Taiwan helping immigrants with writing systemStaff writer, with CNAThe government understands the need for educational support for “new immigrants,” Minister of Education Cheng Ying- yao (鄭英耀) said yesterday, following media reports about a complaint on having to use traditional Chinese characters. “New immigrants” is a legal term that refers to foreign, including Chinese, nationals approved for long-term residence in Taiwan, whether through marriage or other residency categories. A woman from China married to a Taiwanese posted online that writing traditional Chinese characters was “bothersome,” local media outlets reported. Photo: Rachel Lin, Taipei TimesThe woman expressed hope that Taiwan’s “reunification” with China would allow the use of simplified Chinese characters, they reported. Traditional Chinese characters are Taiwan’s official writing system, and the Ministry of Education has long worked with local government education bureaus to help children of immigrants and foreign students adapt to learning and daily life in Taiwan, he said.

KMT asks Cabinet to submit impact reportQUESTIONS: The Cabinet must also answer where funding would come from, and how it plans to deal with the impacts and safeguard the competitiveness of the chip industryBy Lin Hsin-han / Staff reporterThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday demanded that the Executive Yuan submit a comprehensive industry impact assessment regarding a US$500 billion investment plan in the US. The KMT caucus also demanded that the Executive Yuan answer three questions, and submit the full details of the negotiations to the Legislative Yuan for formal review and oversight. Third is to explain how the deal would impact SMEs, traditional industries and domestic job opportunities, as well as how it plans to deal with the impacts. KMT Deputy Secretary-General Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said the US$500 billion investment by Taiwan in the US semiconductor industry is equivalent to more than 60 percent of the nation’s annual GDP. KMT caucus deputy secretary-general Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) urged the government to address the impact of the massive investment, as it should not crowd out domestic investment.

Tropical storm forming, cold air mass expectedBACK TO WINTER: A strong continental cold air mass would move south on Tuesday next week, bringing colder temperatures to northern and central Taiwan A tropical depression east of the Philippines could soon be upgraded to be the first tropical storm of this year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the next cold air mass is forecast to arrive on Monday next week. CWA forecaster Cheng Jie-ren (鄭傑仁) said the first tropical depression of this year is over waters east of the Philippines, about 1,867km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), and could strengthen into Tropical Storm Nokaen by early today. The system is moving slowly from northwest to north, and is expected to remain east of the Philippines with little chance of affecting Taiwan,By Lin Chih-yi

Holiday hotel booking highest in ChiayiSPEND LOCAL: Domestic travel spending reached NT$515.8 billion in 2024, a more than 30 percent increase from 2019, and is expected to continue growing this yearBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterChiayi City, Miaoli County and Tainan have higher average hotel booking rates during the Lunar New Year holiday than other administrative regions, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The average hotel booking rate nationwide is 38.33 percent. Photo courtesy of the Alishan HotelAll three regions usually have higher booking rates during the holiday, with Chiayi also receiving tourists visiting Alishan Forest Railway and other areas, the agency said. The average rates also exceeded the national average in New Taipei City, Taichung, and Nantou, Chiayi and Taitung counties. Hotel booking rates in most cities and counties are higher from Feb. 17 to Feb. 19, agency data showed.

Nearly 39% of 4G users switched to 5G last year: NCCBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterNearly 39 percent of respondents in a National Communications Commission (NCC) survey said they had upgraded from 4G to 5G because they changed their contract or got a new phone. The percentage of 4G users who continued to subscribe to 4G service plans fell from 72.1 percent to 60.1 percent, NCC data showed. Other reasons include satisfaction with 5G service plans (23 percent), seeking experience with 5G technology (20.1 percent), using 5G to play video games (18.2 percent) and using 5G for videoconferencing (8 percent). On a scale of one to 10, 4G users ranked the service 7.7 for data transmission speed and coverage rates, while 5G users ranked their service 7.9 and 7.6 in the respective categories. That satisfaction for 4G users potentially explained their reluctance to migrate to 5G, the NCC said.

Weapons systems in budget unveiledCLASSIFIED BRIEFING: The ministry said the special budget focuses on building a comprehensive defense system and strengthening the domestic defense industryBy William Hetherington / Staff writer, with CNAThe Ministry of National Defense yesterday released information on seven categories of weapons systems to be procured under a stalled NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.57 billion) special defense budget, including precision artillery, long-range missiles, air defense anti-tank missiles and more than 200,000 uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs). The second category is long-range precision strike missiles, including 82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 1,203 pods of precision rockets and 420 tactical missiles. The fourth category comprises air-defense, ballistic missile defense and anti-armor missiles, including 70 Javelin anti-armor missile systems with 1,050 missiles, 24 TOW-2B anti-armor missile systems with 1,545 missiles, and various air-defense missile systems and munitions. The fifth category covers AI-assisted capabilities, including AI-based decision-support systems, tactical networks and rapid intelligence-sharing application packages for military units. The seventh category involves equipment and systems jointly developed and procured by Taiwan and the US.

Kindergarten and parents must pay over child injuryBy Tsai Chang-sheng and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe parents of a Hsinchu County boy and a kindergarten have been ordered to pay NT$300,000 to the parents of a female student who the boy allegedly injured. Photo: Tsai Chang-sheng, Taipei TimesA medical examination revealed an abrasion on her right vulva, the documents showed. An investigation found that the caregiver at the kindergarten was not present when the incident occurred, constituting a dereliction of duty, the court said. The girl’s parents filed a civil case against the boy’s parents and the kindergarten, demanding NT$600,000 in compensation. The court ruled in favor of the girl’s parents, awarding half of the amount they sought.

