Dueling demonstrations outside Tsai-McCarthy meet

Dueling demonstrations outside Tsai-McCarthy meet

2023-04-06

Outside the high-profile meeting at Reagan Library, dueling protests were staged by supporters of Taiwan and of China. About a dozen Los Angeles riot police were at the scene, but tensions still boiled over into a scuffle. Let’s turn to our reporter on the ground.

Pro-Taiwan activists run up to a group of Chinese protesters. They grab two PRC flags, before being tackled to the ground by outraged Chinese.

Los Angeles police step in to prevent a bigger brawl.

Chen Yen-ling
FTV reporter
This is the scene outside the Tsai-McCarthy meeting, with Chinese protesters and Taiwan supporters separated by a road. More than 10 police officers with riot gear were deployed to prevent further clashes.

Riot police were on high alert. Rumor had it that a Chinese official organized the pro-Beijing demonstration. A handsome sum was paid for a plane to fly over the library, trailing a banner reading “One China! Taiwan is Part of China!” The official allegedly offered US$400 a person to mobilize 1,000 protesters, although only 100 were present.

Pro-Beijing demonstrator
We did not take a single cent. We all came here of our own accord. The rich contributed money, while the strong contributed their labor.

Member of public
They’ve got terrible acting skills. Their hearts aren’t in it. They’re just doing it for the money.

Taiwan expat
After seeing this, I decided to come and support President Tsai.

Taiwan expat
Taiwan does not belong to China. It’s like they are bullying us.

The Tsai-McCarthy meeting captured global attention, with 160 journalists covering the event.

Ray Farmer
NBC cameraman
We got here at 3 a.m. in the morning, and it was dark and it was cold. I know there is going to be a lot of press from Taiwan here, so we want to definitely be on our best behavior.

Journalists showed up early at the Reagan Library to stake out their spots. Los Angeles police deployed a bomb-sniffing dog to secure the area. No detail was too small when it came to security, reflecting the high stakes involved at the meeting.

"蔡麥會"場外衝突中國抗議團體"動手又動腳"

2023-04-06

總統蔡英文與美國眾議院議長麥卡錫的會面備受關注，現場媒體大陣仗，提前三四個小時就來卡位，洛杉磯警方還全副武裝維安，但中國抗議團體還是跟挺台人士起了衝突，不僅動手，還出腳踹人。

挺台民運人士突襲中國抗議陣營，趁亂拔走兩面五星旗，卻被中國人踹倒在地。

眼看雙方就要打起來，洛杉磯警方趕緊上前阻止。

[[民視記者陳姸伶]]
"麥蔡會場外中國抗議人士跟挺台人士隔著馬路開槓，美國警方也不敢大意，出動10多名警察，穿戴了鎮暴裝備，防止任何衝突發生。"

鎮暴警察嚴陣以待，因為早就傳出，中國駐洛杉磯領事館副領事親自策劃這場抗議行動，不但重金包飛機拉著"一個中國"的布條，在雷根圖書館上空盤旋，還以一人400美金代價，宣稱要動員千人，實際到場的卻只有百人。

[[中國僑民]]
“非但沒有拿一分錢，我們每個人都是自發的，有錢出錢，有力出力。”

[[挺台美國人]]
“他們這個演技太差了，演技差背後總是心不在，心不在，只是收了錢而已。”

[[台僑]]
“看了更覺得要來支持蔡總統。”

[[台僑]]
“因為台灣就不是中國的，就感覺在霸凌我們。”

這次的蔡麥會受到國內外媒體重視，有160人報名參加。

[[NBC攝影記者 Ray Farmer]]
“我們早上三點就來了，天很黑，也很冷，我們知道會有很多台灣媒體前來，我們也要拿出最好的表現。”

媒體提前抵達雷根圖書館卡位，洛杉磯警方也出動偵爆犬，對著器材東聞西聞，確定沒有危險物品，維安滴水不漏，更凸顯出國際間對這場蔡麥會的重視。

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Tsai meets US House speaker, marking historic first

President Tsai Ing-wen met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy outside Los Angeles on Wednesday, defying Chinese opposition. The meeting was the highest-level reception any Taiwan president has had on American soil. Tsai, McCarthy, and 18 other U.S. lawmakers met behind closed doors at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. After 75 minutes of private discussions, Tsai and McCarthy highlighted the vital bond between their nations in a joint statement.

