content_text:
【新唐人北京時間2026年03月13日訊】週四，伊朗官方媒體公布了一份據說是該國新任最高領袖穆傑塔巴·哈梅內伊的聲明。儘管聲明措辭強硬，表示會繼續封鎖霍爾木茲海峽。但是穆傑塔巴本人持續隱身，外界懷疑聲明可能是伊斯蘭革命衛隊寫的。
據伊朗國家電視台報導，該聲明強調伊朗民眾的意願是繼續進行有效的防禦，必須繼續封鎖霍爾木茲海峽，伊朗方面已經開始研究開闢其它的戰線，會繼續攻擊美國在海灣地區的基地。
聲明還感謝也門的胡塞武裝、黎巴嫩的真主黨和伊拉克抵抗力量。
CNN的分析認為，這份聲明留下了一個重大未解之謎。
伊朗國家電視台播出這一聲明的時候，背景使用的是穆傑塔巴的一張靜態照片，沒有任何音頻片段。
此前一天伊朗方面披露，穆傑塔巴在2月28日美軍和以軍首日空襲行動中受傷，但是只是輕傷，包括腳部骨折，左眼周圍出現瘀傷，臉部還有劃傷。
如果只是這樣的輕傷，發表一份語音的聲明應該是完全可以做到的，但是為什麼沒有呢？
有人懷疑，這位新領袖可能傷勢嚴重或者被邊緣化，聲明是伊斯蘭革命衛隊以他的名字寫的。
第一個理由是聲明的語氣非常標準化、官僚化，跟老哈梅內伊的風格相差很大。
第二個理由是聲明的內容很符合革命衛隊的利益，因為它強調軍事路線、繼續支持伊朗在附近扶持的代理。
第三個理由是聲明中沒有任何體現穆傑塔巴個人觀點或特色的內容，沒有個人願景，沒有政策創新。
也有人認為，聲明可能是團體起草，領袖批准。
不管聲明的真偽，週四，伊朗繼續襲擊在霍爾木茲海峽上的船隻。
伊拉克安全官員表示，兩艘燃料油輪在伊拉克水域遭到裝有爆炸物的伊朗船隻的襲擊。一名伊拉克官員表示，其油港「已完全停止運營」。
彭博社報道，阿曼已將所有船隻從其關鍵的油出口終端米納·阿爾·法哈爾撤離，以防萬一。
伊朗近日加大了對霍爾木茲海峽商船的攻擊，自衝突開始以來，該地區被襲擊的船隻數量已增加至至少16艘。德黑蘭警告世界要準備好迎接每桶200美元的油價。
美國駐聯合國大使沃爾茨週四對福克斯新聞表示，海灣國家的領導人對伊朗最近的多次攻擊感到「憤怒」。
週四油價一度短暫飆升至每桶100美元以上，全球股市下跌。
國際能源署週三宣布將從其儲備中釋放四億桶石油，這是其歷史上最大的一次此類行動，但未能安撫投資者。
美國原油期貨最後交易價格上漲7.6%，至每桶93.87美元，布倫特原油最後報價約為每桶99美元。
有分析師表示，即使儲備量很大，但能多快交付到市場仍未得到驗證，通過戰略儲備釋放來平衡市場的方式在物流效率上將遠不如其他方式。
《新聞直擊》製作組
（責任編輯：劉明湘）

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countries: 伊朗 阿曼 美國 黎巴嫩 伊拉克

title: 伊朗新領導人發首份聲明 真假存疑 | 穆傑塔巴 | 哈梅內伊 | 霍爾木茲海峽 | 新唐人电视台


content_text:
【新唐人北京時間2026年03月13日訊】日本近期在九州熊本縣部署首批國產長程飛彈，射程可達1000公里，打擊範圍覆蓋東海及中國沿海部分地區，引發區域高度關注。中共軍方強烈批評日本此舉是「徹底撕下自衛偽裝」。但分析人士認為，中共這一說法暴露出其在區域安全問題上的雙重標準。
日本防衛省3月9日宣布，提前一年在熊本部署改良型的12式陸基反艦飛彈，預計3月底前完成部署。
據日本媒體報導，這批飛彈屬於增程型反艦導彈，射程約1000公里，可從九州覆蓋東海大部分海域，甚至觸及中國沿海地區，包括上海也進入其打擊範圍。
長期關注東北亞地緣政治的韓國學者李昇炫表示，這意味著日本在東海方向新增一種陸基遠程打擊力量。
韓國學者李昇炫：「意味著中國想要在未來在戰時奪取東海以及環海的制海權，會遇到更多的阻力。同時，中國海軍在東海的最主要的對手也不再會是日本的海上自衛隊艦艇，或者是日本的空中自衛隊，而是還要再加上來自日本陸基的反艦飛彈打擊力量。再加上由於這個反艦飛彈系統的打擊範圍非常廣，所以在理論上也是可以在戰時對中國的海軍基地內的海軍艦艇構成威脅。」
台灣國防安全研究院戰略與資源所所長蘇紫雲指出，日本此舉也會對中共的戰略判斷產生影響。
台灣國防安全研究院戰略與資源所所長蘇紫雲：「當然會讓中共特別是在北部戰區，還有中部戰區，天津到北京這一線，本土防空的部分會特別的強化。也包括台灣北部的萬一不幸發生戰事，中共也攻擊到日本目標的時候，或者日本就是要協防台灣的時候，那麼就有很高的機會在台灣東邊，可以看到日本用這種長程的反艦飛彈，或者是對地飛彈來支援相關的協防作戰。」
日本政府表示，此次部署是日本「反擊能力」的一環。
自2022年岸田政府以來，日本已將「反擊能力」納入國家安保政策，也就是在判斷敵方即將發動攻擊時，可以對對方基地進行打擊。
而日本首相高市早苗去年11月曾暗示，如果台灣遭受中共攻擊，可能構成日本「存立危機事態」，此時日本可行使集體自衛權。之後中共從各方面向日本施壓，導致雙方關係急劇惡化。
蘇紫雲表示，這次部署表明日本的防衛政策正出現重要轉變。
蘇紫雲：「從以往的『專守防衛』，轉為『敵基地攻擊』。原先日本的防衛政策是屬於被動防禦，就是在它領海領空領土進行防衛作戰。那麼現在考慮到情勢的轉變，北韓有飛彈，那中共又採取擴張的軍事主義，所以日本就轉移了這個策略。」
中共對此反應強烈。中共國防部發言人蔣斌批評日本是「徹底撕下自衛偽裝」，日本的「新型軍國主義」是對地區和平安全的嚴重破壞。
李昇炫指出，在中共持續擴軍的背景下，北京的指責是一種雙重標準。
李昇炫：「不管中國自己的立場是如何，但是在周邊各國眼裡，其實這就是典型的雙重標準。中國想要透過外交指責鄰國部署可能進攻性武器來轉移它自己擴軍的意圖，我個人是認為它的成效絕對不會太好，因為雙方在擴軍上的規模根本就不是一個量級。」
公開資料顯示，中共國防預算已連續11年增長。2026年官方公布的國防支出達1.94兆人民幣，同比增長約7%。外界估計目前中共海軍擁有300多艘軍艦，其快速造艦能力被形容為「下餃子」。此外，瑞典智庫去年報告指出，中共核武庫擴張速度全球最快，核彈頭數量已超過600枚。
蘇紫雲認為，北京將區域軍事緊張歸咎於日本，其實是在偷換概念。
蘇紫雲：「挑釁者是中共，絕對不是日本、韓國或台灣、菲律賓。所以中共這個是做賊喊抓賊，是不可取的。中共才是麻煩製造者。」
觀察人士指出，日本安全政策的轉變，某種程度上正是對中共軍事擴張的一種反作用力。隨著區域軍事平衡持續變化，第一島鏈的防衛格局也在悄然重塑。
編輯/王子琦 採訪/易如 後製/邵陽

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countries: 日本 韓國 海地 北韓 中國 菲律賓 台灣 瑞典

title: 【禁聞】日本部署1千公里長程飛彈 中共跳腳 | 九州熊本縣 | 新唐人电视台


title: 到桃園植樹　賴清德：為下一代創造更美好永續的家園

content_text:
政治中心∕綜合報導

總統賴清德12日前往桃園出席「原地扎根．韌性森活」植樹活動。他表示，將提升「都市林」為國家級調適計畫，落實「適地適種」與「長效養護」，建立專業且長久的維護制度與全民行動方案，為下一代創造更美好、永續的家園。

賴總統說，三月春暖花開是種樹的好季節，來到警政署「反恐訓練中心」和大家一起參加植樹節活動，感謝內政部、農業部及環境部攜手合作，為土地種下新的希望。反恐訓練中心所在位置就是濕地保育軸帶，除了公共設施，周邊還有農田、埤塘，是城市與自然交會的重要節點，在此植樹特別有意義。

又說，今天在這裡營造綠帶，希望把原本分散的棲地串連起來，成為野生動物可以停留、覓食、移動的生態綠島。生態綠島越多，生態系的恢復力就越強，也更能因應環境變化，為這片土地帶來更穩定的力量。

總統指出，今年植樹月的主題是「原地扎根・韌性森活」，這也代表我們面對氣候變遷的態度。近年來面對全球暖化加劇了都市熱島效應，因此必須主動採取「基於自然的解決方案」（Nature-based Solutions），從過去依賴水泥工程轉向擁抱大自然的修復力，透過在都市造林，來降低地表與大氣的溫度。

他認為，造林不只能吸存碳、淨化空氣，也有助於涵養水土、維繫生物多樣性，穩定國土環境。面對都市熱島效應挑戰，政府採取「基於自然的解決方案」，並將造林、護林與生態復育列為淨零轉型與氣候治理的重要工作。

