TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Wu Chih-chung (吳志中), deputy minister of foreign affairs, expressed concerns on Wednesday (Jan. 22) about the future global visibility of Taipei 101's (台北101) New Year's Eve fireworks show following recent budget cuts by the Legislative Yuan.
A day earlier, the Legislative Yuan completed the third reading of the central government's 2025 budget, reducing it by a record NT$207.5 billion. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) faced a complete cut of its NT$110 million media policy and business advocacy fund.
Wu emphasized that Taipei 101's fireworks display serves as a vibrant international promotion each year. The deputy minister noted that in the past, MOFA provided free satellite signals to international media to share the spectacle with the world. He stressed that due to the budget cut, international media will now need to pay for footage from providers, which will inevitably affect the global reach of Taipei 101's fireworks show.
This development marks a significant shift in how the event will be broadcast worldwide.
