Fri, Apr 11, 2025
US President Donald Trump abruptly paused tariffs on most countries, sparking euphoria on global markets yesterday, but upped the ante on a brutal trade war with superpower rival China.After days of turmoil, stocks on Wall Street and across Asia saw huge surges in reaction to Trump’s announcement th
SUPPORT: Despite concerns over tariffs, US defense officials stressed the importance of arming Taiwan and deepening military cooperation at a House hearing The US Department of Defense is committed to strengthening Taiwan’s defense capabilities, despite growing concerns over the economic impact of US tariffs, a Pentagon official said on Wednesday.The department is “working to prioritize our security systems to Taiwan,” US Assistant Secretary of Defense
Taiwanese stocks surged 9.25 percent yesterday after US President Donald Trump overnight announced a 90-day pause on his “reciprocal” tariffs for most countries, easing investor fears and fueling a global rebound.The TAIEX opened sharply, soaring 1,615.09 points to 19,006.85, then stabilized as many
Germany’s next leader, the conservative Friedrich Merz, vowed on Wednesday to “move the country forward again” by boosting the economy and defense as he presented a deal to launch his coalition government by early next month.Merz is set to take over as leader of Europe’s top economy just as US Presi
NEGOTIATIONS: Taiwan has good relations with Washington and the outlook for the negotiations looks promising, Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo said Taiwan’s GDP growth this year is expected to decrease by 0.43 to 1.61 percentage points due to the effects of US tariffs, National Development Council (NDC) Minister Paul Liu (劉鏡清) said at a meeting of the legislature’s Economics Committee in Taipei yesterday, citing a preliminary estimate by a priv
TRADE WAR: US President Donald Trump said other countries were ‘dying’ to make a deal with Washington, adding that ‘these countries are calling us up kissing my ass’ China is to impose 84 percent tariffs on US imports, up from 34 percent, the Chinese Ministry of Finance said yesterday, hours after similar levies by the US came into force. US President Donald Trump’s latest salvo of tariffs came into effect on dozens of trading partners, including punishing 104 p
A cruise ship carrying more than 3,000 passengers that was stranded in Japan for a day is set to return to Taiwan tomorrow morning, the Maritime Port Bureau said today.The cruise ship, Costa Serena, which departed from Keelung for Okinawa on Tuesday and was supposed to return to Keelung today, was s
About half of the respondents to a Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation (TPOF) survey expressed support for the Executive Yuan’s proposed NT$88-billion (US$2.69 billion) package as a response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, the TPOF said today.The survey found that 49.4 percent of survey respond
Taiwan is among the first batch of countries set to enter into tariff negotiations with the US, President William Lai (賴清德) said today."Taiwan is now included in the first list of negotiations" with the US, Lai told representatives from the machinery industry in Taichung, without providing further d
The legislature today passed a motion to confirm the proceedings of a plenary session held on Mar. 25 which sent two Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) referendum proposals to a second reading, after a contentious session marked by protests.The bill passed last month contains two KMT proposals to hold
The Legislative Yuan today rejected the Executive Yuan’s request to reconsider an amendment to the Police Personnel Management Act (警察人員人事條例) by a vote of 62 to 50. The amendment states that the monthly income replacement ratio for police, firefighters, coast guard personnel, National Immigration Ag
The captain of Togolese Republic-registered Chinese freighter Hong Tai 58 (宏泰58號) was indicted after the ship severed an undersea cable connecting Taiwan proper and Penghu County last month.The Tainan District Prosecutor’s Office charged the ship’s captain, a Chinese national surnamed Wang (王), for
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI), a Washington-based think tank, called on Taiwan to increase its defense budget and procure necessary weapons to comprehensively respond to threats from China in a report released today. The report, titled “US-Taiwan Relations: Advancing Four Pillars of the Strategi
Hsu Chih-yu (許芷瑜), who was the secretary of former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), has been listed as a wanted fugitive by the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) in connection with Ko's corruption and bribery case.Ko faces a jail sentence of up to 28.5 years after being indicted in Decemb
Taiwan's National Development Council (NDC) has previewed proposals to allow high-earning foreign professionals to apply for permanent residence after only one year, while also extending the duration of its new digital nomad visa to a maximum of two years.The draft changes, consisting of amendments
EXPORT ECONOMY: Experts have expressed concern that Taiwan would find it difficult to adapt to US tariffs, as they would heavily impact exports later in the year Exports last month spiked 18.6 percent from a year earlier to a new high of US$49.57 billion, driven by front-loading demand on the part of corporations to cope with US President Donald Trump’s threat of “reciprocal” tariffs, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday.Last month’s results turned out way
