2027

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says its Taipei Economic and Cultural Office
in Sydney is in the final stages of negotiating a property purchase contract.

Ministry Director-General Chen Jin-ling (陳錦玲) said this morning that once
the contract is signed, the office will proceed with title transfer,
renovation, and equipment procurement.

The target move-in date is the end of 2027, which would mark the ministry's
first newly purchased overseas property since late 2023.

Chen said plans to acquire properties for offices in Houston, Denver, and
Boston are still being revised following feedback from the Executive Yuan,
with updates to be provided as the process moves forward.

The ministry currently owns office premises at 19 of its 111 overseas
missions, accounting for around 17 percent of its total overseas presence.

(PB)

Taipei hosts the 13th Asia International Darts Tournament this weekend, with
competitors participating from across the region.

The tournament draws participants annually from Thailand, Singapore, Hong
Kong, South Korea, Japan, and other Asian countries.

Organizers say registration is open and attendance is expected to reach a new
high this year.

The event takes place April 25th and 26th at Taipei Expo Park,

(NS)

line

President Lai Ching-te has told a visiting delegation from the Center for
Strategic and International Studies that Taiwan stands at the front line of
democracy's defense.

Meeting the C-S-I-S group at the Presidential Office, Lai said the threat of
authoritarianism is part of daily life for Taiwan's people.

He reaffirmed Taiwan's core security belief: "peace relies on strength, and
strength is the moat of peace."

Lai said Taiwan's defense budget has already exceeded 3 percent of G-D-P by
N-A-T-O standards, with a target of 5 percent before 2030.

C-S-I-S president John Hamre said Taiwan has made significant progress on
self-defense since the group's last visit three years ago and called Taiwan's
flag "the flag of freedom in Asia."

(PB)

Two separate water outages are set to affect more than 70-thousand households
across Taiwan.

In Keelung, around 34-thousand households in Ren'ai, Xinyi, and Zhongzheng
districts will have their water cut or pressure reduced for 23 hours starting
at 9 P-M this Sunday, April 26th.

That work is tied to sewage system construction along Zhongzheng Road and
will run through 8 P-M Monday.

The Taiwan Water Corporation will set up water supply stations at seven
locations across the affected areas, and residents are advised to switch off
water pumps during the outage to prevent damage.

In Tainan, more than 36-thousand households across the East, North, and
Zhongxi districts face a separate 23-hour outage from 9 A-M Tuesday, April
28th, through 8 A-M Wednesday.

That disruption is linked to pipeline replacement work tied to reconstruction
of the traffic circle at the plaza in front of Tainan Railway Station.

In both cases, Taiwan Water Corporation says schedules may shift if heavy
rain or a typhoon warning occurs, and updated notices will be issued
accordingly.

(PB)

averaging CEFR A2

Middle school students in Taiwan have maintained stable English scores on the
TOEIC /TOE-ick/ Bridge test, according to a 2025 report released today.

The TOEIC Bridge is designed for beginner to intermediate learners and tests
practical English in everyday settings.

The authorized TOEIC representative in Taiwan, says scores have risen
steadily with age.

8th graders averaged at the A2, or elementary level.

More than half of all test-takers reached A2 in both listening and reading.

The company credited government bilingual education initiatives for the
steady improvement.

(PB)

A 64-year-old man has been indicted after approaching the Presidential Office
with a fruit knife in March.

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office says the man walked into the plaza in
front of the office at around 2:50 in the morning on March 9th.

He was heard saying he wanted to, quote, "kill Lai Ching-te, who is being
impersonated by the Chinese Communist Party," end quote.

Military police spotted him and alerted officers, who quickly arrived and
took him into custody.

No one was hurt.

Prosecutors found Li's mental state to be unstable and secured court approval
for six months of temporary placement.

He now faces charges of threatening public safety and intimidating the public
under the Criminal Code.

(PB)

Heritage Week

A documentary about Taiwan's democratic journey is set to air on America's
Public Broadcasting Service starting May 1st.

"Invisible Nation" will broadcast throughout Asian American and Pacific
Islander Heritage Month, with its premiere timed to lead into Taiwanese
American Heritage Week, which falls in the second week of May.

The Formosan Association for Public Affairs helped organize the broadcast
alongside a university campus screening tour across the U-S.

