The groups held a forum ahead of Teachers’ Day, saying students should learn not only how to use AI tools but also how to identify inaccurate or biased information. A 2025 survey by the magazine Parenting found that 92% of students had used AI while nearly half had never considered or did not know that AI could provide incorrect answers.

The social advocacy division at EdYouth, an NGO focused on educational reform, said students should also understand risks, including systemic bias, discrimination, manipulated images, and cyberbullying. “We believe the next step should focus on the systemic bias and discrimination produced by this technology, as well as risks such as synthetic images and campus bullying,” said its advocate Yu Chao-yi (余兆宜).

Teacher organizations said educators already face heavy workloads and cannot absorb additional AI courses without support. Speakers urged the Education Ministry to clarify whether AI literacy belongs in computer science, social studies, or language classes, and to enlist outside organizations and experts to help schools keep pace with rapidly changing technology. 

The current minimum wage is NT$29,500 (US$930) per month and NT$196 (US$6.16) per hour. Approval of another increase would mark the 11th consecutive annual hike. Labor groups say inflation should be fully reflected and workers should receive half the benefits of projected economic growth exceeding 11%. 

The proposal would raise monthly pay to NT$31,792 and the hourly rate to NT$211 (US$6.63). Confederation of Taipei Trade Unions Chairperson Chiu Yi-kan (邱奕淦) said an increase of 8% or even 10% would be justified. “The 7.77% we are talking about is already a concession,” Chiu said. 

Business groups countered that economic growth is concentrated in artificial and high-tech industries, while traditional manufacturers, small businesses and service providers face rising material, energy and labor costs. Labor Minister Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) said the committee would consider inflation, economic growth, labor market conditions and industrial development in seeking agreement. 

Speaking at the awards ceremony held in Taipei on Thursday, September 24, Deputy Foreign Minister François Wu (吳志中) said this year’s theme, “Where We Connect,” aimed to highlight Taiwan’s links to the world. Nearly 80% of the entries came from foreign nationals, while the number of participating countries and regions nearly doubled from last year, he added.

“Some works showed their love for this land and depicted stories of people striving for democracy and freedom; others shared, from the perspective of someone in a foreign place, how they found a sense of home and belonging here,” Wu said.

In total, 13 awards worth a combined NT$800,000 were bestowed upon participants who uploaded their short films or reels to platforms such as YouTube or Instagram. Some of those videos received “even more exposure than the Foreign Ministry’s videos,” Wu said.

Speaking to Rti in an interview after receiving the top prize with his former classmate Chen, Leung said he moved to Taiwan to study in 2020 and now works in documentary filmmaking. Their short film shows scenes including mountain trails, night markets, coastlines, and the Jing-Mei White Terror Memorial Park, with voiceover narration in Cantonese by Leung.

“Not everyone has the opportunity to come and live in Taiwan,” Leung said. Through this competition, people who have never lived here can get a sense of some things about Taiwan that are really worth appreciating, he said.

Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperation with the EU and like-minded partners to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific, defend the rules-based international order, and contribute more to global peace, security and prosperity, the ministry said this Thursday. 

In remarks to reporters, an EU spokesperson said that, provided it complies with relevant rules and practices, Taiwan should be allowed to participate in international organizations, especially where its professional expertise and capabilities can add value. The spokesperson added that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are of strategic importance to regional and global security and prosperity. 

The EU noted that Resolution 2758, adopted in 1971, is only 150 words long and transfers U.N. representation for China from “the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek” to “the representatives of the Government of the People’s Republic of China,” without mentioning Taiwan. 

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) welcomed the EU’s stance and reiterated that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign, independent country not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) said, “Any attempt to distort Taiwan’s sovereign status will not change this objective reality of the current status quo in the Taiwan Strait and the fact recognized by the international community.” 

The ministry said Resolution 2758 provides no legal basis for China’s so-called “one-China principle” and should not be used to exclude Taiwan from the U.N. system. Only Taiwan’s democratically elected government can represent its 23 million people in the U.N. and other multilateral mechanisms, it said. 

Video script: 

A whale shark has recently been spotted off the waters of Xiaoliuqiu, delighting divers and visitors who captured rare footage of the gentle giant swimming close by. The roughly 4-meter-long shark, with a unique spot pattern likened to human fingerprints, has sparked excitement among local dive instructors and tourists alike. 

