Wed, Jun 04, 2025
The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed a non-binding resolution calling for the phaseout of coal use at the Taichung Power Plant by 2028.The motion, introduced by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋), Liao Wei-hsiang (廖偉翔), Huang Chien-hao (黃健豪), Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔) and Hs
Anyone who has worked with a foreign enemy against Taiwan should receive the most severe punishment the state can mete out, the Presidential Office said yesterday, following a report that a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) staffer’s cellphone contained a Chinese spying app.The government urgently
LANDSLIDE? An exit poll showed Lee Jae-myung with 51.7% of the vote against 19.3% for Kim Moon-soo, who served under ousted president Yoon Suk-yeol South Korean presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung of the left-leaning Democratic Party appeared on track to win the election by a landslide, exit polls showed yesterday, with turnout high after months of political chaos.Six months to the day after former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol plunged
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee (李家超) yesterday said that China’s recent removal of its top representative in the territory, known for his hardline policies on national security, had been a “normal” personnel change.In a surprise development, China announced late on Friday that Zheng Yanxiong (鄭雁
INDO-PACIFIC REGION: Royal Navy ships exercise the right of freedom of navigation, including in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, the UK’s Tony Radakin told a summit Freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region is as important as it is in the English Channel, British Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Tony Radakin said at a summit in Singapore on Saturday.The remark came as the British Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, the HMS Prince of Wales, is on an
‘ABUSE OF POWER’: Lee Chun-yi allegedly used a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon and take his wife to restaurants, media reports said Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) resigned on Sunday night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by the media. Control Yuan Vice President Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞) yesterday apologized to the public over the issue. The watchdog body would follow up on similar acc
SOVEREIGNTY PRESSURE: Beijing’s hybrid incursions, military drills and legal warfare aim to blur sovereignty and reshape East Asia’s security order, an official said China’s unusually large naval operations around the first island chain are not only intended to demonstrate military power and assert regional control, but also to blur sovereignty boundaries through the normalization of “gray zone” warfare aimed at occupation, a national security official said on M
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said it is seeking a new location to establish an international non-governmental organization (INGO) center, aiming to attract more INGOs to Taiwan and strengthen unofficial diplomacy.Department of Non-governmental Organizations Director Charlie Chian
CONSTRUCTION: Chen E-jun and her aide are accused of accepting payments from Pinchia Construction Co to fast-track permits and services The Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday indicted Taipei City Councilor Chen E-jun (陳怡君) on charges of accepting bribes and misusing public funds.Chen, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and her assistant Chang Hui-lin (張惠霖) allegedly accepted bribes from Pinchia Constructi
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force.Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the
A museum commemorating China’s violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 1989 opened on Monday in Los Angeles, museum director Wang Dan (王丹) said. “Commemorating June 4th is not just about mourning and denunciation, it’s also a continuation,” Wang said. “The spirit of ’89 is about holding on to
Former Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Chen Ou-po (陳歐珀) was questioned yesterday over alleged bribery involving a logistics company, according to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office.Chen, who served in Taiwan’s national legislature from 2012 to 2020, is suspected of accepting improper
“Symphony No. 5 - Homage to President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝)” made its Japanese debut on Monday as part of the National Symphony Orchestra’s (NSO) ongoing tour of Japan.The NSO performed Movements III and IV of the piece by Taiwanese composer Gordon Chin (金希文) in memory of the late former president
Meta, LINE, TikTok, and Google are required to publish transparency reports by the end of the year as part of a government initiative to combat online fraud, Minister of Digital Affairs Huang Yen-nun (黃彥男) said yesterday.The four firms, which operate six major online platforms — Facebook, Instagram,
‘CRITICAL’ PERIOD: If the rate of hospital visits remains lower this week, the peak of the COVID-19 wave might not be as high as estimated, an official said The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported 62,755 hospital visits for COVID-19 and 132 hospitalized cases for last week, the highest weekly numbers this year. Hospital visits for COVID-19 increased 49 percent last week, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said.
CHIP DUTIES: TSMC said it voiced its concerns to Washington about tariffs, telling the US commerce department that it wants ‘fair treatment’ to protect its competitiveness Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday reiterated robust business prospects for this year as strong artificial intelligence (AI) chip demand from Nvidia Corp and other customers would absorb the impacts of US tariffs.“The impact of tariffs would be indirect, as the custom tax is
The start of construction on the second wafer fab of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, has been delayed due to traffic problems, TSMC chairman and chief executive officer C. C. Wei (魏哲家) said yesterday.Wei’s comments confirmed recent reports that the se
Hotel operator My Humble House Hospitality Management Consulting Co (寒舍餐旅) yesterday forecast continued business growth, aided by major trade shows, concerts and sporting events.The company told shareholders it expects further business improvement in the second half of this year, supported by the re
At last year’s Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, held a week after the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) “Joint Sword-2024A” military exercises to “punish” Taiwan’s newly inaugurated president, Chinese Minister of National Defense Dong Jun (董軍) attempted to persuade the audienc
In the late 19th century, Taiwan’s eastern region witnessed a series of violent clashes: In Tuku in 1876, the Dagangkou Incident of 1877 and the 1878 Karewan Incident. The events were triggered by the Qing Dynasty’s efforts to build roads and administrative outposts in indigenous territories. What t
As a Japanese national, I have spent the past four years studying and living in Taiwan, where I have witnessed how Taiwanese society confronts democracy and national security in ways that differ from Japan.Taiwan is a trustworthy neighbor and a good friend to Japan. I have seen firsthand how it stan
BOISSON JOY: In the women’s singles, French player Lois Boisson beat Jessica Pegula to become the first home quarter-finalist at Roland Garros since 2017 Novak Djokovic on Monday sailed into a record 19th French Open quarter-final, while world No. 1 Jannik Sinner dismantled Andrey Rublev in straight sets.The 38-year-old Djokovic dusted aside Britain’s Cameron Norrie in three sets, his 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 victory on Court Philippe Chatrier bringing up the S
Shigeo Nagashima, who was known in Japan as “Mr Pro Baseball” and was one of the most famous people in the country during his playing days, has died.He was 89.His death was confirmed yesterday by the Yomiuri Giants, the team he helped make famous and managed.His passing was also announced in special
Zico was instrumental in Japan’s development as a soccer-playing nation and has warned that players are moving to Europe too young, citing his native Brazil as a cautionary tale.The midfield legend ended his playing career in Japan after helping to launch the professional J.League in 1993 and he als
The Greek basketball league finals between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos were suspended by the government on Monday following on-court scuffles involving rival security teams.The best-of-five series is at 1-1. The third game, scheduled for today, has been postponed.The owners of both clubs were summo
IMMIGRATION ROW: The far-right leader chafed at the coalition government’s ‘slow’ pace of tightening immigration policies, such as closing the borders to asylum seekers Far-right Dutch leader Geert Wilders yesterday withdrew his party from the government in a row over immigration, bringing down a shaky coalition and likely ushering in snap elections.Wilders has been frustrated with what he saw as the slow pace of introducing the “strictest-ever immigration policy,”
EMERGENCY-USE GRAIN: The government is ready to release more stockpiled rice to bring down prices, the agriculture minister said, as private imports skyrocket Japan’s farm minister yesterday said the government stood ready to offer more stockpiled rice, as consumers formed long lines to snatch up cheap, emergency-use grain made available through some retailers since the weekend.In an abrupt change of policy, the government last week began selling stockpil
It turns out that looming collision between our Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies might not happen after all.Astronomers on Monday said that the probability of the two spiral galaxies colliding is less than previously thought, with a 50-50 chance within the next 10 billion years. That is essentially
At Computex 2025, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) urged the government to subsidize AI. “All schools in Taiwan must integrate AI into their curricula,” he declared. A few months earlier, he said, “If I were a student today, I’d immediately start using tools like ChatGPT, Gemini Pro and Grok to learn,
From unmasking art forgery to uncovering the secrets of the Notre-Dame cathedral, an imposing machine outside Paris can turn back the clock to reveal the truth.It uses a technique called carbon dating, which has “revolutionized archaeology,” winning its discoverer a Nobel Prize in 1960, French scien
The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) on May 18 held a rally in Taichung to mark the anniversary of President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration on May 20. The title of the rally could be loosely translated to “May 18 recall fraudulent goods” (518退貨ㄌㄨㄚˋ！). Unlike in English, where the terms are the same, “r
In Taiwan, people can use a platform to rent a power washer for a weekend or share unused garage space for someone’s storage needs. These are examples of the sharing economy, a consumption model that has gained widespread adoption worldwide. This approach allows people to rent or share assets like c
Bilingual Story is a fictionalized account. 雙語故事部分內容純屬虛構。I stand by the Miluo River as dusk falls. The court betrayal is too much. I served Chu with loyalty. I forged alliances and fought corruption. But the whispers of jealous courtiers, the murmurs of treason, spoke louder. The king cast me out.T
對話 Dialogue清清：華華，從你進來以後已經咳了好幾次了，還好嗎？Qīngqing: Huáhua, cóng nǐ jìnlái yǐhòu yǐjīng kéle hǎojǐcì le, háihǎo ma?華華：早上等公車的時候，有人在我旁邊抽煙，真的很難聞，害我不舒服。Huáhua: Zǎoshàng děng gōngchē de shíhòu, yǒurén zài wǒ pángbiān chōuyān, zhēnde hěn nán wén, hài wǒ bù shūfú.清清：喝點熱水吧！應該會好一點。Qīngqing: Hē diǎn rèshuǐ ba! Yīn
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 | 24-27 | 10% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 22-24 | 10% |  |
| Hsinchu City | 22-24 | 10% | |
| Taipei City | 24-28 | 10% | |
| Miaoli County | 22-25 | 10% | |
| Taoyuan City | 23-27 | 10% | |
| Keelung City | 22-25 | 20% | |
| Yunlin County | 24-27 | 10% | |
| Taichung City | 24-26 | 10% | |
| Nantou County | 24-27 | 10% | |
| Changhua County | 23-25 | 10% | |
| Chiayi County | 24-27 | 10% |  |
| Chiayi City | 25-28 | 10% | |
| Tainan City | 25-27 | 10% | |
| Kaohsiung City | 26-28 | 10% | |
| Pingtung County | 27-30 | 10% |  |
| Yilan County | 22-24 | 20% | |
| Hualien County | 23-25 | 30% |  |
| Taitung County | 24-26 | 20% | |
| Kinmen County | 21-25 | 10% | |
| Penghu County | 21-24 | 10% | |
| Lienchiang County | 18-21 | 10% | |
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