Navy takes delivery of first homemade landing platform dock or LPD

Navy takes delivery of first homemade landing platform dock or LPD

2022-09-30

After four years of construction, Taiwan’s first made-in-Taiwan landing platform dock, or a LPD was formally delivered to the navy. The 10,000-ton ship named the ROCN Yushan can transport a variety of amphibious vehicles and will be crucial in defense of Taiwan’s outlying islands, should a war break out. President Tsai Ing-wen and Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng both boarded the Yushan. The president said the ship’s construction was an important milestone for domestically made vessels.

The Taiwanese flag slowly rises, symbolizing that Taiwan’s first made-in-Taiwan landing platform dock of 10,000 tons has been handed over to the navy.

President Tsai Ing-wen, Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng and other officials boarded the LPD named ROCN Yushan and waved to everyone from the deck. They took the event seriously, as for Taiwan, the ROCN Yushan marks a major milestone in Taiwanese shipbuilding.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
In the future during peacetime, the ROCN Yushan can be used to supply materials and personnel to the outlying islands. If a disaster occurs, it can also be used for relief and emergency medical treatments. In wartime, it can carry specially-assigned troops deployed as amphibious reinforcements.

The ROCN Yushan has a length of 153 meters with a displacement of 10,600 tons and a range of 12,500 nautical miles. It can easily travel to Taiwan’s outlying islands. The LPD can transport AAV-7 amphibious assault vehicles, five mechanized landing vehicles, Humvee military vehicles on top of more than 250 armed soldiers. In peacetime, it can be used for disaster relief, international humanitarian aid and can act as a field hospital. In wartime, it will be responsible for amphibious operations and recapturing outlying islands. It can carry 32 Sky Sword II missiles and has strong anti-aircraft firepower.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
In the face of China’s military threats, we can only have a real peace if we strengthen our own defense capabilities. We need to enforce defense autonomy, so that our military can have the best equipment when defending our country. This is our unwavering resolve and policy.

President Tsai stressed the importance of Taiwan having the ability to build its own war vessels. If China were to attack Taiwan’s outlying islands, now that the ROCN Yushan is in the picture, Taiwan has more options in fighting back.

玉山艦移交海軍蔡英文:強化自我防衛才有和平

2022-09-30

歷經四年多打造，我國首艘萬噸級的船塢運輸艦’’玉山艦’’今天正式交付海軍。玉山艦能搭載多種兩棲載具，成為我國增援外島的關鍵戰力。總統蔡英文籲國防部長邱國正，都特地登上艦上視導，並強調這是國艦國造的重要里程碑。

國旗緩緩上升，象徵我國首艘萬噸級的兩棲船塢運輸艦，正式從台船手中，撥交給海軍。

總統蔡英文、國防部長邱國正等人登上玉山艦。還到瞭望甲板，向大家揮手。會如此重視，就是因為這艘玉山艦，是國艦國造的重要里程碑。

[[總統蔡英文]]
“未來玉山軍艦在平時可以執行離島的物資補給，以及人員運送的任務，當災害發生，也可以擔當救災和緊急醫療的工作，而在戰時更能編成特遣部隊進行兩棲增援。”

這艘玉山軍艦全長153公尺、排水量達10600噸，續航更達12500海里，能輕鬆馳援外島，船艙不但能運送AAV-7兩棲突擊車，以及五艘機械化登陸艇，與悍馬車，更能搭載超過250名武裝人員。平時除了可以救災、進行國際人道救援、設立野戰醫院外，戰時更是擔負兩棲作戰、收復外島的任務。船上更是搭載32枚海劍二飛彈，防空火力強大。

[[總統蔡英文]]
“對於中國的軍事威脅，唯有強化自我防衛能力，才有真正的和平。落實國防自主，讓國軍有最好的裝備捍衛國家，是我們不變的政策和決心。”

蔡英文重申國艦國造的重要性，面對中國對於我方外島的威脅，如今有了玉山艦正式加入，台灣更有彈性應付。

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The DPP’s mayoral candidate for New Taipei Lin Chia-lung gave a campaign presentation Friday about his transportation plans for the city. The former transport minister says he wants to increase the integration of New Taipei’s public transport networks with that of Taoyuan, Taipei and Keelung. Some of his ideas include monthly transport passes that can be used in the four localities, as well as a new MRT project.

