DPP Legislator Chiu Yi-ying and Others Question Taipei's Typhoon Day-off Over Stock Market Closure, Sparking Backlash for Prioritizing Money Over Lives

On July 10, 2026, as Typhoon Bavi approached, the local governments of Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, and Taoyuan jointly declared a suspension of work and classes to prepare for potential disasters. In accordance with the regulations of the Taiwan Stock Exchange, the Taiwan stock market was also closed for the day. However, during the day, the wind and rain in the Taipei area were not as severe as expected, and because U.S. stocks had risen the previous day, some investors expressed dissatisfaction at being unable to participate in the market. DPP Legislator Chiu Yi-ying subsequently posted on social media, questioning the decision to declare a holiday when the official standards were not met, calling it an "unexplained suspension of work and classes," and publicly asking, "Who should be responsible for the economic losses?" This post immediately sparked strong public backlash. Kuomintang (KMT) and New Party councilors, along with the general public, criticized DPP politicians for prioritizing commercial interests and stock market fluctuations over the safety of citizens' lives, ignoring the importance of precautionary holidays for disaster prevention, and exhibiting double standards. The controversy also revived institutional discussions within the financial sector regarding whether stock market trading should be decoupled from local typhoon holiday decisions.