一館一特色精準治理！林口空氣槍射擊場規格攻頂     公私協力織出金牌防線

記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

新北市射擊隊在115年全國身心障礙國民運動會，截至20日已斬獲4金、3銀和3銅，整體成績比上屆更出色，除了選手與團隊全心投入付出，代表隊的專業訓練基地—林口國民運動中心更是一大助力。

▲靶位加寬到220公分，讓輪椅選手方便上下靶位。(圖/新北市體育局 提供)

「林口運動中心射擊場的無障礙空間對選手很友善，特別是像靶場比賽規定，射擊場的間距一個靶位100公分，我們為了方便選手練習，把靶位加寬到220公分，上靶位跟下靶位都很方便，對選手很友善。」新北市全障運射擊隊教練陳秋燕指出，為了幫助選手適應比賽模式，特別引進兩台奧運規格電子靶機，可以更進入比賽情境，這部分比起一般紙靶，電子靶直接顯示成績，有效改善選手面對分數的心境。

林口國民運動中心是新北市第14座運動中心，在一館一特色的規劃下，該場館特別選定林口最具特色的運動種類－射擊，做為場館特色，場域設置「空氣槍射擊場」。

▲新北市全障運射擊隊教練陳秋燕。(圖/新北市體育局 提供)

地主射擊好手黃淑華本屆收下兩金一銀，她覺得林口運動中心光靶位數量至少20個，就勝過國內許多射擊場，「有些場地靶位少，可能要跟其他民眾排隊，那林口運動中心這邊靶位很多，可以一半給選手練習，另一半規劃給民眾，空間很大，真的可以讓我們專注練習。」

黃淑華感謝新北市體育局支持，射擊團隊很用心，「買槍真的很不容易，除了錢還有控管都很麻煩，這部分我們可以心無旁騖的訓練，教練會想方設法找槍來讓我們練習。」

本次斬獲一金一銀的陳雅婷，在肢體障礙女子組射擊10公尺空氣手槍個人賽破全國，她很感激新北市政府一直以來的培育與支持，提供選手完善的訓練環境，幫助選手安心練習，所以身為地主隊，更想把獎牌留在新北市。

▲林口運動中心引進兩台奧運規格電子靶機，有效改善選手面對分數的心境。(圖/新北市體育局 提供)

新北市射擊老將陳建誌認為林口運動中心射擊場的無障礙空間，對選手非常體貼，「硬體光這點就很出色，那再來教練的服務和工作人員都非常讚，這就是加分的地方。」

陳秋燕表示選手有需要跟問題的話，都會主動提出來，團隊跟駐場教練也盡量去協助滿足選手的需求，「基本上我們教學指導，射擊技術都是一樣的，比較不一樣的地方可能是選手的身體腰力或者核心部分，這些體能要靠他們自己加強，那其他方面就是心理層面，多去對話討論。」她衷心期盼打造出合適場域環境後，歡迎更多身障朋友到林口國民運動中心，來體驗射擊運動。


臺北 新北市 臺北市 新北

走出首日低潮！臺北視障雙人組合飆高分奪冠     連續兩屆「五金行」只差一步

記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

代表臺北市的邱文昇與柯茗碩，上屆全國身心障礙國民運動會就在視障雙人賽A組拿下金牌，兩人本屆再度「雙劍合璧」，並各自揮別首日賽事狀況不盡理想的小低潮，最終以六局1873分完成連霸，兩人繼續往連續兩屆開「五金行」目標邁進。

▲臺北市（左起）柯茗碩、邱文昇漸入佳境攜手摘金。(圖/新北市體育局 提供)

全國身心障礙國民運動會保齡球賽事，選手可爭取個人賽、雙人賽、三人賽、四人賽與全項等最多五面金牌，邱文昇上屆在TPB1級拿下個人與全項金牌，並與柯茗碩等隊友攜手拿下雙人、三人與四人賽金牌，而柯茗碩則是在TPB2級也奪個人與全項金牌，兩人皆拿下五金佳績。

相較於個人賽，柯茗碩強調，雙人賽不能只靠自己打得好，一定要兩人合作，尤其是兩人比賽節奏不同，在比賽中要互相提醒。

邱文昇是TPB1級選手，視力近乎全盲，他認為，雙人賽就是兩個人的成績相加，打起來並沒有特別不同，最大的差別就是比較有伴，他說：「比賽過程難免會有起落，個人賽的壓力更大，雙人賽則是有隊友可以互補。」

▲115全障運視障混合組保齡球雙人賽A組 臺北市邱文昇。(圖/新北市體育局 提供)

兩人在個人賽都順利拿下金牌，但都坦言狀況不如預期，今天再度出賽，柯茗碩臉上緊繃的神情稍稍緩和，笑說狀況好了許多；邱文昇則認為，狀況有逐漸恢復，仍不夠理想，他說：「比賽過程中的調整太慢，還需要加強。」

同是上屆五金好手，邱文昇期許自己能逐漸找回比賽感覺，繼續朝高標邁進，柯茗碩則是穩扎穩打，希望自己能打出好表現，也希望隊友能有穩定發揮。


新北 中和區 板橋 新北市 蘆洲區

記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

熱情不畏高溫，新北校園徵才壓軸場（20）日於致理科技大學熱鬧登場。現場邀請45家知名企業參與，釋出超過1,600個工作機會，吸引學生踴躍到場。其中亞東證券、桂冠實業、板信商銀及沛華集團等企業攤位人氣最旺，吸引許多同學駐足詢問，現場氣氛熱絡。活動共約736人次參與，收到465份履歷，廠商擬錄用258人次，初步媒合率達55.5%，展現致理最受企業青睞的好口碑。

活動由致理科大研發副校長林國榮與勞工局副局長胡華泰共同敲鑼揭開序幕，並高喊「致理青年、企業最愛」標語，為活動熱鬧開場。林國榮致詞時表示，新北勞工局致力協助求職者「找好業、尋好業」，而致理科大也重視產學合作及學生職涯發展，藉由與勞工局合作辦理校園徵才活動，讓學生能提早接觸企業、了解產業需求，提升未來就業競爭力，希望學生能「好就業、就好業」。胡副局長進一步補充，雖然現今產業環境變化快速，AI技術不斷創新發展，但企業更加重視的是實作能力與人際互動等無法被AI取代的核心能力，致理科大具備產學合作、實習及專業證照等優勢，在就業市場上是相當有競爭力的！

▲致理科大校園就博會大合照。(圖/新北市就業服務處 提供)

活動現場履歷健診攤位吸引不少學生參與詢問，企管系吳同學表示，透過職涯老師結合牌卡諮商分析與引導，對未來人生與職涯方向獲得更多啟發。另外，近期宣布調薪的鼎泰豐，也吸引不少同學主動詢問職缺，休閒系陳同學表示，看到企業釋出加薪消息後，特地到攤位了解職缺與福利制度。這也反映出企業如願意與員工共享經營成果，將是吸引優秀青年人才進駐的關鍵指標。

為協助青年順利邁向理想職涯，新北勞工局提供多元就業服務，除推動「青年全方位就業計畫」外，新北就服處也持續辦理徵才活動，讓求職民眾可直接面試、了解產業現況。接下來將於5月28日在蘆洲區公所7樓禮堂、6月5日在新北市政府6樓禮堂、6月9日在中和區公所6樓禮堂，以及6月16日在板橋崑崙公園市民活動中心陸續登場，歡迎有求職需求的市民朋友踴躍參加。更多資訊可至新北市人力網（https://ilabor.ntpc.gov.tw/cloud/GoodJob）查詢，或電洽就服處免付費專線0800-091-580（您就業、我幫您），將有專人提供服務。

媒合率破 55.5%！新北校園徵才壓軸場致理登場     45家企業釋 1600 職缺搶人才


中正 新北市 新北 淡水 八里 板橋

記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

因應淡江大橋通車後假日大量人潮與車潮湧入，新北市交通局近日邀集交通部公路局及相關單位召開會議，針對人行安全、車流疏導及停車秩序提出建言，達成多項改善措施共識，部分措施將於本週內完成上路，並於週五(22日)進行模擬演練，提升民眾通行安全與整體旅遊品質。

▲假日2條機場快線及板橋快線，調整為DRTS隨需行駛。(圖/新北市交通局 提供)

交通局表示，觀察近期假日下午淡水、八里兩端觀光人潮明顯增加，尤其傍晚駐足觀夕照人群最大，橋上自行車、行人與車流交織，因此優先推動5項人潮安全措施。首先，淡水端中正路51巷至87巷人行道將改為「自行車只允許牽行」，避免自行車穿梭人群造成危險，並同步增設管制標誌。

此外，鄰近大橋兩端的4處YouBike租賃站，假日16時至19時啟動「只還不借」，降低自行車與行人動線的衝突發生率；同時2輪以上協力車也禁止上橋，周邊人行道則增設「禁停機車」標誌，維持行人安全步行空間。

在車流疏導方面，公路局將於台64、台61及淡金公路等重要改道決策點，提前顯示「淡江大橋壅塞預估旅行時間」，讓駕駛人可提早掌握路況改道分流。假日2條機場快線及板橋快線，也將調整為隨需行駛(DRTS)模式，原則上不再固定駛入漁人碼頭，僅於民眾預約時才進入，降低漁人碼頭周邊交通負荷。

交通局指出，針對近期易壅塞路口，也將試辦多項車流簡化措施。其中，淡水端中正路與沙崙路口，機車下橋後將以只允許右轉疏導車流，並配合調整號誌週期與增設交通管制標誌，加快車流紓解。

▲4站YouBike於例假日及國定假日16-19時只還不借營運公告。(圖/新北市交通局 提供)

另外，若漁人碼頭停車場滿場，中正路2段51巷及濱海匝道往碼頭方向車輛，也將「只允許右轉」，改由觀海路進入漁人碼頭；八里端忠孝路下匝道車輛同樣將採「只准右轉」，搭配簡化號誌時相，提昇路口車流通過效率。相關措施若有提前啟動需求，公路局也將建立車流壅塞警戒門檻，即時通知各單位提早應變。

交通局也建議公路局於本月25日前評估橋上人行道調整為各2.5公尺人行道與自行車道，以利人車分流；並增設CMS資訊看板、廣播系統、巡邏人力及異常天候預警管制機制等，持續提升橋區整體安全管理。

此外，因應假日大量遊客停車需求，交通局將於油車口北側停車場和八里博物館路、淡水沙崙路周邊共新增超過200格機車停車格位。

交通局也表示，淡江大橋已成為北台灣熱門新景點，沿線漁人碼頭、淡水老街黃金河岸步道、海關碼頭和八里左岸公園、十三行文化公園滑草區高點，可從不同角度遠眺橋景，無論白天或夕陽時分，都是各具風貌的拍照點。同時呼籲民眾多利用公車、捷運等大眾運輸，無須開車、騎車上橋，也能輕鬆前往淡水、八里欣賞壯闊橋景與河海夕照。

安全再升級！淡江大橋周邊啟動人車分流精準治理     週五實兵模擬演練防回堵


澳洲 西班牙 印尼 日本 臺灣 美國 荷蘭 英國

穿越四世紀的交響樂章！許双亮、謝孟潔本週六坐鎮紅毛城     400年古蹟音樂會浪漫開唱

記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

今年最有特色的戶外音樂會之一就在淡水古蹟博物館！由臺灣知名指揮家許双亮、女高音謝孟潔與真理大學音樂應用學系聯合演出，5/23（六）午後以音樂帶領遊客認識淡水紅毛城400年的歷史，為系列活動暖身！

新北市立淡水古蹟博物館與真理大學將於5/23（六）14：30至16：30在淡水紅毛城舉辦「樂滿西樓」戶外音樂會，由臺灣知名指揮家許双亮、女高音謝孟潔與真理大學音樂應用學系聯合演出，曲目主要以紅毛城歷經的9段歷史為主軸，從西班牙、荷蘭、明鄭、清帝國、英國、日本、澳洲、美國到現今，帶領遊客透過音樂穿越400年的時光。除了歷史外，也將帶來多首全球知名經典電影樂曲，例如《美國鼠譚》、《新天堂樂園》、《第凡內早餐》、《教會》、《007電影組曲》，還有大眾耳熟能詳的《舞王》、《鬼滅之刃》、披頭四及臺灣民謠等，歡迎把握機會前來參加。

