Taiwan not part of China: Hei Seki
Taiwan not part of China: Hei SekiSANCTIONED: The Japanese lawmaker, who became a Japanese citizen in 2007, was banned last year by Beijing from entering China for his support of TaiwanStaff writer, with CNAChina-born Japanese lawmaker Hei Seki said upon his arrival in Taipei yesterday that his trip proves that “Taiwan is not part of China, Taiwan is Taiwan,” and that the two countries are not subordinate to each other. “The People’s Republic of China [PRC] has sanctioned me and forbidden me from entering PRC territory. Japanese lawmaker Hei Seki, center, waves to supporters gathered to welcome him at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) yesterday. Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times“Taiwan is Taiwan, Taiwan is the ROC, and has no relations with the PRC,” he said, adding that his trip proved that Taiwan is an independent country. Born in China, Seki graduated from Peking University before moving to Japan to study in 1988, one year before the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 17:19 UTC
Cars, industry blamed for southern Taiwan pollution
Cars, industry blamed for southern Taiwan pollutionBy Huang Yi-ching and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerVehicle emissions and industrial pollution play a significant role in triggering poor air quality alerts in the nation’s south, the Ministry of Environment said yesterday, citing research by academics in Taiwan and the US. NASA airplanes equipped with sophisticated sensors conducted three flyovers in 2024 in collaboration with Taiwanese academics to measure air pollution using LIDAR, drones, balloons and observation teams, the researchers told a news conference. Pollutants from vehicles were notable in measurements on days of dangerously poor air quality, showing the effect that private vehicles have on air pollution, said You Chih-yuan (游智淵), a scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Environment. The findings might prompt the ministry to devote more resources to regulating air pollution generated by daily life, You said. Surges in pollution from industrial sources might have tipped the balance during periods of poor or dangerously poor air quality, said Wang Chia-lin (王家麟), a professor of chemistry at the university.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 17:19 UTC
The US is doing the dirty work that Latin America’s leaders would not
The US is doing the dirty work that Latin America’s leaders would notLatin American governments have a chance to help shape a democratic exit that enables a recovery in Venezuela and limits Trump’s influenceBy J.P. Spinetto / Bloomberg OpinionRemoving Venezuela’s dictator introduced “Trump’s corollary” in Latin America with an exclamation point. Reactions among Latin American leaders split along predictable ideological lines. Rather than strongly protesting a historic US intervention on South American soil, Latin American governments might pause to reflect on the many chances they missed to confront the region’s worst political catastrophe of the century. Latin America’s heavy electoral calendar this year will also test the impact of Trump’s interventionist move. J.P. Spinetto is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Latin American business, economic affairs and politics.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 16:41 UTC
There are no quick wins in tapping Venezuela’s oil reserves
Christian also said the companies would not go back until sanctions against the country are removed. Venezuela would also have to reform its laws to allow for larger investment by foreign oil companies. Venezuela nationalized the industry in the 1970s and in the 2000s ordered a forced migration to joint ventures controlled by its state oil company, PDVSA. Most companies negotiated exits and migrated, including Chevron, while a handful of others did not reach deals and filed for arbitration. Chevron would be positioned to benefit the most from any potential oil opening in Venezuela, said Francisco Monaldi, director of the Latin America Energy Program at Rice University’s Baker Institute in Houston, Texas.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 16:41 UTC
Maduro’s capture is a dilemma for Beijing
Maduro’s capture is a dilemma for BeijingBy Tzou Jiing-wen 鄒景雯The US on Saturday last week moved swiftly and decisively to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, bringing them to New York for trial. Afterward, the streets were full of Venezuelans celebrating Maduro’s downfall — the direct result of a carefully calculated strategy. There have even been reports of Chinese military advisers operating in Venezuela, with the country’s military being touted as the strongest in South America. Yet, when the US military launched its operation, Beijing did nothing beyond verbal protests — incapable and unwilling to intervene or militarily obstruct it. This is the dilemma Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) faces after the failure of the China model.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 16:41 UTC
