Arizona attends Taiwan representative office ceremony despite China warning

2026-10-07

A new chapter in Taiwan-US relations is opening in Phoenix, Arizona. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung joined Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs to officially unveil Taiwan’s new representative office in the state capital, despite reported pressure from China opposing its establishment. The new office comes as Taiwan continues to deepen its economic ties with the southwestern US state, and TSMC’s massive semiconductor investment is turning Phoenix into a key hub for Taiwan-US cooperation.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung and Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs unveil the plaque for the future Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Phoenix.

Lin Chia-lung
Minister of Foreign Affairs
This is an important milestone in the Taiwan-US symbiotic partnership. Taiwanese investment in Arizona continues to grow creating stronger connections between our economies.

Preparations for Taiwan’s mission in Phoenix started six months ago. According to US media outlets, China was not happy about the development and sent two letters to Hobbs from China’s consulate in Los Angeles, asking her to oppose the establishing of the office. The letter called on her to “stop any political gimmicks to harm the friendship and cooperation between China and the State of Arizona.” Hobbs rejected the warnings, and attended the plaque-unveiling ceremony herself.

Katie Hobbs
Arizona Governor
Thank you to every elected official who did the right thing, put partisan politics to the side by voting to support it. Every Arizona elected official should show the courage necessary to support the partnership between Arizona and Taiwan and the jobs this has created.

Lin Chia-lung
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Through two-way investment, we can connect our advances in technology, capital talent and market and further deepen the Taiwan-US symbiotic partnership.

Taiwan-US ties continue deepening by the day, and semiconductors are at the center of it all. Phoenix is the state capital of Arizona, and is a major hub for TSMC’s investments in the US, which have now reached US$265 billion. That’s the largest foreign direct investment project ever in the US.

Lin Chia-lung
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In the first quarter of this year alone, its business operations generated nearly US$600 million in profits, already more than it made in the entire year of 2025. And as these connections create shared value, they move Taiwan and the US from being stakeholders to becoming shareholders.

The Arizona mission will be Taiwan’s 14th representative office in the US, marking a new milestone in bilateral ties.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#arizona #phoenix #tsmc #semiconductor #taiwan

不甩中國施壓! 林佳龍揭牌"鳳凰城辦事處" 州長出席挺台

2026-10-07

台灣駐鳳凰城辦事處在美國時間5號正式揭牌，成為台灣在美國第14個館處，外交部長林佳龍親自赴美揭牌，但根據美國媒體報導，在辦事處籌備期間，中國曾兩度向亞利桑納州長施壓，要求反對台灣設處，不過，州長不甩中國，仍親自出席揭牌儀式，還與林佳龍同台。

外交部長林佳龍與亞利桑那州州長一同掀開紅布，台灣駐鳳凰城辦事處正式揭牌成立。

[[外交部長林佳龍]]
“鳳凰城辦事處成立，是台美共生夥伴關係中的重要里程碑，台灣在亞利桑那州的投資也持續成長，讓雙方經濟的連結更加緊密”

鳳凰城辦事處歷經半年籌備，不過根據美國媒體報導，在辦事處成立之前，亞利桑那州長Katie Hobbs，曾收到兩封中國駐洛杉磯總領事館的信，要求她反對台灣在當地設立辦事處，更指出，要制止任何損害中國與亞利桑那州友好合作的政治伎倆，但州長不甩中國施壓，仍親自出席揭牌儀式。

[[美國亞利桑那州長 Katie Hobbs]]
“感謝每一位選擇做正確事情的民意代表，將黨派政治拋諸腦後，投票支持這項決議，亞利桑那州的每一位民選官員，都應該展現出必要的勇氣，支持亞利桑那州，與台灣之間的夥伴關係，以及所創造的就業機會”

[[外交部長林佳龍]]
“透過雙向投資，我們能夠串聯彼此在科技、資金、人才與市場上的優勢，進一步深化台美共生夥伴關係”

