Changhua farmers win fame for a volleyball tournament in the paddy fields

2024-04-26

A farmers’ group in Changhua has won fame for a volleyball tournament held in a rice paddy. The games in the mud began four years ago in Erlin Township. Now, the local teams have even been asked to appear in a commercial for a major sports brand.

A player falls but is straight back on his feet, only to flop on his belly again at the next hit.

These volleyball teams consist of local players of all ages. As they play, they are covered with mud from head to foot – and glowing with happiness.

This paddy field volleyball was filmed by an international sports brand for a commercial. The players had a special filming session for the brand, but in real life, these local farmers really are out here playing in the mud.

The tournament is normally held in summer, but on the day of filming, it was January and a cold snap. The players duked it out in just 10 degrees Celsius for about six hours. There were plenty of numb hands by the end of the day.

It all began here in Erlin Township in Changhua, when a farming association linked up with the leisure association to concoct a new marketing strategy. They wanted to hold a photogenic competition connected to the paddy fields. Four years ago, the collective brainstorming produced this paddy field volleyball project, which got everyone talking.

Wu Min-hsien
Douyuan Leisure Farm Development Association
Some people play volleyball in water, some people play on the beach. But no one else plays in paddy fields!

The sports brand’s slogan this year is “You got this.” It thought the image of amateur athletes rolling in the rice field mud would make an impact. For the farmers of Erlin, it’s a genius marketing strategy, a workout and a lot of fun.

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

彰化農民"水田打排球"吃土拍成運動廣告片爆紅

2024-04-26

彰化縣二林鎮，有一群農民熱愛玩排球，乾脆在水田裡比賽，為了救球撲得滿身泥!這種熱愛運動的能量，被國際運動品牌選為2024台灣年度故事，並拍攝廣告，宣傳"挑戰不可能"的素人精神!

跌倒了，很快站起來，下次接球又撲倒在泥水裡，越戰越勇。

各年齡層的農民組隊參加，從臉到身體，全變灰色，只見大家玩得不亦樂乎。

水田排球賽，被國際運動品牌相中，拍廣告，拍片需要配合畫面編排，但真的都是在地農民上場打。

原本賽事都在夏天舉行，但是，廣告拍攝那天，是一月份寒流來襲，大夥在十度低溫，撐了五、六個小時，拍完大家差不多都抽筋了。

彰化縣二林鎮，農村拚行銷，農事單位和休閒協會，絞盡腦汁辦活動，思考可以辦哪些和農田有關的賽事，而且又很具視覺效果的。在集思廣益之下，四年前開始，在水田裡打排球，果然很有話題性。

[[斗苑休閒農業區發展協會執行長吳敏賢]]
“有一些人在水裡面打，有一些人在沙灘上面打，就是沒有在水稻田裡面打。”

運動品牌今年的主題精神，是"You Got This 你可以的"，廠商認為，素人在田裡的泥裡翻滾拚勝負，很讓人有感。二林農民也藉此行銷，在農田裡不只是體力活，也可以歡樂地運動。

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Acts for presidential inauguration and emcees for state banquet unveiled

Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te will be inaugurated next month. Rapping in Taiwanese and Hakka and an a cappella performance will take center stage at the inauguration ceremony on May 20. Organizers have a lineup packed with all kinds of performances to showcase the diversity of Taiwan. And for the first time, Tainan will hold the inaugural state banquet with two special hosts who can speak a total of eight languages.

The program for the May 20 presidential inauguration has been unveiled. It includes a performance by singer Since Chou.

Since Chou
Singer
On the day, I will perform Taiwanese-language golden oldies from the past 100 years. I hope you’re all excited about it.

There’s also the Chio-Tian Folk Drums and Art Troupe, the Chien Kuo High School Marching Band, Paper Windmill Theatre and Fire EX., among others. Organizers say this year there will be novelties in the lineup, including an a cappella performance, rapping in Taiwanese and Hakka, and a stage that rises and drops. For the first time, the inauguration banquet will be held in Tainan, and emceed by a very special lineup.

Karen Kuo
Inauguration banquet emcee
Distinguished guests from all over the world will converge in Tainan. This offers them an opportunity to delve deeper into the rich history of the city at the state banquet.

She is Karen Kuo, spokesperson for Lai Ching-te’s presidential campaign with a wealth of experience hosting TV shows and events. And she won’t be alone.

