New HIV/AIDS diagnoses falling: CDC
New HIV/AIDS diagnoses falling: CDCAWARENESS: The nation has surpassed UNAIDS diagnosis, treatment and virus suppression goals for HIV/AIDS, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung saidBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe number of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS annually in Taiwan has been falling for the past three years, and it is expected to drop by 20 percent this year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. To mark World AIDS Day tomorrow and to raise public awareness on HIV/AIDS, the CDC collaborated with Breeze Group to place a Christmas train art installation in the main hall of Taipei Railway Station. There are about 40,000 people with HIV/AIDS in Taiwan and about 33,000 are receiving treatment, CDC Director-General Chou Jih-haw (周志浩) said. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung, second row center, and other guests pose for a photo yesterday at Taipei Railway Station. Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei TimesThe installation conveys the message that HIV/AIDS can be prevented and treated, and that people can work together to help prevent infection, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 29, 2020 15:56 UTC
Government mulling new reservoirs
The water levels of most reservoirs in Taiwan are falling due to a lack of typhoons, coupled with minimal rainfall. Photo: Chang Hsuan-che, Taipei TimesUpon completion, the three reservoirs could boost the daily water supply by 126,000 tonnes, 260,000 tonnes and 170,000 tonnes respectively, he said. The government is working to improve some reservoirs in Taiwan, such as increasing the capacity of Chiayi County’s Zengwen Reservoir (曾文水庫), the nation’s largest reservoir, Wang said. After related work on seven reservoirs is completed, they could provide an extra 180 million tonnes of water per year, he said. Separately, science-based parks and industrial zones are gearing up for water shortages as the nation faces the dry season, with falling water levels in reservoirs, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 29, 2020 15:56 UTC
Taiwan in Time: The six Braves left behind
Taiwan in Time: The six Braves left behindThe Hunan Braves fought in Taiwan against Aborigines and the invading French, leaving behind six tombstones in Tamsui that will be part of a historic park slated to open on TuesdayBy Han Cheung / Staff reporterNov. 30 to Dec. 6The Hunan Braves (湖南勇) are famous for their ferocity in combat. Photo: Chen Hsin-yu, Taipei TimesThe Hunan Braves, who belonged to the Zhuosheng Battalion (擢勝營) under Qing Dynasty general Sun Kai-hua (孫開華), himself a native of Hunan, were no strangers to Taiwan. At least six Braves didn’t make the return trip, dying in Taiwan between August and November 1881 for unknown reasons. During their second stint in Taiwan, the Hunan Braves fortified defenses in the Tamsui area such as the Hobe Fort. This fresh batch arrived that winter and formed the battalion’s middle and left divisions, which included the six Braves whom the gravestones belonged to, Yang writes.
Source:Taipei Times
November 28, 2020 15:56 UTC
FEATURE: Encrypted apps and false names: New Taiwanese book club takes no chances
FEATURE: Encrypted apps and false names: New Taiwanese book club takes no chancesThe Guardian, TAIPEIIn the early 1950s in Taiwan, 19-year-old Tsai Kun-lin (蔡焜霖) was arrested and jailed after joining a book club. Decades later, a 90-year-old Tsai is living in Taiwan’s thriving democracy, but said that a book club has once again become an act of resistance. Chen said that she sees Tsai’s persecution happening again with the youth of Hong Kong. The book club was born to explore the history of danger in Hong Kong and Taiwan by giving people the time and space to read and research. The book club is to begin on Dec. 1 with an interview with Lam.
Source:Taipei Times
November 28, 2020 15:56 UTC
Executive accused of bribery out on bail
Executive accused of bribery out on bailSTOCK MANIPULATION: The PJ Asset Management Co executive allegedly told a labor fund manager that he would pay him for buying shares at above market pricesStaff writer, with CNAA PJ Asset Management Co executive accused of bribing a Ministry of Labor official in charge of managing a labor fund was yesterday released after posting NT$300,000 (US$10,413) in bail, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said. The executive, surnamed Chiu, allegedly bribed ministry official Yu Nai-wen (游迺文) to manipulate select stocks by making purchases from the labor fund’s pool of money, prosecutors said. PJ Asset Management Co executive, surnamed Chiu, is escorted by police to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office in the city’s Shilin District for questioning yesterday. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei TimesThe charges came yesterday after the prosecutors’ office launched a second investigation into the case. In the first investigation, prosecutors found that Yu spent NT$150,000 to NT$220,000 per month on credit card purchases from September 2012 to September.
