Chinese pressure proves it has no authority over Taiwan: LaiBy Fion Khan / Staff writer, with CNAPresident William Lai (賴清德) today said that cross-border pressure exerted by the Chinese government on Taiwanese only serves to demonstrate that Beijing’s public authority does not extend to Taiwan, proving that it is not part of the People’s Republic of China. Lai was attending a graduation ceremony for the 62nd class of the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau’s investigation training program. His remarks came after China sanctioned two Cabinet ministers, accusing them of “separatism.”President William Lai speaks at a graduation ceremony for the 62nd class of the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau’s investigation training program today. As commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Lai pledged to “safeguard the nation” and protect the lives and property of all citizens, never allowing China’s pressure or reach to extend into Taiwan. This is the most basic responsibility and obligation of legislators to the nation and its people, he added.

Cabinet approves animal protection amendmentsBy Hollie Younger / Staff writer, with CNAThe Executive Yuan today approved amendments to the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) that would increase penalties for animal abuse and animal abuse resulting in death. Photo: Tsai Wen-chu, Taipei TimesThe amendments proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture are to be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for review. Pets sent to animal shelters would have to meet specific conditions or owners would be liable for abandoning them, the amendments state. The measure would prevent owners from repeatedly claiming that pets are “lost” during animal protection investigations by local authorities, the amendments say. If the amendments are passed, the penalty for abandoning pets would be increased from NT$30,000 to NT$150,000 to NT$100,000 to NT$1 million.

Taiwan to continue push to join UNFCCC despite US withdrawalStaff writer, with CNAThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today said it would continue its decades-long push for Taiwan's inclusion in the UN’s climate negotiations, despite the US’ decision to withdraw from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The ministry said it has worked closely with the Ministry of Environment and the private sector to promote Taiwan's participation in UNFCCC meetings and mechanisms. The name and logo of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are pictured at the ministry in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo: CNA"Taiwan's goal of participating in the UNFCCC remains unchanged, and we will continue to seek support from allies and like-minded countries to push for the nation's meaningful participation," MOFA said. Since 1995, Taiwanese officials have participated in UNFCCC conferences through the government-funded Industrial Technology Research Institute.

It has been more than four months since the Executive Yuan submitted this year’s general budget to the legislature and it has yet to be reviewed, he said. The blockage of the budget would affect a total of NT$299.2 billion (US$9.47 billion) in budget allocations and disrupt fiscal operations in six cities and counties — Tainan and Changhua, Chiayi, Lienchiang (Matsu), Penghu and Pingtung counties — which could face fiscal management difficulties and be forced to resort to borrowing, Cho said. The central government had allocated NT$32.1 billion of this year’s general budget to ensure that shared tax revenues and subsidies would be no less than last year, he said. The Cabinet discussed and approved a report by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics detailing the effects of the failure of legislators to review the budget within the statutory time limit. The general budget is the foundation of democratic governance and essential to meeting public needs, Cho said, urging the legislature to expedite its review.

Alishan reports snow for the first time since 2018Staff writer, with CNASnow this morning fell on Alishan for the first time in seven years, as a strong continental cold air mass sent temperatures plunging across Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The Alishan weather station, located at an elevation of about 2,200m in central Taiwan, recorded snowfall from 8:55am to 9:15am, when the temperature dropped to about 1°C, the CWA said. With increased moisture and low temperatures in the high-altitude Alishan area, the conditions were favorable for snow, CWA forecaster Tsai Yi-chi (蔡伊其) said. Snow falls at Alishan this morning. Photo courtesy of the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage OfficeThe last time snow fell at the Alishan weather station was on Jan. 10, 2018, while graupel fell there on Jan. 27, 2020, Tsai said, adding that today’s snowfall was the first in the area in seven years.

China launches anti-dumping probe into Japan chipmaking chemicalAFP, BEIJINGChina yesterday announced an anti-dumping probe into imports from Japan of a key chemical used in making semiconductors, a day after it banned the export to the country of goods with potential military uses. "The dumping of imported products from Japan has damaged the production and operation of domestic industries," the ministry said in a statement. China on Tuesday blocked exports to Japan of "dual-use" items with potential military uses. More than 70 percent of Japan's rare earth imports are from China, according to the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy. Nomura Research Institute executive economist Takahide Kiuchi said the impact on the Japanese economy would be "extremely severe" if China included rare earths in export controls.

Cold surge warning issued for 18 cities and countiesStaff writer, with CNAA cold surge advisory was today issued for 18 cities and counties across Taiwan, with temperatures of below 10°C forecast during the day and into tonight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. New Taipei City, Taipei, Taoyuan and Hsinchu, Miaoli and Yilan counties are expected to experience sustained temperatures of 10°C or lower, the CWA said. Temperatures are likely to temporarily drop below 10°C in most other areas, except Taitung, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties, CWA data showed. Photo: Taipei Times file photoThe cold weather is being caused by a strong continental cold air mass, combined with radiative cooling, a process in which heat escapes from the ground into the atmosphere, the CWA said. While sunny skies would prevail during the day, enhanced radiative cooling would cause low temperatures at night and in the early morning, he said.

