Wed, May 18, 2022
REACHING OUT: President Tsai expressed condolences to the deceased man’s family and wished a speedy recovery to those who were wounded in the shooting The Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) on Monday called on the US to label organizations associated with the suspect in the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church shooting as domestic terrorists, following accusations that he was a member of a group backing unification with ties to the Chinese government. David Wenwei Chou (周文偉), 68, was arrested on Sunday and is being held in lieu of US$1 million bail at the Orange County Intake Release Center over a mass shooting at the California church that left one dead and five wounded. Local police suspect the shooting was politically motivated after they found notes in Chou’s car indicating that he did not believe Taiwan should be an independent state separate from China. Internet users have accused Chou of involvement in Las Vegas Chinese for Peaceful Unification, a semi-official organization of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), with branches in several countries. An April 3, 2019, report on the media platform Las Vegas Chinese News Network said that Chou attended the founding ceremony of the group and was an outspoken supporter of former Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) during Han’s presidential campaign. A picture published with the report showed Chou holding up a banner calling for the “annihilation of separatist demons.” Group founder Gu Yawen (顧雅文) yesterday told the China Review News Agency that Chou did attend the 2019 founding ceremony, but had seemed “too radical” to her and had not attended group events since the second half of 2019. FAPA president Minze Chien (簡明子) said that FAPA members were “shocked and horrified by this horrific shooting.” FAPA is a “Taiwanese-American organization that promotes freedom, human rights and democracy for the people of Taiwan,” Chien said. “We strongly condemn this act of cowardice in the strongest terms possible. We, therefore, urge the authorities to prosecute this heinous crime as a politically motivated hate crime,
Taiwan has gained 63 more foreign correspondents and 29 additional news organizations since 2020, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said yesterday, as media companies continue to relocate staff from Hong Kong and China. The regional operations of 75 international media companies are based in Taiwan, drawing 137 journalists from 20 countries, Department of International Organizations Director Catherine Hsu (徐詠梅) told a routine news briefing in Taipei. “The ministry sincerely welcomes international media companies to Taiwan and hopes companies will continue to relocate here in the future,” she said, adding that the ministry would continue to provide any necessary assistance. Over the past few years, Beijing has cracked down on the international media companies in China. After the Chinese government imposed the National Security Law on Hong Kong, freedom of speech and judicial independence in the territory were greatly curbed. This has resulted in some foreign media outlets relocating to Taiwan. Many companies have chosen to leave Hong Kong due to China’s suppression of the media and free speech in the territory since the introduction of the National Security Law, Hsu said. International media companies relocating to Taiwan are from a wider assortment of countries, she said, citing the arrival of companies from Oceania, South America and different regions of Asia. The companies operate newspapers, television and radio programs, magazines and online news programs from their operations in Taiwan, she said. “Their content is also diverse, covering everything from cross-strait affairs, Taiwan’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, industrial developments and the arts,” she said. “Taiwan is a good place for them due to its protection of press freedoms, and its convenient geographical location, which makes regional travel easy,” Hsu added. Reporters Without Borders ranked Taiwan 38th in its 2022 World Press Freedom Index released earlier this month, she said. US-based Freedom House also listed Taiwan as a “free” country, and has ranked
Ukraine’s military yesterday said it aimed to evacuate its remaining soldiers from their last stronghold in Mariupol, as fighters that have held out for 82 days began to surrender, heralding the end of Europe’s bloodiest battle in decades. Reporters saw buses leave the huge Azovstal steelworks overnight and five of them arrive in the Russian-held town of Novoazovsk. In one, marked with the Latin letter “Z” that has become the symbol of Russia’s assault, wounded men were lying on stretchers three bunks high. One man was wheeled out, his head tightly wrapped in thick bandages. Video released by the Russian Ministry of Defense showed fighters leaving the plant, some being carried on stretchers, others with their hands up to be searched by Russian troops. Russia said that 256 Ukrainian fighters had “laid down their arms and surrendered,” including 51 severely wounded, while Ukraine said that 264 soldiers, including 53 wounded, had left the metal plant, and that efforts were under way to evacuate others still inside. “The ‘Mariupol’ garrison has fulfilled its combat mission,” the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in a statement. “The supreme military command ordered the commanders of the units stationed at Azovstal to save the lives of the personnel... Defenders of Mariupol are the heroes of our time.” The surrender appears to mark the end of the battle of Mariupol, where Ukraine believes tens of thousands of people were killed under months of Russian bombardment and siege. The city lies in ruins. Its complete capture is Russia’s biggest victory of the war, giving Moscow total control of the coast of the Sea of Azov, and an unbroken stretch of eastern and southern Ukraine about the size of Greece. However, it comes as Russia’s campaign has faltered elsewhere, with its troops around the city of Kharkiv lately retreating at the fastest pace since
Sri Lanka’s new government plans to sell its national airline to stem losses, part of efforts to stabilize the nation’s finances even as authorities are forced to print money to pay government salaries. The new administration plans to privatize Sri Lankan Airlines, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in a televised address to the nation on Monday. The carrier lost 45 billion rupees (US$128.83 million) in the year ending March last year, he said, just days before the nation is to default on foreign debt. “It should not be that this loss has to be borne by the poorest of the poor who have not set foot in an aircraft,” Wickremesinghe said. Wickremesinghe — less than a week into the job — said he is forced to print money to pay salaries, which would pressure the nation’s currency. The nation has only one day’s stock of gasoline and the government is working to obtain US dollars in the open market to pay for three ships with crude oil and furnace oil that have been anchored in Sri Lankan waters, he said. “The next couple of months will be the most difficult ones of our lives,” Wickremesinghe said. “We must immediately establish a national assembly or political body with the participation of all political parties to find solutions for the present crisis.” The prime minister pledged to announce a new “relief” budget to replace Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s “development” budget that helped stoke Asia’s fastest inflation rate. The Cabinet is to propose that the Sri Lankan Parliament increase the treasury bill issuance limit to 4 trillion rupees from 3 trillion rupees, Wickremesinghe said, forecasting a budget deficit of 13 percent of GDP for the year ending in December. Wickremesinghe’s appointment last week followed violent clashes between government supporters and protesters demanding Rajapaksa’s resignation. He has yet to appoint a minister
