title: 賴瑞隆初選出線　車掃感謝民意支持  尹立贈「隆係立啦」手牌傳心意

events: 參選 選舉

taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄 左營 楠梓 高雄市 楠梓區

content_text:
【記者吳奕/高雄報導】民進黨高雄市長初選於1月12日完成，日前確定由立法委員賴瑞隆出線。為向市民朋友表達誠摯感謝，賴瑞隆今（16）日展開左營、楠梓車隊掃街行程，左營、楠梓市議員參選人尹立全程陪同，沿途向市民揮手致意，感謝大家在民調期間給予的支持與鼓勵。

此次車掃，尹立特別為賴瑞隆設計創意手牌「隆係立啦」諧音梗標語，在輕鬆幽默的互動中傳達真誠心意，也象徵對每一位接到民調電話、願意表達意見的市民朋友，致上最深的感謝。

尹立分享，和賴瑞隆相識近二十年，當時為了籌辦第一屆高雄設計節，特地拜訪當時在建設局工作的賴瑞隆。而這些年來，兩人從公務體系與民間專業的合作關係，到後來在市府團隊中並肩作戰，一路見證高雄的轉變與成長。尹立強調，未來在選戰與市政推動上，也將持續緊密合作，成為彼此最堅實的隊友，一起為高雄打拚。

針對尹立投入左營、楠梓區市議員選舉，賴瑞隆也表達高度肯定與信任。他指出，高雄正處於重要轉型關鍵期，市議會需要更多具備專業背景、實務經驗與行動力的夥伴，共同為城市治理注入前進的力量。

(照片、文-主辦單位提供) (圖/翻攝)


taiwan-subdivisions: 左營區 高雄 左營

content_text:
【記者廖銘瑞／高雄報導】 左營分局於昨（15）日14時許獲報，左營區重信路店家前發生交通事故，警方立即派員前往處理。

經了解，肇事自小貨車停在重信路店家門前，卓姓男子（43歲）欲駕駛自小貨車時，疑似操作不慎突然爆衝，進而撞擊蘇姓男子（30歲）經營店家之鐵捲門，並造成鐵捲門受損，惟該事故無人受傷。

卓男酒測值為零。警方已依規定完成測繪、蒐證，並依一般交通事故案件受理，詳細肇事原因將送交通警察大隊分析研判。

警方呼籲駕駛人，發動及操作車輛時務必確認周遭環境並謹慎操作，以避免意外發生，確保自身及他人安全。

title: 小貨車爆衝撞毀鐵捲門　警方迅速到場處理


title: 打破傳統客庄印象！新北《隱客拾光》特展登場     跨界集結職人與音樂人拼貼城市風景

content_text:
記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

新北市客家文化園區推出全新主題展覽《新北隱客拾光 HAKKA’s Light》，以「隱客」為策展主軸，集結新北知名豆漿店—永新豆漿、彩騏製陶所陶藝家林東龍老師、蕃婆林休閒農場負責人鄭志偉等十位生活於新北各地，隱身於城市日常、山海地景的客家族群。以及打破大眾對傳統客庄的刻板印象，跨界邀請台灣 Finger Drumming 代表人物 PUZZLEMAN，以及療癒系插畫 IP「小圓麵包」共同參與，展場更設有「龍神水籤詩」互動裝置，為現代人的生活指點迷津。透過真實人物故事與展場互動體驗，從飲食、工藝、音樂到插畫，拼貼出城市中靜靜發亮的客家文化風景。

▲《新北隱客拾光》與3位藝術家共同策劃互動式體驗，其中和Puzzleman的合作，讓民眾現場進行創作，打造全新客家音樂。(圖/新北市客家事務局 提供)

新北市政府客家事務局局長劉冠吟表示，新北市的客家文化樣貌與多數人想像中的「傳統客庄」不同，更多時候是以隱性的方式存在於城市裡。《新北隱客拾光》希望讓大家理解，客家文化不一定要被標記、被定義，而是早已深深融入這座城市。透過這檔展覽，期盼引導民眾重新認識自身與土地之間的關係，並找回屬於自己的文化線索。

▲展區透過沉浸式劇場，展現山、海客家聚落職人，在不同產業間耕耘的精采故事。(圖/新北市客家事務局 提供)

展區一「隱客工廠」

從1960至1980年代北台灣加工出口時代切入，回溯桃竹苗客家族群北遷新北的歷史。展區透過豆製食品、陶藝、製麵等產業職人故事，呈現客家人從基層勞動到微型創業的過程，描繪出一段勤勉與互助支撐城市發展的經濟史。

展區二「依傍山海」

聚焦北海岸三芝、石門一帶的山客與海客，呈現客家族群如何在山海交界開墾、定居，並發展出梯田農業與海味採集的生活方式。透過海味採集職人與世代耕作者的故事，展現客家族群在自然環境中柔韌共生的生命樣貌。

展區三「隱客傳說」

深入板橋江家與新店安坑廖家的家族記憶，透過東峰公太信仰、「生廖死張」姓氏傳承、字姓戲等文化密碼，揭開新北都會中仍被守護的客家信仰與宗族承諾，看見文化如何在時間中低調延續。

展區四「隱客日常」

回到城市生活的視角，呈現新北客家人的遷徙歷程，以及「福佬客」的適應與語言轉換，邀請民眾重新思考：你以為自己不是客家人，或許只是尚未解鎖家族記憶中的那段文化基因。

展覽一樓與二樓皆規劃多項互動體驗，包含客語問候圖卡生成、龍神指引水籤詩、客家性格心理測驗，以及結合漢方飲食、音樂創作與插畫設計的「混種客家實驗室」，讓觀眾在參與中，重新感受客家文化如何以當代形式持續流動。

劉冠吟表示，《新北隱客拾光》不是要為客家貼上標籤，而是希望讓每個人都能放慢腳步，在城市的日常之中，重新看見那些安靜卻深刻的文化存在，與屬於自己的記憶產生連結。

展覽資訊

展覽名稱｜新北隱客拾光 HAKKA’s Light

展覽日期｜2026年1月16日－2026年6月30日

展覽地點｜新北市客家文化園區（一樓藝靚坊、二樓巧之藝廊）

主辦單位｜新北市政府客家事務局

countries: 台灣 海地

taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 中和 新店 三芝 石門 新北市 板橋

things: 經濟 客語


content_text:
記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

為了將礦山的文化底蘊傳遞給更多民眾，新北市立黃金博物館「礦山故事」系列微電影即日起透過數位與實體雙軌並行，於黃金博物館數位博物館、YouTube頻道及昇平戲院同步上映。期盼透過影像敘事，跨越地域限制，讓大眾看見礦山的生命力與人情味，深入體驗水金九地區深厚的歷史文化魅力。

▲《記憶的勾線》新山里編織班成果發表。(圖/新北市立黃金博物館 提供)

黃金博物館館長林文中表示，博物館自2019年開始在文化部的支持與補助下辦理「礦山故事的發掘與記錄」計畫，至今已累積拍攝逾30支影片，透過鏡頭，走進水金九看似平凡卻最值得珍藏的生活片段，將土地的記憶與人情味，轉化為一幀幀扣人心弦的珍貴影像。今年新增10部影片，持續深入挖掘在地居民與職人的生命故事，帶領觀眾一窺礦山豐富的歷史底蘊。

▲《礦山玩團仔》團員向前輩請教義和堂歷史。(圖/新北市立黃金博物館 提供)

今年最新影片中，介紹令人深刻的10個「礦山故事」，包括斜槓攝影師陳盛豊在工作之餘，持續用影像守護礦業歷史；遺跡守護者阿西大哥多年來堅守文化資產；新山里吳里長帶領的編織班媽媽們以毛線創作出溫暖手作，串起人與地方的情感；勸濟堂傳承代表性的信仰風景「青草祭」；金瓜石教會溫柔而踏實的生活景象；礦山留影人金波大哥用快門捕捉山城裡自然與人文交織的精彩瞬間。另外我們也在影像裡看見「礦山玩團仔」–九份在地青年與北管九份義和堂的情感交織、「礦山青年團」如何熱情投入在地的保存與推廣、「新金瓜石人」許緁一家，以及邀請大家來山城「迷迷路」的馬丁，他們在金瓜石找到生活的方向與連結，展現礦山文化持續開展的新樣貌。

▲《最後的青草藥》勸濟堂廟務人員到南雅尋找青草藥路徑。(圖/新北市立黃金博物館 提供)

「礦山故事」系列影片已於黃金博物館官網的數位博物館（https://www.gep.vm.ntpc.gov.tw/video/mine）及黃金博物館YouTube頻道（https://reurl.cc/bNo6rM）上架，這份屬於山城的記憶更將重返歷史現場，於九份昇平戲院播放。邀請民眾透過指尖點閱，或親身坐在老戲院，藉由「礦山故事」，細細品味水金九堅韌的生命力與美好日常。

taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 新北市

title: 看見水金九魅力！黃金博物館「礦山故事」微電影開播     線上線下同步首映


taiwan-subdivisions: 淡水 新北市 淡水區 新北 成功

content_text:
記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

2026馬年迎春，隨著年節腳步漸近，淡水漁人碼頭的魚藏餐廳也提前為大家準備好迎新盛宴，精心推出十四道色香味俱全的外帶年菜，陪伴您與家人圍爐迎接嶄新的一年。餐廳嚴選當季新鮮漁獲與優質食材，融合主廚多年料理功力與創意巧思，將傳統年味結合獨特海味，化作一道道溫暖而難忘的佳餚。即日起至115年1月30日前完成預訂並付款，即可享有早鳥95折優惠，讓年夜飯多一分期待、少一點忙碌，幸福開年！

▲魚藏餐廳美味年菜，130前預訂並付款，享95折優惠。(圖/新北市漁業處 提供)

淡水區漁會總幹事吳永寬表示，過年是家人團聚、放鬆心情的美好時刻，為免年菜準備繁瑣，魚藏餐廳特別以「方便、安心、富含年味」為出發點，精心規劃今年的十四道年菜，讓民眾輕鬆享有豐盛佳餚。招牌料理「大富大貴佛跳牆」融合多種珍貴海味與豐富食材，經慢火細燉，呈現層次分明的絕佳風味；「金線蓮烏雞湯」以珍貴金線蓮藥材細火慢熬，湯頭溫潤清香，養生又暖胃；而「金華干貝鮮雞湯」則將干貝鮮甜與雞肉甘醇融合，滋味濃郁回甘。象徵補財庫的「富貴Q彈美財庫」選用國產黑毛豬腿庫，肉質軟嫩、Q彈入味；限量供應的「野生烏魚子」（火烤/原味），香氣濃郁、風味細緻，再配上「吉祥鴻運燒牛腩」、「秘製醬烤豬肋排」、「芙蓉花雕海明蝦」等佳餚，讓年節餐桌在海陸交會中注入滿滿的祝福與儀式感。

▲魚藏餐廳美味年菜，130前預訂並付款，享95折優惠。(圖/新北市漁業處 提供)

魚藏餐廳推出多樣化的外帶年菜選擇，無論是單點品項或自由搭配組合，都能滿足不同家庭的需求。即日起至115年1月30日前，凡預訂外帶年菜並完成付款，享有早鳥95折優惠（需於取貨日前三天完成預訂），讓準備年夜飯這樣繁瑣的事不再是煩惱。今年就讓魚藏為您掌廚，把寶貴的時間留給最愛的家人！立即撥打漁會訂購專線02-28059888，輕鬆準備一桌充滿年味的團圓盛宴，單筆消費滿3,500元，還加贈實用保冷袋，數量有限，送完為止，敬請把握！

新北市政府漁業處表示，淡水漁人碼頭是民眾春節走春、悠閒散步的熱門景點，而魚藏餐廳座落漁人碼頭港區的中央位置，串聯情人橋、木棧道與LOVE廣場，去年底更在魚市前新增了裝置藝術「庫拉瓦」，其慵懶可愛的姿態融入港灣景色之中，彷彿溫柔提醒旅人放慢腳步、靜心感受當下，伴隨海風吹拂，在節慶中品味悠閒時光。民眾來漁人碼頭外帶年菜之餘，不妨沿著港區漫步，欣賞夕陽緩緩沉入海面的壯麗景致，陶醉在藝術、漁港與生活交織的風景中；返家後，與親朋好友共享以在地新鮮漁獲入菜的精緻年節料理，在溫馨團聚與豐美滋味中，一同迎接從容順遂、馬到成功的金馬新年。

title: 淡水魚藏餐廳馬年外帶年菜開跑！1/30 前預購付款享早鳥 95 折優惠


things: 經濟 台語

taiwan-subdivisions: 屏東 深坑

countries: 美國 台灣

content_text:
【屏東時報／專欄報導】 2026年的台美關係，若講白話一句，就是**「表面結盟、實質失血」。臺當局嘴講是「史上最佳關係」，實際卻是愈行愈低、愈貼愈近、愈買愈貴**。對美國，是軟聲細語、百般配合；對台灣人民，卻是叫苦連天、自己吞落去。這款舔美買台的路線，毋但無保護台灣，反倒一步一步，予台灣拖入深坑。

一、關稅讓到無底線，台灣產業變做「美國代工厝」

台語講：「門若開過頭，賊就入厝內。」2026年臺當局面對美國，關稅是一退再退，名義是「深化合作」，實際是自拆城牆、開門迎狼。

美國貨入台，關稅減、檢驗鬆、規定改；台灣貨欲賣去美國，標準一條比一條嚴，卡關、拖延、加條件。這款買賣，敢講是平等？這是美國吃肉、台灣啃骨。

農民咧叫苦，傳統產業咧失血，中小企業欲哭無目屎。當局卻一句話講過去：「這是為了戰略安全。」請問啦，關稅讓出去，工廠倒下去，年輕人失業去，這款安全是安佗位？

台灣本來有自己的產業命脈，卻予當局親手送做美國供應鏈的邊陲角色。講白一點，台灣是生產風險，美國是收割利益。

二、舔美變成日常，買台變成政績

2026年的臺當局，對美國有一項絕技：錢先付、話先吞、頭先低。軍火照單全收，價錢貴、交期慢、用途歹用，嘛是咬牙買落去；美國一句「支持台灣」，就感恩到欲跪落去。

問題是，這款支持，敢有寫入條約？敢有安全保證？攏無。只有一張張發票、一筆筆預算，變做固定進貢。買軍火毋是問題，問題是買到失去尊嚴，買到無路可退。

當局為著討好美國，政策愈來愈無彈性，語言愈來愈卑微。對內部質疑聲音，卻是大聲喝斥：「你是不愛台灣！」

實在有夠荒謬——愛台灣，原來等於一定愛美國？

台灣的前途，變做美國談判桌上的一張牌；而臺當局，甘願扮演遞牌的人。

三、經濟掏空、社會撕裂，只賰口號咧飛

2026年的台灣，口號滿天飛，人民心內卻愈來愈寒。當局一面喊「抗中保台」，一面全面向美國傾斜，結果是產業外移、物價起飛、薪水原地踏步。

青年人欲拚生活，愈拚愈無力；厝價高到像天頂，未來看袂著。當局卻一味講意識形態，啥物經濟結構、民生壓力，攏當作無看著。

更嚴重的是，社會予刻意分化。親美變成唯一正確，質疑美國就予人貼標籤。理性討論無空間，賰情緒、賰對立。台灣本來是多聲社會，今嘛變做一聲政治。

台語有一句老話：「家己的囝無顧好，替別人的囝讀冊。」臺當局就是這款寫照。

結語：台灣毋是商品，毋通賣到連魂魄攏無

2026年的台美關係，早就毋是合作，是失衡；毋是保護，是消耗。關稅讓到見骨、舔美舔到失格、買台買到無煞車，這條路若繼續行，台灣只會愈行愈危險。

一句講破：台灣若永遠行佇別人影底，最後一定行到懸崖邊。該醒的，是時陣矣。

title: 關稅送乎美國、風險留乎台灣　2026舔美買台的三層惡果


title: 動漫新番商機升溫!最強動漫續作集結　露天市集祭《七龍珠》、《咒術迴戰》等新番熱門周邊

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娛樂中心/綜合報導

看準2026年新的一年開始，令人興奮的新作動畫也在一月陸續開播，全台最大ACGE交易平台露天市集推出全新主題活動 「2026最強動漫異次元對決」，為紀念神級作品《七龍珠》迎來 40 週年帶來回憶殺，另集結動漫強作《咒術迴戰 死滅迴游 前篇》、《葬送的芙莉蓮》第二季、《【我推的孩子】》第三季等限定周邊，除限量模型、公仔與卡牌的現貨商品，露天市集也同步規劃在「一抽露魂」一番賞服務中，讓消費者能在線上抽賞四大人氣動漫的限定周邊。

▲露天市集亦在活動期間與「七龍珠英雄崛起－台北」特展合作加碼買七龍珠指定周邊商品單筆滿3千送展覽門票一張。(圖/露天市集提供)露天市集表示，活動期間更推出「預購專區」，提前開放尚未發售的新款模型與收藏玩具，預估將引發粉絲新一波搶購潮。即日起至1/22前在露天市集「2026最強動漫異次元對決」策展活動消費滿1千5送露幣60元；全站訂單累積滿5千元再送180元折扣碼；活動期間每周三到露天買玩具公仔，不限消費金額送30點，可免費玩一抽露魂一次。亦與「七龍珠英雄崛起－台北」特展合作加碼買七龍珠指定周邊商品單筆滿3千送展覽門票一張。

▲《七龍珠Z》主題「S.H.Figuarts 超級賽亞人孫悟空〈決戰的開幕〉」可動公仔售價880元，就是根據動畫設定精心重現身形比例、豐厚的髮量、臉部表情等，在肌肉與破衣破褲等服裝細節上的刻劃更加精細。(圖/露天市集提供)最強續作集結！動漫新番帶動話題及相關周邊買氣增2成

露天市集根據過往銷售數據觀察，受惠OTT平台人氣動漫新番開播期間即帶動相關周邊商品買氣與平日升溫增2成。而今年動漫市場可說是精彩萬分，光是一月的熱門新番作品就非常多部，無論是持續引爆話題的《咒術迴戰》死滅迴游篇、感動無數觀眾的《葬送的芙莉蓮》第二季，還是討論度爆棚的《我推的孩子》第三季，每一部都讓粉絲們引頸期盼，甚至相關周邊商品在新番開播前一月搜尋熱度即飆5成以上看準動漫新番所帶來的商機。

▲「七龍珠Fusion World 驕傲的戰鬥民族FB08」補充包售價1,450元，這一彈以「全賽亞人隊長」為核心，視覺效果與卡牌價值都有顯著亮點。(圖/露天市集提供)而推出眾多熱門新番商品優惠5折起的系列，像是《七龍珠Z》主題「S.H.Figuarts 超級賽亞人孫悟空〈決戰的開幕〉」可動公仔售價880元，就是根據動畫設定精心重現身形比例、豐厚的髮量、臉部表情等，在肌肉與破衣破褲等服裝細節上的刻劃更加精細；「GSC 黏土人 2205 咒術迴戰 懷玉玉折篇五條悟」原價1,280元，優惠價1,150元，有別於先前將頭髮往上梳、戴著眼罩的特徵造型，以 Q 版比例還原高專時期帶著圓墨鏡、較為青澀的五條悟！「七龍珠Fusion World 驕傲的戰鬥民族FB08」補充包售價1,450元，這一彈以「全賽亞人隊長」為核心，視覺效果與卡牌價值都有顯著亮點。

▲「GSC 黏土人 2205 咒術迴戰 懷玉玉折篇五條悟」原價1,280元，優惠價1,150元，有別於先前將頭髮往上梳、戴著眼罩的特徵造型，以 Q 版比例還原高專時期帶著圓墨鏡、較為青澀的五條悟！(圖/露天市集提供)


title: 臺東縣消防局副局長盧東發陞任局長   縣長期許帶領團隊再創高峰

taiwan-subdivisions: 臺東縣 關山 臺東 大里 成功

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記者池文中/臺東報導

臺東縣消防局新任局長布達典禮16日舉行，由縣長饒慶鈴主持，原副局長盧東發陞任局長，並發布新任副局長林建誠等多位高階幹部人事命令，期許臺東救災救護能量傳承並開創新局。

饒慶鈴表示，消防局自民國87年成立以來，管建興即擔任局長逾27年，再加上警察局消防隊長的資歷，服務超過42年，將人生最精華的歲月奉獻給臺東。在管局長任內，臺東縣在《遠見》縣市競爭力調查「公共安全與消防」項目常年名列前茅，是全體縣民最堅強的守護力量。消防局在管建興帶領下達成組織專業化、優化服務、智慧防災國際肯定3大里程碑，消防局從單一任務走向專責分工，陸續成立特種搜救隊、高級救護隊、山域及水域專責隊、到今年初成立的搜救犬分隊與科技救災隊等，打造有效率及韌性的救災體系。而臺東消防運用現代科技救災，也榮獲113年Gartner政府數位創新服務獎亞太區第3名及AFHC全球創新成果獎等兩項國際大殊榮。

此外，任內推動「高級救護雙軌制」—同時派遣消防分隊與高級救護隊到急救現場，確保危急患者能獲得即時救護，大幅提升急救成功率(OHCA康復出院率)，從99年5.02%上升至114年43.78%；臺東縣消防局並以「行動急診室」方案榮獲民國111年「政府服務獎」、全國消防績優救護人員「團體銀質獎」。

消防局長由從基層做起、資歷完整的副局長盧東發接任，盧東發為中央警察大學53期消防學系、東華大學管理學院高階經營管理碩士畢業；其他新任幹部包括副局長林建誠、主任秘書荊偉泰、臺東大隊大隊長吳寶龍（原關山大隊長）、民力運用及訓練科科長林信宏（原臺東大隊長）、關山大隊大隊長郭俊宏（原緊急救護科科長）、緊急救護科科長柯智升。

面對臺東狹長地形與複合型災害挑戰，饒慶鈴也對新團隊提出3大期許，包括確保消防人員和救災協勤義消防宣等夥伴的工作安全、串聯鄉鎮市提升「全民防災」韌性、深化智慧防災與社區連結，除將持續汰換消防車輛及充實救災裝備器材，也會善用科技優勢，強化跨局處合作及深耕社區防災，提升全民防救自救互救的能力。


title: 宜蘭縣消防局增添生力軍   22位新進人員16日分發服務

taiwan-subdivisions: 宜蘭縣 宜蘭

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記者蘇凱中/宜蘭報導

宜蘭縣政府消防局22位生力軍，16日正式分發至所屬各分隊投入第一線勤務，加入的成員包含15名經過嚴格培育訓練並取得專業合格證照的特考班新人，以及7名來自其他縣市消防局具備實務勤務經驗的現職消防隊員，為宜蘭縣救災團隊注入充沛戰力與專業實務經驗。

消防局表示，這15名特考班新進同仁已順利通過嚴苛的教育訓練，具備火災預防、災害搶救及緊急救護等多項專業技能；而7名由外縣市消防局調任的現職消防隊員，則能憑藉過往豐富的實務經驗，快速融入救災及救護勤務環境；消防局長徐松奕勉勵新進同仁，消防工作充滿挑戰且身負重任，期許大家能秉持「廉正、忠誠、專業、效能、關懷」的精神，不僅要持續精進專業救災技能，更要時刻以保障縣民生命財產安全為首要任務。


taiwan-subdivisions: 復興 壯圍 宜蘭縣 宜蘭

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記者蘇凱中/宜蘭報導

宜蘭縣代理縣長林茂16日視察「壯東抽水站」及「廍後抽水站暨廍後排水改善」兩處預定地，實地了解工程規劃內容、基地條件及周邊排水現況，並聽取相關單位簡報，指示115年度先行辦理兩案設計程序並同步爭取中央經費補助，以提早改善地方民眾生命財產安全。

宜蘭縣地勢低平且降雨集中，颱風與豪雨期間常造成局部地區積淹水，尤其壯圍臨海地區地勢更屬低窪，宜蘭縣政府推動抽水站及排水系統改善工程，爭取經濟部補助「壯東抽水站新建工程」及「廍後抽水站及廍後排水改善工程」經費共計8億1,800萬元，並已完成治理規劃報告，為加速工程推動進程，宜蘭縣政府於115年度預算中編列壯東抽水站設計經費600萬元，以及廍後抽水站設計經費1,050萬元，並前行發包設計，待中央核定補助後，將可無縫接軌辦理興建工程。

「壯東抽水站新建工程(經費2億400萬元)」將設置一座6cms抽水站，並搭配、防汛道路150m、引水渠道箱涵18公尺、出水箱涵128公尺，以改善永鎮、過嶺及復興等村落淹水問題；另「廍後抽水站暨廍後排水改善工程(經費6億1,400萬元)」將設置一座4.5cms抽水站，且一併改善護岸1,940公尺及改建橋梁3座，屆時可改善廍後地區積淹嚴重狀況。

林茂盛強調，兩項工程完成後，防洪效益顯著，永鎮及復興等地區淹水面積可由原本約185公頃減少至96公頃，廍後地區則可由51公頃改善至25公頃，大幅降低豪雨期間積淹水風險。縣府未來將持續與中央密切合作，爭取更多治水資源，同時嚴格控管工程品質與進度，透過完善抽排水設施，提升地方防災韌性，打造安全、安心且宜居的生活環境。

title: 代理縣長視察壯東及廍後抽水站預定地  加速推動防洪工程


title: 一場通往全球消費者的品質馬拉松！紀錄片《超級牛奶》為每一杯好奶立標尺

countries: 印尼 丹麥 荷蘭 英國 歐盟 泰國 瑞士 中國

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北京2026年1月16日 /美通社/ — 牛奶，被譽為「最接近完美的食物」，是陪伴人類全生命周期的營養來源。但你是否想過，一杯好奶在抵達餐桌前，究竟經歷了怎樣的旅程？

近日，由伊利集團聯合網易新聞共同出品的首部牛奶全產業鏈紀錄片《超級牛奶》正式上線。這部紀錄片將鏡頭對準了「人與自然」、「人與生活」，通過《超級牧場》《超級原料》《超級研發》《超級質檢》《超級工廠》《超級包裝》六大篇章，深度揭秘了一杯好奶背後的「品質馬拉松」。

《超級牛奶》的影像足跡遍及中國、英國、新西蘭、丹麥、荷蘭、泰國、印尼等多個國家，深入利樂、施耐德、諾和新元、GEA、SGS、FlavorActiV等全球行業頭部企業，並探訪清華大學、荷蘭瓦赫寧根大學、新西蘭林肯大學等世界知名科研機構，全景呈現從一棵草到一杯奶的品質承諾。這場品質馬拉松的每一個環節都指向同一個終點——讓消費者喝到更新鮮、更營養、更安心的好奶。

第一集《超級牧場》從「一棵草」開始，講述了」好草養好牛，好牛產好奶」的故事。在內蒙古阿魯科爾沁旗，伊利通過多年土壤改良，種出被稱為「牧草之王」的紫花苜蓿。這種牧草富含豐富的蛋白質、纖維素和維生素，易於消化，特優級苜蓿草蛋白質含量高達25%，達到世界一流水平。在敕勒川生態智慧牧場，每一頭奶牛都佩戴智能項圈，實時監測健康狀況。通過智慧化管理，伊利奶源的脂肪、蛋白質、菌落總數、體細胞等關鍵指標已優於歐盟標準。目前，伊利已在亞洲、歐洲、大洋洲構建起融合共生、多元統一的「世界牧場」，從源頭保障牛奶的高品質。

第二集《超級原料》講述了當穀物、果實、草本與益生菌與牛奶相遇，營養與風味被重新定義。在泰國，為了讓消費者吃到最純正的椰香冰淇淋，伊利選用的椰子必須在椰漿最飽滿的那幾天進行採摘；在丹麥，伊利與諾和新元強強聯合，推出全球首款常溫活性益生菌酸奶；在中國，科研人員深入牧區採集本土菌種，建立專利菌種資源庫，自主研發BL-99、K56等專利菌株，並在中國、澳大利亞構建益生菌生產基地。伊利跨越五大洲，攜手國際伙伴探索全球優質資源，不斷推動牛奶在營養與風味上的進化，只為給全球消費者提供更豐富的營養與味蕾體驗。

牛奶不僅要好喝，更要懂消費者多元的健康需求。第三集《超級研發》展示了牛奶品質背後的科研創新。母乳是嬰幼兒營養的黃金標準，伊利依托23年母乳研究建立中國企業首個母乳研究數據庫，利用AI技術深入解析母乳低聚糖（HMO）等核心成分，讓配方無限接近母乳的營養結構。針對亞洲人常見的「乳糖不耐受」問題，伊利突破多重乳糖酶解技術，推出多款零乳糖產品，讓飲奶更舒適。此外，伊利針對控糖人群研發的低GI乳品、針對養胃人群結合「藥食同源」理念開發的猴頭菇牛奶……每一個研發成果的背後，都是對消費者個性化健康需求的精準回應。

如何讓牛奶既安全又新鮮？《超級質檢》給出的答案是：用數智化手段，讓檢測跑贏時間。在生產基地，原奶智能檢測平台實現無人化作業，可7X24小時連續運轉，不僅讓檢測效率提升了30%，更意味著新鮮牛奶能更快進入生產環節，大大縮短從牧場到餐桌的時間。在實驗室，高分辨液質聯用儀擁有一雙「火眼金睛」，能精準捕捉到十億分之一濃度的物質。伊利還依托高度智能化質檢平台與國際化感官評價體系，聯合瑞士通用公證行（SGS）、英國FlavorActiV等國際權威機構，構建起從原奶到成品的全鏈條品質防線，只為守住消費者入口的每一滴安全。

在第五集《超級工廠》，觀眾會看到令人驚歎的「伊利速度」。這種速度不是為了炫技，而是為了「鎖鮮」。在液態奶智造基地，伊利與利樂合作打造的全球最快灌裝線，每小時可灌裝4萬包牛奶。這種「閃電式」灌裝，用速度完美鎖住了從牧場帶來的營養與新鮮。在奶粉工廠，46.6米高的乾燥塔能讓牛奶在15秒內瞬時蒸發水分，製成的奶粉顆粒僅0.1微米，實現「7秒速溶」，不僅最大程度保留活性營養，更讓寶寶的消化吸收變得更加輕鬆。

牛奶也是有「生命」的，光照和氧氣都會帶走它的營養。第六集《超級包裝》揭秘了守護牛奶營養的最後一道防線。為了防止牛奶在貨架期氧化變味、營養流失，科研人員歷經多年研發出一種含有特殊「母粒」的新型包裝材料。這種材料的吸氧能力提升了12倍，配合阻光率超過99.9%的阻光標籤，能像盾牌一樣守護牛奶的營養和風味，同時減少阻光劑的使用，更加綠色環保。消費者打開包裝的那一刻，品嘗到的依然是源自牧場的純淨鮮活。

從一棵草的精心培育，到最後一道包裝的嚴密守護，紀錄片《超級牛奶》讓我們看到：所謂的「超級」，其實就是把每一處與消費者息息相關的品質細節做到極致。這不僅是一條匯聚全球智慧與資源的產業鏈，更是一條滿載誠意與責任的品質鏈。伊利正用全球最優的品質，守護著億萬消費者的健康，讓每一滴奶都值得信賴。


taiwan-subdivisions: 大溪 桃園 成功

content_text:
墨新聞｜綜合中心

【記者曾郡貞/桃園報導】在大溪翠綠的山色映襯下，擁有一百多年深厚文化底蘊的中興國小，宛如一座隱身於林間的「普羅旺斯」學府。然而，這座歷史悠久的校景中，正湧動著一股溫柔卻堅定的變革力量。中興國小正以優雅的姿態，完成一場從「歷史傳承」到「數位創新」的華麗蛻變。這不僅是一次教學工具的更迭，更是一場匯聚了教育局的資源支持、傑出校友的深情回饋，以及全體親師生靈魂投入的校園文化重塑。

▲(校長公開課)運用學習互動即時桌遊設計，直接帶著孩子複習課程重點。校園美學AI 織夢：構築「水漾中興」的詩意空間

自114學年度起，中興國小將數位轉型定義為一種「有溫度的日常生活」。行政團隊巧妙運用 AI 與數位模擬技術，將校園建築的色塊與步道地磚的脈絡，與自然環境完美融合。在「水漾中興．魔法森林」的品牌願景下，AI 不再是冰冷的程式碼，而是畫筆，精準地勾勒出充滿美感與效率的行政新風景，讓教育的每一處細節都展現出品牌的一致性與生命力。

▲(校長公開課)數位課堂運用即時影像上傳，讓各組孩子報告便利又清楚。飲水思源貴人提攜：沈爺爺的平板與教育局的暖心呵護

校長曾靜怡感性地分享，這場數位革命的底氣，源於各界的守護。桃園市政府教育局近年來提供的豐沛數位資源，如同一雙羽翼，讓老師們有勇氣飛越傳統的藩籬。

▲蘇格拉底系統 現場數位議課登錄即時回饋教學者寶貴的建議。而最令孩子們在校園裡津津樂道的，是他們口中最親切的「沈爺爺」中興國小第38屆傑出校友、臻鼎科技董事長沈慶芳榮譽博士。沈董事長心繫母校，於百週年校慶之際慷慨捐助全校學弟妹「一人一平板」，並連年挹注數位教學經費。校長強調：「教育局提供了領航的羅盤，而沈董事長則為孩子鋪設了堅實的跑道，讓百年的老樹，能開出數位時代的新芽。」

▲(琪茵老師公開課) 數位互動運用課程。共學現場從心出發：校長領航，讓 AI 成為課堂的靈魂夥伴

數位資源到位後，是老師們熱誠的投入賦予了硬體靈魂。校長親自帶領一至六年級團隊共同備課，教師同仁更主動利用假日投身 AI 認證，並透過 Google Gemini、NotebookLM 等工具進行「AI 共備」。

▲(琪茵老師公開課)數位教學的成功關鍵在老師數位教學設計的巧思。在這種共學氛圍下，課本變成了生動的互動饗宴：從六年級感悟生命的《一片葉子掉下來》，到二年級探索服務的《小小故事員》，以及三年級的性別平等教育《打破框框大冒險：我的夢想不受限！》，教材在 AI 的輔助下變得鮮活。課堂上，老師們操作 HiTeach 系統追蹤思維火花，並透過「蘇格拉底紀錄系統」進行精準分析。議課不再是枯燥的文字堆疊，而是師生對話的藝術，老師能從數據中從容地讀懂每一位孩子的學習節奏，給予最即時的溫暖回饋。

▲數位互動教學工具-差異化任務發派請學生回答。科技亮點智慧觀議課：記錄教學現場的每一刻感動

本次轉型的核心亮點，在於引進『蘇格拉底互動觀議課系統』。這項技術徹底溫柔化了傳統觀課的沉重，觀課教師只需輕掃 QR Code，便能隨時標註教學的精彩瞬間。最動人之處在於議課時的「時空回放」功能，它不僅精簡了行政庶務，更將教學現場轉瞬即逝的火花，轉化為可以被傳承、被珍藏的數位資產。這讓每一堂課都能在數據的領航下，不斷精進、臻於完善。

▲蘇格拉底系統議課 。接軌時代，許孩子一個無限可能的未來

「再先進的工具，若沒有老師的愛與實踐，也僅是冷冰冰的器物。」校長曾靜怡由衷感謝堅毅的行政與教師團隊。因為大家的不設限，中興國小成功將百年校景的永續美感與 AI 時代接軌。這座水漾森林不僅孕育著土地的故事，更將載著孩子們，航向一個擁有無限可能的數位未來。(圖/中興國小提供)

▲蘇格拉底AI分析課堂。▲中興國小教師備觀議課沙龍教室。此篇文章最開始出處為: 青翠大溪的數位蛻變 百年中興普羅旺斯小學 映照 AI 轉型新曙光

title: 青翠大溪的數位蛻變 百年中興普羅旺斯小學 映照 AI 轉型新曙光


title: US tariffs lowered to 15% with no stacking: Cabinet

content_text:
FAVORABLE: The deal should help Taiwan’s non-tech sectors become more competitive, as they would be on equal footing with other major US trade partners

The US has agreed to lower tariffs on Taiwanese goods from 20 percent to 15 percent, without stacking them on existing most-favored-nation (MFN) rates, the Executive Yuan said yesterday, adding that Taiwan has also become the first country to secure the most-favorable treatment for its semiconductor and related product suppliers under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act.

The trade negotiations, which concluded on Thursday, included commitments to expand supply chain investment cooperation and deepen Taiwan-US collaboration on artificial intelligence (AI), the Cabinet said.

The new tariff rate matches US rates on goods from major trade partners such as Japan, South Korea and the EU.

Taiwanese semiconductor, electronics manufacturing services, AI and energy companies would invest US$250 billion in the US, it added, but did not give a timeframe.

The government has also agreed to provide financial institutions up to US$250 billion in credit guarantees to support semiconductor, and information and communications technology investments, the Executive Yuan said.

Taiwan is the first country to secure the most-favorable treatment for its semiconductor and related product suppliers, which should significantly ease uncertainties in the local semiconductor industry, the Cabinet said.

From left, Minister Without Portfolio Yang Jen-ni, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun and Representative to the US Alexander Yui hold a news conference in Washington on Thursday. Photo: screen grab from the Executive Yuan’s livestream

Taiwanese semiconductor firms would be granted most-favorable status when they import raw materials, equipment and electronic components for their US operations, it said.

Washington has recognized and accepted a “Taiwan model,” which allows Taiwanese companies to follow their own plans for investing in the US and moving closer to US clients, the Cabinet said, adding that it should encourage local companies to enter the US’ supply chain and build industrial capacity there.

Taiwan has the sixth-largest trade surplus with the US, 90 percent of which is related to sales of semiconductors, information and communications products, and electronic components, it said.

