Of all the surprises at the Golden Horse Awards last Saturday, by far the most shocking and controversial was Tony Leung (
When it came time to distribute the award, TV cameras turned to Andy and there was even a short interruption for an impromptu interview with him to see how he felt. The only thing missing was a drum roll. And then the envelope was opened and Tony's name was read out loud.
PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES
Andy was a good sport about the snub and maintained his shiny smile until he boarded the plane to return to Hong Kong on Sunday. But the Hong Kong press wasn't nearly so forgiving, accusing the organizers of setting up and humiliating Andy. Taiwan's media, including Great Entertainment Daily (大成報), Yam.com.tw, ETtoday.com, had a different take on the whole event, implicitly or explicitly saying that the Golden Horse Awards was a pointless Hong Kong party paid for by Taiwan.
PHOTO: MAX WOODWORTH, TAIPEI TIMES
This certainly seemed to be case this year, as Hong Kong films walked away with 13 awards from the 24 categories, including a clean sweep of all the major awards. Tsai Ming-liang (
Pop diva A-mei (
More rumors were dispelled over the past week when boy band B.A.D. released their fourth album on Friday despite reports in the Apple Daily (
Hong Kong actress and model Chu Yin (
Traffic around Taipei's Breeze Center stopped last weekend when a little blue truck with advertisement billboards mounted on its sides featuring supermodel Hsiao Chiang's (
Jason Han says that the e-arrival card spat between South Korea and Taiwan shows that Seoul is signaling adherence to its “one-China” policy, while Taiwan’s response reflects a reciprocal approach. “Attempts to alter the diplomatic status quo often lead to tit-for-tat responses,” the analyst on international affairs tells the Taipei Times, adding that Taiwan may become more cautious in its dealings with South Korea going forward. Taipei has called on Seoul to correct its electronic entry system, which currently lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan),” warning that reciprocal measures may follow if the wording is not changed before March 31. As of yesterday,
The Portuguese never established a presence on Taiwan, but they must have traded with the indigenous people because later traders reported that the locals referred to parts of deer using Portuguese words. What goods might the Portuguese have offered their indigenous trade partners? Among them must have been slaves, for the Portuguese dealt slaves across Asia. Though we often speak of “Portuguese” ships, imagining them as picturesque vessels manned by pointy-bearded Iberians, in Asia Portuguese shipping between local destinations was crewed by Asian seamen, with a handful of white or Eurasian officers. “Even the great carracks of 1,000-2,000 tons which plied
It’s only half the size of its more famous counterpart in Taipei, but the Botanical Garden of the National Museum of Nature Science (NMNS, 國立自然科學博物館植物園) is surely one of urban Taiwan’s most inviting green spaces. Covering 4.5 hectares immediately northeast of the government-run museum in Taichung’s North District (北區), the garden features more than 700 plant species, many of which are labeled in Chinese but not in English. Since its establishment in 1999, the site’s managers have done their best to replicate a number of native ecosystems, dividing the site into eight areas. The name of the Coral Atoll Zone might
Nuclear power is getting a second look in Southeast Asia as countries prepare to meet surging energy demand as they vie for artificial intelligence-focused data centers. Several Southeast Asian nations are reviving mothballed nuclear plans and setting ambitious targets and nearly half of the region could, if they pursue those goals, have nuclear energy in the 2030s. Even countries without current plans have signaled their interest. Southeast Asia has never produced a single watt of nuclear energy, despite long-held atomic ambitions. But that may soon change as pressure mounts to reduce emissions that contribute to climate change, while meeting growing power needs. The
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