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☆ Taiwan says China's involvement in Honduras is obvious
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, March 23 (Reuters) - Taiwan sees China's involvement in Honduras' decision to seek to end relations with the island as very obvious and the situation does not look good with Honduras demanding a "high price", the island's foreign minister said on Thursday. Honduras denied on Wednesday it had demanded $2.5 billion in aid from Taiwan before its announcement to seek to open relations with China, instead saying the country had repeatedly requested Taiwan buy Honduran public debt. read moreSpeaking to reporters at parliament, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said the situation with Honduras was "not very good". Honduras Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina said last week Honduras' decision was partly because the Central American country was "up to its neck" in financial challenges and debt - including $600 million it owes Taiwan. Wu, answering a lawmaker question, said Honduras did not just owe Taiwan money.

☆ MIT neuroscientists are testing a headset that uses a 'disco' of light and sound to treat Alzheimer's disease
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Yeji Jesse Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Alzheimer's disease is a complicated and debilitating disease that has no cure. One startup is testing whether a "disco" of light and sound can slow the disease in patients. The startup is testing whether a "disco" of light and sound, delivered via a special headset, can slow the disease in patients by stimulating their brains. The company just raised $73 million from investors to evaluate its technology in about 500 people with early- to midstage Alzheimer's disease. Microglia help clear out amyloid, or proteins in the brain that are thought to be a major indicator of Alzheimer's disease.

☆ Taiwan says it has contingency plans for China moves while president abroad
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Ann Wang/File PhotoTAIPEI, March 22 (Reuters) - Taiwan's defence ministry has contingency plans for any moves by China during Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's overseas visit, Deputy Defence Minister Po Horng-huei said on Wednesday ahead of Tsai going to the United States and Central America next week. Asked by reporters on the sidelines of a parliament session whether China was likely to stage more drills when Tsai is abroad, Po said the armed forces were prepared. "When it comes to what the Chinese communists have done in the past, the defence ministry can have a grasp on it, and will consider the worse scenario," he said. "During the president's overseas visit, the defence ministry has contingency plans for all moves" by China, Po added, declining to give details. China, which has condemned Tsai's planned U.S. stop over, has continued its military activities around Taiwan since August, though on a much reduced scale.

☆ An MIT neuroscientist says 'routine' and 'discipline' are the keys to preserving memory and staving off dementia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Yeji Jesse Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

MIT neuroscientist Li-Huei Tsai said it boils down to routine and discipline. Li-Huei Tsai Cognito TherapeuticsThat's according to MIT Professor Li-Huei Tsai, a neuroscientist who focuses on diseases like Alzheimer's and directs The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory. She told Insider that the keys to maintaining healthy brain function and memory as you age are no secret. "I think people actually know what they should be doing to stay healthy and to preserve their memory," Tsai said. "I mean, I think that's the only way to do it."

☆ U.S. Warns China Against Using Taiwan President’s U.S. Stop to Raise Tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Charles Hutzler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen plans to stop in New York and Los Angeles on her way to and from formal visits to Belize and Guatemala. WASHINGTON—The Biden administration is urging China not to use a U.S. visit by Taiwan’s president to raise tensions, with a senior official saying the trip is consistent with previous ones that passed without incident. Taiwan President Tsai Ing -wen plans to stop in New York and Los Angeles in coming weeks on her way to and from formal visits to Belize and Guatemala. These stops, often called transits, are part of the strained diplomatic choreography over Taiwan and are intended to hew to a U.S. commitment to Beijing to maintain unofficial relations with Taiwan, while allowing its leaders to meet with supporters, including members of Congress.

☆ Taiwan president to visit US, Speaker meet unconfirmed
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsTaiwan president to visit US, Speaker meet unconfirmedPostedTaiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will make sensitive stopovers in the United States on her way to and from Central America that China's foreign ministry condemned on Tuesday, but Taipei would not confirm a meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Lauren Anthony reports.

☆ Honduran official: US 'respects' decision on China relations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TEGUCIGALPA, March 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. government said it "respects" Honduras' decision to move towards establishing formal diplomatic ties with China, the Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina said on Monday after a meeting with U.S. officials. Reina said Honduras' President Xiomara Castro made "general comments" on the decision during the meeting attended by different officials such as U.S. Special Presidential Adviser for the Americas Chris Dodd. Castro announced last week the country would seek diplomatic ties with Beijing, a move that risks further reducing Taiwan's pool of allies as China does not allow countries with which it has diplomatic relations to maintain official ties with Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taiwan strongly disputes. Since 2016, when Tsai Ing-wen was elected Taiwan's president, Panama, El Salvador and most recently, Nicaragua, have opted to establish relations with China.

☆ China protests 'vile' Taiwan visit by German minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has ramped up military, political and economic pressure to assert those claims. The politically sensitive visit is taking place as Berlin is reviewing its previously close ties with China. In January, a visit to Taiwan by a delegation of high-ranking lawmakers from the liberal Free Democrats (FDP), the smallest party in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-way coalition, also led to protests from Beijing. "It is a great pleasure and honour for me to be the first minister heading a specialist government department to visit Taiwan in 26 years," she added. Given the sensitivity of the trip, Stark-Watzinger is not scheduled to meet Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.

