IPAC annual summit opens in Taipei
President Lai Ching-te said July 30 that Taiwan will stand with the country’s democratic partners to avert the threat of expanding authoritarianism while working together for peace and prosperity. Lai made the remarks while delivering a speech to the annual meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China July 30 in Taipei City. IPAC announced that Taiwan has officially become a member of the alliance. Fan Yun, of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, and Chen Gau-tzu of the opposition Taiwan People’s Party, will serve as IPAC co-chairs. According to the Presidential Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IPAC’s passage of a resolution proclaiming support for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement in U.N. agencies during the summit is deeply appreciated. The resolution states that UNGA Resolution 2758 does not mention Taiwan, nor does it recognize the People’s Republic of China’s sovereignty over Taiwan or prevent Taiwan from participating in international organizations.
MOFA thanks Japan, US, EU for cross-strait peace support
The unwavering support for cross-strait peace and stability recently expressed by Japan and U.S. foreign and defense ministers as well as Josep Borrell, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, is deeply appreciated by the government and people of Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said July 28. Such support is shown in a joint statement released following the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee held earlier in the day in Tokyo. The U.S. and Japan concurred that China’s foreign policy seeks to reshape the international order for its own benefit, and highlighted that Beijing employs political, economic and military coercion to achieve its objectives. The two sides shared the understanding that such behavior represents the greatest strategic challenge in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, the statement said. Borrell urged relevant parties to reduce tension through the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea instead of the use of force.
President Lai oversees 40th Han Kuang military exercises
President Lai Ching-te thanked members of the ROC (Taiwan) Armed Forces for their dedication, as he inspected drills on the second day of the annual Han Kuang exercises July 23 in the eastern county of Hualien. The president visited both Chiashan and Hualien Air Force Bases, where he witnessed exercises on decentralized management, overall air defense, runway repairs and field hospital simulations. In later exercises, the MND’s Military News Agency reported that a brigade in the southern city of Tainan carried out a nighttime counter-infiltration practice July 23 at Anping Harbor and an anti-landing live-fire drill was conducted July 24 in the outlying Penghu Islands.
Foreign Minister Lin receives German Bundestag member
Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung met with Roderich Kiesewetter, deputy head of the German Bundestag’s Parliamentary Oversight Panel and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, July 23 in Taipei City, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Lin said that peace across the Taiwan Strait is key to ensuring Indo-Pacific security and the stability of global supply chains. He also called on like-minded partners such as Germany to unite to tackle China’s ongoing threats and hybrid warfare both in the region and around the world. Kiesewetter concurred with Lin on the importance of cooperation among democracies and Taiwan’s investment in Germany’s semiconductor industry.
VP Hsiao, NHRC chair receive Canadian Indigenous delegation
Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and National Human Rights Commission Chair Chen Chu met with an Indigenous delegation from the Parliament of Canada July 17 and 16 in Taipei City. Led by Brian Francis, chair of the Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples, the group comprises David Wells, caucus chair of the Conservative Party in the Senate, and other senators and House of Commons members. Hsiao said Taiwan and Canada’s people-to-people exchanges are especially thriving between Indigenous groups, noting that the country’s Indigenous community also participated in the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture held last month in Hawaii with thousands of Pacific counterparts. She added that Indigenous culture plays a key part in the bilateral relationship. NHRC Commissioner Pu Chung-cheng noted that Taiwan formulated regulations to protect ethnic groups’ rights, including the Indigenous Peoples’ Basic Law, the Indigenous Peoples’ Employment Rights Protection Act and the Indigenous Languages Development Act.
MOEA, ASOA stage biotechnology medical industry event
The Small and Medium Enterprise and Startup Administration under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Taipei City-based American State Offices Association jointly organized a biotechnology and medical care forum July 26 in Taipei City to explore future cooperation opportunities between the two countries. SMESA Deputy Director-General Lin Bi-yu said Taiwan and the U.S. share close and complementary trade ties, as Taiwan boasts a complete information and communications technology supply chain and clinical medicine prowess, while the U.S. is a global leader in biomedical technologies. During the event, held on the sidelines of BIO Asia-Taiwan, representatives from the six U.S. states of Idaho, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wyoming brought participants up to speed on their respective regulations and available resources for firms seeking business opportunities in their states, while ASOA President Felix Yen hosted a matchmaking session.
