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墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

阮丹青(左)攜手「自然流動樂團」（Sunshine Costa）舉辦音樂會 照片提供：羅藝 x 阮丹青工作室

曾入圍金曲獎的阮丹青（Denise Juan），闊別流行樂壇多年，以全新雙CD典藏專輯《走進春天的果園 Four Seasons》華麗回歸。這張作品為她「薇劇場」系列第7部創作，完整收錄2024年兩場現場實況錄音。她攜手「自然流動樂團」（Sunshine Costa），日前於台北十方音樂劇場舉辦音樂會，唱盡人生四季，兩小時沉浸式演出被形容「無尿點」，全場觀眾靜默傾聽、掌聲不斷，現場能量令人動容。接下來，阮丹青與自然流動樂團將於10月15日下午2點在雅痞音樂再度登場（https://yup.ooo/251115a/T），邀樂迷再次進入她以聲音構築的四季世界。

阮丹青(左)攜手「自然流動樂團」（Sunshine Costa）舉辦音樂會 照片提供：羅藝 x 阮丹青工作室

婚後幸福淡出演藝圈的阮丹青，始終沒有放下音樂夢想。她笑說：「疫情讓我重新思考人與人之間的距離，也在提醒我該找回生命中那份最初的美好。」她曾因疫後身體不適，靠中醫調養與運動恢復元氣，並在旅行中重新獲得靈感與釋放。

從南法普羅旺斯的薰衣草田、捷克吉普賽藝人的街頭演奏、到奧地利阿爾卑斯山湖畔的寧靜小鎮，都讓她徹底療癒，也重新找回創作的答案：「生命中所有的低谷，終會成為我們飛翔的起點。」她笑說，這張作品正是那段療癒旅程的結晶，「讓音樂更自由，也讓人生再度盛開。」

阮丹青闊別流行樂壇多年華麗回歸 照片提供：羅藝 x 阮丹青工作室

當晚星光熠熠，潘越雲、許常德、Macy Chen玫熹（是娟）賢伉儷、董運昌、鄭開來、作詞人樓南蔚等金曲獎得主皆親臨現場，給予滿滿掌聲。現場氣氛溫馨感人，彷彿這些一路支持、同行的朋友，就是創作者音樂路上最美好的四季風景。」整場演出無中場休息、近兩小時不停歇，觀眾沈浸於自然流動的氛圍裡，甚至笑說「連想上廁所都捨不得離席！」。

阮丹青(右)舉辦音樂會潘越雲(左)親臨現場致意 照片提供：羅藝 x 阮丹青工作室

阮丹青過去長年居於新店五峰山，後遷至北海岸三芝。從山到海，她的生活環境也成為創作靈感的源泉。她說：「那裡的海潮、夕陽、霞光，甚至一朵重生的海葡萄和綻放的玫瑰，都是大自然的禮讚。」然而她也坦言，三芝冬季的寒冽與灰澀，讓人不得不直面生命的惆悵。她在那裡經歷了狗女兒「妹妹」驟逝的秋天與腳傷復原的冬天，但仍在音樂中找到重新出發的勇氣：「這個調不對味，就換個調試試，說不定會更悅耳動聽。」

阮丹青(右)舉辦音樂會許常德(左)給予滿滿掌聲 照片提供：羅藝 x 阮丹青工作室

自然流動樂團 Sunshine Costa 是阮丹青邀請六位優秀音樂家共同組成的福至心靈跨界團隊，成員包括低音大提琴與薩滿鼓手盧欣民（Minco Lu）、小提琴手黃偉駿（Stephen Huang）、蕯克斯風/長笛手謝明諺（Minyen Hsieh）、手鼓與爵士鼓手根石大輔（Neishi Daisuke）、水晶豎琴與自由吟唱劉偉菁（Jean Liu）等人。團名象徵「音樂的當下即興之流」，大部分作品都是阮丹青創作曲譜架構之後，團員們再即興融入，呈現古典、流行、爵士、新世紀與現代語彙等多種樂風。自2012年起以「薇劇場」系列探索生命向光之旅，至今已累積七部作品。

阮丹青(前排右二)攜手「自然流動樂團」（Sunshine Costa）舉辦音樂會和來賓大合照 照片提供：羅藝 x 阮丹青工作室

這次演出同時為《走進春天的果園 Four Seasons》專輯的現場發行慶賀。開場的水晶豎琴與薩滿鼓交織著天語吟唱，阮丹青以四季為章，從春之萌芽唱到冬之寂靜，為人生與自然寫下詩性的篇章。她感性說：「謝謝那天所有前來賞光的朋友，那專注而善意的能量湧進心輪，讓我們沈浸於當下的自然流動。」

音樂會當晚，她也特別獻給天上的好友坣娜，為她送上最後的祝福。阮丹青與自然流動樂團的每一場演出都像一個儀式，唱的不只是音符，而是生活與記憶的聲音。

此篇文章最開始出處為: 阮丹青唱盡人生四季 從山到海從旅途到舞台 闊別樂壇華麗回歸

title: 阮丹青唱盡人生四季 從山到海從旅途到舞台 闊別樂壇華麗回歸

countries: 捷克 奧地利

taiwan-subdivisions: 五峰 新店 三芝


title: 印尼人民銀行實現41.2萬億印尼盧比利潤，鞏固其在推動國民經濟中的戰略地位

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印尼雅加達2025年11月4日 /美通社/ — 印尼人民銀行（PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk，簡稱BRI）(IDX: BBRI)在2025年第三季度實現淨利潤41.2萬億印尼盧比。該行總裁Hery Gunardi於10月30日在雅加達舉行的第三季度財務業績發布會上公布了這一業績。

Hery指出，印尼人民銀行的業績得益於穩定的宏觀經濟環境。他說「BRI認為，較低的融資成本、更好的流動性和不斷上升的貸款需求推動了增長潛力。」

BRI的總資產同比增長8.2%，達到2123.4萬億印尼盧比；貸款同比增長6.3%，達到1438.1萬億印尼盧比；第三方資金同比增長8.2%，達到1474.8萬億印尼盧比。經常賬戶與儲蓄賬戶比率提升至67.6%，資本充足率和資產質量保持穩健（資本充足率25.4%，不良貸款率3.08%）。

數字銀行業務持續增長，BRImo用戶同比增長19.4%至4440萬，交易量同比增長25.6%至5067.1萬億印尼盧比。Qlola同比增長35.4%，商戶和QRIS交易量同比分別增長20.8%和133.1%。

為助力國家提升社區福利與經濟韌性，BRI積極參與政府推動包容性經濟增長和中小微企業賦能的政策議程。通過人民商業信貸(KUR)計劃，BRI向280萬借款人發放了130.2萬億印尼盧比貸款。此外，BRI還通過1044億印尼盧比資金支持3854個社區廚房，助力實施免費營養餐計劃。

此外，印尼人民銀行通過「三百萬套住房計劃」助力社會福利提升和融資渠道拓展，向11萬戶低收入家庭發放住房貸款，總額達15.07萬億印尼盧比。該行還向370萬受益人發放2.25萬億印尼盧比的工資補貼援助(BLT)，並支持Merah Putih Village Cooperative Program計劃。

在政府政策支持下，BRI的賦能計劃持續推動地方經濟發展。通過Ultra Micro Holding，該生態系統現已服務3450萬借款人和1.85億儲蓄賬戶。BRILink代理網絡覆蓋6.6萬個村莊，擁有120萬名代理，促成1293.5萬億印尼盧比的交易額，有效打通偏遠地區的金融通道。與此同時，BRILian鄉村計劃已覆蓋4909個村莊，促進社區發展；KlasterkuHidupku持續壯大41715個產業集群；LinkUMKM通過提供數字市場准入，賦能1360萬家中小微企業。更多有關BANK BRI的信息,請訪問www.bri.co.id。


title: China triples detentions of Taiwanese

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WARFARE: All sectors of society should recognize, unite, and collectively resist and condemn Beijing’s cross-border suppression, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said

The number of Taiwanese detained because of legal affairs by Chinese authorities has tripled this year, as Beijing intensified its intimidation and division of Taiwanese by combining lawfare and cognitive warfare, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday.

MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) made the statement in response to questions by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Puma Shen (沈柏洋) about the government’s response to counter Chinese public opinion warfare, lawfare and psychological warfare.

Shen said he is also being investigated by China for promoting “Taiwanese independence.”

Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng, left, and Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Puma Shen are pictured during a plenary session at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: screen grab from the Legislative Yuan livestream

He was referring to a report published on Tuesday last week by China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, which said that Shen is under investigation by the Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau on allegations of “secession-related” criminal activities, including launching a civil defense organization called Kuma Academy.

The investigation is being carried out under the terms of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China and a set of judicial guidelines on how to penalize “Taiwan independence separatists,” the Xinhua report said.

The government on Thursday last week said that such actions by China are meant to “create the illusion of long-arm jurisdiction over Taiwan.”

Shen yesterday told Chiu that he cited his case not to draw attention to himself, but to Chinese tactics targeting civil servants that might soon be used to deal with Taiwanese in general.

Chiu said that China is increasing its suppression of Taiwan through a combination of lawfare and cognitive warfare, adding that both the government and the public should collectively condemn such moves that are intended to intimidate and divide Taiwan.

Many Taiwanese have been reported to be missing or interrogated by Chinese officials, as well as others with whom contact has been lost, with the number of Taiwanese detained by the Chinese government because of legal affairs rising to 178 so far this year from 55 last year.

“While political figures, military personnel or prosecutors might be more psychologically resilient to Chinese threats, ordinary citizens might be more vulnerable,” Chiu said.

He urged all sectors of society to recognize this, unite, and collectively resist and condemn China’s cross-border suppression.

The MAC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will report significant cases of Chinese cross-border suppression against Taiwan to the international community, he said.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said China has no judicial jurisdiction over Taiwan, making its claims over Taiwan baseless.

“International human rights or political organizations should know that China is attempting to impose long-arm jurisdiction over a neighboring nation, using fabricated charges to influence personal freedoms,” Cho said.

The global community should understand that this authoritarian state fails completely in terms of human rights, regardless of its economic or military power, he added.

