Wed, Feb 01, 2023
FEWER CASES: The positivity rate of travelers from China has dropped from more than 20% when the program started on Jan. 1 to about 2% last week The COVID-19 testing requirement for travelers from China is to be lifted from Tuesday next week and the testing guidelines for all inbound international travelers during the self-disease prevention period is to be eased to only taking an at-home rapid test when symptoms occur, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced yesterday. Shortly after former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) took over as the new premier yesterday morning, he visited the CECC to learn about its COVID-19 surveillance and response operations. Chen said the world now has better control over the COVID-19 situation and the number of new infections is falling, and that the CECC would continue to monitor the outbreak in China, so he and CECC officials discussed easing masking rules and border control measures. Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝), who heads the CECC, announced that starting from Tuesday next week, the testing requirement for travelers from China — either on direct flights from four major cities in China or through the special direct travel program between China and Taiwan’s outlying islands of Kinmen and Matsu — would be removed. The pre-departure negative test result requirement for travelers from China transiting through Macau or Hong Kong is also to be lifted from Tuesday next week, he said. Wang said the reasons for removing the testing requirement include that the positivity rate of travelers from China had dropped, from more than 20 percent when the program started on Jan. 1 to an average of about 2 percent last week. While conducting genomic sequencing for detecting possible new high-risk variants was the main purpose of the testing program, the decline in the number of positive cases leads to fewer samples for genomic sequencing, he said, adding that no new dangerous variant had been detected and the vast majority of travelers who tested positive
Thai Police General Damrongsak Kittiprapas yesterday apologized over allegations that Thai police might have extorted money from a Taiwanese celebrity. The apology came after Bangkok Police Chief Thiti Saengsawang on Monday said that Thai police officers might have extorted money from Taiwanese actress Charlene An (安于晴) after previously denying reports and accusations of such behavior last week. “Witnesses are being called to confirm the wrongdoing, the amount of money given, the person who gave a bribe for the release of the tourist and the officer who took it,” Thiti was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post. Thiti said police helmet recordings were erased, but that forensic investigators would have to determine if they were erased manually or expired automatically. Kittiprapas “apologized to people who were affected by the actions of police on duty at the time,” the Post reported, adding that he had instructed Thiti to ascertain the facts of the case. Seven of 14 police officers questioned over the allegation were transferred to inactive positions pending further investigation, the Post added. The case came to light through an Instagram Story — a temporary video that automatically deletes after a short period — posted by An last month. In it, An said she and her friends were extorted by Thai police on Jan. 4 while on vacation. An said her party was flagged down at a checkpoint close to the Chinese embassy in Bangkok, and Thai police officers raised several issues to hold them and prevented them from using their phones to call for assistance. Eventually, An said, after more than an hour of quibbling, the party figured out that the police officers were actually trying to extort them down for money, and they made it clear they were not regular officers, but were “more expensive.” An said the ordeal concluded with her party handing over 27,000 baht
A suicide bombing on Monday that struck inside a mosque at a police and government compound in northwest Pakistan reflects “security lapses,” officials said as the death toll from the devastating blast climbed to 100 yesterday. The blast, which ripped through a Sunni mosque inside a major police facility in the city of Peshawar, was one of the deadliest attacks on Pakistani security forces in recent years. It left as many as 225 wounded, some still in serious condition in hospital, Peshawar senior police officer Kashif Aftab Abbasi said. More than 300 worshipers were praying in the mosque, with more approaching, when the bomber set off his explosives vest on Monday morning, officials said. The explosion blew off part of the roof, and what was left soon caved in, injuring many more, police officer Zafar Khan said. Rescuers had to remove mounds of debris to reach worshipers still trapped under the rubble. More bodies were retrieved overnight and early yesterday, said Mohammad Asim, a government hospital spokesman in Peshawar, and several of those critically injured died. Bilal Faizi, the chief rescue official, said rescue teams were still working at the site yesterday as more people were believed to be trapped inside. Counterterrorism police are investigating how the bomber was able to reach the mosque, which is in a walled compound, inside a high-security zone with other government buildings. “Yes, it was a security lapse,” said Ghulam Ali, the provincial governor in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, of which Peshawar is the capital. Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited a hospital in Peshawar after the bombing and vowed “stern action” against those behind the attack. “The sheer scale of the human tragedy is unimaginable. This is no less than an attack on Pakistan,” he wrote on Twitter.
US President Joe Biden on Monday said that Washington would not provide F-16 jets to Ukraine, as Kyiv expands the list of weaponry it needs to be better able to drive Russian forces from occupied territories. Fighting continued at key points along the long front as Russian forces sought to expand their hold on territory in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin-appointed leader of Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, claimed Russian forces were advancing near Vugledar, a strategically valuable town southwest of Donetsk. “Now we can say that units have established positions in the eastern part of Vugledar, and work is also being carried out in the vicinity,” Pushilin said. Kyiv rejected the claim, while conceding that the fighting there was tough. “There are constant attempts to break through our defense,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said late on Sunday. “The enemy ... maintains a high intensity of attack.” Last week, Western nations including the US and Germany approved the delivery of heavy battle tanks to Ukraine. The move is a departure from a previous position that tanks were considered a step too far in their support for Ukraine and could risk a widening backlash from Russia. However, Biden on Monday appeared to draw the line on supplying US fighter jets to Ukraine. “No,” he said when asked by reporters at the White House if he was in favor of sending F-16s or others. However, European leaders said they were open to the idea, even if Ukraine has not yet formally requested advanced fighter aircraft from its allies. Analysts believe both Ukraine and Russia are gearing up for significant offensive movements in the coming months and Western aircraft could increase Kyiv’s strength, with its own air force significantly depleted by 11 months of war. French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said that he would not rule out giving fighter aircraft to
DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM: Czech president-elect Petr Pavel said his nation stands firmly on the side of democracy and would boost cooperation with Taipei in all aspects Czech president-elect Petr Pavel spoke by telephone with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday, a highly unusual move given the lack of formal ties and a diplomatic coup for Taipei. Tsai spoke with Pavel for 15 minutes in a harmonious atmosphere, Presidential Office spokeswoman Lin Yu-chan (林聿禪) said, adding that Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) was also present during the conversation. Lin quoted Pavel as telling Tsai that Taiwan is a trustworthy partner, adding that the Czech Republic stands firmly on the side of democracy and supports Taiwan in maintaining a lively democratic system free from authoritarian coercion. The Czech Republic would boost cooperation with Taiwan in all aspects, he added. Most nations’ leaders avoid high-level public interactions with Taiwan and its president, not wishing to provoke China, the world’s second-largest economy. Then-US president-elect Donald Trump in 2016 spoke by telephone with Tsai shortly after winning the election, setting off a storm of protest from Beijing. Pavel, a retired general who served as the head of NATO’s military committee from 2015 to 2018, beat populist billionaire Andrej Babis in a presidential runoff. He is due to take the oath of office on March 9 and replace Czech President Milos Zeman, who promoted friendly ties with China and Russia until Moscow invaded Ukraine in February last year. Analysts said that Pavel’s approach would be very different from Zeman’s with a strong pro-Western drive focusing on ties with the EU and NATO. Pavel, a staunch supporter of war-torn Ukraine and of its bid to join the EU, talked to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy by telephone on Sunday. In an interview with the Czech Radio, Pavel said he would support his nation’s links with Taiwan, a major investor in the Czech Republic. Prague officially pursues a “one China” policy, like the EU, but Czech officials foster close ties with Taiwan. Pavel said the “one
INCREASED RISK: The Omicron BA.2.75 subvariant has higher immune evasive capacity, but the CECC is more concerned about newer subvariants such as XBB and BQ.1 With the peak season for infectious respiratory diseases coming to an end, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday said that details of the next phase of lifting COVID-19 masking rules — removing the mask requirement in most indoor settings — are to be announced this week. Discussions on lifting other COVID-19 restrictions are also being held, including further easing border control measures, home isolation requirements and revising the definition for reporting cases, while also downgrading COVID-19 to a lower category of notifiable communicable disease, said Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝), who heads the CECC. As the daily case counts in the past few days have significantly increased, the CECC would need to monitor the situation for a few more days to determine whether the increase in cases has been caused by fewer people seeking medical attention during the Lunar New Year holiday or if another wave of infections has arrived, Wang said. The CECC yesterday reported 22,138 new domestic cases, 153 imported cases and 30 deaths, while the number of local cases increased by 110.8 percent compared with the number reported on Monday last week. The total number of new local cases last week increased by 5.7 percent compared with the week before, Wang said. The CECC’s weekly genomic surveillance data suggested that the Omicron BA.2.75 subvariant had become the dominant strain circulating in the nation, while 11 cases of the Omicron CH.1.1 subvariant had been detected, he said. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC’s medical response division, said the weekly genomic surveillance data showed that of the sequenced local cases last week, 53 percent were the BA.2.75 subvariant, which has replaced the BA.5 subvariant in becoming the dominant strain circulating in local communities. The BA.5 subvariant made up 35 percent of the
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SPECIAL MUNICIPALITY: Keelung residents do not have access to resources and legal status equivalent to their neighbors, Keelung Mayor George Hsieh said A majority of 54.9 percent of Keelung residents want the city to be upgraded to a special municipality, Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑) said yesterday, citing a survey conducted by the Keelung City Government. The poll showed that 26.5 percent of respondents support a merger of Keelung, Taipei and New Taipei City. Lin revealed the survey results as he called for a meeting with former Keelung mayor and Minister of the Interior Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) to discuss a possible upgrade, saying the central government should respect the will of the majority of the city’s residents. According to the poll, 30.3 percent of respondents somewhat approved of the proposal to upgrade the city to a special municipality and 24.6 percent highly approved of it, while 13.1 percent of residents somewhat disapproved of the proposal and 6.1 percent highly disapproved of it, Hsieh said. Support for joining Keelung, Taipei and New Taipei City was highest among high-school or vocational middle school graduates at 30.3 percent, he cited the poll as saying. Meanwhile, support for combining Keelung, New Taipei City’s Sijhih District (汐止) and Taipei was highest among people in their 50s with 31.3 percent, as well as those with vocational high school diplomas at 32.6 percent, Hsieh said. Merging Keelung and the seven nearest districts of New Taipei City had the highest support among people in their 20s at 22 percent, as well as those with a college degree at 20.8 percent, he said. A combination of Keelung and New Taipei City enjoyed the strongest support among people in their 40s at 16.8 percent, he added. Keelung is the only administrative division in northern Taiwan that remains an autonomous city instead of a special municipality or county, such as Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan and Hsinchu, he said. This means Keelung residents do not have access to resources and legal
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The Tourism Bureau plans to offer incentives to attract international tourists as the nation plans to gradually lift all travel restrictions to contain COVID-19, Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said yesterday. The incentives would be funded by surplus national tax revenue from last year, Wang said. The funding could be appropriated after the legislature passes draft special statutes governing the use of the surplus tax revenue in the upcoming legislative session, he said. Of the NT$450 billion (US$14.97 billion) in surplus tax revenue, the government plans to spend NT$100 billion on seven categories of projects to bolster Taiwan’s economic resilience amid challenges brought by global inflation, he added. The categories include housing and public transportation projects, incentives to attract international tourists, and infrastructure upgrades for the agriculture and fishery industries, Wang said. “Once the Legislative Yuan passes the draft special statutes, we can begin appropriating funding after submitting the budget plan,” he said. “Incentives for international tourists could become available before April,” he added. The incentives would be offered to group and individual travelers, Wang said. “The Tourism Bureau plans to subsidize overseas travel agencies that organize tours to Taiwan and Taiwanese travel agencies that host inbound travelers,” he said. “For individual travelers, the bureau is considering offering them EasyCards and vouchers for Taiwan Tour Bus rides. They might also receive a voucher to buy Taiwanese fruits at convenience stores,” Wang said. The funding, which would be available until 2025, would cover the broadcast of tourism commercials in international media, he said. “We have seen a strong recovery in domestic tourism, as shown in a dramatic increase of travelers during the Lunar New Year holiday. Our next goal should be to attract international travelers. Their greater purchasing power would boost the businesses of international tourist hotels and travel agencies that host inbound travelers,”
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Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) yesterday said his main missions this year would be to reduce the number of pedestrians killed in traffic accidents and ensure that Taiwan Railways Corp is officially established by January next year. Wang, who is among the ministers asked to remain in office following a Cabinet reshuffle, spoke with reporters after being sworn in yesterday morning. “Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) talked to me about the necessity of completing the last mile of corporatizing the Taiwan Railways Administration [TRA],” Wang said. “When they asked me to stay, I did not hesitate and promised to do my best... We have achieved so much in the past two years and the last thing that I wanted to do was to leave without accomplishing my goals,” he said. A draft budget for the soon-to-be-established corporation would be completed next month, Wang said, adding that it would be delivered to the Executive Yuan in May so that it can be deliberated at the legislature in the second half of this year. The ministry would in April begin seeking individuals to serve on the corporation’s board, he said. The board would be formed in June and the TRA would be registered as a state-run firm in September, he added. Regarding traffic safety, Wang said he recruited former Hsinchu deputy mayor Shen Hui-hung (沈慧虹) to run a program to enhance the safety of pedestrians. “About 300 to 400 pedestrians are killed in traffic accidents every year. I gave her [Shen] the task of enhancing the safety of pedestrians and appropriated sufficient personnel for her to use,” Wang said. Shen would coordinate with local government officials to provide facilities for pedestrians and ensure covered walkways are not blocked by parked scooters or other objects, he said. One of the three deputy ministers
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday unveiled proposed traffic amendments that would increase penalties for motorists who do not give way to pedestrians on crosswalks. The proposal would fix the fine for drivers of small passenger vehicles and large commercial vehicles who fail to yield to pedestrians on crosswalks or at non-signalized intersections at NT$3,600, up from the current NT$2,000 to NT$2,600 and NT$2,800 to NT$3,600 respectively. The NT$1,200 to NT$1,500 fine for motorcyclists who breach the same rules remains unchanged, the ministry said. Meanwhile, drivers of small passenger vehicles who fail to yield to visually impaired pedestrians with a white cane or guide dog on a crosswalk would be fined NT$4,800 to NT$7,200, up from the current NT$3,600 to NT$5,400. The revised regulations are to take effect after a one-month preview period starting yesterday, the ministry said.
