title: 秋冬行車安全必修課：防起霧、雨刷跳動、電力不足的保養重點

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記者張辰卿/台北報導

進入秋冬季節後，天氣轉涼且濕氣漸重，許多車主在開車時容易遇到擋風玻璃起霧、電力不足等問題，不僅影響駕駛舒適度，更可能在關鍵時刻發生危險。專家建議，定時進行汽車零件保養，能有效避免秋冬常見的行車困擾。

雨刷與視線清晰，行車安全第一步秋冬多雨、多霧的氣候，視線清晰與否是行車安全的首要條件。若出現 雨刷跳動、刮不乾淨或有異音，代表橡膠老化、硬化，無法服貼玻璃表面。建議車主每半年至一年更換一次雨刷片，並定期清潔雨刷條與玻璃，防止灰塵或油膜影響刮拭效果。同時，也可搭配添加防水劑或玻璃鍍膜，提升雨天視線穩定度，減少因雨刷跳動導致的危險狀況。

電瓶與機油的低溫挑戰汽車電低溫環境下， 汽車電瓶 化學反應速率降低，容易出現啟動困難的情況。建議每次保養時檢查電壓狀態與極柱是否氧化，必要時可更換新電瓶，以避免在寒冷早晨無法發動車輛。此外，機油黏度在低溫下變化明顯，選擇合適的 機油等級 是維持引擎順暢的關鍵。若常在北部或山區行駛，可選用流動性較佳的低溫黏度機油，確保冷車啟動時潤滑充足，延長引擎壽命。

冷氣濾網與水箱精，防潮與降溫雙守護秋冬時節雖然氣溫降低，但冷氣系統仍扮演除霧與除濕的重要角色。 汽車冷氣濾網 若長期未更換，容易堆積灰塵、花粉及細菌，不僅導致風量減弱，還可能出現異味。建議每行駛10,000至15,000公里或半年更換一次，以維持車內空氣品質。另一方面，水箱精則是引擎冷卻系統的重要防線，可防止水箱鏽蝕與低溫結凍。水箱精推薦 選擇具防凍、防鏽功能，並定期檢查水位高度，有助於穩定引擎溫度，避免過熱或損壞。

面對秋冬氣候多變，定期檢查汽車各項零件能有效降低行車風險。從最基本的雨刷水與雨刷片，到機油、電瓶與水箱精的更換，每一項細節都關乎行車安全。車主若能在季節轉換前預先進行 汽車保養 ，不僅能避免突發狀況，也能延長車輛使用壽命。這個秋冬，做好準備，讓每一次出門都更加安心。

(圖/偉利科技提供)


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記者張辰卿/台北報導

有愛心的萊爾富長期致力成為「善意的連結者」，將日常消費化為推動公益的力量。今年秋季，萊爾富攜手紅心字會與聯合勸募，共同推動「Hi-Life一塊，發現愛」、「愛要即食弱勢餐食服務計畫」兩大公益行動，即日起至 2026 年 1 月 6 日，邀請全民透過全台1,800 間萊爾富門市，捐出發票或零錢，讓每一筆消費都成為支持弱勢族群的溫暖力量。

紅心字會再度攜手萊爾富，並邀請人氣女團GENBLUE 幻藍小熊擔任公益大使，推出「Hi-Life一塊，發現愛」公益活動。活動號召全台民眾捐出零錢，支持弱勢家庭兒童的就學、就醫與居住等基本生活需求，以年輕活力帶動更多人參與愛心行列。萊爾富表示，自 2014 年起與紅心字會合作以來，已累積募集超過 900 萬元善款，協助全台弱勢家庭。此次活動延續「讓愛從日常開始」的理念，讓每一份愛都能轉化為守護社會的正能量。GENBLUE幻藍小熊成員許媛媛說，知道紅心字會長久以來都有持續給予很多人們，不管是身體還是心理、生活上的幫助，處處可見紅心字會溫暖的足跡，使黑暗化為一道鼓舞人心的光！盡自己小小的力量，就能集結成大力量。

▲GENBLUE幻藍小熊暖心號召，零錢捐助也能是巨大力量。(圖/紅心字會提供)

紅心字會秘書長李顯文、萊爾富行銷企劃本部劉嘉銓處長也與GENBLUE幻藍小熊一起化身愛心接力大使，透過愛心接力的行動，將弱勢兒童面對困境時所需的協助「三餐餐食」、「教育學習」、「生活扶助」、「醫療照護」、「安全居住」、「心理諮商」成為實際的照顧及幫助，預防不幸事件再發生。即將於11月8日在高雄流行音樂中心舉辦演唱會的GENBLUE幻藍小熊也預告將帶著這一年來走過全世界舞台的足跡，與所有「餅乾」們再次相遇。

▲GENBLUE幻藍小熊化身愛心大使，邀請民眾捐零錢助弱勢兒童健康成長。(圖/紅心字會提供)

萊爾富強調，公益的力量來自每一位民眾的溫暖匯聚。未來，萊爾富將持續發揮平台影響力，鼓勵民眾透過全台 1,800 間門市隨手捐發票或零錢，讓日常消費成為推動社會改變的正向能量。

title: 萊爾富助紅心字會「守護弱勢兒童」號召全民「一塊」發現愛


title: 五大石窟藝術沉浸展佛光山紀念館開幕，科技賦能中華文脈傳承

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【記者 周志杰/高雄報導】

11月1日，“華彩萬象—石窟藝術沉浸體驗”在佛光山佛陀紀念館本館大堂盛大開幕，350位兩岸各界人士、學者及藝文代表共同見證這場文化盛宴。展覽由中國國家博物館與佛光山文教基金會聯合主辦，以高科技賦能傳統文化，將克孜爾、敦煌莫高窟、麥積山、雲岡、龍門五大世界遺產石窟“搬”進展館，讓千年藝術不再遙遠。

作為佛光山年度大型展覽的收官之作，此次展覽延續了佛館對世界文化遺產的深耕佈局。自2019年起，龍門石窟、敦煌莫高窟、雲岡石窟已相繼亮相，如今麥積山石窟與克孜爾石窟的加入，圓滿實現五大石窟典型代表的集中呈現。中國國家博物館副館長丁鵬勃表示，五大石窟構成了世界規模最大、延續最久的時空藝術走廊，其文化魅力跨越千年，數位技術讓這份震撼以更立體的方式觸達觀眾。

展覽以“一窟一主題”分為五大單元，結合數位建模、AI演算法打造沉浸式體驗廳，搭配佛光緣美術館總部珍藏的壁畫摹本、雕塑、拓片等實物展品，讓觀眾仿佛“置身石窟之中”。佛光山佛陀紀念館館長如常法師介紹，此次展覽源于星雲大師與中國國家博物館的深厚因緣，從北齊佛首回歸到書法展合作，文化交流的紐帶最終促成這場藝術盛宴。

現場，國樂演出烘托雅致氛圍，不少觀眾直呼“圓夢”。佛光山榮譽功德主鄭經綸感慨，課本裡的石窟圖像如今變成沉浸式體驗，古代精湛工藝與歷史輝煌觸手可及。據悉，展覽通過科技與文物的碰撞，為中華傳統文化傳播開闢新路徑，也成為兩岸文化交流的又一重要載體。


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墨新聞｜記者鄭富鈺／綜合報導

為展現新北投溫泉商圈獨特魅力，臺北市商業處輔導台北市溫泉發展協會舉辦「2025臺北北投花浴衣節」，於今(1)日熱鬧登場。特別於七星街舞台舉行「花浴衣時尚走秀」，公開展示網路票選出的人氣前三名設計花色。

北市商業處說，今年活動除延續廣受好評的花浴衣著色體驗與花浴衣攝影比賽外，更新增小太鼓及迷你榻榻米DIY體驗，並安排多場主題藝文演出，讓民眾視覺、聽覺到體驗一次滿足。同時，於七星公園也將結合「2025臺北溫泉季」設置主題市集，立冬前夕的新北投化身為花浴衣嘉年華，邀請大家在微涼秋意中走訪溫泉街區，感受日式浴衣與在地文化交融的節慶氛圍。

立冬前夕的新北投化身為花浴衣嘉年華，邀請大家在微涼秋意中走訪溫泉街區，感受日式浴衣與在地文化交融的節慶氛圍。臺北市政府產業發展局陳俊安局長表示，新北投溫泉商圈為本市最具代表性之特色商圈之一，兼具深厚歷史文化底蘊與豐富觀光資源。商圈以溫泉為核心，串聯北投周邊多元特色景點，展現獨特地方魅力，近年屢獲肯定──自2022年起連續榮獲臺北市商業處「續優商圈」、2023年「三星級商圈」，並於2024年榮獲經濟部商業發展署「全國卓越商圈-最佳魅力特色獎」。為推廣在地溫泉文化，本府自102年起持續輔導新北投溫泉商圈自主辦理特色活動，結合北投公園優質的自然生態與新北投捷運線便利交通，吸引國內外遊客造訪，滿足觀光與休閒需求。

為推廣在地溫泉文化，北市府自102年起持續輔導新北投溫泉商圈自主辦理特色活動，結合北投公園優質的自然生態與新北投捷運線便利交通，吸引國內外遊客造訪，滿足觀光與休閒需求。此外，今年舉辦之「2025北投夏日祭り」更融入日本端午懸掛鯉魚旗(こいのぼり)文化，於捷運新北投站、地熱谷等5處景點設置繽紛鯉魚旗，營造濃厚日式氛圍。活動亦串聯商圈店家推出消費滿額抽獎，成功帶動人潮與商圈買氣，進一步展現新北投商圈結合文化創意與地方經濟的多元魅力。

台北市溫泉發展協會理事長林致宇表示，「北投花浴衣節」自舉辦以來已邁入第12年，今年「花浴衣嘉年華」於9月率先展開「人氣花色浴衣票選」，今(1)日特別舉行「花浴衣時尚走秀」，同時以男性、女性及兒童版展示人氣前3名花浴衣款式，讓傳統浴衣以全新姿態重現北投風華。活動同時舉辦「花浴衣攝影比賽」頒獎典禮，由攝影愛好者以鏡頭捕捉北投最具代表性的10處經典景點，透過影像作品傳達對北投自然景觀與人文底蘊的深刻體悟，進一步推廣新北投溫泉商圈的文化美學與觀光風貌。

今年特別迎接來自日本山形縣的溫泉姐妹會代表團，於現場帶來充滿日本風情的「花笠舞踊」表演，熱鬧氣氛讓新北投化身為洋溢異國風采的日式街區，為活動增添濃厚的文化交流意涵與節慶亮點。

今年特別迎接來自日本山形縣的溫泉姐妹會代表團，於現場帶來充滿日本風情的「花笠舞踊」表演。今年活動亦配合「2025臺北溫泉季」，特別設置「花浴衣主題市集」，讓遊客於遊逛間體驗新北投的在地風情。現場更準備1,000份以北投景點與花浴衣為主題的免費親子著色體驗線稿，邀請家長與孩子一同發揮創意，透過繪畫感受北投獨特的文化魅力。完成作品後可至服務台兌換限量祈福御守1份，數量有限，送完為止！此外，在新北投車站旁廣場也規劃「小太鼓與迷你榻榻米DIY」手作活動，大小朋友只需於現場報名即可免費參加，親手打造專屬的日式小物，增添活動趣味與美好回憶。

今年活動亦配合「2025臺北溫泉季」，特別設置「花浴衣主題市集」，讓遊客於遊逛間體驗新北投的在地風情。更多活動相關資訊歡迎至台北市溫泉發展協會粉絲團(https://www.facebook.com/taipeihotsprings)及「台北市商業處-我是商Ya人」粉絲團(https://www.facebook.com/tcooc)查詢!

