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☆ China willing to work with Germany on economy, trade
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, April 14 (Reuters) - China is willing to work with Germany on the economic and trade fronts, and the two countries are partners, not adversaries, its foreign minister, Qin Gang, said on Friday. Qin, addressing a joint news conference with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, said artificially putting the brakes on normal economic and trade cooperation would be counter-productive. Remarking on the situation with Taiwan, Qin said if countries want to respect the One-China principle, then the proper move is to resolutely oppose Taiwan independence. On the issue of Ukraine, Qin said China was willing to continue to work for peace and hoped that all parties involved in the crisis would remain objective and calm and work together. Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Writing by Bernard Orr; Editing byOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Philippines stoking regional tension with US bases pact, China envoy says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANILA, April 14 (Reuters) - The Philippines is "stoking the fire" of regional tension by offering expanded military base access to the United States, whose goal is to interfere in China's affairs with Taiwan, Beijing's ambassador to Manila said on Friday. The U.S. embassy in Manila said the EDCA "is not about any other third country." The Philippines' foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. EDCA, signed in 2014, underlines the strategic importance of the Philippines to its former colonial ruler the United States, coming at a time of concern over China's conduct in the South China Sea and tension over self-ruled Taiwan. "The Philippines is advised to unequivocally oppose 'Taiwan independence' rather than stoking the fire by offering the U.S. access to the military bases near the Taiwan Strait, if you care genuinely about the 150,000 OFWs," Huang said.

☆ The Chinese military posted an animated video simulating how China's forces would attack Taiwan if war breaks out
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An animated video from the Chinese military shows how China's forces could attack Taiwan. The video showed a targeted, multi-prong assault on Taiwan executed by aircraft and navy vessels. An animated video from the Chinese military's Eastern Theatre Command's official WeChat account was re-posted to Twitter by the state-linked media outlet Global Times. Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Monday that 70 Chinese aircraft and 11 Chinese navy vessels encircled the island on Monday morning. But China considers Taiwan as part of its territory, a breakaway province with a democratic government that poses a threat to China's Communist Party.

SummarySummary Companies China starts three days of drills around TaiwanTaiwan says 71 Chinese planes crossed Taiwan Strait median lineTaiwan says it will respond calmlyChina angered by Taiwan president meeting U.S. House SpeakerAnnouncement comes shortly after French president left ChinaFUZHOU, China/TAIPEI, April 8 (Reuters) - Seventy-one Chinese military aircraft crossed the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait on Saturday as China began drills around Taiwan in anger at President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. The People's Liberation Army said it had started the combat readiness patrols and "Joint Sword" exercises around Taiwan, having said earlier it would be holding them in the Taiwan Strait and to the north, south and east of Taiwan "as planned". SITUATION 'AS EXPECTED'There was no broader sense of alarm in Taiwan about the drills, where people are long accustomed to Chinese threats. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen, also in China this week to meet Xi, said stability in the Taiwan Strait was of paramount importance. The Taiwan security source said China's recent efforts to charm foreign leaders proved in vain after the announcement of the drills.

☆ China starts drills around Taiwan after U.S. Speaker meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen at an event with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, on April 5, 2023. China began three days of military exercises around Taiwan on Saturday to express anger at Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, as the island's defense ministry said it would respond calmly. The drills, announced the day after Tsai returned from the United States, had been widely expected after China condemned the meeting with Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles. China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. China was using Tsai's U.S. visit "as an excuse to carry out military exercises, which has seriously damaged regional peace, stability and security," the ministry said in a statement.

☆ China's military encircles Taiwan in new drills following its president's visit to the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

China's military has encircled Taiwan during three days of "combat readiness patrols." The move follows Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's visit to the US. China has described the drills as a "stern warning against the collusion between separatist forces." House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., second from right, welcomes Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen as she arrives at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on April 5, 2023. McCarthy said, "America's support for the people of Taiwan will remain resolute, unwavering, and bipartisan," per AP.

[1/4] A Chinese warship fires at a target during a military drill near Fuzhou, Fujian Province, near the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands that are close to the Chinese coast, China, April 8, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas PeterFUZHOU, China, April 8 (Reuters) - A Chinese warship in seas facing the Taiwan Strait began live-fire drills on Saturday as Beijing began military exercises it calls a warning against what it considers pro-Taiwan independence forces. China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Smoke and muzzle flares were visible from the stern of the warship as shells were fired on targets on land and water. When asked about Taiwan, Zhao said he hopes the two sides could "reunite" as quickly as possible.

☆ China announces drills around Taiwan after US Speaker meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/David Swanson/File PhotoBEIJING, April 8 (Reuters) - China will hold three days of military exercises around Taiwan from Saturday, the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command announced, the day after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen returned from a trip to the United States. Tsai met U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy while in Los Angeles on Wednesday, angering Beijing, which views Taiwan as its own territory. Beijing staged war games around Taiwan, including live fire missile launches, in August after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei. Then, China published a map at the same time as its announcement of the drills showing which maritime areas near Taiwan it would be firing into. Xi responded by saying that expecting China to compromise on Taiwan was "wishful thinking", according to China's official reading of the meeting.

