Fri, Oct 18, 2024
Taiwan’s population could fall below 15 million by 2070, suggesting that issues with the nation’s aging population and declining birthrate would not improve, the National Development Council (NDC) said in its latest population projection released yesterday.The council publishes its population projec
OUT OF TAIPEI? Agencies have been told to formulate a response that would ‘uphold Taiwan’s sovereignty’ after South Africa ordered Taiwan to move its office The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not rule out demanding that South Africa move its representative office outside of Taipei in retaliation for its ultimatum that Taiwan relocate its representative office to Johannesburg, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday.South Africa on Oct. 7 issu
DEFENSE ARRANGEMENTS: ’Taiwan’s capabilities to respond in an asymmetric way’ against China’s gray-zone tactics are important, Michael Chase said in Washington The US “strongly supports” Taiwan to enhance its whole-of-society resilience, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China, Taiwan and Mongolia Michael Chase said at the Global Taiwan Institute’s annual symposium in Washington on Wednesday, adding that the Legislative Yuan should approve the E
Five Southeast Asian nations yesterday said that they had agreed to share aviation data and information among themselves, including reports of severe turbulence, to help make air travel safer.Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understandi
The China Coast Guard yesterday said it had “expelled” a Japanese ship from waters around the Diaoyutais (釣魚台).The uninhabited islands — which are known as the Senkakus in Japan — are claimed by Taipei and Beijing, but are administered by Tokyo.China Coast Guard spokesman Liu Dejun (劉德軍) said that a
OLIVE BRANCH: Despite their differences, both sides of the Taiwan Strait must seek common ground to resolve issues peacefully, SEF Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia said The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) yesterday said it is planning to give two Formosan sika deer to the Fuzhou Zoo (福州動物園) in China as an olive branch, despite the military exercises by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Monday. While visiting Daciou Island (大坵) in Lienchiang County (Ma
Former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) office yesterday said it would not comment on a US media outlet’s report saying that Tsai is to visit the US in the next few weeks after finishing her current travels in Europe. Politico’s National Security Daily newsletter cited two people familiar with the pla
MOBILIZATION: Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo said the youth corps had no military role, and the activities are to train students to keep them and others safe The Ministry of Education (MOE) yesterday withdrew a call for high-school and college students to volunteer for the youth service corps amid pushback from legislators accusing the government of conscripting children.The decision came a day after lawmakers questioned Minister of Education Cheng Ying-
A National Taiwan University (NTU) study shows a positive correlation between the diagnoses of colorectal cancer and screening, suggesting that the age at which colon cancer should be screened should be lowered to 45, which could reduce the number of colorectal cancer diagnoses by 1,800 within the n
An academic on Sunday urged businesses to get used to hiring older people as Taiwan is poised to become a “super aged society” next year.Local enterprises must recognize the “inevitability” of the nation’s workforce getting older and adjust recruitment policies accordingly, said Hsin Ping-long (辛炳隆)
The Ministry of Education (MOE) would consider civic groups’ growing concerns about cellphone usage in schools, and promote any legislation passed by the Legislative Yuan, Deputy Minister of Education Chang Liao Wan-chien (張廖萬堅) said yesterday.The Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee y
THRIVING ECOSYSTEM: The ministry said the goal is sports equity, social inclusion and sustainable development, and to enhance Taiwan’s international participation The Cabinet yesterday approved a plan to establish a ministry of sports by August next year, with an allocated budget of NT$20 billion (US$621.74 million).The new ministry would include a “sports-for-all” administration and three non-departmental public bodies: the national sports training center, n
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in India on Wednesday opened a branch in Mumbai, bringing the number offices in India to three, Taiwanese officials said.A plaque unveiling ceremony for the center’s third Indian office was hosted by Representative to India Baushuan Ger (葛葆萱) and TECC i
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Wednesday met with a group of current and former members of the French Parliament in Paris, as part of a European tour that has drawn protests from Beijing.Tsai on Wednesday toured the French Senate accompanied by a group of French senators led by Jean-Baptiste
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) expressed Taiwan’s firm support for Ukrainians in their fight to defend freedom and democracy while welcoming the Ukrainian National Folk Dance Ensemble on their first tour in Taiwan.“Since Russia’s invasion, it has been more than two years of war in U
BIG THREAT: Through its war games, China is quickly enhancing its mobilization abilities, and with its state of readiness, it can switch from drills to war right away China is building its capacity to rapidly turn military drills into a full-out attack, a senior Taiwan security official said, providing the government’s assessment of the strategic intent behind Beijing’s war games around Taiwan earlier this week.China staged large-scale drills on Monday that it sa
DEMAND FOR AI CHIPS: Net income in the third quarter surged 31.2% quarter-on-quarter to NT$325.26 billion, the strongest quarterly return in the company’s history Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, yesterday raised its revenue forecast to annual growth of 30 percent this year, thanks to strong and sustainable demand for artificial intelligence (AI) processors for servers.It was the second upward adjustme
