The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) has proposed that retail stores at railway stations be allowed to pay half their rent and royalties to weather challenges caused by a nationwide level 3 COVID-19 alert.
Ridership on railway services has declined dramatically as people have been encouraged to stay at home as much as possible under the alert. This has hurt retail stores and restaurants at railway stations, which depended heavily on business generated by foot traffic.
Some lawmakers at a meeting of the legislature’s Finance Committee on Tuesday seconded a motion asking the TRA to consider reducing the rent and other expenses for retail stores at railway stations.
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Railways Administration
TRA Director-General Du Wei (杜微) on Tuesday afternoon inspected the Taipei and Nangang railway stations, and spoke with some managers of retail stores and restaurants who are trying to generate more revenue by working with food delivery services or giving discounts to people ordering takeout.
They told him that their revenues over the past four weeks only accounted for 10 to 30 percent of revenues prior to the level 3 alert, the TRA said, adding that some of the stores have temporarily suspended operations.
“While the agency did not receive any relief funds from the government this time, we will follow the motion proposed by lawmakers to help businesses weather this difficult time,” Du said.
Photo: CNA
The agency’s proposal says that businesses at railway stations would only be required to pay half their rent and royalties from May 15 to Aug. 31, while the rent from this month through August can be paid in September.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications must approve the proposal before it can be implemented.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
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
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS