On May 22, 2026, the Dublin School of Mandarin Chinese (DSMC) held its end-of-term ceremony in Dublin, continuing its long-standing tradition of celebrating students’ achievements and promoting Taiwanese culture and Mandarin education in Ireland.

The school was honored to welcome distinguished guests, including Gerry Horkan, former Senator of Ireland, and Eric Chang, Deputy Director of the Taipei Representative Office in Ireland, who attended the event and expressed their support for Mandarin education and cultural exchange within the Irish community.

The principal of the Dublin School of Mandarin Chinese wishes to express her heartfelt gratitude to the board members and teachers for their unwavering support over the years.

“It has been an incredibly busy and rewarding term! Together, we hosted two Film + Meetup events and ran three fantastic in-person cultural workshops: Mahjong, Ancient Bamboo Scrolls, and Dumplings. We also shared plenty of laughs during our Mandarin Corner sessions with Balderdash, some lighthearted TOCFL prep, and our book club. To our students: your dedication is the backbone of our teaching team. Best of luck to everyone sitting the annual TOCFL exam!”

In his remarks, former Senator Gerry Horkan praised DSMC’s continued efforts in promoting Taiwanese culture and Mandarin education in Ireland, “it's good to be here, nice to see Anna and Vihren again. Evan and her team are working tirelessly to promote Taiwan in Ireland, whether it is through the Mandarin Chinese language teaching and learning, culture workshop, film, or community work. Similar to the Irish abroad, who bring GAA, Guinness, trad music, and Irish dancing wherever they go, they are sharing the very best of their heritages. Taiwan is a country that I admire and have visited many times. It has been in the spotlight a lot lately—no thanks to the two mega-administrations. I think it is vitally important that we continue to support Taiwan, as the world certainly doesn't need another conflict.”

Gerry also congratulated the author of Taiwan Travelogue on winning the 2026 Booker Prize, as it’s an amazing achievement, which meant a lot to the Taiwanese community all over the world. He added “Evan mentioned you have a book club, who knows, that might just be your next book title!”

The highlight of the evening was the students’ presentations delivered in Mandarin Chinese. Their presentations received enthusiastic applause from the audience, with topics including Great Wall of China, Hobbies, Lunar New Year in Malaysia, Food, Travel in Taiwan, Jobs, Music, and even Easter Island!

The ceremony concluded in a joyful and warm atmosphere, marking another successful semester for DSMC and reflecting the school’s ongoing commitment to promoting Mandarin education and Taiwanese cultural exchange in Ireland.

Taipei, May 24 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Saturday offered condolences to the relatives of those killed in a deadly mine disaster a day earlier in northern China.

"We are saddened by the mining disaster in Shanxi China. My deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones and the injured and their families," Lai said in a post on X.

"Taiwan stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance. We hope those in need are rescued soon and may the departed rest in peace," Lai said, writing in the simplified Chinese characters that are used in China.

According to a Reuters report, at least 90 people were killed in a gas explosion at a coal mine in Shanxi Province, in China's deadliest mining accident since at least 2009.

The gas explosion, the cause of which is still being investigated, occurred late Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County, with 247 workers on duty underground, Reuters said, citing Chinese state media reports.

Rescue efforts at the mine were ongoing as of late Saturday, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

On the evening of May 20th, the Wang & Wu Foundation’s Fast Fluency International Tutoring Program (FFITP) hosted an English speech contest for the fifth-grade elementary school students at Luzhou Elementary School in New Taipei City, Taiwan. While it was nighttime for the FFITP teachers and student tutors in California, it was midday for the students in Taiwan. Close to fifty teachers and students participated in the event.

Each contestant would get up and walk to the center stage when it was their turn, then give a speech in English about themselves. Many started off their speeches with their name and age, then shared about their favorite colors, foods, or hobbies. Several students were more expressive, using their hands to gesture or bringing props, such as family pictures, to share with the audience.

While the contestants were speaking, FFITP student tutors were hard at work grading them on a multitude of aspects. These included tone, expressiveness, grammar, and more. There was not a first, second, or third place winner, but rather winners in different categories, such as Rising Star, Best Speaker, Best Voice, and the Golden Mic Award. The Rising Star category was the only category with multiple awardees. 

