countries: 台灣 韓國 日本 新加坡 美國 香港

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墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

小宇(宋念宇)聖誕夜率先登場 照片提供：Billboard Live TAIPEI

繼中島美嘉揭開序幕，Billboard Live TAIPEI 即將於年底再迎三組台灣代表登場！由全能創作才子小宇 宋念宇、台灣爵士代表 Skyline 天際線融合爵士樂團與金曲金音常勝軍 淺堤 Shallow Levée輪番點燃舞台，以最細膩的聲音與現場能量，在聖誕夜與跨年檔期點亮台北夜空，將台灣音樂推上國際級舞台。

身為華語樂壇最具代表性的創作歌手之一 小宇 宋念宇，具有高渲染力的聲線與極具國際感的製作實力，打造多首膾炙人口的經典金曲。自2008年以首張專輯《小宇同學就是我》出道以來，創作實力和獨特音樂語彙奠定樂壇地位，不僅是歌手，更是幕後創作者，橫跨R&B、Soul、Pop等多元風格。

小宇(宋念宇)聖誕夜率先登場 照片提供：Billboard Live TAIPEI

除了音樂作品，小宇 宋念宇日前也舉辦個人專場演唱會「WHO YOU ARE」，以全新編曲與現場互動呈現。這次不同的是，小宇 宋念宇帶著最新音樂作品〈記得忘了我〉登上 Billboard Live TAIPEI，舉辦平安夜專場「《記得忘了我》 平安夜@Billboard Live TAIPEI演唱會」。得知受邀登上 Billboard Live TAIPEI 的當下直呼：「很榮幸並且期待！」他笑說自己早期做音樂時，製作人老師就要求每天 follow Billboard 排行榜，「那時候參考歌單幾乎都來自 Billboard，那是學習各式曲風的重要啟蒙。」這次將於 12 月 24 日平安夜開唱，他預告：「既然是近距離演出，就希望用最真實的模樣呈現，不論人聲或樂器都會真實演奏。至於有沒有特別的聖誕驚喜？（笑）來了就知道，先不劇透！」

在這個屬於思念與祝福的夜晚，他將用音樂陪歌迷一起走過愛的餘溫。「《記得忘了我》平安夜@Billboard Live TAIPEI演唱會」不只是演出，更是一場沈浸式的情感體驗，邀請樂迷在音樂的流動中，重新體會「記得」與「忘了」的距離，他將以最純粹的現場演出展現音樂底蘊，在這國際殿堂立下新的里程碑；也是獻給粉絲最真誠的禮物，一場關於愛、記憶與和解的冬日音樂告白。

來自高雄的淺堤跨年檔期點亮台北夜空 照片提供：Billboard Live TAIPEI

來自高雄的淺堤，以台語與華語交錯書寫，詞曲細膩而富詩意，他們因題材關注土地民情，樂曲融合 city-pop、R&B 與鄉村等不同樂風，而暱稱自己的風格為「suburb pop」，是台灣當代樂壇最受矚目的文學搖滾樂團之一。主唱依玲與紅茶、方博、堂軒四人一路從獨立場景走向國際舞台，足跡遍及韓國、新加坡、日本與香港，近年更以《環島大亨》巡演，走遍全台非主流的音樂場館，超過十個城鎮場場完售，被譽為「金曲搖籃樂團」。

近期依玲推出首本散文創作《在燈暗的時候唱歌給自己聽》，登上誠品華文暢銷榜；淺堤同時也與阮劇團余品潔合作劇場《小雪》，展現跨界藝術魅力。除了在藝文領域的跨界嘗試，淺堤睽違四年，正籌備著第三張錄音室專輯，迎接成團的第十年。團員們興奮表示：「能在 Billboard Live TAIPEI與觀眾相遇，像是把多年創作的能量都帶到國際殿堂，期待與樂迷面對面分享音樂最純粹的力量。」

Skyline 天際線融合爵士樂團跨年輪番登場 照片提供：Billboard Live TAIPEI

Skyline 天際線融合爵士樂團，是華語音樂圈少數持續堅守融合爵士創作二十年的團隊。近年以《Symphojazz》專輯榮獲美國獨立音樂獎，並以《城市翦影City Silhouette》專輯榮獲美國全球音樂獎金獎肯定。迎來成團20週之際，Skyline重磅集結10位台灣當代創作歌手共同打造全新專輯《城市之聲 City Voices》，橫跨爵士、流行、節奏藍調、靈魂、福音、雷鬼、嘻哈、拉丁、電子等類型音樂，探索爵士的跨界可能性並打造新穎的流行曲風。為讓台灣流行爵士走向世界，這次專輯特別製作成雙語版本，讓聽眾從不同語言中感受台灣音樂的能量。

Skyline首波合作曲攜手蘇珮卿推出〈都沒關係〉Remix 版，並展開「嚇世界一跳」巡演。團長笑言：「我們要用爵士融合台灣的城市節奏，讓大家聽見台灣的 Skyline，也聽見屬於世界的台灣聲音。」

Billboard Live TAIPEI 自預告深秋開幕以來，接連邀請中島美嘉、徐若瑄等國際重量級歌手登台，如今三組台灣音樂人齊聚登場，象徵本地創作正式登上全球告示牌殿堂，也讓年末的音樂現場成為最具國際感的節日盛會。

此篇文章最開始出處為: Billboard Live TAIPEI 年底再迎三組台灣代表 小宇(宋念宇)聖誕夜率先登場


countries: 韓國 台灣 臺灣

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墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

林予晞溫暖代言《2025無限影展》圖片提供 公視

《2025無限影展》於今日（10/9）正式啟動！由臺北市政府勞動局指導、臺北市勞動力重建運用處主辦、公視承辦，以推廣身心障礙者就業平權為核心，今年邁入第七屆。本屆影展以「感受、交流、擁抱不同；邀請你，我們一起」為訴求，期盼透過影像讓社會大眾更理解、包容與支持身心障礙者。

記者會由臺北市政府勞動局副局長梁蒼淇，與今年入圍金鐘獎迷你劇集（電視電影）女主角獎、本影展代言人林予晞，以及多位無限大使共同揭開序幕。影展自10月23日到11月2日於臺北三創生活園區5樓Clapper Theater星光廳及Clapper Studio展演廳放映，精選9國11部身心障礙議題電影、紀錄片、動畫，其中，特邀「臺灣首席3D導演」曲全立執導的《台灣超人》為開幕片。影展自10月9日起開放免費索票，歡迎民眾踴躍參加。

梁蒼淇副局長表示，改變不僅來自制度，更在於日常的語言與態度。真正友善的社會，不只是規範上的安排，而是能在職場與生活中尊重差異、落實身心障礙者就業權。今年「無限影展」希望把影像化為共感語言，讓更多人透電影去感受、去對話，並透過校園放映讓年輕世代從學習階段就接觸多元生命故事，把理解與尊重變成習慣，擴散為社會的力量。

《2025無限影展》特邀導演曲全立執導的《台灣超人》為開幕片。圖片提供 公視

公視副總經理謝玒玲指出，《2025無限影展》延續初心，透過影像引導觀眾以同理心看見他人、理解差異。今年更首度推出口述影像版本的《我在工場拍拍手》，以及以過動症、視障、憂鬱症為主題的《兒童短片合集》，從親子的角度出發，選映《我的毛怪姐姐》、《奇蹟花園》和《掌心的通關密語》三部作品，搭配親子特別場與映後座談，讓大小觀眾在觀影中不僅體驗多元生命的力量，更能理解「無障礙」如何成為教育、就業與社會參與的重要基礎。

藝人林予晞於公視《我們與惡的距離》第一季中飾演暖心社工師宋喬平，在劇裡回應 發病中的林哲熹（飾知覺失調患者應思聰）說：「為什麼是我？」即興發揮的臺詞「可能因為你比較勇敢」獲得劇迷大量的關注與討論，被視為是療癒人心的金句。她在接獲主辦單位邀請擔任本屆代言人，義不容辭一口答應，她表示：「從《我們與惡的距離》體會到更多不一樣的觀點，跟接觸他者的方式與角度。」在修讀社會學研究時，醫療社會學老師提出：「如果這個世界上從頭到尾的設計沒有樓梯，只有斜坡，那麼腳不方便的朋友，還算是有障礙嗎？ 」這一題就讓她整個人宇宙大爆炸 ！到底正常的定義是誰定義的？這個典範、框框有沒有移動的機會？」所以，今天她決定在大熱天戴上眼鏡、穿上冬裝來呼應她的訴求。

金鐘入圍紀錄片《極樂世界III 療鬱之路》以深刻影像揭開憂鬱症患者的心靈旅程。圖片提供 公視

她很榮幸能代言《無限影展》，因為這不只是電影放映，更是真實生命的流。她說：「我們常常用理性去理解一個人，但更多時候，需要的是用心去感受。當我們願意交流、願意擁抱不同，就會發現世界其實可以更溫柔、更有力量。」

林予晞也提到，自己在表演工作中，最在乎的就是如何透過角色傳遞情感；而《無限影展》正是用電影把差異化為共感，讓觀眾與故事中的人彼此靠近。最後，她也呼籲更多人走進戲院：「邀請你和我一起，用一部部電影，打破偏見，擁抱多元。因為我們一起，才會更完整。」

除了代言人林予晞之外，今年重磅邀請各領域意見領袖擔任無限大使，號召青年與 社群共同參與，有《哇賽心理學》Podcast主持人、心理師Nana、YouTuber CHAIRMAN椅人、自閉症藝術家吳起良、腦性麻痺創作者左邊女孩，以及遲緩兒母親暨資深教師沈雅琪（經營《神老師&神媽咪》粉專），他們將透過不同領域的影響力，傳遞「我們一起」的精神，推廣身心障礙就業平權。

韓國電影《聽說》以聽障者的青春愛情故事，細膩描繪交流與理解的可能，也隱喻在職場與生活中「溝通」就是最大的支持。 圖片提供 公視

重建處處長陳昆鴻說明，開幕片《台灣超人》聚焦行動不便的罕見疾病者，呈現他如何在身體限制下仍勇敢追逐夢想，展現突破困境、實現自我價值的精神；韓國電影《聽說》以聽障者的青春愛情故事，細膩描繪交流與理解的可能，也隱喻在職場與生活中「溝通」就是最大的支持；《56種喝采》帶領觀眾走進亞斯伯格症青年的世界，看見他們在社會框架外發揮專長與獨特價值。

此外，《馬拉松小子》與《看我今天怎麼說》分別聚焦自閉症與聽障者的日常奮鬥，強調在職場與社會舞台上，同樣需要被看見與給予平等機會；金鐘入圍紀錄片《極樂世界III 療鬱之路》則以深刻影像揭開憂鬱症患者的心靈旅程，提醒社會理解心理健康亦是就業支持的一環；《我和我的冠軍電競隊》更打破偏見，展現身心障礙青年在電競舞台上的專業與熱血；《只有悲傷才是美麗的》觸碰視障議題，以詩意方式提問「什麼是真正的美？」同時凸顯視障者在文化創作領域的參與與貢獻；《他叫簡單，他是我兄弟》則真誠描繪智能障礙者與家庭的牽絆，展現支持網絡如何幫助他們在工作與生活中實現自立。這些影片不僅是故事，更是一場場真實的對話，邀請大家透過電影感受差異，進而學會擁抱不同。

此篇文章最開始出處為: 2025無限影展 林予晞溫暖代言 透過影像讓社會大眾更理解 包容與支持身心障礙者


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墨新聞｜編輯中心

美國國防部長赫格賽斯近日花費數百萬美元、勞師動眾，召回駐守世界各地的上將與將軍，召開一場極為罕見的軍事高層集會。令人意外的是，這場會議並非聚焦於戰略調整或軍備發展，而是充斥著部長個人的瑣碎抱怨與自我炫耀——他批評士兵臉上的鬍子、吹噓自己能做多少下單槓，並痛斥「肥胖的將軍」與「多元性別政策」導致美軍長期腐化。

然而，真正的焦點出現在美國總統川普登場之後。川普在演說中警告軍方，美國「已面臨一場內部戰爭」，並強調這場戰爭的敵人「來自國內」。他指責由民主黨治理的城市「無法無天」，並說：「這些地方很不安全，我們會一一整頓。對在座的一些人來說，這將是一項重要任務——這是一場來自內部的戰爭！」川普甚至進一步建議，應將這些城市視為軍隊的「戰鬥訓練場」。他對赫格賽斯表示：「我們應該把這些危險的城市當作國民兵的實戰訓練場，因為我們很快就要進軍芝加哥了。那是個大城市，但治理者非常無能。」

自今夏以來，川普已命令在加州、洛杉磯、華盛頓特區、麻州波士頓、田納西州孟菲斯等地部署國民警衛隊，本週又宣布將派兵進駐俄勒岡州波特蘭。雖然白宮尚未正式說明相關部署的法理依據，但這些舉措顯然已挑戰美國聯邦體制的界線。

從法律上而言，美國是一個聯邦制國家，各州國民兵的管轄權屬於州長；總統僅擁有華盛頓特區國民兵與整體美軍的指揮權。在未獲各州州長同意下，總統並無權調遣國民兵進入他州。然而，川普顯然試圖以「維護國家安全」之名，模糊這條憲政分際。

目前，華府方面的國民警衛隊士兵主要負責後勤與運輸等任務，並以「實際存在」支援聯邦特工。軍方強調，他們並未被授權執行執法行動，只能在自衛情況下攜帶武器。然而，當身穿軍裝、手持M16的士兵被派往美國城市時，這樣的「非執法存在」究竟能否與政治壓力劃清界線，恐怕值得懷疑。

更令人憂慮的是，川普揚言準備動用《暴亂法》（Insurrection Act），在民主黨執政的城市部署更多軍隊。這項源於1792年至1871年間多次修訂的聯邦法，允許總統在鎮壓叛亂或反政府武裝時動用軍隊，是1878年《民兵團法》（Posse Comitatus Act）的例外條款。後者明確禁止美軍介入國內執法，防止總統濫用軍權干預州政。如今，《暴亂法》被重新提起，無疑將加劇白宮與各州政府之間的對峙。

政治風暴之際，美國的社會與經濟危機正同步發酵。中國幾乎全面停止向美國採購大豆，讓中西部農民怨聲載道；聯邦政府的財政困窘導致部分部門關門，大批公務員面臨減薪或裁員風險。此時此刻，川普卻選擇在國內各州點燃軍事對抗的火種。

在擁槍合法、社會極度分裂的美國，這樣的行為無異於在火藥桶上玩火。川普或許以為這是懲戒民主黨執政州的政治手段，但實際上，他點燃的每一條引線，最終都將通向自己。當聯邦政府的武力介入地方治理、軍人被迫與鄰里對立、政治對手被視為「內敵」之時，這不僅是民主制度的崩解，更是國家自焚的開始。

川普正坐在火藥桶上高舉火把，卻仍自以為是點燃勝利的烽火。美國若真走上以「內部戰爭」治理社會的道路，那場爆炸將不僅吞噬他的政權，也將焚毀美國立國以來最引以為傲的民主根基。（前民眾日報資深記者 屈文峰）

※以上言論不代表本報立場※

此篇文章最開始出處為: 川普的美國 誰才是敵人？

taiwan-subdivisions: 將軍 中西 大城

countries: 美國 中國

title: 川普的美國　誰才是敵人？


title: 因應黑心豬腸事件　臺東縣衛生局加強查核抽驗　結果均合格

taiwan-subdivisions: 臺東縣 屏東 高雄 桃園

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臺東縣衛生局針對屏東「百威食品有限公司」，涉嫌使用工業級雙氧水加工豬腸，並流向台北、桃園、屏東和高雄等地區之違法事件表示，臺東縣雖未接獲通報有產品流入，為使民眾買得放心、吃得安心，近日派員至轄區內進行抽驗稽查。稽查單位包括，傳統市場肉品攤商、食品製造業、通路賣場、餐廳、小吃等場域業者計45家，查核有供應豬腸相關食品業者19家、抽驗20件(含快篩)，並於現場抽樣豬腸相關產品以快篩試劑檢驗過氧化氫5件，快篩結果均合格。

臺東縣衛生局呼籲，食品業者應善盡食安把關責任，我國規定過氧化氫可使用於食品（麵粉及其製品除外）作為殺菌用，但在最終產品中不得殘留。相關食品加工所使用之過氧化氫，必須符合食品添加物之相關規定，並切記不可使用工業用之過氧化氫。業者如有使用工業級雙氧水加工食品，涉及違反食品安全衛生管理法第15條第1項第10款規定，相關產品依同法第52條應予沒入銷毀；並將依同法第49條第1項，處7年以下有期徒刑，得併科新臺幣8,000萬元以下罰金。

衛生局局長孫國平局指出，「過氧化氫」別名「雙氧水」，低濃度的過氧化氫，僅具輕度刺激性質，但若食用過多可能會引起噁心、嘔吐、腹瀉或腹脹等腸胃道刺激症狀，甚至還會導致腸胃道潰瘍、出血、黏膜發炎等危險。民眾應避免選購「過白、過亮、來路不明」的食品，若食用後身體不適，請立即就醫。衛生局將持續加強查核抽驗豬腸相關產品，以保障消費者食用安全。

民眾如有食品安全衛生問題或消費疑義，可電洽臺東縣衛生局089-331172食品藥政科專線電詢。

此篇文章最開始出處為: 因應黑心豬腸事件 臺東縣衛生局加強查核抽驗 結果均合格


title: 不讓假期變病假　臺東呼籲民眾把疫苗打好打滿

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臺東縣衛生局今(114)年度公費流感及新冠疫苗，已自10月1日起正式開打，統計至10/8止，臺東縣全縣流感疫苗接種數約12,490人次。衛生局孫國平局長提醒國慶雙十連假將至，國內正處流感流行期，國人喜愛旅遊之鄰近國家如日韓等，新冠疫情仍處高點，呼籲符合公費疫苗接種資格民眾踴躍接種，早日獲得保護力，守護自身與家人健康。

臺東縣衛生局表示，今年度公費流感及新冠疫苗分2階段開打，第1階段自10月1日起，針對65歲以上長者、55歲以上原住民、學齡前幼兒、高風險慢性病人、孕婦、6個月內嬰兒之父母、長照機構人員、醫事及防疫相關人員、幼兒園托育機構人員等對象；第2階段則自11月1日起進一步開放50歲以上無高風險慢性病成人接種流感疫苗及新冠疫苗。

衛生局提醒民眾疫苗接種後2週才有完整保護力，請儘速接種並務必做好手部衛生與咳嗽禮節，落實勤洗手、有發燒、咳嗽等類流感症狀戴口罩及生病在家休息等措施。如出現危險徵兆(如呼吸急促、呼吸困難、發紺、血痰、胸痛、意識改變、低血壓等)應儘速就醫，以及時獲得診治。衛生局表示，自10月1日起至31日止，擴大公費流感抗病毒藥劑使用條件，只要經醫師判斷符合條件者，不需流感快篩，即可開立公費流感抗病毒藥劑，以把握用藥時機。

臺東縣衛生局指出，已備妥足夠的流感疫苗數量供民眾接種，提醒前往接種時記得攜帶健保卡及相關證明文件（如孕婦健康手冊、兒童健康手冊、嬰兒出生證明等）。今年的疫苗施打，流感疫苗、肺炎鏈球菌疫苗及新冠疫苗可同時接種，或間隔任何時間，接種後至少2週才能產生保護力，符合資格民眾可就近至各鄉鎮衛生所或合約院所進行接種。相關合約院所資訊詳見臺東縣衛生局局網首頁＞業務專區＞疾病防治＞預防注射(https://pse.is/86fhr9)

此篇文章最開始出處為: 東縣衛生局呼籲 雙十旅遊不感冒 打好疫苗才可靠

things: 長照 防疫

taiwan-subdivisions: 臺東 臺東縣


countries: 西班牙 印度

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Tata Communications 推出語音 AI 平台，憑藉速度、規模及整合式智能，重塑 BFSI 客戶體驗

2025-10-10

業界首個全方位語音對語音 AI 平台，旨在革新 BFSI 客戶體驗方案具備高度擴展性，支援逾 40 種印度及全球語言，為全球各行業的客戶互動注入強大動力

印度孟買2025年10月10日 /美通社/ — 環球領先的通訊技術企業 Tata Communications 今日隆重推出由「主動式人工智能 (Agentic AI)」驅動的語音 AI 平台。作為業界首創的語音對語音客戶互動解決方案，該平台具備即時決策、流暢多語溝通及低於 500 毫秒的超低延遲性能。能實現高度個人化、具情境感知，並跨渠道無縫整合的智能互動，為客戶互動技術奠下全新典範，徹底改寫金融機構與客戶的連繫方式。

為加速企業級金融科技的普及應用，Tata Communications 的語音 AI 平台建基於其覆蓋全球的龐大語音網絡及主動式 AI 平台，並由 Tata Communications AI 雲端平台提供企業級的安全保障與規模擴展能力。此智能平台能與企業的策略無縫結合，直接連接客戶的 API 及金融科技平台，從而全面簡化由互動初始至問題解決的整個客戶體驗旅程。

平台目前支援逾 40 種印度及全球語言的互動，包括印地語、泰米爾語、西班牙語、普通話等。它能提供實時語音轉錄、通話摘要及客戶情緒分析。核心功能包括跨對話情境記憶、自適應對話流程、實時語言翻譯、多智能代理協作、實時通話分析，以及與企業現有系統整合，實現向真人客服的無縫轉接。此平台適用於各行各業，並特別為金融科技和 BFSI 領域提供了一系列專業的範本化解決方案。

主要功能

一體化語音對語音平台： 採用整合式架構，延遲低於 500 毫秒，實現流暢的即時互動主動式 AI 互動旅程：以成果為導向的智能系統，能直接連接企業 API 及金融科技平台，自動執行由始至終的各項任務全渠道無縫互動支援橫跨語音、即時通訊及應用程式的全渠道互動，打造具情境感知能力的無縫客戶體驗多語言及口音適應：支援逾 40 種全球及印度語言，具備動態語言切換及真實品牌聲音等功能由 Tata Communications AI Cloud 平台驅動，確保企業級安全與擴展規模

Tata Communications 董事總經理兼行政總裁 A.S. Lakshminarayanan 表示：「Tata Communications 語音 AI 平台的超卓之處，在於它不僅是一個工具，更是一個專為企業而設、可靈活擴展並能創造真實業務成果的強大平台。在主動式 AI 的驅動下，平台帶來了前所未有的整合式智能，將語音 AI 深度嵌入客戶的各個互動環節，以應對我們正與客戶共同探索的廣泛應用場景。此平台專為速度、規模和可靠性而打造，其成熟度已遠超試點項目和概念驗證階段，能為企業提供一套經驗證的有效方案，在每個接觸點上締造更具同理心的客戶互動。」

關於 Tata Communications

Tata Group 附屬公司 Tata Communications（印度國家證券交易所代碼：TATACOMM）（孟買證券交易所代碼：500483）是全球數碼生態系統推動者，現今已在逾 190 個國家和地區推動快速增長的數碼經濟。該公司憑藉信任引領，透過協作和連接解決方案、核心及新一代連接、雲端託管及安全解決方案，以及媒體服務，協助全球企業數碼轉型。《財富雜誌》全球 500 強企業中，有300 間是該公司的客戶，而該公司連接企業至全球 80% 的雲端巨頭。如欲了解更多資訊，請瀏覽 www.tatacommunications.com。

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前瞻性和警示性陳述

本新聞稿中關於 Tata Communications 及其前景及其他陳述的某些詞語及陳述，包括與 Tata Communications 的預期財務狀況、業務策略、Tata Communications 的未來發展及印度一般經濟相關的陳述，均為前瞻性陳述。這些陳述涉及已知和未知的風險、不確定性和其他因素，包括財務、監管和環境，以及與行業增長和趨勢預測有關的因素，這些可能導致 Tata Communications 的實際結果、業績或成就，或行業結果，與此類前瞻性陳述所表達或暗示的結果存在重大差異。可能導致實際結果、業績或成就與此類前瞻性陳述存在重大差異的重要因素其中包括：未能增加 Tata Communications 網絡流量；未能開發滿足客戶需求和產生可接受利潤率的新產品和服務；未能成功對新技術和資訊系統完成商業測試以支援新產品和服務，包括語音傳輸服務；無法穩定或降低公司某些通訊服務的價格壓縮速率；未能整合策略性收購以及印度政府政策或法規的變化，特別是與 Tata Communications 行業行政有關的變更；以及印度的整體經濟、商業與信貸條件。可能導致實際結果、績效或成就與此類前瞻性陳述存在重大差異的其他額外因素，其中許多不在 Tata Communications 的控制範圍內，包括但不限於 Tata Communications Limited 年度報告中討論的風險因素。

