S Korea, Taiwan markets lead weekly gains South Korean and Taiwanese stocks ended the week higher on Friday, outperforming other emerging Asian markets as investors took advantage of bargain buying following significant losses over the previous two weeks. The renewed interest in artificial intelligence-related stocks propelled South Korea’s KOSPI index to a 5.4 percent weekly gain, reversing earlier losses of about 12 percent. Benchmark indexes in Singapore and Thailand were also projected to end the week up by 0.9 percent to 2 percent. Persistent tensions in the Middle East kept oil prices elevated throughout the week, which weighed on risk assets in emerging Asia. Most economies in the region are net energy importers, making them vulnerable to supply-chain disruptions and inflationary pressures from higher energy costs. Jennifer Kusuma, a senior rates strategist at ANZ, warned that investors in Asian local markets should prepare for increased volatility and potential further declines in the near term. While she noted that Asia is better positioned to handle higher oil prices compared to 2022, she cautioned that a prolonged supply chain and inflationary shock affecting energy, food, and freight could significantly raise stagflation risks across the region. Most equity benchmarks showed cautious movement on Friday as oil prices dipped slightly on signs of support from major European countries and Japan for securing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. South Korean shares closed up 0.3 percent, while Taiwan’s market initially gained but later ended 0.4 percent lower, dragging the MSCI EM Asia index down 0.5 percent. Stocks in Singapore and the Philippines also fell by 0.6 percent each. Markets in Malaysia were closed for a late-scheduled local holiday, and Indonesian markets remained shut until March 24 for local holidays.#thailand #korea #south_korea #singapore #taiwan
For nearly two weeks, Chinese fighter jets stopped buzzing Taiwan. No one seems to know why. Taiwan’s military has grown accustomed to the daily task of tracking Chinese warplanes flying near the island. Some days see a handful of aircraft, while others witness a much larger presence. But the sudden absence of these flights for nearly two weeks left analysts and military officials puzzled. The silence was broken on Thursday when five People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft were reported operating around the Taiwan Strait, with several flying near the median line that divides the waterway. Analysts noted this was the longest pause in Chinese air activity since Taiwan began publicly releasing daily military data. Ben Lewis, founder of PLATracker, an open data platform tracking Chinese military movements around Taiwan, Japan, and the South China Sea, called the situation “frankly unlike anything we’ve seen in recent history.” Since Taiwan’s defense ministry started sharing this data in 2020, the trend had been a steady increase in Chinese military activity. The recent lull, which lasted 13 consecutive days starting February 27, marked a significant shift. A brief exception occurred on March 6, when two aircraft were detected in the far southwestern corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone. However, analysts argued the broader pattern still represented a striking departure from the trend of rising activity. The sudden quiet raised questions about potential reasons behind the pause. One theory suggests Beijing may be avoiding escalation ahead of a planned meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump later this month. Topics like trade, technology, and Taiwan are expected to dominate the discussion.#taiwan #people_s_republic_of_china #people_s_libertation_army #wellington_koo #platracker
China Deploys Fishing Vessels in East China Sea Amid Taiwan Tensions Thousand of Chinese fishing vessels have conducted coordinated maneuvers near Taiwan and Japanese islands over the past four months, according to recent reports. These movements, described as a surprise escalation, have raised concerns about their potential role in China’s military planning for a potential invasion of Taiwan. Experts suggest that fishing boats are often part of China’s maritime militia, a semi-official group that operates under the country’s naval forces and is believed to play a key role in supporting large-scale operations. The maneuvers, which involved synchronized movements of vessels in international waters, were observed off the coast of Taiwan and near Japanese islands. Analysts note that such coordinated actions by fishing fleets could serve dual purposes—both as a demonstration of military capability and as a means of gathering intelligence or testing logistical readiness. The use of fishing vessels in this context is not new, but the scale and frequency of recent activities have drawn heightened attention. A photograph from the U.S. Navy shows a Chinese trawler attempting to intercept the towed array of the U.S. surveillance ship USNS Impeccable, highlighting the strategic value of these vessels in maritime operations. While fishing boats are primarily used for commercial purposes, their ability to operate in contested waters and their potential for rapid deployment have made them a critical asset in China’s broader maritime strategy. The timing of these maneuvers coincides with escalating tensions between China and Taiwan, with Beijing maintaining its stance on the island’s status as part of its territory.#china #india_today #east_china_sea #taiwan #usns_impeccable
They are not fishing: Thousands of Chinese boats form unusual patterns near Taiwan -what it could mean Thousands of Chinese fishing vessels have been observed forming precise geometric patterns in the East China Sea, raising concerns among maritime experts about potential strategic or military activities. An analysis by AFP, combining satellite imagery, ship-tracking data, and interviews with experts, suggests the formations may indicate preparations for crisis scenarios involving Taiwan or Japan. The unusual gatherings, detected between December and early January 2025, involved large numbers of boats maintaining coordinated positions for extended periods despite harsh weather conditions. The first major incident occurred on December 25, when approximately 2,000 vessels assembled into two inverted L-shaped formations about 300 kilometers northeast of Taiwan. These formations, identified through Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals and satellite monitoring, persisted for nearly 30 hours. Jason Wang, a maritime data analyst, noted that such precise, large-scale arrangements are rare in normal fishing operations. The boats were positioned as close as 500 meters apart, forming lines stretching over 400 kilometers before dispersing abruptly. Similar patterns were observed in early January, with around 1,000 vessels forming a large, uneven rectangle spanning 400 kilometers. Many of these boats had also participated in the earlier December formation. A third incident in late January saw about 1,200 vessels creating two parallel lines further east, maintaining formation for 30 hours before breaking up. Experts emphasized that the repeated, highly coordinated movements deviate from typical fishing behavior, where vessels usually spread out to maximize catches.#china #east_china_sea #zhejiang_province #maritime_militia #taiwan
