US health secretary visits Taiwan
This week’s Taiwan Unraveled comes to you a little early due to me being on a trip to another part of Taiwan this week. The newsletter will be back to normal next week.
The visit of US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to Taiwan this week is another rebuff to China regarding its claims and threats to Taiwan, as Bloomberg states.
Chinese hackers have penetrated Taiwan’s entire semiconductor industry, according to a Taiwanese cyber-security firm.
Taiwan launched its first locally-built minelayer, which would help serve as a deterrent against an enemy invasion fleet.
Taiwan is in talks with the US to purchase four sophisticated surveillance drones.
Taiwan’s exports rose slightly in June year-on-year after four straight months of decline, boosted by increased demand for computers and other electronic products.
Taiwanese fishing ships have committed a lot of human rights abuses against their migrant worker crews, according to a study put out by a London-based NGO. These include physical abuses, withholding of wages, and forced overtime.
Solar power is a good thing in general, but there are several problems in Taiwan, which Commonwealth Magazine looks into. These problems include the lack of environmental assessment being conducted on solar projects, which has resulted in environmental damage and adverse effects on wildlife, the unsuitability of government land allocated for solar projects, and the lack of transmission of power generated from some solar projects.
A Taiwanese winemaker is hoping to boost the reputation of local wines after he won gold medals at a French competition earlier this year.