Tue, Nov 30, 2021
Japan yesterday announced it would bar all new foreign travelers amid concern over the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, joining a growing list of countries trying to erect virtual fortresses against the heavily mutated new strain. The move came as the WHO warned that the new variant poses a “very high” risk globally, despite uncertainties about the danger and contagion levels of the strain. The Japanese government has become the latest country to reinstate strict border controls that many had hoped would be a thing of the past, barring all new foreign arrivals just weeks after announcing it would finally allow some visa holders to enter the country. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the country was “in a stronger position against the Omicron variant than other countries,” citing voluntary mask-wearing and self-restraint about risk behaviors. The Philippines also said it would temporarily suspend plans to allow fully vaccinated tourists entry, in a bid to prevent the variant taking off in a country where most of the population remains unvaccinated. Manila had hoped to revive the country’s battered economy by allowing jabbed tourists entry as of tomorrow. The variant is also throwing a tentative opening-up into doubt in Australia, where the government is reconsidering plans to relax border restrictions. The WHO yesterday said the new strain first discovered in southern Africa was a “highly divergent variant with a high number of mutations ... some of which are concerning and may be associated with immune escape potential and higher transmissibility.” “The likelihood of potential further spread of Omicron at the global level is high,” WHO cautioned in a technical note. To date, no deaths connected with the Omicron variant have been reported, it added. Even if the new variant does not prove more dangerous or deadlier than previous ones, if it spreads more easily, it would spark more cases and more
The head of the Lithuanian parliament’s Taiwan friendship group yesterday said he and other lawmakers from Baltic states are visiting Taiwan to show their support for the country amid Chinese threats. “We are here to express solidarity with you,” Lithuanian Member of Parliament Matas Maldeikis told President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) during a visit yesterday morning. Maldeikis is leading a joint delegation comprising legislators from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania who are to participate in a conference on democracy later this week in Taipei. Maldeikis said during his meeting with Tsai that the delegation members respect Taiwanese’s “perseverance and wisdom” in managing to build a successful economy and promoting democracy while balancing a “complicated geopolitical environment.” He said that the Lithuanian government’s pro-Taiwan policy has received wide support at home because “preserving freedom and the rules-based international order is of vital interest for both Lithuania and Taiwan.” Maldeikis said that he hopes the soon-to-be-opened Lithuanian trade office will help expand the partnership between the countries and contribute to closer relations between Taiwan and the EU. Tsai invited the lawmakers to attend the Open Parliament Forum on Thursday and Friday, which is to discuss the promotion of democracy and open parliaments. Their visit marks the first time lawmakers from all three Baltic states have sent a joint delegation to Taiwan, Tsai said. “Taiwan and the Baltic nations share similar experiences of breaking free from authoritarian rule and fighting for freedom,” she said. “The democracy we enjoy today was hard-earned. This is something we all understand most profoundly,” she added. As the world faces challenges caused by the expansion of authoritarianism and threat of disinformation, Taiwan is willing to share its experience combating disinformation with its European friends, Tsai said. Other members of the delegation that visited the Presidential Office yesterday included Janis Vucans and Juri Jaanson, members of parliament and chairs of Taiwan friendship
Honduran presidential candidate Xiomara Castro headed for a landslide win in Sunday’s election, declaring victory yesterday as supporters danced outside her offices to celebrate the left’s return to power 12 years after her husband was ousted in a coup. Castro, 62, has pledged to tax the rich, overhaul the nation’s “failed neoliberal model” and consider whether to end the nation’s alliance with Taiwan. The election, set to give Honduras its first female president, seemed to have run smoothly, a contrast to four years ago, when a close outcome led to a contested result and deadly protests after widespread allegations of irregularities. With half the ballots counted, Castro, the wife of former Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, held a nearly 20-point lead over Nasry Asfura, the capital’s mayor and ruling National Party hopeful, who won 34 percent, according to a preliminary tally yesterday. Jubilant celebrations broke out at Castro’s campaign headquarters as the vote count poured in and her lead held up. The offices of Asfura’s ruling conservative National Party were deserted. A self-proclaimed democratic socialist in a country where few women hold public office, Castro won support of a broad swathe of Hondurans tired of corruption and the concentration of power that grew under the National Party. “We have turned back authoritarianism,” she told supporters late on Sunday, surrounded by her Libre Party faithful, aides and family, including her husband Zelaya, who was ousted when business and military elites allied against him, ushering in a dozen years of National Party rule. Depending on her policy choices, Castro could reverse a weakening of the Honduran justice system that has benefited corrupt and criminal groups, a trend seen across Central America in recent years. She has promised to enlist the help of the UN to strengthen the fight against corruption. She vows to legalize abortion in some cases. She might end
‘RECKLESS POLITICAL MANIPULATION’: Halting the review would affect government operations, including civil servant pay increases, a Cabinet spokesperson said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday announced that it would not review the budget for next year until the government rectifies alleged illegal partisan campaigning against next month’s referendums. The Executive Yuan is using public funds to push its partisan opposition to the Dec. 18 referendums in contravention of the principle of administrative neutrality, KMT caucus whip Alex Fai (費鴻泰) told a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. Fai cited as an example a magazine advertisement from the Executive Yuan claiming that US pork was as safe as US beef, which he said was made using public money to support the US pork industry. The caucus is to halt budgetary reviews until Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) corrects the error and issues a public apology, he said. Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) rejected the claim, saying that the Cabinet is the legal opposing party to the referendums and therefore has a duty to present its position to the public. A budget reading was clarified in May by the Ministry of Civil Service under the Examination Yuan, but the KMT insists on its own interpretation, he said. In its statement, the ministry clearly defined the Cabinet’s obligation to defend its positions, as the four referendums involve major government policies, Lo said. “It is therefore not unlawful for public officials to express the policy positions of their agency when charged to do so,” he quoted the ministry as saying. The Cabinet has the right and responsibility to publicize government policy through various means and explain its opposition to the four referendums, Lo said. It is also imperative for the government and public utilities to defend their positions on the two referendums involving energy facilities, as they not only affect the government’s energy transition plan, but also the stability of the power supply and public safety, Lo said. The KMT’s
‘BADGE OF HONOR’: Lithuanian lawmaker Dovile Sakaliene, who is on China’s travel ban list, said delegation members joked that they would be joining her on it soon A delegation led by the chairman of the Lithuanian Parliamentary Group for Relations with Taiwan yesterday arrived in Taipei to participate in a conference on democracy later this week. The group, led by Matas Maldeikis, a Lithuanian lawmaker and an outspoken critic of China, touched down at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 6:18am yesterday. Maldeikis said at the airport that he expected the trip to enhance understanding between Taiwan and Lithuania after cooperation between the two sides took a big step forward this past year. “This trip will be another step in understanding each other because we are dealing with the same challenges,” he said. Another member of the delegation, Lithuanian lawmaker Dovile Sakaliene, said she expected the Taiwan trip to be “inspiring,” as Lithuania knows how it feels to be next to the neighbor of “a large authoritarian regime.” The Baltic state is near Russia, while Taiwan is just across the Strait from China. She also said she saw it as a “badge of honor” to be on China’s travel ban list, as she is also critical of China’s communist regime. Members of the delegation all joked that they would be joining the list soon, she said. Sakaliene said that Taiwan is an important friend to Lithuania and Vilnius would “continue this friendship.” The Lithuanian delegation would be joining other parliamentarians from Belize, Estonia, Latvia and Mexico at this year’s Open Parliament Forum on Wednesday and Thursday, where the promotion of democracy and open parliaments would be discussed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. While in Taiwan, they are to meet President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) and attend a dinner hosted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮). You yesterday welcomed the delegation upon their arrival, saying that Taiwan opens its arms to all partners who love freedom and
The Netherlands yesterday confirmed 13 cases of the new Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 and Australia found two as the countries half a world apart became the latest to detect it in travelers arriving from southern Africa. Confirmed or suspected cases of the new variant have already emerged in several European countries, in Israel and in Hong Kong, just days after it was identified by researchers in South Africa. The Dutch public health authority confirmed that 13 people who arrived in the Netherlands on flights from South Africa on Friday have so far tested positive for Omicron. They were among 61 people who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Friday after arriving on the last two flights to Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport before a flight ban was put in place. They were immediately put into isolation, most at a nearby hotel, while sequencing was carried out. Authorities in Australia said two overseas travelers who arrived in Sydney from Africa became the first in the country to test positive for the Omicron variant. Arrivals from nine African countries are now required to quarantine in a hotel upon arrival. Meanshile, Israel moved to ban entry by foreigners and mandate quarantine for all Israelis arriving from abroad. “Restrictions on the country’s borders is not an easy step, but it’s a temporary and necessary step,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting. Ran Balicer, head of the government’s advisory panel on COVID-19, told Israel’s Kan public radio that the new measures were necessary for the “fog of war” surrounding the new variant, saying it was “better to act early and strictly” to prevent its spread. Many countries have restricted or banned travel from various southern African countries — among the latest Taiwan, New Zealand, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Saudi Arabia. Places that
ONLY OPTION: The government will cover the quarantine fees of travelers from the list of 10 high-risk nations, as they can only stay in a government centralized facility he Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday added Egypt, Malawi, Mozambique and Nigeria to its list of “key high-infection risk” countries for COVID-19. In light of the risk posed by the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, which was first detected in southern Africa and designated a “variant of concern” by the WHO last week, the CECC on Friday listed six southern African countries — South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini — as key high-risk countries. People who have traveled to the 10 countries, including transit passengers and airline crew, in the 14 days before arriving in Taiwan, must stay in a government centralized quarantine facility for 14 days after arrival. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said quarantine fees would be covered by the government, as the travelers have no other quarantine choices under the policy. Chen said no new local COVID-19 infections were reported yesterday, marking the 25th consecutive day of no new local cases, but added that eight imported cases were confirmed. The imported cases are seven men and a woman, who arrived from Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the US. They include one Taiwan-based pilot who tested positive during quarantine, said Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy chief of the CECC’s medical response division. The pilot returned to Taiwan from the US on Tuesday last week and reported having had an itchy throat on Sunday. His polymerase chain reaction test had a cycle threshold value of 28.5. The pilot flew twice to the US in the 14 days before the onset of symptoms, Lo said, adding that he has received two doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, so he is considered a vaccine breakthrough infection. Six vaccine breakthrough infections have been reported among airline crew members since May, but as they are sporadic cases,
LIMITED CHOICES: The government is considering changing to a label system that identifies human medications as animal-use alternatives to expand treatment options Veterinarians are hoping the government would ease restrictions on the use of human medicine in the treatment of animals to improve treatment options, the Taiwan Veterinary Medical Association said recently. There are limited choices on the market for animal-use medications, and in some cases human medicines can be used as substitutes. However, pharmacists have complained to the Council of Agriculture (COA) about veterinarians being able to purchase and prescribe human medicine to treat animals, saying such actions contravene the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act (藥事法). Some pharmaceutical companies have said they would stop providing human drugs to vets. A draft act on the use of human drugs on pets was discussed in 2019, but the bill has yet to be reviewed by lawmakers due to continued opposition by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, pharmacists, the Council of Agriculture and some vets, the association said, adding that many vets already use human drugs in the treatment of pets. The government has created a temporary list of about 500 human medicines that vets can use until the draft bill is discussed, but that list is still too limited for vets’ needs, veterinarian Lin Tsai-lu (林蔡祿) said. Citing an example, Lin said that intravenous immunoglobulin that is often injected into cats to treat tetanus is not on the list. Vets need to wait for the association to apply to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine to gain access to the drug, but this is delaying treatment of cats that need the medicine now, he said. “There is an intravenous adrenaline medication we use on pets with blood clotting. The ministry now lists it as a controlled drug, so we cannot use it even in an emergency,” association chairman David Tan (譚大倫) said. Bureau Deputy Director Hsu Jung-pin (徐榮彬) said the
Last year’s Tang Prize laureates for biopharmaceutical science on Saturday reflected on the challenges faced and breakthroughs in their research related to cytokines that has helped many people fight inflammatory diseases. Continuing the series of lectures delivered by last year’s winners, American Charles Dinarello, Marc Feldmann of the UK and Tadamitsu Kishimoto of Japan offered glimpses of how the understanding of cytokines has evolved and its effect on human health. Cykotines are proteins produced by the immune system that transmit messages to various cells in the body and are contributors to inflammatory diseases, autoimmune syndromes and cancers, roles that the three immunologists have helped uncover and counter. Dinarello, 78, is considered “one of the founders” of cytokines for his work in identifying the cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) and its role in causing fever and inflammation, despite initial skepticism in the scientific community. Dinarello said the discovery of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta, two fever-producing molecules, “was an important step in the history of cytokine biology.” After early experiments in humans, “the history of cytokines being used as a treatment changed dramatically,” because it was clear IL-1 overproduction was a common cause of many diseases, Dinarello said. The focus then shifted to “inhibiting cytokines, such as IL-1, such as TNF, such as IL-6,” he said, which led to the development of many therapies, including some based on the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) protein. IL-1Ra can inhibit IL-1 alpha and beta, and block interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) signaling, and Anakinra, a recombinant form of IL-1Ra, is now used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and prevent glycemic disorders in type 2 diabetes, he said. Then there is canakinumab, an anti-IL-1 beta monoclonal antibody, that has been approved for treating a variety of diseases and could have a role in treating cancer, based on a clinical trial, he said. Feldmann, 76, is known for identifying tumor
The results of a Tsou shamanism workshop to teach disappearing parts of Tsou religious culture with younger members of the community were presented on Sunday. The Saviki community (山美) in Chiayi County has long practiced shamanism, but the knowledge is quickly vanishing, the Saviki Community Development Association said. Shamans, known as yoifo in Tsou, are considered to have the mystical ability to heal illness, divine the future and give blessings, association member Fang Min- chuan (方敏全) said. Without systematic records kept of yoifo training and rituals, it is difficult for outsiders to understand, Fang said, adding that outside religious influences are contributing to its decline. For example, yoifo are no longer present at the annual Mayasvi Festival, where they used to protect the participants’ spirits and offer warnings, Fang said. If yoifo culture disappears, it would take with it a unique Tsou understanding of the universe, he said, giving for example a yoifo taboo against spell casting to benefit oneself or one’s spouse. Yoifo are also expected to treat all spirits in the community equally, a useful lesson that extends beyond religion into work and life, Fang added. Fang started conducting field work with practicing yoifo five years ago, leading up to the workshop held last month. Designed to enliven yoifo practice and convey its relevance to the everyday lives of Tsou people, the workshop drew more than 30 participants, aided by funding from the Chiayi County Culture and Tourism Bureau. In one activity, participants learned about native plants and the functions each one serves in a protective talisman, while also discussing the future of the practice with experienced yoifo, Fang said. Fang also organized soapmaking sessions using yoifo materials, such as shells and plants, to make them more understandable to younger people. The government has made an effort to preserve the Tsou language and festivals, but “little ink has been spilled”
AMBITIOUS PLANS: The government’s plans to increase operational speeds and extend the high-speed system along the east coast have not come without criticism The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to raise the speed of express trains on the east coast railway system until high-speed rail becomes available around Taiwan, Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said yesterday. Wang made the remarks on the sidelines of a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, when asked about former transportation minister Chen Chien-yu’s (陳建宇) criticism of his vision of building an “around-the-nation high-speed rail system,” which Wang has advocated for. Wang also told Formosa TV host Hu Wan-ling (胡婉玲) in an interview on Saturday last week that Taiwan would have 20 high-speed rail stations once the system is accessible across the nation. “I respect ex-minister Chen’s thoughts on the issue,” Wang said. “Countries around the world are aiming to achieve a goal of zero carbon emissions by 2050, and public transportation is a key to achieving that goal. As such, we need to set a long-term goal for railway infrastructure as well,” Wang said. “However, our short and medium-term goals of increasing the operational speed of express train services to the east coast remain unchanged. We are still carrying on our reforms with the Taiwan Railways Administration [TRA],” he added. On Sunday, Chen wrote on Facebook that Wang should “wake up” from this impractical dream. “The government is engaging in a series of projects to improve the train system on the east coast, from the purchase of new intercity trains to the installation of a dual-track system. Problems that have been plaguing the TRA for decades can only be addressed if the agency is transformed into a state-run corporation in three years, and all these projects are foundations on which the TRA should build to become a state-run company,” Chen said. Wang’s commitment to extending the high-speed rail system across the nation would not only lower TRA employee
OVER-RELIANCE: The Freeway Bureau has reported an increase in accidents, often when self-driving mechanisms are believed to work when encountering unexpected hazards Freeway drivers should keep their hands properly placed on a vehicle’s steering wheel even when an automatic driver support system is being used, the Freeway Bureau said yesterday. The bureau called for drivers to be vigilant following a significant rise in collisions caused by an over-reliance on automatic driver support systems, including lane-departure warnings, cruise control, automatic braking and blind-spot detection. The bureau recorded 70 accidents between January and last month in which its construction vehicles or truck-mounted attenuators were struck from behind by vehicles on freeways. Thirty-one of the collisions were caused by motor vehicles that were equipped with such systems. In June, a Tesla car operating at high speed slammed into an overturned cargo truck that had come to a stop on a freeway’s inner lanes, and the driver believed that the car would automatically come to a full stop before hitting the truck, the bureau said. “We have studied these accidents and found that many of them were caused by vehicles that were purchased within the past two years. Many drivers had been relying too much on the automatic driver support systems and stopped paying close attention to road situations ahead, leaving them little time to react,” Bureau Director General Chao Hsin-hua (趙興華) said. Bureau Traffic Management Division Chief Chuo Ming-chun (卓明君) said that these systems might not accurately detect situations ahead, and would not react accordingly if a vehicle in front is stationary, makes a sudden turn, or does not stay properly within its lane. Additionally, automatic driver support systems might not function properly if a vehicle is driving in inclement weather, or through sections with curves or steep inclines, and could also have accuracy problems when responding to motorcycles, pedestrians or vehicles that “cut in” to traffic suddenly, Chou said. “Drivers should not rely too much on the systems and should still
Taiwan’s business and political leaders yesterday lauded former Academia Sinica president Wong Chi-huey (翁啟惠) at a luncheon in recognition of his receiving a prestigious award and having his name cleared in a public prosecution case. Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) hosted the luncheon at a lounge in the Legislative Yuan to honor Wong, who in September received this year’s Robert A. Welch Award in Chemistry, among the most recognized prizes in the field. Winners receive US$500,000. You organized the event under the aegis of the Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry (IBMI), of which Wong has is the current chairman. The event was also attended by former legislative speakers Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) and Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), who was the founding chairman in 2002. Leaders of Taiwan’s medical and biotechnology sectors were in attendance, along with directors of major hospitals and bosses of Powerchip Semiconductor, New Kinpo Group, Shinkong Textile, Qisda Corp and other industry heads. You said that Taiwan is proud to be home to such an outstanding research scientist, while also making mention of Wong’s acquittal of bribery charges in 2018. “We are delighted that the justice system acquitted Wong, and that the Control Yuan cleared his name in March ... The judiciary has restored his good reputation,” You said. “Although justice delayed is justice denied, we are all happy about this result,” he added. “I have witnessed Wong’s major contributions since 2007, when he served as Academia Sinica president, and pushed for Taiwan to develop the biotechnology and medical healthcare sectors,” Wang said. “I have the utmost respect for Wong’s efforts to strive for these developments, and for his many accomplishments in science,” he added. Wang added that it is the first time for three legislative speakers, past and present, to gather at a function to honor an important figure. “It is unprecedented and might never
China’s military is attempting to wear out Taiwan’s armed forces with its repeated missions into its air defense identification zone (ADIZ), but the nation is capable of responding, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said yesterday after a renewed spike in Chinese air force activity. Taiwan scrambled fighters again on Sunday after 27 Chinese military jets entered the ADIZ. “Their intention is to slowly exhaust, to let you know that we have this power,” Chiu told reporters on the sidelines of a briefing for lawmakers, when asked about the latest incursion. “Our national forces have shown that, while you may have this power, we have countermeasures,” he said. For more than a year, Taiwan has contended with repeated missions by China’s air force near its ADIZ, which is not territorial air space, but a broader area Taiwan monitors and patrols to give it more time to respond to any threats. Taiwan calls China’s activities “gray zone” warfare. Chiu, who described the situation as “very serious,” said that Taiwan would continue to analyze the types of aircraft China uses in developing its defense plans. The latest Chinese mission included 18 fighters jets plus five nuclear-capable H-6 bombers, as well as — unusually — a Y-20 aerial refueling aircraft, the ministry said. The bombers and six of the fighters flew to the south of Taiwan into the Bashi Channel, which separates the island from the Philippines, then out into the Pacific before heading back to China, according to a map the ministry provided. Those aircraft were accompanied by the refueling aircraft, suggesting that China refueled the shorter-ranged fighters inflight, a skill the country’s air force is working to hone to enable it to project power further from China’s shores. Taiwan sent combat aircraft to warn away the Chinese aircraft, while missile systems were deployed to monitor their movements, the ministry
Taichung legislative candidate Yen Kuan-heng (顏寬恒) yesterday criticized fellow candidate Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀) for suggesting they use English to debate next month’s referendum questions. During a campaign event on Sunday in Wufeng District (霧峰), former Taichung mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) proposed that the two candidates have a one-on-one debate on the four referendum questions. Asked if she was brave enough for the “showdown,” Lin Ching-yi replied: “No problem. I can also do it in English.” After an enthusiastic response from the crowd, Lin Chia-lung said that Yen could choose whichever language he wants for the debate: English, Chinese or Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese). The candidates are running in a by-election on Jan. 9 to replace Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟), a former Taiwan Statebuilding Party legislator for Taichung’s second electoral district who was recalled last month. Yen, a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member who held the seat before Chen, hit back yesterday during an interview, asking in Hoklo if the people of Taichung’s second district want to hear a debate in English. “Lin Ching-yi still thinks she is an at-large legislator,” unaware that she is running to represent a local district with local needs, Yen said. However, he added that he is up for the challenge, if the debate is on the needs or future of the district. Lin Ching-yi gave an enthusiastic response on Facebook, saying they should debate the referendum questions in Hoklo. When deliberating the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program in the legislature last term, Lin Ching-yi said that she worked hard to prepare questions and understand the bill, which had significant ramifications for individual constituents. “Maybe my opponent was busy with water balloons and flour,” she said, referring to the chaos that followed a failed KMT filibuster of the bill in 2017. The Legislative Yuan does not need another lawmaker looking to throw things around, but a professional who
INFLATIONARY PRESSURE: The gauge on household income fell to the lowest level in 13 months, as consumers worried that rising prices would weaken their finances The consumer confidence index this month fell 0.93 points to 73.33 amid concerns that consumer price hikes would erode household income, while boosting the appeal of durable goods, a survey released yesterday by National Central University showed. The consumer sentiment gauge softened for the fourth month in a row to the lowest level since February, although the nation has emerged from a local COVID-19 outbreak. The reading on household income for the next six months reported the biggest drop of 5.15 points to 81.95, the lowest in 13 months, as people worried that rising consumer prices would weaken their financial standing, said Dachrahn Wu (吳大任), director of the university’s Research Center for Taiwan Economic Development, which conducted the survey. The level of public confidence in consumer prices for the next six months also fell, retreating 3.35 points to 35.5, the survey showed. About 95 percent of the respondents believe items would become more expensive and add to their financial burdens, Wu said. Confidence in the nation’s economic outlook in the next six months fell 2.2 points to 86.7, the lowest in 10 months, even though the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics on Friday raised its forecast for GDP growth this year by 0.21 percentage points from its August projection to 6.09 percent. That is because a global recovery is benefiting local exporters of tech and non-tech products, but service providers that rely on domestic demand are not yet out of the woods, Wu said. The sub-index on purchases of durable goods — including real estate and home appliances — picked up 3.7 points to 120.5, the highest since December last year, the survey showed. Concern over inflation has driven funds to the housing market, Wu said, adding that government-backed stimulus vouchers valued at NT$5,000 bolstered purchases of home appliances. The confidence gauge on stock investment rose 1.4 points
The government’s Invest in Taiwan initiative would be extended due to demand from Taiwanese businesses and an anticipated wave of reshoring amid an increasing threat of political pressure facing Taiwanese firms in China, Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) confirmed yesterday. “There are still many projects awaiting approval in the pipeline and we are getting feedback from the business community that they would like the project to be extended,” Wang said. The initiative offers businesses returning to Taiwan or seeking to upgrade their manufacturing facilities favorable loan terms, and assistance in seeking land and talent. Details of the extension are pending cross-departmental discussions, Wang said. Afterward, it would be sent to the Executive Yuan for approval, she said. Wang’s remarks came after Chinese authorities last week hit Taiwanese conglomerate Far Eastern Group (遠東集團) with hefty fines for allegedly contravening regulations on environmental protection, land use, employee health, safety, tax and product quality. National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) yesterday said at the legislature that power restrictions in China and other factors have also caused changes in the investment environment there, which might accelerate the realignment of Taiwanese companies’ supply chains. The council is discussing with the ministry the extended time frame and the extent of government assistance under the initiative, Kung said. However, National Central University professor of economics Dachran Wu (吳大任) said the biggest wave of reshoring has probably already occurred amid US-China trade tensions. Aside from Taiwanese manufacturers, the government should be looking to attract investors from around the world so that they can bring not only manufacturing, but services and financial invigoration to Taiwan, he said.
Shares of the nation’s two leading airlines plunged yesterday as investors worried that the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 would prompt more countries to tighten border controls, curbing the already sluggish recovery of international travel. The US, Canada, the UK and the EU have announced bans on flights from southern Africa, where the Omicron variant was first detected, while several Asia-Pacific countries, such as the Philippines, Australia, Japan and Singapore, have also tightened their border controls. Shares of EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空) fell 8.12 percent to NT$23.75 and China Airlines Ltd (中華航空) declined 7.3 percent to NT$24.75, compared with a dip of 0.24 percent in the broader market, Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) data showed. Their shares were also the most actively traded among stocks listed on the TWSE yesterday, with 717 million CAL shares being traded for a total turnover of NT$17.9 billion (US$643.7 million) and 301 million EVA shares being traded with a turnover of NT$20 billion, exchange data showed. Prior to the advent of the Omicron variant, EVA Airways had said it would add new services to Milan, Italy; Munich, Germany; and Clark, the Philippines, next year, but the company has yet to finalize the launch dates of the new services. Starlux Airlines Co (星宇航空) has announced that it would add new direct flights from Taiwan to Fukuoka, Japan, from February next year, but whether the service would start as scheduled remains unknown, as the Japanese government yesterday banned all foreign tourists from entering the country. Separately, CAL received an Airbus SE A321neo jet, which would also carry cargo and help raise the airline’s cargo capacity by at least 10 percent. The plane would be used in routes in Northeast and Southeast Asia, and between Taiwan and China, CAL said. CAL would take delivery of another A321neo jet by the end of this year, and 10 more
To curb soaring housing prices, the government should revise the Land Tax Act (土地稅法) to increase the cost of owning a property, as the central bank’s selective credit controls and tax on real-estate hoarding appear to have had a limited effect. The surge in housing prices over the past 10 months in eight areas — the six special municipalities, plus Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County — shows that the government’s tax policy lacks teeth. Based on registered transaction prices, housing prices in Hsinchu City, the nation’s tech hub, saw the steepest rise of 30 percent, figures compiled by Addcn Technology Co showed. Housing prices in six of the eight areas rose by more than 12 percent, with only Taipei and New Taipei City posting milder increases of 4.6 percent and 1.2 percent respectively, Addcn’s data showed. Moreover, the number of people owning more than four houses climbed to 315,000 as of 2019, compared with 268,000 since the property hoarding tax took effect in 2015, Ministry of Finance statistics showed. The cost of property ownership is the main reason behind house hoarding. Taiwan is one of the few countries that have a low levy on land and housing, with the increases in assessed land value lagging far behind the surge in real market value. Local governments are responsible for assessing land value — the basis for calculating land tax — but are reluctant to take the initiative and raise it amid concern over public resistance. As a result, the nation’s assessed land value contracted 0.66 percent annually last year, accounting for only 19.79 percent of actual transaction prices that year and down from 20.02 percent in the prior year, Ministry of the Interior data showed. Last year, the Taichung City Government even lowered its assessed land value by 20.06 percent from the previous year, departing from
During the Third Walk Bell John Awards, which recognize content creators, held on Nov. 13, many winners and presenters mentioned the problem of comments by Internet trolls. The Internet age has brought one particular headache for the content industry: What to do about the comments sections on social media platforms? Can they be left on their own? Can they function as a way to interact with readers? Can they be done away with entirely? Journalism is a part of the content industry, and the content it produces is crucial to the public interest, which means that these issues are important. The Poynter Institute, a US-based non-profit journalism school and research organization, has published a study by the Center for Media Engagement, Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, that provides a map for considering these issues. According to the study, a comments section has three characteristics. First, a small number of commenters generate the majority of the comments, essentially monopolizing the section. Second, interactions, if left unmoderated, often devolve into racist, misogynistic maelstroms. Finally, negative online comments on an article might influence a consumer’s decision about whether they want to read the article, but positive comments would not create a positive impression. This is also true for comments sections on social media platforms. Why keep a comments section then? The study says it increases the time consumers spend on the Web site, and some journalists believe that a reader’s right to respond should be protected. However, the comments section cannot be left unmoderated. My own experience working in the media tells me that, if it is left to its own devices, it would descend into chaos, generating only increasingly offensive and stupid opinions, in addition to advertising posts. Unfortunately, given the current situation of the news industry, very few outlets
Ever since then-US national security adviser Henry Kissinger visited China in 1971, engagement with the People’s Republic has been a fundamental feature of US diplomacy. Yet the deterioration of US-China relations in the past few years suggests that this policy might have reached its end. The Nov. 15 virtual meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) can be interpreted as a last-ditch attempt to save the relationship. This is a positive step: Engagement has played a crucial role in discouraging confrontation between the US and China. That is why the US should recommit to engagement, but with an updated approach that takes into account an increasingly global agenda. During the Cold War, the US envisioned engagement with China as a way to integrate the country into the international system, rather than containing or isolating it. In a 1967 essay in Foreign Affairs, future US president Richard Nixon wrote: “We simply cannot afford to leave China forever outside the family of nations, there to nurture its fantasies, cherish its hates and threaten its neighbors.” The end of the Cold War left the world in a historically unusual situation: The US was the world’s sole hegemon. The nation’s foreign policy, including the export of democracy and liberal values, thus defined the global agenda. This state of affairs gave rise to an effort to promote liberalization in China. “A National Security Strategy for a Global Age,” issued by then-US president Bill Clinton’s administration in 2000, described an approach to engagement focused on encouraging China to “undertake important political and economic reforms.” Nowadays, engagement with China is not popular among US policymakers. Former US president Donald Trump’s administration rejected it outright. Some foreign-policy realists have echoed this claim, arguing that China’s accession to the WTO in 2001 facilitated its rise as a strategic competitor to
UNCONCERNED ABOUT NUMBERS: The US star matched Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark’s single-discipline record, although she was unaware it existed beforehand Mikaela Shiffrin on Sunday continued her dominance of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup slalom in Killington, Vermont, with a record-setting victory over reigning overall champion Petra Vlhova. US star Shiffrin, starting two-tenths of a second behind her Slovakian rival after the first leg, turned in a storming second run of 48.26 seconds. Vlhova still had Shiffrin in her sights before a costly error saw her post the 14th-fastest time of the second run that was still good enough for second place, but 75-hundredths of a second behind the American. Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener, who missed the start of the season because she was recovering from broken bones in both hands after a fitness training accident, placed third. “My mentality was super aggressive, that was how I really need to be for both runs,” Shiffrin said. “The second run, it wasn’t a perfect run, but most of it was quite strong and super-aggressive... I knew Petra would do the same. We both had a mistake, but I think hers was a bit bigger.” With a 46th career slalom win, Shiffrin matched Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark’s single-discipline record set in giant slalom. “I actually didn’t know the record,” she said. “I won’t say it’s not meaningful, it certainly is, but I’m trying not to focus on those numbers.” “Any person would want to have those records ... wanting it doesn’t do anything for you to actually do the work or ski well enough to make that happen,” she added. Shiffrin has now won all five World Cup slaloms held in Killington, which is not far from the Burke Mountain Academy where she once trained. The return saw her turn the tables on Vlhova, who last week beat Shiffrin in two slaloms in Levi, Finland, to pull level with the American atop the overall standings. Shiffrin, a three-time winner of the overall title,
Taiwan’s Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-ching on Sunday secured a bronze medal in the mixed doubles at the World Table Tennis Championships in Houston, Texas, after losing to their Chinese opponents 1-3 in the semi-finals. The duo lost to Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha 8-11, 11-7, 7-11, 9-11, dashing their hopes of competing for the gold medal. It was the first time they had faced the Chinese duo. In the first game, Lin and Cheng established an 8-6 lead, but gave away five straight points to lose on unforced errors. They successfully regrouped and won the second game 11-7. In the third game, the Chinese pair quickly established a seemingly unassailable 10-2 lead, and despite winning the next five points, Lin and Cheng had left themselves too much to do and lost 7-11. The fourth game was closer, but the Taiwanese pair fell just short, losing the match 1-3. As there is no match for third place at the tournament, Lin and Cheng are assured a bronze medal, as are the other losing semi-finalists.
