taiwan-subdivisions: 桃園 新興

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記者黃俊育 / 桃園報導

桃園市副市長王明鉅（25）日下午前往桃園區，出席「2025桃園體育運動展演會暨體育有功人員（團體）表揚活動」宣傳記者會時表示，今（114）年度活動將於9月6日在桃園藝文廣場舉辦，除表揚參與國際賽事獲獎及體育有功人員、團體外，現場並設有多項虛擬運動體驗攤位及創意市集，邀請市民朋友踴躍參與，共享桃園體育的榮耀與活力。

王明鉅也於記者會現場體驗虛擬棒球運動，在逼真模擬環境中透過揮棒擊球，感受運動科技帶來的臨場氛圍。王明鉅幽默分享心得表示，「民眾如果平常打不了全壘打，在這裡可以打全壘打」！

▲桃園體育運動展演會暨表揚活動9/6登場 王明鉅邀市民共享桃園體育榮耀。(圖/桃園市新聞處 提供)

體育局表示，「2025桃園體育運動展演會暨體育有功人員表揚活動」以「Taoyuan in action」為主軸，延續去（113）年虛實合一的創新精神，展現桃園市推動體育多元化發展的成果。9月6日活動將表揚參與國際賽事獲獎及體育有功人員、團體，會場並規劃虛擬運動體驗、電子競技表演賽及相關體驗區，讓市民近距離觀賞新興科技運動，體驗跨界突破與創新魅力。

體育局進一步指出，本次活動將於9月6日下午1時至晚上9時舉辦，並透過體育局官方粉絲專頁及「桃趣總動園」YouTube社群媒體同步直播。現場亦安排摸彩活動，獎項包含電動自行車、任天堂Switch 2、筋膜槍等多項好禮。詳細表演節目與賽事流程可至活動專頁查詢（網址：https://pse.is/taoyuaninaction）。

title: 桃園體育盛會9/6藝文廣場見     王明鉅邀市民參與運動展演會     共享榮耀與活力


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記者黃俊育 / 桃園報導

桃園市副市長王明鉅（25）日下午前往市府綜合會議廳，出席「2025『據食強身』據點美食大賞記者會」時表示，「飲食」是照顧長者的重要關鍵，長輩若攝取均衡營養並搭配適度運動，不僅能養足肌肉，更能避免肌少症與跌倒情形發生。此次進入決賽的5處據點將於8月29日展開角逐，期盼各據點善用各種在地食材，端出最美味又健康的家常佳餚，為長者烹調幸福滋味。

王明鉅指出，因應高齡化社會趨勢，市府持續配合中央政策，目前已布建427處社區照顧關懷據點。各據點除提供共餐服務，也結合防詐宣導、健康講座等多元活動，全方位照顧長者身心健康。

▲桃市舉辦關懷據點美食大賞 王明鉅：全方位照顧長者身心健康。(圖/桃園市社會局 提供)

社會局表示，本次比賽以「懷舊經典」為主題，鼓勵長者與志工將菜餚融入桃園在地食材，以「童年滋味」及「老菜新作」為創作方向，翻玩傳統菜色，重現長輩記憶中的料理。藉由比賽展現據點特色，並凝聚社區向心力。

社會局指出，桃園市65歲以上長者已逾38萬人，社區照顧關懷據點暨巷弄長照站設置里涵蓋率近67.5%，提供電話問安、關懷訪視、共餐及健康促進等服務。去（113）年更成立桃園市社區照顧關懷據點培力中心，作為桃園市據點總基地，強化亮點輔導與志工培訓，並推動多元創新服務，讓據點服務升級並貼近長者需求。

title: 桃園據點美食大賞8/29決賽     王明鉅：均衡飲食是長者健康關鍵     盼烹調幸福滋味


title: 桃園首創     泰雅族語、英語雙語繪本發表     將原住民族文化推向國際

taiwan-subdivisions: 桃園 復興 大溪

countries: 愛爾蘭 台灣 臺灣 美國 英國

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記者黃俊育 / 桃園報導

桃園市長張善政（25）日下午於市府1501會議室，出席「泰雅族語、英語雙語繪本首創發表會」時表示，這兩本雙語繪本的出版，是桃園首次以泰雅族語與英語雙語形式將原住民族文化推向國際，具有深遠意義。泰雅語是市府積極推廣的重要原住民族母語之一，相信透過雙語繪本的出版不僅能讓世界看見臺灣泰雅文化，更能吸引遊客走訪拉拉山，親身體驗桃園原鄉風貌。

▲《奶奶的農作物》雙語繪本。(圖/桃園市新聞處 提供)

張善政指出，《小米的一生》以小米為主題，小米不僅是臺灣原住民族的重要農作物，能提供澱粉、釀酒，更象徵族群的飲食文化；《奶奶的農作物》則呈現原鄉耕作情境與生活智慧。兩本雙語繪本兼具文化特色與教育價值，十分適合作為國際文化交流的媒介。

活動上，張善政也順勢推廣市府觀旅局近期舉辦的「探索北橫－拉拉山暗空星樂園」活動，邀請民眾到到拉拉山欣賞銀河與滿天星斗，並品味當地水蜜桃、甜柿等特產，體驗桃園原鄉獨特的自然與文化之美。

▲《小米的一生》雙語繪本。(圖/桃園市新聞處 提供)

三位青年楊定凱（Bruce Yang）、鍾承祐（Christian Draven Chung）、鍾承泰（Korben Hunter Chung）今日亦現身分享，楊定凱說，臺灣文化不僅只有珍珠奶茶，臺灣原住民文化也是國際朋友應該認識的重要面向，因此他們三人決定投入雙語繪本的出版工作。鍾承祐說，雖然跨文化溝通充滿挑戰，但未來他們將持續努力，透過繪本讓原民文化走向世界。

市議員楊朝偉表示，雖然自己是漢族出身，但長年服務大溪、復興地區，與泰雅族建立深厚情誼。參與雙語繪本計畫的三名青年目前在美國求學，因曾在復興原鄉有許多生活經驗與連結，因此希望透過繪本向國際同學介紹臺灣文化。未來他也將繼續協力推動其他族群的雙語繪本，期盼讓16族文化都能走向世界。

▲泰雅族語、英語雙語繪本首創發表會大合影。(圖/桃園市新聞處 提供)

復興區長蘇佐璽表示，感謝三位青年促成泰雅文化跨國出版，未來繪本不僅將進入美國校園，還能登上國際通路，感謝市府與各單位支持，並期盼此次雙語繪本出版，將能激勵更多青年投入原民文化傳承工作。

原住民族行政局表示，桃園市原住民族人口已達88,385人，居全國第二。市府長期推動族語課程、社區學習班與認證獎勵，致力於營造多元語言環境。今日的發表會象徵一個新的開始，市府將持續推動原民教育與文化，並以繪本為橋梁，把桃園原住民族的智慧與故事帶向國際。

原住民族行政局指出，這次的《小米的一生》與《奶奶的農作物》雙語繪本，不僅在桃園舉行首發，也已規劃於九月下旬赴美國波士頓舉辦新書發表會，期盼喚起美國主流社會的關注。兩本繪本共印行 2,000 冊，將分送至美國多所大學與圖書館，以及英國、愛爾蘭等歐洲英語系國家，並同步於美國亞馬遜購書通路上架，讓台灣原住民族文化能跨越國界，走向世界。


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記者黃俊育 / 桃園報導

桃園市長張善政（25）日上午率領市府團隊前往蘆竹區，出席「114年桃園市市長訪視基層蘆竹區座談會」時表示，捷運綠線自桃園藝文特區至坑口的主要路段多位於蘆竹，目前列車已上線測試，桃市府將朝115年北段優先通車目標邁進，並持續在中央支持下，爭取更多資源推動建設，讓蘆竹持續發展。

張善政提到，在市府與區公所合作下，蘆竹成功改善長期淹水問題，並以創意舉辦陸上鐵道龍舟競賽與親子活動，展現地方欣欣向榮氛圍。

蘆竹區公所表示，近年市府與區公所推動多項重大工程，包括仁愛路三段、忠孝西路182巷、上竹路76巷及山鼻路等道路改善，合計鋪設逾千公尺路段，提升平整度與用路安全；並投入逾千萬元推動大竹北路748巷、中興路667巷等瓶頸道路拓寬及水利溝加蓋工程，預計9月開工，進一步完善交通動線。另規劃投入1億2千萬元辦理中正路暨南崁路一段人行道更新，將設置斜坡道、遷移電箱及調整待轉區，營造更友善的步行環境。在排水系統方面，南崁路二段488巷排水改善工程已於今（114）年2月完工，經費近2,000萬元，有效降低淹水風險；南工路雨水下水道工程則投入9,405萬元推動，第一期已完成約740公尺，可保護43公頃、惠及近2萬居民，後續擴大後將涵蓋69公頃、逾3萬居民，顯著改善積淹水問題。另透過「防災區里巡檢系統」結合志工巡檢、即時通報與科技應用，淹水改善率已達81.4%，展現成效。

▲桃市114年蘆竹區基層座談 張善政：力拚捷運綠線115年北段通車。(圖/桃園市新聞處 提供)

蘆竹區公所也指出，在生活建設方面，已投入逾4,500萬元更新兒二、兒三及海寧等特色公園遊戲場並設置天幕；並新建山鼻、南興及濱海等市民活動中心，總經費逾3億5千萬元，另規劃新莊、新興及坑口後續工程，逐步完善社區公共服務能量。祭祀環境則完成環保金爐與生命紀念園區地坪改善，提升使用安全。體育設施方面，推動濱海里直排輪及獨輪車綜合場、河濱棒壘球場與A10山鼻滾球場修繕，總經費逾4,300萬元。文化觀光部分，辦理全國首創「陸上鐵道龍舟嘉年華」、大古山「炫YA農遊季」，成功吸引市民參與，並預計於115年規劃辦理「蘆竹濱海仲夏系列活動」，展現地方多元特色。

座談會中，捷運工程局以「捷運綠線建設進度」進行專案報告。捷運局表示，綠線自107年動工以來已完成多項關鍵成果，包括跨越高鐵及景觀橋合龍、優先通車路段隧道全數貫通、北機廠主變電站送電及首列車進場。截至114年8月，已有11列車抵台，通車時列車數將達20列；高架段軌道已全數完成，地下段則預計於114年11月完工。後續將推進八德段隧道鑽掘、周邊人行道改善及公車路線檢討，並規劃於115年下半年陸續展開系統整合測試、初勘及履勘作業，年底申請交通部營運許可，力拚115年底綠線北段正式通車。

此外，張善政及各局處代表亦針對多項地方關切議題進行討論，包括放寬帶狀皰疹疫苗補助條件、南崁路二段與富國路三段口行人號誌遷移、蘆竹與宏竹里污水接管工程推動、南崁人工濕地委外巡檢效率、大坑溪錦溪路長榮路橋下（長興里段）道路凹陷改善及大坑溪流域水質監測設施增設、協助整頓台4線市容景觀等提案，並研議後續推動方向。

taiwan-subdivisions: 蘆竹 成功 新莊 竹北 新興 中正 八德 桃園 仁愛

title: 蘆竹發展持續推進     張善政出席基層座談     強調捷運綠線北段將優先通車


title: 新北惜食成果獲肯定     「首惜廚師」甄選獲雙重殊榮     展現推廣惜食理念的決心

taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 北區 新北市 八里 八里區

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記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

新北市參加由環境部辦理的「第3屆首惜廚師甄選活動」，在「創意教案組」全國總決賽與「惜食料理食譜組」北區分區決賽中與全國頂尖團隊、廚師相互交流與切磋，教案組於全國總決賽中榮獲珍稀食客教案賞、食譜組於北區分區決賽中榮獲優等賞等殊榮，表現卓越。

▲環境部第3屆首惜廚師甄選活動創意教案組全國總決賽林佳宜教師(右)與楊宜靜營養師(左)榮獲「珍稀食客教案賞」。(圖/新北市環保局 提供)

環保局表示，「創意教案組」全國總決賽已於8月16日舉行，由八里國中林佳宜教師與楊宜靜營養師代表參賽，共同合作設計「柚見你，吃吃愛地球」教案，從學生營養午餐的剩食議題出發，透過體驗活動讓學生覺察廚餘實際產生量與後續處理的重要性；同時教案中融入在地八里區柚子滯銷事件，設計出「柚」系列活動，不僅強化學生對惜食的概念，並提升在地認同感。作品獲評審肯定與青睞，榮獲「珍稀食客教案賞」，由環境部政務次長葉俊宏親自頒獎。

▲新北市代表選手胡皓筌先生設計「金巢藏珍 全薯豚香」與「在地精華 全食燒肉」兩道惜食創意料理。(圖/新北市環保局 提供)

另「惜食料理食譜組」北區分區決賽於昨(24)日在新北市莊敬高職舉行，該校餐飲管理科在國內享有盛名，本次活動結合餐飲人才推廣惜食理念，意義格外珍貴；食譜組北區分區決賽新北市由東南科大餐飲系胡皓筌先生代表參賽，現場以烹飪方式進行，本次設計「金巢藏珍 全薯豚香」與「在地精華 全食燒肉」兩道惜食創意料理。他巧妙結合惜食五原則：全食利用、風味平衡、零浪費烹調、視覺再造、營養加值，讓每一份食材、每段菜梗都獲得新生，作品以套餐形式呈現，視覺與味覺兼具，令評審驚艷不已，最終榮獲「優等賞」的肯定。比賽當日，環保局副局長朱益君也蒞臨現場為選手加油勉勵，鼓勵大家攜手落實惜食理念、減少廚餘、降低碳排。

▲環保局副局長朱益君也蒞臨現場為選手加油勉勵，鼓勵大家攜手落實惜食理念、減少廚餘、降低碳排。(圖/新北市環保局 提供)

環保局呼籲，期盼藉由首惜廚師甄選活動，強化宣導民眾惜食概念，並鼓勵更多年輕餐飲學子發揮創意加入惜食行列，讓永續飲食理念持續向下扎根。


title: 不只玩樂     更有意義     新北花漾青春館辦「癢癢的市集」     助少年碰撞出生命火花

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記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

由新北市社會局委辦財團法人勵馨社會福利基金會承接的花漾青春館，在暑假的尾聲舉辦「癢癢的市集」，取自諧音「young」，象徵青少年特有的熱情與活力，另有「腳癢癢要出走」的寓意。花漾青春館督導鄭心瑜表示，該館自112年起利用暑假號召少年參與營隊，走出原熟悉的居住環境，學習團體生活，並體驗不同地區文化特色，希望藉由彼此交流，碰撞出生命的火花。

▲花漾青春館「癢癢的市集」邀請臺北市南區少年中心樂隊表演流行音樂大合唱。(圖/新北市社會局 提供)

兒童少年福利科長劉倩如表示，花漾春春館位於三重自強路二段93號，於108年12月底成立，由當年厚德體操館附設空間改造而成，是新北市第5家少年中心，專門提供少年一個多元發展的友善空間，設有各樣互動式體驗學習，並成立手作、舞蹈兩大社團，是少年下課後抒發情感、培養興趣的好所在。

綽號「芋泥」的舞蹈社指導老師表示，最早接觸到花漾，是大學時期參加志願服務進到場館，除了想自我發掘並帶領孩子的學習熱忱外，也被場館內放鬆自在的氣氛感染。跟少年少女們互動如朋友般，在指導舞蹈動作之餘，更多在協助少年建立自信心。

▲花漾青春館「癢癢的市集」展現少年的創意。(圖/新北市社會局 提供)

少女「幼庭」自國小便喜歡參加各類手作DIY課程，在花漾手作社團中體驗了烘培、沙畫、音樂盒及火漆印章…等創作，今年暑假更跟著花漾向社會局提交「兒少公共參與及社會關懷培力計畫」，由少年們發起至台灣流浪兔保護協會從事動物保護工作，還結合金工手作體驗，在培養興趣之餘，並回饋社會。

少女「芯睿」表示，在和夥伴交談中發現大家對一些議題抱持著相同的疑問和好奇，進而想深入探討，在社工的輔導下，從「視障者交通安全」，至「晚安小雞詐騙案」，夥伴們都進行了廣泛的意見交換，無形中也讓自己更加成長，更養成關心周遭的議題。

▲花漾青春館「癢癢的市集」邀請新莊少年中心一起展出記憶拼豆夢工場。(圖/新北市社會局 提供)

花漾青春館督導鄭心瑜表示，癢癢的市集採多元方式進行，濃縮3年營隊的成果，也邀請其他少年中心一起交流表演、擺攤，希望透過市集，增進與鄉里團體的互動，也提供少年一個練習表達的友善環境，展現少年的創意與潛力，達到培力少年的目的。

taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 新莊 新北市 大社 臺北市 三重 南區


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記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

一座專說泰雅族故事的博物館－新北市烏來泰雅民族博物館，共蒐藏了293件織品、生活器具及金屬製品等文物。自2005年開館營運以來，長年穩坐全國原住民族地區原文館年度入館人次冠軍，今年更進一步開啟國際交流，赴德、奧博物館調查研究散佚海外的烏來泰雅族文物，為此，新北市原民局特別策劃泰博館《編織．復返》20年特展，並於今天(8/25)在新北市政府一樓大廳開展，將展出泰博館20年蛻變全紀錄。

▲特展開展記者會大合照。圖左4為新北市副市長陳純敬，右3為新北市原民局局長Siku Yaway林瑋茜，圖右2為新北市議員蘇錦雄，圖左3為新北市議員馬見，圖左1為泰博館諮詢委員尤命·哈用委員，圖左2為烏來編織協會總幹事范月華，圖右1為烏來區公所黃賽門課長。(圖/新北市原民局 提供)

烏來泰博館走過20年，至今累積服務人次突破400萬，且長年穩坐全國原民地區原文館年度入館人次第一，館內典藏的有形文化資產，從語言、織品及生活器物到族人生命經驗的田調資料，泰博館就像一座緩慢而堅定的織布機，一線一線將烏來的山川歷史和在地人的故事，細密且綿密地編進泰雅族群的文化圖景。此外，轄管泰博館的新北市原民局並於2019年率先訂定「新北市烏來泰雅民族博物館兼職導覽服務人員進用及管理要點」，成為全國首創聘用兼職導覽員的原文館，培訓在地人說在地故事，拉近藝術與烏來人的距離，也於2020年成為全國第一座通過博物館評鑑的原文館，展現了20年來在博物館專業與管理上的堅實扎根，接著2022 年首辦織紋分析調查，開創全國原文館研究新紀元，讓泰雅文化的細膩紋理與歷史脈絡得以被精準保存與傳承。而在即將邁入泰博館的下個20年時刻，今年，再創里程碑，不僅開啟國際交流，赴德國柏林民族學博物館、奧地利維也納世界博物館調查研究散佚海外的烏來泰雅族文物，且成為全國第一座與維也納世界博物館簽訂合作備忘錄的原文館，象徵泰雅文化正式踏上國際舞台，向世界展現其光彩與生命力。這些「全國第一」不只是榮耀的象徵，更是每一位館員、研究者、導覽員以及合作夥伴長年默默耕耘，彼此攜手達到的成果。

▲國家重要傳統工藝保存者－尤瑪·達陸專為本次特展參與創作並擔任展覽顧問。(圖/新北市原民局 提供)

因此，本次特展以「編織」為核心意象，並以「復返」為名，思考當代族人如何透過物件所蘊藏的知識進行文化實踐，而泰博館又如何在其中扮演好橋樑角色，為此，20年特展規劃了三大展區：「經線啟程：泰博二十織跡」、「紋理之間：文物珍藏」與「織藝新生：從傳統到創新」，呈現泰博館深耕在地、秉持博物館四大功能「典藏、研究、展示和教育」所推動的各項成果。展覽中更首度播放七位建館重要推手、在地編織協會成員與館內工作者親口分享紀錄影片，希望持續啟發更多對文化傳承與創新的可能性。

▲泰博館20周年特展展區巡禮。(圖/新北市原民局 提供)

這次策展從泰博館的發展歷程展開，並將鎮館之寶「泰雅族貝珠長衣」首度移展館外公開亮相，且去年甫完成修復的「醫用聽診器」也一併展出，象徵泰博館20年來在研究、修復與推廣上的珍藏鉅獻，另外，展場中亦有結合科技的互動裝置，邀請觀眾一步步體驗泰雅織布的流程與技巧，織出屬於自己的成品。

新北市副市長陳純敬表示，泰博館20年的努力，是無數人攜手織就的成果，正如國家重要傳統工藝保存者－尤瑪·達陸這次專為本次特展參與創作的意象裝置與地板設計，象徵著編織精神的綿延不息，也承載著烏來泰博館20年來的歷史記憶，透過這次特展，誠摯邀請民眾走進館內，感受泰雅織布的美與生命力，未來20年，泰博館將持續深耕專業、拓展國際合作，與相關國內、外博物館進一步合作，進行文物調研，建立烏來織者的技藝知識庫，並讓文化回到族人生活中，使泰博館成為與烏來在地一同守護泰雅文化的重要平台。

▲導覽分享本次歐洲考察成果紀錄。(圖/新北市原民局 提供)

新北市原民局長Siku Yaway林瑋茜強調，文化影響力是城市競爭力一環，國人愈了解台灣歷史文化，愈有自信展現優勢，「編織·復返tminun msbnahan－烏來泰雅民族博物館20週年特展」，即日起於新北市政府一樓大廳展至9月1日，後續將移至烏來泰博館接力展出至115年5月31日止。展覽期間也推出豐富的周邊活動，包括兩場講座沙龍分別於8月25日與8月27日在新北市政府舉行，從地方博物館的文化角色出發，延伸至泰雅織藝的當代表述，透過多元觀點對話，邀請大家重新思考「織」的意義與未來。另外，2場親子活動則於8月29日（新北市政府）與10月4日（烏來泰雅民族博物館）登場，不僅有2本繪本故事分享，現場還加入刮麻與織布體驗，後續還有8場織布主題手作課程，將於9月至11月於烏來泰博館陸續展開，歡迎大朋友、小朋友一起從一針一線中體驗工藝的細膩與文化的溫度。

taiwan-subdivisions: 烏來 新北 新北市 烏來區

countries: 台灣 奧地利 德國

title: 新北泰博館辦20週年特展     《編織．復返》訴說烏來泰雅故事     展現文化傳承決心


title: 毛孩盛事創紀錄！逾萬人寵到訪合和 見證年度寵物品牌誕生 | 第二屆「毛神神嘉年華暨頒獎禮」圓滿落幕

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香港2025年8月25日 /美通社/ — 全城矚目的寵物界盛事迎來新高峰！由 PressLogic 旗下生活資訊平台 HolidaySmart 假期日常 及寵物平台 PetCity 毛孩日常 聯手策劃的第二屆「毛神神嘉年華暨頒獎禮」，於剛過去的週末（8月23至24日）假灣仔合和商場圓滿舉行，活動盛況空前，兩日總計吸引超過一萬名人寵到訪，現場派發超過8000份、總值逾港幣25萬的贊助禮品，共同在充滿歡樂的寵物友善嘉年華中，見證了年度「我最喜愛毛孩小編」及「我最喜愛寵物品牌」大獎的誕生。

為期兩日的嘉年華活動精彩紛呈，首日由 PressLogic 策略合作副總裁 Parry Li 的致辭為嘉年華揭開序幕：「我們非常榮幸能再次舉辦『毛神神嘉年華』，凝聚這個充滿活力的寵物社群。PressLogic 作為一個在亞洲市場領先、擁有超過2000萬追蹤者的科技與創意集團，我們希望透過《假期日常》及《毛孩日常》這兩個旗艦平台，將我們的熱情與實力帶到毛孩界，與大家共同建立一個更美好的寵物社區。」Parry 表示。

