title: 金鐘60公廣集團再次刷新紀錄舉辦入圍茶會 張鈞甯出道23年首次入圍

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墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

獲得15項入圍肯定的國際犯罪醫療影集 The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫(左起)黃大煒、蔡亘晏、張鈞甯、楊一展 圖片提供：公視

公廣集團旗下公視、公視臺語台、小公視、客家電視台、華視、TaiwanPlus今（10/15）聯合舉辦金鐘入圍茶會，邀請今年所有入圍者一同參與共享榮耀，共有200多位入圍者出席，公廣集團董事長胡元輝感謝所有團隊的辛勞與付出，並分享：「所有公共廣播電視合作的伙伴們大放異彩，得獎數字對我們來講，其實它是一個象徵，代表我們對這個行業、對我們的工作有真心的認同，願意真心的付出。我祝福大家在頒獎典禮大放異彩，但更重要的 ，我也希望在大家的努力之下，整個臺灣的影視產業向前邁進！」

今年在廣播與電視金鐘獎，公廣集團再創佳績，共入圍了150個獎項，再次刷新紀錄！其中公視入圍95項、客家電視台29項、華視13項、TaiwanPlus 12項、公視臺語台10項；戲劇、節目不僅開創新類型、新風貌！更透過這些優秀作品與國際合作，展現了台灣影視的創意能量與軟實力！

The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫(左起)演員兼片尾曲音樂製作人POLO WL、黃大煒、蔡亘晏、楊一展、張鈞甯、導演詹淳皓、製作人湯昇榮 圖片提供：公視 圖片提供：公視

獲得15項入圍肯定的國際犯罪醫療影集《The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫》，由公視、中華電信、瀚草文創合製，製作人湯昇榮、導演詹淳皓，與演員張鈞𡩋（甯）、楊一展、蔡亘晏（爆花）、黃大煒、片尾曲〈The Way I Feel〉音樂製作人POLO WL及工作伙伴出席。張鈞𡩋（甯）、越南影帝連炳、黃大煒均是第一次入圍，黃大煒更是雙料入圍。

製作人湯昇榮說，《The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫》是從劇本孵育到製作歷時最久的戲劇，為期七年，更有來自全球的演員演出。導演詹淳皓也感謝團隊合作，讓這個題材被世界看到。

The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫張鈞甯 圖片提供：公視

張鈞𡩋（甯）飾演神經外科醫師鄭琬平，陷入現代女性最常面臨的「三明治世代」困擾，同時要照顧腦性麻痺的兒子和患有失智症的父親，獲得評審青睞，闖進金鐘「死亡組」力拼戲劇節目女主角獎。入行23年的張鈞𡩋（甯）首次入圍金鐘，她直言每年金鐘都蠻放空的，沒有特別的感覺，上一次是2009年跟公視《痞子英雄》一起走紅毯。」對於紅毯禮服，她覺得還好，紅毯第一美就由好姐妹、「威大第一美」蔡亘晏擔當。

The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫蔡亘晏 圖片提供：公視

張鈞𡩋（甯）與蔡亘晏（爆花）被粉絲封為最美的「醫護CP」！蔡亘晏也是繼《人選之人—造浪者》後，再度入圍女配角獎。她的金鐘幸運物是女兒親手做的戒指，有著女兒對她滿滿的愛。

The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫楊一展 圖片提供：公視

被粉絲盛讚很有義氣、有台味的楊一展，隔十年以男配角再入圍。這次《The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫》挑戰演出移工仲介，不僅講出一口「講得順的破英文」，更首次在螢幕前講母語客語。楊一展特別帶來姐姐生前給他的護身符當作金鐘幸運物，他說：「這個護身符平凡無實卻意義很重。」他一直帶在身上，除了拍戲外不離身。

The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫黃大煒 圖片提供：公視

首次演出影集，間隔30多年再次為台劇創作歌曲的黃大煒，一舉雙料入圍，他感謝女朋友Vicky神準預測！鞭策他《The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫》非接不可！上檔時，他更自費買戶外廣告播《The Way I Feel》MV。黃大煒分享，金鐘獎入圍公布剛好是他生日的前2天，雙料入圍是60歲最棒的生日禮物！

聽海湧(左起)周厚安、朱宥丞、黃冠智、吳翰林、 製作人林佳儒、湯昇榮，和導演兼製作人孫介珩 圖片提供：公視

公視出品的臺灣首部二戰懸疑劇集《聽海湧》入圍15項，與入圍16項的客家電視台《星空下的黑潮島嶼》被媒體視為最強競爭對手。《聽海湧》製作人林佳儒、湯昇榮、導演兼製作人孫介珩，和演員吳翰林、黃冠智、朱宥丞、周厚安及工作伙伴出席。孫介珩表示：「上次公視新創短片《第一鮪》自己來不及報獎，這次《聽海湧》終於趕上！」

聽海湧吳翰林 圖片提供：公視

飾演「臺籍戰俘監視員」三兄弟吳翰林、黃冠智、朱宥丞均入圍電視金鐘獎，吳翰林、黃冠智共同角逐迷你劇集（電視電影）男主角獎。朱宥丞與周厚安共同角逐迷你劇集（電視電影）男配角獎。吳翰林、朱宥丞、周厚安均是首次入圍。黃冠智更以《聽海湧》、《人生清理員》雙料入圍。

聽海湧朱宥承 圖片提供：公視

16歲的「資深演員」朱宥丞被演員哥哥們拱先發言。他坦言越接近頒獎典禮就越緊張，甚至做夢還夢到自己得獎！黃冠智則是沒有夢到自己得獎，反而夢到好友睦媄，以《星空下的黑潮島嶼》奪下迷你劇集女配角。

曾奪下一座金鐘獎的黃冠智也很大器地對入圍同獎項的吳翰林說：「你這次回去捷克（念書），行李箱要空出長條形（裝金鐘獎）。」他很看好吳翰林封帝。

聽海湧黃冠智 圖片提供：公視

黃冠智說，金鐘最重要要的幸運物就是製作人林佳儒，帶著大家在努力不懈、排萬難，終於完成這部影集。湯昇榮說：「這是很有愛的劇組。」

周厚安這次戲劇及節目主持雙料入圍，以TaiwanPlus的《Wow!Taiwan》節目，與大霈（李霈瑜）共同入圍生活風格節目主持人獎。他說，前幾天老婆問他要不要準備得獎感言？他說：「我幾個月前早就寫好。」父親周華健很開心他被認可。5月公布結婚喜訊的周厚安，分享周華健根本不急著當阿公，還對他說：「我不想用爺爺身分唱〈明天我要嫁給你〉！不急，慢慢來。」

聽海湧周厚安 圖片提供：公視

公視新創電影《愛作歹》以別具特色的台灣黑幫文化為敘事背景，結合同志題材，共計入圍6項大獎，由入圍迷你劇集(電視電影)男配角的施名帥與入圍女配角的范瑞君，和黃冠智共同出席。范瑞君表示對入圍金鐘獎感到非常開心，但因頒獎典禮當天有舞台劇演出，遺憾錯過了「如此榮耀的入場券」，所以今天特別盛裝出席茶會，身上配戴數百萬的珠寶，並穿著幸運顏色粉紅色，完全「把今天當成金鐘紅毯在走」，藉此彌補未能親臨金鐘獎的遺憾。她感謝公視「能夠做好戲」，讓演員在優質平台上有好的發揮，希望能再為《愛作歹》爭取榮譽，也期待在遠方能聽到「劇中家人們的好消息」。

愛作歹(左起)黃冠智、施名帥、范瑞君 圖片提供：公視

施名帥在活動現場與黃冠智再度「男男戀合體」。兩人受訪時回憶起拍攝《愛作歹》時討論度爆表的吻戲趣事，施名帥透露，老婆曾笑說「黃冠智真的很黏！」對此他無奈喊話「有太太的人要謹守男德」，最後開玩笑要黃冠智不要纏著他。

愛作歹范瑞君 圖片提供：公視

黃冠智則大方承認「我會想念吻戲耶！」回想施名帥拍攝時將他霸氣壓在車上的畫面，他忍不住大喊「哇！」，顯得十分回味。被問到私下是否頻繁聯繫施名帥，黃冠智笑說自己「不是恐怖情人」。兩人對於今年再度入圍金鐘獎都十分欣喜，更互約「得獎至少要親一下對方的手」，展現好交情。

愛作歹施名帥 圖片提供：公視

此篇文章最開始出處為: 金鐘60公廣集團再次刷新紀錄舉辦入圍茶會 張鈞甯出道23年首次入圍

countries: 捷克 臺灣 台灣 越南


title: 從好萊塢陰影到台灣光影：第二屆 IFTCCCS 國際影視內容文創高峰會開啟驚悚敘事新篇章

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記者張辰卿/台北報導

當觀眾在電影院裡屏住呼吸、等待那聲突如其來的尖叫，鏡頭、聲音與節奏早已密謀好一場情緒的操控。今年秋天，這樣的「驚悚語言」將從好萊塢延伸至台北。

由台北市電影電視演藝業職業工會主辦的「第二屆 IFTCCCS 國際影視內容文創高峰會」，正式宣布開放報名。本屆以「黑暗陰影：從好萊塢到台灣的驚悚製作」為主題，邀請三位來自美國、法國與台灣的影視創作者，帶領學員從敘事美學、剪輯節奏到文化視野，重新理解「恐懼」這門影像的語言。

這場為期兩天的高峰會，將於11月6日至7日在台北 IEAT 會議中心舉行。對影視創作者而言，這不僅是一場技術研習，更像一場「類型片的文化辯證」。當代影視產業愈趨全球化，驚悚作為最具普世情感的敘事形式之一，如何在不同文化中轉譯，成為本屆高峰會的核心議題。

首位講者、好萊塢製片人 Mike Macari，以經典電影《七夜怪談》(The Ring) 系列聞名。他擅長將東方恐懼的細膩氛圍轉化為西方觀眾能感知的節奏張力，在多部Netflix影集與驚悚作品中展現驚人的敘事掌控力。此次來台，他將分享多年國際製作經驗，帶領學員剖析「恐懼的節奏」——那種在光影與靜默之間被刻意營造的不安。

來自台灣的金馬、金鐘入圍剪輯師 高鳴晟，則將視角轉向影像的「時間性」。他認為，驚悚不只發生在劇情轉折的瞬間，更潛伏於節奏的呼吸之間。「剪輯的節奏，決定觀眾的心跳。」高鳴晟說，他將以真實案例講解如何在後製中構築張力，讓情緒在毫釐之間爆發。

第三位講者 François Chang，畢業於法國 La Fémis 電影學院，是一位活躍於歐洲影壇的導演與編劇。他的作品常結合東方情感與西方敘事，擅於在文化交界中探索人性陰影。Chang 將在會中與兩位講師展開對談，討論在全球影視語境劇變的當下，台灣類型電影該如何以獨特的文化質地與國際對話。

IFTCCCS 自首屆舉辦以來，以「國際化、實務導向、深度交流」為核心精神，致力於打造台灣影視創作者與國際影人的交流平台。今年，主辦單位希望透過「驚悚」這個共通的影像語言，啟發新世代創作者對類型片的再思考。從剪輯室的光影節奏，到文化語境的再定義，每一場講座都將是一趟向內探索恐懼、向外理解世界的旅程。

