ICRT

Posted on 2026-08-13 07:07:13

The military has conducted separate drills simulating the repulse of an
amphibious landing and stay-behind operations involving sabotage and ambushes
behind enemy lines as part of the live-fire Han Kuang exercises.

The exercise involving the Matsu Defense Command saw the deployment of
long-range artillery units and reconnaissance drones.

The Command says the granite terrain, extensive tunnel network and fortified
positions in Kinmen and Matsu provide natural protection and help preserve
combat power.

Meanwhile, troops rapidly unloaded equipment and supplies from M109 assault
boats, concealed the boats with camouflage and dispersed to avoid detection
during a drill at a Kaohsiung-area port.

They then used civilian vehicles to travel to safe houses, where they
prepared for covert operations.

Troops there employed a software platform for real-time battlefield
coordination and reconnaissance drones as part of a stay-behind operations
simulated troops remaining behind enemy lines to conduct reconnaissance,
sabotage and harassment.

The live-fire portion of this year's Han Kuang exercises concludes tomorrow.

Posted on 2026-08-13 07:07:13

Residents of Hualien and Taitung held urban resilience air defense drills on
Wednesday, practicing evacuation and sheltering procedures.

However, the drill was conducted without a simulated mobile network slowdown
as was implemented in central Taiwan earlier this week and will be
implemented in the north later today.

Authorities said the decision not to include the mobile network slowdown was
made after taking into account the region's communications infrastructure and
the potential impact of such a measure, without providing any details.

Today's Urban Resilience Air Defense Exercise in the north will be taking
place in Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Yilan from between
2:30 and to 3PM.

Traffic controls will be implemented across the area during the exercise, and
members of the public are required to follow evacuation instructions.

Most indoor and outdoor business operations will be temporarily suspended
during the drill, although medical services and other essential activities
will continue as normal.

People who violate the evacuation face a fine of up 150,000 N-T.

There will also be a 4G and 5G mobile network slowdown simulation and that
will last for the entire 30-minute drill.

However, standard voice calls, SMS text messages, emergency hotlines and
fixed broadband/Wi-Fi will continue to function.

Posted on 2026-08-13 07:07:13

Lawmakers on the Legislative Education and Culture Committee have approved a
series of amendments to the School Health Act.

The revisions require the government to assist schools in stocking menstrual
products and to promote menstrual education.

The amendments also include adding mental health education to school
curricula and healthy-eating education programs as well as expanding campus
restrictions on e-cigarettes, new tobacco products and other nicotine
products.

Schools are required to provide guidance on students’ overall health
according to their age, stage of learning and campus needs.

They also need to step-up the prevention and treatment of poor vision, dental
hygiene, hepatitis, and parasitic infections among students.

However, a proposal to ban beta-agonists, commonly known as "lean-meat
agents", from food supplied for school lunches was left for cross-party
negotiations.

K-M-T lawmaker Lo Ting-wei, who heads the Education and Culture Committee,
says several other provisions have also been reserved for cross-caucus
negotiation.

Posted on 2026-08-13 07:07:13

Uber Eats says it will modify its payment formula for multi-order deliveries
and adjust its reward structure for couriers.

The move is expected to raise pay by between 4 to 6 N-T per order.

Uber Eats says it will also revise its payment formula for "stacked orders"
starting from August 17.

Stacked orders are when a courier handles multiple deliveries in one trip, by
counting overlapping delivery times separately for each order.

The decision to replace the current payment formula, which calculates stacked
deliveries based on total combined time, follows union complaints and a
Ministry of Labor ruling that the practice violated delivery worker
legislation passed on July 21.

Uber Eats says it will pay out the shortfall incurred by couriers from July
21 to August 17 by the end of this month.

The company has also announced plans to adjust its overall reward system for
couriers starting tomorrow.

However, details of that have yet been disclosed.

Posted on 2026-08-13 07:07:13

The Food and Drug Administration has ordered the recall of the
antihypertensive drug Beniel F.C. 8 milligram manufactured by Synmosa
Biopharma.

There concerns that the medication may not work as intended.

The company said a recent stability test found the tablets failed to meet the
required dissolution standards, which could affect the drug's quality and
effectiveness.

The recall applies to batch No. 2KA31 of Beniel F.C. Tablet.

The recall must be completed by August 24.

Synmosa has also been required to submit an investigation report and details
of a corrective action plan for future production by that date.

Posted on 2026-08-13 07:07:13

And,

A group of Taiwanese youths selected for a government-funded annual
ambassadorship program is set to visit Taiwan's South Pacific and Caribbean
allies later this month to promote people-to-people exchanges.

The ambassadorship program included unmanned aerial vehicle operators for the
first time.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung says the "youth ambassadors" will be divided
into two groups this year, with one traveling to Palau and the other to Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Kitts and Nevis from late August to
early September.

The ambassadors are expected to meet with local officials and youth, perform,
and promote Taiwan's culture.

Lin also called on the youth ambassadors to be "confident, humble, and
creative," and to "use your own talents, perspectives, and experiences to
tell Taiwan's story and show the world what makes Taiwan special."

The government-funded annual project was launched in 2009 and sends Taiwan
students aged between 18 and 35 to visit diplomatic allies for exchanges and
cultural promotion.

Posted on 2026-08-12 19:11:13

Hon Hai Precision Industry says it will continue ramping up investment in
artificial intelligence production in 2026, with capital spending expected to
grow by more than 30 percent.

The Foxconn parent company says spending will focus on AI servers,
next-generation AI racks and liquid-cooling equipment, as well as
manufacturing and research facilities in Taiwan, the United States, Mexico
and Vietnam.

Hon Hai expects its AI rack shipments to more than double this year from
2025, with the next generation entering mass production in the third quarter.

The company currently holds more than 40 percent of the global AI server
market and says it aims to increase that share to 50 percent.

Hon Hai says it will also expand production and research facilities in
several U.S. states to meet growing demand from American customers.

Posted on 2026-08-12 19:11:14

A group of young farmers in Tainan's Madou District are once again selling
Mid-Autumn Festival pomelo gift boxes ... and donating 20 percent of proceeds
to charity.

The campaign is now in its 12th year, with participating orchards using
environmentally friendly farming methods, including grass cover instead of
herbicides, and providing agricultural traceability certification.

Organizers are encouraging companies to buy the gift boxes for employees and
clients, supporting local farmers while also helping disadvantaged people.

Madou is Taiwan's largest pomelo-growing area, with about 810 hectares of
orchards, while Tainan as a whole grows around 28 percent of the nation's
pomelos.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-08-12 19:11:14

K-pop girl group aespa lit up the stage last night, with their first-ever
concert at the Taipei Dome.

Members Karina, Winter, Giselle, and Ningning kicked off their "S-Y-N-K
COMPLæXITY" concert with high-energy hits, including "LEMONADE," "Whiplash,"
and their iconic debut track "Black Mamba."

The group also revealed that band member Winter fell in love with local
dishes like oyster omelets and spicy wontons while in Taiwan.

During the second half of the show, the quartet surprised fans by riding
giant drink-shaped parade floats around the arena floor, giving fans an
up-close experience.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-08-12 18:07:14

Schools across Taiwan could be required to provide menstrual products and
promote menstrual education under proposed amendments to the School Health
Act.

