美國 薩爾瓦多 西班牙 中國 台灣

苗栗 高雄市 高雄 三義 前鎮區

【創意展、新風潮、藝氣盛】跨藝術、生活與市場的城市文化盛會《2026承億亞灣藝術節》，正式啟航

【記者 周志杰 /高雄報導】南台灣年度藝文盛事《2026承億亞灣藝術節》（5/15）日上午於承億酒店25樓閱讀廣場正式揭幕，由承億酒店攜手承億集團旗下藝術平台「承藝術」共同主辦，以「藝術，正在進場」為核心命題，串聯飯店藝術博覽會、特邀藝術家作品展、珠寶藝術品拍賣晚宴、繪本新書發表會與風味飲品快閃等五大系列活動，打造一場橫跨藝術、生活與市場的城市文化盛會。

開幕典禮由承億集團董事長戴淑玲率先致詞，並帶領現場來賓共同默哀一分鐘，向承億集團創辦人戴俊郎致敬。戴淑玲表示，承億集團近年持續深耕藝術領域，其實源自戴俊郎長期以來對文化與藝術的支持與熱愛，「創辦人始終相信，藝術不應只存在於展館，而應真正走進人的生活之中。這也是承億持續以飯店作為藝術平台的原因，希望讓更多新銳創作者被看見，也讓更多人找到進入藝術的方式。」

戴淑玲也於開幕致詞中分享，看見開展首日眾多民眾穿梭於40間展間之間、不同世代觀眾在作品前停留交流，讓她更加確信，南台灣正在形成屬於自己的藝術文化能量。「這幾年我們持續投入藝術，不只是希望辦一場展覽，而是期待高雄、甚至整個南台灣，能真正形成支持創作者、鼓勵收藏、願意走進藝術的文化市場。」她表示，《2026承億亞灣藝術節》一路從插畫藝術博覽會發展至今日的城市型藝術節，最珍貴的並不是規模擴大，而是愈來愈多藝術家願意加入、愈來愈多觀眾願意停下腳步欣賞作品，「這代表藝術真的開始進場了。」

本次開幕典禮亦邀請美國學校幼稚園中班至一年級幼兒帶來中國舞蹈表演《扇影花語》，以童趣與東方美學揭開藝術節序幕，象徵藝術跨越世代、進入生活日常的文化精神。現場包括高雄流行音樂中心執行長丁度嵐、高雄展覽館總經理涂宇欣、台灣產學策進會執行長趙逸秋，以及藝術家曾偉昌、寧芮潔等人與藝文界多位代表皆親自出席，共同見證《2026承億亞灣藝術節》正式開幕。

今年藝術節橫跨承億酒店1樓、7樓、14樓、15樓及25樓空間，打造40間展間與兩大公眾特別展區，集結超過百位藝術家、展出逾千件作品。開展首日即吸引大批民眾與藝術愛好者前往參觀，穿梭於40間「一房一展」的展覽空間之間，形成飯店內少見的藝術流動場景，也展現南台灣藝術市場與文化消費能量持續升溫。

本屆展會策劃「亞洲當代藝廊」、「我的藝Ｚ主場」兩大專題展覽，以及「國際當代」、「女性｜凝視」兩大公眾展區。其中，由承藝術所扶植的新銳藝術家共有13位參展，包括葉子悦、游家凱、王儷蓁、楊宸溥、劉慧敏、吳世傑、王靖淇、陳玥年、袁愷葳、吳政倫、王寧海、劉智淵與劉政融，展現支持年輕創作者、提供藝術展演平台的最佳示範。在國際藝術家陣容方面，來自西班牙、長年定居苗栗三義的藝術家Salvador Marco，帶來《一念，萬境》雕塑攝影展，以木頭、石頭與不鏽鋼等媒材，透過極簡構圖與留白探討時間與感知邊界；國際知名當代藝術家戴明德則於25樓公眾展區與14樓展間同步展出；台灣藝術家黃馨則以《她的城市》為題，透過女性凝視視角回應城市與情感關係。

除了展覽內容外，本屆藝術節亦強化藝術市場與跨界整合。繼2024年合作大獲好評後，再次攜手侏羅紀集團旗下「藏逸拍賣」，於5月16日舉辦「藏逸拍賣・高雄承億專場」，展出包含Pablo Picasso畫作及董陽孜作品等重量級藝術珍藏，進一步打開藝術收藏與高端市場交流。此外，藝術節亦串聯生活品牌與公益策展，包括與質感漢方茶飲品牌「小仙島」、在地酒商品牌「惟中酒業」合作推出期間限定快閃體驗；IDEAS Taiwan愛迪思台灣及美國學校家長代表盧姿伶則策劃「R1514慈善義賣油畫展展間」，匯集百幅作品，並將收益捐贈予台灣防止虐待動物協會（SPCA）及高雄市唐氏症歡喜協會，讓藝術價值延伸至更多需要關懷的角落。

《2026承億亞灣藝術節》自2022、2023亞洲插畫藝術博覽會出發，並承接2024年轉型為城市型藝術節的策展經驗，今年進一步從「插畫為核心」走向更開放的「當代生活藝術場域」。承億酒店表示，希望透過藝術節持續讓藝術從觀看走向參與，從欣賞走向收藏，真正實踐「藝術，正在進場」的核心精神。

詳情請參考官網：https://www.tai-gallery.com/press-center/exhibition/45

承億酒店「2026承億亞灣藝術節」

▍貴賓預展時間：5月15日（五）12:00-15:00

▍公眾開放時間：

5月15日（五）15：00－20：00

5月16日（六）12：00－20：00

5月17日（日）12：00－20：00

▍地點：承億酒店1／7／14／15／25F (高雄市前鎮區林森四路189號)

▍入場方式：公眾展區1、7、25F、憑票入場14、15F

▍購票連結：https://www.accupass.com/event/2604211116534916704400

2026承億亞灣藝術節——系列活動

1薩爾瓦多馬可(Salvador Marco)《一念，萬境》雕塑攝影展

▍開幕活動與藝術家分享會：5/1(五) 14:00~16:00 承億飯店7F承風書店

▍雕塑攝影展期：5/2(六)-5/31(日) 承億飯店7F承風書店、25F大廳

2黃馨《她的城市》插畫藝術展

▍展期：5/1(五)-7/12(日)

▍地點：承億酒店1F Tai Café

3 藏逸拍賣晚宴 南台灣首場國際拍賣會

▍日期＆時間：5/16（六）14:00~21:00

▍入場方式：線上購票（藏逸拍賣晚宴單人套票）

▍購票連結：https://www.accupass.com/event/2604211116534916704400

4第一本台文歌仔戲繪本《鳳凰變．東寧怨》首場簽書會

▍講師：周見信、鳳凰變戲曲三大旦角－莊金梅、米雪、張孟逸（傳藝金曲獎得主）

▍時間：5/17(日) 14:30-16:00

▍地點：承億飯店7F承風書店


日本 俄羅斯 台灣 海地

桃園 新屋 太平 蘆竹 大園 觀音

部落客許傑、創作者Broccoli花椰菜領騎 鐵馬漫遊桃園珍珠海岸  解鎖低碳慢旅新玩法

生活中心 / 綜合報導

近年低碳旅遊與單車旅行蔚為風潮，桃園沿海地區憑藉完善的自行車路網與豐富海岸景觀，逐漸成為北台灣熱門騎旅目的地。橫跨大園、觀音、新屋與蘆竹的「桃園珍珠海岸」，不僅串聯濱海生態、人文聚落與特色景點，更適合以單車慢遊方式深度探索。此次特別邀請知名旅行作家許傑，以及來自俄羅斯的影音創作者 Broccoli花椰菜擔任領騎，帶領旅人以最貼近土地的速度，感受珍珠海岸獨有的海風與生活節奏。

▲影音創作者 Broccoli花椰菜領騎體驗慢旅魅力。( 圖 主辦單位提供 )

旅程自享譽國際的「太平洋自行車博物館」揭開序幕。館內典藏數百輛經典與創新車款，從復古自行車到充滿未來感的設計車型一應俱全，更可近距離體驗變形單車的摺疊工藝與設計巧思，讓單車不只是交通工具，更成為結合科技與生活美學的文化載體。

▲太平洋自行車博物館展現單車工藝之美。( 圖 主辦單位提供 )

此次行程另一大亮點，則是由專業團隊全程領騎，搭配專屬打造、融入「珍珠海岸 CIS」視覺元素的電輔自行車，讓即使是單車新手，也能輕鬆享受騎行樂趣。沿著全長4.3公里的新屋綠色走廊前行，兩旁綠蔭交織成天然林蔭隧道，海風吹拂間，旅人得以放慢腳步，細細感受桃園海岸線的自然魅力與療癒氛圍。

▲從海岸線出發 感受低碳旅遊新生活。( 圖 主辦單位提供 )

騎乘途中，旅人還能走進充滿藝術氣息的「莫內創意花園」。園區以莫內名畫《日本橋》為靈感打造，睡蓮池、歐風造景與繽紛花卉相互映襯，宛如置身印象派畫作之中，成為旅途中最受歡迎的拍照熱點。除了視覺享受外，現場更推出珍珠海岸限定雙人海陸餐點，將在地海鮮與特色料理融入旅遊體驗，讓旅人一次收藏味覺與美景記憶。此外，結合藝術筆觸與新屋海岸意象設計的珍珠海岸咖啡濾掛包，也成為人氣伴手禮選擇。

▲莫內創意花園打造宛如名畫般的浪漫場景。( 圖 主辦單位提供 )

▲莫內創意料理及咖啡濾掛禮盒。( 圖 主辦單位提供 )

隨後一行人來到擁有百年歷史的「新屋天后宮」，高達30公尺的青銅媽祖神像莊嚴矗立，不僅展現地方信仰文化，更見證沿海聚落長年與海共生的人文歷史。旅人透過單車旅行穿梭其中，也更加貼近桃園海岸的人情溫度與文化底蘊。

▲百年新屋天后宮感受沿海信仰文化。( 圖 主辦單位提供 )

旅程最後則走入全球領先的「源鮮智慧農場」。作為亞洲指標性的垂直農業觀光農場，源鮮透過iFarming智慧農法，打造兼具科技與永續概念的農業新樣貌。遊客不僅能透過專業導覽了解未來農業運作模式，更可在綠意環繞的空間中，品嚐產地直送的新鮮蔬食下午茶，感受從產地到餐桌的健康生活體驗。

▲源鮮智慧農場展現未來農業黑科技。( 圖 主辦單位提供 )

從海岸風光、藝術美學、人文信仰到智慧農業，桃園珍珠海岸以多元且豐富的旅遊樣貌，打造出適合全年齡層的低碳單車旅行。無論親子家庭、好友出遊或企業團體，都能透過一場慢速騎行，重新認識桃園海岸的自然魅力與生活風景。

▲桃園珍珠海岸成北台灣單車旅行新熱點。( 圖 主辦單位提供 )


【菲律賓憲政危機】參院槍聲與消失的將軍：一場司法通緝引爆的馬尼拉驚魂夜

記者 劉芳岑/外電綜合

▲在槍擊案發生前，躲在辦公室內的參議員黎拉羅沙透過他個人的官方 Facebook 帳號進行了情緒激動的武裝直播。（影片轉載自黎拉羅沙的個人臉書）

本週三(5/13)晚間近八點，一向戒備森嚴的菲律賓參議院大樓突然爆發密集的自動武器槍響，尖叫聲與沉重的奔逃腳步聲瞬間打破了議事廳的平靜。當時仍在樓內辦公的參議員、幕僚以及大批媒體記者，在混亂中紛紛拋下隨身物品與採訪腳架，倉皇尋找掩護。這場持續近三分鐘的槍擊事件，並非外界一度恐慌的軍事政變，而是菲律賓執法部門之間一場極具毀滅性的武裝對峙。

這場危機的暴風眼，指向了現任參議員、前國家警察總監羅納德·「石頭」·黎拉羅沙（Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa）。作為前總統杜特地鐵腕「反毒戰爭」的核心執行者，黎拉羅沙因涉嫌在2016至2018年間授權並縱容殺害數千名毒品嫌疑人，於本週一遭到國際刑事法院（ICC）正式解密逮捕令。深知大勢已去的黎拉羅沙隨即躲入參議院辦公室尋求庇護，並透過臉書直播情緒激動地號召支持者走上街頭，高喊「絕不讓外國勢力將菲律賓人帶往海牙」，試圖將個人的司法罪責升級為國家民族對抗。

然而，現任總統小馬科斯政府的態度，為這場風暴點燃了引信。週三深夜，隸屬司法部的國家調查局（NBI）派出大批武裝特工，試圖強行進入參議院大樓執行逮捕。此舉隨即遭到負責大樓維安的參議院警衛隊（OSAA）強力阻攔。在溝通破裂且極度缺乏互信的情況下，雙方警衛在門外鳴槍示警，密集的火網隨即引發全棟封鎖，也讓首都馬尼拉瞬間陷入政變的肅殺氣氛中。儘管軍方事後緊急發表聲明，強調現役軍人並未捲入這起政治恩怨，但執法部門在立法殿堂公然交火，已讓菲律賓的法治形象蕩然無存。

就在全城搜捕的緊要關頭，參議院議長加耶丹諾（Alan Peter Cayetano）於週四召開記者會，拋出了另一枚震撼彈——黎拉羅沙已經不在大樓內。加耶丹諾透露，在週三深夜那場驚心動魄的槍擊混亂中，黎拉羅沙在妻子 Nancy 與核心幕僚的苦勸下，最終同意秘密撤離。幕僚表示，黎拉羅沙不願看到神聖的立法殿堂因他個人而淪為血腥戰場，亦不願連累其他同僚，因此選擇趁亂離開，目前行蹤成謎。

這場由一張國際逮捕令引發的參議院攻防戰，徹底宣告了小馬科斯與杜特地兩大政治家族「團結聯盟」的終結。分析人士指出，馬科斯政府默許 NBI 採取強硬圍捕，無疑是對杜特地陣營的全面宣戰。隨著黎拉羅沙的潛逃，以及副總統莎拉·杜特地隨後反擊對手企圖推動彈劾與修憲的政治陰謀，菲律賓政壇正走向建國以來最不可預測的憲政與國安風暴。


墨新聞｜記者張靜惠／綜合報導

【記者張靜惠台北報導】台灣股票交易市場本週發行量加權股價指數跌幅約為1.04% ，5 月 15 日全體上市公司市場總值為新台幣 134 兆 2,983.73 億元，較上週(115 年5 月 8 日)市值 135 兆 6,971.89 億元減少 1 兆 3,988.16 億元，減幅約為 1.03%。

根據臺灣證券交易所統計，115 年 5 月 15 日發行量加權股價指數收盤為 41,172.36 點，較上週(115 年 5 月 8 日)的 41,603.94 點下跌 431.58 點，跌幅約為1.04%，台灣 50 指數收盤為 38,269.32 點，較上週的 38,730.20 點下跌 460.88 點，跌幅約為 1.19%，寶島股價指數收盤為 46,133.06 點，較上週的 46,564.42 點下跌 431.36 點，跌幅約為 0.93%。

產業別指數方面，漲幅以光電類指數上漲 10.84%為最大，跌幅以居家生活類指數下跌 6.16%為最大，未含金融類指數下跌 367.76 點，跌幅約為 0.98%，未含電子類指數下跌 386.75 點，跌幅約為 1.87%，未含金融電子類指數下跌 268.68 點，跌幅約為 1.88%。

本週集中交易市場總成交金額為 6 兆 5,232.03 億元，全體上市股票成交金額為 5 兆9,731.11 億元，股票成交量週轉率為 5.01%，各產業上市股票交易情形如下，成交金額前三名為：第一名，半導體類 2 兆 5,124.14 億元，占全體上市股票交易金額 42.06%，第二名，電子零組件類 1 兆 2,062.77 億元，占全體上市股票交易金額 20.20%，第三名，電腦及週邊設備類 5,326.56 億元，占全體上市股票交易金額 8.92 ％。

成交量週轉率前三名產業為：第一名，光電類 27.77%，第二名，電子零組件類 13.69%，第三名，半導體類 12.50%。

累計今年年初開盤迄今共 85 個交易日，集中市場總成交金額為 76 兆 2,265.76 億元，市場日平均成交金額為 8,967.83 億元，股票成交量週轉率為 71.47%，股票日平均成交量週轉率為 0.84%。

此篇文章最開始出處為: 台股週跌431點 市值蒸發1.4兆

台股週跌431點　市值蒸發1.4兆


Sprouts.ai獲得900萬美元Pre-A輪融資，由True Global Ventures和Accel領投，旨在憑借面向B2B企業的差異化數據擴展營收智能體業務

2026-05-15   本輪融資使Sprouts.ai累計融資總額達到1400萬美元。Sprouts.ai差異化的GTM數據層，為其自主營收智能體提供動力，這些智能體已經獲得惠普、Razorpay、HighRadius和Udemy等全球知名品牌的信賴。

舊金山2026年5月15日 /美通社/ — True Global Ventures (TGV)和Accel今天宣佈為Sprouts.ai進行900萬美元Pre-A輪融資，使該公司累計融資總額達到1400萬美元。Sprouts.ai是一家快速增長的AI（人工智能）原生初創公司，為B2B企業提供營收智能體(Revenue Agents)，其核心依托於自主研發的GTM（走向市場）數據層。

From Left to Right: Kapil Chaudhry Co-Founder and CTO of Sprouts AI, Karan Chaudhry, Co-Founder and CEO of Sprouts AI and Beatrice Lion, CEO and General Partner of True Global Ventures

該平台使營收團隊能夠利用深度賬戶智能，精準地識別、豐富、觸達並轉化理想客戶。其Deep AI GTM引擎支持多項市場首創的AI功能，包括複雜查詢搜索、產品熱力圖、採購委員會畫像、關係網絡，以及自主AI工作流。Sprouts.ai將這些功能以原生方式，直接集成在Salesforce和Microsoft Dynamics等客戶CRM（客戶關係管理）系統中，並能通過Claude等主流大語言模型(LLM)調用使用。

此次投資彰顯了TGV和Accel對AI優先型公司正在變革企業營收增長方式的堅定信心，同時也是TGV全球化戰略的又一里程碑——持續支持那些處於AI與企業GTM交匯點上、具有遠見卓識的創始人。

解決B2B GTM領域的智能缺口

Sprouts.ai總部位於帕洛阿爾托，致力於解決現代B2B領域最持久的挑戰之一：在適當的時間高效識別並觸達正確的買家。造成這一問題的一個關鍵原因是數據髒亂且分散。據Gartner統計，85%的企業AI項目因數據髒亂而失敗。企業平均運行超過20個GTM工具，導致跨系統的數據質量問題不斷疊加，其中CRM是最大的「重災區”——30%至40%的記錄存在不準確、過時或缺失的問題。

Sprouts.ai用統一的AI原生層取代碎片化的工具棧，保持高保真數據，並自動清理周邊生態系統。該平台能夠發現符合ICP（理想客戶畫像）的目標賬戶，高精度地豐富聯繫人信息，實時呈現購買信號，並實現多渠道外聯的自動化。

Sprouts.ai已獲得Razorpay、惠普(Hewlett Packard)、HighRadius和Udemy等全球領先品牌的信賴，並取得了可測量的顯著成果。客戶表示，符合ICP要求的銷售線索增加了3倍，銷售合格線索(Sales Qualified Lead)提升了25%，回復率提高了3倍，GTM工具成本則降低了35%。

「B2B營收工具棧現在是破碎的。銷售和營銷團隊要跨越20多個工具操作，基於髒數據工作，還把AI硬塞到從來就不是為AI而建的基礎設施上。我們打造Sprouts.ai，就是要用統一的數據和智能體層取代這種碎片化，真正推動銷售管道前進。有了TGV和Accel的支持，我們擁有了合作夥伴與全球業務覆蓋面，能夠把營收智能體植入到每個運行在Salesforce、Microsoft Dynamics和主流大語言模型上的企業中。」

——Sprouts.ai聯合創始人兼首席執行官Karan Chaudhry

「Sprouts.ai正是TGV一直在尋找的那類公司——一家來自加州的AI優先型企業，擁有真實的發展動力、清晰的產品市場匹配度，以及由分銷渠道加速構建的數據護城河。B2B走向市場歷來昂貴、碎片化、嘈雜且不透明。Karan和他的團隊打造了真正具有變革性的產品：一個將數據、意圖和自動化融合為單一智能層的平台，幫助企業更快、更智能地增長。我們非常高興能夠支持Sprouts.ai邁向代理式 AI的下一階段增長，幫助銷售團隊在不增加人手的情況下實現更好的業績。」

——True Global Ventures普通合夥人兼首席執行官Beatrice Lion

「在Accel，我們長期以來一直堅信，B2B增長的未來在於AI、數據和自動化的交匯處。Sprouts.ai完美詮釋了這一理念。他們的平台為營收團隊提供了前所未有的智能和執行能力，大幅縮短了從潛在客戶識別到成交的時間。與Salesforce和Microsoft Dynamics的原生集成，加速了在企業客戶中的滲透。我們很高興TGV與我們一同支持Sprouts的規模化擴張。」

——Accel合夥人Shekhar Kirani

###

關於SPROUTS AI

Sprouts.ai打造營收智能體，將傳統營收團隊轉變為AI原生團隊。該公司構建了深厚的數據智能護城河，驅動自主智能體貫穿從ICP（理想客戶畫像）到Closed Won（成交）的完整銷售漏斗。客戶可以在已有的平台內運行Sprouts.ai，包括Salesforce、Microsoft Dynamics、Copilot和Claude。Sprouts.ai專為要求數據安全、合規、可信的企業而建，正以統一的GTM智能層取代碎片化的傳統工具和髒數據，顛覆價值2500億美元的市場。該公司由Karan Chaudhry、Kapil Chaudhry和Avinash Nagla於2023年創立，總部位於帕洛阿爾托，深受全球領先品牌信賴。垂詢詳情，請訪問www.sprouts.ai。

關於TRUE GLOBAL VENTURES

True Global Ventures (TGV)是一家全球性風險投資公司，專注於投資已實現營收、以AI為先的早期企業。TGV當前的投資組合包括Prezent、Cynch、COVU、Obligo、Ledger、Animoca Brands、Jus Mundi、Coding Giants等多家公司。幾乎所有被投企業都位於美國或正在進入美國市場。TGV在舊金山、紐約、巴黎、倫敦、斯德哥爾摩、迪拜、新加坡和香港均設有辦公室，致力於支持有遠見的創始人打造下一代變革性科技企業。網址：www.trueglobalventures.com

關於ACCEL

Accel是一家全球性風險投資公司，是全球各地優秀團隊從創立到非上市企業成長各階段的過程中的首選合作夥伴。在過去40多年裡，Accel投資的公司包括Atlassian、Browserstack、Bumble、CrowdStrike、Freshworks、Flipkart、Ola Cabs、Qualtrics、Scale、Segment、Slack、Spotify、Swiggy和UiPath等。我們幫助有雄心壯志的創業者打造標誌性的全球化企業。垂詢詳情，請訪問www.accel.com。


