Sat, Apr 25, 2026
BROAD-BASED GROWTH: The institute’s president said the upgrade was mainly due to AI-related technologies, which have boosted export and investment prospects Taiwan’s economic outlook has brightened, despite mounting geopolitical risks, as robust demand for artificial intelligence (AI) drives exports and investment, the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER, 台經院) said yesterday.The Taipei-based think tank raised its forecast for Taiwan’s GDP growth
The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed amendments to the Amusement Tax Act (娛樂稅法), removing taxes on cinemas, stage performances and a wide range of other types of events.Prior to passage of the revisions, amusement taxes were levied on ticket sales or admission fees across many types of venues and e
Tensions in the standoff between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz intensified yesterday after US President Donald Trump said he ordered the US military to “shoot and kill” small Iranian boats in the strait.Trump on Thursday said he “ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat,
Burmese President Min Aung Hlaing yesterday issued new emergency ordinances imposing military control in 60 townships, a move aimed at tightening security in regions still mired in conflict despite the transition to civilian rule.The ordinances cover 60 townships across Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, S
STAYING SHARP: Kuan observed drills, part of efforts to transform the island into a base for humanitarian aid in the South China Sea, which included rescuing fishers Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) on Tuesday visited Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) to observe a maritime rescue drill, marking the first visit by a council head in seven years to the Taiwan-controlled island in the disputed South China Sea.The rescue drill was carried ou
China on Wednesday teased in a video an aircraft carrier that could be its fourth, and the first using nuclear power, while making an allusion to Taiwan and vowing to further build up its islands, as it looks to boost maritime power, secure resources and bolster territorial claims.The video, issued
HIGH-END TECH: The manufacturing overhead of CSIST’s Kuai Chi USVs would be dramatically reduced with the use of Saronic’s software and components, the institute said The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) yesterday inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with US-based Saronic Technologies to jointly develop modular uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) to augment Taiwanese capabilities to produce high-level artificial intelligence (AI) control sy
The US House Appropriations Committee has released its national security and Department of State funding bill for next fiscal year, which includes at least US$500 million for Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program.The FMF, a State Department program, helps allies and partner count
FOCUS SHIFT: Taiwan should prepare for the US’ post-war policy shift by building missile stockpiles and expanding cooperation with Japan and the Philippines, a panelist said Following the Iran war, the US’ postwar strategy would shift focus to the Americas and Indo-Pacific region, with Taiwan’s importance set to rise rather than decline, Institute for National Policy Research president Tien Hung-mao (田弘茂) said.Tien made the remarks at a seminar titled “The Global Impact
A decision was reached between the ruling and opposition caucuses at the Legislative Yuan yesterday to hold a roll-call vote on an impeachment motion against President William Lai (賴清德) on May 19.Under the Additional Articles of the Constitution, an impeachment motion against the president or vice p
The Taipei-based Chinese National Federation of Industries (CNFI) yesterday opposed amendments to the Air Pollution Control Act (空氣污染防治法) proposed by the opposition parties, saying the changes would empower local governments to impose restrictions on power plants and manufacturing plants that might
Sixty-eight ambulances and fire trucks, donated by Taiwanese private groups and fire agencies, were delivered to Ukraine on Thursday to support frontline rescue efforts in war-affected areas.At a ceremony held by the Lviv city government, Taiwan Association of Community Advancement Secretary-Gen
SURVEY FINDINGS: The average salary for vocational school graduates was NT$31,000, NT$36,000 for university graduates and NT$53,000 for those with postgraduate degrees Only 138,000 fresh graduates entered the workforce last year, 9,000 fewer than the previous year — or a 6.3 percent year-on-year decline — and about 32,000 less than five years ago, Ministry of Labor data released yesterday showed.Over the past five years, the figures have steadily declined: to 170,
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said it has listed 54 contacts for health monitoring after a Japanese man tested positive for measles upon returning to Nagoya on a Starlux Airlines flight from Taipei.The man, a Japanese national in his 30s, flew from Taipei to Nagoya on Friday last w
A man was arrested yesterday after he attempted to rob a bank in Taipei’s Daan District (大安) with a BB gun and a fake grenade, police said.The 30-year-old suspect surnamed Lin (林) arrived at a CTBC Bank on Zhongxiao E Road at 3:32pm wearing a mask, and pulled out a “gun” and a “grenade,” saying: “I
TRANSFORMED: Lip-Bu Tan said that Intel is a fundamentally different company compared with last year, when he became chief executive officer, due to AI demand Intel Corp on Thursday delivered a blockbuster sales forecast that shattered Wall Street expectations, signaling that the long-struggling chipmaker is benefiting from the giant build-out of artificial intelligence (AI) computing.Revenue is expected to be US$13.8 billion to US$14.8 billion in the Jun
STRATEGIC ALLIANCE: The potential cooperation is limited to Mitsubishi Electric’s mobility-related business unit, rather than the broader group, a Hon Hai official said Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) yesterday said it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mitsubishi Electric Corp to explore a strategic alliance through joint operations in the automotive equipment business.Under the MOU, the companies would begin discussions on a joint operation,
Meta Platforms Inc and Microsoft Corp have both taken drastic actions to trim their workforces in an effort to streamline their operations and offset heavy spending on artificial intelligence (AI).Meta on Thursday told personnel in an internal memo that it planned to cut 10 percent of workers, or ab
More than two years after the death of the one-year-old boy known as Kai Kai (剴剴), who succumbed to injuries inflicted through sustained abuse by his caregivers, the nation is still grappling with how to seek accountability and reform the system that failed to protect him. The Taipei District Court
Commercial Office of Brazil to Taipei Director Luis Claudio Villafane Gomes Santos rarely grants interviews to local media. What should have been an excellent opportunity to help the public better understand Brazil instead turned into a PR disaster when, speaking to online news outlet Up Media, Sant
The war in Iran indicates that the fight over controlling global energy flows is far from over. A close partner of Tehran, Beijing is no doubt factoring lessons from the conflict into its designs to target Taiwan. Throughout the initial stages of the war against Iran, uncertainty reigned, maritime i
MUCH-NEEDED WIN: The Toronto Raptors also thrived at home, pulling away late in a 126-104 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers to cut the deficit in their series to 2-1 C.J. McCollum on Thursday hit the game-winner with 12.5 seconds remaining as the Atlanta Hawks pulled off another nail-biting victory over New York to take a 2-1 lead in their NBA first-round playoff series.The Hawks beat the Knicks 109-108 in Atlanta, Georgia, their second straight one-point triump
Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday shook off some rust to post her first victory of the season on clay in Madrid and extend her winning streak to 13 matches.The world No. 1, who was playing her first match since she completed the “Sunshine Double” by winning Indian Wells and Miami last month, committed 26
Peyton Gray had visualized the moment so many times that he did not feel nervous when finally making his major league debut — at age 30 after eight years through the minor leagues, independent ball and four winters outside the US.Gray on Thursday worked a perfect inning on his debut for the Texas Ra
A stunning 119th-minute back-heel by Tiago Tomas on Thursday sent VfB Stuttgart to a DFB-Pokal final meeting with Bayern Munich after a 2-1 extra-time home win over SC Freiburg.Maximilian Eggestein’s first-half opener had Freiburg on track for a second DFB-Pokal final, but Deniz Undav leveled things
SOUTH KOREA TRIAL: Prosecutors said that the former president and his top defense officials were responsible for alleged drone infiltrations into North Korea Seoul prosecutors yesterday requested a 30-year prison term for former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol over allegations that he deliberately tried to escalate tensions with North Korea in 2024 by ordering drone flights over Pyongyang as he sought to create justifiable conditions for martial law
About 240 Indians claiming descent from a Biblical tribe landed at Tel Aviv airport on Thursday as part of a government operation to relocate them to Israel.The newcomers passed under a balloon arch in blue and white, the colors of the Israeli flag, as dozens of well-wishers welcomed them with a tra
France on Thursday defended keeping climate change off the agenda at a meeting of G7 environment ministers in Paris, saying it was necessary to avoid a clash with the US.French Minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity and International Negotiations on Climate and Nature Monique Barbut said t
The January 2028 presidential election is already stirring to life. In seven or eight months, the primary season will kick into high gear following this November’s local elections. By this point next year, we will likely know the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate and whether the Taiwan Pe
Every actor in kabuki — a traditional Japanese performing art celebrated for its striking makeup and elaborate costumes — relies on one final, essential element to fully inhabit their role: the wig.Ahead of a show at the famed Kabuki-za theater in central Tokyo, wig master Tadashi Kamoji carefully p
Potentially millions of Americans suddenly have a much easier path to Canadian citizenship, prompting a rush of people to explore their ancestry and file paperwork seeking dual citizenship.For people like Zack Loud of Farmington, Minnesota, it was a surprise to learn that under a new law, Canada alr
It seems like every year, new foods or drinks start trending and suddenly show up everywhere. A decade ago, avocado __1__ restaurant menus, while oat milk became the must-have addition to your coffee in cafes around five years back. The latest trend to hit this list is the pistachio. This flavorful
A: Besides hit TV drama series like “Pursuit of Jade,” Disney+’s South Korean fortune-telling reality show “Battle of Fates” is also quite eye-catching.B: Fortune-telling reality show? That’s new. Are the competitors all fortune-tellers?A: Yup, 49 top shamans and fortune-tellers compete through d
A: Which TV drama series have been global hits so far this year?B: The US drama “Stranger Things 5,” South Korean drama “Can This Love Be Translated?” and Chinese megahit “Pursuit of Jade” are all popular lately.A: Isn’t “Pursuit of Jade” the costume idol drama about the romance between a charmi
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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