Fri, Aug 19, 2022
Lithuania plans to open a trade office in Taiwan next month and has appointed Paulius Lukauskas, an adviser to Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, to head the office, the Lithuanian Economy and Innovation Ministry said on Wednesday. “Taiwan is included in Lithuania’s priority markets for innovation cooperation, exports and foreign direct investment. In the first half of this year, exports of Lithuanian-origin goods and services to Taipei increased by one-third,” Lithuanian Minister of the Economy and Innovation Ausrine Armonaite was quoted as saying in the statement. The office in Taipei would not only help diversify Lithuania’s economic representation in Asia, but also promote mutual technological cooperation, the statement said. Two-way trade for the first six months of this year increased by 92.6 percent year-on-year, it said. Lukauskas has more than 20 years of experience in industry, and held corporate executive positions before assuming public office, it said. Lithuania has commercial representatives in its embassies in the UK, the US, Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Israel, and expects to bring the total to 23 by 2024, the statement said. Newly installed commercial representatives are to be stationed in embassies in South Korea, Japan and Poland, and the number of business representatives in the US and German embassies is to be expanded to three each, it said. Lukauskas is advising Simonyte on strategic reforms, and previously headed Enterprise Lithuania, the country’s entrepreneurship and export development agency. The new trade office is to be called Lithuania’s Trade Representative Office in Taipei. Lithuanian officials also said that it would be a commercial office and not diplomatic in nature, the Baltic News Service said. In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it looks forward to close cooperation with the trade office. The ministry yesterday also welcomed the announcement that a Taiwan-friendly delegation formed by Ukrainian parliamentarians plans to visit the country. Ukrainian
Comments by a member of a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) delegation to China could cause a rift in society, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. KMT Mainland Affairs Department head Lin Chu-chia (林祖嘉), who was part of a recent delegation to China led by KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言), on Wednesday attended a forum on cross-strait relations via videoconference. Lin said in his opening remarks that the KMT upheld the “1992 consensus” — a term former MAC chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000 — opposed Taiwanese independence and sought improved cross-strait exchanges, as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Chiu said the delegation should not “echo the position of the Chinese Communist Party [CCP], nor give it a united front, which could divide Taiwanese society.” The CCP’s interpretation of the “1992 consensus” leaves no room for Republic of China (ROC) sovereignty, he said, adding that Taiwanese have rejected the concept. The council expressed its opposition to the KMT delegation’s trip, saying it was not the right time, he said. “The government hopes there can be unity among parties at this time so we can face China’s violent threats toward Taiwan in solidarity, and together protect national interests,” he said. Democratic Progressive Party spokeswoman Lee Yen-hui (李妍慧) yesterday said that Lin had broken the KMT’s promise that the delegation would not discuss politics. She said the delegation should “exercise restraint and not forget about the country and people” it represents. “Could it be that the only way the KMT can try to ensure cross-strait peace and stability is to abandon its self-proclaimed ‘anti-communist’ position, and to bow down to the CCP and appease it in every possible way?” she asked. KMT Secretary-General Justin Huang (黃健庭) said in response that President Tsai Ing-wen
URGING PEACE: National Security Secretariat head Takeo Akiba conveyed Tokyo’s position on Taiwan to China’s Yang Jiechi, a Japanese official said Japanese National Security Secretariat Director-General Takeo Akiba had met China’s top diplomat for seven hours of talks that covered topics including Taiwan and Russia’s war in Ukraine, a Japanese government official said yesterday. Accepting an invitation from China, Akiba traveled to Tianjin, southeast of Beijing, to meet Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi (楊潔篪) on Wednesday afternoon, the official said. Xinhua news agency also reported that the two had met, weeks before the countries commemorated the 50th anniversary of their normalized ties on Sept. 29. Relations between Asia’s two largest economies are not always friendly, and have long been beset by issues ranging from wartime history to territorial disputes. Japan in the past few weeks has protested Chinese missiles that it said landed in its exclusive economic zone during military drills around Taiwan, while China called visits by Japanese ministers to a controversial war shrine a “serious provocation.” However, during the meeting, which included dinner, the two senior officials took the opportunity to discuss an array of geopolitical issues. Akiba “conveyed Japan’s position” on Taiwan to Yang, and stressed the importance of “peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait, the official said. Their meeting was held two weeks after a visit to Taiwan by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi sparked a furious reaction from the Chinese government, which launched its largest-ever military drills around Taiwan. Akiba echoed Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in “condemning and protesting” Beijing’s recent show of military might, the official said. Xinhua reported that Yang told Akiba that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the Taiwan question bears on the political foundation of China-Japan relations and the basic trust and good faith between the two countries.” Yang also urged Tokyo to “shape up a right perception of China” and work with Beijing to “promote bilateral ties to be more mature, stable,
Chinese troops are planning to travel to Russia to take part in joint military drills, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said on Wednesday. Beijing and Moscow have close defense links, and China has said that it wants to push bilateral relations “to a higher level,” even as Moscow faces international sanctions and widespread condemnation over its war in Ukraine. The ministry said China’s participation in the annual “Vostok” exercises — which Moscow has said would take place from Saturday to Sept. 5 — is part of a bilateral cooperation agreement with Russia. “The aim is to deepen practical and friendly cooperation with the armies of participating countries, enhance the level of strategic collaboration among the participating parties and strengthen the ability to respond to various security threats,” the ministry said in a statement. India, Belarus, Mongolia, Tajikistan and other countries would also participate, it said. China and India have been accused of providing diplomatic cover for Russia throughout its months-long war in Ukraine by opposing Western sanctions and arms sales to Kyiv. However, Beijing said its participation in the joint exercises was “unrelated to the current international and regional situation.” It is the second joint exercise conducted by Chinese and Russian troops this year. Bombers from the countries conducted a 13-hour drill close to Japan and South Korea in May, forcing those countries to scramble fighter jets as US President Joe Biden was visiting Tokyo. US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said that while warming ties between China and Russia undermined global security, Washington did not “read anything” into the drills. “Most of the participating countries also routinely participate in a wide array of military exercises and exchanges with the United States as well,” he told a news conference.
