Lin Chih-chung’s view: Passing the torch from generation to generation, mentors and peers united, society’s support—台積電 vs. Japan’s Nobel Prize in Physics
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 風傳媒
Retired Yang Ming Chiao Tung University professor Lin Chih-chung compares the success models of 台積電 and Japanese Nobel laureate Masatoshi Koshiba, emphasizing the importance of passing knowledge from generation to generation and of social support. He also criticizes Taiwan’s current policy of rushing to establish science high schools, saying it lacks careful consideration.
Facts
Chen Chien-pang divides 台積電’s 40-year development into 4 stages: success, rapid growth, flourishing and peak.
Jensen Huang said 台積電’s success was not the work of just one person.
Masatoshi Koshiba was a fourth-generation Japanese modern physicist whose academic lineage included figures from Hantaro Nagaoka to Shin’ichiro Tomonaga.
It takes at least 15 years for new academic discoveries and concepts to cultivate the next generation of promising scholars.
Koshiba’s team received support for its research from a range of sources, including the University of Tokyo, Japan’s Ministry of Education and 三井公司.
Writer An Hai-cheng (Hazem) published the essay “My Mother’s Land, My Mother’s Home,” recounting a trip to Egypt to visit family members displaced from Gaza. Through his mother’s absence after she was killed in a bombing and his family’s weary life, the essay vividly depicts the destruction war wreaks on family structures and mental health.
Facts
Hazem’s mother was born in Egypt and married into a family in Gaza when she was young. She was killed in a merciless bombing two years ago, her chest pierced by a steel reinforcing bar.
Hazem reunited with his siblings at Cairo airport after not seeing them for two years, but became aware of his mother’s “absence.”
Hazem’s family rents an apartment in Egypt, where they live with the wariness of people dependent on others and remain ready to move again at any time.
Hazem describes himself as an “early survivor,” burdened by guilt that he left to pursue his studies rather than flee the fighting and could not provide his family with tangible help.
Wang Chih-hsiung’s view: The flames in the streets of France reach Taiwan’s “three-no generation”
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 風傳媒
Wang Chih-hsiung, a professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, writes that protests in the streets of France and Taiwan’s “three-no generation” point to a shared crisis: government policies have failed to give young people hope for their lives. The article sharply criticizes lax fiscal discipline and mounting debt under the Democratic Progressive Party government, which have led to soaring housing prices, stagnant wages and heavy childcare costs, forcing young people to “lie flat.” The author says political polarization has eroded social trust and that the government should reflect on its contradictory policies rather than simply blame young people.
Facts
Wang Chih-hsiung is a professor at the University of Illinois Chicago who wrote an opinion piece about protests in France and generational issues in Taiwan.
Young people in Taiwan who choose not to marry, have children or raise children because of economic pressures are described as the “three-no generation.”
Taiwan has posted strong economic growth and export performance in recent years, and its stock market has repeatedly hit record highs, but individuals have not shared in the gains.
Since the Democratic Progressive Party took office, special budgets and government borrowing have accumulated without cost-benefit assessments or scrutiny for fiscal discipline.
Young people in Taiwan face a predicament in which working hours rank among the longest globally, yet overtime does not bring higher pay.
Large-scale street protests have erupted in France, reflecting deep-seated unease among young people about the future.
When young people in Taiwan want to start a family, they face a home-price-to-income ratio so high it is despair-inducing.
Chang Jui-hsiung’s view: Allies can be appointed, but accountability cannot be waived
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 風傳媒
Professor Chang Jui-hsiung says political appointments must balance loyalty with professional qualifications. He criticizes Taiwan’s current culture of patronage and urges the Lai Ching-te government to establish clear accountability mechanisms and put the merit principle into practice.
Facts
Donald Trump recently made personnel changes involving the U.S. ambassador to Greece and the White House press secretary, showing that he values loyalty and gives important posts to longtime supporters or allies.
The U.S. president can appoint thousands of political appointees, and political appointees in Taiwan likewise have a political character.
