(8/10~8/16) Weekly Hot News! Health Insurance New Law Enforced, 8/10 Nationwide Implementation / China Airlines 'This Mainland Route' Shutdown / 1 Private University Confirmed to Withdraw, Founded 61 Years, Ceasing Operations!

Wind Media News Focus brings you the hottest news of the week. The new health insurance data law will officially come into effect on August 10, marking the first time in Taiwan's history that citizens have been explicitly granted the 'right to opt out.' After the law takes effect, citizens can actively apply to refuse the use of their health insurance data for purposes other than specified ones within 30 days. Failure to apply within the deadline will be considered as consent. Notably, the penalties for unauthorized use of health insurance data are severe, with a maximum fine of 10 million NT dollars, and data that has already been obtained must be forcibly destroyed. The application qualifications are also strictly limited and not all units can apply.

The new taxi regulations will come into effect on August 13, clearly listing four prohibited behaviors for taxi companies, including unfair charging, forced car purchases, and designated loan insurance. The regulations also establish a fee review and refund mechanism to ensure that drivers who are overcharged can legally request a refund. The new regulations will officially come into effect on August 13, with violating taxi companies facing a maximum fine of 90,000 NT dollars, and those with serious violations may have their business licenses revoked. In addition, the replacement period for license surrender has been shortened from 3 years to 1 year. All details will be clearly explained to you.

Shouping University of Science and Technology, which was founded 61 years ago and has undergone multiple name changes, has officially announced that it will merge with National Chia Nan University. The university plans to stop recruiting students from the 115th academic year. This is not only the withdrawal of a private university but also the first case in Taiwan's higher education history where a public general university and a private university of science and technology merge across systems. The two universities are currently negotiating the details, and the Ministry of Education has not yet approved the merger. The protection of teachers' and students' rights, the arrangement of faculty appointments, and the school's transition plan are still under discussion. The subsequent developments will directly affect the vital interests of students and faculty members.

The direct flight from Kaohsiung to Chongqing, operated by China Airlines, has a load factor of nearly 100% but still could not escape being removed from the schedule. This is the only direct flight from Taiwan to Chongqing, which was officially discontinued at the end of July. Travelers from southern Taiwan will have significantly fewer options to fly to Chongqing. However, China Airlines is not completely abandoning this route but will move the flight to another departure location and plans to restart it at the end of October, with adjustments to the flight frequency and aircraft type.

The 2026 Double Ninth Festival falls on October 18, and the six special municipalities are generous with their senior citizen gift money this year, starting at 1,500 NT dollars. Senior citizens aged 100 and above in New Taipei City and Taoyuan City can receive a bonus of 20,000 NT dollars. Taipei City has the earliest application deadline, and the money can be transferred to the account as early as September 1. Each county and city has different regulations regarding the length of residence, age requirements, and account registration deadlines. Missing the deadline may affect the eligibility to receive the gift money. The application methods, corresponding amounts, and distribution times for each of the six special municipalities have been fully summarized in the article.

China will officially implement the new version of the exit-entry management regulations on September 15, 2026, which includes restrictions on exit for export control and technological security. The Mainland Affairs Council has specially reminded that when Taiwanese citizens enter China with a Taiwan passport, they may be treated as Chinese citizens under the Chinese framework. If they are considered to be involved in sensitive technologies or suspected of violating export control, there is a legal risk of being prohibited from leaving the country. Vice Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council Liang Wenjie pointed out that employees in the technology, semiconductor, and cross-border trade industries, as well as company executives, are at higher risk and should make a complete assessment in advance. As for whether employees who refuse to go to China on business trips and are dismissed can be protected by the Labor Standards Act, the Mainland Affairs Council has also given a clear explanation.

From 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM on August 13, the entire country will conduct an air defense exercise, which will significantly impact the airport's external transportation. Airport shuttle buses, buses, scheduled taxis, and rental cars will be fully suspended during this period, and the Taoyuan MRT is the only transportation option that will not be affected. Mobile networks will also be slowed down at the same time, and online check-in and mobile payments may be affected. The airport recommends that passengers take screenshots or print their boarding passes, prepare cash or physical credit cards, and make good use of the airport's free Wi-Fi. The official also provides specific explanations for inbound passengers, parking restrictions, and evacuation routes within the terminal.

The Financial Supervisory Commission has officially approved the merger of E.SUN Bank and Shin Kong Bank, with E.SUN Bank as the surviving entity. All 103 branches and assets of Shin Kong Bank nationwide will be transferred and merged. After the merger, the total assets of the new E.SUN Bank will reach 4.7 trillion NT dollars, with 204 domestic business locations, instantly becoming the seventh-largest bank in Taiwan. The core system switching risk, which is of the greatest concern to the outside world, has also been clearly required by the Financial Supervisory Commission. As for the official merger benchmark date, when the existing customer accounts and services will be affected, and other details, please stay tuned.

The proposal to abolish the national travel card for civil servants has passed the deliberation threshold in June and has become a case, attracting widespread attention. The Civil Service Administration of the Executive Yuan responded and clearly stated that it will not adopt it at this stage, citing considerations from multiple aspects such as health protection, institutional design, and the nature of benefits. At the same time, the leave allowance for newly appointed civil servants in 2026 will also undergo new changes. The current allocation of national travel card quotas, the upper limit for applying for overtime pay for not taking leave, and the subsidy details for various identities all have a complete set of regulations. Understanding how much you can receive and how many days you can take off will directly affect your actual rights and interests.

The 2026 central government general budget bill has been stuck for nearly a year and was finally completed by the Legislative Yuan on the 14th. The overall budget was cut by 480 million NT dollars, and the special funds for 20 agencies, including the Executive Yuan and the Control Yuan, were all cut. The Control Yuan was additionally cut by 110 million NT dollars, and the salaries of the president, vice president, and commissioners were also frozen. The salary of Premier Chen Chien-jen from September to December is approximately 1.48 million NT dollars, which can only be disbursed after being fully signed in accordance with the law.