Public Television Service (
PTS won in 11 award categories. The best lead actor honor went to Chang Chen-kuang (
PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES
The awards ceremony took place last night at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei, and opened with a star-studded red-carpet walk that drew hundreds of fans.
PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES
Croatian pianist Maksim, Korean actors Ahn Jae-wook and Ha Ji-won, both of whom have large fan bases in Taiwan for their TV dramas, pop diva Stefanie Sun (
The four-hour gala event was hosted by Kevin Tsai (
PTS demonstrated its power for producing quality programs at the Golden Bell Awards -- Taiwan's answer to the Emmy Awards -- especially in drama and cultural programming.
The TV company took home four awards for its programs, including the best TV drama Banquet (
PTS won 18 award categories at Golden Bell Awards last year, well ahead of all the other TV stations in Taiwan.
In the variety show categories, Taiwan's veteran TV host Chang Fei (張菲) won the award for the best TV host for variety shows for his popular show Variety Big Brother (綜藝大哥大). The award for best variety program, however, went to Variety Sum-up (綜藝大集合).
Having hosted TV shows for 30 years, Chang expressed his gratitude to all his guests who have been entertained and "tortured" in his shows. He also gave thanks to his alleged girlfriend from Belarus, Margarita, who serves as the assistant hostess and comedienne in his show.
For many people, Bilingual Nation 2030 begins and ends in the classroom. Since the policy was launched in 2018, the debate has centered on students, teachers and the pressure placed on schools. Yet the policy was never solely about English education. The government’s official plan also calls for bilingualization in Taiwan’s government services, laws and regulations, and living environment. The goal is to make Taiwan more inclusive and accessible to international enterprises and talent and better prepared for global economic and trade conditions. After eight years, that grand vision is due for a pulse check. RULES THAT CAN BE READ For Harper Chen (陳虹宇), an adviser
Traditionally, indigenous people in Taiwan’s mountains practice swidden cultivation, or “slash and burn” agriculture, a practice common in human history. According to a 2016 research article in the International Journal of Environmental Sustainability, among the Atayal people, this began with a search for suitable forested slopeland. The trees are burnt for fertilizer and the land cleared of stones. The stones and wood are then piled up to make fences, while both dead and standing trees are retained on the plot. The fences are used to grow climbing crops like squash and beans. The plot itself supports farming for three years.
President William Lai (賴清德) on Nov. 25 last year announced in a Washington Post op-ed that “my government will introduce a historic US$40 billion supplementary defense budget, an investment that underscores our commitment to defending Taiwan’s democracy.” Lai promised “significant new arms acquisitions from the United States” and to “invest in cutting-edge technologies and expand Taiwan’s defense industrial base,” to “bolster deterrence by inserting greater costs and uncertainties into Beijing’s decision-making on the use of force.” Announcing it in the Washington Post was a strategic gamble, both geopolitically and domestically, with Taiwan’s international credibility at stake. But Lai’s message was exactly
May 4 to May 10 It was once said that if you hadn’t performed at the Sapphire Grand Cabaret (藍寶石大歌廳), you couldn’t truly be considered a star. Taking the stage at the legendary Kaohsiung club was more than just a concert. Performers were expected to entertain in every sense, wearing outlandish or revealing costumes and staying quick on their feet as sharp-tongued, over-the-top hosts asked questions and delivered jokes that would be seen as vulgar, even offensive, by today’s standards. Opening in May 1967 during a period of strict political and social control, Sapphire offered a rare outlet for audiences in