Successive governments in Taiwan have often faced criticism for political patronage in appointments to central government ministries, state-owned enterprises, government-invested banks and overseas missions.
Since the Lai Ching-te government took office, some ministries have struggled to advance policies, officials’ remarks have sparked controversy, and problems have also emerged in the management of overseas personnel.
A recent personnel dispute in the overseas community affairs system highlights the need to draw a clear line between public resources and private relationships.
The author says that when a minister performs poorly, the premier should push for improvements early, and should initiate an investigation and take action if serious misconduct is involved.
If political appointments are made mainly on the basis of factional ties, personal relationships and election contributions, genuinely qualified professionals will have little chance of entering government.
Teng Hung-yuan’s view: Can the legislature arbitrarily increase universal cash payments?
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 風傳媒
The opposition proposed a special bill to distribute 2萬元 to everyone. The Legislative Yuan’s decision to send it directly to a second reading sparked constitutional and fiscal legal disputes. The Executive Yuan and legal experts questioned its constitutionality and the lack of a clear funding source, while supporters cited legislative authority and the legitimacy of returning tax revenue. The Executive Yuan stressed the need for lawful procedures and fiscal discipline.
Facts
Article 70 of the Constitution of the Republic of China stipulates that the Legislative Yuan may not increase the Executive Yuan’s proposed budget expenditures.
Article 91 of the Budget Act stipulates that legislators proposing bills that substantially increase expenditures must first consult the Executive Yuan and identify a funding source.
Distributing 2萬元 to everyone would require a special budget, which must meet exceptional conditions such as an urgent national defense need, a major disaster or a major economic upheaval.
About 4500億元 of excess tax revenue belongs to local governments, while the central government’s actual increase is about 2500億元. Distributing 2萬元 to everyone would require about 4700億元.
The Kuomintang caucus, which supports distributing 2萬元 to everyone, says legislators have the right to enact special bills and that the procedure does not bypass the Executive Yuan’s authority to compile the budget.
The J-20 fighter jet has canards, so it definitely cannot be stealthy. That is a law of physics.
The U.S. professional basketball league NBA has established a strict salary cap system in recent years. Exceeding the cap brings hefty progressive fines and restrictions on strengthening the team.
Communist riots broke out in Paris recently and spread to Germany and Italy.
Different teams have won the NBA championship in each of the past 8 years.
Opinion: Putting conscience into a charter—the Tsinghua University president controversy and a moral lesson from an AI company
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 風傳媒
By comparing the Anthropic team’s cautious approach to AI consciousness with Academia Sinica Academician Lin Ben-jian’s moral accusation against Tsinghua president Wei-yuan Kao, this article explores whether conscience should be institutionalized. It questions whether academic authority is equivalent to moral judgment and argues for replacing personal moral pronouncements with charter-based procedures.
Facts
When faced with the fundamental question of whether models are conscious, Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah acknowledged that he genuinely did not know.
Anthropic wrote an 84-page “Claude Constitution” for its Claude model and invited scholars to discuss it after signing confidentiality agreements.
Of the 81 members elected to the first class of Academia Sinica academicians in 1948, 59 stayed in mainland China or later returned there, accounting for 73%.
Opinion: When the flag of protest is obscured by the thick smoke of arson, the democratic street has become a site of violent punishment.
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 風傳媒
This article comments on violence sparked by the recent escalation of protests in France, saying the burning of city halls and looting of businesses have turned the streets into a site of violent punishment. The author condemns these acts as a degradation of humanity and a betrayal of the social contract, and urges society to reject the justification of violence in order to restore the rule of law and justice.
Facts
Major cities across France have recently imposed curfews and stepped-up security as protests have escalated.
The protests have turned into collective acts of violence, including burning city halls, looting ordinary businesses and attacking law enforcement officers.
The author argues that destruction has never been the starting point for building; it is an outlet for intellectual poverty and moral cowardice.
Setting fire to a city hall violates the fundamental social contract on which society is based.
Street-level businesses and small-business owners are often the most vulnerable victims of street unrest.
The article identifies 3 destructive ways of thinking: “victimhood as privilege,” “anonymous fervor and groupthink,” and “indifference and tacit approval.”
