KMT-CCP forum likely to be delayed to next monthStaff writer, with CNAA Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member yesterday said the KMT-CCP Forum is likely to be postponed to next month and become “interactions between think tanks,” limited to non-political discussions. Local media had reported that the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were to resume the Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum, known as the KMT-CCP Forum, in Beijing from next week, ending a nine-year suspension. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun, center, speaks to reporters in Taipei on Tuesday. Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei TimesThe forum would likely be postponed to early February and focus on artificial intelligence, disaster prevention and sustainable industry development, the member said, on condition of anonymity. As the first KMT-CCP forum under Cheng’s leadership, it would set the tone on “interactions between think tanks,” the member said, so the forum might no longer retain its original name.

EDITORIAL: A history of unreliabilityProsecutors on Wednesday launched an investigation into Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌). These behaviors betray a troubling pattern, as do his responses to them: denial, obfuscation, distraction, blame-shifting and accusations of political persecution. While the investigation continues, no conclusions can be drawn, but we can look at an emerging pattern of behavior. The issue is that Huang has a history of pushing the boundaries of legality and acceptable behavior and of providing accounts that are easily refuted. Beyond the allegations of removing confidential materials involving national defense, Huang is seeking election for New Taipei city mayor.

Punk rock lawyer Akihiro Shima leads climate fightAFP, TOKYOJapanese punk rock lawyer Akihiro Shima belted out songs at a packed bar in Tokyo, sporting a mohawk and bright-red jacket, nine days after filing a landmark climate lawsuit. The 63-year-old rallied over 450 plaintiffs across Japan last month in a landmark lawsuit seeking damages from the central government over its alleged “grossly inadequate” response to climate change. Aoki and her fellow plaintiffs said that Japan’s “unconstitutional” inaction on climate change violates their constitutional rights to health and a peaceful life, and criticize Tokyo’s emissions reduction targets as unambitious. For all his environmental passion, Shima admits he has not made songs about climate change yet. Could his landmark lawsuit change that?

Taipei 101 free solo shot to cause traffic closuresStaff writer, with CNAAmerican climber Alex Honnold is to attempt a free climb of Taipei 101 today at 9am, with traffic closures around the skyscraper. To accommodate the climb attempt and filming, the Taipei Department of Transportation said traffic controls would be enforced around the Taipei 101 area. Traffic controls would be in place today from 7am to 11am around the Taipei 101 area, the department said. The Xinyi Square (Taipei 101) YouBike station would suspend operations today from 9am to 1pm, it added. The Songzhi Road exit of the Taipei 101 Parking Lot would be suspended, with all vehicles required to exit via Shifu Road, it added.

Australia’s Welsford wins third stageAFP, ADELAIDE, AustraliaPowerhouse Australian sprinter Sam Welsford yesterday stormed home from well back for his seventh stage win in the Tour Down Under as Jay Vine remained the overall race leader. Australia’s Sam Welsford of Ineos Grenadiers celebrates winning stage three of the Tour Down Under in Adelaide, Australia, yesterday. Australia’s Vine, who had blown away his rivals in Thursday’s second stage, continued his grip on the general classification. It was a fillip for Welsford after a torrid last year with Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe before switching teams to Ineos Grenadiers this season. Vine, the 2023 Tour Down Under winner, consolidated his overall lead before today’s fourth stage which sees two climbs of Willunga Hill.

Carlos Alcaraz eases into last 16Taiwanese FORTUNES: Wu Fang-hsien and Hsieh Su-wei both advanced to the last 16 of the women’s doubles, but Ray Ho was ousted in the men’s doublesAFP, MELBOURNECarlos Alcaraz yesterday stepped up his quest to win a maiden Australian Open as he overwhelmed showman Corentin Moutet to reach the last 16, while Taiwan’s Wu Fang-hsien and Hsieh Su-wei both advanced to the last 16 of the women’s doubles. Top seed Alcaraz was never in danger against French 32nd seed Moutet, easing through 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 at Rod Laver Arena in 2 hours, 5 minutes. Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz returns to Corentin Moutet of France in their Australian Open men’s singles match in Melbourne yesterday. The 21-year-old Gauff has won the US Open and French Open, but her best performance in Melbourne is the semi-finals. Russia’s 11th seed Medvedev faces 25th seed Learner Tien of the US in the last 16.

Irrigation aqueduct bridge completedGAME CHANGER Replacing a tunnel under the Beigang River from the colonial era, the aqueduct bridge will link two irrigation networks, reducing the risk of water shortagesBy Esme Yeh / Staff reporterThe nation’s first cable-stayed aqueduct bridge has been constructed over the Beigang River (北港溪). The bridge is the Ministry of Agriculture’s largest construction project in the past five decades, Irrigation Agency Deputy Director Chen Yen-yuan (陳衍源) said yesterday. The agency decided to replace the inverted siphon with an aqueduct bridge, Chen said. The bridge spans 465m across the Beigang River, making it the longest aqueduct bridge in Taiwan, the agency said. The bridge has bike path connecting to the 105km-long Canal Greenway (水圳綠道), the longest bike trail in Taiwan, allowing people to enjoy the scenery of the plain from the aqueduct bridge, it said.

