Outside the political sphere, there is probably no one in Taiwan who gets as much publicity as Siamese twins Chang Chung-jen (
The celebration recalled a familiar scene two decades ago in an operating room of the National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH,
The operation on Sept. 10, 1979, was significant because it was expected to become the world's first separation of male Siamese twins joined at the hip and born with three legs. The operation was successful and made medical history.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Unlike the large number of live TV reports today, local television stations at that time made very few real-time broadcasts except for baseball games involving teams from Taiwan in the Little League World Series each year.
Because of the publicity, Chung-jen and Chung-yi became household names and their photos before and after the operation were on the front page of every newspaper, with some still hanging on a wall at NTUH.
After a lapse of 20 years, the twins, now 23, yesterday gathered with the doctors who performed the operation in a celebration at NTUH of the 20th anniversary of the event.
National Taiwan University President Chen Wei-jao (
"The two brothers continue to make contributions to society. Chung-jen, for instance, now donates NT$800 monthly to a charity organization to help a girl in China."
Chen said, however, that "the pity is that they lack care and concern from their parents."
The parents of the brothers have been out of contact with them for years, leaving them to live on their own. They are supported by donations from the public.
Both said that they miss their parents.
In a documentary self-produced by the two brothers highlighting episodes in their life after the surgical separation, Chung-yi, the younger, sent a message to his parents that he still loves them despite all that has happened.
The documentary, made public for the first time, is an emotional film, with the two brothers using Celine Dion's theme song from the movie Titanic, "My Heart Will Go On," as the background music.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS