Taiwan yesterday planted its national flag in front of its first arctic research center in Longyearbyen, a town on Norway’s Spitsbergen Island, and also conducted a plaque unveiling ceremony to formalize that Taiwan’s arctic research group has a “place of their own.”
Minister Without Portfolio Chang Ching-sen (張景森) yesterday thanked the Polish academics from Nicolaus Copernicus University who helped establish the research station.
“We thank the Polish scholars for creating opportunities for the Formosan black bears to meet the arctic polar bears,” he said.
Photo courtesy of the National Academy of Marine Research
The center and the international research project leading to its establishment demonstrate Taiwan’s resolve to participate observation of the North Pole, and is a milestone for Taiwanese researchers in the field, Chang said.
Chang commended the National Academy of Marine Research and National Central University for their vision and ambition.
International research collaborations such as this have helped plant Taiwan’s flag within the arctic circle, he said.
Academy president Chiu Yung-fang (邱永芳) said the academy has been working with Nicolaus Copernicus University since last year on research topics such as ice quakes, ice melting, ocean currents and changes in wave conditions in the Arctic Ocean.
Taiwan as a maritime nation and relying on sea trade can now receive first-hand information on climate change observed near the North Pole, Chiu said.
With the projected gradual loss of arctic ice sheets after 2035 and the possible opening of arctic sailing routes, Taiwan stands to gain much from knowledge collected in northern climes, Chiu added.
Taiwanese arctic researchers previously had to ask permission to use facilities of other nations and share laboratories, and with an independent station, Taiwan can better conduct research and share its results with the international community, Chiu said.
Using geophysical instruments and self-made maritime data buoys stamped with the national flag, Taiwan’s first autonomous probe into arctic glaciers, ice quakes, melting ice around the Fram Strait and other information last year has yielded excellent data, Chiu said.
Taiwan’s achievements have been noted by the international community, and its researchers have been invited to participate in the next Arctic Forum, he added.
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
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,
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a “one China” constitution that would foster stable and peaceful cross-strait relations. The ROC Constitution is the most important defense for all Taiwanese citizens, as it upholds our democracy and has contributed to our robust economy, which aligns with international and US interests, she said. “We would not be troublemakers and drag the US under,”
RSS