Mon, May 20, 2024
President William Lai (賴清德) made repeated calls for cross-strait peace in his inaugural address on Monday, including a direct appeal to Beijing to resume tourism and student exchange.Fresh from being sworn in at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Lai in his speech set the tenor of his coming four ye
President William Lai (賴清德) and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) were sworn into office on Monday morning as the fifth popularly elected leaders of Taiwan.Outgoing president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) also attended the inauguration ceremony at the Presidential Office in Taipei, where Lai received the grea
BUILDING FRIENDSHIPS: Tsai said that one of her most satisfying achievements in office has been strengthening the nation’s relationships with other countries Outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) expressed optimism about maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait by working together with international friends in an interview with the BBC released on Saturday.“If we deal with the matter very carefully, there’s still a great possibility for us to maintain peac
SEAFOOD DIPLOMACY: Lai and incoming vice president Hsiao hosted leaders of diplomatic allies in a traditional shrimp-fishing event President-elect William Lai (賴清德) would express “concrete” goodwill toward China in his inauguration speech today, and call for both sides of the Taiwan Strait to pursue peace, a senior official briefed on the matter said.Lai would say that Taiwan will continue to be a promoter of regional peace and
The Taiwan Bar Association yesterday urged legislators not to circumvent established procedures to push through legislative reforms, while condemning a massive brawl that erupted between lawmakers on Friday.Voting on the amendments to Article 15 of the Act Governing the Legislative Yuan’s Power (立法院
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi suffered a “hard landing” on Sunday, Iranian state media reported, without elaborating. Some began urging the public to pray for Raisi and the others on board as rescue crews sped through a misty, rural forest where his helicopter was believed to
Two Chinese warships yesterday docked in a commercial port in Cambodia as part of the biggest-ever joint military drills with the Southeast Asian nation, with Beijing’s ambassador hailing their “ironclad” friendship.Cambodia has long been a staunch ally of China and has received billions of dollars
NUCLAR MEDICINE: The 30MeV cyclotron has been in use for more than 30 years. The institute is preparing to build a newer, larger 70MeV cyclotron The National Atomic Research Institute (NARI) is preparing to install a 70 million electron volts (MeV) cyclotron to produce short-half-life radiopharmaceuticals, which would stabilize the domestic supply of medical isotopes. The machine is scheduled to be completed in 2026 and begin producing radio
Taipei police on Saturday arrested 24 female Thai tourists on suspicion of working as hostesses and engaging in illegal activities at an underground bar in Zhongshan District (中山), the distict’s police precinct said in a statement yesterday. The police also arrested five other people involved in the
While it is common to see bumper stickers informing other drivers about important information, such as “baby on board” or “rookie driver,” some motorist in Taiwan are using creative statements to warn other drivers to keep a safe distance to avoid a collision.A photograph recently circulating on the
MIGRANT RIGHTS: The broker system that was introduced in 1992 is drawing criticism from workers for failing to adequately protect them About 30 Indonesian migrant workers gathered outside the Indonesian Economic and Trade Office (IETO) to Taipei yesterday to demand better protection of their rights and the abolition of the broker system.During the rally, Indonesians working in the caregiving and manufacturing sectors urged the IETO
A three-day film festival featuring Taiwanese movies from the last decade concluded on Saturday in Barcelona, with Spanish audiences saying that they could relate to Taiwan’s perspective and traditions.Co-organized by the cultural division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in
SHOW OF SUPPORT: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said 508 guests from 51 delegations are expected to attend today’s inauguration ceremony in Taipei Delegations from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies and other friendly countries have arrived in the nation to attend the inauguration of president-elect William Lai (賴清德) and vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) today.From the presidential election on Jan. 13 until today, 687 foreign guests from 73 del
Gerrit van der Wees, a former Dutch diplomat and founder of a pro-democracy publication in Taiwan, was awarded a presidential medal by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday for his contributions to the country.Tsai conferred the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon on van der Wees, primarily f
The Coast Guard Administration ramped up patrols over the weekend around outlying islands that have seen an increased presence of Chinese vessels, the agency said yesterday, the eve of president-elect William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration.China maintains a near-daily military presence with frequent appea
The nation is poised to usher in a new president, William Lai (賴清德), today, and his initial moments in the role could set the tone for the next four years of US-China relations.Lai’s first speech as president would be scrutinized by US policymakers seeking signals on the incoming administration’s st