Wirestock 募集 2,300 萬美元 A 輪融資，以拓展全球領先的多模態數據平台

資金將加速 Wirestock 數據平台的擴充，讓公司加強向世界頂尖人工智能實驗室提供倫理合規的優質多模態數據集，同時進一步兌現其向全球創作者賦予能力的承諾

三藩市2026年5月15日 /美通社/ — Wirestock 作為連接全球創意社群與人工智能 (AI) 前沿的平台，今日宣佈完成了 2,300 萬美元 A 輪融資。本輪由 Nava Ventures 領投，參投方包括 SBVP（由 Sheryl Sandberg 共同創立）、Formula VC、I2BF Global Ventures 以及其他策略投資者和現有投資者。 這筆投資將為 Wirestock 使命開創新的篇章：致力為創作者建構將技能轉化為收入的理想平台，並以優質的人工多模態數據，推動全球頂尖的人工智能模型發展。 此等數據不經隨意抓取，亦非改作他用，而是刻意創作而生。

Wirestock 自創立至今，社群已增長至超過 70 萬名創作者，包括攝影師、錄像師、平面設計師、3D 藝術家、電影製作人及音樂家。他們合共向平台貢獻了數百萬份素材，每月直接付予創作者的金額達數百萬美元。 這些數據表明，人類創意與科技進步相輔相成，而不是彼此削弱。 採用人工智能授權模式後，創作者獲得的報酬按年增長了 20 倍，並推動業務的年度運轉率突破 4,000 萬美元。

Wirestock 行政總裁兼聯合創辦人 Mikayel Khachatryan 說：「Wirestock 建構出無比靈活的平台，巧妙協調複雜多模態數據集的創建、策展和交付。 透過學習這些數據，人工智能模型能更深入了解我們周遭的世界，並在執行創意任務時變得更加得心應手。 縱有種種創新，我們始終不忘 Wirestock 的真正動力——我們的全球創作者社群。 我們始終堅定地致力提供公平報酬、透明視野，以及提供符合倫理的數據，促進負責任的人工智能發展。」

「這筆資金將讓我們深化研究，並持續擴充平台，以應對未來人工智能模型不斷演變的數據需求。 能與 Nava Ventures 及其他享有共同願景的投資者攜手合作，我們感到無比振奮。」

新一代多模態數據

Wirestock 的數據集專為現代多模態架構的需求而設，服務主要的超大規模雲端服務商及前沿人工智能實驗室。 現今訓練人工智能模型所用的大部分視覺數據，其誕生之初從未以此為目標。 數據本為娛樂、市場推廣或社交媒體而生，後來才改作他用。 Wirestock 卻反其道而行。 平台上的每項資產，無論是圖像、影片、3D 模型、設計或真實空間數據，都是專為人工智能學習而進行採集、策展和結構化整理。

策展工作經由多層管道完成，融合人類專家審查與人工智能輔助審核，最終產生的數據集擁有高信噪比、密集語義標註，以及視覺語言模型訓練不可或缺的精密圖文校準。 所得成果與其稱作數據堆砌，不如說是一本教科書：內容特意依照人工智能模型實際學習視覺世界與人類創意的方式，有條不紊地編排。 對那些正在開發新一代基礎模型的人工智能實驗室來說，這種差異會直接影響收斂速度、下游任務表現，以及部署穩健程度。 在超過 70 萬名合資格創作者橫跨多個創意領域的貢獻下，Wirestock 建構出數據採集與策展的基礎設施，令競爭對手望塵莫及。

這正是 Wirestock 這次 A 輪融資將要鞏固的優勢地位。 這筆資金將讓公司更有效地執行越來越複雜的定制數據集，擴展對新興創意模式的覆蓋範圍，並加強各類整合，讓 Wirestock 的數據管道無縫融入其人工智能實驗室夥伴的研究工作流程。 隨著目前正在開發的模型不斷拓展感知、生成和推理的新領域，訓練這些模型所需的基礎設施亦必須與時並進。 Wirestock 正在構建這樣的基礎設施。

Nava Ventures 的 Freddie Martignetti 表示：「Wirestock 站在增長迅速的多模態數據生態系統的最前沿。 當人工智能跨越語言系統的界限，多模態數據將在每個模型的訓練中變得日益重要。 Mikayel 和 Wirestock 團隊在此領域中思慮非常周全，並已將自己確立為該範疇的明確領導先鋒。」

建立全球領先的創作者盈利化平台

A 輪融資的相當比例將投放於擴展 Wirestock 的創作者平台，開發嶄新工具、功能與收益途徑，讓處於事業各個階段的創意專業人士，皆能更從容地作出意義重大的貢獻，並持續獲得穩定回報。

平台目前已支援攝影、影片、平面設計、動態設計、3D 建模、音樂等多個範疇，未來將持續擴展其創意領域、項目形式及報酬機制。 Wirestock 上的每位創作者，都確切知曉自己作品的去向，以及獲取酬勞的方式。 這份透明度是根本之道，絕無讓步空間。

關於 Wirestock

Wirestock 是全球頂尖的平台，讓創作者將技能轉化為收入，並以優質的人工多模態數據，推動全球頂尖的人工智能模型發展。 Wirestock 擁有超過 70 萬名創作者的全球社群，其在平台上已累積賺取數百萬美元，並與全球頂尖的人工智能實驗室建立合作關係。Wirestock 正處於創意經濟與尖端人工智能發展的交匯點。 公司總部設在加州三藩市。 如欲了解更多資訊，請瀏覽：wirestock.io

關於 Nava Ventures

Nava Ventures 是現代化的早期投資公司，擁有超過十年的風險投資經驗。 與此公司合作的創辦人，正致力開創全新市場、變革行業，並建立造福世界的公司。 如欲了解更多資訊，請瀏覽 nava.vc。


US-CHINA SUMMIT: MOFA welcomed US reassurance of no change in its Taiwan policy; Trump said he did not comment when Xi talked of opposing independence

US President Donald Trump yesterday said he has not made a decision on whether to move forward with a major arms package for Taiwan after hearing concerns about it from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).

Trump’s comments on Taiwan came as he flew back to Washington after wrapping up critical talks in which both leaders said important progress was made in stabilizing US-China relations even as deep differences persist between the world’s two biggest powers on Iran and Taiwan.

“I will make a determination,” Trump said, adding: “I’ll be making decisions. But, you know, I think the last thing we need right now is a war that’s 9,500 miles [15,289km] away.”

US President Donald Trump gestures as he departs Beijing Capital International Airport aboard Air Force One, in Beijing, China, yesterday. Photo: Reuters

The Trump administration in December authorized a record-setting US$11 billion weapons package for Taipei, but it has yet to move forward. Lawmakers also approved a US$14 billion arms sale to Taiwan in January, but the sale cannot advance until Trump formally sends it to Congress. China opposes such sales and has suggested that Washington’s relationship with Taiwan is the key factor in US-China ties.

The US president said Xi also reiterated China’s strong opposition to Taiwan’s independence

“I heard him out,” Trump said. “I didn’t make a comment.”

In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a statement last night that arms sales to Taiwan are not only a clear security commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act, but also a form of collective deterrence against regional threats.

It thanked Trump for his continued support for security in the Taiwan Strait since his first term, adding that close Taiwan-US cooperation has long been a cornerstone of stability in the region.

The statement also said Taiwan is a sovereign and independent democracy, and that China’s military threat remains the region’s primary source of insecurity.

With Beijing continuing to expand its military capabilities, project power globally, and conduct operations around the Taiwan Strait such as gray-zone tactics and military harassment, the ministry said effective collective deterrence is crucial to maintaining regional peace and stability.

Taiwan’s foremost priority is to preserve the status quo and uphold its self-defense capabilities, protect the freedom and democracy of 23 million people, and ensure that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are not undermined, it said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) also welcomed US reassurance on no change in its Taiwan policy.

A MOFA statement released earlier yesterday said Taiwan was closely monitoring developments in US-China relations and took note of remarks made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during an interview with NBC News in Beijing on Thursday following the first day of Trump-Xi meetings.

Rubio confirmed that Taiwan came up in Trump’s talks with Xi, but added that the US policy toward Taiwan is unchanged.

US arms sales to Taiwan “did not feature prominently” in the Trump-Xi talks, Rubio was quoted by NBC News as saying.

Xi told Trump that mishandling the countries’ disagreements over Taiwan could push China-US relations to a “dangerous place.”

Rubio said that it would be a terrible mistake for China to pursue what it calls “reunification” by force or through any coercive means.

“Any forced change in the status quo and the situation that’s there now would be bad for both countries,” he said.

Lin thanked the US’ reaffirmation of its support for and commitment to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and its reiteration that its Taiwan policy remains unchanged, the statement said.

As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will continue to bolster its self-defense capabilities and remain committed to working with the US and all nations that value freedom and democracy to maintain peace, stability and prosperity in the Taiwan Strait and the wider region, it said.

A senior Taiwanese security official said that Taiwan shares the same interests as the US and other parties in the Indo-Pacific region.

“The first island chain is particularly crucial to peace and stability in the western Pacific and the Indo-Pacific, and at the core of this is Taiwan,” the official said, referring to an area stretching from Japan through Taiwan and the Philippines.

Next Wednesday marks two years since President William Lai (賴清德) took office and Taipei is closely monitoring whether China would escalate its military deployments in the region after the Trump-Xi summit and around Lai’s anniversary, the official said.

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China staged its last major war games around Taiwan in late December.

Trump weighs Taiwan arms package


Trump touts ‘fantastic’ deals, but details scarce

US President Donald Trump said he had made “fantastic trade deals” and settled “a lot of different problems” in his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) this week, but hours after the summit ended yesterday, details on exact agreements remained scarce.

Trump had arrived in Beijing seeking to seal accords in sectors including agriculture, aviation and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as to contain differences between the two sides in a number of tense geostrategic areas.

After the first day wrapped, Trump said Xi had agreed to help open the Strait of Hormuz, as well as buy Boeing jets and more US oil and soybeans.

US President Donald Trump, right, speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping before leaving after a visit to the Zhongnanhai Garden in Beijing yesterday.  Photo: Reuters

However, there have been no formal announcements, and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs would not confirm or deny Trump’s statements when asked yesterday afternoon. The reserve on the Chinese side echoes the tone of the summit as a whole, where Trump’s overtures to Xi — whom he described as a “great leader” and “friend” — were met with more muted tones by Beijing.

However, the US leader yesterday said “a lot of good” had come out of the visit.

“We’ve made some fantastic trade deals, great for both countries,” he said after a walk with Xi among the rosebushes in the gardens of Zhongnanhai, a central leadership compound next to Beijing’s Forbidden City.

“We’ve settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn’t have been able to solve,” Trump added, without providing specifics.

Xi, who promised to send Trump seeds for the White House Rose Garden, said it was a “milestone visit.”

He said the two sides had to date established “a new bilateral relationship, which is a relationship of constructive strategic stability.”

In an interview with Fox News after the summit’s first day, Trump said Xi had agreed to several US wishlist points. On the topic of the war in Iran, he said Xi had effectively assured his counterpart that China was not preparing to militarily aid Tehran, which has essentially closed the Strait of Hormuz.

“He’d like to see the Hormuz Strait open, and said ‘if I can be of any help whatsoever, I would like to help,’” Trump said.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday released a statement on Iran calling for “a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire.”

“Shipping lanes should be reopened as soon as possible,” it added.

In the Fox interview, Trump said one big business deal struck involved Xi agreeing to purchase “200 big” Boeing jets.

En route home on Air Force One, he added that the deal included “a promise of 750 planes, which will be by far the largest order ever, if they do a good job with the 200.”

He said that Beijing had “agreed it wanted to buy” US oil, and expressed interest in buying US soybeans.

China, which is the key foreign customer of Iranian oil, bought small amounts of US oil before Trump imposed tariffs last year. It has sharply slowed down purchases of US soybeans, turning instead to Brazil.

China’s foreign ministry again did not confirm or deny the details mentioned by Trump.

No announcements were made regarding the advanced Nvidia chips used in AI, even though CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) was among business leaders in Trump’s business delegation.

Chinese tech firms are barred from purchasing Nvidia’s most cutting-edge chips, under US export rules that Washington says are to protect national security.

Xi and Trump had lunch together before the latter left for the airport.