此篇文章最開始出處為: 花浴衣飄香再現北投風華 時尚走秀、DIY、市集體驗日式風情

title: 花浴衣飄香再現北投風華　時尚走秀、DIY、市集體驗日式風情

taiwan-subdivisions: 北投 新北 成功 臺北市 三星


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【記者 周志杰/岡山報導】

高雄岡山今晚的熱鬧場景—舞台燈光亮起、人潮如潮水般湧入，鼓聲、加油聲、旗海翻騰匯聚成一股壓倒性氣勢。民進黨高雄市長初選參選人林岱樺，於今晚舉行大型造勢晚會，從活動一開始便吸引上萬的支持群眾到場。到活動中段，人數更是突破三萬，現場不但座位全滿，連草皮、路樹邊坡、巷口轉角都站滿了人，手機燈海亮起，有支持者激動喊出：「這是高雄人的意志！」。這場造勢被視為高雄市長初選至今「最大規模」的一場活動。

《三萬人，元氣勢爆場，「在地相挺」打破派系框架》

儘管先前傳出部分派系公職臨時取消出席，但現場支持者並未因此退縮，反而人潮愈晚愈多，呈現「民意直接接管舞台」的現象。林岱樺踏上舞台時，現場高呼聲、鼓掌聲久久不歇。她先是深深三鞠躬，接著用顫抖的聲音感謝現場支持者，情緒激動數度哽咽落淚。她說：「我不是好命子，我沒有靠背景、沒有靠派系，我靠的是你們——高雄人。」

林岱樺回顧自己25年深耕政治歷程——從年輕女性挑戰鳳山區立委初選，到曾在52天補選中獲得高票勝出；她承認自己曾承受政治抹黑、檢調起訴等考驗，甚至家人受波及，但她說：「跌倒不是終點，是更堅強的開始。因為我願意為高雄，再一次站上戰場。」，她最強調的一句話在現場響亮迴盪：「今晚，你們每一位，就是最大咖！」。這不只是一句口號，而是宣示：她要打破過去派系主導、推薦、分配的政治模式，改由人民重新站上決定權的位置。

《原鄉、青年到地方社團齊力，基層串接形成人民力量》

活動中，各群體支持者相繼登台發聲，情感直接、真誠、不矯飾。

高雄市議員高忠德感性表示，他特地帶著原民朋友從山上部落一路南下支持：

「她不是光在鏡頭前講，她是長年站在原鄉最需要的地方。」除此之外——青年團體舉布條：「#我們要可以看得見未來的高雄」;在地農會及市場自治幹部列隊相挺，社區媽媽們帶著孩子跟著隊伍喊「阿樺加油」，這不是動員，而像是一種「返鄉式的群聚」——支持者不是被呼叫來的，是自己走來的。

現場不少民眾受訪時說：「不是她變強，是我們覺醒了。」，「高雄不是只能一種聲音，應該讓真正做事的人站出來。」，「我挺的是人，不是派系。」。這些聲音，構成了現場最真實的溫度。

《從政治歷練到城市願景，「高雄奇蹟」說明正在路上》

林岱樺明確提出她要推動的城市藍圖，主軸強調：從工業城市強化成創新產業城市，讓高雄的年輕人可以「留得下、回得來」，打造勞工、原民、弱勢共生共榮的城市安全網，在地民生問題——交通、醫療、教育，務實一一改善。她說：「高雄不能只說故事，要再創城市奇蹟，而不是只有口號與煙火。」，造勢活動近尾聲，她高舉麥克風喊：「高雄人的志氣、骨氣，就是要爭氣！」。現場萬人跟著喊:「要爭氣！要爭氣！」，燈光亮起，煙火升起，這不是終點，而是另一場長征的開始。

今晚的造勢場，沒有華麗動員，沒有派系主導，卻擠滿來自高雄不同社群的力量，像是一場「城市重新凝聚」的現場版見證。林岱樺的動員模式，或許透露出了一個政治訊號：高雄民意正在重新排列，而人民正在自己決定下一步。未來如何發展，將由更大的民意浪潮繼續推進。

taiwan-subdivisions: 山上 岡山 高雄市 鳳山區 高雄

title: 【打破派系、人民自發】林岱樺三鞠躬萬人回應，「我們站在妳後面」


content_text:
記者池文中/臺東報導

「2025臺灣國際衝浪公開賽」，11/4-11/11將在臺東金樽舉辦，賽事規模升級至QS6,000積分巡迴賽，逾200位12國的頂尖衝浪選手競逐最高榮耀，11/8、11/9連續兩天「放浪遊樂趴」更為今年注入最熱情氛圍，10支隊伍熱情應援的舞蹈啦啦隊大賽，還有潮舞台活動邀請藝人、樂團表演。

今年賽事首度辦理全球最高等級男女子短板QS6,000積分巡迴賽，持續以國內職業男女子短板賽及16歲以下青少年短板賽培育國內潛力水手登上國際舞台，參與的衝浪選手不勝枚舉，包含曾在2023年贏得季軍Reef Heazlewood、去年整年積分排名第二Xavier Huxtable、16歲獲得單場冠軍年輕選手Dylan Wilcoxen等，將展現實力及精湛技巧爭奪最高榮譽。

臺東縣政府強調，今年首度推出11/8、11/9兩天的放浪遊樂趴活動，11/8首次舉辦「熱浪女團-舞蹈啦啦隊大賽」，網路海選選出10支隊伍，以青春洋溢啦啦隊應援，替選手加油打氣；11/9潮舞台活動，由活動大使鼓鼓呂思緯、婁峻碩SHOU、Who Cares胡凱兒、Hush及衝浪女神吳汶芳Fang Wu等人在金樽釋放能量。現場還有香氣四溢BBQ燒烤市集、十五米長巨型滑水道沙板跑趴、衝浪滑板、陸上衝浪板等活動，邀請熱愛衝浪的你進場開趴，跟著選手享受直線狂飆快感，體驗名額有限，歡迎現場報名。更多賽事資訊，可關注官方網站及粉絲專頁。

title: 12國200位衝浪高手齊聚    2025臺灣國際衝浪公開賽11/4台東金樽舉行

taiwan-subdivisions: 臺東 臺東縣


content_text:
記者池文中/臺東報導

臺東慢食節最終場《採集餐桌：森川里海》，將在12月6日至7日移師高雄駁二藝術特區大義公園登場，兩天的限定料理，以味覺重新認識自然，感受人與土地共生的日常。

臺東慢食節2025年以「採集」為主題，串連潮間帶到森林田野，探索農耕之前的飲食方式，首次移地港都，駁二藝術特區過去儲放魚粉與砂糖，供應港口川流的繁華歲月，現在匯集設計與創意能量，以藝文與世界接軌。臺東慢食節集結來自臺東不同地景的料理人與文化實踐者，以山林植物、原民風味與當令食材，運用料理方式來串聯氣味、器物，呼應「採集」主題，感受自然與飲食交會，打造跨域整合的慢食現場。

縣長饒慶鈴表示，活動由下午延續到夜晚，以「慢食集、慢食講、慢食吟、慢食器、慢食導」五大單元展開，遊客在「慢食集」品嚐料理人與生產者的滋味，經由民族植物專家鄭漢文校長、資深美食記者高靜玉、食農與環境教育實踐者王南琦與米其林綠星餐廳EMBERS主廚郭庭瑋的層層考驗，在食材來源清楚、實踐採集與結合文化脈絡底蘊的鋪陳下，呈現傳統原味與創新兼具的美食，值得細細品嘗。

民眾在「慢食器」體驗以葉片、枝條等自然素材製作器皿與擺盤，完成獨一無二的森川里海採集餐盤。「慢食講」邀請鄭漢文校長與米其林綠星主廚郭庭瑋分享採集與料理的風味結合；「慢食導」安排不同系列的飲食走讀，民眾大飽口福之餘，也深入了解飲食文化。

臺東縣政府說明，活動也邀請璞草園創辦人許仁和，帶來「地景氣味研究室」，深入台灣山林，採集原生植物氣味，創作出獨特香氛產品，現場也重新詮釋「採集」形式，配置屬於自己的香氛，透過氣味呼喚，感受山海能量。

「慢食臺東」臉書粉專：https://www.facebook.com/SlowFoodTaitung

title: 以味覺重新認識自然  臺東慢食節12/6–12/7駁二大義公園登場

taiwan-subdivisions: 臺東 高雄 臺東縣


content_text:
記者蘇凱中/宜蘭報導

「114年全國環保志（義）工群英會」1日在雲林縣立體育館舉辦，全國22縣市、超過2,000名環保志（義）工同場競技，宜蘭縣代表隊分別在「環保金頭腦」榮獲特優、「資源分類王」特優、「資源灌籃高手」優等及「清掃接力賽」特優。

環保局長許嘉琦表示，全國環保志（義）工群英會不只是環境教育成果的展現，更是志（義）工彼此交流與激勵的年度盛會，宜蘭在8月辦理地方初賽時各參賽隊伍為爭取參加全國賽機會無不卯足全力，今年度代表宜蘭縣的羅東、壯圍、深溝水源生態園區環保志(義)工代表隊在全國賽中依舊表現不俗，展現志(義)工們日常不懈的努力和奉獻韌性與堅持，感謝每一位志(義)工夥伴的付出，有他們的默默付出，宜蘭的環境才能更乾淨、更永續。

環保局說明，代表宜蘭縣參加「環保金頭腦」的深溝水源生態園區隊，於賽前就積極蒐集環保資訊並辦理集訓，展現深厚的環保知識底蘊；「資源分類王」由壯圍鄉公所中隊參加，憑藉長年在社區回收站協助資源回收積累的實務經驗，在限時分類挑戰中表現穩定；參加「資源灌籃高手」及「清掃接力賽」的羅東鎮公所中隊，團隊陣容完整且戰力堅強，在需高度專注力與靈巧身手的競賽項目中，充分展現能文能武的團隊特色，也象徵環境保護一棒接一棒的傳承延續。

環保局表示，全國環保志(義)工群英會是一年一度的盛事，競賽場內拼知識、拚默契，場外交流聯繫加油聲與笑聲不絕於耳，凝聚滿滿正能量。未來將持續宣導民眾了解環境保護的重要性，一起守護宜蘭的好環境。

taiwan-subdivisions: 宜蘭縣 雲林 宜蘭 羅東 雲林縣 壯圍

title: 全國環保志(義)工群英會雲林登場  宜蘭縣代表隊創佳績


taiwan-subdivisions: 宜蘭縣 復興 宜蘭

title: 宜蘭縣身心障礙國民體能競賽登場   展現自信與活力

content_text:
記者蘇凱中/宜蘭報導

「114年宜蘭縣身心障礙國民體能競賽」1日在宜蘭運動公園田徑場舉行，比賽項目含括地板滾球、特奧滾球、特奧輪鞋競速、桌球、羽球、體能競賽及趣味競賽，共計91個單位、2,180位選手及隊職員報名參加。

賽事開幕典禮由「普達關懷協會」及「汶風舞集」帶來精彩表演，接著由宜蘭縣各身心障礙福利機構團體及各級學校發揮創意彩妝熱鬧進場，最後由宜蘭縣體育會韻律體操委員會引領大會會旗進場，復興國中同學擔任護旗隊伍，展現青春活力與團隊精神。隨後由宜蘭縣籍優秀身障運動員、「社團法人宜蘭縣盲人福利協進會」邹翠梅代表全體運動員宣誓，展現公平競技與團結互助的精神，為大會揭開精彩的表演序幕。

