Month: November 2025

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today alerted citizens to a suspicious website titled “TKO Tunnel to Lam Tin” (https[:]//www[.]tko-ltt[.]hk), which contains false information about the Tseung Kwan O-Lam Tin Tunnel, including the project scope, progress, costs and relevant studies.

The Government stressed that the Tseung Kwan O-Lam Tin Tunnel was commissioned on December 11, 2022, rather than in 2028 as stated on the suspicious website.

Following the project’s completion, the original project website of the Civil Engineering & Development Department (CEDD) was closed on April 30 this year.

The suspicious website and all of its content have no connection with the CEDD, the Transport Department or the daily management, operation and maintenance of the Tseung Kwan O-Lam Tin Tunnel. The case has been reported to Police.

People are reminded to refrain from disclosing any personal information to suspicious websites.

Call 2762 5111 or send an email for enquiries.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI) has developed the Looping Nylon Technique, a recycled nylon membrane technology that converts discarded fishing nets into high-value, medical-grade nylon membranes. This breakthrough innovation earned recognition in the 2025 R&D 100 Awards in the Mechanical/Materials category, addressing long-standing global challenges in processing and upgrading marine waste. It establishes the world’s first mono-material membrane system capable of up to 20 recycling cycles, reinforcing Taiwan’s leadership in sustainable materials and circular-economy development for high-performance applications.

Taiwan generates approximately 2,300 tons of discarded fishing nets every year. These nets are extremely difficult to recycle due to heavy contamination from sand, algae, biofouling, oil residues, and mixed-material components that hinder decomposition and reprocessing. To solve this problem, TTRI developed a patented ultrasonic cleaning technology, which uses high-frequency vibration together with a specialized cleaning formulation to remove deep-embedded contaminants from nylon fibers. This process restores the recyclability of the material, achieving 98% purity, reducing water consumption by 90%, and enabling the cleaned fibers to meet the requirements for further melt processing. Through chain extension and polyether modification, the regenerated nylon gains enhanced elasticity, moisture permeability, and stable physical performance. It can be processed into high-density membranes as thin as 10 micrometers, providing waterproofness, abrasion resistance, and inherent antimicrobial behavior derived from its dense polymer structure.

To fulfill medical-grade requirements, TTRI collaborated with Carilex Medical to develop a dual-layer co-extrusion process. Using recycled nylon as the surface layer and a low-melting-point nylon as the bonding layer, the membrane and fabric are thermally laminated in a single extrusion step, completely replacing PUR adhesives. This makes the entire production solvent-free, reduces carbon emissions by more than 70%, and maintains a single-material structure that enables straightforward mechanical recycling after use. The resulting composite exhibits excellent airtightness, softness, durability, and long-term stability, meeting the demanding performance needs of smart medical air-pressure mattresses. It also demonstrates strong potential for inflatable rescue boats, aerospace components, military equipment, and high-end outdoor functional products that require reliability and safety under rigorous conditions.

This breakthrough innovation has already been adopted by several Taiwanese companies, including Carilex Medical, Wild Bear Tech, and Charn Tai Machinery, accelerating the development of sustainable manufacturing in the medical and protective-equipment industries. With recycled nylon generating only 0.599 kg Carbon dioxide per kilogram, compared with 7.44 kg Carbon dioxide per kilogram for virgin nylon, the Looping Nylon Technique provides a powerful, scalable solution that helps industries meet global sustainability goals, including increasing recycled-material content by 2030. This achievement enhances Taiwan’s international visibility, strengthens its competitiveness in advanced textile technologies, and establishes a pathway for high-value circular materials to enter global supply chains.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) announced today (21st) that six technologies it funded have won seven awards at the 2025 R&D 100 Awards, often hailed as the “Oscars of Innovation.” The award-winning technologies include three from the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), one from the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI), one from the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC) (which also received a Special Recognition award), and one from the Institute for Information Industry (III). The winning technologies span key fields including AI, biomedical and healthcare, and green technology. Standing alongside world-renowned institutions, Taiwan’s robust innovation and R&D capabilities are once again showcased on the international stage.

MOEA notes that innovative R&D is a key catalyst for propelling the consistent development of Taiwan’s industries. MOEA has been supporting the R&D of various technologies over the long term. By focusing on facilitating the commercialization of technological achievements into practical applications, MOEA aims to spearhead the transformation and upgrading of Taiwanese companies and enhance their competitiveness. MOEA-supported researches have won at the R&D 100 Awards for 18 consecutive years, accumulating a total of 103 awards. Among these award-winning technologies, 90% have been transferred to companies or led to the establishment of startups. Of this year’s winning technologies, five are already in collaboration with industry partners, serving as a driving force for value innovation in Taiwan’s AI, biomedical, and other key industries.