Joining her will be Kevin Tai, a half-Taiwanese half-Brazilian model who came fourth representing Taiwan at the Mister Global 2023 pageant.

Kevin Tai
Inauguration banquet emcee
I’m super excited for this, really looking forward to it. For me, it’s not just an opportunity to show the world the power of Taiwan’s democracy, but also a way to show Taiwan the diversity of Taiwan. Even someone with a foreign-looking face can speak Mandarin and Taiwanese fluently!

The celebration for Taiwanese democracy is back after four years. The performers and emcees will showcase the diversity of the nation at Lai Ching-te’s and Hsiao Bi-khim’s inauguration on May 20.

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

2024-04-26

President-elect Lai Ching-te plays bartender as he attends launch of beer brewery

President-elect Lai Ching-te travelled south to Pingtung on Friday to preside over the launch of a new Taiwan-based brewery of an international company. As he received a warm welcome from employees, Lai also worked as a bartender for a day and poured himself a tall one from a beer tap. Lai also encouraged the brewery to become the best among the hundreds scattered across the world, so it could become the pride of Pingtung.

President-elect Lai Ching-te personally pours himself a glass of draft beer and scrapes off the foam. Lai then started learning on the spot how to be a salesman for it, and he managed it in quite a stylish way.

Lai was at the international beer company’s Neipu factory in Pingtung to preside over its inauguration ceremony and served as bartender and brewer for a day. To be a brewer, you first need to understand how the process starts with raw materials.

Lai listened carefully to explanations and understood the minute details of the entire brewing process. He also played guessing games with the staff and snapped selfies with them.

Lai Ching-te
President-elect
I think today’s occasion is quite lively and full of enthusiasm. If the lights were dimmed, it might also be like a nightclub.

Lai was at the brewery all morning. Economics minister Wang Mei-hua, who was accompanying him, joked that it was the first time to see a presidential figure hang around at a company for so long. Lai also urged them to do their best.

Lai Ching-te
President-elect
All kinds of resources coming from water and the geographical environment are excellent in all aspects because you are in Pingtung. I believe that with your expertise, you can make Pingtung produce the best quality beer among the some 160 breweries across the world.

Lai also campaigned for Pingtung farmers, hoping that the brewery could make use of more local products and develop beers with more local characteristics. At the same time set up a model factory for tourists so it could become the pride of Pingtung.

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

2024-04-26

Premier weighs in on KMT proposal to extend lifespan of nuclear power plants

2024-04-26

ITRI signs strategic partnership agreement with leading optoelectronic company

The Industrial Technology Research Institute has signed a strategic partnership agreement with AUO Corporation. The goal is to promote industrial transformation and upgrade, as well as set up companies in the green economy. ITRI says this mode of cooperation leverages the strengths of both parties to boost the development of innovative technologies and raise international competitiveness.

A representative from ITRI and AUO Corporation hold up massive seals and press them against the screen to complete the signing ceremony.

In order to promote industrial upgrading and transformation and help create a competitive green economy, ITRI and AUO Corporation have signed a strategic partnership agreement to work together in four major areas: advanced displays, vehicle electronics and smart cabins, vertical integration solutions, and net-zero emissions and ESG considerations. Both sides will leverage their advantageous positions in different fields to upgrade industrial technologies and enhance international competitiveness.

Frank Ko
AUO CEO
ITRI’s innovative prowess can complement our operations. I look forward to having a more efficient and systematic approach to integrating these two innovative forces in Taiwan: our company and this institute. That way we can collaborate more efficiently.

The leading panel manufacturer and ITRI have collaborated on a high-definition transparent projection screen. It’s the world’s first large-scale transparent projection technology. It’s not limited by projection distance, affording viewers an enhanced experience at exhibitions and sports events. There’s also this transparent vehicle display. It can be integrated into car windshields to present in-vehicle information and details on the driver’s physiological state, for enhanced driving efficiency and safety.

Another highlight is the smart visual display technology for vehicles. Eye-tracking technology detects where users are looking to show tourist information about surrounding landmarks on the passenger’s window, while reducing the likelihood of dizziness. The combination of GPS coordinates and eye-tracking devices allows passengers to know what they are looking at on a tour.

Edwin Liu
ITRI president
We hope to collaborate more with industry players in the fields of smart cabins, smart hospitals and even in consumer electronics. This is a top priority for ITRI’s research and development efforts.