Tata Communications Limited 的年度報告載於 www.tatacommunications.com。Tata Communications 無義務，且明確表示不承擔更新或更改其前瞻性陳述的任何義務。

© 2025 Tata Communications Ltd. 保留所有權利。

TATA COMMUNICATIONS 和 TATA 是 Tata Sons Private Limited 在印度和某些國家或地區的商標或註冊商標。

Tata Communications 的語音 AI 功能是其客戶體驗平台的核心組成部分。


title: 2025 WIW 世界投資者週聯合論壇　打造資產管理信任新架構

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墨新聞｜記者威金／台北報導

由國際證券管理機構組織（IOSCO）倡議的「世界投資者週」（World Investor Week, WIW），今年以「數位創新 × 專業協作，打造資產管理信任新架構」為主題，10 月 8 日至 9 日在政大公企中心舉行，吸引逾千名金融專業人士及投資人參與，展現台灣在國際金融舞台上的能見度。

2025 WIW 世界投資者週聯合論壇8、9日兩日在政大公企中心舉行，圖為金管會副主委陳彥良在開幕時致詞。照片 WIW聯合論壇提供由國際證券管理機構組織（IOSCO）倡議的「世界投資者週」（WIW）8日及9日登場，台灣證券交易所董事長林修銘昨天透過錄影致詞指出，此次論壇議題聚焦AI應用，打造金融新信任架構，證交所積極投入AI輔助監理，盼AI成為提升資本市場透明度、韌性與競爭力的關鍵動能。

本論壇由九大金融機構共同主辦（依筆劃順序）：中華民國退休基金協會（PFA）、中華民國證券投資信託暨顧問商業同業公會（SITCA）、台灣金融分析專業人員協會（CFA）、台灣金融研訓院（TABF）、臺灣理財顧問認證協會（FPAT）、臺灣證券交易所（TWSE）、證券櫃檯買賣中心（TPEx）、臺灣期貨交易所（TAIFEX）、臺灣集中保管結算所（TDCC）。

2025 WIW 世界投資者週聯合論壇8、9日兩日在政大公企中心舉行，吸引逾千名金融專業人士及投資人參與，展現台灣在國際金融舞台上的能見度。照片 WIW聯合論壇提供金管會副主委陳彥良在開幕時致詞指出，今年股市交易熱絡，世界資金充沛，民眾熱衷投資的觀念甚於以往。根據統計，2025年8月整體資產管理規模達新台幣13.9兆元，境外基金金額也超過4.59兆，台灣資產管理市場具備相當充沛的動能及優勢。

陳彥良表示，金管會去年6月與多家金融機構及集保等單位成立「現實世界資產（RWA）代幣化小組」，透過代幣化方式提升有價證券交易及交割效率；未來將持續擴大金融產業，保障投資人權利，並擴大市場發展及秩序維護，打造資產管理中心。

8日上午由 CFA 開場，鎖定 「AI 與投資研究」，探討生成式人工智慧與大數據如何改變研究模式，並剖析 RWA上鍊過程中的法律與監管挑戰。下午則由 PFA 主導 「高齡財務韌性」，針對退休理財、信託保障與防詐教育提出跨領域解方，回應台灣邁入超高齡社會的需求。

9日上午由 FPAT 帶來 「台灣資產管理新格局」，提供台灣發展亞洲資產管理中心觀點，以及 AI 與資料保護議題，突顯CFP專業顧問在資產管理生態中的角色。壓軸下午場由 SITCA 領銜，專題演講聚焦新加坡金融市場最新趨勢與經驗，以及 「國際基金產業發展趨勢」，涵蓋日本 NISA 制度、全球 REITs 與另類投資新動向，全面剖析國際市場發展。

此篇文章最開始出處為: 2025 WIW 世界投資者週聯合論壇 打造資產管理信任新架構

countries: 日本 新加坡 中華民國 臺灣 台灣

things: 人權 大數據


title: 聚焦泰國小農戶：日本-泰國跨境合作加強可持續棕櫚油發展路徑

taiwan-subdivisions: 成功 和美

countries: 泰國 日本 美國 瑞士 英國 印尼 哥倫比亞 荷蘭 馬來西亞 中國

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東京2025年10月9日 /美通社/ — 可持續棕櫚油圓桌倡議（RSPO）和日本可持續棕櫚油網路（JaSPON）於10月6日至8日在東京共同主辦了2025年RSPO x JaSPON會議。 此次活動彙集了行業領袖、政府機構、學術界和小農戶代表，旨在加強泰國和日本在建立負責任的棕櫚油供應鏈方面的合作。

與會代表包括來自泰國農業推廣部、泰國小農戶促進網路、宋卡王子大學、全球綠色化學品公司（GGC）、Petchsrivichai Enterprise（PCE）以及莎羅雅公司（Saraya）的代表，還有來自國際的其他利益相關方。

泰國約 85% 的油棕種植面積由小農戶管理，這表明可持續生產也可以由農民主導。獲得認證的獨立小農戶已售出高達 90% 的實物可持續棕櫚油（CSPO）產量——這一比例在全球名列前茅，彰顯了泰國包容性轉型的成功。

“我們需要做得更多，但不能單打獨鬥。市場必須有所回應。將小農戶置於核心位置意味著要踐行共同責任的承諾。”RSPO 小農戶事務經理萬迪•克裡查南（Wandee Krichanan）說道，她主持了此次獨立小農戶小組討論。

包容和有競爭力的供應鏈

下游參與者通過實踐表明，采購既可持續又具有包容性。 作為RSPO成員，PCE和GGC都是這方面的傑出範例。 通過長期合作夥伴關係、培訓項目和有針對性的採購，他們幫助小農戶進入認證市場。

PCE首席戰略官Pornpipat Prasitsupaphol先生表示：”PCE正在構建未來的價值鏈，將小農發展與數字創新聯繫起來，以實現透明的可追溯性，並致力於達成’負溫室氣體排放’的目標。”

PTT GC 集團企業品牌與社會責任部經理Panrada Wongsuwan女士表示：”在GGC，我們認為可持續發展必須涵蓋從上游到下游的整個價值鏈。 我們致力於扶持小農戶，並加強我們對社會和環境的責任。”

此外，莎羅雅公司（Saraya）長期以來一直致力於開發使用天然植物成分的環保產品，其中包括日本首款抗菌肥皂和植物基洗滌劑。自2004年以來，該公司一直致力於在婆羅洲開展環保工作，以應對與棕櫚油相關的森林砍伐和野生動物威脅，並於2005年成為日本首家加入RSPO的成員。

“為了提升價值鏈，將小農戶納入供應鏈至關重要。因此，我們支持小農戶。”莎羅雅公司供應鏈管理部副總經理、日本可持續棕櫚油網路（JaSPON）副會長Shinichi Yoshikawa先生說道。

泰國擁有超過 40 萬戶從事棕櫚油生產的農戶，泰國政府將包容性採購視為國家優先事項。”負責任的採購不僅關乎環境承諾，還確保農民能充分融入全球供應鏈，並為其努力獲得公平回報，”泰國農業推廣部的一位代表說道。”與重視透明度和包容性的日本公司合作，能確保棕櫚油達到可持續性和品質的最高標準。

“獲得 RSPO 認證的小農戶是全球環境的守護者。無論是通過實物採購還是信用證採購，買家的支持都讓我們能夠繼續履行這一職責。”泰國小農戶促進網路主席、Srijaroen可持續油棕生產社區企業總裁Chaowalit Wuttipong說道。

從素叻他尼（Surat Thani）到東京（Tokyo），泰國的獨立油棕小農戶正步入全球視野。通過與工廠、日本買方和泰國政府的合作，他們證明了包容且可持續性的供應鏈可以推動整個亞洲的繁榮和信任。

關於RSPO：

可持續棕櫚油圓桌倡議（RSPO）是一個致力於使棕櫚油可持續發展的全球夥伴關係。RSPO成立於 2004 年，是一個多利益相關方的非營利組織，彙集了棕櫚油價值鏈上的各方成員，包括油棕種植戶、棕櫚油加工商和貿易商、消費品製造商、零售商、銀行和投資者、環境類非政府組織以及社會類非政府組織。

作為促進進步和產生積極影響的合作夥伴關係，棕櫚油可持續發展圓桌倡議（RSPO）推動全球變革，使棕櫚油的生產和消費實現可持續發展。為了激發變革，我們宣傳環境和社會效益。為了取得進展，我們促進合作。為了提供保障，我們制定認證標準。

RSPO在瑞士蘇黎世註冊，其主要辦事處設在馬來西亞和印尼，並在中國、哥倫比亞、荷蘭、英國和美國設有聯絡辦公室。

關於JaSPON：

日本可持續棕櫚油網路（JaSPON）成立於2019年4月，旨在加速日本市場上可持續棕櫚油的採購和消費，以應對傳統棕櫚油生產帶來的環境問題和其他挑戰。

JaSPON堅信，作為消費國，日本在解決與棕櫚油相關的環境、社會和倫理問題方面發揮著重要作用。JaSPON強調跨行業合作，鼓勵來自不同領域的成員攜手合作，以推動可持續發展實踐。


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BROADER VIEW: Although the report does not include information gleaned from China’s military parade last month, it addresses tactics for dealing with drones and cyberattacks

The Ministry of National Defense yesterday outlined plans to build a more “agile and resilient” military with a new focus on multidomain strategies to deter and block enemy forces.

The new National Defense Report’s emphasis on multidomain denial — a defense approach rooted in attrition and asymmetric warfare — and on strengthening the resilience of the military and society sets it apart from previous editions, Lin Ying-yu (林穎佑), an associate professor at Tamkang University’s Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, said in a prerecorded video.

Lin, one of the 11 experts who helped compile the report, which is released once every two years, cited this year’s Han Kuang military exercises, which included operations simulating the operations of medical and rationing stations, as an example of “whole-of-society resilience.”

A copy of this year’s National Defense Report is displayed at a news conference at the Ministry of National Defense in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

Colonel Hsu Chih-hung (許志宏) of the Department of Strategic Planning told a news conference that the multidomain denial focus aims to build a multilayered defense against a range of threats.

Guided by the principles of being “maneuverable, agile, lethal, cost-effective and concealed,” and driven by mission requirements, the military seeks to build a mission-oriented defensive system that spans land, sea, air, space and cyberspace, Hsu said.

Although the report dedicates a section to China’s military threats, some crucial developments — such as the unveiling of new weapons systems at China’s Sept. 3 military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and the Shandong and Liaoning aircraft carriers passing through waters east of Taiwan in June and crossing the second island chain — were notably absent.

Department official Hsu Yun-chen (許云甄) said that noteworthy developments in the Chinese military would be included in a separate report on China’s military power, which is to be published at a later date.

China is increasing military activities near Taiwan and honing its ability to stage a surprise attack, as well as seeking to undermine trust in the government with “hybrid” online warfare tactics, the report said.

“The Chinese communists have adopted routine gray zone harassment tactics, combined with joint combat readiness patrols, targeted military exercises and cognitive warfare, posing a comprehensive threat,” it said.

The China Coast Guard is expanding its activities around Taiwan and might take “aggressive containment measures” in concert with the military while rehearsing attack scenarios, it said.

Beijing is also using “hybrid warfare” to weaken trust in the government and support for defense spending, while using artificial intelligence tools to weaken Taiwan’s cybersecurity and to scan for vulnerable points in critical infrastructure, it added.

The report also touched on Chinese drone incursions, saying that the ministry is training soldiers to shoot down drones and seeking to procure new anti-drone weapons systems.

Ministry spokesman Major General Sun Li-fang (孫立方) said the military is continuing efforts to identify and use effective anti-drone systems in response to China.

“Basically drone developments and anti-drone developments are very fast, and based on today’s situation, there is different progress every day,” he said. “This is one of our key points in our military preparedness efforts.”

Taiwan’s anti-drone efforts are a top priority, and soldiers in the outlying islands are also practicing night shooting as part of the training, the ministry said.

The ministry said it is working on an English-language version of the report, which would be available on its Web site.

title: Report outlines a more agile military


title: Joy in Israel and Gaza on word of ceasefire deal

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HOPE:  People in Gaza hailed the announcement, even as Israeli strikes continued, with one person declaring that the whole world is happy to end the bloodshed

Israelis and Palestinians yesterday rejoiced after a ceasefire and hostage deal was announced, under the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s initiative to end the war in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands and reshaped the Middle East.

