Good Morning World: 'Lost in Taiwan' Wins Booker International Prize; Author Yang Shuang-zi: 'Fortunate to be Taiwanese'
On the 19th, the prestigious British Booker International Prize was awarded to 'Lost in Taiwan,' making it the first Taiwanese work to win. Author Yang Shuang-zi and English translator Lin King shared an emotional embrace. Domestically, Premier Cho Jung-tai proposed a special defense budget and a comprehensive family support plan for ages 0-18, while the Taiwan stock market plunged. Social issues included a Hantavirus case in New Taipei and a hidden camera found in a Taichung department store. Internationally, Russian President Putin visited China to meet with President Xi Jinping, and Osaka Metro discontinued its use of Chinese-made electric buses due to quality issues. Additionally, Taiwan's ranking in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index rose to its best-ever position at 20th.
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- 📰 Published: May 20, 2026 at 08:51
- 🔍 Collected: May 20, 2026 at 09:01 (9 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 20, 2026 at 09:10 (8 min after Collected)
The UK's Booker International Prize, a major annual award in the global literary world, announced its winner on the 19th, with 'Lost in Taiwan' becoming the first Taiwanese work to receive this honor. At the announcement, author Yang Shuang-zi and English translator Lin King shared an emotional embrace. In her acceptance speech, Yang expressed, 'It is my fortune to be born Taiwanese; it is my pride to stand here as a Taiwanese writer.'
'Lost in Taiwan' is published in the UK by the independent press And Other Stories. Since its launch in early March, it has sold approximately 10,000 copies and received widespread acclaim. Stefan Tobler, a senior editor at And Other Stories, told CNA that considering the market acceptance of translated literature in the UK and this being the first time UK readers have been introduced to Yang Shuang-zi, such sales in just over two months are an 'extraordinary achievement.' Tobler also suggested that the book's captivating descriptions of food might warrant a new edition with recipes.
On the 8th, the Legislative Yuan passed a special defense act in its third reading but excluded commercial purchases and commissioned manufacturing projects. Premier Cho Jung-tai reiterated on the 19th that response measures include supplementary budgets or proposing another special act, and the final choice will be one that best meets national needs and complies with the Constitution and the Budget Act. On the afternoon of the 19th, Cho presented a special report to the legislature on the 'Procurement Special Budget for the First Batch of Letters of Offer and Acceptance under the Plan to Safeguard National Security and Enhance Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities.' On the same day, legislative caucuses agreed to allow the Executive Yuan to prepare the special budget. Cho is scheduled to report on the budget's preparation and take questions on the afternoon of the 20th, after which it will be sent for review.
Taiwan's stock market fell 716.26 points on the 19th, closing at 40,175.56. Foreign investors sold over NT$63.2 billion, marking the third consecutive day of net selling, with a cumulative total exceeding NT$118.9 billion. With the market dropping over 1,500 points in three days, there is concern about whether fundamentals have changed. The Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) stated that domestic listed companies' cumulative revenue reached approximately NT$19.404 trillion by the end of April this year, a 31% year-on-year increase, indicating that fundamentals remain robust and have not significantly changed.
To comprehensively assist families with marriage and child-rearing, Premier Cho Jung-tai announced on the 19th a full-support program for ages 0 to 18. This includes upgrading flexible parental leave to 'childcare leave' applicable for children up to age 6. The plan also promotes tax deductions for parenting-friendly housing and better planning for marriage, maternity, and paternity leave. The entire package is expected to be approved by the Executive Yuan on the 28th. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han stated that the government would cover the additional salary costs and plans to offer allowances for substitutes, subsidies for new hires, and other incentives.
On the 19th, the New Taipei City Department of Health reported that a man in Linkou was confirmed to have Hantavirus syndrome on the 18th. The patient was bitten by a rat while cleaning his workplace in Keelung on April 7 and immediately sought medical attention to clean the wound. On May 2, he began experiencing fever, chills, and weakness, and after his symptoms failed to improve with clinic visits, he was hospitalized. He has since been confirmed positive, and his symptoms have improved. The health department has identified 11 contacts, none of whom show symptoms; they will be monitored until July 1 due to the virus's incubation period. The CDC stated that genetic sequencing identified the virus as the Seoul virus, which causes Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and has a fatality rate of 5-15%. There are no reports of human-to-human transmission, distinguishing it from the Andes hantavirus that recently infected several cruise ship passengers.
A female customer at an Under Armour store on the 4th floor of LaLaport's North Building in Taichung discovered a camera pointed at the fitting room while trying on clothes on the 18th. She suspected it could record the changing process through the door gap and a full-length mirror, leading her to file a police report and post about it online. The Mitsui Fudosan Group announced it has initiated a comprehensive inspection of all three of its outlets and two LaLaport malls across Taiwan. The Third Precinct of the Taichung City Police Department investigated the scene, seized the main unit and camera, and summoned the store and manufacturer for questioning. The case will be forwarded to the Taichung District Prosecutors Office on charges of offenses against privacy and offenses against sexual privacy and false sexual images. The Taichung City Government stated it has sent personnel to investigate and demanded that the department store strengthen supervision of its tenants.
Russian President Vladimir Putin departed for Beijing on the 19th, just days after US President Trump ended his visit to Beijing, to hold talks with his 'old friend,' Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a video address to the Chinese people, Putin noted that bilateral relations have reached an 'unprecedented level' and that 'Russo-Chinese trade continues to grow.' Hours before his departure, Russia's Ministry of Defence announced a three-day nuclear exercise involving 64,000 personnel and 7,800 pieces of military equipment, including test launches of ballistic and cruise missiles to practice 'the readiness and use of nuclear forces in the event of aggression.' While China has remained officially neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war, Reuters reports that China is secretly training Russian soldiers, primarily in drone technology, with some trained personnel having already returned to the battlefield.
Several years ago, the Osaka Metro purchased electric buses produced by a Chinese manufacturer, commissioned by the Japanese distributor EV Motors Japan (EVMJ). 150 of these buses were operated at and around the World Expo (Osaka-Kansai Expo) venue last year. However, due to frequent accidents and problems, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism inspected EVMJ last October, and EVMJ recalled 85 of the buses. After discovering more issues during an inspection earlier this year, Osaka Metro decided to discontinue the use of this batch of electric buses. Starting on the 18th, Osaka Metro began moving these Chinese-made electric vehicles from storage to locations outside Osaka Prefecture, with plans to remove all of them by the end of June.
StartupBlink, an internationally renowned innovation research firm, released its '2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index.' Among 120 countries, Taiwan jumped 5 places to 20th, its best-ever ranking.
'Lost in Taiwan' is published in the UK by the independent press And Other Stories. Since its launch in early March, it has sold approximately 10,000 copies and received widespread acclaim. Stefan Tobler, a senior editor at And Other Stories, told CNA that considering the market acceptance of translated literature in the UK and this being the first time UK readers have been introduced to Yang Shuang-zi, such sales in just over two months are an 'extraordinary achievement.' Tobler also suggested that the book's captivating descriptions of food might warrant a new edition with recipes.
On the 8th, the Legislative Yuan passed a special defense act in its third reading but excluded commercial purchases and commissioned manufacturing projects. Premier Cho Jung-tai reiterated on the 19th that response measures include supplementary budgets or proposing another special act, and the final choice will be one that best meets national needs and complies with the Constitution and the Budget Act. On the afternoon of the 19th, Cho presented a special report to the legislature on the 'Procurement Special Budget for the First Batch of Letters of Offer and Acceptance under the Plan to Safeguard National Security and Enhance Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities.' On the same day, legislative caucuses agreed to allow the Executive Yuan to prepare the special budget. Cho is scheduled to report on the budget's preparation and take questions on the afternoon of the 20th, after which it will be sent for review.