The amendments have passed an initial review by the Legislative Yuan's
Education and Culture Committee.

They would also add mental health education to school health curricula,
alongside existing healthy-eating education ...

... as well as expand campus restrictions on e-cigarettes, new tobacco
products and other nicotine products.

However, a proposal to ban beta-agonists, commonly known as "lean-meat
agents", from food supplied by schools was left for cross-party negotiations.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-08-12 18:07:14

Taoyuan is expanding its free school lunch and student milk programs starting
in the new academic year.

Mayor Chang San-cheng (張善政) says more than 7-thousand-400 homeroom teachers
and school lunch coordinators at public and private elementary and junior
high schools will be added to the city's free lunch program.

The city will also continue providing homeroom teachers with a monthly 300
N.T. lunch supervision allowance.

Meanwhile, Taoyuan's "Fresh Milk for Every Student" program will be expanded
to about 67-thousand junior high students.

The program currently provides eligible children with one bottle of fresh
milk or soy milk each week.

More than 280-thousand children and students are expected to be covered after
the expansion.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-08-12 18:07:14

The Ministry of Labor has approved almost 5 thousand 300 applications for
foreign household helpers in the three months ...

... since eligibility rules were relaxed to allow families with children
under 12 to apply.

Of the approved applications, over half involved families with more than two
children, while over 13 percent involved families with special circumstances.

Under the new rules, families generally pay a monthly employment
stabilization fee of 5 thousand NT, reduced to 2 thousand NT for certain
high-need households, such as those with rare-disease children or three or
more children under 12.

Demand has been gradually slowing, with daily domestic recruitment
applications falling from about 185 in the second half of April to 74 in
early July.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-08-12 17:07:13

KMT legislative caucus whip Fu Kun Chi yesterday failed to show up for party
negotiations on the 2026 central government budget.

The move reportedly incensed Speaker Han Kuo-yu, who said that those with
power should not simply flaunt it.

He called on Fu to either assign someone else to act as whip in his stead or
resign from the post.

Fu says today that the move wasn't meant to disrespect Han, rather it was an
act of protest over the Executive Yuan's treatment of the legislative
speaker.

In his statement today, Fu also called on the KMT to "unite," a sentiment
echoed by KMT heavyweight Hou You Yi.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-12 17:07:17

Taichung city councilors are questioning the city government over
investigations into a labor procurement case, following the resigntion of a
former spokesperson implicated in the case.

KMT councilor Zhu Nuanying朱暖英 questioned whether the investigation now into
the case, which originated in 2020, was due to new evidence or
developments...

or if there were other considerations to be had.

Meanwhile DPP council caucus leader Zhou Yong Hong stated that 3 of the 4
people involved in the case are still employed by the Taichung city
government, including one sitting city councilor.

He called on the city government to assess if that implicated councilor is
fit or not to remain in the post.

DPP council Chen Shu Hua also claimed that the former spokesperson had
previously worked for China's United Front, and she urged Mayor Lu Xiu Yan to
address the impact of her core staff's involvement in the procurement leak...

rather than, in Chen's words, blaming everything on the president.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-12 17:07:22

The first of Taiwan High-Speed Rail's 12 new N-700-S-T trainsets has departed
Japan aboard a cargo ship bound for Kaohsiung Port, where it is expected to
arrive on August 15th.

The 12-car train is the first of the new fleet, which will be introduced in
stages from July 2027 through September 2028.

T-H-S-R has also launched an online "voyage log" (or vlog if you will)
documenting the train's journey from Japan to Taiwan, allowing the public to
follow its progress and countdown to its arrival.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-08-12 14:51:14

The National Communications Commission is recommending residents of northern
Taiwan take 3 precautions ahead of Urban Resilience Drills tomorrow.

The half hour drills will be accompanied by simulated internet slowdowns or
blackouts from 2:30 to 3 pm tomorrow.

The NCC says, residents are encouraged to take screenshots of or print out
tickets..

to confirm whether or not important information can be accessed offline...

and to try turning airplane mode on and off or restarting mobile phones if
they still can't access the internet after the exercise.

Urban Resilience Drills will take place in Yilan, Keelung, New Taipei,
Taipei, Taoyuan, and Hsinchu County and City tomorrow from 2:30 to 3pm.

The NCC says, the drill will simulate how the government can respond with
either limited or no access to internet, and to promote public awareness of
establishing communication backup plans.

The commission emphasizes that voice calls and SMS text messaging, as well as
calls to emergency services will not be affected.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-12 14:51:14

The Executive Yuan is expressing their gratitude towards Legislative Speaker
Han Kuo-yu after he presided over cross-party negotiations regarding the 2026
central government budget.

Executive Yuan spokesperson Michelle Lee says, she hopes the progress will
continue, and that the legislature will pass the budget as soon as possible.

That's as the Executive Yuan is expected to pass along the 2027 general
budget to the legislature as early as next week.

Lee notes that the 2026 general budget has now been awaiting passage for 349
days.

She says that budget increases in next year's proposal will include funds
related to allowances for retired farmers, national pensions, and for civil
servants.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-12 14:51:14

Shimen Reservoir has returned to full capacity following the passage of
Typhoon Dolphin, with officials saying household and industrial water
supplies remain stable.

The Water Resources Agency says the reservoir's watershed received 166
millimeters of rain during the storm.

Flood-control operations reduced releases by 7.1-million cubic meters, while
about 158-thousand cubic meters of sediment were flushed through the Amuping
desilting tunnel.

Officials say the operation also saved an estimated 80-million N.T. in
sediment removal costs.

The reservoir returned to 100-percent capacity by late Sunday.

Authorities say reservoir operations caused no downstream damage and water
supplies remained normal throughout the typhoon.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-08-12 13:08:13

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun says any major change in cross-strait relations must
respect the interests and wishes of Taiwan's people.

In an interview with TIME magazine, Cheng said there is no rush to change the
status quo, adding that even a referendum on unification would require public
support.

Cheng, who met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing in April, said Taiwan
needs sufficient self-defense capabilities but must also maintain dialogue
with China to reduce the risk of conflict.

She said the KMT supports necessary U.S. arms purchases, but defense spending
should undergo legislative review and follow fiscal discipline.

Cheng also called for sustainable cross-strait relations based on the "1992
Consensus," saying Taiwan should not become the front line of military
conflict between major powers.

She said the immediate priority is preventing a war in the Taiwan Strait.

(PB)

Posted on 2026-08-12 13:08:15

New Taipei City Councilor Wang Wei Yuan has posted bail following questioning
by prosecutors last night.

According to prosecutors, Wang is under investigation for corruption charges
related to alleged bribery in a project bid.

Investigators searched Wang's office and residence last night, taking 5 in
for questioning.

He was released on 2 million NT bail, while an assistant surnamed Ke was
released on 500,000 NT bail.

Wang, of the KMT, was first elected back in 2018, before winning reelection
in 2022, and he is seeking reelection again this year.

It's also not Wang's first run-in with the law; in 2024 he was accused of
spreading false information during the legislative elections, and he was
again indicted last year for violating the Election and Recall Act...

for which he was later acquitted.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-12 08:15:13

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Coast Guard Administration Director-General Chang Chung-lung has been forced
to issue an apology for failures in the handling of the illegal entry of two
Chinese nationals after their rubber dinghy was found near Taipei Port by a
member of the public.

In a press statement Chang apologized for the lapses, which included a radar
operator's failure to follow standard operating procedures and officers on
patrol not thoroughly investigating the coastline.

He said his agency will not shield those responsible and would hold them
strictly accountable.

The apology came after an unidentified person took to social media to accuse
Coast Guard personnel of doing a poor job patrolling the coastline and of
allegedly trying to keep information out of the public eye.

The incident occured on July 24 when an inflatable boat was found near the
northern breakwater of Taipei Port in New Taipei's Bali District.

The two Chinese suspects were identified after Coast Guard officers reviewed
footage from coastal monitoring systems.

They were arrested on July 30 in Taoyuan and remain in detention.

The Shilin District Prosecutors' Office is now investigating the case.

Posted on 2026-08-12 08:15:13

Visiting Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Godwin Friday says
his new administration is ready to usher in a "next chapter" in the two
countries' 45-year diplomatic relationship.

Speaking at a military welcome ceremony hosted by President Lai Ching-te in
Taipei Friday said more than four decades of diplomatic relations have laid a
strong foundation for future cooperation and he hopes to see increased Taiwan
investment to further strengthen bilateral ties.

Friday also pledged his continuing support for Taiwan's bid to participate in
international forums, including the United Nations and its specialized
agencies, as well as organizations such as Interpol.

It is Friday's his first trip to Taiwan since he took office in late last
year.

The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' delegation will be participating in
events commemorating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations and attend
an investor roundtable.

Officials say that event will bringing together the Vincentian delegation and
prospective Taiwanese investors.

Members of Friday's delegation include Saint Vincent and the Grenadines'
Attorney General and Foreign Minister as well as its Ambassador for Finance,
Climate and Investment.

Friday and his delegation arrived in Taiwan yesterday for a five-day visit.

Posted on 2026-08-12 08:15:13

The New Taipei District Court has sentenced a China-born spouse to seven
years in prison after convicting her of campaigning for the Taiwan People's
Party's 2024 presidential ticket under instructions from Beijing.

The court ruled that Xu Chun-ying acted on directives in 2021 to support
T-P-P candidates.

Xu headed an organization representing China-born spouses after naturalizing
as Taiwanese.

According to the court, those directive came from officials working for
China's Ministry of Civil Affairs' Service Center for Cross-Strait Marriages
and Families and the Shanghai branch of the Revolutionary Committee of the
Chinese Kuomintang.

The court said Xu and Chung Chin-ming, the head of an association promoting
cross-strait marriages, became acquainted with the officials during visits to
China and were instructed to support Huang Shan-shan's run for Taipei Mayor
in 2022.

Xu and Chung were found guilty of organizing a support network of foreign
spouses for Huang's campaign and when she lost the election, they were
instructed to build a relationship with then-TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je.

Ko was preparing to stand in the 2024 presidential election at the time.

The court ruling can be appealed.

Posted on 2026-08-12 08:15:13

The Centers for Disease Control says it expects the number of flu cases to
peak in mid-September after flu-related outpatient and emergency room visits
accounted for 10.5-per cent of all visits last week.

C-D-C spokesman Lin Ming-cheng says the number of outpatient and emergency
room visits has risen gradually over the past four weeks following an uptick
in early July, bringing the rate close to the epidemic threshold.

According to Lin, most of the patients are young children and people aged 65
and older.

There has also been a simultaneous increase in upper respiratory tract
infection clusters, with influenza-positive clusters predominantly testing
positive for Type A and mainly concentrated in densely populated areas.

Recent community virus surveillance shows that Type A flu is the most common
strain, accounting for 57-per cent of cases detected cases and un-vaccinated
people aged 65 and older with chronic diseases accounted for the majority of
severe cases and deaths.

The C-D-C is warning that the resumption of classes in September is expected
to accelerate transmission.

Government-funded flu medication is available at about 4,000 contracted
clinics and hospitals nationwide.

Posted on 2026-08-12 08:15:13

And finally,

The Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store Company says it plans to renovate
the commercial and public spaces at the Taipei Main Railway Station.

Shin Kong Mitsukoshi took over commercial operation at the station on July 25.

The railway station's commercial areas were previously operated by the Breeze
Center.

Shin Kong Mitsukoshi says it has earmarked 1-billion N-T for the renovation
project, which includes replacing the famous black-and-white flooring in the
station's main hall.

According to the company, the renovations will be carried out over the next
two to three years and included upgrades to the station's image aimed at
promoting international tourism and improving safety.

Shin Kong Mitsukoshi executive vice president Wu Hsin-chang says the
renovation will also introduce artificial intelligence technologies to the
station.

The company says the new food and beverage businesses planned for the station
will include both international restaurant chains and diners serving
traditional Taiwan food.

Posted on 2026-08-12 06:56:14

The military has conducted anti-airdrop drills in Taipei and Miaoli as part
of the ongoing Han Kuang live-fire exercises.

The drill simulated efforts to repel enemy airborne forces and prevent
infiltrating troops from breaching defensive lines.

In Taipei, the Military Police Reserve Brigade carried out an overnight
anti-airdrop drill around Taipei Songshan Airport.

They closed part of the Fuxing North Road Underpass and deploying multiple
layers of obstacles to prevent simulated Chinese troops and special
operations personnel from breaking out of the airport area.

The exercise assumed Chinese forces had gained air superiority and used
special forces, drones and other assets to support an airborne assault on
Songshan Airport while disrupting the defense of the Taipei area.

Anti-tank mines were also incorporated into the first five layers of the
defensive line.

Meanwhile, the 5th Combat Theater Command conducted an anti-airdrop drill in
Miaoli, simulating special operations personnel detecting an enemy force and
requesting fire support.

Reconnaissance drones were used to locate the simulated enemy and provide
intelligence, while a fire coordination center directed supporting fire,
while a psychological warfare vehicle broadcast messages intended to
undermine enemy morale.

The live-fire portion of the Han Kuang exercises is scheduled to conclude
Friday.

Posted on 2026-08-12 06:56:14

The U-S has reacted to China's announcement that it would impose traffic
control measures on vessels in the Taiwan Strait during the approach of
Typhoon Dolphin last week.

A State Department spokesperson said the U-S opposes any actions that
interfere with high seas freedoms of navigation and overflight that apply in
the Taiwan Strait.

U-S reaction came days after China's Guangdong Maritime Safety
Administration announced that it would impose traffic control measures
beginning last Thursday on northbound vessels entering the Taiwan Strait
through its southern approach.

The administration said that all vessels must comply with the measures, seek
safe shelter from the storm, and follow the instructions of maritime
authorities to ensure safety at sea.

Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration had earlier responded by saying the
Taiwan Strait is an international waterway and that China has no authority to
impose controls over it.

U-S Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the State Department have previously
criticized China's deployment of coast guard vessels near Taiwan, saying such
operations undermine regional stability.

Posted on 2026-08-12 06:56:14

President Lai Ching-te has presided over the launch ceremony for two new
marine survey vessels which took place in Kaohsiung.

Lai reiterated his administration's resolve to uphold maritime governance and
national security through surveys of Taiwan's surrounding waters.

Lai named the survey vessels "Blue Ocean 101" and "Blue Ocean 102."

