title: 影/《NBA》「東77」Doncic 38分大三元 湖人末節一波帶走逆轉金塊！

content_text:
體育中心/綜合報導

美國職籃（NBA)湖人21日客場挑戰金塊，球星「東77」唐西奇（Luka Dončić）再拿出球星本領，攻下全場最高的38分外加大三元。在末節最後7分多鐘，率隊打出一波22:9的關門攻勢，終場以115:107粉碎金塊，拿下二連勝。

前一戰主場止敗的湖人，此戰來到丹佛作客。即便兩隊飽受傷兵困擾，西區兩強對戰，依然激起精彩的火花。唐西奇開賽火燙到不行，首節就砍了16分。不過金塊有莫雷(Jamal Murray)單節13分領軍，第一節打完以37:28領先。

第二節莫雷持續高檔演出，上半場就拿下26分，包含中場槍響前從前場甩進一顆超大號三分，金塊以71:57大幅領先。只是沒想到易籃之後戰況劇變，金塊第三節全隊只得17分，被湖人追近到86:88進入決勝節。持續追分的湖人，在最後倒數的8分鐘內將士用命，打出一波22:9的關門攻勢，演出驚奇逆轉秀。

湖人的勝利唐西奇功不可沒，攻下全場最高的38分，抓下13籃板還有10助攻，次高的詹姆士（LeBron James）也是全能表現，攻下19分9籃板8助攻。金塊以莫雷的28分最高，但有26分都在上半場，球隊在最後遭到湖人逆轉。


title: 南市表揚資深陣頭教練　十二位傳承者獲頒殊榮

taiwan-subdivisions: 西港 臺南市 吉安 臺南 佳里

content_text:
【記者吳玉惠/臺南報導】 臺南市政府為深化陣頭文化保存與傳承，延續113年訂定之臺南市政府文化局表揚資深陣頭傳承者作業要點，持續受理民眾提報長期投入陣頭文化之教練。經推薦與審查程序，於114年度遴選出十二位長年耕耘藝陣、深具代表性的資深教練，今年於頒獎典禮中公開表揚，由副市長葉澤山出席頒獎，肯定教練們多年來默默付出、薪火相傳的文化貢獻。

▲臺南市持續表揚資深陣頭教練；十二位傳承者獲頒殊榮。（圖/記者吳玉惠拍攝）臺南市副市長葉澤山表示，獲表揚的資深陣頭教練長期扎根地方，涵蓋宋江陣、八家將、金獅陣、天子門生等多元陣種，充分展現臺南宗教與藝陣文化的豐富樣貌。陣頭傳承者們不僅在廟會與重要民俗活動中擔任關鍵角色，更長年投入教學與培育工作，將技藝與文化精神傳承給下一代，是支撐臺南陣頭文化持續發展的重要力量。

▲臺南市副市長葉澤山肯定教練們多年來默默付出、薪火相傳的文化貢獻。（圖/記者吳玉惠拍攝）獲獎者包括：施榮泰與施富乾（西勢仔黃府王爺壇拍面宋江陣）、黃平家（佛天宮吉安堂八家將）、吳庚生（普陀寺清和社）、陳進丁（後營普護宮天子門生）、江瑞仁（管寮金獅陣）、黃震星（佳里吉和堂八家將）、林坤炎（多陣宋江及金獅陣）、黃銀錠（姑媽宮宋江陣）、王枝雄（協福堂武館暨多校陣頭），以及黃水樹與黃登圍（溪南寮金獅陣）。

年逾九旬的獲獎者共4位，分別為施榮泰、黃平家、吳庚生、陳進丁；其中，吳庚生自15歲起即加入普陀寺清和社，長年隨隊出陣參與西港刈香，至今從未間斷，展現其對陣頭文化深厚而持久的投入與熱忱。每位傳承者皆長期投入陣頭教學與陣務推展，於地方廟宇、社團與學校間持續培育藝陣人才，為陣頭文化注入穩定而深厚的傳承力量。

南市府文資處表示，誠摯邀請市民朋友共同參與陣頭文化的學習與傳承，無論親身投入藝陣活動，或推薦長年奉獻於文化薪傳的教練，都是支持傳統文化的重要行動。欲推薦於臺南市傳承陣頭文化之教練，請至文資處官網下載「推薦事實表」，並於每年三月底前送件審核。期盼透過全民共同努力，使陣頭文化得以世代延續，持續豐富臺南的文化風景。


taiwan-subdivisions: 瑞芳 草屯

title: 吳永吉用歌分享半百人生 邀藝人朋友組「董事長跑團」

content_text:
墨新聞｜記者梁偉華／台北報導

董事長樂團主唱吳永吉Kiat Táng日前發行首張告白式個人台語專輯《褪褲lān的兄弟》，用音樂創作分享人生故事。55+的他表示：「以前只想離開瑞芳這個地方，現在卻想搬回這個家。從孩子的新生、媽媽的離開、爸爸的衰老，讓我對人生有不同的看法。」近年來吳永吉Kiat Táng迷上運動，從馬拉松、半馬、全馬與超鐵人生，更組織「董事長跑團」，成員有丁寧、劉至翰、謝忻、馬國畢、草屯囡仔阿倉、田家達、馮勝賢等人。好友江宏恩更誇他：「是一個對信念非常堅持的人，對運動、音樂、台灣這片土地的堅持，讓認識他的人都很有感..」

近年來吳永吉 Kiat Táng 迷上運動 照片提供 ：美利達自行車

創作與錄製專輯《褪褲lān的兄弟》的過程，像是他與自己的深層對話，重新回憶過往點滴，化作一首首的有溫度的歌曲。有些歌曲主題聽來嚴肅，卻是礦工真實寫照。礦工的主要職業病是塵肺症，塵肺症目前無法完全治癒，所以90歲的老爸幾乎沒有朋友，同期的親友幾乎都已經離世，歌曲〈嗽〉就由此誕生。

〈寄命〉緣起是知名吉他手楊騰佑的邀約，想要幫猴峒老礦工寫一首歌，找到舊識吳永吉Kiat Táng，覺得他的聲音很適合唱礦工，得知他正是礦工的後代，兩人一拍即合。「入坑挖土炭，性命剩一半」，一開始講話的是一位女礦工，周朝南大哥的老婆（吳寶銀），早期礦區是有女礦工的，吳永吉Kiat Táng的媽媽則是在蓄電池，後來因為災變頻繁，才開始禁止女礦工。

吳永吉Kiat Táng 脫褲爛的兄弟專輯數位封面 照片提供 ：獨一無二娛樂文化

專輯同名歌曲《褪褲lān的兄弟》則是有次他們拜訪猴峒礦工文史館，發現有一瓶明星花露水，老礦工們才慢慢說出，以前支援礦災救援，因為礦道坍方多日，救援不易，屍體在隧道好幾天，屍臭味很重，為了挖出同袍的屍體，工人身上噴滿了明星花露水來壓味道，就算壓不過屍臭味，但為了兄弟，還是要拼命的去把屍塊撿回來⋯這應該是這些老礦工們一輩子忘不掉的味道，吳永吉Kiat Táng說：「因為故事很BLUE，歌曲寫起來也會很藍調。」

歌名為何叫《褪褲lān的兄弟》？吳永吉Kiat Táng解釋，因為以前挖礦到地底下，如果地面上是30幾度，地底下就是40幾度，溫度過熱，礦工們幾乎會打赤膊、剩一條褲子，或者什麼都不穿比較涼，大家坦誠相見，都是褪褲lān的兄弟！歌曲中間有一段阿美族原住民吟唱，藉此描述並紀念當時因礦災死去的原住民礦工們。

此篇文章最開始出處為: 吳永吉用歌分享半百人生 邀藝人朋友組「董事長跑團」


title: KMT, TPP criticize Lai as hearings continue

people: 賴清德 陳培瑜 黃國昌 韓國瑜

content_text:
TOE TO TOE: The passage of the impeachment motion targeting President William Lai is not likely, as it needs the support of two-thirds of the legislature

Opposition lawmakers yesterday lashed out at President William Lai (賴清德) at a Legislative Yuan plenary session after Lai declined to appear at a hearing on an impeachment motion directed at him.

Opposition lawmakers initiated impeachment proceedings against Lai last month after the president declined to promulgate a bill passed by opposition lawmakers that would increase the share of tax revenue allocated to local governments.

This week’s first impeachment hearing was held yesterday based on the schedule passed by the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP).

Chinese Nationalist Party legislative caucus whip Fu Kun-chi speaks between two composite photos of President William Lai’s face in warlord Yuan Shih-kai’s clothing, right, and imperial Qing Dynasty clothing during an impeachment hearing at the legislature in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA

The two parties demanded that the president explain his position at the legislature and respond to lawmakers’ questions, but Lai on Tuesday sent a letter to Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), rejecting the demand.

He said it was not within lawmakers’ purview to question the president, citing an October 2024 Constitutional Court ruling that declared such an act unconstitutional.

Despite Lai’s absence, lawmakers proceeded to make speeches as originally planned.

KMT caucus convener Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) said that by declining to attend the hearing, Lai attempted to evade legislative oversight and public scrutiny after he had infringed on Taiwan’s democracy and constitutional order.

TPP Chairman and caucus convener Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said Lai is the first president of Taiwan to refuse to promulgate a bill passed by the legislature, which has left an “indelible blot” in history.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) criticized the opposition parties for putting on a “farce to humiliate” Lai and “score political points.”

The president was not legally obligated to attend the hearing, and his decision not to attend was not only legitimate, but also sensible, Chen said.

A second hearing on the opposition’s impeachment attempt is scheduled for May, with lawmakers set to vote on the motion on May 19.

The motion must gain the backing of at least two-thirds of the legislature before it can proceed to another vote by grand justices at the Constitutional Court.

The passage of the motion is not likely as the KMT, TPP and two independents ideologically aligned with the KMT combine for only 62 (about 55 percent) of the 113 legislative seats.


title: Huang’s document incident being probed

people: 陳培瑜 黃國昌

content_text:
LEAK ALLEGATIONS: Huang’s claim that he went back to the meeting room on his own initiative to return the classified documents is not true, a DPP legislator said

Taipei prosecutors yesterday launched an investigation targeting Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), after they received a complaint accusing him of allegedly leaking state secrets when he on Monday took classified documents on the special defense budget out of the room where a legislative committee meeting was taking place.

Political commentator Chang Ming-yu (張銘祐), a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate for Taipei City councilor, on Tuesday filed a judicial complaint at the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, accusing Huang of contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Criminal Code.

Huang on Monday attended a closed-door meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee to review the NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.52 billion) special defense budget involving US arms procurement, and Taiwan’s weapons development and production.

Democratic Progressive Party caucus secretary-general Chen Pei-yu, center front, and Legislator Puma Shen, center back, speak to reporters at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times

“Reports about armed forces deployments, purchases of advance weapons, combat preparedness and cooperation with other countries were presented at the meeting. These are classified military documents. Any breach would cause irreparable damage to the nation’s security,” Chang said.

Taipei prosecutors in a statement confirmed that they would investigate a suspected national security breach by Huang.

DPP Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) said Huang had two aides with him when he took the confidential materials out of the meeting room.

They might have taken photos to help Huang plan his own version of special defense budget or might have leaked state secrets, Shen said.

DPP caucus secretary-general Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) said surveillance footage from that day allegedly showed Huang left the room and remained outside for 1 minute and 15 seconds, not for “only 30 seconds” as he claimed.

The committee chair had instructed an attending military officer to go after Huang and fetch the documents, she said, adding that his claim that he went back on his own initiative to return them is not true.

“Since the security cameras have some blind spots in the hallway, stairwell and bathroom, 42 seconds of the trio’s actions were not recorded,” she said, alleging that the aides could have taken photos in that period.

“That is sufficient time for Huang’s aides to take photos of the documents, page by page,” Chen said.

Huang last week said that he would propose his own version of the special defense budget, she added.

Huang in a livestream yesterday said that he was just “being careless” and accidentally mixed confidential military documents with others, when he was preparing to leave the room, and that he returned to the committee room in only 30 seconds.

The committee staff “should have retrieved all the documents in front of legislators when we left the room,” he said.

“Those documents are not of high-level confidentiality, just because DPP members said so,” he said. “The US side is to reveal the content of those special budget items in the coming weeks. They will not remain classified material for long.”


content_text:
More than 70 percent of Taiwanese believe the nation lacks the capacity to defend itself in a war, while more than 60 percent oppose legislators’ efforts to block the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.52 billion) special defense budget, a survey released yesterday by the Taiwan Inspiration Association (TIA) showed.

The majority of Taiwanese support the Cabinet’s budget proposal and oppose efforts by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) to block it, TIA director Lai Jung-wei (賴榮偉) told a news conference in Taipei.

The survey showed that 62.5 percent of respondents do not support the opposition parties’ efforts to block the special defense budget, while 34.7 percent view their actions as appropriate.

Taiwan Inspiration Association director Lai Jung-wei, center, National Taiwan Normal University professor Fan Shih-ping, left, and National Cheng Kung University Department of Political Science professor Wang Jen-hung attend a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times

Among respondents who identified as TPP supporters, 43.6 percent said they did not support efforts to stall the budget, while 70 percent of people older than 60 said they disagreed with the opposition on the issue.

Regarding defense, 70.7 percent of respondents said Taiwan has insufficient capacity to defend itself in a war, with 41.4 percent citing Taiwan’s lack of sufficient military hardware as the main reason.

In the event of a Chinese invasion, 56.4 percent said they do not believe US would come to Taiwan’s aid with troop deployments, while 42.1 percent said it would.

While 51.1 percent said they believe Japan would send troops to aid Taiwan, 47 percent disagreed.

The poll showed that 55.9 percent of respondents are satisfied with the performance of the Cabinet and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), while 42.7 percent said they are not.

Respondents who are not satisfied with the Cabinet’s performance cited “political wrangling between the parties” as their top complaint, followed by the prevalence of telecom and Internet fraud, cross-strait issues and inflation, Lai said.

Dissatisfaction over cross-strait issues being in the top three complaints reflects people’s view that the central government is responsible for the current state of relations with China, and indicates that Beijing’s military drills and propaganda campaigns have been effective in undermining confidence in the government and creating a negative perception of the DPP, political science professor Wang Jen-hung (王宏仁) said.

The survey showed that 66.1 percent of respondents disagree with a statement by KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) that “we are all Chinese,” while 32.9 percent said they agreed.

title: Most Taiwanese doubtful of self-defense: survey


title: New airport apron to open next week

content_text:
ENHANCING EFFICIENCY:  The apron can accommodate 16 airplanes overnight at Taoyuan airport while work on the third runway continues, the transport minister said

A new temporary overnight parking apron at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is to start operating on Friday next week to boost operational efficiency while the third runway is being constructed, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday.

The apron — one of the crucial projects in the construction of the third runway — can accommodate 16 aircraft overnight at the nation’s largest international airport, Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) told reporters while inspecting the new facility yesterday morning.

Aside from providing the airport operator with greater flexibility in aircraft parking during the third runway construction, the apron would also ease parking space for cargo planes, Chen said.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai, center, speaks to reporters on the airport ramp at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan yesterday.  Photo: CNA

“More cargo planes are heading to the US now, particularly during the Lunar New Year holiday, after Taiwan and the US concluded tariff negotiations last week. In addition to passenger jets, we need parking facilities for cargo jets during the busiest time of the year,” he said, adding that the apron would enhance the efficiency of cargo transportation at the airport.

The new parking apron would also bolster the airport’s resilience during natural disasters and emergency situations, as it offers additional parking spaces for aircraft that are grounded because of typhoons or other extreme weather conditions, Chen said.

Activating the use of the new temporary apron is also urgent as the nation’s three large international carriers — China Airlines, EVA Airways and Starlux Airlines — would collectively bring in 22 new aircraft this year, he said.

Taoyuan airport can accommodate 150 aircraft on regular nights, operator Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said.

The collective long-haul fleets of China Airlines, EVA and Starlux are expected to surpass those of Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines this year, which would be a major milestone, TIAC said.

The builder of the temporary parking apron adopted a dual-machine synchronized paving method, achieving daily paving capacity of 1,811m3 and reducing the number of requisite workers by five to eight times compared with traditional manual construction, the state-run company said.

TIAC staff also briefed Chen on the progress of the third runway project, which includes the runway, satellite concourses, an aircraft maintenance zone and new cargo terminal and other core facilities.

Construction of the third runway began on Sept. 16, 2023, and, as of Jan. 3, 66.9 percent of the project had been completed.

Construction west of the runway was launched at the end of last year, the company said.

The runway and its taxiways are all to be constructed with rigid pavement, extending the design service life from 20 to 30 years, the TIAC said, adding that it is designed to withstand a 100-year storm event.

In high-fill areas, preloading techniques combined with settlement plates were used to ensure ground stability through precise monitoring, it added.

The project, which is scheduled to be completed by 2030, covers 860 hectares, including 581 hectares that the airport company additionally acquired for the project.

The budget for the project is NT$37.456 billion (US$1.18 billion). Constructions of the main runway and east of the runway are to be outsourced to contractors this year.


content_text:
By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter Staff reporter Staff reporter

A preclearance service to facilitate entry for people traveling to select airports in Japan would be available from Thursday next week to Feb. 25 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said on Tuesday.

The service was first made available to Taiwanese travelers throughout the winter vacation of 2024 and during the Lunar New Year holiday.

In addition to flights to the Japanese cities of Hakodate, Asahikawa, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the service would be available to travelers to Kobe and Oita.

A sign explaining the pre-clearance service for travelers to Japan is pictured at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Feb.1, 2024. Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times

The service can be accessed by passengers of 15 flight routes operated by China Airlines, EVA Airways, Starlux Airlines and Tigerair Taiwan, totaling 155 flights.

Passengers who want to use the service can have their passports verified and their photographs and fingerprints taken at Taoyuan airport before boarding their flights to Japan, TIAC said, adding that Japanese immigration officers would be at the airport to administer preclearance procedures.

Upon arrival in Japan, travelers only need to reconfirm their identity to complete the process and enter the country, it added.

The service applies to passengers who are visiting for short-term stays — such as tourism, visiting relatives or business — lasting up to 90 days, the company said, adding that processing stops 30 minutes before the flight’s departure.

When accessing preclearance service, travelers should present a handwritten Japanese immigration card or the entry information they filled in via the Visit Japan Web (VJW), the company said, adding that those who choose the latter must show the information on live screen for verification.

Screenshots of arrival information are not accepted, it said.

Travelers should remove their sunglasses and masks when their photos are taken, and upon arrival in Japan, present the VJW service QR code to ensure a smooth entry, the company said.

In related news, starting on Feb. 2, more charging ports for electric vehicles (EV) would be available for use at the airport’s second terminal.

The service was created in compliance with the national goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030, TIAC said.

New parking and charging facilities for EVs are located across the P3 and P4 surface parking lots, as well as the P4 basement level 2, the company said, adding that 45 dedicated EV parking spaces are available, up from only four previously.

The upgraded facility includes 21 AC slow-charging spaces and 20 DC fast-charging spaces, while the original 4 AC slow chargers have also been modernized, the company said.

Drivers can start a charging session and check charging status by scanning the QR code on the charging station and pay online via QR code as well, the company said.

EV charging spaces are strictly for vehicles that need charging, and vehicles should promptly vacate the space once charging is complete to make room for others, it said.

Drivers who breach user regulations face fines of NT$1,200 under the Parking Lot Act (停車場法), it said, adding that people can report misuse of the service via QR codes posted on-site.

For more information, visit the airport Web site www.taoyuan-airport.com/parking.

The Terminal 1 P1 and P2 parking lots are to be gradually closed from March as part of ongoing renovation works.

title: Preclearance entry to Japan to start next week


content_text:
At the Taipei International Book Exhibition (TIBE) next month, books would grow into digital forests, turn into games and even be served like a balanced meal, organizers said at a preview yesterday.

For the 34th edition of the TIBE this year, Thailand is to be the guest of honor, with the event centered on the theme “Reading is Amazing,” the Ministry of Culture and Taipei Book Fair Foundation said.

The ministry held a news conference in Taipei to introduce the pavilions and themed areas of the exhibition, to be held from Feb. 3 to 8 at the Taipei World Trade Center.

Books that are to be featured at this year’s Taipei International Book Exhibition are pictured at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Taipei Book Fair Foundation

TIBE combines exhibits, sales and interactive events, showcasing Taiwan’s thriving publishing industry and featuring pavilions designed around contemporary issues, the ministry said.

The children’s pavilion is set up like a food market, with six stalls each featuring six books on specific topics, including emotional development, creativity and imagination, curatorial consultant Ko Chien-hua (柯倩華) said.

Each book is paired with a dish from vegetables to desserts, encouraging kids to peruse a well-rounded selection of books that can help them grow, as a balanced, nutritional meal does, Ko said.

The digital pavilion uses sound with the theme “voices from the pages,” integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to transform readers’ voices into digital trees, National Tsing Hua University Graduate Institute of Art and Technology professor Tseng Yu-chang (曾鈺涓) said.

AI would analyze the voice of each reader at the pavilion to generate a unique tree, creating an immersive forest where visitors can see, hear and smell stories, Tseng said.

The Taiwan comics pavilion, organized by the Taiwan Creative Content Agency, is centered on the idea of chasing celebrities, characters and products, inviting readers to follow comics like they would idols, agency comic marketing director Wen Chun-ya (溫淳雅) said.

With a stage set up in the pavilion, it would feature nine events including book signings, dialogues with authors and performances, Wen said.

The literature area, curated by the National Museum of Taiwan Literature, is themed on traveling through books with the slogan “wandering words, free spirits,” museum director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said.

It is to feature nearly 100 works selected by the museum presenting the life experiences of Taiwanese writers, Chen said.

The area would also include 39 talks by 52 speakers, she added.

The civic book area brings together independent publishers, non-government organizations and independent bookstores, Indie Publishers Association of Taiwan managing director Liu Tzu-hua (劉子華) said.

It is centered around roads, traffic and stations, with the idea that reading can help people navigate through difficult roadblocks in life, Liu said.

TIBE would also include rest areas where visitors can read, a book prize winners pavilion and an international book area, Taipei Book Fair Foundation CEO Hsu Wen-chen (徐文貞) said.

This year’s exhibition has invited 92-year-old author and teacher Huang Chun-ming (黃春明) and picture-book author Lai Ma (賴馬) to serve as reading ambassadors, each recommending 10 books that would be displayed in the rest areas, Hsu said.

The exhibition is free for children under 18, people with disabilities and their primary caregiver, as well as same-day travelers from outside of Taipei, New Taipei City and Keelung who present a train ticket, she said.

In addition, this year’s exhibition would feature an all-new mobile game, The Enemy of All Readers, Taipei Legend Studio creator Hsiao Hsiang-shen (瀟湘神) said.

The game, like a reading version of Pokemon, would send players to different areas within the exhibition and in Taipei to get to know the local book culture and battle enemies, Hsiao said.

title: Taipei book exhibition to run from Feb. 3 to 8


title: Japan drives rise in rice export value

content_text:
By Yang Yuan-ting and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taiwanese rice exports dropped 9.4 percent in terms of volume last year, but rose 2.5 percent in value due to higher prices in Japan, Australia and Canada, the Ministry of Agriculture said yesterday.

Outbound shipments reached 126,968 tonnes, while export value rose to US$103 million, ministry data showed.

Exports to Japan more than tripled to 12,548 tonnes from 2024’s 3,890 tonnes, and surged to US$14.1 million from US$3.51 million, the data showed.

A rice field in Yunlin County is pictured on July 31 last year.  Photo: Huang Shu-li, Taipei Times

Shipments to Australia and Canada also grew to US$10 million and US$2.91 million respectively, or more than 10 percent from 2024, the ministry said.

A critical factor in the growth of rice exports to Japan was the strategy of appealing directly to the Japanese public, rather than just to restaurateurs, Agriculture and Food Agency Deputy Director Huang Chao-hsing (黃昭興) said.

Taiwan’s main competitor in Japan is the US, but Taiwanese rice seems to appeal more to the Japanese public in terms of taste, he said.

Although Japan limits rice imports to 100,000 tonnes, the quality and price of Taiwanese rice should help it secure a foothold in the market, he said.

With Japanese importers eyeing the potential of purchasing more Taiwanese rice, exports to that country could surge to new levels this year, he said.


title: Top diplomats

content_text: From left, former ministers of foreign affairs James Huang and Mark Chen, Academia Historica president Chen Yi-shen, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, former ministers of foreign affairs Frederick Chien and David Lee, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu pose for a group photograph at a news conference at the ministry in Taipei yesterday. The ministry and the Academia Historica signed an agreement to publish books on Taiwan’s diplomatic history.


title: Galloping across rice fields

content_text: An undated photograph released by Pingtung County Commissioner Chou Chun-mi yesterday shows an image of Rody Horse in the county’s rice fields. Part of the 2026 Pingtung Tropical Agriculture Exhibition, the show is to run from Feb. 7 to March 1.


companies: Apple 台積電

title: GlobalWafers prepares for expansion

content_text:
CATCHING UP: Although the company finished its first-phase production line in Texas, it still could not keep up with customer demand, with some asking for more

GlobalWafers Corp (環球晶圓), the world’s third-largest silicon wafer supplier, is preparing for new capacity expansion in the US as demand for artificial intelligence (AI) applications remains robust and customer requests for local supply increase.

The company sees rising demand for silicon wafers this year, as the AI boom boosts industry interest in advanced chips and chip packaging technologies, GlobalWafers said yesterday.

Additionally, customer inventories are improving significantly, stimulating higher demand for silicon wafers than last year, it said.

GlobalWafers Co chairwoman and chief executive officer Doris Hsu poses for a photograph at a media gathering in Hsinchu yesterday. Photo: Lisa Wang, Taipei Times

Overall, GlobalWafers expects this year to be another growth year for the silicon wafer segment, albeit uneven growth, as some areas would pick up faster than others, GlobalWafers chairperson Doris Hsu (徐秀蘭) said at a media gathering in Hsinchu, comparing it to a similar scenario seen in the last super cycle in 2019.

“We are seeing faster growth in the advanced chip and chip packaging areas this time around,” she said.

In the US, GlobalWafers’ customers have been closely monitoring the company’s new capacity buildup, and are pushing the company to step up product qualification and ramp up production, as they have a high regard for enhancing local supply chain resilience, Hsu said.

GlobalWafers counts Apple Inc, Micron Technology Inc and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) among its customers with operations in the US.

GlobalWafers supplied a small volume of silicon wafers from its Texas plant after the first-phase production line was completed last year, but some customers have inquired about when the company would begin the second phase of capacity expansion, as the phase-one capacity could not sufficiently satisfy their demand, Hsu said.

The Texas facility has ample room for capacity expansion to six phases, she said.

“Every customer is requesting to increase [capacity],” Hsu said. “We have hired designers to work on this.”

The company is expected to make a decision in the second half of this year if an increase in output is justified, she said.

The second-phase project would add new capacity similar to the first phase’s, she added.

In addition to the Texas facility, the company is also expanding capacity at a smaller plant in Missouri to supply float-zone silicon wafers, which are increasingly used as the foundation for AI accelerators and quantum computing devices.

Riding on robust demand for advanced 12-inch silicon wafers to make AI chips and memory chips, GlobalWafers’ revenue this year is expected to resume growth, although not at a rapid rate, Hsu said.

A surge in memory demand helps the company raise wafer prices, she said.

Revenue should grow every quarter this year, meaning the first quarter would be the lowest of this year, Hsu said.

Gross margin would hold steady compared with last year, she said.

Last year, GlobalWafers’ revenue fell 3.24 percent to NT$60.6 billion (US$1.92 billion) from NT$62.63 billion in 2024.


title: Inventec Corp expects double-digit AI growth

content_text:
GOOD BUSINESS: The company has secured at least two major customers for AI servers, and rising memory prices have not had a major impact yet

Inventec Corp (英業達) expects its artificial intelligence (AI) server business to continue showing double-digit percentage growth this year following a 40 percent increase last year, chairman Sam Yeh (葉力誠) said on Tuesday.

As the company expands production capacity for AI servers, notebook computers and automotive electronics, as well as to support capacity expansion at its smart device subsidiary Inventec Appliances Corp (英華達), capital expenditure is to rise to US$1 billion this year from US$500 million last year, Yeh said at a company event in Taipei.

The construction of new facilities in Taiwan, the US, Mexico and Thailand is scheduled to be completed this year, he said.

From left, Inventec Corp enterprise business group head Vincent Lin, president Jack Tsai, chairman Sam Yeh and personal computer business group head Fermi Yin pose for a photo at a company event in Taipei on Tuesday. Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters

Inventec aims to play a key role in the AI server supply chain, as the company steps up design and manufacturing capabilities, strengthens supply-chain integration and deepens ties with cloud service providers (CSPs), he added.

The company expects shipments of “Level 11” servers to rise sharply from last year, driven by sustained demand from CSPs and enterprise customers, Inventec president Jack Tsai (蔡枝安) said at the same event.

About 50 percent of the company’s total AI server shipments this year would be of servers powered by application-specific integrated circuits, up from 40 percent last year, Tsai said.

However, models equipped with Nvidia Corp’s B200 and B300 chips remain the major driver of the company’s server shipment growth this year, he said.

The company has secured orders from at least two major customers for full-rack servers supporting Nvidia’s GB300 and Vera Rubin 200 platforms, as well as Advanced Micro Devices Inc’s MI450 architecture, he added.

The rising memory prices and tight raw material supply would weigh more heavily on the company’s notebook computer business than its server business, with laptop shipments this year expected to remain flat compared with last year, Inventec’s personal computer business group president Fermi Yin (尹福明) said, adding that the memory issue has not yet had a significant impact on customer demand thus far.

Inventec’s automotive electronics business saw revenue double last year, thanks to new production lines in Mexico that began operations in August, Tsai said.

The company expects this business to double revenue again this year on the back of closer ties with customers, he added.

The company has not missed out on opportunities in robotics, as it has secured cooperation with government agencies and begun production of wheeled, dual-arm humanoid robots for smart manufacturing, Yin said.

The company would disclose further details should it move into mass production at a later stage, he said.

Meanwhile, Inventec Appliances posted strong performance last year, driven by its Vietnamese plant, chairman David Ho (何代水) said at the event.

The company has begun construction of a second factory in Vietnam, which is expected to be completed and begin operations by the end of this year, Ho said.


content_text:
Taiwanese business leaders remain broadly optimistic about economic prospects this year, but rising uncertainty over US trade policy, persistent talent shortages and uneven returns from artificial intelligence (AI) investment are reshaping corporate strategies, according to a CEO survey released yesterday by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Taiwan.

The survey, which gathered responses from 216 local corporate leaders, found that 44 percent view tariffs as a “high-level threat,” underscoring Taiwan’s vulnerability to shifting global trade policies amid renewed pressure linked to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

“US tariffs, geopolitics and technological disruption are reshaping competition and testing leadership, as returns from AI investment lag and talent shortages persist,” PwC Taiwan chairman and CEO Patrick Hsu (徐聖忠) said.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers logo is pictured at the company’s office in Taipei on Nov. 4, 2024. Photo: Clare Cheng, Taipei Times

Taiwanese firms are responding more aggressively than global peers to geopolitical risks, as nearly 40 percent plan to increase investment in the US, up 12 percentage points from last year, driven mainly by semiconductor and electronics firms.

The US has emerged as the top investment destination globally, across the Asia-Pacific region and in Taiwan, the survey showed.

Despite external risks, confidence remains steady. PwC found that 50 percent of local CEOs expect global economic conditions to improve this year, unchanged from last year. Taiwan’s outlook appears comparatively strong, with 63 percent of respondents expressing confidence in the domestic economy, supported by sustained demand related to AI applications.

Talent shortages remain the most pressing concern. More than half of respondents, or 52 percent, cited access to critical skills as the biggest threat over the next year — more than double the global average of 22 percent.

While AI adoption has accelerated, financial returns remain mixed. Over the past year, AI contributed to revenue growth for 27 percent of Taiwanese firms, while 22 percent reported cost reductions. However, 54 percent said they have yet to see meaningful financial returns from AI investments.

At the same time, industry boundaries continue to blur. Over the past five years, 47 percent of Taiwanese companies expanded into new business domains, a trend expected to speed up through mergers and acquisitions.

Innovation also emerged as a key challenge, with 55 percent of local respondents citing it as a major concern. Yet only 42 percent said innovation is embedded at the core of their corporate strategy.

PwC Taiwan said that companies with stronger innovation capabilities have delivered significantly better results, with half expanding market share over the past five years, compared with just 30 percent among less innovative peers.

“Innovation is not only a growth engine, but also a defensive moat for sustaining market leadership,” PwC Taiwan said.

title: Taiwanese firms optimistic amid uncertainty: survey


title: Citigroup revenue surges

content_text:
Citigroup Inc posted record client revenue in Taiwan last year, fueled by a surge in fundraising from technology companies despite intensifying competition from rival investment banks.

The “eye-catching” performance of the bank’s investment banking division helped propel its Taiwan operations, while activity in other sectors such as stock trading also strengthened, Citigroup’s Taiwan country officer Christie Chang (張聖心) said.

“The current trend of local companies seeking funding from foreign investors is the strongest we’ve seen in a decade,” Chang said in an interview on Monday in Taipei.

Citigroup Inc’s Taiwan country officer Christie Chang poses in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of Citibank Taiwan Ltd

The capital markets activity is driving bank expansion in Taiwan even amid heightening geopolitical tensions with China. Local chipmakers and hardware providers are aggressively tapping overseas markets as global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) components surges.

Share sales by Taiwanese tech firms to foreign investors have jumped over the past two years. Equity-linked offerings, including convertible bonds and global depositary receipts, raised more than US$5 billion last year following a US$6.6 billion haul a year earlier, according to data from Dealogic and the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

Almost every deal from Taiwan has been oversubscribed by foreign investors — primarily large global funds and some hedge funds seeking long positions — as they look to build exposure to the nation’s technology champions, Citigroup said.

“Foreign investors previously had limited allocation to Taiwan names, but the recent jump in deal activities provides a rare entry point to add Taiwan to their books,” Chang said.

The push is drawing intense competition in the financial industry. Global banks that once paid limited attention to Taiwan have rushed in, often undercutting rivals with aggressive pricing to win deals and increase their market share, she said.

Citigroup helped arrange some of the biggest Taiwan deals last year, including two convertible bond sales worth about US$1 billion for leading AI server suppliers Quanta Computer Inc (廣達) and Wistron Corp (緯創).

Beyond technology, the need for local insurers to raise debt to meet a more stringent regulatory regime has created new opportunities.

Citigroup has raised more than US$30 billion for Taiwanese clients since 2020 from global capital markets to support their growth.

Geopolitical uncertainty has driven further overseas expansion for Taiwanese firms, as other countries grow wary of semiconductor production being overly concentrated in the nation.

“Many companies are already pursuing overseas M&A [mergers and acquisitions] to strengthen their AI capabilities,” Citigroup Global Markets Taiwan Securities Co (花旗環球證券) chairman Laura Chen (陳詩韻) said in the same interview.

The US lender has not lowered its internal targets for Taiwan despite geopolitical risks often mentioned by others, Chang said.

Massive AI-related data center investments continue to flow into Taiwan, driving demand for foreign exchange services and access to local liquidity, she said.

“From a business perspective, the demand remains very real and I don’t feel it being impacted by geopolitical risks at all,” Chang said.


title: Kinpo Group to return to stable growth

content_text:
Kinpo Group (金寶集團), which comprises Kinpo Electronics Inc (金寶電子), AcBel Polytech Inc (康舒科技) and Cal-Comp Electronics and Communications Co (泰金寶), yesterday said that its operations would return to stable growth this year on the back of strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI) applications and its efforts in business transformation.

US tariffs and weak demand for consumer electronics weighed on the group’s performance in the first half of last year, but the group adjusting its product development strategy toward AI applications, memory modules and fuel cells, as well as growing market demand for data center and server power solutions, lifted its performance in the second half, group chairman Jerry Hsu (許介立) said at a corporate event in Taipei.

The group reported revenue for last year of NT$195.08 billion (US$6.17 billion), compared with NT$196.1 billion a year earlier.

Kinpo Group founder Rock Hsu, center left, chairman Jerry Hsu, center right, and other executives pose for a photograph at a corporate event in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Fang Wei-chieh, Taipei Times

This year, the group aims to improve profitability by focusing on products aligned with the AI trend, while stepping up development of new products, such as high-power power supply products from 33-kilowatt and 72-kilowatt power shelves to high-voltage direct current (HVDC) solutions, amid the surging power demand from AI servers and data centers over the next five to 10 years, Hsu said.

AcBel Polytech would begin mass production of its 33-kilowatt power products this year as the power management solutions provider deepens cooperation with cloud service providers (CSPs), and continues development of HVDC solutions to integrate power distribution units, power shelves, backup battery systems and thermal management platforms, he said.

AcBel Polytech’s AI-related products are expected to account for 30 percent of the company’s total revenue this year, up from 20 percent last year, Hsu said.

Demand for the company’s fuel cell products is also expected to grow exponentially over the next few years, he said.

AcBel Polytech is preparing to expand capacity at its plant in New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水), and other plants in the US and Mexico, he said.

In addition, AcBel Polytech’s Plano, Texas-based subsidiary, OmniOn Power, has entered major CSPs’ board-level DC-to-DC power supply chains, with its revenue forecast to grow 20 to 30 percent this year, Hsu said.

Cal-Comp Electronics and Communications also plans to expand capacity at its manufacturing sites in Thailand, the Philippines, Mexico, the US and Brazil this year to better navigate tariff uncertainties and meet customer needs, he added.

Meanwhile, Kinpo Electronics plans to collaborate with AcBel Polytech this year to develop new charging pile products, further expanding its product portfolio, Kinpo Electronics president Andrew Chen (陳威昌) said.

Looking ahead, the group aims to transform into an original design manufacturer from a pure electronics manufacturing services provider through allocating resources on higher-margin products, adjusting product portfolios and solidifying ties with customers, Hsu said.


content_text:
Less than 15% of TSMC advanced processes in US by 2029: Expert

Less than 15 percent of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC, 台積電) advanced manufacturing processes are expected to be relocated to the US by the end of US President Donald Trump’s second term in office, Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research president Lien Hsien-ming (連 賢明) said yesterday.

Lien made the remarks in a Facebook post commenting on recent statements by US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, who told CNBC that Washington aims to bring 40 percent of Taiwan’s supply chain to the US before Trump’s term ends in 2029.

TSMC is investing US$65 billion to build three fabs in Arizona, with the first starting commercial production in the fourth quarter of 2024. The chipmaker has also pledged an additional US$100 billion to construct three more fabs, two IC packaging plants and a research and development center in the US.

The logo of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co is pictured at its headquarters in Hsinchu Science Park on Nov. 21, 2024. Photo: I-Hwa Cheng, AFP

Citing TSMC, Lien said equipment installation has begun at the second Arizona fab, which is scheduled to start mass production next year, while construction of the third fab started earlier this year. TSMC is also applying for a permit to build a fourth fab.

Given the construction timeline, Lien said it is unlikely TSMC will be able to achieve mass production at its third Arizona fab by the end of Trump’s term, let alone at a fourth facility.

After factoring in TSMC’s Arizona schedule and its overall output of advanced chips, Lien estimated that less than 15 percent of the company’s high-end processes would be located in the US by the end of Trump’s presidency.

The economist added that TSMC is not the only semiconductor company expanding advanced manufacturing in the US, noting that Intel Corp, Micron Technology Inc and Samsung Electronics Co are also stepping up their investments. If those projects proceed smoothly, pressure on TSMC from the US government could ease, he said.

Lutnick made the comments as the US and Taiwan signed a tentative agreement last week to cut tariffs on Taiwanese goods from 20 percent to 15 percent.

Under the agreement, Taiwanese semiconductor, electronics manufacturing service (EMS), artificial intelligence and energy companies will invest US$250 billion in the US, while Taiwan’s government will provide up to US$250 billion in credit guarantees to support investments by the semiconductor and information and communication technology sectors, the Executive Yuan said on Friday.

However, Lutnick said in the CNBC interview that Taiwan had pledged US$500 billion in US investments, describing the amount as merely a down payment toward bringing the chip industry back to America.

Lien said the public should not be alarmed or discouraged by Lutnick’s remarks, stressing that Taiwan has committed only US$250 billion in direct investment, with the remaining US$250 billion consisting of credit guarantees.

He added that Lutnick has repeatedly overstated TSMC’s investment commitments as a way of exerting pressure on Taiwan, noting that similar tactics have been employed toward Japan and South Korea.


content_text:
Nvidia CEO says AI will create jobs for electricians and plumbers

As artificial intelligence (AI) threatens to upends job markets in countries around the world, Nvidia Corp chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) brushed off longer term concerns and made the case that skilled vocational workers are seeing increasing demand now.

Plumbers, electricians and construction workers are going to be able to command “six-figure salaries,” thanks to demand to build data centers that run and train AI, he said in an interview with BlackRock Inc CEO Larry Fink at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland yesterday. The technology will require one of the biggest infrastructure buildouts in history, with trillions of dollars in new investment, Huang said.

“We’re seeing quite a significant boom in this area. Salaries have gone up nearly double,” Huang said. “Everybody should be able to make a great living. You don’t need to have a PhD in computer science to do so.”

Nvidia Corp chief executive officer Jensen Huang gestures as he speaks during the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos yesterday.

Photo: Fabrice Coffrini, AFP

Huang’s comments echo remarks made at Davos on Tuesday by Palantir Technologies Inc CEO Alex Karp, who praised workers with “vocational training” and said AI would create more local jobs and largely eliminate the need for mass immigration. Coreweave Inc’s Michael Intrator also touched on the “physicality” of the AI boom at a panel later yesterday, with the data center firm’s CEO describing the need for growing numbers of plumbers, electricians and carpenters.

Nvidia, the leading maker of chips that help power and run the latest AI models, has benefited from the huge rush to build data centers. The company is on track to generate almost US$200 billion in data center chip sales for last year, according to an average analyst estimate compiled by Bloomberg. To date, the bulk of its revenue comes from the biggest data center builders — Microsoft Corp, Meta Platforms Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc — but it’s striking deals with a growing number of smaller data center operators. Tech firms have committed to spend a combined US$500 billion in data center leases in the coming years.

AI’s impact on the job market is already being felt. Anthropic PBC CEO Dario Amodei has warned about a “white-collar bloodbath” that could wipe out 50 percent of entry-level jobs. The company’s Claude AI is gaining attention for its coding abilities, a feature that could displace more junior programmers.

“We’re entering a world where the junior-level software engineers — maybe many of the tasks of the more senior-level software engineers — are starting to be done most of the way by AI systems. Now that’s going to go further,” Amodei said in an interview at Bloomberg House in Davos on Tuesday. While he believes the good from the technology will outweigh the bad, high unemployment and underemployment are a risk that needs to be mitigated.

“There’s going to be unfortunately a whole class of people who are, across a lot of industries, going to have a hard time coping,” he said.

Fink yesterday noticeably avoided probing Huang on sensitive topics, most notably China. Nvidia’s sales to the country are controversial, and the company is waiting to hear whether it will be able to sell its chips to the country and in what quantities. Just yesterday, Amodei called shipping Nvidia chips into China similar to selling nuclear weapons to North Korea.

Huang is expected to visit China at the end of this month as he works to reopen a crucial market for the company’s AI chips. It’s a pivotal time for the business, after the US moved to ease limits on chip exports to China it’s had in place since 2022. Nvidia is still blocked from shipping the top-of-the-line chips to the country, stymying Beijing’s ability to innovate beyond the cutting-edge of AI, but will be able to ship older-generation H200 AI chips.

Meanwhile, a key Republican lawmaker scheduled a committee vote yesterday for a bill that would give Congress power over AI chip exports, despite pushback from White House AI czar David Sacks, among others.

Representative Brian Mast of Florida, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced the "AI Overwatch Act" last month after US President Donald Trump greenlighted shipments of Nvidia's powerful H200 AI chips to China.

The legislation would give the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Banking Committee 30 days to review and potentially block licenses issued to export advanced AI chips to China and other adversaries. One source said the act's odds of passage increased after a coordinated media campaign last week against the bill.

The legislation would ensure "our cutting-edge AI chips cannot be used by the Chinese military," Mast said at a hearing last week titled, "Winning the AI Arms Race against the Chinese Communist Party."If the bill moves out of committee, it must pass in both the full Senate and the House, and then must be signed by the US president.

Additional reporting by Reuters


content_text:
During the public hearing convened on Thursday last week at the Legislative Yuan for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party bloc’s proposed impeachment of President William Lai (賴清德), Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Yi-chuan (王義川) delivered an address in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese). Less than 30 seconds into his remarks, he was interrupted by the KMT’s Chang Ya-chung (張亞中), Sun Yat-sen School president, who demanded that Wang speak “Guoyu [國語, Mandarin Chinese]”. After a moment’s surprise, Wang said he had the right to use the language of his choosing, telling Chang that, “if you can’t understand it, go find an interpreter.”

Chang holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Hamburg in Germany. Yet, in the eyes of this so-called elite intellectual, Taiwanese are forever destined to be second-class citizens. Deigning to try and prevent a legislator from speaking Taiwanese, he is stuck in the Martial Law era. The incident has circulated online, evoking memories for many of being punished for “speaking dialects” in elementary school.

My parents are Taiwanese, and Taiwanese is my mother tongue. I was often subject to the NT$1 fines for speaking in Taiwanese in school. Back then, NT$1 was a lot of money. When I asked my parents for pocket money, they would usually give me NT$0.5, enough to buy five biscuits.

However, much worse than the NT$1 fines was having to wear a cardboard sign around your neck, mockingly called a “dog tag.” The sign would read: “I did not speak Mandarin today.” It was humiliating. I remember my deskmate in fourth grade being punished this way; she was a shy girl, and was too afraid to leave the classroom all day, even to go to the toilet. At 4pm, when everyone stood up for the flag-lowering ceremony, she suddenly wet herself. She was overwhelmed with shame, and I was frozen in shock. At 10 years old, with a mind full of questions, I began to sense that something was deeply wrong with the adult world.

More than half a century has passed, yet this scene remains clear in my mind. It is why, when I entered graduate school and my Taiwanese consciousness began to awaken, I was fully in favor of democracy pioneer and reverend Kao Chun-ming’s (高俊明) “A Declaration of Human Rights by the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan” in 1977, which called for Taiwan to become a new and independent country.

Chang might be full of a lofty moral rhetoric, but he is utterly steeped in the ideology of unification. Despite having lived in Taiwan for more than 70 years, he still neither understands nor speaks Taiwanese. He is the type that fancies himself a superior “Mainlander,” but is unwilling to integrate into the Taiwan in which he was born and raised. The arrogance of this Chinese mindset is akin to what the Taiwanese phrase refers to when it talks of beggars moving into a temple and driving out the temple keepers. He will not last.

Sophia Lee is a member of the Taiwan Association of University Professors.

Translated by Gilda Knox Streader

title: Beggars driving out temple keepers


content_text:
The US has agreed to lower tariffs on Taiwanese goods to 15 percent from 20 percent. This is an institutional affirmation that the US regards Taiwan as an ally.

Among the countries running trade surpluses with the US, Taiwan not only succeeded in reducing tariffs to 15 percent, but also avoided them being stacked on existing most-favored-nation rates, placing them on par with Japan, South Korea and the EU. This demonstrates that Taiwan’s position within the US’ trade and economic policy is not that of a passive supply-chain participant — it is a trusted partner.

This has highly tangible implications for Taiwan’s industries. With the competitive starting points leveled, traditional sectors such as machine tools and hand tools, as well as high-tech manufacturing, are able to compete for markets under the same rules as major US allies.

An even more strategically significant outcome lies in the handling of Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act. Taiwan is the first country to secure the most favorable Section 232 tariff treatment for semiconductors and related products. In an environment where the US has a highly securitized and politicized semiconductor policy, this change is effectively an institutional protective umbrella. It provides predictable, systematic security for the entire semiconductor supply chain.

