NewzIntel.com

Category: Renewable Hydrogen

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Group CEO Yuki Kusumi on the True Meaning of Structural Reform—Determination to Change and Grow

    Source: Panasonic

    Headline: Group CEO Yuki Kusumi on the True Meaning of Structural Reform—Determination to Change and Grow

    On May 9, 2025, Panasonic Holdings (PHD) announced its financial results for FY3/2025. On this occasion, Group CEO Yuki Kusumi communicated the progress being made on group management reforms, including planned optimization of 10,000 personnel, and expressed his firm resolve to undertake necessary initiatives to break free from 30 years of stagnation and position the Panasonic Group for strong and renewed growth for the future. We spoke with him to learn more about his intentions, his message to employees, and his determination for the future of the Panasonic Group.

    Why have you decided to carry out such large-scale structural reforms now, when the company is still profitable? Can you explain the background and need for these reforms?
    If we look at the current performance for fiscal 2025, particularly operating profit margin, it may not seem that bad relative to our past performance. However, compared to other companies in the same industry, our profitability remains low, and the Medium-Term Strategy for FY3/23 through FY3/25 fell far short of its goals.
    The biggest challenge facing the Panasonic Group is that we have not achieved any real growth over the last 30 years. While the Group has decisively implemented structural reforms many times in the past, a vicious cycle has repeated itself: adjusted operating profit margin would reach 5 percent, fixed costs would immediately rise to support growth strategies, and then operating profit margin would stagnate again.
    Lower profitability relative to our competitors means that we lag behind them in terms of returning value to shareholders and employees, and in investing for the future. If this continues, achieving growth in the face of stiff competition will be impossible. It is imperative that we get ourselves out of this situation.
    Our selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses ratio, in particular, is extremely high when compared to competitors who have already implemented reforms. Unless we immediately address this issue, we will not be able to return to growth. For this reason, profitability improvement has to be the top priority, and this includes reforming our fixed-cost structure. We cannot afford to waste any more time.
    The high SG&A ratio means that we have major issues with labor productivity, particularly in sales and indirect departments. I believe that this situation has emerged because many departments have continued to use business processes that were introduced more than 20 years ago. Basically, as long as a business achieved an operating profit margin of 5 percent, it was considered “good” and there was little interest in conducting operational reforms to achieve higher profits. So if you wanted to increase sales without making changes to the operation, then the only resort was to hire more people—and the result was an increase in fixed costs.
    Even if sales increase, fixed costs, including labor costs, should not increase; marginal profits should be increased by certain percentage each year, while fixed costs should be contained by a certain amount. This should be the basis of our management cycle Groupwide, and it is important that we follow this principle. Now, I would like to make it clear that we are going back to these fundamentals not just to reduce labor costs, but to modernize our business processes and workstyles.

    A major decision has been made to reduce the workforce by 10,000 people Groupwide. Can you explain the thinking behind this decision?
    Based on my direct experience with personnel optimization when I was in charge of loss-making businesses in the past, I thought that I would never again carry out employment structural reforms. This time, however, recognizing the critical need for change, this was an unavoidable decision. I felt that if we did not conduct reforms and change our management foundation now, then it would be impossible for us to grow sustainably over the next 10 to 20 years. After much deliberation, and discussions across the Group, including the presidents of our operating companies, we made the decision to proceed with these reforms.
    This figure of 10,000 employees is the aggregate result of careful consideration of the kind of fixed-cost structure that each operating company should have to achieve their respective profitability targets, and how they should address areas where labor productivity lags behind other companies. We would like every employee to understand that we do not intend to increase this figure.

    Panasonic Group’s history includes an episode when Founder Konosuke Matsushita ordered that “not a single employee be laid off” during the Great Depression, and some see employment structural reforms as the antithesis of this ideal. Please share your thoughts about protecting human resources and employment?
    Human resources are extremely important. The founder’s statement has significant meaning for all of us in the Panasonic Group. For that reason, there is a great deal of resistance within the Group toward optimization of personnel when we are profitable. However, the current business environment is very different from our founder’s era. Back then, there were great expectations for economic growth ahead, but the market we live in today is much more complex, and includes areas with growth potential, areas with no such potential, and areas we must move into. Under these circumstances, and with an eye on the future, we decided that optimizing our workforce was unavoidable.
    As Group CEO, I acknowledge the impact of the decision to carry out these reforms, especially personnel optimization on such a large scale. However, taking no action today would inevitably place a heavier burden on future employees. To put the Panasonic Group back on track for growth, I believe that instead of placing the burden on the next generation, the current senior management team, myself included, must pool their wisdom, make decisions, and take responsibility to get this done.

    Some employees are probably feeling anxious, so how do you intend to explain the reforms and seek their understanding?
    I understand that these changes may cause uncertainty, and it is a difficult period. We wanted to ensure that all employees correctly understood the situation, so the day the reforms were announced externally, I sent a video message to all employees, explaining the background of the reform and its goals. In addition, we provided a detailed explanation of the current situation to approximately 300 management executives, including division directors and business unit managers, asking for their understanding. However, I believe that employees and their families, especially those who have only been with the company for a short time, have serious concerns. I will continue to carefully explain the true meaning of the reforms and continue to communicate positive messages so that employees will not feel anxious. I truly want to help them find opportunities for their own growth and success as part of this transformation.

    Following the structural reform, what kind of future will Panasonic Group be aiming for?
    First and foremost, this structural reform is an initiative that must be carried out in order to rebuild the management foundation of the Panasonic Group and ensure strong growth for the future. We are determined to achieve a profitability improvement effect of 150 billion yen by FY3/27.
    Next, as I mentioned in my February 4 announcement, Panasonic Group will focus on the Solutions area while increasing the profitability of the Devices area and the Smart Life area centering on home appliances. The essence of the value that we provide to customers, including comfort and peace of mind, will not change, but by making full use of data and AI, the methods and substance of our offerings will become more sophisticated, thereby strengthening our competitiveness.
    The Solutions area has two main pillars: supply chain management solutions, and energy management. As for supply chain management solutions, at the ICON event in early May, Blue Yonder, our subsidiary with growth potential, announced its Cognitive Series—a suite of SaaS solutions for planning systems that deploy generative AI-based agents, which we expect to be a major strength in various supply chains where issues are becoming increasingly more complex.
    In energy management, in addition to energy storage solutions for data centers and AI-based home energy management systems (HEMS) for households, which already have a proven track record, we will develop Panasonic HX—a future-oriented decarbonization solution for factories, offices, and public facilities that controls pure hydrogen fuel cells, solar cells, and storage batteries by means of an AI-based energy management system.

    Will Panasonic Go, announced at CES this year, play an important role?
    Panasonic Go will play a role in accelerating these efforts. Blue Yonder’s Cognitive Series, which I mentioned earlier, is one such example. In addition, we are considering expanding the data platform that forms the basis of the AI agent service Umi, also announced at CES, into a variety of fields while considering privacy, security, and ethics. We are also actively promoting the use of generative AI within the Group, with a bottom-up approach, to thoroughly improve labor productivity as we move forward with the current management reforms.

    Following these reforms, what kind of company will the Panasonic Group become?
    We are now discussing this internally, but basically, we believe that the fundamental values we provide to customers can be summed up as “comfort,” “peace of mind,” and “reliability.” We cherish the long-standing trust of our customers—“You can count on Panasonic”—and no matter what business we develop in the future, we will continue to pursue contributions based on these values.
    As we look towards the future, 10 or 20 years from now, these structural reforms are merely the first step in our journey to break away from the stagnation of the past 30 years. Going forward, we will seek to achieve high labor productivity in every Group business and turnarounds in both new and existing areas. To further improve productivity and strengthen the competitiveness in our Solutions business, we must also be unrivaled in the use of AI.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Kennedy Digs Latest Robot Test

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s RASSOR (Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot) undergoes testing to extract simulated regolith, or the loose, fragmental material on the Moon’s surface, inside of the Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations Lab at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 27. Ben Burdess, mechanical engineer at NASA Kennedy, observes RASSOR’s counterrotating drums digging up the lunar dust and creating a three-foot berm.
    The opposing motion of the drums helps RASSOR grip the surface in low-gravity environments like the Moon or Mars. With this unique capability, RASSOR can traverse the rough surface to dig, load, haul, and dump regolith that could later be broken down into hydrogen, oxygen, or water, resources critical for sustaining human presence.
    The primary objective was testing the bucket drums that will be used on NASA’s IPEx (In-Situ Resource Utilization Pilot Excavator). The RASSOR robot represents an earlier generation technology that informed the development of IPEx, serving as a precursor and foundational platform for the advanced excavation systems and autonomous capabilities now being demonstrated by this Moon-mining robot.
    Image credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Next Hydrogen announces transition of its COO to a consulting arrangement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc. (“Next Hydrogen“) (TSXV:NXH, OTC:NXHSF) announces that James Franchville, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, will be stepping down from his role and transitioning into a consulting position.

    “Jim has been commuting between U.S. and Canada for the past four years, and we support his decision to relocate permanently back to the U.S.,” said Raveel Afzaal, President and CEO of Next Hydrogen. “Drawing on his extensive background in the automotive and aerospace sectors, Jim played a pivotal role in introducing lean processes and disciplined manufacturing practices at Next Hydrogen. We are grateful for his significant contributions and wish him continued success in this next chapter.”

    “At Next Hydrogen, we’ve put substantial effort and investment into establishing a scalable, repeatable manufacturing process,” said James Franchville. “With our strong technology foundation and robust manufacturing systems, the company is well-positioned to become a global leader in electrolysis. I’m proud of the exceptional team we’ve built and look forward to continuing to support them remotely.”

    About Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc.

    Founded in 2007, Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc. is a designer and manufacturer of innovative water electrolyzers that use water and electricity as inputs to generate clean hydrogen for use as a green energy source or a green industrial feedstock. Next Hydrogen’s unique cell design architecture supported by 40 patents enables high current density operations and superior dynamic response to efficiently convert intermittent renewable electricity into green hydrogen on an infrastructure scale. Following successful pilots, Next Hydrogen is scaling up its technology to deliver commercial solutions to decarbonize transportation and industrial sectors. For further information: www.nexthydrogen.com

    Contact Information

    Raveel Afzaal, President and Chief Executive Officer
    Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc.
    Email: rafzaal@nexthydrogen.com

    Phone: 647-961-6620
    www.nexthydrogen.com

    Cautionary Statements

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements”. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the risks associated with the hydrogen industry in general; delays or changes in plans with respect to infrastructure development or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to costs and expenses; failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals; health, safety and environmental risks; uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to infrastructure developments or capital expenditures; currency exchange rate fluctuations; as well as general economic conditions, stock market volatility; and the ability to access sufficient capital. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, there will be no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Harvia and Toyota Co-Develop Concept Model for Hydrogen Sauna Utilizing Hydrogen Combustion Technology

    Source: Toyota

    Headline: Harvia and Toyota Co-Develop Concept Model for Hydrogen Sauna Utilizing Hydrogen Combustion Technology

    Harvia Plc (CEO: Matias Jarnefelt; hereafter “Harvia”) and Toyota Motor Corporation (Operating Officer, President: Koji Sato; hereafter “Toyota”) teamed up to produce a concept model for what is believed to be the world’s first hydrogen-powered sauna (as of this writing, according to the investigations of Harvia and Toyota). The collaboration represents a step toward a more sustainable future for saunas by combining Harvia’s sauna expertise with Toyota’s hydrogen combustion technology.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Heart attacks, fainting and falls: the perils of pooping

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michelle Spear, Professor of Anatomy, University of Bristol

    Ivan Moreno sl/Shutterstock.com

    The humble toilet seems like the least likely setting for drama. Yet throughout history, it has claimed kings, toppled celebrities and served as the scene of untimely deaths ranging from the tragic to the downright bizarre. What is it about the smallest room that makes it, occasionally, the most dangerous?

    At the heart of this peril lies the Valsalva manoeuvre – the act of forcibly exhaling against a closed airway while straining, such as during defecation. This puts pressure on your chest, which reduces blood flow back to the heart. For most people, it’s harmless. But for those with heart problems, this strain can lead to “defecation syncope” (fainting), irregular heart rhythms and even sudden death.

    The vagus nerve is a key player here. It helps control your heart rate, and when it becomes overstimulated – through intense straining or pressure in the rectum – it can cause bradycardia (a dangerously slow heartbeat), low blood pressure and loss of consciousness. This makes defecation a surprisingly high-stakes event for those with underlying heart conditions.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Two of history’s most frequently cited examples of toilet-related deaths – Elvis Presley and King George II – offer sobering case studies in the hidden dangers of defecation.

    Presley, aged just 42, was found collapsed on the bathroom floor of Graceland on August 16, 1977. Though fans speculated about drug overdose – and it’s worth noting that the full report is withheld until 2027 – the post-mortem narrative reveals a more complex and tragic medical picture.

    Presley had suffered from chronic constipation, possibly exacerbated by a high-fat, low-fibre diet, prolonged opiate use and a “megacolon” – a pathologically enlarged colon. On the morning of his death, he was reportedly straining forcefully. The Valsalva manoeuvre may have triggered a fatal arrhythmia in a heart already compromised by years of prescription drug abuse and poor health.

    A more aristocratic death occurred in 1760 when King George II of Great Britain died suddenly after visiting his privy. His physician, Dr Frank Nicholls, performed a rare royal autopsy and found that the king had suffered a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm – a ballooning of the body’s main artery.

    The event probably occurred as George stood up from the toilet, at a moment when blood pressure fluctuated dramatically. Historians and physicians now believe that the effort of defecation or the sudden change in posture may have been the trigger.

    The king’s heart was also notably diseased, with significant calcification of the aortic valve, further compounding the risks posed by even minor circulatory strain.

    Deaths by drowning (and worse)

    While fainting on the toilet poses risks today, historical toilet use came with even deadlier consequences, particularly for those using privies and cesspits before the advent of modern plumbing.

    In the 18th and 19th centuries, many households relied on outdoor privies built over deep pits designed to collect human waste. These structures were often unstable, poorly maintained and perilously constructed.

    Falling into a cesspit wasn’t just revolting, it could be deadly. People who lost their footing, especially in the dark or while drunk, sometimes drowned in the filth or were overcome by toxic gases like methane and hydrogen sulphide, which are released as waste breaks down.

    Newspapers and coroners’ reports from the time reveal a grim pattern: people – especially children and the elderly – regularly died after falling into night soil pits. In his 1851 classic London Labour and the London Poor, Henry Mayhew vividly describes the deadly risks faced by night soil men, including suffocation by toxic cesspit gases.

    These grim accidents helped drive 19th-century public health reforms and campaigns for better sewage infrastructure, eventually paving the way for the modern sewers we rely on today.

    But the danger hasn’t disappeared. In some parts of the world, pit latrines are still common, and toilet-related falls and drownings still occur, particularly where facilities are poorly built or inadequately maintained.

    The dangers of sitting too long

    Modern habits add new risks. Bringing your smartphone to the toilet often means longer sitting times. This increases pressure on the rectal venous plexus (the network of veins around the rectum), raising the risk of haemorrhoids and anal fissures.

    The “toilet scroll” also poses microbial dangers. Studies have found that phones used in the bathroom can carry harmful germs from the toilet to your hands – and eventually, your mouth. They can harbour E coli and other pathogens long after you’ve finished washing your hands.

    There’s also the issue of toilet posture. The western-style sitting toilet, unlike the squatting toilets common in parts of Asia and Africa, places the rectum at an angle that makes defecation more effortful and hence more likely to provoke straining. This is why some people use footstools or “toilet squat platforms” to adjust their position and reduce the risk of complications.

    Whether it’s sudden cardiac death, fainting and falls or microbial exposure, the toilet is not always the sanctuary we imagine. It’s a space where anatomy, privacy and risk intersect – often unnoticed until something goes terribly wrong.

    So the next time nature calls, think twice before settling in with your phone. Sit smart, don’t strain and remember: even in the smallest room, your body could be handling some surprisingly high-stakes business.

    Michelle Spear does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Heart attacks, fainting and falls: the perils of pooping – https://theconversation.com/heart-attacks-fainting-and-falls-the-perils-of-pooping-256934

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Materials and technologies of the oil and gas industry were discussed at the Polytechnic University

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The V international industry conference “Materials and Technologies in the Oil and Gas Industry” was held at the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” (AES SPbPU). Leading experts in the field of materials and technologies, corrosion, metal science, mechanical engineering, additive technologies, digitalization, and the oil and gas industry discussed current issues in the industry. The Scientific and Technological Complex (STC) “New Technologies and Materials” of AES SPbPU organized the event. Partners were Gazprom 335 and VNIKTIneftekhimoborudovanie.

    This year, the business program included an expanded list of areas, including digital materials science, polymer composite materials for the oil and gas industry, hydrogen energy, issues of construction and industrial safety of oil and gas infrastructure, personnel training, and others. More than a hundred reports were presented at 15 thematic sections and round tables. Experts demonstrated developments in the field of materials and technologies as part of the exhibition.

    The event was attended by industry leaders and high-tech companies such as Gazprom, Gazpromneft NTC, Gazpromneft, Gazprom VNIIGAZ, Gazprom 335, Gazpromneft – Service Technologies, Rosneft, Lukoil, Transneft, Irkutsk Oil Company, Tatneft-Presskomposit, Sibir, RN-BashNIPIneft, Sibur Holding, Severstal, VNIKTIneftekhimoborudovanie, IC TMK, Kolskaya GMK, OMK, UMATEX, PM-Composite and others.

    Representatives of scientific centers and leading technical universities of the country spoke in thematic discussions. At the plenary session “Materials and technologies in the oil and gas industry – paths to technological leadership” scientists, government officials and heads of high-tech enterprises in the metallurgy and oil and gas sector presented reports.

    This is our fifth conference, we are celebrating a small anniversary. This year, more than 334 participants have registered, representing 150 organizations. I am sure that we will have fruitful work, which is divided into 15 sections and round tables. You will be able to share experiences, discuss current issues on the scientific and technological agenda and find useful business contacts, – Alexey Borovkov, Vice-Rector for Digital Transformation of SPbPU, greeted the participants.

    Alexey Borovkov spoke about the competencies of the SPbPU PISh in solving the problems of technological leadership, noted the extensive project activities in the interests of the industrial partners of the SPbPU PISh at a unique Digital platform for the development and application of digital twins CML-Bench®Alexey Ivanovich presented the main provisions of digital twin technology and emphasized its advantages as a driver for the development of industries, which contributes to the digitalization of production and the revision of traditional practices of product design and testing.

    Gazprom Neft Science Director Mars Khasanov emphasized the importance of engineering artificial intelligence for the application and development of digital engineering technologies. He noted the importance of integrated modeling, complex processing of large volumes of data, reduction of timeframes and success of modeling. Mars Khasanov spoke about the role of artificial intelligence in decision generation, multivariate modeling and impact analysis.

    All intelligent agents that make up engineering artificial intelligence solve certain engineering problems that are common to system engineering, and neurosymbolic technologies are used. The best environment for implementing engineering artificial intelligence is what Alexey Borovkov talked about. This is model-oriented system engineering, approaches and this entire huge system that was created, for example, at SPbPU. I think it would be great to implement all elements of engineering artificial intelligence into this system, Mars Khasanov emphasized.

    Ayar Suleimanov, Chief Operating Officer of Gazpromneft — Service Technologies, shared his experience in implementing new approaches to integrity and reliability management. He noted the development of projects on predictive failure analytics, online corrosion monitoring, and the development of self-cleaning devices for oil wells. They are aimed at ensuring technological independence, digitalization, and sustainable development of the enterprise. Ayar Suleimanov concluded that the implemented measures have significantly improved efficiency and reduced accidents. In the near future, it is planned to reduce diagnostic costs by 40-50%.

    The strategic session “Modern Materials in Equipment and Technologies for the Development of Oil and Gas Resources on the Russian Continental Shelf” was attended by Grigory Kuropatkin, Head of the Gazprom Department, Kirill Frolov, Chief Engineer and Deputy General Director of Gazprom 335, Yaroslav Kosmatsky, Deputy General Director for Research at the TMK Research Center, and Andrey Drinberg, Professor at the Hero of the Russian Federation, General of the Army E. N. Zinichev, St. Petersburg University of the State Fire Service of the Russian Emergencies Ministry. The moderator was Maxim Korobchuk, Chief Specialist of the Scientific and Technical Directorate of Gazprom 335.

    The experts discussed the prospects for developing offshore deposits in the Russian Arctic zone, the achievements and current challenges of creating domestic equipment for underwater production, problems in materials science, training professional personnel for the emerging new industry, and the possibilities of using modern digital technologies and artificial intelligence.

    The issues raised at the strategic session were examined in more detail by the participants at the relevant thematic sessions:

    “RF SHELF: Steels and alloys for equipment of underwater hydrocarbon production systems”; “RF SHELF: Modern polymeric materials in equipment and technology of underwater hydrocarbon production”; “RF SHELF: Protective and functional coatings for equipment of underwater production complexes of offshore hydrocarbon fields”.

    At the section “Corrosion Management in Oil Refining and Petrochemical Industries”, participants discussed the problems and achievements of oil refining and petrochemical enterprises, as well as specialized institutes and organizations in combating and controlling corrosion of process equipment. Experts considered the causes of equipment and pipeline failures due to corrosion, assessed various mechanisms of corrosion wear and corrosion monitoring, and also conducted a risk assessment in this area.

    Materials and technologies for hydrogen energy were discussed at the round table of the same name. The discussion was moderated by Yuri Aristovich, an expert of the Scientific and Educational Center for Digital Engineering of the Main Equipment of Chemical-Engineering Systems at the St. Petersburg Polytechnical School, Viktor Bolobov, a professor at the Empress Catherine II St. Petersburg Mining University, and Gleb Semernin, head of the department for the development of new product categories at the United Metallurgical Company.

    Hydrogen energy is not a short-term trend, but a conscious choice in favor of the future, where environmental safety and economic efficiency go hand in hand. This is an opportunity to diversify energy sources, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and create new jobs in high-tech industries. Hydrogen energy can become a catalyst for technological progress, stimulating the development of related industries, such as mechanical engineering, chemical industry, energy and transport. This is a chance for Russia to take a leading position in the global market of hydrogen technologies, exporting not only raw materials, but also advanced solutions. For the successful development of this area, comprehensive government support is needed, including the creation of a favorable investment climate, the development of a regulatory framework, stimulating demand for hydrogen and supporting scientific research, – noted Yuri Aristovich.

    Timofey Sokolov, an engineer at the Digital Engineering of the Main Equipment of Chemical-Engineering Systems Research and Education Center at the SPbPU PIS, presented a report on the analysis and development prospects of modern burner devices as a new industry standard. His colleague Andrey Efremov spoke about a critical analysis of the characteristics of internal combustion engines and hydrogen fuel cells. Anton Tsvetkov, a senior lecturer at the Higher School of Advanced Digital Technologies at the SPbPU PIS, presented the results of a study on the resistance of steel to hydrogen in aqueous and gaseous environments. Sergey Dagayev, a research engineer at the testing laboratory at the SPbPU PIS, spoke about hydrogen embrittlement of pipeline steels in a high-pressure hydrogen gas environment. The participants of the round table developed optimal solutions in terms of the emerging regulatory framework and the introduction of materials and technologies for hydrogen energy.

    Director of the Higher School of Advanced Digital Technologies PISH SPbPU Valery Leventsov presented the educational model of the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” and approaches to organizing the educational process, in which representatives of industrial partners, along with the school’s teachers, act as mentors for master’s students.

    Director of the Center for Continuing Professional Education of the SPbPU Advanced Engineering School Sergey Salkutsan spoke about the experience of developing and implementing training programs for managers and engineering personnel of high-tech companies on the topic of organizing advanced production. Students of the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering”, engineers of the Scientific and Technical Complex “New Technologies and Materials” of the SPbPU Advanced Engineering School Ksenia Grigorieva and Rodion Ermolaev demonstrated tools and approaches that help future engineers maintain efficiency, involvement and sustainability in the educational and professional environment.

    Read more about the conference on the website.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s latest emissions data reveal we still have a giant fossil fuel problem

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Lovell, Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering, UNSW Sydney

    According to Australia’s Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, the latest emissions data show “we are on track to reach our 2030 targets” under the Paris Agreement. In 2024, Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions were “27% below 2005 levels”. That’s great news, right?

    Well, yes and no. Australia continues to rely on changes in land use to compensate for emissions released into the atmosphere.

    In other words, Australia’s plants are considered to be taking more carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere now than in 2005. Their efforts are captured in the Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector, which is the single largest reason for the significant reduction in Australian emissions.

    Without accounting for land use, Australia’s emissions have only decreased 3% since 2005, not 27%.

    If Australia is serious about reducing emissions and tracking towards net zero by 2050, we need to tackle a series of inconvenient truths about fossil fuels. Fossil fuels feed into almost every aspect of our lives, not just cars and power plants. There are substitutes, but they are not easy to source – and they don’t come cheap.

    How fossil fuel exports drive up emissions here and overseas

    Australia is one of the world’s biggest fossil fuel exporters. The coal, oil and natural gas we export is either burnt or combined with our sizeable iron ore exports to produce iron. But the greenhouse gases are released overseas, so they don’t count in Australia’s emissions data.

    This is in line with our international commitments under the Paris agreement. But there is an argument to be made that even though Australia doesn’t burn those exports, we should acknowledge our central role in contributing to global emissions. We may need to account for these in future reporting.

    Australia’s export emissions are likely to be triple that of our domestic emissions. These emissions have been increasing consistently over the last decade.

    But the process of extracting fossil fuels and preparing them for export does show up in Australia’s domestic emission figures, through what’s called “fugitive emissions”. These fugitive emissions are the unavoidable leaks that occur when we pull fossil fuels out of the ground, store, transport and process them.

    In the year to 2024, fugitive emissions accounted for 10.6% of our emissions, which is far greater than emissions from industrial processes (6.8%).

    Disturbingly, recent analysis suggests fugitive emissions could be drastically underreported. Because these emissions are tricky to measure, they are often estimated on an average basis. This means reported values do not accurately reflect true releases.

    When it comes to fugitive and export emissions, Australia is not on track to meet 2030 targets. Recent export-focused fossil project approvals such as the North West Shelf gas project suggest we might even be backtracking.

    Chris Bowen on Insiders, Sunday June 1, 2025 (ABC News)

    The transition to renewables

    Closing dirty old coal-fired power stations and replacing them with renewable energy such as solar and wind power does cut emissions. The reduction in emissions from the electricity sector, down 23.7% on 2005 levels, is good news. But the difference is still small enough that seasonal variations from Tasmania’s hydro power plants can distort the annual figures.