▲臺灣知名女高音謝孟潔（左）與學生鍾凱澤。(圖/新北市立淡水古蹟博物館 提供)

淡水古蹟博物館館長蔡美治表示，新北市立淡水古蹟博物館自去（114）年起開始籌備國定古蹟淡水紅毛城400年系列活動，率先以紅毛城之名，成為荷蘭商館文化遺產聯網（Dutch Trading Post Heritage Network，DTPHN）的會員，正式與9國展開交流，今年8月將前往印尼參加會員大會，爭取下屆大會主辦權。除了持續參與國際事務，籌備期間預計辦理國際交流展、國際論壇等學術活動，也會推出音樂會、講座、主題導覽、藝術家工作坊等文化體驗，期望透過淡水紅毛城400年系列活動打造永續發展的國際文化門戶。

真理大學校長李宜芳表示，淡水紅毛城即將迎來400週年，而今年也適逢吳威廉牧師興建姑娘樓120周年，兩者皆是淡水重要的歷史文化地標，見證不同時代的國際交流與在地發展。「樂滿西樓」戶外音樂會希望透過音樂串聯歷史記憶，讓民眾在古蹟場域中感受多元文化交融的魅力。此次演出由臺灣知名指揮家許双亮、女高音謝孟潔與真理大學音樂應用學系聯合演出，透過跨世代、跨領域合作，為淡水紅毛城400年系列活動提前暖身，也呈現淡水深厚的人文底蘊與藝文能量。


世界級的安全守護！新北烏來通過 WHO ISCCC 審查     織密原鄉部落智慧醫療防線

記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

新北市烏來區日前經世界衛生組織國際安全社區認證中心（WHO ISCCC）審查通過，正式成為國際安全社區網絡一員，(20)日市政會議中，由原民局長Siku Yaway林瑋茜、衛生局長陳潤秋偕同烏來衛生促進會理事長林東暭及成員、烏來區長周至剛，將殊榮獻給新北市長侯友宜，分享這份來自國際的肯定。

烏來區過去歷經蘇迪勒颱風嚴重侵襲，造成重大災損，當地居民生活與基礎建設均受到劇烈衝擊。然而，各部落族人並未在困境中退縮，而是藉此凝聚共識，積極推動社區防災體系重建與安全治理，日前通過了國際審查認證，正式成為全球第443個、且為北臺灣首獲得此項殊榮的原住民族地區，意義深遠。

▲於市政會議獻獎，第一排左前排起衛生局股長張育誠、局長陳潤秋、局長Siku Yaway林瑋茜、市長侯友宜、烏來區長周至剛與烏來衛生促進會理事長林東暭及後排烏來衛生促進會重要幹部。（圖/新北市原民局 提供)

林東暭表示，此次認證的達成，有賴公、私部門各方通力合作下，建立起交通、居家、高齡、校園、蓄意傷害防治及天然災害應變等六大安全領域的多面向安全社區推動機制，歷時數年，針對生活多面向進行盤點與改善，提升族人對風險的辨識與應變能力，像是從環境不安全點的改善、長者防跌訓練到學童的通學安全，每一項推動過程中，無意間都提升了部落內部治理制度健全，最終也獲得國際機構高度肯定，正式加入國際安全社區網絡。

侯友宜指出，烏來區獲得國際安全社區認證，不僅是對在地努力的肯定，更是新北市推動原鄉韌性治理的重要里程碑，未來將繼續支持族人精進安全社區工作，強化部落在面臨天然災害時的自主應變能力。

烏來 新北 新北市 烏來區 大安


新北 復興 通霄 新北市 成功 臺中市 苗栗縣

記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

新北小將再傳捷報！德音國小女子棒球隊、成州國小男子手球隊及復興國小女子手球隊，近期分別於「114學年度國小棒球運動聯賽軟式女子組」及「全國中小學師生手球錦標賽」勇奪冠軍，一舉抱回3座全國冠軍金盃。（20）日三校冠軍隊伍齊聚市政會議分享榮耀，青春熱血與滿滿拼勁感染全場，也再次展現新北基層學生體育的強大能量。

▲新北成州國小男子手球隊於市政會議分享全國冠軍榮耀 展現新北小將熱血拚戰精神。(圖/新北市體育局 提供)

侯友宜表示，新北市長期重視學生體育發展，看見孩子們在全國舞臺上勇敢拼戰、為校爭光，令人感到非常驕傲。德音國小女子棒球隊連續兩年勇奪全國冠軍，展現穩定實力與扎實訓練成果；成州國小與復興國小手球隊則在高強度競爭中一路突破重圍，靠著團隊默契與永不放棄的精神站上最高榮耀。每一座冠軍背後，都是孩子們日復一日努力訓練累積而來的成果，也希望選手們持續保持對運動的熱情，在未來挑戰更高舞臺。

德音國小女子棒球隊在冠軍戰一開賽即展現強大氣勢積極進攻，球隊透過穩定守備與流暢傳導掌握比賽節奏，最終以7比0完封對手苗栗縣通霄國小，成功完成二連霸。場上球員不僅守備沉穩，打擊更展現高度專注與執行力，每一次攻守都充滿拼勁。

▲新北復興國小女子手球隊於市政會議分享全國冠軍榮耀 展現團隊默契與熱血拚戰精神。(圖/新北市體育局 提供)

耿鈺真總教練表示，這次奪冠是孩子們長時間努力累積的成果，從平時基本功訓練、默契培養到比賽臨場調整，每位選手都全力投入，才能再次站上冠軍舞臺。隊長王楀捷開心地說：「我們每天一起練習、互相鼓勵，比賽雖然很緊張，但大家都努力堅持，最後拿到冠軍真的好開心！謝謝教練和隊友一路陪伴，這份榮耀屬於我們全隊。」

成州國小男子手球隊同樣展現驚人氣勢，在14支勁旅中一路挺進冠軍戰，迎戰傳統強隊臺中市大新國小。比賽過程攻防節奏快速激烈，球員們靠著緊密防守與果敢切入，多次成功瓦解對手攻勢，最終以23比19奪下冠軍。

劉書瑋教練表示，比起勝負，更讓他感動的是孩子們在逆境中依然不放棄的態度，「即使比分膠著，大家還是選擇相信彼此、勇敢往前衝，那份拼到底的氣勢真的非常珍貴。」隊長陳祁紘則興奮表示：「這場比賽讓我知道，只要不放棄，真的有機會創造奇蹟！這座冠軍是我們用汗水和不服輸換來的，我一定會永遠記得。」

▲新北德音國小女子棒球隊於市政會議分享全國冠軍榮耀 展現團隊默契與二連霸實力。(圖/新北市體育局 提供)

復興國小女子手球隊也在全國賽場大放異彩，冠軍戰同樣遭遇強敵臺中市大新國小。面對高張力比賽節奏，球員們展現絕佳團隊默契與戰術執行力，靠著靈巧傳導與關鍵射門，以11比7成功奪金。場上每一次防守、快攻與射門，都凝聚著隊友彼此之間的信任與默契。

李政翰教練表示，看見孩子們即使比分拉鋸，仍然保持積極進攻與冷靜判斷，展現極強韌性與抗壓力，令人十分感動。隊長李芸昕也分享，賽前全隊互相打氣、彼此鼓勵，希望把平時訓練成果完整發揮，「大家在場上一直提醒彼此穩住節奏，最後成功突破對方防線、拉開比分，那一刻真的非常感動。」

從棒球場到手球場，新北小將用汗水、團結與不服輸的精神，寫下屬於自己的冠軍故事。新北市也將持續深耕基層體育，打造更完善的訓練與競技環境，陪伴更多孩子勇敢追夢，讓學生運動的熱血與感動持續在全國舞臺發光。

勇奪3座全國金盃！新北基層體育能量大爆發     德音、成州、復興小將稱霸全國


記者黃俊育 / 新北報導

今年50歲的小許（化名）雖因腦部發育不全致右側肢體無力，但仍能在國中擔任工友長達三十餘年。近年來因身體急遽退化，他的母親擔心自己走後，小許無人照料怎麼辦？在新北市樂慧身心障礙者服務中心介入服務2年後，小許每周固定3天到日照中心上課，社工也為他規劃生活任務，讓他在家中宛如當工友般活動，不僅改善他懶散的習慣，也讓許媽媽有了喘息空間，還能到教會做禮拜，偶而和好友喝杯咖啡紓解鬱悶。

▲小許握著媽媽的手 母子對視 小許有說不出口的感恩 媽媽也有說不出口的無奈 右1為新北市樂慧服務中心的社工尤詩菱。(圖/新北市社會局 提供)

許媽媽的先生50多歲就往生，另個小兒子也在36歲就因病過世，留下小許和她相依為命，但許媽媽從不怨嘆，心想一切都是命，只要小許還平安健在，讓她不再操心，她就滿足了。「他在學校當工友，幫忙送公文整理環境，跟各處室老師同仁都相處得很好，校長還曾寫卡片給他，感謝他為學校的付出：『有您真好！』沒想到退休後一切都變了樣。」許媽媽忍不住哽咽。

許媽媽表示，小許一直盼望有個婚姻，為此她曾帶著小許到處相親，花了不少積蓄，但最後媳婦離家，不履行同居義務，只是覬覦兒子辛苦大半輩子的退休金，害她母子空跑法院，媳婦也不出面，小許因失望而跌坐，龐大的身軀壓得她骨折，還得手術打鋼釘固定。

▲小許在新北市樂慧身心障礙者服務中心介入服務2年並規劃他生活任務後，在家裡會幫媽媽洗碗盤。(圖/新北市社會局 提供)

由社會局委託陽光社福基金會所辦理的樂慧服務中心主任王晨宇表示，社工尤詩菱在接案後進入許家，在與許媽媽深度懇談後，了解案家的困境與期許，首先引進心理諮商，陪伴晤談，也幫小許透過「心理重建」克服焦慮，同時讓許媽媽了解身心障礙者的退化會比常人快。在接受此一現實後，許媽媽終於同意讓小許辦理提前退休。

此外，社工安排小許每周3天到三重區日照中心上課，許媽媽則趁此機會可以稍作喘息。社工並為小許規劃了「生活任務」，約定在家要幫媽媽倒垃圾、擦桌子，甚至泡杯咖啡給媽媽喝。藉由這些活動，維繫小許身心功能，同時教他簡易的平甩功，以免常躺臥造成身體更加懶散變胖。

▲小許在樂慧中心參加「藝起動手做」，認真地拼出豆豆世界。(圖/新北市社會局 提供)

尤詩菱每周四更帶著小許到樂慧中心參加「與音符互動」、「自由花路米」、「藝起動手做」等活動，讓小許重新找回了笑容，甚至開心地與社工分享繪畫、運動的點滴。許媽媽也慢慢放下心裡的大石頭，社工還積極協助查詢社會住宅，期望小許和媽媽有機會承租入住社宅，以減輕目前房租負擔。

社會局長李美珍表示，新北市身障人口高達18萬8千多人，為提升身心障礙者生活自理能力，並減輕家庭照顧者的負擔，在侯友宜市長的領導下，全市布建33家小作所、21家日照中心、9家社區居住，共有63家社區式據點，以及涵蓋29區的11家服務中心，讓有需求的身心障礙者能就近取得相關福利資源和服務。

讓愛不孤單！新北樂慧身障中心深度介入2年     助退化工友重拾「生活任務」


新加坡 不丹 緬甸 美國 柬埔寨

2026年亞洲科技峰會啟幕：凝聚區域共識 推動AI造福社會

新加坡2026年5月20日 /美通社/ — 由新加坡資訊通信媒體發展局(IMDA)主辦的2026年亞洲科技峰會(ATxSummit 2026)於今晚在濱海灣花園正式拉開帷幕，新加坡總統尚達曼 (Tharman Shanmugaratnam)出席開幕晚宴並擔任主賓。本屆峰會匯聚亞洲、中東及美國政府高層；世界銀行、經濟合作與發展組織(OECD)、國際電信聯盟等國際組織代表，以及全球產業與學術界領軍人士，包括OpenAI首席營收官丹妮絲-德雷瑟(Denise Dresser)；亞馬遜首席全球事務與法務官戴維-扎波爾斯基(David Zapolsky)；攜程集團首席執行官孫潔；英偉達首席科學家威廉-達利(William Dally)；蒙特利爾大學教授、深度學習先驅約書亞-本吉奧(Yoshua Bengio)；以及深耕人工智能(AI)安全與可信機器學習領域的加州大學伯克利分校教授宋曉冬。

Finalists from AI Ready ASEAN Youth Challenge and distinguished guests at the Opening Gala Dinner of ATxSummit 2026.

