The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long pursued a multi-pronged strategy to annex Taiwan — a campaign that has intensified in recent years. From near-daily military incursions into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and territorial waters to provocative blockade exercises around the island, Beijing is steadily increasing pressure. Alongside these military threats, the CCP is waging a parallel campaign of propaganda, disinformation, and grey-zone activities — including infiltration of Taiwan’s government, military, and broader society. Now, in a new twist, reports suggest that China’s leader Xi Jinping may use upcoming trade talks with the United States to pressure President Donald Trump into publicly opposing Taiwanese independence. On the surface, this might seem far-fetched — especially with Trump often cast as the “Dealmaker-in-Chief.” So why does Beijing believe it can gain the upper hand? In this episode, we explore China’s strategic response to U.S. tariffs and examine the leverage the CCP holds in its complex relationship with Washington. We also assess how Trump-era foreign policy is shaping U.S.-Taiwan relations — and how Beijing is exploiting global uncertainty to push forward its authoritarian ambitions. . . Credits: Sound Soul (This Logo Reveal) by Diamond_Tunes via Pixabay Chinese Asian Music by SoundGalleryDT via Pixabay Translator voice by ElevenLabs.io . . #ChinaTaiwan #TaiwanStrait #TaiwanUnderThreat #ChinaThreat #USChinaRelations #IndoPacific #XiJinping #Taiwan #TaiwanIndependence #CCP #Geopolitics #TradeWar #RareEarths #Trump #ChinaLeverage #Podcast #Talk #PodcastAlert

🎧 Why You Should Care About Taiwan — Interview with Bill Emmott Our daily news feeds are dominated by active conflicts—but what about the tensions simmering just below the surface, with global stakes just as high? One of the most strategically significant, yet underreported flashpoints in the world is the Taiwan Strait—a 180km-wide body of international water separating Taiwan from mainland China. It's here that grey zone activity by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is escalating on a near-daily basis. In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we explore: The CCP’s claim on Taiwan—and why it’s historically weaker than Britain's claim on Ireland Taiwan’s democratic identity and its people’s overwhelming rejection of CCP rule The rise of grey zone warfare, military drills, and coercive tactics by China The impact of U.S. strategic ambiguity and why the U.S. might be pulled into a war with China Why Europe and the West must care about Taiwan’s future 🎙️ My guest is Bill Emmott—author of Deterrence, Diplomacy and the Risk of Conflict over Taiwan (2024), former editor-in-chief of The Economist, and one of the most respected voices in international affairs. We recorded this episode on the sidelines of the MacGill Summer School in July 2025. We dive deep into the risks of conflict, the future of U.S.-China relations, and how the world can avoid sleepwalking into a war over Taiwan. 🔗 Resources: Check out our blog at www.pwneilo.com for more information. Credits: Thumbnail map shows the locations of China’s military drills around Taiwan. The blue blocks represent war games held in 2022, the yellow and red blocks represent the “Joint Sword 2024” drills. Photo: Screen grab from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command’s Sina Weibo account courtesy of the Taipei Times. Link in blog. Music: even darker variation by SamuelFJohanns via Pixabay Cinematic Piano Ambient Trailer Soundtrack by Open-Music-for-Videos via Pixabay #Taiwan #China #Geopolitics #TaiwanStrait #ForeignPolicy #BillEmmott #PerspectivesWithNeilo #USChinaRelations #PLA #CCP #MacGill2025 #GreyZoneWarfare #TaiwanMatters #GlobalSecurity #AsiaPacific

The European Union’s trade deficit with China has doubled over the past decade, fuelling growing frustration in Brussels over what officials describe as a flood of low-cost Chinese products into the EU. Beijing’s continued support for Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine is also a major sticking point. The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas called China the “key enabler” of Putin’s war and urged Beijing to halt its support to Russia’s military-industrial base. In response, China has indicated that it does not want to see Russia lose the war. It was not surprising then that a summit in Beijing between top EU and Chinese leaders at the end of July produced few tangible results. Just ahead of the summit, I spoke with Finbarr Bermingham, Europe Correspondent for the South China Morning Post, to explore what’s really driving the tensions in EU–China trade. We discussed the growing trade imbalance and how China’s rare earth export controls and unwavering support for Russia are reshaping the relationship. . Date of Recording: Friday July 18th, 2025 . . #ChinaEU, #TradeTensions, #GeopoliticsPodcast, #RareEarths, #UkraineWar, #EUForeignPolicy, #ChinaRussia, #EUChinaSummit, #IPI, #FSR, #ForeignSubsidiesRegulation, #EU-ChinaNews, #rareearthmineralschina

