content_text:
日本人氣女神三上悠亞自2023年宣布引退AV界後，人氣依舊居高不下，近年積極跨足時尚、海外活動，2025年底更宣布加入台灣職籃啦啦隊「Formosa Sexy」，消息一出立刻掀起熱議，一舉一動都成為粉絲關注焦點。近日她再度悄悄現身台灣，甚至直接「零偽裝」出沒台北信義區街頭，畫面曝光後瞬間引爆網友討論。

三上悠亞7日在IG曬出一系列台北街拍，她大方站在信義區街頭拍照，完全沒有口罩或遮掩裝扮，絲毫不擔心被路人認出，超高顏值氣場藏不住。其中最吸睛的是，她站在自己代言的超大型廣告照前合影，背後巨幅海報中，她身穿白色蕾絲內衣，大秀雪白肌膚與火辣曲線，性感指數破表。

而現實中的她則穿著休閒私服，形成強烈反差，可見三上悠亞戴著米色棒球帽，身穿灰綠色短版背心，大方露出纖細螞蟻腰與平坦小腹，外搭格紋襯衫增添率性感，下身搭配寬鬆長褲，整體穿搭走休閒運動風，即使只是隨性站在街頭擺拍，依舊難掩好身材；另一張照片則可見她在內衣品牌店內開心比YA，身後同樣掛著自己的形象照。

事實上，三上悠亞近年多次造訪台灣，也相當喜歡記錄台灣街景，先前她就曾分享在台灣巷弄拍攝的生活感美照，背景可見鐵捲門與整排機車，充滿濃濃台式復古氛圍，她當時也發文提到，自己很喜歡台灣街道獨有的復古感，「看起來很可愛」，字裡行間可見對台灣的喜愛。

「不要再去日韓快存錢赴歐洲」 苦苓揭6關鍵：越來越難去

淡江大橋5／9通車典禮 開放民眾淡水端看晚會

台北市親綠民調出爐 楊智伃：這數字讓民進黨膽寒

【樂齡專屬》2026大台北市郊賞螢精選地圖 】 銀髮族愜意擁抱春末燦綠夢幻夜

countries: 日本 台灣

title: 三上悠亞「0偽裝現身信義區」 合體性感內衣巨大看板打卡


content_text:
到底是什麼讓參加婚禮的女賓客嚇到把腳伸到半空中還驚聲尖叫？台北市大直區於近日一場宴會場合，席間驚傳老鼠出沒，影片經過網路轉發，引發網友一片熱議。

在 Threads 查看

據了解，事發地點為大直知名的婚宴會館中某宴會廳，當時有數百名賓客正在用餐，突然在地毯上出現一隻老鼠到處亂竄，不僅打斷婚禮的進行，而且讓現場賓客尖叫連連，女客們紛紛閃避或將腳抬到半空中，甚至有人靈機一動，把腳塞入下垂的桌布裡，就怕一個不小心接觸到老鼠。

民眾拍攝的影片在社群媒體上到處流傳，引發網友大量討論，有人笑稱，「如果這是認知作戰，恐怕明天有上百人要被告上法院。」「以前我們說某間店有老鼠，是打電話到衛生局，讓稽查人員去處理，現在只會說台北市有老鼠，市長要負責。」「料理鼠王來巡桌：『菜色都滿意嗎？』『有什麼需要改進的嗎？』『好吃下次常來』「台北果然是在上演咒鼠迴戰啊！」

泡湯驚魂！ 控知名溫泉商旅 妻子全裸泡湯遭怪男闖入

太老舊？學開車竟冒煙起火 北投某駕訓班內「火燒車」

家長送點心窗縫目擊驚悚一幕 嘉義托育中心「改名換皮」再爆虐童

【樂齡專屬》2026大台北市郊賞螢精選地圖 】 銀髮族愜意擁抱春末燦綠夢幻夜

journalist: 黃勝治

taiwan-subdivisions: 嘉義 北投

title: 「咒鼠迴戰」上演？ 主廚巡視知名婚宴館 女賓嚇到跳腳


content_text:
45歲的納豆與依依一路走過腦出血復健的辛苦階段，如今迎來新的人生階段，除了登記結婚外，也透過試管技術順利迎來愛的結晶。依依目前已進入孕晚期，身邊不少同期準媽媽也紛紛私訊詢問她飲食祕訣，為什麼吃得營養均衡，體重卻沒有明顯增加。她也特別在影片中分享自己懷孕35周的飲食心得，盼能讓更多孕媽咪在關鍵衝刺期安心調整狀態。

依依在IG分享影片，她指出孕晚期最後約六周是寶寶快速成長、持續「長肉」的階段，這時候重點並不是少吃，而是「吃得精準」。她強調蛋白質攝取非常關鍵，像是雞肉、魚肉、雞蛋、豆漿或無糖優格，都能提供胎兒發育所需營養，而不會轉成媽媽多餘脂肪。澱粉則建議選擇地瓜、糙米或燕麥等優質來源，不能完全不吃，否則反而可能影響寶寶營養攝取；同時也要盡量避開精緻糖與油炸食物，才能達到「寶寶長得好、媽媽不易胖」的平衡。

隨著食慾變化，依依也建議孕期可採取少量多餐的方式，一天三餐之外再搭配一到兩個健康點心，例如水煮蛋或堅果優格，不僅能補充營養，也有助於提供寶寶腦部發育所需的好油脂。她還分享自己的小技巧「吃飯順序法」，先吃蛋白質，再吃蔬菜，最後才吃澱粉，透過這樣的進食方式，有助穩定血糖、減少脂肪囤積。

不過依依也特別補充，雖然飲食上會盡量控制，但懷孕過程本來就不輕鬆，偶爾想吃點喜歡的食物也無妨，不需要過度苛責自己。只要大方向維持健康飲食，適度放鬆調整，心情穩定同樣也是養胎重要的一環。

王俐人泡湯畫面曝光 吐心聲「請允許一切發生」少管別人

盧昱曉爆讓男星苦等7小時 被質疑「不敬業」工作室怒喊告

男星捐骨髓跨海救9歲女孩！情誼延續20年像家人一樣

【樂齡專屬》2026大台北市郊賞螢精選地圖 】 銀髮族愜意擁抱春末燦綠夢幻夜

journalist: 史晏寧

title: 懷孕後期怎吃不發胖？依依「吃對順序」營養全給寶寶


content_text:
土耳其國防產業在土耳其國際國防及航空航太展（SAHA 2026）上，正式公開展示該國第一款洲際射程彈道飛彈「閃電之王」（Yildirimhan），射程達6000公里，這款飛彈可望大幅提升土耳其及北約整體長程精準打擊能力以及戰略威懾力。

🇹🇷 Türkiye'nin milli füzesi "YILDIRIMHAN" SAHA 2026'da tanıtıldı

Milli Savunma Bakanlığı AR-GE Merkezince geliştirilen YILDIRIMHAN'ın özellikleri:

➔ Hipersonik füze olma özelliği taşıyor➔ Mach 9 ile 25 arasında değişen hızlara ulaşabiliyor➔ Yakıt olarak sıvı nitrojen… pic.twitter.com/w3z7FbLr4z

— Anadolu Ajansı (@anadoluajansi) May 5, 2026

綜合歐洲軍聞網Defense Industry Europe、土耳其官媒安納度魯社（Anadolu）報導，閃電之王全尺寸模型在展場上成為焦點，根據開發單位土耳其國防部研發中心公布的資料，「閃電之王」射程約約6000公里，從土耳其本土發射，即可涵蓋歐洲大部、俄羅斯西部、中東及北非部分地區。

推進系統採用液體燃料（四氧化二氮基），配置4具發動機。這是土耳其首次開發此類大型液體火箭發動機，彈頭載荷估計最高可達3000公斤，開發單位為土耳其國防部研發中心（MSB ARGE），象徵土耳其國防工業「本土化」戰略的重要里程碑。

目前公開的仍是靜態展示模型，尚未進行飛行測試，土耳其方面表示，首飛測試預計於2026年下半年展開。

「閃電之王」的亮相，正值北約積極因應俄長程火力之際，法國已宣布自行開發戰略中程彈道飛彈計畫，東歐國家則大舉採購美國ATACMS與南韓天橆多管火箭系統的彈道飛彈型號，土耳其此舉不僅強化自身威懾力，也為北約整體打擊能力注入新元素。

BREAKING:

Turkey unveils its first intercontinental ballistic missile with 6,000 km range. pic.twitter.com/hjOeo7lrhq

— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) May 5, 2026

土耳其總統艾爾多安長期推動國防自主，過去十年已成功開發無人機、短中程火箭與巡弋飛彈。「閃電之王」代表土耳其從區域強權邁向具備全球投射能力的關鍵一步。不過，由於採用液體燃料，戰備反應時間較固體燃料飛彈長，實戰部署仍需克服技術與後勤挑戰。

科技媒體Interesting Engineerin報導，希臘、伊朗及俄羅斯等鄰國已密切關注此發展，這款飛彈將改變黑海至東地中海地區的戰略平衡，也可能開啟土耳其與北約盟國在長程飛彈技術上的合作或出口機會。

川普「自由計畫」夭折 軍事盟友沙烏地、科威特火大拒絕2關鍵支援

70年格局生變！美韓戰時指揮權談判再啟 能否擺脫華府「冷處理」宿命？

解決電網與精煉軟肋 印度能否成就越南的稀土戰略？

【1鍵掌握全球脈動】 立即訂閱國際周報

journalist: 張威翔

countries: 土耳其 希臘 俄羅斯 科威特 法國 海地 印度 美國 越南 伊朗

title: 土耳其首款洲際飛彈「閃電之王」亮相 射程6000公里震懾歐亞


content_text:
美國與伊朗2月28日發生重大軍事衝突，4月8日停火後只上桌談判一回合就不歡而散。伊朗6日宣布調整波斯灣咽喉荷莫茲海峽通行規範，所有往來船隻須先申請並取得通行許可，申請者會收到新成立的「波斯灣海峽管理局」電郵寄發申請表，船舶具填可保安全通航。外媒7日報導，管理局「船舶資訊申報表」包含40多個問題，與船運情報權威機構此前從船東獲知的情形非常類似，顯示伊朗要讓海峽控制權運作制度化，收取通行費。

綜合美國有線電視新聞網（CNN）、《阿拉伯灣商業遠見》（AGBI）、《保險期刊》（Insurance Journal）等媒體7日報導，PGSA由德黑蘭當局成立，屬於監管性質。申請表格要求船公司填寫船名、識別號碼、船隻舊名、船隻所屬國、目的地國家、註冊船東、船舶管理者、船原國籍、擬定航線等等。