    At least there is a plan in place for the energy transition. Big, slow wheels are in motion.

    Unfortunately the reality is we will need much, much more renewable energy in the future. Up to three times the current capacity of the National Electricity Market will be needed to cover future domestic energy requirements across electricity and other sectors out to 2050.

    Significantly more would be required to generate enough additional green energy to also produce green value-added commodities.

    Australia’s clean energy challenge

    Discussions around transitioning from fossil fuels typically overlook how deeply they are embedded in our everyday lives.

    Not just the fuel we use in our cars, but the roads we drive on. Not just the electricity we use to power our hospitals, but the steel used to build them and the pharmaceuticals we rely on.

    Globally, around 13% of fossil fuels are not burned but used to make these key chemicals. What’s the alternative?

    Clean electricity is the key.

    Electricity can be used to make hydrogen from water through electrolysis. This hydrogen can then replace fossil fuels in manufacturing – making products such as green steel and ammonia for fertiliser.

    When combined with non-fossil sources of carbon, hydrogen can also be turned into renewable fuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel. It can be used to synthesise green versions of petrochemicals used in industrial processes such as ethanol, propylene and ethylene, which are currently sourced from fossil fuels.

    This takes energy. Lots of it. Fortunately Australia has all the ingredients needed for a booming green industry – one that’s much broader than just renewable electricity.

    Currently, it costs more to produce these chemicals without using fossil fuels. That’s why some companies and state governments have been pulling back from their investments in green hydrogen.

    Most people talk about green hydrogen in the context of energy storage or export. But it can also enable the transition away from fossil fuels in other sectors. The technology exists to make these chemicals and products, without the emissions and it’s slowly but steadily moving closer toward price parity.

    If we can nail this switch to fossil-free alternatives to petrochemicals, Australia would be able to add value onshore, rather than exporting raw materials. For example, we could export iron, not iron ore. Methanol or ammonia, not hydrogen. Export the jumper, not the wool.

    Heavy industry driven by renewables?

    On Sunday, Bowen said he found some areas of the 2024 emissions figures “encouraging, like industrial emissions, way down and lower than 2021”.

    Unfortunately, this result was partly due to a decline in manufacturing. Onshore manufacturing capability has been steadily decreasing, despite increased fossil fuel extraction.

    Unless we ramp up green manufacturing – replacing fossil fuel exports with much needed renewable products and fuels – we will continue to bear responsibility, if not direct accountability, for large, exported emissions as well as onshore fugitive emissions.

    And no amount of changes to land use can account for that.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Australia’s latest emissions data reveal we still have a giant fossil fuel problem – https://theconversation.com/australias-latest-emissions-data-reveal-we-still-have-a-giant-fossil-fuel-problem-257907

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to a conference abstract looking at the effect of nanoplastic consumption on metabolism and liver function in mice

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A conference abstract presented at NUTRITION 2025 looks at the effect of nanoplastic consumption on metabolism and liver function in mice. 

    Prof Oliver Jones, Professor of Chemistry, RMIT University, said:

    “While we only have the press release and abstract to go on, the keywords are ‘in mice’. Mice are not mini-humans; we can’t assume the result would automatically translate to humans.

    “The methods are not clear, but it seems the mice were given 60 mg/kg per day of a solution that was 10% polystyrene (so 6 mg/kg of plastic per kg of body weight per day). It is equivalent to an 80 kg human eating half a gram of plastic per day. This is just not a realistic dose [see 1]. A recent independent review suggests that we ingest only 0.0000006 g of plastic per day [2]. Even then, they likely pass straight out again as the gut wall is relatively thick and well-regulated in humans.

    “The mice were also force-fed this diet directly into the stomach for 6-7 weeks before the biochemical analysis was performed. If I were force-fed almost 0.5 grams of plastic a day for 6-7 weeks, I expect I would have some sort of metabolic response, but that would not necessarily be bad in itself, and in any case, this just isn’t what happens in real life.  

    “The researchers only used one plastic, polystyrene, which is far from the most common plastic found in the environment. However, it is readily available and is often used in such studies, even if it is not the best plastic to use.

    “Another issue is that the type of mouse (C57/B6J) used may have problems with glucose metabolism under normal circumstances anyway [3]. Metabolic analyses also only give you an idea of what was happening at the single point in time the sample was taken. We don’t know if the metabolic changes were permanent or went back to normal later.

    “The World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is no clear evidence that microplastics pose a threat to human health. Now, this is not the same as saying they are safe, it simply means they feel there is no proof they pose a risk, despite the numerous papers published on microplastics each year. 

    “I don’t think this study is helpful for human risk assessment. It uses unrealistically high amounts of a plastic, which is not the major type found in the environment, fed to a type of mouse prone to glucose issues, in an unrealistic manner.”

    References:

    1. Green, H. (2022) Are You Eating a Credit Card Every Week? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ntp6BqhSng accessed 29/05/25
    2. Mohamed Nor N.H., Kooi M., Diepens N.J. & Koelmans A.A. (2021) Lifetime Accumulation of Microplastic in Children and Adults. Environmental Science & Technology 55, 5084-96. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.0c07384
    3. Freeman H.C., Hugill A., Dear N.T., Ashcroft F.M. & Cox R.D. (2006) Deletion of nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase: a new quantitive trait locus accounting for glucose intolerance in C57BL/6J mice. Diabetes 55, 2153-6.https://diabetesjournals.org/diabetes/article/55/7/2153/14138/Deletion-of-Nicotinamide-Nucleotide”

    ‘Adverse Effects of Nanoplastics Administration on the Metabolic Profile and Glucose Control in Mice’ is a conference abstract which was presented by Amy Parkhurst at NUTRITION 2025. The embargo lifted at 21:45 UK Time, Sunday 1st June 2025.

    Declared interests

    Prof Oliver Jones: “I am a professor of chemistry at RMIT University in Melbourne. I don’t have any conflicts of interest to declare. However, I do conduct research into environmental pollution, such as microplastics. Sixteen years ago, I worked on a toxicology project funded by the UK Food Standards Agency.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Taking a Multi-Pathway Approach at Super Taikyu Fuji 24 Hours Race

    Source: Toyota

    Headline: Taking a Multi-Pathway Approach at Super Taikyu Fuji 24 Hours Race

    Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) will enter the ENEOS Super Taikyu Series 2025 Empowered by BRIDGESTONE Round 3 NAPAC Fuji 24 Hours Race, to be held from May 30 to June 1, with the #28 TGRR GR86 Future FR Concept running on low-carbon gasoline (E20) and the #32 TGRR GR Corolla H2 Concept running on liquid hydrogen.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Denis Manturov and the Head of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov took part in the launch of the industrial technopark “Olimp”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Denis Manturov and Rustam Minnikhanov visited the KAMAZ automobile plant and took part in the opening ceremony of the industrial technopark in Tatarstan

    May 30, 2025

    Denis Manturov visited the KAMAZ automobile plant and took part in the opening ceremony of the industrial technopark in Tatarstan

    May 30, 2025

    Denis Manturov visited the KAMAZ automobile plant and took part in the opening ceremony of the industrial technopark in Tatarstan

    May 30, 2025

    Denis Manturov visited the KAMAZ automobile plant and took part in the opening ceremony of the industrial technopark in Tatarstan

    May 30, 2025

    Denis Manturov visited the KAMAZ automobile plant and took part in the opening ceremony of the industrial technopark in Tatarstan

    May 30, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Denis Manturov and Rustam Minnikhanov visited the KAMAZ automobile plant and took part in the opening ceremony of the industrial technopark in Tatarstan

    First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, as part of a working trip to Tatarstan, together with the head of the republic Rustam Minnikhanov, visited the KAMAZ automobile plant and also took part in the opening ceremony of a new industrial technology park.

    At the KAMAZ scientific and technical center, the First Deputy Prime Minister and the head of the republic were presented with a number of the latest high-tech vehicles of the K5 generation, as well as quarry dump trucks of the Atlant family, a KAMAZ-6290 water truck and a KAMAZ-53199 (Chistogor) flatbed electric garbage truck.

    KAMAZ presented a set of technical solutions that allow drivers with disabilities to operate trucks. The vehicle is equipped with a device that lifts and places the driver in the cabin. The vehicle is fully controlled using the steering wheel. Denis Manturov instructed the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Rosstandart, and the Ministry of Health to develop regulatory framework to ensure that drivers with disabilities are allowed to carry out commercial transportation in specially equipped vehicles. Such solutions may be in demand, including for participants in the SVO.

    Denis Manturov and Rustam Minnikhanov took part in the grand opening ceremony of the industrial technopark “Olimp”, the residents of which will be enterprises in the field of radio-electronic industry. In particular, the Electronics and Power Elements Center of PJSC “KAMAZ” will be opened here, specializing in the development and production of electronic components for freight and passenger vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells and electric traction. In total, the federal authorities, the Republic of Tatarstan and KAMAZ invested over 2 billion rubles in the project to create a new technopark.

    “Today we had the opportunity to get acquainted with the results of research and development work on technologies related to the development of hydrogen engines or accumulators. This area is developing quite actively in our country. At the same time, the application areas are very wide. This is not only the automotive industry, but also river vessels. We must maintain our potential without slowing down. This is an interdepartmental task. Today, colleagues identified a number of issues that need to be resolved. We will actively work on this area,” Denis Manturov emphasized.

    “This is the result of systematic work to create a high-tech infrastructure for the development of the republic and the entire country. The project was implemented with federal support, and thanks to this, the first stage of the construction of the technology park was completed in the shortest possible time. It is important for us that the technology park is also an educational platform and a center for training engineering personnel. In recent years, much has been done in terms of supporting higher education. I am confident that “Olimp” will become a place of innovation, where breakthrough technologies will be born and a new generation of engineers will grow up. We will always support. I want to wish that those discoveries appear here that will ensure the technological independence of the country,” said Rustam Minnikhanov.

    A meeting of the organizing committee for preparations for the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city of Naberezhnye Chelny and the 50th anniversary of the release of the company’s first truck was also held at the KAMAZ site, chaired by the First Deputy Prime Minister.

    “The significance of these events not only for Tatarstan, but for the entire country is emphasized by the President’s decree. Therefore, it is important for us to do everything necessary to ensure that the celebrations are held at the proper level. And most importantly, to leave behind a legacy in the form of new and overhauled facilities. We are talking about educational, cultural, sports and medical institutions. About the street and road network and residential buildings,” Denis Manturov noted.

    “We are grateful to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin for the decision to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the city’s foundation and the 50th anniversary of the first KAMAZ vehicle at the federal level. The plan of the main events for the preparation and celebration of these significant dates has already been approved. And the main objective of the plan is to preserve human capital in the city, create comfortable conditions for life and work in production,” the head of the republic said.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hybrid vehicle sales continue to rise as electric and plug-in vehicle shares remain flat

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    May 30, 2025

    Data source: Wards Intelligence

    About 22% of light-duty vehicles sold in the first quarter of the year in the United States were hybrid, battery electric, or plug-in hybrid vehicles, up from about 18% in the first quarter of 2024. Among those categories, hybrid electric vehicles have continued to gain market share while battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles have remained relatively flat, according to estimates from Wards Intelligence.

    These different vehicle types affect the broader energy sector in different ways. Battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles can consume electricity from isolated power sources or, more commonly, from the grid. So, their use can affect electricity demand. By comparison, hybrid electric vehicles do not have plugs, so they don’t directly affect grid-delivered electricity demand.

    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

    The decrease in electric vehicle sales was driven by declining sales of battery electric models such as the Honda Prologue, Chevrolet Equinox, and Tesla Model Y. These declines were partially offset by increased sales of other battery electric models, such as the Volkswagen ID.4 and Toyota bZ4X.

    Battery electric vehicle sales in particular are more common in the luxury vehicle market. U.S. luxury vehicles accounted for 14% of the total light-duty vehicle market in the first quarter of the year, the lowest share since mid-2020. Electric vehicles accounted for 23% of total luxury sales in the first quarter of 2025. Electric vehicles had accounted for more than one-third of luxury sales in 2023 and 2024 before Wards reclassified the Tesla Model 3 as non-luxury in late 2024.

    Data source: Wards Intelligence

    Battery electric vehicles’ average transaction prices remain persistently higher than the overall market: the average transaction prices increased from $55,500 in December 2024 to $59,200 in March 2025, compared with the average price of all new vehicles, which decreased from $49,700 to $47,500. This 25% difference between battery electric vehicles and the industry average prices in March 2025 was the highest in any month since April 2023.

    Since sales figures in any year are relatively small compared with the total number of vehicles on the road, electric vehicles’ share of the total light-duty vehicle fleet is much less than the recent 10% sales share. In our Monthly Energy Review, we maintain annual data series on light-duty vehicles, battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles based on data from S&P Global. In 2023, the most recent data year, electric vehicles accounted for less than 2% of all registered light-duty vehicles in the United States.

    Principal contributor: Michael Dwyer

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: NANO Nuclear Files Six New Patent Applications Related to its Proprietary ZEUS™ Microreactor

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NANO continues work to expand its intellectual property portfolio

    New York, N.Y., May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company, today announced that it has filed six new utility patent applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) related to its ZEUS™ microreactor.

    ZEUS™ is being designed as a solid‑core battery reactor with a fully sealed core that uses a highly conductive moderator matrix to dissipate fission heat. As designed, there is no fluid inside the core, which lowers the risk typically associated in‑core coolant accident scenarios.

    Figure 1 – Rendering of NANO Nuclear Energy’s ZEUS™ Advanced Portable Nuclear Microreactor

    The ZEUS™ design calls for all reactor and support systems to fit within a standard shipping container, creating the potential for exceptional transportability to sites lacking conventional energy infrastructure. The unit is also designed to deliver thermal energy directly for heat applications or convert it to electricity, making it adaptable for a wide range of needs, including district heating, power generation and non‑electric uses such as hydrogen production.

    “These patent applications for ZEUS reaffirm our commitment to strengthening NANO Nuclear’s intellectual property portfolio,” said Prof. Massimiliano Fratoni, Senior Director and Head of Reactor Design of NANO Nuclear. “The applications are directed towards safeguarding ZEUS’s key processes and components, which would not only benefit our own program but also contribute to progress across the entire advanced nuclear reactor industry.”

    “We’re pleased to file these new patent applications, which reflect the hard and excellent work of our engineering and technical teams to advance our goal of bringing next‑generation microreactors, like ZEUS™, from development to commercialization,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear.”

    About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

    NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

    Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include patented KRONOS MMR™ Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.), “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor, and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, and the space focused, portable LOKI MMR™, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.

    Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

    HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

    NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.

    For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/

    For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:

    Email: IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
    Business Tel: (212) 634-9206

    PLEASE FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES HERE:

    NANO Nuclear Energy LINKEDIN
    NANO Nuclear Energy YOUTUBE
    NANO Nuclear Energy X PLATFORM

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statements related to the anticipated benefits of the patent applications described herein. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state or non-U.S. nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop, gain registered intellectual property protection for, and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • Astronomers scrutinize a star behaving unlike any other

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Astronomers have spotted a star acting unlike any other ever observed as it unleashes a curious combination of radio waves and X-rays, pegging it as an exotic member of a class of celestial objects first identified only three years ago.

    It is located in the Milky Way galaxy about 15,000 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Scutum, flashing every 44 minutes in both radio waves and X-ray emissions. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).

    The researchers said it belongs to a class of objects called “long-period radio transients,” known for bright bursts of radio waves that appear every few minutes to several hours.

    This is much longer than the rapid pulses in radio waves typically detected from pulsars – a type of speedily rotating neutron star, the dense collapsed core of a massive star after its death. Pulsars appear, as viewed from Earth, to be blinking on and off on timescales of milliseconds to seconds.

    “What these objects are and how they generate their unusual signals remain a mystery,” said astronomer Ziteng Wang of Curtin University in Australia, lead author of the study published this week in the journal Nature.

    In the new study, the researchers used data from NASA’s orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory, the ASKAP telescope in Australia and other telescopes.

    While the emission of radio waves from the newly identified object is similar to the approximately 10 other known examples of this class, it is the only one sending out X-rays, according to astrophysicist and study co-author Nanda Rea of the Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona.

    The researchers have some hypotheses about the nature of this star. They said it may be a magnetar, a spinning neutron star with an extreme magnetic field, or perhaps a white dwarf, a highly compact stellar ember, with a close and quick orbit around a small companion star in what is called a binary system.

    “However, neither of them could explain all observational features we saw,” Wang said.

    Stars with up to eight times the mass of our sun appear destined to end up as a white dwarf. They eventually burn up all the hydrogen they use as fuel. Gravity then causes them to collapse and blow off their outer layers in a “red giant” stage, eventually leaving behind a compact core roughly the diameter of Earth – the white dwarf.

    The observed radio waves potentially could have been generated by the interaction between the white dwarf and the hypothesized companion star, the researchers said.

    “The radio brightness of the object varies a lot. We saw no radio emission from the object before November 2023. And in February 2024, we saw it became extremely bright. Fewer than 30 objects in the sky have ever reached such brightness in radio waves. Remarkably, at the same time, we also detected X-ray pulses from the object. We can still detect it in radio, but much fainter,” Wang said.

    Wang said it is thrilling to see a new type of behavior for stars.

    “The X-ray detection came from NASA’s Chandra space telescope. That part was a lucky break. The telescope was actually pointing at something else, but just happened to catch the source during its ‘crazy’ bright phase. A coincidence like that is really, really rare – like finding a needle in a haystack,” Wang said.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER WARNS: UNDER CLEAN ENERGY TAX HIKE IN GOP PLAN THAT PASSED HOUSE LAST WEEK, NEW YORK COULD LOSE A STAGGERING 20,000+ JOBS & SEE HIGHER MONTHLY ENERGY BILLS; SENATOR SOUNDS ALARM AND DEMANDS…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Last Week, The House GOP Rushed To Pass Trump’s Tax Giveaway To Billionaires, That Guts Food Assistance And Medicaid, AND Also Kills The Fed Clean Energy Investments NY Companies Are Using To Lower Energy Costs, Create Good-Paying Union Jobs & Bring Manufacturing Back From China

    Since The Inflation Reduction Act Passed Three Years Ago, NY Companies Have Announced Over $5 BILLION In Clean Manufacturing Investments Creating Thousands Of Good-Paying Jobs From Long Island To Buffalo; Senator Warns What Will Happen If GOP Doesn’t Back Off Plan To Kill Clean Energy And Manufacturing

    Schumer: Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Is An Ugly Mess That Means Bigger Electric Bills & Big Job Losses For New York

    Just a week after House Republicans passed Trump’s devastating bill to kill clean energy incentives so they could give tax breaks to billionaires, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer revealed how tax hikes on clean energy tucked in the bill would be a gut punch to New York’s economy.

    Schumer said new data studies from NERA Economic Consulting shows that repealing the clean energy tax credits could cause New York to lose up to 20,300 jobs as clean energy projects are cancelled or scaled back due to lack of incentive, with a whopping nearly $3.5 billion hit to the state’s GDP and New Yorkers paying up to $650 in higher energy costs each year by 2032 if these devastating cuts become law.

    “Higher energy bills and many thousands fewer jobs, that’s what New York gets under Trump’s reckless tax bill, which is a giveaway to billionaires and corporations. Already, thousands of New Yorkers were making improvements to their homes to lower their electric bills and make their homes warmer in the harsh winters, now they lose all that support. Thousands of new jobs building clean energy projects in every corner of the state and bringing manufacturing back from China will all be vaporized by the GOP’s ugly budget bill. It is a gut punch to New York and a gift to China, which wants to dominate clean energy manufacturing,” said Senator Schumer. “Losing these clean energy projects means losing cheaper electricity for families and businesses. We need more energy production from many sources including wind and solar and water; we need America to be energy independent and to manufacture clean energy technology here, not overseas, and eliminating these tax credits radically and irresponsibly rolls back all the progress we have made in recent years. It turns America’s clean energy boom into a bust.”

    Schumer explained that the bill which passed the Republican House last week would kill clean energy incentives created in the Inflation Reduction Act, these tax credits are already benefiting hundreds of New York businesses with ongoing projects and families who are using them to help improve their homes and lower their electric bills. These cuts are broad and deep to New York’s clean energy sector, Schumer specifically highlighted how the bill would:

    • Eliminates the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit, which provides families in New York up to $3,200 to help weatherize their homes for better protection in the harsh winters and make improvements to make their homes more energy efficient to lower their electric bills with qualifying items like doors, windows, better insulation and heat pumps.
    • Eliminates the Residential Clean Energy Credit, which gives New York families a 30% discount on home energy improvements, like solar panels, heat pumps, or energy storage, that help lower energy bills and keep the lights on during power outages.
    • Eliminates the Clean Electricity Investment & Production Credits that support more cheap, clean electricity. With natural gas turbines on a five-year delay, the IRA’s clean electricity tax credits have ensured a robust buildout of wind and solar power while helping keep electricity prices from increasing and spurring demand for American-made energy products.
    • Sabotages the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit that has generated a more than five-fold increase in investment in manufacturing in the solar and EV supply chains, creating thousands of jobs and shifting these industries out of China to the U.S.
    • Eliminates the IRA’s Electric Vehicle Tax Credits that make it cheaper to buy new and used electric and plug-in hybrid cars, and has led to a massive onshoring of EV and battery supply chain manufacturing, undercutting China and bolstering American companies.
    • Eliminates the New Energy-Efficient Home Credit that makes it cheaper to build new, highly efficient and affordable homes, expanding the housing supply while reducing energy costs.
    • Eliminates the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit that supports American-made clean hydrogen, led by New York companies like Plug Power and Air Products, to be used for clean manufacturing and agriculture.

    Schumer said that clean energy investments from the Inflation Reduction Act have created the biggest clean energy boom in American history, but now with many of these core provisions being clawed back or eliminated it risks all the progress that has been made in New York and across the country. The senator said if NY energy projects are forced to stop or scale back, energy costs would increase for families and businesses across the country. With electricity demand surging in New York and across the country, clean energy sources like wind and many other sources of clean power are often the most efficient sources of new electricity, much cheaper than traditional alternatives like natural gas and oil. NERA Economic Consulting estimates costs for New York families could increase by $650 a year, as the Republican plan to gut the clean electricity production and investment tax credits makes it more expensive to provide more electricity, while simultaneously killing the Residential Clean Energy and Energy Efficient Home Improvement tax credits makes it more costly for families to make their homes more efficient and reduce their energy bills.

    Schumer added, “Democrats are united in opposing this cruel and counterproductive bill, and these ill-conceived elimination of energy tax credits so they can put more money in the pockets of billionaires. We need the GOP to block these cuts, otherwise it will be American families and our manufacturing future paying the price.”

    The Clean Economy Tracker estimates the Inflation Reduction Act’s incentives have spurred over $5 billion worth of investments in clean manufacturing in New York, creating over 7,200 jobs. Schumer said if this House Republican plan goes through, many of the clean energy projects spurred by the IRA could be forced to scale back or even stop and the workers building the future of American energy would be laid off, and projects that otherwise would have come online will never come to fruition. That would impact both major NY employers and manufacturers in the clean energy, manufacturing, electric vehicle, battery, research sector and our small businesses. One example is Geothermal Works in the Hudson Valley, a small Westchester based family business with that helps homes get updated with heat pumps and geothermal systems to lower their electric costs, who said that if the current clean energy cuts go through in the GOP bill it would shutter their business and force them into early retirement.

    Below are just some examples of projects spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act in New York State that show why eliminating these provisions could be so harmful:

    • Off Long Island, Equinor invested $5 billion in building a massive offshore wind farm project, Empire Wind, that will provide power for hundreds of thousands of homes in New York State, and is supported by tax credits for offshore wind projects created by the Inflation Reduction Act .
    • In the Capital Region, Plug Power invested $125 million in a new green hydrogen fuel cell factory in 2023, creating new good paying jobs to boost production of clean hydrogen fuel cells with support from the Fuel Cell Production Tax Credit. Additionally, the company is poised to harness the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act, to spur further growth both in the Capital Region and at Plug’s Henrietta, NY Gigafactory in the Finger Lakes that manufactures Electrolyzers. GE Vernova invested $50 million in a new manufacturing line for its onshore wind business in 2023, hiring 200 new workers with support from a production tax credit for U.S. wind turbine manufacturing created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
    • In Western New York, Viridi Parente a fast growing company on Buffalo’s East Side has added hundreds of good-paying jobs growing the domestic battery manufacturing industry with support from clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act, such as the Advanced Manufacturing Production tax credit. Solar Liberty Energy Systems and PanelClaw are installing thousands of solar panels at homes and businesses. Solar Liberty Energy Systems is helping customers navigate available federal clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce the burden of installation costs while PanelClaw is producing racking systems with help from the American Domestic Manufacturing Bonus tax credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act.

    Since Trump was elected, approximately $14 billion worth of manufacturing projects have been outright cancelled, representing more than 13,000 jobs lost. If the GOP plan to raise taxes on energy goes through, those cancellations could balloon to threaten more than $800 billion in private investment in domestic clean energy made in the past three years across the country, according to the Clean Investment Monitor. NERA Economic Consulting estimates that New York could lose an estimated 20,300 jobs if these tax breaks are killed. Schumer said the House Republican bill would repeal the very parts of the Inflation Reduction Act that have helped companies grow in New York and spurred millions of investments, many of which are in Republican districts.

    Repealing the clean energy tax incentives would also be a disaster for America and Schumer said that would cede energy manufacturing leadership to China, which already produces a significant amount of the world’s clean technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries. If companies can no longer support clean energy manufacturing in the United States, they will bring these projects to America’s competitors, and jobs that would’ve otherwise been created in America will be created in countries like China. This will destabilize American supply chains and make American families and businesses reliant on China for cheap energy.

