Selling was seen across the board before some bargain hunters emerged as the TAIEX fell below 32,000 points to cap the losses. A person walks next to the Taiwan Stock Market graph inside the Taiwan Stock Exchange office in Taipei yesterday. With crude prices passing US$100 a barrel, “panic selling followed on stock markets at home and abroad. “A spike in crude prices has raised fears over inflation and the global economy,” Lin said. Juan said that major stock markets across the world are declining, and that the fall on Taiwan’s stock market is smaller than that of Japan and South Korea.

AI drives February exports as war muddies futureBy Lisa Wang / Staff ReporterTaiwan’s exports expanded 20.6 percent annually last month, the strongest-ever February performance as continuously strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing and cloud-based devices offset holiday effects, Ministry of Finance statistics showed yesterday. Last month was the 28th consecutive month of expansion, benefiting from the AI boom, the ministry said in a report. Increases in manufacturing capacity for advanced chips and packaging technologies would drive exports growth, it said. Computing products including servers almost doubled from the year ago to US$18.21 billion, it said. In this category, semiconductor exports jumped 43.6 percent to US$38.09 billion, with DRAM exports skyrocketing 185.5 percent, the ministry’s data showed.

The pressures from the fighting are expected to push up costs and further weigh on consumer electronics demand already pressured by memory shortages, Lite-On president Anson Chiu (邱森彬) told a news conference in Taipei. Lite-On Technology Corp president Anson Chiu holds a company signage at a media gathering in Taipei yesterday. The company’s new 110 kilowatt power shelves — designed mainly to support Nvidia Corp’s Vera Rubin AI server platform — are expected to boost its AI business, Chiu said. Regarding the company’s backup battery unit business, Lite-On plans to expand production lines to about 12 this year, including four in Taiwan and four in China, he said. The company’s new capacity in the US would aim for greater automation, Chiu said.

Guangfu mayor facing 10 years over deadly barrier lake floodBy Wang Chin-yi / Staff reporterThe Hualien District Prosecutors’ Office today indicted Guangfu Township (光復) Mayor Lin Ching-shui (林清水) and two other township officials over the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) barrier lake flood that left 19 people dead and five missing last year, seeking the maximum 10-year prison sentence for the mayor. Prosecutors recommended a 10-year sentence for Lin and nine-year sentences each for a township office secretary surnamed Chang (張) and a section chief surnamed Wang (王). Guangfu Township Mayor Lin Ching-shui is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Taipei TimesThe three defendants had a statutory duty to protect public lives and property, and to prevent disasters from escalating, prosecutors said. Lin also conspired with Wang to falsify evacuation data to cover up the situation, while Chang helped to deflect responsibility, prosecutors added.

Washington urges legislature to pass defense budgetStaff writer, with CNAThe US government yesterday called on Taiwanese lawmakers to pass a special defense budget bill that would finance Taiwan's planned purchases of US weapon systems for self-defense. "We encourage all parties in Taiwan's legislature to work through political differences and quickly pass a special defense budget that demonstrates Taiwan's commitment to its self-defense by funding the acquisition of critical defense capabilities," an unnamed US Department of State spokesperson said. The department was responding to a question on whether the US would support a version of the special defense budget bill proposed by the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), if it is passed in the legislature. Last week, the KMT proposed a special defense budget of NT$350 billion (US$11.04 billion) to fund eight weapons sales approved by the US in December. The KMT and DPP versions of the special defense budget bill, along with a NT$400 billion proposal put forth by the TPP, advanced to the committee stage in the legislature on Friday.

Gas supply to be stable through April: ministerStaff writer, with CNAMinister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) today said that Taiwan's natural gas supply would be sufficient through next month, as the nation has secured almost all the necessary shipments to replenish inventories. Taiwan's supply for this month and next requires 22 liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, Kung told reporters. A liquefied natural gas tanker is tugged toward a thermal power station in Futtsu, east of Tokyo, on Nov. 13, 2017. He also dismissed rumors that Taiwan could face a natural gas shortage, saying: "That is impossible." Taiwan has a diversified natural gas supply, with about one-third coming from Qatar and the remaining 60 to 70 percent sourced from elsewhere, he said, adding that the overall supply structure is sound.

One dead, seven injured in Nantou bus crashBy Liu Pin-chuan and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writerOne person was killed and another seven injured today when a tourist shuttle bus plunged 30m to 40m down a ravine in Nantou County, the Tourism Administration said. Of the eight onboard, a 66-year-old man was killed, four were seriously injured and three sustained minor injuries, including the driver. Emergency responders rescue passengers from a tour bus that fell down a ravine in Nantou County’s Sun-Link-Sea Forest Recreation Area today. Photo courtesy of Threads user peng840406The Nantou County Police Department said it received a report of the incident at 12:15pm and dispatched seven teams to assist. The area has been closed and all shuttle bus services have been suspended until the cause of the crash is determined, the park operator said.

Experts divided on implication of PLA activity dropoffBy Sam Garcia / Staff writer, with CNATaiwan has not detected any Chinese military aircraft in its vicinity for nine of the past 10 days, a decline that some commentators have found unusual, while others cautioned against alarm. Beijing has continuously increased military pressure against Taiwan in recent years, dispatching military aircraft and vessels close to Taiwan almost daily. Photo: ReutersThis is the longest period that Chinese aircraft have not been detected in the area since AFP began compiling the data in 2024. Chinese aircraft incursions went down 42 percent in January and last month compared with the period last year, while vessel incursions went down by about 4.5 percent, AFP said. The drop in incursions could be tied to China’s annual “two sessions” meetings or recent personnel reorganization within the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), experts said.

