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墨新聞｜記者游宏琦／高雄報導

智慧之火燃起心靈覺照─從修持到淨化的殊勝宗教心靈饗宴

宗教文化【記者／游宏琦 台北綜合報導】

在秋意漸濃的十月，清風拂過三峽山谷，火焰的光芒映照出信眾虔誠的面容。

2025年10月18日，文殊佛學會於新北市三峽彩蓮觀音寺隆重舉行並圓滿

「四臂伏魔金剛手息災火供大法會」，由尊貴的 堪布洛卓金剛上師 親自主法，帶領數百名弟子、法師與十方信眾共同修持，

以智慧之火祈願世界清淨、人心平安。

法會緣起：以清淨發心迎接殊勝修法

為了迎接這場殊勝的火供法會，文殊佛學會的同修與義工們早在數日前便開始準備。

從精選火供木材、採買供品、清淨壇城，到佈置法座、整理會場，每一個步驟都凝聚著恭敬與慈悲。

「火供不僅是供養諸佛菩薩的外在儀式，更是淨化自心的修行過程。」

上師於法會前開示指出：當我們將煩惱與執著觀想為薪柴，投諸智慧之火，內心的陰霾與障礙便能逐漸化為光明與力量。

法會進行：以金剛之力除障祈願

下午一時整，法會正式啟建。

堪布洛卓上師慈悲引領大眾，依次進行前行觀修、迎請火神、供養本尊與息災祈願。整個儀軌莊嚴清淨，眾人齊聲誦咒，聲音迴盪於山林間，伴隨著火焰的跳動，形成一幅「光與心」虔誠共振的景象。

上師以四臂伏魔金剛手菩薩為主尊，指導弟子以觀想修法降伏內外障礙、消除煩惱業習。

當供品投入火中、火光沖天之際，所有人的祈願與慈心，也隨煙雲升向虛空，化為對世界的祝福與迴向。

法喜充滿：願光明遍照十方

法會現場氣氛清淨祥和，僧俗二眾皆法喜充滿。在烈焰與咒音的交融中，眾人共同發下深願：

願以此殊勝火供功德，淨除一切內外密障礙；願諸眾生身心安樂，願世界清淨平和；願正法久住，願慈悲光明遍照十方。

火供圓滿後，信眾們紛紛表示，整場修法如一場深層的心靈洗禮，

讓壓抑多時的情緒得以釋放，也重新燃起了修行與生活的勇氣。

《感恩與迴向》

在法會的尾聲，堪布洛卓上師帶領眾人作迴向，感念所有參與護持的法師、同修與義工，祈願一切功德皆迴向法界，令眾生成就菩提道。上師開示：「火供不僅是外在的供養，更是內在心性的修煉。當心被火光照亮時，智慧便會生起，慈悲也隨之綻放。」

整場法會在溫暖與清淨的氛圍中圓滿落幕。

參與者離開時，臉上帶著平靜與光亮，那是被火焰淨化後的安然，也是修行後的柔光。

《活動現場影音紀錄》

文殊佛學會 活動影音連結：

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1J7y2t1ZHB/?mibextid=wwXIfr

此篇文章最開始出處為: 薩迦文殊佛學會 「四臂伏魔金剛手」10/18 火供法會圓滿舉行

taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄 安樂 三峽 觀音 新北市

title: 薩迦文殊佛學會 「四臂伏魔金剛手」10/18 火供法會圓滿舉行


title: 慾望與生命之潮  見證絕美愛情神話最終章

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無垢舞蹈劇場2020年以詠嘆花落的舞蹈詩篇《花神祭》首次與臺中觀眾見面，2022年帶來白鳥與鷹族兄弟間的淒美愛情故事《觀》。慶祝歌劇院即將邁入10週年，今年秋冬遇見巨人系列邀請眾多大師、天團回歸；而白鳥也回來了，牠自冰川中掙脫，啣種子而歸，《潮》是無垢「天、地、人」三部曲之後的回望，別錯過10月18、19日在大劇院的絕美重逢。無垢藝術總監林麗珍記者會上語帶哽咽的說，無垢30年了，像田該休耕了，未來如何需要等待、傾聽，「但這次不看，可能就沒有機會了！」無垢舞蹈劇場30鉅獻《潮》彩排記者會_無垢舞蹈劇場藝術總監林麗珍（中）語帶哽咽的說，無垢30年，像田該休耕了，這次不看，可能就沒有機會了！©臺中國家歌劇院，攝影：林峻永今天《潮》在歌劇院大劇院舉辦記者會，舞團演出精彩段落〈破〉。首席舞者吳明璟奮不顧身、用盡全力在台上演出白鳥破冰一幕，伴隨歌手許景淳的祖靈吟唱、演奏家賀毅明、蕭盈的擊鼓，感動了現場所有人，也讓歌劇院副總監汪虹一上台主持就掉淚。許景淳表示，吟唱沒有樂譜，每一次都是當下感受所自然流動出來的；對她來說，無垢是奇蹟般、如同故宮國寶的存在，是表演藝術的最高殿堂，大家一定要呵護它。

無垢舞蹈劇場30鉅獻《潮》彩排記者會_無垢舞蹈劇場藝術總監林麗珍（中）曾獲ARTE（歐洲公共廣播電視台）2002年評選當代舞蹈界8位最具影響力的編舞家©臺中國家歌劇院，攝影：林峻永林麗珍表示，一個好舞者要30年才能成形，她親眼見證的吳明璟就是其一；一個好的舞作要50年才能成形，她在做完《觀》後原本覺得精疲力盡，直到夢見白鳥想把種子帶回來，驚醒後感覺無限的悲痛，才創作《潮》；她說，舞台上最珍貴的是情感，無論舞者、燈光、舞監、音控，很多人都跟了無垢30年，只要一有演出就無論如何會來參加，也很感謝觀眾和場館支持，用心交會。

無垢舞蹈劇場30鉅獻《潮》彩排記者會_伴隨歌手許景淳的祖靈吟唱、演奏家賀毅明、蕭盈的擊鼓、水墨留白的舞台，構織生命的詩歌©臺中國家歌劇院，攝影：林峻永林麗珍的創作源自生活和自然，故鄉基隆的海軍俱樂部是她年少釋放舞蹈熱情的舞台，潮濕氣候呼應了首次舞展《不要忘記你的雨傘》，作品中有基隆港上盤旋的老鷹，有四時採集的稻穗、豆莢和果核；歷史悠久的基隆中元祭水燈儀式，也成為創團作《醮》的靈感。

無垢舞蹈劇場30鉅獻《潮》彩排記者會_飾演白鳥的無垢舞蹈劇場首席舞者吳明璟，隨鼓聲旋轉上千次，最終發出一聲淒厲嘶吼，破冰而出©臺中國家歌劇院，攝影：林峻永是祭典？還是舞蹈？神聖劇場是無垢一貫的風格，舞者猶如進入常民祭儀，讓身體在緩行中沉思，伴隨吟唱、水墨留白的舞台，構織生命的詩歌。林麗珍自1995年創團以來，僅發表過4部作品，對作品超乎尋常的雕琢，讓她成為「十年磨一劍」的編舞奇人。ARTE（歐洲公共廣播電視台）2002年評選當代舞蹈界8位最具影響力的編舞家，林麗珍名列其中。

taiwan-subdivisions: 臺中 基隆


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【記者廖宥婷 /南投報導】

秋意漸濃，正是泡湯好時節！2025南投溫泉季自9月起熱鬧展開，活動為期三個月，串聯南投三大溫泉區-「埔里」、「東埔」、「北港溪」，邀請旅客搭乘「台灣好行」輕鬆出發，在最便利的路線中享受泡湯樂趣、順遊沿途景點，開啟一場結合自然、人文與風味的秋日小旅行。

東埔溫泉屬於弱鹼性碳酸泉，水質清澈無味，可泡亦可飲許淑華縣長表示，為便利遊客到南投泡溫泉，縣府積極規劃台灣好行路線，去年底最後一塊拼圖北港溪線通車。只要搭乘台灣好行「埔里線」、「東埔線」、「北港溪線」，可分別前往三大溫泉區。民眾從高鐵台中站、台中火車站、埔里或集集出發即可輕鬆抵達目的地，不僅免去開車舟車勞頓的麻煩，更能沿途造訪景點，讓泡湯行程更豐富多彩。

去年底台灣好行南投北港溪線通車，可前往北港溪溫泉區「埔里線」從台中火車站、高鐵台中站出發，沿途行經埔里市區、埔里酒廠、牛耳石雕公園等景點，旅客可體驗以花香聞名的「花之湯」，可再轉乘「日月潭線」延伸前往日月潭、向山遊客中心，品味在地茶香，享受靜謐湖光山色的溫泉假期。

「東埔線」則從集集出發，途經水里車站與蛇窯，最終抵達海拔約1,200公尺的東埔溫泉區。該區泉質屬弱鹼性碳酸泉，水質清澈無味，可泡亦可飲。遊客可順道造訪雙龍七彩吊橋與彩虹步道，俯瞰玉山山麓壯闊景致。10月18日起登場的「玉山戀‧東埔情」東埔溫泉季活動，邀請布農族演出八部合音〈祈禱小米豐收歌〉，現場並設烤大豬、小米酒等美食饗宴，以及浴衣火把踩街限定活動，限量浴衣與火把免費發放，氣氛熱鬧非凡。

「北港溪線」自高鐵台中站出發，沿途串聯國立台灣工藝研究發展中心與九九峰動物樂園等景點，最終抵達北港溪溫泉區。該地泉質為弱鹼性碳酸泉，環境清幽，是靜心養生首選。壓軸登場的「北港溪溫泉嘉年華」將於11月1日在泰雅渡假村舉行，當日免門票入場，現場安排熱門樂團與舞蹈演出，並設有在地農特產與咖啡品嚐攤位，邀民眾同樂。

此外，今年南投縣政府同步推出多項秋季主題活動，包括9月啟動的「2025南投健行節」、10月的「清境火把節」及11月的「露營嘉年華」，縣府也鼓勵民眾搭乘大眾運輸、不論是搭乘好行泡湯放鬆、走訪景點，都能感受南投最迷人的秋季風情，更多台灣好行與南投旅遊相關資訊可上官方粉絲團樂旅南投查詢https://www.facebook.com/nantouwelcome/

taiwan-subdivisions: 埔里 北港 南投縣 南投 水里 集集

title: 搭上台灣好行 從埔里玩到東埔  泡進北港溪的山林秘湯


title: 港灣新聞網／BLACKPINK等級眷村派對！高雄市長陳其邁親跳DISCO與市民同樂

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圖/高雄市政府

港灣新聞網／高雄報導「高雄市眷村文化節」今（18）日下午於鳳山瑞興國小熱鬧登場，邁入第19屆的活動以「眷眷星光夜未眠」為主題，首次聚焦眷村夜晚生活，設計了月光市集、趣味闖關、復古舞會、暗棋大賽等豐富內容，重現昔日眷村居民在竹籬笆間的歡樂時光。

高雄市長陳其邁戴著復古大墨鏡、披上粉紅圍巾華麗登場，並與上千名市民朋友一同跳起DISCO熱舞，在經典金曲《熱線你和我》旋律中，現場氣氛熱烈、笑聲不斷，宛如回到七○年代的懷舊派對現場。

陳其邁「DISCO」熱舞掀高潮 笑稱鳳山有自己的BLACKPINK

陳其邁致詞時幽默表示：「一走進來還以為來到BLACKPINK演唱會！」引起全場大笑。他也即興宣布，下一屆眷村文化節要「進軍世運主場館」，讓鳳山的熱情能在更大的舞台綻放光彩。