台美關係持續升溫，背後也離不開半導體產業的緊密連結，鳳凰城是亞利桑那州首府，也是台積電赴美投資的重要據點，在亞利桑那州設廠，至今總投資額已經達到2650億美元，創下美國史上規模最大的外國直接投資案。

[[外交部長林佳龍]]
“光是今年第一季，台積電在美國的營運就創造了近6億美元的獲利，已超越2025年全年，當這些連結持續創造共同價值，台灣與美國也將從利害關係人，走向共享成果的共同股東”

鳳凰城辦事處成立，成為台灣在美國的第14個館處，也讓台美關係邁向下一個里程碑。

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Matai’an Bridge northbound lanes slated to reopen to traffic this year

2026-10-07

‘Handsome firefighters’ help free cat with head stuck in carrier

2026-10-07

NTUT engineering students deliver electric, futuristic racecar

Taiwanese students are hitting major milestones in engineering! Established just 12 years ago, the Taipei Tech Racing team at National Taipei University of Technology unveiled their 9th-generation all-electric race car, the "TTR9". Constructed by 40 students over the span of two years, the new car exchanges the traditional steel tube frame for a one-piece molded "aluminum alloy monocoque chassis." And the motor power has doubled in capacity to 80 kilowatts. It will be heading to Australia at the end of the year to compete in the International Student Formula League.

The TTR9’s high-efficiency motor burst forth instantly, its low, electrical hum vibrates off the racetrack. The newly optimized chassis suspension delivers incredible grip allowing for agile cornering without deforming.

40 incredible students at NTUT built the 9th gen electric racecar “TTR9”. The new car is 25% lighter and its biggest breakthrough is abandoning the traditional steel tube frame and taking on the challenge of a one-piece aluminum alloy chassis for the first time.

Voice of Lin Che-yu
NTUT Taipei Tech Racing PR Officer
The previous generation used a steel tube frame, but by using a single aluminum alloy shell, we can effectively improve torsional stiffness.

Power output has made considerable progress as well, with motor capacity doubling from 40 kilowatts to 80 kilowatts. The team addressed the challenge with high temperatures by developing a “high-efficiency thermal management system,” that uses water cooling technology to reduce temperatures quickly.

Fan Shao-chieh
NTUT Taipei Tech Racing Captain
Regarding thermal management, this time, we used a heat dissipation device technology. We’ve designed a water channel to dissipate heat from the side of the battery. Our goal is to reach Australia and compete in the Formula SAE-Australasia Competition and achieve a better ranking than last time.

From design, fundraising, and securing sponsorships to actual processing and manufacturing, students transform classroom theory into practical skills with limited resources, making it the best launch pad to connect with top foreign companies.

Chiang Hsin-han
Associate Professor, NTUT
Many things are not in textbooks. Students accumulate experience through continuous learning, referencing the technology of domestic and international racing teams, and then coming up with their own ideas. One of our team members was able to apply to top-tier research institutes like the University of Manchester, because of his experience participating in this racing team.

By overcoming various technical hurdles, the TTR9, is the culmination of the student team’s hard work and it boasts superior performance compared to the TTR8, which finished in 13th place in Australia last year. After optimization, the racecar will again take Taiwan’s top engineering capabilities to the Formula-SAE Australian circuit at the end of the year.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#racing #formula1 #fsae #engineering #stem #ntut #ttr9

2026-10-07

Super Junior members thrill local fans by wearing high-school uniforms

Leeteuk and Heechul of the South Korean boy band Super Junior recently performed at the Kaohsiung Music Center. During the show, for their exit, and even at a hot pot restaurant afterward, the duo delighted local fans by sporting jackets from Kaohsiung Industrial High School and Feng-Shan Senior High. The uniform shop owner realized who his customers were after seeing footage of the concert. Later that evening, orders from fans came pouring in.

At a recent concert in Kaohsiung, Super Junior members Leeteuk and Heechul played an interactive game with their fans while wearing high-school tracksuits.

They even kept the blue and green jackets on during their farewell, and for the afterparty at a hot pot restaurant. Eagle-eyed fans quickly noticed that the uniforms were familiar.

