The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday proposed inviting president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to make a historic first state of the nation address at the legislature following his inauguration on May 20.Lai is expected to face many domestic and international challenges, and should clarify his in
‘DIGITAL SOLIDARITY’: Taiwan, the US, Japan, Australia and New Zealand are to install and operate a cable that would connect up to 100,000 people in the Pacific Islands
Taiwan, the US, Japan, Australia and New Zealand are working together to install undersea cables as a demonstration of digital solidarity, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday.Blinken talked about the cooperation in a speech he delivered at the RSA Conference in San Francisco.He said
The Presidential Office yesterday remained mum about whether President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) plans to pardon former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) after a Chinese-language magazine reported that she would do so before her term ends on May 20.“The Presidential Office’s current position is still to ensur
Australia yesterday chastised China over its “unacceptable” behavior in international airspace, accusing a Chinese warplane of firing flares in the path of one of its navy helicopters.A Chinese fighter jet “intercepted” the Seahawk helicopter as it flew a UN sanctions surveillance mission above the
Israeli tanks yesterday seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.The UN warned of a potential collapse of the flow of aid to Pales
INSPIRING: Taiwan has been a model in the Asia-Pacific region with its democratic transition, free and fair elections and open society, the vice president-elect said
Taiwan can play a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a forum in Taipei yesterday, highlighting the nation’s resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges.“Not only can Taiwan help, but Taiwan can lead ... not only can Taiwan play a leadershi
Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday denounced Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) for making false allegations about donations to Ukraine and disclosing confidential documents, with the ministry saying that it would take legal action
BEHEMOTH: TSMC topped its peers with spending of NT$178.7 billion, up 11.1 percent from the previous year and accounting for 25.8 percent of the total
Taiwan’s listed manufacturing companies accelerated their research and development (R&D) spending last year to a record high NT$692.7 billion (US$21.4 billion), despite declines in sales and profits, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday.The spending was up 2.9 percent from NT$673 billion
US and Filipino troops yesterday fired missiles and artillery at an imaginary “invasion” force during war games on the Philippines’ northern coast, days after their governments objected to China’s “dangerous” actions in regional waters.Thousands of troops are conducting land, sea and air maneuvers a
Israel’s military yesterday called for the evacuation of Palestinians from eastern Rafah ahead of a ground invasion of the city, as Gaza aid officials said Israeli jets struck two areas where the warning had been issued.The evacuation call followed intensified disagreement between Israel and Hamas o
UNWAVERING: Paraguay remains steadfast in its support of Taiwan, but is facing growing pressure at home and abroad to switch recognition to Beijing, Pena said
Paraguayan President Santiago Pena has pledged to continue enhancing cooperation with Taiwan, as he and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait using force, Japanese media reported on Saturday.Kishida yesterday comp
SOME FAMILIAR FACES: In addition to the deputy ministers taking office later this month under the new administration, eleven officials are to stay in office
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday announced 15 new deputy ministers, with premier-designate Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) saying he expects the ministries to work together to build a technologically innovative and public interest-focused administration.Although the list did not include names for
China’s intrusive and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific region are “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive,” new US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo said on Friday, adding that he would continue working with allies and partners to keep the area free and open.Paparo made the rem
Prospects for a Gaza ceasefire appeared slim yesterday, as Hamas reiterated its demand for an end to the war in exchange for the freeing of hostages, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flatly ruled out, while Jerusalem said it would shut down al-Jazeera’s operations in Israel over its c
As Ukraine marked its third Easter at war, Russia yesterday launched a barrage of drones concentrated in Ukraine’s east and claimed its troops took control of a village they had been targeting.The Ukrainian Air Force yesterday said that Russia had launched 24 Shahed drones, of which 23 had been shot
NO-LIMITS PARTNERSHIP: ‘The bottom line’ is that if the US were to have a conflict with China or Russia it would likely open up a second front with the other, a US senator said
Beijing and Moscow could cooperate in a conflict over Taiwan, the top US intelligence chief told the US Senate this week.“We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with
LOOK FOR THE SIGNS: The guidelines include checklists for inspectors to look for indicators of abuse or if a child might be at risk in a caregiver’s home
The Ministry of Health and Welfare has rolled out revised guidelines for inspecting in-home childcare providers, including general principles, the frequency of home visits and key points for social workers to look for.The guidelines, which took effect immediately, were issued to local governments on
President-elect William Lai (賴清德) is considering creating an advanced defense technology agency soon after assuming office later this month, an official with knowledge of the matter said yesterday.The authority the agency would have and whether the National Security Council or Ministry of National D
Canadian police on Friday arrested and charged three Indian men with the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year and said they were probing whether the men had ties to the Indian government.Nijjar, 45, was shot dead in June last year outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, a Vancouv
More than 100 temperature records last month fell across Vietnam, official data showed, as a deadly heat wave scorches South and Southeast Asia.Extreme heat has blasted Asia from India to the Philippines in the past few weeks, triggering heatstroke deaths, school closures and desperate prayers for c