陳其邁強調，每年參加眷村文化節是他身為市長的「必修學分」，這不僅是活動，更是與市民共同守護記憶的重要時刻。他特別感謝瑞興國小多年來協助場地借用，並宣布今年是最後一年使用校園場地，明年活動將回到正在整建中的「明德訓練班」舉辦。

明德訓練班整建近完工 市府投入9億保存眷村文化

陳其邁說明，明德訓練班為國定古蹟，整建工程自2022年啟動，總經費高達9億元，預計明（115）年完工並重新開放。他指出：「要蓋公園很少超過一億元，但為了保存眷村文化，市府願意投入更多，這代表我們對歷史的尊重與文化的重視。」

他更現場宣布加碼50萬元預算，讓明年的眷村文化節規模更盛大、活動更豐富。陳其邁強調，眷村文化節不只是節慶活動，更象徵城市記憶的延續與文化傳承。

活動最後，陳其邁與市民熱情合影，揮舞螢光棒的場景掀起全場高潮，氣氛宛如巨星演唱會般熱鬧。

懷舊星光重現眷村溫度 文化局邀市民共享美好夜晚

高雄市政府文化局表示，今年文化節以「眷村夜晚生活」為主軸，透過復古造景與懷舊音樂，重現過去眷村夜色下的溫馨與歡樂。月光市集攤位琳瑯滿目，現場闖關遊戲、復古舞會及暗棋比賽，讓長輩懷念青春歲月，年輕世代也能體驗不同時代的文化魅力。

文化局指出，希望透過活動促進不同世代的文化交流，讓更多市民認識眷村歷史與生活記憶。誠摯邀請市民朋友攜家帶眷，在星光閃耀與復古音樂交織的夜晚，重溫眷村情懷，共同見證文化的創新與傳承。

taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄市 鳳山


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圖/高雄市政府警察局仁武分局

港灣新聞網／高雄報導高雄市仁武區今（18）日下午發生一起加油站內非道路交通事故，一名男子在洗車排隊時疑似誤踩油門，導致車輛暴衝，連續撞擊兩車並擦撞員工，造成1人受傷送醫。

據高雄市政府警察局仁武分局表示，該起事故發生於114年10月18日14時許，地點位於仁武區澄觀路一段某加油站。

誤踩油門釀禍 連撞兩車再撞員工

警方調查，肇事駕駛為57歲劉姓男子，當時駕駛黑色自小客車在加油站內排隊等候洗車。劉男在前行準備煞車時，不慎誤踩油門，導致車輛失控，追撞前方第一洗車道等待的藍色自小客車駕駛陳姓男子（約50歲）。

撞擊後，劉男的車輛從第一、第二洗車道中間衝出，再擦撞到第二洗車道的一名員工，38歲楊姓男子。

員工腿部受傷送醫 警方現場管制釐清

現場造成楊男腿部受傷、意識清楚，經救護人員初步處理後立即送往醫院救治。

仁武分局澄觀派出所副所長林庭逸帶隊趕抵現場，第一時間協助交通管制、事故排除及聯繫相關人員。警方也已聯絡加油站負責人高姓女子（約45歲）到場協助釐清，並通知家屬前往處理後續事宜。

仁武分局呼籲：進出加油站應確實減速、注意油門煞車操作

仁武分局提醒民眾，雖然加油站及洗車區屬於私人場域，但仍須依交通安全規範操作車輛，駕駛人進出加油站、洗車道時應確實減速，並確認腳下油門與煞車位置，以防止誤踩釀禍。

警方強調，輕微一時疏忽可能造成重大傷害，呼籲駕駛保持警覺、謹慎駕駛，確保自身與他人安全。

taiwan-subdivisions: 仁武 仁武區 高雄市

title: 港灣新聞網／排隊洗車變車禍！仁武男子誤踩油門釀擦撞員工受傷


title: 港灣新聞網／海FUN無礙！高雄彌陀漁港打造友善親水空間 身障朋友也能安心親海

taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄 彌陀 高雄市

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圖/海委會

港灣新聞網／高雄報導為實踐「海洋屬於每一個人」的理念，海洋委員會攜手高雄市政府共同推動「親水平權」，於10月18日正式啟用位於高雄彌陀漁港海岸光廊的無障礙親水斜坡道、錨定系統浮動平台及電動移位輔助設備。這項創新工程透過「海FUN無礙 浪愛澎湃」活動揭幕，象徵臺灣親水空間邁入更加友善與包容的新里程碑。

圖說 : 之前克難的親水設施

無障礙親水設施啟用 讓身障者也能安心「親近大海」

海洋委員會表示，過去身心障礙者若想參與水域活動，往往需臨時架設鷹架或簡易平台，不僅安全性不足，對協助人員而言也需耗費大量體力，導致親水體驗門檻偏高。

此次於彌陀漁港海岸光廊打造的無障礙親水斜坡道及電動移位輔助設備，能讓輪椅使用者、年長者及行動不便者在安全引導下輕鬆下水。此舉不僅提升水域遊憩的便利性與安全性，也有效減輕工作人員的人力負擔，讓親水活動更具包容性與溫度。

圖說 : 安全便利的親水設施

海委會×高市府合作 打造「全民共享的親水空間」

海洋委員會感謝高雄市政府積極配合與支持，協助推動親水空間無障礙化，讓海岸光廊不僅是觀光亮點，更成為全民共享的親海場域。

海洋委員會指出，這項設施的啟用，不僅象徵著海洋政策朝向「平等參與、全民共融」的具體實踐，也呼應政府推動海洋文化與社會永續的核心價值。

圖說 : 無障礙親水斜坡道、錨定系統浮動平台

海洋委員會表示，未來將持續補助地方政府推動親水環境友善設施建置，讓更多城市能比照高雄模式，創造安全、無礙、可近的海洋體驗，讓「親海不再是少數人的權利」，而是全民共享的幸福。

推動「親水平權」 讓海洋成為療癒與希望的象徵

海洋委員會強調，「海洋不應只是少數人的享受」，唯有實現平等參與與無障礙親海環境，才能讓海洋真正成為療癒與希望的所在。

圖說 : 無障礙親水斜坡道

海洋委員會呼籲各地水域管理機關共同投入，強化遊憩空間的包容性設計與安全維護，讓行動不便族群、長者與所有市民都能輕鬆親近大海，感受海洋帶來的自由、力量與幸福感。


title: 港灣新聞網／人才永續再升級！臺灣港務公司奪下「中央政府員工學習制度」特優獎

content_text:
圖/臺灣港務股份有限公司

港灣新聞網／高雄報導在企業永續與人才培育並重的時代，臺灣港務股份有限公司再創佳績！秉持「員工是企業永續經營的基石，人才永續是支持企業運作的根本」理念，港務公司長期致力於員工學習制度與組織發展。繼2023、2024年連續兩年榮獲教育部「中央政府推動建立員工學習制度獎勵」優等獎後，今年（2025）再度勇奪特優獎最高榮譽，成為中央公部門及公營企業中推動學習型組織的標竿典範。

建立「TIPC人才永續策略圖」 培育專業與數位雙軸人才

港務公司表示，面對航運與港埠產業快速轉型與全球數位化浪潮，公司以「TIPC人才永續策略圖」為核心，構築系統化的學習藍圖，涵蓋內部職能、管理職能與外部培訓三大面向，全面推動學習制度的制度化與專業化。

今年更特別開辦「數位發展應用工作坊」，採「專題講座＋實作培訓」並行模式，協助同仁了解人工智慧、資料應用與自動化流程在企業運作中的應用價值，強化數位工具操作能力，為港務公司邁向智慧化、永續化管理奠定堅實基礎。

人本關懷＋職場健康 打造多元共融幸福企業

除了專業進修，港務公司同時重視員工的身心健康與性別平權，積極推動「友善職場」與「多元健康促進措施」，鼓勵員工養成規律運動與均衡飲食習慣，並定期舉辦健康講座、運動推廣與心理紓壓課程，打造充滿正能量的職場文化。

此外，公司導入「員工協助方案（EAP）系統」，提供心理、法律與生活諮詢服務，協助員工處理壓力管理、家庭與工作平衡議題，展現企業對員工全方位的關懷與支持。

建置ALOHA線上學習平台 整合跨界資源推動終身學習

為打造靈活與數位化的學習環境，港務公司建置「ALOHA線上學習平台」，整合Hahow、天下雜誌群等外部知識資源，讓員工可隨時隨地透過電腦或行動裝置進行自主學習，充分實踐「Anywhere Learning, Ongoing Human Advancement（隨時學、持續進步）」的學習精神。

透過此一平台，港務公司不僅建立完整的知識管理系統，也讓每位同仁能依職能與興趣自主安排學習課程，進一步提升整體人力資本效益。

ESG × 人才永續並進 推動「你好、我好、共好」的企業文化

展望未來，港務公司將持續深化「人才永續策略」，結合ESG永續理念與數位創新思維，推動企業與員工共同成長，打造「你好、我好、共好」的永續職場生態。公司強調，唯有不斷投資人才、精進學習，才能在國際港務競爭中立於不敗之地，並落實企業社會責任，邁向更具韌性與永續共榮的未來。


title: Lai reiterates commitment to peace

content_text:
‘TRUE PEACE’: Peace cannot be achieved through a single agreement, but through enhancing defenses to deter war and preparedness to avoid war, the president said

Peace is Taiwan’s goal, but it cannot be achieved through a single agreement, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that defending the Republic of China (ROC) must begin with safeguarding Taiwan, as the ROC can only exist if Taiwan exists.

Lai made the remark in an address at a ceremony in Kaohsiung, during which he presented certificates to restore the reputation of victims of the state during the nation’s authoritarian period.

Under the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) authoritarian rule, martial law was declared on May 20, 1949, and lasted for 38 years, Lai said.

President William Lai speaks at a ceremony in Kaohsiung to exonerate people persecuted during the nation’s authoritarian era. Photo: Screen grab from the Presidential Office’s Flickr page

During that dark period, the state apparatus did not protect the public, but instead persecuted them and violated their human rights, resulting in many being imprisoned or killed, he added.

“How fortunate Taiwan is to have transitioned into a democratic era,” Lai said.

“Over the past few decades, democratic Taiwan has become clearly defined on the international stage by its 23 million people,” he said. “Taiwan has become a beacon of democracy in Asia, enjoying a life of freedom and democracy.”

“We must not forget the past. In the future, certificates of restored honor must continue to be issued to those affected, and such tragedies must never be allowed to happen in Taiwan again,” he added.

As president and the commander-in-chief of the nation’s armed forces, Lai said he is responsible for protecting the nation and the safety of its people.

Although there are differences in national identity in Taiwan, one fundamental principle must be upheld, which is that “the ROC can only exist if Taiwan exists,” Lai said.

He reiterated his commitment to upholding the democratic and free constitutional system, as well as the fact that the ROC and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, and to firmly safeguard Taiwan’s sovereignty.

“Taiwan must use democracy as its compass, and peace as its beacon,” Lai said.

“While it is important to have ideals about peace, we must not harbor illusions,” he said.

“Peace cannot be achieved through a single agreement. Believing that signing a peace agreement will bring peace is wishful thinking,” Lai said. “That is false peace, and accepting China’s so-called ‘1992 consensus’ or ‘one China’ principle will not bring peace either.”

“Peace must be built on a foundation of strength,” he said, adding that only by bolstering national defense and enhancing defensive capabilities could Taiwan achieve true peace “through deterrence to prevent war, and preparedness to avoid war.”

