Stories from Taiwan

Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu announced a consultative session scheduled for May 6th. Legislative negotiations in Taiwan regarding arms procurement stalled after only 30 minutes.

Speculation is mounting that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) may field a new candidate for the 2026 local elections.

Legislator Li Chen-hsiu has been expelled from the Taiwan People's Party, causing her to lose her at-large legislative seat. The party central has stated there will not be an 8,000 New Taiwan Dollar version of a stimulus, only a 3,800 New Taiwan Dollar version. The politician believes the essence of the 3,800 and 8,000 dollar versions is the same, differing only in the timing of distribution. The politician also commented on the F-35 fighter jet, noting it is what the Ministry of National Defense most wants to purchase, but the US does not sell it to Taiwan. They cautioned against equating higher spending with greater patriotism. A Taiwanese politician is returning to Taiwan, described as being under pressure and facing difficulties. A Taiwanese politician is returning to Taiwan, described as a relatively low-key arrival compared to past high-profile returns.

Taiwanese authorities uncovered an underground drug factory operating in a remote mountainous area of Pingzhen District.

Oriental White-headed Eagles have successfully bred at a record low latitude in Zhucao, Yunlin County, Taiwan. Observers from the Wild Bird Society of Taiwan identified three chicks hatching near high-voltage power towers along the Zuoshui River coast. This marks the first successful breeding of the species in a natural environment in Taiwan. Local legislators and conservationists visited the site on April 27 to monitor the nesting conditions. The event is noted for its significance in both ecological conservation and environmental education. Yunlin County Magistrate Chang Li-shan announced that the county government has initiated multiple conservation measures to protect the species. These measures include coordinating with Meiliao Petrochemical to implement an 'ecological priority' principle during high-voltage tower maintenance to avoid disturbing the eagles.

The annual Dajia Mazu pilgrimage in Taiwan concluded after 11 days of travel instead of the planned 9 days. Vice Chairman Zheng Mingkuan reported that approximately 600,000 people participated in the procession on the opening day. The procession reached the temple at 1:21 AM, slightly later than last year's 1:10 AM arrival. Due to high enthusiasm, the event duration was extended from 9 days to 11 days this year. Organizers increased the number of snack stations along the route to accommodate the large crowds. The exact total number of participants for the 2026 event remains uncalculated.

The Central Election Commission reports that the failure to appoint new personnel for the Executive Yuan may impact upcoming nine-in-one elections. Political negotiations regarding a specific project concluded after 30 minutes without reaching a consensus. Speaker Han Kuo-yu announced a follow-up meeting scheduled for May 6 at 3:00 PM. The project's budget requires formal approval from the party caucus before a final decision can be made. All party groups had previously stated their positions prior to the session. Cross-party negotiations in Taiwan concluded without reaching a consensus on key issues.

The Intellectual Property and Commercial Court issued its first instance ruling today regarding the TSMC internal leak case. A Taiwan court sentenced Chen Li-min to 10 years in prison for leaking intellectual property to Tokyo Electron Taiwan.

Former legislator Kao Chia-yu clarified she is not running for mayor of Zhubei in the upcoming 2026 local elections.

Kuomintang legislator Lai Shih-pao criticized Democratic Progressive Party candidate Shen Boyang regarding his campaign tactics in Taipei. Chuang also mentioned using AI to analyze the impact of his own recent hairstyle change on public discussion. Kuomintang legislator Chen Yu-chen criticized Democratic Progressive Party legislator Wang Ting-yu regarding the focus on a military-themed film. DPP legislator Chen Zhihan criticized opposition figures for questioning the 'White Crane' initiative, accusing them of hindering progress. The legislator noted that while the party once had ideals to improve lives, current strategies focus on winning at any cost. The speaker addressed allegations regarding Li Tzu-chun's land trusts, stating the land was ancestral inheritance managed through transparent trusts.