By Austin Babb and Jason Wu New Chief Named for Mainland Affairs Former Minister of Justice Chiu Tai-san was sworn in on February 23 as the new Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) minister. He replaces Chen Ming-tong, who has been appointed to head the National Security Bureau (NSB). During the swearing-in ceremony, Chiu pledged to resume…
As newly inaugurated President Joseph R. Biden Jr. took office last month, many questions remained about what direction U.S.-Taiwan relations would take under his leadership. While Biden and his Cabinet picks did espouse strong support for Taiwan policy during his presidential campaign, most observers agree that the opening months of his presidency will mostly be…
DBS economist Ma Tieying takes the most bullish view of Taiwan’s economic prospects for 2021, forecasting GDP growth of 4.2%. The most cautious position among those interviewed for this report was from Yuanta-Polaris Research Institute President Liang Kuo-yuan, whose forecast is “at least 3%.” In between is the government’s own statistics agency, which expects growth…
Given the importance for Taiwan of its relationship with the U.S., a pending change in administration in Washington always sets off intense speculation on the island as to what to expect from the incoming American government. This year, with Joe Biden about to replace Donald Trump in the White House, there has been even more…
A discussion currently underway in American foreign policy circles focuses on how best to define the potential U.S. response to a military attack on Taiwan. Washington’s longstanding approach to the matter has been called “strategic ambiguity” – a vague statement of support for Taiwan in the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) but no explicit commitment to…
Hong Kong Rally Held in Taipei An October 25 rally in Taipei supporting 12 Hong Kong activists who were arrested when trying to flee to Taiwan in August drew hundreds of participants from across the island. Dressed in black and carrying signs bearing the slogan “Save 12” and other messages of support, rally attendees marched…
Recent progress in tightening the U.S.-Taiwan relationship has been stunning. Developments have included high-profile visits to Taipei by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, as well as the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment. Additional major military sales are reportedly in the offing, following Taiwan’s August purchase of…
U.S. Official Krach Makes Brief Visit U.S. Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Keith J. Krach made a brief visit to Taiwan from September 17 to 19. While Krach is the highest-ranking State Department official to visit Taiwan since the U.S. cut official ties with the island in 1979, his trip…
Taiwan appears to be making progress in pursuing a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the U.S. September’s visit of Under Secretary of State Keith Krach, while brief, was a strong indication of the U.S. government’s desire to move ahead on strengthening economic relations with Taiwan. Still, a lot of work needs to be done to move…
Taiwan and the U.S. are seeking build alternatives to production of critical equipment in China in the wake of the global pandemic. First came the U.S.-China “trade war,” with Washington encouraging American companies to leave China and bring manufacturing back home. Then COVID-19 struck, halting the flow of medical equipment and other goods and laying…
