National team takes aim at MMA glory in Thailand

National team takes aim at MMA glory in Thailand

2023-08-07

Taiwan’s national team in mixed martial arts is ready to conquer. The six-person roster was unveiled at a press conference on Monday. The team will head to Bangkok next week to compete in its first international tournament.

Lee Yu-sheng, Wu Chiao-chen, Tao I-ju, and Yu Chih-cheng strike a pose at a press event. They’re members of Taiwan’s national team, and will compete at the upcoming Thai championships.

Lee Yu-sheng
National team boxer
Many countries are very impressive. But at the moment, it’s like what my coach says, the top country is probably South Korea. Of course my own goal is to win the championship.

With extensive experience in the sport, Lee shot to prominence after competing in a tournament organized by social media influencer TOYZ. Ahead of the Thai competition, he’s brimming with confidence. Meanwhile, this boxer is also generating a buzz.

Wu Chiao-chen
National team boxer
MMA is my strongest suit, and this is the first time I’ll be putting on the national team uniform and representing the country in competition. This is all quite a remarkable experience. It’s really like a dream come true.

Though petite in stature, Wu is a dynamo in disciplines including MMA, jujitsu, and boxing. She’s the only female boxer on the national team. And then there’s Yu, also known as Baby Monster. With his fast fists and feet, he’s had a stellar record in international competitions.

Yu Chih-cheng
National team boxer
To have the edge in standing techniques, you need a degree of proficiency in wrestling and in judo before you can really excel.

They’ve trained long and hard on their MMA journey, in hopes of delivering big for Taiwan on the international stage.

綜合格鬥MMA台灣隊出爐出征泰國亞錦賽

2023-08-07

亞奧理事會日前宣佈，將綜合格鬥納入正式項目，國家隊選手李育昇、吳巧貞、陶弈儒、余至誠等人，將代表台灣出征8月17號的泰國亞錦賽，今天(7日)特別召開明星選手記者會，宣布在綜合格鬥MMA奪牌的決心。

格鬥選手李育昇、吳巧貞、陶奕儒、余至誠，一字排開展現超強氣勢，因為他們將組成國家隊，代表台灣征戰泰國亞錦賽。

[[國家隊選手李育昇]]
“很多國家都很厲害，但我目前覺得比較厲害的，可能像我教練說的韓國吧，自己的目標當然是拿冠軍”

擁有豐富格鬥經驗的李育昇，日前參加網紅TOYZ舉辦的格鬥比賽，一戰而紅，這回他發下豪語，將會凱旋歸來，不過最受大家矚目的是這位。

[[國家隊選手吳巧貞]]
“這一次針對我最擅長的綜合格鬥MMA，是第一次能夠披上國家的戰袍，代表國家去比賽，所以對我來講是相當不可思議的，真的像是一個夢想成真的感覺”

身形看似嬌小的吳巧貞，擅長綜合格鬥、柔術、拳擊等多種戰術，也是台灣唯一一位女性格鬥選手。另外，擁有Baby Monster稱號的余至誠，拳腳犀利身法靈動，在國際賽事也有不錯成績。

[[國家隊選手余至誠]]
“在立技上面取得優勢，你就需要在摔角，或者是你的柔術上面有一定程度，你才可以在立技上面發揮”

選手們在綜合格鬥的路上，默默耕耘，希望為台灣在國際舞台，創造亮眼成績。

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Former Japan PM Aso Taro reaches Taiwan for 3-day visit

A delegation led by former Japanese Prime Minister Aso Taro touched down in Taiwan on Monday morning. Aso is currently the vice president of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party, which makes him the highest-ranking member to visit Taiwan in the past 50 years. During his three-day visit, Aso is scheduled to give a keynote at the Ketagalan Forum. He will also be received by President Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President Lai Ching-te. Aso is widely seen as an outspoken supporter of Taiwan.

Wearing his signature hat, Aso Taro greets the crowd. Twelve years after his last visit, the former Japanese PM and current VP of the Liberal Democratic Party is back in Taiwan.

Aso’s delegation will stay in Taiwan for three days. On Monday afternoon, Aso went to Wuzhi Mountain Military Cemetery, to pay his respects to late Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui. On Tuesday, he is scheduled to give a keynote at the Ketagalan Forum. Then he’ll have lunch with Vice President Lai Ching-te and meet President Tsai Ing-wen in the afternoon. He’ll also sit with foreign minister Joseph Wu and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an.

