BY JAMES HILL AND ALEX MYSLINSKI

U.S. Senate Passes Taiwan Aid Bill

On February 13, the U.S. Senate passed legislation that would provide US$66.3 billion in security aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. The bill, which allocates up to US$1.9 billion for the replacement of defense articles and reimbursement of defense services to Taiwan, has yet to be taken up by the Republican-led House of Representatives.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed unwillingness to bring the bill to a vote unless it contains more robust security measures for the U.S.-Mexico border. Many Republican representatives have opposed substantial additional aid to Ukraine; some Democrats have also voiced concern about the bill over its strict border provisions and lack of humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

U.S. House Committee on CCP Visits Taipei

A five-member delegation from the U.S. Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party arrived in Taiwan on February 21 for a three-day visit to meet with senior political figures, including President Tsai Ing-wen, Vice President and President-elect Lai Ching-te, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu. The bipartisan delegation was led by Committee Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-WI).

In the meeting with President Tsai, Gallagher said the visit was a showcase of strong bipartisan support for the U.S.-Taiwan partnership. He thanked Tsai for her leadership over the last eight years, which he said had helped build “rock-solid” ties between Taiwan and the United States. Tsai thanked the Biden administration and Congress for helping Taiwan strengthen its self-defense capabilities.

TFDA Joins Medical Regulators Association

The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has been granted associate membership in the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA). The organization defines itself as a “global architecture to support enhanced communication, information sharing, and crisis response” among healthcare regulatory bodies. It currently consists of 24 full members, including agencies in the United States, EU, and China, as well as 15 associate members.

In a statement, the TFDA said it aims to learn from “other medicines’ regulatory authorities’ strategies in responding to current issues of concern.” It added that ICMRA membership would help it develop a regulatory environment better aligned with international standards.

U.S. Approves New Military Sales

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded RTX Corporation’s Raytheon Missiles & Defense unit a US$68.4-million contract for jet fighter missiles to be delivered to Taiwan over the next four years as part of an arms sale package approved in 2017. The 50 missiles will be installed on Taiwan’s fleet of F-16V fighter jets to boost their long-range strike capabilities.

The U.S. State Department has also approved a potential US$75 million sale to Taiwan for upgrades of advanced tactical data link systems, the Pentagon announced on February 21. The potential sale includes equipment and services that the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said would improve Taiwan’s “ability to meet current and future threats by enhancing communications and network security and providing infrastructure to allow the secure flow of tactical information.”

Taiwan, China Contend Over Deadly Boat Chase

Two Chinese fishermen lost their lives after their speedboat capsized while being pursued by Taiwan’s Coast Guard in waters controlled by Taiwan near Kinmen Island. The other two fishermen onboard were rescued and detained.

A statement issued by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) on February 14 strongly condemned Taiwan for the incident, stating it “damaged goodwill on both sides of the Strait.” Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) rejected the criticism, citing the Act Governing Relations between People of the Taiwan Area and Mainland Area, which authorizes Taiwan’s government to take defensive action if a Chinese vessel enters “restricted” or “prohibited” waters controlled by Taiwan.

Following the incident, the China Coast Guard (CCG) increased patrols in the area. On February 19, CCG officials boarded the Taiwanese sightseeing vessel King Xia, which carried 11 crew members and 23 passengers on board, 2.8 nautical miles off Kinmen. Taiwan’s Coast Guard further reported an encounter on February 20 with a Chinese surveillance ship that had entered Kinmen’s territorial waters.

Han Kuo-Yu Elected Legislative Speaker

Kuomintang (KMT) legislator-at-large Han Kuo-yu was elected Speaker of the Legislative Yuan in a runoff vote on February 1. Despite failing to secure a majority in the initial round of voting, Han emerged victorious in the second round with 54 votes. The second round saw eight legislators from the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) abstain, while two KMT-leaning independents voted in Han’s favor. Alongside Han’s election, Johnny Chiang of the KMT was elected Vice Speaker, also securing 54 votes.

Han is a polarizing figure. In 2020, he became the first and only mayor of one of Taiwan’s special municipalities to be recalled by voters. His political career includes a previous tenure as a legislator representing Taipei County from 1992 to 2002, and he was the KMT’s presidential candidate in the 2020 elections. Han has been known for advocating closer economic ties with China.

Renewables Reach 50% of Energy Output

Energy generated from wind and solar reached a record high of more than half of the total electrical power produced on February 11, according to state-owned Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower). It was also the first time renewable energy generated more than 10GW in Taiwan.

Taipower noted that although the Lunar New Year typically sees a reduction in energy demand due to the temporary closure of factories and businesses, the recent performance underscores the remarkable progress made by Taiwan’s renewable energy industry within just a year. During the Lunar New Year in January 2023, solar and wind energy accounted for 30% of power generation.

The increased renewable energy production will enable Taipower to perform maintenance on coal and nuclear power facilities to meet the heightened energy demands of the upcoming summer season, the company said.

Cabinet Approves Absentee Voting Bill

On February 22, Taiwan’s Cabinet approved draft legislation to allow Taiwanese citizens to vote in national referendums from outside their registered constituencies. Pending legislative approval, the proposed change would allow voters to apply for absentee voting at least 60 days before a referendum. Once receiving approval, they would be temporarily registered to vote in the constituency of their choice.

In a statement, the Central Election Commission said it would closely monitor the implementation of absentee voting in referendums before extending the practice to national elections. The bill does not address allowing absentee voting for Taiwanese living overseas.

Pedestrian Safety Act Proposed

The Ministry of the Interior has proposed a program to expand, improve, and maintain sidewalks across Taiwan. Under the plans, local governments would be required to work with utility companies to remove or relocate power and telecommunication equipment installed on sidewalks that hinder pedestrians or block access.

Local governments would also be required to submit annual plans to the central government identifying priority areas for improvement, including establishing pedestrian-friendly zones around medical facilities, schools, public transportation centers, and high pedestrian traffic areas. Working with local governments, the central government would also be responsible for medium and long-term planning to improve and implement pedestrian safety measures.

Soda Labeling Rules Enter Force

The TFDA on February 19 announced the implementation of updated labeling rules for carbonated drinks, banning promotional phrases related to nutrients for certain drinks. Carbonated beverages containing sugar are now prohibited from using “rich in” or “high” to describe the product’s vitamin content or other nutrients. They must instead include the wording “this product contains” or provide specific measurements of the given nutrient in messages on packaging. Under the new rules, manufacturers are required to use factual nutrient content on their labeling if mentioning nutrients such as vitamin C. Only sugar-free drinks that contain at least 30% of the recommended daily intake of nutrients will be permitted to use the phrases “rich in” or “high in.” While the updated rules have already come into effect, a grace period for manufacturers to comply with some of the changes will be in place until January 1, 2026.