Taipei Times
TSMC eyes adding facilities in Texas
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday said it is in discussions with a customer to secure wafer capacity supply in Texas, potentially extending its US manufacturing footprint beyond Arizona to satisfy surging demand from customers...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Talks on Alaska LNG deal advance
Progress is being made in talks to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from an Alaskan project, with Taiwan considering an investment of up to US$4.4 billion, the government said yesterday after US President Donald Trump on Tuesday told a rally in the US...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwan’s GDP to reach 10.7%, IMF says
The IMF has sharply raised its forecast for Taiwan’s GDP growth to 10.7 percent this year, the highest projected rate in the Asia-Pacific region, amid the ongoing artificial intelligence (AI) boom. In its latest World Economic Outlook report released...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Six of new F-16s complete factory test
Six of Taiwan’s 66 newly purchased F-16V Block 70 jets from the US have completed factory acceptance and rolled off the production line, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said yesterday as he expressed hopes for more deliveries later...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Stop hostile talk, Taiwan urges China
Taiwan yesterday urged China to stop its hostile rhetoric toward Taiwan as the US welcomed President William Lai’s (賴清德) commitment to Taiwan Strait stability in his Double Ten National Day speech. Lai on Saturday described Taiwan as a “city upon a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
President Lai evokes ‘city on a hill’
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday urged Taiwan to become a “city upon a hill” amid authoritarian expansion and global upheaval, adding that Taiwan cherishes peace, but will not give up its freedom. “In this era marked by war, authoritarian...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
King Mswati III pledges deeper Taiwan-Eswatini ties
Eswatini’s king yesterday pledged to deepen his country’s “enduring friendship” with Taiwan during a return visit to Taipei after President William Lai’s (賴清德) trip to the southern African nation in May that China tried to block. King Mswati III...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Four are indicted for surveilling Shen
Prosecutors yesterday sought an 18-month prison term for a man accused of accepting HK$99,950 (US$12,735) from two people in Hong Kong to surveil Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) in 2024. Taipei prosecutors sought the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ten indicted for smuggling chips, fraud
The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office has indicted 10 people for allegedly using forged documents and bogus ties to National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) to procure controlled chips for military applications and smuggle...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwan condemns ‘spying’ on Lai’s son
The Presidential Office yesterday condemned what it called a “typical case of transnational repression” after media reports alleging that China has been illegally surveilling the son of President William Lai (賴 in the US. Taiwan strongly condemns...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
RAISING AWARENESS
Members of the Taiwan Breast Cancer Alliance form a human pink ribbon in a plaza outside Taipei City Hall yesterday, which they said symbolized the journey from screening and treatment to recurrence prevention and patient support. The alliance urged...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwan’s Hsieh, Liang claim doubles gold in Games
Taiwanese tennis players Hsieh Suwei (謝淑薇) and Liang En-shuo (梁恩碩) yesterday won the women’s doubles gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, securing the nation’s fifth gold medal of the Games. The pair defeated compatriots Chan Hao-ching (詹皓晴) and Wu...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lin wins second straight boxing gold at Asiad
Taiwanese Olympic champion Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) yesterday won her second consecutive Asian Games boxing gold, defeating her Chinese opponent in the women’s 60kg final. Lin beat Yang Chengyu (楊成宇) by a unanimous 5-0 decision at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FIGHT CONTINUES
Representatives from civil society groups hold banners during a rally titled “Hong Kong-Taiwan Connection: Resist Authoritarianism” at Liberty Square in Taipei last night. The rally, themed “Do Not Celebrate Authoritarianism,” took place on the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Military draft regulations to be changed
Defense officials yesterday announced new physical eligibility standards for conscription and a military exercise next month that would include new tanks, drones and command-and-control systems. Tsai Shih-hung (蔡適鴻), director of the Ministry of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwan vital to US security: Johnson
Taiwan is a partner whose “stability and independence” are important to US national security and the economy, US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said on Monday when asked about arms sales to Taipei in an interview with Fox...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Thailand, Myanmar flood deaths increasing
At least eight people have died in flooding in Thailand since Sept. 16, although none in the capital, Bangkok, which declared a disaster this weekend following heavy rains, the Thai government said yesterday. The eight died in eastern provinces — five...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwan beat China for bronze medal at Asian Games
Starter Lin Yu-min (林昱珉) yesterday pitched eight scoreless innings as Taiwan beat China 5-1 to secure the bronze medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, while Taiwan’s Fu Chao-hsuan (傅兆玄) won gold medal in men’s high jump final. The victory at Okazaki...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
US’ Taiwan policy unchanged: envoy
US policy toward Taiwan has not changed following talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), Washington’s top envoy to Beijing said on Friday, a day after the two leaders met at the White House. “There’s no change...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PIKA-CHOO CHOO