LIVING WITH COVID-19: Close contacts with a booster shot would no longer follow the ‘3+4’ policy, instead practicing ‘0+7,’ or self-disease prevention for seven days Close contacts of COVID-19 cases who have received a booster shot no longer need to isolate at home, but should practice seven days of “self-disease prevention,” effective today, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said that starting at 12am today, close contacts — people living in the same household — of those confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 are exempt from home isolation if they have received a booster shot of a COVID-19 vaccine. Data from other countries show that people who have received a booster shot are at a reduced risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and are less infectious, he said, adding that the change allows close contacts with a booster shot to continue working. Close contacts would no longer be required to follow the “3+4” policy — isolate at home for three days and practice self-disease prevention for four days — but would need to follow a “0+7” policy — practice self-disease prevention for seven days. Avoiding unnecessary outings, people following self-disease prevention must test negative with a rapid COVID-19 test within two days of leaving home, he said, adding that they must wear a mask and practice social distancing while away from home. They are barred from dining in at restaurants, attending group meals or gatherings, and going to crowded venues or places where they might have direct contact with strangers, he added. Close contacts who have not received a booster shot are still required to follow the “3+4” policy, Chen said. Confirmed cases are still required to quarantine for seven days, followed by seven days of self-health management, he added. Starting tomorrow, people who are 65 or older and not under home quarantine, home isolation or self-disease prevention, but who test positive with a rapid COVID-19 test, can be
HEROISM: Churchgoers detained the shooter, ‘hogtied his legs with an extension cord and confiscated at least two weapons,’ Orange County Undersheriff Jeff Hallock said The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Los Angeles yesterday said it was providing emergency services to families after a shooting at a church in the city on Sunday killed one Taiwanese-American and injured five. Forty members of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church had gathered at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods on Sunday to attend a luncheon in honor of Pastor Billy Chang (張承宗), when an Asian man in his 60s allegedly entered the church at about 1:30pm and started shooting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday, citing information from Los Angeles police. The wounded, who were all identified as members of the city’s Taiwanese-American business community, included four men aged 66, 75, 82 and 92, and a woman aged 86. Four of them were in a critical condition after being shot, while one had minor injuries. All five were taken to three nearby hospitals. The churchgoers detained the shooter, “hogtied his legs with an extension cord and confiscated at least two weapons” before officers arrived at the scene to apprehend and arrest him, Orange County Undersheriff Jeff Hallock told a news conference. “That group of churchgoers displayed what we believe is exceptional heroism and bravery,” Hallock said. Police said they were unsure whether the suspect — a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada — was known to the victims. The ministry said it was monitoring the situation and assessing the needs of the injured and their family members. It said that it was also working with TECO, the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) and local Taiwanese-American associations in Los Angeles to receive the latest updates on the incident. Taiwanese living in Southern California can at any time dial 1-213-923-3591, the emergency contact number for TECO in Los Angeles, if they need emergency assistance, the ministry said. Those residing in Taiwan can contact 0800-085-095 on
ONLINE REPORT: Confirmed cases filling out the online contact tracing report can check a box to indicate that a close contact had received a booster dose, an official said The guidelines for diagnosing COVID-19 have been revised to include people aged 65 or older who test positive with a rapid test that is confirmed by a healthcare worker, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday, as it reported 65,794 new local infections. The CECC had first announced the change on Monday, before publishing the new guidelines. Starting today, people aged 65 or older, regardless of whether they are undergoing home quarantine, home isolation or self-disease prevention, can be classified as a confirmed COVID-19 case by a healthcare professional, based on a positive result from an antigen rapid test, said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center. People in the age group can take the positive test cassette to a healthcare facility for a doctor to confirm the result, he said. If they are undergoing home quarantine, home isolation or self-disease prevention, they can see a doctor through a telemedicine consultation or have someone else take the cassette to a doctor for assessment, he added. Once the doctor confirms the positive result, they can report the patient as a confirmed case, and the local health department would carry on with the triage process and inform the patient to isolate at home or arrange other facilities, Chen said. The CECC on Monday announced that close contacts of a confirmed case who have received a booster shot of a COVID-19 vaccine can be exempted from the “3+4” policy — three days of home isolation and four days of self-disease prevention — and instead follow the “0+7” policy, which means just seven days of self-disease prevention. Chen yesterday said junior-high and high-school students who have received a booster dose can also follow the “0+7” policy if they are identified as a close contact. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) physician Chen Wan-ching (陳婉青) said
‘GREEN CHANNEL’: The CECC has narrowed the criteria to hospitalize people for COVID-19 to free up beds for severe cases and people with other illnesses The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday further revised its COVID-19 triage criteria, saying that only moderate or severe cases, infants under three months old with a fever and people who are in need of hospitalization would be admitted to hospitals. Following discussions with local governments, health departments have been asked to follow the new criteria, starting yesterday, said Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC’s medical response division. “As there have been more than 60,000 local cases reported daily in the past few days, we need to keep more hospital beds free for cases in need,” he said. “We hope to keep the beds for COVID-19 patients with moderate or severe illness, or other diseases, such as cancer, underlying health issues or surgery patients.” Observations at hospitals over the past few weeks have shown that COVID-19 patients who were previously subject to hospitalization, including people aged 80 or older, women who are more than 36 weeks pregnant and infants aged three months to 12 months with a high fever, might not need to be hospitalized for observation, Lo said. More than 50 enhanced centralized quarantine facilities and 46 enhanced disease prevention hotels for confirmed cases have been set up across the nation, so accommodation capacity is enough to admit high-risk COVID-19 patients, he said. “Therefore, the revised COVID-19 triage criteria are that moderate or severe cases, infants under three months old with a fever and patients with other illnesses, deemed necessary for hospitalization by a physician, will be admitted to a hospital,” Lo said. He said other previously hospitalized high-risk patients would be referred to enhanced centralized quarantine facilities or enhanced disease prevention hotels, where health providers offer care services. If a doctor determines that a patient is suitable for at-home care, they could also return home
Uber and Uber Eats are to provide up to NT$15 million (US$504,507) to drivers and couriers who test positive for COVID-19, as the number of confirmed cases has spiked since the government shifted to a policy of living with the disease, Uber Taiwan said yesterday. The goal is to provide assistance to affected partners in Uber and Uber Eats who choose to serve consumers during this tough time, the company said. “The safety of our partners, including taxi drivers in our partners’ fleets and delivery partners, is our top priority throughout the pandemic crisis in Taiwan,” Uber Taiwan general manager Raymond Li (楊思祥) said. “The financial assistance initiative aims to show our support for the government’s policy to move toward a normal life against the COVID-19 headwind,” he added. “We are ready to move people, food and groceries for consumers in Taiwan to help them cope with uncertainties during the transition.” Drivers at Uber partner taxi fleets and Uber Eats couriers who test positive and are required to quarantine this month and next month can apply for one-time financial assistance, the company said. Active drivers who have completed at least one trip in the past 30 days would be eligible to apply once for a NT$5,000 subsidy if they present results of a polymerase chain reaction test or a COVID-19 rapid test, or a government-issued certificate that confirms that they contracted the virus, it said. Uber Eats couriers who have completed 100 trips in the past 30 days could apply once for a NT$3,000 subsidy if they show a COVID-19 positive certificate and a full vaccination record, starting from 12pm today, it said.
