Taiwan's main political parties are having difficulty achieving their ideal
of coming together -- even it if it's just for National Day.

Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu focused his National Day address on a message
urging President Lai Ching-te to resolve cross-party conflict.

KMT and TPP party members rallied around the message, saying that the
president has a responsibility to resolve the deadlock between the DPP and
the opposition parties.

But DPP caucus whip Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) says Han's speech exacerbated the
conflict by pointing fingers.

Chuang notes that Han had called on all parties to avoid adding fuel to the
fire and immediately used terms like "fake democracy, real dictatorship"
(假民主、真獨裁).

To put Han's words into context, he said "Taiwan cannot be seen as a fake
democracy, a real dictatorship."

TPP caucus whip Hung Yu-hsiang (洪毓祥) said he appreciated the sentiment,
noting that a truly confident democracy doesn't fear parliamentary oversight.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has announced that as of
11am today, 11 accidents had occurred on National Highways since midnight.

The ministry's Freeway Bureau says traffic was generally moving smoothly
around noon ... though not necessarily quickly ... with northbound traffic
traveling around 40kph northbound on National Highway 1 from Xiluo to Puyan
System Interchange.

The bureau is highlighting 12 sections of national highways that it expects
to be congested this afternoon. For example, the northbound section of
National Highway 5 is likely to be congested from now to midnight between
Yilan and Pinglin.

The Freeway Bureau says traffic volume on the nation's highways is within
expectations for a holiday, with 107 million vehicle-kilometers anticipated
for the full day.

CNA_zh_JvW

National Day celebrations held in front of the Presidential Office have
wrapped up.

Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu and President Lai Ching-te both emphasized the
need for peace across the Taiwan Strait in speeches to mark the 115th
anniversary of the Republic of China.

Han praised Taiwanese citizens for their hard work and ingenuity in making
Taiwan a semiconductor powerhouse, but he also highlighted the need for
politicians to overcome deep divisions and to work together more closely to
ensure the country continues to thrive.

In a wide-ranging speech themed "A City on the Hill," Lai addressed said that
while he values peace, it is equally important to continue to strengthen
national defense.

JvW

The PLA was relatively active in the Taiwan Strait in the 24 hours before 6
am this national day.

The Ministry of National Defense says that it detected 21 sorties of Chinese
military aircraft, 13 of which crossed the strait's median line.

It also detected seven Chinese warships and two government vessels.

CNA_zh_JvW

video

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) has apologized for including footage of a
baseball player in a music video that unveiled his campaign theme song
yesterday.

DPP lawmaker Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) questioned whether the footage of Chang
Yu-cheng playing in an international game had been authorized.

Chiang today said the footage has been adjusted to remove the baseball
player, adding that Chang's presence in the video didn't necessarily reflect
his or any player's political stance.

CNA_zh_JvW

communicating"

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan An is acknowlegding outlying islands' opposition to
his suggestion to move the Songshan Airport...

adding that he will continue "communicating."

Chiang has proposed relocating the airport to create an "AI park" at the
site.

But both the KMT and DPP candidates for Penghu Magistrate have come out
against the idea.

Chiang announced his plan yesterday, and this morning said that the traffic
normally handled by Songshan Airport could be taken over by the under
construction third terminal of Taoyuan airport in the meantime.

He emphasized the importance of AI to Taipei's and Taiwan's economies, but
said that he was aware of outlying islands' needs and udnerstood them.

A fire on Green Island broke out this morning, with residents worried the
fire could last at least 2 more days.

A landfill near the island's hot springs district started smoking this
morning, with half of the island able to see the smoke.

Local representatives say, firefighters were able to arrive at the scene
decently quickly, but were only able to spray water from a ways away.

County Councilor Wang Yu Li says, the cause of the fire is not yet clear, and
there are fears that the fire may continue through the rest of the weekend.

She says, they're trying to get a helicopter on site to help with
firefighting efforts.

