The company expects to launch a new production line, called H6, at Hsinchu Science Park (新竹科學園區) this year to produce large e-paper displays, E Ink chairman Johnson Lee (李正昊) told an earnings conference. H5, the company’s first production line dedicated to large e-paper displays for digital signs such as 32-inch and 55-inch displays, entered volume production late last year. The new H6 production line is to start contributing revenue next year, the company said. The company also plans to build a new production line in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音) and expand capacity in the US, Lee said. E Ink said it expects gross margin this year to be similar to last year at about 54 percent.

Taiwan fans roar for their team at WBCLOUD AND PROUD Taiwan might have taken a drubbing against Australia and Japan, but you might not know it from the enthusiasm and numbers of the fans Taiwan might not be expected to win the World Baseball Classic (WBC) but their fans are making their presence felt in Tokyo, with tens of thousands decked out in the team’s blue, blowing horns and singing songs. Taiwanese fans have packed out the Tokyo Dome for all three of their games so far and even threatened to drown out home team supporters when their team played Japan on Friday. They blew trumpets, chanted for their favorite players and had their own cheerleading squad who dance on a stage during the game. The team struggled to match that exuberance on the field, with

Taiwan raises water alert for Hsinchu, lowers nighttime supply pressureStaff Writer, with CNAThe Water Resources Agency (WRA) on Thursday raised the water alert level for the Hsinchu area, Taiwan’s high-tech hub, and began implementing reduced-pressure water supply from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., to conserve water, according to a statement. Following the decision, Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke (楊文科) announced that non-essential or non- urgent water use, such as operating fountains, washing building exteriors, and cleaning drains, will be suspended. Meanwhile, water supply for non-essential purposes at government agencies and state-owned enterprises will also be suspended, the WRA said in a press release. Graphic grab from the Water Resources AgencyRaising the water alert from green (normal supply) to yellow for Hsinchu is a precautionary measure to ensure the continued supply of public water through the end of May, due to expected below-normal precipitation before the plum rain season in May, the agency said. The government will take various measures to ensure stable water supply in the Hsinchu area, including drawing 175,000 tons of water daily from Shihmen Reservoir in Taoyuan and 55,000 tons from Yungheshan Reservoir in Miaoli, said the WRA under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Rice-based bakery products showcased at Taipei International Bakery ShowINNOVATIVE: Yu Shao-min, who combines popped rice with produce such as tea, bean curd and peanut butter, said such processing approaches add value to the cropBy Esme Yeh / Staff reporterThe Agriculture and Food Agency has set up a pavilion at the Taipei International Bakery Show to promote rice-based bakery products along with the domestic rice industry. Agriculture and Food Agency officials and food industry representatives pose at the agency’s pavilion at the Taipei International Bakery Show at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center yesterday. More than 100 rice-based products are on display at the show, including rice noodles, rice cakes, rice flour and crispy rice treats. Huang encouraged the public to choose rice-based products made from domestically grown rice, as they are produced with much fewer “food miles” and have a smaller carbon footprint. “We tried to combine popped rice with different locally grown produce such as tea, peanut butter or fermented bean curd,” he said.

KMT legislators visit airport in probe of premierDELAYING THE REVIEW: DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu condemned the KMT for the ‘inspection,’ when the priority should be reviewing the government’s budgetsBy Lin Tse-yuan and Jason Pan / Staff reportersChinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers yesterday visited the military airbase at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) to probe alleged misuse of funds by Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on his one-day visit to Japan last week, while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) accused the opposition of neglecting its duty to review budgets. Legislative committee conveners for the current session were chosen on Wednesday, with KMT Legislator Ma Wen-chun (馬文君) and DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷) winning the vote as conveners of the committee, taking turns to set the agenda. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin, center, speaks to reporters at the military airbase at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) yesterday. DPP legislators declined the invitation to join, saying they are not interested in helping the KMT “put on a show” for the media to denigrate the premier. “Songshan airport for commercial flights is managed by the Civil Aviation Administration.

