In a social media post, Lin said Pope Leo XIV acknowledged the orchestra from Taiwan during his remarks. During a group photo session, the pope praised and thanked the musicians for their performance and invited them to play an encore. 

Lin said the orchestra’s visit was part of the Foreign Ministry’s Taiwan Culture in Europe 2026 initiative. He added that cultural exchange allows Taiwan to connect with a broader audience through music, theater, and art. 

Taiwan’s ambassador to the Holy See, Anthony Ho (賀忠義), shared video footage of the event. Lin said he was deeply moved after watching it, noting the orchestra performed well-known songs, including “Tian Hei Hei” and “The Moon Represents My Heart,” bringing familiar Taiwanese melodies to the Vatican. 

The orchestra was founded at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Taichung under the encouragement of Maryknoll missionary Father Kurt Joseph Anderson, who has served in Taiwan for more than 50 years. In 2018, the government granted him ROC citizenship in recognition of his contributions. Lin, then Taichung mayor, said he arranged for the ID card to be delivered to the church, welcoming Anderson as a Taichung resident. 

Lin also thanked Ho, the diplomatic staff, Father Anderson, and the orchestra members for their efforts in showcasing Taiwan’s music to the Vatican. 

The IMD compares 70 economies worldwide and uses economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure criteria to determine scores.

The IMD website ranks Taiwan 5th in economic performance, 6th in government efficiency, 4th in business efficiency, and 10th in infrastructure. Taiwan’s highest rankings include 2nd place in domestic economy under the economic performance category and 2nd in management practices under the business efficiency category.

The report’s analysis attributes Singapore’s rise from second place in 2025 to first place to its business efficiency. 

Following Taiwan in the ranking are the United Arab Emirates in fifth place, then Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States.

The proposed “Special Act for the Procurement of Autonomous Unmanned Vehicles for National Defense” to be sent to the Legislature would fund purchases from August 1, 2026, to December 31, 2031, through a special budget. Funding could come from prior-year surpluses or government borrowing, with a possible extension subject to legislative approval.

Defense Ministry official Lt. General Huang Wen-chi (黃文啟) said the entire budget would be used for procurement, excluding research and development. Plans include 1,446 coastal surveillance drones, 208,200 coastal attack drones across four types, and 1,320 small suicide unmanned boats – figures consistent with earlier defense planning. 

Huang noted that larger drone R&D projects, Teng Yun II, would be handled separately. On counter-drone capabilities, he cited lessons from Ukraine, stating: “The reason Ukraine has been able to grow so quickly in the Russia-Ukraine war is that it has continuously accumulated experience by employing both counter-drone systems and unmanned systems together, using an iterative approach. In essence, it is the constant mutual development between offense and defense that has enabled rapid gains. As for the C-type counter-drone system, we will continue to review it and consider allocating funding either through a supplementary budget or the 2027 annual government budget.”

Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) warned that legislative cuts to a previously proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.6 billion) defense package created capability gaps. Cho added that the drone sector could drive investment, jobs, and non-China supply chains while strengthening Taiwan’s defense and industrial resilience.

The president delivered a speech upon arriving at the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents' Club gathering, and hosted a Q&A session following.

In his remarks, Lai noted that Taiwan overcame 38 years of martial law, undaunted by China’s missile threats, to hold its first direct presidential election 30 years ago. He said this declared to the international community that “Taiwan’s sovereignty resides in the people,” and, “Taiwan’s future can only be decided by its 23 million people.” 

President Lai stated, “Taiwan is willing to respond to the G7’s call and will firmly cooperate with the international community to maintain the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We also urge China to abandon its military buildup in the South China Sea, East China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, and to renounce the use of force against Taiwan.”

Lai continued, “On the principle of equality and dignity, Taiwan is willing to engage in exchanges and cooperation with China to promote peaceful and prosperous development.”

Lai said Taiwan is grateful for the G7 summit’s reaffirmation that it will not allow any party to change the status quo, especially opposing any attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion. 

The president voluntarily extended the Q&A session 20 minutes past the originally scheduled 40-minute allotment due to enthusiastic questioning from foreign media correspondents, 60 of which were represented at the event from countries including the United States, Europe, and Japan.

The minister said that the revised Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act would introduce criminal penalties for manufacturers, importers, and sellers of e-cigarettes, while also adding a ban on possession. Currently, penalties mainly target use, leaving gaps in enforcement that authorities now aim to close. 