他特別提到，近期地方上也有推動都市微森林的構想。宜蘭縣長參選人林國漳律師日前就提出，以8年為期在宜蘭打造微森林的規劃，期盼結合中央與地方資源，投入約20億元種植百萬棵樹、建置300座微森林，將都市微森林融入城市空間，讓宜蘭縣成為花園城鄉。他鼓勵不分黨派的參選人都能提出類似的政見，依據各地自身條件提出都市綠化與生態復育的構想，並透過中央與地方合作逐步推動。

賴總統表示，未來將在總統府國家氣候變遷對策委員會中，推動把「都市林」提升為國家級調適計畫，落實「適地適種」與「長效養護」，建立專業且長久的維護制度與全民行動方案；同時將森林納入淨零策略，推動自然碳匯的管理與盤查，讓每一片森林、每一次造林，都能發揮減碳與調適氣候的效果。

總統也種下臺灣原生樹苗並覆土與澆水，象徵永續傳承。包括監察院代理院長李鴻鈞、考試院副院長許舒翔、內政部長劉世芳、環境部長彭啟明、司法院副秘書長李釱任、立法院副秘書長張裕榮、農業部次長胡忠一、林業及自然保育署署長林華慶，以及立委王義川、林月琴、張雅琳、郭昱晴、謝衣鳯等人亦出席是項活動。

people: 賴清德 李鴻鈞 謝衣鳯 劉世芳

taiwan-subdivisions: 桃園 宜蘭縣 綠島


content_text:
ART: Taiwan and the US already reached a consensus on many issues covered by the Section 301 investigations, which the probe would reflect, a Cabinet spokeswoman said

The benefits Taiwan secured under the US-Taiwan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) would not be affected by Washington’s decision to launch a probe into 16 economies, including Taiwan, under Section 301 of the US Trade Act, Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said yesterday.

Lee said she is optimistic that the new probe would not negate the favorable terms Taiwan secured under the deal, which, among other terms, lowered US tariffs from 20 percent to 15 percent without stacking them on Taiwan exports that already have most-favored nation status.

The investigation is also unlikely to affect ART terms such as most favorable treatment for Taiwanese semiconductor exports, which were obtained in exchange for greater market access in Taiwan for US cars, pork and beef, among other concessions, she said.

Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee speaks to reporters in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Executive Yuan

“Taiwan and the US have reached a consensus on many issues covered by the Section 301 investigations,” Lee said in a statement. “Our side believes that the results of the investigations will largely reflect the outcomes achieved during negotiations over the ART, and that Taiwan’s comparative advantages and most favorable treatment will not be compromised.”

The government had learned of the Section 301 investigations before they were announced on Wednesday, Lee said, adding that the government would continue to maintain close contact with the Office of the US Trade Representative on the matter.

The US launched the series of new investigations into the manufacturing policies and practices of 16 trading partners, including Taiwan, China, Japan and the EU, citing concerns about excess capacity and overproduction.

The decision came less than three weeks after the US Supreme Court struck down sweeping global tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, and it is widely seen as an attempt by the White House to rebuild tariff pressure on trading partners.

Under the Section 301 provision, economies found to have adopted “unreasonable or discriminatory” measures against the US that “burden or restrict” its commerce could be subject to heavy tariffs.

During his first term, Trump invoked the provision as the basis for imposing a 25 percent tariff on many Chinese imports, on the grounds of forced technology transfers and intellectual property theft.

As of yesterday, Taiwan had not received any formal information from the US government about the legal status of the ART in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s ruling on Feb. 20.

title: Cabinet seeks to reassure on US trade deal


people: 賴清德 顧立雄

content_text:
ON HOLD:  KMT and TPP lawmakers declined to grant the Cabinet prior approval to sign an expected letter of acceptance to buy Altius’ 600 and 700M drones

The three main political parties yesterday agreed to authorize the government to sign US agreements for four arms sales packages before the defense budget is passed, after officials warned that Taiwan would go to the back of the line if it missed the deadline.

President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has urged the legislature to pass NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.25 billion) in extra defense spending over eight years, but the opposition parties, which together control the most seats, say the proposals are unclear, and they cannot be expected to pass a “blank check,” despite supporting defense.

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) have come up with their own, less expensive proposals, but the Ministry of National Defense has said that the letters of offer and acceptance for the weapons with the US have to be signed or Taiwan would lose its place in the production and delivery line.

A soldier inspects a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System on display at a park during Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang military exercises in Taichung on July 12 last year. Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters

Lawmakers from both sides yesterday agreed during a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee that the government can still sign the agreements in advance, even if the reviews of the spending proposals are not approved in time.

The weapons to be signed for include tube-launched, optically tracked, wire command link guided anti-tank missiles, M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, Lockheed Martin Javelin missiles and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).

Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) on Tuesday told reporters the HIMARS letter expires on March 26, for 82 systems the US announced in December last year as part of an US$11 billion arms sale package for Taiwan.

Ammunition would be removed from the package if Taiwan missed the deadline, Department of Strategic Planning Director Lieutenant General Huang Wen-chi (黃文啟) said.

Sunday is the deadline to sign for the other weapons systems, the ministry said.

The US$11 billion package also includes Altius-600 and Altius-700M drones, although letters of acceptance for those systems have yet to be issued.

Yesterday’s revised motion, which also directs the Cabinet to inform the legislature of the estimated delivery dates for the four systems, is expected to be approved at a plenary session.

A request by Democratic Progressive Party legislators to remove wording criticizing the ruling party’s “extremely opaque” handling of the government’s special defense budget was rejected.

KMT and TPP lawmakers also declined to grant the Cabinet prior approval to sign a letter of acceptance for the Altius drones.

Last month, a bipartisan group of 37 US lawmakers voiced concern to senior Taiwanese lawmakers about the stalled plans.

US President Donald Trump’s administration has pressed allies to increase defense spending, a plank Lai and his government have enthusiastically embraced.

Additional reporting by CNA

title: Parties agree Cabinet can sign arms agreements


content_text:
Majority willing to resist China in attack, survey finds

Nearly 60 percent of Taiwanese polled said they would be willing to resist “at all costs” if China attacks Taiwan and the US does not deploy forces to help, an Academia Sinica survey released yesterday found.

The Institute of European and American Studies’ “American Portrait” survey found that 58.7 percent of respondents would be willing to resist a Chinese invasion “at all costs,” even if the US does not deploy forces to help.

Among them, 41.2 percent said they would “definitely” resist, while 17.5 percent said they “probably” would.

People on April 10, 2023, pose for pictures at a statue for the workers who built the Beihai Tunnel on Nangan island in Lienchiang County (Matsu). Photo: Jack Moore, AFP

The survey showed that 21.7 percent would “definitely not” resist, while 14.5 percent said “probably not.”

If the US were to deploy forces, 56.5 percent said they would be willing to “resist at all costs,” with 34.4 percent saying they would “definitely” resist, while 22.1 percent responded “probably.”

Meanwhile, 21.7 percent responded “definitely not,” while 13.1 percent said “probably not.”

Taiwanese willingness to fight has remained high in surveys since 1998, Soochow University associate professor of sociology Pan Hsin-hsin (潘欣欣) told a news conference yesterday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The number of respondents willing to resist remains relatively high, largely driven by supporters of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), while supporters of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) tend to disagree, she said.

DPP supporters’ willingness to defend Taiwan remained unchanged regardless of US intervention, she said.

Asked which statement on cross-strait affairs most aligns with their viewpoint, the majority said they wanted to maintain the “status quo,” with 29.9 percent wishing to “maintain the status quo indefinitely.”

Meanwhile, 1.9 percent said “unification as soon as possible,” while 5.8 percent said “declare independence as soon as possible,” the survey showed.

Since 2021, American Portrait has asked the question: “Do you agree or disagree that the US is a credible country?”

Overall perceived credibility dropped from about 45 percent of respondents in 2021 to 34 percent this year, said Wu Wen-chin (吳文欽), a research fellow with the Institute of Political Science at Academia Sinica.

Meanwhile, Chinese credibility rose from 11.7 percent in 2021 to 17 percent this year, he said.

Taiwanese respondents view the US and China differently in terms of credibility, with far more people seeing the US as trustworthy than China, Wu said.

Respondents were also asked whether they agree with increasing the national defense budget to 3 percent of GDP, with 31.1 percent saying they disagree, including 16.9 percent who “strongly” disagreed and 14.2 percent who “probably” disagreed.

Of the 53.5 percent who said they agree, 25.9 percent said “probably agree” and 27.6 percent said “strongly agree.”

Asked if they would agree to increase defense spending “in response to a US request,” overall disagreement rose to 40 percent, while overall agreement fell to 49.7 percent.

Meanwhile, 69.5 percent of respondents said they supported Taiwan’s procurement of US weapons, while 24.7 percent did not.

Almost all DPP supporters support US weapon purchases, while about two-thirds of TPP supporters and fewer than half of KMT supporters expressed support, Pan said.

That position has created political deadlock, as the opposition parties together hold the legislative majority, leaving the procurement of US arms to continue at a “glacial speed,” she said.

The results came as the DPP’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.25 billion) special defense budget has been stalled by the legislature for months.

The questionnaire was conducted from Jan. 20 to 26, garnering 1,206 valid telephone responses from respondents aged 20 or older, with a weighted sample against age, ethnicity, education and region to reflect the population.


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China passes ethnic minority law, which prioritizes Mandarin

China yesterday passed a law on a “shared” national identity among the country’s 55 ethnic minority groups, a move critics say would further erode the identity of people who are not majority Han Chinese and risk making anyone challenging that “unity” a separatist punishable by law.

The Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress aims to forge national unity and advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at its core, a draft copy of the law showed.

It was passed at the closing session of the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress, China’s legislature, by 2,756 votes, with three opposing votes and three abstentions, a witness said.

A delegate in an ethnic costume arrives before the closing session of the Chinese National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing yesterday. Photo: Reuters

The law is to come into force on July 1, state media reported.

Officially, China has 56 officially recognized ethnic groups, dominated by the Han Chinese, who account for more than 91 percent of the country’s 1.4 billion people.

