Taiwan news roundup: Hualien graft probe, youth job losses and election registration

Taiwan’s latest news roundup puts alleged vote-buying in Hualien at the top of a list spanning politics, health, fraud and the economy. A former Financial Times correspondent who had lived in Hualien told an interview that “all the votes there are bought,” describing the county’s elections as deeply affected by vote-buying. Hualien prosecutors said they had opened a case based on the report and warned candidates not to break the law.

The roundup also highlights a fraud case in New Taipei’s Ruifang district. A woman surnamed Chiu joined an investment group promising guaranteed profits from cross-border goods and had already been deceived into paying NT$3 million for supposed customs fees. After seeing police anti-fraud coverage, she recognized similarities with other victims’ cases. When the group tried to obtain another NT$1.5 million, she worked with police on a fake handover that led to the arrest of a suspected female courier.

Registration for Taiwan’s 2026 local elections began and runs through Sept. 4. The Democratic Progressive Party plans a senior-level campaign effort led by President Lai Ching-te, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and former President Tsai Ing-wen. The Kuomintang is focusing on linking referendums with the election, opposition cooperation and energy-led development. The Taiwan People’s Party plans more targeted nominations, with Ko Wen-je and Huang Kuo-chang campaigning separately for candidates.

Another political dispute concerns the legislation on defense self-reliance and unmanned-vehicle industry development. The Legislative Yuan passed the bill, which allocates NT$240 billion over six years. The Executive Yuan may use supplementary and revised budget proposals to accelerate funding. KMT caucus leader Fu Kun-chi said Premier Cho Jung-tai’s endorsement would show that the political deadlock of the past two and a half years had eased.

The roundup describes Taiwan’s kidney-care pressures, with more than 90,000 dialysis patients and over 10,000 new patients each year. It also reports that South Korean young adults face a historic low in new job openings, alongside a decline in labor income during the second quarter. Separately, Western countries may discuss pressure on Beijing to let the yuan rise as China’s trade surplus expands, although capital controls and divisions among the United States and Europe could obstruct the idea.

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All the votes there are bought.