High schools subsidized NT$151m for bilingual education in 2025By Rachel Lin and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Ministry of Education distributed a total of NT$151 million (US$4.73 million) to 271 high schools nationwide last year to support bilingual education. The subsidy program is a part of the national Bilingual 2030 policy, which seeks to integrate English into Taiwan’s education system, public administration and daily life. For example, Taichung Municipal Wen-Hua Senior High School held an English presentation competition about sustainable development goals, guiding students to research, organize ideas and present in English, Yeh said. In addition, National Hsinchu Commercial Vocational High School offers workplace English courses that help students gain the English skills necessary for their future careers, the ministry said. Yeh said that the ministry is to collect schools’ experiences to improve policies aimed at expanding bilingual learning in high schools, making English an important tool for students to understand the world and express themselves.

Taiwan launches gender equality week in NYC ahead of UN sessionStaff writer, with CNAThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs and various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) yesterday launched a series of gender equality events in New York to coincide with the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Taiwan Gender Equality Week (TGEW) was launched in New York's Times Square on International Women's Day, a day before the start of CSW70, which runs from today to Thursday next week. Although Taiwan cannot attend the annual UN meeting, the activities are intended to help the international community learn more about the nation's progress on gender equality, Lee said. Department of NGO International Affairs Deputy Director Kang Chia-chi (康嘉棋) yesterday invited international participants to register for the forums. The TGEW is being held in collaboration with various Taiwan-based groups, including the Alliance for Women's Rights and Sustainable Development, and the Taiwan Equality Campaign.

Temperatures to drop tonight with cold air massStaff writer, with CNATemperatures in northern Taiwan are expected to drop to 15°C tonight due to a continental cold air mass, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. While daytime temperatures are to range between 17°C and 20°C, the mercury is likely to fall later in the day, reaching 15°C at night, as the cold air mass strengthens, the CWA said. Photo: CNAEarly tomorrow, temperatures in northern parts of the country are likely to drop to 14°C, the agency said. Central and southern Taiwan are to see warmer weather today, with daytime highs of 25°C to 27°C, but the mercury would dip to 15°C to 18°C at night, the CWA said. Temperatures in low-lying areas across the country may drop even lower tomorrow night into Wednesday due to radiative cooling effects — the cooling of the ground under clear skies, light winds and dry conditions, independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) said.

Man arrested after brandishing knife in front of Presidential OfficeStaff writer, with CNAA man from Keelung was arrested today after attempting to enter the Presidential Office compound in Taipei with a knife, police said. The incident occurred at about 2:50am when the suspect, later identified as a man surnamed Lee (李), arrived by taxi from Keelung and brandished a fruit knife in front of the Presidential Office, reportedly shouting: "God told me to kill the communists." The Republic of China flag waves on the tower of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei on Jan. 14, 2024. Photo: Yasuyoshi Chiba, AFPCity police rushed to the scene after being alerted by military police, and the two groups of law enforcement officers arrested Lee. After a preliminary investigation, Lee's case is to be referred to the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office on accusations of endangering public safety, police said.

Taiwan’s WBC hopes hinge on S Korea-Australia outcomeStaff writer, with CNATeam Taiwan have concluded their World Baseball Classic (WBC) Pool C campaign with a 2-2 record, leaving their fate dependent on the outcome of this evening's showdown between South Korea and Australia. Photo: AFPThe path for Australia is simple: A win over South Korea guarantees them a spot in the next round. Given Taiwan's 0-3 loss to Australia and 5-4 win against South Korea, a South Korean victory would create a three-way tie at 2-2. In its games against Australia and South Korea, Taiwan allowed seven runs over 54 defensive outs, locking in its quotient at 0.129. In the previous five editions of the WBC, Taiwan has advanced to the quarter-finals only once in 2013.

Taiwan’s largest snake fossil found in TainanBy Rachel Lin and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writerTaiwanese paleontologists have discovered fossil evidence that pythons up to 4m long inhabited Taiwan during the Pleistocene epoch, reporting their findings in the international scientific journal Historical Biology. National Taiwan University (NTU) Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology associate professor Tsai Cheng-hsiu (蔡政修) led the team that discovered the largest snake fossil ever found in Taiwan. Photo courtesy of Tsai Cheng-hsiuThe area also produced Taiwan’s first avian fossil, as well as crocodile, mammoth, sabre-toothed cat and rhinoceros fossils, it said. The python fossil was donated to Tsai by private collector L.R. The paper, “An Unexpected Snake Fossil,” was published in Historical Biology in January.

Air force begins two-week joint exercise with army and navyBy Hollie Younger / Staff writer, with CNAThe air force today began a two-week joint training exercise to strengthen joint tactical proficiency with army and navy units. The routine training comes as China continues to threaten regional peace and stability with large-scale military exercises around Taiwan. Taiwan’s military has continued developing indigenous weapons and procuring arms from overseas, while strengthening training exercises and implementing structural reforms to counter the threat. This latest exercise would focus on cooperation with ground and naval forces, conducting live-force exercises to verify overall operational capabilities. It thereby differs from the annual Tien Lung (天龍, “Sky Dragon”) exercise, which focuses on competitive exercises between the air force and defense units, but does not involve the other branches, officials said.