A climate breakthrough has rarely looked bleakerIt is politics, not logistics or physics, that is stopping us from tackling climate changeBy David Fickling / Bloomberg OpinionHas there ever been a grimmer backdrop to the world’s most concerted attempt to avert global warming? The main reason Kyoto failed to rein in global emissions was that it did not cover emerging nations, something remedied in the 2015 Paris Agreement. In 2017, forecasts indicated that without climate policies, global emissions would hit 65 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2030. That figure is now expected to be 57 billion tonnes. Politics has always had a decisive impact on the trajectory of global emissions, and right now we are pointing 180 degrees in the wrong direction.

Xi opens huge port in Peru funded by ChinaReuters, LIMAChinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) launched a week-long diplomatic blitz of South America on Thursday by inaugurating a massive deep-water port in Peru, a US$1.3 billion investment by Beijing as it seeks to expand trade and influence on the continent. The first ship was due to set sail from Chancay next week, transporting Peruvian fruit to China, Mario Ocharan, Peruvian director of the Chancay Chamber of Commerce, said. The rail project is estimated to cost US$3.5 billion, according to Mario de las Casas, corporate affairs manager at Cosco Shipping Chancay Peru. Building that link is “crucial” to improve transportation of soybeans as Brazil is the top seller of the commodity to China, he said. China has overtaken the United States to become the largest trading partner of countries like Peru.

Beijing preparing measures to counter impact of Trump’s return, official saysBy Chen Yun and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerBeijing is prepared to deploy a series of measures to counter the impact of US president-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January, a national security official said on Thursday. Beijing is facing greater pressure than before as Trump’s return looms, the official added. The CPTPP evolved from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which was never ratified after the US withdrew from its during Trump’s previous administration. Lastly, China could step up relations with other authoritarian regimes in Russia, Iran and North Korea in an attempt to counter democratic countries, the official said. Such measures could include persuading Iran and Pakistan to meddle in Middle East affairs while stepping up collaborations with Russia, the official said.

NSB notes US team of ‘China hawks’TOUGH LINE: Trump has nominated US Senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state, who is known for hardline policies on China and has proposed Taiwan-friendly billsStaff writer, with agenciesUS president-elect Donald Trump seems to be appointing senior national defense and diplomacy officials based on the principles of “America first” and “containing China,” National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said, without commenting on specifics. On Taiwan-US relations during Trump’s second presidency, Tsai said Taiwan would maximize the shared interests of both countries to continue promoting strategic cooperation. US Senator Marco Rubio, left, and then-vice president-elect Wiliam Lai shake hands in Washington on Feb. 4, 2020. National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen speaks during a legislative session in Taipei yesterday. Trump has nominated US Senator Marco Rubio as his secretary of state and has picked US Representative Mike Waltz, a retired Green Beret and a China hawk, to be his national security adviser.

Tsai Ing-wen to travel to Canada, two sources sayStaff writer, with agenciesFormer president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) plans to visit Canada next week, two diplomatic sources said. Tsai’s office said that if details of travel plans are confirmed, it would announce them at an appropriate time. Former president Tsai Ing-wen, second left, waves as she is led through Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport before departing for Europe on Oct. 12. Taiwan has 12 diplomatic allies, three of which are in the South Pacific: Palau, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands. Tsai traveled to allies in the South Pacific twice during her two four-year tenures, in 2017 and 2019.

Court approves seizure of US$1.19m from MukoBy Chen Tsai-ling and Jason Pan / Staff reportersThe Taipei District Court yesterday approved the seizure of NT$38.83 million (US$1.19 million) from Muko Public Relations (木可行銷公關), a company associated with the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), for alleged falsified accounting and unlawful transfer of funds for personal profiteering. Taipei prosecutors also summoned former TPP chief financial officer Liang Hsiu-chu (梁秀菊) for questioning yesterday. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je is summoned for further questioning by Taipei prosecutors on Wednesday. Taipei prosecutors in a release said they had filed an application to the Taipei District Court to seize Muko’s assets. Muko is one of three private entities set up by Ko and his inner circle for receiving political contributions, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Yu Shu-hui (游淑慧) said.

The US must stand up to Asia’s bullyBy Brahma ChellaneyFor more than one decade, China has been using an increasingly aggressive hybrid-warfare strategy to increase its power and influence in the strategically important South China Sea. By unilaterally redrawing South China Sea’s geopolitical map, China is ensuring that it is uniquely positioned to project power in the region. Moreover, the US prefers not to weigh in on sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea, where it has no territorial claims of its own. China would not stop at the South China Sea. As with any bully, the only way to stop China is to confront it with a credible challenger.

