China Should Abandon Threats Against Taiwan: AIT
American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene urged Beijing to drop threats and military pressure on Taiwan, arguing that robust deterrence would keep war off the table. He emphasized the need for open communication with all Taiwanese political parties to avoid misunderstandings. Greene made the comments amid a visit by Taiwan’s opposition leader to China and ongoing daily Chinese military activity around the island. The United States continues to back Taiwan with a $40 billion defense package and remains its top arms supplier.
Pegatron Head Calls for a Change in Energy Policy
Pegatron chairman Tung Tzu‑hsien urged Taiwan to use the global energy crisis as a catalyst to cut fossil‑fuel reliance by 20% by 2030, positioning liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a backup rather than a primary source. He highlighted that Taiwan’s...
Be Cautious of China ‘Incentive’: Expert
China announced ten new "incentive" measures for Taiwan, covering agricultural product sales, investment opportunities and the resumption of travel. Experts warn the package is tied to political conditions such as the "1992 consensus" and could be used to pressure Taiwan’s...
TRTC to Continue to Assess Cat-Friendly MRT Transit
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan‑an announced that the city will keep evaluating a cat‑friendly MRT service after a dog‑friendly “Canine Outing Day” sparked criticism from cat owners. The event showcased dog‑only buses and four MRT cars on the Red Line that...
Alishan Audio Guide to Feature Local Band and Students
The Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office launched a new on‑board audio guide that blends performances by the local Chiasong Ensemble with narration by students from five elementary schools. Covering 20 stations, the guide makes Alishan the first railway...
Joint First Island Chain Shield Urged
Taiwan’s foreign minister Lin Chia‑lung urged democratic nations to treat the First Island Chain as a single theater and build a collective, peacetime‑grown “democratic shield.” He emphasized coordinated monitoring, joint warnings, and deployments across the Taiwan Strait, East and South...
Pediatric Diagnostic Fees to Increase This Summer
Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare announced plans to double diagnostic and treatment fees for pediatricians, with the changes expected to take effect as early as July or August 2026. The move is part of a “pay for value” strategy...
Taiwan Spots China Warplanes Amid Cheng-Xi Meet
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reported 16 Chinese warplanes operating near the island on Friday, coinciding with President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li‑wun in Beijing. Xi reiterated that Taiwan independence would not be tolerated, while Cheng framed...
China Compromise Comes at a Cost: Lai
President William Lai warned that compromising with authoritarian regimes threatens Taiwan’s sovereignty and democracy as Taiwan’s KMT chair meets China’s Xi Jinping. He emphasized that peace requires strength, citing rising gray‑zone pressure from Beijing in the Taiwan Strait. Lai announced...
Former TV Producer Lee Indicted
Taipei prosecutors indicted former TV producer Lee Neng‑chien on suspicion of spying for China, seeking a 12‑year prison term. Lee, a retired air‑force serviceman and husband of actress Liu Hsiang‑chun, is accused of leaking classified military information and personal data...
Official Apologizes for Comment on Disabled People
A senior official at Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare, Chou Tao‑chun, apologized after suggesting people with disabilities should be excluded from public hearings to avoid slowing the process. The comment triggered protests from disability advocacy groups and prompted a...
Court Upholds Dismissal of 90s Espionage Case
Taiwan's Supreme Court affirmed lower‑court rulings that dismissed the espionage and embezzlement case against former National Security Bureau officer Liu Kuan‑chun, citing the statute of limitations. Liu was accused of diverting NT$190 million (about US$6 million) from the secret presidential Project Feng...
KMT Lawmakers Boycott Defense Budget Negotiations
Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers staged a boycott of cross‑caucus negotiations on the special defense budget, submitting a supplementary resolution that would require every U.S. arms sale to undergo a separate legislative review. The move follows Washington's announcement of an...
Cabinet Eyes Rules to Protect Migrants
Taiwan’s Cabinet approved a draft amendment that outright bans employers and labor brokers from retaining migrant workers’ identity documents or confiscating their personal property. The measure tightens penalties, imposing fines of NT$60,000 to NT$300,000 (approximately $1,900‑$9,600) and possible revocation of...
Taiwan Athletics Open Canceled Due to Budget Holdup
The Chinese Taipei Athletics Association announced the cancellation of the Taiwan Athletics Open, originally slated for June 6‑7, after the Ministry of Sports’ FY2026 budget remained stuck in the legislature. All registration fees will be fully reimbursed, and Minister Lee...
Philippines Opens Base in Disputed South China Sea
The Philippines inaugurated a new coast‑guard district command on Thitu Island, a long‑held outpost in the contested South China Sea. The base, staffed by a commodore and equipped with patrol ships and aircraft, signals Manila’s intent to enforce its maritime...
Buses Found Using Chinese Chips
Taiwanese bus operators Da Nan Bus and Shin‑Shin Bus discovered that 82 of their 244 electric buses were equipped with Huawei‑affiliated HiSilicon chips, violating a contractual ban on Chinese components. The chips, used in around‑view monitor systems, were allegedly concealed...
