Opposition parties are calling for cross-party negotiations over how
President Lai Ching-te should deliver a national affairs report at the
Legislative Yuan.

Legislative Speaker Han Guo-yu proposed a questions-first-answers-second
format after Lai hosted a gathering of the heads of the five Yuans earlier
today.

Han said Lai "gladly accepted" his invitation to go to the Legislative Yuan
and deliver the report.

KMT legislative caucus leader Fu Kun-qi stressed that the question-and-answer
format "must be confirmed through cross-party negotiations."

Fu said he expected Lai to clearly address major issues of concern, including
the general budget and national security challenges, so that they were
understood by lawmakers and the public.

The TPP caucus also said the format should be decided through cross-party
negotiations, but regardless of the format, the core objective should be
"real questions and real answers."

The TPP caucus said the president should provide a "specific and in-depth
report" on major national issues, including transparency over the military
procurement budget and the U.S.-Taiwan trade agreement.

Chen Pei-yu, secretary-general of the DPP caucus, said Lai has "always been
very willing" to report to the Legislature, provided the process complies
with the constitution.

(CNA)

The KMT is getting ready to announce its mayoral nominees for New Taipei,
Yilan County and Chiayi City on March 11th.

KMT official Li Zhe-hua (李哲華) said today that it will then begin talks
with the TPP to field joint opposition candidates.

Li said the two parties will set up a task force to discuss coordination
mechanisms and determine the most electable contenders in the three key
battlegrounds for the 2026 local elections.

In New Taipei, the KMT has consolidated behind Deputy Taipei Mayor Lee
Si-chuan, who said he has submitted his resignation to prepare for a mayoral
run.

The TPP has nominated its chairman Huang Guo-chang for the race.

Huang said his stance on cooperation "has not changed," adding that the TPP
will work with "the greatest sincerity and goodwill" to form the strongest
team.

Taipei police have arrested a man who held a fruit knife in his hand when
going down the street in the vincinity of Taipei Main Station yesterday.

Police said they received the report yesterday afternoon and immediately
activated its fast response team to the cross section of Park Street and
Xu-chang (許昌) Street.

Police said the man had already left by the time officers arrived, and
according to surveillance cameras' footage, he didn't wave the knife or
attack anyone.

The man later put the weapon into his backpack.

Police identified him, surnamed Li, and arrested him at around 10 AM in New
Taipei's Lin-kou today.

Following questioning, Li was referred to prosecutors on suspicion of making
threats against the public.

(JL)

Starlux Airlines will launch direct flights on June 1 between Taoyuan and
Busan, as well as the first direct route between Taichung and Busan by a
Taiwanese carrier.

The carrier announced today that tickets for both routes will go on sale
starting Thursday.

Flights between Taoyuan International Airport and Busan will be offered every
day, while flights from Taichung International Airport and Busan will be
offered on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday.

The Taichung-Busan line will be the first of its kind by a Taiwanese carrier.

According to Tourism Administration statistics, South Korea was the third
most popular destination among Taiwanese in 2025, behind Japan and China in
first and second.

(CNA)

Premier Chuo Rong-tai said today that Taiwan is hoping to safeguard the most
favorable terms of a trade deal it recently signed with the United States
amid changes in U.S. tariff policy,

Zhuo said relavant government officials held a meeting on Feb. 21 to assess
the impact of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last Friday that struck down
President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency
Economic Powers Act.

He cited the Taiwan-U.S. investment MOU and most-favored treatment for
high-tech goods under Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act as terms
Taiwan wanted to protect.

They are both part of the overall bilateral agreement.

The Premier said Taiwan must immediately confirm this with the U.S., adding
that Taipei is in touch with Washington to clarify legal procedures and
possible follow-up actions.

Deputy Penghu County Magistrate says Magistrate Chen Guang-fu's condition is
stable.

Chen has been hospitalized following a fall after which he lost consciousness
and was Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest at a public event.