Lin made the remarks at an event to release the results of the poll, which found that 56 percent of minors aged nine to 17 had experienced uncomfortable physical contact. Social works program supervisor Tsai Wen-chin (蔡雯瑾) said 63 percent said they had been touched on the buttocks, 58.4 percent said their private parts had been touched and 55.4 percent said their chest had been touched inappropriately. Photo: Wu Po-hsuan, Taipei TimesThe group held the survey late last year, collecting 1,314 valid responses, Tsai said. The poll also found that among those who reported such incidents to their parents or guardians, about 70 percent said they were not believed. More than half said they were told they were overreacting, while 47.2 percent said they were criticized for their response.

Asian LNG buyers brace for disruptions to deliveriesBloombergAsian buyers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are preparing for the war in the Middle East to disrupt deliveries for months, as a prolonged outage at the world’s largest export plant tightens supply and lifts prices. Companies in Thailand are looking to buy LNG cargoes for delivery through May, traders with knowledge of the matter said. Spot LNG prices in Asia are trading at about US$18 per million British thermal units, traders said. At least nine LNG shipments bound for Europe have rerouted to Asia since the fighting began, ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg showed, after Asian buyers offered higher rates than their rivals in Europe. India, which sources about half of its LNG from Qatar, has been scrambling to procure alternative shipments for immediate delivery, traders said.

AI chatbots helping teens to plot attacks, study saysACTIONABLE ADVICE: The majority of chatbots tested provided guidance on weapons, tactics and target selections, with Perplexity and Meta AI deemed to be the least safeAFP, WASHINGTONFrom school shootings to synagogue bombings, leading artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots helped researchers plot violent attacks, according to a study published on Wednesday that highlighted the technology’s potential for real-world harm. Researchers from the nonprofit watchdog Center for Countering Digital Hate and CNN posed as 13-year-old boys in the US and Ireland to test 10 chatbots, including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, Deepseek and Meta AI. Eight of the chatbots assisted the make-believe attackers in more than half the responses, providing advice on “locations to target” and “weapons to use” in an attack, the study said. Perplexity and Meta AI were found to be the “least safe,” assisting the researchers in most responses while only Snapchat’s My AI and Anthropic’s Claude refused to help them in more than half the responses. What’s missing is the will to put consumer safety and national security before speed-to-market and profits.”Meta said it would seek to remedy its chatbot’s responses.

Attacks on Mideast shipping send oil prices soaringAP, DUBAI, United Arab EmiratesIran’s unrelenting attacks on shipping traffic and energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf yesterday pushed oil back above US$100 a barrel, as US and Israeli strikes pounded the Islamic republic with no sign of an end to the war in sight. A person looks at a tanker carrying Iraqi fuel oil damaged after catching fire in Iraq’s territorial waters near Basra yesterday, following unidentified attacks that targeted two foreign tankers, according to Iraqi port officials. Israel launched another wave of attacks on Tehran and in Lebanon, where 11 people were killed. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian yesterday wrote online that for the war to end, the world would need to recognize Iran’s “legitimate rights,” pay reparations and offer guarantees against future attacks. Two tankers were ablaze in an Iraqi port after a hit by suspected Iranian explosive-laden boats.

Parties agree Cabinet can sign arms agreementsON HOLD: KMT and TPP lawmakers declined to grant the Cabinet prior approval to sign an expected letter of acceptance to buy Altius’ 600 and 700M dronesBy Ben Blanchard / Reuters, TAIPEIThe three main political parties yesterday agreed to authorize the government to sign US agreements for four arms sales packages before the defense budget is passed, after officials warned that Taiwan would go to the back of the line if it missed the deadline. Sunday is the deadline to sign for the other weapons systems, the ministry said. The US$11 billion package also includes Altius-600 and Altius-700M drones, although letters of acceptance for those systems have yet to be issued. KMT and TPP lawmakers also declined to grant the Cabinet prior approval to sign a letter of acceptance for the Altius drones. US President Donald Trump’s administration has pressed allies to increase defense spending, a plank Lai and his government have enthusiastically embraced.

