July 1: Several temples in Miaoli recently received official documents from the Miaoli County Reserve Command requesting their assistance in transporting ammunition from pre-garrison points to open spaces inside the temples. This raised public concern over whether the pre-gathering points would lead to street combat in time of war. Some temples are worried that the summer heat may cause explosions and refused.
However, the Reserve Command clarified that this is part of the Han Kuang Exercise No. 40; the military will not actually open ammunition storage points at these locations.
July 1: In response to Taiwan's globally low birth rate, Premier Cho Jung-tai proposed that household registration offices could provide information on unmarried young people of marriageable age or couples who have been married for several years but have not yet had children. This information would be used to introduce incentive policies. Opposition parties criticized this suggestion as an intrusion of privacy and likened it to pressuring people to marry and have children. Legal experts also called for self-restraint by the executive branch.
July 1: Taiwan faces tight green energy supply. Google and BlackRock Climate Infrastructure jointly announced an investment in Taiwan's solar energy developer, New Green Power, for a 1 GW solar energy project. This marks the first instance of a company setting up a large-scale data center in Taiwan with its own investment in green energy. The actions of AWS and Microsoft in response to this development are being closely watched.
July 1: Mainland China announced in April that it would permit residents of Fujian Province to visit Matsu. A delegation led by Han Ming, chairman of the Fuzhou Tourism Association, recently completed an inspection tour of Matsu. Han stated that it will develop tourism products based on the inspection and expand the market for Fujian residents traveling to Matsu. The Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) of the mainland's State Council responded by welcoming mainland tourists to promptly apply for travel to Matsu and Kinmen subject to the usual review process.
July 2: President Lai Ching-te's new "Two State Theory" has escalated cross-strait tensions. Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chie of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) criticized mainland China's overreaction, emphasizing that whether referring to "cross-strait relations" or the Republic of China (ROC) and People's Republic of China (PRC), they are essentially two separate countries. Former President Ma Ying-jeou's use of the ROC is seen as "Taiwan independence" for the mainland.
However, on July 2, Minister Chiu Chui-cheng of the MAC changed the stance during his inaugural press conference, reaffirming that cross-strait relations remain governed by the ROC Constitution, the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, and other relevant laws, seemingly attempting to quell the controversy surrounding the new "Two State Theory."
July 2: Taiwanese fishing vessel "Da Jin Man No. 88" entered restricted waters during the fishing moratorium and was forcibly inspected and detained by mainland Chinese coast guard vessels. This incident marks the first time in 17 years that a Taiwanese fishing boat has been seized by the mainland authorities. The mainland's coast guard vessels have also been monitoring and driving away Taiwanese fishing boats in the Taiwan Strait. The United States expressed concern and encouraged both sides to maintain open communication channels for peaceful resolution.
July 5: A Keelung fishing boat allegedly entered waters near Japan's Amami Oshima for fishing and was detained by Japanese authorities. The crew faces a fine of 6 million Japanese yen for their release. Fishermen criticized the inconsistency in Taiwan's response: When a fishing boat is detained by mainland China, Taiwan's MAC and ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers take turns criticizing, but when it comes to Japan, there is no strong protest from the ruling party, demonstrating a double standard.
July 6: Chairman Tseng Wen-tsan of the Straits Exchange Foundation is suspected of corruption. After overnight questioning, the prosecution requested his detention and restricted his residence and travel. Cheng, a former vice premier and Taoyuan mayor, was once considered part of the DPP's rising generation, and news of his involvement in corruption has sent shockwaves within the political circle.
