Hualien village votes to approve safety upgrades to Suhua Highway

Hualien village votes to approve safety upgrades to Suhua Highway

2024-08-01

Turning to Hualien County. Following damage from Typhoon Gaemi, the government is fast-tracking its safety upgrade project for the Suhua Highway. The project will reinforce high-risk parts of the road, to reduce damage from natural disasters. On Wednesday, the project got the green light from another tribal village that will be affected.

A vote counter pulls out ballots, reading each one aloud. The tension is palpable as locals watch on. What’s at stake is the safety of the highway leading to their tribal village.

Voice of Chou Yu-jen
Leader of Hualien’s Knlibu village
We’ve always wanted to get this approved. The April 3 earthquake and recent rains have left us with no way in or out. Everyone has been thinking about this issue since the earthquake.

The final vote was 193 in favor, 1 against. And with that, approval was secured from all seven villages in the region. It was a big relief for the government’s Suhua Improvement Engineering Office.

The April 3 earthquake and Typhoon Gaemi ravaged large sections of the Suhua Highway. Many sections with heavy damage had not been reinforced during the government’s Suhua Highway Improvement Project. With the highway in tatters, the government is pushing to fast-track safety upgrades. Its plan is called the Suhua Highway of Provincial Highway No. 9 Mountainous Section Improvement Project.
Construction will target 29.9 kilometers of road over three sections: Dong’ao to Nan’ao in Yilan, Heping to Hezhong in Hualien, and Heren to Chongde in Hualien. On Wednesday, Indigenous tribes approved construction between Heping and Hezhong, a section that spans 5.5 kilometers. An overpass will be built to reduce rockslide risks.

Lee Tsung-jen
Suhua Improvement Engineering Office director
We hope to complete all three sections and reopen traffic by the end of 2032. Once we complete construction, the journey between Su’ao and Hualien along the improved Suhua Highway will be shortened by 20 to 30 minutes.

Member of public
We hope to have a safe road as soon as possible. A road that lets us go north. For residents of Hualien and Northern Taiwan, such a road would speed up travel. It would also stimulate Hualien’s economy.

Highway officials thanked Hualien tribes for supporting the upgrade plan. They also pledged to incorporate local feedback, such as suggestions about slope reinforcement. If all goes well, the project’s design and tender process will be completed in two years, with construction to start the following August and completion set for 2032.

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

克尼布部落193戶同意完成"蘇花安部落"諮商最後一哩路

2024-08-01

地震和颱風重創蘇花公路，宜花陸地運輸陷入困難，因此交通部加緊腳步，推動「蘇花公路安全提升計畫」。就在週三(31)晚上，最後一個部落、花蓮縣秀林和平村的克尼布部落，以193戶同意、1戶不同意的結果，完成部落諮商的最後一哩路。

計票人員從投票箱內，將票一一拿出，進行唱票，現場等待的民眾好緊張，因為這次投的，可是攸關部落族人，能不能有安全進出部落的道路。

[[聲源:花蓮克尼布部落主席周裕仁]]
“就是一致想通過，0403(地震)跟最近的豪雨，我們已經沒有路可以走了。就是從地震後大家都有這想法”

最後投票結果出爐，以193戶同意對1戶不同意，蘇花安部落諮商，終於達成沿線7個部落都同意的共識，也讓工程單位終於鬆一口氣。

0403強震及凱米颱風，讓蘇花公路再次受重創，但其中不少受損嚴重區域，都不在「蘇花改」路段內，也讓花蓮當地對於「蘇花安」需求的急迫性再度升高。全名為"台9線蘇花公路安全提升計畫"，總長29.9公里，分為宜蘭東澳到南澳、花蓮和平到和中，及花蓮和仁到崇德三個路段，這次通過部落協商的，就是遭到強震和風災侵襲的"和平-和中"路段，全長5.5公里，規劃設計高架橋，降低落石風險。

[[蘇花改工程處處長李宗仁]]
“希望在121年底前，能三個路段竣工通車，這三個路段能夠按照期程完工，再配合蘇花改的已經完成路段，從蘇澳到花蓮(路程)，至少可以再縮短20到30分鐘”

[[民眾]]
“希望趕快有一條可以，安全來往的路，就是往北部這樣，不管是花蓮或北部，一些旅客來都會比較快，也會促進花蓮的經濟”

公路局表示感謝部落民眾支持，對於民眾提出強化邊坡保護等意見，會納入設計考量；如果順利，預計2年辦理設計、發包，後年8月動工，力拚2032年完工。

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民視台灣台（152頻道）週日至週五晚上9:30
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Spotlight on 2024 World Latte Art Champion Xie Yi-chen, Taiwan’s world-class barista

Today we take you to meet the 2024 World Latte Art Champion, Taiwanese Xie Yi-chen. Xie competed against baristas from 36 other countries and clinched the title with three designs inspired by Taiwan. The designs of a dragon, whale and moose were created by moving a pitcher of steamed milk right above the surface of espressos. Our very own FTV reporter Stephany Yang caught up with Xie for a coffee.

Xie carefully draws out patterns of a dragon, whale and moose. These are his winning works at the 2024 World Latte Art Championship in Copenhagen.

Xie says his inspiration was Taiwan and the designs were inspired by real and imaginary animals in the sea, land and sky. Through the dragon design, he hopes to let people know more about Taiwanese culture.

Xie Yi-chen
2024 World Latte Art Champion
I wanted to make something special and representative from the three elements: land, sea, and air. I chose what I liked best in each element. Especially for the sky part, I chose the God that symbolizes Taiwan, which is the dragon.

To prepare for the competition, Xie practiced latte art on 10,000 cups of espresso in total, 110 days cups per day. He spent NT$160,000 just on milk and coffee beans.

