Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

As Taiwan enters a super-aged society, demand for health management and care continues to grow. At its dedicated pavilion during the 2026 Healthy Ageing Tech Show, the Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT), Ministry of Economic Affairs, brings together four research organizations-the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC), Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI), and Food Industry Research and Development Institute (FIRDI). Across three themed zones-Health Management, Compassionate Care, and Rehabilitation Empowerment-the pavilion presents 30 senior health technology innovations. On the show’s opening day, DoIT also facilitated the signing of a letter of intent between ITRI and TAICEND TECHNOLOGY, demonstrating strong momentum in research commercialization and industrial upgrading.

DoIT Director General Chao-Chung Kuo said that the purpose of technology research is to solve real problems in everyday life. Many featured solutions have already been introduced into home care, community service sites, hospitals, and long-term care institutions, while also helping companies transform their business models. One example is the Chronic Wound Care Service jointly developed by ITRI and TAICEND TECHNOLOGY. By bringing artificial intelligence into home-based wound management, the service allows home-care nurses to photograph and upload a wound; the system then automatically assesses its size and healing progress, enabling medical teams to deliver precise intervention at the earliest opportunity. The technology is expected to generate more than NT$400 million in output and investment and help TAICEND evolve from a conventional dressing manufacturer into a one-stop provider integrating AI, an app, and professional care services. DoIT will continue connecting industry, academia, research institutes, and medical organizations to accelerate commercialization and turn senior-care needs into new growth for the smart health sector.

DoIT noted that, according to the World Health Organization, approximately 528 million people worldwide have osteoarthritis, including about 365 million whose knees are affected. TTRI’s Home-Based Digital Exercise Intervention System for Knee Osteoarthritis integrates joint-condition measurement, electrical stimulation support, and motion analysis, enabling older adults to undertake precise, convenient exercise training at home and improve rehabilitation outcomes. The system has completed a clinical trial at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of National Taiwan University Hospital and was selected as one of the expo’s Top 10 Age-Friendly Technologies, Products, and Services. With the global knee-brace market projected to grow from US$6.51 billion in 2025 to US$9.39 billion in 2032, the solution shows significant potential in smart rehabilitation.

Featured Technologies

Protection You Can Wear: TTRI’s Multimodal Physiological Monitoring Garment

TTRI has combined its fabric electrodes, which have generated approximately NT$12 million in technology-transfer revenue, with Quanta’s medically certified electrocardiogram device. The result is a comfortable garment suitable for long-term physiological monitoring. Clinical evaluations are underway at Yuan-Kuo Hospital in Changhua, Chiayi Hospital, and E-Da Hospital. Estimated annual output is NT$500-600 million.

Eat and Swallow with Greater Ease: MIRDC’s Oral Health and Swallowing Service

MIRDC integrates an oral light-therapy panel, a tongue-pressure feedback meter, and facial-exercise courses delivered through a digital mirror. The service helps older adults strengthen the muscles used for chewing and swallowing. It has been introduced at long-term care sites and community locations, supporting applications in devices, platforms, consumables, and professional services. Estimated annual output is NT$500-800 million.

Safe, Nutritious, and Appealing Meals: FIRDI’s Customized 3D-Printed Nutrition Technology

FIRDI uses 3D printing to transform pureed ingredients into realistic-looking meals while precisely adjusting nutritional composition. The technology supports swallowing safety, adequate nutrition, and dignity at mealtimes. It has been transferred to Taiwan Farm Industry Co., Ltd. and can be expanded into care, food-service, and food-manufacturing settings, with an estimated NT$500 million increase in output.

The DoIT Pavilion at the 2026 Healthy Ageing Tech Show showcased innovations in smart healthcare, functional textiles, assistive technology, and more, demonstrating how technology can make daily life warmer, safer, and more dignified for older adults.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

