content_text:
墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

百味人生黃少祺(左起)丁國琳、陳妍安、亮哲掀新話題 照片提供：三立電視

三立八點台劇《百味人生》情感線交錯、人物命運翻轉，新角色加入讓劇情更加錯綜動人，觀眾熱議不斷。劇中邱子芯被「女魔頭」岳虹層層逼迫，為了拯救阿嬤犧牲愛情，被迫答應與劉書宏結婚，劇情張力十足，掀起熱烈討論。隨著故事推進，全新卡司也強勢登場，黃少祺為拯救女兒邱子芯婚姻帥氣現身，預告一句「修但幾勒！」霸氣登場掀起討論話題；丁國琳化身「豪門惡婆婆」回台灣制裁媳婦，被網友封為「最毒辣的婆婆」，引起熱烈討論；而亮哲飾演的角色「江重生」則以神秘角色登場，從小因天性冷漠、毫無惻隱之心，不被父親待見，甚至被迫在家族的角落中「被消失」，卻因此養成極端扭曲的個性。多年後，他從療養院的陰影裡歸來，把記憶磨成刀，把人心當作棋盤，一步步重組真相、清算過去，展開一場冷靜卻致命的心理戰展開復仇行動，讓觀眾好奇心爆棚；陳妍安則接演原有星卉飾演的「洪瑞華」，以細膩詮釋延續角色神韻也獲得網友一致好評

百味人生黃少祺(左起)陳妍安、亮哲、丁國琳掀新話題 照片提供：三立電視

三立八點台劇《百味人生》今（22）日舉行全新角色公布記者會，劇情即將迎來全新篇章，現場包括丁國琳、亮哲、黃少祺與新加入的陳研安等人皆出席，暢談角色轉折與拍攝趣事。丁國琳笑說近日在家整理櫃子不慎摔傷，「年紀大了，整理櫃子結果整個倒下來，還撞到我去抹藥膏。」她也透露之前因腳傷吃、打類固醇導致臉腫，如今終於消腫回復正常，「剛剛不知道有沒有嚇到大家眼睛，終於沒有那麼腫了！」她也笑言自己早年多演強勢角色：「我以前也演過好人，但大家記得的都是『親戚賣計較』。後來我毛遂自薦演壞人，結果越演越上癮。當惡女的好處是被記住，還能把私下情緒演出去，報應沒關係，這樣戲才好看。」

陳妍安接棒飾演原由星卉演出的角色 照片提供：三立電視

陳研安則接棒飾演原由星卉演出的角色，坦言壓力不小。「觀眾已經很熟悉前一位演員，要接續真的不容易。」她表示自己沒有打算複製星卉的演法，而是希望找出屬於自己的詮釋方式，「我會從理解角色出發，找到新的情感層次。」

亮哲化身千面復仇者 照片提供：三立電視

黃少祺在《願望》殺青後赴美陪伴家人，如今回歸演出，飾演與亮哲息息相關的重要角色。「其實我是他的影子，跟他有密不可分的關係，角色壓抑、身不由己。」他笑說這次難得在感情線上「沒有人愛」，但角色深層的矛盾更吸引他，「整個人被安排、被操控，衣服顏色、吃什麼都決定好了，永遠戰戰兢兢地活著。」而亮哲則透露這次角色造型定裝就試了三次，多層次性格複雜，「他是千面人，要判斷面對誰就切換不同態度。」亮哲笑說自己最近幾乎被定型為惡人：「我女兒還頒給我一張『最佳惡人獎』的獎狀，還畫了圖，結果被奶奶拍照傳給我，她還生氣！」他回憶剛演壞人時，練習時瞪到女兒把她嚇哭，「現在長大後會反過來指導我：『爸，這樣還不夠壞！』」

黃少祺帥氣回歸 照片提供：三立電視

而聊到目前藝人閃兵話題，丁國琳說爸是黃埔後期的，跟政府來台，覺得有人念軍校不錯，但沒人聽他的，但臺灣當兵是應盡義務，或許有人擔心服完兵役回來就不紅了，「延長期限有錯嗎？沒有，我覺得還是要進應盡義務。」亮哲則以幽默方式回憶自己的當兵經驗，「我當了一年多的傳令兵，沒撿過肥皂啦！」一句話逗得全場大笑。他表示那段軍旅歲月讓自己學會紀律與團隊合作，「當兵讓我認識各式各樣的人，雖然辛苦但真的很好玩，有些同梯現在還會聯絡，彼此像兄弟一樣。」而當年在他主持《冒險王》時當兵工作中斷，22年前冒險王當兵後，痞客邦人氣下滑，只剩下五六十個讚，很明顯有落差，這可能是有些男藝人擔心的部分。

丁國琳最毒辣婆婆掀新話題 照片提供：三立電視黃少祺回憶當年當海巡兵，因是大專兵所以要當一年四個月，大學畢業就去，男生當兵都會想說有沒有辦法不要當，但怕歸怕，還是要面對現實，原以為有點像扁平足不用當，但卻被駁回，他覺得男生會有不想當兵的念頭可能就是怕被霸凌、被學長欺負，他記得自己那時候當兵就會被學長釘，9點睡覺9點半被叫醒，去廁所用硬幣清黃垢，下馬威沒有理由，當時進部隊的時門一關起來就覺得自己世界沒了，「廁所我洗了一個月，弄不乾淨很慘，手還留味道，那個年代越申訴越慘。」

百味人生陳妍安(左起)丁國琳最毒辣婆婆掀新話題、亮哲 照片提供：三立電視

黃少祺則回憶自己當年服役於海巡單位，當了一年四個月，「那時候是大專兵，反而更容易被學長『照顧』。」他苦笑說：「連洗廁所都要洗一個月，還被要求用硬幣刮牆壁上的污垢。」雖然經歷過不少下馬威與壓力，但他坦言那段歲月是寶貴的人生訓練，「當兵讓我學會面對現實、學會低頭。很多事不是靠硬撐，而是靠韌性撐過去。」三人一致認為，無論是在戲劇現場或軍中歷練，真正的專業都源自紀律與責任感，唯有不逃避、不懈怠，才能走得長遠、演得更深。

此篇文章最開始出處為: 黃少祺帥氣回歸 亮哲化身千面復仇者 丁國琳最毒辣婆婆掀新話題

title: 黃少祺帥氣回歸 亮哲化身千面復仇者 丁國琳最毒辣婆婆掀新話題

countries: 臺灣 台灣


title: 連炳發 楊一展鑽轎底「有媽祖保佑」雙雙封金鐘 越南粉絲募款賀影帝榮耀歸國

countries: 越南 台灣 新加坡 香港 澳洲 印尼

taiwan-subdivisions: 大甲 大安

content_text:
墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

越南影帝連炳發(左)與楊一展(右)與大甲鎮瀾宮大安神轎團一起抬大甲媽神轎。圖片提供 《大甲媽祖ㄅㄜˊ 讚》粉絲專頁

公視、中華電信、瀚草文創合製國際犯罪醫療影集《The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫》，演員連炳發及楊一展分別榮獲金鐘獎戲劇類節目男主角、男配角獎，引起網路瘋傳他們影集中鑽大甲媽轎底影片及照片，粉絲們直呼：「有媽祖保佑！」讓這段影像成為劇迷口中的「神助攻」時刻。

連炳發(左)與楊一展(右)祈求拍攝順利。右邊為大甲鎮瀾宮娘傘組。圖片提供 《大甲媽祖ㄅㄜˊ 讚》粉絲專頁

「越南之光」連炳發回憶當時情景時笑說：「這是我首次體驗，在如此特別的時刻拍片，感到無比幸運，彷彿上天冥冥中完美地安排，只為了在這一刻綻放。對此，我倍加珍惜與感激。」楊一展也表示：「我覺得這是一種很特別的緣分，能拿到金鐘獎，真的像是老天、媽祖給的祝福一樣，也提醒我要一直懷著謙卑與感恩的心，繼續往前走。」

連炳發鑽大甲媽轎底。 圖片提供 公視+

《大甲媽祖ㄅㄜˊ讚》粉絲專頁分享，2023年7月9日大甲媽繞境53庄時，《The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫》劇組正巧在現場拍攝，小編粉絲熱情記錄下連炳發與楊一展合力扛轎的歷史畫面。小編感性寫道：「大甲媽有保佑演員得獎！」貼文一出，粉絲留言狂刷：「恭喜大甲媽超神」、「太有緣分了！」更有人翻出劇組4月發布的影片留言：「媽祖真的庇佑！」「超級感動！」

連炳發(左)與楊一展(右)鑽大甲媽轎底後展笑顏。 圖片提供 公視+

導演廖士涵分享拍戲時剛好巧遇大甲媽祖遶境，臨時突發奇想，才拍下連炳發與楊一展在鑽轎底的珍貴畫面。「那天拍完這場戲後，所有劇組人員都去鑽轎底，祈求媽祖保佑拍攝順利！」詹淳皓導演也分享：「那場戲像是媽祖給我們的啟示，讓我們找到劇本中最完美的結尾。」更巧的是，《化外之醫》最終回首播日期——4月12日，恰好是2025年大甲媽祖遶境的回鑾日，形成奇妙呼應。

越南粉絲在機場熱情迎接「越南之光」連炳發回國。圖片提供 FC Liên Bỉnh Phát

榮獲金鐘影帝後，連炳發結束27小時旋風訪台行程，返越南時在機場受到粉絲們熱烈接機與祝賀。連炳發粉絲後援會（FanClub Liên Bỉnh Phát）更於三天內募集到1億越南盾（約新台幣11.6萬元），購置豪華遊覽車車體廣告，並在胡志明市與河內4座地標大樓外牆LED投放祝賀廣告，盛大迎接被譽為「戲劇天王」的首位越南籍金鐘影帝的榮耀歸國。粉絲後援會召集人透露，頒獎前七天她抽到象徵「榮耀歸來」的塔羅牌，便下定決心要完成這場不可能的任務。接機影片更在短短兩天突破275萬瀏覽次數，越南主流媒體也大篇幅報導連炳發得獎喜訊。

越南粉絲集資買廣告迎接「越南之光」連炳發回國。此為胡志明市120 Le Loi 外牆 Led廣告。圖片提供 FanClub Liên Bỉnh Phát

影集在OTT平台表現同樣亮眼，金鐘加持帶動新一波追劇熱潮，《The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫》在中華電信Hami Video影劇館+空降回榜，一舉上升到戲劇類第一名！公視+平台也湧入眾多新用戶付費支持。製作人湯昇榮表示：「中華電信MOD、Hami Video、公視+均提供中、英、越語字幕及越南語配音版本，希望觀眾能邀請更多不同國籍的朋友，一起欣賞這部作品，並以善意與尊重看待多元文化與語言。」

越南粉絲集資1億越南盾買廣告迎接連炳發回國。此為河內 TNR 大樓外牆 LED廣告。 圖片提供 FanClub Liên Bỉnh Phát

《The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫》講述在深夜幽暗的停屍間，一場祕密手術使兩位素昧平生的角色命運交織。醫生鄭琬平（張鈞𡩋（甯）飾）專心治療病童，卻忽略了自己的孩子；越南整型外科醫生范文寧（連炳發飾）為了支付母親龐大的醫療費在台非法執業。這部影集以真實社會議題為背景，深入探討地下社會中人性的掙扎與艱辛，由金鐘製作人湯昇榮監製、金鐘導演廖士涵與詹淳皓聯手執導，張鈞𡩋（甯）飾、越南影帝連炳發、楊一展、許安植、夏騰宏、蔡亘晏主演。

《The Outlaw Doctor化外之醫》於中華電信MOD、Hami Video、公視+、愛奇藝國際版、NETFLIX（台灣）等平台，以及長榮、華航、星宇等國際航空播出；海外部分則已在越南、印尼、香港及新加坡、澳洲等地播出。

▲《The Outlaw Doctor 化外之醫》鑽大甲媽轎底畫面連結： https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTYnP6GchGA

▲越南粉絲熱情接機影片在兩天內突破275萬瀏覽次數，連結：https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19ut9ZQQxM/?mibextid=wwXIfr

此篇文章最開始出處為: 連炳發 楊一展鑽轎底「有媽祖保佑」雙雙封金鐘 越南粉絲募款賀影帝榮耀歸國


title: HowZ 螢幕初吻大膽上演 蜻蜓點水最浪漫

content_text:
墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

HowZ 唱出微醺後的親密冒險 照片提供：皓室創意Light House

嘻哈創作歌手HowZ新歌〈凌晨五點鐘〉歌詞直面現代人的夜生活，微醺開心的夜晚，男男女女「組隊」回家之後，少不了激情的時刻，他在歌詞裡辛辣提及「越撞越大力」、「快叫我Daddy」、「總能在做的愛找到認同」，用直白的詞彙描述夜色深處的親密冒險。而在歌曲〈凌晨五點鐘〉的MV裡，HowZ也實現了夜色深處的親密冒險，他飾演一個架勢十足的Bartender，在某一天的深夜，遇到了他一夜限定的真命天女。

HowZ 凌晨五點鐘 MV 全面上線 照片提供：皓室創意Light House

HowZ在〈凌晨五點鐘〉的MV裡穿著帥氣的牛仔外套搭配白襯衫、黑領帶，剛小酌一口一回頭就遇到一夜限定的真命天女，他馬上用炙熱的眼神鎖定女主角，女主角發現之後先是轉頭害羞的微笑；雖然HowZ整個晚上都忙著工作，幫忙大家調酒，但他還是時不時注意著女主角的行蹤，時間來到凌晨5點鐘，他以為女主角已經離開時，女主角突然出現在吧台跟他大膽對視，很快的兩人浪漫的擁吻，MV最後卻又回到兩人在對視的畫面，看似純情，但其實HowZ在對視女主角時，兩人腦子就已經把想做、能做全部都實現一次。

HowZ 螢幕初吻大膽上演、蜻蜓點水最浪漫 照片提供：皓室創意Light House

聊起親吻的橋段，HowZ透露這是他的螢幕初吻，事先跟女主角溝通多次，因為擔心自己親起來不好看，或者是看起來太像痴漢，後來還喝了小酒壯膽上場，幸好演起來非常順暢。不過在花絮裡，HowZ也自爆接吻經驗不少，對於想在夜遊時帶對象回家的男生們，他也給予「發乎情止乎禮」的接吻小提醒，「就是蜻蜓點水就夠了！不需要伸舌頭，百分之九十的女生不喜歡你喝了一整晚酒的口氣唷，輕輕碰一下才是最浪漫的，帶著紳士的禮貌」，他賣著關子說，這樣也會讓後續的發展再更神秘一點，感覺更妥當。

從吧檯對視到擁吻、HowZ 親密冒險經驗全紀錄 照片提供：皓室創意Light House

雖然在MV裡面飾演一個架勢十足的Bartender，現實裡的HowZ每個禮拜都會放鬆小酌，但幾乎只喝啤酒，烈酒只喝High ball跟Gin，喝得相對保守，但因為幾乎每週出門「夜遊」，仍被朋友視為酒鬼。而在深夜的場所裡，人群總是擠得水洩不通，性格敏感的HowZ，能夠感受到誰在觀察他，甚至對他好奇，但他對於社交有自己一套邏輯，他說「我不太會浪費時間在不必要的人、事、物上，通常都是快、狠、準的社交模式」。

HowZ 化身 Bartender 偏好啤酒小酌放鬆 照片提供：皓室創意Light House

發行新歌〈凌晨五點鐘〉後，也正式宣告屬於HowZ，相隔4年的第二張專輯已經在路上，HowZ坦言對創作者而言，第二張專輯永遠是最困難的，因為第一張專輯是過往的創作精選，第二張則是理解市場的脈動外，也貼合自己創作的心境改變，而在這段期間，HowZ每年都在努力自我成長、跟不同的製作人合作，嘗試不同的風格跟新的唱歌方法，他說「我本身就不是一個天賦型的選手，但我即使到了今天，我還是像一塊海綿一樣不斷地在吸收新的知識跟技能，我想像我這樣的普通人，也能夠激勵更多跟我一樣的人，展現自己最特別的那一面吧！」

HowZ大膽挑戰現代年輕人的浪漫 照片提供：皓室創意Light House

這首大膽挑戰現代年輕人探討一夜情的〈凌晨五點鐘〉，一上線也在網路上引發廣大迴響，尤其是MV預告中，HowZ搶先透露有吻戲讓歌迷群起暴動，不同面向的討論接踵而來，對此他也認真看待，認真說明回應以免造成不良影響，反過來和大家討論，希望看到未來有什麼不一樣的作為？HowZ不諱言：「一開始就知道會有一點風險，但若能藉此聽到不同的聲音，更能傳達出新專輯想要探討的主題。」直面面對各界的聲音，一展從男孩蛻變成男人的處事態度，也身體力行體現歌曲想傳達的主題，做良好示範。

HowZ〈凌晨五點鐘〉MV，10/22 晚間9點官方YouTube頻道上線

此篇文章最開始出處為: HowZ 螢幕初吻大膽上演 蜻蜓點水最浪漫


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墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

街舞界男神刺刺回歸樂壇、攜手韓團御用班底打造新歌、脫胎換骨帥氣爆棚 照片提供：杰思國際娛樂

街舞界男神刺刺 睽違兩年攜全新單曲〈Back At 2 Me〉回歸樂壇，加入台韓國際團隊音樂公司的他與韓國製作團隊合作展現「全面升級」的新氣象，不僅請來《未來少女》及《原子少年二》的韓籍音樂製作人Moode量身打造專屬音樂作品，更驚喜力邀BTS、ATEEZ御用的的舞者老師MV編舞，兼具力與美的舞蹈風格搭配健身有成的精實身材，讓全新出擊的刺刺有如脫胎換骨般展現成熟性感的魅力，彷彿透過單曲發表自信宣言的刺刺表示：「歌名的”2″其實代表兩個人之間的距離，即使暫時分離，還是相信最適合對方的就是彼此！」把這首歌當成獻給粉絲一封告白情書的他更向大家真情喊話：「”Back At 2 Me”，快回到我身邊！」

刺刺為MV化身性感賽車手精壯胸腹肌若隱若現 照片提供：杰思國際娛樂

新單曲〈Back At 2 Me〉象徵刺刺在音樂與舞蹈之路上華麗重生，相隔兩年再發片的他為籌備新歌進行「唱跳實力改造大作戰」，除了每周找韓籍製作人Moode上歌唱課，並把知名韓國舞蹈教室LJ Dance的老師請來台灣進行魔鬼訓練，並同步研究Kpop舞蹈的肢體語言及表演方式，形容整個過程如「打掉重練」般艱辛的他表示：「基本上就是反覆練基本功，像是Moode老師對聲音的要求嚴謹，光是前後練習歌唱及錄音就花了三個月時間，此外，為了把身體融入Kpop肢體美學中，讓原本學街舞的我得重新適應，加上語言隔閡，只能透過眼睛去觀察感受，再搭配透過翻譯老師同步補充勤練技巧，也意外把『一心多用』的技能點好點滿！」這場跨國式磨練不僅讓刺刺重塑唱跳實力，更像是「把自己拉回舞台中心」的宣示，笑稱自己「更新完成」的他以嶄新面貌強勢回歸，勢必以全方位實力再次掀起樂壇與舞台的熱浪！

刺刺為MV化身性感賽車手精壯胸腹肌若隱若現 照片提供：杰思國際娛樂

在過去兩年除了蹲穩馬步練好基本功，刺刺更趁著空檔努力工作，並為自己安排了魔鬼訓練行程，原本就是街舞老師的他不僅守住老本行教舞蹈課，更參與了《原子少年2》的節目舞蹈編排工作；此外，「吃苦當吃補」的刺刺更利用時間兼差當起Uber快遞員，前後跑了快一年的他透露光是跑外送就賺了快50萬，他樂觀表示：「其實跑Uber蠻自由又沒有門檻，不但讓我可以更堅定的往音樂夢想前進，還能趁著跑外送騎車的過程練唱，當作夜間版的練唱行動教室。」而如此勵志的圓夢故事被粉絲知道後大讚不已，讓他笑說：「大家要好好地準時吃飯！如果被我送到了，不要忘了給我五星好評！」

刺刺為新歌〈Back At 2 Me〉進行唱跳實力大改造 照片提供：杰思國際娛樂

提及跑外送難忘的事，刺刺透露曾幫金曲歌王呂士軒送過餐外，還有一次在情人節收單時竟然被客戶備註當起「告白啦啦隊」，他笑說：「某一次情人節接到要幫客人送花的單，對方特別備註要幫他一起對著對象深情地說『寶貝情人節快樂』，那一刻我覺得自己在演偶像劇！比較崩潰的是，快到目的地時停紅燈不小心踩到狗屎，超傻眼。」

刺刺為MV小露性感 照片提供：杰思國際娛樂

值得一提的是，搭配〈Back At 2 Me〉強勁節拍所衍生出極及爆發力的舞蹈，導演特別在MV打造多樣極具戲劇張力的美術佈景，佐以各種魅力造型凸顯整首歌濃烈的性感氛圍；而為了不浪費刺刺如雕像般的精實身材，特別安排充滿力與美的跑車場景，只見套上帥氣賽車外套的刺刺頓時化身為性感帥氣賽車手，在拉鍊刻意不拉的狀況下讓精壯胸腹肌若隱若現，讓粉絲大飽眼福；為此刺刺特別找了健身教練狂操一個月，被唱片企劃要求展現「飽滿肉感」的他刻意增肌，除了每天記錄蛋白質進食的量，更搭配飲食開啟「吃飯地獄模式」，他苦笑說：「因為健身養肌需要大量補充碳水跟蛋白質，每餐最少塞進3碗白飯來增肌，真的有在用命換大肌肌！」

街舞界男神刺刺回歸樂壇、攜手韓團御用班底打造新歌、脫胎換骨帥氣爆棚街舞界男神刺刺回歸樂壇、攜手韓團御用班底打造新歌、脫胎換骨帥氣爆棚 照片提供：杰思國際娛樂

▲刺刺全新單曲〈Back At 2 Me〉：

https://open.spotify.com/album/000nYxXb3pYFl4MV5G70es?si=CC87b74mRomXTzQqtc_0Nw

刺刺 IG： @junhaohu：https://www.instagram.com/junhaohu?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=eGNiM2RqdGY2YnI2

MV連結： [刺刺 TSZ〈Back At 2 Me〉Official MV：(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-dqWNhAUIE

此篇文章最開始出處為: 街舞界刺刺回歸樂壇 攜手韓團御用班底打造新歌 脫胎換骨帥氣爆棚

title: 街舞界刺刺回歸樂壇 攜手韓團御用班底打造新歌 脫胎換骨帥氣爆棚

countries: 韓國 台灣


countries: 臺灣 中華民國

title: 聚焦智慧、創新、永續與韌性  臺灣網際網路研討會（TANET）暨全國計算機會議（NCS）宜大登場

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記者蘇凱中/宜蘭報導

2025臺灣網際網路研討會（TANET）暨全國計算機會議（NCS），22日在國立宜大學舉行，以「智慧．創新．永續．韌性」為主題，聚焦人工智慧與數位科技如何帶動社會與產業轉型，以創新思維回應當前挑戰，實踐永續發展目標，並建構具韌性與包容力的未來社會。

TANET研討會自1995年創辦以來，已成為臺灣資訊與網路領域最具影響力的學術研討會之一；NCS則由中華民國電腦學會主辦，每兩年舉行一次，為資訊界的重要盛事，此次研討會涵蓋多項前瞻議題，包括生成式 AI、資訊安全與隱私保護、智慧治理、綠色科技等，強調跨域整合與科技創新，促進學術界、產業界與公部門之間的深度合作。

在論文發表部分，TANET 依研究領域劃分為 8 大主題、39 個子領域，涵蓋次世代人工智慧、數位韌性、雲端技術應用、個資保護、數位創新學習、互動媒體與使用者體驗、計算機系統理論與應用、網路資訊系統跨域合作，以及臺灣學術網路發展論壇等。NCS 則設有 12 大主題領域，內容包括資訊與網路安全、物聯網技術、人工智慧與智慧計算、電腦視覺與影像處理、電腦圖學、網路與通訊技術、數位內容與人機互動、金融科技、數位學習與資訊教育、智慧機器人與 AI 代理人、量子計算、人機協作與智慧分析等。

大會吸引逾570篇論文投稿，經審查後精選近 500 篇收錄發表，並與國科會工程科技推展中心資訊工程學門及智慧計算學門成果發表會併同舉行。會中亦安排多場專題演講與論壇，邀請重量級專家學者分享最新研究成果與產業趨勢，包括佛光大學趙涵捷校長、南臺科技大學黃能富校長等。透過豐富的學術交流與前瞻討論，期望為與會者提供最佳的交流平台。

