Lai receives delegation from Project 2049 Institute

Lai receives delegation from Project 2049 Institute

2024-04-11

Vice President Lai Ching-te on Thursday received a delegation from the Project 2049 institute, a U.S. think tank. During the meeting, Lai stressed he will work toward protecting Taiwan’s national security, and maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific Region. The head of the delegation, Randall Schriver, stated that Taiwan is an important member in maintaining regional stability. Let’s hear from Lai and Schriver.

Lai Ching-te
Vice president
Our guests today are all experts in international relations, regional security and national defense. It’s not just institute Chair Randall Schriver, and President John Gastright, every member of this delegation is a force for global stability. Hsiao Bi-khim and I will proactively work to develop Taiwan’s economy, take care of our people and boost Taiwan’s security, while maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific region.

Randall Schriver
Project 2049 Institute chair
It’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who of course coined the term “free and open Indo-Pacific,” but really it gave us the intellectual framework for a lot of the work we are doing to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, which Taiwan is very much a part of.

Lai and Schriver stressed the importance of a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region. The comments come one day after U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell warned against China’s increasing pressure on Taiwan, and the possibility of conflict erupting in the Taiwan Strait. He said the U.S. would continue to do its job to defend freedom and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific region.

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會見薛瑞福! 賴清德:致力兩岸穩定及印太和平

2024-04-11

副總統賴清德週四接見美國智庫2049計畫研究所訪問團，提到他上任後將致力台灣國防安全、兩岸穩定及印太區域和平。2049計畫研究所訪問團主席薛瑞福也表示，台灣是穩定印太區域的工作當中，重要的一員。

[[副總統賴清德]]
“今天訪團的貴賓，都是國際關係，還有區域安全國防等方面專家。不僅僅是薛瑞福主席、蓋斯萊所長，每一個訪團貴賓都是這世界穩定的力量。我和美琴我們也會積極除了發展台灣經濟、照顧人民外，也會致力於台灣安全，兩岸穩定及印太和平。”

[[2049計畫研究所主席薛瑞福]]
“日本故前首相安倍晉三，曾提出自由開放的印太地區理念，我們在此架構下進行了許多工作，共同促進自由和開放的印太地區，台灣也是此架構重要的一部分。”

賴清德、薛瑞福兩人都談及印太區域和平穩定，至關重要，而前一天，美國副國務卿坎貝爾，也公開談到，中國對台步步進逼、台海爆發軍事衝突的可能性，他重申，美國會負責任的維護，台海和平穩定。

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Experts and lawmakers weigh in on Ma’s meeting with Xi

Former President Ma Ying-jeou met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday in Beijing, capturing headlines around the world. DPP lawmakers in Taiwan have slammed Ma, saying that he didn’t dare mention the R.O.C. during his meeting with Xi. Experts have also noted that the hall where Ma and Xi met had previously been used for discussions regarding Hong Kong’s handover to Beijing in the late 20th century.

Nine years after their last meeting, Ma Ying-jeou and Xi Jinping once again came together on Wednesday. Their reunion took place at the East Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, usually reserved for receiving foreign dignitaries.

One day before on Tuesday, Xi had met with the president of the Federated States of Micronesia at the hall. Back in 2021, the hall was where Xi sat during a video conference with U.S. President Joe Biden. At first glance it could appear that Beijing received Ma with the full fanfare. But, the devil is in the details. The hall is also where Deng Xiaoping met with Hong Kong representatives to negotiate the territory’s handover to China and the stationing of PLA troops in Hong Kong.

Kung Shan-son
Institute for National Defense and Security Research
They met there to discuss the handover of Hong Kong and Macao to China. So in a way, that hints that Taiwan will also one day join the motherland. The unification overtones are very obvious. By making the event grander and getting Ma Ying-jeou to come back, it gives Beijing a stronger foothold to convey the political message they intend to convey. I think there were a lot of meticulous calculations behind these arrangements.

Lai Jui-lung
DPP lawmaker
It doesn’t matter which hall they met in. Was Ma received with the respect he should’ve? Even the mention of the R.O.C. has to be covered up, as if it were a slip of the tongue. At the same time, he did not dare breach the issue of PLA aircraft and vessels constantly crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait. He’s just become another tool that China can use to ramp up pressure for its unification goals.

During his meeting with Xi, Ma made a slip of the tongue, saying “the R.O.C.” instead of “ethnic Chinese.” He also touched upon the so-called “1992 Consensus,” saying that there is one China, and that each side of the strait defines China in its own way. Xi however, has insisted on Beijing’s One China principle, which defines Taiwan as part of China. Critics say that the “different interpretations” of China can be no more.

Hung Sun-han
DPP lawmaker
What Ma Ying-jeou’s “one China with different interpretation” means is that he has to limit mentions of the R.O.C. to slips of the tongue, making it as if the R.O.C. were a misunderstanding. We shouldn’t form an alliance with the CCP, which forces the R.O.C., forces Taiwan, to accept its political positions as a prerequisite for peace.

Pundits have decried Ma’s meet with Xi, which has also captured attention from international media outlets. An expert on the Nikkei Asia is quoted as saying that Ma’s trip had encouraged Beijing to believe that its “divide and rule” approach to Taiwan had worked.

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

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Taiwanese business leader donates 140 emergency vehicles to Ukraine

Taiwan continues to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine, more than two years since the East European nation was invaded by Russia. A Taiwanese business leader recently donated 140 emergency vehicles to the war effort. The fleet of ambulances and fire trucks are decorated with Taiwan and Ukraine flags. The vehicles were first shipped to Poland, where a Mandarin-speaking Polish influencer was able to interview several stakeholders.

A row of ambulances emblazoned with heart-shaped Taiwan and Ukraine flags. Two years after Russia invaded Ukraine, the war shows no sign of ending. Taiwan has donated lots of equipment to Ukraine. Now the chair of a Taiwanese textiles company has donated 140 ambulances and fire trucks to the East European country.

Stan
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The final shipment of forty-something ambulances has reached Poland. They’ll be heading for Ukraine very shortly, so before long, the Ukrainian people can make use of these ambulances and fire trucks donated by the Taiwanese people.

An influencer, Stan from Poland, made a special visit to Warsaw Central Station to interview people involved in the project for this video.

Maksym Tkachenko
Ukrainian member of parliament
We’re very grateful to our friends in Taiwan, our partners in Taiwan, grateful to you for supporting us in Ukraine, for your contribution towards our victory, your help for our army. Taiwan, we thank you.

Hu Yun-fang
Taipei Representative Office in Poland
They show the whole world that Taiwan can help. We hope this will continue, and we hope in the future we can still join hand in hand with our likeminded partners.

Although Taiwan is 8,000 kilometers from Ukraine, the country has poured out a steady stream of humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

Yang Ching-teh
World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce
All the problems Ukraine now faces could easily come to Taiwan. So we must do all we can to help Ukraine, so Ukraine can win this war, to warn China not to invade Taiwan.

As democratic countries resisting the encroachment of authoritarian aggressors, Taiwan and Ukraine have a friendship deeper than mere slogans.

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

2024-04-11

De facto Japanese ambassador tours FTV headquarters

Today, Japan’s de facto ambassador to Taiwan visited FTV, where he was able to witness a political talk show being filmed. After taking a photo in the anchor’s seat, Kazuyuki Katayama, the new Chief Representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, got to experience the state-of-the-art technology on display in FTV’s new LED virtual studio.

This is Kazuyuki Katayama, the new Chief Representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association. It’s his first visit to FTV’s Linkou headquarters, and he’s not wanting for company: along for the tour are FTV General Manager Liao Ji-fang and FTV Vice President Anne Hu. When Kazuyuki walked into the news studio, “Taiwan! Go for It!” was underway. In addition to learning about the filming process for the political talk show, a type of program that Japanese TV doesn’t have, Kazuyuki also enjoyed the rare opportunity of sitting in an anchor’s chair. He made sure to make time for a proper photo op.

