Louise Watt

Broadcast journalist in Taiwan via Beijing, Bangkok and London and a few other places along the way.

[Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam]

1. By way of comparison, China sentenced leading dissidents Liu Xiaobo to 11 years and Xu Zhiyong to 14 years. The Hong Kong Court has topped that with 20 years for Jimmy Lai, effectively a life sentence for an old man.

2. On a personal level I knew senior journalists Chan Pui-man and Law Wai-kwong too, and am devastated that even they got 7 and 10 years. It’s a dark day.

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

"It seems only the rich have the means to attain (justice)."

Thousands of families who fell victim to former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war are still waiting for justice. Others still defend him.

[Louise Watt @louise_watt]

The day after in Florida

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

"Clearly God's plan was that Donald Trump should be the president."

In Florida near the U.S. president-elect's Mar-a-Lago resort, his supporters are in jubilant mood. #USElections

[Ben Bland @benjaminbland]

But the medium-term enshitification of US global leadership is a big opportunity for Beijing to promote its own worldview and exploit cracks in the US alliance system. If you can't get the America you want, it would be foolish not to take advantage of its own goals.

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

How welcoming are people in Pennsylvania to Donald Trump's election pledge to steal jobs from China? TaiwanPlus travels to the crucial swing state to find out.

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

Will former U.S. President Donald Trump still support Taiwan if he comes back to power?

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

There are two weeks until the U.S. presidential election. Who would China prefer to see in the Oval Office, Kamala Harris or Donald Trump?

On this episode of Correspondents, we sit down with international correspondent for NPR Emily Feng and CommonWealth Magazine reporter David Shen to discuss the upcoming U.S. election.

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

How did Taiwan President Lai Ching-te approach his first National Day address?

On this episode of Correspondents, we sit down with international correspondent for NPR Emily Feng and CommonWealth Magazine reporter David Shen to discuss Taiwan’s National Day, the response from China and the delicate balance President Lai sought to strike.

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

How has China and Taiwan’s relationship changed over the past five years?

On this episode of Correspondents, we sit down with Reuters Taiwan Bureau Chief Ben Blanchard and CommonWealth Magazine Managing Editor Kwangyin Liu to discuss the U.S. election and what it means for Taiwan’s security.

[Louise Watt @louise_watt]

#Taiwan faces a talent shortage, ageing population, and existential threat from #China. One proposed solution: welcome more citizens. Thank you to @SamKTaiwan and his family for allowing us into their home, and sharing his story of what it took to become Taiwanese.

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

Most foreigners have to give up their nationality to get Taiwanese citizenship. Now a campaign aims to end that demand.

[David Demes 戴達衛 @DemesDavid]

BREAKING @lukedepulford just announced that Taiwan's Legislative Yuan has joined @ipacglobal. First co-chairs will be @DPPonline legislator Fan Yun and TPP legislator Chen Gau-Tzu.

[Louise Watt @louise_watt]

Interest in civil defence has soared in #Taiwan since #Ukraine. Most courses teach individuals. But away from the cities, one grassroots group is training whole communities. When you put skills and resources together, you have a better chance of survival, says its founder.

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

Most civil defense training in Taiwan focuses on individuals. But one grassroots initiative is preparing communities for war.

[Louise Watt @louise_watt]

Glad you were there! And thank you for sharing your insights on the new Labour government’s thinking on China and the US

[Marcin Jerzewski 葉皓勤 @yehaoqin]

Great to join @loise_watt for her 1st episode of #TaiwanTalks! In the election superyear, ppl of the UK joined billions of voters around the globe and elected the 1st Labor government in over a decade—we discussed what this means for London's approach to Beijing and Taipei.

[Louise Watt @louise_watt]

Taiwan doesn’t tell death row prisoners when their executions will be. So every evening in his cell, Hsu Tzu-chiang prepared for his. Thank you to Hsu for sharing his story with me, as a court considers a landmark case: Is the death penalty constitutional?

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

Taiwan’s Constitutional Court says it needs more time to consider a case calling into question the legality of the death penalty. Death row inmates are arguing the punishment is unconstitutional.

[Wen-Ti Sung @wentisung]

Now Premier Li concedes that 🇦🇺🇨🇳 have different history, cultures, & social institutions, therefore:

"The presence of differences is natural."

Suddenly differences aren't problems anymore, and aren't taken as evidence of ill intent toward China. /2

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

"The biggest challenge is how to face a rising China."

President Lai addresses a celebration marking the centennial of the Whampoa Military Academy.

[Louise Watt @louise_watt]

Sad news. Michael was well-known and respected as kind and knowledgeable in expat circles before later gaining attention as he fought disability.

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

The first British national to get disability benefits in Taiwan has died just months after getting access to aid.

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

What kind of mark does Taiwan leave on a country when it switches ties to Beijing? @louise_watt traveled to Taipei’s former ally, the Solomon Islands, to find out.

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

Bombs from WWII are still causing suffering in the Pacific. The Solomon Islands, which were the scene of some of the bloodiest fighting of the Pacific theater, have to live with threats below the surface. @louise_watt reports from Guadalcanal.

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

A five-year-old has become the first U.S. child to win the right to — in theory — be treated the same as Taiwanese with disabilities. But, as her family is finding out, the struggle is not over.