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Two international same-sex couples yesterday registered their marriages in Taipei, after the government last month recognized same-sex unions in which the foreign partner is from a jurisdiction that does not allow gay marriage, except China. The couples registered their marriages in Taipei’s Xinyi District (信義) Household Registration Office. Malaysian Chang Ssu-hsiang (張斯翔) proposed to his partner, Taiwanese Kang Ting-wei (康庭瑋), six years ago, but they could not register their marriage even after same-sex marriage was legalized in Taiwan. Chang said that he fought for his right in the hope of showing the public and the judiciary that international same-sex couples “are living people, not excluded data.” The purpose of getting married is to take care of each other and be together legally in a place that is familiar to the couple, he said. The other couple — Jonathan from Taiwan and Hank from Malaysia — said “marriage is the fruit of love,” adding that “love has no gender or nationality.” The Legislative Yuan in May 2019 passed the Enforcement Act of Judicial Yuan Constitutional Interpretation No. 748 (司法院釋字第748號解釋施行法), legalizing same-sex marriage. However, transnational couples in which one of the partners is from a country that does not allow gay marriage could still not get married in Taiwan. The Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights helped the couples file administrative appeals and administrative litigations, which have resulted in several favorable verdicts. The Ministry of the Interior on Jan. 19 notified local governments that all international same-sex marriages, except those involving a partner from China, should be recognized following then-premier Su Tseng-chang’s (蘇貞昌) instruction. Alliance attorney Victoria Hsu (許秀雯) yesterday congratulated the couples who were able to get married after fighting for their rights for a long time. “It is not easy to change society,” she said, adding that a more equal Taiwan is possible as long as people
UNABLE TO PRACTICE: A doctor lost months of income after he injured his hip after being scratched by a macaw set loose by its owner A man in Tainan has been ordered to pay NT$3.04 million (US$101,158) in damages to a doctor for injuries caused by his pet macaw in 2020. The man, surnamed Huang (黃), was ordered to compensate the doctor, surnamed Lin (林), for his financial losses over half a year when he was unable to practice due to the injuries caused by the macaw, the Tainan District Court said in a ruling issued on Dec. 30. The doctor suffered a hip joint dislocation and an acetabulum bone fracture on his right hip on the evening of July 13, 2020, when he was attacked by the macaw while jogging on an access road in Gueiren District (歸仁) after Huang released the bird without taking any precautions. Lin fell to the ground when the macaw suddenly approached him from behind and scratched the back of his head. Although Huang immediately called an ambulance to take Lin to a hospital, the doctor had to undergo one week of treatment there, and then rest at home for more than half a year and be looked after by a care provider. Lin sued Huang for NT$3.68 million in compensation for his financial losses, including a monthly salary of NT$220,000 and other medical and caregiving expenses, the ruling said. The court awarded Lin NT$3.04 million in compensation — a ruling that can be appealed. It also sentenced Huang to two months in jail for causing unintentional injuries.
CORDIAL TIES: Monday’s phone call between Tsai Ing-wen and the Czech president-elect is proof that Taiwan has build solid partnerships in Europe, a spokesman said The government yesterday expressed its interest in holding an in-person meeting between President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Czech president-elect Petr Pavel after Pavel suggested the idea during a telephone call with Tsai on Monday. “The president-elect has expressed his willingness [to hold a personal meeting]. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs [MOFA] will do its utmost to support efforts that would deepen the partnership between Taiwan and the Czech Republic,” ministry spokesman Jeff Liu (劉永健) said. Tsai congratulated Pavel with his election victory during their telephone conversation. The call was highly unusual, as Prague does not have official diplomatic ties with Taipei. Leaders of countries that recognize Beijing normally avoid having direct contact with Taiwanese presidents to avoid provoking China. Tsai previously spoke on the phone with then-US president-elect Donald Trump on Dec. 2, 2016, to congratulate him on his election win. Liu said that Monday’s call is concrete proof that Taiwan has over the past few years built solid partnerships with central and eastern European countries. Tsai told Pavel that Taiwanese and Czech have deep ties, and value freedom, democracy and human rights, Presidential Office spokeswoman Lin Yu-chan (林聿禪) said. Based on these cordial ties, the government looks forward to deepening exchanges and cooperation with the Czech Republic in key areas, including semiconductor design, talent cultivation in cutting-edge technologies and supply chain restructuring, Lin said. Pavel later on Twitter thanked Tsai for congratulating him during Monday’s call. “I assured her that Taiwan and the Czech Republic share the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights. We agreed on strengthening our partnership,” Pavel wrote. “I also expressed hope to have the opportunity to meet President Tsai in person in the future,” he added. Pavel, a retired general and former chairman of the NATO Military Committee, was elected to the mostly ceremonial post on Saturday. The 61-year-old is to replace Czech President
Retired US admiral Philip Davidson, who in 2021 warned of a potential Chinese conflict with Taiwan by 2027, is in Taiwan to discuss regional security-related issues. He was the head of the US Indo-Pacific Command at the time. Davidson is part of a six-member delegation from US-based think tank the National Bureau of Asian Research that arrived in Taiwan on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday. The group is scheduled to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), and visit two government-funded non-governmental organizations — the Institute for National Defense and Security Research and Taiwan Foundation for Democracy — to exchange views on regional security issues during their stay, which ends on Saturday, the ministry said. Other members of the delegation are Tami Overby, senior adviser of the Albright Stonebridge Group; James Schoff, senior director of the US-Japan NEXT Alliance Initiative at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA; and research bureau members April Herlevi, Alison Szalwinski and Rachel Bernstein, the ministry said. During a stop in Japan prior to visiting Taiwan, Davidson told Japanese media that he stood by his remarks that China might attempt to attack Taiwan by 2027. Many media outlets described his remarks as predicting a Chinese “invasion” of Taiwan by 2027, but Davidson said in Japan that when he made the comment in 2021 at a US Senate hearing, he was not asked about an invasion, but about any potential conflict with Taiwan. “What does that include? In my mind, that can be many lesser things than an all-out invasion. One of those would be the threats to outer islands, and I think it’s a grave security concern of Taiwan’s,” he was quoted as saying by the Japan Times on Wednesday last week. In other news, Department of North American Affairs Director-General Douglas Hsu (徐佑典) yesterday said that the Taipei Economic and Cultural
The armed forces will soon increase the basic physical fitness standards for all ranks and ages of service members, a report by the Ministry of National Defense-run Military News Agency said on Saturday. As the commanding lieutenant general of a combined arms brigade must be physically fit to lead and fight alongside combat troops under their command, the fitness standard between the two must not be far apart, Army Deputy Chief of Staff Huang Hsien-jen (黃先任) said. Building up the strength of senior officers is key to increasing their chances of surviving on the battlefield and, therefore, their ability to complete their combat missions, he said. The new system is to utilize 13 elective test events emphasizing upper limb muscles, abdominal muscles, cardiovascular fitness and flexibility to complement the push-ups, sit-ups and 3km run employed in the current fitness test, he said. These elective events include pull-ups for men, hanging bends for women, lifting dumbbells, planking, a five-minute fast walk, an 800m swim, out-and-back progression running, seated forward bends, back scratches and others. The revised basic fitness test is to change physical training in boot camps for recruits and conscripts before they are assigned to further training according to their military occupational specialty, he said. Physical fitness tests are to be divided into three age divisions: 19 to 29 years old, 30 to 44 years old and 45 to 59 years old. This scheme is to replace the current system that has a separate standard for every five years of age after 19, while setting higher standards for older service members, Huang said. The ministry is working with other government departments to incorporate crunches and out-and-back progression running to the nation’s physical education so that young people would be better prepared for military service, he said. The addition of flexibility to fitness training is aimed at reducing long-term
NOT ALL BAD: Despite declining 23.2% annually, last month’s export orders were better than expected thanks to rush orders sparked by China ending its strict COVID-19 policy Taiwan’s export orders for the whole of last year declined 1.1 percent annually to US$666.8 billion, ending two consecutive years of gains, as benefits from the COVID-19 pandemic faded and drastic interest rate hikes started to gain traction, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday. Export orders for last month tumbled 23.2 percent year-on-year to US$52.17 billion, as supply chains were affected by inventory adjustments and sluggish end-market demand, the ministry said. However, last month’s export orders fared better than expected, thanks to rush orders facilitated by China ditching its “zero COVID” policy, Department of Statistics Director Huang Yu-ling (黃于玲) said. Specifically, demand for TV panels showed signs of stabilizing, she said. Export orders, which foretell actual shipments one to three months beforehand, have contracted for four straight months. The decline is forecast to accelerate by 32.1 to 35.5 percent this month, as the global economic slowdown drags on sales of consumer electronics, Huang said. “Economic challenges loom, after driving the critical gauge to contraction zone for the whole of last year,” Huang said, adding that US-China technology disputes were among the downside risks. Estimated at US$38 billion to US$40 billion, this month’s export orders could be pulled down by soft demand for electronics used in smartphones and notebook computers, Huang said. Export orders could retreat, even though demand for advanced chips used in high-performance computing, 5G devices, electric vehicles and emerging applications remains healthy, she said. The timing of the Lunar New Year holiday — which fell entirely in January — would also affect export orders this month, Huang added. As for China’s economic situation, it would be better to postpone judgement until next month after the Lunar New Year holiday effect settles, Huang said. Orders from Europe are expected to falter this quarter, while the US and ASEAN markets could benefit from the realignment of supply
FIRMS HOPEFUL: While the think tank lowered its forecast for exports, saying they would rise 1.13% this year, business confidence among manufacturers rose last month The Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER, 台灣經濟研究院) yesterday cut its forecast for Taiwan’s GDP growth this year to 2.58 percent, down 0.33 percentage points from its previous projection, saying that global inflation and monetary tightening would slow foreign trade and private investment. High inflation would affect the global economy, curtailing demand for goods and services, which would have a negative impact on Taiwan’s exports, TIER president Chang Chien-yi (張建一) said. Tech and non-tech firms would struggle to digest a glut of inventory in the first half of this year, and it remains to be seen whether demand will recover afterward, Chang said, adding that the global economic landscape looks murky in light of the Ukraine war and other uncertainties. Exports are expected to increase 1.13 percent this year, while imports would grow 1.25 percent — a downward revision of 1.22 percentage points and 0.54 percentage points respectively, the think tank said. US technology titans Google, Microsoft Corp, Amazon.com Inc and other companies have laid off more than 70,000 employees, as digital advertisers are spending less and rising inflation is curbing consumer expenditure. TIER said that private consumption would support Taiwan’s economy this year, as it is expected to increase 5.95 percent, up 1.63 percentage points from its prediction in November last year. Relaxed COVID-19 restrictions have been fueling a quick recovery for service-oriented businesses, especially in the hospitality and tourism sectors, the institute said. Private investment would lend limited support to domestic demand, and is expected to increase 2.3 percent from last year, as inventory corrections appear bigger and are lasting longer than expected, prompting firms to become conservative about capital spending, it said. However, business confidence among local manufacturers rose 0.81 points last month to 85.16, TIER found in a separate survey. TIER Macroeconomic Forecasting Center director Gordon Sun (孫明德) attributed the uptick to China ditching