研討會廣邀產官學研專家、各校資訊服務夥伴及網路從業人員參與，透過跨界交流與合作，激盪創新思維，提升資訊相關產業能量，並為臺灣培育更多優秀人才，持續推動資訊科技與教育的進步。


title: 歡慶清潔隊員節   績優隊員等獲宜蘭縣府表揚

things: 防疫 登革熱

taiwan-subdivisions: 宜蘭縣 宜蘭 光復 花蓮 北區

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記者蘇凱中/宜蘭報導

慶祝清潔隊員節，宜蘭縣政府於10月22日表揚114年度資深績優清潔隊員，並頒獎肯定廢農藥容器回收競賽及優質公廁考評之獲獎單位。

環境部環境管理署北區環境管理中心黃士漢副主任致詞時表示，清潔隊員長年辛勞，尤其在疫情期間肩負防疫消毒及防堵登革熱的重要任務，是守護環境與健康安全的防疫英雄。他強調，清潔隊員以雙手換來潔淨環境，無論風雨晝夜的奉獻值得最高敬意。

環保局長許嘉琦指出，清潔隊員承擔垃圾清運、資源回收及環境維護的重要工作，不畏辛苦，為縣民營造整潔家園。縣府每年於清潔隊員節表揚績優隊員，頒發獎狀及紀念品，以感謝辛勞，並期勉獲獎人員成為同仁榜樣，提升團隊士氣，共同守護宜蘭美麗山水。活動中同步表揚廢農藥容器回收競賽與優質公廁考評獲獎單位。回收達人以行動避免農用容器隨意棄置造成污染；優質公廁管理單位則透過妥善維護提升公廁使用品質，展現友善如廁文化。

許嘉琦並特別提到，花蓮馬太鞍溪堰塞湖溢流重創光復鄉，各鄉鎮市清潔隊員投入人力、機具參與災後復原，讓受災戶得以在最短時間內逐步恢復原有生活，展現了第一線清潔人員在災害應變上的專業與韌性，縣府表達誠摯感謝。


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記者蘇凱中/宜蘭報導

宜蘭縣一名59歲女性，陪伴家人前往陽明交大醫院就診，等候期間接受院方子宮頸抹片篩檢服務，發現其子宮頸有明顯出血情形，醫師進一步詢問，病患透露自己已出現斷斷續續的停經後出血長達一年，因沒有其他不適而一直未就醫，醫療團隊立即安排子宮內膜切片及核磁共振檢查，最終確診為子宮內膜癌第一期。病患隨即接受手術治療，並於術後配合放射治療。

醫師鍾凱丞指出，子宮內膜癌屬於子宮體的癌症，由子宮內膜細胞異常增生而成，在民國111年女性十大癌症發生率中位居第五。平均發病年齡約50至52歲，多見於停經後婦女，但年輕女性亦可能發生。常見危險因子包括：初經年齡早（12歲以前）、停經年齡晚（52歲以後）、未生育、肥胖、糖尿病、多囊性卵巢症候群、長期單獨使用雌激素、乳癌治療藥物 Tamoxifen、以及家族史或基因突變等。

陰道異常出血是最常見的症狀，且在疾病早期就可能發生，特別是停經後若出現陰道出血，都需提高警覺。鍾凱丞醫師強調，月經過長或不規則出血、異常分泌物伴隨血絲，也都不可忽視；若為晚期子宮內膜癌，更可能出現骨盆腔疼痛、排尿困難、腸胃不適或體重減輕等警訊。

鍾凱丞表示，目前子宮內膜癌的治療以手術治療為主，透過手術前的影像檢查，確認癌症的擴散程度，若為適當的病人也有機會可以接受微創手術，像是腹腔鏡或是達文西手臂協助手術，傷口較小，恢復速度也較傳統開腹手術快，後續則依病理診斷結果，搭配放射或化學治療，並安排定期追蹤。研究顯示，子宮內膜癌早期的五年存活率高達九成，因此早期就醫檢查至關重要。

陽明交大醫院提醒，女性朋友若有停經後出血或不明原因的陰道異常出血，應立即就醫檢查，以免延誤診斷。鍾凱丞醫師再次呼籲，平時也應維持健康生活型態，避免肥胖，少吃高糖與高油脂食物，培養規律運動習慣。若屬於高風險族群或有家族病史，更應定期接受婦科篩檢，唯有早期發現、早期治療，才能有效守護自我健康。

title: 停經後陸續出血不可忽視   及早檢查確保健康

taiwan-subdivisions: 宜蘭縣 宜蘭


content_text:
記者蘇凱中/宜蘭報導

「藝起Fun礁溪-天涼好Chill」系列活動，10/25日至11/23，每週六、日下午在礁溪跑馬古道公園（北園區）舉行，活動結合專業團隊展演、美感手作及互動體驗，內容豐富多元。

「藝起Fun礁溪」以「天涼好Chill」一起慢慢好為題，傳遞溫柔、陪伴、緩慢療癒的秋日氛圍，活動首週邀集多組具國內外演出經驗的藝文團隊演出，包含《米特動物樂園》以音樂魔法開啟親子冒險的音樂劇；《狂夢藝術》帶來融合馬戲與火舞的精彩演出；《Wassa Foli 台中非洲鼓樂團》以強勁節奏展現西非文化的熱情；《汶凬舞集》以靈動舞姿詮釋自然的流轉；《愛舞民族舞蹈團》呈現創意融合的民族舞魅力；以及《Somm Jazz 頌爵爵士樂團》以輕鬆即興的爵士樂營造秋日下午的慵懶氛圍。此外，深受親子喜愛的《樂福哥哥》也將登場，帶來趣味的魔術氣球派對。

除首周焦點活動外，還有一系列藝術工作坊、戶外體驗及肢體探索課程，內容涵蓋葉拓創作、植物編織、兒童即興劇場、肢體開發等藝術創作及療癒體驗等，並有廣受好評的泡泡互動劇場與攀樹挑戰，讓大人與孩子一同親近自然、體驗藝術，最新活動資訊請至宜蘭演藝廳臉書粉絲專頁及文化局官網查詢。

title: 天涼好Chill!   跑馬古道公園藝起玩出慢生活

taiwan-subdivisions: 礁溪 宜蘭


title: 「森本集市：好書散步日」 宜蘭最大閱讀市集10/24羅東林場舉行

taiwan-subdivisions: 宜蘭 羅東

content_text:
記者蘇凱中/宜蘭報導

林業及自然保育署宜蘭分署羅東林業文化園區內的獨立書店「森本屋」，將於10月24日至25日舉辦「森本集市：好書散步日」活動，匯聚超過25間獨立書店與出版社，以及25組友善農業、特色飲食與地方青創品牌，總計超過60個團隊共襄盛舉，堪稱宜蘭地區規模最大的閱讀主題市集，活動期間將舉辦超過24場文化短講、3項闖關體驗，以及送出超過200項禮品的親子抽獎活動。

活動主辦團隊「旅人書店」表示，「森本集市：好書散步日」是宜蘭少見的全國性書店串聯行動，在文化部、林保署宜蘭分署及多家書店支持下，共有18間來自全國各地的獨立書店與出版社受邀參與，包括唐山書店、時報出版、現流冊店、時光二手書店等，皆為書迷熟悉且首次造訪宜蘭的品牌。此外，曾以「金萱」、「蘭陽明體」等字型創下群眾募資紀錄的「就是字 Justfont」，以及活躍於國內外藝術展覽的「好日文化」、「夢換工作室」等單位，也將以主題專區形式帶來限定文化互動體驗，讓活動內容更加多元豐富。

市集內容橫跨飲食、地方文化、手作設計、社會公益、地方創生與動物平權等主題，為羅東林場注入活潑多樣的文化氣息。活動期間除豐富攤位外，更安排12場台語繪本故事時間與12場文化主題短講，並設有兩項互動贈獎活動，鼓勵民眾參與交流。「書的小小知識家」闖關遊戲邀請孩童於書店攤位間尋找書籍知識線索，完成任務即可玩戳戳樂拿小禮物；而「集點轉扭蛋」活動則鼓勵民眾消費支持，只要達指定金額即可參加扭蛋抽獎，獎項由當日攤商提供的驚喜好禮組成。


title: BTL 的 EMSCULPT NEO 用於匈牙利太空人的國際太空任務訓練

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布拉格2025年10月22日 /美通社/ — BTL 是全球醫療科技領袖，很榮幸地宣佈旗艦裝置 EMSCULPT NEO 已於具歷史意義太空飛行前太空人準備中，擔當重要角色。這作為 BTL Hungary 與 HUNOR (Hungarian To Orbit) 計劃合作的成果，EMSCULPT NEO 獲納入匈牙利研究太空人 Tibor Kapu 的密集飛行前訓練計劃中，為他即將於國際太空站 (ISS) 的任務作準備。

EMSCULPT NEO 獲納入匈牙利研究太空人 Tibor Kapu 的密集飛行前訓練計劃中，為他即將於國際太空站 (ISS) 的任務作準備。「多個研究表示太空人在軌道上會流失高達 30% 肌肉質量，而實際情況視乎任務持續時間。EMSCULPT NEO 已成為身體調節與康復的重要部份，幫助我們盡量提升肌肉效能和恢復能力。」領導該太空人訓練團隊的匈牙利布達佩斯塞麥爾維斯大學心臟病專家兼運動醫學專家 Nóra Sydó 博士表示。

EMSCULPT NEO 是綜合調節方案的一部份，專為改善耐力、力量、平衡與恢復能力而設計。 「這項科技為我們帶來的成果超越傳統訓練。多個醫學測試顯示肌肉增大、身體組成改善，以及心肺功能增強。」 同時擔任匈牙利奧運泳隊兼多個國家級體育會隊醫的 Nóra Sydó 博士補充。

EMSCULPT NEO 是 BTL 研發，並已獲專利的肌肉刺激科技。這領先解決方案已獲數千家醫療機構使用，這些機構涵蓋多個專業，從醫學美容、功能醫學到專科醫療中心。

「這是個值得自豪的時刻。我們的使命是透過創新，改善病人生活。我們的科技在人類前往太空的路上提供支援，這進一步證明我們的裝置對社會帶來正面影響。」BTL Enterprise Group 行政總裁 Tomas Schwarz 評論。

雖然參與太空人訓練是個重要里程碑，但該裝置的好處豈止於此。「無論太空人、奧運冠軍，還是面臨肌肉流失的病人，EMSCULPT NEO 都可成為有效、安全兼非侵入性的補充解決方案，保持和增強肌肉功能。」 Nóra Sydó 博士總結，並強調在精英運動與日常病人護理中，這科技可能擔當的角色。

關於 BTL：

BTL 於 1993 年成立，現時是全球醫療器械領袖，提供皮膚科、整形外科、醫療水療、骨科、關節及脊椎護理、康復、牙科、基礎醫療和婦產科等領域的創新解決方案。BTL 擁有超過 200 項專利，並聘任超過 600 名內部工程師。該公司利用科技與科學，推動醫學治療發展。該公司產品組合包括 EMSCULPT NEO®、EMFACE®、EXION®、EXOMIND™、EMSELLA® 和其他等。

聯絡方法： Daniela Rickova[email protected]


people: 賴清德 習近平

title: US eyeing faster defense tech transfers

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POSSIBILITIES:  With increased defense spending next year, Taiwan could seek tech related to Lai’s proposed ‘T-Dome’ project, the head of a US business group said

The US government is expected to release new guidelines to help expedite transfers of defense technology to its partners, including Taiwan, the head of the US-Taiwan Business Council said on Tuesday.

The revisions to defense and state department guidelines seek to expedite “consideration and then releasability” of defense tech products, Rupert Hammond-Chambers said, without elaborating, at the annual US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in Ellicott City, Maryland.

Defense manufacturers delivering their orders on time is an issue stressed by Taiwanese and US representatives at the three-day conference, which began on Sunday, Hammond-Chambers told reporters.

US-Taiwan Business Council president Rupert Hammond-Chambers poses for a photograph at the US Defense Industry Conference in Ellicott City, Maryland, on Tuesday. Photo: CNA

However, the codevelopment and coproduction of weapons — which some lawmakers, including US Senator Roger Wicker, have voiced support for — would not provide a quick solution to delayed arms sales, he said.

“If you need things quickly, the logical thing to do is buy something off the shelf. If you have time, then you can ask for a tech transfer” to take that technology and adapt it for your purposes, he said.

Hammond-Chambers also previewed what arms purchases Taiwan could make under its defense budget for next year, as well as a special defense budget of up to NT$1 trillion (US$32.54 billion) that is expected to be announced next month.

Taiwan would likely seek technology related to the “T-Dome” — a multilayered air defense system President William Lai (賴清德) proposed earlier this month — as well as asymmetric warfare capabilities, he said.

Given the volume of spending available, Taiwan “will also have opportunities to address gray zone and blockade” concerns, and acquire more traditional platforms, such as mobile artillery and helicopters, he said.