It has been a sweltering few months in Taiwan's political scene with partisanship intensifying in domestic politics, increased cross-strait tensions and unfolding US tariffs. At the end of June, I was fortunate to meet up with two of Taiwan's leading columnists and political analysts from the central city of Taichung. Courtney Donovan Smith is a staff columnist with the Taipei Times whose regular column, Donovan's Deep Dives shares in-depth analysis on everything about Taiwan's political scene and geopolitics. He is also the central Taiwan correspondent for ICRT FM Radio. Michael Turton is also a contributing columnist for the Taipei Times. His column, Notes from Central Taiwan provides incisive commentary informed by three decades of living in and writing about his adoptive country. I met up with Donovan and Michael to talk about the lead up to the Great Recall vote, President Lai's leadership, party dynamics, trade pressures and what it all means for Taiwan's future. Date of Recording, June 24th, 2025. #TaiwanPolitics, #CrossStraitTensions, #PresidentLai, #TaiwanPodcast, #USChinaTrade, #USTariffs, #TaiwanRecall, #PartisanPolitics, #EastAsiaPolitics, #TaiwanNews, #TaipeiTimes, #ICRT, #MichaelTurton, #CourtneyDonovanSmith, #NeiloPodcast, #AsiaGeopolitics

On July 26th, nearly one-third of Taiwan’s electorate were eligible to vote in the first wave of what’s being called The Great Recall (大罷免) — a rarely used mechanism allowing voters to dismiss nationally elected lawmakers midterm. This marks the first time the process has been deployed on such a large scale with 24 lawmakers from the Kuomintang (KMT) or Chinese Nationalist Party on the ballot. The vote result is being closely watched as it has the potential to alter the balance of power in Taiwan’s parliament, which has seen months of political deadlock between the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government and the opposition KMT and their allies. In this episode we dive into the outcome of that vote. We break down the results, highlight the key takeaways, discuss the reactions and review how these results are likely to shape the remaining term of Taiwan’s current administration. #Taiwan, #GreatRecall, #KMTRecall, #DPP, #ChinaInfluence, #Taiwanelection, #RecallVote2025, #TaiwanDemocracy, #PoliticalPodcast, #Geopolitics, #ProDemocracy, #DemocracyInAsia, #TaiwanVotes, #CivicEngagement

