content_text:
記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

因應非洲豬瘟影響，配合中央實施禁運禁宰15天，新北市零售市場今天恢復溫體豬肉販售，新北市政府市場處於(8)日到各市場加強生豬肉攤商查核。市長侯友宜也要求，零售市場除應確實做好環境清潔消毒及生豬肉品來源查核外，未來持續守好防線，也確保市場肉品安全衛生，讓庶民產業恢復以往，市民消費無顧慮。

市場處表示國內豬隻禁令昨日解封，今起零售市場因有肉品市場供貨後已恢復正常販售。根據資料顯示，溫體豬肉於疫情前每台斤200元，重新開市後，經查核市場販售價格每台斤210元，相較禁運前的價格差異不大，顯示豬肉價格平穩。另就雞腿肉查訪每台斤200元，相較疫情前後約上漲20至30元之間，後續市場處將持續觀察相關肉品價格的變化。

▲金山第一市場查訪豬肉價格情形。(圖/新北市市場處 提供)

對於攤商所關心的豬肉攤商補助部分，禁運禁宰期限解除後，市場處已於11月7日發函予各市場自治會登記造冊並請其於12月5日前函送市場處，並預計11月17日將邀集公有及民營市場召開攤商補助申請表件說明會；申請文件經市場處受理經審核無誤後，針對新北市加碼生豬肉攤每攤1.5萬部分，將直接撥付予攤商提供之銀行帳號；另就經濟部補助每攤3萬元部分，將由市場處造冊後函送經濟部商業發展署審核，倘經審核通過後補助款項將直接撥付至攤商提供的銀行帳號。未來也將持續關注市場供應與攤商營運情形，積極推動相關紓困及行銷廣宣方案，將與攤商共同守護市民食安與生計。

另非洲豬瘟疫情期間，本府為體恤公有市場攤商的生計，除針對無出攤營業的豬肉攤商免收使用費外；對於販賣肉製品及熟食品的攤商，如因無生豬肉物料致無法出攤營業者，亦減免使用費。

市場處未來也會持續關注市場供應與攤商營運情形，加強宣導非洲豬瘟防疫資訊，也呼籲攤商勿購買及販售使用來路不明的肉品 ，注意相關防疫措施及加強環境清潔消毒，共同守護市民食安與生計。

events: 豬瘟 疫情

taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 金山 新北市

things: 經濟 防疫

title: 新北零售市場恢復溫體豬肉販售     侯友宜：加強查核     確保市民消費無顧慮


taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 成功 新北市 林口

title: 寓教於樂     新北「勇闖一夏」派對成功結合市集、表演、手作     點燃新北產業魅力

content_text:
記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

2025新北觀光工廠年度盛會「勇闖一夏 冒險派對」（8）日在MITSUI OUTLET PARK林口中央廣場熱鬧登場，活動推出六大主題亮點，包含「觀光工廠市集」、「親子DIY手作體驗」、「職涯探索特展區」、「趣味舞台表演」、「滿額與集點抽獎」及「觀光工廠問答小挑戰」等內容，現場吸引上千組親子家庭共襄盛舉，氣氛熱烈非凡。

經發局長盛筱蓉表示，新北市自98年起積極輔導傳統工廠轉型為兼具教育、觀光與文化價值的觀光工廠與產業文化館，透過整合產業特色與創意體驗，讓製造業開創更多與民眾接軌的互動模式。盛局長指出，透過活動不僅讓民眾更認識新北的觀光工廠，也讓企業有機會接觸更多潛在客群，創造行銷與品牌曝光的契機。當民眾走進工廠、體驗文化、買到好產品，就是最好的城市行銷。

經發局說明，六大主題內容豐富多元，包含14家觀光工廠齊聚現場展售人氣商品，從食品、文創到生活用品應有盡有，吸引民眾排隊搶購；DIY手作體驗開放報名即秒殺，小朋友親手創作香包束口袋、文具手環、襪子娃娃等作品，展現滿滿創意；職涯探索特展吸引學童駐足參觀，完成學習單任務後貼上夢想職業牆，留下成就與夢想的足跡；舞台區魔術秀、氣球劇場及音樂互動等表演輪番登場，掀起一波波歡笑與掌聲，充分展現觀光工廠結合教育與娛樂的魅力。

▲2025新北觀光工廠年度盛會「勇闖一夏 冒險派對」（8）日在MITSUI OUTLET PARK林口中央廣場熱鬧登場。(圖/新北市經發局 提供)

此外，活動當天民眾至大會服務台領取活動DM即可參加集點闖關遊戲，只要完成任務集滿3關，或是於市集消費滿500元，即可獲得摸彩券乙張，參加抽獎活動，有機會贏得總價值超過10萬元的豐富好禮！另外現場也推出「觀光工廠問答小挑戰」線上測驗，民眾完成測驗並出示成績達60分(含)以上，即可領取限量新北幣優惠券100元，可於現場派對市集折抵消費使用，寓教於樂又能享好康。

新北市產業觀光促進發展協會理事長洪啟峰表示，感謝市府長期對產業觀光的支持與推動，透過舉辦多元活動，不僅提升觀光工廠的曝光度，也鼓勵更多市民深入了解在地產業故事。今（114）年「勇闖一夏 冒險派對」結合親子互動與職涯體驗，不僅讓孩子們玩得開心，更啟發他們對未來職業的想像與夢想。

經發局補充，喜愛新北觀光工廠的朋友，今（114）年特別推出限量主題禮包，讓大家一次帶回觀光工廠的超值好物。歡迎市民朋友持續關注新北市觀光工廠相關活動，一起在探索、體驗與創作中感受新北產業的多樣魅力。更多資訊請追蹤「來趣新北金發局」臉書粉絲專頁及經發局官網。


taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 南港 復興 新北市

title: 龍山寺長期熱心公益     助消防同仁完善救災救護裝備     侯友宜親自致謝

content_text:
記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

艋舺龍山寺長期熱心公益，捐贈消防設備不遺餘力，（8）日（農曆9月19日）是觀世音菩薩出家日，龍山寺捐贈新北市價值逾850萬元的震災支撐器材組4套及潛水救援裝備1套，新北市長侯友宜代表受贈並致贈感謝狀。侯友宜感謝龍山寺黃書瑋董事長及全體董、監事協助新北市一同完善消防同仁設備，守護救災救護安全，也祈願大眾在觀世音菩薩的護佑下平安順利。

侯友宜感謝艋舺龍山寺於104年南港復興空難救援期間，得知新北市救難人員冒著低溫搜救後，捐贈新北市半乾式防寒衣供救災人員使用，並在這10年來已捐贈新北市總價值6,718萬的各式救災器材，此次捐贈震災支撐器材組4套及潛水救援裝備1套，不僅讓消防同仁在面臨地震及水域等災害時，能夠有更完善的設備，保護自身安全的情況下完成救援工作，也讓觀世音菩薩「聞聲救苦、普濟眾生」的精神得以發揚。

消防局表示，感謝龍山寺捐贈救災救護設備，希望在這些裝備的協助下，有效縮短消防同仁執行救援工作的時間，降低市民財產損失，保障民眾生命安全，也讓龍山寺的愛心傳遞到新北市。


content_text:
記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

2026新北消防形象月曆（8）日正式發表！以「全民守護‧消防萌力」為主題，不僅有集專業於一身的消防員，也特別邀請小朋友化身小小消防員共同拍攝。新北市長侯友宜出席發表會為消防形象月曆宣傳，鼓勵民眾一起挺消防、做公益，販售所得將全數捐贈「新北市好日子愛心大平台」，用愛守護新北。

侯友宜表示，新北消防形象月曆推出迄今已18年，每年都吸引民眾搶購，2026年月曆有專業認真的消防夥伴，其中還有從事消防工作36年的小隊長林永昌，更邀請小朋友作為小小消防員加入拍攝，不僅彰顯陽光、健康、守護民眾的正面形象，也象徵傳承寓意。

侯友宜也說，新北市有山海、都會等面貌，因此災害型態多元，特別感謝消防同仁用專業技能、強健體魄及團隊力量救災，全力守護新北市民的安全。新北市也在今（114）年全國義勇消防人員體技能交流活動暨T-CERT競技大賽，獲得其中3項的第1名，並榮獲內政部消防署年度評鑑全國特優，展現消防專業。

消防局補充，2026新北消防形象月曆與全家便利商店合作獨家販售，即日起開放預購至115年1月31日24時止，售價為新臺幣119元。民眾可透過「全家」App購買，銷售所得扣除必要成本後，將全數捐贈「新北市好日子愛心大平台」，用於新北市公益用途。

taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 新北市

title: 新北2026消防月曆主題「全民守護」     鼓勵民眾用行動挺消防做愛心


content_text:
記者陳立驌/高雄報導

2025年創價美術館第三檔展覽盛大登場，分別推出「悠然望玉山—林玉山藝術實踐」及「逆風前行—高一峰紀念展」，兩檔重量級展覽於11月8日下午舉行聯合開幕。現場貴賓雲集，由林玉山公子林柏亭與高一峰家屬楊燕敏共同主持，立法委員邱議瑩、高雄市政府副祕書長王宏榮、國立臺灣藝術大學羅振賢教授、屏東大學黃冬富教授、成功大學蕭瓊瑞教授、國立歷史博物館前館長王長華，以及藝術家林顯宗、洪根深、劉耿一等紛紛到場。全台約30所參與創價行動美術館的中小學校長、主任更特地出席，凸顯兩位藝術家在台灣美術史上的地位。

創價學會理事長林釗表示，這是創價第四度為林玉山舉辦展覽，透過與多所公私立美術館與私人收藏合作，希望完整呈現林玉山一生跨越寫生、水墨、設色的藝術實踐歷程。另一方面，今年適逢高一峰誕辰110周年，高一峰之子高燦與楊燕敏伉儷將珍貴的水墨、油畫、書法及手稿悉數捐贈給創價典藏，策展團隊挑選出不同時期的代表作品，重現藝術家面對時代、逆風而行的生命軌跡。

▲高一峰的馬畫以「筆簡意賅，姿態生動」，令人印象深刻。（圖／創價美術館提供）王宏榮副祕書長致詞時肯定創價美術館從2003年至今致力推動藝術教育，讓民眾以親近、便利的方式理解台灣美術史，「好的作品需要好的策展」，他感謝創價長期讓藝術走進生活，成為市民的日常文化養分。

曾受教於林玉山與高一峰的羅振賢教授亦分享回憶。羅教授表示，林玉山為人親切，常親自到學生展覽現場鼓勵後輩；而高一峰執教年代，以簡潔筆法展現物象神韻，令人印象深刻。高一峰過世後，高燦多年思考如何安置父親作品，如今看到由創價保存典藏，終於感到安心。他更讚創價是台灣最用心於典藏的美術機構之一，期盼未來能持續為藝術家建構百年美術史。

蕭瓊瑞教授則高度肯定展場設計、燈光與作品動線，他說：「佈置本身，能讓藝術變得更有魅力。」他提到，林玉山與高一峰相差八歲，一北一南，同樣歷經戰後社會轉變，但作品跨越時空，得以共同展出，正彰顯藝術創作與保存的珍貴價值。他呼籲社會正視藝術家的貢獻，並向兩位藝術家致上敬意。

▲林玉山的風景畫具有強烈的個人風格。（圖／創價美術館提供）林柏亭表示，創價美術館二十年來堅持策展、出版專書，逐步深化台灣美術史研究與教育。今年雙展結合專書、學術論文與展覽導覽，讓民眾得以看見更完整的藝術脈絡。

為了拉近藝術與生活距離，創價美術館也設置多項互動體驗。展場與逢甲大學鄭月妹教授、設計師何羽凡合作規劃AR互動區，讓民眾能以動態方式感受作品意象；現場也設置「小老虎頭套製作」及「水墨體驗」區，吸引親子與學生族群參與。此外，館內同步推出四款以藝術作品為靈感的文創T恤，深受訪客喜愛。

兩檔展覽分別設於創價美術館1、2樓，自即日起展出至2026年3月6日，採免費入場。開館時間為週二至週日早上9點半至下午5點，主辦單位歡迎民眾踴躍前往，以最親近的方式感受台灣藝術史的深度與美學底蘊。

taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄 成功 高雄市 屏東

countries: 台灣 臺灣

title: 「逆風前行、悠然望玉山」兩大巨擘同展現  創價美術館致敬台灣藝術百年脈絡


content_text:
墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

林亭翰擔任主題曲創作、以溫暖卻堅韌的旋律承接劇中情感層次（圖：北投映像電影）

金馬影后陸小芬睽違24年回歸小螢幕，主演《接住流星的人》劇情一開播便引起熱烈討論。製作人王重正為了讓劇中情感更深刻落地，特別邀請創作才子歌手林亭翰擔任主題曲創作，打造的同名歌曲《接住流星的人》，以溫暖卻堅韌的旋律承接劇中情感層次，連影后陸小芬聽完歌曲後，都感動地表示：「這首歌非常貼近角色的靈魂，賞識這位年輕才子。」

林亭翰擔任《接住流星的人》主題曲創作。（圖：北投映像電影）

才子歌手林亭翰表示，當時接到導演王重正邀請時，內心其實相當掙扎。他坦言，自己過去多創作以戀愛、心境為主的歌曲，較少接觸以「家庭議題」為核心的作品，而《接住流星的人》直面的是許多人不敢面對的傷口：原生家庭的裂痕、情感的匱乏、沒有說出口的愛與遺憾。

(左起)林隆璇、林亭翰《接住流星的人》製作人王重正。（圖：北投映像電影）

為了讓歌曲能真正站在「會痛的人」立場，其中他最珍視的一句歌詞是：「跌落也別怕，愛會在張開溫柔的網。」林亭翰說：「原生家庭會影響一個人一輩子，這比我們以為的都深。我希望這首歌不只是安慰，而是讓人真的感覺到：有人會接住你。」

林亭翰在IG分享頭部受傷，經過開刀後已經恢復許多。（圖：北投映像電影）

導演王重正也直言，雖然戲本身帶有悲劇色彩，但真正想傳達的不是傷，而是「修復」。

所以主題曲不能只是沉重，更必須有「接住觀眾」的力量。他說：「亭翰是一個心裡很正面、自重的年輕人，他的音樂不會過度渲染，他會替角色說話，也會替觀眾留一盞燈。」

除了歌手身份，林亭翰也是台南應用科技大學的講師。（圖：北投映像電影）

除了音樂身分外，林亭翰也是台南應用科技大學的講師，同時獲得國際牛津系統認證，專注於正念與情緒修復教學。曾因疫情壓力陷入恐慌的他，靠著正念練習慢慢將身心穩回來，如今他也將這套方法分享給更多人，走出恐慌。

日前林亭翰在IG分享頭部受傷，經過開刀後已經恢復許多。林亭翰說：「因打籃球時與人頭撞頭而受傷，導致頭部腫脹得非常大。自己還開車回家，但傷勢越腫越大，於是趕緊去急診處理，他嘗試了兩週的冷熱敷等處理方式，但最終因為有血塊凝固，仍必須進行開刀手術拿出血塊。」

林亭翰的音樂不會過度渲染，他會替角色說話。 （圖：北投映像電影）

林亭翰「報喜不報憂」的個性，考量不願家人擔心，因為傷勢太嚴重，甚至神隱一個禮拜不見家人。經歷這次意外後，他坦言現在對打籃球「有一點怕」，因此偏向選擇羽毛球等較不會有肢體接觸的運動。

製作人王重正也特別呼籲，觀眾在欣賞影后陸小芬於《接住流星的人》中的深刻演出之餘，也別忘了細細聆聽林亭翰所打造的同名主題曲。他透露，許多劇迷湧入留言：「太貼切了」、「這首歌好細膩」劇情與音樂彼此呼應，讓觀眾不只是在追劇，而是被牽引著看見自己的故事。有這樣一首歌曲出現，可以說是百年一見。讓人看見台灣樂壇仍充滿著希望。大愛劇《接住流星的人》於2025年10月23日起周一至周五晚間八點，大愛電視首播，YouTube頻道「大愛劇場 DaAiDrama」同步上架。

此篇文章最開始出處為: 林亭翰當正念老師助人走出恐慌 頭部開刀拿出血塊 神隱一星期不願家人擔心

title: 林亭翰當正念老師助人走出恐慌 頭部開刀拿出血塊 神隱一星期不願家人擔心


taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄 鼓山區

title: 購物節不只儀式，一鍋暖意牽深情

content_text:
【記者 周志杰 /高雄報導】

雙11不只購物節，城市裡還有溫度的節日

每年11月11日，許多人第一時間想到的是電商平台的購物戰火，但其實在台灣，這一天更具有另一層意義——「台灣雙胞胎日」。自1987年起，雙胞胎家庭便在這天相聚，共同慶祝屬於彼此的生命連結。今年，高雄在地火鍋品牌「舞古賀鍋物華榮店」響應這充滿人情味的節日，自11月8日起連續四天推出「雙胞胎用餐黑毛豬套餐買一送一」活動，希望讓節日真正回歸「相伴、相惜」的本質。

雙胞胎日背後的文化：不只是巧合，是生命的陪伴

生命相連的節日，象徵成雙成對的深厚羈絆。「台灣雙胞胎日」最早由民間團體發起，目的在於促進雙胞胎家庭之間的交流，也讓社會看見「生命中的另一個我」所承載的重要陪伴意義。每年在這一天，台灣多地皆會舉行大小不一的「雙胞胎大集合」，成為一個充滿笑聲、驚呼與溫柔凝視的畫面。

心理學研究指出，雙胞胎之間往往具備遠超同齡手足的默契與支持力量，而這種情感，是建立在人生每個階段都「有人與你一起」的溫度上。這樣的節日提醒我們：在強調個體價值的時代，「陪伴」仍是一份珍貴的禮物。

舞古賀鍋物推出「黑毛豬套餐買一送一」：讓團圓落在餐桌上

一鍋暖意傳心意，火鍋成為最暖的相聚載體。

位於高雄鼓山區、深耕社區九年的「舞古賀鍋物華榮店」，今年特別為雙胞胎族群獻上節日驚喜：只要雙胞胎一起到店用餐，即享「黑毛豬套餐買一送一」。活動時間自11月8日至11日，限四天，自開放起即吸引許多雙胞胎家庭、兄弟姊妹、甚至雙胞胎夫妻前來共聚。店家嚴選台灣本地黑毛豬，肉質油花細緻、口感柔嫩，長年深受饕客推崇。此次套餐依份量提供380元、550元、730元不等，活動期間同桌限贈一組。業者希望，在天氣逐漸轉涼的季節裡，大家能坐在一張桌子前，放慢腳步、抬頭多看彼此一眼、說說近況，讓溫度不只在火鍋裡，也流動在情感之中。

在地品牌的溫柔力量：把日常過成值得記住的日子

從社區餐桌開始，延伸城市裡的互相理解與美好。對「舞古賀鍋物」來說，活動不只是行銷，更是一種「人與人之間的重新牽繫」。在疫情後，許多家庭聚會模式改變，甚至習慣各自生活。而「雙胞胎日」的意義，恰好是一種提醒——有人願意陪你一起走。

店家表示：「城市變得越來越快，但吃飯，是我們可以慢下來的時刻。」因此，這項活動不僅吸引雙胞胎，也吸引一般民眾感受「相伴之美」，讓節日真正回到情感。

節日之所以有意義，不是因為它被寫在日曆上，而是因為有人願意記得。一鍋熱湯、一張餐桌、兩個一起出生的人——那是一種最暖、最踏實的幸福。


content_text:
圖:栃木縣的紫藤花是日本觀光大地標之一。

(記者張耀元報導)

今年的ITF台北國際旅展進入第二天,人潮擠爆現場,參展的業者均忙得不可開交。今年的參展國家和城巿的數量都創下歷年新高，台灣人最愛的日本旅也不例外，日本館的規模也是歷年來最大。今年第一次參展的日本栃木縣，第一天就見識到ITF的人潮熱況,文宣品和紀念品發到手軟，參觀民眾的詢問度也非常熱烈，台灣旅客一直都是栃木縣外國旅客的第一名，讓栃木縣更加重視對台灣旅客的推廣，特別在周末二天推出現場抽獎活動，為台灣旅客帶來好禮。

圖:栃木縣龐大的推廣團來台參展。

為了參加ITF台北國旅展，栃木縣由國際觀光交流課主管田村隼人率領16人組成的推廣團隊來台，除了在旅展現場對台灣民眾推廣栃木縣之外，也積極拜會台灣的旅行社業者尋求支持，希望能有更多旅客到栃木縣旅遊。除了最新的觀光情報發佈之外，周六、日二天的下午也在攤位中進行的抽獎活動，送出栃木縣產的大吟釀、足立花卉公園的入門票等大獎，明天還有機會，民眾可以把握機會參觀栃木縣的攤位。

圖:ITF栃木縣攤位抽大獎。

做為日本文化底蘊深厚的觀光大縣，除了眾所周知的足立花卉公園紫藤花之外，還有許多豐富的觀光景點和溫泉美食，整年度的地方特色節慶也非常多，一年四季都有不同的風貌。這次共同來台推廣的栃木縣各單位包括宇都宮巿、若山農場、足利花卉公園、那須塩原巿、草莓之里、那須町、日光巿和東日本鐡道等，都是對台灣推廣相當積極的單位，也都擁有相當豐富和迷人的旅遊內涵，都很值得台灣旅客納入明年的旅遊規計畫中。

圖:日本栃木縣感受到北台灣民眾的熱情支持。

countries: 台灣 日本

title: 日本栃木縣首次參展    感受北台灣旅客的熱烈支持


content_text:
墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

ARKis 擔任首日IFT旅展演出嘉賓，聯手eSIM龍頭品牌DJB 出門在外「掃一下」網速在線 照片提供 / FU Entertainment、DJB

男團ARKis由成員由Alex 、黃崇峻、Vin、鄭彫秦、禾雁凱、伍承慶、李東翰及李定組成，成軍將在年底滿1年，人氣也節節高升，日前才剛舉辦完出道以來的首場見面會，8日馬上現身2025 ITF台北國際旅展，和eSIM第一品牌DJB合作，擔任2025年旅展的演出嘉賓，他們也帶來熱力四射的表演，結束後還跟KISS（粉絲名）進行專屬的小卡簽名會。

ARKis日前到越南演出，也有成員獲邀到日本東京影展，在海外的時候他們也都使用eSIM，Vin表示表次出國都必定使用，因為非常容易，彫秦補充，上次在越南的時候，第一次使用eSIM，只要掃QR Code就可以在國外有一個新的網路讓他嘖嘖稱奇。曾在韓國擔任過練習生的Alex也說「以前都要特別買網卡跟拆裝，現在有eSIM真的方便多了」，崇峻也認為最方便的就是不用找地方換卡或怕弄丟原本的SIM卡，出國可以更省時省事。

旅遊觀念大不同、8人8種享受法 Vin 彫秦 承慶 崇峻偏愛親自走一遍 李定 雁凱換地方繼續睡 Alex 靠捕捉風景渡假 照片提供 / FU Entertainment、DJB

人手一機的時代，網路使用更是吃重，聊起自己是哪種程度的使用者，只有雁凱跟崇峻是輕度使用者，雁凱笑說自己沒網路也可以過得很好，使用網路主要是重要時刻要跟家人聯繫。崇峻則說之前出國的時候，主要就是查路線、看地圖跟找餐廳，不會無時無刻一直滑手機。李定則自認是中度使用者，因為很常需要使用翻譯。其他成員都是重度使用，彫秦、Alex跟東翰很常玩手遊，所以網路對他們來說是必需品。

聊起他們的旅遊觀念，8個人有8種享受法，Vin喜歡出國就是多體驗，彫秦喜歡自由行、一直走來走去，跟承慶喜歡滿檔的行程有點像，崇峻也喜歡慢慢走，感受當地的氛圍，即使在街邊喝咖啡，都可以感到很放鬆。李定自爆第一天一定要在飯店睡飽再起床，等到夜幕升起再去欣賞霓虹閃爍的城市之美。雁凱則喜歡住在高樓層，想要從上面俯瞰底下的風景，Alex則是打卡狂魔，想在個景點留下照片。而東翰是團裡面唯一喜歡宅生活的，坦言網路世界讓他放鬆，尤其遊戲連勝讓他感到很開心。

ARKis 擔任首日IFT旅展演出嘉賓，聯手eSIM龍頭品牌DJB 出門在外「掃一下」網速在線 照片提供 / FU Entertainment、DJB

而ARKis出道將近一年，足跡也從台灣過展到海外，已經插旗過越南，聊起心中嚮往的舞台，彫秦、Alex、承慶、崇峻心中都有個美國夢，很想到美國表演或拍攝，Vin則鍾愛歐洲，想讓歐洲的大家認識ARKis，東翰則說「因為我的偶像都在韓國，自己也想離他們更進一步，所以想挑戰韓國的舞台」，李定則想去試試看東南亞地區。

countries: 日本 美國 台灣 越南 韓國

title: ARKis 擔任首日 IFT 旅展演出嘉賓 8人8種享受法旅遊觀念大不同


people: 林佳龍 范雲 蕭美琴 蔡英文

title: VP delivers historical speech in Brussels

content_text:
‘TAIWAN MATTERS’:  Hsiao Bi-khim, the first sitting Taiwanese vice president to deliver a speech in a European parliament, underscored the importance of democratic solidarity

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) made history on Friday as the first Taiwanese vice president to deliver a speech in a European parliament while in office, addressing the annual summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) in Brussels.

Her presence and remarks at the European Parliament were highlighted by IPAC, a global alliance of lawmakers from various countries and political parties seeking to reform their governments’ China policies, in a social media post written in traditional and simplified Chinese, Japanese and Spanish. The post included three photos showing Hsiao speaking to IPAC members, accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍).

Hsiao underscored the importance of democratic solidarity amid rising authoritarian pressure, calling for democracies to stand together in defending shared values of openness, transparency and the rule of law.

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim speaks from the podium at the summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) in Brussels on Friday. Photo courtesy of the IPAC

“Democracies, even when far apart, are not alone. We are not alone in our values, not alone in our challenges, and, most importantly, we are not alone in our responsibility to act,” she said.

Hsiao highlighted Taiwan’s efforts to build what she called “whole-of-society resilience” — strengthening defenses through civic preparedness, cybersecurity and trusted economic partnerships — while asserting that Taiwan’s role as a thriving democracy and key player in global supply chains makes it indispensable to international stability and prosperity.

She said “peace in the Taiwan Strait is essential to global stability and economic continuity,” and warned that China’s attempts to alter the “status quo” violates the international consensus.

“Taiwan matters — not because we are a victim of coercion, but because the integrity of the international system and global prosperity depend on a strong and free Taiwan,” she said.

“We don’t just want to survive, we want democracies to thrive. We are not just defending what we have, but building what we want the future to look like, where free people and societies are more connected, more united and more capable,” Hsiao said.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Fan Yun (范雲), one of Taiwan’s IPAC cochairs, who was also present, wrote in a Facebook post that Hsiao had spoken to lawmakers from more than 50 countries to explain “why Taiwan matters.”

“Everyone gave a non-stop standing ovation after the speech and asked to take pictures with her. The special guest took the venue by storm,” Fan wrote.

The IPAC assembly marked the first time Taiwan participated as an official member. Taiwan gained membership last year during the alliance’s summit in Taipei, with Fan and Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) serving as its cochairs.

Taiwan’s only formal diplomatic ties in Europe are with the Vatican, but countries from the UK and France to Lithuania and Poland have disregarded Beijing’s complaints to allow visits by acting or former senior Taiwan officials.

While Taiwanese foreign ministers sometimes visit Europe and other parts of the world without formal ties to Taipei, it is rare for a sitting vice president to do so, as some countries are wary of backlash from China.

Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday departed for a visit to Berlin and is slated to address the Berlin Freedom Conference tomorrow.

In September, Lin traveled to Europe twice, visiting Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Italy.

Lin earlier this week said that he went to Europe to strengthen relations, and his ministry had set up a Europe task force.

China’s mission to the EU in a news release yesterday said that Hsiao’s visit “gravely violates the one-China principle, constitutes serious interference in China’s internal affairs, and severely undermines political mutual trust between China and the EU.”

Additional reporting by Reuters


content_text:
CREATIVE DESTRUCTION:  Regarding whether the US and China’s AI race would affect Taiwan, Huang said AI would influence every country, every company and everyone

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is the pride of Taiwan and the nation’s position in the global semiconductor supply chain remains unwavering, Nvidia Corp chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said yesterday.

Huang, who arrived on Friday afternoon in Tainan, made the remarks at TSMC’s annual sports day event at Hsinchu County Stadium. During his trip, he also visited TSMC’s 3-nanometer fab at the Southern Taiwan Science Park (南部科學園區).

In his address at the TSMC event, Huang said that 30 years ago, TSMC and Nvidia were two small companies.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) CEO C.C. Wei, left, and Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang talk during TSMC’s annual sports day at Hsinchu County Stadium yesterday. Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters

“You [TSMC] are the pride of Taiwan. You are also the pride of the world,” he said.

“Nvidia is not possible without you. We have built two incredible companies,” he added. “I want to thank all of you for helping me build Nvidia.”

In response to media queries on whether the US-China competition in artificial intelligence (AI) would affect Taiwan’s position in the industry, Huang said that AI would influence every country, every company and everyone.

AI is the most important technology of all time, so the world should value and develop the technology, he said.

Taiwan plays a pivotal role in the development of AI, as it is a global semiconductor powerhouse, he added.

Nvidia is receiving “very strong demand” for its state-of-the-art Blackwell chips, and its appetite for wafers manufactured by TSMC grows, he said.

“Nvidia builds the GPU [graphics processing units], but we also build the CPU [central processing units], the networking, the switches ... so there are a lot of chips associated with Blackwell,” he said.

TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) said that Huang had “asked for wafers,” but the amount of his order was confidential.

“TSMC is doing a very good job supporting us on wafers,” Huang said, adding that he saw Nvidia’s new “Rubin” chips on the production line.

Huang said TSMC’s sports day is like the company’s “family day,” and it was an honor to be part of it.

Asked about Google LLC’s Tensor processing unit and Amazon.com Inc’s development of application-specific integrated circuits, Huang said there are differences.

Nvidia’s GPU can be applied to many scientific fields such as quantum computing, biology and physics, and process massive amounts of data, he said.

It is more accommodating, as it can be used in almost every cloud and every data center, he added.

Asked how concerned he was about memory shortages, Huang said that business was growing strongly and there would be shortages of “different things.”

“We have three very, very good memory makers — SK Hynix, Samsung, Micron — which are all incredibly good memory makers, and they have scaled up tremendous capacity to support us,” he said.

Nvidia has received the most advanced chip samples from all three memory makers, he said.

South Korea’s SK Hynix last week said it had sold out all its chip production for next year and planned to sharply boost investments, expecting an extended chip “super cycle” spurred by the AI boom.

Samsung said it was in “close discussion” to supply its next-generation high-bandwidth memory chips, or HBM4, to Nvidia.

On Friday, Huang said there were “no active discussions” about selling Blackwell chips — Nvidia’s flagship AI chip — to China.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has embargoed such sales, saying they could aid the Chinese military and China’s AI industry.

Additional reporting by CNA

companies: Google 台積電

title: Taiwan’s supply chain role unwavering: Nvidia CEO


content_text:
Typhoon could trigger sea warning, hit central Taiwan

The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan.

As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph.

It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said.

After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan.

The CWA expects to issue a land warning by Tuesday, but it is not certain when exactly, he said.

The path of Fung-Wong could change, and the CWA is closely observing it, he added.

The CWA said it expects eastern Taiwan’s mountainous regions to see an average of 500mm of rain.

The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Hualien county branch yesterday said should the average rainfall reach 800mm, more landslides could occur in upstream of the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪).

New barrier lakes that can retain up to 15 million tonnes of water — more than 10 times the water currently in the Mataian barrier lake — could form, it said.

Barrier lake in the Mataian River overflowed in September, devastating Hualien’s Guangfu Township (光復), killing 19 people and injuring 150.

Huang Chun-tse (黃群策), head of the Hualien office, said the agency estimates that if a new barrier lake forms, it could overflow in the following 24 hours.

The agency has forwarded all information to the Hualien County Government, Huang said.

Additional reporting by Hua Meng-ching


title: Chinese ship scouts deep-ocean floor in South Pacific region

content_text:
A Chinese research vessel docked in the Cook Islands on Saturday as it probed the Pacific nation’s deep-sea mining potential, a fledgling industry of mounting interest to both Beijing and Washington.

The Da Yang Hao (大洋號) docked in the palm-shaded port of Avatiu on a “scientific research cruise” through the tropical archipelago, the Cook Islands’ Seabed Minerals Authority said.

Huge areas of seabed around the Cook Islands are carpeted in polymetallic nodules, lumpy rocks studded with rare earths and critical minerals such as cobalt, nickel and manganese. The Cook Islands — which lays claim to one of the world’s biggest deposits of polymetallic nodules — signed a contentious deep-sea mining cooperation deal with China earlier this year.

Chinese research vessel the Da Yang Hao arrives at Avatiu Harbor in the Cook Islands yesterday. Photo : AFP

“This cruise is about learning by doing,” Seabed Minerals Authority spokesman Edward Herman said. “Our team is actively participating in all activities to build our knowledge and capacity in marine research.”

This included mapping the seabed with sonar arrays and dredging up sediment samples, the authority said.

Fringed by sparkling lagoons, South Pacific nation the Cook Islands has opened its vast ocean territory for deep-sea mining exploration. With existing supplies of critical minerals heavily exposed to trade disputes, the US and China have this year ramped up interest in the highly contentious industry.

Critical minerals, such as cobalt and nickel, are in hot demand for electric vehicles, rechargeable batteries and advanced military technology. The US secured its own agreement to pursue deep-sea mining research with the Cook Islands in August.

Agence France-Presse photos showed the near-100m Da Yang Hao vessel cutting through the Cook Islands’ sleepy main harbor before docking on Saturday morning. The ship was emblazoned with the logo of China’s Ocean Mineral Resources Research Association, which is tasked with the exploration of seabed minerals.

Chinese research vessels have been accused of carrying out surveillance and other military activities under the auspices of scientific work.

Pacific island nation Palau, a staunch US ally in the region, in 2021 alleged that the Da Yang Hao had entered its exclusive economic zone without proper permissions.

The Da Yang Hao arrives in the Cook Islands less than one month after a deep-sea research voyage backed by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

While exploration for deep-sea mining is far advanced, no company or nation has started production on a commercial scale.

Critics fear deep-sea mining would smother marine life with waste, and the noise of heavy machinery would disrupt oceanic migrations.

International regulators are still trying to thrash out environmental rules governing the industry.


title: North Korea warns of more ‘offensive action’

content_text:
North Korea’s defense minister on Saturday warned of more “offensive action,” after Washington and Seoul criticized Pyongyang’s latest ballistic missile launch.

North Korea’s missile launch on Friday came just over a week after US President Donald Trump — on a tour of the region — expressed interest in meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Pyongyang did not respond to the offer.

A North Korean flag flutters at the propaganda village of Gijungdong in North Korea on July 19, 2022. Photo: Reuters

North Korean Minister of National Defense No Kwang-chol said Washington “has become brazen in its military moves to threaten the security” of the North, and that it was “intentionally escalating the political and military tension in the region.”

“We will show more offensive action against the enemies’ threat,” he said, according to Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency.

Earlier in the week, before Friday’s launch, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and his South Korean counterpart visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) where they “reaffirmed the strong combined defence posture and close cooperation” between their countries.

On Wednesday, the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington arrived in the South Korean port city of Busan for logistics support and crew rest, according to Seoul’s navy — an act No said was “further escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.”

No also said Hegseth’s DMZ visit was meant to “fan up war hysterics.”

The US Indo-Pacific Command on Friday said that North Korea’s latest ballistic missile launch “highlights the destabilizing impact” of Pyongyang’s actions, adding that the US was “consulting closely with our allies and partners.”

South Korea’s military had strongly condemned Pyongyang’s missile launch.

Seoul’s military “urges North Korea to immediately cease all actions that heighten tensions between the two Koreas,” it said in a statement.

Trump last week also announced that he had approved South Korea’s plan to build a nuclear-powered submarine.


title: Attitude toward Taiwan changed: EU politician

content_text:
POLICY WATCH: Europe experienced a ‘fundamental change’ in its attitude toward Taiwan over the past four years, partly due to China, Reinhard Butikofer said   By Su Yung-yao,Chen Cheng-yu and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporters, with staff writer

Europe experienced a “fundamental change” in its attitude toward Taiwan in the past few years, former German European Parliament member Reinhard Butikofer said, adding that the EU should adopt a geopolitical framework to assess the global political landscape, especially regarding the bloc’s policy stance on the Taiwan Strait.

Butikofer, a former European Green Party cochairman, made the remarks during the European Values Summit in Prague on Wednesday and Thursday.

Many European political and business decisionmakers once viewed Taiwan as a dependent client that Europe had to help due to its democratic political system and because trade ties with Beijing were so limited, he said.

Europe experienced a “fundamental change” in its attitude toward Taiwan in the past few years, with the shift attributable to China’s behavior, developments in Taiwan and the EU’s approach to geopolitics, he said.

China’s crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong was the catalyst in Europe’s realization that former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping’s (鄧小平) principle of “hiding your strength and biding your time” no longer guided the leadership in Beijing, he said.

Instead, China embraced an aggressive form of revisionism in its dealings with the world, as evidenced by its support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, without which Moscow might well have already lost the war, Butikofer said.

Taiwan’s vibrant democracy and significant contributions to the global community have also jolted the EU out of its habit of conceptualizing the nation almost entirely in the framework of cross-strait relations, he said.

Beijing’s weaponization of economics also drove the EU away from its previous paradigm of treating commerce and security as separate matters in favor of a more geopolitical approach to handling global affairs, Butikofer said.

Although former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) made significant inroads in improving Taiwan-EU ties, the relationship is not as developed as it should be, he said.

Europe should abandon its stance of dealing with Taiwan as an outlier, and instead accept the nation’s importance to geopolitics and regional security, Butikofer said.

Taiwan’s security is crucial to the security of the entire region and Europe itself, he added.


people: 蕭美琴 范雲

title: Fan Yun urges greater focus on China’s moves

content_text:
ELECTION MEDDLING? Media reported Beijing used investments to sway British politics, while it interfered in elections in Australia and Canada, the lawmaker said

Greater global action is needed to safeguard human rights as Beijing implements new extradition agreements, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) said yesterday at the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) summit in Brussels.

More than 50 lawmakers from 20 nations attended the event, which ran from Friday to yesterday, with Taiwan attending for the first time as a member state.

China’s authoritarian expansion poses a threat to economic, security and democratic norms around the world, Fan said.

Representative to the EU and Belgium Shieh Jhy-wey, second left, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Fan Yun, second right, and others raise their glasses in a toast at a reception in Brussels on Friday. Photo courtesy of Fan Yun’s office

UK-based media have reported that Beijing has used its massive investments to influence British politics, while figures sponsored by the Chinese government interfered in the elections of Australia and Canada, she said.

Chinese spies were reportedly also targeting political entities in the US and the Philippines, she said.

Taiwan has embarked on efforts to decouple from the Chinese economy in a bid to reduce the nation’s vulnerability to Beijing’s economic coercion, she said, adding that China last year accounted for 7.5 percent of Taiwan’s foreign investments, down from 84 percent in 2010.

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim’s (蕭美琴) attendance at the summit marked a new high in the international community’s support for Taiwan and its opposition to authoritarian China, Fan said.

She thanked alliance members for being among the first to condemn China’s plot — which it did not act on — to cause a car crash last year targeting Hsiao in Prague.

IPAC is the only international organization that resists China as its core mission, Fan added.

The alliance’s stature has grown substantially among Taiwanese thanks to its opposition to China’s distortion of UN Resolution 2758, she said.

Taiwan, which has long stood against the authoritarian threat emanating from China, is able and willing to share its experience with the rest of the world, she said.


people: 蔡正元 鄭麗文

title: Memorial not focused on spy: KMT’s Cheng

content_text:
By Shih Hsiao-kuang,Tung Kuan-yi and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, and staff writer

A memorial in Taipei yesterday honored people killed during the White Terror era and was not to commemorate a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) spy, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wen (鄭麗文) said on Facebook.

Wu Shi (吳石), a lieutenant general who was the Ministry of National Defense’s deputy chief of the general staff, was executed after being convicted as a CCP spy during the White Terror era.

Wu was accused of providing the CCP with critical intelligence on KMT troop deployments in southeast China, southern China and Taiwan when the KMT government was based in Nanjing, China, Taiwan Human Rights Memory Bank documents showed.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun holds a wreath at an event at Machangding Memorial Park in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

Cheng said she was invited to attend the ceremony at Machangding Memorial Park (馬場町紀念公園) in Taipei’s Wanhua District (萬華) — where Wu was executed — by the Political Victims Mutual Aid Association.

The event was to commemorate people killed during the White Terror period, Cheng said, adding that media reports about the event being a commemoration of Wu were misleading.

The invitation she received did not mention Wu, she said.

Many people paid the price for their political and ideological beliefs, but Wu is not what we would define as a “political criminal,” she said.

Wu was depicted in promotional material and at the event, while a portrait of him bearing the label “martyred hero” was displayed alongside others in an area where the public could offer flowers and pay their respects.

History should be remembered, so that society can be at peace and people can strive for prosperity, the association said.

A KMT legislator, commenting on condition of anonymity, said it was evident that Cheng had received a version of the invitation that did not mention Wu, with the event appearing to be a White Terror commemoration event.

If what Cheng said is true, she would need to take more care in selecting her staff, the source said, adding: “Her attendance represented the KMT.”

Former KMT lawmaker Alex Tsai (蔡正元) said that the White Terror era was the result of investigations into a list of 1,800 people named by CCP member Tsai Hsiao-chien (蔡孝乾).

While the crimes did not merit the death penalty, the KMT and the CCP were fighting the Chinese Civil War at the time, with the CCP attempting to overthrow the KMT government, Tsai said.

The definition of “political victim” is subjective, Tsai said, adding that to date, he has not witnessed any Chinese leader commemorating KMT political victims.

For head of the KMT to honor “heroes” who were attempting to subvert the KMT government is indeed a masterpiece in reversing the historical position of the KMT, he said, adding sarcastically that the KMT might as well change its name to the “Chinese Nationalist Surrender Party.”

National Chengchi University professor of history Hsueh Hua-yuan (薛化元) said that most of the people killed in the White Terror were innocent, but there were a few who had moved with the KMT to Taiwan to act as the CCP’s “eyes and ears.”

Wu was one of those people, Hsueh said.

Commemorating a spy who worked for an enemy government seeking to undermine national security is logically questionable, and the head of the KMT, as one of the major parties, should exercise more care when attending such events lest their actions be seen as the party’s official attitude toward the CCP, he said.

Additional reporting by Liu Wan-lin, Lee Wen-hsin and Fang Wei-li


title: Volunteer soldiers seeking discharge rises from 2021

content_text:
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report.

The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government.

In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report.

Army personnel line up at a military base in Taitung on Jan. 21. Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA-EFE

In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing Ministry of National Defense data.

In 2023 and last year, the number rose to 1,104 and 1,072 respectively, with compensation of NT$244.72 million and NT$259.79 million, it said.

As of June, 430 people had filed for early discharge from the military this year, a 90 percent increase compared with the same period in 2021, it said.

Retired Air Force lieutenant general Chang Yan-ting (張延廷) on Wednesday told reporters that the figures were alarming and showed that career soldiers are leaving due to immense workload pressure.

“The ministry must reform military workloads instead of focusing on weapons purchases,” Chang said.

Blogger Drifting Island (飄浪島嶼) said that the spike in early discharges highlights understaffing concerns.

“The military must isolate the reason for each discharge to determine whether it was due to dissatisfaction over wages or benefits, management, training, or, in what would be the worst-case scenario, because volunteers are afraid that war would break out,” the blogger said.

The dangers posed by the trend of early retirements should be addressed, as national defense has never relied on obtaining new weapon systems, but does rely on the morale of its fighting forces, the blogger added.


content_text:
HEALTH WATCH:  A medical group suggested that people quit smoking, get vaccinations and undergo pulmonary rehabilitation to prevent the disease from worsening

A recent survey showed that about 61 percent of Taiwanese with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) also have cardiovascular disease (CVD), the Taiwan Society of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine said.

WHO data showed that COPD is the fourth-biggest cause of death globally, group president Chen Yu-min (陳育民) said, adding that according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, more than 6,000 people die of the disease annually in Taiwan.

The group during a news conference on Wednesday cited as an example a 67-year-old man with COPD who loss consciousness by the side of a road after experiencing chest tightness.

From left, Health Promotion Administration Director-General Shen Ching-fen, National Health Insurance Administration Director-General Chen Lian-yu, Taiwan Society of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine president Chen Yu-min and physician Su Kang-cheng hold placards at a news conference in Taipei on Wednesday. Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times

The man was rushed to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with heart failure, the group said, adding that such cases are not rare.

Since the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease’s guidelines this year said that COPD significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, the agency added cardiovascular comorbidities in its latest survey, Chen said.

Among 1,240 respondents with COPD, up to 61 percent reported having cardiovascular diseases, he added.

Physician Su Kang-cheng (蘇剛正) said COPD took 6,193 lives and was the eighth-biggest cause of deaths in Taiwan last year, but it might also be closely associated with the top three causes of death — cancer, heart disease and pneumonia.

Smoking and COPD are the main causes of lung cancer, COPD significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and COPD weakens respiratory defenses and potentially increases susceptibility to infection, he said.

The survey found that people who experienced acute exacerbation of COPD have a 4.6 times higher risk of suffering a cardiovascular event, Su said, adding that even after six months or a year after the acute exacerbation, they still face a higher risk of a cardiovascular event.

According to the survey, quitting smoking reduces the risk of COPD exacerbation by 31 percent and risk of a cardiovascular event by 25 percent, while getting vaccinated against respiratory infections and undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation reduce the risk of COPD exacerbation by 12 percent and 17 percent respectively, he said.

The group suggested that people stop smoking, get vaccinated, undergo pulmonary rehabilitation, use a COPD inhaler regularly and make sure they get enough nutrition to manage COPD and prevent it from worsening, Su said.

National Health Insurance Administration Director-General Chen Lian-yu (陳亮妤) said a Pay-for-Performance program, which financially incentivizes healthcare providers to meet quality targets — has been in place for COPD treatment since 2017.

After discussions with medical societies, the quality standards would be modified and enacted from Jan. 1 next year, she said, adding that there would be an additional NT$25 million (US$805,283) in funding.

The new standard aims to ensure that at least 70 percent of the payment goes directly to frontline healthcare providers, she said.

Health Promotion Administration Director-General Shen Ching-fen (沈靜芬) said that among the group’s COPD management suggestions, smoking cessation is the most important.

About 99.5 percent of contracted hospitals and clinics have smoking cessation services, Shen added.

title: About 61% of people with COPD also at risk of CVD


people: 張麗善 卓榮泰

title: No exceptions in border quarantine rules: agency

content_text:
By Chen Yi-kuan and Esme Yeh / Staff reporters, with CNA

Border quarantine regulations apply to all animal and plant products, regardless of their quantity or usage, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said yesterday.

The agency made the statement after Yunlin County Commissioner Chang Li-shan (張麗善) said that border checks cannot fully block products carrying African swine fever (ASF) viruses from entering Taiwan, as “food products weighing less than 6kg and worth less than US$1,000 can be exempt from inspections.”

All animal and plant products from overseas are subject to the same quarantine regulations, regardless of their usage, quantity or monetary value, the agency said.

Premier Cho Jung-tai, center, reacts during an inspection of the quarantine process at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday. Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times

Importers should report animal and plant products for quarantine inspection and those that fail the inspection should be returned or destroyed, it said.

People who do not report their products and have them seized by authorities would be penalized, it added.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday inspected the quarantine process at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and said that manual border checks would be stepped up by 20 percent to safeguard the nation against ASF, based on the principle of “zero trust, zero tolerance.”

As of Friday, the average price of pork was NT$103 per kilogram, showing that the pork market has become more stable, he said, adding that 10 subsidies and support schemes for the industry were proposed in a Cabinet meeting on Friday and would soon be implemented.

Cho also specified several requirements that must be met in border quarantine inspections, such as making sure all X-ray machines are maintained in good condition and that the quarantine workforce is increased until it is sufficient.

Border authorities must ensure that quarantine detector dogs can perform their duty safely, and that all luggage, illegal objects or people crossing the border “have nowhere to hide,” he added.

The construction of the airport’s Terminal 3 North Concourse Gate Hall is on schedule and expected to be available for use by next month, Cho said.

Terminal 3 would adopt the same safety and quarantine standards as the other two terminals, he added.

Given that promoting tourism would be a key policy next year, travelers and transportation across borders would increase, Cho said, adding quarantine inspection measures must be tightened to ensure safety.

ASF is transmissible between animals and cannot be transmitted to humans, he said.

All samples collected over the past few days have tested negative for ASF, he said, calling on people to support domestic pig farmers and help stabilize the market.


title: Taipei to cancel contract, clear way for Nvidia HQ

content_text:
Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) yesterday said the city government is set to terminate a land use contract with Shin Kong Life Insurance on Friday, clearing the way for artificial intelligence chip designer Nvidia Corp to build its Taiwan headquarters in the city’s Beitou District (北投).

Lee said a termination fee has been reviewed by accountants from the city government and Shin Kong Life.

The city government would submit the proposed fee and documents to the Taipei City Council tomorrow, with the aim of securing approval during the session on Wednesday.

Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan speaks to reporters in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

Lee last week said Shin Kong Life proposed a payment of NT$4.47 billion (US$144 million) for the termination of the land use in the Beitou-Shilin Technology Park, describing the price as “reasonable” compared with the city’s estimate.

The city government has sent a draft termination agreement to Shin Kong Life’s lawyers for review, and the insurer is expected to hold a special board meeting on Thursday or Friday to discuss the matter.

Both sides are expected to sign the agreement by Friday, Lee said.

After the termination, the city government on Nov. 17 would begin procedures to transfer the land rights to officially reclaim the site, Lee added.

The city government and Shin Kong Life have been at odds over the plot in the Beitou technology park since Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) in May announced that the company had selected it for its Taiwan headquarters.

Shin Kong Life in 2021 obtained rights to the land after winning a public tender. However, it has yet to begin development.

The city government objected to allowing the insurer to directly transfer the rights to Nvidia, citing concerns about potential profiteering, and requested a mutual contract termination.

The insurer initially said that ending the contract could be seen as a breach of trust by its board, because it would harm the company’s long-term interests.

However, Shin Kong Life on Oct. 22 announced its willingness to terminate the contract, contingent on reimbursement for costs already incurred.

When Huang arrived in Taipei on Friday, he said he hoped the land issue could be resolved smoothly, so Nvidia could construct “a beautiful building” in Taipei.

Lee said he aims to sign a new land use contract with Nvidia early next year once the company submits its investment plan.


title: TSMC gives employees NT$25,000 ‘Sports Day’ bonus

content_text:
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) yesterday said each of its employees would receive NT$25,000 (US$806) as a special Sports Day bonus.

Speaking at the annual Sports Day event at Hsinchu County Stadium, TSMC chairman and CEO C.C. Wei (魏哲家) expressed his gratitude to employees for their contribution in helping the chipmaker smash records in sales and profit this year, saying that the company decided to hand out a “small gift” for their hard work.

This year’s Sports Day bonus was bigger than last year’s NT$20,000, Wei said, adding that unlike the previous bonus, which had been given only to Taiwan-based employees, overseas workers are eligible to receive the bonus this year.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co staff take part in the company’s annual sports day at Hsinchu County Stadium yesterday. Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times

With 75,000 employees in Taiwan and abroad, TSMC is expected to issue about NT$1.875 billion in Sports Day special bonuses this year, compared with NT$1.2 billion last year.

That means workers at TSMC’s foundries in the US’ Arizona, Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture and Germany’s Dresden would also receive bonuses.

TSMC has been expanding globally after other countries encouraged and gave incentives for the company to set up semiconductor chip manufacturing facilities in their territories amid growing tensions between Taipei and Beijing, as well as geopolitical unease in the Taiwan Strait.

Staff representing JASM, a majority-owned subsidiary of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, participate in the company’s annual sports day at Hsinchu County Stadium yesterday. Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters

The chipmaker said that its global investments aim to cater to demand from its foreign clients.

The Sports Day event, which started in 1993, is something TSMC’s employees look forward to, because of the sizeable bonus that usually comes with it.

Sports Day was canceled from 2020 to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but TSMC still gave employees special bonuses of NT$12,000 in 2020, and NT$16,000 in 2021 and 2022.

It was Wei’s second year presiding over the annual event since he took the helm as TSMC’s chair in June last year.

Wei joked that he spent 26 years working to secure the post so that he could preside over Sports Day.

He also said he hoped to perform better, as practice makes perfect.

Wei also thanked family members of company employees, saying that without their support, TSMC personnel would have not been able to work so hard to boost the company’s performance.

In the first nine months of this year, TSMC posted NT$1.21 trillion in net profit, up 51.8 percent from a year earlier, with earnings per share at NT$46.75.

TSMC’s consolidated sales rose 36.4 percent from last year to NT$2.76 trillion on the back of strong global demand for high-end processors during the boom in artificial intelligence development.

In an investor conference last month, TSMC forecasted its sales this year to rise about 35 percent from a year earlier in US dollar terms, an upgrade from a 30 percent increase it had previously estimated.


content_text:
Former No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying signs off illustrious career

END OF AN ERA: Tai, who dominated women’s singles rankings for a record 214 weeks, hung up her racket, with a friend saying that the sport would miss her magic

Late on Friday night, former world No. 1 female badminton player Tai Tzu-ying (戴資穎) officially announced her retirement on social media, drawing to a close a professional career that has spanned more than half of her life.

The decision was expected, as Tai had said last year’s season would be her last and she has not competed in a tournament since losing to Denmark’s Julie Jakobsen at the China Open in September last year.

She applied for a three-month ranking protection the following month, but did not extend it. Her world ranking fell from No. 5 to unranked by September this year.

The badminton player’s plain farewell was a surprise for many, as it was a stark contrast to her brilliant career.

Tai, 31, in 2014 became the first Taiwanese to win the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super Series Finals. She went on to dominate the women’s singles rankings for a record 214 weeks between December 2016 and September 2022.

British badminton commentator Gillian Clark once compared Tai’s stature in badminton to that of Michael Jordan in basketball, Tiger Woods in golf and Muhammad Ali in boxing, describing her as “the best women’s singles player I’ve ever had the privilege to watch.”

Tai said she chose to bid farewell this way, because “I don’t want you to see me in such weak form, so I couldn’t give you a perfect retirement ceremony.”

This sense of imperfection, as Tai called it, in a way reflected her career: Dominant as she was, she never captured a gold medal in the four Olympic Games or eight World Championships she joined.

She won her only Olympic medal — a silver in Tokyo in 2020 — and finished runner-up and third at the 2021 and 2022 World Championships respectively.

When a reporter asked Tai about her lack of titles on the biggest stages, she said: “What else do I need to prove?” — and few could argue otherwise.

Over the past decade, Tai has cemented her status as Taiwan’s most iconic athlete.

As of yesterday, she had 1.5 million followers on Instagram and 1.4 million on Facebook.

The Taiwanese athlete with the next-largest social media following is Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions outfielder Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲), who captained Taiwan to last year’s Premier12 championship, the nation’s first major baseball title. He has 409,000 followers.

Tai has displayed her greatness in ways that transcend the court and national boundaries.

When she was world No. 1 in 2017, Tai chose to compete in the Summer Universiade in Taipei rather than the BWF World Championships, which were held at the same time.

“I gave up the World Championships and chose the Universiade, because it’s one of the few chances for Taiwan to host an event of this scale. I felt I had to stay here and support this event with other athletes, hopefully keeping golds in Taiwan,” she said in an official Universiade video. “I want to let Taiwan be seen on the international stage. I think showing Taiwan to the world is a very beautiful thing.”

Tai also weaved her matches with top international players — including China’s Chen Yufei (陳雨菲), South Korea’s An Se-young, Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, Pusarla Sindhu of India and Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand — into some of the badminton’s most memorable chapters, all while nurturing friendships that endured beyond competitions.

Chen, who beat Tai in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics final, said she was surprised when she received a message from Tai expressing concern and respect for her decision when Chen announced she would take a break from competition.

“If there is one person who made me the Chen Yufei I am today, it must be Tai Tzu-ying,” she said.

Sindhu wrote an emotional note on Instagram after Tai’s announcement, saying that their “quiet friendship” over the years went “beyond rivalry.”

“Watching you step away feels like losing a piece of my own journey. The sport will miss your magic, and so will I. It’s starting to hit me that my generation of players [is] slowly beginning to step away, and nothing really prepares you for that,” Sindhu wrote.


people: 蔡其昌 王鴻薇 陳世凱

title: Two telecoms to end 4G unlimited plans at resellers

content_text:
Although two telecoms have stopped providing unlimited 4G data packages at authorized third-party retailers, the plans would continue to be available to customers, National Communications Commission (NCC) Chief Secretary Huang Wen-che (黃文哲) said at the legislature’s Transportation Committee meeting on Wednesday.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) said Taiwan Mobile and Far Eastone Telecommunications have stopped offering unlimited 4G data packages at resellers this month, but people can still subscribe to the plans through the telecoms’ direct stores or Web sites.

Wang said she would file a complaint with the Fair Trade Commission if Chunghwa Telecom followed suit, as this could constitute a “concerted monopolistic conduct” under the Fair Trade Act (公平交易法).

The National Communications Commission building in Taipei is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Yang Mien-chieh, Taipei Times

She accused the nation’s three largest telecoms of engaging in concerted action to monopolize the 5G market, saying customers must sign a one-year contract if they want unlimited 5G data, the cheapest of which is NT$1,399 per month.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said there are more than 10 million 4G subscribers in Taiwan, but telecoms have been pushing subscribers to upgrade to 5G, as if 4G services would soon be terminated.

Many consumers are concerned that they would no longer be able to subscribe to 4G plans, he added.

Huang said 5G services are more expensive, as some of them are bundled with 5G mobile phones, which cost more than 4G phones, adding that there are no signs of collusive monopolistic practices so far.

“The 4G services would continue to be available to the public, but we will look into the 5G monthly plans offered to subscribers,” Huang said.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is Chunghwa Telecom’s largest shareholder.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) said he had not been informed by Chunghwa Telecom of any plans to terminate 4G services or plans, adding that he would follow up on the matter with the telecom.


title: Firefighting faces

content_text: Members of the New Taipei City Fire Department who are featured in its firefighters calendar for next year hold up copies of the calendar at a promotional event in the city yesterday. The calendar is part of the city government’s efforts to promote firefighters’ public image.


content_text: Officials and performers hold placards at the opening of the Taichung International Flower Carpet Festival in Taichung yesterday. This year’s event, with a theme based on “The Powerpuff Girls” animated series, runs through Nov. 30.

title: Sea of flowers


title: Ready, set, go

content_text: Foromosa Plastics Group staff participate in the 36th edition of the company’s Sports Day at the Ming Chi University of Technology in New Taipei City yesterday.


title: Norway and Airbus-led NHIndustries settle NH90 case

content_text:
The two groups dropped suit and countersuit over late and flawed delivery of the military helicopter, forgoing a potentially sensitive trial over the procurement  by Tim Hepher, Gwladys Fouche and Terje Solsvik / Reuters, OSLO and PARIS

The Norwegian government and a trio of European aerospace manufacturers on Monday agreed to settle mutual claims for damages after the NATO nation axed an order for delayed NH90 submarine-hunting helicopters, heading off a potentially awkward defense industry trial.

NHIndustries and owners Airbus, Leonardo and GKN Fokker agreed to pay 305 million euros (US$355.7 million) on top of 70 million euros already paid, and took back the mothballed helicopters and parts, the two sides said in a joint statement.

That is a fraction of the 2.86 billion euros Norway had claimed in its suit, part of which was meant to cover the cost of buying US-made replacements, but the companies agreed as part of the deal to drop their own counter claim for 730 million euros.

An NHIndustries NH90 helicopter performs a flying display at the 54th International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget Airport near Paris on June 19, 2023. Photo: Reuters

The settlement, confirming a deal reported earlier by Reuters, came one week before the scheduled start of five months of Oslo hearings in what was seen as an unusually sensitive case as NATO rearms to counter submarine threats in Europe’s north.

Norwegian forces monitor a 2 million square kilometer area of the North Atlantic for NATO — Russia’s Northern Fleet is based on the Kola Peninsula, an area in the Arctic bordering Norway.

The NH90 military helicopter first flew almost 30 years ago and is one of Europe’s flagship arms projects. It boasts the first fully computerized controls for a military helicopter, but has been plagued by criticism over delays and maintenance costs.

The settlement ends a procurement saga which has dragged on for almost a quarter of a century since Norway ordered 14 NH90s in 2001 to outfit its maritime forces.

In 2022, Norway said it would cancel the NH90 order due to delays and maintenance problems and seek a refund from the consortium, which called the move “legally groundless.”

In 2023, Sweden threatened to follow suit and Australia sped up the retirement of its own fleet.

The Norwegian defense ministry has said deliveries should have been completed by the end of 2008 but that it faced more than a decade of delays and missing parts, hampering flight operations.

Preparations for the much-anticipated public trial starting tomorrow, including arrangements for handling classified material, had pushed ahead after attempts at mediation failed.

Although some hearings were expected to be held behind closed doors, the case was set to expose significant shortfalls after a government filing called the problems with the NH90 “almost unparalleled in any other contract for the manufacturing of military equipment.”

The first partially completed helicopter was delivered six years late and it was not until 16 years after the contract was signed that the first fully operational aircraft was deployed — 12 years behind schedule, the government said in its complaint.

By the time the contract was cancelled in 2022, Norway was getting an average of 100 flight hours per year out of its NH90 helicopters, compared with a target of 400 flight hours per year, it added.

Norway’s claim had included 2.1 billion euros to cover the purchase of replacement MH-60 Seahawks — part of the Black Hawk family of helicopters — from Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky, according to the filings reviewed by Reuters.

In its counterclaim, NHIndustries acknowledged that the project had faced difficulties and partially blamed delays in agreeing specifications.

Norway’s requirements include operating reliably in harsh Arctic weather along Europe’s longest coastline. The company called the size of the claim “shockingly inflated” and said that some of the helicopters had been used for years.

NHIndustries has said it has turned the corner on the availability of NH90 support and is preparing upgraded versions.


content_text:
Mining the sea floor is not yet widely practiced but could have a ruinous effect on microfauna that larger fish depend on

Drilling for minerals deep in the ocean could have immense consequences for the tiny animals at the core of the vast marine food web — and ultimately affect fisheries and the food we find on our plates, said a new study.

Deep-sea mining means drilling the seafloor for “polymetallic nodules” loaded with critical minerals including copper, iron, zinc and more. While not yet commercialized, nations are pursuing deep-sea operations amid rising demand for these minerals in electric vehicles and other parts of the energy transition, as well as for technology and military use.

University of Hawaii researchers studied an area of the Pacific Ocean called the “twilight zone,” about 200-1,500m below sea level. Their peer-reviewed findings, published Thursday in the Nature Communications scientific journal, say mining waste could affect anything from tiny shrimp smaller than 2mm long to fish 5cm long.

Common two-banded seabream fish swim in the protected area of France’s Porquerolles National Park on June 6. Photo: AP

After mining companies bring the mineral-rich nodules up to the surface, they have to release excess sea water, ocean floor dirt and sediment back into the ocean. That creates a murky plume of particles about the same size as the naturally occurring food particles normally eaten by the zooplankton that swim at that depth.

That is a little more than half of the zooplankton in the ocean. If those organisms eat the waste particles — what senior study author Brian Popp called “junk food” — it could affect 60 percent of micronekton that eat the zooplankton.

The undernourishment is a problem because these tiny organisms are the food source for larger organisms up the chain — ultimately affecting commercially important fish such as mahi mahi or tuna.

“Surface fish can dive down deep into the water, they feed on organisms down at depth,” said Michael Dowd, study lead author and oceanography graduate student. “If these organisms down at depth are no longer present because their food web has collapsed, then that can impact higher food webs and more commercial interests.”

While other research has highlighted the negative environmental impacts from deep-sea mining of nodules, the focus is often the seafloor. This study looks at mid-water.

Researchers said returning the excess directly to the ocean floor or at other depths could be just as environmentally disruptive as in the “twilight zone,” only in different ways.

Popp said digging up the deep sea might not be necessary, and instead pointed out alternative sources of metals, including recycling batteries and electronics or sifting through mining waste.

“If only a single company is mining in one single spot, it’s not going to affect a huge fishery. It’s not going to affect a huge amount of water. But if many companies are mining for many years and outputting a lot of material, this is going to spread across the region,” Dowd said. “And the more mining occurs, the more a problem it could be.”

It might not be viable to simply halt ocean mining. The International Seabed Authority that governs mineral activity beyond national jurisdiction has already granted several contracts for exploration.

US President Donald Trump has expressed interest in deep-sea mining operations amid tense trade negotiations with China that have limited US access to China’s wide swath of critical minerals. In April, Trump signed an executive order directing the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to expedite the permitting process for companies to mine the ocean floor, and in May, the administration said it would consider selling leases to extract minerals off the South Pacific island of American Samoa.

Environmental groups have advocated against deep-sea mining, citing not only the direct harm to wildlife and parts of the sea, but also the disturbance of planet-warming carbon dioxide that is sequestered in the ocean.

“It was well laid out in the study that the impacts wouldn’t necessarily be just the depth that the plume is released,” said Sheryl Murdock, a deep-sea researcher at Arizona State University who was not involved in the study. “The question being: Is it worth a few minerals to potentially destroy the way that the oceans function?”

Diva Amon, a marine biologist and postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara, praised the research for examining potential consequences.

“All of this could lead to species illness, species movement, species death. And depending on the scale of this, that could have graver repercussions, like species extinctions,” said Amon, who was not involved in the study, but has previously worked with some of the researchers.

“There’s a lot more research that needs to be done to be able to make an informed decision about how to manage this industry, if it does start, in a way that will prevent, essentially, serious harm to the ocean and ocean ecosystem,” Amon said.

title: Deep-sea mines could disrupt ocean food web


title: Online scams promising wealth surge in eastern DR Congo

content_text:
Despite the two major cities in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo falling into the hands of the M23 militia, some residents are celebrating their newfound fortunes — amassed through cryptocurrency trading. Crypto trading is seemingly an answer to the economic crisis plaguing the region, where banks have been ordered closed by Kinshasa authorities to prevent the funding of the Rwanda-backed rebels, but it often conceals well-organized scams exploiting the already-struggling population.

“With US$1,000 in investments, I earn between US$672 and US$700 each month,” boasted John, a civil servant and artist, sitting under a parasol on the popular “beer avenue” in Bukavu.

“My first investment was US$800, after 30 days I withdrew US$480 and left US$1,000 in my account. Currently, I easily reach US$2,000, US$4,000, which allows me to advance my businesses, my projects and repay my debts,” he said while sipping an imported beer, the only option since the local brewery shut down due to the fighting.

Vehicles drive along a road in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo on Sept. 6. Goma has been under the occupation of M23 rebels since January. Photo: Reuters

The only condition, he said, is to connect several times a day and refer other people to join the obscure online trading platform, which claims to be a foundation established in the US. It resembles a pyramid scheme, whose profits rely entirely on recruiting new members. In the central African country ranked among the poorest in the world ravaged by decades of conflict, online scams have found fertile ground, said Justin Murhula, a digital security trainer in Bukavu.

“Many people, in search of easy gains given the current state of vulnerability, get carried away,” he said.

Kinshasa inked an agreement with the M23 for a permanent ceasefire in Doha in July, after the DR Congo and Rwanda signed a US-brokered deal aimed at ending the conflict in June, but have yet to stop the violence, let alone reopen banks or bring economic relief.

The M23, which has taken the two large eastern cities of Goma and Bukavu, has imposed several taxes to finance its parallel administration.

With police stations and courts abandoned since the militant group’s arrival, there is no mechanism or authority to combat scams.

From phishing to fake messages from relatives or international organizations, online scams have proliferated in the DR Congo and its neighbors since before the resurgence of the M23, with several Ponzi schemes resulting in bankruptcies.

“In 2018, I fell victim to scammers. The idea was to deposit an amount equal or greater to US$200 and earn monthly interest through an online system where you could see how it accumulated,” said Justin, who declined to provide his full name.

He lost everything a month later, he said: “The system was blocked.”

Bukavu lawyer Pascal Mupenda said he is constantly solicited by similar platforms.

“They managed to convince three of my colleagues,” he sighed.

In a country where about 73 percent of the population lives on less than US$2 a day, for some, the opportunity to try their luck outweighs the risks.


content_text:
Lockheed Martin on Tuesday responded to concerns over delayed shipments of F-16V Block 70 jets, saying it had added extra shifts on its production lines to accelerate progress.

The Ministry of National Defense on Monday said that delivery of all 66 F-16V Block 70 jets — originally expected by the end of next year — would be pushed back due to production line relocations and global supply chain disruptions.

Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said that Taiwan and the US are working to resolve the delays, adding that 50 of the aircraft are in production, with 10 scheduled for flight testing this year and delivery next year.

The F-16V represents a major leap in Taiwan’s air defense capability. It is equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar capable of detecting stealth and long-range threats; an upgraded mission computer for faster and more reliable decisionmaking; compatibility with advanced weapons such as AIM-9X, AMRAAM and Harpoon missiles; and modern countermeasures that improve survivability against surface-to-air missiles. The jets feature a Link 16 secure communications system, enabling real-time networking with modern US aircraft, including the F-35.

Before the US approved the sale of the new aircraft, Lockheed Martin in 2016 and 2017 sent upgrade kits for Taiwan’s older F-16A/Bs. Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC) completed the upgrades last year, converting the jets to F-16V standard.

The success of the upgrade program shows that Taiwan’s aerospace sector has the capacity to handle complex defense projects. AIDC handled the installation of Lockheed Martin’s upgrade kits, while the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology installed the radar, avionics and engines. The institutions have proven that they can sustain advanced systems; the next step is to manufacture more of them.

Taiwan should seek a greater role in the F-16V supply chain. With US approval, the institute could produce non-classified components domestically — radar parts, avionics modules and weapons interfaces — and perhaps even assemble airframes, much as South Korea-based Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) does for its KF-16 jets. KAI and Japan-based Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have benefited from licensed codevelopment of fighters with Lockheed Martin, which boosted their industrial bases, enabling Japan to pursue its F-X stealth plane and South Korea to develop its KF-21 Boramae.

Taiwan, facing far greater strategic pressure, cannot afford to lag behind in such capabilities. While the institute and AIDC have not announced plans to develop a new crewed fighter, both are investing in uncrewed systems that could one day complement — or even replace — piloted aircraft. The AIDC T-5 Brave Eagle advanced jet trainer could be adapted for light combat duties with the addition of AESA radar and modern avionics. Such hybrid solutions could expand Taiwan’s operational flexibility while reducing costs.

Air superiority alone would not decide a conflict across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s defense strategy must emphasize anti-access and area denial, combining drones, missiles and mobile launchers to deter or delay invasion until allied support arrives. That approach depends on technologies such as radar, electronic warfare and secure data links — all of which are integral to the F-16V program.

Delays in deliveries are regrettable, but they underscore the urgency of building greater self-reliance. Taiwan must not only buy aircraft; it must learn to build, maintain and innovate around them.

By deepening domestic participation in the F-16V program and expanding technological expertise, Taiwan can ensure that its air power is not only modern, but sustainable. Sovereignty in defense begins with sovereignty in production.

title: EDITORIAL: Resilience through F-16V program


content_text:
In the Dutch parliamentary elections late last month, the liberal-progressive Democrats 66 (D66) secured a slim lead, finishing just ahead of the nationalist Party for Freedom (PVV).

Rob Jetten, a modernist at the helm of D66, has tasked Wouter Koolmees with scouting potential allies for a new government. In his speech celebrating the party’s most historic electoral success, Jetten expressed his intention to build a coalition with the pro-European forces that followed the PVV: the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD, 22 seats), the GreenLeft-Labour (GL-PvdA, 20) and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA, 18).

Reaching a workable compromise between the VVD and the GL-PvdA will be the toughest challenge, given their stark differences on environmental and immigration policy.

The GL-PvdA supports bold climate initiatives, such as phasing out gasoline-powered vehicles and accelerating the shift to renewable energy. The VVD is reluctant to move too quickly on the electric vehicle transition, citing concerns over economic disruption at the national and EU levels.

Immigration is the issue that most clearly divides the potential coalition, with the CDA leaning toward the more inclusive stance of the Greens and the Social Democrats rather than the restrictive line of the VVD.

It was this very disagreement — sparked by then-Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte’s push to tighten family reunification rules for asylum seekers — that brought down his final government, just months before he assumed the role of NATO secretary-general.

The CDA and the D66 stood firm, rejecting what they saw as unjustified severity. Their position mirrored that of the Labour Party, whose former leader Frans Timmermans insisted on a more humane and responsible approach in which asylum and integration policies were to reflect European values of solidarity and inclusion.

Unlike the deep divisions exposed by the migration dossier, all parties potentially involved in forming the next Dutch government share a common stance on foreign policy — including in the Indo-Pacific region. They agree on the need to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, where no authoritarian actor is allowed to bend the rules, violate international norms or behave like an overbearing power indifferent to the sovereignty of other nations.

The alignment among the parties engaged in government formation talks is also evident in their approach to Taiwan. A parliamentary motion passed this year demonstrates a unified position on China’s conduct in the Taiwan Strait and Taipei’s role in global affairs.

The resolution, backed by all prospective coalition partners, calls for the condemnation of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait, the promotion of official Dutch visits to Taipei and support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHO.

Few statements have captured the Dutch commitment to Taiwan as vividly as those of Jan Paternotte, former parliamentary leader of the D66, who stressed the deep connection between the two nations and the urgency for the Netherlands to act decisively in support.

Paternotte stressed the importance of correctly interpreting UN Resolution 2758, through which the People’s Republic of China (PRC) obtained its permanent seat on the UN Security Council at the expense of the Republic of China on Taiwan. He emphasized that the PRC’s attempt to isolate 24 million Taiwanese by distorting UN Resolution 2758 must be stopped.

The adoption of the resolution by parties across the Dutch political spectrum reflects a shared understanding of the need to separate the EU’s “one China policy” from the “one China principle,” which Beijing uses to frame its claims over Taiwan’s sovereignty.

A future Dutch government under Jetten — contingent on bridging the gap between the VVD and the GL-PvdA or involving the JA21 Conservative Liberals, a national-conservative party with a focus on sovereignty and security — is expected to pursue a strategy aimed at safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait without allowing economic or trade interests to dilute its adherence to principled values.

Although likely to avoid explicit statements on Taiwan’s statehood, the incoming administration seems prepared to take a clear stand, recognizing the critical nature of this geopolitical juncture in the broader struggle between democratic and authoritarian systems.

This approach stands in marked contrast to what might unfold in the Czech Republic, and to what is already occurring in Hungary and Slovakia, where misalignment with the EU’s dominant position reflects internal dynamics that weaken the bloc’s shared commitment to defending democracy and liberty on the global stage.

Michele Maresca is an analyst at Il Caffe Geopolitico, an online international law journal, and the Geopol21 think tank.

title: Dutch Liberals’ win and Taiwan


content_text:
The 17th South China Sea Conference was held in Vietnam on Monday and Tuesday, with representatives from National Cheng Kung University and National Taiwan University attending. The Taiwanese delegates drew on Taiwanese research to contribute to discussions on topics surrounding security and cooperation in the South China Sea and the wider Indo-Pacific region.

From Wednesday to Friday, the Manila Dialogue on the South China Sea was held in the Philippines, with officials from the Ocean Affairs Council and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines addressing the event, while the Japanese and German ambassadors to the Philippines emphasized the importance of maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait.

German Ambassador to the Philippines Andreas Pfaffernoschke said that in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and in support of freedom of navigation, Germany would follow the precedent set in September last year by once again sending a naval vessel through the Taiwan Strait.

English adventurer Walter Raleigh once said: “Whosoever commands the sea commands the trade of the world and consequently the world itself.” The South China Sea is rich in fossil fuel reserves, along with abundant mineral resources and marine fisheries. Nearly 40 percent of global trade passes through this vital sea space, which covers about 3.56 million square kilometers with an average depth of about 1km.

Its land features — islands, reefs, sandbanks, shoals and submerged banks — make up less than one 10,000th of its total area. The exceptional value of the 2,300 hectares of naturally formed territories in the region that Taiwan controls — Itu Aba (Taiping Island, 太平島) and the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙島) — is abundantly clear. Occupying a crucial chokepoint along the first island chain in East Asia, the area is a key defensive position.

On Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported that satellite imagery shows that Vietnam has built new artificial islands on all of the 21 reefs and low-tide features it controls in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島). The outposts allow Vietnam to project influence in the region and respond to China’s efforts to expand and reinforce multiple reefs and atolls in the region.

Over the past four years, Vietnam has constructed more artificial islands than China, although their total area is only about half of the 1,881 hectares that China possesses — roughly equivalent to 26 of Taipei’s Daan Park.

Countries have been aggressively expanding their territorial presence across the South China Sea, creating artificial islands by dredging and sand-filling. China controls Mischief Reef (Meiji Reef, 美濟礁), Subi Reef (Jhubi Reef, 渚碧礁) and Fiery Cross Reef (Yongshu Reef, 永暑礁) — its three largest reefs — while Vietnam holds Barque Canada Reef (柏礁), called Bai Thuyen Chai in Vietnam, Namyit Island (Hongsiou Island, 鴻庥島) and Pearson Reef (Bisheng Island, 畢生礁). The Taiwan-controlled Taiping Island, the largest natural island in the South China Sea covering about 46 hectares, has fallen to eighth in size among the artificial features that have been developed in the region.

While other countries continue to recklessly alter the “status quo” in the South China Sea, Taiwan is clinging to the old ways and exercising excessive caution. China is reportedly aiming to build two 3km airstrips on Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島) — 941km south of Sanya on China’s Hainan Island and only 220km from the Philippine town of Iba in Zambales Province.

China’s goal is to expand its aerial capabilities, adding to the four 3km runways it has already constructed elsewhere in the region. Barque Canada Reef lies 621km from Vietnam’s Phan Thiet, but only 392km from the Philippines’ Palawan Island, 389km from Sabah, Malaysia, and 396km from Brunei.

Vietnam has already constructed a 3km runway on the reef, as well as port facilities with a channel as wide as the Panama Canal.

The intense competition and friction among the powers surrounding the South China Sea is evident, which is something that Taiwan — as a maritime nation whose economy relies heavily on foreign trade — must not overlook.

Taiwan once possessed the largest natural landmass in the South China Sea. Moreover, the nation’s central location makes it a critical gateway to the north.

However, due to the complex international political circumstances of the past few decades, Taiwan has kept a low profile and stood idly while its neighbors carrying out large-scale land reclamation and territorial expansion in the South China Sea.

With the changing international situation and the diligent leadership of the Ocean Affairs Council, the time has come for Taiwan to increase its patrols in the region, maintain a constant coast guard presence, and bolster critical infrastructure on Taiping Island and the features near it. Black Hawk helicopters should be permanently stationed on Taiping to facilitate emergency medical care, and search and rescue operations in nearby waters.

The helicopters could reach Palawan, about 370km away, where Taiwan could reach an agreement with the Philippines to establish an overseas medical facility.

Such measures would expand Taiwan’s voice in the region, safeguard the nation’s maritime sovereignty and fishing rights, enhance regional influence and deepen ties with friendly nations in the region.

Lai Ming-huang is an engineer with a doctorate from National Cheng Kung University and a former Directorate-General of Highways regional engineering department head.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

taiwan-subdivisions: 南沙 東沙 太平

title: Updating South China Sea strategy


content_text:
On Oct. 31, the Chinese embassy in the US posted several images on social media of Taiwan taken by China’s Jilin-1 remote sensing satellite, including shots of Taipei and the Hsinchu Science Park. It wrote: “Every inch of Taiwan Province, China, is vibrant under the Jilin-1 space satellite’s perspective.”

Taiwan is a democratic country, where people enjoy all kinds of freedom. Naturally, every inch of it is vibrant.

As for China, faced with young Chinese “lying flat” (躺平) — a Chinese-language slang term that describes rejection of societal pressure to over-achieve at work or school — and business involution, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is at his wits’ end. Clearly, vibrant Taiwan is not a province of a stagnant China.

Take out a map, point to it and claim that “all of this belongs to China.” This is a reminder of the saying from the Book of Songs (詩經), which states that for the emperors of the Zhou Dynasty, “all land under heaven belongs to the emperor and all people are his subjects.”

Such cultural traditions have been passed on and inherited by “emperor” Xi, successor to the Zhou Dynasty emperors. No wonder all Chinese rulers are more like emperors of a “Chinese empire.” Could other countries accept Xi as their emperor too?

By posting the satellite images the day after a meeting between Xi and US President Donald Trump, Beijing was clearly targeting Washington. Before the meeting, Trump had said that “Taiwan is Taiwan.” Xi did not bring up the Taiwan issue during the talk so as not to court a rebuff.

However, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Why did Xi actually need the summit more than Trump did? Because he needed to show himself off to Chinese through it. The Chinese economy was rising when China-US relations were good and is falling now that ties have frayed. Anti-Xi forces accuse him of being incompetent, blaming him for damaging China’s relationship with the US, so he needed the meeting to prove that he is capable of working with the US.

To this end, he even removed Li Chenggan (李成鋼), who met with disfavor from Washington, from his post as China’s permanent representative to the WTO right before meeting.

As for rare earths, soy beans, fentanyl and other policy items, they are insignificant to Xi and can be altered at any time. With the meeting, he could not only silence his political rivals, but also continue his anti-US stance.

The Chinese Communist Party’s 20th Central Committee recently convened its fourth plenary session, which passed the 15th Five-year Plan for Economic and Social Development, covering from next year to 2030. Essentially, it is a plan designed to catch up and then surpass the US in almost every aspect. By 2035, Beijing plans to achieve “basic socialist modernization,” which means reaching the GDP per capita level of moderately developed countries.

However, Xi was unable to specify an annual growth rate, and merely said that he sought a “reasonable” level, which can be interpreted arbitrarily.

Xi is mirroring Mao Zedong’s (毛澤東) grand ambition of “surpassing the UK and catching up with the US,” but if he cannot solve the problems of deflation, involution and diplomatic isolation, would his efforts not be in vain?

As the US stays alert to China, its biggest security threat, there would be no return to the era of China’s “panda diplomacy.”

Paul Lin is a political commentator.

Translated by Eddy Chang

title: No return to the era of ‘panda diplomacy’


content_text: Donald Trump’s return to the White House has offered Taiwan a paradoxical mix of reassurance and risk. Trump’s visceral hostility toward China could reinforce deterrence in the Taiwan Strait. Yet his disdain for alliances and penchant for transactional bargaining threaten to erode what Taiwan needs most: a reliable US commitment.Taiwan’s security depends less on US power than on US reliability, but Trump is undermining the latter. Deterrence without credibility is a hollow shield.Trump’s China policy in his second term has oscillated wildly between confrontation and conciliation. One day, he threatens Beijing with “massive” tariffs and calls China America’s “greatest geopolitical

title: EDITORIAL CARTOON


content_text:
Democrats’ hopes for next year boosted by critical California voteThe new congressional map, which could net the party five new seats, and moderates winning in big states that often elect Republican governors could give the Democrats a chance to flip the US House

Democrats head into next year’s elections with a fighting chance to win back the US House of Representatives, after victories that showcase sharply different visions of the party as it seeks to claw back some power in a Washington dominated by Republican US President Donald Trump.

The most critical win for the Democrats’ hopes came in California on Tuesday, when voters approved a ballot measure to allow state lawmakers to adopt a new congressional map that could net the party as many as five new seats, offsetting a comparable move in Texas to benefit Republicans in a nationwide battle over redistricting.

Republicans are eager to seize on New York City’s mayor-elect — democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, a state representative with a sweeping progressive agenda — who Trump and his allies would seek to portray as the face of the Democratic Party in the midterm elections that will determine control of the US Congress for the final two years of Trump’s term.

Two moderate Democrats elected governor, former US representative Abigail Spanberger of Virginia and US Representative Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, were also catapulted onto the national stage after winning their states by sizeable margins, presenting contrasting versions of the party.

Tuesday’s highest-profile contests occurred in Democratic-leaning territory that would play little role in the races that will determine control of the US Congress.

“I don’t think we can use tonight as a total painted picture of what the next election cycle’s going to be,” South Carolina-based Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright said. “So I think we have to make sure we continue to motivate, educate and galvanize the constituencies that came out tonight to make sure we keep them in the Democratic column.”

Republicans hold a 219 to 213 majority in the US House and a 53 to 47 majority in the US Senate. To win the US Senate, Democrats would need to defend seats in highly competitive states, including Georgia, Michigan and Minnesota, while also making inroads in Republican-held states such as Florida and North Carolina.

The president’s party historically loses US House seats in the midterms. Democrats won the US House majority in 2018, Trump’s first midterm election, netting 41 seats that first brought Spanberger and Sherrill into office. They used their power to conduct oversight on Trump’s administration and twice impeached him.

“I think it’s vastly more important that moderates won in big states that often elect Republican governors than it is that a far-left candidate won in NYC [New York City],” said Matt Bennett, vice president of Third Way, a Democratic centrist think tank.

In the lead-up to next year, Trump has urged state lawmakers in Republican-led legislatures to redraw their congressional maps to maximize House Republicans’ ability to maintain control of the chamber by minimizing the number of competitive battleground districts. States typically create new maps each decade to reflect new census data.

California’s ballot initiative, Proposition 50 (Prop 50), was a direct response to Republican-led Texas’ redrawing of its congressional map to net as many as five more seats for Republicans.

“Passing Prop 50 is a big win for [California Governor Gavin] Newsom and Democrats in neutralizing Texas, but the partisan fight is far from over,” KMM Strategies political strategist Kate Maeder said. “These five pickup seats, we’re still going to have to fight for them. Not all five can be taken for granted, but we definitely have an advantage now.”

The top Democrats in the US Congress, both from New York, have maintained an arm’s-length distance from Mamdani. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries withheld his support until Oct. 24, the day before early voting began, and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer did not endorse Mamdani and declined to tell reporters on Tuesday whether he voted for him.

House Republicans’ campaign arm pledged in a memo on Tuesday last week to “make Zohran Mamdani famous in battleground races next November,” outlining a strategy to nationalize the most competitive races in the country by tying Democrats to the mayor-elect.

National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Mike Marinella said voters would make House Democrats pay next year for surrendering to a “radical socialist ... and the far-left mob.”

Axiom Strategies Republican political strategist Erin Maguire said Mamdani would be a prominent foil for Republicans over the next year. Republicans have similarly elevated former US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York to try to drag down Democratic candidates in competitive districts.

“It won’t work in every district, because not every message works in every district, not every foil works the same in every district,” Maguire said. “But all these committees know that and so they play the right way in each district to get that message to land.”


content_text:
“There’s nothing more important to the league and its fans than the integrity of the competition,” National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner Adam Silver said.

He was referring to dual indictments unveiled on Oct. 23, which alleged that NBA players and coaches had disclosed nonpublic team information to a criminal gambling ring; engaged in wire fraud and money-laundering conspiracies; and participated in rigged poker games that involved elaborate cheating technology, an assortment of hustlers, four mafia families and a bouncer known as Albanian Bruce. “Integrity” is not the first word that comes to mind.

Since the US Supreme Court opened the US gambling market in 2018, 39 states and counting have legalized sports betting to varying degrees. Americans made about US$150 billion in legal wagers last year, up from US$13 billion in 2019. Nearly half of young men have an active gambling account. Unfortunately, as the NBA’s dustup showed, this experiment is turning out to be a terrible bet.

Criminality aside, the social effects of widespread wagering are alarming. One study found that the legalization of online sports gambling in a given state is associated with deteriorating credit scores and rising bankruptcy rates, debt collections and auto-loan delinquencies. Another found rising credit debt and bank overdrafts. There might even be a link to domestic violence.

The pairing of gambling and smartphone technology has proved especially pernicious. Even casual punters find themselves beset by texts, e-mails, push notifications, in-game ads and other prompts, while the sports books — such as any casino company — fine-tune their offers to keep everyone coming back: Less than 5 percent of gamblers withdraw more money from their apps than they deposit. It is no surprise that indicators of addiction are soaring.

All this — debt, addiction, desperation — has an obvious appeal for organized crime. The industry worsens matters by offering so-called prop bets on the performance of individual players. Such wagers are a standing invitation to corruption: NBA players Jontay Porter and Terry Rozier are accused of removing themselves from games to capitalize on props. Rozier has denied wrongdoing, while Porter pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud conspiracy. For unpaid college athletes, the temptations might be worse.

With so much money coming in — to gambling companies, sports leagues and state governments — this genie will not be rebottled anytime soon. Public support for gambling is waning quickly. Policymakers should pay attention and seek to make sports betting fairer, and less harmful and prone to manipulation.

At a minimum, prop betting on college sports should be banned, as the National Collegiate Athletic Association has explicitly urged. For pro leagues, sports books should be required to limit props to prominent athletes, void them if a key player’s injury or participation status is in doubt and subject them to minimum statistical thresholds (for example, only over a full game rather than a quarter).

Lawmakers should also do more to break the mobile gambling doom loop. Banning push notifications and restricting the use of artificial intelligence to customize offers would be a start. Ideally, wagers should have to be placed in person, at a casino or similar venue. States could experiment with various other approaches, but the goal should be simple: Make it harder to place impulsive bets.

Finally, sports leagues need to accept more responsibility of their own. In the NBA, for instance, insider information — about injuries, “load management” decisions and tanking — appears to have been routinely exploited for corrupt purposes. If the league wants to continue its partnerships with the likes of DraftKings and FanDuel while maintaining its credibility (sorry, “integrity”), it needs to make a serious effort to protect such information. If it does not, it should expect further attention from the US Department of Justice.

As with any vice, gambling is fun while the good times roll. However, the bill — for the country as for the chancer — always comes due.

The Editorial Board publishes the views of the editors across a range of national and global affairs.

title: The NBA has a gambling problem, and so does the US


title: Vanke woes reminder of China crisis

content_text:
China seems to find solutions to the world’s thorniest economic problems. Its exports juggernaut is marching on despite US President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The domestic artificial intelligence industry is booming without Nvidia Corp’s high-end chips.

However, once in a while, a dormant zombie comes back to haunt it, serving as a reminder to global investors that the government has not dealt with its most pressing economic issues even as the stock market rallies.

Shenzhen-based Vanke Co, one of China’s biggest developers, is this zombie. Shenzhen Metro Group Co, a state-owned enterprise that is its largest shareholder with a 27 percent stake, seems to have had a change of heart on how much financial support it is willing to give.

The urban rail operator is asking Vanke to retroactively pledge collateral for existing unsecured loans worth 20.4 billion yuan (US$2.9 billion). It is also setting a cap on the loan facilities it would provide.

This came as a shock. Throughout the year, Shenzhen Metro has been seen as the entity the city government will use to rescue Vanke. As of Thursday last week, about 70 percent of its loans were unsecured, in what investors perceive as the most concrete sign of an informal bailout.

The burning question now is who will be responsible for Vanke’s bills. The company needs to repay 5.7 billion yuan of public bonds next month, and another 7.7 billion yuan in the first half of next year. As of June, the developer’s cash pile was only able to cover 44 percent of its short-term debt, the lowest since data became available in 1992.

It is understandable why Shenzhen Metro is balking. Vanke is growing into an ever-expanding black hole.

Contracted sales are at risk of falling by 40 percent this year, creating a cash shortfall north of 100 billion yuan, Bloomberg Intelligence said. Without the Shenzhen government’s support, Vanke might not be able to survive, and its bondholders could be staring at debt restructuring — or even worse, default.

Five years into a property downturn, Beijing has been using partial, unofficial bailouts to diffuse potential financial crisis caused by developer blowups. Shenzhen Metro, for instance, is widely seen as the lender of last resort to Vanke, even though its stake could classify the enterprise as a passive investor.

Until recently, this half-baked effort has worked reasonably well. The pace of corporate delinquencies has slowed. Meanwhile, the biggest developers that defaulted have largely hobbled toward the end of their restructuring, as creditors accept more onerous terms.

Beijing, in turn, is more than happy to declare mission accomplished. In recent policy meetings, the property recovery was put on the back burner, while technology and innovation took the center stage. Unlike last year, the government no longer pledges to “halt the real-estate market decline.”

This big headache will not go away on its own. New-home sales extended a slump last month, falling 42 percent from a year earlier, data compiled by Bloomberg showed. In other words, Vanke is the norm, not an exception.

Meanwhile, the latest kerfuffle is reigniting a debate over how Beijing plans to diffuse the developer time bomb. Some believe there is no too-big-to-fail in China, and that the likes of Vanke would eventually ask to extend their borrowings or spiral into a default. Others have more political stability in mind. In their view, the government does not want to rock the boat any further and would find another state-owned enterprise to come in as a liquidity provider.

Either way, Shenzhen’s reluctance to give unconditional love to Vanke shows that China’s real-estate woes are deepening. Beijing cannot turn the page just yet.

Shuli Ren is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asian markets. A former investment banker, she was a markets reporter for Barron’s. She is a CFA charterholder.