On the political front, Hammond-Chambers downplayed the possibility of a US policy change if US President Donald Trump meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).

Beijing has reportedly been pushing the US to change its official policy to state that it “opposes” Taiwanese independence, rather than merely “not supporting” it.

On such topics, the US and China tend to “talk past each other,” with each side stating its demands, before moving onto issues that they might make some headway on, such as tariffs and a trade deal, Hammond-Chambers said.


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STRICT:  African swine fever cannot pass from animals to humans, Lai said, adding that the government is employing the most stringent disease-prevention standards

The Ministry of Agriculture yesterday issued a five-day nationwide ban on transporting and slaughtering pigs after African swine fever was confirmed at a hog farm in Taichung’s Wuci District (梧棲) on Tuesday evening.

The detection means Taiwan has lost its status as the only Asian country free of classical swine fever (CSF), African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease.

Authorities pre-emptively culled 195 pigs at the farm at about 3am, disinfected the entire site to prevent the disease from spreading and set up a 3km-radius control zone restricting movement around the affected area, the ministry told a news conference.

It said it is monitoring the health of all pigs in the area and investigating the source of the infection.

The ministry reviewed transport routes and all 33 farms associated with the suspected farm and found no abnormalities, it said.

An emergency response center was yesterday set up on-site in Taichung, Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) said.

Starting from noon, transporting and slaughtering pigs are suspended nationwide for at least five days, pending changes, while feeding pigs with kitchen waste is also prohibited, Chen said, adding that Taiwan would temporarily halt the export of pork products.

All meat markets and vehicles used to transport hogs would be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, he said.

Pigs that were transported before the suspension would still be allowed to enter meat markets and slaughterhouses, but cannot leave, Chen added.

President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday wrote on Facebook that he has asked the Executive Yuan to apply the strictest standards in implementing government disease-prevention measures.

People do not need to panic, as African swine fever cannot be transmitted from animals to humans, he added.

The Central Emergency Operations Center for African Swine Fever said the virus takes a long time to completely disappear.

Not only is it highly contagious, but it can survive for about 100 days in refrigerated pork, up to 1,000 days in frozen pork and one month inside pigpens, the center said.

Taiwan in May became the first country in Asia to be officially free of CSF, African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease when the World Organisation for Animal Health certified its CSF-free status.

African swine fever has stricken many countries globally and swept across Asia since 2018, but Taiwan had effectively blocked the virus at its borders and was declared free of African swine fever in October last year.

Pork is a staple in Taiwanese cuisine, while the pork industry is a central part of the nation’s agricultural industry. Over the years, Taiwan has implemented stringent control measures to safeguard its pork industry, which generates about NT$70 billion (US$2.3 billion) annually.

Additional reporting by Esme Yeh and CNA

title: African swine fever detected in Taichung


title: Shin Kong to give up Taipei land rights

taiwan-subdivisions: 北投 內湖

content_text:
CONCESSION: A Shin Kong official said that the firm was ‘willing to contribute’ to the nation, as the move would enable Nvidia Crop to build its headquarters in Taiwan

Shin Kong Life Insurance Co (新光人壽) yesterday said it would relinquish land-use rights, or known as surface rights, for two plots in Taipei’s Beitou District (北投), paving the way for Nvidia Corp to expand its office footprint in Taiwan.

The insurer said it made the decision “in the interest of the nation’s greater good” and would not seek compensation from taxpayers for potential future losses, calling the move a gesture to resolve a months-long impasse among the insurer, the Taipei City Government and the US chip giant.

“The decision was made on the condition that the Taipei City Government reimburses the related costs we have already paid,” Shin Kong Life chairman Mark Wei (魏寶生) told a news conference.

Shin Kong Life Insurance Co chairman Mark Wei, center, speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times

“We hope this move will help break the deadlock and keep Nvidia firmly rooted here, as it is crucial to Taiwan’s industrial development,” Wei said.

Nvidia approached Shin Kong Life — the owner of its office in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖) — last year, seeking to take over the Beitou land-use rights to accommodate its growing operations in Taiwan, where its major partners, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), are based.

Shin Kong Life, which obtained the rights in 2021, signed a memorandum of understanding with Nvidia in May this year, under which the chipmaker would assume the rights and reimburse the insurer for its expenses.

That agreement lapsed earlier this month after landowner Taipei City Government rejected the proposed transfer, citing legal restrictions intended to prevent undue profit.

City officials instead asked the insurer to submit a compensation request for terminating the land-use contract.

Wei declined to disclose figures, saying only that if the concession could help secure a stronger industrial future for Taiwan, the company was “willing to contribute.”

The insurer’s decision marked a sharp turn from its previous stance that the land could generate billions of New Taiwan dollars in rental income and that shareholder interests should be its main priority.

Shin Kong Life had also proposed constructing the office complex on Nvidia’s behalf, but the US company turned down the offer.

The integration of Shin Kong Life’s operations into TS Financial Holding Co (台新新光金控) — the new entity created following the merger of Shin Kong Financial Holding Co (新光金控) and Taishin Financial Holding Co (台新金控) — had given city officials reason to withhold approval and restart discussions over the plots.

Wei said the insurer informed the city government and financial regulators before making the announcement public.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday said he appreciated Shin Kong Life’s cooperation, calling it “an encouraging step” toward Nvidia’s expansion in the capital.

The city government would brief the US chipmaker on the latest progress, Chiang said.

Deputy Taipei Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan (李四川) said both sides would “sit down and negotiate” the reimbursement figure, adding that the exact cost of design and preparatory work would need further confirmation.

Earlier yesterday, Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said the ministry was assisting Nvidia in scouting a site in Taiwan to build its office complex.

The ministry is planning to provide more than 10 sites to Nvidia by Nov. 23, Kung said.

Even if some of the sites fail to meet one or two of the company’s requirements, they would still be offered as references, he added.

Additional reporting by Meryl Kao


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The military is to consider medical records and body mass index (BMI) in addition to a traditional physical examination when determining if a man of conscription age is eligible for an exemption from military service, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday.

Ministry officials said they would toughen the criteria for conscription exemptions after several entertainers on Tuesday confessed to tampering with the results of their physicals to avoid service.

The New Taipei City Police Department early yesterday arrested Hsieh Kun-da (謝坤達), a member of Taiwanese boy band Energy, after he landed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

Hsieh Kun-da, a member of Taiwanese boy band Energy, leaves the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office after being questioned and released on bail for allegedly dodging military service by falsifying medical records. Photo: CNA

Hsieh reportedly avoided military service by falsifying medical records.

Three of the five members of Energy received exemptions from conscription based on their physical status.

The interior ministry has been working with the Ministry of National Defense since May to change the physical exam, after finding that 16 percent of men of conscription age in 2023 were exempted from mandatory military service, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) told reporters before attending a meeting of the legislature’s Internal Administration Committee.

The exemptions included those who were overweight or reported having cardiovascular diseases, mental illnesses or other health issues, Liu said.

“After comparing records in the National Health Insurance [NHI] database, we think it is highly unlikely that Taiwan has such a high percentage of men who can be exempt from conscription. Some of them might have forged medical documents,” she said.

The two ministries would also change the procedures and the criteria of conscription physical exams by consulting those used in other Asian countries, she added.

Physical exams for conscripts should be thoroughly executed, and results compared with their medical records in the NHI database to determine if they meet the requirements for exemption, she said.

Department of Conscription Administration Director Sheng Che-fang (沈哲芳) told legislators at the committee meeting that under the new system conscripts could be exempt from conscription with a BMI of 45.

“The new policy, once implemented, would make it almost impossible to dodge the draft by gaining weight,” Sheng said.

The index is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters. A survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare found that the average height of 18-year-old males from 2017 to 2020 was 1.721m. To reach a BMI of 45 or greater, a man would have to weigh at least 133.3kg.

Previously, people would be automatically exempted from military service if they had hypertension or hypotension, but under the new system, those who claim to have blood pressure abnormalities would be subject to an in-hospital checkup and would only be exempted from conscription if their blood pressure issues are determined to lead to cardiovascular diseases, Sheng said.

Meanwhile, the ministry is also consulting medical professionals about the possibility of setting the BMI range for eligible conscripts to at 15 to 45, he said.

Additionally, men of conscription age who report having minor flat feet could be asked to serve alternative military service instead, he said.

Currently, men of conscription age would not be drafted if they have BMI greater than 35 or smaller than 15, or flat fleet with an arch angle of 165°.

Liu said that prosecutors have targeted doctors who produced falsified medical records for conscripts, without providing further details.

Exposed draft dodgers would be required to fulfill their military service if they are younger than 36, Liu said, adding that the ministry would find ways to handle those older than 36.

The legislature plans to propose amendments to the Enforcement Statute for Substitute Services (替代役實施條例) and other regulations to address issues with the draft dodgers, she said, adding that it would consult defense and health officials and the Ministry of Justice to ensure that penalties for draft dodgers are consistent.

Draft dodgers currently face up to six months in prison, but that sentence might be light considering mandatory military service has been extended to one year from four months, Liu said.

title: Military to tighten rules after draft dodging controversy


title: Major Russian attack on Ukraine kills at least six

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A large-scale Russian drone and missile attack across Ukraine killed at least six people, including a woman and her two young daughters, officials said yesterday, as US-led efforts to end the war floundered and Ukraine’s president sought more foreign military help.

Repeated waves of missiles and drones throughout the night targeted at least eight Ukrainian cities, as well as a village in the Kyiv region where a strike set fire to a house in which the mother and her six-month and 12-year-old daughters were staying, Kyiv Oblast Governor Mykola Kalashnyk said.

At least 25 people, including five children, were injured in Kyiv alone, authorities said.

People and emergency service personnel gather around a kindergarten in Kharkiv, Ukraine, yesterday, after it was hit by Russian drones. Photo: Ukrainian State Emergency Service via AP

Russian drones also hit a kindergarten in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, during the day yesterday when children were in the building, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

One person was killed and six were injured, but no children were physically harmed, he said.

Even so, many of the children were in shock after being rescued from the building by emergency crews, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

Russia fired 405 strike and decoy drones and 28 missiles at Ukraine, mainly targeting Kyiv, Ukraine’s air force said.

US President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war that started with Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor more than three years ago have failed to gain traction.

He has repeatedly expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to budge from his conditions for a settlement after Ukraine offered a ceasefire and direct peace talks.

Trump on Tuesday said that his plan for a swift meeting with Putin was on hold because he did not want it to be a “waste of time.”

Zelenskiy yesterday said that Trump’s proposal to freeze the conflict where it stands on the front line “was a good compromise” — a step that could pave the way for negotiations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the planned summit requires careful preparation, suggesting that laying the groundwork could be protracted.

“No one wants to waste time: neither President Trump nor President Putin,” he said. “These are the two presidents who are accustomed to working efficiently with high productivity.”

Zelenskiy urged the EU, the US and G7 nations to heap more pressure on Russia and force it to the negotiating table.

Pressure can be applied on Moscow “only through sanctions, long-range [missile] capabilities and coordinated diplomacy among all our partners,” he said.


content_text:
North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles ahead of Trump’s Asia trip

North Korea yesterday fired what appeared to be multiple short-range ballistic missiles, South Korea’s military said, a week before a key Asia-Pacific leaders’ meeting in South Korea.

It was the first launch of ballistic missiles since May by Pyongyang, which has defied a UN Security Council ban on the weapons.

It was also the first such launch since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung was elected, with a platform of engagement with North Korea.

People at a railway station in Seoul yesterday sit in front of a TV broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing short-range ballistic missiles. Photo: Reuters

Lee and US President Donald Trump are expected to meet in South Korea next week at an APEC summit. Trump is also expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).

South Korea detected several projectiles believed to be short-range ballistic missiles fired from an area near North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, in a northeasterly direction early yesterday, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

Lee and Trump have discussed the idea of trying to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un when the US president visits the South, but Pyongyang has not publicly responded to the idea.

US officials considered, but never confirmed, a trip to the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, a person familiar with the discussions said.

South Korea has suspended tours of the Joint Security Area at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom until early next month, but has not confirmed any plans for a meeting with Kim.

Trump and Kim held three summits during Trump’s 2017 to 2021 term and exchanged a number of letters that Trump called “beautiful,” before the unprecedented diplomatic effort broke down over US demands that Kim give up his nuclear weapons.

Kim last month expressed “fond memories” of Trump, saying there was no reason to avoid talks with the US if Washington stopped insisting his country give up nuclear weapons, but he would never abandon the nuclear arsenal to end sanctions.

