Cash Handouts & Budget: Taiwan President Lai says the 2027 budget will include a universal NT$10,000 cash handout (NT$235.7B total), framed as sharing the “AI dividend,” while the KMT calls it a double standard ahead of local elections. Defense Tech & Drones: Taiwan signs a deal with US start-up Vatn Systems via NCSIST to develop AI-enabled autonomous underwater vehicles, aiming to boost undersea reconnaissance and asymmetric maritime defense. Supply Chain & Semiconductors: Optics stocks jump as indium phosphide substrate and epitaxial wafer shortages push Q4 price hikes (reported as 10%+), highlighting Taiwan-linked exposure to AI data-center component bottlenecks. AI Data & Governance: China’s push to become a leading supplier of propaganda-heavy AI training data raises new concerns for global AI governance and narrative control. Agriculture Trade: Fukushima peach exports to Taiwan fully resume for the first time since 2011, signaling renewed food trade confidence after import restrictions were lifted. Markets & Risk: Global stocks drift as Hormuz uncertainty keeps oil prices elevated; Taiwan’s Taiex edges up slightly while investors watch rate expectations. Cybersecurity: Reports highlight AI agents enabling more autonomous cyberattacks, with Taiwan government systems cited as a target. Logistics & Trade: US drone tariffs up to 100% reshape component sourcing, with Taiwan firms positioning for “trusted” supply chains.