China’s “zero COVID-19” policy would hamper the recovery of the civil aviation industry in the Asia-Pacific region, International Air Transport Association (IATA) director-general Willie Walsh told the Changi Aviation Summit yesterday. “As long as the Chinese government continues to maintain their ‘zero COVID’ approach, it is hard to see the country’s borders reopening. This will hold back the region’s full recovery,” Walsh said in his keynote speech. While Japan is also key to the industry’s recovery in the region and has taken steps to allow it, it lacks a clear plan to reopen to all visitors or tourists, he said. Japan should “lift quarantine for all vaccinated travelers,” “remove both the on-arrival airport testing and daily arrival cap” and “take bolder steps towards reopening of the country’s borders,” he said. Walsh identified the importance of the two countries while urging Asia-Pacific countries to further ease border measures to accelerate the region’s recovery from COVID-19. “Asia-Pacific is playing catch-up on restarting travel after COVID-19, but there is growing momentum with governments lifting many travel restrictions. The demand for people to travel is clear. As soon as measures are relaxed, there is an immediate positive reaction from travelers,” Walsh said. “So it is critical that all stakeholders, including governments, are well-prepared for the restart. We cannot delay. Jobs are at stake and people want to travel.” The Asia-Pacific region’s international passenger demand for March reached 17 percent of pre-pandemic levels, after having hovered at less than 10 percent for most of the past two years, he said, but government restrictions have prevented demand from recovering to 60 percent of pre-pandemic levels as seen in other countries. Governments in the region should continue easing measures and bring normalcy to air travel by removing all restrictions for vaccinated travelers and lifting the mask mandate for air travel when it
‘SAVED MANY’: The office commends the heroism and bravery exhibited by the churchgoers, and wishes peace and comfort for those affected, Sandra Oudkirk said American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Sandra Oudkirk yesterday expressed condolences on behalf of the US government over a shooting at a Taiwanese church in California that killed one and injured five people — one of many messages of support and condemnation since the incident on Sunday. Oudkirk called Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) with the message, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, while also posting a statement on the AIT’s Facebook page. In the post, Oudkirk wrote that she would like to express “our heart-felt condolences to all of the victims and their families of the shooting that took place at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California on May 15.” “The law enforcement investigation is ongoing and we commend the exceptional heroism and bravery exhibited by the churchgoers. We are keeping the Taiwanese community affected by this tragedy in our thoughts and wish them peace and comfort during this incredibly difficult time,” Oudkirk wrote. The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan yesterday held a meeting of its standing committee in Hsinchu to discuss the shooting, at which committee chairman Tai Shuo-kan (戴碩欽) and church director-general Chen Hsin-liang (陳信良) held a moment of silence for John Cheng (鄭達志), 52, who died in the incident. Cheng, a sports medicine doctor who is survived by a wife and two children, has been hailed a hero for charging at the shooter in an attempt to disarm him, allowing others to intervene. Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes called Cheng’s action “a meeting of good versus evil” that probably saved the lives “of upwards of dozens of people.” Johnny Stanton, a fullback for the National Football Association’s Cleveland Browns, wrote on Twitter that Cheng was his primary care physician and an “absolute hero.” “He attacked the gunman and helped save so many in that church. I just wanted his name to be
AMENDMENT, NEW ACT: The legislature also passed the third reading of an act for the rights of people affected by illegal state activities during authoritarian rule The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed the third reading of an amendment to the Act on Promoting Transitional Justice (促進轉型正義條例), which would ask the Executive Yuan to launch a task force after the Transitional Justice Commission is dissolved. The commission is to be dissolved after completing its designated tasks by the end of this month and submitting its summary report to the Cabinet. The legislature’s Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee passed the first review of the proposed amendment on March 28, but discarded some articles after cross-party negotiations reached a consensus. The proposed law would assign the premier as task force convenor to coordinate and monitor matters related to transitional justice, which should be taken over by other agencies after the commission is dissolved. Justice authorities should redress judicial and administrative unlawfulness, as well as identify and punish perpetrators; interior affairs authorities should purge authoritarian symbols; and culture authorities should preserve historical sites of injustice, the proposed amendment says. In addition, health and welfare authorities should take care of people affected by political persecution and their families; education authorities should organize transitional justice education; and national development authorities should handle transitional justice funds, it says. Government agencies at all levels should cooperate with these authorities in dealing with transitional justice matters, the amendment says. If government agencies or civil servants during Taiwan’s past authoritarian rule infringed on people’s right to life or freedom, or deprived them of property, the commission should verify the situation and revoke the unlawful acts, it says. Separately, the legislature yesterday passed the third reading of the Act Governing the Recovery of the Rights of Victims of State Illegal Activities During the Period of Authoritarian Rule. To provide a clear legislative basis for the restoration of the rights of such people and their families, the Cabinet passed a draft of the rights act on
Senior Polish economic official Grzegorz Piechowiak, who is leading a delegation to Taiwan, yesterday said that his government welcomed more Taiwanese businesses to invest in the European nation. At the opening of the Poland Investment Opportunities Forum in Taipei, Piechowiak, the country’s deputy minister of Economic Development and Technology, said that the Polish government looks forward to an increase in investments in his nation by Taiwanese companies. In particular, Poland is eyeing Taiwanese investment in semiconductors, electronics and other advanced technologies, and is willing to provide supportive measures to foreign investors such as tax exemptions and loans, he said. Although Russia is waging war in Ukraine, which shares a border with Poland, his nation offers a secure and stable business environment, Piechowiak said, adding that it became a NATO member in 1999. Poland is a hub for international transportation because of its central location in Europe, he said, adding that it has hard-working people and plenty of talent. Ministry of Economic Affairs official Emile Chang (張銘斌), director-general of the Department of Investment Services, said at the event that Poland is an important destination for Taiwanese investors looking to enter the European market. There are 31 Taiwanese enterprises operating in Poland, which have combined investments of more than US$223 million, Chang said. Bilateral trade between Taiwan and Poland increased by 33.6 percent from 2020 to US$1.65 billion last year, he said, citing Taiwanese customs data. The delegation, which comprises Polish trade officials and business representatives, arrived in Taiwan on Monday evening and is to depart on Friday. The delegation “aims to enhance economic dialogue between Poland and Taiwan,” and foster more business cooperation and new investments in Poland, said the Polish Office in Taipei, which represents Warsaw’s interests in Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties. The delegation yesterday attended the 10th edition of economic consultations between Taiwan and Poland
