Taiwan’s worldwide missions mark Double Ten with receptions stressing tech ties and regional stability

2026-10-07 15:26 Hanna Bilinski

This past week has seen Double Ten Day celebrated all around the world. Taiwan’s South African mission and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices in Malaysia, South Korea, and Massachusetts in the United States all hosted Double Ten Day receptions featuring food, performances, and guest speakers.

A number of political figures, diplomatic envoys, and business representatives were invited to Taiwan’s mission in South Africa on October 5 for the Double Ten Day festivities, which included a technology showcase area. Representative to South Africa Oliver Liao (廖文哲) cited Taiwan's dominance in advanced chips and AI servers as the reason Taiwan Strait stability matters globally, rejected the reading of UN Resolution 2758 as excluding Taiwan, and outlined a four-pillar cooperation model for improving bilateral relations.

The Boston TECO also held its Double Ten Day event on Monday, where several dignitaries spoke to thank Taiwanese immigrants for their contributions in technology and other fields, stressing that Taiwan is not only a trustworthy trading partner of the U.S. in areas such as advanced chips and AI but also a cornerstone of global peace and stability. The TECO’s Acting Director-General Huang Yao-liang (黃耀良) stressed that Taiwan will continue to work with like-minded partners.

At the reception in Kuala Lumpur on October 6, Taiwan’s representative to Malaysia Lien Yu-ping (連玉蘋) spoke on her aspirations to upgrade the Taiwan-Malaysia Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA) to give investors better legal protection and a better investment environment, laying the groundwork for more Taiwanese supply chain firms to set up operations in Malaysia. Trade between the two countries rose about 40% from January to August, with Malaysian exports to Taiwan up 75.5%; Taiwan is Malaysia's fourth-largest trading partner and third-largest import source.

Finally, the Busan office’s October 6 reception saw TECO Director Kuo Cheng-kai (郭承凱) highlight Taiwan-South Korea complementarity in AI and semiconductors: bilateral trade reached US$88.07 billion through August (up 56.65%), and high-bandwidth memory made up US$40.3 billion of Korea's US$42.2 billion surplus. He also noted the 60th anniversary of the Busan-Kaohsiung sister-city tie and over 605,000 Taiwanese visitors to Busan from January to July, and expressed hope for deeper exchanges to share the AI boom's benefits.

Source: Rti (opens in a new window)

OCAC opens registration for overseas Taiwanese returning for Double Ten Day

Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) will be adding two more trains per hour to southbound routes during the peak rush on October 8, all with unreserved seating, excluding business class cars. THSR stated that the evening rush hour of 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. each week is already a busy period for operations, and when it coincides with a major long weekend, the number of passengers in unreserved seats typically surges. The addition of more trains is in response to public complaints over this year's Mid-Autumn Festival and Teachers' Day long weekend, which ran from September 25 to 28. THSR stations saw a large influx of passengers, with a record-breaking 348,000 passengers on September 24, and over the entire holiday weekend, THSR transported nearly 1.79 million passengers. During this period, not only were reserved-seat passengers nearly unable to board, but business-class passengers also reported overcrowding in unreserved seats. To increase capacity, the THSR will implement a rapid turnaround system, which involves trains turning back directly from the platform – this is expected to save time and create more capacity during peak hours. Furthermore, THSR stated that it will add an extra late-night train on October 8 and an extra northbound train on October 10.

2026-10-05

Taiwanese fruit steals the spotlight at Double Ten Day reception in Brussels

A Double Ten Day reception hosted by the Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium this past Wednesday featured pineapples, guavas, and dragonfruit from Taiwan, which attracted considerable attention from guests and quickly became one of the event's highlights. Taiwanese fruit has gained increasing popularity in European markets in recent years. Many local government leaders have led delegations to Europe to promote Taiwanese fruit and processed products, while Taiwanese fruit can also be found in some high-end supermarkets. Despite relatively high prices, European consumers remain willing to pay for the fruit’s quality and flavor. European representative of the Taiwanese exporter Natural House Group Huang Sheng-hsien (黃勝賢) told CNA that he hoped such exchanges would introduce Taiwanese fruit to more Europeans and create more market opportunities for Taiwanese farmers. Huang said preparations for the event were quite fastidious, with special attention paid to each type of fruit’s ideal ripeness, preservation requirements, and presentation. Taiwanese expatriates in Belgium attending the reception also took the opportunity to enjoy the fruit from home. Many said they hoped Taiwanese fruit would eventually become available through retail channels in Belgium, allowing them to enjoy a taste of home while abroad.

2026-10-02

EU leaders voice their support for Taiwan at National Day reception

European lawmakers voiced strong support for Taiwan at a National Day reception Wednesday, September 30, calling the self-governing island a reliable democratic partner and rejecting Beijing's intimidation. Speakers said cooperation among democracies strengthens resilience, comparing Taiwan and its partners to a school of fish that is stronger together. The Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium hosted the reception at the Autoworld Brussels museum. Hundreds of guests attended, including European Union and Belgian officials, diplomats, and Taiwanese residents. Michael Gahler, chairperson of the European Parliament’s Taiwan Friendship Group, said Taiwan and the EU share commitments to democracy, freedom, the rule of law, and human rights. Gahler said European engagement with China would not change the European Parliament’s position on Taiwan. He also condemned what he called Beijing’s increasingly assertive provocations. Representative to the European Union and Belgium Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) said China’s repeated use of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to claim Taiwan as part of China was misleading, noting that the resolution does not mention Taiwan. “Taiwan is not part of China. Taiwan is part of the world,” he said. Els Van Hoof, co-chair of the Belgian parliament’s Taiwan Friendship Group, said cooperation between Belgium and Taiwan could produce meaningful change. She said parliamentary exchanges require dialogue and should not be portrayed as attacks on the status quo. Shieh also highlighted Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, describing its advanced chips as products forged through intense pressure and cooperation with partners including the United States, Japan, the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand.

2026-10-01

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