VOA Today's Focus (October 15, 2026) President Trump: Taiwan to Purchase $80 Billion in Alaska Natural Gas

This episode of VOA Today's Focus mainly reports on President Trump's announcement that Taiwan will purchase $70 to $80 billion worth of Alaska liquefied natural gas over the next 20 years and make equity investments; U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth attending the Association of the United States Army annual meeting to discuss autonomous operations; Taiwan's Thunder Tiger Corporation showcasing drones at a defense exhibition and expanding into the U.S. military market; China warning Taiwan's Coast Guard against using high-pressure water cannons, the People's Liberation Army conducting combat readiness patrols around the Taiwan Strait, and the U.S. Department of State urging Beijing to halt pressure; as well as Pakistani women beginning to choose electric motorcycles due to rising fuel prices and travel needs to gain more independence and autonomy.

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Welcome to VOA Today's Focus on October 15. I am Wang Yuhe, broadcasting live from the U.S. capital, Washington. Every day here, we take 15 minutes to quickly update you on the latest developments in the U.S. and globally. Here are today's top stories. President Trump stated that Taiwan has committed to purchasing $70 to $80 billion worth of Alaska liquefied natural gas over the next 20 years. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth attended the Association of the United States Army annual meeting, continuing discussions on autonomous operations and military innovation.

The U.S. Department of State expressed concern over the actions of the Chinese People's Liberation Army around the Taiwan Strait and urged dialogue. President Trump said on Wednesday that Taiwan has committed to purchasing $70 to $80 billion worth of Alaska liquefied natural gas over the next 20 years, and that Taiwan has also agreed to make a $4.4 billion equity investment in the Alaska LNG project. President Trump announced on Truth Social the launch of the largest energy infrastructure project in Alaska's history, namely the Alaska LNG project, with South Korea investing $50 billion in this infrastructure project. He also announced that Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick has facilitated Taiwan's commitment to purchase $70 to $80 billion worth of Alaska liquefied natural gas, equivalent to 30% of the pipeline's throughput over the next 20 years. In addition to this, Taiwan has agreed to make a $4.4 billion equity investment in the project. This project has now become a U.S. federal government project, with all necessary permits and authorizations in place, ready to launch at any time. President Trump announced that Taiwan has agreed to purchase 30% of the natural gas from the Alaska LNG pipeline project within the next 20 years. For more details, we now connect with reporter Xu Xiangyun to give us a further introduction.

We know that President Trump personally announced at a campaign rally in Alaska on Tuesday, describing this arrangement as a historic major deal, and stated that Taiwan will make an additional investment of $4.4 billion, with Taiwan purchasing 30% of the natural gas from this project. President Trump said that this guarantees the success of the project. Let us first listen to what President Trump had to say. I am very happy to announce that Taiwan, they have made a lot of money, because they knew that years ago they stole our chip business, because back then no president was willing to impose tariffs on chips, and because of that, everyone moved to Taiwan to produce chips, but they are now all moving back, and we are investing $21 trillion to build new factories, much of which is currently being put into use, and they will all be coming back. Taiwan has just agreed to purchase 30% of the natural gas from this pipeline over the next 20 years, which ensures the success of the project. This is one of the largest commitments in history and one of the largest deals ever reached, and they will pay for it, and this 20-year agreement is enough to guarantee success in Taiwan, and we will also invest $4.4 billion in the project, in addition to the $50 billion that South Korea has already promised to invest in the Alaska project. The Alaska liquefied natural gas project itself is massive in scale, with an estimated cost of $44.5 billion to $54.5 billion, to build a new 800-mile-long pipeline to transport natural gas from Alaska's North Slope region to liquefied facilities near Anchorage in the south, in preparation for export to Asia. Locals have been pushing for this project for years, but high costs and questions about economic feasibility have hindered its progress.

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs confirmed on Wednesday that CPC Corporation, Taiwan, signed a memorandum of understanding on purchase, sale, and investment with the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation in March of last year. After a year and a half of intensive consultations and prudent evaluations, the two sides have now made significant progress. Taiwan expects to invest $4.4 billion, and once the project goes into production, it will purchase 6 million tons of natural gas annually for a procurement period of 20 years. We also know that Taiwan stated it hopes to promote the diversification of natural gas supply and dispatch flexibility through long-term energy procurement and project investment, further strengthening Taiwan's energy resilience and deepening US-Taiwan cooperation. Energy security is a key issue for Taiwan, which relies heavily on oil and gas from the Middle East to support its technology-driven economy. The Taiwanese side stated that being able to transport natural gas directly to Taiwan via Pacific shipping routes has geographical advantages, which will help diversify risks and increase flexibility in procurement and transportation, while also deepening economic ties between the US and Taiwan. On the other hand, South Korea is another important potential Asian participant in this project. President Trump announced at the end of September that South Korea will invest $200 billion in the US energy industry, including $54 billion for this natural gas project.

US Secretary of War Hegseth attended the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday to discuss the development of US autonomous combat technology and how to rapidly and accurately innovate. The Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting was held from Monday to Wednesday this week at the Washington Convention Center. Secretary of War Hegseth, along with Acting Secretary of the Army Adam Smith, Acting Secretary of the Navy John P. Roth, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink, and other defense officials, attended a panel discussion on the Agincourt Project. Hegseth stated that the US military joint forces are accelerating innovation to provide warfighters with advanced combat capabilities to maintain US battlefield advantages. The Agincourt Project also plans to establish an autonomous warfare command to promote the integration and practical combat application of US military autonomous combat systems.