Tseng Hung-wen
FTV reporter
The tracksuits worn by these two K-pop superstars are the PE uniforms for Kaohsiung Industrial High School and Feng-Shan Senior High. They quickly went viral after footage from the concert was released.

Voice of shopkeeper
Sold uniforms to K-pop stars
They asked us to embroider names on them, Heechul and Leeteuk. I thought to myself, aren’t those K-pop stars? But I didn’t think too much about it at the time.

The owner of a long-standing school uniform store in Kaohsiung said he received a call, likely from event organizers, ordering six tracksuits. It wasn’t until he saw clips from the concert that he realized they were for the Super Junior members themselves. Fans started placing orders immediately after the concert finished, with some requesting their idol’s name embroidered on it. Feng-Shan Senior High students were especially thrilled.

Feng-Shan Senior High student
Super Junior fan
I’m so happy! Now I own the exact same outfit as my idol without doing anything.

Feng-Shan Senior High alumnus
Fashion fan
Young people really wear them differently these days. I admire that!

These K-pop stars seamlessly integrated into Kaohsiung while also sparking a fashion trend, elevating these everyday school tracksuits into an overnight sensation. The event gave attendees an unforgettable night, while also evoking cherished school memories for their legions of Kaohsiung fans.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#SuperJunior #Kpop #fashion #schooluniform #Kaohsiung #Leeteuk #Heechul

2026-10-07

Lost egret gives Kaohsiung cops a run for their money

There’s never a rest day for the Taiwanese police. Yesterday evening, an egret was spotted hopping through traffic in the busy streets of Kaohsiung. Police officers put on their birdhunting hats as they chased the bird off the road. Luckily, they managed to bring the lost egret back to safety. Experts believe the bird may have been injured which is why it wandered onto the streets. The Great White Egret will be released back into the wild after treatment.

A large white egret was seen standing in the middle of the road in Kaohsiung City.

The egret strolled around smack in the middle of the road leading to locals reporting the incident.

Sensing police officers approaching, the egret started to nervously flap its wings and meander through traffic, promptly starting a birdhunt.

A small egret gave some cops a hard time proving harder to catch than a criminal. They chased the bird all the way to the sidewalk. The two police officers surrounded the bird, but worried they might hurt the bird. Finally the egret hid outside a barbecue restaurant, and the police carefully used a large black trash bag to contain it.

- You should first report the situation is under control
- It was on the road,
that’s why locals reported it.
- Can you open the car door for me?
No one’s opening the door

Staff
From nearby store
There were cops at the front of my store, they held a large black trash bag and carried the egret away.

Chang Ko-lun
FTV Reporter
An egret was seen following cars on Kaohsiung’s Zhongshan First Road, due to injuries it couldn’t fly higher, which is why it’s so dangerous for it to be navigating traffic.

Member of public
Awestruck by bird
It’s rare to see them in the city, and also it’s dangerous for those who try to go catch it, they could get hit by a car.

Egrets normally live near water, near streams or swamps, how did it end up in a place like this?

Voice of Huang Shu-ting
Formosa Wild Bird Conservation Association
This bird is a small white egret, it was probably injured, and accidentally wandered here, it must not know how to fly back home.

Experts believe the egret may have flown from nearby Xingfu Canal. The officers notified the Animal Protection department, who took the bird in for treatment and care. Once recovered, it will be reunited with its family.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#egret #heron #formosabirds #lostbird #injuredbird #animalsafety #kaohsiung

2026-10-07

Man steers e-moped with one hand while holding child with the other

2026-10-07

Frenetic campaigning causes dramatic weight loss

With the local elections approaching at the end of November, candidates are going all out to win over voters. The DPP’s Nantou County Commissioner candidate Wen Shih-cheng is a first-time politician and had his staff schedule as many events as possible in hopes of gaining more name recognition. After several months of campaigning from dawn to dusk, he lost a whopping eight kilograms. Let’s find out more.

Upon hearing a dog bark, Wen Shih-cheng, the DPP’s candidate for Nantou County Commissioner, immediately becomes alert, as he had been bitten by a dog while campaigning recently. Therefore he’s extra careful.

Interacting with voters at close range face-to-face and visiting everyone’s homes are basic campaigning routines. Since starting his candidacy, Wen says he has lost 8kg.

Wen Shih-cheng
Nantou County Commissioner candidate (DPP)
I lost a total of 8 kilograms and got more tanned. Look, this is dark and this is white, I got several shades darker. I got darker and thinner, but actually my body became healthier, my body fat percentage decreased, and my muscle mass increased. I think this is also a side benefit of the election.

To boost his name recognition, he embarked on an "Iron Man" schedule, resulting in less body fat and more muscle mass. Wen says he would instruct his staff to keep his schedule as full as possible, often leaving before dawn and returning home late at night. He describes it as an absolute physical challenge, and the secret to his high energy levels was the ginseng tea his mother brewed for him.

Wen Shih-cheng
Nantou County Commissioner candidate (DPP)
I take a sip whenever I’m tired. The taste is wonderful, it tastes like motherly love. Most importantly, it contains some secret ingredients, like vitamin B or something that my mom adds for me.

His words are full of gratitude towards his mother.

Wen Shih-cheng
Nantou County Commissioner candidate (DPP)
So actually the person it’s hardest for when I return home is my mother. Normally, she only needs to take care of my father and herself. Now that I’m back and living at home, she has to take care of one more person every day.

Wen, a dentist who returned to Caotun, Nantou from his hometown of Taipei, entered politics as an amateur. With zero experience, he gradually gained recognition, step by step. He now works hard to win the support of voters, hoping to bring change to Nantou.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#Taiwanelections #Nantoupolitics #Wenshihcheng #DPPcanddiates #DPPpolitics #weightloss #Taiwanpolitics

2026-10-07

Paper Windmill Theater Troupe tackles the zombie vape crisis

Zombie vapes are dangerous illegal e-cigarettes laced with a powerful anesthetic called etomidate, and they are causing a public health crisis in Taiwan. In response, the Paper Windmill Theater Troupe has come up with an anti-drug drama project targeting youth. Through dramatic performances, kids and teenagers are warned about the dangers of drug addiction. Both corporations and the public are giving financial backing to Paper Windmill’s project. Let’s find out more.

- Can I take a puff?
- You want to take a puff? Do you dare?
- Do you dare, you coward? Try it!
- I’m game!

Paper Windmill Theatre’s anti-drug drama project aimed at youth incorporates emerging drugs like zombie vapes into its plot lines to help kids realize that drugs can be disguised in many forms and quietly creep into their lives.

- Once you’re on drugs, your soul belongs to me. Come on, hand over your soul!

In recent years, the infiltration of e-cigarettes into schools, coupled with the threat of drug-impaired driving caused by zombie-vape pods, has become a key focus of anti-drug campaigns. The medical anesthetic etomidate, a drug that may end up laced in e-cigarettes, tempts the curiosity of teenagers. Paper Windmill uses theatrical performances to directly "highlight the key points" and tell kids drugs are dangerous.

Chen Chin-tsai
Chair of Paper Windmill Arts and Educational Foundation
Cultural drama performances can help children naturally understand the dangers of drugs and how drugs can get close to them.

Since its launch, Paper Windmill’s anti-drug drama project targeted at youth has attracted support ranging from traditional charitable donations to various industries, including technology, finance, manufacturing, and services. Launching anti-drug efforts in schools seems to have become a social issue of common concern across different industries.

Chu Chun-chang
Administrative Deputy Minister of Education
We hope to keep drugs entirely outside and prevent them from entering campuses

Alex Chuang
Chroma ATE
It’s actually an immersive performance, and children can learn about anti-drug knowledge in a subtle and gradual way.

Paper Windmill launched its campus tours in 2012 and has performed more than 1,200 shows in the past 14 years. To date, 123 companies have joined the fight against drugs, expanding the protection network for teenagers. Support for anti-drug efforts from all walks of life is urgently needed.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#Taiwandrugs #Taiwanaddicts #Paperwindmill #zombievape #Taiwantheater

2026-10-07