Latest news with #LaiChingTe
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
China furious as UK warship passes by in patrol
China 's military sharply criticised the passage of a British warship, HMS Spey, through the Taiwan Strait, labelling it a deliberate attempt to "cause trouble" and asserting the waterway constitutes Chinese waters. Britain's Royal Navy maintained the transit was a "routine navigation" conducted in full compliance with international law, aligning with Taiwan and the United States who consider the strait an international waterway. Taiwan's government welcomed the British warship's sailing, affirming its defence of freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te ordered heightened surveillance and intelligence efforts in response to increased Chinese military activities, including a report of 50 aircraft near the island. The incident occurs as China has stepped up military drills around Taiwan, and amid efforts by Britain and China to mend relations, with a potential visit by a British leader to Beijing later this year.
Arab News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Taiwan to hold recall election for lawmakers that could reshape parliament
TAIPEI: Taiwan will hold a recall vote for around one quarter of parliament's lawmakers — all from the main opposition party — next month, the election commission said on Friday, a move which could see the ruling party take back control of the Lai Ching-te won the presidency last year, his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost its parliamentary majority, leaving the Kuomintang (KMT) and the much smaller Taiwan People's Party with the most KMT and the TPP have passed a series of measures, including swingeing budget cuts, angering the DPP, though the campaigns to gather enough signatures for the recalls were led by civic opposition has 62 of parliament's 113 seats and the DPP holds the remaining 51. The recall votes for 24 KMT lawmakers will take place on July 26, the election commission DPP has given full support for the recalls, releasing a video this week calling on people to vote yes and 'oppose the communists' — a direct reference to China and what the party says is the opposition's dangerous cosying up to KMT has vowed to fight what it calls a 'malicious recall' that comes so soon after the last parliamentary election in January 2024.'The KMT calls on the people of Taiwan to oppose the green communists and fight against dictatorship, and vote 'no',' the party said in a statement after the recall vote was announced, referring to the DPP's party KMT says its engagement with China, which views separately-governed Taiwan as its own territory, is needed to keep channels of communication open and reduce has rejected multiple offers of talks from Lai, branding him a 'separatist,' and has increased military pressure against the campaigns against DPP lawmakers failed to gather enough valid the recalls to be successful, the number of votes approving the measure must be more than those opposing it, and also exceed one-quarter of the number of registered voters in the constituency, so turnout will be the recall votes are successful, there will be by-elections later this year to select new next parliamentary and presidential elections are not scheduled until early 2028.
Reuters
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Taiwan to hold recall election for lawmakers that could reshape parliament
TAIPEI, June 20 (Reuters) - Taiwan will hold a recall vote for around one quarter of parliament's lawmakers - all from the main opposition party - next month, the election commission said on Friday, a move which could see the ruling party take back control of the legislature. While Lai Ching-te won the presidency last year, his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost its parliamentary majority, leaving the Kuomintang (KMT) and the much smaller Taiwan People's Party with the most seats. The KMT and the TPP have passed a series of measures, including swingeing budget cuts, angering the DPP, though the campaigns to gather enough signatures for the recalls were led by civic groups. The opposition has 62 of parliament's 113 seats and the DPP holds the remaining 51. The recall votes for 24 KMT lawmakers will take place on July 26, the election commission said. The DPP has given full support for the recalls, releasing a video this week calling on people to vote yes and "oppose the communists" - a direct reference to China and what the party says is the opposition's dangerous cosying up to Beijing. The KMT has vowed to fight what it calls a "malicious recall" that comes so soon after the last parliamentary election in January 2024. "The KMT calls on the people of Taiwan to oppose the green communists and fight against dictatorship, and vote 'no'," the party said in a statement after the recall vote was announced, referring to the DPP's party colours. The KMT says its engagement with China, which views separately-governed Taiwan as its own territory, is needed to keep channels of communication open and reduce tensions. China has rejected multiple offers of talks from Lai, branding him a "separatist", and has increased military pressure against the island. Recall campaigns against DPP lawmakers failed to gather enough valid signatures. For the recalls to be successful, the number of votes approving the measure must be more than those opposing it, and also exceed one-quarter of the number of registered voters in the constituency, so turnout will be important. If the recall votes are successful, there will be by-elections later this year to select new lawmakers. Taiwan's next parliamentary and presidential elections are not scheduled until early 2028.
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Taiwan on Alert over China's Military Activities in Pacific
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Thursday ordered defense and security units to step up their monitoring and intelligence efforts in response to China's military activities, which he said have not abated even as tensions rise in the Middle East. Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has, along with Japan, been tracking the movement of two Chinese aircraft carriers conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time, Reuters reported. Lai, in a statement released by his office after meeting with defense officials, said the conflict between Israel and Iran has led to a "chain of global security challenges." "From the perspective of our country and even the Indo-Pacific region, it is worth paying special attention to the fact that China's military pressure in the entire region of the first and second island chains has not slowed due to the situation in the Middle East," he said. "The actions of the two aircraft carrier groups of the Shandong and Liaoning in the relevant waters of the first and second island chains in the past few days have posed considerable risks for the Indo-Pacific region and have aroused the heightened concern of the international community." The first island chain refers to an area that runs from Japan southeast to Taiwan, the Philippines, and Borneo, while the second island chain spreads further out into the Pacific to include places such as the U.S. territory of Guam. Lai said he had asked the defense and security teams to strengthen their monitoring of regional developments and enhance their "intelligence gathering and research capabilities." At the same time, Taiwan should maintain close coordination with its "friends" to ensure a swift response to any "emergencies," he added. China's Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment outside of office hours. China's navy, which has been honing its abilities to operate farther from the country's coast, said last week the carrier operations were "routine training" exercises that did not target specific countries or regions. China operates two carriers, with a third undergoing sea trials.
Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Taiwan on alert over China's military activities in Pacific
TAIPEI, June 19 (Reuters) - Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Thursday ordered defence and security units to step up their monitoring and intelligence efforts in response to China's military activities, which he said have not abated even as tensions rise in the Middle East. Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has, along with Japan, been tracking the movement of two Chinese aircraft carriers conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time. Lai, in a statement released by his office after meeting with defence officials, said the conflict between Israel and Iran has led to a "chain of global security challenges." "From the perspective of our country and even the Indo-Pacific region, it is worth paying special attention to the fact that China's military pressure in the entire region of the first and second island chains has not slowed due to the situation in the Middle East," he said. "The actions of the two aircraft carrier groups of the Shandong and Liaoning in the relevant waters of the first and second island chains in the past few days have posed considerable risks for the Indo-Pacific region and have aroused the heightened concern of the international community." The first island chain refers to an area that runs from Japan southeast to Taiwan, the Philippines, and Borneo, while the second island chain spreads further out into the Pacific to include places such as the U.S. territory of Guam. Lai said he had asked the defence and security teams to strengthen their monitoring of regional developments and enhance their "intelligence gathering and research capabilities." At the same time, Taiwan should maintain close coordination with its "friends" to ensure a swift response to any "emergencies," he added. China's Defence Ministry did not respond to a request for comment outside of office hours. China's navy, which has been honing its abilities to operate farther from the country's coast, said last week the carrier operations were "routine training" exercises that did not target specific countries or regions. China operates two carriers, with a third undergoing sea trials.
