Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Housing Bureau announced today that the latest quarterly Composite Waiting Time for Subsidised Rental Housing (CWT) is 4.7 years, 0.4 years down from the last quarter, marking the lowest record in over eight years.

This figure is calculated based on general applicants (ie family and elderly one-person applicants) that were housed to public rental housing (PRH) or Light Public Housing (LPH) in the past 12 months as at end-March 2026, the bureau explained.

It also highlighted that compared with the highest level of 6.1 years before the current-term Government took office, the CWT has been shortened by nearly 1.5 years, and has fallen below five years for the first time.

In the first quarter of 2026, the bureau has arranged about 8,400 general applicants to be housed to PRH or LPH. These units included about 1,200 newly completed PRH flats, about 3,300 recovered PRH flats, and about 3,900 LPH units. Around 47% of the applicants were housed to LPH units, significantly higher than last quarter’s proportion at 16%.

 

The average waiting time of general applicants who were housed to LPH in the past 12 months is three years.

The waiting time for PRH units in the urban districts in the past 12 months was about six years, while the waiting time for LPH units in the New Territories was only about two years.

 

Since the first LPH project began allocation in March 2025, the Government’s overall supply of subsidised rental housing has risen to about 7,500 units per quarter, which is around double the average quarterly supply of 3,500 units during the three years before the current-term Government took office.

 

As at end-March 2026, there were about 103,400 general applications for PRH, and about 81,100 non-elderly one-person applications under the Quota & Points System. Compared with the highest level of 156,400 cases and 143,700 cases of general applications and non-elderly one-person applications, the number of applications reduced significantly by over 30% and over 40% respectively.

Among them, the number of non-elderly one-person applicants aged below 30 recorded a sharp decline of about 60% over the 10-year period, from about 71,300 at end-March 2016 to about 29,500 at end-March 2026.

The bureau said the CWT is anticipated to be capped at five years, indicating a downward trend.

For the next five years from 2026-27 onwards, the overall public housing production, including LPH, will be about 196,000 units, 80% higher than when the current-term Government took office. About 115,000 PRH flats will be completed, reaching the peak in supply. In respect of LPH, about 9,650 have been fully occupied as at the first quarter of 2026; while about 20,150 and 200 units will be successively completed in the remainder of 2026 and early 2027, gradually attaining the target of completing the construction of about 30,000 LPH units by 2027-28.

The CWT will move towards the target of reducing it to 4.5 years in 2026-27, the bureau added.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

“A Slice of Shoe” solves the inefficiency of conventional shoe manufacturing, which requires multiple steps-pattern-making, cutting, stitching, and adhesive bonding-generating scrap and mixed materials that are difficult to recycle. TTRI uses a robotic arm with fiber-spraying technology to spray-weave a seamless 3D upper in 30 seconds, forming a shoe under 150 g in one step with no stitching or adhesives. Production time drops by over 80% and labor by 90% versus traditional processes. The mono-material construction enables direct recycling without disassembly, cutting material costs by 40% and reducing landfill waste. This scalable platform creates industrial value across footwear and sportswear, advancing circular economy and sustainability goals.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Conventional smart sportswear requires attaching external sensor modules or circuit boards, raising cost and limiting washability. AI Sensing Yoga Wear solves this by weaving deformation-sensing and elastic yarns directly into fabric during manufacturing, making the garment itself a real-time motion sensor with no added hardware-fundamentally different from prior processes that attach electronics onto textiles. The result is a soft, machine-washable garment paired with an AI app for real-time voice-guided posture correction. Production cost and complexity drop by nearly 50%, enabling mass production. The technology creates new industrial value in a smart-textile category extensible to medical monitoring and rehabilitation, aligning with SDG 3 and SDG 9.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Traditional blood filter manufacturing uses solvent-based hydrophilization, consuming large volumes of water, generating chemical wastewater, and emitting significant carbon. TTRI’s SCF Process replaces solvents with supercritical carbon dioxide, achieving hydrophilization through physical implantation under fully anhydrous, solvent-free conditions-a fundamental shift from chemical treatment. carbon dioxide is captured from the atmosphere and recycled in a closed loop with zero net emissions, eliminating all solvent use and wastewater generation. Per-unit cost drops by 57% and carbon emissions fall by over 80%. With global demand of approximately 120 million units per year, this technology creates substantial industrial value. Products are currently under quality verification at Taiwan Blood Donation Center.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government stated today that the issuance of “Letters of Offer” to owners of units at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po is now under way.

The move comes after the Government unveiled its Wan Fuk Court Long-term Housing Arrangements plan on February 21, and announced supplementary arrangements for owners of units at Wang Chi House on April 28.

With the addition of Wang Chi House, the only block that was untouched by last November’s fire, all eight blocks of Wang Fuk Court are addressed by the plan.

The Housing Bureau has been working at full speed, with its engagement team reaching out to owners to explain the details of the plan and answer their enquiries.

It is also concurrently drafting legal documents necessary for the Government’s acquisition of the units. The Government’s Letters of Offer provide a range of options for owners.

