Introduction

AI giant Anthropic has officially filed for an IPO, with an estimated valuation of up to two trillion dollars. In today's show, Mu-yen will show you how this AI wave is driving Taiwan's central bank to optimistically raise its economic growth forecast for this year to 11.48 percent. We will also focus on the historic shift in Serbia, where the strongman ruling for 14 years has conceded defeat. As for the geopolitical maneuvering behind Beijing's release of satellite imagery of Taipei on Taiwan's Retrocession Day, we will cover that in just a moment.

Today's Global Focus

1. Rebuffing Beijing's Retrocession Day Propaganda: Ministry of National Defense Condemns Satellite Imagery Cognitive Warfare

• What Happened: Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo stated on October 27 that Chinese state media's release of high-resolution satellite imagery of Taipei Main Station and the National Palace Museum on Taiwan's Retrocession Day was clearly cognitive warfare. Koo emphasized that the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, and the Second Sino-Japanese War had nothing to do with it. According to AsiaOne, Koo pointed out that this incident shows Beijing's intentions remain unchanged, and the public must remain vigilant.
• Why It Matters: This incident highlights the struggle between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait over the right to interpret history, as well as how Beijing uses high-tech satellite imagery for psychological deterrence, keeping the regional security situation under international scrutiny.
• Taiwan's Perspective: This directly relates to Taiwan's national security and social defense awareness, reminding citizens of the need to improve their media literacy and critical thinking when facing information warfare.
• Source: AsiaOne (https://www.asiaone.com/asia/taiwan-rebuffs-chinas-commemorations-post-world-war-two-restoration-island)

2. Strong Tech Demand Drives Exports: Taiwan's Central Bank Forecasts 11.48% Economic Growth This Year

• What Happened: On October 27, Taiwan's Central Bank submitted a report to the Legislative Yuan, predicting that strong demand for emerging technology applications will continue to drive Taiwan's exports and private investment through 2027. The Central Bank estimates that the economic growth rate for 2026 will reach 11.48 percent, while growth in 2027 is expected to slow to 5.82 percent due to this year's high base. According to the New Straits Times, the report shows that Taiwan's export momentum remains robust.
• Why It Matters: The Central Bank's upward revision of the economic growth rate to double digits reflects the global market's high level of dependence on high-performance computing and AI chips, highlighting Taiwan's critical position in the global technology landscape.
• Taiwan's Perspective: Strong export performance and private investment will directly impact wage growth, job opportunities, and the long-term performance of the Taiwan stock market.
• Source: New Straits Times (https://www.nst.com.my/business/2026/10/1125821/taiwan-central-bank-sees-strong-tech-demand-driving-exports-2027)

3. Saint Lucia Prime Minister Pierre Leads Delegation to Taiwan to Deepen Medical and Tech Cooperation

• What Happened: Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre led a delegation on an official state visit to Taiwan from October 24 to November 1, meeting with Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te. The delegation plans to visit the TSMC Museum of Innovation and Taipei 101, aiming to strengthen cooperation between the two nations in areas such as healthcare, education, and climate resilience. According to the Saint Lucia Government Portal, this trip will further deepen diplomatic ties and expand technical exchanges.
• Why It Matters: Saint Lucia is one of Taiwan's 12 remaining diplomatic allies. In the face of geopolitical pressure, a personal visit by high-level officials from an allied nation is a key indicator of support, helping to consolidate Taiwan's international diplomatic space and raise its global visibility.
• Taiwan's Perspective: By arranging for the head of an allied state to visit TSMC, Taiwan showcases its strategy of using technological strength to drive "tech diplomacy," which helps deepen substantive cooperation.
• Source: Saint Lucia Government Portal (https://www.govt.lc/news/prime-minister-on-official-state-visit-to-taiwan)

4. The AI Super Unicorn Has Arrived: Anthropic Officially Files for IPO

• What Happened: Anthropic, the tech giant behind the AI chatbot Claude, officially filed its prospectus with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on October 26, planning to list on Nasdaq with an estimated valuation of 1.5 to 2 trillion dollars. The prospectus revealed that the company's revenue skyrocketed to 16.3 billion dollars in the first half of 2026, but it also incurred a massive net loss of 80.7 billion dollars. According to CBS News, this IPO will serve as a crucial litmus test for global investors to evaluate the monetization capabilities of the AI industry.
• Why It Matters: This is not only one of the largest IPOs in Wall Street history, but the contrast between its massive losses and staggering revenue will also redefine market evaluations and investor confidence in generative AI business models.
• Taiwan's Perspective: As a major producer of AI hardware and servers, the performance of Anthropic's IPO and the overall funding enthusiasm in the AI industry will directly influence the stock performance and order volumes of Taiwanese tech companies and supply chain manufacturers.
• Source: CBS News (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anthropic-files-for-ipo-claude-ai/)

5. Chip and AI Demand Explodes: South Korea's Q3 GDP Grows 3.4% Year-on-Year, Beating Expectations

• What Happened: Driven by strong global demand for semiconductors and AI infrastructure, South Korea's third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 3.4 percent year-on-year, beating market expectations. This data reflects the continued vitality of the Asia-Pacific tech supply chain and echoes the growth momentum of other electronics exporters in the region. According to Al Jazeera, this better-than-expected performance demonstrates the powerful pull of the AI wave on regional economies.
• Why It Matters: As a major global producer of memory chips, South Korea's strong GDP growth confirms that the global boom in AI infrastructure construction has not slowed down, providing a shot in the arm for the tech industry.
• Taiwan's Perspective: Taiwan and South Korea are both competitors and supply chain allies in the semiconductor industry. South Korea's strong economic performance indicates that global chip demand remains robust, which is a positive signal for Taiwan's electronic component exports.
• Source: Al Jazeera (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/10/27/south-koreas-gdp-growth-beats-forecasts-amid-ai-boom)

6. Historic Political Shift in Serbia: Strongman Ruling for 14 Years Concedes Defeat

• What Happened: Serbia held parliamentary elections on October 25, and Aleksandar Vučić, who has been in power for 14 years, conceded defeat. The "Student List," a coalition of university professors and students, won a historic victory, securing 135 to 140 of the 250 seats in parliament. According to the CBC, the student movement was launched in protest of government corruption following the collapse of a railway station canopy in 2024.
• Why It Matters: This historic transition of power is expected to shift Serbia's foreign policy toward a pro-EU stance, breaking its long-standing pro-Russia and pro-China alignment, which will have profound implications for the geopolitical landscape of the Balkans.
• Source: CBC (https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/serbian-leader-aleksandar-vucic-concedes-defeat-to-student-led-movement-in-historic-election-1.7112345)

Conclusion

Today, we see that whether it is Anthropic's two-trillion-dollar IPO or the strong economic data from Taiwan and South Korea, the AI technology wave is profoundly reshaping the global economic landscape. At the same time, the historic election in Serbia and the information warfare across the Taiwan Strait remind us of the rapidly changing geopolitical environment. Over the next few days, the subsequent effects of this AI investment boom and the political situations in various countries will be well worth our continued attention. I am Mu-yen, and I will see you tomorrow.