The author is chair of 中華國際公共事務參與協會 and 台灣國際文教公益協會.
This work is not that merit: Lessons from the “sandbox principle”—talking about Nike’s Waterloo at 《寶元紀之丘》
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 風傳媒
Author Chang Qingrui applies the principle of virtual work in physics and the concept of sandbox testing to criticize former Nike CEO John Donahoe’s management failures. Donahoe pushed ahead with a D2C direct-sales and virtual-assets strategy without conducting localized tests, causing Nike’s market value to evaporate by 80% and stalling research and development.
Facts
Nike’s market value has evaporated by 80% from its 2021 peak.
Former Nike CEO John Donahoe promoted the Consumer Direct Acceleration (CDA) plan.
Nike actively severed ties with one-third of traditional wholesale channels across the United States.
Nike’s pipeline for developing high-performance physical running shoes was left empty for 兩 years as a result.
Nike shares hovered around $35 in late October 2026.
Nike made a major acquisition of top virtual fashion company RTFKT.
Consumers have turned to Hoka or On, brands focused on running technology.
Opinion: Waves, ocean currents and our sea—A fable about Taiwan democracy’s arduous path to “swim” forward
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 風傳媒
This opinion piece was written by an employee of 漢翔航空 and uses a fable about fish and the sea to draw a comparison with the current state of elections in Taiwan. The author says opinion polls are only surface ripples, while the real threats facing Taiwan are structural currents such as an aging population, a declining birthrate and young people’s economic difficulties. The author urges voters not to be misled by ideology and to confront substantive challenges through voting.
Facts
Original台灣六十五歲以上人口已突破兩成，正式進入超高齡社會。
Original台積電董事長魏哲家直言台灣未來最大挑戰是缺人才。
Local election polls often show that as many as 四成 or even 五成 of respondents are undecided or uninterested.
Young people in Kaohsiung, Taichung and the greater Taipei area are most concerned about low wages for young people and high housing prices.
Opinion: Seeing through unrealistic “anti-Communist rhetoric”
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 風傳媒
A financial industry writer criticized the pan-Green camp for using outdated anti-Communist slogans for political ends, noting that companies such as 聯發科 and 鴻海 still rely on the mainland market and manufacturing capabilities, and stressing the reality of mutual economic and trade needs across the Strait.
Facts
Pan-Green supporters accuse the Kuomintang and its supporters of betraying Chiang Kai-shek and failing to oppose communism. The author calls this an absurd, cheap political scam that shows ignorance of history and reality.
During the era of Chiang Kai-shek, the two sides of the Strait were in military confrontation. The Kuomintang’s opposition to communism was based on a state of completely severed contact, with flights and trade halted.
The United States has replaced the mainland as Taiwan’s largest export market, while some Taiwanese businesses have moved production lines back to Taiwan or to ASEAN countries.
聯發科 must rely on the mainland’s enormous end market to support its massive research and development spending.
鴻海’s deeply established manufacturing capabilities and supply-chain clusters in the mainland remain the most mature and irreplaceable.
Opinion: Changing the subject won’t stop the bleeding—Shen Po-yang should distance himself from the controversy over his father making “red money”
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 風傳媒
A young writer who has long supported Shen Po-yang says the controversy over his father’s alleged “red money” dealings has shaken supporters. The author criticizes official clarifications for skirting the key issues and urges Shen to publicly distance himself from his father to restore confidence among his core supporters.
Facts
Allegations that Shen Po-yang’s father made “red money” have left long-time supporters anxious and shaken, with some community allies beginning to doubt him and even experiencing a crisis of faith.
In the Shen Po-yang Supporters’ Association community, supporters who offer constructive suggestions are attacked and insulted by other members and labeled as spreading “rumors,” among other things.
The author earnestly advises Shen Po-yang to make a clear and public political break with the controversy over his father making “red money,” in order to take responsibility to his supporters and his political path.