Welcome to the fourth installment in our series on Taiwan’s Great Recall in which we aim to bring you perspectives from all sides of the debate at this important moment in Taiwan’s democratic journey. In our earlier episodes in this series, we spoke with a political scientist, a pro-recall grass roots organization and a Kuomintang or KMT (中國國民黨) representative. Feel free to go back and listen to those episodes which you can find on our blog at pwneilo.com or by searching for Perspectives with Neilo wherever you get your podcasts - and be sure to hit the Subscribe or Follow button as it would really help us a lot! As we explained in previous episodes, this unprecedented KMT recall stems from a public backlash against months of legislative gridlock, budgetary obstruction, and interference with Taiwan’s highest court—including accusations of collusion with the Chinese Communist Party. While the recall effort is mostly organized by civil society organizations, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party or DPP (民主進步黨) has recently begun to engage more visibly as the first voting day approaches. Taiwan’s President and DPP party leader Lai Ching-te (賴清德) has also been conducting a series of 10 speeches at various civic centers around Taiwan which media reports indicate is a likely effort to boost DPP turnout in the voting. Clearly, if enough KMT lawmakers can be unseated and the DPP can reclaim their seats in the follow on election, it would dramatically shift the balance of power in Taiwan’s parliament. One of the KMT candidates on the recall ballot for July 26th is Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇). She is the deputy secretary general of the KMT legislative caucus and was last elected to the single seater District 3 in Taipei in 2024 with over 52% of the vote. Prior to becoming a national politician she was a Taipei City councillor and before that worked in Journalism. While Wang Hung-wei is no stranger to controversy, people we spoke to say they are most concerned about her close ties to China. They cite her visit to Beijing in 2024 with KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-Chi (傅崐萁) and their meeting with top CCP politburo official Wang Huning (王滬寧) - a meeting for which they were not able to obtain any readout. The reason many constituents worry about such meetings is because Wang Huning is credited with being the CCP’s leading ideologist since the 1980s and is also the leader of the organization tasked with what the CCP call the “peaceful reunification of Taiwan". At the end of June, I went along to a neighborhood gathering at a small cafe in the Songshan district of Taipei. It was organized by the Wang Hung-wei recall group. I was interested to find out more about the group, hear more about the concerns that were causing them to recall Wang Hong Wei and get their reactions to the questions and accusations from the anti-recall camp. Subscribe to Perspectives with Neilo for upcoming episodes and updates on Taiwan’s Great Recall. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube for exclusive behind-the-scenes content, short clips, and lots more. #TaiwanPolitics, #TaiwanRecall, #DemocracyInAction, #KMTRecall, #TaiwanElections, #RecallVote2025, #CivicEngagement, #TaiwanDemocracy, #perspectiveswithneilo, #politicalpodcast, #TaiwanPodcasts, #GrassRootsMovement, #ProDemocracy, #ElectoralReform, #CivilSocietyVoices, #StopCCPInfluence, #TaiwanVotes, #PeoplePower

Welcome to the third installment in our series on Taiwan's Great Recall (大罷免) in which we aim to bring you perspectives from all sides of the debate at this important moment in Taiwan's democratic journey. As the days count down to July 26th, campaigning by both the pro and anti recall groups in Taiwan is gaining momentum. These recall campaigns are a result of a power struggle between different branches of Taiwan’s government - the Legislative Yuan which is controlled by the Chinese Nationalist Party or KMT with their smaller ally the Taiwan People’s Party, and the Executive Yuan which is controlled by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party or DPP. In the last election back in January of 2024, the KMT won 52 seats in the Legislative Yuan and combined with the 8 seats of the smaller Taiwan People’s Party as well as two independents, they command a clear majority over the DPP who currently hold 51 seats. The KMT and TPP have, according to critics, used this majority to assert and boost legislative power and have sought to block the ruling party’s agenda, freeze or cut budgets, undermine Taiwan's constitutional order and weaken efforts to bolster defense capabilities against growing Chinese military threats. Civil Society recall groups also express concerns with KMT lawmakers' frequent visits to China and meetings with senior officials in the Chinese Communist Party while the parliament was in session. They accuse the KMT of collusion with the CCP with some - like UMC founder and chip tycoon Robert Tsao going so far as to say that “Beijing wants to use the KMT to annex Taiwan” and calling the KMT - “China’s Trojan Horse” - that’s according to a report by news outlet Nikkei Asia. In this third episode in our series on Taiwan’s Great Recall, we speak with Chance Hsu (須予謙) who is the Assistant Director of International Affairs for the KMT. We sat down with him in Taipei in early July to hear the party’s official response to these recalls and understand why the KMT think they are politically motivated. We also wanted to hear the KMT’s response to the concerns raised by the different civic groups, talk about their controversial budget cuts and discuss the party’s connections with China. Date of Recording: July 1st, 2025 Post Interview Update: Taiwan’s Central Election Commission announced on July 2nd that recalls for two more KMT lawmakers will take place on August 23rd. This brings the total to 26 KMT lawmakers now facing potential removal. Subscribe to Perspectives with Neilo for upcoming episodes featuring additional content on Taiwan’s Great Recall. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube for exclusive behind-the-scenes content, short clips, and lots more. #TaiwanRecall, #TaiwanGreatRecall, #TaiwanPolitics, #KMTRecall, #TaiwanDemocracy, #DPPvsKMT, #TaiwanLegislativeYuan, #RecallMovement, #TaiwanNews, #TaiwanNow, #TaiwanPodcast, #July26Recall, #TaiwanVotes, #CCPInfluence, #RobertTsao, #TaiwanCivilSociety, #DefendTaiwan, #KMTChinaTies, #DemocracyInAsia, #CivicActivism #GeoPolitics

