President Tsai visits Nantou to inspect typhoon repairs

President Tsai visits Nantou to inspect typhoon repairs

2023-08-07

Over in Nantou County, crews are rushing to repair the damage caused last week by Typhoon Khanun. President Tsai Ing-wen and Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan went to the county on Monday, to visit areas stricken by the storm. Tsai first went to Puli Township to inspect resource distribution. Then she went to Renai Township, to a gas station struck by a landslide. She told local authorities to focus on three tasks: restoring traffic on Provincial Highway 14, stabilizing water and power supplies, and helping locals in devastated communities.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
It’s imperative that Provincial Highway 14 be restored, and that the supply of water, electricity, and other resources is stabilized along Provincial Highway 14A. As I mentioned earlier, as progress is made in clearing the roads, Taipower crew will follow suit to restore supplies.

Cheng Wen-tsan
Vice premier
Regarding disaster damages, we will generously and quickly approve aid for Nantou County. People whose homes have been buried by landslides or who are no longer safe – if you need rental subsidies or relief funds, we will approve it.

The president had planned to stop by the Renai Township Office to inspect front-line relief efforts. However, that morning, a road suddenly collapsed, just after being cleared. The road was closed off to traffic once more, prompting the cancellation of Tsai’s visit.

蔡總統.鄭文燦南投勘災指示加速災後重建

2023-08-07

卡努颱風外圍環流造成南投山區嚴重災情，總統蔡英文和行政院副院長鄭文燦，下午前往勘災，總統先到埔里視察物資調配情形，再到仁愛鄉遭土石流滅頂的南豐村加油站，指示接下來有三項工作要盡速進行，包括恢復台14線交通、穩定供水供電、救助災民等等。

[[總統蔡英文]]
“務必恢復我們台14線，跟台14甲線穩定供水供電，穩定物資的供給。那剛才也提到了，道路搶通到哪裡，台電的同仁就會搶修到哪裡。”

[[行政院副院長鄭文燦]]
“有關災損，我們會從寬、從速核給南投縣政府。家園因為土石流淹沒，或者是不安全，需要租金、救助金，這個我們會專簽。”

蔡英文的勘災行程，本來要持續前進到仁愛鄉公所，視察第一線，但一早，剛搶通的埔霧公路，忠勇橋路段又發生路基塌陷，道路封閉，只好取消。

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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
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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
DPP Keelung City councilor
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.

Tung Tzu-wei
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The government wants to promote the adult daycare policy. We will continue to fight for older people’s access to local care in ease and comfort.

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Turning to the weather. More rains are in store for Taiwan as southwesterly winds bear down and bring in moisture. Starting Thursday, showers are expected islandwide. Forecasters warn of catastrophic rainfall in central and southern Taiwan, persisting unabated until Saturday.

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.

Liu Yu-chi
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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.

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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.

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