Lin Chia-lung
New Taipei mayoral candidate (DPP)
I will continue the work that I did as transport minister in planning a transport network for New Taipei. Here is my presentation.

The DPP’s mayoral candidate for New Taipei Lin Chia-lung on Friday spoke about his proposal for an integrated transport system in Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung and Taoyuan.

Lin Chia-lung
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There are always bottlenecks in the 52 bridges leading to and from Taipei, especially during rush hour. If you want to take the MRT, it takes a long time and it’s a long way as you have to take a detour through Taipei to get to other parts of New Taipei. There are 10 million people living in the exburbs around the capital. Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung and Taoyuan each have their own governments.

Wang Yi-chuan
Lin Chia-lung’s campaign office
Ridership on the Danhai light rail operated by the New Taipei Metro Corporation is just 20% of the estimated ridership in the original plans submitted to the transport ministry. That’s just one fifth. The system loses more than NT$100 million every year. In its three years of operations, accumulated losses exceed NT$500 million.

Lin put forward proposals to improve traffic in Northern Taiwan, by integrating the transport networks of Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung and Taoyuan, even proposing
monthly transport passes for the entire area. Lin says New Taipei residents have had to make do with few MRT connections, and heavy traffic on national highways, freeways and interchanges. He says incorporating smart technology could mark a new chapter in New Taipei’s transport history.

Lin Chia-lung
New Taipei mayoral candidate (DPP)
We want to build a new MRT line that connects both sides of the Dahan River. That would link up a population of about 3 million people, creating an urban center in New Taipei. It would go through Banqiao, Xinzhuang and Sanchong. That way, that triangle would be like the egg yolk of New Taipei. They would no longer be Taipei’s satellite cities.

With the municipal elections fast approaching on Nov. 26, Lin was keen to share his vision.

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Heavy traffic congestion expected over National Day long weekend.

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Twins born from Taiwan’s first successful round spermatid injection

Taipei Veterans General Hospital held a press conference Friday to announce the birth of Taiwan’s first babies born from round spermatid injections. Round spermatids are immature sperm cells, which typically lack the necessary apparatus to move and fertilize egg cells. Thanks to the advanced fertilization procedure, a couple now has a pair of healthy twin girls.

They hold up their twin daughters. It’s a picture of pure joy.

Father
There is nothing but gratitude in my heart. I really had lost all hope of having children, as I was already in my 40s.

Married for two years, the couple had been trying to conceive with no success. The now-father had been even diagnosed with azoospermia. A team of medical experts from Taipei Veterans General Hospital later discovered that his sperm cells were not developing past the round spermatid stage. As such, they lacked tails, which made fertilization a difficult task.

Huang Chih-hsien
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In the third stage of spermatogenesis, the round spermatids change shape. The head becomes smaller and they grow a tail. That’s how they grow into mature sperm cells that are able to move. Before this stage, spermatids are not able to move or fertilize egg cells.

Previous studies conducted abroad found a fertilization rate of just 38.7% after round spermatid injections. Live birth rates were as low as 2.4% due to chromosomal abnormalities. In the case of the Taiwan couple, doctors collected the father’s sperm three times and egg cells from the mother twice. Through microinjections of round spermatids, they were able to obtain eight embryos, finally resulting in pregnancy.

Huang Chih-hsien
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
Round spermatid cells look very similar to other cells. It’s very hard to tell them apart. A very difficult part is getting the ovum and the sperm to bond, as this process requires movement. Normal, mature sperm cells are able to move. But round spermatids do not have this ability.

Thanks to advancements in medical technology, the couple was able to conceive, Taiwan’s first pair of twins born from round spermatid cells.