Officials on both sides confirmed they had signed the deal following indirect talks in the Egyptian beach resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the ceasefire would take effect once ratified by the Israeli government, which would convene following a security Cabinet meeting after press time last night.

A man holds up a child outside al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip yesterday, as people celebrate the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting. Photo: AP

Residents in Gaza reported a series of airstrikes on Gaza City around the time it was due to be signed.

Under the deal, the biggest step toward peace yet, fighting would cease, Israel would partially withdraw from Gaza and Hamas would free hostages it captured in the attack that precipitated the war, in exchange for prisoners held by Israel.

A source briefed on details of the agreement said that Israeli troops would begin pulling back within 24 hours of the deal being signed.

Al-Jazeera reporter Nour Abu Rokba, front right, reports as Palestinian emergency personnel celebrate in Gaza City yesterday, after US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of a ceasefire. Photo: Reuters

The release of all 20 Israeli hostages still believed to be alive in Gaza is expected on Sunday or Monday, an Israeli official said.

Another 26 hostages have been declared dead in absentia and the fate of two is unknown. Hamas has indicated it might take time to recover bodies scattered across Gaza.

Palestinians and the families of Israeli hostages broke into wild celebrations after news emerged of the pact.


title: Health ministry announces ‘health coin’ program

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People could soon be able to accumulate “health coins” when they get vaccinated, or undergo health screenings or physical exams, which could be used to offset the cost of health-related products, Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said yesterday.

The policy is scheduled to be implemented in the first quarter of next year, Shih told reporters before attending the opening of an advocacy workshop on breast cancer.

President William Lai (賴清德) earlier unveiled his “Healthy Taiwan” vision, aiming to cut by one-third the standardized mortality rate of chronic diseases associated with hypertension, hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia by 2030.

Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang speaks to reporters before an event in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times

One of the strategies includes expanding publicly funded cancer screenings to cover more age groups and more types of cancer.

“Although public awareness of the importance of cancer screening has increased, participation rates for most types of screenings have plateaued,” Shih said. “With the president’s vision for a healthier Taiwan in mind, we need to consider ways to further raise people’s awareness of personal healthcare, and thus the ‘health coin’ idea was born.”

The ministry has already introduced the health account book, allowing people to view their past medical appointments and various tests or screenings, Shih said.

In the future, public or privately funded vaccinations, cancer screenings and physical exams could all be converted into “coins,” which could provide discounts on healthcare-related services or products, he said.

For example, people could receive 100 “coins” for getting a dose of a publicly funded vaccine, he said.

The coins could be used to access sports facilities, or purchase medication or healthcare products, he said.

“In the past, public health awareness campaigns mainly focused on reducing the spread of disease or decreasing the burden on the national healthcare system. However, most people did not feel like they were receiving any immediate benefits if they followed the government’s suggestions. The health coin, on the other hand, serves as an instant rebate for the actions they take for their personal health,” Shih said.

The ministry would work out details with the Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Education before officially implementing the policy during the first quarter next year.

In related news, the government would soon stop using the National Health Insurance Fund to subsidize premiums paid by low and medium-income families, indigenous peoples, physically and mentally challenged personnel, and employees on paternity leave, following amendments to the Enforcement Rules of the National Health Insurance Act (全民健康保險法施行細則), the ministry said.

The amendment to articles 45 and 73 of the enforcement rules were subject to public review for 14 days, but the ministry said that it did not receive any input on the proposed change when that period expired yesterday.

Article 3 of the National Health Insurance Act (全民健康保險法) stipulates that the government shall bear no less than 36 percent of the total annual insurance budget after deducting statutory revenue for this insurance program each year.

If the government’s budget allocation as stipulated by law falls short of covering 36 percent of the annual insurance budget after deducting statutory revenue, the ministry shall allocate additional funds to cover the shortfall.

The enforcement rules list the types of people whose health insurance premiums would be subsidized.

“The National Health Insurance Act initially stipulated that the government would only subsidize premiums paid by low-income families, but the enforcement rules expanded the coverage to include indigenous peoples, physically and mentally challenged people, and employees on paternity leave. As a result, a shortfall of the National Health Insurance Fund has begun to emerge,” Department of Social Insurance Acting Director Chen Chen-hui (陳真慧) said.

This year, the fund’s shortfall would reach NT$13.4 billion (US$438.7 million), she said.

“The proposed changes to the enforcement rules are to ensure that the social welfare expenditure would not affect the financial soundness of the National Health Insurance Fund. Subsidies for low-income families, indigenous peoples and workers on paternity leave should be distributed based on social welfare laws,” Chen said.

The new policy is scheduled to take effect at the end of this month, she said, adding that the central government would provide NT$13.4 billion and NT$13.89 billion to replenish the fund this year and next year respectively.


people: 蔡英文 習近平 賴清德

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A Chinese takeover of Taiwan would severely threaten the national security of the US, Japan, the Philippines and other nations, while global economic losses could reach US$10 trillion, National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) wrote in an article published yesterday in Foreign Affairs.

“The future of Taiwan is not merely a regional concern; it is a test of whether the international order can withstand the pressure of authoritarian expansionism,” Lin wrote in the article titled “Taiwan’s Plan for Peace Through Strength — How Investments in Resilience Can Deter Beijing.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) intent to take Taiwan by force and become the Indo-Pacific hegemon has been clear since he came to power in 2012, Lin wrote, citing China’s military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, aerial incursions of Taiwanese airspace and disinformation campaigns as part of its efforts to bring about the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”

National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan speaks at an event in Taipei on Wednesday. Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times

“Beijing’s campaign is designed not simply to intimidate, but to erode Taiwan’s confidence and capacity to resist,” he said.

Taipei’s leaders have repeatedly warned partners and allies that Beijing’s ambitions extend beyond Taiwan, and that China and its allies seek to reshape the global order, he said.

“Should Taipei fall to Beijing, the resulting power shift could fundamentally alter the global order. Strategically, China would gain a forward operating base in the western Pacific, threatening several vital sea-lanes and undermining the US’ ability to meet security commitments to its Indo-Pacific partners and allies,” he said.

“The survival of a small democracy up against a powerful authoritarian adversary depends on preparations made long before the first shot is fired,” Lin said.

The administration of former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) pledged US$18.5 billion over 10 years to increase civil defense capabilities and bolster infrastructure, laying the foundation for a much more structured whole-of-society resilience campaign under President William Lai (賴清德), he said.

The efforts go a long way toward ensuring that Taiwan is developing the mindset that surrender is never an option — a model also present in Ukraine, Israel and Finland, he said.

Public support is key to achieving national resilience, and the opposition parties’ claims that arms purchases only antagonize Beijing are wrong, he said.

Taiwan has little time to waste as authoritarian aggressors are seeking to change the world order, Lin said.

“Many of Taiwan’s international partners, including the United States, are also engaging across Taipei’s political lines to illustrate the importance and urgency of such preparations,” he said.

Taiwan producing the majority of the world’s most advanced semiconductors, and being a part of a critical hub for global trade, means that any disruption to trade or manufacturing in the region would “reverberate across global markets, crippling industries from consumer electronics to automotive manufacturing and even defense systems,” Lin said.

title: Chinese attack threatens more than just Taiwan: official


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Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai yesterday won the Nobel Prize in Literature “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art,” the award-giving body said.

“Laszlo Krasznahorkai is a great epic writer in the central European tradition that extends through Kafka to Thomas Bernhard, and is characterized by absurdism and grotesque excess,” the Swedish Academy said in a statement. “But there are more strings to his bow, and he also looks to the East in adopting a more contemplative, finely calibrated tone.”

The second Hungarian to win the prize, after Imre Kertesz in 2002, Krasznahorkai was born in the small town of Gyula in southeast Hungary, near the Romanian border.

Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai, this year’s winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, poses for a photograph in Budapest on Sept. 19, 2016. Photo: EPA

His breakthrough 1985 novel, Satantango, is set in a similarly remote rural area and became a literary sensation in Hungary.

“The novel portrays, in powerfully suggestive terms, a destitute group of residents on an abandoned collective farm in the Hungarian countryside just before the fall of communism,” the academy said.

Krasznahorkai had a close creative partnership with Hungarian filmmaker Bela Tarr. Several of his works have been adapted into films by Tarr, including Satantango and The Werckmeister Harmonies.

Their collaboration has garnered critical acclaim. In 1993, he received the German Bestenliste Prize for the best literary work of the year for The Melancholy of Resistance.

Past winners of the 11 million kronor (US$1.2 million) literature prize include French poet and essayist Sully Prudhomme, who bagged the first award, American novelist and short story writer William Faulkner in 1949, former British prime minister Winston Churchill in 1953, Turkey’s Orhan Pamuk in 2006 and Norway’s Jon Fosse in 2023.

Last year’s prize was won by South Korean author Han Kang who became the 18th woman — the first was Swedish author Selma Lagerlof in 1909 — and the first South Korean to receive the award.

title: ‘Visionary’ Krasznahorkai wins Nobel literature prize


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Facing Chinese pressure, Taiwan president expected to announce new air defence system, sources sayBy Yimou Lee, Ben Blanchard and Ryan Woo / News Reporters, with Reuters

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te is expected to announce a new advanced “all-domain” air defence system to better defend against China when he gives his keynote national day speech on Friday, four sources familiar with the matter said.

Democratically-governed Taiwan has faced increased military and political pressure from China, which views the island as its own territory over the strong objections of the government in Taipei.

Taiwan is ramping up defence spending and modernising its armed forces, but faces a China that has a far larger military and is adding its own advanced new weapons like stealth fighter jets, aircraft carriers and a huge array of missiles.

NEW AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM DUBBED ‘TAIWAN DOME’

Lai is expected to announce the air defence system dubbed “Taiwan Dome” in his Friday morning speech, one of the sources said. The system will integrate domestically produced and foreign equipment, utilising smart technology for “comprehensive system integration”, according to the source.

It will help address increasingly complex threats, such as dealing with a combination of drones, rockets, missiles and military aircraft, the source said.

Just like in Israel, whose Iron Dome network of missile defences has been employed against attacks from Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iran, Taiwan society can operate more “resiliently and normally” with the new system, the first source added.

Plans for the new system are currently being drafted and “initial integration” will start soon, the source went on to say, without elaboration.

All four sources spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter. Taiwan’s presidential office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

BOOSTING DEFENCE SPENDING AND SOCIAL RESILIENCE

A separate source, not connected with the information about the new defence system, told Reuters that Lai’s speech will talk about increasing defence spending and strengthening social resilience, to protect peace through strength and demonstrate determination to safeguard Taiwan with concrete actions.

That involves building a strong line of defence for freedom and democracy, Lai will say, according to the official.

Lai will also say he will “responsibly maintain the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”, the official added.

China, which has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, says Lai is a “separatist” and has rebuffed repeated offers of talks from him. Lai says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.

China this week accused Lai of “prostituting” himself to foreigners, after he gave an interview lauding U.S. President Donald Trump.

China staged a day of war games around the island last year shortly after Lai’s national day speech in what it said was a warning to “separatist acts”, and Taiwan is tracking Chinese activities for any early warning signs of a repeat of last year’s drills.

China’s foreign ministry told Reuters on Thursday, when asked if there would be war games in response to Lai’s speech, that China would “firmly defend national sovereignty, reunification and territorial integrity”. It did not elaborate.

Taiwan’s national day is held on the anniversary of a 1911 uprising that led to the overthrow of China’s last imperial dynasty and establishment of the Republic of China.

The republican government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong’s communists, and Republic of China remains the island’s formal name.


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‘GLOBAL CONTINGENCY’: Taiwan is at the core of the first island chain and tech supply chain, so peace in the Strait is vital in maintaining the international order, an expert said   By Chen Yu-fu, Fang Wei-li and Fion Khan / Staff reporters, with staff writer and CNA

Taiwan would develop a more competitive defense industry to become a trustworthy partner for allies in safeguarding regional peace and stability, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday during a meeting with foreign representatives attending this year’s Taipei Security Dialogue.

The nation is to continue to bolster its defense capabilities, develop its asymmetric warfare capacity and build an intelligent defense combat system, in addition to improving whole-of-society resilience, Lai said.

He also reiterated the government’s commitment to increasing defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2030.

President William Lai, third left, shakes hands with former US principal deputy general counsel to the navy Van Hipp Jr, left, at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

Lai made the remarks during his meeting with former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and other guests from the US, the UK, Germany, Australia, Denmark and Latvia. He was accompanied by National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and Institute for National Defense and Security Research chairman Huo Shou-ye (霍守業).

Global order faces severe challenges due to the continuous expansion of authoritarianism and rapid technological development, testing the unity and responsiveness of the democratic camp, Lai said, adding that the Taipei Security Dialogue is “exceptionally important.”

This year’s theme, “Integrated Deterrence: Maintaining Indo-Pacific Peace through Strength,” focused on the international situation, impact of emerging technology, bolstering social resilience and Taiwan’s strategic role, he said.

It is not just an academic exchange, but a crucial opportunity for like-minded nations to collaborate on challenges and pursue peace, Lai said.

Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) in his closing speech at the dialogue on Wednesday said that China poses the greatest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the Asia-Pacific region.

China’s political development has shown three extreme trends since Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) took power, Chiu said.

First, China is shifting to highly centralized leadership, or even one-man rule, from collective leadership, increasing the risk of erroneous policymaking, he said.

Second, Beijing is pursuing “fanatic nationalism,” military hegemony, “wolf-warrior diplomacy” and the militarization of the South China Sea, while suppressing democracy in Hong Kong, increasing pressure on Taiwan and expanding its global influence through its Belt and Road Initiative, Chiu said.

Third, Xi is seeking to legitimize his prolonged tenure by setting unifying with Taiwan and replacing the US as goals for the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” he said.

China has become a “new totalitarian” state, applying pressure on Taiwan through military threats, diplomatic isolation, economic coercion, social infiltration, legal warfare and cognitive warfare, Chiu said.

Beijing poses the largest threat to the “status quo” of peace and stability in Taiwan Strait and the Asia-Pacific region, he said, adding that “peace in the Taiwan Strait is a key to maintaining world security and prosperity.”

Taiwan is at the core of the first island chain, and 50 percent of the world’s container ships must sail through the Taiwan Strait, making it vital in maintaining a peaceful and prosperous international order, Chiu said.

The nation is also a global high-tech center, manufacturing 90 percent of the world’s advanced computer chips, making it an indispensable partner in the high-tech supply chain, he added.

Taiwan is a mature and free democracy that could inspire people in China who share the same cultural and linguistic background to pursue freedom and a better life, Chiu said.

Maintaining security and peace in the Taiwan Strait is of vital interest to every country, he said, adding that a Taiwan contingency is a global contingency.

The US, Japan, the EU, the UK, Canada and Australia have expressed concern for peace and stability in the Strait, Chiu said.

A consensus has been reached among the international community on how to work together to curb China’s expansionist ambitions, and preserve cross-strait and regional peace and prosperity, he added.

people: 賴清德 習近平 吳釗燮

title: Taiwan to fortify defense industry: Lai


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By Liu Wan-lin, Chung Li-hua and Jason Pan / Staff reporters

Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) yesterday confirmed that his driver had filed a request for a judicial investigation into secret surveillance by “media teams” reportedly working for Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌). A news outlet also published a list of top government officials and political allies who were allegedly tailed.

The Chinese-language Mirror News reported that Huang targeted officials in the Presidential Office, lawmakers, top officials in the Executive Yuan and the Control Yuan, as well former TPP chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) in 2022.

Kung said that when he was Executive Yuan secretary-general in June, his driver noticed they were being followed for days by a vehicle.

Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin attends a meeting in an undated photograph. Photo: Taipei Times

The driver reported it to the police, Kung said, but declined to confirm reports that a former aide of Huang, surnamed Lee (李), had rented the car.

Reports alleged that Huang’s “media teams” secretly surveilled and took photos of senior DPP officials in 2023, including Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and Pan Men-an (潘孟安), then-President William Lai’s (賴清德) campaign manager.

Other figures allegedly targeted by Huang’s “media teams” included former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), former deputy premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), former minister of economic affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝), former minister of health and welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), former Executive Yuan secretary-general Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) and Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑).

Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said that some targets realized they were being followed and reported it to the police, adding that they are considering filing a lawsuit against Huang for breaching the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法) and the Social Order Maintenance Act (社會秩序維護法), and for offenses against personal privacy.

“Taiwan is a democracy and there is freedom of expression and media freedom, but these have their limits. One must not abuse them to instill fear into others and infringe on the rights of our citizens,” Lee said.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Yi-chuan (王義川) accused Huang of hiring at least two media teams, each with four members who are journalists or photographers, which experts said would have cost at least NT$80 million (US$2.62 million) each year, adding that Huang has allegedly been doing it since 2021.

“The two teams would need financial backing, such as wages and daily expenses, so where is the funding coming from?” Wang said.

He said he demanded a judicial investigation due to national security concerns, as he suspected that Huang was receiving funding from a foreign state.

Mirror News said that Huang allegedly began working with journalist Hsieh Hsing-en (謝幸恩) in 2021, with the latter using her contacts to hire reporters and photographers.

Huang through Kai Ssu International Co and the Anti-Corruption and Whistleblower Protection Association, both of which are believed to be under his control, allegedly created “media teams,” which were headed by Hsieh, the report said.

The alleged goal was to “dig up dirt” Huang could publicize or give to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers to accuse the people of wrongdoing, the report said.

people: 卓榮泰 黃國昌 陳時中 鄭文燦 潘孟安 蘇貞昌 柯文哲 梁文傑 賴清德 林右昌

title: Minister’s driver reports ‘media team’ secret tailing


content_text:
Military expert rebuts claim 4-5 Chinese subs could blockade Taiwan

A Taiwanese military expert on Wednesday rejected a China studies scholar’s claim that Beijing could impose a naval blockade on Taiwan by sending a few submarines into waters around the island country, questioning how long such a blockade could be sustained.

Based on impressions from two visits to Taiwan over the past three months, China studies scholar Willy Lam (林和立) said at an Oct. 1 symposium in Washington, D.C., that “all the Chinese need to do is send four or five submarines to impose a naval blockade of the island.”

Lam, a senior fellow at The Jamestown Foundation, speculated that if Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) orders “a big move on Taiwan,” the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) would impose an effective naval blockade “which they could do quite easily.”

A nuclear-powered Type 094A Jin-class ballistic missile submarine of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy participates in a military display in the South China Sea on April 12, 2018. Photo: Reuters

Speaking at a Taipei seminar held Wednesday by National Chengchi University’s Institute of International Relations, Alexander Huang (黃介正) of Tamkang University said that strictly from a military perspective, the central question is how long a submarine blockade could be sustained if attempted.

“A nuclear-powered submarine might be able to stay in position for a long time, but crews still need to eat and sleep, so it can’t remain there indefinitely,” said Huang, an associate professor at the university’s Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies.

“With any blockade, the key question is how long you can sustain it, because it can’t last forever,” he said, in response to a question from CNA.

Another factor to consider is “whether those submarines can make it back,” Huang said, noting that other countries’ submarines might block their way to home ports in China.

If it comes to combat, those submarines may not make it back, Huang said, noting that Taiwan “is not without the means to hit back.”

A wargaming expert, Huang said that while Taiwan would be under great pressure in such a scenario, the longer a blockade lasts, the stronger the likelihood of international intervention becomes.

“If the United States were to blockade the Strait of Malacca and bar Chinese ships from passing, Yangshan Port could also be struck,” he said, referring to the deep-water port off Shanghai that is an important hub for China’s import and export trade.

Lam’s remarks also drew reactions from Taiwanese officials at home and abroad.

After Lam delivered his remarks at the symposium, he was immediately countered by Taiwan’s representative to the U.S., Alexander Yui (俞大㵢), who also attended the event hosted by the Global Taiwan Institute.

Disagreeing with Lam’s claim that a handful of submarines could blockade Taiwan, Yui said at the time the determination of the Taiwanese people to defend themselves is “pretty strong,” citing the tens of thousands who voluntarily went to Hualien County to assist with cleanup and recovery in areas hit by recent flooding.

Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑), deputy head and spokesperson of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, also refuted Lam’s claim at a regular news briefing in Taipei.

“If it were that easy, all our years of force building and readiness would have been for nothing,” Liang said at the Thursday briefing.

“I therefore strongly disagree with his claim,” he added.

people: 梁文傑 習近平


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‘IRRELEVANT’: Some defense ministry sub-budgets, such as chairs costing NT$50,000 each and NT$800 million for bottled water, do not enhance resilience, a lawmaker said

The special resilience budget, which includes NT$10,000 (US$327.39) cash handouts, passed its initial review at the legislature and could pass the third reading on Friday next week at the earliest.

The Cabinet on Sept. 11 approved a NT$550 billion budget, based on the newly amended Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例), which stipulated a budget ceiling of NT$570 billion.

The NT$550 billion budget includes NT$236 billion for cash handouts, while NT$20 billion would be reserved for future industrial support.

Legislators deliberate a special economic resilience budget at the legislature in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Hsieh Chun-lin, Taipei Times

Lawmakers proposed 237 items for discussion, most of which have been resolved, but some have been reserved for discussion, as required by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), the convenor of the legislature’s joint meeting on the budget over the past two days.

The bill still has to undergo cross-party negotiations before it enters legislative meetings, he said.

More than 50 items proposed by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ma Wen-chun (馬文君) remain unresolved, which aimed to remove sub-budgets proposed by the Ministry of National Defense.

These sub-budgets include about NT$800 million for drinking water storage, NT$36 million for a swimming pool construction project and NT$120 million for a swimming pool revamping project.

Of the NT$550 billion budget, sub-budgets proposed by the defense ministry amounted to more than NT$113.2 billion, Ma said.

The ministry said it aims to “enhance resilience” by “strengthening national defense capacity” and “improving information technology operating environments and equipment,” but most of the proposed sub-budgets were about replacing audiovisual equipment, she said, calling those irrelevant to enhancing resilience.

The ministry’s Joint Operations Command Center also wants to purchase chairs for high-level officials priced at NT$50,000 each, Ma said.

The ministry planned to spend about NT$800 million to buy 500ml bottled water with special specifications and long shelf life in preparation for wartime, but that means the bottled water would cost about NT$120 each, way higher than the regular price, she said.

Many of the ministry’s sub-budgets were already proposed in the total budget for next year, and there were no budgets related to repairing or replacing old or broken bunkers, airport runways or armored fighting vehicles, Ma said.

The ministry yesterday said that they previously used bottled water that have a one-year shelf life, but given actual combat scenarios, the armed forces plans to bottle water that could last for five years.

Ministry spokesman Major General Sun Li-fang (孫立方) said that water must be stored at a certain volume and preserved at locations with special requirements, in preparation for war.

Regarding the chairs, Sun said that they chose ones with ergonomic designs and five-year warranties, as officials would be under high pressure for an extended time during war.

The ministry would reconsider its choice, given that Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) yesterday at the legislature said that he would not buy such expensive chairs for himself, he said.

The special budget could be put on the agenda of the legislature’s Procedure Committee meeting on Tuesday next week and then discussed in the legislative meeting on Friday next week at the earliest.

As Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) has said that the Cabinet would request President William Lai (賴清德) to promulgate the bill as soon as it is passed, that means the NT$10,000 universal cashouts could begin distribution by the end of next month, if it passes the third reading at the legislative meeting.

On the other hand, the joint meeting yesterday removed sub-budgets totaling about NT$130 million.

It passed a 5 percent cut, or about NT$80.41 million, in media expenses for the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Labor, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, which was proposed by KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆).

Other deletions included NT$60 million for enhancing higher education and NT$3 million in general operating expenses for a public shelter facility improvement project, which was proposed by the National Land Management Agency.

Additional reporting by Liu Wan-lin and Hsieh Chun-lin

people: 賴清德 李坤城 賴士葆 卓榮泰 顧立雄 馬文君

title: Special resilience act passes initial legislative review


title: Reporter seeking ban lift must prove himself: MAC

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Former China Central Television (CCTV) investigative reporter Wang Zhian (王志安) should submit evidence proving that he can assist the government in countering Chinese cognitive warfare against Taiwan if he seeks to re-enter the country through the endorsement of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), the cross-strait authority said yesterday.

The Ministry of the Interior banned Wang from entering Taiwan for five years after he breached the terms of his tourism permit by going on the Night Night Show with Hello (賀瓏夜夜秀) and ridiculing the disability of Democratic Progressive Party legislator-at-large candidate Chen Chun-han (陳俊翰).

He subsequently appealed the ministry’s ruling by filing a lawsuit at the Taipei High Administrative Court, which in June ruled in favor of the ministry.

Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh speaks to reporters in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Yu-fu, Taipei Times

The ministry confirmed that it has lifted the entry ban for some Internet influencers, after the MAC said they would be useful in producing content to counter Chinese propaganda.

Wang on Wednesday said he should be allowed to re-enter Taiwan, too, as the skills he acquired while working as an investigative reporter make him a valuable asset that Taiwan cannot cultivate in the short term, adding that he could make irreplaceable contributions to Taiwanese society.

Wang, who lives in Japan, also accused the government of double standards against him and Chinese spouses married to Taiwanese.

Asked if the council would endorse Wang, MAC Deputy Minister and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said: “To us, because he holds a Chinese passport, his case falls under the jurisdiction of the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area [臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例]. If he is a cat, he cannot call himself a dog.”

The entry of all Chinese is subject to the council’s approval, but this requirement does not apply to other foreigners, Liang added.

Liang suggested that Wang try submitting his entry permit application again and show the MAC how he has spoken for Taiwan and helped the nation counter China’s cognitive warfare.

All entry permit applications filed by Chinese nationals are jointly reviewed by the MAC and ministry, he added.

Chinese spouses who become elected officials in Taiwan are required to renounce their Chinese citizenship, because the Nationality Act (國籍法) stipulates that Taiwanese civil servants must not have dual citizenship, regardless of the “legitimacy” of the other citizenship, Liang said.

He cited as an example Northern Cyprus, which is only recognized as a legitimate country by Turkey.

If a Northern Cyprus citizen becomes an elected Taiwanese official, they have to renounce their Northern Cyprus citizenship as well, he said.

In other news, a Taiwanese who died while on a hiking trip in China’s Qinghai Province last week was working there, the council said, adding that their family had traveled to China yesterday to handle the funeral and other matters.

The China-based Taiwanese company the person worked for has taken care of the matter and has yet to request any assistance from the Taiwanese government, Liang said.


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The Executive Yuan yesterday approved amendments to a special act for rebuilding in the aftermath of Typhoon Danas and extensive flooding last month, which sought an additional budget of NT$25 billion (US$818.46 million). If passed, the budget of the special relief package would increase from NT$60 billion to NT$85 billion.

The Cabinet proposed amendments to articles 4, 5 and 10 of the special act to earmark an additional budget to five key areas.

First, authorities are to survey and monitor the barrier lake along the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪), which flooded Hualien County’s Guangfu Township (光復), set up a flood-prone area, and work on sediment and soil control.

Military personnel and volunteers help the flooding recovery effort in Hualien County’s Guangfu Township on Wednesday. Photo: Wang Chin-yi, Taipei Times

Second, residents affected by the disaster would be relocated.

Third, rainwater and sewage systems, as well as household and road drainage facilities are to be dredged and repaired.

Fourth, the government would work on farmland restoration and agricultural production environment reconstruction.

Fifth, post-disaster sand and mixed waste are to be classified and disposed properly.

Of the budget, NT$10.7 billion is earmarked for the barrier lake, NT$4 billion for water facilities, NT$3.25 billion for roads and transportation, NT$2.65 billion for homes and public facilities, NT$500 million for agricultural facilities, NT$478 million for social recovery and industrial promotion, and NT$3.421 billion as contingency funds.

The amendments would extend the implementation period of the special act and relief budget to Dec. 31, 2028, while the new recovery work projects would be effective until Dec. 31, 2030.

Hualien was declared a disaster zone on Tuesday last week, so the special act would apply to the recovery work for the barrier lake, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) was quoted by Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) as saying.

Amending the special act is the fastest and easiest way to help residents affected by the disaster, Lee said in response to opposition lawmakers’ request for another special act to fund recovery work in Guangfu.

Lee said she hoped that the amendments would be swiftly passed by the legislature.

title: Cabinet approves changes to special act for rebuilding


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The Tainan District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday indicted Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin I-chin (林宜瑾) on charges of embezzling more than NT$14 million (US$458,340) of publicly funded assistant salaries.

Lin and the director of her constituency service center, surnamed Huang (黃), have been indicted for allegedly fraudulently obtaining assets under the cover of legal authority, in contravention of the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例), and for causing a public official to make a false entry, breaking the Criminal Code, prosecutors said.

Her assistant, also surnamed Huang, was indicted for allegedly lying to prosecutors.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin I-chin speaks at an event in Taipei on June 28. Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times

Another 13 people were given deferred prosecution.

Prosecutors said that Lin fraudulently claimed NT$14,127,388 in assistant salaries from the former Tainan County Council, Tainan City Council and the Legislative Yuan during her time as Tainan county councilor, Tainan City councilor and legislator from 2009 to last year.

She allegedly falsely listed private assistants as publicly funded, inflated reported salaries and claimed pay for assistants who existed in name only, prosecutors said.

Lin allegedly used the funds for her service office or personal use, they added.

The legislator has returned in full her alleged illegal gains.

Lin was questioned in August last year and released on bail of NT$1 million the next day, on the condition that she does not leave the country.

As her alleged criminal activities spanned 15 years, and involved numerous people and a large sum of money, the investigation, questioning and information cross-referencing was long and time-consuming, requiring a total of 46 interviews, they said.

Lin served as a councilor in Tainan County from 1998 to 2010, before it was restructured as a special municipality.

She then served as a Tainan City councilor from 2010 to 2020 and became a lawmaker.

title: DPP legislator indicted over alleged embezzlement


title: Taiwan hotels receive inaugural Michelin Keys

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The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced Thursday.

All four of the Taiwanese hotels received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests will experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.”

Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung.

A promotional shot shows the Mandarin Oriental Taipei, which has received a five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide, in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Taipei

In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei.

Capella Taipei was described by Michelin as being featured for being a property designed by Hong Kong’s world-renowned hotel architect Andre Fu (傅厚民) which combines a luxury hotel experience with a luxe private residence feel.

It was also selected for providing panoramic views of the capital city and surrounding hills.

Meanwhile, Kimpton Da An Taipei was selected as a boutique-hotel that cares for the culinary preferences of its customers.

With its flagship restaurant, Tavernist, run by a former alumnus of Chef Rene Redzepi’s gastronomic mecca Noma, the hotel offers a fine-dinning culinary experience that is further spotlighted by the pairing of the establishment’s “daily social hour,” where guests are treated to wine, tapas and casual conversations with fellow residents.

The Mandarin Oriental was picked for its luxury hotel amenities.

In addition to the lavish comforts accentuated by attentive service from the staff, the hotel is included on the Michelin list with its spa and wellness program, together with eateries that are so diverse the hotel even offers a specialized cake shop.

The sole One Key awarded outside Taipei went to Taichung’s Hoshinoya Guguan for the hot spring baths made famous by the hotel’s Japanese parent company the Hoshinoya hotel group.

By selecting the valley in the Central Mountains of Taiwan where Hoshinoya Guguan is situated, the Japanese company is able to run the establishment like a Japanese ryokan, offering tranquil and luxurious rooms that pair with the location’s scenery.

As with the 2,457 establishments listed in the Michelin Keys guide, all four Taiwanese hotels were judged for their “excellence in design, architecture, service and personality.”

Much like the Michelin Stars for restaurants, the Michelin Keys is a three-tier award given to hotels.

Where One Key awards given to Taiwan indicates that a property is a very special stay, Two Keys means an establishment is “an exceptional stay” that is unique in every way, while Three Keys indicates a hotel is “an extraordinary stay” where patrons will experience “the ultimate in comfort and service, style and elegance.”

Although the Michelin company had long included hotels in its guides, the catalogue only started distinguishing properties with its Michelin Keys accolades in 2024, initially focusing on hotels in western countries.

On Wednesday, the company officially revealed the 2,457 hotels selected for 2025 as the first official listing for Michelin Keys.

“125 years after its creation as a guide for discerning travelers, The Michelin Guide is once again redefining excellence -- this time in the world of hospitality,” said Michelin Guide head Gwendal Poullennec. “Just as Michelin Stars celebrate the world’s most exceptional restaurants, Michelin Keys now honor hotels that offer truly remarkable stays, where design, service, and location come together to create unforgettable moments.”


title: Public urged to take part in Nov. 1 climate march

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COMPLICIT: Taiwanese companies should stop buying fossil fuels from Russia, as it funds the invasion of Ukraine and accelerates global warming, an activist said

Environmental groups yesterday urged people to participate in a climate march asking the government to commit to its nuclear-free and carbon reduction policies in line with the nation’s net zero road map.

The march, titled “Walk for Climate: Building a Resilient Taiwan” and organized by 10 local environmental groups, is to take place on Nov. 1 at Taipei City Hall East Gate Plaza ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30).

The campaign is focused on enhancing Taiwan’s resilience in terms of sustainability and intergenerational justice, national security and energy autonomy, and democracy and cultural diversity.

Environmentalists call for people to take part in a climate march on Nov. 1 at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Huang Yi-ching, Taipei Times

Green Citizens’ Action Alliance secretary-general Tsui Shu-hsin (崔愫欣) said Taiwan proposed its nationally determined contribution (NDC) target for the first time this year.

However, current decarbonization goals are not fully aligned with its net zero road map, and the strategies for the energy, transportation and manufacturing sectors are not clear enough, she said.

Therefore, the campaign is calling for everybody to work together to limit global warming to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels, thereby ensuring the sustainability of human society and ecosystems, she added.

Taiwan Climate Action Network director Chao Chia-wei (趙家緯) said the current NDC target of 38 percent carbon reduction by 2035 might be 20 percent short of the net zero goal by 2050 and should be raised to 52 percent.

To meet the 2050 net zero goal, Taiwan should accelerate energy transition and phase out coal-fueled power generation within the next 10 to 15 years, Chao said, adding that nuclear power should not be considered a solution given its high cost and the unresolved problem of nuclear waste.

Greenpeace East Asia climate and energy campaigner Yi Hsin (忻儀) said the “polluter pays” principle should be implemented, calling on high power-consuming sectors such as semiconductors to propose more ambitious green transition road maps and invest in renewable energy.

Taiwan Youth Climate Coalition coexecutive director Wu Yun-fang (吳昀芳) urged the government to consider the long-term impact of its economic polices on the younger generation.

It would be unjust to pursue economic growth and wealth while leaving extreme climate disasters, resource risks and uncertainty to future generations, Wu said.

Amnesty International Taiwan legislative and policy director Cheetah Liu-Lee (李俊達) said military conflicts like Russia’s war in Ukraine and Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza not only consume lots of fossil fuels, but also have destroyed energy, water and food supply systems.

Taiwan should stop buying fossil fuels like coal or light oil from Russia, as such purchases fund Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and accelerate global warming, he said.

Tsui said the march would begin at 12:30pm, with the route going from the plaza and passing through Songshou Square Park (松壽廣場公園).

The route would continue along Xiangti Avenue, Songshou Road, Songzhi Road and Xinyi Road Sec. 5, and then along Shifu Road, Songgao Road and Songzhi Road before returning to the plaza.


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Ophthalmologists are to conduct general screenings at kindergartens to check children’s vision as part of a pilot program by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for the current academic semester.

Studies have found that 30 percent of the worldwide population have some form of myopia, or nearsightedness.

However, the condition is far more prevalent in Taiwan, as more than 70 percent of sixth graders have myopia, the Health Promotion Administration said on Sept. 19.

Students get their eyes tested in Yunlin County on March 4, 2021. Photo: Huang Shu-li, Taipei Times

To reduce cases of severe myopia, the agency said it is to introduce a pilot program for ophthalmologists to visit kindergartens for screenings.

“People should not just deal with myopia by wearing prescription glasses,” Health Promotion Administration Director-General Shen Ching-fen (沈靜芬) told a news conference at the ministry in Taipei.

“When children have myopia, it will gradually get worse each year if nothing is done about it. There is also a high likelihood that it would lead to cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and even retinal detachment, and also an increased likelihood of blindness,” Shen said.

“A survey found that 9 percent of older kindergarten students [five to six years old] have myopia. In the first year of elementary school that jumps to 19.8 percent and rises to 70.6 percent by sixth grade. In the final year of senior high school, 87.2 percent of students are nearsighted. That is a far higher figure than the worldwide average,” she said.

Previously, teachers would do an examination by checking students’ vision using an eye chart, HPA Maternal and Child Health Division senior specialist Hu Yi-chun (胡怡君) said.