The Luzhou Elementary School Principal shared his thoughts about the event: “It is inspiring to see so many bright young students being brave and stepping forward to participate in this event. There is so much potential in our students, and I know everyone will keep working hard to improve their English speaking skills. This was a rare opportunity for Luzhou Elementary School students to practice both public speaking and their English speaking skills.

One of the participants said, “My teacher encouraged me to participate in this speech competition. I was very nervous at first. I was surprised that I was one of the winners. I really enjoyed the online conversation class offered by high school big brothers and big sisters. I learned a lot in conversation and I want to join this class again next year.

Wang & Wu Foundation’s Teacher Katy reflected on the speeches that were presented that night: “It was wonderful watching how far the students have come since the beginning of the school year. Seeing their confidence and pronunciation shine when they delivered their speeches was the very best part.”

Overall, this was a very successful first English speech competition hosted by the Fast Fluency International Tutoring Program and Luzhou Elementary School. We look forward to seeing more exciting events like these!

Taipei, May 21 (CNA) The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said Thursday that scooter ride-hailing is not permitted under current rules, after social media speculation that Uber was considering a pilot program in Taipei.

In a statement, the MOTC cited Article 34 of the Highway Act, saying commercial passenger transport services are limited to approved bus and taxi operators, and that current regulations do not permit scooters to be used for commercial passenger transport.

Drivers caught engaging in such activities face fines of up to NT$200,000 (US$6,340), while platform operators face fines as high as NT$25 million, with both subject to license and permit revocation, it said.

The ministry's response came after netizens shared social media posts showing Uber had texted selected drivers on its platform, asking them to bring their licenses and other personal documents starting Wednesday to its service center in Taipei's Beitou District for a "pilot program."

The message did not mention ride-hailing or specify what the program involved.

Taipei Taxi Drivers' Union spokesperson Lee Wei-er (李威爾) told reporters that, according to his understanding, Uber had previously submitted a proposal to the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism for a Beitou cultural promotion project involving scooter ride-hailing.

However, he said the plan was later rejected after the tourism department consulted the city's Department of Transportation and Public Transportation Office, both of which cited scooter ride-hailing as illegal.

Meanwhile, the MOTC said it had consulted the Financial Supervisory Commission on the matter, which stressed that passenger and liability coverage is not currently available for scooter ride-hailing services.

Insurance premiums are based on vehicle use, with different risk categories for private and commercial vehicles, the ministry said, warning that illegal commercial passenger transport on scooters could lead to claim rejections or disputes, leaving drivers and passengers without full coverage.

In a statement, Uber did not explicitly mention scooter ride-hailing, saying instead that it hopes to use technology to provide more convenient, efficient and safe mobility options.

Given Beitou's unique geography and tourism characteristics, the company noted that it is working with partner fleet operator Rides Formosa Co. to study how digital innovation can upgrade and improve existing local transport services, including the introduction of enhanced safety features.

Uber said the plan remains under evaluation, adding that it hopes to work with local fleet operators and partners to promote green and smart mobility.

Taipei, May 21 (CNA) The United States' top envoy to Taiwan has reaffirmed that Washington's long-standing commitments to Taiwan have not changed after U.S. President Donald Trump called arms sales to Taiwan a "good bargaining chip" in dealings with China.

In a Fox News interview that aired shortly after Trump concluded a trip to China and meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) from May 13-15, Trump said he was weighing whether to approve a US$14 billion arms package for Taiwan.

Later, when asked again about the issue, Trump said the decision depended on China.

"I'm holding that in abeyance, and it depends on China," he said. "It's a very good negotiating chip for us, frankly. It's a lot of weapons."

• Arms sales to Taiwan not a bargaining chip with China: U.S. scholars

Trump's comments seemed to violate the U.S. Six Assurances to Taiwan -- issued by former President Ronald Reagan's administration in 1982 -- which included a pledge not to consult Beijing on arms sales to Taiwan.

Saying it was Xi who raised the issue of arms sales, Trump seemed to directly brush the pledge aside.

"What am I going to say? I don't want to talk to you about it because I have an agreement that was signed in 1982?"

