Senior-friendly food label boosts Taiwan’s agriculture industry: Research InstituteBy Chien Hui-ju / Staff reporterA total of 140 food products have in the past two years been awarded the Eatender label for senior-friendly products, the Food Industry Research and Development Institute said yesterday. These products, if awarded the label, could generate revenue of more than NT$300 million (US$10.53 million), Liao said, adding that food products with the label can be exported to Hong Kong and Japan. A visitor at the Taiwan booth at the Taipei International Food Show in Taipei yesterday holds a package of chicken breast made by Taiwan Farm Industry Co, the winner of a senior-friendly food product competition. This year, the institute has selected 150 senior-friendly food products for a competition held by the Council of Agriculture, which assesses the nutrition value, texture and packaging of senior-friendly foods made from local produce, the institute said. Our chicken breast is prepared with sesame oil and tastes fresh,” Taiwan Farm Industry Co chairman Chang Hua-hsin (張華欣) said.

Thousands take part in annual Taipei MarathonBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterAbout 28,000 runners yesterday morning hit the road in the annual Taipei Marathon, with Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) saying that the event might be the only large-scale city marathon held in the world this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Ko said that since its launch in 1986, the Taipei Marathon has become part of Taipei’s city branding and an important event to promote international tourism. Participants in the annual Taipei Marathon set off from the starting line in front of Taipei City Hall yesterday morning. From left, the winner of the men’s division at the Taipei Marathon, Kenyan Paul Lonyangata, winner of the women’s division, Ethiopian Askale Wegi, winner of domestic men’s division, Chou Ting-yin, and winner of domestic women’s division, Tsao Chun-yu, hold their trophies at an award ceremony in Taipei yesterday. Participants in the annual Taipei Marathon leave the starting area in front of Taipei City Hall yesterday.

Gogoro wins award for its battery swap networkStaff writer, with CNAGogoro Inc (睿能創意), a leading Taiwan-based electric scooter brand, is to receive the Global Company of the Year Award from Frost & Sullivan. Gogoro, the only Taiwanese company to have received the award, was chosen based on the California-based research and consulting firm’s analysis of the swappable battery electric scooter market. It has established consumer battery swapping on a mass scale, performing 265,000 battery swaps each day (135 million to date),” Frost & Sullivan said in a statement. “It demonstrates that its business model is viable and practical.”Gogoro is set to launch similar services in cities outside of Taiwan, Frost & Sullivan research director Vishwas Shankar said. “As a testament to its success with GoStations, its vehicles and the overall Gogoro Network, the company’s ridership developed their own community, forming multiple forums and networks and becoming ambassadors for climate change and clean energy transportation,” Shankar said.

People walk past shops on Yongkang Street in Taipei on March 7. Empty shops on Wenlin Road in Taipei’s Shilin Night Market area are pictured on Aug. 11. The two other areas where rental rates are tumbling amid the decline in visitor numbers are Ximending (西門町) and the Shilin Night Market (士林夜市). Business in the Shilin Night Market has been hurt, because about 70 percent of its pre-pandemic traffic came from overseas tourists. Su said that the crisis could offer the night market an opportunity to reposition itself to domestic consumers.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia CommonsThe months-long struggle, dubbed the Love of Freedom Movement (自由之愛運動), didn’t end there. On Dec. 22, the second issue of the Love of Freedom campus publication called for complete reform of the university system, including freedom of assembly, academic freedom, university autonomy for professors and students and for complete government withdrawal from school affairs. This cover of a 1987 publication on the Love of Freedom movement depicts a student banner demanding university reform. Twelve major campus publications, including prestigious academic ones, issued a joint declaration of campus freedom of speech on Oct. 12 to show their support. Dejected, Love of Freedom leaders retreated back to campus, refocusing on gaining more clout with the student association.

The rally would be held on Jinan Road (濟南路) in front of the Legislative Yuan’s Chun-hsien Building (群賢樓) in Taipei, the KMT said. The party has gained approval for road closures and a street use permit around the Legislative Yuan from Wednesday to Friday, said a KMT member, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Police officers guard an entrance to the Legislative Yuan in Taipei in an undated photograph. A lawmaker’s office phone number is public information, so the KMT is not disclosing private information, he added. If importers are unwilling to import pork containing ractopamine, then it would be difficult to buy such pork in Taiwan, he added.

Scandal overshadows league openerFACE ‘WITH COURAGE’: P.League+’s CEO said that some of the videos circulating online were filmed while the players were in high school, making them the ‘victims’By Jason Pan / Staff reporterReports of players allegedly being blackmailed with videos circulating online yesterday overshadowed the launch of P.League+, a new basketball league to rival the Super Basketball League (SBL), and prompted police investigations. An audience of 6,000 watches the first game of the newly launched P.League+ basketball league at the Changhua County Stadium yesterday. People cheer at the first game of the newly launched P.League+ basketball league at the Changhua County Stadium yesterday. P.League+ CEO Chen Chien-chou (陳建州) said the scandal had affected all levels of Taiwanese basketball, from his new league to the SBL, university and high-school circuits. In the P.League+ opener, the Fubon Braves edged out the Taishin Dreamers 89-86 at the Changhua County Stadium to snatch the first victory in the new league.