More than one-quarter of employees in Taiwan have to deal with company business outside working hours, putting in an average of 4.7 hours off the clock every month, an annual survey released yesterday by the Ministry of Labor said. The survey, which was conducted from June 2021 to May last year and focused on workers’ living and employment conditions, found that 25.2 percent of respondents worked off the clock, one percentage point higher than in the ministry’s previous survey. Off-the-clock activities were defined as receiving work-related messages from employers via electronic communication methods, such as phones, mobile phone apps and social media, after getting off work, the ministry said. Employees who received work-related messages worked an average of 4.7 hours per month beyond their regular working hours, up 0.1 hours from the previous survey. Of the respondents, 42 percent worked overtime, down 4.3 percentage points from the previous survey, but their average overtime hours rose 0.1 hours to 15 hours. By industry, overtime work was most common in the electricity and natural gas supply sectors, with 58.6 percent of respondents in those sectors working overtime, followed by workers in the public administration and national defense/compulsory social insurance sectors with 54.8 percent. Those working in the professional, scientific and technical services sectors placed third with 54.7 percent, and those in the publishing, audio-visual and information and communications sectors were fourth with 54.2 percent. Of the respondents, 84.1 percent who worked overtime were paid for it or given paid time off. Meanwhile, 73.4 percent of the respondents said they were satisfied with their overall employment conditions, up 0.9 percentage points from the previous survey. Gender equality, good working relationships and supervisors’ concern for employees were the three areas that the majority of respondents considered satisfactory. Wages, employee performance appraisals and promotion systems, and workloads were the three major causes of job dissatisfaction,
New Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) was yesterday sworn in as the leader of his new Cabinet, which retains most of the ministers from his predecessor Su Tseng-chang’s (蘇貞昌) term in office. Following the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) losses in last year’s local elections, Chen’s team aims to win back the public’s trust in President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) government ahead of next year’s presidential vote. However, this could be a tall order not only for the Cabinet, but also for Tsai and Vice President William Lai (賴清德), who recently took over as DPP chair and is expected to run for president next year. Following a minor reshuffle that added female ministers and young officials to the Cabinet, Chen has said that his team would continue the previous administration’s policies, and vowed to bolster Taiwan’s economic, environmental and social resilience. However, facing the upheavals of the post-COVID-19 pandemic era, it cannot stick to existing policies, and should instead explore more innovative measures to accelerate economic recovery and bolster social stability to regain people’s trust. The Cabinet is also facing a belligerent China that has been ramping up military incursions and political pressure against Taiwan, prompting US military officers and lawmakers, as well as international think tanks, to warn that Beijing might attack Taiwan or spark a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait in the next two to five years. However, some military experts have said that China has taken lessons from the setbacks Russia has suffered in its invasion of Ukraine, which could make Beijing think twice before attacking Taiwan. Even Hu Xijin (胡錫進), a former editor-in-chief of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) mouthpiece Global Times and a nationalist pundit, has said that China would not risk starting a war unless it is absolutely sure that it can defeat the US and any
Democratic Progressive Party legislative caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) on Sunday said that he expects the NT$6,000 that is to be distributed to all Taiwanese citizens and qualifying foreign residents as part of a tax rebate in a special budget could be given out as early as the middle of April. According to news reports, people are to be given three options through which they can receive the cash: They can apply online, withdraw it from ATMs or receive it over the counter at a post office. I would like to have the option to return the money as a donation to the government to go toward the purchase of defensive weapons, be it the US-made M136 Volcano Vehicle-Launched Scatterable Mine System that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) seems so intent on blocking, or Patriot air-defense missiles. The more the government buys of these, the safer Taiwan will be. I suggest that on the Web site where people are to apply for the handout, following confirmation of the applicant’s identity, an “other” button should appear, tucked away somewhere in the corner so that the opposition parties cannot accuse the government of moral blackmail. On clicking this, the applicant would be given the option to donate the amount, in full or in part, to the government, to be used for national defense or provide aid for the financially disadvantaged. The government could also consider providing a grace period of one month, allowing people to withdraw the donation offer should they change their mind. During the grace period, the government could send reminders to people, through e-mail or text according to the information entered at the time of the application, to confirm their decision. Taiwanese want peace, but peace depends on one’s ability to protect oneself. Of course, the handouts would be returned
I first visited Taiwan in 1985, when I was deputed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to start a dialogue with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). I spent three days talking to officials, the end result being the signing of an agreement where the Republic of China (ROC) recognized the right to self-determination of Tibetans. According to official KMT records in Nanking, Tibet never paid taxes to the ROC government. In 1997, the Dalai Lama made his first ever visit to Taiwan on the invitation of then-president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝). Lee took the bold step of opening Taiwan’s doors to His Holiness. The visit was most successful and changed the attitude of His Holiness toward Taiwanese. His Holiness asked me what I thought of his visit and I advised him saying that, as this was his first visit ever to a “Han territory,” it was historical, and if he was successful in Taiwan he would be successful in China. After seeing Taiwan’s robust democracy, His Holiness recognized Taiwanese as a separate entity to Chinese. Later that year I visited Taipei to start grassroots lobbying for Tibetan issues. On one occasion I met then-Taipei mayor Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who was quite upset, as he had not been given an audience with His Holiness during his visit. As mayor, Chen issued an invitation to His Holiness, which His Holiness accepted when Chen was president. In a breakfast meeting with former American Institute in Taiwan director James Lilley and then-Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Hsu Hsin-liang (許信良), the latter asked Lilley whether he thought China would ever fire missiles toward Taiwan. Lilley turned toward me and said: “Why don’t we ask our Tibetan friend?” I retorted by giving the example of the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950, where they used modern weapons against us
