News

President Tsai’s response to Pope Francis’s Message for 2020 World Day of Peace

2020-01-22   Office of the President

President Tsai Ing-wen recently sent a letter to Pope Francis of the Catholic Church in response to his message marking the 53rd World Day of Peace.

Taiwan export orders up year on year for December 2019

Taiwan’s export orders increased 0.9 percent year on year for December 2019 to US$43.78 billion, the first monthly rise in four quarters, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs Jan. 20.

Epidemic response command center set up for coronavirus outbreak

2020-01-21   Focus Taiwan

Taiwan on Monday set up an epidemic response command center to contain the spread of a new type of coronavirus as more cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) were confirmed in China and other parts of Asia over the weekend.

MOHW sets up Taiwan pneumonia command center

2020-01-21   Taiwan Today

A central epidemics command center was set up Jan. 20 by Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare in readiness to manage possible local cases of pneumonia stemming from a new coronavirus.

President Tsai meets Keiji Furuya, Chairman of Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council

2020-01-21   Office of the President

During a meeting with Keiji Furuya, Chairman of Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council, on the morning of January 17, President Tsai Ing-wen stated that over the past three-plus years, Taiwan-Japan relations have grown increasingly close. She also said that we hope to continue working via the platform of the Global Cooperation and Training Framework to strengthen the comprehensive cooperative partnership between Taiwan, the United States, and Japan.

President Tsai interviewed by BBC

2020-01-20   Office of the President

President Tsai Ing-wen was interviewed by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on January 14, and she responded to questions regarding issues such as our presidential election, cross-strait relations, Taiwan-US relations, national defense, and diplomacy.

Taiwan not part of China as claimed by Myanmar, Beijing: MOFA

2020-01-20   Focus Taiwan

Taiwan’s foreign ministry on Sunday pushed back against a joint statement between Beijing and Myanmar that said Taiwan was undisputedly part of China’s territory.

European Parliament passes articles supporting Taiwan

2020-01-17   Focus Taiwan

The European Parliament (EP) on Wednesday passed two resolutions that include articles expressing support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.

Premier affirms successful conclusion of presidential and legislative elections

2020-01-17   Executive Yuan

Premier Su Tseng-chang said at Thursday’s meeting of the Cabinet that Taiwan has again demonstrated to the world the maturity of the nation’s democratic system with the successful conclusion of the 15th presidential and 10th legislative elections on January 11. The premier’s remarks came following a presentation by the Central Election Commission on the conduct of the combined elections.

President Tsai interviewed by BBC

2020-01-16   Office of the President

President Tsai Ing-wen was interviewed by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the afternoon of January 14, and she responded to questions regarding issues such as our presidential election, cross-strait relations, and national defense.

Taiwan lists mysterious Wuhan virus as emerging communicable disease

2020-01-16   Focus Taiwan

Taiwan on Wednesday officially listed a mysterious coronavirus originating in Wuhan City in China as a communicable disease, which means doctors, hospitals and other medical institutions are required by law to report suspected cases within 24 hours of diagnosis.

President Tsai meets delegation from US Center for Strategic and International Studies

2020-01-15   Office of the President

While meeting with a delegation from the US Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on the morning of January 14, President Tsai Ing-wen stated that through this election, the people of Taiwan have once again sent a clear message to the world that we are determined to safeguard our nation’s sovereignty and democracy. In the future, she said, we will continue to actively cooperate with like-minded countries to defend the values of democracy and freedom and facilitate peaceful and stable development in the region.

President affirms Cabinet’s work, asks premier to stay on

2020-01-15   Executive Yuan

Premier Su Tseng-chang spoke Monday morning to offer successful incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen his resignation following Saturday’s presidential and national legislative elections, and also headed a 5 p.m. ad hoc meeting of the Cabinet to tender the executive team’s mass resignation. However, President Tsai asked the premier to stay on, saying that his performance in office and demonstrated administrative effectiveness oblige him to continue leading the Cabinet and contending with Taiwan's domestic and international challenges.

Taiwan foreign minister attends inauguration of Guatemalan president

2020-01-15   Focus Taiwan

Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) is currently in Guatemala for the inauguration of that country’s President Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday.

Premier Su Tseng-chang to stay in post

2020-01-14   Focus Taiwan

Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) will continue to serve as the country’s premier after President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) asked him to remain in the post earlier in the day, a Presidential Office spokesman said Monday.

President Tsai meets Japanese House of Representatives Member Nobuo Kishi

2020-01-14   Office of the President

President Tsai Ing-wen met with Japanese House of Representatives Member Nobuo Kishi at her official residence on the afternoon of January 12. She stated that as a member of the regional community, we will do everything in our power to maintain cross-strait peace and stability. She also emphasized that we would initiate dialogue with China under the principles of peace, parity, democracy and dialogue, and we hope to continue improving cross-strait relations to maintain regional peace and stability.