English Premier League leaders Chelsea were on Sunday held to a 1-1 draw at home to Manchester United, as Manchester City moved to within a point of the top spot following a 2-1 win over West Ham United in swirling snow. Blues midfielder Jorginho rescued a point as the Italian’s penalty atoned for the error that allowed Jadon Sancho to put the visitors in front at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea fell behind when poor control from Jorginho enabled Sancho to score early in the second half, but Jorginho made amends when he scored from the penalty spot after Aaron Wan-Bissaka fouled Thiago Silva. It was an impressive result for United under former midfielder Michael Carrick, standing in as manager following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Not that Carrick, who took the bold decision to leave Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench, was delighted with the performance. “Disappointed actually,” Carrick told Sky Sports. “When you are in front in a game like this, to have it taken away is disappointing.” “I don’t think it was a penalty at all... I am not getting carried away, but I thought we defended well. I cannot fault the boys one bit,” Carrick added. “I am happy, absolutely happy,” Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel said. “I saw a huge effort. We put the pressure up high, we were brave and courageous.” Free-scoring Liverpool on Saturday hammered Southampton 4-0 to move to within one point of Chelsea, but reigning champions City stayed in touch with victory at home to the high-flying Hammers on Sunday. City took the lead shortly after the half-hour mark when Riyad Mahrez played the ball into the box and it was deflected into the path of Ilkay Gundogan. Substitute Fernandinho made it 2-0 late on. Manuel Lanzini pulled one back deep into stoppage time, but it was not enough for manager David Moyes’
Stephen Curry came alive late as the Golden State Warriors shook off a sloppy start to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 105-90 and post their seventh straight NBA victory. With both teams turning the ball over and missing shots it was close at halftime, the Warriors leading 44-42 on the Clippers’ home floor. Golden State extended that lead with an 11-2 scoring burst to open the third quarter, and never trailed in the second half, posting their 42nd straight game with at least 100 points scored. It looked like that streak might end, but Curry scored 13 points in the final frame as the Warriors pushed the lead to as many as 21 points after seeing it dwindle to just two late in the third period. Jordan Poole scored 17 points, including three in less than two minutes late in the third as the Warriors withstood a 30-point performance from Los Angeles star Paul George. Curry, incensed at not getting a foul call as he drove for a layup with 9 minutes, 11 seconds left in the fourth, received a technical foul for yelling at a referee. The moment appeared to galvanize the Warriors superstar, who finished by shooting 53.8 percent from the field while handing out six assists and pulling down five rebounds. “It was kind of a B.S. T [technical foul],” Curry said. “You have those moments and decisions of where you’re going to put your energy at, and obviously I thought I got fouled, so I wanted to let the emotions out and then you let it go and then you just play basketball.” “For me individually and for our team, I think we fueled off of that and just worried about putting the ball in the basket, and that’s when the avalanche started,” he added. Curry also came up with six of the Warriors’ 19
‘SURREAL’: Some Malaysians who were stranded when borders closed managed to get on the first buses home, including a man who met his baby for the first time Malaysians working in Singapore held joyful reunions with their loved ones after returning to their homeland yesterday following the partial reopening of a land border that has been shuttered for nearly two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Buses drove fully vaccinated passengers across the Johor-Singapore Causeway that connects Singapore with the Malaysian peninsula, with strict measures in place, including COVID-19 tests before deaprture and upon arrival. Malaysian Minister of Health Khairy Jamaluddin wrote on Twitter that a COVID-19 case was detected during the screening in southern Johor state, but did not elaborate. “As we safely reopen our borders, there will be positive cases at points of entry. Risk assessment, isolation and monitoring close contacts will become the norm,” he said. Under the first phase, only 1,440 travelers who must be citizens, permanent residents or long-term pass holders are allowed from each side per day. The causeway was one of the world’s busiest land borders before the pandemic struck. Air travel also reopened with fewer restrictions, allowing anyone who is fully vaccinated to travel quarantine-free between the two countries. “It’s already since past one year plus, I never meet her and when I see her today, I’m happy, I’m very happy,” retiree Siva Ganesan said after greeting his wife, Uma Devi Balakrishnan, at the bus terminal in Johor. His wife works as a cleaner in Singapore and was stranded when borders were shut. A Malaysian man kissed and hugged his baby whom he met for the first time, while another woman sank tearfully into her father’s arms. More than 100,000 Malaysians were believed stuck in the Singapore after the border closed in March last year. “It’s surreal, doesn’t feel real at all, because it’s been a while not coming home,” Malaysian Cheong Weng-yin said. “I have been feeling very nervous until I set foot here.” Across
NOT ELIGIBLE: Most of those charged over democracy protests were born after the UK handed Hong Kong back to China, figures form Hong Kong Watch showed More than 90 percent of people who have faced protest charges in Hong Kong are too young to access a UK visa scheme dedicated to helping Hong Kongers flee to the UK, say advocates and lawmakers calling for new laws to assist them. The release of the figures on Sunday by advocacy group Hong Kong Watch comes before a British parliamentary debate this week on proposed migration law amendments that would widen the pathway for people with British National Overseas (BNO) status to resettle in the UK. More than 10,000 people were arrested during or after the mass protests that swept Hong Kong in 2019. The figures showed that 93 percent of more than 1,000 people who had been tried by July this year were under 25. Another 49 people arrested under the National Security Law imposed on Hong Kong by China were also under the age of 25. Last week, 20-year-old student activist Tony Chung (鍾翰林) was jailed for 43 months on charges relating to pro-independence social media posts. In the wake of the crackdown on protesters and democracy figures that sent people fleeing overseas, the UK launched its BNO visa scheme, allowing holders of BNO status and their immediate families — estimated at the time to be about 5 million people — to apply for dedicated entry visas with a pathway to full citizenship. Tens of thousands applied in the first few months, but there has been long-running concern that people born after 1997, when Hong Kong was handed back to China, are not eligible to move to the UK under the scheme unless accompanied by a parent with BNO status. Hong Kong Watch said the scheme in its current form has “left behind” young people, and called for the adoption of a borders bill amendment that was proposed by British lawmaker Damian Green