‘FIRED UP’: The NBA rookie said a halftime locker room pep talk from coach Mosley helped fuel a 42-point run in the third quarter for the team to edge into the lead Paolo Banchero on Monday led a second-half comeback as the Orlando Magic overturned a 21-point deficit to upset the Philadelphia 76ers 119-109. Banchero, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, scored 29 points from 11-of-22 shooting, with nine rebounds and three assists to give Orlando another notable win after last week’s defeat of league-leading Boston. In other games across the NBA, Luka Doncic returned from injury with a 53-point bang as the Dallas Mavericks routed the Detroit Pistons 111-105, while Stephen Curry dropped 38 points for the Golden State Warriors, as they downed the Oklahoma City Thunder 128-120. In Oregon, Damian Lillard’s 42 points led the Portland Trail Blazers to a 129-125 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Dejounte Murray finished with 40 points for Atlanta. In Philadelphia, Magic rookie Banchero was backed with scoring support from German brothers Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner, who combined for 41 points as Orlando silenced the home crowd with a second-half scoring blitz. Philadelphia, who dropped to third in the Eastern Conference standings after the loss, led by 21 points midway through the second quarter and appeared poised for a comfortable victory. However, Orlando erupted after the break with a 42-point third quarter to edge into the lead and then closed with a 19-8 run in the fourth to seal the victory. Moritz Wagner finished with 22 points off the bench, while his younger brother added 19. Markelle Fultz had a double-double with 12 points and 10 assists, and Wendell Carter Jr also cracked double-figures with 12 points. Joel Embiid led the Sixers scoring with 30 points, while James Harden and Tobias Harris had 17 points apiece. “I’m so proud of these young men,” Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said of his team afterwards. “The way that first half started — we were hanging our heads a little bit, but we pulled ourselves
David Moyes cannot wait to take on his former club Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round after goals from Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio on Monday sealed West Ham United’s 2-0 victory at third tier Derby County. Bowen put West Ham ahead early in the first half and Antonio doubled the lead soon after the interval in the fourth round tie. Moyes’ side would head to Old Trafford later this month as they continue their bid to reach the FA Cup final for the first time since 2006. It would be Moyes’ latest return to United, who sacked the Scot in 2014 only 10 months after he succeeded Alex Ferguson. “I’m really looking forward to the game. It’s a really good game for us.” Moyes said. “Maybe at the moment that’s the game we need because we’ve got players who want to play on the big stage, he said. “There’s nothing bigger than Old Trafford, so I’m saying to the players: ‘Come on, let’s go and take it on and challenge them.’” Avoiding an embarrassing defeat against Derby was essential for the under-fire Moyes, but it is Premier League survival that remains his top priority. The Hammers are languishing in 16th place in the Premier League, just one point above the relegation zone. “This was a difficult game because Derby had gone 16 unbeaten. In the end, we did a pretty professional job on them,” Moyes said. Moyes made six changes following West Ham’s vital 2-0 victory over Premier League relegation rivals Everton in their most recent match nine days ago. Despite the selection gamble, West Ham proved too strong for a Derby side on the up after a turbulent period. Just 12 months ago, Derby were in turmoil, with the club close to going out of business after they plunged into administration and suffered relegation to the third
Kelly Slater is looking to defend his Billabong Pro Pipeline title as surfing’s world championship begins in Hawaii this week, with the added allure of spots at the Paris 2024 Olympics up for grabs at the end of the 10-stop global tour. The 50-year-old Floridian stunned the surfing world to win the event last year in perfect conditions at the dangerous Pipeline, declaring it the best victory of his unrivaled 30-year career. Slater faces a tough task this year with surf forecasts suggesting smaller, windier conditions that might better suit some of his rivals, who include a host of hungry newcomers and some returning veterans. “He’s an 11-time world champion, he’s won every event on the schedule, holds every record in the sport and he continues to do mind-blowing surfing, but the truth of the matter is, it’s getting harder and harder for him to win,” World Surf League commentator Ronnie Blakey said. Reigning world champions Filipe Toledo from Brazil and Australia’s Stephanie Gilmore have both in the past admitted to struggling with the giant tubes on offer at Pipeline and would be looking to up their games at the sport’s most revered location. Gilmore, who has won a record eight world titles, is up against local wildcard and reigning champion Moana Jones Wong as well as compatriot Macy Callaghan in her first three-woman heat, the loser of which gets sent to an elimination round. Brazil’s three-time world champion Gabriel Medina, who missed much of last year’s tour with depression, is to take on local John John Florence, the twice world champion whose season last year was ruined by a knee injury. After a two-stop leg in Hawaii, surfers head to Portugal and then on to Australia for two more contests before both fields are cut by a third for the remaining legs, a change that sparked
Ticket sales for Kaohsiung Steelers home games surged after last month’s announcement that former NBA sensation Jeremy Lin would join the struggling P.League+ team. The Steelers, currently in last place in the six-team league with a 2-14 record, have three home games this month, hosting the Formosa Taishin Dreamers, the New Taipei Kings and the Dreamers again at Kaohsiung Fengshan Arena on Monday, Saturday next week and Feb. 12 respectively. Tickets to the latter two games went on sale at noon on Monday and as of 2:15pm, the courtside seats for the contest on Saturday next week, priced at NT$3,500 each, and all other lower-level seats were sold out, as were many sections in the arena’s second deck. The cheapest seats, in the arena’s third tier, are priced at NT$400 each. In their first seven home games this season, the Steelers had an average attendance of 2,502 people per game, only 47.2 percent of the arena’s 5,300 seat capacity, the league’s Web site showed. After the three home games, the team’s next home encounter would be on March 10, which could possibly drive up demand for tickets this month, even though the Steelers have yet to confirm when the Taiwanese-American player would make his debut. Promotional material released on Friday for the Kaohsiung team’s home games this month featured Lin alongside guard Jerry Chen and Shawn Chou, Lin’s former teammate in China’s professional basketball league. Lin did not appear in a post on the team’s Web site on Sunday. Many fans question whether Lin could reverse the Steelers’ fortunes, given that the T1 League’s Taoyuan Leopards have been unable to win more than one game despite the addition of former NBA star Dwight Howard. Kaohsiung finished fifth in the P.League+ last season with a 9-20 record. They have fallen further this season, four wins behind the 6-11 Dreamers in