Welcome to the second installment in our series on Taiwan’s Great Recall in which we aim to bring you perspectives from all sides of the debate at this important moment in Taiwan’s democratic journey. As we explained in our first episode, since the last election in January of 2024, Taiwan’s parliament or Legislative Yuan has been controlled by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and their smaller ally the Taiwan People’s Party who according to opponents have sought to block the ruling party’s agenda, freeze or cut budgets, undermine Taiwan's constitutional order and weaken efforts to bolster defense capabilities against growing Chinese military threats. The KMT insist that they are seeking to strengthen and protect Taiwan’s democracy and say these recalls are politically motivated. They accuse the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of instigating the recall campaign, of mobilizing civic groups and attempting to use recalls to eliminate the opposition. On a Friday afternoon in early June, I met up with members of Public Collaborative Tactics, a grassroots pro-recall group based at Jinan Presbyterian Church—just steps away from the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. I was really interested to find out how the group came together and what motivates their cause. I also wanted to hear their thoughts on the Chinese Nationalist Party or KMT and if they had particular concerns about the party’s behavior. I also asked if they had connections with any political parties and how they were funded - but to begin the group introduced themselves and then told me how they all came together. Subscribe to Perspectives with Neilo for upcoming episodes featuring interviews with KMT officials, protest leaders, and more. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube for exclusive behind-the-scenes content, short clips, and lots more. #TaiwanPolitics, #TaiwanGreatRecall, #DemocracyInAsia, #KMTvsDPP, #CivicActivism, #Taiwan2024, #PerspectivesWithNeilo, #PwNeiloPodcast, #TaiwanNews, #RecallMovement, #TaiwanCivicGroups, #JinanChurch, #Geopolitics

In this episode we kick off the first part in a series of podcasts on Taiwan’s Great Recall in which we aim to bring you perspectives from all sides of the debate at this important crossroads in Taiwan’s democratic journey. As we explained in our previous episode on President Lai’s first year in office, while his party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidential vote in January of 2024, they failed to maintain a majority in the Legislative Yuan or parliament. As a result, the parliament has been controlled by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and their smaller ally the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) who according to opponents have sought to block the DPP’s agenda, freeze or cut budgets, undermine Taiwan's constitutional order and weaken efforts to bolster defense capabilities against growing Chinese military threats. According to a report by Citizen Congress Watch (CCW), a Taiwanese NGO engaged in parliamentary monitoring, in the first session of the current parliament only a fraction of legislative proposals successfully passed the readings, reflecting low legislative efficiency as a result of the divisive partisan infighting that has taken precedence over advancing policies for public benefit. The KMT insist that they are seeking to strengthen and protect Taiwan’s democracy and say these recalls are politically motivated. They accuse the ruling DPP of using recalls to eliminate the opposition. However, not all of the electorate would appear to agree and a mass recall effort led by civic groups has been underway for months. On June 20th, Taiwan’s election commission announced a recall vote for 24 KMT lawmakers - that’s around one quarter of the parliament's members - all from the main opposition party. The date for the recall vote has been set for July 26th. In this first episode in our series on Taiwan’s Great Recall, we talk to Professor Chen Fang-Yu (陳方隅) from the Department of Political Science at Soochow University (東吳大學) in Taipei to understand; - The history of recall elections in Taiwan and the recall process, - What factors have led to this latest and unprecedented mass recall effort, - How Beijing's military pressure on Taiwan and relationship with individual lawmakers is influencing attitudes on the recall, - Plus much more! Photocredit: Instagram: double_lucky_ #TaiwanPolitics, #TaiwanRecall, #GreatRecall2025, #DemocracyInAsia, #TaiwanPodcast, #PodcastSeries, #PoliticsPodcast, #CrossStraitRelations, #ProtectDemocracy, #大罷免