Foreign media is reporting on tensions within Taiwan's largest opposition
party ahead of local elections fast approaching.

The report on divisions within the KMT centers around two increasingly
evident camps, one coalescing around chair Cheng Li Wen...

and the other around outgoing Taichung Mayor Lu Xiu Yan and the KMT
legislative caucus.

Nikkei Asia reports that infighting is undermining the KMT's electoral
prospects, as the party fails to coordinate heavyweights.

Sources say that the Cheng-centered coalition has aimed to block or downsize
defense spending proposals put forward by the Lai administration, drawing
criticism from the US and other more Taiwan-friendly governments.

Insiders say that, despite outwardly claiming to be making those cuts for the
sake of accountability, some KMT figures have privately aimed to deflect
crticism of these policies towards Zheng...

attempting to shift responsibility to the chair rather than the party as a
whole.

Foreign officials say, the strategy appears to be largely successful, as the
US seems convinced that, when someone else takes over for Zheng at some
point, the party will deliver on defense reforms.

A man has been sentenced to death for allegedly murdering and sexually
assaulting a teacher last year,

The man, surnamed Liu, allegedly broke into the victims dormitory in Hualien
and assaulted her before killing her, after the earlier rejected his romantic
advances,

Police say that Liu also stole several of the victim's personal items,
including her credit cards.

The Hualien District Court also handed Liu a separate 7 month prison sentence
for burglary.

The ruling can be appealed.

The KMT says, it will hold its flag raising ceremony in Kaohsiung tomorrow...

rather than in Taipei as in years past.

The KMT's communications offices say, Chair Zheng Li Wen will personally
attend the ceremony in Kaohsiung...

accompanied by party heavyweight Wang Jin Ping and mayoral candidate Ke Zhi
En.

Communications director Chen Yi Xin says, holding the ceremony in Kaohsiung
aims to pay tribute to the integration of diverse ethnic groups.

KMT Chair Zheng Li Wen's decision to skip tomorrow's National Day festivities
in Taipei have stirred enough controversy for some to turn to TPP Chair Huang
Kuo-chang for answers.

When asked this morning as to Cheng's motivation behind the decision, Huang
said he guessed that she was attempting to create more of a balance between
north and south...

pulling some media south to Kaohsiung on National Day rather than having all
the attention on the capital.

But Huang says, regardless of the location, putting the country first is the
most important thing.

Huang made the comments as he headed to New Taipei's Xizhi this morning to
promote a TPP candidate for city councilor.

losses over summer

Pingtung saw a surge of traffic this morning, prompting police to activate
lane allocation on Provincial Highway 1...

as Donggang Wharf was packed with tourists heading to Xiaoliuqiu.

That's as tourism operators hope to alleviate losses over the summer.

Local data shows that Xiaoliuqiu's hotel occupancy rate is nearly full for
today and tomorrow...

but officials say the holiday crowds were actually even greater during the
Mid Autumn/Teacher's Day long weekend.

They note that weather is a crucial factor affecting tourism to Xiaoliuqiu,
so this summer's heavy rain negatively impacted tourism to the island.

A security guard has caused a fire at the Nangang Taiwan Railways Station
after smoking in the station's smoke exhaust room.

It is believed that the guard, surnamed Zhan, failed to put out the cigarette
butt fully before throwing it away.

The fire was able to be extinguished quickly and did not cause any injuries
or damage.

Railway police arrested Zhan after receiving the report.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) has proposed "relocating" Taipei Songshan
Airport (TSA) and building an "AI park" on the site.

Chiang said he would build an AI park, transforming the 300-hectare site into
an industrial cluster and residential area, with an estimated 65,000 jobs and
35,000 residents.

However, the mayor did not say where he planned to relocate the airport,
instead pointing to the third terminal and runway under construction at
Taoyuan International Airport, which he said would be able to replace TSA's
current capacity once the runway is completed in 2033.

