AIT chair to meet with three presidential hopefuls during visit

AIT chair to meet with three presidential hopefuls during visit

2023-06-06

AIT Chair Laura Rosenberger is back in Taiwan, less than two months after her last visit. She’s announced plans to meet all three presidential candidates in the 2024 election. Rosenberger said the U.S. would not choose sides or interfere in Taiwan’s election.

The AIT chair said that no matter who is elected, the U.S. will continue to collaborate and maintain strong relations with Taiwan. Analysts say these remarks do not indicate that the U.S. lacks a preference in the election. They speculate that the three meetings will serve as a test, for which candidate best aligns with the U.S. position on Taiwan.

羅森柏格再來台強調美國不會在台灣大選「選邊站」

2023-06-06

四月剛結束訪台行程的AIT主席羅森柏格，昨天再在來台。她除了針對近來美軍艦通行台海遭中方挑釁，強調美軍會繼續執行自由航行和飛越外，也預告將和台灣三位總統參選人見面，還強調美國不會在大選選邊站。

羅森柏格強調，無論台灣民眾選出哪位領導人，美國都會繼續合作，維持強健關係，學者分析，羅森柏格的說法不代表美國沒特定想法，客觀等距交往，也是在測試三人，誰最符合美國對台立場。

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Ministry of Culture launches NT$1,200 voucher for young adults

The Ministry of Culture has launched a NT$1,200 voucher for young adults. Starting Tuesday, 18- to 21-year-olds can use their voucher at arts and culture events and venues, such as bookshops and cinemas. To mark the start of the program, the ministry organized an unofficial graduation party, where a surprise guest made an appearance.

The party kicks off with a show, starring Zhongshan Girls High School’s sign language club. President Tsai Ing-wen made a surprise appearance at her alma mater, to convey her good wishes to graduating teens.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
Back in our day, the biggest shows were put on by the honor guard and the marching band. We didn’t have cool dance routines like the one just now by the Jianguo High School students, or hip performances like the one by Zhongshan Girls High School. It would’ve been unimaginable then.

Tsai was visiting her high school for the first time in seven years. She remarked that the historic building didn’t feel too different from her current workplace.

The event also featured a quiz, and the top three scorers received a certificate from the president. Because of the pandemic, three cohorts of high-school seniors missed out on their graduation ceremonies, as well as various cultural and community experiences. In a bid to compensate for that, the Ministry of Culture will grant a NT$1,200 voucher to all young adults aged 18 to 21. About 1 million people will be eligible to collect the vouchers, which can be spent at arts and cultural events and venues, including bookshops and cinemas.

Student
Zhongshan Girls High School
I think this is great. It’s like getting NT$1,200 extra in pocket money that I can spend on arts and culture.

Shih Che
Minister of Culture
We’re following in the footsteps of Europe, giving young people this first resource with which they can participate in cultural experiences, as part of their coming-of-age ritual – that is to say, their transition into an adult.

The Ministry of Culture says it hopes at least 60% of the vouchers will be used. If the program proves popular, the ministry says it may issue annual vouchers in the future, to give youth the gift of cultural experiences as they come of age.

2023-06-06

Transworld University and two other schools ordered to close

The Ministry of Education has ordered the closures of three higher education institutions, starting July 31, 2024. In a Monday committee meeting, the ministry decided to shut down Tatung Institute of Technology in Chiayi, Transworld University in Yunlin, and Mingdao University in Changhua. Each school has been plagued by financial troubles in recent years. They must cease all recruitment for the upcoming academic year. The closures will displace about a thousand students and lead to the layoffs of some 400 staff.

More than 30 years after its founding, Transworld University will stop recruitment and close its doors by July of next year.

Student
Transworld University
We often go participate in competitions. I feel that this is a real shame.

Faculty
Transworld University
I’ve spent a large chunk of my life at this school, so of course, upon hearing this news, I can’t help but feel reluctant to say goodbye.

Transworld University had a NT$230 million shortfall in its books, which it failed to make up within a government deadline. The Ministry of Education convened a review committee to decide the school’s fate. With the agreement of more than half the members present, the committee ruled to close its doors.

Shen Chien-hua
Transworld University president
The Ministry of Education has a fixed protocol for student placement. But our students have certain rights that we want to remind them of.

Another school soon to be shuttered is Mingdao University in Changhua. The school expressed regret but said it respected the committee’s decision.

Student
I’m a little nervous. After all I will have to go from a familiar environment to an unfamiliar one.

These schools will see their board of directors restructured by the Ministry of Education as early as this July. After that, they will continue to exist for a year. During this year, faculty salaries and severance payments will be made from a government fund. However, previously unpaid salaries, such as those owed by Mingdao University, will need to be paid by the school itself.

Kuo Chiu-shun
Mingdao University president
The Ministry of Education has a school discontinuation fund. After the ministry takes over, salaries will be paid from that fund. But unpaid salaries from February, March, April, and May will be paid by the original board of directors.

With the low birth rate affecting higher education, running a college is more challenging than ever. As one school after another closes up, officials are seeking ways to protect students’ interests.

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NTCH Summer Jazz Outdoor Party to kick off in August

Since 2003, the National Theater and Concert Hall has delighted music lovers with its Summer Jazz Outdoor Party. This year’s festival will kick off again in August, featuring artists from Taiwan and abroad. FTV reporter Stephany Yang gives us a preview.

Taiwanese jazz musicians Rich Huang, Stacey Wei, Hsu Yu-ying, Shawna Yang, and Vincent Hsu take the stage at a media preview of the upcoming NTCH Summer Jazz Outdoor Party.