Asked about Trump's comments, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene told CNA in a written interview that Trump and other senior U.S. officials had reaffirmed that there has been no change in U.S. policy toward Taiwan "and that this stance was clearly conveyed to the Chinese side."

"This policy, which consists of the Three Communiqués, the Taiwan Relations Act, and the Six Assurances, has been consistent across U.S. administrations from both parties and has ensured peace across the Taiwan Strait for nearly five decades," Greene said.

He also said the recently concluded Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing had produced satisfactory outcomes for Washington, adding that "establishing a stable framework for bilateral relations will help enhance regional security, including in the Taiwan Strait."

The White House had also made clear that Washington does not see "stable U.S.-China relations and a strong U.S.-Taiwan partnership as being in conflict," he said.

Greene also said the U.S. welcomed President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) reiteration of Taiwan's long-standing commitment to cross-Taiwan Strait dialogue and maintaining the cross-strait status quo.

Washington hopes Beijing will reciprocate by engaging with Taiwan's democratically elected leaders "without preconditions and by reducing its military pressure around Taiwan," Greene said.

Asked about the Legislative Yuan's passage of a special defense budget with a spending cap of NT$780 billion (US$24.9 billion) exclusively for U.S. weapons systems, Greene said the U.S. viewed the passage as an "important first step toward meeting Taiwan's urgent defense needs."

"We now look forward to the Legislative Yuan working in a collaborative fashion to secure quick passage of funding for the remaining capabilities requested by the Ministry of National Defense, including drones and integrated air and missile defense," he said.

KMT chair's upcoming U.S. trip

Regarding opposition Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman Cheng Li-wun's (鄭麗文) planned trip to the U.S., reportedly scheduled for June, Greene told CNA that many American lawmakers and scholars were looking forward to meeting her in person.

He said many of them were interested in asking her whether the KMT leadership "is fundamentally changing the party's political orientation."

According to Greene, most Americans "associate the KMT with Chiang Kai-shek and the fight against communism," while many foreign policy experts view the modern KMT as a "centrist party" that has sought to balance strong defense and cooperation with the U.S. while engaging with Beijing "to preserve the status quo."

In recent months, however, international media reports have created the impression that the KMT "has started to adopt or emulate CCP positions on key diplomatic and security issues," while not considering the interests of the U.S. or Japan, Greene said.

"This visit should offer an opportunity to address those concerns, as well as clarify the KMT's stance on pending issues such as investments in Taiwan's defense industrial base," Greene said.

Greene is the director of the AIT, which serves as the U.S.' de facto embassy in Taiwan in the absence of official diplomatic ties.

Taipei, May 21 (CNA) Taiwan's drone industry is expected to expand significantly by 2030, with projected monthly production capacity of 100,000 units and 50 percent exported, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said Thursday.

Chiou Chyou-huey (邱求慧), director-general of the MOEA's Industrial Development Administration, said during a media briefing that under a government program to develop the unmanned vehicle sector, Taiwan's drone output value grew 2.5-fold last year to NT$12.9 billion (US$408.44 million).

Chiou said current monthly drone production capacity is about 15,000 units, but noted that the industry can quickly scale up as demand increases. He added that capacity is projected to exceed 100,000 units per month by 2030, achieving economies of scale.

Taiwan's drone industry is still mainly driven by domestic demand, with commercially produced military-grade products accounting for the bulk of output, the director-general said.

Currently, exports account for just over 20 percent, led by the Czech Republic, Poland and the United States, he said, indicating that in the first four months of this year, the outbound shipment of drones reached US$147 million.

By 2030, the export share of Taiwan's total drone output is projected to exceed 50 percent, he added.

According to Chiou during a weekly Cabinet press briefing on April 30, Taiwan's drone exports totaled US$93 million in 2025.

When comparing Taiwan and China, he said Chinese consumer-grade drones have a significant price advantage due to large-scale production. However, for military-grade commercial drones, where anti-jamming capability, autonomous flight and reliability are more important, he said the price gap is narrower, and Taiwan remains competitive.