National Taiwan University (NTU) Hospital ophthalmologist Hou Chun-ho (侯鈞賀) discussed his experience of treating a child known as “Little Hao” (小皓).

Aged five, Little Hao had fairly good vision at 1.0 diopter, Hou said.

“But both of his parents have medium to high myopia at between 300 [minus-3.0 diopter] to 500 [minus-5.0 diopter] degrees,” he said. “So his parents took him for an eye examination at a clinic, which found Little Hao had farsightedness at plus-125 degrees [1.25 diopter], so he had some room to compensate for likely future development of myopia.”

When Little Hao reached second grade, regular examinations found that he had fallen to plus-75 degrees [0.75 diopter], meaning his eye axial length was growing and he had a higher risk of developing myopia, he added.

“After discussion with parents, they agreed for him to start taking the eye medication Atropine to stall the onset of myopia. Now he is in third grade and his vision has held stable at plus-25 degrees [0.25 diopter]. He had not developed myopia and had no need to wear corrective lenses,” Hou said.

As some parents worry that their child might not be comfortable when undergoing eye examination, NTU Children’s Hospital ophthalmologist Tsai Tzu-hsun (蔡紫薰) offered three simple instructions.

The first is “don’t worry,” as teams from clinics are professional ophthalmologists who administer eyesight examination using safe and reliable methods, Tsai said.

The second is to teach their child to cooperate with the ophthalmologist’s instructions, she said.

The third is to give their child a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses, to prevent the eyes becoming too sensitive, which could also lead to damage, she added.

title: Kindergarten eye testing pilot program announced


title: National Taiwan University ranked 140th in world rankings

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The Times Higher Education (THE) has ranked National Taiwan University (NTU) at 140th in its World University Rankings 2026, out of 2,191 institutions from 115 countries and territories, according to a THE report released Thursday.

With an overall score of 62.5, NTU climbed 32 places from last year, returning to the top 150 after dropping out in 2023, according to the THE.

The main gate to National Taiwan University in Taipei is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Yang Mien-chieh, Taipei Times

Of Taiwan’s universities, China Medical University came next, ranking between 301-305, followed by Asia University, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, National Tsing Hua University, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and Taipei Medical University, ranking between 401-500.

In the subcategory of industry, which gauges a university’s ability to help industry with innovations and inventions, NTU and NYCU both scored 100.

Elsewhere in the world, the University of Oxford retained the number one spot for the 10th consecutive year, the report said.

It is followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University and University of Cambridge tied at number three, and Harvard University and Stanford University tying for fifth place.

Rounding out the top 10 are California Institute of Technology, Imperial College London, University of California, Berkeley and Yale University.

The THE World University Rankings evaluate universities based on performances in teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry.


title: Ministry urged to issue ‘period coin’ ahead of Girls’ Day

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SANITARY PRODUCTS:  The proposal would enable girls to make autonomous choices, and would prevent beneficiaries being labeled poor, a DPP legislator said

Advocates and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday urged the government to issue a “period coin” to help young girls buy sanitary products, ahead of Taiwan Girls’ Day tomorrow.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare could model the initiative after the Ministry of Culture’s “culture coin” policy, Friendly-to-All Co-Parenting Organization director Chiang Hsin-yi (江心怡) told a news conference in Taipei.

The call also comes as the health ministry yesterday announced plans for a “health coin,” which could be earned by getting checkups and vaccinations, and used to purchase health-related products.

Democratic Progressive Party legislators Fan Yun, center, and Chang Ya-lin, second left, join members of the Friendly-to-All Co-Parenting Organization at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

Chiang said that the health ministry could allocate funds and issue fixed sums to women aged 16 to 22 to use for purchasing sanitary products or other menstruation-related items.

A related program by the Ministry of Education with the same goals has been in effect since August 2023, but has received complaints from students regarding unfair labeling, insufficient product inventory and inconvenient locations, Chiang said.

However, the proposed “period coin” would enable girls to make autonomous choices, and would prevent beneficiaries from being labeled as poor or disadvantaged, DPP Legislator Chang Ya-lin (張雅琳) said.

Chang said that she hoped all girls would be able to freely discuss their periods in daily conversation and enjoy full autonomy over their bodies.

DPP Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) said she strongly supports the policy, which was proposed by student and teacher groups, and aims to promote menstrual equity.

Fan and Chang urged the health ministry to consider promoting the project, as it would not require amending any laws or the tax system to be implemented.

Also ahead of Girls’ Day tomorrow, the Taiwan Sport Forward Association, alongside DPP legislators Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) and Huang Jie (黃捷), yesterday urged the Ministry of Sports to formulate policies that uphold human rights, gender equality, and the rights of children and young people.

Minister of Sports Lee Yang (李洋) should address the imbalanced power dynamics between coaches and players, and truly modernize the sports industry, Chen said.

Huang said she was in talks with the sports ministry to participate in next year’s IWG Women and Sports Global Summit under the name of Taiwan, so that Taiwan would become a hub for sports equity in Asia.

DPP Legislator Chen Hsiu-pao (陳秀寶) urged the sports ministry to provide benefits and funding for female athletes, coaches and experts.

The sports ministry should consider bringing on board female athletes to form gender equality committees and provide the ministry with advice on gender equality policies, DPP Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) said.

DPP Legislator Su Chiao-hui (蘇巧慧) said she hoped the government would encourage regular exercise for women and set aside women-only areas in public sports areas and women-only classes.

The sports ministry should foster a general willingness to exercise and encourage young people to take up sports, DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) said, adding that the sports industry could also become a useful diplomatic tool.

people: 蘇巧慧 吳思瑤 范雲 陳培瑜


title: Hsinchu woman handed suspended sentence for forgery

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A Hsinchu woman has been handed a suspended prison sentence of two years for forging a loan agreement and an NT$8.5 million (US$278,278) promissory note by using the fingerprint of a deceased “alleged debtor” at a funeral parlor.

The Hsinchu District Court on Thursday last week found the woman, surnamed Lee (李), guilty of falsifying a financial document, but suspended the sentence for five years, citing her claim that she was protecting her rights as a creditor.

The forged agreement claimed the alleged debtor, surnamed Peng (彭), had borrowed NT$8.5 million from Lee, pledged land as collateral and forged his fingerprint on a promissory note, the court said.

The incident occurred at about 11am on Feb. 21, about six hours after Peng died, the court said.

At that time, Peng’s body had just arrived at Hsinchu City Funeral Parlor, with his family preparing for admission, mortuary workers at the scene said yesterday.

Lee then asked to “pay her last respects,” and went to the bagged body in a hearse, and using an ink pad she added the fingerprint to the forged documents.

A mortuary worker noticed her actions and alerted Peng’s family and police, who arrested Lee on the spot and confiscated her documents, the mortuary workers said.

The court noted that the forged documents were never used, and took into account Lee’s confession and cooperation when handing down the sentence.


content_text: Students from Sian-An Primary School in Kinmen County march with national flags during a parade yesterday to celebrate Double Ten National Day.

title: Student color guard


title: Taiwanese mounties

content_text: New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi, front right, yesterday offers drinks to mounted police officers who are to lead a motorcade carrying the winners of this year’s Little League Baseball World Series, World Games and Summer World University Games in today’s Double Ten National Day parade. The New Taipei City Police Department’s Mounted Police Division was created in 2003 and is the only mounted police division in northern Taiwan.


content_text: Representative to the US Alexander Yui holds up a shovel at a Double Ten National Day event in Washington on Wednesday to commemorate the thousands of volunteers who helped recovery efforts in Hualien County.

title: Helping hand


title: Exports rise 33.8% to US$54.25bn

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IMPORTS ALSO UP:  Order visibility is ‘bright and clear’ through the end of the year, with shipments expected to expand 28-33 percent this month, an official said

Exports jumped 33.8 percent year-on-year last month to US$54.25 billion, the third-highest monthly level on record, as strong global demand for new-generation consumer electronics and artificial intelligence (AI) applications offset weakness in traditional industries, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday.

“The robust showing was helped by the arrival of the high season for technology products and insatiable demand for AI investment and applications,” Department of Statistics Director-General Beatrice Tsai (蔡美娜) told a media briefing.

Order visibility remains “bright and clear” through the end of the year, with shipments expected to expand 28 to 33 percent this month, buoyed by imports of capital equipment and related devices used for export production, Tsai said.

Exports in the first nine months of the year totaled US$452.68 billion, up 29.7 percent from the same period last year and 7.4 percentage points above the government’s forecast — signaling potential for an upward revision to Taiwan’s full-year GDP growth.

Electronic components continued to lead gains, with exports rising 25.6 percent to a record US$21.43 billion, driven by surging demand for advanced chips used in AI applications, and expanding need for cloud computing and data storage, Tsai said.

Shipments of information and communications technology as well as audiovisual products surged 86.9 percent to US$19.27 billion, led by orders for graphics cards and servers, she said.

The sector’s scale hit its highest September level, with the two categories accounting for about 75 percent of overall exports, she said.

In contrast, traditional industries saw only modest gains of 2.8 percent, or less than US$400 million in additional value, she said.

Exports of electrical machinery rose 5 percent, while basic metals and rubber products gained 1.7 percent and 8.6 percent respectively, Tsai said.

Shipments of transport equipment slipped 2.4 percent, she added.

“Taiwan has seen tech exports booming in the past two years, even as some sectors struggle with overcapacity,” Tsai said.

Exports to the US soared 51.6 percent to US$13.32 billion, while shipments to China, including Hong Kong, climbed 12.8 percent to US$15.86 billion, she said.

Exports to ASEAN members rose 34 percent to US$9.77 billion, underscoring the bloc’s growing role as a hub in supply chain realignment, she said.

Shipments to Mexico almost quadrupled to more than US$3.69 billion, making it Taiwan’s third-largest export market for the month, she said.

Imports rose 25.1 percent to US$41.86 billion — the third-highest monthly level on record — reflecting robust semiconductor equipment purchases and stocking tied to the export upcycle, the ministry said.

That left Taiwan with a trade surplus of US$12.4 billion, more than four times what it was a year earlier, it said.

With AI-related orders remaining solid, the ministry said it expects exports to stay strong for four straight quarters this year.

Shipments in the first 10 months are on track to exceed the full-year total for last year, Tsai said.


title: Largan Q3 net profit increases 6.79 percent

content_text:
BUSY PLANTS:  The camera lens maker expects full factory utilization this quarter because the manufacturing process technology is becoming more complicated

Largan Precision Co (大立光), a major camera lens supplier for Apple Inc’s iPhones, yesterday reported that net profit last quarter increased 6.79 percent from a year earlier, while gross margin dropped 3.02 percentage points over the same period mainly due to foreign exchange fluctuations.

Net profit increased to NT$7.08 billion (US$231.79 million) compared with NT$6.63 billion in the third quarter last year, the company said.

On a quarterly basis, net profit surged 586 percent from NT$1.03 billion, it said.

Vehicles are parked outside a Largan Precision Co building in Taichung on June 12, 2018. Photo: Chen Mei-ying, Taipei Times

Earnings per share rose to NT$53.05 last quarter from NT$49.67 a year earlier and NT$7.73 the previous quarter, it said.

Largan last quarter booked NT$673 million in foreign exchange gains, reversing losses of NT$4.2 billion in the second quarter.

The appreciation of the New Taiwan dollar versus the greenback shaved about 3 percentage points off the company’s gross margin last quarter, when it was 47.2 percent, down from 50.22 percent in the same period last year, Largan chairman Adam Lin (林恩平) told an online investors’ conference.

Increased revenue from bypass shipments — orders delivered directly to module or assembly partners rather than through branded customers — and lower yields also weighed on gross margin last quarter, Lin said.

Largan expects its yields to improve over the remainder of the year, he said.

A better yield would be one of key factors that improves its gross margin this quarter, as most product prices are settled, Lin added.

The scale of front-loaded orders for advanced smartphone lenses among customers, as well as foreign exchange rate fluctuations are also key factors, he said.

Revenue this month is expected to be similar to last month’s NT$6.24 billion, Lin said.

Next month’s revenue would be weaker on a sequential basis, he said.

Largan expects full factory utilization this quarter, as the manufacturing process technology is becoming more complicated, not because of an increase in demand, he said.

Regarding expansion plans, one floor of the firm’s fourth plant at the Taichung Industrial Park (台中工業區) has been set aside, and more capacity can be added if needed, Lin said.

As for progress in shipping Largan’s newly developed high-precision visual recognition products for humanoid service robots, Lin said customers have delayed shipments to next year from this year after scrapping the ultrasonic detection design.

