Sat, Aug 16, 2025
UNITY: Lai called World War II a catastrophe driven by dictators and military expansionism, and urged democracies to unite against authoritarianism Aggression only leads to defeat and as authoritarianism once again gathers strength, it is important that freedom and democracy prevail, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday in a post marking the anniversary of the end of World War II.Taiwan has this year sought to cast the war as a lesson to
The Legislative Yuan yesterday approved an aid and recovery package authorizing the government to allocate up to NT$60 billion (US$1.99 billion) for regions hit by Typhoon Danas and subsequent torrential rains last month. Proposed by the Executive Yuan on Aug. 7, the bill was passed swiftly after ru
US President Donald Trump was to meet face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska yesterday for a high-stakes summit that could determine not only the trajectory of the war in Ukraine, but also the fate of European security.The sit-down offers Trump a chance to prove to the world th
Tens of thousands of people braved blazing heat to pay their respects at a controversial Japanese shrine yesterday, as Japanese Emperor Naruhito spoke of his “deep remorse” on the 80th anniversary of the nation’s World War II surrender.Naruhito said he felt “a deep and renewed sense of sorrow” in a
POWER AID: The upgraded budget would include NT$20 billion to help Taipower upgrade power grids and put cables underground, the deputy economics minister said The Executive Yuan yesterday approved an amendment to raise the ceiling for a special response budget to NT$590 billion (US$19.7 billion), which includes universal cash handouts of NT$10,000, a measure it previously opposed.The Cabinet said the Ministry of Finance was unlikely to have a definitive a
CONCERNS: Allowing a foreign lawyer to advocate in the nation’s judicial system without proper vetting would set a detrimental precedent, an attorney said Officials yesterday vowed to review regulations governing the entry of Chinese into Taiwan for lawsuits, following the Taichung District Court’s rejection a day earlier of a petition by a Chinese lawyer to represent a defendant in a civil case.The lawsuit was filed by a Taiwanese bicycle manufacture
‘OFFSHORE OPERATIONS’: Also in Dallas, Texas, the Ministry of Economic Affairs inaugurated its third Taiwan Trade and Investment Center to foster closer cooperation The 2025 Taiwan Expo USA opened on Thursday in Dallas, Texas, featuring 150 Taiwanese companies showcasing their latest technologies in the fields of drones, smart manufacturing and healthcare.The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the event’s organizer, said the exhibitors this yea
‘ANGRY’: Forgetting the humiliations and sacrifices of ‘the people of the Republic of China’ experienced disqualified Lai from being president, Ma Ying-jeou said Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday criticized President William Lai (賴清德) over what he called “phrasing that downplayed Japan’s atrocities” against China during World War II.Ma made the remarks in a post on Facebook on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.Ma said he was “angry
As the world yesterday marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, two Taiwanese shared memories of a childhood and youth marked by fear and survival under Japanese rule during the Pacific War, offering a rare firsthand glimpse into Taiwan’s role in the war.“Some of my classmates were se
When Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s unconditional surrender on Aug. 15, 1945, marking the end of World War II, some Taiwanese had ambivalent feelings, including those serving at a Navy arsenal in Kouza, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.In 1942 the imperial Japanese military failed to gain the upp
Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍), wife of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), was hospitalized yesterday after collapsing at her residence in Tainan, during which she reportedly stopped breathing, according to the southern city’s fire bureau.The Tainan City Government Fire Bureau said it received a report y
The High Court’s Kaohsiung branch in a second ruling on Thursday upheld a lower court’s decision, finding Chinese immigrant Tsai Zhan-ping (蔡占萍) not guilty of contravening the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法) by funding borough wardens to visit China in 2023.Tsai moved from Jiangsu Province to Taiwan af
PHARMACEUTICALS, TARIFFS: Taiwan should step up efforts to enhance generic drug manufacturing capabilities to reduce reliance on branded drugs, an expert said Taiwan should improve its capabilities to manufacture generic drugs, which would reduce the effects of possible price increases due to US tariff policies, Taiwan National University Hospital president Yu Chung-jen (余忠仁) said this week.Yu made the remark after US President Donald Trump said he intend
CANCER PATIENTS: Applicants would receive up to NT$70,000 for egg freezing or up to NT$8,000 for sperm freezing prior to treatment that affects childbirth rates The government is to launch a subsidy program on Sept. 1 for young people with breast or blood cancer to undergo fertility preservation treatments, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) said yesterday.Taiwanese diagnosed with stage 0 to 3 breast cancer or blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma
Taiwan would continue to promote life cycle management of plastics in line with the international trend, the Ministry of Environment said yesterday.A legally binding plastics treaty was not finalized by the UN’s International Negotiating Committee (INC), with the failure of the talks following the c
TECHNOLOGY EDGE: The impact of US tariffs should be manageable, as many Taiwanese firms have built manufacturing facilities in the US and other markets Taiwan’s economy is expected to grow 4.45 percent this year, up from a 3.1 percent forecast in May, as stronger-than-expected exports and private investment offset global trade headwinds, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said yesterday.“While US trade policy chang
Japan’s economy expanded faster than expected last quarter, led by solid domestic demand, boosting the case for the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to raise its benchmark rate again this year while giving embattled Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba some rare good news.Gross domestic product grew at an annu
Applied Materials Inc, the largest US producer of chipmaking gear, plunged in late trading yesterday after giving a disappointing sales and profit forecast, renewing concerns that the US trade dispute with China is weighing on demand.Revenue would be approximately US$6.7 billion in the fiscal fourth
On Thursday last week — one day after the legislature’s Transportation Committee announced that deliberations over a draft news media and digital platform bargaining act remain at an impasse — students from the nation’s top journalism schools publicly urged lawmakers to pass the act and include a jo
For the past few years, China has been proud of its efforts to promote China’s digital yuan (e-CNY). Armed with advanced technology, China believed e-CNY could help realize the internationalization of the yuan, and as a result, China wholeheartedly backed e-CNY, aimed at replacing cash, as well as m
In Lagos, Nigeria, Aisha imports electronics from East Asia. The naira’s volatility drained her margins — until she switched to US dollar-pegged stablecoins such as USDC and USDT. What took days now settles in minutes, shielding her from currency swings and bank fees. With inflation at about 30 perc
RISING STAR: Atmane would enter the top 100 in the rankings for the first time after the win against world No. 9 Rune, but now faces Wimbledon champion Sinner French qualifier Terence Atmane toppled another top-10 player in Holger Rune on Thursday to line up a semi-final showdown with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner at the Cincinnati Open.Atmane followed up his victory over fourth-ranked Taylor Fritz with a 6-2, 6-3 win over ninth-ranked Rune.The 23-year-old wo
Rising French talent Adela Cernousek conjured an eagle and six birdies in an eight-under-par 64 to break free atop a jammed leaderboard after the first round of the LPGA Portland Classic on Thursday.After teeing off on 10 and making two birdies in her first 10 holes, Cernousek roared up the leaderbo
British track cyclist Matt Richardson set the world record in the 200m flying start on Thursday by becoming the first person to break the 9-second mark.Richardson, who won three medals for Australia at the Paris Olympic Games before switching allegiance to the UK, recorded a time of 8.941 seconds at
China opened the three-day-long World Humanoid Robot Games yesterday, looking to showcase its advances in artificial intelligence and robotics with 280 teams from 16 countries.Robots competed in sports such as track and field, and table tennis, as well as tackled robot-specific challenges from sorti
‘DEFENSE SHIELD’: On Indian Independence Day, Narendra Modi pledged energy self-reliance and vowed to ‘stand like a wall’ against foreign pressure Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday said that India is seeking self-reliance in energy independence and the development of its own powerful defense systems, vowing to defend his country’s interests “like a wall.”Modi delivered his annual Indian Independence Day address from the imposing ra
STAGNATION: Once a bastion of leftist politics, the Aymara stronghold of El Alto is showing signs of shifting right ahead of the presidential election A giant cruise ship dominates the skyline in the city of El Alto in landlocked Bolivia, a symbol of the transformation of an indigenous bastion keenly fought over in tomorrow’s presidential election.The “Titanic,” as the tallest building in the city is known, serves as the latest in a collection of
Japan marked the 80th anniversary of its World War II defeat yesterday, with at least one Cabinet minister joining thousands of visitors at a shrine that Japan’s Asian neighbors view as a symbol of its wartime aggression.Japanese Minister of Agriculture Shinchiro Koizumi, a contender in the ruling L
Has the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) changed under the leadership of Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌)? In tone and messaging, it obviously has, but this is largely driven by events over the past year. How much is surface noise, and how much is substance?How differently party founder Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) would have h
An internal Meta Platforms document detailing policies on chatbot behavior has permitted the company’s artificial intelligence creations to “engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual,” generate false medical information and help users argue that Black people are “dumber than white
It’s Aug. 8, Father’s Day in Taiwan. I asked a Chinese chatbot a simple question: “How is Father’s Day celebrated in Taiwan and China?” The answer was as ideological as it was unexpected.The AI said Taiwan is “a region” (地區) and “a province of China” (中國的省份). It then adopted the collective pronoun “