The vessels were built by C-S-B-C after an open tender initiated by the
National Academy of Marine Research under the Ocean Affairs Council.

The two vessels are responsible for collecting hydrographic and biological
data in the shallow coastal waters off Taiwan's main island and outlying
islands to bolster the country's maritime governance and disaster response
capabilities.

Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling also attended the launch ceremony.

And she told reporters that long-term accumulated marine data is the
foundation of marine scientific research in peacetime, but also an important
basis for the country to understand the maritime situation when facing
security challenges.

Posted on 2026-08-12 06:56:14

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted a lawyer for allegedly
fabricating information to help Chinese nationals enter Taiwan under false
pretenses.

Prosecutors say Chen Chen-wei owned an immigration consulting agency and drew
up false business plans to secure permits from the National Immigration
Agency for four Chinese nationals to enter Taiwan between 2023 and 2024.

The prosecutors' office says they were not in Taiwan for business purposes,
and three of the Chinese nationals planned to to apply for a passport from
Belize at the Central American country's embassy in Taipei.

The lawyer's immigration consulting agency was paid 80,000 U-S dollars in
compensation for successfully helping one applicant to secure a Belize
passport.

Chen has been charged with violating the Act Governing Relations between the
People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.

Posted on 2026-08-12 06:56:14

The Centers for Disease Control says 14 COVID-19 deaths and 72 cases
involving severe complications were confirmed between August 4 and 10.

That's the highest weekly total during the current domestic COVID-19 wave.

C-D-C Deputy Director Lee Chia-lin says since October of last year, health
authorities have recorded 337 domestic COVID-19 cases involving severe
complications, including 42 deaths.

Data shows there were 24,645 COVID-19-related outpatient and emergency room
visits between August 2 and 8 - and increase of 27.6-per cent from the
previous week.

The C-D-C says although the number of visits continued to rise, the increase
was slower than in previous weeks, when weekly visits jumped by between 66
and 117-per cent.

Health officials say about 140,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine remain in
storage.

All 37,000 vaccine doses currently held by the C-D-C expire on September 9
and will be distributed to local governments tomorrow after being removed
from cold storage.

Posted on 2026-08-12 06:56:14

Taiwan's representative office in the Philippines has unveiled a larger
consular hall in Makati City.

It comes after the office relocated its consular services to accommodate
growing demand amid increasing exchanges between the two countries.

Taiwan's top envoy to the Philippines, Wallace Chow, said the number of
Filipino migrant workers in Taiwan has risen from around 150,000 in 2023,
when he took office, to over 180,000 this year.

... while the number of Filipino university students studying in Taiwan has
grown from around 3,000 to over 5,500 as of early this year.

Chow says that growth reflects expanding exchanges and cooperation between
the two sides.

The office has also added more staff, including personnel handling consular
and administrative affairs.

Chow says the increase in demand, along with the expansion of staff, made the
existing office space insufficient, prompting it to relocate its consular
hall to a larger space.

Posted on 2026-08-12 06:56:14

And,

New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih says the M-R-T Sanying Line will begin operating
at its full daily schedule beginning this Sunday.

The move means trains will be running from 6AM to midnight.

The newly opened metro line that connects Dingpu Station on the Bannan to
Yingge District will continue to be free during the trial period.

The mayor says extended operating hours are intended to give the public more
opportunities to use the line and allow operators to further evaluate its
performance under normal operating conditions.

The Sanying Line began trial operations on June 30.

... and at the beginning of this month, it has operated daily from 8AM to
10PM, with trains running every six to eight minutes depending on the time of
day.

The New Taipei City Metro Corporation says the line recorded more than
900,000 passenger trips between its opening and late July.

The trial service will offer free rides through August 31 and fares will then
follow the tiered pricing system of the Taipei and New Taipei M-R-T networks,
ranging from 20 to 35 N-T.

Posted on 2026-08-11 19:43:13

Workers in Taiwan's electronics industry put in record amounts of overtime in
June as the global artificial intelligence boom continued to drive demand.

The Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics says employees
in the electronic components industry worked an average of 28-point-7 hours
of overtime in June - the highest for the month since records began in 1980.

Workers in the computer and optoelectronics industry also reached a June
record, averaging 17-point-7 hours of overtime.

The statistics agency says strong global demand for AI-related products has
driven a surge in orders for Taiwanese technology companies, prompting
employers to rely more heavily on overtime.

Across Taiwan's industrial and service sectors, employees worked an average
of 9-point-1 hours of overtime in June, up half an hour from a year earlier.

Employment also continued to grow, with the number of jobs in the industrial
and service sectors reaching 8-point-58 million at the end of June.

The agency says employment remains weaker in some traditional industries,
suggesting those sectors have yet to fully recover.

Posted on 2026-08-11 19:43:16

A Taiwanese lawyer has been indicted for allegedly fabricating business
information to help Chinese nationals enter Taiwan under false pretenses.

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office says lawyer Chen Chen-wei and others
submitted fake business plans and itineraries to obtain entry permits for
four Chinese nationals between 2023 and 2024.

Prosecutors say three of them were actually in Taiwan to apply for Belize
passports, and Chen's group received 80-thousand U-S dollars for successfully
helping one applicant obtain a passport.

Three of the four were allowed into Taiwan, while the fourth was denied entry
because he had previously been a member of China's National People's
Congress.

Prosecutors say the scheme undermined Taiwan's border controls and created
potential national security loopholes.

Posted on 2026-08-11 18:39:14

Taiwan has reported a seasonal high of 72 new severe COVID-19 cases and 14
deaths last week, even as the outbreak shows signs of slowing.

The Centers for Disease Control says outpatient and emergency visits rose
nearly 28 percent to about 24 thousand 600 - but that's a much smaller
increase than in recent weeks.

The CDC now expects the outbreak to peak in mid-to-late August and has cut
its forecast for peak weekly visits from 51 thousand to about 27 thousand.

Since last October, nearly three-quarters of severe cases have involved
people aged 65 and over ...

... while 84 percent had chronic illnesses and nearly 90 percent had not
received this season's COVID-19 vaccine.

The CDC says about 140 thousand vaccine doses remain available and is urging
people who want to be vaccinated to do so soon.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-08-11 18:39:14

The Criminal Investigation Bureau has busted a ticket scalping syndicate that
allegedly used an SMS verification service to create fake accounts and snap
up more than 2,000 tickets to major concerts.

Police say the tickets included shows by BLACKPINK, BABYMONSTER and Mayday
and were resold for up to three times their original prices, generating about
11 million NT.

Investigators say the group used so-called "ghost accounts" and SMS
verification codes to circumvent ticketing platforms' identity checks.

Seven suspected scalpers were arrested, while police also identified a
41-year-old man who allegedly operated the SMS verification service used in
the scheme.

The suspects have been referred to prosecutors for alleged violations of the
Cultural and Creative Industries Development Act.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-08-11 17:06:14

The KMT is doubling down on remarks made by chair Cheng Li Wun in which she
said that Taiwan is not and has never been an independent country.

Her deputy chair Hsiao Hsu Tsen says today that those remarks are in
accordance with Taiwan's constitution and are best for the Taiwanese people.

The ROC constitution, however, states that Taiwan is a government and the ROC
is a country.

