title: Tree advocates question park remodeling plans

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Tree protection advocates yesterday called for the preservation of old trees and amphibian biodiversity in the Taipei City Government’s landscape improvement project for the Fumin Ecological Park (富民生態公園).

The park is in the Fujin Borough (富錦) of Taipei’s Songshan District (松山), featuring a long ecological pond inhabited by native fish and amphibian species.

The project aims to reshape the park’s landscape and create more accessible spaces, with a budget of more than NT$48 million (US$1.49 million) allocated to remove or transplant 11 trees, including a Batavia cinnamon, two golden shower trees, three cajeput trees and five banyan trees.

Tree protection activists hug an old tree at Fumin Ecological Park in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Association of Taiwan Tree-Huggers secretary-general Pan Han-chiang

Concerns were raised over whether the project goes against urban rewilding, as it would rebuild the well-functioning eco-pond with more artificial objects, while relocating lots of aquatic life and removing at least seven trees.

Fujin Warden Lee Huan-chung (李煥中) said a survey was done last year to collect the opinions of older local residents on how to improve the park to better meet their needs.

“The main eco-pond’s water consumption amounted to 1,300 tonnes per month, 50 times more than the 20 tonnes of most other parks,” he said.

“Waterproofing work has been carried out to the park’s eco-ponds and some waterways, but was found ineffective,” Lee said. “That is why we decided to initiate the improvement project this year.”

Species dwelling in the main eco-pond would be temporarily relocated to the small eco-pond and then moved back once the main pond’s waterproofing is completed, Lee said.

As for removing or transplanting the trees, Lee said the change aims to increase accessibility for older wheelchair users.

A local resident and park maintenance volunteer surnamed Wan (萬) said she expected the project to enhance maintenance of the pond.

The main eco-pond was initially built in 2003 for native species, but many alien species, such as walking catfish or koi, were released to the pond over the years, she said, adding that some people cut lotus flowers to take home, while others fed fish with human food, leading to the eutrophication of the pond.

Removing alien species and maintaining water quality for the pond requires exhausting efforts by lots of volunteers, Wan said.

Tree protection advocates said they were not against the project, but believed that eco-friendly measures can be taken to minimize the project’s ecological impact.

Tree surgery and avoidance of biodiversity hotspots should be prioritized over tree removal, they said.

Association of Taiwan Tree-Huggers secretary-general Pan Han-chiang (潘翰疆) said the criteria for evaluating sidewalk trees should not be applied to park trees.

Diseased trees should be properly treated if there are opportunities for recovery, as they provide more green shade and absorb more carbon from atmosphere than young trees, he said.

The largest cajeput tree at the park has a diameter of 74cm, Pan said, adding that it would only take another few years for the tree to grow big enough to be listed as a protected tree with a diameter of 80cm.

Trendy landscaping is not uncommon in urban spaces, while naturally formed ecosystems with rich biodiversity are rare and worth cherishing, he said.


title: NHIA donates to vulnerable groups with charity fund

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By Hou Chia-yu and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The National Health Insurance (NHI) Charity Fund helped pay off more than NT$130,000 (US$4,040) owed by a single mother of three who lost her job due to domestic violence, one of nearly 6,000 families the fund has helped in the past five years, the NHI Administration (NHIA) said yesterday.

The program has provided a total of NT$39.84 million in assistance to nearly 6,000 families, or about 9,000 people, in Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Penghu over the past five years, benefiting people aged one to 95, it said.

The 42-year-old mother, nicknamed A-ya (阿雅), was a former hairstylist, but lost her job due to domestic violence.

The National Health Insurance logo is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times

She has been raising her three children alone, all of whom have congenital epilepsy and mild to moderate disabilities.

With the family relying solely on disability benefits to get by, they fell into financial hardship and accumulated more than NT$130,000 in unpaid NHI premiums.

The fund also helped pay off more than NT$20,000 owed by an 11-year-old child nicknamed Hsiao-hsin (小新) in Pingtung County’s Taiwu Township (泰武).

Due to developmental delays and the imprisonment of both parents, Hsiao-hsin has been cared for by a foster family since childhood. However, after the foster parents retired, their limited financial means left them unable to pay for the NHI premiums owed by Hsiao-hsin.

The NHIA referred the families to charity organizations and family support centers in Kaohsiung and Pingtung for additional assistance, including emergency financial aid and educational grants.

A-ya and Hsiao-hsin wrote handwritten letters expressing their gratitude to the public, saying they hope to give back to society in the future.

Caring for vulnerable groups has always been a core goal of the NHIA, and it has worked with government and private agencies to help families in need since the charity fund was founded in 2002, NHIA Director-General Chen Lian-yu (陳亮妤) said.

By identifying those in need early and intervening promptly, the NHIA ensures that vulnerable people receive the support they need and that care reaches those who might otherwise be left behind, Chen said.

Starting last year, the program was expanded to include single-parent families raising young children, head of the NHIA Kaohsiung-Pingtung branch Lin Chun-mei (林純美) said.

As of the end of last month, the program had helped 1,039 vulnerable, single-parent families with young children pay off their overdue NHI premiums, providing a total of NT$6.66 million in assistance, Lin said.

People who are unable to pay their NHI premiums due to financial hardship can apply for assistance programs through the NHIA, the agency said.

People who know of vulnerable families in need can report them through the NHI Express App or the NHIA’s platform for reporting vulnerable people on its official Web site, allowing the social safety net to intervene in a timely manner and help more families overcome difficult times, it added.


title: Station develops new Swiss cheese plant cultivar

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The Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station has developed a new Swiss cheese plant cultivar featuring green variegated leaves.

The Swiss cheese plant has become popular in the international houseplant market amid increased demand for home greening and interior design, the station said.

It features uniquely shaped leaves with natural splits and perforations, often applied to tropical-style designs and cut foliage for floral arrangements, the station said.

“Kaohsiung No. 1” Swiss cheese plant developed by the Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station

Given the stable demand and market growth potential, it has been cultivating new Swiss cheese plant cultivars for many years, the station said, adding that the goal is to vary the greens of its foliage.

The cultivar development project was inspired by international exchange events held more than a decade ago, Station Director Lo Cheng-tsung (羅正宗) said.

Station researchers visiting a floral trade show in the Netherlands in 2010 saw Swiss cheese plants with unprecedented variegation patterns on their leaves, he said.

In 2011, a demonstration of Swiss cheese plants was presented at floral trade show in Tokyo, showing that they have promising market potential, Lo said.

The station has been collaborating with the National Atomic Research Institute to develop new varieties with variegated leaves, including applying the technique of gamma-ray seed mutagenesis to generate different variegations, he said.

After 10 years of observation and selection, the new variety was established and named “Kaohsiung No. 1” Swiss cheese plant — also known as “Dawn,” Lo said.

The station has obtained the plant breeder’s right for Kaohsiung No. 1 in 2022, and its non-exclusive licenses were granted from last year, he said.

Kaohsiung No. 1 has vibrant leaf variegations, making it an ideal foliage plant for ornamental and design applications, the station said.

That helps enhance product differentiation and market recognition while creating new opportunities and applications for Taiwan’s floriculture industry, it added.

Efforts would continue to polish its plant cultivar development and cultivation techniques to boost the domestic floral industry’s competitiveness in the international market, the station said.

The goal is to reposition Taiwan as a leading supplier of high-quality foliage plants and cut foliage, it said.


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Taiwan’s overseas youth program inspires dreams of diplomacy, space

President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Thursday met participants in Taiwan’s Global Pathfinders Initiative, saying the overseas exchange program will help prepare young people to contribute to Taiwan’s future.

Speaking at the Presidential Office, Lai thanked outgoing French Office in Taipei Director Franck Paris for supporting exchanges with France and said the program had strengthened Taiwan-France cooperation.

"I envy all of you for having the opportunity to go to France," Lai said, describing the country as a global leader in technology, culture, sports and other fields.

President William Lai, second bottom row, fifth left, and outgoing French Office in Taipei Director Franck Paris, third right, hold a jersey and pose with participants of the Taiwan’s Global Pathfinders Initiative progam in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times

The Ministry of Education initiative supports short-term overseas exchanges in fields including public affairs, culture, semiconductors, sports and space. A total of 116 young people have taken part in the program over the past two years.

Among the participants was Tsai Chiao-yi (蔡喬伊), an aerospace engineer who said the program strengthened her ambition to one day be an astronaut.

Tsai said visiting France’s space center in Toulouse and meeting with officials from the Taiwan Space Agency and its French counterpart inspired her to pursue further studies in aerospace in France.

Another participant, Liu Yu-jan (劉宥然), who coordinates international exchange projects at the Kaohsiung Public Library, said the trip reshaped her career plans.

Originally hoping to promote local culture through libraries, Liu said visits to French cultural institutions and Taiwan’s representative office convinced her to pursue public diplomacy instead. She has since registered to take Taiwan’s diplomatic service examination.

During the event, Lai floated the idea of appointing sports ambassadors after hearing participants’ suggestions and said Taiwan could learn from France’s success in developing football.

He said he hopes Taiwan will one day qualify for the FIFA World Cup, joking about how the team might prepare to face stars such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.


content_text: Paintings by people with disabilities are displayed at a news conference in Pingtung County Welfare Service Center for Persons with Disabilities yesterday. The center announced the opening of an art exhibition featuring 23 paintings which is to run through Sept. 30.

title: Creative endeavor


title: AI boom still lifting Taiwan exports

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GLOBAL DEMAND: Exports to all major markets rose last month, with shipments to the US soaring 34.8 percent from a year earlier, while exports to China rose 22.2 percent

Taiwan’s exports extended their record-setting streak last month as a global artificial intelligence (AI) investment boom continued to drive demand for advanced computing equipment and semiconductors, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday.

