Taiwan This Week

On this week's show we have a local election special roundtable organized by ICRT and the European Chamber Of Commerce Taiwan. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk election candidates being banned from running, allegations Beijing is influencing voters, Sports Minister Lee Yang refusing to attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Para Games in Japan and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk what's happening the Taipei mayoral election, China for sanctioning ministers from Belize and Paraguay over Taiwan ties and labor groups urging the government to raise the mandatory employer contribution rate under the new labor pension system. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the a new legislative session and debate on Taiwan-US-China ties continuing following a meeting between Donald Trump and China's Xi jinping. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim visiting Italy, Taiwan likely on the agenda when China's Xi Jinping travels to Washington D.C. and what an AI development slowdown would mean for Taiwan. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the latest news about the upcoming local elections, new China travel registration rules and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk a budget bill that prioritizes indigenous UAVs, moves to amend the Referendum Act put in hold, the Pacific Islands Forum and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the central government's 2027's spending plan, little reaction to the US scaling back joint military exercises with an Asian ally, the Premier once again refusing to countersign legislation and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the Han Kuang exercises wrapping-up, the Ministry of Digital Affairs confirming that overseas hackers target government agencies in July and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk a NT$3.6 trillion central government budget; Chinese companies operating illegally in Taiwan; the annual Ketagalan Forum and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk upcoming military exercises, cross-strait communications and a diplomatic spat with Papua New Guinea. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the latest news about contaminated cooking oil, reactions to mobile Internet disruptions during the upcoming urban resilience exercises and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk cooking oil found to contain excessive levels of a carcinogen, reactions to the assault of a political commentator and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the government reacting to a new Chinese law, competing drone procurement bills and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk an interview sparking explanations of cross-strait normalcy, calls for mandated prison sentences for draft dodgers and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk moves by Beijing to claim ownership of waters east of Taiwan, possible stricter export controls on AI chip sales to China and guidelines on AI-generated content in the media. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk Taiwan being included in an initial US listing of forced labor tariffs, Computex Taipei taking place with AI in focus and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk proposals to boost child benefit, Cheng Li-wun's trip to the US, the High Speed Rail suffering a major glitch and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk a mid-term address, continuing fallout from US President Donald Trump's China trip, an award winning Taiwanese literary work and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the Trump-Xi meeting and Taiwan, fallout from passage of a watered down special defense budget bill and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk President Lai Ching-te traveling to Eswatini on a rather special airplane, Taiwan likely to be a topic of conversation between US President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping next week, a rat problem and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk President Lai Ching-te's nixed state visit to Eswatini, the central government's general budget plan moving forward after more than six months in limbo and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun returning from her China trip, President Lai Ching-te being slated to visit Eswatini later this month and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun's visit to China, the DPP's shortlist for its Taipei mayoral candidates, fears of a plastic bag shortage and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk Taiwan People's Party founder and former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je being sentenced to 17 years in prison, heated debate about the possible restarting of nuclear power plants, Employment Gold Cards and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the KMT and the Taiwan People's Party approving a pact for November's ballots, the continuing dispute over the status of a lawmaker-at-large, the latest on a designation spat with South Korea and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the premier making a brief trip to Japan on his day off that raised some ire feelings, a sharp decline in Chinese military flights near Taiwan, revisions to the Meteorological Act and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the government's reaction to the US-Israel war on Iran, dueling defense budgets; scores of people being indicted in the Prince Holding Group case and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the signing of a Taiwan-US trade deal, experts touting Sanae Takaichi's election victory as being good news for Taiwan, a movie adaptation of unsolved murders causing controversy and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk a briefing to lawmakers on weapons procurement plans, Taiwan's trade negotiating team meeting the press and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk Taiwan and the US finalizing a trade deal, questions over the special defense budget, and plans to create a 'smoke-free city' in Taipei. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk about worries concerning a possible decapitation strike, the ongoing central government budget stand-off, a pulled talk show slated to be hosted by former President Chen Shui-bian and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk China's latest military exercises around Taiwan. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk some of the top stories from here in Taiwan in 2025. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk a large US arms sale to Taiwan, Premier Cho Jung-tai's refusal to enact legislation giving local government's more money, a presidential pre-recorded address; cross-strait tourism issues and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the government's strong reaction to South Korea's newly launched e-Arrival card system; Tsai Ing-wen talking the need for a solar power policy 2.0, government agencies justifying a decision to block Chinese social media app, Xiaohongshu for a year and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the latest news concerning next year's city and county elections from the north and the south. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk President Lai Ching-te's proposal for a NT$1.25trillion special defense budget, the ongoing China-Japan spat over Taiwan from a Taiwan perspective and criticism of ruling handed down by the High Court in child sex images case. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the vice president addressing the European Parliament, the legislative speaker calling out the president over China's threats against a DPP lawmaker, the KMT's leader courting controversy by attending a memorial event and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the KMT getting a new leader, a legislative showdown over proposals to amend civil service pension reforms, the latest news about the African swine fever outbreak and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk Taiwan not being on the agenda of a big meeting in South Korea, an African swine fever outbreak and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the KMT electing a new chairperson amid claims of outside meddling, Nvidia's plans for a new headquarters in Taipei facing problems, a YouTuber being under investigation for talking about a beheading and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk 50/50 semiconductor production, the Hualien clean-up operation and the foreign minister's busy few days. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk Typhoon Ragasa, United Nations recognition, the line-up for the KMT's leadership election and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the alarming Meinong Grand Canyon, an updated version of a civil defense handbook, a proposal for the creation of a two-round absolute majority system for choosing the next president and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk Ko Wen-je being released on bail after just over a year in detention, President Lai Ching-te's lengthy interview with the Liberty Times, the Cabinet inaugurating the Ministry of Sports and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the final batch of recall votes failing to unseat any KMT lawmakers, Premier Cho Jung-tai announcing a new Cabinet and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk the final batch of recalls targeting KMT lawmakers, a referendum on whether to extend the service of the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant, approval of an environmental impact assessment report to extend bullet train services to Yilan and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk Premier Cho Jung-tai vowing to improve communications, a reversal of opposition against a cash handout, the return of the Taipei rainbow crosswalk and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

We talk a visit by a former UK prime minister, chip tariffs, a record liquefied natural gas deal and more. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn