GDP grew at fastest pace of 8.63% last year: DGBAS
GDP expanded 12.68 percent in the fourth quarter — the strongest quarterly pace in nearly 38 years — lifting full-year GDP growth to 8.63 percent. That significantly exceeded the government’s 7.37 percent forecast, highlighting the nation’s importance in the global technology supply chain. Government spending grew 1.83 percent, contributing 0.25 percentage points to overall GDP growth, although it was slower than projected. Overall domestic demand rose 0.89 percent, accounting for 0.77 percentage points of the economy’s expansion. The data reflected export-driven growth and resilient domestic consumption, underscoring Taiwan’s integral role in the global AI and semiconductor ecosystem.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 16:06 UTC
DeepSeek gets Nvidia chips nod
DeepSeek gets Nvidia chips nodCHINESE AI: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said his firm had not received information that permission had been granted, adding that China was still finalizing the dealReuters, SINGAPOREChina has given major artificial intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek (深度求索) approval to buy Nvidia’s H200 chips with regulatory conditions that are still being finalized, two sources said. ByteDance (字節跳動), Alibaba (阿里巴巴) and Tencent (騰訊) had been given permission to purchase more than 400,000 H200 chips in total, said the sources, who are familiar with the deal. Nvidia chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) yesterday said that his company had not received such information. The logos of DeepSeek and Nvidia are displayed on screens in Hangzhou, China, on Tuesday. Any purchases of H200 chips by DeepSeek could draw scrutiny by US lawmakers.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 16:06 UTC
Donovan’s Deep Dives: The era of anxiety
Donovan’s Deep Dives: The era of anxietyFrom geopolitics and climate change to technology and demographics, rising global instability is fueling anxiety — especially in TaiwanBy Courtney Donovan Smith 石東文 / Staff ColumnistWe have reached the point where, on any given day, it has become shocking if nothing shocking is happening in the news. Meanwhile, more and more countries are reaching the “point of no return” demographically, including Taiwan. They did that, and NATO countries have been stepping up, perhaps thinking the pressure would ease. Challenges and risks are rising fast, and the political unity and stability that underpinned the post-war era is unravelling. The problem is the sharp rise in uncertainty on every level, and the insecurity and anxiety that comes with it.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 16:06 UTC
Global server market tipped to grow 12.8%
Global server market tipped to grow 12.8%By Meryl Kao / Staff reporterThe global server market is expected to grow 12.8 percent annually this year, with artificial intelligence (AI) servers projected to account for 16.5 percent, driven by continued investment in AI infrastructure by major cloud service providers (CSPs), market researcher TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) said yesterday. The growth in the global server market this year would be driven by continued momentum in AI servers, with the rapid expansion of AI inference applications in particular fueling rising demand for storage and edge AI servers, Kung said. Inference-based AI servers are expected to account for 44 percent of total AI server shipments this year, with the share projected to rise above 50 percent by 2029, he said. As CSPs and enterprises expand AI applications across endpoints, the market is expected to develop along two main tracks, Kung said. The first involves broader deployment of GPU-based systems, such as Nvidia’s platforms, as well as in-house ASIC rack solutions to support large language model training and generative AI inference, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 16:06 UTC
Putin agreed to pause Kyiv strikes amid cold: Trump
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Trump and said he was counting on Washington to secure the pause in attacks. People collect water at a public well in a Kyiv neighborhood without water and heating during sub-zero temperatures on Tuesday last week. Photo: Reuters“Because of the cold, extreme cold ... I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week during this,” Trump said. And I personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and the various towns for a week.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 16:06 UTC
Campuses to restrict six Chinese apps, including TikTok and Weibo
Campuses to restrict six Chinese apps, including TikTok and WeiboBy Sam Garcia / Staff writer, with CNACampus networks are to restrict access to six Chinese apps deemed a security risk by the Ministry of Digital Affairs, the Ministry of Education said today. The digital ministry last month announced that Douyin, TikTok (the international version of Douyin), Xiaohongshu (RedNote, 小紅書), Sina Weibo, WeChat and Baidu Cloud are information security risks, urging the public to protect their digital safety. Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, and TikTok icons are pictured in an arranged photograph taken on Jan. 15 last year. Photo: ReutersThe education ministry is to ban these six apps from being downloaded, installed or used on official devices and restrict access to them on TANet and iTaiwan hotspots on campuses and ministry agencies, it said. Schools should not use any high-risk apps in learning activities to ensure all teaching materials are appropriate, the Ministry of Education said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 14:44 UTC
Fire extinguished after burning hectare in Yunlin
Fire extinguished after burning hectare in YunlinStaff writer, with CNAA forest fire was extinguished early this morning after burning about 1 hectare of bamboo forest in the Shibi (石壁) area of Yunlin County's Gukeng Township (古坑) overnight, the second such fire in the region this month. A fire burns in the Shibi area of Yunlin County's Caoling Village last night. The incident occurred in a bamboo forest about 10km away from a separate bamboo forest where another fire broke out on Jan. 12 and burned about 8 hectares of forest over four days. Caoling Village chief Chen Ping-tung (陳兵通) said it is currently the winter bamboo shoot harvest season, during which farmers or illegal foragers enter the mountains to collect the local delicacy. He said these people often light fires to keep warm in the cold mountain conditions, leaving behind embers that may have sparked the fires.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 14:35 UTC
US Senate tables ‘Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty Act’
US Senate tables ‘Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty Act’By Hollie Younger / Staff writer, with CNAThe US Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday advanced three Taiwan-related bills, although the Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty Act was tabled for later discussion. Photo: ReutersSenators tabled the act over fears of angering China, saying that Taiwan had never requested a change in policy. The three measures passed were the Taiwan Energy Security and Anti-Embargo Act, the Taiwan Undersea Cable Resilience Initiative Act and the Taiwan Allies Fund Act. The Taiwan Undersea Cable Resilience Initiative Act would coordinate navy cooperation with Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration, impose sanctions on those who damage undersea cables and provide intelligence warnings. A date has not yet been set to continue discussions of the Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty Act.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 14:23 UTC
Cold air to arrive tomorrow, with chance of snowfall
Cold air to arrive tomorrow, with chance of snowfallStaff writer, with CNAA cold air system is expected to begin affecting Taiwan tomorrow afternoon, bringing a chance of scattered snowfall in mountainous areas above 3,000m over the next few days, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The CWA said daytime temperatures tomorrow would remain warm, but northern Taiwan and Yilan County in the northeast would turn cooler in the afternoon and evening as the cold front passes. Temperatures are expected to drop to between 13°C and 15°C in central and northern Taiwan, as well as Yilan, tomorrow and on Sunday, and between 16°C and 18°C in the south and east. The CWA added that scattered snowfall is possible in mountain areas above 3,000m from tomorrow night through Tuesday. The cold air is expected to continue affecting Taiwan from Monday to Tuesday, bringing cooler weather to northern Taiwan and Yilan, while other areas would experience cooler temperatures in the mornings and evenings.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 10:08 UTC
TPP defense budget sent to review, Cabinet version blocked
TPP defense budget sent to review, Cabinet version blockedBy Chung Li-hua and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNAThe Legislative Yuan sent the Taiwan People’s Party’s (TPP) defense bill to committee for review today, after continuing to block the Executive Yuan’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.52 billion) special defense budget. Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker hold up signs in the legislature in Taipei today protesting the opposition parties' refusal to discuss the Cabinet's version of a special defense budget. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei TimesThe Democratic Progressive Party caucus proposed adding a review of the Executive Yuan’s special defense budget, but the opposition parties blocked it with their majority. Repeatedly blocking the Executive Yuan’s special defense budget ignores the nation’s true needs, delaying national defense development and hindering joint operations, Executive Yuan spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said. As the TPP’s proposal lacks these elements, the Executive Yuan’s budget must be sent to committee review to truly build Taiwan’s national defense, she said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 08:33 UTC
