taiwan peoples party

Taiwan, a flashpoint in US-China rivalry, is increasingly central to global tensions. President Xi Jinping's "Thucydides Trap" warning highlights the risk of conflict as China rises. The island's strategic importance in semiconductors and trade, coupled with historical crises, underscores the escalating danger of miscalculation.

The Trump-Xi summit yielded no major breakthroughs, with both leaders sticking to their strategic interests, particularly concerning Taiwan. Russia's intensified attacks on Ukraine, met with Ukrainian drone strikes deep into Russia, highlight Moscow's continued aggression. Latvia's government collapsed over a drone incident, underscoring regional security concerns. Meanwhile, a joint US-Nigeria operation eliminated the Islamic State's No. 2 leader in Nigeria.

While the US and Israel engaged in conflict with Iran, China quietly leveraged the situation to expand its influence. By positioning itself as a diplomatic alternative and stabilizing energy supplies, Beijing benefited from a weakened American strategic position and growing uncertainty about US reliability among allies.

Tamil Nadu's business landscape remains optimistic despite political shifts, with leaders banking on the state's strong institutions and manufacturing prowess. The new chief minister's assurance of continuity and a corruption-free administration has calmed investor nerves, fostering hope for sustained industrial growth and job creation.

Trump’s philosophy is often mistaken for the absence of philosophy, but absence can become a system if practised with sufficient confidence. Every problem becomes a deal, every deal becomes a performance, every performance requires a winner, and the winner, ideally before anyone checks the paperwork, is Donald Trump.

And that’s the trap that ‘Philosopher King’ Xi Jinping wants to avoid when coming up against Don Tzu, but who is Thucydides anyway? What trap did he lay? And will the US and China go to war?

Anthropic's paper outlines two scenarios for US-China AI leadership by 2028. In one, the US maintains its compute advantage through tightened export controls, leading to democratic AI norms. The other sees China overtaking the US if policymakers fail to act, resulting in authoritarian AI dominance.

UAE exits Opec, impacting global oil dynamics amid regional tensions. Ukraine escalates attacks on Russia, forcing Moscow to scale back Victory Day parades. King Charles' US trip strengthens UK-US ties. Syria begins its first transitional justice trial. China pressures African nations, forcing Taiwan's President to cancel a trip.

The Indian rupee is facing significant pressure, weakening against the US dollar due to soaring crude oil prices driven by Middle East geopolitical tensions and persistent foreign fund outflows. Despite India's robust economic growth, the currency's slide continues as the Reserve Bank of India intervenes to curb volatility rather than target a specific exchange rate.

Global helium supplies face a critical shortage due to Middle East tensions disrupting production and shipping. This invisible gas, vital for MRIs, semiconductors, and advanced tech, is irreplaceable and lost forever once released. India, heavily reliant on imports, sees soaring prices and potential disruptions in healthcare and its burgeoning chip industry.

Taiwan holds presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday, which will be watched closely by its neighbour China which views the island as a part of its province. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. Taiwan's three main parties contesting the election are the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), only set up in 2019. The DPP currently has a majority in parliament, with 63 seats. The KMT has 38 seats and the TPP has five.

Taiwan's two main opposition parties have agreed to decide on a joint presidential ticket for the upcoming elections based on opinion polls. The ruling party has accused Beijing of interfering in the elections, as China considers Taiwan its territory. The issue of China's sovereignty claim has been a major concern in the elections. Vice President Lai Ching-te of the ruling party has consistently led in opinion polls, while candidates from the opposition parties battle for second place. The opposition parties have agreed to use opinion polls to determine their joint presidential bid.

Taiwan's opposition-controlled parliament on Tuesday approved cuts to this year's budget that President Lai Ching-te's party says will hamper its ability to govern and harm the island's security. Ahead of the final vote on Tuesday, Premier Cho Jung-tai said opposition parties had engaged in "ridiculous behaviour" and undermined confidence in the island's commitment to boost its defences.

Taiwan's opposition-controlled parliament approved Tuesday a pay increase for military service members, in a bid to address a manpower shortage and retain soldiers in the face of Chinese military pressure. The main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party and Taiwan People's Party passed amendments to an armed forces pay act granting volunteer service members an additional monthly allowance of NT$30,000 (US$1,000).

Taiwan rejected a US proposal from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to split global semiconductor production 50-50, with Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun stating it was not discussed. Taiwan's Executive Yuan and political opposition condemned the idea, calling it exploitative and against supply chain cooperation, as the US aims to onshore chip manufacturing.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te celebrates his first year in office on Tuesday as his government grapples with Chinese military pressure, US tariff threats and domestic political turmoil. Lai has seen his first term in the top job engulfed in domestic political turmoil as opposition parties seek to stymie his agenda.

The US trade representative's office has launched Section 301 investigations into 60 economies, including India, for failing to address forced labor in imports. This move follows a Supreme Court ruling and aims to determine if foreign governments are sufficiently prohibiting goods made with forced labor, impacting US workers and businesses. New tariffs on several countries are possible by summer.