An animal welfare group has launched an e-mail and telephone campaign to stop famed restaurant chain Din Tai Fung from using eggs hatched in allegedly cruel conditions.
Din Tai Fung uses factory-farmed eggs for a fried rice dish priced at NT$290 (US$9.23) per plate, Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan deputy chief executive Chen Yu-min (陳玉敏) said on Wednesday.
Factory farms put hatching hens in small cages with a floor space about the size of an A4 piece of paper, which is contrary to chicken’s natural instincts to groom, range and nest at high places, resulting in unnecessary suffering, Chen said.
“Din Tai Fung’s business decision each day condemns thousands of hens to live in crowded cages to endure miserable conditions as living, egg-laying machines,” she said.
The decision to use factory-farmed eggs is odd when the company makes about NT$2 billion annually and its venue in London has exclusively used cage-free eggs since last year, Chen said.
That the company treats Taiwanese and British consumers differently is discriminatory, she said, adding that society had only made the reasonable demand for the franchise to make a commitment to phase out factory-farmed eggs.
For the past year, Din Tai Fung has only given vague responses when asked about the practice, saying it has to take costs into consideration, conduct test menus or weigh market acceptance, which are delaying tactics, she said.
“For a brand that prides itself on quality, Din Tai Fung’s unwillingness to set policy goalposts for transitioning to cage-free eggs as we have requested is disappointing,” she said.
“Consumers should write or call to press the franchise to source its eggs from humane farms,” she said.
Din Tai Fung issued a press release on Thursday, saying the media have used images of factory farms that do not reflect the conditions of Fu Yuan poultry farm, its supplier, which is certified for quality and using climate-controlled, lighted and aerated cages.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The Taiwan Experience Education Program (TEEP) has funded short-term internships in Taiwan for more than 4,500 young people from more than 40 countries since 2015, with the goal of attracting and retaining international talent, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. Fifty-five colleges launched 514 projects this year, including in fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, medicine and biotechnology, green energy, and sustainability, it said. The program provides research and practical internships in Taiwan for two to six months, and offers cultural exchange and networking opportunities, the ministry said. For example, National Formosa University’s Embedded System and Autopilot Laboratory developed two solar-powered drones in
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
Taipei resident Mu Chu-hua caught some glimpses of China’s mighty military parade on YouTube on Wednesday. As she watched hypersonic missiles roll down Beijing’s Changan Avenue and troops march in lockstep, she did not feel like they posed a threat to Taiwan. Mu, a 69-year-old retiree, said she saw the parade as simply a way for Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to “say thank you to the troops.” “I thought it was quite normal,” she said. “It was very cool.” China’s military parade commemorating the end of World War II was being watched internationally for insights into Beijing’s military advances and its show
RSS