Good Morning World: T-34 Trainer Crash Kills Two Pilots; Air Force Halts Training to Investigate

A T-34 trainer from the Taiwanese Air Force's Kaohsiung Gangshan base crashed at the northern end of the runway on the 2nd while performing simulated engine failure navigation training. No abnormal calls or engine failure reports were made over the radio. The control tower, notified by the flight advisory office, dispatched the flight management unit and first-line firefighters to the scene, subsequently issuing an aircraft crash alert. After extinguishing the fire, rescue personnel found both pilots, Lu Jiyou and Guo Junnan, deceased in the cockpit. The Air Force Command ordered a "Tian An No. 4" operation for all T-34C aircraft, suspending training missions to investigate the cause of the crash. President Lai Ching-te expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the two pilots on behalf of the nation and ordered the Ministry of National Defense to form a special task force to quickly determine the cause of the accident to prevent similar incidents, while providing full assistance to the families.

The 2026 COMPUTEX Taipei International Computer Show officially opened on the 2nd. President Lai Ching-te stated in his address that Taiwan's total stock market capitalization rose to US$4.95 trillion in May, making it the world's fifth-largest stock market. The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics has also revised up this year's economic growth rate to 9.64%, predicting Taiwan could enter the world's top 20 economies next year. He emphasized that these economic fruits are the result of joint efforts by the tech industry, manufacturing, SMEs, and workers, reaffirming Taiwan's indispensable role in global AI development. He also stressed that stable power supply until 2032 is not an issue, and the government is promoting a second energy transition to ensure stable power supports technological development wherever it goes. The Taiwan stock market rose 219.4 points on the 2nd to close at 45,557.31 points, a new closing high.

The Central Weather Administration has issued consecutive high-temperature warnings. The highest temperature on the 2nd was 39.1°C in Yujing District, Tainan City. The 3rd will also be hot across Taiwan, with areas north of Taoyuan, south of Changhua, and the Huatung Valley experiencing localized temperatures above 36°C, and Tainan possibly seeing extreme highs above 38°C. Scattered brief afternoon thundershowers are expected in greater Taipei, Yilan, and mountainous areas. A low-pressure system is forecast to affect Taiwan on the 5th, which, while not strong enough to become a tropical depression, will bring abundant moisture, resulting in localized brief showers or thunderstorms across the island, with heavy rain possible in western and southeastern regions.

Taiwanese fruits have overcome stringent international quarantine barriers, with the first shipment of approximately 6 metric tons of mangoes, lychees, and dragon fruit departing for the European market. Minister of Agriculture Chen Junjie stated that while past fresh fruit exports to Europe were small in volume, this systematic export represents not just a trade activity but the establishment of a fruit market bridge between Taiwan and Europe. The Ministry of Agriculture explained that European quarantine standards are extremely strict, posing high technical challenges in orchard management, pest control, and pesticide regulations. This first shipment not only relies on the cultivation skills of frontline farmers but also proves Taiwan's cold chain technology and quarantine capabilities.

Arm CEO Rene Haas, in his COMPUTEX keynote on the 2nd, stated that Taiwan's ecosystem has produced many very cool products, from major global brand smartphones and Apple laptops to smart glasses—electronic products he uses almost daily, all made in Taiwan. He said Taiwan's industrial ecosystem has produced approximately 250 billion Arm-core chips, and Arm would not be where it is today without its Taiwanese partners. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang appeared as a "mystery guest" during Haas's speech, humorously noting that "every time we announce a product, their (Arm's) stock price goes up," drawing laughter from the audience. Huang also said that while the global computer industry was previously limited by the number of actual computer users, the future proliferation of AI agent systems capable of autonomously operating computers will lead to tens of billions or more agent systems, robots, and autonomous vehicles using computers.

The first-day COMPUTEX keynote was delivered by Intel CEO Chen Li-Wu. Chen mentioned that he has been CEO for 14 months, and customers and partners have felt Intel's transformation, but this is just the beginning. He jokingly remarked that he is probably the first Intel CEO who can speak Chinese and "drink and build relationships" with important Taiwanese partners and customers. He emphasized that Taiwan has a complete platform from design to manufacturing, with obvious advantages, and that Taiwan's PC ecosystem plays a crucial role in Intel's development.

The World Health Organization proposed a vision in 2016 to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030. Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare held an international press conference last year, announcing that Taiwan had achieved the goal of eliminating Hepatitis C ahead of schedule in 2025, with diagnosis and treatment rates both exceeding 90%. An application for WHO certification was submitted early this year; if successful, Taiwan would be five years ahead of schedule and a leader in Asia. Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang stated on the 2nd at an event held by the Liver Disease Prevention and Treatment Foundation that while the final result is pending, Taiwan's prevention and treatment achievements were highly praised by international experts at the recently concluded World Health Assembly, placing it in the global top tier. He added that the government will relax health insurance treatment conditions and payments for Hepatitis B and focus on early detection of non-viral hepatitis such as fatty liver disease.

Former deputy superintendent of Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Chen Yao-li, was suspected of illegally brokering multiple patients to China for liver and kidney transplants since 2008, in collusion with nurses and a biotech company owner, profiting handsomely. The Changhua District Court sentenced Chen to two years in prison, suspended for five years, and ordered him to pay NT$5 million to the state treasury. The Ministry of Health and Welfare recently revoked Chen's medical license for violating Article 16 of the Human Organ Transplant Act. Most of these patients survived only 2-3 years after the transplant, with some dying from transplant failure or within a week of returning to Taiwan.

To strengthen measures against drug-impaired driving, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications is planning to amend the Road Traffic Management Penalty Act. Key amendments include increasing the penalty for driving under the influence of drugs from the current 1-2 year license suspension to license revocation with a 3-year ban on reapplication. Those using Category I or II drugs will have their licenses revoked and be restricted from reapplying even without driving, while Category III or IV drug users will face license suspension. Fines for first-time and repeat drug-impaired driving offenses will be increased, and new penalties will be introduced for passengers aged 18 or over who knowingly ride with a drug-impaired driver. The draft is expected to be proposed in June, with implementation targeted by the end of the year. Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai stated on the 2nd that besides the drug-impaired driver, passengers who know the driver has used drugs but still ride with them will share responsibility, facing a maximum fine of NT$15,000.

The Ukrainian Air Force stated on the 2nd that Russia launched a massive airstrike on Ukraine in the early morning, including difficult-to-intercept ballistic missiles, killing at least 11 people. The Ukrainian military reported shooting down 602 Russian drones and 40 missiles during the attack. Thousands of people seeking shelter flooded into Kyiv's metro system during the airstrike, with the sounds of air defense systems intercepting Russian attacks echoing throughout the city. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported on the 2nd that the attack on the capital resulted in 4 deaths and 58 injuries, including children. A suspected missile struck a 24-story apartment building, causing partial structural collapse, with people possibly trapped under the rubble. Another 9-story apartment building caught fire, also apparently due to missile debris.