Particularly important is the US’ commitment that raw materials, equipment and components that Taiwanese firms require to build and operate facilities in the US would be exempt from tariffs. This impacts the key conditions shaping investment decisions, and is equivalent to laying out a pathway for the overseas expansion of Taiwan’s high-tech industries.

Another key aspect is the US’ formal acceptance and recognition of a “Taiwan model.” Rather than relying on large-scale direct government funding in exchange for political commitments, Taiwan has centered its approach on autonomous corporate investment, with the government supporting the financial system through credit guarantee mechanisms to help firms secure financing. This design respects market mechanisms and maintains fiscal discipline, while avoiding the transfer of industrial risk onto public finances.

After investment and supply chain cooperation are institutionalized, the next step rises to strategic integration. These negotiations have established a strategic partnership between Taiwan and the US in artificial intelligence and high-tech supply chains. The US needs reliable manufacturing capacity and de-risked supply chains, while Taiwan needs markets, resource and development resources, and institutional security.

President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has accomplished not only a technical trade negotiation, but a precisely calibrated positioning amid an ongoing realignment of global blocs.

Of course, given the rapidly shifting political spectrum of US domestic politics and the potential for future policy changes, this deal is not a permanent guarantee. Maintaining this status amid such uncertainty would require careful steps. However, through signing the investment cooperation memorandum, Taiwan has entered an operational mode resembling a quasi-allied economic and trade framework.

In an era of supply chain rerouting and value clustering, being included in the core circle is more critical than any single tariff rate. Taiwan has not only negotiated conditions — it has been formally enshrined in the rules.

Hsiao Hsi-huei is a freelance writer.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

title: The Taiwan-US tariff agreement


title: How to deal with Chinese infiltration

content_text:
Taiwan is not wrong to fear Chinese political interference. However, what is at stake is whether the country is building a durable democratic defense or tightening a security net that might prosecute the wrong people.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s latest push to amend the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法) reflects a strategic anxiety. Beijing’s political warfare no longer operates through party-to-party channels; it moves through shell companies, online networks, community groups and informal political brokers. Lawmakers say that the law is too narrow, too slow and too easy to evade. In response, they have proposed tougher penalties, wider coverage and earlier intervention, including bringing “would-be candidates” under criminal liability.

However, the debate has exposed a deeper problem. Taiwan is trying to address a sophisticated influence campaign with a legal framework that remains structurally fragile. Prosecutors have investigated hundreds of cases since the law took effect, but only a small number have resulted in convictions. That gap is not evidence that interference is imaginary; it reflects how difficult it is to prove covert foreign direction. However, when one suggests that acquittal does not necessarily mean innocence, the line between suspicion and legal judgement starts to blur — and that is where democratic systems become vulnerable.

International comparison matters. Australia faced a similar wave of Chinese interference in 2017 and 2018. Its response was not simply to impose harsher criminal penalties. Instead, it built a two-layered system. Its Espionage and Foreign Interference Act strengthened criminal enforcement, but it did so on top of an intelligence and judicial architecture, including the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, warrant-based investigations and specialized procedures for handling sensitive national security evidence. In parallel, the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act handled the problem from a different angle: It forced disclosure. Anyone acting on behalf of a foreign principal to influence politics, media or public debate had to register.

That second pillar is crucial. By making foreign political influence visible, Australia reduced the need to criminalize suspicious actions. Sunlight, not just prosecution, is its first line of defense.

Taiwan is missing that balance. It is moving toward the punitive side of the Australian model without building the transparency side. There is no comprehensive system requiring political consultants, lobbyists, advocacy groups or media organizations to declare foreign-linked funding or direction. Instead, influence is expected to be discovered after the fact, through investigation, denunciation and prosecution. That places enormous pressure on prosecutors — and invites political interpretation of what should be a legal judgement.

Amending the Anti-Infiltration Act to cover loosely defined “pre-candidates,” or imposing prison terms for a widening range of conduct, might project resolve, but without clearer definitions and institutional safeguards, it also risks turning political life into a zone of legal uncertainty. That uncertainty would chill domestic participation.

Taiwan’s challenge is not choosing between security and freedom; it is designing institutions that protect both. Chinese influence operations would continue to evolve. What endures is the credibility of the democratic system responding to them.

If Taiwan wants to raise the real cost of interference, it should start by doing what successful democracies have done: bring political influence into the open, professionalize national security justice and ensure that the law remains a shield for democracy rather than a substitute for it.

Bonnie Yushih Liao is an assistant professor at Tamkang University’s Department of Diplomacy and International Relations.


content_text:
In the US’ National Security Strategy (NSS) report released last month, US President Donald Trump offered his interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine. The “Trump Corollary,” presented on page 15, is a distinctly aggressive rebranding of the more than 200-year-old foreign policy position. Beyond reasserting the sovereignty of the western hemisphere against foreign intervention, the document centers on energy and strategic assets, and attempts to redraw the map of the geopolitical landscape more broadly. It is clear that Trump no longer sees the western hemisphere as a peaceful backyard, but rather as the frontier of a new Cold War. In particular,

By Liao Ming-hui 廖明輝

When it became clear that the world was entering a new era with a radical change in the US’ global stance in US President Donald Trump’s second term, many in Taiwan were concerned about what this meant for the nation’s defense against China. Instability and disruption are dangerous. Chaos introduces unknowns. There was a sense that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) might have a point with its tendency not to trust the US. The world order is certainly changing, but concerns about the implications for Taiwan of this disruption left many blind to how the same forces might also weaken

As the new year dawns, Taiwan faces a range of external uncertainties that could impact the safety and prosperity of its people and reverberate in its politics. Here are a few key questions that could spill over into Taiwan in the year ahead.WILL THE AI BUBBLE POP?The global AI boom supported Taiwan’s significant economic expansion in 2025. Taiwan’s economy grew over 7 percent and set records for exports, imports, and trade surplus. There is a brewing debate among investors about whether the AI boom will carry forward into 2026. Skeptics warn that AI-led global equity markets are overvalued and overleveraged

title: EDITORIAL CARTOON


title: Europe has the weapons for a tariff war

content_text:
Europe must decide how to respond to US President Donald Trump’s escalating aggressive claim to Greenland

The Cold War satirical novel The Mouse That Roared imagined a tiny European statelet declaring war on the US in the hopes of being lavished with US aid after its inevitable defeat. It is a title that came immediately to mind when European nations sent three dozen soldiers to Greenland in response to US President Donald Trump’s threats to wrest the island from Danish control. The idea seems to have been: Support Denmark, yes, but do not antagonize the White House when Ukrainian security is also on the line.

Whatever the intent, it has not worked. Trump’s contemptuous delight in beating up US allies was given free rein over the weekend as he raised the ante over the arctic territory. It is time for Europe to fight tariff fire with fire.

The president threatened a 10 percent duty from next month on US imports from the countries sending troops: France, Germany, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark and non-EU members the UK and Norway. That would increase to 25 percent in June until a deal is reached for his government to buy Greenland. In a grim flashback to last year’s EU-US trade deal when the bloc had to swallow a 15 percent tariff on its transatlantic exports, the underbelly of Europe’s trade-dependent, soft-power regime is fully exposed.

The cost of such extra tariffs would be high. Bloomberg Economics estimates they could cut these countries’ US exports by up to 50 percent. Germany, Sweden and Denmark look especially vulnerable, but another timid acquiescence from the Europeans would be disastrous. This is textbook economic bullying, driven by a leader who has said the only limitation on his global powers was “[his] own mind.” If last year’s tariff deal is already being rewritten on the fly by the Americans, where will it stop? There has to be a point when even mice do more than squeak apologetically and submit to worse trade terms than China.

So even as Germany appears to be shipping its dozen or so soldiers back home — job done, apparently — European leaders must be ready to play hardball if these levies materialize. The starting point is bolstering the European Parliament’s threat to hold back approval of last year’s trade agreement, which was hailed by Trump’s administration as providing “unprecedented levels of market access” for US products. The deal has not stopped the US from trying to strong-arm Brussels into going easy on the tech barons of Silicon Valley and Seattle over regulations and antitrust.

It is time, too, to unbox the EU’s “bazooka” for the fight ahead: The bloc’s Anti-Coercion Instrument is explicitly designed to defend member states put under tariff pressure by foreign powers. It allows retaliation beyond customs duties, and can potentially restrict market access for titans like Google owner Alphabet Inc.

That is a much bigger stick than the usual clobbering of more niche US companies such as Harley-Davidson motorcycles with higher import taxes. French President Emmanuel Macron, still nursing his wounds after failing to stop an EU trade deal with Latin America hated by French farmers, favors this trade weapon — and he has been backed by German industrial association VDMA.

“Europe must not allow itself to be blackmailed,” the VDMA president wrote over the weekend.

Then comes the longer-term question of whether Europe can get by on defense and security without US backing — in Ukraine first and foremost — the answer to which was a resounding no last year when the EU had to accept the 15 percent levy. However, just as those transatlantic trade terms have barely survived the New Year, last year’s rush to declare NATO as being back and better than ever under “Daddy” Trump looks wildly premature. Denmark is right to say that a hostile takeover of Greenland would be the end of the alliance as we know it.

Trump’s new threats go beyond the NATO “brain death” that Macron spoke of a few years back, and toward something like the forced obedience of the Soviet bloc’s Warsaw Pact. To avoid this miserable fate, the rearming of Europe is ever more urgent.

European unity will be found wanting, of course. Poland and Italy are not on the tariff list and will doubtless try to de-escalate. Trump’s continental allies can be counted on to sow discord. The UK, under the cautious stewardship of British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, might pursue its own routes to exemptions.

Nor will Europe be under any illusion: If the White House is determined to take Greenland in the face of opposition from the US public, Congress, the EU, NATO and the overwhelming majority of Greenlanders, it will succeed. Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon has called the arctic “the Great Game of the 21st century.”

However, if the status of a US ally means being subjected to trade and technological subservience rather than being lavished with Cold War-style aid, cutting loose will become preferable. Trump’s arrogant, unnecessary aggression over Greenland might well become that moment. Canada is getting closer to China, even though it shares about a 9,000km border with the US. In today’s White House, reality has outpaced fiction. Europe’s mice must quickly find their inner tigers.

Lionel Laurent is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist writing about the future of money and Europe. Previously, he was a reporter for Reuters and Forbes. This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.


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China introduced new taxation policies on Monday hoping to combat a rapidly declining birthrate

How do you persuade a population to have more babies after generations of limiting families to just one?

A decade after ending China’s longtime one-child policy, authorities are pushing a range of ideas and policies to try to encourage more births — tactics that range from cash subsidies and taxing condoms to eliminating a tax on matchmakers and day care centers.

The efforts have not paid off yet. At least, that is what population figures released on Monday show for what is now the world’s second-most populous nation. China’s population of 1.4 billion continued to shrink, marking the fourth straight year of decrease, new government statistics show. The total population last year stood at 1.404 billion, which was 3 million less than in 2024.

Measured another way, the birthrate last year — 5.63 per 1,000 people — is the lowest on record since 1949, the year that Mao Zedong’s (毛澤東) communists overthrew the nationalists and began running China. Figures before that, under the previous nationalist government, were not available.

China was long the world’s most populous nation until 2023, when it was surpassed by regional neighbor and sometime rival India. Monday’s statistics illustrate the stark demographic pressures faced by the country as it tries to pivot from a problem it is working hard to overcome: status as a nation with a growing, but transitional economy that, as is often said, is “getting old before it gets rich.”

The number of new babies born was just 7.92 million last year, a decline of 1.62 million, or 17 percent, from 2024. The latest birth numbers show that the slight tick upward in 2024 was not a lasting trend. Births declined for seven years in a row through 2023.

Most families cite the costs and pressure of raising a child in a highly competitive society as significant hurdles that now loom larger in the face of an economic downturn that has impacted households struggling to meet their living costs.

Another potential factor in the numbers: Last year in China was the year of the snake, considered one of the least favored years for having a child under the Chinese zodiac.

Like many other countries in Asia, China has faced a declining fertility rate, or the average number of babies a woman is expected to have in her lifetime. While the government does not regularly publish a fertility rate, last saying it was 1.3 in 2020, experts have estimated it is now about 1. Both figures are far below the 2.1 rate that would maintain the size of China’s population.

For decades, the Chinese government barred people from having more than one baby and often sanctioned those who did — a policy that produced more than two generations of only children. In 2015, the government raised the permitted amount of offspring to two and then, facing demographic pressure, further revised the limit to three in 2021.

The push for more births is about the economy. China now has 323 million people older than 60, or 23 percent of the entire population. That number has continued to rise, while the working-age population is shrinking, meaning there are fewer workers to support the older population.

This demographic shift is happening while China is in the process of trying to transition away from labor-intensive industries like farming and manufacturing into a consumer-driven economy built with high-tech manufacturing.

While China’s rapid development in manufacturing with high-tech and robotics can reduce the impact of a shrinking labor force, “the bigger concern is whether economic growth can stay afloat with a shrinking population,” said Gary Ng, senior economist for Asia Pacific at French investment bank Natixis.

China reported 5 percent annual economic growth for last year on Monday, based on official data, but some analysts expect growth to slow in the next few years.

To cope with these massive changes, China could eventually need to reform its pension system, Ng said, as well as broaden the tax base to cope with the higher government expenditure.

Officials have had limited success with policy changes to incentivize families to have more children. In July, the government announced cash subsidies of 3,600 yuan (US$517) per child to families.

Coupling incentives with other attempts to mold behavior, the government also has started taxing condoms. China removed contraceptives, including condoms, from a value-added tax exemption list last year, meaning condoms are now being hit with a 13 percent tax that kicked into effect on Jan. 1.

In an attempt to further promote child-rearing, kindergartens and day-care centers have been added to the tax-exemption list, along with matchmaking services.

title: China’s births drop to lowest since 1949 revolution


title: S Korean ex-PM sentenced over martial law role

content_text:
TWENTY-THREE YEARS: A judge said that Han Duck-soo ‘played a significant role in the insurrectionary acts’ of former president Yoon Suk-yeol by ensuring compliance

Former South Korean prime minister Han Duck-soo yesterday was sentenced to 23 years in prison for aiding and abetting a declaration of martial law that briefly suspended civilian rule.

The defendant “disregarded his duty and responsibility as prime minister until the very end,” said Judge Lee Jin-gwan of the Seoul Central District Court. “We sentence the defendant to 23 years in prison.”

The sentence is eight years longer than prosecutors demanded.

Former South Korean prime minister Han Duck-soo arrives at the Seoul Central District Court yesterday. Photo: EPA

The 76-year-old was ordered to report to prison immediately after the ruling.

Lee said the martial law decree by then-South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol in December 2024 was intended with the “aim of subverting the constitutional order” and amounted to insurrection.

Yoon’s imposition of martial law saw armed troops deployed to the South Korean National Assembly and the National Election Commission before it was vetoed by the opposition-led National Assembly.

In the aftermath, Yoon was impeached and removed from office by the South Korean Constitutional Court in April last year, triggering an election two months later.

Han is one of many former officials — including Yoon — who have stood trial over their roles in the martial law attempt.

“The defendant is deemed to have played a significant role in the insurrectionary acts of Yoon and others by ensuring, at least formally, compliance with the procedural requirement,” Lee said in a televised sentencing.

Lee said that while Han “voiced concerns to Yoon” over the move, he failed to “explicitly oppose it” or urge other Cabinet members to dissuade Yoon from it.

During the course of the trial, Han denied wrongdoing, saying that he had never supported or helped the martial law declaration.

After Yoon was removed from office, Han assumed his post as acting president and was at one point seen as a contender in the snap election.

He resigned from the role in May to pursue a presidential bid, which soon collapsed when Yoon’s party refused to nominate him.

The court said that martial law had been invoked as a “top-down insurrection” and the incident could be understood as a “palace coup.”

Despite the unconstitutional elements of the then-president’s move, not only did Han choose not to oppose it, but he decided to partake in it, the judge said.

“The defendant ... bore a duty as prime minister to comply with the constitution and laws, and to make every effort to uphold and realize the constitution,” he said. “Nevertheless, believing that the Dec. 3 [2024] insurrection might succeed, he ultimately turned his back on these duties and responsibilities and chose to take part in it.”

Han was also convicted of perjury.

The verdict comes after Yoon was sentenced to five years in prison for obstructing justice and other crimes linked to his martial law move. He is also facing a verdict over his central role as the ringleader of the insurrection in the decree for which prosecutors are calling for the death penalty.

The Seoul Central District Court — presided over by a different judge from Han’s trial — is scheduled to deliver its ruling on Feb. 19.


title: Netanyahu to join Board of Peace

content_text:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said that he had agreed to join US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.

The board, chaired by Trump, was originally envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan, but has become a larger concept, with Trump extending invitations to dozens of nations and hinting it would soon broker global conflicts.

Netanyahu’s office had previously said the executive committee — which includes Turkey, a key regional rival — was not coordinated with the Israeli government and “is contrary to its policy,” without clarifying its objections.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and US President Donald Trump walk into a building at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Florida, on Dec. 29. Photo: AP

Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich has criticized the board and called for Israel to take unilateral responsibility for Gaza’s future.

Others who have joined the board are the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Vietnam, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Argentina. Others, including the UK, Russia and the executive arm of the EU, say they have received invitations, but have not yet responded.

It came as Trump traveled to the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where he was expected to provide more details about the board.

It was not immediately clear how many or which other leaders would receive invitations.

Asked by a reporter on Tuesday if the board should replace the UN, Trump said: “It might.”

The UN “hasn’t been very helpful” and “has never lived up to its potential,” he said, but added that the UN should continue ”because the potential is so great.”

“Yes to implementing the peace plan presented by the president of the United States, which we wholeheartedly support, but no to creating an organization as it has been presented, which would replace the United Nations,” French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot said.

After being told on Monday that French President Emmanuel Macron was unlikely to join the Board of Peace, Trump said: “Well, nobody wants him, because he’s going to be out of office very soon.”

A day later, Trump called Macron “a friend of mine,” but reiterated that the French leader is “not going to be there very much longer.”

The executive board’s members include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management chief executive officer Marc Rowan and World Bank President Ajay Banga.

The White House also announced the members of another board, the Gaza Executive Board, which would be in charge of implementing the second phase of a ceasefire agreement with Israel.

That includes deploying an international security force, disarming Hamas and rebuilding the war-devastated territory.

The board would supervise a newly appointed committee of Palestinians to run Gaza’s day-to-day affairs.

Meanwhile, Trump’s arrival in Davos was delayed when a “minor electrical issue” forced his presidential jet to turn back shortly after takeoff in the US.

Trump, who was originally scheduled to give a speech to the annual gathering of the world’s economic and political elite, was to be about three hours late to Davos, US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said after the president was forced to switch planes.

Trump was set for a showdown with European leaders over his comments about taking control of Greenland.

Bessent said that European leaders should “take a deep breath” before engaging on the topic.

“Do not have this reflexive anger that we’ve seen and this bitterness,” Bessent told reporters in Davos hours before Trump’s arrival. “Why don’t they sit down, wait for President Trump to get here and listen to his argument.”

Trump said he would have a number of meetings on Greenland at Davos.

Additional reporting by AFP


content_text: Guatemalan Army soldiers patrol a street of the Nueva Jerusalen neighborhood in Guatemala City on Tuesday. Guatemalan soldiers began patrolling gang-controlled neighborhoods in the capital after attacks over the weekend that left 10 police officers dead and prompted the government to declare a state of emergency.

title: Guatemalan emergency


content_text:
What to know about the trial in Hong Kong against Tiananmen vigil organizersThe government said its law enforcement actions were evidence-based and strictly in accordance with the law

Two former leaders of a Hong Kong pro-democracy group that for decades organized a vigil commemorating people killed during Beijing’s 1989 Tiananmen crackdown are set to stand trial in a case brought under a national security law that has all but silenced dissent in the city.

A third co-defendant is expected to plead guilty at Thursday’s hearing.

Observers say the disappearance of the only large-scale public commemoration of the 1989 crackdown within China is part of a decline in Western-style civil liberties, which Beijing promised to maintain for 50 years when it took control of the former British colony in 1997.

Thousands of people in June 2019 attend a candlelight vigil for victims of the Chinese government’s brutal military crackdown three decades ago on protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square at Victoria Park in Hong Kong. Photo: AP

The government said its law enforcement actions were evidence-based and strictly in accordance with the law.

Chow Hang-tung, Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho, former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were charged with incitement to subversion in September 2021 under a law imposed by China following massive anti-government protests in 2019.

The Hong Kong Alliance voted to disband weeks after its leaders were charged under the law.

Here’s what to know about the case:

KEEPING MEMORIES ALIVE

The 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests, led by students, posed one of the most significant challenges to the Communist Party’s rule in China. They ended after the Chinese government sent tanks into Beijing, with troops opening fire in a bloody crackdown that killed hundreds, possibly thousands.

The crackdown has long been a taboo topic in mainland China, but for 30 years the alliance held annual vigils in Hong Kong. The gathering drew tens of thousands to commemorate the victims with a sea of candles until authorities banned it during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was a group that aimed to seek justice,” former alliance member Tang Ngok-kwan said in early January. Tang, who was a senior member of the group, was charged alongside Chow in another case related to the group.

Tang said he felt a moral burden about the deaths, because he thought the city’s financial support for the movement may have fueled the demonstrators’ conflict with authorities.

Some young people stayed away from the vigil during a rise in localism in the 2010s, deeming the alliance’s goal of building a democratic China irrelevant to Hong Kong. But the last vigil in 2019 drew an estimated 180,000 people days before the city erupted in monthslong protests.

After the pandemic, the former vigil site hosted a carnival showcasing Chinese food and products during the anniversary of the crackdown. Some residents who commemorated the event nearby were detained.

The alliance was one of dozens of civil society groups disbanded during a crackdown that started when Beijing imposed a National Security Law to quell protests.

Other people affected include former pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai (黎智英), who was convicted of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces in December and faces up to life in prison.

The Hong Kong Alliance came under increasing pressure in 2021 after police opened an investigation, saying they had reasonable grounds to believe the group was acting as a foreign agent. The group rejected the allegations and refused to cooperate. Chow, Ho and Lee were charged in September 2021, and later that month the alliance’s members voted to disband.

Chow, Tang and another core member were convicted in 2023 over their refusal to provide authorities information on the group and received a sentence of 4.5 months each. But in March last year, the city’s top court overturned the trio’s convictions.

Thursday’s trial is expected to last 75 days

Chow, Ho and Lee are accused of inciting others to organize, plan or act through unlawful means with a view to subvert the state power. Their charge carries a maximum jail term of 10 years. The trial is expected to last 75 days.

In previous court proceedings, Ho’s lawyer indicated that his client intended to plead guilty, which could help him getting a sentence reduction.

Chow, also a barrister, who defended herself in the case, tried to quash her indictment in court arguing that prosecutors had failed to make specific allegations, but was rejected in November.

Alex Lee, one of the government-vetted judges, said the prosecution had identified the alliance’s calls to “bring one-party rule to an end” as an issue. The prosecution is expected to detail its case this week.

CHOW CONTINUES THE FIGHT

Tang said he viewed the trial as the conclusion of the group’s mission.

Regardless of the outcome, he said, it’s an opportunity to express their beliefs one more time.

“It’s another unexpected encouragement,” he laughed at the thought, then immediately added: “But this price is huge.”

Tang, who visited Chow and Lee regularly in prison, said they have grown thinner.

He said Lee was relatively philosophical, wanting only to explain his beliefs to the court, while Chow felt strongly about defending her position.

Chow has already successfully defended herself in the separate case involving Tang from behind bars, getting the conviction quashed.

She also mounted a challenge to prison regulations that require female inmates to wear long trousers in summer, though her bid was rejected by the court last week.

In a post on the social media platform Patreon, she wrote on Jan. 5 that she was still looking forward to a reunion with her friends and allies.