Exports rose 40.3 percent from a year earlier to US$74.83 billion, the third-highest monthly level on record, marking the 32nd consecutive month of growth, the ministry said.

Last month’s growth fell short of the ministry’s forecast range of 42 percent to 49 percent growth.

The global economy remained resilient despite geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, while demand for high-end chips, servers and key components for AI provided a major boost to Taiwan’s exports, Department of Statistics Director-General Beatrice Tsai (蔡美娜) told a news conference in Taipei.

Inventory replenishment for new mobile devices, along with continued supply constraints in electronics, helped push up export prices and overall shipment values, Tsai said.

Technology products remained the key growth engine last month, with shipments of information, communications and audio-video products surging 72.3 percent year-on-year to US$33.92 billion, while shipments of electronic components, mainly semiconductors, increased 32.8 percent to US$25.39 billion, she said.

In contrast, exports of plastic and metal products slipped into contraction territory, while growth in mineral product shipments slowed as tensions in the Middle East eased, she added.

Exports to all major markets posted gains last month, the ministry said.

Shipments to the US jumped 34.8 percent from a year earlier to US$23.28 billion, driven by accelerated AI infrastructure investment by major US cloud service providers, it said.

Exports to China rose 22.2 percent, while shipments to ASEAN and Europe climbed 47.1 percent and 48.4 percent respectively, reflecting broad demand across key markets, it said.

Imports hit a record high of US$62.63 billion last month, rising 51.8 percent year-on-year, as companies increased purchases of semiconductor equipment and capital goods to support AI-related expansion, the ministry said.

Higher raw material prices also contributed to the increase in import values, it said.

The strong trade performance resulted in a surplus of US$12.2 billion last month, 1.2 percent higher than a year earlier, ministry data showed.

Exports in the second quarter rose 43.7 percent from a year earlier to US$220.93 billion, weaker than the ministry’s optimistic projection of 44.42 percent growth.

For the first half of this year, exports totaled US$416.66 billion, up 47.1 percent from a year earlier, while imports reached US$319.25 billion, increasing 40.3 percent.

The ministry expects export momentum to remain supported in the second half of the year by continued AI infrastructure deployment and expansion of semiconductor capacity.

Exports this month are forecast to grow 34 to 39 percent year-on-year, Tsai said.

However, geopolitical tensions and uncertainty over US tariff policies remain potential risks to global trade and could affect future export momentum, she added.


title: Central bank raises Taiwan’s CPI forecast

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CAUTION: The central bank governor warned investors of the risk of borrowing to chase after popular Taiwanese stocks, which have been surging

The central bank yesterday raised its forecast for the consumer price index (CPI) growth to 1.93 percent this year, citing higher-than-expected inflation in the second quarter.

In the second quarter, domestic CPI rose by 2.17 percent, while core CPI, which excludes fruit, vegetables and energy, increased 2.15 percent, the central bank said in a written report submitted to the legislature ahead of a meeting of its Finance Committee.

The increases were slightly higher than its earlier forecast of 2.1 percent and 2.06 percent respectively, the bank said.

In the report, the central bank raised its CPI growth forecast for the whole year from 1.91 percent to 1.93 percent and hiked its projection for the core CPI from 1.90 percent to 1.92 percent.

In late May, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics forecast CPI to grow 1.93 percent this year.

Taiwan’s headline inflation rose 2.6 percent year-on-year last month following a 2.2 percent increase in May and could still top 2 percent this month, driven by rising vegetables and fruit prices ahead of Typhoon Bavi’s arrival, the agency said on Tuesday.

As crude oil prices show signs of easing, domestic fuel prices, transportation service costs and travel costs could fall later this year, and domestic inflation would remain under control, the central bank said.

Separately, central bank Governor Yang Chin-long (楊金龍) yesterday warned investors of the risk of borrowing to buy popular stocks, which have been surging on global demand for tech products driving the artificial intelligence (AI) boom.

“I can only say that we hope investors do not use excessive leverage in their investments,” Yang said at the Finance Committee meeting, adding that the stock market’s fundamentals are sound.

Taiwanese stocks have staged a massive rally this year driven by the global AI boom, with the benchmark TAIEX more than doubling over the past year. The tech-heavy market overtook the UK, Canada and India within weeks to become the world’s fifth-largest market, with a US$5.1 trillion valuation.

Much of the boom has been fueled by money borrowed at rock-bottom interest rates. Over the past 12 months, the amount investors borrowed from brokerages to finance stock purchases soared about 170 percent, hitting an all-time high earlier this week.

“It’s true that gains can increase when the market goes up, but if it reverses one day, investors could get hurt,” Yang said. “That is why investors need to be aware of the risks.”

The TAIEX ended down 0.83 percent at 45,354.61 yesterday.

On the foreign-exchange market, the central bank would not allow excessive volatility in the local currency, Yang said.

Strong exports and moderate inflation provide a solid foundation for the economy to withstand a stronger US dollar, he said.

The New Taiwan dollar has weakened to near its lowest since April last year, when it staged a historic appreciation, amid a stronger US dollar and foreign outflows related to dividend payments. It closed down 0.46 percent at NT$32.178 against the greenback yesterday.


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Taiwan dollar hits 14-month low on greenback gains, dividends

The New Taiwan dollar fell to its weakest level since April last year, erasing gains from last year’s historic rally as US dollar strength and record dividend payouts weighed on sentiment.

The local currency dropped as much as 0.6 percent before paring losses to close at NT$32.178 per US dollar in Taipei yesterday. The move wiped out the sharp gains from May last year, when the currency soared by the most since the 1980s on easing trade tensions and upbeat tech earnings.

The NT dollar now faces a key test as Taiwan enters its peak dividend season this month, with heavy foreign ownership in the semiconductor sector likely amplifying US dollar conversions. Domestic firms are set to pay out more than NT$2.5 trillion (US$77.7 billion) in cash dividends this year, according to data from the Taiwan Stock Exchange, the largest amount in Bloomberg-compiled data going back to 1990.

New Taiwan dollar and US dollar banknotes are displayed in front of the central bank’s logo in Taipei on May 6 last year. Photo: CNA

The risk of outflows is heightened by a less supportive global environment. The greenback’s strength on expectations that US interest rates will stay elevated for longer, combined with a rebound in oil prices due to renewed Middle East tensions, are adding to headwinds for Taiwan’s currency.

“TWD weakness today is likely due to dividend payment repatriation,” Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd head of Asia research Khoon Goh (吳昆) said. “Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) paid out its quarterly dividend today, and given the large foreign holdings, those flows are weighing on TWD.”

He sees the currency facing near-term pressure and falling to NT$32.5 per US dollar on further dividend payments later this month.

The NT dollar yesterday weakened sharply as foreign investors remitted large sums overseas, according to several traders. While exporter and state-bank greenback sales briefly pared morning currency losses, massive outflow volumes ultimately drove the local currency lower, traders said.

Earlier this week, the central bank was said to have asked local banks to execute some large greenback sell orders on the day they are received instead of delaying or staggering them, people familiar with the matter said.

The intervention came as the NT dollar encountered seasonal weakness. The central bank regularly monitors and guides foreign-exchange transactions including those from exporters and life insurance companies. It permits or encourages them to execute large-scale US dollar sell orders when the NT dollar depreciates while allowing some US dollar buy orders when the local currency strengthens.

For Fiona Lim, senior foreign exchange strategist at Malayan Banking Bhd, developments in the Middle East are likely to steer the currency.

“We should continue to watch the US-Iran headlines and US data for an indication on whether the pressure on the TWD can be sustained. An acceleration in its decline could invite larger interventions,” she said.


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The Ministry of Economic Affairs yesterday said it expects to help more than 20,000 companies adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technology by 2028, up from its previous target of 14,000 set in October last year when an industrial competitiveness task force was launched.

The ministry has helped 9,249 companies adopt AI since October last year, 93 percent of which are small or medium-sized enterprises, Industrial Development Administration Director-General Chiou Chyou-huey (邱求慧) told a news conference in Taipei.

Service-sector firms accounted for 60 percent of the total, led by the wholesale, retail and food service segments, while manufacturers made up the remaining 40 percent, mainly in the metal products and machinery sectors, Chiou said.

Industrial Development Administration officials and industrial representatives attend a news conference at the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Industrial Development Administration

Many small and medium-sized enterprises and traditional industries have struggled to adopt AI due to high costs and technical barriers, he said.

The ministry’s program helps firms undergo the AI transformation through a three-stage process, Chiou said.

The first stage provides diagnostic consulting to assess companies’ operational needs, with the government subsidizing NT$190,000 (US$5,904) of the cost and participating companies contributing NT$10,000, he said.

The second stage provides a grant of NT$100,000 for AI hardware and software deployment, along with NT$120,000 in training vouchers, he said.

The third stage offers research-and-development grants of up to NT$5 million per project, or NT$40 million for consortium projects, to help companies deepen AI adoption, he added.

Companies participating in the program have so far generated about NT$32.3 billion in output value by improving production processes, reducing defect rates and enhancing research and development efficiency, Chiou said.

AI adoption among participating companies has risen to 38.5 percent, and the ministry aims to increase that figure to more than 50 percent and generate NT$50 billion in output value by 2028, he said.

Asked whether AI adoption could lead to massive layoffs, Chiou said the experience of participating companies suggests otherwise, as many traditional industries continue facing labor shortages.

AI is mainly being used to replace repetitive tasks, and those positions are difficult to fill, rather than replacing workers, he said, adding that companies adopting AI with the expectation of cutting jobs would “regret it.”

The government encourages businesses to use AI to boost productivity, preserve experienced workers’ knowledge and increase employees’ value, rather than reduce headcounts, he added.

