Taoyuan forges sister-city ties with Philippines’ Angeles City

Taoyuan forges sister-city ties with Philippines’ Angeles City

2023-09-21

Taoyuan has a new sister city: the City of Angeles in the Philippines. The two cities’ mayors held a virtual signing ceremony on Wednesday. Angeles City is the 35th in the world to enter such a partnership with Taoyuan. The two sides plan to work together in areas including airport cities, logistics, technology, trade, culture, and tourism, opening a new chapter in city-to-city exchanges.

Taoyuan Mayor Chang San-cheng strikes a pose with the mayor of Angeles City, who appears onscreen. The two mayors signed a sister-city agreement on Wednesday, preparing gifts to mark the friendship.

Mayor Chang prepared an acrylic painting by Mario Subeldia, a Filipino artist in Taiwan. The work depicts Taoyuan International Airport and Clark International Airport in Angeles City. An airplane in the top right symbolizes the direct flights linking the two cities and their steadfast friendship.

Meanwhile, Angeles City’s mayor presented the “keys to the city”: a wooden sculpture made by a local artist and micro-enterprise supported by his city’s government. Angeles City has a rich cultural heritage, vibrant food scene, and electrifying entertainment options. It’s a place where history, culture and tech come together.

Angeles is Taoyuan’s 35th sister city. As both cities have international airports, they hope to collaborate on developing aerospace technology in the Asia-Pacific region, to create a trans-Pacific aviation technology smart city.

Vicenta Vega-Cabigting
Angeles vice mayor
Thank you Mayor Chang San-cheng, for recognizing our presence today, albeit remote. Let us make this partnership a catalyst for development in our cities. Thank you! Mabuhay! Xie xie!

Chang San-cheng
Taoyuan mayor
The two cities have very complementary aspects in industry, culture and nature. We hope the sister-city agreement will allow us to draw from each other’s strengths in these complementary areas.

The mayors expressed hope for an enduring friendship between the new sister cities, one with more frequent exchanges and even stronger ties.

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桃園再添姊妹市! 與菲律賓安吉利斯市攜手合作

2023-09-21

桃園再添姊妹市 ! 週三桃園市長張善政，以及菲律賓安吉利斯市長卡梅洛·拉扎廷，舉辦線上姊妹市協定簽署儀式，菲律賓安吉利斯市為桃園第35個姊妹市，雙方將針對航空城計畫、物流、科技、貿易、文化及觀光進行緊密交流，開展姊妹市合作新篇章。

桃園市長張善政，開心的與菲律賓安吉利斯市長線上合影，兩市週三正式成為姊妹市，雙方都特別準備禮物，展現友誼。

桃園市長張善政準備了，由菲律賓在台藝術家馬力歐繪製的壓克力畫作，畫作呈現的是桃園國際機場，與安吉利斯市克拉克國際機場，右上方翱翔的飛機，則象徵兩市直航互通有無，情誼延綿不斷。

安吉利斯市長準備的則是在地工藝家及市政府所扶持的微型企業，製作的木雕及象徵開啟兩市交流的城市之鑰。安吉利斯市又稱為’’天使城’’，有珍貴的文化資產，還有多樣美食和五光十色的娛樂活動，是一座歷史文化與現代科技兼容並蓄的城市。

菲律賓安吉利斯市是桃園第35個姊妹市，兩市同為機場城市，雙方若能攜手合作，有望促進亞太地區航空科技的發展，共同創造跨太平洋航空科技智慧城。

[[菲律賓安吉利斯市副市長 Vicenta Vega-Cabigting]]
“雖然我們今天只能夠在線上相會，但是再次謝謝張市長，謝謝您今天的安排，也讓我們雙方一同讓彼此的合作關係，成為城市發展的催化劑，謝謝大家”

[[桃園市長張善政]]
“在產業、文化，跟自然景觀方面，我們雙方有很多互補的面向，希望透過姊妹市協議，在這些互補面向裡面，我們也可以彼此吸收彼此的長處”

希望桃園市和安吉利斯市友誼長存，成為姊妹市後，未來兩市各部門互動將更加頻繁、情誼更加濃厚。

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DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te has unveiled an ambitious vision for health care. Speaking at his third policy presentation, Lai introduced what he called Long-Term Care 3.0, which doubles the subsidy for patients in residential services. Lai also plans to set up a cancer drug fund, which aims to lower the mortality rate by a third by the year 2030. Let’s hear from him.

Lai Ching-te
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Harnessing my medical expertise, I hope to partner with the medical community and to integrate society’s resources to build a healthy Taiwan.

DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te has unveiled his plan for health care. One policy is a national program for preventing and treating cancer.