“It is not at all inconceivable that Donald Trump could here in Washington, D.C., say: ‘Denuclearization, that’s our goal, that’s our policy’ and then go up to Panmunjom and say: ‘Oh, you know, Kim Jong-un is a nuclear power,’” Center for Strategic and International Studies Korea chair Victor Cha said.

“Even if it’s a short meeting, in the broader scheme of things, with all that the United States has to deal with these days, it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing,” he said.


content_text:
TRUMP AT APEC: The government is monitoring the developments and has contingencies in place ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea, Lin Chia-lung said

The US has given Taiwan assurances that its interests would not be harmed when US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) meet next week, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday.

“The US side has repeatedly told us that it remains steadfast in its support for Taiwan and that its exchanges with China will not harm Taiwan’s interests,” Lin told lawmakers at a meeting at the legislature in Taipei.

He did not disclose which US government units or officials had given the assurance, nor did he offer any further details after lawmakers asked whether he was worried that Taiwan could be used as a bargaining chip in the meeting between the leaders of the world’s two superpowers.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung speaks at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Wang Yi-song, Taipei Times

The US has the Taiwan Relations Act, according to which it makes available defense items and services to help Taiwan maintain its self-defense capability, Lin said.

The government is closely monitoring the latest developments and has all contingencies in place ahead of the meeting between Trump and Xi on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea next week, he said.

On Sunday, Trump told reporters that “rare earths, fentanyl, soybeans and Taiwan” are some of the divisive topics that would be discussed when he meets with Xi.

Asked on Monday by a reporter whether the US might adjust its position on Taiwanese independence to reach a trade deal with China, Trump said: “We’re going to be talking about a lot of things. I assume that [Taiwan] will be one of them, but I’m not going to talk about it now.”

Meanwhile, a delegation headed by presidential adviser Lin Hsin-i (林信義) is to attend the APEC summit, where it would highlight Taiwan’s expertise and experience in artificial intelligence, one of the themes of the summit, the foreign minister said.

The delegation would also make a presentation related to Taiwan’s low birthrate, he said.

In addition, the government is arranging bilateral and multilateral meetings with representatives of APEC member states on issues of mutual interest, Lin Chia-lung said.

The delegation would have “natural exchanges” on the sidelines of the summit with US representatives, including those in charge of bilateral tariff negotiations, he said.

people: 習近平 林信義 林佳龍

title: US has assured Taiwan over Xi meeting: minister


people: 林佳龍 賴清德

title: Taiwan, Tennessee ink trade MOU

content_text:
BILL LEE VISIT: The US state also announced plans to build a foreign direct investment office in Taiwan to better understand the needs of firms eyeing US moves

Taiwan and Tennessee have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on economic and trade cooperation that would further the bilateral partnership in areas from electric cars to renewable energy, the Presidential Office said yesterday.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who was in Taiwan on Monday and Tuesday, also announced plans to set up a foreign direct investment office in Taiwan to better understand the needs of Taiwanese businesses seeking to invest in the US, the office said in a statement.

President William Lai (賴清德) on Tuesday afternoon met with Lee and his delegation at the Presidential Office in Taipei a day after Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) welcomed the delegation.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, left, and President William Lai speak at the Presidential Office in Taipei on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office

Tennessee formally recognizes Taiwan’s importance as a strategic partner to the international community, Lee told the president.

It is known worldwide that Taiwan is an indispensable partner to the US, and that its economy and industry have shown positive growth with great potential for cooperation, he said.

Taiwan has long proven itself a reliable partner to the US, and views Tennessee as an important global hub, having already built artificial intelligence server manufacturing facilities in the state, which are expanding operations, Lai said.

Lai thanked Lee for his long-standing support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, having signed resolutions in support of Taiwan for five consecutive years.

The MOU would enable the two sides to boost cooperation in fields including high-tech sectors, electric vehicles, renewable energy, innovation, and research and development, not only expanding industry, but further solidifying Taiwan-US relations, he said.

Taiwan is Tennessee’s 18th-largest export market and seventh-largest source of imports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Lee and his delegation are in Asia to visit Taiwan, South Korea and Japan on a “strategic international recruiting trip,” the Tennessee State Government said in a statement.

The state operates five foreign direct investment offices across Europe and Asia, it said.

Tennessee’s first such office in Taiwan would mark the state’s sixth international office, it said.

Twenty-four US states and territories have representative offices in Taiwan.

Additional reporting by CNA


title: China to celebrate 80th  anniversary of ‘retrocession’

content_text:
China is to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s “retrocession” to Chinese rule, Beijing said yesterday, while sources told Reuters that the event was scheduled for this weekend in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.

Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) on Thursday last week said that the government prohibits civil servants from joining activities organized by Beijing celebrating the so-called “retrocession” of Taiwan.

The MAC also urges officials, teachers and people in the private sector to observe regulations governing cross-strait ties by not attending Chinese “united front” activities, he said.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian speaks at a news conference in Beijing yesterday. Photo: CNA

China and Taiwan use the term “retrocession” to refer to Taiwan’s 1945 handover by Japan, which colonized Taiwan in 1895, to the Republic of China (ROC) government, a transfer whose anniversary falls on Saturday.

“Taiwan’s retrocession stands as a significant achievement of the victory in the war of resistance,” Zhu Fenglian (朱鳳蓮), a spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, told reporters in Beijing yesterday, referring to World War II.

“It was a great triumph forged through the relentless and bloody struggles of all Chinese people, including our compatriots in Taiwan, and deserves to be commemorated jointly by compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait,” Zhu said.

China would hold an anniversary celebration and invite people from Taiwan to attend, she added, but did not state a date or say which Chinese leaders would attend.

Taiwan and China have repeatedly clashed this year over their differing interpretations of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Taiwan says it was the ROC that fought the war, not the People’s Republic of China (PRC), founded by Mao Zedong’s (毛澤東) Chinese Communist Party in 1949 after it won the Chinese Civil War.

Three diplomatic sources told Reuters that China had sent invitations for the event, scheduled for Saturday in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, but it lacked details of who would address the meeting.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity as the matter is a sensitive one.

Taipei says that Taiwan was handed to the ROC, not the PRC, which did not exist at the time.

Beijing says that as the successor state to the ROC, it has a right to claim Taiwan as its own territory.

Taiwan says that is nonsense as the ROC still exists.

At the last such anniversary event in 2015, Yu Zhengsheng (俞正聲), at the time China’s fourth-ranked leader, gave a speech and foreign representatives also attended.

As the MAC last week said Beijing was trying to distort history for its own ends, Zhu in return said that Taiwan was trying to “distort and deny the historical facts” of World War II, and “intimidate and suppress” Taiwanese from attending related Chinese events.

China held a massive military parade for last month’s anniversary of the end of World War II.


title: Huang denies in-laws funded media team

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Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday denied that his in-laws had funded a publicity company, which has been accused of surveilling political opponents.

Huang said that he has filed two lawsuits against Mirror Media and its reporters, saying that it had published false reports about him and Kai Ssu International, which has been accused of unlawfully following and photographing politicians and government officials.

Chinese-language media have reported that Kai Ssu’s financial backers include former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator Chen Chien-ping (陳建平) and Huang An-chieh (黃安捷), the owner of a technology firm, as well as Heng Ho Construction Co, a firm owned by Huang Kuo-chang’s father-in-law, Kao Hsi-chih (高熙治).

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

Huang Kuo-chang did not elaborate on the details of his lawsuits, saying only that Mirror Media was attempting to smear his reputation.

Chen and Accton Technology founder Huang An-chieh in 2021 each gave about NT$10 million (US$325,404) to Kai Ssu, Mirror Media reported.

Kuan Chih-yu (關智宇), the general manager of True Number Survey Research, a polling firm affiliated with the TPP, “invested” about NT$1 million in Kai Ssu, while another financial backer was Huang Kuo-chang’s sister-in-law Kao Hui (高翬), who is an executive at Heng Ho Construction, Mirror Media reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Funding for two surveillance teams to follow targets around the clock would cost at least NT$80 million per year, it reported, citing experts and media insiders.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Yi-chuan (王義川), who was allegedly tracked and photographed by a surveillance team, earlier this month filed a judicial complaint against Huang Kuo-chang and asked prosecutors to determine whether such activity contravened the National Security Act (國家安全法) or the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法).

Since then, other politicians and media figures also sought investigations after more photos, allegedly taken by surveillance teams, surfaced of National Security Council personnel affiliated with the Presidential Office, police officials, top officials in the Control Yuan and the Examination Yuan, DPP lawmakers, ministers and other top government officials.

Meanwhile, people who purchased residential units built by Heng Ho Construction told reporters that they had financial disputes with the firm.

The buyers alleged that building codes had been contravened by the construction company, including over the use of inferior or flammable material, as well as structures blocking fire escapes, reports said.

The buyers refused to move in, prompting Heng Ho Construction to threaten to retain a NT$4 million deposit, leading to litigation, reports said.


title: Taiwan to launch ‘drone diplomacy’ initiative to aid allies

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Taiwan will engage in “drone diplomacy” by supplying drones to its diplomatic allies for civilian uses and like-minded European countries facing Russian military threats, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official said at a forum Wednesday.

Speaking at the EU-Taiwan Drones Technology & Export forum, Charlie Chiang (江振瑋), head of MOFA’s Department of NGO International Affairs, noted that the development of Taiwan’s drone industry trails that of the information and communications technology and artificial intelligence sectors.

He attributed this to insufficient production volume, which will be solved by the government’s plan to procure nearly 50,000 military drones from local manufacturers by 2027 and increasing drone exports.

A Taiwan-made drone hovers inside the Asia UAV Al Innovation Application R&D Center in Chiayi on Dec. 25, 2024. Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA-EFE

To that end, Chiang said, MOFA plans to establish a “drone diplomacy task force,” which will carry out its work in two phases.

The first phase will focus on supplying Taiwan’s diplomatic allies through drone donations to be used in agriculture, logistics, disaster prevention, coast guard, health care and infrastructure surveillance, he said.

The second phase will target like-minded international partners in the Asia-Pacific region such as Japan and the Philippines, Chiang said, adding that supply will include unmanned surface vessels, drones and underwater drones.

In addition, Taiwan will supply Central and Eastern European countries threatened by Russia, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany.

“This demand will focus on military use, especially for the land and battlefield under the threat of Russia,” he said.

“As the Russian-Ukrainian war continues, neighboring countries have been harassed by Russian drones and are looking to build an air defense network,” Chiang told CNA on the sidelines of the forum.

The task force will note the needs of its international partners and relay them to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), the competent authority for the drone industry, which will then initiate a matchmaking process between local suppliers and foreign buyers, he said.

Asked when the two phases will begin, Chiang said no timelines has been determined, but MOFA is set to discuss the issue with MOEA at a ministerial meeting next week.


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REASSURANCES: Supermarkets said that all local pork sold is sourced from slaughterhouses that comply with disease-control and food safety regulations

Major retailers and hypermarkets yesterday moved quickly to reassure consumers about the safety of pork and supply stability after authorities reported the nation’s first case of African swine fever (ASF).

Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) announced the case at a news conference yesterday, saying that 195 pigs had been culled after samples from dead animals on a farm in Taichung’s Wuci District (梧棲) tested positive for ASF.

The farm was known to use kitchen waste for feed, he said, adding that an investigation is under way to determine how the virus entered the premises.

An inspector looks at refrigerated pork in a supermarket in Taichung in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Taichung City Government

To contain a potential outbreak, the Ministry of Agriculture launched several emergency measures, and a response command post has been set up in Taichung, with nationwide farm inspections under way.

Leading supermarket chains — including PX Mart, Carrefour and A-mart — emphasized that all pork sold in their stores is sourced from certified local farms and slaughterhouses that comply with government disease-control and food safety regulations.

They also vowed to maintain stable supplies of pork throughout the government’s order to halt slaughtering for five days.

A-mart said its pork primarily comes from Taiwan Sugar Corp and registered farms in Pingtung County, all of which meet animal health and inspection standards.

The retailer pledged to maintain sufficient stock in its stores and monitor official updates to adjust sourcing as needed.

PX Mart said all pork sold in its stores comes from contract farms and certified slaughterhouses with full traceability and veterinary supervision during the slaughter process.

In a similar statement, Carrefour said its chilled and frozen Taiwanese pork products are sourced from traceable partner farms under strict health monitoring.

The company added that it regularly audits qualified slaughterhouses and would continue to ensure a steady supply of pork while adhering to food safety regulations.

Meanwhile, health experts reassured the public that ASF does not pose a risk to human health and cannot be transmitted from pigs to people.

They advised consumers to buy only certified pork and ensure it is thoroughly cooked.