Source:Taipei Times
November 28, 2020 15:56 UTC
NHI Committee touts higher fees
NHI Committee touts higher feesStaff writer, with CNAThe National Health Insurance (NHI) Committee on Friday submitted two proposals to the Ministry of Health and Welfare to raise health insurance premiums from 4.69 percent to 4.97 percent or to between 5.47 and 5.52 percent in January. The committee said that increasing premiums was necessary to address the NHI program’s rising deficit, as it is projected to lose about NT$77.1 billion (US$2.68 billion) next year and its reserve fund balance sink below one month. The wall in front of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taipei is pictured in an undated photograph. Federation of Taiwan Pharmacists’ Associations president Huang Chin-shun (黃金舜), a member of the committee, said that he supported the smaller hike, as it would limit the financial impact on people and businesses during the pandemic. Chou, who supports the larger hike, said that the smaller hike would barely keep the NHI reserve fund balance above the legally mandated one month of total insurance benefit payouts at the end of next year.
Source:Taipei Times
November 28, 2020 15:56 UTC
FEATURE: Remote learning spurs education market boom
FEATURE: Remote learning spurs education market boomBy Chen Ping-hung and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerAmid a new teaching landscape shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, e-book and technology providers are optimistic about the potential of Taiwan’s independent education market. The boom in video conferencing and remote education has brought domestic hardware manufacturers along for the ride, while software makers such as CyberLink have developed new features in response to surging demand for new solutions. To keep distance education running smoothly, nations are enacting policies and exploring resources, particularly hardware, Chung said. Many people during this time began paying more attention to distance learning and explored new learning methods, potentially forming a basis for hybrid education models, she added. There is a high correlation between time spent reading and sales growth, said Ho Wan-fang (何宛芳), cofounder and marketing director of Readmoo, a local e-book company.
Source:Taipei Times
November 28, 2020 15:56 UTC
US arms sales have bipartisan support: AIT
US arms sales have bipartisan support: AITBIG SPENDER: Planned US arms sales to Taiwan this year total US$11.8 billion, the most the nation has spent on US arms in a single year, the AIT director saidBy Peng Wan-hsin and William Hetherington / Staff reporter and staff writer, with CNAArms sales to Taiwan have bipartisan support in the US and are an implementation of the US’ Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen said yesterday. Christensen made the remarks in a speech at a forum hosted by the Association of International Relations in Taipei. Planned US arms sales to Taiwan this year amount to US$11.8 billion, which is the most Taiwan has spent on US arms in a single year, Christensen said, adding that US$5.2 billion of arms sales are already planned for next year, with more procurement opportunities expected. American Institute in Taiwan Director Brent Christensen speaks at a news conference at the Executive Yuan on Saturday last week. Christensen also described opportunities for language students, citing President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) goal of making Taiwan a bilingual country by 2030.
Source:Taipei Times
November 28, 2020 15:56 UTC
Nearly 700kg of ketamine seized at Taoyuan airport
Nearly 700kg of ketamine seized at Taoyuan airportStaff writer, with CNANearly 700kg of ketamine powder was last week seized in a raid carried out by law enforcement at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the Criminal Investigation Bureau said yesterday. The ketamine powder, which has an estimated market value of NT$1 billion (US$34.71 million), was the biggest shipment of illegal drugs ever smuggled into Taiwan by air, the bureau said. Bags containing almost 700kg of smuggled ketamine powder seized by police are displayed in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chiu Chun-fu, Taipei TimesThe officers also arrested a pickup driver and three customs officers believed to have been involved, Teng said. During questioning, the customs officers denied any involvement and were later released on bail, Teng added.
