UTILITIES
Water supply to be reduced
The supply of water to heavy users will be reduced starting on about May 20 in a second-phase conservation effort to cope with an unseasonable dry spell, Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-hsiang (施顏祥) said yesterday. The drought in Taiwan has worsened over the past days and artificial rain-making operations have begun, he said. “If the drought persists, the Ministry of Economic Affairs will convene a meeting in mid-May to impose water-rationing in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli and Changhua counties, and in Taichung and Hsinchu cities,” he said. In its first stage of water rationing, the government has been reducing the night-time water pressure to household in some areas. During the second phase, the supply of water to fountains and for non-urgent purposes, such as cleaning streets, will be stopped. In addition, the supply of water for swimming pools, car-washes, saunas and businesses that use 1,000 tonnes or more per month will be cut by 20 percent. The supply to industrial users will be reduced by 5 percent.
ENTERTAINMENT
Glass-walled eatery opens
A newly built restaurant that rotates 360 degrees opened in Taoyuan on Tuesday, offering unrivaled views of the surrounding area. The restaurant, situated not far from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and called “Air Harbor,” provides panoramic views of the picturesque Chuwei (竹圍) port area. The glass-walled eatery, built at a cost of NT$20 million (US$700,000) and offering various set meals based around steak and seafood, can accommodate 200 people. Located at the top of the Chuwei Fishing Port building in Taoyuan County, it has been developed by the Taoyuan County Government as part of a Costal Recreation Zone program under the Taoyuan Aerotropolis project.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Taiwan’s three major international carriers are increasing booking fees, with EVA Airways having already increased the charge to US$28 per flight segment from US$25, while China Airlines (CAL) and Starlux Airlines are set to follow suit. Booking fees are charged by airlines through a global distribution system (GDS) and passed on to passengers. Carriers that apply the fees include CAL, EVA, Starlux and Tigerair Taiwan. A GDS is a computerized network operated by a company that connects airlines with travel agents and ticketing platforms, allowing reservations to be made and processed in real time. Major players include Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport. EVA Air began
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
When Paraguayan opposition lawmaker Leidy Galeano returned from an all-expenses-paid tour of six Chinese cities late last year, she was convinced Paraguay risked missing out on major economic gains by sticking with longtime ally Taipei over Beijing — a message that participants on the trip heard repeatedly from Chinese officials. “Everything I saw there, I wanted for my country,” said Galeano, a member of the newly-formed Yo Creo party whose senior figures have spoken favorably about China. This trip and others like it — which people familiar with the visits said were at the invitation of the Chinese consulate in Sao Paulo
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