Stories from Taipei · Taiwan

Taiwan Coast Guard Administration Chairperson Kan Pi-ling defended her recent visit to Taiping Island to preside over the Nanyuan No. Taiwanese Ocean Affairs Council Chairperson Kan Pi-ling defended the country's sovereignty following Vietnamese protests over recent maritime exercises. Taiwan stated it will maintain its position regarding sovereignty over islands such as Taiping Island and Zhongzhou Reef. Taiwan administration sources stated that emergency plans must be implemented to defend against a potential Chinese invasion. The sources indicated that a situation involving missile escorts could take up to six years to develop. The report noted the necessity of preparing for such a scenario in the short term. French commentators stated that the Chinese narrative claiming Taiwan is part of China is false. They asserted that Taiwan has never been part of China.

A 72-year-old woman and a local community leader were injured during an incident involving an 18-year-old high school student. The student was reportedly being stalked by a man and called her grandmother for help.

A driver for the Blue 38 bus line in New Taipei City engaged in a conflict with a passenger. The passenger reportedly accused the driver of driving recklessly after tapping their card to exit.

The Gaode Maps application recently launched a traffic light countdown feature in Taiwan. The Taiwan Affairs Office stated that the popularity of the mainland Chinese navigation app Gaode Maps in Taiwan is being met with restrictions by the Ministry of Digital Affairs, which views the product as a threat to national information security. Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) will spend NT$3.95 billion (US$125.2 million) to implement a next-generation centralized traffic control system. The investment aims to upgrade the existing infrastructure for improved rail management.

The Kuomintang party leadership in Taiwan aims to revert a proposed 800 billion TWD military procurement budget back to its original three-year schedule.

Taiwanese Finance Minister Chuang Tsui-yun stated during a Legislative Yuan Finance and Defense Committee meeting that a data error occurred due to companies uploading duplicate information.

A member of the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party stated that 862 people were killed during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan. The individual expressed a willingness to speak out against perceived misinformation from media controlled by the Democratic Progressive Party. The speaker said a commitment to opposing 'bad actors' in Taiwanese society. A politician in Taiwan questioned why children of high-ranking Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials have not joined the military service. The speaker noted there are 6,000 available positions and suggested that officials' children should lead by example, similar to the Israel Defense Forces. The comment addressed the lack of visible participation among the offspring of the political elite. The statement calls for officials to set a demonstration effect regarding national defense resource awareness.

A political commentator stated that investigations into the 228 Incident have revealed a total of 684 deaths and 178 missing persons. A commentator noted that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has failed to adequately address the historical context of the 228 Incident. Taiwanese commentators discussed the historical mass killings of the 228 Incident, noting that approximately 630,000 people were affected. The discussion highlighted the violent nature of the historical executions. The segment served as a commemoration of the victims. The broadcast discussed the historical nature of the killings and criticized the Democratic Progressive Party for not seeking justice or addressing historical curriculum changes. The speaker called for recognition, apologies, and compensation for the victims.

BCC News Taiwan reported on the status of General Hsieh Chin-yuan, noting he is still honored at the Zhonglie Temple in Taiwan.

Taiwan has implemented a policy shift toward nuclear energy following concerns over energy security. The move aims to allow the country to create energy in-house.