For yacht builder Kha Shing Enterprise Co (嘉信遊艇), the retirement of veteran workers has made knowledge transfer a key challenge for the 50-year-old company, but the adoption of AI enables young workers to quickly access information for design, materials management and pricing, while reducing rework and quotation errors, company president Howard Gung (龔俊豪) said.

title: Government to help 20,000 firms adopt AI technology


content_text:
Largan Precision Co (大立光), a key iPhone lens supplier, yesterday reported that its gross margin in the second quarter was flat from the previous quarter at 49.41 percent, albeit down from 53.62 percent a year earlier.

The margin outlook for this quarter would depend on yields of its new products, Largan chairman Adam Lin (林恩平) told an earnings conference, adding that yields of new advanced smartphone camera lens modules, particularly variable-aperture lenses, are still improving.

The company expects shipments of advanced smartphone camera lenses to increase this quarter from last quarter, when deliveries were capped by stringent particle-control requirements and manufacturing complexity, Lin said.

Largan Precision Co CEO Adam Lin poses for a photograph at the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting in Taichung on June 9. Photo: CNA

During the April-to-June period, Largan’s revenue rose 17.07 percent year-on-year to NT$13.66 billion (US$424.51 million), while net profit surged 352 percent to NT$4.67 billion, or earnings per share of NT$35.72, the company said.

Capital expenditure last quarter totaled NT$2.78 billion, it said.

This month, revenue is expected to increase from NT$3.71 billion last month, with further growth expected next month as the peak season effect gathers pace, Lin said.

September shipments are still expected to be broadly in line with the company’s earlier projections, he said.

Shortages of key components, such as memory chips, have not significantly affected customers’ smartphone order forecasts, Lin said.

However, factory utilization is still below normal this quarter, he said.

Fourth-quarter performance could surpass that of the third quarter, as some customers have pushed back shipment schedules, he added.

Development of next year’s smartphone camera lens modules is already under way, as customers typically begin developing new products one to two years in advance, Lin said.

The company expects further specification upgrades for high-end smartphone camera lenses, with wider adoption of periscope lenses likely next year, he said.

Another key takeaway of the conference was the company’s push into the copackaged optics business to supply fiber arrays.

Largan is focusing on fiber arrays rather than complete copackaged optics solutions, and is preparing to send samples to a customer this month for certification, Lin said.

The company plans to complete pilot production lines at the end of this quarter and expects to begin mass production and see revenue contribution in the middle of next year, he said.

The project would initially focus on fiber array products, with a customer currently requiring a one-row design, he said.

If customers later require complete units, Largan would also be able to supply them, he said.

The company continues to automate its fiber array production using in-house equipment, with manufacturing precision improved to below 0.3 microns, Lin said.

Largan has also developed a viable solution for prism microlens array technology, but it is unclear whether it could compete with semiconductor-based and quartz-glass alternatives, he said.

Commenting on Corning Inc’s glass bridge optical interconnect technology, Lin said it is designed primarily for edge couplers, while grating couplers, which Largan is focused on, remain the dominant technology.

He also dismissed concerns that edge couplers would replace grating couplers.

title: Largan lens yields to shape margins


content_text:
Price hikes of server DRAM chips are expected to moderate to 13 percent to 18 percent sequentially this quarter as US cloud service providers (CSPs) have locked down capacity through early long-term supply agreements, TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) said yesterday.

Contract prices for server DRAM chips skyrocketed by 53 percent to 58 percent in the second quarter, the Taipei-based researcher said in a report.

The price hikes in the third quarter will mainly come from customers that did not sign long-term agreements or price adjustments from new orders not covered by those agreements, TrendForce said.

A Samsung Electronics Co memory module is displayed at a shareholders’ meeting in Suwon, South Korea, on March 18. Photo: Bloomberg

“We expect contract server DRAM prices to climb in a narrower range each quarter from the second half of this year to the second half of next year,” it said.

The uptrend trajectory remains unchanged as supply scarcity is expected to continue for some time, it said.

With the supply of central processing units (CPUs) projected to catch up in the second half of this year and next year, server production is expected to scale up again, which would reinforce a short supply of DRAM chips, TrendForce said.

As a result, CSPs are likely to seek more DRAM chip supply next year, it said.

The supply of registered dual in-line memory modules (RDIMM), a type of computer memory module used primarily in general-purpose servers and high-end workstations, would rise 15 percent to 20 percent annually next year, significantly falling behind the supply growth in server CPUs, TrendForce said.

That could lead to a short supply of RDIMM next year, it said.

The blended average selling prices of high-bandwidth memory chips used in artificial intelligence servers are to gain 8 percent to 13 percent this quarter, compared with a rise of up to 58 percent last quarter, it said.

title: Soaring server DRAM prices to moderate: report


title: Convenience on the go

content_text: A worker moves a Hi-Life convenience store from under the Chongsin Bridge in New Taipei City’s Sanchong District ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Bavi. The store, which is made from a shipping container, usually has to be temporarily emptied and relocated during typhoons due to its proximity to the Dahan River.


taiwan-subdivisions: 太平 琉球 東沙

people: 習近平 吳釗燮

content_text:
In a June 23 interview with the Association of the US Army (AUSA), General Ronald Clark, commanding officer of US Army Pacific (USARPAC), the US Army’s largest service component command, said that the annual multinational “Operation Pathways” exercises in the Indo-Pacific region have been preparing forces to respond to a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan. His remarks were a rare but direct acknowledgment of the US military’s efforts to refine its operational strategy in response to potential Chinese aggression in the Taiwan Strait and along the First Island Chain.

While disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have shaken global energy markets, the Taiwan Strait’s strategic importance has gained renewed attention as a major maritime chokepoint and semiconductor hub. Following US President Donald Trump’s May summit pledge with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to build “strategic stability,” Beijing has intensified military deployments along the First Island Chain, raising regional security concerns.

It appears that China interprets the US pursuit of “strategic stability” as a form of “acquiescence” that allows Beijing to escalate pressure on countries in the reigon, particularly Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines.

Last month, China announced that it would conduct “special maritime traffic law-enforcement operations” to patrol waters around Taiwan, reportedly in response to exclusive economic zone (EEZ) negotiations between Japan and the Philippines. However, the operation was not limited to areas surrounding Taiwan; it was extended east of Taiwan and into waters near Siaoliouciou (小琉球) and Pratas (Dongsha 東沙) islands, as well as the restricted naval zone surrounding Taiping Island (Itu Aba Island, 太平島), which is controlled by Taiwan in the South China Sea.

In addition to continued harassment of Japanese vessels near the disputed Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台), China has dispatched coast guard vessels into Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around Yonaguni Island in the East China Sea, where they confronted Japanese coast guard patrols.

China’s pressure on the Philippines over Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island 黃岩島) has also intensified, with Beijing sending joint naval and air patrols into the surrounding waters.

National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) posted a map on Saturday showing Chinese maritime deployments stretching from South Korea and Japan to the Philippines and Vietnam, warning that China had deployed a record number of more than 110 military and coast guard vessels along the First Island Chain.

Beijing’s expanding maritime mobilization along the First Island Chain reflects a “gray zone” salami-slicing approach to create a new “status quo.” However, while raising international concerns, China’s actions have also prompted the US and regional allies to enhance strategic coordination across the Indo-Pacific region.

According to a Korea JoongAng report, Clark stated at an AUSA Coffee Series event that “Operation Pathways” — the US Army’s Indo-Pacific strategic framework linking more than 50 multinational exercises with Pacific allies — is preparing forces to respond to potential Chinese aggression. The US has also established Army Prepositioned Stocks in South Korea, Japan, the Philippines and Australia, enabling rapid access to equipment and ammunition.

Regarding the Pentagon’s decision to rename the US Indo-Pacific Command the US Pacific Command, Sarang Shidore, director of the Global South Program at the Quincy Institute, said the change signals “The U.S. is now focused on a narrower, militarized line of defense, specifically the First Island Chain, which runs from Japan to the Philippines.” Ken Moriyasu, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said that the name change suggests the US would focus on the Taiwan Strait in a potential conflict with China, while regional allies and partners assume greater conventional defense responsibilities elsewhere.

Meanwhile, G7 countries, representative offices UK, France and Germany in Taiwan and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) have criticized China’s coercive actions. AIT emphasized that “Taiwan has peacefully administered the waters for over 70 years” and urged dialogue, implying Taiwan’s jurisdiction over surrounding waters a status quo cannot be changed unilaterally.

Because of China’s increasingly assertive actions, a new strategic concept is emerging that views the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and even the waters between the first and second island chains as a connected theater of military operations.

A Taiwan contingency would not only be a crisis for Japan, but also a challenge affecting Western democracies, like-minded regional partners and the broader international community. Through its actions, Beijing has made developments in the Taiwan Strait a matter of global concern.

title: EDITORIAL: China’s maritime gambit


content_text:
Drug trafficking operates as a complete supply chain, encompassing overseas production, cross-border smuggling, domestic distribution and, ultimately, delivery into the hands of users.

Every link in that chain contributes to the proliferation of illicit drugs.

In the past few years, emerging drugs have spread rapidly via the Internet, social media and logistics networks, making detection even more difficult.

If drugs continue to flow into Taiwan, even aggressive crackdowns on street-level trafficking would do little to meaningfully reduce the overall drug supply.

Therefore, the core principle of anti-drug efforts must be that stopping drug-impaired driving begins with cutting off the source of the drug supply.

Only by intercepting drugs at the source can the number of drug users be reduced — along with related crimes such as drug-impaired driving — thereby truly safeguarding public safety.

The government’s plan to introduce drones to assist drug enforcement is a highly anticipated development.

