The government is dedicated to making Taiwan a global capital for Hakka culture by promoting Hakka innovations achieved under the nation’s freedom and democracy, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday at a groundbreaking ceremony in Taoyuan for the International Hakka Expo building.
Tsai said that since becoming president, she has worked hard to promote the culture, encourage the daily use of the Hakka language and inspire Hakka people to feel proud of their heritage.
These efforts have been successful, as people can now speak Hakka with civil servants, while young people are returning to Hakka villages to work or start businesses, which helps promote local development, she said.
Photo: Lee Jung-ping, Taipei Times
The theme for next year’s expo is “Travel to Tomorrow” to represent “the Hakka of the future,” she said.
The expo hopes to reflect the experience of local Hakka cultures wherever they are and promote the cultural creativity of Taiwanese Hakka, who live in a free and democratic country, Tsai said.
Taiwan is the only country that has a detailed Hakka policy, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said.
Taoyuan has the largest Hakka population in the country, Su said, adding that Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) was instrumental in making the expo a reality.
The construction of the expo building marks the first time a national government has invested money to host a Hakka-themed international expo, Su said, adding that 22 countries have been invited to attend.
“We hope to demonstrate how Hakka work hard and maintain solidarity even when scattered around the world,” he said.
Taiwan occupies a critical position in terms of revitalizing Hakka culture and the expo would ensure that the nation would be instrumental in helping the revitalization of the Hakka culture worldwide, Cheng said.
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park this weekend, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a theme food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances. Pokemon Go Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as photo attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs. Pokemon trainers could also experience the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area. Three PokeStops are to be set up in the park. Trainers are invited to take