Fri, May 27, 2022
BIG EFFORT: After a probe in March, the Investigation Bureau teamed up with prosecutors’ offices in five areas to search firms for suspected talent poaching Authorities this week raided 10 Chinese firms and questioned more than 70 people as part of a crackdown on suspected poaching of talent from Taiwanese semiconductor and high-tech sectors, the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau said yesterday. From Monday to yesterday, the bureau performed a series of unannounced raids in coordination with prosecutors in Hsinchu, New Taipei City, Taipei and Taoyuan, it said in a statement. “The illegal poaching of Taiwan’s high-tech talent by Chinese companies has badly impacted our international competitiveness and endangered our national security,” the bureau said in a statement. Taipei prosecutors earlier announced that they on Tuesday raided the local unit of GigaDevice Semiconductor (HK) Ltd (香港商香港商芯技佳易微電子) on suspicion of illegal recruitment. On March 9, the bureau began investigating talent poaching, finding legal contraventions by 11 firms, it said. “The Chinese firms have been found to have circumvented our nation’s laws and restrictions, by concealing their actual ownership and financial sources, by individuals registering as locations as personal offices and by Chinese firms registering in Taiwan as an investment through a third country,” it said. That investigation led the bureau to start the most recent probe and resulting raids, involving more than 100 bureau personnel intent on determining the full extent of Chinese recruitment operations in Taiwan, it said. Working with the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, the bureau raided four offices in and around Taipei, serving summonses to owners and executives of the Chinese-backed firms, including XEPIC Corp (芯華章科技), the parent of which is based in Nanjing, China, and is focused on electronic design automation software. The others were Lianchuang Innovation Co (聯創創新), a Shenzhen company specializing in Internet of Things products, and the local unit of GigaDevice Semiconductor (Beijing) Inc (北京兆易創新科技), it said, adding that it was questioning GigaDevice’s Taiwan director Wang Wen-hao (汪文浩). In New Taipei City, investigators searched Joulwatt Semiconductor Co (杰華特微電子),
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday accused the world’s largest free-diving organization of self-censorship, after it tried to make Taiwanese divers compete under the name “Chinese Taipei.” The International Association for the Development of Apnea (AIDA), which organizes free-diving competitions around the world, held this year’s AIDA Caribbean Cup on the Honduran island of Roatan from May 15 through Tuesday. Huang Ming-chun (黃明峻) placed second in the constant weight without fins category with a national record-setting 63m dive, while Lien Lin-lan (連林嵐) set new national records in free immersion and constant weight apnea. Huang on Wednesday wrote on Facebook that the two athletes had found that their nationality had been altered from “Taiwan” to “Chinese Taipei” on the schedule published before the event began. Huang and Lien immediately protested the change to AIDA, which relented only after the two divers threatened to drop out of the competition, he wrote. The ministry in a statement yesterday said that it “lauds Huang and Lien for their tireless efforts in defending the dignity of the nation and competing brilliantly as athletes of Taiwan.” “AIDA’s decision to change the name of our country stemmed from political self-censorship. These actions caused offense to the dignity of our country and the rights of our athletes, which the ministry condemns with righteous indignation,” it said. Taiwan urges the organization to respect the opinions expressed by the overwhelming majority of its members, and the professionalism and integrity of sports, instead of bowing to China’s undue political influence, it added. “Beijing’s ceaseless campaign to denigrate Taiwanese athletes in international sports events serves only to elicit the distaste of Taiwanese, causes further damage to China’s image and reveals the totalitarian nature of the Chinese Communist Party government,” the statement said. The organization last year removed Taiwan’s flag from a live broadcast of the AIDA Individual Depth Freediving World Championship
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday called on Pacific island countries to heed China’s true purpose behind its aid, as Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) arrived in the Solomon Islands at the start of an eight-nation tour. His visit came amid growing concerns about Beijing’s military and financial ambitions in the South Pacific region, after a draft document was leaked showing that he hoped to strike a sweeping agreement with 10 Pacific nations on everything from security to fisheries. In Taipei, Ministry of Foreign Affairs deputy spokesman Tsuei Ching-lin (崔靜麟) said that it would continue to pay close attention to Wang’s visit. Since China launched its Belt and Road Initiative, countries such as Sri Lanka have been caught in a debt trap, and hit by major crises to their economies and social development, he said. Tensions in the region have been heightened by Beijing’s ambition to expand its power through military strategies, a clear example of which is China signing a security deal with the Solomon Islands, he added. The ministry called on countries in the region to recognize that China intends to expand its authoritarian power, Tsuei said, adding that only freedom and democracy can bring stability. Taiwan has strong relationships with Pacific allies and is committed to continue working with like-minded countries to create a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Pacific region, he said. In Honiara, Wang commented on reports about a leaked security agreement, which contained a provision that would allow Chinese naval deployments to the Solomon Islands. “It is not imposed on anyone, nor is it targeted at any third party. There is no intention at all to establish a military base,” Wang told a news conference after meeting with Solomon Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeremiah Manele. Australia’s former government, toppled in elections last week, had said that any move
Japan is set to allow in some package-tour tourists from overseas starting on June 10, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said yesterday, ending a ban that was introduced about two years ago as part of the country’s COVID-19 control program. “Active exchanges between people are the foundation of the economy and society,” Kishida said in a speech at the Future of Asia conference in Tokyo. “From the 10th of next month, we will restart the admission of tourists on guided package tours.” He added that preparations would begin to allow international flights to land at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido and Naha Airport in Okinawa starting next month. Tourist numbers are likely to remain limited at first. Japan has already announced it would double its cap on arrivals from overseas to 20,000 per day starting next month, although this remains far below the levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Kishida pledged in a London speech to make it as easy to enter Japan as other G7 nations. Kishida has come under pressure from business lobbies to further open the borders, as the travel industry is losing out on what could have been a windfall from the weak yen. The prime minister must also avoid alienating a public wary of the potential health implications ahead of a July election for the Japanese House of Councilors. A poll published by Mainichi Shimbun over the weekend found that 43 percent of respondents were in favor of relaxing border controls, while 41 percent were against the idea. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said this month that the easing of restrictions would mean about 80 percent of arrivals would be able to enter the country without undergoing testing on arrival, or quarantine. Countries and regions would be divided into three categories — red, yellow and blue — depending on their assessed virus
INFORMATION LEAKED: Documents from Xinjiang purportedly showed top leaders in Beijing calling for a forceful crackdown and even orders to shoot to kill Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday held a videoconference with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet as she visited Xinjiang during a mission overshadowed by fresh allegations of Uighur abuses and fears she is being used as a public relations tool. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been accused of detaining more than 1 million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in the region as part of a years-long crackdown the US and lawmakers in other Western nations have labeled a “genocide.” China denies the allegations. Bachelet was expected to visit the cities of Urumqi and Kashgar on a six-day tour. The US has reiterated its view that Bachelet’s visit was a mistake after the release of thousands of leaked documents and photographs from inside the system of mass incarceration this week. Rights advocates have voiced concern that Beijing would prevent Bachelet from conducting a thorough probe into alleged rights abuses and instead give her a stage-managed tour, but Xi defended his nation’s human rights progress during the videoconference, according to a readout from state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV), which did not say whether Xinjiang was mentioned by either side. “Human rights issues should also not be politicized, instrumentalized or treated with double standards,” CCTV quoted Xi as saying. China has “a human rights development path that ... suits its national conditions,” he added. CCTV reported Xi as telling Bachelet that there is no “ideal nation” on human rights. He added that there is “no need for a ‘teacher’ who is bossy towards other countries” — an apparent reference to public criticisms of the trip by US and British officials. According to the CCTV readout, Bachelet said the UN Human Rights Office is “willing to strengthen cooperation with the Chinese side.” She was also reported to have said: “I admire China’s efforts and achievements in eradicating poverty, protecting human