☆ China imposes further sanctions on Taiwan's US representative
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING/TAIPEI, April 7 (Reuters) - China has imposed further sanctions on Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan's de facto ambassador to the United States, prohibiting her and family members from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, state media reported on Friday. The sanctions, announced by China's Taiwan Affairs Office, also prohibit investors and firms related to Hsiao from cooperating with mainland organisations and individuals. They come after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during a stopover in the United States this week. Others on the August sanctions list also include Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu and Secretary-General of Taiwan's National Security Council Wellington Koo, and DPP politicians. Chinese sanctions will have little practical impact as senior Taiwanese officials do not visit China while Chinese courts do not have jurisdiction in Taiwan.

☆ China imposes further sanctions on Taiwan's U.S. representative
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

China has imposed further sanctions on Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan's de facto ambassador to the United States, prohibiting her and family members from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, state media reported on Friday. The sanctions, announced by China's Taiwan Affairs Office, also prohibit investors and firms related to Hsiao from cooperating with mainland organizations and individuals. They come after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during a stopover in the United States this week. Others on the August sanctions list also include Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu and Secretary-General of Taiwan's National Security Council Wellington Koo, and DPP politicians. Chinese sanctions will have little practical impact as senior Taiwanese officials do not visit China while Chinese courts do not have jurisdiction in Taiwan.

"Wow, the PRC (People's Republic of China) just sanctioned me again, for the second time," Hsiao tweeted in response to the announcement. Taiwan's Foreign Ministry reacted angrily, saying China had no right to "butt in" when it came to Tsai's overseas trips and that Beijing was "deceiving itself" if it thought the sanctions would have any effect. China has also banned the leaders from entering the country, and frozen any properties they have in China, it said. Chinese sanctions will have little practical impact as senior Taiwanese officials do not visit China while Chinese courts do not have jurisdiction in Taiwan. Others on the August sanctions list include Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu; Wellington Koo, Secretary-General of Taiwan's National Security Council; and DPP politicians.

☆ Taiwan, China must do 'everything possible' to avoid war- former president Ma
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou meets the head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council Song Tao, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China in handout picture released March 30, 2023. Ma Ying-jeou's Office/Handout via REUTERSTAIPEI, March 30 (Reuters) - Taiwan and China must do everything possible to avoid war and it is the responsibility of both sides' leaders to ensure peace, former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou told a senior Chinese official on Thursday. Ma arrived in China on Monday, the first time a former or sitting Taiwanese president has visited the country since the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's communists. "The two sides must maintain exchanges, cooperate together, and do everything possible to avoid war and conflict." Ma, who was in office from 2008-2016, met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore in late in 2015 shortly before current Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen was elected.

☆ 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.

☆ 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.

Two lawmakers with knowledge of the exports and two former officials said the approvals reflected Britain’s increased willingness to support Taiwan. One of the lawmakers, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said authorising the export licences amounted to giving a "green light" to better equip Taiwan. It shows the government authorised 25 export licences to Taiwan during the first nine months of 2022 under the categories "components for submarines" and "technology for submarines." Taiwan has for decades been unable to buy conventional submarines from other countries because of their concerns of angering China. Asked about the decision to approve the increase in export licences, the official said: "You just don't do something like this without thinking through the implications very carefully."

☆ 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.

☆ China to increase defense spending by 7.2%
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

China's air force shows off its L15 Falcon trainer at the Zhuhai Air Show in 2022. BEIJING — China is set to increase defense spending this year by 7.2% to 1.56 trillion yuan ($230 billion), according to a draft released Sunday by the Ministry of Finance. China's defense budget grew by 7.1% last year to 1.45 trillion yuan, faster than the 6.8% increase in 2021 and 6.6% climb in 2020, according to official data. In 2019, China's defense spending rose by 7.5% to 1.19 trillion yuan. The work report called for "resolute steps to oppose 'Taiwan independence'" while sticking to Beijing's call for "peaceful reunification."

☆ China says should advance 'peaceful reunification' with Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationBEIJING, March 5 (Reuters) - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Sunday the government should promote the peaceful development of relations with Taiwan and advance the process of China's "peaceful reunification" but also take resolute steps to oppose Taiwan independence. In August, China staged war games around Taiwan in response to a visit to Taipei by then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Speaking at the opening of the annual meeting of China's parliament, Li said Beijing stands by the "one China" principle, which states that Taiwan is part of China. The government should implement our party's policy for "resolving the Taiwan question" and "take resolute steps to oppose Taiwan independence and promote reunification", he told the roughly 3,000 delegates at Beijing's enormous Great Hall of the People. "We should promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advance the process of China's peaceful reunification."

