Sat, May 30, 2026
MORE INCREASES: Exports and imports are projected to jump 39.77% and 33.53% respectively as chipmakers expand production capacities to meet demand for AI Taiwan yesterday sharply raised its economic growth forecast for this year after a blistering first quarter, as surging global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure fueled exports, investment and corporate profits across the technology-driven economy.The Directorate-General of Budge
The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation yesterday filed criminal complaints against two former employees, accusing them of breaches of trust and embezzlement.The foundation in a statement said it filed complaints with the Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office against former chief executive Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) an
China’s rapid military modernization and assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region and growing concerns over US priorities were the top issues on the table at Asia’s premier defense summit drawing leaders, top diplomats and security officials from around the world.Vietnamese President To Lam opened t
A Hong Kong court yesterday dismissed an appeal by the former head of the city’s largest press union against a conviction for obstructing police officers, issuing a five-day jail sentence.Former Hong Kong Journalists Association chairman Ronson Chan (陳朗昇) had been arrested by police, who said he ref
GREATER REACH? Auto parts and wood products would face tariffs of up to 15%, matching those targeting the EU, Japan and South Korea, Vice Premier said The US has announced that preferential tariff treatment for Taiwan’s non-semiconductor Section 232 goods would take effect retroactively from May 1, the Executive Yuan said yesterday.The US government yesterday posted a notice on the Federal Register’s public inspection Web site previewing tariff co
CRIMINAL CODE: People with drug-driving records would be flagged and their license would not be renewed until after they undergo treatment, an official said People with records of operating vehicles under the influence of drugs would be listed as high-risk drivers and not allowed to renew their license until after undergoing addiction treatment and a stand down period, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday.The government said
‘TROUBLEMAKER’: The foreign minister warned against being distracted by Beijing’s attempts to shape global perception about Taiwan and the threat China poses China is the real “troublemaker” distorting history and undermining the “status quo,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday, adding that people should “not be distracted” by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) tactics.Lin was answering queries by reporters at a tea party ma
A Canadian warship last week transited the Taiwan Strait shortly before Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi’s (王毅) scheduled visit to Canada, the Canadian Department of National Defense said on Thursday.“On May 22, 2026, HMCS Charlottetown conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strai
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel.The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, a
The US on Thursday formally announced preferential tariff treatment for certain Taiwanese exports under Section 232 tariffs, fulfilling a part of a bilateral investment memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed earlier this year.The measures, published in the Federal Register by the US Department of
The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling that former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) cannot be prosecuted for money laundering in a case linked to the appointment of former Taipei 101 chairperson Diana Chen (陳敏薰) because the statute of limitations has expired.In a brief statement, th
LACK OF ACTION: An audiologist said not everyone with age-related hearing loss has a disability identification, while many in the early stages fail to get treatment The number of people with age-related hearing loss has risen 17 percent over the past five years, with experts concerned that many elderly people are reluctant to seek treatment.As Taiwan has become a super-aged society with people aged 65 or older accounting for more than 20 percent of the populati
GREEN CAKE: The Nvidia Corp CEO said that market forces would draw investments into sources of renewable energy because the demand for electricity is so high Artificial intelligence (AI) helps boost green investments, Nvidia Corp chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said in Taipei on Thursday as he was presented with a five-tier cake from Greenpeace bearing the message “AI needs renewable energy.”Huang arrived in Taiwan last week to attend the Nvid
The government should promptly propose and pass a basic act on the development of e-sports to address administrative and legal shortfalls, and ensure a long-term and comprehensive development environment, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers said yesterday.The government is quick to take the sp
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s youngest international carrier, is planning to launch flights to Zurich, Switzerland, and Barcelona, Spain, next year as part of its efforts to extend its reach into Europe.Speaking at the airline’s annual shareholders’ meeting yesterday, Starlux chairman Chang Kuo-wei (張國
DECISIONMAKING: While the majority of chips still use TSMC’s CoWoS technology, the unnamed client potentially favored the cost and capacity benefits of Intel’s EMIB MediaTek Inc (聯發科) yesterday revealed that a data center client opted for Intel Corp’s advanced packaging technology to build an in-house customized artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator, marking the first adoption of the technology in MediaTek’s customized chip design portfolio.Mediatek did not