As the US president went to board Air Force One, he pumped his fist in the air twice.

“In terms of substance, I do not think there have been major surprises,” The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Yue Su said.

The new description of bilateral ties outlined by Xi “should be seen as a positive sign” in terms of reducing risk in the relationship, she said.

However, “this is likely to be a fragile stability that does not eliminate underlying frictions,” Su said.


A bipartisan group of 26 US lawmakers on Thursday sent a letter to WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala expressing “serious concern” over Taiwan’s exclusion from a ministerial conference in Cameroon in March.

The letter — signed by US representatives including Ted Lieu, Judy Chu, Ami Bera and Raja Krishnamoorthi — demanded that the WTO Secretariat ensure the incident does not set a precedent for future ministerial conferences.

Taiwan joined the WTO in 2002 as the “Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu,” the letter said.

The logo of the WTO at its headquarters is pictured next to a red traffic light in Geneva, Switzerland, on Oct. 2, 2018.

Photo: Reuters

Since then, WTO members and the Secretariat have recognized Taiwan’s status on equal footing with other participating economies, allowing its delegation full and equal participation in ministerial meetings, it said.

However, despite being a full WTO member, the Taiwanese delegation was forced to apply for visas for the Cameroon conference under the designation “Taiwan, Province of China,” it said.

This implied that Taiwan was not a WTO member in its own right, undermined its privileges and ultimately resulted in its absence from the event, the lawmakers said.

They urged Okonjo-Iweala to clarify how the Secretariat would ensure that this incident does not set a precedent for future meetings.

They also asked whether the Secretariat plans to issue formal guidelines to prevent similar incidents that compromise the rights of member states.

The lawmakers requested a response by June 3 and said they welcome further detailed discussions on the matter.

A copy of the letter was also sent to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

US voices concern over Taiwan’s WTO exclusion


The legislative caucuses yesterday agreed to invite Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) to present a special report on Tuesday on preparations for the first tranche of procurement authorized by a special defense budget act, Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said yesterday.

The legislature on May 8 passed the Special Act for Procurement Projects to Safeguard National Security and Enhance Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities (保衛國家安全及強化不對稱戰力計畫) to fund the purchase of US military equipment, with the spending capped at NT$780 billion (US$24.7 billion).

The bill, which fell short of the NT$1.25 trillion requested by the Cabinet, requires the Executive Yuan to report to the Legislative Yuan within a month of the law’s passage, military spending over the past five years, detailing costs, effectiveness, deliveries and how the purchases boost joint operations.

Only with the legislature’s approval can the budget move forward, and the first batch of special budget proposals must be submitted for review within two months, the bill says.

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucuses would each designate three representatives while the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) caucus would designate one to question the premier or Cabinet members, Chiang said after the cross-caucus negotiations.

If the plans are approved by the Legislative Yuan, the Executive Yuan would submit the proposal to the legislature by noon the following day, he said.

The legislature would then hold a plenary session that afternoon, during which Cho would return to report on the drafting process and answer questions, he said, adding that once questioning concludes, the proposal would immediately be sent for review, and that all caucuses have agreed not to file reconsideration motions.

In other developments, the opposition-controlled legislature passed a motion to extend the current legislative session, originally scheduled to end on May 31, to the end of August, to allow for more time to review this year’s general budget and other items.

The Legislative Yuan holds two regular sessions each year — from February through May and from September through December.

In a proposal submitted on April 10, the TPP caucus argued that President William Lai (賴清德) and Cho had failed to submit a new list of nominees for the Constitutional Court and the National Communications Commission.

The opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan last year rejected the president’s nominees for the court and the commission.

The TPP added the Taiwan-US Agreement on Reciprocal Trade and a memorandum of understanding on Taiwan-US investment had not been to be sent to the legislature for review.

To give lawmakers sufficient time to deliberate these items, it proposed extending the current session through July 31.

During cross-party negotiations on April 20, the KMT and TPP supported the proposal over the DPP’s opposition, and an amended version of the motion to extend the current session through Aug. 31 was later placed on yesterday’s agenda for a vote, and was passed with 53 votes in favor and 39 against.

A DPP motion to reconsider the extension was blocked by the KMT.

Cho to present defense purchase plan on Tuesday


Solomon Islands parliament elects China critic as PM

‘SEISMIC SHIFT’: Matthew Wale is likely to be ‘more moderate’ on China ties and focused on national interests, education and health, an academic said

Solomon Islands yesterday elected as its new prime minister Matthew Wale, who has been a critic of the South Pacific nation’s closeness to China and pledged to bring change.

The Solomons has been seen as one of Beijing’s closest Pacific islands partners in the past few years, and any change of leaders in the strategically located archipelago is closely watched by Western diplomats.

Wale — who leads the Solomon Islands Democratic Party — won 26 votes to the government candidate’s 22 in a secret ballot of lawmakers.

New Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale, left, is sworn in by Governor-General David Kapu at Government House in Honiara yesterday.

Photo: Solomon Islands Government / AFP

Former prime minister Jeremiah Manele was ousted last week in a no-confidence motion in parliament after a dozen ministers quit the government in March.

“Change is coming. These changes are necessary and may be painful,” Wale, 57, told reporters outside parliament.

“We are not immune from these geopolitical events,” he said, urging young Solomon Islanders to “be ambitious.”

As opposition leader since 2019 — when the Solomons switched ties from Taiwan to China — Wale has campaigned for greater government transparency in dealings with foreign mining and logging businesses.

Despite a population of just 700,000, the Solomon Islands occupies a strategic position 1,600km northeast of Australia, a major aid donor that is critical of China’s police presence in Honiara.

Wale, a former accountant, hails from Malaita, the most populous province whose local government boycotted Chinese companies until 2023.

Wale criticized then-Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare, who struck a secret security deal with China, for saying he was “back home” upon arriving in Beijing on a visit in 2023.

Wale previously called for the security pact to be made public.

Yesterday, he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp he wanted to first look at the deal before deciding what to do.

Anouk Ride, associate professor at the Australian National University, said Wale’s election was “a seismic shift” in Solomons’ politics.

He was likely to be “more moderate” on China ties and focused on the national interest, education, policing and health, she said.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs congratulated Wale, saying it would be open to working with his government.

“China is willing to work with the new Solomon Islands government to expand practical cooperation between the two countries in various fields” and deepen their strategic partnership, ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun (郭嘉昆) told a news briefing.

Ordinary Solomon Islanders are struggling because of a surge in fuel prices brought on by the war in the Middle East, and there has been little improvement to health and education in rural villages since a conflict destroyed many services 20 years ago.

“You can see this very visibly in the rural areas and also Honiara town, where people are living without electricity and water supply,” Ride said.

While the “geopolitical switch” to China brought large, visible developments — including a national stadium and provincial airports — she said “those big-ticket projects haven’t impacted the lives of people.”

Former Australian diplomat to the Solomon Islands James Batley said Wale was “pragmatic when it comes to international relations” and likely to continue to balance ties with China and Australia.

Australian National University Pacific affairs expert Graeme Smith said while Wale has been outspoken against China, “it will be a tricky balancing act for him” as several of his new coalition partners are close to Beijing.

University of Queensland professor Clive Moore, who has known Wale for 20 years, said his father was a Canadian anthropologist with an American university who undertook research in the Solomons, and his mother a Malaitan.

Wale was a civil society leader with a Christian group as the nation emerged from a period of ethnic violence in 2003, entering parliament in 2008, he added.

The election of Wale would “calm things down” after a period of political upheaval where lawmakers were offered large sums of money from foreign business figures to back the previous government, Moore said.


ABNORMAL: The three options that the Cabinet is considering to support further defense spending are not ‘normal’ ways to fund weapons, an official said

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) clashed yesterday over how to fund weapons systems excluded from a supplementary budget bill, after the Cabinet said it was considering three options to pay for the equipment.

The legislature last week passed an opposition-backed supplementary defense budget bill with a spending cap of NT$780 billion (US$24.7 billion) to fund weapons approved for sale to Taiwan by the US, excluding domestic contract production programs and foreign direct commercial sales.

Weapons excluded from the bill included drones, uncrewed surface vessels, counterdrone systems, anti-ballistic missiles, and Taiwan Tactical Network and Team Awareness Kit systems — equipment intended to help the armed forces build a common operational picture.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Thursday said that the Cabinet is considering submitting another supplementary budget bill, increasing the general budget for next year, or raising the Ministry of National Defense’s budget for this fiscal year.

DPP caucus chief executive Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said his caucus welcomed the plans.

However, he said that this year’s fiscal general budget is still under review, and any increase can only be proposed after the budget is passed.

Chuang said that while Taiwan’s economy could support a larger general budget, neither that nor a defense budget increase would be a “normal” way to fund weapons originally included in the supplementary budget.

“The opposition parties teamed up to cut the budget, and now the government has to deal with the consequences,” Chuang said. “This is not how oversight should work … the Legislative Yuan’s job is to prevent wasteful spending. Political parties should leave their rivalry out of this.”

KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi said that the Cabinet should fund the weapons through to next year’s general budget.

The Cabinet is to submit its general budget proposal for the next fiscal year at the end of August, and funding for the weapons should be included, Fu said.

He added that some of the domestic contract production programs included in the supplementary budget would run for up to 10 years, and should therefore not be funded through a supplementary budget, which he said should only be used when war is imminent or after a major natural disaster.

“The KMT caucus supports national defense and safeguarding the Republic of China,” Fu said. “We want to provide the military with the best equipment, but we hope this will happen through a general budget proposal by the Executive Yuan that can stand up to public scrutiny.”

Parties clash again over defense budget spending


US shows Taiwan non-negotiable: analysts

ALL CLEAR: Remarks by Rubio after the summit reaffirming US policy on Taiwan and the omission of Taiwan in the White House summary are reassuring, an analyst said

The White House’s decision not to mention Taiwan in its official summary of talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) suggests the US does not see the issue as up for negotiation, analysts said on Thursday.

Trump and Xi held more than two hours of talks in Beijing on Thursday during Trump’s state visit to China, but the two sides’ summary differed sharply on Taiwan.

Brookings Institution China expert Patricia Kim said the differing summaries reflected contrasting messaging strategies.

US President Donald Trump, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping are greeted by children waving flowers and flags during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2017. Photo: AP

“Beijing wants to show that it pressed on the Taiwan issue aggressively, whereas Washington wants to keep the focus on economic cooperation,” Kim said.

While China’s state-run Xinhua news agency said Xi described Taiwan as “the most important issue” in US-China relations and warned that mishandling it could lead to “clashes and even conflicts,” the White House summary omitted Taiwan entirely, focusing instead on economic cooperation and Iran.

Kim said that the countries were “managing the optics differently.”

Kim also highlighted what she described as a fundamental “gap in interpretation” regarding the US’ “one China” policy.

While Washington does not support Taiwanese independence, it maintains that helping Taiwan defend itself through arms sales and security cooperation is necessary to prevent Taipei from negotiating with Beijing under pressure, she said.

“The problem is Beijing views these US actions as encouraging Taiwan independence,” Kim said, adding that the differing interpretations would likely continue to fuel tensions.

Thomas Shattuck, senior program manager of the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House, said the omission of Taiwan from the White House summary itself carried a message.

“Taiwan is No. 1 for China,” Shattuck said. “The US, by not including Taiwan in the readout, shows that that’s not really something up for negotiation.”

Before the summit, Trump had suggested he would discuss US arms sales to Taiwan with Xi, raising concerns in Taiwan over whether Washington’s policy could shift.

While reports had suggested Trump delayed final approval of a major arms package for Taiwan to help ensure the summit preceded smoothly, Shattuck said Trump was unlikely to block such sales over the long term because of their economic benefits to the US.

“When foreign countries buy arms through the foreign military sales process, that creates US jobs,” Shattuck said. “For someone who is big on the economy and manufacturing, why would you hurt US businesses by preventing Taiwan from buying very expensive stuff?”