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Taipower unveils renovated Jinguashi Shinto shrine in New Taipei

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A row of stones form a Japanese-style torii, or sacred gate. Unlike many torii which are painted an extravagant red, this torii in Jinguashi town in Jiufen is all greyscale, creating a calm and reflective atmosphere. The shrine has been empty for five years. After a renovation by Taipower, it’s back to its former majesty.

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It used to be more dangerous here. It had never been renovated. It was easy to fall while walking here.

In the late 80s, when Taiwan’s mining industries declined, and Taiwan Metals Mining Company closed down, its cultural assets in New Taipei’s Ruifang瑞芳 were given to Taipower. In 2019, an exhibition and light ceremony called “Light up 13 Layer Remains” brought international attention to the heritage sites here. Then Taipower decided to act, focusing on renovating the shrine at Jinguashi.

Chen Shih-cheng
Miner
There used to be grasses all between the pillars. I used to come and pull up the grasses. I think it’s a beautiful thing and very historical. There are more and more hikers here.

Jinguashi shrine was first built in 1898 and altered in 1936. With 124 years’ history, it is Taiwan’s third oldest Shinto shrine. Once a major spiritual site for local people, it was destroyed in World War II. In 2007 it was named an official historical heritage site of New Taipei, although only a few traces of the original shrine remain, such as the torii and stone lanterns.

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The pandemic in 2020 gave us an opportunity to start to consider whether we could do something more, in the gap where there were not quite so many visitors.

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As COVID restrictions are lifted, one after the other, will the CECC disband soon?

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After this wave of the epidemic passes, Taiwan could consider not reporting daily infection tallies. Instead they could announce the number of people with severe symptoms and our medical capacity available. The CDC could also reclassify COVID as a Category 4 Communicable Disease. That way, it can be treated as a regional disease and its management can be administered by the CDC. I think that by the end of October, if we don’t have any major issues, at the end of October or early November, we can reclassify it as a Category 4 Communicable Disease. Then, the CECC can be disbanded. They’ve been working very hard over the past three years. It’s been very tough for them.

Hsueh Jui-yuan
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On Oct. 13, we will abolish border restrictions. But that doesn’t mean that COVID is at a low point in Taiwan. The CECC still has a lot of things to do. Probably it won’t be disbanded so soon. For whether COVID will be downgraded from being a Category 5 Communicable Disease to a Category 4 Communicable Disease, that will depend on the international situation internationally and the development of the disease.

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We’re in the final stage of the pandemic. It’s like a tunnel. We can already see the light at the end of it. If the situation doesn’t worsen, the CECC can relax a little.

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Tang Shih-ching
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Cinema Street in Ximen used to be a key hub of Taipei’s entertainment market. But after the impact of COVID, here on Wuchang Street Section 2, it’s more like a disaster zone, a major casualty in Ximen’s retail crisis.

Big red “Venue for Rent” banners stand over the empty stores. Young people strolling Cinema Street say more stores are empty than open.

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I do feel it when I walk down here. There are lots of stores closed.

Member of public
It doesn’t feel as lively as it used to. I came here once before.

Member of public
I work here. Lots of stores say they’re up for rent. It has declined. The economy isn’t as good as it was.

There are just a few shoppers wandering the quiet streets. Stores here tend to open later and later in the morning. Once up a time, there was a constant hubbub created with people visiting the Eslite Department Store, Lux Cinema or in89 Cinema. But no more. On this corner spot sits a claw machine arcade; for more than a decade it was a gold merchant, which shut down earlier this year. Over just a few hundred meters, more than 25 store fronts are festooned with “For Rent” signs. All in all, half the stores are empty.

Huang Shu-wei
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Whether it’s because of the pandemic, or the limits that were put on entertainment venues last year during the Level 3 Alert, we can see that the number of visitors to Cinema Street has fallen greatly. Lots of stores in good locations have closed. In the slightly less popular shopping areas back there, the rate of disuse of the stores is more than half.

In the heyday of Cinema Street, the going rent for one ping of retail space could be NT$3,000 a month or more. But post-COVID, one ping goes for NT$1,500 or NT$2,000 a month. Retailers are now longing for borders to reopen to tourists as their only hope to rebuild the shopping paradise that once was.

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