These are challenging times for many world leaders, and no less so for the democratically elected leader of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te (賴清德). Lai Ching-te or William Lai was inaugurated as the President of Taiwan on May 20th, 2024. He succeeded Tsai Ing-wen and his election to the presidential office marks the first time for his party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)(民主進步黨) to hold this office for three consecutive terms. While the DPP won the presidential vote, they failed to maintain a majority in the Legislative Yuan or parliament. As a result, the parliament has been controlled by the Chinese Nationalist Party (中國國民黨) or Kuomintang (KMT) and their smaller ally the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) (台灣民眾黨) who have sought to block Lai’s agenda, freeze or cut budgets including defense programs and interfere with operations of the country’s top court. While the KMT insist that they are seeking to strengthen and protect Taiwan’s democracy, the general public would not appear to agree and a mass recall effort is well underway which could unseat up to 20 KMT lawmakers and change the balance of power for Lai’s administration. This is a topic we will deal with in more detail in upcoming episodes. In the area of cross strait relations, President Lai has adopted a stronger rhetoric that characterises Taiwan as a de facto sovereign state, and has moved away from the more cautious tone of his predecessor. In a speech on March 13th, 2025, President Lai publicly characterized China as a "foreign hostile force" trying to "annex Taiwan and stamp out the Republic of China," a phrasing unprecedented for a Taiwanese president. In response Beijing has repeatedly described Lai as a dangerous "separatist" and increased Military Drills and Grey-Zone Operations around Taiwan - including conducting large-scale "blockade-style military exercises" in response to his major speeches. In this episode, I chat with William Yang, Senior Northeast Asia Analyst at the International Crisis Group — an independent, non-profit NGO dedicated to preventing and resolving deadly conflict. We dive into William’s recent article on President Lai’s first year in office, and examine how his administration has responded to mounting pressure from China. We also look at Taiwan public opinion and the challenges President Lai faces in navigating political tensions with the opposition KMT and TPP. #Taiwan #TaiwanPolitics #Geopolitics #InternationalRelations #LaiChingTe #WilliamLai #TaiwanPresident #DemocraticProgressiveParty #DPP #TaiwanSovereignty #CrossStraitRelations #ChinaTaiwan #TaiwanSovereignty #ChinaMilitaryDrills #Kuomintang #KMT #TaiwanPeoplesParty #TaiwanPolitics2025 #TaiwanRecall #TaiwanElections #TaiwanProtests #PodcastEpisode #PoliticalPodcast #AsiaPodcast #CurrentAffairsPodcast #InternationalCrisisGroup

On June 4th 1989, student-led demonstrations which had been brewing across China for a few months were violently crushed by the Chinese Communist Party who declared martial law and sent their troops onto the streets of Beijing to end the protests Estimates of the death toll vary from several hundred to several thousand, with thousands more wounded. While the massacre has been downplayed and deleted from public record in China, it has been commemorated outside of China in the intervening years. Prior to 2020 the biggest Tiananmen Commemorations used to take place in Victoria Park in Hong Kong. However, after the introduction of the National Security Law on June 30th, 2020 and the subsequent CCP clamp down on democracy - any hint of remembrance has been rigorously stamped out and forbidden. In nearby Taiwan where freedom and democracy prevail, the Tiananmen Square Massacre is commemorated each year on June 4th. However, this year, even Taipei was not free from threat. A number of Taiwan’s news outlets reported that eight government offices, including the Presidential Office and Executive Yuan received bomb threats by email on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. The messages warned of attacks if memorial events were held. Police traced the sender’s IP address to the U.S.but it is expected the real location was masked through a VPN and searches of government buildings did not yield any suspicious devices. Despite the threats and the inclement weather, the Tiananmen commemoration still went ahead in Taipei. According to local media, about 3,000 people gathered for a candlelight vigil organized by the New School for Democracy and other human rights groups. The event took place on Democracy Boulevard outside Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, with the theme "Resist Transnational Repression, Defy Totalitarianism." It featured brief speeches by human rights advocates from Taiwan, Tibet, China and Hong Kong, as well as other nations. This is our report from the event. #TiananmenSquare #TiananmenMassacre #June4thMassacre #1989Protests #BeijingMassacre #CCPViolence #TiananmenCrackdown #RememberJune4 #HumanRights #FreeSpeech #DemocracyNow #FreedomMatters #TransnationalRepression #StandWithHongKong #StandWithTaiwan #ChinaCensorship #NeverForgetTiananmen #HistoryPodcast #HumanRightsPodcast #ChinaPodcast #PoliticalPodcast #PodcastEpisode #TrueStoriesPodcast #FreedomOfSpeech

