Every year beautiful German sights like the Romantic Road with its medieval cities, the fairy tale-like Neuschwanstein Palace or the legendary Black Forest are visited by more and more tourists from all parts of the world. Visitors to Germany can see the marvelous and varied landscapes that inspired Beethoven, Bach and Wagner as they wrote their classical masterpieces. More than the origin of "Made-In-Germany" products, the country is a great place to enjoy the multifaceted German lifestyle, modern architecture and an old and vivid culture.
Europe, and especially Germany, are increasingly attractive destinations for tourists from Taiwan. Each year the German Institute in Taipei issues approximately 60,000 tourist and business visas. Between 1994 and 2003 overnight stays rose by about 47 %. In the first quarter of 2004 the figure rose about 30% compared to 2003. Taiwanese tourists don't make fast trips through many states any more, but stay longer in one country. From Germany it's easy to travel to neighboring countries in Eastern Europe which have also become popular.
As a destination for travellers, the Federal State of Bavaria in Southern Germany is a great attraction with 1000+ years old cities like Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Then there is the Romantic Street, King Ludwig's dream palace, Neuschwanstein, Germanys highest mountain, the Zugspitze, and others. Frankfurt is the financial centre of Germany and the home of the European Central Bank, issuer and guardian of the European currency, the Euro. Frankfurt is famous among business people who visit the many big fairs. Berlin, the German capital, is always worth a visit. It offers a wide variety of things to do: enjoy an opera in one of its three theatres; see the latest German architecture at Potsdamer Platz or Spreebogen; or take a trip back in Prussian history at Sanssouci Palace.
German Institute in Taipei offers help to the six million Taiwanese who leave their country for holiday or business trips each year. Our tourism brochure, "Travel Guide Germany," offers information in text and pictures for an insight to Germany's most beautiful and historic places. It can be ordered by mail with a prepaid, self-adressed envelope or picked up, free, at the German Institute in Taipei. Moreover, the Institute supports TV reports, print media and/or travel guides with a German focus.
The International Tourism Fair in Taiwan, which will be held this year on November 18-21, has become a cornerstone of German Tourism promotion due to increased Taiwanese interest. For more information see the web-sites of the German National Tourism Board www.germany-tourism.de in English or www.germany-tourism.org.hk in Chinese.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft