TRANSPORTATION
THSRC applies quiet policy
Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) yesterday said that passengers must switch their mobile phones to silent mode, and use headphones when watching videos or listening to music. Those who repeatedly ignore reminders might be denied boarding, it said. The policy would be promoted through various channels, including staff announcements, seat back pocket info cards, LED ticker displays and station TVs, the THSRC said. Train personnel would remind passengers who are listening to music without headphones or speaking too loudly of the rules, while those talking on the phone might be asked to move to the vestibule area or switch to texting instead, it said. Personnel would continue to assist and reassure infants, young children and passengers with conditions that affect their ability to self-regulate, it added.
Photo courtesy of Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp
RELIGION
Lai greets pope on birthday
President William Lai (賴清德) sent a letter to Pope Leo XIV congratulating him on his 70th birthday on Sunday, and conveying “heartfelt wishes” on behalf of the government and Taiwanese. The pope demonstrated “dedication to human dignity” and “commitment to church unity” in his resolve to “promote world peace, social justice and global outreach,” he said. “In a world torn by conflict and strife, we strongly endorse the Holy See’s drive to realize peace, bridge divisions and foster dialogue,” Lai said. “Taiwan will continue to coordinate with the Holy See to promote humanitarian assistance and bring comfort to people in need around the world.” Meanwhile, a Taiwanese delegation of lawmakers who are visiting Rome recorded a birthday greeting video at St. Peter’s Square, and expressed wishes that the ties between Taiwan and the Holy See continue to deepen.
DIPLOMACY
Belgian delegation visits
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it welcomed a delegation of nine Flemish parliament members from Belgium, led by Belgian Senator Karl Vanlouwe. They are to meet with Legislative Yuan Deputy Secretary-General Chang Yu-jung (張裕榮), the international affairs departments of the three major political parties, visit the Control Yuan’s National Human Rights Commission, the National Development Council and other civil groups, as well as attend a banquet hosted by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中). The Flemish Parliament in May passed a resolution calling for deeper economic ties with Taiwan, the ministry said.
SOCIETY
New living treasure named
An elder from the Pinuyumayan tribe has been named a “national living treasure” for preserving the tribe’s traditional weaving techniques, which have been passed down orally. The Ministry of Culture yesterday said Sunay Paelabang, who is in her late 80s, has mastered tenun, or Pinuyumayan traditional weaving. It officially recognized tenun as an important traditional craft last year. Tenun requires a formal apprenticeship and involves rituals conducted by a shaman before and after training, the ministry said. There are also numerous taboos during the weaving process. Sunay Paelabang is the 30th national living treasure since 2009, and would be officially honored at a ceremony in Taitung on Oct. 12.
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
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
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
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
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