RETALIATION: Beijing is investigating Taiwan, the EU, the US and Japan for dumping, following probes of its market, as well as tariff hikes on its imports The Chinese Ministry of Commerce yesterday said it had launched a dumping investigation into imports of an important engineering chemical from Taiwan, the EU, the US and Japan.It would probe imports of polyoxymethylene copolymer, a thermoplastic used in many precision parts used in phones, auto part
EQUAL ACCESS: The service provider hopes to boost Indonesia’s Internet penetration and enable people in remote areas to enjoy the same speeds as those in urban areas Tycoon Elon Musk arrived in Bali, Indonesia, yesterday ahead of the planned launch of Space Exploration Technologies Corp’s (SpaceX) Starlink Internet service, which the Indonesian government hopes would boost Internet penetration and health services in remote parts of the sprawling archipelago.Indo
OpenAI on Friday said that it has disbanded a team devoted to mitigating the long-term dangers of super-smart artificial intelligence (AI).It began dissolving the so-called “superalignment” group weeks ago, integrating members into other projects and research, the San Francisco-based firm said.OpenA
Healthcare providers have been calling on the government to guarantee that the value of each National Health Insurance (NHI) point is at least NT$1 to save the nation’s healthcare system, so lawmakers have proposed bills to ensure one point is worth at least NT$0.95 or NT$1. However, this would incr
The visit of Paraguayan President Santiago Pena to Taiwan for the inauguration of President William Lai (賴清德) reaffirms the solid ties of friendship between Paraguay and Taiwan.Paraguay’s foreign policy over the past 67 years has been founded on solid and strong ties of cooperation between Taiwan an
Though events in the Taiwan Strait seem to have quieted down a bit lately, the tension has not really dissipated. Emperor for Life Xi Jinping (習近平) regularly repeats his claim that retaking Taiwan is to be the crown jewel of his term in power, adding that this little bit of business cannot be put of
‘A GREAT DAY’: The Ukrainian, who is 15cm shorter and 13.6kg lighter than Fury, is the first heavyweight to hold every major title belt since Lennox Lewis did 24 years ago Oleksandr Usyk has been shorter, lighter and older than all of his opponents since he moved up to the heavyweight division.Usyk’s heart and skill are enormous, and he overcame a major size disadvantage against Tyson Fury to become the world’s first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
Luka Doncic on Saturday posted a triple-double and P.J. Washington drilled the deciding free throws as the Dallas Mavericks erased a 17-point deficit to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-116 to reach the NBA Western Conference finals.The Mavericks beat the top-seeded Thunder 4-2 in the best-of-seve
The Taiwan Daredevils yesterday won one and lost one in the Taiwan Premier League, dispatching TCA with ease, but stumbling against Formosa.In the morning match at the Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District (松山), the Daredevils’ Johan Koekemoer carried his side to 141-6 with 44 from 4
Iga Swiatek refused to take victory at the French Open for granted despite romping to a third Rome title when sweeping aside Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 in Saturday’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia final.World No. 1 Swiatek is the red-hot favorite to defend her Roland Garros crown after comfortably prevai
MOSTLY SYMBOLIC: The ruling party has a large enough majority to override the veto of the legislation, which the president said contradicts the constitution Georgia’s president on Saturday vetoed a so-called “Russian law” targeting media that has sparked weeks of mass protests.The legislation would require media and non-governmental organizations to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20 percent of their fun
SHAKE-UP: Lam, who would be the third president in less than two years, emerged as one of the country’s most important officials after leading an anti-corruption effort Vietnam has nominated the enforcer of the Communist Party’s anti-corruption drive as the next president and proposed a new head of the National Assembly, in appointments that could ease months of political turmoil and allow policymakers to refocus on a struggling economy.Unprecedentedly for a one-pa
A powerful armed ethnic group in Myanmar yesterday said it had won control over a town in the western state of Rakhine after weeks of fighting, denying accusations it had targeted members of the Muslim-minority Rohingya during the offensive.Khine Thu Kha, a spokesman for the Arakan Army (AA), said i
With the inauguration of the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) William Lai (賴清德) today, the DPP has already announced plans for increased social spending. Meanwhile the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is pushing east coast infrastructure spending bills through the legislature, in part to feed and
May 20 to May 26The two American HU-16 seaplanes hovered helplessly above the roaring waves, unable to save their seven comrades who had parachuted into the Pacific Ocean after their plane malfunctioned.As they were discussing the next plan of action over the airwaves, a Taiwanese plane overheard th
