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News headlines

Notes

This page offers an overview of selected relevant news headlines pertaining to Taiwan politics and background information since January 2020. The main sources for news contents used here include reports from the Central News Agency (CNA) in English (Focus Taiwan) and Chinese (中央通訊社), the Taipei Times, the Taiwan News, Taiwan Today,  Radio Taiwan International (RTI), TaiwanPlus,  International Community Radio Taipei (ICRT) and others. Headlines derived directly from one of those media outlets have the URL leading to the original report added.

It should be pointed out that in some cases older reports might not be available any more in their original, full form. In particular, the CNA has imposed restrictions for its reports on Focus Taiwan which are older than six months, requiring users to buy a subscription in order to view those reports unabridged. The chief researcher is not authorized to present full texts of such reports. Nevertheless some older Focus Taiwan reports which were republished by the English-language newsletter of the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) are still available there in their full-length form.

Furthermore, following design changes in the website of Taiwan News that were implemented in March 2024, most articles published there before December 2022 are no longer accessible and their URLs invalid ("Page Not Found").

Also mentioned on this page:

• Results of elections for public office—provided by the Central Election Commission (CEC).
• Olympic medals—only those for members of Taiwan's national team ("Chinese Taipei").
• Earthquakes—only those with a magnitude 6 or higher, or any temblor causing fatalities.
• Typhoons—only those that actually made landfall on Taiwan (the last one before the beginning of this news timeline being typhoon Bailu, made landfall on Aug. 24, 2019).

DISINFORMATION ALERT—Some headlines (usually concerning cross-Strait topics) show links to news reports created by XinhuaNet (xinhuawang 新華網) from the PRC. Considering that the PRC is an authoritarian regime with no real freedom of the press, users of this website are advised to read Xinhua contents (as well as articles by China Daily, Global Times and Bastille Post) with caution as those texts are often little more than state propaganda with limited news value.

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— — — 2025 — — —

February 2025

• Feb. 16 (Sun): The Canadian naval frigate HMCS Ottawa transits the Taiwan Strait [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Reuters,  CBC,  Al Jazeera,  Deutsche Welle,  The Hindu,  SCMP,  Global Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 15 (Sat):
  • A T-5 Brave Eagle trainer aircraft of the ROC Air Force crashes off the coast of Dulan (Taitung County), the pilot ejects and is rescued [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Huang Kuo-chang is elected TPP chairman [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 13 (Thu):
  • The US Department of State posts an updated version about "U.S.–Taiwan Relationship" on its website where the statement "we do not support Taiwan independence" of the previous version published in May 2022 is removed [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Reuters,  CNN,  BBC,  The Guardian,  Xinhua,  Global Times,  OCAC,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • A gas explosion in the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store (xinguang sanyue baihuo 新光三越百貨) in Taichung kills 4 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 10–12: The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson and the Pathfinder-class survey ship USNS Bowditch of the US Navy carry out a north-to-south transit through the Taiwan Strait [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Reuters,  VOA,  Japan Times,  Anadolu Agency,  SCMP,  Xinhua,  Global Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 10 (Mon):
  • ROC President Lai Ching-te meets with the heads of the five government branches (Yuan) to discuss national policies, a consensus is reached in three areas, including the establishment of a communications platform to resolve disagreements [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The MND reports that Taiwan and the US signed a US$ 761 million procurement contract for three Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) to aid air defense capabilities in northern Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 7 (Fri): The MAC announces that it denied an application for a delegation from the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism (Shanghaishi wenlüju 上海市文旅局) to visit the Taipei Lantern Festival, insisting that any issues promoting a resumption of normal tourism exchanges between the two sides should first be negotiated by the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association (Taiwan haixia liang'an guanguang lüyou xiehui 台灣海峽兩岸觀光旅遊協會) and the PRC's Association for Tourism Exchange Across the Taiwan Straits (haixia liang'an lüyou jiaoliu xiehui 海峽兩岸旅遊交流協會) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 6 (Thu):
  • Taiwanese media report that the AIT began listing Laura Rosenberger under "former AIT chairs" on its website [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • An explosion in a chemical fiber plant of the Far Eastern New Century Corp. (yuandong xin shiji gufen youxian gongsi 遠東新世紀股份有限公司) in Sinpu Township 新埔鎮 (Hsinchu County) claims the lives of two employees [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 3 (Mon):
  • The MAC announces that it denied 13 officials from the PRC permission to enter Taiwan for attending the Taipei Lantern Festival (Taibei dengjie 台北燈節) [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
  • ROC Premier Cho Jung-tai announces that all ROC government agencies would be prohibited from using DeepSeek [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Reuters,  Xinhua,  CNA]
• Feb. 2 (Sun):
  • South Africa renews its demand that the Taipei Liaison Office moves out of its capital Pretoria [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu 徐熙媛 (nicknamed "Big S") dies of pneumonia in Tokyo during a family trip to Japan, aged 48 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2025]

January 2025

• Jan. 31 (Fri): The MODA announces that public sector workers will be banned from using DeepSeek, a recently released AI model from the PRC, due to concerns over data leaks to the PRC government [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Reuters,  US News,  Arise News,  FAPA,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 30 (Thu): The MND reports PRC military activity in waters and airspace around Taiwan during the Lunar New Year holidays [⇥  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  CNA]
• Jan. 29 (Wed): 📆 Lunar New Year (chunjie 春節 / guonian 過年) [⇥ Lunar calendar]
• Jan. 25 (Sat): An overloaded electric vehicle slams into a highway divider on the National Highway 1 (guodao yi hao 國道 1 號) aka Sun Yat-sen Freeway (Zhongshan gaosu gonglu 中山高速公路) exit ramp near the Yangmei rest stop (Yangmei xiuxizhan 楊梅休息站) in Taoyuan City and bursts into flames, 4 dead [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 24 (Fri):
  • In a final ruling, the ROC Supreme Court upholds an 8-month prison sentence for PRC citizen Ruan Fangyong 阮芳勇 who drove a speedboat into the Tamsui River on June 9, 2024, entering Taiwan illegally [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The ROC Supreme Court rejects leniency appeals filed by former Nantou County magistrate Lee Chao-ching and upholds his prison sentence he had begun serving in 2018 [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  CNA]
  • An organized crime-related shooting in Zhudong Township 竹東鎮 (Hsinchu County) leaves one person dead [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 23 (Thu):
  • ROC President Lai Ching-te signs amendments to the Constitutional Court Procedure Act (xianfa susongfa 憲法訴訟法) into law [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The MAC announces that three people had their ROC citizenship revoked after authorities confirmed that they hold PRC ID cards [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  TaiwanPlus,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 22 (Wed):
  • Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu who led a cross-party delegation to the US for attending the inauguration of POTUS Trump lauds the unity of his group and highlights the bipartisan support for Taiwan among members of the US Congress [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Military aircraft and ships of the PRC surround Taiwan during a drill [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 21 (Tue):
  • The ROC Legislative Yuan passes the 2025 central government budget, cutting a total of 6.6 percent (NT$ 207.5 billion) from the cabinet’s proposal—the largest in history [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The CGA intervenes as four vessels of the PRC Coast Guard enter restricted waters near Kinmen and chases them away [⇥  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  CNA]
  • Earthquake—magnitude 6.4, epicenter in Dapu Township 大埔鄉 (Chiayi County) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 19 (Sun): The TPP convenes for its third party congress in Taipei [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Jan. 18 (Sat): The ROC MOFA rejects PRC sovereignty claims over Taiwan that PRC President Xi Jinping had made in a phone conversation with US President-elect Donald Trump the previous day [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 17 (Fri):
  • Former US Vice President Mike Pence arrives in Taiwan for a surprise visit [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  ROC Presidential Office,  The Hill,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • With the votes of oppositional KMT and TPP lawmakers, the ROC Legislative Yuan approves cuts to the central government budget in the amount of NT$ 93.98 billion [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • During the 11^th round of bilateral fishery talks between Japan and Taiwan in Tokyo the two sides agree on rules for fishing in disputed waters north of Japan’s Yaeyama Islands [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 16 (Thu):
  • Convicted murderer Huang Lin-kai 黃麟凱 is executed by gunshot in the Taipei Detention Center, first execution in Taiwan since April 1, 2020 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • CAL Chairman Hsieh Shih-chien 謝世謙 passes away [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 15 (Wed):
  • The Taiwan High Court’s Kaohsiung branch upholds the death sentence for man convicted of raping and killing a Malaysian university student on Oct. 28, 2020 in Tainan, the first such sentencing since the Constitutional Court on Sept. 20, 2024 ruled that the death penalty should only be used in the most extreme cases [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Taiwan's first lunar mission—the Deep Space Radiation Probe (shen taikong fushe tanceyi 深太空輻射探測儀, abbrev. DSRP) aboard Japan's lunar lander HAKUTO-R Mission 2—is successfully launched into space from Launch Center 39A at the Kennedy Space Center (Florida, USA) on a SpaceX Falcon 9 carrier rocket [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 14 (Tue):
  • Taiwan’s domestically designed, manufactured and integrated CubeSat-class 3U satellite "PARUS-T1" is successfully launched into space on SpaceX’s Transporter-12 rocket from the US Vandenberg Space Force Base (California, USA) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The "Startup Island TAIWAN Silicon Valley Hub" opens in Palo Alto (California, USA) to support startups and innovators by providing professional consulting, co-working spaces, and community platforms [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  Startup Island Taiwan,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 11 (Sat):
  • The Taiwan High Court rejects the appeals filed by Ko Wen-je and three other defendants [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • About 50,000 TPP supporters rally in Taipei, protesting Ko Wen-je's detention [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 10 (Fri):
  • The ROC Legislative Yuan again votes in support of legislation it had previously passed that raised the thresholds for Constitutional Court rulings [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Ko Wen-je files an appeal against the recent detention order issued by the Taipei District Court for him after three other defendants in the same case also appealed their detention [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 9 (Thu):
  • The ROC Navy performs combat readiness maneuvers that simulate repelling an intruding PLA naval force off Kaohsiung, part of MND customary exercises before the Lunar New Year [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Taipei District Court reasserts in a retrial its earlier ruling that former ROC President Chen Shui-bian cannot be prosecuted for money laundering due to the expiration of the statute of limitations [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 4 (Sat): DPP legislator Ker Chien-ming 柯建銘 calls for mass ousting of elected KMT lawmakers [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 3 (Fri):
  • An international submarine cable laid by Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. outside Keelung Port is suspected to have been damaged when a Hong Kong-registered Cameroonian cargo ship crewed by Chinese dragged its anchor [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The MOJ announces that since the dissolution of the TJC in May 2022 it had approved 5,275 exoneration cases as of the end of 2024 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 2 (Thu):
  • The Taipei District Court orders Ko Wen-je taken back into custody [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The MAC announces it would stop issuing permits for correspondents from Strait Herald (haixia daobao 海峽導報) and other newspapers in the PRC's Fujian Daily Newspaper Group (Fujian ribao baoye jituan 福建日報報業集團) after Strait Herald was found to have intervened in political elections in Taiwan by releasing false polling results [⇥  Taipei Times,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 1 (Wed):
  • ROC President Lai Ching-te delivers his first New Year address as head of state [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Taiwan High Court again revokes Ko Wen-je's bail [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Ko Wen-je resigns as TPP chairman, legislator Huang Kuo-chang 黃國昌 takes over as acting chairman [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

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— — — 2024 — — —

December 2024

• Dec. 31 (Tue):
  • Prosecutors file another appeal to halt TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je’s release [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Yilan District Court finds Yilan County Commissioner Lin Tzu-miao 林姿妙 guilty of corruption, sentencing her to 12 years and six months in prison [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The CWA reports that 2024 was the Taiwan's hottest year since records began in 1897 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  France24,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 30 (Mon): After the Taiwan High Court on Dec. 29 revoked the Taipei District Court ruling that had ordered TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je to be released on bail, the Taipei District Court again grants Ko bail in the amount of NT$ 70 million [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 27 (Fri): TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je is released on NT$ 30 million bail [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 26 (Thu): TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je is indicted on corruption and bribery charges, prosecutors seeking a total jail sentence of 28.5 years [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 24 (Tue): The ROC Legislative Yuan rejects all 7 Judicial Yuan nominees [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 20 (Fri):
  • The DSCA of the US announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 295 million which includes command, control, communications, and computers modernization as well as MK 75 76 mm gun mounts [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  DSCA 1 / DSCA 2,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The opposition parties in the ROC Legislative Yuan use their majority to approve controversial amendments to raise the threshold for adjudication by the Constitutional Court [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 19 (Thu): A fire in the PX Mart in Taichung claims 9 lives [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  Xinhua,  CNA]
• Dec. 18–26: Former ROC President Ma Ying-jeou visits the PRC provinces Heilongjiang and Sichuan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 18 (Wed): The Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan votes to keep funding Taiwan’s submarine program [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 17 (Tue): The ROC Legislative Yuan confirms the appointment of Chou Hung-hsien 周弘憲 as new Examination Yuan president and of Hsu Shu-hsiang 許舒翔 as new vice president [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 16 (Mon): The ROC Legislative Yuan reviews and passes draft amendments to the controversial Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (gongzhi renyuan xuanju bamianfa 公職人員選舉罷免法) following scuffles when KMT legislators had prevented DPP legislators from entering the chamber to participate in the process [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 15 (Sun): The first batch of 38 US-made Abrams M1A2T tanks purchased in 2019 arrive at Taipei Port, transported the following day to an army armor training center in Hsinchu County [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 13 (Fri):
  • The MAC rejects permit applications for for Shanghai Municipal TAO Director Jin Mei 金梅 and nine PRC journalists to attend the Twin-City Forum in Taipei [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The MAC issues a statement requesting that the PRC authorities release three elderly Taiwanese members of the I-Kuan Tao (Yiguandao 一貫道) religious group arrested in Guangdong Province [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 11 (Wed): Taiwanese authorities criticize the PRC's military activity near its territorial waters as the largest navy fleet in regional waters in nearly three decades [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 9 (Mon): The PRC military sets up seven "reserved airspace" zones in the airspace east of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces for three days [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 6 (Fri): A 40-minute video documentary released on the YouTube channel "攝徒日記 Fun TV" reveals methods used by the PRC to recruit Taiwanese influencers to promote CCP propaganda  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  YouTube,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 4 (Wed): Renowned cryptocurrency expert and analyst Miffy Chen 陳梅慧 who had advised the Criminal Investigation Bureau (xingshi jingchaju 刑事警察局, abbrev. CIB) under the MOI's National Police Agency, the MOJ Investigation Bureau and police agencies on 60 high-profile financial fraud cases in 2024, leading to the confiscation of NT$ 9.3 billion in alleged illegal proceeds, dies under suspicious circumstances in a car crash on the northbound lanes of Sun Yat-sen Freeway (Freeway No. 1) in Hsinchu County [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 3 (Tue):
  • The DPP legislative caucus (dangtuan 黨團) receives fierce criticism from opposition parties after it published a social media post on Threads, comparing the situation in Taiwan’s legislature to South Korea following the 6-hour period of martial law there; the post was deleted after 20 minutes [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • A Kilo II-class attack submarine of Russia's navy is spotted by Japan's armed forces in waters approximately 50 km south of Yonaguni Island 與那國島 which is located 111 km east of Yilan County [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan English News,  AP,  Newsweek,  Euronews,  USNI News,  Indian Express,  Zona Militar,  CNA]
• Dec. 1 (Sun): Amendments to the National Communications Commission Organization Act (guojia tongxun chuanbo weiyuanhui zuzhifa 國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) take effect, banning NCC members from serving more than two terms [⇥  Taipei Times,  New Bloom,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2024]

November 2024

• Nov. 30 (Sat): ROC President Lai Ching-te arrives in Honolulu (Hawaii) for a 2-night stopover in the US as part of his first overseas trip to diplomatic allies in the South Pacific since taking office; greeted by Hawaii Governor Josh Green; visits the USS Arizona Memorial [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ROC Presidential Office,  MOFA,  Reuters,  AP,  CNN,  BBC,  The Guardian,  Deutsche Welle,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 29 (Fri): The DSCA of the US announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 387 million which includes improved mobile subscriber equipment follow-on support as well as spare parts and support for F-16 aircraft and electronically scanned array radars [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  TaiwanPlus,  ICRT,  ROC Presidential Office,  MOFA,  DSCA 1 / DSCA 2,  Reuters,  Al Jazeera,  NDTV,  EurAsian Times,  Flight Global,  Defense Mirror,  Zona Militar,  Press TV,  Xinhua,  Global Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 28 (Thu):
  • A 2-day commission meeting of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in Vancouver (Canada) wraps up without Taiwan's application being discussed [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The ROC Presidential Office confirms that President Lai Ching-te will make stopovers in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam during his 7-day trip to the South Pacific diplomatic allies Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 27 (Wed): A group of 40 college students and faculty members from the PRC arrives in Taiwan for a 9-day trip at the invitation of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 26 (Tue):
  • A P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft of the US Navy transits the Taiwan Strait [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The NSB reports that theaters and institutions in Taiwan received threatening e-mails, including bomb threats, since the documentary "State Organs" (guoyou qiguan 國有器官) critical of the PRC began being screened across the ROC in October [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The ROC MOFA states that Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa is operating normally pending further negotiations after Pretoria on Oct. 7 demanded it move out of the administrative capital [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Taiwanese media report that PRC customs authorities recently confiscated three Taiwanese textbooks shipped to Fuzhou for "incorrectly labeling the province Taiwan as a country" [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 25–27: US Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  ICRT,  ROC Presidential Office,  AIT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 25 (Mon): The Ciaotou District Court (Qiaotou difang fayuan 橋頭地方法院) sentences a female non-commissioned officer stationed at the Southern Branch of the CGA to six years and two months in prison for selling classified information to a PRC national [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 24 (Sun): Taiwan's national baseball team wins its first gold medal at the world-class national team level after beating Japan in a 4-0 shutout victory in the WBSC Premier12 Championship Game at the Tokyo Dome [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan English News,  Maeil Business Newspaper,  WBSC,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 23 (Sat): Bo Guagua 薄瓜瓜 aka Bo Kuangyi 薄曠逸, the son of jailed former CCP Central Committee Politburo member and former Chongqing Municipal Communist Party secretary Bo Xilai 薄熙來, marries his Taiwanese fiancée Deffany Hsu 許惠瑜 in the resort "The One" (nanyuan renwen kezhan 南園人文客棧) in Xinpu Township (Hsinchu County) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 22 (Fri):
  • ROC Premier Cho Jung-tai accepts the resignation of MOL Minister Ho Pei-shan, appoints vice-minister Chen Ming-jen 陳明仁 acting MOL Minister [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • In the evening the Executive Yuan spokesperson Michelle Lee 李慧芝 confirms that DPP legislator-at-large Hung Shen-han 洪申翰 had been appointed new MOL minister [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The president of the Hsinchu-based Chung Hua University (Zhonghua daxue 中華大學, abbrev. CHU) Victor W. Liu 劉維琪 announces that the CHU and the National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) have agreed to merge but have yet to go through administrative procedures [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 20 (Wed): Following the workplace suicide of an MOL staffer who had been subjected to harsh bullying by his superior Hsieh Yi-jung 謝宜容, MOL Minister Ho Pei-shan offers her verbal resignation; ROC Premier Cho Jung-tai asks her to stay at her post and complete the pertaining investigation [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 19 (Tue): The ROC Presidential Office condemns the conviction of 45 democracy advocates in Hong Kong [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 16–25: ROC MOFA Minister Lin Chia-lung visits Belgium, Lithuania, and Poland [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 15 (Fri): The captain of the Taiwanese fishing vessel Da Jin Man No. 88 and his boat, seized by the PRC Coast Guard on July 2, are released after a fine was paid [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 11 (Mon):
  • The Shilin District Prosecutors Office (Shilin dijianshu 士林地檢署) closes the Lebanon pager explosion case as no businesses or individuals in Taiwan were found to be involved in deadly attacks on militant group Hezbollah in September [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Control Yuan orders the CGA to take corrective actions over its failure to record and promptly report a deadly chase between a Chinese boat and a CGA vessel in Kinmen County on Feb. 14 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • United Microelectronics Corp (UMC) founder Robert Tsao 曹興誠 announces that he would take legal action in Taiwan against TAO Director Song Tao 宋濤 and TAO spokesperson Chen Binhua 陳斌華 over sanctions they had placed on him on Oct. 14 [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  CNA]
• Nov. 8 (Fri): During an inspection of the Taichung Power Plant, ROC Premier Cho Jung-tai pledges that Taiwan would phase out coal power generation within a decade [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 7 (Thu): ROC Premier Cho Jung-tai offers opposition parties in the Legislative Yuan concessions in order to overcome the stalemate in the review of the central government's budget plan for the fiscal year 2025 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 5 (Tue): The MOJ withdraws its proposal to raise the financial penalties for offenses relating to illegal abortions after women’s groups voiced opposition [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 4 (Mon):
  • A joint meeting of SEF board members and supervisors elects Frank Wu 吳豊山 SEF chairman, Wu takes office the same day [⇥  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Taipei-based Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation (Ma Yingjiu wenjiao jijinhui 馬英九文教基金會) invites 40 students from the PRC to meet with their counterparts from Taiwanese universities during a nine-day visit to Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • A keel-laying ceremony for the new light frigate prototype of Taiwan's navy takes places at Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Co. (zhong xin zaochuan 中信造船) in Kaohsiung [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Onglaisat (wanglai weixing 旺來衛星), a satellite co-developed by Taiwan and Japan, is launched into space aboard the SpaceX’s CRS-31 resupply mission from Cape Canaveral (Florida, USA) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 3–6: Idaho Governor Brad Little visits Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 1 (Fri):
  • ROC President Lai Ching-te appoints Shieh Ming-yan 謝銘洋 acting president of the Judicial Yuan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Taipei District Court extends the detention of TPP chairman Ko Wen-je for 2 months [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2024]

October 2024

• Oct. 31 (Thu): Typhoon Kong-rey makes landfall in Chenggong Township of Taitung County, killing three [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 29 (Tue):
  • The frigate Prairial of the French navy passes through the Taiwan Strait [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Agenzia Nova,  Global Defense News,  CNA]
  • The ROC CGA rescues all 17 crew members of the PRC-registered cargo ship "Yu Zhou Qi Hang" (鈺洲啟航) which on its way from Keelung to Zhangzhou (Fujian Province, PRC) was abanoned after it lost its ability to navigate due to severe weather and heavy loading [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  FTV News,  ICRT,  Taiwan English News,  Project Cargo Journal,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 28 (Mon): Four vessels of the PRC coast guard intrude into restricted waters around Kinmen and are expelled by vessels of Taiwan's CGA [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 25 (Fri):
  • The ROC Constitutional Court rules that most of the amendments passed by the Legislative Yuan on May 28 expanding its power to oversee the executive branch of government are unconstitutional [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The DSCA of the US announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 1.988 billion which includes AN/TPS-77 and AN/TPS-78 radar turnkey systems as well as a national advanced surface-to-air missile system [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  DSCA 1 / DSCA 2,  ROC Presidential Office,  MOFA,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 24 (Thu): The Europan Parliament passes a resolution (432-60, with 71 abstentions) which denounces the PRC's interpretation of UN Resolution 2758 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  MOFA,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 23—Nov. 2: MOFA Minister Lin Chia-lung visits the diplomatic allies Guatemala, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG), Saint Lucia, Belize, and Saint Kitts & Nevis (SKN) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 23 (Wed):
  • ROC MND Minister Wellington Koo states that a blockade imposed by the PRC against Taiwan would be regarded an act of war and trigger a military response [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The ROC MND reports that the PRC aircraft carrier Liaoning passed through the Taiwan Strait the previous day [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 22 (Tue): The PRC conducts a live-fire drill near Niushan Island 牛山島 on its side of the Taiwan Strait [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Reuters,  BBC,  The Independent,  Radio Free Asia,  SCMP,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 21 (Mon):
  • The ROC MOFA announces that Taiwan has no plans to relocate its representative office in South Africa [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The ROC Presidential Office announces that it had appointed former MOEA minister Lin Hsin-i to attend this year’s APEC summit in Lima (Peru) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  ROC Presidential Office,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Academia Sinica and CPC Corp. start drilling Taiwan's first deep geothermal well in Yuanshan Township 員山鄉 (Yilan County) with a planned depth of 4 km, to be completed within 18 months [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 20 (Sun): Two north American warships—the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) and the Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331)—pass through the Taiwan Strait [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  Newsweek,  Express & Star,  VOA,  News.AZ,  US IndoPaCom,  Stars & Stripes,  The Week,  WION,  Manila Times,  Dimsum Daily,  SCMP,  Xinhua,  Global Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 14 (Mon):
  • The Eastern Theater Command of the PLA starts military drills code-named "Joint Sword-2024B" (lianhe lijian erlingersi bi 聯合利劍-2024B) involving its army, navy, air force and rocket force in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan, the maneuvers end after 13 hours [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  Reuters,  Al Jazeera,  Deutsche Welle,  France24,  Japan Times,  VOA,  TASS,  Xinhua,  China Military,  Global Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Taiwan's CGA expels PRC vessels from ROC-controlled waters [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The TAO of the PRC sanctions Taiwanese businessman Robert Tsao 曹興誠 and DPP legislator Puma Shen 沈伯洋 as punishment for 'criminal and pro-Taiwanese independence activities' [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  TaiwanPlus,  TVBS,  Reuters,  Nikkei Asia,  Straits Times,  Hong Kong Free Press,  Dunya News,  Barron's,  Regtechtimes,  SCMP,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 13 (Sun): Keelung City mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang survives a recall vote against him [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 12 (Sat): Former ROC President Tsai Ing-wen departs for an 8-day trip to Europe, with a scheduled speech at the Forum 2000 in Prague (Czech Republic) on Oct. 14 and subsequent visits to France (Oct. 15) and the European Parliament in Brussels (Oct. 17) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Politico,  Mainichi,  VOA,  ROC Presidential Office,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 10 (Thu): In his first National Day address since taking office, ROC President Lai Ching-te stresses that the PRC has 'no right to represent Taiwan' [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 7 (Mon):
  • The government of South Africa demands that Taiwan move its Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa (zhu Nanfei gongheguo Taibei lianluo daibiaochu 駐南非共和國台北聯絡代表處) from the capital Pretoria to Johannesburg and rename it to simply a 'trade office' within six months or have it forcibly closed [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The MOHW announces the the establishment of three artificial intelligence (AI) centers to help achieve its smart medicine (e-health) goals, adding that 16 “indicator hospitals” have been selected to test and demonstrate the technology [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 5 (Sat): At the Double Ten National Day gala in Taipei, ROC President Lai Ching-te states that the PRC could not be the motherland of the ROC because the ROC is older  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Reuters,  CNN,  The Guardian,  New Bloom,  Business Insider,  NHK,  OCAC,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 4 (Fri): The legislative review of the central government budget for fiscal year 2025 remains stalled  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 3 (Thu):
  • A fire in the Antai Tian-sheng Memorial Hospital (antai yiyuan 安泰醫院) in Donggang Township (Pingtung County) claims 7 lives [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Typhoon Krathon makes landfall in Xiaogang District of Kaohsiung City, the storm claims four lives in Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 2 (Wed): A fire in a furniture factory in Xitun District (Taichung City) kills 3 [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2024]

September 2024

• Sept. 30 (Mon):
  • The Taipei District Court sentences the former chairman of the now-defunct Far Eastern Air Transport Corp. (yuandong hangkong 遠東航空, abbrev. FAT) Chang Kang-wei 張綱維 to 14 years in prison after finding him guilty of embezzling corporate funds and other crimes  [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Taiwan High Court overturns a previous acquittal of former air force lieutenant colonel Lou Wen-ching 樓文卿 who was convicted for passing military secrets to the PRC and hands him a 17-year prison sentence  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 29 (Sun): US President Joe Biden approves a military aid package worth US$567 million under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) process  [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 26 (Thu):
  • Japan's destroyer JS Sazanami makes first-ever Taiwan Strait transit  [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Taiwan's FDA lifts bans on more Japanese food imports  [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The PRC test-fires an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Pacific  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  MOFA,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Taiwan's National Whole-of-Society Resilience Committee (quan shehui fangwei renxing weiyuanhui 全社會防衛韌性委員會) convenes for its first meeting  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The MOENV releases a set of guidelines for corporations to declare carbon neutrality in a bid to discourage "greenwashing"  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 25 (Wed):
  • In his final address at the UN General Assembly, POTUS Joe Biden reaffirming staunch US support for cross-strait peace and stability  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  CNA]
  • ROC President Lai Ching-te criticizes the PRC for distortion of UN Resolution 2758 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 24 (Tue):
  • Oppositional legislators reject the budget proposal of the ROC government  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • A carrier rocket launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the PRC passes through the eastern part of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) [⇥  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  CNA]
• Sept. 23 (Mon):
  • The ROC MND rejects reports from the PRC CCTV that Taiwanese soldiers were involved in cyberattacks against the PRC  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The fleet of Mirage 2000 fighter jets which had been grounded after a crash on Sept. 10 returns to normal operation  [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Taiwan's AIDC establishes a drone alliance to seek overseas orders  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 22 (Sun):
  • The QUAD leaders reaffirm the importance of regional peace and stability  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  MOFA,  CNA]
  • The first tour group from the PRC since the COVID-19 pandemic arrives in Kinmen  [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 20 (Fri): The ROC Constitutional Court rules that the death penalty is constitutional, but only for 'most serious' crimes  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 19 (Thu): The MAC announces that cross-Strait same-sex marriages can be registered in Taiwan  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 18 (Wed):
  • The Taiwanese company Gold Apollo (jin apoluo 金阿波羅) denies manufacturing pagers used in deadly explosions in Lebanon which targeted Hezbollah fighters  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Shilin District Court sentences a PRC citizen who entered Taiwanese waters illegally on a speedboat on June 9 to 8 months in prison [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The PRC announces that it will end tariff exemptions on 34 agricultural and aquacultural products from Taiwan  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 17 (Tue): 📆 Mid-Autumn Festival (zhongqiujie 中秋節) [⇥ Lunar calendar]
• Sept. 16 (Mon): The DSCA announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package including return, repair, and reshipment of spare parts worth US$ 288 million  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  MOFA,  DSCA,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 15 (Sun): Hundreds of participants join in the 'March for Taiwan' in New York City [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  ICRT,  CNA]
• Sept. 14 (Sat): A PRC citizen who was captured on a rubber boat near the coast of Linkou District (New Taipei City) is held incommunicado [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 13 (Fri):
  • The German navy vessels Baden-Württemberg and Frankfurt am Main pass through the Taiwan Strait, first journey of German navy ships there since 22 years [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The US House of Representatives passes the Taiwan WHO Participation Bill  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 11–14: The general assembly of the Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) takes place in Taipei [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 10 (Tue): An ROC Air Force fighter pilot ejects from his Mirage 2000 jet after encountering mechanical problems  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 9 (Mon):
  • Lawyers representing TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je announce that Ko would not not appeal the Taipei District Court’s ruling that resulted in their client being detained and held incommunicado [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The US House of Representatives passes the "Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act"  [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The US House of Representatives passes the "Pacific Partnership Act" [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 8 (Sun): Some 11,000 TPP supporters rally in Taipei protesting the detention of party chairman Ko Wen-je [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  CNA]
• Sept. 5 (Thu): The Taipei District Court orders TPP chairman Ko Wen-je to be detained without bail and held incommunicado, Ko is taken into custody in handcuffs [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 4–14: Taipei mayor Chiang Wan-an visits the US [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 4 (Wed): The Taiwan High Court overturns a Taipei District Court decision to release TPP chairman Ko Wen-je [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 2 (Mon):
  • TPP chairman Ko Wen-je is released from custody without bail [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The General Administration of Customs (haiguan zongshu 海關總署) of the PRC announces that a ban on imports of Taiwanese pomeloes which had been imposed on Aug. 3, 2022 has been lifted [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  TVBS,  Nikkei Asia,  Xinhua,  China Daily,  Global Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 1 (Sun): The ROC MOFA and the Secretariat of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) sign a cooperation agreement to continue MOFA's ongoing support of PIF from 2025 to 2027 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2024]

August 2024

• Aug. 31 (Sat):
  • The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) issues a joint declaration with mentions of Taiwan removed after the PRC strongly criticized an earlier version [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Former Taipei mayor and TPP chairman Ko Wen-je is formally arrested after refusing to be interrogated further following 19 hours of questioning [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 30 (Fri):
  • The ROC Presidential Office presents seven nominees for the Judicial Yuan—Chang Wen-chen 張文貞 for new Judicial Yuan president, Yao Li-ming 姚立明 for vice president, and Wang Pi-fang 王碧芳, Fort Liao 廖福特, Liu Ching-yi 劉靜怡, Her Lai-jier 何賴傑 and Chen Yun-tsai 陳運財 for grand justices [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Officials from Agency Against Corruption and Taipei District Prosecutor's Office jointly search the residence of former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je and take him in for questioning [⇥  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • ROC MOEA Minister Minister Kuo Jyh-huei 郭智輝 attends a forum on economic security in Japan's capital Tokyo [⇥  Taiwan Today,  OCAC,  Kyodo News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 29 (Thu):
  • US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reiterates that the US would continue to provide defense articles to Taiwan as per its "one China" policy [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  MOFA,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Executive Yuan announces that cabinet spokesman Chen Shih-kai 陳世凱 will take office as new MOTC minister on Sept. 2 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The ROC Supreme Court finalizes a ruling sentencing a father-son duo to eight years in prison each for espionage [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
  • TPP chairman Ko Wen-je 柯文哲 announces that he would apply for a three-month leave of absence from his leadership role in response to corruption allegations [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan New,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 28 (Wed): Former Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan is released on bail of NT$ 28 million [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 27 (Tue): Former Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan is indicted on corruption charges by the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office, prosecutors recommend a 12-year sentence [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 25 (Sun): The MAC rejects an application for a concert in Taiwan by PRC hip-hop musician Wang Yitai 王以太 after finding that the event organizer had sold tickets without permission and that the artist’s promotional content read: "Next stop: Taipei, China" [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ANI,  Devdiscourse,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 22 (Thu):
  • The US 7th Fleet’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) sails through the Taiwan Strait [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
  • The Executive Yuan announces that the ROC government has allocated a record NT$ 647 billion for defense spending in fiscal 2025, accounting for about 2.45 percent of GDP [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Executive Yuan announces that it has approved a plan to build seven more domestically-designed submarines over 14 years [⇥  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Taiwan High Court convicts eight current and retired military officers for developing a spy network for the PRC, imposing sentences ranging from 18 months to 13 years for contravening the National Security Act (guojia anquanfa 國家安全法), the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces (luhaikongjun xingfa 陸海空軍刑法) and taking bribes [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  BBC,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Shin Kong Financial Holding (xinguang jinrong konggu gongsi 新光金融控股公司, abbrev. xinguangjin 新光金 in Chinese and SKFH in English) and Taishin Holdings (taixin jinrong konggu gufen youxian gongsi 台新金融控股股份有限公司, abbrev. taixinjin 台新金 in Chinese and Taishin FHC in English) approve a share swap merger plan in separate board meetings which will result in the fourth largest financial holding company in Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 21 (Wed):
  • The Taipei District Court sentences suspended Hsinchu City mayor Ann Kao 高虹安 to 10 months in prison for falsely accusing a US academic of defamation [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Hualien District Court orders contractors (who were found guilty of negligence causing the Taroko Express crash which on April 2, 2021 killed 49 people and injured 213) to pay NT$ 23 million in compensation to the victims [⇥  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Australia's Senate unanimously passes an "urgency motion" in support of Taiwan’s sovereignty and participation in international organizations [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 20 (Tue): Chen Yen-po 陳彥伯 is appointed acting MOTC minister [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 19–21: US Representative Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  AIT,  ROC Presidential Office,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 19 (Mon): MOTC minister Lee Meng-yen 李孟諺 resigns following revelations of his involvement in a long-term extra-marital affair [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 17 (Sat): Following the sinking of the fishing boat Min Long Yu 60877 (閩龍漁 60877) from the PRC in waters off Kinmen’s Dongding Island 東碇島, the PRC's Fujian Maritime Safety Administration (Fujian haishiju 福建海事局) and Donghai Rescue Bureau (donghai jiuzhuju 東海救助局) perform a 30-hour "patrol and law enforcement operation" in the Taiwan Strait, crossing the median line [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 16 (Fri):
  • The ROC Presidential Office appoints former MOI minister Lee Yi-yang 李逸洋 to serve as Taiwan’s next representative in Japan [⇥  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Central Election Commission approves a motion to recall Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang 謝國樑, setting Oct. 13 for the recall vote [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office (Jinmen dijianshu 金門地檢署) decides not to charge two CGA officers connected with the deaths of two PRC nationals in a capsizing incident on Feb. 14 due to insufficient evidence [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California (USA) carries two Taiwan-developed cube satellites/CubeSats—Toro (xintianweng 信天翁) and Nightjar (yeying 夜鷹)—into orbit on the Transporter-11 rideshare mission [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Earthquake—magnitude 6.3, epicenter ca. 25 km off east coast near Niushan Huting 牛山呼庭, Shoufeng Township (Hualien County), no casualties [⇥  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 15 (Thu): Taipower receives a letter from the New Taipei City Government which approves construction of outdoor casks for the storage of high-level radioactive waste for the Second Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 14 (Wed):
  • Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office and MJIB personnel search offices of accounting firms and other companies linked to TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je’s presidential campaign amid allegations of fraud [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • A man from the PRC who was arrested after driving a speedboat near the mouth of the Tamsui River in New Taipei City on June 9 is indicted for illegally entering Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 13 (Tue):
  • Four crew members of a Taiwanese fishing boat detained by the PRC on July 2 are returned to Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • A fire in a residential building in Liujia District (Tainan City) claims 5 lives [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  CNA]
• Aug. 11–15: A US congressional delegation led by Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) comprising Julia Brownley (D-CA), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), and Jill Tokuda (D-HI) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  OCAC,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 10 (Sat): At the Olympic Summer Games in Paris, Lin Yu-ting 林郁婷 wins gold 🥇 (Boxing, women's 57 kg) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 8 (Thu):
  • The National Climate Change Response Committee (guojia qihou bianqian duice weiyuanhui 國家氣候變遷對策委員會) under the ROC Presidential Office convenes for its first meeting [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Paris, Kuo Hsing-chun 郭婞淳 wins bronze 🥉 (Weightlifting, women's 59 kg) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 7 (Wed):
  • The PRC's TAO adds a new page headlined "Punish Taiwan independence die-hards according to law" (yifa chengzhi Taidu wangu fenzi 依法懲治台獨頑固分子) on its website [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • A former Taiwanese military officer held in the PRC for nearly five months after he was picked up by PRC authorities during a fishing trip on March 17 is finally released [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 6 (Tue):
  • The ROC Constitutional Court hears arguments on a case regarding the constitutionality of amendments to government oversight laws [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Paris, Chen Nien-chin 陳念琴 wins bronze 🥉 (Boxing, women's 66 kg / welterweight) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 5 (Mon): At the Olympic Summer Games in Paris, Tang Chia-hung 唐嘉鴻 wins bronze 🥉 (Gymnastics, men's horizontal bar) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 4 (Sun): At the Olympic Summer Games in Paris, Lee Yang 李洋 and Wang Chi-lin 王齊麟 win gold 🥇 (Badminton, men's doubles) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 3 (Sat):
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Paris, Wu Shih-yi 吳詩儀 wins bronze 🥉 (Boxing, women's 60 kg / lightweight) [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Paris, Lee Meng-yuan 李孟遠 wins bronze 🥉 (Shooting, men's skeet) [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 1 (Thu): The MAC reports that the authorities of Macau denied an ROC MOFA official set to be posted to Taiwan’s representative office in Macau a visa because the official refused to sign an affidavit recognizing Beijing’s "one China" principle [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2024]

July 2024

• July 31 (Wed):
  • The Canadian frigate HMCS Montreal passes through the Taiwan Strait [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Reuters,  NHK,  US News,  USNI News,  Vancouver Island,  The Standard,  Barron's,  Rappler,  Press TV Iran,  SCMP,  Epoch Times,  China Daily,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The ROC Presidential Office announces that the Indigenous Historical Justice and Transitional Justice Committee (yuanzhu minzu lishi zhengyi yu zhuanxing zhengyi weiyuanhui 原住民族歷史正義與轉型正義委員會) would be disbanded and its responsibilities would be transferred to the Indigenous Peoples Basic Law Promotion Committee (yuanzhu minzu jibenfa tuidonghui 原住民族基本法推動會) under the Executive Yuan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 30 (Tue):
  • The 4^th annual IPAC global summit is staged in Taipei, Taiwan/ROC is admitted as an official member, ROC President Lai Ching-te and VP Hsiao Bi-khim hold keynote speeches, legislators Fan Yun (DPP) and Chen Gao-tzu (TPP) are named co-chairs [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  ICRT,  AP,  The Guardian,  VOA,  IPAC,  ROC Presidential Office,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Representatives of the ROC and the PRC negotiating in Kinmen reach a settlement regarding the Feb. 14 speedboat incident [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Executive Yuan assigns Wong Po-tsung 翁柏宗 to serve as acting chairman of the NCC after the Legislative Yuan on July 16 approved amendments to the National Communications Commission Organization Act (guojia tongxun chuanbo weiyuanhui zuzhifa 國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) that would remove clauses allowing a chairperson to extend their term [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• July 29 (Mon): Tenth Summit on Taiwan–Japan Exchange (Tai Ri jiaoliu gaofenghui 台日交流高峰會) in Tainan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Kyodo News,  CNA]
• July 27 (Sat): The Unit 1 reactor of Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County is decommissioned [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 26 (Fri):
  • The Taipei District Court sentences Hsinchu City mayor Ann Kao 高虹安 to 7 years and 4 months in prison and suspends her as mayor for contravening the Anti-Corruption Act (tanwu zhizui tiaoli 貪污治罪條例) and the ROC Criminal Code (Zhonghua minguo xingfa 中華民國刑法); deputy mayor Chiu Chen-yuan 邱臣遠 takes over as acting mayor; Kao withdraws from the TPP [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Taichung District Court sentences KMT legislator Yen Kuan-heng 顏寬恒 to 8 years and 4 months in prison for corruption and forgery [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 25 (Thu): Typhoon Gaemi makes landfall near Nan'ao Township 南澳鄕 in Yilan County, the storm claims ten lives in Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 21 (Sun): 21^st National Party Congress of the DPP in Taipei [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 19 (Fri):
  • The ROC Constitutional Court issues an injunction halting the enforcement of controversial bills for legislative reform (liyuan zhiquan xiuzheng fa'an 立院職權修正法案) which the Legislative Yuan had passed on May 28 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Hsu Wen-erh 許汶而 successfully swims solo across the English Channel in 12 hours and 17 minutes, the first person from Taiwan to achieve this feat [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 18 (Thu):
  • Taiwan and Japan conduct the first joint maritime exercise since 1972 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Rock Hsu 許勝雄 is appointed acting SEF chair [⇥  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 17 (Wed):
  • Reacting to remarks of US presidential candidate Donald J. Trump who said "Taiwan should pay us for defense", ROC Premier Cho Jung-tai comments that Taiwan would be willing to shoulder more responsibility for its self-defense [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • ROC Premier Cho Jung-tai announces the establishment of the Economic Development Commission (jingji fazhan weiyuanhui 經濟發展委員會) under the Executive Yuan responsible for formulating policies to tackle various economic issues [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 15 (Mon): Taiwan's first domestically built submarine prototype "Narwhal" undocks in Pier 91 of Kaohsiung harbour to begin its final harbour acceptance tests (HAT) [⇥  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 14 (Sun): Taiwanese tennis player Hsieh Su-wei 謝淑薇 and her Polish partner Jan Zielinski win the mixed doubles final at Wimbledon, beating the unseeded Mexican duo Santiago Gonzalez and Giuliana Olmos 6-4, 6-2 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  Reuters,  AP,  Wimbledon,  WTA Tennis,  ATP Tour,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 12 (Fri):
  • The Taiwan High Court rejects Cheng Wen-tsan's appeal against detention [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The MOC announces that a military honour guard stationed in front of the Chiang Kai-shek statue in the CKS Memorial Hall in Taipei would be removed starting July 15 [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 11 (Thu): The Taoyuan District Court decides to detain former Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan for 2 months, sends him to the Taoyuan Detention Center (Taoyuan kanshousuo 桃園看守所) to hold him incommunicado [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 10 (Wed): The Taiwan High Court overturns a decision by the Taoyuan District Court to grant bail to Cheng Wen-tsan for a second time [⇥  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 9 (Tue): The Taoyuan District Court again grants Cheng Wen-tsan bail, this time in the amount of NT$ 12 million [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 8 (Mon):
  • The Taiwan High Court overturns a decision by the Taoyuan District Court to grant bail to former Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan [⇥  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Former KMT Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu attends the opening of the Cross-Strait Youth Development Forum (haixia liang'an qingnian fazhan luntan 海峽兩岸青年發展論壇) in Hangzhou (Zhejiang Province, PRC) [⇥  Xinhua,  Bastille Post,  Liberty Times,  CNA]
  • The NARLabs announce that the supercomputer Forerunner 1 (chuangjin yihao 創進一號) has officially entered service at the Tainan branch of the National Center for High-performance Computing (guojia gaosu wangle yu jisuan zhongxin 國家高速網路與計算中心, abbrev. guowang zhongxin 國網中心 in Chinese and NCHC in English), replacing the retired Taiwania 1 (Taiwanshan yihao 台灣杉一號) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 7 (Sun): SEF Chairman Cheng Wen-tsan tenders his resignation [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 6 (Sat): Texas Governor Greg Abbott arrives in Taiwan for a visit, meets ROC President Lai Ching-te on July 7 and announces the opening of a state trade office in Taiwan to enhance cooperation between two sides [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  MOFA,  Texas Governor,  Newsweek,  Bloomberg,  Austin American-Statesman,  Dallas Morning News,  Hoodline,  KBTX,  KVUE,  KXAN,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 5 (Fri):
  • SEF Chairman Cheng Wen-tsan is summoned for questioning amid allegations of corruption dating back to his time as Taoyuan mayor, released on July 6 on bail of NT$ 5 million [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Taiwanese fishing boat Fuyang 266 (福洋 266 號) is intercepted and boarded by Japan's coast guard ca. 500 km off Taiwan’s north coast [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 4 (Thu): A massive boulder weighing ca. 150 tons falls on railway tracks near Heren Tunnel (heren suidao 和仁隧道) in Hualien County’s Sioulin Township [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 3 (Wed): The ROC Coast Guard demands the release of fishers held by the PRC [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 2 (Tue): The Taiwanese fishing boat Da Jin Man No. 88 (大進滿 88 號) with two Taiwanese and three Indonesian crew is intercepted and seized by PRC coast guard 11.2 nautical miles inside PRC-controlled waters [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2024]

June 2024

• June 27 (Thu): Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) raises its travel alert for the PRC, Hong Kong and Macau to the second-highest orange alert with immediate effect, advising Taiwanese citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to these regions due to increasing safety concerns [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 25 (Tue):
  • Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) expels four PRC coast guard vessels from Kinmen’s restricted waters [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The MND's Defense Mission to the US and the AIT sign an NT$ 11.25 billion contract to procure infrared search and track (IRST) systems to be used for F-16V jets [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 24 (Mon):
  • The US State Department strongly condemns PRC guidelines published on June 21 on punishing Taiwan independence activists allowing for trial in absentia [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  US State Department,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • ROC President Lai Ching-te signs controversial legislative reform bills—amendments to the Act Governing the Legislative Yuan’s Power (lifayuan zhiquan xingshifa 立法院職權行使法) and to the Criminal Code of the Republic of China (Zhonghua minguo xingfa 中華民國刑法)—into law and announces that he will soon seek a ruling from the Constitutional Court [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  ROC Presidential Office,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 21 (Fri):
  • The ROC Legislative Yuan rejects the Executive Yuan’s request to reconsider amendments passed last month to expand the legislature’s power [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The PRC's TAO releases an "opinion" on actions "inciting secession" that includes punishments such as the death penalty for 'diehard Taiwan independence separatists' (taidu wangu fenzi 台獨頑固份子), slammed by the ROC authorities [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  CNN,  Financial Times,  The Guardian,  Voice of America,  ABC News,  The Sun,  Economic Times,  ANI,  StratNews Global,  El Pais,  SCMP,  Xinhua,  China Daily,  Global Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The ROC Supreme Court upholds the sentences given to two retired air force officers— Lieutenant Colonel Wei Hsien-yi 魏先儀 and former major general Chien Yao-tung 錢耀棟—who helped or attempted to help an agent of the PRC Ministry of State Security (guojia anquanbu 國家安全部) recruit intelligence assets in Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 18 (Tue):
  • The DSCA announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package including Switchblade 300 Anti-Personnel and Anti-Armor Loitering Missile System worth US$ 60.2 million and Altius 600M-V Unmanned Aerial Vehicles worth US$ 300 million [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  MOFA,  DSCA 1 / DSCA 2,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • A Type 094 Jin-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (lingjiusi xing jinji dandao feidan hezi dongli qianjian 094 型晉級彈道飛彈核子動力潛艦) of the PRC navy surfaces off the coast of Penghu, possibly due to a malfunction [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 16 (Sun): The Financial Times reports that during a meeting in April 2023 PRC President Xi Jinping told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the US were trying to 'lure the PRC into a military conflict over Taiwan', the following day the US State Department dismisses Xi's claim [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  Taiwan News,  Asia Financial,  Report News Agency,  Anadolu Ajansi,  CNA]
• June 14 (Fri): The ROC MOFA protests the PRC's Coast Guard Order No. 3 (haijingju disanhao ling 海警局第 3 號令), taking effect on June 15 and authorizing the PRC Coast Guard to board, inspect, and detain foreign vessels and persons suspected of violating exit and entry management procedures in waters which the PRC considers to be under its jurisdiction (including the South China Sea); the Philippines call the PRC's order illegal [⇥  MOFA,  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Nikkei Asia,  Al Jazeera,  Radio Free Asia,  Indo-Pacific Defense Forum,  China Daily,  CNA]
• June 11 (Tue): ROC President Lai Ching-te approves a Cabinet request for the Legislature to reconsider recently passed law revisions aimed at improving the oversight of the executive branch [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 10 (Mon):
  • 📆 Dragon Boat Festival (duanwujie 端午節) [⇥ Lunar calendar]
  • The ROC MOFA criticizes the PRC and Pakistan for a joint statement published on June 7 in Beijing that misinterpreted UN Resolution 2758 by falsely equating the resolution with Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is part of the PRC [⇥  MOFA,  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 9 (Sun): A former PLA navy officer illegally drives a speedboat into the Tamsui River, claims upon arrest that he wanted to 'defect' to the ROC [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 5 (Wed): The DSCA announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 300 million including F-16 parts and related equipment [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  MOFA,  DSCA 1 / DSCA 2,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 4 (Tue): Around 2,000 persons attend a candlelight vigil in Taipei to commemorate the 35^th anniversary ot the Tiananmen Massacre (liusi Tiananmen shijian 六四天安門事件) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Reuters,  AP,  VOA,  Radio Free Asia,  ABS CBN News,  ABC News,  Nikkei Asia,  Kuwait Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2024]

May 2024

• May 31 (Fri):
  • The PRC announces a unilateral decision to expand its suspension of preferential tariff rates (effective from June 15) for Taiwanese imports—including base oils for lubricants, racing bicycles and textile products—that had been part of the bilateral Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) which the two sides had signed in 2010, citing 'Taiwan independence attempts' as a reason [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • ROC VP Hsiao Bi-khim announces the nominations for Examination Yuan—Chou Hung-hsien 周弘憲 for president, Hsu Shu-hsiang 許舒翔 for vice president, as well as nominees for member Chiau Wen-yan 邱文彥, Huang Tong-yi 黃東益, Ker Li-ling 柯麗鈴, Lu Chiu-hui 呂秋慧, Iwan Nawi, Teng Chia-chi 鄧家基, and Wang Hsiu-hung 王秀紅 [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 29 (Wed):
  • A delegation from the US senate comprising Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Laphonza Butler (D-CA) arrives for in Taiwan a 2-day visit [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  ICRT,  TVBS,  Appalachian News Express,  Axios,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The CGA expels two PRC military boats that intruded into waters off Kinmen County [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 28 (Tue):
  • The Legislative Yuan passes controversial bills for legislative reform (liyuan zhiquan xiuzheng fa'an 立院職權修正法案) with the majority of KMT and TPP legislators in the third reading [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • In an interview with Time magazine (published on June 4, 2024) US President Joe Biden says that he does not rule out using military force to defend Taiwan if the PRC tries to invade [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  NHK,  Kyodo News,  Mainichi,  Economic Times,  RBC Ukraine,  Front News Ukraine,  TASS,  Mint,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 27—June 1: The 77^th WHA takes place without Taiwan being invited as an observer  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 26–30: A bipartisan US congressional delegation comprising Michael McCaul (R-TX); Andy Barr (R-KY), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Young Kim (R-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), and Joe Wilson (R-SC) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  CNN,  Bloomberg,  NBC,  i News,  Sky News,  Anadolu Ajansi,  India TV,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 26 (Sun): A blaze in the 28-story Qingkonghui Building (qingkonghui jihe zhuzhai 晴空匯集合住宅) apartment complex in the East District of Hsinchu City claims the lives of two firefighters [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Taiwan English News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 23–24: The Eastern Theater Command (dongbu zhanqu 東部戰區) of the PRC's PLA holds military exercises dubbed "Joint Sword–2024A" (lianhe lijian erlingersi A 聯合利劍-2024A) around Taiwan and its outer islands as 'strong punishment for the separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces' [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  RTI,  ICRT,  MOFA,  Reuters,  CNN,  BBC,  France24,  Deutsche Welle,  Al Jazeera,  Voice of America,  Stars & Stripes,  Foreign Policy,  Asharq Al-Awsat,  SCMP,  Xinhua,  Global Times,  CGTN,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 20 (Mon): Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Bi-khim are sworn in as ROC president and VP, respectively; Lai delivers his inaugural address [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  RTI,  ROC Presidential Office,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 18 (Sat): A group of legislators from the KMT and the TPP visits Taiping Island in the South China Sea [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 17 (Fri): The legislative session in the Legislative Yuan plunges into chaos after legislators from the DPP forcibly try to prevent the majority of KMT, TPP and independent legislators from proceeding with a vote on legislative reforms [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 16 (Thu): The ROC cabinet resigns en masse ahead of a government reshuffle connected with the upcoming presidential inauguration [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 15 (Wed): The TAO announces sanctions against five Taiwanese politicians, pundits and public figures critical of Beijing, accusing them of spreading disinformation about the PRC, sanctions include prohibiting them and their families from entering China [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 14 (Tue):
  • The ROC MOFA comments it is 'deeply regrettable' that Taiwan has not been invited to attend this year's World Health Assembly (WHA) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  RTI,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The ROC armed forces urge the PRC to allow a Taiwanese noncommissioned officer stationed in Kinmen County who was detained by PRC authorities after accidentially entering PRC waters in dense fog on March 17 to return as soon as possible [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 9 (Thu): The CIP announces that the Pazeh (bazaizu 巴宰族) have applied to become the 17^th officially recognized indigenous community in Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 8 (Wed): The CDC announce the end of Taiwan's mask mandate in medical facilities [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CDC,  CNA]
• May 7 (Tue): The ROC Legislative Yuan on third reading passes an amendment to the Nationality Act (guojifa 國籍法) that would reduce the minimum residency period required for highly skilled professionals to apply for naturalization from three to two continuous years, with a minimum of 183 days in Taiwan each year, and to allow social welfare institutions to apply for naturalization on behalf of stateless children residing in Taiwan; promulgated by the ROC president on May 24 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 6 (Mon): The NTU establishes a new International School of Politics and Economics (guoji zhengjing xueyuan 國際政經學院), an English language degree program offering eight bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral level degrees in political science and economics, finance, and leadership and management [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 2 (Thu): An updated list of prohibited groups compiled by the MAC takes effect, banning Taiwanese from holding positions in the ARATS, Confucius Institutes (kongzi xueyuan 孔子學院) and other organizations affiliated with the CCP [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

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April 2024

• April 28 (Sun): The PRC's General Administration of Customs (Zhonghua renmin gongheguo haiguan zongshu 中華人民共和國海關總署, abbrev. GAC) announces the lifting of a ban on some agricultural and fishery imports from Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 27 (Sat):
  • The delegation of KMT legislators meets with the chairman of the PRC's Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (Zhongguo renmin zhengzhi xieshang huiyi quanguo weiyuanhui 中國人民政治協商會議全國委員會, abbrev. quanguo zhengxie 全國政協 in Chinese and CPPCC in English) Wang Huning 王滬寧 in Beijing [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Earthquake—magnitude 6.1, epicenter in Xiulin Township (Hualien County), no casualties [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 26 (Fri): A delegation of 17 KMT legislators led by Fu Kun-chi 傅崐萁 departs for a 3-day visit to the PRC [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 24 (Wed): US President Joe Biden signs into law the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 (H.R. 815) for an aid package totaling US$ 95.3 billion which includes military aid to Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  White House,  AP,  CNN,  BBC,  The Guardian,  CBS,  NBC,  VOA,  Al Jazeera,  Axios,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 23–25: A bipartisan US congressional delegation comprising Lisa McClain (R-MI), Dan Kildee (D-MI), and Mark Alford (R-MO) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ROC Presidential Office,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 23 (Tue): Earthquake—magnitude 6.3, epicenter in Shoufeng Township (Hualien County), no casualties [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 18 (Thu): Taiwan's cabinet confirms the establishment of May 19 as White Terror Memorial Day (baise kongbu jiyiri 白色恐怖記憶日), to be observed annually but not as a day off [⇥  RTI,  CNA]
• April 16 (Tue): ROC Navy Admiral Huang Shu-kuang 黃曙光 announces his resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program (qianjian guozao zhuan'an 潛艦國造專案) [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 15 (Mon):
  • MOI Minister Lin Yu-chang states that repairs of damages in Taroko National Park (Tailuge guojia gongyuan 太魯閣國家公園) caused by the April 3 earthquake will cost approximately NT$ 1 billion [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Domestically developed Land Sword II (lushe jian'er 陸射劍二) missiles are successfully test-fired at Jiupeng Military Base (Jiupeng jidi 九鵬基地) in Pingtung County [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 13 (Sat): KMT candidate Yu Wen-chung 余文忠 wins the by-election for Miaoli City mayor in Miaoli County [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 10 (Wed):
  • Meeting between former ROC President Ma Ying-jeou and PRC President Xi Jinping in Beijing [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  MOFA,  Reuters,  CNN,  New York Times,  US News,  Barron's,  France24,  Yomiuri Shimbun,  Kyodo News,  Nikkei Asia,  Times of India,  Straits Times,  SCMP,  RTHK,  The Standard,  Xinhua,  China Daily,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • A Puyuma Express (puyoumahao lieche 普悠瑪號列車) traveling from Taitung City 台東 (Taitung County) to Shulin 樹林 (New Taipei City) carrying 146 passengers derails after hitting a fallen rock in the area of Xiulin Township 秀林鄉 (Hualien County), no injuries reported [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan English News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 9 (Tue): Taiwanese media report that ROC President-elect Lai Ching-te has chosen former DPP chairman Cho Jung-tai 卓榮泰 as ROC premier, former MOC Minister Cheng Li-chun 鄭麗君 as vice premier and NDC head Kung Ming-hsin 龔明鑫 as cabinet secretary-general, other picks for top positions reportedly include Wellington Koo 顧立雄 as MND minister and MOFA minister Joseph Wu 吳釗燮 as NSC secretary general [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 3 (Wed):
  • Earthquake—magnitude 7.2, epicenter ca. 10 km off Shoufeng (Hualien County), 18 dead; strongest temblor to hit the Taiwan area since 1999 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  CNN,  BBC,  Deutsche Welle,  Xinhua,  ROC Presidential Office,  MOFA,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The NSB dismisses Chiu Huang-nien 邱晃年 (son of MND Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng) upon completing an investigation into the leak of alleged sex tapes of Chiu with prostitutes [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 1 (Mon): Former ROC President Ma Ying-jeou departs with a 20-member student delegation on an 11-day trip to the PRC (Guangdong Province, Shaanxi Province, Beijing), meets TAO director Song Tao in Shenzhen (Guangdong Province) [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

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March 2024

• March 31 (Sun): AIT chairwoman Laura Rosenberger arrives in Taiwan for a week-long visit [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  AIT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 28 (Thu):
  • MND Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng submits his verbal resignation over allegations that his son Chiu Huang-nien 邱晃年 (an NSB staffer) solicited prostitutes, ROC President Tsai Ing-wen asks him to remain at his post [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • A man armed with a shotgun breaks into the MODA and opens fire, injuring no one, is arrested without making an attempt to escape [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 27–29: A US Congress delegation led by Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI), comprising Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), visits Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  AIT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 26 (Tue):
  • The ROC Navy takes delivery of two new indigenous Tuo Chiang-class corvettes in Suao Harbour 蘇澳港 (Yilan County) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • MOEA Minister Wang Mei-hua visits France [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 23 (Sat): Protesters—mainly Hong Kongers residing in Taiwan—stage a demonstration in Taipei, expressing opposition against Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law that went into effect the same day and covers treason, sedition and state secrets, allowing trials to be held behind closed doors [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  New Bloom,  Al Jazeera,  India.com,  Colorado Springs Gazette,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 20 (Wed): The head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral John C. Aquilino, refutes a report of US special forces being permanently stationed in Kinmen [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 19 (Tue): During the visit of ROC VP-elect Hsiao Bi-khim 蕭美琴 in Europe (Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania; European Parliament in Brussels), an official of the PRC embassy in Prague tails Hsiao’s motorcade on the way from the airport to the capital [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Atlas News,  Kyodo News,  NHK,  Mainichi,  New Bloom Magazine,  SCMP,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 17 (Sun): Two fishermen from Kinmen accidentially stray into PRC waters in dense fog and are picked up by the PRC coast guard at Weitou Bay 圍頭灣 near Quanzhou (Fujian Province), one of the ROC nationals is released on March 23, the other one is detained and accused of having hidden his identity as an active-duty soldier in Taiwan's armed forces (discharged from the ROC armed forces on May 8, 2024, released by the PRC on Aug. 7, 2024) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 15 (Fri): Legislators hold a ceremony to mark the inauguration of six parliamentary friendship groups to promote closer exchanges with European countries [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 14 (Thu):
  • MND Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng confirms that US Army Special Forces—commonly known as "Green Berets"—are training Taiwanese troops in Kinmen and Penghu [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The fishing boat Min Long Yu 61222 (閩龍漁 61222) from the PRC with a crew of 6 capsizes 15 nautical miles southwest of Kinmen, 2 sailors drown, the CGA participates in a joint search and rescue mission for the missing crew members [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 13 (Wed): KMT vice chairman Andrew Hsia 夏立言 departs for a week-long, four-city (Chongqing, Chengdu, Jinan, Qingdao) trip to the PRC [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 11 (Mon): During a session of the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee (waijiao ji guofang weiyuanhui 外交及國防委員會), Deputy MND Minister Po Horng-huei 柏鴻輝 claims that Taiwan's military would have 'absolute air superiority' in its own airspace and the capability of downing warplanes if the PRC air force were to intrude [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 7 (Thu): During a legislative hearing MND Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng explains Taiwan's rules of engagement in the light of Beijing’s increased use of "gray zone" tactics [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 5 (Tue): MOL Minister Hsu Ming-chun apologizes for her March 1 comments on the planned recruitment of Indian migrant workers that were widely considered racist [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  MOFA,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 4–5: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer visits Taiwan, announces the opening of the Michigan Taiwan Office in Taipei on March 4 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  RTI,  ROC Presidential Office,  MOFA,  BNN,  Detroit News,  Patch,  Crain's Detroit Business,  MEDC,  State of Michigan,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 4 (Mon): The heads of the CGA, OAC and MAC present a report on the Feb. 14 speedboat incident to the Internal Administration Committee (neizheng weiyuanhui 內政委員會) of the ROC Legislative Yuan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 1 (Fri): In an interview aired on the YouTube channel Taiwan Green All (Taiwan qingyise 台灣青一色) MOL Minister Hsu Ming-chun says that Taiwan plans on recruiting migrant workers from northeast India because "their skin colour and eating habits" were similar to Taiwanese, their Christian beliefs, and their skills in manufacturing, construction, and agriculture [⇥  Taiwan News,  YouTube,  CNA]

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February 2024

• Feb. 29 (Thu): KMT vice chairman Andrew Hsia 夏立言 meets TAO Director Song Tao 宋濤 in Shanghai [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  Xinhua,  CNA]
• Feb. 28 (Wed): Amendments to the Political Archives Act promulgated by ROC President Tsai Ing-wen on Dec. 27, 2023 take effect [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  NAA,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 27 (Tue): Taiwan's first domestically built submarine prototype "Narwhal" begins a series of final harbour acceptance tests (HAT) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 26 (Mon): KMT vice chairman Andrew Hsia 夏立言 embarks on a 7-day visit to the PRC (Xiamen, Guangzhou, Nanchang, Hangzhou, Kunshan and Shanghai) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 24 (Sat): TSMC opens a cutting-edge wafer fab in Kumamoto (Japan) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  Japan Times,  Nikkei Asia,  Reuters,  DigiTimes,  BNN,  TrendForce,  TSMC,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 23 (Fri):
  • A meeting of Taiwanese officials from the CGA, the MAC, Kinmen County government and the SEF with a group from the PRC including relatives of the two PRC fishermen who died in the Feb. 14 speedboat incident, headed by Jinjiang Red Cross (jinjiang hongshizihui 晉江紅十字會) secretary-general Cao Rongshan 曹榮山, ends without a consensus, the details of the discussions are not made public [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
  • 72 legislators of the KMT and the DPP establish the Legislative Yuan US Caucus (Tai Mei guohui yiyuan lianyihui 台美國會議員聯誼會) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Feb. 22–24: A bipartisan delegation of the US House of Representatives led by Mike Gallagher (R-WI), chair of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and comprising Dusty Johnson (R-SD), John Moolnaar (R-MI) as well as Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Seth Moulton (D-MA), visits Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  AIT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 22 (Thu): The CGA confirms that the capsize of a speedboat from the PRC in Kinmen waters on Feb. 14 was caused by a collision with CGA patrol boat CP-1051 [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 21 (Wed):
  • The PRC's TAO accuses Taiwan's authorities to 'cover up the truth' of the Feb. 14 speedboat incident near Kinmen [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNN,  Free Malaysia Today,  Türkiye Newspaper,  Barron's,  Xinhua,  CNA]
  • The DSCA announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 75 million including Taiwan advanced tactical data link system upgrade planning [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  US News,  NDTV,  News18,  Colorado Springs Gazette,  Defense Mirror,  DSCA,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 20 (Tue): ROC Premier Chen Chien-jen calls for both sides of the Taiwan Strait to approach the security of Kinmen and Xiamen waters with rationality and equality [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 19 (Mon):
  • The Taiwanese cruise ship "King Xia" (jinxia youlun 金廈遊輪) carrying 11 crew members and 23 passengers is intercepted by two PRC coast guard boats 2.8 nautical miles northwest of Kinmen's Wushajiao 烏沙角, 6 PRC officers board the Taiwanese vessel for an inspection, asking to see the documents of crew members [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Taiwan-France Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association (Taiwan yu Faguo guohui youhao xiehui 臺灣與法國國會友好協會) and the Taiwan-Poland Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association (Taiwan yu Polan guohui youhao xiehui 臺灣與波蘭國會友好協會) are established in the Legislative Yuan, both headed by DPP legislator-at-large Lin Chu-yin 林楚茵 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 18 (Sun):
  • The MAC reiterates that Taiwan would continue to enforce the law in restricted waters around Kinmen County [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The PRC's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) claims that "there is no such thing as 'prohibited or restricted waters' in the Xiamen-Kinmen maritime area" and vows to perform regular patrols there by the PRC coast guard [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  Xinhua,  CNA]
• Feb. 15 (Thu): The MAC calls the death of two fishermen from the PRC during the speedboat incident on Feb. 14 in waters of Kinmen County regrettable and defends the conduct of the CGA [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 14 (Wed): A speedboat from the PRC illegally enters Taiwanese waters near Beiding Island 北碇 of Kinmen County and capsizes after being pursued by a CGA vessel, 2 of the 4 persons on board drown [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 10 (Sat): 📆 Lunar New Year (chunjie 春節 / guonian 過年) [⇥ Lunar calendar]
• Feb. 7 (Wed): Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko 小池 百合子 visits Taipei [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  ROC Presidential Office,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 6 (Tue): The MOHW announces evaluation results for medical institutions across the country, with three hospitals—Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital (Taibei ciji yiyuan 台北慈濟醫院), Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital (shuanghe yiyuan 雙和醫院), and NTU Hospital Hsinchu Branch (taida yiyuan Xinzhu taida fenyuan 台大醫院新竹台大分院)—passing the review process to be upgraded to become medical centers (yixue zhongxin 醫學中心) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 1 (Thu):
  • The Eleventh Legislative Yuan convenes, KMT legislator-at-large Han Kuo-yu is elected speaker, Chiang Chi-chen of the KMT is elected deputy speaker [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The DPP Central Evaluation Committee (minjindang zhongpinghui 民進黨中評會) decides to expel 50 party members either for violating party rules by campaigning for other political parties during elections or for having been involved in #MeToo sex scandals [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2024]

January 2024

• Jan. 30 (Tue): Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) protests the PRC's unilateral adjustment of flight routes close to the median line of the Taiwan Strait, including M503 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 29 (Mon):
  • Legislator-elects You Si-kun 游錫堃 of the DPP and Han Kuo-yu 韓國瑜 of the KMT—both vying for the position of legislative speaker—visit the caucus office of the TPP [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The CGA reports the completion of a dredging project and wharf upgrade at Taiping Island [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  ANI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 24–26: A cross-party delegation from the US House of Representatives’ Congressional Taiwan Caucus including Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and Ami Bera (D-CA) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 24 (Wed): Newly elected legislators of the KMT and the TPP propose the introduction of a bill to permit absentee voting [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 18 (Thu):
  • The ROC Cabinet formally resigns en masse, stays on in caretaker mode [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) inaugurates the Cognitive Warfare Research Center (renzhizhan yanjiu zhongxin 認知戰研究中心) dedicated to studying the threat of online disinformation to Taiwan’s democracy and security [⇥  Taipei Times,  Formosa News,  CNA]
• Jan. 17 (Wed): DPP Secretary-general Hsu Li-ming resigns [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Formosa News,  CNA]
• Jan. 15 (Mon): Nauru decides to switch diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  MOFA,  Reuters,  CNN,  Washington Post,  ABC,  The Guardian,  Time,  Bloomberg,  Japan Times,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 13 (Sat):
  • Lai Ching-te wins the 2024 ROC presidential election with 40.05 percent of valid votes (voter turnout 71.86 percent) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  MOFA,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The DPP fails to win a majority in the Eleventh Legislative Yuan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNBC,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 10 (Wed): The Deutsche Welle airs an interview with former ROC President Ma Ying-jeou titled ‘We can never win in a war’ with Ma stating that Taiwan has no choice but to ‘trust’ PRC leader Xi Jinping when it comes to cross-strait relations; KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih distances himself from Ma's remarks [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  TaiwanPlus,  Formosa News,  Newsweek,  Straits Times,  Deutsche Welle,  YouTube,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 9 (Tue):
  • The MND sends out a bilingual air raid alert to all cell phones in the Taiwan area after a PRC rocket carrying a satellite diverged from its anticipated flight path in the direction of Taiwan; the ministry subsequently apologizes for using the term 'missile' in the English translation, admitting that when the rocket was above Taiwan, it had already reached an altitude of 500 km [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Reuters,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The CEC announces that 19,548,531 ROC citizens are eligible to cast their ballots at the 2024 ROC presidential election, with 17,476 more able to do so at the elections for legislators-at-large of the Eleventh Legislative Yuan, due to a two-month difference in the residency requirement for the two elections [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  CEC,  CNA]
• Jan. 2 (Tue): The ROC government confirms that the R.O.C. Defense Mission to the U.S.A. (Zhonghua minguo zhu Mei junshi daibiaotuan 中華民國駐美軍事代表團) under TECRO and the AIT signed a deal to carry out maintenance services for Taiwan’s RIM-66 Standard missiles [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Liberty Times]
• Jan. 1 (Mon):
  • During the only televised debate between the vice presidential candidates for the 2024 ROC presidential election, KMT candidate Jaw Shau-kong announces his resignation as BCC chairman [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) under the ROC Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) is transformed into a state-run enterprise and renamed Taiwan Railway Corporation Ltd. (TRC) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2024]

===== ===== ===== ===== =====

— — — 2023 — — —

December 2023

• Dec. 30 (Sat): During a debate for the 2024 ROC presidential election DPP candidate Lai Ching-te ponders whether the ROC Constitution would 'bring disaster to Taiwan' [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  SCMP,  iMedia,  YouTube,  CNA]
• Dec. 29 (Fri): The National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) under MOHW open its National Indigenous Peoples Health Research Center (yuanzhu minzu jiankang yanjiu zhongxin 原住民族健康研究中心) tasked with implementing the Indigenous Peoples Health Act (yuanzhu minzu jiankangfa 原住民族健康法) in a bid to close the healthcare gap between ethnic Han and indigenous populations [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  CNA]
• Dec. 25 (Mon): The PRC launches the first issue of its English-language quarterly academic journal "China Taiwan Studies" run by the Institute of Taiwan Studies (Taiwan yanjiusuo 台灣研究所) under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (Zhongguo shehui kexueyuan 中國社會科學院) with Leng Bo 冷波 as editor-in-chief [⇥  Xinhua,  CNA]
• Dec. 23 (Sat): The first phase of the National Taiwan Museum of Comics (guojia manhua bowuguan 國家漫畫博物館) opens in Taichung [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 22 (Fri):
  • US President Joe Biden signs into law the finalized bill for the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes the US defense secretary to create a training program for Taiwan's military and requires a status report on the delivery of defense weapons and services that the US has agreed to sell to Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  White House,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The sale of international carbon credits officially begins at the Taiwan Carbon Solution Exchange (TCX) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The PRC's General Administration of Customs (haiguan zongshu 海關總署) lifts a ban on Taiwanese grouper imports [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Xinhua,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 21 (Thu):
  • During a routine training mission, six ROC Navy sailors are swept off submarine SS-794 "Sea Tiger" while attempting to retrieve a rescue buoy south of Liuqiu Pingtung County due to a deformed buckle connected to a safety harness [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The PRC State Council announces that preferential tax rates on the import of 12 Taiwanese petrochemical products under ECFA would be suspended [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Xinhua,  China Daily,  CGTN,  Global Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 19 (Tue):
  • On the 2023 Human Freedom Index (HFI) compiled by the US-based Cato Institute and Canada-based Fraser Institute, Taiwan ranks 12th in world, 1st in Asia on human freedom [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  RTI,  Hong Kong Free Press,  OCAC,  CNA]
  • TSMC announces that chairman Mark Liu 劉德音 would retire by June 2024 and recommends current CEO C. C. Wei 魏哲家 as successor [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Reuters,  Bloomberg,  Forbes,  CNBC,  Barron's,  Nikkei Asia,  EE Times Asia,  Mobile World Live,  DigiTimes,  technode,  DCD,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Dec. 17 (Sun): The 499-tonne Cameroon-registered freighter "Hai Shou" on the way from Taichung to Kaohsiung without cargo on board loses power due to a mechanical failure and runs aground 0.4 nautical miles north of Penghu’s Baisha Township at Jibei Islet 吉貝, the 9 crew members (all nationals of Myanmar) are rescued by a National Airborne Service Corps helicopter [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 15 (Fri): The DSCA announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 300 million including command, control, communications, and computers (C4) life cycle support [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  CNBC,  APA,  ThePrint,  Times of India,  Free Malaysia Today,  DSCA,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Dec. 13–15: The Science and Technology Advisory Meeting (xingzhengyuan keji guwen huiyi 行政院科技顧問會議) under the ROC Executive Yuan convenes for the first time since 2011 [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Dec. 13 (Wed): KMT vice chairman Andrew Hsia 夏立言 embarks on a weeklong visit to the PRC (Chengdu, Nanchang, Zhongshan, Xiamen, and Chongqing) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Reuters,  SaltWire,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 6 (Wed):
  • The MOL launches the Long-term Retention of Migrant Workers Service Center (yigong liucai jiuyong fuwu zhongxin 移工留才久用服務中心) located in Hsinchu County [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  OCAC,  CNA]
  • A Taiwanese delegation led by MOENV Minister Shieu Fuh-sheng arrives in Dubai for COP28 as NGO observer [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  ICRT,  OCAC,  CNA]
  • The South Africa-based human rights NGO CIVICUS rates Taiwan as only ‘open’ country in Asia [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  CIVICUS,  OCAC,  CNA]
  • Taiwanese professor Cha Jan "Jerry" Chang 張家禎 is among the three victims who were killed by gunman Tony Polito in a mass shooting at the University of Nevada (UNLV), Las Vegas (NV, USA) [⇥  Taiwan News,  RTI,  CNN,  AP,  New York Times,  Washington Post,  USA Today,  LA Times,  ABC,  CBS,  NBC,  Daily Mail,  CNA]
• Dec. 5 (Tue): The ROC Executive Yuan inaugurates its Personal Data Protection Committee Preparatory Office (xingzhengyuan geren ziliao baohu weiyuanhui choubeichu 行政院個人資料保護委員會籌備處) in Taipei [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  CNA]
• Dec. 1 (Fri): The Air Force Flight Training Command (kongjun feixing xunlian zhihuibu 空軍飛行訓練指揮部) is launched in Kaohsiung by ROC President Tsai Ing-wen [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  OCAC,  CNA]

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November 2023

• Nov. 30 (Thu): The MOI rejects the visa applications of 218 among 239 members of a Meizhou Mazu delegation from the PRC [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  China Daily,  CNA]
• Nov. 24 (Fri):
  • Hou Yu-ih of the KMT registers his candidacy for the 2024 ROC presidential election at the CEC with Jaw Shau-kong 趙少康 as running mate [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Ko Wen-je of the TPP registers his candidacy for the 2024 ROC presidential election at the CEC with Cynthia Wu 吳欣盈 as running mate [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Terry Gou announces his decision not to run in the 2024 ROC presidential election [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 23–25: Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki 玉城 丹尼 makes a low-key visit to Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan News,  Japan Forward,  CNA]
• Nov. 23 (Thu): A last-ditch effort between the KMT and the TPP to form a joint ticket for the 2024 ROC presidential election fails [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 21 (Tue): DPP presidential nominee Lai Ching-te and his running mate Hsiao Bi-khim formally register their candidacy for the 2024 ROC presidential election at the CEC [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 20–29: A delegation led by NSTC Minister Wu Tsung-tsong visits the Czech Republic [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Nov. 20 (Mon): Hsiao Bi-khim 蕭美琴 tenders her resignation as Taiwan representative in the US before accepting DPP presidential nominee Lai Ching-te's invitation to be his running mate in the 2024 ROC presidential election [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Reuters,  Japan Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 18 (Sat): The KMT and the TPP fail to agree on a joint Taiwan presidential candidate over different interpretations of poll results [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 15–17: TSMC founder Morris Chang represents ROC President Tsai Ing-wen at the 31^st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in San Francisco (USA) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  Reuters,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Nov. 15 (Wed): The KMT and the TPP agree to determine the presidential and vice presidential candidates on a joint ticket in the 2024 presidential election through public polls [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 14 (Tue): The CEC announces that Terry Gou 郭台銘 and his running mate Tammy Lai 賴佩霞 had received more than 900,000 signatures, far exceeding the minimum threshold to qualify for the 2024 ROC presidential election [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 13 (Mon): The Tourism Administration opens a new office in Busan (South Korea) [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  ICRT,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Nov. 11 (Sat): Taiwanese media report that the ROC Air Force started taking deliveries of the domestically developed "Ching Tien" supersonic cruise missile which has a range of 2,000 km [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Newsweek,  Liberty Times]
• Nov. 8–13: MOEA Minister Wang Mei-hua visits Japan [⇥  RTI,  ICRT,  BNN,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Nov. 6–12: MOFA Minister Joseph Wu visits Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  ICRT,  AP,  Baltic Times,  ERR News,  NHK,  CEPA,  Ground News,  MarketScreener,  MOFA,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Nov. 3 (Fri): The University of Edinburgh officially returns the skulls of four Paiwan warriors—taken by the Japanese in 1874—to Taiwan's Indigenous community [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  BBC,  The Guardian,  Telegraph,  Al Jazeera,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Nov. 2 (Thu): The Lulin Atmospheric Background Station (Lulinshan cezhan 鹿林山測站) located in Yushan National Park receives Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) calibration certification from U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Nov. 1 (Wed): The NDC launches its International Talent Taiwan Office (guoji rencai fuwu ji yanlan zhongxin 國際人才服務及延攬中心) to attract and retain foreign professionals [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  DigiTimes,  OCAC,  CNA]

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October 2023

• Oct. 31 (Tue): A meeting of the KMT's presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih 侯友宜 and party chairman Eric Chu 朱立倫 with TPP presidential candidate Ko Wen-je 柯文哲 at an undisclosed location yields no agreement about a joint presidential ticket [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 30 (Mon): Representatives of the KMT and the TPP reach an agreement about cooperating in the 2024 legislative election [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 29 (Sun): Montana Governor Greg Gianforte arrives in Taiwan for a 6-day visit [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  OCAC,  MOFA,  CNA]
• Oct. 23–26: NSTC Minister Wu Tsung-tsong visits Australia [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Oct. 20 (Fri): The Central Election Commission (CEC) rejects a proposed referendum on decriminalizing gambling on mahjong in public for senior citizens with stakes of less than NT$ 1,000 [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 19–22: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy visits Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  New Jersey Globe,  New Jersey Business Magazine,  State of New Jersey News,  Focus Taiwan,  MOFA,  CNA]
• Oct. 15 (Sun): AIT chairwoman Laura Rosenberger arrives in Taiwan for a 5-day visit [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Oct. 14 (Sat): Representatives of the KMT and the TPP discuss a possible joint ticket for the 2024 ROC presidential election but fail to reach an agreement [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 12 (Thu): The MND appoints a task force (zhuan'an xiaozu 專案小組) to examine the war between Israel and Hamas that erupted on Oct. 7 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Oct. 10 (Tue): In her final National Day address as head of state, ROC President Tsai Ing-wen stresses Taiwan's determination to maintain the Status Quo and calls for peaceful coexistence with the PRC [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  Reuters,  Newsweek,  Straits Times,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Oct. 9 (Mon): Taiwan's weather satellite Triton is launched successfully from Kourou as part of an Arianespace Vega C rideshare mission on 9.37 a.m. Taiwan time (0137 UTC, 2237 Kourou time on Oct. 8) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  TASA,  YouTube,  satnews,  Aerocontact,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Oct. 7 (Sat): Weather satellite Triton (liefengzhe 獵風者) built by Taiwan's NSPO fails to achieve lift-off in Kourou (French Guiana) at 9:36 a.m. Taiwan time (0136 UTC, 2236 Kourou time on Oct. 6) during a scheduled launch [⇥  Taiwan News,  isp.page,  TS2 Space,  CNA]
• Oct. 5 (Thu): Typhoon Koinu makes brief landfall at the Hengchun Peninsula at the southern tip of Pingtung County, the storm leaves one person in Taiwan dead [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  ICRT,  Reuters,  AP,  Al Jazeera,  Financial Times,  New York Times,  Jersey Evening Post,  Borneo Post,  UrduPoint,  CNA]
• Oct. 2 (Mon): The NSTC launches its Research Institute for Democracy, Society, and Emerging Technology (keji, minzhu, shehui yanjiu zhongxin 科技、民主、社會研究中心, abbrev. keminshe zhongxin 科民社中心 in Chinese and DSET in English) [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC,  CNA]

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September 2023

• Sept. 29 (Fri): 📆 Mid-Autumn Festival (zhongqiujie 中秋節) [⇥ Lunar calendar]
• Sept. 28 (Thu): Taiwan's first Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS)—the SS-711 "Narwhal" (haikunhao 海鯤號)—is launched with a ceremony attended by ROC President Tsai Ing-wen at a CSBC shipyard in Kaohsiung [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Reuters,  CNN,  Japan Times,  Asahi Shimbun,  Time,  Al Jazeera,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Sept. 20 (Wed): Two new subordinate agencies under MOI are inaugurated—the National Land Management Agency, MOI (neizhengbu guotu guanlishu 內政部國土管理署), and the National Park Service, MOI (neizhengbu guojia gongyuanshu 內政部國家公園署) [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Sept. 19 (Tue): ROC Premier Chen Chien-jen accepts the resignation of MOA Minister Chen Chi-chung [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 18 (Mon): New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham arrives in Taiwan for a 6-day visit [⇥  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  CNA]
• Sept. 16 (Sat): Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs arrives in Taiwan for a 5-day visit [⇥  OCAC,  MOFA,  CNA]
• Sept. 15 (Fri): The MOTC Tourism Bureau is reorganized as Tourism Administration (jiaotongbu guanguangshu 交通部觀光署), headed by Chou Yung-hui 周永暉, the MOTC Central Weather Bureau is elevated to Central Weather Administration (jiaotongbu zhongyang qixiangshu 交通部中央氣象署, abbrev. CWA), headed by Cheng Chia-ping 程家平 [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  YouTube,  CNA 1 / CNA 2]
• Sept. 14 (Thu): Independent presidential hopeful Terry Gou announces singer-actress Tammy Lai 賴佩霞 as his prospective running mate for the 2024 presidential election [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 12–19: MOC Minister Shih Che visits the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and France [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  UDN,  CNA]
• Sept. 11–12: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer visits Taiwan to gain insight into Taiwan's semiconductor industry [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  Taipei Times,  OCAC,  MOFA]
• Sept. 5–8: ROC President Tsai Ing-wen visits Eswatini [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  Reuters,  AP,  Al Jazeera,  VOA,  Deutsche Welle,  The News Lens,  SCMP,  BusinessGhana,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 3 (Sun): Typhoon Haikui makes landfall at Taiwan's southeast coast, the first tropical storm to hit Taiwan directly since August 2019 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 1 (Fri): A Department of International Affairs (guoji shiwuchu 國際事務處) is established in the ROC Legislative Yuan [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]

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August 2023

• Aug. 31 (Thu): A US congressional delegation comprising Representatives Rob Wittman (R-VA), Carlos A. Gimenez (R-FL), and Jen Kiggans (R-VA) arrives in Taiwan for 3-day visit [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Aug. 30 (Wed):
  • The US Department of State notifies Congress approving a military transfer of US$ 80 million for Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program which is normally used for sovereign states  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Reuters,  AP,  CNN,  Al Jazeera,  Military.com,  OCAC,  CNA]
  • The UK's House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee releases a report on the London's Indo-Pacific policy, acknowledging Taiwan as a de facto independent country  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Aug. 29 (Tue): Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an attends the Twin Cities Forum in Shanghai [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Aug. 28 (Mon): Foxconn founder Terry Gou announces that he will run for president in 2024 as an independent candidate [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Reuters,  CNN,  BBC,  VOA,  Nikkei Asia,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Aug. 23 (Wed): The DSCA announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 500 million with defense articles that include F-16 infrared search and track systems [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  Straits Times,  SCMP,  AsiaOne,  Defence Connect,  DSCA,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Aug. 22 (Tue): The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) is upgraded to Ministry of Environment (huanjingbu 環境部, abbrev. MOENV) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  OCAC News,  Environmental Information Center,  CNA]
• Aug. 21 (Mon):
  • During a plenary session held in Nicaragua the Central American Parliament (Parlamento Centroamericano, PARLACEN) votes 73-32 (with 9 abstentions) to cancel Taiwan’s permanent observer status and give it to the PRC instead, the ROC government decides to withdraw with immediate effect [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  Reuters,  OCAC News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The PRC government announces that it suspended imports of Taiwanese mangoes with immediate effect  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 18 (Fri): At the trilateral summit between the US, Japan and South Korea in Maryland the three leaders state that cross-strait peace and stability is "an indispensable element of security and prosperity in the international community" [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  The Diplomat,  Straits Times,  Firstpost,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 15–17: The armed forces of the ROC hold live-fire drills off Taiwan’s southeast coast [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  CNA]
• Aug. 15–16: ROC MOEA Minister Wang Mei-hua attends an APEC meeting of energy ministers in Seattle (US) [⇥  OCAC,  CNA]
• Aug. 14 (Mon):
  • A non-specified military source discloses that the military aid package announced by the White House on July 28 would include four MQ-9A drones [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC,  CNA]
  • Hsinchu City Mayor Ann Kao is indicted over corruption charges [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The CDC announce that the mask rule in pharmacies and therapy centers would be lifted on Aug. 15 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 12–18: ROC VP Lai Ching-te visits Paraguay to attend the inauguration of the new head of state there, with stopovers in New York (Aug. 12–13) and San Francisco (Aug. 16–17) [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Aug. 11 (Fri): The PRC announces it would hold three days of live-fire drills in the East China Sea [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 9 (Wed): TASA announces that it has entered the second phase of a 10-year project to support the domestic development and launch of miniaturized satellites known as "CubeSats" [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Aug. 7 (Mon):
  • The Taiwan Carbon Solution Exchange (Taiwan tanquan jiaoyisuo 台灣碳權交易所) is inaugurated in Kaohsiung [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  OCAC,  CNA]
  • US President Joe Biden signs the United States–Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade First Agreement Implementation Act into law [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  White House,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Aug. 3 (Thu): A chemical explosion at a missile base operated by NCSIST in Pingtung County injures four people [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 1 (Tue): The Council of Agriculture (COA) is upgraded to Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), COA head Chen Chi-chung is retained as MOA minister [⇥  MOA,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2023]

July 2023

• July 28 (Fri):
  • The White House announces a US$ 345 million military aid package to Taiwan which is to be delivered under a Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) approved in 2022 by the US Congress along with a limit of US$ 1 billion in defense articles and services in fiscal year 2023, not specifying what weapons systems or services will be provided [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNN,  ABC News,  OCAC,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The ROC Executive Yuan announces that the heads of two new ministries—Ministry of Agriculture (nongyebu 農業部) and Ministry of Environment (huanjingbu 環境部) which will officially be inaugurated in August 2023—have been selected [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 26 (Wed): A 57-year-old woman drowns in the Mugua River 木瓜溪 near Wenlan Village 文蘭村 in Xiulin Township 秀林鄉 (Hualien County) after the river's water levels rose dramatically due to typhoon Doksuri [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 25 (Tue): ROC President Tsai Ing-wen tests positive for COVID-19 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 24 (Mon): An explosion at an ammunition depot of the Hsiang Feng Military Base (xiangfeng yingqu 祥豐營區) in Keelung City injures nine soldiers who were transporting 120mm mortar shells [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  TASS,  Newswav,  Pakistan Point,  Urdu Point,  Report News Agency,  Sada Elbalad English,  NNN News Nigeria,  Ground News,  Rival Times,  OCAC,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 23 (Sun): A KMT party congress in Banqiao (New Taipei City) officially nominates Hou Yu-ih as the party’s presidential candidate; Hou declares his opposition to 'one country, two systems' [⇥  Taipei Times,  TaiwanPlus,  ICRT,  Channel News Asia,  New Bloom,  BNN,  Teller Report,  News Beezer,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 21 (Fri): The Palau-registered container ship "Angel" sinks off the port of Kaohsiung, the crew is successfully evacuated (no fatalities), hundreds of containers fall into the sea [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan English News,  Marine Insight,  Fleet Mon,  Maritime Executive,  Yeni Safak,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 18 (Tue): MND Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng confirms that Taiwan has plans to purchase the second-generation National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS 2) from the US [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC,  CNA]
• July 16 (Sun):
  • The DPP holds a party congress in Taipei [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Taiwanese tennis player Hsieh Su-wei 謝淑薇 and her Czech partner Barbora Strýcová win the women's doubles final at Wimbledon, beating the third-seeded Australian and Belgian duo of Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens 7-5, 6-4 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Reuters,  ESPN,  BBC,  Caledonian Record,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• July 15 (Sat): A group of 37 teachers and students from five universities in the PRC arrives in Taiwan for a nine-day exchange program at the invitation of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 14 (Fri): The Taiwan-made weather satellite Triton is shipped to French Guiana after passing its final inspection [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  RTI,  OCAC,  CNA]
• July 12 (Wed): Taiwanese media report that the ROC Navy has recently formed an ad hoc unit as it prepares to take delivery of the country's first domestically built submarine [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 7 (Fri): The Ministry of Digital Affairs announces that it has selected the Telecom Technology Center (dianxin jishu zhongxin 電信技術中心, abbrev. TTC) to head a project to improve the resilience of Taiwan’s digital communications network [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC,  CNA]
• July 6 (Thu): The ROC Control Yuan votes 13-0 to impeach former AEC minister Hsieh Shou-shing 謝曉星 for sexual harassment and other misconduct [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 4 (Tue):
  • MOJ Minister Tsai Ching-hsiang confers with his German counterpart Marco Buschmann in Berlin [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  OCAC,  Reuters,  BNN,  Table Media,  Deutschlandfunk,  CNA]
  • ROC Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun boards a ferry from Suao (Yilan County) to the westernmost Japanese island of Yonaguni with a 100-member delegation to promote bilateral tourism, a 111 km journey taking 2 hours [⇥  Taiwan News,  OCAC,  CNA]
• July 3 (Mon): A delegation of the Republican Study Committee (RSC) in the US House of Representatives comprising Kevin Hern (OK), Burgess Owens (UT), Mike Flood (NE), Mike Collins (GA), Russell Fry (SC), and Keith Self (TX) arrives in Taiwan for a 5-day visit [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  RTI,  OCAC,  CNA]
• July 2–4: An 11-member delegation of Japanese lawmakers from three opposition parties (Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan 立憲民主黨, Japan Innovation Party 日本維新會, Democratic Party for the People 國民民主黨) led by former FM Seiji Maehara 前原 誠司 visits Taiwan, received by ROC President Tsai Ing-wen on July 3 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  Taiwan News,  OCAC,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2023]

June 2023

• June 29–30: MOL Minister Hsu Ming-chun attends the fifth Taiwan-EU Labor Consultation in Brussels; meets French officials and executives in Paris on July 4 [⇥  ICRT,  Taiwan Today,  OCAC,  CNA]
• June 29 (Thu): The DSCA announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 440 million with defense articles that include logistical support, 30mm ammunition and spare parts for military wheeled vehicles and weapons [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  OCAC News,  DSCA 1 / DSCA 2,  CNA]
• June 28 (Wed):
  • ROC Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan meets the secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Toshimitsu Motegi 茂木 敏充 in Tokyo; first visit of a ROC vice premier in Japan since 1994 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  ICRT,  Bloomberg,  Nikkei Asia,  NHK,  Børsen Pro International,  Getty Images,  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • ROC Presidential Office Spokesperson Kolas Yotaka resigns [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  TVBS,  TaiwanPlus,  Bloomberg,  Straits Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 27 (Tue): A bipartisan US congressional delegation led by Mike Rogers (R-AL) and comprising Joe Courtney (D-CT), John Garamendi (D-CA), Cory Mills (R-FL), James Moylan (R-GU), Gary Palmer (R-AL), David Rouzer (R-NC), Adam Smith (D-WA), and Jill Tokuda (D-HI) arrives in Taiwan for a 3-day visit [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  AIT,  RTI,  ICRT,  NewsNation,  Taipei Times,  CNBC,  Yellowhammer News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• June 22 (Thu): 📆 Dragon Boat Festival (duanwujie 端午節) [⇥ Lunar calendar]
• June 21 (Wed):
  • The Legislative Yuan approves all four grand justice nominees proposed by President Tsai Ing-wen [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The MOC announces that Lee Yung-te 李永得 has been appointed CNA chairman [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Judicial Yuan President Hsu Tzong-li 許宗力 meets Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic president Pavel Rychetský in Brno [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• June 20 (Tue):
  • AIDC announces that it received orders worth more than NT$ 3 billion at the Paris Air Show [⇥  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • The US Coast Guard cutter USCGC Stratton sails through the Taiwan Strait [⇥  Taipei Times,  AP,  Reuters,  CNN,  Japan Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 16–17: KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia participates in the 15th Straits Forum in Xiamen (Fujian Province, PRC) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 12–19: MOEA Minister Wang Mei-hua visits France [⇥  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• June 12–16: MODA Minister Audrey Tang attends the London Tech Week [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• June 12 (Mon): MOFA Minister Joseph Wu arrives in Europe, attends the European Values Summit in Prague on June 14 (Wed), visits the European Parliament in Brussels on June 16 (Fri), makes an unannounced visit to Italy on June 17 (Sat) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• June 7 (Wed): The Taichung High Court upholds a ruling that a 10-year, two-month prison sentence imposed against former Ting Hsin International Group Chair Wei Ying-chun 魏應充 could be commuted to a fine of NT$ 3.71 million (NT$ 1,000 per day of the prison term), the High Prosecutors’ Office declines to appeal [⇥  Taipei Times,  FTNN,  NTDTV]
• June 5 (Mon): AIT chairwoman Laura Rosenberger arrives in Taiwan for a 6-day visit, states that the US would 'not take sides' and 'oppose outside interference or influence in Taiwan's elections' [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• June 3 (Sat): During a joint transit through the Taiwan Strait by the USS Chung-Hoon and the HMCS Montreal, the PLAN warship LUYANG III DDG 132 (PRC LY 132) comes within ca. 150 yards (137 m) of the US Navy vessel, forcing it to quickly alter course to avoid a collision [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Reuters,  CNN,  Daily Mail,  Eurasian Times,  US Naval Institute,  Firstpost,  Nova News,  Armenian News,  CNA]
• June 1 (Thu): Kao Meng-hsun 高孟焄 takes office as first female Chief Justice of the ROC Supreme Court [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]

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May 2023

• May 31 (Wed): The Anti-Fraud Office (dazha bangongshi 打詐辦公室) is set up under the Executive Yuan and headed by Lee Hsien-ming 李憲明 [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  Liberty Times]
• May 30 (Tue): ROC President Tsai Ing-wen nominates Tsai Tsai-chen 蔡彩貞, Chu Fu-mei 朱富美, Chen Chung-wu 陳忠五, and Greg Yo 尤伯祥 to fill four upcoming grand justice vacancies on the ROC's Constitutional Court [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  The News Lens,  U.S.-Asia Law Institute,  CNA]
• May 26 (Fri):
  • The Legislative Yuan approves amendments to the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act and the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act which bar certain ex-convicts from running for public office [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Legislative Yuan passes the Indigenous Peoples Health Act (yuanzhu minzu jiankangfa 原住民族健康法) which seeks to address the shorter average lifespan of indigenous people through improved resources [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• May 25 (Thu): The inaugural Taiwan-U.S. Science and Technology Cooperation Dialogue (STC-D) concludes in Taipei [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• May 24 (Wed):
  • The CEC announces that a proposed referendum to expedite the execution of prisoners sentenced to death is unlikely to be held before the end of 2023 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Executive Yuan changes the administrative mandate concerning the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, stating stated that PRC citizens do not have ROC nationality, nor are they nationals of the ROC, and as such, they do not have the same rights or obligations as ROC citizens [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• May 21–30: The 76^th WHA takes place without Taiwan being invited as an observer  [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• May 19 (F): The MOE approves the merger plan of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST/Taiwan Tech) and Hwa Hsia University of Technology, the first ever in Taiwan involving public and private universities [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• May 17 (Wed):
  • During his week-long US visit Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun meets US House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul in Washington DC [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The KMT officially nominates New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih 侯友宜 as presidential candidate [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Reuters,  New York Times,  Financial Times,  Japan Times,  SCMP,  ICRT,  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • The TPP nominates ist chairman Ko Wen-je as candidate for the 2024 ROC presidential election [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 12 (Fri): Alan Lin 林子倫 is named spokesman of the Executive Yuan [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• May 10 (Wed): The last known remaining "comfort woman"—who according to the Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation (TWRF) wished not to be named—dies aged 92 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  TaiwanPlus,  Focus Taiwan,  The Guardian,  BBC,  CNA]
• May 3 (Wed): The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office launches the Digital Forensics Office (keji zhuanze bangongshi 科技專責辦公室) [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• May 2 (Tue):
  • A delegation comprising 25 defense contractors from the US led by retired U.S. Marine Corps Commander Steven Rudder arrives in Taiwan to attend the Taiwan-U.S. Defense Industry Cooperation Forum scheduled for May 3, 2023; the group also visits the NCSIST but not the MND [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Minister without Portfolio John Deng 鄧振中, in the US to attend the SelectUSA Investment Summit (May 1–4 in National Harbor, MD), visits the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) in Washington DC [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]

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April 2023

• April 28 (Fri): The Taiwan–Ireland Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association (Taiwan yu Aierlan guohui youhao lianyihui 臺灣與愛爾蘭國會友好聯誼會) is established with lawmaker Chen Ching-min 陳靜敏 (♀, DPP, legislator-at-large) as chair [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• April 27 (Thu): The CECC holds its final press conference and announces its dissolution scheduled for May 1, 2023 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CDC,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• April 22 (Sat): The Preparatory Office of Climate Change Agency (qihou bianqianshu choubeichu 氣候變遷署籌備處) under the EPA is formally set up in Taipei [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• April 18 (Tue): AIT chairwoman Laura Rosenberger arrives in Taiwan for a 6-day visit [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  Kyodo News,  La Prensa Latina,  ROC Presidential Office,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• April 17 (Mon): Taiwan ends the mask mandate on public transportation [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  CDC,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• April 16 (Sun): Debris from a Long March-4B rocket—launched by the PRC from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (Gansu Province) and carrying the "Fengyun-3 G-Star" meteorological satellite—at 9:36 a.m. crashes into a PRC-imposed no-fly zone located 85 nautical miles north of Taiwan and within the Taipei Flight Information Region [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Reuters,  Jerusalem Post,  Lanka Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• April 13–15: US Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ROC Presidential Office,  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 12 (Wed):
  • According to media reports the PRC planned to impose a no-fly zone north of Taiwan from April 16–18, following protests the closure of the airspace in question is shortened to 27 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to 9:57 a.m. on April 16, 2023 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The DPP announces it had chosen VP Lai Ching-te as candidate for the 2024 ROC presidential election [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 8 (Sat): The PRC launches three days of military exercises around Taiwan dubbed "United Sword" (lianhe lijian yanxi 聯合利劍演習) in retaliation after ROC President Tsai Ing-wen met with US House of Representative Speaker Kevin McCarthy on US soil [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Reuters,  BBC,  CNN,  Washington Post,  Eurasian Times,  ANI News,  Axios,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• April 6–8: A US House of Representatives delegation comprising representatives Michael McCaul (R-TX), Young Kim (R-CA), Ami Bera (D-CA), French Hill (R-AR), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Michael Lawler (R-NY), and Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• April 5 (Wed): During her stopover in Los Angeles, ROC President Tsai Ing-wen meets US House of Representative Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley (CA, USA); first such meeting on US soil since 1979 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Reuters,  AP,  BBC,  CNN,  Al Jazeera,  New York Times,  Los Angeles Times,  Financial Times,  Wall Street Journal,  CBS,  NBC,  NPR,  CNBC,  Politico,  Press Telegram,  ROC Presidential Office,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

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March 2023

• March 29—April 7: ROC President Tsai Ing-wen visits Guatemala and Belize, with stopovers in New York (March 29–31) and Los Angeles (April 4–6) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 29 (Wed): Former Control Yuan President Wang Chien-shien 王建煊 announces his candidacy for the upcoming ROC presidential election set for Jan. 13, 2024 [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• March 27—April 7: Former ROC President Ma Ying-jeou visits the PRC (the itinerary including Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Chongqing, Changsha) to pay respects to his ancestors, the trip’s timing coinciding with Tomb Sweeping Festival (qingmingjie 清明節 aka saomujie 掃墓節), meets with TAO Director Song Tao 宋濤 in Wuhan on March 30; first visit of a former ROC president to the PRC since 1949, all mentions of the ROC made by Ma are censored by PRC state media [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  Merit Times,  RTI,  Reuters,  AP,  Nikkei Asia,  CNA]
• March 27 (Mon): The European Values Center for Security Policy and the Czech-Taiwanese Business Chamber unveil the Czech Hub in Taiwan (Jieke zai Tai zhongxin 捷克在台中心) in Taipei, with the visiting speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová attending [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  Dimsum Daily,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• March 26 (Sun): The ROC MOFA formally announces the termination of diplomatic relations with Honduras [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  TaiwanPlus,  Taiwan Today,  Reuters,  CNN,  Nikkei Asia,  Japan Times,  Swiss Info,  Focus Taiwan,  ROC Presidential Office,  MOFA,  CNA]
• March 23 (Thu): Taiwan recalls its ambassador from Honduras [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  MOFA,  CNA]
• March 22 (Wed):
  • The DPP approves Lai's qualification to run for ROC president [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
  • The KMT announces it will forego primaries and choose its 2024 presidential candidate through a consensus meeting [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• March 21–22: Germany's Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger visits Taiwan, first visit of a German federal minister since Economics Minister Günter Rexrodt's trip to the ROC in September 1997 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  ICRT,  Deutsche Welle,  Financial Times,  Al Jazeera,  OCAC,  The Hour,  EPA Images,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• March 20 (Mon):
  • AIT Chairman James F. Moriarty retires and is succeeded by Laura Rosenberger [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  AIT,  CNA]
  • Taiwan ends mandatory quarantine for mild cases of COVID-19 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CDC,  CNA]
• March 15 (Wed): VP Lai Ching-te registers for the DPP presidential primary [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 14 (Tue): Honduras President Xiomara Castro tweets that she instructed Honduras Foreign Minister Eduardo Reina to oversee the process of forming official ties with the PRC [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  TaiwanPlus,  Reuters,  AP,  CNN,  BBC,  Deutsche Welle,  Financial Times,  Bloomberg,  The Guardian,  Washington Post,  VOA,  Nikkei Asia,  Japan Times,  Hong Kong Free Press,  SCMP,  Time Magazine,  Los Angeles Times,  Jamaica Observer,  Manila Times,  NDTV,  The Australian,  France 24,  Barron's,  NPR,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 10 (Fri):
  • The Central Election Commission (CEC) announces that the next elections for ROC president and the ROC Legislative Yuan will take place on Jan. 13, 2024 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC,  CNA]
  • The Taiwan–Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg Parliamentary Friendship Association (Taiwan yu Helan, Bilishi, Lusenbau guohui youhao xiehui 臺灣與荷蘭、比利時、盧森堡國會友好會) is established with legislator Lin I-chin 林宜瑾 (♀, DPP, Tainan City) as president [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• March 5 (Sun): The PRC NPC announces a 7.2 percent growth in its defense budget for the year [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNN,  Reuters,  The Guardian,  Wall Street Journal,  Bloomberg,  Euro News,  CNBC,  CNA]
• March 4 (Sat): Legislative by-election for electoral district 2, Nantou County; for result details click here [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• March 1 (Wed): The DSCA announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 619 million with defense articles that include F-16 munitions [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  MOFA,  OCAC News,  DSCA,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2023]

February 2023

• Feb. 25 (Sat): The number of registered total COVID-19 infections in Taiwan surpasses 10 million [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 24 (Fri):
  • Two Control Yuan members—Tsai Chung-yi 蔡崇義 and Fan Sun-lu 范巽綠—present their complete report on the 1980 murder case of Lin I-hsiung's family members, disclosing that the National Security Bureau (NSB) had direct involvement [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
  • Two parliamentary associations to facilitate exchanges with lawmakers abroad are inaugurated at a ceremony at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei—the Taiwan-New Zealand Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association (Taiwan yu Niuxilan guohui youhao lianyihui 臺灣與紐西蘭國會友好聯誼會) and the Taiwan-Four Nordic Countries Parliamentary Friendship Association (Taiwan yu beiou you Tai siguo [Danmai, Fenlan, Nuowei, Ruidian] guohui lianyihui 臺灣與北歐友臺四國（丹麥、芬蘭、挪威、瑞典）國會聯誼會), launched by lawmaker Lin Chu-yin 林楚茵 (♀, DPP, legislator-at-large) [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Feb. 23 (Thu):
  • US Secretary of State Antony Blinken states that a war between the PRC and Taiwan would not be an 'internal matter' [⇥  Taiwan News,  RTI,  OCAC,  US State Department,  CNA]
  • Legislator Claire Wang 王婉諭 (♀, NPP, legislator-at-large) is elected chairwoman of her party, replacing Chen Jiau-hua 陳椒華 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 21 (Tue): Top-level Taiwan–US security meeting at the AIT headquarters in Washington DC, attended by FM Joseph Wu and NSC Secretary-general Wellington Koo [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 20 (Mon): The indoor mask mandate in Taiwan is relaxed [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Feb. 19–23: A bipartisan US congressional delegation comprising Ro Khanna (D-CA), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), and Tony Gonzales (R-TX) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Feb. 18 (Sat): The Restoration of Victim's Rights Infringed by Illegal Acts of the State During the Period of Authoritarian Rule Foundation (caituan faren weiquan tongzhi shiqi guojia bufa xingwei beihaizhe quanli huifu jijinhui 財團法人威權統治時期國家不法行為被害者權利回復基金會) is inaugurated in Taipei, using premises previously occupied by the TJC [⇥  CNA]
• Feb. 17–20: US congressman Michael Gallagher (R-WI), chair of the newly established House China Committee, visits Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 17–19: The Munich Security Conference takes place, Taiwan is invited for the first time since 2015, represented by Taipei City Council Member Vincent Chao 趙怡翔 (DPP) [⇥  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Deutsche Welle,  CNA]
• Feb. 17 (Fri):
  • According to media reports, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China Michael Chase arrives in Taiwan for a surprise visit, both the MND and the Pentagon decline to comment on the trip [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taipei Times,  Reuters,  Financial Times,  Japan Times,  CNA]
  • Executive Yuan spokesman Chen Tsung-yen on Friday tenders his resignation following allegations that he offered favours for sex during his time as a public servant in Tainan over a decade ago; ROC Premier Chen Chien-jen approves Chen Tsung-yen's resignation and reinstates Lo Ping-cheng as spokesman [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • AmCham Taiwan President Andrew Wylegala is replaced with Amy Chang 張韶韵 as interim president [⇥  AmCham]
  • The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) states that a mild earthquake recorded in Taipei City the same day was caused by volcanic activity [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Feb. 10 (Fri):
  • The MAC announces that it denied a request by Ye Xiaowen 葉小文—between 1995 and 2009 director of the PRC's State Administration for Religious Affairs (guojia zongjiao shiwuju 國家宗教事務局, abbrev. SARA)—to visit Taiwan for the funeral of Fo Guang Shan founder Hsing Yun 星雲 on Feb. 13 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • ROC President Tsai Ing-wen attends a plaque unveiling ceremony for the National Institute of Cyber Security (guojia zitong anquan yanjiuyuan 國家資通安全研究院, abbrev. zianyuan 資安院 in Chinese and NICS in English) under the MODA [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Feb. 8–17: KMT vice chairman Andrew Hsia 夏立言 visits the PRC (Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Chongqing) on an "apolitical" trip aimed at looking after the welfare of Taiwanese living and working in the PRC, meets TAO Director Song Tao 宋濤 on Feb. 9 and CCP politburo standing committee member Wang Huning 王滬寧 on Feb. 10 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Formosa News,  The Diplomat,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 7 (Tue): Taiwan dispatches a second search and rescue team comprising 90 personnel, 2 rescue dogs and over 6 metric tons of equipment to the disaster area in Türkiye [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Feb. 6 (Mon): A devastating earthquake strikes the border region of Türkiye and Syria early in the morning, the same day Taiwan dispatches a search and rescue team including 40 people, 3 dogs and more than 4 metric tons of equipment to Türkiye [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Feb. 5–10: A delegation of five members of the Swiss National Council visits Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Feb. 2 (Thu): Former ROC Vice Premier Shen Jong-chin is appointed chairman of Taiwan Financial Holding Co., Ltd. (TFH), assumes the position the following day [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taipei Times,  CNA]

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January 2023

• Jan. 31—Feb. 3: ROC Legislative Speaker You Si-kun visits the US, attends the International Religious Freedom (IRF) summit in Washington DC and the annual National Prayer Breakfast [⇥  Reuters,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Jan. 31 (Tue):
  • The new ROC cabinet under Premier Chen Chien-jen is sworn in; for an overview of the Executive Yuan leadership and ministers without portfolio click here, for a list of ministry and cabinet agency heads click here [⇥  RTI,  Taipei Times,  Bernama,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Lawmaker Kuan Bi-ling 管碧玲 (♀, DPP, legislator-at-large) gives up her seat after taking office as OAC minister and is replaced with Chen Pei-yu 陳培瑜 (♀) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 30 (Mon): ROC Premier Su Tseng-chang and his cabinet resign en masse [⇥  Taiwan News,  RTI,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Jan. 25 (Wed): The ROC Presidential Office confirms that former VP Chen Chien-jen would be appointed premier, with a formal announcement scheduled for Jan. 27 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Jan. 22 (Sun): 📆 Lunar New Year (chunjie 春節 / guonian 過年) [⇥ Lunar calendar]
• Jan. 21 (Sat): Mass shooting at a dance studio in Monterey Park (Ca., USA), three of the 11 dead are Taiwanese-Americans [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taipei Times,  OCAC,  CNA]
• Jan. 19 (Thu): ROC Premier Su Tseng-chang tenders his resignation, an hour later the ROC Presidential Office announces that President Tsai Ing-wen will begin preparations for a cabinet reshuffle during the Lunar New Year holidays [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Jan. 16 (Mon): US Senator Todd Young (R-IN) arrives in Taiwan for a 3-day visit [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ROC Presidential Office,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 15 (Sun):
  • By-election for DPP chairperson, Lai Ching-te 賴清德 runs as sole candidate and is elected with 99.65 percent of the votes, voter turnout 17.59 percent, for complete results click here; takes office on Jan. 18, 2023 [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  PTS,  CNA]
  • The page "News headlines" is added to the Taiwan Politics Database 🍾
• Jan. 11 (Wed): ROC Premier Su Tseng-chang removes AEC Minister Hsieh Shou-shing from his post with immediate effect after a Cabinet-led investigation found Hsieh guilty of sexual harassment and other misconduct, no successor is named [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 9–12: MODA Minister Audrey Tang visits Lithuania [⇥  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Jan. 8 (Sun): Legislative by-election for electoral district 3, Taipei City; for result details click here [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Jan. 6 (Fri): The Republic of China – South Korea Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association (Zhonghua minguo yu Hanguo guohui yiyuan youhao xiehui 中華民國與韓國國會議員友好協會) is established in Taipei [⇥  Taiwan Today,  Legislative Yuan]
• Jan. 1 (Sun): The National Space Organization (NSPO) is reorganized as Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) under the NSTC [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]

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— — — 2022 — — —

December 2022

• Dec. 28 (Wed): The DSCA of the US announces a proposed sale including Volcano anti-tank mine-layer systems and equipment worth an estimated US$ 180 million to Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  DSCA,  CNA]
• Dec. 27 (Tue): ROC President Tsai Ing-wen announces that mandatory military service will be extended to one year [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 26–29: A delegation comprising twelve members of Japan's House of Councillors (canyiyuan 參議院, Jap. Sangiin 参議院) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Dec. 26 (Mon): CSBC Corp. announces that Taiwan's first domestically-developed submarine would be launched by September 2023 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  Navy Recognition,  CNA]
• Dec. 25 (Sun):
  • MOF Minister Su Jain-rong resigns, Deputy Minister Juan Ching-hwa takes over as acting minister [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The new mayors of special municipalities, county-level cities and county magistrates take office (for an overview click here) [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 18 (Sun): Postponed election for Chiayi City mayor [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 17–22: A US House of Representatives delegation comprising representatives John Curtis (R-UT), Burgess Owens (R-UT), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), and Michelle Steel (R-CA) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Dec. 15 (Thu): Earthquake—magnitude 6.2, epicenter ca. 25 km off Shoufeng (Hualien County), no fatalities [⇥  TVBS,  The Independent,  Toronto City News,  Free Malaysia Today,  Times of India,  Hindustan Times,  The Hindu,  Kuwait Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 10 (Sat): The TPP announces that it has re-elected Ko Wen-je as party chairman [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 9 (Fri): The PRC announces a ban for the import of beer, liquor, and beverages from Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Dec. 8 (Thu): The Pingtung District Court dismisses a request by KMT Pingtung County commissioner candidate in the Nov. 26 local elections Su Ching-chuan 蘇清泉 for a recount [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Dec. 6 (Tue): The DSCA announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 428 million which includes stock replenishment of aircraft spare parts, consumables, and accessories, as well as repair and replacement support for the F-16, C-130, Indigenous Defense Fighter and other aircraft and systems of US origin [⇥  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  DSCA 1 / DSCA 2,  CNA]
• Dec. 5 (Mon): MOI Minister Hsu Kuo-yung tenders his resignation for health reasons, approved by ROC Premier Su Tseng-chang on Dec. 7 [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 4–16: Control Yuan President Chen Chu visits Germany and France [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Dec. 3 (Sat): AEC Minister Hsieh Shou-shing takes leave while an investigation into accusations made against him of sexual harassment is being conducted [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Dec. 1 (Thu): The outdoor mask mandate in Taiwan is lifted [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]

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November 2022

• Nov. 27 (Sun): A Legislative Yuan delegation led by LY President You Si-kun departs for a 5-day visit in Japan [⇥  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Nov. 26 (Sat):
  • 9-in-1 election alongside the first constitutional referendum [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
  • Tsai Ing-wen resigns as DPP chairwoman, Chen Chi-mai takes over as acting DPP chairman; ROC Premier Su Tseng-chang announces his intention to resign but is later persuaded to stay [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  Nikkei Asia,  Reuters,  Al Jazeera,  The Guardian,  CNA]
• Nov. 18–19: TSMC founder Morris Chang represents ROC President Tsai Ing-wen at the 30^th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok (Thailand) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Nov. 15–25: NSTC Minister Wu Tsung-tsong visits France and Germany [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Nov. 10 (Thu): Chiang Wan-an 蔣萬安 (KMT, Taipei City) announces his resignation as legislator in order to focus on his campaign for Taipei City mayor (an election he won); a by-election for his seat is subsequently scheduled for Jan. 8, 2023 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Formosa News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 7 (Mon): The Lithuanian Trade Representative Office is opened in Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  MOFA,  Bloomberg,  Baltic Times,  Lithuanian Government,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Nov. 3 (Thu): The Central Election Commission announces its decision to postpone the Chiayi mayor election scheduled for Nov. 26 to Dec. 18 because independent candidate Huang Shao-tsung 黃紹聰 died on Nov. 2 aged 72 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 1 (Tue):
  • A 12-member delegation from the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), led by IPAC co-chair Reinhard Bütikofer, arrives for a 4-day visit [⇥  OCAC News,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
  • The Taiwan-Italy Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association (Taiwan yu Yidali guohui yiyuan youhao xiehui 台灣與義大利國會議員友好協會) is inaugurated and headed by legislator Wang Ding-yu 王定宇 (DPP, Tainan City) [⇥  OCAC News,  Taipei Times,  CNA]

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October 2022

• Oct. 30 (Sun): The Kinmen Bridge is opened to traffic in Kinmen County [⇥  OCAC News,  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  PTS,  CNA]
• Oct. 28 (Fri):
  • The ROC Constitutional Court rules that some articles of the Status Act for Indigenous Peoples (yuanzhumin shenfenfa 原住民身分法) are unconstitutional [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  Taipei Times,  CNA]
  • The Uni-President Group reaches a settlement with local counterpart Ting Hsin International Group in a civil lawsuit related to tainted cooking lard [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  Taipei Times,  CNA]
  • The Taipei District Court sentences Farglory Group founder and Taipei Dome (Taibei dajudan 台北大巨蛋) developer Chao Teng-hsiung 趙藤雄 to seven years in prison for five corruption cases, former MOF Minister Lee Sush-der receives a nine-year prison sentence for influence peddling and forgery in the Taipei Dome case [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Oct. 14 (Fri): Tsai Pi-ru 蔡壁如 (♀, TPP, legislator-at-large) steps down as legislator one day after Takming University of Science and Technology (deming caijing keji daxue 德明財經科技大學) announced it had revoked a master's degree conferred on her for improper citations in her master's thesis; the Legislative Yuan confirmed on Oct. 25, 2022 that Tsai would be replaced by Cynthia Wu 吳欣盈 (♀), effective Nov. 2, 2022 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 11–13: A US House of Representatives delegation comprising representatives Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Michael Waltz (R-FL), and Kai Kahele (D-HI) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Oct. 11 (Tue):
  • The Taiwan Parliamentary All-Out Defense Committee (lifayuan quanmin fangwei lianxian 立法院全民防衛連線) is set up and headed by DPP legislator Lin Ching-yi 林靜儀 (♀, Taichung City)  [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
  • The Taiwan-Ukraine Parliament Members Friendship Association (Taiwan yu Wukelan guohui yiyuan youhao xiehui 台灣與烏克蘭國會議員友好協會) is founded by legislator Huang Shih-chieh 黃世杰 (DPP, Taoyuan City) [⇥  CNA]
• Oct. 9–16: MOEA Minister Wang Mei-hua visits the US [⇥  Taiwan Today,  MOEA,  Reuters,  GTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 9 (Sun): US congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) arrives in Taiwan for a 4-day visit [⇥  OCAC News,  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Oct. 7 (Fri): The Taiwan-Canada Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association (Taiwan Jianada guohui yiyuan youhao xiehui 台灣 - 加拿大國會議員友好協會) is established and headed by DPP legislator Chen Ting-fei 陳亭妃 (♀, Tainan City) [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]

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September 2022

• Sept. 30 (Fri): Taiwan’s first indigenously-built landing platform dock "Yushan" (yushanhao 玉山號) manufactured by CSBC Corp., Taiwan is delivered to the ROC Navy (commissioned in Kaohsiung the following day) [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Sept. 28 (Wed): The Taiwan and German Parliamentary Friendship Association (Taiwan yu Deguo yihui yiyuan youhao xiehui 臺灣與德國議會議員友好協會) is inaugurated and headed by legislator Chang Hung-lu 張宏陸 (DPP, New Taipei City) [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Sept. 26 (Mon):
  • The R.O.C. Defense Mission to the U.S.A. (Zhonghua minguo zhu Mei junshi daibiaotuan 中華民國駐美軍事代表團) is inaugurated [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
  • US State Department spokesperson Ned Price stresses that the US does not take a position on the sovereignty issue between China and Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 20 (Tue): The FSC approves the merger of Fubon Financial Holding Co. with Jih Sun Financial Holding Co. Ltd. (risheng jinrong konggu gongsi 日盛金融控股公司) [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 18 (Sun):
  • US President Joe Biden reiterates that the US would defend Taiwan if there was an ‘unprecedented attack’ [⇥  BBC,  CNA]
  • Earthquake—magnitude 6.8, epicenter Chihshang (Taitung County), 1 dead [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Sept. 17 (Sat): Earthquake—magnitude 6.4, epicenter Guanshan (Taitung County), no fatalities
• Sept. 12–17: A Legislative Yuan delegation comprising lawmakers Chang Yu-mei 張育美 (♀, KMT, legislator-at-large), Charles Chen 陳以信 (KMT, legislator-at-large), Chen Yu-jen 陳玉珍 (♀, KMT, Kinmen County), Ho Chih-wei 何志偉 (DPP, Taipei City) and Yeh Yu-lan 葉毓蘭 (♀, KMT, legislator-at-large) visits the US and holds talks with members of Congress [⇥  OCAC News,  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Sept. 10 (Sat): 📆 Mid-Autumn Festival (zhongqiujie 中秋節) [⇥ Lunar calendar]
• Sept. 7 (Wed): A US House of Representatives delegation led by representative Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) and comprising Andy Barr (R-KY), Kat Cammack (R-FL), Scott Franklin (R-FL), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Kai Kahele (D-HI), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), and Joe Wilson (R-SC) arrives in Taiwan for a 3-day visit [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Sept. 3 (Sat): The number of deaths caused by COVID-19 in Taiwan surpasses 10,000 [⇥  CDC,  CNA]
• Sept. 2 (Fri): The DSCA of the US announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 1.106 billion with defense articles that include Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles and contract logistics support for the Surveillance Radar Program (SRP) [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  DSCA 1 / DSCA 2/ DSCA 3,  CNA]

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August 2022

• Aug. 28—Sept. 3: MOEA Minister Wang Mei-hua visits Japan with a delegation [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Aug. 27 (Sat): The Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) is formally established [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Aug. 25 (Thu): US Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) arrives in Taiwan for a 3-day visit [⇥  Reuters,  CNN,  Washington Post,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Aug. 18 (Thu): Polish technology media outlet WP tech reports that 800 Taiwanese Revolver 860 combat drones (which are described as "flying mortars") were delivered to Ukrainian forces [⇥  Taiwan News,  TNL Media,  CNA]
• Aug. 14–15: A delegation led by US Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and comprising representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) and Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS) visits Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Aug. 13 (Sat): ROC President Tsai Ing-wen opens the government-run Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center (Yazhou wurenji AI chuangxin yingyong yanfa zhongxin 亞洲無人機AI創新應用研發中心, abbrev. yachuang zhongxin 亞創中心) in Chiayi County’s Puzi City, with the Civil Aeronautics Administration under MOTC and the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) providing assistance and cooperation [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  Liberty Times,  CNA]
• Aug. 12 (Fri):
  • The ROC Constitutional Court confirms in its judgment No. 13 that Article 6(1)(4) of the Personal Data Protection Act (geren ziliao baohufa 個人資料保護法) as amended in 2015 is constitutional but deems the current privacy protection inadequate, urging legal reforms within three years [⇥  Data Guidance,  Science & Technology Law Institute,  Formosa Transnational,  CNA]
  • The ROC Constitutional Court rules in its judgment No. 15 that the nationalization of Taiwan’s 17 irrigation associations under the Agency of Irrigation in July 2020 did not contravene the ROC Constitution [⇥  Taipei Times,  New Bloom,  ICID Chinese Taipei Committee,  CNA]
• Aug. 10–27: KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia 夏立言 visits the PRC to gain a first-hand understanding of the needs of Taiwanese communities there, meets top officials of ARATS and TAO [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Reuters,  New Bloom,  MAC,  GTI,  CNA]
• Aug. 10 (Wed): The PRC releases its white paper "The Taiwan Question and China’s Reunification in the New Era" (Taiwan wenti yu xin shidai Zhongguo tongyi shiye 台灣問題與新時代中國統一事業); Reuters comments that according to the white paper the PRC has withdrawn a promise not to send troops or administrators to Taiwan if it takes control of the island [⇥  Reuters,  CNA]
• Aug. 8 (Mon): The PRC announces that it would extend military exercises by sea and air around Taiwan [⇥  Japan Times,  The Diplomat,  Deutsche Welle]
• Aug. 7 (Sun): PRC state-run TV news station CCTV cites a commentator as saying that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will start to hold "regular" military drills east of Taiwan's median line [⇥  Global Times,  The Diplomat,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Aug. 5 (Fri): The ROC MND reports that approximately 10 PLA naval ships and 20 military aircraft crossed Taiwan's median line [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Aug. 4 (Thu):
  • The PRC announces a seventh live-fire zone off Taiwan's east coast, in effect until Aug. 8 [⇥  VOA,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
  • The ROC MND reports that the PLA launched a total of 11 Dongfeng ballistic missiles into the waters surrounding northern, southern, and eastern Taiwan in several waves [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
  • Japan's government reports that five ballistic missiles launched by the PRC landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that day, four of them had flown over Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Aug. 3 (Wed):
  • ROC President Tsai Ing-wen receives Nancy Pelosi in the Presidential Office in Taipei [⇥  CNN,  BBC,  Washington Post,  Axios,  RTI,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  MOFA,  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • The PRC announces a ban for the import of pomelo and citrus fruit from Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Washington Post,  CNA]
  • Remarks made by the PRC’s ambassador in France Lu Shaye 盧沙野 during an interview on BFM TV that the Taiwanese would be ‘re-educated’ after annexation draw worldwide criticism [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Asia News,  National Review,  SCMP,  Newsweek,  CNA]
  • The ROC MND accuses the PRC of trying to set up a blockade around Taiwan with the unprecedented live-fire drills it is running in six zones around the country that week [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Aug. 2–3: US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a delegation comprising House of Representatives members Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), and Mark Takano (D-CA) visit Taiwan [⇥  AIT,  Al Jazeera,  MOFA,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Aug. 2 (Tue): Less than half an hour after the arrival of US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi and her delegation for a 2-day visit in Taiwan the PRC announces military exercises which would include live-fire drills in six zones surrounding Taiwan from Aug. 4 to Aug. 7 [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Aug. 1 (Mon): National Taitung University (NTTU) becomes the first higher education institution in the ROC to offer a doctoral program in Austronesian culture [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2022]

July 2022

• July 29 (Fri): The Taichung High Court sentences former Ting Hsin International Group Chair Wei Ying-chun 魏應充 to serve an additional nine years and two months in prison for selling oil products mixed with low-grade oil [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 27 (Wed): The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) is reorganized as National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• July 18–28: A Legislative Yuan delegation comprising LY President You Si-kun, legislators Huang Shih-chieh 黃世杰 (DPP, Taoyuan City), Jang Chyi-lu 張其祿 (TPP, legislator-at-large), Kung Wen-chi 孔文吉 (KMT, Mountain Aborigines) and Wan Mei-ling 萬美玲 (♀, KMT, Taoyuan City) tours Europe in July 2022, visiting the Czech Republic (July 18–21), making a stopover in Poland on July 21, Lithuania (July 21–24), and France (July 24–28) on a trip that had been postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic [⇥  OCAC News,  Taiwan News,  CNA]; the Czech Senate displays the ROC national flag at its entrance to welcome the Taiwan delegation [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• July 17 (Sun): The 20^th national party congress of the DPP convenes in Taipei [⇥  Taiwan News,  Reuters,  CNA]
• July 15 (Fri):
  • Hsueh Jui-yuan takes office as MOHW minister [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
  • The DSCA of the US announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 108 million which includes replacement and spare parts for military combat vehicles like tanks and providing logistical support [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  DSCA,  CNA]
  • The Taiwan High Court acquits former President Chen Shui-bian of charges related to his personal use of presidential state affairs funds following a recent change to the Accounting Act (kuaijifa 會計法) applied retrospectively [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 14 (Thu): MOHW Minister Chen Shih-chung announces his resignation in order to focus on his run for Taipei mayor ahead of Nov. 26's election (which he lost)  [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 11–12: ROC Vice President Lai Ching-te visits Japan to honour Japan's former PM Shinzo Abe who was assassinated on July 8 in Nara, attends a private funeral service on July 12; highest-level visit of an ROC representative in Japan since 1972 [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  OCAC News,  Reuters,  Bloomberg,  The Independent,  The Diplomat,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 10 (Sun): A 4.8-meter, 365-kilogram HTTP-3A hybrid sounding rocket designed by the Advanced Rocket Research Center (ARRC) at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University lifts off for a successful test from a launch site in Pingtung county's Mudan Township [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• July 7 (Thu): US Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) arrives in Taiwan for a 2-day visit [⇥  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  NSP Portal,  AIT,  CNA]
• July 6 (Wed): The Taipei District Court finds legislators Su Chen-ching 蘇震清 (Ind./formerly DPP, Pingtung County), Sufin Siluko 廖國棟 (KMT, Plains Aborigines), Chen Chao-ming 陳超明 (KMT, Miaoli County) as well as former lawmaker Hsu Yung-ming 徐永明 (NPP, legislator-at-large in the 9th Legislative Yuan) guilty of receiving bribes in a case regarding the ownership of the Pacific SOGO department store chain and sentenced them to prison terms—Su to 10 years, Sufin Siluko to 8 years and six months, Chen to 7 years and 8 months, Hsu to 7 years and four months for violating the Anti-Corruption Act (tanwu zhizui tiaoli 貪污治罪條例); all defendants vow to appeal [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

TOP   HOME   [2022]

June 2022

• June 30 (Thu):
  • The CIP announces that Taiwan, Canada, New Zealand and Australia jointly inaugurated the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement (IPETCA) aimed at empowering indigenous peoples to set up businesses on a global scale [⇥  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • Huang Ming-chao 黃明昭 takes over as NPA director-general from Chen Chia-chin 陳家欽 [⇥  OCAC,  CNA]
• June 28 (Tue):
  • A Legislative Yuan delegation led by lawmaker Chiang Chi-chen/Johnny Chiang 江啟臣 (KMT, Taichung City) visiting the US begins three days of meetings with US officials [⇥  Taipei Times]
  • The Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) expresses opposition against granting the Siraya and other Pingpu tribes constitutionally-protected indigenous status, arguing it would adversely affect the rights enjoyed by those who were currently recognized as indigenous people [⇥  OCAC News,  CNA]
• June 27 (Mon): The US and Taiwan hold their first Taiwan–U.S. 21st Century Trade Initiative meeting [⇥  Taiwan Today,  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• June 26 (Sun): An indigenous unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) Teng Yun 2 completes a 10-hour-non-stop test flight circumnavigating Taiwan's Air Identification Defense Zone (ADIZ) [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• June 25 (Sat): "TaiArctic", Taiwan's first permanent polar research workstation in the Arctic Circle, officially opens on Spitsbergen (Svalbard)  [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• June 24 (Fri): Julian T. A. Lin 林梓安, one of the founders of the "Taiwan Civil Government" (Taiwan minzhengfu 台灣民政府)—which claims Taiwan is legally under US administration following Japan's surrender in World War II—is sentenced to 19 years in prison and fined NT$ 2 million by the Taoyuan District Court for defrauding around 300 individuals out of NT$ 100 million [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 20 (Mon): Earthquake—magnitude 6.0, epicenter Guangfu (Hualien County), no fatalities
• June 14 (Tue): ROC MOFA spokeswoman Joanne Ou 歐江安 reiterates that the ROC government considers the Taiwan Strait to be international waters, except for the 12-nautical-mile strip defined as territorial waters
• June 13 (Mon):
  • PRC MOFA spokesman Wang Wenbin 汪文斌 claims that the Taiwan Strait fell within the PRC’s ‘territorial waters and EEZ as defined by UNCLOS and domestic law’ [⇥  Taipei Times]
  • The PRC announces a ban for the import of groupers and other fishery products from Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• June 10 (Fri): The CECC reports 213 new deaths caused by COVID-19, the highest number of daily deaths during the pandemic  [⇥  Taiwan News,  CDC]
• June 9 (Thu): The Taiwan-Slovakia Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association (Taiwan Siluofake guohui lianyihui 臺灣 斯洛伐克國會聯誼會) is inaugurated and headed by DPP legislator Hsu Chih-chieh 許智傑 (Kaohsiung City)
• June 8 (Wed):
  • The DSCA of the US announces the approval of a proposed sale of US$ 120 million in ship spare parts, ship system spare parts, and related equipment to Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  DSCA,  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • The KMT Representative Office in the United States (Zhongguo guomindang zhu Mei daibiaochu 中國國民黨駐美代表處) opens in Washington DC [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 3 (Fri):
  • Taiwan's last legal brothel—the Tiantianle 天天樂 in Taoyuan City—goes out of business [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ICRT,  Malay Mail,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • 📆 Dragon Boat Festival (duanwujie 端午節) [⇥ Lunar calendar]
• June 1 (Wed): Taipei and Washington announce the launch of the Taiwan–US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade  [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]

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May 2022

• May 31 (Tue): The cabinet-level Transitional Justice Commission (TJC) closes, a Department of Human Rights and Transitional Justice (renquan ji zhuanxing zhengyichu 人權及轉型正義處) is established under the Executive Yuan [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• May 30 (Mon):
  • US Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) arrives in Taiwan for a 3-day visit [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
  • The ROC Legislative Yuan passes a controversial amendment of the Accounting Act that will retrospectively acquit former president Chen Shui-bian from the DPP of corruption charges [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 27 (Fri):
  • Su Jia-chyuan 蘇嘉全 takes office as chairman of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association  [⇥  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • The CECC reports 94,855 new confirmed infections with COVID-19, the highest number of daily new confirmed cases during the pandemic  [⇥  Taiwan News,  CDC,  CNA]
• May 24 (Tue): Former People First Party (PFP) Secretary-General Lee Hung-chun 李鴻鈞 is confirmed as vice president of the Control Yuan [⇥  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 23 (Mon):
  • US President Joe Biden confirms that the US would intervene militarily to defend Taiwan if it was attacked by the PRC  [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
  • The Transitional Justice Commission unveils a new list of 14 exonerations that include individuals unjustly convicted during Taiwan's martial law period [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  Taiwan News (Chinese),  CNA]
• May 22–28: The 75^th WHA takes place without Taiwan being invited as an observer  [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• May 20 (Fri): Hu Yuan-hui 胡元輝 is chosen to serve as chairman of the Public Television Service (PTS)  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 19 (Thu): The number of registered total COVID-19 infections in Taiwan surpasses 1 million [⇥  CDC,  CNA]
• May 15 (Sun): Taiwan-born and pro-unification supporter David Wenwei Chou 周文偉 opens fire in the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church congregation in Laguna Woods, California (USA), killing 1 and wounding 5 [⇥  Taipei Times,  LA Times,  CNA]
• May 13 (Fri):
  • In a press statement issued after a committee review meeting, the MOI said it would advise the Cabinet against upgrading Changhua County to special municipality status because there had been a gradual downtrend in the region's population [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • The number of deaths caused by COVID-19 in Taiwan surpasses 1,000 [⇥  CDC,  CNA]
• May 9 (Mon): Hsing Tai-chao 邢泰釗 takes office as head of the Supreme Prosecutors Office  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• May 5 (Thu):
  • The ROC Executive Yuan unveils Taiwan's first-ever national human rights action plan (guojia renquan xingdong jihua 國家人權行動計畫) [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • The ROC Executive Yuan approves proposals to upgrade the Council of Agriculture (COA) to Ministry of Agriculture (nongyebu 農業部) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (huanjingbu 環境部), the Atomic Energy Council (AEC) is to be transformed to a Nuclear Safety Commission (heneng anquan weiyuanhui 核能安全委員會) [⇥  OCAC,  CNA]
• May 3 (Tue): A delegation from the Youth Division of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) arrives in Taiwan for a 5-day visit [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]

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April 2022

• April 29 (Fri): The number of registered total COVID-19 infections in Taiwan surpasses 100,000 [⇥  CDC,  CNA]
• April 27 (Wed): Taiwan cancels QR code contact tracing for COVID-19 [⇥  Taipei Times,  RTI,  CNA]
• April 22 (Fri): PTS chairwoman Tchen Yu-chiou 陳郁秀 resigns [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• April 21 (Thu): The Penghu Defense Command (lujun Penghu fangwei zhihuibu 陸軍澎湖防衛指揮部, abbrev. pengfangbu 澎防部) conducts live-fire training as part of Taiwan’s Outlying Islands Defense Operations (wailidao fangwei zuozhan 外離島防衛作戰)  [⇥  Taiwan News,  Liberty Times,  CNA]
• April 19 (Tue): The Legislative Yuan approves the Act for the Establishment of the Taiwan Space Agency (guojia taikong zhongxin shezhi tiaoli 國家太空中心設置條例)  [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• April 15 (Fri):
  • A delegation led by US senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) and comprising senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Robert Portman (R-OH), Richard Burr (R-NC) as well as US House of Representatives member Ronny Jackson (R-TX) visits Taiwan, meets ROC President Tsai Ing-wen, MND Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng and FM Joseph Wu [⇥  Taiwan Today,  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  MOFA,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Taiwanese pro-democracy activist and former DPP staffer Lee Ming-che 李明哲 arrives in Taiwan on a flight from the PRC's Xiamen City after having been released from prison where he had served a five-year sentence for "subversion of state power"  [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• April 12 (Tue): The Congressional Diplomacy and Strategy Consensus Committee (guohui waijiao zhanlüe gongshihui 國會外交戰略共識會) is established with the goal of improving the nation’s international standing by achieving unity among legislators from different parties, and it also aims to maintain regional peace through defense collaboration, as well as promote the nation’s international participation; Ho Chih-wei 何志偉 (DPP, Taipei City) is selected to serve as committee chairman [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• April 6 (Wed): The Taiwan-Poland Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association (Taiwan yu Polan guohui youhao lianyihui 臺灣與波蘭國會友好聯誼會) is inaugurated [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Euroview,  CNA]
• April 5 (Tue): The DSCA of the US announces the approval by the US State Department of an arms package worth US$ 95 million which includes equipment and services aimed at maintaining Taiwan's existing Patriot missile defense system [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  DSCA,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• April 3 (Sun): The Council of Agriculture (COA) establishes a Pet Management Division (chongwu guanlike 寵物管理科) [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• April 1 (Fri): The ROC Constitutional Court declares a legal provision that grants indigenous status to individuals with one indigenous and one non-indigenous parent based strictly on their name unconstitutional [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

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March 2022

• March 31 (Thu): The Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association (Taiwan tongzhi zixun rexian xiehui 台灣同志諮詢熱線協會) reports that the governments of Taipei City and Kaohsiung City agreed to allow transgender residents to attach a sticker to their ID cards, specifying their gender identity [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 29 (Tue): Taiwan, New Zealand, Canada and Australia jointly establish the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement (yuanzhu minzu jingji maoyi hezuo xieyi 原住民族經濟貿易合作協議) [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• March 23 (Wed): Earthquake—magnitude 6.7, epicenter ca. 5 km off Taiwan's east coast (near Hualien's Fengbin Township), no fatalities [⇥  Taiwan News,  Volcano Discovery,  CNA]
• March 22 (Tue): Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and ROC President Tsai Ing-wen meet via videoconference [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• March 11 (Fri): A clause under Sec. 7043 [East Asia and the Pacific] in the "Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act 2022" signed into law by POTUS Joe Biden includes a ban on the use of any maps by the US Department of State and its foreign operations that "inaccurately" depict Taiwan as part of China [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• March 5 (Sat): The PRC NPC announces a 7.1 percent growth in its defense budget for the year [⇥  Taipei Times,  VOA,  US News,  India Times,  SCMP,  CNA]
• March 4 (Fri): Taipower Chairman Yang Wei-fuu 楊偉甫 and General Manager Chung Bin-li 鍾炳利 both resign over the massive power blackouts which struck Taiwan the previous day [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• March 2–5: Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visits Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  CNA]
• March 1–2: A delegation comprising former top US defense officials—including Michael G. Mullen (former JCS chairman), Meghan L. O'Sullivan (ex-deputy national security advisor under US President George W. Bush), Michèle A. Flournoy (former undersecretary of defense under US President Obama) and others—sent by POTUS Joe Biden visits Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]

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February 2022

• Feb. 25 (Fri): The ROC government strongly condemns the military invasion of Ukraine by Russia [⇥  Taiwan Today,  MOFA,  CNA]
• Feb. 17 (Thu): The European Parliament adopts two policy reports—the Common Foreign and Security Policy report and the Common Security and Defense Policy report—which express support for Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Feb. 11 (Fri): The US State Department releases its Indo-Pacific Strategy which includes Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Feb. 8 (Tue): The European Commission proposes the European Chips Act which highlights the importance of Taiwan in the global semiconductor sector [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Feb. 7 (Mon): The DSCA of the US notifies the US Congress after the State Department approved the sale of a package including equipment and services to support participation in the Patriot International Engineering Services Program (IESP) and Field Surveillance Program (FSP) for five years, as well as missile field surveillance support for legacy (Guidance Enhanced Missile/GEM) and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles, a deal worth an estimated US$ 100 million  [⇥  Taiwan Today,  DSCA,  CNA]
• Feb. 1 (Tue): 📆 Lunar New Year (chunjie 春節 / guonian 過年) [⇥ Lunar calendar]

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January 2022

• Jan. 24 (Mon): The Taiwan-Europe Interparliamentary Amity Association (Taiwan yu Ouzhou yihui youhao xiehui 臺灣與歐洲議會友好協會) is inaugurated [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Jan. 22 (Sat): The Ching-kuo Chi-hai Cultural Park (Jingguo qihai wenhua yuanqu 經國七海文化園區) with Taiwan’s first presidential library is opened in Taipei City’s Songshan District [⇥  Taiwan News  Taipei Times  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Jan. 19 (Wed): The Academia Historica launches the Chiang Ching-kuo Digital Archive (Jiang Jingguo zongtong ziliaoku 蔣經國總統資料庫) comprising 55,000 written or multimedia records related to the late ROC president [⇥  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Jan. 9 (Sun):
  • A by-election for Taichung City’s electoral district 2 takes place, winner is DPP candidate Lin Ching-yi 林靜儀 (♀); for complete result details click here [⇥  Taipei Times,  The News Lens,  Euroview,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • Independent legislator Freddy Lim 林昶佐 (electoral district 5 of Taipei City) survives a recall election—although a majority of valid votes cast supported Lim to be recalled, their number did not reach the required minimum of a quarter of eligible voters; for complete result details click here [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Insight,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 5 (Wed): Former MOTC Minister Lin Chia-lung is appointed ambassador-at-large for digital New Southbound Policy initiatives (shuwei xinnanxiang wurensuo dashi 數位新南向無任所大使) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Liberty Times,  CNA]
• Jan. 4 (Tue): The Central Geological Survey (CGS) under the MOEA discloses that three new active faults were discovered in Taiwan, bringing the total number of faults on the earthquake-prone island to 36 [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 3 (Mon): Earthquake—magnitude 6.0, epicenter ca. 52 km off Taiwan's east coast (near Hualien's Guguzi Cliff 姑姑子斷崖), no fatalities [⇥  Temblor.net,  Volcano Discovery,  Relief Web,  CNA]

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— — — 2021 — — —

December 2021

• Dec. 30 (Thu): The All-out Defense Mobilization Agency (quanmin fangwei dongyuanshu 全民防衛動員署) under the MND is set up to improve the combat readiness of the country's reserve forces  [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 27 (Mon): The National Tsing Hua University’s College of Semiconductor Research (guoli qinghua daxue bandaoti yanjiu xueyuan 國立清華大學半導體研究學院) opens, following the inaugurations of the Graduate School of Advanced Technology (zhongdian keji yanjiu xueyuan 重點科技研究學院) under NTU on Dec. 24, the Industry Academia Innovation School (chanxue chuangxin yanjiu xueyuan 產學創新研究學院, abbrev. IAIS) under NYCU on Dec. 21 and the Academy of Innovative Semiconductor and Sustainable Manufacturing (zhihui bandaoti ji yongxu zhizao xueyuan 智慧半導體及永續製造學院) under NCKU on Oct. 22, 2021 [⇥  RTI,  CNA]
• Dec. 20 (Mon): A Kosovo-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group (Kesuowo Taiwan guohui youyi xiaozu 科索沃–台灣國會友誼小組) holds its inaugural meeting [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Dec. 18 (Sat): Nationwide referendums 17–20; Local referendum 6 (Hsinchu City) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Reuters,  The Diplomat,  Al Jazeera,  Taiwan Insight,  SCMP,  CNA]
• Dec. 15 (Wed): Lithuania pulls its last diplomats out of Beijing and closes its embassy in the PRC [⇥  Reuters,  AP,  Deutsche Welle,  Euro News,  Economist,  SCMP,  NPR,  CNA]
• Dec. 9–10: Hsiao Bi-khim 蕭美琴 and Audrey Tang 唐鳳 from Taiwan participate in the Summit for Democracy hosted by the US, 110 other countries and territories from around the world were invited but not the PRC [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Dec. 9 (Thu): Nicaragua switches diplomatic recognition from the ROC to the PRC, leaving the ROC with 14 diplomatic allies [⇥  BBC,  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Dec. 1 (Wed): Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe says that ‘Japan cannot allow Taiwan to be invaded by force’ and ‘any emergency over Taiwan would mean an emergency for Tokyo as well’ [⇥  CNN,  Financial Times,  Nippon.com,  CNA]

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November 2021

• Nov. 26 (Fri):
  • A US congressional delegation comprising representatives Nancy Mace (R-SC), Colin Allred (D-TX), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Sara Jacobs (D-CA) arrives in Taipei for a 2-day visit [⇥  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • The VAC announces that retired Major General Ni Bang-chen 倪邦臣 has been appointed as the first person representing the council to be stationed in the US long-term [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 19–20: Former ROC Vice President Chen Chien-jen attends the "Future of Democracy" forum in Vilnius at the invitation of Lithuanian FM Gabrielius Landsbergis [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Nov. 18 (Thu): Taiwan News cites a recent Forbes report according to which only the two Dutch-made subs could be considered combat-ready, and Taiwan’s current stock of ca. 200 outdated Indonesian-made SUT torpedoes was inadequate as well [⇥  Taiwan News,  Forbes]
• Nov. 16 (Tue): A keel laying ceremony for Taiwan's first domestic submarine is held by the ROC Navy in Kaohsiung [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Naval Post,  CNA]
• Nov. 12 (Fri): TSMC founder Morris Chang represents ROC President Tsai Ing-wen at the 29^th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting which is hosted virtually by New Zealand [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Nov. 10 (Wed): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tells reporters that the US would take action if the PRC were to use force against Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Nov. 9–11: A delegation comprising six members of the US Congress—including senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mike Lee (R-UT) as well as representatives Tony Gonzales and Jake Ellzey (both R-TX)—makes a low-key surprise visit to Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Nov. 8 (Mon): The MOE orders the Cross-Strait Tsinghua Research Institute (qinghua haixia yanjiuyuan 清華海峽研究院)—which had been set up on the NTHU campus by the NTHU Alumni Association (Xinzhu qinghua xiaoyouhui 新竹清華校友會) in cooperation with the Xiamen City Government (in Fujian province, PRC) and the PRC’s Tsinghua University on April 28, 2016 without securing approval from the government—to be closed immediately after the National Security Bureau (NSB) reported that the institute was Chinese-funded and allegedly used to recruit talent to the PRC’s semiconductor industry, violating the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (Taiwan diqu yu dalu diqu renmin guanxi tiaoli 臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例)  [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Nov. 1 (Mon): Taiwan receives a shipment of 1.5 million doses COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna), donated by the US [⇥  Taipei Times,  ROC Presidential Office,  CDC,  Taiwan Today,  Reuters,  CNA]

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October 2021

• Oct. 30 (Sat): The 21^st national congress of the KMT convenes in Taipei [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Oct. 28 (Thu): In an interview released by CNN ROC President Tsai Ing-wen confirms for the first time the presence of US military personnel in Taiwan [⇥  CNN,  Taipei Times,  Reuters,  CNA]
• Oct. 27 (Wed): Taiwan receives a shipment of 300,000 doses COVID-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca), donated by Japan [⇥  Taiwan News,  ROC Presidential Office,  Leave No One Behind,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Oct. 26–30: MOFA Minister Joseph Wu visits the Czech Republic and Slovakia, addresses the GLOBSEC conference in Bratislava and an IPAC meeting in Rome [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  IPAC,  Reuters,  VOA,  CNA]
• Oct. 24 (Sun): Earthquake—magnitude 6.5, epicenter Nan'ao (Yilan County), no fatalities [⇥  Reuters,  Bloomberg,  Crisis24,  Global Times,  CNA]
• Oct. 23 (Sat): Legislator Wonda Chen 陳柏惟 (Taiwan Statebuilding Party, Taichung City) aka Chen Po-wei loses a recall election, for complete result details click here; the recall election had originally been scheduled for Aug. 28 that year but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic [⇥  The Diplomat,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 21 (Thu): US President Biden states during a CNN town hall meeting in Baltimore that the US would come to Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack by the PRC (replying to a relevant question ‘yes, we have a commitment to do that’) [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Oct. 20 (Wed): A Taiwanese delegation led by NDC Minister Kung Ming-hsin departs for a 9-day trade and investment tour to the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Slovakia [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Oct. 17 (Sun): Legislator Huang Kuo-shu 黃國書 (Taichung City) announces his withdrawal from the DPP and pledges not to be seeking re-election following a report that he was an informant for the KMT as a university student [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Oct. 9 (Sat): Taiwan receives a shipment of 235,900 doses COVID-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca), donated by Lithuania [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  Taiwan Today,  NSPP,  Reuters,  CNA]
• Oct. 7 (Thu): A Pentagon official tells AFP that US special operations forces have been quietly training Taiwanese troops for months  [⇥  France24,  CNA]
• Oct. 2 (Sat): The TJC exonerates five political prisoners who were executed in 1970 from the charge of overthrowing the government [⇥  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

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September 2021

• Sept. 26 (Sun): Taiwan receives a shipment of 160,000 doses COVID-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca), donated by Slovakia [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  ROC Presidential Office,  OCAC News,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Sept. 25 (Sat): Eric Chu 朱立倫 wins the KMT chairmanship election, for complete election results click here; takes office on Oct. 5, 2021 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Reuters,  The Diplomat,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Sept. 24 (Fri): NCKU opens Taiwan’s first carbon-negative factory (futanpai shifan gongchang 負碳排示範工廠) to promote carbon removal technology across various industries in Taiwan [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Sept. 22 (Wed):
  • Former ROC Vice President Chen Chien-jen represents Taiwan at the virtual Global COVID-19 Summit convened by US President Joe Biden from the White House [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
  • Australia’s Southern Launch announces it would no longer try and launch the Hapith I rocket built by Taiwan Innovative Space Company (jinsheng taikong gufen youxian gongsi 晉陞太空股份有限公司, abbrev. TiSPACE) following three failed attempts, the third of which on Sept. 16 sparked a fire [⇥  Taiwan News,  Space Connect,  SATnews,  CASID]
• Sept. 21 (Tue): 📆 Mid-Autumn Festival (zhongqiujie 中秋節) [⇥ Lunar calendar]
• Sept. 19 (Sun): The PRC announces a ban for the import of wax apples from Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• Sept. 17 (Fri): Taiwan donates Japan 10,000 pulse oximeters and 1,008 oxygen concentrators  [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Sept. 14 (Tue): Taiwan receives a shipment of 500,000 doses COVID-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca), donated by Japan [⇥  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  CNA]
• Sept. 13 (Mon): The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) via its official Twitter account releases a video in support of Taiwan-Lithuania ties [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Sept. 7 (Tue): Taiwan receives a shipment of 64,000 doses COVID-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca), donated by Japan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  ROC Presidential Office,  CNA]
• Sept. 5 (Sun): Taiwan receives a shipment of 400,000 doses COVID-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca), donated by Poland [⇥  Taipei Times,  ROC Presidential Office,  OCAC News,  NSPP,  Taiwan Today,  Poland.tw,  Reuters,  CNA]

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August 2021

• Aug. 29 (Sun): Taiwan receives a shipment of 30,000 doses COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna), donated by the Czech Republic [⇥  Taipei Times,  ROC Presidential Office,  CDC,  OCAC News,  NSPP,  Taiwan Today,  Reuters,  SCMP,  CNA]
• Aug. 26 (Thu): Taiwan donates Haiti approximately 18 tons of post-earthquake emergency supplies, including cooling blankets, foldable beds, sleeping bags, surgical masks and tents [⇥  Taiwan Today,  MOFA]
• Aug. 17 (Tue): Following an earthquake disaster in Haiti (7.2 magnitude temblor), Taiwan donates food products, oxygen concentrators, personal protective equipment, sleeping bags and surgical masks [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Aug. 11 (Wed): Taiwan and the US hold their first Coast Guard Working Group (haixun gongzuo xiaozu 海巡工作小組) meeting virtually [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• Aug. 5 (Thu): At the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Wen Tzu-yun 文姿云 wins bronze 🥉 (Karate, women's 55 kg) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 4 (Wed):
  • The DSCA of the US notifies the US Congress after the State Department approved the sale of 40 M109A6 "Paladin" self-propelled howitzers and related equipment to Taiwan at an estimated cost of US$ 750 million, first weapons sale since the Biden administration took office [⇥  Taiwan Today,  DSCA,  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Huang Hsiao-wen 黃筱雯 wins bronze 🥉 (Boxing, women's flyweight) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Panorama,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Aug. 1 (Sun):
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Pan Cheng-tsung 潘政琮 wins bronze 🥉 (Golf, men's individual) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Asia Pacific Golf Confederation,  Olympic Council of Asia,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Lee Chih-kai 李智凱 wins silver 🥈 (Gymnastics, men's pommel horse) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Tai Tzu-ying 戴資穎 wins silver 🥈 (Badminton, women's singles) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Tai Tzu-ying Fans,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]

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July 2021

• July 31 (Sat):
  • Taiwan receives a shipment of 20,000 doses COVID-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca), donated by Lithuania [⇥  Taipei Times,  ROC Presidential Office,  Taiwan Today,  NSPP,  Nikkei Asia,  CNA]
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Lee Yang 李洋 and Wang Chi-lin 王齊麟 win gold 🥇 (Badminton, men's doubles) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Reuters,  New York Times,  SCMP,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 30 (Fri): Economy Division Director Ni Bo-chia 倪伯嘉 of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Hong Kong returns to Taipei after HKSAR authorities refused to extend his visa, leaving the office with only local staff [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• July 28 (Wed): The US House of Representatives passes the fiscal year 2022 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations bill which includes an amendment forbidding the use of any funds to create, procure or display maps that depict Taiwan as part of the PRC [⇥  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• July 27 (Tue):
  • The epidemic alert in Taiwan is lowered to level 2 [⇥  CDC,  CNA]
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Kuo Hsing-chun 郭婞淳 wins gold 🥇 (Weightlifting, women's 59 kg) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Taiwan Panorama,  CommonWealth,  Reuters,  Olympics,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Chen Wen-huei 陳玟卉 wins bronze 🥉 (Weightlifting, women's 64 kg) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 26 (Mon):
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Deng Yu-cheng 鄧宇成, Tang Chih-chun 湯智鈞, and Wei Chun-heng 魏均珩 win silver 🥈 (Archery, men’s team) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  NSP Portal,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • At the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Cheng I-ching 鄭怡靜 and Lin Yun-ju 林昀儒 win bronze 🥉 (Table tennis, mixed doubles) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 25 (Sun): At the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Lo Chia-ling 羅嘉翎 wins bronze 🥉 (Taekwondo, women's 57 kg) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 24 (Sat): At the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Yang Yung-wei 楊勇緯 wins silver 🥈 (Judo, men’s extra lightweight [–60 kg]) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 15 (Thu): Taiwan receives a shipment of 970,000 doses COVID-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca), donated by Japan [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• July 10 (Sat): Taiwanese tennis player Hsieh Su-wei 謝淑薇 and her Belgian partner Elise Mertens win the women's doubles final at Wimbledon, beating Veronika Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina 3-6, 7-5, 9-7 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  RTI,  BBC,  Reuters,  ESPN,  TSN,  Asia Trend,  Straits Times,  Sportstar,  India Times,  Barron's,  YouTube,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 8 (Thu): Taiwan receives a shipment of 1.13 million doses COVID-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca), donated by Japan [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  CDC,  Reuters,  CNA]
• July 6 (Tue): The AIT announces that Sandra Oudkirk, US deputy assistant secretary of state for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, has been appointed as the new director of its Taipei office as successor for outgoing director William Brent Christensen [⇥  Taiwan Today,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• July 2 (Fri): The CEC postpones the four nationwide referendums scheduled for Aug. 28, 2021 to Dec. 18 the same year due to an outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Reuters,  CNA]

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June 2021

• June 30 (Wed): Taipower announces that the generator No. 1 at Taiwan's second nuclear power plant will be shut down permanently and enter its decommissioning stage on July 1 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  Euroview,  CNA]
• June 24 (Thu): The MND announces that Army Commander General Chen Pao-yu 陳寶餘 will assume the post of Chief of the General Staff beginning July 2022, replacing Huang Shu-kuang 黃曙光 [⇥  OCAC News,  CNA]
• June 23 (Wed): JCS Chairman Mark Milley says that maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait is of critical importance to the US  [⇥  OCAC News,  CNA]
• June 22 (Tue): The Executive Yuan announces it had issued a permit for Taipower to build two natural gas-powered units at the Taichung Thermal Power Plant [⇥  Taipei Times,  ICRT,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 21 (Mon): Taiwan receives a shipment of 2.5 million doses COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna), donated by the US [⇥  Taiwan Today,  The Guardian,  Reuters,  AP News,  CNN,  CNA]
• June 20 (Sun): All except one of the eight remaining staff members at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Hong Kong are forced to return to Taipei on Sunday, after they failed to obtain visa extensions [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• June 17 (Thu): The MND announces that Taiwan has signed two arms procurement contracts with the US, buying two packages including the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems (HCDS)  [⇥  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  Asia Pacific Defense Journal,  Army Recognition,  CNA]
• June 16 (Wed): Macao's representative office in Taiwan (Delegação Económica e Cultural de Macau / Aomen jingji wenhua banshichu 澳門經濟文化辦事處) announces the indefinite suspension of its operations starting June 19, giving no reason for the decision  [⇥  Radio Free Asia,  Nikkei Asia,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• June 14 (Mon): 📆 Dragon Boat Festival (duanwujie 端午節) [⇥ Lunar calendar]
• June 4 (Fri):
  • Japan donates Taiwan 1.24 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines (additional shipments on July 8, July 15, Sept. 7, Sept. 14, and Oct. 27, totalling 4.2 million doses) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CDC,  Japan Times,  Kyodo News,  Al Jazeera,  CNA]
  • The "Taiwan Politics Database" is officially launched 🍾
  • The number of registered total COVID-19 infections in Taiwan surpasses 10,000 [⇥  CDC,  CNA]

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May 2021

• May 31 (Mon): TJC chairperson Yang Tsui quits [⇥  CNA]
• May 30 (Sun): The number of deaths caused by COVID-19 in Taiwan surpasses 100 [⇥  CDC,  CNA]
• May 24—June 1: The 74^th WHA takes place virtually without Taiwan being invited as an observer  [⇥  Taiwan Today,  CNA]
• May 20 (Thu): Restrictions of level 3 epidemic alert (yiqing jingjie 疫情警戒) go into effect [⇥  Taiwan News,  CDC,  CNA]
• May 19 (Wed): Taiwan launches a new QR code for real-name registration system (contact tracing) [⇥  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• May 18 (Tue): The HKSAR government suspends operations of its representative office in Taiwan indefinitely [⇥  Taipei Times,  Reuters,  CNA]
• May 12 (Wed): Independent legislator Fu Kun-chi 傅崐萁 (Hualien County) is granted parole, released from Hualien Prison the following day after serving a sentence of 2 years and 10 months for manipulating stock prices in the late 1990s [⇥  United Daily News,  CNA]
• May 11 (Tue):
  • ROC Premier Su Tseng-chang announces that the mandate of the TJC would be extended by another year [⇥  CNA]
  • The ROC Legislative Yuan passes legislation to elevate two museums under the MOC to level-3 institutions—the National Museum of Taiwan History (NMTH) and the National Museum of Taiwan Literature (NMTL) [⇥  CNA]

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April 2021

• April 28 (Wed): MOTC Minister Wang Kwo-tsai confirms plans that the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) would be transformed into a state-owned company within three years  [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• April 23 (Fri): A legislative group labelled "Taiwan Parliament Group for Uyghur" (Taiwan guohui weiwuer lianxian 台灣國會維吾爾連線) is set up by independent legislator Freddy Lim 林昶佐 and other lawmakers  [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• April 20 (Tue): A report sent by the MND to legislators for review includes plans for the existing All-out Defense Mobilization Office (quanmin fangwei dongyuanshi 全民防衛動員室) and the Armed Forces Reserve Command (houbei zhihuibu 後備指揮部) to be merged to a Defense Reserve Mobilization Agency (fangwei houbei dongyuanshu 防衛後備動員署) by January 2022 [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• April 18 (Sun): Earthquake—magnitude 6.2, epicenter Shoufeng (Hualien County), no fatalities [⇥  Taiwan News,  Reuters,  CNA]
• April 9 (Fri): The US State Department announces new guidelines for government contacts with Taiwan, enabling US officials to meet more freely with their Taiwanese counterparts [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• April 2 (Fri): A TRA Taroko Express eight-carriage train carrying 492 passengers derails at the north entrance of Qingshui Tunnel (qingshui suidao 清水隧道) in Xiulin Township (Hualien County) after colliding with a construction truck that had fallen down a slope onto the tracks, killing 49 people and injuring 213 [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  CNN,  BBC,  The Guardian,  CNA]

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March 2021

• March 27 (Sat): The Transitional Justice Commission (TJC) announces another round of exonerations for 100 individuals found guilty in political trials during the authoritarian era in Taiwan from 1945-1992, involving 105 cases determined to have been unjustly convicted [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  China Times,  CNA]
• March 25 (Thu): Taiwan and the US sign an MOU in Washington to establish a Coast Guard Working Group (haixun gongzuo xiaozu 海巡工作小組, abbrev. CGWG), with the aim of strengthening their maritime cooperation [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taiwan Today,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• March 24 (Wed): The National Center of Photography and Images (guojia sheying wenhua zhongxin 國家攝影文化中心, abbrev. NCPI) under the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA) is opened [⇥  Taiwan News,  CNA]
• March 22 (Mon):
  • The Central News Agency (CNA) announces the termination of its Spanish-language news service "Enfoque en Taiwán" effective March 31, 2021 [⇥  Facebook]
  • Taiwan launches its COVID-19 vaccination program [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan Today,  OCAC News,  CDC,  Al Jazeera,  CNA]
• March 21 (Sun): The Taiwan-Japan Industrial Collaboration Promotion Office (Tai Ri chanye hezuo tuidong bangongshi 台日產業合作推動辦公室, abbrev. TJPO) is set up [⇥  TJPO]
• March 19 (Fri): The number of registered total COVID-19 infections in Taiwan surpasses 1,000 [⇥  Taiwan News,  CDC,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• March 10 (Wed): The American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan (AmCham Taiwan) announces that its new president will be Andrew Wylegala, replacing outgoing AmCham Taiwan President Leo Seewald [⇥  Taiwan News,  AmCham,  CNA]
• March 5 (Fri): The PRC NPC announces a 6.8 percent growth in its defense budget for the year [⇥  AP,  Bloomberg,  NDTV,  Defense Post,  CNA]

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February 2021

• Feb. 26 (Fri):
  • The PRC announces a ban for the import of pineapples from Taiwan [⇥  Taipei Times,  BBC,  CNA]
  • Legislator Su Chen-ching 蘇震清 (Pingtung County) announces his withdrawal from the DPP [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Feb. 25 (Thu): The DPP decides to suspend legislators Chiang Yung-chang 江永昌 (New Taipei City), Lin Shu-fen 林淑芬 (♀, New Taipei City) and Liu Chien-kuo 劉建國 (Yunlin County) from running for party leadership positions for a period of one year for abstaining from a series of votes regarding the lifting of restrictions on imports of pork containing the controversial feed additive ractopamine [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Feb. 19 (Fri): According to ROC Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang 張惇涵 ROC President Tsai Ing-wen ordered a reshuffle of top military and security officials in the Cabinet; MND Minister Yen De-fa is replaced with Chiu Kuo-cheng, MAC Minister Chen Min-tong is replaced with Chiu Tai-san, and NSB Director-general Chiu Kuo-cheng is replaced with Chen Min-tong [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Feb. 18 (Thu): The resignation of CPC Corp, Taiwan chairman Jerry Ou 歐嘉瑞 is approved [⇥  CNA]
• Feb. 12 (Fri): 📆 Lunar New Year (chunjie 春節 / guonian 過年) [⇥ Lunar calendar]
• Feb. 3 (Wed): The KMT approves the application of BCC Chairman and NP co-founder Jaw Shaw-kong 趙少康 to rejoin the party [⇥  TaiwanInsight,  SCMP,  Macau Business,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Feb. 2 (Tue): CSBC Corp, Taiwan president Tseng Kuo-cheng 曾國正 resigns [⇥  CNA]
• Feb. 1 (Mon):
  • The National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) is formally established with the merger of the National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) and the National Yang-Ming University (NYMU) [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • Taiyen Biotech Co. chairman Chen Chi-yu 陳啟昱 resigns [⇥  Taiyen Biotech,  CNA]
  • In a decommissioning ceremony held at Hsin Pin naval station (xinbin yingqu 新濱營區) in Kaohsiung, the ROC Navy retires the ROCS Ching Chiang (jinjiang hao 錦江號), the first of Taiwan's 12 locally designed guided-missile corvettes that has defended the country's territorial waters for more than two decades  [⇥  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  Liberty Times,  CNA]

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January 2021

• Jan. 29 (Fri): The ROC Legislative Yuan passes a resolution instructing the MOI to evaluate the possibility of changing the ROC national emblem (which strongly resembles the KMT party emblem, see image) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  CNA]
• Jan. 25 (Mon): The NARLabs announce that rocket scientist Gou Chong-sin 吳宗信 will head the National Space Organization (NSPO) from Aug. 1, 2022, and his main mission would be to establish a rocket launch site; before Gou’s appointment NSPO Deputy Director-General Yu Shiann-jen 余憲政 would serve as acting director-general  [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Jan. 24 (Sun):
  • A SpaceX rocket carrying two Taiwanese satellites successfully lifts off from Cape Canaveral in Florida [⇥  Taiwan News,  Taipei Times,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
  • The Hualien Archeological Museum (Hualien xian kaogu bowuguan 花蓮縣考古博物館) in Hualien County’s Shoufeng Township opens to the public [⇥  Taipei Times,  CNA]
• Jan. 23 (Sat): Taiwan independence advocates launch the Taiwan New Constitution Alliance (Taiwan xinxian lianhe zhenxian 台灣新憲聯合陣線) to promote drafting a new, localized constitution [⇥  Taipei Times,  Liberty Times]
• Jan. 22 (Fri): The Central Election Commission (CEC) confirms that a national referendum on activating the long-mothballed Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City would be held on Aug. 28, 2021  [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  OCAC News,  Liberty Times]
• Jan. 21 (Thu): The Hakka Affairs Council announces it restructured its organization to create a new Department of Language Development (yuyan fazhanchu 語言發展處) dedicated to promoting the use of the Hakka language in schools, families and communities [⇥  Taipei Times,  Hakka Public Communication Foundation]
• Jan. 20 (Wed):
  • A Taiwan-Japan Friendship Union (Tai Ri jiaoliu lianyihui 台日交流聯誼會) is set up and headed by Legislative Speaker You Si-kun [⇥  Taipei Times,  OCAC News,  CNA]
  • ROC Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim attends the 59th Presidential Inauguration Ceremonies in Washington DC, the first time since 1979 that an ROC representative was officially invited to the event by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  TECRO,  CNA]
  • Academia Sinica announces the establishment of an Air Quality Research Center (kongqi pinzhi zhuanti zhongxin 空氣品質專題中心) and an Anthropogenic Climate Change Center (renwei qihou bianqian zhuanti zhongxin 人為氣候變遷專題中心) which would both operate under its Research Center for Environmental Changes (huanjing bianqian yanjiu zhongxin 環境變遷研究中心, abbrev. RCEC)  [⇥  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 15 (Fri): Legislator Sufin Siluko (KMT, Plains Aborigines—charged with bribery and breaches of the Anti-Corruption Act (tanwu zhizui tiaoli 貪污治罪條例)—is released on NT$ 10 million bail after his defense lawyers successfully petitioned the Taipei District Court that he should be freed due to deteriorating health [⇥  Taipei Times,  Taiwan News,  Focus Taiwan,  CNA]
• Jan. 9 (Sat): US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces that the US are lifting all self-imposed restrictions to regulate their diplomats, servicemembers, and other officials’ interactions with Taiwanese counterparts [⇥  Taipei Times,  Reuters,  CNN,  BBC,  The Guardian,  Deutsche Welle,  The Diplomat,  Straits Times,  Al Jazeera,  OCAC News,  CNA]