Tag "Taiwan"

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China Insights

A Dark ‘n’ Stormy Future for Chinese Economic Coercion?

The opening shots in a Taiwanese trade response to Chinese economic coercion appear to be filled with Lithuanian rum. The Taiwanese National Development Council recently posted on Facebook recipes for “dark ‘n’ stormy” cocktails, French toast, and steak, among other items in an effort to promote consumption of the 20,400 bottles of rum diverted to Taiwan. The large shipment was purchased by the country’s state-owned Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor (TTL) company. While Taiwan’s decision does encourage citizens to try fun new cocktails and recipes, it appears to be primarily a strategy to offset risks for friends and partners in international trade.

International Politics

Sino-Czech Relations: Change on the Horizon

The success of the five-party coalition “Democratic Bloc” in the Czech parliamentary elections this year represents a new direction for the central European country. Disillusionment with BRI-related investments was one reason for this outcome. This development may be part of a broader trend across the region. 

Asia Pacific China Security

Opinion: Deliberate Ambiguity: A Geostrategic Risk

Chinese military aircraft have dramatically increased their offshore aviation activity near Taiwan since late last year. This tendency has expanded over time to encompass a variety of various kinds of military aircraft, which are often sortied in ever-increasing numbers, mostly to the island’s west and southwest. However, several planes pass via the Taiwan Strait’s midline, which connects the island to mainland China, and almost all of them enter Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). This dramatic surge in Chinese military activity near Taiwan is cause for concern, since it marks an unprecedented combination of activities heightening tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

Latin America Politics

Honduras and Vaccine Diplomacy: Are Increased Relations with China Likely?

Honduras, one of the few countries that recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state, is making attempts to build diplomatic bridges with China in order to acquire the much needed Covid-19 vaccines. So far, only 1% of the Honduran population has been vaccinated. This situation constitutes another chapter in the so-called ‘vaccine diplomacy’, where geopolitics comes into play in vaccine acquisition.

Asia Pacific Insights

The Difficult Case of Taiwan’s Sovereignty

In the wake of rising tensions in the South China Sea, between China and its neighbours, the issue of Taiwan’s sovereignty is once again in the spotlight as Beijing clamps down in an attempt to secure its maritime borders and territorial claims in the region. Do recent developments suggest an end to the ambiguous status quo?

China Technology and infrastructure

China and the Semiconductor Industry: What to Expect Under the Biden Administration

In recent years, China has tried to gain more independence. It can safely be said that, In the last decade, China has developed new technology in every sector, and is

International South and Central Asia

The India-Taiwan Treaty: India’s gateway to a knowledge economy

 India and Taiwan’s bilateral investment treaty presents a great insensitive for India to develop its human capital and transition into a knowledge economy.

Asia Pacific Politics

Losing friends fast: What does the future hold for Taiwan?

China has been successfully cutting the diplomatic ties Taiwan has, this year alone has seen 3 states switch their allegiances from Taipei to Beijing, marking a drastic decrease in the legitimacy Taiwan commands as an independent state. What does the future hold for Taiwan under a more assertive China?

Asia Pacific Economics

Buying friends through dollar diplomacy

Despite its successful self-governance, the Chinese-claimed territory struggles to maintain international support and acknowledgement as an independent country. Beijing’s ‘dollar diplomacy’ will continue to chip away at Taipei’s legitimacy, leveraging smaller impoverished nations in an effort to solidify and justify its influence over the Taiwan Strait.

Asia Pacific Technology and infrastructure

Taiwan’s migrant labourers hold the key to regional alliances

Migrant labour reforms are key to boosting the strength of Taiwan’s regional allegiances.