東盟青年展示AI惠民解決方案

本屆開幕晚宴的核心亮點是首屆「東盟AI就緒青年挑戰賽」(AI Ready ASEAN Youth Challenge)的11個青年項目成果展示。2024年，東盟地區AI普及率已達85%[1]，這些項目充分展現東盟青年如何以AI技術打造務實方案，造福社會。該賽事從所有東盟成員國的600多份參賽作品中篩選出11個入圍項目，覆蓋醫療健康、教育、社會包容、農業等領域，均以改善民生、加強社區建設為核心目標。

新加坡總統尚達曼為文萊、柬埔寨、緬甸三支代表隊頒發冠亞季軍獎項，其創新應用緊扣賽事三大核心方向：知識技能與學習、科學進步、社區建設。獲得總冠軍的文萊團隊ΣHAI開發了一款AI失智症照護平台，通過語音、語言及視頻分析，實現早期篩查、個性化照護指導與護理協同。柬埔寨團隊Voha.ai通過實時語音識別與可視化口型追蹤技術，幫助聽障兒童改善發音。緬甸團隊Future Flux推出邊緣計算驅動的離線AI教育平台，為鄉村學生提供數字化學習、自適應課程與AI輔導。三支隊伍分別獲得5000美元、3000美元、1000美元獎金。

新加坡全國人工智能核心 (AI Singapore)人才與生態系統總監Koo Sengmeng表示：「這正是我們推動’東盟AI就緒’計劃所期望的影響力——年輕一代不僅掌握AI技術原理，更懂得技術的價值所在、應用場景，以及如何用科技改善生活。」

ΣHAI團隊說道：「我們希望通過Sahabat-Care平台，應對東南亞日益嚴峻的失智症篩查與照護者支持難題。該平台幫助我們探索如何借助AI，為照護者提供更及時的洞察、個性化指導，實現更科學的老年護理決策。」

《AI Ready ASEAN》青年創可頌由AI Singapore (AISG)聯合東盟基金會(ASEAN Foundation)主辦，Google.org提供支持，IMDA協辦，是「東盟AI就緒」計劃的重要組成部分。該計劃旨在為550萬人普及AI基礎素養與技能。賽事以「AI賦能包容可持續的東盟」為主題，面向18-35歲青年征集AI解決方案，聚焦知識技能與學習、科學進步、社區建設三大領域，所有方案需落地應用並覆蓋至少1000名社區民眾。

AI驅動醫療研究與解決方案

峰會前夕，新加坡保健服務集團(SingHealth) AI醫療研討會於嘉佩樂酒店(Capella)舉辦，現場簽署兩份合作備忘錄，旨在推動AI醫療研究，加速惠及患者與醫療體系的解決方案落地。東南亞人口老齡化、慢性病負擔加重、醫療資源分布不均等問題正給醫療系統帶來壓力，而AI正通過優化臨床決策、支持醫護人員、讓更多患者享受到優質護理來解決這一挑戰：

SingHealth與不丹皇家大學蓋爾波津信息技術學院(GCIT)簽署備忘錄，推動AI在醫療領域的負責任應用，聚焦新興醫療體系本地化解決方案。雙方合作核心是基於MerMED-FM（SingHealth Duke-NUS學術醫療中心與新加坡科技研究局(A*STAR)高性能計算研究所聯合開發的多模態、多專科醫學影像基礎模型）打造的AI胸部X光輔助診斷模型。該模型成果發表於《柳葉刀-數字醫療》(The Lancet Digital Health)，在肺炎、肺結核、肝髒占位性病變、結直腸癌檢測中表現優異。模型將基於不丹本地數據訓練，預計2027年在不丹「蓋萊普正念城」醫療系統全面落地，為受地理限制、放射科專業人才短缺的鄉村地區提供專家級診斷能力，彰顯SingHealth推動區域診斷醫療變革的願景。SingHealth旗下的旗艦醫院、新加坡最大的公共醫療集群——新加坡中央醫院(SGH)與A*STAR診斷研發中心(DxD Hub)簽署備忘錄，加速AI多模態精准診斷技術商業化落地。雙方將快速推進可商業化推廣的診斷工具研發，覆蓋抗菌藥物耐藥性感染檢測、老年人早期記憶衰退篩查等領域，計劃孵化具備投資價值的企業，為新加坡乃至全球帶來健康與經濟雙重效益。

如需了解有關ATxSG的更多信息，請訪問官網：asiatechxsg.com

媒體垂詢：[email protected]

[1] 第11屆東盟經濟共同體對話調查，詳見：asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ASEAN-for-Business-Bulletin-Special-Edition.pdf


新聞稿：ICANN 宣佈下一項重大互聯網安全更新

洛杉磯2026年5月20日 /美通社/ — 互聯網名稱與數字地址分配機構（Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers，簡稱 ICANN）今日宣佈，計劃於 2026 年 10 月 11 日更換網域名稱系統 (DNS) 的信任錨 (trust anchor)。 這項稱為「金鑰輪替」(rollover) 的變更，是維持 DNS 長期安全性、穩定性及韌性的重要一步。

該信任錨的正式名稱為「網域名稱系統安全擴充功能」（Domain Name System Security Extensions，簡稱 DNSSEC）根區域金鑰簽署金鑰（Key Signing Key，簡稱 KSK）。 KSK 是 DNSSEC 信任錨核心的加密金鑰，用於驗證 DNS 回應是否合法，以及確認資料在傳輸過程中未遭竄改。 DNSSEC 有助確保互聯網用戶在存取網站及網上服務時，所接收到的 DNS 資料屬真實可靠。 金鑰輪替程序會以新的 KSK 取代現有 KSK，以維持全球 DNS 的高強度加密安全防護。

互聯網號碼分配局（Internet Assigned Numbers Authority，簡稱 IANA）服務副總裁兼公共技術標識符（Public Technical Identifiers，簡稱 PTI）總裁 Kim Davies 表示：「信任錨金鑰輪替是一項經過周密協調的程序，有助保障 DNS 完整。 雖然大部分互聯網用戶未必會察覺任何變化，但 DNS 軟件營運商應確認其系統已妥善配置，以便在金鑰輪替前信任新金鑰。」

ICANN 透過其 IANA 的職能管理 DNS 根區域，並與全球互聯網社群的合作夥伴協調進行是次金鑰輪替工作。 為減低服務中斷風險，ICANN 會提前公布新的 KSK，讓受影響的營運商有充足時間更新系統，並驗證自動信任錨更新機制是否正常運作。

整個金鑰輪替程序按照分階段實施時間表進行，該時間表已於 2024 年展開，並將於 2027 年完成。 在此期間，現有及新的 KSK 均會維持有效，讓遞迴解析器 (recursive resolvers) —— 即由互聯網服務供應商、企業及其他機構營運、代表用戶查詢及驗證 DNS 資訊的系統 —— 有時間於新 KSK 在 2026 年 10 月開始為根區域簽署，以及舊金鑰於 2027 年 1 月退役前，採用新的信任錨。

我們鼓勵運行驗證型遞迴解析器 (validating recursive resolvers) 的營運商，尤其是使用手動配置的信任錨或較舊軟件的營運商，檢查其系統並確認已為是次金鑰輪替做好準備。 若未有及時更新系統，可能會在金鑰輪替日期後導致 DNS 解析失敗。

有關 KSK 金鑰輪替的更多資訊，包括操作指引及技術資源，請瀏覽 ICANN KSK 金鑰輪替資訊頁。

關於 ICANNICANN 的使命是協助確保全球互聯網保持穩定、安全和統一性。 要在互聯網上聯繫另一個人，你需要在電腦或其他裝置中輸入一個地址，它可以是名稱或數字。 該地址必須是獨一無二，電腦才能準確辨識並互相找到對方。 ICANN 負責在全球協調及支援這些獨有的識別碼。 ICANN 於 1998 年成立，為一間非牟利的公共利益公司，並匯聚來自全球各地的參與社群。 如欲了解更多資訊，請瀏覽 ICANN。


SPEAKING UP:  If he had the opportunity to talk with Trump, Lai said he would tell the US president that China was undermining peace in the region

The future of Taiwan must not be decided by external forces nor can it be held hostage by fear, division or short-term gain, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday in an address marking the second anniversary of his inauguration.

Speaking at the Presidential Office, Lai said democracy is the most important part of Taiwan’s identity, and it is not a gift from heaven.

Taiwan’s democracy is rooted in the sacrifices and devotion of many generations, and while differences are inevitable, he urged the ruling and opposition parties to demonstrate unity in confronting external threats and upholding national interests.

President William Lai speaks at a news conference on the second anniversary of his taking office at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters

“Taiwan’s future cannot be decided by forces outside our borders, nor can it be held hostage by fear, division or short-term gain. Taiwan’s future must be determined together by our 23 million people,” he said.

Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and preventing external forces from altering the “status quo” are Taiwan’s national strategic goals, Lai said, adding that Taiwan is a responsible member of the international community — not a destabilizer.

“Taiwan is willing to engage in healthy and orderly exchanges with China under the principles of parity and dignity,” but rejects China’s covert efforts to shape public opinion, including “unification attempts disguised as peace,” he said.

“History has taught us that peace cannot rely solely on goodwill, much less be built upon concessions or illusions,” he said.

“True peace can only be secured through strength,” by uniting to cultivate national strength, demonstrating a clear national will and cooperating closely with global democratic partners, he said.

Lai also highlighted his administration’s efforts to develop asymmetric defense capabilities and secure funding for US weapons purchases, after the legislature did not pass the Executive Yuan’s original special defense budget in full.

The government is increasing defense spending to “prevent a war,” not to start one, he said, adding that “threats are greater than ever before.”

“Taiwan must become a country that can protect itself and uphold peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” Lai said.

“This is my commitment to the Taiwanese people, and Taiwan should demonstrate this resolve to the international community,” he said.

Meanwhile, the president yesterday told a news conference that if he had the opportunity to speak to US President Donald Trump, he would tell him that China was undermining peace and raising tensions in the region, and that no one has the right to “annex” Taiwan.

Last week, following a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), Trump said he was undecided on further arms sales to Taiwan and that he was “not looking to have somebody say: ‘Let’s go independent.’”

Trump in December last year approved a record-breaking US$11 billion arms package to Taiwan, but in an interview aired on Friday on Fox News, he said his approval of a new US$14 billion arms package depended on China, describing the deal as “a very good negotiating chip.”

Lai said communication channels between Taipei and Washington have always been open and that if he had the opportunity, he would have a responsibility to “express the voice of Taiwanese society” to Trump.

“My government is committed to maintaining the status quo, and Taiwan is also a guardian of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” he said as one of the points he would emphasize.

“Second, China is the one undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” Lai added, pointing to China’s expanding military presence and exercises that have already extended into the western Pacific, raising tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.

“The Republic of China, Taiwan, is a sovereign and independent country,” he said.

“No country has the right to annex Taiwan. The people of Taiwan pursue a democratic and free way of life, and democracy and freedom should not be regarded as provocation,” Lai said.

Taiwan hopes US arms sales can continue, as US military procurements are necessary to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, he added.

Lai said he also looks forward to more cooperation between Taiwan, the US and other democratic countries in promoting regional peace.