IRAN IMPOSES NEW RULES FOR STRAIT OF HORMUZ PASSAGE — VESSELS MUST COMPLETE APPLICATION TO ENSURE SAFE PASSAGE: CNN pic.twitter.com/vzpPaHud0H

— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) May 7, 2026

海事權威資訊機構勞合商情社（Lloyd’s List Intelligence）總編輯米德（Richard Meade）表示，這份申報表看起來與勞合社此前了解到船東被問及的問題很類似，但這份表格結構正式，「伊朗似乎企圖要把政府針對過境船隻的控制權正常化運作」。米德與另一名消息人士提供的PGSA電郵強調，「完整精確的訊息，對於處理船隻通行申請至關重要」，船隻發出申請之後，「後續指示會經由電郵傳達」。

至於各界關切的通行費金額，伊朗官方尚未發表確切收費標準與支付方式，但PGSA掛牌運作顯示德黑蘭要把「荷莫茲海峽收費站」變成正式運作的機制。勞合社《勞氏日報》此前報導，通行費高達200萬美元，且以人民幣結算。CNN等媒體6日報導，伊朗已有網址為「pgsa.ir」的網站，與波斯灣海峽管理局（Persian Gulf Strait Authority，PGSA）縮寫相符。

🔴Exclusive: Iran has implemented a new mechanism for ship transits in the Strait of Hormuz:

👉 Ships intending to transit the strait receive an email from [email protected] informing them of the transit regulations. They then adjust to the framework and receive a transit permit. pic.twitter.com/Lsk1H3SK5H

— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) May 5, 2026

戰爭爆發前，船舶無須提供任何資訊即可自由通過荷莫茲海峽。米德出席研討會時表示，伊朗把PGSA定位為「唯一有權批准船舶通過荷莫茲海峽」機關，PGSA的公告引發船東與保險業者擔憂，在海峽重新開放的任何安排之下，究竟還能保留多少航行自由。《聯合國海洋法公約》賦予船舶自由通過公海的權力，1994年生效。伊朗簽署了這份公約卻從未批准。

最近幾周已有部分船舶把船隻所有權、貨物內容、航線資訊附載於目的地欄位，表達願意配合伊朗遵守規定的態度。海事情報業者HUAX創辦人隆格（Arsenio Longo）表示，伊朗設立PGSA的用意在於把荷莫茲海峽新的管理方式制度化，有如「地緣政治審查」：「伊朗表達的不僅僅是『向我們付錢』，還設法建立一種通航管理制度，把荷莫茲海峽變成檢查站。」

伊朗媒體稱，想要通過荷莫茲海峽的船隻可向PGSA發送電郵索取申報表。伊朗伊斯蘭革命衛隊（IRGC）6日強調，新規範到位，船舶將得以「安全、穩定」通過海峽。來自船東、船舶管理商、安全顧問在內的5位業界高層表示，現在恢復貨輪航行海峽為時太早，前景不明。一家油輪業者高階主管表示，目前不會向伊朗申請通航許可，因為必須向德黑蘭提供船舶航行細節這項要求，令船公司備感憂慮，其中2人直言原因之一在於本周又有貨輪在海峽附近遇襲。德黑蘭此前表示，禁止與美國或以色列有關的船舶通行荷莫茲海峽。

駁斥川普！南韓貨輪荷莫茲出事 伊朗大使館：與我國無關

郵輪通報爆漢他疫情前 40人下船失聯！啟航6天首例發病

「最美味飛機餐」十大榜單揭曉 長榮第4 冠軍不是大明星

【1鍵掌握全球脈動】 立即訂閱國際周報

journalist: 栗筱雯

countries: 伊朗 以色列 美國

title: 荷莫茲正式變身收費檢查站！伊朗成立波斯灣海峽管理局


title: Bill to lower voting age passes preliminary review

content_text:
ELECTORAL SURGE: The bill would increase the voting population by an estimated 410,000, but it must be passed by Aug. 20 for this year’s local elections, an official said

The Legislative Yuan’s Internal Administration Committee yesterday passed an initial review of draft amendments that would lower the voting age from 20 to 18.

The revisions to the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) and the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act (總統副總統選舉罷免法) would also allow citizens aged 18 or older to sign petitions endorsing presidential and vice presidential candidates.

Article 130 of the Constitution states that citizens must be at least 20 years of age to vote, meaning that the amendments might require a constitutional interpretation.

Young people demonstrate in support of lowering the voting age to 18 near the Legislative Yuan in Taipei on March 25, 2022. Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times

The committee therefore adopted a supplementary resolution urging the legislature’s Constitutional Amendment Committee to simultaneously review the constitutional amendment.

The high threshold for passing constitutional amendments has hindered efforts to lower the voting age in the past.

Lowering the voting age to 18 is a global trend with cross-partisan support in the legislature, the resolution said.

Since the drafting of the Constitution, the Civil Code has been amended to lower the age of adulthood from 20 to 18, although voting rights have yet to follow suit.

The move follows a failed 2022 constitutional referendum on the same issue, when despite support from major political parties, the proposal fell short of the threshold needed to pass.

The Constitution also sets 23 as the minimum age to be elected to public office.

Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) yesterday addressed the Internal Administration Committee on the matter.

As of the end of February, Taiwan had 411,731 citizens aged 18 or 19, she said.

If the voting age were lowered, 70 percent of new voters would be registered in the six special municipalities, Liu said.

The changes could raise concerns over the next election cycle, she said, adding that the issue could not be resolved by an administrative interpretation alone, but might ultimately require judicial clarification.

The Executive Yuan is not the authoritative body on constitutional interpretations, she added.

The amendments would increase the voting population by an estimated 410,000 people, Central Election Commission Department of Electoral Affairs Director Wang Hsiao-lin (王曉麟) said.

It would involve considerable extra work to prepare polling stations and voter rolls before the local elections on Nov. 28, he said.

If the amendments are not passed before the election notice on Aug. 20, the old system would remain in place, Wang said.

The draft amendments must first undergo party caucus negotiations before being submitted to the plenary session for discussion.


content_text:
TRACKING TRAVELERS: The CDC has compared passenger lists from multiple sources and so far believes reports that a Taiwanese was aboard are rumors

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said it is verifying whether any Taiwanese passengers were aboard the hantavirus-hit MV Hondius cruise ship, adding that it has established a task force to monitor the outbreak overseas and coordinate preventive measures.

It is the first time a task force has been formed to prevent a hantavirus outbreak.

The WHO yesterday said there were five confirmed cases of hantavirus from the vessel, and three suspected cases.

The cruise ship MV Hondius, carrying passengers suspected of having cases of hantavirus on board, prepares to leave Praia, Cape Verde, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

Three people have died, it said.

Laboratory testing in South Africa and Switzerland confirmed that two of the people had the Andes strain of hantavirus, which is the only known strain that can spread between humans.

A Spanish passenger told Spanish daily El Pais that 23 passengers of the Dutch luxury cruise ship disembarked at St Helena and returned to their home countries, including a Taiwanese.

CDC Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said the agency compared passenger lists for the Hondius obtained through multiple sources and released by the cruise ship operator.

“Our preliminary assessment is that the information about the Taiwanese passenger is likely to be a rumor,” Lo said. “We tried to verify the information with our contacts at the WHO and with the cruise ship firm. Further information would be announced once we receive responses from them.”

CDC Deputy Director-General and spokeswoman Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said that there is no need to raise the global travel health advisory level for infectious diseases.

“The hantavirus outbreak was an isolated case as it involved only one cruise ship. Taiwan does not have long-tailed pygmy rice rats — the animal host of the Andes virus. The risk of direct importation of infectious disease to Taiwan would be limited, and the risk of a domestic outbreak would be low,” Tseng said.

The WHO has assessed that the most likely scenario for the outbreak was that a passenger became infected with hantavirus through environmental exposure while traveling in Argentina or elsewhere in region, and boarded the vessel during the incubation period, the centers said.

The person’s prolonged close contact with other travelers on board is believed to have led to the spread of the disease, the CDC said.

The organization has classified the overall risk of this event as moderate for the cruise ship setting and low at the global level.

The Hondius departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 on a voyage across the South Atlantic, with stops at ecologically diverse locations including Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, St Helena and Ascension Island.

The ship carried 86 passengers and 61 crew members from 23 countries and had been anchored off Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, before it departed on Wednesday for the Canary Islands.

Oceanwide Expeditions, the cruise operator, yesterday confirmed that 30 passengers disembarked at St Helena, including travelers confirmed as high-risk contacts, one of whom flew on a commercial flight to South Africa.

So far, the hantavirus cases found in Taiwan — whether locally acquired or imported from abroad — have been caused by Seoul virus strains, which are associated with lower severity and mortality rates.

The only two imported cases were from China in 2007 and from Indonesia in 2019, the centers said, adding that no cases linked to the Andes virus have been found.

Travelers to South America are advised not to come into close contact with rodents, it said.

Additional reporting by AFP

title: CDC seeks to confirm whether Taiwanese on ‘Hondius’


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Countries scramble to track passengers of hantavirus-hit cruise ship

Countries worldwide yesterday scrambled to prevent further spread of the hantavirus, after an outbreak on a cruise ship, by tracking those who had already disembarked before the virus was detected and anyone in close contact with them since.

Three people — a Dutch couple and a German national — died in the outbreak on the MV Hondius.

Eight people, including a Swiss citizen, are suspected to have contracted the virus, which is usually spread by rodents, but can in rare cases be transmitted among people, the WHO said.

A person in a hazmat suit, second right, is escorted to an ambulance from a medical aircraft allegedly carrying some of the passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius believed to be infected with hantavirus, at Schiphol airport near Amsterdam on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

All passengers who disembarked in St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean, where the ship made a stop on April 24, have been contacted, including people from at least 12 countries, among them seven British citizens and six from the US, the ship’s operator said.

Experts have stressed that contagion is rare, but the outbreak has put health authorities on high alert.

The US’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was closely monitoring the situation, adding that the risk to the US public was extremely low.

The Georgia Department of Public Health said it was monitoring two asymptomatic residents who had returned home after disembarking from the cruise ship.

The Arizona Department of Health Services said in a separate statement it was monitoring one resident, who was a passenger on the ship, and not symptomatic.

California is monitoring an undisclosed number of residents who had also been on the ship, the New York Times reported.

One French citizen has been in contact with a person who had fallen ill, but was not showing symptoms, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot said.