Executive Yuan Approves Two Draft Recycling Bills
Taiwan's Executive Yuan approved amendments to the Waste Disposal Act and the newly renamed Resource Circulation Act, aiming to meet circular‑economy targets for its 2050 net‑zero goal. The revisions expand producer responsibility to include solar panels, wind‑turbine blades and other...
Domestic Anti-Ship Missile Set to Be Assessed: Source
Taiwan’s Chunghsan Institute of Science and Technology is set to begin initial capability assessments of its domestically developed subsonic anti‑ship cruise missile later this year. The prototype can strike surface targets at 900‑1,000 km, making it the longest‑range indigenous missile in...
MODA Calls for Reinforced Undersea Cables
Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) announced a push for more resilient undersea cables, recommending deeper burial and steel jacketing to curb sabotage and accidental damage. The agency’s first assessment identified anchor‑related incidents as the leading cause of disruptions, prompting...
CCP Shifting Infiltration Strategy: NSB
Taiwan's National Security Bureau chief Tsai Ming‑yen warned that the Chinese Communist Party is expanding its espionage net from mid‑level officers to rank‑and‑file enlisted personnel in Taiwan's military. Beijing also reserved airspace over the Yellow Sea and East China Sea...
N Korea Fires Multiple Short-Range Missiles Toward Sea
North Korea conducted back‑to‑back missile launches, firing multiple short‑range ballistic missiles from Wonsan that traveled roughly 240 km toward the east sea, followed by a longer‑range missile exceeding 700 km that landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. The launches occurred a day...
Eight Million Barrels of Oil to Set Sail for Taiwan This Month
Taiwan's state‑run CPC Corp arranged to ship about 8 million barrels of crude—roughly one‑third of its monthly demand—through the Red Sea to avoid the Strait of Hormuz. One 2‑million‑barrel tanker is already loaded but delayed by the Middle East conflict. CPC...
Artemis II Races to Set New Distance Record
NASA’s Artemis II crew performed a six‑hour lunar fly‑around, becoming the most distant humans ever, surpassing Apollo 13’s 400,171 km record by more than 6,600 km. The mission used a free‑return trajectory that loops around the moon and brings the Orion capsule back to...
Taishin Securities to Be Fourth-Largest Following Merger
Taishin Securities merged with MasterLink Securities, boosting its market share to 5.13% and catapulting it from 16th to the fourth‑largest broker in Taiwan. The combined firm will operate 55 offices with a workforce of 2,763 employees. The merger also lifted...
German Uproar over Military Service
Germany’s new military service law, effective Jan. 1, requires men aged 17 to 45 to obtain permission before staying abroad for more than three months, even though service remains voluntary. The clause, a relic of the Cold War, was largely unnoticed...
China Ready to Interfere in Local Elections: NSB
Taiwan’s National Security Bureau warned that Beijing is poised to interfere in the November nine‑in‑one local elections through a coordinated hybrid campaign. The report details more than 173 million cyber attacks on the government service network, 13,000 suspicious online accounts and...
Media Must Not Ignore Suffering
Taiwanese media consistently downplay civilian casualties in Iran, Lebanon and the West Bank, treating humanitarian loss as background noise on political talk shows. Commentators frame global conflicts primarily through the lens of Taiwan’s security and its relationship with the United...
China Needs a Major Overhaul to Attract Foreign Tourists
China is intensifying its tourism drive by expanding visa‑free access and urging digital platforms to add multilingual support. New policies from nine ministries aim to simplify travel logistics, yet foreign visitors still confront a cashless, ID‑linked ecosystem that hinders basic...
Stormy Weather Disrupts Traffic as Long Weekend Ends
Inclement marine weather and fog disrupted ferry, air, rail, and freeway traffic in Taiwan and Kinmen as the Tomb Sweeping holiday ended. The New Taima ferry service between Taiwan and Matsu was suspended, while the Taima Star increased trips. Ferries...
Major Sponsors Pull Out of Kanye West’s London Gigs
US rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, will headline three nights of London’s Wireless Festival in July, reigniting controversy over his past anti‑Semitic statements. Beverage giants Pepsi and spirits group Diageo have both withdrawn their sponsorships of the event,...
Mexican Art World Protests Plan to Send Frida Kahlo’s Masterpieces to Spain
A 160‑piece Gelman‑Santander collection featuring Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and other Mexican masters is slated to be shipped to Spain for Banco Santander’s new cultural centre, Faro Santander. The move has triggered an outcry from Mexico’s art community, with nearly 400 cultural professionals signing...
Mailiao Plant Coal-Fired Generators to Resume
Taiwan Power Co announced it will restart two 500‑megawatt coal‑fired generators at the Mailiao plant for a three‑month period, aiming to bolster electricity security amid heightened LNG supply risks linked to the Middle East conflict. The units, idle since late...
