CNN has again raised hackles in Taiwan over its food reporting, with some people complaining that the network’s list of the “world’s 50 most delicious foods” did not include any Taiwanese dishes.
“What we have seen on the list are ice cream, donuts and potato chips — junk food probably favored by CNN reporters,” the Taipei-based Broadcasting Corporation of China said.
The No. 41 entry on the CNNGo Web site was stinky tofu, which was described as “one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic foods,” but in the comments at the end of the list, one person argued that “stinky tofu is Taiwan’s food not Southeast Asia’s.”
Other netizens said the list reflected the writers’ limited knowledge of good food.
“Good food is just good food to enjoy, not to rate,” someone called Eric commented. The listing of stinky tofu as a Southeast Asian food is “a glaring mistake,” he said.
On the CNNGo list, Massaman curry from Thailand was ranked as the tastiest food in the world.
Neapolitan pizza from Italy, chocolate from Mexico, sushi from Japan and Peking duck from China were ranked second, third, fourth and fifth on the list.
CNNGo has been the source of some controversy in Taiwan in recent months.
In April, it listed Taipei as the most gluttonous city in Asia, prompting Government Information Office (GIO) Minister Philip Yang (楊永明) to ask the GIO’s Department of International Information to lodge a complaint with CNN. At the time, Yang said the bright side to the incident was that the government would use it to boost international recognition of Taiwanese gourmet and culinary culture.
Late last month, a report on century eggs by an American on the local Taiwanese delicacy, known as pi dan (皮蛋) in Taiwan, was included in a list of “the world’s most revolting food.”
The report also drew ire from a number of Taiwanese food critics and gastronomists, saying the report undervalued the nature of the dish.
In response, CNN posted a statement on its Web site on July 8 about the issue.
“This article was not meant to offend in any way anyone who likes century eggs, anyone who dislikes century eggs, any century egg manufacturers, anyone who works in the manufacturing or serving of century eggs and especially Chinese culture,” said Andrew Demaria, CNNGo’s editor-in-chief. “We apologize unreservedly for any offense the article has inadvertently caused.”
The article’s author Danny Holwerda also later penned a letter to the Taipei Times, saying that CNN added his article to a special section about the world’s most disgusting foods on its own initiative. He added he meant no disrespect to Taiwanese or their culture.
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
UNKNOWN TRAJECTORY: The storm could move in four possible directions, with the fourth option considered the most threatening to Taiwan, meteorologist Lin De-en said A soon-to-be-formed tropical storm east of the Philippines could begin affecting Taiwan on Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm, to be named Fung-wong (鳳凰), is forecast to approach Taiwan on Tuesday next week and could begin affecting the weather in Taiwan on Wednesday, CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said, adding that its impact might be amplified by the combined effect with the northeast monsoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the system’s center was 2,800km southeast of Oluanbi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 18kph. Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) on Facebook yesterday wrote that the would-be storm is surrounded by
RSS