Chinese authorities have attempted to obtain radio broadcast licenses in Taiwan and to purchase local radio stations, Government Information Office (GIO) Director-General Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. \nLin revealed during an question and answer session at the legislature yesterday that intelligence information indicated that these applications were submitted on the Chinese government's behalf by nominally unaffiliated organizations for the purpose of furthering China's nationalistic message. \n"In Taiwan about 300,000 people listen to radio programs broadcast from China, and China intends to increase the size of its Taiwanese audience," Lin said. \nLin also brought attention to the cross-strait activities recently hosted by China's Central People's Radio Station, saying that the station had already conducted seven so far. \nAccording to Lin, radio station employees and residents of southern and central Taiwan were often invited to China to participate in these cross-strait "friendship building" activities. \nTaiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) legislative leader Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) also confirmed that a radio broadcast host from Kaohsiung's KISS radio station, along with another radio show host from a Taichung-based station, had been present during the most recent cross-strait activity organized by the Central People's Radio Station in August. \nAccording to Lo, the two radio show hosts had discussed the possibility of establishing a system for the simultaneous broadcast of radio programs in Taiwan and in China. \nThe GIO was quick to reiterate yesterday however that simultaneous broadcast of Chinese radio programs at home and in China had to be authorized by the GIO. \nSamuel Wu (吳水木), director of the GIO's Department of Broadcasting Affairs, said that in accordance with the Act Governing Relations Between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area [兩岸人民關係條例], Chinese radio programs had to be licensed for broadcast before being aired.
HOT-SPRING RETREAT: A hotel in Japan incurred a loss of about US$1,846 after a Taiwanese man failed to show up for his reservation due to a misunderstood message A Taiwanese man who failed to show up for a hotel reservation in Japan has apologized and offered compensation, the hotel said yesterday. The man, surnamed Lee (李), reserved a room at the Yufuin Tsubaki hot-spring hotel in Oita for the Lunar New Year holiday, but failed to show up on Friday. Lee yesterday called the hotel to apologize and offered to compensate the losses caused by his failure to show up, a hotel employee surnamed Yashiro said. Lee’s wife also called on Sunday to apologize, she said. Lee had booked a two-night stay with upscale seafood and beef meals, the hotel said. His
Two Taiwanese Americans were among those killed in a mass shooting at a dance studio in Monterey Park, California, on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles (TECO LA) said it contacted local authorities, who confirmed that two of the 11 killed in the shooting were Taiwanese Americans. “TECO LA conveys our heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families, and sends our prayers to the injured for a speedy recovery,” it said in a statement. The office said it is assisting the relatives of one of the victims to travel from
A senior US senator on Monday questioned the willingness of some US allies to help defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. Although Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) expects the US and Japan to respond in a war in the Taiwan Strait, he was “a little less confident what our other allies would do,” US Senator John Cornyn said. Australia and New Zealand have voiced support for Taiwan, but it “is a far cry from committing troops to repel an invasion,” Cornyn said during a discussion on China, Russia and the state of US military readiness at a forum hosted
Whisky connoisseurs are a rapidly growing demographic in Taiwan, driving prices ever higher as collectors vie for the most coveted editions. Although not a new pastime, whisky collection has been picking up steam in recent years. According to the Scotch Whisky Association, Taiwan was the third-largest buyer of Scotch whisky in 2021 in monetary terms. One collector, surnamed Fu (傅), said there are many types of whisky that are ripe for collecting. One that has skyrocketed in price in recent years is the Macallan 12-year-old Gran Reserva, which bears a striking purple label, said Fu, who has more than 10 years of experience as
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