Taiwan

South Korea has traditionally avoided any suggestion of involvement in a potential conflict over Taiwan, keeping its policy deliberately vague to balance ties with the United States and China. Writing in The Japan Times, observers argue that maintaining this discretion is becoming increasingly difficult as regional tensions rise and pressure grows on Seoul to clarify its stance.

Fourteen Taiwanese technology companies, led by TSMC and backed by the National Development Council, held a recruitment campaign at the annual Taiwan Tech Summit in Silicon Valley over the weekend, offering more than 1,000 jobs. The drive reflects Taiwan's effort to attract overseas engineering talent amid a global race for semiconductor and tech skills.

Taiwanese plastic surgeon Huang Yu-hao has warned of the risks of receiving aesthetic treatments in South Korea, urging consumers to make a thorough assessment before opting for discounted procedures at Korean clinics. His comments add to ongoing concerns about medical tourism and the quality and safety of cut-price cosmetic surgery offered to foreign patients.

Taiwan is moving to expand its drone capabilities as part of a wider defence overhaul, driven by growing military pressure from China. The shift points to a strategy of using asymmetric weapons like unmanned aerial systems to strengthen the island's deterrence against a potential Chinese invasion.

Analysis published by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute argues that a Chinese seizure of Taiwan could drive Japan to develop nuclear weapons. The piece suggests that a collapse of US security guarantees in the region would leave Tokyo with few alternatives, a prospect described as deeply unwelcome for Beijing. It adds to debate over how a Taiwan conflict could reshape nuclear proliferation in East Asia.