China is seeking a region-wide deal with almost a dozen Pacific island nations covering policing, security and data communications cooperation when Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) hosts a meeting in Fiji next week, documents seen by Reuters showed, while an Australian official is due in Suva today. A draft communique and five-year action plan sent by Beijing to 10 Pacific islands ahead of a foreign ministers meeting on Monday next week has prompted pushback from at least one of the invited nations, which says it showed China’s intent to control the region and “threatens regional stability.” In a letter to 21 Pacific leaders, Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo said that his nation would argue the “predetermined joint communique” should be rejected, because he fears it could spark a new “cold war” between China and the West. Wang is to visit eight Pacific island nations that China holds diplomatic ties with from today until Saturday next week. He is to arrive today in the Solomon Islands. The China-Pacific Island Countries Common Development Vision draft document, as well as a five-year action plan, has been circulated by Beijing ahead of the meeting in Fiji. It says that China and the Pacific islands are to “strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of traditional and nontraditional security.” “China will hold intermediate and high-level police training for Pacific island countries through bilateral and multilateral means,” the document says. The action plan outlines a ministerial dialogue on law enforcement capacity and police cooperation to be held this year, and China providing forensic police laboratories. The draft communique also pledges cooperation on data networks, cybersecurity, smart customs systems and for Pacific islands to “take a balanced approach to technological progress, economic development and protection of national security.” The communique also proposes a China-Pacific islands free-trade area, and support for action on
VIRUS HESITANCY: Among the guidelines for funding were NT$30,000 for group tours, NT$1,300 for hotel stays and discounts for admission to amusement parks The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has secured NT$6 billion (US$203.36 million) to support the tourism industry and bus operators, whose businesses have been disrupted by the COVID-19 situation in Taiwan, Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) told lawmakers at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee in Taipei yesterday. Lawmakers asked Wang when Taiwan’s borders would reopen to tourists, as Singapore, Thailand and South Korea have lifted quarantine requirements for people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Singapore and Thailand have even allowed people to board flights without a negative polymerase chain reaction test result, they said. Japan is planning to reopen its borders to small tour groups from June 10. Travel agencies, hoteliers and restaurateurs are struggling as they wait for the return of international tourists, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said, adding that the government needs to tell the tourism industry when or under what conditions borders would be reopened. KMT Legislator Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) said that the government should continue to provide struggling tour operators with relief, even though the funds the ministry has obtained were earmarked as “stimulus.” “It is not that travel agencies have not been trying to attract customers, it is that most people do not want to travel amid a surge in confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide,” Hsu said. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Liu Shih-fang (劉世芳) said that, in addition to stimulus funds, the ministry should consider giving travel agencies, hoteliers and amusement park operators tax breaks. The ministry should discuss the possibility with other central government officials and local governments, Liu said. The Tourism Bureau announced general guidelines governing distribution of the funds. The final version of the guidelines would be published by the middle of next month, it said. Of the NT$6 billion, NT$5.5 billion would be to support the tourism industry and NT$500 million would
CHINESE CONDUIT: An investigation found that Lin Yao-ting colluded with a firm to forge documents to help 215 Chinese travel to Taiwan on business or work visas A court yesterday upheld a two-year suspension from work for a Legislative Yuan worker as he serves a four-year sentence for forging documents to allow 250 Chinese to work in Taiwan. The suspension of Lin Yao-ting (林耀庭), a clerk at the legislature’s General Affairs Section, was upheld by the Judicial Yuan’s Disciplinary Court, which is in charge of assessing and imposing punishments for contraventions of the law that civil servants commit in the course of their work. Lin was involved in a 2020 case in which New Taipei City-based Wisbet Digital Entertainment Co (奕智博數位) — purportedly an online gaming firm — was found to have been channeling money from China to be laundered in Taiwan. Investigators found that Lin colluded with Wisbet to forge documents to help 215 Chinese travel to Taiwan from 2018 to 2020 on business visas or to work at Wisbet branch offices in southern Taiwan. Lin was paid a total of NT$1.986 million (US$67,310) in commissions for each person who was approved to travel, investigators said. Lin filled out forms with false information, asked colleagues for help and pressured personnel at the National Immigration Agency and other agencies to fast-track approvals, investigators said. The Tainan District Court found Lin guilty in the first ruling last year, imposing a three-year, six-month sentence for contravening the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例). The disciplinary court early this year ruled that he had breached provisions of the Civil Service Act (公務員服務法) and undermined public trust in government officials, handing him a two-year suspension from his job and confiscating the illegal profit. Lin appealed the disciplinary court’s decision, but his motion was dismissed yesterday. Members of the Taiwan Anti-Corruption and Whistleblower Protection Association during the trial last year had demanded a more thorough investigation. The case seriously undermined government agencies and
A doctor on Monday apologized for saying that sorghum wine could help prevent COVID-19. Chen Cheng-chieh (陳正傑), a doctor at China Medical University Beigang Hospital in Yunlin County, issued a statement apologizing for “misleading the public with false information about disease prevention.” Chen made the claim at a dinner party with friends a few days earlier, which was recorded and uploaded to the Internet. In the clip, he said that drinking half a glass of sorghum wine while eating could kill bacteria in the throat. Eight people who attended a Friends of the Police Association gathering in Yunlin’s Douliou City (斗六) did not test positive for COVID-19 because they had drunk sorghum wine, he said in the recording. Chen said that he would remember this experience and provide accurate, evidence-based information, especially as Taiwan is facing an outbreak of COVID-19. He also apologized to the police association and the hospital, adding that he would accept any punishment that his employer imposes. The hospital expressed regret over the “negative impact of Chen’s words” and said it would investigate the incident before deciding on a punishment. It would provide further training for medical personnel, it added. The Yunlin County Police Bureau’s Douliou Precinct told reporters that it would get a statement from Chen and refer the case to prosecutors. The bureau called on people not to spread unfounded information on the Internet. Spreading rumors or misinformation about COVID-19 that might cause harm to the public or others is a contravention of the Special Act for Prevention, Relief and Revitalization Measures for Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens (嚴重特殊傳染性肺炎防治及紓困振興特別條例), it said. People convicted of breaching the rules face up to three years in prison, detention or a maximum fine of NT$3 million (US$101,678), it said.
Pingtung County’s Mudan Township (牡丹) has erected a statue of Paiwan leader Aruqu Kavulungan and his son, who were killed in the Mudan Incident, with the hope of sharing the Paiwan perspective of the incident. The Mudan Incident occurred in 1871 when Ryukuan sailors were shipwrecked off Hengchun Peninsula. They were massacred by Paiwan when the sailors ended up in their village of Kuskus — which today is Gaoshih Village (高士) in Mudan. The incident is usually told from the Japanese perspective. It was used by the Japanese as a pretense for the 1874 invasion of Taiwan — which at the time was governed by Qing Dynasty officials. The Paiwan, led by Aruqu and his son, were brave heroes defending their homeland, the township said. A plaque next to the statues — which were designed by local Paiwan artists Hua Heng-ming (華恆明) and his daughter Hua Yi-ta (華伊達) — explains that the statues were “carved out of granite to commemorate the firm determination and immortal spirit of the Paiwan to bravely defend their homeland against invading enemies.” “The facts behind the events of 1871-1874 are not well known among Taiwanese,” Mudan Mayor Pan Chuang-chih (潘壯志) said on Saturday. “At a time when the government is focused on transitional justice, there is a responsibility to give a voice to the ancestors of Mudan.” Preserving Paiwan history is an important but challenging process, as most indigenous history was transmitted orally, while written accounts made during the Japanese colonial era largely recorded the Japanese perspective, Pan said. The township office earlier this year restored trails and historical sites where fighting between Paiwan and Japanese took place, allowing people to get a better sense of events at the time, he said.
A doctor on Monday apologized for saying that sorghum wine could help prevent COVID-19. Chen Cheng-chieh (陳正傑), a doctor at China Medical University Beigang Hospital in Yunlin County, issued a statement apologizing for “misleading the public with false information about disease prevention.” Chen made the claim at a dinner party with friends a few days earlier, which was recorded and uploaded to the Internet. In the clip, he said that drinking half a glass of sorghum wine while eating could kill bacteria in the throat. Eight people who attended a Friends of the Police Association gathering in Yunlin’s Douliou City (斗六) did not test positive for COVID-19 because they had drunk sorghum wine, he said in the recording. Chen said that he would remember this experience and provide accurate, evidence-based information, especially as Taiwan is facing an outbreak of COVID-19. He also apologized to the police association and the hospital, adding that he would accept any punishment that his employer imposes. The hospital expressed regret over the “negative impact of Chen’s words” and said it would investigate the incident before deciding on a punishment. It would provide further training for medical personnel, it added. The Yunlin County Police Bureau’s Douliou Precinct told reporters that it would get a statement from Chen and refer the case to prosecutors. The bureau called on people not to spread unfounded information on the Internet. Spreading rumors or misinformation about COVID-19 that might cause harm to the public or others is a contravention of the Special Act for Prevention, Relief and Revitalization Measures for Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens (嚴重特殊傳染性肺炎防治及紓困振興特別條例), it said. People convicted of breaching the rules face up to three years in prison, detention or a maximum fine of NT$3 million (US$101,678), it said.
HEATED EXCHANGE: The defense minister had a verbal fight with a KMT lawmaker over allegations that the military was being used for cheap labor in pandemic-related tasks The live-fire portion of the annual Han Kuang exercises is to continue as scheduled in July, but possibly on a smaller scale due to the domestic COVID-19 outbreak, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) told a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee yesterday. Asked at the meeting whether the exercises would be postponed as the number of domestic COVID-19 infections continues to rise, Chiu responded that the live-fire exercises would not be suspended, but would likely be downsized, with the number of military personnel participating in the drills to be reduced. The 38th Han Kuang military exercises include simulated tabletop war games and live-fire drills. The tabletop exercise concluded on Friday last week, while the live-fire component is scheduled for July 25 to 29. The tabletop exercise simulated the military’s tactics against possible Chinese invasion scenarios drawn from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Ministry of National Defense said. The live-fire component is to be based on the outcome of the tabletop simulation. Citing a report by Reuters, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) told the meeting that Washington plans to provide Ukraine with ground-launched Harpoon anti-ship missiles to bolster its war effort, and asked whether those arms transfers could delay the delivery of such weapons to Taiwan, which has placed a NT$86.6 billion (US$2.94 billion) order for 400 of the missiles. Chiu said that the ministry would urge Washington to ship the missiles to Taiwan according to the schedule and quantity stipulated in the contract. “The ministry does not relent in matters concerning the lawful and contractual interests of our nation, which is not subject to change even by contingency,” he said. Meanwhile, Chiu and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lee Kuei-min (李貴敏) had a table-slamming argument over allegations that military service members were being used as cheap labor in COVID-19 pandemic-related
Washington has been in talks with Taipei for the past few weeks in preparation for the unveiling of its China strategy yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Communications between the US and Taiwan were “intense” in the run-up to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s speech on China policy at George Washington University, the ministry said. The contents of those discussions are being kept private, ministry deputy spokesman Tsuei Ching-lin (崔靜麟) said at a news conference. Blinken outlined US President Joe Biden administration’s policy toward China at the university at 10am yesterday in Washington. The speech, which had been postponed from early last month after Blinken tested positive for COVID-19, came on the heels of Biden’s trip to Asia this week, which ended on Tuesday, and was reportedly aimed at reinvigorating relationships with US allies to counter China’s influence in the region. During Biden’s visit to Japan, he said in response to a reporter’s question that the US would intervene militarily if China were to attack Taiwan. Biden’s off-the-cuff remark was interpreted by some people as a more open commitment of US intervention, or “strategic clarity,” and a deviation from the US’ policy of “strategic ambiguity,” which allows it to remain vague about its response to a potential attack on Taiwan by China. However, Biden on Tuesday said that the US policy of strategic ambiguity on Taiwan “has not changed at all,” after he met with his colleagues at the leaders’ summit of the Quad nations, including prime ministers Fumio Kishida of Japan, Anthony Albanese of Australia and Narendra Modi of India.
GOOD FAITH: The government has committed to resolving issues relating to safety, salaries and benefits, the union said, as Taipei hopes to avoid holiday disruptions Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kuo-tsai (王國材) yesterday pledged to continue communicating with members of the Taiwan Railway Labor Union (TRLU) over 16 regulations in the draft Taiwan railway corporation act, after the union on Wednesday canceled a strike planned for the Dragon Boat Festival on Friday next week. “I thank the union for the decision reached on Wednesday following a rational discussion, which was a good start,” Wang told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee in Taipei. “We can now focus on discussions about the regulations with union members. I hope that there will not be strikes on long weekends anymore.” The draft act is expected to be passed at a third reading in the legislature on Tuesday next week following a one-month negotiation between Democratic Progressive Party and opposition lawmakers. The Executive Yuan and the ministry have responded to major issues highlighted by the TRLU in good faith, including enhancing railway safety, resolving issues caused by the Taiwan Railways Administration’s (TRA) accumulated debt, a more flexible use of the agency’s assets, and adjusting employee salaries and benefits, the TRLU said. “Union members had different opinions about the strike during the meeting on Wednesday, but I told them that not too many people want to take trains with COVID-19 cases soaring nationwide,” TRLU chairman Chen Shih-chieh (陳世杰) said. “Should we insist on taking June 3 off, it would hurt the union, the TRA and train passengers. In the end, members unanimously agreed to cancel the strike,” he said. Although the union canceled the strike, the TRA said that it has no plans to offer more train services during the holiday as the number of passengers is expected to decline amid a domestic COVID-19 outbreak. Except for four “homebound” services chartered by the Hualien and Taitung county governments, the
Belizian Minister of Health Kevin Bernard on Wednesday expressed sadness over the exclusion of Taiwan from the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, saying he hopes Taiwan can be present at future discussions on global health issues. Speaking after a meeting with Deputy Minister of Health Lee Li-feng (李麗芬) on the sidelines of the WHA, Bernard said he was “very saddened” to see Taiwan denied observer status at the WHO’s annual decisionmaking forum, which began on Sunday in Geneva and ends tomorrow. Belize was one of the 13 countries, all diplomatic allies of Taiwan, that had forwarded a motion to put Taiwan’s inclusion on the assembly’s agenda, a proposal that was rejected at a WHA plenary session on Monday. Bernard said he hopes to see great minds come together “to make the right decision” and have Taiwan invited to the WHO and the WHA next year. Belize stands “strong and firm behind Taiwan,” Bernard said. Bernard had spoken in defense of Taiwan’s right to be at the WHA when the issue was discussed at a closed-door meeting of the assembly’s general committee on Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Lizzie Nkosi, minister of health for Eswatini, one of the nations that initiated the motion, said that she firmly supports Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHA, as her country’s relationship with Taiwan dates back to 1968. The rejection of Taiwan’s motion marked the sixth consecutive year the Democratic Progressive Party administration, which took office in 2016, has been unsuccessful at securing an invitation to the WHA. As in past years, the government sent a delegation to Geneva, this year led by Lee, to maintain a presence on the sidelines of the WHA and meet with national delegates outside the event. Lee told reporters that Taiwan’s exclusion this year was “very regrettable,” but that the government “would not relent
TRANSITIONAL FUND: The new program is to include wage subsidies, rent and rights waivers, vocational training, loan extensions and stimulus spending, the Cabinet said The Cabinet yesterday approved new subsidy and relief funds of NT$34.56 billion (US$1.17 billion) to support sectors and people hard hit by surging COVID-19 infections as the nation seeks to live with the virus. The program, proposed by the National Development Council (NDC), is intended to benefit 899,000 people after the number of daily COVID-19 cases climbed above 80,000 this month and is expected to remain high for the next one to two months. “Taiwan is going through a transition, during which time people have voluntarily cut nonessential activity, dealing a blow to restaurants, travel agencies, transportation and other tourism-related sectors,” NDC research director Wu Ming-huei (吳明蕙) told a media briefing. The program is to include wage subsidies, vocational training, rent and rights waivers, loan extensions and stimulus spending, the Cabinet said after its weekly meeting. The hardest-hit industries include the food and beverage sector, exhibitions and conferences, airport and port services, arts and culture, aviation and transportation, as well as travel and tourism. The Ministry of Economic Affairs had originally earmarked a relief fund of NT$600 million to help the food and beverage sector, but sought an additional allocation to bring the total funding to NT$3.625 billion, Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) said in a statement. The ministry started accepting subsidy applications on Monday last week, with the deadline for applications falling on June 15, the statement said. Hundreds of domestic companies have revived unpaid leave programs as they grapple with a plunge in business, the General Chamber of Commerce (全國商總) said last week, pressing the government to intervene without delay. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Labor had already stepped up relief funds for severely affected companies and workers. The domestic outbreak is derailing a burgeoning recovery in demand, while exports could lose momentum amid China’s lockdowns and heightened inflationary pressure induced
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC: ’We are prepared to offer passenger flights,’ China Airlines said, although higher jet fuel costs and inflation could push up ticket prices this year China Airlines Ltd (CAL, 中華航空) yesterday gave a cautiously optimistic outlook for passenger traffic in the second half of the year, but rising crude oil prices might be a drag on profits. Air travel demand is likely to gradually recover in the second half as border controls ease, CAL told shareholders at an extraordinary meeting in New Taipei City, citing robust ticket sales at its budget airline, Tigerair Taiwan Ltd (台灣虎航). Tigerair on Wednesday launched a limited promotion, offering flights this winter for NT$798. However, a robust response caused the Web site to crash within an hour, so Tigerair extended the promotion to midnight yesterday. “This [sale] is a signal that air travel will pick up. We are prepared to offer passenger flights... The number of passengers might be limited as some disease prevention measures remain in place,” CAL chairman Hsieh Shih-chien (謝世謙) told shareholders. CAL’s flights this quarter have doubled, compared with the same period last year, Hsieh said, adding that the airline would continually adjust the number of its flights depending on demand. However, the price of jet fuel has climbed to US$140 per barrel — US$30 higher than crude oil prices of US$110 per barrel, the airline said, adding that such a considerable gap has never before been seen. As fuel prices climb, they account for more of the airline’s costs, possibly eating up to 40 percent of its operating costs, CAL said. Higher fuel costs and inflation could push up ticket prices, it said. It is unlikely that tickets will be as cheap as they were in 2019, but how much higher they will go depends on demand, it added. The outlook for its air cargo business remains rosy, as freight rates are high due to congestion at ports worldwide, CAL said, adding that it plans to increase its cargo fleet to 23 aircraft