    “No matter which way you slice it, the House Republican bill is bad news for New Yorkers. Shutting down projects, killing jobs, and increasing electricity bills would be devastating for our state, which is why we need Republicans to stand up to this bill to save investments in homegrown American energy,” concluded Schumer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Integrated Testing on Horizon for Artemis II Launch Preparations

    Source: NASA

    Teams responsible for preparing and launching Artemis II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are set to begin a series of integrated tests to get ready for the mission. With the upper stage of the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) integrated with other elements of the rocket, engineers are set to start the tests to confirm rocket and ground systems are working and communicating as planned.
    While similar to the integrated testing campaign conducted for NASA’s uncrewed Artemis I test flight, engineers have added tests ahead of Artemis II to prepare for NASA’s first crewed flight under the Artemis campaign – an approximately 10-day journey by four astronauts around the Moon and back. The mission is another step toward missions on the lunar surface and helping the agency prepare for future astronaut missions to Mars.
    Interface Verification Testing
    Verifies the functionality and interoperability of interfaces across elements and systems. Teams will conduct this test from the firing room in the Launch Control Center and perform health and status checks of various systems and interfaces between the SLS core stage, the solid rocket boosters, and the ground systems. It will ensure different systems, including core stage engines and booster thrust control, work as planned. Teams also will perform the same series of tests with the interim cryogenic propulsion stage and Orion before conducting a final interface test with all segments.
    Program Specific Engineering Test
    Teams will conduct separate engineering tests for the core stage, rocket boosters, and upper stage following the interface verification tests for each part of the rocket.
    End-to-End Communications Testing
    Integrated test of SLS core and upper stages, and Orion command and telemetry radio frequencies with mission control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to demonstrate flight controllers’ ability to communicate with the ground systems and infrastructure. This test uses a radio frequency antenna in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), another near the launch pad that will cover the first few minutes of launch, as well as a radio frequency that use the Tracking Data Relay Satellite and the Deep Space Network. Teams will do two versions of this test – one with the ground equipment communicating with a radio and telemetry station for checkouts, and one with all the hardware and equipment communicating with communications infrastructure like it will on launch day.
    Countdown Demonstration Test
    Teams will conduct a launch day demonstration with the Artemis II astronauts to test launch countdown procedures and make any final necessary adjustments ahead of launch. This test will be divided into two parts. The first will be conducted while SLS and Orion are in the VAB and include the Artemis II crew departing their crew quarters after suiting up at the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building and driving to the VAB where they will enter Orion like they will on launch day and practice getting strapped in. Part two will be completed once the rocket is at the launch pad and will allow the astronauts and Artemis launch team to practice how to use the emergency egress system, which would be used in the event of an unlikely emergency at the launch pad during launch countdown.
    Flight Termination System End-to-End Test
    Test to ensure the rocket’s flight termination system can be activated in the event of an emergency. For public safety, all rockets are required to have a flight termination system. This test will be divided into two parts inside the VAB. The first will take place ahead of Orion getting stacked atop SLS and the second will occur before the rocket and spacecraft roll out to the launch pad.
    Wet Dress Rehearsal
    Teams will practice loading cryogenic liquid propellant inside SLS once it’s at the launch pad and run through the launch countdown sequences just prior to engine ignition. The rehearsal will run the Artemis II launch team through operations to load liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the rocket’s tanks, conduct a full launch countdown, demonstrate the ability to recycle the countdown clock, and also drain the tanks to give them an opportunity to practice the timelines and procedures they will use for launch.
    Teams will load more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic, or super cold, propellants into the rocket at the launch pad on the mobile launcher according to the detailed timeline they will use on the actual launch day. They will practice every phase of the countdown, including weather briefings, pre-planned holds in the countdown, conditioning and replenishing the propellants as needed, and validation checks. The Artemis II crew will not participate in the rehearsal.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Global renewable power installed capacity to surge to 11.2TW by 2035, forecasts GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Global renewable power installed capacity to surge to 11.2TW by 2035, forecasts GlobalData

    Posted in Power

    The power sector is experiencing a notable growth in renewable energy sources, propelled by an array of factors such as technological progress, policy incentives, and a heightened awareness of the imperative for sustainable energy solutions. Consequently, renewable resources, particularly solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy, are gaining a larger share in the energy portfolio. Driven primarily by declining costs and strong policy support, particularly for solar PV and wind energy, the global renewable power installed capacity is estimated to surge from 3.42TW in 2024 to 11.2TW by 2035, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s latest report, “Renewable Energy: Strategic Intelligence”,  reveals that the global renewables market expanded from a cumulative installed capacity of 0.93TW in 2015 to 3.42TW by the end of 2024, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16%. The total cumulative installed capacity is projected to record a CAGR of 11% during the period 2024-35.

    Solar PV and wind power were significant contributors to the renewable energy sector, accounting for 56% and 33% of the total installed capacity in 2024, respectively.  The Asia Pacific (APAC) region has emerged as the largest market for solar PV and wind installed capacity, boasting 1.18TW and 0.67TW in 2024, respectively.

    Rehaan Shiledar, Power Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “As the costs of solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind technologies continue to decline, these renewable energy sources are increasingly appealing to investors. Also, energy transition strategies, coupled with a rising demand for electricity—partly fueled by the emergence of hydrogen energy and the advent of artificial intelligence—will propel the market growth for renewable energy sources.”

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the renewable energy sector by enhancing generation optimization, advancing grid management, and increasing efficiency across multiple systems. AI algorithms possess the capability to forecast renewable energy production, oversee grid operations in real-time, and refine energy storage strategies. These advancements contribute to heightened reliability and efficiency, thereby rendering renewable energy more effective and economical.

    Leading offshore wind developers such as TotalEnergies, Corio Generation, EnBW, RWE, and Statkraft are leveraging digital platforms to enhance the efficiency of wind farm project development. Similarly, solar power developers such as NextEra Energy, EDF and ENGIE are employing machine learning models to enhance the efficiency of solar PV facilities.

    Shiledar continues: “The renewable energy sector stands on the cusp of substantial growth, with the solar PV and wind power industries at the forefront. Moreover, the worldwide pledge to curtail carbon emissions has cultivated a regulatory landscape conducive to investments in these sustainable energy alternatives.”

    Solar PV systems are poised to spearhead new investments, outpacing both onshore and offshore wind sectors. In 2024, solar PV garnered $329.1 billion in investments. In contrast, onshore wind investments stood at $151.2 billion, while offshore wind investments reached $69.6 billion by the end of 2024. Looking ahead, the onshore wind sector is forecasted to grow to $186.9 billion and the offshore wind sector to $150.4 billion by 2030. These figures correspond to a CAGR of 4% for onshore wind and an impressive 14% for offshore wind, signaling robust growth trajectories for these renewable energy sources.”

    Shiledar concludes: “Solar and wind power stand at the vanguard of the renewable segment, rapidly becoming cost-competitive with traditional fossil fuels. They are anticipated to dominate electricity generation in the near future. While the global community is committing to the expansion of renewable energy sources, the US appears to be slowing the pace of renewables growth in favor of prioritizing fossil fuels.

    “Tariffs and offshore wind lease restrictions policy by the Trump administration are significantly impacting the renewable energy industry. Nonetheless, the global commitment to reduce carbon emissions, technological advancements, and demand for cleaner energy solutions will accelerate the adoption of renewable energy across the globe.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: BrightHy Solutions, a Fusion Fuel company, Forges Strategic Partnership with Sungrow Hydrogen to Deliver Cutting-Edge Hydrogen Solutions in Iberia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBLIN, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via IBN — BrightHy Solutions, a Fusion Fuel company and a leading provider of hydrogen solutions, is proud to announce a strategic agency and partnership agreement with Sungrow Hydrogen, a leading green hydrogen production solution provider specializing in water electrolysis technology. This collaboration aims to accelerate the deployment of cutting-edge hydrogen production equipment in Iberia, combining the expertise of both companies to drive the green energy transition.

    The partnership builds on existing collaboration between BrightHy and Sungrow Hydrogen, with both companies already working together on new hydrogen projects in the region. Under this agreement, BrightHy will serve as agent for Sungrow Hydrogen’s products, leveraging its proven engineering capabilities, deep market knowledge, and strong local presence to provide tailored solutions and dedicated support.

    Sungrow Hydrogen maintains a world’s leading 30MW Water Electrolysis Hydrogen Production Empirical Platform and a Germany-based Hydrogen Technology Laboratory focused on pioneering hydrogen technologies. With over 550 secured patents and copyrights, the company possesses core competencies for flexible green hydrogen production.

    “We are thrilled to partner with Sungrow Hydrogen to bring best-in-class hydrogen production technologies to our markets,” said Mr. Frederico Figueira de Chaves, CEO. “This collaboration not only strengthens our technology portfolio offering but also ensures that customers benefit from both Sungrow Hydrogen’s world-class innovation and BrightHy’s ability to provide expert local support.”

    Mr. Chaocai Peng, Chairman of Sungrow Hydrogen, stated, “The technological prowess of Sungrow Hydrogen, coupled with BrightHy’s practical expertise and market reach, will facilitate the seamless integration of hydrogen solutions for industrial and energy applications. We are united in our dedication to spearhead the green hydrogen market by providing efficient, intelligent and safe hydrogen solutions in Iberia.”

    As the demand for green hydrogen continues to rise, this partnership represents a key milestone in advancing sustainable energy solutions in Iberia.

    About BrightHy Solutions

    BrightHy Solutions, a subsidiary of Fusion Fuel Green Plc. (NASDAQ: HTOO) is positioning itself as a leader in the hydrogen through electrolysis solutions market. With its substantial industry experience, BrightHy is a partner to clients through the entire hydrogen production value chain including plant design, tailored engineering solutions, equipment sourcing, engineering and implementation oversight. BrightHy has a strong and core focus on safety, reliability, and efficiency.

    About Sungrow Hydrogen

    Sungrow Hydrogen is a leading green hydrogen production solutions provider specializing in advanced water electrolysis technology. As a subsidiary of Sungrow (Stock Code: 300274), it leverages cutting-edge expertise to deliver flexible green hydrogen production system solutions. The company’s core offerings include ALK electrolyzers, PEM electrolyzers, PWM hydrogen production power supplies, gas-liquid separation equipment, hydrogen purification equipment, and intelligent hydrogen management system. Committed to innovation, Sungrow Hydrogen provides “efficient, intelligent, safe” flexible solutions for green hydrogen production, accelerating the global transition to clean energy.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target,” “may,” “predict,” “should,” “would,” “potential,” “seem,” “future,” “outlook” or other similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions) that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the Company’s ability to enter into a definitive share purchase agreement with the shareholders of Target, the ability of the parties to complete their due diligence and all other closing conditions, the Company’s ability to complete the proposed acquisition and integrate Target’s business, the parties’ ability to obtain all necessary regulatory and other consents and approvals in connection with the transaction, the ability of Target to complete the audit process and the possibility that the reported results of its operations for its fiscal years ended April 30, 2025 and 2024 will change materially upon completion of the audit process, and those set forth in Fusion Fuel’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2025, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors are, in some cases, beyond the parties’ control and could materially affect results. If one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors become applicable, or if these underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual events or results may vary significantly from those implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future performance. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the Company or other matters and attributable to the Company or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

    Investor Relations Contact
    ir@fusion-fuel.eu
    www.fusion-fuel.eu

    Wire Service Contact:
    IBN
    Austin, Texas
    www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com
    512.354.7000 Office
    Editor@InvestorBrandNetwork.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Baker Hughes to Supply NovaLT™ Gas Turbines for Frontier Infrastructure’s U.S. Data Center Project, Delivering 270 MW of Reliable Power

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Baker Hughes will supply 16 NovaLT™ gas turbines for data center projects in the U.S.
    • Award builds on the collaboration announced in March 2025 between Baker Hughes and Frontier

    HOUSTON and LONDON, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR), an energy technology company, announced Wednesday an award from Frontier Infrastructure Holdings (“Frontier”), a Tailwater Capital LLC portfolio company, for 16 NovaLT™ gas turbines to power its data center projects in Wyoming and Texas, delivering up to 270 megawatts (MW) of efficient, reliable power.

    As part of the award, Baker Hughes is supplying Frontier its NovaLT™ gas turbine technology and associated equipment, including gears and Brush Power Generation four-pole generators, to power dedicated energy islands at Frontier’s behind-the-meter (BTM) power generation sites.

    The order builds on a March 2025 agreement between the two companies to accelerate large-scale carbon capture and storage (“CCS”) and power solutions in the U.S., including the Sweetwater Carbon Storage Hub in Wyoming.

    “This award underscores our commitment to advancing sustainable energy development through reliable and efficient power solutions that cater to the diverse needs of the industry,” said Ganesh Ramaswamy, executive vice president of Industrial & Energy Technology at Baker Hughes. “Leveraging our comprehensive range of integrated power solutions for Frontier’s U.S. data center projects demonstrates innovative, scalable and lower-carbon technologies helping to meet the growing demand for power.”

    The NovaLT™ gas turbine is a multi-fuel solution that can start-up and run on different fuels, including natural gas, various blends of natural gas and hydrogen, and 100% hydrogen, providing customers with the flexibility to adapt and meet their specific reliable and sustainable power requirements. With a comprehensive portfolio of diverse, reliable and clean power solutions, including hydrogen-ready turbines, geothermal, and cogeneration, Baker Hughes provides market-ready, efficient and flexible solutions for data center hyperscalers, project developers, packagers and end users.

    About Baker Hughes
    Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR) is an energy technology company that provides solutions to energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and conducting business in over 120 countries, our innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward – making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet. Visit us at bakerhughes.com.

    For more information, please contact:

    Media Relations
    Chiara Toniato
    +39 3463823419
    chiara.toniato@bakerhughes.com 

    Investor Relations
    Chase Mulvehill
    +1 346-297-2561
    investor.relations@bakerhughes.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Solar and wind power curtailments are increasing in California

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    May 28, 2025

    The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), the grid operator for most of the state, is increasingly curtailing solar- and wind-powered electricity generation as it balances supply and demand amidst rapid renewables capacity growth.

    Grid operators must balance supply and demand to maintain a stable electric system. The output of wind and solar generators is reduced either through price signals or, rarely, through an order to reduce output during periods of:

    • Congestion, when power lines don’t have enough capacity to deliver available energy
    • Oversupply, when generation exceeds customer electricity demand

    In 2024, CAISO curtailed 3.4 million megawatthours (MWh) of utility-scale wind and solar output, a 29% increase from the amount of electricity curtailed in 2023.

    Solar accounted for 93% of all the energy curtailed in CAISO in 2024. CAISO curtailed the most solar in the spring, when solar output was relatively high and electricity demand was relatively low, because moderate spring temperatures meant less demand for space heating or air conditioning.

    In 2014, a combined 9.7 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar photovoltaic capacity had been built in California. By the end of 2024, that number had grown to 28.2 GW.

    CAISO also curtails solar generation to leave room for natural gas generation. A certain amount of natural gas generation must stay online throughout the day to comply with North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reliability standards and to have generation online in time to ramp up in the evening hours.

    Solar energy supplies almost half of CAISO’s electricity demand between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., but demand increases in the later evening hours when people come home from work and turn up air conditioners or electric heaters and turn on lights, ovens, computers, and televisions. This need is especially apparent on hot summer evenings after the sun has set and no longer produces solar power overnight.

    CAISO is trying to reduce curtailments in several ways:

    • Trading with neighboring balancing authorities to try to sell excess solar and wind power
    • Incorporating battery storage into ancillary services, energy, and capacity markets
    • Including curtailment reduction in transmission planning

    In addition, starting this year, companies are planning to use excess renewable energy to make hydrogen, some of which will be stored and mixed with natural gas for summer generation at the Intermountain Power Project’s new facility scheduled to come online in July.

    The Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) is a real-time market that allows participants outside of CAISO to buy and sell energy to balance demand and supply. In 2024, more than 274,000 MWh of curtailments were avoided by trading within the WEIM, equivalent to about 8% of the electricity curtailed that year. The Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM) is expected to be operational by May 2026 and will allow CAISO another outlet to sell solar energy.

    To further reduce renewable curtailments and increase the stability of the grid, CAISO is promoting the addition of flexible resources that can quickly respond to sudden increases and decreases in demand. Battery storage, recently the key flexible resource to come online, allows some renewable energy to be stored and used 4-8 hours later in the day. Batteries can charge using excess solar power at midday and then discharge that energy when the sun is going down, providing electricity during hours when it is most needed. Battery capacity in CAISO increased by 45% in 2024, from 8.0 GW in 2023 to 11.6 GW in 2024 according to our survey of recent and planned capacity changes. However, in the spring, more solar energy than can be used within a day is often produced. Without more transmission capacity or a long-term storage solution, high curtailments during this time of year can still occur.

    Principal contributor: Lori Aniti

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Electric Hydrogen Selects Weitz to Deliver HYPRPlant for World’s Largest eFuels Project

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DEVENS, Mass., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Electric Hydrogen, a U.S. manufacturer of advanced electrolyzers, has selected The Weitz Company, through an affiliate, as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) partner for the installation of its 100 megawatt (MW) HYPRPlant at Infinium’s Roadrunner eFuels project in West Texas.

    Project Roadrunner is expected to be the world’s largest eFuels facility, producing synthetic aviation fuel, diesel and naphtha for aviation and heavy transport markets.

    Electric Hydrogen’s complete electrolysis solution, HYPRPlant, leverages the company’s proprietary high-power proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology to deliver ultra-low-cost hydrogen made with renewable energy. Built mostly in Texas and shipped as modular skids, the system reduces total installed project costs by as much as 60% and significantly shortens deployment timelines.

    The Weitz Company brings deep industrial EPC experience to the project, ensuring reliable and professional execution. The project will boost local job creation in West Texas.

    “Electric Hydrogen’s technology opens new market opportunities for us in clean energy infrastructure,” said Jesse Hammes, Vice President of Industrial at The Weitz Company. “We’re proud to contribute our expertise to a project of this scale and significance.”

    “This is a defining moment for our company and the renewable hydrogen sector,” said Josh Stewart, Vice President of Deployment at Electric Hydrogen. “Working with Weitz, we’re demonstrating that American-made electrolyzer systems can deliver at industrial scale, on time and on budget at significantly lower total cost than competing solutions.”

    To learn more about Electric Hydrogen’s HYPRPlant, visit https://eh2.com/.

    About Electric Hydrogen
    Electric Hydrogen manufactures, delivers and commissions the world’s most powerful electrolyzers to make clean hydrogen projects economically viable today. The company’s complete HYPRPlant includes all system components required to turn water and electricity into the lowest cost clean hydrogen. Electric Hydrogen has a team of more than 300 people in the United States and Europe. The company was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Devens, Massachusetts. To learn more about how critical industries leverage Electric Hydrogen’s advanced proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology, visit https://eh2.com/.

    About The Weitz Company
    Founded in 1855, The Weitz Company is a full-service construction company, general contractor, design builder, and construction manager that serves all 50 U.S. states. Weitz is one of the oldest general contractors in the United States and an industry leader in Industrial construction, Senior Living, Student Housing, Mission Critical construction, Commercial construction, virtual design and more. Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, The Weitz Company annually ranks in the top tier of Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine’s Top 400 Contractors and Building Design+Construction’s Giants 300 Contractors lists. As a member of the Orascom Construction PLC global group, Weitz leverages the group’s international expertise and leading innovative strategies to deliver premier results to our clients across market sectors. You can read more about The Weitz Company at https://www.weitz.com/.

    Contact

    V2 Communications for Electric Hydrogen

    electrichydrogen@v2comms.com

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at :

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7237eeac-88fa-44af-8073-0bd6181b6578

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cab6fb03-9060-42fc-ba62-f98b94a46371

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Tokio Marine Group to launch GX business to support green transformation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • New global offering will provide specialist insurance and risk management solutions to businesses looking to decarbonize
    • Tokio Marine GX products and capacity will be available via TMHCC’s GX Team

    LONDON, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc. today announced the launch of Tokio Marine GX (TMGX), a new underwriting business dedicated to providing specialist insurance and risk management solutions to businesses looking to decarbonize their operations and unlock new green opportunities.

    Founded upon GCube’s decades of experience in renewable energy underwriting, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire’s market-leading offshore marine offering, and with expertise drawn from across Tokio Marine’s global operations, TMGX will provide products and services for clients committed to more sustainable practices.

    TMGX will offer up to $500 million on any single risk and is committed to becoming a prominent lead underwriter, applying decades of knowledge to ensure profitable and sustainable capacity through the green transition.

    Fraser McLachlan, CEO of GCube, has been appointed to the new role of Chairman at TMGX and Ben Kinder, Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) for Marine, Energy & Renewables at Tokio Marine HCC International (TMHCCI), will take on the role of CUO at TMGX, in addition to his existing role at TMHCCI.

    Tokio Marine GX, an abbreviation of Green Transformation and an acknowledgment of Japan’s green transformation strategy, is Tokio Marine Group’s response to the growing demand for insurance that is critical to transitioning to a more decarbonized, sustainable society. TMGX will offer advisory and risk transfer for businesses, across multiple sectors, seeking to decarbonize their operations. From renewable energy and conventional power providers, to construction and industry, its teams will work with businesses around the world, at every stage of their transition journey.

    TMGX’s insurance products and risk solution services will equip businesses, innovators, entrepreneurs and investors, private and public, with the support they need to secure funding, and build and operate their sustainable initiatives. The business will offer a range of products and services to address risks linked to green initiatives from financial products, such as credit and surety, to bespoke policies for renewables, nuclear and hydrogen risks.

    Decarbonization and the green transition is an immense undertaking, and one which is poised to spark the greatest capital reallocation in a century, requiring $9.2 trillion1 in annual average spending on physical assets. The lack of cost-effective globally available cover has been a barrier to progress. TMGX will reduce the volatility and embed the certainty which this market needs to flourish.

    Brad Irick, Managing Executive Officer and Co-Head of International – Tokio Marine Holdings, said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of Tokio Marine GX. This is a unique insurance proposition. It offers access to the pioneering underwriting spirit of GCube, combined with expertise drawn from across Tokio Marine’s global operations. TMGX clients will benefit from deep claims experience, holistic support and extensive risk appetite in every facet of renewable energy and the green transition. All of this is backed by the financial resources and capacity of one of the world’s largest insurers and an institutional commitment to accelerating societal progress. TMGX will ensure that Tokio Marine is at the forefront of the green transition.”

    Fraser McLachlan, Chairman of TMGX, said: “TMGX will harness the collective expertise and experience from across the Tokio Marine Group to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with clients at each stage of their decarbonization journey. Together, we will unlock new commercial opportunities, while creating a greener, more resilient world for tomorrow.”

    About Tokio Marine Holdings

    Tokio Marine Group is one of the world’s largest global insurance and risk players with a market capitalization of approx. $74 billion as of March 31, 2025, a network encompassing Japan and 46 countries and regions worldwide, and over 43,000 employees. Tokio Marine Group has the capabilities to drive genuine positive change through a business model grounded in a sense of purpose and social responsibility, built on 145 years of history and an enduring culture that fosters innovation and expertise.

    Composed of a diverse range of insurance and solutions businesses across the world, that bring a depth and breadth of capabilities to address and mitigate the ever-evolving risks we face, we provide our clients and communities with the security they need to move forward, while working to create more resilient societies and a better tomorrow.

    For further information:
    Media
    Brian Norris, MHP Group
    Tokiomarinegroup@mhpgroup.com

    ________________
    1 https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/sustainability/our-insights/the-net-zero-transition-what-it-would-cost-what-it-could-bring

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic at Metalloobrabotka 2025: exhibition activity and negotiation process

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The key event of the international exhibition “Metalloobrabotka – 2025” took place in the Moscow-City Expo Center – a plenary session dedicated to the implementation of the national project “Means of Production and Automation”. The event was organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

    Opening the meeting, the Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Anton Alikhanov presented the main parameters of the discussed project “Means of Production and Automation” and spoke about the key support measures. Thus, compensation of 50% of the cost of domestic robots makes them profitable in just one year.

    According to the results of last year, the level is 29 robots per 10 thousand people. A year ago, this figure was 19. That is, we have grown quite well. But I repeat once again, our task is to reach the level, approximately, taking into account the growth of the entire parallel world, of 145 robots per 10 thousand people. This, in fact, is within our power, – the minister said.

    In 2025, more than 1,200 companies from seven countries will participate in Metalloobrabotka: Russia, Belarus, India, Italy, China, the Republic of Korea and Turkey. More than 800 Russian companies will take part in the exhibition. Belarus and China will present national expositions.

    The key topics of this year’s exhibition are: “Innovations in Machine Tool and Tool Building”; “Automated Lines and Robotic Systems”; “Software for Smart Factory Management”; “Artificial Intelligence Technologies and Digital Twins”; “New Materials and Additive Technologies”.

    Visitors can see the equipment “in action” – from heavy metal-cutting machines to robotic complexes and artificial intelligence systems that manage production. The Polytechnic University stand is of particular interest to visitors. The University presents not just scientific developments, but ready-to-implement technological solutions – from 3D metal printing to robotic welding and the creation of intelligent materials. The Polytechnic University demonstrates the unique potential of laser and additive technologies, which today are becoming not just tools, but key drivers of the technological sovereignty of the Russian Federation. We are confident that these innovations are the future.

    On Tuesday, a series of business negotiations and meetings with potential partners took place at the Polytechnic stand. The official delegation of SPbPU was headed by the Director of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport Anatoly Popovich. Polytechnicians met with representatives of the leading IT company of the Russian Federation — Softline Group. At the negotiations, SPbPU was also represented by the Director of the Scientific and Educational Center “Mechanical Engineering Technologies and Materials” Pavel Novikov and the Scientific Secretary of the Polytechnic Dmitry Karpov.

    The partners discussed the horizons of possible cooperation. Following the meeting, it is planned to create an inter-industry center for additive technologies. The meeting participants also considered the prospects for creating new-generation laser equipment.

    The Director of the IMMI, Chief Designer of the KNU NEW Materials, Technologies, Production, as part of the Strategic Technological Leadership project, Anatoly Popovich shared his impressions of SPBPU in the exhibition: at the Metal processing-2025 exhibition, Polytechnic University of Peter the Great, a leader in the field of laser and additive technologies. The main task of SPBPU, as a scientific center with world -class competencies, is to ensure the country’s technological leadership. Our competitive advantage is the ability to create and introduce breakthrough technologies in various scientific areas. At the exhibition, employees of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport of St. Petersburg State University demonstrate the unique potential of laser and additive technologies, which today become not just tools, but key drivers of technological sovereignty of Russia. We are sure that it is the future for these innovations.
    The use of laser technologies allows us to significantly improve the quality of products, reaching an inaccessible level of accuracy and reliability. Additive methods, in turn, open new horizons to create materials that can be adapted to the specific needs of industry. This is especially relevant in the conditions of a rapidly changing market, where flexibility and adaptability become decisive success factors. The future belongs to those who are ready not only to follow the trends, but also to create them themselves. Polytechnic University of Peter the Great is a reliable partner and platform for the implementation of the most daring ideas. Time to act is time to introduce innovations.

    The Laboratory of Light Materials and Constructions surprises everyone with electric arc printing right at the exhibition. Students of IMMiT, under the guidance of Oleg Panchenko, assembled a welding cell in the shortest possible time so that everyone at the event could get acquainted with the process and see how a new metal part is born. Also on display at the exhibition are previously printed parts, such as a wheel rim, impeller, burner and other samples made by friction stir welding.

    The new technology of direct printing of plastic on metal interested visitors and gave rise to ideas for further cooperation. A cone gear is printed at the exhibition. It is used in heavy industry, can be used in the automotive industry, aircraft manufacturing and other industrial areas.