A Pikachu mascot poses with a fan at Taipei Railway Station yesterday. The character appeared during a news conference for a “Pokemon” 30th anniversary themed train, which is to be in service from today to Dec. 13 along the west coast, excluding...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘Stand with Taiwan,’ US senators say
US senators on Tuesday urged US President Donald Trump to “stand with Taiwan” and not let China influence US support for Taiwan’s defense, ahead of his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Washington. “We can’t let President Xi...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Chiang, Shen neck-and-neck in Taipei, poll suggests
A poll released yesterday suggested that Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) are neck-and-neck in the Taipei mayoral race. The poll asked Taipei...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Baipu to bolster chip ecosystem: Lai
Kaohsiung’s Baipu Industrial Park (白埔產業園區) would bolster Taiwan’s semiconductor ecosystem, balance north-south development and boost the country’s global competitiveness, President William Lai (賴清德) said at its groundbreaking ceremony yesterday. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwanese bag 2 silvers, bronze at Asian Games
Chien Hui-hsuan (簡慧萱) yesterday won a bronze medal in the women’s individual kata event in karate, earning Taiwan’s first medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, while Taiwan’s men’s and women’s soft tennis teams each won silver medals. Chien defeated...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lai launches global disaster alliance
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday announced the establishment of the World Alliance for Disaster Management (WADM), calling it a major breakthrough in Taiwan’s participation in international organizations over the past half-century. Lai made the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BIG VOICES
The Atayal Children’s Choir from Hsinchu County’s Jinping Elementary School perform during the National Prayer Breakfast in Taipei yesterday.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Central bank keeps key rates unchanged
The central bank yesterday kept its key interest rates unchanged for a 10th straight quarter while easing housing credit controls, signaling confidence that property lending has cooled enough to allow a targeted relaxation without undermining financial...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
US, Japanese lawmakers back Taiwan
US and Japanese lawmakers agree that the US must defend the First Island Chain, including Taiwan, and should not fall back to the Second Island Chain, while “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency and therefore a US-Japan alliance contingency,”...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Drone academy advancing, MOFA says
The privately funded Global UAV Academy (GUAVA) is to be registered as a juridical person next week and its offices are to be set up before the end of this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday. The ministry is assisting in the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwan urged to boost defense spending
Lithuanian lawmaker Dovile Sakaliene over the weekend urged Taiwan to prioritize its defense budget, saying that national security cannot be compromised for other public policies, during a joint conference of Taiwanese associations in Helsinki. She...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
More delegations visit Taiwan: MOFA
Foreign diplomatic and business visits to Taiwan are reaching new highs, with landmark firsts and large-scale delegations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said, pledging to deepen mutual trust and substantive cooperation. Italian Senate Vice...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwan has right to make friends: VP
Taiwan has the same right as anyone else to make friends and work with like-minded partners despite Beijing’s efforts to restrict its international presence, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said on Friday. “We believe strongly that like every...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
President promulgates defense autonomy legislation
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday promulgated a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-led bill aimed at promoting defense autonomy and the uncrewed vehicle industry, following its passage by the legislature last month. The Legislative Yuan on Aug. 27...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Cabinet expands aid for long-term care
The Executive Yuan yesterday approved expanded subsidies for residents of long-term care facilities, allocating NT$16.62 billion (US$526.82 million) to the plan expected to benefit about 105,000 people. Under the new plan, the maximum monthly subsidy...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Brace for new AI threats, AIT head says
Taiwan must guard against artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled information manipulation ahead of local elections on Nov. 28, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene said yesterday. Although Taiwan has earned acclaim for its efforts...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Election interference activities revealed
The authorities have launched 54 probes into suspected foreign election interference and other electoral fraud-related crimes to protect the integrity of the Nov. 28 local elections, the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau said yesterday. Special...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
China security laws spell travel risks
China is set to implement several laws in the coming months that expand the definition of national security, creating greater risks for Taiwanese traveling to or doing business in China, Taiwanese officials said yesterday. Beijing’s Ethnic Unity and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Military budgets more arms production
The military is significantly expanding domestic production capacity to improve self-sufficiency in equipment and ammunition during wartime, the Ministry of National Defense’s proposed budget for next year showed. The Armaments Bureau’s Production and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MAMMOTH TASK