Like many young Taiwanese men who recently graduated from university, George Lee (李芳成) isn’t quite sure what he’ll do next. But some of his peers surely envy what he’s already achieved. During the pandemic, while staying with his brother in California, Lee started an online food page, Chez Jorge. At
Runbing, a delicacy with a rich history in worship customs, is made from a thin, crepe-like wrapper used to wrap a cooked filling into a roll. Runbing in some regions is sometimes referred to as a spring roll, but it is important to note that it is not fried like traditional spring rolls with crispy
Continued from yesterday(延續自昨日) https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/langThanks to the 20th century breakthroughs in portable music-playing devices, there are now lightweight headphones that are easy to carry around. People are now commonly seen walking while listening to music using headphones, which c
The story of personal audio equipment begins in the late 1800s, shortly after the invention of the telephone and the loudspeaker. Businessmen recognized that with these technologies, live music could be shared with people far away from a concert hall. However, loudspeakers in public places can be an
It’s certainly been a pleasure watching the presidential campaign launch of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Hou You-yi (侯友宜) lurch painfully about like a wounded pachyderm in search of an elephant graveyard. Hou’s fall to third place in some polls last week appears early, and it might still be recoverable. But grumbling in his party about replacing him has already begun. Indeed, all indications are that the party that twice gave us Lien Chan (連戰), the most despised politician in Taiwan, as a presidential candidate and later offered voters Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) and Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), is arcing along its normal descending trajectory, the North Korean missile test of electoral politics. A KIND OF POLICY PLATFORM Last week the KMT doubled down on this path with Hou’s calls for nuclear power and more death penalty executions, standard KMT fare for decades (the latter is unnecessary since so many potential criminals are likely to die in traffic accidents long before they harm anyone). Apparently KMT policy institutions are not echo chambers so much as mausoleums where dead ideas are embalmed and then periodically put on display. The lack of public policy imagination is obvious. A less obvious facet of KMT ineptitude: with years of speculation that Hou would be their man in 2024, neither Hou nor the party insisted on interesting or experimental public policies to showcase Hou’s greatness in preparation for the showdown. Of course, that is even more true of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Hou’s slide and the media buzz surrounding it are obscuring the truly urgent problem the pro-Taiwan side faces: DPP presidential candidate William Lai (賴清德) has not expanded his voter support beyond the party base. In most polls he remains below 40 percent. Independent voters are staying away in droves, and for the moment the young are turning to
July 17 to July 23 When Yeh Ken-chuang (葉根壯) came of age, the traditional skills of architecture and carpentry that had been in his family for four generations were disappearing. After helping his uncle Yeh Teh-ling (葉得令) construct ships, residences and temples for more than a decade, Yeh struck out on his own at the age of 28 in 1960 as a damusi (大木司, chief carpenter), earning his lifelong title “Chief Chuang” (壯司). Around this time, builders in his homeland of Penghu were increasingly using reinforced concrete instead of wood, due to the humid climate. The period also saw a frenzy in temple construction as the economy improved, meaning there was plenty of work for Yeh. Adept in non-structural techniques such as doors, windows and furniture, as well as the intricate carvings and detailed decorations that adorned the structures, Yeh was able to adapt his skills, leading the reconstruction of the historic Hsiliao Daitian Temple (西寮代天宮) on Penghu’s main island in 1963. According to the book Crossing Traditions in Yeh Ken-chuang’s Large-scale Carpentry Skills (宮廟巧藝 :跨越傳統的葉根壯大木作技術), it was Penghu’s first temple that used a purely reinforced concrete structure. Before his life was cut short, Yeh created more than 70 temples and related structures across the various islands of Penghu and left behind more than 230 building plans. Although Yeh could have built temples and other structures on Taiwan proper, he only worked on a handful of projects outside of Penghu because he wanted to be close to his family. CLAN OF CARPENTERS The Yeh family’s woodworking tradition began with Yeh Ma-li (葉媽利), who learned the architecture and carpentry trade from an unknown master on Kinmen. The Yehs trace their roots to Kinmen, although this branch had been living in Penghu since the early 1600s. Yeh Ma-li was Penghu’s chief temple builder between 1860 and
New Taipei City | 14-23 | 10% | |
Hsinchu County | 14-22 | 10% | |
Hsinchu City | 14-22 | 10% | |
Taipei City | 14-22 | 10% | |
Miaoli County | 12-22 | 10% | |
Taoyuan City | 14-22 | 10% | |
Keelung City | 15-21 | 10% |
Yunlin County | 14-24 | 0% | |
Taichung City | 14-24 | 0% | |
Nantou County | 14-24 | 0% | |
Changhua County | 14-23 | 0% |
Chiayi County | 13-24 | 0% | |
Chiayi City | 14-25 | 0% | |
Tainan City | 15-22 | 0% | |
Kaohsiung City | 17-23 | 0% | |
Pingtung County | 16-25 | 0% |
Yilan County | 14-22 | 10% | |
Hualien County | 16-22 | 10% | |
Taitung County | 17-23 | 10% |
Kinmen County | 11-18 | 0% | |
Penghu County | 17-20 | 0% | |
Lienchiang County | 10-13 | 10% |