The “1992 consensus,” a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000, refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese government that both sides of the Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.


people: 黃國昌 鄭麗文 郝龍斌 卓伯源 蔡志弘 羅智強 洪秀柱 馬英九 朱立倫

content_text:
UNITED: The other candidates congratulated Cheng on her win, saying they hoped the new chair could bring the party to victory in the elections next year and in 2028   By Shih Hsiao-kuang and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, and staff writer, with CNA

Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmaker Cheng Li-wen (鄭麗文) yesterday won the party’s chair election with 65,122 votes, or 50.15 percent of the votes.

It was the first time Cheng, 55, ran for the top KMT post, and she is the second woman to hold the post of chair, following Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), who served from 2016 to 2017.

Cheng is to succeed incumbent Eric Chu (朱立倫) on Nov. 1 for a four-year term.

Former lawmaker Cheng Li-wen laughs after winning the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) chairman election in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chiang Ying-ying, AP

Cheng said she has spoken with the other five candidates and pledged to maintain party unity, adding that the party would aim to win the elections next year and in 2028.

The party is dedicated to providing peace and stability to Taiwanese and would focus on maintaining peace and safety across the Taiwan Strait, she added.

Chu said he congratulated Cheng on her victory, adding that he also spoke with the other candidates and thanked them for their contributions to the party.

Former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) came in second with 46,551 votes, or 35.85 percent of the votes; Legislator Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) finished third with 13,504, or 10.4 percent; Sun Yat-sen School president Chang Ya-chung (張亞中) received 2,486, or 1.91 percent; former Changhua County commissioner Cho Po-yuan (卓伯源) got 1,944, or 1.5 percent; and former National Assembly representative Tsai Chih-hung (蔡志弘) received 260, or 0.2 percent.

“We hope that under new leadership our party would become stronger, more favorable among voters, and win the local elections next year and the presidential election in 2028,” Chu said.

Hau congratulated Cheng on her win, and urged the party to set aside its differences and consolidate support behind the new chairwoman.

Lo said he congratulated Cheng on her win, adding that the party chair election aimed to bring forth someone who could unite the party and take it to victory in the upcoming elections.

Chang said he hoped the new chair would bravely shoulder historical responsibility, lead the party to victory and usher in peace across the Strait.

Cheng could influence how Taiwan handles its relationship with Beijing and other key policies and domestic and international political matters. She will also anchor the party in the 2026 local elections.

During her campaign, Cheng pledged to turn KMT from a flock of "sheep" into "lions."

Cheng also said while campaigning that she wants "all Taiwanese people to be able to proudly and confidently say, 'I am Chinese.'"

She has also explicitly and repeatedly backed the so-called "1992 Consensus."

The "1992 consensus" refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge that there is "one China," with each side having its own interpretation of what "China" means.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has never acknowledged the "1992 consensus," saying that Beijing does not recognize the Republic of China and acceptance of the understanding would imply agreement with China's claim over Taiwan.

In a news conference after the win, Cheng said the KMT would uphold the principles of equality, respect and mutual benefits in handling external relations.

"We must not let Taiwan become a troublemaker. Second, we must not let Taiwan become the sacrifice of geopolitics," she said, adding her party would also be a peacemaker.

She also called on the DPP to "stop playing the anti-China card" to manipulate elections.

"We should show the greatest sincerity and goodwill together to ease cross-strait confrontation and differences and ensure there is no more war across the Taiwan Strait," Cheng said.

"I believe this is a shared responsibility of all political parties in Taiwan," she added.

Responding to media queries about the allegations by some political figures that the KMT has been "red- leaning" and appears to be "controlled by China," Cheng said those were "very cheap labels."

"Whenever elections come, they rush to slap 'anti-China' and 'China-bashing' red labels [on the KMT], and that does nothing to advance Taiwan," she said.

"On the contrary, it has become the biggest source of infighting and stagnation in Taiwan." Cheng said, urging politicians not to irresponsibly use "red labels" as a weapon in political fights.

The KMT chairperson election had become heated when Hau last week called for an end to attacks online against him and his supporters, which he said involved fake accounts and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated material.

“Foreign forces” and “fellow party members” were spreading false content to smear his campaign, Hau said.

Chang said that Cheng was behind the attacks and called on her to “admit it if you did it, and deny it if you did not.”

KMT heavyweight and media personality Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康) said the election has been met with “an overwhelming wave of Chinese intervention,” adding that if Beijing “succeeds in influencing the KMT chair election, the party is finished, and by extension, so are Taiwan and the Republic of China.”

Cheng entered politics as a DPP member, but left in 2002 and joined the KMT in 2005. She was a legislator from 2008 to 2012, and from 2020 to last year, and served as Executive Yuan spokesperson from 2012 to 2014 during the administration of then-president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).

Following Cheng's victory, Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), chairman of the smaller opposition Taiwan People's Party (TPP), said in a news release yesterday that he hoped the TPP and KMT would deepen exchanges, gradually build mutual trust, and establish a model of coalition governance.

DPP spokesperson Wu Cheng (吳崢) said in a news release that the party hopes the KMT will exercise rational oversight in the Legislature, put the national interest above party interests, and work together to handle the current national security challenges posed by China's infiltration.

Additional reporting by agencies

title: Ex-legislator Cheng Li-wen elected as KMT chair


title: Taiwan population drops for 21st straight month

content_text:
Taiwan’s population has declined for 21 consecutive months, Ministry of the Interior data showed, with experts warning that the nation’s trend of aging population and low childbirth rate might be difficult to reverse.

As of end of last month, the population was 23,317,031, which is 87,107 fewer than the number of people the same day last year, and an average of 238.65 fewer people each month, the ministry’s household registration data released last week showed.

There were 9,837,386 registered households by the end of last month, 458,367 households more than the same month last year and 12,423 households more than the previous month, the data showed.

Newborns sleep in a nursery at Ton-Yen General Hospital in Hsinchu County on Friday last week. Photo courtesy of the Hsinchu County Government

The average number of people in a household was 2.37 people, which is 0.13 people fewer than in the same month last year.

There were 1,783,633 households in New Taipei City, accounting for 18.13 percent of all households, as of the end of last month, followed by Kaohisung with 1,209,003 (12.29 percent) and Taichung with 1,164,690 (11.84 percent), the data showed.

Meanwhile, Lienchiang County had the highest average number of people per household at 3.38, followed by Kinmen County at 2.99 and Changhua County at 2.73, it showed.

As for the nation’s birthrate, 8,603 babies were born last month — an average of one baby born every 5.1 minutes, or a crude birthrate of 4.49 pecent — which is 3,189 fewer than the same month last year, but 139 more than the previous month.

The highest crude birthrate was 6.65 percent in Yunlin County, followed by Taitung County at 6.52 percent and Pingtung County at 5.93 percent, while the lowest was in Keelung at 2.40 percent, then Lienchiang County at 2.68 percent and Chiayi County at 3.43 percent.

A total of 15.387 people died last month, or an average of one death every 2.8 minutes, which is a crude mortality rate of 8.03 percent. There were 176 fewer deaths compared with the same month last year, but 161 more than the previous month.

The highest crude mortality rate was in Taitung at 12.23 percent, followed by Chiayi County at 11.91 percent and Yunlin County at 11.36 precent, while the lowest was in Hsinchu City at 5.61 precent, then Kinmen County at 6.02 percent and Taoyuan at 6.51 percent.

The population has been in decline for 21 consecutive months, as Taiwan’s crude mortality rate has continuously been higher than the birthrate.

As of the end of last month, there were 2,699,125 people aged 0 to 14, accounting for 11.58 percent of the population, 16,001,022 were between 15 and 64 years old (68.62 percent) and 4,616,884 people were aged 65 or older (19.8 percent), the data showed.

The number of people who were 20 years old or older was 19,634,250, accounting for 84.21 percent of the population.

The number of people of reproductive age — those aged 20 to 49, who accounted for 41.83 percent of the total population — declined, the data showed.

Last month, only 5,844 couples got married, or a crude marriage rate of 3.05 percent, while 4,402 couples got divorced, or a crude divorce rate of 2.3 percent, a trend that is keeping births low, experts said.

Elderly people, those aged 65 or older, accounted for about 20 percent of the total population, increasing the dependency ratio, the data showed.

If the dependency ratio continues to rise, additional pressure would be placed on the working population, healthcare systems, long-term care and social welfare, experts said.

Many developed countries are developing into super-aged societies — defined as 20 percent or more of the population aged 65 or older — with low birthrates, Colliers International Taiwan director Huang Shu-wei (黃舒衛) said.

As the imbalance in Taiwan’s population structure is progressing rapidly, long-term care, healthcare and community services must keep up, Huang said.

Long-term care services are facility-based, but they should be reconsidered on a larger scale to meet grass-root demands, he said.

H&B Realty lead researcher Ho Shih-chang (何世昌) said that the combination of an aging society, low marriage rates and high divorce rates has led to many elderly people in Taiwan living alone.

As most elderly people own property, they often become the targets of scam syndicates, Ho said, adding that the government should enhance education campaigns for elderly people to help prevent them from falling prey to scams.

The government should also provide a list of quality on-demand home cleaning and repair service companies, so elderly people and their houses would be protected, he added.

Additional reporting by Hsu Yi-ping


title: China to begin four days of closed-door discussions

content_text:
The Chinese Communist Party is today to begin four days of key closed-door discussions, formulating core economic strategy for coming years as growth flags and trade headwinds mount.

The gathering of the Central Committee would be crucial in determining policy objectives in the world’s second-largest economy.

Foreign media access to attending officials is highly restricted during the event, which typically opens and closes in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

The session would focus on proposals for the 15th five-year plan on economic and social development, state media said.

That plan, which covers the period from next year until 2030, would play a central role in the pursuit of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) core aims, including technological self-sufficiency, and military and economic might.

The plenum is scheduled to conclude on Thursday, after which authorities are expected to release a summary of major outcomes.

This month’s meeting comes at an uncertain time for the Chinese economy, beset by sluggish domestic spending, a protracted crisis in the property sector and a turbulent trade war with the US.

“While plenums generally attract less attention than other political events, it is during those plenums that major policies are discussed and being decided upon,” Rabobank senior China economist Teeuwe Mevissen said. “Given the sheer size of China’s economy, these decisions also impact the rest of the world.”

Typically, it is at the fifth plenum that officials chart the next five-year economic blueprint, but after an unexplained nine-month delay to the third plenum until July last year, that monumental task is now expected to fall on the upcoming conclave.

Experts have said that China must shift toward an economic model propelled more by domestic consumption as opposed to infrastructure investment and exports — long key drivers of growth.

Household demand has been sluggish, with official data showing that consumer prices fell again last month after reaching a half-year low in August.

Another prominent issue officials would likely be seeking to address at the plenum is industrial overcapacity, causing domestic gluts of cheap goods in certain sectors and exacerbating friction with trading partners.

Authorities are also due to announce closely watched economic figures for the third quarter.

Analysts forecast the data to show overall growth during the July-to-September period of 4.8 percent — the slowest in a year.


content_text:
Afghan, Pakistani delegations meet in Doha for talks

Afghan and Pakistani delegations were in Doha yesterday for talks on defusing the deadliest crisis between them in several years, after more than a week of fighting killed dozens of people and injured hundreds on both sides.

Both governments sent their ministers of defense to lead the talks, which Pakistan said would focus on “immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the border.”

Each country said it is responding to aggression from the other.

People dig graves for those killed in an airstrike by the Pakistani army in Paktika Province, Afghanistan, yesterday. Photo: AP

Afghanistan denies harboring militants who carry out attacks in border areas.

Regional powers, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have called for calm, as the violence threatened to further destabilize a region where groups including the Islamic State and al-Qaeda are trying to resurface.

A 48-hour ceasefire intended to pause hostilities expired on Friday evening. Hours later, Pakistan struck across the border.

Pakistani security officials confirmed that there were strikes on two districts in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika Province.

The targets were hideouts of the militant Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, officials said, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The operation was a direct response to the suicide bombing of a security forces compound in Mir Ali, in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, a day earlier, one said.

The Pakistani Air Force raids killed dozens of armed fighters and there were no civilian deaths, they added.

However, Afghan officials said the aerial assaults killed at least 10 civilians, including women, children and local cricketers.

On Saturday, several thousand people attended funeral prayers in Paktika. They sat in the open air as loudspeakers broadcast sermons and condemnations.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement criticized the “repeated crimes of Pakistani forces and the violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty.”

Such acts were deemed provocative and viewed as “deliberate attempts” to prolong the conflict, he added.


content_text:
‘DEMORALIZATION TACTIC’:  The CCP is attempting to pressure the public by pushing the false notion that China has jurisdiction over Taiwan, the council said   By Lin Che-yuan,Yang Mien-chieh and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, and staff writer

China’s claim that five Taiwanese companies provided support for a “psychological warfare unit” is a harmful attempt to intimidate and divide Taiwanese society, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday.

The Xiamen Public Security Bureau on Saturday last week published the names, photographs and ID numbers of 18 alleged “core members” of a Taiwanese “psychological warfare unit.”

China Central Television’s online Ri Yue Tan Tian (日月譚天) on Friday reported that “netizens in Taiwan” told it about the “crimes” of the supposed military unit and listed five Taiwanese firms: EZTrust Technology Co, LargeitData Inc, DiTV Technolog Co, Digimiracle Tech Co and MasterConcept Co, which it said funded the unit.

The name and logo of the Mainland Affairs Council are pictured on a podium at the council’s offices in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo: Taipei Times

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is using spurious legal tactics of psychological warfare to sow division in Taiwan by claiming that Taiwanese Internet users informed China about Taiwanese companies and the military, the MAC said yesterday.

The CCP is attempting to pressure the Taiwanese public, the MAC said, adding that Beijing could easily use such tactics against any company in any industry, creating the illusion that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has jurisdiction over Taiwan.

The CCP hopes to demoralize the military and discourage Taiwanese, the MAC said, adding that Taiwanese must see such actions for what they are and not play into China’s hands.

The CCP has no jurisdiction over Taiwan and its threats are in direct contravention of the rules-based international order, it said, adding that Taipei has the ability and resolve to protect Taiwanese and businesses.

The public should pay no heed to the reports and not be easily threatened by China, it said.

Any individual or industry that provides China with information would, depending on the information supplied, risk contravening the National Security Act (國安法), the National Intelligence Act (國家情報工作法) or the Criminal Code and face up to seven years in prison, it said.

People should not work with China and risk breaking the law for tiny benefits, the MAC added.

title: Beijing targets five firms  to fracture unity: MAC


content_text:
rELIGIOUS ARRESTS:  Among 10 people detained in the past year, three people who traveled to Guangdong Province were arrested on suspicion of ‘organizing for a cult’

Members of the I-Kuan Tao religion should refrain from traveling to China, as 16 Taiwanese, including 11 members of the Taoist faith, have been detained in China in the past few years amid Beijing’s tightening control over religious activities, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) said on Friday.

Since 2019, there have been 14 cases involving 16 Taiwanese detained in China for religious reasons, SEF Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) said.

Of those 16, 11 are members of the I-Kuan Tao religious group, which is rooted in Taoism, while the others were linked to religions including the Unification Church and Christianity, according to the SEF, a semi-official body responsible for managing exchanges between Taiwan and China.

Straits Exchange Foundation Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia speaks at a news conference in Taipei on Friday. Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times

One I-Kuan Tao follower was detained in November 2019 and has since returned to Taiwan, while the other 10 have been detained since October last year, and have not yet returned, Luo said.

Among the 10 detained in the past 12 months, some were taken into custody by Chinese authorities, including three people who traveled to Guangdong Province as tourists and were arrested after a tip-off in October last year, he said.

The three people who were detained, surnamed Chou (周), Chiang (江) and Hsieh (謝), were arrested on suspicion of “organizing and practicing as members of a cult that undermines law enforcement,” China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said in a statement in December last year.

In June, a couple who had long conducted business in China had their properties raided and were detained in Guangdong Province, he said.

The most recent case involved a Taiwanese businessperson who was arrested in Hainan Province this month after years of doing business in China, with religious items seized, Luo said.

There might also be unreported cases, he added.

The 10 detained in the past year were simply practicing I-Kuan Tao and had not engaged in political activities, he said.

Members of I-Kuan Tao and other religions should recognize the risks of traveling to China and that there is no religious freedom under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party, he said.

I-Kuan Tao, also known as Yiguandao, can be literally translated as “The Tao that unifies all with the one,” according to the World I-Kuan Tao Headquarters.

“The basis of I-Kuan Tao is rooted in Chinese traditions, with teachings emphasizing traditional values such as family, honor, respect and moderation,” it said.

title: SEF warns Taoists over China travel risk


content_text:
By Lo Tien-pin and Jonathan Chin / Staff writer, with staff reporter

The army is reclaiming command of Taiwan’s reserve brigades in a major reorganization of military structure, the Ministry of National Defense-run Youth Daily News reported yesterday.

The changes to the Armed Forces Reserve’s command structure are intended to streamline logistics and enable the rapid integration of activated reservist formations with active-duty military units, Sixth Army Corps Commander Lieutenant General Chen Wen-hsing (陳文星) said after inspecting the headquarters of reservist units affected by the reorganization.

Integration of the reserve brigades into theater commands would facilitate accelerated wartime mobilization of reservists, improve operational command and control, and help close the gap in training and equipment readiness levels between regular and reserve units, Chen said.

Reservists conduct a drill at a shooting range at New Taipei City’s Linkou District in an undated photograph. Photo: CNA

Those capabilities are key to the armed forces’ mission of defending the homeland in light of the capabilities of adversaries and operational requirements, he said.

Reserve brigades must train troops in the missions that are most relevant to the operational environment of the theater, arrange mission and terrain-appropriate quartering, and make full use of local resources, he said.

Reservist units must be intimately familiar with the terrain of their area of responsibility to facilitate the effective deployment of units on a tactical level to defend territory and support the regular army in combat operations, he said.

The army’s theater commands are to formally take control of Taiwan’s 20 reserve brigades from the authority of 18 local governments on Jan. 1 next year, a defense official said on condition of anonymity.

The reorganization of the reserve brigades is a direct response to criticism from US officials, lawmakers and analysts that reservists lacked adequate training and equipment, the source said.

The decision is the latest in a series of reversals in the nation’s policy regarding command over reserve forces, which has oscillated between the army and civilian authorities.

In 2023, the ministry established the All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency, giving it control over the reserve brigades, which previously were under the command of the army, only to reverse the decision within six months.

In February, the ministry returned the reserve brigades to the agency’s control, but yesterday’s announcement reversed that once more.

title: Army to retake control of reserve brigades: report


content_text:
By Fang Wei-li and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

A scuffle erupted yesterday at a memorial organized by the Formosa Republican Association for an assassinated US conservative speaker that prompted a small protest at National Taiwan University.

The Taiwan Solidarity Party (TSP), the Taiwan Teachers’ Union and the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan cohosted the event, titled “Love, Faith and Courage: Memorial for Charlie Kirk” on the university’s campus. Kirk, a cofounder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed during an address at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.

Three young people who said that they were students at National Chengchi University, National Taiwan Normal University and Soochow University went to the front of the hall as TSP Chairwoman Chou Ni-an (周倪安) was about to speak at the event in Taipei.

Presbyterian Church In Taiwan pastor Leonard Lin speaks at the memorial for Turning Point USA cofounder Charlie Kirk in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times

They held banners that read: “Conservatives are sounding the death knell of democracy,” “the Gaza peace plan is fake” and one that accused Chou of discrimination against transgender people.

Another person in the audience tackled one of the three protesters on the stage, initiating a scuffle that was broken up by event organizers.

The protesters were escorted out of the hall and the event continued, with several speakers addressing the audience.

A protestor holds a banner that reads “Conservatives are sounding the death knell of democracy” as Formosa Republican Association staff try to break up a scuffle at a memorial service for Turning Point USA cofounder Charlie Kirk in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times

Association director Lucy Liu (劉玉皙) told the event that her group “does not stand for extremism and is opposed to violence.”

“We are Charlie Kirk,” said Guermantes Lailari, a retired US Air Force lieutenant colonel who is an international academic in residence at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, adding that confronting communism and the threat emanating from China is a mission shared by Taiwan and the US.

Kirk would have encouraged Taiwanese to defend the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, refuse to yield to China and courageously seek truth through debate if he were in Taiwan, Lailari said.

Steve Bannon, former chief of strategy in the first administration of US President Donald Trump, said in a prerecorded video at the event that Kirk had visited South Korea and Japan shortly before he died out of concern for the geopolitical situation in East Asia.

Bannon called Kirk “an iconic anti-communist leader,” saying that his message would remain forever if “we keep the faith.”

Israeli Representative to Taiwan Maya Yaron said via videoconference that Kirk’s message reverberated in Taiwan and her nation.

Kirk showed that communication was the best way forward amid divisions in opinion, Yaron said.

Japanese House of Councilors member Sohei Kamiya, who leads the Sanseito Party, said in a video that Kirk in his final visit to Japan had warned of the risks posed by social division and urged Japanese conservatives to protect core national values.

Sanseito and the association should work together to advance conservatism in Taiwan, Kamiya said.

Formosa Republican Association chairman Jason Chen (陳彥升) said that Kirk was a champion of the Christian values of truth, peace and freedom, which are aligned with Taiwan’s struggles for democracy.

The association would continue to promote rational discourse and events revolving around the freedom of speech to facilitate social understanding and progress in Taiwan, Chen said.

title: Scuffle mars event in Taipei for Charlie Kirk


content_text:
1.4nm WAFERS:  While TSMC is gearing up to expand its overseas production, it would also continue to invest in Taiwan, company chairman and CEO C.C. Wei said

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) has applied for permission to construct a new plant in the Central Taiwan Science Park (中部科學園區), which it would use for the production of new high-speed wafers, the National Science and Technology Council said yesterday.

The council, which supervises three major science parks in Taiwan, confirmed that the Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau had received an application on Friday from TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, to commence work on the new A14 fab.

A14 technology, a 1.4 nanometer (nm) process, is designed to drive artificial intelligence transformation by enabling faster computing and greater power efficiency, TSMC’s Web site says.

The logo of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: CNA

The 1.4nm process would produce chips that are 15 percent faster than the 2nm process at the same power, TSMC said.

With a 30 percent power reduction, the 1.4nm chip would have the same speed as the 2nm, which is scheduled to start commercial production this year, it said.

TSMC is aiming to begin construction of the A14 fab at the end of the year and start mass production in the second half of 2028, the US-based tech Web site Wccftech said.

A recruitment campaign has begun for the new facility, which would receive initial investments of US$49 billion, the Web site said.

The Taichung City Government yesterday said it would provide the necessary assistance for TSMC to smoothly carry out the second phase of its investment plan in the science park.

The city government in a statement said its Economic Development Bureau has set up one-stop services to facilitate the investment plans of enterprises in Taichung and to help create an investor-friendly environment.

The Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau would complete preliminary work for the TSMC construction site by the end of this month, allowing the company to start work soon after, the city government said.