Bulgaria’s euro moment hurt by political turmoil
Bulgaria’s euro moment hurt by political turmoilBy Slav Okov, Andrea Dudik and Irina Vilcu / BloombergIt is hard to ignore Bulgaria’s heart-on-sleeve embrace of the EU. The switch is meant to crown almost two decades of integration after Bulgaria joined the EU and then its Schengen customs-free travel zone. The EU has repeatedly criticized Bulgaria’s failure to improve rule of law and its low efficiency in probing high-ranking officials for corruption. However, unlike in Hungary, Poland or Slovakia, pro-EU parties have dominated the political scene in Bulgaria, affording them some protection. “Those parties have consistently leveraged their standing within their European political families as a form of external validation and whitewashing,” said Goran Georgiev, senior analyst at the Center for the Study of Democracy, an independent think tank in Sofia.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 16:41 UTC
Taiwan invasion would cost China massively: US think tank
Taiwan invasion would cost China massively: US think tankBy Hollie Younger / Staff writerConflict with Taiwan could leave China with “massive economic disruption, catastrophic military losses, significant social unrest, and devastating sanctions,” a US think tank said in a report released yesterday. The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) yesterday released a report titled If China Attacks Taiwan: The Consequences for China of “Minor Conflict” and “Major War” Scenarios. It details how a minor conflict or a major war scenario would affect the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in contingencies expected to occur between this year and 2030. As for the international costs, a major conflict could set China back “decades on the global stage,” it says. However, Chinese leaders would likely view the international implications of a minor conflict as “manageable,” it says.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 10:51 UTC
Court sentences ex-coast guard member for spying
Court sentences ex-coast guard member for spyingBy Sam Garcia / Staff writer, with CNAThe Kaohsiung branch of the High Court today sentenced a former member of the coast guard to seven years and eight months in prison for leaking national and military secrets to China for almost two years, earning more than NT$580,000 (US$18,403) in criminal proceeds. The defendant, surnamed Lee (李), was suspended after the case came to light, the Coast Guard Administration said, adding that he later resigned. Lee had served as a member of the coast guard’s southern fleet branch since 2022, the court said in a statement. Although driven by his family’s financial needs, Lee’s actions endangered national security and damaged public morale in the defense of freedom and democracy, the court said. The court found him guilty of breaching his duties by accepting bribes and intentionally endangering national security by delivering confidential documents, electronic records and state secrets to China.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 09:51 UTC
Taiwan hopes for smooth democratic transition in Venezuela: MOFA
Taiwan hopes for smooth democratic transition in Venezuela: MOFABy Chen Yu-fu and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writerTaiwan hopes that Venezuela can smoothly and peacefully transition to a democratic system and wishes to further bilateral relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) said today. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei speaks to reporters at a news conference in Taipei today. Photo: Chen Yu-fu, Taipei TimesThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is closely monitoring Venezuela’s economic and political situation, domestically and internationally, to ensure that it can respond swiftly if necessary. That includes the role of Venezuela in international drug trafficking and the humanitarian crisis caused by its authoritarian rule, which has long affected local and regional stability, the ministry said. Taiwan is also working to protect and assist its citizens in Venezuela, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 07:50 UTC
China's drills reveal ‘unacceptable attitude’: European lawmaker
China's drills reveal ‘unacceptable attitude’: European lawmakerStaff writer, with CNAThe military exercises China staged around Taiwan last week were provocative and revealed Beijing's "unacceptable attitude," threatening "peaceful coexistence across the Taiwan Strait," Member of the European Parliament Michael Gahler said today. Michael Gahler, member of the European Parliament and chairman of the European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group, speaks at the Presidential Office in Taipei today. Photo: CNAIt is important for the European Parliament and democracies worldwide to speak out for maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait, a condition China has attempted to alter, he said. The international community has strongly condemned Beijing's "belligerent and aggressive posture" as witnessed in last week's large-scale military drills in the waters and airspace around Taiwan, Gahler said. "This is such a provocation, and an unacceptable attitude that endangers the peaceful coexistence across the Strait," he said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 07:14 UTC