French street theater company Compagnie Oposito performs the “Trois Elephants Passent” show yesterday near Shilin Night Market as part of the Taipei Arts Festival. The performance, which featured three mechanical elephants, was meant to evoke the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘PILI HEROES’
A Japanese traveler takes a selfie with glove puppets and cosplayers at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday. Taiwan’s original glove puppetry brand Pili Puppetry brought its “Pili Heroes Shine at Taoyuan Airport” showcase to the departure...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lai pays tribute to fallen armed forces personnel
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday paid tribute to Taiwan’s fallen military personnel and pledged that his government would provide better care for armed service members as the nation marked Armed Forces Day. During a ceremony in Taipei, Lai laid...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Google to grow office space in Taiwan by 60%
Google is expanding its Taiwan office space by 60 percent as local partners take on a growing role in developing the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, a senior executive said yesterday. The US technology giant expects its...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lai touts industrial connections at Semicon
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday said Taiwan’s semiconductor industry has created new industrial connections around the world, reinforcing international ties and creating a more diversified and resilient supply chain. Speaking at this year’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwan aims to train 500,000 AI pros by 2040
President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration plans to allocate more than NT$40 billion (US$1.26 billion) next year to develop 10 major artificial intelligence (AI) projects, with a goal of training at least 500,000 AI professionals by 2040. Lai...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
US testing Harpoon missiles Taiwan purchased
The US Navy and Boeing Co have conducted a series of tests for land-based Harpoon anti-ship missile system being supplied to Taiwan and released footage showing the system striking a target vessel at sea. The weapons system and support equipment...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
US supports Taiwan’s presence at Pacific forum
The US backed Taiwan’s continued participation in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) as Taiwan and associated countries sent senior delegations to the summit this week. The 55th PIF Leaders Meeting is being held from today to Friday in Koror, Palau, with...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CEC approves nuclear referendum, rejects other two
The Central Election Commission (CEC) yesterday announced it has approved holding a referendum on nuclear power, but rejected proposals on caning and traffic fines. The Legislative Yuan on Aug. 14 approved three referendums: introducing caning as a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lawmakers pass alternative drone bill
The legislature yesterday rejected the Executive Yuan’s NT$210 billion (US$6.62 billion) special budget proposal to buy military drones and instead passed its own plan, which earmarks NT$40 billion per year over six consecutive years. The Executive...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwan confirms two local mpox clade Ib cases
Two domestic cases of mpox clade Ib have been confirmed this month, marking the first locally acquired infections of the virus strain, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The patients, both men in their 30s, are in stable condition...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Biennale restores ‘Taiwan’ name: report
The Gwangju Biennale Foundation has agreed to allow Taiwan’s exhibitors to use the name “Taiwan” in the exhibition venue and in official documents and promotional materials, South Korea’s Munhwa Broadcasting Corp reported yesterday. The foundation...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Heavy rains cause floods, landslides, mass evacuations
Heavy rain brought by a lowpressure system and strong southwesterly winds triggered widespread flooding, landslides and damage across central, southern and eastern Taiwan yesterday, disrupting travel and prompting mass evacuations. As of 6pm...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwan must uphold spirit of 823: Lai
Even in peacetime, forgetting war is dangerous, but Taiwan will uphold the spirit of those who were on the front lines of the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis and not cede an inch of territory, President William Lai (賴清德) said in Kinmen County yesterday...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Legislature loses ‘friendship’ travel funds
The legislature has suspended funding for overseas visits by lawmakers’ friendship groups after travel budget cuts, prompting mixed responses from the three major parties. The central government’s budget for this fiscal year was delayed for 351 days...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
UP, UP AND AWAY
Drones fly over hot air balloons during the conclusion of the Taiwan International Balloon Festival in Taitung County on Thursday evening. The 41-day event attracted about 1 million visitors.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
LITTLE FESTIVAL-GOERS
Amis children participate in the Fata’an harvest festival in Hualien County’s Guangfu Township yesterday. The tribe scaled down this year’s event after the festival grounds were damaged by flooding from a barrier lake on the Mataian River in September...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
China completes first stage at disputed reef
China has completed the first phase of construction on Antelope Reef (Lingyang Reef, 羚羊礁) in the Paracel Islands (Xisha Islands, 西沙 building an artificial island in the disputed South China Sea that analysts say will form part of its largest military...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘GRAY ZONE’ ACTIVITY
A Coast Guard Administration (CGA) officer monitors a China Coast Guard ship near Pratas Island (Dongsha Islands) in the South China Sea yesterday. The CGA said it detected two Chinese coast guard vessels approaching and entering the waters around...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lai announces NT$10,000 cash handout