Only Taiwan can decide its future: Lai


NATIONAL CHALLENGES:  The government aims to encourage young people to marry and start families, and help people balance their careers and family life, Lai said

President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday announced that the government would provide a NT$5,000 (US$158) monthly allowance for every person aged 18 or younger as part of a new strategic response to the nation’s declining birthrate, along with new subsidies to help small businesses and traditional industries improve their operations and ease their financial burdens.

During his address to mark his second anniversary in office, Lai said that to address demographic challenges, the government would unveil a new national population strategy focused on family support.

A core policy would be the monthly NT$5,000 allowance, which aims to encourage young people to have “the confidence to marry, start families and build happy, fulfilling lives,” he said.

President William Lai, center, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, left, and Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Meng-an arrive at a news conference at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times

The nation must address demographic, healthcare and social safety-net challenges, Lai said.

The government would continue to invest in health, improve the medical environment and bolster the healthcare workforce, as part of his “Healthy Taiwan” initiative, he said.

That includes implementing standard nurse-to-patient ratios on all three shifts, as well as promoting “smart” healthcare and a tiered medical care system, Lai said.

“Medicine is not just about treating illness, but about ensuring a complete support system for every person, from birth into childhood, and through adult working life into old age,” he said.

The sustainability of the National Health Insurance system and Taiwan’s medical resilience are crucial components of national resilience, he said, adding that “caring for the health of our people is protecting the future of our nation.”

Regarding the population strategy, Lai said that in addition to the new monthly allowance, the government hopes to provide comprehensive assistance covering marriage, pregnancy, child-rearing, family-friendly workplaces and subsidized housing for families.

The measures aim to help people balance their careers and family life, and empower young people to build families with confidence, he said.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Tuesday told reporters at a news conference that the comprehensive family support plan would be discussed at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday next week before an official announcement.

Under the proposal, the government would provide comprehensive support through increased subsidies, reduced financial burdens, greater workplace flexibility and expanded caregiving services, with the aim of creating a more family-friendly ecosystem.

One of the key measures would expand the parental leave system by extending eligibility to parents with children up to six years old, up from the current age limit of three, Cho said.

To encourage parents to share caregiving responsibilities, the government would introduce housing tax incentives for families raising children, and review regulations governing marriage leave, maternity leave and paternity leave, he said.

Lai also announced that the government would propose an eight-year, NT$100 billion (US$3.16 billion) plan to help small businesses and non-tech industries move into the digital age.

“I will propose in the coming days a NT$100 billion acceleration plan to upgrade and transform MSMEs [micro, small and medium-sized enterprises] and traditional industries... The technology sector will drive the traditional industries, helping the nation’s development further extend to all sectors and translate into better lives for every family,” he said.

The government currently allocates about NT$10 billion annually to help MSMEs make digital transitions, access carbon-reduction technologies and expand their international reach, Lai said.

The additional NT$100 billion initiative would “accelerate and expand” such efforts, he added.

Taiwan has about 1.7 million MSMEs, which provide more than 80 percent of jobs, while traditional sectors contribute significantly to Taiwan’s economic growth, he said.

“The benefits of economic development should be shared across all sectors of society, rather than concentrated in the high-tech sector,” he said.

Lai announces NT$5,000 child allowance


Trump says he will speak with Taiwanese President Lai on arms sale

US President Donald Trump yesterday said he would speak to Taiwanese President William Lai (賴清德) as his administration considers whether to move ahead with a US$14 billion weapons sale to the self-ruling island - a potential arms deal that has drawn criticism from China.

“Well, I’ll speak to him. I speak to everybody,” Trump told reporters yesterday when asked if he had any plans to call his counterpart, although he did not offer a timeframe for when such a conversation could take place.

Trump has previously said he would speak to the person “that’s running Taiwan,” without specifying who he meant.

US President Donald Trump talks to reporters before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland yesterday. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

“We have that situation very well in hand. We had a great meeting with President Xi,” Trump added. “We’ll work on that Taiwan problem.”

Trump’s comments follow a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) last week in Beijing in which the Chinese president delivered a blunt warning that relations between the world’s two largest economies could descend into conflict if they did not manage the issue of Taiwan properly.

A democratically self-governing island that China claims as its territory, Taiwan has long been a geopolitical flashpoint between Washington and Beijing. China has opposed the pending US arms package for Taiwan. Scrapping the sale, however, could draw bipartisan scrutiny in Washington.

Trump said last week he did not make any commitment to Xi about the pending sale and that he would make a decision on the matter in a “fairly short period” of time.

Meanwhile, President William Lai Ching-te (賴清德) yesterday, on the second anniversary of his inauguration, told a press conference that if he could speak directly with Trump, he would convey that Taiwan is committed to maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and continuing to strengthen its self- defense capabilities in response to growing military pressure from China.

He said China is the main destabilizing force in the region, as Beijing continues to expand its military presence in the East and South China seas while carrying out exercises extending into the western Pacific.

In contrast, Lai said, “Taiwan is a guardian of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” and he reiterated that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country whose democratic way of life should not be viewed as provocative.

“No country has the right to annex Taiwan,” he said.

Lai also said “we hope this military procurement can continue,” referring to a pending US$14 billion arms package the US is considering selling to Taiwan.

The US has a long-standing policy of strategic ambiguity over whether it would come to the aid of Taiwan if it is attacked by China, with Washington reserving the right to use force but never explicitly saying whether it would actually intervene. But negotiating any arms transfers with Xi risks flouting diplomatic policy.

US-Taiwan relations have been dictated since 1982 by US President Ronald Reagan’s “six assurances,” which take a deliberately vague stance toward the island’s sovereignty but explicitly state that the US would not consult with China on arms sales to Taiwan and would not revise the Taiwan Relations Act, which requires Washington to provide the island with defensive arms.


Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), a novel by Taiwanese writer Yang Shuang-zi (楊?子) and translated into English by Lin King (金翎), has won this year’s International Booker Prize, becoming the first Taiwanese work to win the award.

The win, announced on Tuesday in London, came after Lin’s translation of the novel received the 2024 US National Book Award for Translated Literature — also a first for Taiwanese literature.

The novel already made history earlier this year when it became the first work by a Taiwanese author to be shortlisted for the International Booker Prize.

Taiwan Travelogue author Yang Shuang-zi, right, and translator Lin King pose at the 2026 International Booker Prize in London on Tuesday. Photo: EPA

Published in 2020, Taiwan Travelogue is a work of historical fiction set during Taiwan’s Japanese colonial era.

The novel follows the relationship between a Japanese writer and her Taiwanese interpreter as they embark on a culinary and railway journey across Taiwan, exploring questions of identity, empire and cultural exchange.

“This is a book that surprises and isn’t perhaps what it seems like on the surface,” said Natasha Brown, chair of this year’s prize jury.

It “pulls off an incredible double feat: It succeeds as both a romance and an incisive postcolonial novel,” Brown said. “It’s a captivating, slyly sophisticated novel.”

The annual International Booker Prize recognizes works of fiction translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland.

Yang and Lin are to split the ￡50,000 (US$67,009) prize.

According to the Booker Prize Foundation, this year’s shortlist featured writers and translators from eight countries and works originally written in five languages.

The international reach of Taiwan Travelogue has continued to expand, with translation rights sold in more than 20 languages, including English, Japanese, Korean, German and Dutch.

Yang said her book was part of a long tradition of Taiwanese texts asking what kind of future and nation Taiwanese want.

In her acceptance speech, Yang said that, contrary to the view that art and literature must be kept far from politics, she believes literature “cannot be kept separate from the soil in which it has grown.”

“When surveying the modern history of Taiwan’s literature, it is apparent that we writers have been asking the same questions for the past century: What kind of future do the people of Taiwan want? What kind of nation do the people of Taiwan want?” she said, adding that Taiwan Travelogue, too, joins the long list of texts that investigate these questions.

Noting that Taiwanese have endured “geopolitical forces so much greater than our own,” such as colonial regimes and threats of invasion, Yang said she nevertheless believes that literature wields power.

“I believe in literature’s power because in the life of the mind, literature has never ceded ground or given up on the dialogue between people,” she said.

Yang dedicated the closing words of her speech to “my homeland, Taiwan” saying that the centuries-old tradition of inquiry in Taiwan’s literature was “the centuries-old pursuit of freedom and equality by Taiwan’s people.”

“I feel very fortunate to have been born Taiwanese. I am very proud today to stand before you as a writer from Taiwan,” she said.

During a speech marking his second year in office, President William Lai (賴清德) congratulated Yang and King on the award, saying it showed that young Taiwanese “can shine on the world stage.”

Additional reporting by AFP

Taiwanese novel wins International Booker Prize


Xi, Putin unite in criticism of Trump and the US on nuclear, security issues

China and Russia yesterday condemned US President Donald Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense shield plans and Washington’s “irresponsible” nuclear policy at a joint summit, a week after Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) hosted Trump in Beijing.

A statement from Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Trump’s plan for a ground and space-based missile interceptor system posed a threat to global strategic stability.

It also criticized the US over the expiry of the last remaining treaty restricting the size of the US and Russian nuclear arsenals, which lapsed in February with Trump failing to respond to Moscow’s proposal to extend the limits by a year.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing yesterday. Photo: AFP

Xi and Putin, who have met more than 40 times, stressed the closeness of the relations they sealed in 2022 with the signing of a strategic partnership treaty, less than three weeks before Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

For Xi, it capped a remarkable week of diplomacy in which he has set out to showcase China as a pillar of stability in a world rocked by trade wars and military conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.

While the summit with Trump was largely about managing tensions between the world’s two most powerful countries, the meeting with Putin posed a different challenge — how to demonstrate progress in a relationship that the two sides have already proclaimed is “without limits.”

However, there was no apparent breakthrough on a massive new natural gas pipeline, the Power of Siberia 2, that the two sides have been discussing for years.

Moscow had signaled ahead of the visit that it was seeking further energy agreements with China, the largest buyer of Russian oil, including pipeline supplies and sea-borne shipments.

The countries should focus on long-term strategy and promote a “more just and reasonable” global governance system, Chinese state news agency Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.

“China-Russia relations have reached this level because we have been able to deepen political mutual trust and strategic cooperation,” Xi said at the start of his meeting with Putin.

Putin said after the talks that Russian-Chinese ties had “reached a truly unprecedented level and continue to develop.”

Both sides jointly signed a statement on strengthening comprehensive strategic coordination and a declaration advocating multipolarity in the world order.


TIME CRUNCH: The legislature is expediting the review process for the arms procurements, with hearings and the handling of the proposal scheduled for next week   By Lin Hsin-han and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNA

The Executive Yuan yesterday approved an initial NT$295 billion (US$9.32 billion) special defense budget for a package of weapons already approved for sale to Taiwan by the US, and is being sent to the Legislative Yuan for a final review.

The budget request earmarks about NT$8.8 billion for this year, which would be covered by government borrowing under the Fiscal Discipline Act (財政紀律法).

The budget includes five procurement items: High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, anti-armor drone weapon systems, Javelin anti-tank missiles, and tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided 2B anti-armor missiles, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said.

Premier Cho Jung-tai, left, and Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo answer questions from lawmakers at the Legislative Yuan yesterday. Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times

The proposal was approved after the Legislative Yuan passed a special act earlier this month authorizing up to NT$780 billion in spending on two batches of US arms purchases between this year and 2033.

Under the act, funding for the first batch of weapons purchases approved by the US in December last year is capped at NT$300 billion. The Cabinet’s proposal is to request almost all of that amount.

The Legislative Yuan is set to expedite the review of the first batch of arms procurements.

Cho reported to the Legislative Yuan on Tuesday regarding the first phase of the special defense procurement budget.

Lawmakers had reached a consensus allowing it to proceed with drafting a budget under the special law aimed at bolstering national security and asymmetric defense capabilities, and agreed to continue the briefing on the budget yesterday afternoon.

With the first payment for the HIMARS due on May 31, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said that if the budget has not yet been approved by then, the government would invoke Article 84 of the Budget Act (預算法) to seek approval for payment.

Special budgets could be appropriated “in response to emergency needs,” the article states.