Drones possess many advantages, including aerial surveillance, real-time video transmission, night-vision capabilities and rapid mobility, which could help strengthen enforcement efforts in high-risk areas such as mountainous regions, coastlines, ports, river mouths and offshore islands.

Beyond drones, other technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, satellite imagery, hotspot analysis and the comparison of flight paths and traffic flows should also be incorporated into the nation’s overall anti-drug strategy.

Through cross-agency intelligence sharing and technological integration, the National Security Bureau, the judicial police and the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau could significantly improve the effectiveness of drug enforcement efforts.

However, technology is but a tool — the real test lies in whether the government would follow through with effective implementation.

Drug traffickers continually adapt their methods, using fishing vessels, shipping containers, courier services, small parcels and even uncrewed vehicles to smuggle drugs across international borders.

Therefore, in addition to enhancing technological surveillance, the government must pursue legal reforms, deepen international cooperation and improve interagency coordination to effectively limit opportunities for the flow of illicit drugs.

Drug-impaired driving is no ordinary traffic infraction — it is a serious crime that poses a significant threat to public safety.

Driving under the influence of drugs can not only destroy the offender’s own life, but can also take the lives of innocent people and inflict irreparable pain on families.

The social costs far exceed those associated with run-of-the-mill crimes.

To effectively combat drugs, we cannot wait for tragedies to occur before addressing the damage.

Only by combining anti-drug strategies — including cutting off illegal drug supplies at the source, leveraging technology to curb drug trafficking, and cracking down on drug-impaired driving — with the rule of law, education, addiction treatment and interagency cooperation can Taiwan truly reduce the spread of drugs and prevent further tragedies caused by drug-impaired driving.

Chen Ching-yun is a former director of the Legislative Yuan’s Bureau of Legal Affairs.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

title: Nip drug trafficking in the bud


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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to India on Tuesday brought a sense of optimism despite the uncertain situation in the Indo-Pacific region.

The India-Japan Summit had a comprehensive agenda and demonstrated the readiness of both countries to enhance collaboration across economic security, resilient supply chains, critical minerals, advanced technologies and regional connectivity.

The joint statement reflected the evolution of bilateral relations. It framed India-Japan cooperation not as a standalone partnership, but as part of a broader regional and global framework involving the G7, G20, East Asia Summit and the Quad. Japan’s enhanced Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision was aligned with India’s Act East Policy and its initiatives in the Indian Ocean region.

For Taiwan, whose security and prosperity depend on open sea lanes, trusted technology ecosystems and resilient supply chains, this convergence carries particular significance.

Recent developments in Washington have nevertheless generated uncertainty. Questions over the timing of the next Quad Leaders’ Summit, renewed discussion of the US’ strategic priorities, and signs of a possible recalibration in US-China relations make the region anxious. Whatever direction US policy ultimately takes, one conclusion is becoming evident: The future of the Indo-Pacific region cannot depend entirely on the priorities of a single power.

The intellectual foundations of the Indo-Pacific concept are often traced to former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe’s “Confluence of the Two Seas” speech and Japan’s subsequent promotion of a FOIP vision. India complemented this approach through its Act East Policy, the Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions initiative and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, while Australia increasingly linked its security interests to maintaining a rules-based maritime order.

The Quad represents cooperation among like-minded regional democracies rather than a formal US-led alliance.

The India-Japan Summit reaffirmed practical Quad cooperation in areas including maritime security, critical and emerging technologies, economic security critical minerals, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. It also reiterated support for ASEAN Centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, while proposing a new India-Japan-Philippines Track 1.5 Dialogue. These initiatives strengthen the broader strategic environment in which Taiwan operates, even though Taiwan is not formally included in these frameworks.

Japan has consistently evolved its FOIP vision. Under Takaichi, the framework has expanded beyond maritime security to encompass artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, energy resilience and secure supply chains. This aligns with India’s emphasis on strategic autonomy, trusted technologies and resilient economic partnerships. As a global leader in advanced semiconductors and digital innovation, Taiwan is a natural stakeholder in this evolving framework. Although political constraints limit formal engagement, practical cooperation on technology standards, supply-chain resilience and critical infrastructure could benefit all regional partners.

Following Takaichi’s visit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand and is to attend the East Asia Summit in the Philippines later this year. This sustained diplomatic outreach reflects India’s growing engagement with Indo-Pacific partners and its willingness to help shape regional policies alongside like-minded countries.

Australia is pursuing a similar approach. Its expanding defense partnership with Japan, including the selection of the Mogami-class frigate design, along with its growing cooperation with India, demonstrates how middle powers are strengthening defense-industrial cooperation and interoperability without forming formal alliances.

Such networked partnerships reduce reliance on any single external actor while enhancing regional resilience.

India has consistently maintained that the Quad is not an Asian NATO. Strategic autonomy remains central to its foreign policy, but autonomy does not mean inaction.

A stronger India-Japan-Australia partnership, working alongside willing ASEAN partners such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, could deepen cooperation in maritime domain awareness, cybersecurity, critical minerals, infrastructure development and capacity building.

Taiwan can make significant contributions in areas such as semiconductor resilience, digital governance, cybersecurity and trusted supply chains without altering political positions.

China’s expanding naval presence, economic coercion and use of critical supply chains as strategic leverage continue to raise concerns across the Indo-Pacific. At the same time, many ASEAN members seek to avoid becoming entangled in great-power rivalry. Middle powers hold a comparative advantage.

Their focus on development, trusted technologies, maritime capacity building and economic opportunities offers regional states credible alternatives without forcing them into binary choices.

The future of the Indo-Pacific region will not depend solely on military deterrence. It will also be shaped by resilient supply chains, technological innovation, digital connectivity and inclusive economic growth.

Any perception of declining US enthusiasm for the Quad should be viewed not only as a challenge, but also as an opportunity for Japan, India and Australia to assume greater regional leadership.

The Takaichi-Modi summit, along with Modi’s forthcoming meetings with regional leaders, could become important milestones if they translate shared strategic perspectives into practical cooperation.

For Taiwan, the message is equally significant. A FOIP will be sustained not by any single power, but by a network of capable democracies and responsible middle powers.

The US will remain indispensable, but the future direction of the Indo-Pacific region will increasingly be shaped in Tokyo, New Delhi and Canberra.

Gurjit Singh is a former Indian ambassador to Germany, Indonesia, ASEAN, Ethiopia and the African Union. He is the author of The Durian Flavour: India and its Act East Policy.

title: The key to Indo-Pacific security


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On Wednesday last week, China officially implemented its Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law.

Beyond the national security concerns already raised by many observers, there are also implications for many of Taiwan’s most important semiconductor companies, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), which have manufacturing operations in China.

The new law has the potential to fold “united front” work and corporate management into the same legal framework.

As US-China technology competition intensifies, the potential impact of the law on Taiwan’s semiconductor operations in China has emerged as a legal issue and a growing geopolitical risk.

The law’s potential impact on TSMC and the rest of Taiwan’s technology sector should be assessed in terms of revenue, manufacturing operations and personnel stationed in China.

Last year, revenue from Chinese customers accounted for a much smaller share of TSMC’s business than revenue from North America, but the company still operates an 8-inch wafer fabrication plant in Shanghai and a 12-inch fab in Nanjing.

Article 45 of the new ethnic unity Law states: “Enterprises and public institutions shall abide by social ethics, fulfill social responsibilities, and integrate the requirements for strengthening the sense of community of the Chinese nation into business training, cultural development and other activities to promote national unity and progress.”

For Taiwanese companies operating factories in China, this provision could create significant legal compliance and political risks.

Although Beijing has not yet imposed concrete political requirements on TSMC under the new law, its demand that enterprises “strengthen the sense of community of the Chinese nation” could place Taiwanese companies in a difficult position between legal compliance and avoiding political actions that undermine Taiwan’s interests.

For Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, the greater risk lies in conflicting demands from US export controls, China’s political requirements and national security concerns.

TSMC need not leave China, but should reduce exposure of key personnel, data and technologies while strengthening cybersecurity and contingency plans.

Taiwan must prepare for the possibility of deterioration in cross-strait relations.

In such a scenario, Beijing could employ legal measures, administrative investigations and market regulations to increase pressure on Taiwanese businesses.

That could heighten the risk of Taiwanese employees in China being subjected to questioning or restrictions on their personal freedoms, and of companies coming under pressure with regard to their corporate assets, trade secrets, and operational data.

Going forward, the government should coordinate more closely together among the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Mainland Affairs Council and national security agencies to establish comprehensive risk guidelines for technology companies operating in China.

The guidelines should help businesses gradually reduce their concentration of production capacity and critical technologies in China, protect commercial secrets, and safeguard the personal safety of Taiwanese employees.

With Beijing explicitly seeking to turn the idea that “we are all Chinese” into a political obligation for companies to embrace, Taiwan can no longer afford to treat industrial security and national security as separate issues.

Michael Lin holds a master’s degree from National Taiwan University’s Graduate Institute of National Development.

Translated by Gilda Knox Streader

title: China’s new legal threat to Taiwan’s businesses


title: EDITORIAL CARTOON

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For years, international media and residents have lamented the treacherous conditions of Taiwan’s streets. Authorities have rolled out various crackdowns and stricter law enforcement. Yet, despite a staggering NT$14.2 billion (US$444.7 million) collected in traffic fines in 2024 alone, Taiwan’s roads remain as dangerous as ever. This exposes a fundamental flaw in Taiwan’s approach to traffic safety: an over-reliance on punitive measures over structural reform. A recent proposal by lawmakers to hold a referendum earmarking traffic fine revenue for road safety infrastructure and public transport subsidies is a step forward. It challenges the habit of treating traffic enforcement as a

By Hung Yu-jui 洪昱睿


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Khamenei funeral signals Iran’s defiance and new regional order

The funeral of late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was more than a national farewell. The sea of mourners in Tehran sent a message to the US and Israel that their attempt to break the Islamic republic had failed.