Pointing to remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio after the summit reaffirming that US policy toward Taiwan remained unchanged, Kim said: “For now, it looks like the worst outcomes have been avoided.”

“And that should be reassuring for Taiwan,” she added.

In Taipei yesterday, an expert told a forum on the Trump-Xi talks that Taiwan should remain alert to possible subtle shifts in Washington's approach toward Taipei, despite the absence of stated changes in the US' Taiwan policy following the summit between Trump and Xi.

Ronan Fu (傅澤民), an assistant research fellow at Academia Sinica's Institute of Political Science, said Taiwan should place greater emphasis on its long-term strategic value and shared interests with the US, rather than relying solely on democratic values, because "Trump is temporary."

Fu said Chinese and US readouts of Thursday's summit in Beijing reflected sharply different priorities, with Beijing placing Taiwan at the center of its public messaging while the White House avoided mentioning Taiwan altogether.

Although US media outlets across the political spectrum largely oppose treating Taiwan as a bargaining chip in US-China negotiations, Fu argued that Beijing could seek symbolic concessions from Trump through softer wording or delays in US arms sales to Taiwan in the future.

He cited commentary in Foreign Policy magazine warning that even minor rhetorical adjustments on Taiwan could carry major strategic implications because "small words" in US-China diplomacy can produce "large consequences."

"Taiwan should pay particular attention to whether strategic space will be gradually narrowed under this kind of 'unanswered rhetoric,'" Fu said, referring to Beijing's push for a more stable and manageable relationship with Washington.

Hung Yao-nan (洪耀南), deputy director of Tamkang University's Institute of China Studies, said Beijing appeared to be using the summit to promote a new framework for "constructive strategic stability" in US-China relations while warning Washington against crossing its red lines on Taiwan.

Underscoring Beijing's use of the language of "stability" to manage, instead of resolve, strategic rivalry, Hung said China was attempting to frame Taiwan as central to the overall stability of US-China ties.

"Stability never equals peace, and silence never equals commitment," he said.

Hsu Tsun-tzu (徐遵慈), an associate research fellow and director at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, said trade tensions between Washington and Beijing were likely to persist despite temporary signs of easing following the summit.

Trump's second-term China policy is now focused not only on reducing trade deficits, but also on limiting China's technological competitiveness and global influence, she said.

Kuo Yu-jen (郭育仁), vice president of the Institute for National Policy Research, instead emphasized the lack of a major breakthrough at the summit, referring to it as "largely expected" given the structural nature of US-China rivalry.

"The absence of a clear conclusion was itself the conclusion," he said, adding that both Washington and Beijing currently appeared more focused on preventing tensions from escalating rather than resolving their core disputes.


Taiwan yesterday launched the 12th and final 600-tonne Anping-class patrol vessel built for the Coast Guard Administration (CGA), marking the completion of the fleet under the government’s indigenous shipbuilding program.

The vessel, designated CG-615 and named the “Donggang (東港),” was officially christened during a launch ceremony held by the CGA’s Fleet Branch in Kaohsiung.

The CGA said Donggang was chosen as the vessel’s name because of the township’s status as an important fishing hub in Pingtung County with a strong maritime culture.

Ribbons flutter over the new Anping-class catamaran patrol vessel CG615 during its launch ceremony in Kaohsiung yesterday. Photo: CNA

Speaking at the event, Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said the government in 2018 launched a program to build 141 coast guard vessels of various types over 10 years, totaling 33,220 metric tons in displacement.

The completion of the Donggang marks the delivery of all 12 Anping-class patrol vessels and represents an important milestone for Taiwan’s indigenous shipbuilding efforts, she said.

Taiwan’s surrounding waters have in recent years faced growing challenges, including “gray-zone” harassment, incursions by Chinese coast guard vessels and the need to protect undersea cables, she added.

As a result, coast guard operations now go beyond traditional law enforcement and also play a role in safeguarding Taiwan’s sovereignty and maritime security, she said.

According to Kuan, the Donggang can carry out maritime security patrols, fisheries protection and rescue missions during peacetime, while also serving as a maritime defense force under Taiwan’s civil-military mobilization mechanism when necessary.

Pingtung County Commissioner Chou Chun-mi (周春米) also attended the ceremony. Chou was invited to perform the traditional bottle-smashing ceremony to bless the ship and wish for safe future operations, the agency said.

The Anping-class vessels feature a catamaran hull design and are capable of high-speed, highly maneuverable and long-duration maritime operations, the CGA said, adding the vessels are about 65 meters long and 14.8 meters wide, with a top speed of 40 knots and a range of about 2,000 nautical miles.

The Donggang will be deployed with a mobile coast guard unit in eastern Taiwan to strengthen patrol capabilities in the region alongside existing vessels, the CGA said.

The continued delivery of newly built vessels in recent years has gradually improved Taiwan’s maritime law enforcement and rescue capabilities, enhancing its ability to conduct all-weather and full-domain operations and emergency response missions, it added.

Taiwan launches final 600-tonne Anping-class patrol vessel


Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) is leading a cross-party delegation to the UK for exchanges with parliamentarians, policy experts and overseas Taiwanese groups following a visit to France.

In an address on Thursday at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based security think tank, Han said the delegation’s cross-party composition reflected political diversity and unity in Taiwan.

“In the face of a rapidly changing international situation, democracies must deepen exchanges and cooperation to safeguard regional peace and stability,” he said.

Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu, seventh left, poses with members of a Taiwanese legislative delegation and Royal United Services Institute representatives during a visit to the London-based security think tank on Thursday. Photo courtesy of the Legislative Yuan via CNA

The 10-member delegation comprises of Han and four other lawmakers from the Chinese Nationalist Pary (KMT), four from the Democratic Progressive Party, and one from the Taiwan People’s Party. They departed for France on Saturday last week.

On Thursday, the delegation attended a reception hosted by the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group in Churchill Hall at the Houses of Parliament.

Labour MP Sarah Champion said the group has been proud to support Taiwan whenever possible, citing a motion passed by Parliament in November 2024 rejecting China’s interpretation of UN Resolution 2758.

Champion said at the event that UN Resolution 2758 does not confer sovereignty over Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China, nor does it address Taiwan’s status within the UN or its participation in UN agencies.

Han’s delegation was scheduled to attend the annual convention of the Council of Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce in Europe, which was slated to take place in London yesterday.

In France, the delegation held exchanges with French senators at the invitation of the chair of the Senate’s Taiwan Friendship Group Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, and met with experts at the French Institute of International Relations, among other engagements.

Taiwan delegation holds exchanges in Europe


TCCA defends Lin Chi-ling’s board appointment

By Tung Po-ting and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taiwanese model and actress Lin Chi-ling’s (林志玲) appointment as a new Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TCCA) board member is not a paid position, and she would not be involved in how the National Development Fund operates, Minister of Culture Li Yuan (李遠) said yesterday.

Li made the remarks in response to media queries after the announcement of Lin’s new role earlier in the week drew a backlash from the cultural industry over her pro-China comments.

Lin has been known to publicly wish Chinese congratulations on China’s national day. On Oct. 1, 2023, a post on her Chinese social media account was titled: “May China be strong and prosperous.”

Taiwanese model and actress Lin Chi-ling is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of Lin Chi-ling Studio

Li yesterday said he wished to address the issue of Lin’s position on the board and her pro-China comments from the perspectives of legal systems, professionalism and free speech.

The TCCA must have 11 to 15 board members, Li said, adding that the appointments were intended to ensure the agency could function as intended.

Board members are not paid and would not, functionally, incur conflicts of interest with the TCCA, he said.

Regarding concerns about how the TCCA was connected to the fund, Li said that all funding must pass through two rounds of assessments by a separate committee under the fund, and therefore the TCCA has no power to affect which items the fund invests in.

The catalyst for TCCA’s work with Lin stemmed from Taiwan Creative Content Fest last year, during which Lin donated NT$1.5 million (US$47,610) to fund an award supporting films on women’s issues.

She signed a memorandum of understanding with the agency to help produce 10 cinematographic works over five years that are worthy of international promotion and focus on themes of child and youth care and romance, Li said.

With her connections at the Cannes Festival and her popularity in Japan, China and other countries, Lin is the best candidate to help promote Taiwanese culture, Li said, adding that when the TCCA extended the invitation, it was unsure whether Lin would accept.

Regarding Lin’s posts on China’s national day and other events, Li said his ministry had launched an investigation into 20 entertainers who had branched off their businesses into China, and found that the posts made on social media were most often made by social media managers or the entertainers’ management team.

He urged a more balanced and rational perspective on the issue, adding that isolated incidents should not be used to discredit artists’ commitment to Taiwan’s cultural industry.


A survey released by the Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation suggests social workers are increasingly concerned about wartime risks, with more than 80 percent saying they support emergency training.

The survey garnered 1,051 valid responses from current and prospective social workers, nearly 80 percent of who were women, the foundation said.

Results showed that respondents rated the likelihood of “Taiwan experiencing war in the future” 5.65 out of 10 on average.

An image included in the Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation’s survey on social workers’ resilience and needs ahead of war is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the foundation

Their top five greatest concerns were: “air raids or armed conflict occurring at any time” (83.63 percent), “looting and physical violence over supplies” (82.59 percent), “shortages of essential supplies” (77.35 percent), “lack of medical care and medication” (72.40 percent), and “fear, panic, and post-traumatic stress symptoms” (69.84 percent), the foundation said.

The survey also found that even in a wartime setting, 78.12 percent of social workers said they would continue working if certain conditions were met, while 10.47 percent said they would be fully willing to do so.

However, that would depend on key safeguards, such as basic workplace safety protections (88.79 percent), security for their families (79.66 percent), and access to pre-conflict professional training (67.24 percent), the foundation said.

Meanwhile, 71.46 percent said they believed they would still be able to continue helping others even if they themselves were affected by war-related trauma.

As for the training most sought after by social workers, the survey showed the top areas include wartime psychological first aid (81.26 percent), the role and functions of social workers in wartime (80.30 percent), responding to violence and medical needs during conflict (75.64 percent), and trauma-informed care and secondary traumatic stress management (72.98 percent).

The foundation called on the government to quickly integrate social workers, psychologists and other helping professionals into Taiwan’s national resilience framework.

The government also needs to clear social worker roles before, during and after conflict, along with professional training, safety support systems and guidelines for transitioning between peacetime and wartime services, it said.

Citing international research, the foundation also highlighted that women, children and adolescents are especially vulnerable in conflict, often facing or witnessing sexual and gender-based violence, including sexual assault and intimate partner violence.

It urged the government to set up a wartime deployment framework to allow professionals to provide rescue, counseling, and treatment, helping to maintain social stability and support post-conflict recovery.

Survey finds social workers concerned about wartime risk


永和 新莊 中山 林口 大安

Legislators propose hidden camera law

CRACKDOWN:  Eight aesthetic clinics — five Airlees, two Saint Eirs and one Dr Shine — have been ordered to suspend services for alleged hidden camera offenses

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers yesterday proposed a “hidden camera control” law, pushing for real-name purchases and stricter inspections, after hidden cameras were found at several aesthetic clinics.

The rising in digital gender-based violence cases involving miniature or disguised hidden cameras has become a major concern, with such devices increasingly used for covert filming, seriously violations people’s privacy and safety, states the draft bill proposed by legislators including Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯), Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) and Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強).

There is a lack of control over how such devices are obtained, it says, adding that only a few local governments have introduced rules requiring inspections for hidden cameras in public spaces, leading to uneven protection standards.

From left, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers Hsu Chiao-hsin, Wang Hung-wei, Lo Chih-chiang, Lai Shyh-bao and Lee Yan-hsiu hold placards at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

The proposal seeks to tighten regulation at the source by introducing real-name registration for purchases and a licensing system for sales. It would also elevate requirements for regular anti-surveillance inspections in public venues to the national legal level, aiming to establish a more comprehensive framework against voyeurism.