Given the time constraint, the Legislative Yuan has accelerated its review process, with the legislature’s Finance Committee tentatively scheduling hearings for Monday next week, followed by a review and handling of the proposal on Wednesday and Thursday next week.

Cho urged all lawmakers to support the bill, so that it could pass as quickly as possible to safeguard national security, and maintain regional peace and stability.

Under the special act passed by the Legislative Yuan, although spending caps were approved, procurement proposals are still subject to final legislative review.

The act’s spending cap for a second arms package expected to be announced by Washington was NT$480 billion.

Cabinet approves NT$295 billion for arms packages


Army conducts combat readiness exercises in Hsinchu

By Fang Wei-li and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The army conducted combat readiness exercises in Hsinchu early yesterday morning, deploying M1A2T tanks and armored vehicles in anti-infiltration and anti-airborne drills aimed at demonstrating its ability to defend key coastal landing areas amid continued military pressure from China.

The exercises, carried out by the 6th Army Command, marked the second anniversary of President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration.

The army launched the combat readiness patrol before dawn. Six M1A2T tanks were mobilized from the 584 Combined Arms Brigade alongside CM32 and CM33 eight-wheeled armored vehicles, as well as tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided missile vehicles.

An M1A2T tank travels across a bridge along the Toucian River in Hsinchu yesterday. Photo: Fang Wei-li, Taipei Times

The convoy drove to Provincial Highway No. 1 for tactical maneuvers, with exercises focused on securing key bridges and river crossings.

Under the cover of darkness, the forces quickly reached the Jiougang (舊港) and Baidi (白地) bridges in the Toucian River (頭前溪) area, testing how quickly troops could respond and deploy after receiving orders.

Those bridges are key transportation links between the main and tributary channels of the Toucian River.

Nanliao Beach (南寮) to the west near the river mouth is one of Taiwan’s “red beaches,” or coastal areas considered highly vulnerable to large-scale amphibious landings by enemy forces.

If enemy troops landed at Nanliao, they could advance along the corridors on both sides of the Toucian River toward strategic political and economic sites, including Hsinchu Air Base and Hsinchu Science Park.

To prevent enemy forces from pushing inland, the exercise sent a reconnaissance platoon ahead to secure the area and provide cover.

The tank convoy then moved in with increased spacing between vehicles and crossed in staggered groups to reduce the risk of being targeted or hit all at once.

The realistic training scenario not only tested long-distance mobility and road movement, but also tested soldiers’ ability to respond under pressure, showing the armored unit’s capability to seize key bridges, and carry out defensive and counterattack operations, company commander Captain Lu Chun-ying (盧俊穎) said.

After crossing, the convoy moved to tactical positions to rehearse protection of key targets and critical infrastructure.

Lieutenant Colonel Huang Chen-yung (黃禎詠), head of the 3rd Combined Arms Battalion under the 584th Armored Brigade, said that although the M1A2Ts weigh nearly 70 tonnes, they did not affect the civilian bridges they crossed in the Hsinchu area.

Their weight is evenly distributed over seven load-bearing wheels, so each tank exerts an average ground pressure of 1.1kg per cm2, lower than the nearly 9kg by heavy trucks often seen around Taiwan, Huang said.

The mission was designed knowing that the M1A2Ts are obvious targets for enemy attacks, he said, adding that to prevent an enemy strike from disabling the lead tank and blocking those behind it, the convoy crossed bridges in batches and one tank at a time.

Before tanks crossed a bridge, army troops would establish bridgehead outposts to ensure safe passage, Huang said.

The exercise was conducted after former National Security Bureau chief and army commander Lee Shying-jow (李翔宙) questioned whether the tanks could safely cross bridges without causing structural damage.

Addressing discussions about the readiness and maintenance of the M1A2T tanks, deputy brigade commander Colonel Chang Chia-hsien (張嘉顯) of the 584 Combined Arms Brigade said the unit carries out regular inspections and maintenance, and maintains a high operational readiness rate.

Any issues identified during routine checks were fixed with the help of US-trained personnel and technical advisers from the US, Chang said.

The army has sufficient spare parts and, together with US technical support and domestic maintenance capacity, is fully capable of ensuring the new tanks meet operational needs, he added.

Additional reporting by CNA


Opposition blames Lai for Taiwan’s issues

By Liu Wan-lin and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday accused President William Lai (賴清德) of stoking cross-strait tensions in his anniversary address by pushing pro-Taiwanese independence rhetoric.

Lai had delivered a speech yesterday morning to mark the second anniversary of his inauguration and 30 years since Taiwan’s first democratic election.

The KMT in a statement said Lai continues to openly promote the “two-state” theory, despite US President Donald Trump saying that he would not support Taiwanese independence.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun speaks at the party’s Central Standing Committee meeting in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times

Lai is provoking cross-strait tensions through pro-Taiwanese independence rhetoric, ignoring international realities and thereby endangering the nation’s 23 million people, it said.

His statement that Taiwan’s first democratic election in 1996 marked “a new nation reborn” undermined national sovereignty, as changing the way a president is chosen does not constitute a “new nation,” the KMT said.

Lai is engaging in a political smear campaign, and such statements only prove that he is incapable of creating peace and reopening cross-strait dialogue, it added.

The president refuses to acknowledge his role in increasing Taiwan’s security risk, and instead shifts blame onto the opposition for advocating peace, it said.

Lai is attempting to seek Taiwanese independence by relying on the US, even though Trump already “exposed” the strategy, the KMT said.

In 2023, Lai said accepting the so-called “1992 consensus” is equivalent to abandoning Taiwanese sovereignty.

The “1992 consensus,” a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000, refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party that both sides of the Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.

The “1992 consensus” serves as an anchor that stabilizes cross-strait tensions, enables dialogue, reduces hostility and prevents war across the Taiwan Strait, the KMT said.

According to the Constitution, Taiwan is a sovereign and independent nation in terms of international relations, while in terms of cross-strait relations, Taiwan and China do not recognize the other’s sovereignty, but do not deny each other’s governing authority, the party said.

Cross-strait relations are not comparable to North and South Korea’s, as China and Taiwan are not two divided states, the KMT said.

It is also hypocrital to label those willing to engage with China as conducting “united front work” and selling out Taiwan, it said.

It was referring to Lai saying that Taiwan is willing to engage with China under the principles of respect and reciprocity to establish healthy relations, but that the nation would “firmly reject ‘united front’ tactics that package unification as peace.”

Meanwhile, the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) slammed Lai for what it said was his inability to solve the domestic political deadlock, an energy crisis, and shifts in geopolitics on the checks and balances provided by democratically elected opposition lawmakers.

The TPP urged Lai to stop political confrontation, and deliver on his promises of “unity, safeguarding democracy, pursuing peace and creating prosperity.”

Additional reporting by CNA


Taiwan, US still on same page about Strait, experts say

DIFFERING BELIEFS: An expert said that the DPP’s stance is prone to conflict, but helps freedom, while the opposition’s view does not care about sovereignty

Hiding from war would not make Taiwan any safer, and Taipei and Washington remain on the same page regarding the Taiwan Strait, experts said yesterday regarding President William Lai’s (賴清德) address marking the second anniversary of his inauguration.

Democratic countries are seeing their people doubt the democratic system and watching the system be attacked by populism while being targeted by cognitive warfare tactics from China and others, said Yeh Yao-yuan (葉耀元), professor and chair of the International Studies Department at the University of St Thomas in Houston, Texas.

The two prevalent views on how to maintain cross-strait peace are bolstering national defense as a deterrent, of which Lai is a proponent, while the other is that one should have greater interaction with China — to “blur the issue of sovereignty” and to “renounce arms” to show that one does not want to antagonize Beijing — which is what the opposition party believes, Yeh said.

The stance of the president and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), while prone to conflict, would help ensure the continued presence of democracy and freedom in the nation, Yeh said, adding that this is also the view of those in the realism camp of international relations studies.

The opposition’s policy does not care about the nation’s continued sovereignty and only seeks to gain China’s pity, he said.

It is evident which viewpoint is better for the nation, Yeh said.

The public’s trust in the system, and their courage and willingness to defend their freedoms are required to weather such challenges, he added.

Foundation on Asia-Pacific Peace Studies executive officer Tung Li-wen (董立文) said US President Donald Trump’s comments after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) — that he had not promised Xi anything, that he would not talk to Xi regarding an invasion of Taiwan and that he would speak with Taiwan’s leader regarding arms sales issues — drew clear red lines regarding Washington’s observance of the “six assurances.”

The US president’s comment that arms sales to Taiwan were a strong “negotiating chip” had two meanings, Tung said.

First, it gave Washington leverage when talking with Taiwan’s leader, he said.

Second, the US’ arms sales would depend on the level of threat China posed to Taiwan, he added.

As for Trump saying he was “not looking to have somebody go independent,” Tung said the US president’s primary goal was to maintain the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, which is also Lai’s goal.

Such intent had never gone well with China, and Beijing is the one that should start worrying, Tung added.


FRIENDLY VOICES: Health minister Adam Vojtech said that the Czech Republic supports the motion to grant Taiwan observer status in the WHA in order to ‘leave no one behind’   By Huang Ching-hsuan and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

At the general discussion of the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland, 22 representatives — including from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, as well as the UK, Germany, Lithuania and the Czech Republic — spoke up on behalf of Taiwan, supporting its participation in the WHA as an observer.

George Kippels, the parliamentary state secretary at the German Ministry of State, said that Germany, as a member of the WHO, is obligated to support, strengthen and steer the WHO’s direction, including supporting Taiwan’s participation as an observer.

Lithuanian Minister of Health Marija Jakubauskiene said that the WHO should not leave any corner of the world unconnected and urged it to invite Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer and facilitate its meaningful participation in affairs.

Luxembourger Minister of Health and Social Security Martine Deprez said that Luxembourg continues to support Taiwan’s participation in all WHO technical meetings as an observer.

French Director-General of Health Didier Lepelletier also said that France supports Taiwan’s participation in all affairs at this year’s WHA meeting.

Czech Minister of Health Adam Vojtech said that the Czech Republic supports the motion to grant Taiwan observer status in the WHA to “leave no one behind.”

Estonian Minister of Social Affairs Karmen Joller said that Estonia continues to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in WHO events and meetings.

British Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Kumar Iyer said that “like others, we call for Taiwan to have meaningful access to all relevant technical WHO meetings and to observe the World Health Assembly, as it did from 2009 to 2016.”

Curacao Minister of Health, Environment and Nature Tyron Boekhoudt said that his nation encourages all with valuable professional expertise to participate meaningfully and help advance international health.

Japanese Parliamentary Vice Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Masayuki Kamiya said that, when it comes to emergency public health affairs, including pandemics, no epidemic prevention system should be excluded from the WHA, and the organization should take note of experiences from areas with significant public health achievements, such as Taiwan.

Australian Secretary of Health, Disability and Aging Blair Comley said that it is Australia’s firm belief that global health collaborations should include all partners, including Taiwan.

Andrew Old, deputy director-general and head of the Public Health Agency at the New Zealand Ministry of Health, said a strong national public health system is the foundation of global sanitary safety, and the international community would benefit from the participation of all groups, including Taiwan.

Canadian Minister of Health Marjorie Michel said the international community’s handling of COVID-19 underscores the importance of WHO leadership and, accordingly, Canada supports Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the WHO as an observer.

Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — the Marshall Islands, Guatemala, Haiti, Saint Lucia, Eswatini, Tuvalu, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Palau, Paraguay, and St Vincent and the Grenadines — also spoke up for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the WHA and at the WHO.

Nations speak up for Taiwan at WHA


The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has raised the level of its Ebola travel advisory for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and Uganda, urging medical providers to ask patients about their travel and exposure history.

In raising its travel advisory for the DR Congo and Uganda from “watch” to “alert,” the CDC urged travelers to “take enhanced precautionary measures” in regions experiencing Ebola outbreaks.

More than 500 suspected cases, including 130 suspected deaths, have been reported in the DR Congo, with 30 confirmed cases, while Uganda has also confirmed two imported cases, according to Tuesday’s Ebola update from the WHO.

Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui speaks at a news conference at the centers in Taipei on Tuesday last week. Photo: Lo Bi, Taipei Times

The WHO has determined that the Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo and Uganda constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, but does not qualify as a pandemic emergency.

Unlike other Ebola strains with vaccines developed from past outbreaks, the Bundibugyo strain driving the current outbreak has no vaccines or specific treatments for prevention or cure, CDC spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said yesterday.

Travelers to Ebola-affected regions should not touch the blood, bodily fluids or secretions of suspected or confirmed cases, attend funerals or handle corpses, or come in contact with bats, primates or other wild animals, Tseng said.

They should also maintain proper hand hygiene and respiratory practices, she said.

Tseng said the CDC considers the Ebola outbreak’s threat to Taiwan relatively low at this time.

Nevertheless, the CDC has issued a notice to medical providers, reminding them to check patients’ travel, occupation, contact and cluster histories, Tseng said.

Travelers returning from the DR Congo, Uganda and neighboring nations should monitor their health for 21 days, which is the incubation period of the Ebola virus, she said.

If symptoms appear, People should promptly contact local health authorities or call the 1922 epidemic prevention hotline, she added.

CDC raises Ebola advisory to ‘alert’


The annual Taipei Tourism Expo is to take place at Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1 from Friday to Monday next week, with airlines and travel agencies launching aggressive promotions ahead of the event to attract travelers.

China Airlines is offering discounts of up to 19 percent on all routes, while Cathay Pacific is promoting fares to 71 destinations worldwide with discounts starting at 20 percent.

Tigerair Taiwan is offering one-way fares from NT$1,199 before tax across all routes from 10am on Friday through 11:59pm on Monday next week, with the promotion applying to travel dates through March 27 next year.

Tigerair Taiwan staff hold signs at a news conference ahead of the Taipei Tourism Expo in Taipei on Tuesday. Photo: CNA

Members of the airline’s Tigerprime credit card program can additionally enjoy discounts of up to 15 percent and receive 3 percent back in tigerpoints rewards.

The airline would also unveil during the expo its new one-stop “tigertel” service, integrating airline tickets and hotel bookings into a single purchasing platform.

Travelers who complete payment by Monday next week can also redeem limited-edition gifts at the venue, including Japanese eSIM cards, one-way airport transfers in Osaka and exclusive merchandise.

EverFun Holiday is offering discounts of up to NT$10,000 on European tours, up to NT$2,200 off overseas free-and-easy packages and 5 percent discounts on UNI Air domestic flight-and-hotel packages.

For group travel, EverFun is highlighting summer vacation packages, including a four-day Seoul-Gimpo theme tour from NT$19,500, a northern Vietnam light travel package from NT$16,900, and Japan tours such as a five-day peach-picking and Universal Studios package from NT$35,900, as well as a five-day Hokkaido-Hakodate-Furano fireworks tour from NT$38,900.

EVA Air yesterday announced that it has upgraded aircraft capacity on several routes departing from Kaohsiung, deploying Airbus A330-300 wide-body aircraft on flights to Tokyo Narita International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Macau International Airport. The upgraded service was launched on the Kaohsiung-Tokyo Narita route.

China Airlines has also launched its online TTE promotion, offering discounts of up to 19 percent on all outbound Taiwan routes regardless of cabin class. Starting fares for one-way flights would be NT$5,880 to Seoul, NT$6,216 to Okinawa and NT$7,560 to Nagoya. For long-haul flights, starting fares would be NT$15,054 to Seattle and NT$15,600 to San Francisco.

In addition, travelers who purchase round-trip tickets to any destination before May 31, join the Dynasty Flyer program and would be entered into a lucky draw to win tickets for the same route and cabin class. China Airlines has also partnered with the Line Travel platform, offering 1 percent Line Points rewards on ticket purchases.

Cathay Pacific is offering promotions on 71 selected destinations worldwide.

Economy-class fares start at 20 percent off, while tickets for premium, economy and business class start at 7 percent off. Destinations include Hong Kong, Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

To celebrate Cathay’s 80th anniversary, the airline is also selling limited-edition aircraft models and blind-box teddy bear key chains featuring cabin crew uniforms at the expo. Customers who spend more than NT$15,000 on tickets would also receive a destination-themed canvas bag, while those completing any booking would be eligible to enter daily lucky draws for prizes including round-trip tickets for two between Taipei and Hong Kong.

Firms launch promotions for Tourism Expo


UNCERTAIN FUTURE:  The MOU would strengthen cross-border disaster mitigation capabilities in the face of challenges posed by climate change

The National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction on Thursday last week renewed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the US Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The memorandum was signed by center director Hongey Chen (陳宏宇) and PDC executive director Ray Shirkhodai.

The Honolulu-based agency, operated by the University of Hawaii, has assisted other nations in enhancing early warning and emergency response capabilities by using disaster risk science, geospatial information systems and decision-support tools, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) said in a statement yesterday.

US Pacific Disaster Center executive director Ray Shirkhoda, left, and National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction director Hongey Chen shake hands after signing a renewed memorandum of understanding in Honolulu on Thursday last week. Photo courtesy of the National Science and Technology Council

“The PDC’s DisasterAWARE platform has become a critical support system for international humanitarian assistance and response decisionmaking,” the council said, adding that it can provide real-time and artificial intelligence-enhanced disaster information and smart alerts.

It was the fourth MOU signed by the two agencies since they established a formal partnership in 2008, the council added.

The MOU would focus on deepening the partnership between the two agencies in early warning for compound disasters, risk and vulnerability assessment, technology and decisionmaking support, and capacity building for disaster prevention and preparedness, the council said.

Chen said the agreement would help strengthen Taiwan’s cross-border disaster mitigation capabilities in the face of challenges posed by climate change, adding that Taiwan would also be able to share information with its global partners through the MOU.

Shirkhodai said that the two agencies have highly complementary strengths, adding that the partnership would combine collected information for compound disasters, and extensive experience of monitoring and responding to natural disasters.

Separately, communications app Line said that it is collaborating with the Ministry of Digital Affairs to combat fraud committed through impersonating public figures.

The messaging app is the most popular in Taiwan, with 22 million active users.

To develop the scam alert system, the ministry first provided a list of protected public figures, the company said.

People would see a pop-up alert when unfamiliar accounts with the same names as those of public figures attempt to initiate a chat, add them as a friend or include them in a group chat, and that users can block and report these suspicious accounts, it said.

If users choose “Yes, I know,” another pop-alert would appear to ask if they actually know this person, the company said, adding that the function is available for mobile phone users who have updated to Line version 26.7.

NSTC renews MOU with the US Pacific Disaster Center


Inspections of retail spaces are to be extended to 17 big-box and department stores from tomorrow, Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) said yesterday, after a surveillance camera was found in a fitting room at a local store.

Lu said at a news conference that city inspections had previously focused on cosmetic surgery clinics, sports facilities with changing rooms, and saunas, but from tomorrow, the city would also inspect about 17 department stores and other big-box stores with fitting rooms, as they could be “hot spots” for covert filming in the city.

The move came in response to the discovery of a surveillance camera pointing toward a mirror inside a fitting room at an Under Armour store on the fourth floor of Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Taichung.

The fitting room of an Under Armour store in Taichung’s LaLaport shopping mall is pictured on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of the Taichung City Government

A woman in a social media post on Monday said that she immediately reported the situation to police, and police found that the camera had recorded “inappropriate footage.”

Taichung police said they seized the surveillance system’s host computer and cameras, and questioned LaLaport and Under Armour employees before handing the case over to the Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office, although no suspects had yet been identified.

The Taichung Economic Development Bureau on Tuesday said that Under Armour had removed the camera, and its headquarters had launched a full inspection of surveillance equipment and camera angles at its directly managed stores nationwide.

LaLaport has hidden camera detectors installed, and private areas such as restrooms and fitting rooms are inspected regularly, while sales spaces are checked by floor staff assigned to each level, the bureau said.

The bureau has asked other department stores to strengthen inspections of restrooms and breastfeeding rooms, it said.

Taichung to expand inspections for hidden cameras


THSRC signs NT$42.6bn maintenance equipment contract with Mitsubishi

Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) yesterday signed a NT$2.6 billion (US$82.2 million) contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to procure maintenance equipment ahead of the arrival of its first new train in August.

The contract was one of the 21 subcontracts signed by the company within one year to facilitate the introduction of the next-generation N700ST train system, in addition to costs for train car procurement. The total value of the subcontracts exceeds NT$30 billion.

The purchase of maintenance equipment is necessary, as the first N700ST train would require a bogie inspection every 600,000km and a general inspection every 1.2 million kilometers, the company said.

Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp chairman Shih Che, second left, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries senior vice president Taro Fukazawa, second right, pose with a signed contract in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp

The former requires about seven to 11 workdays, while the latter requires approximately 18 workdays, it added.

The equipment would be installed in the integrated facility under construction at the company’s Yanchao general depot in Kaohsiung and is scheduled to be completed before the train’s first bogie inspection in 2028, the company said, adding that the same equipment would be used to inspect the N700T trains already in service.

The new facility would get upgraded maintenance equipment for the N700T fleet, enabling interoperability of the maintenance bays for the N700ST and N700T trains, the company said, adding that this mutual backup capability would help reduce the time for general inspection to 16 days.

The company further updated the progress of building the first N700ST train.

The new train is divided into three units: Unit 1 consists of cars 1 through 4, Unit 2 comprises cars 5 through 8, and Unit 3 includes cars 9 through 12. Cars in Unit 2, which would include a business-class cabin and a wheelchair accessible cabin, are built by Nippon Sharyo Ltd, while those in Unit 1 and Unit 3 are built by Hitachi.

Cars in Unit 2 have been built and shipped to Hitachi for full train system integration, as well as static and dynamic testing, the company said.

THSRC chairman Shih Che (史哲) said that Unit 2 of the N700ST fleet features the most complex body structure, the greatest variety of car types and a premium business-class car with the highest specifications.

He said only a manufacturer such as Nippon Sharyo, with its extensive experience, could successfully complete its production.


Members of the Citizen Congress Watch hold placards at a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. They criticized the opposition lawmakers for treating the government budget review as child’s play, delaying the review for too long and wasting time on a failed presidential impeachment vote on Tuesday.

Displeased citizens


Tying the knot

A newly-wed couple and their friends pose for a photogrpah at household registration office in Taoyuan yesterday. May 20 is a popular day among couples in Taiwan to register their marriage, as the date “520” sounds similar to “I love you” in Mandarin. Many offices across Taiwan set up special photo corners. The Taoyuan City Government said 439 couples registered in the city yesterday.


CORE DRIVER:  Orders for electronic products and machinery saw an increase, underscoring robust demand for semiconductor-related services and equipment

Export orders last month rose 48.1 percent year-on-year to US$87.45 billion, marking the 15th consecutive month of increases and the second-highest monthly level on record, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday.

The rise decelerated from the 65.9 percent annual increase recorded in March and below the 47.3 to 50.7 percent growth forecast by the ministry last month.

Cumulative orders in the first four months of this year grew 49.5 percent annually to US$319.36 billion, the ministry said in a report.

Export orders — including orders received by Taiwanese firms and produced domestically and abroad — are an indicator of product and component shipments to overseas markets over the next one to three months. Last month, 48.1 percent of all orders received by firms were produced overseas, the ministry said.

While last month’s orders declined 4 percent from the previous month due to a high base effect, overall order momentum remained strong, driven by steady demand for goods related to artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing and cloud services, the ministry said.

The rise in raw material prices also helped lift the value of orders for traditional industries, it added.

Technology-related goods remained the core driver of order growth last month, with those for information and communications technology products up by 89.7 percent year-on-year to US$31.46 billion, as strong demand for AI and cloud services boosted orders for servers and networking products, the ministry said.

Orders for electronic products rose 45.9 percent to US$35.64 billion, underscoring the robust demand for semiconductor services and memory products, and those for optoelectronic products gained 5.8 percent to US$1.9 billion, indicating high demand for semiconductor-related optical inspection and measurement equipment, it added.