Oceanwide Expeditions said it was working to establish details of all passengers and crew who embarked and disembarked on stops since March 20.

The Dutch couple who have died, and who are believed to be the first hantavirus cases of this outbreak, boarded on April 1.

Dutch airline KLM on Wednesday said it had taken the Dutch woman off a plane in Johannesburg on April 25 due to her deteriorating medical condition.

She died before she could reach the Netherlands.

Broadcaster RTL said that a KLM stewardess who had been in contact with her has been admitted to a hospital in Amsterdam after showing possible hantavirus symptoms.

The Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport did not confirm that the woman being tested is a KLM stewardess, and neither did the airline.

However, crew and passengers who helped the Dutch woman who passed away are being called daily for health checks, Dutch authorities told public broadcaster NOS.

The virus found in the victims has been confirmed as the Andes strain, which can, in rare cases, spread among humans through close contact.

The Argentine Ministry of Health said it would carry out rodent trapping and analysis in the southern city of Ushuaia, the origin point of the cruise ship.

Three people were evacuated from the ship on Wednesday. Two have been admitted to a hospital in the Netherlands, while the other was transferred to Germany for medical care.


people: 賴清德 卓榮泰 洪申翰

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The government plans to amend laws to grant each parent an additional month of parental leave if both apply for the full allowed six months of leave, to encourage more equal sharing of childcare responsibilities, the Cabinet said yesterday.

Under current regulations, parents can take up to two years of parental leave before a child turns three.

Those covered by employment insurance are eligible for parental leave allowances of up to six months per child, receiving 60 percent of their insured salary plus an additional 20 percent subsidized by the government.

A man walks with a child in an undated photograph. Photo: Yang Mien-chieh, Taipei Times

Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) quoted Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) as saying that the government already eased parental leave rules starting on Jan. 1, allowing it to be taken by the day rather than only by the month.

Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) in March said that the ministry was discussing raising the eligible child age for parental leave benefits to six.

Separately, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Ngalim Tiunn (張雅琳) and Chen Chun-yu (陳俊宇), along with Taiwan Labour Front secretary-general Yang Shu-wei (楊書瑋) and Childcare Policy Alliance convener Wang Chao-ching (王兆慶), yesterday held a news conference in Taipei calling for broader childcare support measures.

The group advocated for more flexible parental leave arrangements, childcare leave and flexible working hours, as well as extending parental leave eligibility to parents with children aged 12 years and younger.

They also called for parents to be allowed to receive childcare and daycare service allowances simultaneously.

The current system oversimplifies childcare by forcing families to choose between caring for children themselves or relying on daycare services, making the two allowances mutually exclusive, Ngalim Tiunn said.

In reality, parents whose children attend daycare still need to provide care at night, on holidays, during illness or when classes are suspended, she added.

Childcare allowances support basic caregiving needs, while daycare service allowances help families access external care services, meaning the two serve different purposes, she said.

Flexible leave arrangements and working hours remain important even after children begin school, as parents still face pressure from school pick-ups, holidays, weekends and unexpected class suspensions, she said.

Childcare pressures do not end once children reach age six, and parents need clearer support mechanisms to deal with emergencies or unexpected situations, Chen said.

The proportion of men applying for parental leave has increased noticeably since rules were relaxed, showing that greater flexibility and incentives could help couples share childcare responsibilities more evenly, Yang added.

Wang cited international research as showing that long working hours contribute to low birthrates, adding that flexible working arrangements and extending parental leave eligibility would not only support families, but also encourage businesses and workplaces to better address caregiving responsibilities.

Men accounted for 26.02 percent of parental leave allowance applications last year, up from 16.49 percent in 2009, Ministry of Labor data showed.

Meanwhile, President William Lai (賴清德) on Wednesday outlined a series of government policies aimed at reducing the burden of raising children, including a flat maternity subsidy of NT$100,000 per newborn and allowing parental leave to be taken by the day.

Speaking at a Democratic Progressive Party Central Standing Committee meeting, Lai said that the government this year launched an expanded maternity subsidy program, guaranteeing a payout of NT$100,000 per newborn, with proportional increases for twins or multiple births.

Women who are not covered by social insurance programs, as well as foreign spouses, are also eligible to receive the NT$100,000 subsidy, he added.

In addition, a new system to strengthen corporate childcare support took effect on Friday last week, he said.

The program aims to help businesses establish more comprehensive childcare support systems so that parents can better balance their work and family lives, he added.

title: New plan to offer parents extra month of parental leave


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

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday thanked Europe’s Formosa Club for supporting the nation’s right to participate in the WHO and visit diplomatic allies.

The Formosa Club — an interparliamentary group of pro-Taiwan European lawmakers — on Wednesday issued a joint statement at the Unity Summit at the European Parliament.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) attended the event as a guest, the ministry said in a statement.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Chih-chung, rear, center poses with Formosa Club cochair Michael Gahler, center, holding a signed statement, and other lawmakers at the club’s spring gathering at the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Members of the group are from the parliaments of the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Croatia, Romania and Kosovo.

The club expressed disapproval of revoking overflight permits as a means to interfere with the exchange of officials from other countries, the ministry said.

The comment referred to African nations revoking overflight permits to President William Lai (賴清德) ahead of a planned state visit to the Kingdom of Eswatini, actions Lai’s office said were taken due to China’s “economic coercion.”

The club has since its founding in 2019 expressed numerous times its support for Taiwan and concern over China’s military threats directed at the nation, it said.

In October last year, the club held its annual summit in Taiwan that allowed pro-Taiwan European political figures to join forces and showed the group’s resolve to back the nation, it said.

“Taiwan plays an indispensable and increasingly strategic role in Europe’s resilience-building efforts and is central to building trusted, non-red supply chains, including its role in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, as well as the development of the drone industry and unmanned systems,” the club said in the statement.

“We also acknowledge Taiwan’s outstanding contributions in the field of public health. Taiwan’s advanced healthcare system and its proactive international assistance to partners in need have demonstrated its capacity to be a reliable and valuable partner in addressing global healthcare challenges,” it added.

UN Resolution 2758, adopted in 1971 to address the People’s Republic of China’s representation in the UN, does not address Taiwan’s status, a legal interpretation formalized by a resolution the European Parliament passed in 2024, the group said.

The club also supports Taiwan’s bid to make a meaningful contribution to the proceedings of international organizations and frameworks, including the World Health Assembly, it added.

title: MOFA thanks Formosa Club for WHO support


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Visiting Paraguayan President Santiago Pena yesterday reaffirmed his nation’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan, adding that he met with his Honduran counterpart in the US before arriving in Taipei and shared Paraguay’s positive experience of maintaining relations with Taiwan.

Pena arrived in Taiwan yesterday morning for his first official state visit and his fourth trip overall.

Paraguay is the last nation in South America and one of 12 UN member countries worldwide to recognize Taiwan.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, right, meets with Paraguayan President Santiago Pena, left, after Pena’s arrival at Taiwan Taoyuan international Airport yesterday. Photo: EPA / Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Before arriving in Taiwan, Pena made a transit stop in Los Angeles to attend an international conference.

On the sidelines of the event, he met with several leaders, including Honduran President Nasry Asfura, a social media post said early yesterday.

Asked what he discussed with Asfura and whether Taiwan was among the topics, the Paraguayan leader said he told his Honduran counterpart “what a great relationship Paraguay has with Taiwan.”

He said he also told Asfura that he was traveling to Taiwan to strengthen bilateral relations and renew Paraguay’s commitment to the partnership.

“I strongly encouraged him to look at what is happening in Paraguay with economic diversification, growth, development and the partnership that we have,” he said.

While Pena said they did not directly discuss whether Honduras would re-establish ties with Taiwan, he added that he has repeatedly and openly supported Taiwan in international forums.

“He knows very well that we are not only an ally, but a strong advocate,” he said.

Asfura, who took office in January, pledged during his election campaign to restore ties with Taipei.

Honduras severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 2023 under former Honduran president Xiomara Castro in favor of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

The government has said it is open to restoring ties with Honduras, although the two sides have yet to officially engage in talks on the matter.

During yesterday’s interview, asked why Paraguay has remained the only nation in South America to recognize Taiwan rather than the PRC, Pena said that both countries were built “through the drive and perseverance of their respective people,” and share the values of “self-determination, freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Pena said many people believe Paraguay is a strong ally of Taiwan only because of the US.

“I have explained it to our good friends in the US that even if the US doesn’t support Taiwan, Paraguay will continue to support Taiwan,” he said.

He added that Paraguay admires Taiwan’s economic achievements, and hopes to replicate its development model and advances in the high-tech sector.

“Paraguay and Taiwan have been friends for many, many decades, and there is no doubt that this friendship has become stronger than ever. So I have no doubt that this friendship will continue to grow in the coming years,” he said.

title: Paraguay’s Pena reaffirms strong diplomatic ties


content_text:
President William Lai (賴清德) on Wednesday thanked the Japanese government and lawmakers for their vocal support of Taiwan after Beijing’s pressure forced him to temporarily delay his state visit to the Kingdom of Eswatini last month.

Meeting with Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (JTEA) Chairman Shuzo Sumi at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Lai said that Japan’s firm stance demonstrates its steadfast commitment to regional peace and stability.

Lai praised Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for introducing an upgraded “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” strategy during her visit to Vietnam last week, adding that strengthening supply chain resilience, developing artificial intelligence and expanding security cooperation are crucial for the region’s prosperity.

President William Lai, left, shakes hands with Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Chairman Shuzo Sumi at the Presidential Office in Taipei on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office

The president said that the JTEA and the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association have signed more than 100 memoranda of understanding across various fields, laying a solid foundation for bilateral exchanges.

Noting that Sumi has long been active in the Japanese business community and has held numerous key positions, Lai said he hoped Sumi could leverage his influence to further promote and deepen bilateral economic, trade and other cooperative efforts.

Sumi congratulated Lai on successfully completing his trip to Eswatini.

Bilateral ties have continued to deepen, he said, pointing to the launch of 3-nanometer chip production at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s plant in Kumamoto as a symbol of closer cooperation.

Given the increasingly complex and uncertain international environment, including ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, partnerships based on shared values are more important than ever, Sumi said.