Legislature passes draft act protecting delivery workers’ rights
Legislature passes draft act protecting delivery workers’ rightsBy Sam Garcia / Staff writer, with CNAThe Legislative Yuan today passed the third reading of a draft act protecting delivery workers’ rights and managing delivery platforms, stipulating that, per delivery, workers must earn at least 1.25 times the minimum hourly wage, or a minimum of NT$45. Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei TimesThe draft act requires delivery platforms to pay workers at least twice a month and provide clear payment statements showing how earnings and deductions are calculated. Platforms must provide contracted delivery workers with accident and liability insurance, and workers cannot deliver until insured, the draft says. Establishing a minimum wage, insurance and grievance mechanisms under the law would clarify the rights and responsibilities of platforms and delivery workers, Taiwan Delivery Industry Rights Promotion Alliance spokesperson Su Pai-hao (蘇柏豪) said. It not only protects workers’ rights, but is key to the healthy and sustainable growth of the industry, Su said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 06:42 UTC
New scratch card games offer NT$12.8bn in prizes
New scratch card games offer NT$12.8bn in prizesStaff writer, with CNATaiwan Lottery Co today launched five new scratch card games to mark the Lunar New Year that offer more than NT$12.8 billion (US$405.81 million) in prizes. The “NT$12 Million Grand Fortune” scratch card game is advertised on Taiwan Lottery Co’s Web site. Photo courtesy of Taiwan Lottery CoAll five games are available from today through July 6. Tickets for the game "NT$12 Million Grand Fortune" cost NT$1,000 and offer the highest top prize among the new scratch cards, Taiwan Lottery said. It features eight top prizes of NT$12 million and 200 second prizes of NT$1 million, both record highs, with an overall win rate of 70 percent, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 06:32 UTC
Cold surge warning issued for most of Taiwan
Cold surge warning issued for most of TaiwanStaff writer, with CNAThe Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued cold surge advisories for 18 cities and counties across Taiwan, warning of lows below 10°C through tomorrow night. A "yellow" alert for minimum temperatures below 10°C was issued for the rest of the country, except Hualien and Taitung counties in eastern Taiwan and outlying Penghu and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties. Photo: Taipei Times file photoThe cold weather is due to the arrival of a strong continental cold air mass, combined with radiative cooling, which describes the release of heat from the ground into the atmosphere, the CWA said. Taiwan would remain under the combined influence of the cold air mass and radiative cooling through Thursday, CWA forecaster Cheng Chieh-jen (鄭傑仁) said on Monday. While the cold air is expected to weaken slightly on Friday and Saturday, radiative cooling would continue to keep temperatures low, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 05:57 UTC
Starlux receives Taiwan's first Airbus A350-1000
Starlux receives Taiwan's first Airbus A350-1000Staff writer, with CNAStarlux Airlines today became the first airline in Taiwan to take delivery of an Airbus A350-1000 aircraft when the wide-body plane with Starlux livery arrived in Taiwan. The aircraft, registered as B-58551, was yesterday delivered to a team led by Starlux Chairman Chang Kuo-wei (張國煒) at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France, the company said in statement late last night. Starlux Airlines’ Airbus A350-1000 aircraft takes off from Toulouse yesterday. With the latest addition, Starlux operates 30 aircraft, which also include 10 A350-900s, six A330neos and 13 A321neos. Though Starlux was the first Taiwanese airline to take delivery of the A350-1000, it is not the only local carrier interested in the plane.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 05:09 UTC
Louisa Coffee to raise prices tomorrow
Louisa Coffee to raise prices tomorrowStaff writer, with CNACoffeehouse chain Louisa Coffee (路易莎咖啡) from tomorrow is to raise the prices of about 90 items on its menu by an average of 5 percent, the company's management said today. The price hike was necessitated by the rising cost of ingredients, materials, labor and electricity, Louisa Coffee said in a statement. A Louisa Coffee store is pictured in an undated photograph. Overall, the prices of about 90 items on the menu would rise by an average of 5 percent. Launched in Taipei in 2006, Louisa Coffee has become one of Taiwan's largest coffeehouse chains, offering cheaper prices than its main rival, Starbucks.
Source:Taipei Times
January 06, 2026 04:12 UTC