The consensus was reached on Thursday, and a memorandum of understanding was signed with the US Department of Commerce, it added.

A more formal trade pact would be signed in the coming weeks, said Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君), who led Taiwan’s trade negotiation team.

Taiwan secured two deals: A reciprocal tariff of 15 percent with no stacking, the lowest rate among countries with which the US runs a trade deficit, and a US pledge to grant the nation “most-favored treatment” if it imposes tariffs under the Trade Act, she said.

The US Department of Commerce described the arrangement as “a historic trade deal that will drive a massive reshoring of America’s semiconductor sector” and “strengthen US economic resilience, create high-paying jobs and bolster national security.”

The Cabinet said the 15 percent tariff without stacking should help make Taiwan’s non-tech sectors more competitive, as they would now be on equal footing with Japan, South Korea and the EU.

Taiwan has also secured most-favorable treatment for other items, such as auto parts, wooden furniture and aircraft components, under the Trade Act, it said, adding that the two countries have agreed to set up a negotiation mechanism under Section 232.

Regarding whether tariffs on vehicles imported from the US would be reduced to zero, Cheng said a full briefing would be provided when the Taiwan-US trade agreement is signed.

Taiwan currently imposes a 17.5 percent tariff on cars imported from the US.

Additional reporting by Chen Yu-fu


content_text:
Taipei is aiming to be the US’ strategic partner in AI, Vice Premier Cheng says

Taipei aims to become a close strategic partner of Washington in artificial intelligence (AI) after striking a deal to cut tariffs and boost investment in the US, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) said yesterday.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has pushed Taiwan, a major producer of semiconductors, to invest more in the US, specifically in chips that power AI.

“In this negotiation, we promoted two-way Taiwan-US high-tech investment, hoping that in the future we can become close AI strategic partners,” said Cheng, who led the talks that clinched Thursday’s trade deal, which cuts tariffs on many of Taiwan’s exports and directs new investments in the US’ technology industry.

An image of an electronic wafer is displayed at the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Museum of Innovation in Hsinchu on Nov. 21, 2024. Photo: Cheng I-hwa, AFP

US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said Taiwanese companies would invest US$250 billion to boost the production of semiconductors, energy and AI in the US.

The figure includes US$100 billion already committed by chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) last year, with more to come, he added.

Cheng called the deal “win-win,” saying that it would also encourage US investment in Taiwan.

US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, center left, and Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun, center right, pose for a photograph in Washington on Thursday. Photo: screen grab from Lutnick’s X account

The investment plan is up to the company, rather than driven by the government, and Taiwanese companies would continue to invest at home, she added.

“We believe [the goal of] this supply-chain cooperation is not ‘move,’ but ‘build.’ We expand our footprint in the US and support it in building local supply chains, but even more so, it is an extension and expansion of Taiwan’s technology industry,” Cheng said.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed on the investment commitments and a more formal trade pact would be signed in the coming weeks, she added.

The MOU did not provide a timeline on when the US$250 billion investment pledge would have to be fulfilled.

The US said Taiwan would also guarantee an additional US$250 billion in credit to facilitate further investment.

There have been concerns that Taiwanese semiconductor companies investing heavily in the US would hollow out the nation’s domestic industry and weaken the “silicon shield” that protects it from a Chinese attack.

Cheng did not say whether the deal would reduce US dependence on Taiwan, but said she did not believe the increased investment would hurt the Taiwanese semiconductor industry.

“While every country pursues its own national security goals, Taiwan’s priority is to support the international expansion and extension of its high-tech industries,” she said. “This is not an industrial relocation, but an extension and expansion of Taiwan’s technology sector.”

The sector’s output has grown at home while semiconductor companies have expanded their overseas investment footprint, Cheng said.

TSMC in a statement said it welcomed the prospect of “robust” trade pacts between Taiwan and the US, adding that all its investment decisions were based on market conditions and customer demand.

“The market demand for our advanced technology is very strong,” it said. “We continue to invest in Taiwan and expand overseas.”

Lutnick said the objective was to bring 40 percent of Taiwan’s chip supply chain and production to the US.

If they were not built in the US, the tariff would likely be 100 percent.

Additional reporting by CNA


title: US okays US$2.3bn bill for Taiwan military financing

content_text:
INSIGHTS: The approval showed supporting Taiwan was a bipartisan consensus and the funding for the Philippines highlights first island chain security concerns, experts said

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill to provide Taiwan with US$300 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF), and up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees to bolster deterrence in the Taiwan Strait.

The measures are part of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026, which the House approved by a 341-79 vote.

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on Thursday issued a news release outlining the bill’s provisions related to the Indo-Pacific region.

A US flag flutters on the US Capitol Building in Washington in an undated photograph. Photo: EPA-EFE

FMF, a US Department of State program, helps allies and partner countries acquire US military equipment, services and training through US-funded aid.

The legislation also directs the US secretary of state to take into account a country’s UN voting record and its support for Taiwan’s observer status when deciding how foreign aid is distributed.

In addition, it includes US$35.9 million for the American Institute in Taiwan, which represents US interests in Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties, and US$100 million in FMF for the Philippines.

“In the past month, the free people of Taiwan have endured cyberattacks and aggressive PLA [People’s Liberation Army] military exercises. This legislation provides Taiwan with more support, helps it invest in its own defense, and reinforces last month’s historic arms sale by the Trump Administration,” Select Committee Chairman John Moolenaar said in a separate statement on Thursday.

The US “must urgently deliver weapons to Taiwan to deter conflict in 2027 and beyond,” he added.

Several Taiwanese academics weighed in on the bill’s significance for Taiwan and the broader Indo-Pacific region.

Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the House’s support for military aid shows strong consensus on strengthening Taiwan’s security.

He added that including US$100 million in FMF for the Philippines highlights US concern for the broader security of the first island chain.

Chen Shih-min (陳世民), an associate professor of political science at National Taiwan University, said that although Taiwan accounts for only part of the bill, members of the US Congress had to actively support the provisions to vote in favor.

That about 80 percent of lawmakers approved it shows bipartisan consensus on supporting Taiwan, Chen added.

For the legislation to become law, the US Senate must approve an identical version, which must then be promulgated by the US president.


title: Japan, US agree to more cooperation

content_text:
Tokyo and Washington yesterday agreed to boost joint production of defense equipment, including missiles, and expand their military presence in waters southwest of Japan, as China ramps up pressure on its Asian neighbor.

The agreement came after Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi met US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in Washington, where they also pledged further cooperation on supply chains including critical minerals.

Japan is embroiled in a heated diplomatic spat with China, triggered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s suggestion last year that Japan could intervene militarily if China attacks Taiwan.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, left, welcomes Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi in Washington on Thursday. Photo: AP

China reacted angrily, blocking exports to Japan of “dual-use” items with potential military applications, fueling worries in Tokyo that Beijing could choke supplies of much-needed rare earths.

As the “security environment is rapidly growing severe” in Asia, “the two ministers confirmed the Japan-US alliance remains absolutely unwavering,” the Japanese Ministry of Defense said.

The two countries also agreed to further advance joint production of air-to-air missiles and surface-to-air interceptors, and work on the expansion of “more sophisticated and practical joint drills in various locations including the southwest region,” it said.

Beefing up defense around the so-called “southwest” region, which includes areas such as Okinawa, is one of Japan’s top priorities.

Okinawa, home to the vast majority of US military bases in Japan, serves as a key US outpost to monitor China, the Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula, with Tokyo and Washington stressing its strategic importance.

Tokyo has also been increasing its military budget, including last month, when the government approved a record ￥9 trillion (US$57 billion) in defense spending for the upcoming fiscal year.

Hegseth praised Japan for that effort, calling it “hard-nosed realism; practical, common-sense approach that puts both of our vital national interests together,” according to the US Department of War, recently rebranded from the Department of Defense.


title: Ex-South Korean president gets five-year prison term

content_text:
A South Korean court yesterday sentenced former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol to five years in prison in the first verdict from eight criminal trials over the martial law debacle that forced him out of office and other allegations.

Yoon was impeached, arrested and dismissed as president after his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024 triggered huge public protests calling for his ouster.

The most significant criminal charge against him alleges that his martial law enforcement amounted to a rebellion.

Former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol arrives at a court to attend a hearing to review his arrest warrant requested by special prosecutors in Seoul on July 9 last year. Photo: Reuters

An independent counsel has requested the death sentence over that charge, and the Seoul Central District Court would decide on that in a ruling on Feb. 19.

Yoon has maintained he did not intend to place the country under military rule for an extended period, saying his decree was only meant to inform the people about the danger of the liberal-controlled parliament obstructing his agenda.

However, investigators have viewed Yoon’s decree as an attempt to bolster and prolong his rule, charging him with rebellion, abuse of power and other criminal offenses.

The court sentenced Yoon for defying attempts to detain him and fabricating the martial law proclamation. He was also sentenced for sidestepping a legally mandated full Cabinet meeting, which deprived some members who were not convened of their rights to deliberate on his decree.

Judge Baek Dae-hyun said imposing “a heavy punishment” was necessary, because Yoon has not shown remorse and has only repeated “hard-to-comprehend excuses.”

Restoring legal systems damaged by Yoon’s action was necessary, Baek added.

Yoon’s defense team said they would appeal the ruling, which they believe was “politicized” and reflected “the unliberal arguments by the independent counsel.”

The ruling “oversimplified the boundary between the exercise of the president’s constitutional powers and criminal liability,” they said.

Park Sung-bae, a lawyer who specializes in criminal law, said there is little chance the court would decide Yoon should face the death penalty, adding that he would likely receive a life sentence, or a prison sentence of 30 years or more.

South Korea has maintained a de facto moratorium on executions since 1997 and courts rarely hand down death sentences.

The court would take into account that Yoon’s decree did not cause casualties and did not last long, although Yoon has not shown genuine remorse for his action, Park said.

South Korea has a history of pardoning former presidents who were jailed over diverse crimes in the name of promoting national unity.

Even if Yoon is spared the death penalty or life imprisonment at the rebellion trial, he might still face other prison sentences in the multiple smaller trials he faces.

Some observers said Yoon is likely retaining a defiant attitude in the ongoing trials to maintain his support base in the belief that he cannot avoid a lengthy sentence, but could be pardoned in the future.

The former president’s other trials deal with charges such as ordering drone flights over North Korea to deliberately inflame animosities to look for a pretext to declare martial law, manipulating the investigation into a marine’s drowning in 2023 and receiving free opinion surveys from an election broker in return for a political favor.


title: Ministry, Miaoli ink MOU on resource circulation

content_text:
GREEN CORRIDOR: The ministry is also jointly initiating an environmental improvement project for the Douzihpu River with the Hsinchu County Government

The Ministry of Environment yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Miaoli County Government to promote resource circulation developments via collaborations between the local and central governments.

The MOU was signed by Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) and Miaoli County Commissioner Chung Tung-chin (鍾東錦), with the goal of building a climate technology circulation park in the county’s Jhunan Township (竹南).

Peng said resource circulation is the key to the development of the circular economy, which has an annual output value of about NT$168.8 billion (US$5.35 billion) at a growth rate of 10 percent.

The name and logo of the Environmental Protection Administartion are pictured at its headquarters in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo: CNA

The county is the first entity to sign an MOU with the ministry to promote resource circulation, he said, adding that the ministry would plan the construction of the park jointly with the county government to establish a resilient resource processing mechanism.

The county government would utilize 25 hectares of land at the Jhunan landfill to set up the park, Chung said.

Advanced technology would be introduced to repurpose waste into energy, thereby helping to reduce local waste processing loads, he said.

In other news, the ministry entered another local cooperation with the Hsinchu County Government by jointly initiating an environmental improvement project for the Douzihpu River (豆子埔溪) and its surrounding areas in the county’s Jhubei City (竹北).

The county government is to invest nearly NT$190 million — of which about NT$120 million is from the ministry — in the project, with the goal of building an urban waterfront green corridor for local residents by the end of next year.

Hsinchu County Commissioner Yang Wen-ke (楊文科) said the project area is a 1.6km section of the river between Jhihshan Bridge (至善橋) and Boai Bridge (博愛橋), adding that he expects the river to be improved at least to the standard of the Cheonggyecheon River in Seoul.

The ministry said the project would focus on water quality improvements and pollution reduction, with interception facilities and a cobble contact bed system to purify an estimated 5,000 tonnes of river water per day.

The ammonia nitrogen removal rate is expected to reach 70 percent, while the removal efficiencies of biochemical oxygen and suspended solids could reach 80 percent, it said.

That would not only enhance the use of various waterfront spaces, but would also create diverse habitats for wildlife, it added.