Chiang's proposal drew a response from rival, DPP candidate Puma Shen, who
said the airport sat in Chiang's electoral district when he served as a
legislator from 2016 to 2022.

Shen added that when former DPP legislative candidate Enoch Wu (吳怡農) made the
same proposal in a 2023 legislative by-election, Chiang criticized it as a
"hasty election promise."

The US is urging China to stop putting pressure on Taiwan, following reports
of a Chinese maritime militia boat in the area in August.

A spokesperson for the US department of state said that the US remains
"concerned by China's activity east of Taiwan."

They added that the actions exacerbate tensions in the area.

The comments follow a report from Reuters, which stated that a Chinese
maritime militia boat had been spotted more than 30 nautical miles off the
coast of Hualien mid August.

The boat is thought to be a fishing vessel that doubles as a militia vessel,
and was accompanied by a Chinese coast guard cutter and a research vessel at
the time.

The Ministry of National Defense says that China is using law enforcement and
scientific research as pretext to expand its activities without triggering a
direct conflict.

The MND says, they do so in order to create the impression that it had
jurisdiction over the waters, and challenge Taiwan's maritime law enforcement
authority, undermining the international order.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard Administration said that it deploys joint
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to monitor Chinese
vessels operating in waters around Taiwan, around the clock.

The CGA said all the Chinese vessels in question were operating outside
Taiwan's restricted waters and that it had monitored their movements
throughout and responded appropriately.

Taipei mayoral hopeful Puma Shen says, a suggestion to relocate the Songshan
Airport seems a bit out of the blue.

Shen says, if there were to be a robust plan in place for what the land would
be used for and a reason important enough to relocate, it could certainly be
considered.

However, he says, with the mayoral elections coming up soon, the suggestion
seems a bit sudden.

Media noted that the suggestion to move the airport has historically been
part of the platform of DPP candidates, and Shen said that issues like
national security, military use, and needs of the residents of outlying
islands remain, so any suggestion to move the airport must support these
issues.

Therefore, he said, Mayor Chiang Wan An's recent suggestion to relocate
without relevant planning seems a bit premature.

Taiwan High Speed Rail has added eight all-unreserved trains tonight to help
ease congestion ahead of the National Day holiday.

That doesn't include business class seating.

The trains will run between Nangang or Taipei and Taichung, with two
additional southbound services every hour from 5 PM to 9 PM.

T-H-S-R is also offering a new late-night service that crosses midnight.

The train will leave Nangang at 10:20 tonight and arrive at Zuoying at 12:15
AM tomorrow.

Transportation officials say the new services are designed to encourage
passengers to travel during less busy hours.

THSR carried a record 348-thousand passengers on the day before the
Mid-Autumn Festival, including more than 206-thousand southbound passengers.

Officials expect demand to be slightly lower during the National Day holiday,
at around 320-thousand passengers a day.

(IG)

The Supreme Court has upheld a 17-year prison sentence for a gangster
involved in the detention and assault of a convenience store clerk who later
died by suicide.

The court rejected an appeal by Liu Chia-yu (劉佳宥), making the sentence final.

According to the ruling, Liu and several others detained and repeatedly
assaulted the clerk in a Tainan convenience store in 2023 over allegations
that he had stolen money.

The group allegedly forced him to sign a one-million-NT cashier's check and
took his gold necklace.

They later demanded 200-thousand NT dollars from his family and continued to
detain him.

The court found that one of Liu's accomplices also shot the clerk in the
waist before the man jumped from a 13th-floor balcony and died.

Two other defendants received prison terms of 12 and 14 years.

(CNA_IG)

More than 500 workers at a glass factory in Yunlin County have ended their
four-day strike after reaching an agreement with management on wage
increases.

The union at AGC Display Glass Taiwan says all employees at the Douliu plant
will receive a monthly base salary increase of 1-thousand-200 NT in both 2027
and 2028.