Since the start of President Trump’s second term—and especially following the unprecedented Oval Office confrontation last February between Trump, J.D. Vance, and Ukrainian President Zelensky—Washington’s policy on Ukraine has undergone a dramatic shift. While this realignment has alarmed many of America’s traditional European allies, the ripple effects have been felt far beyond Europe, including in Taiwan. Despite the absence of a formal treaty, U.S. support has long been a cornerstone of Taiwan’s security strategy in deterring invasion by China who claim Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory despite having never controlled or occupied it. In this episode, we speak with Marcin Jerzewski, Head of the European Values Center in Taipei about how Taiwan is interpreting Washington’s evolving stance on Ukraine. We explore whether President Trump’s territorial rhetoric and trade initiatives are fueling skepticism in Taiwan—and how the Chinese Communist Party is leveraging the current situation to erode Taiwan’s trust in the US. #Trump2025 #Taiwan #UkraineWar #USForeignPolicy #Geopolitics #ChinaTaiwan #IndoPacific #TaiwanStrait #PodcastEpisode #PoliticsPodcast

Computex 2025 took place during the week of May 20th in the vibrant tech hub of Taipei, Taiwan. Widely regarded as one of the world’s premier computer and technology expos, Computex continues to set the stage for what’s next in the industry. This year’s theme, “AI Next,” highlighted the growing reach of artificial intelligence—from the cloud, to the edge, and into everyday devices and applications. There was particular focus on AI & Robotics, Next-Gen Tech and Future Mobility. Areas like Gaming, Drones, Datacenter Technology and Business Solutions also featured strongly. With over 1,400 exhibitors from 34 countries, the event featured the biggest names in tech with industry leaders taking to the stage for keynote announcements, while the exhibition halls buzzed with the unveiling of their latest products. There was also a big emphasis on Innovation and Startups with the InnoVEX 2025 startup showcase celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. In this episode, we bring you the pulse of the event. You'll hear directly from entrepreneurs and innovators shaping the future of technology. We also take a look at some of the new devices and gadgets from across the 80 thousand square meters of exhibits, sample some of the keynotes and examine why an increasing number of European companies and countries are forging strong ties with Taiwan. Music: Uplifting by Plastic3 used under license Tags: #COMPUTEX2025 , #InnoVEX2025 , #TechEvents2025 , #TaiwanTech , #COMPUTEXTaipei , #AIInnovation , #StartupShowcase , #SemiconductorTech , #TechTrends2025 , #HardwareStartup , #DeepTech , #FutureOfAI , #TechCollaboration , #SmartTech2025 , #GlobalTechHub

May 9th marked the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Russia also celebrated their version of Victory Day - an event steeped in national pride and symbolism - with a military parade in Red Square in front of an audience which included 29 visiting world leaders. As U.S. President Donald Trump seeks a deal to end Russia's war in Ukraine, the U.S. and Europe were watching closely to see if President Putin would offer a different message this year after resisting White House efforts to secure a ceasefire so far. In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we explore Russia's recent Victory Day celebrations. We review the increased attendance of foreign leaders at this year's military parade in Moscow as well as key moments from President Putin's speech. We also examine the growing alignment between China and Russia, including Xi Jinping's attempt to connect the Victory Day commemoration to what he calls "the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's return" to China. And finally, we unpack how this year's events are being interpreted across Europe and beyond, especially against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine and increasing international calls for a ceasefire. Music Credits: Title music: Uplifting by Plastic3 used under license Certificate number: 463851b2-7fe3-486b-aabf-64f4dea6047f/4827 Audio transition: Sound Soul (This Logo Reveal) by Diamond_Tunes via Pixabay Tags: #geopolitics, #china, #CCP, #Taiwan, #VictoryDay2025, #RussiaParade, #PutinSpeech, #RussiaChinaRelations, #UkraineWar, #WorldPolitics, #XiJinping, #TaiwanTensions, #DonaldTrump, #CeasefireCalls, #MoscowParade, #EUResponse, #InternationalRelations, #GlobalSecurity, #ColdWarEchoes, #AuthoritarianAlliance, #RedSquare2025, #MilitaryParade, #Podcast, #CurrentAffairsPodcast, #PoliticalPodcast, #GlobalNewsPodcast