But the news studio was just an appetizer. The main event of the visit was to check out Asia’s premier virtual studio at FTV. Kazuyuki listened closely as staff provided explanations and then showed off the technology. The de facto ambassador was amazed by FTV’s investment into the virtual studio, especially FTV Culture Department’s “1 plus 4
T-content plan,” a 2023-2027 project that garnered NT$10 billion over four years from the Executive Yuan. The program’s aim is to introduce the world to Taiwan’s visual arts culture. Kenji Lee is a talented young film director who studied in Australia. Now that he’s back in Taiwan, he has chosen FTV’s virtual studio as the set of his new work.

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Since I came back from Australia, where I saw many studios, I feel like this place here truly is one of Taiwan’s best virtual studios; I’d say it’s the best. You could say it’s one of Asia’s premier studios. For this here, the studio captures the camera data, and then we can transfer it to the game engine, which has the capability to take data from the virtual camera and send it to the image on the screen. So when the camera moves, the image moves with it, so I think this is really amazing technology.

The giant LED screen has state-of-the-art augmented reality technology. FTV’s Hollywood-level virtual studio instantly transported Kazuyuki to Kyoto. The de facto ambassador has been devoted to fostering bilateral relations during his five months in Taiwan, and now he has witnessed FTV’s virtual studio, a pioneering feat that showcases the innovative technology of Taiwan’s film industry.

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

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Puyuma train derails in Hualien after Car 1 strikes falling boulders at night on Apr. 10

Taiwan’s largest earthquake in 25 years happened over a week ago, yet aftershocks continue to rock the entire country. On Wednesday night, the tremors caused several large rocks to fall on train tracks in Hualien, derailing a train with 146 passengers. The area that the rock fell on does not currently have a rockfall alert system. Fortunately for all involved, no injuries have been reported.

Engineers are inspecting a derailed Puyuma train. At the front left side of the train’s engine they notice the signs of a collision, which explains why the front car of this train derailed Wednesday evening.

The northbound train’s final destination was New Taipei’s Shulin Station. At 9:10 at night this train was close to Heping Station in Hualien when it struck a boulder that had fallen on the tracks, scraping its side. With their train unable to go forward, over 100 passengers had their travel plans delayed.

While waiting for another train, one rider was upset enough to yell at a train station staff member, who did his best to help the passengers calm down.

The number 445 Puyuma Tze-chiang limited express train was pulling into Hualien’s Heping Station from the south when it crashed into one of four big stones that had fallen from the hillside on the tracks after rolling across Provincial Highway No. 9 and destroying the protective fences. The collision caused the front car’s second axle to derail. The incident has raised questions as to why no alert was sent about falling boulders on the tracks. The Taiwan Railway explained that the incident had happened between the 40,800 km and 40,900km marks on the track, which does not have a warning system for falling rocks, as it was previously not deemed a high risk area. The line currently has 26 other sections of track with warning systems.

Wang Kwo-tsai
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Back when the assessment of that track section was carried out they’d determined the slope was relatively stable. In the future we’ll have 38 sections that will be part of the rockfall alert system, which we’re currently working on. So for follow-up work pertaining to these 38 sections of Taiwan Railway, I think we’ll inspect the slopes once more. We’re likely to add some more alert areas to the slopes.

On the train were 146 people, which includes railway staff and travelers, yet none were harmed by the collision. The passengers were later transferred onto a local train as Taiwan Railway rushed to repair the track; the eastern track was back in service by 12:30 a.m. on Apr. 11, and the entire track was operational by 6:30 in the morning. Because aftershocks have continued to shake Hualien, Taiwan Railway is working to keep travelers safe by adding a steel fence that’ll run alongside the track and it is also more frequently inspecting the entire line of the train.

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

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New AI earthquake early warning system promises more accurate predictions

With earthquakes such a frequent occurrence in Taiwan, effective earthquake response systems are a big industry. A new AI earthquake early warning system is in development, which promises to provide more accurate predictions for quake magnitude. The new system has been developed at National Central University. The deputy head of its Earthquake Disaster and Risk Evaluation and Management Center, Chan Chung-han, explains how the new system could be used to reduce risks and casualties.

Chan Chung-han
Earthquake Disaster and Risk Evaluation and Management Center
We’re looking at the Hualien region during the recent earthquake. The 32 represents the Milun Fault. The 22 represents the Huadong Longitudinal Fault. We all know that it has a higher probability of earthquake occurrence in the future.

