Sat, May 11, 2024
Ruling and opposition lawmakers yesterday agreed to invite president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to give a state of the nation address at the Legislative Yuan after his inauguration on May 20.The consensus was reached during cross-caucus negotiations convened by Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜).Deta
Premier-designate Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday announced the latest list of deputy ministers who are to take office after the inauguration of president-elect William Lai (賴清德) on May 20.The list, a mixture of old and new officials, ensures continuity, with officials who have performed well staying o
MEDIA HUB: Taiwan’s commitment to freedom of the press has made it home to 176 correspondents from 86 media outlets from 22 countries, Tsai Ing-wen said The Human Rights Press Awards for Asia yesterday hosted its annual ceremony in Taiwan for the first time, celebrating journalism and human rights in a nation ranked best in Asia for press freedom.Taiwan boasts freedom of the press and has become an important hub for international media, being home t
Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano yesterday called for Chinese diplomats to be expelled over an alleged leak of a phone conversation with a Filipino admiral in a significant escalation of a bitter row over the South China Sea.China’s embassy in Manila had orchestrated “repeated acts o
The UN General Assembly was yesterday expected to back a Palestinian bid to become a full UN member by recognizing it as qualified to join and sending the application back to the UN Security Council to “reconsider the matter favorably.”The Palestinians are reviving their bid to become a full UN memb
FIGHT WITH FRAUD: Severe fraud would be punishable by a sentence of three to 10 years and a fine of up to NT$30 million, Cabinet officials told a news conference The Executive Yuan yesterday approved a slew of bills targeting fraud by raising the penalty for convicted scammers, increasing police surveillance powers and compelling social media platforms to remove scam advertisements.The bills aim to build a legal framework to aid the government’s fight agains
SECURITY CONCERNS: The Ministry of Transportation and Communications said Taipei wishes for healthy exchanges across the Taiwan Strait, but is against ‘united front’ tactics The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday said that any collaboration between the Lienchiang (Matsu) County Government and China’s Fujian Provincial Government to promote an international transportation card would contravene cross-strait law.In early March, Chinese media reported that the Fujian
COALITION: Democracies must bind together to meet the challenge of China and Russia’s ‘no-limits partnerhip’ to the rules-based international order, Wu said Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) called on democracies around the world to defend Taiwan by defending Ukraine, which he said would help deter Beijing’s military adventurism.“By helping Ukraine, democracies can increase their relative strength against the Chinese-Russian coalition,” Wu sai
Taiwan’s air force conducted live-fire training exercises deploying fighter jets, missiles and laser-guided bombs, the Military News Agency said yesterday, releasing footage of the drills 10 days before the inauguration of a new president China calls a “dangerous separatist.” The May 20 inauguration
The Taiwan High Court’s Kaohsiung branch office yesterday granted a request by the Kaohsiung branch of the High Prosecutors’ Office to detain a Taiwanese businessman surnamed Wen (溫), and two retired military officers, surnamed Chiang (江) and Chu (朱), for allegedly developing a network for China in
CULTURE RIGHTS: The Pazeh seek to join other officially recognized communities in Taiwan, such as the Amis, Atayal, Paiwan, Kavalan, Truku, Sakizaya and Kanakanavu The Pazeh have applied to become the 17th officially recognized indigenous community in Taiwan, the Council of Indigenous Peoples said on Thursday.Several Pazeh associations from Nantou, Miaoli and Taichung delivered an application to the council on Wednesday in a bid to receive official recognition
The state banquet for the presidential inauguration on May 20 in Tainan is to feature eight dishes prepared by 70 chefs and focus on showcasing Taiwan’s culinary expertise and heritage, an event organizer said.Formosa Yacht Resort chairman Hsieh Wen-hsiang (謝文祥) said the banquet served at the inaugu
ACCOUNTABILITY: Paying compensation to people and the commendation of Lin Shu-ya by the president do not make up for the lack of criminal proceedings, protesters said Control Yuan members and groups yesterday called for accountability over the fall of crane boom onto the tracks of the Taichung Mass Rapid Transit System (MRT) last year, causing a crash in which a woman died, in a protest at the National Human Rights Commission’s doorsteps in Taipei.The protest mar
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) and the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the CWA to enhance meteorological observation and space weather forecasts.Signed by CWA Administrator Cheng Chia-ping (程家平) and TASA Director-General Wu Jong-shinn (吳
FINAL RULING: Creating deepfake porn by using the likeness of people harms their reputation and mental health, the Supreme Court ruled The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an appeal by a Taiwanese YouTuber and upheld his five-year prison sentence by a lower court for creating non-consensual deepfake pornography featuring the likenesses of real individuals.In its ruling, the Supreme Court said there was no error in the sentence h
Taiwanese documentary film Flight-Exploring the Life of Birds, has won a Gold Award and an Award of Excellence at two US film festivals, Taijiang National Park Headquarters said in a statement on Wednesday.The film won a Gold Award in the Nature & Wildlife, Film & Video Productions category at the W
INSATIABLE: Almost all AI innovators are working with the chipmaker to address the rapidly growing AI-related demand for energy-efficient computing power, the CEO said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday reported about 60 percent annual growth in revenue for last month, benefiting from rapidly growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing applications.Revenue last month expanded to NT$236.02 billion (US$7.28
CONTRACTION: Inflation of 2.34% meant that average take-home pay decreased by 0.09% despite recording the second-highest wage increase in six years, DGBAS said Taiwan’s average monthly take-home pay last quarter increased by 2.25 percent from a year earlier to NT$46,030 (US$1,420), on the back of wage hikes in the public and private sectors, but inflation wiped out the benefit of growth, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS)
Apple Inc is to deliver some of its upcoming artificial intelligence (AI) features this year via data centers equipped with its in-house processors, as part of a sweeping effort to infuse its devices with AI capabilities.The company is placing high-end chips — similar to ones it designed for the Mac
A floor has ostensibly been placed under the deteriorating situation in the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has invited Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) politicians to China to project a more positive narrative of cross-strait relations.Lauding the so-called “great unity of the Chine
With each passing day, the threat of a People’s Republic of China (PRC) assault on Taiwan grows. Whatever one’s view about the history, there is essentially no question that a PRC conquest of Taiwan would mark the end of the autonomy and freedom enjoyed by the island’s 23 million people. Simply put,
I still remember the first time I heard about the possibility of an invasion by China. I was SIX years old. I thought war was coming and hid in my bed, scared. After 18 years, the invasion news tastes like a sandwich I eat every morning. As a Gen Z Taiwanese student who has witnessed China’s harassm
ONE-ONE AND ONE-ONE: Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland past the Celtics, while Luka Doncic of Dallas scored 29 points as the Mavericks defeated the Thunder Cleveland and Dallas on Thursday turned the tables on their top-seeded opponents, the Cavaliers shocking the Boston Celtics and the Mavericks silencing the Thunder to level their respective NBA playoff series at one game apiece.Donovan Mitchell led a comprehensive Cleveland effort as the Cavaliers p
The Dallas Stars on Thursday built another multi-goal lead against the high-scoring Colorado Avalanche and held on to win 5-3 in Game 2, avoiding another 0-2 hole in the NHL playoffs.“Found a way to win the game, and that’s the most important thing,” Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen said.Heiskanen sc
Atalanta BC’s Ademola Lookman, Matteo Ruggeri and El Bilal Toure on Thursday all got on the scoresheet to send the Italian side to their first Europa League final with a 3-0 win over Olympique de Marseille for a 4-1 aggregate victory.They are to play Bayer 04 Leverkusen, who overcame AS Roma, in the
Caitlin Clark on Thursday walked into her new home arena with No. 22 shirts and jerseys peppered from floor to ceiling.She left as a first-time WNBA winner.A late-arriving, but louder-than-usual crowd roared during her official introduction to Fever fans and again when Clark made her first basket, a
‘FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL’: Israel must go into Rafah to finish off Hamas’ battalions or the terrorist group would ‘murder again and again,’ the prime minister said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a defiant tone against US President Joe Biden after Washington withheld a shipment of bombs as a warning to its top Middle East ally not to invade the southern Gaza city of Rafah.In a first, punchy clip on the social media site X, Netanyahu said: “If
A transitional council tasked with choosing new leaders for Haiti is changing the way it operates in a move that surprised many as gang violence consumes the country.Instead of having a single council president, four veteran politicians are to take turns leading the council every five months, accord
Using virtual-reality (VR) headsets, students at a Hong Kong university travel to a pavilion above the clouds to watch an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated Albert Einstein explain game theory.The students are part of a course at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) that is
1839 Contemporary Art Gallery (1839當代藝廊) is an easy art space to miss. Located down a side-street in Taipei’s Daan District (大安) the gallery doesn’t exactly scream “come in.” But the discreet facade and somewhat pedestrian setting of 1839 deflects those who are not seeking out the Aladdin’s Cave of
Few scenes are more representative of rural Taiwan than a mountain slope covered in row upon row of carefully manicured tea plants. Like staring at the raked sand in a Zen garden, seeing these natural features in an unnaturally perfect arrangement of parallel lines has a certain calming effect. Snap