TSMC’s new fab is expected to create NT$485.7 billion (US$15.83 billion) in annual production value and about 4,500 jobs, the city government said.

At an investor conference on Thursday, TSMC chairman and CEO C.C. Wei (魏哲家) said that while the chipmaker is gearing up to expand its overseas production, it would also continue to invest in Taiwan.

TSMC is working on developing its advanced 2nm process in Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, with the goal of starting mass production later this year, and it would build more wafer fabs and integrated-circuit assembly plants in Taiwan, he said.

The 2nm process is scheduled to start commercial production later this year.

title: TSMC planning new plant in Taichung


content_text:
The risk of flooding in Taroko National Park was reduced early yesterday, as water from the Liwu River (立霧溪) barrier lake began flowing back into its original channel, local authorities said.

The lake had filled up to its capacity of 2.7 million tonnes of water due to recent heavy rains, and an overflow could have hit downstream villages, roads and bridges.

Engineers plan to use excavators during the day to carefully breach parts of the landslide dam and direct the remaining water downstream, said the Directorate General of Highways (DGH), and the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Hualien Office.

Water from the Liwu River barrier lake overflows through the entrance of Jin Heng Tunnel in Hualien County yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Hualien office

Images from the DGH showed that at about 2:30am, water from the barrier lake had overflowed onto the west entrance of Jin Heng Tunnel (靳珩隧道) on Provincial Highway No. 8, and flowed through the tunnel and eventually rejoined the Liwu River, bleeding off overflow and significantly reducing the threat to downstream areas.

By 6am, the flow had stabilized, with water visibly draining along both sides of the road back into the riverbed, the office said.

To ensure long-term safety, three excavators are to be deployed along the old Highway No. 8 to excavate near the upper edge of the dam and create a controlled drainage channel, said Huang Chun-tse (黃群策), head of the Hualien office.

A disaster prevention team from National Cheng Kung University specializing in landslide dams arrived on-site yesterday morning to conduct detailed measurements and data collection.

The team is reassessing the dam’s structure and potential impact zones to provide real-time safety assessments for the park and nearby settlements, the office said.

However, as a red alert remains in effect, Taroko National Park remains closed until authorities confirm that conditions are fully secure, the park administration said.

A barrier lake forms when debris from an earthquake, heavy rainfall or a landslide blocks a river and creates a natural dam. Such natural dams are often loosely structured, making them prone to erosion and collapse, especially as water accumulates, potentially causing catastrophic damage downstream, as was the case in the deadly flooding that occurred in Hualien County’s Guangfu Township (光復) last month.

title: Taroko barrier lake’s flooding risk lower: agencies


content_text:
Heated tobacco products removed from shelves on day one over labeling issue

RETAIL FAILURE:  Inspectors reported that some products did not specify nicotine content, and the government ordered their removal

The first legally approved heated tobacco products were on Friday removed from shelves shortly after they were released on the same day, as inspectors found that product packages did not mark their nicotine content.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA) in late July announced that it conditionally approved 14 heated tobacco products from two tobacco companies.

Eight types of products from one company went on sale on Friday, but inspectors on the same day found that those on shelf failed to meet the requirements, and they ordered products to be removed from shelves.

Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) oversaw unannounced inspections in convenient stores in Taipei.

Shih yesterday said that many inspections took place across the country on Friday.

Shih said that the first convenience store he checked was out of such products, so the inspectors could only checked whether the products’ display and advertisement followed to the standards.

However, inspectors in other administrative regions reported that some products did not specify nicotine content on their package, so the ministry ordered the removal of all products from shelves until their packages are reviewed again and meet the standards, he said.

The company manufacturing mislabeled products had sent package samples for review when applying for approval, and those specified the amount of nicotine, he said, adding that the problem might have occurred during the mass production or shipment processes, but the company would be held accountable.

“We have first ordered it to remove all its products from shelves, because they do not comply with the standards, and then, we would clarify its responsibilities,” he said.

At the same time, the ministry would also examine the nicotine content of the products to see if they meet the regulations, Shih said.

Heated tobacco products, unlike cigarettes, do not produce tar when burned, so the main health risk is nicotine-related, and the legal standard is no more than 1mg of nicotine per stick, he said.

If the lab examination shows that the nicotine content complied with the standard, then the company would only be at fault for mislabeling, he said.

The results are expected to be available next week, Shih added.

The HPA said that the mandatory labeling of tar and nicotine on containers of tobacco products is based on Regulations for the Testing Nicotine and Tar Content in Tobacco Products and the Labeling of Tobacco Product Containers (菸品尼古丁焦油含量檢測及容器標示辦法).

If heated tobacco products fail to specify their nicotine content on the package, the manufacturer or importer faces a fine up to NT$5 million (US$162,941), it said.

The Taipei Department of Health said that as of 7pm on Friday, the joint inspection by the ministry, the HPA and the department had inspected 115 retailers and found five heated tobacco products that failed to mark their nicotine content, so the importer would be fined NT$1 million to NT$5 million, and the retailers NT$10,000 to NT$50,000 each.

The HPA and the Taipei department also said that heated tobacco products cannot be sold to people younger than 20 years and pregnant women, adding that the government holds a “zero tolerance” stance on such products’ sale to adolescents.

The city government said it banned retailers within 50m from high schools and elementary schools from selling such products.

Additional reporting by Sun Wei-jung


content_text:
The National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) yesterday launched a domestically engineered sounding rocket from a rocket research launch site in Pingtung County’s Syuhai Village (旭海), the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) said.

Named the “Asfaloth Launch-2,” the project involved an Asfaloth sounding rocket developed by NYCU’s Aerospace Systems and Aerodynamics Research (ASARe) Lab, TASA said in a news release.

A sounding rocket is a suborbital rocket that carries scientific instruments to study the upper atmosphere and space for a short flight.

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University’s Asfaloth Launch-2 sounding rocket launches from a site in Pingtung County’s Syuhai Village yesterday. Photo courtesy of Taiwan Space Agency

TASA said it oversaw the project, adding that the project was spearheaded by NYCU’s ASARe, Advanced Rocket Research Center, Micro-electro-mechanical Systems Servo Control Laboratory (MSCL), and the Aerospace Communication and Electromagnetic Sensing Laboratory.

ASARe was responsible for the integration of the rocket system and the design of the launch system, while the center provided the primary engine for the first stage, the Serpent Eagle Hybrid Rocket Engine, and MSCL supplied the avionics system.

The rocket took off from the launch site at 6:32am using a mobile TASA launch platform.

Assistant professor Tan Zu Pua-yen (陳竺博淵), who leads the university’s ASARe team, said that the 6.2-meter-long rocket hit its maximum altitude in 26 seconds at a height of 2.8km.

The purpose of the launch was to verify the integrity of the Asfaloth rocket, the ASARe team said, adding that it was also to simulate the accuracy of a launch, test out the onboard electronics of the rocket, the effectiveness of its landing mechanism and the redundancy of its data transmission capacity.

It was the second Asfaloth rocket the university launched, following the first launch on July 21 last year. The first Asfaloth launch also took place at the same site, TASA said, adding that yesterday’s blastoff marked the 10th rocket launch from the location since its opening in 2022.

title: Domestically engineered sounding rocket launched


title: Little S honors late sister in Golden Bell ceremony

content_text:
Television host Little S (小S, also known as Dee Hsu, 徐熙娣) on Friday honored her late sister, actress Big S (大S, also known as Barbie Hsu, 徐熙媛), with dark humor and gratitude during the finale award segment of the Golden Bell Awards.

“My sister and I are the two people who knew each other the best in this world,” Little S said during the ceremony. “So, I know she would want me to attend the event today to let my mom remember that even though my sister is gone, I am still here.”

Friday was Little S’ first public appearance in more than eight months since the passing of her sister in Japan earlier this year.

Entertainers Little S, left, and Patrick Liu pose with their awards after winning the Best Host in a Variety Show at the 60th Golden Bell Awards ceremony at the Taipei Music Center on Friday. Photo: Hu Shun-hsiang, Taipei Times

Big S who shot to superstardom across Asia in 2001 for her portrayal of Shancai (杉菜) in the TV series Meteor Garden (流星花園), died of pneumonia at the age of 48 after contracting influenza in February.

While one focused on acting and the other on hosting, the sisters have been known to be two peas in a pod throughout their time in the public eye.

Although many anticipated Little S’ return to the public eye on Friday, she skipped the red carpet event of the award ceremony and only took the stage as a part of the headlining presenters’ act for the Golden Bell Award for Best Host in a Variety Show, of which Little S herself was a nominee.

Little S was introduced onto the stage by her longtime cohost and friend Kevin Tsai (蔡康永), who also won the same award with her in 2005 for their talk show Kangsi Coming (康熙來了), which aired for 12 years.

After Tsai’s intro, Little S walked on stage accompanied by Ten Minutes of Love (十分鐘的戀愛), a song made popular by Little S and her late sister when they performed it as their music duo act known as A.S.O.S.

Tsai encouraged Little S to take the opportunity of them presenting on stage to speak to her late sister, just in case she would not have the chance to do so if someone else won the award she was presenting.

Instead of a long speech, Little S sang an excerpt from the A.S.O.S. song Sisters of Shiu (姐妹情深), whose lyrics were written by Big S to illustrate the bond between the two sisters.

The winner of the award was eventually revealed to be none other than Little S herself and her cohost Patrick Liu (柳柏丞) for their talk show Dee Girl’s Talk (小姐不熙娣).

Little S in her acceptance speech revealed it was the late actress who encouraged her to return to hosting after a break and made the win possible.

“This award though, Big S, sorry, I will not be dedicating to you,” she said.

“I am dedicating this to my mom, because my mom said there is a very big hole in her heart,” Little S said.

“She said that if I won today, the hole in her heart might fill up just a little. So, mom, this award is for you,” she added.


title: Taiwan News Quick Take

content_text:
WEATHER

Heavy rain expected

People in northern and eastern Taiwan should be on alert for potential disasters caused by significant rainfall through Wednesday, independent meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said. Driven by seasonal northeasterly winds and Tropical Storm Fengshen south of Taiwan, the heavy rain is likely to hit northern mountainous regions and northeastern Taiwan the hardest, while residents in Hualien and Taitung counties should also remain on alert, Wu said. As of 2pm yesterday, Fengshen was about 1,130km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving northwest at 27km per hour toward China’s Hainan Island, and was not expected to directly affect Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Daytime highs yesterday ranged between 33°C and 35°C in western Taiwan, and 31°C to 32°C in eastern Taiwan, the CWA said. Temperatures in northern Taiwan would gradually decline during the week through Wednesday, dropping to about 20°C, Wu said. Meanwhile, CWA said a magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck off the east coast at 10:04am yesterday. The hypocenter of the temblor was below the sea, about 56.9km east-northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 14.3km, CWA data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage.

CRIME

Newborn’s body found

The body of a newborn baby was found in a feed sack outside a home in Chiayi County yesterday, police said, adding that they are searching for the mother. The body was retrieved in the morning after a resident in the county’s Lioujiao Township (六腳) reported finding it in an animal feed sack near their family home, police said. The baby showed no visible signs of external injury and appeared to be full-term, prosecutors said. An autopsy is required to determine the cause of death and whether the baby had been born alive, they said. Meanwhile, a special team has been assembled to find the baby’s mother, police said. The main suspect is an Indonesian woman who was employed by the family of the person who found the body, police said. The person told the police that their mother thought the woman, who was the household’s caregiver, appeared to be pregnant, and that she had not been seen since earlier yesterday, police said. However, neighbors said that the caregiver showed no obvious signs of pregnancy, police said.