Rather than looking weakened by the war that began with US and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, Iran presented itself as defiant, unified and determined to shape what comes next.

That defiance and ability to survive now underpin Iran’s negotiating strategy, regional officials, diplomats and analysts say, depicting the funeral as the moment Tehran sought to transform endurance into leverage.

NOT ‘A DIAMOND FOR A LOLLIPOP’

The war, they said, has underlined Iran’s leverage over the Strait of Hormuz and enabled it to demand that any deal on its nuclear program begins with recognition that its control over the vital oil chokepoint is a reality that must be accepted.

A 60-day ceasefire was intended by Washington to revive diplomacy on stopping Iran developing a nuclear arsenal, but has instead opened a different contest.

In this contest, Iran’s location rather than its uranium is its most powerful asset, with Tehran seeking to convert wartime gains into permanent strategic advantage by securing acceptance of its dominant position around the strait

The 60-day clock toward a final deal following the ceasefire agreement and the accompanying memorandum of understanding is yet to start. In that vacuum, Iran is setting the pace.

Although huge revenues might be earned from charging fees for vessels using the strait, Tehran sees Hormuz less as an economic asset than as a source of political legitimacy, Alex Vatanka of the US-based Middle East Institute said.

“The symbolic part is more important for the Iranians than revenues,” Vatanka said. “They want some kind of symbolic acceptance that the strait is Iran’s. It’s about accepting Iran as the sovereign power over the Strait.”

Citing a Persian saying, Vatanka added: “Why give away a diamond for a lollipop?”

According to Tehran’s calculation, Hormuz is the diamond. Sanctions relief and frozen assets are the lollipop.

‘DIVINE BLESSING’

Iran’s leadership has echoed this position.

“The Strait of Hormuz is our greatest power tool; we must properly protect this divine blessing,” Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said, adding that Iran would “under no circumstances relinquish its rights” there.

Iran is deliberately slowing negotiations to lock in what it sees as the war’s dividends before returning to the nuclear question, regional sources and diplomats say.

For Tehran — which denies seeking a nuclear bomb — uranium can wait, but consolidating its position on Hormuz cannot, said Alan Eyre, a former US diplomat with expertise on Iran.

“Iran is perfectly happy to play for time and just drag negotiations out,” Eyre said. “It wants control of Hormuz and is holding talks to institutionalize that control.”

That could mean embedding its influence through transit arrangements, coordination mechanisms or charges for services along the corridor that carries a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, while Gulf states wait to see whether Washington can or is able to reverse the new reality.

Tehran believes US President Donald Trump — constrained by domestic politics and wary of another confrontation before midterm congressional elections to in November — is under more pressure to secure a deal than Iran is to make concessions.

“The Iranians know that President Trump wants to get out; he wants to move on,” Eyre said. “They know they can squeeze him because time is on their side.”

Aaron David Miller, a former US Middle East negotiator, said Washington’s military campaign had failed to break Iran’s leverage, leaving US diplomacy with a flawed ceasefire whose implementation has become a battleground.

Tehran has little reason to engage seriously on its nuclear program until it is confident the new reality around Hormuz has been accepted and meaningful progress made on unlocking billions of dollars in frozen assets held abroad, he said.

“The 60-day clock was always a fantasy,” Miller said. “The Iranians are not going to move to the nuclear file until they’re relatively confident, they’ve achieved this new status quo. They want to make sure that Trump understands, and that the world understands, that there’s no going back to February 27.”

IRAN Will not GIVE UP HORMUZ

Iran is exploiting what Miller calls the key reality of the post-war order — neither US military power nor the threat of a US naval blockade fundamentally altered its position on the Strait of Hormuz.

“They’re not going to give it up,” he said.

Emirates Policy Center president Ebtesam al-Ketbi said that by halting the war without resolving the issues that caused it, Washington may have helped elevate Hormuz from being a pressure point into a lasting source of leverage for Tehran.

Gulf officials worry that by showing Iran’s ability to shape events around the strait, the war created an advantage that Tehran will be reluctant to surrender even in exchange for sanctions relief or progress on the nuclear file.

“They are twisting the arms of the Americans and everybody,” al Ketbi said. “Now that they have found this Hormuz treasure, they will not leave it.”

Washington is likely to have to accept the reopening of the strait under conditions largely dictated by Tehran, analysts say.

“No one’s going to win, but Iran will lose less than the United States will,” Eyre said.


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‘HITTING MACHINE’: The Taiwanese infielder started what became a three-run rally for Boston in the third, before sending in another runner and scoring in the fourth

Taiwanese shortstop Cheng Tsung-che on Wednesday recorded his second consecutive multi-hit game and his first with multiple RBIs, driving in two runs to help the Red Sox blank the White Sox 5-0 in Chicago, as Boston extended their winning streak to five.

Batting ninth, Cheng went 2-for-3 with two singles, a walk, two RBIs and a strikeout, raising his batting average to .273.

In the top of the third inning, Cheng lined an RBI single with Jarren Duran on second to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. Cheng took second on the throw home after Chicago failed to get Duran.

The Boston Red Sox’s Taiwanese infielder Cheng Tsung-che high-fives teammates after scoring against the Chicago White Sox during their MLB game at Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Cheng then advanced to third on a wild pitch before Ceddanne Rafaela drove the Taiwanese infielder in to double the lead, while sending Anthony Seigler to third.

Seigler then scored on a wild pitch from Davis Martin (9-4), that resulted in him leaving the game after a nasty collision with catcher Kyle Teel at the plate.

In the fourth, Boston’s Carlos Narvaez hit an RBI single of his own before Cheng added his second RBI of the night with a line drive to right field with runners on the corners, extending the lead to 5-0.

New England Sports Network color commentator and ex-Boston infielder Lou Merloni called Cheng “a hitting machine,” after his single in the fourth.

Cheng drew a walk in the sixth, but was caught stealing second before striking out in his final plate appearance in the eighth.

Cheng on Sunday had the first multi-hit game of his MLB career in Boston’s 7-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Cheng also scored in the third inning of that game on a Willson Contreras homer.

Red Sox starter Jake Bennett on Wednesday allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings for his best outing of the season. Bennett (4-3) has allowed more than two runs just twice in eight starts. He struck out four and walked one.

Boston have won 10 of 12 and 13 of their past 18 games. The Red Sox are 42-48 for the season and remain fourth in the American League East, half a game behind the third-place Toronto Blue Jays and 12 games behind the division leading Tampa Bay Rays.

In Cincinnati, Ohio, the Reds became the first team this season to hit four home runs in an inning, accomplishing the feat during the fourth inning of their 11-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

“That was a fun inning. We drove some balls the other way and got rewarded for it,” Reds manager Terry Francona said.

Noelvi Marte led off the fourth with a solo shot off Phillies starter Alan Rangel to put Cincinnati ahead 3-2. With two outs, Elly De La Cruz hit a two-run drive to right-center off Tanner Banks, and rookie Sal Stewart and JJ Bleday followed with solo homers.

The last team in the majors to do it was the Phillies, who had four homers in the bottom of the seventh inning on Sept. 24 last year, against the Miami Marlins.

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves broke up a combined perfect-game bid by Pirates pitchers Jared Jones and Mason Montgomery in the seventh inning.

Jones started and struck out eight on 77 pitches, including 53 strikes, before being replaced by Montgomery at the start of the seventh. Montgomery got Michael Harris II to ground out to first before allowing a single to left field by Ozzie Albies, ending the bid at 6-1/3 innings.

Atlanta catcher Joey Bart hit a two-run home run off Dennis Santana with two outs in the eighth and the Braves won 3-0.

“It was fun. Felt good the whole game. It was just fun playing baseball,” Jones said. “It does suck. Something’s cool coming on, but I’m on what? My eighth start off of surgery? I completely understand it, and it is what it is.”

Elsewhere on Wednesday, the Blue Jays rolled to a 10-0 win over the San Francisco Giants, the Tampa Bay Rays blanked the New York Yankees 3-0, the Miami Marlins sank the Seattle Mariners 2-0, the Detroit Tigers mauled the Athletics 6-1 and the Washington Nationals pounded the Houston Astros 8-2.

The Chicago Cubs outslugged the Baltimore Orioles 9-7, the New York Mets rallied past the Kansas City Royals 6-2, the St Louis Cardinals defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1, the Los Angeles Angels dominated the Texas Rangers 13-1, the Minnesota Twins defeated the Guardians 6-5 for their fourth consecutive win over Cleveland, the Los Angeles Dodgers survived the Colorado Rockies 4-3 and the San Diego Padres devastated the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-4.

title: Cheng drives in two in Boston victory


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Taiwan’s Liang En-shuo and Japanese tennis partner Shuko Aoyama on Wednesday defeated Ellen Perez of Australia and Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands in straight sets to advance to the women’s doubles semi-finals.

The 6-4, 6-4 victory sends the Taiwanese-Japanese duo to their second consecutive Grand Slam semi-final since they made their doubles debut at the French Open last month.

Seeded 13th, Liang and Aoyama broke serve at 4-4 in the opening set to take a crucial 5-4 lead before serving out the set 6-4.

Taiwan’s Liang En-shuo, right, and Japanese partner Shuko Aoyama high-five in an undated photograph. Photo: AFP

The second set followed a similar pattern, with Liang and Aoyama breaking serve at 4-4 to take a 5-4 lead before closing out the match.

Liang and Aoyama committed just six unforced errors in the match, compared with Perez and Schuurs’ 15, a key factor in the win.