China’s ethnic minority populations — including Tibetans, Mongols, Hui, Manchus and Uighurs — are concentrated in regions that together cover about half of the country’s land area, much of it rich in natural resources.

The law aims to promote integration across ethnic groups through education, housing, migration, community life, culture, tourism and development policy, the law said.

It mandates that Mandarin is the basic language of instruction in schools, and for government and official business.

In public settings, where Mandarin and minority languages are used together, Mandarin must be given “prominence in placement, order and similar respects,” the draft said.

“The state respects and protects the learning and use of minority languages and scripts,” it added.

Religious groups, religious schools and religious venues must adhere “to the direction of the Sinicization of religion in China,” the draft said.

The law also seeks to ban any interference with marriage choices based on ethnicity, custom or religion, to enable more intermarriage between ethnic groups.

Allen Carlson, an associate professor of government at Cornell University and an expert on Chinese foreign policy, said the law underlined a move toward assimilation.

“The law makes it clearer than ever that in [Chinese] President Xi Jinping’s [習近平] PRC [People’s Republic of China] non-Han peoples must do more to integrate themselves with the Han majority, and above all else be loyal to Beijing,” he said.

Ethnic affairs are incorporated into China’s social governance system, with clauses that include anti-separatism, border security, risk prevention and social stability.

Organizations and individuals outside China that carry out acts against the country “that undermine ethnic unity and progress or create ethnic separatism shall be pursued for legal liability in accordance with the law,” the draft said.

“The law stresses the protection of cultural traditions and lifestyles of all ethnic groups... it is misleading to claim that ethnic minorities in China must choose between economic development and cultural preservation,” an editorial in the state newspaper China Daily said.


title: Attacks on Mideast shipping send oil prices soaring

content_text:
Iran’s unrelenting attacks on shipping traffic and energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf yesterday pushed oil back above US$100 a barrel, as US and Israeli strikes pounded the Islamic republic with no sign of an end to the war in sight.

Iran is trying to inflict enough global economic pain to pressure the US and Israel to halt their bombardment, which started the war on Feb. 28.

Iran’s president said its attacks would continue until Tehran gets security guarantees against another assault, indicating that even a ceasefire or US declaration of victory might not halt the conflict.

A person looks at a tanker carrying Iraqi fuel oil damaged after catching fire in Iraq’s territorial waters near Basra yesterday, following unidentified attacks that targeted two foreign tankers, according to Iraqi port officials. Photo: Reuters

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has promised to “finish the job,” even though he claimed Iran is “virtually destroyed.”

Iran-backed Hezbollah militants launched 200 rockets from Lebanon at northern Israel while sirens rang out and loud booms from the interception of Iranian missiles could be heard in other areas. Israel launched another wave of attacks on Tehran and in Lebanon, where 11 people were killed.

The UN refugee agency said that up to 3.2 million people in Iran have been displaced by the ongoing war, and most have fled from Tehran and other major cities toward the north of the country or rural areas.

At least 759,000 people have been internally displaced in Lebanon, it said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian yesterday wrote online that for the war to end, the world would need to recognize Iran’s “legitimate rights,” pay reparations and offer guarantees against future attacks.

In addition to attacking energy infrastructure around the region, Iran has a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway leading from the Persian Gulf toward the Indian Ocean through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported.

Amid speculation that the US might target Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, Iran’s main oil terminal, Iranian Islamic Consultative Assembly Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf wrote on social media that any attempt to take Iranian islands would “make the Persian Gulf run with the blood of invaders.”

With traffic in the strait effectively stopped, the price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 9 percent to more than US$100 a barrel, up 38 percent over what it cost when the war started. Prices have swung back and forth in the past few days, at one point surging to about US$120 a barrel.

Two tankers were ablaze in an Iraqi port after a hit by suspected Iranian explosive-laden boats.

Images verified by Reuters as having been filmed from the shore of the Port of Basra showed ships engulfed in massive orange fireballs that lit up the night sky, after the attacks, which Iraqi authorities blamed on Iranian boats. At least one crew member was killed.

Hours earlier, three other ships had been struck in the Gulf. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp claimed responsibility for one of the attacks, on a Thai bulk carrier that was set ablaze, which it said had disobeyed their orders. Another container vessel reported being struck by an unknown projectile near the United Arab Emirates.

Additional reporting by Reuters


content_text:
Traffic deaths fell 3.1% last year, but missed 7% target

TRAFFIC DATA: The most common accidents involved single-vehicle crashes, and Kaohsiung saw the highest number of traffic-related deaths at 307 people last year

The nation last year failed to meet its annual goal of reducing traffic-related deaths by 7 percent, despite an overall downward trend, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday.

Last year, 2,858 people were killed nationwide within 30 days of traffic accidents, down 3.1 percent and 5.5 percent compared with 2024 and 2023 respectively, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯) said.

“We will work with local government officials and enhance the enforcement of improvement measures,” Chen said.

The Cabinet had aimed to reduce traffic-related deaths last year by 15 percent compared with 2023.

Other goals include lowering traffic accident deaths by 50 percent by 2030 and to zero by 2050.

Ministry data showed a downward trend in traffic-related deaths involving motorcycle riders, older people, drunk drivers, pedestrians and minors, Chen said.

Deaths caused by drunk drivers were down 43.5 percent from 2023, while the deaths of minors were lower by 22.4 percent and 24.4 percent compared with 2023 and 2024 respectively.

Department of Railways, Highways and Road Safety Director-General Wu Tung-ling (吳東凌) said the nation has made substantial progress in curbing the rise of traffic accident deaths involving minors, drunk drivers and pedestrians, but deaths involving motorcycle riders and older people remain high.

“The most common types of traffic accidents were single-vehicle crashes, such as self-skidding and collisions with objects. We are seeing more unlicensed motor vehicle operators as well,” Wu said.

“The focus of the road safety campaign this year would be reducing traffic accidents involving motorcycle riders and elderly people through road improvement projects, education and law enforcement,” Wu added.

Meanwhile, New Taipei City, Keelung, Chaiyi City and Tainan saw a rise in deaths recorded within 30 days of traffic accidents, while pedestrian deaths rose in Taichung, Yunlin County, Chiayi County and Kaohsiung, ministry data showed.

Kaohsiung topped other cities and counties with 307 people killed in traffic accidents last year, despite a decrease compared with 2024.

It was followed by 304 in Tainan and 291 in Taichung.


content_text:
The “running” animation of pedestrian lights is to be phased out by the end of this year to avoid encouraging pedestrians to rush across roads, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said yesterday.

The decision was made during a road safety briefing at the Executive Yuan on Wednesday, Department of Railways, Highways and Road Safety Director-General Wu Tung-ling (吳東凌) said.

The flashing green signal that appears during the final seconds of a pedestrian light would remain, but the running green man animation used in some areas would be removed, Wu said.

The Executive Yuan has asked the ministry to coordinate with local governments regarding the adjustments, Wu said, adding that the signal designs are expected to be standardized nationwide by the end of this year.

Ministry data showed that only Chiayi County, Kinmen County and Lienchiang County (Matsu) do not use the running green signal.

Separately, the ministry on Wednesday announced an amendment to traffic regulations that states pedestrians should “avoid” stepping onto a crosswalk once the pedestrian green light begins flashing, rather than being “prohibited” from doing so.

The previous wording had led to some pedestrians being fined for jaywalking, which has been resolved under the amendment.

The ministry said the countdown timer on pedestrian lights is intended to help people judge whether they have enough time to cross safely.

If the remaining time is insufficient or the signal is flashing, people should assess their walking speed and wait for the next green light to avoid incidents caused by underestimating crossing time or running across the road, the ministry added.

title: MOTC to phase out the running green man light


content_text:
By Wu Po-hsuan and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Parents should teach their children about bodily autonomy and respect their wishes regarding personal space, Taiwan Fund for Children and Families goodwill ambassador Ruby Lin (林心如) said yesterday, after a poll showed that more than half of minors said they had been touched in a way that made them feel uncomfortable.

Lin made the remarks at an event to release the results of the poll, which found that 56 percent of minors aged nine to 17 had experienced uncomfortable physical contact.

Social works program supervisor Tsai Wen-chin (蔡雯瑾) said 63 percent said they had been touched on the buttocks, 58.4 percent said their private parts had been touched and 55.4 percent said their chest had been touched inappropriately.

Actress and producer Ruby Lin, center, poses with children at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Wu Po-hsuan, Taipei Times

The group held the survey late last year, collecting 1,314 valid responses, Tsai said.

Among those who felt uncomfortable with such contact, 58.4 percent said they told their parents, while 22 percent said they kept it to themselves, the poll showed.

Among those who did not report the incidents, 43 percent said they did not consider them serious enough, while 42 percent said they did not want to complicate matters, Tsai said.

The poll also found that among those who reported such incidents to their parents or guardians, about 70 percent said they were not believed.

More than half said they were told they were overreacting, while 47.2 percent said they were criticized for their response.

Social worker Hsieh Ya-hsin (謝亞芯) said parents who refuse to believe their children risk causing secondary trauma and could discourage them from seeking help in the future.

Lin urged parents to listen carefully to their children, saying that some children might turn to the Internet for help — especially if the incidents involve people who are friends of their parents — which could expose them to further risks.

Parents should teach children from a young age that physical boundaries exist and that “areas covered by bikinis” should not be touched, she said, adding that they should respect their children’s wishes regarding physical contact.

title: 56% of minors say they were touched inappropriately: poll


content_text:
Taiwanese dancing-doll orchids account for 90 percent of the Japanese dancing-doll orchid market, the Ministry of Agriculture said yesterday, adding that Japan has become Taiwan’s second-largest flower and seedling export market.

A delegation led by Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) on Wednesday met with representatives of Ota Floriculture Auction Co during their visit to the Foodex Japan exhibition in Tokyo.

