Taipei stresses need for deterrenceBy Ben Blanchard / ReutersChina poses a pressing threat, as its military buildup continues unabated, and effective deterrence is needed to make sure any attack would be very risky for Beijing, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said yesterday. Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo, center, speaks to reporters in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen I-kuan, Taipei TimesAsked about the US report, Koo said China has neither given up the option of using force against Taiwan nor slowed military spending. “On the other hand, if our defense capabilities continue to improve and our deterrence grows stronger, then its calculation regarding an attack on Taiwan will decrease. That would have the effect of pushing back such a date [for invasion] again and again,” he said.

Tesla eyes Chinese gear for vast US solar pushReutersTesla is looking to buy equipment worth US$2.9 billion for manufacturing solar panels and cells from Chinese suppliers including Suzhou Maxwell Technologies (蘇州邁為科技), two people familiar with the matter said, as chief executive officer Elon Musk aims to add 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity in the US. Some of the estimated 20 billion yuan (US$2.9 billion) of equipment, including screen-printing production lines, would require export approval from Chinese regulators, according to the people. Musk plans to build the solar capacity mainly for use by Tesla, although some would be used to power SpaceX satellites, the people said. An order from Tesla would mark a big boost for Chinese producers of solar manufacturing equipment, which have struggled with weak demand because of a domestic production glut. However, solar manufacturing equipment was excluded from tariffs by former US president Joe Biden in 2024 at the urging of US solar panel makers who argued they had nowhere else to buy the machines needed to set up domestic factories.

ECB to consider hiking interest ratesBloombergThe European Central Bank (ECB) would need to consider hiking interest rates as soon as next month if price pressures build further due to the Iran war, ECB Governing Council member Joachim Nagel said yesterday. EU leaders, who met on Thursday in Brussels for a summit attended by ECB President Christine Lagarde, are bracing for a years-long energy supply crunch after Iran crippled a vital Qatar gas plant. “If production capacities themselves are destroyed, there will be a much more lasting impact from this war,” French President Emmanuel Macron said. While the ECB kept rates unchanged for a sixth meeting this week, officials would be ready to raise borrowing costs on April 30 should fallout from the war push inflation too far above target, people familiar with the situation said. New ECB projections showed consumer prices would advance by 2.6 percent in the euro area this year — far more than previously thought.

This is a common sight at the Taiwan Tattoo Convention, which is currently being held in Kaohsiung until tomorrow. Ami James is one of the world’s most famous tattoo artists and once hosted his own tattoo-based TV show in the US. On just the first day I saw so many good people, good artists.”Taichung-based Horikasiwa is a tattoo artist who also paints in a Japanese traditional style. Photo: Danny ChuHe mentions being impressed by “the precision” of Taiwanese tattoo artists. Japanese tattoo artist Horihina, from Osaka-based studio Good Times Ink, says “there are not as many women who work as tattoo artists in Japan despite our big scene.

Taiwan’s Fairchild hails WBC experienceStaff writer, with CNA, PHOENIX, ArizonaDespite Taiwan’s early exit from the World Baseball Classic (WBC) earlier this month, outfielder Stuart Fairchild told reporters in Goodyear, Arizona, on Thursday that he cherished the tournament as “one of the greatest experiences of my life.”Fairchild said that he would be willing to suit up for the team again if invited. Taiwanese-American baseball player Stuart Fairchild attends a Cleveland Guardians training session in Goodyear, Arizona, on Thursday. Taiwan’s Stuart Fairchild reacts after their World Baseball Classic game against the Czech Republic at the Tokyo Dome on March 7. At noon yesterday, EasyCard Corp began a one-week pre-order for an EasyCard featuring Fairchild during the WBC. Now back in the US for spring training, Fairchild said that his main goal is to help the Guardians win and reach the playoffs.

China curbs exports of fertilizerReutersChina is clamping down on fertilizer exports to protect its domestic market, industry sources said, putting an additional strain on global markets that were already grappling with shortages caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran. China is among the largest fertilizer exporters — shipping more than US$13 billion of it last year — and it has a history of controlling exports to keep prices low for farmers. This month, Beijing banned exports of nitrogen-potassium fertilizer blends and certain phosphate varieties, sources said. Farmers load sacks of fertilizer into a seeder on a wheat field in Nanyang, China, on Oct. 13, 2021. In China, urea futures are near a 10-month high.

Export orders increase 23.8 percentROBUST DEMAND: Demand for electronic components and ICT products continues to drive export orders, with annual growth surging for the 13th consecutive monthBy Meryl Kao / Staff ReporterExport orders expanded 23.8 percent year-over-year to US$63.9 billion last month, driven by strong demand for information and communication technology (ICT) products amid the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday. It marked the 13th consecutive month of annual growth in export orders, the ministry’s data showed. Last month’s export orders also exceeded the ministry’s estimate of between US$56.3 billion and US$58.3 billion. The Middle East conflict did not have a noticeable impact on export orders last month, as it began late in the month, Huang said. Base metal orders rose 0.7 percent to US$3.66 billion and chemical product orders declined 7 percent to US$2.46 billion, ministry data showed.