Additional reporting by Chang Hsun-teng and Liao Hsueh-ju

taiwan-subdivisions: 竹南 竹北


content_text:
LUNAR NEW YEAR: Extra precautions would be taken to prevent transmission of the flu, which could be exacerbated by holiday travel, the Centers for Disease Control said

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) has announced new measures to ease emergency room overcrowding during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday after Taiwan faced a serious overcrowding strain last year that was called “unprecedented.”

Emergency room visits during the Lunar New Year holiday typically climb to 1.5 to 1.7 times the normal daily average because of visits by mostly noncritical cases, largely driven by cold weather, and gatherings that fuel respiratory infections and viral gastroenteritis, the ministry said.

The situation is also exacerbated by fewer primary care clinics operating.

Customers are pictured at the counter at a drug store in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo: Taipei Times

Those factors came to a head last year when emergency rooms were so overcrowded, the Taiwan Society of Emergency Medicine described it as “unprecedented.”

To improve access to medical care during this year’s holiday from Feb. 14 to Feb. 22, the ministry said that the 13 urgent care centers nationwide would close only on Lunar New Year’s Eve (Feb. 16) and the second-to-last day of the holiday (Feb. 21).

They are to operate on the other seven days to provide services in internal medicine, general surgery, pediatrics and orthopedics.

Launched in Taiwan’s six major cities in early November last year, the urgent care centers program normally offers medical services from 8am to midnight on Sundays and national holidays to divert non-emergency patients and ease pressure on hospitals.

Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said patients with gastrointestinal, infectious or lower respiratory illnesses can also seek care at designated “emergency responsibility hospitals” that are to open infectious disease clinics from the first to the third day of the Lunar New Year (Feb. 17 to Feb. 19).

Emergency responsibility hospitals are facilities designated under a tiered emergency medical system to provide round-the-clock emergency care in their service areas, with 204 nationwide as of September last year.

Extra precautions would also be taken to prevent transmission of the flu, which could be exacerbated by holiday travel, Centers for Disease Control Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said.

The Centers for Disease Control would broaden eligibility for publicly funded flu antivirals from Jan. 20 to Feb. 28 for people with flu-like symptoms who belong to “high transmission” groups, including medical workers and long-term care facility workers, he said.

title: MOHW eyes less crowded emergency rooms


content_text:
By Sun Wei-jun and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

This year’s edition of the Taipei Lantern Festival is to showcase robots from the toy and media franchise Transformers in the city’s first-ever attempt to have a double-featured theme for the event.

The festival this year, which is to cost the city NT$60 million (US$1.9 million), has reached a deal with the franchise to use its character designs in light installations at Taipei Expo Park, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said.

The park would serve as the festival’s secondary location for families bringing children to the event, while the primary area, the venue in the Ximen District (西門), is to employ a separate theme, it said.

A Taipei Department of Information and Tourism official and a model unveil this year’s Taipei Lantern Festival lantern at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

A 10m Optimus Prime installation is to star at Taipei Expo Park as its main attraction, alongside the franchise’s famous characters Bumblebee and Megatron, the department said.

The festival’s park area is to focus on creating a technological and futuristic feel to emphasize Taipei’s vibrant life, it said, adding that 100,000 Transformer-themed handheld lanterns would be distributed, it said.

The handheld lights would be available from March 1 to March 3 at the Ximen venue, Taipei Expo Park and select distribution points to be announced at a later time, it added.

The event would also feature immersive light sculptures that take inspiration from Taipei landmarks and stars in the night sky in a collaboration with Hsu Chih-ming (徐志銘), the department said.

The Taipei Lantern Festival is to run from 5pm to 10pm between Feb. 25 and March 15, it said.

Taipei Expo Park is to be utilized for the festival for the first time, was selected for its spaciousness and proximity to MRT stations, commercial zones and city attractions, the department said.

In related news, the Chiayi County Government has announced that hand-held paper lanterns featuring Taiwan’s tourism mascot OhBear riding a rocking horse are to be handed out during the Taiwan Lantern Festival in Chiayi starting at 3pm daily from March 3 to March 15. The festival is to take place at the plaza in front of Chiayi County Hall.

Each person would be limited to one lantern, with a limited number available daily.

A total of 280,000 lanterns have been prepared by the Tourism Administration and the county government.

Additional reporting by CNA

title: Taipei Lantern Festival to showcase ‘Transformers’


content_text:
The Taipei International Comics and Animation Festival this year has banned realistic replica guns, gas masks and other face coverings following the Taipei MRT mass stabbing last month, official guidelines showed.

This year’s festival is slated to take place from Feb. 5 to Feb. 9 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.

REFUSING ENTRY

A person dressed in tactical gear and a mask of a character from the video game franchise Call of Duty is pictured in Hualien City on Monday. Photo courtesy of the police

The organizers said that the festival reserves the right to refuse entry to participants wearing costumes or replica weapons that evoke associations with terrorism, could cause harm or panic, or obscure the identity of the wearer.

Banned items include gas masks and respirators, helmets, guns, swords and knives, they said, adding that excessively large props must be disassembled during transport to minimize potential risks to public safety.

The guidelines also bar attendees from nudity, bearing their undergarments or otherwise engaging in indecent displays.

FEELING SAFE

The new rules have been implemented to ensure that participants would feel safe to enjoy the festival after the Dec. 19 MRT attack, the organizers said.

The festival’s announcement also came three days after police arrested a woman dressed in tactical gear and a mask of Ghost, a character from the popular video game franchise Call of Duty for allegedly “alarming the public.”

Police have recommended that the Hualien District Prosecutors’ Office fine the woman for breaching the Social Order Maintenance Act (社會秩序維護法), the Hualien County Police Bureau said in a statement.

title: Taipei comics festival to ban realistic replica guns


content_text:
Prosecutors on Thursday said that a Taiwanese woman would not be indicted over the death of her British husband due to insufficient evidence of foul play, but they are seeking a sentence of no less than eight years in a separate case for the attempted rat poison murder of an Australian student.

The woman, surnamed Yang (楊), was married to a British national who fell ill in December 2022 with what doctors later diagnosed as a urinary tract infection, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said.

He died the following month.

A sign at the main entrance of the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office is pictured yesterday. Photo: Wu Sheng-ju, Taipei Times

Prosecutors said they reviewed the man’s medical records, autopsy report and questioned doctors, but found no way to determine whether he had ingested rat poison or another toxin.

The husband moved to Taiwan with Yang several years earlier and did not keep in touch with his family in the UK. His death only came under scrutiny after his younger brother came to Taiwan in January 2024 seeking information about him.

Using information provided by the man’s brother, police discovered that he had been married to Yang, but died just before Alex Shorey, an Australian exchange student in Taiwan, was poisoned.

Police later informed prosecutors, who investigated a possible connection between the two cases.

Yang met Shorey the same month her husband died and quickly grew fond of him, prosecutors said.

After completing his Chinese courses in March 2024, the Australian student was set to return home. Prosecutors said Yang allegedly spiked his food and drink with rat poison to keep him in Taiwan, leaving him in intensive care. Doctors later identified the poison as the rodenticide superwarfarin.

Shorey was ultimately evacuated back to Australia in May that year, while Yang was later referred to Taipei prosecutors and charged with attempted murder in December 2024.

Taipei prosecutors on Thursday said that Yang was not indicted over her husband’s death due to insufficient evidence, but are asking that she receives no less than eight years in prison for the case involving Shorey, which is being reviewed by the Taipei District Court.

title: Woman not to be indicted over death of British husband


content_text:
‘WEAPONIZATION’: Japan realized the coercive power of economic dependence when China in 2010 used rare earths as leverage for territorial claims, an academic said

Economic security is the ability to counter foreign coercion via economic means, an academic said yesterday, calling for cooperation among like-minded countries within the Asian region to achieve a geo-economic power balance.

The “Asia Visions and Voices: Geopolitical Implications of Trump 2.0” international conference organized by National Tsing Hua University’s Taipei School of Economics and Political Science and the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation commenced in Taipei yesterday.

Many international academics and experts were invited to the two-day conference to share their perspectives of the challenges facing Asian countries as tariff wars continue to reshape the global trade order.

US dollar, Japanese yen and Chinese yuan banknotes are pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: REUTERS

The University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Public Policy professor Kazuto Suzuki said in his presentation political power is not only about state power, but also about whether a nation has the autonomous capability to manage its supply chains and being indispensable in the global supply chain.

“Weaponization of interdependence or weaponization of economy is the key concept to understand the geopolitical tensions in the global landscape,” he said.

Economic security makes sure that a nation has the capabilities to counteract the coercion from other countries via economic means, Suzuki said.

Japan realized that economic indispensability — which creates heavy dependence on certain goods and markets — has replaced military power as a coercive tactic against other countries when China in 2010 used rare earth minerals as leverage to change Japan’s political decisions on its relationship with China, especially on territorial disputes, he said.

Economic security avoids such economic coercion by reducing the dependence on other countries and building supply chains within a country or among like-minded countries, Suzuki said.

China has built up its strategic indispensability in the global supply chain since the 1980s, when it sought to concentrate its production or reprocessing capabilities of critical minerals, he said.

China is also diversifying its supply chain and export destinations to reduce its dependence on the US market, Suzuki said.

“The US-China relationship is now the fight between the indispensability of the market and the indispensability of goods,” he said.

The US relies so heavily on China in industries such as rare earth minerals and shipbuilding that it is conceding by allowing Nvidia Corp’s H200 chip to be exported to China, Suzuki said.

That is one of the consequences of the fight, he said, adding that the US is more vulnerable to China while China is more autonomous.

Suzuki called for developing Asian cooperation by building a trusted network of supply chains in the region, and suggested the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership be leveraged in this regard.

Bigger markets in the region must be created not just to compete with the other mega markets, but also to use these markets to achieve a geopolitical balance of power, he said.

title: Cooperation needed for balance: expert


content_text:
‘LEVELING THE FIELD’: The tariff would be dropped to 15 percent, down from the previous 20 percent, matching rates imposed on Japan, South Korea and the EU

An agreement reached on Thursday between Taiwan and the US to lower tariffs on Taiwanese goods would benefit local non-tech industries by “leveling the playing field” with major trade competitors, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday.

“Japan and South Korea had free trade agreements or quasi-free trade agreements with the US, giving Japanese and South Korean goods an advantage over Taiwanese goods,” Lai told reporters in Taichung.

“But now, the playing field is level. This actually provides a great opportunity for Taiwanese traditional industries exporting to the US,” he said.

President William Lai speaks at an event in Taichung yesterday.  Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times

No formal trade deal has yet been signed, with Taiwanese officials hoping it will be concluded in the coming weeks.

Once signed, the new tariff rate of 15 percent, down from the previously imposed 20 percent, would match the US rates on goods from major trade partners such as Japan, South Korea and the EU.

The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on investment commitments made by Taiwan to invest more in the US’ semiconductor and technology sectors.

As part of the consensus reached during the negotiations, the US government has agreed to help Taiwanese businesses acquire land, and access utilities and infrastructure, making it easier for them to integrate into the US economy, Lai said.

“Not only will there be a ‘Taiwanese national team’ for US investment, there will also be a ‘US national team’ investing in Taiwan,” Lai said, referring to the MOU.

Taiwan would facilitate US investment in the Taiwanese semiconductor, artificial intelligence, defense and biotechnology sectors to expand market access for US companies, according to the US Department of Commerce, although it did not outline specific commitments in the MOU by the US to invest more in Taiwan.

Because any formal trade deal reached with the US must be approved by the legislature, where opposition parties hold a combined majority, Lai called for nonpartisan support from lawmakers when reviewing the pact.

Under the Conclusion of Treaties Act (條約締結法), once a treaty has been signed, the Cabinet must submit it within 30 days to the legislature for deliberations.

The legislature can then retain or revise the clauses, in which case the treaty must be renegotiated with the other signatory.

title: Tariff agreement good for industry: Lai


people: 鄭麗君 賴清德 牛煦庭 吳宗憲

content_text:
By Shih Hsiao-kuang and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday demanded that the government submit signed agreements with the US from its tariff negotiations to the legislature for review.

Taiwan and the US earlier yesterday announced an agreement to a long-sought trade pact that would lower tariffs on goods from Taiwan to 15 percent and see Taiwanese semiconductor firms increase financing for US operations by US$250 billion.

Taiwan also agreed to provide an additional US$250 billion in credit guarantees for further investment in the US semiconductor supply chain.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) spokesman Niu Hsu-ting, left, and KMT Culture and Communications Committee head Wu Tsung-hsien hold placards at a press conference at the party headquarters in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times

Saying that information is severely insufficient, the KMT’s Culture and Communications Committee head Wu Tsung-hsien (吳宗憲) at a press conference yesterday said the party would continue to study Japan’s and South Korea’s negotiation approaches and their GDP proportions to make data transparent.

He asked whether the trade talks were one-sided and if the US “set Taiwan up” to see what Taiwan was willing to offer to secure a 15 percent tariff rate.

The party is demanding that the government provide more information on how the talks were conducted, he said, adding that the public must know and that information about the talks should be transparent.

Citing the Cabinet statement that “Taiwanese semiconductor, electronics manufacturing service [EMS], artificial intelligence and energy companies would invest US$250 billion in the US under their own plans,” Wu claimed that the 15 percent tariff rates were secured by agreeing to relocate many high-value-added industries to the US.

The move would fundamentally alter the industrial makeup of Taiwan and reduce the number of high-level jobs in Taiwan, he said.

KMT spokesman Niu Hsu-ting (牛煦庭) also voiced doubts about whether the negotiated tariff rates were truly beneficial for Taiwan.

In October last year, US President Donald Trump said that Taiwan should move half of its chip manufacturing industry to the US, and Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君), who headed Taiwan’s negotiation team, said that a “50-50 split” would not be agreed to, Niu said.

Such an agreement, in addition to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s commitment to set up five additional wafer manufacturing plants in the US, brings total semiconductor production moved to the US close to 50 percent, Niu said.

President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration’s willingness to provide credit guarantees to related industries in Taiwan to invest in the US would only expedite the industry’s exit, if not the relocation of the entire industry’s supply chain from Taiwan, he added.

According to Niu, the potential outflow of semiconductor-related supply chains would have a heavier impact on Taiwan than US-imposed tariffs.

The haste in signing a memorandum of understanding with Washington meant that even if Trump’s tariffs are overturned by the US Supreme Court, Taiwan would still have to honor its commitment, Niu said.

Additional reporting by CNA

title: KMT demands review of signed tariff agreements


title: Opposition votes to split up budget

people: 鍾佳濱 羅智強

content_text:
By Liu Wan-lin and Fion Khan / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNA

Opposition lawmakers yesterday fast-tracked a motion to the second reading that would authorize the disbursement of the central government’s NT$71.8 billion (US$2.2 billion) budget for 38 projects, including subsidies to address the low birthrate and funding for the TPass program.

During a plenary session, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) used their combined majority to bypass committee review and send the motion, which covers 38 budgetary items, directly to the second reading and cross-party negotiations.

Despite objections from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the motion passed 59 to 49, with one abstention from KMT Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝衣?).

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers hold placards stating their stance on general budget at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times

The 38 proposed projects include subsidies to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, funding for the TPass program, and flood control and water management initiatives.

Regarding the birthrate, the subsidies include NT$235 million to cover gaps in government employee birth benefits and NT$2.96 billion for labor insurance birth subsidies.

For the TPass program, the subsidies include NT$1.58 billion for the Executive Yuan’s TPass implementation program and NT$5.94 billion for local governments to implement TPass from this year to 2029.

As for flood control and water management, the proposal includes subsidies for river and drainage improvement projects to address climate change.

In the proposal, the KMT and the TPP said that amid international uncertainty and rising cross-strait tensions, the Executive Yuan had “maliciously and illegally” failed to budget for pay raises for volunteer military personnel, and higher replacement ratios for police and firefighter pensions.

They accused the Cabinet of failing to present viable alternatives, and of undermining the Constitution and public opinion by spreading misinformation and sowing social division.

The proposal cited a “non-shutdown mechanism” in the budgetary process, arguing that under Article 54 of the Budget Act (預算法), the legislature may adopt a resolution allowing the advance release of urgent and major livelihood-related capital expenditures and new projects included in this year’s general budget.

The opposition hopes the legislature would first approve funding for these projects, TPP caucus deputy whip Chang Chi-kai (張?楷) said.

However, the Executive Yuan should address the root of the issue by fully budgeting for military pay raises and related items to enable substantive review of the overall budget, he added.

The motion mainly targets new local and livelihood-related projects, or specific expenditures within new initiatives, KMT Legislator Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said.

It is regrettable that the matter was not handled by the Executive Yuan, as it could have sought legislative approval to release funds for these initiatives, he said.

This year’s general budget has not even been submitted for review, DPP caucus chief executive Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) said, questioning how the opposition could selectively deem NT$71.8 billion in projects especially urgent without full review.

The Legislative Yuan usually refers the central government budget to committees for item-by-item scrutiny before second and third readings in plenary, he said.

By utilizing a “resolution” format to authorize specific expenditures, the opposition is attempting to circumvent the standard review process, he added.


people: 范雲 羅智強

content_text:
The legislature has passed amendments that abolish provisions allowing Public Television Service (PTS) board members to remain in office after their terms expire.

The amendments cleared the Legislative Yuan yesterday in a 59-49 vote, with lawmakers from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) using their numerical advantage to delete the so-called “indefinite extension” clause from the Public Television Act (公共電視法).

Under the previous law, board members whose terms had ended could continue serving until new appointees formally took office, a mechanism critics said enabled prolonged extensions and weakened governance.

The Public Television Service headquarters in Taipei are pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Chung Chih-kai, Taipei Times

The current PTS board’s term expired in May last year, but a new board has yet to be fully reconstituted, as nominations have not completed the statutory review process.

KMT Legislator Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) and the TPP caucus proposed the amendments, arguing that the extension clause distorted governance and undermined the network’s professionalism and independence.

Although cross-party negotiations on the bill concluded on Tuesday, the dispute over the extension clause was left unresolved and sent to the full chamber for a vote.

During the floor debate, TPP Legislator Liu Shu-bin (劉書彬) said abolishing the rule would prevent “perpetual board members” and help safeguard the broadcaster’s independence.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) criticized the move, saying that the amendments could paralyze board operations by deterring qualified candidates because they might not want to go through the partisan wrangling that would inevitably result to fill the PTS board.

Under the law, the PTS board consists of 11 to 15 directors and three to five supervisors, all of whom must be approved by a review committee composed proportionally of party representatives, with a two-thirds majority required.

The Ministry of Culture announced 14 director and five supervisor nominees on Dec. 17 last year, but only four director candidates were approved at the first review meeting on Dec. 31.

Minister of Culture Li Yuan (李遠) said the stalemate amounts to political interference in the media, which he described as regrettable.

Li said he would study whether any remedial measures are available or seek an interpretation from the Ministry of Justice.

PTS is Taiwan’s sole publicly funded broadcaster, and is required by law to operate independently of political parties and government control while serving the public interest.

The prolonged stalemate over board appointments has raised concerns about governance stability and editorial independence amid Taiwan’s highly polarized political environment, as the board plays a central role in overseeing management, budgets and editorial direction.

title: KMT, TPP vote to bar PTS board from longer terms


content_text:
The first meeting of the Legislative Yuan Free and Open Indo-Pacific Promotion Association was held yesterday in a bid to boost exchanges between Taiwan and like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉), who initiated the association, said that the meeting marked the first time the legislature has launched an initiative in response to the “free and open Indo-Pacific” vision advocated by late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.

At a critical moment shaped by shifting international political and economic dynamics, and supply-chain restructuring, the association would serve as an important starting point for connecting Taiwan with democratic partners worldwide, carrying multiple strategic implications in both security and trade, Chiu said.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei, center, second row, gestures along with fellow lawmakers and guests at the founding of the Legislative Yuan Free and Open Indo-Pacific Promotion Association in Taipei yesterday. Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times

The free and open concept was first proposed by Abe in 2007 and was incorporated into US policy by US President Donald Trump in 2017, Chiu said.

The new association has a broad scope, with members including the US, Australia, India, South Korea, spanning four continents, aiming to extend Taiwan’s connections beyond a single region and toward global partnerships, he said.

The association’s charter says its purpose is centered on the core values of rule of law, freedom, openness, and inclusiveness, and it is committed to promoting a rules-based peaceful environment.

The charter lists three main missions:

First, to respond to acts that attempt to change the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait through coercion or unilateral actions, and to safeguard regional order through parliamentary diplomacy and policy exchanges.

Second, to promote Taiwan’s substantive participation in the Indo-Pacific region on issues such as security, economic resilience, supply chain cooperation and democratic governance.

Third, to hold public hearings and seminars to boost interactions with parliaments and administrative agencies of Indo-Pacific countries.

The association would be positioned as “mission-oriented” rather than social in nature, Chiu said, adding it aims to use parliamentary diplomacy to promote Taiwan’s policy experience across the Indo-Pacific region, implement the “Taiwan can help” concept and create new development opportunities for Taiwan.

title: Open Indo-Pacific group launched in Legislative Yuan


content_text:
The absence of any major escalation in Taiwan-US military cooperation this year should not necessarily be viewed as a negative, as it could indicate that the regional security environment has stabilized, a former Pentagon official said on Thursday.

At a seminar in Taipei, former US Air Force lieutenant colonel Tony Hu (胡振東) said military cooperation between Taipei and Washington has progressed significantly, adding that many interactions now considered routine were not possible when he worked at the Pentagon and the American Institute in Taiwan before Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) took office in 2013.

According to Hu, these changes reflect Washington’s adjustments to its military engagement with Taiwan in response to perceived threats from the Chinese Communist Party.

Panelists and the audience are pictured at a seminar hosted by the Institute for National Policy Research in Taipei on Thursday. Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times

“If people are hoping for a major breakthrough, we would need Xi Jinping to give it a push,” he said.

Institute for National Policy Research executive director Kuo Yu-jen (郭育仁) said US intelligence and counterintelligence capabilities were the most impressive aspect of the seven major military overhauls launched during US President Donald Trump’s second term.

Kuo predicted that Xi would conduct another wave of purges in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army before the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Kuo also predicted a significant increase in the frequency and intensity of Chinese “gray zone” tactics around Taiwan.

Meanwhile, Foundation on Asia-Pacific Peace Studies CEO Dong Li-wen (董立文) and Academia Sinica research fellow Lin Cheng-yi (林正義) told the seminar, which focused on Trump’s first year in office, that they expected the international environment to be less turbulent this year.

Dong said that compared with the period from 2020 to last year, “the international security environment in 2026 will be relatively more stable, with a much lower likelihood of events that could fundamentally disrupt the global order.”

Dong cited the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, a “stalemate” in the Russia-Ukraine war and the easing of conflicts in the Middle East as factors reducing uncertainty.

While US policy under Trump remains a key variable, Dong said any overseas military actions this year are unlikely to match the scale seen last year, when US forces were involved in operations in seven countries.

As most countries have spent the past 10 months adapting to Trump’s tariff policies, Dong suggested that a major economic shock in the coming year was less likely.

The international community should now be more psychologically prepared for Trump’s governing style, Lin said, adding that the US president’s biggest challenge this year might come not from China, but from midterm elections scheduled for Nov. 3.

A Republican defeat could be followed by a strong backlash, including impeachment efforts in the US Congress, Lin said.

However, former minister of foreign affairs Tien Hung-mao (田弘茂), president of the Institute for National Policy Research, warned that deepening polarization in US domestic politics could still affect the outcome of that country’s legislative elections.

Additional reporting by Huang Ching-hsuan

title: Quiet Taiwan-US cooperation not always bad: expert


content_text: A rice paddy in Taitung County’s Guanshan Township featuring an image of the sea goddess Matsu created from six rice varieties is pictured yesterday. The Guanshan Township Farmers’ Association encouraged the public to visit this year’s painted rice field artwork during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, and experience the beautiful combination of rural scenery and art.

title: Grain art


content_text: Japanese photographer and director Mika Ninagawa poses for photographs at a news conference in Taipei yesterday ahead of today’s opening of the photography exhibition “NINAGAWA Mika with EiM: Lights of the beyond, Shadows of This World” at Huashan Creative Park.

title: Lights and shadows


content_text: Guatemalan Ambassador to Taiwan Luis Raul Estevez Lopez, second left, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, third left, Belizean Ambassador to Taiwan Katherine Vanessa Meighan, third right, and other officials gesture at an event in Taipei yesterday featuring food trucks serving Central American delicacies. The event, hosted by the Central American Trade Office to promote the gastronomic delights of Belize and Guatemala, is touring Taipei and New Taipei City until Feb. 6.

title: Diplomatic delights


content_text:
EQUAL FOOTING: The 15% tariff is on par with that imposed on Japan and South Korea, and removes uncertainty over the US probe into Taiwan’s ICT industry, the minister said

Local manufacturers, particularly traditional industries and small and medium-sized enterprises, should benefit from the lower US tariffs, as Taiwan gains an equal footing with competitors in Japan and South Korea, Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) told reporters yesterday.

After concluding the trade negotiations with Taiwan on Thursday, Washington agreed to lower tariffs on Taiwanese goods to 15 percent from the 20 percent that US President Donald Trump’s administration announced in August last year, without stacking them on existing duties, the Executive Yuan said.

As Taiwan does not have a free-trade agreement with the US, its tariff structure has long been at a disadvantage, while Japan and South Korea have largely enjoyed zero-tariff treatment, Kung said.

Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin answers questions from members of the media regarding the Taiwan-US trade deal in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters

The deal places Taiwan on par with Japan and South Korea, as all three are now subject to a 15 percent tariff, he said.

For example, the machine tool industry used to face a duty of up to 4 percent on top of the 20 percent imposed in August, he said.

The outcome also helped stabilize industry expectations regarding the results of the US’ Section 232 investigation, Kung said.

Information and communications technology (ICT) manufacturers were afraid that they could face high tariffs after being included in the Section 232 investigation, but the new deal would allow most ICT products to continue to enjoy tariff exemptions, he said.

ICT products accounted for more than 80 percent of Taiwan’s total exports to the US in 2024, a share that is likely to rise further, he said.

Overall, Taiwan would enjoy a relatively stable tariff framework and will not only compete on equal footing with peers in other countries, but also gain more advantageous conditions for some product categories, Kung said.

Based on the agreement, Taiwan is to invest up to US$250 billion in the US, mostly in semiconductors, he said.

However, the ministry is not worried that this would lead to offshoring of the semiconductor industry, he added.

About 85 percent of advanced chips deploying 5-nanometer or more sophisticated process technologies would still be produced in Taiwan by 2030, and only 15 percent would be made in the US, he said.

By 2036, the split between Taiwan and the US is projected to shift to 80 percent and 20 percent, he said.

This means Taiwan would remain the world’s most important production base for artificial intelligence (AI) chips, while the US would serve as the primary market for AI applications and data centers, the minister said.

Taiwan is also to provide credit guarantees of up to US$250 billion to support companies investing in the US.

Meanwhile, US companies are also expected to expand investment in Taiwan, targeting defense, drones, smart robots, quantum technology and biotechnology, in addition to chips and AI, Kung said.

The investments would not only help complete Taiwan’s semiconductor and AI ecosystem, but also address gaps in areas such as memory, materials and equipment, where the US has comparative strengths, he said.

Both sides aim to build a more complete and resilient supply chain system to achieve a win-win outcome over the long term, he added.

On whether the government would adjust the NT$46 billion in special budget originally earmarked for traditional industries, he said that industrial financial support is not limited to short-term relief.

The government will continue to engage with industry associations and business groups to ensure that companies can accelerate upgrading efforts under the new trade framework, he said.

title: Tax deal to lift competitiveness: Kung


content_text:
Taiwanese business groups yesterday welcomed the outcome of the trade talks with the US, saying the agreement injects much-needed certainty into corporate planning even as risks persist from Washington’s evolving tariff and technology policies.

The Taipei-based Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce (CNAIC, 工商協進會) said that securing tariff treatment on par with Japan, South Korea and the EU is critical to maintaining Taiwan’s global competitiveness in the high-tech industry.

The group urged policymakers to clearly separate corporate investment decisions from government-backed guarantees.

A robotic arm is displayed at a trade show in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo: Lin Chin-hua, Taipei Times

Authorities should enhance incentives under existing “Invest Taiwan” programs, while encouraging overseas cooperation, it said.

“Such steps are needed to ensure that core technologies and research-and-development capabilities remain rooted in Taiwan and to address concerns over industrial hollowing out,” it said.

Regarding a separate US$250 billion in government credit guarantees, CNAIC urged officials to swiftly coordinate with the financial sector to establish transparent, project-based standards for credit support.

That would provide more concrete backing for companies expanding abroad and help mitigate cross-border operational risks, it said.

Beyond tariff arrangements, CNAIC said the business community hoped the government would accelerate complementary measures to support Taiwan-US operations, including a bilateral agreement to avoid double taxation and greater visa flexibility for Taiwanese professional and technical personnel.

Such moves would help reduce tax burdens and administrative costs for firms operating in the US, it said.

Another business group, the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (台灣機械公會), agreed, saying the tariff deal would help boost local machinery exports to the US.

The agreement put local machinery manufacturers on an equal footing with their Japanese and South Korean rivals, with a 15 percent tariff rate and no additional stacking tariffs, the association said in a statement.

That was a significant reduction from the 20 percent levy on Taiwanese goods announced by US President Donald Trump’s administration in August last year, higher than the 15 percent imposed on Japan and South Korea.

“The association believes Taiwan’s machinery industry will benefit from the lower tariffs and ship more goods to the US, adding strength to the industry’s recent recovery,” the statement said.

Taiwan’s machinery goods exports expanded 9.1 percent year-on-year last year, it said.

Since Taiwan was also granted the “most favored nation” status with duties on auto parts and timber capped at 15 percent under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act, that would help stimulate purchases of machinery tools and related components from US customers and significantly drive exports, it said.

Machinery tool exports last year dipped to US$2 billion, the weakest since the global financial crisis in 2009, it said.

Consultancy firm PwC Taiwan said that the agreement effectively locks in tariff treatment for Taiwanese exports to the US, giving companies greater certainty when planning operations and investment.

Still, PwC cautioned that expanded semiconductor investment could accelerate supply-chain shifts and it remains unclear whether Washington might tighten export controls on advanced chips and artificial intelligence-related technologies following the deal.

Deloitte & Touche Taiwan warned that while the agreement has eased some of the tariff pressure facing Taiwanese companies, US trade policy remains fluid.

The US has signaled it would continue to assess the effectiveness of the measures and would not rule out expanding the scope of semiconductor tariffs in the future.

Semiconductor companies will need to closely monitor policy developments, the pace of Taiwanese investments in the US and the buildout of US semiconductor clusters, Deloitte said.

More broadly, uncertainty is growing over whether the trade agreement could trigger further upstream and downstream integration or prompt shifts in supply-chain locations, potentially reshaping Taiwan’s deeply entrenched semiconductor ecosystem, it said.

title: Business groups welcome tariff pact with US


content_text:
The TAIEX yesterday surged almost 2 percent and smashed closing records, as investors were pleasantly surprised by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC, 台積電) fourth-quarter results and strong growth prospects this year, analysts said.

The weighted index closed up 598.12 points, or 1.94 percent, at 31,408.70 on turnover of NT$823.36 billion (US$26.08 billion).

At an investor conference on Thursday, TSMC reported higher-than-expected net income of NT$505.74, with gross margin topping 60 percent.

A man walks pass stock electronic boards at Taiwan Stock Exchange Corp in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

For this year, it forecast that revenue would surge almost 30 percent, while capital expenditure would rise to a record US$52 billion to US$56 billion.

“These figures simply told investors AI [artificial intelligence] demand is robust. Investors abroad and at home rushed to pick up the stock,” Mega International Investment Services (兆豐國際投顧) analyst Alex Huang (黃國偉) said.

After its American depositary receipts (ADRs) rose 4.44 percent overnight, TSMC’s common shares gained 2.96 percent to close at a high of NT$1,740 yesterday.

The stock, which accounts for more than 40 percent of total market value, contributed about 400 points to the TAIEX’s rise.

“A trade deal between Taiwan and the United States to cut [US tariffs] to 15 percent from 20 percent also eased market uncertainties,” Huang said.

United Microelectronics Corp (聯電), TSMC’s smaller rival, climbed 6.95 percent to NT$58.50, while smartphone IC designer MediaTek Inc (聯發科) added 1.01 percent to close at NT$1,505.

Old economy industries such as machinery firms also benefit from the reduced tariffs, with Allis Electric Co (亞力電機) surging 10 percent to close at NT$114 and Hiwin Technologies Corp (上銀科技) rising 3.05 percent to end at NT$219.50, Huang said.

Nan Ya Plastics Corp (南亞塑膠) rose 5.88 percent to NT$73.80 and Formosa Plastics Corp (台灣塑膠) ended up 0.94 percent at NT$43.

In the financial sector, which edged up 0.58 percent, Cathay Financial Holding Co (國泰金控) gained 1.33 percent to close at NT$76.20, and Fubon Financial Holding Co (富邦金控) ended 0.96 percent higher at NT$95.

“After TSMC, an earnings season for tech stocks in the United States will start soon. Keep an eye on it,” Huang said.

Foreign institutional investors yesterday net bought NT$39.92 billion in shares, Taiwan Stock Exchange data showed.

title: TSMC record profit drives TAIEX’s 1.9 percent rise


content_text:
The yen yesterday rose against the US dollar after Japanese Minister of Finance Satsuki Katayama said Tokyo would not rule out any options to counter weakness in the local currency, including coordinated intervention with the US.

The yen slid to a year-and-a-half low earlier in the week. It was last up 0.3 percent to ￥158.13, but still set for a third consecutive week of declines against the greenback.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of peers, was poised for a third consecutive weekly gain after positive US economic data pushed out expectations for rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve.

A photograph taken on March 19 last year shows an illustration of yen and US dollar banknotes. Photo: Reuters

Katayama said a joint statement signed with the US in September last year “was extremely significant and included language on intervention.”

Markets in Japan are on edge before a pivotal week that would see Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolve parliament to set up a snap election while the central bank meets on policy.

Some Bank of Japan policymakers see scope to raise interest rates sooner than markets expect to contend with the weak yen, sources said.

The Japanese currency has fallen this week on expectations that fiscally dovish Takaichi might have greater leeway to introduce more stimulus pending the snap election expected early next month.

“Lower house dissolution reports are fuelling JPY [Japanese yen] depreciation pressure and we have further extended our long USD/JPY target, but potential intervention risk could cap the upside,” said Shinichiro Kadota, head of Japan forex and rates strategy at Barclays Tokyo.

Barclays said in a note that Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party might be in for a tight race, as the opposition strengthens its coordination and monetary policy could change depending not only on election results, but also on forex reactions.

The dollar index’s rally paused yesterday, with the currency edging 0.07 percent lower at 99.28, but still on track for a 0.15 percent advance this week.

The US dollar rose on Thursday after data showed US weekly jobless claims unexpectedly fell, likely reflecting challenges adjusting data for seasonal fluctuations.

Fed funds futures have pushed back expectations for the next rate cut to June on the back of improving employment data and as central bank policymakers expressed concern about inflation.

title: Yen rises as Japan mulls joint intervention with US


title: Quanta sees robust AI demand

content_text:
PARADIGM SHIFT: Asustek is reallocating its resources as AI demand crowds out supply of chips and other components for non-AI businesses, its chairman said

Quanta Computer Inc’s (廣達) artificial intelligence (AI)-related business is expected to grow by at least a triple-digit percentage this year, prompting the company to consider hiking its capital expenditure, mostly in the US and Thailand, company executive vice president Mike Yang (楊麒令) said on Thursday.

Quanta’s order visibility extends into next year on the back of strong AI demand, said Yang, who is also the president of the firm’s server manufacturing arm Quanta Cloud Technology Inc (雲達).

‘NO AI BUBBLE’

Quanta Computer Inc executive vice president Mike Yang speaks at a forum in Taipei on Oct. 22 last year. Photo: Fang Wei-chieh, Taipei Times

“It is clear that there is no such thing as an AI bubble,” Yang said.

The construction of data centers is continuing and server manufacturers are still expanding capacity to meet rising demand, Yang said.

Over the next one to three years, AI would not only continue to grow rapidly, but enter a “blooming era,” Quanta chairman Barry Lam (林百里) said, adding that Quanta has secured a competitive edge by successfully transitioning from air-cooled AI servers to liquid-cooled supercomputers.

Quanta expects to begin shipping servers powered by Nvidia’s latest Rubin platform in August, with revenue contribution this year likely to be limited, as it is still in its early rollout phase, he said.

As the system design is largely carried over from the GB200 and GB300 platforms, overall production schedules and deployment efficiency are expected to improve over time, he added.

Quanta is focusing on Level 11 orders, with some projects extending to Level 12, while only a small portion of general-purpose servers remain in standalone configurations, Yang said.

AI server revenue is on track to post triple-digit growth this year, while general-purpose servers should post a solid performance, he said.

The company aims to double capacity this year, primarily for the production of Level 11 servers after reviewing expansion plans and execution schedules over the past two to three years, he said.

Overall this year, AI servers are expected to account for about 80 percent of the company’s total server revenue, Yang said.

Regarding overseas deployment, Quanta is cautious about expanding capacity in Tennessee due to power supply constraints, he said.

In Mexico, Quanta’s server node factory has entered volume production this quarter, he said.

ASUSTEK

Separately, Asustek Computer Inc (華碩) chairman Jonney Shih (施崇棠) yesterday said that the company would continue providing services to its smartphone users, responding to a reporter’s question about whether the company is halting its money-losing smartphone business.

Asustek must reallocate resources quickly to brace for an important paradigm shift ahead and allocate more resources to develop commercial PCs and a wide range of AI-related devices, Shih said.

With memorychip prices surging, Asustek on Jan. 5 raised distribution prices for some computer models, as chip supply constraints are expected to continue, with semiconductor makers prioritizing high-bandwidth chips for AI servers over PC chips.