緊隨其後，PressLogic 創辦人及行政總裁 Ryan Cheung 為多位傑出「毛孩小編」頒發「我最愛毛孩小編獎」，表揚他們在毛孩社群中的出色貢獻，他亦衷心感謝所有客戶，贊助商及參展商的鼎力支持。

本次嘉年華現場氣氛熱烈，活動於寵物友善的室內商場舉行，讓主人與寵物能在炎炎夏日中舒適地享受冷氣。合和商場內設有大型摩天輪、多個3D立體打卡位、讓寵物盡情放電的遊戲專區、專家主講的寵物美容工作坊，以及匯集多家品牌的寵物市集。此外，超過400位「毛孩小編」亦在現場舉行盛大毛孩聚會，分享養寵心得，充分展現了「毛神神」在凝聚寵物社群方面的強大力量。

翌日的重頭戲為「毛神神我最喜愛寵物品牌大獎」頒獎典禮，由 PressLogic 聯合創辦人兼內容策略副總裁 Christine Lai 的歡迎辭揭開序幕，她表示：「我們非常榮幸能一同見證這個屬於毛孩社群的盛事，活動不僅是為了讓大家與毛孩一起盡情玩樂，更希望能藉此表揚一直以來，用愛心與專業默默守護毛孩的傑出品牌。我們衷心感謝合和商場提供如此舒適的寵物友善場地，並感謝所有客戶、贊助商、參展品牌及每一位到場的寵物愛好者。」

「毛神神最喜愛的寵物品牌大獎」頒獎禮

HolidaySmart 假期日常 及PetCity 毛孩日常 誠摯祝賀所有獲獎品牌，感謝他們對產品質量和服務創新的堅定承諾，為寵物帶來更美好的生活。以下為獲得殊榮的品牌獎項（排名不分先後）：

我最喜愛寵物主人潤膚軟膏: 娥羅納英H軟膏我最喜愛天然寵物食品: Blue Buffalo最佳寵物友善油站: 中石化(香港)油站有限公司我最喜愛寵物天然營養補充品品牌: Vetalohk我最喜愛本地天然寵物用品品牌: LONC我最喜愛寵物關愛共融社企: 膳心小館 Agape Garden我最喜愛寵物保險團隊: 壹區 1 District我最喜愛寵物家電品牌: LG我最喜愛非牟利獸醫服務機構: NPV非牟利獸醫服務協會我最喜愛寵物攝影工作室: Venture Studios

凝聚社群力量，共創寵物友善未來

「毛神神嘉年華暨頒獎禮」的核心宗旨，是推動寵物品牌與社群的真誠互動。主辦單位衷心感謝所有參與者、讀者以及各大合作夥伴。我們期待與大家攜手，繼續推動香港寵物友善文化的發展，並在未來為大家帶來更精彩的活動。

可按此連結下載高清圖片及活動網站。

新聞稿發佈官方合作機構: PR Newswire, a Cision company

關於 PressLogic | 透過社交媒體、AI 與數據，為品牌創造更大可能

PressLogic 2016 年於香港成立，是一家新世代廣告科技生態系統集團 － 我們專注於整合內容創作、數據分析、AI 技術與全流程行銷策略，透過科技與數據精準驅動內容價值與商業轉化，為品牌提供一站式解決方案。

我們的業務橫跨亞洲7大市場，遍及新加坡、馬來西亞、台灣、韓國、印度及深圳，團隊由超過 200 位營銷及科技專業人才組成，並已建立完整的製作、科技與分析能力體系。我們的內容矩陣涵蓋 9 個垂類媒體品牌，累積超過 2000 萬粉絲，每月內容觸及量突破 5 億次，並持續快速擴展中。我們的媒體品牌橫跨多個生活領域，包括：

女性生活與時尚（GirlStyle、TopBeauty、POPLADY）商業財經與管理（BusinessFocus）親子育兒（MamiDaily）健康生活（UrbanLife Health）旅遊餐飲（HolidaySmart）寵物文化（PetCity）韓流潮流（Kdaily）

我們於 2023 年榮獲 Deloitte 香港高成長企業大獎（AI 軟件類別）殊榮，並成功入選香港科學園「精英培育計劃」（資訊與通訊科技領域），這些成就正好印證我們對科技、內容與成效之間的深度整合與創新實力。

關於 PetCity 毛孩日常 PetCity 毛孩日常是 PressLogic 旗下的寵物主題生活平台，致力於為廣大寵物主人提供最新、最全面的寵物資訊，內容涵蓋寵物健康、飲食、訓練、好去處及產品評測等。平台透過凝聚強大的寵物社群，分享真實的用戶體驗，已成為香港領先的寵物內容媒體之一。

關於 HolidaySmart 假期日常 HolidaySmart 假期日常是 PressLogic 旗下的旅遊及本地生活資訊平台，專為追求優質生活的都市人而設。平台內容包羅萬有，從本地餐飲、週末好去處、酒店Staycation到海外旅遊攻略，致力於啟發讀者探索生活的無限可能，其中「寵物友善」系列內容深受讀者歡迎。

傳媒查詢Philip Chau – Director of Corporate Affairs電郵: [email protected]Adrian Tsui – Assistant Manager Account Servicing (Retainer and Media Planning)電郵: [email protected]

countries: 香港 印度 馬來西亞 台灣 韓國 新加坡


people: 卓榮泰 林岱樺 李坤城 鄭麗君

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CONSENSUS: The government and industry understand the importance of keeping industries rooted in Taiwan to maintain the nation’s competitiveness, the premier said

The government and industry are in agreement that Taiwan’s industrial roots must stay in Taiwan to maintain the nation’s leading position in key industries, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday.

Cho was responding to questions by lawmakers about the possibility of Taiwan’s semiconductor industrial chain moving to the US.

The US’ “reciprocal” tariffs took effect on Aug. 7, and Taiwan negotiated a reduction from the base rate plus 32 percent to the base rate plus a provisional tariff of 20 percent.

Semiconductors inside a micro dispensing platform are displayed at SEMICON Taiwan at the Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei on Sept. 4 last year. Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA-EFE

Cho was asked to deliver a report to the legislature yesterday on the progress of Taiwan-US trade talks and their possible impact on Taiwanese industries.

Asked about the goals of the US tariff negotiations, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君), who led a delegation in several rounds of trade negotiations with US officials, told lawmakers that they include discussions of the reciprocal tariffs and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, and Taiwan’s bid that the final tariff rate would not be “stacked” on top of old ones.

Since Aug. 1, the group has held three videoconferences for the trade talks, she said, adding that the trade team would proactively strive for any arrangement that is beneficial to the negotiations.

The wrap-up meeting is to be held in the US, and the delegation is ready to head over at any time, Cheng said.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城) asked if the US demanded that Taiwan’s semiconductor industry invest in the US in exchange for zero tariffs, and whether companies in the semiconductor supply chain would also have to move to the US.

Cheng said the Cabinet has held talks with semiconductor-related companies, including upstream suppliers of materials, equipment and chips, as well as downstream servers and other products, to better understand their position on investing in the US.

Cho said that the government’s and industry’s consensus is Taiwan’s industrial roots must stay in the nation — which would not only involve high-tech industries — for Taiwan to maintain its leading position in key industries.

While keeping their industrial roots in Taiwan, they must have a global strategy, he said, adding that the “Taiwan Plus One” strategy offers one way to keep high-tech research and development in Taiwan.

As the US wants to revitalize its manufacturing industries, especially those related to artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors, Taiwan proposed supply chain cooperation, which would be beneficial to Taiwanese industries’ global strategy, he said.

DPP Legislator Lin Tai-hua (林岱樺) asked Cheng about the impact of tariff negotiations on traditional industries and whether they would be considered expendable bargaining chips in negotiations.

Lin said that Taiwan’s semiconductor sector has an output value of about NT$6 trillion (US$197 billion) and a workforce of about 1.21 million, while traditional industries, such as steel, petrochemicals and agriculture, employ about 2.5 million people, despite their lower output value.

Lin expressed concern over the possibility of the semiconductor, and information and communications technology industries being prioritized in negotiations at the expense of other industries.

“I don’t think so,” Cheng said.

Lin pressed on and asked whether Cheng’s reply meant that “absolutely none of the industries would be sacrificed.”

“Of course not,” Cheng said, adding that the government is seeking to lower the 20 percent “reciprocal” tariff primarily because many traditional industries would be severely affected.

Some products, including steel, auto parts, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, are excluded from tariffs due to national security reasons, under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act, although discussions with Washington continue, Cho said.

A reassessment showed that the tariff change reduced projected impacts on “exports, production, GDP and jobs” by about half, but the government would still conduct a comprehensive review of sectors, he added.

Taiwanese industries most affected include hand tools, machine tools, hardware, heavy electrical equipment and plastic products, Cho said.

As for agriculture, moth orchids, edamame soybeans and mahi-mahi fish are also affected, he said.

The government would provide relief assistance through a special “resilience” budget and consider overall employment stability, Cho said, adding that 73 firms and 2,388 workers have already been directly affected by the tariffs.

Taiwan’s tariff talks with the US remain focused on three goals: securing a better rate, ensuring a fair process under US trade law and preventing overlapping tariffs, he said.

“Once an agreement is reached, it will be submitted to the Legislative Yuan under the Conclusion of Treaties Act,” Cho said.

title: Taiwan keeping its industrial roots: Cho


content_text:
By Chen Yu-fu and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Democratic nations should refrain from attending China’s upcoming large-scale military parade, which Beijing could use to sow discord among democracies, Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Shen You-chung (沈有忠) said.

China is scheduled to stage the parade on Wednesday next week to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. The event is expected to mobilize tens of thousands of participants and prominently showcase China’s military hardware.

Speaking at a symposium in Taichung on Thursday, Shen said that Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) recently met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to New Delhi. Modi has indicated his willingness to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in the Chinese city of Tianjin, which is set to take place on Sunday and Monday next week.

Members of the military band of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) rehearse in Beijing for a military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War in Beijing on Wednesday last week. Photo: EPA

Although Modi has not said whether he would also attend the parade, Shen said it is likely that he and other visiting leaders would be invited, given the proximity of the two events.

Indian media have voiced concerns that Modi might bring up the “one China” principle when meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Tianjin, possibly in exchange for concessions from Beijing on the India-China border dispute or economic issues, he said.

Indian media also voiced concern that by attending the parade, Modi could be photographed alongside Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin — leaders of two nations viewed as pursuing excessive military ambitions, he said, adding that such an image might signal a shift in India’s diplomatic posture.

Attention has therefore focused on whether Modi would issue a joint declaration after his meeting with Xi and whether he would ultimately attend the parade, Shen said.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has declined Xi’s invitation to the parade, but would send South Korean National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo on his behalf, Shen said, adding that whether Japan or the US would be understanding of such conduct remains to be seen.

So far, Slovakia is the only EU member state confirmed to take part in the parade, he said.

“We hope that free and democratic nations would not only stay away from China’s Sept. 3 parade, but also boycott or condemn the event,” he said, adding that Beijing might exploit the occasion to sow division among democracies.

China has become a persistent threat in the Indo-Pacific region — a reality the US is already well aware of, Shen said.

The economic gap between the US and China has narrowed dramatically over the past three decades. In 1992, the US economy was 15 times larger than China’s, but by 2008 this had shrunk to three times, and by 2014 to 1.5 times, he said.

Today, the US economy is only about one-and-a-half times bigger, with global forecasts suggesting that China could soon overtake the US as the world’s largest economy, he said.

A similar trend is visible in military spending, Shen said.

In 1996, the US outspent China by a factor of 26, a lead that had fallen to eightfold by 2008 and just threefold last year, he said.

While much of the US’ defense budget goes toward personnel and the upkeep of its bases around the world, about 90 percent of China’s military expenditure is concentrated in the Indo-Pacific region and along the India-China border, he said.

