EDITORIAL: China’s economy may prove riskyWith rising default risks from Country Garden Holdings Co to China’s leading asset management firm, Zhongzhi Enterprise Group Co, concerns are growing that a slump in the Chinese property market could trigger a wider financial crisis, creating a potential spillover effect that would impact the broader economy. Taiwanese financial firms have slashed their exposure to the world’s second-largest economy quickly and sizably. Bad news has repeatedly broken out in China’s real-estate industry in recent years with the risk of a snowballing economic downturn. However, more actions are still needed if Taiwanese financial firms aim to promptly respond to any major financial events in China. To tackle headwinds, firms must review and adjust their holdings of Chinese securities and bolster risk management after extending loans to the Chinese market.

Taipei Zoo holds public memorial serviceGHOST MONTH: This year’s special arrangement was made to offer a memorial service to fans of the zoo’s stars so that they can pay respects, Taipei Zoo saidBy Yang Hsin-hui and Jason Pan / Staff reportersTaipei Zoo has invited the public for the first time to participate in a memorial service for animals that recently passed away at the zoo. The memorial is to take place from today until Aug. 30 and coincides with Ghost Month. The Taipei Zoo’s Life Memorial Cenotaph is pictured in an undated photograph. This year people are welcome to join in the event billed “Learning from Life, Memorial to Star Animals,” it said. The deaths of several animals at Taipei Zoo in recent years included giant panda Tuan Tuan (團團), male giraffe Chu Chung (菊忠), female giant anteater Koudaisha (口袋莎) and Malayan tapir Moko (貘克), the release said.

Taiwan B players Adam Hinton, left, and Robert Hinton hold gifts at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium on Thursday. Photo: CNAHowever, it is something bigger than basketball that brings the brothers back to their “second home,” Taiwan. And we love everything about the culture, especially the food,” Adam Hinton said. While the NBA is their top priority as basketball players, Robert and Adam Hinton said that they have dreams outside the sport. Making it to the NBA is still a dream, but given the uncertainties the future holds and their experience of playing in Taiwan, Robert Hinton said that he would keep his options open.

Pedestrians’ safety is the priorityBy Jeremy Wang 王英明There were 2,990 people killed in traffic accidents in 2021, a mortality rate of 0.000124, which is five times higher than in many other countries. In Taiwan, drivers and pedestrians often do not abide by traffic rules. As long as drivers are “forced” to follow the rules and stop at crosswalks to yield the right of way to pedestrians, Taiwan would no longer be a living hell for pedestrians. Vision Zero should advocate that pedestrians and drivers are not to be set against each other, promoting the idea that both are on the same side. In this sense, “return the roads to the people” is not only for the sake of the pedestrians, but for everyone.

The US’ ‘new’ China narrativeBy James K. GalbraithThree recent articles in the New York Times have signaled a “new” narrative about China. Only weeks ago, China was the US’ fearsome “peer competitor” on the world stage, but now, everyone is told, it is a wounded dragon. “The president has moved aggressively to contain China’s rise and to restrict its ability to benefit militarily from the use of technologies developed in the United States,” Shear wrote. Should China have more vehicles but worse roads and fewer gas stations, not to mention subways and high-speed trains? Chinese workers are paid for building the factories, homes, rail lines, roads and other public works that have transformed China within our lifetimes.

Stokes to play as batsman only in IndiaAFP, LONDONEngland are prepared to play Ben Stokes as a batsman only when they defend their 50-over men’s ICC World Cup title in India after the Test captain reversed his decision to retire from one-day internationals. England’s Ben Stokes celebrates taking a catch against Australia on the fourth day of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval in London on July 31. Photo: Reuters“It wasn’t really a case of changing his [Stokes’] mind,” England national selector Luke Wright said after the squad was unveiled on Wednesday. “Once his body was in a good place and he’d had a rest, he was really keen to play. The injured Archer, the Super Over star of the 2019 World Cup final, is recovering from his latest elbow injury.

TPP to pursue legal action over ‘fabricated’ tapeBy Huang Ching-yu and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday said it would pursue legal action against people who allegedly fabricated and disseminated a recording of TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) commenting on Vice President William Lai’s (賴清德) stopovers in the US. Taiwan People’s Party spokesman Adam Lee, second left, speaks to reporters in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Taiwan People’s PartyThe e-mail said that the recording was made during an internal TPP meeting in the first week of this month. At a news conference yesterday, TPP spokesman Adam Lee (李頂立) said the voice in the recording was “clearly not Ko.”The TPP would pursue legal action, but is first investigating who made the recording, how it was made and who disseminated it, he said. If investigated through legal channels, it would show that all political parties — not just the one in power — are affected by misinformation, he said.