Yen Tzung-hai (顏宗海), director of the Clinical Toxicology Center at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, said that ASF affects only pigs and wild boars, not humans.

While the disease is not zoonotic, it can cause mass pig deaths in a short period and severe economic losses, he said.

Yen added that pork should always be cooked thoroughly to prevent other illnesses.

title: Local pork is safe to eat, retailers say


title: Roadside saliva tests to begin by end of the year

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TRAFFIC SAFETY RULES: A positive result in a drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to authorize police to conduct roadside saliva tests by the end of the year to deter people from driving while under the influence of narcotics, it said yesterday.

The ministry last month unveiled a draft of amended regulations governing traffic safety rules and penalties, which included provisions empowering police to conduct mandatory saliva tests on drivers.

While currently rules authorize police to use oral fluid testing kits for signs of drug use, they do not establish penalties for noncompliance or operating procedures for officers to follow, the ministry said.

Police officers pull over vehicles to conduct random inspections of those driving under the influence at a checkpoint in Kaohsiung on May 13. Photo: Huang Liang-chieh, Taipei Times

The proposed changes to the regulations require police to video the test, which should be performed at the side of the road, it said.

Officers would be able to demand that drivers present themselves at a law enforcement facility to undergo saliva tests if circumstances do not permit tests to be performed at the side of the road, it added.

Police must immediately inform the driver of their test results and obtain their signature, the ministry said.

A positive result in a saliva drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and their vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000 (US$5,857), it said.

The government would confiscate the vehicle of a driver who caused a severe injury or death while driving under the influence of drugs, the ministry said.

A car or motorbike driver who refused a second saliva test within 10 years would be fined up to NT$360,000, while those who refused a third time would be fined another NT$180,000 and lose their license, it said.

The ministry would publish the name and photograph of those who lost their license by refusing to take saliva tests and rescind the license plate of their vehicle for two years, it added.

Drivers of low-speed vehicles — a legal category that includes bicycles, electric bicycles and light electric scooters — must comply with saliva tests or face a NT$4,800 fine, the ministry said.

Light electric scooters could be temporarily confiscated if a driver refuses to comply with the test, it said.

Meanwhile, the ministry on Tuesday said that drivers who commit certain traffic violations more than three times in one year would be required to attend a three-hour class to improve their driving safety awareness starting in March next year.

In a Facebook post, the ministry said the violations include running red lights, failing to observe right of way at intersections with no signals, and not slowing down as required when passing crosswalks, hospitals or schools.

Professional drivers of large commercial vehicles would be required to take the class after two offenses within a year, it said.

The mandate is part of a slew of new traffic regulations to be gradually rolled out next year with the aim of reducing the number of deaths on the road by 7 percent each year, according to a statement by the ministry on Oct. 1.

These include eliminating the true/false questions from the driver’s license test, testing yielding responses in road tests, holding classes for repeat offenders caught driving without a license under the age of 18 and imposing stricter rules for elderly drivers, who would have to renew their driving license at age 70 instead of 75.


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Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) yesterday accused a tobacco company of deliberately breaking the law by failing to label nicotine content on heated tobacco products, and urged authorities to step up enforcement after the items were ordered pulled from shelves last week.

Many have asked why the tobacco company would prefer “being fined NT$5 million (US$162,702) rather than labeling the nicotine content and complying with the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act (菸害防制法),” Lin Ching-li (林清麗), director of the Tobacco Control Division at the John Tung Foundation, said at a news conference in Taipei.

Lin and representatives from 12 other NGOs at the news conference urged tougher enforcement after the Health Promotion Administration ordered eight types of heated tobacco products — all from the same company — pulled from shelves on Friday last week, their first day on sale.

The Alliance for Banning Cigarettes Taiwan holds a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

The eight products were Taiwan’s first legally approved heated tobacco products to reach the market, but were quickly pulled from shelves after inspectors found the packaging did not list nicotine content as required by law.

Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) on Saturday said that the company had submitted samples for review and “the samples were labeled with nicotine content.”

Shih also said authorities are investigating where the process failed, why the products differed from the submitted samples and that fines would be imposed once responsibility is established.

Guo Fei-ran (郭斐然), an attending physician in the Department of Family Medicine at National Taiwan University Hospital, cited a paper last year in the online academic journal Toxics, which examined heated tobacco products sold in nine nations and found that they contained an average of 4.7mg of nicotine per stick.

“That exceeds Taiwan’s legal limit of 1.0mg [per stick],” Guo said, adding that a document published by the tobacco company involved in the case indicated that its heated tobacco products contain 18mg to 20mg of nicotine per gram of tobacco, equivalent to approximately 4.3mg to 6mg per stick.

Describing it as an “unspeakable secret,” Lin said that if the tobacco company complied with the law by labeling nicotine content on heated tobacco, it might not be able to sell its products in Taiwan as they exceed the legal limit.

“Multinational tobacco companies generate about NT$180 billion a year in Taiwan’s tobacco market, so they have money and power,” she said, adding that such resources can “make things go their way,” and making a NT$5 million fine negligible by comparison.

Following their removal from the shelves, some of the heated tobacco products were sent for testing to determine whether their nicotine content meet the stipulated standards.

title: Tobacco company broke law: NGOs


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Domestic flight operators confirmed that they have submitted applications to raise ticket prices as they have not been changed for 26 years.

The nation’s two domestic flight carriers — Uni Air (立榮航空) and Mandarin Airlines (華信航空) — urged the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) to consider their requests to raise ticket prices at a seminar on aviation safety management system in Taipei yesterday.

The aviation authority calculates upper and lower limits of airfares for domestic flights based on 14 cost items submitted by domestic carriers.

A Uni Air plane takes off from Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) in an undated photograph. Photo: Wu Liang-yi, Taipei Times

Since 2014, the agency has also allowed airlines to flexibly adjust airfares based on changes in the fuel surcharge, which is one of the 14 items.

Uni Air vice president Chen Yong-yu (陳永裕) said that the domestic airfare adjustment mechanism has not been updated for 26 years.

Although ticket prices can be adjusted based on the fuel surcharge, the other 13 cost items remain at their 26-year-old values, Chen said.

With rising labor and maintenance costs, airlines have been trying to optimize efficiency and cut costs, but they still hope that ticket prices can adequately reflect expenses, Chen said.

Mandarin Airlines general manager Chuang Ming-che (莊明哲) said that it has acquired nine new aircraft to replace older ones, while Uni Air has purchased 19.

Airfares would inevitably increase as both carriers have incurred high costs after upgrading aircraft and paying higher salaries to employees, Chuang said, adding that airlines need sufficient revenue to invest in new aircraft to ensure continued safety improvements.

Chuang said that while they do not want passengers to bear an excessive burden, a reasonable fare increase is necessary to maintain a positive cycle.

He added that there are more than a dozen items affecting ticket prices and the CAA is reviewing which cost components have increased.

The CAA said that it would comprehensively evaluate the airlines’ requests, taking into account operating costs, transportation needs to outlying islands and the interests of residents of the islands.

title: Airlines apply to raise domestic ticket prices


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The Central Emergency Operations Center (CEOC) yesterday announced that the flood red alert for the Mataian River (馬鞍溪) barrier lake in Hualien County, which formed in July, had been lifted.

CEOC chief coordinator Chi Lien-cheng (季連成) told a news conference that the criteria for lifting the alert had been met, as the lake’s water level is stable, dredging operations in the river are ongoing, a temporary embankment had been strengthened, and evacuation plans had been drafted and drills conducted.

Recovery for the towns affected by the severe flooding following the overflow and collapse of the barrier lake on Sept. 23 could take three to five years, he said.

Central Emergency Operations Center chief coordinator Chi Lien-cheng speaks at a news conference in Hualien County yesterday. Photo: CNA

As for the new barrier lake that formed on the same creek on Tuesday, it overflowed at about 8:30pm on Tuesday, immersing the temporary bridge to Guangfu Township (光復) before 10pm, the CEOC said.

The bridge was built along Provincial Highway No. 9 and opened on Oct. 10 to restore access to Guangfu Township, after it was cut off when flood water destroyed Mataian River Bridge.

The 2m culvert remained intact, but silt and branches covered the road, the Highway Bureau’s Eastern Region Branch Office said.

A total of 97 residents from the downstream Atomo community in Dongfu Village (東富) were evacuated by 7pm on Tuesday, the Guangfu Township Office said.

Although the 97 evacuees were relocated to either a township shelter or stayed with relatives, five other residents chose to move to the upper floor of their homes, the office said.

As of about 10:45pm on Tuesday, the water had receded below the bridge, the center said, adding that downstream overflows were stable yesterday with no immediate risks of the barrier lake collapsing.

Two-way traffic was reopened on the bypass bridge yesterday afternoon with a speed limit of 30kph and trucks are not allowed on the bridge.

The Hualien County Government said that the new lake formed earlier on Tuesday and was expected to overflow within 24 hours.

It has a capacity of about 600,000 tonnes of water, far smaller than the main Mataian River barrier lake about 1km upstream that overflowed and collapsed last month, causing 19 fatalities.

Additional reporting by Wang Chin-yi

title: Hualien County barrier lake flood red alert lifted


title: Cessation of Bayer drug imports ‘not significant’: official

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The cessation of Aspirin and Glucobay imports to Taiwan by Bayer AG should not significantly affect Taiwan, as they are only used by two to four medical centers, while there are between 23 and 33 alternative generic drugs in the nation, the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) said yesterday.

Bayer’s decision was global and did not specifically target Taiwan, NHIA Medical Review and Drug Ingredients Division Director-General Huang Yu-wen (黃育文) said.

It was not a decision related to National Health Insurance (NHI) pricing or claims of drug shortages, Huang said.

The National Health Insurance logo is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times

Taiwan has seen about 47 drugs exit the market due to costs and logistics overheads, with Bayer earlier this month announcing that it would cease imports of foreign-manufactured Aspirin and Glucobay, and would implement stricter control on existing inventory.

The company said the decision to halt imports had nothing to do with the safety or quality of the drugs, and was a purely financial decision.

Huang said there is still inventory of 100mg enteric-coated Aspirin tablets and 50mg and 100mg Glucobay tablets nationwide, and the supply of the drugs was stable.

Aspirin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug that has been sold on the market since 1899 and is used primarily as a painkiller, to reduce inflammation and as an antithrombotic. Glubobay is used to control blood sugar as a treatment for diabetes.

Sources in the pharmaceutical sector said that Bayer drugs are priced at NT$2 per pill under the NHI program, and they are also subject to tax and logistics costs, making it hard to compete with local generic drugs.

Aspirin and Glucobay do not have high market share in Taiwan, with Aspirin at 3.5 percent last year, according to NHIA statistics.

Only four medical center-level hospitals in the nation prescribed Aspirin, while only two prescribed 50mg Glucobay tablets and four prescribed 100mg Glucobay tablets last year, Huang said.

The Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例), which passed this year, provided the NHIA with NT$20 billion (US$650.8 million) of funding to cover increased costs and manufacturing overheads, Huang said.

The NHIA would continue efforts to stabilize drug provision, ensure that clinical needs for drugs are met and uphold the public’s right to medicine, Huang added.


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TRC launches painted train to mark sixth anniversary of Bataden friendshipBy Huang Cheng-chia and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) yesterday launched a painted train bearing scenes from Japan’s Shimane Prefecture to mark the sixth anniversary of the company’s friendship with Ichibata Electric Railway (Bataden), which hails from that region.

The special train — the first of several to be operated to celebrate the cooperation between the two railway companies — is to operate until Oct. 21 next year, TRC said at a ceremony at Shulin Railway Station (樹林) in New Taipei City.

The engine of the one-carriage passenger train is a DR1000 diesel-electric unit, which would serve on the Pingsi (平溪) and Shenao (深澳) lines, TRC said.

A train carriage painted with iconic scenic locations of Japan’s Shimane Prefecture and the Taiwan Railway Corp and Ichibata Electric Railway mascots, as well as a Formosan bear black bear representing Taiwan and Shimanekko, Shimane Prefecture’s official mascot, is pictured at Shulin Railway Station in New Taipei City yesterday. Photo: CNA

The graphic artist whose work is featured on the painted train is a Shimane resident who combined the prefecture’s most iconic scenic locations with the Formosan bear and cat mascots utilized by TRC and Bataden, the company said.

Bataden president Manabu Taniguchi said that the project was the brainchild of long and careful collaboration between the two companies’ officials to select designs best suited to bring out the most interesting attractions Shimane Prefecture and Taiwan have to offer.

TRC and Bataden established their alliance during the former’s 2016 promotional campaign to attract Japanese tourists to Taiwan centered on local markets and a shared culture of railroad lunchboxes, he said.

