HK pro-democracy activist’s Muay Thai studio vandalized

2026-02-05

A pro-democracy activist from Hong Kong living in Taiwan has once again become the victim of an act of vandalism. He is Tong Wai-hung, a vocal activist in the Anti-Extradition Bill movement who is wanted in Hong Kong. He currently operates a Muay Thai studio in Taipei’s Shilin District, which was vandalized with red paint in the early hours of Wednesday. Police have identified the vandal as a Hong Kong native who also holds Taiwanese citizenship. On Thursday morning, Tong was joined by civic groups to protest the act. Let’s hear from him.

Tong Wai-hung
Hong Konger in Taiwan
They are trying to silence me, and to make it impossible for me to lead a normal life. Everyone in the building is scared, and they want me out. Any one of you here could be targeted with a similar tactic tomorrow, as it is a low-cost tactic.

Chen Pei-yu
Lawmaker (DPP)
China resorts to methods like these to intimidate people from Taiwan and other democratic and free regions. To make people afraid to speak, to silence them and to create a chilling effect. We of course must condemn such actions.

The first vandalism attack took place last November, and was conducted by a man and a woman who pretended to be customers. They poured paint on the entrance of the second floor and then flew out of Taiwan at 10:30 p.m. that same day. The suspect in this week’s incident is thought to be a man surnamed Leung. He landed in Taiwan on Tuesday evening, went to a shop in Sanchong District to purchase paint and then headed to Shilin to throw the paint at the studio. His stay in Taiwan lasted just 8 hours, and he still had red paint on his hands on his flight back. Tong says he is deeply troubled by the situation and hopes that protective measures can be put in place to address China’s long-arm repression in Taiwan.

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

#hongkong #muaythai #vandalism #paint #shilin #sanchong

在台港人工作室遭"二度潑漆" 喊話立即建立保護機制

2026-02-05

反送中運動者、來台港人湯偉雄，因為聲援香港行動，遭到香港通緝，而他位在台北市士林區的泰拳工作室，也被潑漆警告，昨天(4日)凌晨，二度被人找上門，警方鎖定一名台籍港人，發現他快閃台灣8小時，犯案後，就搭機逃回香港。上午(5日)湯偉雄和公民團體站出來，喊話希望政府能立即建立保護機制。

[[反送中運動者湯偉雄]]
“其實是要我噤聲，讓我沒有辦法正常的生活，全部大樓的人都害怕，要我搬離開，明天你們任何一個，他都可以用這樣的處理方式，而且成本很低。”

[[立委(民) 陳培瑜]]
“中國想要用這個手段，讓台灣，讓更多的民主自由地區不敢說話、噤聲，產生寒蟬效應，這樣的事情我們當然要予以公開譴責。”

湯偉雄工作室第一次被潑漆，是在去年11月，當時一對男女假扮客人來，在2樓門口潑漆，當晚10點半就搭機離台；第二次，4號清晨，46歲梁姓台籍港人才剛入境，先去三重買油漆，再到士林潑漆，逃出境時，手上都還沾滿紅漆，快閃台灣8小時。湯偉雄非常困擾，希望針對類似這樣恐嚇的攻擊事件，能夠立即建立保護機制，應對在台的跨國鎮壓。

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民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
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TSMC confirms plans to upgrade second plant in Kumamoto to 3nm

Chip giant TSMC on Thursday confirmed that it is evaluating plans to upgrade one of its plants in Japan. Speculation had simmered in recent weeks about whether the company would upgrade its second plant in Kumamoto to 3-nanometer manufacturing, amid strong AI demand. TSMC CEO C.C. Wei on Thursday paid a visit to Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae. Besides his big business present, he also showed her that he had been a devoted fan of hers for some time. He showed the politician a book she had published five years ago, surprising Takaichi so much that her jaw hit the floor.

C.C. Wei
TSMC CEO
I would like to thank you for making time today with your busy schedule. By the way… I’m a strong supporter of Takaichi-san.

Takaichi Sanae
Japanese Prime Minister
This upgrade will help promote crisis-management investment and growth investment in Japan. AI and semiconductors are key strategic fields. Our cooperation with TSMC will become a new benchmark.

Liu Pei-chen
TIER
TSMC’s second plant in Kumamoto was originally planned to produce 6-nanometer and 7-nanometer chips. But even after capacity goes online, the plant would face a dilemma of not being able to utilize its capacity fully. So introducing a 3-nanometer process would help TSMC alleviate the issue promptly.

