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China's desire to reunify Taiwan with the mainland has resulted in its decision to mine the ports of Taiwan in preparation for a possible military conflict with the island, giving it effective blockade ability and thus help avoid a direct military confrontation with the United States of America. The US needs to prioritize exercises that will rapidly deploy or preposition the US Navy allied mine sweepers to Taiwan as this would prove a significant deterrent to China's mining activities.

The Bush administration's ambiguous China policy got a kick in the pants recently when the Pentagon and the bipartisan, congressionally chartered U.S.-China Security Review Commission issued separate reports describing Beijing's [...]

The number of nations that extend formal diplomatic recognition to the Republic of China (which is to say, Taiwan) rather than to the People's Republic of China (Red China) is […]

JUNICHIRO KOIZUMI will soon arrive in Washington for what is probably his last official visit to the United States as Japan's prime minister. While in Washington, Koizumi will seek to [...]

Cuba in the Caribbean and Taiwan in the Eastern Pacific Ocean are two renowned islands which, though in antipodal locations, share unique geographic and historical similarities. Today, because of added [...]

If it sounded like Dubya was speaking off the cuff, he was. The United States will do 'whatever it takes' to defend Taiwan, President Bush said last week--dropping 30 years [...]

The Special Report in Current Issues this month is 'Does Taiwan Matter?' Taiwan is a democratic oasis and has never been under the control of the government in Beijing. The [...]

The Chinese New Year is meant to be a time of celebration for Chinese people everywhere. But those working at Macau airport had little to cheer about this February. Up [...]

The chain of developments having complicated US-China relations has been made more difficult due to action by the House International Relations Committee. The House panel accused the White House of failing to meet Taiwan's legitimate security needs in the face of China's continued military modernization and thus sent a bipartisan bill to the full House seeking to promote sales of advanced US weapons to Taiwan and buttress long-standing bilateral defense ties with that nation.

Taiwan has taken a low key and productive approach to membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and has reached agreement with 21 countries concerning bilateral talks. Negotiations are being handled by Steve Chen, director general of Taiwan's Board of Foreign Trade. Some issues remain outstanding and the country's move to join the WTO has upset Beijing, which wants to join the WTO before Taiwan.

RICHARD NIXON gave warning of the danger of isolating China; of keeping it 'forever outside the family of nations, there to nurture its fantasies, cherish its hates . . . [...]

Ozzy Osbourne--goodwill ambassador? Taiwan has tried 14 times to gain United Nations recognition, with no success. Now, pols in capital Taipei are hoping that rock anthems might succeed where diplomacy [...]

Opportunities for setting up biotechnology companies in Taiwan, which is already a major force in information technology and chip business, are discussed. Taiwan government's plans for establishing biotechnology infrastructure are presented.

The two arms contracts seen as key to the United States are mired in political and financial troubles, and the US President George Bush has pledged to help Taiwan defend itself. The primary problem for the defense sources in Taiwan is that the United States has not secured a modern design that meets Taipei's satisfaction.

Taiwan intends to open its shipping sector in January 1999 as part of the country's efforts to become a member of the WTO. On the other hand, China seems to be moving slowly as a new decree by China's Foreign Trade Sun Zhenyu places doubts about the country's commitment to open markets. The US and other trade allies exhort Taiwan to liberalize swiftly and totally to meet all other criteria of membership.