Taiwan Raises 2026 GDP Growth Forecast to 9.64%, a High in 16 Years
Taiwan’s Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics lifted its 2026 GDP growth forecast to 9.64%, a 1.93‑point jump and the strongest annual pace since 2010. The upgrade follows a 14.55% first‑quarter surge, the fastest in 48 years, and reflects robust global demand for AI‑driven chips, servers and related components. Export growth is now projected at 19.93% with merchandise sales expected to reach about $894.5 billion, while private investment and consumption are also revised upward. Inflation is forecast at 1.93%, staying below the central bank’s 2% alert level.
Keelung-Ishigaki Ferry to Make Maiden Voyage Thursday
The Yaima Maru ferry launched its maiden voyage Thursday, linking Keelung, Taiwan and Ishigaki, Japan with roughly 200 passengers—about 40% of its capacity. Wagon Group attributes the modest bookings to a brief sales window, yet tickets for the Dragon Boat Festival...
Supreme Court Upholds No-Prosecution Ruling in Chen Shui-Bian Case
Taiwan's Supreme Court on May 28 upheld a lower‑court decision that former President Chen Shui‑bian cannot be prosecuted for money‑laundering linked to a NT$10 million (≈US$317,445) bribe involving former Taipei 101 chairperson Diana Chen. The court found the statute of limitations—originally ten...
Taiwan Seeks Reassurances as U.S. Weighs Potential Semiconductor Tariffs
Taiwan’s vice premier Cheng Li‑chiun urged Washington to confirm tariff‑exemption quotas for Taiwanese semiconductors amid U.S. contemplation of Section 232 duties. The January MOU grants Taiwan‑based chip makers export allowances up to 2.5 times their U.S. capacity, and 1.5 times for completed projects,...
Family Support Measures Won't Be Fully Extended to All Foreigners: MOL
Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor unveiled a family‑support package that lengthens marriage leave to 14 days, maternity leave to 12 weeks and paternity leave to 14 days, while expanding parental‑leave eligibility to children up to six years. The measures apply to...
Taiwan Research Team Turning Grouper Byproducts Into Sports Drink
Taiwan's Fisheries Research Institute has created a high‑protein sports drink powder from grouper heads, turning a 20% processing by‑product into a value‑added supplement. The hydrolysate contains over 90% crude protein and laboratory tests showed a 13% reduction in lactate buildup...
Taiwan Shares End Down as TSMC Pulls Back
Taiwan’s benchmark Taiex slipped 0.27% to 43,525.37 as TSMC retreated from its intraday high, erasing roughly 320 points of earlier gains. The chipmaker dropped 1.73% to NT$2,270 (about $73), a move analysts said was driven by profit‑taking rather than fundamentals....
Taiwan Shares End at New High on AI, Eased Middle East Concerns
Taiwan's benchmark Taiex surged to a record‑high of 43,644.40, up 3.26% and marking the fifth‑largest point gain in its history. The rally was driven by renewed AI enthusiasm, sparked by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s upcoming Computex keynote, and by easing concerns...
Taiwan Planning to Raise Airport Service Fee Starting in September
Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced a two‑phase hike to the airport service fee for departing passengers, moving from the current NT$500 (≈US$15.9) to NT$750 on Sept. 1, 2026 and to NT$1,000 (≈US$31.8) on Sept. 1, 2028. The increase ends a...
CAA Fines Tigerair Taiwan After Passenger Boarded Wrong Aircraft
Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration fined Tigerair Taiwan NT$150,000 (about US$4,800) after a passenger mistakenly boarded a flight to Osaka instead of the scheduled Tokyo Narita service. The error occurred because gate staff did not verify the traveler’s identity during ticket...
Taiwan Shares Close up 2.18%
Taiwan’s stock market closed higher on May 22, with the Taiwan Weighted Index gaining 899.76 points, or 2.18%, to finish at 42,267.97. The session saw a turnover of NT$1.19 trillion, roughly US$37.4 billion, indicating robust investor activity. Gains were led by technology...
Taiwan Military Releases Surveillance Images of Chinese Aircraft, Warships
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense released rare surveillance photos captured by an F‑16V Sniper targeting pod, showing a Chinese J‑16 fighter jet, a Type 052D destroyer (Yinchuan) and a Type 054A frigate (Xuzhou) during a PLA joint air‑sea exercise. The PLA deployed...