宜蘭縣政府表示，將持續推動全民運動與友善共融社會，鼓勵更多身心障礙朋友勇敢參與、開創自信人生，塑造宜蘭運動風氣，希望帶動運動普及化、樂趣化及終身化，動彩宜蘭、樂活蘭陽！


countries: 香港 澳門

title: 宏利香港全力支持 AllRightsReserved策劃及主辦的「維港海上大巡遊」 特別呈獻「維港海上⼤巡遊無人機匯演」

content_text:
為「維港海上⼤巡遊」劃上精彩句號，並為家庭與社區帶來歡樂

香港2025年11月1日 /美通社/ — 今天（11月1日）迎來「維港海上大巡遊 」by AllRightsReserved的重頭戲——「海上巡遊日」，宏利香港於晚上欣然呈獻由 AllRightsReserved 主辦的「維港海上大巡遊無人機匯演」。作為全球首個「維港海上大巡遊」的壓軸盛事，無人機匯演已於傍晚在維港夜空精彩上演。宏利亦是「維港海上大巡遊」的支持夥伴，通過贊助這場無人機匯演，為本地家庭及社區帶來愉快而難忘的體驗，並藉此營造富有意義的互動與共享時刻，展現宏利推動情緒健康的理念，突顯情緒健康作為整體健康不可或缺的一環。

「維港海上大巡遊」是一項前所未有的海濱慶典，活動包括巨型海上充氣IP雕塑在維港展出及巡遊，以及為期八天的互動市集。作為支持夥伴，宏利精心策劃了一系列橫跨海、陸、空的活動，包括活動主題帆船「鴨靈號」在維港航行、於多個地標設置矚目戶外廣告，以及今晚點亮夜空的無人機匯演。此外，作為履行企業社會責任及推動社區參與的其中一環，宏利亦向本地慈善機構——JUST FEEL感講 、香港心聆及聖公會聖基道兒童院——捐贈「巡遊市集」入場門票，讓更多受惠人士能夠參與這場別具意義的盛事。

宏利香港及澳門首席市場總監林沛表示：「我們很高興能支持『維港海上大巡遊』及『維港海上⼤巡遊無人機匯演』，期望這些盛事為市民帶來歡樂與團聚的美好時光。透過締造家庭與社區共同參與的愉快體驗，我們希望加強人與人之間的情感連繫，推動更融合、更關愛的社會，同時彰顯宏利將情緒健康視為整體健康重要部分的理念。」

延續這份理念，無人機匯演巧妙融合藝術、娛樂與文化元素，為一連串充滿歡樂與創意的活動劃上完美句號，成為市民及旅客熱切期待的矚目盛事。

隨著全城投入這場獨一無二的海濱慶典，宏利很榮幸透過贊助無人機匯演，為市民帶來充滿歡樂、連繫與社區精神的時刻。「維港海上⼤巡遊無人機匯演」不僅是香港文化發展的重要印記，更突顯共享體驗的獨特魅力，讓人們在陸地、海上及夜空下彼此連繫，共同感受歡愉氛圍。


people: 賴清德 蔡英文

title: Coast guard launches two patrol vessels

content_text:
CALL FOR SUPPORT: President William Lai called on lawmakers across party lines to ensure the livelihood of Taiwanese and that national security is protected   By Hung Sheng-hung and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNA

President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday called for bipartisan support for Taiwan’s investment in self-defense capabilities at the christening and launch of two coast guard vessels at CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard in Kaohsiung.

The Taipei (台北) is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels, and the Siraya (西拉雅) is the Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) first-ever ocean patrol vessel, the government said.

The Taipei is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels with a displacement of about 4,000 tonnes, Lai said.

President William Lai, front, stands at the wheel of a newly inaugurated coast guard ship in Kaohsiung yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office

This ship class was ordered as a result of former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) 2018 initiative to increase the coast guard fleet to 141 ships by 2027, he added,

The Siraya came from Tsai’s 2022 initiative to build six ships capable of patrolling in high-latitude waters such as the northern Pacific over a decade, Lai said.

The northern Pacific is a crucial fishing region and issues surrounding illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing have been growing.


people: 習近平 林佳龍 賴清德 林信義

title: Taiwan, US officials discuss supply chains

content_text:
Taiwan’s representative to the APEC summit, Lin Hsin-i (林信義), yesterday said that he and US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent discussed supply chains and semiconductors during a meeting on the sidelines of the event in Gyeongju, South Korea.

Taiwan’s exports to the US, except for semiconductors, are subject to a 20 percent tariff, although Taipei has been in talks to get the figure reduced.

Lin, a former economy minister, told reporters that the two discussed safe supply chains and tech cooperation during a 40-minute meeting, adding that Bessent was interested in hearing how Taiwan built its chip industry.

Presidential adviser Lin Hsin-i, front, walks past Chinese President Xi Jinping, fourth left, at a photo op during the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, yesterday. Photo courtesy of Taiwan’s media delegation to APEC

The two “had a very wide-ranging discussion, covering cooperation in technology, the security of supply chains and many other issues,” Lin said.

“He said: ‘I was really intrigued to hear how you built up your high-tech semiconductor cluster — how it developed and the history behind it.’ He listened with great interest,” Lin added.

However, the discussion with Bessent did not touch much on ongoing tariff negotiations, according to the delegation, which provided no updates on the bilateral talks.

Taiwan’s representative to the APEC summit Lin Hsin-i, left, meets with Japan prime minister Sanae Takaichi in the APEC summit in South Korea. Photo grab from x.com/takaichi_sanae

At a news conference summarizing his third APEC trip, Lin said that Taiwan attracted more attention at the summit than two decades ago, especially regarding its achievements in artificial intelligence (AI).

Lin said he engaged in exchanges with representatives and leaders from more than 10 countries, including Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, with further details to be announced later.

On Friday, Takaichi said she told Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) when they met on the sidelines of the summit that stability across the Taiwan Strait is key to the international community.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in a statement yesterday welcomed Takaichi’s concerns over cross-strait stability, praising the Japanese government for “speaking what should be said.”

However, Lin Hsin-i had no interactions with Xi during the two-day meeting, including when leaders and representatives posed for a group photograph yesterday.

He did not answer questions on whether he had talked to Xi.

Lin Hsin-i stood at the far right of the second row, while Xi stood near the center of the front row.

Asked to comment on the positions, Lin Hsin-i said the arrangement was natural, denying that President William Lai (賴清德) had instructed him to avoid contact with Xi or that South Korea deliberately placed him on the periphery.

“There were many people lining up,” he said.

At last year’s summit in Peru, Lin Hsin-yi greeted Xi with a wave, but they did not speak. Lin also met with then-US president Joe Biden in Lima.

This year’s APEC summit focused on AI applications and related issues, as well as drastic demographic changes — topics Lin Hsin-i said differed from the themes of economic cooperation and trade facilitation discussed at his first APEC meeting in Busan, South Korea, in 2005.

He cited Taiwan’s deployment of AI-assisted decisionmaking during Typhoon Gaemi last year, saying that the model significantly enhanced the precision and accuracy of storm monitoring and helped the government mitigate damage.

“I think I have done my best to fulfill the three missions assigned to me by President Lai,” he said, declining to commit to whether he would attend next year’s summit.

“It is a tough task. No one wants to do it,” he added, drawing laughter.

National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the summit on Wednesday, during which they exchanged “in-depth views on issues such as technology policy and AI development,” the Taiwanese delegation said yesterday.

China is to host next year’s APEC meet in Shenzhen.

China provided written assurances last year about the safety of participants in that summit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs official Jonathan Sun (孫儉元) told a news conference.

Taiwan has worked within the APEC framework “to ensure that China fulfils its commitments, so that the meetings can proceed smoothly and the safety of all participants is fully protected,” he added.


content_text:
The government should step up its efforts to reduce carbon and adapt to climate developments to enhance climate justice and resilience in Taiwan, environmental activists said at a rally in Taipei yesterday.

The groups estimated that more than 1,000 people attended the March for Climate, which had a band playing as people issued a call for “resilience to protect the Earth.”

Mom Loves Taiwan Association secretary-general Huang Pin-han (黃品涵) said that more than 100 civic groups took part in the event, with their main demands being to promote sustainable development, intergenerational justice, climate democracy, national security and respect for diversity.

Representatives of environmental advocacy groups rally in front of Taipei 101 yesterday. Photo: Huang Yi-ching, Taipei Times

Citing UN data, Taiwan Climate Action Network Research Center director Chao Chia-wei (趙家緯) said that global carbon reduction would fall short of Paris Agreement targets, as reduction pledges collectively amount to only 17 percent of carbon cut by 2035 compared with the 2019 baseline year.

The government should set a more ambitious target by shifting from 38 percent to 52 percent of carbon cut by 2035, otherwise Taiwan might not achieve net zero emissions by 2050, Chao said.

Environmental Rights Foundation executive director Tu Yu-wen (涂又文) said climate issues are intertwined with the right to life, so climate action and policies should not be oriented around economic development.

Voices from minorities and local communities should be heard and considered, Tu said, calling on the government to uphold procedural justice to encourage public participation in local climate issues.

Tsai Ming-chieh (蔡明潔), counselor of Wanders Lodge — a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting homeless people — said she and her coworkers marched mainly to be a voice for the homeless, many of whom work as sign holders or leaflet distributors on Taiwan’s streets.

“We hope to raise awareness that economically disadvantaged groups such as homeless people are bearing the brunt of climate change,” Tsai said.

Homeless people are usually outdoors all day, but they dare not rest in the shade on hot days with their employers watching, she said, adding that they often face heatstroke and exhaustion.

Given the tough, physical nature of their work, they tend to use plastic water bottles rather than their own reusable bottles, as plastic bottles are lighter, she said, adding that even the extra cost of buying their own bottle cuts into their daily wage of NT$800.

Mandatory heat-related leave might deprive them of income, so the government should require employers to provide them with cooling devices and drinking water, she added.

Former Central Weather Administration director-general Cheng Ming-dean (鄭明典) said that climate change is accelerating faster than expected, and many scientists say that global warming is unlikely to be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial times, despite the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The ocean can stabilize the climate and warms more slowly than air, but ocean temperatures are rising and would be difficult to lower, Cheng said.

“Climate change affects everyone differently,” he said, adding that the public should respect different values and perspectives when they debate climate issues.

title: Groups call for greater carbon reduction efforts


content_text:
Serbians protest on first anniversary of deadly roof collapse

Tens of thousands of protesters yesterday poured into Serbia’s second-largest city a year after a railway station roof collapse that killed 16 people, unleashing discontent over alleged corruption and a lack of accountability many blame for the disaster.

Months of protests across Serbia, stoked by anger over the failure so far to prosecute those responsible for the roof collapse have rattled Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s long grip on power and raised calls for early elections.

Protesters streamed into the northern city of Novi Sad, where the disaster occurred, in cars, buses or on foot, some having walked long distances, witnesses said.

People gather in Novi Sad, Serbia, yesterday, on the first anniversary of the city’s railway station tragedy. Photo: AFP

One of Novi Sad’s main boulevards was packed with people.

The protesters — many of them young people — observed 16 minutes of silence — one for every victim — from 11:52am, when the roof caved in following renovation work on Nov. 1 last year.

Protesters held up large red hearts bearing the names of the collapse victims, clutched white flowers and laid wreaths in front of the railway station.

The tearful father of one of the victims, dressed in black, stood for hours staring at his daughter’s name affixed among others to the station’s perimeter fence.

There were no reports of violence, which had marred some protests during the summer, when riot police used stun grenades and tear gas to break up rallies.

“This is a major tragedy for the Serbian people. We cannot bring those people back, but we can feel the pain with their families and say that this is enough,” said Sladjana Burmaz, a 51-year-old economist from the central town of Valjevo.

