Taiwan not to appear in name at Expo 2025 in Osaka: lawmakers respond

Taiwan not to appear in name at Expo 2025 in Osaka: lawmakers respond

2022-11-03

The Ministry of Economic Affairs has budgeted NT$2 billion to participate in the 2025 Expo to be held in Osaka, Japan. However, legislators learned on Tuesday that the name "Taiwan" will not appear anywhere in the Expo, and Taiwan must instead participate under the name of the TAITRA-funded startup Tamayama Digital Tech Co. Premier Su says the naming decision reflects the difficult situation Taiwan is in on the international stage. Let’s hear from him.

Su Tseng-chang
Premier
We have made major contributions to the world, but because of China’s suppression, many opportunities to participate under the name of our country have been severely limited. There are many things that cannot be reached with one step, but as long as we are there, as long as we are seen, just like in recent years, countries around the world have been sticking up for Taiwan, affirming Taiwan, and supporting Taiwan. We have to work together.

Chiang Wen-juo
Bureau of Foreign Trade
We will use technology to show all that Taiwan has to offer, and we will do this to the best of our ability so that people abroad and people who visit will know that this is Taiwan, this represents Taiwan.

A lawmaker from the opposition KMT had previously said that if Taiwan wasn’t participating to represent itself, there was no point in going. That was taken by DPP lawmaker Lo Chih-cheng as a sign that the KMT is warming up to accept mainstream opinion. On Tuesday, the Legislative Yuan’s Economics Committee also passed a resolution during discussions of the Expo’s budget. In it, it requests the relevant officials to try to convince organizers to let Taiwan participate under its own name.

大阪世博不能提"台灣" 蘇揆:努力增加國際能見度

2022-11-03

日本大阪將在2025年舉辦世界博覽會，經濟部也編列20億預算參展，但立委昨日審查預算時發現，只能以「玉山數位科技株式會社」公司名義，館內不能出現任何「台灣」文字與圖樣。國民黨立委嗆，如果不能用台灣名義那就不用去了。對此行政院長蘇貞昌坦承，台灣國際處境非常困難。

[[行政院長蘇貞昌]]
“我們在世界上有重大貢獻，卻因為中國的打壓，許多用國家名義參與的機會，都被嚴重限縮，很多事情不可能一步到位，但只要我們在，只要我們被看見，就像近年來世界各國都紛紛，挺台灣，肯定台灣，支持台灣，我們要大家一起努力”

[[國貿局長江文若]]
“我們會用科技的方式，去展現台灣所有的，我們盡我們的可能，去展現讓外面的人，參觀的人一看就知道這是台灣，代表台灣”

民進黨立委羅致政表示，國民黨願意向台灣主流民意靠攏，一起努力用台灣名義參與國際活動，是正確的一步，立法院經濟委員會昨天討論相關預算時也做了決議，要求行政部門用台灣名義、爭取台灣館等。

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Thursday was the last day of Vice President Lai Ching-te’s state visit to Palau. In a meeting before his return to Taiwan, Lai was asked about whether his visit to Palau was a sign that he had presidential ambitions in 2024. Lai said it was nothing of the sort, adding that he was simply traveling under orders of the president.

Several U.S. A-10 Thunderbolts zoom by one after the other. This place is the hotel at which Vice President Lai Ching-te stayed during his state visit to Palau. Several hours before Lai touched down, a number of U.S. military jets rushed from Guam to the island nation.

Lai arrives at a banquet. Turn around and a group of people that look like U.S. military troops are conversing to the side. The suspected presence of U.S. troops has given rise to much speculation.

Lai Ching-te
Vice president
I didn’t interact directly with any U.S. troops. When I was in private with President Surangel Whipps, he did mention collaboration with the U.S. military. Taiwan is on the first island chain, and Palau is on the second island chain. It’s a very strong relationship, involving a huge amount of cooperation. I hope we can continue working together to safeguard peaceful and stable development in the Indo-Pacific.

Day three of Palau, he attended an event to donate telemedicine equipment to Palau, and stood with local baseball stars at a baseball equipment donation ceremony. The Palau visit is the third time that Lai leads a state delegation outside Taiwan this year. It has been seen by some as a sign that he could be planning to run in the 2024 presidential election.

