Shanghai delegation meets Taipei mayor ahead of twin cities forum

Shanghai delegation meets Taipei mayor ahead of twin cities forum

2024-06-13

The annual Taipei-Shanghai City Forum will be hosted this summer in Taipei. To hammer out the details, Shanghai has sent a delegation led by its Taiwan Affairs Office director, Zhong Xiaomin. She and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an spoke for half an hour behind closed doors on Thursday.

Shanghai’s Taiwan Affairs Office Director Zhong Xiaomin makes her way through Taipei City Hall. City mayor Chiang Wan-an was waiting in a conference room for a closed-door discussion. Details were disclosed later by a spokesperson.

Yin Wei
Taipei City government spokesperson
The atmosphere was very harmonious. The mayor first expressed his gratitude to the Shanghai delegation for hosting last year’s forum. This year is about continuing with the foundation we established last year. A good relationship between our two cities can only benefit the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The 2024 twin cities forum will be held in Taipei. Ahead of the event, Shanghai sent its top Taiwan affairs official to meet the mayor. Her presence has stoked rumors that Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng himself intends to join this year’s forum.

Zhong was all smiles when facing Taiwan media. The day before, she’d flown in on the same flight as Chinese actor Hu Ge, who was visiting to attend a youth forum. Media asked if the shared flight was a coincidence or an attempt to downplay the political visit.

Yin Wei
Taipei City government spokesperson
We are responsible only for the Shanghai delegation, that is to say, only the people from the Taiwan Affairs Office. In the application that we filed, there was no mention of Hu Ge.

The actor’s whirlwind visit was reportedly arranged by Cheng Wen-tsan, head of Taiwan’s Straits Exchange Foundation. But the claim was later firmly denied. Amid China’s ongoing harassment of Taiwan, fears and suspicions are running rampant. A councilor has urged Taipei’s mayor to uphold national dignity during the twin cities forum.

Lin Yen-feng
Taipei City councilor (DPP)
All arrangements must put the interests of Taipei’s people first. They must not be made under the table. They must uphold equality and dignity. No side should be allowed to take advantage of the other. Chiang Wan-an must uphold these principles.

The Shanghai delegation will conclude its four-day tour on Saturday. With tensions high across the strait, the visit will continue to be closely watched.

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

上海台辦主任與蔣萬安會面為雙城論壇探路

2024-06-13

台北-上海雙城論壇，預計今年7-8月在台北登場，上海市台辦主任鍾曉敏為了先探路，率領團隊訪台，前一天中國還和藝人胡歌搭同班飛機抵台，台北市長蔣萬安今天上午也和鍾曉敏會面，30分鐘全程閉門，不過，會面層級再拉高，也讓外界聯想鍾曉敏的出現，在為上海市長龔正訪台鋪路。

拜會北市府，上海台辦主任鐘曉敏為雙城論壇先來探路，東道主蔣萬安，早早到會議室，想和上海團談什麼，不先跟媒體透露，留給發言人解答。

[[北市府發言人殷瑋]]
“雙方氣氛是很融洽，主要市長也先向上海團方面致謝，去年的雙城論壇在上海，今年就是延續著我們去年，已經建立的基調，雙城好，兩岸好”

今年的雙城論壇辦在台北，上海這一團，被視為先遣部隊，層級和去年副主任李驍東相比再拉高，也讓外界聯想是否在為上海市長龔正，出席雙城論壇鋪路。

面對媒體提問笑啊笑，不過，上海團前一天和來台參加青年論壇的藝人胡歌，搭同班飛機，這樣的安排是想刻意降低政治味，還是巧合巧遇？

[[北市府發言人殷瑋]]
“那我們只負責上海，也就是台辦這一團的這個部分，所以在我們申請當中，確實是沒有胡歌的部分”

胡歌這回旋風式訪台，外傳是海基會董事長鄭文燦居中牽線，但後來證實是民間安排。只是兩岸互動牽動敏感神經，中國擾台動作沒間斷過，議員呼籲雙城論壇應該秉持著對等尊嚴。

[[台北市議員(民) 林延鳳]]
“所以任何行程的安排，都應該要以台北市民的利益為最優先，而不是偷偷摸摸的，而且秉持著對等尊嚴，不應該讓對方吃豆腐，蔣萬安應該要有所這樣子的堅持”

上海團行程將在台灣待四天，預計週六離台，此行在兩岸關係的緊張氛圍下，備受關注。

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A sneak peek inside the rest space of an Emirates plane

Have you ever wondered how flight attendants manage on long-haul flights? Crew members take it in turns to go on shifts on long flights. Now, perhaps the first time, we have a sneak peek inside the rest space of an Emirates plane. Big carriers like Emirates provide luxurious rest spaces for their crews, and today we have a guided tour of one such space. Normally these rest spaces are located above the main cabin, and include bunks where crew members can sleep.