As the global economy continues to grapple with the roller coaster uncertainties of President Donald Trump's tariff war, trade relations between the world's two largest economies - the United States and China - have reached a breaking point. A series of tit-for-tat tariff escalations has pushed their economic ties to the brink, with ripple effects being felt far beyond their borders. While many smaller nations scramble to shield themselves from the fallout of this high-stakes trade conflict, China is positioning itself as a stabilizing force - seeking to capitalize on global dissatisfaction with U.S. trade policy and promote its own image as a force for stable trade in the world. But how does China's claim hold up under scrutiny ? In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we unpack China's performance as a global trading partner, explore its engagement with the World Trade Organization, and examine whether its claims of being a stabilizing force in global trade hold any water or just mask deeper strategic ambitions. Date of Recording: April 21st, 2025 Music Credits: Title music: Uplifting by Plastic3 used under license Certificate number: 463851b2-7fe3-486b-aabf-64f4dea6047f/4827 Audio transition: Sound Soul (This Logo Reveal) by Diamond_Tunes via Pixabay #geopolitics, #globaltrade, #china, #USChinaRelations, #Tradewar, #Trump2024, #ChinaPolitics, #worldEconomy, #CCP, #EconomicPower, #Taiwan, #Taiwanstrait, #military, #WTO, #Podcast, #Podcastrecommendations #台灣海峽, #貿易戰

According to data gathered by the European External Action Service (EEAS), last year over eighty countries and over two hundred organizations were targets of attacks from Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference - or FIMI. These attacks targeted everything from major international events like the Paris Olympics, to national elections, regional conflicts and local protests. The main instigators of these influence operations were China and Russia and they use FIMI to manipulate public opinion, fuel polarization and interfere with democratic processes within the EU and worldwide. They employ a multi-layered strategy using both state and non-state actors to exert long term influence. According to the EEAS report, "their aim is to destabilize societies, damage democracies, drive wedges between different groups and undermine the EU's global standing". The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas says "FIMI is not merely a tool for disseminating deceptive narratives. It is an integral part of military operations used by foreign states to lay the way for kinetic action on the ground," and "is a major security threat to the EU." And it would appear that no country is immune. Even a small neutral country like Ireland was mentioned thousands of times by Russian and Chinese influence networks during a monitoring period from September 2023 to September 2024 according to an in-depth study carried out by Norway's Defense Research Strategy. In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we chat with Eoin McNamara, Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki to unpack some of the key findings in these reports. We discuss what motives lie behind these manipulation and interference campaigns as well as some examples of recent case studies and their impact. In addition we talk about the vulnerability of western society to such interference and what democracies can do to protect their citizens from such nefarious interference in the future. Music Credits: Title music: Uplifting by Plastic3 used under Tribe of Noise license Break: Shining Bright Dusk by FreeSoundServer via Pixabay #FIMI, #InformationWarfare, #Geopolitics, #Cybersecurity, #Disinformation, #DigitalWarfare, #ForeignInterference, #Propaganda, #CyberThreats, #ElectionInterference, #ChinaInfluence, #RussiaInterference, #HybridWarfare, #ChinesePropaganda, #AuthoritarianInfluence, #EUDemocracy, #EuropeanSecurity, #EUPolitics, #EUForeignPolicy, #DefendDemocracy, #IrelandSecurity, #IrelandPolitics, #NeutralIreland, #SocialMediaManipulation, #DigitalPropoganda, #FakeNews, #CyberTactics, #Podcast, #PodcastEpisode

