"Taiwan has all of the 'good chaos' of Vietnam or Thailand with delicious street vendors and buzzy motorbikes in the downtown, but all of the 'good order' of Japan or South Korea in terms of public transit or cleanliness. It's not sterile, but it's not rigid. All with a climate like Hawaii."
In January 2025, the execution of inmate Huang Lin-kai reignited Taiwan's death penalty debate, with activists saying authorities acted in disregard of the law. The execution, the island's first in five years, came just months after Taiwan's Constitutional Court issued a landmark ruling narrowing the scope of capital punishment and requiring stricter safeguards for its application. At the time, some observers thought the ruling meant Taiwan was edging toward "de facto abolition" of the death penalty.
Taiwan has become the world's biggest importer of Russian naphtha, a petroleum derivative used to make chemicals needed for the semiconductor industry, despite the fact that it has joined other sanctions against Russia and considers itself an ally of Ukraine. In the first half of 2025, Taiwan imported $1.3bn worth of Russian naphtha, and average monthly imports reached a level nearly six times higher than the 2022 average, according to a report published on Wednesday.
A lake burst caused by Super Typhoon Ragasa killed at least 14 people and left 124 others missing in eastern Taiwan, officials said on Wednesday. Taiwan has been hit hard by Ragasa, one of the strongest storms in years, which has already caused deaths in the Philippines and is now lashing Hong Kong. The lake in Hualien County overflowed on Tuesday and sent torrents of mud and water through Guangfu township, inundating villages and sweeping away a major bridge.
Under the new plan, families will receive $3,320 per newborn, Taiwan News reported, with twins qualifying for a payment of nearly $7,000. The previous system included payouts that ranged from $1,300 to $2,300 per baby, depending on the mother's employment status. Taiwan became a super-aged society in 2025, meaning that more than 20 percent of its population is aged 65 or older.
Two alleged Taiwanese clients of a Chinese ransomware group behind attacks on the Mackay Memorial Hospital and other targets in Taiwan have been arrested and released on bail. According to a Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau, between February and March, the group CrazyHunter used ransomware to attack hospitals, publicly listed companies, and academic institutions, per CNA. Victims who refused to pay ransoms informed the bureau's Taipei field office.
The scores in the Shanghai Ranking are based on several factors, such as the number of faculty and alumni of the institutions who have received the Nobel Prize or the Fields Medal, the number of highly cited researchers on staff, or the number of articles published in the academic journals Science and Nature over the past five years.
During a state visit to India, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr stated the Philippines may be drawn into a potential conflict between China and the US over Taiwan, citing humanitarian concerns for Filipinos in Taiwan.
The visit was about more than symbolism. It's about real, practical partnerships between the UK and Taiwanātwo societies that value freedom, fairness and international cooperation.
