RESEARCH
Institute developing AUV
The nation will start development of its first indigenous autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), project officials said yesterday. The nation has the technology to develop its own AUV, which should be ready for the first round of testing in two years, Taiwan Oceanic Research Institute director Wang Chao-chang (王兆璋) said, adding that he hopes the project would be completed within five years with the allocation of adequate funds and personnel. The AUV would help boost oceanic research, military investigations and international disaster relief efforts, former deputy minister of national defense Admiral Chen Yung-kang (陳永康) said. The AUV development team comprises personnel from National Sun Yat-sen University, the Chung Cheng Institute of Technology at National Defense University, Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Group, CSBC Corp and the institute.
WEATHER
Heavy rains forecast
The nation is likely to experience heavy rains today due to the peripheral effects of Tropical Storm Mawar, the Central Weather Bureau said, warning of strong winds in western and southeastern Taiwan, the Hengchun Peninsula, and the coastal areas of the islands of Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu. The storm is unlikely to hit the nation directly, but its outer bands would bring rain, bureau forecaster Yen Tseng-hsi (顏增璽) said. The rain is expected to continue into tomorrow in the nation’s east and southeast, while other parts of the nation can expect occasional showers, he said.
DIPLOMACY
Tsai lauds Royce for support
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday presented US Representative Ed Royce with a special medal in recognition of his long-term support for Taiwan. Royce received the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon, which is presented to individuals who make a major contribution to the nation. As one of Taiwan’s most loyal and important friends, Royce fully deserves the medal, Tsai said. As chairman of the US House of Representatives’ Committee on Foreign Affairs, Royce has promoted legislation friendly to Taiwan, including a resolution reaffirming the “six assurances” and the Taiwan Relations Act as the cornerstone of Taiwan-US relations. He was also involved in drafting laws authorizing the sale of Perry-class guided missile frigates to Taiwan and backing the nation’s participation in the World Health Assembly, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Criminal Police Organization, Tsai said.
EMPLOYMENT
Number of furloughs rises
A total of 417 workers were on furlough at the end of last month, an increase of 66 from two weeks earlier, data released by the Ministry of Labor showed yesterday. As of Thursday, 16 employers were implementing unpaid leave programs with the agreement of their employees, an increase of four from Aug. 15, the data showed. A relatively larger number of furloughed workers were in the metal, mechanical and electrical industries, the data showed. The ministry said that most of the companies with employees on unpaid leave were small enterprises with fewer than 50 workers. All 16 employers that implemented furloughs did so after the employees agreed to take up to four days a month in unpaid leave for no more than three months, the ministry said.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it