Following Cheng's interiew, many pointed out that her remarks seem to be at
odds with ones made by former President Ma Ying-Jeou, in which he stated that
"The ROC is our country."

DPP Spokesperson Michelle Lin says today though that Cheng and Hsiao both are
playing word games with logic that is less than sound.

Lin suggested that Cheng made the remarks to remain in Chinese leader Xi
Jinping's good graces.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-11 17:06:14

The Keelung city government is offering up to 30,000 NT in subidies per shop
affected by flooding on Saturday.

Officials say, shops along Renyi仁一 to Rensan仁三 Roads and from Aisi愛四 to
Ailiu愛六 Roads were particularly hard hit by the floods brought on by Typhoon
Dolphin.

To qualify for the subsidies, the business in question must have a brick and
mortar location within the affected areas of Ren'ai District...

with proof of having had products, raw materials, equipment or other iteams
damaged in the floods.

To apply, eligibile business owners can head to the Ren'Ai District Office
before November 7th with an application form, ID, business license, and photo
evidence of the damage.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-11 17:06:14

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is negotiating with Morocco and Uganda
following recent entry delays for Taiwanese passport holders.

Officials clarified that Morocco’s suspension of visa confirmation letters
applies to multiple countries, though Taiwan has reciprocated by pausing
standard visas for Moroccan nationals.

MOFA says in Uganda, recent entry issues may stem from Taiwan’s June travel
restrictions implemented during an Ebola outbreak.

The Foreign Ministry plans to review those restrictions later this month.

Officials reminds travelers to closely monitor international entry policy
updates before planning travel to the region.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-08-11 16:16:13

Taichung Mayor Lu Xiu Yan is praising residents for the smooth completion of
yesterday's Urban Resilience Drills in Central Taiwan.

The drills yesterday were the first time that a simulated internet slowdown
has been included.

The mayor says the drills went off without a hitch due to plenty of
preparation and public awareness campaigns.

Lu says, government data indicates that there were more emergency calls to
1999 than usual, with 28 calls recorded during the half hour drill period.

The mayor says she was glad that residents knew that they could still make
emergency calls during the drill period, with calls also reported to 119 and
110.

Urban Resilience Drills continue in nothern Taiwan Thursday, with planned
internet interruptions also on the books from 2:30 to 3pm.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-11 16:16:13

The Transportation Ministry is banning taxi fleet operators from improperly
charging drivers license-related fees starting August 13th.

Violators can face fines of up to 90 thousand NT, partial suspension of
operations and, in serious cases, revocation of their business licenses.

Operators can also be ordered to refund improperly collected fees.

The new rules also prohibit operators from forcing drivers to purchase
vehicles or obtain loans and insurance from designated providers, as well as
other practices that unfairly restrict drivers' rights.

Taiwan has about 100 thousand taxi licenses, with roughly 93 thousand
vehicles currently registered.

The ministry says complaints about improper fees have been particularly
serious in Taichung, where drivers have reportedly been charged as much as
350 thousand NT.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-08-11 16:16:13

The Food and Drug Administration has stopped a batch of Pakistani mixed spice
powder at the border after it was found to contain residues of multiple
pesticides.

The FDA said they include a pesticide that is not permitted under Taiwan's
regulations.

As the importer, Mayur Indian Kitchen, had previously been involved in a case
of banned Sudan dye in spices, officials say the company is now under
100-percent batch-by-batch inspection.

The other products on the FDA's latest list of failed border inspections this
week included cup lids from China containing prohibited fluorescent whitening
agents and plastic cutting boards .

All non-compliant products will be returned or destroyed.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-08-11 14:08:14

The Ministry of Digital Affairs is issuing new cybersecurity rules for
officials traveling abroad on government business.

High-level officials visiting high-risk regions like China, Hong Kong, and
Macau are now banned from bringing their standard work laptops or personal
devices containing government data.

Travelers to high-risk areas must instead use temporary, factory-reset
government devices, create temporary communication accounts, and avoid public
Wi-Fi networks.

MODA says all returned devices must undergo mandatory cybersecurity
inspections and full data wipes before being cleared for future use.

(NS)

Posted on 2026-08-11 14:08:14

Station

Shin Kong Mitsukoshi is planning to invest over $1 billion NT in a major
renovation of the Taipei Main Station, which will take about two years and 8
months.

The department store says the work will be carried out in phases while the
shopping complex remains open... as 90-percent of the vendors there have
already signed a short-term lease to continue their business.

At a ceremony today, Shin Kong says it will redesign the station's main hall,
including installing new flooring and lighting.

Passenger services will also be upgraded with improved signage, digital
travel information, smart services and exhibition spaces for young artists.

A new elevator will connect the basement directly to the second floor,
making it easier for elderly travelers and those with luggage to move around
the station.

Shin Kong took over the operation of the transportation hub's shopping area
on July 25th, ending Breeze Group's 19-year run.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-08-11 14:08:14

Taiwan shares are up today, with the benchmark tai ex gaining 191 points to
close the session at 45120.

The turnover was 869 billionNT

Posted on 2026-08-11 13:10:13

is important

Education Minister Zheng Ying-yao says although more high-school students now
aspire to study science and technology, his ministry will maintain a balance
between those fields and humanities.

According to the Education Ministry data for the 2025-26 academic year,
512-thousand university and college students, or 48 percent, are pursuing
technology-related subjects.

And that ratio has kept increasing in recent years.

Another 354,000, or 33 percent, are in the social sciences such as politics
and economics, while 18 percent are studying humanities subjects like
languages and art.

Zheng says Taiwan obviously needs a lot of talents in the technology sector,
but humanities and social sciences remain a key force for maintaining social
stability.

He notes that even in the field of computer games, for example, designers
need a lot of input from literature.

The Minister encourages young people to pursue their passions rather than
choose a field of study based solely on future job prospects.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-08-11 13:10:16

The Hualien County government says, it will be stepping up iguana
surveillance after Shou-feng 壽豐 township reported its first sighting of the
reptilian pests.

They're reminding residents to submit photo evidence if they see an iguana so
that the government can dispatch personnel as soon as possible.

Previously, iguanas had been sighted in the county's Ji'an 吉安 and Yuli
townships as far back as 2022...

as well as at a bike path near the Hualien River.

The county government already removed 2 iguanas in Ji'an earlier this year,
and with new sightings reported in Shoufeng, authorities say they will step
up patrols.

Authorities remind the public not to remove iguanas on their own as they can
get hurt. Instead they should report it and let experts do the job.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-11 08:14:13

And finally,

The government says inflation-adjusted average monthly regular wages in the
industrial and service sectors posted the strongest growth for the first half
of the year in six years.

According to the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics,
data shows real average monthly regular wages reached 44,119 N-T in the
January to June period.

That's an increase of 1.16-per cent from last year and the highest rise since
2020.

Before adjusting for inflation, average monthly regular wages for the
six-month period rose 2.88-per cent from a year earlier to stand at 48,981
N-T.

The government says average aggregate earnings, which include regular and
non-regular pay such as overtime pay and bonuses, totaled 411,786 N-T in the
first six months of this year.

That was up by 3.48-per cent from the same period of last year.

Posted on 2026-08-11 07:03:13

An urban resilience air defense exercise was held in Central Taiwan on Monday
in conjunction with the WanAn air raid drill.

