taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄市 左營 楠梓 鳳山 成功

people: 許智傑 邱議瑩 林岱樺 柯志恩 賴瑞隆 陳其邁

title: 突破麻花捲？高雄市長初選封關前民調　邱議瑩暫領先、許智傑第二

content_text:
▼民進黨即將於下週舉行高雄市長初選民調，《鏡報》7日取得一份綠營內部人士所做的封關前最新民調（圖 / 翻攝至網路）

【記者蘇莉湘 / 高雄報導】 民進黨高雄市長初選封關前最新民調顯示，邱議瑩在「對比式」與「互比式」民調中皆暫居第一，成為目前領先者；對比對上國民黨柯志恩時，支持度突破 5 成。互比中則以 20.8% 居冠。許智傑後勢上升，對比民調第二；林岱樺互比拿下第二，但整體聲勢受助理費爭議影響；賴瑞隆疑因霸凌案處置爭議聲勢有些下滑。整體顯示綠營支持度仍全面領先柯志恩。

民進黨即將於下週舉行高雄市長初選民調，《鏡報》7日取得一份綠營內部人士所做的封關前最新民調，在四名候選人中，邱議瑩無論是在對比或互比方面，都呈現單獨領先態勢。值得注意的是，在對比方面，許智傑微幅領先賴瑞隆，林岱樺居末；互比部分，則是林岱樺排名第二，領先賴瑞隆及許智傑。

根據民進黨初選規則所採取的對比式民調，邱議瑩對上柯志恩是51.8%與27.6%，未表態20.7％；許智傑對上柯志恩是49.4％與30.1%，未表態20.4%；賴瑞隆對上柯志恩是49.2％與30.1%，未表態20.8％；林岱樺對上柯志恩是46.7%與23.5%，未表態為29.8%。

另一方面，若是用互比式民調，邱議瑩以20.8％的支持度，領先林岱樺的18.5%、賴瑞隆的18.0%與許智傑的8.3%，未表態則是34.4％。邱議瑩在對比和互比方面都單獨位居第一。

進一步從市議員選區進行分析，民進黨四名候選人普遍都領先柯志恩，其中邱議瑩、林岱樺是「全勝」，許智傑、賴瑞隆則是僅有第四選區（左營、楠梓）微幅落後柯志恩，但差距都在1%內。

地方人士指出，邱議瑩在最後階段展現出的爆發力與衝刺力，主打「市長牌」，強調延續陳其邁的高滿意度施政，成功激起綠營支持者的熱情，讓聲勢從鳳山大造勢、政見會後持續看漲，並且透過與黃捷等高人氣明星合體的全市大車掃，逐漸拉開與其他候選人的差距。

地方人士表示，許智傑透過在鳳山的深厚人脈與勤跑基層，雖然在初期時聲勢稍遜賴瑞隆，但到了選戰後期，AI小金剛的知名度已經逐步打開，加上成功邀請媽祖贊境，以及LaLaPort大型商場即將開幕的政績加持，都讓許智傑的聲勢後來居上。

至於賴瑞隆及林岱樺方面，地方人士說，林岱樺在助理費案爆發後，聲勢便逐步往下，即使透過幾場大規模造勢，但仍無法拉抬，只能保住基本盤的支持度；至於賴瑞隆，在疑似霸凌案中初步的處置失當，甚至讓另一方家長感到不受尊重，可能影響了家長族群的觀感，應是聲勢下滑的最大關鍵。

本次調查由雨晴民調公司進行，抽樣方法採分層比例隨機抽樣法。以中華電信高雄市電話住宅用戶為抽樣母體，依據比例樣本配置法分配區域樣本數，採分層比例隨機抽樣法選取住宅電話樣本。同時為了使原始未登錄的電話號碼也有機會被抽出，將同時採後二碼隨機的方式抽取電話樣本。訪問對象為調查區域內年滿20歲以上之成年民眾。訪問日期為115年1月5日至6日。訪問時間為晚間6點30分至10點。總有效樣本為1,071份。抽樣誤差在95％的信心水準下，約±3.0 個百分點。以SPSS19.0統計軟體進行資料分析，並依據高雄市民政局 114 年 9 月底人口統計資料，針對行政區、年齡與性別進行統計加權處理。


content_text:
▼頒獎典禮於2026年1月7日舉行，由王瑞祥院長率領護理部徐敏芬主任、醫務企管部廖正義主任及資訊室薛如芳主任共同出席受獎。（圖 / 屏東榮總團隊提供）

【記者蘇莉湘 / 屏東報導】 屏東榮民總醫院持續投入醫療品質改善與智慧醫療發展，2025年以兩項具創新性與臨床實務成效的專案，榮獲SNQ（Symbol of National Quality）國家品質標章，展現醫院在流程優化、病人安全及智慧照護等面向的卓越表現。頒獎典禮於2026年1月7日舉行，由王瑞祥院長率領護理部徐敏芬主任、醫務企管部廖正義主任及資訊室薛如芳主任共同出席受獎。

本次獲獎專案之一為「打造高效零衝突的檢查排程整合系統：一鍵排程重整的創新應用」。以數位化及資訊整合為核心，重新設計院內檢查排程流程，能依據科別、人力配置、檢查項目與設備使用情形進行動態調整，提升整體資源運用效率。系統透過精確的資料分析與彈性排程邏輯（不依賴人工智慧），簡化病人檢查安排流程，減少等候與衝突狀況，並強化跨單位協作。

其中，「一鍵排程重整」功能可因應突發事件或臨時中止檢查的情境，快速重新安排病人檢查時段，並同步發送簡訊通知，有效降低醫護與行政人員的溝通與作業負擔。同時，系統建置報表檢核機制，持續追蹤影像傳輸與醫囑簽收狀態，確保檢查流程完整，進一步提升醫療服務的穩定性與可靠度。

另一項獲獎專案為「『加護不加負』：智慧照護平台實現團隊共照與提升工作效率」。屏東榮總於2024年8月導入「加護病房臨床資訊整合與智慧化應用系統」，以病人為中心，整合病史、即時生理監測、檢驗與影像資料，建構醫護人員共用的一站式照護資訊平台。採模組化設計與標準化介接，支援即時臨床判斷、跨團隊溝通與新進人員快速熟悉工作流程。系統上線後，同時提升照護流程的即時性與完整性，對醫護人員的工作效率與照護品質皆帶來正向影響。

臨床應用上，減輕醫護人工行政負擔，降低錯誤風險，照護流程更為順暢，並提升床位運用效率與照護品質。在病人安全方面，透過資訊整合與流程標準化，有效降低醫療風險，提升重症照護品質，具高度示範及推廣價值。

屏東榮總榮獲兩項SNQ國家品質標章，是對屏東榮總跨部門團隊合作與持續改善努力的肯定。未來將持續以病人為中心，深化智慧醫療應用，推動數位轉型，打造更安全、高效且友善的醫療環境，並將成功經驗分享與擴散，為提升整體醫療品質持續努力。

title: 屏東榮總提升醫療品質 榮獲兩項SNQ國家品質標章肯定 智慧排程與重症照護雙軌推動　展現醫療品質與數位轉型成果

taiwan-subdivisions: 屏東 成功


taiwan-subdivisions: 旗津 高雄 高雄市

content_text:
▼深耕旗津地區的市議員參選人林哲弘表示，這次道路打通「不只是方便通勤，更是把救護、消防的可達性補起來」，對居民日常與緊急應變都是關鍵（圖 / 林哲弘團隊提供）。

【記者蘇莉湘 / 高雄報導】 高雄市工務局新工處5日表示，旗津中洲三路129巷東西向道路已完成打通並正式通車，全長約157公尺，包含15公尺寬都市計畫道路與8公尺寬道路，預期可改善當地交通瓶頸並促進區域發展。工務局指出，該路段過去未與旗津三路連接，導致居民出入不便，消防車輛也較難進入救災；市府考量急救需求及整體交通系統，因此啟動道路打通工程，確保通行安全與順暢。

對此，深耕旗津地區的市議員參選人林哲弘表示，這次道路打通「不只是方便通勤，更是把救護、消防的可達性補起來」，對居民日常與緊急應變都是關鍵。他肯定市府與工務團隊落實基礎建設，也強調後續仍應同步完善周邊交通安全配套，包括人行環境、照明、標線標誌與路口減速等，讓旗津交通更順、觀光更友善、生活更安全。

title: 旗鼓塩區民進黨議員參選人林哲弘肯定市府補齊路網 旗津道路再升級 中洲三路129巷通車


taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄市 新興 三民 獅子 高雄

title: 李皆道榮獲高雄市李氏宗親會首屆「十大傑出菁英獎」  以一生實幹精神書寫企業與公益並行的人生

content_text:
【記者林意雯/高雄報導】社團法人高雄市李氏宗親會於 2026 年於115年1月6日下午14點於高雄市議會，隆重舉辦首屆「十大傑出菁英獎」選拔活動表彰各行各業中表現卓越、對社會具深遠影響力的李氏宗親。經嚴謹評選，共遴選出十位來自不同領域的傑出代表，展現李氏宗親群英薈萃、世代傳承的精神風範。其中，順吉位、順升昌企業股份有限公司董事長 李皆道先生憑藉數十年如一日的實幹精神與回饋社會的行動力，脫穎而出，獲頒企業獎此項殊榮，現場宗親齊聚，共同見證這份榮耀。

李皆道先生於獲獎致詞時表示，能獲得宗親會的肯定，內心滿懷感恩與感動。他回憶童年求學於三民國小，畢業後即踏入職場，白天工作、夜晚協助父親販售粉圓與米糕粥，在並不輕鬆的生活環境中，提早體會「做人一定要肯吃苦」的道理。

24 歲退伍後，李皆道找到人生第一份正式工作，日薪僅 42 元，生活艱辛，卻也在那段時期立下信念——若將來有能力，必定回饋社會。民國 60 年，原任職工廠因虧損歇業，他向老闆借用三台小型沖床，自行創業，從零開始、沒有資金背景，一步一腳印打下基礎。

民國 70 年，公司成為光陽機車的衛星工廠後，經營逐漸穩定。李皆道始終堅持「企業要經營要用良質控管，不要靠燒酒作交際」的原則，務實經營、穩健前行。民國 73 年起，他投入社會服務，陸續加入仁仁慈善協會與新興獅子會，將年輕時心中「服務社會」的承諾逐步實踐。

民國 80 年後，子女陸續退伍並接手公司，企業規模持續擴展、興建新廠，讓他得以投入更多時間於公益與社團事務，回饋社會、造福更多人。

李皆道表示，此次特別感謝高雄市李氏宗親會舉辦「十大傑出菁英獎」，並與年輕世代分享他常掛在心中的一句話：「世間有四季，沒有景氣。」他勉勵大家，不論環境好壞，只要肯努力、不放棄，終能走出屬於自己的一條路。