DRAWING A LINE: If Putin wins in Ukraine, it would send a message to authoritarian leaders around the world that they can succeed with military force, Stoltenberg said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who is in Japan as part of his East Asia tour, yesterday said that “our security is closely interconnected” and called for stronger ties with Japan as Russia’s war in Ukraine raises global dangers and shows that democracies need stronger partnerships. Japan has been quick to join US-led economic sanctions against Russia and provided humanitarian aid and non-combative defense equipment for the Ukrainians. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has warned that Russia’s aggression in Europe could happen in Asia, where concerns are growing over an already assertive China and its escalation of tensions around Taiwan. Japan has also significantly stepped up ties with NATO recently. “The war in Ukraine also demonstrates that our security is closely interconnected,” Stoltenberg said during his visit to Iruma Air Base, north of Tokyo, where he started his Japan visit yesterday after arriving late on Monday from South Korea. “If [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin wins in Ukraine, it will be a tragedy for the Ukrainians, but it will also send a very dangerous message to authoritarian leaders all over the world because then the message will be that when they use military force they can achieve their goals,” he said. “So the war in Ukraine matters for all of us.” Stoltenberg said that his visit to Japan “is a way to further strengthen the partnership between NATO and our highly valued partner Japan.” He was yesterday to meet with Kishida and hold a joint news conference. Japan, already a close ally of the US, has in the past few years expanded its military ties with other Indo-Pacific nations as well as with the UK, Europe and NATO amid growing security threats from China and North Korea. Japan issued a new national security strategy in December stating its determination to build up its military and deploy long-range missiles to pre-empt enemy
RISING RISK: With no communication between nations flying jets closely over the South China Sea, one mistake by a pilot could quickly escalate a situation, an expert said The China Coast Guard (CCG) maintained near-daily patrols at key features across the disputed South China Sea last year, ramping up its presence as tensions over the waterway with Southeast Asian neighbors remain high, new tracking data shows. Patrols in the waters surrounding the Vanguard Bank off Vietnam, an area known for its oil and gas reserves and the site of repeated standoffs between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels, more than doubled to 310 days last year, the Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said. The number of days Chinese ships patrolled near Second Thomas Shoal (Renai Shoal, 仁愛暗) in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島), which Taiwan also claims and where the Philippines maintains a garrison, increased to 279 from 232, while those at Luconia Shoals, near important Malaysian oil and gas operations, rose to 316 from 279, the analysis showed. The patrols show that Beijing’s determination to assert control over its claim to more than 80 percent of the South China Sea, the analysis of ship identification data says, and raises the risk of a mishap at sea that regional officials worry could lead to a larger conflict. “With CCG vessels operating in Malaysian, Philippine and Vietnamese waters every day of the year, it all but guarantees tensions remain high and run-ins with those neighbors a regular occurrence,” said Greg Poling, head of the Southeast Asia program at Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies. The report said that its count of Chinese incursions are probably incomplete, because not all ships employ the transceivers used to track their whereabouts, and some try to obscure their identities with false data. Poling said the Chinese patrols are becoming a fact of life in the region. “The patrol locations have been extremely consistent in recent years, creating a predictable status quo that the Southeast Asian parties can manage, albeit with
Even before his onions are fully grown, Philippine farmer Luis Angeles races to harvest the crop and cash in on eye-watering prices for a vegetable that has become a luxury item in the country. Onion prices have soared in the past few months, reaching as high as 800 pesos (US$14.67) per kilogram in Manila supermarkets, making them more expensive than chicken or pork. Some restaurants have stripped the staple ingredient from dishes, while many families already grappling with the highest inflation in 14 years have stopped eating them. To meet demand and push retail prices back below 200 pesos, the government has approved the importation of 21,000 tonnes of onions and faces calls to crack down on traders suspected of hoarding. However, prices remain stubbornly high and onion farmers like Angeles have been harvesting earlier than usual to reap the windfall. “What is happening is historic,” Angeles, 37, said, as his workers pulled undersized red and white bulbs out of the soil near the northern town of Bongabon, the country’s self-proclaimed “onion capital.” “This is the first time that prices have reached this level,” he said. When he began harvesting last month, Angeles received as much as 250 pesos per kilogram for his crop. By the time his onions reached Manila supermarket shelves, the price had more than doubled, exceeding the daily minimum wage. “I told my family: ‘Let’s just smell the onion instead of eating it,’” Candy Roasa, 56, said as she walked through a market in the capital where she has seen vendors selling bulbs the size of a small child’s fist for as much as 80 pesos each. As onion memes spread on social media, the humble vegetable has become a symbol of wealth in the poverty-afflicted country. At least one bride used pricey bulbs instead of flowers for her wedding bouquet. Philippine Airlines crew members on a recent
Right-wing ideologues funded by fossil fuels, fame-seeking narcissists and doubt mongers monetizing their content are pushing climate disinformation that undermines the fight against global warming, researchers say. Experts outlined six key things that motivate people to deny climate change or seek to delay action. OIL MONEY Studies have documented flows of cash from the fossil fuel industry to conservative US think tanks, signaled by researchers as publishers of misleading climate claims. Greenpeace on the site exxonsecrets.org published documents from oil giant ExxonMobil revealing donations it made in the 1990s and 2000s to three such bodies: the Heartland Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Cato Institute. Exxon has repeatedly denied working against climate science. An analysis of tax documents and donor records by sociologist Robert Brulle of Brown University found that 91 climate-sceptic think tanks and lobby groups received income of US$900 million in 2003-2010, largely from conservative foundations. Since the mid-2000s, the funding has largely been channeled through philanthropic groups that conceal their donations. “Fossil fuel companies have a long history of funding climate misinformation promulgated by conservative think tanks,” Brulle said. “This misinformation has misled many Americans regarding the risks associated with climate change and has hindered actions to mitigate carbon emissions.” MONETIZING Elsewhere there are individuals “who benefit from the outrage economy online and are exploiting the current business model of social media, which allows them to monetize climate denial and climate disinformation,” said Jennie King, head of civic action at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), a London-based digital research group. “There is a large element of grift taking place in the online space. By cultivating a brand as these contrarian, intellectual Dark Web pundits, they gain increasing prominence on social media platforms,” she said. “That drives traffic to their Web sites and increases the likelihood of them developing brand relationships, sponsorship and paid talking appearances.” IDEOLOGY For psychologists, climate