“I still firmly believe that the human spirit endures. Together, we shall smile until the very end,” she said.


title: 射程300公里？　殲-20發射「光桿彈」疑為霹靂-16

content_text:
▲殲-20發射一枚被稱為「小飛棍」的空空導彈，疑似射程可突破300公里的霹靂-16。（圖／翻攝自中國軍工）

軍武中心／綜合報導

大陸空空導彈研製技術再獲重大進展，近日官方宣傳影片中曝光殲-20發射一枚彈體平直，幾乎看不到傳統彈翼存在的導彈。外界認為，這疑似就是傳說中專門為五代機隱身彈艙定製的霹靂-16，其射程預估突破300公里，讓殲-20A可在超巡狀態下，打擊敵方預警機及加油機。

這款被戲稱為「小飛棍」的全新空空導彈，最大特徵就是取消巨大的彈翼，改為超小彈翼甚至全動尾翼，這樣的「修身」設計過程讓導彈變成一個光滑的圓柱體。而通過減小彈翼帶來的空間釋放，讓殲-20主彈艙掛載量可從4枚霹靂-15升級增加到6枚霹靂-16，甚至數量還可能更多。

▼殲-20飛行展示主彈艙。（圖／CFP）

知名軍事自媒體「矚望雲霄」認為，霹靂-16的光桿設計應是為超遠射程而優化，在飛行過程中的能量損失也大幅減少。據了解，該型導彈採用先進的雙脈沖或多脈沖固體火箭發動機，這意味著其能像長跑運動員一樣，在飛行途中保存體力，在末端攻擊瞬間二次點火爆發出驚人動能，讓對手根本無法通過大過載機動逃脫。

至於外界質疑導彈沒有彈翼後怎麽拐彎，分析指出，霹靂-16在高超音速飛行狀態下，導彈的圓柱狀機身本身就能產生升力。配合高精度的推力矢量控制，霹靂-16不再需要笨重的翅膀來撥動氣流，而是直接通過改變噴氣方向和調整機身攻角來實現極高過載的機動。

文章強調，霹靂-16的光滑設計不僅利於彈艙內的緊密排布，也讓導彈脫離彈艙瞬間的雷達反射截面積干擾降到最低，讓殲-20在發射瞬間依然保持低可探測性。分析進一步判斷，此次影片曝光的導彈，很可能就是霹靂-16的定型版本，一舉彌補殲-20載彈量的缺陷。

▼殲-20被捕捉到疑似翼下掛載8枚霹靂-15。（圖／翻攝自大陸網站）


content_text:
記者蕭采薇／台北報導

2026年世界棒球經典賽（WBC）即將於3月開打，中華代表隊目前已在高雄國訓中心展開熱血集訓。為了替選手們壯行，中華職棒20 日特別舉辦《冠軍之路》紀錄片包場，由「台灣隊長」陳傑憲領軍，不僅教練團王建民、彭政閔等傳奇球星全到齊，現場更有奧運金牌林郁婷、楊勇緯等戰友跨界助陣，現場星光熠熠，氣氛熱血沸騰！

▲導演龍男（中）及奧運跆拳道銅牌選手羅嘉翎（右）、奧運拳擊金牌選手林郁婷（左）到場觀影。（圖／中華職業棒球大聯盟提供）

傳奇大合體！王建民、彭政閔坐鎮 金牌女神林郁婷現身力挺

這場包場活動宛如台灣運動界的「復仇者聯盟」，除了經典賽中華隊全體成員，更特別邀請了奧運拳擊金牌林郁婷、柔道銀牌楊勇緯及跆拳道銅牌羅嘉翎到場。跨項目的運動員齊聚一堂，展現台灣英雄彼此支撐、共同集氣的強大凝聚力。

▲打擊教練彭政閔到場支持《冠軍之路》。（圖／中華職業棒球大聯盟提供）

中華職棒會長蔡其昌也親自出席，並偕同總教練曾豪駒，以及教練團名單中的傳奇人物：「沈默王牌」王建民、「恰恰」彭政閔、高國輝、林岳平、高志綱、陳江和及張建銘等人。這群曾在國際賽場上讓台灣人瘋狂的教練們，與新一代國手一同觀影，象徵著信念的傳承。

陳傑憲二刷「心境大不同」：穿上國家隊球衣，責任就是榮耀

身為本屆台灣隊長的陳傑憲，這已經是他第二次觀看《冠軍之路》。他感性分享，第一次看時心情比較輕鬆，但這次在經典賽前夕再看，壓力明顯不同：「這次壓力更大，因為我們即將穿上代表國家的球衣，身上背負的是責任，也是一種榮耀。」

▲續任「台灣隊長」的陳傑憲到場支持《冠軍之路》。（圖／牽猴子提供）

陳傑憲提到，雖然有些運動員必須獨自站在場上戰鬥（指奧運戰友們），但他很慶幸自己擁有一群優秀的教練團與後勤團隊，「這次看完後，我一直在思考如何跟團隊溝通、讓凝聚力更強，一起打出一場勝仗。」

蔡其昌笑談「人行立牌」哏 曾豪駒：失敗給你經驗

已經「7刷」紀錄片的蔡其昌會長則在現場大開玩笑，提到片中曾記錄球員黃恩賜因為比賽差點趕不上婚禮，他當場點名台下球員：「有沒有人要結婚的？趕快先處理好，免得到時候又要做『人行立牌』！」引發全場爆笑。

▲（左至右）導演龍男、奧運拳擊金牌選手林郁婷、中華職棒會長蔡其昌、奧運跆拳道銅牌選手羅嘉翎一同出席欣賞《冠軍之路》。（圖／中華職業棒球大聯盟提供）

總教練曾豪駒也感性表示，這部片不只是紀錄，更是給予勇氣，「當初會長跟我說過，成功帶來喜悅，失敗給你經驗。縱使有時候會害怕失敗，也希望大家勇於挑戰，成就更好的自己。」

2026 經典賽前哨戰！紀錄片熱映中「親子場秒殺」

《冠軍之路》詳實記錄了台灣棒球從低潮、挫敗到重新站上國際舞台的集體記憶。隨著 3 月經典賽即將到來，這部片不僅是影迷的感動，更是選手們賽前的心理支撐。

▲奧運柔道銀牌選手楊勇緯到場欣賞《冠軍之路》。（圖／牽猴子提供）

目前《冠軍之路》全臺熱映中，24 日即將舉辦的北、新、中「親子限定場」票券已瞬間秒殺。主辦單位也歡迎各界進行包場，一同在經典賽月到來前，走進戲院為夢想與台灣棒球吶喊。

▲投手教練林岳平（左）與奧運跆拳道銅牌選手羅嘉翎（右）一同欣賞《冠軍之路》。（圖／中華職業棒球大聯盟提供）

title: 林郁婷、楊勇緯都來了！王建民、彭政閔坐鎮《冠軍之路》　陳傑憲已二刷

taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄 成功


content_text:
今年度中央政府總預算案持續被藍白卡關，行政院長卓榮泰20日放話要與在野直接辯論，民眾黨主席兼黨團總召黃國昌馬上接戰，稱樂意依照大選公開辯論模式，由各大電視新聞台協調辦理網路直播，跟卓揆一戰。但卓揆說，只願意到國會正面對決，黃國昌卻酸「龜縮」，還要求總統賴清德也出來跟他辯論。對此，媒體人詹凌瑀狠酸，即將在2月1日卸下立委身分的黃國昌，現在就像「沒糖吃的巨嬰」！

詹凌瑀20日深夜在臉書發文，「黃國昌2月1日就要從立法院滾蛋了，在立委生涯的最後倒數幾天，不想著怎麼善盡職責審查預算，反而像是個沒糖吃的巨嬰，到處潑婦罵街博版面。現在這齣戲真的很難看。先是像個流氓一樣對行政院長叫囂要辯論，等到卓榮泰正面迎戰、要他在國會殿堂依憲法職權對話時，他又縮了，開始在那邊扯要直播、要搭台，把國會當成自己的網紅攝影棚。」

「更可笑的是，眼看蹭行政院長還不夠，現在竟然還妄想自抬身價，點名要跟賴清德總統辯論？請問黃國昌你算哪根蔥？一個即將失業、只能靠咆哮來掩飾心虛的政客，憑什麼要求國家元首配合你的作秀演出？這不叫辯論，這叫標準的政治碰瓷。」

詹凌瑀忍不住嘲諷，「說穿了，黃國昌就是欺善怕惡。嘴上喊辯論喊得震天價響，彷彿天下無敵，但大家可沒忘記，當初王義川拿出要跟你辯論時，你是什麼德性？你是嚇得連話都不敢回，徹底無視，躲得比誰都快。遇到王義川就裝死，遇到總統就想蹭，這種看人下菜碟的嘴臉，真的讓人作嘔。還好，這種鬧劇再忍耐幾天就結束了。2月1日時間一到，麻煩請你乾脆地滾出立法院，不要再用你的噪音污染台灣的政治環境。」

people: 賴清德 黃國昌 卓榮泰

title: 黃國昌又自抬身價叫賴清德辯論 詹凌瑀狠酸：活像沒糖吃的巨嬰


title: 邀戰卓榮泰電視台辯論 張育萌揭黃國昌「如意算盤」

people: 黃國昌 卓榮泰

content_text:
今年度中央政府總預算案昨（20）日在立院程序委員會持續卡關，行政院長卓榮泰今向立法院喊話，要求就3兆350億元的中央政府總預算案，與在野黨進行辯論。對此，台灣青年世代共好協會理事長張育萌表示，「哪一家電視台可以在7天內搭好辯論攝影棚，直播你和卓榮泰的辯論？」並揭露黃國昌的如意算盤。

張育萌在臉書發文表示，黃國昌又「加蔥」，逼卓榮泰跟他上電視辯論，只要拖超過7 天，他就能在失去立委職務後，繼續以平民身分，變相質詢行政院長。他說，立法院人事處已經發函把黃國昌的辭職文書，列入後天院會報告事項，也就是說，這週五開完院會，「兩年條款」就確定無法回頭，黃國昌即將在2月1日起就會失去立委身分。「扣掉今天，黃國昌任期只剩7天，今天，黃國昌開始無所不用其極，要用怪招延續自己的政治生命」。

張育萌指出，黃國昌第一招就是利用「彈劾總統案」，要求立法院舉辦全國巡迴說明會，「一位任期只剩一個禮拜的立委，可以決定他卸任後，立法院要全國巡迴嗎？」他反問，「立法院巡迴是用公帑欸。為什麼立法委員可以用你我的納稅錢，在選舉年辦全國巡迴呀？」

張育萌說，黃國昌第二招更扯，竟然要電視台直播他的辯論。卓榮泰今天原句是說「我要求就3兆350億，整年度的中央政府總預算，與立法院進行直接的辯論。哪一項是國人不需要的？」結果黃國昌又開始「加蔥」，說台灣民眾黨樂於辯論，但是要由「各大電視台協調辦理」，還要「比照大選模式」。讓他吐槽，「不是啊，哪一家電視台可以在7天內，搭好辯論攝影棚、排好通告時間，直播你和卓榮泰的辯論？」

張育萌揭露，其實黃國昌的如意算盤很簡單，只要卓榮泰答應他的「加蔥」條件，就算 7天後黃國昌就不是立委，還是可以在「電視台辯論會」變相質詢卓榮泰。讓他大酸，「欸，這是什麼荒謬的場面？7天後，失去立委身分的「平民」黃國昌，要在辯論台上，質詢行政院長卓榮泰？憑什麼啊？當行政院是辯論社嗎？」

他直言，「國昌老師有沒有想過，你只要好好的把預算付委，就可以在立法院跟卓榮泰辯論到爽了，而且立法院還會全程幫你免費直播，天底下怎麼有這麼好的事。簡直是兩全其美。結果，行政院好聲好氣告訴黃國昌在國會辯論最好，黃國昌就開始鬼扯說『卓榮泰龜縮，為自己的怯戰找藉口！』」令他傻眼喊，「我的老天爺呀，行政院長到立法院接受國會監督，現在竟然被黃國昌說是『怯戰』」。

張育萌諷刺表示，那以後內政部、教育部、外交部、衛福部和勞動部，各部會以後通通不要去立法院了，部長們每天下午上政論節目，跟立委們辯論就好。「國昌老師，我知道你很急，但你先別急。多當一天立委，就做好立委的工作，好好審預算、好好在國會質詢，不要整天政治腦，只想著辭職後的選戰。有這麼難嗎？」


content_text:
大谷翔平。（資料照，法新社）

〔體育中心／綜合報導〕第六屆世界棒球經典賽將於明年3月開打，由大谷翔平領軍的日本武士隊誓言挑戰衛冕。曾效力讀賣巨人、波士頓紅襪的日本名投上原浩治，近期在自己的YouTube節目上進行日本隊棒次討論，並認為大谷適合排在第3棒。