Pro-Trump crowd holds rally in TaipeiBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterA crowd yesterday marched in Taipei to rally support for US President Donald Trump and show opposition to the Chinese Communist Party. The result still must be confirmed by a joint session of the US Congress on Jan. 6. With drums and music, the march traveled several blocks around Taipei 101, ending at a nearby plaza, where talks and music videos were presented and streamed online. “Without US protection, Taiwan would not have its freedom, and instead we would be slaves ruled by communist China. In the crowd, an American, who identified himself as Jerry, said he was touched to see so many Taiwanese at the rally.

Yachting enthusiasts flock to Tainan for regattaBy Wang Chu-hsiu and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe first keelboat regatta held off Taiwan proper yesterday drew crowds of yachting enthusiasts to Tainan’s Anping District (安平). The conditions near the club were ideal for yachting, club president Chang Ching-hsiang (張慶祥) said, adding that he hopes the competition will spur interest in water sports. A sailboat team yesterday participate in the first keelboat regatta in Tainan’s Anping District. Teams were comprised of four to six members each, and while age and sex were not considerations in the formation of yachting teams, team captains must be concerned about each member’s physical capabilities, as well as the rapport among the team as a whole, he said. “This regatta was really just the first step in promoting water sports at Anping.

Dated Thursday, the letter addressing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was signed by US representatives Michael McCaul, Steve Chabot and other Republicans. A sign outside the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington is pictured on Nov. 25. The US should extend that policy and change TECRO’s name to the “Taiwan Representative Office,” a more simple and accurate name, the letter says. The lawmakers also asked the US Department of State to raise “self-imposed guidelines” restricting bilateral relations, including where US officials are permitted to meet with TECRO diplomats. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) yesterday said that changing TECRO’s name does not require lawmakers to amend any law, adding that Taiwan respects the US’ internal procedures.

Taiwan-US deal on science and tech first concrete result of EPP DialogueBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterTaiwan and the US on Tuesday signed a scientific and technological cooperation agreement, the first concrete result of their Economic Prosperity Partnership (EPP) Dialogue last month, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said yesterday. Wu said that he was joined in Taipei by AIT Director Brent Christensen, Minister of Science and Technology Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) and Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Chern-chyi (陳正祺) in witnessing the ceremony virtually. “This agreement provides a much needed legal structure for further collaboration to advance scientific research, unleash technological innovation, and ensure research integrity and intellectual property protection,” Christensen said in Mandarin. The agreement says that the nations might decide later to add other scientific and technological areas. The nations can invite third parties and international experts to join activities held under the agreement, it says.

Taiwanese firms should look to Mexico: TEEMA‘STRATEGIC POSITION’: In addition to diversifying supply chains, building factories in Mexico makes reaching the US market easier, TEEMA’s chairman saidBy Angelica Oung / Staff reporterTaiwanese companies should look to Mexico to diversify their production exporting to the US market and enhance risk management in supply chains, Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (TEEMA, 台灣電子電機公會) chairman Richard Lee (李詩欽) said yesterday. Lee was speaking at the TEEMA Global Networking Forum, which focused on Mexico, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the EU as investment hotspots for Taiwanese businesses. “The advantage of manufacturing in Mexico is the proximity to the US market,” Lee said. Describing trade relations between Taiwan and the forum’s featured destination countries as “keen,” Lee said that TEEMA hopes to promote formal agreements to “solidify the strategic position” of Taiwanese companies hoping to invest there. Saying that most Taiwanese businesses that have found success in India supplied the local market, Lee encouraged Taiwanese businesses to see India as an emerging potential market rather than a manufacturing hub.

ASE to raise wages, distribute extra bonusBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterASE Technology Holding Co (ASE, 日月光投控), the world’s biggest chip tester and packager, yesterday said it is to raise employees’ monthly wages by between 3 and 5 percent for those in entry-level positions at its Kaohsiung fabs. It is also to give an extra bonus, or “red envelope,” of NT$10,000 (US$351) for each employee on top of their regular year-end bonuses, ASE said in a statement. It is to hold a job fair at its K11 fab in Kaohsiung’s Nanzih District (楠梓) tomorrow, ASE said. The global semiconductor industry’s growth used to be highly correlated to the expansion of the global economy, but this year would be an exception, Wu has said. The strong growth momentum is reflected in ASE’s record revenue last month, which increased 5.7 percent to NT$50.67 billion from NT$47.92 billion in October.

NPP calls on Taipower to stop LNG projectBy Wu Su-wei and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerNew Power Party (NPP) lawmakers yesterday called on Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) to cease development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving station off the coast of Waimushan (外木山) in Keelung. The land reclamation project would greatly affect marine life and the livelihoods of fishers in the area, NPP Legislator Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) told a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. Despite far-ranging consequences, Taipower has failed to provide its own comprehensive environmental assessment plans, Chen said. New Power Party legislators Chiu Hsien-chih, second left, and Chen Jiau-hua, second right, attend a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei TimesThe necessity of reclaiming 18.6 hectares of land for the receiving station is questionable, NPP Legislator Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) said.

President Tsai Ing-wen sits in the cockpit of a UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter during a visit to the National Airborne Services Corps in Kaohsiung yesterday. Photo: Chang Yi-chen, Taipei TimesThe corps has a fourfold mission: disaster response, emergency response, medical evacuation and topographical survey. Corps personnel have heroically discharged their duties, Tsai said. The decision to go “heavy” was informed by budgetary concerns, aircraft payload capabilities, and the 3rd Brigade’s mission and area of responsibility, it added. The first helicopters were delivered in 2016 and deployed to the 2nd Brigade, while the 3rd Brigade’s six helicopters were that order’s final delivery.