Lai Ching-te
Vice president
Taiwan is facing many challenges domestically and internationally. The president herself is extremely busy. She’s been unable to travel. So I travel in her place. It’s the natural course of action. So my three foreign visits this year were not done with the intentions of running in 2024. It is just my duty as vice president, to follow the orders of the president.

At every formal diplomatic event Lai attended in Palau, he referred to Taiwan as “R.O.C. Taiwan.” That has been interpreted by some as a sign that perhaps Lai’s political stance has become more moderate.

Lai Ching-te
Vice president
Taiwan is not part of China. This is the consensus of Taiwanese society. China’s understanding of the “Taiwan independence” is that if you are not in favor of uniting with China, you are in favor of independence. Meanwhile, the U.S.’ understanding of “Taiwan independence” is to carry out legal changes. So the U.S. and China differ on how they see the matter of “Taiwan independence.” That’s where this issue becomes complicated. Tsai Ing-wen once coined “four commitments,” which are basically agreed on by all of Taiwanese society. These have naturally become a very important path for Taiwan to take as we move forward.

In her National Day Speech in 2021, President Tsai had listed out Taiwan’s “four commitments.” They are the “commitment to a free and democratic constitutional system,” the “commitment that the R.O.C. and the PRC should not be subordinate to each other,” the “commitment to resist annexation or encroachment upon Taiwan’s sovereignty” and the “commitment that the future of the R.O.C. Taiwan will be decided in accordance with the will of the Taiwanese people.”

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Analyst expects Fed to further hike interest rates by 0.5 points in December

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Central bank governor takes lawmaker’s questions after sharp Fed interest rate hike

The governor of Taiwan’s central bank, Yang Chin-long, on Thursday took questions from lawmakers regarding the rapid rise of interest rates in the U.S. Yang stressed that the strengthening of the U.S. dollar and depreciation of the new Taiwan dollar were short-term trends. As such, he said, investors shouldn’t rush to exchange U.S. dollars, as they might end up losing. Asked about whether the world could see another major financial crisis, Yang said it was unlikely, as financial systems worldwide are more stable now than in previous decades.

The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved a 0.75-point hike to interest rates, and ripples of the decision have hit markets worldwide. A lawmaker on Thursday asked the Taiwan central bank governor how the government would respond.

Lai Shyh-bao
KMT lawmaker
The U.S. interest rates are so high. If you don’t raise them here, people will just buy U.S. dollars.

Yang Chin-long
Central bank governor
Even if investors make an earning from the gap in interest rates, in the end they could end up losing due to the exchange rate.

The governor said he was confident in the development of the new Taiwan dollar. He also added that four measures would be taken to stabilize the foreign exchange market. They are establishing on-site and off-site supervisory mechanisms, offering financial market liquidity, preparing foreign currency liquidity, and closely monitoring supply and demand in the foreign exchange market to launch adjustments in a timelier manner.

Yang Chin-long
Central bank governor
The U.S. has been raising interest rates very fast. So they will eventually lower the rates drastically too.

With the U.S. dollar picking up strength, several countries are seeing currencies depreciate, and some could even face a debt crisis. A lawmaker asked the central bank governor whether another major financial crisis could be brewing.

Yang Chin-long
Central bank governor
The likelihood of something like that happening is not high. We all learned our lesson from 1997, and from 2008. So financial systems around the world are more sturdy and healthy now.

The rapid rise in U.S. interest rates is testing the abilities of Taiwan’s central bank to stabilize exchange rates and launch effective policies.

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No special arrangements needed at polling stations for patients fresh out of isolation

The CECC on Thursday answered questions about plans to reduce isolation for COVID patients to five days starting Nov. 14. The CECC says that although about half of COVID patients still test positive on rapid tests after five days of isolation, they are generally less infectious than right after contracting the disease. Patients who complete the five days of isolation can go out and lead a normal life, and vote in the local elections on Nov. 26. The CECC adds there are no plans to further relax isolation rules for the time being.

Starting Nov. 14, COVID patients who’ve completed five days of isolation will be able to go out and vote in the local elections. The CECC says there is no need for special arrangements at polling stations.

