Tsai steps down, fulfills pension promise

2024-05-20

Tsai Ing-wen stepped down on Monday after eight years in the Presidential Office. Originally, Tsai was entitled to a monthly “courtesy payment” of NT$250,000 for eight years after her tenure. But due to a promise she made when pushing pension reform, her payment will be capped at NT$86,000 a month, to match the top salary of civil servants. The remaining NT$160,000 will be donated to charity. This means that some NT$15 million will go to charity over the next eight years.

Chen Po-wei
Legislative adviser
We can use two subjects for comparison. One is Ma Ying-jeou. He said he would fulfill his “633” economic platform, or else donate his salary. But he didn’t make good on his promise to donate. Tsai Ing-wen did in fact deliver on the “633” platform, so Ma’s salary should be paid out to Tsai. The other subject for comparison is Jason Hu. Taiwan used to have a very unfair pension calculation system. Under this system, the number of years you work for the KMT counts toward your service in the public sector. After an amendment abolished this system, Jason Hu went to court to argue that his extra benefits should be returned to him. If you compare Tsai against these figures, you can see that the DPP is serious about reform, and that it leads by example, whereas the KMT’s calls for reform are empty words.

In related news, French newspaper Le Monde published a tribute titled “Taiwan: Under President Tsai Ing-wen, eight years of stability in the storm.” The article said that during Tsai’s two terms, Taiwan has made great strides in “international geopolitics, the most advanced technologies, and respect for human rights.”

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蔡英文卸任禮遇每月僅領8.6萬兌現年改承諾

2024-05-20

總統蔡英文八年執政，今天終於卸下重任。依據"卸任正副總統禮遇條例"，蔡英文原先可享每月25萬元禮遇金，但為了兌現當年年改承諾，她將比照公務人員所得天花板，一個月僅領8萬6，剩下的16萬將會捐給慈善單位，八年下來1500萬，全數做公益。

[[立法院榮譽顧問陳柏惟]]
“那比較的對象有兩個，一個叫馬英九，一方面他說沒有達到633，就要捐薪水，結果他沒有捐。那以此標準呢，反而蔡英文達到633，馬英九的薪水應該要付給蔡英文。那另外一方面有一個人叫胡志強，過去台灣有一個非常不公平的計算方式，叫做黨職併公職，就是你在中國國民黨服務，那你也可以有公職人員的退休金計算條件，那後來修正了之後，要黨職跟公職分開，結果胡志強去打官司說，應該要把他的退休金還給他。那這一些比較下來，你就可以知道民進黨說改革是認真，而且自己以身作則的，而國民黨的改革只是說說而已。”

法國世界報以「台灣：在平衡者蔡英文領導下，暴風雨中8年的穩定」為標題，報導蔡英文上任以來，台灣至少在3項領域中表現亮眼：國際地緣政治、最尖端科技，以及對人權的尊重。形容她"讓台灣在國際社會取得前所未有的地位"。

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President Lai urges China to acknowledge reality of ROC’s existence

Lai Ching-te was sworn in as Taiwan’s new president on Monday. In his inaugural address, he vowed to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. He also appealed to China, urging it to acknowledge the reality of the R.O.C.’s existence. Lai warned Taiwan’s public to harbor no delusions about Beijing’s ultimate goal of annexing Taiwan. He also addressed the recent scuffles in the Legislative Yuan, saying that national interests should come before the interests of parties.

Lai Ching-te
President
In accordance with the Republic of China Constitution system, I will take on that solemn responsibility of leading the nation bravely forward.

In his inauguration speech, President Lai Ching-te addressed Taiwan’s future – in particular, Taiwan’s future approach to China.

Lai Ching-te
President
Our government will uphold the Four Commitments, neither yield nor provoke, and maintain the status quo. I also want to call on China to cease their political and military intimidation against Taiwan. I hope that China will face the reality of the Republic of China’s existence, respect the choices of the people of Taiwan and in good faith, choose dialogue over confrontation, exchange over containment, and under the principles of parity and dignity, engage in cooperation with the legal government chosen by Taiwan’s people.

Lai reiterated his commitment to maintaining the status quo and pursuing regional peace and prosperity. But he warned Taiwan against being under any misapprehension about China’s ultimate goal.

Lai Ching-te
President
As we pursue the ideal of peace, we must not harbor any delusions. So long as China refuses to renounce the use of force against Taiwan, all of us in Taiwan ought to understand, that even if we accept the entirety of China’s position and give up our sovereignty, China’s ambition to annex Taiwan will not simply disappear. The Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. All our political parties ought to oppose annexation and protect sovereignty; and no one should entertain the idea of giving up our national sovereignty in exchange for political power.

Leading the country without a legislative majority is set to be Lai’s main challenge. In the Friday before his inauguration, scuffles broke out in the legislature over several controversial bills aiming to expand parliamentary powers.

Lai Ching-te
President
The Legislative Yuan should observe procedural justice. The majority should respect the minority, while the minority accepts majority rule. National interests come before the interests of parties – that is the sacred duty of each political party. When ruling or opposition parties put forth legislation that conforms with our Constitution. When we uphold the spirit of “people above all” and “nation above party,” national policy will naturally and smoothly progress.

Lai underscored the importance of procedural justice. And with the conclusion of his inaugural address, Lai embarked on what’s set to be a challenging term.

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2024-05-20

51 foreign delegations attend Lai’s inauguration ceremony

The presidential inauguration was attended by 508 foreign dignitaries across 51 delegations. Eight groups were led by their nation’s head of state. The U.S. sent a delegation that included former National Economic Council Director Brian Deese, and former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage. Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also attended the ceremony, leading a separate delegation. Guests from Japan included relatives of the late Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.

President Lai Ching-te, first lady Wu Mei-ju, and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim welcomed foreign dignitaries to the Presidential Office on Monday.

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. was seen greeting and congratulating Lai with both hands.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 51 delegations totaling 508 people attended the presidential inauguration. Eight delegations were led by heads of state, one by a deputy head of state, one by a foreign minister, and two by special envoys. The guests include the king of Eswatini, the president of the Marshall Islands, the president of Paraguay, and the president of Belize. Guests from the U.S. included former Director of the National Economic Council Brian Deese, former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, former AIT Chair Richard Bush, AIT Chair Laura Rosenberger, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Furuya Keiji, chair of the Japan-R.O.C. Diet Members’ Consultative Council, led Japan’s delegation of 35 lawmakers from several parties. That’s Japan’s largest delegation to date, reflecting the strong bond between the two countries. Present at the ceremony were relatives of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo: widow Abe Akie and nephew Nobuchiyo Kishi.

From Europe, 12 delegations totaling 39 dignitaries attended the ceremony. Guests came from the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, and Ukraine. There were also members of the European Parliament. Their presence was a strong show of solidarity from democratic nations around the world.

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2024-05-20

Taoyuan inks sister-city pact with Belize’s Orange Walk Town

Taoyuan has a new sister city. Last Saturday, it formalized a partnership with Orange Walk Town in Belize, one of Taiwan’s formal diplomatic allies. The ceremony was attended by Taoyuan Mayor Chang San-cheng and the prime minister of Belize, John Briceno. Orange Walk Town is Taoyuan’s 36th sister or friendship city, and its first in Central America. The two cities plan to have close exchanges in agriculture, culture, and tourism.

Taoyuan Mayor Chang San-cheng and Belize Prime Minister John Briceno seal the deal with a handshake, as cameras rush to capture the moment. The two of them strike a playful pose to celebrate a new sister-city relationship.

Chang San-cheng
Taoyuan mayor
Most importantly, Belize and Taoyuan both very much value ethnic integration. We feel that in this day and age, ethnic integration is a very important component of a nation’s soft power.

Taiwan and Belize have maintained diplomatic ties for 35 years, since 1989. Now Belize’s Orange Walk Town has become Taoyuan’s 36th sister or friendship city. It’s the third sister city signed during Mayor Chang’s tenure, and the first in Central America.

Besides being an important industrial city, Taoyuan is also flourishing in other sectors. At the signing ceremony, the mayor presented an original work by an Atayal artist and gift boxes symbolizing the circle of life. In the future, the two cities plan to deepen exchanges in agriculture and tourism. Chang said he would like to visit Belize, and the prime minister touted his nation’s festivities.