Sumi said that his itinerary includes attending a memorial service marking the 84th anniversary of the death of Japanese civil engineer Yoichi Hatta at the Wushantou Reservoir (烏山頭水庫) in Tainan, while thanking Taiwanese for continuing to cherish and maintain the Japanese-built infrastructure.

title: Lai thanks Japan for its support of Eswatini visit


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COMMUNICATIONS: As island nations, Taiwan and Japan have a common interest in protecting and ensuring the resilience and security of submarine Internet cables

Taiwan is mulling joint actions with Japan on key security issues concerning China in response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s new Indo-Pacific Strategy, National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said yesterday.

He made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defencse Committee on the classified portion of the NSB’s budget, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) urged the agency to enhance cooperation with Tokyo.

Taiwan should take the opportunity to align with Tokyo’s Updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy, which Takaichi unveiled during her visit in Vietnam on May 2, Chu said.

Taiwanese and Japanese lawmakers wave flags at a ceremony to mark Taiwan’s National Day in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei on Oct. 10, 2022. Photo: Sam Yeh, AFP

The revamped strategy emphasizes “strengthening supply chain resilience for energy and critical materials” for the artificial intelligence (AI) economy, “cocreation of economic growth” via collaboration and rule-sharing, and “enhancing cooperation in ... security to ensure regional peace and stability,” Takaichi was quoted as saying by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Tsai said the NSB is assessing the potential for undertaking joint actions with Japan in three critical areas — protecting undersea Internet cables against sabotage, augmenting maritime security and countering China’s “gray zone” tactics at sea, and cooperating in information security and AI.

As island nations, Taiwan and Japan have a common interest in ensuring the resilience and security of submarine cables, Tsai said.

Japan has already expressed a keen interest in sharing Taiwan’s considerable experience in dealing with China-directed activities targeting undersea Internet cables, telecommunications infrustructure and maritime harassment, he said.

Tokyo has specifically indicated a desire to work with Taipei on efforts to protect and harden the undersea telecoms infrastructure, he added.

The NSB has been sharing intelligence on Bejing’s “gray zone” tactics with Japan for the two nations to jointly counter the threat posed to regional peace and stability by the expansion of Chinese maritime hegemony, Tsai said.

Taiwan and Japan are paying close attention to the potential of deepening their cooperation on information security and AI, he said.

The NSB is exploring options for collaborating with Japan and sharing its analysis with other government departments to broaden Taiwan’s role in Japan’s new Indo-Pacific framework, he added.

Chiu said that Tokyo’s revised Indo-Pacific strategy places a premium on national security matters ranging from data, energy, telecoms, maritime security and infrastructure resilience.

Taiwan cannot afford to passively react to China’s aggressive moves to expand control of the seas via “gray zone” activities, he said, calling on the NSB to take an active role in developing joint countermeasures with Japan.

The nation should consider enhancing energy security and critical resource supply chains in collaboration with Japan, he said, adding that the partnership should include South Korea if possible.

Taiwan could also possibly secure Tokyo’s support for the nation to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership under Takaichi’s Indo-Pacific strategy, Chiu said.

title: NSB eyeing Japan security partnership


people: 梁文傑 劉世芳

content_text:
‘OPPRESSIVE PRACTICES’: Long Time Technology Co said that Yen Wen-chun had been dismissed and employees at the firm are banned from supporting Taiwan independence

The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday said that it is considering possible retaliatory measures after a Taiwanese working in China was forced to leave his job for being a relative of Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳), whom China has listed as a die-hard supporter of Taiwan independence.

Liu’s nephew, Yen Wen-chun (顏文群), worked for China-based Taiwanese firm Long Time Technology Co (榮炭科技).

The firm issued a statement saying that Yen had been dismissed from his position, and employees at the firm are banned from supporting Taiwan independence in any means and must adhere to the “one China” principle.

Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh speaks to reporters at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Yu-fu, Taipei Times

“We are taking this case very seriously. China has used multiple measures to force Long Time to give in, such as prohibiting the company’s suppliers and clients from doing businesses with it,” MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) told a news conference in Taipei.

The company’s bank account was frozen for about a month, leaving it without funds to pay workers and operational costs, Liang said.

Yen was also found to have made small donations to two Democratic Progressive Party candidates running in local elections, he said.

The purpose of all these measures is to force the company to write an affidavit supporting the “one China” principle, he added.

Yen voluntarily left the job to avoid inconveniencing the firm, Liang said.

The measures, which were executed by officials in China’s Jiangxi Province, must be ordered by the senior leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), he said.

“As more cases similar to Yen’s are sure to happen, we are studying relevant policies to help Taiwanese and companies to counter China’s oppressive practices,” Liang said.

The council is also studying how some of Chinese laws — such as Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law and Regulations on Countering Unjustified Extraterritorial Application of Foreign Legislation and Other Measures — would affect Taiwanese, he said.

Meanwhile, the council advised civil servants, including those at lower levels, to avoid traveling to China after receiving more reports of Taiwanese going missing, being interrogated and having their personal freedom restricted.

As of last month, a total of 343 Taiwanese nationals had gone missing, been detained for questioning or had their personal freedom restricted while traveling to China, council data showed.

Of the 13 people added to the list last month, seven went missing, two were being interrogated and four had their personal freedom restricted, the council said.

Among them were two civil servants working in the National Immigration Agency and Customs Administration, Liang said.

“Instead of being questioned at immigration at the airport, they were questioned in their hotel rooms late at night. Chinese national security officers asked them about their family members, educational and professional background, the purpose of their travel to China and job responsibilities at their employing organizations. They also inspected their mobile phones, including contact lists and WeChat communication records. The questioning lasted about two to four hours,” Liang said, adding that both reported the incident after returning to Taiwan.

Meanwhile, a Chinese student enrolled in a doctoral program at National Chengchi University was reported to have advocated for China’s forcible takeover of Taiwan in articles submitted for publication in international academic journals.

“What he wrote was unacceptable. However, we will deal with him after he finishes his studies in Taiwan. It is a ‘special favor’ that we grant to Chinese students,” Liang said.

title: Minister’s nephew forced to quit China job


content_text:
PTS deadlock deepens as Chair Hu booted from committee session

A standoff between the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and the Ministry of Culture (MOC) escalated Thursday after Public Television Service (PTS) Chairperson Hu Yuan-hui (胡元輝) was asked to leave a legislative committee meeting.

Before the session of the Education and Culture Committee began, Hu left the room at the request of KMT Legislator Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強), who stated that Hu, whose term ended in May 2025, was no longer PTS chair.

Lo said that amendments to the Public Television Act, which abolish provisions allowing PTS board members to remain in office after their terms expire, had already cleared the Legislature and were promulgated by President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Feb. 4.

Public Television Service Chairperson Hu Yuan-hui is pictured at the Legislature on Thursday. Photo: CNA

The KMT lawmaker said that the move was not directed at Hu personally, but concerned legislative principle and respect for laws promulgated by the president.

Outside the meeting room, Hu told reporters that because the Public Television Act does not explicitly state what should happen when an outgoing board’s term expires, the Foundation Act provided legal grounds for his continued tenure as chair of Taiwan’s sole public broadcaster.

Article 40 of the Foundation Act states that directors shall continue performing their duties until newly appointed directors take office if replacements are not appointed “in a timely manner” after their terms expire.

Under the Public Television Act, the PTS board comprises 11 to 15 directors and three to five supervisors. All must be approved by a review committee made up of public figures nominated proportionally by legislative parties, with a two-thirds majority required for approval.

The MOC announced 14 directors and five supervisor nominees on Dec. 17, but only four director candidates were approved at the first review meeting on Dec. 31, which was insufficient to constitute the board.

On March 12, the ministry released a second list of nominees for the eighth board of directors. However, before another review meeting could be held, eight opposition- nominated members of the 15-member review committee withdrew on April 9, leaving the meeting without the quorum required to conduct the review.

They argued that Culture Minister Li Yuan (李遠) had ignored a long-standing convention followed by previous ministers of consulting all political parties on potential nominees.

On Thursday, Li protested Hu’s removal from the room, saying that requiring interparty negotiations to form the board would violate the principle of keeping political parties, the government and the military out of public media.

KMT lawmaker Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) said the deadlock over the PTS board election had dragged on for too long and that all sides hoped the process could be completed as soon as possible. She also urged Li not to become disconnected from public opinion.

Ko added that “political negotiation” could take many forms and that viewing the issue in overly simplistic terms would not help resolve it.

people: 柯志恩 賴清德 羅智強


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‘FULL POTENTIAL’: The president said he hoped the new base would be used not only to nurture local talent, but also to host international tournaments and foreign teams

President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday inaugurated the National Baseball Training Base in Tainan, calling the facility a historic moment for the sport in Taiwan.

The National Baseball Training Base is an integrated campus encompassing the stadiums formerly belonging to the Asia-Pacific International Baseball Training Centers and training facilities in the city’s Annan District (安南), including one main stadium and six fields.

Taiwanese baseball had developed from the grassroots, claiming a moment of glory when the Taitung Red Leaves unexpectedly beat Japan’s Chofu Little League team in the 1968 Little League World Series, Lai said.

President William Lai, fourth right, officials and baseball players inaugurate the National Baseball Training Base in Tainan yesterday. Photo: CNA

The excitement generated by the win, tireless efforts by baseball fan and entrepreneur Hsieh Kuo-cheng (謝國城), and government support that followed made Taiwanese baseball what it is today, he said.

Taiwan’s globally competitive little league, senior league and big league baseball teams have won many accolades as a result of the sport’s deep roots in the nation’s history, the hard work of young atheletes and support from fans, the president said.

As a Tainan native, Lai said he grew up following the Tainan Giants and woke up early to watch broadcasts of the team playing in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Lai said he planned the establishment of the Asia-Pacific International Baseball Training Centers during his tenure as Tainan mayor, and had the opportunity as president to finalize its transformation into the National Baseball Training Base.

The president expressed hope that the new base would be utilized to its fullest potential, not only nurturing grassroots talent and national team players, but also attracting foreign teams for training and hosting international tournaments.

He called on Chinese Taipei Baseball Association chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr (辜仲諒) to steer the facility to a bright future, and said he hoped the base would become the “Asian Williamsport.”

The association should seek to host international competitions at the stadium, including U12 and U21 baseball, and World Baseball Softball Confederation Asia events, he said, adding that the stadium could be turned into a full arena through the construction of a roof.

Lai said he had full confidence in Koo’s ability to manage the base.

The National Sports Training Center in June last year determined that the park’s comprehensive facilities — including a secondary stadium for adult baseball and indoor batting cages — could simultaneously support the training needs of multiple national teams.