President Tsai meets delegation from American Enterprise Institute

2020-01-14   Office of the President

On the morning of January 13, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a delegation focusing on democracy and Indo-Pacific strategy from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a Washington-based think tank. She thanked her visitors for their interest in and great support for Taiwan, and stated that Taiwan is the first line of defense for democratic values, and we are steadfast partners with the United States and Australia in the Indo-Pacific, having engaged in close cooperation over the past three years. Taiwan will continue to safeguard stability in the Taiwan Strait and seek to further deepen our collaboration with countries throughout the region in promoting regional development and prosperity, she said.

President Tsai meets AIT Taipei Office Director William Brent Christensen

2020-01-13   Office of the President

On the morning of January 12, President Tsai Ing-wen met with American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director William Brent Christensen. She said that Taiwan and the United States have continued to expand our cooperation across security, the economy, and our shared values based on the foundation of democracy and freedom. The Taiwan-US partnership has already grown from a bilateral partnership to a global partnership. She added that Taiwan is an irreplaceable partner in the international community, as well as a key player in regional democratic development, and that she is confident that Taiwan can work together with the United States to contribute more to the world.

President Tsai meets Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Chairman Mitsuo Ohashi

2020-01-13   Office of the President

President Tsai Ing-wen met with Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Chairman Mitsuo Ohashi on the morning of January 12. She mentioned that in yesterday’s presidential election, the people of Taiwan showed the world their determination to defend our nation’s sovereignty and protect our democracy and freedom. In the new year, the president stated, we hope to see even more exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and Japan in business, trade, culture, and sports so that Taiwan-Japan relations will reach new heights.

Public vote counting a powerful aspect of Taiwan’s democracy: scholar

2020-01-13   Focus Taiwan

Taiwan’s public vote counting system is one of the most powerful and unique aspects of its democracy, an American scholar said after observing the presidential and legislative elections Saturday.

New benefits for agricultural workers boost industry competitiveness

2020-01-10   Executive Yuan

At the Cabinet’s weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Su Tseng-chang said that the government’s agricultural policies over the past three-plus years to improve the well-being of farm workers, establish a robust environment, and boost agricultural competiveness have yielded impressive results.

President Tsai convenes national security meeting of senior officials to monitor developments in the Middle East

2020-01-10   Office of the President

President Tsai Ing-wen convened a national security meeting of senior officials on the morning of January 9 to monitor the latest developments in the Middle East. She was briefed by the National Security Council (NSC), the National Security Bureau, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Ministry of National Defense, the Mainland Affairs Council, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs on the impacts of conditions in the Middle East on Taiwan.

President Tsai is interviewed by Time magazine

2020-01-10   Office of the President

President Tsai Ing-wen was interviewed by Time magazine in October 2019, and a report based on this interview was published on January 9, 2020. President Tsai answered questions regarding international conditions, Taiwan-US relations, and cross-strait relations.

82 startups from Taiwan Tech Arena win 13 Innovation Awards at Eureka Park CES 2020

2020-01-09   Ministry of Science and Technology

Under initiative of Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of Taiwan, Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) organizes a delegation of startups for CES 2020 leaded by Deputy Minister Dr. Yu-Chin Hsu during Jan 7th to 10th (local time). With 82 startups who have been selected by Consumer Technology Association and venture capitals from Silicon Valley, TTA builds up a pavilion at Eureka Park and wins 13 Innovation Awards.

MOFA advises Taiwanese in Iran to exercise caution

2020-01-09   Focus Taiwan

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has advised Taiwanese in Iran to exercise caution and maintain close contact with Taiwan’s representative office in the region as tensions between Iran and the United States escalate.

National Security Council convenes meeting in response to developments in Iran

2020-01-09   Office of the President

In order to effectively respond to any possible impacts of the latest developments in Iran, the National Security Council (NSC) convened a national security meeting with senior officials of cabinet-level agencies at noon on January 8. Meeting participants learned about and assessed developments in the situation and all agencies present engaged in discussions on the stock and foreign exchange markets, energy supply, contacting and protecting overseas Taiwanese citizens, and security dynamics in the Taiwan Strait. Meeting participants then drew up response measures for all possible future developments.

AI-Generated Ad Copies Help Enterprises Catch Eyeballs!