Deputy magistrate Lin Jie Xing (林皆興) said that Chen's family was grateful
for the well wishes, but hoped that they could be given some privacy in this
time.

Lin said the county government will continue operations as normal and serve
the people.

(AH)

The government has moved one step closer to releasing the contents of
archives on the martial law period previously kept secret.

The National Security Bureau says it has transferred the full, unredacted
files to the National Development Council for examination.

The files were reviewed by the NSB over nearly a year and a half.

In total, there are 94 boxes of previously classified political documents
with 51-thousand files in addition to digital files.

The files date back to 1992 and include information such as surveillance and
security systems and intelligence data...

as well as the activities of overseas activists and personnel information in
sedition cases.

The NDC's Archives Administration has so far received some 140-thousand
declassified documents from the Bureau.

President Lai Ching-te previously ordered the government to accelerate the
opening of political archives from the martial law era.

(AH)

Hualien’s tourism industry saw a major boost during the Lunar New Year
holiday, with hotels in the southern part of the county reaching full
capacity for several days.

The Hualien County Tourism Department released new data today, showing that
major tourism hotels in the region saw average occupancy rates between 70%
and 80%.

And in southern districts including Ruisui, and Fuli, hotels reported
occupancy rates of over 90%.

The county says this shows that the south’s unique hot springs, organic farm
tours, and natural scenery have built a stable group of loyal travelers.

Officials say the steady growth across all types of lodging shows that
Hualien remains a top choice for travelers seeking high-quality service and
deep-travel experiences.

(NS)

The R.O.C. Navy will decommission a historic amphibious command ship this
week, marking the end of a career that spanned two wars and the development
of modern missile systems.

Originally built as a tank landing ship for the US Navy, officials say the
vessel served during World War II and the Korean War.

The ship was transferred to Taiwan and later renamed the "Kaohsiung", making
it the first ship named after a location in Taiwan.

The vessel has served as a high-tech command center and as a testing platform
for home-grown weapons, aiding in the development of several critical systems

Now, a ceremony will be held in Kaohsiung to honor the vessel, which
officials have named a "hero of maritime research."

(NS)

Taiwan Railway Corporation is emphasizing that smoking is not allowed on its
trains.

That's as the company was forced to remove a man from a train for smoking.

The issue came to light yesterday when members of the public posted online
about the man's behavior.

According to posts online, other passengers repeatedly asked the older man to
stop smoking, but he continued.

The TRC says, they dispatched police after receiving reports that a passenger
was smoking on the train.

They note that smoking on the train not only violates TRC rules but also
violates the tobacco hazards prevention act.

(AH)

Transport Minister Chen Shi-kai says domestic tourism saw a significant
growth during the 9-day Lunar New Year holiday,

He says national scenic areas, theme parks, and other major attractions saw
an average of 730-thousand visitors per day, that's an increase of 109
percent from 350-thousand per day last year.

According to Tourism Administration's data, 3.8 million people visited the
island's national scenic areas from the first day of the Lunar New Year to
the sixth day.

Amusement parks islandwide also attracted 526-thousand visitors during that
period of time.

Chen says those venues will continue linking seasonal events with unique
regional attractions to maintain strong momentum in domestic tourism.

(JL)

Taiwan shares are up today, with the benchmark tai ex gaining 167 points to
close the session at 33773.

The turnover was 902 billion NT

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an says, he'll keep the public updated on the pending
resignation of Deputy Mayor Li Si-chuan.

That's as Li said earlier this month that he would resign from his position
at the end of Feburary to run for mayor of New Taipei.

When journalists asked Chiang about the status of Lee's resignation, he asked
whether it "made sense" on the first day back at work after the holiday to
ask such a question.

He pledged to inform the public if there was any news.

Chiang also downplayed other rumors as to if he would campaign for others in
his party or even consider a run for president in 2028, emphasizing that his
priority is working for the people of Taipei, rather than thnking about an
election.

(AH)

DPP polling begins next month for city coucilors in the 6 major
municipalities, and the party announced today that Kaohsiung would be the
first to step up to the plate.