In line with these sustained efforts, the biomedical and healthcare field features two standout awardees. ITRI’s Bio-Inspired Ligament Scaffold (BILS) is a bioengineered ligament designed to accelerate healing in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and other orthopedic repairs. Its porous bionic textile structure and biocomposite materials enhance soft-hard tissue integration and bone regeneration. Compared to conventional PET-based ligaments, it delivers three times higher breaking strength, superior bone integration, and 30% faster functional recovery, offering an innovative and durable solution for sports medicine and the aging population. This innovation was developed in cooperation with Shinkong Synthetic Fibers, OssAware Biotech, and the Taiwan Textile Research Institute. The “AI-Guided Interactive Speech-Language Therapy System” developed by MIRDC leverages generative AI to understand children’s semantics in real-time, dynamically generating imitative and expansive feedback to guide them toward correct expression. This system enables intensive home-based training, pioneering a new future for AI-assisted speech-language therapy.

In the AI field, ITRI’s AI-WaJe(Trademark) system represents a breakthrough in sustainable tire recycling, addressing the global challenge of end-of-life tires through an AI-optimized, non-thermal water jet process that transforms waste tires into high-activity rubber powder. Unlike conventional mechanical or pyrolytic methods, AI-WaJe(Trademark) leverages molecular-level thermal to kinetic energy conversion to selectively break down excessively cross-linked rubber molecules, thereby restoring their reactivity and enabling reuse in high-performance applications. It can process a large truck tire in just six minutes and produces rubber powder with a verified relative activity of up to 79%, enabling direct reintegration into new tire formulations and other premium polymer products. This technology has also driven the creation of the spinoff Taiwan Polymer Material Company, accelerating industrial adoption of green tire recycling.

In the green technology sector, TTRI has developed the “Looping Nylon Technique: no virgin material from recycled fiber to recycle membranes.” Utilizing patented ultrasonic cleaning technology, the process achieves 98% cleanliness while reducing water consumption by 90%. The entire manufacturing process is solvent-free and has reduced carbon emissions by over 70%, enabling the upcycling of discarded fishing nets into high-value medical materials. The membrane can be used in smart medical mattresses, lifeboats, and outdoor functional products, opening up new opportunities for green manufacturing in Taiwan’s medical industry. Winning the 2025 R&D 100 Awards highlights Taiwan’s strength and collaboration potential in application-oriented research and development. MOEA will continue to work with Taiwan’s industries and international enterprises to drive technology validation, cross-border collaboration, and applications in diverse scenarios.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The AI-WaJe(Trademark) system represents a breakthrough in sustainable tire recycling, addressing the global challenge of end-of-life tires through an AI-optimized, non-thermal water jet process that transforms waste tires into high-activity rubber powder. Unlike conventional mechanical or pyrolytic methods, AI-WaJe(Trademark) leverages molecular-level thermal to kinetic energy conversion to selectively break down excessively cross-linked rubber molecules, thereby restoring their reactivity and enabling reuse in high-performance applications. It can process a large truck tire in just six minutes and produces rubber powder with a verified relative activity of up to 79%, enabling direct reintegration into new tire formulations and other premium polymer products. This technology has also driven the creation of the spinoff Taiwan Polymer Material Company, accelerating industrial adoption of green tire recycling.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Circu-Texfilm enables chemical recycling of PET/PU and PET/OP composite textiles without manual disassembly or decolorization. It converts mixed-color fabrics directly into polyurethane resins and waterproof-breathable films with uniform appearance and controlled properties. By optimizing PET/PU ratios, ITRI overcame PET’s high crystallinity and low breathability, resulting in high-performance, GRS- and bluesign(Registered)-certified films. Developed with eco-friendly functional textile manufacturer SINGTEX, Circu-Texfilm provides the world’s first textile-to-textile circular pathway that transforms waste fabrics into advanced apparel materials.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Bio-Inspired Ligament Scaffold (BILS) is a bioengineered ligament designed to accelerate healing in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and other orthopedic repairs. Its porous bionic textile structure and biocomposite materials enhance soft-hard tissue integration and bone regeneration. Compared to conventional PET-based ligaments, it delivers three times higher breaking strength, superior bone integration, and 30% faster functional recovery, offering an innovative and durable solution for sports medicine and the aging population. This innovation was developed in cooperation with Shinkong Synthetic Fibers, OssAware Biotech, and the Taiwan Textile Research Institute.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Candidate Eligibility Review Committee (CERC) today published a notice in the Government Gazette declaring the registration of an ex-officio Election Committee (EC) member to be valid.

