Thompson Chau
Taiwan Foreign Correspondents’ Club President | Myanmar, Taiwan and Asia | Usual caveats
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- “The Taiwan Coast Guard must urgently enhance its maritime domain awareness capability to effectively prevent and counter various grey zone intrusions,” Hsieh Ching-chin, deputy DG of the Coast Guard Administration, told @asia.nikkei.com in Kaohsiung. asia.nikkei.com/politics/int...
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- The “tallest urban free solo climb” in history is underway as American Alex Honnold attempts to scale Taipei 101 - Taiwan’s highest building - in a challenge followed by millions. asia.nikkei.com/business/med...
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- Looking back at 2025 - This year President Lai Ching-te of the DPP, KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun and TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang sat down with Nikkei Asia to explain their positions and policies. Based on the three interviews, I wrote a reflective piece about Taiwan’s politics and crises in 2025.
- European engagement with Taiwan has increased sharply in recent years, according to @ceias-eu.bsky.social’s new report, with the authors suggesting Taipei should push for economic ties beyond semiconductors and strive to “balance symbolism with substance.” asia.nikkei.com/politics/int...
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- The KMT is pushing a bill that will allow people from China to hold govt and public positions in Taiwan without renouncing their Chinese citizenship. The move follows a law the KMT proposed last year to fast-track naturalisation of Chinese spouses. asia.nikkei.com/politics/int...
- Taiwan is poised to start deploying a homegrown satellite constellation into orbit with a launch aboard a SpaceX rocket in the US, propelling a broader mission to grow its space industry for economic benefits and security. 1/2 asia.nikkei.com/business/aer...
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- The Beijing-Tokyo row over comments by Sanae Takaichi is roiling politics in the place the remarks concerned -- Taiwan. KMT grandees Ma Ying-jeou and Hung Hsiu-chu have echoed China’s rebukes of Japan’s prime minister. asia.nikkei.com/politics/int...
- An analysis by @asia.nikkei.com shows that Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has managed to visit an unusually large number of countries. “Taiwan’s existence and success are proof of democratic resilience,” Lin said at a @taiwanfcc.bsky.social briefing. asia.nikkei.com/politics/int...
- Exclusive - Kuomintang’s chairwoman Cheng Li-wun sat down for her first int’l media interview as party leader, & talked about Lai’s “Taiwan Independence fascism,” why “we are Chinese”, US tariffs, relations with Xi Jinping and Beijing, defence spending & “One China”. asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/po...
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- Estonia and Taiwan are stuck in a stalemate over plans to open a Taiwanese office in Tallinn, illustrating difficulties in Taipei-Europe ties even as both feel pressure from China & Russia. w/ comments from @matejsimalcik.bsky.social and @williamyang120.bsky.social asia.nikkei.com/politics/int...
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- BREAKING: The Kuomintang on Saturday elected Cheng Li-wun as its next leader, picking an upstart over an old-guard favorite and sending a shock through Taiwan’s political class. Cheng will become only the second elected female leader in the KMT’s history. asia.nikkei.com/politics/kmt...
- Cheng Li-Wun, the dark horse in the KMT leadership race, told an audience at the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents’ Club that her mission is “to be a peacemaker” who will aim for “reconciliation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.” @taiwanfcc.bsky.social asia.nikkei.com/politics/kmt...
- The KMT will pick its leader today. The traditional establishment is largely behind Hau Lung-bin, but Cheng Li-wun has emerged as a formidable rival. What’s been said on the campaign trail: China, shadow cabinet, defence spending, Japan, meeting Takaichi… asia.nikkei.com/politics/tai...
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- Taiwan must accelerate preparations to strengthen its resilience against China’s threats, President Lai Ching-te warned at a security conference on Saturday, pledging to spend the equivalent of 3.32% of Taiwan’s GDP on defence next year. asia.nikkei.com/politics/int...
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- Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te is counting on a reshuffle of senior ministers and the ruling party apparatus to inject fresh energy into a government weighed down by legislative gridlock. asia.nikkei.com/politics/tai...
- In-depth investigation: Taiwan has reported an unprecedented number of subsea cable disruptions this year, raising concerns that China could be using fishing and cargo ships as cover for operations aimed at hitting Taiwan’s comms infrastructure. @asia.nikkei.com asia.nikkei.com/business/tec...
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- The Kuomintang - the main opposition party in #Taiwan - is facing a leadership election after obliterating a campaign that tried to unseat its lawmakers. None of the bigwigs have declared their bids yet. Nikkei Asia looks at the KMT race so far. asia.nikkei.com/politics/kmt...
- Ahead of a referendum on reviving the Maanshan nuclear power plant, TPP chair Huang Kuo-chang argued that national security, data centres and the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions all demand a rethink on atomic energy for Taiwan. asia.nikkei.com/editor-s-pic...
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- Taiwan is feeling the sting of a 20% tariff imposed by the US despite months of quiet negotiations and public commitments, while efforts to strike a better deal risk becoming embroiled in domestic political wrangling. asia.nikkei.com/economy/trad...
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- Good morning from Taichung, where voting has started! Today voters will determine the future of 24 incumbent KMT legislators across Taiwan as part of a mass recall movement. Nikkei Asia has just published a curtain raiser to kick off the big day asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Tai...
