Chinese carrier group led by Shandong carrier transits the Taiwan Strait

Chinese carrier group led by Shandong carrier transits the Taiwan Strait

2023-05-28

China’s Shandong aircraft carrier transited the Taiwan Strait on Saturday. It was its third passage through waters near Taiwan in the past two months. One observer said the vessel may have been on its way to get annual maintenance work done, and that the carrier is less of a threat to Taiwan than China’s newest carrier, the Fujian. He added that China’s growing number of carriers is making it more capable to strike Taiwan from the east, which authorities should better prepare for.

Voice of Sun Li-fang
Defense ministry spokesman
A three-vessel carrier group led by Chinese aircraft carrier the Shandong transited the Taiwan Strait at noon on the 27th. The vessels moved along the western side of the strait’s median line toward the northeast. The military used aircraft, vessels and coastal systems to closely monitor the carrier group, and to stay updated on the situation around the strait.

Su Tzu-yun
Institute for National Defense Security Research
If it was not for a drill, then it was most likely for annual maintenance. Especially judging from the movements of the Shandong over the past two years, maintenance is the most likely explanation. Shandong has also been found to be carrying a large number of drones, and it could be that the PLA is taking this opportunity to perform maintenance on them. It will also most likely perform hardware modifications on them. The Liaoning and Shandong carriers are used more for exercises, while the bigger threat is China’s regular-service Fujian carrier. China is expected to conduct near-shore tests with the Fujian before next year, and then carry out exercises with it out at sea.

The observer says that as the number of China’s aircraft carriers increases, the threat to Taiwan is also growing, and that includes Taiwan’s east coast. Taiwan must devise measures to respond to that growing threat, he says.

第三度出沒台灣周遭中國山東艦航母編隊穿越台海

2023-05-28

中國山東艦打擊群，週六中午由南往北通過台灣海峽，國軍強調全程掌握。但從四月初在菲律賓海、四月底在鵝鑾鼻東南方，這已經是山東艦第三度出沒在台灣周遭，專家研判山東艦可能要返港修整，不排除在此期間增加無人機配置，同時示警中國真正有威脅的航艦，是2024即將服役的福建號。

[[聲源:國防部發言人孫立方]]
“中共山東號航艦編隊艦船3艘，在27號午間通過台灣海峽，沿中線以西北駛，這段期間國軍運用任務機、任務艦，以及岸置系統綿密監控，有效掌握台海周邊的區域動態。”

[[國防院國防戰略與資源所長蘇紫雲]]
“(山東艦)如果不是在進行長航演訓，最可能就是進行年度大修。特別從山東號近兩年的動向來看，大修的行程是最有可能。山東號也曾被發現配置過大量無人機，(可能)趁這次年度保修時間，很可能進行工程上的改裝。遼寧號跟山東號目前是屬於比較訓練性質的航艦，威脅比較大是中共的正規航艦福建號，預估可能在明年之前，會在岸邊進行相關的測試，接著就出海進行演練。”

專家表示，中方航母數量越來越多，就算無法在狹窄的台海作戰，但艦上導彈系統，加上搭載的戰機，機動出沒，連東部都難逃威脅，國軍必須找出應對方式。

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China’s TAO attempts holding cross-strait media summit in bid to control Taiwan’s media

With the presidential election coming up next year, Beijing is making moves to influence public sentiment in Taiwan. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office had planned to hold a cross-strait media summit this month, inviting 30 media outlets in Taiwan to attend. However, the TAO was unable to generate any interest in the summit, and was forced to reschedule the event. Despite that, one pundit said that China was unlikely to abandon its resolve to interfere in the 2024 presidential election. Meanwhile, Premier Chen Chien-jen delivered a stern warning to Beijing, saying that Taiwan’s media are driven by professionalism and press freedom.

At a meeting of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in March, head of the advisory body, Wang Huning, reiterated several times the goal of the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese people.”

Wang Huning (March 11)
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At the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, a plan has been drawn up for the comprehensive development of a powerful, modern socialist nation. Through the advancement of Chinese-style modernization, a grand blueprint for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese people has been laid out, sounding the horn on the start of a new journey of the times.

Wang’s speech also mentioned unification with Taiwan, which is understood to be a central part of that goal. Now, two months later, Wang is taking aim at Taiwanese media, but has so far been failing in this effort.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office had scheduled to hold its fifth cross-strait media summit from Wednesday to Saturday last week, and had originally planned to invite executives from 30 Taiwanese media companies to attend.

