Help promised for Taiwanese if ailed by Chinese vaccine
Help promised for Taiwanese if ailed by Chinese vaccineBy Chen Yu-fu and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerTaiwan would provide medical assistance to people if complications arise from taking Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. “No Taiwanese businesspeople wanted to get that vaccine,” a source told the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) on condition of anonymity. “China makes forms that Taiwanese businesspeople have to fill out. Taiwanese working in China should weigh the risk of vaccines carefully and take all precautions to protect their health, he said. When asked whether the government would set up a “travel bubble” for the Lunar New Year holiday for people who have received a Chinese vaccine, Chiu said: “This is not the time to think about” traveling.
Source:Taipei Times
January 14, 2021 16:00 UTC
Hualien County and TRA sign MOU to develop two sites
Hualien County and TRA sign MOU to develop two sitesBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterThe Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) and the Hualien County Government yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop properties surrounding the Hualien Railway Station and Dongdameng Night Market (東大門夜市) in Hualien City. Taiwan Railways Administration Director General Chang Cheng-yuan, seated left, and Hualien County Commissioner Hsu Cheng-wei, seated right, pose yesterday in Hualien City with other officials after the signing of memorandum of understanding to develop properties near the Hualien Railway Station and Dongdameng Night Market. The project is the largest development project in the county, and it would help turn the properties into gateways for international tourists, the TRA said. “The Hualien Railway Station will become more than just a transportation hub. Hualien County Commissioner Hsu Cheng-wei (徐榛蔚) said the partnership would boost business activities in the county and create a new industrial chain there.
Source:Taipei Times
January 14, 2021 15:56 UTC
Rise in construction costs slows presale price trend
Rise in construction costs slows presale price trendBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterPresale housing project prices gained modestly across northern Taiwan last quarter due to higher construction costs, with healthy demand and low interest rates also lending support, the Chinese-language Housing Monthly (住展雜誌) reported yesterday. While Yilan is popular among tourists, it is less attractive for housing investment due to long travel times to Taipei, Ho said. Presale housing prices in Keelung saw a 2.4 percent increase quarterly and yearly to a record of NT$216,000 per ping, spurred by upscale housing projects, Ho said. In Taipei, presale housing prices increased 1.1 percent quarter-on-quarter to NT$886,000 per ping, or 4.5 percent annually, he said. Housing prices in New Taipei City rose 1 percent to NT$407,000 per ping, or 3.8 percent annually, Ho said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 14, 2021 15:56 UTC
Languages Act readiness queried
In the act, “national languages” are defined as the natural languages used by ethnic groups in Taiwan, as well as Taiwan Sign Language. He asked whether enough teachers would be available to teach “national languages” at junior and senior-high schools when they become mandatory next year. The lack of teachers is the “biggest problem” with making “national language” classes mandatory for junior and senior-high school students, Cheng said. The definition of “national languages” in the act is wide-ranging, he said, adding that it is important to clarify which languages are to be options. In theory, languages such as Dutch, Spanish, Japanese and Cantonese could also be considered “national languages,” Ho said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 14, 2021 15:56 UTC
Taoyuan urged to crack down on animal traps
An amendment to the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) passed 10 years ago stated that no animal traps may be manufactured, sold, displayed, imported or exported without explicit permission from the central government, the group told a news conference in the city. Veterinarian Wu Chia-ying tends a wounded palm civet cat in Taoyuan in an undated photograph. Taoyuan City Councilor Chen Jui-sheng (陳睿生) said the lack of legal restrictions against owning traps, and the absence of any punitive measures, makes it difficult for the government to enforce the law. Chen said he is mulling proposing an ordinance to ban ownership of animal traps in the municipality. The illegal sale of animal traps is punishable a fine of up to NT$75,000, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 14, 2021 15:56 UTC
No Cabinet reshuffle planned: Su
No Cabinet reshuffle planned: SuNO SHELF LIFE: Premier Su Tseng-chang said he faced a choice between doing something for his government or being an ornament, and that he chose the formerBy Lee Hsin-fang and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerPremier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday said that there is no plan for a Cabinet reshuffle any time soon. Su made the remark at a news conference at the Executive Yuan in Taipei marking the second anniversary of his Cabinet. Premier Su Tseng-chang speaks at the Executive Yuan in Taipei yesterday. The government had not “ambushed ” the public on the issue of US pork imports containing traces of ractopamine, he said. The government is closely monitoring pork imports after the new rules went into effect on Jan. 1, Su said, adding that he has personally inspected the screening processes.
Source:Taipei Times
January 14, 2021 15:56 UTC
Full Wang revenue last month surged to NT$1.04bn
Full Wang revenue last month surged to NT$1.04bnBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterTaichung-based Full Wang International Development Co (富旺國際開發) reported that revenue for last month surged to NT$1.04 billion (US$36.5 million), thanks to the sale of an industrial property in Taoyuan and profit recognition from a new housing complex in central Taiwan. The land in Taoyuan generated NT$910 million in revenue, while a recently completed apartment complex contributed the remaining sum, it said. Full Wang International Development Co chairman Lin Cheng-hsiung is pictured on July 12, 2014, in Taipei. Photo: Lin Mei-feng, Taipei TimesFor the whole of last year, combined revenue totaled NT$3.2 billion, nearly doubling the level in 2019, Full Wang said. Sales of residential properties and industrial plots accounted for 74 and 25 percent of the company’s revenue respectively, Full Wang told an investors’ conference last month.
Source:Taipei Times
January 14, 2021 15:56 UTC
In memorandum
More sites locally infected cases visited are disclosedALLEVIATING FEARS: The CECC would only announce public places where it is difficult to identify everyone there at the same time as the couple, minister Chen said The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday announced six places where two locally infected COVID-19 cases had visited between Thursday last week and Sunday, urging people who had been at the places at the same time to monitor their health. The couple, cases 838, a doctor, and 839, his nurse girlfriend, were reported by the center on Tuesday. The doctor had treated a patient with COVID-19 last week before he began suffering symptoms on Friday, while the nurse began suffering symptoms on Saturday. They work in the same hospital in northern Taiwan, but the nurse had not worked with COVID-19 patients, soBy Lee I-chia
Source:Taipei Times
January 14, 2021 15:56 UTC
Hundreds more hospital workers to be given tests
Hundreds more hospital workers to be given testsBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterThe Central Epidemic Command Center yesterday said it would test up to 400 more employees at the hospital where the nation’s two latest domestic cases of COVID-19 worked, although the center did not expect the results to reveal new cases. 838, a physician in his 30s who works at a hospital in northern Taiwan, and case No. 839, a nurse at the same hospital who is also the physician’s girlfriend — were confirmed by the CECC on Tuesday. Fifty-four contacts of the pair outside the context of the hospital were tested for COVID-19 and had returned negative results, he said. The 300 to 400 additional tests — all medical or administrative personnel — would be performed today and tomorrow, Chen said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 14, 2021 15:56 UTC
DGH says alterations to KMT’s pig vehicle illegal
DGH says alterations to KMT’s pig vehicle illegalBy Cheng Wei-chi and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Directorate-General of Highways (DGH) yesterday said that alterations to a vehicle that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) made were illegal after the party unveiled a truck featuring a pig’s face to promote its referendum drive opposing imports of pork containing traces of ractopamine. The ears and snout attached to the exterior of the truck are clearly illegal alterations according to Article 16 the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例), the DGH said. Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei TimesIf someone reports the vehicle, personnel would recall it for inspection in accordance with the law, the DGH said. However, it is allowed as a display, as long as it is never driven on a road, it said. According to its records, the original color of the vehicle is not pink, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 14, 2021 15:56 UTC
Taiwan’s Tai breezes into quarter-finals
Taiwan’s Tai breezes into quarter-finalsALL CLEAR: Although a player, a coach and a staff member are under observation after testing positive for COVID-19, officials cleared all other players to continueAFP, BANGKOKTaiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying, the world No. 1, yesterday breezed into the quarter-finals of the Yonex Thailand Open, sweeping aside South Korea’s Kim Ga-eun 21-16, 21-10 in less than half an hour. The 26-year-old’s victory came as the BWF declared the tournament safe to continue following the latest round of COVID-19 testing. Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying returns to South Korea’s Kim Ga-eun during their match at the Yonex Thailand Open in Bangkok yesterday. In men’s doubles, Taiwan’s Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin beat Thailand’s Supak Jomkoh and Kittinupong Kedren 21-14, 21-18.