The new painted train is a blend of Taiwanese and Japanese railroad culture, turning the vehicle into a movable piece of art that can entertain and inspire its passengers, TRC deputy general manager Huang Chen-chao (黃振照) said.

TRC looks forward to more collaborative projects with Bataden that would be beneficial for both companies, he said.

taiwan-subdivisions: 樹林 平溪


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Tigerair Taiwan to launch three new Japanese routes late December

Taiwanese carrier Tigerair Taiwan said Wednesday it will launch three new routes to Japan, including Kaohsiung-Kumamoto and Tainan-Kumamoto starting Dec. 23, and Tainan-Okinawa starting Dec. 25.

The airline said in a press release that each route will initially operate two round-trip flights per week.

On Tuesdays and Fridays, flight IT-766 will depart Kaohsiung International Airport at 8:45 a.m., with the return flight IT-767 leaving Kumamoto Airport at 7:50 p.m.

Also on Tuesdays and Fridays, flight IT-794 will depart Tainan Airport at 3:55 p.m., with flight IT-795 departing Kumamoto Airport at 12:40 p.m. on the same days.

On Thursdays and Sundays, flight IT-796 will leave Tainan Airport at 3:20 p.m., while flight IT-797 will depart Okinawa’s Naha Airport at 1:30 p.m. on the same days.

Tigerair Taiwan said the new routes are part of an ongoing effort to expand its network and provide travelers with a broader range of destinations.

The airline added that Kumamoto will become its 23rd destination in Japan, and the Tainan-Kumamoto service will mark its first international route departing from Tainan.


content_text: From left, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Wang Mei-hui and Chen Ying, President William Lai, who is DPP chairman, DPP Legislator Ho Hsin-chun and Yilan County’s Friends of Lai group chairman Lin Kou Chang gesture at an event to name Wang the party’s candidate for Chiayi City mayor, Chen its pick for Taitung County commissioner, Ho the party’s candidate for Taichung mayor and Lin its choice for Yilan County commissioner in local elections next year.

title: Candidate roll call


title: Cleaning up

content_text: A small excavator removes rocks from a road covered in mud iin New Taipei City’s Tamsui District yesterday. Continuous torrential rain in northern Taiwan over the past few days has caused mudslides in several mountainous areas.


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The central bank yesterday said it bought US$13 billion more US dollars than it sold in the first half of the year to prevent the New Taiwan dollar from appreciating too much.

In a report submitted to the Legislative Yuan, the central bank said it bought US$13.25 billion more of the greenback than it sold from January to June to stabilize the exchange rate with the NT dollar and smooth volatility on the local foreign exchange market.

The report came out before central bank Governor Yang Chin-long (楊金龍) attended a hearing of the Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee tomorrow.

New Taiwan dollar and US dollar banknotes are pictured in front of the central bank’s logo in Taipei on May 6. Photo: CNA

In the six-month period, the US dollar fell 9.63 percent against the NT dollar after worries rose over uncertainties related to the policies of US President Donald Trump after he took office in January. As a result, the US dollar index, which tracks the greenback against the currencies of Washington’s six major trading partners, fell by 10.70 percent, the central bank said.

The US dollar’s weakness also reflected large funds moved by foreign institutional investors into the local market, which boosted the US dollar supply, it said.

The losses suffered by the US dollar appeared more apparent in May, when the central bank rushed to buy the greenback to cap the NT dollar’s appreciation, with the purchases boosting Taiwan’s foreign exchange reserves by about US$10.12 billion, the fifth-largest monthly increase in history.

The central bank previously said that the large purchase was intended to slow down the US dollar’s weakness in May.

Market watchers said that without the central bank’s intervention, the US dollar would have fallen further.

However, the central bank said it has adopted a two-way market intervention strategy, indicating that if the US dollar rises sharply, it would sell greenbacks to prevent the NT dollar from falling too much.

The central bank said that as of Tuesday, the US dollar had fallen 6.95 percent this year against the NT dollar, with foreign institutional investors tending to make net purchases on the local stock market.

It added that the stronger NT dollar reflects the sound economic fundamentals of the country.

The NT dollar’s fluctuations were still smaller than those of other major currencies such as the euro, the yen and the won, it said.

title: Central bank reports H1 net purchase of US$13bn


title: Technical issues resolved in US tariff talks: minister

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The technical issues in the Taiwan-US tariff negotiations have mostly been resolved, and the government is waiting for a concluding meeting with the US side, Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said yesterday.

Once the meeting is held, a deal could be reached to lower the US’ “reciprocal” tariff rate and avoid stacking it on top of existing levies, Kung said on the sidelines of a meeting of the legislature’s Economics Committee in Taipei.

However, as the APEC summit is to be held in South Korea on Friday and Saturday next week, and the US still has meetings with ASEAN, the deal might not be finalized by the end of this month and could be delayed until the end of the year, he said.

Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin attends a meeting of the legislature’s Economics Committee in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times

The minister’s remarks came after President William Lai (賴清德) on Tuesday said at a hardware expo in Taichung that there should be solid progress soon in negotiations over US tariffs on Taiwanese goods.

Lai said the government would strive to lower the current 20 percent tariff without it being stacked on top of existing levies and seek most-favored-nation treatment from the US regarding the outcome of a Section 232 investigation under the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

The negotiations did not involve discussions on exchange rate issues, he added.

As US President Donald Trump visits Asia, and the US and South Korea are expected to make progress in tariff negotiations to lower the rate to 15 percent — the same as Japan — lawmakers have raised concerns about potential pressure on Taiwanese manufacturers.

Taiwanese manufacturers have to compete with Japan and South Korea on many products, but the challenge lies in Taiwan’s much larger trade surplus with the US compared with the two countries, Kung said.

The government would negotiate to reach a better rate, he added.

While Taiwan’s tariff delegation is mainly focused on the manufacturing sector during the negotiations, the issue of importing US-made vehicles with lower levies is also part of the talks, Kung said, adding that if other countries attempt to circumvent tariffs by exporting cars to Taiwan through the US, the government would not allow it.

Under current regulations, imported cars are subject to a 17.5 percent tariff, while commodity tax rates range from 25 to 30 percent depending on the model. The key difference is that tariffs apply only to imported cars, while the commodity tax applies to imported and locally made vehicles.

The ministry said in June that the government is focused on negotiating the tariff rate first before addressing the commodity tax rate.


content_text:
Quanta says shipments of AI servers powered by Nvidia’s GB300 increasing

TECHNOLOGICAL RIVALRY: The artificial intelligence chip competition among multiple players would likely intensify over the next two years, a Quanta official said

Quanta Computer Inc (廣達), which makes servers and laptops on a contract basis, yesterday said its shipments of artificial intelligence (AI) servers powered by Nvidia Corp’s GB300 chips have increased steadily since last month, should surpass those of the GB200 models this quarter.

The production of GB300 servers has gone much more smoothly than that of the GB200, with shipments projected to increase sharply next month, Quanta executive vice president Mike Yang (楊麒令) said on the sidelines of a technology forum in Taipei.

While orders for GB200 servers gradually decrease, the production transition between the two server models has been smooth, Yang said.

Quanta Computer Inc executive vice president Mike Yang speaks at a technology forum in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Fang Wei-chieh, Taipei Times

Quanta’s server business revenue has grown about 50 percent from a year earlier, with newly added production capacity quickly loaded, he said.

“I believe this year will be another year of very strong performance,” Yang said.

Quanta mainly produces GB300 servers in the US, with some in Taiwan due to limited local capacity, he said.

The company has been investing in the US for more than 20 years, which gives it a clear manufacturing advantage there, he said.

This year, the company has launched eight investment projects in the US, as demand continues to outpace supply, he added.

Aside from the US, the company has also been expanding capacity in Thailand, where it operates about 80 surface mount technology (SMT) production lines, a figure expected to exceed 100 by the second half of next year, Yang said.

Quanta is considering installing one or two SMT lines in the US to support research and development of new products, he said.

However, the company has no plans to significantly expand capacity in Taiwan due to land and electricity constraints, he added.

As technology development accelerates, the company’s cooperation with suppliers has also evolved, Yang said.

Quanta is collaborating with several upstream material suppliers, including copper clad laminate, printed circuit board and glass fiber cloth makers, he said.

The company usually works with two to three sources simultaneously to ensure stability and flexibility in server production, he added.

Regarding AI chip competition, Yang said that while Nvidia remains the market leader and other companies including Advanced Micro Devices Inc are gradually catching up, there would not be a clear winner in the short term.

The competition among multiple players would likely intensify over the next two years, he added.


content_text:
Taiwan’s economic activity last month continued to gain support from semiconductor and electronics industries, an electricity consumption survey by the Taiwan Research Institute (台灣綜合研究院) showed yesterday.

The New Taipei City-based institute said in a report that the Electricity Prosperity Index (EPI) it compiled rose 1.27 percent last month from a year earlier, with overall electricity consumption signaling a “yellow-red” light for the third consecutive month.

“Electricity consumption continued to show disparities across industries last month,” the institute said. “As the artificial intelligence [AI] boom continues, demand for high-performance computing, cloud services, and information and communications technology is still thriving, bolstering the semiconductor and electronics industries.”

High-voltage electricity transmission towers are pictured near Hsinta Power Plant in Kaohsiung on Oct. 8. Photo: Chen Cheng-liang, Taipei Times

“However, traditional industries have seen a continuous decline in electricity demand and a sluggish outlook, affected by weak global end-market demand and the impact of US tariffs,” it said.

Taiwan’s economy continues to show strong momentum, driven by the steady growth of electricity consumption in the semiconductor and electronics industries, and strong export orders, the institute said.

As a result, the economy likely expanded 4.1 percent year-on-year last month and 3.8 percent in the third quarter, it said.

The institute uses the EPI to gauge the health of the nation’s manufacturing and service sectors.

Last month, overall use of high-voltage power increased 2.11 percent year-on-year, with demand from the manufacturing sector rising 1.97 percent, while service sector demand grew 2.25 percent, it said.

Power consumption by semiconductor firms last month rose 8.47 percent from a year earlier, with the EPI’s electricity activity index for the industry showing a booming “red” light for the sixth straight month, the institute said.

Suppliers of computers, electronics and optical products saw an 8.04 percent increase in electricity consumption, along with a “red” light, it said.

However, the electricity demand in the traditional industries continues a downward trend, as non-tech product suppliers are still facing relatively weak momentum, while the challenges of structural transformation persist, it said.

Chemical material producers recorded a 3.59 percent annual decline in power consumption last month due to weak market demand, pricing competition from foreign peers and global overcapacity, the institute said.

Suppliers of steel products were affected by the US tariffs and weak Chinese demand, with their electricity use declining 6.35 percent compared with the same period last year, it said.

Electricity consumption also fell 12.31 percent at textile firms and was down 5.38 percent at machinery equipment producers, it added.

For this quarter, the arrival of the traditional peak season and inventory pileup in supply chains, coupled with the still-strong demand for AI, are expected to continue supporting the growth of the semiconductor and electronics industries, the institute said.

However, the challenges of transformation and upgrading of traditional industries warrant further attention to ensure the nation’s long-term economic growth, it said.

title: Power consumption rises 1.27% last month: institute


content_text:
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has ordered a fresh package of economic measures aimed at easing the burden of inflation on households and companies.

Takaichi, who became Japan’s first female premier on Tuesday, did not specify the size of the package or indicate whether additional bond issuance would be needed to finance it. A supplementary budget will be compiled to finance the measures, according to an order from Takaichi to compile the package.

Details will follow, but the order suggests that the package will include subsidies for electricity and gas charges during the winter, along with regional grants to ease price pressures. It also encourages small and medium-sized businesses to raise wages and increase capital investment.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a news conference at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo on Tuesday. Photo: Eugene Hoshiko, AP/Bloomberg

“What we promised politically is that the extra budget would be sufficient in scale,” Japan’s newly appointed Minister of Finance Satsuki Katayama told reporters yesterday. “It’s not about whether it’s large-scale or not. The point is that it’s large enough to achieve the goals we just talked about,” she said.

Cash handouts, which failed to gain public support during the July national election campaign, are not mentioned in the order.

Takaichi has identified rising living costs as a top economic priority, reflecting public concern over inflation. The order suggests she’ll favor targeted steps over a large-scale spending plan.

“With the goal of building a strong Japanese economy, I will work closely with relevant ministers,” Japan’s Growth Strategy Minister Minoru Kiuchi told reporters yesterday, after being tasked with putting the package together. Kiuchi added that it is important to explore various options for funding sources.