Taiwan's stock market fell 716.26 points on the 19th, closing at 40,175.56. Foreign investors sold over NT$63.2 billion, marking the third consecutive day of net selling, with a cumulative total exceeding NT$118.9 billion. With the market dropping over 1,500 points in three days, there is concern about whether fundamentals have changed. The Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) stated that domestic listed companies' cumulative revenue reached approximately NT$19.404 trillion by the end of April this year, a 31% year-on-year increase, indicating that fundamentals remain robust and have not significantly changed.
To comprehensively assist families with marriage and child-rearing, Premier Cho Jung-tai announced on the 19th a full-support program for ages 0 to 18. This includes upgrading flexible parental leave to 'childcare leave' applicable for children up to age 6. The plan also promotes tax deductions for parenting-friendly housing and better planning for marriage, maternity, and paternity leave. The entire package is expected to be approved by the Executive Yuan on the 28th. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han stated that the government would cover the additional salary costs and plans to offer allowances for substitutes, subsidies for new hires, and other incentives.
On the 19th, the New Taipei City Department of Health reported that a man in Linkou was confirmed to have Hantavirus syndrome on the 18th. The patient was bitten by a rat while cleaning his workplace in Keelung on April 7 and immediately sought medical attention to clean the wound. On May 2, he began experiencing fever, chills, and weakness, and after his symptoms failed to improve with clinic visits, he was hospitalized. He has since been confirmed positive, and his symptoms have improved. The health department has identified 11 contacts, none of whom show symptoms; they will be monitored until July 1 due to the virus's incubation period. The CDC stated that genetic sequencing identified the virus as the Seoul virus, which causes Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and has a fatality rate of 5-15%. There are no reports of human-to-human transmission, distinguishing it from the Andes hantavirus that recently infected several cruise ship passengers.
A female customer at an Under Armour store on the 4th floor of LaLaport's North Building in Taichung discovered a camera pointed at the fitting room while trying on clothes on the 18th. She suspected it could record the changing process through the door gap and a full-length mirror, leading her to file a police report and post about it online. The Mitsui Fudosan Group announced it has initiated a comprehensive inspection of all three of its outlets and two LaLaport malls across Taiwan. The Third Precinct of the Taichung City Police Department investigated the scene, seized the main unit and camera, and summoned the store and manufacturer for questioning. The case will be forwarded to the Taichung District Prosecutors Office on charges of offenses against privacy and offenses against sexual privacy and false sexual images. The Taichung City Government stated it has sent personnel to investigate and demanded that the department store strengthen supervision of its tenants.
Russian President Vladimir Putin departed for Beijing on the 19th, just days after US President Trump ended his visit to Beijing, to hold talks with his 'old friend,' Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a video address to the Chinese people, Putin noted that bilateral relations have reached an 'unprecedented level' and that 'Russo-Chinese trade continues to grow.' Hours before his departure, Russia's Ministry of Defence announced a three-day nuclear exercise involving 64,000 personnel and 7,800 pieces of military equipment, including test launches of ballistic and cruise missiles to practice 'the readiness and use of nuclear forces in the event of aggression.' While China has remained officially neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war, Reuters reports that China is secretly training Russian soldiers, primarily in drone technology, with some trained personnel having already returned to the battlefield.
Several years ago, the Osaka Metro purchased electric buses produced by a Chinese manufacturer, commissioned by the Japanese distributor EV Motors Japan (EVMJ). 150 of these buses were operated at and around the World Expo (Osaka-Kansai Expo) venue last year. However, due to frequent accidents and problems, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism inspected EVMJ last October, and EVMJ recalled 85 of the buses. After discovering more issues during an inspection earlier this year, Osaka Metro decided to discontinue the use of this batch of electric buses. Starting on the 18th, Osaka Metro began moving these Chinese-made electric vehicles from storage to locations outside Osaka Prefecture, with plans to remove all of them by the end of June.
StartupBlink, an internationally renowned innovation research firm, released its '2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index.' Among 120 countries, Taiwan jumped 5 places to 20th, its best-ever ranking.