taiwan-subdivisions: 屏東 枋寮 屏東縣

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▼員警隨即將載送黃姓阿嬤回家，並交付家屬及告知走失情形，家屬表示阿嬤因為年紀大了，所以有時會有健忘情形。（圖／屏東縣政府警察局）

【記者何勁陞／屏東報導】 為提升特種警衛勤務與大型活動交通管制應變能量，屏東縣政府警察局交通警察隊近期辦理「大型重型機車警力專業訓練」，透過完整規劃與系統性課程，精進警用重機人員的駕駛技術與任務執行能力，強化機動應變與現場協調效能，展現「屏安護民」理念的具體行動力。

訓練全程自交通隊隊本部出發，沿行台1線、台9線等主要幹道，不僅包含基本控車操作、障礙迴避、車輛扶起及平衡訓練等專業技術，更模擬高風險任務情境，針對副總統級以上要員隨扈勤務，實施隊形變換、臨時改道、路口疏導、人車動線整合等綜合演練，建構員警實務能力與臨場反應力。

此次訓練亦結合影像紀錄與創意行銷策略，由交通隊團隊運用無人機與運動攝影機全程跟拍，精心剪輯訓練過程影片，並以 AI 工具輔助創作主題音樂《屏安軌跡》，以公路搖滾曲風融入電影敘事感，描繪重機隊執勤歷程中對家鄉的責任與對平安的堅持。歌曲歌詞節奏鏗鏘，唱出「不是為了掌聲，而是為了守護」，具象呈現警察面對風沙酷暑的真實日常，傳遞守土有責的信念與不懈付出。

「從枋寮的海風到屏鵝公路的陽光，從清晨的前導到夜晚的殿後」，這不僅是警察日復一日的巡守任務，更是一種信仰。他們騎乘重機，穿梭於每段路程中，用汗水換取民眾的安全與安心，將每一次訓練，都化為保護屏東的真實行動。

警察局長甘炎民表示，面對日益複雜的勤務挑戰，大型重型機車不僅提升行動力與機動性，更是面對突發狀況中維護秩序與保障安全的重要戰力。他強調：「此次訓練不僅強化個人技術，更深化團隊默契，讓每位重機警員在任務中都能兼顧效率與安全，展現屏東交警一貫的專業與執著。」

甘局長進一步肯定交通隊同仁在訓練與行銷上的雙重投入，透過結合科技紀實與音樂創作的創新手法，不僅讓勤務背後的艱辛得以被看見，也深化了民眾對警察工作的理解與感受。他期許未來能持續以創新、多元方式，傳達警察守護家鄉的決心與行動，讓「屏安護民」不只是口號，更成為每位警察實踐的信念與責任。

title: 屏東交警重機警力強化實境演練　創意行銷展現專業與熱忱


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【記者何勁陞／屏東報導】 八隻可愛又充滿個性的「潮怪」現身屏東潮州！為讓孩子們從生活中感受美學，屏東縣政府2日於潮好玩幸福村舉辦「潮怪的異想世界」特展開幕活動，縣長周春米藝術家徐至宏共同揭開潮怪世界的序幕。周縣長表示，期盼透過溫暖且充滿想像力的藝術特展，讓孩童在日常生活中與藝術零距離。

今日活動中，小米姐姐創作者徐至宏化身探險隊長，帶領小朋友們在草地上展開尋找潮怪大冒險，當巨鱗獸、龜仔獸、長頸獸、蠑蠑獸、蛋上小鱗獸，以及三隻調皮的小鱗獸一一現身時，孩子們驚呼連連、興奮地將牠們團團包圍，現場笑聲不斷，氣氛熱鬧又溫馨。

縣長周春米表示，謝謝藝術家徐至宏打造兼具生態環保意識的八隻怪獸，與孩子們分享創意與樂趣，她說，潮好玩幸福村自111年打造至今已突破百萬人次到訪，園區內除了設有共融公園遊戲場、國立科學博物館的常設展外，後續將持續建置托嬰中心與日照中心，讓屏中地區成為幸褔社區園地，打造全年齡、平日假日休閒的好去處。

創作者徐至宏表示，在創作過程中，想像恐龍若因氣候變遷而存活至今，經過長時間的演化，身形與習性已經不是原本的樣貌，因此誕生怪獸系列的小角色來陪伴大家，希望讓孩子不只是看展，更能感受藝術走入生活的溫度。

縣府社會處表示，本次特展共有八隻造型、個性且大小不一的潮怪，有三隻充滿活力愛跑跳愛爬樹小鱗獸、在潮好玩草皮發現一顆巨大蛋的小鱗獸、幽默冷靜的巨鱗獸、認真細心的龜仔獸、膽小易緊張的蠑蠑獸，以及高達2公尺愛仰望天空有遠見的高個兒長頸獸，展場周邊同時設置紙箱城堡及紙箱恐龍等自由遊戲空間，讓大小朋友參觀潮怪後，還能繼續在紙箱城堡裡與恐龍開心捉迷藏。

屏東縣政府社會處說，「潮怪的異想世界」特展期間，凡於展區拍照打卡，與潮怪們一同留下最幸福的紀念，即可兌換限定版潮怪明信片，數量有限請儘速前來以免向隅，另外潮州中心也會持續推出假日市集、自由遊戲、館室方案及劇團表演等活動，更多精彩資訊都在屏東縣政府社會處及潮好玩幸福村臉書。

taiwan-subdivisions: 屏東 屏東縣 潮州

title: 屏東潮好玩幸福村「潮怪的異想世界」特展開幕


taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 新北市 烏來

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記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

新北市政府(2)日在市府舉辦新北市第13屆醫療公益獎頒獎典禮，新北市長侯友宜親自頒獎，表揚3家永續醫院及25位表現卓越的醫事人員。他致詞時表示，新北市有全國最多的404萬人口，約僅有1萬1,000名醫師及8,000多名醫事人員，工作負擔跟壓力非常重，感謝他們努力守護新北市民，讓大家都能平安健康。

侯友宜說，這次共有68位（家）的醫事人員及醫院報名，從中選出最優秀的人員及3家醫院。得獎者主要在弱勢族群、偏鄉照顧、社區服務上都有傑出表現；另外也有一些特殊奉獻，像是讓醫療「公平可近」、資源「永續發展」，智慧化管理等，讓新北市的醫療體系更堅韌。

▲侯友宜感謝醫師及醫事人員守護新北市民健康。(圖/新北市新聞局 提供)

今年受提名角逐醫療公益獎各獎項傑出的醫師、醫事人員及醫院共有72件，由評審委員會採書審、初審及決審三階段，經過3小時嚴謹且激烈的討論，共有25位優秀人員及3家醫院脫穎而出

本屆獲獎者中，身為臨床心理師的江垂南主任尤具代表性，他投入精神與心理衛生工作逾30年，特別關注弱勢兒童與青少年創傷復原議題，並致力於協助社工、生輔員等第一線人員建立與兒少間良好的關係。另外，烏來衛生所的温傑主任，身為原住民的他積極導入「文化安全」理念，將原住民族文化作為醫療照護的一環，致力為原住民族打造更健康、更有尊嚴的醫療環境。

衛生局表示，近年來新北市積極推動「永續醫院」理念，越來越多醫療機構投入減碳節能、智慧管理、病人安全與員工友善設計等行動。未來將持續推動智慧醫療、社區整合照護與永續營運，打造更安全、智慧、綠色的醫療環境，讓新北成為兼具公益與永續的健康標竿城市。

title: 新北醫療公益獎頒獎     侯友宜親表揚3家永續醫院、25位卓越醫事人員


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記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

板橋慈惠宮(2)日舉辦2025文化交流慶典「慈惠宮、拱天宮 百年會香」—祈福踩街活動，新北市長侯友宜親自前往參拜祈福，他致詞時表示，這次板橋慈惠宮與苗栗白沙屯拱天宮聯合舉辦百年會香，象徵宗教文化的傳承與交流，連續3天在土城、中和、板橋繞境祈福，許多信眾前來朝聖，祈求媽祖保佑新北市政順利、民眾安居樂業。

侯友宜說，板橋慈惠宮是板橋區重要的信仰中心，他每年也都會來參拜祈福，廟方長年熱心地方公益，除捐贈物資幫助弱勢家庭，也提供學生獎學金，並捐贈救護車及救災破壞器材等，秉持媽祖慈悲濟世的精神回饋社會。

民政局表示，新北市主副祀媽祖宮廟逾300間，顯示媽祖受到信眾的高度擁戴，此次邀請白沙屯拱天宮媽祖北上共襄盛舉，希望藉由祈福踩街與聖誕遶境等活動，弘揚媽祖濟世精神。

民政局指出，板橋慈惠宮長期致力於社會公益，推動教育文化、福利服務、慈善救濟等工作，已連續多年榮獲內政部績優宗教團體「宗教公益獎」肯定，同時榮獲新北市政府績優宗教團體「公益慈善」及「社會教化」獎項，充分展現宗教在地公益的貢獻。

taiwan-subdivisions: 白沙 板橋 新北 土城 板橋區 新北市 中和 苗栗

title: 白沙屯媽祖駕到!板橋慈惠宮啟動「百年會香」     侯友宜親自參拜祈福


countries: 墨西哥 印度 美國

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Ajay Devgn 與 Cartel Bros 打造的「The GlenJourneys 」威士忌榮耀登頂國際舞台，於 2025 年國際威士忌大賽 (IWS) 摘得「最佳單一麥芽蘇格蘭威士忌」桂冠，並在墨西哥烈酒評選大賽中勇奪金獎殊榮。

2025-11-02   印度孟買2025年11月2日 /美通社/ — 印度奢華烈酒界正舉杯慶賀全球認可——「The GlenJourneys 桶裝系列」，由演員兼企業家 Ajay Devgn 與 Cartel Bros 共同創辦的頂級單一麥芽威士忌品牌，榮獲兩項國際殊榮。

該品牌榮獲 「Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky」（於 India Wines & Spirits Awards 2025 ）並摘得金獎（於Spirits Selection Awards in Mexico），標誌著印度本土高端威士忌品牌在國際舞台上非凡的首次亮相。