Iran threatens world tourism sites; still building missilesAP, DUBAI, United Arab EmiratesIran yesterday threatened to target recreational and tourist sites worldwide and insisted it was still building missiles. Part of an Iranian missile is pictured in a living room in Rehovot, Israel, after Tehran launched barrages of missiles toward Israel yesterday. Loud explosions could also be heard in Jerusalem after the Israeli army warned of incoming Iranian missiles. In addition to steadily striking Iran, Israel has regularly hit Lebanon, targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants who have been firing rockets and drones into Israel. Israel yesterday broadened its attacks to Syria, saying it hit infrastructure there in response to what it described as attacks on the minority Druze population.

Taiwan pulls out of WTO eventDEROGATORY: WTO host Cameroon’s designation of Taiwan as a ‘province of China’ seriously undermines the nation’s status and rights as a WTO member, MOFA saidStaff writer, with CNAThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday condemned Cameroon for listing Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China” in visa documents for an upcoming WTO ministerial conference, a move that led to Taiwan’s withdrawal from the event. The designation “seriously undermined” Taiwan’s status and rights as a WTO member, the ministry said in a statement. It is the first time since 2001 that Taiwan has declined to attend a WTO Ministerial Conference. The ministry accused Cameroon of disregarding established practice among WTO host countries to respect Taiwan’s status and said the move violated the principle of equal participation for all members. Taiwan has lodged a formal protest with the WTO Secretariat and Cameroon’s delegation, the ministry added.

Photo: Screen grab from Hsiao Bi-khim’s Facebook pageGlobally, many defense manufacturers have developed robot dogs that can be purchased off the shelf, they said. Using robot dogs would help solve a shortage of troops to guard the nation’s infrastructure, they said. Last month, a government official said the military’s interest in robot dogs in part stemmed from the military’s strategic shift toward focusing on combat operations in towns and cities. Robot dogs can conduct reconnaissance and battle damage assessment missions in areas too dangerous or restrictive for infantry or uncrewed aerial vehicles to operate, such as tunnels and ruins, he said. The military expects to arm at least some of the robot dogs with machine guns and light anti-armor rockets to take part in combat, the official said.

Some negotiations on specifics remain, but they are clearly committed to making their coalition work. Probably not, this deal looks far more likely to succeed, and that is very bad news for the DPP. However, by all appearances, both Huang and Cheng are committed to making this work. I expect their alliance to hold this year, but the 2028 national elections will be far more complicated. Donovan’s Deep Dives is a regular column by Courtney Donovan Smith (石東文) who writes in-depth analysis on everything about Taiwan’s political scene and geopolitics.

Women’s baseball league turns dreams into realityAP, FORT MYERS, FloridaKelsie Whitmore stood near third base at JetBlue Park on Wednesday and looked around at her new norm. In less than five months, they are to play in the first women’s professional baseball league in the US in more than 70 years. hoto: APReality set in for Whitmore and players from the Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL). The Red Sox have hosted women’s baseball camps for a decade and welcomed several of the WPBL’s stars for drills. The US had not had a pro women’s league since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League dissolved in 1954, but the WPBL is hoping to create a lasting path for women to play professional baseball.

Wembanyama lifts Spurs in Suns winPLAYOFFS-BOUND: San Antonio knew that they could book a post-season berth with a win, but they trailed by 10 with less than 5 minutes to play before rallyingAFP, LOS ANGELESVictor Wembanyama’s game-winner on Thursday lifted the San Antonio Spurs to a 101-100 triumph over the Phoenix Suns and into the NBA playoffs, while the Los Angeles Lakers kept up their post-season push with an eighth straight victory. The San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama, top right, blocks a shot by Rasheer Fleming, top left, of the Phoenix Suns during their NBA game at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Thursday. Photo: AFPKnowing they could punch their playoffs ticket with a win, the Spurs trailed by 10 with 4 minutes, 50 seconds left to play. The Spurs bottled up Devin Booker to force the Suns to call a timeout and on the ensuing inbounds Wembanyama fouled rookie Rasheer Fleming, who missed both free throws. Playing an unprecedented 23rd season, James already holds a host of NBA records, including points scored, field goals made and field goals attempted.

Nottingham Forest reach Europa League quartersAFP, LONDONNottingham Forest on Thursday reached the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals after Midtjylland missed all three of their penalties in their last-16 second-leg shoot-out, while John McGinn inspired Aston Villa’s 2-0 win against Lille OSC. Aston Villa’s John McGinn celebrates after scoring against Lille OSC during their UEFA Europa League match at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on Thursday. The Premier League strugglers are to play Porto in the quarter-finals after the Portuguese outfit beat VfB Stuttgart 2-0. Villa’s dismal run of two wins from 10 Premier League games has put their bid to qualify for the UEFA Champions League in jeopardy. Yet they have thrived in continental action and Emery remains in contention for a fifth Europa League crown after winning three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban watches from outside the main table as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to EU leaders via video link during a round table meeting at the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday. “I held my ground and we are exactly where we were this morning: If there is oil, there will be money,” Orban said afterward. This time, though, EU leaders made clear he had crossed a line. We had a deal,” Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told reporters in Brussels. “We all know it’s linked to the elections — we are going to have to be creative,” summed up a second EU diplomat.