Safeguard Defenders has set up an office in Taipei, its first in Asia, the Spain-based human rights organization said yesterday. “Taiwan was an obvious choice because of its open society and geographic proximity,” the non-governmental organization (NGO) said on its Web site. Safeguard Defenders was established in 2016. Its predecessor was human rights organization China Action, which was set up by Swedish reporter Peter Dahlin, US human rights advocate Michael Caster and human rights lawyers in China. Its operations in Taipei were set up as it is particularly concerned about deteriorating human rights in China and other authoritarian countries in Asia, Safeguard Defenders said. Taiwan is a “progressive democracy” that ended authoritarian rule and has become a “popular base for civil society and media,” especially as the human rights situation is deteriorating in Hong Kong under the tightening control of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), it said. It looks forward to “connecting to more human rights focused NGOs in Taiwan and promoting the rule of law,” as well as assisting human rights defenders in dictatorships, it said. The office — which is in Taipei’s Zhongzheng District (中正) — has dedicated itself to supporting local action in Asian countries that have environments hostile to human rights and helping local residents defend human rights, it said. It works with partners in Asia, including teachers, lawyers, independent media and civic organizations that promote and protect human rights and the rule of law, it said, adding that it can take on about a dozen projects at a time. Its work focuses on “arbitrary detention, the black jail systems of RSDL and Liuzhi, forced confessions, transnational repression including global harassment and kidnappings, and the CCP’s secret police institution, the National Supervisory Commission,” the statement on the Web site says, with RSDL referring to “residential surveillance at a designated location” and Liuzhi being a
Taiwanese in Cambodia have reported being tricked into signing illegal work contracts, having their documents taken and even being sold among companies and beaten, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. Since February, the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam has reported receiving about 40 complaints regarding Taiwanese who were allegedly tricked into working illegally in Cambodia, the ministry said in a statement. The Taiwanese were tricked into work that was either illegal or did not meet their expectations, it said. In some incidents, the people had their passport taken and movement restricted, the ministry said, adding that some reported they were beaten when they resisted. In other cases, the workers were “sold” to other unregistered companies, it said. The reports indicate that unregistered organizations in Taiwan are working with Cambodians to attract young Taiwanese to work in Cambodia via ads on social media platforms, often offering incentives such as high wages, no overtime, no prerequisite for English language ability and that the company would pay for flights, the ministry said. Some of the people signed a contract before leaving Taiwan and upon arrival in Cambodia had their passports confiscated and their movement restricted, it said. The illegal nature of the work prevented them from going to local authorities, it said. If the people quit working, the employer would accuse them of breach of contract and demand they pay for flights and accommodation, with demands ranging from US$10,000 to US$100,000, the ministry added. The ministry provides emergency aid as soon as it receives a report, it said, adding that it is compiling information for Taiwanese authorities to review, as there has been an increase in such cases. Some of the travelers have returned to Taiwan with assistance from the office in Ho Chi Minh City, the ministry said, adding that the experience was traumatizing for those affected. People who want
SURGING EXPENSES: The losses mainly stem from the state oil refiner having to absorb rising international oil and gas prices to ease the burden on local consumers State-owned oil refiner CPC Corp, Taiwan’s (CPC, 台灣中油) accumulated losses reached NT$75.1 billion (US$2.53 billion) as of the end of last month, mainly due to its absorption of international oil and gas price hikes to avoid passing the higher costs to local consumers, it said yesterday. The losses represented more than 50 percent of the company’s paid-in capital of NT$130.1 billion and expanded from losses of NT$64.5 billion a month earlier, CPC said in a statement. The company’s board is to meet today to discuss ways to improve its financial condition, it added. Global natural gas prices have skyrocketed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, CPC said, adding that its obligation to absorb part of price hikes has been the main reason behind its increasing losses. In the first quarter of this year, CPC spent NT$51.7 billion to absorb gas price hikes by providing subsidies, which was equivalent to about 50 percent of the NT$104.8 billion it spent for the same purpose for the whole of last year. The company has been increasing natural gas purchases to comply with the government’s policy of reducing coal use while increasing the share of natural gas. About 80 percent of its natural gas purchases have been used for electricity generation. The total volume of purchases this year is expected to surpass 20 million tonnes, which could add pressure to the company’s bottom line, CPC said. The company has been buying natural gas at a price of more than NT$20 per cubic meter, but selling it to power plants at only NT$16.75 per cubic meter, meaning it has incurred greater losses as gas consumption continues to grow in Taiwan, it said. CPC expressed the hope that it would be allowed to raise the natural gas price to cushion the financial impact. The company added that while international oil
Hotai Motor Co (和泰汽車), which distributes Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Taiwan, yesterday introduced Toyota Motor Corp’s first all-electric sports utility vehicle (SUV), the bZ4X, joining rivals in vying for a share of the nation’s fast-growing electric vehicle market. Starting today, the bZ4X, with a price tag of NT$1.599 million (US$53,780), would be available for online purchase only and customers need to download a special app to place orders, Hotai said. Hotai has received 300 of the electric SUVs, it said, adding that it is not enough to meet robust market demand. A total of 229 electric vehicles were sold in the nation last month alone, led by BMW AG models distributed by Pan German Universal Motors Ltd (汎德永業). Hotai expects sales of new electric vehicles to nearly double to 13,000 units this year, from 6,982 units last year. That means new electric vehicle sales would account for 2.8 percent of forecast overall new vehicle sales of 460,000 units. “Taiwan’s electric vehicle market entered a rapid growth phase in 2019,” Hotai president Justin Su (蘇純興) told a news conference in Taipei yesterday. “In 2025, electric vehicle sales will reach 22,000 units, making up about 5 percent of overall new car sales.” Taiwan plans to ban sales of new gasoline-fueled vehicles by 2040, as it aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. The bZ4X is the first model from Toyota’s 30-strong EV lineup that it plans to build by 2030. Its batteries can go from a low state of charge to 80 percent full in 30 minutes. More than 150 electric charging piles, including fast-charging and regular types, are available for car owners to charge their vehicles, Hotai said. The piles were built by Hotai and its partner Fortune Electric Co (華城電機). Hotai reported a net profit of NT$4.29 billion for the first three months of this year, down