An alarming increase in hearing problems among young adults has been linked to “Auditory Processing Disorder” (APD). Health experts warn that this issue could be partially associated with the growing use of “noise-canceling” headphones. APD occurs when the brain cannot properly interpret auditory i
A: Apart from US singer Camila Cabello, Singaporean pop diva Sun Yanzi has two concerts scheduled at the K-Arena this weekend.B: Having debuted in 2000, Sun is now touring again to celebrate her career that has spanned over a quarter century.A: I like all of her 13 albums, but she hasn’t released on
A: Wow, Taiwanese pop band Sodagreen just held two concerts in Kaohsiung to mark the 20th anniversary of their debut.B: I’m glad they’re continuing to perform, even after taking several long breaks.A: Canadian singer Elijah Woods also staged a show in New Taipei on Tuesday, followed by US singer Cam
Two moves show Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) is gunning for Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) party chair and the 2028 presidential election. Technically, these are not yet “officially” official, but by the rules of Taiwan politics, she is now on the dance floor. Earlier this month Lu confirmed in an interview in Japan’s Nikkei that she was considering running for KMT chair. This is not new news, but according to reports from her camp she previously was still considering the case for and against running. By choosing a respected, international news outlet, she declared it to the world. While the outside world likely paid little attention, domestically the message was unmistakable: She is moving on to a larger stage. Part of the dance is to leave options open before formally committing, and with the chair race due in late September, she has time. If something goes wrong in the meantime, or if power brokers in the party offer her a deal that provides more benefits than taking on the role of chair, she can pivot accordingly. Earlier this year, I suggested that strategically, she would be better off concentrating on her job as Taichung mayor until she is term-limited out of office in December next year. Taichung mayor is obviously a full-time job, and concurrently running the Taipei-headquartered party runs the risk of doing one or both jobs poorly and making mistakes that could imperil her shot at the presidency in 2028. The situation has changed. Current KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), knowing he is likely to face challengers of a higher caliber than the three relative nobodies already declared, has gone all in on appealing to the base. The base is more likely to turn out to vote in the chair election, so this makes some strategic sense in the short term.
Among Thailand’s Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) villages, a certain rivalry exists between Arunothai, the largest of these villages, and Mae Salong, which is currently the most prosperous. Historically, the rivalry stems from a split in KMT military factions in the early 1960s, which divided command and opium territories after Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) cut off open support in 1961 due to international pressure (see part two, “The KMT opium lords of the Golden Triangle,” on May 20). But today this rivalry manifests as a different kind of split, with Arunothai leading a pro-China faction and Mae Salong staunchly aligned to Taiwan. Last spring at Arunothai’s Jiaolian School, principal Wang Mingming (王明明) had forewarned me of the division between villages, saying, “We are not like the people in Mae Salong. They are rich. Because of the Taiwanese.” Arunothai has in recent years become split in its loyalties between Taiwan and China (see part one, “A tale of two schools,” on May 15), but in Mae Salong, links to Taiwan remain strong. Taiwan-funded monuments pay homage to the Lost Army, villagers wear T-shirts emblazoned with the Republic of China (ROC) flag and tea plantations grown Taiwan’s most famous tea varieties, including Dong Ding (“frozen peak”) Oolong, Oriental Beauty and Jin Xuan (Golden Daylily or Milk Oolong). Even the numerical classifications of the teas — Oolong No. 12 or No. 17, for example — are the same, and the shops resemble those found on Alishan. At the tomb of General Tuan Hsi-wen (段希文) — perched on a Mae Salong hilltop with a view of his ancestral homeland in China’s Yunnan province — a third generation villager wearing a vintage KMT army uniform, Yan Si-Chung (岩思中), greets visitors with sharp military salutes. “Both my father and my grandfather were soldiers in the KMT army,” the 44-year-old
| New Taipei City | 27-31 | 10% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 27-33 | 10% | |
| Hsinchu City | 27-33 | 10% | |
| Taipei City | 27-31 | 20% | |
| Miaoli County | 26-30 | 10% | |
| Taoyuan City | 27-32 | 10% | |
| Keelung City | 27-30 | 20% | |
| Yunlin County | 26-29 | 20% | |
| Taichung City | 26-31 | 10% | |
| Nantou County | 25-30 | 10% | |
| Changhua County | 27-31 | 10% | |
| Chiayi County | 26-30 | 10% | |
| Chiayi City | 25-29 | 20% | |
| Tainan City | 28-30 | 20% | |
| Kaohsiung City | 27-30 | 10% | |
| Pingtung County | 26-30 | 10% | |
| Yilan County | 26-30 | 20% | |
| Hualien County | 26-30 | 20% | |
| Taitung County | 26-29 | 30% |  |
| Kinmen County | 27-29 | 10% | |
| Penghu County | 27-29 | 0% | |
| Lienchiang County | 27-28 | 20% | |
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