Fund managers say they are fielding more queries from clients about the odds of an invasion of Taiwan by China. Russia's invasion of Ukraine early last year has also made investors more wary of war risk, analysts said. Goldman Sachs' Cross-Strait Risk Index, which gauges the intensity of geopolitical risk between Taiwan and mainland China, hit a record high last August after then-U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan. Jordan Stuart, client portfolio manager at Federated Hermes, says he cut China exposure last year while holding onto some small stocks that can "fly under the radar". The Taiwan Strait is a major route for ships transporting goods from East Asia to the United States and Europe.

It is the US who is in fact the number one country in terms of surveillance, whose high-altitude balloons illegally flew over China multiple times. Chinese foreign ministry: Wang Yi stressed that on the Ukraine issue, China stands by principles. China is committed to promoting peace talks and has played a constructive role. Chinese foreign ministry: Wang Yi pointed out that to preserve stability across the Taiwan Strait, one must firmly oppose "Taiwan independence" and uphold the one-China principle. On the Taiwan question, the US side should respect historical facts, honor its political commitments and follow through on its statement of "not supporting Taiwan independence".

☆ China's top diplomat reiterates calls for dialogue over Ukraine crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 18 (Reuters) - China has "neither stood by idly nor thrown fuel on the fire" regarding the crisis in Ukraine, and continues to call for peace and dialogue, top diplomat Wang Yi said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. China will set out its position on settling the Ukraine crisis in a document that will state all countries' territorial integrity must be respected, Wang said. Asked to reassure the audience that military escalation was not imminent over the Taiwan Strait, Wang said Taiwan "independence forces" are incompatible with peace. "If we want to maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait, we must resolutely oppose Taiwan independence, and we must resolutely maintain the one-China policy." Reporting by David Kirton in Shenzhen, China, Ryan Woo in Beijing and Laura Lin in Shanghai; editing by Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Chinese officials arrive in Taiwan on first post-pandemic visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Liu Xiaodong, Deputy Head of the Shanghai office of China's Taiwan Affairs Office and head of the delegation of Chinese officials visiting Taiwan, walks out of the arrival hall at Taipei Songshan Airport in Taipei, Taiwan February 18, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsTAIPEI, Feb 18 (Reuters) - A group of Chinese officials arrived in Taiwan on Saturday on the first visit in three years, since the COVID-19 pandemic began, to attend a cultural event at a time of soaring military tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan's government this week allowed the trip of six officials, lead by Liu Xiaodong, deputy head of the Shanghai office of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, to attend the Lantern Festival in Taipei, at the invitation of the city government. Chilly Chen, head of the pro-independence Taiwan Republic Office, told Reuters the Taiwanese people were very hospitable and welcomed visitors but were concerned they were coming to push Chinese policies on the democratic island. But China continues to carry out military activities near Taiwan, including almost daily crossings of the Taiwan Strait's median line by Chinese air force jets, which had previously served as an unofficial barrier.

☆ Let's work to keep peace, China tells visiting Taiwan KMT official
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING, Feb 10 (Reuters) - A top Chinese official told a senior Taiwan opposition figure on Friday that both China's Communist Party and Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) should oppose Taiwan independence and interference by external forces. Wang Huning, the Communist Party's fourth ranked leader, told Andrew Hsia, Taiwan's opposition KMT's deputy chairman, during a meeting in Beijing that both parties should maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait, Chinese state television reported. China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own and has stepped up military and diplomatic pressure to get the island to accept Chinese sovereignty. "Senior Chinese Communist Party officials must think about constructive, meaningful and pragmatic ways to handle" relations, it said in a statement. China says Tsai has to accept that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to "one China", which she has refused to do.

☆ Taiwan VP new ruling party boss sets stage for presidential run
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Taiwan Vice President William Lai was elected as the new chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Sunday, setting the stage for him to run in presidential elections early next year. President Tsai Ing-wen resigned as party chairwoman in November after the DPP was trounced at local elections. Lai has not directly said whether he intends to run in the presidential vote but is widely expected to do so now he is DPP chairman. A former premier and mayor of the southern city of Tainan, Lai has been Tsai's vice president since 2020 following the DPP's landslide election win. The DPP won the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections by a landslide by pledging to defend Taiwan against China and not submit to Beijing's threats.

☆ China says it carried out combat drills around Taiwan again
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Jan 9 (Reuters) - China's military said it had carried out combat drills around Taiwan on Sunday focused on land strikes and sea assaults, the second such exercises in less than a month. The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command said in a statement late on Sunday that its forces had organised "joint combat readiness patrols and actual combat drills" in the sea and airspace around Taiwan. The aim of the exercises was to test joint combat capabilities and "resolutely counter the provocative actions of external forces and Taiwan independence separatist forces", it added in a brief statement. China carried out similar exercises late last month, with Taiwan reporting that 43 Chinese aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line, an unofficial buffer between the two sides. In August, China staged war games near Taiwan following a visit to Taipei by the then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

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