Lai Ching-te
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We will set up a cancer drug fund, a NT$10 billion cancer drug fund. By the year 2030, we want to reduce cancer’s mortality rate by a third. We will give nurses the legislation they’ve requested regarding nurse-to-patient ratios. These are the goals we are committed to.

Lai said he would improve the working conditions of nurses, starting with staff in critical care. This would be done in the first two years of his term, he said. Lai also outlined a plan to upgrade Long-Term Care 2.0. Version 3.0 will offer more support to incapacitated patients, plus enhanced residential services and subsidies. It will also cover more older adults.

Lai Ching-te
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Of course, we will also encourage or provide incentives for long-term care service providers to set up locations in remote areas. In addition, our annual subsidy will go up from NT$60,000 to NT$120,000. In the future, it could gradually rise to NT$180,000, which is a monthly subsidy of NT$15,000.

Lai pledged to create a support system spanning patient homes, society, institutions, medical facilities, and social welfare networks. Also on Thursday, Lai’s rival Ko Wen-je held his own press event on social welfare programs. Ko took issue with Long-Term Care 2.0, saying that its budget was insufficient.

Lai Ching-te
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Whether it was President Tsai or President Ma who put in more effort and did more for long-term care – the answer is obvious. If there’s anybody out there who wants to criticize the current long-term care program, fire away. I am ready to do the work. I will roll up my sleeves to deliver Long-Term Care 3.0.

A confident Lai said he was ready to take action. The doctor-turned-politician vowed to safeguard Taiwan’s health, to use his expertise and achievements to earn public support.

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Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Controversy as Taipei plans Nuit Blanche that’s bigger and bolder than ever before

The annual nighttime festival of art, Nuit Blanche, is just a couple of weeks away. This year, Taipei is planning a night that’s bigger and bolder than ever before. There’ll even be a performance art livestream from the Taipei Mayor’s office. There’s controversy over plans to hold avant-garde musical and theatrical events in Taipei City Hall and Council. And some are concerned that the growth of the event, spreading into Xinyi Commercial District, could cause noise disturbance for residents trying to sleep. But officials are determined they can pull it off.

It’s that time of year again. Nuit Blanche Taipei 2023 will launch at sunset on Oct. 7. This year the nocturnal celebration of art is coming to Xinyi Commercial District for the first time.

On the night, the debate chamber of Taipei City Council will transform Into a live theater, open to the public. The office of Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an蔣萬安 will be occupied by Mayor Mao貓 and used for a livestream. Meanwhile the city hall debate chamber will become a live music venue with a dance floor.

Lin Yi-hua
Deputy mayor of Taipei
The event is from Saturday evening to Sunday morning. So I think it will not impact the operation of public duties, so to speak. Especially because the location to be used is on the first floor, at the edge of the city hall, so if any of our staff need to work overtime, I think they won’t be too much affected if they’re upstairs.

The three main locations for nighttime revelry are Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei City Hall and Taipei City Council. But there are also connected events at nearby Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, Taipei 101 and the whole of Xinyi Commercial District. The night’s installation art and performances attracted more than 460,000 visitors last year. This year, with events in Xinyi, even greater crowds are expected.

Hung Chien-yi
DPP Taipei councilor
These residential households are, in principle, generally quiet, apart from every year at New Year’s Eve. They’re not generally welcoming of other events which would disturb their daily life. Chiang Wan-an, it’s great that you want to hold this event, and we respect that. But if you create disturbance for the public, in the end Taipei City government will have to take the blame. I hope you will plan it carefully.

Lin Yi-hua
Taipei deputy mayor
Actually the events are mainly clustered in the commercial district. We’re loathe to cause people any disturbance, so at the cinema on Ren’ai仁愛 Road, we’ll invite people to listen to music on headphones.

Taipei City is hoping it can pull out all its organizing expertise, and create a night that’s bright as day for those who want it, but quiet and restful for everyone else.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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2023-09-21

2 hikers dead and 9 injured after getting stung by hornets in New Taipei trail

Two hikers died and another nine were injured after getting stung by hornets at a mountain trail in New Taipei’s Ruifang District. Experts say it’s likely that the group was stung by the Asian hornet, whose venom can trigger severe allergic reactions. The hornet nest has yet to be found. For now, the New Taipei government has closed off all access routes to the hiking path.

Twenty hikers were on a trip in New Taipei’s Ruifang District when they were attacked by a swarm of hornets.

After examining the wounds, a hornet expert determined the group had fallen victim to the Asian hornet. The encounter left seven hikers with mild injuries, two with severe injuries, and two others dead.

Witness
A hornet stung one of the hikers, who then tried to ward them off using a hand fan. Then the hornets began targeting the hiker, more and more started showing up. We ran off. The people in front rushed away, but several people in the back got strung. They ended up lying on the ground, maybe because of the stings or because they tripped. Later over the phone they said more than 100 hornets had attacked four people. It was terrifying.

