The Facts
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the east coast of Taiwan on Wednesday, killing nine people and injuring more than 900. This is the strongest quake to hit the island in 25 years.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake struck southwest of Hualien City at 7:58 a.m. local time, with Taiwan recording at least 58 aftershocks.
The Spin
Narrative A
Since Taiwan lies on a tectonic boundary between the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate, the island is regularly jolted by earthquakes. However, the fact that Wednesday's powerful quake was felt in Shanghai, nearly 900 km (590 mi.) away, yet caused no significant damage or casualty shows that Taiwan's natural disaster response is world-class.
Narrative B
Taiwan may have a world-class seismological network, but its early warning system is still ancient, or Wednesday's massive earthquake wouldn't have taken aback the island. The quake will have a significant economic impact, particularly on Taiwan's semiconductor manufacturing sector, which provides nearly 90% of the world's most advanced microchips.