President Lai welcomes St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Godwin Friday with military honors
On the afternoon of August 11, President Lai Ching-te welcomed Prime Minister Godwin Friday of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and his wife with full military honors. In remarks, President Lai stated that the upcoming Saturday will mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, noting that this is also Prime Minister Friday’s first visit to Taiwan since assuming office last year. The president indicated that from the very beginning of the two countries’ diplomatic partnership, both have upheld the shared values of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. He added that both countries have also supported each other, advancing hand in hand while continuing to deepen cooperation and achieve numerous successes in such domains as agriculture, healthcare, and education. The president expressed hope that through Prime Minister and Madam Friday’s visit, Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines will lay an even more solid foundation for cooperation to jointly build an ever-more prosperous future.
The welcome ceremony began at 4:30 p.m. in the plaza fronting the Presidential Office. President Lai and Prime Minister Friday each delivered remarks after a 19-gun salute, the playing of the two countries’ national anthems, and a review of the military honor guard.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
On behalf of the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I am delighted to welcome, with full military honors, the delegation led by Prime Minister Friday and Madam Friday today on this state visit. Saturday will mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This is also Prime Minister Friday’s first visit to Taiwan since he assumed office last year, making this occasion deeply significant in many regards.
I wish to thank Prime Minister Friday for demonstrating his high regard and support for Taiwan through action. From the very beginning of our diplomatic partnership, our two countries have upheld the shared values of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. We have also supported each other, advancing hand in hand while continuing to deepen cooperation and achieve numerous successes in such domains as agriculture, healthcare, and education.
In April, the ROC Navy’s Dunmu Fleet conducted a goodwill visit to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It was a testament to our deep bilateral friendship and mutual trust. Moreover, it underscored our resolve to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and the Caribbean.
I am confident that through Prime Minister and Madam Friday’s visit, Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines will lay an even more solid foundation for cooperation as we jointly build an ever-more prosperous future. I very much look forward to our discussions and wish you a pleasant and productive visit.
Prime Minister Friday then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for welcoming the delegation with a military honors ceremony. He noted that this was his first visit to Taiwan since taking office, and expressed hope that the state visit would further deepen bilateral relations. The prime minister said that when the two countries established diplomatic relations on August 15, 1981, St. Vincent and the Grenadines was still a young nation, having gained political independence less than two years prior on October 27, 1979. Over the 45 years since, he said, Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have developed a deep and fruitful friendship, and have become not only friends, but partners.
Prime Minister Friday noted that Taiwan is still unable to contribute fully in international forums and organizations, while small island developing states still lack the support needed to withstand the impacts of climate change, natural disasters, and external economic shocks. He said that for 45 years, Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have withstood these challenges together, and that that is so much more than friendship.
Prime Minister Friday indicated that, amid the current economic environment, his government has set a straightforward yet demanding task, which is to improve the lives of the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Achieving that goal, he said, requires partnership with a country that recognizes development must ultimately improve people’s lives, and that Taiwan has demonstrated exactly that. Taiwan has shown the world what is possible when innovation, enterprise, and human talents are deliberately cultivated, he said; it has also shown that a country’s impact is never limited by its scale, but is unlocked by the resourcefulness and talents of its people. He thanked Taiwan for its longstanding cooperation with his country and stated that St. Vincent and the Grenadines will continue to speak up for Taiwan at the United Nations and its specialized agencies, as well as in international organizations such as the International Criminal Police Organization, expressing hope that his country will do even more in the future.
Prime Minister Friday further noted that his government has identified four key sectors of the economy for investment: agriculture, tourism, the blue economy, and the new economy, and hopes to attract investors in these sectors in particular to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Although St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a small country, he said, like Taiwan, it will not allow its size or starting point to limit its goal of improving people’s lives. He stated that with talented people, extraordinary natural beauty and other assets, a strategic location in the Caribbean, and a government determined to foster the conditions in which investments succeed, St. Vincent and the Grenadines hopes to create more opportunities and good jobs, and promote prosperity for its people.
Prime Minister Friday emphasized that with the establishment of diplomatic relations 45 years ago, their predecessors decided to begin a journey together, and that today, both Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are not only the beneficiaries of that decision, but also its custodians. He said that what we do now will shape what this relationship means to the next generations of both countries who will inherit it. The responsibility of leadership, he added, is not only to honor what we inherit, but also to leave the relationship stronger, more meaningful, and more useful to those who come after. He said that he has come to Taiwan as both a friend and as the representative of a new government with great ambitions for its country. He expressed hope that St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Taiwan will work together to write the next chapter in their 45-year relationship, saying he looks forward to what the two countries will accomplish together.
Also in attendance at the welcome ceremony were St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador Kenton X. Chance, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Saint Lucia Ambassador Robert Kennedy Lewis, and other members of the foreign diplomatic corps in Taiwan. 

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau today officiated at the official opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Kuala Lumpur during his visit to Malaysia.

The opening marks a significant milestone in deepening partnerships between Hong Kong and Malaysia, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a whole.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Mr Yau highlighted the strategic importance of this office, which is the 15th overseas ETO of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the fourth in the ASEAN region.

Mr Yau noted that ASEAN stands firmly as Hong Kong’s second-largest trading partner in goods while Malaysia is the city’s eighth largest trading partner. He added that the new ETO shoulders the responsibility of deepening Hong Kong’s economic, trade and investment ties with this strategically important region and strengthening the city’s presence in it.