Air raid sirens sounded at 2:30PM across Miaoli County, Taichung, Nantou,
Changhua, Yunlin and Chiayi - marking the start of the 30-minute exercise.

It also included a slowdown of mobile internet services to simulate
communications disruptions during a wartime or possible civil emergency for
the first time.

The National Communications Commission reduced mobile network bandwidth while
maintaining voice calls, text messaging, emergency calls and
disaster-prevention cell broadcast alerts.

In Taichung, residents evacuated to nearby shelters after the sirens sounded.

Department stores switched off their lights, lowered their shutters and
temporarily suspended business.

In Chiayi, County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang inspected evacuation
arrangements at Minxiong Railway Station, a hardware store and the Minxiong
Township Office, as well as an underground air raid shelter at the township
representatives' council.

The annual urban resilience exercises will continue Tuesday in Kinmen, Matsu
and Penghu before moving to northern Taiwan on Thursday.

Posted on 2026-08-11 07:03:13

The military tested their ability to mobilize transportation resources as
part of the on-going Han Kuang exercise - using commercial flatbed trucks to
transport tanks during a cross-regional reinforcement drills.

Defense officials say the drill was designed to test civilian-military
coordination and accelerate the movement of armored vehicles to reinforce
defenses against a simulated attack.

The scenario assumed that northern Taiwan had come under attack, prompting a
Combined Arms Battalion based in Hualien County to reinforce defenses in
neighboring Yilan County to the northeast.

According the Ministry of National Defense, the main objective was to
transport military vehicles from Hualien to Yilan overnight using civilian
flatbed trailers.

The Han Kuang exercises continue through this Friday.

Posted on 2026-08-11 07:03:13

The Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is scheduled to arrive
Taiwan later today for a visit marking 45 years of diplomatic relations.

Godwin Friday is expected to stay in Taiwan until Saturday.

It will be his first trip Taiwan since taking office.

Friday is scheduled to hold talks with President Lai Ching-te and be
formally received with military honors.

Godwin and his delegation will also participate in events commemorating the
45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines and Taiwan.

Economic issues will be high on the agenda, with the Prime Minister's Office
saying an investor roundtable bringing together the Vincentian delegation and
prospective Taiwanese investors is also among the scheduled events.

Members of Friday's delegation will include Attorney General Louise Mitchell,
Foreign Minister Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble, and Ambassador for Finance,
Climate and Investment Kevin Hope.

Posted on 2026-08-11 07:03:13

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has opened an investigation into
allegations that President Lai Ching-te's top envoy in Geneva was involved in
workplace bullying and other misconduct.

The ministry says it formed a special task force, composed mainly of
personnel from outside the ministry to conduct the investigation, after
receiving a complaint against Greg Lee.

The petition was from some of his subordinates at the Taiwan representative
office in Switzerland.

The investigation is expected to focus on accusations of workplace bullying,
while other complaints of misbehavior will be handled by the appropriate
government agencies.

The statement comes after media outlets were sent similar petitions against
Lee this past weekend.

The 134-page complaint was signed by "all affected colleagues," and details
seven categories of alleged serious misconduct by Lee including workplace
bullying, incompetent leadership and using public resources for personal
purposes.

Lee has served as director-general of the Taipei Cultural and Economic Office
in Geneva since December of 2024.

Posted on 2026-08-11 07:03:13

A delivery worker alliance and labor union have filed criminal complaints
against Uber Technologies and Uber Eats Taiwan executives, accusing them of
underpaying workers handling multiple deliveries under the new delivery
worker protection law.

The complaints have been filed with the Taipei District Prosecutors. Office.

They target Uber Technologies C-E-O Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber Eats Taiwan
Chairperson Michelle Georgette Parker, the platform's Taiwan general manager
and several local corporate representatives.

The alliance and the National Delivery Industry Union accuse Uber Eats of
knowingly adopting an unlawful payment formula for so-called "stacked orders"
-- in which a courier delivers two or more orders in a single trip.

The groups says company has been underpaying couriers while leading them to
believe they were being compensated in accordance with the Delivery Workers'
Rights Protection and Delivery Platform Management Act.

The Ministry of Labor has determined that Uber Eats' method of calculating
stacked-order pay violated the new law.

The Delivery Workers' Rights Protection and Delivery Platform Management Act
guarantees a minimum payment of 45 N-T per order and requires compensation
based on delivery time at a rate of 245 N-T per hour.

Posted on 2026-08-11 07:03:13

Taiwan Sugar has announced that it'll stop buying raw oil from local
companies and will instead import soybeans from overseas to produce its
finished cooking oil in the second half of this year.

The state-run company says the move has been taken as precautionary measure
due to the recent contaminated cooking oil case involving Central Union Oil
Corporation.

Taiwan Sugar was forced to remove 2,900 metric tons of oil products and
inventory from store shelves after tests found excessive levels of a
carcinogen in Central Union Oil raw oil shipments.

Taiwan Sugar says those products won't be returned to store shelves until
authorities have carried tests to ensure they are safe to eat.

The company is also continuing to deny any wronging amid charges it was aware
of the contaminated cooking oil, but failed to report it to authorities.

Taiwan Sugar says it rejected the contaminated shipments and tests conducted
on its oil products since have all met with regulatory standards.

Posted on 2026-08-11 07:03:14

And,

The Ministry of the Interior says data shows that Taiwan's population
declined for a 31st consecutive month in July.

Taiwan’s population stood at 23,235,002 at the end of last month - which was
a decline of .44 percent from the same period of last year.

The number of newborns last month rose to 7,906, which was up by just over 7
percent from June.

However, the total number of births during the first seven months of this
year showed a decline of 15.7-per cent from the same period of last year.

Keelung had the lowest crude birth rate in July, followed by Tainan and
Chiayi County.

While Taitung registered the highest crude birth rate in July, followed by
Yunlin and Matsu.

Posted on 2026-08-10 20:07:49

Inflation-adjusted regular wages in Taiwan rose at their fastest pace for the
first half of the year in six years.

The Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics says real
average monthly regular wages reached 44-thousand-119 NT in the first six
months of this year - up 1.16 percent from a year earlier.

But the figures also show a wide gap between industries.

Average regular monthly wages were about 74-thousand NT in finance and
insurance and 58-thousand in electronic components, compared with less than
35-thousand in hospitality and food services.

In June, the median regular monthly wage was about 39-thousand-500 NT - up
just over 3 percent from a year earlier.

The D-G-B-A-S warned that renewed inflation could erode future gains in
workers' purchasing power.

Posted on 2026-08-10 19:56:13

Taiwan's top representative in Japan says he boycotted this year's memorial
marking the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, accusing the
city of treating Taiwan unfairly.

Lee Yi-yang, head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office
in Tokyo, said on social media that the seating arrangements at the ceremony
showed Nagasaki was deliberately denying Taiwan's status as a nation and
disregarding its sovereignty and dignity.

Lee instead sent a lower-ranking official after saying Taiwan's designated
seats were not alongside diplomatic missions.

Nagasaki says it invites countries, regions and organizations that have
diplomatic missions in Japan or the United Nations.

Lee has also accused the city of being pro-China and insulting Taiwan.

Posted on 2026-08-10 19:56:16

Taiwan High Speed Rail is reminding passengers to keep power banks within
sight while traveling.

