2021/12/19-2021/12/25
12/20
經濟部投審會通過台積電赴日本熊本縣興建12吋晶圓廠申請，此為台日指標性企業合作，且相關製程技術落後台灣至少一個世代，應無高階製程外流疑慮。台積電將投入584億元台幣，2022年開始建廠，2024年底前開始生產。
December 20:
The Investment Commission, Ministry of Economic Affairs, approved the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's (TSMC) application to construct a 12-inch wafer fabrication plant in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. This is cooperation between benchmark companies of Taiwan and Japan, but the relevant technology is one generation behind Taiwan's, so there should be no concerns about the outflow of high-end technology. The TSMC will invest NT$58.4 billion (about US$2.1 billion) to build plants starting 2022 and begin production by the end of 2024.
12/20
高鐵宜蘭站選址確定選在第五案，即宜蘭縣政中心南側三五○公尺的「折衷站」，將與台鐵宜蘭新站平行共構。最快2025年動工。高鐵台北站至宜蘭站約廿四分鐘車程，全票約三百元。
December 20:
The location of a proposed High Speed Rail (HSR) station in Yilan has been determined. It will be a compromise 350 meters south of the Yilan County Government and be constructed in parallel with the new Taiwan Railway station in Yilan. Construction will start as early as 2025. It will take 24 minutes to travel from Taipei to Yilan by the HSR, and the full fare will be about NT$300 (about US$10.8).
12/20
外交部20日晚發布新聞稿稱，南韓政府十六日清晨臨時取消我行政院政務委員唐鳳當天的線上演講邀請，外交部因「韓方失禮行為」已召見韓國駐台代表，表達強烈不滿；韓方稱取消原因是「考量兩岸關係各層面」。
December 20:
In a press release issued in the evening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stated that due to South Korea's breach of etiquette for suddenly canceling on December 16 the invitation for Minister without Portfolio Audrey Tang to speak, MOFA has called upon the Korean representative in Taiwan to express strong dissatisfaction. South Korea claimed that the reason for the cancelation was due to considerations of cross-strait relations.
12/20
國內外COVID-19疫情持續，指揮中心指揮官陳時中宣布，自24日起開放第二、三劑全面混打，疫苗廠牌有莫德納、ＢＮＴ和高端，ＡＺ被排除在外。
December 20:
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues around the world. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung, who heads the Central Epidemic Command Center, announced that starting December 24, second and third-dose mix-and-match will be available to the public. Vaccine brands include Moderna, BioNTech, and Medigen, whereas AstraZeneca will be excluded.
12/21
歐盟宣布承認台灣核發的「COVID-19疫苗接種數位證明書」與歐盟核發的「歐盟數位COVID證明」具同等效力，12/22日起生效，是第一個與我國互相認證的區域。國人未來入境歐洲不須攜帶小黃卡，可加快通關速度，而歐盟公民也可持「歐盟數位COVID證明」入境台灣。
December 21: The European Union announced that effective December 22, it would recognize Taiwan's digital proof of COVID-19 vaccination to have the same effect as that issued by the EU. The EU is the first region to have such reciprocal arrangements with Taiwan. In the future, Taiwanese travelers do not need to carry their yellow cards when entering Europe, and EU citizens may carry their digital proof of vaccination to enter Taiwan.
12/21
台北市關渡自然保留區內紅樹林長年擴張，當地水鳥種類已至少消失三成，還有洪患隱憂，為守護水鳥棲地及減少水患，農委會林務局公布通過北市府申請，廢止關渡自然保留區，轉為國家級重要濕地，未來此區將可疏伐紅樹林。
December 21:
The mangrove forest in the Guandu Nature Reserve in Taipei has expanded over the years. Local waterfowl species have disappeared at least 30 percent, and risk for flooding has increased. In order to protect the habit of waterbirds and reduce flooding, the Forestry Bureau of the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, announced that it has approved the application of the Taipei City Government and abolished the Guandu Nature Reserve, which will be transformed into a national-level important wetland. In the future, the mangroves in this area may be thinned.