Management also agreed to negotiate further raises for 2029 and 2030, while
retaining existing cost-of-living allowances.

The union had demanded annual across-the-board raises of five to six percent,
saying the company had not had a regular wage adjustment system for 25 years.

The Yunlin County government helped mediate the dispute, while the company
agreed not to take disciplinary action against workers who took part.

The government's proposed ten-thousand N.T. cash payments could begin January
twenty-sixth, if next year's budget clears the required approval process.

Deputy Finance Minister Juan Ching-hwa (阮清華) says the estimate assumes
legislative passage on January fifth and presidential promulgation on January
twentieth.

Registration would open January twenty-fifth.

ATM withdrawals would follow on February fifteenth, with post office
collection starting February twenty-second.

Juan stresses these dates are preliminary.

Delays in budget approval would push payments back.

The government plans five collection methods, including automatic bank
deposits and deposits after registration.

Meanwhile, Juan rejects opposition calls to double the payment.

He says a twenty-thousand N.T. payment would cost more than
four-hundred-seventy billion N.T., requiring borrowing and squeezing other
government spending.

The DPP has secured eight committee convener positions in the Legislative
Yuan, with the KMT taking seven and the TPP one.

The KMT yielded a judiciary committee position to TPP lawmaker Chen Chao-tzu
(陳昭姿).

She will serve alongside the DPP's Chang Ya-lin (張雅琳).

Lawmakers selected all sixteen conveners today through nominations rather
than contested votes.

Each of the legislature's eight standing committees has two conveners.

The posts carry influence because conveners set committee agendas, shaping
which bills and budgets come up for review.

The DPP holds one convener position on every committee.

The KMT holds the other position on seven committees, with the TPP taking the
remaining judiciary post.

(PB)

DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen is calling for televised debates to
begin soon, ideally one each week before election day.

He says candidates should question each other directly, rather than only
answer questions prepared in advance.

Shen says repeated debates would help residents understand their plans for
the city.

TVBS says both Shen and incumbent Mayor Chiang Wan-an have accepted its
invitation to debate.

The date and format still need to be agreed.

Shen's campaign says he has accepted invitations from four broadcasters and
wants negotiations to start immediately.

Taiwan's local elections are scheduled for November twenty-eighth, just over
seven weeks away.

(PB)

The Ministry of Finance is outline its timeline for distributing universal
cash payments under the 2027 central budget.

The government allocated $235.7 billion NT in the 2027 central budget to
share national economic performance gains with residents.

The ministry says if lawmakers approve the budget by early January 2027,
initial bank deposits will begin Jan. 26 ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.

The payout covers Taiwan citizens, permanent residents, foreign spouses, and
infants born before the end of 2027.

Officials say distribution will occur via direct deposit, online sign-ups,
ATMs, and post offices, with the main deadline set for Aug. 31, 2027.

(NS)

Immigration officers stopped a Chinese man at Taoyuan International Airport
after discovering his South Korean passport had been altered.

The National Immigration Agency says he was attempting to transfer to a
flight to Vancouver on Tuesday evening.

He had arrived from Kuala Lumpur.

Officers checking passengers at a Terminal 2 boarding gate noticed suspicious
details in his itinerary and documents.

They examined the passport's security features and confirmed it had been
altered.

The agency says the man, surnamed Yu, then admitted his Chinese nationality.

He told officers he wanted to find work in Canada because jobs in Fujian were
difficult to find and his income was unstable.

The agency says it will strengthen document checks and cooperation with
airlines and overseas authorities to combat migrant smuggling.

(PB)

Taitung's Zhonghua Bridge will close Saturday evening for the National Day
fireworks display.

The Highway Bureau says the Highway 11 bridge will shut from 6:30 p.m. to 9
p.m.

Drivers will be diverted to Taitung Bridge on Highway 11B.

Traffic measures are also planned near popular attractions, including Jinlun
(金崙), Duoliang (多良) and Sanxiantai (三仙台).

These include alternative routes, adjustments to traffic lights and stronger
enforcement against illegal parking.

The bureau expects outbound travel to peak tomorrow, with return traffic
busiest Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Southern Cross-Island Highway's Meishankou (梅山口) to Xiangyang
(向陽) section will open on all three holiday dates.

Authorities encourage public transportation and checking road conditions
before departure.

(PB)

Prosecutors are seeking one and a half years behind bars for a private
investigator accused of tailing DPP lawmaker Puma Shen in 2024 at the behest
of two Hong Kongers.

PI Zheng Yong Jin was charged, along with a fellow investigator surnamed
Hsieh and two others, over the 24 hour surveillance of Shen.

Zheng, Hsieh, and the two others were indicted on charges of illegally
collecting personal data under the Personal Data Protection Act.

Prosecutors say that two Hong Kong residents paid Zheng 360,000 NT to surveil
Shen.

Zheng then allegedly subcontracted the case to Hsieh for 180,000 NT, and
Hsieh assigned two others to do the actual surveiling.

The three initially struggled to surveil Shen because of his bodyguards, so
they opted to park a scooter with a camera outside Shen's home.

In this way, they recorded Shen's, his wife's, and their daughter's movements
24/7 from October 1st 2024 to November 8th of the same year.

The footage was then passed along to the Hong Kongers, both of whom are
currently wanted by authorities.

Prosecutors have indicted a college student for allegedly accessing Taiwan
High Speed Rail's comms system and sending a false alarm that prompted
emergency stops.

Taoyuan prosecutors are seeking a 2 year prison sentence for the student,
surnamed Lin.

A second man, surnamed Chen, was indicted for helping Lin to access the
system.

Prosecutors say that Lin used a radio programmed with the system's parameters
to access the network at Taoyuan High Speed Rail Station on the evening of
April 5th.

He then transmitted a "General Alarm" signal.

The operations control system then automatically relayed the warning to
nearby trains, prompting the drivers of four trains to apply their emergency
brakes.

The incident ultaimtely led to 48 minutes of delays.

A university student has been indicted for allegedly accessing Taiwan High
Speed Rail's communications system and sending a false alarm that caused four
trains to make emergency stops.

The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office says the student, surnamed Lin (林),
transmitted a "General Alarm" signal in April while he was on a bus near
Taichung HSR Station.

The warning was automatically sent to nearby trains, prompting three
passenger trains and one out-of-service train to apply their emergency
brakes.

The incident caused a total of 48 minutes of delays.

Prosecutors say Lin used a radio programmed with the system's settings to
access its communications network.

A second man, surnamed Chen (陳), has also been indicted for allegedly
providing the radio and system information.

Prosecutors are seeking a two-year prison sentence for Lin.

(CNA_IG)

The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Taipei is calling for
improvements to Taiwan's business environment.

Its 2026 white paper, released today, identifies major challenges facing
Japanese companies such as untransparent administrative procedures ...
regulations that differ from international standards .... and shortages of
talent and electricity.

The chamber also says difficulties securing industrial land are major
obstacles to developing new facilities.

National Development Council Minister Yeh Chun-hsien (葉俊顯) says the
government has made progress over the past year ... including simplifying
electricity licensing procedures and strengthening the power grid.

He says Taiwan has also expanded tax incentives for investment in AI and
cybersecurity ... while taking steps to attract more international talent.

Yeh hopes the chamber will encourage the Japanese government to support a
bilateral trade agreement with Taiwan ... creating more investment
opportunities for Japanese companies.

(IG)

The Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation is opening registration for the 2026
Station Master Mikan Run.

The event will take place on Dec. 26-th, with a brand-new scenic harbor route
starting from KW2 Plaza.

