The Kuomintang (KMT) emphasizes a balanced approach to preserving Taiwan’s democracy and Indo-Pacific peace, focusing on both military and diplomatic strategies. Despite not winning the presidency, the KMT made significant gains in the Legislative Yuan, positioning itself as a major force for moderation and rational politics. The KMT plans to deepen international engagement, particularly with the United States, under its 'defense and dialogue' strategy to enhance national security and manage cross-strait relations. The KMT aims to provide checks and balances, promote economic development, stabilize cross-strait relations, and investigate corruption. The party is committed to institutional and strategic reforms to better represent and serve the people of Taiwan.

The Beijing LGBT Center, a key advocate for sexual minorities in China, has ceased operations citing 'force majeure,' reflecting the increasingly repressive political climate under Xi Jinping. The closure underscores the challenges faced by LGBT groups in China, where events are often canceled due to government pressure. Despite decriminalization in 1997, recent years have seen increased restrictions on LGBT content. In contrast, Taiwan has made significant strides in LGBT rights, recently amending its same-sex marriage laws to allow broader adoption rights. The developments highlight a stark contrast between the two regions' approaches to LGBT rights.

China held a massive nationwide teleconference to coordinate economic relief measures amid the economic strain caused by its zero-COVID policy. Premier Li Keqiang emphasized the urgency of stabilizing the economy, which is at a critical point. The meeting followed the introduction of 33 economic stimulus measures, including tax refunds and emergency loans. Local governments face challenges in implementing these policies due to high costs and declining revenues. The central government aims to support small businesses to sustain jobs, as the unemployment rate has risen to 6.7%.

China experienced a significant economic contraction in April due to strict lockdowns aimed at containing COVID-19. Retail sales plummeted by 11.1%, and industrial production fell by 2.9%, with manufacturing dropping 4.6%, particularly affecting the auto sector. Shanghai's six-week lockdown is set to phase out, aiming for normalcy by June 1. Despite the downturn, China's National Bureau of Statistics remains optimistic, citing the temporary nature of the pandemic's impact. Global economic growth forecasts by Morgan Stanley have been adjusted to 2.9% for the year, partly due to China's restrictions. The lockdowns have severely affected local businesses, with a 22.7% decrease in catering services. Some foreign manufacturers are contemplating moving production out of China, but the transition is not expected to be swift due to established production and consumption relations.

John Lee, the sole candidate for Hong Kong's chief executive, had his YouTube campaign channel suspended due to U.S. sanctions. Facebook and Instagram had already banned Lee from using paid services. The U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned Lee and others for undermining Hong Kong's autonomy. Chinese officials criticized the move as political interference, while experts noted the potential impact on Hong Kong's international standing. Despite the sanctions, Lee remains the only candidate for the position.

Guangdong authorities recently revealed plans to reserve space for two maglev railways, connecting Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao and Shanghai-Shenzhen-Guangzhou. Railway experts have strongly questioned the carrying capacity and cost-effectiveness of maglev trains, describing the plans as unrealistic. Professor Zhao Jian from Beijing Jiaotong University criticized the project for its high costs and incompatibility with existing rail networks, predicting severe losses. In contrast, Xu Zhen from the Hong Kong Smart Research Institute argued that maglev trains are suitable for China's national conditions and could potentially replace aviation services. China currently operates two maglev lines and has unveiled a high-temperature superconducting maglev train in Chengdu, capable of speeds over 600 km/h.

Singapore has managed to control the COVID-19 epidemic, but many foreign workers, including those from China, remain in forced quarantine, unable to work normally. Han Yongji, a Chinese construction worker, shared his experience of being quarantined in a dormitory with poor conditions. The majority of Singapore's nearly 60,000 confirmed cases are foreign workers, with over 150,000 infected when including serological tests. The rights group Home of Love has been following Han's case and advocating for migrant workers. Singapore's Ministry of Manpower has been criticized for the treatment of these workers, and although they have established a task force to improve dormitory conditions, restrictions on workers' movements remain. Independent media worker Han Liying has raised concerns about discrimination and the mental health of quarantined workers.

China, holding over half of the world's rare earth resources, recently introduced a draft of the 'Rare Earth Management Regulations' to strengthen supply chain management, which some analysts believe is to increase leverage over the United States. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is seeking public feedback on the draft. Despite China's dominance in rare earth production, with 63% of global output in 2019 and 37% of reserves, experts like Wang Weiluo note China's weakness in high-value-added production and reliance on raw material exports. The U.S. imports about 80% of its rare earths from China, but efforts are underway to reduce this dependency, including establishing processing plants in Texas with Australia and seeking alternative supplies in Japan. The new regulations aim to control the entire supply chain, from mining to export, and could use the export control law introduced last December to regulate strategic material flow. The potential tightening of exports is seen as a way to preserve resources and reduce environmental impact, rather than just a negotiation tactic with the West. The move may accelerate the separation of supply chains and could have geopolitical implications for global alliances and resource distribution.

During the Year of the Ox Spring Festival, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, China's film market flourished, breaking the country's single-day box office record on the first day of the lunar new year. The absence of Hollywood blockbusters, due to the pandemic, allowed Chinese domestic films to further commercialize and dominate the market. Industry insiders suggest this period may be a watershed moment for Chinese cinema. The trend towards commercialization is blurring the lines between mainstream 'main melody' films, traditionally produced under government guidance, and other genres. The success of domestic films during this period sends a clear message to Hollywood about the robustness of the Chinese market, which may influence future film production and market strategies.

The ongoing pandemic and China's stringent measures against capital outflow have led to a crisis in Macau's gambling sector, particularly affecting VIP rooms used by mainland high-rollers, with an estimated $1 billion withdrawn over the past two months. Some VIP rooms have even restricted withdrawals, causing panic. The crackdown includes monitoring large bank transactions and limiting cash transactions, with the government concerned about unrecorded cash flows. Macau, heavily reliant on gambling revenues, has seen a 95% year-on-year decline in gambling income, significantly impacting the government's revenue. The VIP intermediary industry, accounting for about 50% of Macau's gambling revenue, reached $36.5 billion last year. There are hopes that resuming mainland tourists' travel to Macau will aid the industry's recovery.