Open the door and step up the stairs into a narrow space where there are eight bunks, televisions and air conditioning. This is the crew rest space.

Chen Jui-chiu
Flight attendant classroom manager
The wealthier carriers, like Emirates, adopt the strategy of having better equipment when the plane is first made. For example, as we can see in the video, some crew rest spaces have televisions and even a solo space for each person.

An airplane will have two rest spaces, one for pilots and another for crew.

Chen Jui-chiu
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Usually the rest space is in the rear of the plane. For example, we see that sometimes it’s by the kitchen or facing the kitchen. There’s a little trapdoor, which is usually not opened by normal travelers. The position on a Boeing 747 is usually next to the washrooms, so it’s more easily opened.

The rest space is well hidden to allow the crew to rest properly. It’s often above the main cabin, and the door might be mistaken for a toilet or a storeroom. But in fact it’s leading to the crew’s hideaway.

Chen Jui-chiu
Flight attendant classroom manager
Most of the airplanes in use in Taiwan were manufactured quite some time ago. So normally they don’t have such high-end facilities as this.

This might be the first time viewers have seen into this secret but vital part of a plane. Airplane crews remind viewers that these spaces are secret for a good reason – next time you’re on a flight, don’t go barging in, or the whole plane will suffer!

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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TSMC goes ex-dividend, Morris Chang pockets NT$437 million

Taiwan chipmaker TSMC went ex-dividend on Thursday, dropping NT$3.5 per share but recovering almost instantly. The stock briefly touched NT$935, before closing up 1.49% at NT$919. Former company CEO Morris Chang is expected to receive NT$437 million in dividends, if he still holds all the shares he owned upon retirement.

According to Forbes magazine, TSMC founder Morris Chang is now worth over US$3.3 billion. These days, he’s riding high on TSMC dividends.

On Wednesday, TSMC’s American depositary receipts surged by 4%, closing at US$172.98. The stock went ex-dividend on the Taiex on Thursday, paying out NT$3.5 per share to open at NT$923. But it recovered almost instantly, hitting a record NT$935 at its peak before closing at NT$919, up 1.43%. Its market value now stands at NT$23.83 trillion.

Winson Wang
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TSMC’s stock price is now above NT$900, so even the slightest rise will recover the dividend. What’s more, the current market situation is very favorable for TSMC. Not only is Wall Street going strong, TSMC’s own fundamentals are excellent.

When Chang retired as TSMC chair in June 2018, he owned 125,000 shares. If he had maintained his holdings, he pocketed NT$437 million in dividends on Thursday. Former TSMC chair Mark Liu, with his 12,913 shares, earned NT$45.19 million. Company CEO C.C. Wei, with 6,392 shares, received NT$22.37 million. The Executive Yuan’s National Development Fund, a major institutional shareholder, received NT$5.78 billion.

Winson Wang
Market analyst
Taiwan’s EPS could challenge NT$50 next year. Assuming a price to earnings ratio of 20, TSMC’s stock price could reach NT$1,000.

Amid the AI frenzy, TSMC has emerged as one of the world’s most valuable companies, beating out rivals Samsung and Intel. Its 3 nanometer process is booked until 2026 by clients including Apple, Qualcomm, Nvidia, and AMD. Experts say it’s only a matter of time before TSMC hits NT$1,000.

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International Day of Yoga celebrated by India’s de facto embassy in Taiwan

June 21 is International Day of Yoga. A large event to celebrate the practice of yoga is held annually by India’s de facto embassy in Taiwan, the India Taipei Association. This year the event was held at Taoyuan Sunlight Arena, with collaboration from Taoyuan City government. India’s de facto ambassador was on hand to speak about the significance of yoga, not only as a practice of spiritual and physical health, but also as a common point of interest for many Taiwanese and Indian people.

Traditional Indian music fills the air as a performer completes a sacred dance to open International Day of Yoga celebrations.

Participants close their eyes and then sit in the lotus position, following a teacher’s guidance. Every June, the India Taipei Association holds a large yoga gathering attracting lots of enthusiasts to celebrate the day.

Ms. Huang
Member of public
I’ve been practicing yoga for 21 years. I used to get insomnia, but since I started yoga, the quality of my sleep improved a lot. I used to feel depressed and anxious but since I started yoga, my moods are much calmer.

Ms. Tsai
Member of public
Yoga is about uniting body, mind and spirit. In today’s society, especially, things are moving so quickly, and changing so intensely, so in an era like this, yoga is a great way to cultivate the body and mind.

June 21 is International Day of Yoga. It was first suggested to the U.N. by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and supported by 175 U.N. member states. Yoga is also listed by UNESCO as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.”

Manharsinh Laxmanbhai Yadav
India Taipei Association head
So I’m very happy to host this yoga event here, and I do understand a lot of Taiwanese people practice yoga. Most of the people want to become better. I see a lot of Taiwanese people trying their best to develop their personal growth, and I think that’s an endeavor that many Indian people also do. So I’m very happy to do this here so that Taiwanese people and Indian people can practice yoga together.

Yoga is not just another form of physical exercise. It’s an important part of Indian philosophy, and a practice of bringing together body and mind that many people find useful for their overall wellbeing. It’s also a bridge between Taiwan and Indian culture.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Mandarin student turned Italian teacher makes a home in Taiwan

Giovanni Patuelli moved to Taiwan from Italy nearly eight years ago to study Chinese. At first, he came simply as a student, but he ended up building a life here. Now he teaches Italian at a cram school and has made friends with many of his students. He has also become a popular content creator by making videos introducing Italian food and culture.

On a weekend morning in the classroom, Giovanni Patuelli says a phrase in Italian and his student repeats after him. After holding one-on-one classes every other week, his student has already mastered basic Italian speaking and listening.

Huang Ying-tzu
Student
Giovanni is great at teaching vocabulary. He can explain why two words go together so well. Italian has a lot of adjectives that are used metaphorically, but he breaks it down so you can understand it. It’s fun and helps you remember the word.

After Patuelli moved to Taiwan from Italy, he started teaching Italian. Now nearly eight years later, he has become friends with many of his students.

Giovanni Patuelli
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Being a teacher is quite fun. Even though as a language teacher I usually teach the same content every day, it’s with different people each time. Maybe through my class, they could even become Italian! They could find an Italian husband or work in Italy.

While he was at university in Italy, Patuelli decided to take a break and move to Taiwan to study Mandarin. His journey began after joining National Taiwan Normal University’s Chinese department.

Giovanni Patuelli
Italian teacher
I think Chinese is the hardest language and I wanted to challenge myself, so I came to Taiwan to study Chinese. I had a neighbor whose mother is Taiwanese and father is Italian. We grew up together, so I knew about Taiwan since I was little. When I decided to study Chinese, I knew Taiwan was the place to go.

In addition to teaching Italian in videos, Patuelli also shoots, edits and produces short videos about Italian culture. They have received positive feedback and showcase people’s friendliness and enthusiasm toward him.

Giovanni Patuelli
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Last year I got in a scooter accident and broke my leg. That was so sudden and I don’t have any family in Taiwan. But I realized, my friends here are like my family. I have lived in Taipei longer than any other city, so it really has become my home.

Patuelli may have moved away from his hometown, but Taiwan has been his home for a while. He hopes to get his permanent residency soon.

This story was provided by the program "We Are Family"
Funded by New Immigrant Development Fund

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Academy of Taiwan Strings brings music to underprivileged children

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The beautiful melody flowing from the musicians’ fingers captures the children’s attention, even though they were busy chatting just a moment ago. From the Academy of Taiwan Strings, these musicians haven’t only visited Taichung’s Heping Junior High School, but travel to schools on Taiwan’s outlying islands.

No matter where they live, the children are all curious about music. The academy performs in remote schools throughout Taiwan to help fill the gap in music education between urban and rural areas.

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We were playing songs from Miyazaki. Especially when we got to “Lonely Warrior,” there was a kid, a preschooler, who sang so loud it filled the entire hall. And it’s a big hall!

When the government targets regional disparities in education, they often focus on equipment and teaching resources but overlook the arts. It’s not just about introducing children to music, but giving them tools to make music a part of their lives. The academy cooperates closely with schools, regularly offering lessons to students.

Cheng Sy-joun
Academy of Taiwan Strings artistic director
We visited Taitung and one of my students was from a village in Haiduan. He told me that when he went home to play violin, the entire village noticed because they had never heard it before. It was quite the sensation. This instrument is challenging, it’s not easy to pick up, but at least it has a positive influence.

Even during the pandemic, these musicians continued to perform in rural areas. They are committed to introducing underprivileged children to the magic of music.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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2024-06-13