Permutations of a Gou candidacyBy Tzou Jiing-wen 鄒景雯Everyone who cares about elections in Taiwan is wondering whether Hon Hai Group Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) would declare his candidacy in the presidential election scheduled for Jan. 13 next year. After all, Gou started out in the KMT’s “deep blue” camp and has close connections within it. Furthermore, the KMT has long-term links with local factions and has a well-organized network in local areas. The party is now propped up more by local factions than the political elite in Taipei. If Gou is not ready to start collecting signatures, his political fireworks would end next month, when calm would be restored.

England’s Lauren Hemp, left, scores past Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, right, as Australia’s Ellie Carpenter tries to block during their FIFA Women’s World Cup match at Stadium Australia in Sydney yesterday. “The one thing I’ve always wanted to do is get to a World Cup final,” Bronze told the BBC. It’s been amazing to play against Australia, in Australia, what a fantastic tournament they had but we’re in the final,” she said. Despite losing, Australia have enjoyed their best World Cup ever, with a third-placed playoff against Sweden on Saturday still to play. At the other end, goalkeeper MacKenzie Arnold rescued Australia minutes later, deflecting Georgia Stanway’s strike with her legs as the game opened up.

PLA raising fears throughout AsiaBy Ray Song 宋磊Former Japanese prime minister Taro Aso last week visited Taiwan and spoke at the Ketagalan Forum: Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue in Taipei. He was the highest-ranking former Japanese official to visit Taiwan since the countries severed diplomatic relations in 1972. Meanwhile, amid the rapid growth of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), security in the Indo-Pacific region is full of uncertainties. Although New Zealand, in the southern hemisphere, is far from Taiwan, it addressed China in its National Security Strategy released on Aug. 4. Taiwan, Japan and New Zealand are all “island states” in the Indo-Pacific region.

EDITORIAL: Energy yo-yoing with Hou and KoThe Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential candidate, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), on Thursday last week revealed his energy policy, saying that he would not phase out nuclear power if elected. He would also reopen all decommissioned nuclear power plants, and review the decision to stop construction of the never-finished Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District (貢寮). Taiwan Power Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who is also running for president, has similarly called for restarting and extending the life of nuclear power plants. Still, he does not rule out keeping some nuclear power capability in case of emergencies such as a Chinese-led blockade or an invasion. They also have not addressed issues with storing nuclear waste, especially highly radioactive waste.

Holger Chen lost on women’s issuesBy Hung Yu-jui 洪昱睿Taiwanese Internet celebrity Holger Chen (陳之漢), who often uses chauvinistic and vulgar expressions, has changed. On July 16, Chen and former New Power Party legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) collaborated to host a rally. Those in the know understood that the event was meant to elevate the status of the opportunist Ko. In a livestream, Chen defended the event, saying that DPP Legislator Lai Pin-yu’s (賴品妤) cosplaying also “objectified women.”It seems that Chen does not know what cosplay is. It is almost certain that the number of cosplay fans is larger than that of Chen’s livestream audience.

Ko Wen-je’s strategy is panning out well for himBy Niu Tse-hsun 鈕則勳The public wants to know whether Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) plans to withdraw from next year’s presidential election. On Aug. 11, Ko declared that he would remain the TPP presidential candidate until the end of the race. This strategy has confined the influence of Hon Hai Technology Group founder Terry Gou (郭台銘), overpowered Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Hou You-yi (侯友宜) and lifted TPP morale. It is common knowledge that Gou wants to collaborate with Ko, as he had once suggested that Ko should be his deputy. If Ko’s strategy works, Gou would lose his status and become marginalized.

The Liberty Times Editorial: Aso visit and security concernsFormer Japanese prime minister Taro Aso, who attaches great importance to Japan’s partnership with Taiwan, paid a visit to Taiwan last week. Japan, like Taiwan, sees the main threat to its national security as originating from the expansionism of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) authoritarian regime. Since the 2019 edition, China has risen to the top of Japan’s security concerns to become the most serious threat. Just as Aso remarked in his speech while visiting Taiwan, Japan and Taiwan are partners who must ride out this storm together. They should make it clear that they will work hand in hand with Japan in response to this great security threat.

Bureau aims for 6 million tourist arrivals this yearPOSITIVE: From January to June, the number of visitors from nations such as South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia equalled or beat pre-COVID-19 figuresStaff writer, with CNAThe Tourism Bureau has set a target of 6 million tourist arrivals this year, adding that tourism statistics from January to June suggest the nation is likely to reach the goal. Visitors from nations such as Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam were either on par with or exceeded pre-COVID-19 numbers over the same period, Chou said. Photo: CNAJapanese visitors are also returning, and the European and US markets are also performing relatively well, he saidThe No. 1 source of visitors from January to June were from Hong Kong and Macau, followed by Japan and South Korea in second and third place respectively, the bureau said. To boost tourism in the post-COVID-19 era, travel packages are also being designed to help operators in Taiwan’s tourism industry, the bureau said.