While "betel nut beauties" in Taoyuan County continue to protest against a new policy prohibiting the exposure of their breasts, bellies and buttocks, police in Hsinchu City have launched a crackdown on those who attract business by wearing skimpy clothes at their betel-nut stands, local media reported yesterday.
Due to fierce competition, many betel-nut-stand operators have employed young women to sell their products in bikinis or thongs.
PHOTO: LEE HSIN-HUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
In response, the Taoyuan County Government announced on Monday a "three nos" policy which prohibits the exposure of betel-nut beauties' breasts, bellies and buttocks.
The government's plan, however, triggered a backlash from the betel-nut industry.
One Taoyuan betel-nut beauty, nicknamed Hsiao Ju (
"I have a beautiful body, and I also love to show my pretty clothes to the customers. What's wrong with that?" Hsiao Ju was quoted by a Chinese-language newspaper as saying yesterday.
The Collective of Sex Workers and Supporters protested the regulations in front of the Taoyuan County Hall yesterday morning. Members of the group showed their navels to the cameras, shouting slogans such as "My belly button is guaranteed harmless and it's very cute" and "My body, my job, my own business."
Collective chairwoman Wang Fang-ping (王芳萍) said the government has a double-standard when it comes to betel-nut beauties.
"All the automobile exhibitions or computer shows have hired young women who dress sexy to attract business. No one has any objection to that," Wang said.
"Even popular entertainers such as A-Mei [
However, Deputy County Commissioner Liao Cheng-ching (廖正井) said yesterday that as much as 90 percent of parents in Taoyuan support the "three nos" policy and that the county government will be firm on enforcing the regulations.
Liao also took the murder of a betel-nut-stand operator as an example, saying that the operator was killed by a teenager because he tried to stop the boy from touching a betel-nut beauty's buttocks.
"How can showing butts be OK?" Liao asked.
"[The women] should definitely cover the front of their bodies," Liao said, adding, however, that it's all right for them to show their backs.
In Hsinchu City, police have launched a crackdown on the betel-nut industry in response to the "three nos."
According to the Hsinchu City Police Department, authorities arrested more than 480 betel-nut beauties and their employers between January and last month for violating the Teenagers' Welfare Law (少年福利法), the Social Order Maintenance Law (社會秩序維護法), the Road Traffic Management and Punishment Law (道路交通管理處罰條例), the Business Registration Law (商業登記法) and other regulations.
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
A Taiwanese academic yesterday said that Chinese Ambassador to Denmark Wang Xuefeng (王雪峰) disrespected Denmark and Japan when he earlier this year allegedly asked Japan’s embassy to make Taiwan’s representatives leave an event in Copenhagen. The Danish-language Berlingske on Sunday reported the incident in an article with the headline “The emperor’s birthday ended in drama in Copenhagen: More conflict may be on the way between Denmark and China.” It said that on Feb. 26, the Japanese embassy in Denmark held an event for Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s birthday, with about 200 guests in attendance, including representatives from Taiwan. After addressing the Japanese hosts, Wang
One of two tropical depressions that formed offshore this morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. It is expected to move in a northwesterly direction as it continues building momentum, possibly intensifying into Typhoon Mitag this weekend, she added. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is expected to approach southeast of Taiwan on Monday and pass through the Bashi Channel between Tuesday and Wednesday,
About nine Taiwanese are “disappeared,” detained, or otherwise deprived of freedom of movement in China each month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. Between Jan. 1 last year and Aug. 31 this year, 188 Taiwanese travelers went missing, were detained and interrogated, or had their personal freedom restricted, with some questioned in airports or hotel lobbies, the council said. In a statement ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the council urged people visiting China for any reason to be highly vigilant and aware of the risks. Of the reported cases, 50 people were “disappeared” after entering China, 19 were detained and 119 had
RSS