Iran war causes energy rethinkBy Harun Talha AyanogluThe Iran war has exposed a fundamental vulnerability in the global energy system. The escalating confrontation between Iran, Israel and the US has begun to shake international energy markets, largely because Iran is disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz forms a critical link in the nation’s energy supply chain. Taiwan’s energy transition strategy aimed to phase out nuclear power while expanding renewable energy to supply 20 percent of electricity generation. In this context, Taiwan’s energy policy requires careful reassessment.

Cabinet seeks to reassure on US trade dealART: Taiwan and the US already reached a consensus on many issues covered by the Section 301 investigations, which the probe would reflect, a Cabinet spokeswoman saidStaff writer, with CNAThe benefits Taiwan secured under the US-Taiwan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) would not be affected by Washington’s decision to launch a probe into 16 economies, including Taiwan, under Section 301 of the US Trade Act, Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said yesterday. Lee said she is optimistic that the new probe would not negate the favorable terms Taiwan secured under the deal, which, among other terms, lowered US tariffs from 20 percent to 15 percent without stacking them on Taiwan exports that already have most-favored nation status. Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee speaks to reporters in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Executive Yuan“Taiwan and the US have reached a consensus on many issues covered by the Section 301 investigations,” Lee said in a statement. Under the Section 301 provision, economies found to have adopted “unreasonable or discriminatory” measures against the US that “burden or restrict” its commerce could be subject to heavy tariffs.

Minister outlines fuel price objectivesSTABILITY MECHANISMS: Kung Ming-hsin said that oil supply sources are diversified across multiple countries, meaning that if some routes close, they could be redirectedBy Meryl Kao / Staff reporterThe government will prioritize price stability when considering electricity and fuel price adjustments amid volatile global energy markets, Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said yesterday, ahead of a meeting of the electricity price review committee later this month. As of Wednesday, benchmark spot crude oil prices stood at about US$112.17 per barrel, while Brent crude oil traded at about US$93.07 per barrel, ministry data showed. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei TimesDomestic fuel prices would continue to follow the standard adjustment mechanism and state-run CPC Corp, Taiwan (中油) would absorb at least 60 percent of oil price increases to help stabilize consumer prices, Kung said. Anticipated fuel price adjustments next week are unlikely to exceed this week’s if crude prices remain at about the current level of US$90 per barrel, he said. In terms of supply sources, Taiwan’s LNG imports mainly come from Australia and the US, along with some Asian suppliers, he said.

The Indo-Pacific region could well become the next focus. Yet, as the US grapples with overstretched strategic attention and deeper entanglement in the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific region — Taiwan in particular — risks being overlooked. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said that “the most important thing is to embed Taiwan more fully into Indo-Pacific security frameworks.” If properly supported, Taiwan can function not merely as a point of risk, but as a stabilizing force beyond traditional security domains. Beyond security, Taiwan can also strengthen democratic resilience, technological cooperation and crisis preparedness across the Indo-Pacific region. Taiwan is contributing, but lasting regional stability requires a shared and inclusive approach, one that begins with welcoming Taiwan to the table.

Majority willing to resist China in attack, survey findsBy Hollie Younger / Staff writer, with CNANearly 60 percent of Taiwanese polled said they would be willing to resist “at all costs” if China attacks Taiwan and the US does not deploy forces to help, an Academia Sinica survey released yesterday found. The Institute of European and American Studies’ “American Portrait” survey found that 58.7 percent of respondents would be willing to resist a Chinese invasion “at all costs,” even if the US does not deploy forces to help. Among them, 41.2 percent said they would “definitely” resist, while 17.5 percent said they “probably” would. Taiwanese respondents view the US and China differently in terms of credibility, with far more people seeing the US as trustworthy than China, Wu said. The results came as the DPP’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.25 billion) special defense budget has been stalled by the legislature for months.