The Taiwanese-Japanese pair next face No. 2 seeds Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Luisa Stefani of Brazil in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, British wildcard Arthur Fery extended his sensational Wimbledon run into a semi-final against French Open champion Alexander Zverev, after Marta Kostyuk set up a women’s last-four clash with Linda Noskova.

Fery, the world No. 114, dismantled Roland Garros runner-up Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-0 to become the first Wimbledon wildcard to reach the men’s last four since Goran Ivanisevic won the 2001 title.

Incredibly, Fery is just two victories away from emulating Ivanisevic and becoming the first British man to win Wimbledon since Andy Murray in 2016.

“It gets better and better every match. It’s incredible. I just can’t believe it,” Fery said to his adoring new fans, who created a partisan atmosphere on Centre Court.

He is the third-lowest ranked man since 1985 to reach the Wimbledon semis, after world No. 237 Vladimir Voltchkov in 2000 and world No. 125 Ivanisevic in 2001.

Fery, who turns 24 on Sunday, said he was congratulated after the match by Britain’s Queen Camilla, who was watching his exploits from the Royal Box.

“I told her it was my birthday on Sunday, so it would be great to play the Wimbledon final on my birthday,” he said.

Zverev romped to a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 victory over sixth seed Taylor Fritz, making his first semi-final at the All England Club by snapping a seven-match losing streak against the American.

Ukraine’s Kostyuk raced to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over former Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini in 69 minutes on Centre Court, while Czech ninth seed Noskova advanced after beating Belgian veteran Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-5 on Court One.

title: Liang, Aoyama reach Wimbledon semis


title: FIFA refereeing chairman rejects claims of bias

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FIFA Referee Committee chairman Pierluigi Collina defended the officiating in Argentina’s 3-2 victory over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup round of 16, dismissing allegations of bias and saying that match officials operated with complete independence.

In an interview published yesterday on inside.fifa.com, Collina said that criticism of referees was part of soccer, but he condemned the questioning of the officials’ integrity after Egypt complained about the officiating following the defeat.

“Constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport,” Collina said. “Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials... Nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA president [Gianni Infantino].”

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan, center left, speaks with French referee Francois Letexier, center right, as Egypt’s Mohamed Salah looks on during their FIFA World Cup round-of-16 match against Argentina in Atlanta on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Collina said that such allegations could provoke threats against referees and their families.

Egypt exited the tournament, but claimed they had been treated unfairly after Argentina overturned a 2-0 deficit to snatch victory with a stoppage-time winner from Enzo Fernandez.

Coach Hossam Hassan said after the match that there might have been pressure on the referee to keep Argentina in the tournament.

The Egyptian Football Association said that “several key incidents raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the course of the game.”

Egypt said that Mostafa Zico’s second-half strike was incorrectly ruled out for what it described as a nonexistent foul in the buildup. Egypt were also incensed that a challenge on Mohamed Salah was not penalized moments before Argentina launched the move that produced the winning goal.

FIFA’s Collina said the video assistant referee (VAR) had correctly recommended overturning Zico’s goal after identifying a foul by Marwan Attia on Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez during the attacking possession phase.

“We believe that a foul is a foul,” Collina said. “Regardless of whether the foul appears ‘obvious,’ if the referee did not see it on the field of play, the VAR can intervene.”

Meanwhile, Infantino could face an investigation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after a rights group on Wednesday announced plans to file a complaint alleging he breached political neutrality rules through his support for US President Donald Trump.

Human rights group FairSquare said it would lodge the complaint with the committee regarding Infantino’s “repeated breach of political neutrality rules,” escalating a dispute that has already seen them challenge FIFA’s own ethics processes.

Infantino has been an IOC member since 2020.


title: Thousands attend funeral for Afghan cricketer Zadran

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Thousands of fans yesterday attended a Kabul funeral for Afghan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran, who helped shape the country’s early rise in international cricket.

Zadran died on Tuesday — a day before his 39th birthday — at a hospital in India, where he was being treated for a rare immune system disorder.

Some of Afghanistan’s biggest cricket stars, including Mohammad Nabi and Fazal Haq Farooqi, attended the funeral at the Eidgah Mosque in central Kabul.

People attend the funeral of former Afghan cricketer Shapoor Zadran in Kabul yesterday. Photo: EPA

Several Taliban officials were also present.

“When I saw on social media that Shapoor isn’t anymore among us, tears starting dropping from my eyes,” said Wahidullah Wahdat, a 27-year-old businessman who attended.

Zadran, a pin-up idol with flowing long hair, was a “humble and loyal person,” Wahdat added.

Mohammad Usman Maftoon, 18, called Zadran’s death “a big loss for the nation.”

The Afghanistan Cricket Board hailed Zadran as a “foundation-laying figure” of the country’s sport, whose dedication and commitment helped propel the national team to the international stage.

A strapping left-arm quick, Zadran played 44 one-day internationals and 36 Twenty20 matches between 2009 and 2020, representing Afghanistan during a period of rapid growth for the sport in the country.

He featured in four T20 World Cups between 2010 and 2016, taking nine wickets in as many matches.

“He was among the proud cricketers who stood at the heart of Afghanistan’s early cricket journey and helped build the path that brought Afghan cricket to the international stage,” the cricket board said.


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Mongolian wrestlers train their bodies and minds for national competition

The whistle blows, sending dozens of hulking wrestlers chasing a soccer ball in the Mongolian grasslands — a World Cup twist in their grueling training for one of the country’s oldest sporting traditions.

“The World Cup is happening now, so we wanted to do something creative,” said four-time national champion Batsuuri “Basu” Namsraijav, who has founded his own training camp where wrestlers spend weeks preparing for the annual Naadam competition.

The brief change of pace in the otherwise demanding program “is still an intense workout,” Basu said.

Mongolian wrestlers spar at a training camp on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar on June 24, ahead of the Naadam competition. Photo: AFP

The cohort training at his newly built Basu Sports Complex are among more than 1,000 wrestlers from across the East Asian country hoping to emerge victorious from the two-day Naadam tournament this month, known colloquially as the “Three Manly Games” — traditional wrestling, horse racing and archery.

The wrestlers “have to prepare every part of themselves — their bodies, their food, their minds,” Basu said.

Access to the camp, on the Mongolian steppe about 100km from the capital, Ulaanbaatar, is heavily restricted, with few visitors allowed.

Training begins at dawn, followed by two sparring sessions, and a calorie-rich lunch of beef or mutton, vegetables and bowls of milk tea.

Wrestlers spend about a month living in traditional gers and wooden cabins, and training at the camp’s indoor arena and gym or outdoor practice field.

As Naadam competitions take place outdoors, training in the grasslands helps wrestlers prepare, 38-year-old Basu said.

“It used to be much simpler,” he said. “Now we have a place where athletes can train properly while still staying close to nature.”

Naadam is “our national Olympics,” and victory brings honor to the winner’s family and province, he said.

Unlike Olympic wrestling, Mongolia’s traditional style has no weight classes or time limits, and sometimes a single bout can last close to an hour. A wrestler loses only when any body part other than the soles of his feet touches the ground.

It is not uncommon for lightweight or young competitors — such as last year’s champion Batmagnai Enkhtuvshin, born in 2001 — to defeat much larger opponents.

The training camps, where older athletes pass on techniques to younger generations, remain one of the sport’s defining features.

They still draw many men — women are not allowed to wrestle — to the grasslands even as the country is rapidly urbanizing.

Sumiyabazar Naranbaatar, a 22-year-old training at Basu’s camp, said he took up wrestling after Naadam was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It felt very odd,” he said. “It has such a long history, and suddenly, there was no wrestling. That was when I decided to pursue wrestling. I had always wanted to become a wrestler, so I thought, why not give it a shot?”

As the evening sun dipped behind the hills, Sumiyabazar and the other wrestlers drifted back to their lodgings.

In the final days before Naadam, training would intensify — and there would be no more soccer.


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The Russian Athletics Federation yesterday announced it would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) challenging World Athletics extending the blanket ban on their track and field athletes.

“Russian Athletics notes that World Athletics’ decision affects the fundamental interests of athletics in Russia and restricts Russian athletes’ right to compete, on grounds that Russian Athletics considers discriminatory,” read the federation’s statement.

World Athletics on Friday last week announced that the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes — imposed in March 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — would remain in place.

From left, the Olympic flag, the Russian flag and the flag of the Russian Olympic Committee fly at the committee’s headquarters in Moscow on Wednedsay. Photo: Reuters

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said the body’s council meeting had “been consequential and methodical in reviewing the sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus and in identifying a conditional pathway back into international competition.”

“We presented options for the Council to consider on this matter; however, the original decision remains on the sanctions that protect the integrity and fairness of our competitions, with no tangible movement towards peace negotiations having materialized,” Coe said.

Its stand has been in contrast with other federations — World Gymnastics and the International Skating Union, the latest to ease restrictions.

Those came before this week’s announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that under strict conditions Russian athletes would be allowed to compete in team events and qualifying competitions for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“We made it clear that we wanted to ensure all athletes have the possibility to compete at the Olympic Games and not be held responsible for their government’s actions,” IOC president Kirsty Coventry said after an Executive Board meeting in Lausanne.

However, the IOC kept in place a ban on the Russian national anthem being played and the flag being displayed, for the time being, and stipulated that returning Russian athletes would have to pass “multiple” doping tests before being allowed to participate.

Individual sports could decide whether to allow the flag and anthem at their own events or stage competitions in Russia, the committee said.

Ukraine slammed the IOC decision as “premature” and “unfounded” while Moscow’s invasion drags on through its fifth year.

Athletics global governing body examined the impact of the conflict on athletics in Ukraine.

“The dedicated fund that World Athletics established in 2022 to support Ukraine is helping ameliorate some of that impact, but there is no doubt the ability of Ukraine and its athletes to train and compete remains severely compromised,” World Athletics said.

