Thu, May 28, 2026
‘BOOMING’: ’ The number of partners we have here is incredible. You can see from their stock prices. They’re doing so well, they’re so happy,’ Jensen Huang said Nvidia Corp’s spending in Taiwan has ballooned to about US$150 billion a year, 10 times the US$10 billion to US$15 billion the company spent five years ago, Nvidia chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said yesterday, suggesting Taiwan’s strategic importance in the global artificial intelligenc
Amap (高德地圖), iQIYI (愛奇藝) and two other Chinese apps requested access to sensitive information unrelated to their core functions when installed on devices, with the mapping app posing more potential security risks than the others, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said yesterday.The ministry released t
Japan’s parliament yesterday passed legislation to launch a new intelligence council, a key move in Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s push to bolster the nation’s security agenda.Japanese officials have long argued for enhanced intelligence capabilities to deter foreign spies, prevent terrori
A “surprise” announcement by the US, Australia, India and Japan to build a port spurred hopes of backing from the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue for a plan to relocate the main dock in Fiji, Fiji Ports acting chief executive officer Suresh Prasad told reporters yesterday.Fijian Prime Minister Sitiv
President William Lai (賴清德) today announced a new population strategy with 18 measures to counter Taiwan’s low birthrate and aging population, from monthly subsidies for children up to age 18, to expanded assisted reproduction assistance and policies to create a more family-friendly workplace cultur
CLOSER TIES: TSMC investing in a semiconductor facility in Dresden is an important milestone in technology cooperation, President William Lai said German-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group chairman Till Steffen yesterday said that exchanges between democratic nations should not be subject to third-party interference, during a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德) in Taipei.During a reception at the Presidential Office for the group of cr
CONSENSUS: Ruling and opposition parties have reached a strong understanding on the special budget, potentially leading to a smooth review process, an official said Lawmakers yesterday passed an initial review of a proposed NT$8.81 billion (US$280.39 million) arms procurement package for this year, cutting only NT$2 million, which could pass a third reading as soon as tomorrow.The Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee and Finance Com
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT: Despite fears that the US is pulling back from Taiwan and growing closer to China, the US’ two major political parties have dispelled rumors with their support Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) yesterday thanked the US’ two major political parties and said that Taiwan and the US would jointly discuss how to best use the next fiscal year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) funds.The US House Committee on Armed Services yesterday rele
The Ministry of Labor (MOL) said Wednesday that proposed family support measures unveiled as part of a new government strategy to address Taiwan’s declining birthrate will also apply to certain foreign workers, but not migrant domestic workers and live- in caregivers.The measures, announced earlier
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a
Democracy in Taiwan is more than just a political system; it is a way of life and an identity that Taiwanese have fought for, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said during the opening of a Forum 2000 Foundation event in Taipei yesterday.It marked the first time the Forum for Democratic
The United States’ top representative to Taiwan and President Lai Ching-te (賴清 德) on Wednesday jointly celebrated the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. at an event in Taipei, with both highlighting the two sides’ shared democratic values and close partnership across various fields in the
OUTBREAK: People are advised to avoid traveling to DR Congo and Uganda unless necessary and to practice protective measures if travel is unavoidable, the CDC said The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday raised the travel advisory for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda to “Level 3: Warning” due to an Ebola outbreak, requiring returning travelers to undergo 21 days of self-health management. Early symptoms of Ebola include fever, diar
National Taiwan University’s (NTU) Risk Society and Policy Research Center yesterday called on central and local governments to coordinate plans ahead of a new carbon fee scheme, which is to begin at the end of the month. The research center and the Center for Sustainability Science held a news conf
Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) chairman Shih Che (史哲) yesterday apologized to shareholders for massive delays caused by a signal system malfunction on Monday, adding that the company has commissioned an independent third-party investigation into the incident. The malfunction occurred during pow
AI BOOM: The company’s longer-term outlook remains positive as it plans to supply chassis components for next-generation servers, chairman Allen Hung said Metal casing supplier Catcher Technology Co (可成科技) yesterday said it expects to see meaningful revenue contribution from products used in artificial intelligence (AI) servers in the second half of this year. The company started small-volume shipments of AI-related products in the fourth quarter of l
Taiwanese consumers became more cautious this month, with confidence in stock investing falling to a more than three-year low despite a continued rally in local equities, as many investors viewed the market as overheated, a survey released yesterday by National Central University showed.The universi
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) employee bonuses are likely to grow more than 30 percent this year, in line with the past few years as the company’s profits continue to set new records, an anonymous source cited TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) as saying yesterday. TSMC, the world’s la