Under the law, specified office-holders may register as ex-officio EC members.

The Registration & Electoral Office received a registration from the education sector.

The CERC reviewed the registration and determined it to be valid.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

In response to the rise of the AI wave and the continued growth in demand for advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes, ASE Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. (ASE) held a groundbreaking ceremony on October 3 for its new K18B plant in the Nanzih Technology Industrial Park in Kaohsiung. The company announced an investment of NT$17.6 billion to build a new facility with an expected annual output value of NT$12 billion per hectare. The new plant will fully integrate the park’s production lines and expand packaging and testing capacity, demonstrating ASE’s commitment to continuing its deep presence in Kaohsiung and strengthening its layout within the AI-era semiconductor supply chain. The K18B plant is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2028 and will create nearly 2,000 new jobs.
At the ceremony, Yang Chih-Ching, Director-General of the Bureau of Industrial Parks (BIP) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), stated that Taiwan holds a leading advantage in the global AI semiconductor supply chain. The government is guiding development through policies and the construction of industrial parks to reinforce systematic vertical integration of the dual core industries-AI and semiconductors. ASE’s expansion project, which includes the construction of an eight-story building above ground and two basement levels, with a total floor area of 60,000 square meters, is a concrete outcome of this strategic implementation. The launch of the new plant aligns closely with the government’s “Greater Southern New Silicon Valley” strategic positioning and further solidifies Kaohsiung’s status as a core hub within the semiconductor S Corridor.
During his remarks, Hung Sung-Ching, Senior Vice President of ASE Kaohsiung, stated that ASE has accumulated 40 years of industry experience. Facing advancements in advanced packaging and final testing technologies, the company will fully adopt smart manufacturing and automated systems to optimize production processes and enhance process performance. In addition, the K18B plant will incorporate green energy and sustainability into its core operational principles, strengthening energy-saving efficiency from building design to facility systems. It aims to obtain Gold-level Green Building certification, demonstrating its commitment to low-carbon, high-efficiency, and environmentally symbiotic development.
ASE has long been deeply involved in Kaohsiung’s packaging and testing industry chain and has earned recognition from across the sector. The company recently received the “2024 Energy Conservation Benchmark Award – Gold Award” from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, reaffirming its excellence in energy conservation, carbon reduction, and promoting a green supply chain. According to the MOEA, ASE not only focuses on its core business but also actively collaborates with upstream and downstream partners to build a green supply network, making it one of Taiwan’s key drivers toward net-zero transformation.
In fact, ASE’s latest expansion reflects several important industry trends: First, a surge in global demand for AI chip applications is driving the expansion of high-end packaging and testing capacity; second, factory planning incorporates smart systems and high-efficiency energy resource management equipment to reduce operational energy consumption and carbon emissions; third, strengthening collaboration with local industry chains improves supply flexibility and response speed; fourth, balancing manufacturing performance with sustainable operations to establish a benchmark for next-generation low-carbon factories; fifth, aligning with policy goals and market needs demonstrates corporate resilience in moving in tandem with public policy.
The K18B plant will continue to strengthen integration of internal production lines within the park and incorporate green energy systems such as solar panels. It will also begin a comprehensive micro-vibration building assessment to create an energy-efficient, high-performance green factory. This not only aligns with Taiwan’s 2050 net-zero carbon emissions goal but also establishes a practical site for low-carbon transformation within the semiconductor industry. The BIP noted that it hopes similar investment projects will gradually deepen the complete semiconductor S Corridor industry chain in southern Taiwan and amplify industrial clustering effects.

Spokesman: Mr. Liu Chi-Chuan (Deputy Director General, BIP)
Contact Number: 886-7-3613349, 0911363680
Email: lcc12@bip.gov.tw

Contact Person: Chou, I-Hsin (Senior Specialist of BIP)
Contact Number: 886-7-361-1212 ext. 236
Email: heart518@bip.gov.tw

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders may now visit Algeria without a visa for up to 14 days, the Immigration Department announced today.

Noting that Algeria is a member of the Belt & Road Initiative, the department said the visa-free arrangement will bring travel convenience, and strengthen tourism-related, cultural and economic ties between the two places.

Including Algeria, 174 countries and territories allow visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to Hong Kong SAR passport holders.