This concentrated buildup demonstrates why China’s military presence in the region represents a direct and tangible threat to the US, Shen said.

title: MAC urges democracies to boycott China’s military parade


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CHAMPIONS: President Lai congratulated the players’ outstanding performance, cheering them for marking a new milestone in the nation’s baseball history

Taiwan on Sunday won their first Little League Baseball World Series (LLBWS) title in 29 years, as Taipei’s Dong Yuan Elementary School defeated a team from Las Vegas 7-0 in the championship game in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

It was Taiwan’s first championship in the annual tournament since 1996, ending a nearly three-decade drought.

“It has been a very long time ... and we finally made it,” Taiwan manager Lai Min-nan (賴敏男) said after the game.

Taiwanese players celebrate after winning the Little League Baseball World Series Championship against Las Vegas in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on Sunday.  Photo: Gene J. Puskar, AP

Lai said he last managed a Dong Yuan team in at the South Williamsport in 2015, when they were eliminated after four games.

“There is a saying in Taiwan that it takes 10 years to sharpen a sword,” he said.

Lai said he discovered the group of young players two years ago and the LLBWS again.

title: Taiwan win first Little League WS title in 29 years


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Indonesia hosts annual US-led military drills with allies in Indo-Pacific region

Indonesia and the US yesterday began annual joint military exercises together with forces from a dozen other countries, as Washington pushes its allies to take threats from China more seriously.

Hosted by the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), this year’s Super Garuda Shield focused on strengthening regional ties in an increasingly unstable global landscape, TNI Deputy Commander General Tandyo Budi Revita said.

“It serves as a joint exercise where we stand together to respond to every challenge quickly and precisely,” he said at the opening ceremony, along with US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Samuel Paparo.

US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Samuel Paparo, front center, and Indonesian Armed Forces Deputy Commander General Tandyo Budi Revita, fifth right, join hands with other participants during the opening ceremony of the Super Garuda Shield 2025 at the Naval Command and Staff College in Jakarta yesterday.  Photo: AFP

The exercise has been held annually in Jakarta by US and Indonesian soldiers since 2009. The list of participants expanded since 2022 to include Australia, Japan, Singapore, the UK, France, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Brazil and South Korea, bringing the total number of troops taking part in the drill to 6,500.

Paparo said the expanded participants symbolizes a commitment to partnership and to the sovereignty of each country through mutual respect.

“It represents deterring anyone that would hope to change the facts on the ground using violence with the collective determination of all participants to uphold the principles of sovereignty,” Paparo said.

Jakarta has expressed concern about what it sees as Chinese encroachment on its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, while maintaining generally positive ties with Beijing.

Several Asian countries also sent observers to the 11-day combat exercise in Jakarta and on Sumatra island. The exercises are to end on Thursday next week with a combined live-fire drill.

The expanded drills have sparked concern from China, which accused the US of trying to build an “Asian NATO” to limit China’s growing military and diplomatic influence in the region.

During a recent speech in Singapore, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth cautioned that seeking US military support while relying on Chinese economic support carries risk.

Hegseth said Washington has been strengthening an arc of military alliances in the Indo-Pacific region to reassure allies alarmed by Beijing’s increasing military and economic pressure, and provocative actions in the disputed South China Sea.

Although increased activities by Chinese coast guard vessels and fishing boats in the area have unnerved Jakarta, Indonesia has sought to avoid confrontation and continued economic initiatives with China.

Jakarta’s decision to sidestep the issue is consistent with its longstanding policy of keeping friction with Beijing behind closed doors, especially given the scale of Chinese trade and investment in the Indonesian economy, said Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat and Yeta Purnama, researchers at the Center of Economic and Law Studies.

“This dual-track diplomacy might seem inconsistent, but for Jakarta, it is strategic. Indonesia is embracing defense diversification, not alignment,” Rakhmat said.

The country has remained committed to Super Garuda Shield, and continued purchasing US and French arms and developing interoperability with Western militaries, he added.

“In a region defined by rising tensions and great power rivalry, Indonesia’s refusal to choose sides, at least in defense, might be its strongest asset,” Rakhmat said.


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Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar living in dozens of camps in Bangladesh yesterday marked the eighth anniversary of their mass exodus, demanding a safe return to their previous home in Rakhine state.

The refugees gathered in an open field at a camp in Kutupalong, in the Cox’s Bazar district in southeastern Bangladesh, the site of a large refugee camp. They carried banners that read: “No more refugee life” and “Repatriation the ultimate solution.” They were marking what they called “Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day.”

“We want to go back to our country with equal rights like other ethnic groups in Myanmar,” one of the protesters, 19-year-old Nur Aziz, told The Associated Press. “The rights they are enjoying in Myanmar as citizens of the country, we too want to enjoy the same rights.”

Rohingya refugees take part in the “Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day” rally to mark the anniversary of their mass exodus from Myanmar following a military crackdown, at a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, yesterday.  Photo: AFP

Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, urged the international community to facilitate a process for their safe return, as he addressed a three-day conference on the Rohingya that began a day earlier in Cox’s Bazar.

International dignitaries, UN representatives, diplomats and Bangladesh’s interim government discussed supporting refugees with food and other amenities, and how to speed up the repatriation process.

Yunus said that the “relationship of Rohingyas with their homeland cannot be severed.”

Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, center, attends a stakeholders’ dialogue on the Rohingya situation in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, yesterday. Photo: AP

“Their right to return to their homeland has to be secured,” he said. “Therefore, we urge all parties and partners to work hard for charting a practical roadmap for their speedy, safe, dignified, voluntary and sustainable return to their homes in Rakhine as soon as possible.”

Myanmar launched a brutal crackdown in August 2017 following insurgent attacks on guard posts in Rakhine state. The scale, organization and ferocity of the operation led to accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide from the international community, including the UN.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims began leaving Myanmar then. They traveled by foot and boats during shelling, indiscriminate killings and other violence in Rakhine state, which was captured by the Arakan Army insurgent group that has battled against Burmese government forces.

The Bangladesh government, which was led at the time by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, ordered the border to be opened, eventually allowing more than 700,000 refugees to take shelter in the Muslim-majority nation.

The influx was in addition to more than 300,000 refugees who already had lived in Bangladesh for decades in the wake of previous violence perpetrated by Myanmar’s military.

Since 2017, Bangladesh has attempted at least twice to send the refugees back and has urged the international community to build pressure on Myanmar’s government to establish a peaceful environment that could assist their repatriation. The governments under Hasina and Yunus also have sought repatriation support from China.

However, the situation inside Myanmar has remained volatile, especially in Rakhine state. In Bangladesh, Rohingya refugees face challenges, including aid cuts by donors.

Yunus urged the regional and international stakeholders to continue to support the Rohingya people, including with financial support.

“We urge upon all to calibrate their relations with Myanmar and the Arakan Army and all parties to the conflict in order to promote an early resolution of this protracted crisis,” he said.

title: Rohingya refugees call for their safe return to Myanmar


title: CAA to spend NT$600m to revamp Penghu airports

taiwan-subdivisions: 七美 望安

content_text:
BOOSTING TOURISM: Architects Hsu Tsung-hsi and Dan Norihiko, who led the renovation of the Taoyuan airport’s Terminal I before, would design the projects

The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said it would soon spend about NT$600 million (US$19.7 million) to renovate airports in Cimei (七美) and Wangan (望安) townships, two small islands in Penghu County, as part of government efforts to upgrade facilities and boost tourism in the country’s outlying islands.

Airports are gateways for people to the outlying islands and are the beginning of their journeys, CAA Director-General Ho Shu-ping (何淑萍) said yesterday, adding that a well-designed airport would impress travelers and inspire them to visit the destination again.

Cimei is home to the Twin Hearts Stone Weir (雙心石滬), a stone fish weir, while Wangan is famous for its efforts to conserve green sea turtles.

A computer-generated illustration of the redesigned Cimei airport in Penghu County. Photo courtesy of the Civil Aviation Administration

The Cimei airport would be redesigned by incorporating the imageries of five bays on Cimei Island and the Twin Hearts Stone Weir, Ho said.

As the Wangan Airport is northwest and inland from Wangan’s Tanmen Harbor, the airport’s new design would resemble open arms, welcoming tourists from Taiwan proper, she said.

The administration has allocated NT$597.9 million to renovate the two airports, with the construction estimated to take two years. The projects would be jointly designed by Taiwanese architect Hsu Tsung-hsi (許宗熙), Japanese architect Norihiko Dan and Taiwanese landscape designer Wu Shu-yuan (吳書原).

Hsu and Dan previously led the renovation of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 1, which was completed in 2013.

The agency began recruiting construction firms for renovation projects since November 2023, but it has twice failed to find contractors.

“Cimei and Wangan are small islands in the Penghu archipelago, and constructions on small islands are much more complicated than those in an outlying island. Additionally, there were already many construction projects on the main island of Penghu. These explain why we failed to recruit contractors,” Ho said.

The agency has reviewed the contract and is to put the contract on tender again next year.

“We hope that the bid would be finalized by the end of next year, and the construction could be completed by December 2029,” she said.


title: Chunghwa Post to temporarily stop packages to US

content_text:
SEEKING SOLUTION: The types of packages affected include anything that has commercial value, such as e-commerce purchases, and gifts for friends and family   By Lin Chih-yi and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Chunghwa Post is to temporarily stop sending packages to the US starting today, as Washington is set to end its tax exemption on items valued at less than US$800.

Following an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump on July 30, the US on Friday is to universally stop the de minimis exemption under which packages worth less than US$800 may enter the US duty-free.

As there is no system in place anywhere in the world to collect tax payments from the sender, Chunghwa Post is to temporarily halt shipments of merchandise to the US, it said in a statement yesterday.

Letters and other types of paper items would not be affected, it said.

Senders could still use third-party services such as DHL or FedEx to ship packages to the US, the postal service said.

The types of packages affected include anything that has commercial value, such as items purchased on e-commerce sites or gifts to be sent to friends and family.

Most items sent to the US fall under the de minimis rule, and any additional taxes incurred are paid by the recipient, Chunghwa’s deputy head of mail business and operations Lin Li-fu (林立富) said.

However, the change would require taxes to be paid upon arrival in the US, he said, adding that the timeframe is too short to implement the logistics to make this possible.

As there is currently no standard for collecting tax from the sender, it is impossible to make the change fast enough, he said, adding that Chunghwa is evaluating how to reinstate the service.

Although third-party businesses are still offering shipping services, the pricing would change perhaps by the week and might be more expensive, Lin said.


title: Dozens indicted in case of alleged illegal dumping

content_text:
Miaoli County prosecutors yesterday said they had indicted 49 people for alleged illegal dumping, forgery, causing pollution and contravening the Waste Disposal Act (廢棄物清理法).

The case involves several companies and executives of business associations for treating sand and gravel. Suspects allegedly had made about NT$300 million (US$9.85 million) through unauthorized dumping in rural areas, prosecutor Peng Yu-ching (彭郁清) said.

Prosecutors said that the case, which they started to investigate last year, has revealed the largest organized criminal group involved in environmental pollution in the county’s history.

Dumpster trucks confiscated by authorities during a crackdown on illegal dumping of industrial waste in Miaoli County are pictured in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Miaoli District Prosecutors’ Office

They said they have confiscated NT$120 million worth of real-estate assets, NT$24 million in cash during searches at offices and 39 dumpster trucks, a national record for such vehicles seized.

Following a 10-month-long investigation, authorities indicted the 49 people, including an elected official for Miaoli’s Houlong Township (後龍), surnamed Wang (王), and the chairman of a Taipei-based business association for treating sand and gravel, prosecutors said.

The suspects were charged with contravening the Criminal Code, and the Waste Disposal and Organized Crime Prevention (組織犯罪防制條) acts, they said.

The case has uncovered “major” environmental damage, including pollution of soil, rivers and streams in rural Miaoli along with other administrative regions, Peng said.

Miaoli police, the Ministry of Environment’s Environmental Management Administration and Changhua County authorities cooperated during the investigation, Peng said, adding that they have conducted seven waves of searches at a total of 34 locations, summoned 100 people for questioning and detained 15 suspects.

Suspects allegedly formed an “industry-wide crime chain,” forged business licenses and other certificates, and falsified records to pass inspections, Peng said.