Citing a presentation by Ota Floriculture development department manager Takeshi Matsunaga, the ministry said the Ota Flower Market is the fourth-biggest flower market in the world.

A dancing-doll orchid is pictured in Pingtung County on Aug. 3 last year. Photo: Chen Yen-ting, Taipei Times

It is the most significant platform for flower auction and distribution in Japan, through which about 80 percent of flowers in the country are delivered to customers, Matsunaga was cited as saying.

Taiwanese dancing-doll orchid exports to Japan made up 90 percent of the species’ market in the country, while moth orchids and flamingo flowers accounted for about 50 percent in their respective markets, Matsunaga said.

Taiwan-grown flowers are high quality and have been widely recognized by Japan’s floriculture industry and consumers, he said.

Taiwan-grown flowers exported to Japan were previously mostly used for business, such as decoration for public spaces or funerals, the ministry said.

However, the ministry has in recent years begun collaborating with the domestic flower industry to explore other ways to enter the Japanese floriculture market, given that the aging workforce in the Japanese floriculture industry has become a challenge.

Data from Taiwan Floriculture Exports Association’s Taiwan Floriculture News showed that fresh-cut dancing-doll orchid plants were priced from ￥173 to ￥293 (US$1.09 to US$1.85) in Tokyo in January.

Dancing-doll orchids planted in six-inch pots were priced at about ￥1,500, while moth orchids of the same size were priced from ￥3,200 to nearly ￥5,000, it showed.

Taiwan’s flower and seedling exports totaled NT$6.05 billion (US$189.98 million) last year, of which exports to Japan accounted for nearly 30 percent at NT$1.77 billion, making it one of Taiwan’s major flower export markets, second only to the US, the ministry said.

While dancing-doll orchids are the most popular flower in major flower auction markets in Japan, other species, such as moth orchids, lisianthuses or flamingo flowers have also carved a good market share, it said.

The ministry will continue to assist the industry in developing new flower species and a more resilient global supply chain amid an economic slowdown and rising geopolitical conflicts, it added.

title: Taiwan dancing-doll orchids big hit in Japan: MOA


content_text:
Rice-based bakery products showcased at Taipei International Bakery Show

INNOVATIVE:  Yu Shao-min, who combines popped rice with produce such as tea, bean curd and peanut butter, said such processing approaches add value to the crop

The Agriculture and Food Agency has set up a pavilion at the Taipei International Bakery Show to promote rice-based bakery products along with the domestic rice industry.

The show began yesterday and runs through Sunday at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.

The average price for rice exports increased annually last year, although export volume dropped, agency deputy director Huang Chao-hsing (黃昭興) told a news conference yesterday.

Agriculture and Food Agency officials and food industry representatives pose at the agency’s pavilion at the Taipei International Bakery Show at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center yesterday. Photo: CNA

Improving rice export products would be a development priority, he said, adding that more than 12,000 tonnes of rice were exported to Japan last year.

More than 100 rice-based products are on display at the show, including rice noodles, rice cakes, rice flour and crispy rice treats.

Huang encouraged the public to choose rice-based products made from domestically grown rice, as they are produced with much fewer “food miles” and have a smaller carbon footprint.

People can get a NT$50 coupon for every NT$500 they spend at the pavilion, he said, adding that people could receive gifts, such as small suitcases, for purchases of sufficient amounts.

Yu Shao-min (游邵閔), a rice farmer from Taoyuan’s Dayuan District (大園), has set up a stall showcasing flavored popped rice — also known as puffed rice — at the pavilion.

“We tried to combine popped rice with different locally grown produce such as tea, peanut butter or fermented bean curd,” he said.

Yu said his family has been rice farmers for three generations.

Given that consumer habits have changed and rice is consumed less often than before, Yu said he began developing processed rice products such as flavored popped rice and rice koji amazake when he returned to his hometown after finishing his college studies in culinary arts.

Popped rice is convenient to eat while camping or watching films, Yu said.

He said he created the rice brand Feng Cang (豐滄) for his family business, with the goal of educating the public about rice production and promoting agricultural innovation in Taiwan.

The family’s Longquan tea-flavored popped rice has won awards from the Ministry of Agriculture, Yu said, adding that they have also collaborated with businesses, including China Airlines and Taoyuan Metro Corp, on developing gift boxes.

Although rice is considered to have less economic value than other produce, such as strawberries, such processing approaches could add value to the crop, he said.


people: 梁文傑 習近平

content_text:
LONG-ARM JURISDICTION: The law was passed as a legal base to attack and punish supporters of independence in Taiwan, MAC Deputy Minister Shen Yu-chung said

Beijing is expected to intensify long-arm jurisdiction and transnational persecution against dissidents in China and abroad after the passage of the Act on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress at the Chinese National People’s Congress, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday.

The act is essentially a law representing Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) vision about governing different ethnic groups in China, MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) told a news conference.

“The purpose of the act is to establish what the Chinese Communist Party [CCP] perceives as ‘correct’ views on the nation, history, ethnicity, culture, education and religion,” Liang said. “All ethnic groups in China must have the same views on the nation and Chinese history, meaning that there is only one interpretation of Chinese culture and history.”

Anyone interpreting Chinese history differently or in ways disapproved of by the CCP face legal consequences, as it could be considered as undermining national unity and deliberately inciting separatism, he said.

Gusa Press (八旗文化) editor-in-chief Li Yanhe (李延賀), commonly known by his pen name Fucha (富察), was arrested and detained by Chinese national security authorities when he was visiting relatives in China in March 2023.

The National People’s Congress on Wednesday last week delivered a report by the Chinese Supreme People’s Court and the Chinese Supreme People’s Procuratorate, saying that Li was convicted of inciting secession and undermining national unity, as required by law.

Liang said that the report also listed a series of books he wrote by which he was convicted.

One of them, titled Grassland Without Tombstones (沒有墓碑的草原), was about the massacre of Mongols during the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

Li verified the details of history and reflected on the significance of the incident, “which is unacceptable to the CCP,” Liang said, adding that simply publishing these books can be considered contravening the law.

“Our concern is that the terms in the law are vaguely defined and could implicate an extensive range of situations. The CCP decides how the law should be interpreted and whether one contravenes the law, which applies not only to Chinese nationals, but also to historians, writers and religious leaders in other countries,” Liang said.

MAC Deputy Minister Shen Yu-chung (沈有忠) told a forum in Taipei that, on the surface, the law was created to maintain internal stability in China.

However, it was actually passed as a legal base to attack and punish supporters of independence in Taiwan, he said.

“China considers Taiwan to be under its jurisdiction and Taiwanese who do not facilitate national unity or unification are punishable by the act,” Lee said.

“In that case, cracking down on separatists and facilitating cross-strait unification are not separate matters,” he said.

During discussion of the act, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference also passed a resolution on the “Sinicization of religion,” which is listed in the same chapter on pushing for cross-strait reunification and “one country, two systems,” Lee said.

Many consider that the resolution was introduced to enhance China’s “united front” work and enable it to exercise long-arm jurisdiction in Taiwan, Lee added.

Zhao Leji (趙樂際), chairman of the National People’s Congress of China, said that it aims to reinforce shared memories of history between Chinese and Taiwanese this year by celebrating the retrocession of Taiwan to China and that 160th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen (孫中山), Lee said, adding that these are measures to facilitate “memory integration.”

The CCP also identified Pingtan in Fujian Province and Kunshan in Jiangsu Province to be part of the memory integration initiative, Lee said.

Additional reporting by Chen Yu-fu

title: PRC law to target Taiwanese: MAC


content_text:
The General Association of Chinese Culture (GACC) is to convene a meeting on Tuesday next week to discuss altering the association’s English name to include “Taiwan,” association secretary-general Lee Hou-ching (李厚慶) said yesterday.

Association members and officials have repeatedly called for the organization’s name to be changed, most recently following the resignation of United Microelectronics Corp founder Robert Tsao (曹興誠) from the association on Tuesday.

Tsao left the group saying that he was perplexed as to why the association, which is tasked with promoting Taiwanese culture, still carried the word Zhonghua (中華) in its official name.

The logo of the General Association of Chinese Culture is pictured. Photo: screen grab from the association’s Web site

Lee yesterday said members made a similar proposal during a general meeting in February last year.

The association in December last year decided to change its official English-language name to include the word “Taiwan,” Lee said, adding that the decision would be discussed at a full convention of association members on Tuesday next week to ensure the change follows proper procedure.

The association said that changing its Chinese name would require a complicated process and that it is not currently considering such a move.

Separately, the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), a Washington-based nonprofit organization, on Wednesday called on supporters in the US to contact their state and local representatives to urge US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to follow through on a campaign promise to change the name of Taiwan’s office in the US.

Rubio, then a senator, last year sponsored a bill to rename the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) as the Taiwan Representative Office.

FAPA said it hopes bipartisan support would help pass the bill and allow it to reach the desk of US President Donald Trump by the end of the year.

The name TECRO is misleading, as it suggests the office represents only Taipei, rather than Taiwan and its people as a whole, FAPA said.

US-Taiwan relations are not limited to economic and cultural exchanges, but they also include cooperation in security, technology and public health, it said.

The name TECRO also runs counter to official US policy, it said, citing the Taiwan Relations Act, the Taiwan Travel Act and the American Institute in Taiwan as examples of US legislation and institutions that refer to Taiwan by name.

FAPA president Kao Su-mei (林素梅) said that renaming TECRO would better reflect the reality of US-Taiwan relations and send a clear signal to the international community of the US’ support for its democratic allies.

Support in the US Congress for such a move has grown over the past two decades, Kao said, urging supporters across the US to call on their representatives to advance the legislation.

title: GACC set to discuss name change


title: KMT legislators visit airport in probe of premier

content_text:
DELAYING THE REVIEW: DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu condemned the KMT for the ‘inspection,’ when the priority should be reviewing the government’s budgets

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers yesterday visited the military airbase at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) to probe alleged misuse of funds by Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on his one-day visit to Japan last week, while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) accused the opposition of neglecting its duty to review budgets.