Chang San-cheng
Taoyuan mayor
We hope that this September, during the Independence Day of Belize, we can organize a group to go to Belize and participate.

John Briceno
Belize prime minister
In Orange Walk Town, we have the biggest celebration. It’s more like a carnival. …And also to be able to have a better and clearer understanding about Orange Walk Town and also how we can forge the relationship between both cities.

Briceno and his delegation are visiting Taiwan to attend the presidential inauguration. He said he hoped the new sister-city relationship would bring close exchanges in agriculture, culture, and tourism.

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2024-05-20

Spotlight on Taiwanese Bollywood dancer, Jennifer Liu

Today we take you to meet Taiwanese dancer Jennifer Liu. She studied dance in India for more than a decade, and has starred in six Bollywood films. Now she’s back in Taiwan to teach.

Taiwanese dancer Jennifer Liu takes to the stage with a Mohiniyattam dance performance. Mohiniyattam is an Indian classical dance form originating from the state of Kerala. Liu is the first dancer to teach it in Taiwan.

Jennifer Liu
Dancer
There are many teachers in Taiwan who teach Bollywood dance, local dance and even classical dance, but I am the first person to bring Mohiniyattam to Taiwan. Mohiniyattam is a classical dance. Kerala is very similar to Taiwan’s Pingtung. There are many coconut trees and rivers, so many of its movements are softer, and the eyes play an important role.

Liu is a dancer who studied the art form in India for 14 years. She’s also starred in six Bollywood movies, including “Super Nani” and “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania.” Now she’s back in Taiwan to teach Indian dance.

Jennifer Liu
Dancer
Previously, I taught art to children in Taiwan. After that, I traveled to India. At first, my yoga teacher suggested that I learn dance. Then I came to Mumbai and was discovered by the biggest teacher in Mumbai and the biggest choreographer in Bollywood. She invited me to participate in their first film.

Liu is also an artist. She was amazed by the beauty she saw in India. Her goal today is to foster greater appreciation of Indian arts in Taiwan.

Jennifer Liu
Dancer
My biggest goal is of course to help people in Taiwan know more about Indian art and culture. People still mostly just know about Bollywood music or films. But India’s art culture has a long history. I want to help people get a deeper understanding of Indian dancing, drama, and painting – I think these are very important.

Liu is working to foster more theater exchanges between Taiwan and India.

Jennifer Liu
Dancer
I am working hard because I only returned to Taiwan last year. I hope there will be more opportunities to create exposure and let more people see us. We have a team in India and Taiwan. Taiwanese artists will work with Indian artists. I hope there will be more opportunities to invite Indian artists to perform in Taiwan.

In addition, plans are in the works for workshops and other events that bring the beauty of India to Taiwan.

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2024-05-20

International experts express concern over ‘legislative reform’

The opposition parties’ push for “legislative reform” is capturing global attention. Thirty international scholars, politicians, and media professionals have signed a statement expressing concern over the so-called reform. On Monday, one signatory warned that the changes would harm Taiwan’s democracy. Another said that such “reform” would be unconstitutional and undermine the president’s authority.

Experts from several countries have voiced concern about Taiwan’s legislature. They say they fear more chaos when parliament reconvenes on Tuesday.

William A. Stanton
Former AIT director
I’m truly shocked and saddened that opposition representatives are trying to introduce unconstitutional changes to Taiwan government policies and procedures that would subvert Taiwan’s democratically elected president and his government. This is inconsistent with the civility of the Taiwanese I know.

The group included former AIT Director William A. Stanton, legal consultant Michael Fahey, and Formosan Association for Public Affairs President Bob Yang. Also present was George Mason University Professor Gerrit van der Wees, who expressed concern that the scuffles could give rise to a second Sunflower Movement.

Gerrit van der Wees
George Mason University professor
Remind us more of the black box that led to the Sunflower Movement just [10] years ago, they undermined Taiwan’s democracy and seriously damaged Taiwan’s international standing.

The professor said last Saturday’s scuffles at the Legislative Yuan undermined Taiwan’s democratic processes. Some scholars accused the opposition of using legislative reform as a pretext to expand parliamentary powers, while eroding the powers of the Executive Yuan. One proposal aims to codify contempt of the legislature as a crime, scholars said. Although such a crime does exist in other countries, no other democracy charges individuals for contempt based on their responses in question-and-answer sessions.