Nanya Technology Corp (南亞科技) has received government grants to build a new NT$300 billion (US$10.17 billion) fab after a nine-month deferral primarily due to red tape, as well as shortages of labor and raw materials. The chipmaker yesterday sent media an invitation to attend a groundbreaking ceremony for the 12-inch fab on June 23. Nanya Technology expects the fab, to be built in New Taipei City’s Taishan District (泰山), to start commercial operations in 2025. It had expected the fab to start operations in 2024 with a monthly capacity of 15,000 wafers. The new factory would help Nanya Technology solve capacity bottlenecks, it said. The chipmaker expects production this year to be little changed for a second year, after a 35 percent year-on-year expansion in 2020. With the introduction of more advanced technologies, the new fab would help it broaden its product portfolio and expand its customer base, the company said when it unveiled the plans in April last year. The firm yesterday said that it plans to ramp up production of its first-generation 10-nanometer process technology in the second half of this year, allowing it to offer an 8-gigabyte DDR4 DRAM, among other memory chips. A second chip, a DDR5 DRAM, is entering pilot production using 10-nanometer technology, Nanya Technology chairman Wu Chia-chau (吳嘉昭) told the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting yesterday. The 10-nanometer chips are expected to account for 10 percent of total output by the end of this year at the earliest, it said. The company currently uses mostly 20-nanometer technology to make DRAM chips. Cloud-based data centers are leading the uptrend in DRAM chip demand, while rising 5G smartphone penetration is also boosting consumption, Wu said, adding that commercial and gaming notebooks are also growth drivers. However, rising inflation worldwide, geopolitical tensions and supply constraints for key components are dampening demand for consumer laptops and handsets, he added. The firm’s
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) dropped a bombshell announcement on Wednesday last week: The party is nominating former premier Simon Chang (張善政) as its candidate for Taoyuan mayor. The nomination might have come as a surprise to the public, but it completely ambushed the KMT local factions in Taoyuan. Chang was not considered as, or even rumored to be, a potential candidate right up to the announcement. The list of candidates expected for nomination were KMT legislators Lu Yu-ling (呂玉玲), Lu Ming-che (魯明哲) and Wan Mei-ling (萬美玲), and former KMT Taipei city councilor Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強). Lo had expressed his intention to run more than a month earlier, but his proposal was met with strong opposition from local factions. Chu reportedly ordered Lo to back out of the race, as he would “never, ever nominate” him. Believing himself to be as strong a candidate as the others, Lo moved to Taoyuan and resigned as a councilor to demonstrate his resolve. The KMT gave subtle or direct hints that misled other candidates into running, with many believing that a decision would be made in July. Lu Yu-ling — endorsed by Taoyuan City Council Speaker Chiu Yi-sheng (邱奕勝) — started putting up billboards with encouragement from the party. Lu Ming-che, who had the highest approval ratings in opinion polls, also gave his consent if he were to be enlisted by the party. As a result, the announcement of Chang’s nomination created a backlash, leaving the hopeful candidates reeling. Chiu even left the KMT’s Line groups to express his ire. So far, Chu’s nomination of Chang can be seen as either the greatest gamble in his political career or his dumbest move as a KMT leader. With the nomination, Chu is tying his political career to a Chang election victory. If Chang wins in November, then all hail Chu
Former US presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama all met with the Dalai Lama. The only recent former president who never met him is Donald Trump. Tibetans living in exile in India are divided into two main groups — the Central Tibetan Administration headed by the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Youth Congress, which seeks Tibetan independence. There is also a group so fully integrated into India that it serves as a special operations unit called the Special Frontier Force, which cannot wait to get its hands on the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. An important thing to know about the Dalai Lama is that he does not call for Tibetan independence. He seeks a high degree of autonomy for Tibet under Chinese rule. Furthermore, the Dalai Lama calls for unification between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait — as long as it happens under the values of democracy and human rights. This view is different from India’s “one China” policy. India does not recognize Taiwan and Tibet as belonging to China, and if China does not recognize “one India,” India will not recognize “one China.” In the past few years, whenever the Dalai Lama spoke about visiting Taiwan, the media here only reported that he would like to visit. However, Indian reporting says that the Dalai Lama has a precondition for visiting Taiwan, namely that he first wants to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Beijing. In other words, he would visit Taiwan under the premise of “one China,” but India would never agree to that. The strategy of India’s foreign affairs departments regarding the Dalai Lama is to prevent him from visiting either side of the Taiwan Strait. They would prefer that he stayed in India, so they often refuse to grant him visas. When dealing with the Tibetan
In the past few years, especially after the 2017 Chinese Communist Party national congress, there have been disturbing signals that China is reconsidering its peaceful approach to Taiwan and taking steps toward armed unification. Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has repeatedly called for complete national “reunification” as an inevitable requirement for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Xi in 2019 dropped the term “peaceful” when referring to unification with Taiwan, but included it again last year. China could possibly attempt an invasion before Aug. 1, 2027, the centenary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), but there remain unanswered questions about the capabilities of China’s amphibious assault units and airborne troops. Taiwan knows the mammoth challenge it faces and has begun to upgrade its defensive capabilities, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has created new discussions over deterrence, defense planning and preparedness, weapons, military tactics and contingencies. Moreover, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has instructed the National Security Council to create a task force on Ukraine to monitor developments and the possible impact on Taiwan’s security. I have had the privilege of speaking with officials working closely on Taiwan’s national security issues. My biggest takeaway from these conversations was that, unlike multiple recent analyses only focusing on military and tactical lessons from the Russian invasion, Taiwan has also taken on board unconventional contingency planning lessons along with conventional military tactical lessons from the ongoing conflict. It is taking steps toward not only deterring China and defending its territory, but also planning civilian contingencies in the event of a protracted war. The first major lesson that Taiwan has learned from the Ukraine conflict is about maintaining the nation’s supply of food. The Russian-Ukraine war has also been termed a war between two agricultural powerhouses. During the course of the war, Russia has, on multiple occasions, moved to cripple Ukraine’s agrarian
EPIC THRILLER: Carlos Alcaraz, 19, is aiming to become just the eighth teenager to take a major men’s title — and break the stranglehold of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal Spanish teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday saved a match point in a five-set French Open thriller. Alcaraz, widely tipped as a title contender, rallied from the brink to defeat compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1, 6-7 (7/9), 5-7, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 after 4 hours and 34 minutes. “I feel tired,” Alcaraz said. “It was a great battle, a great match — and we fought until the last point.” The 19-year-old Alcaraz is attempting to become just the eighth teenager to capture a major men’s title, but he was pushed to the limit by Ramos-Vinolas, 15 years his elder and whose best performance at a Grand Slam came when he made the quarter-finals in Paris six years ago. Alcaraz fought off a match point to break Ramos-Vinolas as he served at 5-4 in the fourth set. He then clawed his way back from 3-0 in the decider, producing an outrageous backhand pass to retrieve the break and more sensational baseline scrambling to move 5-4 in front before closing out the victory with an ace. Alexander Zverev, a semi-finalist last year, dug himself out of a hole against Argentina’s Sebastian Baez to avoid his earliest loss at a major in three years and overcome Baez 2-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 7-5. “I’m happy still being in the tournament right now,” said Zverev, who was a match point down on serve at 4-5 in the final set. “I was planning my holiday in Monaco, where I was going to go and who I was going to with — and that relaxed me, thinking about the beach,” he said. “You just have to find a way.” Rafael Nadal breezed past French wildcard Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 for the 300th Grand Slam win of his career. Roger Federer (369) and Djokovic (325) are the only men to have more than the record 21-time major champion. Nadal’s
Nicolo Zaniolo’s goal on Wednesday earned AS Roma a first major European title in more than 60 years after a 1-0 win over Feyenoord in the UEFA Europa Conference League final in Albania, completing a unique European trophy haul for Jose Mourinho. Roma coach Mourinho, who had previously won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Cup with other clubs, can now add the third-tier European title — the Italian side’s first trophy in 14 years — to his medal tally. The 22-year-old Zaniolo earned Roma the victory with an expertly taken finish in the 32nd minute, as he became the first Italian to score in a European final since Filippo Inzaghi against Liverpool in the 2007 Champions League final. Roma, whose only previous continental title was the old Fairs Cup in 1961, held off a spirited comeback from their Dutch opponents, who were twice denied by the woodwork in the second half. That ensured that Mourinho became the first manager to win a European trophy with four clubs, after previous successes at Porto, Inter and Manchester United. “We are a real team, we proved that. Now we have to celebrate and then start again, which is always difficult after a great victory, but a real team wins, celebrates and starts again,” AS Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini told Sky Sport Italia. Given that Roma and Feyenoord came into the contest having secured Europa League places for next season through their domestic league position, the match was all about the glory in Tirana. Early on it looked like there was only going to be one winner, as Roma dominated the opening exchanges, without troubling Feyenoord goalkeeper Justin Bijlow. One chance was all they needed to hold the lead at halftime, with Zaniolo bringing the ball down on his chest before slotting home his first goal in
Jaylen Brown on Wednesday scored 25 points, while Jayson Tatum added 22 as the Boston Celtics moved to the brink of the NBA Finals by defeating the Miami Heat 93-80. Tatum also contributed 12 rebounds and nine assists as the visiting Celtics took a 3-2 edge in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals series, which continues in Boston today. “We can’t think it’s over with,” Tatum said. “We have to go home like we’re down 3-2, with that sense of urgency... It’s far from over.” The Celtics, who rallied from a 3-2 deficit to eliminate defending champions the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round, are one victory from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010, when they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. They have not captured the NBA crown since 2008, when they beat the Lakers. “This is a great opportunity,” Brown said. “We have an opportunity to do something special.” The Celtics improved to 6-2 on the road in this year’s playoffs. A physical, defensive-minded contest was decided late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, when the Celtics went on a 24-2 run, Brown scoring 13 in the spurt and Tatum adding seven. “We just got it going offensively,” Brown said. “We stopped turning the ball over. We cleaned it up, made more shots and got settled in.” The Celtics dominated the third quarter, outscoring Miami 32-16 and closing the period with a 10-0 run for the largest lead to that point at 69-58 entering the fourth quarter. For the game, Brown hit 10 of 19 from the floor, and five of nine from three-point range. Miami went four for 22 shooting from the floor in the third quarter. “As poorly as we played offensively, we were able to compete defensively and keep them to under 100,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. Boston then opened the
Team BikeExchange-Jayco rider Simon Yates on Wednesday dropped out of the Giro d’Italia due to a knee problem, as Team Bahrain Victorious rider Santiago Buitrago went on to win on stage 17, a 165km ride from Ponte di Legno to Lavarone. After an almighty battle further back, Team Ineos Grenadiers rider Richard Carapaz came home in fifth to retain the pink jersey, crossing the line at the same time as Australian Jai Hindley, who stayed second in the general classification. Yates, one of the prerace favorites for the pink jersey and so far winner of two stages, abandoned the Giro altogether, lying 21st in the general classification — more than half an hour behind Carapaz before Wednesday’s rainy stage. “Yates’ fall on Mount Etna [last week] and subsequent knee problem weighed on the rider for all of the following stages of the Giro d’Italia,” Team BikeExchange-Jayco doctor Matteo Beltemacchi said. “Despite daily therapy and Simon’s tenacity, which resulted in a second-stage win, the knee pain grew worse and worse, eventually leading to the decision for his retirement from the race.” As Yates dropped out of the running, Dutch pairing Mathieu van der Poel and Gijs Leemreize led the way by a comfortable margin in tough conditions going into the final ascent up Monterovere, before Leemreize pulled clear on the descent. Colombian Buitrago, who had crashed earlier in the stage, then stormed ahead of the first group of chasers, in front of the peloton, and then breezed past Leemreize to take the first Grand Tour stage victory of his career by 35 seconds. Carapaz leads the way in the general classification after his impressive effort to lead the peloton home, three seconds ahead of Hindley, with the top two gaining seconds on Mikel Landa in third.
‘SICK AND TIRED’: Former US representative Beto O’Rourke interrupted Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s news conference, telling him that the shooting ‘is on you’ Grief at the massacre of 19 children at an elementary school in Texas spilled into confrontation on Wednesday, as angry questions mounted over gun control — and whether this latest incident could have been prevented. The tight-knit Latino community of Uvalde on Tuesday became the site of the US’ worst school shooting in a decade, committed by a disturbed 18-year-old armed with a legally bought assault rifle. Wrenching details have been steadily emerging since the tragedy, which also claimed the lives of two teachers. Briefing reporters, Texas Governor Greg Abbott revealed that teen shooter Salvador Ramos — who was killed by police — shot his 66-year-old grandmother in the face before heading to Robb Elementary School. Ramos went on social media to share his plan to attack his grandmother — who, although gravely injured, was able to alert the police. He then messaged again to say his next target was a school, where he headed clad in body armor and wielding an AR-15 rifle. Pressed on how the teen was able to obtain the murder weapon, the Texas governor repeatedly brushed aside suggestions that tougher gun laws were needed in his state — where attachment to the right to bear arms runs deep. “I consider this person to have been pure evil,” Abbott said, articulating a position commonly held among US Republicans — that unfettered access to weapons is not to blame for the country’s gun violence epidemic. Abbott’s stance was echoed by the powerful National Rifle Association gun lobby, which issued a statement labeling the shooter as “a lone, deranged criminal.” The governor was called out by a rival Democrat, who loudly interrupted the briefing to accuse him of deadly inaction. “This is on you,” said former US representative Beto O’Rourke, a fervent gun control advocate who is challenging Abbott for his job in November. “You are doing nothing,” O’Rourke
Ousted Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan yesterday disbanded a protest march by supporters after clashes with police outside parliament, but threatened that they would return unless an election was called within six days. Khan had rallied thousands of supporters to Islamabad, with plans to occupy sensitive parts of the capital until Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave in to his demand for new polls, but Khan told his followers yesterday morning to step back, while delivering a fresh ultimatum. “I’m giving you six days. You announce elections in six days,” Khan said from atop a truck after he and thousands of his supporters reached the city. He said parliament should be dissolved to hold elections next month, and warned the government that he will lead a march on the capital again if it did not meet his demands. Khan’s attempt to destabilize Sharif’s month-old coalition government risks fueling tensions during an economic crisis that has forced Pakistan to seek urgent help from the IMF. The government convened a joint session of parliament yesterday to discuss the economic crisis following talks with IMF officials in Doha a day earlier. The IMF said that considerable progress had been made, but emphasized the urgent need for Pakistan to remove fuel and energy subsidies. Khan has said that the confidence vote that toppled him last month was the result of a US conspiracy, and he is demanding a fresh election to show he has national support. He had reportedly fallen out with the country’s powerful military before he was removed by a united opposition that accused him of mismanaging the government, the economy and foreign relations. His call for a march on Islamabad had prompted the government to seal off main roads leading to the capital, but late on Wednesday the Supreme Court ordered that the barriers be removed, telling the government to
Seconds before he was to present a news bulletin, Afghan television anchor Nisar Nabil put on a black mask as a symbolic protest against Taliban authorities for ordering female presenters to cover their faces on air. “We are taking a stand in support of our women colleagues,” said Nabil, who works at TOLOnews, Afghanistan’s main private television channel. “During our live news broadcasts or political shows, we are wearing masks as a protest,” he said, after presenting a bulletin at the channel’s studio in Kabul. Since seizing power last year, the Taliban have imposed a slew of restrictions on women and girls to comply with the group’s austere brand of Islam. This month Afghanistan’s supreme leader and Taliban head Hibatullah Akhundzada issued a diktat for women to cover up fully in public, including their faces, ideally with the traditional burqa. The feared Ministry for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice ordered female television presenters to follow suit. After initially defying the order, women presenters are wearing full hijabs and veils that leave only their eyes on view across channels such TOLOnews, 1TV, Shamshad TV and Ariana Television. However, they have received support from their male colleagues who have launched a campaign to oppose the order. Male presenters are broadcasting programs on air wearing black masks, sometimes jointly with female colleagues. “The Taliban want to put pressure on media outlets with these restrictions ... they want media outlets to work according to their plans,” said Nabil, dressed in a blazer, jeans and tie. Similar scenes unfolded at the offices of 1TV, another leading private channel. The network’s male presenters and employees wear masks, while women dress in full-body-covering hijabs. “We are fine with our women presenters wearing Islamic hijabs, but without masks, because it is difficult to conduct a program for three or four hours like that,” said Idrees Faroqi, the channel’s
Tourism is a lopsided industry in most countries, and Taiwan is no exception. On some days, certain places are packed out with visitors, while others hardly ever see an excursionist. It’s probably true to say that tourism is even more uneven in Changhua County than in other counties or municipalities. Almost everyone has toured the famous temples and old streets of Lukang (鹿港), but how many readers of the Taipei Times have set foot in Jhutang (竹塘) or Sijhou (溪州), rural townships on the north bank of the Jhuoshuei River (濁水溪)? Not many people live in Jhutang — fewer than 14,600 according to recent Household Registration data — and on the Sunday morning we visited, the only place that appeared at all lively was 4km southeast of the township’s modest downtown. SACRED BANYAN TREE Clusters of retirees and middle-aged folks were relaxing beneath the boughs of Jiulong Giant Banyan (九龍大榕樹), an immense sacred tree that could be 300 years old. Some visitors were picnicking. Two vendors were doing brisk business, and during our visit the karaoke machine didn’t once fall silent. There are basketball hoops and bathrooms. The banyan’s size (more than 3,000 ping, or over 1 hectare) and shape are in part a consequence of natural disasters. Typhoon gales have caused it to grow sideways rather than upward. The Aug. 7 floods of 1959 added a thick layer of fertile soil to the area, after which the tree’s canopy grew even larger. Some of those living in the neighborhood reported spooky happenings in the months following that calamity. This, it was eventually decided, was because they hadn’t correctly handled the remains of Liao Jhu-che (廖竹車), a native of Jhushan (竹山) in Nantou County who perished in the flooding and was washed up near the banyan. To rectify their errors, villagers established a