In traditional industries, orders for machinery products grew 23.4 percent to US$2.07 billion, which the ministry attributed mainly to capacity expansion at semiconductor firms driving up demand for semiconductor equipment, along with growth in industrial automation.

Meanwhile, rising crude oil and raw material prices saw an 8.2 percent increase in orders for plastic and rubber products to US$1.59 billion and a 4.5 percent rise in base metal products to US$2.08 billion, while chemical products edged up 0.5 percent to US$1.55 billion, the ministry said.

By destination, orders last month from the US registered the largest annual increase of 62.6 percent, followed by rises of 61.7 percent from ASEAN and 33.3 percent from Japan, the ministry said.

Orders from China, including Hong Kong, grew 29 percent and those from Europe were up 21.8 percent, it said.

This month, export orders are expected to continue rising from last month, as the ministry-compiled diffusion index of export orders — a gauge of manufacturers’ expectations on orders for the following month — rose above the neutral level to 51.2, suggesting that firms remain optimistic. As a result, orders are forecast to reach between US$89 billion and US$91 billion, it said.

Export orders rise to US$87.45bn


Taiwan posted a strong current account surplus in the first quarter, driven mainly by a surge in exports linked to global demand for new technologies, especially electronics used in artificial intelligence applications, the central bank said yesterday.

The current account surplus rose by US$32.84 billion from a year earlier in the January-to-March period. The key driver was the goods trade surplus, which widened to US$58.01 billion, up US$30.97 billion, the bank said.

Export growth was fueled by strong demand for advanced electronics and semiconductors, reflecting continued momentum in emerging technology applications, it said.

The central bank logo is pictured on the door of the bank in Taipei on June 1 last year. Photo: Liao Chia-ning, Taipei Times

By contrast, the services account deficit widened to US$3.42 billion, the second-highest quarterly shortfall on record. This was mainly due to higher overseas travel spending, as more Taiwanese traveled abroad, the bank said. The trend reflects stronger household incomes and continued enthusiasm for overseas travel, particularly among younger people, it said.

On the financial account, Taiwan saw continued capital outflows, with net direct investment assets rising by US$7.37 billion from a year earlier, as local firms increased overseas investments, while foreign direct investment into Taiwan increased by US$2.64 billion, the bank said.

Foreign investors reduced their holdings of Taiwan equities, resulting in a net portfolio outflow of US$25.34 billion during the first quarter, a record high for a single quarter following the outbreak of military conflicts in the Middle East, the bank said.

Other investment flows also contributed to the outflows, driven by higher overseas deposits and increased trade-related lending by private firms, it said.

This suggests that while Taiwan’s export performance remains strong, global investors are becoming more selective about local stocks, and domestic investors are increasingly diversifying abroad.

Overall, capital outflows led to a balance of payments deficit of US$4.66 billion, the bank said.

Strong exports spur on current account surplus: central bank


Standard Chartered raises Taiwan 2026 GDP growth forecast to 9.5%

TECH RELIANCE: Growth is increasingly reflecting an unequal K-shaped distribution, where technology sectors outperform and other industries struggle, an expert said

Standard Chartered Bank has significantly raised its forecast for Taiwan’s economic growth to 9.5 percent this year, up from 7.6 percent previously, citing surging artificial intelligence (AI) demand driving exports, semiconductor production and investment.

The upgrade reflects a sustained AI supercycle that continues to fuel demand for advanced chips and technology infrastructure, which form the backbone of Taiwan’s exports, the bank said in a report this week.

“We raise our 2026 growth forecast to reflect a much stronger-than-expected first-quarter GDP figure,” Standard Chartered senior economist for greater China and Asia Tommy Wu (胡東安) said in the report.

Driven largely by a 35.3 percent annual jump in exports, Taiwan’s economy expanded 13.7 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, marking the fastest quarterly growth in nearly four decades.

AI is reshaping Taiwan’s growth trajectory, Wu said, adding that export momentum for electronics, information and communications technology products, and technology investment are likely to remain strong throughout the year.

However, Wu cautioned that growth is becoming increasingly uneven, with gains concentrated in technology sectors while traditional industries continue to lag behind.

Private consumption rose 4.9 percent in the first quarter, supported by government cash handouts, minimum-wage increases and a rally in tech shares that boosted household wealth.

However, the recovery in domestic demand remains tepid, he said, adding that nearly 90 percent of Taiwan’s workforce is employed outside the technology sector.

At the same time, traditional industries such as metals, machinery and textiles continue to face weak external demand and rising cost pressures, he added.

The divergence highlights a growing “K-shaped economy,” where technology-driven sectors outperform, while non-tech industries struggle to regain momentum, Wu said.

The stronger growth outlook might also add to inflationary pressures, Wu warned.

Taiwan’s inflation could exceed the central bank’s 2 percent alert level in the short-term due to higher energy prices and imported inflation, although pressures might ease in the second half of the year if geopolitical tensions in the Middle East subside, he said.

Standard Chartered still expects the central bank to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2 percent this year, although the likelihood of a rate hike has increased, Wu said.

Additionally, external risks remain, including geopolitical tensions, global demand volatility and potential disruptions to semiconductor supply chains, he added.


Satellite broadband possible next year pending regulation approval: Far EasTone

Far EasTone Telecommunications Co (遠傳電信) yesterday said the high-speed broadband satellite services from Amazon Leo might become available in Taiwan as soon as next year, as the company works to clear all major regulatory hurdles.

The company still has to overcome six to seven regulatory hurdles, as the telecom industry is heavily regulated in Taiwan, Far EasTone president Ching Chee (井琪) said.

It might take at least nine to 12 months to navigate the required review and authorization workflow, she said.

Far EastTone Telecommunications Co president Ching Chee speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

“If you are talking about next year, we believe there is a chance to see it happen in that timeframe based on our estimate for the whole procedure to go through,” Ching said.

In addition to seeking the Ministry of Digital Affairs’ approval to assign its radio frequency for the low Earth orbit satellite operations, Far EasTone is required to obtain approvals from the National Communications Commission and the Criminal Investigation Bureau to debut the satellite services, she said.

On Tuesday, Far EasTone signed a distribution agreement with Amazon Leo to become an authorized agent of its services in Taiwan. That is part of the company’s efforts to enhance the resilience of its network connectivity.

Low Earth orbit satellites are designed to support wide coverage, low latency and connectivity in areas where terrain or extreme weather events can limit traditional network performance.

The new services are targeted for special industry needs, such as maritime, agriculture and mining, Far EasTone said.

Far EasTone said it holds an advantageous position over local peers in securing the deal as it owns 28-gigahertz (GHz) radio frequency, matching the 27.5 GHz to 30 GHz frequency band Amazon Leo operates.

The company did not disclose if it has secured an exclusive distribution agreement with Amazon Leo in Taiwan.

Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信), the nation’s biggest telecom operator, has shown strong interest in sharing the distributorship, although it has already obtained the distribution rights to offer low Earth orbit satellite services from OneWeb and medium Earth orbit services from SES in Taiwan.

Chunghwa Telecom in a statement yesterday said it has an open attitude to Amazon Leo’s collaboration with other companies and would not rule out the possibility of forming a similar partnership with the service.

The company’s goal is to build comprehensive satellite services to provide seamless Internet connection from low, medium to high Earth orbit services. Chunghwa Telecom has received more than NT$1 billion (US$31.6 million) orders to supply its satellite services as of present, it said.


HSBC tells workers not to resist AI changes

HSBC Holdings PLC yesterday appealed to staff not to fight artificial intelligence (AI), saying it would destroy jobs while creating new ones, as banking rival Standard Chartered PLC sought to calm workers over comments that the technology would replace “lower-value human capital.”

The predictions are the clearest sign yet about the upheaval from a technology that can consume and process vast swathes of data, completing tasks previously done by people.

HSBC chief executive officer Georges Elhedery urged staff to make sure they were “not fighting us, not disenfranchised, not anxious, overwhelmed, and resisting the change,” pledging that AI could make them “more productive versions of themselves.”

The logos of HSBC, DBS and Standard Chartered are pictured on buildings in the Marina Bay financial center in Singapore on May 5. Photo: AFP

“We all know generative AI will destroy certain jobs and will create new jobs,” Elhedery said.

Standard Chartered said on Tuesday that it would eliminate almost 8,000 jobs as it replaced what chief executive officer Bill Winters called “lower-value human capital” with technology.

Winters said Standard Chartered would cut 15 percent of its corporate function roles by 2030, highlighting how staff in so-called “back office roles” are particularly vulnerable.

HSBC employs more than 211,000 people, while Standard Chartered has about 83,000 employees.

Underscoring the sensitivity of the issue, Winters sought to limit the fallout in a memo yesterday, saying staff were valued and any changes would be handled with “thought and care.”

Morgan Stanley analysts found that companies in banking, technology and professional services had shed one in 20 staff in the past year as a result of using AI.

Offshore workers, on which financial services firms rely to run many of their information technology services at locations including India or Poland, and young, new workers are bearing the brunt, Morgan Stanley said in a report.

As banks become more up front about how AI could replace routine jobs, fears are growing over the scale of disruption. Using AI to cut jobs risks a backlash, Norway’s US$2.2 trillion sovereign wealth fund chief executive officer Nicolai Tangen said last month.

Meanwhile, academics have warned that staff resisting adopting AI in order not to make themselves redundant could be alienated.

“One should be cautious not to lay off too many staff, because the point in time may come sooner than you think where the productivity potential of AI is realized, and you want these people,” Oxford Internet Institute departmental research lecturer Fabian Braesemann said.


Going electric

Photographers snap pictures of a Cavira all-electric sport utility vehicle developed by Foxtron Vehicle Technologies Co at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. The company said it started accepting pre-orders this month at NT$1.239 million (US$39,156) per unit for the rear-wheel drive, single-motor model and NT$1.389 million for the all-wheel drive, dual-motor model. The Cavira is scheduled to hit the market on June 17, it said.


EDITORIAL: Long game to independence

The Presidential Office on Saturday reiterated that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent nation after US President Donald Trump said that Taiwan should not “go independent.”

“We’re not looking to have somebody say: ‘Let’s go independence because the United States is backing us,’” Trump said in an interview with Fox News aired on Friday.

President William Lai (賴清德) on Monday said that the Republic of China (ROC) — Taiwan’s official name — and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are not subordinate to each other.

Speaking at an event marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Lai said that sovereignty is the foundation of statehood and democracy. Taiwan and the ROC have become inseparable and, regardless of how the international community refers to the nation, both terms refer to Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, he added.

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) on Sunday called on Lai to clarify his position on Taiwan’s relationship with the PRC and whether he considers it to be a foreign country. The KMT also accused Lai of hiding behind the ROC while promoting Taiwanese independence, while simultaneously misleading DPP supporters by not formally declaring a “Republic of Taiwan.”

The KMT’s criticism is an attempt to sow division within the DPP by pushing Lai toward a politically contentious and constitutionally indefensible position.

The DPP has long been constrained by the Constitution, which maintains territorial claims that include areas administered by the PRC, making formal recognition of PRC sovereignty effectively impossible under the constitutional framework. The KMT understands that better than anyone, having played the leading role in drafting and implementing the Constitution.

However, the question of PRC sovereignty does not need to be resolved for the ROC to assert its own sovereignty and de facto independence.

The most widely cited benchmark for determining statehood, the Montevideo Convention of 1933, outlines four core criteria: a permanent population; defined territory; a functioning government exercising authority over that territory and population; and the capacity to engage in relations with other states through diplomacy, treaties and participation in international affairs.

Taiwan satisfies all of those criteria. It maintains its own military, holds democratic elections, enforces its own laws, and issues its own passports and currency. By standard legal definitions, Taiwan functions as an independent nation.

However, the central issue is not governance or capability, but international recognition.

Taiwan is not unique in this regard. Kosovo, Somaliland and Palestine similarly face varying degrees of limited recognition. Of those entities, only Palestine participates in the UN, and only as an observer.