The “inspection tour” of the Songshan Air Command Center was headed by KMT Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯), joined by fellow KMT legislators Niu Hsu-ting (牛煦庭) and Cheng Cheng-chien (鄭正鈐), as part of this week’s official work agenda for the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.

Legislative committee conveners for the current session were chosen on Wednesday, with KMT Legislator Ma Wen-chun (馬文君) and DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷) winning the vote as conveners of the committee, taking turns to set the agenda.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin, center, speaks to reporters at the military airbase at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) yesterday. Photo: CNA

Ma had set the agenda for this and next week, listing an official “inspection tour” to the command center for legislators on the committee to find out if Cho had used public funds.

DPP legislators declined the invitation to join, saying they are not interested in helping the KMT “put on a show” for the media to denigrate the premier.

KMT lawmakers have accused Cho of abusing his authority as premier by using the military airbase to board a chartered flight for Japan to watch a World Baseball Classic game in Tokyo.

Cho said he paid for the personal trip out-of-pocket and it was not on an official visit.

Hsu said legislators have a duty to scrutinize government officials and their use of public funds.

The trio’s inspection aimed to find if Cho and his entourage used the airbase, and investigate the procedures for their entering and boarding the plane.

DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) condemned the KMT for the “inspection tour,” saying it was trying to make noise by insinuating wrongdoing by Cho, when the priority should be reviewing the NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.25 billion) special defense budget and the central government’s general operating budget for this year.

“The KMT is doing everything to delay and impede the review process, as Ma has put on the committee’s agenda for this and next week sessions questioning the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Overseas Compatriot Commission and other agencies to do anything but review the special defense budget,” she said.

Separately, DPP Legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) said the command center is next to Taipei International Airport, which most people know is jointly used for civilian aviation and the air force.

Chung called on the KMT not to distort the matter, as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) and other business tycoons have also used the airstrip.

“These cases would need prior application, checks and approval, to have personal chartered aircraft taking off and landing at Songshan Air Command Center,” he said. “Songshan airport for commercial flights is managed by the Civil Aviation Administration. The defense ministry’s Air Force Command is in charge of the military airbase, which is mainly utilized by military transport aircraft and for government administrative work by Cabinet ministers and top officials.”

people: 卓榮泰 鄭正鈐 鍾佳濱 牛煦庭 吳思瑤 馬文君 徐巧芯


title: Fear of defections may have stopped flights

content_text:
By Fang Wei-li and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could have held off flying military aircraft close to Taiwan over the past two weeks over fear of defections by pilots, Taiwanese researchers said yesterday.

The decline in sorties could be due to factors other than US President Donald Trump’s planned state visit to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) from March 31 to April 2, the experts said at a symposium held by Secure Taiwan Associate Corp.

The event was hosted by Secure Taiwan Associate Corp Research Project on China’s Defense Affairs deputy director Yang Tai-yuan (楊太源), and included National Taiwan University political science professor Chen Shih-min (陳世民) and Taiwan Strategic Research Association researcher Tseng Yin-liang (曾尹亮) as guest speakers.

A J-15 Chinese fighter jet takes off from the Shandong aircraft carrier during military exercises around Taiwan by the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army on April 9, 2023. Photo: Xinhua via AP

Despite a near total absence of Chinese military aircraft in the areas surrounding Taiwan proper, the PLA deployed at least six ships every day, the experts said.

The discrepancy is striking, as the PLA usually reduces the number of ships deployed near Taiwan to two or three ahead of diplomatic events, they said, adding that this suggested that showing goodwill is not an explanation.

The CIA on Feb. 12 made the unusual step of openly calling for PLA military officers to give information to the US, which might have stoked fears in Beijing over pilots defecting with their planes, the researchers said.

The PLA stopped sending aircraft to the vicinity of Taiwan proper on Feb. 28, which continued for more than 10 consecutive days, they said.

Restricting air sorties would be consistent with an attempt by the Chinese Discipline Inspection Commission of the Central Military Commission (CMCCDI) to strengthen surveillance and control in the military, they said.

Notably, the CIA’s messaging came amid the latest drive by Xi in October last year to consolidate his authority over the Chinese armed forces by appointing CMCCDI head Zhang Shengmin (張升民) as deputy chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Xi in January removed top general Zhang Youxia (張又俠) from office and had him arrested, leaving himself and Zhang Shengmin the sole leaders in charge at the Central Military Commission.

The moves are sure to negatively impact the PLA’s morale, potentially increasing the risks of defections and officers being turned by foreign intelligence services, the researchers said.

The PLA deploying ships instead of aircraft has the advantage of mitigating such risks, as larger surface combatants have a crew numbering in the hundreds and political commissars to keep ship captains in check, they said.

Compared with a ship’s commanding officers and sailors, fighter jet pilots could unilaterally decide to go rogue, they said.

The safest way for the PLA to weather the annual plenary sessions without incident is to halt all activities that might allow defections to occur, they added.

Ships patrolling the waters around Taiwan could have been deployed as a barrier to cut off the escape of potentially mutinous pilots, the analysts said.

Taiwan’s national security and intelligence community is urged to investigate whether Chinese aviation forces are calling off routinely scheduled training exercises and increasing political education to determine the motive behind the pause in PLA sorties, they said.


title: PLA military flights off Taiwan resume

content_text:
China between Wednesday and yesterday sent more military aircraft into a sensitive area off Taiwan following a brief period that saw it mysteriously hold off on the flights.

Five Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft were detected in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) — a space closely monitored by the military — from 6am on Wednesday to 6am yesterday, the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.

Three of the planes crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

A military aircraft is pictured on a giant screen showing news footage about joint army, navy, air and rocket forces drills around Taiwan by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army outside a shopping mall in Beijing on April 1 last year. Photo: Reuters

PLA flights around the ADIZ and the median line have fallen off lately for no clear reason.

Taiwan said the pause might be a tactic by Beijing to ease tensions before an expected meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Beijing in a few weeks.

The Trump administration is delaying a multibillion US dollar arms sale to Taiwan to ensure the visit is successful, the New York Times reported.

The slowdown in flights coincided with China holding a major meeting of lawmakers.

Tristan Tang (湯廣正), a nonresident fellow at the Honolulu-based Pacific Forum, said that the absence of PLA aircraft aligned with a long-term shift toward more joint operations training that began last year.

For years, China has used military aircraft buzzing around Taiwan as a pressure tactic, forcing Taiwan to scramble jets in response.

The pause was interrupted by two planes flying in Taiwan’s ADIZ on Friday and Saturday last week, and Chinese naval activity around Taiwan has continued through the period.


content_text:
By Chung Li-hua and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Six major subsidy programs targeting the disadvantaged, low-income families and older people are to be increased by 23.5 percent, with an expected 890,000 people to benefit, according to the minutes of yesterday’s weekly Cabinet meeting.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said the increases were made to reflect fluctuations in prices of consumer goods, changes in farmers’ subsidy rates and amendments to the National Pension system.

The increases are expected to be implemented in July, as long as this year’s general budget is passed by the legislature, the ministry said.

A person applies for a government subsidy in Tainan in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Tainan Social Affairs Bureau

Living subsidies for low-income families of between NT$6,825 and NT$20,379 (US$214 and US$640) would be raised to between NT$8,429 and NT$25,168, with 77,000 people expected to benefit, a ministry report said.

Living subsidies for children in low-income families of between NT$2,313 and NT$8,289 would be raised to between NT$5,000 and NT$10,237, with 58,000 people expected to benefit, it said.

Education subsidies for students in low-income families of NT$6,825 would be raised to NT$8,429, with an expected 28,000 people benefiting, it added.

Living subsidies for the physically and mentally challenged of between NT$4,950 and NT$9,485 would be increased to NT$5,000 to NT$11,719, with 34,200 expected to benefit, the ministry said.

Living subsidies for older people with low to mid-income, ranging from NT$4,164 to NT$8,329, would be raised to NT$5,142 to NT$10,286, it said, adding that 26,600 people stand to benefit.

Living subsidies for disadvantaged young people and adolescents, ranging from NT$2,197 to NT$2,661, would be increased to a flat rate of NT$5,000, with 11,900 expected to benefit, it added.

The subsidies would account for NT$24.44 billion of central government funding for this fiscal year, with NT$15.26 billion going to subsidies, NT$2.59 billion to special budgets and NT$6.59 billion to additional budgets, the ministry said.

The central government is expected to shoulder costs of up to NT$33.56 billion next year, with NT$33.11 billion in average subsidies and NT$4.5 billion in special budgets as a result of the hike, it said.

title: Cabinet approves raising subsidies for disadvantaged


content_text:
Taiwan raises water alert for Hsinchu, lowers nighttime supply pressure

The Water Resources Agency (WRA) on Thursday raised the water alert level for the Hsinchu area, Taiwan’s high-tech hub, and began implementing reduced-pressure water supply from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., to conserve water, according to a statement.

Following the decision, Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke (楊文科) announced that non-essential or non- urgent water use, such as operating fountains, washing building exteriors, and cleaning drains, will be suspended.

Meanwhile, water supply for non-essential purposes at government agencies and state-owned enterprises will also be suspended, the WRA said in a press release.

Raising the water alert from green (normal supply) to yellow for Hsinchu is a precautionary measure to ensure the continued supply of public water through the end of May, due to expected below-normal precipitation before the plum rain season in May, the agency said.

According to Hsinchu County government, rainfall in the Hsinchu area has been lower than usual since November last year, with each month recording less than 30 mm, which is only about 20-30 percent of the historical average, causing the water level of Touqian River, Baoshan Reservoir and Second Baoshan Reservoir, the main local water sources, to steadily drop.