☆ Taiwan calls on Britain to support its bid for Pacific trade pact
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, March 20 (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday called on Britain to support its bid to join a major pan-Pacific free trade pact which London has also applied to enter. "I also hope that given its disposition for maintaining high standards, Britain will support Taiwan's bid to join the agreement. This would do much to allow Taiwan and Britain to continue deepening their partnership," she said. In a statement released after a meeting in Singapore last October, trade pact members said Britain's application was progressing, and subsequent applicants would need to show "a demonstrated pattern of complying with their trade commitments". Britain, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but has been keen to show its support in the face of China's threats.

☆ Former Taiwan president Ma open to meeting leaders on landmark China trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ma met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore in late 2015 shortly before now Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen won a presidential election. "Can't Ma Ying-jeou see China's true nature?" Given that neither Taiwan nor China's governments recognise each other, Ma will simply be referred to as "Mr. Ma Ying-jeou" while he is in China, Hsiao said, to avoid thorny political issues. The KMT says outreach to China is needed now more than ever given the tensions across the Taiwan Strait. If young people can communicate and have dialogue, it will definitely reduce the current tensions," Hsiao said of Ma's thoughts on the visit.

☆ Former Taiwan president Ma to visit China in landmark trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TAIPEI, March 19 (Reuters) - Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou will visit China this month, his office said on Sunday, the first time a former or current Taiwanese leader has visited since the defeated Republic of China government fled to the island in 1949. Ma, who remains a senior member of Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) opposition party, held a landmark meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore in late 2015, shortly before current Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen was elected. Ma's office said that he would visit China from March 27 to April 7 and go to the cities of Nanjing, Wuhan, Changsha, Chongqing and Shanghai. Reporting by Ben Blanchard Editing by David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China condemns British lawmakers for ignoring demand not to visit Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, March 19 (Reuters) - China's embassy in Britain on Sunday condemned a visit this week by British lawmakers to Taiwan, saying they were insisting on visiting the island despite China's strong opposition. Taiwan's Presidential Office said the group of six lawmakers from the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group would meet President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei on Monday. China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has been ramping up military, political and economic pressure to assert those claims. A statement from China's embassy in London said that the lawmakers have "insisted on visiting the Taiwan region of China despite China's resolute opposition". Taiwan regularly hosts visiting foreign lawmakers, which China routinely condemns.

☆ Brooklyn Nets owner Clara Wu Tsai on hosting a job fair at Barclays Center to benefit those impacted by the criminal justice system
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( John Lynch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Clara Wu Tsai spoke to Insider about hosting a coming job fair with the Reform Alliance at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. Wu Tsai discussed the making of the event and its aim to aid individuals impacted by the criminal justice system. The Reform Brooklyn Job Fair will take place on Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than 4,400 job seekers have registered to attend the job fair, which will take place at the Barclays Center concourse on Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration for the Brooklyn Job Fair is still open to the public.

"We truly don't know whether it will be days or weeks or months," a U.S. government official told Reuters on background. Since 2016, when Tsai Ing-wen was elected Taiwan's president, Panama, El Salvador and most recently, Nicaragua, have changed sides. China does not allow countries to hold diplomatic ties with both itself and Taiwan, regarding the island as its territory. "If Honduras' switch to Beijing is formalized, Taiwan will have just 13 diplomatic allies, including Belize and Guatemala. Reporting by Sarah Kinosian in Mexico City and Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Dave Graham and Lincoln Feast.

☆ Taiwan, facing loss of ally Honduras, says it won't bow to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] The flags of Taiwan and Honduras flutter in the wind outside the Taiwan Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras March 15, 2023. On Tuesday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced the government would seek diplomatic ties with Beijing, which would come at the expense of Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory. "Over the years we have worked together with our diplomatic allies to support their national development plans in elevating the welfare of their people," he added. If Honduras ditched Taiwan, it would leave the island with only 13 diplomatic allies, mostly small and developing nations in Latin America, the Caribbean and Pacific. China says Taiwan is one of its provinces with no right to state-to-state ties, a view the democratically elected government in Taipei strongly rejects.

☆ German minister to visit Taiwan in test of China relations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Andreas Rinke | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military, political and economic pressure to assert those claims. The politically sensitive visit will take place at a time when Berlin is reviewing its previously close ties with China. Bettina Stark-Watzinger, also of the FDP, will begin her visit early next week, a ministry spokesperson said. Speaking at a regular news conference in Berlin, the education ministry spokesperson said the agenda during Stark-Watzinger's visit will also include battery research and supply chains. Last year, China condemned a visit to Taiwan by then-U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-level U.S. visit in 25 years, as a threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

☆ U.S., Taiwan Move Closer to Trade, Investment Agreement
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Joyu Wang | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert, a Republican from California, in Taipei this week. TAIPEI—The U.S. and Taiwan moved a step closer toward a bilateral trade and investment initiative, with both sides signaling progress in the talks at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing. The U.S. Trade Representative’s office on Thursday released a summary of proposed texts covering customs administration and trade facilitation, good regulatory practices, services domestic regulation, anticorruption, and small and midsize enterprises. A similar statement was released by Taiwan’s trade office at the same time. The five topics are among a dozen trade areas that the two sides previously agreed to negotiate.