李皆道的生命歷程，展現了台灣基層企業家踏實奮鬥、回饋社會的真實寫照，也為宗親與後輩樹立值得效法的典範。此次榮獲首屆「十大傑出菁英獎」表揚不論在企業經營、社會服務與宗族典範上展現卓越貢獻之宗親代表之一。

(照片、文-主辦單位提供) (圖/翻攝)


countries: 英國 美國

title: Barclays 注資 Ubyx，推進數碼貨幣互通

content_text:
Ubyx 致力提供代幣化存款及穩定幣的全球結算系統。

倫敦和紐約2026年1月7日 /美通社/ — Barclays 宣佈對 Ubyx Inc. 進行策略性投資。Ubyx 是一家總部位於美國的數碼貨幣結算系統供應商，業務涵蓋代幣化存款及受監管的穩定幣。

「互通性對於釋放數碼資產的全部潛力至關重要。隨著代幣、區塊鏈及錢包的生態不斷演變，專門技術將在提供連接和基建方面發揮關鍵作用，讓受監管的金融機構能夠實現無縫互動。我們很高興能加入 Ubyx 的發展旅程，共同推動我們的共同願景，加速並重塑整個行業的創新。」Barclays 數碼資產及策略投資主管 Ryan Hayward 表示。

Ubyx 行政總裁 Tony McLaughlin 表示：「我們的使命是為受監管的數碼貨幣（包括代幣化存款及受監管穩定幣）建立一個通用的全球受理網絡。銀行的參與對於確保透過受監管渠道進行面值贖回至關重要。我們正邁向一個新時代，每家受監管機構除了提供傳統銀行賬戶外，亦將提供數碼錢包。」

這項投資正值市場對基於公共區塊鏈基建交易的新型代幣化數碼貨幣興趣日濃。多個司法管轄區的監管框架正日趨明朗，加密貨幣應用場景以外的採用率亦見增長跡象。Barclays 與 Ubyx 致力於在合規監管範圍內，負責任地推動代幣化貨幣的發展。

Barclays 簡介：

我們的願景是成為以英國為核心的全球金融領導者。我們是一家多元化銀行，業務涵蓋全面的英國消費者、企業、財富及私人銀行服務，並擁有領先的投資銀行業務及強大的美國消費者銀行專營業務。透過這五大業務板塊，我們攜手合作，為我們的顧客、客戶及社區共創更美好的金融未來。

如欲了解更多關於 Barclays 的資訊，請瀏覽我們的網站 home.barclays

Ubyx 簡介：

Ubyx 的成立旨在促進代幣化貨幣的普及，透過一個通用的結算環境連接多個發行方與接收機構，支援數碼貨幣按面值贖回，從而維護貨幣的單一性。

如欲了解更多資訊，請瀏覽 https://ubyx.xyz


content_text:
GLOBAL OUTLOOK: The foreign minister said the agency seeks to bring ‘Taiwan closer to the world’ through the plan, which has an ‘integrated diplomacy’ strategy

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is planning a center for international non-governmental organizations (NGO) to attract more groups to set up offices and make Taiwan a critical hub for their work in the region, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) told the NGO Leaders Forum in Taipei yesterday.

The forum, themed “Integrated Diplomacy in Action: NGO Experiences, Achievements and Outlook,” was the first major event held by the ministry this year, Lin said.

The event was an opportunity to review the achievements of NGOs and their work with the government, as well as a means to deepen public-private cooperation, he said.

The ministry has been promoting “values-based diplomacy” in line with President William Lai’s (賴清德) policies, he said.

“The ministry is striving to bring Taiwan closer to the world,” Lin said, adding that he has supported the objective by integrating “values-based diplomacy, economic diplomacy and alliance diplomacy” into a comprehensive “integrated diplomacy” strategy.

“Through the promotion of NGO diplomacy, Taiwan would translate values-based diplomacy — with its focus on democracy, freedom and human rights — into visible, credible and concrete cooperative initiatives,” he said.

“Under the framework of integrated diplomacy, the role of NGOs would also evolve, as they are more than participants in policy initiatives, being essential partners that codesign and coimplement initiatives and expand Taiwan’s international influence,” he said.

NGOs and governments are providing integrated support for children affected by war in Kyiv, Lin said, citing an example he learned about while attending a ceremony in Warsaw in September last year to witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding.

“Likewise, Taiwan can build platforms to boost international cooperation, accumulate trust and consolidate its indispensable role as a responsible member of the global civil society,” he said.

“Over the past year, the ministry’s work with domestic and international NGOs has continued to show that Taiwan has an important role to play as an enabler of cooperation and a trusted partner in international society,” he said.

Diplomacy is about long-term commitment, sustained dialogue and partnerships that provide mutual support at critical moments, he said, adding that this is why international NGOs are deepening ties with Taiwan and establishing bases here.

“The ministry plans to launch an international NGO center in Taipei and we believe Taiwan can serve as a critical hub for their activities throughout the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.

Civil society in Taiwan has abundant resources, while NGOs in the nation are vibrant and dynamic, with experience in international affairs and professionalism, so they are an indispensable force in connecting Taiwan with the world, he said.

Marco Chiesara, president of Italian humanitarian group WeWorld, told the forum that Taiwan’s public and private sectors provide essential support for children affected by the war in Ukraine.

“Partnerships like the one with Taiwan’s MOFA and the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families are so vital,” Chiesara said in his keynote speech. “They turn pledges into programs and concerns into concrete change.”

The aid allowed WeWorld to “keep child-friendly spaces open, keep heaters running ... and keep hopes alive,” he said.

“Children cannot wait. They cannot wait for a ceasefire to find walls, for a construction budget to find a classroom or for the next election to find psychosocial care. They need us now,” he said.

WeWorld’s most recent collaboration with Taiwan in Ukraine involved a project supporting foster families and children’s mental health in Kyiv, Chiesara said.

WeWorld, the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families, and the ministry previously worked in other conflict-affected countries such as Syria and Afghanistan following major earthquakes there, he added.

Additional reporting by CNA

title: Ministry outlines plan for INGO center

people: 林佳龍 賴清德


content_text:
SYSTEM FAULT?  The pilot reported that he was to eject the F-16, but an onboard system did not confirm that the action had been taken, officers said   By Wang Chin-yi and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNA

A search-and-rescue mission for an air force pilot off Hualien County would not cease after 72 hours, while training with F-16V aircraft has been suspended, the air force said yesterday amid reports of a malfunctioning flight system.

Contact with air force pilot Captain Hsin Po-yi’s (辛柏毅) fighter was lost off Hualien while on a routine training flight on Tuesday night.

He reported that he was engaging the ejection seat at 7:28:22pm and his plane disappeared from radar at 7:28:30pm, Air Force Command Inspector General Chiang Yi-cheng (江義誠) told a news conference in Hualien yesterday, adding that automated reports from the onboard Modular Mission Computer (MMC) had not confirmed a successful ejection.

The air force dispatched Lockheed C-130 Hercules planes, and Sikorsky S-10 and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), Pingtung Airport and Hualien Airport to conduct search-and-rescue operations, while nine Coast Guard Administration ships arrived in the area at 7:36pm, Chiang said.

The navy had also dispatched a Keelung-class destroyer to aid in the operation, he said.

Hsin had not been found, but the air force would continue the operation beyond the “golden” 72-hour window for rescues, he said, adding that Hsin’s family had been brought to the Fifth Mixed Tactical Wing base at Hualien Airport.

Lieutenant Colonel Ting Wei-hsuan (丁尉軒) of the fifth wing told the news conference that the MMC unit in Hsin’s fighter had not reported any malfunctions over the past six months.

The air force said that it has been logging all faults found in F-16s, and has provided the data to the US to identify the sources of malfunctions and develop system patches to improve reliability.

Hsin has logged 611 hours of flight time, of which he spent 371 hours in F-16Vs, the air force said, adding that Tuesday’s weather and sea state were within exercise standards.

Colonel Chou Ming-ching (周明慶), of the Fifth Wing’s 27th Tactical Squadron, said the top causes of accidents involving F-16 pilots were midair collisions, spatial disorientation, G-force-induced loss of consciousness and controlled flight into terrain.

Based on Hsin’s reports on Tuesday, the pilot was aware that he was experiencing spatial disorientation and had done everything he could in the situation, Chou said.

The MMC failure seems to have been pivotal.

“There are several levels of modular mission computer malfunctions. In this case, the aircraft’s flight path was no longer displayed, so Captain Hsin was unable to obtain information on his attitude,” Chou said.

“The pilot did report an MMC malfunction during the mission,” Ting said.

“We will urge the US side to expedite software updates to improve system reliability,” he said.

The Ministry of National Defense dispatched mobile trucks equipped with digital microwave systems to test its backup Internet relay systems and ensure reliable connectivity between units, said ministry officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Separately, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) quoted President William Lai (賴清德) as saying that he had instructed the defense ministry and other agencies to devote all forces to the search-and-rescue mission, adding that he hopes Hsin would be returned safe and well.

Lai also urged all political parties, as well as the public, to pray for Hsin’s safe return.

Additional reporting by You Tai-lang, Hua Meng-ching, Chen Cheng-yu and Chiu Chun-fu

title: Air force says search for pilot to be extended


people: 劉世芳 梁文傑

content_text:
Taiwan rejects China’s sanctions on two ministers and prosecutorBy Lee Wen-hsin, Wu Sheng-ju and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The government yesterday vowed to defend national sovereignty and the safety of all Taiwanese after China sanctioned two Cabinet ministers, accusing them of “separatism.”

Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) and Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) were added to Beijing’s list of “Taiwanese independence diehards,” while Chen Shu-yi (陳舒怡) of the High Prosecutors’ Office was named as an “accomplice.”

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) told a news conference that Liu and Cheng have committed numerous actions backing independence, “angering people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.”

Chen accused Liu of promoting independence, “suppressing cross-strait exchanges and persecuting Chinese spouses living in Taiwan,” and Chen of “compiling pro-independence teaching materials” and “poisoning the minds” of young people.

The office called on the public to provide evidence of Liu’s and Cheng’s “crimes.”

Liu and Cheng said that the accusations would not deter them.

“My commitment to defending national sovereignty, and a free and democratic way of life will not change, and I will continue to safeguard Taiwan,” she said.

The Fundamental Act of Education (教育基本法) says that the right to education revolves around the people, and that education’s purpose is to instill, among other traits, moral character, patriotism and understanding of democracy, Cheng said.

The Ministry of Education has been fulfilling its lawful duties as defined by the act and would continue to do so unflinchingly, he said.

Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) told reporters on the sidelines of a legislative hearing in Taipei that Beijing’s so-called “diehards” are “steadfast defenders of the Republic of China’s existence, fighting Chinese communist infiltration.”

“The government will persevere with full faith that those targeted will not change their views,” Liang said.

Separately, the MAC said that those being sanctioned by China have implemented strong and effective measures to counter Beijing’s pressure, infiltration and espionage campaigns.

China’s goal is not to harm the people on its sanction list, but assert the right to treat Taiwan as an internal territory and to sow internal division in the nation, concurrent with efforts to cultivate local collaborators, it said.

Beijing’s intimidation would never shake the resolve of Taiwanese to defend freedom and democracy, it said, adding that the government would dauntlessly uphold sovereignty, the rule of law and the well-being of Taiwanese.

China must take full responsibility for the consequences of its actions after undermining stability across the Taiwan Strait with its provocations, the MAC said.

Deputy Minister of Justice Huang Mou-hsin (黃謀信) said that Taiwan does not brook challenges to its sovereignty and his ministry fully supports prosecutors carrying out their duties.

District prosecutors’ offices have been ordered to take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of staff and punish collaborators who break the law on Beijing’s behalf, Huang said.

Additional reporting by Chen Yu-fu and Wang Ting-chuan


content_text:
A Saudi Arabian-led coalition yesterday struck the home province of Aidaros Alzubidi, Yemen’s United Arab Emirates (UAE)-backed separatist leader, after he failed to show up for talks in Riyadh and was kicked out of the country’s presidential body.

The coalition said that it had given Alzubidi a 48-hour ultimatum to travel to Riyadh for discussions, after his Southern Transitional Council grabbed swathes of territory last month.

However, he failed to board the flight carrying his delegation and the coalition struck his home province of al-Dhale after accusing him of mobilizing “large forces” there.

Men sit in a pickup truck as they drive past an armoured vehicle in Aden, Yemen, yesterday. Photo: AFP

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, which holds executive power, later announced Alzubidi’s removal, accusing him of “high treason.”

The showdown between Yemen’s rival factions raised fears that Aden, where the Southern Transitional Council says its leader is, could be drawn into the violence.

The Southern Transitional Council’s advance and the Saudi Arabian response have also sent relations with the UAE, a rival powerbroker in Yemen, plummeting.

The Southern Transitional Council said that it was open to discussions, but warned that it had lost contact with its delegation in Riyadh, urging Saudi Arabian authorities to guarantee the group’s safety.

Yesterday, more than 15 strikes hit Dhale, a local official told reporters, killing four people, according to two hospital sources.

Alzubidi “fled to an unknown location ... after he had distributed weapons and ammunition to dozens of elements inside Aden,” coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Maliki said in a statement.

The coalition carried out strikes to prevent Alzubidi from “escalating the conflict” and extending it into Dhale governorate, he added.

title: Saudi Arabian strikes follow exit of Yemeni leader


content_text:
Russia sent a submarine to escort an empty oil tanker that the US military has been pursuing and attempting to seize for weeks, US media reported on Tuesday.

The US has been chasing the oil tanker, formerly known as the Bella 1, since it evaded a US blockade around Venezuela and thwarted a US Coast Guard attempt to board it last month.

Since being pursued by the US Coast Guard, the vessel has switched its registration to Russia, changed its name to the Marinera and the tanker’s crew reportedly painted a Russian flag on the tanker last month.

It had been en route to Venezuela, but was not carrying cargo before it evaded the blockade.

US officials said the tanker is part of a shadow fleet carrying oil for countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran in contravention of US sanctions.

Tracking data from MarineTraffic showed the tanker nearing Iceland’s exclusive economic zone yesterday.

Russia sent “a submarine and other naval assets” to escort the tanker, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed US officials.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier on Tuesday said that it was “following with concern” the US pursuit.

The ministry told state-run media prior to reports of the escort that the vessel was sailing under the Russian flag and was far from the US coast.

Separately, the names, ranks and ages of 32 Cuban military personnel killed during the capture of deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro by US forces were published on Tuesday by the Cuban government.

Among the deceased are colonels, lieutenants, majors and captains, as well as reserve soldiers, ranging in age from 26 to 60. The uniformed personnel belonged to the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Cuban Ministry of the Interior, it said.

The publication did not specify their missions or exactly how they died.

Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodriguez said that Cubans were “prepared to give their lives” against any US intervention as Havana pondered a future without Maduro as Venezuela’s leader.

“The US president, displaying a complete lack of understanding about Cuba ... blasphemes against and threatens our people,” Rodriguez wrote on X. “Our valiant people, true to their history of struggle, will defend their nation against any imperialist aggression.”

title: Russia sends sub to escort tanker pursued by US


title: Book fair to feature Thai culture

content_text:
CULTURAL EXCHANGE:  Teenagers would be able to spend cultural coins, which have been raised in value to NT$1,200 this year, on books at the fair

The 34th Taipei International Book Exhibition (TIBE) is to open on Feb. 3, with this year’s guest of honor, Thailand, presenting diversified contemporary Thai culture and creativity at its pavilion, “CreaTHAIvity,” while several countries would also be hosting books and events at their booths

The annual TIBE, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, is to take place at Hall 1 of the Taipei World Trade Center from Feb. 3 to Feb. 8.

Deputy Minister of Culture Lee Ching-hwi (李靜慧) yesterday said that since the first TIBE in 1987, the annual exhibition has not positioned itself as a sales venue, but a place where culture and publishing can exchange dialogue, demonstrating Taiwan’s long-term commitment to freedom of speech and publication.

Taipei Book Fair Foundation chairman Rex How, left, poses for a photograph with representatives from different foreign embassies at a news conference for the Taipei International Book Exhibition in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Culture

This year marks Thailand’s third time being the guest of honor, following its previous stints in 2009 and 2014, she said, adding that the country would demonstrate its diverse contemporary culture and creative energy through a wide range of literature, illustrations, comics and novels.

Taipei Book Fair Foundation chairman Rex How (郝明義) said the Thai pavilion would be a good opportunity for Taiwanese to learn more about Thailand, as there are many similarities and exchanges, but also distinctive cultures.

He thanked all countries participating in the book fair for their support, as well as the ministry for raising the value of culture coins for teenagers aged 13 to 15 from NT$600 to NT$1,200 this year and for distributing them before the event so that teenagers could spend them on books at the fair.

Thai Trade Office Director Kallaya Leewongcharoen said the Thai Pavillion proudly presents “CreaTHAIvity,” a fusion of creativity and “Thainess,” which captures the essence of Thai imagination, rich cultural heritage and the country’s diverse storytelling traditions from every region.

The Thai Pavillion would host more than 30 activities and performances, featuring Thai authors and artists, forums, language and cultural shows, and even Thai cuisine, she said.

Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand secretary-general Theerapat Charoensuk said 10 Thai authors have been invited to attend TIBE this year, including Paul Adirex, a prominent novelist, documentarian and former minister; and Prapt, a renowned author known for his suspense and detective novels, some of which have been adapted into popular TV series.

Belgian Office Taipei Trade and Investment Commissioner for the Wallonia and Brussels-Capital Regions Philippe Tzou (鄒宏平) said that over the several years of attending the TIBE, Taiwan has become familiar with Belgium’s picture books, with 200 translated and published in Taiwan.

This year, the office brings more than 20 publishers from the French-speaking southern part of Belgium, and a range of picture books, comics and books on various topics, including finance and popular science, to the book fair, he said, adding that novelist Alix Garin, whose graphic novel about a grandmother with Alzheimer’s sold more than 3,000 copies in Taiwan, and illustrator Noemie Favart would also attend to meet with readers in Taiwan.

Czech Center Taipei Secretary-General Chiang Chia-li (蔣家立) said that while the Czech Republic has only about 10 million people, it publishes more than 1,500 books each year, and while it mainly promoted adult novels at TIBE last year, it would focus on storytelling for children and adolescents this year, bringing a curated selection of the 60 best children’s books of the decade, and four renowned authors.

Josue Serres, head of Academic Cooperation and Cultural Affairs at the French Office in Taipei, said that the office would host nine conferences, five signing events, three workshops and two live drawing events this year, and would invite three authors, including children’s book author and illustrator Magali Le Huche, mathematician and philosopher Daniel Andler, and author and actor Rebecca Vaissermann.

Highlighting a French graphic novel by Huche, Punk a sein, a documentary-style comic about confronting breast cancer, Serres said he recommends people not to miss the author’s live drawing event, in which she would draw pictures accompanied by The Beatles music.

India Taipei Association Deputy Director-General Vishwanjali Murlidhar Gaikwad said its booth titled “Little Mind, Big Idea” would showcase the diversity of children’s books from India, as they see “stories” as tools for children’s problem-solving, creativity, multilingual awareness and emotional growth.

Italian Trade Agency Director Luigi Raffone said that the agency would have two booths this year, with one at the main pavilion showing a diverse range of content, including children’s books, educational materials, graphic novels, comics, and art books from seven Italian publishers, and another booth themed on Italian comics, including hosting events with renowned Italian comic book artist Luca Enoch.


title: International students could fill driver shortage: bureau

content_text:
SKILLED STAFF: The minimum monthly salary for passenger transport work would start at NT$50,000, while employees must have language skills and relevant licenses

The Highway Bureau yesterday said that it is considering recruiting public bus drivers from international students and students of Chinese descent graduating from Taiwanese universities to address the shortage of bus drivers, provided that they are able to speak intermediate-level Mandarin.

Based on the bureau’s proposal, which has been submitted to the Ministry of Labor, international students must have intermediate-level Chinese language proficiency and have relevant licenses or training. The minimum monthly salary for passenger transport work would start at NT$50,000, and the monthly salary must not be less than NT$43,000 for freight transport work.

At the end of March last year, the labor ministry said that it would allow foreign students and students of Chinese descent to engage in mid-level technical jobs such as truck drivers, ride-along assistants, and intercity and city bus drivers after graduation.

A Taoyuan Bus parks in an unidentified location in Taoyuan on Friday last week. Photo: Hsieh Wu-hsiung, Taipei Times

However, due to differing opinions from the public, it asked the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to reassess the proposal and plan supporting measures.

In response to public concerns, the Highway Bureau said in a written statement that, after consulting the Ministry of Education and the National Immigration Agency, it raised the Chinese-language proficiency test requirement from the basic level to the intermediate level.

In mid-November last year, the revised proposals were submitted to the Ministry of Labor for regulatory review.

As of last month, there was a shortage of 1,367 drivers in city bus services and 661 drivers in highway passenger transport services, bureau statistics showed.

Separately, construction of the Airport MRT Terminal 3 Station (A14) of the Taoyuan Airport MRT Line is progressing rapidly since the northern concourse of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 3 was opened on Dec. 25 last year, the transportation ministry said yesterday, adding that the installation of the core electromechanical systems began in the station in November last year.

The main Terminal 3 building is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year.

Air travelers would be able to seamlessly transfer to the MRT immediately after exiting the terminal, traveling easily to Taipei, New Taipei City or Taoyuan’s urban areas, the transport ministry said.

Work at the station is focused on finishing the first platform surface and installing platform screen doors, with completion targeted for the first half of this year, it said.

The station is scheduled to open next year in conjunction with Terminal 3, it added.


title: Investigation launched into hospital malpractice claim

content_text:
Health authorities yesterday said they are investigating claims that Taichung Veterans General Hospital allegedly allowed unlicensed medical-device vendors to perform surgeries on patients in its neurosurgery department.

A report in a Chinese-language weekly said that the hospital had allowed the vendors to enter operating rooms and perform minimally invasive spinal endoscopic surgeries for at least three years, operating on up to 180 patients without their knowledge.

A whistle-blower also submitted alleged video evidence to the publication.

Taichung Veterans General Hospital deputy superintendent Lee Cheng-hung, center, speaks to reporters at the hospital yesterday. Photo: CNA

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said that the case, which involves alleged unlicensed medical practice and false claims for medical expenses, would be referred to investigators.

A task force has been assembled to investigate the matter, hospital deputy superintendent Lee Cheng-hung (李政鴻) said.

The hospital’s guidelines clearly state that no nonmedical personnel are to practice medicine, he said.

As the video evidence is blurry, the time and location remain unclear, and it is difficult to ascertain whether the vendors actually performed any surgeries, he added.

If the investigation reveals that malpractice took place, the case would be referred to the hospital’s personnel review committee for disciplinary action, he said.

Under hospital regulations, medical-device vendors can enter operating rooms when using new equipment or instruments to maintain the devices or assist medical staff due to the complexity of the machinery, he said.

This requires approval from the department head and identity verification by the nursing station, he added.

Once inside, vendors are restricted to a designated area, cannot enter controlled zones and must leave within a set timeframe, he said.

The ministry today is to issue an official letter to the Taichung Health Bureau requesting a thorough investigation, Department of Medical Affairs Deputy Director-General Liu Yu-ching (劉玉菁) said.

The bureau said it would transfer the case to the Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office.

If it is found that an unlicensed vendor carried out surgery on a patient, they would be in contravention of the Physicians’ Act (醫師法) and could be liable for a prison sentence of six months to five years, and a fine of between NT$300,000 and NT$1.5 million (US$9,517 and US$47,587), Liu said.

The hospital would also be in contravention of the Medical Care Act (醫療法), facing a fine of between NT$50,000 and NT$500,000, he said.

Operations of the institution could also be suspended for one month to a year and — in the most severe instance — could have its operating license revoked, he added.

Moreover, minimally invasive spinal endoscopic surgery is not fully covered under National Health Insurance, National Health Insurance Administration Deputy Director-General Yu Bin (禹斌) said.

The case would therefore involve false medical claims, and penalties would be imposed according to contracting and management regulations, he said.

Any improperly claimed fees would be recovered, and the case would be referred to prosecutors for investigation, he added.


content_text:
Nestle Taiwan yesterday said that affected batches of baby formula have not been sold in Taiwan, even as at least 30 countries have issued recalls over concerns that the products contain the toxin cereulide.

In a statement, the company said that its products sold in Taiwan are all safe for consumption.

The company said that it has implemented necessary control measures to protect consumers’ trust in its products and safety.

A screen grab of an announcement issued by Nestle Taiwan is pictured yesterday. Screen grab from the Web site of Nestle Taiwan

The international food company also welcomed people to contact its customer service centers for any questions.

The toxin, produced by bacteria that can cause foodborne illness, was detected in arachidonic acid oil supplied by a major manufacturer, the company said on its Web site.

Nestle said it is in contact with authorities in the affected countries to ensure that appropriate measures are taken.

It has tested all of its arachidonic acid oil and corresponding oil mixes, and is working with the supplier to find the root cause of the problem, it said.

No illnesses have been confirmed in connection with their products to date, it added.

title: Toxic Nestle formula not sold in Taiwan: company


content_text:
National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) has been ranked Taiwan’s top university by 104 Corp. in the local job bank’s 2026 University Brand Power Survey released yesterday.

NCKU was followed by National Tsing Hua University and National Taiwan University in second and third place, respectively.

All of the top 10 universities in the latest rankings were public institutions.

National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) entered the top 10 for the first time, replacing Fu Jen Catholic University, which ranked ninth last year.

The rest of the top 10 comprised National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taipei Tech, National Chengchi University, National Central University and NCHU.

Among private universities, Chung Yuan Christian University, Fu Jen Catholic University, Feng Chia University, Tamkang University and Tunghai University ranked highest, placing between 12th and 16th overall.

According to 104, the survey drew on more than 4.18 million job-

title: NCKU tops Taiwan’s 2026 University Brand Power survey


content_text:
Mercury set to drop as low as 10°C in 17 counties, cities today

Staff Writer, with CNA

A cold surge advisory has been issued for 17 of 22 counties and cities in Taiwan, with those areas set to see temperatures fall to as low as 10 degrees Celsius today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

CWA forecaster Lai Hsin-kuo (賴欣國) said the freezing weather is forecast in the wake of a strong continental cold air mass, combined with radiative cooling effects, which refers to the cooling of the ground under clear skies, light winds and dry conditions.

An "orange" cold surge alert has been issued for New Taipei, Taipei and Taoyuan and Hsinchu, Miaoli and Yilan counties in the north, indicating a minimum ground-level temperature below 6 degrees or a minimum ground-level temperature below 10 degrees and temperatures below 12 degrees for 24 hours.

A "yellow" signal was issued for Keelung and Hsinchu cities in the north, Taichung and Changhua and Nantou counties in central Taiwan, Yunlin and Chiayi counties, Tainan and Kaohsiung in the south, Hualien County in the east as well as the outlying Kinmen islands, defined as a minimum ground-level temperature below 10 degrees.

The CWA said daytime mercury is forecast to hit 15 degrees in the north and 18-20 degrees in central and southern Taiwan on Thursday.

The cold air mass is expected to weaken Friday and Saturday with temperature highs expected to rise to 18-20 degrees in the north, and 20-22 degrees in central and southern Taiwan, Lai said.

Another continental cold air mass is forecast to set in Saturday night to Monday with the mercury plunging to 13-15 degrees in the early mornings and at night, but the weather will stay dry due to little moisture, he added.


title: Trip proves Taiwan is a country: Seki

content_text:
‘THUGGISH STATE’:  China reneged on an international agreement it cosigned with the UK, and the fate of Hong Kongers carries a lesson for Taiwanese, Hei Seki said

China-born Japanese lawmaker Hei Seki (石平) yesterday said he accomplished one of his goals — proving that Taiwan is an independent country — by setting foot in the nation on Tuesday.

Seki made the remarks as he gave an interview to the Chinese-language Liberty Times, the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper.

Seki said that Beijing forbade him from setting foot in China, so his visit to Taiwan showed that Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China are two different countries.

Japanese lawmaker Hei Seki gives an interview with the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times

Taiwan has its own presidential elections, government, military, police, currency and central bank, meeting all the requirements for an independent country, Seiki said.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has never given up on its aim of taking over Taiwan by force, and Taiwanese who believe that their freedom and wealth would remain under the so-called “one country, two systems” should abandon such fantasies, Seki told the Liberty Times.

Seki said that he was intimately familiar with the CCP, adding that it would never honor its promises, and all pledges were a means to achieve the party’s goals.

If the CCP takes over Taiwan, its democracy would end, and Taiwanese would only be second-class citizens oppressed by the party, he said.

China has reneged on the Sino-British Joint Declaration it cosigned in 1984, and the fate of Hong Kongers shows what awaits Taiwan if it accepts China’s “one country, two systems,” he said.

Seki said the CCP is a “thuggish” state that does not honor treaties.

He cited a peace treaty signed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the CCP on Oct. 10, 1945, saying that the CCP immediately reneged on the treaty after it recovered and rearmed.

The Sino-British Joint Declaration was a formal treaty between Beijing and the British government, but now it is deemed only a “historical document” by the CCP, he said.

Any hope that a mere treaty would guarantee Taiwan’s freedom and safety is a fantasy within a fantasy, he added.

Seki, a member of the Japan Innovation Party, was born in Chengdu, China, and became a naturalized Japanese in 2007. He was elected to the Japanese House of Councilors last year. Beijing sanctioned Seki in September last year, barring him and family members from entering China and its territories.


title: Taiwan’s situation likens prewar Ukraine: official

content_text:
Deputy Minister of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) yesterday likened Taiwan’s situation to that of Ukraine before the Russian invasion that started in February 2022.

“The nation is facing an unprecedented national threat. It is the worst we have experienced since 1949,” Ma said at a meeting of the legislature’s Internal Administration Committee.

“The Chinese People’s Liberation Army last month conducted war games, simulating a full-scale invasion of Taiwan,” he said.

Deputy Minister of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan, center, speaks at a legislative meeting in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo: Lee Wen-hsin, Taipei Times

In addition to war games, Beijing is also conducting cyberwarfare and cognitive warfare campaigns against Taiwan, he said.

“The situation Taiwan has been in since last year resembles the conditions before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” he said.

Legislators at the committee reviewed proposed amendment bills to the National Security Act (國家安全法).

“The Chinese Communist Party regime is taking such actions with the goals of invading Taiwan and destroying the Republic of China,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said.

“China has engaged in united front propaganda and disinformation campaigns to infiltrate into every level of Taiwanese society to undermine social stability and threaten Taiwan’s national security,” Liang said.

According to National Security Bureau data, public prosecutors in 2024 indicted 64 people in suspected China-related espionage cases, which is about three times the number in 2021, he added.

Liang said there are five main Chinese infiltration channels: organized crime groups, unregistered lenders, shell company-owned businesses, temples and non-governmental organizations.

“Although the government in 2020 began amending armed forces and national security-related laws, persistent exposure of espionage cases shows that existing laws are not enough to deter spying for China, he added.

“Courts interpret existing laws differently, so their amendments should be more effective and comprehensive,” Liang said.

Some Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators questioned whether the proposed amendments hand the Cabinet authority to arbitrarily restrict people’s freedom of expression and harm their rights.

When reviewing the amendment bills at the committee, KMT legislators questioned that it was for the Cabinet and the Executive branch to expand their authority, in restricting freedom of expression and interfering into rights of citizens.

Ma said that public discourse on news and political events would not be affected by the proposed amendments.

The Cabinet drafted the bill on Dec. 18 last year, which offers to stipulate that any person who, via writing, or using images or audiovisual content, condones a foreign state’s use of violence to end the nation’s sovereignty could be fined up to NT$1 million (US$31,725).


title: Maduro operation not setting a precedent: expert

content_text:
The abduction of deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro on Saturday bolstered Washington’s global credibility without setting a precedent for China to attempt a similar action in Taiwan, a policy expert said.

Atlantic Council vice president Matthew Kroenig made the remarks at a panel discussion in Washington on Tuesday.

US special operations forces on Saturday carried out a nighttime operation in Caracas to capture Maduro, following a series of paralyzing airstrikes directed against Venezuela’s Russian-made air defense systems.

Atlantic Council vice president Matthew Kroenig, right, and former US security official Alexander Gray, third right, participate in a panel discussion in Washington on Tuesday. Screen grab from the Atlantic Council’s YouTube channel

The US military operation represented an opportunity for Washington to tackle the threat posed by Maduro’s government in the form of narcotics trafficking and the flow of refugees, Kroenig said.

Iran is changing its approach to its handling of ongoing protests in response to the raid, as US President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene to protect the demonstrators, he said.

Commentary suggesting that the US has set an example for Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to target Taiwanese political leaders is unfounded, as Beijing has long claimed Taiwan to be an internal Chinese territory, he said.

Xi’s calculations regarding the use of force in Taiwan are concerned with the balance of power and political trends in Taiwan, not any action undertaken by the US, he said.

US allies in the Indo-Pacific region were less concerned about any potential precedents the operation would set than impressed by the military capabilities on display, Kroenig said.

Some Asian allies have expressed hopes that common regional adversaries would take notice of US military power the operation showcased, he added.

Certain actions might be necessary for the US to re-establish deterrence against potential foes to ensure peace, which the strike on Caracas has done, he said.

The strikes have caused China and Russia to dial back or adjust their “malicious” interference campaigns in the western hemisphere, although there would likely be structural challenges elsewhere, he said.

Separately, a former Pentagon official on Tuesday said that China is unlikely to succeed in capturing Taiwan’s leaders in a swift aerial military operation due to Taiwan’s extensive air-defense systems.

Kris Osborn, a former expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the US Army, wrote on the defense news Web site 19FortyFive that the US’ operation targeting Maduro was an example of a modern “decapitation strike” intended to disable an adversary’s ability to fight without widespread destruction.

The operation relied on precise intelligence, surveillance, and strikes on key military targets and power infrastructure, enabling US special forces to capture Maduro with “little to no unwanted damage,” he said.

Osborn said that Venezuela has only “a small number of Russian-built air defenses, which appear to have been destroyed quickly by US forces,” while Taiwan operates a “much more extensive and elaborate” air defense network, making helicopter or aircraft strikes extremely difficult despite China’s intelligence capabilities.


content_text:
By Fang Wei-li and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The government’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.66 billion) defense budget would signal not only major arms procurements, but also a strategic shift in Taiwan-US defense cooperation toward local munitions production and joint production on artificial intelligence (AI) systems, a source said on Saturday last week.

Cooperation would begin with drones and artillery shells, and later expand to precision-guided munitions and AI-assisted decisionmaking systems, the source said.

One of the budget’s core goals — building an “AI-assisted rapid kill chain” — would adopt a direct commercial sales model, channeling funds into Taiwan’s advanced information and communications technology (ICT) and AI industries, they said.

Taiwanese soldiers pose for a picture in an undated photograph. Photo: Chen Cheng-yu, Taipei Times

The legal basis for the allocation, the “special act for strengthening defense resilience and asymmetric capabilities,” has been submitted to the Legislative Yuan, but has been blocked by opposition parties and prevented from being placed on the agenda.

The budget centers on three pillars: establishing a multilayered “T-Dome” integrating air defense, sensing and battlefield management; building an AI-assisted rapid kill chain to accelerate intelligence processing; and creating a “non-red supply chain” by integrating domestic industrial capacity.

Global defense production has been strained by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, prompting the US to promote “friend shoring” to share manufacturing burdens.

Given Taiwan’s geography and vulnerability to maritime blockades, localizing ammunition production lines would help address US capacity shortfalls while ensuring a continuous ammunition supply, the source said.

This would mark a shift in Taiwan-US relations from a buyer-seller model to a joint production partnership, they said.

While drones remain a major focus of cooperation, ammunition production is also a priority. The goal is to locally produce precision-guided munitions by introducing US technologies, tools and production systems, they said.

Approval of the special budget would provide a significant boost to Taiwan’s domestic ammunition industry amid rising global demand, they added.

Modern artillery operations emphasize “shoot and scoot” tactics to avoid counterfire, as traditional unguided shells often require dozens of rounds to destroy a target, increasing the risk of exposing firing positions. Precision-guided munitions can neutralize high-value targets with far fewer rounds, easing wartime logistics while improving survivability and combat effectiveness.

AI systems could also enhance air defense engagement efficiency and help commanders make faster and more accurate decisions, the source said.

Introducing an AI-assisted rapid kill chain aims to shorten the observe-orient-decide-act loop, particularly as Chinese naval activity near Taiwan continues to increase, the said.

AI-related projects would be pursued through direct commercial sales rather than foreign military sales, reflecting the rapid pace of AI development, they said, adding that this approach would allow the military to access cutting-edge technologies more quickly while integrating Taiwan’s semiconductor and ICT supply chains, generating broader economic benefits and strengthening defense self-reliance.

In edge computing — enabling missiles and drones to retain target-recognition capabilities even when communications are disrupted — Taiwanese firms’ system-integration strengths are especially important, they said.

By linking defense needs with local AI industries, Taiwan can reduce reliance on “red supply chains” and translate its technological advantages into concrete defense capabilities, they added.

title: Budget shows shift in Taiwan-US cooperation: source


taiwan-subdivisions: 九如 新園 佳冬

title: Pingtung shelter urges people not to abandon pets

content_text:
GREAT RESPONSIBILITY:  A Pingtung County official urged members of the public to carefully assess their ability to care for animals before deciding to adopt a pet   By Lo Hsin-chen and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

“Exotic” pets, including goats, ducks and turtle, are available for adoption, the Pingtung County Animal Shelter has said, encouraging members of the public not to abandon animals or keep animals illegally.

The shelter has recently taken in several non-canine and non-feline animals, including goats, ducks, mixed-breed domestic rabbits, snapping turtles and others.

After a public notice period for owners to claim an animal expires, it becomes available for adoption in stages, the shelter said on Monday.

The county’s Department of Agriculture, which oversees the shelter, has urged the public not to abandon animals, which harms animal welfare and the ecological environment.

In addition to housing common domestic pets such as cats and dogs, the animal shelter’s Wildlife Rescue Center also cares for a wide variety of wild animals and farm animals, it said.

“A raccoon was discovered in September last year by a member of the public on Section 3 of Jiouru Road in the county’s Jiouru Township (九如),” the department said.

“After being taken in by the shelter, the raccoon prompted more than 10 inquiries before it was ultimately adopted by a zoo in Yilan County,” it said.

In one case, a snapping turtle found in a drainage ditch last month was first sent to National Pingtung University of Science and Technology before being transferred to the animal shelter, while in another case a black goat was discovered by a 66-year-old county resident surnamed Yang (楊) on Zhongshan Road in Jiadong Township (佳冬), it said.

“The goat is gentle and friendly, and followed its rescuer, who was riding a motorcycle, all the way to the Shiguang Police Station, where officers promptly notified the Agriculture Department’s Animal Protection Division,” it said.

Separately, a duck was found on the southbound side of the New Chaozhou Bridge, while a domestic rabbit was picked up on a river embankment in Sinyuan Township (新園).

After being taken in by the center, animals undergo health checks and are cared for by staff, the department said.

“In August last year, a striped-neck turtle injured in a traffic accident was rescued after its shell was cracked when it was run over by a vehicle,” it said. “Caretakers carefully secured the shell, and the turtle has since made a good recovery.”

A duck found last month was suspected to have developed bumblefoot, causing thickening and abrasion on the soles of its feet, it said, adding that caretakers fitted the duck with specially made shoes to prevent the condition from worsening, and replaced them regularly.

Animal Protection Division Director Li Chi-ya (李繼雅) said that once livestock or exotic pets are admitted to the shelter, their details are posted on the national animal shelter Web site system and shared through the department’s animal protection Facebook page.

A 14-day public notice period is observed for owners to reclaim the animals, after which they are available for adoption by the public.

If suitable adopters are found, the animals can begin a second life in a new home, she said.

Li urged members of the public to carefully assess their ability to care for animals before deciding to adopt.

Priority is given to Pingtung County residents, and follow-up checks are conducted for six months after adoption, she said.


title: Study says families who dine together are healthier

content_text:
A study published on Tuesday by the Cancer Care Foundation linked families that dine together with healthier diets for children.

The survey conducted in 2022 and 2023 found that children who enjoyed meals with their family reported having a significantly better diet than children allowed to use electronic devices while eating, the foundation said in a statement.

The poll showed that 71 percent and 45 percent of children who shared meals with family reported having daily servings of vegetables and fruits respectively, and 13 percent reported having four or more sugary drinks a month.

Two children use mobile devices in an undated photograph. Photo: Freepik

In comparison, among the children who were routinely allowed to use electronic devices while eating their meals, only 61 percent and 37 percent reported having daily servings of vegetables and fruits respectively, while 24 percent had four or more sugary drinks a month.

The findings showed that the more frequently children shared meals with their family, the healthier their diet they had, the statement cited foundation president Chen Yueh-ching (陳月卿) as saying.

Families that banned children from using phones or tablets during mealtimes reported a corresponding improvement in the children’s diet, she said.

The survey additionally found that 80 percent of obese Taiwanese children habitually used gadgets as they ate, Chen said.

The improved eating habits likely reflect the role parents played in ensuring children ate healthy foods, she said, adding that eating together is important for bonding and building healthy habits for families.

Parents are urged to make soft drinks for their children as a replacement for saccharine beverages sold commercially, Chen said.

Fruits, vegetables and nuts could be blended in phytochemical, vitamin and mineral-rich smoothies, she added.

An earlier study published on Sunday by the Child Welfare Foundation showed that 30.2 percent of Taiwanese children are overweight, 5.2 points higher than the average obesity rate globally.


content_text:
Air Force to urge U.S. to speed up collision-avoidance system work following F-16V incident

Taiwan’s Air Force will urge the United States to expedite work to install automatic ground collision avoidance systems (Auto-GCAS) on its F-16V jets, with the aim of completing the process by the end of this year if possible, a military official said yesterday after an F-16V jet went missing a day earlier.

Authorities have been searching for the missing F-16V aircraft and its pilot, Air Force Captain Hsin Po-yi (辛柏 毅), following the incident on Tuesday.

The incident has renewed public attention on Taiwan’s plan to have Auto-GCAS installed on all of its F-16V aircraft, a project scheduled for completion in 2028.

Taiwan’s Air Force will urge US to install automatic ground collision avoidance systems (Auto-GCAS) on its F-16V jets. Photo: Taipei Times

Auto-GCAS uses data such as aircraft speed, heading and terrain to assess the risk of a ground or sea collision and alert the pilot. If the pilot does not respond, the system automatically adjusts the aircraft’s attitude and altitude to prevent a crash.

Asked about the issue at a news conference on Wednesday, Air Force Inspector General Chiang Yi-cheng (江義誠) said the system is being jointly modified by relevant parties in Taiwan and the U.S. National Guard, which also operates F-16 jets.

“We will push the U.S. military to complete work on the systems as soon as possible,” Chiang said. “We hope the work will proceed as planned, if not ahead of schedule, so that we can receive Auto-GCAS and related equipment by the end of the year.”

During the Han Kuang military exercises on June 4, 2018, Air Force Major Wu Yen-ting (吳彥霆) was killed when the F-16 fighter jet he was piloting, tail number 6685, crashed into Wufen Mountain in Keelung County.

The Air Force subsequently announced that all F-16s would be fitted with Auto-GCAS.

Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-sponsored Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said Auto-GCAS is standard equipment on Taiwan’s 66 newly purchased F-16V Block 70 jets.

However, he noted that integrating the system into the 139 remaining F-16V Block 20 aircraft upgraded under the Peace Phoenix Rising project is more complicated, as it involves rewiring, structural modifications to the airframe, and integration with existing fly-by-wire flight control systems.

Su said U.S. military experience shows Auto-GCAS has saved the lives of hundreds of pilots, making investment in collision-avoidance systems highly cost-effective.

In addition to accelerating installation, he suggested the Air Force could also follow U.S. practice by issuing pilots military-grade watches.

Such devices, he said, could provide GPS-based altitude and heading information, allowing basic flight control and landing in situations where cockpit instruments become unreadable due to incidents such as cabin depressurization or avionics failure.


content_text:
The disappearance from radar of an F-16V fighter jet during a nighttime training mission off eastern Taiwan on Tuesday has renewed attention on Taiwan’s F-16 fleet.

Below is a timeline of major developments and accidents relating to the Taiwan Air Force’s operation of this model of American-made warplane:

1992:

An 6700 F-16V lands at Hualien Airport in an undated photograph. Photo: CNA

The Republic of China (ROC) signed a deal with the United States to purchase 150 F-16 fighter jets manufactured by Lockheed Martin under a program overseen by the U.S. Air Force.

14 April 1997:

Taiwan’s first two F-16 fighter jets flew from the United States to Taiwan and were assigned to Chiayi Air Base.

20 March 1998:

An F-16A/B fighter jet assigned to Chiayi Air Base lost contact with the combat control center during a training mission near Penghu County’s Magong City, leaving pilots Wen Chin-sung (溫進嵩) and Chang Chia-cheng (章嘉成) missing, later formally declared dead.

25 Jan. 1999:

An F-16A/B fighter jet based at Hualien Air Base crashed in Taitung County during a routine mission, killing pilots Chang Chia-kun (張嘉鯤) and Tai Wei-kang (戴維康).

1 June 1999:

An F-16 fighter jet assigned to the Chiayi Wing disappeared from radar during nighttime training southwest of Green Island (Taitung County’s Lyudao Township), with pilot Hsu Chun-wei (許君威) declared missing, later formally declared dead.

18 Aug. 1999:

An F-16 fighter jet suffered a suspected mechanical failure during a training flight, forcing pilot Lin Keng-sheng (林更生) to eject to safety before the aircraft crashed.

4 March 2008:

An F-16 fighter jet assigned to the 401st Wing crashed into the sea during a nighttime training mission near Hualien County, leaving pilot Ting Shih-pao (丁世寶) missing, later formally declared dead.

22 Sept. 2011:

The U.S. government formally notified the U.S. Congress of its approval of a major upgrade package for Taiwan’s F-16A/B fighter jets, valued at about US$5.85 billion.

15 May 2013:

An F-16 fighter jet crashed into the sea near Chiayi Air Base during a training mission, with pilot Wu Yen-ting (吳彥霆) ejecting to safety.

22 Jan. 2016:

Pilot Kao Ting-cheng (高鼎程) was killed in a crash during a training exercise in an F-16 fighter jet at Luke Air Force Base in the United States.

4 June 2018:

During the Han Kuang military exercises, an F-16 fighter jet crashed into Wufen Mountain in Keelung City, killing pilot Wu Yen-ting, who had survived the 2013 accident.

7 Nov. 2020:

An F-16 fighter jet disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from Hualien Air Base, with pilot Chiang Cheng-chih (蔣正志) declared missing, later formally declared dead.

11 Jan. 2022:

An F-16V fighter jet crashed into the sea during a ground-attack training mission at Shuixi Shooting Range near Chiayi Air Base, killing pilot Andy Chen (陳 奕).

19 Dec. 2023:

Taiwanese company Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) upgraded 139 F-16 fighter jets to the F-16V configuration.

6 Jan. 2026:

An F-16V fighter jet went missing during a nighttime training mission over waters off Hualien County, with pilot Hsin Po-yi (辛柏毅) believed to have ejected. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, as of press time.

title: Timeline of key events of Taiwan Air Force F-16 fleet


content_text: Tourism Administration Secretary-General Fang Cheng-kuang, center, poses for a photograph with other participants at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. The administration has published its first hotel guide, which uses a rating system.

title: Tourism event


title: Pet law

content_text: A man pets a dog in an undated photograph. The Executive Yuan is to approve an amendment to the Animal Protection Act today that would fine pet owners NT$1 million if they leave their pets at animal shelters without following proper procedures.


content_text:
CPI rises 1.66%, the lowest annual figure in five years

STILL IN LINE: Full-year CPI grew 1.66 percent last year, the lowest in five years and the first time in four years that it was below 2 percent, a DGBAS official said

Taiwan’s inflation remained subdued last month, extending a prolonged period of price stability as falling vegetable and fuel prices continued to offset increases in housing and food-related expenses, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said yesterday.

The consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.31 percent from a year earlier last month, marking the eighth consecutive month that inflation stayed below the central bank’s 2 percent target. The benign reading gives policymakers room to keep interest rates on hold, although Taiwan’s resilient — if uneven — economic growth offers little justification for a rate cut.

The latest CPI data reflected a sharp decline in vegetable prices, even as costs for miscellaneous goods and housing continued to climb, DGBAS official Tsao Chih-hung (曹志弘) said.

Vegetable prices plunged 18.2 percent year-on-year last month — the steepest drop in nearly 40 months — after favorable weather conditions boosted supply, Tsao said.

Core CPI, which excludes volatile items and is closely watched as a gauge of underlying inflation, rose 1.83 percent, driven mainly by higher service charges, he said.

Lower international crude oil prices weighed on fuel and transportation costs, which fell 1.36 percent from a year earlier, DGBAS data showed.

Prices for miscellaneous goods climbed 3.34 percent, led by a nearly 15 percent surge in the prices of jewelry and personal accessories.

Housing costs rose 1.86 percent, with rents increasing 1.99 percent — the smallest gain in two-and-a-half years, Tsao said.

CPI this month is expected to ease below the 1 percent mark due to a higher comparison base, as the Lunar New Year holiday fell in January last year, but would occur in February this year, he said.

The producer price index (PPI), which measures price movements at the wholesale level, fell 2.57 percent year-on-year last month, little changed from a 2.61 percent decline the previous month.

The agency attributed the weakness to soft global prices for agricultural products and raw materials amid tepid demand.

Full-year CPI grew 1.66 percent last year — the lowest in five years and the first time in four years that the annual inflation gauge came in below 2 percent, Tsao said.

Full-year PPI declined 1.84 percent, although input cost pressures are building in the technology sector as memory prices surge, he said.

Still, Tsao cautioned that households continue to feel strain from elevated prices for certain essentials.

Average prices for 17 key consumer staples rose 2.57 percent from a year earlier, according to the government’s price-stabilization task force. Egg prices climbed the most, followed by pork and rice, increasing the burden on households that have seen little gains from Taiwan’s GDP growth.


title: Nan Shan Life’s exposure high in Colombia: FSC

content_text:
LOOKING ABROAD: Life insurers had been reluctant to invest in Taiwan, seeking higher-risk opportunities overseas, leading to rising costs, a DPP legislator said

Nan Shan Life Insurance Co’s (南山人壽) exposure to Colombia is NT$62.91 billion (US$2 billion), Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) Chairman Peng Jin-long (彭金隆) said yesterday, as geopolitical tensions in Latin America drew legislative scrutiny.

Peng made the remarks at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee after US President Donald Trump threatened possible military action against Colombia following a US raid in Caracas last week that led to the capture of deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.

Nan Shan Life’s exposure to Venezuela stood at NT$13.55 billion, Peng said.

Financial Supervisory Commission Chairman Peng Jin-long speaks at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times

The insurer’s Venezuela-related investments were mainly in AA-rated bonds issued by international development banks, he said.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said during the meeting that life insurers had been reluctant to invest domestically, not only due to limited investment options, but also because higher-risk overseas investments offer higher guaranteed returns.

That has led to excessive hedging and rising costs, Kuo said.

As of November last year, Taiwan’s banking sector had total exposure of NT$14.51 billion to Venezuela, with one institution accounting for NT$13.55 billion, Kuo cited data as showing.

Total bank exposure to Colombia was NT$816 million, with the largest single exposure at NT$392 million.

In contrast, Taiwan’s insurance sector had no exposure to Venezuela, while its total exposure to Colombia was NT$138.51 billion, with one insurer alone accounting for NT$62.91 billion.

Kuo asked the FSC head whether the insurer with NT$62.91 billion in exposure was Nan Shan Life, which Peng confirmed.

Under the Financial Holding Company Act (金融控股公司法), firms are required to disclose their exposure amounts, the legislator said.

Major financial groups such as Fubon Financial Holding Co (富邦金控), Cathay Financial Holding Co (國泰金控) and CTBC Financial Holding Co (中信金控) each reported exposure of NT$18.7 billion, NT$18.4 billion and NT$16.3 billion respectively, none of which matched the largest figure, he added.

When asked whether the FSC would require insurers to gradually reduce such exposure, Peng said the issue should be addressed through systemic reforms rather than on a case-by-case basis.

The regulator would review rules governing non-investment-grade assets, including investment proportions and limits, from risk and return perspectives, he said.

Separately, the US dollar’s 12-month non-deliverable forward (NDF) points against the New Taiwan dollar this week turned positive for the first time in more than nine years, a sign that hedging costs have significantly eased following the FSC’s loosening of foreign exchange accounting rules for Taiwanese insurers from Thursday last week.

The gauge had fallen below zero and hit the lowest level on record in June last year.

Insurers typically sell the US dollar-NT dollar currency pair through the offshore NDF market to hedge against a weakening greenback.

The 12-month NDF points yesterday morning stood at 0.005 in Asia.

The shift in hedging costs reflects the massive scale of the industry’s foreign holdings.

About NT$15.2 trillion of insurers’ assets are exposed to exchange-rate risk, based on regulatory calculations that exclude foreign currency-denominated policies. About 60 percent of that exposure is hedged.

Additional reporting by Bloomberg


title: PentaPro to invest NT$3bn in new factory in Taiwan

content_text:
PentaPro Materials Inc (宇川精材), which produces metal organic precursors used in advanced chip production, yesterday said it plans to invest NT$3 billion (US$95.17 million) in a new factory in Taiwan to meet rising demand.

The company’s main facility is approaching full capacity as customers continue to advance manufacturing process technologies to create smaller chips with more complicated architecture, PentaPro told a news conference in Taipei.

The company’s semiconductor precursors are high-purity chemical liquids used in chip manufacturing. They provide source materials for depositing thin films mainly using atomic layer deposition to form integrated circuits. The process is primarily used in the production of logic and memory chips smaller than 16 nanometers.

From left, PentaPro Materials Inc senior vice president Yeh Kuo-chou, co-CEO C.Y. Chen, chairman and co-CEO Kuo Wen-che, and chief financial officer Joseph Chen attend a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chang Hui-wen, Taipei Times

PentaPro is a supplier to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker.

“Utilization of the existing factory is running in high gear now,” PentaPro co-CEO C.Y. Chen (陳建榮) said. “One of our major advantages is local supply. We are running out of space, so we have to build a second factory.”

Chipmakers prefer the local supply of semiconductor precursors, as the chemicals are primary chemical hazards and can only be transported through ocean shipping, a time-consuming practice compared with air freight for chips.

The new factory would have an installed capacity six to 10 times greater than the existing plant, when it enters operation in 2028, PentaPro said.

The company is collaborating with multiple customers to jointly develop new precursors and to produce them for customers on a contract basis, chairman and co-CEO Kuo Wen-che (郭文哲) said.

To cope with growing demand, PentaPro said it is revamping an older production line to produce advanced semiconductor precursors later this year.

It expects revenue this year to grow significantly higher than last year, thanks to strong customer demand and new capacity.

Cumulative revenue in the first 11 months of last year totaled NT$121 million, a dramatic increase from full-year revenue of NT$61 million in 2024, company data showed.

Semiconductor precursors accounted for more than 70 percent of the company’s revenue last year, PentaPro said.

However, the company lost NT$97 million in the first half of last year, or losses per share of NT$0.97, as additional costs for equipment purchases and technology adjustments dented the company’s gross margin, it said.

A smaller revenue scale was also a factor, PentaPro chief financial officer Joseph Chen (陳祖華) said.

The company swung into a monthly profit in November, as gross margin improved, he said.

PentaPro is scheduled to debut its shares on the Emerging Stock Board on Tuesday next week.


title: Samsung warns of memory-related price hikes

content_text:
Samsung Electronics Co expects memorychip supply shortages to raise prices across the electronics industry, including potentially among its own consumer products.

The South Korean company is the world’s largest memory maker, but even its portfolio is not immune to the surging cost of the component essential to everything from smartphones and laptops to connected home appliances and self-driving vehicles.

“There’s going to be issues around semiconductor supplies, and it’s going to affect everyone,” Samsung president and head of global marketing Lee Won-jin said in an interview at the CES trade show in Las Vegas. “Prices are going up even as we speak. Obviously, we don’t want to convey that burden to the consumers, but we’re going to be at a point where we have to actually consider repricing our products.”

People gather at a Samsung Electronics Co event ahead of the CES trade show in Las Vegas on Sunday. Photo: AFP

An artificial intelligence (AI) data center buildout boom has brought about unprecedented demand for high-bandwidth memory, a lucrative product that has lifted Samsung and fellow memory maker SK Hynix Inc’s stock prices to new highs, and dented production capacity for more conventional memory products. As a result, prices have soared for legacy DRAM used in more traditional servers as well as PCs and smartphones.

Counterpoint Research in November last year forecast a 50 percent price rise for memory modules through the second quarter of this year.

Samsung is better positioned than competitors who are unable to manufacture memory for their own products, and Lee sees the company outpacing the broader market.

“We’re more optimistic about the outlook of 2026 than what we experienced last year,” he said.

Samsung shares yesterday rose as much as 4 percent. The gains came just a day ahead of a preliminary earnings report.

Analysts polled by Bloomberg estimate Samsung’s earnings would more than double this year to a record high of about US$60 billion, on par with projections for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電). Still, the South Korean firm’s market capitalization of US$560 billion is less than half that of TSMC, Asia’s most valuable company.

Research analysts are scrambling to raise price targets on TSMC shares, underscoring continued bullishness on the chipmaking giant after its record surge.

At least six brokerages, including Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Macquarie Group Ltd, have lifted projections on the Taipei-listed stock since the start of the year. JPMorgan Chase & Co hiked its target 24 percent to NT$2,100 in a report released yesterday, citing expectations of strong revenue growth and improving profitability.

“We expect 2026 to be another strong growth year for TSMC,” on expanding demand for the company’s most-advanced chipmaking technology and increased pricing, JPMorgan analyst Gokul Hariharan wrote in a note. “Gross margins should also see upside.”

TSMC is set to report results for last quarter next week. Analysts polled by Bloomberg expect sales to rise 18 percent from a year earlier, with its operating margin improving to a three-year high of more than 50 percent.


content_text:
The Ministry of Economic Affairs yesterday said it expects to sign two additional memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with European countries this year to promote research-and-development (R&D) collaboration under the A+ Corporate Innovation and R&D Enhancement program.

The ministry has already signed five MOUs with Spain, Germany, the Czech Republic, the UK and France under the program, Department of Industrial Technology Director-General Kuo Chao-chung (郭肇中) told a news conference in Taipei.

The planned collaborations with two additional European countries would mainly focus on laser technology and another technology listed under Taiwan’s 10 major artificial intelligence (AI) projects, Kuo said.

Department of Industrial Technology Director-General Kuo Chao-chung, center, and other guests pose for a photograph at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liao Chia-ning, Taipei Times

This year, the government aims to secure 25 international collaborative R&D projects under the program, he said.

Taiwan has reached out to 14 EU countries and secured 86 projects so far since the program was launched in 2014, he said.

The nations have established collaboration frameworks with Taiwan in the fields of semiconductors, optoelectronics, machinery, and information and communications technology through the program, and there remains significant room for cooperation in materials innovation and net zero emissions, as well as drones, robotics and low Earth orbit satellites, he said.

Under the program, the government subsidizes at least 40 percent of local firms’ R&D costs, which could be higher, but is less than 50 percent in certain cases — such as projects involving key national technologies, Kuo said.

The average subsidies typically amount to about NT$20 million (US$634,498) per project, he said.

The government has so far subsidized firms with a combined NT$1.4 billion, generating more than NT$4.2 billion in economic value, Kuo said.

title: Ministry expects two new R&D agreements in EU


content_text:
Lawmaker raises concerns over TAIEX distorted by TSMC weighting

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Te-fu (林德福) yesterday raised concerns that the heavy weighting of contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is distorting the performance of the TAIEX.

Speaking at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee, Lin said the TAIEX has topped the 30,000-point mark for the first time in history, and TSMC, which accounts for more than 40 percent of total market value, served as a driver to the gains, but many other stocks remained weak.

"The market structure has lost its balance," Lin said. "Many investors who do not hold TSMC cannot share in the benefits created by the TAIEX’s rise."

A man stands in front of an electronic stock board at the Taiwan Stock Exchange in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

On Monday, the TAIEX soared 755.23 points, or 2.57 percent, to close at 30,105.04 as TSMC surged 5.36 percent to close at a record high of NT$1,670 amid optimism over the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. The stock’s gains contributed about 680 points to the TAIEX’s rise.

Despite the significant gains, 749 stocks fell on the main board on Monday with only 156 stocks moving higher. On the over-the-counter (OTC) market, 649 stocks lost steam, while 158 moved higher.

On Tuesday, TSMC rose 2.1 percent to close at a new high of NT$1,705. The rise contributed about 280 points to the TAIEX’s rise and helped push the benchmark index to end at another high of 30,576.3.

Yesterday, TSMC closed at NT$1,675, down 1.76 percent on profit taking, pushing the TAIEX lower by 0.46 percent. Without TSMC, the index would have posted gains.

Lin said with TSMC, which has remained above its 240-day moving average of around NT$1,173, attracting most of the spotlight, 1,263 out of the 1,947 companies (64.87 percent) listed on the local main board and the OTC market still moved below their 240-day moving average, indicating they are in weakness.

The lawmaker said that as a result of US tariff policies, many companies in the old economy sector have come under pressure and are even struggling to survive.

If fears that an AI bubble will burst become a reality, the local stock market will be severely impacted with many investors hurt, he added.

When asked whether the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) is prepared for the worst in the market, FSC Chairman Peng Jin-long (彭金隆) said the capital market is full of uncertainties and the commission is prepared to take on such uncertainties as "that is our regular task."

The FSC has instructed the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) and the Taipei Exchange to serve as a market maker by promoting listed companies with sound fundamentals to attract the attention of investors thereby making these stocks more liquid for trading, Peng said.


content_text:
Taiwan property market to stay lukewarm in early 2026: Cushman & Wakefield

Taiwan’s property market is expected to remain steady but subdued early this year, with transaction volumes staying flat and commercial real estate demand supported mainly by the technology sector, Cushman & Wakefield Taiwan said on Tuesday.

The outlook for local property market remains cautious as capital conditions and the policy environment show little improvement, Cushman & Wakefield Taiwan managing director Billy Yen (顏炳立) said at a news conference in Taipei.

Shrinking land supply, a cooling presale market, and tight mortgage restrictions also continue to weigh on demand, Yen said.

Cushman & Wakefield Taiwan managing director Billy Yen speaks at a news conference in Taipei on Tuesday. Photo: Hsu Yi-ping, Taipei Times

If policies and financing conditions are eased for owner-occupiers, buyers with genuine housing needs could find entry opportunities, potentially leading to slightly stronger market activity this year than last year, he added.

The property transaction volumes totaled about 260,000 units last year and are expected to remain at a similar level this year, with prices likely to see only mild adjustments, Cushman & Wakefield Taiwan said.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s commercial property market maintained solid momentum last year, with total transaction value reaching NT$158.62 billion (US$4.997 billion) for the year, up 7.2 percent from 2024, the property service firm’s statistics showed.

Growth was driven by strong demand for technology-sector space upgrades and momentum from the artificial intelligence (AI) industry, despite global economic and credit pressures, it said.

Cushman & Wakefield Taiwan said that AI and semiconductor firms are expected to continue supporting commercial property demand in the first half of this year.

However, the firm noted that overall market performance will hinge on future Taiwan-US trade policies and global interest rate trends, adding that rising trade tensions or tighter financing conditions could slow market activity.


title: High roller

content_text: A Sharpa robot deals cards for a game of blackjack during the annual CES trade show in Las Vegas on Tuesday.


content_text:
Taiwan’s green energy industry was one of the most promising industries back in 2016, when the government pledged full support to green energy developments as part of its greater push to build energy resilience and combat climate change through a policy revamp. However, the industry’s development trajectory over the past two years has been tarnished by a handful of local government official corruption cases and toxic solar panel disinformation, which raised public concern and spurred opposition against solar system installations.

Since then, solar energy deployment has stagnated. Overall, renewable energy, mostly solar, accounted for about 12 percent of total power generated as of September last year, Energy Administration statistics showed.

What is worse is that Typhoon Danas in July last year caused severe flooding in southern Taiwan and affected 33 solar plants, damaging more than 100,000 solar panels. The incident deepened people’s worries about the safety and reliability of solar energy, although solar power is a highly reliable energy due to durable panels with low failure rates and long warranties of 25 years or longer.

Taking advantage of such unfavorable developments, the opposition-led Legislative Yuan in October last year pushed through three acts to tighten the regulations and step up oversight of new solar panel installations before the new rules were fully discussed. Environment impact assessments would be required for the deployment of large-scale solar systems after those three acts take effect — the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (環境影響評估法), the Act for the Development of Tourism (發展觀光條例) and the Geology Act (地質法).

The implementation of such rules would lengthen the deployment period and increase installation costs, as the amendments stipulate that ground-mounted solar panels are strictly prohibited to be installed in national scenic areas or geologically sensitive zones without an environmental impact assessment.

With the restrictions, about 19 percent of solar applications have been approved and connected to the grid so far, while large-scale ground-mounted solar projects and agrivoltaic projects have been stalled, the nation’s seven major solar energy associations have said.

The future of Taiwan’s solar industry and green energy industry is scattered and uncertain. It is foreseeable that the government would miss its target of boosting green energy to 20 percent of power generated this year. Not only are solar deployments in limbo, offshore wind energy development is also slowing down because of high costs, financial strains and localization hurdles.

Green energy is not simply an environmental protection issue or about the transition to clean energy, but a key factor weighing on the nation’s industrial development. Taiwan’s economy is heavily dependent on the semiconductor and electronics sectors, which consume large amounts of power. Since contract chipmakers Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), United Microelectronics Corp (聯電) and iPhone assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) are required to join the RE100 initiative to reach carbon neutrality to match the promises of their customers, demand for green energy would only accelerate.

Taiwan would require 40 terawatt-hours of green energy by 2030, with half of the demand coming from semiconductor companies, according to a conservative estimate of the associations. Some even estimate that demand would rise to 70 terawatt-hours, thanks to heavy power consumption by artificial intelligence applications and data centers.

As the EU is gradually introducing a carbon border adjustment mechanism and moving to close the loopholes in its carbon border levy, the demand for green energy would only increase as local enterprises have to increase adoption of green energy and reduce their carbon emissions to enter the market. Without a stable and sufficient supply of green energy, Taiwanese companies would face a higher tax burden and greater risks of being excluded from the supply chain.

To avoid being marginalized, the government has to speed up green energy deployment effectively and streamline the review processes. Launching fast-track assessments for solar panel and wind turbine deployments should be an option. Additionally, the government should come up with clear and transparent regulations for the newly passed acts to process environmental impact assessments and shorten the review process. Only when the investment environment improves would green energy deployments gather pace.

title: EDITORIAL: Taiwan’s faltering green transition


title: Protect victims and health workers

content_text:
Former executive secretary of the Lingya District Mental Health Center, part of the Kaohsiung Department of Health, Ho Chien-chung (何建忠) was indicted on Friday last week for allegedly abusing his authority as a public health official and sexually assaulting a minor. Such despicable behavior warrants the most severe judicial and administrative accountability, and should leave absolutely no room for tolerating such conduct.

However, after the case came to light, public opinion partially shifted its focus to the claim that the department had failed to provide any public explanation on the case for six months, accusing it of a cover-up and collusion, while overlooking that those working on the front lines of mental health and suicide prevention have long borne not political risk, but matters of life and death.

The victim in this case is no ordinary person, but a high-risk minor under monitoring for suicidal behavior. Psychiatric and suicide prevention research has repeatedly confirmed that excessive media exposure, stigmatization and intense public scrutiny significantly increase the likelihood of further self-harm or even suicide. For such children, such “exposure” is often not a redress of justice being served, but an added layer of pressure and trauma.

The Child and Juvenile Welfare and Rights Protection Act (兒童及少年福利與權益保障法) and the Sexual Assault Crime Prevention Act (性侵害犯罪防治法) explicitly stipulate that privacy and confidential information learned in the course of one’s duties must be strictly protected. Where minors are involved, the principles of safety and confidentiality must be followed. The WHO’s and Taiwan’s suicide prevention guidelines emphasize the “principle of minimal disclosure,” meaning that the use or disclosure of personal or sensitive information must be limited to only what is strictly necessary or relevant. Its purpose is not to conceal wrongdoing, but to prevent justice itself from becoming a second form of harm.

Frontline mental health professionals and social workers operate under immense pressure, accompanying children who repeatedly engage in self-harm and supporting families who seek help late into the night. In practice, if details of sexual assault cases are disclosed too early, the victims are often forced to transfer schools, cut off from their support networks and might even become completely withdrawn.

Individual cases of misconduct must be punished with the full severity they deserve, but this should not negate the professionalism and dedication of the entire mental health system. A mature society should simultaneously hold perpetrators accountable, protect victims and restrain the impulse toward media-driven witch hunts, so that mental health professionals and social workers — those who protect vulnerable lives — are not brought down by wrongful accusations.

Yeh Yu-cheng is a secretary at the Pingtung County Public Health Bureau.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen


content_text:
Taiwan’s energy debate is too often framed as merely a technical issue of emissions targets or electricity prices. In reality, it is a question of national security. As Taiwan’s economy becomes increasingly dependent on energy-intensive industries — from advanced semiconductors to artificial intelligence — the resilience of its power system has emerged as a strategic policy issue. Energy security is a crucial pillar of national security, and it must be treated as such.

This challenge is becoming more acute. Taiwan’s electricity demand is projected to rise steadily over the coming decade, driven primarily by industrial expansion and digitalization. At the same time, the phaseout of nuclear power has removed a stable source of clean baseload electricity, while reliance on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) continues to grow. With limited LNG storage capacity and heavy dependence on maritime supply routes, Taiwan’s energy system remains exposed to geopolitical disruption, price volatility and crisis scenarios.

To its credit, Taiwan has made real progress in renewable energy. Solar capacity has expanded rapidly — despite not meeting last year’s power generation target of 20 gigawatts — and offshore wind is becoming a visible part of the energy mix. These achievements matter for decarbonization and for reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels. Yet intermittent renewable technologies alone cannot solve Taiwan’s energy security challenge. The output of solar and wind farms depends on weather conditions and the time of day, rather than on demand. Moreover, their integration places increasing stress on a grid that has already shown vulnerabilities through repeated blackouts in the past few years. Taiwan’s problem is no longer simply how much electricity it can generate, but how reliably it can deliver power under all conditions.

This is where geothermal energy enters the conversation — and why it deserves far greater political and strategic attention. Unlike solar or wind, geothermal power provides constant, round-the-clock baseload electricity. It is domestically sourced, immune to fuel supply disruptions and well-suited to complement variable renewables. For an island economy facing climate and security pressures, geothermal is not an exotic alternative; it is a stabilizing force.

Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Taiwan possesses significant geothermal potential that remains largely untapped. Estimates vary, but even conservative assessments suggest that geothermal could supply a meaningful share of Taiwan’s electricity needs. Yet the installed capacity remains marginal. The limiting factors are not geological, but institutional: high upfront exploration costs, regulatory complexity, land-use disputes and a lack of mechanisms to share early-stage risk.

Overcoming these barriers requires international cooperation. Geothermal development is capital and knowledge-intensive, particularly in its early phases. Successful projects depend on advanced drilling expertise, robust regulatory frameworks and long-term financing structures. Taiwan does not need to reinvent these systems from scratch. It can and should work with partners that have already developed them.

Europe is one direction for Taiwan to consider. Several European countries have accumulated decades of experience in geothermal energy, including newer technologies that enable access to geothermal resources beyond traditional hotspots. European cooperation offers Taiwan not only technical expertise, but also access to de-risking instruments, standards alignment and integration into broader green industrial strategies. In an era of climate-linked trade measures and supply-chain scrutiny, this alignment is increasingly valuable.

However, Taiwan’s international energy partnerships should not be limited to Europe. Under the New Southbound Policy Plus, Taiwan could deepen cooperation with partners that offer practical, applied experience. New Zealand is a global leader in geothermal development, with decades of operational knowledge spanning engineering, regulation, environmental management and engagement with indigenous communities. Importantly, cooperation between Taiwan and New Zealand on geothermal energy is already under way.

Private-sector engagement and academic collaboration have created a foundation that Taiwan should build upon. New Zealand firms have identified geothermal opportunities in Taiwan, while academic exchanges and research cooperation are helping develop the human capital needed for long-term deployment. This is precisely the kind of outcome the New Southbound Policy Plus was meant to achieve: cooperation that strengthens industrial capacity and strategic resilience through people-first projects, rather than merely expanding trade statistics.

Geothermal energy is not a plug-and-play technology. It requires a skilled domestic workforce capable of managing exploration, drilling, plant operation and environmental safeguards over decades. Partnerships with experienced countries would allow Taiwan to develop this expertise at home, reducing dependence on external contractors and ensuring that geothermal becomes a permanent component of the national energy system.

The security implications are clear: A more diversified energy mix anchored by geothermal power would reduce Taiwan’s exposure to imported fuels and maritime chokepoints. It would strengthen grid resilience during crises and provide stable electricity to critical infrastructure and strategic industries. For a country that produces the vast majority of the world’s most advanced semiconductors, this is not merely a domestic concern. It is a matter of global economic stability.

Energy diversification also carries a deterrent logic. Systems that are decentralized, domestically sourced and difficult to disrupt are inherently more resilient to coercion. Just as Taiwan seeks redundancy in its supply chains and defense planning, it must pursue redundancy in its energy sector. Geothermal energy, developed through a network of trusted international partnerships, fits squarely within this logic.

First, Taiwan should explicitly integrate geothermal energy into its national security and energy planning frameworks, recognizing it as strategic infrastructure rather than a niche renewable energy source.

Second, it should expand and formalize international partnerships — with Europe, New Zealand and other experienced players — focused on technology transfer, risk-sharing and standards alignment.

Third, it should establish targeted financing and regulatory mechanisms to de-risk early-stage projects, including designated geothermal development zones and streamlined permitting.

Finally, it should continue investing in academic and workforce development, including with international partners, to ensure that geothermal capacity is not only built, but sustained.

Taiwan has the geological conditions, the technological partners and the strategic imperative to act. What remains is the political will to treat geothermal energy for what it truly is: not just a tool for decarbonization, but an investment in national security. In a world where energy disruptions are increasingly weaponized, building resilient, domestic sources of power is a strategic necessity.

Marcin Jerzewski is head of the Taiwan office of the European Values Center for Security Policy and a fellow at Visegrad Insight.

title: Taiwan needs geothermal power