The government will take various measures to ensure stable water supply in the Hsinchu area, including drawing 175,000 tons of water daily from Shihmen Reservoir in Taoyuan and 55,000 tons from Yungheshan Reservoir in Miaoli, said the WRA under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.


content_text: Taiwan’s junior men’s tug-of-war team competes against the Basque Country in the World Indoor Tug of War Championships at the Taipei Arena yesterday, the first time Taiwan is hosting the international event. Taiwan won three gold, three silver and three bronze medals on the first day of the competition, including sweeping the women’s open 500kg event. Open competitions are to continue today, followed by championship matches over the weekend.

title: Power struggle


title: Honoring an anniversary

content_text: The great-grandniece of Republic of China founder Sun Yat-sen, Sun Ya-li, stands next to a statue of her relative during an event hosted by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) commemorating the 101st anniversary of Sun Yat-sen’s death at the Sun Yet-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei yesterday.


content_text:
STABILITY MECHANISMS:  Kung Ming-hsin said that oil supply sources are diversified across multiple countries, meaning that if some routes close, they could be redirected

The government will prioritize price stability when considering electricity and fuel price adjustments amid volatile global energy markets, Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said yesterday, ahead of a meeting of the electricity price review committee later this month.

Global prices of crude oil have fluctuated sharply in the past few days, briefly rising to about US$120 per barrel before dropping to about US$80 and later rebounding to above US$90, Kung said.

As of Wednesday, benchmark spot crude oil prices stood at about US$112.17 per barrel, while Brent crude oil traded at about US$93.07 per barrel, ministry data showed.

Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin speaks at a news conference at the Executive Yuan in Taipei on Feb. 24. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times

Domestic fuel prices would continue to follow the standard adjustment mechanism and state-run CPC Corp, Taiwan (中油) would absorb at least 60 percent of oil price increases to help stabilize consumer prices, Kung said.

Anticipated fuel price adjustments next week are unlikely to exceed this week’s if crude prices remain at about the current level of US$90 per barrel, he said.

Taiwan’s oil reserves remain well above the legal requirement of 90 days, with 30 days held by the government and 60 days held by private companies, giving the country greater flexibility in adjusting supply if necessary, he said.

Oil supply sources are also diversified across multiple countries, Russia excluded, meaning that even if some shipments are affected, supplies can be rerouted from other regions, he said.

Regarding liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, transportation arrangements for most of the 22 shipments bound for Taiwan that are to pass through the Strait of Hormuz this month or next month have already been completed, Kung said.

Some vessels passed through the strait earlier this month, while the remaining shipments are being secured, he said.

In terms of supply sources, Taiwan’s LNG imports mainly come from Australia and the US, along with some Asian suppliers, he said.

The government is continuing to diversify supply sources to reduce risks from relying on any single region and has begun planning to secure extra LNG supplies beyond May, following Premier Cho Jung-tai’s (卓榮泰) instructions, Kung said.

Recent LNG procurement has proceeded more smoothly than before, as major producers such as Australia and the US have recognized rising demand in Asia and provided alternative shipments for delivery, he said.

For domestic LNG prices, CPC would consider all factors toward the end of this month before making a decision on next month’s prices, he added.

title: Minister outlines fuel price objectives


content_text:
Asian buyers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are preparing for the war in the Middle East to disrupt deliveries for months, as a prolonged outage at the world’s largest export plant tightens supply and lifts prices.

Companies in Thailand are looking to buy LNG cargoes for delivery through May, traders with knowledge of the matter said.

Bangladesh bought shipments for next month and is considering procuring fuel for May onward as well, the traders said.

An LNG tanker sails near the Port of Bilbao in Zierbena, Spain, on Monday. Photo: AFP

Major buyers in Taiwan and South Korea are also preparing to purchase more supply for those two months, they said.

The moves demonstrated that Asia’s importers are not relying on a swift resolution to the US-Israeli war against Iran, and that the outage in Qatar — which supplies 20 percent of the world’s LNG — is expected to be prolonged.

Spot LNG prices in Asia are trading at about US$18 per million British thermal units, traders said.

Although prices have pulled back from a peak of about US$25 per million British thermal units last week, they are still 80 percent higher than before the conflict began.

Qatar shut the Ras Laffan export facility last week after an Iranian drone strike, upending the market and sending the price of gas in Europe and Asia soaring.

Companies including Shell PLC have declared force majeure on their shipments of Qatari LNG to customers in Asia.

At least nine LNG shipments bound for Europe have rerouted to Asia since the fighting began, ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg showed, after Asian buyers offered higher rates than their rivals in Europe.

Taiwan has started securing alternative LNG for May, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference in Taipei yesterday.

The nation has fully secured supply for this month and next, Lee said.

India, which sources about half of its LNG from Qatar, has been scrambling to procure alternative shipments for immediate delivery, traders said.

Gail India Ltd booked an LNG cargo for this month on Tuesday after a few failed attempts, while others are still looking, they said.

title: Asian LNG buyers brace for disruptions to deliveries


taiwan-subdivisions: 新竹 觀音

title: E Ink plans up to NT$8bn in capital expenditure

content_text:
NEW PRODUCTION LINES:  E Ink chairman Johnson Lee said that he is bullish about the market for outdoor digital signage, ‘so we have to keep expanding capacity’

E Ink Holdings Inc (元太科技) yesterday said it plans NT$5 billion to NT$8 billion (US$157.01 million to US$251.22 million) in capital expenditure this year, compared with NT$5 billion last year, as the world’s largest e-paper display supplier continues capacity expansion to produce electronic shelf labels (ESLs) and digital signage.

The company expects to launch a new production line, called H6, at Hsinchu Science Park (新竹科學園區) this year to produce large e-paper displays, E Ink chairman Johnson Lee (李正昊) told an earnings conference.

“Some customers have become more willing to install [outdoor digital signages] lately,” Lee said, attributing customers’ changing mindset to increased prices for crude oil and electricity, with the massive power consumption of artificial intelligence infrastructure contributing.

The logo and products of E Ink Holdings Inc are pictured at a trade show at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center on April 16 last year. Photo: CNA

“I am bullish about this market, so we have to keep expanding capacity,” Lee said.

H5, the company’s first production line dedicated to large e-paper displays for digital signs such as 32-inch and 55-inch displays, entered volume production late last year.

The new H6 production line is to start contributing revenue next year, the company said.

The company also plans to build a new production line in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音) and expand capacity in the US, Lee said.

E Ink provided an upbeat revenue growth forecast for this year and next year after delivering strong results for last year.

The company’s net profit last year increased 18.6 percent to an all-time high of NT$10.52 billion from NT$8.87 billion in 2024. Earnings per share expanded to NT$9.14 from NT$7.75 over the same period.

Revenue climbed 12.31 percent to NT$36.12 billion last year from NT$32.16 billion a year earlier.

“This year, revenue and net profit would surpass last year’s levels,” Lee said. “We are very bullish about the outlook.”

E Ink expects revenue this quarter to exceed the NT$8.06 billion in the first quarter last year and said it could be the second-best first quarter in the company’s history.

E Ink is optimistic about growth in e-paper displays for ESLs, as total ESL installments are projected to swell 20 percent to 600 million units this year from 500 million units last year, it said.

The company counts US-based Walmart Inc, Lidl GmbH of Germany and UK’s Tesco PLC among its major ESL customers.

E Ink said it expects gross margin this year to be similar to last year at about 54 percent.

The company’s board of directors last week approved a cash dividend distribution of NT$5.9, implying a payout ratio of 65 percent.


content_text:
While tens of thousands of baseball fans watched Taiwan defeat the Czech Republic 14-0 to secure their first victory at the World Baseball Classic at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) was also at the game, marking the first visit to Japan by a sitting Taiwanese premier since the two sides severed diplomatic ties in 1972.

The last incumbent premier to set foot on Japanese territory was Yen Chia-kan (嚴家淦) in 1970, who visited Japan to attend the Japan World Exposition in Osaka.

Since the severance of formal ties between the two nations, Tokyo has tended to scale back visible engagements with Taiwan to avoid damaging relations with China. Of the high-ranking officials who have previously made visits to Japan, most have been retired heads of government, such as former presidents Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) and Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

Over the past five decades, official exchanges have been contained at the parliamentary level, while rare visits by executive officials were kept low-profile and limited to non-political events.

Then-vice president William Lai (賴清德) was the last high-ranking executive official to visit Japan in July 2022, when he offered his condolences after the assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. In 1994, the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) Hsu Li-teh (徐立德) visited the Hiroshima Asian Games as vice premier, and in June 2023, then-vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DDP) led an economic delegation and met with high-ranking officials of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Last year, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) made a “secret trip” to Osaka for the Expo 2025, where he met with “friends” who included then-Japanese minister of state for economic security Sanae Takaichi, the current prime minister.

Cho, who was spotted at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday, said he made the self-funded trip with the primary purpose of watching the baseball game and supporting the Taiwan team.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said that the Japanese government had no comment on Cho’s “private visit.”

However, the premier’s trip to Tokyo has set a new precedent in Taiwan-Japan diplomatic relations after 54 years and was widely reported in Japanese media as a significant breakthrough. Furthermore, the visit comes amid mounting tensions between China and Japan after Takaichi in November said that a Chinese naval blockade would constitute an “existential threat to Japan” which could prompt Japan to exercise the right of self-defense.

Although Cho took only a one-day trip to Japan, the Tokyo government’s tacit approval of the visit is tantamount to redefining diplomatic boundaries with Taiwan.

DDP legislators have said that Cho’s “baseball diplomacy” was facilitated by high-ranking members of the LDP and a former representative to Japan, showing the willingness of the Takaichi administration to deepen bilateral interactions in more multifaceted areas and suggesting that the “China factor” shaping Japanese policy toward Taiwan might be weakening.

Statistics from the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association showed that mutual visits between the two countries reached a record-high 8.2 million visits last year.

The government should seize this warming of Japan-Taiwan relations as an opportunity to strive for an international presence and confront other diplomatic restrictions made by China.