LAW

Evidence rules take effect

Police must now obtain approval from prosecutors before demanding that suspects provide a urine sample in non-urgent cases, following amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure (刑事訴訟法). The amendments, which passed the Legislative Yuan on Friday, say that police are only allowed to collect a non-invasive urine sample over a suspect’s objections in cases in which immediate collection is needed to preserve evidence. In such instances, police must still seek prosecutors’ approval within 24 hours. If prosecutors decide the collection was not justified, the samples and test results are to be destroyed within three days. The amended law also stipulates that police inform suspects of the prosecutor’s approval, which is required for each sample provided. Meanwhile, those who are forced to provide a urine sample over their objections can apply for a court order within 10 days asking for the sample and test result to be destroyed. According to the law revision, the court may not dismiss the petition on the grounds that the collection has already been completed.


title: Bell winners

content_text: Actors Rhydian Vaughan, left, and Candy Yang pose with their awards for best male and female lead in a television miniseries at the Golden Bell Awards at the Taipei Music Center yesterday. Vaughn starred in the 2024 Netflix series “The Cleaner,” while Yang starred in this year’s Taigi TV series “Though Dead, Still Alive.”


title: Lake ride

content_text: People ride in the L’Etape Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County yesterday. More than 2,500 cyclists from 40 countries participated in this year’s event, a mini-series mimicking the Tour de France. It was the first time the Sun Moon Lake route was used for the event.


content_text: Fubon Angels cheerleaders, front row, and Fubon Guardians rookie players, back row, dressed up as women, pose for a photograph at the team’s annual Fan Fest Rookie Day at the Sinjhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City yesterday. The event featured a meet-and-greet and musical performances.

title: Rookie Day


content_text:
Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, TSMC celebrate first US-made Blackwell chip

Jensen Huang (黃仁勳), founder and CEO of US-based artificial intelligence chip designer Nvidia Corp and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) on Friday celebrated the first Nvidia Blackwell wafer produced on US soil.

Huang visited TSMC’s advanced wafer fab in the US state of Arizona and joined the Taiwanese chipmaker’s executives to witness the efforts to “build the infrastructure that powers the world’s AI factories, right here in America,” the American AI chip giant said in a statement.

At the event, Huang joined Y.L. Wang (王英郎), vice president of operations at TSMC, in signing their names on the Blackwell wafer to mark the milestone, which demonstrated that the engines of the world’s AI infrastructure are now being constructed domestically in the United States.

Nvidia CEO and founder Jensen Huang, third right, displays the first Nvidia Blackwell wafer produced on US soil on Friday. Photo courtesy of Nvidia via CNA

The debut of the first US-made Blackwell chip has bolstered the US supply chain and onshored the AI technology stack to turn data into intelligence and secure the country’s global leadership during the current AI era, Nvidia said.

According to Nvidia, its Blackwell architecture graphics processing unit (GPU) contains 208 billion transistors and is being rolled out using TSMC’s sophisticated custom-built 4NP process. Nvidia added that the GPU ushers in the next chapter in generative AI with unparalleled performance, efficiency, and scale.

“This is a historic moment for several reasons. It’s the very first time in recent American history that the single most important chip is being manufactured here in the United States by the most advanced fab, by TSMC, here in the United States,” Huang said in the statement.

“This is the vision of President Trump of reindustrialization -- to bring back manufacturing to America, to create jobs, of course, but also, this is the single most vital manufacturing industry and the most important technology industry in the world,” he added.

TSMC is investing US$65 billion in Arizona to build three advanced wafer fabs with the first starting mass production in 2024, using the 4 nanometer process. The world’s largest contract chipmaker also pledged in March to invest an additional US$100 billion in Arizona over the next few years to build three more wafer fabs, two IC assembly plants, and one research and development center.

“To go from arriving in Arizona to delivering the first US-made NVIDIA Blackwell chip in just a few short years represents the very best of TSMC,” TSMC Arizona CEO Ray Chuang (莊瑞萍) said in the same statement.

“This milestone is built on three decades of partnership with NVIDIA -- pushing the boundaries of technology together -- and on the unwavering dedication of our employees and the local partners who helped to make TSMC Arizona possible,” Chuang said.

Nvidia said in the statement that TSMC’s manufacturing compound in Arizona will produce chips using advanced 2nm, 3nm, 4nm, and A16 processes, and these technologies are critical to emerging technologies, including AI applications, telecommunications, and high-performance computing (HPC) devices.

“America-based manufacturing is crucial to meeting the growing demand for AI,” Nvidia said.

In addition to Nvidia, other American tech giants such as Apple Inc. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) are believed to have outsourced chipmaking to TSMC in Arizona.

In an investor conference held on Thursday, TSMC Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei (魏哲家) said the company will speed up its pace in production expansion and technology upgrades in Arizona, aiming to build its complex in the state into a megafab cluster to meet strong demand from the US market.


title:
Nigerian agronomist dreams
of a cassava ‘revolution’

content_text:
Mercy Diebiru-Ojo, who was named an Africa Food Prize laureate last month alongside Kenya’s Mary Abukutsa-Onyango, says her objective is food security across all of Africa, not just in Nigeria

Mercy Diebiru-Ojo’s ambitions are straightforward — increase Nigerian yam and cassava yields by 500 percent, fight hunger and raise her country’s position on the agricultural value chain from a mere grower to a processor.

The first steps, at least, are already under way for the 44-year-old agronomist, who was awarded this year’s prestigious Africa Food Prize for her research on yams and cassava, both major food staples in Africa.

Traditionally, farmers in Nigeria — which produces 70 percent of the world’s yams — replant chunks of yams and cassava from the previous year’s harvest, to grow this year’s crop.

Nigerian agronomist Mercy Diebiru-Ojo poses for a photograph next to cassava crops in a greenhouse on the campus of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan, Nigeria, on Sept. 29. Photo: AFP

Gradually, the plants lose their resistance to diseases — a serious problem for food security in a country where 30 million people are not getting enough to eat, according to the UN World Food Programme.

Diebiru-Ojo’s research involves growing the plants hydroponically in greenhouses, where they are protected from disease.

Then, as they sprout, a portion is cut and planted in potted mineral-rich soil in the greenhouse.

Only later is it replanted in the fields outside.

“So your materials are going to grow very vigorously in terms of vegetative growth, even the root formation and all of that,” Diebiru-Ojo said in an interview on the sprawling campus of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), in the southwestern city of Ibadan.

The result — 30 tonnes of yams and cassava per hectare, compared with the typical five.

HUGE POTENTIAL

Diebiru-Ojo worked with US agro-research firm Sahtechno, which developed what it calls “semi-autotrophic hydroponics” (SAH) about two decades ago, to adapt the technique to Nigerian agriculture.

Her techniques, if widely adopted, could be welcome news for the country’s farmers.

Despite being the world’s top cassava producer, “when it comes to the yield, actual yield potentials and all of that, we are still way behind,” Diebiru-Ojo said.

As is the case in many African countries, skilled farmers, with generations of knowledge, face a host of challenges.

They must rely on seasonal rains for irrigation, soils are declining in health, financing costs are high, and governments have limited budgets for extension services.

Despite producing about 20 percent of the world’s cassava each year, Africa’s most populous country still imports about US$600 million in cassava products, Central Bank of Nigeria data showed.

Yams are also a prized ingredient in Nigerian cuisine — fried, boiled, mashed or turned into flour.

However, there is also a huge — if largely unrealized — potential for their use in bioplastics and biofuels, as well as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and textiles, due to their starch.

Moving up the so-called “value chain” — switching from producing raw materials to transforming them into finished products — is a key step in any country’s economic development, economists say.

Diebiru-Ojo, who was named an Africa Food Prize laureate last month alongside Kenya’s Mary Abukutsa-Onyango, is quick to talk of a “revolution of the cassava sector” in Nigeria.

It is an ambition shared by the government — at least rhetorically — in a country where critics say a focus on oil has long sidelined investments in agriculture.

‘STRATEGIC ASSET’

“Cassava is one of the most strategic assets in our agricultural portfolio,” Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima said in July.

He specifically mentioned the IITA’s research and the need to do more processing and food transformation locally.

The promise of increased yields also comes at a time when rural farms are under pressure from various armed groups — jihadists in the northeast, armed gangs in the northwest and farmer-herder conflicts in the Middle Belt.

The country’s myriad conflicts are adding to existing pressures on hunger and food inflation, but with better techniques, even in “a very small space, maybe just a garden behind your house, you can produce a lot,” Diebiru-Ojo said.

Take-off would require help from the private sector to market the seeds and train farmers on SAH. Already, the IITA collaborates with public institutions and private companies in 15 countries on the continent.

The objective is “helping a food-secure Africa, not only Nigeria,” Diebiru-Ojo said.

A bonus would be for her win to serve as an “inspiration to a whole lot of others coming, especially for the women in agriculture,” she added.


title: Cornish recycler sparks a fishing-net revolution

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Ian Falconer kept thinking about the heaps of discarded plastic fishing nets he saw at Newlyn harbor near his home in Cornwall, southern England.

“I thought ‘it’s such a waste,’” he said. “There has to be a better solution than it all going into landfill.”

Falconer, 52, who studied environmental and mining geology at university, came up with a plan: shredding and cleaning the worn-out nets, melting the plastic down and converting it into filament to be used in 3D printing. He then built a “micro-factory” so that the filament could be made into useful stuff.

Fishing nets hang on the docks in Port Edward near Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada, on July 15. Photo: Bloomberg

“Every year, up to 1 million tonnes of fishing nets are discarded,” he said. “Most of that ends up in landfill or is burned, or worse still, finds its way back into the oceans. This showed there was another way for some of that material.”

The first big challenge he encountered when he started in 2016 was getting hold of the nets, but he badgered the Newlyn harbor master into giving him a few to test his theory in his kitchen.

Since its launch the following year, Falconer’s company OrCA (previously Fishy Filaments) has raised more than ￡1 million (US$1.34 million) from small investors in more than 40 countries. The investment funded the development of patented new machinery that can convert more than 20kg of nylon fishing nets an hour. He said the recycling process has less than 3 percent of the carbon impact of producing new nylon.

“When they get to us, this particular type of fishing nets have typically been used by Cornish fishers for around six months,” he said. “They are routinely swapped out because their surfaces become cloudy due to wear and the buildup of an algal biofilm. With time and repeated use, eventually the fish can sense them in the water and avoid them.”

“Skippers can see their catches fall as their nets age, and it makes sense to replace them,” he added.

The nets that go into the shredder come out as small blue-green beads that Falconer sells to 3D printing companies, which convert them into strings of filament used in 3D printing. They are also sold around the world to replace new plastic in more conventional products that are made using injection molding.

Falconer’s shipping container office is full of items made from the raw material: sunglasses, light shades, bottle openers, razor blade handles. It can be used for just about anything. The items he is most proud of are those made from his nylon mixed with waste carbon fiber — mostly from offcuts of car and airplane manufacturing. This stronger and more expensive product is used to make parts for racing bikes and super-light sunglasses, and industrial components such as electronic enclosures.

The carbon and nylon mix sells for up to ￡35,000 a tonne — more than the ￡12,000 a tonne pure nylon beads.

“Our process turns a liability of about ￡500 a tonne to pay to get someone to take the nets away, not to mention the environmental cost of that, into something of real value,” Falconer said. “Now, when I pass the piles of fishing nets on the harborside, I see piles of money.”

