Japan delegation urges border openingFOR EXPERTS, STUDENTS: People should be allowed to see free and open Taiwan for themselves, especially as many are concerned for the nation’s safety, a lawmaker said Taiwan should quickly reopen its borders for East Asian political experts and Chinese-language students so that they can see the free and open country for themselves, a delegation from the University of Tokyo’s cross-strait relations research group told President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at a meeting at the Presidential Office yesterday. Some members of the delegation comprising Japanese and Taiwanese researchers had to obtain visas in advance, as Taiwan has not reinstated a visa-waiver program for Japanese that was suspended early in the COVID-19 pandemic, said politics professor Yasuhiro Matsuda, who led the delegation. Like Japan, Taiwan is grappling with howBy Shelley Shan

Cabinet rebuts claims of nepotism at digital ministryBy Lee Hsin-fang and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerCandidates to work at the Ministry of Digital Affairs would not be selected based on their personal ties with other government officials, the Executive Yuan said yesterday. The ministry, which was officially established yesterday, is planning to hire 300 contract workers, and the process would be in line with government regulations, the Cabinet added. President Tsai Ing-wen, third right, Premier Su Tseng-chang, second right, and others attend the inauguration ceremony for the Ministry of Digital Affairs in Taipei yesterday. A Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that half of the ministry’s staff would be contract workers. The legislature last year passed the organization act of the ministry alongside two related pieces of legislation — the Organization Act for the Ministry of Digital Affairs’ Information Security Bureau (數位發展部資通安全署組織法) and the Organization Act for the Ministry of Digital Affairs’ Digital Industry Bureau (數位發展部資通安全署組織法).

The army and the American Institute in Taiwan signed the deal for weapons, ammunition and parts to be implemented from last month to December 2028, according to the contract notice published on Friday last week. The contract came amid Western media reports that China’s military drills in waters around Taiwan spurred US President Joe Biden to increase military aid to the nation. South Korean Army Apache attack helicopters take off during a large-scale drill in Icheon, South Korea, on July 25. Taiwan and the US have signed a six-year contract for ammunition and parts for Apache and Black Hawk helicopters. China’s military drills have put Washington on edge, but not enough to spur an immediate increase in weapons sales to Taiwan, Reuters reported.

KMT dubs Chen ‘king of nonsense’ in latest card setBy Shih Hsiao-kuang and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has released the latest set of its playing card series that feature “ridiculous” quotes from members of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The KMT has issued the card sets every two years since 2018 to coincide with local and general elections. This year’s set includes quotes from the DPP’s mayoral candidates Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) in Taipei, Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in New Taipei City and Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬) in Taoyuan. Aside from Chen as the king of nonsense, the set also includes several “queens of nonsense,” including Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) and DPP legislators Fan Yun (范雲) and Michelle Lin (林楚茵). “Chen often said in the past that he has a ‘poker face,’ so we helped him make a set of cards,” said Kang Chin-yu (康晉瑜), spokesman for KMT Taipei mayoral candidate Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安).

House loans hit record, despite slowing growthBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterThe nation’s house loans and land financing last month climbed to record highs, but at the weakest pace in 19 months and 33 months respectively, as developers and buyers turned cautious amid interest rate hikes and economic uncertainty, the central bank said on Thursday. Home loans increased by NT$41.88 billion (US$1.39 billion), or 8.64 percent, from a year earlier, the central bank told an online news conference. Interest rate hikes, selective credit controls and unfavorable tax terms weighed on sentiment, the officials said. Similarly, land financing last month grew 12.53 percent year-on-year, mitigating for the past one to two years, the central bank said. Developers grew increasingly apprehensive over spiking construction costs and labor shortages, and many slowed the pace of construction and product launches, the central bank said.