Concerns have grown after reports that etomidate, an anesthetic drug sometimes mixed into vape liquids and known locally as “zombie cartridges,”  has been circulating among young students. Officials say the substance is classified as a narcotic and is being targeted through coordinated enforcement involving judicial authorities. 

“In addition, we will also be empowered to confiscate items on campus, and before our law is passed, we can temporarily hold them, then notify the health bureau to investigate,” Shih said. “When investigating, we will trace from the source… and track upstream to see where the product came from, cooperating with prosecutors to strengthen enforcement.”

Authorities are working with schools to increase inspections and student awareness, while requiring online platforms to take greater responsibility for removing illegal listings. 

National Taiwan University (NTU) led the rankings with a 54th position globally and 17th in Asia. This represents its strongest performance on record and makes it the only Taiwanese institution in the global top 100. Following NTU, National Tsing Hua University ranked 142nd, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University ranked 177th, and National Cheng Kung University entered the top 200 for the first time at 191st place.

QS said all four universities achieved their best rating ever, with Tsing Hua University posting the biggest improvement, climbing 34 places from the previous year. In total, 27 Taiwanese universities were ranked, with nine moving up, 13 declining, and five remaining unchanged. 

The report highlighted Taiwan’s strength in “employment outcomes,” with graduates demonstrating strong job readiness. National Taiwan University ranked 10th globally in this category, while National Chengchi University placed 65th. However, QS noted that this strength has not fully translated into global employer reputation, where many Taiwanese institutions saw declines.

QS Senior Vice President Ben Sowter said the results reflect Taiwan’s continued investment in research and talent development, particularly in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing. 

According to the press release, Lin hosted a banquet on June 17 in honor of two visiting U.S. House Representatives, Congressional Black Caucus Vice Chair Lucy McBath and Representative Valerie Foushee. The two sides exchanged views on Taiwan-U.S. economic and trade cooperation and regional developments.

Lin expressed hope that U.S. congressional friends like McBath and Foushee would continue to help deepen bilateral economic, trade, and technological cooperation.

McBath said that Taiwan and the United States share many common values, and expressed hope that both sides would continue to explore more opportunities for cooperation. She said this visit has demonstrated the Taiwanese society’s vibrant spirit of freedom, and that the Congressional Black Caucus is committed to human rights issues and will continue to fight in defense of democracy and peace.

CNAIC Chairman Thomas T. L. Wu (吳東亮) said at the event that despite challenges of global supply chain restructuring and digital transformation, Taiwan has achieved impressive economic results thanks to the concerted effort of the government and industry. He was confident that Taiwan’s economic growth rate would exceed 10 percent, propelling Taiwan to the top 20 of world economies.

Hsiao said in her remarks that in the face of rapidly changing international circumstances, the government and the business sector must remain vigilant. She said the government will continue to support industries and their infrastructure needs such as water, electricity, and talent. She said that in light of rapid advances in technology and AI, regulations must be both flexible and forward-looking, so that they can support innovation while maintaining social stability and fairness. Hsiao also noted that President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) continues to promote the ‘Balanced Taiwan’ policy, which helps traditional industries and the service sector alongside technology industries like semiconductors and AI.

According to the Foreign Ministry’s press release, Chen met with Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano and Vice Foreign Minister Victor Verdún. He also reviewed the achievements of a number of Taiwan-Paraguay cooperation projects.

Chen noted that Taiwan and Paraguay will soon mark 70 years of diplomatic ties. He said the two countries have engaged in fruitful cooperation across various fields, while bilateral trade and economic relations have continued to grow. Chen said this visit also aims to jointly plan future cooperation with Paraguay in areas like artificial intelligence, higher education, and smart transportation.

The resolution recognizes China’s use of various overseas organizations to carry out comprehensive and systematic surveillance, intimidation, and forced repatriation. Those include the abuse of INTERPOL mechanisms, pressuring academics to abandon research on sensitive issues such as supply chains, forced labor, Tibet, and Taiwan, as well as pressuring artists to cancel events related to Taiwan.

The Foreign Ministry said that transnational repression has become a major challenge posed by authoritarian regimes to democratic nations and civil society. It not only infringes on freedom of speech, academic independence, and human rights protections, but also threatens democratic institutions and social resilience.