Taiwan braces for ‘biggest spring rain’ of the year

Taiwan braces for ‘biggest spring rain’ of the year

2023-04-19

Three straight days of rain are in the forecast, with the heaviest downpours to hit tomorrow. People in central and southern Taiwan could be in for more than 200 millimeters of rainfall, which might just be Taiwan’s biggest spring shower of the year so far.

It’s set to give a much-needed boost to the drought-stricken south, which hasn’t seen significant rain in more than 600 days. The Central Weather Bureau warns of possible flooding in the western half of the island. Those of you in mountainous regions of central and southern Taiwan are advised to be on high alert for landslides and mudslides.

最強春雨報到! 全台連三天降雨週四雨勢最劇

2023-04-19

氣象局表示，今天開始一連三天，全台都有降雨，而且明天雨勢最為劇烈，中南部地區要防範200毫米大雨的發生。

這波號稱今年至今最強的春雨，可望為超過600天沒有降下大雨的南臺灣，一次來個大進補，但因為只來兩天，想要緩解旱象還太早。而氣象局也提醒，除了西半部要堤防淹水，中南部也因為太久沒下大雨，山區土質比較乾固鬆軟，要小心土石流。

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Navy Admiral Mei Chia-shu appointed as chief of the general staff

President Tsai Ing-wen has approved a military reshuffle that takes effect May 1. Most notably, Navy Commander Mei Chia-shu will take over as chief of the general staff, filling a post left vacant by the retirement of Chen Pao-yu. Mei boasts impressive credentials and is known for his finesse in handling delicate situations. Lawmakers and military experts have widely praised the appointment.

President Tsai Ing-wen has approved a reshuffle of top military officials. Current Chief of the General Staff Chen Pao-yu is set to retire later this month. His post will be assumed by Navy Admiral Mei Chia-shu.

Mei Chia-shu (April 2020)
Then-Navy deputy commander
On behalf of the Navy, I would like to offer an apology to the general public.

Bowing in apology, Mei was the public face of the military in 2020, after COVID broke out on the Panshih supply ship. Mei also demonstrated his crisis management skills during the 2017 Ching Fu Shipbuilding scandal and the Hsiung Feng III missile mishap of 2016. His experience and training are strong, but even so, the promotion came earlier than expected based on his military rank.

Chen Yu-chen
KMT lawmaker
This appointment highlights the fact that, in the event of instability in the Taiwan Strait, our priority is to secure maritime dominance.

Hsu Chih-chieh
DPP lawmaker
I think Tsai Ing-wen’s choice to opt for younger staff with international experience is good.

Tang tu-sheng
Retired Navy captain
I’ve only heard positive things about him, about his human touch. He’s not overly stern.

The post of Navy commander will be taken over by Vice Chief of General Staff Tang Hua. From the Army, Commander Hsu Yen-pu will become vice minister of defense and be put in charge of armaments. Vice Commander Chung Shu-ming will be promoted to commander. All the appointments will take effect on May 1.

Wang Ting-yu
DPP lawmaker
All of the generals have international experience, particularly with the U.S. They are younger, they have international experience, and they can integrate Navy, Army and Air Force resources to counter China’s threat.

With China’s aggression mounting, Tsai has moved to reorganize the military in her last year in office, to strengthen and reform Taiwan’s Armed Forces. The changes are aimed at preparing Taiwan’s military for an ever-changing international environment.With China’s aggression mounting, Tsai has moved to reorganize the military in her last year in office, to strengthen and reform Taiwan’s Armed Forces. The changes are aimed at preparing Taiwan’s military for an ever-changing international environment.

2023-04-19

Investigation Bureau gets 117 new staff

The Investigation Bureau welcomed 117 new staff into its ranks during a graduation ceremony on Wednesday. The newly minted investigators hail from diverse academic fields, ranging from chemistry to foreign languages. For the first time, the graduating class included two former EVA flight attendants. At the ceremony, President Tsai Ing-wen issued a call to arms, urging the investigators to defend Taiwan’s democracy amid China’s growing threat.