Wang was to attend the summit in person, and tasked organizers with facilitating a discussion on a Taiwanese version of the “one country, two systems” framework. Organizers were also told to sing the praises of the Chinese economy in a bid to attract Taiwanese investors. However, few signed up for the summit. The reason may be rooted in events that occurred four years earlier.

Wang Yang (May 12, 2019)
Then-CPPCC head
The Taiwanese authorities cannot even guarantee what will happen in two years. Now there are Taiwanese separatists betting on the Americans. Will the Americans fight against China over Taiwan? If they do fight, will they win?

Uninterested in indoctrination, and also focused on Taiwan’s upcoming election, Taiwanese media companies opted out of the Chinese summit. The TAO was forced to put off the event, and shift focus toward media marketing. It sought out smaller media companies , local radio stations and newer online news outlets to participate.

Chang Ming-yu
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During President Tsai Ing-wen’s first and second-term elections, and now ahead of next year’s presidential election, China has used the same approach throughout. It uses money and disinformation campaigns to interfere in Taiwan’s elections. China is not going to abandon its resolve to interfere in Taiwan’s elections.

Chen Chien-jen
Premier
Don’t engage in any malicious activity aimed at disturbing peace and stability in Taiwan. Taiwan’s media will insist on press freedom and professionalism. It won’t become a tool of China’s vicious acts of suppression, or of its united-front efforts.

China’s attempt at influencing Taiwanese media under the guise of democratic discussion has failed, but with elections coming up, it is more important than ever to remain vigilant.

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Digital devices are spying on microphone data: NordVPN

How secure is data on your phone? Maybe you’ve wondered whether your phone is spying on you, after ads popped up that were suspiciously related to your recent conversations. A new report from a global VPN company has shown that our phones are indeed spying on us. Some apps use the microphone in the background to listen to users, and then base advertising on that data. We spoke to a data security expert for tips on how to improve the privacy settings on your devices.

Tang Shih-ching
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You just finish saying you want to visit Japan. Just a few minutes later, adverts for travel agencies start popping up on your phone or computer. Experts say that your phone might indeed be spying on you.

The cyber security firm NordVPN has shown that phones’ microphones are monitoring users’ conversations and supplying data from microphones to software platforms, which then show commercials based on those conversations.

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You can go to your privacy setting, and turn off the rights for the camera, the browsing history, or even the microphone. That means it won’t let that app use that function. That could be an effective way to protect yourself against being bugged.

On Apple devices, you can turn off the microphone in settings. On Android, you can limit apps in the privacy settings tab, or turn on access to the mic. On a desktop computer, you can cover the camera with a piece of paper to prevent apps using it.

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You should regularly check your computer for viruses, to prevent malicious software or hackers from installing malicious apps on your computer. Normal companies shouldn’t be listening to your data for no good reason. As much as possible, avoid risky brands - that’s another strategy, of course.

This data security expert says that it is technically difficult for most companies to tap your mic constantly. But if you want to be sure, it’s worth doing a check on your privacy settings and choosing the options that are most secure.

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AI godfather Jensen Huang takes Computex by storm with more than 5,000 attendees registered

With a market value expected to reach US$80 trillion by 2030, AI has been sweeping the globe. Jensen Huang, CEO and founder of AI supplier Nvidia, is at the forefront of that wave. Over the weekend, Huang spoke at the commencement of National Taiwan University, where he encouraged graduates to seize the unprecedented opportunities that AI will present. Huang is also slated to speak at the opening keynote at Computex on Monday. Organizers say that over five thousand attendees have registered for the event.

This billboard displays the pictures of all the keynote speakers at Computex. The person on the far left is Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, whose net worth reached US$34 billion after his company’s shares skyrocketed by 24% last week. He is now a sensation. Computex organizer, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, reopened registration over the weekend for Huang’s keynote. Now more than 5,000 people will have the chance to listen to the billionaire live.

Tang Shih-ching
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Computex will be held on the 30th at the Nangang Exhibition Center. In addition to ASUS, Hon Hai and nearly a thousand tech companies will be present. The man of the hour, Jensen Huang, who’s been dubbed the godfather of AI, will deliver a keynote speech at Exhibition Center 2 on the 29th. His talk will focus on the ever popular topic of AI and smart technology, and spots are already filled up.

Jensen Huang (May 27)
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Within the next decade, our industry will replace over a trillion dollars of the world’s traditional computers with new accelerated AI computers.