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) has made further progress in its expansion into semiconductor manufacturing as its subsidiary teams up with Dagang NeXchange Bhd (DNeX) to build a 12-inch wafer fab in Malaysia. Big Innovation Holdings Ltd (BIH), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hon Hai, has inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with DNeX to collaborate on establishing and operating the semiconductor fab in the Southeastern Asian country, it said in a statement released by DNeX on its Web site. The fab is expected to produce 40,000 12-inch wafers per month, deploying 28-nanometer and 40-nanometer process technologies, the statement said. Under the MOU, DNeX and BIH are to work together to decide the site for the planned fab, project financing, and initial management structure and key personnel. “The new fab will be the first 12-inch wafer fab in Malaysia initiated by a Bumiputera company,” Tan DNeX group managing director Sri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said. “This technology node will have a long production life and have the widest range of applications,” he added. Semiconductor manufacturing is one of Hon Hai’s three new business focuses. The company, a key iPhone assembler, has set its sights on producing power management chips, radio frequency and image sensors using mature technologies rather than cutting-edge technologies, Hon Hai chairman Young Liu (劉揚偉) told investors in March. Hon Hai in June last year acquired 120 million shares, or a 5.03 percent, stake in DNeX for 108 million ringgit (US$24.6 million at the current exchange rate). In a filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange, Hon Hai — known globally as Foxconn Technology Group — said the share purchase was done via its Singapore subsidiary Foxconn Singapore Pte Ltd. In addition to Malaysia, Hon Hai in February signed a memorandum of understanding with Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta Ltd to establish a
Ever since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has lived in a constant state of fear that it might share the fate of its former mentor and ideological bedfellow. To stay in power, the party had to strike a difficult balancing act: maintaining a tight grip on information, while simultaneously opening up to the world under the program of economic reform initiated by former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平). The balancing act became increasingly difficult with the popularization of the Internet in the mid-1990s. The CCP could not block Chinese citizens from accessing the Internet, as North Korea did, as the party recognized that China would be left behind in an increasingly globalized world without access to the transformative communications technology. To get around this problem, then-Chinese president Jiang Zemin (江澤民) instructed the party to embark upon an ambitious program to censor the Internet within China’ s borders, removing politically “incorrect” content and any information deemed “sensitive.” At the time, many believed this would be impossible: then-US president Bill Clinton famously quipped that China’s attempt to tame the Internet would be “like nailing jello to a wall.” Unfortunately, the conventional wisdom during the heady days of the Internet’s infancy proved to be wide of the mark. The CCP has been remarkably effective in censoring the online sphere, constantly updating and automating its content removal systems to keep pace with changing technology, and building a closed ecosystem of imperceptibly curated content. One of the reasons that the CCP has been so successful is the global infrastructure that underpins the Internet: Nations are connected through a network of intercontinental submarine data cables. The data cables’ entry points into China’s domestic telecommunications network are managed by state-owned telecoms, which allows for the filtering out of “unhealthy” content at the point of entry. The
The administration of US President Joe Biden on Feb. 11 announced its new Indo-Pacific Strategy. The 19-page document stated: “Our objective is not to change the PRC [People’s Republic of China] but to shape the strategic environment in which it operates, building a balance of influence in the world that is maximally favorable to the United States, our allies and partners, and the interests and values we share.” On the evening of March 18, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習進平) had a videoconference with Biden. According to the Chinese readout of the meeting, Biden reiterated the commitments he made during his videoconference with Xi in November last year: that the US does not seek a new cold war with China; it does not aim to change China’s system; the revitalization of the US’ alliances is not targeted at China; the US does not support “Taiwanese independence”; and it has no intention to seek conflict with China. What is worth noting was the comment that the US does not aim to change China’s system. Whether the US seeks to change China’s system has been an age-old question. In 1972, the Shanghai Communique categorically stated: “There are essential differences between China and the United States in their social systems and foreign policies. However, the two sides agreed that countries, regardless of their social systems, should conduct their relations on the principles of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, non-aggression against other states, non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.” This is enough to show that then-US president Richard Nixon thought that China had its own sense of uniqueness, while then-US secretary of state Henry Kissinger has stressed China’s “singularity.” Committed to be the enforcer of the geopolitical order, the US has always been concerned with global
As international borders reopen and economies slowly recover, the world is continuing to feel the devastating effects of the global pandemic. Lives and livelihoods continue to be impacted by COVID-19, and it is the world’s poor who are disproportionately affected. In Australia toward the end of last year, rising vaccination rates and falling numbers of infections gave us the confidence to plan for a return to normal. However, the emergence of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 generated a new wave of health and economic challenges, causing case numbers to surge to unprecedented levels — though fortunately with lower mortality rates compared with previous waves. The Omicron variant overturned many of our existing virus management norms. However, Australians worked together and, as outbreaks peaked and stabilized, high vaccination and booster rates allowed us to weather the impacts. While the uncertainties of COVID-19 remain, including the risk of new variants, we remain committed to working cooperatively to maintain our pandemic preparedness and readiness to respond. No country can eliminate COVID-19, and it is essential that we all work together on a collective response to this global pandemic. Australia continues to work with partners in our region and globally to provide support, including through COVAX and Australia’s Health Security Initiative, delivering millions of vaccine doses to the Indo-Pacific region. We also continue to work with international partners to understand lessons from the COVID-19 response, and to take practical steps to reform and strengthen the global health system, including the WHO, to ensure it is fit to respond to the risks of future pandemics. COVID-19 has shown clearly that a determined, inclusive response is essential, and it is critical that the WHO maintains a close working relationship with all health authorities, including Taiwan’s, and continues to play a strong and transparent role in any response. Australia’s National Statement to the World Health
A DESERVED WIN: Arsenal were lucky to leave the pitch with only a 2-0 defeat, as a despondent Mikel Arteta said ‘Newcastle were 10 times better than us’ Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta castigated his side for throwing away a season’s work in a limp 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United that looks set to see the Gunners miss out on the UEFA Champions League for a sixth successive season. Tottenham Hotspur remain two points above their north London rivals in fourth place in the English Premier League. Spurs now realistically only need a draw away to already-relegated Norwich City on Sunday to secure a top-four finish thanks to their superior goal difference. Arsenal’s defeat also guaranteed third-place Chelsea’s place in the Champions League next season. Ben White’s own-goal and Bruno Guimaraes’ late strike were the difference between the sides. Yet the manner of the Newcastle performance was even more impressive as coach Eddie Howe’s men sent a message they could be challenging for a top-four finish themselves next season. “A really difficult night to swallow,” Arteta said. “Newcastle deserved to win comfortably. They were much better from the first minute, we had nothing in the game.” “They were much better than us in everything that a football match requires. We could not cope tonight with the game we had to play here,” he said. Arteta’s men were in the driving seat with three games to go as they lead Spurs by four points, but Tottenham’s 3-0 derby win on Thursday cranked up the pressure on the young Gunners who failed to respond. “Newcastle were 10 times better than us and the performance was nowhere near what we need to play in the Champions League,” Arteta added. “We weren’t at the races.” Only Manchester City and Liverpool have won more Premier League points than the Magpies this year. “It was a brilliant all-round performance. It was front foot, we never let up and that’s the most pleasing thing,” Howe said. “We have to improve and work incredibly hard to improve everything
Blackpool teenager Jake Daniels’ decision to come out as the first gay professional soccer player in the British men’s game in more than 30 years was on Monday heralded as a historic moment. The 17-year-old forward made the announcement in a statement on the club’s Web site. “Off the pitch I’ve been hiding the real me and who I really am,” he said. “I’ve known my whole life that I’m gay, and I now feel that I’m ready to come out and be myself.” Former Norwich City and Nottingham Forest striker Justin Fashanu came out publicly as gay in 1990, during his playing career. “It’s a step into the unknown being one of the first footballers in this country to reveal my sexuality, but I’ve been inspired by Josh Cavallo, [non-league manager] Matt Morton and athletes from other sports, like [diver] Tom Daley, to have the courage and determination to drive change,” Daniels said. A-League player Josh Cavallo, who plays for Adelaide United, announced he was gay in October last year. Daniels, who recently made his first-team debut for the club, said he had confided in his teammates in the youth team, who had supported him. “I’ve hated lying my whole life and feeling the need to change to fit in,” Daniels said. “I want to be a role model myself by doing this.” “There are people out there in the same space as me that may not feel comfortable revealing their sexuality. I just want to tell them that you don’t have to change who you are, or how you should be, just to fit in,” he said. All 20 English Premier League clubs tweeted their support of Daniels, who received praise from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “Thank you for your bravery Jake. It would have taken huge courage to come out and you will be an inspiration
A stoppage-time goal from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic on Monday earned SS Lazio a dramatic 2-2 draw at Juventus in Serie A, a point that sealed the Rome club’s spot in next season’s UEFA Europa League, overshadowing Giorgio Chiellini and Paulo Dybala’s farewell. Already assured of a fourth-placed finish this term, Juventus could take the game to Lazio with the pressure off, racing into a 10th-minute lead after Dusan Vlahovic’s flying header found the net. Veteran defender Chiellini was then taken off early, and given a standing ovation by fans in what is to be his last home match for Juventus before he leaves the club after 18 years in Turin. NOT ENOUGH Spanish striker Alvaro Morata then doubled Juve’s lead in the 36th minute as they looked on course to give their supporters something to cheer after a disappointing season on the whole for Serie A’s most successful side. However, Juve took their foot off the gas in the second half, with Alex Sandro’s own-goal six minutes after the break giving Lazio hope of getting something from the match. The visitors did not look like they had another goal in them, with Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri taking Dybala off to allow him his moment of applause before he also leaves the club. Milinkovic-Savic had the final say, with the last kick of the game, ensuring Lazio in fifth cannot be caught by ACF Fiorentina in seventh, so a Europa League campaign awaits next term. EMOTIONAL NIGHT “Tonight was a wonderful evening, full of emotions,” Allegri told Sky Sport Italia. “The evening of Chiellini and Dybala. “A few videos of Chiellini should be sent to our training ground to show how he applies himself. On a personal and human level, he also helped me a lot when I arrived at Juventus. He introduced me to Juventus,” Allegri said. “Dybala was an important player
As cycling’s Giro d’Italia enters its second week, French climber Romain Bardet might be sitting pretty but is taking nothing for granted on a treacherous route that has already claimed the scalp of three of the supposed front-runners. British team Ineos Grenadiers are setting a ferocious pace at key moments with the aim of wearing out any rider having a poor day, and poor days have so far wrecked the chances of 2017 winner Tom Dumoulin, his Dutch compatriot, Wilco Kelderman, and the 2018 Vuelta a Espana champion Simon Yates. Just 17 seconds separate six plausible champions with Richard Carapaz of Ineos and Mikel Landa of Bahrain Victorious the main threats to Bardet’s chances of finally landing a major prize at the age of 31. “So far so good,” Bardet said on Monday’s rest day ahead of two flat stages, three hilly ones and a single mountain stage on week two, before the mountainous final week. Bardet is fully aware of the old adage that “you can’t win a grand tour on one day, but you can lose it with one bad stage.” “There will be hazards every day this week, you have to keep your wits about you,” said Bardet, who feels Saturday’s short but hilly run from Santena to Turin could prove costly for someone. “I’ve been through many highs and lows on the grand tours,” said the man who has been runner-up on a Tour de France and at a world championships. “So I don’t get too carried away now, this morning I went for a spin on the bike, had a massage and a nice BBQ,” the Team DSM leader said. Opportunities for such relaxing moments might be limited in the next two weeks for pure climber Bardet, who was pipped to the line on Sunday’s mountain finish. A stage win would have seen