Taiwan Pushes for Role in Non-China Drone Supply Chains
Taiwan’s finished‑drone exports to Europe exploded, rising from 2,574 units in 2024 to 107,433 in 2025 and reaching 136,010 units in the first quarter of 2026. The surge is driven by Western efforts to replace Chinese UAVs with trusted alternatives,...
NCSIST Unveils Upgraded Kestrel Launcher with Improved Performance
Taiwan’s National Chung‑Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) unveiled a second‑generation Kestrel shoulder‑launched rocket system that fires 96 mm rockets capable of penetrating 67 cm of rolled homogeneous armor. The upgraded launcher reaches an effective range of 500 m and adds a...
Taiwan Shares Close Down 0.68%
Taiwan’s weighted stock index closed down 280.54 points, or 0.68%, at 40,891.82 on May 18, 2026. The market saw a total turnover of NT$990.47 billion, roughly US$31.04 billion, indicating robust trading activity despite the dip. The decline extended a short‑term downtrend that...
Taiwanese Students Win Eight Awards at World Robotics Competition
Taiwanese students captured eight awards at the 2026 Robofest World Competition in Michigan, including two gold medals, one silver, and one bronze. Participants ranged from elementary to senior high schools and competed against teams from 25 countries. The gold medals...
Taiwan Eyes Role in NASA Moon Program After Receiving Proposal Request
Taiwan has been invited to submit proposals in response to NASA’s request for information (RFI) targeting 32 technical gaps in the Artemis lunar exploration program. The invitation lets Taiwanese firms bypass traditional subcontractors and pitch directly to NASA, potentially positioning...
Arms Sales to Taiwan Not a Bargaining Chip with China: U.S. Scholars
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested a $14 billion arms package for Taiwan could serve as a bargaining chip in negotiations with China. Two American scholars, Bonnie Glaser of the German Marshall Fund and Ryan Hass of Brookings, argued the approach undermines deterrence and...
TSMC to Issue NT$18.4 Billion Green Bonds
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) will issue NT$18.4 billion (approximately US$584 million) of unsecured green bonds to fund eco‑friendly architecture and environmental projects. The issuance consists of a NT$13.7 billion five‑year tranche at a 1.8% coupon and a NT$4.7 billion ten‑year tranche at 1.85%....
Taiwan Renews Healthcare Innovation Partnership with U.K. Agency
Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Administration and the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence have renewed a two‑year partnership covering 2026‑2028. The agreement expands collaboration on health‑technology assessment, digital transformation, and talent development. It targets high‑cost innovations such as...
Taiwan's Airlines Report Strong Sales in April
Taiwan's international airlines posted robust April results, with China Airlines (CAL) achieving a record NT$20.85 billion ($664 million) in consolidated sales, up 16.5% year‑over‑year. Starlux Airlines saw passenger revenue jump 28% to NT$3.7 billion ($118 million), while Tigerair Taiwan’s load factor neared 90%, lifting...
Taiwan Shares Close up 0.26%
Taiwan's main equity index closed higher on May 12, gaining 108.26 points, or 0.26%, to finish at 41,898.32. The session saw a robust turnover of NT$1.38 trillion, roughly US$43.4 billion, indicating solid market activity. The modest rise came amid a broader regional...
MOFA Mum on Whether Trump Arms Sales Remarks Break Six Assurances
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to confirm whether President Donald Trump’s comments about discussing arms sales with Chinese leader Xi Jinping breach the U.S. Six Assurances, a policy dating back to 1982. Trump, who will meet Xi in Beijing,...
Ex-Soldier, Army Officer Indicted for Alleged Military Leak to China
Taiwan’s Taipei District Prosecutors indicted former soldier Chen Tai‑yin and active‑duty Army lieutenant Lee Chun‑ta for allegedly passing classified artillery training documents to a Chinese intelligence operative. The indictment says Chen met the operative, known as “Wang,” in November 2023...
Real Regular Wage Growth in Taiwan Hits 11-Year High in Q1
Taiwan’s real average regular wage surged to NT$48,706 (≈US$1,550) in Q1 2026, a 2.69 % year‑on‑year increase and the strongest first‑quarter gain in 11 years. After inflation adjustment, real wages rose 1.45 %, the biggest jump since 2015, while total earnings—including bonuses and...