Tainan Court Rejects Noisy Birds Compensation Suit
Taiwan’s Tainan District Court rejected a woman’s claim for NT$100,000 compensation, ruling that her neighbor’s pet birds did not exceed legal noise limits. The plaintiff, Chen, failed to provide professional‑grade decibel recordings, and the bird chirps were limited to daytime...
Taiwan’s Next Strategic Opportunity
Nvidia’s GTC highlighted a strategic pivot toward space‑based AI computing, featuring Starcloud’s orbital data centre equipped with an H100 GPU. The event emphasized tokens as the new unit of AI efficiency, while showcasing embodied AI through robots and digital twins....
Who Decides What News Means?
Matt Brittin, a former Google executive, has been appointed BBC director‑general, bringing platform and digital‑audience expertise rather than a journalism background. The article argues his tech savvy is crucial as AI and algorithmic news delivery reshape how Britons consume information,...
New China Air Alerts ‘Unusual,’ ‘WSJ’ Report Says
China issued notice to air missions (NOTAMs) reserving unlimited offshore airspace over the Yellow Sea and East China Sea from March 27 to May 6, a 40‑day period unusually long for military drills. The alerts, typically used for temporary hazards,...
Commercial Property Deals Rise
Commercial property transactions in Taiwan surged to NT$99.3 billion in Q1 2026, more than double the previous year and the highest since Colliers began tracking the market. Technology firms drove the boom, investing NT$79.3 billion—about 79% of total activity—highlighted by Micron Technology’s...
Taiwan to Boost Plastic Bag Production
Taiwan’s Executive Yuan announced a special project to lift monthly plastic‑bag output to the equivalent of 1.25 billion 600 ml bags. The plan activates CPC Corp’s No. 4 naphtha cracker, raising ethylene production from 60,000 to 79,000 tonnes this month and targeting 90,000 tonnes next...
Power Rates Unchanged Till September
Taiwan's Executive Yuan announced that electricity tariffs will stay unchanged from this month through September, and fuel prices will remain flat for the week. The ministry instructed CPC Corp and Formosa Petrochemical to maintain stable production and secure sufficient oil...
Cruise Ship Caught Off Fiji, Crews Work to Prevent Oil Spill
Salvage crews in Fiji are working to prevent an oil spill after the Blue Lagoon Cruises vessel Fiji Princess ran aground on a reef near Monuriki Island, the filming location of Cast Away. All 30 passengers and 17 crew members...
EDITORIAL: Mideast War Tests Economic Resilience
More than a month after the Middle East war began, surging oil prices are driving inflation in Taiwan. The National Development Council expects CPI up about 1.5% month‑over‑month, while the manufacturing PMI stays above 50, indicating continued expansion. Export growth...
Israel Normalized Dehumanizaton of Palestinians Executions
Israel’s parliament enacted a law permitting death sentences for Palestinians convicted of fatal attacks, expanding an already harsh legal regime. The measure follows a surge in detentions, with more than 10,000 Palestinians held without trial since October 2023, and over...
CCP Intensifying Cross-Border Aggression: Report
Taiwan’s National Security Bureau warns that the Chinese Communist Party is intensifying a “push and pull” campaign that blends transnational repression with diplomatic sub‑version. The report details Beijing’s push for a fabricated “Taiwan Retrocession Day” narrative, pressure on EU and...
Netflix Show Highlights Taiwanese Religious Traditions with a Modern Flair
Netflix’s new eight‑part series “Agent from Above” spotlights Taiwan’s temple culture by following Han Chieh, a mortal vessel for the deity Nezha. The production team filmed at active and abandoned shrines, creating sets that blend traditional Taiwanese religious architecture with modern...
Seoul ‘Wise’ to Regret Drone Incursion, Kim’s Sister Says
South Korea admitted that government officials participated in a January drone incursion over Pyongyang, prompting President Lee Jae‑myung to publicly express regret and label the act irresponsible. North Korean leader Kim Jong‑un’s sister, Kim Yo‑jong, praised the apology as wise...
Tankers with Qatar LNG Attempt to Exit the Strait of Hormuz
Two Qatar‑linked LNG tankers, Al Daayen and Rasheeda, moved toward the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first possible loaded transit since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February. The waterway’s effective closure has halted about one‑fifth of global...
Saudi Arabia Raises Asia Oil Price to Record
Saudi Aramco announced a record‑high Arab Light price for Asia, adding a $19.50 premium over regional benchmarks for next‑month sales. The hike follows a widening Middle East conflict and Iran’s near‑closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has strained global...
Airstrikes on Iran Kill 25; Ceasefire Proposal Shared
Israel and the United States launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran, killing at least 25 people, including IRGC intelligence chief Majid Khademi, and striking the strategic South Pars gas field. Tehran responded with missile attacks on Haifa and Gulf allies, prompting air‑defence alerts...