The tour has reached more than one-thousand viewers so far and is scheduled
to visit 19 universities in 11 states, including Yale, U-C Berkeley, and the
University of Florida.

Screenings include panel discussions featuring diplomats, policymakers, and
academics.

F-A-P-A president Lin Su-mei says Taiwan's struggle for democracy and its
long experience of marginalized identity resonates deeply with Taiwanese
Americans.

She says the initiative aims to help broader American audiences connect with
Taiwan's story and pass it on to younger generations.

(PB)

In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

Taiwan's top envoy in London has testified at a hearing of the U-K
Parliament's Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy.

Vincent Yao shared details of efforts to build societal defense resilience in
Taiwan, presented the Ministry of National Defense's civil defense handbook
and emphasized the Lai administration's policies to resist aggression.

The National Security Strategy Committee is composed of members of the House
of Lords and the House of Commons.

Yao told the committee about President Lai Ching-te's Whole-of-Society
Defense Resilience Committee ..

... and stressed its focus on organizing civilian personnel to support
defense and emergency efforts, protecting and maintaining essential
infrastructure and preparing shelters and ensuring medical services remain
operational in disaster scenarios.

Yao also told the committee how the Lai administration attempts to
communicate with the public in an easy-to-understand way, and seeks to
disclose as much information as possible related to security threats from
China.

The last time a top Taiwan diplomat or a senior official was invited to give
in-person testimony in the U-K parliament was in 2019.

Former President Ma Ying-jeou is urging a three-member task force at his
foundation to expedite its investigation into alleged breaches of financial
discipline involving two former employees.

According to Ma, the foundation presented relevant evidence and witness
information at a board meeting late last month in a case involving Hsiao
Hsu-tsen and Wang Kuang-tzu.

Ma says the materials were shared with all board members for a second time
via text messages and the LINE messaging app twice earlier this month and
were also sent by registered mail.

Hsiao is currently a vice K-M-T chairman and previously served as the
foundation's chief executive, while Wang was a foundation staff member.

Ma is also calling on Hsiao and Wang to present their case or
counter-evidence through the investigation process, rather than making media
statements that could harm the foundation or his reputation in an attempt to
influence the probe's outcome.

Hsiao and Wang left the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation in late February.

Their departure sparked claims of a "power struggle" at the foundation, which
was established by Ma in 2018.

And finally,

The palanquin carrying two statues of sea goddess Mazu from Bai-sha-tun
Gongtian Temple in Miaoli County returned home on Monday.

It concluding an eight-day pilgrimage to Chiaotian Temple, also a Mazu
temple, in Yunlin County and back again.

The statues were escorted into the main hall and formally seated in the
Gongtian Temple on their return by tens of thousands of devotees.

Volunteer groups and businesses set up refreshment stations, offering a
variety of drinks and snacks to ease the fatigue of those who made the long
journey over the past eight days.

The Bai-sha-tun Mazu pilgrimage set off on April 13 from Tongxiao Township,
led by a palanquin carrying three Mazu statues, one of which was from
neighboring Shan-bian Mazu Temple.

Organizers say this year's procession was joined by a record 460,000-plus
devotees.

The pilgrimage is known for having no fixed route, with directions and stops
believed to be guided by the deity's will through the movements of the
palanquin.

cities

Taiwan Realty says data shows that Taichung suffered the steepest decline in
completed home prices among the six municipalities in the first quarter of
this year.

The data is based on the government's price registration platform.

According to Taiwan Realty, the average transaction price for completed homes
in Taichung fell 8.0-per cent from a year earlier to stand at 299,000 N-T per
ping in the January to March period.

Taiwan Realty says the average transaction price in the city moved lower in
the first quarter as many home buyers for self-dwelling purposes tend to
choose relatively affordable used homes instead of newly built homes in
Taichung's prime property market.

A survey by realty company shows that of the six municipalities, only Taipei
recorded a 0.9-per cent year-on-year increase in transaction prices for
completed homes to 818,000 N-T per ping in the first quarter.

New Taipei, Tainan and Kaohsiung also saw decline in completed home prices.

And finally,

The Taiwan Space Agency says it will be hosting a major international space
industry forum in November - which will likely see the attendance of more
than 3,500 professionals from over 18 countries.