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Taiwan’s “Outlaw Doctor,” actress Suri Lin win at Global OTT Awards

Taiwanese crime drama “The Outlaw Doctor” (化外之醫) won the best Asian contents award, while actress Suri Lin (林廷憶) was named best new actress at the Global OTT Awards in Busan, South Korea, on Sunday.

It was the first time a Taiwanese production had won the honor since the awards were launched in 2019.

Producer Tang Sheng-jung (湯昇榮) said he was especially moved when several international jurors told him they enjoyed the series, adding that it showed he was right to set the story against the backdrop of cross-border crime, which resonated with audiences worldwide.

A promotional poster for the drama "Outlaw Doctor" is projected on a screen during the Global OTT Awards in Busan, South Korea, on Sunday. Photo courtesy of the Public Television Service

Lin was recognized for her role in Netflix’s “Born for the Spotlight” (影后), in which she played Shih Ai-ma (史艾 瑪), an actress discovered by her agent “Ms. Chubby” (胖姐), portrayed by Chung Hsin-ling (鍾欣凌).

Chung presented the award to Lin at the ceremony, echoing their on-screen bond. Lin shared the title with South Korean actress Chung Su-bin, honored for the series “Friendly Rivalry.”

In her acceptance speech, Lin said the award also belonged to the show’s director Yen Yi-wen (嚴藝文), who “inspired me personally and professionally.”

“With Born for the Spotlight, you make so many people feel seen and heard and understood, including me. So, thank you for that,” she said.

The Global OTT Awards celebrate excellence in TV, OTT and digital content worldwide, according to the event’s website.

Co-hosted by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT and the Busan Metropolitan City, the awards are part of the International Streaming Festival 2025.


people: 鄭麗君 王定宇

content_text:
US car imports part of tariff talks, vice premier says

US car imports are part of the tariff talks with Washington, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) said yesterday, but she offered few details on the discussions.

Levies on US car imports, and their compliance with safety and emissions standards were still being negotiated, she added.

Cheng made the statement in response to a question on whether Washington had demanded zero tariffs on US-made vehicles imported into Taiwan.

Vehicle production lines at a plant are pictured in Taoyuan’s Zhongli District in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers Association

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) said there were already rumors about zero tariffs and that the US had made similar demands from Japan and South Korea.

Cheng said that Washington expressed hope for greater openness and expanded market access for US-made vehicles, but she did not provide further details.

Technical aspects were also being discussed, the vice premier said, adding that the outcome would be presented to the legislature and the public once finalized.

Cheng said she has held three videoconferences with US officials since Aug. 1.

The talks remained focused on securing a better tariff rate, ensuring a fair process under US trade law and preventing stacked tariffs, or multiple tariffs being applied to the same product, she said.

They also covered Section 232 of the US’ Trade Expansion Act, as Taiwan has the sixth-largest trade surplus with the US, with about 90 percent of that coming from semiconductors, and information and communication technology products, she added.

The Taiwanese negotiating team would try to seek the best tariff for semiconductors, Cheng said, adding that she expected Washington to arrange a concluding meeting once a certain level of agreement was reached.

In April, the US launched an investigation under Section 232 of the act for a possible tariff on semiconductor imports.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump threatened a tariff of about 100 percent on imported semiconductors, but said there would be no charge if companies were building them in the US.


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UNFAIRLY TARGETED:  The defense ministry said the act aimed to maintain security of military zones, but people said it is unreasonable to treat the public as spies   By Wu Liang-yi, Tsai Yun-jung and William Hetherington / Staff reporters, with staff writer

Members of the public have complained that the Military Installation Safety Protection Act (軍事營區安全維護條例), which prohibits photographing or filming inside military control zones, was unclear and “unfairly enforced.”

Aviation enthusiasts have been told to stop filming civilian aircraft takeoffs and landings near Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), but the airport frequently posts photos of planes and runways on Facebook, they said, adding that the government has “double standards” and is unfairly targeting the public.

In the past, Taiwan had more than 80 military zones, which covered 39,700 hectares. Today, only 22 zones remain, covering 5,539 hectares.

People take photographs of a plane from a street near Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) in an undated photograph. Photo: Wu Liang-yi, Taipei Times

The Ministry of National Defense, which proposed the act that was promulgated earlier this month, said that it aimed to maintain the integrity and security of the remaining military zones.

The act stipulates that photographing or filming areas inside military zones, or engaging in activity deemed harmful to security could result in fines between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000.

To date, nobody has been fined under the act, but aviation fans taking photos near Songshan airport have been asked by military personnel or police to leave, and in some cases have had to show proof that their photos did not include restricted military facilities.

People said it is unreasonable to treat ordinary people photographing planes from the roadside “as if they were spies.”

The airports in Taipei, Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan, Penghu and Hualien are all dual-use civilian-military airports, and are therefore affected by the act. Domestic passengers at these airports are now reminded through in-flight announcements not to photograph the airports during takeoff and landing.

The ministry said that the non-military sections of airports could still be photographed or filmed, and that the percentage of these sections differs by airport. For example, most of Songshan airport is not a restricted military zone — which means runways, aircraft movements and terminals at the airport could be photographed — while more than 90 percent of Hualien and Taichung airports are restricted areas.

However, people said that enforcement standards around Songshan airport were inconsistent and confusing.

For example, Lane 180 of Binjiang Street, known as “Airplane Alley,” has long been a popular location for planespotting, as it offers clear views of civilian aircraft. It does not include views of military facilities, but warning signs have been posted along the road which read: Airport control zone — no trespassing, photography, recording, mapping, fireworks or hunting.

Songshan airport director Cheng Chien-chung (鄭堅中) said that aviation police are primarily concerned with flight safety and preventing people from climbing over fences, not banning photography.

The warning signs were originally installed to comply with now-outdated laws, he said, adding that adjustments to the signage would be discussed with the military.

Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) previously said that photographing military aircraft taking off does not contravene the law. However, deliberately photographing sensitive areas inside a military camp with the intent of conducting reconnaissance would be illegal.

Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Kuo-hsien (林國顯) on Sunday said that aviation enthusiasts who want to photograph aircraft near dual-use airports should first consult the military zone maps published by the defense ministry.

As long as people avoid restricted areas and focus solely on civilian aircraft movements, there should be no legal issues, he said.

title: Safety law not clear on airport photos: critics


title: SEF says it recorded 97 safety cases of Taiwanese in China

content_text:
By Chen Yu-fu and Lery Hiciano / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Between January and last month, 94 cases related to the “personal safety” of Taiwanese businesspeople in China were recorded, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) said yesterday.

Such cases include funeral arrangements and death compensation, restrictions on personal freedoms due to legal disputes, medical evacuations and issues involving lost or expired documents, the foundation said.

The figure represents a slight decline compared with the same period last year.

A person walks past an electronic billboard at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) calling on Taiwanese traveling to China to register on the Mainland Affairs Council’s online platform. Photo: CNA

Separately, four Taiwanese members of the I-Kuan Tao (一貫道) religious group, all older than 70, remain in detention in China and are likely to face prosecution, it said.

The SEF is a semi-official agency set up by the Taiwanese government to handle civil and business affairs with China, but it does not have its own offices there.

In emergencies, it relies on local Taiwanese business associations to collect information and provide immediate support to affected people and their families, it said.

It also coordinates with its Chinese counterpart, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, to help coordinate with the Chinese authorities when necessary.

Many cases involve business secrets or personal data, so details cannot usually be disclosed publicly, the foundation said.

While individual cases sometimes change, such as a person initially reported as “missing” later confirmed to have been arrested, its statistics do not retroactively update those classifications, it said.

The nature and causes of “missing” cases also vary, it added.

Some cases involve only a temporary loss of contact with family, while others concern people who have been detained without their relatives being informed, it said.

Once a family becomes aware of a detention, arrest, trial or house arrest, the nature of the case changes, it added.

After accepting a case, the foundation said it immediately reaches out to the person or their family to gather details and offer assistance.

Depending on the circumstances, the SEF might also issue reminders or anonymous warnings to other Taiwanese businesspeople living or working in China, it said.


title: Japanese man deported over pro-China video

content_text:
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) yesterday deported a Japanese man for saying “Taiwan belongs to China” in a TikTok video filmed in Taipei.

The video, which the agency said was filmed on Monday last week, was uploaded on Friday by a man calling himself Aira Todomi.

In the video, Todomi and another social media influencer, a 42-year-old man who called himself Hiroyuki Tanaka, held the flag of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on the rainbow crosswalk in Taipei’s Ximending (西門町) area.

Two Japanese nationals hold a Chinese flag in Taipei’s Ximending in a video posted on Thursday last week. Photo: screen grab from a video posted by Threads user @gawain0512

“Taiwan belongs to China,” Tanaka says in the video.

The NIA said the video contravened Article 18 of the Immigration Act (入出國及移民法), which states that the agency would “prohibit an alien from entering the State” if they are “believed to endanger national interests, public security, public order, or the good customs of the State.”

The agency did not specify how the video met those thresholds, although it said the two people’s comments were inappropriate.

The NIA said it deported Tanaka yesterday morning and has banned him from re-entering Taiwan.

Todomi, who left Taiwan immediately after filming the video, has been banned from re-entering the country, the agency said.

Tanaka might have stayed in Taiwan after filming the video due to his marital status, as he had said in TikTok videos that he is married to a Taiwanese.

Tanaka also admitted to participating in the video to boost his online presence and fan base in China, the agency said

The content creators entered Taiwan through the mutual visa-free program between Taiwan and Japan, it said.

Aside from displaying the PRC flag, Todomi and Tanaka said in the video that they were Japanese who deeply love China.

Speaking Japanese and Mandarin, Todomi said that they would love to see China and Japan continue their friendly relationship, adding that whatever problem Taiwan has with China should be dealt with between the two sides.

Tanaka, who spoke less and appeared less fluent in Mandarin, echoed Todomi’s sentiments and uttered the remark that got him into trouble.

The men then parted ways, leaving Todomi alone to continue the video, which included a segment of him singing in front of Taipei Main Station with Chinese and Japanese flags draped over the steps leading to the station’s south entrance.

While he claimed he was Japanese, Todomi has also said he is Chinese in a number of TikTok videos.

The Ximending video generated a backlash online, with Taiwanese — including YouTuber Wen Tzu-yu (溫子渝), also known as Pa Chiung (八炯) — saying they reported the video and its content creators to the NIA.


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Coast guard officer indicted for bribery, espionage

Kinmen County prosecutors yesterday indicted a senior Coast Guard Administration (CGA) officer for allegedly taking bribes from Chinese smugglers and leaking confidential information to Chinese officials.

Prosecutors requested a nine-year, six-month jail sentence and a NT$6 million (US$197,044) fine for Chuang Tsung-hui (莊宗輝), the head of the Duty Command Center of the CGA Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch.

Authorities in May launched an investigation into a potential national security case, searching Chuang’s home and CGA offices.

“Taking advantage of his position, the suspect gained access to highly sensitive information, including data from radar installations, records of marine vessel activities, the Kinmen region’s CGA on-duty roster, patrol fleet schedules, and inspection reports on vessels entering and disembarking from harbors,” lead prosecutor on the case Lin Po-wen (林伯文) said.

He also had access to files kept by judicial authorities on cases of smuggling, illegal encroachment and other criminal actions involving foreign vessels in the Kinmen area, Lin said.

Chuang allegedly passed on documents and information to smuggling rings based in Taiwan and China in exchange for money, prosecutors said.

He also allegedly cooperated with Chinese officials to obtain classified national security material in exchange for money, the indictment said.

From 2017 to May, Chuang was allegedly involved in five incidents in which he received bribes to contravene his official duties and five incidents of passing on to Chinese nationals confidential material that compromised national security, including three counts of leaking CGA personnel files, Lin said.

According to the indictment, he received about NT$1.88 million in bribes from Chinese officials, while Chinese and Taiwanese smuggling operators had paid him different amounts at different times as high as NT$600,000 for his cooperation.

Chuang has been indicted on charges related to the National Security Act (國家安全法), the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例) and the Criminal Code, Lin added.


title: Coast guad shadows trespassing Chinese ships off Kinmen

content_text:
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday twice ushered four trespassing China Coast Guard vessels out of Taiwan-controlled waters off the offshore Kinmen County.

The CGA’s Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch at 9:30 am detected Chinese coast guard ships 14608, 14527, 14603 and 14515 approaching Taiwan-controlled, restricted waters, southwest of Damaoshan, Kinmen County, the branch said in a statement yesterday.

The intruders sailed into the area in a single file, and the CGA immediately shadowed them with ships standing by nearby and broadcast radio warnings demanding that they leave.

A coast guard ship, left, issues warnings to a China Coast Guard vessel that trespassed in Taiwanese waters around Kinmen County yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration

The same four Chinese ships again intruded into the area at 3 pm, prompting the CGA to again dispatch ships to warn them away.

Both intrusions lasted two hours, according to the CGA.

On both occasions, the Chinese ships turned off their automatic identification systems, it said.

On Sunday, the CGA also reported similar intrusions by the same four Chinese ships.

The most recent incursion was the 91st such intrusion into waters off Taiwan’s offshore islands this year, it said.

In a statement released yesterday, the CGA urged its Chinese counterpart to “immediately stop disrupting regional peace and stability.”

“The Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch will continue to maintain a high level of surveillance, response, and deployment capabilities to monitor and track the movements of Chinese Coast Guard vessels,” the CGA said.

“It will uphold a firm law enforcement stance and respond comprehensively to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime security,” it added.

Due to the proximity between Kinmen County and the Chinese city of Xiamen, China’s territorial waters encompass all of Kinmen, leaving Taiwan with a compromise measure of demarcating “prohibited” and “restricted” waters around the Kinmen Islands that extend 1,500 to 10,000 meters from the shorelines of the archipelago.


content_text:
Families and attendees pose for a photograph at the 15th annual Kids Fun Festival hosted by the Taiwanese Cultural and Sports Association at Memorial Park in Cupertino, California, on Saturday. The largest multicultural event in the San Francisco Bay Area featured more than 130 stalls representing 14 countries, hosting cultural exchanges, performances, children’s activities and serving up authentic Taiwanese street food.

Photo courtesy of the Culture Center of the Taipei Economic and Culture Office in San Francisco (Milpitas) via CNA

title: Taiwan in California


title: Overseas representation

content_text: More than 100 members of Canada’s overseas Taiwanese community hold signs on Sunday in Vancouver at an event calling for Taiwan’s inclusion in international organizations such as the UN and the International Civil Aviation Organization.


content_text:
Major brokerages, including Barclays PLC, BNP Paribas SA and Deutsche Bank AG, expect a 25-basis-point US Federal Reserve rate cut next month following Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s shift in tone at the Jackson Hole symposium toward rising risks in the labor market.

“This unusual situation suggests that downside risks to employment are rising,” Powell told international economists and policymakers at the Fed’s annual conference in Wyoming on Friday, adding that such risks could materialize quickly in the form of layoffs and a spike in unemployment.

In notes released on Friday after Powell’s speech, Barclays pulled forward its previously expected September next year cut to a cut next month.

US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference following the issuance of the Federal Open Market Committee’s statement on interest rate policy in Washington, on July 30. Photo: Reuters

His speech introduced “an easing bias” and raised the bar for not cutting, the the London-based bank said.

“Powell made [it] clear that the Fed intends to deliver a ‘fine-tuning’ rate cut in September unless the data dictates otherwise,” BNP economists led by Calvin Tse (謝文華) wrote in a note.

They reversed the brokerage’s long-standing call for the Fed to stay on hold, forecasting cuts next month and in December.

Meanwhile, Macquarie Capital Ltd and Deutsche Bank revised their expectations of a cut next month and in December, respectively, to a 25-basis-point cut each in those two months.

Bank of America Corp, which expects no rate cuts this year, said “barring further deterioration of the labor market, we think that the Fed would risk a policy error if it were to cut rates,” and pointed to signs of a rebound in economic activity and persistent inflation pressures.

Morgan Stanley also does not expect a cut next month yet, but said such a move is likely if incoming labor and inflation data confirm further softening.

Markets are now pricing in an 87 percent chance of a quarter-point rate cut at the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) policy meeting next month, the CME FedWatch Tool said, up from 75 percent before Powell’s speech.

The rate-setting FOMC is scheduled to meet again on Sept. 16 and 17.

Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs Group Inc and JPMorgan Chase & Co reaffirmed their expectations for a cut next month, aligning with the broader market view that softening data might warrant policy easing.

title: Brokerages pivot to Fed rate cut


title: Taipower eyes financial turnaround

content_text:
BACK IN BLACK: Pretax losses fell to NT$15.5 billion from NT$60.2 billion, while gross margin returned to positive territory for the first time in four years, it said

State-run utility Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) yesterday said it was “highly possible” the company could turn its financial situation around this year after reporting profits from May on the back of lower fuel costs.

The New Taiwan dollar’s appreciation against the US dollar and higher summer electricity rates also boosted the company’s bottom line, Taipower chairman Tseng Wen-sheng (曾文生) said.

Electricity rates are about 20 percent higher on average during the summer, while power consumption usually soars 40 percent over other seasons because of higher temperatures, Taipower data showed.

Taiwan Power Co chairman Tseng Wen-sheng attends a news conference in Taipei on May 23. Photo: CNA

Revenue rose 16 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year to NT$409.3 billion (US$13.44 billion), while fuel costs fell about 7 percent, the company said.

Pretax losses narrowed sharply to NT$15.5 billion from NT$60.2 billion a year earlier, and the firm’s gross margin improved to 0.15 percent from minus-11.87 percent, company data showed.

That was the first time in about four years that Taipower’s gross margin returned to positive territory.

The figures suggest that “it is highly possible for the company to break even this year,” Tseng said.

What remains at stake is resolving Taipower’s accumulated losses of more than NT$400 billion, which would require government subsidies to clear, he added.

Despite the improvement to its bottom line, it is unclear if Taipower would again freeze electricity rates in October after it kept rates unchanged in April.

The company is slated to review rates next month, with any adjustments to be determined by the government’s electricity price review committee, Taipower spokesman Tsai Chih-meng (蔡志孟) said.


title: China Evergrande delisted from HK stock exchange

content_text:
Shares in heavily indebted China Evergrande Group (恒大集團) were taken off the Hong Kong Stock Exchange yesterday, capping a grim reversal of fortune for the once-booming property developer.

A committee at the bourse had decided earlier this month to cancel Evergrande’s listing after it failed to meet a deadline last month to resume trading — suspended since early last year.

The delisting is the latest milestone for a firm whose painful downward spiral has become symbolic of China’s long-standing property sector woes.

The logo of China Evergrande Group on an apartment building in Nanjing, China, is pictured on Aug. 12. Photo: AFP

Once the country’s biggest real estate firm, Evergrande was worth more than US$50 billion at its peak and helped propel China’s rapid economic growth over the past few decades.

However, it defaulted in 2021 after years of struggling to repay creditors.

A Hong Kong court issued a winding-up order for Evergrande in January last year, ruling that the company had failed to come up with a suitable debt repayment plan.

Liquidators have made moves to recover creditors’ investments, including filing a lawsuit against PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and its Chinese arm for their role in auditing the debt-ridden developer.

The firm’s debt load is bigger than the previously estimated amount of US$27.5 billion, a filing earlier this month attributed to liquidators Edward Middleton and Tiffany Wong (黃詠詩) showed.

The statement added that Evergrande was a holding company and that liquidators had assumed control of more than 100 companies within the group.

Evergrande’s saga — and similar issues faced by other property giants including Country Garden Holdings Co (碧桂園) and China Vanke Co (萬科) — have been closely followed by observers assessing the health of the world’s second-largest economy.

After a decades-long construction boom fueled by rapid urbanization, China’s property sector began to show worrying signs in 2020, when Beijing announced new rules to limit excessive borrowing.

With Evergrande’s default the following year and other complications across the industry continuing, a return to the boom years has proven elusive for policymakers, even after stimulus measures were unveiled in September last year.

China’s financial hub of Shanghai yesterday eased home-buying rules in the latest attempt by authorities to contain the nation’s prolonged property crisis.

Eligible residents, including those from outside Shanghai, can now buy an unlimited number of homes in the outer suburbs, authorities said in a statement.

Non-residents who have paid pensions for three years can now purchase new homes in urban areas, instead of only being allowed to buy existing residences there.

Shanghai’s move follows similar easing by the capital city Beijing earlier this month, which also allowed eligible residents to buy an unlimited number of homes outside the fifth ring roads, widely considered suburban areas.

Additional reporting by Bloomberg


title: SpeedTech to expand Mexico plant capacity

content_text:
Connector maker SpeedTech Corp (宣德) yesterday said it plans to expand capacity at its Mexico plant by year-end with six new surface-mount technology production lines, 14 injection molding machine lines and two assembly lines, company spokesman Ethan Hsu (徐嘉德) told an earnings conference in Taipei.

The expansion would support production of printed circuit controller boards for tier-one North American automotive customers, as well as point-of-sale terminals for a major North American mobile payment provider, Hsu said.

The company also expects to begin shipping new products to a US earphone customer next quarter from its Vietnam plant, focusing on true wireless stereo components and advanced connectors, he said.

The SpeedTech Corp signage is pictured on the wall of the company’s office building in Taoyuan in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of SpeedTech Corp

SpeedTech, which supplies connectors and wiring harnesses, enclosures and plastic injection parts, operates plants in Taiwan, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Mexico. Its major customers include Apple Inc and Tesla Inc.

Connectors are expected to generate 50 percent of SpeedTech’s revenue this year, with electronic components contributing 20 percent, and final assembly and other businesses accounting for the remaining 30 percent, he said.

Hsu said a US smartphone customer, which he declined to name, accounted for 45 percent of SpeedTech’s revenue last year.

Shipments to the customer have so far remained on par with last year, but mass shipments are to begin next month and continue through October, he added.

Although the third quarter is traditionally the company’s peak season, revenue is expected to hit its high in the fourth quarter on the back of mass shipments of a system assembly product, Hsu said.

SpeedTech reported first-half revenue of NT$10.92 billion (US$358.62 million), up 20 percent year-on-year.

However, the sharp appreciation of the New Taiwan dollar in the second quarter reduced revenue by about NT$100 million, he said.

Full-year revenue is expected to surpass last year’s level, supported by the company’s Mini Cool Edge IO products, Hsu said.

The products are designed and partly manufactured in Taiwan, with the first batch of samples submitted for authentication yesterday and mass production slated for next year, he added.


title: Orsted falls to record low after order to halt US wind farm

content_text:
Shares in Orsted A/S stock fell as much as 19 percent to a record low after US President Donald Trump’s administration blocked construction of an almost-finished offshore wind farm, throwing a wrench into a planned 60 billion kroner (US$9.4 billion) share sale backed by the Danish government.

The Danish wind company’s management is meeting with investors and advisers in London today to reassure them that a growing crisis is under control and that the planned rights issue will go ahead. Orsted has yet to formally launch or price the offering and is being advised by banks including JPMorgan Chase & Co and Morgan Stanley.

Orsted declined as much as 19 percent in Copenhagen yesterday. Shares are down almost 50 percent this year, wiping nearly US$8 billion off the company’s value.

A wind turbine near the Avedore power station, operated by Orsted A/S, is pictured near Copenhagen, Denmark, on Wednesday last week. Photo: Nichlas Pollier, Bloomberg

The events mark the latest push by the Trump administration to halt the expansion of offshore wind farms, an energy source that the US president personally dislikes. Those efforts have included stopping new leases on sites and permits for new offshore wind farms and rolling back tax credits that support projects.

“We expect all of this to create a more challenging setup for the upcoming rights issue regarding issue price and investor demand,” Jefferies International Ltd analyst Ahmed Farman said in a note.

Friday’s stop-work order is for Revolution Wind off the coast of Rhode Island — a project that’s costing US$4 billion to build, according to an estimate by Jefferies. It’s the latest in a string of bad news for Orsted that led to its credit rating being cut to the lowest investment grade.

Investors want to know whether the company can find an agreement to appease the government and how long that could take, or if it will be forced to abandon the project and how much it would cost. The uncertainty could damage investor interest in the rights issue or mean the Danish government needs to increase its stake in the company even further.

The company tried to reassure investors yesterday that plans are going ahead.

“The planned rights issue has been sized to provide the required strengthening of Orsted’s capital structure to execute its business plan, even when taking into account the impact of this uncertainty on Orsted’s US offshore wind portfolio,” the company said in a statement.

The Danish government, which owns 50.1 percent of Orsted, still plans to take part in the capital raise, saying it had accounted for the risk when deciding on the matter.

“I can confirm the state’s continued backing,” Danish Finance Minister Nicolai Wammen said in an e-mailed statement yesterday, just as opposition parties resumed calls for the government to sell its stake.

It would be the biggest share sale for the European energy sector in over a decade, with the government planning to buy about half of the securities.

For Orsted, one of the world’s largest offshore wind developers, the order marks a new low point in the company’s failed effort to replicate its European business in the American market. In recent years, a variety of issues including costly supply chain bottlenecks have forced the company to cancel two major projects, issue a series of writedowns and led to the replacement of its top executives.

“Orsted is evaluating all options to resolve the matter expeditiously in dialogue with permitting agencies and potentially through legal proceedings, with the aim being to proceed as quickly as possible,” the company said.


content_text: A man stands behind garlands made of Indian rupee notes at a shop in Indian-administered Srinagar yesterday. US President Donald Trump has threatened to double import duties on India from 25 to 50 percent by tomorrow to punish New Delhi for buying oil from Russia. Indian exporters are scrambling for options to mitigate the fallout, which threatens to upend low-margin, labor-intensive industries from gems and jewelery to textiles and seafood.

title: Duty Shock


title: EDITORIAL: Firms need more help amid US tariffs

content_text:
The Executive Yuan on Thursday approved draft amendments to the Business Mergers and Acquisitions Act (企業併購法), aiming to encourage companies to consolidate and form industrial holding entities to improve international competitiveness, while mitigating shareholders’ tax burdens when setting up such firms. The proposed amendments would be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for further deliberation.

The proposals come as many Taiwanese small and medium-sized enterprises are facing growth bottlenecks during critical business transformations or external challenges — such as tariffs and geopolitical conflicts — and are seeking ways to improve their operational efficiency and international competitiveness. Some of them have sought to establish an industrial holding company through consolidation, to integrate human resources, finance, manufacturing, technology and brands, as well as share risks and costs, improving their bargaining power and international adaptability.

However, when an industrial holding company is formed through share swaps among companies, shareholders often have to pay income tax on securities transaction gains arising from share conversions for the year in which the share swap occurred, even though they have yet to dispose of the shares. This immediate tax burden dampens companies’ willingness to establish holding companies. The proposed amendments aim to strike a balance between protecting tax revenue and encouraging the formation of industrial holding companies by allowing shareholders to defer their income tax reporting obligation until the date when they dispose of the industrial holding company’s shares.

To avoid the abuse of the deferred income tax policy, the new measure only applies to an acquiring company that is recognized by the National Development Council as an industrial holding company. The council last week said it expects at least 15 industrial holding companies to be established within five years of the amendments passing. Local media reported that companies in the machine tool industry would likely be among the first to form industrial holding companies to integrate firms’ resources amid increasing trade headwinds.

Washington’s 20 percent tariff on Taiwanese goods — higher than the 15 percent rate for Japan and South Korea — has sent shock waves through traditional industries, with reports of some machine tool makers beginning to cut back weekly work hours. Based on government-backed think tanks’ analyses, the US’ “reciprocal” tariffs, on top of existing “most-favored nation” duties and other levies, are estimated to affect about 10 percent of Taiwan’s exports to the US. That would have a limited effect on Taiwan’s overall exports in the short term, but might have a significant impact on certain traditional industries already facing exchange rate pressure.

For a long time, small and medium-sized companies in Taiwan’s traditional industries, such as those producing machine tools, molds, plastic products and electronic materials, have often faced technological and scale disadvantages, making them unable to effectively compete with high-end products from Japan and South Korea, nor with Chinese manufacturers in the mid and low-end markets. The latest US levies add extra pressure, making the formation of a holding company a possible solution, as it enables small firms to achieve economies of scale, boost their research capability and enhance market competitiveness.

Government subsidies and other response measures such as tax exemptions and labor benefits are only short-term solutions to the predicament facing Taiwan’s export-oriented traditional industries. Helping affected businesses transform and upgrade their businesses, diversify abroad and explore new markets, and adjust the nation’s economic structure should be the government’s top strategic priority in the medium-to-long term.


content_text:
In a summer of intense political maneuvering, Taiwanese, whose democratic vibrancy is a constant rebuke to Beijing’s authoritarianism, delivered a powerful verdict not on China, but on their own political leaders. Two high-profile recall campaigns, driven by the ruling party against its opposition, collapsed in failure. It was a clear signal that after months of bitter confrontation, the Taiwanese public is demanding a shift from perpetual campaign mode to the hard work of governing.

For Washington and other world capitals, this is more than a distant political drama. The stability of Taiwan is vital, as it serves as a key player in the global technology supply chain and stands as a frontline democracy.

It is imperative for people to acknowledge the political maturity demonstrated by its voters, who have clearly indicated that internal divisions pose a threat that is as significant as any external aggression. It suggests a deep public understanding that Taiwan’s strength on the world stage depends heavily on its cohesion at home.

The recall effort was a profound miscalculation by President William Lai’s (賴清德) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). After losing its legislative majority last year, the DPP sought to weaponize its most potent political narrative, framing the recalls as a battle between patriots “resisting China” and opposition lawmakers cast as Beijing’s “proxies.”

That strategy, so effective in national elections where sovereignty is the central question, proved hollow when applied to the domestic complexities of legislative oversight.

Taiwanese, it turns out, are tired of having every political disagreement elevated to a matter of existential survival. By equating support for the opposition with complicity with the Chinese Communist Party, the DPP alienated the very moderate voters it needs to govern effectively.

The result was not a surge of patriotic fervor, but a quiet rebellion of exhaustion. The low voter turnout was a form of protest in itself, a collective refusal to endorse the use of democratic mechanisms for raw partisan gain.

The turn toward pragmatism was further illuminated by a referendum on restarting a nuclear power plant. While the measure failed to meet the threshold for passage, that it received vastly more votes in favor than those against it is a significant crack in one of the DPP’s foundational ideologies: its commitment to a “nuclear-free homeland.” It reveals a public increasingly concerned with the practical realities of energy security and industrial competitiveness — issues critical to Taiwan’s global standing — over ideological purity.

These events force a necessary reckoning, not only for Taiwan’s leaders, but for international observers. Lai’s “double minority” government — lacking a majority in the popular vote and the legislature — must now navigate a political landscape defined by checks and balances.

His call to prioritize the economy and social welfare unequivocally signals that his administration must earn its mandate through effective governance, not through ideological campaigns. This shift is critical for Taiwan as it navigates its precarious position between Washington and Beijing.

Cooperation and competition mark the relationship between the US and China during the era of US President Donald Trump. Taiwan cannot afford to adopt a simplistic, “all-in with the US” strategy. Such an approach is fraught with significant risks.

The voters’ rejection of extreme rhetoric showed their understanding of these dangers. They demanded a government that can ensure the nation’s security without becoming entangled in every aspect of great-power rivalry and that can pursue pragmatic strategies to ease tensions with China, all while firmly defending Taiwan’s sovereignty.

The challenge for Lai is to craft a more nuanced strategy: deepening security and economic ties with Washington, while carefully exploring avenues for functional, nonpolitical exchange with China. That is not weakness; it is sophisticated statecraft.

This summer’s votes have ushered in a new chapter for Taiwan’s democracy. The era of easy political mobilization might be over, to be replaced by a sterner test of governing competence. For the ruling party, it is a call to deliver results. For the opposition, it is a chance to prove it can be a constructive force. For the world, it is a reminder that Taiwan’s greatest asset is not just its military or its semiconductors, but the wisdom of its people to demand a government worthy of their resilience.

Meng Chih-cheng is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at National Cheng Kung University.

title: A vote for governance over grievance


content_text:
A passage in ancient Chinese text Guanzi (管子) says: “Laws are the yardsticks of all realms and the guidelines of all things.”

The 4,258 forgeries in the recall petitions initiated by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) were more than unauthorized signatures; each of them commandeered the voice of a citizen deserving of respect. The counterfeits were not done by one person, but by a local chapter of a major political party mobilizing its workers to copy membership lists, hide evidence and corroborate their statements. They broke the rule of law, the basis of Taiwan’s democratic system and the last vestige of trust voters have in political parties.

As a mother, I expect my children to be honest, responsible and respectful. As they receive education on their civic duties and learn of the valuable and dignified democratic process, they are also witnessing members of the largest opposition party falsifying signatures, destroying evidence, colluding and slandering.

Under such circumstance, how credible would freedom, rule of law and fairness be in the future?

The forgery case at the Taichung KMT chapter was not an accident, but an organized contravention. Since the start of the recall campaigns in mid-January, KMT Taichung chapter executive director Wu Kang-lung (伍康龍) and secretary-general Chen Chien-feng (陳劍鋒) allegedly drafted the scheme. They allegedly ordered party workers and volunteers to falsify signatures based on the chapter’s membership list.

When the investigation began, most of the 34 party workers had denied the allegations brought against them; they deleted chat records, but eventually confessed to prosecutors and pleaded guilty in the first hearing last week.

They said that the KMT headquarters had commanded them to retaliate against the mass recall, so they took the task upon themselves due to time constraints. However, partisan instructions do not supersede the law, and political parties should not falsify signatures of their members for recall petitions.

It was like an experiment conducted by a political party, in which it used its total moral collapse to test how low the bar could go for Taiwanese voters. As party workers engage in sophistry, saying that they did not act against the will of party members, we cannot let these contraveners get off scot-free.

The damage this case caused to our democratic system could not be overlooked, the indictment said.

If the justice system hands out light sentences, it would make the public more distrustful of the government. More worryingly, as all 34 party workers provided the same statement, they could be guilty of collusion and collective destruction of evidence, and they might have received direction from high-level officials.

Prosecutors and the court must investigate further. The pursuit of truth should not end because the defendants pleaded guilty in hope of receiving a lighter sentence. After all, when a political party dares to desecrate people’s sacred and democratic right to recall by reducing it to a vehicle for falsification, it is a sign that democracy is no longer secure.

Tell the courts it is not just a couple of KMT cadres contravening the law, but the entire party that has betrayed the trust of voters. We hope that the justice system would draw a clear line between law and an obsession with power, so that those who have trampled on democracy through their political maneuvers bear actual responsibility. The root of democracy should not be soiled by false statements and signatures.

Nu Ying is a social worker.

Translated by Cayce Pan

title: Taiwanese parties must follow the rule of law


title: EDITORIAL CARTOON

content_text:
Yesterday’s recall and referendum votes garnered mixed results for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). All seven of the KMT lawmakers up for a recall survived the vote, and by a convincing margin of, on average, 35 percent agreeing versus 65 percent disagreeing. However, the referendum sponsored by the KMT and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) on restarting the operation of the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County failed. Despite three times more “yes” votes than “no,” voter turnout fell short of the threshold. The nation needs energy stability, especially with the complex international security situation and significant challenges regarding

Most countries are commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with condemnations of militarism and imperialism, and commemoration of the global catastrophe wrought by the war. On the other hand, China is to hold a military parade.According to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, Beijing is conducting the military parade in Tiananmen Square on Sept. 3 to “mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.”However, during World War II, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) had not yet been established. It

Much like the first round on July 26, Saturday’s second wave of recall elections — this time targeting seven Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers — also failed. With all 31 KMT legislators who faced recall this summer secure in their posts, the mass recall campaign has come to an end.The outcome was unsurprising. Last month’s across-the-board defeats had already dealt a heavy blow to the morale of recall advocates and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), while bolstering the confidence of the KMT and its ally the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP).It seemed a foregone conclusion that recalls would falter, as


content_text:
I am a legal refugee in Britain; so why am I always being treated like a criminal?I have met wonderful people who make me feel that I belong, but many still see asylum seekers as easy political targetsI have met wonderful people who make me feel that I belong, but many still see asylum seekers as easy political targets

Hardly a day goes by without a new insult being hurled in the faces of asylum seekers and refugees. We are scroungers, rapists, fighting-age men who should not have left our home countries. Sometimes we are simply “illegals,” the most dehumanizing term of all. When did it become a crime to run for your life?