TEGUCIGALPA, March 15 (Reuters) - Honduras' decision to seek official relations with China and cut them with Taiwan on Tuesday was about "pragmatism, not ideology," driven by rising debt and investment needs, Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina said on Wednesday. China does not allow countries to hold diplomatic ties with both itself and Taiwan as it claims Taiwan as its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties, which Taiwan disputes. Speaking on local television, Reina said Honduras was "up to its neck" in financial issues and debt - including the $600 million it owes Taiwan - and this had partly motivated Honduras' decision to open relations with China. Honduras' decision puts pressure on Taiwan ahead of a visit by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen to the U.S. and Central America. Honduras intends to keep trade ties with Taiwan, however, Reina added during his television appearance.

[1/6] A view shows Cardinal III UAV on display as Taiwan's Defence Ministry showcases its domestically developed drones to the press in Taichung, Taiwan March 14, 2023. The war in Ukraine has lent new urgency to Taiwan military's efforts to bolster defence including a push to develop drones. NCSIST head Art Chang said the war in Ukraine had focused attention on drones, and his institution had teamed up with Taiwan companies to build a "national team" to develop military drones. President Tsai Ing-wen has championed the idea of "asymmetric warfare" to make Taiwan's forces more mobile and harder to attack. China has sent its drones to areas close to Taiwan to test its responses, the island's defence ministry has said.

☆ Taiwan to allow more China flights in show of goodwill
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, March 9 (Reuters) - Taiwan's government said on Thursday it would allow the resumption of more direct flights to China that had been stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in a show of political goodwill to Beijing despite festering military tensions. Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, currently allows direct flights to only four Chinese cities - Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Xiamen - but before the pandemic multiple Chinese cities were connected to the island. China has been pressing Taiwan to resume the flights, urging against using the pandemic as an excuse for further delay. "We also hope to build on the foundation of these resumed flights to gradually increase the exchange of goodwill gestures and cooperative interactions by both sides." Taiwan and China began regular direct flights to each other in 2009, after beginning charter flights in 2003.

☆ Kevin McCarthy to Meet With Taiwan’s President When She Visits U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Natalie Andrews | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, in Washington on Tuesday. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy plans to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing -wen when she visits the U.S., the California Republican told reporters on Tuesday. “I will, when she’s in America,” he said of the meeting. “But that has nothing to do with my travel and if I would go to Taiwan or not, and China can’t tell me where or when to go.”

☆ Taiwan says working on president's 'transit' plans amid reported U.S. trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, March 8 (Reuters) - Taiwan's presidential office said on Wednesday that it is working on "transit" plans for an overseas visit by President Tsai Ing-wen, amid reports she will meet U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the United States. McCarthy plans to meet Tsai in the United States in coming weeks, two sources told Reuters on Monday. That could be instead of the Republican Speaker's anticipated but sensitive trip to the democratically governed island claimed by China. McCarthy on Tuesday confirmed plans to meet Tsai in the United States this year and stressed this did not preclude a later visit to Taiwan, Bloomberg news agency reported. The United States has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

March 9 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever. Unsurprisingly, Asian markets slumped on Wednesday following the surge in U.S. yields, implied rates and the dollar. MSCI's Asia ex-Japan index fell 1.5%, Hong Kong stocks fell more than 2% and the Hang Seng Tech index fell more than 3%. Bank Negara Malaysia surprised markets in January by keeping its benchmark rate unchanged. The potential for conflict between China and the U.S. appears to be inching up on a near daily basis too.

☆ House Speaker Kevin McCarthy plans to meet Taiwan's president in the U.S., sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy wields the speaker's gavel as members of Congress gather to attend U.S. President Joe Biden's State of the Union address on Feb. 7, 2023. Leah Millis | ReutersU.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy plans to meet Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen in the U.S. in coming weeks, two sources told Reuters on Monday, a move that could replace the Republican Speaker's anticipated but sensitive trip to the democratically governed island claimed by China. One of the sources said should the U.S. meeting go forward — likely in April — it did not necessarily rule out McCarthy visiting Taiwan in the future. During a CNBC interview earlier on Monday, McCarthy declined to answer whether he would visit Taiwan, saying he would announce any travel plans when he had them. Taiwan's de facto embassy in Washington said it had "no information to share" when asked about the meeting.

☆ Factbox: What to look for at China's NPC meeting of parliament
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Laurie Chen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Besides meeting annually to deliberate legislation and appoint government personnel, it oversees the State Council, China's cabinet. Its top body, the roughly 170-member NPC Standing Committee, meets more frequently to pass legislation. The Standing Committee also has the power to amend semiautonomous Hong Kong's mini-constitution, known as the Basic Law. The NPC will also appoint top government positions including vice president, NPC chair, vice premiers, state councillors, head of the Supreme Court and ministers. Several NPC and CPPCC delegates have put forth policy proposals in recent days, with China's historically low fertility rate a hot topic.

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