Veteran Cinematographer Lai Cheng-Ying Dies at 95
Veteran Taiwanese cinematographer Lai Cheng-ying died at 95, a Golden Horse lifetime‑achievement award winner. He co‑founded the Chinese Society of Cinematographers 37 years ago and mentored generations of filmmakers. Lai earned three Golden Horse Awards for Best Cinematography for films such as "Beautiful Duckling" and "Execution in Autumn." His passing is seen as a significant loss for Taiwan’s film industry.
Taiwan Plays 'Central Role' In AI-Based Computing Transition: Google
Google senior vice president Rick Osterloh said Taiwan is central to the company’s shift toward AI‑based computing, highlighting the island’s R&D strength and partnerships with MediaTek and TSMC. The New Taipei hardware engineering center, Google’s largest outside the U.S., supports a...
Navy Goodwill Fleet Visits Caribbean Allies, Headed to Belize
Taiwan’s 2026 Midshipmen and Cruising Training Squadron (MCTS) goodwill fleet completed port calls in St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines before heading to Belize, its first visit there in 13 years. The squadron, comprising the support ship Panshi, the frigate...
Japan Warship in Taiwan Strait Signals Free Passage Rights: Academic
Japan's Maritime Self‑Defense Force destroyer JS Ikazuchi sailed through the Taiwan Strait on April 18, staying on station from 4:02 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. China’s Eastern Theater Command reported shadowing the vessel with naval and air forces and lodged a formal protest....
Legislature Proposes Workaround to Break Budget Gridlock
Taiwan's legislature reached a cross‑party deal to break a six‑month budget impasse by agreeing to review the FY 2026 general budget if Premier Cho Jung‑tai presents it for questioning. The pact also obliges the cabinet to spend NT$71.8 billion (≈US$2.28 billion) on new...
CPC to Leave Domestic Gasoline, Diesel Prices Unchanged for Next Week
Taiwan’s state‑run oil supplier CPC Corp. will keep its recommended retail gasoline prices at NT$32.4, NT$33.9 and NT$35.9 per litre and premium diesel at NT$31.0 per litre for the week of April 22‑26. This marks the third straight week of...
Ming Hwa Yuan Troupe Opens Xi Chao Art Museum in Tainan
The Ming Hwa Yuan arts and cultural group inaugurated the Xi Chao Art Museum in Tainan, with a trial opening slated for May 30 and a full launch on August 1. Housed in a former weight‑lifting hall acquired in 2014, the venue is...
Legislature Expands 'Preemptive Detention' For Sexual Crimes Against Minors
Taiwan's Legislative Yuan approved an amendment expanding pre‑emptive detention to cover sexual exploitation of minors, homicide of children under seven, fraud and drunk‑driving. The change follows a Judicial Yuan directive and a surge in child‑sexual‑exploitation imagery. Lawmakers from the DPP,...
KMT Demands Premier Brief Lawmakers on Indian Worker Recruitment
Taiwan's Executive Yuan is negotiating with India to bring an initial 1,000 Indian workers to fill gaps in manufacturing, agriculture and caregiving sectors, with deployment possible before the end of 2026. Labor Minister Hung Sun‑han confirmed that administrative procedures and...
Cheap Drones, Costly Defenses: Middle East War Offers Warning for Taiwan
The Middle East conflict has highlighted a costly mismatch in modern warfare, as the United States and allies expend multimillion‑dollar Patriot interceptors to shoot down low‑cost drones launched by Iran. Analysts warn that China could replicate this tactic on a...
Interoperability Crucial for Taiwan Evacuation: Ex-Philippine Army Official
Former Philippine Army vice‑commander Leodevic B. Guinid urged the creation of a regional interoperability framework to evacuate non‑combatants if China attacks Taiwan. He outlined a scenario‑based plan that would see the Philippines receive thousands of evacuees while relying on international...
Int'l Flights to, From Taiwan to Drop in May as Fuel Costs Surge
International flights to and from Taiwan will be cut by an average of 52.6 flights per week in May, representing a 1.7% reduction of the summer schedule, as soaring global fuel prices strain airline economics. Aviation fuel for international routes...
Boy Who Received Liver, Kidney Transplants From Parents Returns to School
A 12‑year‑old Taiwanese boy received a partial liver transplant from his mother in January 2025 and a living‑donor kidney transplant from his father in January 2026, making him National Taiwan University Hospital's first pediatric case of dual organ transplants within...
Active, Former Military Officers Indicted for Leaking Intelligence to China
Taiwan prosecutors have indicted nine active and former military officers, along with an alleged accomplice, for leaking classified intelligence to China. The case, which will be tried with citizen judges for the first time under Taiwan's Citizen Judges Act, alleges...
Despite Korean Concession, Taiwan Standing Firm on Designation Issue
South Korea has removed the controversial "previous departure" and "next destination" dropdown fields from its electronic arrival‑card system, a step Taiwan welcomed. However, Taipei will keep listing South Korean nationals as "South Korea" on its Alien Resident Certificates, citing reciprocity....