UNPOPULAR POLICY: Indonesian President Joko Widodo imposed an export ban on palm oil after a series of policies failed to control the price of cooking oil Hundreds of Indonesian smallholder farmers yesterday staged a protest in the capital, Jakarta, and in other parts of the world’s fourth-most populous nation, demanding that the government end a palm oil export ban that has slashed their income. Indonesia, the world’s top palm oil exporter, has since April 28 halted shipments of crude palm oil and some of its derivative products in a bid to control soaring prices of domestic cooking oil, rattling global vegetable oil markets. Marching alongside a truck filled with palm oil fruit, farmers held a rally outside the offices of the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs, which is leading the government policy. “Malaysian farmers are wearing full smiles, Indonesian farmers suffer,” one of the signs held up by protesters read. Malaysia is the second-largest producer of palm oil and has said it aims to supply markets left open by Indonesia’s export ban. In a statement, the smallholder farmers’ group APKASINDO said since the announcement of the export ban the price of palm fruit had dropped 70 percent below the floor price set by regional authorities. Meanwhile, APKASINDO estimated that at least 25 percent of palm oil mills had stopped buying palm fruit from independent farmers. The protesters also planned to march to the presidential palace, the group said. Similar protests were also being held in 22 other provinces, it said. Indonesian President Joko Widodo imposed the export ban on palm oil and its derivative products used in the making of cooking oil after a series of policies failed to control the price of the basic household food item. A survey this week showed the approval ratings for Widodo hit the lowest level since December 2015 due to rising prices. Figures released by pollster Indikator Politik Indonesia showed that satisfaction with Widodo fell to 58.1 percent this month, the lowest since December 2015 when the president’s approval
REOPENING: Dining at restaurants is to be extended to midnight, bars will be permitted to open until 2am and mask requirements for indoor exercise will be lifted Hong Kong is to proceed with relaxing COVID-19 curbs despite recording hundreds of cases a day, as the territory’s virus policy drifts further from Beijing’s “zero COVID-19” approach. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥) yesterday said that the territory would roll back social distancing measures tomorrow as previously announced, including opening bars and extending the hours for restaurants to serve customers. “It is reasonable to have 200 to 300 cases each day,” Lam said at a regular weekly briefing. “We don’t need to worry too much. It is also our assessment that we can safely enter the second phase of easing social distancing measures.” From tomorrow, dining at restaurants is to be extended to midnight, bars will be permitted to open until 2am and mask requirements for indoor exercise will be lifted. Lam continued to cite reopening the border with mainland China as one of her government’s top priorities, without saying how that would happen. Shanghai, China’s most-populous city and one of the nation’s major economic engines, is slowly exiting a lockdown that confined 25 million people to their homes for six weeks as Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) sticks with the nation’s strict “zero COVID-19” policy. The trigger for easing in Shanghai was reporting zero infections outside the city’s extensive quarantine program. That is a far cry from the situation in Hong Kong, where hundreds of new cases are still being reported daily. Instead, Hong Kong officials are focusing on driving up the territory’s vaccination rate to prevent a spike in serious illness that could overwhelm hospitals. By the end of this month, all eligible residents will need to have had three vaccine doses to use Hong Kong’s Vaccine Pass, a requirement to enter restaurants and many public places. The May 31 deadline was moved up from June 30, as local officials push to boost the territory’s vaccination
The images of a besuited Ferdinand Marcos Jr, clad in a top hat and leaning nonchalantly on a Rolls-Royce, dating from his time in Britain in the 1970s, are as you might expect from the playboy scion of a kleptocratic dictator. Yet as the Marcos family returns to power in the Philippines after a landslide presidential victory by Marcos Jr, he is facing calls to stop misrepresenting the circumstances of his studies at the University of Oxford. The university has confirmed that he did not complete his degree in philosophy, politics and economics after enrolling in 1975. “According to our records, he did not complete his degree, but was awarded a special diploma in social studies in 1978,” the University of Oxford said in a response to a freedom of information request lodged by a UK-based Philippine supporter of Marcos Jr’s nearest rival in last week’s election. Marcos Jr, nicknamed “Bongbong,” has claimed in interviews that Oxford issued him with a bachelor’s degree, while his official spokesperson has said that the politician and his team “stand by the degree confirmation which was issued by the University of Oxford.” His Web site states: “He completed his undergraduate studies at Oxford University and graduated with a special diploma in social studies.” However, the UK-based supporter of Marcos Jr’s rival Leni Robredo, who lodged the freedom of information request, said of Marcos Jr: “He should stop misrepresenting his special diploma, which is clearly not a degree. It’s clear he did not complete undergraduate studies.” The issue of Marcos Jr’s Oxford degree first emerged seven years ago when his profile on the Web site for the Philippines Senate stated that he had obtained an Oxford degree in philosophy, politics and economics. Newly published letters last year revealed that the envoys for his father had lobbied senior figures at the university’s St Edmund
I’m listening to BBC Radio 1, where they are interviewing the 26-year-old actor and singer Dove Cameron about her globally successful hit, Boyfriend. The DJ, Melvin Odoom, asks her, “Do you think that your acting career has helped you with, kind of, like, your music career?” “For me they’re, like, the same energy,” replies Cameron. “Which is, like, when people are, like, ‘You have to choose,’ I’m like, ‘They feel the same!’” It’s the most predictable celebrity interview exchange ever uttered, remarkable only for one word that repeats and repeats. ‘A BIT DUMB’? “It’s a really funny one,” says Fiona Hanlon, who has worked at the station for more than 10 years, including producing Nick Grimshaw’s breakfast show and Maya Jama’s weekend show. “If a guest says ‘like’ too much, we’d get texts from the listeners. If a DJ says it too much, sometimes a boss might pop in and mention it … It’s just seen as a bit lazy, a bit dumb. I was always very aware of it.” Why do people have such a problem with “like”? Is it because it simply won’t go away? In 1992, Malcolm Gladwell wrote a robust defense of the word and the way it carries “a rich emotional nuance,” responding to what had already been a decade of criticism. This did nothing to settle the debate. Linguists agree that usage of the word has increased every year since then, to the point where in one five-minute exchange on Love Island in 2017, the word was uttered 76 times, once every four seconds. By the time I was at secondary school in the early 2000s, “like” was just a natural part of speech. Transcribing the interviews I did for this piece, I say it constantly. When I do, I find it a friendly crutch, signaling to the person I’m