The primaries will take place in Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung,
Tainan, and Kaohsiung in March to determine who the party will nominate to
run for city councilor.

DPP Secretary-General Xu Guo Yong drew lots to determine that Kaoshiung would
begin polling one week from today.

After Kaohsiung does polling in the first week of March, Taipei and Tainan
will follow in the second week...

while Taoyuan will come next, with New Taipei and Taichung closing out the
month.

(AH)

President Lai Ching-te said his administration is monitoring the U-S' moves
on tariffs and remains in contact with government officials there...

.. as it works to ensure that the island's Most Favored Nation Treatment
remains unaffected by recent changes.

The statement comes after U-S President Donald Trump imposed an additional
10-per cent tariff on all countries goods entering the U-S market last
Friday, before raising it to 15-per cent the following day.

Trump made those moved after the U-S Supreme Court ruled that that the
tariffs he claimed were "reciprocal" were in fact, unconstitutional.

Lai the government is taking steps to ensure that Taiwan can withstand any
challenges posed by the Trump administration's decision to impose a global
import duty of 15-per cent for 150 days.

The Ministry of National Defense says it closely monitors the skies and
waters around Taiwan... and reiterates that the Taiwan Strait is an
international waterway for which all countries enjoy the right of freedom of
navigation.

This comes after an Australian warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait... in
the latest transit by a western ally.

The Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigate Toowoomba reportedly sailed
through the Taiwan Strait" at the weekend as part of a "Regional Presence
Deployment in the Indo-Pacific region."

It joins ships belonging to allies including the U-S, France, Britain, and
Canada which have made occasional transits.

The Nantou County Fire Bureau and the National Police Agency are
investigating the cause of a blaze which broke out in a wooded area of Puli
Township last week.

The fire first broke out on February 15 and burned through nearly 30 hectares
of land before it was contained.

Firefighting crews remain onsite to continue clean up operations.

The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency needed to deploy nearly 100 staff
to contain the fire, with the help of the Army's Aviation and Special Forces
Command and the National Air Service Corps.

The Grand Hotel in Taipei is warning customers a possible data breach...
after the hotel discovered unauthorized access to its information systems
last week.

The hotel says it issued the notice as a precaution, since the scope and
targets of the attack have yet to be fully assessed.

Its has also issued apology to the members of the public for any concern
caused by the situation.

Customers are being urged to remain on the alert against suspicious emails
and to verify any messages requesting payment or personal financial
information.

The hotel has requested the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau to
investigate the incident.

A 41-year-old man has died in an industrial accident at an Innolux plant in
the Southern Taiwan Science Park.

The Tainan Fire Department says a male worker was found with a forehead
laceration after he was pinned down by a large machine.

He was transported to Chi Mei Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The incident has prompting a labor inspection by science park authorities.

Initial inspections indicate the worker had been operating the machine when a
suspected malfunction disengaged its safety interlock.

Innolux says it will conduct a comprehensive review of its standard operating
procedures and on-site safety protections.

New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yi says he has been keeping in frequent contact with
Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Szu-chuan.

It comes as Lee is considering running for New Taipei mayor for the KMT.

Hou says the two sides will work together to ensure city governance can be
handed over smoothly, without gaps.

He spoke while visiting a temple in New Taipei's Tucheng District during the
Lunar New Year holiday.

Hou says the priority now is doing city work well, which he calls the best
answer to voters.

He says smooth city operations can help win more public support in the future.

Asked about appearing together, Hou says they stay in touch almost every day.

He says the focus is on improving details so residents can feel the results
more clearly.

Taiwan's office in Seattle says it has donated $200-thousand US dollars to
support flood recovery in Washington state.

The donation follows historic flooding sparked by heavy rain last December
that forced large-scale evacuations.

State officials thanked Taiwan for its kindness and friendship.

The funds were presented to the American Red Cross Northwest Region to help
coordinate relief work.

Taiwan's representative, Lin Mei-cheng (???), said Taiwan understands
disaster recovery and the need for community support.

