay here, but I hope that our friends can enjoy a Taiwanese-flavored taro dish, too.

Surangel Whipps Jr.
President of Palau
We hope that it doesn’t take another 18 years for you to visit us again. We’ve had the opportunity to visit many places, but there’s still more to discover.

Hsiao told the press about the wide impact of the visit, with a peculiarly sweet metric to measure her engagements.

Hsiao Bi-khim
Vice President
From the very beginning, it’s all about building relations. I’d prepared lots of chocolate bonbons, more than 600. Almost all were handed out, meaning we’ve really met a wide range of people.

In a straw hat and walking shoes, Hsiao had gone on an early morning hike at 6 a.m., showing that Palau has much more for tourists than its famous pristine waters.

Hsiao Bi-khim
Vice President
The Taiwanese, from my years-long observation, really do enjoy climbing mountains and hiking. Palau tourism has been weaponized by China in recent years. China coerces Palau with extreme fluctuations in the number of visitors: a huge number at one moment and none at the next. I hope to invite my compatriots to visit, even if you already have. It’s really worth visiting again and again.

Jean Lin
FTV reporter
This visit to our official ally, Palau is featured on the front page of a local newspaper. The exchanges have yielded fruitful results. It’s also hoped that the relations between Taiwan and Palau will continue to deepen on the basis of these exchanges.

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#taiwan #palau #taro #diplomacy #蕭美琴

2026-06-10