Agricultural training course starts in Pingtung
The Intensive Training Course for African Elites, aimed at sharing agricultural knowledge and techniques with African professionals, commenced July 8 in Pingtung County in southern Taiwan, reflecting government commitment to deepening ties with partner countries. A total of 25 trainees from Eswatini, Kenya, Libya, Namibia, Nigeria, Somaliland, South Africa and Tanzania took part in the three-week event. It was organized in response to the African Union’s “Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want,” a set of initiatives intended to transform the continent into a global powerhouse, the MOE said. First held in 2023, the training session is organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Overseas Community Affairs Council and takes place at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology.
Taiwan Expo gets underway in New Delhi
The Taiwan Expo 2024 in India opened July 8 in New Delhi to aid local firms’ expansion into major overseas markets, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Focusing on green energy and smart technology, the three-day event is an MOEA International Trade Administration project and features over 100 firms showcasing offerings in areas spanning smart manufacturing, green sustainability, healthy living and smart city development. ITA Director General Cynthia Kiang said during the event that India’s manufacturing sector is thriving due to global supply chain shifts. She added that Taiwan has advantages in industries including semiconductors and information and communications technology, while India benefits from its policy subsidies, which make the two sides ideal partners.
Taiwan export orders up 3.1 percent in June
Taiwan’s June export orders increased 3.1 percent year on year to US$45.56 billion, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs July 22. Among the country’s main export sectors, information and communications technology product orders rose 3.6 percent to NT$12.74 billion (US$395 million) while electronics soared 6.3 percent to NT$15.54 billion. The MOEA attributed the strong showings to increased demand for artificial intelligence, cloud and high-performance computing, and other emerging technology applications. Chemicals were up 9.5 percent to US$1.6 billion, showing the highest growth due to rising international oil prices, the MOEA said. Taiwan’s top source of orders remained the U.S., up 3.7 percent to US$14.79 billion, followed by China and Hong Kong, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, and Europe.
Premier Cho unveils new national development project
A new national development project was unveiled by the Executive Yuan July 18 in Taipei City to promote infrastructure development and key industries, cultivate personnel and build Taiwan into an Asian asset management hub. The initiative was proposed during the first meeting of the new Cabinet-level Economic Development Commission convened by Premier Cho Jung-tai. The project’s primary goal is to attract between NT$3 trillion (US$92 billion) and NT$4 trillion from home and abroad to invest in major infrastructure projects and key sectors, Cho said. This is facilitated by establishment of a single window with cross-ministerial coordination to address regulatory issues. Investment initiatives will be fast-tracked and the cabinet expects the project to create an estimated NT$10 trillion in economic benefits. National Development Council Minister Liu Chin-ching said the government will also promote regulatory easing to make Taiwan the destination of choice for the estimated 35 million digital nomads working remotely around the world.
Life satisfaction among new residents over 90 percent
Over 92 percent of new immigrants to Taiwan report that they are content, with job satisfaction hitting 94.8 percent, according to the results of a survey released July 19 by the Ministry of the Interior. The MOI reports that 45.6 percent of Taiwan’s new residents are between 45 and 64 years old. A total of 60.5 percent of all new residents work in the service industry, with an overall labor force participation rate reaching 75 percent, the MOI said, adding that the average monthly household income among the group has increased by 18.2 percent, up NT$9,576 (US$292) from five years ago. The MOI further reports that 75.9 percent of new residents have lived in Taiwan for more than 10 years, and the number of new residents who have taken part in literacy courses and other similar care services has increased from 54.2 percent in 2018 to 62.9 percent in the latest survey. Nearly one-third have also participated in social and public welfare activities over the past year, demonstrating their successful integration into Taiwan’s society, the ministry said.
Tennis ace Hsieh wins Wimbledon mixed doubles
Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and her partner Jan Zielinski of Poland won the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon July 14 in London, continuing Hsieh’s stellar performance in global tennis, according to the Ministry of Education. In the 76-minute finals against Giuliana Olmos and Santiago Gonzalez from Mexico, Hsieh and Zielinski won the first three games in the first set, and despite their opponents’ best efforts, the duo ultimately triumphed with two straight wins 6-4 and 6-2. The 38-year-old will team with 20-year-old Tsao Chia-yi to represent Taiwan at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games women’s doubles, set to start July 26 in Paris.