Addressing concerns that the AI boom has crowded out resources, such as high-bandwidth memory and other components, for non-AI businesses, Shih said the situation has indeed put pressure on non-AI products, but Asustek has long believed that challenges also present opportunities.

Regarding the newly announced US tariffs on Taiwan, Shih said the overall impact on Asustek’s operations is positive, and the company has a flexible global manufacturing footprint to respond to unexpected changes and shifts in the global supply chain.


title: Call to chow

content_text: Bavarian men in traditional clothes play alphorns at the International Green Week agriculture and food fair in Berlin yesterday.


title: EDITORIAL: Difficulties of legislating surrogacy

content_text:
The Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation on Monday voiced strong opposition to surrogacy legalization, saying that the procedure treats wombs as “commodities for producing children for others.” The criticism came after the Executive Yuan last month proposed amendments to the Artificial Reproduction Act (人工生殖法) that would grant married female couples and single women access to assisted reproductive services. Opposition parties proposed their own version of the bill that would additionally legalize surrogacy.

The foundation said that the act and surrogacy “fall under different policy domains” and that legalizing surrogacy could lead to the exploitation of women from disadvantaged backgrounds.

In late 2024, the Ministry of Health and Welfare removed references to surrogacy from the act, citing opposition from constituents, and the complexity of weighing the competing rights and interests of all stakeholders.

Unlike standard assisted reproductive techniques, which help women to conceive and carry their own pregnancies, surrogacy introduces a third party, whose body, health and autonomy are central to the arrangement — a reality that moves the issue into a far more complex policy domain.

The Cabinet’s amendments are framed narrowly, addressing a long-standing inequity in Taiwan’s reproductive laws. The regulations limit assisted reproduction to heterosexual married couples, excluding single women and married lesbian couples. Expanding access to the services is presented as a matter of reproductive autonomy.

However, surrogacy raises a different set of ethical, practical and legal concerns. Although some countries permit surrogacy under strict regulations, experience suggests that even the most carefully designed systems struggle to prevent exploitation.

The UK, Canada and parts of western Europe allow only so-called “altruistic” surrogacy, prohibiting payment beyond expense reimbursement. Yet telling altruism from coercion is far from straightforward.

How should regulators determine whether a woman has agreed to carry a pregnancy out of genuine willingness rather than financial pressure? Economic vulnerability can manifest through informal “gifts,” family obligations, debt, housing and promises of support — all difficult, if not impossible, to monitor. A ban on compensation would not eliminate incentives, but merely push them out of sight.

This issue is compounded by the intimate and prolonged nature of pregnancy itself. Surrogacy contracts often seek to regulate a woman’s diet, movement, medical decisions and personal conduct for months. Even with formal consent, enforcement risks subordinating bodily autonomy to the expectations of intended parents. When disputes arise over medical complications, fetal abnormalities or emotional attachment to the child, the law offers no clean resolution that does not compromise any party’s rights.

Proponents argue that Taiwan’s challenges demand creative solutions. Taiwanese are having children later in life, infertility is more common and the nation’s fertility rate has fallen to historic lows while society approaches “super-aged” status.

Yet population anxiety should not justify policies that shift physical risk onto those with the least bargaining power. That some women cannot carry pregnancies does not, on its own, resolve whether others should bear that burden for them.

Legalizing surrogacy would require statutory safeguards, continuous oversight, investigative capacity and enforcement mechanisms capable of detecting subtle forms of coercion and exploitation. Authorities would be tasked with policing private relationships, financial arrangements and bodily decisions in ways that lie far beyond the legitimate scope of the state. The likelihood of gaps in oversight, exploitation and disputes would be high — not because lawmakers lack good intentions, but because the practice of surrogacy itself resists clean regulation.

Recognizing these limits does not equate to denying the pain of infertility or dismissing nontraditional paths to family-building. Rather, it is an acknowledgment that some social risks cannot be engineered away through legislation.

Concerns about Taiwan’s low fertility rate are valid, but the practical reality of surrogacy cannot be ignored. Legalizing surrogacy in any form carries significant risks of exploitation, coercion and commodification, and any legal framework capable of preventing them would require government overreach. At present, there is simply no feasible and ethical path forward.

Lawmakers would be wise to continue treating surrogacy as a separate and deeply contentious issue, focusing instead on expanding and safeguarding reproductive options that women can pursue for themselves without putting others at risk. If Taiwan is to remain true to its democratic principles, it cannot sacrifice women’s rights and autonomy in the pursuit of demographic goals.


title: The case against legal surrogacy

content_text:
Proponents of legalizing surrogacy often cloak the system in the language of reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, arguing that as long as all parties consent, a woman’s body might legitimately become subject to a contract.

Such arguments deliberately overlook a harsh reality — within unequal economic and gendered power structures, ostensible “voluntariness” is often a choice made under conditions of poverty and oppression, while “informed contractual consent” often serves as a legal and moral refuge for the commissioning parties.

The Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology has formally prohibited its members from participating in surrogacy since 2003 — demonstrating a baseline of respect for the value of women’s bodies. Pregnancy and childbirth have never been neutral forms of labor — they are medical processes riddled with serious risks. Gestational hypertension, postpartum hemorrhage, postpartum depression and even death are all very real possibilities. To institutionalize the transfer of such risks onto another woman merely to satisfy one’s desire for a child of their own genetic lineage is, in essence, exchanging money for women’s health and lives.

Supporters say that as long as commercialized surrogacy is prohibited and only an altruistic model is adopted, the issue of objectifying women’s bodies can be avoided entirely. In reality, the boundary between altruism and commerce is extremely fragile. “Unpaid altruism” typically operates on a cost-reimbursement basis, covering only living expenses, legal fees and intermediary fees — but in practice, disguised forms of compensation frequently emerge. Once a system is in place, markets and brokers inevitably become involved, repackaging women’s reproductive capacity as a commodity. History has repeatedly proven that once women’s bodies are subjected to market logic, safeguards ultimately succumb to profit incentives.

A surrogacy system requires women, after about 10 months of pregnancy and the formation of physical and psychological bonds, to deliver the infant, or face liability for breach of contract. This is not merely a forced severing of emotional ties, but a denial of women’s dignity as mothers.

Surrogacy systems tend to target society’s most vulnerable women. Cases in Asia and the West have shown that surrogate mothers often come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, single-parent households or migrant communities. They are not making a truly “free” choice, but are compelled — by the pressure of rent, medical expenses and their children’s education costs — to relinquish the use of their bodies for nine months. This is structural exploitation.

Some say that rejecting surrogacy amounts to denying the rights of the infertile. Yet no one’s right to become a parent can be founded on inflicting harm on another individual’s body. If society truly wishes to respond to the aspirations of families facing infertility, it should invest far more resources in reforming adoption systems, expanding support for child-rearing and promoting policies that destigmatize diverse families — not create a new class of women whose role is defined by sacrifice.

Last year, Japan’s parliament introduced legislation on assisted reproduction that includes an explicit ban on surrogacy. In July, a UN report said that the practice of surrogacy is characterized by “the exploitation and violence against women and children, including girls” and “reinforces patriarchal norms by commodifying and objectifying women’s bodies and exposing both surrogate mothers and children to serious human rights violations.”

The report recommended that measures be taken at the international level to eradicate all forms of surrogacy. It further urges countries, pending a comprehensive ban, to take action to “prevent further harm and strengthen the protection of the rights of women and children involved in surrogacy arrangements.”

Taiwan should not legalize surrogacy, as doing so would only serve to further entrench one of the patriarchy’s oldest forms of oppression — the imperative of carrying on the family bloodline.

Huang Sue-ying is the founder of Taiwan Women’s Link.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen


title: The US, Venezuela and Taiwan

content_text:
The significance of recent US moves in Venezuela is not limited to Latin America. After the initial uncertainty about what was about to come, things have stabilized in the South American country. Its former vice president Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president and has expressed her willingness to work with the US.

By gaining leverage over one of the world’s largest concentrations of oil and mineral wealth, Washington has expanded its ability to shape global resource flows, and that has direct implications for Taiwan. Not because Taiwan would suddenly gain access to Venezuelan oil or rare earth minerals, but because US control over those resources expands the range of tools Washington could deploy to stabilize the ecosystem on which Taiwan depends.

Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, along with major deposits of gold, iron ore, bauxite, and minerals such as coltan that are increasingly relevant to advanced manufacturing and defense supply chains. For years, these resources were effectively removed from US-aligned systems by sanctions, financial restrictions and political isolation. With that barrier partially lifted, the US has increased its capacity to redirect supply, influence pricing and buffer allied economies against shocks.

For Taiwan, whose economy is built on semiconductor manufacturing and near-total dependence on imported energy and materials, this shift matters in concrete ways. Taiwan imports more than 95 percent of its energy. Oil, coal and liquefied natural gas power households and sustain the fabrication plants that make the nation indispensable to the global economy. These supplies arrive almost entirely by sea, leaving Taiwan exposed to market

volatility, shipping disruptions and risks that it cannot control.

Washington’s expanding leverage over global energy markets allows it to act as a stabilizer for systems Taiwan depends on. Venezuelan oil flowing back into US-aligned markets could reduce pressure on global prices, ease competition for liquefied natural gas and free up alternative supplies for allies.

The same logic applies to minerals. Semiconductor manufacturing depends on a wide array of inputs: rare earth elements, specialty metals, precision chemicals and ultra-pure materials sourced through complex global supply chains. Taiwan does not control these chains. When supply tightens or prices spike, Taiwan absorbs the shock.

US influence over Venezuelan iron ore, gold and critical minerals expands Washington’s ability to reinforce upstream supply for its own industrial base and that of close partners. This creates room for the US to prioritize access for industries it deems strategically essential, including Taiwan’s semiconductor sector. That support is likely to take indirect forms: guaranteed offtake agreements, expanded processing capacity in the US, shared stockpiles held outside Taiwan, and preferential access to US-based refining and materials hubs.

This approach aligns with how Washington already treats Taiwan’s chip industry. The US is willing to invest heavily to ensure continuity of production, but it does so by integrating Taiwan more deeply into US-centered industrial systems rather than by making Taiwan resource-independent. Recent announcements that Taipei and Washington have reached a general consensus on a bilateral trade agreement, alongside expanded Taiwanese investment in US semiconductor facilities, reflect this strategy of managed integration.

Energy security remains the clearest constraint. Taiwan’s reliance on imported fossil fuels leaves it vulnerable to supply disruptions even in scenarios short of open conflict. Renewable energy expansion offers long-term promise, but it cannot yet provide the baseload stability required by energy-intensive manufacturing. Nuclear power remains politically constrained. These realities mean Taiwan’s resilience depends not only on domestic policy, but on the stability of energy markets.

Here again, US leverage matters. By shaping energy flows from major producers such as Venezuela, Washington could dampen volatility that would otherwise hit Taiwan first. This is not necessarily altruism, but actions rooted in self-interest. Advanced chips produced in Taiwan underpin US defense systems, artificial intelligence development and high-end manufacturing. Preventing disruption to that supply is a strategic priority.

What Washington is unlikely to do is eliminate Taiwan’s dependence altogether. The US has strong incentives to reduce the risk of Taiwan’s industrial collapse. It has far less incentive to grant Taiwan autonomous control over upstream resources. Access to Venezuelan oil or minerals, if it expands, would remain mediated through US financial systems, regulatory frameworks and industrial policy priorities.

This creates a form of asymmetry. The US gains optionality. Taiwan gains stability, but not independence. Taiwanese firms might benefit from more predictable access to materials processed in the US or allied countries, but control over allocation remains upstream.

This distinction is crucial. Taiwan’s semiconductor dominance gives it leverage, but that leverage operates downstream. It is indispensable as a producer, not as a resource allocator. US control over energy and materials complements that arrangement by ensuring Taiwan can keep producing without gaining the autonomy that would dilute Washington’s influence.

The result is a system of managed dependence. Taiwan is protected enough to function, integrated deeply enough to matter and constrained enough to remain aligned. This model explains US willingness to incur risk over Taiwan and the limits of that support.

For Taiwan, the challenge is operating within narrow margins. Its economy combines extraordinary innovation with exposure to shocks it cannot fully mitigate domestically. Strategic reserves, grid resilience, diversified contracts and deeper integration with trusted partners could widen those margins, but they do not eliminate dependence.

The developments in Venezuela underscore how resource access is being reorganized in a more politicized global system. As major powers consolidate control over critical inputs, Taiwan’s security would depend not only on deterrence, but on whether the industrial system that sustains it could be kept running under pressure. There is no doubt that the US is now better positioned to do that, so the question is not whether Washington would act, but how much control it would retain while it does.

Juan Fernando Herrera Ramos is a Honduran journalist based in Taipei.