Taiwan

| TAIWAN

With 4.62 births per thousand people and a fertility rate set to fall below 0.8, Taiwan reported the worst demographic figures in the world in 2025. Births have dropped by half in 10 years, and today more than 20 per cent of the population is over 65. In response, the government has proposed reforms in healthcare, welfare, and social assistance.


Ambassador Ho's speech at the celebrations held in Rome for the anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China in the presence of Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi. ‘Taiwan will continue to promote universal values and defend human dignity.’

| 13/10/2025
| TAIWAN - VATICAN
by Martin Purbrick

The Chinese Communist Party has recruited the Bamboo Union to promote unification with the People's Republic. Chang An-lo and other key figures have been exploited to boost China’s political influence on the island through intelligence gathering and psychological operations. Meanwhile, Taiwan is cracking down on a pro-Beijing party and prosecuting its members.

| 13/09/2025
| TAIWAN - CHINA

Next Saturday Taiwanese voters are set to approve or reject the reactivation of the Maanshan plant in a referendum called by the opposition after the country's last plant shut down in May after 40 years of operation. After Fukushima, environmentalists have achieved a gradual phase-out, but fears that China might stop natural gas supplies are now reviving the issue. For its part, China has 33 plants under construction.

| 21/08/2025
| RED LANTERNS
by Gianni Criveller

The diplomat, who has just taken up his post as his country’s representative to the Holy See, recounts his meeting with Leo XIV. Taiwan helped the pontiff “when he served in Peru”.  Leo “said that he will pray for Taiwan.” The island does not “pose any threat” to China, offering instead “opportunities for dialogue and for peace.”

| 24/07/2025
| RED LANTERNS

The Czech intelligence service's complaint against agents of the People's Republic of China, which denies the charges and speaks of “interference in internal affairs”. Meanwhile, today is the deadline for Chinese immigrants in Taiwan to prove that they have renounced their registration in the People's Republic. 2,237 have not yet done so, but authorities promise to ascertain their intentions before revoking benefits for residents.

| 30/06/2025
| TAIWAN - CHINA
by Joseph Masilamany

The ‘new generation’ prime minister of the city-state chose the People's Republic of China for his first trip outside Southeast Asia. In his meeting with Xi Jinping, he praised ‘multilateralism and the rules-based global order’. The ambitions of the former marginal colony that has become a major financial hub between East and West. On Taiwan, support for the ‘one China’ policy.

| 25/06/2025
| SINGAPORE - CHINA
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“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”