It also warns that deformed or unusually hot power banks should not be used
or brought onto trains.

The reminder comes after a passenger's power bank caught fire aboard a train
this morning, before crew members quickly extinguished the flames.

The incident occurred during a morning service between Changhua and Taichung,
and passengers in the affected carriage were moved to other cars as a
precaution.

No injuries were reported, and the train departed Taichung normally without
disrupting its subsequent schedule.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-08-10 19:56:17

Taiwan's military has conducted a nuclear, biological and chemical
decontamination drill in eastern Taiwan as part of the live-fire phase of the
annual Han Kuang exercises.

The drill in Hualien simulated a chemical weapons attack by Chinese agents
who had infiltrated Taiwan and released toxic gas around several military
positions.

Under the scenario, the attack was intended to disrupt forces in eastern
Taiwan and delay them from reinforcing troops defending the north.

Military personnel from the Army's Chemical Group were ordered to establish a
temporary decontamination station, which they did within 30 minutes.

Troops wearing protective respirators then tested and disinfected tanks and
armored vehicles, using water and specialized decontamination materials
before checking the vehicles again for traces of contamination.

This year's Han Kuang exercises are running through August 14th.

(CNA_IG)

Posted on 2026-08-10 18:14:13

orders

Taiwanese food delivery unions have filed criminal complaints against senior
Uber and Uber Eats executives ...

... accusing the platform of underpaying drivers through its stacked-order
payment system.

The unions say Uber Eats calculates payments for multiple orders based on the
total delivery time, rather than separately accounting for the time spent on
each order, which they say violates Taiwan's new delivery-worker law that
took effect on July 21.

They cited one case in which two deliveries took 25 and 29 minutes, saying
the driver should have received more than 220 NT under the new minimum-pay
rules but was paid about 100 NT less.

They are asking prosecutors to investigate whether company executives
committed aggravated fraud.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-08-10 18:14:13

TrendForce warns that iPhones are getting more expensive to make, meaning
consumers might have to pay more, even for older iPhones.

The Taiwan-based research firm estimates the bill of materials for Apple's
upcoming iPhone 18 Pro 256GB model could rise about 38 percent from a year
earlier, largely due to soaring memory prices.

It expects Apple to absorb some of the increase through lower profit margins,
but could also raise prices on older models after the new lineup launches.

Memory now accounts for about 34 percent of component costs in recent iPhone
Pro models, up from 10 percent a year ago, and could exceed 40 percent by the
first half of 2027.

TrendForce says Android makers face even greater pressure because of thinner
margins, potentially forcing bigger price increases or cuts to loss-making
products.

(IG)

Posted on 2026-08-10 17:18:13

A national security source says, China is attemting to sway Taiwanese voters
ahead of November's elections by supporting what they call "patriotic"
partners within Taiwan.

That's one of four strategies regarding Taiwan that the CCP is focused on
pushing this summer according to the source.

The other 3 major directions Beijing is taking include strengthening
substantive governance of Taiwan by cutting off international support;
convincing the Taiwanese public to oppose Taiwanese independence; and
opposing the use of weapons to seek independence.

Those would be on the agenda of CCP's Beidaihe 北戴河 meetings during the first
half of August.

The source also says with Xi Jinping's planned trip to the US next month, the
CCP will take advantage of the Beidaihe period to discuss policy towards
Washington DC and towards Taiwan...

particularly regarding trade.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-10 17:18:13

The KMT is calling on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue a formal
condemnation of the Philippines over its territorial claims to Scarborough
Shoal.

It comes after the Philippines submitted to the United Nations Secretariat an
official nautical chart covering the Shoal, which the Philippines calls Bajo
de Masinloc, and its surrounding waters.

That means the Philippines has explicitly claimed sovereignty over the
disputed atoll, which Taiwan and China also claim.

The KMT says today that the declaration is a big deal for the Republic of
China from a foreign affairs point of view...

adding that the ROC must take stronger actions.

KMT spokesperson Niu Xu Ting said if MOFA fails to actively assert its rights
and the related economic interests, it would further undermine the country's
national interests.

He also accused the Philippines of "once again" impinging upon the ROC's
sovereignty in the South China Sea.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-10 16:07:14

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing has reported record-high revenue of $467
billion NT for July, up 5.6 percent from June and 45 percent from a year
earlier.

Market analysts say strong demand for advanced process technologies,
including 2-nanometer chips, was the main driver behind the record revenue.

TSMC's cumulative revenue for the first seven months of the year was also up
37 percent from the same period last year.

The tech giant expects third-quarter revenue to reach between $479 billion
and $500 billion NT a month, potentially setting new records.

To meet strong customer demand, TSMC plans capital spending of roughly $64
billion U.S. dollars this year.

That should include a joint venture with Sony group to make next-generation
‌microchips used in image sensors, with a combined expenditure of $6.32
billion U.S. dollars... according to Nikkei business daily.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-08-10 15:07:13

typhoons, etc.

The Tourism Administration says travel agencies are banned from charging
passengers fees for ticket refunds or changes when flights are canceled due
to typhoons or other circumstances beyond their control.

Agencies that violate the rule could face fines of up to $50,000 NT.

Many travel agencies currently state on their websites that passengers who
purchase airline tickets through them may be charged service fees for
changing or canceling tickets even because of natural disasters.

Such fees generally range from $300 to $500 NT.

To protect consumer rights, the Administration recently sent a notice
reminding travel agencies that they may not charge consumers fees for
involuntary ticket refunds or changes.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-08-10 15:07:13

The Pingtung County government says negligence is supected in the death of an
infant at a daycare center.

The county's Department of Social Affairs says the incident took place during
nap time at a private daycare center.

They say they conducted a joint assessment after receiving the report, and
the case has been reported to police.

Pingtung officials say they received a report from the daycare center on
Wednesday that a 3 month old infant new to the center was without vital
signs.

After attempts to save the child over three days, it ultimately passed away.

The Pingtung government says, it activated investigative mechanisms as soon
as it received the report.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-10 14:08:13

A reminder for residents in central Taiwan ...

Mobile internet services will be deliberately slowed starting one half hour
from now as part of a civil-defense exercise during this year's Han Kuang
military drills.

The interruptions will last half an hour, ending at 3pm.

Authorities say the interruptions are designed to simulate communications
disruptions during an emergency.

The exercise covers Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi
County, and Chiayi City.

Basic voice calls and text messaging are expected to remain available, but
services requiring high-speed mobile data may be affected.

And authorities emphasize that calls to emergency services will not be
affected.

Residents are advised to plan ahead for any important online transactions or
communications.

Posted on 2026-08-10 14:08:13

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched an investigation into the
representative to Switzerland.

MOFA says it received petitions from some employees under representative Greg
Lee accusing him of workplace bullying and other misconduct.

The ministry says it has formed a special task force, composed primarily of
non-ministerial personnel, to handle the matter.

The statement comes after several news outlets picked up the story over the
weekend.

The 134-page complaint details seven categories of alleged misconduct by Lee,
including incompetent leadership and using public resources for personal
purposes...

in addition to workplace bullying.

One example that employees cited was when Lee allegedly asked colleagues to
submit false expense claims to cover his own use of 130,000 NT on high-end
chocolates as gifts.