President Tsai arrives at the Reagan Library and is welcomed with a handshake by U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Peter Aguilar, chair of the House Democratic Caucus. It was a historic moment – the first time a Taiwan president met the U.S.’ third-highest-ranking official on American soil.

McCarthy took to Twitter, posting photos of his meeting with President Tsai. He wrote, “The friendship between America and the people of Taiwan has never been stronger. It is my honor to welcome President Tsai Ing-wen to the Reagan Library.” At the meeting, President Tsai exchanged warm greetings with each of the 18 other lawmakers present.

Kevin McCarthy
US House speaker
I am honored to welcome Taiwan’s president. I am optimistic that we’ll continue to find ways for the people of America and Taiwan to work together.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
Your hospitality is bright and warm, just like the California sunshine.

After their 75-minute closed-door meeting, Tsai and McCarthy made a joint appearance in front of the iconic Air Force One.

Kevin McCarthy
US House speaker
Those values have always served as the bedrock of our friendship with the people of Taiwan and they are more important now than ever before. And of course, President Tsai is a great champion of that bond. The friendship between the people of Taiwan and America is a matter of profound importance for the free world.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
The presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated and that we are not alone. I reiterated Taiwan’s commitment to defending the peaceful status quo. I also highlighted a belief which President Reagan championed, that to preserve peace, we must be strong. In our efforts to protect our way of life, Taiwan is grateful to have the United States of America by our side.

Later McCarthy held another news conference, where he said the meeting was “very productive” and covered various ways to further the Taiwan-U.S. bond.

Kevin McCarthy
US House speaker
We must continue the arms sales to Taiwan and make sure such sales reach Taiwan on a very timely basis. Second, we must strengthen our economic cooperation, particularly with trade and technology.

When asked if he would visit Taiwan, McCarthy said he didn’t have plans but that he hadn’t ruled out the possibility.

2023-04-06

China decries Tsai-McCarthy meet, US urges against ‘overreaction’

As expected, China has condemned the encounter between President Tsai Ing-wen and the U.S. House speaker. It said their meeting was a “provocation” and an infringement on China’s sovereignty. Beijing warned that the “Taiwan question” was a red line in U.S.-China relations. In response, Washington urged China against overreacting, reiterating that Tsai’s transit was just business as usual.

CCTV newscaster
The high-profile meeting between Tsai and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the third highest-ranking official of the U.S. government, has gravely violated the “One China” principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, seriously infringed upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and sent seriously wrong signals to the separatist forces for Taiwan independence. The “Taiwan question” is at the very core of China’s core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations.

Following the Tsai-McCarthy meeting, China lashed out in a series of statements, denouncing the U.S. and warning Taiwan of repercussions.

CCTV newscaster
The DPP authorities have misjudged the situation, thinking that strategic competition between China and the U.S. can bring opportunities to cling to U.S. support to seek independence, and have unscrupulously ganged up with external forces. They are under the illusion that, by clutching to the United States, they can be even more utterly brazen in their provocative attempt to seek "independence" and betray the interests of the Chinese nation. Tsai’s “transit” is nothing more than a cover for the schemes of seeking "independence."

The meeting sparked concerns that China would repeat the aggressive campaign it launched last August, when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. The White House has urged China to not overreact.

Voice of John Kirby
US National Security Council
Our position remains the same. There is no reason for the Chinese to overreact in any way.

Karine Jean-Pierre
White House press secretary
…Taiwan is doing, this is something that’s been part of a long U.S. tradition. And so, again, we just do not see, there should not be a reason for the PCR [PRC] to overreact here.

The choice of Reagan Library as the meeting venue has symbolic significance, pundits say, noting that it represents freedom and the fight against authoritarianism. Sources say Taiwan and the U.S. were in close communication before the meeting, to prevent Beijing’s threats from harming the bilateral friendship.

Chao Tien-lin
DPP lawmaker
The U.S. is careful to improve Taiwan-U.S. relations without creating regional tensions. President Tsai Ing-wen is very low-key and does not openly discuss such things. Even in the days before her arrival in Los Angeles, she let the U.S. announce the relevant details.

The lawmaker praised the show of unity between Taiwan and the U.S. in the face of pressure from Beijing.

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Eight US lawmakers land for three-day visit

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Lithuanian couple opens bakery selling Lithuanian tree cakes

Today we take you to meet a Lithuanian couple who own a bakery in Taipei. The couple moved the city in 2019. After a few years of living in Taiwan, they decided to open up a small bakery selling Lithuanian tree cakes, a treat that’s served on special occasions like Christmas and Easter. FTV reporter Stephany Yang met the family to find out more.

The cake is made out of egg whites, flour, sugar, and cream on a rotating spit in an oven.

To add layers to the tree cake, the chefs slowly drops batter along the rod. The speed of the turning spit increases and batter starts to form little spikes resembling tree branches.

It can take five or more hours to just make one Lithuanian tree cake. This cake is a traditional treat served at special occasions like Christmas and Easter, as well as traditional Lithuanian weddings. The recipe was first developed by monks in the 15th century. You can now get a taste of it in Taiwan.

Jevgeniy Gerasimov
Co-founder
It started in Europe in about the 15th century. All over the Northern, and Eastern Europe and Germany. In Lithuania, it appeared in the monasteries so the monks used to do it. In about 200 years ago, the recipe was super secret. It went kind of public just about a hundred years ago. About five months ago, our trade representative came in and then we realized that the relationship will be growing. They are improving and then we thought like, why not? Why do people have to bring this cake when we can just make it here? We can bridge the cultures. We can advocate Lithuanian products here in Taiwan.

Elina Gerasimova
Co-founder
It is soft inside I would say and more crispy on the spikes of the cake. The shape of the cake is made from the spinning. It is the way you cook actually. The spikes you get because the rotation of the spinning is faster. If it is slower, you just get a more round cake.

Elina Gerasimova and Jevgeniy Gerasimov moved to Taipei in 2019 for Jevgeniy’s job. At first, the couple decided to only stay for three years, but after falling in love with the country, the two decided to settle down in Taiwan and open up a bakery selling the traditional treat. In Lithuania, the cakes come in only one flavor: vanilla. The couple sells three flavors: chocolate, matcha, and vanilla. The couple is currently in the process of developing a dragon fruit-flavored cake.

Elina Gerasimova
Co-founder
Our cakes I think are unique because we introduced two flavors in Taiwan. We have matcha and chocolate flavors, which we don’t have in Lithuania. Lithuania you only have traditional like this.

Jevgeniy Gerasimov
Co-founder
It is all-natural. We don’t use any additives. Nothing like that. The matcha is Japanese and the cocoa chocolate is Belgium or Malaysian. It is natural. It is difficult to find natural red ingredients so we tried with a few and now we are looking at how to use dragon fruit to make the color red and shiny. When we made the first cake, the sugar and sweetness were too high for Taiwan. We gave it to our friends and they all said, "That is too sweet." So we reduced it by 25% so that the Taiwanese market can enjoy it.

The couple hopes to continue to bring more delicious Lithuanian goods to Taiwan and offer their patrons a taste of their country in Taiwan.

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Ex-Taipei deputy chief Huang Shan-shan joins Taiwan People’s Party

Former Taipei Deputy Mayor Huang Shan-shan has joined the Taiwan People’s Party headed by former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je. The move is feeding speculation that Huang will be Ko’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election. Huang herself has not addressed the possibility of a VP campaign. A fellow party member says that Huang might be listed as a legislator-at-large, adding that she’s a valuable asset to have in the coming election.

Former Taipei Deputy Mayor Huang Shan-shan announced that she’d joined the Taiwan People’s Party and will be leading Ko Wen-je’s presidential campaign. She said she was determined to help Ko win the election.

Huang Shan-shan
Former Taipei deputy mayor
I have been assisting Chairman Ko Wen-je in his presidential campaign planning. I think he will make a very good presidential candidate.

Although Huang has joined the Taiwan People’s Party, she has not left the People First Party, making her a member of both. Her new party affiliation could give her career more flexibility. She could be tapped as a legislator-at-large for her new party, or as its secretary-general. Some say she’s eyeing a run as Ko’s vice president.

Huang Shan-shan
Former Taipei deputy mayor
You don’t have to go around finding jobs for me.

Lin Kuo-cheng
Taiwan People’s Party Taipei office head
She served as Ko Wen-je’s deputy mayor for two or three years. So their working styles are compatible and her seriousness toward work is unquestionable. She might be placed at the top of our legislator-at-large list. Or she might be placed at the very end of the list, to draw in more votes.

Lin Kuo-cheng, the head of the Taiwan People’s Party’s Taipei branch, says that Huang is valuable in both offensive and defensive campaigns. Meanwhile, a local pundit says that Huang’s decision to join Ko’s party was carefully timed.

Kang Jen-chun
Pundit
Terry Gou announces that he’ll seek the KMT’s presidential nomination. And now over here in the Ko Wen-je camp, Huang Shan-shan is joining the Taiwan People’s Party. This indicates that the possibility of a Gou-Ko alliance is basically nonexistent at this point.

With Ko to visit the U.S. visit this week and Huang joining his party, speculation is heating up ahead of the 2024 elections.

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Lost and found: TRA to charge fees for lost luggage, auction off old items

The Taiwan Railways Administration collects more than 10,000 lost items every month. Up until now, it has taken care of lost and found items for free. It even sends items on for collection at another station as a free service. But all that is about to change. TRA wants to free up space in its store cupboards and prevent travelers from wasting its time. Collecting an item from another station will now incur a fee. And items that have been languishing a year in storage will be sold or destroyed.

Chen Jou-an
FTV reporter
Here in the lost luggage warehouse of Taipei Main Station, you can see in the corner there are 30 lost umbrellas. This big box contains unclaimed bags. And these metal cupboards are full of lost items.

TRA managed to contact the owner of this bag last June. The owner asked to collect their item from Taipei Main Station, but then never turned up. Lots of people lose an item at one station and ask to collect it at another, but then never show up to collect it. Now TRA is going to employ a new policy.

From May 1, travelers who wish TRA to send a lost item to a specified station will need to pay in advance for the service. The fee will range from NT$35-55 depending on the weight of the item and the length of its journey. If it’s not picked up within two days, TRA will charge an extra holding charge of NT$25 a day.

Member of public
I think it’s reasonable to charge for shipping costs. I think it’s OK if you can pick it up within two days. If you’ve lost something important, you should go and collect it immediately.

Member of public
If you haven’t paid, you might have less desire to go and pick the item up. That will mean TRA accumulates more and more stuff.

The travelers we surveyed felt that fees were reasonable and could prompt owners to collect items in a timely manner. Meanwhile, TRA says it plans to deal with items left in the warehouse for over a year by either auctioning them or destroying them. The company held a lost items auction this February at Shulin Station.

The items up for sale included a bicycle, a games console, and a designer handbag, attracting lots of bidders. TRA hopes it new policies will encourage travelers to collect their items swiftly and prevent good items from piling up unused in the store cupboard.

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Sport sponsorship program of Formosa Plastic Group enters its 13th year

The world of pro sports is intensely competitive, and the cost of training can be enormous. Competing in global championships is the only way to win fame, but touring abroad is way too expensive for new players to finance. That’s where corporate sponsorship comes in. The sponsorship program of Formosa Plastics Group has supported hundreds of Taiwan’s promising athletes to compete worldwide. Now in its 13th year, the program wants to support even more athletes to bring medals home to Taiwan. Let’s take a look at some of the sportspeople who have benefited from corporate sponsorship.

With a nifty shot, Ko Ping-chung pockets two balls in one. But such impressive moves are a piece of cake for the pro pool player, who previously reached the semi-finals of the U.S. Open Pool Championship.

Another star athlete is tennis player Liang En-shuo, who won the doubles title at this year’s ITF World Tennis Tour in Thailand. International triumphs like this are down to years of hard work, day in, day out, but also thanks to corporate sponsorship.

Ko Ping-chung
9-ball pool player
It’s actually a big expense to go and compete abroad. We can only increase our ranking if we get support to go and compete internationally.

Liang En-shuo
Tennis player
We have to pay for everything - coaches and athletic trainers, bed and board and plane tickets. If the trip is a long one, it can cost more than NT$1 million.

When a player is still unknown, a NT$1 million trip needs support from a corporate sponsor, so they can focus on the sport. Some players continue to get corporate support even after making a name for themselves. That includes ping pong champion Lin Yun-ju, who once beat China’s Ma Long, a.k.a. the greatest table tennis player of all time, as well as tennis player Tseng Chun-hsin, of the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Wang Ling-hua
Chinese Taipei Tennis Association
We help some players who have the ability and have the skills, but who perhaps don’t have great financial circumstances, so they can go compete abroad without worrying about finances.

The sports sponsorship program of Formosa Plastics Group is now in its 13th year. So far it has supported 362 athletes with a total of NT$320 million. Those athletes have lived up to their promise by winning more than 383 international titles. It’s a great way for a company to get publicity while raising Taiwan’s international profile.

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