這些早期榮譽彰顯出 The GlenJourneys 對工藝、創新與真實性的堅定承諾。全球僅限量 600 支的 GlenJourneys 21 年先鋒版，更使其成為獨一無二的珍藏體驗。這款威士忌於蘇格蘭高地蒸餾並陳釀，凝聚了精益求精的工藝——先於手工精選的美國橡木桶中熟成，再於蘭姆酒桶、波本酒桶與雪莉酒桶中完成最後的風味修飾。售價為 6,409₹，Cask Series 桶裝系列呈現出層次豐富的風味表現，完美平衡了深度、順滑度與複雜性——這些特質已深深打動全球鑑賞家與評論家的心弦。

Ajay Devgn 是 The GlenJourneys 的共同創辦人，談及這次里程碑時表示： 「如此早獲得全球認可，既令人謙卑，又令人振奮。GlenJourneys 誕生的願景是製作永恆的威士忌，這款威士忌講述了熱情、堅毅和藝術的故事。這些獎項，重新證明我們走上正確的道路。我們的目標一直是將印度放在全球威士忌版圖上，而這次勝利激勵我們繼續提高卓越標準。」

Mokksh Sani 是 Living Liquidz 與 Mansionz 創辦人以及 Cartel Bros 共同創辦人，他補充說：「India’s luxury spirits market is evolving rapidly, and The GlenJourneys represents that evolution. 對於品牌如此早在旅程中獲得這樣的全球讚譽，真的很特別。每瓶都反映了多年的耐心、藝術，以及對完美的追求。這些獎項喚醒我們，真實性與工藝精湛始終以卓越的普世語言傳遞著其價值。」

目前於 馬哈拉施特拉邦精選零售店鋪有售的 The GlenJourneys 桶裝系列 ，未來數月內，將分階段進駐其他主要都市 ，為印度奢華烈酒品牌在世界版圖上開啟嶄新的篇章。

THE GLENJOURNEYS 簡介

GlenJourneys 是一款由 Cartel Bros. 打造的 21 年陳釀頂級單一麥芽蘇格蘭威士忌，該公司亦為 Glenwalk 威士忌的創始者，並與 Ajay Devgn 共同創辦。這款限量版威士忌於手工精選的美國橡木桶中陳釀，呈現出豐郁、柔順且層次豐富的風味特質，交織著香草與熟成水果的氣息，尾韻更蘊含一抹悠長的煙燻餘韻。

聯絡方法：Ria Palav+91-9920371982[email protected]


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DELAYS:  The US-based manufacturer has adopted a two-shift, 20-hour work schedule to accelerate the production and delivery of F-16V jets to Taiwan   By Aaron Tu and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

While several US arms procurements are facing delays, 18 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) are expected to arrive ahead of schedule by the end of next year, a Ministry of National Defense report showed.

The ministry is to brief the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee today on the progress of major procurement projects, including the HIMARS, F-16V Block 70 jets, AGM-154C Joint Standoff Weapons and Mark 48 heavy torpedoes.

The report, delivered to the legislature yesterday, said that the second batch of HIMARS was originally scheduled for delivery in 2027.

A practice round is fired from a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System during a testing drill in Pingtung County on May 12. Photo: Chiang Ying-ying, AP

Committee members have invited Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) to present the report and explain “the causes of delays in recent military projects and procurement programs, as well as the ministry’s proposed countermeasures.”

The HIMARS shipment is to include 18 launchers, 20 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) with a range of 300km, and 864 precision rockets with a range of 70km, according to budget documents.

The army last year received 11 HIMARS launchers and 64 ATACMS missiles in the first shipment, which are already operational, the ministry said.

Twenty-one other procurements, including TOW 2B anti-tank systems, are progressing normally, it said.

Deliveries of the TOW 2B and Phalanx close-in weapons systems have been completed, while other items are being shipped according to schedule, it added.

However, the purchase of 66 F-16V Block 70 jets has encountered significant delays, it said, adding that the jets were originally expected to be delivered by the end of next year, but supply chain disruptions and production line adjustments have slowed progress.

Since the first F-16V rolled off the production line in March, there have been no updates on subsequent aircraft, the report said, adding that the US manufacturer has adopted a two-shift, 20-hour work schedule to accelerate production.

Under the ministry’s NT$247.2 billion (US$8.04 billion) special budget, the air force is to acquire 66 of the upgraded jets from 2020 to next year. The jets are to be stationed at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung County and operate alongside F-16V Block 20 jets in Hualien County to strengthen Taiwan’s eastern air defense.

Deputy Minister of National Defense for Armaments Chung Shu-ming (鍾樹明) said he raised concerns about the delay with contractors during a meeting in the US on Oct. 22.

Because the F-16V purchase was made through the US Foreign Military Sales program, there is no compensation mechanism for late deliveries, unlike direct commercial sales, he said.

However, Taiwan plans to reserve part of its budget and request the return of any undue profits resulting from the manufacturer’s delay, Chung added.

The report said that the delivery of AGM-154C glide bombs intended for the F-16V Block 70s is also facing delays.

Taiwan opted for the newest configuration of the weapon, requiring the US to restart production, procure materials and reintegrate systems, pushing the delivery date back to 2027 and 2028.

The AGM-154C is a precision-guided glide bomb that can be mounted on F-16V aircraft. When launched from a high altitude, it can strike ground from a distance of up to 130km.

Washington approved the sale of the weapon to Taiwan in 2017 during US President Donald Trump’s first term. Deliveries were initially scheduled for 2023, later postponed to this year and next year before the latest delay.

The report also mentioned delays in the delivery of 24 Mark 48 heavy torpedoes and four training models. Originally slated for delivery between 2023 and next year under a NT$5.46 billion budget, the program has been pushed back to between next year and 2028 due to supply chain interruptions and the need to restart production lines.

The ministry said that despite the setbacks it continues to coordinate closely with US counterparts to ensure that all contracted equipment is delivered as soon as possible to bolster Taiwan’s defense.

title: Report details arms delivery status


title: Taiwan launches urgent care center pilot program

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HEALTH ISSUE:  Emergency room overcrowding cannot be solved with one measure, but maintaining sufficient capacity outside work hours is critical, an official said

The government yesterday launched an urgent care centers (UCCs) pilot program for providing urgent medical care over weekends and on holidays, Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said.

Shih also announced payment bonuses offered to clinics that are open during the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year.

The policies aim to alleviate emergency room overcrowding, which cannot be solved with just one measure, Shih said, adding that maintaining sufficient emergency response capacity outside working hours is critical.

Although Taiwan’s emergency rooms are busy, most people return home without needing observation, as about 70 percent are classified as triage level 3, and more than 10 percent are classified as level 4 or 5, he said.

Triage level 1 includes the most severe cases requiring immediate attention, while level 5 is non-urgent.

About 80 percent of emergency room patients are not in life-threatening condition, Shi said.

Emergency medical care requirements are no less demanding on holidays than regular days, and pediatric cases are even more, he said.

The ministry has set up 13 UCCs to address urgent care needs on holidays and ease emergency room overcrowding, he said, adding that the program has a NT$300 million (US$9.76 million) budget.

The copayment at UCCs would be NT$150, the same as emergency treatments at primary care clinics, the minister said.

The program, in its pilot phase, would be evaluated based on public response and effectiveness, and expanded if successful, Shih said.

The National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) also plans to double its reimbursement to medical facilities for emergency and in-patient care over next year’s Lunar New Year holiday, including consultation, nursing and pharmaceutical fees, he said.

The ministry would offer additional 30 to 100 percent bonuses to medical facilities open for out-patient services during the nine-day holiday from Feb. 14 to 22, aiming to maintain enough medical service capacity so that medical personnel can rest and emergency rooms do not become overcrowded, Shih said.

NHIA Director-General Chen Lian-yu (陳亮妤) said the administration would allocate NT$1.36 billion to the Lunar New Year bonus program, and would discuss offering bonuses to clinics that stay open to provide urgent care on holidays.

Clinics specializing in family medicine, internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, otolaryngology and emergency medicine would be eligible, and details would be finalized in early next month, Chen said.


people: 林佳龍 林信義

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Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday thanked Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi for emphasizing the importance of safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait during Koizumi’s meeting with Chinese Minister of National Defense Dong Jun (董軍).

Koizumi made the remarks when he met with Dong at the 12th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), ASEAN’s defense platform, during his visit to Malaysia.

In the meeting, Koizumi said that among the various aspects of Japan-China relations, the security field remains the most challenging area.

Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi looks on during the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. Photo: AFP

He expressed Japan’s serious concern over Beijing’s increasing military activities in the East China Sea and the Pacific region.

He also reiterated concern about China’s military activities around Japan, including those conducted jointly with Russia, and the situation in the South China Sea, as he emphasized the significance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a news release said that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is of shared interest to the international community, and indispensable to the world’s prosperity and security.

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

As authoritarianism expands, constantly challenging the rules-based world order and intensifying tensions, Taiwan continues to strengthen its self-defense capabilities and whole-of-society resilience, the ministry said.

Taipei would continue to work with democratic allies to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, it added.

Meanwhile, the ministry yesterday also responded to China’s protests to Tokyo about a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and presidential adviser Lin Hsin-i (林信義), Taiwan’s envoy to this year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting.

Takaichi wrote on social media that she had met with Lin on Friday and Saturday.

Tokyo is looking forward to deepening cooperation between Taiwan and Japan, she said.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Saturday criticized Takaichi for meeting with Lin on the sidelines of the APEC summit and posting on social media about the discussions.

“Those actions are egregious in nature and impact,” it said. “China expresses its firm opposition and has made serious demarches and protests to Japan.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it was natural for Taiwan, as a formal member of APEC, to engage in exchanges with other member states.

Lin engaged in exchanges with the leaders or representatives of more than 10 economies, including Takaichi and US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, during the summit, the ministry said.

The ministry reiterated that the Republic of China is a sovereign and independent country and it is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

The PRC has never governed Taiwan, which is a fact and the “status quo” acknowledged by the international community, it said, adding that Beijing has no right to comment on and interfere in the sovereign actions of other nations.

China’s criticism about the interactions between Taiwan and Japan based on the so-called “one China principle” has violated the core principle of equal participation for all APEC members, it said.

Taiwan and Japan, as important partners and friends, share universal values such as freedom, democracy, human rights and rule of law, the ministry said.

Taiwan is to continue to deepen cooperation with Japan on the solid foundation of their bilateral relations to jointly safeguard peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, it said.

Additional reporting by Bloomberg

title: Minister thanks Japan for Taiwan Strait remarks


title: US and China agree to reboot military channels: Hegseth

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US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Saturday said that during talks with his Chinese counterpart, the two sides had agreed to reboot military-to-military links to “deconflict and deescalate.”

Hegseth met with Chinese Minister of National Defense Dong Jun (董軍) on the sidelines of a regional summit in Malaysia, a day after US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) held talks in South Korea.

“I just spoke to President Trump, and we agree — the relationship between the United States and China has never been better,” Hegseth said in a social media post, adding that he had spoken with Dong again since their face-to-face meeting.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attends an ASEAN meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

“The Admiral [Dong] and I agree that peace, stability, and good relations are the best path for our two great and strong countries,” he said, touting a path of “strength, mutual respect, and positive relations.”

The defense secretary said Dong and he “also agreed that we should set up military-to-military channels to deconflict and deescalate any problems that arise.”

Such channels have existed for years, but at times fallen out of use.

“We have more meetings on that coming soon,” Hegseth said without elaborating.

There was no immediate comment from Beijing.

Dong had told Hegseth the countries should “strengthen policy-level dialogue to enhance trust and dispel uncertainty,” and build a bilateral military relationship “characterized by equality, respect, peaceful coexistence and stable positive momentum,” according to a Chinese Ministry of Defense readout of the meeting.

Hegseth said earlier this year that China was “credibly preparing” to use military force to upend the balance of power in Asia in remarks that drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite overlapping claims with its neighbors — including allies of Washington.

Tensions have also flared occasionally on Taiwan.

A 2022 visit to Taiwan by then-US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi prompted China to launch military drills around Taiwan.


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The Philippines yesterday signed a visiting forces agreement with Canada, the latest in a series of pacts aimed at countering Beijing’s assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea.

The Philippines and China have engaged in frequent clashes in the crucial sea space, which Beijing claims in nearly its entirety despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

The Royal Canadian Navy last year began taking part in joint maritime patrols in the area with its US, Australian, Japanese and Philippine counterparts.

Canadian Minister of National Defence David McGuinty, left, and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro pose for a photograph in Makati City, the Philippines, yesterday. Photo: EPA

The visiting forces deal would allow Canadian troops to participate in joint exercises on land as well.

The agreement would deepen the relationship with the Philippine military while advancing Ottawa’s Asia-Pacific strategy, which calls for “a forward presence in the region,” Canadian Minister of National Defence David McGuinty said.

“[Canada] will be moving forward on training fronts, on exchanges with our military colleges, information sharing, understanding cybersecurity,” he told a joint news briefing in Manila.

He added that Canada hoped to take part in the archipelago nation’s annual Balikatan military exercises in spring next year.

Manila, a US treaty ally, signed a visiting forces pact with New Zealand earlier this year and already has agreements in place with the US, Australia and Japan.

A similar deal is in the works with France.

title: Philippines and Canada sign visiting forces deal


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‘SOLID’:  Taiwan and the US have stable interactions, the ministry said, urging people not to spread rumors that would damage that relationship or confuse the public

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday rejected a CNN report that said Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) was snubbed by US officials during a visit to New York in September.

CNN last week reported that “earlier this fall, there was a gathering on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with Taiwan’s foreign minister at Le Bernardin... multiple senior US administration officials were expected to attend, but they didn’t show up,” citing an anonymous source who claimed to have attended the gathering.

The US signaled that the no-show was simply due to over-packed schedules, but it left Taiwan “feeling defeated,” the source said.

From left, Representative to the US Alexander Yui, Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr and Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung pose for a photograph in New York. Photo: screen grab from Taiwan AI Labs founder Ethan Tu’s Facebook

The ministry rejected the statement, saying that the activity was attended by many senior officials from various countries.

It was the first time the ministry confirmed that Lin visited New York to attend a gathering on the sidelines of the assembly, an appearance that was first revealed by Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr on social media.

The source cited in the CNN report, who said that Lin did not meet important people, was obviously not informed of what actually happened and did not attend the meeting, the ministry said, adding that it would not comment further to preserve mutual trust between Taiwan and the US.

Taiwan and the US have a solid foundation, with stable and ongoing interactions at all levels of government, the ministry said, urging people not to spread false information that would damage Taiwan-US relations or confuse the public.

Lin was invited by former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien to attend a meeting held by the Alliance for Global Security, people familiar with the matter said.

He met US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz and American Global Strategies CEO Alexander Gray during the gathering, the sources said.

Gray shared a photo taken with Lin on social media, another diplomatic source said.

The government did not disclose more details based on a mutual understanding with the US, the source added.

Citing last week’s APEC forum as an example, the source said interactions between Taiwan and the US have been stable and smooth.

Taiwan’s envoy and presidential adviser Lin Hsin-i (林信義), National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) and Minister Without Portfolio Jenni Yang (楊珍妮) talked with international leaders and officials, including those from the US, they said.

The official urged the public not to be misled by incorrect information, saying that the foundation of Taiwan-US relations has always been solid and good.

Additional reporting by Chen Yun

title: Ministry denies minister was snubbed by the US


title: DPP’s Lin Tai-hua fights to be party pick

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By Wang Jung-hsiang, Hong Chen-hung and Jason Pan / Staff reporters

Some Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members are in disagreement about DPP Legislator Lin Tai-hua (林岱樺) — who allegedly tried to mislead phone polls and is facing corruption charges — who continues to seek to be the party’s nomination for next year’s Kaohsiung mayoral election.

Lin at a rally on Saturday in Kaohsiung’s Gangshan District (岡山) said that she had solid support and that she is the best candidate.

The turnout, about 30,000 people, showed she is a serious contender, having built up a strong base.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Tai-hua, front row, second left, speaks during a campaign rally in Kaohsiung on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Lin Tai-hua’s office

She faces stiff competition from other contenders, including legislators Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑), Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆) and Chui Yi-ying (邱議瑩), who are aiming to get the party’s nomination to succeed Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chih-mai (陳其邁), whose second term is to end next year.

There are pressures within the DPP for Lin to withdraw, as she was indicted on corruption charges in June for allegedly filing fraudulent claims for assistants’ salaries to pocket NT$15 million (US$487,821); the trial is still ongoing.

After her indictment, she slid from leading the list of contenders to third place in Kaohsiung polls and high-level DPP officials have urged Lin to drop out of the race to prevent opposition parties from using the corruption charges to attack DPP candidates during next year’s elections.

Some DPP members accused Lin of trying to manipulate the poll, saying that she asked supporters to say they are from the 20-to-30 age group, which has a “higher weighted value,” when polls ask who they support.

Asked about the matter, Hsu said, “people should tell the truth, so the public polling can accurately reflect the levels of support.”

Lai said that it is best to have transparency in polling.

“I wish to see more positive talk, to present policies and the best ways to safeguard Kaohsiung and Taiwan. Let’s have an honest competition, not internal fighting that would damage our party unity,” Lai said.

In related news, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) sparked some controversy after he called on people to attend the Saturday rally.

“Lin Tai-hua is a quality legislator who has won in legislative elections seven times. She is engaged at the grassroots level, works diligently, has integrity and has garnered widespread support from Kaohsiung residents,” the minister said.

Some criticized the minister for his support of Lin Tai-hua, as she is facing corruption charges.

Lin Tai-hua said she would seek to create a new “Kaohsiung Miracle,” adding that although she has been under attack by allegations of corruption and other negative rumors, “we are overturning the situation, and together with our city residents, we will win.”

She said that she aims to fight against the monopolization of political power by the dominant party factions.

Her candidacy also represents the defiant fighting spirit of Kaohsiung residents, she said, adding that “we would not put up with others running over us and telling us whom to vote for in the party primary.”

people: 邱議瑩 林岱樺 賴瑞隆 許智傑 林佳龍 陳其邁


people: 黃國昌 謝國樑

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‘INAPPLICABLE’:  The central and local governments run on semi-presidential and mayoral systems respectively, so such a model would not work, a DPP spokesperson said

Taiwan would likely need to adopt a coalition government model at the local and central levels within the next 10 years, Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said yesterday.

The TPP held a news conference yesterday morning discussing the possibility of Taiwan adopting a coalition government model, like Japan did recently.

The conference focused on the coalition government formed between Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party, which helped LDP President Sanae Takaichi secure her spot as Japan’s prime minister, Huang said.

Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang speaks to reporters at a forum in Taipei yesterday. Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times

The two parties signed a formal agreement specifying the bills and policies they intend to advance in parliament before Takaichi was elected, he said.

Japan’s example provides insights for Taiwan as it moves toward a coalition government, he added.

At least three forums on local coalition governments are to be held, and Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑) and Deputy Mayor Chiu Pei-ling (邱佩玲) have confirmed they would attend, Huang said.

By holding forums in different regions, people would be able to share their experience and discuss the prospect of creating local coalition governments, he said, adding that it would give Taiwanese more chances to get involved.

Huang did not specify which cities and counties might favor a coalition government between the TPP and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), but said that it has broad applications at the local and central levels.

Separately, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Justin Chuo (卓冠廷) yesterday said that the TPP is using the term “coalition government” to shift concepts and gain political advantages, adding that the central and local governments in Taiwan lack the necessary conditions to implement a coalition government.

A coalition government can only exist in a parliamentary system, in which parties work together to form a majority in the legislature so they can run a stable Cabinet, which naturally leads to alliances between parties, he said.

As Taiwan’s central government operates under a semi-presidential system and local governments run under a mayoral system, coalition governments are inapplicable, Chuo said.

title: TPP chair discusses adopting coalition government


title: Ministry says about 50 Taiwanese are holding Chinese ID

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By Lee Wen-hsin and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, and staff writer

About 50 people reported holding Chinese IDs or household registrations as of last month, a Ministry of the Interior official said on Saturday.