The third edition of the Taiwan International Assembly of Space Science,
Technology, and Industry will be taking place at the I-C-C Tainan from
November 8 through 11.

The event is being jointly organized by the Taiwan Space Agency and the
Tainan City government under the guidance of the National Science and
Technology Council.

A parallel exhibition will be running from November 8 through 10 - featuring
more than 75 domestic and international companies across five themed zones,
including supply chains, satellite applications, and testing.

The expo's first day will be open to the public free of charge, though
registration will be required.

The event will be held under the theme of "Trusted in Space, Resilient on
Earth."

And the Taiwan Space Agency says the event is aimed at positioning Taiwan as
a reliable partner in the global space supply chain.

The Ministry of National Defense says it closely monitored the movements of
China's aircraft carrier, the Liaoning as it passed through the Taiwan Strait
yesterday.

The ministry has released a black-and-white surveillance photograph showing
an aerial view of the vessel - which shows several fixed-wing aircraft and
helicopters on the carrier's flight deck.

Defense officials have not specified where or when the photo was taken .. and
have also not disclose whether it was taken by a drone, an aircraft, or radar
system.

The last time the defense ministry reported a Chinese aircraft carrier in
the Taiwan Strait was mid-December of last year - when China's newest and
most advanced carrier, the Fujian, passed through the waterway.

The Liaoning is the oldest of China's three operating aircraft carriers.

The General Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of China is urging the
government to "ease or lift" restrictions in response to a slate of tourism
and commercial measures announced by China.

According to chamber chairman Paul Hsu, both the government and opposition
should not be swayed by "partisan and non-economic considerations" ..

.. and the government "should not use any means to prevent us from speaking
out."

Hsu made the statements flanked by representatives from the tourism, food and
transportation sectors at a chamber event on Monday - at which he also argued
that the easing of restrictions would benefit both businesses and the public.

Beijing released its 10 Taiwan-focused measures on April 12, two days after
K-M-T Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun met with Xi Jinping in Beijing.

They include the resumption of individual travel by residents of Shanghai and
Fujian to Taiwan, the "full normalization" of direct cross-strait passenger
flights, and expanded access for Taiwanese agricultural, fishery and food
products to the Chinese market.

The Mainland Affairs Council has slammed the measures and warned groups and
individuals "not to echo the Chinese Communist Party or allow themselves to
be used as tools to pressure the government."

However, speaking at Monday's event, Hsu said none of the chamber's members
have faced pressure from China.

K-M-T Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun says she plans to visit the U-S in June and has
been invited to meet with "heavyweight" members of Congress.

Speaking during an interview on the "HistoryBro Show 2.0" YouTube show Cheng
said her team has not yet begun making formal contact with the members of the
U-S Congress who have invited her ...

... but she also dismissed claims she would be unable to meet with U-S
lawmakers.

According to Cheng, there's no evidence she won't be able to meet with
members of Congress when she travels to Washington - as some have been
expressing their hope for a visit sooner rather than later.

Cheng said she plans to take her impressions from the recent meeting with Xi
Jinping to the U-S and and he message will be that the world should not
return to Cold War-era divisions.

The Taichung Police Department says an investigation into an office who
repeatedly pepper-sprayed people at a local election campaign this past
weekend, was due to faulty equipment and poor judgment.

The campaign event had been organized by the Taiwan People's Party for city
councilor candidate Liu Tsen-yu.

It was attended by party founder Ko Wen-je - who was one those affected by
the pepper spray.

Liu filed an official report with Taichung police over the incident - saying
two unidentified individuals on a scooter sprayed pepper spray into the air
and towards people in the procession while she and Ko were campaigning at the
Fengchia Night Market.

According to the city's police commissioner, Ko and Liu, as well as several
T-P-P workers and supporters, were affected by the officer's leaking pepper
spray - but it was not a deliberate attack.

The commissioner says the police office was solely responsible for the
incident because he failed to immediately withdraw and handle the situation
in accordance with regulations after discovering that his pepper spray was
leaking.

The Ministry of Environment says it expects to collect around 4.5-billion N-T
in carbon fees by the end of May.

The statement comes as major greenhouse gas emitters are facing the first
mandatory payment deadline.

The payment window runs through May 31 and is the first collection cycle
since the carbon fee system took effect on January 1 of last year.

Under the scheme, companies emitting at least 25,000 metric tons of carbon
dioxide annually must calculate and pay fees based on their total emissions
in 2025.

Those companies are mainly in the power, gas supply and manufacturing sectors.

Based on the latest data from the environment ministry, between 512 and 550
companies have been identified as major emitters subject to the first phase
of carbon fee collection.

The standard carbon fee rate is 300 N-T per metric ton.

However, companies hat submit and obtain approval for voluntary emissions
reduction plans can qualify for preferential rates of 50 or 100 N-T per
metric ton.

The government has said the collected funds will be used to support emissions
reduction technologies.

The Ministry of Agriculture is insisting that individual imported processing
potatoes found to be sprouted, rotten or moldy will be discarded in their
entirety.

The statement comes amid charges the government's decision to ease import
restrictions on American potatoes used for processing has resulted in the
import of sprouted processing potatoes.

Critics are accusing the government of ignoring food safety standards to
appease the U-S as part of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade - which was
signed by the two sides in February.

According to the agriculture ministry, the "Quarantine Requirements for the
Importation of Processing Potatoes from the United States" maintain existing
standards requiring shipments to be free of eight specified pests and
diseases ..

.... while also adding stricter measures such as enhanced use of sprout
inhibitors and a requirement that potatoes be free of sprouts and soil at
export.

The ministry says any shipment found to contain sprouted, rotten or moldy
potatoes will be reported to the Food and Drug Administration, with the
affected potatoes removed and disposed of at designated processing
facilities.

The Ministry of Agriculture says the number of pet cats here in Taiwan
surpassed that of pet dogs for the first time in 2025.

The number of pet cats totaled 1,742,033 last year.

That's a 32.8-per cent increase from 2023.

According to the ministry, data shows the number of pet dogs declined by
1.2-per cent over the same period to 1,462,528.

However, despite the shift, households with dogs still slightly outnumber
those with cats by 1.2-per cent.

The number of households with multiple dogs has remained relatively stable,
but households keeping more than two cats have increased, contributing to the
overall rise in the feline population.

The agriculture ministry says the trend reflects broader social changes,
including a growing number of single-person households - as in urban areas,
cats are often seen as more suitable pets than dogs.

Registration rates for both dogs and cats have also risen in recent years.

Dog registration increased from 69.5-per cent in 2021 to 77.2-per cent last
year, while cat registration rose from 58.45-per cent in 2023 to 66.48-per
cent in 2025.

A Taichung police precinct chief is under investigation after pepper spray he
discharged drifted toward a crowd that included former TPP chair Ko Wen-je.

Police say the incident at Fengjia Night Market last Friday was not an
attack, but the result of serious negligence.

The case was initially reported as a suspected pepper spray attack.

Investigators found Precinct Chief Zhou Jun-ming (周俊銘) had been handling a
damaged pepper spray canister and tested it by spraying it toward the ground.

The spray was then carried by the wind into the crowd, causing discomfort
among campaign participants and nearby members of the public, with some
covering their noses and mouths.

Zhou has received two demerits, been reassigned to a non-managerial role, and
referred for investigation on suspicion of causing injury.

Taichung's police chief has also issued an apology and accepted
responsibility for inadequate supervision.

(IG)

The Transportation Safety Board said today that there have been 76 accidents
involving Taiwan Railway since 2019 when the T-S-B established.

The Board acknowledged that that the number is high, saying that the
accidents were moslty caused by human error.

KMT lawmaker Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) questioned whether the accidents are
linked to insufficient training or staffing shortages, urging authorities to
take concrete actions.


DPP lawmaker Lee Kun-tse (李昆澤) also noted that five accidents have
already been recorded in the first three months of this year, raising serious
concerns over rail safety.

He said T-S-B's investigations should include routing procedures, staff
operations, on-site guidance, communication protocols, and signal
maintenance.

In reponse, officials said it has opened five investigations into the
accidents.

(JL)

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun is planning a visit to the United States, with June
seen as the most likely timing.

Cheng said she aims to meet high-level figures during the trip, noting that
some U-S lawmakers have already expressed interest in meeting her.