Falconer’s roster of clients, which includes Philips lighting, L’Oreal, Ford and Mercedes-Benz, is increasing as more companies see OrCA’s potential to help them reduce their carbon footprint by increasing the proportion of their products made from recycled materials.

Waste fishing nets are a problem in Cornwall, but are a much bigger problem in countries without established waste systems

“The EU wants automakers to use at least 20 percent recycled plastic by 2035,” he said. “Using ours is one of the easiest ways to do it.”

Falconer could make a good living continuing to recycle Newlyn fishers’ nets, but he has wider ambitions.

“Waste fishing nets are a problem here in Cornwall, but the same type of nets are a much bigger problem in other countries, especially those without established waste systems,” he said.

About 150,000 tonnes of nylon monofilament fishing nets are made every year, and, based on external reports, Falconer estimates production would soon rise to 200,000 tonnes.

The world’s total traditional nylon recycling capacity is less than 150,000 tonnes a year, so less than half the capacity that European carmakers need to meet their targets, and almost all of that is taken up with recycling carpets and other textiles.

To try to combat the problem, Falconer plans on exporting his recycling solution to any harbor that wants it. A container with all the equipment needed to run a small recycling plant would cost about US$500,000 if built in the UK.

Falconer said he has already received inquiries from 14 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Ghana, South Africa and Vietnam.

“The beauty of it is that it all fits in a shipping container and pretty much anyone can operate it,” he said. “So you could have one of these at every harbor around the world, converting a costly and hazardous waste into a profitable raw material.”


content_text:
Brewing crisis: Java-loving NY confronts soaring coffee costs

New Yorkers run on coffee. From high-end experimental boutique cafes to the humble sidewalk cart, millions of cups of java are sold every day.

However, coffee-lovers are facing increasing pain as they pay for their simple espresso shots and elaborate pumpkin spiced lattes as the cost of beans has jumped 21 percent between August last year and August this year in the US — the world’s largest market for coffee.

Climate shocks drove the cost of arabica soaring, with the beans hitting an all-time high in February. That has been compounded by elevated transport costs and the 50 percent tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump since Aug. 6 on many products from Brazil.

Brazil, the largest coffee producer, has been sanctioned by the Trump administration for its prosecution of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro for a coup attempt. It supplies 30 percent of the US’ unroasted beans.

“It’s having a major impact on us, on small business owners, on farmers, across the board,” said Jeremy Lyman, cofounder of the New York-based chain Birch Coffee.

Founded in 2009, the brand has 14 outlets citywide, roasting its own specialty coffee in Queens since 2015.

“The price of coffee on the market has just been on a steady incline over the last probably year. I think it’s gone up about 55 percent from this time last year... it’s impacting the prices that we charge,” Lyman said.

He said that Brazil’s production had become “unaffordable,” forcing Birch to look elsewhere for beans, with its importer “pushing pause” on its orders unless specially requested.

Cecafe, the Council of Coffee Exporters of Brazil, reports that exports to the US have dropped almost 53 percent as of last month compared with the year before, with exporters looking instead to Mexico, Peru and Ethiopia.

Lyman said that market forces have meant price hikes for his customers, with Birch adding US$0.50 to cups sold in-store, and US$2 to US$3 per bag of roasted coffee sold online.

“Typically, it’ll be small, incremental [increases] because it also helps us get a little bit more time to navigate how we’re going to be sourcing,” he said, adding that he tried to give customers two weeks of warning.

Other cafes have adopted a novel approach: adding an adjustable premium to the base price of each cup according to what level Trump has set tariffs that day, Lyman said.

However, customers would only swallow so much, the Birch founder said, adding that there is a real risk of losing customers.

Jason Nickel, 45, said that while he still seeks out a daily caffeine hit, he is “a little more careful about where I go.”

He cannot imagine paying more than US$6 a cup, including tip, for a cortado — an espresso shot with a dash of milk foam.

Anna Simonovsky, 32, said that her upper limit had gone from US$7 for a latte — a milkier, frothier drink than a cortado — to as much as US$10. She enjoys coffee as a treat for special occasions, like a visit with a friend, she said.

Trump recently threw a lifeline to the two-thirds of Americans who drink coffee daily when he placed coffee on a list of products not cultivated by US farmers in sufficient quantity — potentially exempting it from tariffs, alongside tea and cocoa, and in a rare glimmer of bipartisanship, coffee-loving Republicans and Democrats are jointly sponsoring a bill intended to protect coffee products.


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It has been more than a week since President William Lai (賴清德) gave his address to the nation to mark Double Ten National Day on Oct. 10. It seems that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) did not regard his address as sufficiently provocative to warrant a demonstration of its ire: There was no multiservice military drill around Taiwan, unlike Joint Sword-2024B, held four days after last year’s address.

Whatever this muted response from the CCP means, Lai’s speech was interesting because of how it compared with his National Day address last year. His speech on Friday last week either represented a change in tack in his approach to cross-strait tensions or an extension of an evolving strategy.

Last year’s address was not particularly provocative, but Lai got his shots in at a previous event, the Double Ten National Day gala at the Taipei Dome on Oct. 5 last year. During the gala, Lai had mused that, as the Republic of China (ROC) had been founded several decades prior to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the ROC was technically the “motherland” of the PRC, not the other way around. This was an obvious jibe at the CCP and a conciliatory wink at the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). The observation’s inherent absurdity sharpened the jibe and blunted the overture.

There were no jibes this year, just as there were no conciliatory winks to the opposition. Conspicuous by its absence was any acknowledgement of the divisions and enmity of the recall movement, nor were there any attempts to address tensions at home. The overtures in this year’s speech were instead aimed at Beijing.

This year, after the opening remarks, Lai spent about 20 percent of his time speaking about the government’s plans to improve trade and invest in business and industry, while about 15 percent of his speech outlined policies aimed at improving the lives of ordinary Taiwanese. Finally, he turned to remarks on national defense and societal resilience.

The logic of a speech’s organization can go many ways: It can follow the principle of placing the most important aspects first, or leading up to the most important aspect, which is left to last, as that is what remains more clearly in the mind of the listener. As to which logic lay behind this speech, look at the opening paragraphs.

Lai said: “Sept. 10 was the historic date when the number of days Taiwan had spent free from martial law officially surpassed the number of days endured under its stifling rule. This signifies that we have parted entirely from an authoritarian regime and its shadow.”

He thus set the context for the arc of his argument: Taiwan as a free, democratic nation, liberated from the authoritarian KMT post-Chinese Civil War regime and resistant to the CCP’s desire to return the nation to governance under authoritarian masters.

The sections on Taiwan’s economic prosperity and the investment in its future, and the promise of translating them into improvements that ordinary people would feel in their daily lives, were Lai’s way of impressing on his audience the importance of defense, deterrence and resilience in the face of threats of invasion and annexation.

In the absence of the possibility of direct communication with the CCP under the preconditions of so-called “1992 consensus” or a return to the early dichotomy of the ROC’s and PRC’s interpretations of “one China” that traditional elements within the KMT would like to see, Lai was offering a vision of a more rational regional cohabitation: adherence to the “status quo,” no mention of a declaration of independence, the avoidance of war, the protection of life and property, a shared commitment to mutual prosperity, and learning the lessons of the past regarding the destruction of war.

title: EDITORIAL: Evaluating Lai’s National Day speech


title: Averting an ungovernability crisis

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This year marks a quiet but profound milestone: Taiwan’s post-martial law era has now outlasted its years under martial law. In four decades, the island has transformed into a vibrant democracy admired worldwide. Yet today, its gravest threat is not the return of dictatorship, but something subtler and more insidious — the deliberate manufacturing of ungovernability.

In the past, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) ruled with coercion and fear. That system is gone. The KMT today, now the largest opposition party, has discovered a different means of control: making governance itself impossible.

Through coordinated obstruction and sweeping legislative maneuvers, it is turning the mechanisms of democracy against their own functioning.

To be clear, democratic oversight and healthy opposition are essential. Holding those in power accountable is part of governance.

However, when oversight becomes systematic obstruction, aimed at paralyzing rather than improving, it endangers the very democracy it claims to defend.

Since early last year, the KMT-Taiwan People’s Party voting bloc in the Legislative Yuan has repeatedly used its numerical advantage to paralyze the state. Examples include blocking judicial nominations to the Constitutional Court, amending quorum rules, slashing and freezing central government budgets, shifting funds to local governments, and reviving proposals to roll back hard-won pension reforms.

These actions serve to discredit the ruling Democratic Progressive Party by ensuring it cannot govern, then claim that governance itself has failed. Ungovernability destroys democracy by dispersing power until no one can act. Under authoritarianism, someone still governs, albeit unjustly. Under ungovernability, no one can.

The problem is not so much that citizens are denied their fair share; rather, that all shares are destroyed. When the Constitutional Court cannot rule, when the executive branch is stripped of operating funds, when long-term commitments like pensions or defense are gutted, what remains is not “checks and balances” but institutional ruin.

Whom does this serve? The answer varies. Some might say Beijing; others point to ambitious politicians. One thing we can be sure of is that it does not serve the people of Taiwan.

However, many have yet to grasp this danger. Taiwanese still tend to think of democracy as a contest between parties, or as contention between government and opposition, where criticism and alternation of power are the highest virtues.

Yet democracy also requires the ability to govern: to make policy decisions, implement budgets and maintain the rule of law. When this capacity collapses, democracy’s substance erodes even if its formalities persist.

The crisis for democracy in Taiwan thus differs from the global rise of illiberal populism. US President Donald Trump’s “make America great again,” Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) “revitalization of China” and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s imperial nostalgia promise to restore a lost national glory. Taiwan’s ungovernability, by contrast, is not about nostalgia, but sabotage — a politics of demolition carried out in the name of oversight.

Can the crisis be averted? It will be the challenge of our generation, but we can begin by reframing the fault lines. The real divide today is not between pro-China and pro-independence, nor simply blue versus green, but between policies that make Taiwan governable and those that make it ungovernable. This reframing will be difficult, but not impossible.

We caught a glimpse of this subtle shift in the mass recall movement. The citizen groups that initiated the recall campaigns emphasized their nonpartisan stand and targeted several problematic bills. The KMT, in turn, reframed the recall bids as a partisan struggle. In the end, the familiar “blue versus green” rhetoric prevailed, yet seven constituencies reached the 25 percent threshold in favor of recalls, despite not meeting other criteria, indicating an awakening to the danger of laws that lead to ungovernability.

The Constitutional Court controversy is another front. Some justices have warned that the new supermajority rule threatens judicial independence, even though some fear that striking it down would deepen partisan warfare. The fight will look political, but we must respectfully urge the justices to continue. When other branches falter — and they are faltering — constitutional review is democracy’s last stabilizer.

Meanwhile, ordinary citizens can play a crucial role in gradually reshaping Taiwan’s cultural climate. When torrential floods hit Hualien County’s Guangfu Township (光復) last month, thousands of volunteers, nicknamed “shovel superheroes,” arrived with nothing but shovels and goodwill. They cleared mud, distributed food and provided medical assistance.

These acts of solidarity and care are more than individual kindness; they create experiences that counter the despairing narrative of corruption, paralysis and decline promoted by some politicians. As communities witness and share these stories of hope and resilience, they might come to value constructive engagement and good governance over the temporary satisfaction of venting frustration.

Ungovernability, not authoritarianism, might be Taiwan’s defining democratic test. It will be passed — or failed — by how much we recognize that good governance, not merely passionate protests, is the truest expression of freedom.

