Eggs to remain scarce until early March: premier

Eggs to remain scarce until early March: premier

2023-02-22

Eggs remain scarce in Taiwan, and the shortage may not ease until early March, according to the premier. The government says it is taking action to get eggs to supermarket shelves and processing companies. It has also implemented measures, including tax cuts for feed, and policies to improve chicken-rearing facilities and prevent the spread of avian flu.

At this drugstore, the star product isn’t cosmetics, but organic eggs costing NT$13 apiece. Amid egg shortages in Taiwan, some people are willing to bite the bullet and pay a premium for eggs, even buying them at a drugstore.

Hon Hai founder Terry Gou has taken the opportunity to criticize the government’s agricultural policies. He claimed that the administration’s price freeze for eggs had caused farmers to be less willing to produce goods. Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung had this to say in response.

Chen Chi-chung
Council of Agriculture
The price of eggs is decided by a price review committee. It is the committee that decides whether the price will go up or down. Of course, I’m sorry that buyers have to make repeated trips to the supermarket to find eggs on the shelves.

Chen Chien-jen
Premier
The 5% tax cut on corn will last until the end of June. Improving facilities to prevent the spread of avian flu is even more important. We are also improving the mechanism for the import of eggs for processing companies.

The premier says the government is taking steps to improve the situation, but the current shortage is unlikely to ease until early March.

雞蛋荒可望3月初緩解陳吉仲表達歉意

2023-02-22

近來鬧蛋荒，農委會主委陳吉仲昨晚在臉書上發文，"對於消費者近日未能即時買到雞蛋，表達深深的歉意"。今天出席活動也在說"覺得很不好意思"，但強調並沒有打壓蛋價，已經積極改善雞蛋產量。行政院長陳建仁則預告，缺蛋問題應該可在三月初緩解。民眾搶買蛋，現在就連藥局都因賣高價有機蛋，出現另類商機。

藥局裡竟然買得到雞蛋，不過因為是有機的，售價一顆就要13元。近期全台鬧蛋荒，讓部分人甘願以高一點的價格，到藥局買蛋。

最近鴻海創辦人郭台銘，趁機批評政府無力解決，還說政府祭出凍漲令，讓蛋農沒生產意願，農委會主委陳吉仲，趕緊澄清。

[[農委會主委陳吉仲]]
“所有的蛋價的決定都是由蛋價審議委員會，決定蛋價的價格後，讓他決定是漲還是跌。讓消費者到超市跑了一兩次才買到雞蛋，我當然會覺得非常不好意思。”

[[行政院長陳建仁]]
“減免5%的玉米稅到6月底、改善雞舍的設備，避免禽流感的感染，那更重要的，我們也加強國外的雞蛋的進口給加工業者。”

行政院長陳建仁說，目前正在積極解決改善，雞蛋荒預計在3月初就會得到緩解。

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A family trip on a ferry. They can gaze out on a wide blue sea from their cabins. For travelers who aren’t satisfied with ferries between Taiwan’s islands, the new island-hopper ferries will shuttle travelers between different countries in Asia. It’s a collaboration between the Maritime and Port Bureau, South Korea and the Philippines.

Chi Wen-jong
Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications
The island-hopper can take you to many different islands to enjoy different cultures. And for this project in particular we think it will be a transnational itinerary over island chains.

Lin Fu-shun
Korea International Cruise Institute
The island chains of Asia will be anchor points, so international cruise passengers can experience the classic, unique cultures of island chains from diverse Asian countries.

A passenger gets off the ferry on a bike to enjoy the island culture. Returning to the ship, there’s haute cuisine and entertainment from onboard performances. Located in the center of the First Island Chain, Taiwan is perfectly placed for international cruises between Asia’s Pacific islands. The Maritime and Port Bureau even plans to link East Asia with ferries between the Kinmen Marathon and Penghu Fireworks Festival. In 2023, there are 96 cruises scheduled to anchor in Taiwan, 36 of which have a home-port in Taiwan.

Chi Wen-jong
Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications
The cruise will be a way to form an alliance, and to provide services in concert. Island-hopping cruises give you the chance to experience different countries, and the differences in their natural ecologies, cultures and folk customs. I think that’s a big selling point.

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Private company teaches Taiwanese citizens how to pick up a gun

With the threat of military aggression from Beijing growing, more and more Taiwanese citizens want to learn how to pick up a gun. Private companies are stepping into the market to provide military education. One company is getting inspiration from all round the world, using U.S., Chinese and Taiwanese equipment to educate students. They’ve even hired a U.S. Army officer. And they’re getting support from Taiwanese soldiers who’ve returned from volunteering for the Ukrainian army.

Helmet and bullet-proof vest on, a student steps forward on command.

They step into a narrow space, open fire on a target, and destroy the enemy fighters in less than 10 seconds.

“Shooting in a confined space” is a popular class, as is the “Board with Nine Holes” training, where students learn to hit a target precisely under many different conditions.

Hsiung Chi-sheng
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We’re teaching Military History Education, so that more citizens can understand the country as well as the equipment we use.

A private company offers these classes in the hope of spreading military knowledge among Taiwan’s population. They use imitation weapons which are almost exactly the same weight as real guns, and all kinds of equipment, in their combat training classes. They also display samples of weaponry from the Taiwanese, Chinese and U.S. armies, so students can learn to distinguish Taiwan’s army from potential invaders. Finally, they teach military history, and employ this retired U.S. Army officer as a teacher.

Richard Limon
Retired US Army officer
What you can learn from U.S. troops is combat training and medical training. In that respect, in my own opinion, I think it’s more useful, because that also gives more time to train the troops and get them ready for a potential fight.

Lee Cheng-ling
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Taiwan needs to join up with the training system of NATO, because this is very important. The battles of the future will certainly be fought by alliances. There may be armies from other countries that might be fighting in Taiwan. You have to form an alliance. So in the same way you need to connect up with foreign armies in your training.

Lu Tzu-hao
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The army needs to train everyone more in how to handle an individual weapon. Because in Ukraine, at the start, we were all using individual weapons. We were all trained in Stingers and missiles. It’s just we don’t know if the national weapons reserve is big enough. You can also train with virtual reality. We all had training of that kind.

These two Taiwanese soldiers volunteered to fight in the Ukraine War. Now they’re contributing to the school too, in the hopes of building up Taiwan’s preparedness to tackle an invasion.

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Teachers and universities push back against ChatGPT

Education is reeling from the advent of ChatGPT, a chatbot which can write documents in academic styles. The bot uses AI to produce texts on any topic, in any style. Although many of its documents are nowhere near the standard of real academic texts, it can sound lifelike enough to mimic a student. Taiwanese high school students are starting to use the bot to write coursework for college applications. That’s left teachers and universities scrambling to crack down on a new avenue for cheating.

Type in some key words, and ChatGPT gets to work writing an essay at once. Some Taiwanese high school students are starting to use ChatGPT to write their coursework. It sometimes does a better job than they can.

Ms. Lin
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I think we should complete our own coursework, because our exams have a second level, an oral examination. The professors will ask you how you produced the report.

Ms. Lee
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When I’m writing it, I start by writing a rough draft, as a reference. In the “Personal Process and Reflections” section you have to include your own ideas, so I always rewrite it again in the end.

The high school coursework portfolio is a major component in the new curriculum. It’s required by the Ministry of Education for every university application, and counts for 20% or more of the student’s grades. There’ve been numerous controversial reports of students paying tutors to write coursework for them. But since the advent of ChatGPT, essays, computer code, novels and even data analysis can all be outsourced to AI. Many high school teachers worry it will distort students’ university applications.

Lee Chi-lung
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ChatGPT is something like a sample manufacturer; but it leaves out lots of details. We want young people to get to grips with the applications of technology, not to make inappropriate use of it, but to establish the correct attitude toward its use. That’s the goal we tend to have in educational settings.

Universities are taking action. Hong Kong Univeristy has banned the use of ChatGPT or any other AI tool, in exams or in homework. National Taiwan University says that next term it will produce guidelines on the use of ChatGPT for students and staff. National Tsing Hua University has a special working group looking into AI’s impact on teaching and learning.

Lee Chi-lung
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Even if you ban it, it is impossible to completely prevent situations like that. Instead, we must use educational and evaluative tools to monitor students on more levels, and help them to grow.

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Turkish ice cream seller entertains patrons with ice cream and pranks

Today, we take you to meet Kemal Demir, an ice cream seller from Turkey. Demir has been delighting his customers in Tamsui for 23 years with dollops of Turkish ice cream. The experience is not only just tasty but also a good laugh as he also plays pranks on his customers. The tricks are actually a Turkish tradition, which delight tourists and Taiwanese alike. FTV reporter Stephany Yang was one of his recent victims. Let’s see what happened.

He scoops up a generous portion of ice cream, puts it in the cone, and then hands me an ice cream cone before quickly pulling the cone away.

This stall is a favorite among many visitors when they visit New Taipei’s Tamsui, because this is not an ordinary ice cream shop. This seller will surprise his customers with all kinds of tricks. Not only does it test the customer’s reflexes, but also their patience.

Member of the public
I think it’s fun, because the owner controlled it so the ice cream doesn’t fall to the floor. He was fantastic.

Member of public
I’m very happy. I was worried about Turkey, so I came to talk with him. I really respect that he works hard.

This Turkish ice cream is called maras. The ice cream is made out of goat milk and the roots of wild orchids. The owner of this vendor is Kemal Demir. Originally from Turkey, he has been making Turkish ice cream for almost 50 years. He learnt the trade at just 10 years old and opened up his first ice cream shop when he was 16. In 2001, he opened up a stall in Tamsui. All the ingredients he uses are from Turkey. He wants to introduce Turkish culture to Taiwanese people.

Kemal Demir
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The city I am from is where the ice cream originated from. I came to Taiwan 23 years ago, and I am now 63 years old. Taiwanese people are nice, and everyone will say “hello” to you. It’s all handmade, and it takes around five hours to make ice cream like this.

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Kemal Demir
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I will go next month. Many of my relatives and friends have passed away. I’m quite upset. But, many people in Taiwan have come here to buy things, and I am very grateful for their help. They encouraged me and tell me to keep going, which makes me very happy. Thanks, Taiwan.

Having lived and worked in Taiwan for 23 years, Demir is still passionate about his craft. He says his son will move to Taiwan to help run the business in the future. The family hopes to continue to delight visitors with their creative tricks and teasing, and introduce Turkish culture to more people around the world.

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