Premier calls on Legislative Yuan to expedite general budget review

Premier calls on Legislative Yuan to expedite general budget review

2026-01-08

More than four months have passed since the proposal for Taiwan’s 2026 general budget was submitted to the Legislative Yuan, but it still has yet to be referred to the relevant committees for a review. Premier Cho Jung-tai is calling on the opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan to expedite the review process, warning that more delays could impact local government finances. Let’s hear more.

Cho Jung-tai
Premier
The new fiscal year has begun and yet the general budget bill hasn’t even been referred to the committees. It’s the first time this happens in our constitutional history. There is up to NT$299.2 billion in funds that cannot be disbursed. In this cold weather, we should give some warmth to the public. We allocated NT$32.1 billion to ensure that tax revenues and subsidies received by local governments are not less than last year’s totals. If the budget isn’t passed, six counties and cities will face problems, and may have to go into debt. They are Pingtung, Tainan, Chiayi, Lienchiang, Changhua and Penghu.

Cho Jung-tai also noted that the defense budget has been affected the most, with an impact of NT$75.2 billion. They include funding for logistics and maintenance, which have become much-debated issues in the wake of the recent F-16 crash.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#budget #government #defense #taiwan

行政院新年首秀總預算仍卡關卓揆:速審預算"寒冬給一絲溫暖"

2026-01-08

總預算去年8月底送立法院審議，至今超過4個月，還沒付委審查，週四行政院會後卓榮泰親上火線！呼籲立院寒冬給一絲溫暖，盡速審預算，更指出未來恐怕衝擊地方，可能六縣市面臨舉債。

[[行政院長卓榮泰]]
“新的年度了，總預算案連付委都還沒付委，這是我國憲政史上的第一次。有許多不得動支的金額，總額高達2992億。天氣這麼冷，我們真的必須給國人更多的溫暖。編列了321億元，以確保相關縣市所獲配的統籌分配稅款以及補助款，能夠不少於去年總預算未審查通過，還有6個縣市的財務調度，會發生問題，他們恐將要舉債，屏東縣、台南市、嘉義縣、連江縣、彰化縣以及澎湖縣。”

卓榮泰也提到，國防預算受的影響是最多的，達752億元，近日又發生F-16失事，相關後勤維護經費，及後續訓練都在這之中。

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Wrapping luxury cars in protective film becomes highly paid skill

If you’re thinking of a career change, have you ever thought about vehicle wrapping? The salaries are surprisingly high. Owners of high-end luxury cars like to have their precious vehicles wrapped in protective film to prevent minor scratches damaging the paint work. Industry insiders say vehicle wrapping technicians can make more than NT$100,000 a month. Let’s find out more.

When high-end luxury cars are brought in for vehicle wrapping, these technicians pay close attention to detail and carefully trim edges, putting their skills to the test.

Mr. Ho
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I have a strong passion and interest in cars, which is why I gave up my job at TSMC. As for income, if I work hard, my salary will be comparable to TSMC’s.

As he opens the fuel cap and uses a scraper to finish the job, Mr. Ho has given up a job many people envy to enter the vehicle wrapping industry.

Mr. Ho
Apprentice
I don’t think I’m someone to be pitied. We can use the money we earn from wrapping to invest in TSMC.

Holding the wrapping materials, she practices repeatedly. This apprentice is a university student. She’s using her spare time to learn a skill.

Vehicle wrapping apprentice
Learning the trade
This is a very new industry and I am very interested in wrapping.

Vehicle wrapping technicians earn a base salary plus bonuses calculated on a rate per vehicle. The upper end of their salaries can exceed NT$100,000. Some automotive repair departments in colleges and schools have observed this global market trend and plan to establish educational partnerships with vehicle wrapping companies to cultivate a second skill for their students.

Lin Chien-cheng
Vehicle wrapping technician
Of course, every industry is short of workers, but we are even more short of skilled personnel. If a professional technician can complete the work on a car by himself, it is possible to earn NT$100,000 to NT$200,000 a month.

Chou Chin-chen
Private high school principal
This field is another technical area within the vehicle industry and the salaries are almost four to five times higher than those in the traditional automotive industry.

Professional vehicle wrapping has become both a new industry trend and a popular field of study. And given the shortage of professional technicians, salaries are highly competitive.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Specialty coffee pioneer launches global research and education headquarters in Taipei

Today, we take you to meet the founder of a specialty coffee brand known for its Gesha coffee beans, Joseph Brodsky. Earlier in 2025, he opened a flagship store in Taiwan, and now, his latest venture is the launch of a global research and education headquarters right in Taipei. FTV reporter Stephany Yang spoke to Brodsky to learn about the research and education headquarters.

Renowned for its Gesha coffee beans, this specialty coffee brand opened its flagship store in Taiwan in March 2025, offering micro-lot selections and personalized roasting services. In November of the same year, founder Joseph Brodsky expanded the brand’s presence by launching a global research and education headquarters in Taipei. The new space, brings Brodsky’s “Farm to Table” philosophy to life, providing visitors with a transparent and immersive journey into the world of coffee.

Joseph Brodsky
Founder
Our stores that we open in Taipei, we aim to elevate the level of coffee experience. We want to have people connect to our land and to our products in a more clear and transparent, and luxurious way than anyone is doing in the world. That is what our stores are doing in Taipei now. The atelier is our workshop. It is our workshop for enhancing our brand, for incubating our brand and for receiving our business partners from around the world. So, this is the top, let us say, "origin to market" hosting space in the world.

The atelier serves as a sensory and educational haven, spotlighting rare coffee varieties and innovative fermentation techniques developed by the brand. The space offers exclusive, limited-edition coffees and invites guests to engage in immersive tasting experiences. It also partnered with a high-end French dessert atelier. Brodsky recognizes Taiwan as a global leader in coffee culture and innovation.

Joseph Brodsky
Founder
Taiwan is the leader of what I feel is the top leader of coffee cultural development in the world over the last 20 years. Connected with a lot of my friends and business leaders in Taiwan, and now we are bringing our brand here.

Since founding the company in 2006, Brodsky has championed a process-driven approach to coffee production, inspired by his early explorations in Ethiopia and his vision of elevating coffee to the level of fine wine. His method emphasizes meticulous post-harvest protocols and the precise separation of coffee lots by varietal and terroir.

Joseph Brodsky
Founder
I first started in Ethiopia. I went to find the rarest variety of coffee in the world. I wanted to make coffee into fine wine. This was 20 years ago. I then proceeded to acquire land in Panama. Panama is the best terroir for coffee in the world. I acquired around 500 hectares of the most beautiful properties in the mountains and created the most world champion coffee from those properties, and created a brand.

Brodsky hopes that the atelier becomes a global epicenter for cofffee education, research, and sensory exploration.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Traveling vegetarian night market attracts crowds in Taipei

Taiwan’s famous vegetarian night market travels around Taiwan with its mobile food trucks, offering everything from classic gua bao to shawarma. Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike line up to try this market’s delicious food.

Pan-fried buns sizzle on a griddle, crisping the bottom while its vegetarian filling stays juicy and tender. People line up to get these delicious buns before they sell out.

I come to this stand most often. I don’t go to the others as much.

At another stand, a chef reimagines gua bao using crispy tofu skin, making the traditional snack lighter and more flavorful. This is a well-known traveling vegetarian night market, whose team of food trucks is constantly moving around Taiwan. The best way to know their schedule and locations is to keep a close eye on their fan page.

Night market vendor
We’re close to the station, so there are a lot of people around. In addition to our regular customers, other people passing by came to check it out.

Outside Nangang Station in Taipei, food trucks line up next to each other to form this little night market, crowded with people looking for a bite.

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The people here are very enthusiastic, and were actually a little surprised to see a vegetarian market like ours. The market opened at 4pm, and by around 7pm,we were already sold out.