活動即日起開放報名至10月31日午夜截止，入選名單將於11月初以電子郵件及電話通知。活動由文化部影視及流行音樂產業局指導，並獲台北市政府文化局、勞動局、臺北市產職業總工會、台灣演藝經紀業聯合總會、鳳凰藝能、聚豐影視及我我整合行銷等單位協辦。

當影像成為語言、恐懼成為美學，這場從好萊塢陰影延伸至台北光影的創作對話，或許將成為台灣影視產業邁向國際的新起點。

報名資訊：https://guojiyingshineirongwenchuanggaofenghui-iftcccs-7.webnode.tw/

countries: 台灣 法國 美國


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戰略性PIPE交易以全抵押SolvBTC資產提升Zeta Network Group數字資產儲備

紐約2025年10月16日 /美通社/ — Zeta Network Group（納斯達克股票代碼：ZNB）宣布，已簽訂證券購買協議，將通過非公開發行募集230,837,060.2美元資金，發行標的包括：(1)其A類普通股；(2)認股權證，每份權證持有者有權以每股2.55美元的行權價購買一股A類普通股。A類普通股與認購一股A類普通股的認股權證的合並發行價為每股1.7美元。

本次募資總額達230,837,060.2美元，支持以比特幣或SolvBTC支付。其中，SolvBTC是Solv Protocol發行的1:1錨定比特幣的封裝代幣，而Solv Protocol作為鏈上比特幣儲備協議，能為比特幣資產的生產性用途提供機構級解決方案。此次非公開發行預計於2025年10月16日完成，但需滿足常規交割條件。

本次非公開發行採用專為機構打造的比特幣抵押生息工具，強化了Zeta Network Group的資產負債表，提升了其資產淨值。在市場動蕩之際達成此項交易，既凸顯了Zeta Network Group對比特幣基本面的堅定信心，也彰顯了其恪守紀律、逆周期調節的資金管理策略，這與全球其他比特幣資產儲備機構在市場低迷期增持比特幣的做法不謀而合。

在市場動蕩之際達成此項交易，充分彰顯了Zeta Network Group對比特幣長期基本面的篤定信心，以及其嚴守紀律、逆周期調節的資金管理策略，這與市場低迷期仍持續增持比特幣的頂尖機構策略不謀而合。

SolvBTC是Solv Protocol推出的1:1錨定比特幣的封裝代幣。該協議作為鏈上比特幣儲備架構，為比特幣資產的高效利用提供機構級方案。在Solv Protocol的全系產品中，SolvBTC是專為資金管理與資本市場應用設計的機構級比特幣抵押資產。每個SolvBTC均由比特幣1:1全額抵押，並交由受監管的托管機構存管，同時通過鏈上儲備證明進行驗證，為企業打造透明合規的比特幣資產收益生成渠道。

Zeta Network Group首席投資官Patrick Ngan表示：「這是一項戰略性的資產負債表配置，將鞏固Zeta Network Group的長期財務實力。通過將SolvBTC納入資金儲備，我們正借助一種將比特幣稀缺性與可持續收益相結合的工具來增強財務抗風險能力。這是一種經過審慎考量的機構化增長路徑。」

通過引入SolvBTC，Zeta Network Group正躋身越來越多納斯達克上市公司之列，這些企業正重新考量數字資產在公司財務架構中的角色。如今，上市公司不再甘於被動持有比特幣，而是開始探索結構化、能創造收益的工具，在合規的同時，提高投資回報率、增強資金流動性。

Solv Protocol首席執行官Ryan Chow表示：「上市公司正在重新定義如何高效持有比特幣。通過SolvBTC，我們為資金管理級別的應用提供必要的架構，在機構金融與鏈上基礎設施之間架起了橋樑。」

本次交易不僅優化了Zeta Network Group的資產負債表，更成為其與Solv Protocol建立更廣泛合作的重要開端。雙方共同構建了代幣化比特幣工具參與受監管資本市場的操作框架。本輪通過結構化私募完成的投資表明，數字融資既能與公開市場治理體系無縫銜接，又可確保鏈上驗證與透明度。

關於Zeta Network Group（納斯達克股票代碼：ZNB）

Zeta Network Group（納斯達克股票代碼：ZNB）是一家美國上市的數字基建和金融科技公司，致力於推動傳統金融與數字資產經濟的融合。該集團正在開發一個以比特幣為核心的機構金融平台，旨在整合數字資產資金管理、比特幣流動性聚合和可持續的比特幣挖礦業務，且所有業務均在納斯達克監管框架下規範運行。

在由全球金融和技術專家組成的團隊領導下，Zeta Network正在重塑機構數字金融格局，將上市公司的治理和透明度與區塊鏈的創新和可擴展性相結合，力求在資本市場與去中心化金融之間架設一座可信的橋樑。

更多信息，請訪問ir.thezetanetwork.com。

關於Solv Protocol

Solv Protocol作為連接傳統金融、中心化金融與去中心化金融的鏈上比特幣儲備協議，為規模達萬億美元的比特幣金融經濟提供支撐。通過旗艦產品SolvBTC，該協議使零售和機構投資者能夠從持有的比特幣中獲得穩定收益，將這一全球公認的「硬通貨」從被動的價值存儲工具，轉變為可產生收益、全球流通的金融資產。Solv Protocol已獲得Binance Labs、Blockchain Capital、Laser Digital和OKX Ventures等多家領先投資機構的支持。更多信息，請訪問solv.finance

媒體垂詢Alex Revutsky[email protected]

前瞻性陳述

本新聞稿包含根據《1995年私人證券訴訟改革法》所定義的前瞻性陳述。這些陳述基於當前預期，並涉及可能導致實際結果與預期存在重大差異的風險和不確定性。前瞻性陳述包括但不限於有關預期財務表現、戰略及本次交易潛在影響的陳述。提醒讀者不應過度依賴這些前瞻性陳述，其陳述內容僅代表截至本新聞稿發布之日的情況。Zeta Network Group不承擔因新信息、未來事件或其他原因而更新或修訂任何前瞻性陳述的義務。

媒體垂詢Aroma Kumar[email protected]

title: ZETA NETWORK GROUP（納斯達克股票代碼：ZNB）市場動蕩期以2.31億美元比特幣抵押投資強化資產負債表


title: NABR 評論 IUCN 的決定

content_text:
華盛頓2025年10月15日 /美通社/ — 2025 年 10 月 9 日，國際自然保護聯盟 (IUCN) 發佈保留「長尾獼猴」（簡稱「LTM」）(Macaca fascicularis) 瀕危狀態的決定。

繼 2023 年美國國家生物醫學研究協會 (NABR) 提交質疑 IUCN 狀態決定申訴書，這是 IUCN 的最新發佈。NABR 的申訴書展示，IUCN 採用 Hansen 等人歪曲現有科學數據的評論作狀態決定。1 如欲查看更多此 NABR 申訴書的資料，請瀏覽 www.nabr.org。

Hank Jenkins 博士已向 IUCN 提交一份單獨申訴書。該申訴書斷言 Hansen 等作者存在利益衝突，而這些利益衝突需要 IUCN 進一步調查。目前，尚未清楚是否存在此類衝突或該 IUCN 審查的作者是否存在需要披露或迴避此類衝突。

2024 年 10 月 7 日，美國魚類和野生動物管理局（簡稱「該局」）駁回倡議團體提出根據《瀕臨絕種動物法案》（簡稱「ESA」），而列「LTM」猴子為「瀕危物種」的申訴書。該申訴書載刊已向 IUCN 提交相同資料，而這是 IUCN 現時評估的基礎。該局駁回申訴書時，並表示：「該申訴書並沒提供可靠資料，支持對動物總數或整個物種帶來的影響。」該局根據美國《瀕臨絕種動物法案》而就「長尾獼猴」申訴書的完整調查結果，已載於《聯邦公報》公佈，網址為：「LTM_Petition.pdf」。全球並無任何政府認為「LTM」猴子瀕臨滅絕。同業評審的科學出版物表示，最新 IUCN 的決定及該決定所採用的資料，均存在缺陷和缺乏支持。2

國際著名科學家、NABR 科學審查團隊成員 Ray Hilborn 博士表示：「NABR 科學審查小組對 IUCN 未能客觀地考慮已遞交的科學資料，感到失望。」

Hilborn 博士補充道：「我們已提出嚴重質疑 IUCN 作出這決定所採用的科學過程，缺乏充足趨勢數據，並歪曲現有數據。」

由於「LTM」猴子的生理和基因與人類相似，因此廣受世界各地生物醫學研究使用。20 種最常用處方藥中，便有 5 種是在「長尾獼猴」的協助下，完成研發。再生醫學、免疫學、癌症、疫苗開發和藥理學的進步，以及 COVID-19 疫苗的研發中，「LTM」猴子的研究參與是至關重要的。3美國國家衛生院 (NIH) 最近發佈一篇評論，證實「LTM」猴子在生物醫學研究中的重要性。

NABR 主席 Matthew R. Bailey 表示：「NABR 感到失望，雖然 IUCN 面對極充足科學證據，但屈服於動物保護人士施壓之下，認為『LTM』猴子是瀕危物種 。現有科學資料清楚表示該物種並非瀕危，而事實上，某些國家認為該物種具入侵性。IUCN 一邊聲稱該物種是瀕危物種，一邊聲稱該物種是世上最具侵入性物種之一，令人費解。NABR 將就這些問題，繼續教育政策制定者與公眾，從而保護公眾健康與科學過程完整。 」

根據一份名為《世界百大外來入侵種》的刊物，IUCN 列「LTM」猴子為「入侵」物種。4

最近 2024 年 9 月，美國眾議院監督委員會就「LTM」猴子保育的情況與 PETA 參與政府項目的情況，展開聆訊。聆訊期間，證人作供及表示善待動物組織 (PETA) 和其他動物保護組織為了某些政治原因，而試圖不正當地影響政府對私營機構和外國政府的調查。

關於美國國家生物醫學研究協會NABR 於 1979 年成立，現時是唯一致力為生物醫學研究、教育和測試中人道地利用動物而制定合理公共政策的 501(c)(6) 非營利協會。該協會成員包括 340 多所大學、醫學院和獸醫學院、教學醫院、製藥和生物科技公司、病人團體，以及依靠人道和負責任的動物研究來促進全球人類與動物健康的學術和專業協會。如欲更了解我們，請瀏覽 www.nabr.org。

1請參閱 Hilborn, R., & Smith, D. R. (2023)。Is the long‐tailed macaque at risk of extinction? American Journal of Primatology, e23590 （已載於 https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23590）。

2請參閱 Hilborn, R., & M. Chaloupka (2025)。Estimating the abundance of widely distributed primates.American Journal of Primatology（已接受刊登）。

3請參閱Albrecht, L., E. Bishop, B. Jay, B. Lafloux, M. Minoves, C. Passaes (2021)。COVID-19 Research: Lessons from Non-Human Primate Models (2021) doi: 10.3390/vaccines9080886（現載於www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8402317/。）

4請參閱 IUCN 的 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species（現載於 www.iucngisd.org）。

聯絡方法：Eva Maciejewski[email protected] (202) 967-8305


title: Videos prompt review of election law

content_text:
ONLINE SCRUTINY:  Efforts to amend the law would improve following reports of foreign interference in the KMT election depending on who wins, a source said

The National Security Bureau (NSB) yesterday said it has found more than 1,200 TikTok and YouTube videos, mostly from overseas accounts, discussing the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairperson election, prompting the Executive Yuan to review legal measures to counter foreign interference in elections.