Speaking about the XPONENTIAL 2026 unmanned systems exhibition that recently concluded in Detroit, Chiou said it featured finished products and key components and drew firms from the United States, Japan, South Korea and Turkey for potential cooperation, with preliminary business opportunities estimated at about NT$1.3 billion across optical modules, systems and thermal imaging.

During the event, he said Taiwan also signed memorandums of understanding with the Michigan Drone Association and the North Dakota Trade Office, focusing on autonomous flight, urban air mobility and shared test facilities to help Taiwanese firms access more complete testing and certification resources.

Taipei, May 20 (CNA) "Taiwan Travelogue" (臺灣漫遊錄), a novel by Taiwanese writer Yang Shuang-zi (楊双子) and translated into English by Lin King (金翎), has won the 2026 International Booker Prize, becoming the first Taiwanese work to win the award.

The win, announced Tuesday in London, came after King's translation of the novel received the 2024 U.S. National Book Award for Translated Literature, also a first for Taiwanese literature.

The novel already made history earlier this year when it became the first work by a Taiwanese author to reach the shortlist of the International Booker Prize.

First published in 2020, "Taiwan Travelogue" is a work of historical fiction set in 1938 during Taiwan's Japanese colonial era.

The novel follows the friendship between a Taiwanese woman and a Japanese woman through a culinary and railway journey across Taiwan, exploring questions of identity, empire and cultural exchange.

The annual International Booker Prize recognizes works of fiction translated into English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. Yang and King will split the £50,000 (US$66,200) prize.

According to the Booker Prize Foundation, this year's shortlist featured writers and translators from eight countries and works originally written in five languages.

The international reach of "Taiwan Travelogue" has continued to expand, with translation rights sold in more than 20 languages, including English, Japanese, Korean, German and Dutch.

CEDAR GROVE, NJ — On Sunday, May 17, 2026, FASCA Princeton (Formosa Association of Student Cultural Ambassadors) and TCML-Tzu Chi (Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning) jointly hosted the Dragon Boat Festival Cultural Experience Day in a Fun and Easy Way, offering American adult learners a unique opportunity to explore Mandarin language and Taiwanese cultural traditions through hands-on activities.

Held in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, the event brought together over 40 participants, including FASCA Princeton cultural ambassadors, TCML-Tzu Chi adult Mandarin learners, and fourth- through sixth-grade students from North Tzu Chi Academy Chinese School, creating a vibrant, multigenerational learning environment.

For many TCML adult learners, the event provided an eye-opening introduction to one of the most important traditional holidays in Taiwanese and Chinese culture. Through bilingual presentations, storytelling, crafts, games, and food, participants gained a deeper understanding of the Dragon Boat Festival beyond textbook learning.

Throughout the morning, FASCA members introduced the festival’s origins and customs, explaining that the Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month and will be celebrated on June 19 this year. Participants learned the holiday’s many alternative names, including the Double Fifth Festival, Poet’s Day, Zongzi Festival, and Mugwort Festival.

FASCA members also shared the story of Qu Yuan, the patriotic poet whose sacrifice inspired dragon boat racing and the tradition of eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings). Participants explored the Legend of the White Snake and learned how folklore influenced customs still practiced today.

“I’ve studied Mandarin for a while, but this was my first time truly understanding the meaning behind the Dragon Boat Festival,” shared one TCML adult learner. “Learning the traditions, stories, and even proper greetings made the culture feel much more personal.”

Participants were particularly curious about why people traditionally say “端午安康” (Good Health on Dragon Boat Festival) rather than “Happy Dragon Boat Festival,” as the holiday emphasizes remembrance, protection, and wellness. They also discovered cultural customs, such as why can’t we give a string of zongzi as a gift, and the symbolic role of mugwort in warding off illness during the warmer months.

Hands-on cultural activities quickly became the highlight of the event. Under the guidance of TCML teachers, FASCA members helped participants make fragrant sachets (香包) filled with herbs believed to repel insects and bring blessings. Participants also made mugwort door hangings (艾草掛飾) and practiced writing “端午安康” on red paper to decorate their handmade crafts.

“As second-generation Taiwanese Americans, we want to share traditions that are important to our heritage in ways that feel fun and approachable,” said FASCA member Jaslene Jen. “It was rewarding to see learners of all ages genuinely excited about Taiwanese culture.”

