Good Morning World: AI Drives Exports and Investment, Q1 GDP Growth Hits 13.69%, a 39-Year High
Driven by a surge in AI demand, Taiwan's Q1 2026 GDP growth reached 13.69%, a 39-year high. Drone exports also soared, positioning Taiwan to challenge China's market dominance. However, the World Press Freedom Index saw Taiwan's ranking drop, raising concerns about information protection. Geopolitically, China's tech acquisition strategies and Middle East tensions remain prominent, while domestically, a high-speed rail radio interference incident occurred.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 09:01
- 🔍 Collected: May 1, 2026 at 09:31 (30 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 2, 2026 at 01:55 (16h 24m after Collected)
Central News Agency
The explosive growth in AI demand has fully ignited exports and investment, coupled with better-than-expected private consumption. The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) of the Executive Yuan announced that Taiwan's estimated economic growth for the first quarter of 2026 was 13.69%, an increase of 2.23 percentage points from the February forecast, setting a new record for the highest single-quarter growth in nearly 39 years. The 2025 data for the Hank Annual Misery Index, used to measure an economy's 'pain' or 'health,' was released, with Taiwan rated as the happiest economy globally in 2025 with a misery index of 2.1 points (lower numbers indicate better health). Regarding Taiwan's outstanding economic performance and continuous stock market rise, President Lai Ching-te stated that the government will continue to assist industrial upgrading and development, enhance competitiveness, and ensure that the fruits of economic growth are shared by all citizens. (Read full report)
The government's continuous promotion of the drone industry has shown results. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Economic Affairs on April 30, the top three export markets for Taiwan's complete drone units are the Czech Republic, Poland, and the United States. In the first quarter of this year, the export value of complete drone units reached US$115 million, exceeding the total export value of US$93 million for the entire year of 2025. It is estimated that by the end of the year, it could surpass US$250 million, indicating that Taiwan is gradually entering the global drone market currently dominated by China. Chiu Chiu-Hui, Director-General of the Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs, pointed out that more than 267 companies in Taiwan are currently involved in the drone-related industry, covering key areas such as complete system integration, power modules, communication, and flight control. Subsequent integration of central and local resources can further strengthen industrial chain connections and overall development benefits. (Read full report)
Tax filing season began on May 1. This year, the number of households filing taxes nationwide is estimated to exceed 7 million. Experts remind that when filing this year, pay attention to the increase in the basic living expense per person to NT$213,000 and the special deduction for long-term care also increased to NT$180,000. Citizens must prepare relevant documents in advance for subsequent verification. Various banks have launched differentiated feedback programs this year, offering installment plans with zero interest and increased cashback for different tax amounts and card types. Citizens can refer to the credit card offers compiled by the Central News Agency for readers to smartly pay taxes. (Read full report)
Reporters Without Borders released the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, with Taiwan ranking 28th, classified as 'satisfactory.' Although still leading among Asian countries, it dropped 4 places from last year and faces challenges in maintaining information credibility. China, due to detaining 121 journalists, ranked third from the bottom globally (178th). Wuer Kaixi, honorary board member of Reporters Without Borders, stated that although Taiwan has been democratizing for over 30 years and has a relatively relaxed legal environment for press freedom, public awareness of information protection has not taken deep root. He believes that 'the boardrooms of media owners and newsrooms that have never truly respected journalists' are the biggest obstacles preventing Taiwan from reaching the top tier of global press freedom. (Read full report)
Former Harvard University professor Charles Lieber, who was convicted in December 2021 for concealing his participation in China's 'Thousand Talents Plan,' which allegedly involved intellectual property theft, served 2 days in prison and 6 months of home confinement, was fined US$50,000, and ordered to repay US$33,600 to the IRS. Three years after his sentencing, Lieber has rebuilt his research laboratory in Shenzhen and is leading the Beijing-funded 'Smart Brain Center,' researching the implantation of electronic devices into the human brain. Some analysts point out that despite Lieber being sentenced by the US for concealing his ties with China, his ability to quickly rebuild a research laboratory in China shows that the US's prevention of militarily potential technology still cannot keep up with China's speed in acquiring technology. (Read full report)
