PRC scammer uses AI to steal millionsDEEPFAKE: Using AI to change their face and voice, a fraudster convinced a businessman that they were his friend and needed 4.3 million yuan for a public tenderAFP, BEIJINGA scammer in China used artificial intelligence (AI) to pose as a businessman’s trusted friend and convince him to hand over millions of yuan, authorities have said. The victim, surnamed Guo, received a video call last month from a person who looked and sounded like a close friend. The scammer was “masquerading as [Guo’s] good friend and perpetrating fraud,” the article said. The potential pitfalls of AI have received heightened attention since OpenAI in November launched ChatGPT, a chatbot that mimics human speech. The potential pitfalls of groundbreaking AI technology have received heightened attention since US-based OpenAI in November last year launched ChatGPT, a chatbot that mimics human speech.

Students accused of using devil’s ivy to poison classmateBy Tsai Shu-yuan and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Taichung City Government has said that it is investigating an alleged poisoning of an elementary-school student by their classmates using sugar water laced with devil’s ivy. A devil’s ivy plant is pictured in an undated photograph. Through online research they decided on either devil’s ivy, Asian taro or oleander, and chose one at random, it said. Asian taro and devil’s ivy are in the Araceae family of plants, which contain calcium oxalate crystals and saponins, Taichung Veterans General Hospital Department of Toxicology doctor Mao Yen-chiao (毛彥喬) said. The crystals can cause redness and mild pain if touched, and can cause mouth sores, throat pain, abdominal pain and diarrhea if ingested, Mao said.

Carlsen, Ding to join new chess league in DubaiReutersReigning world champion Ding Liren and top-ranked Magnus Carlsen are to participate in next month’s inaugural franchise-based Global Chess League (GCL), organizers said yesterday. Carlsen and Ding are to join as two of six “icon” players, along with Indian grandmaster Viswanathan Anand and Poland’s Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen poses for photographers at the Breakthrough Prize ceremony at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, on April 15. Chinese chess grandmaster Ding Liren speaks to reporters during a news conference at the Superbet Chess Classic Romania at the Grand Hotel Bucharest on May 11. Photo: EPA-EFEDubai also staged the 2021 Chess World Championship, when Carlsen won his fifth title.

Chinese public not so keen on unification: pollINVASION UNPOPULAR: Chinese would likely accept their government having a softer stance toward cross-strait relations, one of the coauthors of the article saidBy William Hetherington / Staff writer, with CNAInterest among the Chinese public in the issue of China’s unification with Taiwan is low, researchers said, citing the results of a poll. An article titled “Assessing Public Support for (Non-)Peaceful Unification with Taiwan: Evidence from a Nationwide Survey in China,” published in the Journal of Contemporary China on May 14, showed that only 55 percent of those surveyed in China would support the use of military force to achieve unification with Taiwan. Chinese and Taiwanese flags are pictured in an illustration taken on April 28 last year. “This obviously does not support [Chinese President] Xi Jinping’s (習近平) statement that ‘the whole country is eagerly looking forward to the return of Taiwan,’” she said. Based on research on the level of self-censorship practiced by Chinese when taking polls, the actual percentage of those who support military force might be closer to 25 percent, he said.

Australia lays on rock-star welcome for India PM ModiAFP, SYDNEYAustralia yesterday offered Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a rock-star welcome, lavishing praise on the Indian leader during a visit heavy on trade and light on criticism. Modi held a campaign-style rally at a 21,000-capacity Sydney arena, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese playing emcee. Dancers perform ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival to attend an Indian community event at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, yesterday. Photo: APTo chants of “Modi, Modi, Modi,” Albanese introduced his “dear friend” to a jazzed-up crowd of Indian-Australians, who he praised for making Australia “stronger and more inclusive.”“The last time I saw someone on the stage here was Bruce Springsteen and he didn’t get the welcome that Prime Minister Modi has got,” Albanese said. “Prime Minister Modi is the boss,” he said, breaking into a broad smile and boasting the pair had met six times in the past year.

Uncertainty holding back foreign investors in ChinaAP, BEIJINGForeign companies in China are uncertain about what they are allowed to do following police raids on consulting firms, and want “greater clarity” about how newly expanded national security and other rules would be enforced, a foreign business group said yesterday. British Chamber of Commerce in China chairman Julian MacCormac speaks at a press launch for a position paper on UK business in China at a hotel in Beijing yesterday. Photo: AP“If there is greater clarity and greater certainty, then we believe that companies will commit more to China,” chamber chairman Julian MacCormac told a news conference. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) government says foreign companies are welcome and is trying to encourage them to invest more. “It raises uncertainty about, what’s the future like for me as a company in China?” he said.

EDITORIAL: Sharing responsibility for peaceAt a news conference marking the seventh anniversary of her presidency at the Presidential Office in Taipei, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Saturday vowed to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait in the face of China’s political and military intimidation. “The global consensus is clear: The Taiwan Strait issue must be resolved peacefully; war is not an option. “Maintaining the status quo of peace and stability is the consensus for the world and Taiwan,” Tsai said. Peace in the Taiwan Strait has become a top agenda item for the international community. Maintaining the cross-strait “status quo” on the basis of Taiwan’s freedom and sovereignty is also the largest common denominator among Taiwanese.