Two former TPP members to run under NPP flag‘THIRD FORCE’: In making the switch, Chu Che-cheng lauded the ideals and persistence of the NPP, while Lin Chih-hao said the TPP lacked integrityBy William Hetherington / Staff writer, with CNAThe New Power Party (NPP) yesterday announced two candidates for the Nov. 26 local elections — Chu Che-cheng (朱哲成) and Lin Chih-hao (林志豪) — both of whom are former members of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). Members of the New Power Party hold a news conference in Taipei yesterday to announce its candidates for the November local elections. Photo: CNAAsked the same question, Lin said he made the decision to come to the NPP because he felt the TPP lacked integrity. Chu is to run for Taoyuan city councilor, while Lin is to run for Miaoli county councilor, NPP Chairwoman Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) told a Taipei news conference. Lin said he had been inspired by the youthful NPP Miaoli County Councilor Sang Kok-ting (宋國鼎), who has fought against corruption in the county.

Sports icons:John McEnroe compared Williams to LeBron James and Michael Jordan, calling him “one of the greatest athletes in the history of any sport.”Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion and iconic tennis superstar of a generation, said Tuesday the “countdown has begun” to retirement from the sport. Williams is set to play in Cincinnati next week and qualify for the US Open, where she won her first Grand Slam title in 1999 at the age of 17. It just doesn’t feel like a modern word to me,” Williams wrote in Vogue. '”Williams has won 7 Wimbledon and Australian Open titles, 6 US Open titles, 3 French Open titles, a singles gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, and 3 doubles gold medals. US tennis legend John McEnroe compared Williams to the greatest NFL and NBA sports heroes of all time.

Taiwan free to decide, under duressBy Yvonne ChiuTaiwan was briefly thrust back in the news recently, but global coverage and analysis largely overlooked an essential voice — that of Taiwan’s people — and focused primarily on the US-China conflict, leaving many Taiwanese to wonder if their interests were even a consideration in the debate. Great power conflict tends to relegate all other actors to pieces to be moved around a chessboard, but this perspective is dangerous. These continuous and increasing threats hold Taiwan hostage, so people consider the ramifications of a bloody and devastating invasion of their country, and answer accordingly. Four generations have lived in Taiwan with the looming specter of Chinese invasion. At this point, however, it cannot be adequately discerned what Taiwanese really want — only what they want under duress.

Poor sales of smartphones, notebook computers and other consumer electronic gadgets globally deepened growing economic unease, TIER said, citing a monthly survey of local makers. Mineral and food product suppliers are optimistic given a recovery in private consumption in Taiwan, it said. Despite ongoing COVID-19 infections, Taiwanese have returned to normal social activities and travels, TIER Economic Forecasting Center director Gordon Sun (孫明德) said. The recovery was responsible for the sentiment reading for service sectors growing 2.55 points monthly to 96.41, ending three months of downturn, the survey showed. Similarly, the confidence score advanced 3.84 points to 96.7 among civil engineering companies and property developers, given an approaching high season, it said.

Central bank dismisses money supply ‘death cross’By Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterThe nation’s M2 broad monetary gauge last month grew faster than the narrow M1B indicator, resulting in the first so-called “death cross” in four years, the central bank said yesterday. Photo: Chen Mei-ying, Taipei TimesM1B refers to cash and cash equivalents, while M2 encompasses M1B, time deposits, time savings deposits, foreign currency deposits and mutual funds. “There is no need to overreact, as there is still ample liquidity in the market to support economic activity, despite a slowdown in both measures,” the central bank said. Data on time deposits and foreign currency deposits have little to do with the TAIEX’s performance, it said, adding that foreign currency deposits rose 15.23 percent from a year earlier, although they eased from a 17.64 percent pickup in June. The National Stabilization Fund later stepped in and helped restore confidence, the central bank said.