Participants will receive exclusive merchandise featuring station master cat
Mikan, and all finishers will be awarded distinctive commemorative medals.

And KRTC says a portion of the registration fees will be donated to the
Genesis Social Welfare Foundation to support local charity.

Those who finish the race can also enter a draw for prizes including high-end
smartphones and round-trip airfare.

(NS)

Mental health experts are raising concerns over a doubling in youth suicides
in Taiwan over the past decade ... specifically among those aged 15 to 24.

They also pointed to government figures which show schools reported over
20-thousand suicide and self-harm incidents involving students in 2024 ....
more than 17 times the figure recorded eight years prior.

Psychiatrists say mental health treatment should not focus only on children
... as their emotional difficulties can sometimes reflect problems affecting
the wider family.

They are calling for a two-way screening approach that includes parents and
other primary caregivers.

Psychiatrists say when parents seek treatment for depression, anxiety or
other mental health problems ... doctors should also ask about their
children's emotional well-being.

And when children seek help for depression, self-harm or suicidal thoughts
... their parents' or caregivers' mental health should also be assessed.

(IG)

Taipower has begun dismantling two coal-fired generating units at its
Taichung Power Plant after 36 years of operation.

The state-run utility says Units 1 and 2 were shut down on September 30th and
officially retired the following day ... when demolition work began.

The two units produced nearly 280 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity
during their operating life ... helping supply power to households and
industries in central Taiwan.

Taipower says the units are being retired as new natural gas-fired generators
come online ... as part of efforts to reduce coal use and support Taiwan's
energy transition.

The demolition project will take about 28 months and involves major equipment
including boilers, turbines and a 252-meter-high chimney.

Taipower expects the work to be completed in early 2029 ... with the site
eventually supporting the second phase of the plant's new natural gas-fired
power project.

(IG)

Taiwan Railway is adding three more fast local services between Taipei and
Taichung for the National Day holiday rush.

The additional trains will run tomorrow and Sunday, with the journey taking
about two hours and 10 minutes.

They are in addition to three services announced on October 3.

The company says the latest additions follow a further review of demand for
travel between the two cities.

The extra services are part of efforts to coordinate Taiwan Railway and
high-speed rail capacity during the holiday.

Train numbers and departure times are available on Taiwan Railway's website
and booking app.

The three-day National Day holiday begins Friday.

(PB)

Snoopy is coming to Taoyuan this Halloween!

Taoyuan Mayor Chang San-cheng (張善政) says this year's Halloween City event
will take place at Taoyuan Arts Plaza and two nearby parks, featuring stage
performances and a Snoopy-themed show every evening.

The festival, which runs from October 24th to November 1st, features special
art installations, children's Halloween parties and theater performances.

And on five of those days ... there will also be Snoopy meet-and-greet events.

Last year's Halloween City event attracted more than one million visits.

(IG)

Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青) denies wasting public funds or improperly benefiting her
family during her time as Overseas Community Affairs Council minister.

Premier Cho Jung-tai accepted her resignation earlier today.

Hsu acknowledges asking family and friends to help when the council was
short-staffed.

But she says she never used her authority to create jobs for relatives or
spent public money on their behalf.

The TPP alleges her husband used an official vehicle overseas and her son was
passed off as an event photographer.

The Foreign Ministry is still checking those allegations.

Hsu has requested administrative and judicial investigations.

She says resigning was her own decision and that she began handing over
National Day arrangements yesterday.

(PB)

Taipei prosecutors have indicted four people over alleged round-the-clock
surveillance of DPP Legislator and Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen and his
family.

Prosecutors say private investigator Cheng Yung-chin (鄭永津) received
360-thousand N.T. from two Hong Kong clients to arrange the surveillance.

He allegedly subcontracted the work to another investigation company.

Prosecutors say a miniature camera hidden beneath a scooter seat recorded the
entrance to Shen's home.

It allegedly monitored Shen, his wife and daughter from October 1st to
November 8th, 2024.

