ECONOMY
Taiwan 14th on rich list
Taiwan ranked 14th among the world’s 100 wealthiest economies in terms of GDP per capita, Forbes magazine said in a report on Monday. With a GDP per capita of US$76,860, Taiwan sat one spot above Hong Kong’s US$75,130. The magazine’s list of the richest economies in the world is compiled based on GDP per capita data, as estimated by the IMF. However, for a more precise measure of a nation’s wealth, the magazine also considers purchasing power parity, which is a metric used to compare economic productivity and standards of living between countries. Luxembourg topped this year’s rich list with a GDP per capita of US$143,740, followed by Macau with US$134,140, Ireland with US$133,900, Singapore with US$133,740 and Qatar with US$112,280. Rounding out the top 10 list are the United Arab Emirates (US$96,850), Switzerland (US$91,930), San Marino (US$86,990), the US (US$85,370) and Norway (US$82,830).
AIRPORT
Airshow may affect flights
Flights in and out of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are to be suspended during three intervals of up to 14 minutes this morning to avoid conflicting with airshows during Double Ten National Day celebrations. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement yesterday that all arrivals and departures today would be suspended from 8:29am to 8:42am, 8:56am to 9:06am and 11:36am to 11:50am. The service suspensions, combined with the possibility that neighboring flight information regions would impose air traffic flow controls due to poor weather, might cause flight delays this morning, the airport operator said. People traveling to the airport to take a flight or pick up arriving friends or relatives are encouraged to check their flight’s status beforehand on the Taoyuan airport Web site, the company said. The main National Day celebration is to take place in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei from 9:05am to 11:40am. The event is to open with a flyover by Taiwan’s indigenous Brave Eagle advanced jet trainer aircraft and is to close with a performance by the air force’s Thunder Tiger Aerobatics Team, the event program says.
AIRLINES
Hualien flights to resume
Low-cost airline Hong Kong Express Airways on Tuesday said it would resume direct flights to Hualien County on Dec. 12. The carrier said it would offer four round-trip services each week, ending a six-year hiatus. Hualien would be the carrier’s fourth main destination in Taiwan — after Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung — bringing a total of 144 weekly flights between Hong Kong and Taiwan, the airline said in a statement. “Travelers can embark on a journey of discovery for the mind and body in a city exalted by natural beauty and vibrant culture in just two hours,” Hong Kong Express said of Hualien. The airline launched direct flights between the two destinations in 2016, with average occupancy rates exceeding 95 percent, the Hualien County Government said on Tuesday. However, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake in Hualien in 2018 led to a sharp decline in tourism demand, resulting in the airline suspending the route on Oct. 27 that year. During a visit to Hualien on Monday, Nicolas Wong (黃 柏燊), general manager of the carrier’s ground services, told Hualien County Commissioner Hsu Chen-wei (徐榛蔚) that the Hualien market is well-positioned because younger travelers increasingly favor destinations with “unique tourism resources” instead of large cities.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
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