Renowned trumpeter Stacey Wei will perform romantic jazz songs with international jazz musicians Michael Mossman, Aubrey Johnson, Cliff Almond, and Antonio Hart.

Stacey Wei
Trumpeter
Four musicians from abroad plus seven local musicians will come together for a performance. This year we’ll use the theme of jazz love songs. We will perform some famous songs such as Santana’s “Black Magic” and Stevie Wonder’s "I Just Called to Say I Love You."

This year’s jazz party, themed “Play it Forward!” will feature local and international heavyweights in a diverse jazz showcase.

Rich Huang
Drummer
There will be Latin, jazz, tango, flamenco, big band, and international performances. There will also be local musicians who bring some surprise performances.

Hsu Yu-ying
Pianist
I will combine the use of electronics, playing the piano and synthesizer myself. The musicians I invited will play electric bass, but there will also be traditional jazz instruments like drums. I created new compositions for this event.

Shawna Yang
Saxophonist
I will be performing at the outdoor jazz party. We will have three programs this time, each with a different direction. I will perform with a piano trio from Sweden.

Vincent Hsu
Jazz bassist
I planned a program that will be held at the experimental theater. Two bands are invited to perform different performance styles on the same stage. So even as two bands play the same song, they showcase different musical styles.

Since 2003, the National Theater and Concert Hall has delighted music lovers with its Summer Jazz Party. During the worst of the pandemic, the festival was not able to bring musicians from abroad. This year, international artists are returning to the annual jazz festival, which will be held at the NTCH’s main plaza and indoor spaces such as its experimental theater.

Liu Yi-ruu
NTCH general and artistic director
Since the borders have finally opened, we have invited renowned international musicians to come to Taiwan. We’ve also got equally talented local jazz musicians. Every year we have performances at several venues. Besides multiple performances in the concert hall, there are shows in the experimental theater and there are outdoor jazz parties.

The NTCH Summer Jazz Outdoor Party will be held from Aug. 18 till Sept. 2.

2023-06-06

Drink plenty of water to prevent kidney and bladder stones: doctors

Kidney stones are a common ailment in Taiwan. With our subtropical climate, the summer is particularly dangerous. Doctors say the no. 1 way to reduce the risk of kidney stones – and bladder stones – is to drink more water. Getting enough liquid also stimulates the metabolism and may help prevent urinary tract infections. But how can you tell if you’re sufficiently hydrated? We spoke to Cathay General Hospital urologistTsai Shu-wei, to learn how to check if you need to grab that water bottle.

Lee Shih-chen
FTV reporter
It’s summer – time to up your water intake. Not drinking enough water increases your risk of kidney stones.

Summer is hot and humid. You sweat a lot of water, which brings your chances of developing a kidney stone three to five times higher than in winter. Since Taiwan is in the subtropics, it is also a global hotspot for bladder stones.

Tsai Shu-wei
Cathay General Hospital doctor
Sometimes a patient has stones, or they have a urinary tract infection. We look at the proportions of the content of their urine and we ask them some questions, and then we may find that the patient generally drinks very little water.

Drinking water prevents kidney stones, and also reduces the risk of a stroke. It can help women avoid urinary tract infections, because urinating regularly makes it harder for an infection to develop. Kidney stones are most common in the 30-50 age bracket. If you want to check that you’re drinking enough water, the simplest method is to monitor your pee.

Tsai Shu-wei
Cathay General Hospital doctor
If you’re taking certain special vitamins, they will make your urine change color. Otherwise, if the urine is almost transparent, that means you’re drinking enough water. If it looks a little yellow, that means you didn’t drink enough water today, so drink a suitable amount more.

Doctors recommend drinking at least 2,000 milliliters of water a day. To avoid kidney stones, the other top tips are: take an appropriate amount of physical exercise and maintain a healthy weight.

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Atayal artist Miru Hayung shares journey with art and dreams for the future

Taiwan has many rich artistic traditions. Today we meet Atayal tribe painter Miru Hayung. His paintings, inspired by Taiwan’s indigenous Atayal culture, feature a unique rounded style that fans find calming and peaceful. He’s famous for his public installation “Flourishing On and On.” It can be seen at the Atayal Story Park in Luofu Hot Springs District in Taoyuan. We spoke to Hayung about his inspirations and dreams for the future.

Bright paintings marked by soft, flowing lines bring a feeling of peace to viewers. This is the work of Miru Hayung.

Miru Hayung
Artist
I’ve been interested in painting since I was a child. But after my studies, the work I’ve done hasn’t been connected to painting. But I’ve always been trying to paint.

The name “Miru” means “write” or “draw” in the Atayal language. He’s always loved drawing, and studied commercial design in high school. In those days he favored a realistic drawing style. But in 2007, he started using bright blocks of color and bolder lines.

Miru Hayung
Artist
Some indigenous topics don’t have to be so concrete. I hope that through creative expression I can attract people’s attention.

But Hayung’s creative work isn’t just on canvas. He also creates large-scale installation art and murals. His favorite work is this depiction of Atayal fishing traps and seafaring culture, entitled “Flourishing On and On.”

Miru Hayung
Artist
“Flourishing On and On” was the very first thing that touched me. So I hope that future works can also “flourish on and on.”

Hayung’s unique style has been fed by attending many exhibitions and studying many other artists’ work. And indigenous life is a major source of inspiration.

Miru Hayung
Artist
Things belonging to the Atayal, both the natural world and things we use at home in daily life.

Hayung’s own restaurant is so full of paintings it’s like an art gallery. One day he hopes to found an art gallery for his tribe, to help pass down the Atayal artistic traditions and see them “flourish on and on.”

2023-06-06