The excitement continued with an interactive Dragon Boat Festival quiz led by FASCA Princeton counselor Tina Liu, where participants eagerly tested their knowledge of festival traditions and history.

No Dragon Boat Festival celebration would be complete without food. Participants enjoyed sweet and savory zongzi and tea eggs, giving many first-time learners an authentic taste of the holiday.

“Thank you to FASCA for the wonderful presentation and support,” said TCML teacher Jenny Chang. “Our students gained so much knowledge while having fun, and it truly deepened their understanding of both language and culture.”

Reported by FASCA Princeton – Grace Ni and Jaslene Jen

On a stretch of open land in southern Taiwan, an engineer from Thunder Tiger Corp. wearing first-person view goggles guides an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) through a series of sharp turns before bringing it down for a controlled landing.

Nearby, at the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center in Chiayi County, Taiwanese drone maker 7A Drones Co., Ltd. is testing a multirotor drone with engineers from French company Parrot Drones SAS.

As the aircraft hovers overhead, the teams monitor flight data on laptops and discuss design adjustments aimed at improving stability and maneuverability.

The center, once a vacant site described by local officials as a "wasteland," has become a key base for Taiwan's push to develop a trusted drone supply chain at a time of rising demand for alternatives to Chinese-made UAVs.

It now hosts more than 50 drone companies and institutions and has received representatives from 36 companies around the world for exchanges with Taiwanese firms based at the site.

From idle campus to drone cluster

Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang (翁章梁) recalled to CNA how the center was established in Puzi City.

The 5,000-ping (16,528-square-meter) site had been vacant since the National Taiwan University of Sport's Chiayi campus moved out in 2015, prompting the county government to look for ways to reactivate the land.

A drone center was not the original plan.

After taking office in 2018, Weng began encouraging drone companies to set up operations there after learning that the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology planned to build a drone-focused facility in nearby Minxiong Township.

Weng said he was unsure whether companies would accept the invitation, as the site had been idle for years and "looked like a wasteland."

At the time, Taiwan's drone industry was still in its early stages, with local governments competing to attract companies and no clear policy direction from the central government, making funding difficult to secure, he said.

Still, several companies moved in and gradually formed a cluster. They later told Weng the site's spaciousness and clear airspace made it ideal for test flights.

"What we saw as a disadvantage was in fact an advantage for drone companies," he said.

That became the foundation of the county government's R&D center project in 2020.

When inaugurating the Asia UAV R&D Center in August 2022, then-President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) announced plans for a Taiwan drone alliance integrating the public, private and research sectors, and expressed hope that Chiayi could become a new aerospace hub.

The policy direction boosted confidence among companies and institutions, attracting support from the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), the Civil Aviation Administration and certification bodies, Weng said.

Building a trusted supply chain

Taiwan's drone industry gained new urgency after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine relied heavily on drones in asymmetric warfare, initially sourcing many from China-based DJI.

However, cybersecurity concerns grew after reports that DJI's AeroScope system could track the positions of drone operators, fueling demand for trusted, non-Chinese supply chains.

Economics Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) told CNA that Taiwan has signed memorandums of understanding with France, the United States, Poland and the Czech Republic, all of which are seeking alternatives to Chinese supply chains.

Eastern European countries located near authoritarian powers have especially pressing needs, he said.

After taking office in May 2024, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) named drones one of Taiwan's five "trustworthy industries" aimed at strengthening ties with democratic partners.

More importantly, Kung said, drones are essentially "flying computers."

If Taiwan succeeds in developing drones free of Chinese-made components, it could drive growth across other unmanned systems industries, including land and marine vehicles, as well as low-orbit satellites, he said.

Expanding the industry

Industrial Technology Research Institute Chairman Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) said the institute is seeking partnerships with startups around the world to complement Taiwan's hardware strengths and improve its software capabilities and system integration.

The U.S.-based Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International is also planning to establish its first overseas Green UAS certification mechanism in Taiwan, Wu said.

That would allow Taiwanese firms to obtain certification without traveling to the U.S., he added.

Green UAS certification verifies that commercial drones meet cybersecurity and supply chain standards under U.S. defense regulations.

Kung said Taiwan also needs to develop unmanned systems to strengthen national defense and resilience.

Commercial drones also have broad civilian applications, including infrastructure inspection, flood monitoring, disaster rescue and agricultural spraying, he said.

Government agencies are planning to purchase tens of thousands of drones over the next three years to support smart city initiatives, Kung added.

Several Taiwanese firms have also begun expanding internationally.

Carbon Based Technology Inc., previously focused on military drones for the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, is now developing dual-use drones for both defense and commercial markets.

Thunder Tiger, originally a remote-controlled aircraft maker, has transformed into a drone company and was added in February to the U.S. Department of Defense Blue UAS list, which covers drones that meet cybersecurity standards.

Both companies, along with 7A Drones, which deployed drones during the Hualien County Matai'an Creek barrier lake disaster, have established operations at the Chiayi R&D Center.

Weng said the county government has acquired land in nearby Taibao City for a second base to meet growing demand from companies seeking to join the cluster.

The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology has also announced plans for an aerospace and drone industrial park in Minxiong.

The park is scheduled for completion in 2028 and is expected to host more than 100 companies.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has established an "unmanned vehicle project conference" led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) to coordinate inter-agency resources and elevate the Chiayi center into a national strategic project.

According to MOEA data, the industry's output value reached NT$12.9 billion (US$407.72 million) in 2025, a 2.5-fold increase from 2024, while exports totaled NT$2.95 billion.

Growth has continued into 2026, with first-quarter exports already surpassing the total for all of 2025.

Over the past few years, Taiwan's drone sector has grown from scattered startups into a government-backed supply chain aimed at serving both domestic needs and overseas markets looking for trusted alternatives to Chinese-made UAVs.

Taipei, May 18 (CNA) Taiwan has been invited for the first time to submit suggestions on possible solutions for NASA's lunar exploration program, which the head of Taiwan's space agency hopes will help the country gain a foothold in the emerging global "lunar economy."

Securing the invitation will enable Taiwanese companies to bypass third-party system contractors and work directly with the end-user, in this case NASA, Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) Director-General Wu Jong-shinn (吳宗信) said in an interview with CNA in late April.

Formally known as a "request for information" (RFI), the invitation was issued by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to get input on 32 technical gaps in its Artemis lunar exploration program.

Artemis, led by NASA in collaboration with international and commercial partners, aims to land humans on the moon by 2028 and establish a long-term lunar base by 2030.

A foot in the door?

RFIs are generally issued during the planning stages of projects to learn what solutions are available and better understand potential vendors.

An RFI is not a contract opportunity, but it will give Taiwan a chance to introduce its space capabilities, and NASA will use the information it gets to inform future acquisitions.

Wu said Taiwan's space development has progressed steadily over the past two decades, evolving from a user of foreign technologies into a provider of technology and data and, increasingly, an international partner.

Taiwan's space industry currently generates nearly NT$300 billion (US$9.5 billion) in annual output value, Wu said, and the rise of the lunar economy could create new momentum for growth.

Specializing in contract manufacturing, Taiwanese companies have historically been excluded from higher-value design contracts because they lacked access to final operational scenarios, Wu said, a trend he hoped the NASA RFI could change.

Wu believed that Taiwan's semiconductors and precision machinery sector would give it an indispensable role in space technologies, especially as a permanent lunar base would need extensive automation, which depends on semiconductors.

But he also argued that Taiwan's participation in the space economy needed to move toward system integration capabilities.

The RFI included requests for information on infrastructure capable of withstanding the moon's extreme environment -- near-vacuum conditions, high radiation exposure and gravity about one-sixth that of Earth -- as well as advanced computing technologies for space operations.

Those requests went beyond simple solutions, and to strengthen Taiwan's response, TASA plans to integrate resources from the private and public sectors and academia to form a "national team" capable of addressing NASA's technology needs, Wu said.

The agency will also assess Taiwanese companies with the necessary capabilities and focus on key technologies with broad applications and long-term industrial value, he said.

Legal basis for direct cooperation

Aside from the NASA RFI opportunity, Wu said a proposed Taiwan-America Space Assistance Act, which recently cleared committee review in both chambers of the U.S. Congress and now awaits consideration by the full House and Senate, could also provide commercial openings for Taiwan.

