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Taiwan News Quick Take

■ CROSS-STRAIT TIES

Trio heading for Antarctica

Taiwan and China will cooperate on research in Antarctica for the first time, as three Taiwanese biologists join a Chinese team for periods ranging up to three months, said Wang Wei-hsien (王維賢), director of the Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium. One of the trio will board the Chinese icebreaker and research vessel Xue Long, which is due to set off from Shanghai on Sunday, carrying 251 researchers. The other two Taiwanese will join the team later. The Taiwanese will study organic pollution and marine organisms during their stay. “Taiwanese researchers haven’t set foot on Antarctica for decades. This will be a whole new experience for us,” Wang said. Taiwan and China agreed to join hands when Xue Long made its high-profile maiden voyage to Taiwan in April on the way back from its 25th mission to Antarctica.

Some 2,000 people visited the ship while it was anchored in Kaohsiung.



■ LABOR

TIWA seeks rally mascot

The Taiwan International Workers Association (TIWA) is seeking submissions of a “tired robot” mascot to be used as the symbol of this year’s immigrant workers’ parade in December. The group said a “tired robot” was the perfect symbol because many Taiwanese employers treat their migrant workers as “machines” rather than humans — forcing many of them to work seven days a week and rarely giving them days off, the TIWA said in a statement. “However, even robots would get exhausted from working non-stop, so why wouldn’t humans?” the group said. The TIWA has been holding parades in support of immigrant workers’ rights since 2005. Those interested in submitting a design can e-mail it to tiwa@tiwa.org.tw before Oct. 31. More information about the design contest can be found at www.tiwa.org.tw.


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