While Taiwanese politics in 2025 were first engulfed by recall campaigns and later by a constitutional crisis, some legislative changes flew under the radar. One of them is small on paper but potentially transformative in practice: a reform that strengthens women’s political representation at the local level. Key takeaways: Taiwan’s high level of women’s representation… Continue reading A quiet reform with big consequences: How Taiwan is reshaping women’s representation in local politics
Excluded from Interpol, Taiwan is building a network of bilateral legal cooperation mechanisms to combat transnational crime, protect its nationals from extradition to China, and expand its international space. Key takeaways: Without access to Interpol databases, intelligence-sharing tools, and Red Notices, Taiwan must rely on bilateral channels to address cross-border crime. While Taiwan has informal… Continue reading Bilateral cooperation helps Taiwan to offset Interpol exclusion
In recent years, Czechia has emerged as one of Taiwan’s closest partners in Europe and has been among the most active countries in engaging with the island democracy. Cooperation in semiconductors has particularly flourished and is poised to continue even after a skeptical government took charge in Prague. Key takeaways: Czech-Taiwan semiconductor cooperation is starting… Continue reading Czechia-Taiwan semiconductor cooperation: From political symbolism to tangible results
Putin’s latest visit to China was both ceremonial and routine. While nothing occurred during the visit that might suggest a crisis in bilateral relations, the “partnership without limits” is not without its critics in Russia. Key takeaways: The Russian political elite is aware of Russia’s deepening existential dependence on China, especially when it comes to… Continue reading The Xi-Putin summit: Russian elites chafe at Beijing’s grip, but Moscow can’t afford to walk away
Taiwan is widely celebrated as one of Asia’s leading democracies. Yet its treatment of Tibetan Buddhist monks reveals a quieter contradiction. While religious practice is permitted, access to basic rights remains restricted—driven less by legal status than by a security logic shaped by cross-Strait tensions. The result is a system in which monks can enter,… Continue reading The Securitized Monk: Tibetan Buddhism between China’s persecution and Taiwan’s democratic contradictions