Shipments of other visual recognition products for service robots would take place this year, but in small volumes, he said.

Regarding industry trends, Lin said that customers are continuing to move toward multiple-aperture and variable-aperture lenses, with periscope lenses widely adopted.

As customers have complained that high-end eight-piece plastic lenses are expensive, they would only be used in special applications, he said.


title: Chinese units of US chip company face sanctions

content_text:
The US government on Wednesday sanctioned more than two dozen companies in China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, including offshoots of a US chip firm, accusing the businesses of providing illicit support to Iran’s military or proxies.

The US Department of Commerce included two subsidiaries of US-based chip distributor Arrow Electronics Inc (艾睿電子) on its so-called entity list published on the federal register for facilitating purchases by Iran’s proxies of US tech.

Arrow spokesman John Hourigan said that the subsidiaries have been operating in full compliance with US export control regulations and his company is discussing with the US Bureau of Industry and Security about the listings.

The US Department of Commerce headquarters in Washington is pictured on Monday last week. Photo: Bloomberg

These two units are in China and Hong Kong, according to the latest entity list.

The bureau, which is responsible for export controls, added 26 entities and three addresses to its list of firms that US vendors cannot sell to without government approval.

US firms should presume requests to export to the entities would be denied due to national security concerns, the agency said.

Several of the new entity list additions, including Arrow subsidiaries, resulted from the discovery of US-origin electronic components in scraps of uncrewed aircraft systems operated by Iranian proxies since 2017.

Components were found after scrutiny of wreckage recovered by nations in the Gulf and Middle East regions, the bureau said.

The US first weighed restrictions on Arrow as early as 2020 when a different Asian subsidiary was suspected of providing technology to foreign military forces.

Arrow said at the time that the description was an error and the subsidiary was not engaged in military activities.

The bureau sanctioned another five firms on its latest list based on information gleaned from the wreckage of Hamas drones recovered by the Israel Defense Forces after the attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

The debris included components that originated in the US routed through the blacklisted firms, the agency said.


title: Ministry scouting sites for Nvidia to build Taipei office

content_text:
Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) yesterday said that his ministry is scouting new sites for Nvidia Corp to build its Taipei office, but the T17 and T18 plots in Taipei’s Beitou-Shilin Technology Park (北投士林科技園區) remain the top choice of the chip company.

One of the potential backup plans is land adjacent to Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), Kung said.

The ministry said it received a letter on Wednesday from Nvidia asking about the availability of land that would meet its needs and a response by Oct. 24.

Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin, second right, attends a legislative session in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times

The California-based supplier of artificial intelligence (AI) chip is facing difficulties acquiring the land in the technology park, as the Taipei City Government in 2021 granted rights for it to Shin Kong Life Insurance Co (新光人壽). The city government is struggling to terminate the contract with the life insurer.

As the city has previously expressed concern about potential profiteering from a deal over the land, proposed amendments to administrative regulations have been submitted to the Executive Yuan, which would respond as soon as possible, Kung said.

Separately, Kung pledged to expand liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage capacity “as quickly as possible” following reports that Taiwan’s natural gas reserves would last less than two weeks if China were to impose a blockade of the nation.

Kung was responding to a Wall Street Journal article that said China could “force Taiwan into a total blackout” by conducting a blockade, as about 97 percent of the nation’s fuel is imported by sea.

A series of wargames run by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies showed that, if blockaded, Taiwan’s LNG would run out “in under two weeks,” while its coal reserves would be exhausted after seven weeks, the article said.

Additional reporting by CNA

taiwan-subdivisions: 士林 北投


content_text:
China yesterday tightened its rare earth export controls, expanding restrictions on processing technology, and spelling out its intention to limit exports to overseas defense and semiconductor users.

The announcement from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce clarifies and expands sweeping controls announced in April that caused shortages around the world before a series of deals with Europe and the US eased, but did not eliminate, the supply crunch.

The controls are a major bargaining chip for China in its trade talks with the US, and the tightening comes weeks ahead of a possible face-to-face meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in South Korea.

Workers operate machinery a rare earth mine in Ganxian County in China’s Jiangxi Province on Dec. 30, 2010. Photo: AP

“From a geostrategic perspective, this helps with increasing leverage for Beijing ahead of the anticipated Trump-Xi summit in [South] Korea later this month,” said Tim Zhang, founder of Singapore-based Edge Research.

China produces more than 90 percent of the world’s processed rare earths and rare earth magnets. The 17 rare earth elements are vital materials in products ranging from electric vehicles to aircraft engines and military radars.

Restrictions on exporting the technology to make rare earth magnets would also be expanded to more types of magnets, and China is to limit some components and assemblies that contain restricted magnets.

China is the world leader in rare earth technology and equipment to recycle rare earths would now require a license to export, adding it to the long list of restricted processing technology.

The ministry’s announcement clarified for the first time some of the targets of China’s restrictions.

Overseas defense users would not be granted licenses, the ministry said, while applications related to advanced semiconductors would only be approved on a case-by-case basis.

A day earlier, US lawmakers called for broader bans on exports of chipmaking equipment to China.

China’s rare earth shipments have been growing steadily over the past few months as Beijing granted more export licenses, although some users still complain they are struggling to get them.

In a nod to concerns about access, the ministry said the scope of the items in its latest round of restrictions was limited and “a variety of licensing facilitation measures will be adopted.”

The new rules bar Chinese companies working with companies overseas on rare earths without permission from the ministry.

Manufacturers overseas using any Chinese components or machinery must also apply for licenses to export controlled items, the ministry said.

title: China tightens its controls of exports of its rare earths


title: Gold rush

content_text: A goldsmith counts banknotes at the Hua Seng Heng gold shop in Bangkok yesterday. Thailand’s gold prices continued to surge, following global trends as the spot price of gold surpassed US$4,000 per ounce for the first time, with investors turning to the precious metal amid global political and economic uncertainty.


title: EDITORIAL: Threats and freedom of speech

content_text:
The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) has opened an investigation into influencer Holger Chen’s (陳之漢) controversial remarks calling for the decapitation of President William Lai (賴清德) during a live stream on Sunday. The incident has triggered concerns about abuse of freedom of speech, as well as concerns about endangering national security and the safety of Taiwan’s elected leader.

Chen is a gym influencer also known as Kuan Chang (館長). Once a supporter of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) speaking out vocally against Beijing, Chen has become an active backer of the Taiwan People’s Party, making a political about-face to denounce the Taiwanese government while fawning over communist China.

Chen made the beheading remarks while live streaming about political affairs and cross-strait issues. While responding to claims that China “in 2027 will deploy military force to invade Taiwan,” Chen referred to recent news reports about Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) exercises practicing “decapitation strikes” and ”precise beheadings,” and suddenly called for them to “chop off the head of Lai Ching-te.” Chen further urged the PLA to invade, saying: “Brothers, I am waiting. I think about it day and night.”

Chen later explained that he was commenting on the PLA’s rehearsal of “decapitation strikes,” and his quotes about beheading Lai were taken out of context. Reviewing his live stream, Chen’s remarks clearly echoed China’s military threats to invade Taiwan and target Taiwanese leaders.

According to the Routine Activity Theory, hypothesized by US academics Lawrence Cohen and Marcus Felson in 1979, Chen’s beheading remarks have elements of a crime. First, there is an attacker with criminal intent. Second, Lai was named as a potential target of a politically motivated action. Chen has used the live stream to reach an audience who could be motivated to commit the crime; viewers could become offenders, as well as victims.

The CIB launched an investigation of Chen’s remarks, which contravene the Criminal Code’s Article 153 “inciting others to commit crimes” and Article 35 “intimidating people to endanger security.” The bureau said in a statement that Taiwan has broad free speech protections, but those freedoms are not limitless.

Chen’s beheading remarks have raised national security concerns. Alongside escalating military exercises and incursions in protected air and sea space, China has long made efforts to reach out to groups and individuals in Taiwan, such as political figures, religious groups, gang members, entertainers and Internet influencers, to amplify its messaging and broader cognitive warfare, aiming to shape Taiwan’s public opinion and disturbing social stability.

During a trip to China in June, Chen praised China’s infrastructure and public facilities, making admiring remarks about public restrooms, vending machines and even trash cans. His exaggerated admiration of Chinese infrastructure was paired with criticism of Taiwan, which triggered controversy in Taiwan, but was broadcast by China’s state-funded media as a model for cross-strait interaction.

Furthermore, Chen’s beheading comments have echoed China’s military threats and its attempts to intimidate Taiwan. Chen’s words spreading across the Internet have turned into an ideological tool of China.

Freedom of speech must be based on respecting the rights of others, and must not incite violence or endanger public safety. Chen’s controversial beheading remarks should be penalized in accordance with the law, becoming a lesson for the public that abusing freedom of speech bears consequences.


content_text:
Nvidia Corp’s plan to build its new headquarters at the Beitou Shilin Science Park’s T17 and T18 plots has stalled over a land rights dispute, prompting the Taipei City Government to propose the T12 plot as an alternative. The city government has also increased pressure on Shin Kong Life Insurance Co, which holds the development rights for the T17 and T18 plots.

The proposal is the latest by the city government over the past few months — and part of an ongoing negotiation strategy between the two sides. Whether Shin Kong Life Insurance backs down might be the key factor in determining whether Nvidia’s headquarters remains in Taipei.

Shin Kong Life Insurance has reportedly demanded NT$14 billion (US$459 million) in total compensation for terminating the development rights contracts — a figure that includes both royalties and the estimated revenues from the 50-year rights agreement it holds with the city government.

In turn, the Taipei City Government is attempting to toss the burden onto the Taipei City Council, suggesting that Shin Kong Life Insurance submit a formal proposal, cooperate with budget preparation and forward it for review — essentially asking councilors to play the role of bad cop. Aware that doing so would make it the target of fierce political attacks, Shin Kong Life Insurance knows well that such a path would lead to a dead end.

The Taipei City Government did not agree to Shin Kong Life Insurance’s proposal to hand the land rights directly over to Nvidia to handle the project after four years of stagnation, thereby blocking the insurer’s attempt to play landlord and collect rent risk-free — a decision that is legally justified.

The central government has already given the green light to reassign land development rights for special projects to designated enterprises following contract termination, making every possible effort to ensure that Nvidia gets its preferred location.

Whether by distancing itself and deflecting responsibility onto the city council, or by trying to keep the peace by offering alternative plots in the science park, the city government has demonstrated that it either does not dare or is unwilling to stand up to Shin Kong Life Insurance — thereby reinforcing Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) reputation as a weak and incapable leader.

Shin Kong Life Insurance also holds the rights to the build-and-operate project at Nangang Bus Station, which has similarly fallen far behind schedule. Chiang has many administrative tools at his disposal and ample room to maneuver.

Chiang could roll up his sleeves and step in, actively coordinating with representative organs to reach a consensus on reasonable terms of compensation that would allow the company a dignified way out. In the end, the other party would eventually understand that backing down would bring the best possible outcome for everyone involved.

The person least qualified to criticize others is former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲). As he once said in reference to the ongoing Core Pacific City corruption case, “letting go would have cost NT$10 billion.” Ko even sarcastically accused the prosecution of creating a chilling effect, saying: “How would Nvidia dare come here now?” His remarks completely distort the facts and blur right from wrong.

In September last year, the Taipei City Council’s special investigation team released the final draft of a report identifying eight major flaws in the Beitou Shilin Science Park project, accusing the Ko administration of “relaxing bidding conditions to favor specific conglomerates.” The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office has since listed Ko as a defendant in a separate ongoing investigation.

However, with the Core Pacific City case dominating public attention, progress on the Beitou Shilin Science Park probe has gone largely unnoticed. Chiang should take the initiative and publicly pledge full cooperation with the investigation, as pressuring the judiciary to expedite the case could be another path to resolving the impasse.

The development project for Nvidia’s new headquarters must not become another Core Pacific City scandal that benefits only large conglomerates, nor should it devolve into a mismanaged and drawn-out mess, as was the case with the Taipei Dome.

If Taipei residents, Nvidia and Shin Kong Life Insurance all lose in the end — causing the city to miss out on massive opportunities in artificial intelligence infrastructure — then Chiang would go down in history as the man who delayed the transformation and modernization of our nation’s capital.

Chen Yung-chang is a freelance writer based in Taipei.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

people: 柯文哲 蔣萬安

title: Nvidia HQ struggles to be built