Additional reporting by Hung Jui-chin

title: Lai inaugurates Tainan baseball training facility


title: MOTC discusses plans to extend highways 61, 62

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

A project to improve and extend Provincial Highways No. 61 and 62 would cost NT$304.5 billion (US$9.69 billion) and be completed by 2044, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said yesterday.

Construction for Provincial Highway No. 61, known as the West Coast Expressway, would connect the only break in the entire stretch of the expressway between Fongbi Township (鳳鼻) and Siangshan Township (香山) in Hsinchu County, it said.

Efforts to extend the West Coast Expressway southward and connect it to Kaohsiung are being discussed, and would add another 48km to the 302km expressway if approved, the ministry said.

A Ministry of Transportation and Communications official introduces road improvement plans at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei Times

The extension would connect to multiple ports and industrial areas, providing faster, safer transit across the west coast and helping develop local tourism, the ministry added.

Funding for all projects on the West Coast Expressway would total NT$120 billion, and is expected to be completed by 2044, it said.

Provincial Highway No. 62, commonly referred to as the Wanruei Expressway, is to be expanded to help relieve traffic on Provincial Highway No. 2, which experiences severe congestion during weekends, the ministry said.

The Executive Yuan has approved its plan to extend the highway to New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里), the ministry added.

The ministry is also conducting an environmental assessment of a proposal to extend the expressway from New Taipei City’s Rueibin (瑞濱), the current terminal point, to Yilan County’s Toucheng Township (頭城).

The plan aims to resolve the difficulty of transportation between Taipei and Yilan, it said.

Difficulties facing the project include the exact routes, as it is expected to stretch 45km and would require creating eight tunnels through the Hsuehshan (雪山) mountain range to reach Toucheng, the ministry said.

The ministry said it hoped to refine its plans and reach a consensus with local communities to expedite the plans.

The extension of the highway to Wanli is expected to be completed by 2035, while plans to connect the highway to Yilan and to the Chiang Wei-shui Highway (蔣渭水高速公路), or Freeway No. 5, would cost NT$184.5 billion and be completed by 2043, it said.

taiwan-subdivisions: 頭城 萬里


title: Ministry to better protect animals during transport

content_text:
POOR CONDITIONS: The animals crush each other in small spaces and get caught in ventilation holes when they search for cool air, an animal advocate said

Animal transportation guidelines would be formulated to ensure their safety and welfare during transportation, the Ministry of Agriculture said yesterday amid calls to end improper animal transportation practices by Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC).

Animal rights groups at a news conference yesterday said millions of small mammals, such as rabbits, mice, birds and hedgehogs, are crammed into TRC’s mail and baggage cars for long-distance transportation every year.

They are treated as if they were regular cargo, with no proper health management due to inadequate regulations, they said, urging amendments to the Regulations of Animal Transportation (動物運送管理辦法).

Animals to be transported by railway are pictured in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan

Taiwan Rabbit Saving Association Public Affairs Division head Lin Chiao (林樵) said TRC’s mail and baggage cars have become part of the animal transportation industrial chain.

The breeding industry sends the small animals as “packages” to pet business operators through trains’ mail and baggage cars, Lin said.

Transportation of “animal packages” under 10kg within 300km via such cars on the Chukuang Express only cost NT$200, she said, adding that the fee is capped at NT$820 for packages weighing up to 30kg and transported for a longer distance.

Such low freight rates encourages breeding operators to use those services, Lin said.

Small animals are crammed into cages or paper boxes without enough water or proper temperature control, she said.

They are cramped in small spaces and end up crushing one another, Lin said, adding that some animals die after getting their heads stuck in ventilation holes, as the stifling heat forced them to stick their heads out of the holes for cooler air.

Live animal transportation requires professional expertise and is not the same as produce or cargo transportation, she said.

Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan researcher Kao Ming-wei (高銘薇) said only livestock such as pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks and geese, as well as some protected animals, are sufficiently protected by the law.

The ministry said it would formulate general guidelines on animal transportation that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications could reference when establishing regulations.

It would also ask local authorities to investigate whether there is indeed animal abuse during train transportation, it added.

Article 9 of the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) stipulates that people who transport animals should take care of their needs, such as food and water, ensure their safety and healthy environments, as well as prevent them from being distressed or hurt, the ministry said.

Those who transport animals without proper treatment could be fined based on the act, it added.


title: Research keeps preserved kumquat flavor and color

content_text:
The Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station said it has developed kumquat processing techniques that can preserve the fresh flavor and color of the fruit in purees and syrups without food additives.

The station made the announcement at a news conference in Taipei yesterday to officially license the techniques to the Jiaosi Township Farmers’ Association.

Kumquat has a total planting area of 272 hectares nationwide, with annual production of about 1,756 tonnes.

A pile of kumquats and products made from the fruit is pictured in Yilan County on March 1. Photo: Wang Chun-chi, Taipei Times

Up to 198 hectares of planting areas, or nearly 90 percent, are in Yilan County, with Jiaosi (礁溪) and Yuanshan (員山) townships as the two major production areas.

Harvested mainly in winter from November to February every year, the fruit is popular during the Lunar New Year in Taiwan, given its auspicious appearance and attached connotations.

Kumquats have a short shelf life and were mostly processed into dried or candied kumquats to preserve them.

The new processing techniques focus on kumquat puree and syrup, station assistant researcher Chen Bo-han (陳柏翰) said.

Purees and syrups have great market potential, as they can be widely used in food and beverages, he said.

The techniques preserve the fruit’s color and flavor without any food additives, Chen said.

The station is also exploring methods to process kumquats into baking ingredients and other applications in cooking, he added.

The station’s processing techniques overcame seasonal limitations, making the fresh taste of kumquats available year-round, Chen said, adding that it is expected to boost kumquats’ output value by four to five times.

Kumquat purees have a distinctive aroma from the fruit peel, while kumquat syrups are amber colored, which differentiates it from regular brown syrup, Chen said.

Kumquats are also nutritious, as they are rich in vitamin C, flavonoids and dietary fibers, he said.

Station Director Yang Ta-chi (楊大吉) said kumquat is the only citrus fruit that could be eaten whole.

The station, along with the Ministry of Agriculture, seeks to promote kumquat locally and internationally, he said, adding that processing technology is indispensable to the effort.

Preserving the fruit’s original color and flavor is the key and requires advanced techniques, Yang said.

The techniques would also be applied to the kumquat popsicles produced at the Jian Township Farmers’ Association’s ice treat factory.

Jian Township Farmers’ Association director-general Chang Te-chi (張德奇) said that while most fruit popsicles, such as pineapple or banana popsicles, are made with milk, their kumquat popsicles use yogurt as base ingredient.

taiwan-subdivisions: 礁溪 員山


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

The Cabinet yesterday approved amendments to the Sand and Gravel Excavation Act (土石採取法), raising the maximum fine to NT$10 million (US$318,380) to prevent illegal sand and gravel extraction.

The amendments would broaden the range of those who could be held responsible in illegal extraction incidents, including land owners, employers and vehicle drivers.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs said the higher fine aims to obstruct illegal gains and strengthen ecological restoration efforts.

An official inspects an illegal gravel quarry in Kaohsiung’s Meinong District in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Environment Southern Center

The maximum fine for unapproved extraction of sand and gravel would be raised to NT$10 million, while offenders would face a maximum prison sentence of five years and an additional fine of up to NT$50 million, the amendment says.

Should illegal dredging of sand and gravel result in injury or death, the sentence would depend on the severity of the incident, with the possibility of life imprisonment and a fine of NT$100 million.

Equipment and vehicles used in illegal operations would be confiscated, regardless of ownership, to prevent further illicit activities.

The amendment would also require local authorities to order offenders to restore excavation sites within a certain period, with restoration work to be carried out using materials and methods specified by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Waste should not be used as part of the restoration process to prevent repeated pollution of land, the amendment says.

The ministry began drafting the amendments late last year, following an incident of illegal sand and gravel extraction in Kaohsiung’s Meinong District (美濃) reported earlier that year.

Six hectares of sand and gravel were illegally removed, leaving 20m-deep “canyon-like” grooves in the land.

Local prosecutors indicted 106 suspects in February and estimated the operation generated NT$300 million in illegal profits through gravel sales and payments collected from truck operators for dumping construction waste at the site.

Additional reporting by CNA

title: Cabinet cracks down on illegal excavation


content_text:
The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected appeals by prosecutors and television personality Mickey Huang (黃子佼), making final his four-year suspended sentence for purchasing sexually explicit material involving minors.

The court said the evidence in the case supported Huang’s conviction and that the suspension of the sentence was appropriate.

It said prosecutors’ appeal against the suspended sentence and Huang’s appeal against the conviction did not meet the grounds for a final appeal, which are limited to issues involving the application of law.

Former media personality Mickey Huang is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: CNA

Huang was found guilty by the Taiwan High Court on Nov. 25 of purchasing 2,341 sexually explicit videos and images involving 37 minors aged 10 to 17, in violation of the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act and the Personal Data Protection Act.

The High Court sentenced Huang under the harsher penalty provisions of the Personal Data Protection Act.

He was sentenced to one year and six months in prison, suspended for four years. He was also ordered to perform 180 hours of community service and attend three legal education sessions.

The High Court said at the time that the suspended sentence was granted because Huang had no previous criminal record and had reached settlements with the victims.

title: Ex-TV host’s suspended sentence upheld in final ruling


title: Rise and shine

content_text: Daylilies bloom at the Baiji Leisure Agriculture Area in Taoyuan’s Dasi District yesterday. The flowers are expected to be in full bloom for Mother’s Day on Sunday.


title: MediaTek launches AI data center

content_text:
POWER BUILDUP: Powered by Nvidia’s B200 Blackwell chips, the data center would support MediaTek’s computing power demand and business growth, the company said

Smartphone chip designer MediaTek Inc (聯發科) yesterday launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) data center with a maximum capacity of 45 megawatts to meet its rising demand for computing power required to develop new advanced chips for AI applications.

The company has completed the first-phase computing power buildup at the data center in Miaoli County’s Tongluo Township (銅鑼), providing 15 megawatts of capacity to support its research and development (R&D) capabilities, despite an industrywide shortage of key components, MediaTek said.

Supply constraints have plagued a wide range of key components, including memory chips, solid-state drives, power supply units and central processing units, the company said.

MediaTek Inc’s new artificial intelligence data center in Miaoli County’s Tongluo Township is pictured yesterday. Photo courtesy of MediaTek Inc

The second-phase and third-phase expansions, each with an installed capacity of 15 megawatts, would be activated in accordance with the company’s business developments, MediaTek information security division deputy director Joseph Huang (黃博揚) said at a news conference.