The bill would authorize direct cooperation between TASA, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on satellite programs, space exploration and atmospheric research.

Taiwan is once again on the sidelines as the World Health Assembly begins its 79th annual meeting. The country last attended as an observer in 2016 and has since been excluded amid apparent pressure from China. This year, however, Taiwanese officials are joined by the World Medical Association in calling for the country's participation in international organizations, while Taiwanese supporters from around Europe hold a sideline parade to highlight Taiwan's contributions to global healthcare.

Taipei, May 17 (CNA) Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) is in Geneva to attend Taiwan-organized events coinciding with the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA), making him Taiwan's first top diplomat to visit the Swiss city during the annual gathering.

In a Facebook post Sunday, Lin said he had arrived in Geneva and had already attended two events there with Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良).

Taiwan was not invited to the WHA for a 10th consecutive year, but it is again staging events in Geneva, where the WHO is headquartered and the WHA is held, to coincide with the assembly.

No Taiwanese foreign minister had previously made a public visit to attend Taiwan's WHA action team events, which are jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and Ministry of Health and Welfare and normally attended by the country's health minister.

Though Lin had said on May 11 he would try to make the trip, it was thought he would face obstacles in arranging the visit.

Taiwan and Switzerland do not maintain official diplomatic ties, making it difficult for Taiwan's top diplomat to visit Geneva in an official capacity.

China has also aggressively moved to block top Taiwanese officials from traveling overseas, though it is unclear if it took any steps to prevent Lin's trip.

Neither Lin nor MOFA had explained as of Sunday afternoon how Lin was able to travel to Geneva.

Lin said the two events he and Shih attended on Saturday were an annual symposium organized by the European Federation of Taiwan Health Alliance (EFTHA), an NGO that connects overseas Taiwanese healthcare workers in Europe, and a dinner banquet hosted by the health ministers and permanent representatives of allied nations in Geneva.

"Although Taiwan was not invited to participate in the WHA again this year, we have never been absent from the critical moments whenever the global public health system needs Taiwan," Lin wrote.

According to Taiwan's representative office in Geneva, Lin and Shih also held a press event on Sunday to release a government-produced promotional video calling for Taiwan's inclusion in the WHA.

The WHA is the annual decision-making meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO). Taiwan has not attended the assembly since 2016, when it participated as an observer during a period of warmer ties with Beijing.

The 79th WHA is scheduled to take place in Geneva from May 18-23, bringing together WHO member states to set global health policies and priorities.

Taiwan has not received an invitation to attend, and China said last week that it had decided not to agree to the "Taiwan region" participating in this year's WHA.

Taipei, May 15 (CNA) An Indonesian university delegation recently visited Taiwan to promote academic cooperation with local institutions in fields such as medicine, engineering and agriculture, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said Friday.

Led by Ova Emilia, president of Gadjah Mada University, the delegation visited Taiwan from May 4 to 8 and toured several universities, including National Chung Hsing University, Feng Chia University, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and National Chengchi University, the MOE said in a news release.

Gadjah Mada University, based in Yogyakarta, is Indonesia's oldest national research university and ranks among the world's top 100-150 in archaeology, modern languages, accounting and finance, English literature and agricultural technology, among other disciplines, the MOE said.

The university is best known for requiring students to complete community service in rural and underserved areas before graduation, sending more than 7,000 students each year across Indonesia to address local needs and challenges.

During the Taiwan visit, the delegation also exchanged views with local universities on academic practices in fields including medicine, engineering and agriculture, with hopes of expanding student and faculty exchanges and establishing dual-degree programs.

According to the MOE, there were a total of 18,740 Indonesian students in Taiwan in 2025, including 13,957 in degree programs and 4,783 in nondegree programs, making Indonesia the second-largest source of international students in Taiwan.

In recent years, universities in Taiwan and Indonesia have signed 1,337 academic exchange agreements, the ministry said, adding that the Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES) program was also offered to 40 Indonesian students for the 2025-2026 academic year.

The MOE's HES program supports international students studying Mandarin in Taiwan to improve their language skills and deepen their understanding of Taiwanese culture.