Preparations underway for Taiwan’s first local elections during COVID

Preparations underway for Taiwan’s first local elections during COVID

2022-09-23

Now, turning to the municipal elections coming up on Nov. 26. With COVID still around, preparations are being made to prevent infections on Election Day. Voters with fevers or COVID symptoms will have to wear gloves and vote in designated booths. People in quarantine or isolation will not be allowed to go out to cast a vote.

In this simulation, temperatures are taken and hands are disinfected before voters can enter a polling station to cast their votes. Taiwan will be holding local elections on Nov. 26 to choose city and county heads, local councilors and borough wardens. A referendum on a constitutional amendment will also be held that day.

People with fevers or COVID symptoms must wear gloves at the polling station, and cast their votes in designated booths.

Chen Kuan-ling
Taipei Xinyi District Office
Even if you have a fever of 37.5 degrees or more, you can still cast a vote. We will have designated voting booths for this. Staff will guide voters to the special booths to cast their votes

Ripping the ballots is punishable with fines of up to NT$50,000. Showing off one’s vote or taking the ballot out of the polling station is also not allowed. According to the current COVID rules, people with COVID, people in home isolation and people in quarantine are not allowed to go out to vote.

Lan Shih-tsung
Taipei City Election Commission
If they are quarantining under the 3+4 model, they of course can’t vote on the first three days. If they are under the 0+7 model, they can go out on any of the seven days of self health management. So they should be allowed to vote. We have asked the Central Election Commission to make a clear statement on the matter, on whether people under the 0+7 regime can vote.

The Central Election Commission reminds the general public that starting midnight on the day of the vote, no campaigning is allowed. Voters must also not wear campaign clothing or accessories, or take items related to the elections to polling stations.

11/26舉行九合一選舉北市選委會辦投票演練

2022-09-23

11月26號將舉行九合一選舉，台北市選委會今天舉辦投票模擬演練，包括投票程序和突發狀況，這次民眾一共會領到4張選票，包含市長、市議員、里長以及公民複決的選舉票，只要是確診、居隔或居檢的民眾還是不能投票，但現場出現發燒或有症狀的民眾，依然可以投票，依規定到防疫專用遮屏來投票。

量額溫，手部消毒才能進入投票所，接著進行投票，11月26號將舉行地方公職人員選舉，這次共有市長、市議員、里長以及公民複決4張選舉票。

發燒或有症狀的民眾依規定戴手套，到防疫專用遮屏票投票。

[[北市信義區公所區長陳冠伶]]
“37.5度以上我們還是可以投票，但是我們會有一個防疫專用遮屏，就是會直接由我們同仁，引導到那防疫專用遮屏去投票”

撕票行為，最高可開罰5萬元，另外像是亮票或是將選票帶出場外，通通都是NG行為。而依照防疫規定，只要確診、居隔、居檢的民眾都不能投票。

[[北市選委會代理主委藍世聰]]
“如果3加4 當然3就是不能投，那如果是0加7，7天是自主管理的話，他都可以出來了，應該也是要讓他們投票，所以這個部份我們也請，中選會能夠很明確的告訴我們，至少在0加7的部份，是不是要開放給他們投票”

選委會也提醒民眾，投票日零時起不能進行助選活動，也不要穿戴選舉相關的服飾或物品進投票所。

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Travel agents optimistic as Taiwan plans to end mandatory arrival quarantine

Travel agencies say enquiries about overseas travel are through the roof after the government announced plans to end arrivals’ quarantines as early as Oct. 13. An especially popular destination is proving to be Japan, which will open to independent tourists on Oct. 11. The transport ministry says it has already made plans to do away with quarantine hotels and quarantine taxi services, and resume normal operations at Taiwan’s international airports.

If you’re dreaming of experiencing autumn in Japan, now’s the time to make it happen.
Taiwan is expected to remove travel quarantines as early as Oct. 13, and Japan is opening up to independent travelers around that date. Phones are ringing off the hook at travel agencies.

Shan Feng
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Japan is allowing entry to travelers without visas, and that’s driving up business for us. Before the pandemic, travel to Japan accounted for 40% of our revenue. We hope that Japan’s lifting of restrictions on visa-free travel can once again allow Japan travel to account for 30% of our revenue from mid-October to year’s end.

Travel agents warn that plane tickets to Japan are much more expensive than before.

Shan Feng
Travel agency
The price of tickets to Japan is up by 30% to 40%. But it’s worth it if you visit as an independent traveler, because shopping and other expenses are cheaper thanks to the weaker yen.

Airlines are ready for a travel boom. Tigerair Taiwan says it will add 220 flights in October to destinations in Japan, South Korea and Thailand.

Starlux Airlines has at least four weekly flights to 10 destinations, including Macau, Penang and Osaka. It is also resuming its daily flights to travel hotspots such as Singapore and Bangkok.

Agi Chan
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We hope the government will be more proactive in opening up to more people, so that we can gradually revive our economy. I think it would be very helpful toward economic recovery in Taiwan and abroad.

Go into Taoyuan Airport now, and all you’ll see are empty corridors, even during business hours. A local industry representative says he hopes Taiwan will open up as soon as possible to boost economic recovery.

Wang Kwo-tsai
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We have finished up the guidelines for arrivals and departures, and conducted the relevant training courses. On this front, things will return to normal. We hope more tourists will come to Taiwan.

The transport ministry says that starting Oct. 13, quarantine hotels and taxis will cease to exist. Taoyuan International Airport will return to operating as it did before COVID, ready to welcome travelers once again.

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Hoteliers voice concern over government plans to phase out quarantine hotels

Hoteliers are voicing concern over government plans to phase out quarantine hotels, which will be rendered obsolete with the end of quarantines for international arrivals. Some say the transition to normal tourism operations won’t be easy, given the current shortage of labor in the hospitality sector. Others say there are oversights in the phaseout plan. They say there are no clear instructions on what to do with travelers who have to isolate after catching COVID in Taiwan. Some suggest that a handful of quarantine hotels could be converted into centers that cater specifically to this demographic, taking advantage of the experience garnered over the past years.

Wearing a full set of protective clothing, he sprays disinfectant to thoroughly sanitize the room. Mandatory quarantines for travelers could be removed as early as Oct. 13, spelling the end for quarantine hotels. Hoteliers say that, although they knew this day would come, they still have a few concerns about the future.

Michael Hsueh
Hotel group
What if a guest tests positive? We are not very clear about what to do about that. The government just told us that they are planning to phase out quarantine hotels. We haven’t been told about the fine details about how to go about this and the rules to follow.

Tseng Mei-chuan
New Taipei City Hotel Association
Quarantine hotels can be transformed into specialized hotels for housing COVID patients. Their staff have been trained for a while now, and they have the expertise. People who catch COVID and have to isolate should absolutely not stay at regular hotels. The infection rate for international arrivals is still very high.

Hoteliers say tourists who test positive while staying at a regular hotel could pose an infection risk for other guests. They say one way to avoid this is by turning some of the quarantine hotels into specialized accommodation for infected travelers. Meanwhile, some quarantine hotels say that going back to normal tourism operations is not easy, as there is a shortage of manpower.

Michael Hsueh
Hotel group
There is a massive shortage of housekeepers. Our employees have gone through training to be able to perform each other’s jobs. At least in the short term, they can support each other, so we should be OK on that front.

Tseng Mei-chuan
New Taipei City Hotel Association
I call on our government to assist our industry with recruiting migrant workers. Otherwise, there will be insufficient personnel in the tourism industry.

A short-term manpower shortage has become a major challenge in the hospitality sector. Some hoteliers say they hope the government will release supporting measures, explain procedures clearly and provide subsidies and training, to help quarantine hotels ease back into normal business.

Victor Wang
CECC
We might need a little longer to completely phase out quarantine hotels. But we can’t wait forever. We can’t wait for them all to reconvert before we lift quarantine restrictions. So we can open up while putting in place policies with medium-term plans.

The CECC says it will discuss plans to phase out quarantine hotels with the Tourism Bureau. With only three weeks left before the potential end of quarantines, hoteliers say they hope they will be given enough time to prepare for the arrival of international tourists.

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Raknus Selu Trail: a pilgrimage route for Hakka and Indigenous history

The Raknus Selu Trail is an ancient path that stretches almost 400 kilometers down Taiwan’s central mountain range. Along the track are dozens of ancient villages that carry the histories of Indigenous and Hakka people. It’s a pilgrimage route not only for nature buffs, but also those who want to connect with ancestral stories. A new TV show produced by the Hakka Affairs Council is bringing this hidden gem to light.

Provincial Highway No. 3 runs through the beautiful mountains of central Taiwan. Near the highway lies the legendary Raknus Selu Trail. Its reputation enticed professional trail runner Chou Ching to return from Europe to check it out. Travel show hosts Gigi and Stanley were also enthralled by the trail.

Gigi Lin
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I think what’s amazing about the Raknus Selu Trail is not just that it’s a mysterious, ancient trail, but every old trail is linked to a small town. We love going to Hengshan, and the Dashanbei Trail there is so fun.

The Raknus Selu Trail stretches 380 kilometers from Longtan in Taoyuan to Taichung’s Dongshi District. You can still see traces of the peoples who first cleared this path. As you walk, you pass through a string of Hakka and Indigenous villages, learning the local people’s stories of conflict, struggle, love and devotion. And in the 19th century the trail became a portal to the world, as the camphor trees which line it became a major export. The Hakka Affairs Council hired Golden Bell Award winning presenter Danny Wen and English cameraman Chris Stowers to walk the trail and film their adventure.

Yiong Con-ziin
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This is a trail of hardship for our Hakka forebears, and a trail of blood for our Indigenous forebears. It’s also a pilgrimage trail for all Taiwanese people to get closer to the land and get to know our history.

The longest national trail affords walkers not just stunning views of Taiwan’s forests, but also many insights into the history and cultures of the island. As we head into autumn, the Raknus Selu Trail is a perfect travel destination for nature lovers.

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Japan PM Kishida Fumio says he fears that today’s Ukraine may be tomorrow’s East Asia

The ever-growing tense relationship between Taiwan and China has cought the attention of another global leader. This time, it was Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. In a press conference following the United Nations General Assembly, Kishida was asked if Japan would fight alongside the U.S. if China invaded Taiwan. He responded that Japan would take "concrete measures" to protect its citizens and their livelihoods. He also said he felt a sense of impending doom and that today’s Ukraine could be tomorrow’s East Asia.

After attending the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio held a press conference, where he was asked what Japan would do if there was a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

Reporter
Bloomberg
President Biden recently said that the U.S. is prepared to deploy U.S. forces in the case of China invading Taiwan. Is Japan prepared to deploy its forces alongside the U.S.?

Kishida Fumio
Japanese prime minister
Regardless of the circumstances, in order to protect the nation and the lives and livelihoods of our citizens, we must abide by our legal framework based on our domestic laws, including the constitution and the Legislation for Peace and Security, and respond with concrete measures. This will not change under any circumstances.

A few days ago, U.S. President Joe Biden said for the fourth time the U.S. was willing to defend Taiwan. Kishida apparently did not say much about how Japan would act. However, he reiterated that a new Japanese security strategy would be formulated within this year and that defense capabilities would be thoroughly strengthened within five years. Next year, Japan’s defense budget is expected to reach a new high of 5.6 trillion yen, which is about NT$1.24 trillion.

Kishida Fumio
Japanese prime minister
Some countries do not abide by norms and use military force and coercion to trample over the peace and security of other countries. In order to prevent these kinds of situations from occurring, increased defense budgets can have a deterrent effect.

Kishida did not name or openly criticize China. He noted that Japan did not seek confrontations and would pursue dialogue — but he still felt a strong sense of crisis.

Kishida Fumio
Japanese Prime Minister
We have witnessed Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. I think Ukraine may be tomorrow’s East Asia. I have a strong sense of crisis.

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Since leaving the legislature, Yao Wen-chih spent a while in obscurity. Now he’s back in this exclusive interview with FTV, not to talk politics, but to promote his new movie. “Untold Herstory” comes out in October.

Yao Wen-chih
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Liumagou is the only natural spring on Green Island. In those days, all the political prisoners were given the code “Liumagou No. 15.” What I’m looking forward to is everybody understanding that era better, and understanding how our democratic freedoms came to evolve.

“Untold Herstory” tells the true stories of Taiwanese women who were convicted of political crimes in the 1950s. They were sent to a concentration camp on Green Island to undergo “ideological reeducation.” The contrasting stories of three women of different generations are told side by side. But what they share in common is being seized and sent to the camp for reading unacceptable books or singing controversial songs. Yao says that if these stories aren’t captured, the picture of Taiwan’s history will be incomplete.

Yao Wen-chih
Former lawmaker
If we don’t tell these stories enough, then our next generation won’t know how we got here. If you’ve seen the Korean film “A Taxi Driver,” it shows the evolution of the era from the perspectives of ordinary people. For the last decade or two decades, I’ve been wishing there would be people with the breadth of vision, and more financiers, who would do things like this. But I never saw it. Now that I’m no longer a legislator, I can do it.

Tsao Chin-jung
Author of ‘Untold Herstory’
I’m really looking forward to it. There are no films that are based on material from oral accounts of Taiwanese history.

Yao was under immense pressure at certain points during filming when finances were tight.

Yao Wen-chih
Former lawmaker
The hardest thing was spending a million dollars every day, just burning through it while filming is underway. At that point we had a funding shortfall of NT$40 million. We were continuously managing the crew there. I hope we can expand on Taiwan’s history with many movies. What I’m planning now is the story is Chen Cheng-po, as well as a love story against the backdrop of the 1935 Taiwan Exposition.

Despite the financial strain, Yao says he will stay in the movie business. He wants to use the silver screen to ignite more conversations about the roots of Taiwan’s history and society.

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