The official, commenting on condition of anonymity, said that there are many channels through which the National Immigration Agency (NIA) gathers information, including public and online reports, adding that officials do not merely sit in the office.

The NIA receives information from the National Security Bureau and the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau, the source said.

Reports that lacked evidence were not acted on, but those with substantial, credible information would be investigated, the official said.

The agency investigates people thought to have Chinese and Taiwanese citizenship, and makes sure their personal information matches government records, then asks them to come in for an interview, the source said.

If the person does not respond, administrative injunctions are initiated, the source added.

Commenting on some of the more controversial cases, the source said that the NIA is obligated by the Administrative Procedure Act (行政程序法) to hold a cross-ministry review meeting, during which a panel of representatives from different ministries and people of “decent and just morals” would hear the statements of those believed to hold dual Chinese citizenship.

If the person denies being a Chinese citizen, the panel would review the information they have and then make a final decision regarding the case.

If the person thought to hold Chinese and Taiwanese citizenship is abroad, the NIA would not immediately revoke their citizenship, the source said, adding that the person would be asked to come in and make a statement when they return to Taiwan.

A notice regarding the issue would be sent to the registered residence of the person in question, informing them that they are obligated to appear before a government panel, they said.

If the person is abroad, the government would issue an announcement to ensure that the person receives the information, they added.

Between March and last month, the ministry delivered public declarations for 30 people, the source said.

As for people whose Taiwanese citizenship has been revoked, their citizenship could only be reinstated if they make significant contributions to the nation’s national security or in furthering Taiwan’s international image, in accordance with amendments to the Act on Restoring Taiwanese Citizenship to Chinese Citizens in Taiwan (在台原有戶籍大陸地區人民申請回復台灣地區人民身分許可辦法).


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CAPABILITIES: The Formosat-8 constellation would include eight satellites fully deployed by 2031, with resolution of up to 0.5m, better than the 2m of Formosat-5

Formosat-8, Taiwan’s first domestically made remote-sensing satellite cluster system, would greatly enhance capabilities in handling disaster relief and national security incidents with its enhanced resolution, the Taiwan Space Agency said yesterday.

The first satellite of the system, which is named “Chi Po-Lin Satellite (齊柏林衛星)” after the deceased Taiwanese aerial photographer, has been delivered to the US for a scheduled launch this month.

Formosat-8 consists of a constellation of eight optical remote sensing satellites, including six satellites with a native resolution of 1m and two with native resolution of smaller than 1m. They would be deployed in a sun-synchronous orbit approximately 561km above the Earth’s surface, with full deployment expected by 2031.

The Chi Po-Lin Satellite, the first satellite of the domestically-made Formosat-8 satellite system is pictured during a thermal vacuum test in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Space Agency

The first satellite of the constellation can achieve a native ground resolution of 1m, Formosat-8 project manager Cynthia Liu (劉小菁) said, adding that the resolution could reach 0.7m after post-processing.

The resolution of other satellites in the system would gradually reach 0.5m, better than the 2m of the Formosat-5 system, Liu said.

“With Formosat-5, one can see cars moving on freeways from space, but Formosat-8 allows them to go further to distinguish trucks, cars and other vehicles,” she said.

When planning disaster relief operations, government officials can gauge the scale of damage in affected areas using Formosat-8, enabling them to formulate more precise strategies, she said.

Meanwhile, Formosat-8 has a greater number of multispectral bands, enabling officials to distinguish plants from non-plants and even identify vegetation types, Liu said.

The first batch of remote-sensing images produced by Formosat-5 were blurry and exhibited lens flare, which was corrected after component calibration, orbital adjustments and post-processing, she said.

To avoid these issues, the project team decided to use a high-quality collimator, which is calibrated every six months or after earthquakes, Liu said.

Additionally, a thermal focus adjustment mechanism was incorporated into the optical design, allowing the team to correct slight defocusing on orbit after launch, ensuring proper focus, she said.

The Formosat-8 constellation has a higher revisit frequency than Formosat-5, Liu said.

With only one satellite, Formosat-5 passes above Taiwan approximately once every two days, Liu said.

“When all eight satellites in space, Formosat-8 can capture images from space three times a day,” she said, adding that the high revisit frequency would also greatly relieve problems caused by images obscured by clouds.

Formosat-8 would be used to support surveillance operations of the Ministry of National Defense, Liu said.

title: Formosat-8 to aid relief, defense efforts


title: Taiwan bananas to enrich Japanese school lunches

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PREMIUM PRODUCT:  Taiwanese bananas are more expensive in Japan than bananas grown in Southeast Asia, which makes them less popular among younger people

About 10 tonnes of Taiwan-grown bananas are to be exported to Japan’s Ibaraki Prefecture to enrich school lunches for 68,000 elementary-school students, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Hu Jong-i (胡忠一) said yesterday.

Taiwanese bananas began to be exported to the prefecture since the Agriculture and Food Agency and the prefecture’s Kasama City signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on diet and cultural exchanges and developments on July 24, 2019, he said.

Taiwan-grown pineapples were also exported to the prefecture in May and served to 33,766 schoolchildren, while mangoes — of which production was low this year due to typhoons — were supplied in July and incorporated into school lunches for 7,572 students, Hu said.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Hu Jong-I, front fifth from left, and Representative Taiwan Office of Kasama City Director Yuki Tsuboi, front sixth from left, pose for a group photo in a news conference held at Taipei Hope Plaza Farmer Market in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Agriculture

Representative Taiwan Office of Kasama City Director Yuki Tsuboi said Taiwanese bananas would be supplied to 223 middle and elementary schools across 18 administrative areas in the prefecture.

Such bilateral exchanges of agricultural products would help children in Japan build a more comprehensive international perspective and understanding of different cultures, he said.

Banana Strategic Alliance convener Chiu Chu-ying (邱祝櫻) said Taiwanese bananas had a big market share in Japan at 80 percent in the 1950s and 1960s, although the proportion decreased after the 1960s due to industrialization and decreased planting area.

About 15,000 hectares of bananas are planted in Taiwan, with an annual production of 320,000 tonnes, she said.

While bananas imported from Ecuador and the Philippines account for the bulk of the banana market of Japan, those from other Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia are also being poured into the market at low prices, Chiu said.

Taiwanese bananas in Japan are priced at about ￥398 (US$2.58) for a bunch of three, while those grown in the Philippines and Cambodia are ￥208 and ￥108 respectively, she said.

Citing his encounter with an elderly Japanese man who bought Taiwanese bananas at a department store in Tokyo more than 30 years ago while studying in Japan, Hu said bananas grown in Taiwan bear significance for older generations of Japanese.

The man chose bananas grown in Taiwan over those that were cheaper and imported from other countries, he said.

He was deployed at the Port of Kaohsiung during World War II and retreated to Kaohsiung’s Cishan District (旗山) when the US bombarded the port, Hu said.

They were starving when local Taiwanese gave them bananas and saved their lives, Hu said, citing the man as saying that he ate half a Taiwanese banana for breakfast every day.

Older Japanese like that man have an affection for Taiwan-grown bananas, but younger generations do not, and would choose cheaper bananas, despite their inferior fragrance and mouthfeel due to shorter growth periods, he said, adding that the MOU was signed to promote Taiwanese bananas to younger Japanese.

Taiwan exports more than 30 different fruits, with 11 of them supplied to Japan, Hu said, adding that red dragonfruit and pomeloes are expected to join exports to Japan next year.

Naka Mayor Hikaru Masaki, along with two students of Daiichi Junior High School, in a prerecorded video expressed excitement about the arrival of Taiwanese bananas at their lunch tables on Thursday.

“We hope the friendship between Japan and Taiwan would be deepened through Taiwan-grown bananas,” a student said.


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Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage.

EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode.

However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said.

Travelers standing in a long line waiting to check in their baggage at Taichung International Airport on May 30. Photo: Chang Hsuan-che, Taipei Times

Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped with built-in lithium-ion batteries, as are portable electric fans, adding that such devices are banned from being placed in checked luggage.

Starlux Airlines, China Airlines and Mandarin Airlines do not have regulations governing the delivery of earbuds and their charger cases.

However, Starlux said that portable electronic devices placed in checked luggage must be switched off at all times during the flight. Meanwhile, passengers must take precautionary measures and ensure that specifications of the batteries meet international standards if they choose to do so, the airline said.

A set of bluetooth headphone Apple AirPods and its image poster are pictured in an undated photo. Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds in checked luggage. Photo: Huang Jaw-shiang, Taipei Times

Passengers of China Airlines and Mandarin Airlines are advised to carry earbuds and their charger cases in hand luggage, as lithium-ion batteries and portable chargers are banned in checked luggage, the two airlines said.

Separately, ferry passengers are banned from carrying portable chargers for mobile phones in their checked luggage after an incident that occurred on the Nanhai Star 1 (南海之星1號), a ferry operating between islets in Penghu County.

The incident occurred before the ferry departed, where a passenger’s portable charger ignited, the Maritime and Port Bureau said yesterday.

“We want to remind passengers that portable chargers must have certifications issued by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection before boarding ferries. Chargers must not be packed in checked luggage and should be carried in hand luggage within sight at all times,” the bureau said.

Passengers are advised not to use chargers that are seriously damaged, deformed or overheated, as doing so poses safety risks.

title: Airlines prohibit earbuds, chargers


title: ‘Green points’ generate billions of green growth

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Up to 22.7 billion green points were given to 1.11 million people over the past decade, generating a total of NT$2.1 billion (US$68.3 million) in green consumption, Deputy Minister of Environment Yeh Jiunn-horng (葉俊宏) said yesterday.

The Ministry of Environment launched the Green Point scheme in 2015 with the Green Point app, where users could collect and redeem green points for discounts or products.

Several functions were included in the app to provide immediate user feedback, the ministry said.

Deputy Minister of Environment Yeh Jiunn-horng speaks at a news conference held in Taipei Flora Expo Park yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Environment

For example, users’ rail transportation mileage would be tracked and represented as carbon reduction amounts on the app, it said.

Users can also redeem points for products in plastic-free shopping at the Jianguo Flower Market (建國花市) in Taipei and get a preferential price if the vendor has a plastic reduction label or offers coupons, it added.

