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William Lai Ching-te
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William Lai Ching-te

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William Lai Ching-te
William Lai Ching-te
The latest news on William Lai (also known as Lai Ching-te), politician, former physician and currently the 8th president of Taiwan.
Born
6 Oct 1959
Industry
Politics
Job Title
Leader of Taiwan
US President Donald Trump bids goodbye to Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping after a visit to the Zhongnanhai leaders' compound, in Beijing on Friday. Photo: Reuters
2026 Xi-Trump summit

Trump ‘not looking for’ war over Taiwan but keeps up suspense over arms packages

Xi and he ‘talked a lot’ about Taiwan, US president says, will not be drawn on future of mega arms packages awaiting final approval.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

Xi urges ‘utmost caution’ from Trump on Taiwan, warns of conflict risk

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China-Latin America relations

Beijing calls Paraguay leaders willing ‘chess pieces’ after disputed Taiwan trip

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

Trump to raise Taiwan, Jimmy Lai case when he meets Xi in Beijing this week

US president claims Chinese leader will be more likely than himself to bring up Taiwan issue, while Lai may also be on the agenda.

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US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on Monday. Photo: EPA
Taiwan

Chinese transcript of SCMP’s interview with KMT’s Cheng Li-wun

Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun on the island’s future, meeting Xi Jinping and the prospects for cross-strait peace.

Taiwan

Faith, hope and ancestry: how Beijing is trying to win over Taiwan’s next generation

Xintian village is symbolic of efforts to reinforce Taiwanese people’s historical and religious links to the mainland.

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Taiwan

Taiwan’s William Lai lands in eSwatini on trip Beijing calls a political ‘stunt’

Lai travels to island sole African ally after earlier visit cancelled because of overflight permission withdrawn.

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Eswatini is one of Taiwan’s 12 diplomatic allies and only one in Africa. Photo: Shutterstock
Taiwan

As I see it | Kuomintang gets the carrots, DPP the stick

Beijing and Taiwan’s opposition KMT want to foster cross-strait interdependence but DPP offers only isolation and endless confrontation.

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US-China relations

US slams Beijing after African countries block Taiwan leader’s eSwatini trip

A State Department official called the incident an abuse of the international civil aviation system.

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Taiwan

Taiwan’s leader Lai delays Africa trip after 3 nations revoke flight permission

Taiwan blames Beijing for the move, which forced William Lai to put off visit to eSwatini, the island’s sole remaining partner in Africa.

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William Lai’s office says this is the first time any Taiwanese leader has had to delay an overseas visit at the last minute. Photo: AFP
Taiwan

Taiwan warned of widening ‘resilience gap’ in civil defences

Island vulnerable to panic should real-world crisis happen ‘because we are unprepared’, security scholar says.

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Taiwan has spent decades strengthening its military hardware, while its social and critical infrastructure remain vulnerable, according to a leading researcher. Photo: Getty Images
Taiwan

As I see it | KMT chief shows way forward to avoid blind confrontation with Beijing

Instead of betting the ranch on an ever more unreliable Washington, like William Lai, Cheng Li-wun is wisely reaching out to mainland China.

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Taiwan

Trade, travel and TV: Taiwan industries hail Beijing’s 10-point economic package

Measures spark hopes for hard-hit sectors in possible KMT poll boost, but ruling DPP warns about economic access as a ‘political tool’.

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Taiwan

Does Iran’s wartime resilience offer any lessons for Taiwan?

The recent conflict has raised questions about whether the island could keep fighting if its air defences were targeted by the PLA.

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Taiwan’s stocks of expensive Patriot missiles could quickly run out in hte event of a sustained aerial assault. Photo: AFP
Taiwan

Why KMT leader’s planned Beijing visit is under scrutiny in Taiwan

Meeting with Xi Jinping is expected on six-day trip, the first such encounter between the two parties’ leaders in a decade.

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Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun is due to arrive in mainland China on April 7. Photo: Reuters
Taiwan

Former KMT chairwoman calls for ‘profound mutual trust’ with mainland China

Social media post from Hung Hsiu-chu comes days ahead of sitting KMT chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s visit to mainland.

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Taiwan

US senators visit Taiwan to push defence spending as arms deadlines loom

The trip signals Washington’s frustration with budget impasse, but analysts say real power over Taiwan policy rests with the White House.

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China-Japan relations

Beijing sanctions Japan lawmaker for ‘colluding with Taiwan independence forces’

Foreign ministry says imposing sanctions on Keiji Furuya, who attended Yushan Forum in Taipei, is ‘a decision of deterrence and warning’.

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Sanctioned Japanese politician Keiji Furuya is chairman of the Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council, a cross-party Japan-Taiwan lawmakers’ group. Photo: Kyodo
Taiwan

Can Taiwan fulfil Asia-Pacific drone hub goal with ‘non-red’ supply chain push?

Plan is to invest US$1.38 billion between 2025 and 2030 for uncrewed systems industry, but questions linger over scale, politics and timing.

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Taiwan

Taiwan opposition parties join forces for local polls with eye on 2028 race

Main opposition Kuomintang and smaller Taiwan People’s Party approve cooperation agreement to contest local elections in November.

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Taiwan

Taiwan leader ‘glorifying Japanese colonial rule’, Beijing says

Backlash was prompted by a speech that said the early days of the KMT’s rule over island were ‘worse than the colonial regime’.

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William Lai has said Chiang Kai-shek and the Japanese did not really care about the island. Photo: CNA
Taiwan

PLA ramps up Taiwan patrols after lull as Beijing slams William Lai’s speech

Beijing sends 26 sorties over the weekend, coinciding with comments by Taiwanese leader claiming the island is ‘sovereign’.

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Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te (right) says that with the island’s economic growth, it can “absolutely afford” a proposed US$39 billion special defence budget. Photo: Reuters
US-China relations

From ‘love and hate’ to nationalism, can Xi and Trump rebalance ties?

Chinese scholars say the US-China relationship has changed, and there’s a chance for the two powers to steer away from confrontation.

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US-China relations

Taiwan tensions No 1 in Beijing’s top 10 geopolitical risks of 2026: think tank

Most consequential external security variable may be uncertainty in the US ahead of the midterm elections in November, report warns.

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Two Sessions 2026

China keeps defence budget growth steady as modernisation deadline looms

Beijing plans to set aside 7 per cent more for the military this year, with the total still a fraction of US spending.

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China’s spending on defence will increase by about 7 per cent this year. Photo: Xinhua
Taiwan

No PLA planes over Taiwan in 6 days. Why has Beijing pressed pause?

Analysts say the recent pause may be aimed at creating a conciliatory atmosphere in advance of this month’s leaders’ meeting.

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While no aircraft were recorded near Taiwan over six consecutive days, including the Chinese New Year, the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command said it maintained combat-oriented training over the period. Photo: Handout
Taiwan

As I see it | Taipei must break free of its abusive relationship with Washington

US President Donald Trump’s tariff blitz is not Taiwan’s fault, but the self-ruled island must come to see that Washington is unreliable.

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Taiwan

What does Taiwanese leader William Lai’s rare ‘mainland China’ reference mean?

Analysts cite pressure from Washington ahead of Donald Trump’s Beijing summit with Xi Jinping, where Taiwan is likely to be a focal point.

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