President Tsai Ing-wen poses for a photo with 117 newly minted investigators. The Investigation Bureau plays a key role in countering Chinese cognitive warfare and talent poaching. On Wednesday, Tsai expressed high hopes for this fresh batch of graduates.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
I hope you will all adhere to the principles of democracy and rule of law to protect the rights and interests of the general public. I also hope you will stay up to date with the times and continually improve your professional skills. Lastly, I hope you can be disciplined and maintain administrative neutrality.

The valedictorian of this 59th cohort of investigators is Yang Chih-jen, a graduate from National Taiwan University’s Department of Chemistry. He previously worked as a Mandarin Chinese teacher in Vietnam and is fluent in Italian.

Yang Chih-jen
Graduating investigator
I was looking for a job where I would interact with people a lot, and that would allow me to use my foreign language skills. As I was looking online, I found that the work at the Investigation Bureau was ideal for me.

This year’s class includes Hung Chieh-lin, a former flight attendant and graduate of Fu Jen Catholic University’s Department of Japanese Language and Culture. Hung’s father and sister are also investigators. Hung is a skilled swimmer, and her physical fitness test broke a record set previously set by her sister.

Hung Chieh-lin
Graduating investigator
Flight attendants play a very important role in ensuring flight safety. Working for the Investigation Bureau means we have to ensure our nation’s safety. It’s a very challenging job that includes investigating major crime cases. I think I can get a sense of accomplishment from it.

The ranks include another former flight attendant, Huang Yung-hsuan. After working for airlines for seven years, she decided to join the Investigation Bureau to fulfill a childhood dream.

Huang Yung-hsuan
Graduating investigator
As a kid, my dream was to be an investigator. I also wanted to do my bit for the country.

The new batch of investigators say they hope to use their varied backgrounds and skills to keep Taiwan safe.

2023-04-19

Made-in-Taiwan drones are in the incubator at innovative R&D center

Made-in-Taiwan drones are in the incubator at an innovative center in Chiayi. It’s part of the government’s "national drone team" plan, to produce drones that will boost Taiwan’s defense capability. There are 40 different firms collaborating at the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center. The 10-hectare site is run by Chiayi County along with National Formosa University and Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology. It’s also forging links with collaborators worldwide, in the hope of one day taking Taiwanese drones global.

This is the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center in Chiayi’s Taibao City. It’s set to become the center of drone development in Taiwan.

Chiang Chen-wei
Chiayi County Economic Development Dept.
At first, we went to the Aeronautical Systems Division of National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, and to National Formosa University. The three parties worked together to revitalize this place. We’ve brought drone manufacturers here from the north, center and south of Taiwan, and built it up bit by bit.

The center is set in grounds of 10 hectares. Forty firms from Taiwan and abroad are already involved. They can conduct design, research and development work here, as well as assemble prototypes.

When a model is built, it’s taken straight to the center’s runway for a trial.

Hsu Hsin-sheng
A3FUNII CEO
This is a paradise! Why? Because – in my experience – we’re a small company, and our old factory was in a field. In the early days, when we’d developed a model and wanted to test it – and we make big drones – it would disturb people, disturb the neighbors. We’d get reported, and it was risky. So coming here – it’s a great location.

The government has formed the national drone team as part of its strategy to strengthen Taiwan’s asymmetric capabilities. It’s focused on domestic as well as international markets.

Chiang Chen-wei
Chiayi County Economic Development Dept.
Many manufacturers from places including the U.S., the Czech Republic, Turkey, Japan and Dubai, came here to visit and work with us. For example, a delegation from the Czech parliament came here recently, and 13 people from the aerospace delegation came too, looking for future collaboration options.

The center is building connections worldwide, in the hope that a made-in-Taiwan drone will one day come into mainstream international use.

2023-04-19

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2023-04-19

A drill with the military fire fighters at Songshan Air Force Base

At Taipei’s Songshan Airport is the military airfield, Songshan Air Force Base. It sees a wide variety of civilian and military aircraft land or take off every day, including aircraft carrying the president and other top government officials. And that requires a fire department with a lot of special capacities. The fire trucks at the base can carry 10 times as much water as a normal urban fire truck. Today we follow along with the team in a major drill.

A call comes in to the fire department at Songshan Air Force Base.

Within 90 seconds, the officers have donned full uniform, complete with air tanks, and jumped in the trucks to get to the fire.

This is just an emergency drill for a fire in a Fokker 50, which is an airliner used by Taiwan’s vice president. But every detail counts. First jets of water are shot at the fire from the trucks’ roofs. When the fire is under control, they switch to water cannons at the front of the trucks, using a V-shape so that fire fighters can enter the aircraft and safely evacuate the passengers.

This Striker 3000 is tasked with ensuring the mission is finally complete.

Yeh Pei-hsuan
FTV reporter
This apple-green military fire truck is only deployed to Air Force airfields across Taiwan. They’re even harder to pick out in a perilous situation. It has 1,250 gallons a minute waterpower, which can rapidly put out a fire on an airplane.

Major Chen Min-cheng
Songshan Base fire department chief
A metropolitan fire truck only has capacity for about 300 gallons. The Striker 3000 has 3,000 gallons. There aren’t any outdoor fire hoses in the vicinity of our airfield, so it needs to have a larger water capacity.

Sergeant Major Kao Chen-chien
Songshan Base fire department chief
With military aircraft, there can be a danger of ammunitions explosions, or the potential for leaks of hydrazine.

The duties of the fire department at Songshan Air Force Base include emergency responses for military-civilian aircraft and major natural disasters, as well as facilities like aircraft hangars and fleet oiler hangars. The department is the main line of defense for Taiwan’s most prestigious airfield.

2023-04-19

National debt per capital jumps to record NT$271,000

2023-04-19

Economic downturn casts pall over Touch Taiwan

The 2023 Touch Taiwan exhibition is underway, featuring cutting-edge display panels for sectors like automotive, retail, and art. But the panel industry has been struggling since last year due to a global economic slump. On Tuesday, AUO Corporation says it will adjust its production lines. Meanwhile, Innolux has decided not to issue dividends due to losses. Instead, it will offer a cash capital reduction of NT$4.778 billion, to give back NT$0.5 per share to their 570,000 shareholders.

The 2023 Touch Taiwan exhibition opened on Wednesday with 295 participating companies. This year’s highlights are cross-industry applications, such as AUO’s 55-inch curved automotive display, which uses eye-tracking technology to detect driver fatigue. The display for the front passenger seat features switchable privacy technologies, to avoid diverting the driver’s attention.

Innolux, a leading panel manufacturer, used 660 lightboxes and 2,080 9-inch light panels to create an immersive exhibition space. It’s also unveiled display solutions for the retail sector and art galleries. But amid an industry downturn that began last year, Innolux has suffered several consecutive quarters of losses. It’s decided not to pay dividends, but to implement a cash capital reduction of NT$4.778 billion. This would give its 575,000 shareholders a payback of NT$0.5 per share.

Jim Hung
Innolux chairman
Performance in the second and third quarters should be better than the first’s, as the economy recovers and clients restock inventory. The highest inventories have already dipped to their lowest levels. Because of last year’s losses, we can’t distribute a surplus, but we want to return cash to our shareholders through a capital reduction.

AUO expects demand for TV panels to recover quarter by quarter. AUO also addressed reports that it planned to adjust capacity for some production lines.

Paul Peng
AUO chairman
We will make dynamic adjustments according to the economic climate. Of course some of our older factories have a limited lifespan. The other thing is that their overall competitiveness, their carbon emissions factor, are worse than that of newer factories. So we are upgrading them, or “emptying the cages to change the birds.”

As for the recent water shortage in the south, AUO said it was not hurting production.

Paul Peng
AUO chairman
We recycle up to 95% of the water we use in the process of energy, power, and water consumption. Even with the recent water shortage, we have a sufficient supply for our use. We have not been affected by the water shortage.

