■TOURISM
PRC medical tourists arrive
A 32-member medical tour group from China arrived in Taiwan yesterday for health check-ups, making it the first Chinese group to visit Taiwan for medical tourism since last July, when the government began allowing Chinese citizens to visit Taiwan as tourists. During their six-day stay, the members of the group are scheduled to visit six medical centers and hospitals. They are also expected to visit several clinics specializing in cosmetic surgery, the local travel agency that arranged the tour said. “Each member of the group is expected to spend 5,000 yuan (US$731) on their check-up,” an executive of the travel agency said. “Another group from China is expected to arrive in August for the same purpose if the first group is satisfied with its experience,” the executive said.
■ EDUCATION
City unveils English village
Kaohsiung City Government inaugurated the city’s fourth English village on Friday as part of its preparations for the World Games next month. “Creating an English learning environment for students in the city and cultivating their English speaking proficiency has become particularly important now that the games are fast approaching,” Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) said. Like the other English villages in Kaohsiung, the village at Taiping Elementary School includes several real-life contexts — a simulated airport, hotel, shopping mall and a health store — for pupils to practice English. School principal Tsai Chin-yuan (蔡進元) said 12 recipients of the Fulbright Youth Scholarship will offer assistance to the school’s teachers in improving the English proficiency of students over the next 11 months. The other three English villages in Kaohsiung are located at Zuoying Elementary School, Fudong Elementary School and Lingjhou Elementary School.
■ TOURISM
KRTC launches bike shop
The Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp (KRTC) yesterday launched the nation’s first government-affiliated foldable bicycle rental shop at Zuoying Mass Rapid Transit Station. The service was introduced in a bid to encourage backpackers to tour the city. The rental rate is NT$100 for four hours, NT$200 per day, NT$380 for two days or NT$540 for three days, KRTC said. Those who are interested in renting the bike will only be required to leave an ID instead of a deposit, it said. KRTC general manager Yen Pang-chieh (顏邦傑) said it hoped visitors to the city would take advantage of the new service to gain a better understanding of the beauty of Kaohsiung.
■ TOURISM
Student is 2 millionth visitor
“I’m so lucky,” said a Hong Kong university student on Saturday when he learned that he was the 2 millionth tourist to Taiwan this year and received a NT$200,000 prize. Wong Chi Hoi (黃智凱), a sophomore at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, arrived at Kaohsiung International Airport via a China Airlines flight on Saturday afternoon along with three of his friends for a backpacking trip. It is Wong’s first visit to Taiwan. He said he planned to tour scenic spots in Kaohsiung and Kenting National Park in Pingtung County. “The prize comes as a big surprise to me. I’m blessed ... I’ll share the prize with my friends,” said Wong who was also given a collection of gift items with a local flavor. The prizes are part of the Tourism Bureau’s efforts to attract more tourists to Taiwan. The 1 millionth visitor this year was a Malaysian who entered Taiwan from Taoyuan International Airport in April.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
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