Taiwan-US trade agreement: Defense goals did not require trade deal proviso: Lai
Taiwan-US trade agreement: Defense goals did not require trade deal proviso: LaiBy Chen Cheng-yu / Staff reporterPresident William Lai (賴清德) yesterday said his decision to allocate more than 3 percent of GDP for defense was made before the US announcement of tariffs and is unrelated to the Taiwan-US Agreement on Reciprocal Trade signed Thursday. Lai made the remarks at a news conference in response to media queries about the provision in the agreement that specifies Taiwan’s annual defense budget should exceed 3 percent of GDP. Lai said that since being elected president, he has publicly committed to strengthening Taiwan’s defense capabilities to demonstrate the country’s resolve in safeguarding national security and maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region. Lai said that Taiwan’s defense budget for this year has already surpassed 3 percent of GDP. “Whether it’s TSMC or other industries, as long as their R&D centers are in Taiwan, their advanced manufacturing processes are in Taiwan and their largest production volume is in Taiwan, Taiwan can continue to develop steadily,” Lai said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:17 UTC
Taiwan-US trade agreement: US tariff on farm goods sees major decrease with deal
Taiwan-US trade agreement: US tariff on farm goods sees major decrease with dealBy Esme Yeh / Staff reporterThe average US tariff on Taiwanese agricultural exports has been lowered from 35.62 percent to 13.27 percent under the Taiwan-US Agreement on Reciprocal Trade signed in Washington on Thursday, reducing tariff costs by US$219 million, Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) said yesterday. For US agricultural imports, Taiwanese levies on 27 critical agricultural products stand, including rice, chicken, oyster, garlic, clams and red beans, Chen said. Tariff reduction for such items is expected to lower costs and increase consumer options, he added. Taiwan has a higher market share of these items domestically, while US products still compete mainly with imports from other countries, he said. For example, US tangerine imports are mainly used in processed fruit juice, while domestically grown tangerines are for fresh eating, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:17 UTC
Industry groups urge Legislature to expedite Taiwan-US trade deal review
Industry groups urge Legislature to expedite Taiwan-US trade deal reviewStaff writer, with CNASeven of Taiwan’s leading industry and commerce groups released a joint statement yesterday urging the Legislature to expedite its review of the “reciprocal” trade agreement signed in Washington on Thursday by Taiwan and the United States. The groups include the Chinese National Federation of Industries, the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce, Taiwan (CNAIC), the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, and the Taiwan Federation of Industry. The Manufacturers United General Association of Industrial Parks, the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association, and the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce & Industry also joined in issuing the statement praising the deal. The groups referenced the delay of the South Korean Legislature in enacting that country’s trade deal with the US, which prompted US President Donald Trump to announce a possible increase on the previously agreed-upon 15 percent tariffs. The Taiwan-US trade agreement caps US on Taiwanese goods at 15 percent and granted preferential market access to US industrial and agricultural exports, including automobiles, beef and pork.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:17 UTC
New Year blessings
Marriage of 102-year-old under scrutinyNOMINAL NEWLYWEDS: A man’s family and his wife — his long-term caregiver — are engaged in a legal dogfight over the propriety and validity of the recent union A centenarian’s marriage to his caregiver unbeknownst to his children has prompted legal action, as the caregiver accuses the man’s children of violating her personal liberty and damaging her reputation, while the children have sought a legal option to have the marriage annulled. According to sources, the 102-year-old man surnamed Wang (王) lives in Taipei’s Zhongshan District (中山) and previously worked as a land registration agent. Wang reportedly owns multiple properties and parcels of land worth several hundred million New Taiwan dollars and has ten children. His caregiver, a 69-year-old surnamed Lai (賴), has been caring for him since about 1999,By Chiu Chun-fu, Lin Chia-tung and Jake Chung
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:17 UTC
Italy claim historic win over Nepal