“It’s the kind of thing you usually see abroad – basically, it’s rare in Taiwan, said Lee Hsiang (李翔), a local dive instructor in Xiaoliuqiu. Visitors were thrilled by the encounter, with Lee adding, “They were very happy. They felt it was worth the trip.” One visitor described the encounter as like being instantly transported overseas. 

Taiwan classified whale sharks as protected wildlife, and the Ocean Conservation Administration is now building a database to track individual sharks using their distinct spot patterns. The public is encouraged to photograph the left side of any whale shark they encounter – keeping at least 3 meters away – capturing the head, chest, and spots from the fifth gill slit to the rear edge of the pectoral fin. Photos uploaded to the official platform may qualify for authorization fees of up to NT$4,000 (US$126) per submission. If the shark is confirmed as a globally new individual, the submitter may even get to name it.   

Professor Hao-ven Wang (王浩文)of National Cheng Kung University’s Marine Biology and Cetacean Research Center said the Xiaoliuqiu whale shark appears to be male, about 4 meters long, and not yet sexually mature, possibly passing through a branch of the Kuroshio Current. For those lucky enough to witness it, the encounter is a once-in-a-lifetime highlight. 

The team included Liu Tang-shiun (柳棠曛), Chen Shang-yi (陳尚億), Cheng Hsu-yu (鄭勗佑), Yen Kai-en (顏慨恩), and Yeh Chih-yu (葉芝妤).

Following the match, Yen said the team felt less pressure going into the semi-finals, and that he believed they performed their best as they faced strong opponents. Yen said at least they reached their goal of standing on the podium.

“At least we won a medal, and that’s enough to satisfy us,” Yen said. He added that he believes it’s a good start and that the team will continue to aim for medals in other events as well.

Coach Chuang Pai-hung (莊柏宏) admitted that he knew the Chinese team would be their toughest opponent before the match began, as the team consists mostly of professional players. He noted that the win rate against the Chinese team in past practice matches was virtually zero, so Taiwan’s approach didn’t include a must-win mentality. 

The players were more relaxed going into the match than the previous day, Chuang noted, and they were able to win one round of the game instead of a clean sweep, which he deems a small victory.

Lai attended a banquet organized by the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce in Kaohsiung. In his remarks, he said that overseas Taiwanese businesses have worked tirelessly for many years, serving as an important bridge connecting Taiwan to international markets, talent, and technology.

Addressing national security issues of concern to Taiwanese businesspeople, Lai stated that through the collective efforts of Taiwan’s population, the country achieved 8.76 percent economic growth last year and 14.15 percent in the first half of this year. As the economy improves, government tax revenue increases accordingly, and the Cabinet will allocate over NT$1.3 trillion (US$41 billion) to national defense next year. Lai said this will mark the first time Taiwan’s defense budget exceeds NT$1 trillion (US$31 billion).

Paraguay has formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and Peña has made multiple state visits to the country. He has spoken out in support of Taiwan’s international space at UN General Debates for a number of years.

Peña said that while the Strait of Hormuz is today’s problem, a looming crisis in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in the Taiwan Strait, could become tomorrow’s. He said developments there would not remain merely a regional matter, but would ripple out to Japan and all of East and Southeast Asia, with the global economy bearing the initial impact. 

Peña stated that the potential for conflict is alarmingly high, and made clear that Paraguay will not remain neutral on this issue, but will stand on Taiwan’s side. He said that this position is not a matter of convenience, but rather stems from shared values of democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and peace.

Peña said Taiwan makes substantive contributions to peace, development, and human rights. Excluding Taiwan does nothing to strengthen the international system, but deprives it of a force that benefits everyone. He called this a stain on the United Nations. 

Peña urged the international community to move beyond words of support and to take real action instead. He reaffirmed Paraguay’s support for Republic of China (Taiwan)’s full and meaningful participation in the United Nations and its specialized agencies.

Representatives from Australia, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, September 22. They acknowledged that the strategic environment has become more volatile and fragmented since their last meeting in September 2025.

The statement notes that EIPP cooperation is rooted in shared principles and interests including democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and international law. It reconfirms the bloc’s commitment to protecting and strengthening the multilateral system based on international law and the UN Charter. It also reaffirms the group’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.

The document states a shared commitment to upholding the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), stating that disruptions of sea lanes like the Strait of Hormuz threaten the security and prosperity of all. It encourages countries to speak out wherever it occurs.