National Central University has a two-year project, funded by the Central Weather Administration, to create a next-generation AI earthquake early warning system, TT-SAM. Its aim is to win citizens a bit more time to prepare for an earthquake, and thereby reduce casualties. It will be able to pick up on tremors faster, and provide intensity predictions for each county with at least 90% accuracy. Developers hope it will be used eventually in the official earthquake warning system.

Chan Chung-han
Earthquake Disaster and Risk Evaluation and Management Center
When our station has picked it up, within about six seconds we’ll be able to assess which places are facing tremors of an intensity of 4 or more, for almost everywhere in Taiwan. Then we can use this method to issue warnings for most places.

The system uses artificial intelligence to monitor earthquake imagery, drawing on AI quake data training models built in Japan and Italy. It takes into account the ways that tremors are magnified in certain places in Taiwan, to optimize predictions. The system could predict that the recent quake of magnitude 7.2 in Hualien would have an intensity of 4 or over in most parts of Taiwan. Apart from making such predictions more accurate, the system will also issue its analyses faster than traditional warning systems.

Chan Chung-han
Earthquake Disaster and Risk Evaluation and Management Center
In terms of the needs of official institutions, I am confident they will be able to send information to people who need it. In six seconds, they can’t make a high-speed train slow down from 200 kilometers an hour to zero. But they can effectively reduce the speed, and maybe avoid some potential dangers.

Taiwan is in a high-frequency earthquake region. With advanced warning systems, response times are in the seconds, and every second can make a big difference in improving outcomes.

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

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April 3 quake causes vertical ground displacement of 45.1 cm in Hualien

Taiwan’s terrain was torn and moved in different directions after the devastating earthquake on April 3. According to government data, ground displacement was the worst in Hualien, which saw land moving up as much as 45.1 centimeters. Other parts of Taiwan saw smaller vertical shifts of 1 to 6 centimeters. Experts say that because the earthquake struck offshore, the greatest displacements lie undetected on the ocean floor.

Last Wednesday’s magnitude 7.2 earthquake not only damaged buildings and roads, but also deformed terrain across Taiwan.

The interior ministry’s National Land Surveying and Mapping Center analyzed data collected before and after the earthquake. The greatest vertical ground displacement was recorded at the Hualien Station, where Earth was pushed up 45.1 centimeters. The greatest horizontal displacement, measuring 22.2 centimeters, was also recorded in Hualien, at the East Coast National Scenic Area Administration Station.

Chen Wen-shan
NTU Department of Geosciences
Because the earthquake struck offshore, the biggest displacement actually occurred on the seabed. It’s just that we don’t have ways to monitor those changes. Historically, the biggest displacement ever recorded was caused by the Jiji earthquake on the Chelungpu fault. There were shifts of 5 to 10 meters.

The latest ground displacements broke no records, but they have altered Taiwan’s topography. Xincheng Station, located near the earthquake’s epicenter, recorded a horizontal shift of 8.6 centimeters and a vertical shift of 26 centimeters. At Fengbin Station, there was horizontal displacement of 4 centimeters and vertical displacement of 2.2 centimeters.

Kuo Kai-wen
Former Seismological Center head
Observations showed that the area affected by the changes was actually very large. It’s not like previous times when only a small stretch was affected. Shifts occurred over a large area, as if the Coastal Mountain Range had been pushed upward at its faults from the pressure.

According to government data, displacements weren’t limited to the East Coast. Northern monitoring stations saw shifts of 1 to 4 centimeters, while western stations saw shifts of 1 to 6 centimeters. Shifts of 1 to 2 centimeters were recorded in the south.

Chen Wen-shan
NTU Department of Geosciences
When it comes to changes of just a few dozen centimeters, they are not really perceptible to most people. This isn’t like how it was after the 1999 Jiji earthquake, which lifted the ground up by several meters. Back then you could certainly notice a difference of 1 or 2 meters outside your front door.

The geologist says that, although ground has shifted nationwide, the changes are likely not noticeable in everyday life.

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

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