Cheng, fresh off a trip to China, said she hopes to meet a wide range of
people, including U-S officials ... emphasizing the importance of engaging
with Washington

She said she hopes to share her reflections from her meeting with Chinese
Leader Xi Jinping.

She added that Taiwan has a unique position to help promote dialogue and
encourage the international community toward peace and reconciliation.

(IG)

DBS Bank (Taiwan) has pledged 30 million NT to support a new three-year
environmental initiative aimed at restoring the Tamsui River ecosystem.

The project aims to transform the Wugu wetlands into northern Taiwan's first
internationally recognized wetland.

The initiative will focus on habitat restoration, scientific monitoring, and
environmental education.

Efforts include clearing reeds and invasive species, restoring tidal
channels, improving water flow, and rebuilding habitats for species such as
black-faced spoonbills ... and other protected wetland birds.

Officials say the Tamsui River basin is one of northern Taiwan's key wetland
ecosystems, and that long-term, systematic efforts are needed to improve its
ecological quality.

The initiative also emphasizes active ecosystem restoration over simply
reducing environmental harm.

(IG)

Confidence in Taiwan's economy weakened in April, as concerns over Middle
East conflicts weighed on public sentiment.

A survey by Cathay Financial released Monday shows more than half of
respondents felt the economy had worsened, pushing the economic optimism
index sharply into negative territory.

Expectations for the next six months also declined, reflecting growing
uncertainty.

Analysts say rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions have made the public
more cautious, despite strong domestic economic indicators.

Spending sentiment has also weakened, with fewer people willing to make big
purchases or buy durable goods.

At the same time, optimism about the stock market and willingness to take
risks both declined.

However, many respondents still expect economic growth this year, though
forecasts are more conservative than official estimates.

Inflation concerns remain, with a majority expecting price increases to
exceed the central bank's target.

(CNA_IG)

Police Day

Taiwan's representative office in Argentina have presented computer equipment
to two Buenos Aires police stations.

The donation was made to the District 13 and District 13A stations last
Friday, a day before Argentina's National Police Day.

Representative Hsieh Miao-hung (謝妙宏) said District 13 is a key area for
the local Taiwanese community, and that police have long helped maintain a
stable and safe environment there.

District 13 is near parks and school zones, and was one of the first areas
where Taiwanese immigrants settled in the 1990s.

(PB)

The pet cat population has surpassed pet dogs for the first time, according
to a new government survey.

The Ministry of Agriculture says the country now has an estimated
one-million-740-thousand cats, up nearly 33 percent from two years ago...

...while the pet dog population edged down slightly to
one-million-460-thousand.

The Ministry says the shift reflects growing numbers of single-person
households in cities, where smaller living spaces make cats a more practical
choice.

More people are also keeping multiple cats, which has driven the overall
count higher.

On the regulatory side, pet cat registration becomes mandatory starting
January 1st of next year, but the Ministry says many owners are still unaware
of the requirement.

(PB)

Former TPP lawmaker Li Chen-hsiu has applied to the court for an injunction
to temporarily maintain her party membership.

She was expelled from the TPP and lost her at-large legislative seat last
week.


She filed the application with the Taipei District Court last Friday, naming
the TPP as the respondent, and the case is currently under review.



Li has been embroiled in controversy over her nationality and legislative
eligibility.

The TPP's Central Evaluation Committee revoked her party membership after she
publicly allegedly that Hsin-chu Mayor Gao Hung-an had taken 7 million NT
from then-TPP chairman Ko Wen-je.

In response, TPP chair Huang Guo-chang said today that he's "not worried
about Li's action at all, " saying that he'll leave the whole thing to the
judicial system.

(JL)

Artists from around the world are gathering in Hualien for the 2026 Pacific
Ocean International Festival of Rock Balancing and Arts.

The festival, officially opening on May 1st, centers on the philosophy of
leave-no-trace creation.

County officials say participants must build their works entirely from
materials found on site, with each piece required to span at least two meters
in diameter.

Finished works must withstand sea winds and tidal forces without any
artificial support.

Fifteen teams of competitive stone stacking specialists from across Taiwan
began their ten-day challenge this week, and international artists are in
residence through April 25th.

The county says the top spot comes with winnings of $80-thousand NT.

Online public voting opens April 28th and 29th, giving the public a chance to
weigh in on their favorites.