Former Broadcasting Corp of China (中國廣播) chairman Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康) on Monday said that most of the videos on TikTok and YouTube about the election express strong support for specific candidates and are posted by accounts registered just before the KMT started the election process.

Jaw called on national security agencies to investigate foreign interference in the election.

National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen speaks at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liao Chen-hui, Taipei Times

NSB Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) yesterday told reporters that the bureau has started investigating the circulation of online videos referencing the election, looking for possible foreign interference.

More than 1,000 TikTok videos discuss the election, while 23 YouTube accounts have published about 200 related videos, Tsai said ahead of a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.

More than half of the 23 YouTube accounts were registered overseas, he said, without specifying where.

Tsai said that he would not discuss which candidate the videos supported to avoid influencing the election.

The NSB found that there are insufficient legal tools to address the issue, as neither the National Security Act (國家安全法) nor the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法) have provisions regarding foreign forces infiltrating domestic associations or political party elections, he said.

The Executive Yuan has held multiple interministerial meetings to discuss how to improve national security legislation, he said, adding that the NSB gave advice during the meetings.

Tsai said he hopes all political parties would discuss the legislation when it is proposed to boost the national security framework and provide a more complete legal foundation for digital governance.

Separately, a source said that the Executive Yuan has conducted a preliminary review of national security legislation, but has not prioritized amendments for this legislative session.

As for whether efforts to amend the law would proceed more smoothly following reports of foreign interference in the KMT election, the source said: “That depends on who wins.”

Ministers without portfolio Ma Yung-cheng (馬永成) and Lin Min-Hsin (林明昕) convened interministerial meetings to discuss national security legislation, including the National Security Act, the Anti-Infiltration Act, 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), the Cyber Security Management Act (資通安全管理法) and the Nationality Act (國籍法), the source said.

While the preliminary review is complete, no proposed amendments have been reported to Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), so when the bills would be submitted to the Legislative Yuan remains uncertain, the source said.

Cho said at a ceremony for the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration that it was previously thought that cyberattacks would only target the ruling party, but now even opposition parties are under assault.

This shows that cognitive warfare, disinformation and cyberattacks have spread throughout the nation, and all sectors of society must exercise caution, he said.

The world is watching Taiwan to see whether it can safeguard national security in the face of such infiltration attempts, he added.

Sadly, some government agencies and active-duty military personnel have forgotten their duty to protect Taiwan, instead forming ties with foreign forces and being swayed by improper interests, Cho said.

In Taiwan, anyone deemed useful or susceptible to influence could become a target for cognitive warfare, he said.

Additional reporting by Liu Wan-lin

countries: 中國 臺灣


title: Taiwanese named in scam case

content_text:
FORCED LABOR:  A US court listed three Taiwanese and nine firms based in Taiwan in its indictment, with eight of the companies registered at the same address

Nine companies registered in Taiwan, as well as three Taiwanese, on Tuesday were named by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) as a result of a US federal court indictment.

The indictment unsealed at the federal court in Brooklyn, New York, said that Chen Zhi (陳志), a dual Cambodian-British national, is being indicted for fraud conspiracy, money laundering and overseeing Prince Holding Group’s forced-labor scam camps in Cambodia.

At its peak, the company allegedly made US$30 million per day, court documents showed.

The main entrance of a luxury apartment building in Taipei is pictured yesterday. A US court listed a residence at the address as being the office of eight firms accused of being involved in investment fraud operations. Photo: Gan Meng-lin, Taipei Times

The US government has seized Chen’s noncustodial wallet, which contains the private keys to 127,271 bitcoins, valued at about US$150 billion, the indictment said, adding that Chen is not in custody.

If the indictments stand, he would face 40 years in prison, it said.

Prince Group has been declared a Transnational Criminal Organization by the treasury department.

“As alleged, the defendant was the mastermind behind a ... criminal enterprise built on human suffering,” US Assistant Attorney-General for National Security John Eisenberg said. “Trafficked workers were confined in prison-like compounds and forced to carry out online scams on an industrial scale, preying on thousands worldwide, including many here in the US.”

“As alleged, the defendant directed one of the largest investment fraud operations in history, fueling an illicit industry that is reaching epidemic proportions,” US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr said. “This historic indictment and forfeiture complaint send a strong message to fraudsters everywhere that we will pursue you no matter where you are, no matter who you are, and no matter your insidious methods, and we will never stop fighting for victims.”

The SDN lists include three Taiwanese: Huang Chieh, Shih Ting-yu and Michelle Reishane Wang, the treasury department said.

The nine Taiwanese companies listed are Alphaconnect Investments Co Ltd (聯凡), Alphaconnect Investments II Co Ltd (聯凡貳), Greenbay Properties (澄碩), Huntsman Investments Co Ltd (邁羽), Majesty Properties Co Ltd (鳴灣), Drew Properties Co Ltd (博居), Drew Properties II Co Ltd (博居貳), Binary Properties Co Ltd (睿督) and Taiwan Prince Real Estate Investment Co Ltd (太子不動產投資), the OFAC list showed.

The head of eight of the nine companies was the same person, surnamed Lin (林), with the companies’ address all listed in a luxury apartment in Taipei’s Daan District (大安), Chinese-language media reported yesterday.

An 18-month joint investigation by the US and the UK showed that Chen and his accomplices transferred criminal proceeds overseas and used them to purchase luxury homes, yachts, private jets and paintings, local media reported.

Additional reporting by CNA


content_text:
The government is considering restricting access to TikTok for elementary and junior-high-school students by blocking it on campus Wi-Fi networks, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said yesterday.

Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-jing (林宜敬) briefed lawmakers at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee for the first time since taking office last month.

He was asked whether the government would impose a comprehensive TikTok ban in grade schools, with some legislators saying that content on the platform could harm the physical and mental health of young students.

Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-jing speaks at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liao Chen-hui, Taipei Times

There are three major concerns regarding the use of TikTok: where the platform stores user data, whether the company is controlled by Chinese investors and the harm its content might pose for young students, Lin said.

The US government is trying to address the first two issues with TikTok, he said.

“We are working closely with the Ministry of Education to address the issue about protecting children from potential harm associated with content on TikTok,” he said. “Currently, TikTok does not permit children aged 12 or under to create an account, while users aged 13 to 15 are granted only limited access to the platform.”

Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao speaks at a meeting of the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times

“We are leaning toward limiting student access to TikTok by blocking it on school Wi-Fi networks,” he said. “We would discuss this matter with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Hopefully, we would have some ideas how the measure should proceed by the end of this year.”

Schools would not be asked to check students’ mobile phones, Lin said, adding that whether TikTok should be completely banned requires a public consensus, as it is a freedom of speech issue.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said that the government should compile a list of applications that might be detrimental to children, rather than just TikTok.

TikTok and Douyin (抖音) are sister apps owned by Chinese Internet company ByteDance (字節跳動), with TikTok serving international markets and Douyin operating exclusively in China.

Separately, the issue of whether Douyin should be banned on school campuses came under scrutiny at a meeting of the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Hsiu-pao (陳秀寶) said that deaths and injuries among young people taking on dangerous and deadly challenges on Douyin have been reported worldwide.

Despite the risks, student groups say that rather than banning Douyin, the government should teach literacy of potentially harmful content, Chen said.

KMT Legislator Ko Ju-chun (葛如鈞) said that Facebook and Instagram have more fraud and disinformation than Douyin and Xiahongshu (小紅書, or RedNote), adding that banning students from accessing social media would trigger a backlash and hamper innovation.

Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said that the Executive Yuan’s Guidelines for Government Agencies on the Restricted Use of Products that Threaten National Cybersecurity (各機關對危害國家資通安全產品限制使用原則) stipulate that elementary and junior high schools must not have Chinese-made hardware or software, and content from Douyin and platforms that have little relevance to learning have been eliminated from the nation’s academic network.

Aside from setting clear regulations on student access to social media on campuses, Cheng said that the ministry would ensure students are properly educated to discern whether online information is accurate and genuine.

title: Ban on TikTok access at schools mulled


title: NZ official says Pacific threatened

content_text:
New Zealand Minister for Defence Judith Collins yesterday warned in an interview that small countries in the South Pacific face growing pressure from great-power competition for their rare minerals and fisheries wealth, and that more action was needed from regional neighbors to help preserve the sovereignty of island nations.

Collins, who also oversees New Zealand’s intelligence and space portfolios, spoke to The Associated Press before departing for Washington, where she is scheduled to meet with officials of the administration of US President Donald Trump, including US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

Collins cited China’s encroaching presence in the region in the past few months as evidence of the global security importance of the southern Pacific.

New Zealand Minister for Defense Judith Collins attends an interview at her office in Wellington yesterday. Photo: AP

“I also say to the US that you are a Pacific nation,” Collins said, speaking in her parliamentary office in Wellington. “And it’s not just that you have Guam, it’s not just that you have Hawaii, as lovely as it is. It’s the fact that your entire California is on the Pacific Ocean, that Alaska is on the Pacific Ocean, that Russia is a Pacific nation.”

The seabed across the south Pacific is rich in rare earths that are increasingly in demand for technologies such as electric vehicle batteries and defense systems, but mining has yet to begin at scale because international rules governing access are still being established

Collins said the potential wealth of the region’s small island nations left them exposed to exploitation by powerful interests.

She did not cite China specifically, but her government expressed alarm in February when Beijing signed an agreement to collaborate on deep-sea mining research with the Cook Islands, a nation of 17,000 people that has close military, diplomatic and citizenship ties to New Zealand.

“The Pacific has enormous wealth, but it’s just not in the hands of the people,” Collins said.

She added that she did not want to see the promises of mineral wealth for those countries being “basically raped and pillaged off them.”


content_text:
The Israeli military yesterday said that one of the bodies handed over by Hamas the previous day as part of a ceasefire deal is not that of a hostage who was held in Gaza.

Four bodies were handed over by Hamas on Tuesday following an earlier four on Monday — hours after the last 20 living hostages were released. In all, Israel has been awaiting the return of the bodies of 28 deceased hostages.

Israel, which on Monday released about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, is also handing over bodies of Palestinians under the deal.

A convoy of Red Cross vehicles transports the bodies of deceased Palestinians in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, yesterday. Photo: AP

The military said that after the “examinations at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, the fourth body handed over to Israel by Hamas does not match any of the hostages.”

There was no immediate word on whose body it was.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier yesterday said that Hamas must fulfill the requirements laid out in the ceasefire deal — introduced by US President Donald Trump — about the return of the hostages’ bodies.

“We will not compromise on this and will not stop our efforts until we return the last deceased hostage, until the last one,” Netanyahu said.

The US-proposed ceasefire plan had called for all hostages — living and dead — to be handed over by a deadline that expired on Monday.

According to the deal, if that did not happen, Hamas was to share information about deceased hostages and try to hand them over as soon as possible.

On Tuesday, Hamas tightened its grip on Gaza’s ruined cities, executing alleged collaborators and launching a crackdown.

Hamas published a video showing the street execution of eight suspects, branding them “collaborators and outlaws.”

The footage, apparently from Monday evening, emerged as armed clashes were under way between Hamas’ security units and armed Palestinian clans.

title: Israel’s military says body handed over not of hostage


people: 黃國昌 林楚茵

title: NSB probes funding for surveil, hacking teams

content_text:
COVERT OPERATIONS: The investigation is focused on whether foreign funds financed the illegal activities and whether they infringed on personal privacy

The National Security Bureau (NSB) yesterday confirmed that it had launched an investigation into whether foreign funding is involved in scandals embroiling Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), who allegedly organized “surveillance teams” to tail politicians and hackers to collect and leak data.