(AH-CNA)

Posted on 2026-08-10 14:08:13

Taiwan shares are up today...

with the benchmark tai ex gaining 702 points to close the session at 44928.

The turnover was 847 billion NT

Posted on 2026-08-10 13:19:13

Taichung Mayor Lu Xiu Yan is reminding the public that calls to emergency
services will still go through despite planned data roaming blackouts and
slowdowns.

Those interruptions are scheduled for 2:30 om today as part of this year's
Urban Resilience Drills in Central Taiwan...

which will include Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou, Chiayi, and Yunlin.

The slowdowns are scheduled to end at 3pm.

Mayor Lu says, though, that calls to emergency services like 110, 119, or
1999 will still go through during the half hour period.

She also reminds people that public transit services will be interrupted
during the drills as well...

with buses and above-ground MRT trains stopping, and passengers prohibited
from leaving MRT stations.

Central Taiwan will be the first region to see the internet slowdowns today,
followed by northern Taiwan on Thursday during the same half-hour period.

(AH)

Posted on 2026-08-10 13:19:13

Taiwan Sugar has announced that it will stop buying raw oil from local
companies and instead will import soybeans from abroad to produce all of its
finished oil in the second half of this year.

The state-run company also said it has taken the precautionary measures of
removing from sale and placing under control a total of 2,900 metric tons of
oil products and inventory.

It said the products won't be shelved again until authorities give the green
light.

In its report to the Legislative Yuan, TaiSugar also said it took those
precautionary measures after the Central Union Oil contamination cases
surfaced.

The opposition KMT and TPP have accused the company of failing to report to
authorities after it found excessive levels of a carcinogen in the raw oil
shipment from Formosa Oilseed Processing company.

TaiSugar says it did nothing wrong, noting that it rejected the shipment and
that 20 tests conducted on its oil products since July 8th have all met
regulatory standards.

(JL)

Posted on 2026-08-10 07:01:13

The Central Weather Administration lifted its sea warning for Typhoon Dolphin
at 11:30 last night.

This, after Dolphin weakened into a tropical storm and moved towards China's
Zhejiang Province.

The storm's outer rim had moved away from northern Taiwan proper late
yesterday afternoon, but Matsu continued to experience strong winds and rain
overnight.

The weather administration says cumulative rainfall in mountainous areas of
Taipei and Taichung approached 30-centimeters as the storm's outer rim moved
away from Taiwan island, while around 20-centimeters had been recorded in
mountainous areas of Hsinchu and Miaoli.

The storm brought strong winds and heavy rain to northern Taiwan, causing
some scattered damage.

Taipei's disaster response center said it had received 261 incidents of
damage mainly fallen trees, minor damage to structures and damage to power
and traffic infrastructure.

Six people were injured.

New Taipei and Taoyuan also reported scattered incidents, including fallen
trees, flooding and minor structural damage, but no major incidents were
reported.

The Civil Aeronautics Administration reported 79 domestic and 115
international and cross-strait flight cancellations on Sunday.

While the Maritime and Port Bureau has announced that 72 sailings on eight
routes, including the Keelung-Matsu route, will be suspended today.

Posted on 2026-08-10 07:01:15

President Lai Ching-te inspected troops stationed in northern Taoyuan during
Sunday's Han Kuang series of exercises on the fifth day of the
annual drill.

Lai was accompanied by Defense Minister Wellington Koo and National Security
Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu.

The Presidential Office says they were briefed by the commander of a Taoyuan
drill group about how the military is coordinating to counter a simulated
Chinese invasion.

That also toured a nearby site operated by the Army's 21st Artillery Command,
where the Avenger Air Defense System was deployed.

Lai sent his thanks to all the service personnel taking part in the Han Kuang
series of exercises for performing their duties despite the heavy rain
brought by Typhoon Dolphin via social media.

He also called on all personnel to take good care of themselves and their
fellow service members, saying that the country is safer and more capable of
defending itself with better preparation, as ensured by the Han Kuang
exercises.

The annual live-fire portion of the Han Kuang exercises will continue through
Friday.

Posted on 2026-08-10 07:01:15

Taiwan's representative to Japan has boycotted Sunday's annual atomic bombing
memorial ceremony in the Japanese city of Nagasaki.

Lee Yi-yang declined to attend the event after Taiwan's delegation was
designated an "international nongovernmental organization."

Lee says the Nagasaki City government placed Taiwan's delegation in the
International N-G-O section rather than the section for foreign embassies and
representative offices.

That arrangement mirrored last year's, when Taiwan was first invited to
attend the annual memorial ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the
atomic bomb being dropped on Nagasaki

Lee said the delegation decided to attend the Nagasaki memorial last year for
the same reason... and it was regrettable that the Nagasaki City government
continued to inappropriately label Taiwan's delegation this year.

Bruce Chen, the head of the Taiwan's representative office's Fukuoka branch
attended the memorial ceremony in Nagasaki in Lee's place.

Posted on 2026-08-10 07:01:15

afternoon

An Urban Resilience Air Defense Exercise is scheduled for Central Taiwan this
afternoon in conjunction with the annual WanAn air raid drill.

The drill will be taking place in Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou,Chiayi
and Yunlin from between 2:30 and to 3PM.

When the alarm sounds, police officers and other government personnel will
direct people to air defense shelters or other safe indoor locations.

Traffic controls will be implemented across the are during the exercise, and
members of the public are required to follow evacuation instructions.

People who violate the evacuation order face a fine of up 150,000 N-T.

There will also be a 4G and 5G mobile network slowdown simulation for the
first time.

The network slowdown simulation will last for the entire 30-minute drill.

However, standard voice calls, SMS text messages, emergency hotlines and
fixed broadband/Wi-Fi will continue to function.

Posted on 2026-08-10 07:01:15

The National Development Council is slated to review a revived plan to expand
the Longtan Science Park in Taoyuan.

The move is meant to pave the way for the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing
to build five new fabs at the science park, where it will produce advanced
chips.

The project cleared Science Park Council review in May before being sent to
the Cabinet in June.

The Cabinet has since passed it on to the National Development Council for
further review.

The government has said the expansion project could produce 310-billion N-T
in annual economic output and create over 6,000 jobs.

It's hoped that construction of the science park expansion project can begin
in 2030.

T-S-M-C originally dropped plans to invest in the expansion project in 2023
and open fabs in Kaohsiung instead due to land acquisition issues in the
Longtan area.

However, the chipmaker is now eyeing the site as a major part of its
expansion plans.

Posted on 2026-08-10 07:01:15

And,

The Central Weather Administration says Taiwan will see its second annual
period of exceptionally high astronomical tides from tomorrow through
Saturday.

The administration is warning of the increased risk of localized flooding and
seawater inundation in low-lying coastal areas.

Areas expected to be most affected include areas stretching from Keelung and
New Taipei in the north to Yilan and Taitung along the east coast, and along
the coast from Chiayi to Pingtung.

The phenomenon, known as "spring tide," occurs around new and full moons,
when the gravitational pull of the sun, moon and Earth aligns, producing
higher high tides, lower low tides and a greater tidal range.

The year's highest tides are driven by astronomical factors and occur during
these periods.

The weather administration is advising beachgoers, anglers and others people
engaging in coastal activities to check tide schedules in advance and is
warning that rising tides can quickly submerge beaches and rocky shorelines.

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