The footage was sent through Telegram and forwarded to one of the clients.

The four face charges of illegally collecting and using personal data.

Prosecutors are seeking an 18-month prison sentence for Cheng.

Both Hong Kong clients have fled abroad and are wanted.

(PB)

Taiwanese Mastercard holders spent more on dining, entertainment and local
activities in Japan and South Korea last year.

The company's analysis shows spending on these experiences rose 39 percent in
Japan and 44 percent in South Korea compared with 2024.

Both increases outpaced growth in shopping.

The study also points to spending spreading beyond the main destinations.

Fukuoka, Okinawa and Sapporo recorded faster overall spending growth than
Tokyo.

In South Korea, Seoul remained the biggest destination for spending, but its
share edged down.

Experience-related spending more than doubled in Jeju and rose 73 percent in
Busan.

Mastercard says the findings suggest travelers increasingly plan trips around
experiences.

The analysis covers in-person Mastercard transactions in 2024 and 2025.

(PB)

Premier Cho Jung-tai has accepted the resignation of Overseas Community
Affairs Council Minister Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青).

Her resignation today follows TPP allegations that her family improperly used
government resources during her overseas trips.

The party's legislative caucus says her husband used an official vehicle
overseas.

It also alleges that her underage son accompanied her on official trips and
was passed off as an event photographer.

Hsu denies wrongdoing and says the accusations distort the facts.

She has requested administrative and judicial investigations, pledging to
cooperate fully and accept their findings.

The Cabinet says the Foreign Ministry is still checking the allegations.

It says Cho accepted her resignation out of respect for her wish to protect
her reputation.

(PB)

North Korea is criticizing U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, accusing Washington of
raising tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

A commentary carried by North Korean state media today questioned whether the
United States was prepared to confront China over Taiwan.

It criticized the arrival of American-made fighter jets.

Taiwan received its first two new F-16V fighters last Friday, part of a
66-aircraft purchase approved in 2019.

(PB)

Student advocacy groups are calling on the government to expand school
menstrual leave beyond the current one-day monthly limit.

Student groups held a press conference at the Legislative Yuan today, arguing
that the current single-day cap fail to support students with longer or more
severe symptoms.

Administrative Deputy Minister Chu Chun-chang pledged to consult medical
experts, gender equality scholars, and school administrators to revise the
regulations.

Chu also says the education ministry plans to review attendance rules and
grading evaluations to ensure students are not unfairly penalized when taking
leave.

(NS)

New Taipei prosecutors have charged 10 people for allegedly reselling
restricted military-grade chips from two US companies to Hong Kong for China.

The defendants include one man who runs several technology companies in
Taiwan, as well as his brother, and several others.

Prosecutors charged them with fraud, forgery, and money laundering.

They're seeking 10 years behind bars for the suspected ringleader, Chen Jian
Xiong (陳建雄), and one to eight years for the other defendants.

The indictment says that Chen colluded with others to falsely name the
National Zhongshan INstitute of Science and Technology as an end user of high
speed chips that could be used for military purposes.

Then, when the chips were imported into Taiwan, the defendants allegedly
resold them to buyers in Hong Kong, including China-controlled companies,
profiting from the price difference...

to the tune of 300 million NT.

They also fasely labeled the products as having been made in Taiwan when they
were actually manufactured in the Philippines, South Korea, and Singapore.

and speaking of chips,

The CEO of Advanced Micro Devices says, the company plans to increase its
investment in Taiwan's supply chain...

as demand for computing chips continues to exceed supply.

Lisa Su says, the 10 billion dollar investment announced in May was
progressing as planned.

But growing demand for central processing units and other AI computing
products was prompting AMD to invest more.

Su arrived in Taiwan yesterday for her third visit this year.

She says, she met with partners including Acer, Asus, Foxconn, and Quanta...

and will meet with TSMC and other suppliers on her trip.