ITRI is joining forces with Taiwanese companies to take advantage of each other’s strengths and take hold of a new generation of business opportunities.

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

2024-04-26

National Miaoli Special School cheerleading squad wins gold at world championship

2024-04-26

Japan’s central bank says no rate change, yen plunges to 34-year low against greenback

Good news for those who are heading to Japan. On Friday, Japan’s central bank said it would keep its policy rate unchanged, plunging the yen to a fresh 34-year low against the U.S. dollar. The exchange rate shot up to 156 yen against the greenback, its lowest point since May 1990. In practical terms, this means that you get 55,000 yen more when you exchange NT$100,000 compared with last year, and that’s equivalent to seven trips to Tokyo Disneyland.

The numbers of yen exchanged for a greenback continue to climb upward as the currency hit a 34-year low against the U.S. dollar. On Friday, the Bank of Japan announced at its monetary policy meeting that it would maintain its current benchmark interest rate.

Kazuo Ueda
Bank of Japan governor
In today’s meeting we decided to maintain financial market policy guidelines that were determined in March, which is to promote raising short-term interest rates to 0%- 0.1%. Purchases of long-term government bonds and corporate bonds will also be conducted according to guidelines from the March meeting.

The yen has been continually depreciating as the U.S. dollar has continued to strengthen. On April 10, the U.S. announced its latest inflation and consumption data for March, which exceeded market expectations. Investors one by one sold Asian currencies including the Japanese yen, and bought greenbacks. Seeing that their exchange rate is continuing to depreciate, causing commodity prices to skyrocket, Japanese companies and people are seething with anxiety.

Member of Japanese public
The prices of many things in everyday life are constantly rising.

Member of Japanese public
Hotels have become more expensive, transportation costs are also high, and prices for foods and beverages have all increased, making dining out very difficult.

Koshiro Kudo
Asahi Kasei Corporation
The depreciation of the yen has exceeded our company’s expectations too much, and, if this continues, our overall national strength will have problems.

Since the beginning of the year, the yen has depreciated by more than 9%, making it the worst-performing currency among 10 major industrialized countries. Some analysts believe the fall could get worse and the yen could slide to 160 against the greenback, provided Japan’s central bank and Ministry of Finance stay put and do not intervene in the market.

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

2024-04-26

Taiwan attracting Southeast Asian tech Students

Taiwan is looking to Southeast Asia as a pipeline to fill the region’s shortage of high-tech talent. The number of foreign students to the island has been growing, especially from Vietnam and Indonesia. Voice of America’s Peh Hong Lim reports from Hsinchu.

These students from Southeast Asia are not only learning Chinese in Taiwan, they are also getting technical skills training in their field of study. About an hour south of Taiwan’s capital, Truong Minh Qui from Vietnam is earning a master’s degree at Minh Hsin University of Science and Technology.

Truong Minh Qui
Vietnamese student
When I came to Taiwan, I had heard that Taiwan is advanced in chemical and materials fields. I really like these fields.

Vietnamese student enrollment in Taiwan is growing. They are the largest group of foreign students in Taiwan and account for nearly a quarter of all international students at 27,000. There has also been an increase in the number for students from Indonesia.

One of them is future civil engineer, Happy Mareta who says it was earthquakes that brought her to Taiwan.

Happy Mareta
Indonesian student
I’m really interested to study here because Taiwan is known for its advanced construction methods.

Students like Happy and Truong are the answer to Taiwan’s talent shortage in tech. A problem that is made worse by the island’s dropping birthrate. Taipei last year launched a plan to nearly triple the number of foreign students by 2030, retaining two-thirds for after graduation jobs. The island has been looking to Southeast Asia as a pipeline for new talent. Foreign students are also drawn to the island. For Mareta, the attraction is Taipei 101, the tallest building on the island.

Happy Mareta
Indonesian student
It’s the famous tourism spot. I could learn about how the construction methods used in Taiwan [Taipei] 101, how the building is built.

Especially how the building sways but stays strong during an earthquake.

Many students are pairing their studies with internships in Taiwan with the hope that they’ll land a high-tech job here in the future.

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

2024-04-26

Backstory to charming bookstore in the mountains of Hsinchu

2024-04-26

Rains batter Taiwan, with more to come next Tuesday

2024-04-26

Changhua farmers win fame for a volleyball tournament in the paddy fields