MOFA vows to do its best to help after NY complaintBy Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporterMinister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) yesterday said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) would do its best to assist overseas Taiwanese in need. The remarks came after a Taiwanese student expressed disappointment at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York after seeking help from there following an attack. He said that the ministry and all foreign embassies and missions would do their utmost to assist overseas Taiwanese. The ministry condemned any violence, including racial discrimination and verbal or physical violence, and said that it would ask offices in the US to keep in touch with overseas Taiwanese to offer help when needed. In case of an emergency that threatens personal safety, people should take measures to protect themselves and immediately contact local law enforcement agencies or the nearest Taiwanese office abroad for assistance, it said.

When the Korean War broke out in June 1950, US forces in Japan significantly contributed as part of the UN armed forces. In the face of tensions between South Korea and North Korea, Washington has increased its military deployment in the Korean Peninsula to counter the CCP. Instead, the US has taken advantage of its relations with South Korea to advance US interests in Northeast Asia. First, if the conflict in the Korean Peninsula intensifies, the US’ presence there would allow it to gain more leverage from the six-party talks (China, Japan, North Korea, Russia, South Korea and the US). Third, the US is trying to exchange benefits with North Korea to curb China, with an aim to obtain a military advantage.

Beijing slams UK, Japan over ‘anti-China’ G7 summitReuters, BEIJING and TOKYOChina’s Global Times yesterday called the G7 an “anti-China workshop,” a day after Beijing summoned Japan’s envoy and berated Britain in a fiery response to statements issued at the group’s summit in Hiroshima. G7 declarations issued on Saturday singled out China on issues including Taiwan, nuclear arms, economic coercion and human rights abuses, underscoring the wide-ranging tensions between Beijing and the group that includes the US. Russia, a close ally of China that was also called out in the G7 statement over its invasion of Ukraine, said the summit was an “incubator” for anti-Russian and anti-Chinese hysteria. The main G7 leaders’ communique mentioned China 20 times, up from 14 mentions last year. “The G7 mentioned many concerns [over China] in an unprecedented way.

Over 6,000 backed WHA bid: ministryTAIWAN CAN HELP: More than 3,000 people supported the bid on social media, including US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Chairman Robert MenendezBy Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporterThe government thanked more than 6,000 friends from around the world for supporting the nation’s participation in the WHO and the World Health Assembly (WHA), despite Taiwan not being invited to attend. The legislative bodies of the US, Germany and the Czech Republic all passed bills supporting Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, showing that the stance is part of public opinion in many nations, it said. The ministry this year launched a campaign on social media, enlisting support with the hashtags #TaiwanCanHelp, #LetTaiwanHelp, #LetTaiwanIn and #WHONeedsTaiwan, the ministry said. The ministry condemned China’s obstruction of Taiwan’s participation in international organizations using unscrupulous means, adding that global epidemic prevention should not be subject to the political interference of a single nation. The WHA is also discussing how to conduct better clinical trials to facilitate evidence-based data, research and coordination of intervention measures, he said.

EDITORIAL: The missing piece in world healthThe 76th World Health Assembly (WHA) opened on Sunday in Geneva, Switzerland, once again without Taiwan. The snub was formalized yesterday with a vote preceded by pleas from China and Pakistan to bar Taiwan from the proceedings. Yet as it hears the same pleas year after year, the world is taking greater notice. This time, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ tally, more than 6,000 people and groups around the world have called for Taiwan’s inclusion. No matter what you think of Indo-Pacific politics, even the most pragmatic actor would find it difficult to argue against allowing access as a mere observer to an organization whose mission is to protect global health through open channels of communication.

Ukraine war shows need for defense pact with US: PNGReuters, SYDNEY and WASHINGTONPapua New Guinea (PNG) said it would sign a defense agreement with the US, ahead of a deal with Australia and despite opposition party concerns that it could upset China, because the Ukraine conflict shows the need for military capability. Today, the Pacific island nation is to host visits by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and other Pacific island leaders. While Modi’s visit is expected to focus on trade, Blinken is to sign a defense cooperation agreement (DCA) with PNG Prime Minister James Marape, the two nations have said. Yun said he hopes to conclude a deal with the Marshall Islands soon. Chinese diplomats have been courting the region and China’s construction and mining companies have expanded their business in many Pacific island nations.

Cabinet eyes road safety guidelinesWALKING DISTANCE: Forty-six percent of roads 12m or longer do not have sidewalks, and fully addressing it would take 100 years, an Executive Yuan official saidBy Chung Li-hua / Staff reporterTraffic guidelines that prioritize pedestrian safety are to be passed at a weekly Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) said yesterday. The guidelines detail the government’s plan to clear the nation’s reputation of being a “hell for pedestrians” through road construction, technology and education, he said. “We need to enhance the safety of pedestrians, as more than 300 pedestrians die in traffic accidents each year, and the issue needs to be tackled through better road design, safety at intersections and education,” he said. The Executive Yuan last year approved the appropriation of NT$5 billion to enhance road safety around 446 primary school campuses, which would be enforced this year. This year, agencies are to focus on four key enforcement priorities: improving the pedestrian environment on 100km of roads, enhancing safety at 1,218 intersections, eliminating obstacles for pedestrians at 161 locations and establishing 25 pilot areas for road safety.

Miles Yu On Taiwan: The Globalization of Taiwan’s DefenseIn the 74 years since its founding, the leaders of the People’s Republic of China have always seen the Republic of China in Taiwan as a thorn in their collective side. Even since the termination of their Mutual Defense Treaty in 1980, the United States has continued to commit to Taiwan’s defense through the Taiwan Relations Act and a series of executive orders and policy statements. Leaders of both Japan and Australia have insisted that what matters to Taiwan’s defense matters to theirs too. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly stated that what concerns Taiwan’s security is also what concerns NATO’s security. Yet in many ways it is only natural that Taiwan’s defense be international in scope.