Wind farm projects drive foreign direct investmentStaff writer, with CNAGovernment-approved foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first seven months of this year rose by more than 200 percent from a year earlier, due to investment pledges by offshore wind power developers. Approved FDI totaled US$9.69 billion over the period, up 201.84 percent from a year earlier, while the number of approved FDI applications fell 7.04 percent from a year earlier to 1,426, Investment Commission figures showed on Monday. Photo courtesy of Formosa II Wind Power CoDuring the period, the commission issued approved an application by Denmark’s Orsted Wind Power TW Holding A/S to invest NT$93.66 billion (US$3.09 billion) in offshore wind projects in Taiwan. The value of Taiwan’s approved foreign-bound investments in the first seven months fell 33.89 percent from a year earlier to US$5.02 billion. The commission approved US$2.25 billion of investment bound for policy countries, down 55.71 percent from a year earlier, with Singapore, Australia and Vietnam the major destinations.

Coral bleaching in south blamed on lack of stormsFINE FIRST: The owner of a cargo ship that damaged coral when it ran aground off Pingtung County in 2018 was fined NT$652,967, although NT$5.8m was sought A lack of typhoons to cool waters off the south of Taiwan have resulted in severe coral bleaching, the Ocean Conservation Administration said yesterday as it issued a level 2 alert over the issue. The agency surveyed 20 areas near the coast of Taiwan proper, as well as off Green Island (綠島) and Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼), it said, adding that it issued a level 1 alert for areas in northern Taiwan, where it found only sporadic bleaching. Level 2 alerts were issued for all of the areas it assessed in the south, with the exception of Jihuei Fishing Port (基翬漁港) inBy Hung Ting-hung, Tsai Tsung-hsien and William Hetherington

Local virus cases up 14%‘3+11’: The CECC had followed procedure in arriving at a decision on the quarantine policy, a Control Yuan report said, while recommending regulatory amendmentsBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported 26,095 new local COVID-19 cases, an increase of 13.9 percent from last week, and predicted that total caseloads this week could rise by about 10 percent. New Taipei City had the most cases at 5,258, followed by Taipei with 3,189, Taichung with 3,038, Taoyuan with 2,673, Kaohsiung with 2,179, Tainan with 1,650 and Changhua County with 1,132, CECC data showed. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC’s medical response division, reported 28 moderate-to-severe cases, which is the lowest daily number since May 3. A woman wearing a mask shades herself from the sun in Taipei yesterday. Meanwhile, the Control Yuan yesterday published its investigation report on the CECC’s “3+11” quarantine policy decision procedure.

Taiwan’s dependent population to be larger than previously forecast: agencyBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterTaiwan is still set to become a super-aged society by 2025, but with a larger dependent population than forecast in a previous study in 2020, meriting the attention of policymakers, the National Development Council said yesterday. National Development Council Deputy Minister Yu Chien-hwa, left, and Kaohsiung Deputy Mayor Charles Lin attend a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Wu Hsin-tien, Taipei TimesWhile the pace of aging remains the same and the demographic dividend is expected to end in 2028 as previously projected, the dependent population has been growing faster than expected, the council said. The dependent population — including children and people aged 65 or older — would be equal to 42.2 percent of the workforce this year and climb to 53.2 percent in 2030, and outnumber the working population by 2060, four years earlier than previously forecast, the council said. The government should adopt measures to make Taiwan a safe and friendly living environment for elderly people, the council said.

Taiwan teams take gold at world invention contestBy Chen Chia-i and Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter, with staff writerA Taiwanese-designed biodegradable bottle cap that hermit crabs can use as their homes won gold at this year’s World Innovation and Invention Competition in South Korea, as Taiwan ranked first overall, according to the results, which were announced yesterday. The competition attracted 243 entries from 12 countries, including Taiwan, which submitted 51 inventions, as well as Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Turkey. Bottles with biodegradable caps invented by teachers and students at National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology are pictured in an undated photograph. The team designed a waterproof layer in the cap made with edible wax, which would not harm sea birds if ingested by accident. They have filed a patent for the project, which has been awarded a grant from the National Science and Technology Council.