TSMC has confirmed that it is evaluating the upgrade for its second plant in Kumamoto, under its joint venture, JASM. The plant is expected to shift to more advanced 3-nanometer processes. During his meeting with Japan’s PM, Wei thanked the government of Japan, the government of Kumamoto Prefecture, and the local community for their support for the company. Japanese media reports say that TSMC originally planned to invest US$12.2 billion in the second plant, which would employ processes of 12 to 6 nanometers. With the upgrade, the total amount invested is expected to shoot up to US$17 billion.

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

#japan #semiconductors #chips #tsmc #kumamoto

2026-02-05

Ultraman is the new star of Kaohsiung Winter Wonderland

Kaohsiuing Winter Wonderland is back and running from Feb. 7 to March 1, just in time for the Lunar New Year. Last year’s stars were the cute critters from Japanese comic Chiikawa. The anime go-getter spirit continues this year with Ultraman. On Wednesday night, a 15m-tall inflatable that will be the main piece was installed at the pier. Meanwhile, as many as 30 smaller Ultraman and other characters will also pop up all over the city’s main attractions.

Ultraman slowly emerges from a puddle of plastic. It regains shape and is ready to save the world! The inflatable is not just impressively large at 15m tall. True to the original anime series, the eyes and chest glows brightly, too. Many Ultraman fans have gathered to witness his resurrection.

Member of public
Ultraman fan
It’s cool. I wanted to try my luck, and indeed I was lucky to witness the moment of his birth.

Technician
Installing Ultraman inflatable
The production process this time differs from rubber ducks or Chiikawa that we had before, because there are lots of facial and torso details and shapes, which risk getting distorted in the production process, but we still managed to surpass all the challenges.

The details in this year’s centerpiece makes production more challenging than in previous years, but the commissioned team still managed to produce a true-to-scale Ultraman inflatable. Ultraman is the star of the 2026 Kaohsiung Winter Wonderland, which will kick off on Feb. 7. It’s also the 60th anniversary of Ultraman. Two massive Ultraman inflatables, the original and Ultraman Tiga will take center stage on the waterside, while smaller Ultraman elements will also be everywhere.

There will be 30, to be exact, all over main attractions of the city, including the Kaohsiung Port Cruise Terminal and the martyrs’ shrine. Meanwhile, a 5m-tall inflatable is also being set up in front of the old Kaohsiung Station building, complete with a Japanese logo on the ground. Even though the project isn’t completed yet, locals are rushing to snap a photo.

Member of public
Ultraman fan
I happened to drive past. I rushed home to get my merch for photos.

Chuang Shu-ting
FTV reporter
Here at Kaohsiung station, a chibi Ultraman stands with hands on hips. It’s really so adorable, and turns Kaohsiung into a city of superheroes.

There’s also an installation depicting a battle between Ultraman and Gomora. Suspended by cables, Ultraman appears to by flying in the air. This Lunar New Year, the whole city will liven up with the presence of these superheroes everywhere.

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

#anime #animefans #ultraman #chiikawa #kaohsiung

2026-02-05

Lai responds to phonecall between Xi and Trump

On Wednesday evening, the leaders of the US and China spoke on a phone call in which Taiwan was a key focus. Xi Jinping told Donald Trump to be “prudent” when it comes to supplying arms to Taiwan. Trump responded that he valued China’s concerns on the Taiwan issue, adding that he would maintain stable US-China relations during his term. On Friday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te responded to the call between the two countries, reiterating that the ties between Taiwan and the US are rock solid. Let’s hear more from the president.

Lai Ching-te
President
We have good channels of communication between Taiwan and the US. This conversation between China and the US maintains four constants in the trilateral Taiwan-US-China relations. The first is that the ROC and the PRC are not subordinate to each other. The second is that the US’ commitments to Taiwan remain unchanged as stated in the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. The third is that the US’ approach to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region alongside its allies and partners based on its national security and defense strategies and alliances remains unchanged. The fourth is that Taiwan-US relations are rock solid.

President Lai also responded to recent comments by KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun after a series of exchanges between the KMT and the CCP. Cheng said that mainland China was family to Taiwan, and voiced support for the so-called “1992 Consensus,” which she says is not that scary. The original core idea in the “1992 Consensus” between the then-ruling KMT and China is that the two sides belonged to one China, with differing interpretations on what China means. But according to Lai, the consensus has now been taken by Xi Jinping to be an assertion of the CCP’s sovereignty over Taiwan. Lai says that supporters of the consensus must therefore consider themselves Chinese and are pushing for cross-strait unification.

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

#crossstrait #taiwan #china #us #xijinping #trump

2026-02-05