Taiwanese drone manufacturer Thunder Tiger Corporation showcased its latest medium-to-long-range delta-wing attack drone at the 2026 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition this week. Its Overkill FPV drone has also been included on the U.S. Department of Defense's Blue UAS list, and the company is currently expanding into the U.S. military drone market. A drone with a shape similar to the Iranian Shahed-136 delta-wing suicide drone, which has appeared frequently in the Russia-Ukraine war, was displayed at the 2026 AUSA defense exhibition; this is the Papa Delta PD136 attack drone exhibited by Taiwan's Thunder Tiger. Su Sheng-chieh, General Manager of Thunder Tiger, stated that the Papa Delta uses a newly developed aluminum alloy stamping airframe, which allows for rapid mass production. "We are using a method similar to Tesla's, using aluminum stamping. After using a large stamping press, the aircraft body is formed. Then, the two halves are joined, and an engine is installed to make it fly. Our focus is on the speed of stamping production. While it might take a week to make one unit traditionally, with our stamping method, we can produce several or even dozens in a single day, combined with high-quality engines for the production of delta-wing unmanned vehicles. We are currently seeing a lot of interest from many U.S. companies in this regard."

The Papa Delta PD-136 costs approximately $35,000 per unit, uses a Type II piston engine, has a payload of about 12 kilograms, and a range of about 500 kilometers. The advanced PD-136J model uses a turbojet engine, with a range of about 300 kilometers, but can reach speeds of 500 kilometers per hour. Both engines are produced in Taiwan. Su Sheng-chieh stated that Thunder Tiger's short-range FPV drones have performed well in the international market, with 1,520 units of its Overkill series drones already sold to the U.S. military system. "The first is the short-range FPV system. This system has currently passed the U.S. Blue UAS certification. We are the only drone platform in Asia to have passed the Blue UAS certification. Through the U.S. drone advantage program, we have sold 1,520 units into the U.S. military system." Su Sheng-chieh noted that the increasing international demand for non-Chinese supply chains is very favorable for the future development of Taiwan's military drone sector. "The U.S. and Israel each have their own specialties, so I think, for example, FPV is our specialty, so what we make is certainly quite good. For military use, the key is safety, efficiency, and effectiveness. In this regard, removing the 'red supply chain'—whether at the industrial, commercial, or military level—is very beneficial for Taiwanese companies."

The Chinese government warned Taiwan's Coast Guard on Wednesday that it must bear the consequences for using high-pressure water cannons against a Chinese fishing boat in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted joint combat readiness patrols around Taiwan on Wednesday. A U.S. State Department spokesperson responded to Voice of America by urging Beijing to cease its pressure on Taiwan. Earlier this month, Taiwan's Coast Guard used high-pressure water cannons against a Chinese fishing boat that had remained in restricted waters near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands and refused to leave. Following the incident, the PLA escalated its gray-zone operations in the waters around Taiwan. A spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office issued a warning at a regular press conference on Wednesday. The Taiwanese military detected 13 PLA aircraft and an unknown number of naval vessels conducting joint combat readiness patrols around Taiwan on Wednesday. Additionally, Reuters cited a monitoring report from a private Taiwanese aviation operator last week, which found that Chinese militia ships appeared in the waters east of Taiwan for the first time. In response to an email request for comment from Voice of America, a U.S. State Department spokesperson stated that the U.S. remains concerned about China's activities east of Taiwan, noting that China's actions are deeply destabilizing. Asserting authority over waters that have been under Taiwan's peaceful administration for over 70 years will only exacerbate tensions. The spokesperson emphasized that the U.S. urges Beijing to cease its pressure on Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan's democratically elected authorities.

In Pakistan, with rising fuel prices and an increasing demand among women for independent travel, more and more Pakistani women are choosing to ride electric motorcycles. How is this mode of transportation changing the daily lives of Pakistani women and challenging long-standing social norms? 23-year-old Aqsa Zarif has found a greater sense of independence through riding an electric motorcycle. She is currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in psychology, riding her electric motorcycle through the city every day to commute to school and handle daily errands. For her, the electric motorcycle is not just a convenient means of transport. In Pakistan, women's travel is often affected by safety concerns, harassment issues, and limited public transport options; the electric motorcycle allows her to better control her time and travel arrangements, reducing her reliance on others for rides. "I bought the electric motorcycle six months ago. The main reason was that I am the youngest of five sisters in my family, and the youngest child is usually expected to do chores, like going to the market to buy yogurt. Previously, I either relied on ride-hailing services like inDrive or asked my father to take me where I needed to go." Aqsa stated that with rising fuel prices, electric motorcycles have become a more economical travel choice. Additionally, university bus services have been reduced from four trips a day to two. She said that for women, the electric motorcycle means greater autonomy in travel.

In Pakistan, women riding motorcycles has long been influenced by social prejudice. Patriarchal concepts and family restrictions often constrain women's freedom to travel alone, especially without the accompaniment of male relatives. However, as more women take to the road, these long-standing social perceptions are changing. Aqsa is not the only woman embracing this change. From university campuses to busy city roads, women riding electric motorcycles are becoming increasingly common. With fuel prices soaring and the government introducing incentive measures, the Pakistani electric two-wheeler market is expanding rapidly. Motorcycles are very common on local roads, but female riders have historically accounted for only a small minority. "I think this is a very good change in our society, especially considering that we live in a male-dominated society. These women are breaking various barriers and taboos. They are setting an example, proving that it is not just men, but women too who can ride motorcycles and take to the streets." In Pakistan, safety concerns and inadequate public transport often make daily travel difficult for women; electric motorcycles are providing an alternative for some, enabling them to travel more independently.