Founder of Tzu Chi Foundation listed among BBC’s 100 most influential women

Founder of Tzu Chi Foundation listed among BBC’s 100 most influential women

2022-12-08

The BBC has released its annual list of 100 most influential and inspiring women in the world, which this year features one Taiwanese. It’s Cheng Yen, the founder of the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, an international humanitarian organization. The BBC list says that even in her late 80s, her followers continue their philanthropic campaigns and most recently provided financial and material aid to refugees from war-torn Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Time Magazine named Malaysia’s Michelle Yeoh Icon of the Year 2022, the first Asian actor to receive the accolade. Yeoh has been in the industry for 40 years, starring in critically acclaimed films such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “The Lady.” Most recently, she took the lead role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” for which she hopes to be nominated for an Oscar.

BBC公布2022百大女性慈濟證嚴法師入榜

2022-12-08

英國廣播公司BBC，最新公布今年百大女性名單，慈濟基金會創辦人證嚴法師獲選入榜，證嚴法師在台灣現代佛教，被視為最具影響力的人物之一，慈善事業遍及全球，慈善組織最近也為烏克蘭難民，提供財政和物質援助。

另外，時代雜誌公布年度指標人物，華裔女星楊紫瓊今年也入選，成為亞裔女星的第一人。楊紫瓊入行40年，演過各種類型作品，包括臥虎藏龍、翁山蘇姬等等，這次成為奪獎大熱門，有望角逐明年奧斯卡影后。

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Chinese Culture University outsources dormitories to nearby hot spring hotel

Chinese Culture University has an innovative solution to housing students. They’ve signed a contract with a nearby hot spring hotel to provide rooms as dormitories. From January, 250 students will move into the hotel, each paying as low as NT$17,000 per semester for the rooms. We paid a visit to the hotel in question. Could this be the future of university life?

This room feels like a classic hot spring hotel suite. But it’s soon to become a dorm for Chinese Culture Uni students.

The university is working with a nearby hotel to provide 250 beds over 125 new rooms, from next semester.

Yang Hsiang-chun
Chinese Culture University
We want to create a second living area for Chinese Culture University, here in Beitou. It’s only a tiny bit more expensive than student dormitories. So we must stress that residents will have to pay extra to use the hot springs or other hotel services.

Three types of rooms will be available at the hotel: a double room of 7.5 ping, costing NT$19,800 per person per semester; a smaller five ping room for NT$17,000 per person per semester; or more expensive single rooms at NT$28,800 per semester. All those prices include water and electricity. The university dorms cost less, at NT$10,000-NT$15,700 per semester depending on size; but they’re further out from the city center. A room in a shared apartment might be more modern and comfortable, but could easily cost NT$30,000-40,000 per semester.

Chinese Culture University student
The price difference with private apartments is enormous. When I was in my second year, I lived in an apartment for two people, with bunk beds, and the beds were smaller than these ones here.

Transportation is another big factor. Getting from CCU to Taipei generally means an almost hour-long bus journey. And the buses are often packed. But the hot spring hotel is just a 10-minute walk from the Xinbeitou MRT Station.

Chinese Culture University student
We have to take the bus down to Taipei, but it’s always packed with people, weekdays or weekends. But here it’s very convenient – if we want to go into Taipei, there’s an MRT station just next door.

The hotel is 50 years old and its amenities rather outdated, but all the basic facilities are fine – and the MRT station is a big plus. The 250 beds were quickly snapped up by CCU students keen to try the new dorm.

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New and improved Shoushan Zoo to reopen

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Changing globalization trends factor in TSMC’s decision to expand in US: analyst

TSMC has caught the attention of many, after the firm’s decision to expand in the U.S. TSMC founder Morris Chang has said that it had long been his dream to open a fab across the Pacific, something he had previously opted against due to high costs and an assortment of labor and cultural issues. Experts say that, TSMC’s U.S. expansion is a symptom of the changing trends in globalization. And that, although problems still remain, the investment in the U.S. could bring new businesses opportunities to Taiwan.

At TSMC’s ceremony for its fab in the U.S. state of Arizona, it was all big names in the tech sector. Beside’s TSMC’s chairman, CEO and founder, there was also Apple CEO Tim Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su and even U.S. President Joe Biden, who hailed the moment as the return of American manufacturing.

Morris Chang (Dec. 6)
TSMC founder
My dream of 25 years ago will now be fulfilled by Mark.

Previously, high costs, labor problems and cultural differences had made investing in the U.S. a nightmare for TSMC founder Morris Chang, who had said investing in the U.S. was a costly affair and a wasted effort. Since then, his stance has done a full 180.

Morris Chang (Dec. 6)
TSMC founder
Globalization is almost dead. Free trade is almost dead. And a lot of people so wish they will come back. But I really don’t think they will be back for a while.

Lee Chun
Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research
You’ve got to imagine it as if the world were spilt in thirds, each with its own tech companies and trade investment groups. It’s a revised version of globalization. In the past, production was concentrated in China and Taiwan. In the future, production will be spread in many different areas. So when countries turn into themselves and Taiwan goes out to service them, that brings Taiwan a lot of new opportunities.

The analyst says globalization has changed, in part due to the U.S.-China tech war. Taiwanese companies are having to follow their clients to other parts of the world, which according to him, is an opportunity for growth. But for TSMC, producing chips in the U.S. comes with costs about 50% higher than in Taiwan. The chipmaker has announced a total investment of US$40 billion in Phoenix, Arizona, with US$12 billion in the first phase and US$24 billion in the second. By 2026, the fab is expected to have an annual production capacity of about 600,000 chips in 2026, a minute amount compared with Taiwan’s output.

Chai Huan-hsin
Semiconductor industry analyst
Building up supply chains takes a long time. And in the U.S. there is more intrusion from non-economic factors. So if you want the fab in Arizona to make profits closer to fabs in Taiwan, I’m afraid that will take a very long time, more than five years.

Amid a changing geopolitical landscape, TSMC has expanded in the U.S. despite the higher costs. Even if orders pour in, will the firm’s profits be affected? It remains to be seen.

2022-12-08

Older adults fulfill their dreams with round-island motorbike trip

Have you ever thought of chasing a dream before you feel too old to do so? Since 2007, the Hongdao Senior Citizen’s Welfare Foundation has been holding motorbike trips around Taiwan for adults aged 60 and up. In 2012, the foundation released a documentary called "Go Grandriders," featuring the stories of 17 older adults who embarked on the round-island motorcycle trip. FTV reporter Stephany Yang caught up with two of them to find out more about their life-changing journey.

"Go Grandriders" is a documentary that follows the story of 17 older adults, with a median age of 81, who embarked on a 730-mile, 13-day motorcycle trip around Taiwan. Of the 17 participants, two were cancer survivors and eight had coronary diseases. All 17 had some degree of joint degeneration. Despite their condition, they weren’t deterred from going on the ride. Two of the riders that went on the trip were Chang Hung-tao and Chang Chen Ying-mei, who were 70 and 71 years old at the time.

Chang Chen Ying-mei
Rider
This activity is really meaningful for older people like us. Before we went, they told us to do some balance exercises. We had to balance a book on top of our heads, which got some people eliminated. The organizers were very careful. They hired some volunteers and some people to accompany us. There was a car in the front and a bus in the back. If you were tired, you could ride the bus. If you travel by car, you can only see the sights from a small window. But by riding a motorcycle, you can see a panoramic view. You can see the mountains, water, bridges, sky, and sea.

Chang Hung-tao
Rider
I think it was very adventurous. On the right is the sea. If you’re not careful, you may accidentally fall into a deep hole, into the sea. On the left, it’s all big rocks. I was nervous, but it was very thrilling. I also saw the kindness of Taiwanese people, which was very touching.

Now, the two are 86 and 87 years old. Although the trip was 15 years ago, they still remember it as if it were yesterday. They say they are happy to have been able to fulfill their lifelong dream of a round-island trip of Taiwan. The event also opened up other opportunities for them, such as traveling to the U.S. for a road trip in 2013.

Chang Chen Ying-mei
Rider
We rode from San Francisco to Los Angeles. It was Route 9, the most beautiful one. In the past, I hardly left the house. I am very happy. I used to ride a bike, but now I’ll ride a motorcycle.

Chang Hung-tao
Rider
I think that we should walk a straight path in our lives, and not look right or left. We should concentrate on the path that should be taken, and not take the wrong path. I was very touched by this event. I met these people and fulfilled dreams in my life. I think it is very meaningful.

Since 2007, the Hongdao Welfare Foundation has held the round-island ride to encourage older adults to chase their dreams and enhance the public’s views and attitudes towards aging. So far, the event has been held 11 times, with more than 350 participants. In 2012, the association released the documentary short film "Go Grandriders," which follows their journey.

Lee Lo-chi
Hongdao Senior Citizen’s Welfare Foundation
After the film was released, it topped the box office as a documentary and even had the opportunity to be shown in Hong Kong, South Korea, and the U.S. A good event can change the life of an older adult, a family, and a community. If you want to create a bigger impact, films can really convey the message. We now see that Taiwanese people view older adults very positively. Compared to 10 years ago, there’s been very good progress.

Hua Tian-hao
Director
The journey around the island is a bit like the journey of life. You may think that older people cannot move around, but in fact, during the process of filming, I discovered that older people can do a lot more than everyone thinks. Even grandparents can accomplish a round-island trip. The purpose of this film is to encourage older adults to do what they like. Some participants from the ride even climbed Yushan. It gave them the confidence to do things they thought they would be unable to achieve.

The foundation held a press conference for the 10th anniversary of the movie’s release, inviting the riders to share their stories. They hope to inspire more older adults to continue to chase their dreams.

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