(NS)

An investigation is underway into the cause of fire at a residential building
in Chiayi City that resulted in the deaths of three family members.

According to the city's fire department, a couple and their 5-year-old
daughter were found unresponsive on the third-floor balcony.

They were rushed to a nearby hospital, but but all three were pronounced
dead.

Fire department officials say they blaze broke out at around 8PM yesterday in
a detached residential building located in an alleyway off Daya Road, Section
2 ....

.. and when firefighters arrived at the scene and found flames spreading from
the top floor.

The fire was brought under control roughly an hour later.

Chiayi City Mayor Huang Ming-hui visited the scene to express her concern and
has instructed the city government officials to provide necessary assistance
to other affected residents and their families.

The Taiwan Railway Corporation says firework debris from the Baishatun Mazu
pilgrimage has been found scattered across parts track in the Miaoli area.

According to the rail operator, the debris resulted in temporary delays to
services between Tongxiao and Xinpu - and that section was operating on a
single track in both directions until 8:30 this morning.

The rail operator says is was made aware of the firework debris from the
pilgrimage at just before 7 o'clock this morning and sent teams to inspect
the track and overhead overhead wires.

The railways corporation is advising the public not to let off firecrackers
along rail lines, as debris can disrupt operations.

The annual Bai-sha-tun Mazu pilgrimage set off on April 13 from Miaoli County
for its eight-day procession to Yunlin County.

It's set to return to the Gongtian Temple in Miaoli this afternoon.

The annual Dajia Mazu pilgrimage has arrived in Yunlin's Xiluo Township -
where police deployed an additonal 500 officers for security purposes.

The larger than normal police presence in the township came after three
police officers were injured, and two suspects arrested following clashes in
Changhua this past weekend.

The Yunlin County Police Bureau says it had originally planned to deploy
2,000 officers, but increase that number to include more plain clothed and
uniformed officers, as well volunteer police and civil defense personnel.

Forty police officers are stationed around the palanquin as it entered the
town and arrived at the Xintian Temple.

Tens of thousands of people welcomed the Mazu palanquin as it arrived at the
Xiluo Bridge at around 8 o'clock last night and made its way to the temple.

The Xiluo Township Farmers' Association and the temple prepared over a
thousand dishes for a banquet for the pilgrims.

The 9-day, 8-night Dajia Mazu pilgrimage began last Friday evening and will
end this coming Sunday after covering 340-kilometers and passing through
Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin, and Chiayi.

C-P-C has left gasoline and diesel prices unchanged at the pump again this
week - as the government seeks to stabilize consumer prices and keep a lid on
inflationary pressures.

It marks the third consecutive week that state refiner has maintained its
fuel prices at the same level - despite global oil prices remaining volatile
due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

The move means 92 octane unleaded remain at 32.4 N-T per liter, while the
price of premium diesel stays at 31 N-T a liter.

C-P-C says it will absorb losses of 3.6 N-T per liter for gasoline and 5.4
N-T per liter for diesel prices in order to adhere to the government's policy
of ensuring that fuel prices remain lower than those of its neighboring
markets.

Under C-P-C's floating pricing mechanism, which uses a weighting of 70-per
cent Dubai and 30-per cent Brent crude, the average international oil price
last week stood at 107.44 U-S dollars per barrel.

That was down from 115.99 U-S dollars per barrel the previous week.

And,

The Central Weather Administration says we can expect generally stable
conditions today - but a weak northeasterly wind system is expected to bring
scattered showers to the Greater Taipei area and the east tomorrow.

Other regions will remain mostly cloudy to sunny with isolated afternoon
showers.

Conditions will briefly stabilize on Wednesday.

However, a weather front will moving through Taiwan starting on Thursday,
bringing with it an increased likelihood of showers or thunderstorms
islandwide.

Temperatures in the north and northeast are are expected to drop as the front
approaches - and rainfall likely in the north and center.

The unstable weather is expected to persist into Friday and Saturday under
the combined influence of the front and strengthening northeasterly winds -
when showers or thunderstorms are possible across the island.

Somaliland's foreign ministry has congratulated President Lai Ching-te on his
upcoming visit to Eswatini and his first trip to Africa since taking office
in May of 2024.