Witness
Someone got stung. They said it hurt, and they weren’t sure what it was, so they tried to wave it off.

A sting from an Asian hornet can cause severe injury and death in humans. A protein in the hornet’s venom combines with a protein in the human body, potentially triggering a strong allergic reaction. In severe cases, the reaction doesn’t stop at the skin. The venom can cause swelling inside the body, making it difficult to breathe and inducing kidney and liver inflammation. It can even result in immediate death.

Yang Shu-fang
New Taipei animal protection office
The Ruifang District office has closed off all six access routes to the trail. Hornets do tend to be more aggressive in autumn. We have urged the general public to not go to hard-to-reach areas in the outskirts and to not enter grassy or forested areas, as that’s where hornets tend to gather in the fall season.

The New Taipei government has shut the six entrances to the Bafenliao Hiking Trail. It says that autumn is hornet breeding season, and as such the insects may be more aggressive. To reduce chances of attack, hikers are advised to not wear bright colors or perfume. If a hornet approaches, trying to swat it away could result in a painful attack.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Councilors urge Taipei to ramp up disaster prevention

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Alarms go off in the middle of class and students rush under their desks. It’s time to drop, cover and hold on.

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Sept. 21 is National Disaster Prevention Day. Earthquake drills were held at schools across Taipei. Taipei City Council held discussions on disaster prevention.

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Saxony launches office in Taiwan to foster science and tech ties

The German state of Saxony has opened an office in Taiwan, to pave the way for TSMC’s semiconductor project in its capital. The Saxon Science Liaison Office Taiwan will help recruit talented Taiwanese youth and foster further scientific and technology collaboration. FTV reporter Stephany Yang has the details.

Located inside the German Trade Office, the Saxon Science Liaison Office Taiwan has officially opened. The office will facilitate science and technology exchanges between Taiwan and Saxony, which is Europe’s semiconductor manufacturing hub. Dr. Josef Goldberger will serve as the office’s liaison officer. The office will be a service center for exchange students from Taiwan and Saxony. It will also be the hub of a new TSMC training program.

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This is very important for us because this will also be a point of exchange between students from Taiwan and Saxony. But it will also be a very important hub for the admisnitation of programs of which we will speak about later on at TSMC. It is a very important spot here.

Dr. Josef Goldberger
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I was working for the German Academic Exchange Service for the last six years. We will have real cooperation with different partners not only industry partners. I will be able to represent of course Dresden University of Technlogy and all the other research institutions and education institutions in the free state of Saxony. I think this is a very exciting task.

TSMC plans to set up a factory in Dresden, the capital of Saxony. Responding to a reported “culture clash” at TSMC’s fab in Arizona, Saxony’s science minister Sebastian Gemkow said that it doesn’t shake his confidence in working with TSMC. He said that Germans and Taiwanese share a similar work ethic.

Sebastian Gemkow
Saxony’s state minister for science, culture and tourism
I don’t have any doubts that being together with people from Taiwan. I think that the working ethic is very similar. People are disciplined like in Germany as well. This working culture is very similar. And of course, we will also prepare everything to make it most convenient for people coming to Saxony to Dresdin that they find some kind of community and some kind of ecosystem which makes them feel comfortable so I don’t have any doubts.

Dr. Ursula Staudinger
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TU Dresden has a private economy arm which is TUDAG, and they are developing a special cultural special on-boarding program for the TSMC professionals to come and do the startup for the company. So we are very optimistic that this will work quite well.

TU Dresden, or the Dresden University of Technology, is one of the largest universities of technology in Germany. It will manage operations at the liaison office on behalf of all Saxon higher education institutes. It is estimated that 50 students from Germany will be sent to Taiwan universities every year to study and intern at TSMC.

Dr. Ursula Staudinger
TU Dresden president
This is a historical moment. We are opening our first science liaison office abroad here in Taipei. TUD is doing this as the coordinating university for all the Saxon universities. We will be signing the trilateral agreement between TSMC, the free state of Saxony, and TUD. It is really about, on the one hand, getting more and more engineering and natural sciences students interested in the sphere of semiconductors. And what we were discussing was getting into research cooperation.

Jorg Polster
German representative to Taiwan
Taiwanese company TSMC decided to go to Germany with a great investment, a comprehensive investment in the city of Dresden. What we will see now, that it is not just the industrial cooperation that will intensify between Germany and Taiwan, but this will be matched by the intensification to academic cooperation. This goes hand in hand. For that reason, I think it is a wonderful location to have this office here with the chamber. The office which is related very closely to the numerous German companies in Taiwan. Many of them are also active in the sector of semiconductors.

With the launch of the office ahead of TSMC’s Dresden project, the two countries hope to further strengthen education, science, and technology collaboration between Taiwan and Germany.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2023-09-21