Chou Tien-chen rocks Lin Chun-yi in season openerStaff writer, with CNATaiwan’s Chou Tien-chen on Tuesday opened the season with a 2-0 victory over compatriot Lin Chun-yi to advance to the last 16 of the men’s singles at the Malaysia Open. 12 Lin 21-14, 21-12 in 40 minutes to secure his first win of the year and his third straight victory over Lin. Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen returns to China’s Shi Yuqi during their men’s singles match at the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China, on Dec. 18 last year. Photo: AFPChou appeared to take control of the match, never trailing Lin in Game 2. The last time Lin defeated Chou was in the final of the Super 300-level Swiss Open in late March 2024.

DR Congo’s human statue becomes AFCON star fanAFP, RABATHis team were knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in agonizing fashion on Tuesday, but the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DR Congo) human statue Michel Kuka Mboladinga would be remembered as the tournament’s most remarkable supporter. He has become a media star and on Tuesday was accompanied by a delegation of several hundred Congolese supporters whose trip to Morocco was paid for by the country’s government. Democratic Republic of the Congo fan Michel Kuka Mboladinga, center, standing, poses as a statue of the country’s independence hero Patrice Lumumba during their match against Algeria in Rabat on Tuesday. Kuka’s pose is inspired by that of a statue of Congolese independence leader and former prime minister Patrice Lumumba, which stands in Kinshasa. It is understood that Kuka first performed the pose several years ago during matches of leading Congolese side AS Vita Club.

Study says families who dine together are healthierBy Jonathan Chin / Staff writer, with CNAA study published on Tuesday by the Cancer Care Foundation linked families that dine together with healthier diets for children. The findings showed that the more frequently children shared meals with their family, the healthier their diet they had, the statement cited foundation president Chen Yueh-ching (陳月卿) as saying. Families that banned children from using phones or tablets during mealtimes reported a corresponding improvement in the children’s diet, she said. Parents are urged to make soft drinks for their children as a replacement for saccharine beverages sold commercially, Chen said. An earlier study published on Sunday by the Child Welfare Foundation showed that 30.2 percent of Taiwanese children are overweight, 5.2 points higher than the average obesity rate globally.

Maduro operation not setting a precedent: expertBy Jonathan Chin / Staff writer, with CNAThe abduction of deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro on Saturday bolstered Washington’s global credibility without setting a precedent for China to attempt a similar action in Taiwan, a policy expert said. US special operations forces on Saturday carried out a nighttime operation in Caracas to capture Maduro, following a series of paralyzing airstrikes directed against Venezuela’s Russian-made air defense systems. Some Asian allies have expressed hopes that common regional adversaries would take notice of US military power the operation showcased, he added. Separately, a former Pentagon official on Tuesday said that China is unlikely to succeed in capturing Taiwan’s leaders in a swift aerial military operation due to Taiwan’s extensive air-defense systems. The operation relied on precise intelligence, surveillance, and strikes on key military targets and power infrastructure, enabling US special forces to capture Maduro with “little to no unwanted damage,” he said.

Authorities have been searching for the missing F-16V aircraft and its pilot, Air Force Captain Hsin Po-yi (辛柏 毅), following the incident on Tuesday. The incident has renewed public attention on Taiwan’s plan to have Auto-GCAS installed on all of its F-16V aircraft, a project scheduled for completion in 2028. Taiwan’s Air Force will urge US to install automatic ground collision avoidance systems (Auto-GCAS) on its F-16V jets. The Air Force subsequently announced that all F-16s would be fitted with Auto-GCAS. In addition to accelerating installation, he suggested the Air Force could also follow U.S. practice by issuing pilots military-grade watches.

Pingtung shelter urges people not to abandon petsGREAT RESPONSIBILITY: A Pingtung County official urged members of the public to carefully assess their ability to care for animals before deciding to adopt a petBy Lo Hsin-chen and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer“Exotic” pets, including goats, ducks and turtle, are available for adoption, the Pingtung County Animal Shelter has said, encouraging members of the public not to abandon animals or keep animals illegally. A person pets a rabbit at the Pingtung County Animal Shelter on Monday. Photo: Lo Hsin-cheng, Taipei TimesThe county’s Department of Agriculture, which oversees the shelter, has urged the public not to abandon animals, which harms animal welfare and the ecological environment. Animal Protection Division Director Li Chi-ya (李繼雅) said that once livestock or exotic pets are admitted to the shelter, their details are posted on the national animal shelter Web site system and shared through the department’s animal protection Facebook page. Priority is given to Pingtung County residents, and follow-up checks are conducted for six months after adoption, she said.

Budget shows shift in Taiwan-US cooperation: sourceBy Fang Wei-li and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe government’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.66 billion) defense budget would signal not only major arms procurements, but also a strategic shift in Taiwan-US defense cooperation toward local munitions production and joint production on artificial intelligence (AI) systems, a source said on Saturday last week. Cooperation would begin with drones and artillery shells, and later expand to precision-guided munitions and AI-assisted decisionmaking systems, the source said. Global defense production has been strained by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, prompting the US to promote “friend shoring” to share manufacturing burdens. This would mark a shift in Taiwan-US relations from a buyer-seller model to a joint production partnership, they said. The goal is to locally produce precision-guided munitions by introducing US technologies, tools and production systems, they said.

Air quality to deteriorate nationwide from tomorrowA strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants wereBy Kayleigh Madjar