The Financial Times is seeking a seasoned correspondent to cover Taiwan, regional security and to look across the strait at Chinese elite politics and the People’s Liberation Army. In terms of military power, political influence and the semiconductor industry, Taiwan lies at the heart of the contest between the US and China, creating the opportunity for a talented journalist to write on what may be the biggest story of the 21st century.

Taiwan as such should be a relatively minor part of the job, but we follow the country’s political divide between the Kuomintang and the Democratic Progressive Party, and the dynamics of groups calling for greater or lesser ties to the mainland. Military manoeuvring around Taiwan and in the South and East China Seas, extending to the wider region including Japan and the Philippines, will be a greater source of day-to-day news.

Beyond these immediate news developments, Taipei is also a centre for analysing the politics of mainland China itself, and assessing the growing military power of the PLA. We would appreciate a correspondent with the expertise to write with originality and insight on these areas, which can be difficult to follow from the mainland itself.

At present, we do not envisage coverage of corporate Taiwan or the technology industry as being part of this role, although that may be needed from time to time. Aptitude for financial and business news is important for correspondents who want to build a long-term career at the FT.

Regional travel is expected. You may also be asked to represent the FT at events and work on podcasts or video. For a talented journalist focused on China, geopolitics and regional security there could not be a better platform.

Your skills

This job will suit an experienced correspondent who understands news and how to project a story. National security and defence sources are sensitive. Ideally, you will have a track record in this area, or if not, you will be able to demonstrate very strong source building experience on other beats.

Experience reporting from mainland China would be a big help, as would Chinese language skills, with a vital source of information on political and military affairs being the material that Beijing itself chooses to release.

The FT writes across a wide range of formats, from news through to features and long-form analysis, and we expect you to be comfortable with turning around a speedy news story or a more substantive piece. Editors will be looking for you to pitch them stories, so an entrepreneurial and self-starting attitude is important: we expect our correspondents to be out generating stories, not waiting for the news to come to them.

Collegiality is central to the FT’s culture. We have a world-class network of correspondents, including in mainland China, the wider Asia region and in Washington DC; close cooperation with colleagues is both a basic expectation and part of the recipe for success.

Please submit your application by the end of the day, Sunday February 15 2026. 

To apply, go here.