January 1, 2022 Taiwan: Useful Facts & Resources

How to Find Taiwan Defense, Military and National Security Information?

The Taiwan President serves as the Commander-in-Chief that leads the Taiwan armed forces. The President also chairs the National Security Council, which decides national defense guidelines relevant to national security. The Executive Yuan formulates defense policy and supervises defense affairs handled by all government agencies, while the Ministry of National Defense (MND) administers national defense […]

January 1, 2022 Taiwan: Major Misconceptions

The Taiwan Strait is International Waters

The U.S. considers the Taiwan Strait to be international waters, not Chinese territory. The island of Taiwan is located approximately 100 miles off the east coast of China, across a body of water called the Taiwan Strait.* The Taiwan Strait is part of the South China Sea, and China has claimed the area as its […]

January 1, 2022 Taiwan: Terminology & Language Bias

Is Taiwan a Renegade Province?

Taiwan is not, and has never been, a province of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Referring to Taiwan as a “renegade province” or “breakaway province” insinuates that Taiwan is a province of China that suddenly decided to rebel and leave. This is incorrect. Taiwan was governed from China for a brief period (1887- 1895), […]

January 1, 2022 Taiwan: Terminology & Language Bias

Why Do Articles About Taiwan Use So Many Scare Quotes?

Scare quotes — aka sneer quotes or quibble marks — are quotation marks surrounding words of phrases to indicate non-standard word usage. Writers use the marks to signpost irony, doubt, skepticism, or disagreement. They allow writers to express distance between the word or phrase and the author of the text. Chinese media use scare quotes […]

January 1, 2022 Taiwan: Terminology & Language Bias

Why is the Taiwan President called Leader or Ruler?

Articles sometimes refer to the President as just the “leader” or “ruler” of Taiwan, rather than using their correct title. This minimizes the President’s role, and essentially demotes them to a provincial leader or regional administrator instead of a head of state. Chinese journalists are expressly prohibited from using “President (or Vice President) of the […]

December 11, 2021 Articles & Editorials

Editorial: The Referendums are Connected to the Future of Taiwan’s International Trade

Editorial: The Referendums are Connected to the Future of Taiwan’s International Trade 公投議題攸關台灣國際經貿的未來 (Published in Taiwan, December 12, 2021) Editorial by Rupert Hammond-Chambers – Taiwan United Daily News From December 8-10, 2021, Taiwan participated in President Joe Biden’s The Summit for Democracy. This event gathers the world’s leading democracies to counter authoritarianism, combat corruption, and […]

Rupert Hammond-Chambers on NTD Wide Angle, November 13, 2021
November 13, 2021 USTBC in the Press

Media Mention: Council President talks about what China invading Taiwan would mean on NTD Wide Angle

Council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers on NTD Wide Angle, November 13, 2021. [YouTube Screenshot] US-Taiwan Business Council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers appeared on NTD Wide Angle on November 13, 2021. He talked about Taiwan’s value to the United States and the world, and what a Chinese invasion of Taiwan might mean. “What we’ve seen is a force-modernization […]

September 22, 2021 Press Releases

USTBC Comments on Taiwan’s Application to Join the CPTPP Trade Deal

Press Release: The US-Taiwan Business Council Comments on Taiwan’s Application to Join the CPTPP Trade Deal (Arlington, Virginia, September 22, 2021) The US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC) today welcomed the news that Taiwan has formally applied to become a member of the Comprehensive & Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Taiwan’s strengths in technology, investment, and […]