High-speed train collision in Spain kills at least 39AFP, ADAMUZ, SpainA high-speed train derailed and was hit by another in southern Spain, killing at least 39 people and injuring more than 120, authorities said yesterday. It was the deadliest train accident since 2013, when 80 people died after a train veered off a curved section of track outside the northwestern city of Santiago de Compostela. A firefighter and members of the Civil Guard yesterday work next to one of the trains involved in an accident near Adamuz, Spain. Photo: ReutersIt crossed onto the other track, where it crashed into an oncoming train, which also derailed. Renfe, the operator of the second train, has not said how many passengers were on the service, which was traveling to Huelva.

Kaohsiung offers bear mugs to blood donorsGIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor saidBy Hsu Li-chuan,Tang Shih-ming and Esme Yeh / Staff reporters, with staff writerBlood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. TSG Hawks cheerleader Kaya, center, poses with a blood donation mascot, left, and Taiwan Black Bear Conservation Association mascot Heibao at a news conference in Kaohsiung yesterday. Donations from young people have decreased over the past few years amid a falling birthrate and aging population, while blood demand continues to rise, he said. The Taichung Blood Donation Center on Sunday also held a blood drive with the goal of amassing 60,000 units this month.

Japanese PM calls election to seek stronger mandateAFP, TOKYOJapanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi yesterday said that she would dissolve parliament this week ahead of a snap election on Feb. 8, hoping for a stronger mandate to push through her ambitious policy agenda. The nation’s first female leader is banking on her high poll numbers to lead the unpopular ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to victory. “Is Sanae Takaichi fit to be prime minister? Takaichi was appointed prime minister in October last year and her Cabinet is riding high in the polls despite her party’s flagging popularity. The ruling bloc — which includes coalition partner the Japan Innovation Party — has only a slim majority in the powerful lower house of parliament.

KMT brushes off Ko Wen-je’s criticisms of the partyStaff writer, with CNAThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday declined to retaliate against former Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) criticism, as the two parties continue to eye cooperation ahead of the local elections in November. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Deputy Chairman Hsiao Hsu-tsen, right, speaks during a radio interview with show host Anne Wang in Taipei yesterday. Asked about Ko’s statements, KMT Deputy Chairman Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) said in a radio interview that Ko is “straightforward and outspoken” by nature, which sometimes rubs people the wrong way. Nevertheless, it is true that without the support of TPP voters, “the KMT would not have made it through the recall,” Hsiao said, adding that people should not “react emotionally” to what Ko said. TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) had said a joint agenda with the KMT has been largely drafted and is awaiting the KMT’s ratification.

Chinese social media influencer Guan Guan is pictured at Machangding Memorial Park in Taipei in an undated photograph. Guan Guan appeared as required, but the agency determined she threatened national security and social stability, it said. Sources said that Guan Guan came from Guangdong and married a Taiwanese man, but they have since divorced. Under the name “Little Chili Pepper,” Guan Guan continued to post pro-China, anti-Taiwan content. The official said that the comments Guan Guan made have gone beyond the threshold of free speech, as she advocated for the destruction of the ROC.

Exhibition showcases Jiaming Lake eco-craft trailBy Esme Yeh / Staff reporterA 10th-anniversary exhibition of the Jiaming Lake National Trail (嘉明湖國家步道) is to open at Just Arts House in Taitung County tomorrow, focusing on the ecological engineering methods used to design the trail and its volunteer-aided construction process. Volunteers repair a trail leading to the Jiaming Lake National Trail in an undated photograph. The trail is about 12.6km long with its elevations ranging from 2,300m at Siangyang National Forest Recreation Area (向陽國家森林遊樂區) to about 3,200m at Jiaming Lake Cabin. The exhibition aims to highlight the coexistence of humans and nature, and teach more people about the spirit of eco-craft trails, Wu said. The exhibition is expected to inspire more people to help with the eco-craft trail rebuilding while they are hiking the trail, he added.

Reunification Alliance appeal failsBy Bao Chien-hsin / Staff reporterThe Supreme Court yesterday rejected appeals by Reunification Alliance Party members Chang Tsun-feng (張存逢) and Huang Jung-te (黃榮德), upholding their prison sentences for espionage and electoral fraud. The Supreme Court in Taipei is pictured in an undated photograph. On Dec. 23, 2024, in a general assembly of the party’s members at its Pingtung branch, Chang and Huang tried to solicit votes for specific presidential and legislative candidates, the indictment said. They both appealed the verdict, but the Kaohsiung Branch of the High Court dismissed the appeal. Chang and Huang appealed again, but the Supreme Court yesterday dismissed the final appeal, finalizing the conviction.

Cho praises returning trade teamMIXED REACTION: Some welcomed the lower tariffs, on par with levies on other major US trade partners, but others worry the agreement could ‘hollow out’ TaiwanStaff writer, with CNAPremier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday greeted the nation’s US trade negotiation team when they arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, commending them for the tariff reduction and investment agreements they reached with the US. Led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君), and chief trade negotiator and Minister Without Portfolio Yang Jen-ni (楊珍妮), the team hashed out a “substantive” and “meaningful” deal with Washington, which was announced on Thursday, Cho told reporters at the airport. Cheng said the trade agreement proved that “the hard work of the Taiwanese people, along with Taiwan’s technology and industries, had become a key force in the world,” and showed that the world needs Taiwan. From right, chief trade negotiator and Minister Without Portfolio Yang Jen-ni, Premier Cho Jung-tai and Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun are welcomed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday, after the delegation returned from Washington. TSMC chief financial officer Wendell Huang (黃仁昭) said the company was accelerating its investments in Arizona because of high customer demand.