For decades, the large white building that currently serves as Shueitsanlin Elementary School’s (水燦林國小) library was shrouded in mystery. Dubbed the “White House” (美國白宮) by locals since it was built by the US military in 1968, the structure seems out of place for rural Yunlin County, and even the school’s principal Tsai Hsing-shen (蔡幸伸) couldn’t find any information about it. Some local women remember drinking milk formula provided by the research facility and sending their baby boys there, but nobody really knew its purpose. Life was hard back then with little to eat besides sweet potatoes, and they were not about to turn down free food and childcare. The facility shut down in 1975 and everything was shipped back to the US, leaving not even a single document for the National Archives. The only evidence that remained in Taiwan were the old photos and memories of former employees, which included the father of See You, White House (再會啦, 白宮) director Lee Chine-Cheng (李建成). Lee, who grew up in the area, was just looking into the building on a trip home when he found a photo with his dad in it, sparking a four-year, transcontinental quest to uncover the truth behind the White House. His efforts not only culminated in a full-length documentary, it also reunited the former workers, who seemed to really get along with each other. The result is a solid, straightforward tale that explores as best as it can the history of the US Naval Metabolic Ward and why it was set up in remote Shueilin Township (水林). The locals and former workers are quite the characters, especially former nurse and formula deliverywoman Hsiu-ching (秀卿), who probably carries over half the movie’s weight with her extremely upbeat and funny, yet self-deprecating, personality. Lee includes many slice-of-life moments that
In 1983, producer Jerry Bruckheimer was flipping through the May issue of California magazine when he was struck by a story. Top Guns read the headline, with a large photograph from inside the cockpit of an F-14 fighter jet. The story opened: “At Mach 2 and 40,000 feet over California, it’s always high noon.” “I saw that cover and I said, ‘We gotta do this. This looks great,‘” recalls Bruckheimer. “It’s Star Wars on Earth.” And at the box office, Top Gun did nearly reach Star Wars proportions. It was the No. 1 film of 1986, a rocket-boosted, testosterone-fueled sensation that established the then 24-year-old Tom Cruise as a major star. It made Bomber jackets, Aviator sunglasses and playing homoerotic games of beach volleyball in jeans hip just as it did military service. In the jingoist Reagan-era ’80s, “Top Gun” was about as American as it gets. The Navy set up recruitment tables in theaters. Enlistments soared. If all of that — the go-go patriotism, a star-led blockbuster, magazines — sounds like a like time ago, it was. But almost four decades later, and after sitting on the shelf for two years due to the pandemic, Top Gun: Maverick is flying full throttle into a new world. In the film, directed by Joseph Kosinski, there’s a new mission to win and dogfights to wage. But this time, the task of Top Gun feels even weightier. It’s here to, in a CGI, Marvel world, prove that a propulsive brand of moviemaking fueled by star power, practical effects and filmmaking prowess can, still, summon the need for speed. “I wanted it to have that old-school experience,” says Kosinski, director of Tron: Legacy and Oblivion. Just as Maverick is going back to Top Gun, I wanted to take the audience back to that type of filmmaking.” Paramount Pictures, which
The Taipei Times bilingual pages are having a makeover, with professionally curated content for both English and Chinese learners of all levels, starting this month. With our new partners Ivy English, English OK and others, Taipei Times readers can improve their language studies while keeping abreast of important issues in Taiwan and abroad. A new departure for us is the addition of a Chinese-language learning module, with content provided by the National Taiwan Normal University “Mandarin Teaching Center.” Watch this space! 《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。本月起版面全新升級！每週和《常春藤解析英語》、《English OK中學英閱誌》……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。 而此次改版除了英語學習以外，本報特別和台灣師範大學「國語教學中心」聯手，即將為外國讀者們推出華語學習單元，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！
Taiwan marks third-year anniversary of same-sex marriage (3/3) 台灣開放同婚三週年（三） A: I often see people use the acronym “LGBT” — what does it mean? B: LGBT are the first letters for: lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. A: Is the LGBT community in Taiwan very large? B: I’m not too sure. But in the US, for example, according to a recent poll by Gallup, the LGBT community accounts for 7 percent of the population. A: OK, so if you were to transpose this figure onto Taiwan, 7 percent of Taiwan’s population equates to over 1 million people. B: However, Taiwanese society is comparatively conservative, so many LGBT people may be unwilling to come out. A: 我常看別人寫LGBT，是什麼意思？ B: LGBT就是女同性戀、男同性戀、雙性戀與跨性別者的首字母縮略字。 A: 台灣的LGBT族群很大嗎？ B: 這我不太清楚，如果以美國為例的話，根據蓋洛普最新民調，LGBT族群約佔總人口的百分之七。 A: 那在台灣的話，百分之七就等於一百多萬人呢。 B: 不過台灣社會較保守，許多人還不願「出櫃」吧。 （Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩） Audio recordings for Speak Up! dialogues will be suspended until further notice due to the pandemic.
Taiwan marks third-year anniversary of same-sex marriage (2/3) 台灣開放同婚三週年（二） A: When did Taiwan lift the restriction on same-sex marriage? B: On May 24, 2019 — so this week marks the third anniversary of same-sex marriage. A: How many same-sex marriages are there in Taiwan? B: According to the data, in the first year after legalization, there were over 4,000 registered same-sex couples. A: 台灣是在何時開放同性婚姻的？ B: 是在二○一九年五月二十四日，本週剛好滿三週年唷！ A: 那有很多同志結婚嗎？ B: 據統計在開放第一年，就有四千多對同志伴侶登記呢。 （Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩） Audio recordings for Speak Up! dialogues will be suspended until further notice due to the pandemic.
| New Taipei City | 23-23 | 20% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 23-23 | 50% |  |
| Hsinchu City | 23-23 | 50% | |
| Taipei City | 23-23 | 20% | |
| Miaoli County | 24-24 | 40% | |
| Taoyuan City | 22-22 | 40% |  |
| Keelung City | 23-23 | 20% | |
| Yunlin County | 24-25 | 30% |  |
| Taichung City | 25-25 | 40% | |
| Nantou County | 24-24 | 40% | |
| Changhua County | 24-25 | 30% | |
| Chiayi County | 24-25 | 30% | |
| Chiayi City | 24-25 | 30% | |
| Tainan City | 26-26 | 30% | |
| Kaohsiung City | 26-27 | 20% | |
| Pingtung County | 24-25 | 30% | |
| Yilan County | 23-24 | 10% |  |
| Hualien County | 24-24 | 10% | |
| Taitung County | 24-25 | 10% | |
| Kinmen County | 22-22 | 60% | |
| Penghu County | 25-25 | 30% | |
| Lienchiang County | 19-19 | 70% | |
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