Good Morning World: Facing External Threats, President Lai Says Taiwan Must Rely on Strengthening Defense and Economy

Following the 'Cheng-Xi meeting', China announced 10 measures directed at Taiwan. It is reported that Hsu Shu-po, Chairman of the General Chamber of Commerce, will hold a press conference on the 20th, leading 7 major associations to express their stance, thereby exerting pressure on the government. The Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that Taiwan's economy has gradually carved out its own path in recent years and will continue to develop the five major trusted industries and 10 major AI infrastructure projects, closely integrating with the world without needing to revert to relying on China. The Tourism Administration urged the industry to resist undue pressure and stand with the government; the Mainland Affairs Council also called on the industry to refuse to be used as a tool to pressure the government, and demanded that the other side stop political manipulation and promptly begin negotiations with the Taiwanese government. (See full report)

The Central Weather Administration stated that the weather will be stable on the 20th, warm during the day, with local areas in Tainan and Pingtung potentially seeing high temperatures above 36 degrees Celsius. People everywhere should be mindful of the large temperature difference between day and night. The Huatung and Hengchun Peninsula regions will see localized short showers, and the mountainous areas of Yilan will have isolated short showers. Moisture will increase slightly on the 21st. On the 23rd and 24th, as a front gradually passes and the northeast monsoon strengthens, rain will gradually extend from north to south, with areas north of central Taiwan experiencing short showers or thunderstorms. Over the coming week, the 24th and 25th will see the widest range of rainfall, with almost the entire island experiencing intermittent localized short showers. (See full report)

Google has been deeply cultivated in Taiwan for 20 years, establishing its largest AI infrastructure hardware R&D center outside its US headquarters in Taiwan last year. In an exclusive interview with the Central News Agency, Google Senior Vice President Rick Osterloh highly praised the contribution of Taiwan's ecosystem, emphasizing that Taiwan plays a core role in leading the industry towards the AI computing transition. "Taiwan is crucial to our global innovation strategy." Looking ahead, Osterloh believes the scale of this AI revolution could be even larger than the rise of the Internet in 1995 or the mobile communications revolution 20 years ago. (See full report)

After Taiwan's real GDP per capita surpassed South Korea's last year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that South Korea's real GDP per capita will lag behind Taiwan's by $10,000 in 2031. The "Korea Times" reported that the rapid growth of Taiwan's GDP per capita is driven by the global semiconductor supercycle. A researcher at the Korea Center for International Finance pointed out that Taiwan's advantage lies in its fully integrated semiconductor ecosystem, which can swiftly respond to the surge in AI demand. The Asian Development Bank also estimates that driven by the AI-related export boom, Taiwan's GDP growth rate will reach 7.6% this year. (See full report)

Before the fragile ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran expires on the 22nd, Iran on the 19th re-imposed controls on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for global energy supplies. That morning, a Chinese oil tanker and an Indian liquefied natural gas carrier were seen passing through the strait, but vessel tracking website data indicated that the two ships appeared forced to turn back. On the other hand, as differences remain between Washington and Tehran on nuclear issues, the Iranian Students' News Agency quoted President Pezeshkian on the 19th as saying that US President Trump has no reason to deprive Iran of its right to possess nuclear weapons. Trump stated that US negotiators will arrive in Pakistan on the 20th to hold talks with Iran. (See full report)

A destroyer from the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force entered the Taiwan Strait on the 17th. As that day marked the 131st anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Japan of deliberate provocation, and the PLA subsequently announced military exercises in the East China Sea. The PLA stated that the No. 133 naval formation passed through the Osumi Strait in the Ryukyu Islands on the 19th, heading to the Western Pacific waters to conduct training activities. Experts analyze that since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's "Taiwan contingency" remarks in November last year, Sino-Japanese relations have fallen into a vicious cycle, where any current action could be overinterpreted by the other side, but the possibility of an accidental conflict remains extremely low. (See full report)

The Japanese Ministry of Defense announced that North Korea fired several ballistic missiles on the 19th, initially judged not to have fallen within Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone. The Japanese government stated it has lodged a stern protest with North Korea through diplomatic channels, and will closely cooperate with countries like the US and South Korea while doing its utmost to collect and analyze information. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said related analyses are underway; the South Korean presidential office has convened an emergency security meeting. Yonhap News Agency speculated that the launch might have been submarine-launched ballistic missiles. If the speculation is true, it would be the first time North Korea has fired this type of missile since May 2022. (See full report)

The Middle East war has raised external concerns about Taiwan's ethylene supply. CPC Corporation's New No. 4 Cracker project recently reached a preliminary consensus on carbon reduction plans with the Kaohsiung City Government. It was revealed that the New No. 3 Cracker will also be simultaneously upgraded for carbon reduction. The New No. 4 Cracker has an ethylene capacity of 1 million tons and an investment amount reaching NT$106.2 billion. It is CPC's first cracker investment plan on the hundred-billion scale in over 10 years. The goal is to use domestically produced petrochemical raw materials to drive domestic petrochemical manufacturers to invest in high-value products for 5G, green energy, medical materials, and semiconductor industries, promoting the petrochemical cluster to supply the 'protect the nation mountain' (tech) industries in the southern region. (See full report)

The Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage on foot has a history of over a hundred years. Its biggest feature is having no fixed schedule or route, relying entirely on Mazu's will. Residents along the way distribute supplies, meals, and connection gifts, considered a crazy upgraded version of the ancient "carrying meals on a pole." In recent years, due to rapid internet communication, it has gradually developed into a national religious event, bringing crowds and money. Amidst changing times, Gongtian Temple and local residents welcome devotees to worship Mazu, but also hope everyone can calm down, deeply experience and understand the faith left by ancestors, and continue to guard the core belief of "Mazu leading the way." (See full report)

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