VP Lai meets AIT Chair Laura Rosenberger during San Francisco transit

VP Lai meets AIT Chair Laura Rosenberger during San Francisco transit

2023-08-17

Vice President Lai Ching-te touched down in San Francisco on Thursday at 7 a.m., Taiwan time. Upon landing, he was greeted by AIT Chair Laura Rosenberger, who accompanied him to a banquet with Taiwanese Americans. The event was also attended by high-profile political figures, including former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and the mayor of Phoenix.

After departing Paraguay, Vice President Lai Ching-te stopped over in the U.S. once again. He landed in San Francisco at 7 a.m. Thursday, Taiwan time, and was welcomed by AIT Chair Laura Rosenberger.

Rosenberger had not met Lai during his first transit due to attending her sister’s wedding. But this time around, she boarded Lai’s plane in a welcome on par with previous visits. Lai and Rosenberger then headed to a banquet with overseas Taiwanese. Along the way, they passed a group of protesters holding Chinese flags.

Although some protested the visit, many more were happy to see Lai.

Outside the venue, a crowd of people cheered for Lai. Inside, about 700 Taiwanese Americans eagerly waited for the VP to show up.

After stepping into the hall, Lai was quickly lost in the crowd, with participants rushing to embrace him.

Lai Ching-te
Vice President
I will do my utmost to use peace as my beacon and democracy as my compass to lead Taiwan forward.

Laura Rosenberger
AIT chair
And our commitment to help Taiwan’s self-defense capacity is rock-solid, just as the Taiwan-U.S. friendship is unwavering.

At the banquet, two guests caught media attention. One was Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, who visited Taiwan in July. Speaking at the event, she said she was delighted with TSMC’s US$40 billion investment in her city. The other guest was former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.

Janet Napolitano
Former US secretary of homeland security
I love Taiwan, and we are proud to call you in Taiwan true friends and partners in this wonderful experiment that is free enterprise, freedom and democracy.

According to political analysts, Lai has used his trip to show he’s ready to lead. They say his welcome by U.S. officials is a sharp rebuke to claims he’s mistrusted by Washington.

破除接待規格不如以往謠言羅森柏格登機迎賴清德

2023-08-17

副總統賴清德，結束巴拉圭訪問，回程再次過境美國，台灣時間17日上午7點，抵達舊金山。上回因家有喜事，沒出席接機的AIT主席"羅森柏格"，這回不但親自來了，還上賴清德搭乘的專機迎接，破除日前被質疑"接待規格不如以往"的謠言。同時也關注到，前美國國土安全部長，及鳳凰城市長，都出席晚宴，展現挺台決心。

結束巴拉圭行程，副總統賴清德過境美國，台北時間17日上午7點，抵達舊金山，AIT主席羅森柏格，親自接機。

上回因參加妹妹婚禮無法接機的羅森柏格，這回展現誠意上機迎接，破除規格不若以往的質疑，隨後一同前往僑宴會場，只是途中又有人高舉五星旗抗議。

有人抗議，但更多是來迎接賴清德。

會場外，滿滿支持群眾高喊加油，而場內700名僑胞早已等不及。

賴清德一進場，受到僑胞簇擁，一度淹沒人群中。

[[副總統賴清德]]
“未來我會竭盡所能，以和平作為燈塔，用民主當指南針，帶著台灣，繼續往前進”

[[AIT主席羅森柏格]]
“我們對幫助台灣增強自衛能力的承諾是堅如磐石的，正如美台友誼堅定不移”

僑宴上，還有兩位座上賓，也備受關注。七月初曾率團來訪的鳳凰城市長"蓋耶閣"，晚宴上特別提及，相當樂見台積電在當地，高達400億美元的投資案。而美國前國土安全部長"納波里塔諾"。

[[美國前國土安全部長納波里塔諾]]
“我愛台灣，我們很榮幸稱您和台灣為真正的朋友和合作夥伴，精彩的實驗了自由企業和民主”

賴清德這趟出訪，展現了準備好帶領台灣的決心，加上美方高層出席力挺，讓藍營一再操作的"疑賴論"、"疑美論"不攻自破。

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Presidential Office denies rumor that Taiwan will pay for Paraguay villas

As Vice President Lai Ching-te wraps up his trip, a new rumor is getting traction online, concerning his time in Paraguay. A social media post claims that Lai agreed to spend more than NT$10 billion on social housing in Paraguay. The post alleges that during his Paraguay state visit, he signed a deal to build single-family villas. But the Presidential Office denies the claim, saying that Lai signed nothing during his visit. It says the rumor is part of a disinformation campaign meant to undermine Taiwan’s diplomatic efforts.

In a post on the PTT online forum, the title reads “Another NT$10 billion for Paraguay to build social housing.” The post claims that during Vice President Lai Ching-te’s visit to Paraguay, he signed an agreement with President Santiago Pena, pledging to invest US$320 million -- or about NT$10.1 billion -- to build social housing in Paraguay over the next five years. The post contains a photo of the supposed agreement, as well as images of the single-family “villas” that Taiwan would allegedly build in Paraguay. The forum user called on Lai to bring Paraguay’s housing justice to Taiwan. A DPP lawmaker and the Presidential Office have denounced the post as disinformation.

Liu Shih-fang
DPP lawmaker
In the supposed agreement, the Spanish text says that the total amount of cooperation funds is US$150 million, but the numerals say US$320 million. It’s sloppy work. The document was also signed in December 2023. As you all know, it’s only August now. So what are we looking at here? And the signatures are all forged.

Lin Yu-chan
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The fact is that during his state visit, Vice President Lai Ching-te did not sign any documents with the government of Paraguay. The pictures and signatures in the rumor were forged with the intention of spreading disinformation to confuse the people of Taiwan. It is clearly a deliberate attempt to attack the government. After a preliminary investigation, it has been determined that this is part of a systematic disinformation campaign carried out jointly by foreign and domestic actors to undermine Taiwan’s diplomatic efforts.

Jeff Liu
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The foreign ministry’s stance on disinformation is just like our stance on sexual harassment: zero tolerance. The ministry reported the incident to police immediately, and the Criminal Investigation Bureau has received all the relevant documents provided by the foreign ministry.

The foreign ministry urged the public not to believe or share the post with others. It said that the key to fighting cognitive warfare was to enhance one’s own awareness and knowledge.

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Chain restaurants raise wages amid expansion drive

The dining sector is in full expansion mode after three lean years due to the pandemic. To drive recruitment, the Chun Shui Tang teahouse hiked wages by 8% to 12% in March. It also rolled out flexible work schedules, with an eye on recruiting middle-aged and older workers. Wowprime Corporation is also hunting for staff, to fill 50 new locations. This month, it raised wages at its Chinese dining brands by as much as 12%.

A lobster bigger than your hand sizzles on a hot plate, releasing a mouthwatering aroma. This chain restaurant attracts diners with its tasty dishes. To attract employees, it’s raised salaries for the third time this year.

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Wowprime PR
We’ve reached our target of opening 50 new shops early, so we’re looking to fill 500 full-time vacancies. For that, we’ve decided to raise salaries for the third time this year. In the first half of the year, we were the teppanyaki restaurant brand with the largest salary increase. Altogether we’ve hiked salaries by almost 12%.

As of July, restaurant operations staff have started at NT$40,000 at Wowprime’s teppanyaki brand. Newcomers without experience have started at NT$36,000. This month, wages got an 8% boost at the group’s Chinese dining brands, with newcomers starting at NT$35,000.

Hot pot chain Jhu Jian is also expanding. It’s announced its fourth pay raise this year, and two annual revenue shares for supervisors. The company is hoping to fill 1,000 vacancies.

Back in March, the Chun Shui Tang teahouse raised salaries by 8% to 12%. It also introduced flexible work schedules for middle-aged and older employees.

At the start of August, Mala International Catering Group raised salaries by NT$2,000 to NT$5,000 a month. The hot pot chain aims to attract talented staff.

Vina
Mala International Catering Group PR
We expect to expand to 50 outlets in Taiwan this year. So we have a labor shortage of about 20%, that is, between 300 and 400 employees. We welcome anyone from fresh graduates, people reentering the job market, and middle-aged and older applicants to join us.

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Underneath the overpass, taxis are bumper to bumper, as far as the eye can see. In many major cities of China, there are now far more cabs than customers.

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The sharp increase in taxicabs signals that the unemployment crisis is not limited to the 18-to-24-year-old demographic. It may extend to those in the 30s, 40s, and even people aged 45 and older.

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It’s very cool, and fun, and it feels good.

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It’s relaxing. I feel relaxed.

Tree climbing is good for young and old alike – but it does take some expertise, both to set up and to climb. The climbing wear and ropes as well as the techniques all require an expert on hand for guidance.

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Tree climbing and rock climbing are quite different. You pull some of the main ropes much tighter for rock climbing. In tree climbing, you need to keep your legs really relaxed, to make it easy to reach out with the legs.

Climbing coach Hsu Yueh-ping throws the rope out. Her students range in age from four to 60. But this is not her only job.

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My main job is social work. At that time I wanted to find a tool I was good at, to offer adventure therapy. Recovery means that after we’re injured, and we’ve gotten good care, then we recover. Trees are just the same.

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Taitung Forest Park is a national wetland, and a conservation forest. It has beautiful natural scenery. We wanted to see how we could use it imaginatively.

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