US President Trump warned the Tehran authorities to 'get smart quickly' and agree to US demands for strict controls. Agence France-Presse and Reuters reported that Trump revealed during a meeting with oil industry executives that the US naval blockade could be extended for several months. The US news website Axios pointed out that Trump will be briefed by General Cooper, commander of US Central Command, on new plans for operations against Iran. It is rumored that the US military has also requested the deployment of 'Dark Eagle' hypersonic missiles to strike targets deep within Iran, hoping to make Iran more flexible in negotiations on nuclear issues. In addition, the Pentagon confirmed for the first time that the war in Iran has cost US$25 billion in two months and has exhausted the US military's annual ammunition budget, with expenditures still expected to rise before the war ends. (Read full report)
Taiwan High Speed Rail recently experienced radio interference that caused three trains to make emergency stops. The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office stated that the perpetrator was a 23-year-old university student surnamed Lin, a radio enthusiast from Taichung. He was searched and arrested by police and prosecutors on April 28 and released on bail of NT$100,000 after questioning on April 29. The District Prosecutors Office searched three locations, including Lin's residence and workplace, seizing relevant radio equipment and electronic devices. Lin, a university student in central Taiwan, used his own radio to impersonate High Speed Rail's radio parameters to disrupt train operations. It was rumored that he also cracked and monitored Taipei Metro's dedicated channels, but Taipei Metro denied this, emphasizing that it has mastered the process of this incident to prevent possible risks. (Read full report)
A high school in Berlin has incorporated Taiwanese literature and films into its philosophy curriculum. German teacher Momani, who designed the course, stated in an exclusive interview with Central News Agency that Taiwanese views on life and death are very different from those in Germany, not only not avoiding discussions of ghosts and gods in daily life but even being able to view death with humor. Momani believes that influenced by Christian culture, German society often regards death as a private and unspeakable experience. Therefore, she hopes to guide students to re-examine the issue of 'death' through Taiwanese literature and film works and inspire students to understand life from more diverse perspectives. (Read full report)
The Danjiang Bridge is expected to open on May 12. This bridge's main section is 920 meters long, spanning the mouth of the Tamsui River, connecting Tamsui and Bali in New Taipei City. In 2025, it was rated by CNN as a 'world-changing' great architectural work. The Danjiang Bridge took nearly 40 years from conception to completion. In 2015, the single-tower design by British Pritzker Prize winner Zaha Hadid, considering the sunset view of Tamsui, was selected. However, due to the engineering difficulty, domestic construction companies were daunted, and the project was once stalled. Central News Agency uses a 3D model to guide readers through the construction process of the Danjiang Bridge, showing how it became a world-first super project built by Taiwan.
The explosive growth in AI demand has fully ignited exports and investment, coupled with better-than-expected private consumption. The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) of the Executive Yuan announced that Taiwan's estimated economic growth for the first quarter of 2026 was 13.69%, an increase of 2.23 percentage points from the February forecast, setting a new record for the highest single-quarter growth in nearly 39 years. The 2025 data for the Hank Annual Misery Index, used to measure an economy's 'pain' or 'health,' was released, with Taiwan rated as the happiest economy globally in 2025 with a misery index of 2.1 points (lower numbers indicate better health). Regarding Taiwan's outstanding economic performance and continuous stock market rise, President Lai Ching-te stated that the government will continue to assist industrial upgrading and development, enhance competitiveness, and ensure that the fruits of economic growth are shared by all citizens. (Read full report)
The government's continuous promotion of the drone industry has shown results. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Economic Affairs on April 30, the top three export markets for Taiwan's complete drone units are the Czech Republic, Poland, and the United States. In the first quarter of this year, the export value of complete drone units reached US$115 million, exceeding the total export value of US$93 million for the entire year of 2025. It is estimated that by the end of the year, it could surpass US$250 million, indicating that Taiwan is gradually entering the global drone market currently dominated by China. Chiu Chiu-Hui, Director-General of the Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs, pointed out that more than 267 companies in Taiwan are currently involved in the drone-related industry, covering key areas such as complete system integration, power modules, communication, and flight control. Subsequent integration of central and local resources can further strengthen industrial chain connections and overall development benefits. (Read full report)