A day earlier, Huang spoke at National Taiwan University’s commencement, telling the graduating students that they were at the beginning of a major technology era and encouraging them to seize the unprecedented opportunities that AI will present. Indeed, with the advent of Chat GPT and with the AI theme, prices of technology stocks such as Microsoft, Facebook parent company Meta, and Google have skyrocketed. How to survive in the face of the AI onslaught has become a major test for various industries.

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Danish football player founds nonprofit soccer club in Taiwan

Today we take you to meet Johnni Nielsen, the founder of a nonprofit football club in Taipei called the F.C. Vikings. He and his wife, Hope, founded the club in 2010 to make football more accessible. Over the 13 years, they have provided free football training for elementary school students all the way up to adults. FTV reporter Stephany Yang has the story.

Walking up the staircase, he lists the trophies and medals accumulated over 13 years. This is Johnni Nielsen, founder of the F.C. Vikings. He says this trophy in particular is one of his proudest achievements.

Johnni Nielsen
F.C. Vikings founder
This is the newest trophy we won in our team. This was Shih Hsin University that won this trophy. I am very proud of this one. The school is proud of it and also the students are proud of it because this means that we’ve moved up to the first division in the university league.

For the past 13 years, Nielsen has made it his mission to share his passion for soccer in Taiwan, 5,000 miles away from his home in Denmark. Nielsen has played soccer since he was young. He’s even a European Football Federation-licensed coach. After he met his Taiwanese wife, Hope, the couple moved to Taiwan in 2009. In 2010, they launched a club that provides free training for soccer talent from elementary school all the way to adulthood.

Johnni Nielsen
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I try to do it the way I was taught when I was playing and coaching in Denmark, though I do things a bit differently here. We are a football club based in Taiwan. We play for schools because I think education is very important for young people. We go all the way from kindergarten to elementary school, junior high school, senior high school, and university, and now we have a professional team. We do training after school. We’ve just started a professional team, the F.C. Vikings PlayOne is our professional team. Our goal is to move up from the second division up to the first division and complete our AFC Club qualification. If we make it up to the best teams in Taiwan, we get to play abroad.

Hope Tsai
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These 13 years have had a lot of ups and downs. We are actually looking forward to let the society know that and we need to learn. We are building a brand new system here and it is something that has never existed in Taiwan before. We need to try to figure out a lot of things.

In 2023, they launched a professional adult team called Vikings PlayOne, composed of locals, students from Shih Hsin University, and players from abroad.

One player in the team is Mitchell Carter, a New Zealander who grew up in Taiwan. After attending university in New Zealand and playing for several teams semi-professionally in New Zealand and Qatar, he’s now back in Taiwan to play for the Vikings PlayOne.

Mitchell Carter
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I am currently a middle school PE and health teacher at Taipei American School. Obviously, one of my favorite hobbies is playing football so I am very happy to be playing football for Vikings PlayOne this year. I played a lot of football in my past so I am very happy to be in an awesome country as Taiwan is. For me, my goal is in terms of the team. That is making sure we are in the top two. If we can win this whole thing this year for division two. That would be fantastic.

After teaching at school, Carter trains with the team three times a week on the field and at least one time a week in the gym.

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We train three to four times on grass. We do a lot of tactics, we do a lot of technical work. Obviously, our coach loves us to be in peak physical condition. So a lot of shuttle runs and a lot of ball work. In terms of what we do in training, it is a lot of mixture between drills, exercises, and gameplay. It is a relatively new team. It is the first year that they have had a senior team. It has been a lot of new recruits and some young guys coming through but in terms of quality, it has been probably some of the best players and teams that I played with since I’ve been here in Taiwan. Playing for a while here, I have seen the quality and the level. Definitely, this team has a really high level and potential to grow further as we progress and develop under our coach.

Making soccer more accessible is one of Nielsen’s main goals. He also hopes to provide talented players a chance to train and compete without having to choose between sport and study or sport and their full-time jobs. He says the past 13 years building up the club have not been easy, especially raising funds, as the team provides free training and covers travel expenses for its players.

Johnni Nielsen
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We did a lot of traveling before COVID. As you know, traveling on a football team is quite expensive. We got sponsorship. The families that can afford it they will help with the tickets for their own kids. So, we really rely on sponsors to keep it going. I believe football should be for everybody. It doesn’t really matter if you are rich or poor, you should be able to play football. For me, once you put on a uniform and it has a name, then everyone is equal. It is a giving system. It is helping a lot of people.

Hope Tsai
F.C. Vikings manager
Through Vikings, we can let people understand that football and Taiwan is open to the world. And that Taiwanese actually care.

Nielsen hopes the club will continue to provide talented players with quality training and the chance to shine in Taiwan and internationally.

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