Tag Archives: Taiwan

The Washington Post reports: The Chinese and Taiwanese militaries dispatched fighter jets, ordered military exercises and bolstered combat readiness as Taiwan prepared to host House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for a visit that has triggered dire warnings from China’s leadership and sharply escalated tensions between Beijing and Washington. Pelosi is expected to arrive in Taiwan on Tuesday night local time, …

The Washington Post reports: The White House warned Monday that a potential visit to Taiwan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) could prompt China to take significant inflammatory actions in response, and urged Beijing not to take advantage of the trip or see it as a pretext for provocation. “China appears to be positioning itself to take further steps in …

CNN reports: US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to visit Taiwan as part of her tour of Asia, according to a senior Taiwanese government official and a US official, despite warnings from Biden administration officials, who are worried about China’s response to such a high-profile visit. The stop — the first for a US House speaker in 25 years …

Politico reports: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi confirmed Sunday that she will be visiting Asia but did not mention whether she will make a stop in Taiwan. “Today, our Congressional delegation travels to the Indo-Pacific to reaffirm America’s strong and unshakeable commitment to our allies and friends in the region,” the California Democrat said in a statement. “In Singapore, Malaysia, South …

Reuters reports: Prominent Chinese commentator Hu Xijin said on Saturday he deleted a tweet warning of military retaliation should U.S. fighter jets escort House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on any visit to Taiwan, after Twitter blocked his account. If Pelosi were to visit Taiwan, Hu, a nationalist firebrand with a wide Twitter following, wrote, “Our fighter jets should deploy all obstructive …

Politico reports: U.S. defense officials are increasingly concerned that China would see a congressional delegation to Taiwan, escorted by military aircraft, as an invasion. That rhetoric escalated Friday when Hu Xijin, a commentator with the Chinese-state-owned Global Times, threatened that China’s military could down the speaker’s plane. “If US fighter jets escort Pelosi’s plane into Taiwan, it is invasion,” Hu …

The Associated Press reports: President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping spent more than two hours Thursday talking through the future of their complicated relationship, with the flashpoint of Taiwan once again emerging as a key point of tension. According to a description of the call released by Beijing, Xi emphasized China’s claim over the island, which has governed itself …

Reuters reports: China’s government warned on Tuesday it would take “forceful measures” if U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, after the Financial Times said she would go to the Chinese-claimed island next month. Pelosi and her delegation will also visit Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, and spend time in Hawaii at the headquarters of U.S. Indo-Pacific command, …

CNN reports: President Joe Biden said Monday that the United States would intervene militarily if China attempts to take Taiwan by force, a warning that appeared to deviate from the deliberate ambiguity traditionally held by Washington. During a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, Biden was asked if the US would be willing to go …

Reuters reports: The United States is at risk of paying an “unbearable price” due to its actions over Taiwan, Wang Yi, state councillor and foreign minister, said in an interview with state media on Thursday. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and in the past two years has stepped up military and diplomatic pressure to assert its …

Wrestling.com reports: WWE legend John Cena has issued an apology to China for calling Taiwan a country in a recent interview. During a promotional tour for Fast & Furious 9, Cena referred to Taiwan as a country while speaking to TVBS – sparking outrage among Chinese fans. Cena posted a video message on the Sina Weibo platform clarifying his comments, …

The Washington Post reports: Taiwan has seen lawmakers throw punches, chairs, eggs and even water balloons during periodic and spectacular bouts of parliamentary violence. But when pigs fly — that’s something unheard of, even by Taiwan’s standards. Members of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) on Friday threw pig hearts, intestines, lungs and other innards, leaving the chamber’s crimson carpet streaked with …

The Verge reports: If you’ve been tested for COVID-19 then you’ve probably experienced the unpleasantness of a nasal swab. Someone takes a long-handled cotton swab and sticks it up your nose — way up your nose — until it reaches the back of the mucus-cave that is your nasal cavity. Upon arrival they give the swab a good twirl to …

ABC News reports: The Taiwanese capital held its annual LGBT pride parade on Sunday, making it one of the few places in the world to proceed with such an event in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. The parade in Taipei has drawn tens of thousands of people in the past, but participant numbers Sunday were reduced by both virus …

Reuters reports: Limiting marriage to a relationship between a man and a woman will remain China’s legal position, a parliament spokesman said on Wednesday, ruling out following neighboring Taiwan in allowing same-sex marriage, despite pressure from activists. Taiwan’s parliament passed a bill in May that endorsed same-sex marriage, after years of heated debate over marriage equality that has divided the …

The CBC reports: More than 360 same-sex couples tied the knot in emotional scenes in Taiwan on Friday, the first legal marriages in Asia hailed by activists as a social revolution for the region. The government data was released after Taiwan’s parliament passed a bill last week that endorsed same-sex marriage, although the measure could complicate President Tsai Ing-wen’s bid …

The New York Times reports: As tens of thousands of demonstrators filled the rainy streets of Taipei on Friday, lawmakers in Taiwan voted to legalize same-sex marriage, a first for Asia. “We want to marry!” supporters outside the legislature chanted in approval of the measure, as they applauded and waved signs and rainbow banners. “On May 17th, 2019 in #Taiwan, …

The Taiwan News reports: Taiwan’s Judicial Yuan Secretary-General publicly announced today that the passage of anti-equality referendums cannot override the Constitutional Court’s 2017 ruling on same-sex marriage. Secretary-General Lu Tai-lang clarified what has already been stressed by many keen legal observers: interpretations made by the Constitutional Court hold the highest rule of law and cannot be defeated by referendums. The …

The Taipei News reports: Results from the three same-sex marriage referendums held on Nov. 24 suggest that the Civil Code will remain unchanged, and legalization of same-sex unions is likely to take place through the passing of new legislation. The people of Taiwan voted to maintain the concept of marriage as defined in the Civil Code to be between a …

The Taipei Times reports: More than 100,000 people, including musicians, filmmakers and politicians, yesterday rallied on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei to show support for same-sex marriage ahead of Saturday’s referendums on the issue. “In this last week leading up to the referendums, we hope to encourage more people to vote yes on referendums No. 14 and 15, and to vote …