Opinion: Must psychological assessments be conducted by special education teachers? An alternative way to look at education resources through funding
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 風傳媒
The article discusses how the time-consuming, low-paid work of conducting psychological assessments prevents special education teachers from focusing on student support. The author suggests that if part of the assessment work were handled by the medical system, the funding difference would be small, while special education staff could return to teaching and cooperation across systems could be promoted.
Facts
In Nantou County, compensation for each completed psychological assessment is about NT$1,400, but each takes an average of more than 24 hours, amounting to less than NT$60 per hour.
If the fee for each psychological assessment were raised from NT$1,400 to NT$2,000, total spending would increase by about 一千萬元.
The total cost of conducting assessments through the school system is not much different from the estimated cost of having the medical system conduct them.
Psychological assessments conducted by the medical system include more comprehensive psychological evaluations and professional analysis, covering areas such as brain function and cognitive characteristics.
If the medical system took over the assessments, full-time assessment staff in each county and city could return to teaching.
Rediscovering home under “anti-Taiwan independence”: Excerpt from A Reconstructed History of Taiwanese Popular Songs (1)
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 風傳媒
This article examines how the Kuomintang government in the 1970s used Taiwanese-language serial dramas such as The Qianlong Emperor and Wang De-lu to instill a greater-China ideology and reinforce opposition to Taiwan independence. Despite their clear political intent, the dramas focused on the everyday lives of ordinary people in Taiwan, unexpectedly fostering local culture and a sense of identity rooted in Taiwan.
Facts
The Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Empire never visited Taiwan. The crown prince who actually visited Taiwan was Hirohito, crown prince of the Empire of Japan, during the Japanese colonial period.
In the early 一九七〇s, Taiwanese society faced rural decline caused by industrialization, discontent among intellectual elites with Kuomintang rule, and repeated diplomatic setbacks as the United States and Japan moved closer to China.
Through television programs, the Kuomintang government instilled the ideas that Taiwanese people whose families had long lived on the island were all Chinese and that their ancestors came from Tangshan, shifting the focus of political repression to calls for Taiwan independence.
Though The Qianlong Emperor and Wang De-lu and The Seven Swords of Xiluo had political intentions, their plots were set in Taiwan, with the mainland homeland barely visible, making them a Taiwanese version of Mito Komon.
Author Chen Peifeng was formerly an associate professor in the Department of Taiwanese Literature at National Cheng Kung University and a research fellow at Academia Sinica’s Institute of Taiwan History. He is now an adjunct research fellow at the institute.
Latest work by Yoichi Ito, whose books, including the bestseller 『1分で話せ』, have sold a total of 1 million copies. 『君は、君だけの人生を歩め』, an Audible Original re-edited and published as a book, is now on sale.
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
株式会社ディスカヴァー・トゥエンティワン published Yoichi Ito’s latest work, 『君は、君だけの人生を歩め』, on October 23, 2026. Ito, whose books have sold a total of more than 1 million copies, presents in this book—an Audible Original re-edited and published in print—ways of thinking and guidelines for action to transform yourself after a setback.
Facts
Books have sold a total of more than 1 million copies
On October 23, 2026
His signature work, 『1分で話せ』 (SBクリエイティブ), became a bestseller, selling more than 720,000 copies
Seeking corporate and individual partners to help spread a search system using green lasers! An initiative to elevate it into social infrastructure for an era when flying cars fill the skies!
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
NPO法人光探索協会 is seeking equipment partners and insurance companies to help popularize a search system using green lasers and retroreflective variable QR codes. The system can search underwater to a depth of 10 m in disaster scenarios such as a Nankai Trough earthquake, and crowdfunding is underway on Makuake.
The 4th Japan International Arts Festival Summit will be held on November 5!
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
一般社団法人夢洲新産業・都市創造機構 will hold the 4th Japan International Arts Festival Summit at Daitokuji Temple in Kyoto on November 5, 2026. Government officials and corporate leaders will take the stage to discuss topics including carrying on the legacy of the World Expo and sharing Japanese culture internationally.