    The exhibition guests are shown the process of high-temperature (1200 degrees) selective laser melting in real time. Unique developments of bimetallic samples of promising materials obtained by additive technologies are presented. Works in the field of composite materials are also demonstrated – a polymer compressor wheel reinforced with carbon fiber.

    The staff of the research laboratory “Laser and Additive Technologies” brought to the exhibition samples manufactured by the method of direct laser growth and repaired by the method of laser cladding. Also presented are exhibits formed by laser and hybrid laser-arc welding methods.

    The exhibits created by laser welding of 316L steel with a thickness of 100 µm to 10 mm are of the greatest interest to the guests. The employees demonstrated a sealed miniature flat sample of a hydrogen energy source fuel cell with a wall thickness of 100 µm, welded with an overlap. Samples of armor steel grades with a thickness of 7 mm to 20 mm, welded in one pass in the lower position, are presented.

    Mikhail Kuznetsov, head of the laboratory, noted: In the era of rapid innovation, laser welding is becoming not just a technology, but a necessity. This process ensures high precision and speed of obtaining a permanent connection of the required quality, which is critically important in modern production conditions.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Full Text: Joint Statement of the ASEAN-China-GCC Summit

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — The following is the full text of the Joint Statement of the Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) and China released on Tuesday:

    Joint Statement of the ASEAN-China-GCC Summit

    WE, the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, and the People’s Republic of China, gathered on the occasion of the ASEAN-China-GCC Summit on 27 May 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;

    ACKNOWLEDGING the long-lasting and deeply-rooted historical and civilizational linkage and economic ties among ASEAN, China and GCC;

    RECOGNIZING the close and mutually-beneficial economic collaboration and cooperation among ASEAN, China and GCC;

    REAFFIRMING our desire to further promote ASEAN-China-GCC relations, guided by fundamental principles and shared values, norms and commitments, including those enunciated in the United Nations Charter;

    UNDERSCORING the importance of regionalism and multilateralism, regional unity and international law in addressing shared challenges, while upholding ASEAN centrality in the evolving regional architecture to foster peace, stability, development and prosperity;

    UNDERSCORING the importance of GCC’s critical role to foster peace, security, stability, development, prosperity and dialogue;

    APPRECIATING China’s crucial role in promoting peace, stability, prosperity and sustainable development in regional and international affairs;

    ENDEAVORING to promote peace, security, stability and prosperity, through mutual respect and cooperation between countries and regions to achieve development and progress based on adherence to international law, including the UN Charter, the principles of good neighbourliness, and respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality and territorial integrity, non-interference in their internal affairs, and refraining from the threat or use of force, and settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful means;

    ACKNOWLEDGING the importance of strengthening relations among ASEAN, China and GCC in promoting regional cooperation and economic development in the broader Asia-Pacific and Middle Eastern contexts;

    RECOGNIZING that ASEAN, China and GCC encompass diverse and complementary economies which create enormous potential, broad prospects and new opportunities for greater cross-sectoral trade, investment and economic collaboration;

    RECOGNIZING the increasing importance of fostering closer economic collaboration among our regions, and reiterating our shared commitment to strengthening our partnerships to promote economic and sustainable development;

    RECOGNIZING the need to strengthen confidence in the rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core to protect businesses, consumers worldwide and livelihoods of people in our regions;

    REAFFIRMING our resolve to enhance economic resilience and environmental sustainability, and make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced, and beneficial to our peoples and future generations;

    ACKNOWLEDGING our joint efforts to promote closer cooperation between ASEAN, China and GCC and China’s vision to build a closer China-ASEAN Community with a shared future and a China-Arab Community with a shared future in the new era;

    EXPLORING cooperation in preventing and combating transnational crime, cybercrime, counter-terrorism and extremism;

    The Leaders expressed grave concerns over the developments in the Middle East and agreed on the following:

    — Condemn all attacks against civilians and call for a durable ceasefire and for all concerned parties to ensure the most effective and efficient access for humanitarian aid, and relief supplies and other basic necessities and essential services, as well as the restoration of electricity and water, and allow the unhindered delivery of fuel, food and medicine throughout Gaza;

    — Call on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians, refrain from targeting them and to abide by international humanitarian law, particularly the principles and provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949;

    — Acknowledge the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on 19 July 2024, which is of the opinion, among others, that the UN, and especially the General Assembly, which requested this opinion, and the Security Council, should consider the precise modalities and further action required to bring to an end as rapidly as possible the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory;

    — Support the ongoing efforts to release all hostages and those under arbitrary detention;

    — Urge all parties concerned to work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict with a view to realizing the two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders; in accordance with international law and the relevant UN Security Council (UNSC) and UN General Assembly resolutions, including UNGA resolution A/RES/ES-10/23 on the Admission on New Members to the UN dated 10 May 2024;

    — Support the efforts of the global alliance for the implementation of the two-state solution, and note the initiatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in cooperation with the Kingdom of Norway and the European Union towards realizing an independent Palestinian state;

    — Recognized Qatar’s mediation efforts to reach ceasefire and facilitate aid delivery and China’s efforts towards Palestinian internal reconciliation, particularly its role in facilitating the signing of the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity by Palestinian factions in July 2024 in Beijing;

    — Welcome the Resolution of the UN General Assembly adopted on 11 December 2024, in which the General Assembly, inter alia, called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and called upon all parties to enable the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to carry out its mandate, as adopted by the General Assembly, in all areas of operation with full respect for the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.

    With firm resolve, we pledged to advance the spirit of inclusivity, sustainability, resilience and equal partnership, charting a united and collective path toward a peaceful, prosperous and equitable future.

    We hereby:

    Economic Integration

    1. Decide to foster collaboration that promotes economic prosperity, resilience and sustainable development among ASEAN, China and GCC, based on mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual benefit, and anchored on the principles of inclusivity and sustainability in engaging all interested partners.

    2. Commit to enhancing economic cooperation by leveraging the complementarities among ASEAN, China and GCC. Priority will be given to:

    (i) Reaffirming the central and indispensable role of the WTO at the core of the rules-based multilateral trading system, which provides a predictable, transparent, non-discriminatory and open global trading system;

    (ii) Exploring cooperation, including through the priority areas of the Global Development Initiative and various frameworks or initiatives by ASEAN and GCC, to facilitate the attainment of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

    (iii) Promoting free trade and welcoming the full conclusion of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Negotiations, and looking forward to its early signing and entering into force, as well as an early conclusion of the China-GCC Free Trade Agreement negotiations;

    (iv) Enhancing industrial and supply chain resilience and fostering sustainable trade practices for new economic opportunities in potential areas in emerging and future-oriented industries such as the digital and green economy and technologies;

    (v) Exploring the establishment of a regional business council to facilitate dialogue between businesses from ASEAN, China and GCC in supporting enhanced trade and investment flows and the development of regional value chains;

    (vi) Exploring regional financial cooperation, including capital markets, and financial technology among others, while empowering micro, small and medium enterprises;

    (vii) Exploring cooperation on local currency and cross-border payments;

    (viii) Taking coordinated and comprehensive actions to prevent and fight corruption.

    Connectivity

    3. Enhance connectivity through:

    (i) Promoting high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and seamless connectivity, including through the development of logistics corridors and digital platforms;

    (ii) Promoting sustainable infrastructure development in supporting interconnected and seamless economic diversification, growth and sustainability;

    (iii) Exploring further cooperation to enhance infrastructure development for seamless and efficient connectivity, including recognizing the importance of maintaining and promoting maritime safety and security, given the importance of oceans and seas as key factors in driving growth and prosperity in the respective regions.

    Energy Security and Sustainability

    4. Acknowledge the global imperative for sustainable resilience and energy transition with the aim to collaborate on:

    (i) Working together towards a sustainable, just, affordable, inclusive and orderly energy transitions in line with the Paris Agreement;

    (ii) Supporting global energy market stability and adopting a balanced approach that does not exclude energy sources but instead innovates technologies that enable emissions management and efficient use of all energy sources to facilitate sustainable economic growth for all;

    (iii) Working to diversify and secure supply chains globally in line with international best practices, including for critical energy transition minerals, and encourage resource efficiency, while respecting applicable national laws and regulations;

    (iv) Recognizing the strategic importance of our cooperation on stable, reliable, and sustainable energy markets to reduce volatility and to enhance the security of energy supply. We recall the urgent need to address climate change and stress the importance of the energy transition;

    (v) Exploring new business opportunities, including the development of clean energy;

    (vi) Enhancing knowledge exchange and collaboration on renewable energy, clean/green energy, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), biofuel, bio-LNG (liquefied natural gas), low carbon hydrogen, low carbon ammonia, and sustainable fuels, as well as energy efficiency policies, regulatory frameworks, technology and innovations consistent with the national priorities of each country;

    (vii) Strengthening training and capacity-building initiatives in areas such as nuclear safety, security and safeguards, reactor technology, nuclear and radioactive waste management, regulatory infrastructure, and civilian nuclear energy development that is guided by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards, guidance and international best practices, and advancements in and energy storage technologies to support informed decision-making and policy development for civilian nuclear energy;

    (viii) Driving the strategic development of initiatives on hydrogen and ammonia technologies, oil and LNG supply chains and infrastructure, upstream LNG projects, methane abatement and emissions reduction to support both energy security and the transition to cleaner fuels;

    (ix) Encouraging private and public sector investments and partnerships in energy infrastructure development, including subsea power cables, and cross-border transmission projects under related initiatives of ASEAN, China and GCC, to advance multilateral power trade for greater regional energy connectivity, resilience, and market integration, including through renewable energy generation and LNG terminals;

    (x) Promoting cooperation on environmental sustainability, including climate action, disaster management, biodiversity conservation, monitoring the state of the marine environment, air and soil quality, industrial inspection, and pollution control by leveraging on new technological advancements, the exchange of knowledge, scientific expertise, technology, and training and strengthening multilateralism and climate solidarity;

    (xi) Developing joint research and innovation initiatives on emerging technologies such as direct air capture, enhanced geothermal systems, and next-generation solar and wind technologies to support long-term energy sustainability and low-carbon solutions;

    (xii) Sharing of knowledge and best practices on green skills development of workforce to support just transition to renewable energy.

    Digital Transformation and Innovation

    5. Pursue opportunities in digital innovation and technology by:

    (i) Exploring a cross-regional framework to promote the digital economy, in areas such as digital trade, e-commerce, digital payment, fintech, artificial intelligence, start-ups and data security cooperation;

    (ii) Exploring partnerships in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, quantum computing, and smart cities development and advanced technological infrastructure;

    (iii) Supporting cooperation in the development of digital skills and digital literacy programmes to ensure inclusive participation in the digital age, and promoting platform work with inclusive social protection.

    Food and Agriculture

    6. Recognize the potential for cooperation in the food and agriculture sector and commit to:

    (i) Promoting sustainable agriculture, including through reducing harmful agrochemicals, promoting digitalization, advancing nature-based solutions and fostering public-private partnerships;

    (ii) Exploring cooperation in the field of halal food through the exchange of information and sharing of experiences on the basis of mutual respect for each other’s national systems, laws and policies;

    (iii) Supporting efforts to strengthen food security, nutrition and distribution, including through enhancing productivity and sustainability efforts, promoting the diversification of food sources, strengthening the quality and variety of food production, and supporting the generation and diffusion of new and sustainable technologies;

    (iv) Promoting the trade of food and agricultural products and technologies cooperation.

    People-to-People Exchange

    7. Foster greater understanding and connectivity among our peoples by:

    (i) Promoting high-quality tourism and cross-regional marketing campaigns, including culture and heritage tourism, ecotourism, and meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions tourism, among other segments, and fostering an exchange of best practices in tourism digitalization and tourism destination management;

    (ii) Promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and cultures to advance mutual understanding and friendship as well as respect for diversity and welcoming the adoption of the UN General Assembly Resolution of International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations;

    (iii) Exploring opportunities to enhance mutual understanding and friendship while fostering cultural exchanges through art, music and literature programmes, especially among youth and ethnic groups;

    (iv) Strengthening cooperation in education through the exchanges of students and educational personnel, scholarships programmes and joint research initiatives, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

    8. Implement the Joint Statement through mutually agreed activities among ASEAN, China and GCC, including through existing mechanisms such as the ASEAN-GCC, China-ASEAN and China-GCC mechanisms.

    9. Reaffirm our collective resolve to work hand-in-hand to unlock the full potential of our partnership, and to ensure that our cooperation translates into tangible benefits for our peoples and communities.

    10. Welcome the third Asia Cooperation Dialogue Summit in Doha on 3 October 2024;

    11. Note ASEAN’s initiatives on its priority areas, such as:

    — ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future;

    — ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP);

    — The ASEAN Power Grid;

    — Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline (TAGP);

    — The Action Plan on Sustainable Agriculture in ASEAN.

    12. Note GCC’s initiatives on its priority areas, such as:

    — The Global Logistics Forum held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 12-14 October 2024;

    — The First Global Food Security Summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, 25-26 November 2024;

    — United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 2024;

    — Sustainable Development Week in Abu Dhabi, UAE, January 2025;

    — International Conference in Support of Syria 2025;

    — The International Conference on Food Security in Yemen, 27-28 October 2025;

    — United Nations Water Conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE, December 2026;

    — The Shaikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani International Award for Excellence in Combating Corruption;

    — The establishment of the Global Water Organization in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia;

    — High-level international conference for peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue, to be co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, in June 2025;

    — Saudi Arabia’s Middle East Green Initiative.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Energy policy: strategic dependence on the US – E-000241/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    A key pillar of the REPowerEU plan, setting out the EU’s path to phasing out Russian energy imports, entails the EU diversifying gas imports from global partners, including the United States (US).

    The EU and its Member States have made great progress in recent years in terms of gas supply diversification and will continue to strive for a gas supply as diversified as possible, working with partners like Norway, the US, Mediterranean countries and other gas and liquified natural gas (LNG) suppliers worldwide, while accelerating its clean energy transition and stepping up work on affordability and sustainability.

    Diversifying energy supplies also entails accelerating deployment of home-grown renewable energy and increasing energy efficiency, which improves the resilience and increase EU’s energy independence while advancing our climate objectives.

    The Hydrogen and Decarbonised Gas Markets Package stipulates that contracts for unabated fossil gas cannot run beyond 31 December 2049[1].

    Domestic energy production reduces dependence on external suppliers and reduces the exposure of the EU to external geopolitical instability. Therefore, domestic energy reinforces the security of energy supply of the EU.

    Moreover, it is for Member States to decide their supply mix and the energy sources they want to develop, while complying with climate objectives.

    Fossil fuel extraction is not eligible for EU financial support. Natural gas infrastructure other than those under Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2022/869 are not eligible for funding under the Connecting Europe Facility.

    • [1] Article 31(3) of Directive (EU) 2024/1788 on common rules for the internal markets for renewable gas, natural gas and hydrogen.
    Last updated: 27 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Breathing Beyond Earth: A Reliable Oxygen Production Architecture for Human Space Exploration

    Source: NASA

    Alvaro Romero-CalvoGeorgia Tech Research Corporation
    The reliable and efficient operation of spacecraft life support systems is challenged in microgravity by the near absence of buoyancy. This impacts the electrolytic production of oxygen and hydrogen from water by forcing the adoption of complex multiphase flow management technologies. Still, water splitting plays an essential role in human spaceflight, closing the regenerative environmental control and life support loop and connecting the water and atmosphere management subsystems. Existing oxygen generation systems, although successful for short-term crewed missions, lack the reliability and efficiency required for long-duration spaceflight and, in particular, for Mars exploration.
    During our Phase I NIAC effort, we demonstrated the basic feasibility of a novel water-splitting architecture that leverages contactless magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) forces to produce and separate oxygen and hydrogen gas bubbles in microgravity. The system, known as the Magnetohydrodynamic Oxygen Generation Assembly (MOGA), avoids the use of forced water recirculation loops or moving parts such as pumps or centrifuges for phase separation. This fundamental paradigm shift results in multiple operational advantages with respect to the state-of-the-art: increased robustness to over- and under-voltages in the cell stack, minimal risk of electrolyte leaching, wider operational temperature and humidity levels, simpler transient operation, increased material durability, enhanced system stability during dormant periods, modest water purity requirements, reduced microbial growth, and better component-level swap-ability, all of which result in an exceptionally robust system. Overall, these architectural features lead to a 32.9% mass reduction and 20.4% astronaut maintenance time savings with respect to the Oxygen Generation Assembly at the ISS for a four-crew Mars transfer, making the system ideally suited for long-duration missions. In Phase II, we seek to answer some of the key remaining unknowns surrounding this architecture, particularly regarding (i) the long-term electrochemical and multiphase flow behavior of the system in microgravity and its impact on power consumption and liquid interface stability, (ii) the transient operational modes of the MHD drive during start-up, shutdown, and dormancy, and (iii) architectural improvements for manufacturability and ease of repair. Toward that end, we will leverage our combined expertise in microgravity research by partnering with the ZARM Institute in Bremen and the German Aerospace Center to fly, free of charge to NASA, a large-scale magnetohydrodynamic drive system and demonstrate critical processes and components. An external review board composed of industry experts will assess the evolution of the project and inform commercial infusion. This effort will result in a TRL-4 system that will also benefit additional technologies of interest to NASA and the general public, such as water-based SmallSat propulsion and in-situ resource utilization.
    2025 Selections

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mars Roundtrip Success Enabled by Integrated Cooling through Inductively Coupled LED Emission (MaRS ICICLE)

    Source: NASA

    Aaswath Pattabhi RamanUniversity of California, Los Angeles
    Exploration of Mars has captivated the public in recent decades with high-profile robotic missions and the images they have acquired seeding our collective imagination. NASA is actively planning for human exploration of Mars and laid out some of the key capabilities that must be developed to execute successful, cost-effective programs that would put human beings on the surface of another planet and bring them home safely. Efficient, flexible and productive round-trip missions will be key to further human exploration of Mars. New round-trip mission concepts however need substantially improved long-duration storage of cryogenic propellants in various space environments; relevant propellants include liquid Hydrogen (LH2) for high specific impulse Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) which can be deployed in strategic locations in advance of a mission. If enabled, such LH2 storage tanks could be used to refill a crewed Mars Transfer Vehicle (MTV) to send and bring astronauts home quickly, safely, and cost-effectively. A well-designed cryogenic propellant storage tank can reflect the vast majority of photons incident on the spacecraft, but not all. In thermal environments like Low Earth Orbit (LEO), there is residual heating due to light directly from the Sun, sunlight reflected off Earth, and blackbody thermal radiation from Earth. Over time, this leads to some of the propellant molecules absorbing the requisite latent heat of vaporization, entering the gas phase, and ultimately being released into space to prevent an unsustainable build-up of pressure in the tank. This slow “boil-off” process leads to significant losses of the cryogenic liquid into space, potentially leaving it with insufficient mass and greatly limiting Mars missions. We propose a breakthrough mission concept: an ultra-efficient round-trip Mars mission with zero boil off of propellants. This will be enabled by low-cost, efficient cryogenic liquid storage capable of storing LH2 and LOx with ZBO even in the severe and fluctuating thermal environment of LEO. To enable this capability, the propellant tanks in our mission will employs thin, lightweight, all-solid-state panels attached to the tank’s deep-space-facing surfaces that utilize a long-understood but as-yet-unrealized cooling technology known as Electro-Luminescent Cooling (ELC) to reject heat from cold solid surfaces as non-equilibrium thermal radiation with significantly more power density than Planck’s Law permits for equilibrium thermal radiation. Such a propellant tank would drastically lower the cost and complexity of propulsion systems for crewed Mars missions and other deep space exploration by allowing spacecraft to refill propellant tanks after reaching orbit rather than launching on the much larger rocket required to lift the spacecraft in a single-use stage. To achieve ZBO, a storage spacecraft must keep the storage tank’s temperature below the boiling point of the cryogen (e.g., < 90 K for LOx and < 20 K for liquid H2). Achieving this in LEO-like thermal environments requires both excellent reflectivity toward sunlight and thermal radiation from the Earth, Mars and other nearby bodies as well as a power-efficient cooling mechanism to remove what little heat inevitably does leak in, a pair of conditions ideally suited to the ELC cooling systems that will makes our full return-trip mission to Mars a success. 2025 Selections

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets delegation from European Parliament

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-05-20
    President Lai hosts state banquet for President Surangel Whipps Jr. of Republic of Palau
    On the evening of May 20, President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, hosted a state banquet at the Presidential Office in honor of President Surangel Whipps Jr. of the Republic of Palau and his wife. In remarks, President Lai said that he looks forward to working closely with President Whipps to promote tourism exchanges and sports cooperation so that Taiwan and Palau shine brightly together on the international stage. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: It is a pleasure to host this banquet tonight at the Presidential Office for President Whipps, First Lady Valerie Whipps, and the esteemed members of their delegation. Welcome to Taiwan. During my trips to Palau in 2022 and last year, President and First Lady Whipps received me with great hospitality. Wearing my island shirt, I enjoyed a very friendly reception from the people of Palau. It felt warm and friendly, just like being welcomed back home. The first time I visited Palau, President Whipps and I piloted a boat to the Milky Way lagoon. We both tried volcanic mud facial masks. We also fished together and enjoyed the breeze as we walked on the beach. Last year, on my second visit to Palau, I was honored to be invited to address the National Congress. I also observed the results of the close bilateral cooperation between our two nations. Due to its world-famous ocean scenery, Palau is sometimes referred to as “God’s aquarium.” And it is even possible to snorkel with sharks. It leaves a deep impression. Nothing compares to seeing Palau firsthand. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan and Palau launched a travel bubble that created a safe means of travel. Now, with the pandemic behind us, I hope that even more Taiwanese can tour Palau and gain a greater understanding of our diplomatic ally. In addition to tourism exchanges, I mentioned on my visit to Palau last year that I hoped Taiwan and Palau could promote sports cooperation by providing training away from home. Next month, Palau will be holding the Pacific Mini Games. And right now, Palau’s national baseball and table tennis teams are holding training sessions here in Taiwan. We will do our utmost to support Palau’s national players and we hope they stand out and achieve outstanding results in the events. I look forward to working closely with President Whipps so that Taiwan and Palau shine brightly together on the international stage. Thank you! Mesulang! President Whipps then delivered remarks, saying that it is truly an honor to be here once again one year after President Lai’s inauguration. Mentioning that this is his first state visit after being reelected to a second term, he said that it is important to be here among friends, and that we are more than friends, we are family. He thanked President Lai for the generous words and, most importantly, Taiwan’s enduring support. He remarked that our relationship continues to get stronger in each passing year. President Whipps said that President Lai’s diplomacy initiative, leadership, and vision deeply resonate with them. Diplomacy must be rooted in our shared values, he said, and an unwavering support for our allies and a commitment to a sustainable, inclusive development are all deeply appreciated by their people. President Whipps emphasized that, as we look into the future and the challenges that we face, from security to climate change, it is so important that we are united. He added that it is important for the world, and especially important for them in Palau, that they stand up for Taiwan, so that Taiwan can participate on international fora that address climate change, security, and health, because they know the world is better when Taiwan has a seat at the table. Mentioning that Palau will host the Pacific Islands Forum next year, President Whipps said that Palau remains committed to working closely with Taiwan to ensure a successful event, and that they will continue to speak up for Taiwan’s indispensable contributions as we stand together against any efforts to silence or isolate democratic partners. President Whipps said that our nations have navigated challenges and emerged stronger, bound by a partnership that is built on trust, respect, and hope for a better world. Whether it is in clean energy, education, smart medicine, or tourism, our shared journey is just beginning, he said, and we are stronger together.  Also in attendance at the banquet were Palauan Minister of State Gustav Aitaro, Minister of Public Infrastructure and Industries Charles Obichang, Minister of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism and Development Ngiraibelas Tmetuchl, Senate Floor Leader Kerai Mariur, House of Delegates Floor Leader Warren Umetaro, High Chief of Ngiwal State Elliot Udui, Governor of Peleliu State Emais Roberts, and Governor of Koror State Eyos Rudimch.

    Details
    2025-05-20
    President Lai and President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. of Palau hold bilateral talks and witness signing of cooperation agreements  
    On the afternoon of May 20, following a welcome ceremony with military honors for President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. of the Republic of Palau and his wife, President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, held bilateral talks with President Whipps at the Presidential Office. The two leaders also jointly witnessed the signing of a technical cooperation agreement and an agreement on diplomatic staff training cooperation. In remarks, President Lai thanked Palau for standing firm in its backing of Taiwan’s international participation as geopolitical tensions continue to increase in the Pacific region. He added that he looks forward to the cooperative ties between Taiwan and Palau continuing to expand into even broader areas, allowing our economies and societies to further progress as we jointly advance peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I welcome our guests to Taiwan once again. Last year on May 20, President Whipps led a delegation to attend the inauguration ceremony for myself and Vice President Hsiao. I am delighted, on the anniversary of my first year in office, to meet with old friends of Taiwan again, as President Whipps returns for this visit. Taiwan-Palau relations have grown even closer in recent years thanks to the strong support of President Whipps. In 2022, during my term as vice president, I led a delegation to Palau as a demonstration of how our nations were together boosting tourism development as we jointly faced the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every time I visit Palau, and every time I meet with President Whipps, I feel very deeply that Taiwan and Palau are like family. We are both maritime nations and share a common Austronesian heritage and culture. We are also staunch partners in upholding such values as freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights. Last December, when I went on my first overseas trip since taking office, one of the nations I visited was Palau. We celebrated the 30th anniversary of Palau’s independence and 25 years of diplomatic relations, underscoring our friendly ties. Taiwan and Palau enjoy close exchanges and cooperation in a range of areas, including climate change, education, agriculture and fisheries, healthcare, humanitarian assistance, sports, and culture. After this meeting, President Whipps and I will witness the signing of a technical cooperation agreement and an agreement on diplomatic staff training cooperation, demonstrating once again our diverse collaboration and strong friendship. I believe that by working together, Taiwan and Palau can contribute to each other’s development and overcome the regional and global challenges we currently face. In particular, as geopolitical tensions continue to increase in the Pacific region, Palau has wisely and courageously upheld democratic values and stood firm in its backing of Taiwan’s international participation. Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan, including at the United Nations General Assembly, the World Health Organization, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties, and the UN Ocean Conference. We have been deeply moved by this support. I thank President Whipps again for his high regard and support for Taiwan. I look forward to the cooperative ties between our nations continuing to expand into even broader areas. This will allow our economies and societies to further progress as we jointly advance peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. President Whipps then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great honor for him to be here, standing in this historic place – a symbol of strength, resilience, and the democratic spirit of the Taiwanese people. On behalf of the government of Palau, President Whipps extended heartfelt gratitude to President Lai and the people of Taiwan for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality toward him and his delegation. President Whipps then extended sincere thanks for President Lai’s visit to Palau in December – his second visit to Palau – and for having Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) attend his inauguration as a special envoy. He added that this also marks his third visit to Taiwan since President Lai took office, saying that this demonstrates the strength of our growing relationship. President Whipps indicated that the increased engagements and numerous entrepreneurs that President Lai has brought from Taiwan to Palau have resulted in fruitful visits, and that President Lai’s leadership represents hope, unity, and continued advancement of democracy and freedom, not only for Taiwan, but for the broader Indo-Pacific region. President Whipps went on to say that this visit to Taiwan reaffirms our deep friendship and shared values between our two nations. He emphasized that Palau and Taiwan are bound not by proximity, but by purpose, in that both are island nations and believe in human dignity, the rule of law, and the right of our people to determine their own futures. President Whipps stated that although we are celebrating 26 years of diplomatic relations, Taiwan has been a steadfast partner of Palau for decades, and that one of the MOUs they are signing further extends the relationship that began in December of 1984. From healthcare and medical missions, to education, agriculture, renewable energy, infrastructure, the private sector, tourism development, and climate resilience, he said, our cooperation has improved lives and strengthened our communities. The president also indicated that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan stood with Palau, noting that both sides began the tourism bubble, and that President Lai came to Palau to reopen the two weekly direct flights that have now been increased to four. That solidarity will never be forgotten, he said. As the world faces growing uncertainty and complex challenges from climate change to global tensions, President Whipps said, this friendship becomes even more vital. The president concluded his remarks by expressing hope that both nations continue to stand together, work together, and advocate together for peace, prosperity, and for the right of small nations to be seen, heard, and respected. After the bilateral talks, President Lai and President Whipps witnessed the signing of the technical cooperation agreement and the agreement on diplomatic staff training cooperation by Minister Lin and Palauan Minister of State Gustav Aitaro. The delegation also included Palauan Minister of Public Infrastructure and Industries Charles Obichang, Minister of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism and Development Ngiraibelas Tmetuchl, Senate Floor Leader Kerai Mariur, House of Delegates Floor Leader Warren Umetaro, High Chief of Ngiwal State Elliot Udui, Governor of Peleliu State Emais Roberts, and Governor of Koror State Eyos Rudimch.  

    Details
    2025-05-20
    President Lai interviewed by Nippon Television and Yomiuri TV
    In a recent interview on Nippon Television’s news zero program, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions from host Mr. Sakurai Sho and Yomiuri TV Shanghai Bureau Chief Watanabe Masayo on topics including reflections on his first year in office, cross-strait relations, China’s military threats, Taiwan-United States relations, and Taiwan-Japan relations. The interview was broadcast on the evening of May 19. During the interview, President Lai stated that China intends to change the world’s rules-based international order, and that if Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted. Therefore, he said, Taiwan will strengthen its national defense, prevent war by preparing for war, and achieve the goal of peace. The president also noted that Taiwan’s purpose for developing drones is based on national security and industrial needs, and that Taiwan hopes to collaborate with Japan. He then reiterated that China’s threats are an international problem, and expressed hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: How do you feel as you are about to round out your first year in office? President Lai: When I was young, I was determined to practice medicine and save lives. When I left medicine to go into politics, I was determined to transform Taiwan. And when I was sworn in as president on May 20 last year, I was determined to strengthen the nation. Time flies, and it has already been a year. Although the process has been very challenging, I am deeply honored to be a part of it. I am also profoundly grateful to our citizens for allowing me the opportunity to give back to our country. The future will certainly be full of more challenges, but I will do everything I can to unite the people and continue strengthening the nation. That is how I am feeling now. Q: We are now coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and over this period, we have often heard that conflict between Taiwan and the mainland is imminent. Do you personally believe that a cross-strait conflict could happen? President Lai: The international community is very much aware that China intends to replace the US and change the world’s rules-based international order, and annexing Taiwan is just the first step. So, as China’s military power grows stronger, some members of the international community are naturally on edge about whether a cross-strait conflict will break out. The international community must certainly do everything in its power to avoid a conflict in the Taiwan Strait; there is too great a cost. Besides causing direct disasters to both Taiwan and China, the impact on the global economy would be even greater, with estimated losses of US$10 trillion from war alone – that is roughly 10 percent of the global GDP. Additionally, 20 percent of global shipping passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, so if a conflict breaks out in the strait, other countries including Japan and Korea would suffer a grave impact. For Japan and Korea, a quarter of external transit passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, and a third of the various energy resources and minerals shipped back from other countries pass through said areas. If Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted, and therefore conflict in the Taiwan Strait must be avoided. Such a conflict is indeed avoidable. I am very thankful to Prime Minister of Japan Ishiba Shigeru and former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo, Suga Yoshihide, and Kishida Fumio, as well as US President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, and the other G7 leaders, for continuing to emphasize at international venues that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. When everyone in the global democratic community works together, stacking up enough strength to make China’s objectives unattainable or to make the cost of invading Taiwan too high for it to bear, a conflict in the strait can naturally be avoided. Q: As you said, President Lai, maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is also very important for other countries. How can war be avoided? What sort of countermeasures is Taiwan prepared to take to prevent war? President Lai: As Mr. Sakurai mentioned earlier, we are coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. There are many lessons we can take from that war. First is that peace is priceless, and war has no winners. From the tragedies of WWII, there are lessons that humanity should learn. We must pursue peace, and not start wars blindly, as that would be a major disaster for humanity. In other words, we must be determined to safeguard peace. The second lesson is that we cannot be complacent toward authoritarian powers. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. They will keep growing, and eventually, not only will peace be unattainable, but war will be inevitable. The third lesson is why WWII ended: It ended because different groups joined together in solidarity. Taiwan, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific region are all directly subjected to China’s threats, so we hope to be able to join together in cooperation. This is why we proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we will strengthen our national defense. Second, we will strengthen economic resilience. Third is standing shoulder to shoulder with the democratic community to demonstrate the strength of deterrence. Fourth is that as long as China treats Taiwan with parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China, and seek peace and mutual prosperity. These four pillars can help us avoid war and achieve peace. That is to say, Taiwan hopes to achieve peace through strength, prevent war by preparing for war, keeping war from happening and pursuing the goal of peace. Q: Regarding drones, everyone knows that recently, Taiwan has been actively researching, developing, and introducing drones. Why do you need to actively research, develop, and introduce new drones at this time? President Lai: This is for two purposes. The first is to meet national security needs. The second is to meet industrial development needs. Because Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines are all part of the first island chain, and we are all democratic nations, we cannot be like an authoritarian country like China, which has an unlimited national defense budget. In this kind of situation, island nations such as Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines should leverage their own technologies to develop national defense methods that are asymmetric and utilize unmanned vehicles. In particular, from the Russo-Ukrainian War, we see that Ukraine has successfully utilized unmanned vehicles to protect itself and prevent Russia from unlimited invasion. In other words, the Russo-Ukrainian War has already proven the importance of drones. Therefore, the first purpose of developing drones is based on national security needs. Second, the world has already entered the era of smart technology. Whether generative, agentic, or physical, AI will continue to develop. In the future, cars and ships will also evolve into unmanned vehicles and unmanned boats, and there will be unmanned factories. Drones will even be able to assist with postal deliveries, or services like Uber, Uber Eats, and foodpanda, or agricultural irrigation and pesticide spraying. Therefore, in the future era of comprehensive smart technology, developing unmanned vehicles is a necessity. Taiwan, based on industrial needs, is actively planning the development of drones and unmanned vehicles. I would like to take this opportunity to express Taiwan’s hope to collaborate with Japan in the unmanned vehicle industry. Just as we do in the semiconductor industry, where Japan has raw materials, equipment, and technology, and Taiwan has wafer manufacturing, our two countries can cooperate. Japan is a technological power, and Taiwan also has significant technological strengths. If Taiwan and Japan work together, we will not only be able to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific region, but it will also be very helpful for the industrial development of both countries. Q: The drones you just described probably include examples from the Russo-Ukrainian War. Taiwan and China are separated by the Taiwan Strait. Do our drones need to have cross-sea flight capabilities? President Lai: Taiwan does not intend to counterattack the mainland, and does not intend to invade any country. Taiwan’s drones are meant to protect our own nation and territory. Q: Former President Biden previously stated that US forces would assist Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack. President Trump, however, has yet to clearly state that the US would help defend Taiwan. Do you think that in such an event, the US would help defend Taiwan? Or is Taiwan now trying to persuade the US? President Lai: Former President Biden and President Trump have answered questions from reporters. Although their responses were different, strong cooperation with Taiwan under the Biden administration has continued under the Trump administration; there has been no change. During President Trump’s first term, cooperation with Taiwan was broader and deeper compared to former President Barack Obama’s terms. After former President Biden took office, cooperation with Taiwan increased compared to President Trump’s first term. Now, during President Trump’s second term, cooperation with Taiwan is even greater than under former President Biden. Taiwan-US cooperation continues to grow stronger, and has not changed just because President Trump and former President Biden gave different responses to reporters. Furthermore, the Trump administration publicly stated that in the future, the US will shift its strategic focus from Europe to the Indo-Pacific. The US secretary of defense even publicly stated that the primary mission of the US is to prevent China from invading Taiwan, maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific, and thus maintain world peace. There is a saying in Taiwan that goes, “Help comes most to those who help themselves.” Before asking friends and allies for assistance in facing threats from China, Taiwan must first be determined and prepared to defend itself. This is Taiwan’s principle, and we are working in this direction, making all the necessary preparations to safeguard the nation. Q: I would like to ask you a question about Taiwan-Japan relations. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, you made an appeal to give Japan a great deal of assistance and care. In particular, you visited Sendai to offer condolences. Later, you also expressed condolences and concern after the earthquakes in Aomori and Kumamoto. What are your expectations for future Taiwan-Japan exchanges and development? President Lai: I come from Tainan, and my constituency is in Tainan. Tainan has very deep ties with Japan, and of course, Taiwan also has deep ties with Japan. However, among Taiwan’s 22 counties and cities, Tainan has the deepest relationship with Japan. I sincerely hope that both of you and your teams will have an opportunity to visit Tainan. I will introduce Tainan’s scenery, including architecture from the era of Japanese rule, Tainan’s cuisine, and unique aspects of Tainan society, and you can also see lifestyles and culture from the Showa era.  The Wushantou Reservoir in Tainan was completed by engineer Mr. Hatta Yoichi from Kanazawa, Japan and the team he led to Tainan after he graduated from then-Tokyo Imperial University. It has nearly a century of history and is still in use today. This reservoir, along with the 16,000-km-long Chianan Canal, transformed the 150,000-hectare Chianan Plain into Taiwan’s premier rice-growing area. It was that foundation in agriculture that enabled Taiwan to develop industry and the technology sector of today. The reservoir continues to supply water to Tainan Science Park. It is used by residents of Tainan, the agricultural sector, and industry, and even the technology sector in Xinshi Industrial Park, as well as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Because of this, the people of Tainan are deeply grateful for Mr. Hatta and very friendly toward the people of Japan. A major earthquake, the largest in 50 years, struck Tainan on February 6, 2016, resulting in significant casualties. As mayor of Tainan at the time, I was extremely grateful to then-Prime Minister Abe, who sent five Japanese officials to the disaster site in Tainan the day after the earthquake. They were very thoughtful and asked what kind of assistance we needed from the Japanese government. They offered to provide help based on what we needed. I was deeply moved, as former Prime Minister Abe showed such care, going beyond the formality of just sending supplies that we may or may not have actually needed. Instead, the officials asked what we needed and then provided assistance based on those needs, which really moved me. Similarly, when the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 or the later Kumamoto earthquakes struck, the people of Tainan, under my leadership, naturally and dutifully expressed their support. Even earlier, when central Taiwan was hit by a major earthquake in 1999, Japan was the first country to deploy a rescue team to the disaster area. On February 6, 2018, after a major earthquake in Hualien, former Prime Minister Abe appeared in a video holding up a message of encouragement he had written in calligraphy saying “Remain strong, Taiwan.” All of Taiwan was deeply moved. Over the years, Taiwan and Japan have supported each other when earthquakes struck, and have forged bonds that are family-like, not just neighborly. This is truly valuable. In the future, I hope Taiwan and Japan can be like brothers, and that the peoples of Taiwan and Japan can treat one another like family. If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem; if Japan has a problem, then Taiwan has a problem. By caring for and helping each other, we can face various challenges and difficulties, and pursue a brighter future. Q: President Lai, you just used the phrase “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” In the event that China attempts to invade Taiwan by force, what kind of response measures would you hope the US military and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces take? President Lai: As I just mentioned, annexing Taiwan is only China’s first step. Its ultimate objective is to change the rules-based international order. That being the case, China’s threats are an international problem. So, I would very much hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war – prevention, after all, is more important than cure.

    Details
    2025-05-13
    President Lai interviewed by Japan’s Nikkei  
    In a recent interview with Japan’s Nikkei, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions regarding Taiwan-Japan and Taiwan-United States relations, cross-strait relations, the semiconductor industry, and the international economic and trade landscape. The interview was published by Nikkei on May 13. President Lai indicated that Nikkei, Inc. is a global news organization that has received significant recognition both domestically and internationally, and that he is deeply honored to be interviewed by Nikkei and grateful for their invitation. The president said that he would like to take this rare opportunity to thank Japan’s government, National Diet, society, and public for their longstanding support for Taiwan. Noting that current Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo, Suga Yoshihide, and Kishida Fumio have all strongly supported Taiwan, he said that the peoples of Taiwan and Japan also have a deep mutual affection, and that through the interview, he hopes to enhance the bilateral relationship between Taiwan and Japan, deepen the affection between our peoples, and foster more future cooperation to promote prosperity and development in both countries. In response to questions raised on the free trade system and the recent tariff war, President Lai indicated that over the past few decades, the free economy headed by the Western world and led by the US has brought economic prosperity and political stability to Taiwan and Japan. At the same time, he said, we have also learned or followed many Western values. The president said he believes that Taiwan and Japan are exemplary students, but some countries are not. Therefore, he said, the biggest crisis right now is China, which exploits the free trade system to engage in plagiarism and counterfeiting, infringe on intellectual property rights, and even provide massive government subsidies that facilitate the dumping of low-priced goods worldwide, which has a major impact on many countries including Japan and Taiwan. If this kind of unfair trade is not resolved, he said, the stable societies and economic prosperity we have painstakingly built over decades, as well as some of the values we pursue, could be destroyed. Therefore, President Lai said he thinks it is worthwhile for us to observe the recent willingness of the US to address unfair trade, and if necessary, offer assistance. President Lai emphasized that the national strategic plan for Taiwanese industries is for them to be rooted in Taiwan while expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. Therefore, he said, while the 32 percent tariff increase imposed by the US on Taiwan is indeed a major challenge, we are willing to address it seriously and find opportunities within that challenge, making Taiwan’s strategic plan for industry even more comprehensive. When asked about Taiwan’s trade arrangements, President Lai indicated that in 2010 China accounted for 83.8 percent of Taiwan’s outbound investment, but last year it accounted for only 7.5 percent. In 2020, he went on, 43.9 percent of Taiwan’s exports went to China, but that figure dropped to 31.7 percent in 2024. The president said that we have systematically transferred investments from Taiwanese enterprises to Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US. Therefore, he said, last year Taiwan’s largest outbound investment was in the US, accounting for roughly 40 percent of the total. Nevertheless, only 23.4 percent of Taiwanese products were sold to the US, with 76.6 percent sold to places other than the US, he said.  The president emphasized that we don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket, and hope to establish a global presence. Under these circumstances, he said, Taiwan is very eager to cooperate with Japan. President Lai stated that at this moment, the Indo-Pacific and international community really need Japan’s leadership, especially to make the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) excel in its functions, and also requested Japan to support Taiwan’s CPTPP accession. The president said that Taiwan hopes to sign an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan to build closer ties in economic trade and promote further investment, and that we also hope to strengthen relations with the European Union, and even other regions. Currently, he said, we are proposing an initiative on global semiconductor supply chain partnerships for democracies, because the semiconductor industry is an ecosystem. The president raised the example that Japan has materials, equipment, and technology; the US has IC design and marketing; Taiwan has production and manufacturing; and the Netherlands excels in equipment, saying we therefore hope to leverage Taiwan’s advantages in production and manufacturing to connect the democratic community and establish a global non-red supply chain for semiconductors, ensuring further world prosperity and development in the future, and ensuring that free trade can continue to function without being affected by dumping, which would undermine future prosperity and development. The president stated that as we want industries to expand their global presence and market internationally while staying rooted here in Taiwan, having industries rooted in Taiwan involves promoting pay raises for employees, tax cuts, and deregulation, as well as promoting enterprise investment tax credits. He said that we have also proposed Three Major Programs for Investing in Taiwan for Taiwanese enterprises and are actively resolving issues regarding access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent so that the business community can return to Taiwan to invest, or enterprises in Taiwan can increase their investments. He went on to say that we are also actively signing bilateral investment agreements with friends and allies so that when our companies invest and expand their presence abroad, their rights and interests as investors are ensured.  President Lai mentioned that Taiwan hopes to sign an EPA with Japan, similar to the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade and the Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue, or the Enhanced Trade Partnership arrangement with the United Kingdom, or similar agreements or memorandums of understanding with Canada and Australia that allow Taiwanese products to be marketed worldwide, concluding that those are our overall arrangements. Looking at the history of Taiwan’s industrial development, President Lai indicated, of course it began in Taiwan, and then moved west to China and south to Southeast Asia. He said that we hope to take this opportunity to strengthen cooperation with Japan to the north, across the Pacific Ocean to the east, and develop the North American market, making Taiwan’s industries even stronger. In other words, he said, while Taiwan sees the current reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US as a kind of challenge, it also views these changes positively. On the topic of pressure from China affecting Taiwan’s participation in international frameworks such as the CPTPP or its signing of an EPA with Japan, President Lai responded that the key point is what kind of attitude we should adopt in viewing China’s acts of oppression. If we act based on our belief in free trade, he said, or on the universal values we pursue – democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights – and also on the understanding that a bilateral trade agreement between Taiwan and Japan would contribute to the economic prosperity and development of both countries, or that Taiwan’s accession to the CPTPP would benefit progress and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, then he hopes that friends and allies will strongly support us. On the Trump administration’s intentions regarding the reciprocal tariff policy and the possibility of taxing semiconductors, as well as how Taiwan plans to respond, President Lai said that since President Trump took office, he has paid close attention to interviews with both him and his staff. The president said that several of President Trump’s main intentions are: First, he wants to address the US fiscal situation. For example, President Lai said, while the US GDP is about US$29 trillion annually, its national debt stands at US$36 trillion, which is roughly 124 percent of GDP. Second, he went on, annual government spending exceeds US$6.5 trillion, but revenues are only around US$4.5 trillion, resulting in a nearly US$2 trillion deficit each year, about 7 percent of GDP. Third, he said, the US pays nearly US$1.2 trillion in interest annually, which exceeds the US$1 trillion defense budget and accounts for more than 3 percent of GDP. Fourth, President Trump still wants to implement tax cuts, aiming to reduce taxes for 85 percent of Americans, he said, noting that this would cost between US$500 billion and US$1 trillion. These points, President Lai said, illustrate his first goal: solving the fiscal problem. President Lai went on to say that second, the US feels the threat of China and believes that reindustrialization is essential; without reindustrialization, the US risks a growing gap in industrial capacity compared to China. Third, he said, in this era of global smart technology, President Trump wants to lead the nation to become a world center of AI. Fourth, he aims to ensure world peace and prevent future wars, President Lai said. In regard to what the US seeks to achieve, he said he believes these four areas form the core of the Trump administration’s intentions, and that is why President Trump has raised tariffs, demanded that trading partners purchase more American goods, and encouraged friendly and allied nations to invest in the US, all in order to achieve these goals. President Lai indicated that the 32 percent reciprocal tariff poses a critical challenge for Taiwan, and we must treat it seriously. He said that our approach is not confrontation, but negotiation to reduce tariffs, and that we have also agreed to measures such as procurement, investment, resolving non-tariff trade barriers, and addressing origin washing in order to effectively reduce the trade deficit between Taiwan and the US. Of course, he said, through this negotiation process, we also hope to turn challenges into opportunities. The president said that first, we aim to start negotiations from the proposal of zero tariffs and seek to establish a bilateral trade agreement with the US. Second, he went on, we hope to support US reindustrialization and its aim to become a world AI hub through investment, while simultaneously upgrading and transforming Taiwan’s industries, which would help further integrate Taiwan’s industries into the US economic structure, ensuring Taiwan’s long-term development.  President Lai emphasized again that Taiwan’s national industrial strategy is for industries to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. He repeated that we have gone from moving westward across the Taiwan Strait, to shifting southbound, to working closer northward with Japan, and now the time is ripe for us to expand eastward by investing in North America. In other words, he said, while we take this challenge seriously to protect national interests and ensure that no industry is sacrificed, we also hope these negotiations will lead to deeper Taiwan-US trade relations through Taiwanese investment in the US, concluding that these are our expectations. The president stated that naturally, the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US will have an impact on Taiwanese industries, so in response, the Taiwanese government has already proposed support measures for affected industries totaling NT$93 billion. In addition, he said, we have outlined broader needs for Taiwan’s long-term development, which will be covered by a special budget proposal of NT$410 billion, noting that this has already been approved by the Executive Yuan and will be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for review. He said that this special budget proposal addresses four main areas: supporting industries, stabilizing employment, protecting people’s livelihoods, and enhancing resilience. As for tariffs on semiconductors, President Lai said, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has committed to investing in the US at the request of its customers. He said he believes that TSMC’s industry chain will follow suit, and that these are concrete actions that are unrelated to tariffs. However, he said, if the US were to invoke Section 232 and impose tariffs on semiconductors or related industries, it would discourage Taiwanese semiconductor and ICT investments in the US, and that we will make this position clear to the US going forward. President Lai indicated that among Taiwan’s exports to the US, there are two main categories: ICT products and electronic components, which together account for 65.4 percent. These are essential to the US, he said, unlike final goods such as cups, tables, or mattresses. He went on to say that what Taiwan sells to the US are the technological products required by AI designers like NVIDIA, AMD, Amazon, Google, and Apple, and that therefore, we will make sure the US understands clearly that we are not exporting end products, but the high-tech components necessary for the US to reindustrialize and become a global AI center. Furthermore, the president said, Taiwan is also willing to increase its defense budget and military procurement. He stated that Taiwan is committed to defending itself and is strongly willing to cooperate with friends and allies to ensure regional peace and stability, and that this is also something President Trump hopes to see. Asked whether TSMC’s fabs overseas could weaken Taiwan’s strategic position as a key hub for semiconductor manufacturing, and whether that could then give other countries fewer incentives to protect Taiwan, President Lai responded by saying that political leaders around the world including Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba and former Prime Ministers Abe, Suga, and Kishida have emphasized, at the G7 and other major international fora, that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential for global security and prosperity. In other words, he explained, the international community cares about Taiwan and supports peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait because Taiwan is located in the first island chain in the Indo-Pacific, directly facing China. He pointed out that if Taiwan is not protected, China’s expansionist ambitions will certainly grow, which would impact the current rules-based international order. Thus, he said, the international community willingly cares about Taiwan and supports stability in the Taiwan Strait – that is the reason, and it has no direct connection with TSMC. He noted that after all, TSMC has not made investments in that many countries, stressing that, on that point, it is clear. President Lai said that TSMC’s investments in Japan, Europe, and the US are all natural, normal economic and investment activities. He said that Taiwan is a democratic country whose society is based on the rule of law, so when Taiwanese companies need to invest around the world for business needs, the government will support those investments in principle so long as they do not harm national interests. President Lai said that after TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) held a press conference with President Trump to announce the investment in the US, Chairman Wei returned to Taiwan to hold a press conference with him at the Presidential Office, where the chairman explained to the Taiwanese public that TSMC’s R&D center will remain in Taiwan and that the facilities it has already committed to investing in here will not change and will not be affected. So, the president explained, to put it another way, TSMC will not be weakened by its investment in the US. He further emphasized that Taiwan has strengths in semiconductor manufacturing and is very willing to work alongside other democratic countries to promote the next stage of global prosperity and development. A question was raised about which side should be chosen between the US and China, under the current perception of a return to the Cold War, with East and West facing off as two opposing blocs. President Lai responded by saying that some experts and scholars describe the current situation as entering a new Cold War era between democratic and authoritarian camps; others assert that the war has already begun, including information warfare, economic and trade wars, and the ongoing wars in Europe – the Russo-Ukrainian War – and the Middle East, and the Israel-Hamas conflict. The president said that these are all matters experts have cautioned about, noting that he is not a historian and so will not attempt to define today’s political situation from an academic standpoint. However, he said, he believes that every country has a choice, which is to say, Taiwan, Japan, or any other nation does not necessarily have to choose between the US and China. What we are deciding, he said, is whether our country will maintain a democratic constitutional system or regress into an authoritarian regime, and this is essentially a choice of values – not merely a choice between two major powers. President Lai said that Taiwan’s situation is different from other countries because we face a direct threat from China. He pointed out that we have experienced military conflicts such as the August 23 Artillery Battle and the Battle of Guningtou – actual wars between the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China. He said that China’s ambition to annex Taiwan has never wavered, and that today, China’s political and military intimidation, as well as internal united front infiltration, are growing increasingly intense. Therefore, he underlined, to defend democracy and sovereignty, protect our free and democratic system, and ensure the safety of our people’s lives and property, Taiwan’s choice is clear. President Lai said that China’s military exercises are not limited to the Taiwan Strait, and include the East China Sea, South China Sea, and even the Sea of Japan, as well as areas around Korea and Australia. Emphasizing that Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines are all democratic nations, the president said that Taiwan’s choice is clear, and that he believes Japan also has no other choice. We are all democratic countries, he said, whose people have long pursued the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights, and that is what is most important. Regarding the intensifying tensions between the US and China, the president was asked what roles Taiwan and Japan can play. President Lai responded that in his view, Japan is a powerful nation, and he sincerely hopes that Japan can take a leading role amid these changes in the international landscape. He said he believes that countries in the Indo-Pacific region are also willing to respond. He suggested several areas where we can work together: first, democracy and peace; second, innovation and prosperity; and third, justice and sustainability. President Lai stated that in the face of authoritarian threats, we should let peace be our beacon and democracy our compass as we respond to the challenges posed by authoritarian states. Second, he added, as the world enters an era characterized by the comprehensive adoption of smart technologies, Japan and Taiwan should collaborate in the field of innovation to further drive regional prosperity and development. Third, he continued, is justice and sustainability. He explained that because international society still has many issues that need to be resolved, Taiwan and Japan can cooperate for the public good, helping countries in need around the world, and cooperating to address climate change and achieve net-zero transition by 2050. Asked whether he hopes that the US will continue to be a leader in the liberal democratic system, President Lai responded by saying that although the US severed diplomatic ties with the Republic of China, for the past few decades it has assisted Taiwan in various areas such as national defense, security, and countering threats from China, based on the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. He pointed out that Taiwan has also benefited, directly and indirectly, in terms of politics, democracy, and economic prosperity thanks to the US, and so Taiwan naturally hopes that the US remains strong and continues to lead the world. President Lai said that when the US encounters difficulties, whether financial difficulties, reindustrialization issues, or becoming a global center for AI, and hopes to receive support from its friends and allies to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, Taiwan is willing to stand together for a common cause. If the US remains strong, he said, that helps Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific region, and the world as a whole. Noting that while the vital role of the US on the global stage has not changed, the president said that after decades of shouldering global responsibilities, it has encountered some issues. Now, it has to make adjustments, he said, stating his firm belief that it will do so swiftly, and quickly resume its leadership role in the world. Asked to comment on remarks he made during his election campaign that he would like to invite China’s President Xi Jinping for bubble tea, President Lai responded that Taiwan is a peace-loving country, and Taiwanese society is inherently kind, and therefore we hope to get along peacefully with China, living in peace and mutual prosperity. So, during his term as vice president, he said, he was expressing the goodwill of Taiwanese society. Noting that while he of course understands that China’s President Xi would have certain difficulties in accepting this, he emphasized that the goodwill of Taiwanese society has always existed. If China reflects on the past two or three decades, he said, it will see that its economy was able to develop with Taiwan as its largest foreign investor. The president explained that every year, 1 to 2 million Taiwanese were starting businesses or investing in China, creating numerous job opportunities and stabilizing Chinese society. While many Taiwanese businesses have profited, he said, Chinese society has benefited even more. He added that every time a natural disaster occurs, if China is in need, Taiwanese always offer donations. Therefore, the president said, he hopes that China can face the reality of the Republic of China’s existence and understand that the people of Taiwan hope to continue living free and democratic lives with respect for human rights. He also expressed hope that China can pay attention to the goodwill of Taiwanese society. He underlined that we have not abandoned the notion that as long as there is parity, dignity, exchange, and cooperation, the goodwill of choosing dialogue over confrontation and exchange over containment will always exist. Asked for his view on the national security reforms in response to China’s espionage activities and infiltration attempts, President Lai said that China’s united front infiltration activities in Taiwan are indeed very serious. He said that China’s ambitions to annex Taiwan rely not only on the use of political and military intimidation, but also on its long-term united front and infiltration activities in Taiwanese society. Recently, he pointed out, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office of the Ministry of Justice prosecuted 64 spies, which is three times the number in 2021, and in addition to active-duty military personnel, many retired military personnel were also indicted. Moreover, he added, Taiwan also has the Chinese Unification Promotion Party, which has a background in organized crime, Rehabilitation Alliance Party, which was established by retired military personnel, and Republic of China Taiwan Military Government, which is also composed of retired generals. He explained that these are all China’s front organizations, and they plan one day to engage in collaboration within Taiwan, which shows the seriousness of China’s infiltration in Taiwan. Therefore, the president said, in the recent past he convened a high-level national security meeting and proposed 17 response strategies across five areas. He then enumerated the five areas: first, to address China’s threat to Taiwan’s sovereignty; second, to respond to the threat of China’s obscuring the Taiwanese people’s sense of national identity; third, to respond to the threat of China’s infiltrating and recruiting members of the ROC Armed Forces as spies; fourth, to respond to the threat of China’s infiltration of Taiwanese society through societal exchanges and united front work; and fifth, to respond to the threat of China using “integration plans” to draw Taiwan’s young people and Taiwanese businesses into its united front activities. In response to these five major threats, he said, he has proposed 17 response strategies, one of which being to restore the military trial system. He explained that if active-duty military personnel commit military crimes, they must be subject to military trials, and said that this expresses the Taiwanese government’s determination to respond to China’s united front infiltration and the subversion of Taiwan. Responding to the question of which actions Taiwan can take to guard against China’s threats to regional security, President Lai said that many people are worried that the increasingly tense situation may lead to accidental conflict and the outbreak of war. He stated his own view that Taiwan is committed to facing China’s various threats with caution. Taiwan is never the source of these problems, he emphasized, and if there is an accidental conflict and it turns into a full-scale war, it will certainly be a deliberate act by China using an accidental conflict as a pretext. He said that when China expanded its military presence in the East China Sea and South China Sea, the international community did not stop it; when China conducted exercises in the Taiwan Strait, the international community did not take strong measures to prevent this from happening. Now, he continued, China is conducting gray-zone exercises, which are aggressions against not only the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and the East China Sea, but also extending to the Sea of Japan and waters near South Korea. He said that at this moment, Taiwan, the Philippines, Japan, and even the US should face these developments candidly and seriously, and we must exhibit unity and cooperation to prevent China’s gray-zone aggression from continuing to expand and prevent China from shifting from a military exercise to combat. If no action is taken now, the president said, the situation may become increasingly serious. Asked about the view of some US analysts who point out that China will have the ability to invade Taiwan around 2027, President Lai responded that Taiwan, as the country on the receiving end of threats and aggression, must plan for the worst and make the best preparations. He recalled a famous saying from the armed forces: “Do not count on the enemy not showing up; count on being ready should it strike.” This is why, he said, he proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, he said, we must strengthen our national defense. Second, he added, we must strengthen economic resilience, adding that not only must our economy remain strong, but it must also be resilient, and that we cannot put all our eggs in the same basket, in China, as we have done in the past. Third, he continued, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with friends and allies such as Japan and the US, as well as the democratic community, and we must demonstrate the strength of deterrence to prevent China from making the wrong judgment. Fourth, he emphasized, as long as China treats Taiwan with parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China and seek cross-strait peace and mutual prosperity through exchanges and cooperation. Regarding intensifying US-China confrontation, the president was asked in which areas he thinks Taiwan and Japan should strengthen cooperation; with Japan’s Ishiba administration also being a minority government, the president was asked for his expectations for the Ishiba administration. President Lai said that in the face of rapid and tremendous changes in the political situation, every government faces considerable challenges, especially for minority governments, but the Japanese government led by Prime Minister Ishiba has quite adequately responded with various strategies. Furthermore, he said, Japan is different from Taiwan, explaining that although Japan’s ruling party lacks a majority, political parties in Japan engage in competition domestically while exhibiting unity externally. He said that Taiwan’s situation is more challenging, because the ruling and opposition parties hold different views on the direction of the country, due to differences in national identity. The president expressed his hope that in the future Taiwan and Japan will enjoy even more comprehensive cooperation. He stated that he has always believed that deep historical bonds connect Taiwan and Japan. Over the past several decades, he said, when encountering natural disasters and tragedies, our two nations have assisted each other with mutual care and support. He said that the affection between the people of Taiwan and Japan is like that of a family. Pointing out that both countries face the threat of authoritarianism, he said that we share a mission to safeguard universal values such as democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights. The president said that our two countries should be more open to cooperation in various areas to maintain regional peace and stability as well as to strengthen cooperation in economic and industrial development, such as for semiconductor industry chains and everyday applications of AI, including robots and drones, adding that we can also cooperate on climate change response, such as in hydrogen energy and other strategies. He said our two countries should also continue to strengthen people-to-people exchanges. He then took the opportunity to once again invite our good friends from Japan to visit Taiwan for tourism and learn more about Taiwan, saying that the Taiwanese people wholeheartedly welcome our Japanese friends.  

    Details
    2025-05-09
    President Lai extends congratulations on election of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV  
    Following the successful election of the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, on May 8, President Lai Ching-te extended sincere congratulations on behalf of the people and government of Taiwan, including its Catholic community. The president stated that he looks forward to working with Pope Leo XIV to continue deepening cooperation in the area of humanitarian aid and jointly defend the universal value of religious freedom, expanding and strengthening the alliance between Taiwan and the Vatican. Upon learning of the election results, President Lai directed the Republic of China (Taiwan) Embassy to the Holy See to convey a message of congratulations. In the message, President Lai extended sincere congratulations to Pope Leo XIV on behalf of the people and government of Taiwan, including its Catholic community, expressing confidence that His Holiness will lead the Catholic Church and its 1.4 billion followers worldwide with profound wisdom. President Lai also emphasized that Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work alongside the Holy See in the shared pursuit of peace, justice, religious freedom, solidarity, friendship, and human dignity. This year marks the 83rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Taiwan and the Vatican. Enjoying a strong alliance, Taiwan and the Vatican share such universal values as freedom of religion, respect for human rights, peace, and benevolence, and conduct close exchanges. Taiwan will continue to engage in exchanges and cooperation with the Holy See, further strengthen bilateral relations, and work alongside the Holy See to contribute even more to the world.  

    Details
    2025-05-20
    President Lai interviewed by Nippon Television and Yomiuri TV
    In a recent interview on Nippon Television’s news zero program, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions from host Mr. Sakurai Sho and Yomiuri TV Shanghai Bureau Chief Watanabe Masayo on topics including reflections on his first year in office, cross-strait relations, China’s military threats, Taiwan-United States relations, and Taiwan-Japan relations. The interview was broadcast on the evening of May 19. During the interview, President Lai stated that China intends to change the world’s rules-based international order, and that if Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted. Therefore, he said, Taiwan will strengthen its national defense, prevent war by preparing for war, and achieve the goal of peace. The president also noted that Taiwan’s purpose for developing drones is based on national security and industrial needs, and that Taiwan hopes to collaborate with Japan. He then reiterated that China’s threats are an international problem, and expressed hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: How do you feel as you are about to round out your first year in office? President Lai: When I was young, I was determined to practice medicine and save lives. When I left medicine to go into politics, I was determined to transform Taiwan. And when I was sworn in as president on May 20 last year, I was determined to strengthen the nation. Time flies, and it has already been a year. Although the process has been very challenging, I am deeply honored to be a part of it. I am also profoundly grateful to our citizens for allowing me the opportunity to give back to our country. The future will certainly be full of more challenges, but I will do everything I can to unite the people and continue strengthening the nation. That is how I am feeling now. Q: We are now coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and over this period, we have often heard that conflict between Taiwan and the mainland is imminent. Do you personally believe that a cross-strait conflict could happen? President Lai: The international community is very much aware that China intends to replace the US and change the world’s rules-based international order, and annexing Taiwan is just the first step. So, as China’s military power grows stronger, some members of the international community are naturally on edge about whether a cross-strait conflict will break out. The international community must certainly do everything in its power to avoid a conflict in the Taiwan Strait; there is too great a cost. Besides causing direct disasters to both Taiwan and China, the impact on the global economy would be even greater, with estimated losses of US$10 trillion from war alone – that is roughly 10 percent of the global GDP. Additionally, 20 percent of global shipping passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, so if a conflict breaks out in the strait, other countries including Japan and Korea would suffer a grave impact. For Japan and Korea, a quarter of external transit passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, and a third of the various energy resources and minerals shipped back from other countries pass through said areas. If Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted, and therefore conflict in the Taiwan Strait must be avoided. Such a conflict is indeed avoidable. I am very thankful to Prime Minister of Japan Ishiba Shigeru and former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo, Suga Yoshihide, and Kishida Fumio, as well as US President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, and the other G7 leaders, for continuing to emphasize at international venues that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. When everyone in the global democratic community works together, stacking up enough strength to make China’s objectives unattainable or to make the cost of invading Taiwan too high for it to bear, a conflict in the strait can naturally be avoided. Q: As you said, President Lai, maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is also very important for other countries. How can war be avoided? What sort of countermeasures is Taiwan prepared to take to prevent war? President Lai: As Mr. Sakurai mentioned earlier, we are coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. There are many lessons we can take from that war. First is that peace is priceless, and war has no winners. From the tragedies of WWII, there are lessons that humanity should learn. We must pursue peace, and not start wars blindly, as that would be a major disaster for humanity. In other words, we must be determined to safeguard peace. The second lesson is that we cannot be complacent toward authoritarian powers. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. They will keep growing, and eventually, not only will peace be unattainable, but war will be inevitable. The third lesson is why WWII ended: It ended because different groups joined together in solidarity. Taiwan, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific region are all directly subjected to China’s threats, so we hope to be able to join together in cooperation. This is why we proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we will strengthen our national defense. Second, we will strengthen economic resilience. Third is standing shoulder to shoulder with the democratic community to demonstrate the strength of deterrence. Fourth is that as long as China treats Taiwan with parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China, and seek peace and mutual prosperity. These four pillars can help us avoid war and achieve peace. That is to say, Taiwan hopes to achieve peace through strength, prevent war by preparing for war, keeping war from happening and pursuing the goal of peace. Q: Regarding drones, everyone knows that recently, Taiwan has been actively researching, developing, and introducing drones. Why do you need to actively research, develop, and introduce new drones at this time? President Lai: This is for two purposes. The first is to meet national security needs. The second is to meet industrial development needs. Because Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines are all part of the first island chain, and we are all democratic nations, we cannot be like an authoritarian country like China, which has an unlimited national defense budget. In this kind of situation, island nations such as Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines should leverage their own technologies to develop national defense methods that are asymmetric and utilize unmanned vehicles. In particular, from the Russo-Ukrainian War, we see that Ukraine has successfully utilized unmanned vehicles to protect itself and prevent Russia from unlimited invasion. In other words, the Russo-Ukrainian War has already proven the importance of drones. Therefore, the first purpose of developing drones is based on national security needs. Second, the world has already entered the era of smart technology. Whether generative, agentic, or physical, AI will continue to develop. In the future, cars and ships will also evolve into unmanned vehicles and unmanned boats, and there will be unmanned factories. Drones will even be able to assist with postal deliveries, or services like Uber, Uber Eats, and foodpanda, or agricultural irrigation and pesticide spraying. Therefore, in the future era of comprehensive smart technology, developing unmanned vehicles is a necessity. Taiwan, based on industrial needs, is actively planning the development of drones and unmanned vehicles. I would like to take this opportunity to express Taiwan’s hope to collaborate with Japan in the unmanned vehicle industry. Just as we do in the semiconductor industry, where Japan has raw materials, equipment, and technology, and Taiwan has wafer manufacturing, our two countries can cooperate. Japan is a technological power, and Taiwan also has significant technological strengths. If Taiwan and Japan work together, we will not only be able to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific region, but it will also be very helpful for the industrial development of both countries. Q: The drones you just described probably include examples from the Russo-Ukrainian War. Taiwan and China are separated by the Taiwan Strait. Do our drones need to have cross-sea flight capabilities? President Lai: Taiwan does not intend to counterattack the mainland, and does not intend to invade any country. Taiwan’s drones are meant to protect our own nation and territory. Q: Former President Biden previously stated that US forces would assist Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack. President Trump, however, has yet to clearly state that the US would help defend Taiwan. Do you think that in such an event, the US would help defend Taiwan? Or is Taiwan now trying to persuade the US? President Lai: Former President Biden and President Trump have answered questions from reporters. Although their responses were different, strong cooperation with Taiwan under the Biden administration has continued under the Trump administration; there has been no change. During President Trump’s first term, cooperation with Taiwan was broader and deeper compared to former President Barack Obama’s terms. After former President Biden took office, cooperation with Taiwan increased compared to President Trump’s first term. Now, during President Trump’s second term, cooperation with Taiwan is even greater than under former President Biden. Taiwan-US cooperation continues to grow stronger, and has not changed just because President Trump and former President Biden gave different responses to reporters. Furthermore, the Trump administration publicly stated that in the future, the US will shift its strategic focus from Europe to the Indo-Pacific. The US secretary of defense even publicly stated that the primary mission of the US is to prevent China from invading Taiwan, maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific, and thus maintain world peace. There is a saying in Taiwan that goes, “Help comes most to those who help themselves.” Before asking friends and allies for assistance in facing threats from China, Taiwan must first be determined and prepared to defend itself. This is Taiwan’s principle, and we are working in this direction, making all the necessary preparations to safeguard the nation. Q: I would like to ask you a question about Taiwan-Japan relations. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, you made an appeal to give Japan a great deal of assistance and care. In particular, you visited Sendai to offer condolences. Later, you also expressed condolences and concern after the earthquakes in Aomori and Kumamoto. What are your expectations for future Taiwan-Japan exchanges and development? President Lai: I come from Tainan, and my constituency is in Tainan. Tainan has very deep ties with Japan, and of course, Taiwan also has deep ties with Japan. However, among Taiwan’s 22 counties and cities, Tainan has the deepest relationship with Japan. I sincerely hope that both of you and your teams will have an opportunity to visit Tainan. I will introduce Tainan’s scenery, including architecture from the era of Japanese rule, Tainan’s cuisine, and unique aspects of Tainan society, and you can also see lifestyles and culture from the Showa era.  The Wushantou Reservoir in Tainan was completed by engineer Mr. Hatta Yoichi from Kanazawa, Japan and the team he led to Tainan after he graduated from then-Tokyo Imperial University. It has nearly a century of history and is still in use today. This reservoir, along with the 16,000-km-long Chianan Canal, transformed the 150,000-hectare Chianan Plain into Taiwan’s premier rice-growing area. It was that foundation in agriculture that enabled Taiwan to develop industry and the technology sector of today. The reservoir continues to supply water to Tainan Science Park. It is used by residents of Tainan, the agricultural sector, and industry, and even the technology sector in Xinshi Industrial Park, as well as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Because of this, the people of Tainan are deeply grateful for Mr. Hatta and very friendly toward the people of Japan. A major earthquake, the largest in 50 years, struck Tainan on February 6, 2016, resulting in significant casualties. As mayor of Tainan at the time, I was extremely grateful to then-Prime Minister Abe, who sent five Japanese officials to the disaster site in Tainan the day after the earthquake. They were very thoughtful and asked what kind of assistance we needed from the Japanese government. They offered to provide help based on what we needed. I was deeply moved, as former Prime Minister Abe showed such care, going beyond the formality of just sending supplies that we may or may not have actually needed. Instead, the officials asked what we needed and then provided assistance based on those needs, which really moved me. Similarly, when the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 or the later Kumamoto earthquakes struck, the people of Tainan, under my leadership, naturally and dutifully expressed their support. Even earlier, when central Taiwan was hit by a major earthquake in 1999, Japan was the first country to deploy a rescue team to the disaster area. On February 6, 2018, after a major earthquake in Hualien, former Prime Minister Abe appeared in a video holding up a message of encouragement he had written in calligraphy saying “Remain strong, Taiwan.” All of Taiwan was deeply moved. Over the years, Taiwan and Japan have supported each other when earthquakes struck, and have forged bonds that are family-like, not just neighborly. This is truly valuable. In the future, I hope Taiwan and Japan can be like brothers, and that the peoples of Taiwan and Japan can treat one another like family. If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem; if Japan has a problem, then Taiwan has a problem. By caring for and helping each other, we can face various challenges and difficulties, and pursue a brighter future. Q: President Lai, you just used the phrase “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” In the event that China attempts to invade Taiwan by force, what kind of response measures would you hope the US military and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces take? President Lai: As I just mentioned, annexing Taiwan is only China’s first step. Its ultimate objective is to change the rules-based international order. That being the case, China’s threats are an international problem. So, I would very much hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war – prevention, after all, is more important than cure.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets and hosts luncheon for delegation led by Governor Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero of Guam

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-05-27
    President Lai meets delegation from European Parliament
    On the morning of May 27, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the European Parliament. In remarks, President Lai thanked the European Parliament for continuing to pay close attention to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and voice support for Taiwan. The president expressed hope for an even closer relationship and diversified cooperation between Taiwan and the European Union. The president said that Taiwan and the EU can work together in such areas as semiconductors, AI, and green energy to create more resilient supply chains for global democracies and contribute to global prosperity and development. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome our guests to the Presidential Office. After being elected last year, MEPs Reinis Pozņaks and Beatrice Timgren are making their first visits to Taiwan, demonstrating support for Taiwan through concrete action. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincerest welcome and appreciation. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the European Parliament for continuing to pay close attention to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Just last month, the European Parliament adopted resolutions with regard to annual reports on the implementation of the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defence Policy. These resolutions reaffirmed the EU’s steadfast commitment to maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. The European Parliament also condemned China for continuing to take provocative military actions against Taiwan and emphasized that Taiwan is a key democratic partner in the Indo-Pacific region. It called on the EU and its member states to continue working closely with Taiwan to strengthen economic, trade, and investment ties. Once again, I thank the European Parliament for voicing support for Taiwan. Just as MEPs Pozņaks and Timgren are visiting Taiwan to strengthen Taiwan-EU exchanges, our Minister of Economic Affairs Kuo Jyh-huei (郭智輝) also led a delegation to Europe last year, marking the first in-person dialogue between high-ranking economic and trade officials of Taiwan and the EU. Moving ahead, we look forward to bringing Taiwan-EU ties even closer and to diversifying our cooperation. The EU is Taiwan’s largest source of foreign investment. Both sides are highly complementary in such areas as semiconductors, AI, and green energy. Through our joint efforts, we can create more resilient supply chains for global democracies and further contribute to global prosperity and development. Looking ahead, I hope that MEPs Pozņaks and Timgren will continue to make the case in the European Parliament for the signing of a Taiwan-EU economic partnership agreement. This would not only yield mutually beneficial development, but also consolidate economic security and boost international competitiveness for both sides. In closing, I am sure that you will gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan through this visit. Please feel welcome to come back as often as possible as we continue to elevate Taiwan-EU ties.  MEP Pozņaks then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great honor to be here and thanking everybody involved in arranging this trip that allows them the opportunity to better know Taiwan. He added that it is definitely not the last time they will be here, as Taiwan is a very beautiful country. MEP Pozņaks mentioned that he comes from Latvia, and despite their being on the other side of the world, they know how the Taiwanese people feel, because they also have a big neighbor who is claiming that Latvia belongs to them. Unfortunately, he said, there is already war in Europe, but he is confident that their situation is similar to Taiwan’s, adding that they have a neighbor who uses disinformation attacks. MEP Pozņaks said that we live in very challenging times, and that our choices will define the future of the world, asking whether it will be a world where the rule of law prevails or where physical power and aggression succeeds. Coming from a small country, he said he clearly understands that for them there is no other possibility; they must protect the world where the rule of law prevails. That is why now, he emphasized, it is very crucial for all democracies around the world to stick together to protect our freedoms, values, and democracy. MEP Timgren then delivered remarks, thanking President Lai for meeting with them and saying it is a big honor. Noting that they arrived here two days ago and that while she really loves Taiwan, its food, and the good weather, she stated that the reason they are here is because of the values that we share, our good relationships, and solidarity with other democratic countries in the world, which is important for them in Europe and in Sweden. MEP Timgren, referring to MEP Pozņaks’s earlier remarks, said that they face a big threat from Russia that is discernible even in the European Parliament. Actually, she pointed out, there is a war inside Europe that shows us how important it is that we support one another. She said that the Russian people thought it would be easy to take over Ukraine, but it was not, because all European countries stepped up and provided weapons and support. And that is why, MEP Timgren said, it is important that democratic countries maintain good relationships and let China and Russia see that we have good relationships, because a part of defense is solidarity. In closing, she expressed her gratitude for having the honor to be here in this beautiful country.

    Details
    2025-05-20
    President Lai hosts state banquet for President Surangel Whipps Jr. of Republic of Palau
    On the evening of May 20, President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, hosted a state banquet at the Presidential Office in honor of President Surangel Whipps Jr. of the Republic of Palau and his wife. In remarks, President Lai said that he looks forward to working closely with President Whipps to promote tourism exchanges and sports cooperation so that Taiwan and Palau shine brightly together on the international stage. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: It is a pleasure to host this banquet tonight at the Presidential Office for President Whipps, First Lady Valerie Whipps, and the esteemed members of their delegation. Welcome to Taiwan. During my trips to Palau in 2022 and last year, President and First Lady Whipps received me with great hospitality. Wearing my island shirt, I enjoyed a very friendly reception from the people of Palau. It felt warm and friendly, just like being welcomed back home. The first time I visited Palau, President Whipps and I piloted a boat to the Milky Way lagoon. We both tried volcanic mud facial masks. We also fished together and enjoyed the breeze as we walked on the beach. Last year, on my second visit to Palau, I was honored to be invited to address the National Congress. I also observed the results of the close bilateral cooperation between our two nations. Due to its world-famous ocean scenery, Palau is sometimes referred to as “God’s aquarium.” And it is even possible to snorkel with sharks. It leaves a deep impression. Nothing compares to seeing Palau firsthand. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan and Palau launched a travel bubble that created a safe means of travel. Now, with the pandemic behind us, I hope that even more Taiwanese can tour Palau and gain a greater understanding of our diplomatic ally. In addition to tourism exchanges, I mentioned on my visit to Palau last year that I hoped Taiwan and Palau could promote sports cooperation by providing training away from home. Next month, Palau will be holding the Pacific Mini Games. And right now, Palau’s national baseball and table tennis teams are holding training sessions here in Taiwan. We will do our utmost to support Palau’s national players and we hope they stand out and achieve outstanding results in the events. I look forward to working closely with President Whipps so that Taiwan and Palau shine brightly together on the international stage. Thank you! Mesulang! President Whipps then delivered remarks, saying that it is truly an honor to be here once again one year after President Lai’s inauguration. Mentioning that this is his first state visit after being reelected to a second term, he said that it is important to be here among friends, and that we are more than friends, we are family. He thanked President Lai for the generous words and, most importantly, Taiwan’s enduring support. He remarked that our relationship continues to get stronger in each passing year. President Whipps said that President Lai’s diplomacy initiative, leadership, and vision deeply resonate with them. Diplomacy must be rooted in our shared values, he said, and an unwavering support for our allies and a commitment to a sustainable, inclusive development are all deeply appreciated by their people. President Whipps emphasized that, as we look into the future and the challenges that we face, from security to climate change, it is so important that we are united. He added that it is important for the world, and especially important for them in Palau, that they stand up for Taiwan, so that Taiwan can participate on international fora that address climate change, security, and health, because they know the world is better when Taiwan has a seat at the table. Mentioning that Palau will host the Pacific Islands Forum next year, President Whipps said that Palau remains committed to working closely with Taiwan to ensure a successful event, and that they will continue to speak up for Taiwan’s indispensable contributions as we stand together against any efforts to silence or isolate democratic partners. President Whipps said that our nations have navigated challenges and emerged stronger, bound by a partnership that is built on trust, respect, and hope for a better world. Whether it is in clean energy, education, smart medicine, or tourism, our shared journey is just beginning, he said, and we are stronger together.  Also in attendance at the banquet were Palauan Minister of State Gustav Aitaro, Minister of Public Infrastructure and Industries Charles Obichang, Minister of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism and Development Ngiraibelas Tmetuchl, Senate Floor Leader Kerai Mariur, House of Delegates Floor Leader Warren Umetaro, High Chief of Ngiwal State Elliot Udui, Governor of Peleliu State Emais Roberts, and Governor of Koror State Eyos Rudimch.

    Details
    2025-05-20
    President Lai and President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. of Palau hold bilateral talks and witness signing of cooperation agreements  
    On the afternoon of May 20, following a welcome ceremony with military honors for President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. of the Republic of Palau and his wife, President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, held bilateral talks with President Whipps at the Presidential Office. The two leaders also jointly witnessed the signing of a technical cooperation agreement and an agreement on diplomatic staff training cooperation. In remarks, President Lai thanked Palau for standing firm in its backing of Taiwan’s international participation as geopolitical tensions continue to increase in the Pacific region. He added that he looks forward to the cooperative ties between Taiwan and Palau continuing to expand into even broader areas, allowing our economies and societies to further progress as we jointly advance peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I welcome our guests to Taiwan once again. Last year on May 20, President Whipps led a delegation to attend the inauguration ceremony for myself and Vice President Hsiao. I am delighted, on the anniversary of my first year in office, to meet with old friends of Taiwan again, as President Whipps returns for this visit. Taiwan-Palau relations have grown even closer in recent years thanks to the strong support of President Whipps. In 2022, during my term as vice president, I led a delegation to Palau as a demonstration of how our nations were together boosting tourism development as we jointly faced the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every time I visit Palau, and every time I meet with President Whipps, I feel very deeply that Taiwan and Palau are like family. We are both maritime nations and share a common Austronesian heritage and culture. We are also staunch partners in upholding such values as freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights. Last December, when I went on my first overseas trip since taking office, one of the nations I visited was Palau. We celebrated the 30th anniversary of Palau’s independence and 25 years of diplomatic relations, underscoring our friendly ties. Taiwan and Palau enjoy close exchanges and cooperation in a range of areas, including climate change, education, agriculture and fisheries, healthcare, humanitarian assistance, sports, and culture. After this meeting, President Whipps and I will witness the signing of a technical cooperation agreement and an agreement on diplomatic staff training cooperation, demonstrating once again our diverse collaboration and strong friendship. I believe that by working together, Taiwan and Palau can contribute to each other’s development and overcome the regional and global challenges we currently face. In particular, as geopolitical tensions continue to increase in the Pacific region, Palau has wisely and courageously upheld democratic values and stood firm in its backing of Taiwan’s international participation. Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan, including at the United Nations General Assembly, the World Health Organization, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties, and the UN Ocean Conference. We have been deeply moved by this support. I thank President Whipps again for his high regard and support for Taiwan. I look forward to the cooperative ties between our nations continuing to expand into even broader areas. This will allow our economies and societies to further progress as we jointly advance peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. President Whipps then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great honor for him to be here, standing in this historic place – a symbol of strength, resilience, and the democratic spirit of the Taiwanese people. On behalf of the government of Palau, President Whipps extended heartfelt gratitude to President Lai and the people of Taiwan for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality toward him and his delegation. President Whipps then extended sincere thanks for President Lai’s visit to Palau in December – his second visit to Palau – and for having Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) attend his inauguration as a special envoy. He added that this also marks his third visit to Taiwan since President Lai took office, saying that this demonstrates the strength of our growing relationship. President Whipps indicated that the increased engagements and numerous entrepreneurs that President Lai has brought from Taiwan to Palau have resulted in fruitful visits, and that President Lai’s leadership represents hope, unity, and continued advancement of democracy and freedom, not only for Taiwan, but for the broader Indo-Pacific region. President Whipps went on to say that this visit to Taiwan reaffirms our deep friendship and shared values between our two nations. He emphasized that Palau and Taiwan are bound not by proximity, but by purpose, in that both are island nations and believe in human dignity, the rule of law, and the right of our people to determine their own futures. President Whipps stated that although we are celebrating 26 years of diplomatic relations, Taiwan has been a steadfast partner of Palau for decades, and that one of the MOUs they are signing further extends the relationship that began in December of 1984. From healthcare and medical missions, to education, agriculture, renewable energy, infrastructure, the private sector, tourism development, and climate resilience, he said, our cooperation has improved lives and strengthened our communities. The president also indicated that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan stood with Palau, noting that both sides began the tourism bubble, and that President Lai came to Palau to reopen the two weekly direct flights that have now been increased to four. That solidarity will never be forgotten, he said. As the world faces growing uncertainty and complex challenges from climate change to global tensions, President Whipps said, this friendship becomes even more vital. The president concluded his remarks by expressing hope that both nations continue to stand together, work together, and advocate together for peace, prosperity, and for the right of small nations to be seen, heard, and respected. After the bilateral talks, President Lai and President Whipps witnessed the signing of the technical cooperation agreement and the agreement on diplomatic staff training cooperation by Minister Lin and Palauan Minister of State Gustav Aitaro. The delegation also included Palauan Minister of Public Infrastructure and Industries Charles Obichang, Minister of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism and Development Ngiraibelas Tmetuchl, Senate Floor Leader Kerai Mariur, House of Delegates Floor Leader Warren Umetaro, High Chief of Ngiwal State Elliot Udui, Governor of Peleliu State Emais Roberts, and Governor of Koror State Eyos Rudimch.  

    Details
    2025-05-20
    President Lai interviewed by Nippon Television and Yomiuri TV
    In a recent interview on Nippon Television’s news zero program, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions from host Mr. Sakurai Sho and Yomiuri TV Shanghai Bureau Chief Watanabe Masayo on topics including reflections on his first year in office, cross-strait relations, China’s military threats, Taiwan-United States relations, and Taiwan-Japan relations. The interview was broadcast on the evening of May 19. During the interview, President Lai stated that China intends to change the world’s rules-based international order, and that if Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted. Therefore, he said, Taiwan will strengthen its national defense, prevent war by preparing for war, and achieve the goal of peace. The president also noted that Taiwan’s purpose for developing drones is based on national security and industrial needs, and that Taiwan hopes to collaborate with Japan. He then reiterated that China’s threats are an international problem, and expressed hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: How do you feel as you are about to round out your first year in office? President Lai: When I was young, I was determined to practice medicine and save lives. When I left medicine to go into politics, I was determined to transform Taiwan. And when I was sworn in as president on May 20 last year, I was determined to strengthen the nation. Time flies, and it has already been a year. Although the process has been very challenging, I am deeply honored to be a part of it. I am also profoundly grateful to our citizens for allowing me the opportunity to give back to our country. The future will certainly be full of more challenges, but I will do everything I can to unite the people and continue strengthening the nation. That is how I am feeling now. Q: We are now coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and over this period, we have often heard that conflict between Taiwan and the mainland is imminent. Do you personally believe that a cross-strait conflict could happen? President Lai: The international community is very much aware that China intends to replace the US and change the world’s rules-based international order, and annexing Taiwan is just the first step. So, as China’s military power grows stronger, some members of the international community are naturally on edge about whether a cross-strait conflict will break out. The international community must certainly do everything in its power to avoid a conflict in the Taiwan Strait; there is too great a cost. Besides causing direct disasters to both Taiwan and China, the impact on the global economy would be even greater, with estimated losses of US$10 trillion from war alone – that is roughly 10 percent of the global GDP. Additionally, 20 percent of global shipping passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, so if a conflict breaks out in the strait, other countries including Japan and Korea would suffer a grave impact. For Japan and Korea, a quarter of external transit passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, and a third of the various energy resources and minerals shipped back from other countries pass through said areas. If Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted, and therefore conflict in the Taiwan Strait must be avoided. Such a conflict is indeed avoidable. I am very thankful to Prime Minister of Japan Ishiba Shigeru and former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo, Suga Yoshihide, and Kishida Fumio, as well as US President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, and the other G7 leaders, for continuing to emphasize at international venues that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. When everyone in the global democratic community works together, stacking up enough strength to make China’s objectives unattainable or to make the cost of invading Taiwan too high for it to bear, a conflict in the strait can naturally be avoided. Q: As you said, President Lai, maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is also very important for other countries. How can war be avoided? What sort of countermeasures is Taiwan prepared to take to prevent war? President Lai: As Mr. Sakurai mentioned earlier, we are coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. There are many lessons we can take from that war. First is that peace is priceless, and war has no winners. From the tragedies of WWII, there are lessons that humanity should learn. We must pursue peace, and not start wars blindly, as that would be a major disaster for humanity. In other words, we must be determined to safeguard peace. The second lesson is that we cannot be complacent toward authoritarian powers. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. They will keep growing, and eventually, not only will peace be unattainable, but war will be inevitable. The third lesson is why WWII ended: It ended because different groups joined together in solidarity. Taiwan, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific region are all directly subjected to China’s threats, so we hope to be able to join together in cooperation. This is why we proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we will strengthen our national defense. Second, we will strengthen economic resilience. Third is standing shoulder to shoulder with the democratic community to demonstrate the strength of deterrence. Fourth is that as long as China treats Taiwan with parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China, and seek peace and mutual prosperity. These four pillars can help us avoid war and achieve peace. That is to say, Taiwan hopes to achieve peace through strength, prevent war by preparing for war, keeping war from happening and pursuing the goal of peace. Q: Regarding drones, everyone knows that recently, Taiwan has been actively researching, developing, and introducing drones. Why do you need to actively research, develop, and introduce new drones at this time? President Lai: This is for two purposes. The first is to meet national security needs. The second is to meet industrial development needs. Because Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines are all part of the first island chain, and we are all democratic nations, we cannot be like an authoritarian country like China, which has an unlimited national defense budget. In this kind of situation, island nations such as Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines should leverage their own technologies to develop national defense methods that are asymmetric and utilize unmanned vehicles. In particular, from the Russo-Ukrainian War, we see that Ukraine has successfully utilized unmanned vehicles to protect itself and prevent Russia from unlimited invasion. In other words, the Russo-Ukrainian War has already proven the importance of drones. Therefore, the first purpose of developing drones is based on national security needs. Second, the world has already entered the era of smart technology. Whether generative, agentic, or physical, AI will continue to develop. In the future, cars and ships will also evolve into unmanned vehicles and unmanned boats, and there will be unmanned factories. Drones will even be able to assist with postal deliveries, or services like Uber, Uber Eats, and foodpanda, or agricultural irrigation and pesticide spraying. Therefore, in the future era of comprehensive smart technology, developing unmanned vehicles is a necessity. Taiwan, based on industrial needs, is actively planning the development of drones and unmanned vehicles. I would like to take this opportunity to express Taiwan’s hope to collaborate with Japan in the unmanned vehicle industry. Just as we do in the semiconductor industry, where Japan has raw materials, equipment, and technology, and Taiwan has wafer manufacturing, our two countries can cooperate. Japan is a technological power, and Taiwan also has significant technological strengths. If Taiwan and Japan work together, we will not only be able to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific region, but it will also be very helpful for the industrial development of both countries. Q: The drones you just described probably include examples from the Russo-Ukrainian War. Taiwan and China are separated by the Taiwan Strait. Do our drones need to have cross-sea flight capabilities? President Lai: Taiwan does not intend to counterattack the mainland, and does not intend to invade any country. Taiwan’s drones are meant to protect our own nation and territory. Q: Former President Biden previously stated that US forces would assist Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack. President Trump, however, has yet to clearly state that the US would help defend Taiwan. Do you think that in such an event, the US would help defend Taiwan? Or is Taiwan now trying to persuade the US? President Lai: Former President Biden and President Trump have answered questions from reporters. Although their responses were different, strong cooperation with Taiwan under the Biden administration has continued under the Trump administration; there has been no change. During President Trump’s first term, cooperation with Taiwan was broader and deeper compared to former President Barack Obama’s terms. After former President Biden took office, cooperation with Taiwan increased compared to President Trump’s first term. Now, during President Trump’s second term, cooperation with Taiwan is even greater than under former President Biden. Taiwan-US cooperation continues to grow stronger, and has not changed just because President Trump and former President Biden gave different responses to reporters. Furthermore, the Trump administration publicly stated that in the future, the US will shift its strategic focus from Europe to the Indo-Pacific. The US secretary of defense even publicly stated that the primary mission of the US is to prevent China from invading Taiwan, maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific, and thus maintain world peace. There is a saying in Taiwan that goes, “Help comes most to those who help themselves.” Before asking friends and allies for assistance in facing threats from China, Taiwan must first be determined and prepared to defend itself. This is Taiwan’s principle, and we are working in this direction, making all the necessary preparations to safeguard the nation. Q: I would like to ask you a question about Taiwan-Japan relations. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, you made an appeal to give Japan a great deal of assistance and care. In particular, you visited Sendai to offer condolences. Later, you also expressed condolences and concern after the earthquakes in Aomori and Kumamoto. What are your expectations for future Taiwan-Japan exchanges and development? President Lai: I come from Tainan, and my constituency is in Tainan. Tainan has very deep ties with Japan, and of course, Taiwan also has deep ties with Japan. However, among Taiwan’s 22 counties and cities, Tainan has the deepest relationship with Japan. I sincerely hope that both of you and your teams will have an opportunity to visit Tainan. I will introduce Tainan’s scenery, including architecture from the era of Japanese rule, Tainan’s cuisine, and unique aspects of Tainan society, and you can also see lifestyles and culture from the Showa era.  The Wushantou Reservoir in Tainan was completed by engineer Mr. Hatta Yoichi from Kanazawa, Japan and the team he led to Tainan after he graduated from then-Tokyo Imperial University. It has nearly a century of history and is still in use today. This reservoir, along with the 16,000-km-long Chianan Canal, transformed the 150,000-hectare Chianan Plain into Taiwan’s premier rice-growing area. It was that foundation in agriculture that enabled Taiwan to develop industry and the technology sector of today. The reservoir continues to supply water to Tainan Science Park. It is used by residents of Tainan, the agricultural sector, and industry, and even the technology sector in Xinshi Industrial Park, as well as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Because of this, the people of Tainan are deeply grateful for Mr. Hatta and very friendly toward the people of Japan. A major earthquake, the largest in 50 years, struck Tainan on February 6, 2016, resulting in significant casualties. As mayor of Tainan at the time, I was extremely grateful to then-Prime Minister Abe, who sent five Japanese officials to the disaster site in Tainan the day after the earthquake. They were very thoughtful and asked what kind of assistance we needed from the Japanese government. They offered to provide help based on what we needed. I was deeply moved, as former Prime Minister Abe showed such care, going beyond the formality of just sending supplies that we may or may not have actually needed. Instead, the officials asked what we needed and then provided assistance based on those needs, which really moved me. Similarly, when the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 or the later Kumamoto earthquakes struck, the people of Tainan, under my leadership, naturally and dutifully expressed their support. Even earlier, when central Taiwan was hit by a major earthquake in 1999, Japan was the first country to deploy a rescue team to the disaster area. On February 6, 2018, after a major earthquake in Hualien, former Prime Minister Abe appeared in a video holding up a message of encouragement he had written in calligraphy saying “Remain strong, Taiwan.” All of Taiwan was deeply moved. Over the years, Taiwan and Japan have supported each other when earthquakes struck, and have forged bonds that are family-like, not just neighborly. This is truly valuable. In the future, I hope Taiwan and Japan can be like brothers, and that the peoples of Taiwan and Japan can treat one another like family. If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem; if Japan has a problem, then Taiwan has a problem. By caring for and helping each other, we can face various challenges and difficulties, and pursue a brighter future. Q: President Lai, you just used the phrase “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” In the event that China attempts to invade Taiwan by force, what kind of response measures would you hope the US military and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces take? President Lai: As I just mentioned, annexing Taiwan is only China’s first step. Its ultimate objective is to change the rules-based international order. That being the case, China’s threats are an international problem. So, I would very much hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war – prevention, after all, is more important than cure.

    Details
    2025-05-13
    President Lai interviewed by Japan’s Nikkei  
    In a recent interview with Japan’s Nikkei, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions regarding Taiwan-Japan and Taiwan-United States relations, cross-strait relations, the semiconductor industry, and the international economic and trade landscape. The interview was published by Nikkei on May 13. President Lai indicated that Nikkei, Inc. is a global news organization that has received significant recognition both domestically and internationally, and that he is deeply honored to be interviewed by Nikkei and grateful for their invitation. The president said that he would like to take this rare opportunity to thank Japan’s government, National Diet, society, and public for their longstanding support for Taiwan. Noting that current Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo, Suga Yoshihide, and Kishida Fumio have all strongly supported Taiwan, he said that the peoples of Taiwan and Japan also have a deep mutual affection, and that through the interview, he hopes to enhance the bilateral relationship between Taiwan and Japan, deepen the affection between our peoples, and foster more future cooperation to promote prosperity and development in both countries. In response to questions raised on the free trade system and the recent tariff war, President Lai indicated that over the past few decades, the free economy headed by the Western world and led by the US has brought economic prosperity and political stability to Taiwan and Japan. At the same time, he said, we have also learned or followed many Western values. The president said he believes that Taiwan and Japan are exemplary students, but some countries are not. Therefore, he said, the biggest crisis right now is China, which exploits the free trade system to engage in plagiarism and counterfeiting, infringe on intellectual property rights, and even provide massive government subsidies that facilitate the dumping of low-priced goods worldwide, which has a major impact on many countries including Japan and Taiwan. If this kind of unfair trade is not resolved, he said, the stable societies and economic prosperity we have painstakingly built over decades, as well as some of the values we pursue, could be destroyed. Therefore, President Lai said he thinks it is worthwhile for us to observe the recent willingness of the US to address unfair trade, and if necessary, offer assistance. President Lai emphasized that the national strategic plan for Taiwanese industries is for them to be rooted in Taiwan while expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. Therefore, he said, while the 32 percent tariff increase imposed by the US on Taiwan is indeed a major challenge, we are willing to address it seriously and find opportunities within that challenge, making Taiwan’s strategic plan for industry even more comprehensive. When asked about Taiwan’s trade arrangements, President Lai indicated that in 2010 China accounted for 83.8 percent of Taiwan’s outbound investment, but last year it accounted for only 7.5 percent. In 2020, he went on, 43.9 percent of Taiwan’s exports went to China, but that figure dropped to 31.7 percent in 2024. The president said that we have systematically transferred investments from Taiwanese enterprises to Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US. Therefore, he said, last year Taiwan’s largest outbound investment was in the US, accounting for roughly 40 percent of the total. Nevertheless, only 23.4 percent of Taiwanese products were sold to the US, with 76.6 percent sold to places other than the US, he said.  The president emphasized that we don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket, and hope to establish a global presence. Under these circumstances, he said, Taiwan is very eager to cooperate with Japan. President Lai stated that at this moment, the Indo-Pacific and international community really need Japan’s leadership, especially to make the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) excel in its functions, and also requested Japan to support Taiwan’s CPTPP accession. The president said that Taiwan hopes to sign an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan to build closer ties in economic trade and promote further investment, and that we also hope to strengthen relations with the European Union, and even other regions. Currently, he said, we are proposing an initiative on global semiconductor supply chain partnerships for democracies, because the semiconductor industry is an ecosystem. The president raised the example that Japan has materials, equipment, and technology; the US has IC design and marketing; Taiwan has production and manufacturing; and the Netherlands excels in equipment, saying we therefore hope to leverage Taiwan’s advantages in production and manufacturing to connect the democratic community and establish a global non-red supply chain for semiconductors, ensuring further world prosperity and development in the future, and ensuring that free trade can continue to function without being affected by dumping, which would undermine future prosperity and development. The president stated that as we want industries to expand their global presence and market internationally while staying rooted here in Taiwan, having industries rooted in Taiwan involves promoting pay raises for employees, tax cuts, and deregulation, as well as promoting enterprise investment tax credits. He said that we have also proposed Three Major Programs for Investing in Taiwan for Taiwanese enterprises and are actively resolving issues regarding access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent so that the business community can return to Taiwan to invest, or enterprises in Taiwan can increase their investments. He went on to say that we are also actively signing bilateral investment agreements with friends and allies so that when our companies invest and expand their presence abroad, their rights and interests as investors are ensured.  President Lai mentioned that Taiwan hopes to sign an EPA with Japan, similar to the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade and the Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue, or the Enhanced Trade Partnership arrangement with the United Kingdom, or similar agreements or memorandums of understanding with Canada and Australia that allow Taiwanese products to be marketed worldwide, concluding that those are our overall arrangements. Looking at the history of Taiwan’s industrial development, President Lai indicated, of course it began in Taiwan, and then moved west to China and south to Southeast Asia. He said that we hope to take this opportunity to strengthen cooperation with Japan to the north, across the Pacific Ocean to the east, and develop the North American market, making Taiwan’s industries even stronger. In other words, he said, while Taiwan sees the current reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US as a kind of challenge, it also views these changes positively. On the topic of pressure from China affecting Taiwan’s participation in international frameworks such as the CPTPP or its signing of an EPA with Japan, President Lai responded that the key point is what kind of attitude we should adopt in viewing China’s acts of oppression. If we act based on our belief in free trade, he said, or on the universal values we pursue – democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights – and also on the understanding that a bilateral trade agreement between Taiwan and Japan would contribute to the economic prosperity and development of both countries, or that Taiwan’s accession to the CPTPP would benefit progress and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, then he hopes that friends and allies will strongly support us. On the Trump administration’s intentions regarding the reciprocal tariff policy and the possibility of taxing semiconductors, as well as how Taiwan plans to respond, President Lai said that since President Trump took office, he has paid close attention to interviews with both him and his staff. The president said that several of President Trump’s main intentions are: First, he wants to address the US fiscal situation. For example, President Lai said, while the US GDP is about US$29 trillion annually, its national debt stands at US$36 trillion, which is roughly 124 percent of GDP. Second, he went on, annual government spending exceeds US$6.5 trillion, but revenues are only around US$4.5 trillion, resulting in a nearly US$2 trillion deficit each year, about 7 percent of GDP. Third, he said, the US pays nearly US$1.2 trillion in interest annually, which exceeds the US$1 trillion defense budget and accounts for more than 3 percent of GDP. Fourth, President Trump still wants to implement tax cuts, aiming to reduce taxes for 85 percent of Americans, he said, noting that this would cost between US$500 billion and US$1 trillion. These points, President Lai said, illustrate his first goal: solving the fiscal problem. President Lai went on to say that second, the US feels the threat of China and believes that reindustrialization is essential; without reindustrialization, the US risks a growing gap in industrial capacity compared to China. Third, he said, in this era of global smart technology, President Trump wants to lead the nation to become a world center of AI. Fourth, he aims to ensure world peace and prevent future wars, President Lai said. In regard to what the US seeks to achieve, he said he believes these four areas form the core of the Trump administration’s intentions, and that is why President Trump has raised tariffs, demanded that trading partners purchase more American goods, and encouraged friendly and allied nations to invest in the US, all in order to achieve these goals. President Lai indicated that the 32 percent reciprocal tariff poses a critical challenge for Taiwan, and we must treat it seriously. He said that our approach is not confrontation, but negotiation to reduce tariffs, and that we have also agreed to measures such as procurement, investment, resolving non-tariff trade barriers, and addressing origin washing in order to effectively reduce the trade deficit between Taiwan and the US. Of course, he said, through this negotiation process, we also hope to turn challenges into opportunities. The president said that first, we aim to start negotiations from the proposal of zero tariffs and seek to establish a bilateral trade agreement with the US. Second, he went on, we hope to support US reindustrialization and its aim to become a world AI hub through investment, while simultaneously upgrading and transforming Taiwan’s industries, which would help further integrate Taiwan’s industries into the US economic structure, ensuring Taiwan’s long-term development.  President Lai emphasized again that Taiwan’s national industrial strategy is for industries to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. He repeated that we have gone from moving westward across the Taiwan Strait, to shifting southbound, to working closer northward with Japan, and now the time is ripe for us to expand eastward by investing in North America. In other words, he said, while we take this challenge seriously to protect national interests and ensure that no industry is sacrificed, we also hope these negotiations will lead to deeper Taiwan-US trade relations through Taiwanese investment in the US, concluding that these are our expectations. The president stated that naturally, the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US will have an impact on Taiwanese industries, so in response, the Taiwanese government has already proposed support measures for affected industries totaling NT$93 billion. In addition, he said, we have outlined broader needs for Taiwan’s long-term development, which will be covered by a special budget proposal of NT$410 billion, noting that this has already been approved by the Executive Yuan and will be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for review. He said that this special budget proposal addresses four main areas: supporting industries, stabilizing employment, protecting people’s livelihoods, and enhancing resilience. As for tariffs on semiconductors, President Lai said, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has committed to investing in the US at the request of its customers. He said he believes that TSMC’s industry chain will follow suit, and that these are concrete actions that are unrelated to tariffs. However, he said, if the US were to invoke Section 232 and impose tariffs on semiconductors or related industries, it would discourage Taiwanese semiconductor and ICT investments in the US, and that we will make this position clear to the US going forward. President Lai indicated that among Taiwan’s exports to the US, there are two main categories: ICT products and electronic components, which together account for 65.4 percent. These are essential to the US, he said, unlike final goods such as cups, tables, or mattresses. He went on to say that what Taiwan sells to the US are the technological products required by AI designers like NVIDIA, AMD, Amazon, Google, and Apple, and that therefore, we will make sure the US understands clearly that we are not exporting end products, but the high-tech components necessary for the US to reindustrialize and become a global AI center. Furthermore, the president said, Taiwan is also willing to increase its defense budget and military procurement. He stated that Taiwan is committed to defending itself and is strongly willing to cooperate with friends and allies to ensure regional peace and stability, and that this is also something President Trump hopes to see. Asked whether TSMC’s fabs overseas could weaken Taiwan’s strategic position as a key hub for semiconductor manufacturing, and whether that could then give other countries fewer incentives to protect Taiwan, President Lai responded by saying that political leaders around the world including Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba and former Prime Ministers Abe, Suga, and Kishida have emphasized, at the G7 and other major international fora, that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential for global security and prosperity. In other words, he explained, the international community cares about Taiwan and supports peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait because Taiwan is located in the first island chain in the Indo-Pacific, directly facing China. He pointed out that if Taiwan is not protected, China’s expansionist ambitions will certainly grow, which would impact the current rules-based international order. Thus, he said, the international community willingly cares about Taiwan and supports stability in the Taiwan Strait – that is the reason, and it has no direct connection with TSMC. He noted that after all, TSMC has not made investments in that many countries, stressing that, on that point, it is clear. President Lai said that TSMC’s investments in Japan, Europe, and the US are all natural, normal economic and investment activities. He said that Taiwan is a democratic country whose society is based on the rule of law, so when Taiwanese companies need to invest around the world for business needs, the government will support those investments in principle so long as they do not harm national interests. President Lai said that after TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) held a press conference with President Trump to announce the investment in the US, Chairman Wei returned to Taiwan to hold a press conference with him at the Presidential Office, where the chairman explained to the Taiwanese public that TSMC’s R&D center will remain in Taiwan and that the facilities it has already committed to investing in here will not change and will not be affected. So, the president explained, to put it another way, TSMC will not be weakened by its investment in the US. He further emphasized that Taiwan has strengths in semiconductor manufacturing and is very willing to work alongside other democratic countries to promote the next stage of global prosperity and development. A question was raised about which side should be chosen between the US and China, under the current perception of a return to the Cold War, with East and West facing off as two opposing blocs. President Lai responded by saying that some experts and scholars describe the current situation as entering a new Cold War era between democratic and authoritarian camps; others assert that the war has already begun, including information warfare, economic and trade wars, and the ongoing wars in Europe – the Russo-Ukrainian War – and the Middle East, and the Israel-Hamas conflict. The president said that these are all matters experts have cautioned about, noting that he is not a historian and so will not attempt to define today’s political situation from an academic standpoint. However, he said, he believes that every country has a choice, which is to say, Taiwan, Japan, or any other nation does not necessarily have to choose between the US and China. What we are deciding, he said, is whether our country will maintain a democratic constitutional system or regress into an authoritarian regime, and this is essentially a choice of values – not merely a choice between two major powers. President Lai said that Taiwan’s situation is different from other countries because we face a direct threat from China. He pointed out that we have experienced military conflicts such as the August 23 Artillery Battle and the Battle of Guningtou – actual wars between the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China. He said that China’s ambition to annex Taiwan has never wavered, and that today, China’s political and military intimidation, as well as internal united front infiltration, are growing increasingly intense. Therefore, he underlined, to defend democracy and sovereignty, protect our free and democratic system, and ensure the safety of our people’s lives and property, Taiwan’s choice is clear. President Lai said that China’s military exercises are not limited to the Taiwan Strait, and include the East China Sea, South China Sea, and even the Sea of Japan, as well as areas around Korea and Australia. Emphasizing that Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines are all democratic nations, the president said that Taiwan’s choice is clear, and that he believes Japan also has no other choice. We are all democratic countries, he said, whose people have long pursued the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights, and that is what is most important. Regarding the intensifying tensions between the US and China, the president was asked what roles Taiwan and Japan can play. President Lai responded that in his view, Japan is a powerful nation, and he sincerely hopes that Japan can take a leading role amid these changes in the international landscape. He said he believes that countries in the Indo-Pacific region are also willing to respond. He suggested several areas where we can work together: first, democracy and peace; second, innovation and prosperity; and third, justice and sustainability. President Lai stated that in the face of authoritarian threats, we should let peace be our beacon and democracy our compass as we respond to the challenges posed by authoritarian states. Second, he added, as the world enters an era characterized by the comprehensive adoption of smart technologies, Japan and Taiwan should collaborate in the field of innovation to further drive regional prosperity and development. Third, he continued, is justice and sustainability. He explained that because international society still has many issues that need to be resolved, Taiwan and Japan can cooperate for the public good, helping countries in need around the world, and cooperating to address climate change and achieve net-zero transition by 2050. Asked whether he hopes that the US will continue to be a leader in the liberal democratic system, President Lai responded by saying that although the US severed diplomatic ties with the Republic of China, for the past few decades it has assisted Taiwan in various areas such as national defense, security, and countering threats from China, based on the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. He pointed out that Taiwan has also benefited, directly and indirectly, in terms of politics, democracy, and economic prosperity thanks to the US, and so Taiwan naturally hopes that the US remains strong and continues to lead the world. President Lai said that when the US encounters difficulties, whether financial difficulties, reindustrialization issues, or becoming a global center for AI, and hopes to receive support from its friends and allies to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, Taiwan is willing to stand together for a common cause. If the US remains strong, he said, that helps Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific region, and the world as a whole. Noting that while the vital role of the US on the global stage has not changed, the president said that after decades of shouldering global responsibilities, it has encountered some issues. Now, it has to make adjustments, he said, stating his firm belief that it will do so swiftly, and quickly resume its leadership role in the world. Asked to comment on remarks he made during his election campaign that he would like to invite China’s President Xi Jinping for bubble tea, President Lai responded that Taiwan is a peace-loving country, and Taiwanese society is inherently kind, and therefore we hope to get along peacefully with China, living in peace and mutual prosperity. So, during his term as vice president, he said, he was expressing the goodwill of Taiwanese society. Noting that while he of course understands that China’s President Xi would have certain difficulties in accepting this, he emphasized that the goodwill of Taiwanese society has always existed. If China reflects on the past two or three decades, he said, it will see that its economy was able to develop with Taiwan as its largest foreign investor. The president explained that every year, 1 to 2 million Taiwanese were starting businesses or investing in China, creating numerous job opportunities and stabilizing Chinese society. While many Taiwanese businesses have profited, he said, Chinese society has benefited even more. He added that every time a natural disaster occurs, if China is in need, Taiwanese always offer donations. Therefore, the president said, he hopes that China can face the reality of the Republic of China’s existence and understand that the people of Taiwan hope to continue living free and democratic lives with respect for human rights. He also expressed hope that China can pay attention to the goodwill of Taiwanese society. He underlined that we have not abandoned the notion that as long as there is parity, dignity, exchange, and cooperation, the goodwill of choosing dialogue over confrontation and exchange over containment will always exist. Asked for his view on the national security reforms in response to China’s espionage activities and infiltration attempts, President Lai said that China’s united front infiltration activities in Taiwan are indeed very serious. He said that China’s ambitions to annex Taiwan rely not only on the use of political and military intimidation, but also on its long-term united front and infiltration activities in Taiwanese society. Recently, he pointed out, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office of the Ministry of Justice prosecuted 64 spies, which is three times the number in 2021, and in addition to active-duty military personnel, many retired military personnel were also indicted. Moreover, he added, Taiwan also has the Chinese Unification Promotion Party, which has a background in organized crime, Rehabilitation Alliance Party, which was established by retired military personnel, and Republic of China Taiwan Military Government, which is also composed of retired generals. He explained that these are all China’s front organizations, and they plan one day to engage in collaboration within Taiwan, which shows the seriousness of China’s infiltration in Taiwan. Therefore, the president said, in the recent past he convened a high-level national security meeting and proposed 17 response strategies across five areas. He then enumerated the five areas: first, to address China’s threat to Taiwan’s sovereignty; second, to respond to the threat of China’s obscuring the Taiwanese people’s sense of national identity; third, to respond to the threat of China’s infiltrating and recruiting members of the ROC Armed Forces as spies; fourth, to respond to the threat of China’s infiltration of Taiwanese society through societal exchanges and united front work; and fifth, to respond to the threat of China using “integration plans” to draw Taiwan’s young people and Taiwanese businesses into its united front activities. In response to these five major threats, he said, he has proposed 17 response strategies, one of which being to restore the military trial system. He explained that if active-duty military personnel commit military crimes, they must be subject to military trials, and said that this expresses the Taiwanese government’s determination to respond to China’s united front infiltration and the subversion of Taiwan. Responding to the question of which actions Taiwan can take to guard against China’s threats to regional security, President Lai said that many people are worried that the increasingly tense situation may lead to accidental conflict and the outbreak of war. He stated his own view that Taiwan is committed to facing China’s various threats with caution. Taiwan is never the source of these problems, he emphasized, and if there is an accidental conflict and it turns into a full-scale war, it will certainly be a deliberate act by China using an accidental conflict as a pretext. He said that when China expanded its military presence in the East China Sea and South China Sea, the international community did not stop it; when China conducted exercises in the Taiwan Strait, the international community did not take strong measures to prevent this from happening. Now, he continued, China is conducting gray-zone exercises, which are aggressions against not only the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and the East China Sea, but also extending to the Sea of Japan and waters near South Korea. He said that at this moment, Taiwan, the Philippines, Japan, and even the US should face these developments candidly and seriously, and we must exhibit unity and cooperation to prevent China’s gray-zone aggression from continuing to expand and prevent China from shifting from a military exercise to combat. If no action is taken now, the president said, the situation may become increasingly serious. Asked about the view of some US analysts who point out that China will have the ability to invade Taiwan around 2027, President Lai responded that Taiwan, as the country on the receiving end of threats and aggression, must plan for the worst and make the best preparations. He recalled a famous saying from the armed forces: “Do not count on the enemy not showing up; count on being ready should it strike.” This is why, he said, he proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, he said, we must strengthen our national defense. Second, he added, we must strengthen economic resilience, adding that not only must our economy remain strong, but it must also be resilient, and that we cannot put all our eggs in the same basket, in China, as we have done in the past. Third, he continued, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with friends and allies such as Japan and the US, as well as the democratic community, and we must demonstrate the strength of deterrence to prevent China from making the wrong judgment. Fourth, he emphasized, as long as China treats Taiwan with parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China and seek cross-strait peace and mutual prosperity through exchanges and cooperation. Regarding intensifying US-China confrontation, the president was asked in which areas he thinks Taiwan and Japan should strengthen cooperation; with Japan’s Ishiba administration also being a minority government, the president was asked for his expectations for the Ishiba administration. President Lai said that in the face of rapid and tremendous changes in the political situation, every government faces considerable challenges, especially for minority governments, but the Japanese government led by Prime Minister Ishiba has quite adequately responded with various strategies. Furthermore, he said, Japan is different from Taiwan, explaining that although Japan’s ruling party lacks a majority, political parties in Japan engage in competition domestically while exhibiting unity externally. He said that Taiwan’s situation is more challenging, because the ruling and opposition parties hold different views on the direction of the country, due to differences in national identity. The president expressed his hope that in the future Taiwan and Japan will enjoy even more comprehensive cooperation. He stated that he has always believed that deep historical bonds connect Taiwan and Japan. Over the past several decades, he said, when encountering natural disasters and tragedies, our two nations have assisted each other with mutual care and support. He said that the affection between the people of Taiwan and Japan is like that of a family. Pointing out that both countries face the threat of authoritarianism, he said that we share a mission to safeguard universal values such as democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights. The president said that our two countries should be more open to cooperation in various areas to maintain regional peace and stability as well as to strengthen cooperation in economic and industrial development, such as for semiconductor industry chains and everyday applications of AI, including robots and drones, adding that we can also cooperate on climate change response, such as in hydrogen energy and other strategies. He said our two countries should also continue to strengthen people-to-people exchanges. He then took the opportunity to once again invite our good friends from Japan to visit Taiwan for tourism and learn more about Taiwan, saying that the Taiwanese people wholeheartedly welcome our Japanese friends.  

    Details
    2025-05-20
    President Lai interviewed by Nippon Television and Yomiuri TV
    In a recent interview on Nippon Television’s news zero program, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions from host Mr. Sakurai Sho and Yomiuri TV Shanghai Bureau Chief Watanabe Masayo on topics including reflections on his first year in office, cross-strait relations, China’s military threats, Taiwan-United States relations, and Taiwan-Japan relations. The interview was broadcast on the evening of May 19. During the interview, President Lai stated that China intends to change the world’s rules-based international order, and that if Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted. Therefore, he said, Taiwan will strengthen its national defense, prevent war by preparing for war, and achieve the goal of peace. The president also noted that Taiwan’s purpose for developing drones is based on national security and industrial needs, and that Taiwan hopes to collaborate with Japan. He then reiterated that China’s threats are an international problem, and expressed hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: How do you feel as you are about to round out your first year in office? President Lai: When I was young, I was determined to practice medicine and save lives. When I left medicine to go into politics, I was determined to transform Taiwan. And when I was sworn in as president on May 20 last year, I was determined to strengthen the nation. Time flies, and it has already been a year. Although the process has been very challenging, I am deeply honored to be a part of it. I am also profoundly grateful to our citizens for allowing me the opportunity to give back to our country. The future will certainly be full of more challenges, but I will do everything I can to unite the people and continue strengthening the nation. That is how I am feeling now. Q: We are now coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and over this period, we have often heard that conflict between Taiwan and the mainland is imminent. Do you personally believe that a cross-strait conflict could happen? President Lai: The international community is very much aware that China intends to replace the US and change the world’s rules-based international order, and annexing Taiwan is just the first step. So, as China’s military power grows stronger, some members of the international community are naturally on edge about whether a cross-strait conflict will break out. The international community must certainly do everything in its power to avoid a conflict in the Taiwan Strait; there is too great a cost. Besides causing direct disasters to both Taiwan and China, the impact on the global economy would be even greater, with estimated losses of US$10 trillion from war alone – that is roughly 10 percent of the global GDP. Additionally, 20 percent of global shipping passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, so if a conflict breaks out in the strait, other countries including Japan and Korea would suffer a grave impact. For Japan and Korea, a quarter of external transit passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, and a third of the various energy resources and minerals shipped back from other countries pass through said areas. If Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted, and therefore conflict in the Taiwan Strait must be avoided. Such a conflict is indeed avoidable. I am very thankful to Prime Minister of Japan Ishiba Shigeru and former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo, Suga Yoshihide, and Kishida Fumio, as well as US President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, and the other G7 leaders, for continuing to emphasize at international venues that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. When everyone in the global democratic community works together, stacking up enough strength to make China’s objectives unattainable or to make the cost of invading Taiwan too high for it to bear, a conflict in the strait can naturally be avoided. Q: As you said, President Lai, maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is also very important for other countries. How can war be avoided? What sort of countermeasures is Taiwan prepared to take to prevent war? President Lai: As Mr. Sakurai mentioned earlier, we are coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. There are many lessons we can take from that war. First is that peace is priceless, and war has no winners. From the tragedies of WWII, there are lessons that humanity should learn. We must pursue peace, and not start wars blindly, as that would be a major disaster for humanity. In other words, we must be determined to safeguard peace. The second lesson is that we cannot be complacent toward authoritarian powers. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. They will keep growing, and eventually, not only will peace be unattainable, but war will be inevitable. The third lesson is why WWII ended: It ended because different groups joined together in solidarity. Taiwan, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific region are all directly subjected to China’s threats, so we hope to be able to join together in cooperation. This is why we proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we will strengthen our national defense. Second, we will strengthen economic resilience. Third is standing shoulder to shoulder with the democratic community to demonstrate the strength of deterrence. Fourth is that as long as China treats Taiwan with parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China, and seek peace and mutual prosperity. These four pillars can help us avoid war and achieve peace. That is to say, Taiwan hopes to achieve peace through strength, prevent war by preparing for war, keeping war from happening and pursuing the goal of peace. Q: Regarding drones, everyone knows that recently, Taiwan has been actively researching, developing, and introducing drones. Why do you need to actively research, develop, and introduce new drones at this time? President Lai: This is for two purposes. The first is to meet national security needs. The second is to meet industrial development needs. Because Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines are all part of the first island chain, and we are all democratic nations, we cannot be like an authoritarian country like China, which has an unlimited national defense budget. In this kind of situation, island nations such as Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines should leverage their own technologies to develop national defense methods that are asymmetric and utilize unmanned vehicles. In particular, from the Russo-Ukrainian War, we see that Ukraine has successfully utilized unmanned vehicles to protect itself and prevent Russia from unlimited invasion. In other words, the Russo-Ukrainian War has already proven the importance of drones. Therefore, the first purpose of developing drones is based on national security needs. Second, the world has already entered the era of smart technology. Whether generative, agentic, or physical, AI will continue to develop. In the future, cars and ships will also evolve into unmanned vehicles and unmanned boats, and there will be unmanned factories. Drones will even be able to assist with postal deliveries, or services like Uber, Uber Eats, and foodpanda, or agricultural irrigation and pesticide spraying. Therefore, in the future era of comprehensive smart technology, developing unmanned vehicles is a necessity. Taiwan, based on industrial needs, is actively planning the development of drones and unmanned vehicles. I would like to take this opportunity to express Taiwan’s hope to collaborate with Japan in the unmanned vehicle industry. Just as we do in the semiconductor industry, where Japan has raw materials, equipment, and technology, and Taiwan has wafer manufacturing, our two countries can cooperate. Japan is a technological power, and Taiwan also has significant technological strengths. If Taiwan and Japan work together, we will not only be able to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific region, but it will also be very helpful for the industrial development of both countries. Q: The drones you just described probably include examples from the Russo-Ukrainian War. Taiwan and China are separated by the Taiwan Strait. Do our drones need to have cross-sea flight capabilities? President Lai: Taiwan does not intend to counterattack the mainland, and does not intend to invade any country. Taiwan’s drones are meant to protect our own nation and territory. Q: Former President Biden previously stated that US forces would assist Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack. President Trump, however, has yet to clearly state that the US would help defend Taiwan. Do you think that in such an event, the US would help defend Taiwan? Or is Taiwan now trying to persuade the US? President Lai: Former President Biden and President Trump have answered questions from reporters. Although their responses were different, strong cooperation with Taiwan under the Biden administration has continued under the Trump administration; there has been no change. During President Trump’s first term, cooperation with Taiwan was broader and deeper compared to former President Barack Obama’s terms. After former President Biden took office, cooperation with Taiwan increased compared to President Trump’s first term. Now, during President Trump’s second term, cooperation with Taiwan is even greater than under former President Biden. Taiwan-US cooperation continues to grow stronger, and has not changed just because President Trump and former President Biden gave different responses to reporters. Furthermore, the Trump administration publicly stated that in the future, the US will shift its strategic focus from Europe to the Indo-Pacific. The US secretary of defense even publicly stated that the primary mission of the US is to prevent China from invading Taiwan, maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific, and thus maintain world peace. There is a saying in Taiwan that goes, “Help comes most to those who help themselves.” Before asking friends and allies for assistance in facing threats from China, Taiwan must first be determined and prepared to defend itself. This is Taiwan’s principle, and we are working in this direction, making all the necessary preparations to safeguard the nation. Q: I would like to ask you a question about Taiwan-Japan relations. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, you made an appeal to give Japan a great deal of assistance and care. In particular, you visited Sendai to offer condolences. Later, you also expressed condolences and concern after the earthquakes in Aomori and Kumamoto. What are your expectations for future Taiwan-Japan exchanges and development? President Lai: I come from Tainan, and my constituency is in Tainan. Tainan has very deep ties with Japan, and of course, Taiwan also has deep ties with Japan. However, among Taiwan’s 22 counties and cities, Tainan has the deepest relationship with Japan. I sincerely hope that both of you and your teams will have an opportunity to visit Tainan. I will introduce Tainan’s scenery, including architecture from the era of Japanese rule, Tainan’s cuisine, and unique aspects of Tainan society, and you can also see lifestyles and culture from the Showa era.  The Wushantou Reservoir in Tainan was completed by engineer Mr. Hatta Yoichi from Kanazawa, Japan and the team he led to Tainan after he graduated from then-Tokyo Imperial University. It has nearly a century of history and is still in use today. This reservoir, along with the 16,000-km-long Chianan Canal, transformed the 150,000-hectare Chianan Plain into Taiwan’s premier rice-growing area. It was that foundation in agriculture that enabled Taiwan to develop industry and the technology sector of today. The reservoir continues to supply water to Tainan Science Park. It is used by residents of Tainan, the agricultural sector, and industry, and even the technology sector in Xinshi Industrial Park, as well as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Because of this, the people of Tainan are deeply grateful for Mr. Hatta and very friendly toward the people of Japan. A major earthquake, the largest in 50 years, struck Tainan on February 6, 2016, resulting in significant casualties. As mayor of Tainan at the time, I was extremely grateful to then-Prime Minister Abe, who sent five Japanese officials to the disaster site in Tainan the day after the earthquake. They were very thoughtful and asked what kind of assistance we needed from the Japanese government. They offered to provide help based on what we needed. I was deeply moved, as former Prime Minister Abe showed such care, going beyond the formality of just sending supplies that we may or may not have actually needed. Instead, the officials asked what we needed and then provided assistance based on those needs, which really moved me. Similarly, when the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 or the later Kumamoto earthquakes struck, the people of Tainan, under my leadership, naturally and dutifully expressed their support. Even earlier, when central Taiwan was hit by a major earthquake in 1999, Japan was the first country to deploy a rescue team to the disaster area. On February 6, 2018, after a major earthquake in Hualien, former Prime Minister Abe appeared in a video holding up a message of encouragement he had written in calligraphy saying “Remain strong, Taiwan.” All of Taiwan was deeply moved. Over the years, Taiwan and Japan have supported each other when earthquakes struck, and have forged bonds that are family-like, not just neighborly. This is truly valuable. In the future, I hope Taiwan and Japan can be like brothers, and that the peoples of Taiwan and Japan can treat one another like family. If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem; if Japan has a problem, then Taiwan has a problem. By caring for and helping each other, we can face various challenges and difficulties, and pursue a brighter future. Q: President Lai, you just used the phrase “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” In the event that China attempts to invade Taiwan by force, what kind of response measures would you hope the US military and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces take? President Lai: As I just mentioned, annexing Taiwan is only China’s first step. Its ultimate objective is to change the rules-based international order. That being the case, China’s threats are an international problem. So, I would very much hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war – prevention, after all, is more important than cure.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Recommendation from Equinor’s nomination committee

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The nomination committee in Equinor ASA (OSE:EQNR, NYSE:EQNR) recommends that the company’s corporate assembly elects Dawn Summers as a new member to the board of directors of Equinor ASA

    Further, the nomination committee recommends a re-election of Jon Erik Reinhardsen as chair and Anne Drinkwater as deputy chair of the board, in addition to re-election of Finn Bjørn Ruyter, Haakon Bruun-Hanssen, Mikael Karlsson, Fernanda Lopes Larsen and Tone Hegland Bachke as members of the board of directors. Current member, Jonathan Lewis will resign from the board of directors as of 30 June 2025. It is recommended that Dawn Summers’ election takes effect from 1 September 2025.

    Dawn Summers served as Interim Chief Operating Officer at Harbour Energy from 2024 – 2025. In this position, she was responsible for ensuring business continuity and smooth operations integration following Harbour Energy’s acquisition of Wintershall Dea, where she was as Chief Operating Officer and board member from 2020-2024. In this role, she was responsible for safe business delivery and also led efforts to develop early-stage carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen projects. Before this, Summers held COO roles at Beach Energy from 2018-2020 and Origin Energy from 2016-2018. She was executive Head of HSE, Operations & Developments with General Energy from 2013-2015 and has held several positions with BP plc from 1995-2013.

    Summers is active in European energy policy. As former Chair of the European Board of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP), she led strategic engagement with EU institutions on energy transition policy and energy security. She also served as President of GasNaturally, promoting secure approaches to climate resilience across the gas value chain.

    Summers is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the energy sector and committed to mentoring the next generation of women leaders in STEM fields.

    Summers has a Bachelor of Engineering (with Honours) in Chemical Engineering from Edinburgh University and Executive Operations Leadership from MIT Sloan School of Management in Massachusetts, USA.

    The election to the board of directors of Equinor ASA takes place in the company’s corporate assembly meeting Monday 2 June 2025. It is proposed that the election takes effect from 1 July 2025, with the exception of Dawn Summers who is proposed elected with effect from 1 September 2025, all with effect until the ordinary election of members to the board of directors in June 2026.

    Contacts:

    • Nils Morten Huseby, chair of the nomination committee
    • All enquiries to be directed through Equinor Corporate Press Office,
      Sissel Rinde, +47 412 60 584.

    This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Why Industry Leaders are Choosing African Mining Week 2025

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 26, 2025/APO Group/ —

    As global demand for critical minerals accelerates, Africa’s mineral-rich economies are stepping into a more prominent role – not only as exporters of raw materials, but as strategic partners in global supply chains. African Mining Week (AMW) 2025, taking place in Cape Town on October 1-3, is emerging as a key platform for policymakers, mining companies, financiers and service providers to connect, negotiate and shape the future of the continent’s mining sector.

    AMW 2025’s will prioritize high-level networking, dealmaking and investor matchmaking. At a time when governments are under pressure to present investable projects, this approach ensures that time on the ground translates into meaningful engagement and tangible progress.

    Targeted Engagement Drives Attendance

    AMW’s agenda is designed to support strategic engagement through exclusive country briefings, curated investor meetings and deal rooms that connect government and private sector actors directly. Its co-location with African Energy Week 2025: Invest in African Energies further enhances the event’s appeal, creating opportunities for cross-sector dialogue on infrastructure, energy access and mineral beneficiation.

    This targeted approach is attracting a wide range of public and private sector delegations. Among confirmed participants is the South Africa–DRC Chamber of Commerce, which will be supporting the participation of companies operating across two of Africa’s largest and most influential mining jurisdictions. South Africa’s mining industry continues to play a central role in global platinum group metals production and is seeing new interest in battery minerals and green hydrogen, with institutions like the Industrial Development Corporation set to participate in sessions on financing mining and industrialization projects across the continent. The DRC, meanwhile, remains critical to global cobalt and copper supply chains, with significant interest in expanding downstream processing.

    Government Participation Signals Project Pipelines

    Several African governments are attending with the express purpose of promoting new investment opportunities. Chad’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy is expected to highlight emerging opportunities in mining and infrastructure development as part of ongoing efforts to attract investment in its extractive sector. From Angola, national oil company Sonangol is participating as part of a broader push to diversify its portfolio beyond oil and gas. The Angolan government is prioritizing the development of its diamond, iron ore and battery mineral resources, and Sonangol’s involvement reflects the country’s intention to drive resource-linked industrial development.

    International participation is also strong. Organizations such as World Mining Investment and delegations from the Gulf, Europe and Asia are attending to assess African markets amid growing interest in diversifying supply chains and securing long-term access to key minerals.

    Aligning Investment with Industrial Development

    With global exploration spending in Africa projected to rise – particularly in copper, lithium and rare earth elements – many countries are not only positioning themselves as resource suppliers, but as hosts for beneficiation and value-added processing. Discussions at AMW will explore policy incentives, infrastructure corridors and cross-border industrial zones that can help support this ambition.

    As African governments seek to coordinate on regional value chains, improve regulatory coherence and share infrastructure, platforms like AMW play an important role in facilitating dialogue and action. By convening stakeholders across government, industry and finance, the event is helping to reshape how mining investment is pursued on the continent – shifting from transactional approaches to more strategic, collaborative models that align with Africa’s broader development goals.

    MIL OSI Africa –