The people leveling such accusations are superb at making themselves heard. Mud sticks — and most of us are too scared to try to set the record straight. I do not know how many of our accusers have sat down with us, human to human, and listened to our stories. Here is mine.

I grew up in Syria. My childhood was safe and happy — idyllic when I look back at it. In 2011, the Arab spring and civil war in Syria changed everything. I was imprisoned twice for protesting against former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s regime, but it never crossed my mind to leave. Like many young people, I never thought death would come for me.

Everything changed when I was almost killed in a deadly missile attack in a suburb of Aleppo. I was only 17, and I realized that I wanted to live. So I escaped. First to Turkey, and then I traveled through Europe until I reached Calais, France.

I hoped to reach the UK for two reasons: First, my aunt and cousins live there. After my mom died when I was 14, my aunt became a second mother to me. Second, I could speak English.

The thing people do not understand about refugees is how tired we are from what we have been through. All I could think about was resting and being with my aunt.

I spent 10 months in Calais trying to get to the UK. It was before small boat crossings become the main method of getting there, but there were smugglers. We all hated them because they made it more difficult for us to cross the English Channel without them. I tried every way I could: trucks, cargo trains, sneaking into a port to try to conceal myself on a ferry.

At that time the French police were attacking migrants, as they do now. Sometimes they would be helpful and tell us things such as what time border guards changed shift — that was the best time to try to sneak on to a train or a truck.

Sometimes we were wished good luck by French and British border forces and police; some saw us as humans; some saw us as criminals.

When I made it to the UK in 2017, I thought I had finally found safety, but my experience with the British Home Office reminded me that I had not. I always felt as if I was being treated like a criminal. I was required to report to a police station regularly, and it took more than two years to get a decision on my asylum case.

Government aside, in that period, British society was generally more welcoming toward people such as me. I could walk down the street in one of the UK’s diverse cities and blend in. I met wonderful people who always made me feel as if I belonged.

Everything changed when the previous government introduced the now-canceled Rwanda scheme. [Under the UK and Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership, undocumented immigrants or asylum seekers were to be sent to Rwanda for processing and resettlement.] People were put in detention centers and threatened with deportation. Although I had been granted leave to remain by then, I was scared that the government would come after me, too, and deport me.

That fear has grown even more since the Home Office changed its policy in February: People like me who entered irregularly would “normally be refused citizenship.” One of the nightmares I often have is of shouting for help in the middle of the street when no one can hear me. I now feel I am living that dream.

Now that I have lived in the UK for a few years, I understand the politics better. People just want someone to blame for the state of the economy and public services — and migrants and refugees are the easiest to blame. Some believe the lies about us.

I work as a cinematographer and also volunteer with a charity as an Arabic interpreter. I speak to a lot of age-disputed young people who the Home Office insists are adults and have been placed in adult hotels. It is so obvious when I listen to them speak that they are children. They break down crying on the phone to me. They hate being in hotels, forced to share rooms with adults they do not know.

Most refugees dream of returning home if it becomes safe to do so. I often think back to the secure time of my childhood. I grew up with the scents of jasmine and geranium in my garden. I have planted them to try to recreate a sense of home.

No matter what I do here to contribute, I feel I will always be viewed as a criminal and someone at risk of being sent back to my country, however unsafe it is.

Open, explicit racism seems to be on the rise in the UK. It starts with refugees like me and other migrants — but they will soon come for other people simply because they are not white, belong to the “wrong” religion or because of their sexual orientation. Unless we act now, things are going to get worse.

‧ As told to Diane Taylor.

Ayman Alhussein is a Syrian filmmaker based in London.


content_text:
India has stunned its online gaming industry by moving legislation to ban real-money stakes. At first blush, the reasons for hitting the kill switch appear valid. Rising addiction, money laundering and financial frauds through such apps are all serious problems.

However, have policymakers thought through the implications? All that prohibition ever does is push users toward moonshine — in this case offshore casinos. They would take in wagers and pay out winnings using cryptocurrencies, giving a boost to illegal, two-way money flows.

With fantasy sports, putting real money behind players’ on-field performance has been elevated to a game of skill, at least in the eye of the law. Add the usual suspects — COVID-19 pandemic ennui, the rise of working from home and an explosive growth in mobile entertainment — and the world’s most populous nation was starting to emerge as a promising online-gaming market.

Even a hefty 28 percent tax on deposits failed to deter the popularity of apps such as Dream11, Games24X7 and Mobile Premier League.

Yet, it still had a ways to go. The US$3.8 billion domestic betting industry was nowhere near fulfilling the US$100 billion of India’s gambling demand that leaks to overseas sites each year, according to analysts’ estimates. A bulk of the bets are on cricket, especially during the two-month-long Indian Premier League (IPL).

By deciding to gut the local industry, the government is saying goodbye to any hope of stanching the outflow. It is also forswearing more than US$2 billion in annual tax revenue.

Some of the activity, and hence tax collection, would switch to physical venues, such as publicly traded Delta Corp’s licensed casinos in the tourist destinations of Goa and Sikkim. Those who gamble to just pass the time — as is increasingly the case for a vast army of unemployed youth — might switch to social-gaming options for nonmonetary payoffs. Those in-app rewards would get bigger and more sophisticated as more brands and influencers latch on to them in the absence of other options.

E-sports might also get a leg up, thanks to the legitimacy accorded to them in the same law that is seeking to ban online gambling.

The financial system might also heave a sigh of relief. The local cricket-betting apps were beginning to strain banks’ infrastructure by taking wagers in real time from rupee-denominated deposit accounts.

During this year’s IPL season, which ended in June, lenders that held the accounts of legitimate money-gaming sites were under pressure from clients to not miss any of the funds coming their way.

All of that madness would end. However, new headaches would emerge.

Those who got addicted to fantasy-sports betting when the government had no problem with it would not just give up the habit. They would look for their fix elsewhere.

Many international sites accept players from India; they do not even insist on rigorous “know your customer” checks. Just a username, e-mail and password are often enough. A customer who makes a deposit in bitcoin or ether and takes winnings the same way would bypass the banking system altogether.

India already has nearly 100 million crypto wallets. The money-laundering menace that the policymakers are trying to address could get worse. These offshore gambling proceeds would become a source of crypto liquidity for residents looking to jump controls on capital outflows.

Some of the transfers would be proceeds of illicit activity; nearly all of them would avoid detection. Then local lenders would complain that they are losing precious deposits without really knowing where they were going.

The other unintended effect might be felt by kabaddi, a traditional sport popular across the subcontinent. Fantasy-sports apps, which have a self-interest in opening new areas to betting, have been some of the more aggressive sponsors of the annual Pro Kabaddi League, helping to revive enthusiasm for the game over the past decade. Now someone else would have to step up to the plate.

The ban would come with a possible three-year jail term for operators in addition to fines. That, too, seems like overkill.

It is best to channel an overburdened law-enforcement system toward real scams, like when a gang set up a fake IPL tournament at a remote farm in Gujarat with laborers acting as players to hoodwink Russian gamblers.

The Guardian reported that the fake IPL went all the way to the quarter-finals before the racket was busted.

Expect more such cases of serious fraud and criminality as precious policing and judicial resources are wasted on shutting down online-betting shops that enjoyed legitimacy until recently. In that respect, too, the ban might resemble the US Prohibition Era.

Andy Mukherjee is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering industrial companies and financial services in Asia. Previously, he worked for Reuters, the Straits Times and Bloomberg News. This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

title: India’s betting-app ban will stoke money laundering


title: Sabalenka and Djokovic win, Medvedev exits

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Aryna Sabalenka on Sunday launched the defense of her US Open crown with victory, while Novak Djokovic made a successful start to his latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, but a raging Daniil Medvedev exited.

World No. 1 Sabalenka, bidding to become the first woman to claim back-to-back US Open titles since Serena Williams completed a hat-trick of wins in 2014, was made to work hard en route to a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova.

Masarova, ranked 108th in the world, pushed Sabalenka out of her comfort zone with a gutsy performance on the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center’s main Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus returns to Rebeka Masarova of Switzerland in their US Open women’s singles match in New York on Sunday. Photo: AP

“Happy to get this win and happy to be in the second round. I feel like I didn’t start my best in the first games, but then I found my rhythm,” said Sabalenka, who is to face unseeded Russian Polina Kudermetova.

While Sabalenka advanced safely, Danish 14th seed Clara Tauson tumbled out to Alexandra Eala.

Eala, 20, became the first player from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam singles match with a thrilling 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13/11) win, battling back from a 5-1 deficit in the final set.

“I’m super over the moon with what I was able to do today, especially coming back in the third,” Eala said. “It’s a very special win for me.”

Another player from Southeast Asia — Indonesia’s Janice Tjen — also caused an upset, ousting Russian 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

“I feel proud to be able to do this for my country,” said Tjen, the first Indonesian since Angelique Widjaja in 2004 to reach the main draw of a Grand Slam singles event.

Tjen, ranked 149th in the world, is to face Britain’s Emma Raducanu in the second round.

Raducanu, who made history at Flushing Meadows in 2021 by becoming the first qualifier to lift a Grand Slam title, clinched her first US Open match win since that memorable triumph with a 6-1, 6-2 drubbing of Japan’s Ena Shibahara.

“I wanted to win a match here really bad,” Raducanu said. “It’s been four years and it’s a very special tournament for me.”

With men’s defending champion Jannik Sinner and rival Carlos Alcaraz not opening their campaigns until yesterday and today, all eyes were on the veteran Serbian star Djokovic in Sunday’s night session.

The 38-year-old showed flashes of brilliance in a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 win against his unseeded 19-year-old American opponent Learner Tien.

Djokovic raced through the first set, but was then forced to save a set point in the second after Tien grew in confidence.

A lengthy medical timeout to treat what looked like a blister on his right foot helped revive Djokovic and he pulled away to wrap up victory in 2 hours, 25 minutes.

“I still have the flair, I still have the drive and you guys give me the energy,” Djokovic told the crowd. “Hopefully, I can keep it going.”

The final game of the opening day saw a chaotic victory for France’s Benjamin Bonzi over Russian 13th seed Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion.

Amid extraordinary scenes at the end of the third set, play was held up for more than six minutes as Bonzi waited to serve on match point.

It followed a tirade by Medvedev against chair umpire Greg Allensworth after the official re-awarded Bonzi a first serve when a photographer mistakenly walked onto the court.

With Medvedev egging the crowd on to voice their displeasure, Bonzi lost the set and Medvedev won the fourth to square the match.

Bonzi recovered in the fifth to close out a 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 0-6, 6-4 win in 3 hours, 45 minutes.

“It was crazy,” Bonzi said. “The energy was wild. Thanks to all those who were booing, that gave me energy in the fifth.”

Fourth seed Taylor Fritz and sixth seed Ben Shelton eased into the second round.

Fritz, last year’s beaten finalist, won 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 against unseeded compatriot Emilio Nava.

Shelton had a similarly comfortable 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 defeat of Peruvian qualifier Ignacio Buse.

Shelton and Fritz are spearheading US hopes of a first Grand Slam men’s singles title since Andy Roddick’s victory at the 2003 US Open.