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Taiwan News Quick Take

■TOURISM

PRC medical tourists arrive

A 32-member medical tour group from China arrived in Taiwan yesterday for health check-ups, making it the first Chinese group to visit Taiwan for medical tourism since last July, when the government began allowing Chinese citizens to visit Taiwan as tourists. During their six-day stay, the members of the group are scheduled to visit six medical centers and hospitals. They are also expected to visit several clinics specializing in cosmetic surgery, the local travel agency that arranged the tour said. “Each member of the group is expected to spend 5,000 yuan (US$731) on their check-up,” an executive of the travel agency said. “Another group from China is expected to arrive in August for the same purpose if the first group is satisfied with its experience,” the executive said.



■ EDUCATION

City unveils English village

Kaohsiung City Government inaugurated the city’s fourth English village on Friday as part of its preparations for the World Games next month. “Creating an English learning environment for students in the city and cultivating their English speaking proficiency has become particularly important now that the games are fast approaching,” Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) said. Like the other English villages in Kaohsiung, the village at Taiping Elementary School includes several real-life contexts — a simulated airport, hotel, shopping mall and a health store — for pupils to practice English. School principal Tsai Chin-yuan (蔡進元) said 12 recipients of the Fulbright Youth Scholarship will offer assistance to the school’s teachers in improving the English proficiency of students over the next 11 months. The other three English villages in Kaohsiung are located at Zuoying Elementary School, Fudong Elementary School and Lingjhou Elementary School.



■ TOURISM

KRTC launches bike shop

The Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp (KRTC) yesterday launched the nation’s first government-affiliated foldable bicycle rental shop at Zuoying Mass Rapid Transit Station. The service was introduced in a bid to encourage backpackers to tour the city. The rental rate is NT$100 for four hours, NT$200 per day, NT$380 for two days or NT$540 for three days, KRTC said. Those who are interested in renting the bike will only be required to leave an ID instead of a deposit, it said. KRTC general manager Yen Pang-chieh (顏邦傑) said it hoped visitors to the city would take advantage of the new service to gain a better understanding of the beauty of Kaohsiung.



■ TOURISM

Student is 2 millionth visitor

“I’m so lucky,” said a Hong Kong university student on Saturday when he learned that he was the 2 millionth tourist to Taiwan this year and received a NT$200,000 prize. Wong Chi Hoi (黃智凱), a sophomore at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, arrived at Kaohsiung International Airport via a China Airlines flight on Saturday afternoon along with three of his friends for a backpacking trip. It is Wong’s first visit to Taiwan. He said he planned to tour scenic spots in Kaohsiung and Kenting National Park in Pingtung County. “The prize comes as a big surprise to me. I’m blessed ... I’ll share the prize with my friends,” said Wong who was also given a collection of gift items with a local flavor. The prizes are part of the Tourism Bureau’s efforts to attract more tourists to Taiwan. The 1 millionth visitor this year was a Malaysian who entered Taiwan from Taoyuan International Airport in April.


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