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It’s quite special, because usually there aren’t so many options for vegetarian food. It was very crowded when I passed by.

Member of public
This stall’s gua bao are made using tofu skin, which is different because most gua bao use white flour. I was looking forward to trying it, so I came here today especially.

Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike crowd this night market, some bringing their dogs to join the fun. There were even performances close by. This market shows that vegetarian food can be just as exciting as any cuisine.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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National Center of Photography and Images explores Taiwan’s photography history

The National Center of Photography and Images is holding an exhibit exploring Taiwan’s photography history and culture from the 1940s to the present day. FTV reporter Stephany Yang takes us in for a look!

One of the featured works on display is by photographer Chang Tsang-sang. He documented the aftermath of the Jiji Earthquake, which struck Taiwan on Sept. 21, 1999, and became one of the deadliest in Taiwan’s history. Chang visited 50 affected families, capturing their portraits and recording the reconstruction process in the disaster zones. Five years later, he returned to revisit these families, documenting the transformations that had taken place since the tragedy. The exhibition presents these portraits side by side, offering a powerful comparison of life before and after the disaster.

Chang Tsang-sang
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Right after the incident, many victims lived in tents. In fact, at that time, quite a number of displaced families were staying in military barracks, container houses, or even their own vehicles. During the first stage, in the months following the disaster, I documented around 50 families. As the fifth anniversary approached, I returned to the families I had previously visited, comparing two sets of photographs. In the second stage, I interviewed 37 families. Looking back at the first stage, the affected area was vast, and on site, you could see the current situation of the survivors and what their concerns were during those months. I quickly took the photos and written descriptions and gave them to newspapers, hoping to convey their circumstances. For example, they worried about what would happen when the rainy season arrived, and some people living in container houses had no accessible facilities. These were the kinds of issues I sought to highlight.

Another photographer is Yang Shun-fa. His series "The Submerged Beauty of Formosa" brings to light different buildings that are submerged underwater. Through his work, he hopes to invite viewers to reflect on the relationship between humans and the environment.

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What I mainly wanted to explore was: why are these houses in the sea? Why have they been submerged by seawater? Is it due to land subsidence? Global warming? Rising sea levels? After discovering the first house, I decided to use this method, to walk along the entire coastline of Taiwan. Over the course of three years, I surveyed Taiwan’s shoreline. Wherever my car could reach, I stopped every 300 meters to observe and record the condition of the coast.

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Chang Chieh-chun
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It started snowing at half past eight, and we got about half a centimeter.

Police restricted traffic along Provincial Highway 14A from Kunyang to Song Syue Lodge, and allowed only vehicles with snow chains. It was a similar scene at Tataka.

It was cold enough for snow up in the mountains. Down in the plains, it was as chilly as it gets, with just 6.7°C in Gukeng, Yunlin. At Jhanghu Elementary and Junior High School, teachers and students had to contend with the biting cold on the way to class. Thankfully, there’s heating indoors to keep the freezing cold outside.

After a while, they all take off their thick coats, and some even roll up their sleeves.

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Jhanghu Elementary and Junior High School
At least it’s warm inside the classrooms. It’s not like it’s cold everywhere.

Chen Chi-hua
Jhanghu Elementary and Junior High School
We tell new teachers that they shouldn’t open the windows when invigilating exams in winter. If you do, the fog will pour in and you won’t be able to catch students cheating.

Jhanghu Elementary and Junior High School is located 800m above sea level, making it comfortably cool in summer. Here, the government’s air conditioning policy for all classrooms is essentially a heating policy for the winter.

Hung Pei-chen
Jhanghu Elementary and Junior High School
We don’t turn on the air con frequently in summer, but during the winter, especially on days like this where it’s just 6°C, almost every class turns on the heating.

Thanks to the heating system, more than 100 students can study at a comfy temperature. It’s hard to imagine just how cold it could get in winter in this mountain school, but now everyone is warm and cozy.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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2026-01-08