Bob Yang
Formosan Association for Public Affairs
International scholars, politicians and press people are very concerned about the situation here, so they have put their names here to endorse this statement.

The statement has 30 signatories, including two former AIT directors. As the legislature moves to vote on the reforms on May 21, the international community is closely watching.

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2024-05-20

Yang Yung-wei makes history at World Judo Championships

2024-05-20

Tucheng Elementary baseball team thrives despite adversity

In Taichung’s Dali District, the Tucheng Elementary School baseball team practices on the cement floor of the school’s basement. Even though they don’t have enough outdoor space for a field, this team has been around for 10 years. While they can occasionally use the municipal field, they normally practice in the only open space they have: the basement. But that didn’t stop this group of young athletes from breaking the school’s record last year by placing sixth in the national elementary baseball championships.

As the batter hits far into the outfield, the player on first base seizes his chance and runs all the way home. Then the opponent’s pass goes off course, allowing the batter to safely make it to third. A string of successful plays brings the score to 9-5.

In this Toto Cup Little League semifinal, young athletes from Taichung fight their way into the championship. Some of them come from Tucheng Elementary, known as the “cement baseball team.”

Making the most of their time outside the classroom, these young players are having batting practice. Since the school doesn’t have space for an outdoor field, they are practicing in the basement. The team now in its 10th year has 34 players, but the school’s space is so limited that they have to practice in groups.

Hsieh Ming-feng
Tucheng Elementary baseball coach
Because we have such limited time and space, we spend a lot of effort making sure the kids stay focused.

Baseball player
Tucheng Elementary
I told my dad that I wanted to play baseball, but the school I was at didn’t have a team. So I changed to this school and started playing here.

Tucheng Elementary’s baseball team started out as a club of fewer than 10 students. But thanks to their consistent hard work, last year the team entered the biggest little league tournament in the nation and earned sixth place out of 187.

Lin Shu-chiu
Tucheng Elementary principal
They give their all at every match, whether they win or lose. Not only are they improving their skills, but they also show excellent sportsmanship.

Despite their disadvantages, the team has worked hard to master the game. Their success in the face of adversity has earned them the title of “cement legends.”

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2024-05-20

International student group documents Dawu Mountain hike

Students from Kaohsuing’s I-Shou University Department of Mass Communication banded together to climb Dawu Mountain. With members from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia, they were led up the mountain by the founder of Pingtung’s mountaineering museum. They spent a year filming the process, making the documentary “Goat on the Cliff.” Because they had to carry lots of film equipment, these new mountaineers trained extra hard for the hike, climbing the mountain three times before finally making it to the peak and completing their graduation project.

Standing on the peak of Dawu Mountain at an altitude of 3,092 meters, these I-Shou University students challenged themselves to film a mountaineering documentary.

These students from the Department of Mass Communication climbed Dawu for their graduation project. Led by a professional mountaineer, they hiked carefully up the steep mountain road, carrying film equipment the entire way.

Hiking all day and into the night, they faced many challenges. One of them nearly gave up when he got altitude sickness.

Teng Shou-yan
Student from Hong Kong
I feel really uncomfortable and nauseous right now. I might not be able to make it to the top…

But the challenging process didn’t stop the determined group of students. As they had no previous hiking experience, they spent a year training so they could shoot their documentary.

Pao Cheng-i
Student from Malaysia
Since we were new to this, we had a lot to learn about hiking equipment, food and water. We spent almost NT$10,000 on all our equipment.

Chang Hung-chiang
Student from Taiwan
I’m not very sporty, so I had to force myself to take the stairs to class and go running every week.

Teng Shou-yan
Student from Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s tallest mountain is Tai Mo Mountain, but it’s only around 900 meters high. It’s incredible that Taiwan has so many mountains over 3,000 meters. I didn’t see views like this until coming to Taiwan and I really want to share it with my family.

This film crew from I-Shou University brought together students from Taiwan, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Together they climbed Dawu Mountain, documenting their experienceto show more people the beauty of Taiwan’s mountains.

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2024-05-20

Taiwan braces for third plum rain front of season

2024-05-20

Tsai steps down, fulfills pension promise