Name: Taiwan’s global hub on edge as economy feels China’s military drills
Uploaded: 2026-01-06T22:54:59.805Z
Duration: 2 min 25 s
Description: At Keelung fishing harbour, crews face uncertainty as Chinese military drills threaten local waters. Many workers, including migrants from China, value Taiwan’s better jobs and stability but worry about rising tensions.

At Keelung fishing harbour, crews face uncertainty as Chinese military drills threaten local waters. Many workers, including migrants from China, value Taiwan’s better jobs and stability but worry about rising tensions.

Inner Harbor of Keelung

Taiwan, positioned at a strategic point between the East and South China Seas, plays a vital role in the global economy, particularly through its technology exports. Recent Chinese military drills simulating blockades of major ports such as Keelung have heightened uncertainty for local workers and businesses, impacting routine activities like fishing and trade.

Economists warn that any serious conflict over Taiwan could disrupt global supply chains and cost the world economy trillions of dollars. Local sentiment in Keelung reflects both anxiety over increasing tensions and resignation to possible political changes, underscoring the broader implications for Taiwan's society and its global economic influence.

Taiwan’s global hub on edge as economy feels China’s military drills

Sitting between the East and South China Seas, just off the coast of the Chinese mainland, Taiwan may be an island geographically, but economically it sits at the center of the world. It's early morning at a fishing harbor in Keelung. Boat captains prepare to head out to sea. Work that is routine, but increasingly uncertain. Whenever China carries out military drills nearby, crews have to rethink whether it's safe enough to fish at all, even close to Taiwan's own shores. If it gets dangerous, our boat owner will tell us not to go out. The owner will notify us. Originally from China, he says working for a Taiwanese company means better hours and job security. But tensions across the strait, he says, are bad for everyone's business. China's military drills specifically simulated blockades of Taiwan's key ports, including Keelung here on the northeast coast. It's a relatively small city, but it punches well above its weight, long serving as the gateway to northern Taiwan. Ports like this sit at the intersection of trade, security and daily life. Cargo ships, cruise liners, coast guard patrols, all moving through a hub that is deeply embedded in the global supply chain. Most of the world's smartphones and computers run on Taiwanese-made chips. Any serious disruption here means throwing a wrench into the gears of the global economy. Economists warn a war over Taiwan could cost the world more than $10 trillion. Places like Keelung would be among the first to feel the consequences of pressure from China. In fish markets along the harbor, optimism is already giving way to uncertainty. I think reunification is inevitable, as the example of Hong Kong shows after its handover to China. We will have to accept it, even if we find it unacceptable. There's probably no way out. But I'm just a fishmonger. Economic and political talk are beyond me. Bubble tea sold around the world today began here in Taiwan in the 1980s. A small idea that went global. A reminder of the island's distinct influence. Any takeover of Taiwan wouldn't just redraw borders. It would be about the fate of a society with an identity of its own, already rooted in the global economy. Zain Basravi, Al Jazeera, Keelung Port, Northern Taiwan.

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