“These people were not killed by accident, their deaths were the result of a poor system, poor politics... Justice would be served if those responsible were held accountable,” she said.

Vucic, in an Instagram post, published a photo of himself in a church holding a candle at a commemoration ceremony in Belgrade for the victims of the disaster.

“Let the names of those killed be a reminder that human life is above any divisions [in society],” Vucic wrote.


content_text:
The UN Security Council on Friday voted in favor of a resolution backing Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara as the “most feasible” solution for the disputed territory, triggering celebrations in Rabat, but angering Algeria.

Western Sahara is a mineral-rich former Spanish colony that is largely controlled by Morocco, but has been claimed for decades by the pro-independence Polisario Front, which is supported by Algeria.

The council had previously urged Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria and Mauritania to resume talks to reach an agreement.

An archway in the entrance of Dakhla, Western Sahara, carries an image of Moroccan King Mohammed VI on Dec. 21, 2020. Photo: AP

However, at the initiative of US President Donald Trump’s administration, the council shifted to support a plan, initially presented by Rabat in 2007, in which Western Sahara would enjoy autonomy under Morocco’s sole sovereignty.

The resolution, adopted by an 11-0 vote with three abstentions and Algeria refusing to participate, said autonomy for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty may be the basis for future negotiations to resolve the 50-year-old conflict.

“Genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could constitute a most feasible solution,” the resolution said.

Moroccan King Mohammed VI lauded the vote as “historic,” saying “we are opening a new and victorious chapter in the process of enshrining the Moroccan character of the Sahara.”

In Rabat, thousands of people danced and sang to celebrate the vote.

“The Sahara is Moroccan and always has been,” chanted the joyful crowds, alternating the rhythm with the national anthem and other patriotic songs.

In Smara, a city in the disputed territory, residents set off fireworks as soon as the vote was announced.

title: UN Security Council backs Morocco’s W Sahara plan


title: Cheng takes office with pledges

people: 鄭麗文 江啟臣 習近平 朱立倫 韓國瑜 蔣萬安

content_text:
DEFIANT TONE:  The new KMT chairwoman said that Taiwan faces heightened global tensions, but opposed any increases to the defense budget

Newly inaugurated Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday pledged that her party would defend democracy and revive the economy, while opposing the government’s plan to increase defense spending to more than 3 percent of GDP next year.

Cheng made the remarks as she succeeded Eric Chu (朱立倫) in a handover ceremony at the party’s 22nd National Congress in Taipei, attended by KMT officials including Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安).

Cheng said Taiwan faces heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait and a rapidly changing global economic order.

New Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun speaks after her oath-swearing ceremony in Taipei yesterday. Photo: RITCHIE B. TONGO, EPA

The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) long-term rule is eroding Taiwan’s democracy and rule of law, she said, adding that the KMT bears a heavy responsibility to restore order and address the nation’s problems.

Cheng said the party is confident it can demonstrate unprecedented unity and pledged that under her leadership, it would defend democracy and freedom, revive the economy, and pursue long-term cross-strait peace.

The KMT hopes to turn “Taiwan’s worst times into its best” while continuing to reform, grow stronger and attract young talent, she added.

Cheng said she hopes the KMT would not only be Taiwan’s most important and largest political party, but also an organization that serves the public interest, helping vulnerable communities and assisting people in every corner of Taiwan.

Chu urged the party to unite under Cheng’s leadership, saying that only through unity can the party grow stronger and better.

“We only have one KMT and unity is our only path,” Chu said.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse yesterday before the event, Cheng said that Taiwan cannot afford to hike its defense budget to more than 3 percent of GDP.

“The US’ expectations far exceed what we can reasonably afford,” Cheng said.

“Taiwan is not an ATM. We really do not have that much money,” she said.

“We certainly have the determination to defend Taiwan, but it is not a blank check. That is why I said we must have a reasonable defense budget,” she added.

The government has proposed a budget of NT$949.5 billion (US$30.88 billion), or 3.32 percent of GDP, for defense spending next year.

It is also plans to seek up to NT$1 trillion over seven years in special funding to upgrade the nation’s air defense systems, and increase capacity to produce and store ammunition for wartime.

It is unclear how many KMT lawmakers support Cheng’s views, but she insists it is the “vast majority” of the party.

Chu previously said the party supported increasing defense spending to more than 3 percent of GDP, but opposed Taiwan buying US weapons and equipment to resolve its trade deficit.

“If cross-strait relations are peaceful and stable, we do not need a pointless arms race,” Cheng said, adding that dialogue with Beijing was the best option.

The “status quo” between Taiwan and China “cannot remain unchanged forever,” Cheng said, adding that that there would inevitably be a “process of change.”

“What we are working hard for now is to prevent it from escalating into war, but rather toward reconciliation and peace,” she said, adding she is willing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).


content_text:
By Chen Cheng-yu and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, and staff writer

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday lambasted new Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) vow to build a “new democratic order,” saying that her statements undercut democracy, while her proposed policies would denude national security.

Cheng, who yesterday formally assumed the position as party chair, pledged that the KMT would defend democracy and freedom, that it would recreate the “Taiwan economic miracle” of the 1960s and that under her leadership, the party would no longer be “a pack of sheep, but will instead become a pride of lions.”

Cheng also said that the party would “create a new order” and protect disadvantaged people.

New Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun speaks after her oath-swearing ceremony in Taipei yesterday. Photo: RITCHIE B. TONGO, EPA

DPP Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) criticized Cheng’s “new order” comments and called on Cheng to clarify what she meant.

“Neither Taiwan nor China is a part of the other,” Hsu said while attending the Taipei Electrical Appliances Expo.

‘DICTATOR’

Hsu also criticized Cheng’s controversial comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin during an exclusive interview with German media outlet Deutsche Welle on Friday.

In the interview, Cheng said that Putin was a democratically elected leader and “not a dictator.”

Putin is seen as a dictator by all free and democratic countries, Hsu said, adding that her comments were mind-boggling to the international community.

The elections held in Russia, North Korea and even in Taiwan under Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) were “fake democracy” because they all received 99 percent or 100 percent of the vote, he said, adding that Cheng should think before she makes such comments.

DEFENSE

Hsu also blasted Cheng’s position that allocating 3 percent of GDP to national defense spending was “too much.”

Cheng’s claim that national defense spending would be unnecessary if both sides of the Taiwan Strait were amenable to peace and her pledge that the KMT would be the nation’s protectors were paradoxical, Hsu said.

The weapons purchased with the national defense budget are a guarantee of peace, and everyone must remember that if a country is left without the means to defend itself, it is prone to being conquered, Hsu said.

Taiwan is unique in that it has elements of Japanese, Dutch, Spanish, English and American cultures, alongside Chinese culture, he said.

Hsu urged the KMT to recognize the importance of national defense and its relationship to peace, and to support increases to the national defense budget.

title: DPP criticizes new KMT chair’s pledges on defense

people: 徐國勇 鄭麗文


title: More caution urged over environmental changes

content_text:
NOT SO HASTY:  Solar rules should not be altered without further dialogue, as arbitrary changes would be hard to remediate after promulgation, the groups said

Elevating environmental impact assessment (EIA) criteria for solar panels to the status of the parent law might confuse the regulatory system, environmental groups said on Thursday, urging the government to invite more public opinion before amending laws.

The Taiwan People’s Party in August proposed a draft amendment to Article 5 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (環境影響評估法), aiming to elevate the legal status of solar panel EIA criteria “to prevent solar panel systems from repeatedly harming the environment.”

Eight of the 10 proposed provisions are almost the same as the eight subparagraphs of Paragraph 7, Article 29 of the Standards for Determining Specific Items and Scope of Environmental Impact Assessments for Development Activities (開發行為應實施環境影響評估細目及範圍認定標準) — regulations subordinate to the act, governed by the Ministry of Environment.

The other two draft provisions include one that states that EIAs must be conducted for proposed floating solar panel projects with an installed capacity of 10,000 kilowatts or more, or with a cumulative area of 5 hectares or more.

The other requires an EIA for solar panel projects with at least 20,000 kilowatts of installed capacity or at least 10 hectares of cumulative area, excluding rooftop solar panels.

Environmental groups in a joint news release said EIA criteria for solar panel development projects should be stricter, but should be laid out in EIA-related subsidiary laws in line with other development behaviors, rather than in the act — the parent law — otherwise the regulatory system would be confusing.

EIA criteria for development behavior should evaluate potential environmental risks for proposed sites based on factors such as projects’ scale, location and facilities, they said.

For example, risks posed by a 2 hectare solar panel project would be different for environmentally sensitive areas and regular farmland, they said.

Therefore, other factors such as waterbody types should be considered, as well as project areas, to ensure that EIA resources would be efficiently used to review high-risk projects, the groups said, calling on the legislature and the ministry to communicate more with experts and the public.

“We agree that the review system for solar panels requires discussion and revision, but the current legislation might reduce the issue to political infighting and would not prompt constructive public discussion,” they said.

Citizen of the Earth, Taiwan deputy executive director Huang Fei-yueh (黃斐悅) said the EIA system does not properly assess the primary risks of solar facilities.

The ministry is responsible for pollutant emission control, but risks like habitat fragmentation, landscape destruction and soil erosion are governed by other agencies like the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of the Interior, she said.

EIAs are important to prevent environmental damage, but such issues could not be properly addressed solely through EIAs, Huang said, calling on the government to initiate interagency collaborations to integrate the system.

Department of Environmental Protection Director-General Hsu Su-chih (徐淑芷) said the environment ministry is reviewing the standards and would announce its revisions this month or next month.

The department on Sept. 24 notified central authorities and local governments to make suggestions on the matter by Friday, she said.

The parent law is more stable than its subsidiary laws and should not be arbitrarily revised, particularly because problems found after promulgation would be difficult to remediate, Hsu said.

EIA criteria for floating solar panel projects should be established in the standards by the ministry, she said, adding that more hearings would be held to communicate with the public.


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Taiwanese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) received top marks for cybersecurity at the APEC Business Advisory Council meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, but the smallest of enterprises lagged, a trade representative said yesterday.

Taiwan Mobile Co president Jamie Lin (林之晨), the nation’s representative to the council, told reporters that Taiwanese SMEs this year ranked sixth in cybersecurity, behind Chile, the US, Canada, Papua New Guinea and Brunei, among a total of 21 APEC members.

Russian and Chinese SMEs received the lowest safety ratings, he said.

Taiwan Mobile president Jamie Lin speaks at a meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council in Busan, South Korea, last week. Photo courtesy of Taiwan’s APEC delegation via CNA

The study examined 2,000 SMEs from lists provided by government officials, of which 81 percent scored a “B-minus” or worse, he said.

The samples might not be representative, as the lists were volunteered by APEC governments, he said.

The purpose of the research is to provide an indicator of current trends and shine light on the importance of cybersecurity in SMEs, not a definitive ranking, he said.

Taiwan’s performance in the research was good, but there were signs of a security gap between the best and worst-protected firms, Lin said.

The government should adopt policies to give underperforming SMEs the cybertools they need to find safe Web site hosts and e-mail servers, he said.

Citing conversations with business leaders, Lin said that representatives from Australia and Vietnam reported the use of artificial intelligence in cyberattacks, showing that the dangers of algorithmic technology should not be overlooked.

title: Taiwanese firms get top marks in cybersecurity


people: 盧秀燕 鄭照新

content_text:
Inspections, disinfection ongoing at swine flu farm

STILL POSITIVE:  The affected pig farm had traces of ASF after two rounds of disinfection, so the latest efforts included military specialists from chemical warfare units

The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) yesterday said that it plans further inspection tomorrow of a pig farm in Taichung’s Wuci District (梧棲), where African swine fever (ASF) was confirmed on Oct. 25.