You’ll need good eyesight to fully browse the Her stories on the postage stamps (真善美:方寸之間的女性形象特展) exhibition. Although some are shown with zoomed in replicas or feature blown up elements, most of the stamps are presented in their original 3cm-by-4cm size. What makes this fully-bilingual exhibition fascinating, however, are the original artifacts and artwork that many of the stamps are based on, as it’s a collaboration between the Postal Museum, National History Museum and women’s rights groups. For history buffs, it’s a unique way to browse through Chunghwa Post’s ideas of female representation since it took over the nation’s mail service after World War II. The exhibition also provides a glimpse of women on postage stamps in other countries. Having visited the National 228 Memorial Museum numerous times, I’ve never entered the Postal Museum, which is across the street. It’s six spacious floors feature everything you’ve ever wanted to know about stamps and the mail in Taiwan, China (where Chunghwa Post originated) and the world, including an entire level for kids. I now know what the world’s most expensive stamp looks like, and who is featured in Chunghwa Post’s Philatelic Hall of Fame. I didn’t have time to finish looking at everything before closing time — but I’ll definitely be back. The museum opened another branch in the historic Taipei Beimen Post Office in 2015, and there’s a new railway-oriented exhibition that opened last week. It’s quite small and there’s no English, so only visit if you’re really into trains, stamps or old buildings. But what this location offers that isn’t available at the main museum are … magnifying glasses! Even if you have perfect vision, it’s always more enriching to be able to inspect tiny objects in detail, and it’s head-scratching why the main branch doesn’t have them. Perhaps I’ll bring my
“Long as I remember, the rain’s been coming down,” the song says. The last couple of weeks of wet certainly make it feel that way. The global media has recently observed the change of hitting a 1.5 Celsius degree rise in average temperatures in the next five years has risen to 50 percent. As many scientists have observed, once that level of warming is hit, the planet will reach a slew of tipping points. 1.5C is thus a major threshold. Nature has been sending us ever more urgent distress signals: murderous heatwaves across the Indian subcontinent, giant sandstorms in Iraq, collapsing ice shelves, houses on Cape Hatteras in North Carolina sliding slowly into the rising ocean. Ironically, in 2012 North Carolina passed a law banning the state from using the latest science to evaluate its coastal resource policies. Now they just need to elect a horse as state senator to finish making America great again. The rain currently landing on us here, traditionally called the “plum rains” (meiyu, 梅雨), is also being shaped by human heating of the earth. A recent paper by a group of scholars out of the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction in Taipei contends that the active phase of the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) is changing in our rapidly warming climate: it is dumping more water on Taiwan. The paper was stimulated by the 2017 meiyu rainfall event in northern Taiwan that did millions in agricultural damage after three hours of a pounding downpour inundated the area with over 200mm of rain. This effect, they note, is driven by two factors: the Clausius–Clapeyron relation, under which rain increases when the lower atmosphere is heated, and anomalies in the circulation that cause moisture to pool over Taiwan. While these predictions are likely to hold, especially
21% of reptile species may be at risk of extinction (3/5) 21%爬蟲動物面臨絕種（三） A: My goodness, I really love turtles: are they about to become extinct? B: According to the research, crocodiles and turtles are most at risk, with around 58 percent and 50 percent under threat, respectively. A: Are there any other reptile species facing extinction? B: The scary King cobra might also die out. A: 天啊，我最愛的烏龜該不會面臨絕種危機吧？ B: 根據這份研究，鱷魚、烏龜處境最危險，各有百分之五十八、百分之五十的物種可能滅絕。 A: 還有什麼爬蟲動物可能滅絕呢？ B: 可怕的眼鏡王蛇也可能滅絕耶。 （Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
In the early hours of Monday morning last week, the First Tank Company of the Second Combined Arms Battalion of the army’s 584 Armor Brigade set out from its barracks for a combat readiness patrol. As the unit was passing along the Bade Road section of Provincial Highway 1 in Hsinchu County’s Hukou Township, a CM11 tank accidentally knocked over a set of traffic lights at an intersection and drove up onto the median divider island. Fortunately the accident did not cause any harm to personnel or equipment. The unit immediately contacted the relevant department of Hsinchu County Government to repair the damage and notified the police’s assessment office. The army suspects that the accident may have happened because the driver misjudged the width of the tracked vehicle. The Sixth Army Command apologized for any inconvenience caused to passersby. It said it would review the reasons behind the accident and provide better instruction on the concept of defensive driving, so as to maintain safety while performing army duties. (Liberty Times, translated by Julian Clegg) 陸軍裝甲第五八四旅聯兵二營戰一連上週一清晨自營區出發執行戰備偵巡任務，行經新竹縣湖口鄉台一線八德路段時，一輛CM11戰車不慎撞斷路口交通號誌桿後駛上中央分隔島，所幸人員和裝備皆無損傷，單位即聯繫新竹縣政府管理單位修復，並通報警方鑑處。 軍方初步研判，可能是履帶車寬距離未計算好，而釀成事故。第六軍團對於造成用路人交通不便，深感抱歉，後續將檢討事故發生原因，強化行車教育及防衛駕駛觀念，以維護執勤安全。 （自由時報廖雪茹）
21% of reptile species may be at risk of extinction (2/5) 21% 爬蟲動物面臨絕種（二） A: Are so many of the world’s reptile species really at risk of extinction? B: Researchers have assessed over 10,000 reptile species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources’ (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. A: What did they find? B: They discovered that at least 1,829, or 21 percent, of reptile species were either “vulnerable,” “endangered” or “critically endangered.” A: 有這麼多爬蟲動物面臨絕種喔？ B: 依據國際自然保育聯盟《瀕危物種紅色名錄》，研究人員評估了一萬多種爬蟲動物的情況。 A: 研究結果如何？ B: 研究結果發現，至少有一千八百二十九種動物、或百分之二十一正處於「易危」、「瀕危」或「極危」狀態。 （Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei TimES／台北時報張聖恩）
| New Taipei City | 24-26 | 20% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 25-28 | 10% | |
| Hsinchu City | 26-28 | 10% | |
| Taipei City | 24-26 | 20% | |
| Miaoli County | 26-29 | 10% | |
| Taoyuan City | 24-26 | 10% | |
| Keelung City | 23-24 | 20% |  |
| Yunlin County | 27-29 | 10% | |
| Taichung City | 28-30 | 10% |  |
| Nantou County | 28-30 | 10% | |
| Changhua County | 26-28 | 10% | |
| Chiayi County | 26-29 | 10% | |
| Chiayi City | 27-30 | 10% | |
| Tainan City | 26-29 | 10% | |
| Kaohsiung City | 27-29 | 10% | |
| Pingtung County | 28-30 | 10% | |
| Yilan County | 23-24 | 70% |  |
| Hualien County | 25-28 | 30% | |
| Taitung County | 26-28 | 30% | |
| Kinmen County | 22-26 | 20% | |
| Penghu County | 24-26 | 20% | |
| Lienchiang County | 20-23 | 20% | |
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