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- A movement seeking to recall KMT legislators has stunned #Taiwan’s establishment with its momentum, crystallising protest at KMT attempts to challenge Lai’s administration that have affected govt budgets, defence programmes, judiciary and foreign policies. Feature: asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Po...
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- The KMT has reaffirmed its support for “One China” and vowed to fend off the recall votes this summer. “We will be following the constitution - which is a One China constitution - and we will be following the 1992 consensus,” KMT vice chair Andrew Hsia said. asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Tai...
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- Auterion CEO: “We should assume numbers [drones needed for Taiwan] that match what we see in Ukraine, which means you start with hundreds of thousands and go into the millions. There is no alternative because drones are the new possession munitions.” asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Pic...
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- The Philippines has waived tourist visa requirements for Taiwan passport holders. “Beijing’s effort to deter Manila’s embrace of Taiwan is not working,” commented @zsuzsettte.bsky.social. “It has backfired and is helping normalise cooperation with Taiwan.” asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Int...
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- Chip tycoon Robert Tsao is a key figure in a social movement to break the opposition-led legislature’s resistance to Lai’s security and defence reforms. He explains to Nikkei Asia why he thinks voting out KMT lawmakers is vital for Taiwan’s survival and security. asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Pic...
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- EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW- President Lai Ching-te on Taiwan’s relations with the US, Japan, China & the world, how he’ll work with DC & Tokyo, his national security reforms, Beijing’s infiltration, chips, supply chain, tariffs & the changing international order asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Pic...
- Taiwan’s former President Tsai Ing-wen is set to pay her first visit to the UK since leaving office, Nikkei Asia can exclusively reveal, in a trip that demonstrates the two sides’ warming relationship amid China and Russia’s hostilities. asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Int...
- A close friend from #Myanmar shared their thoughts about international journalism just now. (Permission given to share.) I hope correspondents who are flying to/ have arrived in Thailand will take a look 👇 #earthquakemyanmar
- Taiwan is vital to answering the question of how to strengthen Europe’s defence supply chain, Czech senator Pavel Fischer told Nikkei Asia during his visit in Taipei, warning bloc members against allowing China to dictate their engagement with Taiwan’s government. asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Pic...
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- Taiwan can elevate its global position by incorporating international human rights standards into its business practices in places where such rights are under threat, such as Myanmar, Global Network Initiative chair and ex-UK ambassador to Myanmar Vicky Bowman said. asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Pic...
- The new leader of Taiwan People’s Party insisted that defence spending must not be “indiscriminate,” while accusing the DPP’s President Lai Ching-te of seeking “one-party rule”. Huang Kuo-chang sat down with Nikkei Asia in his first int’l media interview since taking the helm.
- U.K. making ‘constant effort’ to include Taiwan globally: departing envoy - Nikkei Asia asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Pic...
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- Top Taiwanese officials have doubled down on vows to boost defense spending and increase imports from the US at the Halifax int’l security forum in Taipei, amid escalating rows between Trump and traditional allies including Ukraine’s leader. asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Int...
- Taiwan’s water supply faces growing pressures from industrial expansion and climate change, a new report by DSET and Environmental Rights Foundation warns. Water demand from semiconductor production will grow even more and will strain resources. asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/En...
- Our feature on Taiwan’s drone ambitions is out! With the war in Ukraine demonstrating how even modest drones can help a small country fight a much larger adversary, Taiwan is racing to build an ambitious self-sufficient drone production ecosystem to deter Beijing. 1/3 asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Po...
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- Taiwan is making a push for a trade deal with Japan and has instructed its diplomats to lobby Tokyo, hoping to start formal negotiations soon. Japan is already Taiwan’s third-largest trading partner, while Taiwan is Japan’s fourth-largest.
- Taiwan’s opposition is trying to shut down the Constitutional Court. Senior judges now face an unprecedented decision that’ll determine the fate of the judiciary. Nikkei Asia wrote an explainer about the biggest crisis facing Taiwan’s top court. asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Tai...
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- Taiwan’s third-biggest party, the Taiwan People’s Party, is primed for a succession race over the next 2 weeks, after its founder was embroiled in a corruption scandal and resigned. We look at who the two candidates - Huang Kuo-chang and Tsai Pi-ru - are. asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Tai...
- The economic ministry’s response to Trump’s tariffs remarks suggests Taiwan is still holding out hope for developing a constructive working relationship with the US. Taiwan calls US chip ties ‘win-win’ after Trump threatens 100% tariff - Nikkei Asia asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Int...
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- Taiwan’s remaining undersea cable link to the Matsu Islands near China was completely disconnected early Wednesday, the government said, adding to a string of such issues and raising concerns over the key tech economy’s digital resilience. asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Int...
- Taiwan’s legislature passed a govt budget after axing or freezing significant portions of the cabinet’s proposed spending, raising questions about the direction of politics and defence reforms amid a growing sense of urgency. We look at what’s being cut/ frozen 👇 asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Tai...
- TFCC hosted a discussion about Taiwan judiciary’s crisis. Thanks to our six speakers: Su Yeong-chin, ex-Judicial Yuan VP Huang Horng-Shya, ex-Grand Justice Essen Lee, Taiwan Bar Association Dennis Chen, Taipei Bar Association Chien-chih Lin, Academia Sinica Yen-hsuan Chen, Judicial Reform Foundation
