The Taipei City Government will not change the designation "Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall" at mass rapid transit (MRT) stations and bus stops despite it having been renamed the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said yesterday.
Defending the city government's jurisdiction over the management of MRT stations and bus stops, Hau said that "Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall" was still the hall's legitimate title based on the Organic Statute of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (中正紀念堂組織條例), adding that the city government would continue to use the title at all stations.
"Even though the central government has changed the name of the hall, the `CKS Memorial Hall' will still be used at public transport stations in Taipei City," Hau said after attending a municipal event in Taipei.
Keeping the original title at MRT stations and bus stops will also save the city NT$8 million (US$ 240,000) in expense, Hau said.
"People are used to the name. Changing it does not only cause confusion, but is also a waste of money," he said.
Taipei Rapid Transit Corp said that more than 12,000 station names, signs, ticketing system and travel information pamphlets at the stations would have to be changed if the city government decides to change the station's name to the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall.
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mindanao in the Philippines at 7:38am today, prompting the US Tsunami Warning System to issue an alert for neighboring countries, including Taiwan. The system issued a purple alert indicating a "tsunami threat." The potential threat zone includes Taiwan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Yap and Palau. Philippine authorities were assessing the damage from the quake, with the office of civil defense seeking to verifying initial reports that 15 people had been killed and 129 injured in the region, mostly from falling debris. Arlene Hollero, disaster chief of Maasim town in the Philippines' Sarangani Province,
RESILIENCE: Taiwan plays a key role in semiconductors, energy, information infrastructure and advanced manufacturing, AIT Director Raymond Greene said Taiwan’s continued investment in deterrence and resilience remains vital, especially in uncrewed systems and other emerging technologies, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene said yesterday. Greene made the remarks at the annual National Strategic Summit on Supply Chain Resilience held by the Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET), a government-backed think tank. As Taiwan last year became the US’ fourth-largest trading partner and supply chain security is becoming more important, cooperation in emerging technologies continues to deepen between the two countries, he said. The US is committed to accelerating innovation, building key infrastructure, strengthening cooperation
‘GRAY ZONE’ PRESSURE: Beijing’s activities are intended to create the deceitful impression that China has jurisdiction over the area around Taiwan, the CGA said Taiwan’s rights over its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone must not be violated by any country, the Mainland Affairs Council said yesterday, adding that it will not accept any unprovoked actions. The council issued the remarks in response to the China Coast Guard conducting maritime enforcement drills near eastern Taiwan and claiming to fully exercise China’s maritime administrative law enforcement authority. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) has been closely monitoring the situation and is taking concrete steps to defend the nation’s sovereignty and secure its waters, the council said. China has no sovereign rights over the waters off eastern
The National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology yesterday showcased its locally developed variants of the Vision 60 robotic patrol dog, which it plans to deploy on the nation’s outlying territories in the South China Sea. The variants were produced under the Joint Lab project — created by the institute and domestic companies — and assembled with domestically produced motors, lenses and artificial intelligence (AI) systems alongside licensed tech from the US, Missile and Rocket Systems Research Division deputy director Jen Kuo-kang (任國光) told the media event at a military base in Taipei’s Dazhi (大直) area. Taiwan has built up its strengths