Stop letting your emotions control you! 『トップ５％社員の感情に振り回されない習慣』, a guide to emotional management for high-performing employees based on an analysis of 170,000 people, is now on sale
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
株式会社ディスカヴァー・トゥエンティワン published 『17万人の分析データから導き出したトップ５％社員の感情に振り回されない習慣』 by Shinji Koshikawa on October 23, 2026. Based on data from 170,000 people at 815 companies, the book explains emotional management techniques practiced by the top 5% of employees.
Facts
On October 23, 2026
Extensive data from 170,000 people at 815 companies
平川接骨院 marked its 50th anniversary on October 25, 2026, and operates a total of 24 clinics: 14 in Kyoto, 6 in Osaka, 2 in Shiga, and 2 in Hyogo. Management was passed from founder Teruo Hirakawa to current representative Kenshu Hirakawa.
[LOVEBOAT × NO COFFEE] First-ever collaboration. All 24 items go on sale October 25!
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
株式会社イーカムグループ has announced the first collaboration collection between fashion brand LOVEBOAT and Fukuoka-born lifestyle brand NO COFFEE. All 24 items will be available for preorder from October 25.
Record number of companies adopting the “CEO” title: up 1.6 times in 5 years, with adoption spreading in manufacturing and wholesale
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
According to an analysis by Teikoku Databank, the number of companies using “CEO” as the title for their representative reached 1,911 as of October 2026, up 1.6 times over the past 5 years. Adoption is also spreading in manufacturing and wholesale.
Good Morning, World》Typhoon Chiangmi leaves 1 dead and 616 injured across Taiwan; trees toppled and signs fell in many places
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 中央社 CNA
Typhoon Chiangmi left 1 dead and 616 injured across Taiwan, with agricultural losses of about NT$130 million; 工研院 plans to meet 50% of rare-earth demand domestically by 2030; CPC Taiwan says gasoline and diesel prices will remain unchanged; 亞馬遜’s cloud capacity is fully booked through 2027; North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits China.
Facts
Cumulative toll: 1 dead
616 people injured
486 people have been discharged
Estimated losses total about NT$133.36 million
Yunlin County suffered the heaviest losses, at NT$109.6 million.
Garlic suffered the greatest losses, totaling NT$53.07 million.
More than 340,000 households were without power at one point.
More than 15,000 personnel deployments were mobilized to carry out repairs and restore power.
In the 53 years since 工研院 was established
and by the end of 2030, it will reach
annual production of 500 tons
meeting 50% of Taiwan’s demand through domestic supply
Gasoline and diesel together have absorbed about NT$30.37 billion.
The average life expectancy of people in Taiwan last year was 81.27 years.
Could add 3.70 years
Rising to 84.97 years
Most capacity through 2027 has already been booked.
Orders for some production capacity are booked through 2028.
Capital spending in 2026 will reach about $220 billion.
Global nuclear power capacity could grow to more than 3 times its current level.
Protests by 410,000 people in France remain relatively peaceful; demonstrators say rising prices have left them no choice but to take to the streets
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 中央社 CNA
About 410,000 people across France took part in protests against the rising cost of living. A march in Paris ended relatively peacefully; the Interior Ministry and unions gave different estimates of the turnout.
Facts
About 410,000 people took to the streets nationwide.
70,000 police officers deployed
The 550,000 people who took to the streets last weekend
Trump confirms he spoke with Musk about the situation in Ukraine but declines to disclose details
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 中央社 CNA
Trump confirmed that he discussed the situation in Ukraine with Musk but did not disclose details; Ukraine says 星鏈 connections have returned to stable operation.
U.S. midterm elections approach; Trump votes early in his home state of Florida
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 中央社 CNA
The U.S. midterm elections will be held on Nov. 3. President Trump and his wife, Melania, voted early in Florida. Polls show the outlook is unfavorable for Trump, and Republicans risk losing control of Congress. If they lose, his legislative agenda will be constrained, and he could face congressional investigations launched by Democrats.
Ukraine's Starlink regains stable connectivity; Musk admits throttling service
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 中央社 CNA
Musk acknowledged that SpaceX had throttled Starlink service in Ukraine to prevent it from being used in attacks by offensive drones. The Ukrainian government later announced that Starlink and the military Starshield network had regained stable connectivity.