She said Taiwan and Washington state have close ties in trade, education,
technology, and culture, with a growing Taiwanese community in the state.

The Seattle chapter of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation also provided supplies
and raised additional support for victims.

The Seattle office says the donation reflects Taiwan-U.S. cooperation based
on shared democratic values and humanitarian partnership.

The National Freeway Bureau says there were more than 20 incidents on
national freeways by late morning today.

It says the crashes caused backups and slowed overall traffic flow.

The bureau says morning congestion was seen on parts of Freeway 1, Freeway 3,
and Freeway 5, while other stretches were mostly normal.

It says total traffic volumes so far remain within the day's expected range.

For the afternoon, the bureau warns several key sections are likely to clog
up, including northbound stretches of Freeway 1 and Freeway 3 and the
northbound Freeway 5 run toward Pinglin.

It also flags some westbound routes in central and southern Taiwan as
congestion-prone.

The bureau urges drivers to check real-time conditions on the Freeway 1968
site and app.

The Foreign Ministry says peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are a
shared interest of the international community.

The statement follows remarks by Japan's foreign minister who again stressed
the importance of stability across the strait.

MOFA says democracies should keep working together to counter the expansion
of authoritarianism.

It urges countries to stay focused on Taiwan Strait developments and take
concrete steps to help protect security.

The ministry notes Japan has raised the Taiwan Strait issue at multiple major
international meetings in recent months.

It also says Japan has voiced concern to China during high-level talks and
during China's military drills around Taiwan.

Taiwan says it will continue strengthening its self-defense capabilities and
whole-of-society resilience.

The ministry says it will also work closely with partners to support peace,
stability, and prosperity in Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.

Tainan is hosting a Pokemon GO Tour through tomorrow at Tainan Metropolitan
Park and the Chimei Museum plaza.

City officials say parking around the Chimei Museum is limited and they are
urging visitors to use city buses, as the Lunar New Year holiday travel rush
will add to traffic in the area.

The Transportation Bureau says roads near Highway 1 and the Highway 86 Tainan
interchange are expected to be especially busy.

The city is also running free event shuttle buses to the main venue from
major pickup points.

Visitors can also take Taiwan Railways to Bao'an Station and walk to the site.

The bureau says it will monitor congestion hot spots and adjust traffic
signals as needed.

It also reminds drivers that some freeway interchanges may have holiday
controls, so alternate expressways may help.

Freeway officials say northbound traffic on Freeway 5 is backing up near the
Hsuehshan Tunnel.

They say several entrances, including Toucheng, Yilan, Luodong, and Su'ao,
are seeing queues.

An hourly update shows northbound trips to the Nangang System are taking well
over an hour from multiple Yilan starting points.

Officials say the Highway 9 option can be faster for some drivers heading
back toward New Taipei and Taipei.

On the southbound side, traffic at the Nangang System remains busy, but
mainline travel toward Toucheng is still under half an hour.

Officials say the Highway 9 alternate route is taking much longer than the
freeway for drivers going to Yilan.

Drivers are urged to allow extra time, check live updates, and follow ramp
controls and on-site signs.

The Centers for Disease Control says ER visits for flu-like illness and
diarrhea usually peak during the Lunar New Year break.

The agency says visits on the third day of the holiday fell compared with the
second day.

It reports about 3-thousand-100 flu-like illness visits in ERs, down about
one-fifth from the day before.

The CDC says that level is also far lower than the same holiday period last
year.

For diarrhea, the agency reports about 2-thousand-600 ER visits, slightly
lower than the previous day.

The CDC says most cluster outbreaks of diarrhea are linked to norovirus.

It says symptoms can be worse for infants, older adults, and people with
weaker immune systems.

The agency urges handwashing with soap, thorough cooking, and staying home
until at least 2 days after symptoms end.

(PB)

Local staff say Hehuanshan saw two rounds of ice pellets this morning,
coating the area like white frosting.

They say visitors on Lunar New Year trips stopped to take photos near Songxue
Lodge as cars and ground turned silvery white.

The Central Weather Administration describes snow pellets as small, round
solid precipitation that breaks apart more easily than snow.

The Highway Bureau warns high-altitude sections of Provincial Highway 14A
could ice over overnight.

Officials say the Cuifeng to Dayuling stretch will go into a preventive
closure from 5 PM, allowing vehicles to leave but not enter.

They add the Wuling to Songxue Lodge section will be closed both ways because
the road is steep, winding, and slippery.

The bureau says it will review conditions at 8 AM tomorrow and may require
snow chains before reopening.

Drivers are advised to check updates, carry chains, and slow down on mountain
roads.

Freeway control officials say traffic is heavy at the Nangang System heading
south toward Yilan.

They say the Nangang mainline and the Snow Mountain Tunnel approach are both
seeing strong flow.

Officials also report southbound backups from Freeway 3 connecting to Freeway
5 in the Xizhi and Muzha areas.

They add that the Shiding entrance from Highway 106B is clear.

For Freeway 5 southbound, officials say the mainline remains the faster
choice to Toucheng right now.

They say the Highway 9 alternate route from Xindian Qingtan is taking longer
than the mainline.

Drivers are advised to allow extra time and follow on-site signs and live
updates.

(PB)

The Taiwan Blood Services Foundation says whole-blood safety stocks average
only 3.8 days nationwide.

It says the Taichung Blood Donation Center is in the tightest spot, with type
O blood down to 1.2 days.

The foundation says normal inventory should cover 7 to 10 days, and anything
under 4 days is an acute shortage alert.

It says current averages are 4.4 days for type A, 4.7 for type B, 2.9 for
type O, and 5.3 for type AB.

The foundation says Taichung has just 1.2 to 3.2 days of type A, B, and O
blood, which could affect routine and emergency hospital needs.

It says it has started a transfer system, and Taipei, Hsinchu, and Kaohsiung
have provided 490 bags of blood as of yesterday.

The foundation says type O supplies are low across Taiwan, so only 40 bags
could be sent to Taichung.

It says medical demand does not fall during the Lunar New Year holiday, and
it is urging eligible donors to give blood at nearby sites.

(PB)

The Taipei City Department of Social Welfare says, it assisted 200 homeless
people in finding housing over the past 3 years.

The city states that, in 2020, there were over 600 registered homeless people
in the city, but that number sat at under 400 at the end of last year.

Officials say, the key lies in early intervention and understanding of needs
of homeless individuals.

Activists emphasize the importance of fostering relationships with homeless
individuals through building trust by delivering meals.

Separately, Social Welfare officials say that 60% of the registered homeless
people in Taipei are over the age of 60.

That means, the emphasis is not necessarily on finding employment, as many
available jobs have high entry barriers.

The Social Affairs department says, it's promoting community-based job
placement with a pay of 700 NT daily, allowing homesless individuals to
engage in community service or cleaning and maintenance.

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim has made a trip to Kaohsiung to hand out
customary fortune bags to members of the public.

The vice president also took part in a prayer at the Fengshan Dai Tian Fu in
the city's Fengshan district.

People lined up to greet Hsiao, who said she hoped the new year would bring
unity and prosperity to the people of Taiwan and of Kaohsiung.

Meanwhile President Lai Ching-te visited Hsinchu and Taoyuan yesterday as
well, in similar festivities.

The Freeway Bureau is warning of heavy traffic today.

They say, areas expected to be especially congested include the National
Highway Number 1 northbound from Xiluo to Puayn as well as Nantun to Houli...

in addition to the National Highway 5 northbound from Yilan to Pinglin...

and the National Highwyay 4 westbound from Tanzi to Fengshi.

Officials estimate a total traffic volume today or 134 million
vehicle-kilometers.

As of 5am today, the amount of vehicles on the road was already 2.8 times
higher than usual.

According to official numbers, yesterday's traffic volume was over 131
million vehicle-kilometers.