Taiwan’s vibrant contemporary art scene is set to become the center of attention this month with the return of Taipei Dangdai (台北當代藝術博覽會). Known as “Taipei’s global art fair,” Taipei Dangdai opens its doors to the general public at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center (南港展覽館) Hall 1, today. Presente
Japan has long been a popular tourist destination for people worldwide. Travelers love to experience the country’s unique culture, stunning sites, and delicious cuisine. Springtime is a particularly popular period to visit. Cherry blossoms, or sakura, are in full bloom, and tourists and locals alike
A: From Logy and MUME to JL Studio, winners on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list are all high-end fine dining restaurants.B: Really? I wonder how a meal costs there?A: I once dined at RAW, which used to be on the list: the meal cost NT$6,888 each plus 10 percent service charge.B: But fine dini
A: Wow, three Taiwanese restaurants just won the 2024 “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants” awards.B: Awesome! Which three restaurants?A: Taipei’s Logy at No. 22 and MUME at No. 34, and Taichung’s JL Studio at No. 33.B: Actually, there are many more great establishments in Taipei. How about other Asian c
It’s certainly been a pleasure watching the presidential campaign launch of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Hou You-yi (侯友宜) lurch painfully about like a wounded pachyderm in search of an elephant graveyard. Hou’s fall to third place in some polls last week appears early, and it might still be recoverable. But grumbling in his party about replacing him has already begun. Indeed, all indications are that the party that twice gave us Lien Chan (連戰), the most despised politician in Taiwan, as a presidential candidate and later offered voters Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) and Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), is arcing along its normal descending trajectory, the North Korean missile test of electoral politics. A KIND OF POLICY PLATFORM Last week the KMT doubled down on this path with Hou’s calls for nuclear power and more death penalty executions, standard KMT fare for decades (the latter is unnecessary since so many potential criminals are likely to die in traffic accidents long before they harm anyone). Apparently KMT policy institutions are not echo chambers so much as mausoleums where dead ideas are embalmed and then periodically put on display. The lack of public policy imagination is obvious. A less obvious facet of KMT ineptitude: with years of speculation that Hou would be their man in 2024, neither Hou nor the party insisted on interesting or experimental public policies to showcase Hou’s greatness in preparation for the showdown. Of course, that is even more true of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Hou’s slide and the media buzz surrounding it are obscuring the truly urgent problem the pro-Taiwan side faces: DPP presidential candidate William Lai (賴清德) has not expanded his voter support beyond the party base. In most polls he remains below 40 percent. Independent voters are staying away in droves, and for the moment the young are turning to
July 17 to July 23 When Yeh Ken-chuang (葉根壯) came of age, the traditional skills of architecture and carpentry that had been in his family for four generations were disappearing. After helping his uncle Yeh Teh-ling (葉得令) construct ships, residences and temples for more than a decade, Yeh struck out on his own at the age of 28 in 1960 as a damusi (大木司, chief carpenter), earning his lifelong title “Chief Chuang” (壯司). Around this time, builders in his homeland of Penghu were increasingly using reinforced concrete instead of wood, due to the humid climate. The period also saw a frenzy in temple construction as the economy improved, meaning there was plenty of work for Yeh. Adept in non-structural techniques such as doors, windows and furniture, as well as the intricate carvings and detailed decorations that adorned the structures, Yeh was able to adapt his skills, leading the reconstruction of the historic Hsiliao Daitian Temple (西寮代天宮) on Penghu’s main island in 1963. According to the book Crossing Traditions in Yeh Ken-chuang’s Large-scale Carpentry Skills (宮廟巧藝 :跨越傳統的葉根壯大木作技術), it was Penghu’s first temple that used a purely reinforced concrete structure. Before his life was cut short, Yeh created more than 70 temples and related structures across the various islands of Penghu and left behind more than 230 building plans. Although Yeh could have built temples and other structures on Taiwan proper, he only worked on a handful of projects outside of Penghu because he wanted to be close to his family. CLAN OF CARPENTERS The Yeh family’s woodworking tradition began with Yeh Ma-li (葉媽利), who learned the architecture and carpentry trade from an unknown master on Kinmen. The Yehs trace their roots to Kinmen, although this branch had been living in Penghu since the early 1600s. Yeh Ma-li was Penghu’s chief temple builder between 1860 and
New Taipei City | 14-23 | 10% | |
Hsinchu County | 14-22 | 10% | |
Hsinchu City | 14-22 | 10% | |
Taipei City | 14-22 | 10% | |
Miaoli County | 12-22 | 10% | |
Taoyuan City | 14-22 | 10% | |
Keelung City | 15-21 | 10% |
Yunlin County | 14-24 | 0% | |
Taichung City | 14-24 | 0% | |
Nantou County | 14-24 | 0% | |
Changhua County | 14-23 | 0% |
Chiayi County | 13-24 | 0% | |
Chiayi City | 14-25 | 0% | |
Tainan City | 15-22 | 0% | |
Kaohsiung City | 17-23 | 0% | |
Pingtung County | 16-25 | 0% |
Yilan County | 14-22 | 10% | |
Hualien County | 16-22 | 10% | |
Taitung County | 17-23 | 10% |
Kinmen County | 11-18 | 0% | |
Penghu County | 17-20 | 0% | |
Lienchiang County | 10-13 | 10% |