Chuang Jen-hsing
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Most polling stations are outside, or in well ventilated places. You can just vote in an orderly manner. If you know you are still positive, try not to get too close to people aged 65 and up or young children.

The CECC estimates that after five days of isolation, 40% to 50% of patients will still be positive on rapid tests, but won’t be too infectious.

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Huang Li-min
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Flu season is coming up. Will the isolation period be further reduced? I think we have to look at any developments in the pandemic. Over the short term, I don’t think it is likely that isolation periods will be further reduced to three days.

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After three days, the vast majority of patients are still positive, and they are in a state in which they are still quite infectious. So for now, we are not considering anything like that.

Taiwan reported 29,922 local COVID cases on Thursday, down 16% from last week.

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A local meat bun shop in Miaoli has been serving up delicious fare for customers for almost 30 years. Already passed down to its second generation, the shop offers limited quantities of handmade buns daily. The ingredients are bought and cooked the same day, and everything from the cooking oil, to the buns’ signature purple markings are made by hand with natural ingredients. Selling out in just five hours, this shop proves that good flavor comes from sticking to your philosophy.

The aroma of the juicy buns frying on the hot plate is like a wake-up call to the senses. The shop has just opened up for the day, but the queue is already full of hungry customers.

In the kitchen, some are rolling out the dough, some are shaping the buns, and others are frying them up. Although it’s a tiny shop, it’s bustling every day from the time it opens at 2 p.m.

The secret to the buns’ delicious flavor lies in the filling, which is chock full of green onions and pork. The filling is wrapped in a thin, delightfully chewy dough. Even if you scald yourself on the first bite, you won’t be able to resist taking a second. The shop, located in front of Miaoli Railway Station, has been in business for 27 years, and its philosophy is written right on the wall: "Cheap and delicious no matter what."

Ho Shao-wei
Second-generation meat bun chef
We buy the ingredients in the morning and cook them up in the afternoon. My mother taught us that freshly cooked ingredients are the most delicious.

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Former Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho Gaucho and Brazilian teqballer Natalia Guilter are planning to visit Taiwan from Dec. 9 through Dec. 11. During their stay, they will play an exhibition game and raise funds for a Taiwanese charity. FTV reporter Stephany Yang has the details.

Over the course of Ronaldinho’s career, he has won two FIFA World Player of the Year awards and a Ballon d’Or. The soccer star is planning to visit Taiwan in December for the first time. He is scheduled to participate in an exhibition footvolley game with Brazilian teqballer Natalia Guitler at the Tianmu Baseball Stadium in Taipei on Dec. 10.

Ronaldinho Gaucho
Brazilian soccer legend
Hello Taiwan, I will be with you for a sports event on Dec. 9, 10, and 11. I will see you soon! I am counting on you!

Natalia Guilter
Brazilian teqballer
Hello Taiwan! I am very excited to come to Taiwan on Dec. 9, 10, and 11 for a sports event and charity event with Ronaldinho to introduce you to footvolley. We have come to support the missions of the Garden of Hope Foundation. We are counting on you to join us!

Alexandre Paul
Organizer
We have the pleasure to invite Ronaldinho and Natalia, two big stars in the football field and footvolley field. Both were champions. They are coming to Taiwan in December this year on the 9th, 10th, and 11th. We have big events at Tianmu Baseball Stadium this year. We are happy to make the promotion of sports in Taiwan and have the opportunity to introduce a new, different sport that the Taiwanese have never seen before. It’s called footvolley. It’s a mix between football and volleyball. It’s a very impressive sport, very techincal, it has lots of show, and is very entertaining.

While in Taiwan, Ronaldinho and Guitler will also participate in a raffle held by the Garden of Hope Foundation, a women’s and children’s rights advocacy group. Part of the proceeds will be going to underprivileged groups.

Alexandre Paul
Organizer
We have the second event, which is a side event. It’s a charity event. We are fundraising by organizing a lottery where people by buying tickets are going to have a chance to have gifts to maybe for the luckiest have a signed autograph from Ronaldinho and a possibility to get free entrance tickets for the events. For the luckiest, luckiest we are going to give 10 people the opportunity to meet Ronaldinho.

Through the event, organizers hope to raise funds for underprivileged households, as well as to introduce footvolley to more people in Taiwan.

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