Minister thanks European Parliament for its supportTAIWAN-EU BOND: The resolutions condemned China’s attempt to change the ‘status quo’ and called on EU members to deepen relationships with TaiwanStaff writer, with CNAMinister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday welcomed the European Parliament’s passage of two resolutions that express concern over China’s threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and support deepening multifaceted Taiwan-EU cooperation and exchanges. The European Parliament on Wednesday passed two resolutions on the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) implementation reports from last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement yesterday. EU flags flutter in front of a building at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on April 2, last year. The ministry quoted Lin as expressing thanks to the European Parliament for playing a key role in deepening Taiwan-EU relations. Taiwan would continue to build on the existing strong foundation, and deepen cooperation and exchanges with the European Parliament, jointly creating a solid and mutually beneficial network of value-based alliances, the ministry said.

Villa seal spot in last 16 as Forest suffer costly lossAFP, PARISAston Villa on Thursday secured their place in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League with a 1-0 win at Fenerbahce, while Nottingham Forest slid to a costly defeat away to SC Braga. Photo: ReutersMatty Cash struck the post in the second half and Villa held on as goalkeeper Marco Bizot produced a string of key saves with Fenerbahce pushing for an equalizer. Forest face the prospect of going into the playoffs after a limp display in a 1-0 loss to Braga, who climbed up to fifth. Morgan Gibbs-White had a penalty saved early in the second half, and Braga went straight down the other end and scored as Forest captain Ryan Yates bundled into his own net. The Scottish champions host winless Utrecht in their final game on Thursday next week.

China rescues 15 Filipino sailors after boat capsizesAFP, MANILAChinese coast guard ships yesterday pulled 17 Filipino sailors, including two dead, from disputed waters in the South China Sea after a cargo vessel capsized, China’s military said. The Singapore-flagged M/V Devon Bay and its crew of 21 Filipino sailors sent a distress signal at about 8:30pm on Thursday, the Philippine Coast Guard said. A China Coast Guard vessel is pictured near the Renai Shoal on March 29, 2014. “Two nearby Chinese Coast Guard vessels immediately went to help with rescue upon receiving orders,” the Southern Theater Command said on Weibo. Photos released by China’s embassy in Manila showed the rescued Filipino sailors, whose vessel was believed to be carrying iron ore from the Philippines to China, receiving medical treatment.

Indigenous-sourced mountain rescue teams being formedBy Lee Wen-hsin and Jason Pan / Staff reportersMountain rescue teams crewed by indigenous personnel are being established by the Ministry of the Interior in 12 regions, the National Fire Agency (NFA) said in a news release. The Indigenous Special Search and Rescue Teams, administered by the NFA, would start work in May when Taiwan’s rainy season starts, said Deputy Minister of the Interior Wu Tang-an (吳堂安). The program would be anchored around the idea of “mutual assistance, self-help and helping neighboring communities,” Wu said. NFA Director Hsiao Huan-chang (蕭煥章) said his agency is designing a uniform for team members that reflects their indigenous heritage. After completing training and entering active service, members would receive hazard pay for each search and rescue call-out, he added.

E.Sun Financial chairman Joseph Huang (黃男州) said the deal is aimed at boosting the group’s long-term earnings profile rather than delivering an immediate boost to profitability. E.Sun Financial Holding Co chairman Joseph Huang, left, and Mercuries Life Insurance Co chairman George Wong attend a news conference in Taipei on Nov. 5 last year. Upon completion, Mercuries Life would be rebranded as E.Sun Life Insurance, marking a significant expansion of E.Sun Financial’s presence in Taiwan’s increasingly competitive financial services market, which is undergoing consolidation amid tighter capital and regulatory requirements. The Mercuries Life meeting lasted 20 minutes and concluded without objections, as more than 90 percent of votes cast were in favor of the deal. Once completed, Mercuries Life would become a wholly owned subsidiary of E.Sun Financial, giving the group a long-sought life insurance arm to complement its core banking and securities businesses.

EDITORIAL: Decisive action needed on defenseA survey released on Wednesday by the Taiwan Inspiration Association (TIA) offered a stark look into public feeling on national security. At the same time, 62.5 percent opposed the opposition’s efforts to block the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.6 billion) special defense budget. Second, there is a perception that political infighting is hampering decisive action on defense, such as the repeated shelving of the special defense budget by the opposition. Trust in national defense must begin at the individual and community levels. Grounding national security in the assumption that a foreign power would act in Taiwan’s defense is nothing short of irresponsible.

China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. Viewed from Beijing, Trump’s moves on Greenland represent further proof that the US-led world order is in turmoil, a trend that creates a significant opportunity for China. However, when it comes to Greenland, Chinese stakeholders have struggled to gain a significant foothold, in part because of resistance from the US and Denmark. On Monday, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun (郭嘉昆) urged the US to stop using the “so-called ‘China threat’” in Greenland as a pretext for imposing tariffs on European countries. Between 2012 and 2017, China’s foreign direct investment in Greenland represented more than 11 percent of the territory’s GDP, a far greater share than in other arctic nations.

Kaohsiung offers bear mugs to blood donorsGIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boostBy Hsu Li-chuan,Tang Shih-ming and Esme Yeh