CAUTIOUS OUTLOOK: As concerns about iPhone 16 sales are rising, revenue for this month would be flat and next month’s would be lower, chief executive Adam Lin said Largan Precision Co (大立光) yesterday reported that its net profit last quarter hit the highest in eight quarters, driven by strong demand for smartphone camera lenses and gross margin improvement, but the company offered a cautious outlook for this quarter.The nation’s largest handset camera lens mak
The latest loan restrictions are aimed at slowing house prices and transactions, and more time is needed to see if the credit controls can achieve their intended effect, central bank Governor Yang Chin-long (楊金龍) told the legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday.Yang explained his policy decisions
The nation’s food self-sufficiency rate dropped to an 18-year low of 30.3 percent last year due to a decrease in rice production and a change in the dietary habits of Taiwanese, a report by the Ministry of Agriculture showed.The average person in Taiwan last year ate 42.07kg of rice, down from 44.96
The relationship between India and Taiwan is evolving, driven by a shared understanding of the need for enhanced cooperation across various sectors. While the semiconductor industry has captured significant attention due to its strategic importance and mutual economic interests, it is equally import
World Sight Day was on Thursday last week. The WHO in 1998 set its sights on raising awareness of eye health, designating the second Thursday of October every year as the date, working alongside several international organizations to expand healthcare guarantees for vision, and promoting activities
’SIXTY YEARS OF HURT’: Thomas Tuchel signed an 18-month contract that starts from Jan. 1 next year until the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Thomas Tuchel said he must rise to the challenge of ending England’s wait for a first major trophy since 1966, as the German was unveiled as the new manager of the Three Lions on Wednesday.Former Chelsea boss Tuchel is to start his new job on Jan. 1 next year, on an 18-month deal until the conclusio
Pete Alonso is taking no chances with his playoff pumpkin. Wearing a custom hoodie highlighting his now-famous lucky squash, the New York Mets’ slugger on Wednesday said the pumpkin was stashed away in his locker at Citi Field.However, away from home, he rarely lets it out of sight.“What I do, I alw
France’s capital city might finally be about to have a second major soccer club, and a challenger to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), with a takeover of Paris FC by the country’s richest family along with energy drinks giant Red Bull expected to be announced in the coming days.News broke last week that ta
The US National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) expansion team in Boston apologized on Wednesday for a “Too Many Balls” marketing campaign that drew a harsh reaction from the transgender community and others.A day after unveiling the slogan as part of the rollout of the team name BOS Nation FC, the org
IRANIAN THREATS: Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami said that it would be a ‘mistake’ for Israel to attack Iran and if it did ‘we will strike you again painfully’ Israel yesterday bombed a Syrian coastal city, while the US conducted multiple strikes on targets in Yemen nearly a month into Israel’s war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.Syria, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hezbollah and Hamas in Gaza all belong to the so-called “axis of resistance” led by Iran, which on
NATO TALKS: The focus was on getting military aid into Ukraine to make sure Kyiv could negotiate from a position of strength, if that day comes, NATO’s head said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy yesterday arrived in Brussels to defend his “victory plan” for Ukraine to EU leaders and NATO defense ministers, with the outlook on the battlefield bleak in Kyiv’s battle to repel the Russian invasion.More than two-and-a-half years into the war, Kyiv is losin
Five Pacific island nations yesterday plotted how to prosecute a pivotal UN court case that aims to hold climate-polluting countries to account.The International Court of Justice is to start hearings on Dec. 2 in a case that would test countries’ climate obligations and whether they can be sued for
“Wish You Luck is not just a culinary experience, it’s a continuation of our cultural tradition,” says James Vuong (王豪豐), owner of the Daan District (大安) Hong Kong diner. On every corner of Kowloon, diners pack shoulder-to-shoulder over strong brews of Hong-Kong-style milk tea, chowing down on Frenc
Forty years on from its 1984 release, Bronski Beat’s new wave hit Smalltown Boy has transcended generations to become an LGBTQ anthem for young and old alike.Narrowly spared the censor’s axe in a Britain where being gay was only partially decriminalized, its tale of coming out and fleeing home has f
Things are going a little too well in Anora until a call from Russia and a knock at the door changes the trajectory of the movie. This extended sequence, deeply stressful and riotously funny at the same time, is reason enough to see Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner. But somehow the journey that follow
A: Just like the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Kamala Harris, the Republican Party’s Donald Trump has received endorsements from some celebrities, including SpaceX founder Elon Musk.B: Plus, a new film, “The Apprentice,” about Trump’s rise was released recently.A: Isn’t it the same ti
A: The US presidential election set for Nov. 5 is just two weeks away.B: A number of famous entertainers, including Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce and George Clooney have endorsed the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Kamala Harris.A: Some young artists, such as Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Ka
With the demands of academic life, do you frequently find yourself struggling to maintain focus and alertness in the afternoon hours? If so, this may be a sign that your body is in need of a brief respite—a nap.The tendency to feel sleepy in the afternoon is largely attributed to our internal mechan
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% |