Taiwan Weekly is a newsletter released every week by Fair Winds Foundation, Association of Foreign Relations and Taipei Forum that provides coverage and perspectives into the latest developments in Taiwan.
Next Five Years：China to Focus on Security Over Economy
The 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party has concluded, and mainland China will begin its next five years.
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This Week in Taiwan 1016-1022
October 16: In his political report at the opening ceremony of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping stated that China shall strive for peaceful reunification but never promise to renounce the use of force and will adhere to improving "One Country, Two Systems" to promote reunification. According to the Office of the President, the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent state, and the people of Taiwan believe in and are committed to freedom and democracy. The mainstream public opinion in Taiwan is firmly opposed to "One Country, Two Systems."
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When U.S. Love for TSMC Turns into Doubt
The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) was once the favorite of the United States, and it won numerous kinds of preferential treatments to set up factories in the United States.
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Musk Phenomenon and Ditch Taiwan Theory
In an exclusive interview with Financial Times, Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and SpaceX, expressed his concern over the escalating tension across the Taiwan Strait.
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President Tsai's Brushes Lee Yuan-tseh off and Makes a Fool of the People
In an interview, Lee Yuan-tseh, former president of the Academia Sinica, stated that he had approached President Tsai Ing-wen to discuss the issue of greenhouse gas emissions.
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This Week in Taiwan 1009-1016
October 9: The United States Department of Commerce announced on October 7 chip export control measures to contain the development of China's semiconductors. The Ministry of Economic Affairs stated on October 9 that the United States is primarily targeting supercomputers and data centers, with little impact on Taiwan because Chinese manufacturers do not place these kinds of orders with Taiwan businesses. In addition, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) confirmed that it has received a one-year exemption and stated that the new U.S. ban on China is mainly targets ultra-high-end chips related to artificial intelligence and supercomputers and has limited impact on TSMC operations.
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Effect Fermenting After PLA Military Exercises
In early August this year, mainland China carried out military exercises around Taiwan versus the visit of Speaker Nancy Pelosi of the United States House of Representatives.
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U.S. Aims to Turn Taiwan into Giant Weapons Depot
According to current and former American officials, the New York Times cites, the United States is intensifying efforts to build a giant stockpile of weapons in Taiwan after studying recent naval and air force exercise by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) around Taiwan.
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Su Chi Questions U.S. Ability to Defend Taiwan
Su Chi, chairman of the Taipei Forum Foundation and former secretary-general of the National Security Council, indicated on October 6 that the Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense, several official Pentagon reports, and a number of former senior officials and generals unanimously concluded that the superior military power of Communist China in East Asia, coupled with the geographic distance of American aid to defend Taiwan, makes it difficult to prevent Beijing from presenting a new "fait accompli" in the early stage of the conflict, and that the United States is no longer capable of handling two major regional conflicts simultaneously.
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This Week in Taiwan 1002-1008
October 3: After CTBC Bank obtained lottery issuer qualification, last week, it announced invitation of tenders from technology firms. This is a 10-year business opportunity involving billions, and three leading companies expressed willingness to submit tenders. Officials of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) visited the National Treasury Administration (NTA), Ministry of Finance, the competent authority of lottery, to "introduce" a company IGT with an American background, and the NTA forwarded the information to CTBC bank for "reference." Related reports have generated criticism.
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