12/22
台灣每年使用超過十五億個一次性飲料杯，為從源頭減量，環保署預告，明年七月起，所有飲料店不得提供保麗龍等發泡塑膠材質飲料杯，業者如果違規按次可處一千兩百元至六千元罰鍰。飲料店、速食店、便利商店及超級市場等還須提供自備環保杯的消費者五元以上優惠。
December 22:
Every year, Taiwan uses more than 1.5 billion disposable beverage cups. In order to reduce volume from the source, the Environmental Protection Agency, Executive Yuan, announced that from July next year, beverage shops may not provide foam plastic cups. Violators may be fined between NT$1,200 (about US$43) and NT$6,000 (about US$224). Beverage shops, fast food stores, convenience stores, and supermarkets must also provide those who bring their own eco-friendly cups a discount of more than NT$5 (about US$0.18).
12/22
兩岸對立氣氛濃厚，國外重要期刊預測台灣10年內可能擁有核子武器。國防部長邱國正在立法院明確宣示，此說是空穴來風，國軍謹守國際規範，「不生產、不發展、不取得核子武器相關技術」。
December 22:
There is a strong atmosphere of confrontation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Foreign Affairs predicts that Taiwan may possess nuclear weapons within 10 years. At the Legislative Yuan, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng stated that such claim is groundless. The Armed Forces abides by international forms and does not produce, develop, or acquire nuclear weapons or related technologies.
12/23
有網友在臉書貼出他在台南西港後營拍到天空出現不明飛行物的影片，引發熱議。軍事專家指出，這正是中國大陸18時12分於海南島發射，搭載試驗衛星的長征7號CZ-7A運載火箭。中國民航機師同一時段也在廣州空域拍攝到火箭畫過天際的照片貼在微博。
我國防部表示，有關台灣附近海域、空域動態情況，均有嚴密掌握，目前狀況正常。
December 23:
Some Internet users posted on Facebook videos of unidentified flying objects appearing in the sky in the Houying and Xigang areas in Tainan, sparking heated discussion. Military experts indicated that this was the Long March No. 7 CZ-7A carrier rocket launched from China's Hainan Island from 6:12 PM. At the same time, a Chinese civil aviation pilot also took pictures of the rocket crossing the sky in Guangzhou airspace and posted it on Weibo.
The Ministry of National Defense stated that the sea and airspace dynamics around Taiwan are closely monitored, and the current situation is normal.
12/25
民進黨為2022縣市長選舉超前部署，兼任民進黨主席的蔡英文總統下令修正《地方制度法》，要將新竹縣市合併升格為直轄市，兩任屆滿的新竹市長林智堅將因此取得延長加賽機會，最多可以再做8年市長。儘管引爆在野炮轟「英人設市」，但民進黨立院黨團昨再祭出「逕付二讀」議事技巧，順利將草案送進委員會審查，不排除明年1月列入臨時會議程加速完成三讀，讓新修《地制法》與2022大選接軌。
December 25:
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taiwan has made advance arrangements for the 2022 local elections. President Tsai Ing-wen, who concurrently serves as chairwoman of the DPP, ordered the amendment of the Local Government Act to merge Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City into a municipality directly under the central government. The two-term mayor Lin Chih-chien (a DPP member) of Hsinchu City may potentially serve another eight years as mayor of the newly merged special municipality if the amendment realizes. Despite the detonation of the "setting up a post simply to accommodate a specific person" from the opposition parties, the DPP caucus of the Legislative Yuan used the technique of advancing to the second reading directly and successfully sent the draft to the internal administration committee for review. The DPP does not rule out that the bill may be included in the extraordinary session’s agenda in January next year to accelerate the completion of the third reading, so that the revised Local Government Act will be effective before the 2022 election.