TRANSPORTATION
Gondola discounts offered
In conjunction with the summer activities organized by the Taipei City’s Department of Education, Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) has announced preferential deals for riding the Maokong Gondola this month and next. Children who are 12 years old or under are eligible to take the gondola for free until Aug. 31 by showing ID documents at the gondola, TRTC said. Riders over the age of 12 can take advantage of a “buy-one-get-one-free” gondola ticket offer during the same period. TRTC said the offer is limited to one-way tickets, which cost NT$50, not concession tickets. Various discounts are available at the two Metro Souvenir Shops located at Taipei Main Station and Maokong Gondola Station. To save having to stand line, TRTC is encouraging tourists to make online reservations on the day before they plan to ride the gondola at http://gondola.tr
TRANSPORTATION
Warning on bridge work
People commuting from Taipei City to New Taipei City (新北市) can expect delays on their way home for the next two months as the Directorate-General of Highways is scheduled to begin maintenance work on the Zhongshan Overpass of Provincial Highway No. 1 on Wednesday. Deputy Director Chao Hsin-hua (趙興華) said the outside lane will be closed so the bridge deck and expansion joint can be upgraded, a process that is scheduled to last 60 days. Should commuters choose to continue using the Overpass during this period, Chao said they are advised to avoid the peak hours: 7am to 9:30am, 5pm to 8pm and 9:30pm to 10:30pm. Traveling time could increase by 40 to 50 minutes, he said. Meanwhile, traffic congestion could also occur on the Zhongxiao Bridge, Beimen Overpass, Civil Boulevard and Huanhe Expressway. Commuters are advised to take the Xinzhuang MRT Line and Luzhou MRT Line or other public transport systems to avoid traffic jams.
TOURISM
Chinese top visitor arrivals
Taiwan recorded 2.97 million visitors in the first five months of this year, according to statistics released by the Ministry of the Interior yesterday. As the biggest source of visitors, China accounted for 48.9 percent of arrivals, followed by Japan with 20.4 percent and the US with 5.5 percent, the data showed. Most of the visits, 66.2 percent, were for tourism purposes. Meanwhile, outbound visits from Taiwan totaled 4.1 million in the same period, with the top destinations being China (including Hong Kong and Macau), with 55.8 percent of outbound trips, Japan with 14.5 percent and South Korea with 5 percent. The ministry said the total number of trips by Taiwanese in and out of the country was 14.05 million in the same period, which was an increase of 15.7 percent year-on-year.
DIPLOMACY
Wang Jin-pyng to visit Japan
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) will lead a delegation to Japan today to look at earthquake reconstruction work that was funded by donations from Taiwan. Wang, accompanied by legislators from across party lines, Red Cross Society of the Republic of China president Wang Ching-feng (王清峰) and tourism operators, will visit Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures, two of the areas hardest hit by an earthquake and tsunami on March 11 last year. Wang said the delegation will pay their respects to people in the disaster areas and also seek to boost tourism exchanges between Taiwan and the two prefectures.
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
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Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New
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