Italy claim historic win over NepalAFP, MUMBAI, IndiaItaly have ambitions of hosting top-class cricket from Rome to Milan and Bologna after a historic and emotional first Men’s T20 World Cup victory. The win, in just their second match at their debut T20 World Cup, left some of the Italy players in tears of joy. Italy’s Anthony Mosca celebrates after beating Nepal in their Men’s T20 World Cup match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India, on Thursday. “I think you’ve got to appreciate what Italy cricket is bringing to the game, understand that the passion is slightly different with the Italians. Manenti hopes their World Cup exploits would help change the whole face of the sport in the country.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:16 UTC
Tesla not planning to cut prices
On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz Taiwan said it is planning to lower the price of its five models imported from the US after the zero tariff comes into effect. Tesla in a statement said it has no plan to adjust the prices of the US-made Model 3, Model S and Model X as tariffs are not the only factor the automaker uses to determine pricing policies. Tesla Inc electric vehicles are parked at SuperCharger stations in San Francisco, California, on Jan. 23. Despite the end of production, Tesla said it would continue to provide comprehensive after-sales services to buyers of the Model S and Model X, including maintenance, inspection and software upgrades. Tesla, Toyota, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and BMW were the top imported car suppliers in Taiwan, the data showed.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:15 UTC
Trump team aims to narrow scope of metals tariffs
Trump team aims to narrow scope of metals tariffsBloombergThe administration of US President Donal Trump is working to narrow its broad tariffs on steel and aluminum products that companies find difficult to calculate and the EU wants reined in as part of its pending trade deal with the US, a person familiar with the matter said. The White House has communicated to companies that adjustments are in the works, but details and timing remain unclear, the person said. Trump last year imposed a 50 percent levy on foreign steel and aluminum in a measure aimed at Chinese overcapacity. Ending or curtailing the derivative tariffs would be a positive step for the US-EU trade accord. The EU still faces a 50 percent US duty on steel and aluminum exports, as well as on many other derivative products.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:15 UTC
Applied Materials shares soar after upbeat forecast
Applied Materials shares soar after upbeat forecastBloombergApplied Materials Inc shares on Thursday surged 10 percent in late trading after delivering a surprisingly upbeat sales forecast, signaling that demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and memory chips is fueling equipment purchases. “The acceleration of industry investments in AI computing” is powering the company’s results, Applied Materials chief executive officer Gary Dickerson said in a statement. A smartphone displaying the Applied Materials Inc logo is placed on a computer motherboard on March 6, 2023. Second-quarter earnings per share would be about US$2.64, excluding some items, Applied Materials said. The US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission also closed related probes into the matter without taking action, Applied Materials said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:14 UTC
Taiwan and US sign trade agreement
The Taiwan-US Agreement on Reciprocal Trade confirms a 15 percent US tariff for Taiwanese goods, and grants Taiwanese semiconductors and related products the most-favorable-treatment under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, the Executive Yuan said. The trade agreement also covers industrial goods, removing all tariffs on US-made cars imported to Taiwan, but maintaining the rate on trucks. The Office of the US Trade Representative said the agreement would eliminate or reduce 99 percent of tariff barriers for US industrial and agricultural goods exported to Taiwan. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick attended the signing of the agreement, which occurred under the auspices of the American Institute in Taiwan, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US. At a news conference in Washington after the signing ceremony, Cheng, who led Taiwan’s trade negotiation team, said the agreement was “a milestone” for bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and technology.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:13 UTC
GDP growth forecast hits 7.71%
GDP growth forecast hits 7.71%MORE CASH: With many employers raising wages and a high-flying stock market pushing up disposable income, private consumption is expected to grow 2.51%By Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterTaiwan’s government has sharply upgraded its economic outlook, buoyed by easing trade uncertainties with the US and sustained powerful global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) hardware. The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) yesterday raised its GDP growth forecast to 7.71 percent for this year, more than doubling its November estimate of 3.54 percent in the largest upward revision on record. A technician works at an Amazon Web Services data center in New Carlisle, Indiana, on Oct. 2 last year. DGBAS statistics department head Tsai Yu-tai (蔡鈺泰) said export performance in the fourth quarter of last year far exceeded expectations, prompting the agency to reassess assumptions about global demand. DGBAS officials characterized the outlook as one of “rapid growth paired with price stability,” positioning Taiwan to sustain expansion even as the global economy remains uneven.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:13 UTC
Bangladesh’s BNP wins by a landslide
Bangladesh’s BNP wins by a landslidePEACE AT LAST? Bangladesh Election Commission figures showed that the BNP alliance had won 212 seats, compared with 77 for the Islamist-led Jamaat-e-Islami alliance. The US embassy congratulated Rahman and the BNP for a “historic victory,” while India praised Rahman’s “decisive win” in a significant step after recent rocky relations with Bangladesh. Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairman Tarique Rahman poses for a photograph in his party’s office in Dhaka on Sunday. Senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi claimed a resounding win, calling for followers to give thanks in prayer rather than celebrate on the streets.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:13 UTC
37 US lawmakers express concern over stalled budget
37 US lawmakers express concern over stalled budgetBy Ben Blanchard / Reuters, TAIPEIA bipartisan group of 37 US lawmakers have written to senior Taiwanese politicians expressing concern about the legislature stalling proposed defense spending, saying that the threat posed by China has never been greater. President William Lai (賴清德) last year proposed US$40 billion in extra defense spending to counter threats from China. Photo: Reuters“However, the threat posed by the People’s Republic of China against Taiwan has never been greater. “We commend Taiwan for making important progress in strengthening its military readiness, reserve forces, and asymmetric defense capabilities,” it said. The TPP said it has always supported a “reasonable and steadily growing” defense budget and understood the US’ concerns, adding that spending requests had to be subject to democratic oversight and fiscal discipline.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:13 UTC
Arms sale likely includes IBCS, PAC-3 MSE: source
Arms sale likely includes IBCS, PAC-3 MSE: sourceBy Lo Tien-pin and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe next US arms sale package to Taiwan is likely to include advanced command and control systems, surface-to-air missiles, radars, and counter-drone capabilities, a source said yesterday. The PAC-3 MSE would be furnished in sufficient quantity to arm a new air defense battalion, he said. The NASAMS would provide a low to medium-altitude air defense capability, while the LTAMDS, the latest radar technology, would replace the original radars of the Patriot air defense system, the official said. These systems would join Taiwan’s fleet of PAC-3 and Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) family of air defense missiles to form an integrated defense, he said. The project aims to enable the Taiwanese armed forces to engage threats at different altitudes and performance envelopes, controlled by an AI-enhanced integrated command system, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:13 UTC
Riding the Fire Horse Year
WHEN FIRE MEETS FIREIn the Chinese calendrical system, the “Fire Horse Year” combines two forces that create a “Double Fire” configuration that practitioners say can amplify restlessness and bring simmering tensions to the surface. A worshipper holds incense sticks while praying at the altar of baite, the mythical divine mount of Wenchang, the God of Literature, at Sinjhuang’s 213-year-old Wenchang Temple, where visitors seek blessings for academic or career advancement. Photo: Billy WuFolklorists also reference the phrase “Scarlet Horse and Crimson Sheep” (赤馬紅羊劫), a nod to historical periods known for social upheaval and institutional shifts. In a Fire Horse year, this inherent restlessness is often amplified. At Sinjhuang’s 213-year-old Wenchang Temple (文昌祠), worshippers turn to Bai Te (白特), a mythical creature who serves as the mount of Wenchang, the God of Literature.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:12 UTC
Taiwan in Time: The execution of a film pioneer
Photo courtesy of Taiwan Film and Audiovisual InstituteIt was not his first run-in with the ruling Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). Photo courtesy of Taiwan Film and Audiovisual InstitutePai studied education at Xiamen University, where he was first arrested. Afterward, Pai assumed control of existing Japanese film organizations and established the Taiwan Provincial Office Publicity Committee Film Studio (台灣省電影攝製場). RISE OF TAIWANESE CINEMAIn 1955, the first Taiwanese-language film, Romance of the Western Chamber (六才子西廂記), hit the theaters. His name was subsequently erased from film history, not even appearing in commemorative issues of the Taiwan Provincial Film Studio that he started.
Source:Taipei Times
February 13, 2026 17:12 UTC