Coe has said that if a peace agreement is reached then it is not for sports to stand in the way of the Russians’ return.

However, the conflict appears to have left its mark on Coe after a visit to Ukraine.

He described what he witnessed in an interview last year, adding: “So, sorry, it’s not something I could ever really be neutral about.”

title: Russia to take on World Athletics at CAS over ban


title: US launches airstrikes; Iran retaliates

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BURIAL: Iran’s health ministry said that US airstrikes had killed at least 14 people and injured 78 as the nation prepared to bury Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Mashhad

The United States yesterday launched new airstrikes against Iran, and Tehran responded by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.

The US strikes came hours after US President Donald Trump said recent Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz signaled the end of a ceasefire.

The US struck a variety of military sites and port facilities early on Wednesday after Iran targeted several merchant vessels off the coast of Oman, sparking Iranian fire then as well.

People participate in a funeral procession for Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at Imam Hussein Shrine in Karbala, Iraq, yesterday. Photo: AFP

Yesterday’s attacks appeared bigger all around, with sirens sounding at least twice in Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters.

There was no immediate word of damage in the three Gulf Arab countries from attacks claimed by Iran’s military.

The US Central Command said it hit about 90 targets across Iran, releasing black-and-white footage of what appeared to be strikes on an airport runway and missile launchers.

“US forces remain vigilant lethal, and prepared to execute operations directed by the Commander in Chief,” it said.

The US said that the strikes were intended to “further degrade” Iran’s ability “to threaten freedom of navigation” in the strait.

Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations, including Bushehr, home to Iran’s nuclear power plant complex, and the southern port cities of Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Abbas and Sirik.

Iranian Ministry of Health spokesman Hossein Kermanpour wrote on X later yesterday that US airstrikes over the past two days had killed at least 14 people and wounded 78.

In Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province, at least three people were killed, state media reported.

In Iranshahr, authorities said a strike had killed a firefighter at an airport.

Those fatalities followed at least nine people being killed in Wednesday’s strikes in Iran.

For the first time since April, it also appeared that the US strikes targeted Iranian bridges.

State media reported a strike on a railway bridge in Golestan Province, while Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said two bridges had been attacked on the route to Mashhad, where officials planned to bury the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

It was not clear whether the Golestan attack was the same one mentioned by the Guard.

After leaving a NATO summit in Turkey, Trump posted several videos on Truth Social of what he said were explosions in Iran and issued another warning to the nation.

“This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!” Trump wrote.

Trump had said earlier in the day that the latest back-and-forth fighting would not result in “long-term” military action.

“Anything that happens is going to happen very fast,” Trump said.

Iran has said that the ceasefire deal gives it the right to manage traffic through the strait.

“America still hasn’t learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free. Let me put it plainly: if you strike, you’ll get hit,” Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a key negotiator in talks seeking a permanent end to the war, wrote on X yesterday.


title: NZ eyes joining Australia-Fiji defense pact

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‘LOGICAL’: NZ PM Christopher Luxon said that ‘we can develop a safer region,’ while the defense minister said it would be an ‘opportunity to grow Pacific unity’

New Zealand is considering joining a defense alliance signed by Australia and Fiji, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday.

The Ocean of Peace Alliance elevated Fiji to one of Australia’s few treaty allies and binds each nation to come to the other’s “mutual defense.”

The pact came as Canberra attempts to outmaneuver China in the South Pacific. It was signed on Monday hours before Beijing’s test of a long-range nuclear-capable missile that landed in the Pacific Ocean.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks at an ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 28 last year. Photo: Reuters

Australia and Fiji said that other Pacific countries with militaries can join the alliance.

“Fiji and Australia this week announced a commitment to become military allies, and New Zealand welcomes this,” Luxon said. “New Zealand and Australia share a close bond with a military alliance that continues to go from strength to strength, and we also have a strong and enduring relationship with Fiji.”

“We already work with both countries on how we can develop a safer region for all, so engaging with them on this alliance is logical,” he said.

New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters, who described China’s ballistic missile test as “deeply concerning,” said that Pacific leaders have long sought a Pacific-led response to regional security issues.

“Elevating our long-standing relationship with Australia and Fiji — and other Pacific nations — to the next level through an alliance would mean we become even closer partners,” Peters said.

New Zealand Minister of Defence Chris Penk said it would be an “opportunity to grow Pacific unity.”

Peters on Monday said that China’s missile test went against the wishes of Pacific nations, who he said “have been clear we do not want to see the region become a theater for outside military competition.”

“This launch is not consistent with regional stability and peace in the South Pacific,” he said, adding that it “now seems to be a recurring pattern by China.”

New Zealand’s Defence Force privately warned that Beijing’s naval forays and ballistic missile tests would become a “persistent” feature of the Pacific, an internal document showed.


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Authorities in southern China yesterday said that 39 people have died in flooding from Tropical Storm Maysak, as Taiwan and China’s east coast braced for another major storm.

Most of the deaths were related to the breach of a dam in an area east of the city of Nanning, which claimed 26 lives, Nanning Vice Mayor Ding Wei (丁偉) told a news conference.

Nine people were missing in the broader Guangxi region.

A photograph taken from a drone in Hengzhou, China, on Tuesday shows damage downstream after the Liulan reservoir dam breached. Photo: Reuters

Maysak brought record rainfall to Guangxi starting on Saturday, breaching reservoirs, and stranding people for days in homes and other buildings. The previously announced death toll was six people.

Typhoon Bavi is forecast to pass just north of Taiwan, bringing heavy rain to the nation, and make landfall in China’s Zhejiang or Fujian province tomorrow.

Heavy rain battered southern Guangxi for days, with cumulative rainfall of 10cm to 40cm in some areas and more than 90cm in hard-hit areas, the national meteorological center said.

The reservoir breaches sent torrents of water into towns and cities.

Drones and about 5,700 boats have been used in a massive relief and rescue operation to reach people trapped by the waters, with rescuers battling stiff currents and debris to try to reach people. About 130,000 people have been evacuated.

Ding said that the floodwaters are receding, but more rain is expected in some areas in the next two days.

Crews have been deployed to clear mud and debris and disinfect several towns in hard-hit Hengzhou city, which is east of Nanning and under its jurisdiction.

Road repairs are ongoing and electricity has been restored to more than 60,000 homes, Ding said.

title: Toll from flooding after storm in China increases to 39


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An Indian opposition party yesterday accused federal investigators of a “politically motivated” attack after US$46 million was frozen in its bank accounts as part of a money-laundering probe.

Critics and rights groups have accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of using law enforcement agencies to target its political foes.

India’s top financial crimes agency, the Enforcement Directorate, on Wednesday said that it was investigating alleged illegal transactions involving the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which governed West Bengal state for 15 years before Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) upstaged it in May.

Trinamool Congress party leader and former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, center, right, holds hands with other women at a protest in Kolkata, India, on June 17. Photo: Reuters

The agency said that US$16.8 million was transferred from TMC-linked bank accounts to an aviation firm and associated companies between April 2023 and last month.

Investigators said that the funds were used to purchase a private jet and a helicopter that were subsequently leased back to the party.

The TMC has denied any wrongdoing, saying all funds had been “fully and transparently disclosed” to authorities.

“The Enforcement Directorate’s decision to freeze the party’s bank accounts is a politically motivated act. We strongly condemn this arbitrary and illegal action,” it said in a statement on Wednesday. “The misuse of investigative agencies to target political opponents has become a hallmark of the BJP’s politics, and represents a serious assault on democratic institutions and the principles of a level playing field.”

Several Indian opposition leaders have faced criminal investigations in the past few years, including Arvind Kejriwal, the former chief minister of Delhi.

Kejriwal spent months in jail in 2024 after being arrested over allegations that his administration received kickbacks in the allocation of liquor licenses. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, another opposition leader, was also arrested and jailed in 2024 on corruption charges that he has denied.

The BJP has said that corruption cases are pursued independently and in accordance with the law.

title: Indian opposition party says it is facing vendetta


title: Argentine ex-commander convicted over sub tragedy

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An Argentine court on Wednesday convicted a former naval officer over the 2017 implosion of a submarine in the South Atlantic in which all 44 crew members perished.

The wreck of the ARA San Juan was the Argentine Navy’s deadliest disaster in peacetime.

Claudio Javier Villamide, commander of the submarine force at the time of the tragedy, was given a three-year suspended sentence for aggravated negligence and breach of duties.

Workers stand near the ARA San Juan submarine during a ceremony marking the completion of repairs to the vessel at the Argentine Industrial Naval Complex in Buenos Aires on Sept. 27, 2011. Photo: AP

The federal court in the southern province of Santa Cruz also barred him from holding public office for six years.

Three other former naval chiefs were acquitted.

The San Juan went missing on Nov. 15, 2017, a week after it set off from Ushuaia on Argentina’s southern tip for its home port at Mar del Plata naval base.

Former Argentine Navy commander Claudio Javier Villamide attends a sentencing hearing in Rio Gallegos, Argentina, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Before vanishing it reported that seawater had entered the ventilation system, causing a battery on the vessel to short-circuit and start a fire.

It sank and imploded.

More than a dozen countries took part in the weeks-long search for the vessel, which was eventually located a year later by a British marine robotics firm at a depth of about 900m, its hull dented and deformed.

The disaster led to questions about whether the navy had fulfilled its duty of care toward the 43 men and one woman aboard.

Prosecutors told the trial that the ship was in a poor state of repair before setting sail and that its demise was “foreseeable.”

An attorney representing most of the crew’s families rejected the ruling as “insufficient” and announced plans to appeal.

“The families will appeal the acquittals and demand harsher sentences,” Valeria Carreras told reporters.

She nonetheless hailed the case as a “huge step” toward achieving accountability for the sailors’ deaths and expressed satisfaction that the court had returned a guilty finding against Villamide.

“These were 44 preventable deaths and it sends a message to the armed forces and the state to protect those who serve the nation,” she said.

Victoria Morales, whose 31-year-old son Esteban Garcia died in the implosion, said those responsible have been “left unpunished.”

“Once again they stab us, they trample on his name, they leave us in a bad way, they left us without a member of our family... How could I be satisfied?” Morales told reporters.

Prosecutors said that Villamide failed to take into account the submarine’s “deficient enlistment conditions” as well as a request for it to undergo safety inspections.

He denied any wrongdoing and said that the vessel was seaworthy.

The wreck still lies on the seabed, 500km off Santa Cruz Province.


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NETHERLANDS

Museum peanut buttered

More than 350kg of peanut butter have been spread across the floor of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam in tribute to Dutch artist Wim T. Schippers, who died last month. The conceptual artist, who died at the age of 83, first created the Pindakaasvloer, or peanut butter floor, in 1969. The work is to reopen to the public today for a two-month show. Schippers also voiced Ernie and Kermit the Frog in the Dutch version of Sesame Street, and created absurdist and silly works that challenged conventional ideas about the meaning of art. It took two employees of the museum several days to spread 40 buckets of peanut butter across a 25m2 hexagon last week. The men used drywall trowels to smear the peanut butter to a thickness of 2cm.

JAPAN

Woman’s lips sewn shut

Police arrested a woman in Ibaraki Prefecture for allegedly sewing shut the lips of her housemate, officials said yesterday. The 42-year-old female victim escaped the house in the city of Koga, rushed to a nearby shop and held up a piece of paper that read “please help me,” said Makoto Hiyama, a senior local police official. Police later arrested 49-year-old Masae Sakurai “on suspicion of assault,” a police spokesman said. Sakurai lived with the victim at the time of the June 29 alleged incident when she sewed her housemate’s “lips with a needle and thread,” the spokesman said, adding that she was arrested on Monday. The injured woman told police “the suspect became angry over a trouble and my lips were sewed,” public broadcaster NHK reported.

AUSTRIA

Burkini decision upheld

The Salzburg Court on Wednesday found an Alpine hotel’s ban on burkinis discriminatory. The hotel in the ski resort of St Johann im Pongau had discriminated against two Muslim women by preventing them from wearing the full-body bathing suit, the court said. After an argument with the manager, who said that the burkini was unhygienic and made other guests feel uncomfortable, the women filed a complaint about the incident last year. Local authorities fined the hotel 100 euros (US$114) in February, prompting the establishment’s manager to appeal. However, the court rejected the appeal, ordering the hotel to pay a 20 euro fee on top of the fine to cover procedural costs.

UNITED STATES

Library thief sentenced

A man who swapped a library’s 17th-century Chinese manuscript for a fake was sentenced on Wednesday after admitting to stealing a major artwork. Jeffrey Ying used aliases to get access to classic works, some more than 600 years old, at the library of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the Department of Justice said. Ying, 39, would check the works out and return days later with dummy manuscripts. He would frequently travel to China shortly thereafter, officials said. UCLA’s library system flagged that several rare Chinese manuscripts were missing, and an investigation revealed the books were last viewed by a visitor who identified himself as “Alan Fujimori.” When detectives raided the Los Angeles area hotel where Ying was staying, they found blank manuscripts in the style of the books that had been checked out. “Law enforcement also found pre-made labels known as asset tags associated with the same manuscripts that could be used to create ‘dummy’ books to return to the library in place of the original books,” the department said.

title: World News Quick Take


title: Travel: The Bagua borderlands

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Straddling two counties, the Bagua Plateau is a long stretch of terrain rising from the plains below that offers easy cycling and hiking trails, as well as an abundance of temples and commanding views

The next time you see a satellite image of Taiwan, look at the eastern edge of Changhua County and notice the long snake-like dark patch. These are the steep hills where the terrain rises up from the plains of Changhua to higher, flat ground in Nantou County to the east. This abrupt change in topography, known as the Bagua Plateau (八卦台地), naturally lends itself to hiking and cycling trails, while the edge of the plateau makes for a beautiful drive, with plenty of viewpoints along the way.

County Roads 139 and 139乙 follow a north-south course along the edge of the Bagua Plateau where it drops off, while County Road 137 runs parallel, but down on the plains to the west. Hiking and cycling trails here lie between these two roads. Route 139 not only provides convenient access to many of the cycling trails, hiking paths and peaks in the area, it is a worthwhile destination in its own right for the scenic views of the Changhua plains below and the picturesque tea farms up on the plateau. If you do nothing else, drive the length of this road and be sure to stop at the temple mentioned below, or anywhere else that catches your eye.

Walk, drive, bike, scoot, or use any combination of these — however you choose to explore this area, there is sure to be enough to keep you entertained for a day. It’s a great place to experience the best of rural Taiwan, from temple culture to tea farms to escaping the concrete jungle in a serene forest setting.

ON TWO WHEELS

With dedicated bike trails, quiet country roads, and only mild elevation gain, the Bagua Plateau is an excellent cycling destination. The only downside is that there are no shops with rentals nearby, so you need to bring your own bike. The best access with public transportation is from one of three Taiwan Railway stops in Changhua.

The main north-south route in the lower hills that you’ll want to access is the Changqing Bikeway (長青自行車道). Its main line runs for about 10 kilometers and only rises about 100 meters along this course. From this central path, there are numerous side trips and alternative courses, including two steeper cycling options that take you 300m up to Road 139 on the plateau.

From Tianzhong Station (田中), it’s about 4km to get to the southern end of the Changqing Bikeway. Head to the Tianzhong Forest Park (田中森林公園) on County Road 150 and then head north. From Yuanlin Station (員林), it’s about 9km toward the southeast to the northern end of the bikeway, located next to the elevated high-speed railway.

From Ershui Station (二水), you can climb 400m up the steep Fengbo Road (豐柏路) directly to the plateau above and then continue exploring along Road 139乙. For the ambitious, you could use two of these railway stations as your start and end points and traverse much of the plateau north-south. This would make your distance for the day approximately 30km, and you have the choice of cycling low down in the hills all day, or making the tough climb up to the plateau.

Along the Changqing Bikeway, you can stop and try any number of the small hiking trails with posted signs. For a tougher ride, take one of the steep branches of the bikeway up to Road 139 on the plateau from the trail’s 5.7km or 8.2km mark. Link these two along the plateau with Road 139 to make a complete loop. The hiking trail for Hengshan (more below) is also nearby off Road 139.

taiwan-subdivisions: 田中 員林 二水


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“Reviving the cinema sector in Iraq is not easy, but it is not impossible either,” Bayati said.

For decades, Iraq’s cultural and cinematic scenes flourished.

Film production in Iraq began in the 1940s — notably with titles co-produced with Egypt — reaching its peak in the 1950s.

Among the most celebrated productions of that era was Kameran Hosni’s film Said Effendi (1956), a work recently restored as part of the Iraqi Cinematheque project supported by France, and screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2025.

But then everything changed.

With Saddam Hussein’s rise to power in the 1970s, cinema became a propaganda tool. This was followed by decades of war, sectarian strife and jihadist insurgency after the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Hussein, ultimately snuffing out the golden age of Iraqi cinema.

Baghdad’s old movie theaters that once drew film enthusiasts are now barely standing, with their faded walls, old doors and broken signs. Dilapidated shops crowd the entrance to the Granada Cinema, with clothes hanging directly on the street. Other theaters have been repurposed as warehouses, with a few old movie posters still clinging to their walls.

THE OLD AND THE NEW

In recent years, a fragile stability has begun to revive Iraqis’ appetite for entertainment and returned focus to Baghdad’s cultural scene.

Authorities seized the opportunity last year, launching an initiative to support 58 film projects.

But the funding pool is just four million dollars, an amount that would fund only a single project in other countries, Wareth Kwaish, of the government-led initiative, said.

Authorities are also working to recover Iraq’s historic cinema archive in the country and abroad. And Baghdad has signed cinematic cooperation agreements with France to support its film industry. Still, the industry remains short on funding and support, making every production a gamble.

Filmmakers rely on small grants, Bayati said, adding he hopes to market his movie in the US and European countries and is among those who benefited from government funding.

The key for him is gaining the trust of Iraqi audiences to “generate revenues that would lead to sustainability in work and production,” he said.

Most Iraqi moviegoers today frequent multi-screen theaters in shopping malls where Hollywood and Egyptian movies dominate the screens, rather than the classic venues.

Syrian filmmaker Abdulhadi al-Rakeb, who made a documentary about Iraq’s old movie theatres, said their closure has led to “the disappearance of a culture of watching films in theatres and, as a result, a decline in the very idea of filmmaking.”

‘CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC’

Recently, The President’s Cake, the Iraqi film that won a prize at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival last year, finally started screening in Iraq.

The movie follows the story of a young girl selected to bake a cake for Saddam’s birthday at a time when sanctions made it almost impossible to find the ingredients.

Although the movie was shot in Iraq, the production faced many challenges.

Director Hasan Hadi said a shortage of experienced Iraqi film crews forced him to bring in European professionals.

“The local crew were not aware of international standards,” and the foreign crew were unfamiliar with the local cultural context, which created “more problems for us,” he said.

According to Hadi, the lack of local crews is one of several reasons Iraqi filmmakers have been unable to work in their own country.

He believes the sector needs workshops to develop local talent, increased funding and better overall organization.

“I am cautiously optimistic,” Hadi said.

“There are more people who want to tell their stories and make films, but not enough resources.”

title: ‘Not easy, but not impossible’: Iraq’s film industry sees slow revival