The move follows the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus on Tuesday filing a request with the Control Yuan to probe allegations of foreign funding to support Huang’s covert operations in contravention of the Political Donations Act (政治獻金法).

Speaking to reporters before a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, NSB Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said that national security agencies are investigating incidents of key government officials and politicians being tailed and photographed, and have enhanced protection at official residences and government buildings.

Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang speaks to reporters at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times

Asked about reports that Huang had hired journalists to form “paparazzi groups,” Tsai said that public prosecutors and judiciary agencies have started criminal investigations into the incident and he could not comment on ongoing developments.

However, Tsai confirmed that the NSB investigation is focused on whether the alleged activities were funded from abroad in contravention of the National Security Act (國家安全法), as well as breaches of the Personal Data Protection Act (個資保護法) relating to offenses such as infringing on personal privacy, collecting personal data, and covertly tailing and photographing officials and politicians.

The NSB has issued notifications to security escorts and police officers who are in charge of the personal safety of key government officials to be on the alert against surveillance or stalking actions, and to report such incidents so law enforcement units can take immediate action, he said.

Separately, DPP Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) said the public is worried that China, which has boosted its capacity to produce uncrewed aerial vehicles, “could suddenly launch fleets of drones in a saturation attack against Taiwan.”

“We want people to know that what is most worrying now is we are already under attack by an enemy drone in the form of a legislator here in the legislature,” Shen said.

“Through the unlawful actions of Huang’s hackers and surveillance teams, he had stolen classified data and sensitive personal information. These are also materials that China wants... It is already known that the personal data of government officials and politicians had been hacked and put on sale on the dark Web. Then we see Huang taking these materials, asking questions to smear public officials during legislative sessions,” he said.

DPP Legislator Wang Yi-chuan (王義川) accused Huang of continuing to cover up, evading questions by lawmakers and reporters about his funding sources.

“We just want Huang to clarify where his funds came from. Are they from foreign sources? We have asked him repeatedly, but he has either avoided or evaded the question. Does he have something to hide?” Wang asked.

DPP Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) said that statements from those involved in the operations, along with uncovered evidence, pointed to Huang as the mastermind behind the efforts to sabotage the government and undermine national security.

“We see Huang’s two main weapons that have been operating for years, covertly surveilling prominent politicians and taking so-called unsavory photos, and lately, evidence that he also has a group of hackers,” Lin said.

Through these groups, Huang has managed to infiltrate two state media — the Central News Agency and Radio Taiwan International, she added.

Lin blasted Huang over his changing stances — first supporting a movement demanding that political parties, public officials and the military divest all their stakes in state and private media outlets.

However, he is now a legislator and the leader of the TPP who controls media outlets, setting up companies to collaborate with news outlets and journalists, and directing secret assignments to surveil key officials and political opponents, like the secret police did during the Martial Law era, Lin said.


title: Schriver positive on US arms sales if budget passes

content_text:
US President Donald Trump will likely approve the first arms sale to Taiwan of his second term after Taipei passes its special national defense budget, a former US defense official said on Tuesday.

Randall Schriver, a former US assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, told the Central News Agency (CNA) that “a lot will depend” on whether Taiwan passes the special budget, which is expected to be introduced later this month.

“If it’s as large as Taiwanese officials are suggesting, then I think there will be a lot of support in the United States for approving those sales,” Schriver said, adding that it would make “no sense” to ask Taiwan to raise its defense spending and then not approve weapons sales.

Former US assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs Randall Schriver speaks at the Presidential Office in Taipei on Sept. 25. Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office

President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has proposed earmarking NT$113.2 billion (US$3.69 billion) for national defense as part of a NT$550 billion special budget to extend the nation’s wartime reserves from 30 days to 120 days. It has also proposed hiking defense spending to NT$949.5 billion, or 3.32 percent of GDP, next year, although both proposals are likely to face scrutiny in the opposition-controlled legislature.

Schriver, chairman of the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security, said that while Taiwan’s defense spending commitments should be “applauded,” the focus should be on how the money is spent, rather than how much.

Aside from expanding military-to-military training programs, the US should widen its focus beyond an invasion scenario and help Taiwan counter Chinese “gray zone” activities, he said.

In practice, this could involve selling Taiwan capabilities that are less useful in an invasion scenario, such as E-2D Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft or MH-60 helicopters, he said.

On the possibility of joint US-Taiwan weapons production, which US Senator Roger Wicker said he expects to occur, Schriver said it would help address the shortages the US faces both for its own military and those of its partners.

More production capacity would be helpful for both sides, and more in Taiwan, specifically, would mean that those weapons would not have to be brought in by ship or air in the event of a crisis, he said.

CNA also asked Schriver about concerns that Trump might use Taiwan as a bargaining chip, given his transactional approach to diplomacy. Media reports in the past few months said that Trump had blocked a military aid package to Taiwan and a proposed stopover by Lai as he negotiated a trade deal with China.

Despite these issues, Schriver said he had “not seen any indication that Taiwan is going to be dumped or bargained away.”

While transactional, Trump “does not take bad deals,” and would thus be unlikely to agree to anything that makes [Chinese President] Xi Jinping [習近平] look stronger or gives China the upper hand, Schriver said.

people: 習近平 賴清德


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Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the sudden shutdown of True Yoga Fitness after the Singapore-based fitness chain ceased operations last month.

The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday confirmed that it received a criminal complaint from consumers days after True Yoga abruptly suspended operations at six outlets in Taipei, New Taipei City and Taoyuan on Sept. 23.

On Sept. 30, the company announced that it would cease all operations from Oct. 1, and begin bankruptcy and liquidation proceedings, citing heavy losses from the COVID-19 pandemic and a weak economy.

Members of Taiwan Economic Democracy Union hold placards and chant slogans at a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times

Yesterday, a civic group alleged that the collapse might be linked to Chinese state-owned capital infiltrating Taiwanese businesses through complex legal and financial arrangements.

The Taiwan Economic Democracy Union (TEDU) told a news conference that it would stage a protest outside True Yoga’s Dunnan flagship branch in Taipei on Monday next week, urging prosecutors to conduct a thorough investigation into possible fraud, foreign capital manipulation and breaches of consumer rights.

TEDU researcher Huang Cheng- han (黃承瀚) said that the closure was a “deliberately orchestrated act of capital plunder,” not simply business mismanagement.

He said True Yoga’s shares are fully owned by True Yoga Holdings Ltd, in which the Hong Kong-listed Huakang Healthcare Holdings Ltd, reportedly tied to Chinese state capital, holds 29 percent — just under the threshold for foreign investment review.

True Yoga’s chairman allegedly used dual identities to sign exploitative franchise and loan contracts, systematically draining the company’s cash flow and potentially committing breach of trust, the TEDU said.

Prosecutors said they would take the civic group’s concerns into account as the investigation proceeds.

title: Taipei prosecutors probe abrupt closure of True Yoga


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‘UNITED FRONT’ RHETORIC: China’s TAO also plans to hold weekly, instead of biweekly, news conferences because it wants to control the cross-strait discourse, an expert said

China’s plan to expand its single-entry visa-on-arrival service to Taiwanese would be of limited interest to Taiwanese and is a feeble attempt by Chinese administrators to demonstrate that they are doing something, the Mainland Affairs Council said yesterday.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said the program aims to facilitate travel to China for Taiwanese compatriots, regardless of whether they are arriving via direct flights or are entering mainland China through Hong Kong, Macau or other countries, and they would be able to apply for a single-entry visa-on-arrival at all eligible entry points in China.

The policy aims to create a more open, convenient and safe environment to foster greater interaction and travel between Taiwan and China, thereby facilitating the development of peaceful cross-strait relations, Chen said.

Asked whether the number of people applying for a “Taiwan compatriot permit” was increasing, Chen said yes, adding that China welcomes all visitors from Taiwan, whether they are tourists, concertgoers, competing athletes or first-time visitors.

However, the MAC offered a different view, saying it would not rule out that the measure was put out by China’s Taiwan-related departments to show that they are hard at work, as Chinese policies on Taiwan have been lacking this year.

The council warned that reports of Taiwanese being detained in China or have gone missing have increased and urged the public to be aware that the risk to their personal safety has risen if they plan to travel to China.

National Cheng Kung University political science professor Hung Ching-fu (洪敬富) said that the expanded visa-on-arrival program targets Taiwanese youth, trying to lure them to visit China and expose them to “united front” rhetoric.

It aims to create the impression that “the motherland is welcoming” Taiwanese compatriots, Hung said.

Media reports about Taiwanese YouTubers, such as Holger Chen (陳之漢), praising China’s modernization and encouraging Taiwanese to visit China are a weak attempt by Chinese Taiwan-relations offices to demonstrate that the “united front” rhetoric is working, he added.

The TAO yesterday also announced that it would be holding news conferences on a weekly basis — instead of every two weeks.

Hung said the move underscores Beijing’s need to control the discourse on the “united front” rhetoric against Taiwan.

Beijing is stepping up its “united front” rhetoric against Taiwan because the TAO wants to be in control of the cross-strait discourse — not the MAC, Hung added.

title: China’s visa program just for show: MAC


content_text:
Youtuber Holger Chen bailed over ‘behead the president’ remark

YouTuber Holger Chen (陳之漢) was released on NT$150,000 (US$4,903) bail Wednesday after being questioned by prosecutors in New Taipei for shouting “behead the president” during a livestream.

Chen, a social media influencer commonly referred to as “gym manager” in the Taiwanese press, is suspected of violating Article 153 of the Criminal Code, which prohibits inciting others to commit crimes, and Article 305, which covers intimidation.

Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB), a national-level agency, said its 7th Investigation Corps received several reports from citizens claiming Chen made violent comments about harming Taiwan’s head of state during an Oct. 5 livestream on YouTube.

YouTuber Holger Chen has been released on NT$150,000 bail Wednesday after being questioned by prosecutors in New Taipei for his “behead the president” controversial remarks. Photo: CNA

The bureau said it collected evidence and asked the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office to oversee the probe.

CIB Deputy Commissioner Chen Shih-huang (陳世煌) said the bureau and the New Taipei City Police Department formed a joint task force to handle the case and summoned Chen to appear at 2 p.m. Wednesday to give a statement.

Speaking to reporters outside the bureau before questioning, Chen said he “had no intent to threaten anyone.”

He accused what he called “green terror” -- alluding to the color associated with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government -- of targeting opposition figures.

When asked by the media whether the case involved the National Security Act, Deputy Commissioner Chen said the investigation was still under investigation and currently focused on intimidation and incitement offenses.

“If other criminal facts are found during the process, we will inform the party concerned in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure and transfer [it] to the District Prosecutors Office for investigation,” he added.

The CIB urged the general public to think carefully before posting comments online.

“Think cautiously and confirm the truthfulness and legality before making comments on the internet,” the bureau said in a statement.

“True freedom of speech is built upon the foundation of the rule of law, and any illegal act will bear corresponding legal consequences,” the bureau added.


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VICTIM BLAMING:  The civic groups urged social media sites to take down harmful comments and images that stigmatize victims and sensationalize sexual assault   By Wang Kuan-jen and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Civic groups yesterday called for better education on bystander intervention and a review of security infrastructure following a sexual assault at Taipei Railway Station last week.