DELEGATIONS: Japanese Representative Keiji Furuya is to head a group arriving next week, while Canadian lawmakers are planning a ‘necessary’ trip to Taiwan Lawmakers from Japan, Canada, Germany and the UK are planning trips to Taiwan in the next few months to show support amid heightened Chinese intimidation following US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei earlier this month. Next to visit from Monday to Wednesday next week is a delegation from Japan’s parliament, Kyodo News reported on Tuesday. The group is to be led by Japanese Representative Keiji Furuya, chair of the Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council and a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Kyodo News reported, quoting multiple sources. They are expected to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and defense officials to discuss improving defense systems in cooperation with the US, as well as Chinese military drills staged after Pelosi’s visit, it reported. They are also expected to discuss sending a council delegation to attend Double Ten National Day celebrations on Oct. 10 and holding trilateral strategic dialogue with US lawmakers, it said. Furuya previoulsy visited Taiwan in September 2020 to attend the funeral of former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday welcomed the announced visit by the council, which sent a delegation annually until the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. Emphasizing the trip as a return to normalcy as border controls are eased, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) told the Central News Agency that arrangements are still being made and details would be made public when ready. Canadian lawmakers are planning a trip to Taiwan in October for what the delegation’s leader called a “necessary” visit. The group of eight from the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade is to be led by the group’s chair, Judy Sgro of the Liberal Party, Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC) reported on Tuesday. “The trade committee is very anxious to go and to visit Taiwan and see what opportunities there
FOCUS ON TREATY: The South Korean leader said that the Non-Proliferation Treaty is an important and necessary premise to bring permanent world peace Seoul has no plans to pursue its own nuclear deterrent, despite North Korean nuclear threats, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said yesterday as he urged Pyongyang to return to dialogue aimed at exchanging denuclearization steps for economic benefits. Yoon’s comments at a news conference came hours after South Korea’s military detected the North firing two cruise missiles from a region near its capital toward its western waters. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not immediately confirm other details, including how far the weapons flew. The US and South Korea next week are to begin their biggest combined military training in years to counter the North Korean threat. The North describes such drills as invasion rehearsals often responding with missile launches or other provocative actions. Yoon told reporters that South Korea does not desire political change in North Korea that is brought by force, and he called for diplomacy aimed at building sustainable peace between the two sides amid tensions over the North’s accelerating weapons program. Yoon’s comments came days after he proposed an “audacious” economic assistance package to North Korea if it abandons its nuclear weapons program, while avoiding harsh criticism of the North after it threatened “deadly” retaliation over a COVID-19 outbreak it blames on the South. Yoon expressed hope for “meaningful dialogue” with North Korea over his plan and stressed that Seoul is willing to provide corresponding economic rewards at each step of a phased denuclearization process if the North commits to a genuine “road map” toward fully abandoning its weapons program. “We are not telling them to ‘denuclearize entirely first and then we will provide,’” Yoon said. “What we are saying is that we will provide the things we can in correspondence to their steps if they only show a firm determination” toward denuclearization, he added. Yoon has vowed to strengthen the South’s defenses through its
FINE FIRST: The owner of a cargo ship that damaged coral when it ran aground off Pingtung County in 2018 was fined NT$652,967, although NT$5.8m was sought A lack of typhoons to cool waters off the south of Taiwan have resulted in severe coral bleaching, the Ocean Conservation Administration said yesterday as it issued a level 2 alert over the issue. The agency surveyed 20 areas near the coast of Taiwan proper, as well as off Green Island (綠島) and Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼), it said, adding that it issued a level 1 alert for areas in northern Taiwan, where it found only sporadic bleaching. Level 2 alerts were issued for all of the areas it assessed in the south, with the exception of Jihuei Fishing Port (基翬漁港) in Taitung County’s Chenggong Township (成功), which had mild to moderate bleaching, it said. “In much of the country the bleaching is happening where the water depth is around 2m, at which depth the coral is more affected by sunlight and human activities,” the agency said. “At depths of 3m, there has been mild bleaching, with some heat-sensitive coral species being moderately bleached.” The issue is concerning because if coral start to die then fish near the shore will be without a habitat and will move away, it said. Water temperatures of 20°C to 28°C are ideal for coral growth and the only way to bring temperatures back within that range is through long-term carbon emission reductions, it said. In other news, the owner of the Chu Lung cargo ship — which ran aground off Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州) on Dec. 16, 2018, damaging 377m2 of coral — on Sunday was fined NT$652,967 (US$21,772). The Kenting National Park Management Office had requested the owner be fined NT$5.8 million due to the extensive damage to marine life, which it said would take 15 years to recover. This was the first time a fine has been imposed for damaging coral, the office said. The incident occurred because the ship
MONKEYPOX VACCINE: The CDC said that Taiwan has signed a contract to secure an unspecified number of doses and is seeking to have them delivered this month The first domestic cluster of infections of the BA.4 Omicron subvariant of SARS-CoV-2 has been confirmed in northern Taiwan, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday. A woman tested positive for BA.4 after her husband on Monday was reported as the country’s first domestic case of the subvariant, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC’s medical response division, told a news briefing. Four members of the family — the couple and their two children — tested positive for COVID-19 a few days ago and genome sequencing has confirmed that both parents have the BA.4 variant, Lo said. With the confirmation of the second BA.4 case, the infections have been deemed a domestic BA.4 cluster — the first in Taiwan, he said. Genome sequencing was under way for the two children, with the results expected to be available soon, Lo said. The BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, first identified in South Africa in January and February respectively, have been shown to evade immunity from prior infections and seem to be more transmissible than the original Omicron variant, the CECC said. Taiwan has recorded 58 BA.5 cases and two BA.4 cases. Taiwan yesterday reported 23,088 new local cases of COVID-19 and 34 deaths from the disease, CECC data showed. In other news, the CDC said that Taiwan has signed a contract to secure an unspecified number of monkeypox vaccine doses, with efforts being made to have them delivered by the end of this month. The CDC previously said that the vaccine Taiwan has purchased is a third-generation smallpox vaccine, which is clinically suitable for use as a monkeypox vaccine. CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) did not specify the quantity of the doses or the number of shipments. Taiwan has recorded three monkeypox infections since June 24, all of which were imported, with the cases
Noncommercial online platforms should not be regulated by the digital intermediary service act, the Professional Technology Temple (PTT) bulletin board system yesterday said in an information session organized by the National Communications Commission (NCC). “The draft act stipulates that platforms with more than 2.3 million active users would be categorized as ‘designated online platform operators’ and would be subject to more obligations required by the NCC,” PTT legal consultant Hsu Che-jen (許哲仁). “Although we have yet to reach that threshold, we believe that the government should only impose more obligations on large commercial platforms. As a noncommercial platform with very limited resources, PTT would have no way to fulfill obligations required by the government,” Hsu said. “Categorizing us as a designated online platform operator would be no different from asking us to shut down the entire operation.” The draft act would limit the actions that platform operators can take to sanction users who repeatedly disseminate illegal content, such as those who share child pornography, Hsu said. “These users must first be warned by platform operators, who are entitled to suspend users’ access to platforms for a reasonable amount of time only if they refuse to change their ways,” he said. “Based on the draft act, platform operators must not suspend their access to the platforms immediately without administering correctional measures first, or they will be fined NT$500,000 to NT$5 million [US$16,672 to US$166,717].” The draft act also allows such users to counter the restrictions imposed by platform operators through mechanisms on the platforms if the operators fail to follow due process to suspend access, he said. “The draft act would empower malefactors by allowing them to spread illegal content at least two times and leave platforms without quicker and more effective means to handle them,” he said, adding the draft act should leave room for an
Taiwan and Australia are to collaborate on language courses and training teachers after the Ministry of Education, the National Development Council and the Australian Office in Taipei yesterday signed the Taiwan-Australia English Learning Partners Action Plan. The program aims to increase focus on the average proficiency of Taiwanese in bilingual communications, Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠) said. The program includes expedited development of bilingual high-education facilities, creating a bilingual learning environment in elementary and junior-high schools, enhancing the digital learning environment for English, promoting the acceptance of Taiwan’s General English Proficiency Test among international facilities and universities, boosting Mandarin education, and fostering and increasing the talent pool for bilingual education. The ministry looks forward to working with its Australian peers on bilingual education for students under the 12-Year National Education Program and those in higher education to create online teaching programs and to help English-language teaching at vocational schools, Pan said. Australia’s efforts to train bilingual talent and step up English-language training for vocational education would interface with professional associations and private organizations based on the needs of both sides, the ministry said. The project aims to produce more bilingual individuals in the fields of tourism, medicare and in the technology sector, as well as in other industries, the ministry said. The program was first discussed in March, and the ceremony yesterday marked an excellent beginning for a Taiwan-Australia partnership, National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said. The program also highlights the council’s resolve to implement the government’s 2030 bilingual policy by offering more diverse channels to learn English and creating more opportunities for bilingual Taiwanese to excel and shine on the international stage, Kung said. Australian Representative to Taiwan Jenny Bloomfield said that the program would deepen Taiwan-Australia collaboration in education, vocational training and youth interaction by establishing more sister-school ties and introducing more joint
‘DESTABILIZING’: Beijing risks miscalculating and threatening peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait with its intensified pressure campaign against Taipei, a US official said China’s efforts to coerce and undermine Taiwan risk miscalculation and its pressure campaign will most likely continue, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink said on Wednesday. China has been carrying out war games and military drills around Taiwan earlier this month to show its anger at a visit to Taipei by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Speaking on a conference call, Kritenbrink said Beijing had used Pelosi’s landmark visit to Taipei earlier this month as an excuse to change the “status quo,” jeopardizing peace. “These actions are part of an intensified pressure campaign by the PRC against Taiwan, which we expect to continue to unfold in the coming weeks and months,” he said, referring to China’s official name, the People’s Republic of China. “The goal of this campaign is clear to intimidate and coerce Taiwan, and undermine its resilience.” The US has been clear with China that its approach to Taiwan has not changed, including the US commitment to its “one China” policy and not supporting Taiwan’s formal independence, he added. “While our policy has not changed, what has changed is Beijing’s growing coercion. The PRC’s words and actions are deeply destabilizing. They risk miscalculation, and threaten the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,” he said. The US has conveyed to China in every conversation that it does not seek and would not provoke a crisis, he said. US lines of communication with Beijing remain open, and Washington will continue to conduct routine naval transits through the Taiwan Strait, he added. “We will continue to take calm, but resolute steps to uphold peace and stability in the face of Beijing’s ongoing efforts to undermine it and to support Taiwan in line with our long-standing policy. We will act responsibly, steadily and resolutely,” he said. US Department of State spokesman
Taiwan’s air force showcased its anti-aircraft capabilities yesterday, saying it is ready for action 24 hours a day, as the nation faces sustained pressure from Chinese military drills. China has been carrying out exercises around the nation after a visit earlier this month by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was followed by five US lawmakers on Sunday and Monday. Pelosi’s visit infuriated China, which responded with test launches of ballistic missiles over Taipei, and sent warships and fighter jets close to Taiwan. On a government-organized trip for media to Taiwan’s key east coast air base in Hualien, the air force showed off its anti-aircraft systems, including the domestically developed Tien Kung III (Sky Bow III) surface-to-air missiles. Also on display was the Oerlikon GDF-006 35mm anti-aircraft gun, which officers demonstrated how to set up and how it was aimed at incoming aircraft. Air defense crews said the increased tensions, including the recent Chinese drills, did not faze them. “We were not nervous at all at that time, as our regular training is prepared for all-day, 24-hour missile operations,” air defense officer Chen Te-huan said. “When the Chinese military acted, we were already well prepared.” Although Taiwan’s air force has been at the front lines of responding to China’s drills, including regularly scrambling aircraft to ward off Chinese fighters that get close to the nation, the government has stressed its “calm response,” and there have been no clashes. Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense said that 51 Chinese aircraft and six Chinese ships had been detected operating around Taiwan yesterday as Beijing continued its military activities. That included 25 aircraft that crossed the Taiwan Strait’s median line or flew into Taiwan’s air defense zone, it said.
With China recently conducting large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, public perception that Beijing is hostile to the government and people of Taiwan has soared to 20-year highs, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. A survey commissioned by the council showed that 80.8 percent of respondents said Beijing is hostile to the Taiwanese government and 66.6 percent said it is hostile to Taiwanese, MAC Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said. Asked about China’s military activities, 88.3 percent of respondents condemned Beijng’s live-fire missile tests and sea and air drills, and 88.7 percent slammed Chinese cyberattacks and fake news targeting Taiwan, he said. In a show of support for the government, 80.3 percent backed President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) call on Beijing to immediately cease its provocative actions and 82.6 percent agreed with the Tsai administration’s line to neither provoke nor concede to China. Additionally, 82.3 percent agreed that Taiwan should prevent Chinese aggression by standing in solidarity with the international community, and 82.6 percent opposed Beijing’s bans on Taiwanese agricultural exports and natural sand imports, the survey showed. Furthermore, 76.2 percent of respondents rejected Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is a part of China, and 77.7 percent backed Taipei’s stance that Taiwan and China are independent and mutually non-subordinate sovereign nations, it showed. Beijing’s latest white paper promoting “reunification” under the “one country, two systems” framework was unacceptable to 84.7 percent of respondents, and 77.8 percent opposed China’s sanctions against so-called “separatist” individuals, groups and companies in Taiwan, the poll showed. According to the poll, 86.1 percent of the public wants to keep a “broadly defined status quo” and 84.7 percent said only Taiwanese have the right to decide the future of Taiwan. The MAC condemns China’s recent actions as harmful to peace and stability in the region, and a challenge to the international order, Chiu said. Taiwan will make
The government must put measures in place to regulate returning Taiwanese exposed to Chinese political manipulation, National Taipei University Institute of Criminology professor Shen Pao-yang (沈伯洋) said yesterday. Shen made the remarks at a seminar titled: “How democratic Taiwan should regulate growing Chinese influence on the Internet streaming/broadcasting industry.” The Economic Democracy Union, which hosted the event, said that China is stepping up political propaganda on Taiwan’s elections, public referendums and COVID-19 pandemic prevention issues via Internet streaming and broadcasting platforms. They embed links on platforms promoting Chinese merchandise, computer games, adverts and Internet celebrities, it said. Taiwan must enact preventive measures instead of stanching the wound when the damage has already been done, Shen said, adding that preventative measures do not absolve the need to draft legislation. People have been exposed to Chinese influence when they traveled to China with their professors, or worked with job creation centers or other universities, Shen said, adding that the professors themselves are targets of China’s political warfare rhetoric. There should be more attention paid to professors taking students to China instead of what young Taiwanese have done, he said, urging the government to implement regulatory measures. One of the ways China is expanding its influence and “brainwashing” young Taiwanese young is through the use of artificial intelligence to create “fake news broadcasters” who mouth “news” generated by a central content farm, Shen said. China has also been hiring Taiwanese to ghostwrite articles to make them feel closer and more authentic to Taiwanese, he said. Chinese agents have learned that it is easy to make Taiwanese spread false news reports — all it takes is money, he said. In other cases, streamers would notice that they receive more donations online when speaking about pro-China issues, incentivizing them to make more such content, Shen said. There is evidence that at least five people that have
Low salaries in Taiwan are to blame for a spate in human trafficking scams luring Taiwanese abroad with the promise of high-paying jobs, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers said yesterday. Calls have emerged for police to investigate human trafficking rings and help people stranded in Southeast Asia amid a series of reports of Taiwanese going to Cambodia on promises of jobs paying about NT$70,000 to NT$200,000 a month and later being subject to abuse. KMT caucus whip William Tseng (曾銘宗) blamed the “extremely serious issue of low wages” for the problem. President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the end of 2017 promised that 2018 would be the year the problem is solved, he told a news conference in Taipei. “All these years later, what specific measures have there been?” Tseng asked. The labor share of GDP was only 45 percent in 2020, down from 51.1 percent on average since 1992, showing that a dwindling share of economic growth reaches Taiwanese workers, he said. In May, the average unemployment rate was 3.68 percent, KMT Legislator Lin Szu-ming (林思銘) said, citing Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics data. However, the rate was 11.78 percent among people aged 15 to 24, and 12.16 percent among 20 to 24-year-olds, Lin said. One in every eight young people was without a job, he added. The government raises the minimum wage every year, but it is not enough to keep pace with inflation, making the wage hikes merely a “drop in the bucket,” he added. To solve the low wage problem, the KMT caucus proposed attracting foreign investment to create jobs, assisting industrial upgrades, adjusting talent cultivation strategies and supporting entrepreneurs. The Executive Yuan has said that authorities are working to rescue more than 300 people trafficked to Cambodia. Police have in the past few weeks identified 144 potential victims after visiting 4,679 households, Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng
‘MEANINGLESS’ PRODUCTION: Factory utilization would be lowered to 50 to 70 percent, the company said, as it seeks to optimize its flat-panel product portfolio Flat-panel maker Innolux Corp (群創) yesterday lowered its shipment forecast for this quarter as soaring inflation harms consumer purchasing power and limits inventory digestion, the company told an online investors’ conference. It predicted shipments would fall by about 12 percent this quarter from last quarter, compared with a flat forecast it made last month. As market conditions have barely improved, Innolux would reduce its factory utilization to about 50 to 70 percent this quarter, from 90 percent last quarter, in a bid to minimize the downside risks, the company said. “It is meaningless to manufacture that many panels when the selling prices have dipped below the cost level and when the inventory digestion is slower than expected,” Innolux chairman Jim Hung (洪進揚) said. Innolux would allocate more capacity for high-value-added panel products so that it could optimize its product portfolios, Hung said. Innolux expects a tepid progress in business in the fourth quarter, even though it is a peak season for the electronics industry due to back-to-school demand and year-end holiday shopping sprees. Innolux drifted into the red with losses of NT$4.74 billion (US$158 million) in the second quarter, ending seven straight profitable quarters, corporate data showed. The panel maker is pinning its hopes on power supply cuts in China’s Sichuan Province earlier this week for a moderate rebound, as insufficient power supply would suspend panel manufacturing and ease the glut, speeding inventory digestion, it said. In the best-case scenario, the power cuts would set the scene for a marked recovery in the first quarter of next year following Lunar New Year holiday sales, it said. The firm estimates that the power supply constraints would cut China’s panel production 3.6 to 5 percent, which is equivalent to a monthly reduction of 2 million to 3 million 32-inch panels, Innolux president James Yang (楊柱祥) told investors. As Sichuan
‘TOUGH TASK’: Tsai had joined Tatung seven weeks earlier, when he was tasked with overseeing structural changes at the century-old home appliance company Tatung Co (大同) president Willie Tsai (蔡維力) yesterday quit his position at the century-old home appliance brand, citing personal reasons. Tsai served for seven weeks, the shortest tenure among all Tatung presidents. The firm has seen frequent changes in its senior management after chairman Wang Kuang-hsiang (王光祥) in 2020 took office at the firm, which incurred heavy losses in the past few years, but holds massive real-estate assets. Tsai, who assumed his post on July 1, announced his resignation, effective immediately, in a letter to colleagues and wished the company success. The departure came after Wang told a shareholders’ conference in June that the company would undergo organizational restructuring and that he tapped Tsai to carry out the “tough task.” Tsai is a former president of YFY Inc (永豐餘投資控股), a consortium of paper manufacturing and biotechnology businesses. Tsai told a public function on July 14 that he needed to gain a better understanding of Tatung before he could tell the public about his plans for the company. Tatung said in a brief statement yesterday that vice chairman Wang Chin-lai (王金來) would act as president for the time being. Tsai’s predecessors, Chaney Ho (何春盛) and Chung Yi-wen (鍾依文), also served for only a few months. Similarly, former Tutung chairmen Lu Ming-kuang (盧明光) and Lin Wen-yuan (林文淵) left the company shortly after taking the post. For the first six months of this year, Tatung reported cumulative net profit of NT$962 million (US$32.1 million), up 82 percent from a year earlier, with earnings per share rising from NT$0.23 to NT$0.41, corporate data showed. Its shares lost 0.56 percent to NT$35.4 in Taipei yesterday, Taiwan Stock Exchange data showed.
State-run Taiwan Cooperative Financial Holding Co (合庫金控) yesterday said it would keep its loan growth target of 7 percent for this year, even though its first-half growth lagged far behind its ambition. The banking-focused conglomerate’s outstanding loans rose 2.42 percent in the first six months of this year, with lending to small and medium-sized enterprises expanding 3.56 percent and loans to retail customers gaining 4.51 percent, it told an online investors’ conference. However, the conglomerate said it is unnecessary to revise the target because loan demand is expected to pick up if unfavorable factors ease, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Momentum would also improve if global inflationary pressure mitigates and the domestic COVID-19 situation improves, it said. Interest spread and net interest income are forecast to increase on the back of further monetary tightening, Taiwan Cooperative president Chen Mei-tsu (陳美足) said. The conglomerate’s net income for the first six months totaled NT$9.34 billion (US$311.43 million), down 8.35 percent year-on-year due its financial assets losing value. Earnings per share were NT$0.64 for the first six months, less than NT$0.7 in the same period a year earlier. The conglomerate’s net worth shrank 14 percent annually, corporate data showed. Local shares account for 3 percent of Taiwan Cooperative’s investments, it said, adding that it favors high-dividend stocks, but would adopt a cautious approach amid concerns over market volatility. The conglomerate’s total net fee income increased 1.35 percent, while income from wealth management operations fell 10.27 percent and income from its credit card business slumped 40.98 percent because market corrections chilled investment interest and a surge in COVID-19 cases curbed consumer spending, it said. Private consumption regained momentum this quarter, as the government eased COVID-19 control measures amid an approach to “live with the virus,” it said. The property market, a key source of retail banking, could see resilient housing
The government this week urged people who are planning to work in Southeast Asia to exercise extra caution, as Taiwanese jobseekers were reportedly abused and coerced into engaging in fraudulent activities in Cambodia. Taipei City Councilor Angela Ying (應曉薇) said scammers had advertised on social media high-paying jobs that required little to no experience. Promises of free round-trip tickets, favorable treatment and a salary of more than NT$100,000 per month had Taiwanese falling for the employment scam. Upon arrival in Cambodia, the victims’ passports were confiscated by the scammers, and they were held captive in industrial parks, where they were forced to work for the scammers’ illicit operations. People engaged in the scams can be categorized into three groups: gullible and inexperienced young people; disadvantaged minorities who seek a better life, including sex workers whose livelihoods have been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic; and people who participated voluntarily. The syndicates capitalize on the weaknesses of the first two categories — their limited access to information, their need for money and, in many cases, their trust in people employed by the scammers who seemed equally disadvantaged and pitched the jobs on the scammers’ behalf. In response to the incident, several political parties have attacked the government, decrying its incompetency and reluctance to take action. Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said people who are happy with their lives would not want to venture to Cambodia, and that the reports were a slap in the government’s face at a time when it claimed that things are looking up for Taiwan. However, Ko could not have been more wrong. Taiwanese are far from the only victims of the scammers; a larger number of victims are Chinese. As fraud rings excel at enticing people by promising them benefits that they will never see, anyone
Even before the smoke had cleared from the military exercises China conducted around Taiwan after US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) sent a delegation led by KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言) to China. Coinciding with Hsia’s visit, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office published a white paper titled The Taiwan Question and China’s Reunification in the New Era, in which it reiterated that China “will not renounce the use of force” and “Taiwan has never been a state; its status as part of China is unalterable.” The KMT is like a chameleon. It changes color when dealing with the US, Japan, China and even Taiwan. KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) reassembled this jigsaw puzzle on July 30, when Taiwan marked the second anniversary of the death of former president and KMT chairman Lee Teng-hui (李登輝). Chu placed Lee within a mosaic of former KMT presidents and what he described as their main achievements, saying that Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) defended Taiwan, Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) built Taiwan, Lee Teng-hui democratized Taiwan and Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) preserved peace in Taiwan. Having recently called himself pro-US and friendly to Japan, Chu has now sent a love letter to Beijing in the form of the KMT delegation. What are Chu’s underlying thoughts and what are his core ideas? Chu’s willingness to face history is a step forward compared with the past, for example when Ma in 2000 helped then-vice president and KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) sweep Lee out of the way. However, there are great differences between the two Chiangs, Lee and Ma. Especially Lee does not easily fit in with the other three, as defending, building, democratizing and maintaining peace in Taiwan have different implications, and cannot be seamlessly connected. The two Chiangs’ purpose in defending and building Taiwan was to
The Constitutional Court on Friday last week ruled that a National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) policy that allowed select third parties to access the health insurance database for research is partly unconstitutional. The decision leaves a difficult task for Minister Without Portfolio Audrey Tang (唐鳳), who has been appointed to head the ministry of digital development after its formal launch on Saturday next week. The core of the problem is the use health-related data in the digital age. Big data is what oil used to be for the economy, and data science has become a major focus of interest. The database, containing information about Taiwan’s 23 million residents accumulated over the past 20 years, holds infinite possibilities. However, the Constitutional Court ruling revealed the scope of the problem, from privacy infringement to the impact on individual rights. In its judgement, the court said the NHIA lacks a mechanism to monitor third-party use of the database and ensure that adequate protections are in place. The purpose of independent monitoring systems is to ensure that authorities that gather personal data — the NHIA in this case — do not, and do not need to, decide whether their actions are appropriate or breach the law. Such a mechanism would ensure that the NHIA does not simultaneously act as a player and referee in the healthcare big data game. Taiwan lacks a powerful, competent authority that supervises the use of personal data. This is the main reason that all kinds of personal data abuse, leakage and fraud proliferate, and that data-related regulations remain ineffective, even though the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法) was implemented more than 10 years ago. When all fields of life are undergoing a digital transformation, and the collection, processing and use of personal data have become fully digital, the digital development
‘CRAZY’ RESULT: Borna Coric said that he had been just looking forward to playing the match, but finished it with a berth in the third round after a forehand winner Rafael Nadal on Wednesday lost 7-6 (11/9), 4-6, 6-3 to Borna Coric at the Western & Southern Open in the Spaniard’s first match since pulling out of the Wimbledon semi-finals due to injury, dealing a big blow to his preparations for the US Open. The 22-time Grand Slam winner had been hoping to get as many matches under his belt as possible after returning from an abdominal injury, but losing to the Croat means he heads to Flushing Meadows well short of competitive action. After an hour-long rain delay, Coric, who returned to the Tour in March after a lengthy absence due to a shoulder surgery, edged a nail-biting tiebreaker to take the opener after each players had saved two set points. With the crowd firmly behind Nadal, the 36-year-old roared back into the contest by breaking former world No. 12 Coric’s serve midway through the second set to force a decider. However, Coric, now ranked 152nd, got his only break of the left-hander’s serve for a 4-2 lead and then sealed his spot in the third round with an inside-out forehand winner on his first match point after 2 hours, 51 minutes. “It has been very, very special,” Coric said after his victory over world No. 3 Nadal, who won the Australian and French Open titles in an injury-plagued season. “I was honestly just looking forward to playing this match, as I haven’t had that in the last two years,” he said. “Now that I won, it’s kind of crazy.” Coric next faces another Spaniard in Roberto Bautista Agut, who defeated home hope Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-3. Cameron Norrie fought back to beat former world No. 1 Andy Murray 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in an all-British clash. The upset of the day went to American wild card Ben Shelton after the 19-year-old continued his dream ATP Masters debut with
American Taylor Fritz on Wednesday bashed the ATP Tour’s trial of off-court coaching, saying that allowing players to receive instructions during a match was a “dumb rule” that went against the concept of tennis being an individual sport. The ATP started a trial of the rule last month, with players allowed to receive instructions in qualifying and main-draw matches in tournaments, including the US Open and the ATP Finals. Fritz, who beat in-form Australian Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round of the Western & Southern Open, said he had not taken advantage of the rule. “I haven’t talked to Mike [Russell] and he hasn’t talked to me one time since the coaching has become a thing. It’s a dumb rule,” the world No. 13 told reporters. “Why are we making it not an individual sport? A huge part of tennis is, in my mind, like as tennis is as much mental as it is physical, and a big part of it is you need to be figuring it out on the court for yourself.” “I think it’s ridiculous that you can be mentally not there, not good analytically, not good at kind of working through things and coming up with strategies, and you can have someone tell you what to do,” he said. “I hate it.” Kyrgios has also spoken out against the rule, saying in June that the beauty of the sport was being taken away by the new rule, which permits an individual to coach a player verbally and non-verbally from a designated seat.
New Taipei City clinched the Pony League youth baseball World Series Championship after a 4-1 triumph over Monterrey, Mexico, in the US on Wednesday. A solid outing from pitcher Lu Gaun-wei led the team, made up mainly of players from New Taipei City’s Er Chong Junior High School and a few from Xintai Junior High School, to the title at the Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington, Pennsylvania. Lu, who had pitches 4-2/3 scoreless innings against Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in New Taipei City’s previous game, contributed another 3-2/3 innings with three strikeouts while surrendering five hits against Monterrey. With one out at the top of the fourth, New Taipei City put runners on first and second on the back of a Lee Cheng-yen double and Shih Cheng-yu’s walk, closing out the inning with a three-run frame following a fielder’s choice and error. They added an insurance run at the top of the fifth on an infield grounder from Lee Cheng-yen. After a brief stint in relief for Pan Ting-hao, who gave up one run, closer Lee took to the mound with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth. Lee put in a solid performance, sealing the championship by striking out the next seven hitters while only giving up two hits. The series is an international tournament for players aged 13 and 14. New Taipei City qualified for the tournament as the Asia-Pacific Zone champions. Their first game in the US was a 6-1 win against Guaynabo, the Caribbean Zone champions. They lost their next game 4-2 against Johnstown, Pennsylvania, but earned a second chance against them with a 12-0 shutout of Bay County, Michigan. They did not spurn the chance at redress, beating Johnstown twice to reach the final. Their 7-3 win in Game 15 forced a third encounter in Game 17, which New Taipei City won 6-1
The New York Yankees on Wednesday were poised to extend their recent misery on a long night against the Tampa Bay Rays, but one swing from Josh Donaldson changed everything when he hit a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning as the clock struck midnight to salvage an 8-7 win and avoid a three-game sweep. Gleyber Torres singled leading off the 10th off Jalen Beeks (2-2) and Anthony Rizzo walked before Donaldson lifted a one-strike fastball to the short porch in right field. He flipped his bat and raised his arms immediately after he connected. “The guys were pumped,” Donaldson said. “I think just how the game progressed and how the back-and-forth battle happened there, and we were able to kind of come back there with our backs against the wall. I definitely think there was some release of some joy and some frustration over the past couple of weeks for sure.” Oswaldo Cabrera, recalled from the minors earlier on Wednesday, was in the on-deck circle, and Donaldson gave the 23-year-old third baseman a chest bump as part of his celebration. It was Donaldson’s eighth career game-ending homer and first since Sept. 27, 2015, with the Toronto Blue Jays also to beat Tampa Bay. “I felt like off the bat right away” it was gone, New York manager Aaron Boone said. “Right away I felt like it was a homer, but I needed to see it go over.” Data from the Elias Sports Bureau showed that Donaldson became the third Yankee — joining Babe Ruth and Jason Giambi — to hit a game-ending grand slam with New York trailing by at least three runs in extra innings. “There’s not too many better feelings in the world than hitting a walk-off home run,” Donaldson said. Aroldis Chapman (2-3) gave up three runs in the top of the 10th
FRANK CONVERSATIONS: Myanmar’s leadership was urged to halt executions and release political prisoners in talks that both sides said were cordial and promoted trust UN special envoy for Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer on Wednesday met with the head of its military-installed government and called on him to urgently halt all violence, support a political path back to civilian rule and democracy, and allow the country’s imprisoned former leader Aung San Suu Kyi to return home and meet with her. On her first mission to the strife-torn country, Heyzer also passed along UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ extreme concern about Myanmar’s humanitarian, security, economic and political crisis, and reiterated his call for the release of all political prisoners. She also urged Burmese Army Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to impose a moratorium on executions, following the recent executions of four political advocates that drew worldwide condemnation. Heyzer’s statement on her two-day visit was released as she left the country, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said, adding that she was not able to meet Aung San Suu Kyi, but hopes they can meet in the future. Haq said Heyzer and the general had “a good discussion,” and the UN would see whether her key demands are carried out, adding that the UN is to “continue to push on those points.” Heyzer’s statement said she and Min Aung Hlaing “agreed to engage in frank conversations, focusing on the need for inclusive solutions to a peaceful and democratic Myanmar, reflective of the will of the people.” State-run MRTV television said that Heyzer and Min Aung Hlaing exchanged views on promoting trust and cooperation between Myanmar and the UN. It did not provide any details on the talks in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyitaw. Heyzer’s statement said that in the meeting with the general and his senior advisers, she communicated pragmatic steps the military must take to de-escalate conflict and reduce the suffering of the country’s people. It called the meeting “part of broader efforts by the United Nations to urgently
SUBVERSION CHARGE: The territory’s most prominent democracy advocate is among 29 of 47 expected to accept the charge in a landmark national security case Hong Kong democracy advocate Joshua Wong (黃之鋒) is to plead guilty in the territory’s largest national security case, local media reported, after being detained for more than a year without a trial date under the China-drafted law. The already-jailed former student leader is among 29 democracy advocates expected to enter guilty verdicts over subversion charges linked to a primary held in July 2020, according to local media outlets including HK01. Former law professor Benny Tai, protest organizer Jimmy Sham and ex-lawmaker Claudia Mo were among those expected to accept the charge. The 18 other defendants, including former lawmaker “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, would plead not guilty, local media reported. News of the expected guilty pleas came a day after it was revealed that Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Paul Lam (林定國) had ordered the case to be tried by a panel of three handpicked security law judges rather than a jury. Most of the plea intentions, were entered between June 1 and July 6, local newspaper Ming Pao reported. Details from those court appearances were only made public yesterday when reporting restrictions on the case were lifted, after a court in a separate landmark security case the day before overturned such limits. The 47 advocates are being prosecuted for their role in organizing a vote that drew more than 600,000 voters to choose candidates for Legislative Council elections. Authorities claim that the event was part of an illegal attempt to paralyze the government. About 30 defendants have been held without bail for more than a year under the higher threshold set by a National Security Law that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in June 2020 and carries sentences as long as life in prison. Hong Kong courts have revoked bail for two defendants in the past year. Advocate Owen Chow (鄒家成) was rearrested on Jan. 13 for social
Malaysia’s top court yesterday began hearing former prime minister Najib Razak’s appeal to overturn his jail sentence for corruption in a high-stakes legal gambit that could see him locked up or potentially launching a political comeback. The Federal Court on Tuesday dismissed the former prime minister’s plea for a retrial, clearing the way for the hearings, which are to be held until Friday next week. As the hearing started, lead defense lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik surprised the court by telling the panel of five judges that he wanted to be discharged from the case, sending the tribunal into a recess. The hearing resumed after two hours, with the court refusing to discharge Hisyam, and Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat ordering the prosecution to present its case. Najib, 69, listened attentively to the proceedings, his two children seated directly behind him. The former leader and his ruling party were roundly defeated in 2018 elections following allegations of their involvement in a multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB. He and his associates were accused of stealing billions of dollars from Malaysia’s investment vehicle and spending it on everything from high-end real estate to pricey art. Following a lengthy High Court trial, Najib was found guilty of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust over the transfer of 42 million ringgit (US$9.39 million) from former 1MDB unit SRC International to his personal bank account. He was sentenced to 12 years in jail in July 2020, although he is not in prison during the appeals process. An appellate court in December last year rejected his appeal, prompting him to mount a final plea before the Federal Court. Najib had been hoping the court would grant a full retrial, but that request was unanimously rejected on Tuesday. Dressed in a dark suit and white mask, Najib arrived in court earlier
I’ve reached the end of this particular road. After 49 months and 172 articles, Highways & Byways is retiring to make room for other voices. I’ll still be contributing the occasional travel piece to this newspaper, and continuing my twice-a-month environment column. From now on, however, I can be a selfish sightseer. When I go someplace by bus, no longer will I keep an eye out for parking spots. If I ride my motorcycle, I needn’t spare a thought for those who want to get to the same place using public transportation. And on scorchingly hot days, if I don’t feel like walking any further, I won’t — even if I suspect there’s something around the corner that Taipei Times readers may find interesting. Don’t get me wrong: I’ve relished each and every excursion. It’s been worth the occasional blister, sunburn and mosquito bite to see so much of Taiwan. A few destinations have disappointed, but they’re far outnumbered by places that exceeded expectations. And I can’t think of a single trip I regret making. UNCOVERING THE OBSCURE People who ask me how I find some of the more obscure attractions I’ve covered in Highways & Byways often express surprise when I tell them that maps are more useful than social media. For instance, it was on an online map that I first noticed the former Imperial Japanese Navy Wireless Communications Station (原日本海軍鳳山無線電信所) in Kaohsiung (“Radio waves,” Oct. 26, 2018). Gazing at maps isn’t my only old-school habit. On buses and trains, while other passengers are mesmerized by their smartphones, I look out of the window. Itching to access a wild valley I could see from the Kaohsiung-to-Taitung express, on one journey to the east I studied the unpaved road that runs parallel to the South Link Line (南迴鐵路) with the intensity of a
Enrique Galan is seldom happier than when he disappears deep into the Everglades to hunt down Burmese pythons, an invasive species that has been damaging Florida’s wetland ecosystem for decades. When not working at his job staging cultural events in Miami, the 34-year-old spends his time tracking down the nocturnal reptiles from Southeast Asia. He does so as a professional hunter, hired by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to help control the python population, estimated to be in the tens of thousands. At night, Galan drives slowly for miles on paved roads and gravel tracks, his flashlight playing on grassy verges and tree roots, and the banks of waterways where alligator eyes occasionally glint. He charges US$13 an hour and an additional fee per python found: US$50 if it’s up to 1.2 meters, and US$25 more for each additional 0.3 meters . But on this August night, he has an extra motivation. The FWC has been holding a 10-day python-hunting contest, with 800 people participating. The prize is US$2,500 for whoever finds and kills the most pythons in each of the categories — professional and amateur hunter. And Galan would love to win that money to celebrate the arrival of Jesus, his newborn baby. Burmese pythons, originally brought to the US as pets, have become a threat to the Everglades since humans released them into the wild in the late 1970s. The snake has no natural predators, and feeds on other reptiles, birds, and mammals such as raccoons and white-tailed deer. “They’re an amazing predator,” says Galan in admiration. Specimens in the Everglades average between 180cm and 275cm long, but finding them at night in the wetland of more than 607,000 hectares takes skill and patience. Galan has a trained eye, as well as the courage and determination needed for the job. After two
Overlooked by high-rises on the outskirts of Hong Kong, a group of students practice body-slam tackles and vicious ankle-wrenches at weekly training for an unlikely sport: the ancient Indian game of kabaddi. Though its professional league has a huge following in India and surrounding nations, kabaddi — a highly physical game where the object is to tag the rival team, often by brute force — is relatively unknown outside the region. But eight years ago, two Chinese anthropologists set up a Hong Kong team to encourage integration in a city which, despite its status as an international hub, can be less than inclusive, especially when it comes to non-white and non-Chinese residents. “We often hear Hong Kong is Asia’s world city but we really don’t have much chance to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds,” Wyman Tang, one of the anthropologists, said. “We live in the same neighborhood, but it’s like we are living in a parallel world.” Their project — Kabaddi United Hong Kong (KUHK) — began as a one-off workshop at a local university. It has now spread to nearly 80 schools and social organizations and has had more than 8,000 participants. Royal Sunar, a coach at KUHK, was shocked to find the game of his childhood being taught in Hong Kong. “Kabaddi was one of my interests,” said the Hong Kong-born Nepali. “Somehow local Chinese people also like the sport.” EMOTIONAL CONNECTION Kabaddi is said to date back 5,000 years with roots in Indian mythology, although similar versions of the game have appeared throughout Asia over the centuries, including in Iran, which also claims to be its birthplace. Teams collect points by sending a “raider” to the rival side, who tries to quickly tag an opponent and then run back to their own half. Defending teams try to prevent the raider escaping, which often involves
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 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 Training Center.” 《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》……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，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！
Taiwanese trapped in Cambodian work scams (3/3) 慎防柬埔寨求職詐騙（三） A: It’s been difficult to find work during this pandemic. No wonder fraud groups are running rampant. B: However, the organization “Global Anti-Scam Org” has said it will stop providing assistance to Taiwanese scam victims. A: Why’s that? B: Because of the 60 Taiwanese victims who they have helped, not a single person said a simple “thank you” to them. A: 疫情期間找工作不容易，難怪詐騙集團這麼猖獗。 B: 不過「全球反詐騙組織」宣布，以後不再救援台灣人。 A: 為什麼？ B: 因為在他們救出的六十位台灣人當中，竟然沒人對他們說過一句謝謝。 （Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
A: How do these fraud groups cheat job seekers? B: As soon as a job seeker arrives at the airport in Cambodia, his or her mobile phone, passport and other personal items are confiscated, and then the individual is sold onto a telephone scam call center. A: If the job seeker does not comply, what happens? B: He or she will be beaten up or sold into prostitution, forced to work in the mining industry or even sold on to an organ harvesting operation in Myanmar. A: 詐騙集團是如何詐騙求職者呢？ B: 求職者一到機場就會被沒收手機、護照等物品，被轉賣到詐騙電話的機房工作。 A: 如果不服從會怎麼樣？ B: 會被打或被送去賣淫、當礦工，甚至會轉賣到緬甸被活摘器官。 （Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
| New Taipei City | 31-34 | 30% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 30-33 | 20% |  |
| Hsinchu City | 30-32 | 20% | |
| Taipei City | 31-34 | 30% | |
| Miaoli County | 30-33 | 30% | |
| Taoyuan City | 31-33 | 30% | |
| Keelung City | 30-32 | 20% | |
| Yunlin County | 29-34 | 70% | |
| Taichung City | 31-34 | 60% | |
| Nantou County | 30-34 | 80% | |
| Changhua County | 30-33 | 50% | |
| Chiayi County | 30-35 | 30% | |
| Chiayi City | 29-34 | 50% | |
| Tainan City | 30-33 | 20% |  |
| Kaohsiung City | 31-33 | 20% | |
| Pingtung County | 30-35 | 20% | |
| Yilan County | 31-34 | 10% | |
| Hualien County | 30-33 | 10% | |
| Taitung County | 29-32 | 30% | |
| Kinmen County | 30-33 | 10% | |
| Penghu County | 29-32 | 30% | |
| Lienchiang County | 29-32 | 0% | |
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