Following the removal of miscellaneous articles from the ASF-affected pig farm and ongoing cleaning work, the military sent a team of 80 soldiers and 35 specialists from the Chemical Corps to clean the site on Friday, with operations continuing until early yesterday morning, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Tu Wen-jane (杜文珍) told a news conference.

An inspection would be conducted tomorrow, Tu said, adding that if the site tests negative for ASF, another inspection would be carried out seven days later.

If the tests are positive, additional disinfection work would be undertaken, she said.

With the exception of the ASF-affected farm in Wuci, other pig farms nationwide have so far received a clean bill of health, and no ASF was detected, Tu said.

The government’s ASF Forward Command Center aims not only to contain the virus at the Wuci site, but to also halt the disease’s spread to other places to protect the country’s pig farming industry, she said.

The ASF-affected pig farm tested positive for the disease even after two rounds of disinfection, Tu said.

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) said that inspections of the affected farm still detected traces of the virus, which is why the latest disinfection work included military specialists from chemical warfare units.

The virus at the Wuci farm has been contained and inspections of the pig farm owner’s residence have tested negative for ASF, Lu said.

Another inspection of the residence would be conducted next week, Lu added.

Taichung Deputy Mayor Cheng Chao-hsin (鄭照新) said that city government personnel have been conducting sample testing and disinfection work at 152 farms, including 55 high-risk sites, on a daily basis.

As of Thursday, all tests have been negative, Cheng said.

On Sunday last week, the government extended the ban on the transportation and slaughtering of pigs for another 10 days to ensure that ASF does not spread.

Before the outbreak, Taiwan had been the only country in Asia to be free of ASF, classical swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease, according to the World Organization for Animal Health.


companies: Apple Google

title: Forest institute, TCX sign forest carbon sinks MOU

content_text:
NET ZERO:  Natural carbon solutions could contribute to more than one-third of global emission offsets by 2030 and create billions in ecological benefits, data showed

The Taiwan Forestry Research Institute on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Taiwan Carbon Solution Exchange (TCX) on promoting forest carbon sink programs and training talent in the field.

Natural carbon sinks are one of the key solutions to achieving net zero goals globally and align with the Ministry of Agriculture’s pledge to reach its net zero target by 2040 — 10 years earlier than the national target, the institute said.

Taiwan has 2.2 million hectares of forests, which could be designated as carbon sinks that companies could use in their carbon reduction programs, it said.

Taiwan Forestry Research Institute and Taiwan Carbon Solution Exchange representatives sign a memorandum of understanding in Taipei on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Carbon Solution Exchange

To help businesses boost their competitiveness in sustainable development and addressing climate challenges, the institute would collaborate with TCX to launch a forest carbon sink training program to nurture more domestic talent, the institute said.

TCX chairman Sherman Lin (林修銘) said the institute is an expert in the management and methodology of forest carbon sinks, and has long been researching how to quantify, monitor and verify such systems.

The collaboration between TCX and the institute is an important step toward integrating the research, policies and markets of carbon sinks, he added.

The training program would develop more local talent who could assist businesses in applying for evaluations of carbon sinks and obtaining carbon credits, as well as incorporating nature values into their sustainability disclosure reports, Lin said.

Natural carbon sinks are widely considered to be the most promising and resilient climate solution to reach net zero, he added.

International Union for Conservation of Nature data showed that natural solutions could contribute to more than one-third of global emission offsets by 2030 and create more than US$170 billion in ecological benefits, Lin said.

Many global industrial powerhouses have already deployed resources to compete for natural carbon sinks, he said.

Microsoft this year signed an agreement on nearly 10 million tonnes of natural carbon sinks, while Apple has invested more than US$100 million in carbon sink projects in Latin America, Lin said.

The Symbiosis Coalition — formed by Google, Meta and other companies — has also pledged to purchase 20 million tonnes of nature-based carbon removal credits by 2030, he said.

Natural carbon sinks have become a net zero strategy for many global companies, Lin said, adding that Taiwanese companies must promptly take action given that they are part of the global supply chain.

In other news, Greenpeace East Asia on Wednesday called on artificial intelligence (AI) manufacturers to achieve 100 percent renewable energy use in their operations and across their supply chains by 2030.

AI giants’ supply chains accounted for most of their carbon emissions last year: 84.37 percent for Nvidia, 82.4 percent for Qualcomm, 80.44 percent for Broadcom and 97.52 percent for Advanced Micro Devices, it said in a report.

Carbon emissions from Nvidia’s supply chain rose from 3.51 million tonnes in 2022 to 6.91 million tonnes last year and were highly concentrated in East Asia, the report said.

Nvidia has not set any renewable energy targets for its supply chain, while Qualcomm and Broadcom have yet to establish targets for their operations and supply chains, it said.


title: Foreigners on a layover to get NT$600 vouchers

content_text:
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport.

The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday.

To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said.

Travelers walk through Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in an undated photograph. Photo: CNA

They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international flight to collect their voucher at the Tourism Administration’s Visitor Service Centers in Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 at the airport.

The voucher is valid at participating merchants within the airport, including restaurants, duty-free stores, souvenir shops and other retail services.

A list of participating merchants is available on the campaign Web site for easy reference, it added.

As Taiwan’s major international gateway, Taoyuan airport sees a large number of transit passengers, including 178,698 transit passengers last year, Taoyuan International Airport Corp said.

Through the voucher campaign, the agency said it aims to encourage more international travelers to utilize their layover time to experience Taiwan’s food, culture and airport amenities.

The campaign also aims to stimulate business growth for airport merchants and foster the diversified development of Taiwan’s tourism economy, it added.

The “Enter Taiwan, Enjoy a Gift” campaign is now open for online registration and is to run through Oct. 31 next year.


content_text:
By Ling Mei-hsue and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, and staff writer

The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) held a concert at the National Concert Hall in Taipei yesterday in honor of the late Rong San Lin (林榮三), founder of the Taipei Times and its sister newspaper, the Liberty Times, who passed away 10 years ago.

Under the direction of conductor Lin Chin-chao (林勤超), the orchestra during the “Sounds of Freedom” concert performed A Path Forward (生路), a composition by Chen Ke-chia (陳可嘉) inspired by Lin’s lifelong pursuit of progress and freedom.

The program also featured Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin, who performed Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 83.

Conductor Lin Chin-chao leads the National Symphony Orchestra and Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin, right, in a concert celebrating the life of Liberty Times founder Rong San Lin at the National Concert Hall in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Yi-chuan, Taipei Times

The program traced a musical journey from classical clarity through romantic richness to modern vitality.

At a news conference on Thursday, Chen said that A Path Forward seeks to capture Lin’s enduring spirit.

Although no single expression can fully encompass his legacy, it serves as “a tribute to Taiwan’s enduring spirit and a gesture of respect for the land,” Chen said.

Pianist Denis Kozhukhin plays the piano at a news conference to promote a concert honoring Liberty Times founder Rong San Lin at the National Concert Hall in Taipei on Thursday. Photo: Pan Shao-tang, Taipei Times

Lin Rong San Foundation of Culture and Social Welfare executive director Tsai Su-fen (蔡素芬) said that Lin was able to retire without financial worries after success in politics and the corporate sector.

However, he believed that Taiwan should not only have “one voice,” devoting attention to the Liberty Times, under the motto “Taiwan Foremost, Liberty First” since 1993, Tsai said.

Lin visited printing presses in Europe and the US to better understand advances in printing technology, in hopes of increasing sales and making reading the Liberty Times more enjoyable, Tsai said.

Lin also stayed late at the office every night, only leaving after receiving the proofs of the next day’s paper, Tsai added.

His attention to detail resulted in the Liberty Times becoming the first Taiwanese newspaper to use full-color printing and ensured that the paper, at its height, had a daily circulation of 1 million copies, Tsai said.

Lin also personally selected opinion pieces and editorials on the future of Taiwan and compiled them into anthologies, gifting the books to readers in hopes that Taiwanese would be more invested in their community and thus lay the foundations of a sovereign entity uniquely Taiwanese, she added.

title: Concert held in honor of late ‘Taipei Times’ founder


content_text:
By Chiu Chih-jou and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Public health officials are aiming to prevent mold-induced carcinogens in peanuts to protect consumers, new regulations proposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) showed.

Taiwan’s hot and humid climate results in heightened risks of mold growth, which could create aflatoxin in peanuts, the FDA said.

Aflatoxins are an International Agency for Research on Cancer group 1 carcinogen with no tolerable daily intake and cannot be removed through remedial food processing, it said.

In response, guidelines have been proposed to regulate the production of peanut products to ensure higher food safety standards, the agency said, adding that the public comment period would be open until the end of the year.

The draft regulations mandate enhanced training for deshelling workers, focusing on personal hygiene and the ability to identify abnormalities in the raw material, it said.

Restrictions would also be imposed on the cleanliness and use of chemical substances in deshelling facilities to prevent contamination by insects, rodents and birds, the FDA said, adding that safeguards for machinery, supply chains, crop selection and legal documentation would be updated to reflect best practices.

The proposed rules aim to guide the industry’s self-regulation, FDA food safety division official Hsiao Hui-wen (蕭惠文) said.

Linkou Chang Gung Hospital clinical toxicology center head Yen Tzung-hai (顏宗海) said that aflatoxin is a class of extremely poisonous compounds and ingesting its B1 form in large amounts could result in acute liver failure.

Long-term exposure to the substance might result in chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer, he said.

Sweetcorn and peanuts are susceptible to the fungus growth that leads to aflatoxin, he said, adding that refrigeration could help keep mold out of finished food products derived from nuts and grains.

title: FDA proposes new rules to prevent mold in peanuts


title: Hsinchu city and county have most fraud reports

content_text:
Hsinchu city and county have the most reported fraud cases and highest amount of defrauded money in the nation, suggesting that people working in high-tech sectors are at high risk of investment and fintech scams, prosecutors said last month.

Hsinchu had 150 reports of fraud per 100,000 people per month, the highest rate in Taiwan, the Hsinchu District Prosecutors’ Office said on Oct. 20.

Between last year and this year, NT$220 million (US$7.15 million) were lost to scams per month, indicating that many of the victims had high incomes, Hsinchu head prosecutor Huang Chen-lun (黃振倫) said.

A person swipes a credit card in an undated photograph. Photo: Taipei Times

Many people in his jurisdiction are technicians, engineers and managers working at the Hsinchu Science Park or supplier firms, he said.

Most of them have university degrees, high-paying jobs and good self-confidence, and mainly lead simple lives, going to work and then returning home on most days, Huang said.

“They are specifically targeted by scammers, who use persuasive words and deception to lure them in, such as ‘high return,’ ‘high profit,’ ‘achieve financial independence’ and other enticing terms,” he said. “Some people with jobs at high-tech sectors would get hooked, as they are overly confident that they are smart enough and would not be duped.”

“Technicians, engineers and people from the ‘intellectual class,’ are confident about their sense of judgement,” Huang said. “When they encounter things they are not familiar with, such as cryptocurrency, fintech investment and legal processes, they think these are not too difficult to understand.”

People in the high-tech industry are confident, but they still have blind spots in certain fields, he said.

They should ask questions and obtain knowledge from friends and experts, Huang said, adding that “the more you ask, the more protection you get.”

“If you are not sure, you must verify it, and if you do not understand the presented figures, you should ask,” he said.

“High-tech professionals are also afraid of others finding out that they have fallen victim to financial scams and would often opt to handle the situation on their own instead of seeking help from others,” Huang said.

“Scammers would sometimes say their package is only for ‘select, high-class people,’ so victims are duped into believing it is an affirmation of their status,” he added.

Scammers prey on people’s egos and emotions, he said, adding that it has nothing to do with intelligence, as scammers aim to manipulate the person’s feelings.

The only way to “show” your intellectual capacity is to have the courage to ask questions and seek help, Huang said.

Having a university degree, taking many courses and reading textbooks do not provide people with a real understanding of how scammers operate, the black market and underground financial schemes, he said.

Most people only have superficial knowledge about fintech, cryptocurrency and legal fields or only understand these things in theory, so they could be easily manipulated through persuasive talk and deception, Huang added.

He cited as an example a person with a doctorate who got scammed after they got lured into downloading an app for a crypto trade platform, which turned out to be fake.


title: Taiwan News Quick Take

content_text:
WEATHER

Rain and chills expected

Rain and cooler temperatures are expected in northern Taiwan next week due to stronger seasonal northeasterly winds, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said on Friday. CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said that moisture levels in northern Taiwan would be particularly high from tomorrow to Wednesday, with rain also likely in areas north of Taoyuan, including Yilan County. The seasonal winds are forecast to weaken slightly on Tuesday, regain strength on Wednesday and dissipate on Thursday, Liu added. Temperatures in northern Taiwan began to dip on Friday and could drop to 19°C in some areas today. According to the CWA Web site, areas north of Taoyuan, including Yilan County, would experience cloudy to rainy conditions until Thursday, with temperatures ranging between 20°C and 23°C. In eastern Taiwan, skies would be mostly sunny to partly sunny, with daytime highs reaching 25°C to 29°C.

AVIATION

EVA sick leave changes

EVA Airways has agreed to ease penalties for taking sick leaves, following the death of a flight attendant who fell ill on duty and had to keep working. EVA Air Union on Friday wrote on Facebook that flight attendants’ first three sick leaves would not impact performance evaluations and their right to pick shifts (three days per quarter). Flight attendants would not face additional penalties on performance reviews for taking days off during peak periods, they added. The changes are part of an agreement reached by the union and EVA Air representatives during negotiations earlier that day. EVA Air rejected proposals for more sick leaves and that all paid leaves be exempt from performance evaluations, citing operational concerns, the union said. The union described the changes as “interim results,” adding that it plans to cooperate with the Taoyuan Flight Attendants Union, and unions representing medical and transport workers to push for legal amendments. It also invited other major airline labor unions to urge the Civil Aeronautics Administration to include labor conditions and major labor disputes in its review of aviation rights.

ECONOMY

R&D spending jumps 11.9%

Taiwan’s research and development (R&D) spending surpassed the NT$1 trillion (US$32.52 billion) mark for the first time last year, up nearly 12 percent from the previous year, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) said on Friday. Combined R&D spending by the private and public sectors was about NT$1.049 trillion last year, up 11.9 percent from 2023, the council said, adding that the increase beat the average growth of 9.7 percent over the past five years. The spending accounted for 4.1 percent of GDP last year, up from 3.97 percent in 2023, hitting a new high, it said. The rise reflected global economic recovery, and external and internal demand, which prompted the private sector and the government to raise their R&D workforce, the NSTC said. Large private enterprises that have a workforce of more than 500 contributed about 82.4 percent of NT$898.6 billion spent by the entire business sector, up 0.7 percentage points from a year earlier, it said, adding that those companies dominated the country’s R&D expenses. In the country’s science parks, R&D spending accounted for 47.5 percent of the total expenses of the enterprises last year, up from 42.3 percent in 2020, as the semiconductor industry was keen to upgrade its technologies to boost competitiveness, the NSTC said. The total number of full-time R&D personnel was 311,156, up 2.8 percent from a year earlier.


title: Irish octogenarian enjoys new late-game hobby: Making harps

content_text:
The craft of making the iconic instrument has few remaining artisans

“It’s never too late to start a new hobby,” said 89-year-old Irish harp-maker Noel Anderson, one of only a few artisans still making the intricate instrument, a national symbol of Ireland.

A retired wood and metalwork teacher, Anderson only took up the niche craft seven years ago, making his first harp aged 82.

“It doesn’t matter what age I am really, I just pop out to the shed and work at it, sometimes for 10 minutes, sometimes for 10 hours,” Anderson told reporters at his home in Strabane, 120km northwest of Belfast.

“I’ll keep on doing it as long as I can,” said the still-spritely white-haired Anderson, who turns 90 years old this month.

“I’ve always made things — furniture, bowls, birdhouses, this and that — but making harps has been special, one of the better experiences in life,” the twinkle-eyed craftsman said.

For centuries the stringed harp has been a symbol of Ireland, appearing on its coat of arms, government seals and coins in the Republic of Ireland.

Harp maker Noel Anderson works his craft in his home workshop in Northern Ireland. There are relatively few harp makers remaining; Anderson only took up the craft at the age of 82, completing more than a dozen of the instruments to date, given as gifts to friends and family. Photo: AFP

These days the harp is more a cultural icon than a widely played instrument, with the violin, flute and pipes more central to the still thriving Irish traditional music scene.

Anderson mostly gives away his harps to friends and family as wedding presents or gifts.

“I don’t make them to sell, I do it because I like making them. If you’re charging what a craftsman should charge for a handmade harp, it’s going to be enormously expensive,” he said.

Anderson’s latest passion was launched when a friend suggested he make a harp as a favor, prompting him to convert his garage and shed into a workshop.

Now, after finishing 18 harps, big and small, he is working on his most ambitious yet, a replica of a 19th-century design by master Irish harpmaker John Egan.

“When you look at the plans, it all becomes a lot clearer, and you just follow along,” he said, crouched on a vast paper sheet spread out on the floor, peering at its fine details.

Anderson measures the time taken to finish making one harp from the first cut of wood to final stringing, not in time, but in cups of tea consumed.

“To make a big harp, I’ve got to drink at least 800 cups,” he said. “The wee lap harps are different. But still a lot of tea, five to six hundred brews anyway,” he laughed.

For Anderson, the material is the most important element of the process.

“Selecting what it’s going to be made of, getting your first timber, looking at it and saying, ah yes, that’ll be just right. That is one of the most enjoyable bits,” Anderson smiled.

Most of the raw material Anderson uses is “glorious” hardwood and strings sourced locally, although he occasionally buys spruce from Switzerland grown specifically for musical instruments.

“It’s all to have the grain of the wood as regular and as fine as possible. And spruce’s ability to transmit sound is quite unique,” he said.

Although he says his musical taste is eclectic, Anderson said he enjoys listening to an “occasional restful” harp CD while doing a crossword.

“Harp music is utterly beautiful of itself, be it Irish, South American or whatever,” he said.

“I’m not a musician, in fact I can’t play a note of anything,” he laughed.

That has not prevented him gaining a growing reputation for quality craftwork, as Anderson says there are only a few makers still around.

High cost, and no official trade school courses mean the craft has almost died out.

“I would love to know if there is somebody else, we’d share our abilities and stuff, that would be lovely to happen,” he said.


title: China to exempt some Nexperia orders from ban

content_text:
The resumption of Nexperia shipments was part of deal negotiated by Trump and Xi during Trump’s recent pan-Asia trip

China said yesterday it would exempt some Nexperia Holding NV chips from an export ban that alarmed European businesses, days after trade talks between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies.

Anxiety over chip shortages began when Dutch officials invoked a Cold War-era law in September to effectively take control of Nexperia, whose parent company, Wingtech Technology Co (聞泰科技), is backed by the Chinese government.

China in response banned any re-exports of Nexperia chips to Europe and accused the US of meddling in Dutch legal procedures to remove Nexperia’s Chinese CEO.

“We will comprehensively consider the actual situation of enterprises and grant exemptions to exports that meet the criteria,” a Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said in a statement.

The resumption of some shipments was part of a deal agreed by Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and US President Donald Trump after talks in South Korea on Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed sources.

Chinese and EU officials had planned to discuss Nexperia while meeting in Brussels the same day, EU spokesman Olof Gill had said.

Nexperia produces relatively simple but crucial technologies such as diodes, voltage regulators and transistors as vehicles increasingly rely on electronics.

The chips are mainly found in cars, but are used in a wide range of industrial components, as well as consumer and mobile electronics.

The company makes them in Europe before sending them to China for finishing and then re-exporting them to European clients.

The chipmaker supplies 49 percent of the electronic components used in the European automotive industry, according to German financial daily Handelsblatt.

The European auto lobby ACEA warned last month that production would be seriously hit.

“Without these chips, European automotive suppliers cannot build the parts and components needed to supply vehicle manufacturers and this therefore threatens production stoppages,” the group said.

Nexperia’s chips, while widely used, are not unique in terms of technology and easily substituted for similar components, French parts maker OPmobility said.

However, suppliers would have to get the new products approved by automakers, which takes time.


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The fantastically biodiverse park is threatened as people try to survive by prospecting in the dangerous terrain

Emmanuel knows only too well the allure of illegal gold prospecting in the protected Comoe National Park for the many young people without prospects in Ivory Coast’s troubled northeast.

“Young people come back from the park with enough money to buy themselves motorcycles, or even to build their own house,” said the former key player in the illegal trade, who has since renounced the unlawful gold digger’s life.

“When the metal detector beeps, you dig, up to a meter into the ground,” said Emmanuel, whose name has been changed to protect his identity.

“Sometimes you find iron, things of no interest. If you’re lucky, it’s gold! Then you dig some more, and you can earn a lot,” he said.

Gold, seen as a safe haven investment, has hit record prices in recent months in a lucrative market that fuels different forms of trafficking, including for militants in the Sahel region neighboring Ivory Coast.

Despite the personal perils and dangers to the wildlife of the Comoe nature reserve, one of west Africa’s largest, illicit gold mining has become one of the main money-makers for young Ivorians in the impoverished Bounkani region. Bounkani is in the northeast corner of Ivory Coast, bordering Ghana and Burkina Faso, far from where the country meets the ocean.

“Here, everyone’s into gold,” said Angeline Som, who heads a women’s rights group in the Bounkani town of Doropo.

“The majority of young people are illegal prospectors. Otherwise, they’re on the dole, and more and more of them are turning into thieves when night falls,” the 50-year-old said, referring to government welfare.

Hermann Dah Sie, a journalist in the regional capital, Bouna, near the borders with Ghana and jihadist-hit Burkina Faso, agreed.

“Besides gold, there’s nothing for young people here. Just civil service posts and the informal sector,” Dah Sie said.

Some residents have gone as far as to demand the government either legalize or tolerate the practice, as has long been the case in neighboring Burkina Faso.

According to Emmanuel, gold mining took off in Bounkani with the start of the first Ivorian civil war in 2002, when rebels took control of the region.

“Before, no one talked about it. We didn’t know about it. It was just something the Burkinabes did here and there,” he said.

After the rangers fled the fighting, prospectors rushed into the Comoe National Park, which, while protected in theory, had been left at the mercy of looters and poachers.

Prospectors quickly learned how to use metal detectors, often provided by Burkinabe gold miners.

“The gold miners would take their machines and follow behind the poachers, spending time in the park together for days or even weeks at a time,” Emmanuel said.

However, after Ivory Coast’s decade-long crisis ended in 2011 and stability returned, the re-establishment of the state’s authority in the region changed the situation on the ground.

Today everyone agrees that the park is well-guarded, while artisanal gold mining is officially prohibited. Those caught by the park’s rangers risk up to two years in jail and a hefty fine. Yet the long arm of the law is the least of a gold digger’s worries.

“If you get lost in the park, you’re dead,” Emmanuel said.

“Without water, without food, with all the animals, you’ll disappear forever,” he added. “Many have found themselves trapped in ravines, killed by snakes or buffaloes... If you injure yourself, no one will carry you home.”

Despite the ban, artisanal gold mining still takes place in Comoe discreetly, to the point where authorities consider the practice the biggest threat to the still-recovering park.

While guards mount regular patrols, corruption exists, with miners sometimes informed of what zones the rangers are patrolling in, according to Emmanuel. “The sponsors provide the logistics, food and metal detector. They earn a lot of money, up to 70 percent of the gold, leaving the remaining 30 percent for the digger,” Emmanuel said.

Sponsors then do deals in Bouna, at the crossroads between Burkina and Ghana, with demand coming from all over west Africa, he added.

“We have to tell young people that there are too many risks to gold-digging,” Emmanuel warned. “It’s not worth the trouble.”

title: Risky gold rush drives young in Ivory Coast park


content_text:
The attention of Taiwanese pundits and politicians last week was laser-focused on the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on Thursday in South Korea. The question on everyone’s lips was whether Xi would bring up the issue of Taiwan, and whether Trump would sell Taiwan out to improve the chances of securing favorable terms in the discussion over trade tensions.

The attention was born of a paranoia that Trump would live up to his transactional reputation to Taiwan’s detriment. As it turns out, the meeting between the leaders of the two largest economies in the world remained focused on trade, with the US and China achieving little more than a reset that nevertheless signaled a willingness to reduce tensions.

Taiwan was — according to reports — not even mentioned, but speculation over its inclusion distracted from the larger picture of the past week’s diplomatic flurry.

For Taiwan, the important thing was not the Trump-Xi meeting in isolation, but what was learned from it in the larger context of Trump’s meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo prior to his arrival in South Korea, the meeting between Xi and Takaichi on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Friday, and the meeting between Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Thursday.

The reset in the Trump-Xi meeting shows that, for all his attempts to subvert the international order, Xi is well aware of the degree to which China’s economy is intertwined with the US economy, and also how important it is for him to steady his ship to address his country’s domestic economic woes; it also shows that Trump was aware of the same realities for the US. For Taiwan, the noteworthy aspect was that Xi knows that China’s continued economic health remains dangerously exposed to punitive sanctions by the US.

The meeting between Trump and Takaichi, a political prodigy of late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, sent a strong message about the resilience of the US-Japan alliance and the importance both leaders placed on national security, defense spending, a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Takaichi also noted that Japan faces an “unprecedented, severe security environment,” which could be interpreted as referring to Chinese actions in the region. In her meeting with Xi, she expressed serious concerns about the South China Sea and brought up the issue of Chinese actions in the East China Sea around the Japanese-administered Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台列嶼), known in Japan as the Senkaku Islands.

Her policy trajectory as a continuation of Abe’s national security concerns, as well as her affinity with Taiwan, reassured Taipei.

Also of importance to Taiwan, in terms of the network of like-minded alliances in the region, was the cordial meeting between Takaichi and Lee, during which the two leaders agreed to develop Japan-South Korea relations “in a future-oriented and stable manner, based on the foundation built since the normalization of diplomatic ties,” according to Takaichi.

This was good news indeed, as Lee has been resistant to a warming of ties between the two nations after years of acrimony eased following overtures in 2023 between then-Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida and then-South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol.

Any concerns that improving ties would not survive the end of the administrations of Kishida and Yoon, and the impact such deterioration would have on the US-Japan-South Korea alignment, can be put to bed for the time being, as there now seems to be some institutionalization of the relationship.

title: EDITORIAL: Reassurance from diplomatic flurry


title: Cheng’s democratic devaluation

people: 習近平 鄭麗文

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Yesterday, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), once the dominant political party in Taiwan and the historic bearer of Chinese republicanism, officially crowned Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) as its chairwoman. A former advocate for Taiwanese independence turned Beijing-leaning firebrand, Cheng represents the KMT’s latest metamorphosis — not toward modernity, moderation or vision, but toward denial, distortion and decline.

In an interview with Deutsche Welle that has now gone viral, Cheng declared with an unsettling confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “not a dictator,” but rather a “democratically elected leader.” She went on to lecture the German journalist that Russia had been “democratized for many years,” and insisted that one cannot simply “slap on a label” like “dictator” when someone has come to power through elections.

Putin’s regime has eliminated opposition candidates, weaponized the media, rewritten constitutional term limits and jailed, poisoned or exiled dissenters. His war of aggression in Ukraine has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. Yet to Cheng, none of this disqualifies him from the ranks of democratic leadership. Her logic is simple: ballots were cast, therefore the man is legitimate. Never mind the prison cells, the rigged results, the murdered journalists or the fear.

Such thinking reveals not merely a personal lapse in judgement, it reflects a deep moral and intellectual corrosion at the heart of today’s KMT. The party that once fought communism with blood and steel, that once claimed to protect “free China,” now flirts with relativism so extreme it sees no difference between tyrant and elected leader, so long as a vote took place.

Votes alone do not constitute democracy. Democracy requires pluralism, free speech, fair competition and most of all, the right to dissent without dying for it. If Cheng does not understand that — or worse, understands it and deliberately blurs the line — then her leadership of the KMT is catastrophic.

Taiwan cannot afford a major opposition party whose leader cannot distinguish dictatorship from democracy, whose moral compass spins with such reckless abandon that it points toward Putinism and calls it “elected legitimacy.” In a world where authoritarian regimes are emboldened and liberal democracies are under siege, Taiwan must be clear-eyed about its values and its enemies. If Cheng believes that Putin is not a threat to freedom, what would she say about Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平)?

That a major political party in Taiwan is now led by someone who calls Putin a democrat should alarm us all. This is not a gaffe. It is her worldview — one that distorts history, undermines our democratic identity, and dangerously blurs the line between free societies and those who murder dissent.

The KMT might believe it has chosen a fighter; someone loud, combative and media-savvy. However, what it has chosen is far worse: a leader who confuses strength with bullying, who mistakes autocracy for mandate, and who threatens to drag the party, and the country’s discourse, into a dark abyss.

Cheng’s declaration in the same interview — that Beijing “does not want Taiwan to be another Hong Kong” — is a masterclass in political self-sabotage, managing to insult both logic and Beijing’s narrative in a single breath. Is she suggesting Hong Kong is a failure? If so, she directly challenges Beijing’s official triumphalism and mocks the words of Beijing’s top official in charge of Taiwan policy, the Chinese Communist Party’s fourth-ranked leader Wang Huning (王滬寧), who recently reaffirmed “one country, two systems” as the “best path” for Taiwan.

More pressingly, by what measure of privileged access does she presume to know Beijing’s true intentions? Or is she simply inventing policy on the fly? Such a claim is the hallmark of a leader who is politically tone-deaf and fundamentally unserious — a loud mouth mistaking volume for vision.

Taiwan deserves better. To survive, democracy requires at least two sides — government and opposition — grounded in reality, in ethics, and in a shared understanding that dictatorship is the enemy of democracy, not just an alternative form of it.

Today, one cannot help but grieve not just for the KMT, but for the quality of our national debate. When the leader of a major party calls Putin a democrat, the damage is not just to the party, it is to the very idea of truth.

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


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With regard to the sustainability of Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) system, the more funding it gets, the smoother it operates — but the question lies in where that funding should come from. Managing NHI finances is similar to being the chief executive officer of a corporation — it requires pragmatically facing reality.

In service for three decades, the system is confronting structural challenges such as a mass exodus of physicians and nurses that specialize in urgent, critical and rare diseases, insufficient premium revenue, imbalanced payments for professional services, and misallocated resources. For the system to last, it cannot rely solely on increased funding — it requires managerial wisdom and human understanding.

The NHI handles nearly NT$1 trillion (US$32.5 billion) in annual revenues and expenditures, yet its allocation fails to meet the needs of the healthcare system. Outpatient services account for 70 percent of total spending, while inpatient care only accounts for 30 percent. Insufficient primary care resources make it impossible to provide care for chronic diseases, while major medical centers are overcrowded with patients suffering from minor illnesses. Many have grown accustomed to going straight to large hospitals to see renowned doctors, believing that the visit is covered by the NHI, tests are free and the medication is cheap, which causes medical institutions to be overwhelmed.

The key to tiered healthcare is trust, not punishment. Every patient hopes to see the best possible doctor, that is only human. If the public lacks trust in primary care physicians, no amount of public education can change their healthcare habits. To make a tiered healthcare system successful, achieving trust in primary care must be the priority — accurate diagnoses, attentive service and smooth referral processes. The public must be made aware that minor illnesses can be treated at local clinics, and that patients with serious conditions are referred to larger medical centers when necessary.

When the National Health Insurance Administration established the medical treatment cloud database known as Medicloud, it allowed patients at local clinics to access imaging results taken at major medical centers and integrated strategic alliances across healthcare systems. With the help of former minister of education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠) and Tainan’s Hanlin Publishing, concepts such as tiered medical care and user copayments under the NHI were even included in fifth-grade elementary school textbooks. The plans were well thought out, but the real question is whether the authorities have made good use of these tools to promote health insurance reform.

There is a clear and fundamental difference between user-paid services and copayments. The copayments stipulated in the National Health Insurance Act (全民健康保險法) depend on the level of medical institution — for example, patients who go directly to a major medical center without a referral must pay an additional fee. The boost in NHI copayments we advocated for in 2021 focused on accountability for healthcare-seeking habits — particularly in relation to tests and examinations. It is not uncommon for patients at large hospitals to seek extra tests while they are at the facility. This “the more tests, the better” mentality has led to the overuse of medical resources, encouraging individuals to seek treatment at major hospitals.

If patients were made to understand the costs associated with each test, and if copayments were adjusted based on usage behavior rather than just the level of the medical institution, we could curb overuse of the central facilities and encourage people to return to local clinics.

At the time it was proposed, this policy received then-premier Su Tseng-chang’s (蘇貞昌) support and saw an 80 percent approval rating in public opinion polls. I found myself deeply moved by Su’s leadership. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the plan after it had already been announced, short-circuiting its implementation. That the original copayment model from 30 years ago is being revisited, sociologists are likely to voice different opinions.

Finally, the sustainability of the NHI system cannot rely solely on legislation. Governing according to the law is the foundation of reform, but the vitality of any system stems from the human heart. The ultimate success of the NHI comes from it being a system of human understanding. When users are willing to pay their fair share, primary care doctors receive respect and major medical centers can focus on treating only the most critical cases, the entire system would regain balance. The NHI should not merely be a medical bill paid by all citizens, but a health charter collectively safeguarded by the entire nation.

Lee Po-chang is a chair professor at Taipei Medical University’s College of Public Health and former director-general of the NHI Administration.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

title: Promote a tiered healthcare system


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Before attending the APEC summit in South Korea, US President Donald Trump visited Japan to personally congratulate newly inaugurated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who had been in office for less than a week. He also brought three generous gifts, providing the “Iron Lady” of Japan with a powerful diplomatic boost.

After a fierce battle to secure the premiership, Takaichi barely had time to settle in. She rushed back to Tokyo to welcome Trump after attending the ASEAN summit in Malaysia. The two hit off immediately thanks to their shared respect for former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.

“Anything I can do to help Japan, we will be there,” Trump said. “We are an ally at the strongest level.”

Receiving this honor immediately after taking office instantly raised Takaichi’s international visibility. According to a poll published by the Sankei Shimbun on Monday, her approval rating reached 75 percent. Trump’s visit served as a powerful political endorsement, providing Takaichi with a much-needed boost.

The visit also served to deepen the US-Japan alliance. Takaichi was invited to take a ride in the Marine One helicopter and board the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, where she addressed hundreds of sailors, and expressed gratitude to both the US military and the Japan Self-Defense Forces for their contributions to peace. She declared that Japan would work hand in hand with the US to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

It is rare for a Japanese prime minister to deliver a speech aboard a US warship, demonstrating how highly the US values Takaichi’s strategic position. She also announced that Japan would meet its goal of raising defense spending to 2 percent of its GDP this year — two years ahead of schedule — exhibiting her commitment to strengthening the US-Japan alliance through concrete action.