An intoxicated woman was sexually assaulted inside a crowded concourse of Taipei Railway Station on Thursday last week before a foreigner notified police. The suspect, surnamed Chiu (邱), was taken into custody on charges of sexual assault, public indecency and taking advantage of the woman’s condition.

At about 4pm, Chiu allegedly found the woman lying on the floor inside the main concourse, took her by the hand and dragged her to a corner where he assaulted her against a wall for 10 minutes in public view, police said yesterday.

The man only stopped when he was spotted by a foreigner, who called the police, they said.

Although Chiu fled before police arrived, he was quickly found and arrested.

Chiu, whose case has been transferred to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, was wanted in Taoyuan after he stole a truck that had been left with the key in the ignition. He drove it to New Taipei City, where he stole an electric scooter that he moved in the truck, police said.

The Taoyuan District Prosecutors’ Office issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to report to serve his six-month sentence and did not pay the court-imposed fines.

The assault sparked public outrage, with many asking how the suspect was able to commit the crime in the middle of the day in a busy concourse.

A police officer familiar with Taipei Railway Station said that the area is often filled with people seeking shelter, and it is not unusual to see intoxicated people beside the station’s main entrances or sleeping on the floor.

As the suspect reportedly appeared disheveled and the woman was drunk, many passengers likely thought the two were homeless and knew each other, and therefore did not take notice or report the incident, they said.

The Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation and Judicial Reform Foundation in a joint statement called on the Taipei City Government to review monitoring and emergency response mechanisms in public spaces such as train stations, including installing emergency call buttons and clearly marking methods for reporting incidents.

The groups further urged the public not to share videos of the incident and for the media to refrain from using surveillance camera images to prevent secondary harm to the victim.

Comments on news reports and social media posts featured sensitive images and statements blaming the victim, which sensationalize gender-based violence, they said.

The perpetrator, not the victim, should be blamed, they added.

The groups called on social media companies to remove harmful comments and images.

They also urged the government to educate the public on the importance of bystander intervention, such as shouting to draw attention to the situation, notifying on-site personnel and calling the police.

The Railway Police Bureau said that Taipei Railway Station is regularly patrolled, but as it was particularly busy that day, ahead of a three-day weekend, the area was left unchecked.

However, following the incident, police increased patrols, it added.

Taiwan Railway Corp yesterday proposed four measures to enhance the safety of the Taipei Railway Station after meeting with the bureau.

First, railway police would enhance patrols in several crime hot spots in the station, including the lobby, restrooms and platforms, increasing the patrol frequency from twice to three times per hour, it said in a statement.

Second, railway police and staff at the station would form a joint security task force, with police officers, security guards and station staff conducting staggered patrols at 30-minute intervals, it said.

Third, the station and bureau would team up to approach and question people exhibiting unusual behavior in the station, it said.

Fourth, the railway station would work closely with the Taipei Department of Social Welfare to help resettle homeless people in and around the station, it said.

“We aim to fundamentally improve railway traveler safety in and around the Taipei Railway Station through crime prevention and social welfare programs,” the company said.

The Taipei City Department of Social Welfare said that the suspect was not homeless, as was speculated online.

It urged people to not label or stigmatize homeless people.

It said it keeps a registry of homeless people in the city, adding that social workers visit about 200 people in the Taipei Main Station area daily, and cross-departmental nighttime visits are made twice a month to improve management and counseling efforts.

Additional reporting by Shelley Shan, with CNA

title: Groups call for reform after sex assault


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The Taoyuan Flight Attendants’ Union yesterday vowed to protest at the EVA Air Marathon on Sunday next week should EVA Airway Corp’s management continue to ignore the union’s petition to change rules on employees’ leave of absence system, after a flight attendant reportedly died after working on a long-haul flight while ill.

The case has generated public discussion over whether taking personal or sick leave should affect a worker’s performance review.

Several union members yesterday protested at the Legislative Yuan, holding white flowers and placards, while shouting: “Life is priceless; requesting leave is not a crime.”

Members of the Taoyuan Flight Attendants’ Union protest in front of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liao Chen-hui, Taipei Times

“The union is scheduled to meet with EVA Airways at 2pm on Tuesday next week. We have given the company our proposal for changes in the flight attendants’ leave of absence system and shift schedules, and it should assign a corporate executive who is authorized to make final decisions to negotiate with union representatives,” the union said in a statement.

Flight attendants who are free that day are welcome to attend to show support for their representatives, it added.

“If the airline’s management continues to stay hidden or has no intention to propose solutions, the Taoyuan Flight Attendants’ Union and EVA Airway’s corporate union would escalate the conflict by protesting at the EVA Air Marathon on Sunday next week, where company chairman Lin Bou-shiu (林寶水) and president Sun Chia-ming (孫嘉明), and hundreds of EVA Airways workers are to be present,” the union said.

“We would then hand Lin and Sun our petition and ask them to tell us, as well as the public, what they will do to solve the problem,” it said.

The union has presented its appeals, including prohibiting the airline from discriminating against employees who request sick leave, protecting employees’ right to request time off during natural disaster, ensuring annual paid leave and listing practices of unfavorable treatment to employees requesting leave.

EVA Airways flight attendant Lee Yi-han (李亦涵) said that cabin crew are penalized in a point system when they take sick leave: One point is deducted for taking sick leave on a weekday, two for weekends or public holidays, and three for requesting leave on New Year’s Eve or Lunar New Year.

If a crew member takes more than four days of emergency leave, they lose the right to apply for preferred flight routes or days off, she said.

If a flight attendant applies for emergency leave during consecutive holidays or peak seasons, their roster would be locked, meaning they cannot make any schedule changes, Lee said.

Attendants are also expected to not fall ill on rescheduled workdays, because taking sick leave on a shift that was swapped or reassigned results in the crew member’s roster being locked, preventing any further schedule adjustments, she said.

If someone falls seriously ill, is hospitalized or requires surgery, not only would their performance evaluation be affected, but their year-end bonus and travel benefits would be deducted.

EVA Airways had said that it would promptly investigate and clarify the situation.

The results of a Taoyuan Labor Inspection Office inspection showed that the working hours and shift intervals of the flight attendant who died were in compliance with the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法).

EVA Airways said it did not reject cabin crew members’ leave requests, although it acknowledged that certain types of leave might impact individual performance evaluations.

title: Flight attendants’ union to protest EVA marathon


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Northern and eastern Taiwan are expected to experience cooler weather and heavy rain from Sunday to Tuesday next week, as the northeast monsoon moves southward, independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) said yesterday.

Citing model simulations valid as of 8pm on Tuesday, Wu said the first wave of the northeast monsoon would begin moving southward on Saturday evening, bringing rain and cooler temperatures to eastern Taiwan, and Taipei and New Taipei City.

Rainfall in northern and eastern Taiwan could be “significant,” while temperatures across the country are expected to decline from Sunday through Tuesday, said Wu, an adjunct professor in National Central University’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences.

Rainfall forecasts for today, tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday to Tuesday next week are pictured in a graphic published by the Central Weather Administration yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration

The severity of the weather would depend on the strength and proximity of a tropical system southeast of Taiwan, as well as the intensity of its interaction with the northeast monsoon, he said.

Meanwhile, the Central Weather Administration yesterday said that partly cloudy to sunny skies would prevail across most of Taiwan.

Some brief isolated showers are likely on the north coast of Keelung and on the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) in the south, while brief afternoon thundershowers are expected in areas south of Chiayi and in mountainous regions, the agency said.

Highs today were forecast to reach about 31°C to 32°C in eastern Taiwan, 33°C to 35°C in the western part of the country, and 36°C in some inland areas of northern and south-central Taiwan, it said.

People should take precautions against sun exposure and stay hydrated during outdoor activities, it said.

For the rest of the week, brief showers are expected on the northern coast of Keelung, in northeastern Taiwan and in the mountains around Taipei, it said.

Eastern and southeastern Taiwan, as well as the Hengchun Peninsula, might experience isolated showers, while most other areas would remain partly cloudy to sunny today and tomorrow, the agency said.

Similar conditions are expected on Saturday, with showers on the north coast, in eastern Taiwan, on the Hengchun Peninsula and in the mountains around Taipei, it said.

title: Downpours forecast for north, east next week


title: Prosecutors investigate Guangfu flood response

content_text:
By Wang Chin-yi and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Hualien District Prosecutors’ Office is investigating local authorities on possible negligent homicide and dereliction of duty charges after some residents said they never received evacuation notices ahead of a devastating flood last month.

A barrier lake on the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) overflowed on Sept. 23 amid Super Typhoon Ragasa, flooding Hualien County’s Guangfu Township (光復).

The disaster left 19 people dead and 157 injured, with five people still missing and 717 rescued, data released on Tuesday showed.

Soldiers clear mud and debris in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Ragasa in Hualien County’s Guangfu Township on Sept. 24. Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA

Prosecutors yesterday said they obtained records from central government agencies, the Hualien County Government and local township offices, and would continue to request documents as needed.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) had said that all typhoon evacuation procedures are the responsibility of local government offices.

While prosecutors said they would consider all relevant information, they emphasized that the investigation is still ongoing.

One report said that when investigators attempted to review documents at the Guangfu Township Office, the office claimed the records washed away in the flood.

Hualien County Research and Administration Department Director Chen Chien-tsun (陳建村) yesterday said that many agencies are investigating the flood, and the county government has consistently cooperated by providing documents when asked, including interagency notifications and response measures.

Everything is being handled properly, Chen added.

Meanwhile, a tropical disturbance near Guam is forecast to possibly become a tropical depression and further strengthen into Typhoon Fengshen, the Central Forward Coordination Post set up in Guangfu after the flood for coordinating recovery operations said yesterday.

It said it would be transitioned into an emergency response coordination center to help the county government and townships prepare for potential impacts from the storm, including evacuation planning.

Additional reporting by CNA


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Government-funded research has cultivated fungi and bacteria that could help farmers increase vegetable yields amid climate challenges, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Tuesday.

Extreme climate events pose a significant threat to Taiwan’s agriculture sector, which has sustained heavy economic losses from increasingly powerful typhoons, torrential rains, heat waves and dry spells, ministry officials told a news conference.

In 2021, the Taichung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station launched a joint program to enhance the climate resilience of crops and vegetables by developing potentially beneficial microbes, station director Yang Hung-ying (楊宏瑛) said.

Taichung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station official and researchers, National Chung Hsing University researchers and farm managers hold placards at a news conference in Taichung on Tuesday. Photo: CNA

The Agricultural Technology Research Institute and National Chung Hsing University collaborated with the station in the endeavor, he said.

The project cultivated fungi in the genus Trichoderma, the bacteria species Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and the bacteria genus Streptomyces, which are capable of bolstering the survival rate and quality of common vegetables, station researcher Ku Chien-chih (郭建志) said.

Through experimentation, researchers found that the fungi and bacteria can improve the survivability of nappa cabbage, common cabbage and types of fast-growing vegetables by 20 to 50 percent, despite a scarcity or overabundance of moisture, he said.

The microbes reduced calcium deficiency-related wilting in nappa cabbages cultivated during summer by 20 percent, he said.

Microbial research is part of the ministry’s drive to improve the agricultural sector’s sustainability and resilience against the effects of global warming, Ku said.

Microbes developed by the program increased the cold-storage shelf life of cucumbers to a month from two weeks, station researcher Chen Chun-wei (陳俊位) said.

Farms that used the program-developed bacteria and fungi increased their yield and maintained stable output, Changhua Fang-yuan He-xiang Fruits and Vegetable Production Co-op manager Chan Ya-ting (詹雅婷) said.

The vegetables produced with the microbes were sweeter and crunchier than those raised without, she added.

title: Fungi and bacteria could help boost agricultural yields


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A childcare center in Hsinchu County is under investigation after an 18-month-old girl in its care drowned in an outdoor pond on Wednesday last week.

The Hsinchu County Government has barred the center from enrolling more children and is to issue a fine of up to NT$600,000, pending the results of an investigation.

The Hsinchu County Fire Department said it received a report at 11am on Wednesday last week that a child had drowned, was unconscious and not breathing after suffering cardiac arrest at a childcare center in the north of the county.

A pond in which an infant drowned last week is pictured outside a childcare center in Hsinchu County in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of a member of the public

While in an ambulance en route to a hospital, her breathing and heart rate returned, but she was later pronounced dead by the hospital’s emergency room, the department said in a statement.

The Hsinchu County Government in a statement said that it immediately dispatched personnel to the hospital to accompany the girl’s parents and to the childcare center to obtain surveillance footage, and question witnesses and staff.

The investigation found that the girl had gone to a 20cm-deep outdoor ecological pond at the center and fell in.

The caregiver on duty was unaware of the incident, and only when another caregiver noticed the girl missing did they find her in the pond, the county government said.

The Hsinchu District Prosecutors’ Office said it has preliminarily ruled out foul play and the incident has been classified as an accidental death.

The local government said it instructed the center to hold a meeting with parents and guardians to explain the incident, while it works with the Hsinchu County Infant Care Association to assess the availability of nearby centers to help parents who wish to transfer their children to an alternate facility.

The Student Counseling Center has also been tasked with conducting group counseling and providing assistance at the facility, it said.

The local government said that it had assembled a task force to investigate any potential negligence or mismanagement in accordance with the Child and Juvenile Welfare and Rights Protection Act (兒童及少年福利與權益保障法) and other childcare service regulations.

If a staff member is found to have contravened the law, a fine of NT$60,000 to NT$600,000 would be issued, and the person’s name would be publicized, it said.

If the childcare center is found to have contravened the law, it would also face a fine of NT$60,000 to NT$600,000, it added.

The center would be required to make corrections within a set deadline and failure to comply could result in repeated fines, the center’s name being publicized and the suspension of its operations for a month to a year, it said.

The Hsinchu County Government said it also issued an order for all childcare centers within its jurisdiction to conduct a thorough review of safety measures and strengthen child safety protection measures.

title: Childcare center investigated after 18-month-old dies


title: NGOs report possible forced labor on ships

content_text:
CONNECTIONS:  The NGOs called for legislation requiring that all distant-water vessels have Wi-Fi installed for crew members to file complaints and contact their families

Migrant fishers working on two Taiwanese distant-water fishing vessels might have been subjected to forced labor, including withheld wages and excessive working hours, with some of their catch being sold to Japanese fish markets, a joint report released yesterday by Taiwanese and Japanese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) showed.

The report, compiled by the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR) and Japan-based Human Rights Now, was based on interviews with mostly Indonesian crew members from two Taiwanese-flagged vessels — the You Fu (銪富) and the Yu Shun No. 668 (裕順668號).

Matthew, a former You Fu crew member, told a news conference in Taipei that his employer informed him he was being paid monthly via bank transfers and received pay slips showing that his family received US$250 each month.

Members of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights and Japan-based Human Rights Now hold a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times

In reality, his wages were only paid in cash when the vessel docked in Taiwan, he said.

Ten Indonesian crew members from the You Fu told a news conference in Taipei in August last year that they were owed 11 to 15 months of wages, totaling about US$80,850, the report said.

Another former You Fu crew member, Julkifil, said they often worked 18 to 20 hours a day, despite contracts guaranteeing at least eight hours of daily rest.

A third crew member, Astanu, said the boat had no Wi-Fi on board, leaving them unable to contact their families except briefly while in port.

TAHR senior researcher Shih Yi-hsiang (施逸翔) said the testimonies showed that the You Fu met eight of 11 indicators of forced labor identified by the International Labour Organization, including deception, excessive overtime and withheld wages.

Meanwhile, 12 foreign crew members of the Yu Shun No. 668 were stranded in Taiwan in October last year after the shipowner went bankrupt, leaving them unpaid and jobless for months, the report showed.

The workers endured poor living conditions with sporadic power and water cuts, it said.

Control Yuan member Chi Hui-jung (紀惠容) has launched an investigation into the claims.

Prosecutors investigating the You Fu case found that its catch was sold by Taiwan-based seafood exporter FCF Co to Japan through a subsidiary, FCN.

The Yu Shun No. 668 was previously part of an ultra-low temperature longline fleet operated by Japanese company Singaz Japan.

The TAHR in a statement urged the Taiwanese government to abolish the current employment system that classifies migrant distant-water fishers as “foreign workers,” and extend to protections to them under the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法) and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法).

It also called for legislation requiring that all distant-water vessels to install Wi-Fi for crew members to file complaints and contact their families.

Momori Nakagawa of Human Rights Now said that although Japan has laws against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, the regulations focus solely on resource management and do not address human rights violations.

Human Rights Now secretary-general Ryutaro Ogawa urged the Taiwanese, Japanese and Indonesian governments to establish a joint “human rights violation accountability system,” saying that such problems can only be resolved through international cooperation.

The Fisheries Agency said it intervened in both cases after receiving complaints, and that all migrant crew members have received the wages they were owed.

The agency said that the incidents are being investigated by law-enforcement authorities after it filed reports of suspected forced labor.


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Taiwanese sugar painting artist attracts global attention at tourism show

Taiwan’s "Sugar Painting Uncle," Bill Hsieh (謝永清), impressed visitors with his folk art performance at the Taiwan Pavilion during the opening day of the International Tourism Exchange Asia (ITB Asia) in Singapore on Wednesday.

Sugar painting is a traditional Taiwanese folk art in which melted sugar is molded into intricate, edible designs.

A British travel agency executive identified only as John was captivated by Hsieh’s performance, stopping to take photos and chat with staff from the booth.

Taiwanese sugar painting artist Bill Hsieh, center, poses for a photo with Paul Shih, second right, director of the Tourism Administration’s Singapore office, at the Taiwan Pavilion of the International Tourism Exchange Asia in Singapore on Wednesday. Photo grab from Bill Hsieh’s Facebook

He told CNA that he knows Taiwan is a culturally diverse place known for its technology and cuisine, and said he hoped more international travelers will have the chance to visit.

Cultural experiences play a key role in promoting tourism because they help shape a distinctive international image for Taiwan, said Paul Shih (施志忠), director of the Tourism Administration’s Singapore office.

Taiwan’s pavilion, themed "Waves of Wonder," is organized by the Tourism Administration to help Taiwanese businesses connect with global buyers. As Asia’s travel market expands rapidly, ITB Asia has become the region’s most influential business-to-business platform, Shih said.

Now in its 18th year, ITB Asia is being held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, from Oct. 15 to 17 and features thousands of companies from across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, representing every segment of the global travel industry, the website said.


content_text: Members of an adult daycare center hold a book on adult daycare principles and guidelines at a book launch event in Pingtung County yesterday. The Pingtung County Government and National Cheng Kung University coauthored the new book, which focuses on “unfenced,” “inclusiveness” and “reablement” community care services for adults.

title: Adult daycare


content_text: Children in police uniforms gather around a police dog in Penghu County yesterday. The Penghu County Police Bureau held a one-day junior police camp for children of Magong Elementary School’s affiliated preschool. The bureau said the camp allows children to learn about police work, law and safety at an early age.

title: Junior police


title: Heads-up

content_text: A truck drives through the Hengchun Old City West Gate in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township yesterday. The Ministry of Culture’s Bureau of Cultural Heritage said it is to launch a pilot program banning all four-wheeled vehicles driving through the century-old structure to prevent potential damage, as on average one truck gets stuck in the tunnel each year.


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‘UNDERESTIMATED’: The IMF in its latest report raised its forecast for Taiwan’s economic growth this year to 3.7 percent, up from 2.9 percent in its April forecast

The economy is expanding faster than expected and could grow about 5 percent this year, buoyed by robust exports driven by global demand for artificial intelligence (AI), the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said yesterday.

DGBAS Minister Chen Shu-tzu (陳淑姿) told lawmakers at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee that the government’s forecast of 4.45 percent growth for this year “might have been somewhat underestimated,” citing stronger-than-expected export momentum.

“There is indeed room for further upward adjustment, as exports have continued to perform,” Chen said. “The earlier forecast was likely conservative.”

Director-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics Minister Chen Shu-tzu attends a legislative session in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

The comments came after the Asian Development Bank raised its projection for Taiwan’s GDP growth to 5.1 percent, the strongest in the region.

The DGBAS upgraded its forecast in August from 3.1 percent to 4.45 percent, but it said later that the economy is tracking even higher.

Exports in the first nine months of the year rose 29.7 percent year-on-year to US$452.68 billion, exceeding the government’s projection by 7.4 percentage points. The surge underscores Taiwan’s growing role in the global AI supply chain, with strong demand for high-end semiconductors and electronics offsetting weakness in non-tech sectors.

Orders for chips and components used in AI infrastructure remain strong, dispelling earlier expectations that shipments would cool in the second half of the year due to decreasing front-loading, Chen said.

The traditional year-end peak season for technology goods should support the momentum, she added.

Major US technology companies have announced AI investment plans that promise continued opportunities for Taiwan’s leading chipmakers and component suppliers.

However, ongoing US-China tariff negotiations could weigh on Taiwan’s trade prospects in the longer term, Chen said.

“Tariffs would have an effect, but not in the second half of this year,” she said. “The economy is stable for now.”

Meanwhile, inflation pressures have continued to ease. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.25 percent last month, marking the fifth consecutive month below the central bank’s 2 percent alert level and the lowest reading in more than four years.

Still, households “continue to feel the pinch,” with increasing costs for fruit, rent, dining out and medical services, even as vegetable prices have stabilized, Chen said.

The government would continue to monitor price trends and provide policy support as needed, she added.

Separately, the IMF has raised its forecast for Taiwan’s economic growth this year to 3.7 percent, amid stronger-than-expected recovery momentum worldwide.

In its latest World Economic Outlook report released on Tuesday, the IMF projected Taiwan’s real GDP would grow 3.7 percent this year, up from 2.9 percent in its April forecast.

However, next year’s growth forecast was revised downward to 2.1 percent from 2.5 percent.

The report also estimated that Taiwan’s consumer price inflation would reach 1.7 percent this year, slightly below the April projection of 1.8 percent, and would remain stable at 1.6 percent next year.

Additional reporting by CNA

title: Economic growth beating expectations


content_text:
GlobalWafers opens advanced 12-inch wafer plant in northern Italy

Taiwan-based GlobalWafers Co., the world’s third largest silicon wafer supplier, on Wednesday opened a 12-inch silicon wafer plant in Novara, northern Italy - the country’s most advanced silicon wafer facility to date.

The new plant, coded “Fab300,” was launched by GlobalWafers’ Italian subsidiary MEMC Electronics Materials S.p.A at a ceremony attended by Taiwan’s representative to Italy Vincent Tsai (蔡允中), MEMC President Marco Sciamanna and Novara Mayor Alessandro Canelli.

GlobalWafers Chairwoman Doris Hsu (徐秀蘭) said the investment marked a milestone in the company’s expansion in Europe, adding that the Novara plant will be powered entirely by renewable energy - a reflection of its commitment to sustainability and environmental protection.

MEMC President Marco Sciamanna, left, GlobalWafers Chairwoman Doris Hsu, second left,and Novara Mayor Alessandro Canelli ,second right, attend the inaugural ceremony of a 12-inch silicon wafer plant in Novara, northern Italy, on Wednesday. Photo: CNA

Hsu praised Italy’s renowned creativity and efficiency, saying she had been impressed by her Italian partners’ strong execution and professionalism. She also highlighted artwork displayed at the ceremony by MEMC colleagues, saying they were engineers in the daytime but artists at night.

In June 2024, the Novara project secured a grant worth 103 million euros (US$119 million) from the European Commission and the Italian government to support research and development at the 12-inch wafer facility.

According to Taiwan’s representative office in Italy, GlobalWafers acquired SunEdison Semiconductor Ltd., the predecessor of MEMC, in August 2016, taking over its production lines in Novara and Merano.

MEMC, which already operates 8-inch silicon wafer production lines, announced plans in February 2022 to build the 12-inch facility in Novara, the office said.

GlobalWafers previously said the new fab will support downstream manufacturing in four key high-tech workstreams: SENSE (sensor applications), THINK (logic applications), ACT (power applications), and COMMUNICATE (communication applications).

Through a series of mergers and acquisitions in recent years, GlobalWafers has grown to become the world’s third- largest silicon wafer producer.

GlobalWafers currently operates 18 sites across nine countries: Taiwan, China, the United States, Japan, Denmark, South Korea, Italy, Malaysia and Singapore.


people: 劉文雄 蔡英文

title: E.SUN FHC holds its ‘2025 ESG Sustainability Initiative’

content_text:
E.SUN FHC on Tuesday held its “2025 E.SUN ESG Sustainability Initiative,” attended by former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Financial Supervisory Commission Deputy Chairman Chen Yen-liang (陳彥良), and Banking Bureau Director-General Tung Cheng-chang (童政彰). Since 2021, E.SUN has advanced its sustainability efforts, from climate awareness and carbon reduction to building a platform to sustainable transformation. This year’s focus was on talent development and technological empowerment, with nearly 200 enterprises, medical institutions, and artificial intelligence (AI) organizations participating. International professors from the US, Japan, Australia, Singapore and ASEAN shared insights to foster environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) talent and accelerate sustainability through technology.

Tsai, attending the event for the third time, praised E.SUN’s dedication to sustainability and inscribed a blessing amulet with the phrase “Light up Taiwan, Inspire the Future.” She highlighted that sustainable development is a shared but challenging goal, requiring courage, vision and action. She said she hopes all sectors will work together to advance Taiwan’s sustainability and build stronger international trust, a key asset for global engagement.

Robert Dornau, Head of Corporate Sustainability Engagement at S&P Global, emphasized that industries worldwide view talent development as one of the most crucial elements of sustainable development.

Former president Tsai Ing-wen, center, joins leaders and experts at the “E. SUN ESG Sustainability Initiative.” From left to right, Huang Chung-yao, Independent Director of E.SUN FHC; Yu Jui-Ling, Chief Sustainability Officer of National Cheng Kung University; Joseph Huang, Chairman of E.SUN FHC; former president Tsai Ing-wen; Chen Yen-liang, Deputy Chairperson of the Financial Supervisory Commission; Sheila Lakshmi, Director of the Sustainable Institute at University of California and Louis Chang, Chief Sustainability Officer of E.SUN FHC. Photo courtesy of E.Sun FHC

Dornau highlighted that companies committed to sustainability demonstrate higher employee engagement and productivity.

E.SUN FHC Technology Advisory Committee member Li-Feng Chien delivered a keynote speech titled: “AI and ESG: Talent Empowerment and Net-Zero Transformation,” illustrating how generative AI can act as accelerators for corporate sustainability. The subsequent panel discussion featured Industrial Technology Research Institute President Edwin Liu (劉文雄), Ross P. Buckley of the University of New South Wales and Kanji Tanimoto of Waseda University. They engaged in a multifaceted discussion covering industry, finance, international governance and talent development, exploring how technology and talent can drive sustainable transformation.

E.SUN FHC chairman Huang Nan-jhou said: “Technology allows us to move faster, and talent enables us to go further. Only by combining the two can enterprises continue to innovate and move toward sustainability in a rapidly changing global market.”

E.SUN remains committed to achieving net zero by 2050 and strengthening Taiwan’s global competitiveness.


title: Pegatron chair downplays impact of rare earth curbs

content_text:
Beijing’s recent curbs on rare earths would not directly affect Pegatron Corp’s (和碩) production, as the company’s suppliers should be able to overcome the situation, company chairman Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢) said yesterday.

Rare earths account for only a small portion of Pegatron’s products, Tung said.

However, rare earths restrictions could hinder global economic growth indirectly in the long run, he said.

Pegatron Corp chairman Tung Tzu-hsien speaks to reporters on the sidelines of a forum in Taipei on June 20. Photo: CNA

Pegatron is one of Apple Inc’s iPhone assemblers.

China last week tightened its restrictions and told companies to obtain export licenses if their products contain more than 0.1 percent of Chinese-origin rare earths by value.

The restrictions would more heavily impact high-volume users such as glass, motor and electric vehicle manufacturers, Tung said.

The impact on Taiwan’s economy would be largely indirect, especially for local chipmakers, Tung said.

As chips are high-value-added and require only a small amount of rare earths, those companies should be able to secure supply, he said.

Persistent trade disputes with China could prompt the US to boost its output of rare earths, he said.

If China’s export curbs remain in the long run, and they could trigger security concerns for other nations, and more countries could start exploring the feasibility of rare earth mining, he said.


title: MediaTek, Airoha unveil new gateway platform

content_text:
MediaTek Inc (聯發科) and its subsidiary Airoha Technology Corp (達發科技) on Monday said they are jointly developing a new artificial intelligence (AI) fiber gateway platform to enhance telecoms’ network performance by 30 percent.

The two companies made the announcement before the Network X show in Paris, which is being held from Tuesday to today.

The platform would be customizable for telecoms, they said.

Airoha Technology Corp chairman Hsieh Ching-jiang poses for a photograph at a news conference in Taipei on July 18 last year. Photo: Lisa Wang, Taipei Times

The gateway plaftorm could seamlessly fuse MediaTek’s Filogic 680 Wi-Fi 7 with Airoha’s AN7581, enabling cutting-edge AI computing capabilities, they said.

MediaTek, the world’s biggest mobile phone chip supplier, owns about a 66 percent stake in Airoha.

The platform supports major software frameworks including prplOS, RDK-B and OpenWrt, and uses AI-driven autonomous learning to analyze and optimize network traffic, and manage tasks, it said.

By embedding advanced data analytics engines into the AI gateway, the platform enables carrier-grade edge AI services, the two companies said.

Telecoms can use AI for intelligent traffic classification and real-time optimization, achieving more than 30 percent improvement in user network experiences, they said.

The gateway performs automated root-cause analysis of network issues right at the endpoint, slashing mean time to recovery by 40 percent, they said.

Airoha said its fiber broadband networking chips, combined MediaTek’s Wi-Fi chips, have been adopted by Europe’s major telecoms, helping the subsidiary build a strong foothold in the continent and expand its reach to the UK, Spain and Italy.

Fixed networking chips — fiber broadband and ethernet — were one of the biggest revenue sources for Airoha in the second quarter, making up about 40 percent to 45 percent of total. Wireless communication chips — Bluetooth audio chips and satellite positioning chips — were the biggest revenue contributor during that quarter, accounting for 45 percent to 50 percent, it said.


content_text:
US President Trump targets cooking oil although China exports are waning

TRADE DISPUTE: Chinese shipments to the US had already fallen, with some redirected to the EU and others to domestic producers of sustainable fuel, an analyst said

Chinese exports of used cooking oil to the US were already in retreat well before US President Donald Trump chose them as the latest flashpoint in his trade war with Beijing.

Trump has landed on purchases of cooking oil as a possible weapon to counter China’s refusal to buy US soybeans. Used cooking oil is a feedstock commonly employed to make biofuels. However, soybeans remain a much more valuable commodity, and it is unlikely that ending the US-China trade in used cooking oil would have a dramatic impact on buyers or sellers.

Having hit a record 1.27 million tonnes — worth US$1.2 billion — last year, Chinese sales of processed edible oils to the US, mainly used cooking oil, have plunged this year after Beijing scrapped tax relief on exports. Over the first seven months, sales were 387,000 tonnes versus 684,000 tonnes in the same period last year, US Department of Agriculture data showed.

By comparison, Chinese soybean purchases from the US last year totaled about US$12.6 billion. Still, the US was China’s top destination for used cooking oil last year, accounting for about 43 percent of its exports, the US department said.

Chinese shipments to the US have fallen, with some redirected to the EU and others to domestic producers of sustainable aviation fuel, said Dan Mackay, an analyst in Singapore at price reporting agency Quantum Commodity Intelligence.

Waning demand from the US has already been priced in by the market, he said, adding that export offers for Chinese used cooking oil cargoes are unchanged since Trump’s post threatening to end the trade.

China’s exports of unused cooking oil to the US began to surge in 2023, as US biofuel producers snapped up cheap supplies to capitalize on the green incentives of former US president Joe Biden’s administration. The increase also followed a probe by the EU into Chinese shipments after local competitors complained about artificially low prices.

That backlash spread to the US, where the biggest soybean processors accused China of undercutting US crops used for biofuels. Beijing’s removal of tax breaks on overseas sales of used cooking oil on Dec. 1 last year further shrank its appeal as an export.

It means the direct impact of a ban on China and the US would be limited. Chinese traders could see “short-term pressure as they redirect volumes to Europe or deal with weaker prices and higher inventories,” said Kang Wei Cheang, an agricultural broker at StoneX Group Inc in Singapore.

In the US, the supply of low-carbon feedstock could tighten, he said.

Soybean oil futures on the Chicago Board of Trade did respond positively to Trump’s threat, adding as much as 1.7 percent before paring gains.

Overseas markets for other vegetable oils, including palm oil from Southeast Asia, are also likely to come under some pressure from the US president’s protectionist tilt.

Futures in Kuala Lumpur dropped as much as 0.6 percent before recovering most of those losses.

“It is bearish on palm oil, but bullish for local US soybean oil,” said Rajesh Modi, a trader at Sprint Exim Pte in Singapore.


content_text:
Taiwan’s rapidly aging population is fueling a sharp increase in homes occupied solely by elderly people, a trend that is reshaping the nation’s housing market and social fabric, real-estate brokers said yesterday.About 850,000 residences were occupied by elderly people in the first quarter, including 655,000 that housed only one resident, the Ministry of the Interior said.The figures have nearly doubled from a decade earlier, Great Home Realty Co (大家房屋) said, as people aged 65 and older now make up 20.8 percent of the population.“The so-called silver tsunami represents more than just a demographic shift — it could fundamentally redefine the

By Crystal Hsu

title: Interview


title: EDITORIAL: Elderly driver subsidy misses mark

content_text:
Starting next year, drivers older than 70 may be entitled to a monthly NT$1,500 public transportation and taxi subsidy if they relinquish their driver’s license, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced on Tuesday. The measure is part of a broader effort to improve road safety, with eligible participants receiving the subsidy for two years.

The announcement comes amid mounting concern over traffic safety in Taiwan. A 2022 article by CNN quoted the name of a Facebook group devoted to the traffic situation called “Taiwan is a living hell for pedestrians,” while Berlin-based bne IntelliNews last month called it a “deadly mix of drivers and pedestrians,” warning travelers to “think twice before booking a flight.”

Taiwan last year recorded nearly 400,000 traffic incidents — 290,000 of them in the first nine months alone — resulting in more than 2,000 deaths and 386,000 injuries. A significant share of the incidents involved drivers older than 65, prompting calls for stricter regulation. Nearly 60,000 incidents involving elderly drivers were reported last year, leading to close to 80,000 injuries. The issue gained national attention on May 19, when a 78-year-old driver in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽) plowed into pedestrians and scooter riders near a school, killing three people and injuring 12. The driver also died.

However, the new subsidy might do little to improve safety. Those unfit to drive are unlikely to give up their licenses voluntarily. Taiwan’s persistent problems with driving under the influence (DUI) and unlicensed driving suggest that dangerous drivers often ignore the rules. The nation averages about 10,000 DUI cases per year, while unlicensed driving remains alarmingly common. In 2023, 55,492 accidents involved unlicensed drivers, causing 78,885 injuries and 763 deaths. On May 23, a 78-year-old unlicensed driver ran a red light in Taipei, colliding with a bus and three other vehicles, injuring himself and seven others.

As typically happens after a high-profile tragedy, lawmakers pledged to act. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) and Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋) proposed doubling fines for unlicensed driving from NT$6,000 to NT$24,000 to NT$12,000 to NT$36,000, with repeat offenders facing fines of up to NT$100,000 and vehicle seizure. Yet as history shows, stiffer penalties are unlikely to make a difference. A driver willing to risk a NT$24,000 fine would likely risk a NT$36,000 fine as well. Without consistent enforcement, laws remain hollow. What Taiwan truly needs is stricter, sustained enforcement and stronger driver education.

The Highway Bureau on Oct. 1 announced that it would replace yes-or-no questions with multiple-choice ones on the written driving test. While a small improvement, it falls far short of addressing deeper issues. Taiwan’s driver education system must go beyond rote memorization. Classroom-based traffic education should begin in high school, teaching road awareness and pedestrian safety. Driving instruction should include more real-world practice with professional supervision to reinforce safe habits. Taiwan could also adopt a graduated licensing system similar to those used in Canada, Australia, the US and many European countries. New drivers would face restrictions that are lifted progressively, such as limits on nighttime driving or passenger numbers, encouraging responsible habits before full licensing.

Encouraging elderly drivers who are no longer fit to drive to give up their licenses is a sensible measure, but subsidies alone will not reverse Taiwan’s alarming traffic trends. Unless the government addresses the twin failures of lax enforcement and weak education, the country’s roads will remain perilous. Real safety reform requires a cultural shift: one that values responsibility, not convenience and enforces the law with consistency rather than reaction. Taiwan’s traffic crisis cannot be solved with subsidies — it must be rebuilt from the ground up.

people: 羅廷瑋 羅智強


title: Bolster digital literacy education

content_text:
Beauty-enhancing apps, artificial intelligence (AI) image editing and deepfake technologies have become widespread, allowing any photo to be altered to contain scenes of kissing, hugging or even more intimate or absurd situations. Although we are aware that these images are fake, we cannot stop them from going viral online and causing misunderstandings.

Many have called for legislation to halt this trend, but in practice, hundreds of millions of photos have already been uploaded to social media platforms such as Facebook and Google, with data scattered all across the cloud. No matter how strict the legislation, it is nonetheless difficult to prevent the existence of anonymous accounts, overseas platforms or AI-generated fake images that can be created rapidly.

This is quite similar to lying. We cannot prohibit others from lying, but we can strengthen societal immunity — and in the digital age, that so-called “immunity” is digital literacy education.

The first step of digital literacy education is to cultivate the ability to detect fake content. When we encounter shocking photos or videos, we must not immediately believe them — instead, we should first observe whether the lighting and shadows are realistic or proportions are distorted. We can even use reverse image searches to verify their authenticity.

The second step is developing an attitude of rational skepticism: We must not immediately believe harmful images of someone just because we like or dislike that person.

The third step is media literacy, that is, understanding the differences between news, advertisements and rumors, and recognizing that algorithms often keep us trapped in echo chambers.

Finally, we must possess a fundamental awareness of laws and ethics, and understand that spreading false images might contravene the law and infringe upon others’ portrait rights.

Of course, the government still needs to promote legislation requiring online platforms to promptly remove malicious deepfake content, but long-term investment in education is all the more crucial. Starting from junior high and high school, media literacy should be incorporated into the curriculum to ensure that the coming generation learns to verify information and think critically, rather than be misled by fake images.

The greatest threat of misinformation is not technology, but ignorant people who believe and disseminate that misinformation without thinking. Only by establishing a digital immune system for all citizens — thereby making a collectively smarter and cool-headed society — can we safeguard truth and reason in an era flooded by fake images.

Hsiao Hsi-huei is a freelance writer.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen


content_text:
In the aftermath of the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) barrier lake collapse in Hualien County, there were gaps and failures in the distribution of supplies, while delays led to boxed meals meant for victims and volunteers spoiling behind red tape. The problem stemmed from administrative inefficiency and flaws in the system’s design.

Commenting on the issue on a political talk show on Sept. 30, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Chung Pei-chun (鍾沛君) said: “Did any of them starve from not getting a boxed meal? No.”

Chung’s comment brings to mind the emperor from the Book of Jin (晉書), who asked: “Why don’t they eat meat gruel?” when told his subjects were suffering because of a famine. Its European analogue, “let them eat cake” from pre-revolutionary France, is, in the same way, symbolic of the ignorance of the powerful. These quotes are not remembered for causing the famines in question, but for exposing the severe disconnect between those in power and ordinary people.

Flood survivors in Hualien were not asking for cake, but a basic hot meal. To say that “no one died” and showing a total lack of remorse betray a chilling indifference.

After the flood, some people went for days with only steamed buns to eat, while volunteers worked into the night without a hot meal. This was not because no one cared, but because provisions had been held up by the local government. Even more people missed out when some local officials demanded that people show their ID to get a hot meal.

The central government provided supplies and resources, but the local government was busy stocktaking rather than distributing provisions to the front lines. When procedures take precedence over human lives, institutional rigidity becomes a secondary disaster.

The KMT has come to Chung’s defense. Instead of looking at the local government’s shortcomings, some KMT members have placed the blame squarely on the central government, saying that the problem lay with evacuation procedures going awry.

Amid this confusion, what the public sees is evasion rather than accountability. Even emperors would have faced condemnation from intellectuals and the public for this kind of sophistry. Yet, in today’s democratic age, where leaders no longer hold absolute power, there are still those who defend preposterous comments like this. Those defending Chung are not interested in serving and protecting the victims, but in holding on to power.

The danger in dismissing victims’ sufferings through throwaway statements like this is genuine hardship is being obscured by word games. The disaster zones, which should be receiving aid, are being used as a stage for political theater. The question is not whether anyone starved, but whether the systems functioned properly to serve those who needed them. Otherwise, we risk letting every natural disaster become a political showground, while those truly in need must sit and wait for the slow bureaucracy of aid to tick over.

Shen Yan is an amateur musician.

Translated by Gilda Knox Streader

title: Indifference to the public’s plight


content_text:
On Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) addressed the Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing, extolling his government’s support for many aspects of women’s rights. Yet having grown up in China, my vivid memories over the past few decades paint a starkly different picture of how women have fought to change the way they have been treated and were persecuted by the government.

Today, while the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has grudgingly permitted some improvements, those few gains are at risk of being rolled back — an ironic way of marking the 30th anniversary of the UN’s Fourth World Conference on Women. The 1995 gathering was a landmark for independent domestic and international civil society; it produced the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, setting out lofty goals for women’s rights — and handed the Chinese government a decades-long propaganda win.

The UN hosting this anniversary provides Beijing another win in claiming the mantle of women’s rights champion, when it is women across the country, facing government repression, who fought for and achieved modest progress. In the 2000s and 2010s, up to 2015, when Xi consolidated his power, activists worked hard to raise awareness of women’s rights as human rights, struggling to change a deeply patriarchal society.

An emerging cohort of women’s rights defenders in China, calling themselves feminists, made demands of authorities. From street protests to courtrooms, they championed the rights of migrant women, victims of domestic violence and sexual harassment in workplaces, discrimination in employment and college admissions, and married rural women’s land rights.

Facing growing public outrage over shocking abuses, authorities finally adopted a law against domestic violence in 2015. Confronted by a looming demographic disaster and labor shortage, and after decades of international outcry, the government loosened the abusive one-child policy in 2016.

However, the anti-domestic violence law remains largely on paper, criticized by experts and advocates for its shortcomings. A recent study showed that “out of more than 100,000 divorce rulings between 2017 and 2023 ... judges referred to the domestic violence law as grounds for granting a divorce in only three cases.”

Authorities recently censored debates about whether engagement or marriage constitute sexual consent.

The one-child policy is now swinging to the other extreme — an invasive campaign to turn women into baby-making machines, with Xi championing an ideological drive to put women back in their place to fulfill their traditional roles as wives and mothers to maintain “harmony” in the family. The government is pressuring employers to use demotion, job hiring or firing, bonuses or having officials knock on doors to force women to have more babies.

Beijing’s crackdown on women’s rights advocates ironically began on International Women’s Day in March 2015. Authorities detained five feminist activists — Li Tingting (李婷婷), Wei Tingting (偉婷婷), Wang Man (王曼), Wu Rongrong (武嶸嶸) and Zheng Churan(鄭楚然) — who tried to campaign publicly against sexual harassment to mark the occasion. The state’s broader assault on feminists has not let up, and a decade later, all independent women’s rights groups have been forced to shut down. State and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) institutions increasingly insert themselves into quasi-independent organizations to control them, and outspoken activists and academics face censorship and harassment, sexual violence or arbitrary detention.

Female activists account for a disproportionately high number of those wrongfully detained by authorities. Fifty-eight percent of all prisoners of conscience currently held are women, although they make up only 48 percent of the total population. Among the more than 700 older prisoners of conscience — defined as older than 60 — two-thirds are women.

China’s economic growth has improved some women’s lives, but deepened inequality. The gender pay gap is growing. The most recent World Economic Forum Gender Gap Index, released in June, shows that China slipped from 63rd for gender equality in 2006 to 103rd. The government continues to fail to enforce anti-gender discrimination laws by banning job ads for “men only” positions. There are fewer women in senior levels of government than at any time in recent decades; there are no women on the powerful CCP Politburo, the top decisionmaking body.

The Chinese government should mark this anniversary with real change: committing to freeing all wrongfully detained women’s human rights defenders, removing all state controls over reproductive rights and complying with all UN treaty body recommendations on women’s rights. Beijing should eliminate discriminatory land rights for married rural women, improve and enforce the anti-domestic violence law and encourage women’s public participation at all levels of governance. These would be accomplishments worth celebrating.

Renee Xia is the coexecutive director of the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders.

title: The real fight for women’s rights in China