Facts
(中央社 report from Kyiv on the 24th, compiled from foreign media reports)
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022
Which gifts did doctors choose before the system revision? The latest top 10 ranking
Published ・ Source Japan | m3.com
Results of a ranking of the top 10 gifts selected for doctors before the system revision, based on furusato tax donation applications made through m3.com to さとふる from September 28 to October 11, 2026.
[Manga] A furusato tax coupon you can use even for an already-booked stay!
Published ・ Source Japan | m3.com
To meet the year-end rush, the article encourages readers to consider where to make furusato tax donations, noting growing interest in travel-related gifts such as accommodation vouchers. This year, the travel site じゃらんnet began partnering with さとふる, improving convenience.
An unforgettable breakfast and exceptional service: a doctor’s experience at a business hotel
Published ・ Source Japan | m3.com
The final installment in a series on doctors’ use of business hotels. Building on the broader trends covered so far—including rising accommodation costs, use of points, preferences for amenities, and shifts in brand loyalty—it focuses on doctors’ experiences amid busy schedules.
[Manga] Supervising physician vs. the top female student in the year. Muscles fade into the background
Published ・ Source Japan | m3.com
The popular manga series 'Medical Student, So What? Phase2' has been renewed, depicting the daily life of Megumi, who has advanced to her 4th year of medical school, and her classmates.
【泰合】 announces U.S. patent litigation over its 505(b)(2) new drug BEQIA (TAH3311)
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 臺灣證券交易所
泰合生技 announced that BMS and Pfizer in the United States had filed a patent infringement lawsuit over its new drug BEQIA. The drug's NDA is under review, with a decision expected in April 2027. The company assessed that there would be no material financial impact and will respond in accordance with the law.
Facts
泰合生技's 505(b)(2) new drug BEQIA (TAH3311) is the subject of a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer in the United States.
The patent lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for Delaware under case number 1:99-mc-09999.
The NDA application for the new drug BEQIA has entered substantive review, with a PDUFA target date of April 22, 2027.
泰合生技's preliminary assessment is that the case will have no material impact on the company's overall operations or financial position.
泰合生技 has retained U.S. legal counsel to handle the lawsuit and protect the interests of the company and its shareholders.
【訊連】Impact on operations and response measures after certain products were discontinued for download on Apple platforms
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 臺灣證券交易所
訊連科技 announced that some of its products would no longer be available for download on Apple platforms starting 115/10/24 because they did not meet Apple's requirements. The affected business accounted for 14.69% of its revenue in 114. The company has filed an appeal and is strengthening its presence on other platforms to diversify risk.
Facts
Some 訊連科技 products have been unavailable for download on Apple platforms since 115年10月24日.
Apple platform business accounted for 14.69% of 訊連科技's consolidated revenue in fiscal year 114.
訊連科技 has filed an appeal through Apple's relevant procedures.
訊連科技 products on other platforms, including Windows, Android and the web, are not affected by this incident.
訊連科技 will continue to strengthen its operations on other platforms and through other channels to diversify the risk of relying on a single platform.
Have South Korean retail investors run out of buying power? Funds shrink by 51 trillion won in 4 months, KOSPI falls for 7 straight days, AI credit risks add pressure
Published ・ Source Taiwan | 鉅亨網
Funds held by South Korean retail investors have contracted sharply, with investor deposit balances falling by 51 trillion won to 88.68 trillion won, signaling a potential decline in buying power. The KOSPI has fallen for 7 straight days and plunged more than 7% in a single day, while foreign investors continue to sell. Although retail investors remain net buyers, the shrinking pool of funds is weakening market support. Credit risks in the AI industry and semiconductor earnings are key variables for the market's direction ahead.
Facts
Investor deposit balances in South Korean securities accounts have fallen by about 51 trillion won from their record high.
Retail investors were net buyers of 44.17 trillion won worth of shares on the KOSPI market between June 4 and October 23.
Margin debt fell to about 32 trillion won in the middle of this month.