“Give Circle,” the largest resource sharing platform in Taiwan, would soon be launched to help extend products’ lifespans, the ministry said.

Users can donate second-hand clothes or other items via the platform and get green points in return, it said.

Aside from 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Hi-Life convenience stores, OK Mart stores would also participate in the scheme to allow point collection and redemption, the ministry said.

The cooperation with FamilyMart stores has been extended to recycling batteries, burying expiring fresh foods and using reusable cups or shopping bags, through which users can collect points, it said.

Green points collected via iPass cards can be redeemed not only for purchases in convenience stores, but also to take public transportation or pay utility bills, the ministry said.

The ministry plans to scale up the scheme by adding point redemption products, as well as cooperating with more sales channels to redeem points, Yeh said.

Green points used to be collected only through environmentally friendly actions such as green purchases, and their redemption was limited to products with green marks, he said.

Such restrictions have been relaxed, as points can be redeemed for products without green marks from this year, Yeh said.

Companies — especially listed and over-the-counter companies — are encouraged to buy green points from the government and use them as little gifts for investors at their shareholders’ meetings, he said.

People who are not interested in redeeming their points can also donate them to charitable organizations, Yeh said.

The ministry would continue to cooperate with local governments, as well as more sales channels and e-commerce platforms, to promote the scheme over the next decade, he said.


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Government agencies, and five major science and technology museums have organized events to be held at across the nation on Saturday and Sunday, and Nov. 15 and 16 for the Taiwan Science Festival, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) said.

The festival is in its sixth year, and is being held this month to coincide with the UN World Science Day for Peace and Development on Monday next week, NSTC Secretary-General Lin Kuang-hung (林廣宏) said at the launch event in Taipei on Friday.

Deputy Minister of Education Liu Kuo-wei (劉國偉) said events and activities for children and general public engagement are to take place at university campuses, including 25 “Popular Sci-Bases” throughout Taiwan to stoke public curiosity, promote scientific knowledge, and create environments conducive to scientific study and exploration.

Officials from the Ministry of Education and the National Science and Technology Council pose for a group photo at a news conference announcing the Taiwan Science Festival on Friday last week. Photo: Rachel Lin, Taipei Times

“In Taiwan, we have vigorous growth in high-tech industries, but most people still seek a better understanding of science and technology fields,” Liu said.

“This year we have organized more than 1,700 events and activities across Taiwan, at locations in the mountains and on the coast, to promote popular science and education in diverse, innovative and entertaining ways, to inspire public interest in scientific inquiry,” he said.

Hundreds of events have been organized in collaboration with Taiwan’s five major science and technology museums, including the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology in Keelung, the NSTC said.

The National Taiwan Science Education Center in Taipei would hold a “Science Night Market” with fireworks and feature a mathematical musical from India’s “Dabbawala in the House,” while the National Museum of Natural Science in Taichung would host “Captain XR’s Expedition” and the puppet show “Giwas Explores the Earth’s Treasures” about an Atayal girl named Giwas leading viewers to discover the world of rocks and minerals, it said.

The National Science and Technology Museum in Kaohsiung would also hold a “Popular Science Fair” and “Indigenous Science Bazaar,” while the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium in Pingtung County would host a “Knowledge Fishing Fair,” “Ocean Theater” and “Silent Disco” featuring local bands from southern Taiwan, the NSTC said.

Overall, this year’s science festival features 14 forums and conferences, 82 drama shows, 315 science demonstrations, 544 film festivals and exhibitions, 19 science competitions, 489 workshops, 39 science bazaars, and 292 related popular science activities, for a total of 1,794 events throughout Taiwan, it said.

An event calendar can be found at the Taiwan Science Festival’s official Web site (https://tsf.moe.edu.tw).

title: Museums to host nationwide science festival events


title: Tourism Administration announces travel scheme

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The Tourism Administration on Saturday announced two-person, two-night lodging packages starting at NT$3,800 as part of a campaign to boost travel in Hualien and Taitung counties in eastern Taiwan.

Travelers can book stays at two participating homestays for NT$3,800 or at two hotels for NT$4,999, with bookings available from Saturday through Feb. 28 next year, the agency said in a statement.

Uni Air is also offering round-trip tickets between Taipei and Hualien for two people at NT$3,399, exclusively for travelers who book the flights with the lodging packages until the end of next month.

A person rides a bicycle on a road facing the ocean in the East Longitudinal Valley National Scenic Area in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Tourism Administration

Following recent earthquakes and floods in eastern Taiwan, the campaign aims to “invite travelers back” by offering discount rates and flexible stays at different locations, giving visitors greater freedom in planning their trips, the administration said.

The administration added that the campaign includes monthly lucky draws open to travelers who spend at least NT$500 at participating businesses under its “East of Taiwan” tourism project in the two counties.

Travelers can enter by submitting uniform invoice serial numbers or shop tax IDs from eligible purchases on the campaign’s dedicated Web site between Saturday and Feb. 28 next year, it said.

Each receipt worth NT$500 or more counts as one entry, and those for NT$1,000 and higher count as two, with prizes including smartphones and accommodation vouchers, the administration said.

An additional monthly draw is open to purchases worth NT$500 and above in Hualien County’s Guangfu Township (光復) which was devastated by deadly floods on Sept. 23.

Monthly winners are to be announced on Dec. 1, and Jan. 1 and March 1 next year.

All entries from the various draws would also be entered into a final grand prize draw on March 1 next year, in which the top prize is a Toyota Yaris Cross, the administration said.


people: 鄭照新 蔡淑君

taiwan-subdivisions: 梧棲 林口 恆春

content_text:
WEATHER

Rainy days ahead

The Central Weather Administration forecast that northern Taiwan would see rain for most of next week. Tropical Storm Kalmaegi is not expected to directly affect Taiwan, but seasonal northeasterly winds brought intermittent rain to northern and eastern Taiwan, the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) and central mountainous areas yesterday, it said. Independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) yesterday forecast that the north coast, and Yilan and Hualien counties might see sporadic showers today, while other regions would be mostly cloudy to sunny. Chances of rain would increase tonight and tomorrow throughout the north, Wu said. Northeasterly winds are forecast to affect Taiwan from Wednesday to Saturday, bringing rain to the north and east, while temperatures would drop slightly in the north before rising again from Thursday, he said.

SOCIETY

Ex-coach’s doctorate revoked

National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) has revoked the doctorate of former soccer team coach Chou Tai-ying (周台英) due to research misconduct, the university said. Chou, a former soccer star, was found earlier this year to have coerced students into providing blood samples for research, threatening them with the loss of required credits and isolation. As a result of the university’s investigation, her coaching license was revoked and she was dismissed from NTNU in July. The Ministry of Education also requested an investigation into Chou’s doctoral thesis for alleged contraventions of the Human Subjects Research Act (人體研究法). NTNU on Saturday said that it had reviewed the thesis and found that although the study did not involve invasive methods, its subjects included 19-year-old students without required consent forms, constituting research misconduct. After a review by a committee on academic ethics, NTNU decided to revoke Chou’s degree.

SOCIETY

Taichung to incinerate food

The Taichung City Environmental Protection Bureau yesterday said food waste in the city would be incinerated, while the disposal of kitchen waste in landfills would be gradually phased out from today. As feeding processed food waste to pigs has been banned after an African swine fever outbreak was confirmed at a pig farm in the city’s Wuci District (梧棲) on Oct. 22, there have been questions about how the city would dispose of the waste. Taichung Deputy Mayor Cheng Chao-hsin (鄭照新) said the city originally planned to dispose of food waste at 12 landfill sites, but as the method has been questioned, it only opened three sites for food waste, and listed two additional incineration plants as disposal methods.

ENTERTAINMENT

ROC stalwart actor dies

Veteran actor Stanley Fung (馮淬帆) on Friday died at the age of 81, according to New Taipei City Councilwoman Tsai Shu-chun (蔡淑君). Tsai, a friend of Fung, on Saturday made the announcement on Facebook on behalf of the late actor, who lived alone in the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) councilwoman’s constituency in Linkou District (林口). Born in 1944 in China’s Guangdong Province, Fung was unapologetically outspoken about his identity after acquiring Republic of China (ROC) citizenship in 1986. He once said his love for the ROC was what drove him to move from Hong Kong, where he lived from the age of 6, to Taiwan, as he believed the ROC represented his Chinese identity. The entertainment industry veteran appeared on screens large and small in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

Staff writer, with CNA

title: Taiwan News Quick Take


content_text: Members of the Rakuten Girls perform at an event in front of the Taoyuan City Government building yesterday celebrating the Rakuten Monkeys winning the CPBL Taiwan Series championship. A parade featuring the team’s players was held in the city earlier in the day.

title: Time to celebrate


content_text: President William Lai, second row, middle right, and Minister of Sport Lee Yang, second row, middle left, pose for a photo with basketball players at the Presidential Cup 3x3 Basketball Finals in Taipei yesterday.

title: Supporting sports


content_text: Kaohsiung Social Affairs Bureau Director Tsai Wan-fen, center, poses with at-home postpartum caregivers who received awards for their excellent service at a news conference in Kaohsiung yesterday. The bureau said the city’s at-home postpartum service has entered its 12th year and assisted more than 8,500 mothers of newborns, and eligibility for the service has been expanded this year.

title: Helping hands


content_text:
TEMPORARY TRUCE:  China has made concessions to ease rare earth trade controls, among others, while Washington holds fire on a 100% tariff on all Chinese goods

China is effectively suspending implementation of additional export controls on rare earth metals and terminating investigations targeting US companies in the semiconductor supply chain, the White House announced.

The White House on Saturday issued a fact sheet outlining some details of the trade pact agreed to earlier in the week by US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) that aimed to ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

Under the deal, China is to issue general licenses valid for exports of rare earths, gallium, germanium, antimony and graphite “for the benefit of US end users and their suppliers around the world,” the White House said, meaning the effective removal of controls China imposed in April this year and October 2022.

US President Donald Trump (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) shake hands following their meeting at the Naraemaru reception hall inside an Air Force base in Busan, South Korea, 30 October 2025. Photo: EPA

The US and China previously said Beijing would suspend more restrictive controls announced last month for one year.

Washington is pausing some of Trump’s tariffs on China for an additional year and is halting plans to implement a 100 percent tariff on Chinese exports to the US. The White House said that the US is to extend the expiration of certain Section 301 tariff exclusions, currently due to expire on Nov. 29, this year until Nov. 10 next year.

Under the trade pact, according to the White House, China agreed to pause sweeping controls on rare earth magnets in exchange for a US agreement to roll back an expansion of curbs on Chinese companies.

The US agreed to cut a fentanyl-related tariff in half, from 10 percent from 20 percent, while Beijing resumes purchases of US soybeans and other agricultural products. The US has said China is to buy 12 million tonnes of soybeans during the current season, and a minimum of 25 million tonnes a year for the next three years.

Trump on Friday indicated he would like to remove all of the fentanyl-related tariffs if China continued to crack down on exports of the drug and precursor chemicals used to make it.

“As soon as we see that, we’ll get rid of the other 10 percent,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday.

While the agreement has calmed tensions, the pact might be a short-term truce in an extended trade fight with the measures just meant to last one year, and despite addressing some key issues — and with both sides winning key concessions — the agreement fails to comprehensively address all of the issues at the heart of the US-China trade fight and other geopolitical flashpoints, such as Taiwan and Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Trump has signed off on a plan that would see an US consortium buy the US operations of ByteDance Ltd’s (字節跳動) TikTok app, but Beijing has yet to formally approve that sale. The US president has said there would be cooperation on energy, saying that China had agreed to purchases of oil and gas from Alaska.

title: China to pause rare earth controls


content_text:
returns reign: The market is rewarding corporations whose expeditures have paid off, while showing fang at those whose spending fails to impress investors

A week that saw the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates and dozens of US companies report earnings boiled down to a single theme: artificial intelligence (AI).

Results from US technology giants showed that the world’s biggest corporations are still pouring billions into AI infrastructure, cheering investors and making a case for betting on the technology. The S&P 500 Index and NASDAQ 100 both advanced for the week and are hovering near fresh records.

Traders were quick to punish companies whose expenditures were not showing enough of a near-term reward — a shift in the once-relentless optimism around AI spending. Worries over massive outlays at Facebook’s parent company, Meta Platforms Inc, sent the company’s shares on their biggest daily drop in three years.

Visitors walk past the letters AI for Artificial Intelligence at the booth of Amazon Web Services (AWS) during the opening of the Hannover Messe industrial trade fair for mechanical and electrical engineering and digital industries, on March 31, 2025 in Hanover, northern Germany. Photo: AFP

Microsoft Corp fell more than 4 percent in two days after revenue growth in its cloud-computing business failed to impress investors.

“We’re starting to see, in some cases, a discipline check that investors are putting on companies,” Charles Schwab & Co macro research and strategy director Kevin Gordon said. “At some point we will have to have some proof about what return can come from this investment.”

By contrast, investors were more sanguine about big spending at Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc. Accelerating growth at Amazon Web Services helped send the company’s stock up clost to 10 percent on Friday, despite a big jump in capital expenditures.

Google’s parent company Alphabet rallied 2.5 percent on Thursday, fueled by surging demand for its cloud and AI services.

AI spending alone is unlikely to satisfy investors, who are laser-focused on revenue growth, analysts said.

“This is the first quarter we’ve seen where more [capital expenditure] wasn’t uniformly rewarded,” Jensen Investment Management Inc portfolio manager Allen Bond said. “There’s more focus on return on invested capital.”

“Big Tech” companies as a whole delivered earnings growth that beat Wall Street estimates, providing a measure of comfort for investors who had grown nervous over a richly valued stock market.

With earnings reports now in from six of the so-called Magnificent Seven, which includes Tesla Inc, quarterly profit growth is tracking at about 27 percent for the group, compared with the 15 percent expansion anticipated before the reporting season started, according to data compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence.

“Tech estimates were rising ahead of these results, and they’re still beating the higher bar,” Gordon said. “That’s a very healthy support for the market.”

While the earnings reports provided a lot to like for the AI trade, investors have to wait three more weeks to hear from what is the industry’s biggest bellwether — Nvidia Corp, whose chips dominate the market for AI computing. Its shares surged almost 9 percent last week, making it the first company to reach a market value of US$5 trillion.

Nvidia is scheduled to report on Nov. 19 and expectations are high — especially after chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) gave a strong outlook for growth at an event in Washington last week. Given the company’s central role in the industry, any disappointments in its results could ripple widely.

title: AI investment starting to see winners and losers


title: Nexperia China says it has sufficient inventory

content_text:
Dutch chipmaker Nexperia BV’s China unit yesterday said that it had established sufficient inventories of finished goods and works-in-progress, and that its supply chain remained secure and stable after its parent halted wafer supplies.

The Dutch company suspended supplies of wafers to its Chinese assembly plant a week ago, calling it “a direct consequence of the local management’s recent failure to comply with the agreed contractual payment terms,” Reuters reported on Friday last week.

Its China unit called Nexperia’s suspension “unilateral” and “extremely irresponsible,” adding that the Dutch parent’s claim about contractual payment was “misleading and highly deceptive,” according to a statement Nexperia Semiconductors (China) Ltd (安世半導體) released early yesterday.

The logo of Chinese-owned Nexperia is displayed at the chipmaker’s facility in Hamburg, Germany, on Oct. 23. Photo: Reuters

Nexperia China had asserted it had the right to operate independently of Nexperia BV after Dutch authorities in September took over control of Nexperia from its Chinese owner Wingtech Technology Co (聞泰科技), citing concerns about possible technology transfers.

Beijing responded by blocking the company’s products from leaving China.

“We have proactively initiated multiple contingency plans and are accelerating the qualification of new wafer supply sources,” the Chinese unit said on its Chinese social media account, adding that it expected to meet all customers’ demands starting next year.

Existing inventories would sustain the Chinese unit’s order fulfilment “through year-end and beyond,” it added.

Nexperia makes basic, inexpensive power-control chips such as transistors and diodes that cost only a few cents to buy. However, such chips are needed in almost every device that uses electricity, and automakers that use Nexperia’s chips have warned of potential production disruptions.

The White House is expected to announce that Nexperia’s China facilities are resuming shipments, Reuters reported on Friday, after a trade truce was struck at a summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in South Korea.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce on Saturday said it would consider exemptions for Nexperia’s chip exports from the country.


title: Gasoline, diesel, LPG to increase by small amount

content_text:
Gasoline and diesel prices are to increase NT$0.3 and NT$0.2 per liter respectively this week, CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) said yesterday, after international oil prices fluctuated slightly last week, with the average price higher than the previous week.

Effective today, gasoline prices at CPC and Formosa stations are to rise to NT$27.3, NT$28.8 and NT$30.8 per liter for 92, 95 and 98-octane unleaded gasoline respectively, the companies said in separate statements.

Premium diesel is to cost NT$25.7 per liter at CPC stations and NT$25.5 at Formosa pumps, they added.

CPC said it is raising prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) this month after keeping prices unchanged for more than four years.

The prices of LPG for household use, industrial-use propane, butane and propane-butane mixture would be hiked by NT$0.45 per kilogram, the state-run company said.

The price of LPG used in vehicles would be increased by NT$0.3 per liter, it added.

However, CPC said liquefied natural gas prices would not change for household users this month, while prices for industrial users are to drop 2.11 percent and those for power generation users such as Taiwan Power Co (台電) are to fall 3.12 percent from last month.

The latest adjustments in fuel prices come as crude oil markets last week were affected by a variety of factors, such as the continued decline in US commercial crude oil stockpiles and the easing of US-China trade tensions following a meeting between the two countries’ leaders in South Korea, the companies said.

The possibility of further production increases by OPEC+ next month raised concerns over rising global supply and outweighed the impact of US sanctions on Russian oil exports, they said.


content_text:
OPEC likely to open pipelines slightly in response to fears of supply glut

OPEC+ was set to agree on last night on another modest increase in oil output targets, three sources familiar with the talks said, as the producers’ group executes plans to regain market share due to rising supply glut fears.

OPEC+ has raised output targets by more than 2.7 million barrels per day — about 2.5 percent of global supply — since April, but slowed the pace in October and November from larger increases amid predictions of a looming oversupply.

New Western sanctions on OPEC+ member Russia are adding to challenges in the discussions as Moscow might struggle to further raise output after the US and the UK imposed new measures on top producers PJSC Rosneft Oil Co and PJSC Lukoil Oil Co.

The logo of OPEC outside its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, is pictured on May 28 last year. Photo: Reuters

Eight OPEC+ members — Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Kazakhstan and Algeria — were set to agree after press time last night to increase December output targets by 137,000 barrels per day, the three sources said.

They declined to be named because they are not allowed to speak to the media. A fourth source said a pause in output hikes was also possible.

Oil prices fell to a five-month low of about US$60 a barrel on Oct. 20 due to concerns that a glut was building, but have since recovered to about US$65 a barrel on Russian sanctions and optimism over US talks with trade partners.

Analysts have said this week they expect OPEC+ to raise targets by 137,000 barrels per day for next month.

Yesterday’s meeting was scheduled for 4pm GMT, the three sources said.

OPEC+ had been reducing output for several years until April and cuts had peaked in March, amounting to 5.85 million barrels per day in total. The cuts were made up of three elements: voluntary cuts of 2.2 million barrels per day, 1.65 million barrels per day by eight members and a further 2 million barrels per day by the whole group.

The group has been unwinding voluntary cuts while the last element of the cuts for the whole group is meant to stay in place until the end of next year.


content_text:
Taiwan beech trees are pictured at Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area in Yilan County yesterday. As fall sets in, the beech trees’ leaves have begun to turn from vivid green to golden yellow; the best viewing period is within the next two to three weeks.

Photo courtesy of Yilan Branch, Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency

title: Transitionary taipingshan


title: EDITORIAL: Taichung’s mishandling of ASF

content_text:
The nation’s first case of African swine fever (ASF) is not only a major crisis for the pork industry, but has also put the Taichung City Government under the spotlight, revealing sloppiness and incompetence in handling the crisis.

The central government on Oct. 22 confirmed Taiwan’s first case of ASF at a pig farm in Taichung, and implemented measures, including temporary bans on transporting and slaughtering pigs, and using food waste as feed (the most likely source of the virus) to feed pigs, to prevent ASF from spreading and destroying the domestic pork industry.

The Taichung Agriculture Bureau initially said it has “done whatever has to be done,” but over the following days, the city government changed its story several times, and further investigations and tests have found more issues of concern.

The inconsistency in its stories — such as saying that a contracted veterinarian went to the farm on Oct. 14 when pigs suddenly died and then changing the story every day for five consecutive days, uncertainty about the vet’s and vet aide’s roles, and questions regarding why the pigs were not tested after the first report — has begun to erode the public’s trust in the city government’s grasp of the situation, let alone its ability to effectively control it.

Other discoveries have raised further concerns about the city government’s attitude and incompetence, including discrepancies in the number of dead pigs and reported abnormal deaths, which has led to a criminal investigation into alleged document forgery; failure to get the farm to upload data regarding food waste processed into feed, which is mandatory; the farm still testing positive for ASF despite all pigs being killed and the city government saying it had disinfected the site several times, so the military had to step in to thoroughly disinfect it on Friday; and disposing the city’s food waste in an open-air landfill (wild boars could reach the waste and eat it).

After the series of mistakes were discovered, the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Taichung City Council caucus on Friday filed a petition to the Control Yuan asking it to investigate Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) and her officials for “nonfeasance or misfeasance in office.”

Politicians and members of the public questioned if government budget cuts and freezes — such as the 60 percent cut in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency’s (APHIA) promotional fees — by opposition lawmakers this year could have diminished public awareness of not bringing pork into Taiwan, which is widely believed to be the source of the ASF.

It is mind-boggling that while Lu and the handling of the crisis is being investigated, and central government agencies are stepping in to help, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucus is trying to shift all the blame onto the central government.

KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (?) claimed the outbreak happened because President William Lai (賴清德), who was premier in 2018, had not imposed a nationwide ban on using food waste as pig feed, and that the failure in border control was due to Lai being “too invested” in the mass recall against KMT lawmakers.

Customs checks at the airport have been tightened since the outbreak to prevent travelers bringing pork into the country, but KMT Legislator Chen Hsueh-sheng (陳雪生) criticized the government, saying it was “stricter than the [Chinese] Communist Party” and inconveniencing people.

KMT lawmakers in 2023 also proposed to freeze a large portion of the APHIA’s budget, because “customs check penalties were too heavy,” which luckily did not pass.

Although the KMT and the Taichung City Government have repeatedly called on the central and local governments to work together to address the ASF crisis, their actions do not match their words, as they seem to be manipulating the narrative to blame the DPP-led government and even hinder its efforts.

people: 陳雪生 盧秀燕 賴清德


content_text:
Brahma Chellaney On Taiwan: Taiwan in the age of Trump: Navigating the perils of US unpredictability

Donald Trump’s return to the White House has offered Taiwan a paradoxical mix of reassurance and risk. Trump’s visceral hostility toward China could reinforce deterrence in the Taiwan Strait. Yet his disdain for alliances and penchant for transactional bargaining threaten to erode what Taiwan needs most: a reliable US commitment.

Taiwan’s security depends less on US power than on US reliability, but Trump is undermining the latter. Deterrence without credibility is a hollow shield.

Trump’s China policy in his second term has oscillated wildly between confrontation and conciliation. One day, he threatens Beijing with “massive” tariffs and calls China America’s “greatest geopolitical threat”; the next day, he boasts of his “beautiful friendship” with strongman Xi Jinping (習近平) and dangles the prospect of a “big, beautiful trade deal.”

This policy whiplash now defines Taiwan’s strategic dilemma. For Xi, inconsistency in Washington is not confusion — it is a potential opportunity for Beijing.

The most immediate concern for Taiwan is security. Trump’s national security team may be hawkish on China, but the president’s own words send mixed signals. His claim that Taiwan has “stolen” the US semiconductor industry, and his suggestion that the island must “pay” America for its defense, reveal a mindset that treats a democratic partner as a negotiable asset.

Consider his deliberate ambiguity on whether the United States would defend Taiwan. Trump prizes flexibility and wields unpredictability as leverage. But in the Taiwan context, such volatility invites miscalculation. It emboldens Beijing to probe US resolve while forcing Taipei to prepare for both extremes — an American president who might sell arms one day and trade them away the next.

America’s commitment to Taiwan is not an act of charity but a crucial test of Washington’s strategy for ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region. If Washington were to treat Taiwan’s defense as a matter for negotiation, every US ally in Asia would take note. A president who views security commitments as liabilities rather than force multipliers risks unraveling US-led alliances.

Economically, Trump’s aggressive trade stance toward China also cuts both ways for Taiwan. The Washington-Beijing trade war has accelerated the relocation of supply chains away from China, benefiting Taiwan’s manufacturing and high-tech sectors and making TSMC indispensable to the global economy.

Yet the US unpredictability driving decoupling also threatens Taiwan’s prosperity. Trump’s tariff policies have rarely spared allies. His hints at new duties on foreign-made semiconductors and his relentless “America First” rhetoric make clear that strategic alignment offers no immunity from economic nationalism. Taiwan’s lesson is straightforward: it must continue to diversify export markets and deepen trade ties with other democracies.

Diplomatically, Trump’s instincts make it harder for Taiwan to boost its international profile. Under President Joe Biden, the United States worked closely with allies through the G7 and Quad to underscore that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are shared global interests. That coordination gave Taipei indirect backing. Trump, by contrast, prefers bilateral deals that showcase US leverage, not collective purpose. He often sees allies not as partners but as free riders.

If this unilateralist approach takes hold, Taiwan could face a grim scenario: sharper US-China rivalry without the stabilizing framework of coordinated US-led deterrence. Japan and South Korea, wary of being dragged into a US-China clash, might hedge — leaving Taiwan more isolated just when it needs a united front.

Taiwan cannot control the impulses of a mercurial American president. But it can — and must — control how it responds.

To help offset presidential unpredictability, one imperative is to institutionalize ties with the stable pillars of US policymaking — Congress, the Pentagon, and the State Department. Expanding those linkages, especially through defense dialogues, arms co-production, and high-level exchanges, will help Taiwan hedge against sudden policy reversals.

More importantly, Taiwan must double down on self-reliance. Its shift toward asymmetric defense, civil resilience, and whole-of-society preparedness is the right strategy. Trump’s volatility only heightens the need for Taiwan to hold the line alone — at least until US support arrives, if it arrives. A deterrence posture built on self-defense credibility reduces both temptation and opportunity for Chinese adventurism.

Taiwan’s best safeguard against US unpredictability is to make itself indispensable to the democratic world. Stronger partnerships with Japan, India, Australia, and Europe can transform it from a regional flashpoint into a global stake in the balance of power. Once embedded in the world’s economic and security networks, Taiwan becomes not a chip to be bargained but a cornerstone of the free world’s credibility.

More fundamentally, Taiwan’s challenge under Trump 2.0 is to harness the deterrent benefits of a tougher US posture toward China while insulating itself from the risks of a volatile presidency. This requires balancing strategic alignment with strategic autonomy: staying close enough to Washington to strengthen deterrence, yet independent enough to withstand political mood swings there.

Trump’s unpredictability may not be new, but its consequences for Taiwan could be fateful. The island’s security, economy, and diplomacy all hinge on navigating a US policy that can suddenly shift with a social media post. The paradox is that a more assertive America may deter China, but a more erratic one could also embolden it.

For Taiwan, the challenge is not just to weather US unpredictability, but to rise above it — by anchoring its destiny to the shared purpose of the free world.

Brahma Chellaney, professor of strategic studies at the independent Center for Policy Research in New Delhi, is the author of nine books, including the award-winning Water: Asia’s New Battleground (Georgetown University Press).


content_text:
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) organized a meeting at the Dahua Activity Center in Hualien County’s Guangfu Township (光復) to discuss post-disaster reconstruction efforts following the flood caused by the overflowing of a barrier lake in the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪).

The meeting — which should have been transparent and open to the public — was kept a secret, and only those friendly to Fu were informed that it was taking place.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Guangfu residents — the actual victims of the disaster — were locked outside.

Closed door meetings are meant for discussions that include secret or confidential topics that are unsuitable for public disclosure. They are meetings limited to discussion among specific authorized people.

Is a meeting on post-disaster reconstruction efforts confidential? Why limit attendance to county government personnel, local representatives, village chiefs and a few disaster victims?

Following the flood, Guangfu was left covered in a thick layer of black mud. People from across the nation, civilians and officials, contributed time and resources to assist in cleanup efforts.

Why, then, were disaster victims and volunteers not invited to the meeting? Could it be that the meeting was fake? Was it merely an attempt to put on a political show?

In December last year, when opposition legislators led a preliminary review of amendments to the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) that raised the threshold for a recall, KMT legislators held the meeting in secret and blocked the doors to physically prevent Democratic Progressive Party legislators from entering the room.

The meeting was originally meant to be attended by all legislators and journalists, who were abruptly locked outside. Looking back, that incident is very similar to Fu’s closed-door meeting.

In a shocking gesture, independent Hualien County Council Speaker Chang Chun (張峻) burst into the hall and kicked the table where Fu was sitting.

The KMT has long drifted away from the days of openness and transparency — closed-door meetings have already become the norm.

Yeh Yu-cheng is a civil servant.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

title: Fu’s Guangfu meeting just a show


title: Now is not the time for government neutrality

content_text:
In his op-ed published in the Taipei Times on Thursday last week (“Koo must take a stand on defense,” Oct. 30, page 8), Formosa Republican Association chairman and Taiwan United Nations Alliance director Tommy Lin (林逸民) highlighted the crisis of silence within the Ministry of National Defense.

When a politician says that Chinese military aircraft are “defending” Taiwan, such remarks transcend the bounds of free speech — they constitute a direct threat to national security and stain the honor of our military.

Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) remaining silent under the pretext of “administrative neutrality” only further blurs the line between friend and foe, and the ministry’s silence would inevitably be viewed as tacit approval.

So-called “administrative neutrality” is meant to prevent government officials from engaging in partisan disputes. However, when Chinese military aircraft surround Taiwan and threaten national security, any rhetoric that supports or excuses China’s military actions is a blow to the morale of our armed forces.

If Koo continues to employ a cautious approach, he could struggle to meet the challenges of the era of information warfare. To be silent at this critical moment is tantamount to a retreat.

As Lin pointed out, a contrast existed during former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration — a firm Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a timid Ministry of National Defense. While diplomacy could be used to seek peace, a nation’s defense posture must be one of readiness — able to fight, willing to fight and unafraid of war.

President William Lai (賴清德) said that “peace must rely on strength.” Koo should act on this principle by safeguarding morale within the military and demonstrating determination abroad.

Administrative neutrality is not a moral vacuum, nor can it serve as a shield to avoid taking a clear stance.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) should remain vigilant. The NT$10,000 cash handouts pushed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) represent a surrender of fiscal discipline and to populist pressure.

As the legislative alliance between the KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) moves toward promoting a bill recognizing the so-called “1992 consensus,” this is no longer merely an economic issue, but a sign that Taiwan’s sovereign defenses are collapsing. If the executive branch maintains its hypocritical stance, it would face political and sovereign attacks.

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

The Ministry of National Defense should establish clear guidelines on the boundary between friendly and enemy-aligned speech, treating any rhetoric that echoes or justifies China’s military actions as a national security issue.

Politicians or figures who blur the line between friend and foe must be strongly rebuked to safeguard the morale of Taiwan’s military and preserve public trust.

Koo must have the courage to name the enemy, and Cho must have the resolve to reject populist blackmail. Only when the defense and administrative branches harden their stance could Taiwan gain a firm footing amid the turbulence of US President Donald Trump’s second term and internal unrest within China.

Hsiao Hsi-huei is a freelance writer.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

people: 蔡英文 卓榮泰 賴清德 林逸民 顧立雄


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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

Art and cultural events are key for a city’s cultivation of soft power and international image, and how politicians engage with them often defines their success. Representative to Austria Liu Suan-yung’s (劉玄詠) conducting performance and Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen’s (盧秀燕) show of drumming and the Tainan Jazz Festival demonstrate different outcomes when politics meet culture. While a thoughtful and professional engagement can heighten an event’s status and cultural value, indulging in political theater runs the risk of undermining trust and its reception. During a National Day reception celebration in Austria on Oct. 8, Liu, who was formerly director of the

By Yang Chih-chiang 楊智強

US President Donald Trump has announced his eagerness to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un while in South Korea for the APEC summit. That implies a possible revival of US-North Korea talks, frozen since 2019. While some would dismiss such a move as appeasement, renewed US engagement with North Korea could benefit Taiwan’s security interests.The long-standing stalemate between Washington and Pyongyang has allowed Beijing to entrench its dominance in the region, creating a myth that only China can “manage” Kim’s rogue nation. That dynamic has allowed Beijing to present itself as an indispensable power broker: extracting concessions from Washington, Seoul

By AlanJeong 鄭勳燦

title: EDITORIAL CARTOON


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Hong Kong’s universities offer a more accessible escape from China’s ultra-competitive top institutions and rigid political norms

Hong Kong is quickly becoming a college town. The number of non-local students, mostly from China, has nearly doubled since 2021, with the surge primarily driven by a sharp increase in postgraduate studies.

The young population inflow has given a boost to a gloomy economy that has been suffering from a prolonged property downturn. Residential rents are flirting with record highs, while cash-rich universities are buying up real estate across the city to use for classroom and dormitory housing.

For many, it is a significant financial commitment. Hong Kong is an expensive city to live in, and universities have been raising tuition. Hong Kong University (HKU), for instance, is charging non-STEM students about HK$198,000 (US$25,479), a 9 percent increase from a year ago.

Why are Chinese students suddenly so enamored with the city’s universities, even though there are many good ones in the mainland? In the last academic year, more than 70 percent of non-local students are from mainland China.

China has always prized its top 1 percent, lavishing millions of dollars on high-profile researchers while brushing aside younger ones who work in smaller laboratories. This inequality has become more pronounced in the past few years, even as the overall pie has grown. What should an ambitious 18-year-old, who wants to do cutting-edge research, do if she cannot make it to Beijing’s prestigious Tsinghua University, the world’s top institution for computer science?

Top universities in Hong Kong offer a good compromise. A less-than-ideal performance in the gaokao (高考), or the national entrance exam, could cost an aspiring scholar a spot at Tsinghua. However, the gaokao score is not the only thing for admissions to top programs in the financial hub, where resources are more evenly distributed among students.

As China’s economy undergoes a structural transition, families are starting to realize that majors matter as much as a university’s brand name. In just five years, finance and civil engineering are out, while nursing and mechanical engineering are in. How then do college students hedge the macro risk that their specialties become obsolete as soon as they graduate?

Students in Hong Kong do not have to declare their specializations until much later, and more than half graduate with multiple majors, according to Allen Huang, former associate dean of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s (HKUST) business school, who now chairs the accounting department.

It is even possible for a business student to switch to engineering, although she might need to spend an extra year to fulfil different foundational curriculum requirements.

Of course, some also prefer to be a big fish in a small pond, running away from the race-to-bottom mentality prevalent in the mainland. Last year, more than 20 percent of Hong Kong high-schoolers got into top-tier universities, such as HKU, HKUST and City University of Hong Kong. By comparison, the admissions rate at China’s elite Project 985 universities is in the low single digits. As such, when a Chinese student comes to Hong Kong, they can expect to be top of the class, paving the way for well-paying jobs in the future.

Hong Kong also offers much higher pay. In the mainland, a Tsinghua graduate with three years of work experience makes 238,188 yuan (US$33,526) on average, according to Zhaopin Ltd, an online recruiting services platform. If they enroll at HKUST instead, they can expect to make roughly 80 percent more, at HK$480,000 a year, according to data compiled by the university. A top graduate could make as much as HK$1 million.

People often think of Hong Kong as a global financial center, but the city is a lot more than just a funding platform for Chinese companies that want to expand overseas or an asset management hub that caters to mainland’s wealthy. For decades, it has been a refuge — and a steppingstone — for millions who want an escape from rigid cultural and political norms in the north.

It turns out, higher education is Hong Kong’s other strong suit.

Shuli Ren is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asian markets. A former investment banker, she was a markets reporter for Barron’s. She is a CFA charterholder. This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

title: Hong Kong universities are outshining Tsinghua


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Hundreds of millions of Chinese are using generative AI tools, but many are likely using them as an alternative to search engines within the country’s censored Internet, dampening their impact

When it comes to the sheer number of generative artificial intelligence (AI) users in China, the question should not be how many there are, but how they are using it.

A new report from the China Internet Network Information Center indicates the nation had some 515 million users as of June, up by 266 million since December, according to a readout from the Xinhua news agency. At a first glance, the figure suggests that Beijing’s push to spread the technology throughout industries to boost productivity — the so-called AI Plus initiative — is bearing fruit.

In the US-China tech competition, usage is an increasingly important metric to watch. An outsize amount of attention is paid to leading-model benchmarks, but the best way to measure the impact of AI in the long run is how quickly it spreads across the economy. Beijing might see the data as an early win, but it still fails to answer the more important question: Is it spurring an economic revolution or simply a chatbot craze?

On this front, the data is more opaque. It is possible that the rocketing domestic consumer demand, marked by a boom of various AI assistant apps, stems from a dearth of search engines. Baidu Inc, and to a lesser extent Microsoft Corp’s Bing, have dominated this local market. However, a fragmented super-app ecosystem behind the Great Firewall and the absence of Alphabet Inc’s Google have long created appetite for basic search functions. It is very likely that the recent crop of free-to-use AI products have helped fill this void.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT is not available in China, but the company in a research paper last month said that nearly half of queries on the chatbot were related to “practical guidance” or “seeking information.” It is a safe bet that Chinese consumers are using these domestic chatbots in a similar manner. This might be a magnet for consumers, but it is not clear if it would translate into the growth engine Beijing is hoping for.

Using proprietary data to estimate the share of each country’s working-age population actively using AI tools, Microsoft researchers in September tagged China as “the world’s largest AI market.” The team found that the launch of DeepSeek’s reasoning model in January supercharged adoption. The Hangzhou-based start-up has been credited with spurring widespread AI deployment across local governments, state-owned enterprises and hospitals. However, on closer inspection, it is not always clear how much the technology has been incorporated into these operations or whether it has boosted productivity.

Many of these use-cases might be propelled by a desire to meet government performance indicators. Some medical researchers in China have questioned whether the push to adopt DeepSeek across hospitals was happening “too fast, too soon,” and while state-owned enterprises are adept at following government directives, they are not known for excelling at the experimentation necessary for nascent technology integration.

Getting people to use or play around with AI is the easy part. Ensuring it has an impact on the bottom line has been trickier. A majority of US firms have not cracked this, either. About 70 percent of OpenAI’s revenue comes from consumers using ChatGPT, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter (and the Silicon Valley titan found a majority of queries to the chatbot are non-work related). This does not bode well for China’s AI market, which is dominated by free-to-use services that are increasingly hard to monetize amid intense competition.

The low-cost approach of firms like DeepSeek would help the technology proliferate, and open-sourcing has made these tools more accessible for developers and start-ups to experiment with, but if China wants its adoption edge to endure, it must make the math add up.

This is not something that a government blueprint can solve. Beijing is wise to focus on spreading the technology, rather than obsessing over artificial general intelligence, but headline user counts do not translate into lasting economic value. There are mounting headwinds: Local governments have less cash on hand, private investment into the tech sector has sagged, and the sheer difficulty of integrating AI across industries takes time, said Matt Sheehan, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

I agree with his prediction that if China does succeed at beating the US in AI adoption, it would not be because of a policy directive, but rather the “tenacity of Chinese entrepreneurs who always find a way to squeeze any possible business opportunity for all that it’s worth.”

The finish line in this tech race might be a decade or more away. Scaling users might be the first step for Beijing, but this is different from scaling usefulness.

Catherine Thorbecke is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia tech. Previously she was a tech reporter at CNN and ABC News. This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

title: China’s AI push has scale, but is there substance?