The government would allocate NT$235.7 billion (US$7.4 billion) in next year’s budget to fund a NT$10,000 cash payment for every citizen next year as the economy continues to grow, President William Lai (賴清德) announced yesterday. Lai made the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
China wants to block drone bill: source
The Legislative Yuan is slated to hold cross-caucus negotiations on 14 versions of a draft uncrewed vehicle act on Thursday, amid rumors that Beijing is pressuring some Taiwanese politicians to block passage of a special bill proposed by the Ministry...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SINGERS AND BALL
The Wei Chuan Dragons’ Liu Ji-hong, right, poses alongside members of South Korean girl group NMIXX and a Dragons mascot ahead of their CPBL game against the Rakuten Monkeys at the Taipei Dome yesterday. An NMIXX member threw the ceremonial first pitch...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TAIWAN HITS
Taoyuan Mayor Simon Chang, center, holds a placard along with event guests at the opening of the Taoyuan Film Festival yesterday.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwan targeted in AI-driven hacking
Overseas hackers used artificial intelligence (AI) agents to target government agencies in a cyberattack last month, the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) said yesterday, following a Financial Times report on the incident. The Administration for...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
School health amendments advance
The Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee yesterday gave initial approval to amendments to the School Health Act (學校衛生法) requiring the government to assist schools in stocking menstrual products and teaching students about menstruation and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Vincentian PM pledges support, urges investment
Visiting Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Godwin Friday yesterday pledged that his new administration is ready to usher in a “next chapter” in the two countries’ 45-year diplomatic relationship, while calling for increased Taiwanese...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taiwan slows mobile Internet for drills
The government yesterday slowed mobile Internet coverage for a large swathe of the central part of Taiwan proper for the first time during annual war games, simulating communication disruption in the event of a Chinese attack or natural...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Taipei protests ‘snub’ at Japan memorial
Taipei yesterday protested the seating arrangement at the Nagasaki atomic bombing memorial ceremony, saying that the Nagasaki City Government’s decision to place its representative outside the diplomatic delegation area slighted Taiwan’s national...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Defense spending to top NT$1.1 trillion
The Cabinet is to approve next year’s budget on Aug. 20, with defense spending topping NT$1.1 trillion (US$34.07 billion) and NT$240 billion earmarked for a special budget, sources said yesterday. Next year’s central government revenue is expected to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
VP oversees urban resilience exercises
Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭 yesterday emphasized the importance of conducting rigorous defense exercises during an inspection of Kaohsiung’s urban resilience drills, which were for the first time merged with the annual Han Kuang military...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
President involved in military drills
President William Lai (賴清德) made a late-night dash in the back of an armored personnel carrier to a command center as part of the Han Kuang Exercises, which entered their second day yesterday. Taiwan began the 10 days of drills on Wednesday, which are...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Han Kuang military exercises begin
Military units yesterday began preparing for possible deployment at the orders of the Ministry of National Defense’s General Staff Headquarters, while 20,000 reservists were called up to take part in the 10-day live-fire portion of the 42nd Han Kuang...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Military aid should pass: US lawmaker
US President Donald Trump is expected to submit a US$14 billion arms package for Taiwan to the US Congress soon, US Representative Michael McCaul said in Taipei yesterday, adding that US arms sales to Taiwan would not be affected by Washington’s ties...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MAC to train ‘united front’ awareness
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday said it would work with schools to reinforce awareness about China and the risks of traveling there after a government watchdog warned about increasingly one-sided cross-strait educational...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
China patrols ‘deeply destabilizing’: US
The US government has described China dispatching coast guard vessels to waters east of Taiwan as “deeply destabilizing,” and called on Beijing to end its pressure campaign against Taipei. The China Coast Guard on Friday said a formation led by its...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
THSRC set for largest timetable change in 20 years
Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) yesterday said it would implement its largest timetable overhaul in 20 years, including the introduction of “super express” trains linking northern and southern Taiwan without intermediate stops. The new timetable...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
US lawmaker urges drone bill passage
Visiting US Representative Young Kim yesterday urged the Legislative Yuan to swiftly pass a bill funding the procurement of domestically produced drones needed to help defend the country against security threats posed by China. The Cabinet has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Executive Yuan officially recognizes Siraya
The Executive Yuan yesterday officially recognized the Siraya as an indigenous group, making them the 17th officially recognized indigenous peoples and the first recognized under the Pingpu Indigenous People’s Status Act (平埔原住民族群身分法). The decision...
Read Full Story (Page 1)