Taiwan would benefit from UN membership. Membership provides broad international legitimacy and full access to the global diplomatic system. UN members can vote in its general assembly, participate fully in international organizations and treaties, establish widely recognized diplomatic relations, and gain easier access to institutions such as the World Bank and the IMF.

Membership also improves a country’s legal standing internationally, and facilitates cooperation on trade, health, aviation, security and development issues. It signals that a state is broadly accepted by the international community as sovereign and independent.

Conversely, exclusion from international organizations carries significant costs. Taiwan was unable to participate meaningfully in the WHO during the earliest stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite possessing valuable public health expertise and information. Taiwan has also faced difficulty resolving trade disputes with China, which periodically restricts access for Taiwanese businesses and agricultural exporters for political reasons. Similarly, Taiwan has struggled to address concerns over dangerous Chinese flight path adjustments implemented unilaterally by Beijing, in part because Taiwan is excluded from the International Civil Aviation Organization.

There is precedent for resolving such disputes peacefully. Iran claimed Bahrain as its 14th province until 1970, when a UN-backed process found that the people of Bahrain overwhelmingly preferred independence over union with Iran. Bahrain became formally independent the following year.

Taiwan must continue to assert on the international stage that it is a sovereign and independent nation. That reality does not change because of partisan disagreements over terminology, nor does it depend entirely on whether the US or other nations, or the UN, formally recognizes its sovereignty.


US President Donald Trump has returned from Beijing after what he described as an “unforgettable” and “very successful” trip, the first US presidential visit to Beijing in nine years. Many are wondering how this trip could impact the US’ stance on Taiwan — and whether further delays or changes would be made to long-awaited arms sale packages to Taipei, which are yet to be approved or delivered.

At present, no statements have been made indicating a change in Washington’s official, long-standing position toward Taiwan since the summit. Despite bipartisan and congressional support for maintaining Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities, and reassurance from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that US policy remains unchanged, uncertainty over how Trump would manage arms sales in the coming months, and whether he would concede to pressure from Beijing, persist.

There is no clear evidence of Trump explicitly agreeing to delay arms sales as part of a quid pro quo with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). However, there is speculation suggesting the Trump administration might have slowed movement on the US$14 billion arms package to Taipei ahead of the summit to avoid escalating tensions with Beijing.

Adding to the uncertainty, Trump commented on the package upon his return from Beijing, saying: “I’m holding that in abeyance and it depends on China,” loosely suggesting a potential, but undefined, connection between arms sales to Taiwan and US-China relations.

If tensions between the US and China continue throughout this year, and Trump seeks more trade deals and business opportunities from Beijing — or needs Xi’s help in solving the crisis in Iran — could the delivery of arms packages continue to be paused in favor of stabilizing relations with China?

Xi was very direct throughout the summit regarding Taiwan. He was quick to warn Trump of the risks of clashes or outright conflict in the Taiwan Strait if the “Taiwan issue” was handled poorly. This is not a new threat, but rather a reiteration of his long-term position on Taiwan. His framing of the “Taiwan issue” largely follows Beijing’s long-standing narrative that the problem is driven by “Taiwanese independence” forces and foreign involvement, rather than China’s military activities in the Strait.

The use of the word “mishandling,” is, however, somewhat ambiguous. This could refer to generally undermining the “one China” principle, that is, directly supporting Taiwanese sovereignty. However, as arms sales remain paused, Xi’s intentionally broad language gives Beijing flexibility to oppose a wide range of US actions, including future large arms packages.

The US exercises the right to sell arms to Taiwan and does not require prior consultation with Beijing to do so. The Taiwan Relations Act (1979) provides the legal basis for continued US arms sales and support for Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities, and the “six assurances” make it clear that Washington does not need Beijing’s approval to make those decisions. China’s narrative may give the impression that the US antagonizes it by helping Taiwan build defense capabilities, but there are legal grounds for Washington doing so.

If major arms sales to Taiwan were actually perceived to be delayed or scaled back to facilitate smoother relations with Beijing in the coming months, this would raise questions about the spirit of the “six assurances.” A move away from a key aspect of the “assurances” would be a troubling signal for Taiwan.

This path would also fuel fears that Taiwan is being “traded away” or treated as a bargaining chip. However, the fear of Taiwan being used as a bargaining chip reflects an oversimplified understanding of the complex political and legal realities surrounding the nation’s status. Neither Washington nor Beijing exercises sovereignty over Taiwan in the way that phrase could sometimes imply.

Rather, the question is more specifically about whether policy instruments related to Taiwan — particularly the timing, scale or signaling surrounding arms sales — would become entangled in broader US-China diplomatic management and post-summit politics.

As the US-China relationship continues to tread unsteady waters in the coming months, it is vital that Washington remains consistent with its signaling and actions on Taiwan. Arms sales to Taipei should remain a consistent policy instrument and not appear contingent on, or influenced by, US-China ties. Critically, US policies surrounding Taiwan must not become personalized, conditional or transactional between other leaders.

Laura Bonsaver is a Taipei-based research consultant specializing in Taiwanese international affairs and a director at London China Watchers.

How long is the US delaying arms?


The US has not abandoned Taiwan

Following his highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), US President Donald Trump was accused by many commentators of abandoning Taiwan.

During a series of interviews and statements, Trump has expressed that the US would not support Taiwanese independence and suggested that Washington would not go to war if Taipei unilaterally declared independence. For many observers, those remarks appeared to confirm one of Taiwan’s worst fears: that the nation could become a bargaining chip in a broader US-China negotiation.

However, that conclusion misunderstands what Trump said and the long-standing foundations of US policy toward Taiwan.

Trump did not abandon Taiwan. He restated, in blunt language, the same core position that has guided US policy for decades.

The US has never supported a formal declaration of Taiwanese independence. Instead, Washington has maintained a policy of strategic ambiguity designed to preserve peace across the Taiwan Strait, deter unilateral changes to the “status quo,” and maintain Taiwan’s ability to defend itself.

Trump changed the tone, but not the substance.

This distinction is crucial because Taiwan itself has not sought a formal declaration of independence. Neither President William Lai (賴清德) nor former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has argued that Taiwan needs to proclaim independence. Their position has been consistent: Taiwan is already a sovereign and independent country.

Taiwan possesses all the characteristics commonly associated with statehood; by any functional measure, Taiwan operates as an independent state.

The fact that most countries do not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan is a political reality, but it does not erase the its de facto sovereignty.

Shared language and cultural heritage do not determine national ownership.

Trump is not the first US president to make such remarks. In January 2024, then-US president Joe Biden said unequivocally that the US did not support the independence of Taiwan, after Taiwanese voters rebuffed China and gave the Democratic Progressive Party a third uninterrupted presidential term.

At the time, Biden’s statement did not signal a withdrawal of US support for Taiwan. The Biden administration continued approving arms sales, deepening military cooperation and expanding political engagement with Taipei. Washington’s policy remained unchanged: The US opposed a unilateral declaration of independence while continuing to support Taiwan’s security and democratic system.

Trump’s rhetoric might have been more direct, but the underlying policy is identical.

Trump also made clear that he prefers the “status quo” to continue. He stated that China was unlikely to take military action while he remained in office, reflecting his long-standing belief that his relationship with Xi and his own unpredictability serve as deterrents, and said that he would like that China and Taiwan would “cool down.”

Trump understands Taiwan’s enormous strategic importance. At the center of that importance is the semiconductor industry. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) produces the world’s most advanced chips and occupies a central position in the global technology supply chain.

In an era increasingly defined by competition over artificial intelligence and military technology, Taiwan’s role has become more crucial than ever. The US remains dependent on Taiwan for access to cutting-edge semiconductors.

Although TSMC has invested in manufacturing facilities in Arizona, the company has repeatedly said that its most advanced research and production would remain in Taiwan. Taiwanese officials have likewise made it clear that Taiwan intends to retain its technological edge because semiconductor dominance forms a crucial strategic deterrent, often referred to as the “silicon shield.”

Support for Taiwan also extends far beyond Trump. Congressional backing for Taiwan has been remarkably consistent across Republican and Democratic administrations. Lawmakers from both parties view Taiwan as a key democratic partner and a critical component of the security of the Indo-Pacific region.

This bipartisan consensus has translated into continued arms sales, military training and closer political ties. As long as Congress remains committed to Taiwan’s defense, the fundamentals of the relationship are unlikely to change dramatically based on rhetoric.

Trump’s softer language toward Beijing is better understood as part of a broader strategic calculation. At the time of the summit, the US faced pressing concerns in the Middle East, including instability affecting energy markets and global shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump might have strong incentives to seek Chinese cooperation on issues extending well beyond East Asia. That does not mean Taiwan has been abandoned: Like every US president before him, Trump is balancing multiple strategic priorities simultaneously.

Taiwan’s response should be calm and pragmatic. Rather than overreacting to headlines, Taipei should focus on concrete indicators of US commitment.

The most important of these is whether the Trump administration authorizes and delivers the weapons packages that the US government has already approved. If those arms sales proceed, then in practical terms very little would have changed.

Taiwan’s security has always depended on more than statements from Washington.

It rests on the nation’s own resilience, strategic importance and the recognition among democracies that peace in the Taiwan Strait is essential to global stability.

The US is unlikely to support a declaration of independence by Taipei, but it would most likely continue to support Taiwan’s security, democracy and ability to resist coercion.

Juan Fernando Herrera Ramos is a Honduran journalist based in Taipei.


When a US president does not want a fight

On a flight back from Beijing, US President Donald Trump handed China a gift wrapped in plain language. Asked about Taiwan, he said: “You know we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that. I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down.”

That alone would have been enough to unsettle Taipei. Then, in a Fox News interview aired the same day, Trump described a stalled US$14 billion arms package for Taiwan as “a very good negotiating chip for us, frankly.” Asked whether he would approve it, he answered: “I’m holding that in abeyance and it depends on China.”

The president of the US just put Taiwan’s weapons on the table in a deal with the country threatening to take it by force.

The “six assurances,” conveyed to Taiwan by the administration of then-US president Ronald Reagan in 1982 and reaffirmed by the US Congress in 2020, are not a treaty. They are a set of firm commitments, including: the US will not set a date for ending arms sales to Taiwan, will not consult Beijing before making those sales, will not pressure Taipei into negotiations with China, and will not alter its position regarding sovereignty over Taiwan.

The assurances were designed to hold the line against exactly the kind of pressure that produces capitulation dressed up as diplomacy. They function only as long as they are treated as non-negotiable. Trump has now publicly conditioned two of them on Chinese behavior, in the same week, in the same interview.

Trump has always approached foreign policy as a dealmaker, and that instinct has occasionally produced results, but deterrence does not work like a trade negotiation. It depends entirely on an adversary believing that the cost of aggression outweighs any potential gain, regardless of how inconvenient enforcement might be for Washington.

When Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) reportedly asked Trump whether the US would defend Taiwan, Trump told him: “I don’t talk about that.” Chinese strategic planners will not read that as strategic ambiguity carefully maintained; they will read it as a threshold that could be tested.

The administration’s broader posture frames US-China relations as “managed competition,” a concept that sounds like strategic discipline, but functions in practice as a license for deliberate ambiguity.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered the reassurance that “US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged as of today.” The phrase “as of today” is bearing a lot of weight there.

For Taipei, conditional-sounding guarantees erode the deterrent value of US support. For regional allies such as Japan and the Philippines, they raise questions about whether US commitments hold under sustained pressure. For Beijing, they confirm that coercion produces US accommodation.

Chinese state media have already seized on Trump’s arms-as-bargaining-chip framing, and analysts at the International Crisis Group warned that Taiwan risks ending up not at the negotiating table, but on the menu.

The “six assurances” were built on a straightforward premise: US support for Taiwan would not bend under Chinese pressure. Trump has now said he does not want a war over Taiwan, conditioned its arms supply on Beijing’s approval and declined to answer whether the US would defend it at all. The question is no longer whether this changes the assurances on paper. The question is whether they still function as a credible deterrent.

Credibility, once eroded, is difficult to rebuild. Taiwan deserves a straight answer. What it has gotten instead is a president counting the miles and calling the weapons a chip.

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


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