TAIPEI (TVBS News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Wednesday (Feb. 5) urged vulnerable groups to get flu vaccinations as the seaso's low temperatures persist, with vaccines still in stock. During a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) meeting, Lai stressed the importance of immunization for seniors, chronic disease patients, students, and preschool children.
Lai highlighted the cold weather, noting that a cold front will hit Taiwan on Friday evening, possibly dropping temperatures to 10 degrees Celsius in the north. He advised the public to stay warm amid these conditions. Lai also reaffirmed the government's unchanged mission and goals for the new year, emphasizing the increased responsibilities and challenges ahead.
Amidst these domestic concerns, Lai addressed international security issues, pointing to the AI model launched by China's startup DeepSeek (深度求索). He warned that China's influence through AI services poses a significant risk to democratic nations, with Taiwan being on the front line of this impact. Lai urged major countries to develop sovereign AI to counter authoritarian expansion and threats. He emphasized Taiwan's need to accelerate AI technology development and expand AI applications across sectors.