Source:Taipei Times
January 14, 2021 15:56 UTC
TSMC plans record capital spending
After investing US$17.24 billion last year, TSMC this year plans to spend US$25 billion to US$28 billion on manufacturing equipment and new facilities, including a fab in the US. Photo: Hung Yu-fang, Taipei TimesThe larger-than-expected capital spending prompted speculation that TSMC might use it to cope with new CPU orders from Intel Corp, rather than demand for smartphone application processors from Apple Inc.“We don’t comment on specific customers or areas. Our capital expenditure is based on long-term demand and the industry mega-trends of 5G and HPC,” TSMC chief executive officer C.C. TSMC chairman Mark Liu (劉德音) said that strong demand for 3- and 5-nanometer chips in HPC applications gave the chipmaker confidence to boost capital spending at such a significant rate. This quarter, revenue would grow 1.57 to 2.52 percent to US$12.7 billion to US$13 billion, from US$12.68 billion last quarter, the company said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 14, 2021 15:56 UTC
Taiwan takes three wins at Thai Open
Taiwan takes three wins at Thai OpenWORTH WATCHING: Spain’s Carolina Marin sailed to victory, while Malaysia’s Liew Daren, ranked world No. 2, was yesterday forced into a three-set decider by Thailand’s Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk at the Yonex Thailand Open. 12 from Taiwan, took three sets to beat France’s 37th-ranked Brice Leverdez 21-12, 14-21, 21-16. Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen returns to Shesar Hiren Rhustavito of Indonesia in their Chinese Taipei Open match in Taipei on Sept. 7, 2019. Spain’s Carolina Marin returns to France’s Qi Xuefei in their Yonex Thailand Open women’s singles match in Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday.
Source:Taipei Times
January 13, 2021 16:01 UTC
Commercial real estate to remain strong: JLL
Tainan also attracted heavy property funds after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC,台積電), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, announced plans to set up new plants in the area, JLL Taiwan said. TSMC’s suppliers would soon follow suit and the cluster effect would spur demand for residential spaces, Chao said. In related news, vacancy rates for grade A offices in Taipei edged up 0.1 percent to 2.16 percent last quarter, while rents grew a fractional 0.6 percent, JLL Taiwan said. The mild increase in vacancy rates came because some firms relocated to make way for other corporate tenants to earn rental income, JLL Taiwan said. The office market remains tight, and companies with space to spare are leasing it to make money, the consultancy said.
Source:Taipei Times
January 13, 2021 15:56 UTC
Trip cancelation understandable: KMT
Trip cancelation understandable: KMTPRAGMATIC RELATIONS: It is understandable for the US Department of State to give priority to domestic stability, the KMT chairman said, calling for improved exchangesBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterChinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) yesterday said that the cancelation of US Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft’s visit to Taiwan was understandable, while KMT spokeswoman Lu Chen-wei (盧宸緯) accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of using the matter for political gain, after DPP Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) said that the KMT should bear “considerable responsibility” for the cancelation. The KMT has always advocated for pragmatic, substantive and sustainable relations between Taiwan and the US, he said. Chen earlier yesterday said that the KMT should bear “considerable responsibility” for the cancelation of Craft’s trip. She asked whether the KMT was also to blame for the cancelation of Pompeo’s trip to Belgium. Although the cancelation of Craft’s trip has been confirmed, the KMT welcomes visits aimed at promoting bilateral exchanges and common interests by US officials who have left office, she added.
Source:Taipei Times
January 13, 2021 15:56 UTC