AI DRIVE: Cloud and networking products have replaced smartphones as Hon Hai’s largest business segment at about 40 percent of total revenue Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密), the world’s largest contract server maker, yesterday said it is targeting to grow its annual revenue by 36 percent to NT$11 trillion (US$350.5 billion) this year, driven by robust demand for artificial intelligence (AI) server racks given heavy expenditures from
Taiwan’s government should reassess its electricity demand projections, as power supply constraints have already affected Wistron Corp’s (緯創) plans to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) computing infrastructure, Wistron chairman Simon Lin (林憲銘) said yesterday.Speaking to reporters after Wistron
The Legislative Yuan, in a plenary session yesterday, was to review an opposition-backed referendum proposal on allowing caning as a judicial punishment. Backed by all 52 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers, the proposal includes a referendum question asking whether the government should “esta
The results of the national junior-high school entrance exam that took place across Taiwan from May 16 to 17 are in. Once again, a disproportionate number of students from sports-focused junior-high programs received “needs improvement” grades. The issue is closely tied to the processes for selectin
The unending string of construction projects at Daan Forest Park has become a collective gripe heard all too often among Taipei City residents. Daan Forest Park should be a place where residents can relax, take a stroll and pause for a moment. However, large areas have been cordoned off, and access
ALL TO PLAY FOR: The San Antonio Spurs went on an astonishing 20-0 streak in the third quarter, assisted by a disintegrating Oklahoma City offense Victor Wembanyama on Thursday scored 28 points as the San Antonio Spurs forced a decisive Game 7 in their thrilling NBA Western Conference Finals series against Oklahoma City, leading throughout an emphatic 118-91 win.The Spurs were aggressive for the duration of a win-or-go-home clash with defendin
Pinch hitter Yohendrick Pinango on Thursday drew a tiebreaking bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 in the first matchup of the season between the American League East teams.The Blue Jays won their third game in a row and captured their seven
Jannik Sinner on Thursday succumbed to illness and a remarkable Juan Manuel Cerundolo comeback to crash out of the French Open, blowing the men’s singles wide open, as Aryna Sabalenka safely avoided a similar fate.World No. 1 Sinner was cruising when leading by two sets and 5-1 in the third before s
UEFA Champions League finals are often decided by a single moment of magic and both Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are relying on their unselfish star wingers to conjure that up in Budapest.Arsenal depend on a staunch defense, but Bukayo Saka’s return from injury at the end of the season boosted Mi
‘DANGER TO ALL’: NATO condemned Moscow’s recklessness, with its secretary-general Mark Rutte affirming that the alliance was ready to defend ‘every inch of Allied territory’ A Russian drone struck an apartment building in NATO-member Romania early yesterday, wounding two people and prompting strong condemnation from the Atlantic alliance and the EU. Bucharest summoned the Russian ambassador and Romanian President Nicusor Dan convened a national defense council meeting t
CHANGE FIRST: The EU had previously unlocked money for Poland after assurances that change was afoot, but sources have cautioned reforms in Hungary must come first Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar was yesterday to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as Budapest pushes to secure a rapid release of billions of euros in frozen EU funds.Magyar, who defeated longtime nationalist leader Viktor Orban in an election last month, has been eager
A surprising gut feeling may help pigeons find their way home.Animals use various techniques to navigate, including following the stars and remembering key landmarks. Birds, fish and turtles orient themselves using Earth’s magnetic field as a compass, but it is not yet clear how exactly they do this
There are shadowy cabals plotting to sell out Taiwan to be annexed by China, by invasion if necessary. Fortunately, they are buffoons. In 2019, former Bamboo Union gangster and founder of the China Unification Promotion Party (CUPP), Chang An-le (張安樂, colorfully known as “White Wolf”), led a protest
Have you applied for a new job? If you’ve been shortlisted, get ready to be interviewed by artificial intelligence.Deluged by a flood of AI-generated job applications from easy-apply job boards, recruiters are turning to AI to cope. Companies are using chatbots to interview candidates, typically at
At 7pm on a Friday in London, the lobby of Third Space in Soho looks more like a members’ club than a gym. There’s a humming smoothie bar, twenty and thirtysomethings in color-coordinated workout sets and a steady stream of arrivals heading to reformer Pilates classes.A decade ago, this crowd might
When you buckle up in a car or on a plane, you probably feel safer. So, when you board a train and find no seatbelts, you might wonder why. This absence is not due to neglect. __1__ The challenge comes down to how seatbelts would work on trains. Take the two-point belt for example. It secures only
A: In the 2026 Time 100 list, besides TSMC chairman C.C. Wei in the Pioneers category, Blackpink’s Jennie also stands out in the Artists group.B: What about the Titans and Icons?A: The Titans include legendary fashion designer Ralph Lauren, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Intel CEO Tan Lip-bu. The
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
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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