Washington now faces a serious dilemma. It is concerned that strategic ambiguity may no longer be sufficient to deter China from invading Taiwan, particularly in the face of China’s increasingly assertive talk of “resolving” the Taiwan issue through reunification. This could imply that the US needs to clarify and strengthen its security commitments. Asia Times
Month: May 2022
Taiwan ranks No. 1 worldwide for IQ
On May 16, Finnish enterprise Wiqtcom Inc. released the results of its Worldwide IQ test for 2022. Coming in first place out of over 100 countries was Taiwan, with an average IQ of 116.07. taiwannews.com.tw
Top Ten List according to worldwide-iq-test.com
| # | Country | Average IQ | Standard Deviation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Taiwan | 116.07 | 14.26 |
| 2. | Japan | 112.69 | 12.16 |
| 3. | Hungary | 111.42 | 15.03 |
| 4. | South Korea | 111.36 | 14.09 |
| 5. | Iran | 111.33 | 14.13 |
| 6. | Hong Kong | 111.01 | 12.74 |
| 7. | Serbia | 110.09 | 16.69 |
| 8. | Italy | 110.87 | 15.93 |
| 9. | Vietnam | 109.37 | 12.49 |
| 10. | Finland | 109.02 | 18.22 |
Keeping it in the family: Wayne Chiang to run for Taipei mayor
The great grandson of the late Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek has been selected as the party’s candidate to become the next mayor of Taipei.
But Wayne Chiang Wan-an, a KMT legislator in Taiwan’s parliament, still faces a long battle and will need to beat some formidable foes. South China Morning Post
Is US of turning Taiwan Strait into powder keg?
The Chinese-owned Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post published the diplomat’s article Thursday (May 26) as observers were awaiting Blinken’s speech, which is being seen as a major clarification of U.S. policies toward China. taiwannews.com.tw
leaked audio on alleged Taiwan invasion could be a CCP ploy
Audio recorded during an alleged May 14 Chinese military planning session seemingly revealing China’s invasion plans for Taiwan could be misinformation, according to multiple experts. bizpacreview.com
Game Theory Predicts Biden Is About to Make a Big Move with China
At least that’s the surprising outcome of a forecasting model that the Central Intelligence Agency has used and praised — and which was deployed for POLITICO Magazine to seek insights on where the most important geopolitical relationship is going next. Political
Pacific faces a choice over China that will shape it for decades
The leak of a sweeping economic and security pact revealed China is hoping to sign up 10 Pacific countries to a deal that could fundamentally alter the balance of power in a region that spans nearly one-third of the globe. Now Pacific nations are facing a choice that will shape the region for decades to come. The Guardian
Communist China becomes a threat of unknown magnitude
PERHAPS more than any other aspect of Communist China, the problem posed by its enormous population growth has begun to cause anxiety and concern to its neighbors in Southeast Asia. The Atlantic
Taiwan crackdown on chip engineer-poaching
Taiwan authorities raided ten Chinese companies suspected of illegally poaching chip engineers and other tech talent this week, the island’s Investigation Bureau said on Thursday, the latest crackdown on Chinese firms to protect its chip supremacy. Reuters
Taiwan is worried about the security of its chip industry
Good thing then that Taiwan has huguo shenshan, or the “magic mountain that protects the nation”. The mountain is not a sophisticated defensive fortification, nor a treaty with a big power. It is instead what Taiwanese call their $147bn semiconductor industry, equivalent to 15% of gdp. It accounts for nearly 40% of its exports and is a pillar of the island’s economy. It is also a guarantor of its security. The Economist