The geographical coverage of the Kuala Lumpur ETO includes Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Laos and Pakistan.

Mr Yau also led a business delegation to attend the “Think Business, Think Hong Kong” symposium and luncheon organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).

The business delegates, including representatives from Mainland enterprises looking to go global, Hong Kong chambers of commerce and other organisations, held exchange sessions with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation and local chambers to gain a deeper understanding of the situation and needs of the Malaysian market.

Speaking at the symposium, Mr Yau said that amid the profound transformation in the global economy characterised by geopolitical tensions, supply chain realignments and technological changes, Hong Kong, with its core strengths, can be Malaysia’s partner to navigate the increasingly complex external environment.

He noted that Hong Kong’s unique strength lies not only in its robust infrastructure or business-friendly policies, but also in its unmatched connectivity with the Mainland and the rest of the world, empowering Hong Kong to serve the Malaysian business community as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”.

Mr Yau said that Malaysian businesses can readily gain access to the Mainland market, particularly the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, via Hong Kong. Concurrently, the Hong Kong SAR Government’s Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global provides one-stop, customised services to help Mainland firms invest directly in overseas markets like Malaysia, creating a win-win outcome.

He identified new opportunities for bilateral collaboration in innovation, technology and green development, noting that Hong Kong and Malaysia are strategic partners in shaping future economies.

During the event, Mr Yau witnessed the signing of Memorandums of Understanding between four Hong Kong media organisations and Malaysian media and other organisations to foster new partnerships. The HKTDC also signed agreements with local chambers of commerce and related institutions to strengthen collaboration.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Department of Health (DH)’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) today reminded parents to ensure their children receive timely vaccinations under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme (HKCIP).

Hong Kong implemented the HKCIP in the 1960s, providing immunisation services to children through the DH’s Maternal & Child Health Centres and School Immunisation Teams.

CHP Controller Dr Edwin Tsui highlighted that Hong Kong’s high vaccination coverage has successfully kept childhood infectious diseases at extremely low levels. Recommendations for the programme are made from a public health perspective by the CHP’s Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases.

Dr Tsui noted significant milestones achieved through immunisation, including the global eradication of smallpox in 1980 and the elimination of poliomyelitis in Hong Kong in 2000. He added that measles and rubella were also successfully eliminated in Hong Kong in 2016 and 2021 respectively.

Under the HKCIP, children receive the combined Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR) vaccine at 12 months, followed by the Measles, Mumps, Rubella & Varicella (MMRV) vaccine at 18 months. Due to consistently high vaccine uptake, imported measles cases over the past two years have not caused significant local transmission, allowing Hong Kong to maintain its measles-eliminated status.

Furthermore, Hong Kong’s hepatitis B vaccination coverage among pre-school children stands at 99%. Consequently, the prevalence of the disease among individuals born after the introduction of the universal childhood hepatitis B immunisation programme in 1988 has dropped below 1%.

The CHP emphasised that all public health policies and medical recommendations are strictly evidence-based. Parents are reminded that vaccination schedules should not be altered arbitrarily without reliable scientific data or medical research support, as doing so poses severe and irreversible health risks to children. 

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Transport Department (TD) today announced that it has issued a pilot licence for autonomous vehicles (AVs), approving a trial between the Express Rail Link at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and the Airport Express at Kowloon Station.

Issued in accordance with the Road Traffic (Autonomous Vehicles) Regulation, the pilot licence approves the trial of four private cars operating in autonomous mode. The approved route includes Wui Man Road, Jordan Road, Nga Cheung Road and Station Perimeter Roads South, East and North.

A backup operator will remain inside each vehicle to take control if needed. Additionally, all participating AVs must display the TD’s designated labels for public awareness.

The department noted that the trial will test AV technology safety, stability and operational feasibility in high passenger flows and complex traffic dynamics. Success in this multimodal transport hub will help integrate autonomous fleets into the wider public transport network.

Once regular operations begin, the AVs will provide a seamless, automated interchange between the Express Rail Link and the Airport Express. This convenient connection is expected to attract more travellers to use both the Express Rail Link and Hong Kong International Airport.

Chaired by the Commissioner for Transport, the Autonomous Vehicle Applications Promotion Working Group will monitor the project. The group will collaborate with relevant departments and the industry to review the progress of each AV project. The group will also guide trial locations, vehicle types and licensing frameworks to support commercial development, while exploring regulatory arrangements for limited commercial services.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Department of Health’s Centre for Health Protection announced today that the 2026-27 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach Programme will introduce a new electronic consent form feature.

Beginning on August 17, parents can use the eHealth mobile application to submit an e-consent form for their children to receive seasonal influenza vaccinations (SIV) under the programme.

The Government has been actively promoting and optimising the programme. During the 2025-26 school year, the centre started accepting school enrolment for the programme, and allowed all schools to choose between the nasal spray live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) and the “hybrid mode”, under which they could choose both injectable inactivated influenza vaccines and nasal spray LAIV.

More than 2,300 schools, representing 99% of all schools, had organised SIV school outreach activities by the end of December 2025.

This year, the introduction of the new e-consent form further streamlines the process and reduces the time parents need to fill out the form.

The centre pointed out that the e-consent form has four main benefits, including simplifying the form-filling process for parents, reducing schools’ administrative work, reducing healthcare providers’ administrative work and advancing vaccination activities.

Starting tomorrow, participating schools will receive school-specific QR codes for distribution to parents. The QR codes will take effect on August 17. By then, parents can start filling out the e-consent forms for their children.

The Government is actively making preparations for the 2026-27 SIV programme. Details of the arrangements, such as eligible groups and vaccination venues, will be announced in due course.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Correctional officers at Tai Lam Centre for Women stopped a female remand person in custody from attacking a staff member today (August 10).

At 2.15pm today, a 35-year-old female remand person in custody suddenly became emotional and attacked a correctional officer inside the reception office. Officers at the scene immediately stopped the assailant and called for reinforcement.

During the incident, an officer sustained injuries to her forearm and finger, while the assailant sustained injuries to her wrists. After examination and treatment by an institution Medical Officer, they were sent to public hospitals for further treatment.

The case has been reported to the Police for investigation.

The assailant was remanded for the offence of possession of Part I poison in 2026.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York (New York ETO) continues to support the 36th Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York (HKDBF-NY), a role it has held since founding the festival in 1990.

This year’s festival marks the 40th anniversary of Hong Kong’s gift of teak wood dragon boats to cities across North America, including New York City, introducing this centuries-old Chinese tradition to the continent. This legacy takes centre stage this weekend with a special invitational race to commemorate the anniversary, alongside a display of the traditional teak wood dragon boats for visitors throughout the weekend.

At the festival opening ceremony on August 8 (New York time), the Director of the New York ETO, Ms Maisie Ho, reflected on this legacy and how the HKDBF-NY, one of New York City’s largest multicultural festivals, has brought people together for 36 years, proving that sport has a unique power to connect and unite people.

Ms Ho said the festival is a celebration of heritage, resilience and teamwork, noting that the vigour, determination and camaraderie shown by the competing athletes reflect the same qualities that define Hong Kong – a cosmopolitan and vibrant gateway city that connects business, talent and ideas, while remaining firmly rooted in its cultural heritage.

Ms Ho added that the festival is a testament to the enduring friendship between Hong Kong and New York and the United States, fostering mutual understanding and strengthening cultural and people-to-people ties. “Our office remains committed to building on this relationship in the years ahead,” she said.

This weekend’s festivities also coincide with a milestone moment for dragon boating worldwide, as the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) recently relocated its global headquarters back to Hong Kong in July, marking a homecoming to the birthplace of the modern dragon boat movement. The IDBF’s World Dragon Boat Racing Championships will also return to Hong Kong next year for the first time since 1997. Ms Ho noted that this development was a vote of confidence in Hong Kong as a world-class hub for international sport.

Ahead of the race weekend, Ms Ho and representatives of the festival’s major sponsors gathered in Hudson Yards on July 15 for the traditional “awakening” ceremony, dotting the eyes of the dragons in a ritual believed to bring good fortune to the racers. Then on August 7, the festival’s organising committee took the celebration to Wall Street, ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, a nod to the festival’s place in New York’s cultural and sporting calendar.

Over the two-day festival, more than 170 teams and over 1 800 paddlers battled for the podium in front of a strong crowd. Beyond the races, the New York ETO had a festival booth to promote Hong Kong to visitors. Visitors all enjoyed delectable Hong Kong street food, vibrant cultural and musical performances, alongside martial arts and arts and crafts demonstrations throughout the festival grounds.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Police today (August 11) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Kwai Chung.
 
Tang Fei-lin, aged 50, went missing after she left her residence in Tai Wo Hau Estate on January 1, 2025 afternoon. Her family made a report to Police on August 8, 2026.
 
She is about 1.5 metres tall, 68 kilograms in weight and of fat build. She has a round face with yellow complexion and long black hair. She was last seen in unknown clothing.
 
Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1173 or 9078 1880 or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.
 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region