Taiwan

Yesterday, El Salvador switched diplomatic relations from Taiwan to China. That’s the third such change this year, and it leaves just 17 nations that recognize Taiwan – seven of them in the Pacific.

A long-running dispute involving mainland China and Taiwan has been settled. It doesn’t have to do with territory, but with how airlines refer to Taiwan.

What’s in a name? When it comes to the destination for an airline — it can be a lot — especially if the destination is Taiwan. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

It’s been a difficult month for Taiwan. The government there has faced increasing pressure from Beijing on a number of fronts, and it’s been having an international impact. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

China has poached another ally from Taiwan. The Dominican Republic is the latest country to switch diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, after China offered a multi-billion dollar package of investments and loans. We have more from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

China is flexing its military muscles. After massive naval maneuvers in the South China Sea last week, a live fire exercise is underway today in the Taiwan Strait. We have more from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

As trade tensions between the U.S. and China continue to simmer, the Trump Administration has authorized American defense contractors to help Taiwan construct a fleet of submarines. Following the announcement, Chinese officials warned the U.S. not to play the “Taiwan Card”. We have more from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute. 

Over the past few days, fears of a trade war with China have calmed on news of negotiations between Washington and Beijing, but U.S. diplomatic and military missions over the past two weeks have drawn angry reactions from China. We have more from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

While President Trump’s tough talk on tariffs hits a nerve in China, Congress hit an even more sensitive area last week; when both houses unanimously approved the Taiwan Travel Act. We have details from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

Last month, China told its tourist agencies to stop all flights to the Pacific island nation of Palau, in what’s believed to be a protest over a recent visit by the President of Taiwan. Chinese tourists made up more than half of Palau’s tourists last year, but, as we hear from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute, Palau doesn’t seem worried.

Rainbows have been part of Hawai‘i since the time before people arrived. They’ve become so much a part of the islands’ identity they’re linked with everything from the University of Hawai‘i to plate lunch drive-in’s to the state’s license plate. But elsewhere in the Pacific there was recently a dramatic event involving a rainbow and a new record. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

President Trump stops over in Hawaii at the end of this week, on his way to a twelve day trip to Asia, his first as President. Stops include Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines, but he begins with a visit to Pearl Harbor, which saw another President stop by LAST weekend. We have more from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

Many island communities are particularly vulnerable to power outages. They often come from storms, or downed electricity poles. But a massive power outage on Taiwan this week was different. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

Thousands of people recently demonstrated in the streets of Taiwan’s largest city. The protest had nothing to do with relations with Beijing, or jobs, or political reform. But it is linked to one of Taiwan’s other continuing challenges. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

China has scored a quiet victory this week in the world of international diplomacy. Panama has announced it will break off diplomatic relations with Taiwan—and start them with Beijing. HPR’s Bill dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

It’s been a dramatic week in Asia for the gay community. Taiwan has moved a step closer to becoming the first government in Asia to approve same-sex marriage. And about 2,400 miles away, more than a hundred people were arrested because of suspicions about their sexual orientation. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to spend some time in Florida next week. He’s been invited for two days of meetings with President Trump starting a week from today.  North Korea is certain to be on the agenda, but there have been some noteworthy developments taking place recently in another Pacific location. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

As preparations get underway for a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to President Trump’s Maralago Resort in Florida next month, the sensitive issue of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan has reportedly been put on hold until after the summit. As we hear from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute, two items are at the top of Taiwan’s wish list.

This is International Women’s Day. Around the Asia Pacific, there are different events to mark the occasion—and there’s also some new research showing mixed results when it comes to certain measures of women’s progress. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

It’s been a little more than three years since Hawai‘i legalized same sex marriage. The issue of marriage equality is currently moving forward in Australia’s parliament. But there’s another location in the Asia Pacific that may approve it first. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

Policy makers in the United States and Asia are still talking about Donald Trump’s recent phone call with the leader of Taiwan. There’s been a big focus on how the call broke decades of precedent—and how China’s government may react. But there has not been a big focus on Taiwan itself. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

The topic of Taiwan can lead to a delicate dance for many international groups.  It’s largely because of Taiwan’s presence that international groupings such as APEC are referred to as “member economies” and not “member nations” or “countries.”

The president of Taiwan has been in office for less than three months. But she has already made history—not only as the first woman president of Taiwan, but also for an apology she made this week to the indigenous people of the island. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

Wildfires in Canada are blowing smoky air into parts of the United States this week. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued an air pollution health advisory over the weekend because of smoke coming from Ontario. In Asia, there’s a big debate in many countries about how much air pollution blows in from Mainland China. But in Taiwan, there’s a new movement to reduce homegrown air pollution. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

A number of Japanese sports and games are popular in Hawai‘i. There was a time when Hawaiian-born sumo wrestlers dominated the top ranks of the sport.  And other games from Hanafuda to Sudoku have caught on in the islands. But one particular sport that’s been developed in Japan hasn’t yet made it to Hawai‘i---although it’s spreading across Asia.  HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

Over the weekend, you may have seen reports about the arrest of a US Naval officer on charges of espionage. Though he was based in Virginia, Lieutenant Commander Edward Lin was reportedly arrested in Hawaii. Earlier, he'd served aboard sophisticated spy planes based here on Oahu.  We have details from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute.

Though first reports suggested that Commander Lin spied for China, it now appears that that he was charged with providing secrets to Taiwan, investigations continue into possible links with China.

A missing person’s drama continues this week in Hong Kong. It’s a case that involves booksellers, protests, and questions about authorities in Beijing.  HPR’s Bill Dorman has details in today’s Asia Minute.

Five Hong Kong booksellers are still missing.  Activists fear they’ve been kidnapped by the order of Chinese authorities.

The mystery began in October when 4 employees of the Causeway Bay Bookstore and a small publishing house associated with it went missing, 3 in southern China and one in Thailand.

The Iowa caucuses are three weeks from today. But this is an election year in a number of countries—including several in the Asia Pacific. First up is Taiwan—where residents pick a new president this coming Saturday. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

Voters in Taiwan are likely to elect their first woman president this weekend, unseating the political party in power for the past 8 years.  Tsai Ing-wen carries the banner of the Democratic Progressive Party or DPP, and is favored by about 40% of voters according to the latest polls.

State media in China reported positively on this weekend's historic meeting between the Presidents of China and Taiwan - the first such summit since 1949.  Reaction on Taiwan was mixed, particularly on a sore subject: Chinese missiles.  More from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute.

Asked about the multitude of ballistic missiles on China's side of the Taiwan Strait - President Xi Jinping replied “the missiles weren't aimed at Taiwan,” a claim that might be charitably described as a diplomatic fiction.

More than twenty people have announced they’re running for president of the United States. Several of the candidates are women, although they are certainly not in the majority. But in Taiwan, it’s a very different story. HPR’s Bill Dorman explains in today’s Asia Minute.

Here’s a pretty safe political bet.  The next president of Taiwan will be a woman.

Housing costs continue to move higher around the state. Across the Pacific, there’s an island that has taken a pretty radical step to try to control inflation when it comes to housing prices. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.