Upon receipt of each signed “Letter of Acceptance”, the Government will assist owners in completing an “Agreement for Sale & Purchase” and a “Deed of Assignment”, taking into account the circumstances of each case.

For owners who opt for cash payment, the Government will expedite the disbursement of funds upon completion of the transaction. This will enable them to immediately make purchase arrangements in the private market or the secondary market for subsidised sale flats, or to participate in the “Special Sales Exercise” for Wang Fuk Court owners to acquire a new subsidised sale flat either with cash or under the “Flat-for-Flat” arrangement.

Wang Fuk Court Property Rights Acquisition, a company established by the Government and wholly owned through the Financial Secretary Incorporated for the purpose of acquiring ownership of Wang Fuk Court units, will distribute the Letters of Offer owners by mail.

Any owner who has not received a Letter of Offer by May 22 can call the plan’s enquiry hotline at 2129 8133.

Owners who accept an acquisition offer must complete and sign the Letter of Acceptance enclosed with the Letter of Offer sent to them. They must return it to Wang Fuk Court Property Rights Acquisition, using the enclosed return envelope, on or before August 31.

With regard to Wang Chi House, if on or before June 30 75% or more of the block’s owners sign Letters of Acceptance, confirming their intention to sell, the Government’s plan will be formally extended to Wang Chi House. Otherwise, it will not cover Wang Chi House.

Owners who do not sign by June 30, but later decide to sell, must sign a Letter of Acceptance on or before August 31.

To encourage owners to accept the acquisition offer at an early stage, flat selection priority under the Special Sales Exercise will be determined in batches according to the date on which owners’ Letters of Acceptance are received. The deadline to qualify for the first batch is June 30, while the deadline for the second batch is August 31. Priority within the same batch will be determined by a ballot.

Owners who have enquiries regarding the Letter of Offer or who require assistance can contact their designated engagement team member directly or call 2129 8133.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Amid public concern over the government’s position on the license renewal and restart of nuclear power plants, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) stated that the government remains committed to maintaining a stable power supply, ensuring energy security, and achieving steady carbon reduction as the core focuses of energy transition in response to evolving global energy landscape, domestic economic development, and rising electricity demand driven by emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). On this basis, the government will prudently address issues related to the license renewal and potential restart of nuclear power plants, grounded in safety, legal frameworks, and public communication.

The MOEA specifically noted that restarting nuclear power units involves a series of procedures, including professional inspections, technical evaluation, and safety reviews. Power generation may only resume after all required procedures have been completed and the necessary electricity license for power generation has been obtained; the submission of a restart plan alone does not authorize immediate operation. Taiwan Power Company (TPC) has signed a contract with the original equipment manufacturer, Westinghouse Electric Company, to carry out self-initiated safety inspections for the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant. A restart plan is scheduled to be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) for review by the end of March. For the Kuosheng Nuclear Power Plant, TPC has sought technical support from the original equipment manufacturer, General Electric Company. Relevant safety inspection procedures will proceed only after the completion of outdoor dry storage facilities and the removal of spent fuel from the reactor core. The MOEA will supervise TPC in conducting all related procedures in compliance with international regulations and with the support of the original equipment manufacturers, while coordinating with the NSC in the review process.

In response to public concerns regarding the recent rapid growth in electricity demand driven by the AI and semiconductor industries, as well as issues related to power supply stability, the MOEA stated that, every year, the government conducts reviews of power supply and demand planning on a rolling basis, including various industrial development scenarios into the assessment process. In recent years, rapid advances in AI-related innovation have accelerated Taiwan’s economic growth and driven significant expansion in the semiconductor industry and AI supply chain, leading to a marked increase in long-term electricity demand. At the same time, rising geopolitical risks have added uncertainties to energy supply. In future reviews, the government will assess a range of energy mix scenarios to further strengthen power supply stability.

The MOEA further noted a number of challenges faced during the promotion of renewable energy, including misinformation, stigmatization, irrational opposition, and increasingly stringent regulatory conditions. Nevertheless, Taiwan’s installed renewable energy capacity has steadily increased over the past decade, rising from 4.7 GW to 22.9 GW. Continued support from all sectors remains essential to strengthening the international competitiveness of domestic industries. Moving forward, the MOEA will uphold its commitment to providing accurate information on renewable energy, maintaining transparency, and enhancing public communication to address concerns, ensure steady development of green electricity, and reinforce the global competitiveness of Taiwan’s industries.

Finally, the MOEA emphasized that any restart of nuclear power plants through the license renewal process must strictly comply with nuclear safety regulations. The process involves comprehensive self-inspections and professional assessments conducted by TPC, as well as safety reviews by the NSC. Any decision regarding the restart of nuclear power plants must be handled prudently, based on three core principles: ensuring nuclear safety, establishing viable solutions for nuclear waste management, and achieving social consensus.

Spokesperson for Energy Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs:
Deputy Director General, Chung-Hsien Chen
Contact Phone Number: 02-2775-7700, 0919-998-339
Email Address: ctchen2@moeaea.gov.tw

Business Contact: Director, Fang-Ling Liao
Contact Phone Number: 02-2775-7710, 0912-089-923
Email Address: flliao@moeaea.gov.tw