Additional reporting by CNA


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By Huang Ching-hsuan / Staff reporter, with Reuters

Beijing’s insistence that its so-called “one China principle” is a prerequisite for Taiwan’s participation in APEC activities is a serious violation of the organization’s norms and practices, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.

The ministry reiterated that Taiwan, as an official member of APEC, shares equal participation rights with other member economies.

The APEC grouping is one of the few international bodies Taiwan is a member of, although it takes part as “Chinese Taipei” to avoid political problems and its president never attends.

Chinese, left, and Taiwanese printed flags are seen in an illustration pictured on April 28, 2022. Photo: Reuters

Next year’s summit is scheduled to take place in Shenzhen, China, in November.

On Saturday, MOFA official Jonathan Sun (孫儉元) said in South Korea at the end of this year’s summit that China had provided written assurances last year about the safety of all participants at next year’s summit.

In a written statement to Reuters, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said there were no worries.

“As the host of APEC in 2026, China will fulfil its host-country obligations in accordance with APEC rules and customary practice, and there will be no issue with all parties participating smoothly,” it said.

“We would like to emphasize that the key to Chinese Taipei’s participation in APEC activities lies in compliance with the ‘one China’ principle and the relevant APEC memorandum of understanding, rather than any safety issues,” it said.

Speaking in Taipei on Monday after returning from South Korea, Sun said Taiwan had already asked China last year whether it would receive “equal treatment” and expressed concerns about its people’s safety.

Other “like-minded partners” had similar worries, he added.

“We hope everyone can urge the Chinese side to fulfil their promises to ensure to safety of all the participants and equal participation of the economies, not only Taiwan,” he said.

“At the joint request of our country and like-minded nations, China explicitly guaranteed in writing last year that it would ensure the personal safety of all economic participants and facilitate their smooth entry and exit to attend meetings in China,” MOFA said in a statement yesterday.

The joint statement from the bilateral ministerial meetings last year and this year clearly included the statement that “all economies should have equal participation in all APEC meetings, including the leaders’ meetings,” it said.

Taiwan “sternly demands that the Chinese side must honor its commitments and, in accordance with APEC rules and practices, ensure Taiwan’s equal, dignified and safe participation in all APEC meetings and activities held in China next year,” MOFA said.

“It must safeguard the personal safety of our delegates,” it added. “We will not accept any political maneuver aimed at diminishing or excluding Taiwan’s participation, and we will resolutely counter such actions in cooperation with like-minded partners.”

The last time China hosted an APEC summit, in 2014, relations with Taiwan were much better under then-president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who signed landmark trade and tourism deals with Beijing.

However, in 2001, Taiwan boycotted the APEC summit in China after a disagreement over who it could send.

title: Taiwan blasts Beijing over APEC posturing


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ALL THAT GLITTER:  The 90 items, including gold bars, bricks and ingots, were seized from 11 precious metal vendors that owed huge amounts of taxes to the government

The Administrative Enforcement Agency is to hold an auction of 64kg of gold on Tuesday next week in what would be the largest gold auction ever by Taiwanese law enforcement authorities.

The gold was seized from companies that owed a large amount of tax to the government, the agency’s New Taipei City branch said in a statement on Monday.

The 64kg cover 90 items, including 49 Swiss-branded gold bars weighing about 1kg each, 22 gold bricks weighing between 137g and 1,496g, another 16 gold bars weighing 187g each, and two shoe-shaped gold ingots weighing 37.48g and 37.5g, it said.

Gold bars seized from companies owing a large amount of tax to the government are pictured in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Administrative Enforcement Agency’s New Taipei City Branch

The auction, which is to be divided into 22 bids, is expected to bring in a substantial amount of revenue.

With gold currently trading at about US$4,000 per ounce, 64kg would be worth about US$9 million, but items sold by the Administrative Enforcement Agency tend to fetch less than their market prices.

Still, the lots would be worth far more than they would have last year, with gold prices up more than 45 percent from a year earlier.

The gold items to be auctioned previously belonged to 11 precious metal vendors registered in Taipei and New Taipei City, which owed about NT$774 million (US$25.04 million) in corporate income tax to the government, the branch said.

The auction is to start at 10am at the meeting room of its office in New Taipei City’s Sinjhuang District (新莊), it said.

Those who want to participate in the auction can sign up with the agency and put up a NT$1 million deposit in the form of a bank check between 8:30am and 9:40am that day, it said.

title: Authorities to auction 64 kilos of gold items


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The Ministry of Finance yesterday urged people to be on the lookout for phishing scams, as registration is to begin today for the government’s NT$10,000 cash distribution.

Four fraudulent Web sites intended to trick users into believing they were government sites were detected through a real-time monitoring system on Friday and Sunday, and have been promptly dealt with, the ministry said in a statement.

The fake Web sites are twmof.xyz, cgbs.shop, twmof.info and cgsss.info, it said.

New Taiwan dollar notes are pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: CNA

Government Web sites end with “.gov.tw,” it said, adding that no additional numbers or letters ever appear after the dot preceding the “gov” portion of official Web addresses.

The government never sends texts or e-mails instructing anyone to withdraw money or register, nor does it call people to ask them to use automated teller machines (ATMs) or online banking for transfers, it said.

The ministry urged people to stay vigilant and avoid falling for scams that could expose their personal information, opening them up to theft or fraud.

The ministry said it has formed a cross-agency anti-fraud task force with the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Financial Information Service Co to monitoring for fake Web addresses or logos online.

Internet service providers were immediately ordered to stop resolving or restrict access to the addresses, while network service providers were instructed to make the sites inaccessible to prevent people from mistakenly clicking on them, as required under Article 42 of the Fraud Crime Hazard Prevention Act (詐欺犯罪危害防制條例), it said.

Protective measures are immediately activated when a fraudulent site is detected, the finance ministry said, adding that the government would fully prosecute any criminal activity.

The universal cash handout can be collected through registration for direct deposit, ATM withdrawal or post office withdrawal.

From 8am today, online registration for the cash handout would begin on the government’s official Web site (https://10000.gov.tw) in stages based on the last digit of the applicant’s national ID number or Alien Resident Certificate number.

Those whose numbers end in zero or one can register today, followed by two or three tomorrow, four or five on Friday, six or seven on Saturday, and eight or nine on Sunday.

Registration would be open online regardless of the ID number from Monday next week to April 30 next year, with the option to modify and verify information available starting on Thursday next week.

The funds are expected to be deposited sequentially starting on Tuesday next week at the earliest, according to each bank’s operating procedures.

title: Ministry warns of scams amid cash handout launch


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S Korea to triple AI spending, boost defense budget

South Korea is to triple spending on artificial intelligence (AI) and make its biggest defense budget increase in six years, President Lee Jae Myung said yesterday in his annual parliamentary budget speech.

The South Korean president said 10.1 trillion won (US$7 billion) would go toward “a major transformation aimed at propelling the nation into the ranks of the world’s top three AI powers” alongside the US and China.

“We will significantly expand investment to usher in the ‘AI era,’” he said, adding that the amount was more than three times this year’s AI-related budget.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, right, attends a meeting with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the presidential office in Seoul yesterday.  Photo: EPA

The proposal was made in a speech outlining his government’s spending plans for next year. Overall, the budget plan totals 728 trillion won, an 8.1 percent increase from this year.

Lee needs parliament to pass the budget proposal, which is likely given his party’s majority.

On the defense budget, the president said his government wants to see an 8.2 percent increase from this year to 66.3 trillion won.

If passed, it would mark the highest defense spending increase since 2019.

“We will overhaul conventional weapons systems into state-of-the-art systems suited for the AI era and swiftly transform our military into an elite, smart force,” Lee said.

Praising Seoul’s plan to raise military spending, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said that the Asian ally would take a larger role in defending itself from North Korean aggressions as the allies must brace for “regional contingencies.”

After annual security talks with South Korean Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back in Seoul, Hegseth told reporters that he was “greatly encouraged” by Seoul’s commitment to increase defense spending and make greater investments in its own military capabilities.

He said the two agreed the investments would bolster South Korea’s ability to lead its conventional deterrence against North Korea.

Hegseth highlighted defense cooperation on repairing and maintaining US warships in South Korea, saying the activities harness South Korea’s world-class shipbuilding capabilities and “ensure our most lethal capabilities remain ready to respond to any crisis.”

“We face, as we both acknowledge, a dangerous security environment, but our alliance is stronger than ever,” he said.

Hegseth said the US-South Korea alliance is primarily aimed at coping with potential North Korean provocations, but must also keep other regional threats in view.

“There’s no doubt flexibility for regional contingencies is something we would take a look at, but we are focused on standing by our allies here and ensuring the threat of the DPRK [North Korea] is not a threat to the Republic of Korea [South Korea] and certainly continue to extend nuclear deterrence as we have before,” he said.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea — North Korea’s official name — while Republic of Korea is South Korea’s formal name.


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Peru’s government on Monday said it had cut off diplomatic relations with Mexico for granting asylum to a former prime minister being investigated over the alleged 2022 coup attempt by then-Peruvian president Pedro Castillo.

“Today we learned with surprise and deep regret that former prime minister Betssy Chavez, the alleged coauthor of the coup attempt by former president Pedro Castillo, is being granted asylum at the Mexican embassy residence in Peru,” Peruvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugo de Zela told a news conference.

“Given this unfriendly act, and considering the repeated instances in which the current and former presidents of that country have interfered in Peru’s internal affairs, the Peruvian government has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Mexico today,” he added.

Former Peruvian prime minister Betssy Chavez arrives for her trial on charges of rebellion and conspiracy against the state at a police base on the outskirts of Lima on March 18. Photo: AP

The move drew fierce criticism from Mexico City, with the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing a statement describing Peru’s decision as “excessive and disproportionate in response to a legitimate act by Mexico and in accordance with international law.”

Castillo, a former rural schoolteacher and trade unionist dubbed Peru’s “first poor president,” was impeached by Congress in December 2022 after his attempt to dissolve Congress following a months-long standoff. Relations between Lima and Mexico deteriorated sharply over Castillo’s ouster.

Peru expelled Mexico’s ambassador after Mexico granted asylum to Castillo’s wife and children.

Police guard the Mexican embassy in Lima on Monday after the Peruvian government announced it was severing diplomatic relations with Mexico following the country’s decision to grant asylum to former Peruvian prime minister Betssy Chavez, who faces charges related to a 2022 coup attempt. Photo: AP

Castillo’s successor, now former president Dina Boluarte, also temporarily recalled Peru’s ambassador to Mexico City, accusing then Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of meddling in her country’s affairs for expressing support for Castillo.

Castillo was on his way to the Mexican embassy in Lima to request asylum together with his family when he was arrested, and charged with rebellion and abuse of authority.

Chavez was charged alongside him, and the pair went on trial in March.

While Castillo has been in preventive custody since his impeachment, Chavez was released on bail.

Prosecutors had sought a 25-year prison term for Chavez for allegedly participating in Castillo’s plan to dissolve Congress. They have sought a 34-year sentence for Castillo.

Castillo denies the charges, saying he never took up arms against the state because the military refused to obey his orders.

title: Peru severs ties with Mexico over asylum for ex-PM


title: Loopholes in detention of Chinese highlighted

people: 劉世芳 卓榮泰 李坤城 王定宇

content_text:
ILLEGAL ENTRANTS: Lawmakers grilled officials over instances of Chinese having liberties in Taiwan after having been arrested for arriving in the nation illegally   By Hsieh Chun-lin, Chen Yu-fu and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, and staff writer

Loopholes in the law highlighted by the detention of Chinese after they sailed into Taiwan illegally would be tightened, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said yesterday in response to questions by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城) during a plenary session at the Legislative Yuan.

The practice of allowing Chinese who have illegally entered the country to serve less time than legally mandated is creating a loophole in national security, Lee said.

According to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), Chinese illegally entering Taiwan should serve a maximum of five years, but the majority of those sentenced in such cases over the past five years have served only up to eight months before being transferred into the custody of the National Immigration Agency (NIA) for 150 days before being repatriated, Lee said.

Premier Cho Jung-tai, left, and Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang attend a plenary session at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times

A Chinese surnamed Yang (楊) posted a video on Chinese social media platform Douyin after being returned to China, in which he described renting a scooter and traveling throughout Taiwan, Lee said.

The Chinese-language United Daily News reported that Yang in the video described how police had been more concerned about whether people were correctly wearing a helmet than checking for identification, Lee said.

Lee also cited the case of Ruan Fangyong (阮芳勇), a self-described former member of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy, who was interviewed by a local Chinese-language media firm about his time here.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) told the hearing that the Immigration Act (入出國移民法) explicitly prohibits people who enter Taiwan illegally from accepting interviews with the press, although it was not clear which provision of the act he was referring to.

The NIA said that there was no specific law banning media interviews by such people, the Epoch Times reported on Aug. 11, shortly after DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) criticized the agency over Ruan’s situation.

The Supreme Court on Jan. 23 sentenced Ruan to eight months in prison after he drove a speedboat into the Tamsui River (淡水河) from China on June 8 last year.

Cho at the hearing also said that the government would consider stricter standards if allowing people entering the country to speak to the media is permitted.

Liu said that there are prerequisites for people being released from detention, such as preventing them from spreading false information.

“We are looking to amend the law to require that the movements of such people are more controlled,” she said.

In other news, Taiwan Society North chairman Lo Chun-hsuan (羅浚晅) told a news conference at the legislature that the government must assess whether Chien Li (錢麗) poses a risk to national security and urged the government to set a national security standard for people seeking residency.

The NIA last month revoked Chien’s permanent residency over her alleged advocacy for China to use force to bring about unification with Taiwan.

Taiwan Society chairman Weng Ming-jang (翁銘章) said that the Ministry of the Interior should deport Chien immediately to set an example.


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Lockheed Martin yesterday said it is working to accelerate delayed deliveries to Taiwan of new F-16Vs, after the Ministry of National Defense said that the program had been pushed back due to supply chain issues.

Taiwan has complained of repeated delays to weapons ordered from the US, its most important international backer and arms supplier.

In a report to lawmakers on Monday, the ministry said the delivery of all 66 F-16Vs, initially expected to arrive by the end of next year, had been pushed back due to production line relocations and disruptions.

Military personnel run toward an F-16V jet at the Chiashan Air Force Base in Hualien on Aug. 17, 2022. Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters

To speed up production, contractors are working two shifts lasting 20 hours a day, the ministry said, adding that Taiwan would monitor progress to ensure contractual obligations are met.

Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said that Taiwan and the US are working on the delays, and that 50 of the Lockheed Martin aircraft were already on the production line.

Of those, 10 are expected to undergo flight tests this year and be delivered next year, Koo said.

“I think that we all hope the greatest amount of effort can be exerted to speed up the deliveries,” he said.

The delivery of 24 MK-48 torpedoes and four dummy torpedoes, purchased for NT$5.46 billion (US$176.66 million) and initially expected by next year, had been postponed to between next year and 2028, also due to production line disruptions, the ministry said.

Lockheed in an e-mailed statement yesterday said that it was committed to delivering “mission-critical capabilities” to Taiwan with the F-16 fleet to support its air defenses.

That includes the 66 new F-16Vs, along with Taiwan’s F-16 Viper upgrade program, which was completed in December 2023, the company said.

“We continue to work closely with the US government to accelerate delivery timelines where possible, while ensuring a safe and compliant product,” it added.

title: Lockheed seeks to speed up deliveries of F-16s to Taiwan


title: Delegation visited NATO HQ, report says

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TIME IN BRUSSELS: The minister of foreign affairs and an NSC adviser were given ‘unprecedented access to high-ranking individuals and institutions,’ the report said   By Hsieh Chun-lin, Chen Yu-fu and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, and staff writer

A Taiwanese delegation in September visited NATO headquarters in Brussels and met with European Commission officials, Intelligence Online reported on Monday, citing anonymous European diplomatic sources.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) earlier in September visited Europe. His itinerary was not made public beforehand due to its sensitivity.

Lin and former National Security Council (NSC) deputy secretary-general Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) were “able to gain unprecedented access to high-ranking individuals and institutions” during their European visit, Intelligence Online reported.

Hsu, who is an adviser to the NSC, led a delegation to visit NATO headquarters while in Brussels, it said in the report, titled “Taiwanese diplomats make discreet visits to NATO and Paris.”

Hsu’s “emphasis on economic security, as well as the democratic values that the island defends, went down well with his European interlocutors,” it said.

The trip, which included stops in Paris, Berlin, London and Warsaw, was to present Taiwan’s strategies for cooperation with the EU, particularly in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, defense and surveillance, it said.

Separately, Hsu said in an interview in Warsaw last month with the German-language Deutsche Welle that if incursions of Russian drones into the airspace of Estonia, Poland and other NATO member states “becomes a pattern, it’s very similar to what China has been doing to” Taiwan.

Such incursions would be “long-term, some kind of a gray zone harassment,” but would be more serious, as Russian drones are entering the territories of other states, whereas the Chinese sorties do not, Hsu said.

The goal of such acts is to wear down military response capabilities, test vulnerabilities and gauge response times, he said, adding that alongside information manipulation, the side engaging in “gray zone” activities seeks to discredit target governments and undercut their authority by creating an image of ineptitude.

While Taiwan is not “expecting European countries to come fight our war,” there are many ways Taiwan and the EU can help build each other’s capabilities and become each other’s supply chains, Hsu added.


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Taiwan ranked 10th globally in the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking released yesterday by the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD).

The ranking assessed 69 economies on their ability to adapt to, explore and benefit from digital transformation, based on three key factors — “knowledge,” “technology” and “future readiness” — comprising nine subfactors and 61 ranked criteria.

Among the three key factors, Taiwan performed best in future readiness, rising three places to third globally, while it was 11th in technology (down four places) and 16th in knowledge (up three places).

People cross a street near Taipei 101 on Aug. 22. Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA

Taiwan ranked first globally in the “IT and media stock market capitalization” ranked criteria within the technology factor.

It was second in the “total R&D [research and development] personnel per capita” criteria and “total expenditure on R&D” as a percentage of GDP criteria, both in the knowledge factor, and was also second in “agility of companies” (future readiness).

Taiwan was third in “higher education attainment” and “educational assessment PISA-math,” both in the knowledge factor.

PISA is the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment.

It was also third in “opportunities and threats” in business agility and “use of big data analytics,” both in the future readiness factor.

In Taipei, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said the results show that Taiwan has a solid foundation for the development of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry and the nation’s digital transformation.

Taiwan’s progress in future readiness reflects the competitiveness of local enterprises, as well as the government’s achievements in public-private collaboration and data privacy protection, the ministry said.

It would continue to work with other agencies to refine laws and issue guidelines to improve AI governance, and raise Taiwan’s international visibility in digital policy and innovation, it said.

Switzerland (first), the US (second) and Singapore (third) were the top three digitally savvy nations, the IMD report said.

title: Taiwan ranked 10th for digital competitiveness


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Ex-military police officer indicted over bribes, leaksBy Hsieh Chun-lin, Chen Yu-fu and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, and staff writer

A former military police sergeant surnamed Hsu (許) was indicted yesterday on charges of leaking classified documents and accepting bribes to an organization suspected to be affiliated with Chinese intelligence.

Military police should be held to a higher moral standard, as their job is to maintain military discipline, curtail the actions of the military and carry out martial law, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said in the indictment.

That a member of the corps would give up their loyalty to their country for minute gains disgraces the military and negatively affects public morale, the prosecutors’ office said.

As the defendant pleaded guilty during the investigation, and if he also pleads guilty in court and turns in all illicit proceeds, prosecutors would be amenable to requesting a reduced sentence of six years, following provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例), it said.

Hsu, 23, went into debt after purchasing a cellphone, a scooter and other household utilities last year, and searched online for finance companies to secure a loan, it said, citing a source.

During the process, Hsu was targeted by a scammer organization, which used his account to launder money, it said.

The office subpoenaed the account and questioned Hsu, it said.

The 202nd Military Police Corps Command Headquarters, commonly known as the Taipei Military Police division, launched an internal investigation after learning of the subpoena.

Military police investigators determined that Hsu had been invited into a Telegram chat group named Wolunghui (臥龍會) run by an unregistered money lender, the prosecutors’ office said.

The Wolunghui group was apparently affiliated with Chinese intelligence, as its core tenet was “stop war, prevent war, maintain peace,” the prosucutors’ office said, adding that the group required members to periodically upload pictures that would “be of use during a war,” and promised cash rewards for members who provided sensitive or classified information.

Hsu made a short video stating that he was against Taiwanese independence and sent information about his military service to an administrator of the group known as “Gucci,” who is suspected to be a Chinese intelligence officer, it said.


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A group of 16 Australia-bound Young Agricultural Ambassadors was presented with Taiwan’s flag by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) at a ceremony in Taipei yesterday.

Addressing the event, Lin said the ambassadors, selected for their expertise in biotechnology, recreational farming and organic fertilizers, will have multiple exchanges with Australian agricultural communities during their visit from Nov. 22 to Nov. 30.

Aside from conducting exchanges on agricultural affairs, the delegation will also visit Australian Indigenous communities and government authorities responsible for Indigenous affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung , second row, fourth left, and Australian representative to Taiwan Robert Fergusson, second row, third right, pose for a photograph at a press conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times

Taiwan and Australia share close ties in the agricultural sector, Lin said, noting that the two countries have held annual agricultural working group meetings since 2004, with the latest edition, held in Brisbane earlier this year, focusing on climate change responses and AI automation.

Speaking during the same event, Australian representative to Taiwan, Robert Fergusson, welcomed the group of young farmers from Taiwan to visit his country.

Both Australian and Taiwanese farmers are facing the challenges of climate change and consumer expectations, and the need to be more profitable and productive in a competitive global environment, Fergusson said.

But farmers of the ambassadors’ generation also have many advantages, including the benefit of innovative technology, he said.

“Whether that is automation or AI or more advanced science, you have tools you can use to help address the challenges you will face,” he said.

“As we face these shared challenges, there is much we can learn from each other. Both Australian and Taiwanese farmers are united in embracing innovation and technology to address and ensure a more sustainable agricultural future,” he added.

He expressed hopes that the Taiwanese delegation will form networks and friendships with their Australian counterparts during the trip.

The government-funded annual Young Agricultural Ambassadors program aims to promote exchanges between Taiwan and 18 countries targeted by the New Southbound Policy.

According to MOFA, 138 ambassadors aged 18 to 45 with expertise in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and animal husbandry have traveled to Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, and Thailand since MOFA and the Ministry of Agriculture launched the initiative in 2017.

The New Southbound Policy was launched in 2016 under then-president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to expand the country’s economic, educational, and cultural links with 10 ASEAN member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.

title: Lin meets with Australia-bound Young Agriculture Ambassadors

people: 林佳龍 蔡英文


title: Taipei Travel Fair to open Friday

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The 2025 Taipei International Travel Fair (ITF) will open on Friday at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, featuring exhibitors from a record 123 countries and cities, the Taiwan Visitors Association (TVA) said yesterday.

The four-day event, running from Friday to next Monday, will feature more than 1,600 booths representing destinations such as Japan, South Korea, the United States, Thailand, and Malaysia. Over 40 major travel agencies, along with 130 hotels, restaurants, and airlines, will offer travel information and promotional packages.

TVA Chairwoman Chien Yu-yen (簡余晏) said Japan will host the largest pavilion this year, followed by South Korea, while the United States Pavilion returns.

Taiwan Visitors Association chair Chien Yu-yen, second row, fourth left, and Taipei International Travel Fair Preparatory Committee chair Yeh Chu-lan, second row, fifth left, pose with guests at a news conference for the annual travel exhibition in Taipei yesterday. The fair opens on Friday and runs until Monday next week at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 1. Photo: CNA

According to TVA data, the Japan Pavilion will feature a record 207 booths and 114 participating organizations.

Chien noted that many exhibitors are launching premium and themed itineraries to attract younger travelers.

During the event, airlines will offer limited-time discounts, the US Pavilion will hold daily air ticket raffles, and South Korea’s Pavilion will feature a zone dedicated to popular actor Park Bogum.

Thailand, meanwhile, will promote Bangkok tour packages priced under NT$10,000 (US$325).

The fair will also include international performances, a mascot parade, and appearances by travel influencer Miya, YouTuber Goldfish Brain and other celebrities.


title: Flu cases to rise again next month: CDC

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WINTER JABS:  As temperatures begin to drop, people at high risk of developing serious illness should get their flu vaccinations and COVID-19 shots soon, a CDC official said

The influenza epidemic period is likely to end this week, but cases are expected to rise again next month and could be more serious than the current wave, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday

Hospitals reported 106,829 visits for flu-like illness from Oct. 26 to Saturday, which is 4.9 percent fewer than the previous week, and weekly cases are expected to continue falling, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said.

CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said that 10.4 percent of last week’s hospital visits were at emergency rooms, which is lower than the epidemic threshold of 11 percent.

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui, left, speaks as CDC physician Lin Yung-ching looks on at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

The centers expect that number to be below the threshold again this week, meeting its requirement for announcing the end of an epidemic period, Tseng said.

Despite the drop in weekly hospital visits, 63 cases of severe flu and nine flu-related deaths were confirmed last week, Guo said, adding that the risk of flu infection with serious complications remains.

A three-year-old girl in northern Taiwan last week developed severe flu symptoms, CDC physician Lin Yung-ching (林詠青) said.

The girl — who has inherited metabolic disease and had received a flu vaccine last year, but was unvaccinated this year — developed a high fever and runny nose in the middle of last month, Lin said.

She was taken to a clinic for medical treatment and began taking oral antiviral medication, but her condition worsened and she developed shortness of breath as well as abnormal breathing, so she was taken to an emergency room, he said.

As she had a fever, rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing and croup, and tested positive for influenza A, she was admitted to an intensive care unit for respiratory distress, he said, adding that she was discharged last week.

As of Monday, more than 4.77 million doses of government-funded flu vaccines had been administered since the start of the current flu season on Oct. 1, and fewer than 2 million doses remain, Tseng said.

With temperatures falling in winter, the next wave of infections is expected to be more serious, and as its takes about two weeks for vaccines to build up enough protective antibodies, people at high risk of developing serious illness from flu should get vaccinated as early as possible, she said.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases are also expected to increase in the winter, so people at higher risk of developing serious illness are also encouraged to get vaccinated, Tseng added.

Aside from the government-funded Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine that became available on Oct. 1, a protein subunit COVID-19 vaccine by Novavax would be available from Wednesday next week.


title: Hog farmers detained over swine fever

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STRICT ON SWILL:  A ban on feeding pigs kitchen waste would remain in place until safety checks on equipment and farms are complete, the agriculture ministry said

The Taichung District Court yesterday approved a request by prosecutors to detain a father and son who operated a pig farm where an outbreak of African swine fever is believed to have originated.

The Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office said in a statement that after questioning the farmers a second time, it believed they forged documents, and if not detained and held incommunicado posed a high risk of destroying or further forging evidence, as well as colluding with accomplices or witnesses.

The farmers, surnamed Chen (陳), are suspected of altering the numbers on a triplicate form used for the handover of dead pigs to off-site rendering operations, which make the carcasses safe for processing into pork products.

Numbers on the form the farmers kept were different from the documents given to the rendering operator, prosecutors said in a statement on Thursday last week.

The discrepancy makes it difficult to determine whether all of the dead pigs from the farm were handled by the rendering operator or if some were illegally sold or disposed of separately, they said.

Prosecutors said they would continue to collaborate closely with disease control units and police in investigating the incident.

The outbreak, which was announced publicly on Oct. 22, was confirmed to have originated from the farm in Taichung’s Wuci District (梧棲) on Oct. 25. It led to a 15-day ban on the slaughter and transport of pigs.

The African Swine Fever Forward Command Center on Monday said the breakout was likely caused by feeding pigs food waste that had not been properly sterilized.

The outbreak appears to be contained, it added.

The center is by noon today to determine whether the transport and slaughter ban would be lifted as scheduled on Friday, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday.

A ban on feeding pigs kitchen waste would remain in place until conditions proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture are met, Cho added.

The conditions include joint inspections by the ministry and the Ministry of Environment, as well as safety checks on cooking equipment and pigs at all 434 hog farms engaged in kitchen waste feeding, the agriculture ministry said.

Cooking equipment must be subject to real-time monitoring, rather than simply allowing operators to upload data periodically, as was done in the past, while regulations on kitchen waste management would be updated, it said.

If the transportation and slaughtering ban is lifted, the Executive Yuan would institute measures to stabilize the primary production chain, pork prices and the supply of meat, Cho said.

Efforts would be reviewed weekly to ensure conditions return to normal within the next month, he said.


title: New elderly driver rules to start next year

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Taiwanese singer Shen Wen-cheng (沈文程) has been recruited as the face of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ campaign to promote its new policy on elderly drivers, which is scheduled to be launched in May next year, the ministry said yesterday.

The ministry made the announcement as it unveiled a series of changes to how driver’s licenses are issued. Some of the measures are designed to address risks posed by elderly drivers, in the wake of series of traffic incidents earlier this year.

About 1.1 million drivers nationwide are aged 70 to 74, while 18,800 are 75 or older, Highway Bureau data showed.

Taiwanese singer Shen Wen-cheng, left, and Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai wave from a car at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

A total of 1.28 million drivers would be required to renew their driver’s license under the policy.

Shen said that, like many older people, he initially thought the policy was intended to restrict them from driving.

“People in my generation have been driving for decades. As we are experiencing a decline in health, vision and physical agility, we need doctors to assess our physical condition to determine if we are still fit to drive,” the 71-year-old Golden Melody and Golden Bell Award winner said, adding that the policy offers assurance and protection, instead of burden and restriction.

Starting this month, Shen said that he would be hosting six events across the nation to have tea and chat with older adults to talk to them about the importance of safe driving, adding that he would set an example himself by renewing his license.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) said the new policy is not intended to prevent older adults from driving, but to ensure that elderly people can drive safely.

Under the policy, drivers aged 70 or older can renew their licenses if they pass a physical exam, and take a mandatory traffic safety and hazard perception course, Chen said.

During the physical exams, drivers would be asked to self-describe their health status, while the course, which would be available to elderly drivers free of charge, is designed to teach them about new traffic regulations, traffic signs and road markings, he said.

The policy is to be officially implemented on May 1 next year, with a two-year grace period, he said.

For those turning 70, their renewed license would be valid until they are 75, when their licenses must be renewed every three years going forward.

Drivers aged 70 or older who voluntarily give up their licenses would be given a 50 percent rebate when they access public transportation services with a T-Pass, with each qualified for a one-time monthly rebate capped at NT$1,500 (US$48.53) per month. The benefit would available for two years.

A Highway Bureau survey showed that more than 80 percent of the respondents supported the policy, while the same number of respondents expressed deep concerns about elderly driving.

Approximately 200,000 drivers who are 75 or older chose to return their driver’s licenses, Highway Bureau Director-General Lin Fu-shan (林福山) said, adding that it would budget NT$250 million annually to fund the rebates.


title: Taiwan creative fest opens with big investments

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The Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) opened in Taipei yesterday, along with the launch of two investment funds totaling more than NT$1.5 billion (US$48.53 million), one of which involves South Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM.

The fund established by CJ ENM along with Taiwan’s Far EasTone Telecommunications and TVBS, called the Taiwan-Korea Entertainment and Cultural Content Fund, is aimed at backing coproductions between Taiwan and South Korea and their global releases, while also helping Taiwan’s entertainment industry connect with international markets.

The Far EasTone-Enjoy Entertainment Fund, launched in partnership with the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) and Far EasTone, would invest in and promote local film and television productions.

From left, French National Center of Cinema and Animated Pictures president Gaetan Bruel, Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) chairwoman Sue Wang, Minister of Culture Li Yuan and TAICCA president Erica Wang attend the opening ceremony of the Taiwan Creative Content Fest in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

The initiatives mark a milestone for Taiwan’s film and television industry in terms of systematic investment and international cooperation, TAICCA chairwoman Sue Wang (王時思) told a news conference.

Wang, who is also deputy minister of culture, expressed hope that Taiwan can learn from the success of South Korean entertainment companies.

CJ ENM executive vice president Sean Cho said that “the Taiwan-Korea Entertainment and Cultural Content Fund represents CJ ENM’s belief that cooperation between Taiwan and South Korea can bring more outstanding works to the global market.”

Far EasTone president Ching Chee (井琪) said the company, which has been involved in the creative content business for at least a decade, increased its investment in production due to rising challenges in content acquisition, citing the dominance of Netflix as a major factor.

Now in its sixth year, the TCCF features pitching, marketing and forum sections, and represents one of Asia’s premier creative industry events, bringing together global buyers and sellers to connect, collaborate and explore business opportunities.

More than 700 works from 44 countries were submitted to the pitching section, underscoring the growing importance of the annual event, Wang said at the show’s opening ceremony.

The selected works would compete for 41 awards with a record NT$10.1 million in prize money, TAICCA said.

This year’s TCCF, which runs through Friday at the Nangang Exhibition Center, is to feature 118 institutions and organizations, highlighted by the French Pavilion’s second appearance and the debut of a Korea Pavilion.

Josue Serres — head of the culture, science and education department at the French Office in Taipei — said French companies were drawn to Taiwan after seeing local firms’ ambition to produce original content, describing them as not merely “service providers,” but “equal partners.”

More major Taiwanese tech companies — including HTC and Chunghwa Telecom — are investing in related productions, some offering expertise in augmented reality and virtual reality technologies, he said.


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Taiwan seizes NT$4.5 billion in Cambodia’s Prince Group probe

Taipei prosecutors have detained 25 suspects and seized more than NT$4.5 billion (US $145.72 million) in assets linked to the Cambodia-based Prince Holding Group (Prince Group), which the United States sanctioned last month for transnational fraud and money laundering involving Taiwanese nationals and companies.

In a statement released yesterday, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office said the group, led by Chen Zhi (陳志), a China-born Cambodian tycoon, allegedly operated large- scale online scams in Cambodia and laundered the illicit proceeds through shell companies and business networks spanning multiple countries.

US federal prosecutors indicted Chen and his associates on Oct. 8, and the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) later added three Taiwanese nationals and nine Taiwan-registered companies to its sanctions list, which was made public on Oct. 14.

A composite picture shows vehicles confiscated by the Investigation Bureau from homes and offices of senior members of the Prince Group and related firms in Taipei. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau

After receiving information from US authorities, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office formed a task force on Oct. 15 with the Investigation Bureau’s Taipei office and the National Police Agency’s Criminal Investigation Bureau to trace the group’s financial flows and assets in Taiwan.

Early yesterday, investigators and police conducted 47 simultaneous raids on the homes and offices of senior members of the Prince Group and related firms -- all based in Taipei -- including Taiwan Prince Real Estate Investment Co. and Alphaconnect Investments Co.

Prosecutors said a total of 25 suspects were detained, and 10 witnesses were summoned for questioning.

The statement said prosecutors obtained court approval to seize 18 real estate properties -- including 11 luxury apartments and 48 parking spaces in the upscale Peace Palace complex on Taipei’s Heping East Road -- worth NT $3.81 billion to prevent asset flight.

In addition, 26 luxury vehicles, including Rolls-Royce, Ferrari and Lamborghini models valued at NT$477.58 million, and 60 bank accounts holding NT$235.87 million were also confiscated.

The total value of the seized assets reached approximately NT$4.53 billion, the Taipei District Court confirmed in a ruling issued Oct. 27.

According to Taiwan’s Investigation Bureau, the Prince Group ran forced-labor scam parks in Cambodia that engaged in cryptocurrency and online gambling fraud schemes.

The illicit gains were funneled through shell companies established in various countries and then laundered through the purchase of luxury goods and real estate to conceal their criminal origins, the bureau said.


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Malaysian police searching for rapper alleged in murder of Taiwanese influencer

Police in Malaysia are seeking the arrest of rapper Namewee (黃明志) in alleged connection with the “murder” of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh (謝侑芯), who was found dead at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur last month, Malaysian media said yesterday.

According to a report in the English-language Malay Mail, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus said in a statement yesterday that the case, which was originally investigated as a sudden death, had been upgraded to a murder investigation under Malaysia’s Penal Code.

Fadil said investigators “expect to make an arrest soon,” Malay Mail reported, while the Chinese-language “China Press” news site said a warrant had been issued for Namewee’s arrest.

Malaysian rapper Namewee is pictured in Taipei on Dec. 18, 2022. Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times

Malaysian media reported that emergency services were called to a luxury hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 22 to help a Taiwanese woman who had lost consciousness in a guest room.

Namewee was arrested at the hotel and later charged with drug possession and use. In addition to nine ecstasy pills found on his person, Namewee also tested positive for amphetamines, methamphetamine, ketamine and THC, the Malay Mail report said.

Namewee pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on bail, with a procedural court hearing originally scheduled for Dec. 18, the report said.

Hsieh’s death began drawing heightened media attention following reports over last weekend that she had been working on a video project with Namewee at the time of her death.

On Sunday, Namewee issued a statement on his Facebook page, claiming had not used or been in possession of drugs, and was the victim of blackmail, the details of which he was currently unable to share.

He said that an ambulance called for Hsieh had taken almost an hour to arrive at the hotel -- a claim that was later refuted by Malaysia’s health ministry, which said the ambulance had arrived in 26 minutes.

As of yesterday, Malaysian authorities were still waiting for post-mortem and toxicology reports to determine Hsieh’s cause of death, local media reports said.

According to other anonymously sourced Malaysian media reports, Hsieh, 31, was found in the hotel room’s bathtub, which was completely dry and did not appear to have been used.

As emergency responders arrived at the hotel, Namewee is also said to have tried to leave the scene, before being stopped near the elevators, the unconfirmed reports said.

Namewee, 42, is known for his comments and songs that touch on sensitive social and political topics.

Born and raised in Malaysia, he rose to fame in Taiwan in 2022 when his song “Fragile” (玻璃心), a Mandarin ballad satirizing nationalistic Chinese internet users, was pulled from music streaming services in China one day after its release.

A graduate of Taiwan’s Ming Chuan University, Namewee has been nominated three times for best Mandarin male singer at Taiwan’s Golden Melody Awards.

Asked about the case yesterday, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that after learning of Hsieh’s death, its representative office in Malaysia notified her family and is helping with follow-up arrangements.

The ministry declined to provide additional details on the case for reasons of privacy and out of respect for Hsieh’s family.


title: NTU rises to 23rd in Asia in latest QS rankings

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National Taiwan University (NTU) maintained its position as Taiwan’s highest-ranked institution in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) 2026 Asia University Rankings, climbing three spots to 23rd place from last year, according to a release yesterday.

Seven other Taiwanese universities also made the top 100, including National Tsing Hua University (37th), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (41st), National Cheng Kung University (43rd) and National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (46th).

National Sun Yat-sen University tied for the 72nd with Xiamen University in China, followed by National Taiwan Normal University (80th) and National Taipei University of Technology (88th).

People walk past National Taiwan University’s main gate in Taipei in an undated photo. Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times

With the eight entries, Taiwan ranked fifth for the number of universities in the top 100, behind China (25), South Korea (15), Japan (12) and Malaysia (10).

The QS Asia Rankings assess universities based on 11 indicators, which have been tailored to reflect the nuances of the region and differentiate it from the QS World University Rankings, according to a press release issued by the London-based higher education rankings company.

NTU has consistently ranked as Taiwan’s top university, recognized for its outstanding academic and employer reputation. It also leads the country’s universities in the International Students indicator, the company said.

Across Asia, the University of Hong Kong was named the top university, overtaking China’s Peking University, which placed second, while Nanyang Technological University, Singapore rose one spot to tie for third with fellow Singaporean institution the National University of Singapore.

Taiwan matched Hong Kong with five universities in the top 50, trailing China (13), Japan (eight), Malaysia (eight), and South Korea (seven).

This year’s edition was the largest ever, featuring 1,529 universities across 25 higher education systems, including 57 universities in Taiwan.

Among the Taiwanese universities, 17 entries from last year improved in the latest ranking, three remained in the same position and 29 fell. Meanwhile, eight universities debuted in the ranking this year.

On specific indicators, the University of Tokyo was named the regional leader in both academic and employer reputation, with an overall ranking of 26. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s National Chiayi University ranked as the regional leader for staff with Ph.D. degrees, with an overall ranking of 1001-1100.


content_text:
WEATHER

Typhoon forming: CWA

A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central Philippines before heading toward the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島) and Vietnam. It is unlikely to directly affect Taiwan. The northeast monsoon would today bring rain to the northern and northeastern regions, including Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung and Yilan County, the CWA added.

TRAFFIC

Toys seized to pay fines

A Chiayi City man’s vast collection of action figures was repossessed and sent to be auctioned over his failure to pay more than NT$60,000 in fines for “multiple” incidents of driving without a license, the Ministry of Justice said yesterday. Following an investigation into the financial situation of the driver, surnamed Tseng (曾), the Administrative Enforcement Agency’s Chiayi branch concluded that he likely did not have the means to pay his outstanding debts, the branch said in a statement. A deeper investigation found that Tseng had a vast trove of action figures, including once-popular figurines from the Japanese manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, stored in a warehouse from his former business, it said. Enforcement officials seized the items, which are to be auctioned in the lobby of the branch at 10am on Tuesday next week, it said.

CRIME

Woman sentenced for attack

A woman was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for attacking a high-school student with a box cutter on the Taipei MRT last year, after the New Taipei City District Court found she suffered from schizophrenia, according to a judgement released yesterday. After completing her sentence, the defendant, identified as Wang Ching-ssu (王靖絲), must spend two years under court-ordered residential psychiatric supervision due to her condition, the court said in its verdict handed down on Oct. 22. On Nov. 8 last year, Wang attacked a student, surnamed Cheng (鄭), on a Bannan Line train with a box cutter, after experiencing auditory hallucinations and believing the student was a stalker, the court said. She struck Cheng in the head and neck, causing lacerations to his left cheek, neck and ear, before the student and bystanders restrained her, the court said. The ruling is subject to appeal.

TRANSPORTATION

HSR ridership hits record

Ridership on the high-speed rail reached 7.352 million passengers last month, a new monthly record amid a surge in travel demand during three consecutive long weekends, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) said yesterday. Extended holidays for the Mid-Autumn Festival, Double Ten National Day and Retrocession Day spurred significant passenger traffic. The average daily ridership last month was 237,000, up about 11 percent from last year’s full-year average of 214,000, and 7.4 percent higher than the January-to-September average of 221,000, THSRC said.

title: Taiwan News Quick Take


title: Teachers’ demands

content_text: Members of the National Federation of Education Unions at a news conference in Taipei yesterday hold placards calling for an end to pension cuts, which they said would help safeguard teachers’ rights and dignity.


content_text: Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai, front row, center, yesterday wears traditional attire from the Amis indigenous group with the Amis Chief of Kaohsiung Lin Hsin-ming, front row, second right, at a news conference in Kaohsiung yesterday. Chen announced that the Takao festival, a joint harvest festival for indigenous peoples in Kaohsiung, is to be hosted on Saturday and Sunday at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts.

title: Harvest festival


content_text:
AI BOOST: Vanguard said it expected moderate seasonal corrections in this quarter and next quarter thanks to increasing demand for chips used in AI-related applications

Foundry service provider Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp (世界先進) yesterday reported its profit for last quarter — the weakest in six quarters — saying that it expected moderate seasonal corrections in the following two quarters thanks to growing demand for power management chips used in artificial intelligence (AI)-related applications such as servers.

Net profit contracted 20 percent annually to NT$1.69 billion (US$54.7 million) from NT$2.13 billion, also down 16.6 percent from NT$2.04 billion in the second quarter, the company said.

Earnings per share dipped to NT$0.91 from NT$1.29 last year and NT$1.1 the prior quarter, it said.

Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp’s logo at the company’s headquarters in the Hsinchu Science Park is pictured on Jan. 9, 2020. Photo: Grace Hung, Taipei Times

Vanguard chairman Fang Leuh (方略) said in an earnings conference that as most customers are expected to finalize inventory corrections soon — earlier than forecast — the company expects seasonal corrections to be moderate in this quarter and the next one.

“No significant downside movement is expected,” Fang said.

The revenue momentum would be buoyed by persistent AI infrastructure deployment worldwide, Fang said.

AI-related chip revenue contribution rose to a high-single-digit percentage this year, from a low-single-digit percentage last year, he said.

“Semiconductors play a vital role in global AI hardware investment in the long term, and the company holds an advantageous position in supplying power management chips used in data centers, AI servers and applications,” Fang said.

Vanguard expects revenue growth next year to be buoyed by a 3.1 percent expansion in the global economy and high-teens percentage growth in the global semiconductor industry, he said.

This quarter, wafer shipments are expected to decrease by 6 to 8 percent from last quarter, mostly because of seasonal weakness and year-end inventory adjustments, Vanguard president John Wei (尉濟時) said.

“We have three-month order visibility. The company benefits from stable demand for power management chips for the auto, industrial and server segments, although demand for display driver chips is also expected to be weak,” Wei said.

Average prices for the company’s products are to rise 4 percent to 6 percent sequentially, thanks to a better product portfolio, he said.

Gross margin is expected to improve to about 27.5 percent this quarter, from 26.8 percent last quarter, thanks to a weakening New Taiwan dollar versus the US dollar and a better product portfolio, the company said.

Vanguard retained this year’s capital expenditure at NT$65 billion to NT$70 billion, and would earmark 90 percent of it for its first 12-inch wafer fab in Singapore, which is on track to enter volume production in 2027.

title: Vanguard profit slips; AI sparks hope


title: GlobalWafers reports NT$1.97bn profit in Q3

content_text:
GlobalWafers Co (環球晶圓), the world’s third-largest silicon wafer supplier, yesterday posted its best quarterly profit in about a year as it said artificial intelligence (AI)-related demand for advanced wafers helped boost factory utilization.

Net profit for last quarter expanded about 17 percent to NT$1.97 billion (US$63.74 million) from NT$1.68 billion in the second quarter, but down 33 percent from NT$2.95 billion a year earlier.

Earnings per share rose to NT$4,12 from NT$3.52 in the previous quarter, but were lower than NT$6.18 a year ago.

GlobalWafers Co’s logo at the company’s plant in Sherman, Texas, is pictured on Aug. 16. Photo: Lin Jin-hua, Taipei Times

Gross margin sank to 18.4 percent, from 25.8 percent in the second quarter and 30 percent the previous year, due to increasing depreciation costs at its production lines in the US, Italy and Japan, as well as higher energy costs and unfavorable exchange rates, the company said.

The company said that, to deal with increasing manufacturing costs, it was discussing with customers about adjusting wafer prices.

Gross margin is expected to improve this quarter, GlobalWafers chairwoman Doris Hsu (徐秀蘭) said at an earnings conference, adding that an ongoing investigation into the semiconductor market under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962 is the only major uncertainty this quarter.

The potential semiconductor tariffs have prompted customers to increase demand for the company’s US wafer capacity, Hsu said.

The US market would be the company’s main growth engine in the mid and long term, she said.

The company’s Missouri plant started initial production this year and is expected to enter volume production of silicon-on-insulator wafers next year, she said.

GlobalWafers is aggressively qualifying new products for wafer production at its new plant in Texas, she added.

The company has seen the utilization rate of its 12-inch wafer facilities rise to about 95 percent, excluding those new lines, Hsu said.

Demand for small-diameter silicon wafers remains weak, she said.

Factory utilization rate for 8-inch wafers stood at 80 percent, while that for 6-inch wafers was lower than 70 percent, she said.

Global supply capacity for less advanced wafers still surpasses demand by 5 percent to 10 percent, Hsu said.

The company has observed more encouraging signs for next year, Hsu said.

It expects to receive additional government subsidies totaling US$100 million from the US and Europe next year, she said, adding that those subsidies would help strengthen the company’s financial flexibility.

The company said its capital investment spree has entered a consolidation phase after most new factory constructions were completed, implying an increase of the company’s profitability in the following quarters.

The company’s inventory level has returned to a “very healthy” range seen in late 2023 and early last year, reflecting solid inventory management and a stable foundation for growth, she added.


content_text:
Taiwan’s housing market showed tentative signs of stabilization last month, with property transfers in the six special municipalities totaling about 16,989 units — down 13.5 percent from a year earlier, but up 5.7 percent from September, real-estate brokerages said on Monday.

“The latest data indicate the market might have reached a near-term floor, as the pace of decline has not deepened,” Sinyi Realty Inc (信義房屋) research manager Tseng Ching-der (曾敬德) said in a report.

The market appears to be bottoming out, supported by resilient end-user demand and slower price increases, he said.

Buildings in New Taipei City’s Linkou District are pictured on Oct. 11. Photo: Hsu Yi-ping, Taipei Times

Policy adjustments have helped underpin sentiment, he said, adding that in September, the Financial Supervisory Commission exempted first-time home buyers from mortgage restrictions, while the central bank extended the grace period for home upgraders to sell their original property from 12 to 18 months.

A strong TAIEX and related wealth effect also lent support, Tseng said.

Among the six cities, Tainan posted the steepest decline, with housing transfers plunging 33.2 percent to 1,527 units, followed by Taipei’s 22 percent drop to 1,758 units and Kaohsiung’s 16.2 percent fall to 2,494 units on an annual basis, data compiled by local land administrations showed on Monday.

New Taipei City recorded the mildest decrease, down 3.6 percent to 4,204 units, while Taichung slipped 8.3 percent to 3,766 units and Taoyuan fell 11.4 percent to 3,240 units, the data showed.

In the first 10 months of the year, total housing transfers in the six cities decreased 26.6 percent year-on-year to 168,785 units, the lowest for the same period in eight years.

Tseng said the annual tally might struggle to surpass 260,000 units amid lingering market softness.

Last month’s figures mainly reflect deals struck in September, as paperwork typically takes at least a month to complete, said Chen Chin-ping (陳金萍), deputy research head at Evertrust Rehouse Co (永慶房屋).

More time is needed to gauge the impact of targeted credit easing, although buyer confidence has improved slightly, and wait-and-see behavior has eased, Chen said in a separate report.

Both Chen and Tseng said the central bank’s stance toward the domestic housing market would remain a key driver of future direction, even though the fourth quarter is traditionally the busy season for housing transactions.

The central bank is scheduled to review its mortgage curbs next month to determine whether to maintain them next year.

Taiwan’s ongoing trade negotiations with the US could also have significant influence over market sentiment, the analysts said.

title: Housing market shows stabilization signs: analysts


title: WT Microelectronics unveils Q4 forecast

content_text:
TREND:  Sales of industrial semiconductors this quarter are likely to see a low single-digit sequential decline as markets in Europe and the US enter a slow season, the company said

Semiconductor components distributor WT Microelectronics Co (文曄科技) yesterday said it expects revenue this quarter to grow 16.5 percent from a year earlier, after posting better-than-expected revenue and profit for last quarter.

Based on the exchange rate assumption of NT$30.6 per US dollar, the mid-point guidance for fourth-quarter revenue is about NT$305 billion (US$9.87 billion), the company said in a statement, compared with NT$261.88 billion the previous year.

The mid-point guidance for net profit this quarter is set at NT$3.75 billion, an annual increase of about 48 percent, while the mid-point guidance for earnings per share (EPS) is NT$3.2, up 41 percent year-on-year, it said.

WT Microelectronics Co’s logo is pictured in a screen grab from the company’s Web site. Photo: screen grab from WT Microelectronics Co’s Web site

WT Microelectronics, which was established in 1993, partners with more than 400 suppliers across major technology segments and serves more than 25,000 customers worldwide.

The semiconductor market faced challenges amid uncertainties including tariffs and foreign exchange fluctuations in the first half of this year, the company said.

However, the situation gradually stabilized in the second half, and demand for artificial intelligence (AI)-related semiconductors continued to strengthen, driving strong growth in its revenue and profit in the third quarter, it said.

During the third quarter, net profit was NT$3.82 billion, up 35 percent both quarterly and annually, and exceeding the upper end of previous guidance of NT$3.44 billion, while EPS came in at NT$3.4, a record-high, the company said.

Third-quarter revenue was NT$328.9 billion, up 27 percent quarter-on-quarter and 26 percent year-on-year, which also exceeded the upper end of its guidance of NT$299.5 billion, it added.

In the first three quarters of this year, the company earned NT$9.35 billion, up 42 percent year-on-year, with EPS of NT$8.11, while cumulative revenue grew 20 percent to NT$835.9 billion.

This quarter, sales of semiconductors used in data centers and servers are forecast to be slightly lower than last quarter, but significant market demand is expected to follow next year, the company said.

Sales of semiconductors for the consumer electronics, PC and mobile phone segments are also likely to decline from the previous quarter due to the traditional off-season effect, it said.

In non-AI segments, while there is still some inventory digestion of automotive semiconductors throughout the supply chain, the overall situation has stabilized, the company said, adding that it expects sales on this front to see a low single-digit percentage increase from last quarter.

Sales of industrial semiconductors this quarter are likely to see a low single-digit sequential decline as markets in Europe and the US enter a slow season, but the year-on-year growth trend remains unchanged, it said.

WT Microelectronics said it expects demand for AI to remain strong next year, particularly reflected in the continued growth of semiconductor shipments to the data center and communications markets.

“According to data center expansion plans announced by major cloud service providers, investment momentum in AI infrastructure is expected to persist, with demand for AI semiconductors likely to maintain a strong growth trajectory next year,” it said.


content_text:
OpenAI and Amazon.com Inc have signed a US$38 billion deal that enables the ChatGPT maker to run its artificial intelligence (AI) systems on Amazon’s data centers in the US.

OpenAI would be able to power its AI tools using “hundreds of thousands” of Nvidia Corp’s specialized AI chips through Amazon Web Services (AWS) as part of the deal announced on Monday.

The agreement comes less than a week after OpenAI altered its partnership with its longtime backer Microsoft Corp, which until early this year was the start-up’s exclusive cloud computing provider.

Amazon Web Services logo is displayed on a screen with the OpenAI logo in the background on Monday. Photo: Reuters

California and Delaware regulators also last week allowed San Francisco-based OpenAI, which was founded as a nonprofit, to move forward on its plan to form a new business structure to more easily raise capital and make a profit.

“The rapid advancement of AI technology has created unprecedented demand for computing power,” Amazon said in a statement on Monday.

It said OpenAI “will immediately start utilizing AWS compute as part of this partnership, with all capacity targeted to be deployed before the end of 2026, and the ability to expand further into 2027 and beyond.”

AI requires huge amounts of energy and computing power, and OpenAI has long signaled that it needs more capacity to develop new AI systems and keep existing products such as ChatGPT answering the questions of its hundreds of millions of users. It has recently made more than US$1 trillion worth of financial obligations in spending for AI infrastructure, including data center projects with Oracle Corp and Softbank Group Corp and semiconductor supply deals with chipmakers Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices Inc and Broadcom Inc.

Some of the deals have raised investor concerns about their “circular” nature, since OpenAI does not make a profit and cannot yet afford to pay for the infrastructure that its cloud backers are providing on the expectations of future returns on their investments.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman last week dismissed doubters he says have aired “breathless concern” about the deals.

“Revenue is growing steeply. We are taking a forward bet that it’s going to continue to grow,” Altman said on a podcast where he appeared with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

Amazon is already the primary cloud provider to AI start-up Anthropic PBC, an OpenAI rival that makes the Claude chatbot.

title: OpenAI and Amazon.com sign US$38 billion deal


content_text:
Starbucks sells 60% stake in China business in US$4 billion deal

Starbucks Corp said on Monday it is forming a joint venture with Chinese investment firm Boyu Capital (博裕資本) to operate Starbucks stores in China.

Under the agreement, Boyu will acquire a 60 percent interest in Starbucks’ retail operations in China, which is valued at US$4 billion. Starbucks will retain a 40 percent interest in the joint venture and will own and license the Starbucks brand.

Starbucks said its business in China will have a total value of more than US$13 billion, including the proceeds from the sale of the controlling interest to Boyu, the value of its 40 percent stake and the value of its royalties.

A Starbucks coffee shop in Shanghai’s Jing’an district is pictured yesterday. Photo: Hector Retamal, AFP

Starbucks entered China almost 30 years ago, and has been credited with growing coffee culture in the country. China is Starbucks’ second-largest market outside the US, with 8,000 locations.

But in recent years, the Seattle coffee giant has struggled in China with cheap, fast-growing Chinese start-ups like Luckin Coffee Inc (瑞幸咖啡). Starbucks’ same-store sales in China have fallen in both of its last two fiscal years.

As a result, Starbucks has been looking for a partner to help it grow its business in China, particularly in smaller cities. In July, Starbucks chairman and CEO Brian Niccol said the company was evaluating around 20 offers for a stake in the company.

Niccol said on Monday that Boyu shares Starbucks’ commitment to providing a great experience for both customers and employees. It will also help Starbucks achieve its goal of growing to 20,000 stores in China over time, Niccol said.

“Boyu’s deep local knowledge and expertise will help accelerate our growth in China, especially as we expand into smaller cities and new regions,” Niccol said in a statement.

Boyu Capital partner Alex Wong (黃宇錚) said Starbucks has built a deep connection with Chinese consumers over nearly three decades.

“This partnership reflects our shared belief in the enduring strength of that brand and the opportunity to bring even greater innovation and local relevance to customers across China,” Wong said in a statement.

Starbucks’ China headquarters will remain in Shanghai. Boyu Capital, which was founded in 2011, has offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Beijing.

The companies said they expect to finalize the deal in the second quarter of Starbucks’ 2026 fiscal year. Starbucks’ 2026 fiscal year began on Sept. 29.


title: Domestic produce

content_text: People hold white radishes in a field in Kaohsiung’s Meinong District yesterday. The crop is currently in season and is an excellent vegetable for local restaurants to use, the Meinong Farmers’ Association said.


content_text:
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) made the astonishing assertion during an interview with Germany’s Deutsche Welle, published on Friday last week, that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not a dictator. She also essentially absolved Putin of blame for initiating the war in Ukraine.

Commentators have since listed the reasons that Cheng’s assertion was not only absurd, but bordered on dangerous.

Her claim is certainly absurd to the extent that there is no need to discuss the substance of it: It would be far more useful to assess what drove her to make the point and stick so tenaciously to it when challenged by the interviewer.

Cheng also contended, speaking about Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) ambitions to annex Taiwan — which he consistently claims without factual support, as belonging to China — that “Beijing does not want to turn Taiwan into the next Hong Kong,” a reference to a previously open society now caught in a repressive nightmare.

Based on her statements, Cheng might also argue that Xi is a democratically elected leader. Condoning dictators is her way of reassuring Taiwanese that they would be safe in Xi’s hands.

The rationale behind her assertions is Cheng’s wish to distance Taiwan from democracies such as the US, Japan and EU states, and to leave Taiwan to Xi’s mercy.

Freedom of expression is a constitutionally guaranteed right in democratic Taiwan, but comments need to be evaluated within their context. Cheng’s position as leader of the main opposition party, and one which effectively commands a legislative majority, means that her right to say whatever she likes comes with more responsibility than it does with ordinary citizens.

While acknowledging her right to say these things, Taiwanese must also be mindful of the implications of her doing so, and her words and actions going forward.

When Cheng asserts that Putin is not a dictator and hints that Xi is not either, this should not be mistaken for naivety: It is a willful distortion of the obvious preluding more distortions.

Her predecessor, former KMT chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), sought to brand President William Lai (賴清德) as a dictator during this year’s recall campaigns. Breathtaking irony aside, neither Cheng’s nor Chu’s comments should be regarded as expressions of what they actually think: They were paving the way for forging coherent narratives out of absurdities, as a political trick.

Taiwan has wasted too much time dealing with the delusional idea that the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan in any way represents China. The ROC is the name of a once-defeated regime that must now look to the future.

When US President Donald Trump said “Taiwan is Taiwan,” he cut through years of sophistry. All political parties in Taiwan should have embraced this simple truth years ago to bring the nation into the modern age.

Cheng’s contention that Putin is not a dictator is simply another absurdity layered on past absurdities, all spoken by politicians attempting to cloak their agendas.

people: 鄭麗文 朱立倫 習近平 賴清德

title: EDITORIAL: Politicians peddling the absurd


content_text:
In 2022, the Constitutional Court ruled that the exclusion of Pingpu from the Indigenous Peoples Status Act (原住民身分法) was unconstitutional — a delayed reckoning with a forgotten history. On Oct. 17, the Legislative Yuan passed its third reading of the Pingpu Indigenous People’s Identity Act (平鋪原住民族群身分法). It was a long-awaited response to a 20-year struggle for recognition from Pingpu groups and a milestone in Taiwan’s transitional justice process.

The question is whether legal recognition could truly provide genuine protection of rights. There is discussion on the likelihood of this separate legal framework — which acknowledges identity first and leaves rights to be debated later — creating a second-tier indigenous class. The decoupling of identity and rights would be a low-budget form of recognition at best. The acid test for the credibility of the legal changes would be what happens in the education system. The recognition of Pingpu groups brings three major challenges — and opportunities for reform — for education in Taiwan:

The first challenge is resource allocation. As hundreds of thousands of indigenous Pingpu potentially claim recognition, would the budgets and special admission quotas for indigenous education be diluted to the point of insignificance? This question is a cause of genuine concern among indigenous communities. It would be a slap in the face of any notion of transitional justice if the government leaves marginalized groups to compete among themselves under the pretext of “limited national resources.” Taiwan instead should see this moment as an opportunity to expand investment in indigenous education and address injustices. It is the time for determination to expand the pie, not a zero-sum resource scramble that pits ethnic groups against one another.

Second is the question of the curriculum. History textbooks have long painted Pingpu as a Sinicized or “disappeared” ethnic group, but this cannot remain with their existence recognized in law. What this change should not look like is simply appending a paragraph. Instead, Taiwan can reform and decolonize the curriculum’s systematic Han-centric standpoint, affirming the key and agentic position of Pingpu in its history. It would give next generations the chance to learn that Taiwan’s story was never one of a single voice.

Third is the challenge of teacher training. Who will teach this new curriculum? The teacher training system has serious gaps, and most teachers have little to no knowledge of the culture or history of Pingpu groups. That risks teachers unintentionally re-running stereotypes in the classroom and causing further damage to students with Pingpu heritage. It is essential that courses on ethnic relations and historical justice in Taiwan become a mandatory component of teacher training, and that teachers are upskilled as a matter of urgency.

Legal recognition is a first step, but the road ahead is long. The question is how to go about transforming an education system that has long neglected indigenous voices. The answer would serve as a touchstone for the integrity of Taiwan’s commitment to transitional justice.

Taiwan must avoid legislation that creates a situation in which there are different rights within the same ethnic group, and it should in the long term return to a singular status for a given identity. This is not just an issue for the Pingpu, but for all Taiwanese. How exactly the Pingpu are treated would define what kind of nation this is.

Ultimately, it is through education that Taiwan might prosper as a multicultural and just society.

Chou Hui-min is an educational researcher.

Translated by Gilda Knox Streader

title: Indigeneity and transitional justice


content_text:
Taiwan faces unique diplomatic challenges, yet it has found innovative ways to assert its voice on the global stage. Central to this effort are its think tanks, which have become indispensable instruments of contemporary diplomacy. Their conferences and dialogues provide informal and unofficial, yet highly influential, platforms where governments can articulate positions, signal intent and shape narratives without issuing formal statements.

High-profile forums such as India’s Raisina Dialogue, Taiwan’s Ketagalan and Yushan forums, the Czech Republic’s Forum 2000, and Poland’s Warsaw Security Forum illustrate how privately organized, government-supported platforms can advance strategic communication.

Taiwan has been at the forefront of “think tank diplomacy,” leveraging domestic expertise and international participation to project its perspectives. At September’s Warsaw Security Forum, Taiwan’s visibility was particularly notable. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) delivered a special address, National Security Council Adviser Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) engaged in a panel discussion and interacted with New Security Leaders participants, and Taiwan’s military leadership also participated.

The multifaceted engagement highlighted Taiwan’s security perspectives, while signaling its willingness to expand collaboration with European partners beyond the traditional focus on Western Europe.

Yet, despite these successes, Taiwan is not fully empowering its think tanks or strategically investing its resources to maximize impact. Most of its outreach remains heavily tilted toward the US, leaving other crucial regional partners under-engaged.

The same model of strategic think tank diplomacy and lobbying that has helped Taiwan maintain visibility in the US and Europe could and should be systematically applied to countries such as India, Australia and Japan, as well as Southeast Asian partners. Doing so would ensure that Taiwan’s perspectives reach a wider, more balanced audience and reduce overreliance on a single strategic partner — a major objective of the New Southbound Policy Plus.

Taiwan’s outreach in Asia already shows promise. The fourth Taiwan-India Dialogue, jointly organized by the Taipei-based Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation and India’s premier think tank Observer Research Foundation, was held in Mumbai, India. The exchanges go beyond academic discussion; they are essential mechanisms for sustaining Taiwan’s visibility and ensuring its voice is included in regional conversations on security, governance and development.

Expanding such initiatives could help Taiwan diversify its international partnerships, bolster regional ties and its influence in critical strategic forums.

Non-governmental platforms are supplementary tools, but they are also vital avenues for Taiwan to shape perceptions, assert agency and counter competing narratives. By highlighting its democratic credentials and responsible international behavior, Taiwan strengthens its soft power and reinforces its legitimacy as an international actor.

Yet, sustaining and expanding that presence requires more than ad hoc participation; it demands an empowered, strategically oriented think tank ecosystem, supported with sufficient resources and institutional backing to operate globally.

Taiwan must invest in its think tanks as part of a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. Institutionalized dialogues, sustained international interactions, research collaborations and scholarship programs are essential to maintain momentum and broaden outreach. Think tanks not only provide the expertise and networks needed to navigate complex international environments, but also enable Taiwan to project influence in spaces where formal diplomatic recognition is limited.

Host countries and partner institutions play a pivotal role in shaping regional discourse. Including Taiwanese voices in global fora enriches understanding of Indo-Pacific dynamics and reinforces the principles of openness, pluralism and inclusivity that such dialogues are meant to uphold.

When governments act cautiously, think tanks can take the lead. Regional countries, particularly India and other like-minded partners, must allow Taiwanese officials, representatives and deputy ministers to engage broadly, not only at select conferences or dialogues, but across multiple platforms, exchanges and initiatives. Attempts to control or restrict engagement, cowed by China’s coercive influence, undermine long-term interests, turn potential opportunities into missed ones and allow Beijing to dictate the terms of regional interaction.

For regional countries, particularly India, such constraints are strategically untenable. Understanding developments in the Taiwan Strait is crucial for all. Avoiding engagement with Taiwan out of fear of China is detrimental to long-term regional economic and security interests. Taiwan’s technological and economic strengths, particularly in semiconductors, offer mutually beneficial opportunities, and think tanks can drive robust dialogue and advocacy where governments might be hesitant.

Constructive, sustained and wide-ranging engagement with

Taiwan is essential to safeguarding regional interests and ensuring stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

Taiwan’s growing presence in such spaces demonstrates that even under diplomatic constraints, it can shape its narrative and assert agency internationally. Yet consistent attention to empowering its think tanks and strategically inviting the right partners to its platforms is essential. By strengthening the institutions, investing resources where they yield maximum impact and expanding engagement beyond the US, Taiwan can safeguard its interests, enhance its influence and ensure its story is told on its own terms.

Sana Hashmi is a fellow at the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation. The views expressed here are her own.

title: Think tanks help shape narrative


people: 鄭麗文 習近平

title: Cheng’s remarks could doom the KMT

content_text:
New Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) last week exposed her misunderstanding of the international order in an interview, severely damaging Taiwan’s reputation among global democracies. After being elected, Cheng promptly called Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to thank him for his congratulatory message, claiming that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait share a “common political foundation.” In an interview with Germany’s Deutsche Welle published on Friday, Cheng said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “not a dictator,” severely downplaying Russia’s acts of military aggression against Ukraine. Cheng’s behavior demonstrates not only distortion in her values as the leader of a political party, but a betrayal of the free world.

The Putin regime has assassinated dissidents, suppressed free speech and launched a full-scale invasion of another nation’s territory. Its dictatorial nature and totalitarian methods have long been condemned by international human rights organizations and the UN. However, Cheng said that Putin is “not a dictator,” and even went so far as to blame the West for being “too hostile” toward Russia. Her remarks echo the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) distortion of international discourse and directly counter democratic values, effectively placing her on the podium of the Sino-Russian authoritarian front.

Cheng’s remarks have sparked significant concern among European representatives and academics in Taiwan. Officials from at least three countries have privately expressed their shock and unease to Taiwanese officials, pointing out that if the chairperson of the largest opposition party fails to take a clear stance on Russia’s actions, doubts would be raised about the stability of Taiwan’s commitment to democracy. Amid a global confrontation between democracy and authoritarianism, Cheng’s statements are tantamount to an endorsement of Putin’s and Xi’s atrocities, gravely damaging international trust in the deepening of Taiwan’s democracy.

With her political experience as a former legislator, Cheng should be well aware of the impact that words can have on diplomacy and strategic positioning. This was not a slip of the tongue — it was a reflection of her long-standing pro-China, anti-US and anti-democratic stance. She previously endorsed the so-called “1992 consensus” — a tacit understanding between the KMT and the CCP that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge that there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.

Now, by excusing Putin’s actions, she has reminded Taiwanese society to question whether the KMT has already lost touch with mainstream public opinion — or worse, whether its rhetoric has been completely infiltrated by Beijing.

Such remarks would not end with a single incident, but would gradually become a test of the KMT’s diplomatic direction. Should the party fail to immediately distance itself from or correct Cheng’s statement, its silence would be regarded as tacit approval, gradually dragging the party into the abyss. This would not only further alienate the KMT from the US, Japan and Europe, but could also turn it into a time bomb for Taiwan’s security. Democratic societies can tolerate diverse opinions, but they cannot tolerate the blatant glorification of aggressors and dictators.

If the KMT possesses even a shred of ability to save itself, it must immediately clarify its position. Otherwise, Cheng’s bizarre theory of dictatorship would not be a personal mistake — it would mark the prelude to the KMT’s complete annihilation on the international stage. For a political party that still aspires to return to power, this path would destroy not only its future, but also the international trust that the nation depends on.

Elliot Yao is a reviewer.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen