Acclaim for photos of Dajia Mazu pilgrimage at New York Photography Awards

2023-02-27

An amateur photographer has won acclaim for his photos of the Dajia Mazupilgrimage, from the New York Photography Awards. Wang Cheng-chewon a clutch of gold medals for three photos of the pilgrimage in Tainan. It’s one of the iconic events of Taiwan’s traditional culture. He says that before entering the contest, he asked the god Mazu which photo was the best bet. Her answer? “Just enter and you’ll see.”

The Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage sets off with a cacophony of drums and firecrackers. Thousands of believers throng the temple around the god’s palanquin, as spectacular fireworks light up the sky in this arresting photograph.

In the next image, a Ba Jia Jiang performer strikes a pose in front of an explosive firecracker’s glow. And this shot shows the dragon pillars of Nankunshen Daitian Temple in Tainan. These three photos won Wang Cheng-che nine gold medals at the 2022 New York Photography Awards.

Wang Cheng-che
Prize-winning photographer
I think this is quite a big scene. The perspective is like Mazu is inside the palanquin, and how she sees the mass of living beings, and how she enters the temple. It’s quite a special angle. So I sent this photo in to the competition and then it won.

As an amateur photographer for more than 10 years, Wang focuses on traditional customs and religious culture. He first got interested in photography through religious events in Miaoli, and as the years go by, his portfolio grows ever larger and more accomplished.

Wang Cheng-che
Prize-winning photographer
I asked the goddess in a divination ritual which of the photos was more likely to win. She said, “Just enter and you’ll see.” So I did and then I did win! I’ve won awards all the way from Moscow and Budapest to New York. I’ve started to get international recognition, which makes me feel I can keep going in this direction.

Wang’s pictures tell a vivid story. Now, that story, and Taiwan’s religious traditions, are gaining more and more exposure worldwide.

拍神上國際! 王呈哲紐約攝影大賽奪9金

2023-02-27

台灣之光！攝影師王呈哲喜歡拍宮廟文化，他選了3張照片，分別是拍攝大甲鎮瀾宮的媽祖起駕、南鯤鯓宮廟，以及八家將，參加2022年的紐約攝影大賽，一口氣拿下9面金牌，讓台灣的宗教文化之美，再度躍上國際版面。

大甲鎮瀾宮媽祖起駕，鑼鼓喧天，上萬信眾包圍鑾轎，五光十色的煙火衝上天際，快門精準捕捉。

鞭炮狂炸，火光四射，攝影師拍下八家將身在其中的場景。以及台南南鯤鯓代天府，兩根龍柱一柱擎天，這三張照片，出自攝影師王呈哲之手，更奪得2022年紐約攝影大賽九面金牌。

[[獲獎攝影師王呈哲]]
“覺得這畫面蠻大的，就是媽祖，那個視野有點像，媽祖在轎子裡面，如何看待蒼生，如何入廟的畫面，這角度蠻特別的，就送這張去比賽，就真的得獎了”

王呈哲愛好攝影，拍的作品以人文傳統和宗教文化為主，接觸攝影10多年的他，最初參加苗栗的宗教活動，開啟他的陣頭攝影之路，作品越拍累積越多，也越拍越順手。

[[獲獎攝影師王呈哲]]
“我就擲筊問哪張比較會得獎，祂就說你去參加看看好了，然後真的參加真的中了，就一連串從莫斯科、布達佩斯到紐約，就一連串一直在得獎，開始慢慢接受到國際肯定，所以讓我覺得，可以繼續往這方向前進這樣”

王呈哲喜歡用照片說故事，他的相片讓台灣宗教文化，不斷在國際發光發熱，展現台灣的軟實力。

COA proposes six options for solving the egg shortage

2023-02-27

CIA head says Chinese leadership has doubts on ability to invade Taiwan

2023-02-27

Joint exercises between the US and other countries cross northern part of ADIZ

The U.S., Japan, France and Australia recently held two-week joint exercises in the Pacific, with Australia playing the role of China’s PLA Air Force. At one point the drills saw an Australian surveillance aircraft doing low-altitude maneuvers over waters near Taiwan. A retired military official says the maneuvers were meant to simulate Chinese aircraft movement, as well as to build a database of Chinese electronic signals. He said Taiwan should seek to participate in the drills in the future, and that its participation would be a valuable experience.

The Air Force recently detected incursions into the northern part of Taiwan’s ADIZ by an Australian military aircraft, which entered the ADIZ four times. Commenting on the issue, a retired Air Force official said the incursions were likely part of the Cope North joint military exercises between Australia, the U.S., Japan and France. Australia played the part of the Chinese military in the exercises.

Chang Yen-ting
Retired Air Force official
Australia is more than 5,000 kilometers from Taiwan, but it came all the way here to participate in these exercises. The Australian aircraft flew at a very low altitude – from 1,200 feet, which is under 400 meters, down to 40 meters, flying like that over the sea. It was simulating low-altitude flight maneuvers by the Chinese military. The aircraft was an AP-3C, which is a surveillance aircraft that has lots of equipment on board used for electronic warfare. It’s being used to build an electromagnetic database for signals around the Taiwan Strait. This large database will help prepare those countries to deal with China’s electromagnetic and complex electromagnetic environment in the event of warfare.

The two-week Cope North 2023 exercises centered on Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, and extended to other locations in the Pacific including the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, and the Japanese island of Iwo Jima.

Chang Yen-ting
Retired Air Force official
Since the scope of the Cope North exercises include the Taiwan Strait, it’s necessary for us to try to send an observation team to the U.S. We could go participate in some of the work involved to see how it’s done. In half a month we could learn very valuable experience, because it’s a real battlefield and is close to actual combat.

With the Cope North exercises encompassing areas in and around the Taiwan Strait, the retired official says Taiwan must be included. Given increasing support for Taiwan in Washington, perhaps Taiwan’s participation in the joint exercises will be on the books in the future.

2023-02-27

Taiwan independence activist Koo Kwang-ming dies aged 96

Taiwan independence activist and Presidential Office adviser Koo Kwang-ming passed away on Monday at the age of 96. For decades, Koo has been an outspoken advocate for Taiwan’s independence from the R.O.C., being the founder of a foundation pushing for a new constitution in Taiwan. Leaders of pro-independence groups say that though Koo is no longer with them, his work will live on.

Presidential Office Adviser Koo Kwang-ming, was a vocal advocate for drafting a new constitution that does away with references to the R.O.C. in Taiwan. He did not live to see his dream become reality, as he passed away on Monday at the age of 96.

Chen Nan-tien
United Formosans for Independence
He had been in the intensive care unit for quite a long time already. When my colleague went to see him, he was already unconscious. The Taiwan New Constitution Foundation is one of the earliest advocates for the causes that the United Formosans for Independence is trying to promote. So their work of pushing for a new constitution for Taiwan will live on.

Activists in the pro-independence camp mourned Koo’s loss. President Tsai Ing-wen, Premier Chen Chien-jen, and Presidential Office Secretary General Lin Chia-lung posted eulogies on social media.

Koo Kwang-ming (March 26, 2022)
Presidential Office advisor
The happiness and safety of this generation, the next generation and generations after that is our most important mission now.

Koo was born in 1926 in Changhua’s Lukang township. His father was business tycoon Koo Hsien-jung, and one of his older siblings was Chiang Kai-shek confidant Koo Chen-fu. At the time of the 228 massacre in 1947, he was a third-year university student and happened to be traveling in Hong Kong. After the massacre, he went into exile in Japan and founded the World United Formosans for Independence, becoming a fugitive for the R.O.C. government. In 1972, he traveled in secret from Japan to Taiwan, via Thailand. He met then-Premier Chiang Ching-kuo, calling on him to lift martial law, allow for freedom of speech and lift the ban on forming political parties. After that, he was mostly known for his work to promote Taiwan’s independence from the R.O.C., publishing many materials on the matter and founding the Taiwan New Constitution Foundation. Activists say his passing on Monday marks the end of a chapter in the history of Taiwan’s pro-independence activism.

2023-02-27

‘Snow’ retires: time to rest for New Taipei’s top search and rescue dog

One of Taiwan’s top search and rescue dogs has retired after five years of honorable service. “Snow” is one of New Taipei’s most highly trained service dogs, and has taken part in many high profile rescue missions. Now, at the grand old age of 9 years old, it’s time for a rest. New Taipei is searching for an adoptive family to keep Snow company in her golden years. But as you might expect, the application process for such an honor is quite demanding.

The dog follows each command immediately, sitting and lying down happily. She’s full of life and loves to run and jump.

New Taipei City rescue dog Snow is 9 years old. The Border Collie - Labrador cross once won an award for “Cutest Dog” in a National Fire Agency competition.

But don’t let her adorable looks fool you. Snow is an elite rescue dog, trained in international rubble search and rescue skills. Within 30 minutes, she can sniff out three trapped humans in a 1,500 square meter area of rubble.

Chou Yu-sheng
New Taipei City Fire Department
Snow was exceptionally fast to train. She’s extremely talented. Apart from her search and rescue skills, her most impressive skills are seeking attention, and opening doors.

Snow spent five years in active service, climbing walls higher than an adult’s head, and squeezing through sheets of metal to sniff out clues. She took part in the search and rescue mission of the 2020 Black Hawk helicopter crash, and in searches for missing people, such as in ManyueyuanNational Forest Recreation Area and on Matcha Mountain. Now she’s getting on in years, it’s time to retire.

Gentle-natured Snow likes to lie down and roll over for tummy rubs. Now her handlers are looking for an adoptive owner who will take care of her in later life.

Wu Wei-yi
Dog handler
Their normal training involves lots of activity on mountainous terrain. That causes much more wear and tear on their spine and in the joints of their back legs than normal family pets would have.

Prospective new owners will have to undergo written checks, an in-person evaluation, and assessment of their financial and motivational fitness for the honor of being Snow’s human. Before they can officially adopt her, they’ll start with a one-month trial living together. Now that Snow is retired, New Taipei only has one advanced search and rescue dog in service. They are searching enthusiastically for up-and-coming talent.

2023-02-27

Ministry of Health and Welfare addresses medicine shortages

The Ministry of Health and Welfare on Monday held a press conference to address matters related to a recent medicine shortage in Taiwan. Patients and pharmacists say as many as 88 different kinds of drugs are currently in short supply in Taiwan. The ministry said the cause was global production problems as well as an uptick in respiratory disease cases in Taiwan. It advised the general public to switch to medications with the same active components for the time being if possible.

Over the past few days, pharmacies in Taiwan have been swept by medicine shortages. The Ministry of Health and Welfare explains why.

Victor Wang
Ministry of Health and Welfare
Machine malfunctions have caused a global shortage of this particular drug. But it’s been fixed now, so we expect imports to Taiwan will resume in early March.

For example, production of proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole had been halted due to technical issues, which have now been resolved. Amid reports that some patients were reluctant to accept drug substitutes during the shortage, an FDA official had this to say.

Wu Hsiu-mei
Food and Drug Administration
You shouldn’t think that only the original medication you were taking is effective. Taiwan’s drug factories are all PIC/S GMP compliant. That’s a really high standard for production. All the medicines produced in Taiwan are just as good as the ones produced at the original factories.

The health ministry said it would establish a drug shortage center to make medicine distribution more efficient and convenient.

Victor Wang
Ministry of Health and Welfare
The shortage is spreading to more types of medications. It’s more diverse. By working together across agencies, offices, departments and even ministries, we can address these import problems. We need to bring all these together, and not just have the Food and Drug Administration dealing with the matter on its own.

The health ministry said the shortage prevention center would work with users such as patients, pharmacies, clinics and hospitals and collect feedback from associations. It will also negotiate with manufacturers and government agencies to offer timely updated on the situation.

2023-02-27

Childcare industry faces labor shortage as childminders retire

The profession of childcare is facing a labor shortage. Childcare has been an aging industry for some time. Now more and more childminders are retiring, and experts say a crisis is looming. The Peng Wan-ru Foundation is dangling big subsidies in front of new childminders who enter the business. And the government is also relaxing rules for childcare agencies, in the hope of tempting more people to give it a try.

Looking after small children is a difficult job. Families with two parents working full time can struggle to find a childminder. That sometimes means one parent giving up their job to care for the child.

Lee Yi-hua
Childminder
At first, I had two children going to kindergarten. I looked through so many jobs, and sent off so many resumes, to find a job that could fit with the schedule I had to pick up and drop the kids off at kindergarten. But none were suitable. In the end, I applied to become a home childminder, so I could earn a stable income while looking after my children.

Working and raising children simultaneously is tough, but now a new childminders’ alliance is giving new childminders professional classes so they can start their own businesses.

Chuang Tzu-hsuan
Childminders’ Alliance member
When I worked at a childcare center, it felt like just doing a job. They take on more children at the center than they should, but that didn’t make my wages go up.

At first, Chuang Tzu-hsuan worked alone. Her friend Yu-ching would often pop in for a chat and enjoyed helping so much that, eventually, the pair became a business duo.

Chuang Tzu-hsuan
Childminders’ Alliance member
Parents have been telling us that they want to find a younger childminder, someone who’s easier to communicate with.

The childminding profession is aging. Only 40% of childminders are under the age of 50. The 60% who are 50 or over are approaching retirement soon. There are 27,000 childminders now; in 10 years, at least 10,000 of them will have retired, leaving a severe labor shortage.

Wang Chao-ching
Peng Wan-ru Foundation CEO
60% of childminders will retire in the next 10 years. So in the next decade we will see a tidal wave of turnover in the profession. It will be harder for parents to find childminders. For that reason, we believe that this is the last chance for us to bring new childminders into the world.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare is making it easier to get into the job by amending the law on Family Childcare Service Agencies. They’re allowing agencies to take in more children, and increasing the number of official inspections. The Peng Wan-ru Foundation is also offering subsidies of NT$5 million to help new childminders enter the industry, in the hopes of making Taiwan a friendlier place for young families.

2023-02-27

American YouTuber brings his Mandarin-language songs on a tour of Taiwan

2023-02-27

Midnight construction works: Kaohsiung tree dug up to make space for light rail

Construction is well underway on phase two of Kaohsiung’s new circular light rail line. In February, the team completed a transplant of a massive tree, to make space for a new station. The majestic tree had to be removed at night to minimize disruption. It will be transplanted to a new home at Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts. But digging it up from the middle of a busy intersection at midnight was a real challenge. We spent the evening with the team to find out what it takes to re-home a giant.

9 p.m. at a busy intersection in Kaohsiung. Traffic restrictions go into effect, as construction workers start to move this rain tree to a new home, to make space for phase two of the light rail project.

Towering above Dashun Road at more than 10 meters tall, this rain tree has stood here more than two decades. The team first pray to the tree and greet it, wishing for a smooth operation tonight. The tree is dug out of the ground, and two cranes are hard at work pruning its branches.

The plan is to place the new light rail station exactly where the tree stands now, but the team are trying to preserve as much as they can.

Chiang Ming-ching
Kaohsiung light rail phase II project manager
This is a rather old part of the city. There are lots of roads intersecting here, and the roads are curved. It’s very difficult in terms of maintaining the traffic.

Chang Po-yang
Kaohsiung City councilor
The apartment I rent myself is right next to the light rail line. Before they begin construction, they negotiate with the local borough chief and with local residents. Of course, they’re working at night – from 9 p.m. right through to 3 a.m. We want to let them finish the job with as little disturbance as possible to the traffic network in the city.

The giant cranes and forklift truck work together. As the tree falls to its side, heavy machinery is on hand as well. Everyone’s on alert to make sure there are no mishaps.

Lee Yi-lun
Landscape architecture agency
The difficult thing about working at night is you have to be fast. This is a residential area, and they want us finished by midnight. If we start at 9 p.m. we just have three hours. You have to prune the tree, package it, dig it out of the ground, load it onto the truck; and it must not be too wide or too tall to take on the exit route you’ve arranged.

The tree will take up residence at a new home in Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts. There it will have plenty of space to extend its branches, bringing leafy shade to the hillside and sheltering a new generation of Kaohsiung residents.

2023-02-27

Loquat farmers expect big yields thanks to cold and wet weather

2023-02-27