The new AI data center provides up to 138 billion tokens per month for AI model training or inference, MediaTek said.

Tokens are units of data processed by AI models during training and inference, enabling prediction, generation and reasoning.

The token number is more than double than the 60 billion tokens consumed at the end of last year, Huang said.

Compared with leasing data center space, MediaTek believes operating an in-house data center is the most effective way to support its computing power demand and business growth, as well as cater to its functional and capability requirements, he said.

The Miaoli data center is powered by Nvidia Corp’s B200 Blackwell chips and enterprise-grade AI supercomputing infrastructure. It is also the first large-scale data center in Taiwan introducing immersion cooling technology to address the power consumption issue, reducing overall power usage effectiveness to 1.3, surpassing the world average of 1.54.

When asked whether MediaTek would consider adopting tensor processing units, which are custom-designed application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) developed by Google, to accelerate machine learning workloads, Huang said the company would not rule it out.

For now, Nvidia chips are still the optimal choice to support MediaTek’s R&D workloads, he said.

The new data center came one week after MediaTek said it aimed to capture 10 to 15 percent of the world’s AI ASIC market, even though the market is expected to accelerate to US$80 billion next year, rather than in 2028 as had been estimated previously.

MediaTek, which tapped into the AI ASIC market in the past few years by designing AI chips for other firms, said its first AI ASIC project is to contribute about US$2 billion in revenue in the fourth quarter of this year and generate multiple billions of dollars next year.


title: Novatek predicts revenue rebound for this quarter

content_text:
Novatek Microelectronics Corp (聯詠), the designer of display driver chips used in TVs, PCs and smartphones, yesterday said revenue this quarter would grow as high as 23 percent sequentially, driven by pull-in orders due to surging key component prices.

Revenue is expected to expand to between NT$27.5 billion and NT$28.5 billion (US$875.5 million and US$907.4 million) this quarter, the company said.

“All three major product lines are to grow meaningfully in the second quarter on a sequential basis,” Novatek president Steve Wang (王守仁) said at an earnings conference.

The Novatek Microelectronics Corp logo is pictured at the company’s headquarters in Hsinchu County’s Jhubei City on Feb. 7, 2023. Photo: Grace Hung, Taipei Times

The strongest growth this quarter would come from the system-on-a-chip (SoC) business, thanks to robust demand for machine vision chips used in edge artificial intelligence (AI) devices, Wang said.

Machine vision chips are specialized chips that combine image sensing and on-chip processing to allow machines to interpret vision data.

In the first quarter, Novatek hiked prices for some machine vision chips to reflect surging DRAM costs, he said, adding that the SoC business accounted for 44 percent of the company’s total revenue in the quarter.

Novataek also saw increasing demand for display driver chips used in large and small panels, Wang said.

The pull-in orders for such chips used in laptop, tablet and monitor panels underscored customers’ concerns about further price hikes in memory chips, he said.

Overall, Novatek expects revenue to regain growth this year, snapping two straight years of declines, thanks to decent contribution from a series of advanced chips to be launched in the second half of this year, Wang said.

That includes new high-end machine vision chips for edge AI devices, new display driver chips integrated with touch chips for OLED foldable smartphones, and display driver chips for high-resolution OLED notebook and monitor panels, he said.

However, geopolitical tensions, such as the conflict in the Middle East, have increased macroeconomic uncertainties that could weigh on end-market demand, Wang said.

Novatek’s net profit last quarter declined 28.44 percent year-on-year to NT$3.77 billion from NT$5.26 billion.

On a quarterly basis, net profit dropped 4.33 percent from NT$3.69 billion.

Earnings per share sank to NT$6.19 from NT$8.65 the year prior, but were up from NT$6.07 a quarter ago.

Gross margin dropped to 39.06 percent from 39.76 percent a year earlier, but improved from 38.19 percent in the previous quarter.


title: 20 firms willing to invest in US: MOEA

content_text:
INDUSTRYWIDE: The US$35 billion investment from Taiwanese companies would help the US build supply chain resilience in the semiconductor and technology sector

Twenty Taiwanese firms have expressed interest in investing an aggregate US$35 billion in the US, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said on Wednesday.

They include semiconductor companies and related supply chain firms — such as United Microelectronics Corp (聯電), GlobalWafers Co (環球晶), Win Semiconductors Corp (穩懋) and Chang Chun Group (長春) — as well as artificial intelligence server makers and their partners — such as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海), Quanta Computer Inc (廣達), Wistron Corp (緯創), Wiwynn Corp (緯穎) and Compal Electronics Inc (仁寶), the ministry said in a statement.

The US$35 billion does not include the investment pledged by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), which would spend a total of US$165 billion in the US.

“These are investments planned by the companies themselves, not mandated by the government,” the ministry quoted Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) as saying.

“This demonstrates that Taiwanese investment in the US is no longer a matter of individual companies’ strategic moves, but rather an industrywide investment strategy. This development will not only help strengthen the global competitiveness of Taiwanese companies, but also assist the US in accelerating the establishment of a more complete and resilient high-tech supply chain,” he said.

Kung made the remarks at a news conference titled “Taiwan-US Supply Chains: Outlook for Cooperation” in Washington, after leading a Taiwanese delegation to attend the SelectUSA Investment Summit, organized by the US Department of Commerce, in Maryland earlier this week.

He was joined at the conference by National Development Council (NDC) Minister Yeh Chun-hsien (葉俊顯), Representative to the US Alexander Yui (俞大?) and Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (TEEMA, 電電公會) vice chairman Jerry Hsu (許介立).

The MOEA and the NDC have proposed three supporting measures to help Taiwanese firms expand into the US, Kung said.

The NDC would activate a credit guarantee program to support Taiwanese firms investing in the US, and plans to allocate US$50 billion to firms for equipment procurement, working capital and industrial cluster development purposes, he said.

The MOEA has signed a memorandum of understanding on industrial cooperation with the TEEMA and would leverage the association’s overseas development experience in the site selection, planning and management of industrial parks in the US, Kung said.

The ministry’s two trade and investment service centers in Phoenix, Arizona, and Dallas, Texas, would assist Taiwanese firms investing in the US, including legal and tax consultation, business space leasing and tracking the progress of their investments, he added.

Separately, the ministry said that Kung and CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) president Michael Chang (張敏) exchanged documents with Texas-based Cheniere Energy Inc this week over a 25-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply agreement signed in February.

Cheniere would start LNG delivery next month, the ministry said.

Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, this deal has strategic significance for Taiwan’s energy security and supply chain resilience, it added.


title: German delegation tours aerospace technology

content_text:
German aerospace firms are increasingly turning to Taiwan as global demand surges for low Earth orbit satellites, drones and secure communications systems, highlighting Taiwan’s growing role in strategic technology supply chains.

A delegation of 11 German companies specializing in satellite components, uncrewed aerial systems, aerospace materials and sensing technologies are visiting Taiwan this week to explore partnerships in aerospace and secure communications, the German Trade Office Taipei said in a statement yesterday.

The visit comes as governments and companies seek to diversify critical supply chains and expand cooperation in dual-use technologies amid rising geopolitical tensions.

German Trade Office Taipei Chief Representative and Executive Director Eva Langerbeck gestures at an event in Taipei on Aug. 28 last year. Photo: CNA

Taiwan has raised investment in drones, satellite infrastructure and aerospace manufacturing as part of its Five Trusted Industry Sectors Promotion Plan, aiming to bolster supply chain resilience and expand its role in advanced technology industries.

“The aerospace and satellite industry has rapidly become a strategic pillar of Taiwan’s industrial development,” German Trade Office Taipei Chief Representative and Executive Director Eva Langerbeck said in the statement.

Taiwan’s aerospace market has grown to more than 3.5 billion euros (US$4.12 billion), supported by strengths in semiconductors and precision manufacturing, she said.

Germany’s aerospace sector is highly competitive in areas such as sensor fusion, satellite earth observation and secure data transmission, while Taiwan offers strong manufacturing and electronics integration capabilities, creating opportunities for cooperation in advanced sensors, autonomous flight systems and secure communications networks.

The delegation attended the Taiwanese-German Aerospace Conference and visited major Taiwanese institutions, including the Taiwan Space Agency, the Industrial Technology Research Institute, National Central University and National Cheng Kung University, the trade office said.


title: CPI rise moderate despite oil shocks

content_text:
Taiwan’s inflation remained relatively benign last month, despite higher fuel and food prices, with headline consumer inflation staying below the central bank’s 2 percent alert level for a 12th consecutive month, aided by government price stabilization measures, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said yesterday.

The consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.74 percent from a year earlier last month, accelerating from 1.2 percent in March, mainly due to higher fuel and produce prices amid rising global oil costs linked to tensions in the Middle East and volatile weather conditions that disrupted agricultural supply.

Transportation and communication costs recorded the largest increase among major categories, rising 2.66 percent, as fuel prices surged 13.6 percent year-on-year — the sharpest increase in nearly four years, DGBAS official Tsao Chih-hung (曹志弘) said. Train fares and international airfares also increased.

A woman shops for fruit at a supermarket in Taipei’s Wanhua District yesterday. Photo: CNA

Government stabilization measures helped prevent rising energy costs from spilling over into broader consumer inflation, Tsao said.

Weather-related disruptions caused vegetable prices to rebound, while a fading high comparison base for fruit prices last year also pushed costs higher. Together, fruit and vegetable prices contributed about 0.25 percentage points to headline inflation, he said.

However, underlying inflation pressures remained stable, with core CPI, which excludes vegetables, fruit and energy, rising 1.91 percent year-on-year, little changed from 1.94 percent in March.

Inflation could edge slightly higher this month as airlines adjust fuel surcharges, but CPI growth is likely to remain below 2 percent if weather conditions stabilize and oil prices continue easing, Tsao said.

International oil prices retreated after signs emerged that Iran might end disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, easing concerns over a global supply shock.

Other price categories were broadly stable, suggesting domestic inflation pressures remained contained despite rising imported costs, Tsao said.

Miscellaneous goods prices rose 2.48 percent, driven by a 12.78 percent increase in gold and jewelry prices amid elevated bullion markets, as well as higher personal care service costs.

Recreation and education costs climbed 2.44 percent on higher prices for computer equipment, software and entertainment services, while healthcare costs rose 1.03 percent because of higher medical fees and hospital charges.

Meanwhile, the import price index last month surged 9.22 percent from a year earlier, the fastest increase in 40 months, driven by rising energy costs and firm demand for artificial intelligence-related electronic components amid tight global supply, Tsao said.

The sharp rise in import costs also fed into producer prices, with the producer price index climbing 8.54 percent year-on-year, led by gains in petroleum products, chemicals, electronics and semiconductor-related goods.

The pass-through to consumer inflation remained limited, as electronic products account for a relatively small share of the CPI basket and are not purchased frequently by households, Tsao said.


content_text:
Nvidia inks US$500 million deal with fiber-optic maker Corning

Nvidia Corp bought US$500 million worth of rights for shares in the fiber-optic cable maker Corning Inc as part of a broader partnership between the two companies aimed at expanding artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

Nvidia is getting as many as 3 million shares at US$0.0001 each and can buy as many as 15 million shares at an exercise price of US$180 in the deal, according to a regulatory filing on Wednesday. Corning in turn pledged to increase US fiber production capacity by more than 50 percent to supply more optical fiber for AI data centers. Such sites rely on the cables to carry data at high speeds between equipment, including Nvidia’s chips.

Nvidia has struck billions of dollars’ worth of deals across the AI ecosystem, taking stakes in everything from developers such as OpenAI to other chipmakers such as Marvell Technology Inc, in an effort to fuel industrywide growth. Earlier this year, Nvidia invested a total of US$4 billion in Lumentum Holdings Inc and Coherent Corp, two companies that develop optics equipment.

Corning Inc signage is pictured on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday. Photo: Michael Nagle, Bloomberg

Shares of Corning, also known for supplying glass for Apple iPhones, soared as much as 21 percent on the news on Wednesday, marking its biggest intraday gain since 2002. Nvidia shares gained as well, rising 5 percent.

Fiber-optic connections are increasingly seen as a vital part of AI computing infrastructure. Traditional copper wire links between components are reaching the limit of their capabilities, making it harder to handle the massive amount of data generated by AI.

Newer generations of chips are designed to take advantage of the greater transmission speed offered by fiber, which uses photons traveling at the speed of light to send information.

Nvidia chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) stressed in a statement how the partnership with Corning would benefit the US economy. The AI boom presents an opportunity to “reinvigorate American manufacturing and supply chains,” Huang said.

Corning said its manufacturing expansion will include the construction of three new complexes in North Carolina and Texas. The company estimated the projects would create more than 3,000 new US jobs.

Corning separately projected that it will reach a US$20 billion annualized sales run rate by the end of this year and is targeting a US$30 billion run rate by the end of 2028.


title: Precious cargo

content_text: The “FPMC C Lord”, a large crude carrier operated by Formosa Plastics Marine Corp, docks at Mailiao Port in Yunlin County yesterday. The Liberian-flagged supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil transited the Strait of Hormuz last month after Iran temporarily reopened the strategic waterway.


title: EDITORIAL: Beijng failing to isolate Taiwan

content_text:
Despite Beijing pressuring three countries to block President William Lai’s (賴清德) trip to Eswatini, on Saturday he took a “surprise flight” to Taiwan’s only African ally and released a joint communique with King Mswati III reaffirming diplomatic ties, which have stood for 58 years.

Lai had been scheduled to travel on April 21 to mark the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession and his 58th birthday, but the visit was postponed after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar suddenly revoked overflight permits following pressure from China.

He later arrived in Eswatini without prior announcement via the king’s aircraft for a three-day visit and returned on Tuesday, completing a more than 25,000km round-trip over 10 countries. In a video statement, Lai said in English that “Taiwan’s 23 million people have the right to engage with the international community,” adding that no country has the right to block Taiwan’s global participation or seek to do so.

The “arrive then announce” approach has precedents and is often used to mitigate diplomatic risks, including former US president Joe Biden’s visit to Ukraine in February 2023, and US President Donald Trump’s secret trips to Iraq and Afghanistan in 2018 and 2019 during his first term.

Since the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has also frequently used special flights to visit allies.

The trip highlights China’s expanding efforts to contain Taiwan, which now include not only discouraging recognition of its sovereignty, but also leveraging other countries’ jurisdiction and administrative authority for political ends.

The three countries’ revocation of Lai’s overflight permits under Chinese influence infringed on the freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law.

As the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation states: “A country overseeing a Flight Information Region assumes responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of air traffic within its sovereign airspace.” However, it does not allow arbitrary control or disruption of aviation order for political suppression.

Lai’s Africa trip is not the only case of Chinese pressure. Beijing also pushed Zambia to exclude Taiwanese representatives from this year’s RightsCon Summit.

The disruption forced UNESCO to scale down its “World Press Freedom Day Conference” in Zambia and relocate its “Press Freedom Award” ceremony to Paris.

Such incidents show how China’s expanding influence in Africa is affecting the wider international community.

African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council Presiding Officer Louis Cheick Sissoko said the situation “illustrated the growing and sometimes worrying complexity of international relations,” adding that “Africa cannot be reduced to a mere sphere of influence. It is, and must remain, a fully sovereign actor.”

By traveling to Eswatini, Lai pushed back against Beijing’s diplomatic encirclement, underscoring Taiwan’s determination to maintain international engagement despite external pressure.

King Mswati III said the visit demonstrated Eswatini’s airspace freedom and respect for international law.

Atlantic Council Global China Hub nonresident fellow Song Wen-ti (宋文笛) said Beijing would likely weaponize airspace to restrict the movements of Taiwan’s leader, but such actions could backfire by increasing international sympathy for Taiwan.

The dispute over Lai’s trip also reinforced ties between Taiwan and Eswatini and led to a joint communique, turning a ceremonial visit into deeper political trust and cooperation.

China has also pressured Paraguay, which has maintained diplomatic relations with Taiwan for 69 years, to sever ties.

Paraguayan President Santiago Pena yesterday arrived in Taiwan in his first state visit to deepen bilateral diplomatic and economic ties.

Speaking at a local university, he said: “Paraguay and Taiwan share a friendship built on a solid foundation, democracy, freedom, confidence in institutions, the dignity of hard work.”

“Our bilateral relationship extends far beyond diplomatic formality. It is reflected in concrete actions, tangible achievements, and real opportunities for both nations,” he added.

Pena’s visit and remarks show China’s coercion has failed to undermine Taiwan’s engagement with like-minded partners.

As Lai has vowed that Taiwan will never retreat in the face of suppression, the nation should not abandon its path toward the world, even as Beijing continues is multi-front campaigns to isolate it.


title: Rats are no excuse to go full Mao

content_text:
Taipei is facing a severe rat infestation, and the city government is reportedly considering large-scale use of rodenticides as its primary control measure.

However, this move could trigger an ecological disaster, including mass deaths of birds of prey.

In the past, black kites, relatives of eagles, took more than three decades to return to the skies above the Taipei Basin.

Taiwan’s black kite population was nearly wiped out by the combined effects of habitat destruction, pesticides and rodenticides.

By 1992, fewer than 200 black kites remained on the island. Fortunately, thanks to more than 30 years of collective effort to preserve their remaining habitats and ban highly toxic pesticides, their numbers have steadily increased.

Now, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) lazy and perfunctory plan to widely distribute rodenticide risks devastating the entire ecosystem.

According to last year’s dusk emergence survey for black kites released by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, the population of black kites had reached a record high of 1,033.

Dusk roosting of black kites was also recorded in Keelung’s Shenao (深澳) and Rueibin (瑞濱) areas for the first time since 1994, which not only indicates a rebound in the black kite population, but also their gradual expansion into surrounding areas. This achievement reflects the significant success of the joint efforts between government agencies and civil society to promote wildlife-friendly architecture and ecological conservation measures.

On clear days, black kites can even occasionally be spotted soaring overhead in the Greater Taipei area or the mountainous regions surrounding New Taipei City — a truly remarkable sight.

Rodenticides can cause significant damage to ecosystems, as rodents that die from poisoned bait might, in turn, become the final meal of the animals that naturally prey on them.

In the past, people in China complained about an overabundance of sparrows. In response, Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong (毛澤東) in 1958 launched a nationwide campaign to eradicate sparrows (along with rats, mosquitoes and flies), employing gongs and drums, hunting rifles, air guns and slingshots.

From cities to rural areas, sparrows were collectively hunted down by workers, farmers, soldiers and students, causing a severe ecological imbalance.

The extinction of sparrows led to insect infestations and crop failure, and is cited as one of the factors that contributed to the Great Famine, which ultimately resulted in about 40 million deaths, making it the largest and deadliest famine in human history.

Are these lessons still not enough? The Taipei Department of Environmental Protection has emphasized that it is using rodenticides approved by the central government.

However, does the fact that a poison is officially approved justify its indiscriminate or large-scale deployment? Residential areas and all types of public spaces — including restaurants, hotels, street vendors, markets and food-processing facilities — should instead improve environmental sanitation efforts and earnestly remove food sources for rodents, such as kitchen waste and garbage.

So long as there are no artificial food sources available, rats are far less likely to appear in places where they should not be.

As for wild rodent populations, a moderate level of reproduction is a natural part of the ecosystem; thus, they should not be completely eradicated.

Doing so could cause unpredictable ecological consequences that would ultimately circle back to harm us all.

Furthermore, the widespread placement of rodenticides poses a significant risk of accidental ingestion by pets such as cats and dogs, and even by young children.

Even if the poison contains bittering agents that are designed to repel cats and dogs, this only reduces the likelihood of exposure.

It is impossible to eliminate the inherent danger.

There have also been reports of people intentionally leaving kitchen waste or breadcrumbs outside to feed stray cats and dogs.

This is a practice which environmental authorities must strictly crack down on.

Wang Chih-shao is a political consultant for the Taiwan Solidarity Union.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen


content_text:
When Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) sits down with US President Donald Trump in Beijing on Thursday next week, Xi is unlikely to demand a dramatic public betrayal of Taiwan. He does not need to. Beijing’s preferred victory is smaller, quieter and in some ways far more dangerous: a subtle shift in American wording that appears technical, but carries major strategic meaning.

The ask is simple: replace the longstanding US formulation that Washington “does not support Taiwan independence” with a harder one — that Washington “opposes” Taiwan independence. One word changes; a deterrence structure built over decades begins to shift.

This is not a new objective. Xi reportedly raised the same request with then-US president Joe Biden in San Francisco in 2023, and Washington refused. Chinese officials have continued pressing the line since, and diplomats have revived it ahead of Trump’s Beijing trip.

That persistence is what makes the risk real: a major strategic concession could emerge not as a headline reversal, but as a line of diplomatic text treated in Washington as a manageable cost of dealing with China.

Every “strategic dialogue” with Beijing triggers anxiety in Taipei and among US-Taiwan-watchers, as if the nation is about to disappear overnight, but the real danger is not an overt shift in policy or a new “one China” framework. It is Trump trading away a single word in a communique and convincing himself nothing important has changed.

For Beijing, the difference between “does not support” and “opposes” is not semantic, but strategic. The current US formulation reflects strategic ambiguity: Washington neither endorses Taiwan independence nor accepts Beijing’s sovereignty claim.

Such ambiguity deters both sides — warning Taipei against unilateral moves while signaling Beijing not to assume US acceptance of forced unification. “Opposes” would shift Washington from non-endorsement to active alignment against Taiwan independence, edging it closer to Beijing’s position.

Trump’s transactional style heightens the risk. He prefers visible wins — trade deals, tariff relief, photo ops.

If Chinese negotiators pair a linguistic concession on Taiwan with economic incentives, they could frame it as a “clarification” rather than a concession. Trump’s defenders would dismiss criticism as semantics. However, when it comes to Taiwan, semantics are substance.

Robert O’Brien, Trump’s former national security adviser and now chair of a US-Taiwan task force at the Global Taiwan Institute, has warned that Trump would not want to be remembered as “the first American president to lose Taiwan.”

Yet legacy concerns are a weak safeguard against incremental changes that appear minor in isolation.

Presidents rarely see a phrase in a joint statement as decisive — until adversaries act on the new assumptions it creates.

O’Brien also stressed Taiwan’s value is not just semiconductor production or TSMC, but geography: the island as the “cork in the Pacific,” central to the First Island Chain and shaping China’s ability to project power toward Japan and Guam.

That strategic role is often lost in supply-chain debates.

From this perspective, even a subtle linguistic shift matters. Moving from “does not support” to “opposes” signals to Beijing that Washington might be edging toward accepting a future where Taiwan falls under Chinese control, so long as it is framed as “peaceful.”

Deterrence erodes this way — not suddenly, but incrementally. A phrase changes in a fact sheet, a communique is tweaked, and over time the message becomes clearer: Washington is more concerned about avoiding conflict with Beijing than deterring it.

If Xi raises the issue again in Beijing, the answer should remain what it was under Biden: No. Not because symbolism outweighs strategy, but because in this case, symbolism is strategy.

Aadil Brar is a Taipei-based journalist and geopolitical analyst.

title: Xi wants Trump to say ‘O’ word


content_text:
As an academic with a background in public health, I have observed that in several fires, many of the victims did not die because they were trapped in the blaze, but because they “couldn’t move.”

It brings to mind that deeply ingrained series of Dr Ws (威瑪舒培) Cerenin (循利寧) commercials, in which a young girl’s grandmother is unable to move out of her chair because her legs have gone numb.

The advertisement also cruelly exposes the vulnerability of older people during sudden disasters — when crisis strikes, mobility is the only ticket to survival.

Mobility is the key to vitality. From a public health perspective, extreme crises such as fires, earthquakes or the outbreak of war are all stress tests for human survival.

Several cases in which people with limited mobility died in fires reflect a serious warning about public safety — in moments requiring emergency evacuation, even the rescue systems of the military, police and firefighters have their limits.

Only when individuals possess a basic level of physical strength and mobility can we reduce the burden on emergency responders and improve survival rates.

Preventing sarcopenia — the loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength and function due to aging — is the foundation to a resilient society. We should rethink the relationship between preventive medicine and national security, while promoting exercise and sarcopenia prevention among older people.

This is essentially about building a kind of comprehensive societal defense — citizens who possess basic mobility can remain self-reliant during power outages, communications breakdowns or emergency evacuations, and might even contribute to mutual aid within their communities rather than simply waiting helplessly for rescue.

Self-reliance and resilience can generate enormous marginal benefits. When every citizen maintains physical functional capacity by reserving their muscle strength, the nation can allocate its scarce rescue and medical resources more precisely, ensuring they go to those who are most vulnerable and in need.

This is not about spreading panic, but about building a society that is confident that, no matter what happens, we would be able to protect one another.

Lastly, investing in preventive medicine is tantamount to building a national resilience fund. Public health spending should not be viewed merely as welfare expenditure.

In a super-aged society, health promotion and the development of physical fitness are investments aimed at reducing the risk of future societal collapse.

In times of crisis, a healthy and independently mobile older population can transform from “those needing rescue” to “those capable of helping others.”

This is precisely the kind of social capital emphasized in the defense strategies of Nordic nations, such as Finland.

By promoting preventive medicine in ordinary times and helping older people avoid frailty and disability, we can protect not only the National Health Insurance system, but also the survival of every family in the face of extreme disasters.

Advancing preventive medicine is about ensuring that, in any challenge, people can retain their right to independence, health and dignity.

We must no longer allow physical immobility to become a source of tragedy — instead, allow the preservation of muscle and strength to become the most solid safeguard protecting Taiwan.

Su Hsun-pi is executive director of the Central Taiwan Association of University Professors.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

title: Stronger seniors for a resilient Taiwan


content_text:
The cancelation this week of President William Lai’s (賴清德) state visit to Eswatini, after the Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius revoked overflight permits under Chinese pressure, is one more measure of Taiwan’s shrinking executive diplomatic space. Another channel that deserves attention keeps growing while the first contracts. For several years now, Taipei has been one of Europe’s busiest legislative destinations. Where presidents and foreign ministers cannot land, parliamentarians do — and they do it in rising numbers. The Italian parliament opened the year with its largest bipartisan delegation to Taiwan to date: six Italian deputies and one senator, drawn from six

By Romain Blachier

Recently, Taipei’s streets have been plagued by the bizarre sight of rats running rampant and the city government’s countermeasures have devolved into an anti-intellectual farce. The Taipei Parks and Street Lights Office has attempted to eradicate rats by filling their burrows with polyurethane foam, seeming to believe that rats could not simply dig another path out.Meanwhile, as the nation’s capital slowly deteriorates into a rat hive, the Taipei Department of Environmental Protection has proudly pointed to the increase in the number of poisoned rats reported in February and March as a sign of success.When confronted with public concerns over young

By Chin Ching 秦靖

title: EDITORIAL CARTOON


content_text:
The Hantavirus outbreak is cause for caution, not panic

A suspected outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship sailing the Atlantic Ocean has all the hallmarks of a nightmare scenario: A handful of people have fallen gravely ill, three have died and nearly 150 people are stuck off the coast of Cape Verde while global health experts are scrambling to understand — and stop — the infections.

However, while tragic, there is no reason for panic. This likely is not the opening scene for a bigger, scarier movie.

That is mainly because this type of virus is not known for easily spreading to and between humans. Still, infectious disease detectives need to quickly and carefully study what happened to rein in the situation and better understand how these deadly viruses function. They have a lot of work ahead of them.

Although eight people aboard the cruise ship have been sickened, three of whom have died and one remains in intensive care, only three hantavirus infections have so far been confirmed in a lab. The most urgent questions are what strain of hantavirus is responsible for the cases, where the outbreak began and whether any transmission occurred between passengers.

Hantaviruses are spread by mice, rats and other rodents. Human infections, which occur when people come in contact with droppings or urine, are relatively uncommon: From 1993 to 2023, the US recorded just under 900 cases.

Yet those infections are deadly. The type of hantavirus prevalent in North and South America damages the lungs and heart, killing nearly 40 percent of the people it infects. The type found in Europe and Asia goes after the kidneys, with a mortality rate of anywhere from 1 percent to 15 percent. A big problem is that early symptoms are often mistaken for other, more common viruses — and there are no specific treatments for hantavirus infections.

The first step in understanding what unfolded on the cruise ship is to identify the specific strain of virus causing infections — a task the WHO likely would have completed in the next day or so.

Infectious disease experts strongly suspect the outbreak was caused by the Andes virus. Not only is that strain of hantavirus endemic to parts of Argentina, where the cruise ship first embarked, but it also is the sole pulmonary-syndrome-causing strain known to be capable of spreading between humans.

Infectious disease sleuths have two main theories for what happened. One scenario is that mice carrying the virus somehow made it onboard the vessel and exposed passengers, say, through the ship’s ventilation system.

An alternate, much knottier scenario — one that is looking increasingly likely — is that one or more passengers contracted the virus before the ship left Argentina or during one of its many stops. On Tuesday, WHO officials told reporters that the first passengers to get sick — a husband and wife who both tragically died — had boarded the vessel in Argentina and that passengers had been on excursions to multiple islands with rodents.

“There could be some source of infection on the islands as well for some of the other suspect cases,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s chief of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention. “However, we do believe that there could be some human-to-human transmission that’s happening among the really close contacts,” such as the husband and wife and others who have shared cabins.

It can take up to six weeks for people to show signs of an infection, complicating efforts to track it back to its origins. That might involve tracing passengers’ footsteps and potentially even catching and testing rodents, a process that could take several months, said Maria (Gaby) Frank, director of the Johns Hopkins Special Pathogens Center.

The good news is that none of the potential scenarios or viral culprits, not even the Andes virus, is likely to cause a much broader outbreak.

“It’s not a virus that spreads like wildfire,” said Steven Bradfute, associate director of the Center for Global Health at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center.

Previous person-to-person transmission has required very close contact — people living and dining in close quarters, or the exact environment of a cruise ship.

Bradfute’s own research underscores the notion that this virus is not very efficient at attacking humans. New Mexico has had the highest number of hantavirus infections in the US — a situation that captured the public’s attention last year with the shocking death of Betsy Arakawa, the wife of actor Gene Hackman. By sampling mice in his own backyard, Bradfute found that more than a quarter of rodents in the state were carriers of Sin Nombre virus, the hantavirus strain found in North America.

In other words, hantavirus is ubiquitous in certain parts of the country, but infections are still rare. While it is always good to be alert when such unusual outbreaks occur, it is unlikely to turn into anything bigger.

Meanwhile, anyone worried about being exposed to the virus can take simple measures to protect themselves.

People living or traveling in an area where the virus is endemic, whether that is Patagonia or the Four Corners, can wear a mask and wash hands after any activity in a space — say, a garage or a hiking trail — where infected dust could be kicked up.

After COVID-19, even a handful of cases of a deadly virus is enough to raise all our hackles. While the situation is evolving and merits caution, this particular outbreak is likely to be an isolated tragedy rather than a reason for mass anxiety.

Lisa Jarvis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering biotech, healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry. Previously, she was executive editor of Chemical & Engineering News. 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.