A green-hued comet that has been lurking in the night sky for months is expected to be the most visible to stargazers this week as it gradually passes Earth for the first time in about 50,000 years. The cosmic visitor will swing by our planet at a distance of about 42.5 million kilometers. Here is an explanation of comets in general and this one in particular. WHAT IS A COMET? Nicknamed “dirty snowballs” by astronomers, comets are balls of ice, dust and rocks that typically hail from the ring of icy material called the Oort cloud at our solar system’s outer edge. One known comet actually originated outside the solar system — 2I/Borisov. Comets are composed of a solid core of rock, ice and dust and are blanketed by a thin and gassy atmosphere of more ice and dust, called a coma. They melt as they approach the sun, releasing a stream of gas and dust blown from their surface by solar radiation and plasma and forming a cloudy and outward-facing tail. Comets wander toward the inner solar system when various gravitational forces dislodge them from the Oort cloud, becoming more visible as they venture closer to the heat given off by the sun. Fewer than a dozen comets are discovered each year by observatories around the world. This comet last passed Earth at a time when Neanderthals still inhabited Eurasia, our species was expanding its reach beyond Africa, big Ice Age mammals including mammoths and saber-toothed cats roamed the landscape and northern Africa was a wet, fertile and rainy place. The comet can provide clues about the primordial solar system because it formed during the solar system’s early stages, according to California Institute of Technology physics professor Thomas Prince. WHY IS THE COMET GREEN? The green comet, whose formal name is C/2022 E3 (ZTF), was discovered on March 2
When Sunny thinks back to March last year, she laughs ruefully at the ordeal. The 19-year-old Shanghai student spent that month locked in her dormitory, unable to shop for essentials or wash clothes, even banned from showering for two weeks over COVID fears. In April, the entire city locked down. It was the beginning of the chaos of 2022, as local Chinese authorities desperately tried to follow President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) zero-COVID decree while facing the most transmissible strain of the virus yet: Omicron. “Everyone was panicking, no one was ready,” she tells the Observer. By the end of the year, zero-COVID was gone. Sunny, who is using a pseudonym to protect her identity, says she felt instantly “relieved” that lockdowns were over but her feelings soon turned to anger as it became clear China’s government had opened up the country, knowing it wasn’t ready. “I felt it was all for nothing,” Sunny says. Over the last two months, the virus has rapidly spread through the country. Up to 10,000 critical cases were registered in hospitals every day. Morgues were overwhelmed, pharmacies reported shortages of basic medications, and supply of antiviral drugs was held up by protracted negotiations with foreign suppliers. Online and in the streets, people spoke of almost everyone they knew having caught COVID, and of elderly relatives dying. Sunny’s grandfather was among those who died in that wave. “It was the morning, and my mum walked into my room and said: your grandpa is in the emergency room,” she recalls. “A few hours later, he passed away. My grandmother was in tears, saying he had left her behind.” ‘LET IT RIP’ Xi’s extraordinary backflip left analysts alarmed and confused. China was not the only country to choose a zero-COVID strategy, and certainly not the only one to “let it rip” once it dropped
The Taipei Times bilingual pages are having a makeover, with professionally curated content for both English and Chinese learners of all levels. With our new partners Ivy English, English OK, and American Magazine Center (AMC), Taipei Times readers can improve their language studies while keeping abreast of important issues in Taiwan and abroad. 《台北時報》雙語版最優質的中英文內容，多年來一向受到讀者們的喜愛。近日起版面全新升級！每週和《常春藤解析英語》、《English OK中學英閱誌》、《AMC空中美語》……等專業英語機構合作，提供豐富多元且實用的英語學習內容，不但適合各種程度學生及上班族自修，老師、家長用它當教材也超便利。原先頗受歡迎的雙語新聞則予以保留，持續帶領大家了解國內外之重要議題，打造最強全方位中英文雙語版，精彩內容在網站上也看的到唷！
The US state of Colorado is renowned as a destination for outdoor activities. The impressive Rocky Mountains, which cut through the state, are the focus of these pastimes, which include hiking and climbing. In Ouray, a town in southwestern Colorado, “ice climbing” is at the center of winter festivities. Every January since 1996, the town has held the Ouray Ice Festival. Its goal is to expose more people to the thrill of ice climbing. The site of this exciting event is the Ouray Ice Park. The park, which fills a river gorge, features over a hundred different routes where expert ice climbers train. On the ice walls are sprinklers and pipes that are overseen by the park’s “ice farmers.” Over the course of the winter, these workers carefully cover the steep walls of the gorge with ice. They create exciting challenges that mirror natural ice formations like frozen waterfalls. They’re also responsible for cleaning up hazards like icicles. Professionals might come to the park to test their expertise, but Ouray Ice Park has been likened to a ski resort. That means that plenty of people just come to play! During the four days that the festival occupies in January, anyone can give ice climbing a try. There are classes to acquaint beginners of all ages, including young children, with the sport. The fun isn’t confined to the ice, either. Visitors can also attend movie screenings and costume parties—the atmosphere at the Ice Festival is warm and fun-filled, despite the wintry weather! 美國科羅拉多州是著名的戶外活動勝地。貫穿該州雄偉的洛磯山脈是這些娛樂的焦點，包含了健行及攀岩。在科羅拉多州西南部的烏雷鎮，「攀冰」是冬季慶祝活動的焦點。自西元1996年以來，該鎮每年一月都會舉辦烏雷冰雪節。它的目標是讓更多人接觸到攀冰的刺激感。 這項令人感到興奮的活動的舉辦地點在烏雷冰上公園。該園區河流峽谷遍布，以擁有超過一百條不同的路線為特色，讓專業的攀冰者可以在此訓練。冰壁上有灑水器和管線，由園區的「冰農」監管。在整個冬天期間，這些工人小心地將冰覆蓋在峽谷的峭壁上。他們創造出刺激的挑戰，與冰瀑等自然的冰層結構很相似。他們還負責清理冰錐等危險物。 專業人士可能會來這公園測試他們的技能，但烏雷冰上公園被比擬作是滑雪勝地。這意味著很多人只是來玩的！一月的冰雪節為期四天，任何人都可以嘗試攀冰。有一些課程可以讓包括幼童在內所有年齡層的初學者認識這項運動。 樂趣也並非局限於冰上。遊客還可以參加電影放映和化妝舞會──儘管天氣寒冷，冰雪節的氣氛卻是溫暖而充滿樂趣的！ MORE INFORMATION hooray int. (表興奮或贊同)好啊 Rocky Mountains 洛磯山脈 pastime n. 消遣；娛樂 festivities n. pl. 慶祝活動 gorge n. 峽谷 sprinkler n. 灑水器 icicle n. 冰錐；冰柱 wintry adj. 寒冷的；冬季的 Key Vocabulary 1. renowned adj. 著名的；有聲望的 Our museum is honored to host an exhibition with artworks
你叫什麼名字？ What’s your name? 對話 Dialogue 馬可：你好！你叫什麼名字？ Make: Nǐ hǎo! Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? 小實：我叫小實，你呢？ Xiaoshi: Wǒ jiào Xiǎoshí, nǐ ne? 馬可：我叫馬可。 Make: Wǒ jiào Mǎkě. 小實：馬可，你是美國人嗎？ Xiaoshi: Mǎkě, nǐ shì Měiguó rén ma? 馬可：我是美國人，你也是美國人嗎？ Make: Wǒ shì Měiguó rén, nǐ yěshì Měiguó rén ma? 小實：不是，我是臺灣人。很高興認識你。 Xiaoshi: Búshì, wǒ shì Táiwān rén. Hěn gāoxìng rènshì nǐ. 馬可：我也很高興認識你。 Make: Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng rènshì nǐ. 翻譯 Translation Mark: Hello! What’s your name? Xiaoshi: My name is Xiaoshi, and you? Mark: My name is Mark. Xiaoshi: Mark, are you American? Mark: Yes, I am. Are you American too? Xiaoshi: No, I’m Taiwanese. Nice to meet you. Mark: Nice to meet you too. 單字片語 Vocabulary 1. 叫(jiào) to be called 2. 什麼 (shénme) what 3. 呢 (ne) a (question) particle 4. 也 (yě) also; too 5. 很高興認識你 (hěn gāoxìng rènshì nǐ) Nice to meet you 教材音檔 Audio Files 實踐大學華語中心提供 By Shih Chien University Chinese Language Center: https://chineseusc.com/
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