Local regulations alone are insufficient, as consumers could still purchase pinhole camera devices abroad, it states.

Therefore, a comprehensive national framework is needed, Hsu said.

Aside from introducing real-name registration requirements for the manufacture, import and sale of such devices, the proposal would require online platforms to verify sellers’ licenses and enforce real-name transactions, she said.

It also requires managers of private spaces, such as bathrooms, changing rooms and medical examination rooms, to carry out regular checks for hidden cameras and keep records, she added.

The bill includes penalties to curb voyeurism, Hsu said.

In related developments, local officials yesterday said that five Airlee aesthetic clinics in Taipei and New Taipei City, and two Saint Eir clinics and one Dr Shine clinic in Taichung have been ordered to suspend services for six months over alleged hidden camera offenses.

The investigation into Airlee Group Co, which operates 18 clinics nationwide, began after a person on May 2 posted on Threads that she noticed a smoke detector that appeared to be hiding a recording device while changing in a room at Airlee’s Banciao branch.

Airlee chairman Chang Ju-shan (常如山) was questioned by prosecutors on Wednesday last week and held incommunicado.

The New Taipei City Department of Health said it confirmed with prosecutors that three Airlee branches in Linkou (林口), Sinjhuang (新莊) and Yonghe (永和) districts had concealed surveillance equipment in treatment and operating rooms where patients were allegedly secretly filmed.

Such acts are a serious breach of Article 108 of the Medical Care Act (醫療法), which bans practices that are obscene or endanger human health, the department said.

The clinics deliberately engaged in grave offenses and were ordered to pay a NT$500,000 fine each, the department said, adding that their operations have been suspended until Nov. 14.

The Taipei City Government has also ordered two Airlee branches in Daan (大安) and Zhongshan (中山) districts to suspend operations for six months over the same offenses and fined each branch NT$500,000, the city’s Department of Health said yesterday.

The Daan branch was also fined NT$250,000 for contravening official fee regulations by setting unauthorized charges.

On Thursday, two Airlee branches in Kaohsiung were ordered to suspend medical services for six months over multiple violations, including the alleged unauthorized filming of patients.

Taichung City Health Bureau Director Tseng Tzu-chan (曾梓展) said their health department found that two Saint Eir clinic branches had installed cameras in treatment areas, contravening regulations.

One Dr Shine clinic was found to have secretly recorded patients’ medical images without consent, with 23 video clips discovered in treatment and laser rooms, Tseng said.

The three clinics in Taichung were each fined NT$500,000 and ordered to suspend operations for six months, Tseng added.


The Ministry of Environment’s Resource Circulation Administration yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Taoyuan International Airport Corp on plastic circulation cooperation.

Deputy Minister of Environment Shen Chih-hsiu (沈志修) said recycling at households could be traced back to 1997.

“That was when each garbage truck started to be followed by a recycling truck,” he said.

Taoyuan International Airport Corp president Fan Hsiao-lun, center right, and Resource Circulation Administration Director-General Lai Ying-ying, center left, pose for a photograph at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Wu Po-hsuan, Taipei Times

Taiwan has a fund-based resource recycling system that involves consumers, recyclers, waste management companies and waste reuse technology development, Shen said.

Such experience is worth sharing with the world, he added.

The Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is the gateway to Taiwan, with passenger traffic reaching about 47.8 million people last year, Shen said.

Most travelers are from abroad and the airport is the first stop where they can experience Taiwan’s “green lifestyle,” he said.

Eateries at the airport would no longer provide single-use utensils to reduce waste, Shen said, adding that plastic reduction and resource repurposing would be incorporated into the airport’s management.

For example, recycled resources are being used to make cultural and creative products, such as soap boxes, he said.

Such products are expected to become available at the airport or on the plane, he added.

Taoyuan airport earned the airport carbon accreditation from the Airports Council International last year, the first airport in Taiwan to receive the recognition, Shen said.

Combined with enhanced efforts in plastic reduction and resource circulation, the airport is expected to set an example for other transportation spaces in Taiwan, he said.

The ministry would help match recycling industry players with the airport’s resource management needs, as well as provide legal and technical assistance, he added.

Administration Director-General Lai Ying-ying (賴瑩瑩) said the MOU marked the start of a long-term collaboration with the airport on promoting resource circulation.

There are more than 200 companies and 38,000 personnel at the airport, and tens of millions of travelers pass through the airport, she said.

“We hope to introduce the concept and practices of resource circulation — including source reduction, resource recycling and repurposing — at the airport,” she added.

Asked about the airport’s plastic reduction target within a year, Lai said the goal is to establish a mechanism for circular use of recycled resources.

The MOU was signed by Lai and TIAC president Fan Hsiao-lun (范孝倫).

MOENV, Taoyuan airport sign an MOU on recycling


Woman dies after escape room performance mishap

RECURRING ISSUES:  One former worker said he also passed out performing the same role as the woman who died, and that it had happened more than once

A woman employed at a horror-themed escape room in Taipei who lost consciousness and was rushed to hospital has died, her family said yesterday, urging the city government and the operator to review regulations and practices to prevent similar tragedies.

The woman’s brother and cousin, together with former employees of the escape room, held a news conference in Taipei.

They were accompanied by Democratic Progressive Party Taipei city council candidate Chen Sheng-wen (陳聖文).

Current and former employees of an escape room in Taipei, and family members of a deceased employee hold a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

The 29-year-old woman, surnamed (吳), had worked at the company for about three years and was passionate about her job, but had not been properly protected, her cousin said, reading a statement on behalf of Wu’s mother.

Taipei City Fire Department first responders found Wu in a state of cardiac and respiratory arrest when they arrived at the scene after receiving an emergy call at 7:41pm on Sunday.

Wu was playing the role of a ghost who had died by hanging.

Wu’s mother said she was not only seeking justice for her daughter, but also speaking up for young people working in high-risk environments.

She called on the judiciary to clarify the truth about the case, the authorities to determine responsibility and for reforms in the industry to prevent further tragedies.

Wu’s brother said his family wants to know what happened, and asked that judicial authorities investigate whether the operator was negligent, including in areas such as scenario design and prop safety.

He also urged the city government to comprehensively review safety standards for escape rooms and immersive experience venues, and establish clear regulations.

A former employee of the escape room said he had previously performed the same role as Wu and once lost consciousness while on the job.

He initially thought it was due to inexperience, but after similar incidents occurred five to six times, he began to suspect something was wrong.

Performers were required to stand on interlocking foam mats and use real ropes while wearing masks, he said, adding that the room was not equipped with surveillance cameras and was completely dark, making it difficult for colleagues to notice if anything was wrong.

Wu’s family filed a complaint against the operator, and police have since referred the case to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for investigation, on suspicion of negligence causing serious injury.

In a separate statement, Chen said Wu died at about 11am yesterday, and a joint examination would be conducted by prosecutors and police at Taipei Medical University Hospital.

The family would also file for a charge of negligent homicide against the company’s owner, he added.


A passenger from the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise ship is in hospital quarantine, Taiwanese health authorities said yesterday.

The person, a New Zealand national, arrived in Taiwan on Thursday last week after disembarking from the cruise ship in St Helena on April 24, authorities said, adding that the passenger tested negative for the disease and has not shown any symptoms.

New Zealand authorities on Wednesday told the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that the person was in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General and spokeswoman Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said.

Centers for Disease Control Director-General Philip Lo speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

The person was admitted to a hospital the same day and is to remain there until June 6, Tseng said.

She declined to provide details on the person’s age, gender or location.

“At present, we believe their probability of developing the disease is relatively low,” Tseng said. “Their last exposure with the other passengers was on the 25th [last month], which is about 20 days ago.”

The hantavirus has a potential incubation period of 42 days.

CDC Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said the person did not return to New Zealand after leaving the cruise ship.

Lo refused to provide information on the route the person took to Taiwan.

A spokesperson for New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said it is “providing consular assistance to a dual national” in Taiwan.

“The person resides outside New Zealand and sought help from MFAT on Wednesday,” it said.

The ship set sail from Argentina on April 1, charting a course across the Atlantic Ocean.

Health authorities have said that the broader risk to public health from the outbreak of the Andes strain of hantavirus — the only one known to spread between people — is low.

Globally, the death toll remains at three.

Hantavirus cruise passenger quarantines in Taiwan


By Liu Ching-ho, Wu Liang-yi and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, with staff writer

Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day.

The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning.

The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added.

A view of Yangmingshan National Park’s Qingtiangang is pictured yesterday.

Photo: Screengrab from Yangmingshan National Park’s livestream

The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live monitoring system, which is linked to YouTube so that animal watchers could tune in at any time.

The Yangmingshan National Park Administration Office said the video has been taken down and warned people who kept a copy of the footage that redistributing would contravene the Criminal Code or the Social Order Maintenance Act (社會秩序維護法).

Police said the man might be charged with contravening the Criminal Code, and if found guilty, he could face a one-year prison term and a NT$9,000 fine.

The Yangmingshan National Park Administration Office said the park is a public area that allows people to be closer to nature and reminded visitors to always be on guard for wildlife.

Park visitors should respect nature and others, the office said, and warned the public not to behave in ways that would affect ecology and the environment, or would cause distress.

Police identify man who engaged in indecency at park


An Australian man who had been stranded for days in a cave along a cliff in the eastern Coastal Mountain Range was rescued yesterday, after search crews used drones and followed the sound of his saxophone to locate him.

The 50-year-old man, identified as Matthew, was escorted down the mountain by Taitung County Fire Bureau rescuers after days of difficult operations in steep terrain and poor weather.

“It’s a miracle. Thank you Taiwan,” Matthew said after returning to the coastal highway.

An Australian identified only as Matthew, third right, poses for a photograph with his rescuers in Taitung County yesterday. Photo: Liu Jen-wei, Taipei Times

Matthew, who entered the mountains alone on Saturday last week, said he spent days in the mountains without food, shoes or electronic devices, surviving by searching for water.

He said he had been hiking above the cliff area, but climbed down into a ravine after getting thirsty. When he tried to return, he found the route was too steep to climb back up.

Matthew said that when he felt close to giving up, he played his saxophone in hopes that someone would hear it or read the Bible, believing God would send him help.

The Taitung County Fire Bureau said it received a report on Monday that a foreign national had gone missing in the mountains of Donghe Township (東河). Rescue crews, volunteer firefighters and forestry personnel later set up a forward command post.

On Tuesday, rescuers’ drones located Matthew inside a cave near a mountain stream by a cliff face.

Heavy rain, collapsed trails and unstable terrain complicated rescue efforts and prevented helicopter operations, authorities said.

Drones were used to airdrop food and supplies to Matthew while rescue teams advanced on foot from two directions, they said.

Rescuers reached Matthew on Thursday evening, but rain, dense vegetation and dangerous terrain forced them to camp overnight before escorting him down the mountain yesterday.

The fire bureau said recent rainfall likely helped Matthew survive by providing water, while the cave protected him from wind and rain, preventing hypothermia.

Drones played a critical role in the operation, helping rescuers conduct aerial searches, map routes and deliver supplies in remote terrain with poor communications, the bureau said.

Thirty-three vehicles and 144 personnel were deployed over the rescue operation, the bureau added.

Matthew’s friend Kao Yung-hsu (高永旭) said Matthew enjoys hiking alone and is known for volunteering in disaster relief work in remote indigenous communities and Hualien.

Rescuers were able to pinpoint Matthew’s location partly because he played his saxophone after hearing people call for him in the mountains, Kao said.

“It worked like a whistle,” he said.

Stranded man’s saxophone helps in his rescue


By Liu Jen-wei and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

A young Taiwanese black bear was released into the wild yesterday after it was rescued by a Wuling tribal patrol and treated at a care center, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Taitung branch said yesterday, commending the group for its assistance.

The patrol group found the cub caught in a rope snare trap on April 9, the agency said, adding that the patrol group also sought help from WildOne Wildlife Veterinary Hospital in Chihshang Township (池上) to rescue the cub.

The young male bear was named “Ibi,” after the Bunun name of the tribal member who first discovered and reported it, following a Wuling tribal meeting, the agency said.

A Formosan black bear cub named Ibi is released back into the wild in Taitung yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Taitung branch

The name reflected the community’s involvement in the rescue and carries the tribe’s blessing, it said.

The cub on Thursday last week passed the assessment to be released back into the wild, the agency said, adding that the cub gained nearly 5kg in just more than a month.

It now weighs 40.5kg, up from 36kg when it was rescued.

Ibi was outfitted with a GPS tracker so the agency could continue to monitor its activity and whereabouts, with the collected data serving as an important reference for Taiwan black bear conservation and management, it said.

The speedy rescue of the cub was entirely due to the patrol team’s timely reports, as the group had been enrolled in the black bear Payments for Ecosystem Services Program, the agency’s Taitung branch said.

Rescued bear returned to the wild


Support for same-sex marriage in Taiwan rises: Survey

Support for same-sex marriage in Taiwan has risen to 54.3 percent, up 12 percentage points from seven years ago, when it became legalized, according to a survey released yesterday by a non-profit civic group.

Taiwan marks the seventh anniversary of the legalization of same-sex marriage on May 24.

In a news release, the Taiwan Equality Campaign (TEC) said support for transnational same-sex marriage and joint child adoption by same-sex couples had also risen to 63 percent and 67.2 percent, respectively.

Same-sex marriage advocates wave rainbow flags outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei on May 17, 2019, to celebrate the legalization of gay marriage. Photo: CNA

The survey also found that support for gender equality education reached a record high of 75 percent, marking the largest increase among all categories surveyed, up of 21 percentage points over the past seven years.

Meanwhile, 59.7 percent of respondents said they supported allowing female same-sex couples to have children through assisted reproduction, with support strongest among respondents aged 20-39.

Under Taiwan’s Assisted Reproduction Act (人工生殖法), access to assisted reproductive technology is currently available only to infertile heterosexual couples.

Citing broad public consensus, Taiwan’s mature assisted reproduction technology, and the number of LGBTQ+ families awaiting legislation, the TEC urged the Legislative Yuan to expedite deliberations on draft amendments to the law approved by the Cabinet in December last year to ensure parenting rights are not restricted by marital status.

The TEC said the survey also included questions on workplace environment and job-seeking intentions. It found that young women had a more positive view of workplace inclusiveness and attractiveness, with 55 percent of female respondents aged 18-29 saying they would be more likely to apply for jobs at workplaces that identify as LGBTQ- friendly.

Support for LGBTQ+ individuals holding public office has increased notably since 2020, the survey found. Acceptance of LGBTQ+ lawmakers rose from 60 percent to nearly 70 percent, while opposition fell from 35.5 percent to 26.8 percent.

The TEC said that although younger generations express support for gender equality and LGBTQ+-friendly measures in opinion polls, past experiences show that they tend to mobilize strongly only when facing a perceived “common adversary” or a need to defend certain values.

The survey, commissioned by the TEC, was conducted by Trend Polls in April through telephone interviews with 1,077 adults nationwide and had a margin of error of 2.98 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.


Representatives from preschool and childcare organizations hold placards at a press conference in Taipei yesterday urging the government to reduce parenting pressures through effective policies.

Taking action


Cosplayers unite

Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao, center, dressed as a “police rabbit,” poses with other cosplayers at a news conference in Hsinchu City yesterday promoting the “Comic Festival — 2026 Hsinchu International Anime Festival.” The two-day event is to begin on May 30.


Eye on Fed policy amid change

FOUR POTENTIAL SHIFTS: One possible change to Fed policy stems from the new chairman’s criticism of its ‘dot plot’ system, which provides interest rate projections

A change in leadership at the US Federal Reserve could usher in significant shifts in monetary policy and communication strategy, underscoring mounting market scrutiny over how new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh might redefine the role of the world’s most influential central bank, Taiwan’s central bank said on Facebook on Thursday.

Taiwan’s central bank outlined four key policy changes that could emerge under Warsh, who succeeded Jerome Powell after Powell’s term as Fed chair expired yesterday.

The leadership transition could reshape the Fed’s approach to policy communication, inflation assessment, balance-sheet management and the scope of the institution’s mandate, the post said.

The US Senate confirmed Warsh in a narrow 54-45 vote, highlighting deep divisions in Washington over the direction of monetary policy.

Powell has indicated he would remain on the Fed’s Board of Governors after stepping down as chairman — the first such arrangement in nearly eight decades — potentially complicating the internal balance of influence at the Fed and raising questions over policy continuity.

Warsh’s views on monetary tools and governance could carry broad implications for global financial markets, warranting close attention from policymakers and investors worldwide, Taiwan’s central bank said.

Among the most closely watched changes is Warsh’s criticism of the Fed’s “dot plot” system, introduced in 2012 to provide policymakers’ projections for interest rates.

Warsh has argued that heavy reliance on forward guidance can constrain policy flexibility and amplify market volatility, advocating the elimination of the dot plot and even a review of the Fed’s routine post-meeting news conferences.

Warsh has also questioned the Fed’s use of the core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index, its preferred inflation gauge that excludes food and energy prices.

While core PCE remains a key benchmark for policymakers, Warsh has said it can be distorted by short-term price swings.

He has instead expressed support for alternative measures such as trimmed-mean or median inflation indicators, which he believes better reflect underlying price trends and could provide a more stable basis for policy decisions.

On policy tools, Warsh has called for shrinking the Fed’s balance sheet, and reducing reliance on quantitative easing and other large-scale asset purchases.

He has said that the Fed’s vast holdings of long-term US Treasury bonds amount to a form of quasi-fiscal policy that risks inflating asset prices and widening wealth inequality.

By contrast, Warsh has said interest rates remain a broader and more effective tool for steering economic activity without distorting financial markets.

Warsh has also said that the Fed should refocus on its core mandates of maintaining price stability and supporting maximum employment.

While acknowledging the need for coordination with the White House and the US Congress, he has said that the Fed should avoid expanding too deeply into nonmonetary issues such as climate policy and should preserve what he described as “independence within government.”

The commentary from Taiwan’s central bank came as global investors reassess the potential trajectory of US monetary policy, and its potential spillover effects on global capital flows, currencies and asset markets.


Ennoconn expects revenue bump

SMART PRODUCTS:  The company’s chairman said that growth this quarter is expected to be strongest in its intelligent software and solutions business

Industrial computer maker Ennoconn Corp (樺漢科技) yesterday said revenue this quarter is expected to grow sequentially, driven by rising demand for its smart retail products, particularly in the North American market.

The growth momentum is expected to come from the commercialization of its physical artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for smart retail applications, Ennoconn chairman Steve Chu (朱復銓) told an earnings conference in Taipei.

Additional drivers include orders from US semiconductor makers for smart factory and automation applications, aerospace and military products, and orders related to AI data center construction in North America, Chu said.

Ennoconn Corp chairman Steve Chu attends an investors’ conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of Ennoconn Corp

The firm holds orders totaling NT$215 billion (US$6.81 billion), up from NT$190 billion last quarter, indicating robust shipment momentum this year, he said.

Revenue in the first quarter fell 6.07 percent quarter-on-quarter, but rose 7.67 percent year-on-year to NT$37.11 billion, Ennoconn said.

Ennoconn’s business consists of three main segments: industrial Internet of Things (IoT), which accounted for 48 percent of total revenue last quarter; intelligent software and solutions (14 percent); and smart factory and facility management (38 percent), it said.

Among the three segments, growth this quarter is expected to be strongest in the intelligent software and solutions business, Chu said.

The business delivers 30 percent of gross margin, the most among the three segments, he said.

As part of the segment, Ennoconn expects to generate more revenue from a project with Atlanta, Georgia-based retail solutions provider NCR Voyix Corp, he said.

The project started contributing revenue of NT$1 billion last month after entering volume production, he said.

In addition, smart factory and facility management businesses this quarter are expected to benefit from demand related to semiconductor factory operations, particularly for high-tech equipment and automation systems, Chu said.

Revenue from Ennoconn’s industrial IoT business is also expected to rise, supported by demand for smart retail and financial applications, he said.

Ennoconn on Thursday reported first-quarter net profit of NT$751 million, down 13.6 percent quarter-on-quarter and 9.1 percent year-on-year.

Earnings per share fell to NT$5.15 from NT$6.3 in the previous quarter and NT$6.02 a year earlier.

Gross margin fell to 20.11 percent from 20.63 percent the previous quarter and 21.52 percent a year earlier.

Last quarter’s results fell short of the company’s expectations, as some orders were pushed into this quarter, Chu said.

That does not affect the company’s expectation that net profit and gross margin in the first two quarters of this year would improve from the same period last year on the back of clearer order visibility, he said.

The firm would hike prices from this quarter to pass on memorychip costs to customers, Chu said.

To improve profitability, Ennoconn aims to boost revenue share from AI-related products to 25 percent this year from less than 20 percent last year as part of its efforts to expand revenue contribution from high-margin products, he added.


Cerebras Systems Inc shares jumped 68 percent in its trading debut after raising US$5.5 billion in the year’s largest initial public offering (IPO), illustrating investors’ surging appetite for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and the chips running them.

Shares of the Sunnyvale, California-based company pared earlier gains to close at US$311.07 in New York on Thursday, above the US$185 IPO price, after being halted earlier for volatility.

Cerebras’ first-time share sale raised nearly 60 percent more than its target when it launched and priced above a marketed range that was revised higher on Monday.

Cerebras Systems Inc chief executive officer Andrew Feldman holds a chip during the company’s initial public offering at the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York on Thursday. Photo:Bloomberg

The trading gave Cerebras a market value of US$67 billion, based on the outstanding shares in its filings.

Accounting for restricted shares, options and warrants, the company has a fully diluted value of about US$83 billion.

Investors are flooding into stocks of companies such as Cerebras that are set to benefit from the billions of dollars top hyperscalers have pledged to spend building out AI capabilities.

The firm is prepared to work hard on further developing its unique AI computing, aiming to take a place among the leading providers of technology in that lucrative market, Cerebras chief executive officer Andrew Feldman said.

It has the ability to quickly produce tokens, the basic units of data in large language models, Feldman said.

“We’re just at the beginning of AI being useful. And the more AI is useful, the more tokens are needed. And we make the fastest token,” Feldman told Bloomberg News in an interview.

The IPO is the biggest since Medline Inc’s US$7.2 billion offering in December last year, data compiled by Bloomberg showed.

It is also the largest ever semiconductor listing in the US, topping Arm Holdings PLC’s US$5.23 billion haul in 2023, the data showed.

The stock’s 68 percent first-day pop above the IPO price is the biggest since 2000 for a US listing raising more than US$4 billion, the data showed.

Cerebras’ IPO was more than 25 times oversubscribed, Feldman said.

The company sought to manage demand by telling institutional investors placing IPO orders to specify the number of shares and the maximum price they were willing to pay, Bloomberg News reported.

Arm Holdings PLC and its majority owner, Softbank Group Corp, made an approach to buy Cerebras weeks before its IPO, people familiar with the matter said earlier.

Cerebras is set to join a growing group of publicly traded chipmakers seeking to challenge market leader Nvidia Corp.

Cerebras makes large chips that help the bespoke computers that house them to crunch massive amounts of data.

Its hardware runs AI models faster than Nvidia, Feldman said.

The company has gained traction as the AI market increasingly focuses on more rapidly delivering answers to queries and running AI models at high speed. It is an area in which Nvidia is viewed as having less of a lock on the market, although the chip giant paid a reported US$20 billion for the technology and personnel of Cerebras rival Groq.

Cerebras is the fastest by “an order of magnitude,” Feldman said.