Taiwan maintains Tier 1 status in US report
Taiwan remained at Tier 1 for the 15th consecutive year in the U.S. Department of State’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report, reflecting global recognition of the government’s protection of human rights, the Ministry of the Interior said June 25. Of the 188 countries and territories assessed in the report, Taiwan is one of five in the Asia-Pacific listed as Tier 1, along with Australia, Singapore, South Korea and the Philippines, the MOI said. Regional neighbors Japan and Hong Kong are in Tier 2 and Tier 2 Watch List, respectively, while China is in Tier 3. The report also listed 11 recommendations for Taiwan spanning labor law reforms to allow migrant workers to change jobs mid-contract without employer approval, a Direct Hiring Service Center expansion and legislation to better protect the rights of caregivers and domestic workers.
Medical cooperation workshop advances healthcare
The second Taiwan-U.K. health technology assessment workshop was held June 24-25 in Taipei City, underscoring the country’s commitment to jointly advancing medicine. The Ministry of Health and Welfare’s National Health Insurance Administration and Center for Health Policy and Technology Assessment organized the event in cooperation with the U.K.’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the NHIA said. The June 24 sessions focused on funding methods for new cancer drugs as well as digital health development at NICE, and were open to academics, pharmaceutical industry professionals, patient groups and the public. In contrast, June 25 will see closed-door talks on real-world data collection mechanisms for new medicines and the evaluation of their clinical efficacy between experts from NICE, NHIA and CHPTA staff members, and domestic specialists in gene and cellular therapies.
Data emerges from first domestic meteorological satellite
Data collected by Taiwan’s first domestically produced weather satellite, Triton (Formosat-7R), was recently released, advancing the country’s meteorological observation capabilities, according to the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) July 12. Launched last October, Triton, also known as Wind-Hunter, gathers between 30,000 and 40,000 reflections from navigation satellites over sea surfaces daily, resulting in 7,000 to 8,000 wind speed products, the TASA said. Such data helps fill gaps in radar data near the Earth’s surface and significantly improves heavy rainfall forecast accuracy, it added. Observations currently focus on the low-latitude regions of the Atlantic, Indian and Western Pacific Oceans, where typhoons commonly form.
World Deaf Athletics Championships take place in Taipei
The World Deaf Athletics Championships ran July 18-23 in Taipei City, highlighting government commitment to promoting sports for deaf and hard-of-hearing competitors at home and abroad. The World Deaf Youth Athletics Championships, newly launched this year, took place from July 14-16. Both WDYAC and WDAC are international sporting events authorized by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf, the Sports Administration noted, adding that their level is only one rank lower than the Deaflympics. Chinese Taipei Deaf Sports Federation and Taipei City Government cooperated to organize the event and its youth counterpart this year, attracting over 300 competitors from 40 countries, the SA added. Taiwan’s delegation to the WDAC is led by An Ching-lung, a former Deaflympics decathlete, who oversees 7 other coaches and 13 athletes.
2024 Tang Prize winners announced
This year’s Tang Prize laureates in biopharmaceutical science, sinology and rule of law were unveiled June 19, 20 and 21, respectively, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to society. Scientists Joel F. Habener, Svetlana Mojsov and Jens Juul Holst were acknowledged for their discovery of Glucagon-like peptide-1 (7-37), a bioactive hormone that stimulates insulin secretion and has the potential to treat diabetes and obesity. Ninety-four-year-old Hsu Cho-yun, a renowned Taiwanese American historian, was the recipient of the sinology award. Former Ireland President Mary Robinson received the prize in rule of law for her work in gender equality, poverty alleviation, human rights and climate justice, the selection committee said, adding that the 80-year-old has long advocated for society’s most disadvantaged groups. Established by Taiwan entrepreneur Samuel Yen-liang Yin in 2012 and first conferred two years later, the biennial Tang Prize aspires to encourage more professionals to pursue knowledge needed to further the development of human civilization. Each award brings a cash prize of NT$50 million (US$1.54 million).
