Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

This month’s midterm elections in the Philippines delivered mixed results, with three of the available 12 senate spots going to people on the Duterte slate and two to candidates endorsed by impeached Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte. That gives the pro-Duterte camp five victories. Two of the candidates were initially part of the senatorial slate of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s administration, but shifted their alignment during the final month of campaigning. Overall, even following repeated political setbacks in the run-up to the election, the Dutertes have reasserted their influence in national politics.

The elections delivered a weaker showing for the Marcos administration than was predicted by pre-election surveys. The administration’s winning candidates includes four veteran politicians and one radio personality. That also gives the pro-Marcos camp five victories.

Japan and other regional partners should work together to counter Chinese military coercion and build a “non-red” supply chain, President William Lai (賴清德) said in an interview published by Nikkei Asia yesterday.

As Lai approaches one year in office, he granted his first foreign media interview this year to the Japan-based publication to discuss Taiwan’s relations with Japan, China and the US, as well as the semiconductor industry, and the international economic and trade landscape.

Amid US President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs and escalating Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, Lai said that “Japan is a powerful nation. I sincerely hope that Japan can take a leading role amid these changes in the international landscape.”