大谷翔平在道奇擔任開路先鋒核彈頭，外界預期他進入國家隊後的角色依舊。近期在上原浩治的節目中，前中日龍監督谷繁元信與前西武獅、中日龍名將和田一浩，也都建議讓大谷打第1棒，不過上原浩治表態：「我是偏向第3棒派的。」

為何想法與眾不同，上原浩治解釋：「第3棒在第一局一定會上場打擊，如果運氣差了點，就算是2出局、壘上無人也沒關係；但也有可能是無人出局一、二壘有人的大好機會，那種局面要是輪到大谷，我認為影響力還是非常大的。」他補充：「如果是第1棒的話，那跟2出局無人上壘的狀況，條件上好像也沒差多少吧。」

title: 經典賽》大谷翔平不當核彈頭？日本名投曝與眾不同想法：影響力很大


countries: 德國 澳洲 西班牙

title: 澳網》年輕球王艾卡拉茲克服首盤逆境 連3年挺進第3輪

content_text:
艾卡拉茲。（歐新社）

〔記者梁偉銘／綜合報導〕當今世界球王艾卡拉茲（Carlos Alcaraz）撐過首盤苦戰考驗，終以7：6（7：4）、6：3、6：2擊退德國老將漢夫曼（Yannick Hanfmann），22歲的西班牙頭號種子2連勝，連續第3年安抵澳洲網球公開賽男單第3輪。

「我們之前交手過幾次，說實話，今天開賽比較難打，他的球速太快了，我感覺手感也沒那麼好。」面對上週才在墨爾本訂婚的漢夫曼，艾卡拉茲克服開賽1：3落後，逼進搶7又連得關鍵4分，耗費78分鐘後來居上拿下首盤，之後新世代人氣寵兒的臨場表現漸入佳境，順勢鎖定勝利，「很高興能挺過艱難的第1盤，之後我的戰術發揮好多了，尤其賽事後段狀態持續提升，並用高水準演出贏球。」

22歲的艾卡拉茲天賦十足，目前大滿貫6冠在握，包括法網、溫網、美網各2座金盃，本屆澳網他將尋求突破連2年8強止步障礙，朝著史上最年輕集滿四大賽的「生涯大滿貫」，以及公開年代年紀最小的大滿貫7冠王等目標邁進。


content_text:
拉克塔利斯公司宣布，在法國、中國、西班牙、澳洲等18個國家和地區，召回多個批次的嬰幼兒奶粉。（路透社資料圖片）法國乳製品企業拉克塔利斯公司宣布，在法國、中國、西班牙、澳洲等18個國家和地區，召回多個批次的嬰幼兒奶粉，原因是相關產品可能含有蠟樣芽孢桿菌毒素，存在引發腹瀉和嘔吐等風險。

公司當地星期三發表聲明，說今次召回是根據法國嬰幼兒營養專業協會相關警告而作出的謹慎決定，又說截至目前，法國相關部門並未收到食用涉事產品後發生不良反應的報告。

title: 法國乳製品公司在中國等多國市場召回嬰幼兒奶粉

countries: 中國 法國 澳洲 西班牙


content_text:
歐洲議會決定暫緩批准歐美貿易協議，回應美國總統特朗普就格陵蘭島問題發出關稅威脅。

歐洲議會國際貿易委員會主席朗格表示，談判團隊決定暫停協議的審議工作，認為目前歐盟的主權和領土完整正面臨威脅，在這種情況下無法照常開展相關工作。

歐美在去年7月達成貿易協議。歐盟需要取消對美國產工業品的關稅並為美海產品和農產品提供優惠市場準入，以換取美國對大多數歐盟輸美商品徵收15%的關稅。

歐盟領導人星期四晚將在比利時首都布魯塞爾召開緊急峰會，討論美國針對格陵蘭島的威脅。

title: 歐洲議會決定暫緩批准歐美貿易協議

countries: 美國 格陵蘭 歐盟 比利時


title: 英語書車進校園　港中打造跨域雙語課堂

taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄 小港

content_text: 高市圖小港分館攜手小港高中，打造結合雙語學習、社會創新與設計思考的沉浸式閱讀課堂。（高市圖小港分館提供）【記者李晴玳／高雄報導】為讓閱讀走出圖書館、走進校園，同時深化雙語教育與社會情緒學習（SEL）的實踐，高市圖小港分館攜手小港高中，於1月21日舉辦「高市圖英語書車進駐小港高中」館際合作活動，透過行動書車形式，將豐富的英文館藏直接送入校園，打造結合雙語學習、社會創新與設計思考的沉浸式閱讀課堂。


title: AI晶片獲准輸中 業內人士憂國安風險

people: 川普 黃仁

countries: 美國 北韓 香港 瑞士 中國

content_text:
中、港曾是輝達的重要海外市場，部分季度的營收占比一度接近1/4。圖為輝達產品。（Sam Yeh/AFP）【記者王君宜／綜合報導】美國人工智慧（AI）新創公司Anthropic執行長兼聯合創辦人阿莫戴（Dario Amodei）週二（1月20日）警告，美國公司不應該向中國出售先進的AI晶片，因為這將影響到國家安全。

阿莫戴在瑞士達沃斯舉行的世界經濟論壇（WEF）期間，接受彭博社專訪時表示，美國在高階半導體設計與製造能力上「至少領先中國多年」，而出口管制正是限制中國AI產業發展的關鍵因素。

阿莫戴表示，「中國科技公司的執行長自己都承認，是美國的晶片禁令拖慢他們的發展，因此向中國出口這些晶片將是個重大錯誤。」

阿莫戴認為，一旦放鬆管制，這個結構性優勢將快速流失，對美中科技競爭格局產生深遠影響；相關行為的風險程度「有點像向北韓出售核武器」。

這段話顯示阿莫戴對技術外流的高度疑慮。他的表態正值美國政府宣布有條件允許輝達（Nvidia）恢復向中國市場銷售H200加速器晶片之後。

根據已公開的政策框架，相關交易須經逐案審核，並附帶多項限制，包括確保美國本土供應充足、出口晶片需經第三方技術測試，及對銷往中國的數量設定上限。同時，輝達須向美國政府繳納約25%的收入作為政府收益。

AI競賽與產業立場分歧

當前，美中科技產業正圍繞「通用人工智慧」（AGI）展開高度競爭。全球AI晶片龍頭輝達及其執行長黃仁勳長期認為，若美國企業被排除在中國市場之外，並不會阻止中國發展AI，反而可能促使中國本土企業加快晶片與相關技術的自主研發，從長遠看不利於美國企業維持其在全球AI產業中的領先地位。

公開財報數據顯示，2022年10月，美國限制先進晶片出口到中國前，中國（含香港）曾是輝達的重要海外市場，部分季度的營收占比一度接近1/4。隨著出口管制全面落地並持續收緊，該比重隨後明顯回落，至2025年已降至約13%左右。

多家美國媒體報導，輝達為恢復H200等AI晶片出口到中國，在美國政府內進行數月的遊說與協調，包括與川普政府高層溝通，強調若不能出口將損及公司利益及美國競爭力。

阿莫戴則從競爭優勢角度提出不同看法。他主張，應進一步收緊涉及AI及算力的出口管制，以確保美國在尖端AI技術上的長期領先地位。

AI市場與產業影響

隨著中國AI企業近年快速追趕，部分輿論憂慮美國技術優勢被超越。中國公司深度求索（DeepSeek）此前宣稱，其大型語言模型性能可與美國頂尖產品抗衡，且訓練成本顯著更低。

對此，阿莫戴淡化其威脅指，相關模型「針對有限的基準測試進行高度優化」，實際商業競爭力仍有限。

但他警告，若中國能獲得更先進的美國AI晶片，將實質性提升其模型開發者在企業市場的競爭力，尤其是在「開放權重模型」領域。這類模型可部署在企業內部，對資料安全要求嚴格的金融、政府及大型機構而言，具有不小吸引力。

在美國國會，眾議院外交事務委員會主席馬斯特（Brian Mast）在內的共和黨高層人士，正積極推動並支持相關立法，主張進一步收緊對半導體與AI等敏感技術的出口審查，以防止中共取得美國尖端科技，維持美國在關鍵戰略產業中的技術優勢。

當前主要對手仍在美國本土

儘管屢次警告中國帶來的潛在威脅，阿莫戴坦言，在實際商業競標中，Anthropic面臨的主要競爭對手仍是OpenAI與Google。他表示，Anthropic「幾乎從未在企業合約競標中輸給中國模型」；然而，中國廠商已開始在國際市場獲得零星訂單。

目前，Anthropic並未公開釋出其旗艦模型的權重，而是以API（應用程式介面）方式提供服務，並與包括亞馬遜雲端服務（AWS）在內的合作夥伴展開商業化合作。

阿莫戴最後呼籲華盛頓重新審視對中晶片出口政策，警告若持續放鬆管制，當前尚未定型的全球AI競爭格局，未來數年恐出現根本性變化，「希望他們能改變主意」。◇


countries: 俄羅斯 格陵蘭 美國 模里西斯 印度 英國 中國

title: 史上首次 美議長在英議會演說

content_text:
2026年是美國獨立250週年，1月20日，美國眾議院議長強生（中）在倫敦向英國國會議員發表演說。（Jordan Pettitt - WPA Pool/Getty Images）【記者李言／綜合報導】2026年是美國獨立250週年，美國眾議院議長強生（Mike Johnson）週二（1月20日）對英國進行具有里程碑意義的訪問。強生成為歷史上首位受邀在英國議會發表演說的現任美國眾議院議長。

在英國議會所在地西敏宮，強生重申美英「特殊關係」，更強調美國和盟友應在分歧中合作，對抗中俄不能動搖。

強生的出現被《每日電訊報》（The Daily Telegraph）等多家英國主流媒體視為跨大西洋盟友關係在面對新世紀挑戰時，「空前團結」的象徵。

他強調，「在慶祝美國獨立250週年之際，我們更應看清，我們共同的價值觀——自由、民主與法治——在今日比以往任何時候都更面臨挑戰。」

防中俄滲透 西方不能動搖

強生在演說中聚焦日益嚴峻的全球安全局勢。他直言，「中國（中共）和俄羅斯正以掠奪性的眼光注視著全球每一個戰略支點」，無論是在印度洋還是北極地區，任何防禦上的裂痕都會被對手利用。

「我們絕不能在應對中共的系統性威脅時展現軟弱」，強生說，「因為中共已經注意到每一處戰略退讓。任何涉及重要領土或軍事基地的決策，都必須優先考量民主陣營的整體安全。」

他特別強調，面對中共在關鍵礦產及航道上的壟斷企圖，美英必須共同行動。「我們面臨的是一場意志的對抗，這就是為何我們必須確保格陵蘭等戰略要地不落入敵手，並保護像查哥斯群島（Chagos Islands）這樣至關重要的防務設施。」

週二當天，美國總統川普在社群媒體公開批評英國將查哥斯群島主權移交模里西斯（Mauritius）的協議是「澈底軟弱」的表現。雖然協議保留美國在狄耶戈加西亞島（Diego Garcia）基地的99年租約，但川普警告，中共恐藉此填補主權真空。

川普將此案例視為西方撤出戰略領土的教訓，並強調這正是格陵蘭必須由美國接管、以防止中俄滲透的「很長國安理由清單中的又一項」。

美致力確保盟友步調一致

在美歐因格陵蘭歸屬問題意見分歧之際，路透社分析，強生在演說中實際上扮演「戰略與外交雙重協調員」的角色。他坦言，啟程前與川普深入討論，確保英美在關鍵防務問題上同步。

強生藉查哥斯協議為例說，盟友的「戰略誤判」，「正說明為何格陵蘭必須被納入美國的防禦體系——為了阻止中俄在我們家門口建立據點。」

強生還提到，格陵蘭預估達310億桶的石油資源及大量稀土，是西方世界擺脫對中國依賴的關鍵。他呼籲英國與歐洲盟友理解，這不僅是土地的移轉，更是為了守護未來幾十年的能源主權。◇