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC, 台積電) quarterly revenue rose a larger-than-anticipated 41.6 percent from a year earlier, reflecting strengthening demand for artificial intelligence (AI) servers and smartphones before US tariffs kicked in.That marked TSMC’s fastest pace of growth since
INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH: The nation is ‘highly competitive,’ but steps must be taken to prevent activities that ‘affect the US’ judgement,’ economic minister J.W. Kuo said Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) yesterday outlined five measures to tackle rules of origin circumvention, which he said is one of four key areas in Taiwan-US tariff negotiations.The measures are stronger monitoring of goods from China, communicating with Taiwanese businesses, establishin
While global markets have been dramatically disturbed by US President Donald Trump’s sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs on countries that have large trade surpluses with the US, a new trade war between the US and China — the two largest economies — has been ignited, which could lead to a reshaping of the
On Monday, US President Donald Trump took to social media with a shocking statement in response to China’s 34 percent retaliatory tariffs on US imports, angrily condemning the move as going against his prior warnings. He threatened that if China did not withdraw its 34 percent counter-tariffs by the
Although Indonesia does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the two sides have established close ties in the economic and sociocultural sectors.Indonesia is one of the priority countries among the 16 partner nations of Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy. To assert its presence and build a
PSG GAIN EDGE: The star forward mesmerized Aston Villa’s defense in a blizzard of quick feet and superb balance with the ball seemingly glued to his foot A wonder goal from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on Wednesday upstaged a brilliant curling shot from teammate Desire Doue as Paris Saint-Germain beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final.Morgan Rogers gave Villa the lead in the 35th minute, but 19-year-old Doue drew
Taiwan’s Cheng Tsung-che on Wednesday made his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates, just two days after being called up from Triple-A.In a home game at PNC Park against the St Louis Cardinals, Cheng wore a Taiwanese flag on his belt as he started at shortstop and batted ninth.“The journey has offi
Luka Doncic always knew it was going to be an emotional return to Dallas when wearing his No. 77 Los Angeles Lakers jersey in the place he called home the first five-and-a-half seasons of his NBA career.Then the Mavericks showed a more than two-minute video tribute before he had even been introduced
A potential European league could be a gold mine for the NBA as the top-flight North American league looks to muscle its way into a deep pool of talent across the Atlantic Ocean.The NBA is exploring the launch of a European league with world basketball governing body FIBA as a partner, NBA commissio
DISPUTE: Beijing seeks global support against Trump’s tariffs, but many governments remain hesitant to align, including India, ASEAN countries and Australia China is reaching out to other nations as the US layers on more tariffs, in what appears to be an attempt by Beijing to form a united front to compel Washington to retreat. Days into the effort, it is meeting only partial success from countries unwilling to ally with the main target of US President
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is leaning into his banking background as his country fights a trade war with the US, but his financial ties have also made him a target for conspiracy theories.Incorporating tropes familiar to followers of the far-right QAnon movement, conspiratorial social media
The EU has revealed details of a 20 billion euro (US$22 billion) plan to create new sites equipped with vast supercomputers in Europe to develop the next generation of artificial intelligence (AI) models, while opening the door to amending its landmark law that regulates the technology.Publishing a
The remains of this Japanese-era trail designed to protect the camphor industry make for a scenic day-hike, a fascinating overnight hike or a challenging multi-day adventure Maolin District (茂林) in Kaohsiung is well known for beautiful roadside scenery, waterfalls, the annual butterfly migration and indigenous culture. A lesser known but worthwhile destination here lies along the very top of the valley: the Liugui Security Path (六龜警備道). This relic of the Japanese era on
Hamburger Hill, Hue, the Ia Drang Valley, Khe Sanh: Some remember the Vietnam War battles from the headlines of the 1960s and 1970s, others from movies and history books. And thousands of Americans and Vietnamese know them as the graveyards of loved ones who died fighting more than a half-century ag
The latest IP to be mined into a Hollywood blockbuster is appropriately a video game that celebrates digging: A Minecraft Movie.Like The Super Mario Bros Movie and Jumanji before it, A Minecraft Movie centers on four misfits who enter a mysterious portal that pulls them into a strange land, this tim