While Takaichi is known for her past support of aggressive monetary and fiscal stimulus, she has tempered her stance more recently, pledging instead to pursue expansionary but responsible fiscal policies. She faces the challenge of supporting the economy while addressing concerns about Japan’s massive public debt, which has contributed to rising long-term bond yields.

Consumer inflation has remained at or above the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) 2 percent target for more than three years. Meanwhile, the central bank has been raising interest rates gradually, pushing up borrowing costs for the government. On Tuesday, Takaichi said she hopes inflation will become demand-driven as wages rise, rather than the result of cost-push factors.

“It’s important for the BOJ and the government to move in tandem,” Kiuchi said. “It’s key that monetary policy is appropriately managed toward both strong economic growth and price stability.”

Katayama echoed Kiuchi on the BOJ’s policy path, while also expressing caution about the current weakness of the yen, which is inflating import costs and hitting households and businesses.

Two other key pillars of the upcoming package are strengthening economic security and defense. The order calls for investment in strategic sectors, including artificial intelligence and semiconductors, as well as enhancing supply chains for critical goods.

The package is also expected to include some responses to US tariff measures, including steps to implement an investment scheme announced earlier with Washington. Japan has pledged to invest US$550 billion in key US sectors in exchange for reduced tariffs as part of that deal. That investment vehicle is likely to be discussed when US President Donald Trump visit Japan next week.

title: Japan’s Takaichi orders economic package to tackle inflation


content_text: Nankunshen Daitian Temple director-general Hou Hsien-ming, left, and National Southwest Coast Scenic Area Management Office director Hsu Chen-neng display peace salt bags, and cultural and creative products to promote the Kunshen Wangye’s Salt for Peace Festival at a news conference in Tainan yesterday. The festival, which blends Taiwan’s folk religion of Wangye, also known as the Royal Lord, and the celebration of salt culture, is to take place at the temple in the city’s Beimen District on Nov. 15 and 16.

title: Peace festival


title: EDITORIAL: Caning no solution to fraud

people: 洪孟楷 莊瑞雄

content_text:
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) last week sparked debate with a Facebook post asking whether public caning could help deter crimes such as fraud and drunk driving in Taiwan.

Hung wrote that Singapore plans to expand the use of judicial caning — traditionally applied to cases of vandalism and drug offenses — to those convicted of fraud. The policy was prompted by the city-state’s search for a stronger deterrent, as long prison terms had failed to curb such crimes, Hung wrote.

Drawing parallels with Taiwan, Hung said that corporal punishment might be worth considering.

His post garnered more than 100,000 likes, indicating public frustration with fraud, but also igniting fierce criticism. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) called the proposal a “step backward” for human rights. Influencer Cheng Tsai-wei (鄭才暐), known as “Cheap,” said that Taiwan has adopted the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits corporal punishment.

Aside from the human rights concerns and the poor optics of reintroducing judicial corporal punishment in a democracy that positions itself as the opposite of authoritarian China, it is highly unlikely that public caning would achieve Hung’s goal of deterring fraud.

It would also face overwhelming public and political resistance. Taiwan’s legal system has grown progressively more liberal. Bringing back physical punishments would clash sharply with that trajectory.

That said, fraud is indeed a serious and worsening problem, and Hung is right to draw attention to it.

An op-ed in the Taipei Times (“Rooting out Taiwan’s rampant fraud problem, Aug. 15, page 8) cited a National Audit Office report showing that NT$47.8 billion (US$1.56 billion) was lost to fraud last year alone. Fraud cases have quadrupled in the past three years, but less than 1 percent of those convicted have received sentences longer than three years.

The problem might not lie in the law, but in how judges interpret articles 46 and 47 of the Fraud Crime Hazard Prevention Act (詐欺犯罪危害防制條例). The articles allow reduced penalties for offenders who voluntarily confess, surrender criminal proceeds or help capture other members of a criminal organization. While intended to encourage cooperation, the provisions are often applied too generously.

If lawmakers want to deter fraud, they should focus on clarifying and tightening laws, not reverting to corporal punishment. Ambiguous wording could be revised so that sentencing is commensurate with the scale of harm, taking into account the amount defrauded and the number of people affected.

Punishments should also aim to prevent reoffending. Those who commit fraud abroad or are involved in human trafficking should face travel bans.

Offenders who use electronic means could be restricted from using computers or the Internet, except for essential daily needs. Those whose crimes involved cryptocurrency, or illegally obtained bank accounts or e-payment cards, could be barred from using those financial tools.

Hung is correct to highlight the urgent need to combat fraud, but caning would not fit Taiwan’s modern values nor be effective. Research from countries that still employ corporal punishment shows no clear link between its use and lower crime rates.

Rather than resorting to spectacle or cruelty, Taiwan should focus on consistent sentencing, clearer legislation and restorative measures that hold offenders accountable while preserving human dignity. Real deterrence lies in the certainty of punishment, not in its brutality.


title: Past shows risk of borrowed power

content_text:
After Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairwoman-elect Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) victory in the party’s leadership race, the KMT’s intent to bring in external forces to counter its domestic political rivals became all the more apparent.

There is no shortage of such stories in history. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, militant Wu Sangui (吳三桂) — in seeking revenge for the loss of his concubine after rebels captured Beijing — opened the Shanghai Pass to allow the Qing army to enter. While the Qing forces indeed defeated peasant rebel leader Li Zicheng (李自成), they ultimately destroyed the Ming Dynasty. Wu later rebelled himself, only to be crushed by the Qing army.

At the end of the Tang Dynasty, warlord Zhu Quanzhong (朱全忠) relied on the Shatuo Turks (沙陀突厥) to suppress the remnants of the peasant rebellion led by black-market salt dealer Huang Chao (黃巢), but the two later turned against one another, plunging the realm into chaos.

Every historical instance of borrowing power has resulted in a century of humiliation. Those who seek to kill with a borrowed knife inevitably suffer the backlash. History has demonstrated countless times that external forces never offer help for free. Rather, they provide a fleeting reward before seizing the entire country.

Taiwan’s pro-China faction has forgotten history and discarded its lessons, driven by its own illusions. What is referred to as the “pro-China camp” has shifted from a political stance to a weak sense of sovereignty. When a political party relies on a foreign hostile power, it no longer represents voters — it is merely an agent of the enemy.

What was once a self-run business has become a franchise, degenerating into a branch directly managed by the other side of the Taiwan Strait. In politics, this is a betrayal of loyalty.

From Wu to Cheng, the problem has never been in China’s strength, but instead in that some in Taiwan seek to invite foreign powers to destroy their domestic political rivals.

Yet history has already written the ending — those who rely on external forces would eventually be devoured by them.

Chang Shang-yang is a farmer.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen


content_text:
In 1976, the Gang of Four was ousted. The Gang of Four was a leftist political group comprising Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members: Jiang Qing (江青), its leading figure and Mao Zedong’s (毛澤東) last wife; Zhang Chunqiao (張春橋); Yao Wenyuan (姚文元); and Wang Hongwen (王洪文).

The four wielded supreme power during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), but when Mao died, they were overthrown and charged with crimes against China in what was in essence a political coup of the right against the left.

The same type of thing might be happening again as the CCP has expelled nine top generals. Rather than a simple purge, it might be the beginning of a coup to force Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) out.

All nine were recently promoted “running dogs” of Xi. Most were three-star generals and also members of the CCP’s Central Committee. Of the nine, He Weidong (何衛東), vice chairman of the CCP’s Central Military Commission, was the most prominent, being the second-highest ranking official in China’s military after Xi, who is the chairman of the committee.

The expulsion of the nine has been described as part of an anti-corruption drive, but the timing is particularly critical, coming on the eve of the fourth plenary session of the CCP’s 20th congress.

At the plenary, the committee is to discuss the country’s economic development plan and vote in new members.

Xi’s fate could also be determined at it.

If this is a political coup, not a simple purge, Xi could be ousted outright, “exited gracefully” on medical ground or, more likely, he might stay on as a titular political figurehead without any real power, but only until the competing factions reach an agreement on who rules next.

Either way, Xi’s power as supreme ruler of China might soon be challenged. Without the support of his “gang of nine,” Xi’s position is more precarious.

Bruce Elleman, who was the William V. Pratt professor of international history at the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, is retired.

title: Exit of Xi Jinping’s ‘gang of nine’


content_text:
By Muhammad Erza Aimar Rizky, Nguyen Ngoc Bao Tran 萬俊陽，阮玉寶珍

During the Double Ten National Day celebrations on Oct. 10, TikTok videos featuring the events did not only come from Taiwanese. Under videos featuring a carnival at Taipei 101 posted by Indonesians in the city, many migrant workers expressed a surprising sentiment about the country.

A phrase that stood out and became quite popular in comments under Indonesian posts was: “Indonesia is our blood and soil, but Taiwan is our sweat and soil.” The people posting, mostly migrant workers, have put their own spin on a popular Indonesian idiom.

The expression of gratitude is not surprising in the context of Indonesian migrant workers. Data show that Taiwan has some of the better migrant protection and labor laws compared with other popular destinations for them through the regularly amended Employment Service Act (就業服務法).

Taiwan provided a chance for migrant workers, who lack economic opportunities at home, to have better pay and a clearer career path in the country’s domestic sectors and blue-collar fields.

Demand began rising in 1992, with Taiwan coming to heavily rely on overseas workers, mostly in the industry for long-term care of elderly people, in part due to the low cost. Southeast Asian workers have been an indispensable part of the system for three decades, numbering about 700,000 and making up about 80 percent of the 960,000 foreigners in Taiwan. Demand for such workers will increase as the country’s population ages even further.

Most of the workers are from four Southeast Asian nations: Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand.

Another factor pulling migrant workers into the domestic workforce is the welcoming attitude of Taiwan’s democracy and civil society. A study found that residents of urban areas, especially Taipei, are generally more open to migrants because of residents’ broad exposure to cosmopolitan cultures.

This positive impression also happens in reverse, with anecdotal evidence suggesting that Taiwanese are often viewed more favorably than Chinese in Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, which is especially meaningful given Taiwan’s lack of official diplomatic ties with many of its Southeast Asian partners.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) has promoted “integrated diplomacy” since taking office, which aims to leverage Taiwan’s democratic values and alliances to build diplomatic momentum. The phrase is complemented by the long-running foreign policy strategy of the New Southbound Policy (NSP), including President William Lai’s (賴清德) signature NSP+ to provide Taiwan with more diplomatic flexibility among Indo-Pacific countries.

As China’s regional diplomacy tends to cause some concerns due to its coercive behavior, Taiwan has an opportunity to distinguish itself by innovating its soft power and boosting people-to-people connections with NSP countries. A friendly, welcoming image of Taiwan stands in sharp contrast to China’s assertive approach.

The late academic Joseph Nye, a former US assistant secretary of defense, argued that “attraction,” not only material factors, played a major role in the development of world politics. In the context of Taiwan, the large presence of migrants can solve two problems. Taiwan can fill the labor shortage in its economy while at the same time promoting its image through the experience of migrant workers. The government needs to pay special attention to their needs and vulnerabilities as part of this soft power push.

However, before fully embracing the strategy, Taiwan must also confront some less-visible domestic challenges. As the nation rapidly transitions into a “super-aged society,” the government faces a growing dilemma: Should it focus on promoting social participation among elderly people and ensuring fair employment opportunities for young people, or pursue labor immigration as part of its soft diplomacy and to offset its labor shortages?

The latter could unintentionally trigger public resentment if people feel that their job security is being undermined, creating a political backlash that risks weakening support for Taiwan’s broader foreign policy vision. Even so, research shows promising results in the attitudes of Taiwanese toward migrants, contrasting with Western democracies, where anti-immigrant and far-right sentiments have steadily gained momentum.

There is also a gender-related risk, as female migrant domestic workers face greater discrimination due to their sex and the nature of the work they tend to do, with Taiwan’s labor regulations not covering some of it.

Besides the traditional flow of Southeast Asian workers into Taiwan’s labor market, another unique phenomenon is a rising trend of foreign brides, particularly from Vietnam. This needs extra attention, as it creates closer familial ties and long-term people-to-people relations across the region.

A lot of work remains to be solved, with some stories such as “forced labor” in the Taiwanese fishing industry still continuing to harm its reputation as a fair and safe place for migrant workers.

Better treatment and equal access to services would provide Taiwan with intangible diplomatic benefits that bring short-term and long-term positive perceptions internationally.

Muhammad Erza Aimar Rizky, a graduate of the University of Indonesia, and Nguyen Ngoc Bao Tran, a graduate of Vietnam National University, are recipients of the New Southbound Policy Elite Study Program from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They study international affairs at National Quemoy University.

title: Migrant workers and soft power

people: 賴清德 林佳龍