Taiwan opened a representative office in Somaliland's capital in August of
2020, and Somaliland reciprocated by opening a similar office in Taipei in
September that same year.

Lai is slated to travel to Eswatini from April 22 to 27.

The Presidential Office announced last week that the theme of the state visit
is "Celebrating Together for Taiwan and Eswatini, Working Hand in Hand for
Common Prosperity."

Lai will be attending celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of King
Mswati III's accession to the throne and his 58th birthday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the trip will be a direct flight
with no transits.

Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming says the government plans to establish a
national "urban forest" initiative to expand tree cover and create continuous
shade along daily commuting routes.

According to Peng, the plan envisions that "in 10 years, people will be able
to walk from M-R-T stations to their offices under tree shade" if planting
begins now.

Peng says the proposal will be submitted to the Presidential Office's
National Climate Change Committee next week and a full plan is expected to be
released the end of the year.

The plan will prioritize native species and biodiversity, while avoiding
unsuitable trees, and will involve coordination across central and local
governments down to the neighborhood level ....

... and a dedicated tree-planting unit is also under consideration.

Peng also says each tree could be assigned a digital "identity" for long-term
monitoring and management.

Premier Cho Jung-tai says Taiwan has now regained its status as free of
African swine fever.

It comes after the Ministry of Agriculture announced earlier this month that
Taiwan's self-declaration of freedom from the African swine fever virus was
officially approved by the World Organization for Animal Health.

Taiwan detected its first A-S-F case on October 21 of last year at a farm in
Taichung - that after becoming the first country in Asia to hold disease-free
status for all three swine diseases following recognition in May of last
year.

The agriculture ministry applied to regain disease-free status on February 21.

According to the premier, the government has been working actively to seeking
international certification over the past six months and he's also thanking
the pork industry for working closely with the government to maintain strict
controls.

The premier says government will continue to strengthen border controls,
disease prevention systems, and cooperation with industry.

pilgrimage

Three police officers were injured, and two suspects arrested after clashes
broke out in Changhua as the annual Dajia Mazu pilgrimage passed through the
city this past weekend.

According to police in Changhua, the three officers were injured when they
tried to intervene in a dispute that erupted among members of a group
welcoming the procession.

Two suspects were arrested at the scene.

The Changhua Police Precinct says other individuals involved in the violent
are still being identified and will be summoned for questioning following a
review of surveillance footage from the area.

Another altercation along the procession route in Changhua was quickly
brought under control and two men were detained then.

Authorities are reiterating a zero-tolerance stance on violence during this
year's Dajia Mazu pilgrimage ..

.. and the National Police Agency has condemned "troublemakers that
undermined public authority" - saying such actions will be clamped down on
those responsible held accountable.

The Dajia Mazu pilgrimage began last Friday and will end this coming Sunday.

The Navy's goodwill fleet has wrapped-up port calls in St. Lucia and St.
Vincent and the Grenadines and is now headed to Belize.

The fleet is officially designated as the 2026 Midshipmen and Cruising
Training Squadron of the Republic of China Navy.

It arrived in St. Lucia on April 11 for a three-day stop.

Two of the goodwill fleet's three vessels - the fast combat support ship
Panshi and the Kang Ding-class guided-missile frigate Di Hua - were opened to
the public there.

Taiwan's embassy in St. Lucia says the vessels draw approximately 2,000
visitors.

The third vessel, the Cheng Kung-class guided-missile frigate Yueh Fei was
not opened to the public.

The fleet then sailed to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

A formal welcoming ceremony will be held in Belize on April 22 - and that
port call will mark the first visit by the Navy's goodwill fleet in 13 years.

The fleet left Taiwan in late February for its annual training voyage.

And,

Veteran cinematographer Lai Cheng-ying has died.

He was 95.

Lai's death was confirmed by Lu Jun-ming, the secretary-general of the
Chinese Society of Cinematographers, following reports of Lai's passing early
Sunday on a cinematographers' group social media chat.

Lai was born in Taichung in 1931 and co-founded the association 37 years ago.

He was among Taiwan's first generation of film professionals trained by the
predecessor of Central Motion Picture Corporation.

He entered the film industry in the 1950s, working his way up from assistant
cameraman to cinematographer and later director.

He was also sent to Japan to study color cinematography and film processing,
bringing back new techniques to Taiwan.

