State department spokesman did not confirm Lai Ching-te would transit but played down any political implications.

During the drill, police in Taipei directed vehicles to move to the side of roads and people already not inside were told to seek shelter. Some shops and restaurants pulled down shutters and turned off lights - steps aimed at reducing the risk of becoming a target in the event of a night-time attack.

The U.S. Navy’s Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group entered the South China Sea on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Chinese reconnaissance flights as Taiwan conducts annual counter-invasion drills. USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70),

Air raid sirens wailed across Taipei on Thursday as large-scale drills were carried out as part of the annual Han Kuang military exercises designed to strengthen Taiwan's preparedness in the face of mounting tensions with China.

The 41st Han Kuang exercise is taking place against a backdrop of heightened tensions with China, which claims Taiwan as its own and has vowed to unify with it—by force, if necessary. This year's live-fire component is the longest ever, reflecting the seriousness with which Taipei views the threat.

Another targeted financial analysts at major unnamed investment firms focused on the Taiwanese semiconductor industry by posing as a fictitious investment firm and seeking collaboration. Two of the entities are based in Asia, while the third is based in the U.S. The FBI declined to comment.

Silwanus Tangkotta was working aboard a Taiwanese fishing boat in the remote Pacific last year, when a heavy wave slammed a rolling metal door onto his hand, crushing his middle and ring fingers.

China’s foreign ministry warned both Paraguay and the United States about Mr Lai’s travel. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

HARBIN -- After traveling thousands of kilometers from Taiwan island, violinist Lee Tien-hsuan has spent six years in Harbin, Northeast China, an area designated as a "Music City" by the United Nations. During this time, he has become a proud member of the string section of the Harbin Symphony Orchestra.

A trade show that started as a small tech sourcing fair now plays a vital role in developing artificial intelligence. CNN’s Will Ripley heads to Computex in Taipei, Taiwan, to learn more about the lesser-seen hardware components that form the backbone of AI innovation.