Taiwan to withdraw honour guards from Chiang Kai-shek memorial
Taipei, Taiwan Reuters Taiwan will withdraw the military honour guards at the memorial hall for former leader Chiang Kai-shek as part of ongoing efforts to end the “veneration of authoritarianism”, the culture ministry said on Friday. Generally lauded in life as an anti-communist hero, today many in Taiwan revile Chiang as a despot who imprisoned […]
Britain likely to lose nearly one in six millionaires by 2028, report says
Zurich, Geneva Reuters Britain is likely to lose nearly one in six of its US dollar millionaires by 2028, but their number is set to grow in other countries including the United States and surge in Taiwan, according to a report published on Wednesday. The UBS Global Wealth Report for 2024 forecast the number of […]
Firms weigh removing Taiwan staff from China after death penalty threat
Beijing, China Reuters Some foreign companies are considering moving Taiwanese employees out of China after Beijing said it could impose the death penalty on “diehard” Taiwan independence separatists, said four people familiar with the matter. The new guidelines have caused some Taiwanese expatriates and foreign multinationals operating in China to scramble to assess their legal […]
Autocracy is “evil”, Taiwan President says after China threatens death for separatism
Taipei, Taiwan Reuters Democracy is not a crime and autocracy is the real “evil”, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Monday after China threatened to impose the death penalty in extreme cases for “diehard” Taiwan independence separatists. China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, has made no secret of its dislike of Lai, who […]
With world’s highest rates of religiously unaffiliated, East Asia remains spiritually vibrant
RNS In East Asia, people are leaving their religion at rates that are among the highest in the world, according to a survey released on Monday by Pew Research Center. But while many East Asians do not identify as members of an organised religion, they continue to hold spiritual beliefs associated with the region’s faiths. […]
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy dominates Asia security conference as China, Taiwan trade barbs
Singapore Reuters Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskiy’s unscheduled appearance at Asia’s biggest security conference dominated proceedings on Sunday after China’s defence chief slammed “separatists” in Taiwan, drawing a sharp response from the government in Taipei. Dressed in his trademark olive green T-shirt, Zelenskiy addressed the last day of the Shangri-La Dialogue forum in Singapore, asking for […]
Taiwan Government to reject contested parliament reforms
Taipei, Taiwan Reuters Taiwan’s cabinet will reject and send back for review legislation the opposition passed on Tuesday on parliamentary reforms that have brought tens of thousands onto the streets to protest and accusations of Chinese interference. The peaceful protests, and sometimes violent confrontations in parliament over the reforms, have been taking place against a […]
Taiwan watches Vatican-China ties, says China violated deal on bishops
Taipei, Taiwan Reuters Taiwan is paying close attention to interactions between the Vatican and China, the island’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday, adding that China had “repeatedly violated” a 2018 agreement on the appointment of bishops. The Vatican, which only has formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, would like to establish a permanent office in China, […]
Thousands protest against contentious Taiwan parliament reforms
Taipei, Taiwan Reuters Thousands of people thronged the streets around Taiwan’s parliament on Tuesday, protesting against measures to give lawmakers more oversight over the government, pushed by opposition parties over the ruling party’s objections. The protests outside parliament, and a raucous session inside, demonstrated the febrile political atmosphere facing new President Lai Ching-te a day […]
New Taiwan President takes office facing angry China
Taipei, Taiwan Reuters Lai Ching-te took office as Taiwan’s new president on Monday, facing an angry and deeply suspicious China that believes he is a “separatist”, and a fractious parliament with an opposition champing at the bit to challenge him. Lai was sworn in at the Japanese-colonial-era presidential office in central Taipei, taking over from […]