Source:Taipei Times
November 27, 2020 16:07 UTC
KMT caucus throw pig offal at premier
After Su arrived at 10am for his 13th attempt to deliver a regular policy report, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus moved to change the agenda to accommodate the premier. Photo: Ann Wang, ReutersAt one point, KMT Legislator Sra Kacaw (鄭天財) was knocked over by Taiwan Statebuilding Party Legislator Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟) when he bent over to grab a garbage bag. KMT caucus whip Lin Wei-chou (林為洲) and others leaped forward to drag Chen away by the neck, causing a scuffle to erupt that was quelled by DPP lawmakers. Lin apologized for the KMT caucus’ use of pig entrails, saying that it was meant to emphasize that US offal containing ractopamine would be imported to Taiwan, as the US rarely utilizes these parts. The KMT in its calculations is no longer thinking about the country or the functioning of the legislature, DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 27, 2020 16:07 UTC
FEATURE: Age gap grows in workforce, DGBAS says
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei TimesThe participation rate among workers aged 65 or older was even lower than the 50-or-older group at only 8.32 percent, Chen said. Previously, the late-middle-aged participation rate was lower due to the prevalence of higher education, which delays the time for people to enter the job market, she said. The female participation rate in the same age group grew every year during the period, reaching a peak of 51.1 percent last year, 5.9 percent higher than in 2009, she said. In the 45-to-49 age group, the participation rate among men and women this year was 95.1 percent and 74.8 percent respectively, she said. The 55-to-59 age group had a participation rate of 56.1 percent, with male and female rates of 70.4 percent and 42.4 percent respectively, she said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 27, 2020 15:56 UTC
Highways & Byways:
In the space of just under 6km, Provincial Highway 20A (20甲) exits Chihshang, passes farms, crosses the Sinwulu River (新武呂溪), and merges into Provincial Highway 20. The view to the southeast from Highway 20. Since Morakot, the high-altitude section of the South Cross-Island Highway has been officially closed to through-traffic. Opposite the police station that monitors the intersection between highways 20A and 20, a bilingual notice reminds road-users: “Access to Siangyang (向陽) only.” The distance from central Chihshang to Siangyang is approximately 57km. From there, Highway 20 switchbacks up to Motian (摩天; 1,546m above sea level), where there’s no permanent village.
Source:Taipei Times
November 26, 2020 15:56 UTC
CAL font size on planes reduced
CAL font size on planes reducedBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterChina Airlines (CAL, 中華航空) has reduced the font of its name on the exterior of its new cargo aircraft to allow more space to highlight images that represent Taiwan, Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times“The airline is still testing the Boeing 777F cargo aircraft that it has purchased. The new aircraft would have more space on the exterior for us to highlight imagery representing Taiwan,” Lin said. “For now, we have reduced the font of the airline’s name. Airport staff prepare a shipment of masks to be loaded onto a China Airlines aircraft at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in April.
Source:Taipei Times
November 26, 2020 15:56 UTC
More than 70% against US pork imports: survey
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Wang Hung-wei speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. A survey last month found that 65.9 percent of respondents opposed imports of pork containing ractopamine, KMT Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝衣鳳) told a news conference in Taipei. This month’s foundation survey also found that 20.9 percent of people said that Beijing would “bully Taiwan even more” after US president-elect Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 20. The survey results were based on telephone interviews with 1,078 people aged 20 or older, the foundation said. The survey was conducted by Taiwan Real Survey and had margin of error of 2.98 percentage points, it added.
Source:Taipei Times
November 26, 2020 15:56 UTC
Kwang Yang introduces new electric sport scooter
Kwang Yang introduces new electric sport scooterBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterKwang Yang Motor Co (光陽工業), which sells its products under the brandname KYMCO, yesterday unveiled a new electric sport scooter, dubbed F9, to target eco-conscious riders. The nation’s biggest manufacturer of gas-powered scooters, Kwang Yang ventured into electric scooters about three years ago by remaking its gas-powered “Many” and “Nice” series into electric ones. Kwang Yang Motor Co chairman Allen Ko poses in front of the company’s latest scooter and motorcycle models at a press conference in Taipei yesterday. The one-seat electric scooter performs better than a 150cc scooter, the company said, adding that most electric scooters sold on the local market are 125cc models, including those from Gogoro Inc (睿能創意). Kwang Yang unveiled the concept vehicle at the Milan Motorcycle Show last year, targeting the global electric motorcycle market.
Source:Taipei Times
November 26, 2020 15:56 UTC