As of this hour, northbound National Highway 5 from Yilan into Taipei is
looking pretty backed up...

while northbound sections of National Highway 1 through Taichung are seeing
some heavy traffic as well.

President Lai Ching-te has made his customary Lunar New Year rounds to hand
out fortune bags in several municipalities.

The president visited Hsinchu's Xiangshan God of Wealth and Beibu Citian
Temples to take part in temple prayers and hand out the bags.

He was accompanied by DPP heavyweights including Ke Jian Ming and Fan Yun...

as well as Zhubei Mayor Zheng Chao Fang.

In remarks, he thanked the public for efforts to move Taiwan forward and
touted recent positive economic indicators.

Lai added that he would continue to fight to strengthen national defense and
the economy.

Afterwards, the president also visited Taoyuan's Jingfu Temple to hand out
the Year of the Horse fortune bags and called on the public to work together
to make Taiwan stronger.

The medical team responsible for the care of the Penghu magistrate says, Chen
Guang-fu's condition is improving following emergency surgery.

That's after Chen was flown from Penghu to Kaohsiung with a brain bleed
earlier this week.

The 70 year pold Chen lost his footing while walking downstairs and hit his
head on the ground on Tuesday during a public event in Penghu.

After his heart stopped and he lost consciousness, Chen was rushed to the
National Defense Medical University Tri-Service General Hospital Penghu
Branch.

In accordance with his family's wishes, Chen was later transferred to
Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital.

Doctors there says that Chen's condition has improved following emergency
surgery.

He is now in a postoperative intensive care unit.

Chen is expected to start his rehabilitation soon.

A statement was also posted on Chen's Facebook page yesterday thanking his
friends, supporters, and medical team.

Taiwan’s national baseball team has begun its second phase of training in
Taipei as it prepares for the World Baseball Classic next month.



The squad returned to the Taipei Dome yesterday after completing its first
training camp in Kaohsiung.

Japan-based pitchers Gu Lin Ruei-yang (古林睿煬), Sun Yi-lei (孫易磊), and
20-year-old Zhang Jun-wei have now joined the team.



Zhang, the youngest player on this year’s roster, is a right-hander of the
Nipon Professional Baseball's Fuku-oka Softbank Hawks team.

Coaches say the staff will be watching how he adapts to the WBC’s pitching
limits and game tempo, but they add that being selected already proves he has
the ability.

Meanwhile, CPBL officials say U.S.-based players are expected to join the
team in Miyazaki, Japan, later this month.

As for 2 Taiwanese-American players Jonathon Long and Stuart Fairchild,
officials say discussions are ongoing about having them arrive in Taiwan
early.

(JL)

A boy has died after a boat he was riding in capsized yesterday.

The 9 year old was riding a swan pedal boat at Liyu Lake Scenic Area in
Hualien.

He was among a group of family members who arrived in the area around 2pm.

The boy was riding a boat with his parents and other family members when it
capsized about 20 meters from shore.

Nearby visitors were able to rescue the four adults, but the child was only
later pulled out of the water by a bystander.

Witnesses say the boy was trapped under the boat for several minutes and
showed no signs of a heartbeat.

CPR was performed until emergency personnel arrived but the boy was later
pronounced dead at the hospital.

Officials say the cause of the incident remains under investigation.

The Interior Ministry says demand has been strong for government-backed
housing units reserved for newlyweds and families with young children.



In 2025, a total of 1-thousand 022 so-called “marriage and child-rearing
units” were made available for rent, drawing more than 2-thousand 700
applications.



Under a Cabinet-approved program aimed at supporting young families, 20
percent of centrally built social housing units are now set aside for couples
married within the past two years or families with preschool-aged children.


Eligible tenants can rent the units for up to 12 years

The ministry says several projects in Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, and
Kaohsiung have already been fully occupied, with many newlywed couples and
young families moving in before the Lunar New Year.



Looking ahead, the government plans to expand the program beyond the six
special municipalities to other key administrative areas.