By using a global-focused sports event to make an appearance at the Tokyo Dome, Cho’s trip to some degree has made a successful operation out of soft diplomacy.

However, some KMT lawmakers, echoing China’s protests that Cho’s visit was part of a “pernicious plot,” have focused on trivial aspects of the trip, such as who paid for the trip, despite the many trips that KMT lawmakers had made to China to attend its “united front” events using public funds.

Diplomatic breakthroughs between countries often begin with culture and sports exchanges. Legislators should focus on expanding the nation’s international space, rather than rushing to discourage such efforts.

title: EDITORIAL: Baseball diplomacy sets precedent

people: 李登輝 林佳龍 蔡英文 卓榮泰 鄭文燦 賴清德


people: 賴清德 林佳龍 蔡英文

title: Taiwan key to Indo-Pacific security

content_text:
If the recent escalation involving the US, Israel and Iran has demonstrated anything, it is that the international community must prepare for a period of heightened global uncertainty extending well beyond Europe and the Middle East. The Indo-Pacific region could well become the next focus. In many ways, it already is — marked by tensions in the South China Sea, China-Japan frictions and persistent coercion by China in the Taiwan Strait. Yet, as the US grapples with overstretched strategic attention and deeper entanglement in the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific region — Taiwan in particular — risks being overlooked. How Taiwan’s vulnerability is managed would materially shape regional stability, particularly as the authoritarian expansionist might seek to exploit global distractions.

A fundamental contradiction persists: Taiwan is a robust democracy with a vibrant civil society and strong protections for freedom of speech, but the persistent threat from China makes it a geopolitical flashpoint. Preserving the “status quo” amid these tensions is not Taiwan’s responsibility alone; it is a shared challenge for all who seek a stable Indo-Pacific region. Like-minded countries should consider coordinated ways to strengthen the regional order, and crucially, adopt a framework in which Taiwan is included.

Taiwan is pivotal to whether the region moves toward instability or restraint. Its democratic institutions, economic strength and social cohesion position it as an integral pillar of regional stability.

In recent years, Taiwan has taken several steps to assert a constructive regional role. From former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) launch of the New Southbound Policy (NSP) to President William Lai’s (賴清德) expansion of the initiative through the NSP+, Taiwan has articulated a clear Indo-Pacific strategy with strong commitment and concrete action. Given diplomatic constraints and China’s efforts to shrink its international space, Taiwan increasingly relies on pragmatic, network-based forms of engagement. Through trade partnerships, technological cooperation, public health initiatives and civil society exchanges, Taiwan has deepened connections across the region and demonstrated its capacity to contribute in times of crisis. High-level platforms such as the annual Yushan Forum showcase Taiwan’s commitment to dialogue and cooperation with regional partners. Even without formal diplomatic recognition, Taiwan has contributed — and would continue to contribute — meaningfully to regional stability.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said that “the most important thing is to embed Taiwan more fully into Indo-Pacific security frameworks.” If properly supported, Taiwan can function not merely as a point of risk, but as a stabilizing force beyond traditional security domains. It can serve as a democratic force multiplier, provided its capabilities are recognized. Over the past three decades, Taiwan’s national identity has evolved alongside its transformation into a robust and competitive democracy. Therefore, Taiwan should be viewed less through the prism of security risk, and more as a resilient, capable partner.

Taiwan’s governance record offers tangible evidence of this. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the country demonstrated administrative competence, transparency and social trust, reinforcing its credibility as a capable and responsible actor. Amid mounting geopolitical uncertainty, these attributes are strategic assets. Taiwan’s ability to govern effectively, maintain public confidence and contribute to global supply chains positions it to play a constructive role in regional stability. Beyond security, Taiwan can also strengthen democratic resilience, technological cooperation and crisis preparedness across the Indo-Pacific region.

Excluding Taiwan carries its own risks. As seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, sidelining Taiwan deprived the international community of valuable expertise and cooperation. Yet even under these constraints, Taiwan continued to provide assistance and share its experience. As wars and crises unfold across continents, Taiwan should be part of collective solutions, contributing its resilience, capabilities and lessons learned to regional and global challenges.

To realize this potential, Taiwan must be included in regional dialogue and the grouping. Even where formal diplomatic constraints exist, institutionalized exchanges through think tanks, civil society and forums can ensure meaningful engagement. Excluding Taiwan only benefits the aggressor. While Taiwan is bolstering its own resilience, collective efforts from regional partners are equally necessary. Sharing best practices and policy coordination can amplify these efforts.

A resilient Taiwan, embedded in regional networks and supported by like-minded partners, is not only in Taiwan’s interest, but also essential for a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region. Supporting Taiwan’s engagement through initiatives such as the NSP+, the Yushan Forum and broader regional cooperation through Taiwan’s shaping of the Indo-Pacific Strategy can help ensure that the region remains open, connected, prosperous and resilient in the face of global uncertainty. Taiwan is contributing, but lasting regional stability requires a shared and inclusive approach, one that begins with welcoming Taiwan to the table.

Alan H. Yang is executive director at the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF), and a professor at the Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies, National Chengchi University. Sana Hashmi is a fellow at the TAEF. Views are personal.


title: Iran war causes energy rethink

content_text:
The Iran war has exposed a fundamental vulnerability in the global energy system. The escalating confrontation between Iran, Israel and the US has begun to shake international energy markets, largely because Iran is disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow waterway carries roughly one-third of the world’s seaborne oil, making it one of the most strategically sensitive energy corridors in the world. Even the possibility of disruption has triggered sharp volatility in global oil prices. The duration and scope of the conflict remain uncertain, with senior US officials offering contradictory signals about how long military operations might continue. In such circumstances, markets react quickly to uncertainty.

For Taiwan, the implications are particularly serious. The Strait of Hormuz forms a critical link in the nation’s energy supply chain. Official statistics show that approximately 61 percent of Taiwan’s imported crude oil originates from Gulf States, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Qatar. Nearly one-third of its liquefied natural gas imports also come from Qatar. Any disruption, like a blockade, increased insurance costs for shipping or the rerouting of tankers, would quickly lead to higher energy costs for Taiwan’s economy.

Oil markets have already responded with volatility; the Taiwanese government has activated a dual price-smoothing mechanism to limit increases in gasoline and diesel prices, while state-owned CPC Corp, Taiwan absorbs part of the surge in global fuel costs. Authorities have also temporarily reduced fuel commodity taxes, and introduced targeted subsidies for sectors such as agriculture and fisheries to cushion the impact of rising energy prices. While such measures can stabilize prices in the short term, they shift part of the burden to public finances.

At the same time, the security situation in the strait is becoming increasingly complex. Iran has begun deploying naval mines in the area and has threatened to target oil tankers and cargo ships transiting the strait without its approval. Mines pose long-term dangers as they are difficult to detect and can remain active for decades; in 2024, the Turkish navy neutralized a drifting sea mine near the Dardanelles Strait believed to be a remnant of minefields laid during World War I in 1915. This incident alone illustrates how maritime mines can continue threatening shipping long after conflicts end.

Beyond mines, Iran has several more asymmetric tools to disrupt maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has been using uncrewed surface vessels even before the war. These systems demonstrated their effectiveness in the Ukraine war by eliminating roughly 40 percent of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. They are difficult to detect due to low radar signatures and small surface profiles, particularly at night. In addition, portable missile systems such as the Man-Portable Air-Defense System requires minimal preparation compared with ballistic missile launches and can be operated by even an individual. Combined with naval mines and small fast boats, such tools offer cheap and flexible ways to threaten shipping lanes.

For Taiwan, these developments highlight deeper structural issues in energy policy. Taiwan’s energy transition strategy aimed to phase out nuclear power while expanding renewable energy to supply 20 percent of electricity generation. While the nuclear phaseout has been completed, renewable energy accounts for about 12 percent of generation, below the initial target.

This challenge is not unique to Taiwan. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described Europe’s reduction of nuclear power as a “strategic mistake,” noting that dependence on imported fossil fuels has exposed the region to geopolitical risks and price volatility. Even Japan has begun restarting nuclear reactors after sharply reducing nuclear generation following the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster.

Renewable energy remains essential for long-term decarbonization, but current technologies cannot yet provide the same level of stable baseload power that nuclear plants once supplied. Without sufficient storage capacity or complementary energy sources, systems relying heavily on intermittent renewables might continue to depend on imported fossil fuels. For Taiwan, this issue is particularly significant because energy underpins the functioning of the entire economy, including the advanced manufacturing and semiconductor sectors that anchor global technology supply chains.

In this context, Taiwan’s energy policy requires careful reassessment. The question is not whether renewable energy should expand, but whether the overall system is resilient enough to withstand geopolitical shocks such as those now unfolding around the Strait of Hormuz. Diversifying supply sources, bolstering long-term fuel contracts, improving grid flexibility and reconsideration of the nuclear option could all help reduce Taiwan’s exposure to external disruptions as global energy markets grow increasingly uncertain.

Harun Talha Ayanoglu is a visiting research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research.


content_text:
The latest global passport ranking showed Taiwan’s passport has made modest progress with regard to travel convenience.

Singapore continued to rank first in the world, with citizens enjoying visa-free access to 192 nations, the latest statistics from the Henley Passport Index show. Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates tied for second place, each with visa-free access to 187 destinations. In the latest rankings released on Tuesday, Taiwan’s passport ranked 31st globally, allowing visa-free access to 134 nations. This marked an improvement of one place, a slight increase compared with its rankings in the previous two years.

Passport rankings are often regarded as an important indicator of a nation’s level of international trust. When deciding whether to grant visa-free entry, governments consider a diverse range of factors from diplomatic relations to public security conditions, the risk of illegal immigration and the extent of economic exchanges. Therefore, an improvement in passport ranking not only means an improvement in travel convenience, but also symbolizes the international community’s level of trust in that nation’s citizens and its overall institutional stability.