Three people have died and two people were injured in separate drug-impaired driving incidents over the past week. In New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District, a driver allegedly under the influence of etomidate-laced vape products hit and killed a motorcyclist. In Changhua County, a driver crashed into a
The Ministry of the Interior, working with the navy and coast guard, is organizing Taiwan’s first joint exercise simulating escort tankers carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) and oil through a Chinese blockade. The drills simulate fuel transport along three maritime corridors leading toward Japan,
After arriving in Taiwan, Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) stated plainly that Taiwan needs more electricity for the development of artificial intelligence (AI). The remark was originally intended as an expectation for Taiwan’s overall energy strategy, but Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) turned i
STAR NEEDED: The Spurs’ coach bemoaned his team’s errors and urged Wembanyama to take a more aggressive approach, after the star was held to just 20 points from 15 shots Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Tuesday scored 32 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 to move within one win of a return to the NBA Finals.Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder punished an error-strewn performance by San Antonio to claim a victory that leaves the reign
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone on Tuesday watched the hits begin to pile up on the massive, crown-shaped scoreboard beyond the center field wall at Kauffman Stadium, and he knew that his team was doing something impressive against the Kansas City Royals.He did not know until afterward that it
Brayden McNabb on Tuesday night hit Mark Stone in stride with a lob pass in the first period for a highlight reel of a play, but it was the gritty work of the Golden Knights’ defense that ultimately put Las Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final.The Golden Knights limited the Colorado Avalanche’s high-power
A giant statue of soccer superstar Lionel Messi erected in India to mark his visit last year is “swaying in the wind” and is to be removed, a lawmaker said yesterday.Workers have scrambled up the 21m golden-colored statue in the eastern city of Kolkata in West Bengal, throwing ropes around its shoul
APARTMENT STRUCK: Mohammad Odeh, who was appointed about a week ago to replace Izz al-Din al-Haddad, was killed in a strike in Gaza that claimed five others Israel yesterday said that it had killed Mohammad Odeh, Hamas’ newly appointed armed wing chief, in Gaza, days after it killed his predecessor, while intensifying military pressure in Gaza and expanding operations in Lebanon.The Israeli military said that Odeh was killed in an operation in Gaza on T
CYBERSECURITY WARNING: There must be an effort ‘from boardrooms to living rooms’ to make cybersecurity ‘10 times more urgent,’ an intelligence official said Britain and its allies risk losing a conflict in cyberspace against adversaries such as Russia unless citizens, corporations and governments treat cybersecurity with much greater urgency, a British spy chief said yesterday.Anne Keast-Butler, director of the British Government Communications Headquar
Five people stuck in a flooded cave in central Laos for more than a week were found alive, rescuers said yesterday, but two others are missing.The villagers entered the cave in Xaisomboun Province on Wednesday last week, but heavy rain triggered flash flooding that blocked the exit and trapped seven
Food prices have often played a major role in Taiwan’s history. The first major wave of migration from China occurred in 1628. A moderate drought, the Ming Dynasty maritime ban that prohibited fishing and trading (intended to reduce piracy) and a temporary tax, conspired to exhaust local resources,
Feline features stare out from the covers of umpteen novels, they have an officially designated day devoted to their mystique and popularity, and have outnumbered dogs as pets for a decade.The influence of cats is evident across every corner of Japanese society, with a recent report crediting them w
Reading this book was, yes, wonderful. Yes, inspiring. But it was also like reading a series of many, many long text messages from a dear friend. Or perhaps the posts of a really great, just discovered, and somehow still genuine social media feed. The premise of Craig Mod’s Things Become Other Thing
A: Time magazine recently released its list of “The 100 Most Influential People of 2026.” It’s categorized into six groups: Artists, Pioneers, Titans, Icons, Leaders and Innovators.B: TSMC chairman C.C. Wei made the list this year. Which category is he in?A: Wei is actually among the Pioneers, wit
The animal kingdom is full of surprises that challenge our understanding of biology. From remarkable feeding mechanisms to extreme defense strategies, some creatures possess traits so unusual that they seem like pure fiction. Here are four fascinating examples that show nature’s endless creativity.
Taiwan Travelogue, the novel by Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi and translated into English by Lin King, won the prestigious International Booker Prize in London on May 19.It marks the first time a Taiwanese literary work has received the International Booker Prize, setting a historic milestone both
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 | 27-28 | 20% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 26-27 | 10% | |
| Hsinchu City | 26-27 | 10% | |
| Taipei City | 27-28 | 20% |  |
| Miaoli County | 24-26 | 10% | |
| Taoyuan City | 26-27 | 10% | |
| Keelung City | 27-28 | 20% | |
| Yunlin County | 26-27 | 10% | |
| Taichung City | 26-28 | 10% | |
| Nantou County | 25-26 | 10% | |
| Changhua County | 27-28 | 10% | |
| Chiayi County | 26-27 | 10% | |
| Chiayi City | 25-27 | 10% | |
| Tainan City | 27-28 | 10% | |
| Kaohsiung City | 27-28 | 10% | |
| Pingtung County | 26-27 | 10% | |
| Yilan County | 25-26 | 30% |  |
| Hualien County | 25-26 | 30% | |
| Taitung County | 25-27 | 30% | |
| Kinmen County | 27-28 | 10% | |
| Penghu County | 27-27 | 20% | |
| Lienchiang County | 27-28 | 20% | |
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