TSMC to Remain Top Apple Chipmaker Despite Reported Intel Deal: Experts
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is expected to stay Apple’s primary chip supplier despite recent reports of a preliminary deal between Apple and Intel. Experts cite TSMC’s advanced packaging technologies such as InFO and CoWoS, which are critical for the...
Taipei to Open Dedicated Women and Children's Hospital in June
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan‑an announced that the city’s women‑and‑children division will become an independent hospital in June, transitioning from a branch of Taipei City Hospital. The new facility will feature Taiwan’s first breast‑milk bank with a cold‑chain delivery system, family‑style...
Taiwan's First 3-in-1 Home Test for COVID, Flu to Hit Pharmacies by Late May
Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration approved the island's first at‑home 3‑in‑1 rapid test for COVID‑19, influenza A and B in November 2025. The combined antigen kit, featuring a shallow 2‑centimetre nasal swab, will be stocked in pharmacies by late May...
New Defense Bill Threatens Payment Deadline for U.S. HIMARS: President
President Lai Ching‑te warned that the initial payment for U.S.-made HIMARS, due by May 31, could be delayed because a new defense bill forces a month‑long budget‑review and legislative approval before funds are released. The legislation caps Taiwan's 2026‑33 defense budget...
Kaohsiung to Fine Cosmetic Surgery Chain Branches over Regulatory Violations
Taiwan's Kaohsiung Department of Health fined two Airlee Group cosmetic‑surgery branches after inspections uncovered regulatory breaches. The Zuoying location failed to list medical‑institution names on controlled‑drug prescriptions and faces fines of NT$60,000‑NT$300,000 (US$1,915‑US$9,575). The Sinsing branch stored expired controlled drugs,...
CPC to Leave Gasoline, Diesel Prices Unchanged for Next Week
State‑run oil supplier CPC Corp. announced a price freeze for Taiwan’s gasoline and diesel for the week of May 12‑17, keeping retail rates at NT$32.4, NT$33.9 and NT$35.9 per liter for 92‑, 95‑ and 98‑octane gasoline and NT$31.0 for premium diesel....
Hon Hai, Poland Firm Evaluate Potential EV Production, R&D Hub
Taiwanese manufacturing giant Hon Hai (Foxconn) has formed a strategic partnership with state‑owned ElectroMobility Poland (EMP) to evaluate establishing an electric‑vehicle production and R&D centre in Poland. The joint effort focuses on leveraging Foxtron Vehicle Technologies' EV platforms and engineering...
Legislature Writes Nurse-to-Patient Ratios Into Law, Adds Penalty Clause
Taiwan's Legislature has codified nurse‑to‑patient ratios into law, adopting the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 2024 targets and adding penalties for non‑compliance. Ratios start at 1:6 for day shifts in medical centers and scale up for regional and district hospitals....
Former Penghu Councilor, Husband Found Guilty in Subsidy Case
Former Penghu County Councilor Chen Hui‑ling and her husband Tsai Teng‑tsai were convicted of fraudulently claiming NT$6.45 million (about US$200,000) in public subsidies for fictitious legislative aides. Both received suspended prison terms—Chen two years suspended for five, Tsai one year ten...
Taiwan Shares End Down Amid Renewed Middle East Concerns
Taiwan’s benchmark Taiex slipped 0.79% to 41,603.94 on Friday as renewed Middle East tensions rattled investor sentiment. The index fell 329.84 points amid a NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.3 billion) turnover, with large‑cap tech stocks leading the decline. TSMC, which makes up over 40%...
Inadequate, Seniority-Based Paid Annual Leave Hurts Women: Activists
Civil groups in Taiwan urged the government to overhaul the Labor Standards Act by increasing paid annual leave and removing its seniority‑based structure. Activists argue the current system, which grants up to 30 days only after 25 years of service,...
Taiwan Passes U.S. Arms Bill with Spending Ceiling of US$24.8 Billion
Taiwan's Legislative Yuan approved a supplementary budget that caps U.S. arms purchases at NT$780 billion (approximately $24.8 billion). The bill allocates NT$300 billion for weapons already approved by Washington and NT$480 billion for a future, unspecified package. It passed unanimously (59‑0) with 48 abstentions,...
Taiwan, Paraguay Sign MOU on Sovereign AI Computing Center Investment
Taiwan and Paraguay signed a memorandum of understanding to co‑invest in a sovereign AI computing centre located in Paraguay, pairing Taiwan's advanced AI capabilities with the country's abundant green‑energy resources. The deal was part of a broader package that also...
Taiwan Weighing Separate, Tougher Penalties for Drug Driving
Taiwan’s transportation and interior ministries are debating a legal split between drug‑impaired and drunk driving, with the aim of imposing harsher penalties for the former. The move follows a series of recent narcotics‑related crashes, including a May 4 incident that killed...
Trump Likely to Focus on Trade in Meeting with Xi: Ex-U.S. Defense Official
Former Pentagon official Randall Schriver says President Donald Trump will prioritize trade and economic issues in his upcoming May 14‑15 meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, building on the temporary trade truce reached in Busan last year. The agenda is...
Lai's Eswatini Return Trip a 'Southern Route Breakthrough': Scholars
President Lai Ching‑te returned from a state visit to Eswatini on an Airbus A340‑300 that flew a 13,000 km southern detour, avoiding the usual northeastern airspace corridor. The near‑maximum‑range, non‑refueled flight covered about 25,000 km round‑trip and was tracked by over 3,000...
Taiwan Sugar, U.S. Group Ink MOU on Biofuel Cooperation
Taiwan Sugar Corp. signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Grains & Bioproducts Council to deepen bioethanol cooperation. The agreement tasks Taiwan Sugar with completing a feedstock assessment by the second quarter of 2027, laying groundwork for expanded production. The...
Premier Directs Ministries to Assist Shipping Companies
Premier Cho Jung‑tai ordered ministries to assist Taiwanese shipping firms whose vessels are stranded amid the Iran‑U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Eight Taiwanese ships are among roughly 1,600 global vessels stuck, prompting the Ministry of Transportation and Communications...
Taiwan's Manufacturing Activity Improves in April
Taiwan's manufacturing PMI rose to 60.3 in April, marking the seventh straight month of expansion, buoyed by strong global demand for semiconductors and AI‑related devices. The service sector’s non‑manufacturing index also climbed to 58.3, extending a 14‑month growth streak. All...
Taiwan to Release Locally-Produced English Sci-Fi Horror Movie
Taiwanese indie studio Killing Angel Film released the trailer for “Mr. Monster,” an English‑language sci‑fi horror film starring Andrew Chau and Camille Chalons. The plot follows a lethal survival game, and production faced intense physical demands, including a stunt injury...
Taiex Posts Record Daily Point Gain, Ends Above 40,000 Points
Taiwan's benchmark Taiex index posted a record daily gain of 1,778.51 points, closing at 40,705.14 and breaking the 40,000‑point barrier for the first time. The surge was powered by semiconductor heavyweights, with TSMC jumping 6.56% and contributing roughly 1,110 points...
Taiwan Sends Largest Delegation Again to U.S. Investment Summit
Taiwan sent its largest foreign delegation to the 2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit, with 113 companies and a record 207 representatives. Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming‑hsin highlighted that Taiwan has topped foreign delegations for four consecutive years. The summit includes...
TSMC Seeks Approval for Advanced Fab in Expanded Hsinchu Science Park
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has filed for government approval to build an advanced wafer fab in the Longtan Campus of Hsinchu Science Park. The proposal, part of the park’s third‑phase expansion, targets "angstrom‑class" 0.1 nm process technology to meet rising...
Danjiang Bridge Arts Festival Draws over 150,000 Ahead of Opening
The Danjiang Bridge arts festival attracted over 150,000 visitors before the bridge opens. The three‑day event, running from April 18 to May 3, featured concerts, picnics and community walks. Transportation Minister Chen Shih‑kai attended, highlighting the bridge’s role in easing traffic and...
Taiwan Deepens Medical Cooperation with Eswatini, Eyes AI Integration
Taiwan is expanding its long‑standing medical cooperation with Eswatini to include digital health and AI applications. Health Minister Shih Chung‑liang announced plans to adopt the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standard, enabling AI‑assisted healthcare systems. The Taiwanese medical mission, led...