Tax filing season began on May 1. This year, the number of households filing taxes nationwide is estimated to exceed 7 million. Experts remind that when filing this year, pay attention to the increase in the basic living expense per person to NT$213,000 and the special deduction for long-term care also increased to NT$180,000. Citizens must prepare relevant documents in advance for subsequent verification. Various banks have launched differentiated feedback programs this year, offering installment plans with zero interest and increased cashback for different tax amounts and card types. Citizens can refer to the credit card offers compiled by the Central News Agency for readers to smartly pay taxes. (Read full report)
Reporters Without Borders released the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, with Taiwan ranking 28th, classified as 'satisfactory.' Although still leading among Asian countries, it dropped 4 places from last year and faces challenges in maintaining information credibility. China, due to detaining 121 journalists, ranked third from the bottom globally (178th). Wuer Kaixi, honorary board member of Reporters Without Borders, stated that although Taiwan has been democratizing for over 30 years and has a relatively relaxed legal environment for press freedom, public awareness of information protection has not taken deep root. He believes that 'the boardrooms of media owners and newsrooms that have never truly respected journalists' are the biggest obstacles preventing Taiwan from reaching the top tier of global press freedom. (Read full report)
Former Harvard University professor Charles Lieber, who was convicted in December 2021 for concealing his participation in China's 'Thousand Talents Plan,' which allegedly involved intellectual property theft, served 2 days in prison and 6 months of home confinement, was fined US$50,000, and ordered to repay US$33,600 to the IRS. Three years after his sentencing, Lieber has rebuilt his research laboratory in Shenzhen and is leading the Beijing-funded 'Smart Brain Center,' researching the implantation of electronic devices into the human brain. Some analysts point out that despite Lieber being sentenced by the US for concealing his ties with China, his ability to quickly rebuild a research laboratory in China shows that the US's prevention of militarily potential technology still cannot keep up with China's speed in acquiring technology. (Read full report)
US President Trump warned the Tehran authorities to 'get smart quickly' and agree to US demands for strict controls. Agence France-Presse and Reuters reported that Trump revealed during a meeting with oil industry executives that the US naval blockade could be extended for several months. The US news website Axios pointed out that Trump will be briefed by General Cooper, commander of US Central Command, on new plans for operations against Iran. It is rumored that the US military has also requested the deployment of 'Dark Eagle' hypersonic missiles to strike targets deep within Iran, hoping to make Iran more flexible in negotiations on nuclear issues. In addition, the Pentagon confirmed for the first time that the war in Iran has cost US$25 billion in two months and has exhausted the US military's annual ammunition budget, with expenditures still expected to rise before the war ends. (Read full report)
Taiwan High Speed Rail recently experienced radio interference that caused three trains to make emergency stops. The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office stated that the perpetrator was a 23-year-old university student surnamed Lin, a radio enthusiast from Taichung. He was searched and arrested by police and prosecutors on April 28 and released on bail of NT$100,000 after questioning on April 29. The District Prosecutors Office searched three locations, including Lin's residence and workplace, seizing relevant radio equipment and electronic devices. Lin, a university student in central Taiwan, used his own radio to impersonate High Speed Rail's radio parameters to disrupt train operations. It was rumored that he also cracked and monitored Taipei Metro's dedicated channels, but Taipei Metro denied this, emphasizing that it has mastered the process of this incident to prevent possible risks. (Read full report)
A high school in Berlin has incorporated Taiwanese literature and films into its philosophy curriculum. German teacher Momani, who designed the course, stated in an exclusive interview with Central News Agency that Taiwanese views on life and death are very different from those in Germany, not only not avoiding discussions of ghosts and gods in daily life but even being able to view death with humor. Momani believes that influenced by Christian culture, German society often regards death as a private and unspeakable experience. Therefore, she hopes to guide students to re-examine the issue of 'death' through Taiwanese literature and film works and inspire students to understand life from more diverse perspectives. (Read full report)
The Danjiang Bridge is expected to open on May 12. This bridge's main section is 920 meters long, spanning the mouth of the Tamsui River, connecting Tamsui and Bali in New Taipei City. In 2025, it was rated by CNN as a 'world-changing' great architectural work. The Danjiang Bridge took nearly 40 years from conception to completion. In 2015, the single-tower design by British Pritzker Prize winner Zaha Hadid, considering the sunset view of Tamsui, was selected. However, due to the engineering difficulty, domestic construction companies were daunted, and the project was once stalled. Central News Agency uses a 3D model to guide readers through the construction process of the Danjiang Bridge, showing how it became a world-first super project built by Taiwan.