Recently, international headlines have been dominated by US President Donald Trump's trade tariffs and his challenge to the rules-based international order. Trump has made bold threats, including seeking control of Greenland, the Panama Canal, and Gaza, while aligning with Russia and withdrawing support for Ukraine. His escalating tariff policies are raising doubts about long-standing alliances and the future of the global trading system, leaving many allies—including the EU—unsure of what comes next. Meanwhile, China's position in the global economy remains crucial. As the world's second-largest economy, how does China view these recent developments? In this episode, we speak with Alexander Davy, Research Analyst at MERICS, about: - China’s perspective on the shifting geopolitical landscape, - The potential impact of recent events on China’s relationship with the EU, - How China’s struggling domestic economy may shape its future path. #Geopolitics, #TradeTariffs, #USChinaRelations, #GlobalTrade, #DonaldTrump, #ChinaEU, #InternationalRelations, #GlobalEconomy, #ForeignPolicy, #EUPolitics, #ChinaEconomy, #GEOpoliticalLandscape, #TradeWars, #USPolitics, #ChinaPolitics

In mid-February, the communities of Uyghurs and Hong Kongers living in Ireland wrote an open letter to the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris highlighting concerns for their safety and drawing urgent attention to the pattern of Chinese state surveillance and harassment of members of their diaspora communities. The letter was written in advance of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Ireland and requested the Irish Government to adopt a human-rights-based approach in their discussions with Chinese officials, as well as demanding concrete actions with respect to acts of transnational repression, genocide and politically motivated imprisonment perpetrated by the People's Republic of China (PRC). We spoke to Nuria Zyden, the Director of the Irish Uyghur Cultural Association about the Uyghur community in Ireland, the pain and longing of being separated from family and what lies behind her community's concerns for their safety which she outlined in the recent letter to the Irish Government. #UyghurRights #HumanRights #TransnationalRepression #ChineseSurveillance #DiasporaVoices #GenocideAwareness #HongKongersInIreland #UyghurCommunity #PoliticalPrisoners #ChinaRepression #IrelandHumanRights #MicheálMartin #SimonHarris #WangYiVisit #UyghurCulture #PoliticalFreedom #GenocidePrevention #UyghurSolidarity #ChineseOppression #RightsForUyghurs #UN #UNHCR #OHCHR

On February 16th and 17th, China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi visited Ireland. Mr Wang is the second senior Chinese official to visit Ireland in just over a year, following a visit by Premier Li Qiang in January of 2024. In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we dive deep into China’s growing interest in Ireland and how this dynamic intersects with broader EU-China relations. We examine how the rise of protectionist policies under US President Donald Trump coupled with China’s desire to reshape the international rules-based world order creates challenges for Ireland who find themselves navigating a complex geopolitical terrain. We examine the ripple effects of these global power dynamics on frontline democracies like Taiwan and Ukraine and analyze whether Ireland could become a new battleground in this struggle for global influence. Tune in to this episode of Perspectives with Neilo as we take a closer look at the circumstances surrounding the latest Chinese visit to Ireland and what factors could be prompting this uptick of interest in a turbulent geopolitical landscape. #China #Ireland #EUChinaRelations #Geopolitics #Democracy #Taiwan #Ukraine #InternationalRelations #ForeignPolicy #USChinaRelations #WolfWarriorDiplomacy #Podcast #News #Politics #WangYi #ChinaIrelandRelations

In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we are delighted to share our recent interview with film director Aephie Chen, the brilliant mind behind the stunning film MAMU. Known for its exploration of culture, language and identity, MAMU is a deeply personal story that navigates the complexities of father-daughter relationships, the bond between people and their homelands, and the intimate challenges of caring for a loved one who is slipping away from this world. The film unfolds through the lens of a nurse caring for her ailing father in London where language no longer serves as a bridge. Instead, it is care, touch and memories that forge connections. MAMU reflects on themes of home, identity and the emotional complexities of caregiving, blending the real and surreal in a poignant way. If you are fascinated by films that explore cultural heritage, indigenous identities and the beauty of human connection, this episode is a must-listen. Hear our captivating conversation with Aephie as she shares her own story and how it inspired the film. She discusses her creative process and exploration of Taiwan's Amis indigenous culture, and how her roots influenced the narrative and aesthetics of the film, plus much more! #Taiwan #AmisCulture #FilmDirector #MAMU #AephieChen #IndigenousCulture #CulturalHeritage #TaiwanCinema #FatherDaughter #Caregiving #HumanConnection #FilmPodcast #podcast