2020-01-08   Ministry of Science and Technology

Online digital advertisements are important global sales tools for enterprises. However, due to the high cost and competition, many companies put a lot of time and resources only to get little return. The solve this problem, the project “Content Generation Techniques and Platform for Na-tive Advertisement based on AI and Deep Learning,” which is led by Professor Shan-Hung Wu, Yi-Wen Liu, and Cheng-Shang Chang from National Tsing Hua University and funded by Minis-try of Science and Technology (MOST), uses Deep Learning technologies combined with Signal Processing and Social Media Analysis techniques to generate various, catchy, and trendy ad cop-ies, aiming to reduce the cost and time of ad generation and help companies expand their sales on the global market more easily.

More than 200 foreign media reporters to cover Taiwan’s election

2020-01-08   Focus Taiwan

More than 200 foreign media reporters and correspondents will cover Taiwan’s upcoming presidential and legislative elections from inside the country, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Suhua Highway improvements open amid prep for new road safety project

2020-01-08   Executive Yuan

Premier Su Tseng-chang on Monday attended the official opening of improved sections of the Suhua Highway that connects Yilan and Hualien counties along Taiwan’s rugged east coast. The premier saluted the frontline construction crews for a job well done, and said that the improvement project’s completion sets the stage for a follow-on project to remediate road safety on three additional stretches of the route.

Improved Suhua Highway opens, boosting access to eastern Taiwan

2020-01-07   Focus Taiwan

Safer and faster road travel in eastern Taiwan became a reality on Monday following the official opening of the new and improved Suhua Highway connecting Yilan and Hualien counties.

Promote Open Data Act: Build up the new era of sharing data

2020-01-07   National Development Council

To welcome the new era of digital economy about data driven, National Development Council (NDC) has initiated the deliberation of Open Data Act. The proposal of the draft is expected before the end of 2020. Currently, it is administrative order that regulates our government open data which contains the essential concepts like machine-readable, open format and open licenses. The Executive Yuan and its subordinate agencies are the primary regulated subjects. With the elevation of the statutory rank, the formulation of the act will be wished to connect the new technology, revitalize data applications, and strengthen the data-driven innovation as well as digital governance.

Taiwan congratulates new Marshall Islands president on election win

2020-01-07   Focus Taiwan

Taiwan on Monday congratulated Marshall Islands President-elect David Kabua on his victory in a parliamentary vote earlier in the day and said the new leader was supportive of his country’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

CDC expands condition for notification amid concern over virus

2020-01-06   Focus Taiwan

Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Sunday that it has expanded the conditions for notification of suspected cases of an unconfirmed respiratory virus.

Executive Yuan: Taiwan tops in Asia for gender equality

2020-01-06   Executive Yuan

Taiwan ranks first in Asia and ninth worldwide for gender equality, according to the 2020 Gender at a Glance in R.O.C. (Taiwan) report released Friday by the Executive Yuan’s Department of Gender Equality (DGE). The rankings were calculated using methods applied by the United Nations Development Programme for the 2018 Gender Inequality Index, which analyzed five indicators in the three dimensions of reproductive health, empowerment and labor market to measure the state of gender inequality around the world.

President Tsai convenes meeting to discuss national defense and military affairs

2020-01-06   Office of the President

President Tsai Ing-wen convened a meeting at the Presidential Office on the morning of January 3 to discuss national defense and military affairs, stating that although the recent helicopter crash is a great national loss, national security requires constant vigilance. She then asked high-ranking officers of the armed forces to ensure stable military and public morale, security in and around the Taiwan Strait, and complete equipment inspections.

Annual lantern festival to feature ‘human-nature harmony’

2020-01-03   Focus Taiwan

Taiwan’s annual lantern festival, the official version of which will be held next month in Taichung, will feature a giant tree-themed main lantern “to encourage greater human-nature relations,” the Tourism Bureau said earlier this week.

Premier: Child care policy provides comprehensive support

2020-01-03   Executive Yuan

At the Cabinet’s weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Su Tseng-chang received a Ministry of Education briefing on the government’s child care policy for children ages 0-6. The next phase of this policy will make education and care even more affordable for families by allowing, for instance, an additional NT$1,000 (US$33) deduction from monthly costs at public and quasi-public child care facilities. Child-rearing allowances will also be raised gradually to NT$5,000 (US$166) per month and expanded to cover children up to age 6. These measures will provide more complete and comprehensive care to the children of Taiwan, the premier said.

President Tsai concerned about Black Hawk helicopter incident and rescue efforts, hears briefing

2020-01-03   Office of the President

A devastating accident involving a Taiwan military Black Hawk helicopter occurred on the morning of January 2, resulting in multiple fatalities. President Tsai Ing-wen proceeded to the recruit training center at the Jinlioujei Barracks in eastern Taiwan’s Yilan County in the afternoon to learn more about the progress of rescue efforts and receive briefings.