An episode of The Simpsons in which the cartoon family from the US visit Tiananmen Square has been removed from Disney’s streaming channel in Hong Kong at a time when authorities are clamping down on dissent. The missing episode adds to concerns that Chinese-style censorship is becoming the norm in the territory, ensnaring global streaming giants and other major tech companies. Disney+ has made rapid advances since it was launched 18 months ago, reaching more than 116 million worldwide subscribers. The Hong Kong version started streaming earlier this month and eagle-eyed customers soon noticed that an episode of The Simpsons featuring China was conspicuously absent. Episode 12 of season 16, which first aired in 2005, features the family going to China to try and adopt a baby. They visit Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, the site of a deadly crackdown against democracy protesters in 1989. In the cartoon there is a sign in the square that reads: “On this site, in 1989, nothing happened,” a satirical nod to China’s campaign to purge memories of what happened. It is not clear whether Disney+ removed the episode or was ordered to by authorities. The entertainment giant has not responded to requests for comment, nor has Hong Kong’s government. When Agence France-Presse checked Disney+’s Hong Kong channel yesterday episodes 11 and 13 of season 16 were available, but not 12. Until recently, Hong Kong boasted significant artistic and political freedoms compared with China, but authorities are transforming the territory in the wake of huge democracy protests two years ago. Among the slew of measures are new censorship laws introduce this summer that forbid any broadcasts that might breach the broad National Security Law that China imposed on the territory last year. Censors have since ordered directors to make cuts and refused permission for some films to be shown to the public. Last week, Hong Kong Chief Executive
Last month saw the online launch of an English-language book that it is hoped will enhance Taiwan studies at universities in Europe and further afield, providing a wider audience with unique insight into a field of study that is attracting increasing attention. Taiwan’s Contemporary Indigenous Peoples is the result of a lecture series at London’s Center of Taiwan Studies, part of the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. These talks on issues related to Taiwanese Aborigines formed the basis of the new publication, the whole project facilitated by a grant from Taipei’s Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines (順益台灣原住民博物館). “Within Taiwanese universities there has been a rapid growth in the numbers of Indigenous teaching and research programs in the last decade,” says Dafydd Fell, director of the center. “There have also been parallel trends in Indigenous language promotion in the media, such as Indigenous Television, and in schools. Since some of these Indigenous studies programs in Taiwan are also developing English language courses, we are hoping our book can be widely used in Taiwan.” Fell added that within the field of international Taiwan Studies there has been a similar growth in interest in Aboriginal topics, but much of this work tended to be dispersed across different disciplines. The book brings together studies on modern Taiwanese Indigenous topics. Both trends form part of a growing global interest in Indigenous studies that Taiwan is just one part of, with the nation providing fascinating examples of a number of aspects of contemporary indigeneity. Part of a multi-ethnic society with diverse cultural characteristics, Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples have lived on the island for thousands of years. Their languages belong to the Austronesian family and they have close cultural ties to Oceania and the South Pacific. The book has four section themes: historical perspectives, the arts, education and
Nobel prize-winning economic theory used by investors is showing early signs of helping save threatened coral reefs, scientists say. Researchers at Australia’s University of Queensland used modern portfolio theory (MPT), a mathematical framework developed by the economist Harry Markowitz in the 1950s to help risk-averse investors maximize returns, to identify the 50 reefs or coral sanctuaries around the world that are most likely to survive the climate crisis and be able to repopulate other reefs, if other threats are absent. The study recommends targeting investment in conservation projects that have the “strongest potential to succeed” in protecting priority reefs. The gains go beyond positive ecological outcomes and include crucial social, economic, health and nutritional benefits for communities, according to partners, organizations and funders interviewed by Blue Earth Consultants. Prof Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, a climate scientist at the University of Queensland, who helped lead the “50 reefs” project, said: “It’s essentially a strategy to help us make decisions about what to protect, if we are to have corals at the end of the century.” “It is our best shot at having a long-term future for coral reefs,” he said. Coral reefs face a dire future. Even if drastic emission reductions ensured global heating was limited to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels – which would require almost halving global CO2 emissions by 2030 from 2010 levels – 70 percent to 90 percent of today’s corals would vanish. In October, a study of coral reef health found 14 percent has been lost globally in less than a decade, with bleaching events caused by raised sea-surface temperatures the biggest culprit. “Modern portfolio theory is a framework that aims to reduce risk while maximizing returns,” said Hoegh-Guldberg. “It’s treating conservation sort of as an investment opportunity.” The strategy, which came out of a meeting of scientists at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology in 2017,
Imagine if poor people were polled on why they drove beat up old cars. Imagine if that poll had several answers, which were “might want a better car if possible,” “want a better car as soon as possible,” “waiting on it” and “don’t want a better car.” Imagine if most people answered “waiting on it” and then, disregarding all other data, from that a scholar concluded that most poor people don’t want to drive a better car. That conclusion is absurd, and yet that is one we have seen again and again in describing the preferences of Taiwanese for the final status of their country. That argument is based almost exclusively on a misleading but widely-used survey from National Chengchi University’s (NCCU) Election Study Center, “Changes in the Unification — Independence Stances of Taiwanese.” That poll, a relic from the waning days of authoritarian power (the poll begins in 1994, the year after the repeal of the national security law that was martial law redux), was conceived by academics ensconced in a university that had been the former political warfare school of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). It has the magical power of chopping the Taiwanese electorate into various groups that appear to support the status quo, thus obscuring the massive support for independence in Taiwan even in those days. Almost as if that were its purpose. That poll is routinely cited by pro-Blue politicians and academics as evidence that the majority do not support independence in Taiwan (a sure signal it should never be used by anyone who cares about the truth). It is also commonly referred to by neutral media organs, which deploy it as cover: if they refer to that poll, they can avoid pointing out that the majority of people in Taiwan favor independence. That NCCU poll thus
Oh, no, you’re short-sighted! (2/5) 完蛋了，你近視了！ （二） A: Cover your right eye and look at the eye chart in front of you, then tell me which way the letter “E” I point to is facing. B: Up. That one is facing left. Erm… right. A: And how about this in the row below? B: It’s too small. I can’t make it out. A: Hmmm, then you are short-sighted. For now, I’m going to prescribe you some eye drops to help your eyes relax. Use them twice, five minutes apart, before you go to bed. B: OK, thank you, doctor. A: 你把右眼遮住，看前面這張視力檢查表，然後告訴我指的字母E開口朝哪邊。 B: 朝上。這個朝左。嗯……右邊。 A: 那下面這排這個呢？ B: 太小了，我看不清楚。 A: 嗯，那你有近視喔。我先開眼藥水給你，幫助眼球放鬆。睡前點兩次，間隔五分鐘。 B: 好的，謝謝醫師。 (Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱) Audio recordings for Speak Up! dialogues will be suspended until further notice due to the pandemic.
Osteoporosis is a silent killer of middle-aged and elderly people, so how to save one’s “skeleton fund” is an important dietary consideration for seniors. Cabbage, which is sometimes called the “national vegetable,” is said to be able to prevent osteoporosis. In this regard, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has clarified that simply eating cabbage is not enough. The FDA says that cabbage does contain vitamin K, which can help the absorption of calcium and vitamin D, thus promoting bone metabolism, but to promote bone calcification you also need to get enough calcium. Foods that are rich in calcium include black sesame seeds, beans, nori seaweed, milk powder, milk and dairy products. The FDA says that to prevent and treat osteoporosis, people should boost their dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D and do regular exercise, especially weight-bearing exercises such as jogging, walking and weight training, so as to increase bone density, strengthen muscles and slow down the loss of bone mass. Apart from that, appropriate exposure to sunlight, avoiding behaviors that cause loss of bone mass, such as smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol and staying up late, and understanding nutrition are all necessary to keep your body healthy. If you have symptoms that you think might be caused by osteoporosis, you should promptly seek medical attention and follow your doctor’s advice to avoid missing the golden opportunity for treatment. (Translated by Julian Clegg, Taipei Times) 骨質疏鬆症是中老年人的無聲殺手，如何存「骨本」是銀髮族的飲食重點，而有「國民蔬菜」之稱的高麗菜便被傳說能預防骨鬆；對此，食品藥物管理署澄清，光是吃高麗菜還不夠。 食藥署指出，雖然高麗菜裡含有維生素K，可幫助鈣質、維生素D的吸收，因此可促進骨骼的新陳代謝，但還要補充足夠的鈣質，才可促進骨骼鈣化。高鈣食物包含黑芝麻、豆枝、紫菜、奶粉、牛奶及乳製品等。 食藥署說，針對骨質疏鬆病人補鈣，會先建議攝取奶類，如果是年長者，則以低脂牛奶補充較好，蔬菜部分以深綠色蔬菜為主。 食藥署提醒，骨質疏鬆症的防治應增加飲食中鈣質與維生素D的攝取，並且規律運動，特別是從事荷重運動如慢跑、健走、重量訓練，以增強骨質的密度，強健肌肉，減緩骨質的流失。 此外，適時日曬陽光，並避免抽菸、喝酒、熬夜等造成骨質流失的行為，建立正確的營養攝取觀念，才能維持身體健康。如有疑似骨質疏鬆症之症狀，應立即就醫並遵醫囑治療，避免錯過黃金治療時機。 （自由時報） LANGUAGE TIP Nori is a kind of dried seaweed that is eaten in Japan, and this originally Japanese word can be found in English dictionaries. A similar food called laverbread is eaten in Wales and Ireland. Many English speakers will not know either of these words, but they will get the idea if you call it “dried seaweed.”
A: Why do you always squint when you look at the blackboard? Is it blurry? B: Yes. Why is the teacher’s writing so fuzzy? It wasn’t like that before. A: Oh, no, you’re short-sighted! B: I think you’re right. I’ve been doing lessons from home these past few months, staring at the computer screen all day. A: And I suppose you’ve been playing computer games after class, too. You should go and see an eye specialist as soon as possible. A: 你為什麼看黑板一直瞇著眼睛啊？是看不清楚嗎？ B: 對呀！老師寫的字怎麼都一片模糊？以前不會這樣的。 A: 完蛋了，你近視了！ B: 我猜也是。前幾個月在家上課，眼睛一天到晚都盯著電腦螢幕。 A: 更不要說你下課以後還打電動了。你應該趕快去看眼科醫師。 (Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱) Audio recordings for Speak Up! dialogues will be suspended until further notice due to the pandemic.
| New Taipei City | 15-18 | 30% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 14-17 | 20% |  |
| Hsinchu City | 14-17 | 20% |  |
| Taipei City | 14-18 | 20% | |
| Miaoli County | 14-17 | 10% | |
| Taoyuan City | 14-17 | 20% | |
| Keelung City | 14-18 | 30% | |
| Yunlin County | 15-20 | 10% |  |
| Taichung City | 16-20 | 10% | |
| Nantou County | 15-20 | 10% | |
| Changhua County | 16-20 | 10% | |
| Chiayi County | 16-21 | 10% | |
| Chiayi City | 15-21 | 10% | |
| Tainan City | 17-22 | 10% | |
| Kaohsiung City | 18-25 | 10% | |
| Pingtung County | 17-24 | 10% | |
| Yilan County | 13-19 | 20% | |
| Hualien County | 16-21 | 20% | |
| Taitung County | 18-22 | 40% | |
| Kinmen County | 15-18 | 10% | |
| Penghu County | 18-19 | 10% | |
| Lienchiang County | 12-16 | 10% | |
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