In the long term, Taiwan’s passport ranking has demonstrated steady improvement. The number of visa-free destinations has gradually increased, illustrating Taiwan’s accumulated achievements in international exchanges and trade cooperation. Particularly in the realms of tourism, business and academic exchanges, visa-free arrangements significantly reduce the administrative costs associated with entry and exit procedures, making the movement of businesses and talent more convenient. For an economy that is highly dependent on international markets, such convenience carries tangible value.

However, Taiwan still possesses a noticeable gap compared with the world’s leading nations. This disparity is not merely a matter of diplomatic technique, it also reflects the international political environment and Taiwan’s unique international status. Some nations still take political and diplomatic factors into account when setting visa policies, which creates additional constraints for Taiwan when negotiating visa-free arrangements.

If Taiwan hopes to further enhance the value of its passport, there are several policy directions worth pursuing.

First, Taiwan should continue deepening bilateral relations with major economies, establishing mutual trust through economic cooperation and cultural exchanges. When cross-border travel becomes frequent and risks manageable, nations are generally more willing to relax visa policies.

Second, Taiwan should strengthen its entry-exit management and traveler credibility systems. When considering visa-free policies, many nations pay particular attention to issues such as visa overstay and illegal immigration. If Taiwan continues to maintain good traveler records and effective border management, it would help to reduce other nations’ concerns.

Furthermore, Taiwan should promote cooperation on digital visas and smart border systems. Although some nations might not offer full visa-free access, mechanisms such as electronic visas or expedited border clearance could significantly improve travel convenience.

Lastly, the government could also strengthen overseas tourism promotion and cultural outreach.

When Taiwanese travelers build a positive international image, and stimulate tourism and business exchanges, it would indirectly increase other nations’ willingness to accept visitors from Taiwan.

Roger Lo is a freelancer.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

title: Taiwan improves on passport rankings


title: EDITORIAL CARTOON

content_text:
Taiwan’s largest snake fossil, at 4m, found in Tainan

The conflict in the Middle East has been disrupting financial markets, raising concerns about rising inflationary pressures and global economic growth. One market that some investors are particularly worried about has not been heavily covered in the news: the private credit market. Even before the joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, global capital markets had faced growing structural pressure — the deteriorating funding conditions in the private credit market.The private credit market is where companies borrow funds directly from nonbank financial institutions such as asset management companies, insurance companies and private lending platforms. Its popularity has risen since

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China is rebuilding its grip on North Korea — is Kim Jong-un ready to oblige?Once its strongest ally, China is looking to repair relations with diplomatically isolated North Korea

When North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived by armored train in Beijing for a military parade in September last year, the pageantry signaled a thaw in one of the world’s most important relationships after several years of frosty ties.

Behind the spectacle of tanks and fighter jets, Kim brought a senior economic team to talk trade and investment. Five weeks later, Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強) reciprocated in Pyongyang, and China’s ambassador declared that the countries were “writing a new chapter.”

For China, the mission is clear: reassert its traditional influence over a neighbor that has drawn closer to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. North Korea has supplied troops and weapons to Moscow in exchange for fuel and food to shore up an economy hobbled by UN sanctions over its nuclear weapons program.

An examination revealed how Beijing is deepening engagement with Pyongyang as US President Donald Trump prepares to visit China and expresses interest in reviving talks with Kim for the first time since 2019.

Satellite imagery shows China and North Korea are installing new infrastructure along the border — including roadworks and port facilities, some not previously reported — and forging closer economic links that boost Beijing’s sway over any US overtures to Pyongyang.

To document the shift, trade data were reviewed and about three dozen people were interviewed, including North Korean waitresses, Chinese business owners with factories in North Korea, Western tour operators and a Chinese government official. Most spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic.

The rapprochement is cautious: North Korea shut its borders in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and remains largely closed to tourism, even as passenger train services to the country from China resume this week.

And Kim’s pivot to Moscow in recent years has diversified his political and economic partners amid continued sanctions pressure. Still, his intensifying cooperation with China positions North Korea for a wider reopening that some analysts said would enable Beijing to reinforce its smaller neighbor’s economic dependence and signal to Trump that his top strategic rival holds the key to shaping Kim’s actions.

China’s exports to North Korea reached a six-year high of US$2.3 billion last year, a 25 percent annual increase. In November last year, China dropped its longstanding call for North Korea’s denuclearization from an official arms control white paper.

Kim in a message on Monday to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) said cooperation between the two countries “will become even closer in the future as we advance the common cause of socialism,” North Korean state media reported.

“Discussions across all areas — politics, economy, security and military — have kicked off, laying ground for relations to take a leap,” Kyungnam University research director Lim Eul-chul said.

Asked about China’s courting of North Korea, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia welcomes greater cooperation in the region, which contributes to stability and security.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said China and North Korea have been “actively advancing border cooperation” to foster exchanges, without addressing Pyongyang’s ties with Moscow.

North Korea’s mission to the UN and its embassy in Beijing did not respond to questions.

In the frontier city of Dandong, China has shown its readiness for a surge in cross-border traffic. In May, road markings reading “truck entry lane” and “passenger vehicle entry lane” were painted onto the Chinese side of the unopened New Yalu River Bridge, which spans the border with North Korea, satellite images show. A new sports court has been installed at Dandong New Zone’s dormant customs facility.

Recent construction is evident at other Chinese border stations, including roadworks, new facilities at the northernmost Quanhe port and new pavement and buildings at Nanping and Sanhe. Analysis of satellite imagery provided by Planet Labs was corroborated by Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) analysts Joseph Bermudez Jr and Jennifer Jun.

North Korea has also been building what CSIS experts say is a customs and immigration facility, as well as warehouse and cargo transfer buildings, on its side of the unopened bridge. After a 15-year delay, North Korea spent most of last year working on the project before construction stalled in November. It could not be determined why the work was paused. The infrastructure work is now being matched by operational steps. China announced this week that passenger train services between Beijing, Dandong and Pyongyang would resume on Thursday for the first time in six years. Tickets are limited to travelers with a North Korean business visa, a sales office representative in Beijing said.

While tourism to North Korea has not officially resumed — Pyongyang canceled an international marathon scheduled for April — the revival of the rail connection is a positive sign for the eventual return of tourists, cofounder of travel operator Young Pioneer Tours Rowan Beard said. Chinese travelers accounted for the bulk of tourists to North Korea before the border closure.

In Dandong in January, peddlers on the riverfront promenade were selling lapel pins emblazoned with Kim’s portrait, while touts offered boat trips to visitors. A steady stream of Chinese trucks carried goods such as cloth, soybean oil, tires and frozen duck meat across the old Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge toward North Korean guards.

At the Songtaoyuan restaurant on a freezing evening, five North Korean waitresses moved between tables, serving cold noodles. One said she was among a group of more than 10 workers who arrived from North Korea in December last year.

China’s foreign affairs and commerce ministries did not address questions about the North Korean workers and Beijing’s enforcement of UN sanctions, which prohibit member states from issuing new work permits to North Koreans. Songtaoyuan did not respond to a request for comment.

The pickup in activity shows China is preparing to expand trade, Bermudez said.

“North Korea has a lot of raw material and also lots of people who could be put to work at a very, very low wage rate,” he said.

While UN sanctions restrict traditional North Korean exports such as coal, Beijing has pivoted to importing labor-intensive materials that help prop up the Kim dynasty. Hair products — wigs, eyelashes and false beards — now account for nearly half of China’s imports from North Korea, rising 327-fold over the past decade.

China is also the main buyer of strategic metals from North Korea. Shipments of molybdenum ores and tungsten ores — essential for rockets and missile components — reached records of US$17.2 million and US$31.5 million respectively last year, customs data show. These official imports allow China to bolster its stockpile at low prices while ensuring that North Korean minerals do not reach the global market to undermine Chinese export controls, Trivium China critical-minerals analyst Cory Combs said.

Political momentum is gaining, too. North Korea in October last year explicitly endorsed Beijing’s position on Taiwan, shortly before China’s arms white paper dropped calls for “denuclearization” of the Korean Peninsula. At a party congress last month, Kim vowed to expand his nuclear arsenal and said prospects for better relations with the US rested entirely on Washington’s attitude. Trump, who plans to visit China later this month, has said he would love to meet the North Korean leader again. Kim has said the US must first drop its demands for Pyongyang to relinquish its nuclear weapons.

A US Department of State spokesperson said the US remains committed to the complete denuclearization of North Korea.

Despite increased engagement between Beijing and Pyongyang, a transformation remains elusive in Dandong, where hopes of renewed trade with North Korea have fueled boom-and-bust cycles for years.

No traffic crosses the New Yalu River Bridge, completed by China in 2014. On the Chinese side, residents curious about any signs of progress use binoculars to peer over the crossing, which ends abruptly in a field. North Korea’s new entry port, conceived in 2010, sits abandoned, with no workers in sight.

“We once joked that Dandong New Zone would be the second Shanghai,” a waiter at a cafe by the unused bridge said. “If the other side really opened up, it would be.”

Instead, empty storefronts line the streets. Property prices have slumped to about 3,000 yuan (US$435) per square meter, down from 10,000 yuan during Trump’s first term, according to residents and a review of property records and local media reports.

Four traders in China said logistics with North Korea remain restrictive.

“Before the pandemic, our trucks could freely enter North Korea’s interior to deliver or pick up goods,” said an owner of an eyelash manufacturer with a factory in North Korea. “Now, they can only receive and drop off goods at the North Korean customs.”

North Korea’s caution about reopening stems partly from frustration that China has not done more to relax compliance with UN sanctions, Lim said.

Some Dandong residents said North Korea’s port-of-entry needs to be completed for the promised “new chapter” to materialize.

A Chinese government official named Qi, who monitors border trade, said any improvement would be gradual, but he remains hopeful.

“The worst time has passed,” Qi said. “It can only get better and better.”