Lo Ming-cheng is a professor of sociology at the University of California, Davis whose research addresses civil society, political cultures and medical sociology.


content_text:
Double Ten National Day speeches are supposed to rise above the noise — to remind citizens, if only for a few minutes, that a nation’s meaning is larger than its problems. In Taiwan, where democracy stands within striking distance of an authoritarian neighbor, such moments carry particular weight. Yet this Oct. 10, as the Republic of China marked its 114th anniversary, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) used the podium not to unite, but to air grievances — and in doing so, turned the country’s most unifying ceremony into another partisan stage.

Before foreign dignitaries and global cameras, Han delivered a speech that might have belonged at a campaign rally. He lamented solar panels destroying forests, black-hearted businessmen excavating valleys, low wages amid a booming stock market, and energy policy dragged down by ideology. He warned of desinicization raising the risk of war. Every phrase was artfully crafted to sound populist, patriotic, and oppositional at once — a kind of political venting session disguised as national reflection.

The performance had all the drama of populist rhetoric, but none of the restraint expected from the head of Taiwan’s legislature. Han was not wrong that Taiwan faces deep problems — political, economic, environmental, social and even existential. There is a time and a place for critique. And the one person in government expected to represent all sides of the chamber should not spend National Day wielding his position like a cudgel against the very government he is supposed to balance, not bludgeon.

And more unsettling was the question of who Han was really addressing. His words were spoken to the crowd in front of the Presidential Office Building, but the echo carried elsewhere. The tone — the imagery of decay, division, and ideological excess — felt strangely calibrated for another audience entirely: Beijing. It felt as if Han was delivering not a speech, but a report.

This is, after all, a man who in 2019, just months after being elected mayor of Kaohsiung, paid a highly controversial visit to China’s Liaison Office in Hong Kong — Beijing’s political nerve center, infamous even then as the symbol of eroding Hong Kong autonomy. The visit prompted outrage across Taiwan and suspicion that Han’s political compass pointed abroad, not inward. His National Day speech seemed to confirm as much. When the legislative head of a besieged democracy chooses its most visible moment to echo the talking points of its adversary, it is difficult to dismiss it as a coincidence.

Han’s defenders — including Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) — rushed to insist he merely “spoke the truth.” However, truth-telling in politics is not just about what you say; it is about when, where and to whom you say it. To use a national birthday — in front of ambassadors, allies and cameras — to paint Taiwan as broken, demoralized, and divided is to hand Beijing precisely the propaganda it craves. It was not leadership; it was betrayal.

Imagine if the US speaker of the house used the July 4 Independence Day podium to accuse the administration of betraying the nation, undermining its identity, and dragging it toward war — in full view of foreign dignitaries. The scandal would write itself. Yet in Taiwan, the reaction has been depressingly familiar: partisan rallying on one side, moral outrage on the other, and the silent erosion of civic standards in between.

That is the quiet tragedy here. Taiwan’s democracy has survived pressure from outside and dysfunction within because, at key moments, its leaders have remembered that freedom demands discipline — not theatrics. Han’s speech betrayed that discipline.

And while the content of his remarks might please his base, they come at a steep cost. Every word suggesting that Taiwan is fraying or faithless reinforces China’s narrative that democracy is chaos — that only authoritarian order can restore dignity. Han, whether through calculation or carelessness, lent that narrative his office’s authority.

Double Ten National Day is not the time for point-scoring. It is the day to reaffirm the improbable idea that Taiwan — small, noisy and unbowed — still stands for something larger than its quarrels. It deserves leaders who can speak for that idea, not just for their faction.

In the end, Han’s speech was not merely inappropriate; it was revealing. It showed that the most dangerous form of betrayal is not shouted from the outside, but whispered from within — wrapped in patriotism, performed on the nation’s birthday and applauded by those too cynical to notice the damage being done.

John Cheng is a retired businessman from Hong Kong now living in Taiwan.

people: 徐巧芯 韓國瑜

title: When National Day becomes partisan


content_text:
In his Double Ten National Day address on Oct. 10 for the Republic of China’s 114th anniversary, President William Lai (賴清德) centered his message on democracy and sovereignty, providing a reminder that Taiwan’s emergence from the shadows of authoritarianism and its transcendence of martial law were not only political milestones, but also educational tasks.

Democracy cannot sustain itself — only through proper education can the next generation come to understand how precious freedom is and the responsibility that comes with it. Only then could the tree of democracy plant its roots and flourish. For educators, this moment presents a moment for reflection and a call to action. Schools must become places that foster civic awareness, social responsibility and humanistic values, and students must realize that democracy is more than just the right to vote, but also a commitment of action to defend the Taiwanese way of life.

“Taiwan belongs to all Taiwanese” is not only a political declaration, but an educational belief. If sovereignty is to endure, it must be transformed from learned knowledge into a lived attitude. School curricula should allow students to understand turning points in history, the diversity of languages and the independence of culture, allowing them to fully grasp the connection between self-identity and national consciousness.

Education is about more than imparting knowledge — it is about cultivating critical thinking and responsibility. Schools should improve democratic literacy, media literacy and national security education, while encouraging teachers and students alike to engage in discussion about public issues. The government’s continued promotion of educational measures should be supported, as only when education is rooted in sovereignty would the values of democracy be passed down for generations to come.

From an education perspective, national defense awareness goes beyond military training — it also includes cultivating psychological resilience and civic responsibility. Schools can integrate disaster prevention, medicine, cybersecurity and community cooperation into their curricula to help students understand the importance of crisis response, information security and collective action.

When citizens possess the power of critical thinking and take initiative, society as a whole forms an intellectual line of defense. True security does not rely on military strength — it must also be established on the foundation of democratic conviction and educational power. This is how the strongest national shield is built. Echoing Lai’s words: “We must rely on our own strength to achieve peace.” Education is the foundation of that strength.

As global tensions increase and authoritarian forces resurge, education remains Taiwan’s most stable form of strength. Through education, Taiwan can safeguard its borders and protect its precious values. This not only defends against external threats, but also fortifies each member of society.

As the government promotes national defense initiatives, it must also pursue educational reform to ensure that every citizen is equipped with the knowledge and courage to face the challenges that lie ahead.

Lai’s administration should be supported in its efforts to deepen democracy and national defense autonomy, and make education Taiwan’s most enduring line of defense. Only when knowledge becomes a shield, conviction a strength and when citizens unite as one can Taiwan move forward with resolve, allowing the nation to shine as a beacon of democracy amid the storm.

Pan Wei-yiu is a policymaker at the Taiwan Nation Alliance and president of the Union of Taiwanese Teachers.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

title: Education foundation of national strength


content_text: George Santayana wrote: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”This article will help readers avoid repeating mistakes by examining four examples from the civil war between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) forces and the Republic of China (ROC) forces that involved two city sieges and two island invasions. The city sieges compared are Changchun (May to October 1948) and Beiping (November 1948 to January 1949, renamed Beijing after its capture), and attempts to invade Kinmen (October 1949) and Hainan (April 1950). Comparing and contrasting these examples, we can learn how Taiwan may prevent a war with

title: EDITORIAL CARTOON


content_text:
The US is losing hearts and minds in Southeast Asia over GazaBeijing, which has cast itself as a champion of the ‘global south’ and a critic of the US’ double standards, is waiting for the opportunity to highlight Washington’s flaws

The world has overwhelmingly welcomed the fragile Middle East peace deal brokered by US President Donald Trump, but in Southeast Asia, home to fast-growing economies and a vital pillar of Indo-Pacific security, that relief is tinged with skepticism.

Islam is the faith of about half of the region’s more than 600 million people, so solidarity with Palestinians has always meant that US support for Israel is a politically fraught issue. Now, those concerns are spreading beyond religious lines. From Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta to Bangkok, anger over the destruction in Gaza has deepened doubts about whether Washington has different standards for how it applies international law. Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia have voiced frustration with what they view as Washington’s unquestioning support of Tel Aviv.

If the Trump administration is serious about countering China’s growing influence in Southeast Asia, it would have to confront the resentment stirred by the conflict, or risk losing the good will previous US administrations have worked hard to build.

The State of Southeast Asia survey by the Singapore-based ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute provides a revealing snapshot. Last year, it identified the Israel-Hamas conflict — rather than disputes over the South China Sea — as the region’s top geopolitical concern.

The US’ close relationship with Israel has had a direct impact on public opinion. For the first time, more respondents among the 10-member ASEAN said they would align with China (50.5 percent) over the US (49.5 percent) if forced to choose. This year, the survey showed a slight rebound for the US, but Southeast Asians still view the US as choosing its loyalties to Israel over everything else.

“If the US sees competition with China as persistent, then it has an incentive to keep key regions such as Southeast Asia on side,” said Chong Ja Ian (莊嘉穎), an associate professor in political science at the National University of Singapore.

“Washington’s almost unqualified support for Israel strains relationships with Southeast Asian states and populations,” Chong added.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been the most vocal critic of Israel in the region. He has called Israel’s actions barbaric, and accused the US and Europe of hypocrisy for demanding condemnation of Hamas, while he says they are ignoring civilian deaths in Gaza. No doubt his support for the group designated a terrorist organization by the US and the EU is problematic for them, but his comments have resonated with fellow Muslims. Malaysia has the second-biggest Muslim population in Southeast Asia.

In Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, strikes on the Indonesian hospital in Gaza transformed initial sympathy into fury at Israel. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has reaffirmed support for Palestinian statehood and offered to temporarily host displaced Palestinians seeking refuge.

However, this is not solely a Muslim issue. For younger generations in Southeast Asia, as in many other countries, Gaza is increasingly framed in terms of human rights and suffering, rather than religious solidarity.

In Singapore, where public protests are generally restricted, the government prohibited displays of Palestinian and Israeli flags to preserve social harmony in the tightly controlled multireligious and multiracial nation. Still, quiet acts of defiance have emerged: banners hung in public spaces, small vigils and hunger strikes urging an end to Singapore’s arms trade with Israel.

The Philippines, the third-largest buyer of Israeli weapons, stands out as the region’s most enduring pro-Tel Aviv voice. It was the only Asian country to recognize the state of Israel in 1947. In 2023, it chose to abstain during a vote at the UN General Assembly on a resolution that called for an immediate humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas, the only Southeast Asian country to do so. It sparked protests in Manila. However, even there, public pressure over the mounting civilian death toll in Gaza had an impact. Last month, the Philippines announced that Manila would halt any new arms contracts with Israeli suppliers although existing agreements would still be honored.

Thailand, too, has been drawn in. The country recorded the largest number of foreign nationals killed or missing in the Oct. 7, 2023, assault. The Thai government has pledged neutrality, but public opinion remains polarized between vocal pro-Palestine and pro-Israel factions.

The outrage has also translated into consumer choices. In Malaysia and Indonesia, the conflict has triggered broad boycotts of Western brands perceived as aligned with Israel. Berjaya Food Bhd, operator of Starbucks in Malaysia, posted a record net loss this year, citing the prolonged impact of Gaza-related sentiment. McDonald’s Malaysia blamed a boycott from pro-Palestinian activists for a dip in its profits, which it said had resulted in closures and job cuts.

Whether Southeast Asia’s disillusionment with the US is a temporary reaction or a longer-lasting reality depends in part on how long peace would last, and whether the destruction in Gaza ends. Since the end of World War II, Washington’s influence in the region has depended on a combination of security guarantees, economic ties, and trust and consistency.

Beijing, which has cast itself as a champion of the “global south” and a critic of the US’ double standards, is waiting for the opportunity to highlight Washington’s flaws. This deal could be the moment to reset the US’ image. It should not waste it.

Karishma Vaswani is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia politics with a special focus on China. Previously, she was the BBC’s lead Asia presenter and worked for the BBC across Asia and South Asia for two decades. This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.