A: The World Expo 2025 is about to open in Osaka. Is Taiwan going to participate in the event too?B: Sure, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) will launch a Taiwan pavilion named “Tech World.”A: That sounds cool, and it can showcase our national strength in technology.B: The theme
A: The World Expo 2025 is set to open in Osaka, Japan, on Sunday, with 158 countries and regions and nine international organizations participating in the event.B: Wow, what’s the theme this time?A: The theme is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.”B: Do you want to go? How long will it last?A:
The Matsu pilgrimage is one of Taiwan’s most iconic annual religious events. This grand occasion is more than just a religious ceremony; it deeply reflects Taiwan’s history and culture. Originally, Matsu was the goddess of the sea, primarily responsible for protecting fishermen and ensuring their sa
In 2020, a labor attache from the Philippines in Taipei sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanding that a Filipina worker accused of “cyber-libel” against then-president Rodrigo Duterte be deported. A press release from the Philippines office from the attache accused the woman of “using several social media accounts” to “discredit and malign the President and destabilize the government.” The attache also claimed that the woman had broken Taiwan’s laws. The government responded that she had broken no laws, and that all foreign workers were treated the same as Taiwan citizens and that “their rights are protected, including freedom of speech.” Last week the government announced that the National Immigration Agency (NIA) would revoke the spouse-based residence permit of social media influencer Liu Zhenya (劉振亞), a national of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), who is married to a local. This became a major news story, even making the international media. The NIA investigated reports that Liu advocated annexing Taiwan to the PRC through military force in videos posted on social media, including Douyin (where she has 400,000 followers), YouTube and TikTok. On all three, her account name is Yaya in Taiwan (亞亞在台灣). The NIA press release said that Liu’s residence permit will be revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the Measures for the Permission of Family-based Residence, Long-term Residence and Settlement of People from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area (大陸地區人民在台灣地區依親居留長期居留或定居許可辦法). The NIA said that her calls for military force against the people of Taiwan violate the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例). Liu thus violated specific rules that govern PRC citizens. She will be barred from re-applying for residence within the next five years. The government is giving her time on humanitarian grounds to arrange her family
March 24 to March 30 When Yang Bing-yi (楊秉彝) needed a name for his new cooking oil shop in 1958, he first thought of honoring his previous employer, Heng Tai Fung (恆泰豐). The owner, Wang Yi-fu (王伊夫), had taken care of him over the previous 10 years, shortly after the native of Shanxi Province arrived in Taiwan in 1948 as a penniless 21 year old. His oil supplier was called Din Mei (鼎美), so he simply combined the names. Over the next decade, Yang and his wife Lai Pen-mei (賴盆妹) built up a booming business delivering oil to shops and restaurants all over Taipei and Taoyuan. The major Shanghai restaurants in Taipei all ordered from him, and the owners were quite fond of the honest, no-nonsense and hard-working Yang. In 1963, the couple bought their own shop front, a one-story red brick structure on Xinyi Road (信義路) by Yongkang Street (永康街). Unfortunately, the traditional oil industry took a major hit around 1972 due to a health scare and the advent of mass-produced “salad oil.” With sales faltering, Yang’s friends suggested that he switch to selling Shanxi specialties such as knife-sliced noodles. However, Tang Yung-chang (唐永昌), owner of Shanghai restaurant Fuxingyuan (復興園), recommended the more delicate, varied Shanghai-style dim sum instead, even setting him up with one of his former dim sum chefs Lu Chi-chung (魯紀忠). In 1972, Yang set up three tables in one-half of his oil shop, and Lu got to work. Business was lousy at first, but Yang persisted, thinking that he had nothing to lose — at that time, he never expected Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐) to become a global empire. ESCAPING WAR Several books provide details on Yang’s early life, including Huang Hung-hu’s (黃鴻湖) Exemplary Din Tai Fung (典範鼎泰豐), Lin Ching-yi’s (林靜宜) Din Tai Fung: Warmth in Perfection (有溫度的完美)
| New Taipei City | 24-27 | 10% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 22-24 | 10% |  |
| Hsinchu City | 22-24 | 10% | |
| Taipei City | 24-28 | 10% | |
| Miaoli County | 22-25 | 10% | |
| Taoyuan City | 23-27 | 10% | |
| Keelung City | 22-25 | 20% | |
| Yunlin County | 24-27 | 10% | |
| Taichung City | 24-26 | 10% | |
| Nantou County | 24-27 | 10% | |
| Changhua County | 23-25 | 10% | |
| Chiayi County | 24-27 | 10% |  |
| Chiayi City | 25-28 | 10% | |
| Tainan City | 25-27 | 10% | |
| Kaohsiung City | 26-28 | 10% | |
| Pingtung County | 27-30 | 10% |  |
| Yilan County | 22-24 | 20% | |
| Hualien County | 23-25 | 30% |  |
| Taitung County | 24-26 | 20% | |
| Kinmen County | 21-25 | 10% | |
| Penghu County | 21-24 | 10% | |
| Lienchiang County | 18-21 | 10% | |
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