2024 Taiwan Culinary Exhibition
The 2024 Taiwan Culinary Exhibition is set to run Aug. 2-5 at Taipei World Trade Center, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Organized by Taiwan Visitors Association to promote the country’s food culture to international visitors, the expo includes 600 stands, ranging from Michelin-starred restaurants, award-winning food and beverage brands, MOA-sponsored agricultural products, and popular local restaurants. The MOA is showcasing 13 outstanding domestic producers, including the winner of the World Agricultural Tourism Award sustainability category, the winner of both Japan and UK marmalade awards and the winner of International Taste Institute’s organic rose jam award. The Hakka Affairs Council’s Ha-Food Pavilion features Hakka products and has invited chef Thomas Chien from his eponymous Kaohsiung City-based restaurant to give a cooking demonstration, as well as other Hakka food producers who work with a fusion of tradition and innovation.
MOFA launches 10th Trending Taiwan Short Film Competition
The Trending Taiwan Short Film Competition got underway July 16 to raise the country’s profile on the global stage, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Organized by the MOFA’s Department of International Information Services, the 10th edition of the annual event accepts global submissions until Oct. 10. There are two categories for the competition. The Creative Theme category invites entries in the traditional landscape format of no more than three minutes, while the Reel-style Short Video category encourages vertical submissions of 60 seconds or less. Student Special Award recipients will be selected from all submissions made, the MOFA said. Winning work will be subtitled in a variety of foreign languages for broadcast on Trending Taiwan’s social media platforms that include Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X and YouTube, as well as made available for promotional use by Taiwan’s overseas offices.
Taiwan deepens artistic cooperation with France
Taiwan and France recently concluded a cooperative agreement deepening bilateral arts cooperation, underscoring the two sides’ commitment to integrating creative resources, the Ministry of Culture said July 22. Under the pact inked by Nikky Lin, director of the National Museum of Taiwan Literature, and Cécile Renault, head of culture, university cooperation and education of the French Office in Taipei, artists from throughout the francophone world are invited to complete art residencies in Taiwan, the MOC said.
Indigenous artists showcase work in New Zealand
An exhibition of Indigenous art opened July 6 in New Plymouth, New Zealand with support from Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture, highlighting the government’s commitment to promoting cultural understanding. “Without centre, without limits,” hosted at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre, features the work of Lafin Sawmah, Eleng Luluan, Akac Orat and Malay Makakazuwa. The MOC said that the exhibition’s name references a way of thinking freed from the colonial mindset that draws boundaries and homogenizes identities. The artists’ pieces explore diverse concepts including collective responsibility and community spirit; the inseparability of human society from land and sea; and the unbreakable link between the past, present and future.
Taiwan artists set to shine in Europe
Nine teams are participating in Festival Avignon Off, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Dusseldorf’s Internationale Tanzmesse in July and August, according to the Ministry of Culture. The MOC has long supported domestic performance groups on the international stage as a way to present Taiwan from the perspective of its own people. The groups going to Europe include acrobatics, dance, drama, new circus and puppet performers. Festival Avignon Off opens July 3 in the southeastern French city of Avignon, the MOC said. Taiwan Season begins Aug. 2 at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. Internationale Tanzmesse in Dusseldorf begins Aug. 28.
Tao tribe culture project tours Europe
Two performance groups from Taiwan’s Tao tribe toured Europe May 24 to June 1, underscoring the government’s dedication to international promotion of the country’s Indigenous culture. The Tao Culture and Performance Project tour was jointly supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Section of the Taipei Representative Office in the Federal Republic of Germany and Austria’s Vienna-based iKultur. Two groups, Orchid Island’s Sound of the Ocean and the 33rd Golden Melody Award shortlisted band Wild Thing performed in Vienna and the Lithuanian cities of Vilnius and Jonava. iKultur curators Lin Weiya and Johannes Kretz have researched Orchid Island music and culture since 2007 and themed this year’s project “Connection and Narrative,” using music to showcase the dialogue between past and present Tao culture. The Tao Culture and Performance Project combines historic recordings collected by Academia Sinica and the Ethnomusicology Research Center in Paris, France, to display Indigenous spoken language in combination with contemporary art to preserve and develop Taiwan’s Indigenous tribal culture.
Photos: Central News Agency, Hakka Affairs Council, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Presidential Office, Taiwan Space Agency, Tang Prize Foundation and U.S. Department of State