The government will consider granting national cultural heritage status to a Hanben culture archeological site (漢本遺址) in Yilan County, a decision expected to have a substantial impact on the Suhua Highway improvement project in Nanao Township (南澳), the Ministry of Culture said.
The announcement follows a protest outside the ministry on Thursday last week by advocates from the Hanben Front, which was attended by New Power Party Legislator Kawlo Iyun Pacidal and independent Yilan County Councilor Hsueh Cheng-yi (薛呈懿).
The Hanben site, believed to be the remains of a seafaring settlement that existed from 900 to 1,600 years ago, were found by construction crews working on the Suhua Highway in 2012.
The discovery of a second layer of archeological material in June last year sparked concerns that a complete excavation of the site could not be completed without delaying the highway project.
The Hanben Front said that the artifacts found at the site are of exceptional historical importance, and that both archeological excavations and engineering should be halted to prevent damage to the materials.
One preservation advocate, Hsiao Wen-chieh (蕭文杰), said that the Hanben culture’s geographical location, the burial customs uncovered in its tombs and its glassware and bronze, suggest that the community made use of oceanic currents to establish an extensive maritime trade network, adding that their lifestyles were remarkably lavish by the standards of the time.
“From the perspective of a professional archeologist, there is no doubt that the site should be designated a national heritage site,” he said.
The proposed hastening of excavation at the sites “is tantamount to legalized vandalism,” because improper excavation techniques can cause damage to artifacts by exposure, he said.
The Hanben Front said that engineering work would “irrevocably compromise” the settlement’s structures, and a halt to highway construction and ad hoc excavations would be the best option.
When asked to comment, Hsueh on Saturday said that although the county government has designated the Hanben dig a county-level heritage site, the Yilan Bureau of Cultural Affairs had “failed to show initiative” in protecting the site, and that the county government seemed to view the dig as “an obstacle to its highway.”
“It should not be beyond the capabilities of the government to build a safe highway for residents, and at the same time adequately preserve sites of cultural importance,” she said, calling on the ministry to grant national heritage status to the settlement and to ensure its preservation.
Cultural Affairs Bureau Acting Director Song Long-quan (宋隆全) said his agency has been unfairly criticized, and that it has been actively engaging with engineering and archeological experts to determine if the highway project’s facilities could be relocated to other areas.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Kaohsiung at 1pm today, the Central Weather Administration said. The epicenter was in Jiasian District (甲仙), 72.1km north-northeast of Kaohsiung City Hall, at a depth of 7.8km, agency data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in Kaohsiung and Tainan, where it measured a 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale. It also measured a 3 in parts of Chiayi City, as well as Pingtung, Yunlin and Hualien counties, data showed.
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
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