US Treasury keeps Taiwan on currency manipulation monitoring list
US Treasury keeps Taiwan on currency manipulation monitoring listStaff writer, with agenciesThe US Department of the Treasury yesterday kept Taiwan on its watch list of trade partners whose currency practices "merit close attention.”The department said it was strengthening scrutiny of countries' foreign-exchange practices, including their interventions to resist both depreciation and appreciation against the US dollar. A teller poses with US dollar and New Taiwan dollar banknotes at a bank in Taipei on Feb. 23, 2017. The addition brings the monitoring list to 10 economies, with Taiwan, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland remaining on the list. Despite this, the New Taiwan dollar appreciated 11.2 percent against the US dollar during the report period before partially retreating in the following months, it said. The department did not label China a currency manipulator, despite what it called "depreciation pressure" facing the yuan.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 05:03 UTC
Police advised against confiscating condoms as evidence
Police advised against confiscating condoms as evidenceBy Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNAAll police and judicial units would be advised to carefully consider the necessity of confiscating condoms and lubricants as evidence, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday, following criticism over a raid on an alleged prostitution operation serving same-sex clients in Taichung. The CDC said it respects the job of law enforcement in maintaining public order, as well as sex workers’ choice to provide condoms and lubricant to their clients to promote health consciousness. As part of the investigation, it said it confiscated cellphones, as well as all condoms and lubricants at the scene. Condoms are tools to prevent STIs and should not be considered “evidence” in crimes, it said. Moreover, the alleged service provider complied with the law by providing clients with condoms and lubricants, the organization said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 03:53 UTC
Force cannot ‘bring true peace,’ Lai tells pope in letter
Force cannot ‘bring true peace,’ Lai tells pope in letterReuters, TAIPEIAny attempt to change the "status quo" by force or coercion cannot bring true peace, President William Lai (賴清德) said in a letter to Pope Leo released by the Presidential Office today. Writing to Pope Leo in response to his Jan. 1 World Day of Peace message, Lai said he had repeatedly emphasized that democracy, peace and prosperity are "Taiwan's national path and also Taiwan's link with the world." President William Lai delivers a speech at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei on March 13 last year. "I firmly believe that any attempt to change Taiwan's status quo through force or coercion cannot bring true peace," he said. Beijing says World War II documents like the Cairo Declaration, as well as the 1971 UN resolution, give international legal backing to its sovereignty claims over Taiwan.
Source:Taipei Times
January 30, 2026 03:00 UTC
Aerial views
‘French Spider-Man’ praises Honnold’s Taipei 101 climbAlain Robert, known as the "French Spider-Man," praised Alex Honnold as exceptionally well-prepared after the US climber completed a free solo ascent of Taipei 101 yesterday. Robert said Honnold's ascent of the 508m-tall skyscraper in just more than one-and-a-half hours without using safety ropes or equipment was a remarkable achievement. "This is my life," he said in an interview conducted in French, adding that he liked the feeling of being "on the edge of danger." The 63-year-old Frenchman climbed Taipei 101 using ropes in December 2004, taking about four hours to reach the top. On a one-to-10 scale of difficulty, Robert said Taipei 101
Source:Taipei Times
January 29, 2026 20:15 UTC
Movie Review: Chris Pratt is on trial with an artificial intelligence judge
Movie Review: Chris Pratt is on trial with an artificial intelligence judge‘Mercy’ is more hung up on tortured plot contrivances than coming to terms with the implications of AI in the legal systemBy Lindsey Bahr / APIt’s a bold filmmaking choice to have a countdown clock on the screen for most of your movie. Sadly in Mercy, it’s an ever-present reminder of just how much longer you must endure until you too are free of Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson and that chair. Chris Pratt in a scene from Mercy. Actors Kali Reis, left, Chris Pratt, right, and director Timur Bekmambetov on the set of Mercy. Photo: APOne of the most confounding choices is to have a real actor playing the AI judge.
Source:Taipei Times
January 29, 2026 18:47 UTC