“We’re 15 times faster than the next nearest competitor and as AI has become useful, everybody wants it to be fast,” he said. “Nobody wants to wait.”

The company’s chips are already being used by OpenAI, which released its first model on Cerebras chips in February.

A deal with OpenAI earlier this year gave the ChatGPT maker 33.4 million warrants for Cerebras shares, some of which are subject to vesting conditions, including delivery dates for compute and the chipmaker’s market value exceeding US$40 billion, filings showed.

Cerebras climbs 68 percent after record IPO


Export controls on chips not big topic in US-China talks

US export controls on semiconductor chips were not a major topic of discussions with Chinese officials in Beijing, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in an interview yesterday.

The comments suggest a breakthrough on selling Nvidia’s advanced H200 chips to China remains far away, despite Nvidia Corp chief executive officer Jensen Huang’s (黃仁勳) last-minute invitation to travel with US President Donald Trump to Beijing this week alongside other CEOs of tope US tech companies.

“This was not a major topic of discussion at the bilateral meeting. We did not talk about chip export controls at the meeting,” Greer said, adding that “15 to 17” US chief executive officers at Thursday’s meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) spoke about their companies’ issues.

US President Donald Trump, second right, smiles during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: AP

The US had cleared about 10 Chinese companies to buy H200s, including Alibaba (阿里巴巴), Tencent (騰訊) and Bytedance (字節跳動), but not a single delivery has been made so far. The Trump administration approved H200 exports to China in December last year and added further conditions in January.

Allowing the H200 imports would be a “sovereign decision” for China, Greer said.

“They’re fluid, right? They change over time. It depends on what threats you see, what’s commercially available worldwide, what the Chinese can already do,” he said.

“And so you want to make sure you strike a balance between national security, protecting high tech, but also making sure that we’re benefiting from overseas markets. And so those are the kinds of things that went into the H200 decision as to whether the Chinese are going to buy or not,” he added.

While Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) firms such as DeepSeek (深度求索) increasingly tout their reliance on domestic chips, US chip curbs continue to choke Beijing’s push for self-sufficiency just when domestic fabs are struggling to scale up output.

Computing power shortages have forced many Chinese AI models to ration user access in the past few months, but Chinese policymakers are worried about deepening dependencies on US chips, which they view as a supply chain vulnerability.

US lawmakers and former officials have argued that selling advanced AI chips to China would allow them to catch up with the US in frontier AI and advance China’s military ambitions.

“They’re making their own determinations. They’re very committed to domestic production,” Greer said.

“They often see US high tech sometimes as a threat to them because if we’re ahead of the game like we are on AI chips, sometimes they feel that can stop their own growth,” he added.


Applied Materials’ revenue forecast rises on AI demand

Applied Materials Inc, the largest US supplier of semiconductor equipment, on Thursday gave sales and profit forecasts that far exceeded analysts’ estimates, fueled by soaring demand for artificial intelligence (AI) computing and memory chips.

Revenue would be approximately US$8.95 billion in the fiscal third quarter, which runs through July, Applied Materials said in a statement.

Analysts had estimated US$8.15 billion on average.

The corporate signage of Applied Materials is pictured at a company site in Santa Clara, California, on Aug. 22, 2016. Photo: Reuters

Earnings are expected to be about US$3.36 per share, excluding some items, compared with a projection of US$2.88.

Applied Materials customers such as Samsung Electronics Co and Micron Technology Inc are expanding manufacturing to cope with short supplies of memory chips.

A dramatic boom in the market for data centers and gear to run AI tasks also is pushing demand for semiconductors to new levels.

The AI growth would contribute to a sales increase of more than 30 percent in the company’s semiconductor equipment business this calendar year, Applied Materials chief executive officer Gary Dickerson said in an interview.

It is also helping boost gross margins, which are at the widest level in more than 25 years, Dickerson said.

“This AI compute demand is going to be a multiyear driver,” he said. “Our customers are giving us eight-quarter forecasts, so we have more longer-term visibility than any time I’ve been in this industry.”

The shares climbed about 2 percent in late trading on Thursday after the results were released. They had been up 71 percent this year through the close, in line with the benchmark Philadelphia Stock Exchange Semiconductor Index.

Sales in the second quarter rose 11 percent to US$7.91 billion, while earnings, excluding certain items, climbed to US$2.86 per share.

Analysts had projected revenue of $7.67 billion and profit of US$2.68 per share.

Applied Materials had already been investing to expand its production, aiming to meet a run-up in demand.

The company has “basically doubled” its manufacturing capacity, Dickerson said.

The company would use visibility into orders to ensure it has enough supplies for its products and to train service engineers, he said.


People line up outside the Swatch NGHC Ginza store in Tokyo yesterday. More than 200 people, some of them who had been there since Thursday, were seeking to be among the first to buy Swatch’s latest collaboration with the Audemars Piguet brand. The Bioceramic Royal Pop pocket watch is to go on sale today and is already being listed for thousands of dollars on resale sites.

Sign of the Times


At an event to mark International Nurses Day on Tuesday, President William Lai (賴清德) touted amendments to the Medical Care Act (醫療法) that would mandate shift nurse-to-patient ratios which are to be implemented in phases starting from May 20 next year — about seven months earlier than initially agreed upon.

The Legislative Yuan on Friday last week ratified the amendments in response to long-standing calls to reduce the excessive workloads nurses face. The new rules stipulate that hospitals can be fined or face a suspension of operations if they fail to comply with nurse-to-patient ratios the Ministry of Health and Welfare introduced in 2024. The ratios would be reviewed and adjusted as necessary every three years.

Although codifying nurse-to-patient ratios appears to be a step in the right direction, the response from nurses and labor groups highlighted the reality that Taiwan still has a long way to go in addressing the structural issues in its healthcare system.

Rather than celebrating, many nursing unions and frontline healthcare workers reacted to the legislation with frustration and distrust toward the Ministry of Health and Welfare, accusing it of repeatedly delaying meaningful reform while failing to adequately listen to the concerns of nurses themselves.

Several unions accused the ministry of repeatedly postponing implementation timelines and weakening mechanisms they believe are necessary for accountability. Nurses had originally hoped the law would establish an advisory committee with strong representation from frontline healthcare workers to help determine staffing ratios.

Instead, many felt that their voices had once again been sidelined in favor of hospital administrators. The groups also said there was a lack of auditing mechanisms for staffing data submitted by hospitals and that frontline concerns had repeatedly been dismissed. They urged the ministry to engage more directly and constructively with healthcare workers.

These long-held frustrations point to a structural constraint in Taiwan’s healthcare system. Staffing ratios are only part of the problem — the system also faces the more basic question of whether there would continue to be enough healthcare workers to make the ratios possible.

Last year, emergency rooms (ER) across Taiwan repeatedly experienced severe overcrowding. Medical groups warned that the situation had become “unprecedented,” with critically ill people forced to remain in ERs because hospitals lacked sufficient inpatient beds.

However, the issue was not necessarily caused by a lack of infrastructure. According to hospitals and medical groups, inpatient capacity is increasingly limited by nursing shortages, which in turn reduce available beds and delay admissions. Reports from regional hospitals in the past few years have described postponed surgeries, patients waiting days for beds after emergency procedures and increasing burnout among medical personnel.

While the government has introduced bonuses and financial incentives to improve retention, many nurses continue to raise the issues of exhausting workloads, long shifts, stagnant wages and poor work-life balance.

Nurses and other frontline healthcare workers are not a mere component of the healthcare system — they are its foundation. Hospitals can build more wards and purchase more equipment, but without enough staff, even the most state-of-the-art equipment is worthless.

The issue of nurses’ labor rights is inextricably tied with the nation’s broader demographic crisis. Taiwan is already a super-aged society and the proportion of elderly people is expected to continue rising rapidly. Older populations require more frequent medical treatment, hospitalization and long-term care, meaning the demand on hospitals and nursing staff is almost certain to increase.

Moreover, the working-age population is dwindling. If nurses remain exposed to overwhelming and unsustainable conditions, fewer young people would be willing to enter or remain in the profession.

Taiwan risks a future characterized by rising medical demand and a shrinking healthcare workforce.

Codifying nurse-to-patient ratios is an important — albeit delayed — step forward, but it is not enough. If the government hopes to maintain the quality and accessibility of healthcare in an aging society, it cannot afford to leave nurses’ concerns unaddressed. The ministry should work directly with frontline healthcare workers — the people most affected by the policies — to rebuild trust and develop sustainable long-term reforms.

Taiwan’s healthcare system has been praised internationally for its high quality, low costs and accessibility, but preserving it means supporting the healthcare professionals who keep it running.

EDITORIAL: Supporting frontline healthcare


The Banciao District (板橋) branch of the well-known cosmetic chain Airlee Group Co Ltd (愛爾麗集團) was recently found to have installed a hidden pinhole camera inside a smoke detector, which has so far led to the discovery of other hidden cameras in at least four other cosmetic clinics.

Airlee chairman Chang Ju-shan (常如山) and two others have been detained and held incommunicado on suspicion of committing sexual privacy violations, offenses against privacy and contraventions of the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act (兒童及少年性剝削防制條例) by filming patients without their consent. The incident has highlighted the urgent need for more explicit legal regulations surrounding the installation of surveillance cameras in medical facilities.

Under Article 319 of the Criminal Code, a person who “takes photos, videos, electromagnetic records, or uses other technological means to record sexual images of the victims without consent” may be sentenced to imprisonment of up to three years. However, this offense is prosecutable only upon complaint — in other words, prosecutors may pursue charges only if the victim files a formal complaint.

Article 2 of the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法) includes people’s medical records and healthcare data as “personal data,” and Article 41 of the same act stipulates that the unauthorized collection, processing or use of such personal data “with intent to obtain unlawful benefit for themselves or a third party or to cause harm to another’s interests” can result in a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of up to NT$1 million (US$31,722).

Unlike the Criminal Code offenses listed above, contravention of the Personal Data Protection Act is a non-complaint-based offense, meaning prosecutors are required to initiate prosecution even without a formal complaint from the victim. Furthermore, if the victim of the illicit recording is under the age of 18, Article 36 of the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act classifies the conduct as a serious offense punishable by a prison sentence of one to seven years.

However, the criminal provisions concerning contraventions of personal data protection laws expressly include the phrase “without justification.”

In other words, if a clinic’s use of hidden cameras to record patients can be justified by a lawful and legitimate purpose, it is possible to avoid criminal liability.

When considering the validity of the reason provided, it is essential to weigh whether the infringement involved is appropriate, necessary and proportionate in relation to the protected legal interests.

In the case of cosmetic clinics installing pinhole cameras, such devices are often used to preserve evidence in the event of future disputes or litigation.

While this practice might be framed as a way to protect patients’ rights and interests, it is really about self-protection — namely, defensive medicine.

However, when patients are not informed about recording practices in advance, both their bodily and health-related privacy are completely stripped away.

Once an incident occurs, not only must the patient involved endure the psychological stress of wondering whether the footage has been leaked, but the public trust in cosmetic clinics and medical professionals might also collapse entirely. Therefore, using the protection of patients’ interests as a justification to avoid criminal liability is clearly untenable.

Medical facilities are generally considered to be public spaces that can be seen or accessed by many people. However, once one enters a consultation room, operating room or hospital ward, they fall within the scope of patient privacy. Moreover, filming is not itself a medical act; therefore, the installation of surveillance cameras requires prior notification and consent from the patient or their family.

However, because the boundary between public and private space in medical facilities remains unclear, existing Ministry of Health and Welfare guidelines are vague and lack binding legal force.

Legislators should establish clear principles under the Medical Care Act (醫療法) and authorize the ministry to draft enforceable regulations for medical institutions.

Wu Ching-chin is a professor in Aletheia University’s Department of Law and director of its Criminal Law Research Center.

Translated by Kyra Gustavsen

Patient privacy laws lack clarity