A group of officials led by Premier Yu Shyi-kun yesterday inspected a forest in the central part of the country that was devastated by a tropical storm early this month.
The premier made a helicopter inspection of an area of Danta Forestry Area in Nantou County, which was severely damaged by Tropical Storm Mindulle.
Upon returning to an airbase in Taichung, the premier said that he was saddened to see damage in the Danta Forestry area.
He attributed the damage to over-exploitation of natural resources as well as to the disaster.
He called for soil conservation and a resumption of Aboriginal people's role as the guardians of the forests and of animal habitats, as well as the promotion of ecotourism so that Aboriginal people will be able to protect their lands and support themselves.
The premier also issued several instructions, including one not to rebuild a bridge that was destroyed during flooding caused by the tropical storm; another to convert a forest road into a mountain trail for ecotourism purposes; and another to consider whether to include the forestry region within the boundaries of a national park.
The premier asked the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Council of Agriculture (COA) and other agencies to implement the instructions.
Accompanying the premier on the trip were Executive Yuan Spokesman Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), Council for Economic Planning and Development Vice Chairman Chang Chin-sheng (張景森), COA Vice Chairman Tai Cheng-yao (戴振耀) and Taiwan Forestry Bureau Vice Director Lee Tao-sheng (李桃生).
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The Taiwan Experience Education Program (TEEP) has funded short-term internships in Taiwan for more than 4,500 young people from more than 40 countries since 2015, with the goal of attracting and retaining international talent, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. Fifty-five colleges launched 514 projects this year, including in fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, medicine and biotechnology, green energy, and sustainability, it said. The program provides research and practical internships in Taiwan for two to six months, and offers cultural exchange and networking opportunities, the ministry said. For example, National Formosa University’s Embedded System and Autopilot Laboratory developed two solar-powered drones in
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
Taipei resident Mu Chu-hua caught some glimpses of China’s mighty military parade on YouTube on Wednesday. As she watched hypersonic missiles roll down Beijing’s Changan Avenue and troops march in lockstep, she did not feel like they posed a threat to Taiwan. Mu, a 69-year-old retiree, said she saw the parade as simply a way for Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to “say thank you to the troops.” “I thought it was quite normal,” she said. “It was very cool.” China’s military parade commemorating the end of World War II was being watched internationally for insights into Beijing’s military advances and its show