In line with the government’s move to promote industrial upgrades and creativity, a traditional lockset manufacturer launched a heart-shaped gift box containing a colorful lock and key launched aimed at Valentine’s Day gift shoppers.
Industrial Development Bureau Director-General Wu Ming-ji (吳明機) said that the government would continue to focus on facilitating the upgrade of traditional manufacturing industries this year.
Citing the metal lock manufacturer in Pingtung County as an example of cultural creativity, Wu said the company has added value to an ordinary product with its series of stylish love padlocks.
Photo: CNA
Packed in a heart-shaped metal gift box, the lock goes with a key carved with a heart-shaped hole, with each set selling for NT$499, Wu said.
The design was inspired by the practice in many countries of couples attaching love locks on a popular public fixture as a symbol of their love.
In Taipei, many couples choose the Rainbow Bridge near the Raohe Street Night Market (饒河街夜市) to affix their locks, the bureau said.
To further help traditional manufacturers, the bureau is planning to launch an online campaign to showcase examples of companies that have upgraded their businesses.
A Facebook page will be set up for each of the industries that the bureau advises, giving the public an insight into these industries, their progress and their successes, and hopefully encourage more young people to join them, it said.
According to the Metal Industries Research and Development Center, annual output by the Taiwanese lockset industry is estimated at NT$12.6 billion (US$399 million), with exports surpassing NT$10 billion for the first time last year.
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
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
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,