In the face of the drought, summer power needs, and global economic challenges, businesses hope for resolution and relief to come quickly.

2023-04-19

Four breakfast chains to switch to plastic-free paper containers starting May

2023-04-19

Cancer survivor brings joy and laughter to the ward of Mennonite Christian Hospital

There’s an inspiring volunteer at the Mennonite Christian Hospital in Hualien. As a cancer survivor, Cheng Wei-min accompanies patients at the Cancer Resource Service Center. His quirky humor and easy laughter help patients face treatment with a light heart. And his story provides hope that there can be life and joy after a diagnosis.

Laughter fills the corridors here at the Cancer Resource Service Center of the Mennonite Christian Hospital. In the green jacket is Cheng Wei-min, who’s a bit of a cheerleader for the patients here.

Cheng Wei-min
Mennonite Christian Hospital
As long as there’s still life in me, then I should be giving back. I should support the medical staff to help others.

Cheng was a teacher for many years. Now 73, he developed stomach cancer nine years ago, and had to have his gallbladder and part of his liver removed. After a long illness, he made a great recovery. Now he uses his lived experience of the pain and fear of that illness to support other patients. He’s always willing to bring out a joke and a courageous smile.

Cheng Wei-min
Mennonite Christian Hospital
I think the best payback for what I give, the happiest part of it for me, is when I can hear them laughing.

Cheng takes care of the center’s wig collection. Inside this chest of drawers lie dozens of beanies and headscarves, available for use at any time by cancer patients. Cheng has been working here for more than four years. He’s here two days a week, sometimes joining patients to perform onstage, singing, performing drag or taking part in theater.

Huang Ching-yi
Mennonite Christian Hospital case manager
He can make a relaxed smile appear on the face of the tensest cancer patient. His zany humor brings us a lot of joy as we work together, but he’s also very good at lovingly reminding us of things, so I’ve learned a lot from him.

As a cancer survivor, Cheng can empathize with how difficult cancer treatment is. His company shows patients that it can pass and recovery is possible, helping them meet their illness with hope and courage.

2023-04-19

Taichung enjoys 100% seafood congee served by former Air Force pilot

Seafood dishes are among Taiwan’s favorite foods. And at one small restaurant in Taichung, seafood congee is the big attraction. The restaurant is run by a former Air Force pilot, who brings all the discipline of his military training to the job. Fresh seafood is delivered to the eatery every single day. And each bowl is only served up when he’s satisfied that it’s 100% perfect.

Oysters, whiteleg shrimp, slices of perch and clams: all go into this seafood soup.

The soup is simmering with a broth made of perch bones. The rice soaks up all the goodness from the broth, and combines with all the varied fish to create a thoroughly satisfying congee. The chef, Yang Chia-pin, is a former Air Force pilot.

Here he is in the cockpit of a Black Hawk military helicopter. Yang was in the Air Force for over 20 years and undertook numerous missions before retiring and turning to the restaurant business. The discipline and rigor that he brought to the Air Force are visible in how he prepares ingredients and serves food.

Yang Chia-pin
Restaurant owner
Actually, I follow the standards 100% for every dish as I would apply to flight safety. I want to give every customer a dish that meets standards 100%. Otherwise I don’t want to serve it.

This nearly overflowing dish is a favorite for many locals, including a former city councilor and a local school principal.

Chang Yao-chung
Former Taichung City councilor
Although it’s a small seafood congee, it’s packed with love and integrity. When it’s made with love and integrity, then it really touches us when we eat it.

Tsai Cheng-hsien
Nan-Tun Elementary School principal
It’s all flavors of nature. And the most important thing is – we were just stressing this – they don’t add any artificial flavorings. We feel great after eating this.

To ensure the highest quality, Yang gets fresh seafood delivered straight from the harbors every day. That’s his commitment, and maybe it’s connected to his Air Force training. He says he puts in 100% for every dish every day.

2023-04-19