China, Russia and North Korea are watching closely — nuclear-armed and belligerent — while the situation in the Taiwan Strait remains turbulent and unpredictable. If Japan’s political situation were to become unstable or the US-Japan alliance were to weaken, Abe’s warning that “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency” could amount to empty words.

Trump’s backing of Takaichi — who is regarded as the “female Abe” — is intended to solidify the Indo-Pacific defensive line. So long as the US-Japan alliance remains rock solid, any actor seeking to stir up trouble or alter the “status quo” would have to think twice before acting rashly.

Trump also met with Abe’s widow, Akie Abe, demonstrating his unwavering support for the Abe doctrine. Washington has treated Takaichi generously, granting her a diplomatic “blank check” that symbolizes its confidence and trust in her leadership, and sends a clear message to all of Japan’s political circles — only a steady and resolute helmsman can safely navigate Japan through turbulent waters.

Taiwan and Japan share deep historical ties, but due to the absence of official diplomatic relations, very few Japanese politicians — such as Abe and Takaichi — have dared to publicly voice support for Taiwan. Now, Trump’s endorsement has allowed the US-Japan alliance to grow even closer, indirectly benefiting Taiwan. Asked whether the Taiwan issue would come up during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) alongside the APEC summit, Trump said: “Taiwan is Taiwan.”

With Takaichi acting as a go-between, the concept that “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency” might further evolve into “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency — and a US contingency as well.”

Wang Hui-sheng is chief director of the Kisei Ladies’ and Children’s Hospital in Japan and a founding member of the East Asian Research Institute.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

title: Trump-Takaichi friendship beneficial


content_text: The government and local industries breathed a sigh of relief after Shin Kong Life Insurance Co last week said it would relinquish surface rights for two plots in Taipei’s Beitou District (北投) to Nvidia Corp. The US chip-design giant’s plan to expand its local presence will be crucial for Taiwan to safeguard its core role in the global artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem and to advance the nation’s AI development.The land in dispute is owned by the Taipei City Government, which in 2021 sold the rights to develop and use the two plots of land, codenamed T17 and T18, to the

title: EDITORIAL CARTOON


content_text:
If we transfer all codified knowledge to machines, we might burn younger generations’ ships without first teaching them how to forge ahead on their own, leaving them a world where it would be ever harder to learn by doing, to achieve mastery and aspire to creative freedom

Pianist Keith Jarrett’s Koln Concert is one of the greatest pieces of improvisation in the history of jazz — an hour of unrestrained glory, delivered without a score or a plan.

However, Jarrett’s achievement owed nothing to chance. Rather, it was the outcome of thousands of hours of tedious repetition — endless scales that honed the pianist’s reflexes and muscle memory. Geniuses of improvisation rely on mastery, which itself comes from practice. They are not just winging it.

This is a central paradox of human learning: Modes of action could be transcended only after being deeply internalized. Creativity always begins with constraint.

In what Russian pediatric psychologist Lev Vygotsky called the “zone of proximal development,” repetition transforms limitation into skill.

Likewise, Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget said that intelligence is built through action, through the repeated manipulation of knowledge until it becomes instinctive. To learn is to master a framework well enough to be able to transcend it.

The same dynamic also applies to more mundane intellectual work. Professionals in the service or technology sectors must first adhere to codified rules before learning to break the mold. Nobel laureate psychologist Daniel Kahneman captured this transition with his distinction between two forms of cognition: “System 1” is fast, intuitive and automatic, whereas “System 2” is slow, analytical and deliberate.

As knowledge workers become more seasoned, they are often encouraged to emulate Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes and “burn the ships” of technical fluency so they could focus on developing the new. The idea is to dispense with the System 2 thinking that got you across the Atlantic and to trust wholly in your instincts (System 1).

However, artificial intelligence (AI) now threatens to eliminate the ocean-crossing stage of knowledge workers’ careers.

A study by academics Erik Brynjolfsson, Bharat Chandar and Ruyu Chen looked at millions of US payroll records and found that, since late 2022, employment among those aged 22 to 25 has fallen by 13 percent in the most AI-exposed occupations — customer service, communications and especially software development — while older workers in the same fields have been largely unaffected.

Other research has arrived at similar findings. For example, academics Seyed Mahdi Hosseini and Guy Lichtinger last month highlighted an even steeper decline in early AI-adopting companies. These studies showed that the most affected jobs are those in which AI is used to automate tasks, whereas those in which AI augments human capabilities remain stable. This distinction is crucial, because the tasks most at risk of automation are precisely those that once served as crucibles for professional growth.

The implication is that AI could destroy the foundations on which more senior employees’ intuition and judgment rest. A banker becomes a shrewd negotiator only after spending long nights and weekends adjusting financial models. An engineer grasps the logic of a system only after debugging hundreds of trivial errors. Such repetitive, boring, codified work is the raw material of tacit knowledge — the kind that no textbook could teach. With AI, we are burning younger generations’ ships without first teaching them how to forge ahead on their own.

Young people today already blame their elders for leaving them with mounting problems such as climate change, and now they are inheriting yet another debt. Cognitive science reminds us that learning is not just an accumulation of information. It is an embodied process.

As neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene said, learning relies on “neuronal recycling,” with the brain repurposing existing circuits through repeated practice. That recycling requires action, not delegation.

Young workers cannot become experts by merely validating a machine’s output; they cannot develop intuition by supervising an algorithm. If we transfer all codified knowledge to machines, it would become ever harder to learn by doing, to achieve mastery and thus to aspire to creative freedom.

How are we to avoid this cognitive trap? There are three principles that should guide companies and society more broadly.

First, restore dignity and value to repetitive work. Repetition should not always be viewed as drudgery; often, it is a cognitive investment. Companies should recognize the formative power of such work. No musician becomes a virtuoso without scales; no financial analyst or lawyer develops business judgment without performing in their junior years all the tedious tasks we would be tempted to entrust a machine.

Second, we need to rethink workflows. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon might well be right that “AI is going to change literally every job.” In that case, firms that use AI to automate certain tasks should create others through which young professionals could still practice, make mistakes and learn. Progress depends less on being efficient than on being engaged. The goal is not to safeguard existing jobs at all costs, but to create occupations enabling the transition from System 2 to System 1 thinking.

Finally, we must introduce a norm of intergenerational accountability. Every act of automation should be assessed not only for its productivity gains here and now, but also for its future costs.

What happens to the next generation when we remove the learning phase? A principle of “cognitive decency” should be embedded in corporate ethics charters alongside those requiring environmental sustainability.

Jarrett shone that night in Cologne, Germany, precisely because he had spent years following a playbook. Likewise, we as a society would retain our creative freedom only if we preserve the time it takes to learn. We must do so while also embracing change.

As economist Philippe Aghion, one of this year’s Nobel laureates in economics, has shown, creative destruction is the engine of progress.

However, we cannot turn a blind eye to other worldviews. Emerging markets and developing economies, which are leapfrogging straight to native, widespread AI adoption, might view things differently. The cognitive debt that we are leaving for younger people in advanced economies might be their opportunity. It would be our duty to pay attention. For now, though, acknowledging that the debt exists, and would grow, is the first step toward addressing it.

Bertrand Badre, a former managing director of the World Bank, is chair of the Project Syndicate Advisory Board, CEO and founder of Blue Like an Orange Sustainable Capital, and the author of Can Finance Save the World? Florian Ingen-Housz is partner at Altermind, a Paris-based strategy consultancy.

Copyright: Project Syndicate

title: Will AI bury future  generations in cognitive debt?


content_text:
Wall Street’s big guns are early this month to head to Hong Kong for a global financial summit, dining at the Hong Kong Palace Museum (featuring Chinese imperial works on loan from Beijing) before meeting at the nearby Rosewood Hotel — one of the city’s swankiest. There, the top brass from Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan and another 100 financial firms would enjoy delicious food and breathtaking views as Hong Kong’s leaders pitch them on the profits to be made in the former British colony.

The same day as the gala dinner, a very different type of gathering would take place in Hong Kong. Veteran political activist Chow Hang-tung (鄒幸彤) would try to quash national security proceedings against her. She is scheduled to stand trial in January, along with Lee Cheuk-yan (李卓人) and Albert Ho (何俊仁), for their role in organizing annual commemorations of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre — an event that drew hundreds of thousands of people every June 4 until 2019. Chow and Lee have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and Ho is a well-known lawyer in Hong Kong. They now face 10 years in prison on subversion charges, simply for urging Hong Kongers to light candles in honor of the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Chinese protesters who were killed by their own government. These were the only public commemorations of the massacre held on Chinese soil, and for three decades, they were legal.

Chow, Lee and Ho are just three of almost 800 political prisoners held in the once-free city. The most prominent is 77-year-old pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai (黎智英). Having been held in solitary confinement for most of the past five years, he soon faces a verdict in his marathon national security trial. Six of his Apple Daily colleagues remain in custody, and although they have pleaded guilty, the courts have not yet sentenced them. The authorities prefer to hold them hostage pending the conclusion of proceedings against Lai.

Most Hong Kongers now feel the chill of Beijing’s long shadow. Charges still hang over many of the more than 10,000 people arrested during the massive protests of 2019 to 2020, when as many as 2 million people flooded the streets demanding democracy.

It is telling that Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee (李家超) cannot even open a bank account at most of the banks whose leaders are attending the upcoming summit. Under US sanctions for his role in the crackdown on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy demonstrators, he was even humiliatingly denied a visa to attend the 2023 APEC summit in San Francisco. Yet now, financiers who cannot bank Lee would shake his hand and listen to his remarks at the Rosewood.

The Hong Kong government wants to convince these bankers that everything is back to normal. Its representatives would insist that the market is strong, with the benchmark Hang Seng Index up more than 30 percent year-to-date, and that Hong Kong would likely be the world’s largest market for initial public offerings this year.

By attending, the masters of global finance are signaling that they do not care that China broke its promise to the people of Hong Kong. They would prefer to forget that, under the treaty governing Hong Kong’s return to China after a century and a half of British rule, the Chinese government committed to maintaining the freedoms that Hong Kong had enjoyed. It even doubled down, promulgating a mini-constitution that upholds free speech, a free press, freedom of worship, trial by jury, the right to choose one’s own lawyer and the other guarantees of a free society. China has broken every promise.

One thing China does care about, of course, is profits. Hong Kong’s market has barely moved in the five years since China introduced its draconian National Security Law, which has been weaponized against Chow, Lee, Ho and Lai. Despite its strength this year, the Hang Seng remains about 3 percent above where it was when the law was introduced, whereas the S&P 500 has more than doubled.

This gap reflects the fact that if you have political prisoners, you cannot also be a global financial center. Political prisoners exist only where a free press does not, but the free flow of information is a prerequisite for price discovery. Likewise, when courts are politicized, property rights cannot be protected and many investors would stay away.

So, why are Western bankers showing up? The only conclusion is that they are chasing short-term profits, even if it means funding a repressive regime that has made no secret of its animosity toward the West. Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) wants to upend the liberal world order, and he is betting that US financiers would help him fund that effort. Lee and his Chinese Communist Party bosses know that Wall Street is the soft underbelly of US capitalism.

If Western bankers insist on going, they should use the occasion to speak up. Otherwise, they should stay home.

Mark L. Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom at the Hong Kong Foundation, is the author, most recently, of The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong’s Greatest Dissident, and China’s Most Feared Critic.

Copyright: Project Syndicate

title: Wall Street risks shorting freedom of Hong Kongers