Chiang Wan-an
Taipei mayor
Former PM Aso has always been a very good friend of Taiwan. I hope that through more city-to-city exchanges, we will be able to deepen relations between Taiwan and Japan.

Aso Taro (2010)
Former Japan PM
In Taiwan-Japan ties, people-to-people relations are most important.

Aso is 82 years old this year. In 2008, he was elected president of the LDP and became prime minister of Japan. He later returned as deputy prime minister in 2012. Aso previously said that in many meaningful ways, Taiwan shares many common values with Japan. The pro-Taiwan politician has expressed public support for Taiwan on numerous occasions.

Aso Taro (2020)
Former Japan PM
I could say that Taiwan is the country that has best dealt with the pandemic. But if I say that Taiwan is a country, the Chinese Communist Party will tell me to resign and say that Taiwan is an area, not a country.

Kuo Kuo-wen
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Aso Taro’s Taiwan visit is as significant as Abe’s. His stance against communism and his tough position on China are on par with Abe’s if not stronger.

Aso’s visit is being closely watched. In a Facebook post published after seeing Aso off on his trip, Taiwan’s envoy to Japan Frank Hsieh said Aso may become the only major Japanese politician to meet all three candidates in Taiwan’s presidential election.

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TPP’s Ko accused of objectifying women after controversial performance

Ko Wen-je, the Taiwan People’s Party’s presidential candidate, is under fire for objectifying women. The accusations come after dancers appeared in skimpy flight attendant costumes, during a campaign event for Ko. Taoyuan’s flight attendants union denounced the outfits, saying they were disrespectful to the profession and to women at large. Ko’s campaign team says there was no intention to objectify women, and that it will be more careful with future events.

Performers dressed as flight attendants take to the stage, dancing to the K-pop hit “Flower” in miniskirts and crop tops. This performance was organized by a new women’s political group backing presidential candidate Ko Wen-je. It’s drawn sharp criticism from flight attendants.

Chou Sheng-kai
Taoyuan Flight Attendants Union
Flight attendants are not happy about this, especially because of the outfits. They’ve made it all about sex appeal. The Taiwan People’s Party should have better awareness about gender equality. They should offer an apology to flight attendants, and show respect for the profession. It’s not about being sexy.

The Taoyuan Flight Attendants Union blasted the performance, demanding an apology from Ko. DPP lawmakers also weighed in.

Fan Yun
DPP lawmaker
I find it unacceptable. Misogyny is not just Ko Wen-je’s problem. It’s rampant within the Taiwan People’s Party.

Hung Sun-han
DPP lawmaker
They wanted to whitewash Ko’s reputation for sexism. They form a political coalition of women, yet this is what happens.

Critics say that the attempt to repair Ko’s image had backfired. One internet user said the outfits looked like they had been bought at an online sex shop, saying the show reflected the vulgarity of Ko’s party. The controversial dance was meant as a nod to former pilot and TPP Taipei Councilor Chang Chih-hao, whose wife used to be a flight attendant. Chang, who attended the event with his wife, found himself the target of outrage.

Chang Chih-hao
Taipei councilor (TPP)
I actually didn’t know that was going to be part of the show until I was there. As I mentioned just now, I was just there to give Ko a boarding pass to the Presidential Office with my wife and all the other women there. That’s all it was. Over the past 20-something years, I worked on planes, and my colleagues were flight attendants. I only have respect for them. Respect and gratitude.

Chen Chih-han
Ko Wen-je campaign spokesperson
The professional dance team would like to say that the song featured airplanes or related themes, so they designed such a performance. With regard to any constructive criticism, I will remind the team to be more careful in the future.

Ko’s spokesperson moved to put out the fire, in hopes of bringing the controversy to an end.

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Wu Ming-chang and students revive traditional art of tairyo-bata

Now we have a story of artistic revival. Have you ever seen a photo of a ship covered in exuberant hand-painted flags? If you have, then you’re familiar with the tradition of tairyo-bata. These colorful ship flags are a Japanese custom, brought to Taiwan almost a century ago. Amid changes in the fishing industry and the dominance of the printing press, Wu Ming-chang is one of the last tairyo-bata masters in the country. He thought his art was in terminal decline. But to his surprise, he was approached by some young people with other ideas.

This ceremonial ship launch is a magnificent event. The ship is covered in colorful “tairyo-bata”, or fishermen’s flags. The flags are intended to bring the new ship a big catch.

Wu Ming-chang
Tairyo-bata master
When a new ship is made and launched, you don’t send red packets. You send flags with the ship’s name written on them. When the ship has more flags on it, that means the boss has a lot of connections.

The tairyo-bata tradition was brought to Taiwan from Japan in the 1940s and ‘50s. At first, the flags had to be entirely handmade, and even the paints used were special.

The master paints the lines on the flag with a paste made of sticky rice. It’s all freehand – no preliminary outlines here. Now in his seventies, Wu is one of the last tairyo-bata masters in Taiwan.

Wu Ming-chang
Tairyo-bata master
When you paint the sticky rice paste on, it soaks into the cloth. When you dye the cloth, it doesn’t bleed. Now things have changed and they’re printed with machines – thousands in a single day. This tradition has already disappeared in Taiwan. I’m pretty much the only one left in Taiwan who can still do it.

With the changing times, hand-painted tairyo-bata have gradually been replaced by machine-printed flags. Wu was once resigned to the idea that his skills would fade into history. But then he received a surprising request from some local students who wanted to learn this precious traditional art.

Wu Ming-chang
Tairyo-bata master
I thought they were scammers! I tried to ignore them. But they kept coming back to me again and again. I think they’re very sincere. So I started to teach them.

National Sun Yat-sen University student
We went to pay our respects to the master, and he shut the door on us! Because he didn’t think there was anybody who would want to do such a complicated craft anymore. We are determined to bring this craft back.

The tairyo-bata is an art in danger of extinction, but with these students throwing themselves into learning, there’s hope yet for this beautiful maritime tradition.

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Music therapist Liao Pei-chi leads adult daycare members to make music

Adult daycare is growing in Taiwan. Adult daycare centers provide stimulating classes such as music therapy, to give older people ways to express themselves and make new connections in their twilight years. Music therapist Liao Pei-chi works at a center in Keelung, leading center members to make music together. The beauty of music is how it unites people on an emotional and physiological level, regardless of their artistic skills or social capacities. It has also been shown to promote cognitive, emotional and social development. Let’s go to Keelung to hear a mini concert.

Members of this adult daycare center shake their instruments to the rhythm of the drum beat set by music therapist Liao Pei-chi , everybody gradually speeding up.

If the rhythm is a little off, no big deal. Everybody is here to have fun and express their passion for music.

Liao Pei-chi
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Most older people really need chances to interact with their peers. If they’re always stuck at home watching television, it’s all input and no output. When they come here, they can make some output and attend classes.

This adult daycare center in Keelung has hired Liao to introduce older people to musical creation, and give them a new avenue to have fun together. Both music and socializing can slow down or even reverse dementia.

International studies have found that music therapy can support the cognitive and motor development of both children and adults, as well as their social, behavioral and emotional skills. That goes for first-time learners as well as those rebuilding lost skills.

Hsu Jui-tzu
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When you listen to a song or sing yourself, you feel happy and relaxed emotionally. That’s the power of music therapy. Music therapy is a legitimate psychological intervention.

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Southwesterly winds have brought soaring temps to leeward parts of the north and East Coast, where highs exceeded 35 degrees on Monday. On the windward side of mountainous areas in the south, downpours have lasted for days.

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The weather will be quite unstable in the coming week. From Monday through Wednesday, keep an eye out for heavy rains in central and southern Taiwan. Humidity levels will be even higher as we enter Thursday and Friday. There will be a chance of localized heavy rainfall all along the west coast.

As southwesterly winds sweep in moisture, the weather will be volatile in the coming days. Through to Wednesday, there will be a chance of brief showers and localized heavy rains in central and southern Taiwan. But the intensity and scope of the rains will significantly shrink as Typhoon Khanun moves farther away. Officials say they will use the next few days to repair mountain roads cut off by the storm. That’s because come Thursday, rains are expected to strike islandwide. Temperatures may cool slightly in the north and east. In the central and southern regions, extreme rainfall is possible not only in the mountains but the flatlands as well. This round of showers should continue unabated until Saturday.

Liu Yu-chi
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It is located some 3,000 kilometers east-southeast of Taiwan. This tropical depression could gradually develop into a tropical storm. There’s a good chance it will become a tropical storm by Tuesday. But looking at its trajectory, it should gradually advance toward the eastern seas of Japan.

Tropical Storm Lan, the seventh one of the year, is likely to form by Tuesday. It is expected to track northward and have little impact on Taiwan. Meanwhile Hurricane Dora is expected to reach the western Pacific by Saturday, becoming the eighth storm of the year. Experts say that during typhoon season, one storm a week is standard and no cause for panic, although precautions should still be taken.

2023-08-07