Taiwan

Taipei Times | English | News | May 2, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

The United States continues to advocate for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the World Health Organization (WHO), despite its planned withdrawal from the organization set for January 2026. A US Department of State spokesperson emphasized Taiwan's role as a reliable partner in global health security and indicated that the US would persist in supporting Taiwan's inclusion in international organizations, including the WHO.

During recent WHO Executive Board meetings, the US urged member states to allow Taiwan's meaningful participation, specifically as an observer at the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting in May 2025. These remarks were made in response to inquiries about the US's stance on Taiwan's participation during the WHA, particularly as the island has been excluded since 1972 due to pressure from China, except for a brief period from 2009 to 2016.

Since 2017, Taiwan has worked with its allies, including the US, Japan, and the EU, to pursue participation in the WHA but has yet to achieve a breakthrough. The situation remains challenging due to ongoing political tensions and China's influence in the WHO.

英特爾強化台鏈 聯發科、欣興入夥

Yahoo Finance | Local Language | News | May 2, 2025 | UndeterminedSupply Chain Issues

Intel is enhancing its collaboration with Taiwanese manufacturers, marking a significant step in its semiconductor strategy. The partnership with MediaTek has resulted in the successful tape-out of their first chip utilizing Intel's 16 process technology, which is about to enter mass production. Additionally, Unimicron has been integrated into Intel's advanced packaging ecosystem, with PowerMemory's Chairman Hsu Ching-Hsiang highlighting the importance of these collaborations in supporting chip security and intellectual property for Intel’s future clients.

MediaTek’s Vice President Vince Hu emphasized that Intel's foundry service capabilities are crucial for optimizing chip performance, reducing power consumption, and streamlining design areas. The Intel 16 process, being both mature and cost-effective, aligns well with MediaTek’s objectives in sectors like the Internet of Things, edge computing, and consumer electronics. MediaTek views its partnership with Intel as a strategic imperative for enhancing resilience given the regional dependencies in semiconductor supply chains. Hu also noted a major achievement with their first Intel 16 product, which met all design benchmarks on the first tape-out due to effective teamwork and the reliability of Intel's foundry services.

Intel is broadening its ecosystem alliances by incorporating chiplets and value chain partnerships, reaffirming collaborations with companies like Faraday and UMC. Faraday has highlighted the importance of close coordination in advanced 3D packaging, which is expected to be a significant growth area. Meanwhile, UMC announced that their joint work on the 12nm process with Intel is progressing well, aiming to deliver enhanced value to customers. Xinxing has also joined Intel’s advanced packaging ecosystem as an EMIB substrate manufacturer. Analysts anticipate a competitive landscape in advanced processing and packaging, with opportunities for Taiwanese firms to enter the U.S. supply chain, given the overlapping ecosystems of TSMC and Intel.

中共收買台灣幫派當攻台內應 情資地圖驚人內容曝光

Yahoo News Taiwan | Local Language | News | May 2, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

China has engaged in bribing Taiwanese gangs to act as internal collaborators in potential military actions against Taiwan, resulting in the compilation of a comprehensive intelligence report titled the "Distribution Map of Taiwan's Gang Armed Forces." This document, exceeding 30,000 words, is likened to an "Operation Map for Seizing Taiwan" and includes critical details such as gang strongholds, mobilization capacities, individual gang leader contacts, and their pro-communist inclinations rated on an ABC system.

The analysis posits that China's strategy employs a three-pronged approach: disrupting the financial stability of these gangs, fostering connections with pro-communist elements, and utilizing tactical maps to instigate a coordinated offensive. It has been highlighted that certain temples in Taiwan have become operational bases for these gangs, serving as meeting locations and storage for materials that facilitate covert activities, including the infiltrating of Chinese individuals and money laundering operations.

Experts have noted that while some information within the report might be exaggerated, it nonetheless provides a significant insight into the vulnerabilities of Taiwan's local security systems. Current estimates suggest a stark imbalance in numbers, with Taiwan having around 70,000 police officers facing an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 gang members. If the Chinese Communist Party successfully converts these gangs to their cause, it could result in severe repercussions for Taiwan.