Sun, Apr 12, 2026
NO REST: Continuous Chinese aggression shows that Beijing is not interested in showing goodwill and has no intention of giving ‘moderates’ any room to operate, an expert said The Ministry of National Defense said it spotted 16 Chinese warplanes operating near the nation on Friday, about the same time Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) was meeting Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) in Beijing.The two met in Beijing, where Xi said he “absolutely
South Korea has adjusted its electronic arrival card system to no longer list Taiwan as a part of China, a move that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said would help facilitate exchanges between the two sides.South Korea previously listed “Taiwan” as “Taiwan (China)” in the drop-down menus of its onl
US and Iranian officials yesterday began separate talks with Pakistan’s prime minister amid a ceasefire made fragile by deep disagreements and unabated fighting in Lebanon.A delegation led by US Vice President J.D. Vance and a delegation led by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf each
US intelligence indicated that China is preparing to provide Iran with air defense systems in a matter of weeks, CNN reported, citing people familiar with the matter.Beijing is expected to ship shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles known as Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) to Iran, the r
COMMITMENT TO SELF-DEFENSE: Peace is achieved through strength, and strength is achieved through long-term, stable investment, the president said Compromising with authoritarian regimes comes at the cost of sovereignty and democracy, President William Lai (賴清德) wrote on Facebook yesterday, ahead of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).In the past few years, China has c
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) met in Beijing yesterday, where they vowed to bring people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait closer to facilitate the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”The meeting was held in the East Hall
PAY FOR VALUE: The health minister cited the challenge in diagnosing children’s illnesses and the unpopularity of pediatrics as a specialty as reasons for the increase Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) yesterday said the ministry is working to double diagnostic and treatment fees for pediatricians from the current rate. The new rates could come into effect in the summer at the earliest.Shih made the remark when speaking at the National Taiwan U
LIFE SAVINGS LOST: Victims were drawn into investing cash or gold via a fake app after joining Line group chats which posed as legitimate investment communities The Criminal Investigation Bureau on Friday said it has arrested 21 people on suspicion of scamming a retired teacher out of nearly NT$50 million (US$1.56 million).The suspects have been transferred to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office on charges of violating the Money Laundering Control Act (
More than half of the bamboo vipers captured in Tainan in the past few years were found in the city’s Sinhua District (新化), while other districts had smaller catches or none at all.Every year, Tainan captures about 6,000 snakes which have made their way into people’s homes.Of the six major venomous
Taipei would continue to assess the feasibility of a cat-friendly train on its Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said yesterday.Chiang made the remarks as the Taipei City Government held a “Canine Outing Day” event promoting dog-friendly bus and MRT rides, which drew critici
The Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office has unveiled a new on-board audio guide for Alishan forest railway trains, featuring a local band and students.The Alishan forest railway has been in operation for more than 100 years, and has the tradition of broadcasting an audio guide at eac
‘ENVY OF THE WORLD’: The act and the ‘six assurances’ are part of what ‘enabled the stunning evolution of Taiwan’s democracy, economy and social system,’ AIT said US lawmakers on Friday marked the anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) with a post on X that emphasized the law’s key role in maintaining the security interests of Taiwan and the US.“Today is the 47th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act. It has for almost five decades ensured Taiwan’s s
TAIPEI INTERVIEW: China has no say in the Taiwan-US relationship, particularly regarding proven military hardware, software and capabilities, Charles Flynn said US arms sales to Taiwan are entirely a matter between the two sides and have no connection whatsoever to any actions China might take, retired US general Charles Flynn told reporters in Taipei yesterday in response to speculation about what China might say in a possible meeting with US President Don
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) is “playing with fire” with her remark that the Taiwan Strait should “never be a chessboard for interference by external forces,” Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday.Cheng on Friday made the remark during a meeting with Chinese Pres
Beijing’s identity approach has shifted from soft outreach to legislative pressure, Taiwanese academics said yesterday as they compared Friday’s meeting between Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) with a meeting 20 years ago between th
A South African clothing start-up is taking on the global athleisure market, going from a college dorm room to partnerships with sports giants such as the NBA and Manchester City in just seven years. It all started when brothers Daneel and Stef Steinmann wanted to wear vintage-feel shirts to support
Anthropic postponing the release of its new artificial intelligence (AI) model, Claude Mythos, said to be so skilled at coding it could be a wicked weapon for hackers, has encountered a mix of alarm and skepticism. The company is among several contenders in a fierce AI race. Promoting the awe of Ant
For weeks now, the global tech industry has been waiting for a major artificial intelligence (AI) launch from DeepSeek (深度求索), seen as a benchmark for China’s progress in the fast-moving field. More than a year has passed since the start-up put Chinese AI on the map in early last year with a low-cos
In the opening remarks of her meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) framed her visit as a historic occasion. In his own remarks, Xi had also emphasized the history of the rel
Last year, Chris Horton, an American writer based in Taipei, published his book Ghost Nation. It is a fascinating and startling text about what so many of us who have lived here a long time thought we already knew about the history of this wonderful nation and its endearing people. We were wrong. We
Although the terms “language” and “dialect” refer to different things, in real life the boundary between the two is not always clear-cut, and their linguistic definitions are often influenced by politics for better or worse. From a purely linguistic perspective, “dialects” are different but mutually
OBJECTIVE REACHED: ’Now for us, it’s about getting healthy, making sure everybody is ready to go, and we can ramp up,’ the Atlanta Hawks’ C.J. McCollum said after the game The Atlanta Hawks on Friday secured an NBA playoff berth with a 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers as the Boston Celtics locked up the Eastern Conference second seed with a lopsided win of their own. C.J. McCollum scored a game-high 29 points for the Hawks, who came into the contest at six
Real Madrid on Friday dropped more points in the Spanish La Liga title race with a frustrating 1-1 draw at home against Girona. Fede Valverde drilled Alvaro Arbeloa’s side ahead early in the second half, but Thomas Lemar’s fine strike secured a point for the Catalan visitors at the Santiago Bernabeu
West Ham United on Friday climbed out of the English Premier League relegation zone with a 4-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers that dumped Tottenham Hotspur into the bottom three. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side took the lead through Konstantinos Mavropanos’ first-half header at the London Stadium. V
Taiwanese archers Tang Chih-chun and Li Tsai-chi on Friday advanced to their respective singles semi-finals at the Archery World Cup event in Puebla, Mexico. Tang, competing in the men’s recurve, rallied from a 2-4 deficit to defeat China’s Wang Yan 6-4 in the quarter-finals. The 25-year-old Taiwane
BATTLE-TESTED: Russia’s war is helping Pyongyang modernize, such as by incorporating drone intelligence into artillery firing systems and opting for more nimble infantry units North Korean leader Kim Jong-un showcased his tighter ties with old allies and battlefield lessons from Ukraine, as he positions North Korea as a strong nuclear power before US President Donald Trump’s trip to China.After three days of back-to-back missile tests, including purported cluster munition
Russian drone strikes killed at least two people in the Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight into yesterday, local authorities reported, ahead of a proposed ceasefire for Orthodox Easter.A further two people were wounded in the attack on the Black Sea port city, when drones hit a residential area, dama
IDENTIFIED STRENGTHS: Benin may not be a country with mineral wealth, but it is a land of great cultures and history, which it hopes to use to encourage tourism Tourists crowded beneath the Door of No Return, an arch built by the beach at Ouidah in southern Benin in memory of those crammed onto slave ships bound for the New World.Benin, which is to hold its presidential election today, has in recent years leaned into its painful past to encourage tourism. O
Apr. 13 to Apr. 19From 17th-century royalty and Presbyterian missionaries to White Terror victims, cultural figures and industrialists, Nanshan Public Cemetery (南山公墓) sprawls across 95 hectares, guarding four centuries of Taiwan’s history. Current estimates show more than 60,000 graves, the
What is the importance within the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) of the meeting between Xi Jinping (習近平), the leader Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文), the leader of the KMT? Local media is an excellent guide to determine how important — or unimportant — a news event is to the p
The town of Jhihben (知本) in Taitung County is most well-known for its hot springs, but if you’re looking for an interesting nearby daytime excursion to complement an evening soak at your hotel, don’t miss the Jhihben National Forest Recreation Area (知本國家森林遊樂區).From the resort area, simply take Bus 8
A new study suggests that chimpanzees can weigh evidence and make rational judgments. In the experiment, researchers placed two boxes in front of the chimpanzees. One box was set up to give strong evidence, such as letting the chimpanzees actually see food inside. The other was designed to provide w
Concertgoers know the rush all too well — the moment the first notes play, your heart races, and nothing else seems to matter. For many, the excitement doesn’t end when the lights come back on. Some fans try to relive the performance by listening to the same songs for days afterward. __1__ A few day
A: Several Japanese and South Korean acts, such as BigBang, are participating in this year’s Coachella Music Festival. Have any Mando-pop singers ever performed at Coachella?B: Yup, K-pop group GOT7’s Hong Kong member Jackson Wang, and Taiwanese band Sunset Rollercoaster, which primarily performs
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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