The group’s telecom unit, Softbank Corp, plans to build Japan’s most powerful AI supercomputer to support local services, it said. Nvidia Corp chief executive officer Jensen Huang, left, and Softbank Group founder Masayoshi Son interact at the Nvidia AI Summit Japan in Tokyo yesterday. The announcement indicates that Softbank Group, which until early 2019 owned 4.9 percent of Nvidia, has secured a favorable spot in line for the AI chips. Softbank Group founder Masayoshi Son has said he is preparing to “swing for the fences” in AI bets. Traditional hardware, based on custom chips that are designed to maximize mobile data traffic, is not optimal for new AI services.

Central bank warns of peril in Donald Trump tariffsReuters, TAIPEITaiwan’s central bank warned yesterday that it sees peril in the proposed trade policies of the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump. The logo of Taiwan`s central bank is seen on the door of the bank in Taipei, Taiwan, December 14, 2022. Photo: ReutersThe central bank said that the aggressive tariff policy Trump promised on the campaign trail would be the most impactful trade policy of the administration, if implemented. In the report, the central bank cautioned that if Taiwan's trade surplus with the US continues to grow, being on Washington's currency manipulation watchlist could become the "new normal." The central bank has always had good communications with the US Department of the Treasury, and both sides will continue to discuss matters such as macroeconomic and currency policies, it said.

The Liberty Times Editorial: Watch and wait as Trump loomsFormer US president Donald Trump, 78, was again elected president last week. Trump secured many votes among male, Hispanic voters, first-time voters and in swing states, polls and analyses showed. As a seasoned businessman, Trump is known for his practical approach to politics and ability to make deals. Compared with other countries facing external threats, such as South Korea, Israel and the US, Taiwan’s military expenditure is at the lower end. Taiwan stands to gain or lose from Trump’s China policy, depending on which direction he takes.

China blocks news after deadly attack which killed 35AFP, BEIJINGAt least 35 people were killed and dozens more injured when a man plowed his car into pedestrians exercising around a sports center in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Monday night. Workers remove flowers from a makeshift memorial outside the Zhuhai Sports Center in China yesterday. Photo: AFPChina heavily monitors social media platforms, where it is common for words and topics deemed sensitive to be removed — sometimes within minutes. On a social media site, videos and photos showing the bloody moments after the incident late on Monday night were swiftly deleted. 1 trending topic on social media and reached 69 million views within an hour.

China clears car attack memorial as government scrambles to respondReuters, ZHUHAI, ChinaAuthorities in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai removed wreaths, candles and bottles of alcohol, offerings laid at the scene of the deadliest mass killing in the country in a decade, as the government scrambled to respond and censor the outrage online. People earlier today remove flower bouquets placed outside the sports center where a deadly car attack took place in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province. Other state media, such as China Daily's Chinese-language Web site, also prominently displayed the news of Xi's Peru trip. The current affairs part of China Daily's Web site and the local area page did not mention the incident either. Media backed by the local government yesterday night published a 1,000-word write-up of a local officials' meeting on the killing.

For 2,300 years, at least since Plato’s Republic, philosophers have known how demagogues and aspiring tyrants win democratic elections. As Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued, democracy is at its most vulnerable when inequality in a society has become entrenched and grown too glaring. However, it is precisely those material conditions for a healthy, stable democracy that the US lacks today. With 2,300 years of democratic political philosophy suggesting that democracy is not sustainable under such conditions, no one should be surprised by the outcome of the 2024 election. Democratic political philosophy, then, has been correct in its analysis of the Trump phenomenon.

After taking office in January, Trump will likely apply pressure on Taiwan to increase its defense budget. Trump once again plans to use tariffs to solve the “Taiwan problem.” Whether that would be enough to deter China from threatening Taiwan is unclear. As such, Trump could press Taiwan to buy more US products or ease restrictions to reduce the trade deficit. He could demand that Taiwan pay a “protection fee” to the US to increase defense spending and demonstrate its resolve for self-defense — a proposition that would be difficult for Taiwan to refuse. For example, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co could build more plants on US soil to strengthen economic ties and high-tech connections.

GDP to increase 4.03% this year: TIERECONOMIC OUTLOOK: The institute’s president said that US president-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to increase tariffs would reduce global trade and increase inflationBy Chen Cheng-hui / Staff reporterThe Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER, 台灣經濟研究院) yesterday upgraded its GDP growth forecast for Taiwan this year to 4.03 percent, from the 3.85 percent that it estimated in July, and predicted the economy would grow 3.15 percent next year. However, the institute warned that US president-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House creates uncertainty about Taiwan’s foreign trade outlook. Speaking at a seminar in Taipei, TIER president Chang Chien-yi (張建一) said the key word next year is “trade.”Taiwan Institute of Economic Research president Chang Chien-yi attends a seminar in Taipei yesterday. If Trump were to raise tariffs as he pledged during the campaign, global trade volume would definitely decrease and the world would see a return of higher inflation, he said. The institute forecast that Taiwan’s consumer price index would rise 2.23 percent this year and 1.87 percent next year.