Lai won three Golden Horse Awards for best cinematography for the films
"Beautiful Duckling," "Stars Gathering," and "Execution in Autumn."

He was awarded the Golden Horse Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.

CPC Corp. says it will continue a diesel and gasoline price freeze next week,
with prices ranging from 31 NT per liter for diesel to 35.9 NT per liter for
premium unleaded gasoline.

The move is aimed at keeping Taiwan fuel prices the lowest in the region ...
even as neighboring countries are also subsidizing pump prices in the face of
higher global oil prices due to shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

CPC says it has absorbed a total of 11.5 billion NT in losses since the war
started on Feb. 28 ... in the hope of keeping consumer and export prices
steady. It says the cost of absorbing increased costs was 3.6 NT per liter of
gasoline last week ... 5.4 NT for diesel.

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Police say they'll launch an investigation after a report that unidentified
individuals pepper sprayed a group of politicians including TPP founder Ko
Wen-je (柯文哲) during a campaign event at Fengjia Night Market in Taichung
last night.

Ko visited Dajia Jenn Lann Temple during the day before campaigning with city
councilor candidate Liu Chin-yu (劉芩妤) at the night market.

Liu said in an official report to Taichung's police that two people on a
scooter aimed pepper spray towards people in the procession while she and Ko
were campaigning on foot.

She said it happened three times within 40 minutes.

Police said the campaign route was a pedestrian-only area and they hadn't yet
found any evidence of two scooter riders or any spraying incident as
described.

But their investigation continues.

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In Miaoli County, a diner at a branch of a chain cafe was killed when a
driver turned into the parking lot and failed to slow down.

The driver, a 71-year-old woman, said she tried to reduce her speed and
doesn't know why she lost control of the car.

Police say they have ruled out drunk driving in the accident. The exact cause
is still under investigation.

A man who took the brunt of the crash was disoriented and unable to speak
when EMTs arrived. After he was taken to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to
his injuries.

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Some Taiwan economists are forecasting that the Taiwan dollar will soon
stabilize around 31 NT per US dollar ... as a recent trend of depreciation
reversed this past week.

The apparent advances in efforts toward resolving the Iran conflict have led
to an influx of funds to Taiwan, resulting in rising stock prices and a
weaker dollar versus the NT.

The US dollar slipped from 31.7 NT to 31.5 by the end of the week.

Cathay United Bank chief economist Lin Chi-chao (林啟超) forecasts that so
long as the Iran conflict doesn't flare up again, the NT should return to
around 31 per dollar soon ... but any further strengthening is doubtful given
the uncertainty around what US President Donald Trump's next move that might
destabilize the global economy might be.

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Tuesday

The KMT and TPP's stalemate with the DPP administration could make progress
next week, with a plan for the budget review committee to convene on Tuesday.

Both sides reached a consensus on Wednesday for the committee to review the
Cabinet's 3 trillion-NT budget allocation for this year, which was submitted
to the Legislative Yuan in August.

A key stumbling block is the Cabinet's omission of pay increases for
military, police and firefighters sought by the opposition. Premier Cho
Jung-tai will be questioned on this and other budgetary matters on Tuesday
before the committee begins its review.

As part of the cross-party negotiations, the Cabinet agreed to amend laws
related to government personnel within six months to ensure their rights are
safeguarded.

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President Lai Ching-te is calling for the swift passage of a special defense
budget.

He made the appeal during an inspection of the Army Infantry Training Command
in Kaohsiung.

The NT$1.25 trillion budget, which the Cabinet submitted to the legislature
for review in November, is under committee review.

The bill would fund weapons systems approved by the US for sale to Taiwan in
December as well as arms sale packages that haven't yet been notified to the
US Congress and initiatives involving local manufacturers.

The opposition KMT and TPP have submitted their own versions of the budget
bill due to disagreements over its scope and cost.

Lai said that the budget should be approved *without cuts* to support the
acquisition of highly mobile and precision weapons.

He said Taiwan's strategy is to avoid war through readiness and stop war
through strength, an assertion he has often repeated.

Meanwhile, four American senators who traveled to Taiwan in March have
published a letter to Taiwan's lawmakers ... informing them that an
announcement of new weapons sales to Taiwan is expected soon.

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