Xie Yi-chen
2024 World Latte Art Champion
The most difficult part was the bean. We couldn’t get their beans and we couldn’t buy milk because the competition was in Copenhagen, Denmark. The organizers only announced the beans 10 days before the competition so we couldn’t buy them.

Xie developed thick calluses throughout training and competing but that didn’t stop him from pursuing his dream. Xie says the whale pattern was the most challenging to produce.

Xie Yi-chen
2024 World Latte Art Champion
The most difficult design was the whale, which has a total of 7 leaves. The small leaves are very difficult. It greatly depends on strength and rhythm. I will hold my breath when creating my latte art design.

Xie began creating latte art at 17 years old and has competed in over 60 tournaments.

Xie Yi-chen
2024 World Latte Art Champion
I have been practicing latte art for 10 years since I was 17 years old. I have competed in many competitions, and many people ask if I do it to earn a lot of money. Competitions are not about making money. Competitions usually involve losing money. I pursue it for a sense of accomplishment. If you like something, spend a lot of time working on it and then showcase it. I have competed in at least 60 competitions, and it is impossible to win every game. You must go through a lot of failures, and you will learn from these failures, and the feedback will give you knowledge. Knowledge can give you strength.

Xie hopes to continue to represent Taiwan in competitions and build up his clientele in his coffee shop, where the lattes feature his unique designs.

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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Queen of Badminton Tai Tzu-ying crashes out of Paris Olympics

Badminton star Tai Tzu-ying’s last Olympic campaign ended in tears on Wednesday, after she lost to Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon in the group stage. After her defeat, Tai posted a heartfelt message of thanks to her fans. President Lai Ching-te also took to social media. He thanked the Queen of Badminton for her hard work and said Taiwan stood with her in Paris.

Outside the stadium, fans rush to hug Tai Tzu-ying as she fights back tears. Paris was Tai’s last Olympic campaign, and it came to an early end.

Later on, Tai shared a photo of her embracing her opponent, Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon, right after their match. In a 550-character post, she said she hadn’t wanted to cry on the court, or to let anyone know about her injuries. Over the past month, Tai was injured in both legs, to the point of needing crutches to move. At one point, she doubted her ability to compete, and she remained unable to run normally even after landing in France. Tai said she worked hard on rehabilitation and was surprised to win her first game at the games. But regarding her loss to Intanon, Tai said there were no excuses. She said she had hope but was ultimately unable to pull through. Tai’s fans are distraught.

Liu Chia-cheng
Olympic badminton coach
We weren’t expecting Intanon to come and hug her. Heroes support heroes.

Tai shared that India’s PV Sindhu had also hugged her after the match, holding her face and consoling her, saying Tai had played very well. Intanon left a comment on Tai’s post, saying Tai would, quote, be her mirror, as always. The Thai shuttler thanked Tai for her fighting spirit, and said she hoped to keep seeing her around the world. President Lai Ching-te also posted to social media. He thanked Tai for her hard work, writing that the cheers in the stadium represented Taiwan standing with her in Paris.

Cheng Shih-chung
Sports Administration head
We were very moved by Tai Tzu-ying’s match. We knew about her injuries, and some of the moves she made to catch the shuttle must have been really painful. We want to thank Tai Tzu-ying for representing our country all these years.

Tai Nan-kai
Tai Tzu-ying’s father
She’s a very strong girl. I saw how she cried when Intanon hugged her… She had some severe injuries, so it was very tough for her. If she had waited to heal fully, she would’ve lost her touch. Before leaving, she said she needed a miracle. The miracle was that she was able to run again. That was already a miracle in itself.

Despite Tai crashing out of the Olympics, her father remains proud as ever, and messaged her after the match to cheer her up. Tai plans to continue playing for the rest of the year before retiring. Her father says the most important thing for her is to get plenty of rest, adding that her family will support her no matter what she decides to do.

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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Boxer Lin Yu-ting prepares for first Paris match amid online storm over gender

Taiwan boxer Lin Yu-ting is preparing for her first match at the Paris Olympics. But ahead of her Friday bout, she’s been dragged into a controversy regarding her gender. Online critics have questioned her eligibility, citing her failure to pass a biochemical test last year. Taiwan’s Sports Administration defended Lin, saying that critics are unaware of the details of her situation.

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling shared an article from The Guardian, writing, “What will it take to end this insanity? A female boxer left with life-altering injuries? A female boxer killed?” The article was about Olympic boxers Imane Khelif from Algeria and Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan.

Lin shows off her gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Prior to 2023, Lin had cleared all gender tests required for competing as a woman. The only instance of controversy in her career was at the 2023 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship in India. Lin was stripped of her bronze just before the awards ceremony, due to failing a biochemical test. Lin chose not to appeal the decision.

Cheng Shih-chung
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It’s understandable that other athletes might complain to defend their rights. However, outsiders aren’t aware of everything concerning her situation.

The Sports Administration said that Rowling was unaware about the details of the situation, and was assuming Lin’s gender based on appearance. Famed filmmaker Yang Ya-che also defended Lin, writing on social media, “The world has gone mad. How masculine do you have to look to be considered a man? How feminine do you have to look to be considered a woman?” Rowling has long been accused of being transphobic. Her views have been criticized by LGTBQ+ advocacy groups, as well several actors from the “Harry Potter” film series.

Cheng Shih-chung
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We submitted a detailed medical report to the International Olympic Committee and the Asian Olympic Committee, so there is absolutely no problem regarding Lin Yu-ting’s eligibility.

Taiwan’s internet users have expressed strong support for Lin. Some charged Rowling of attacking women under the guise of women’s rights. Lin’s set to compete in Paris Friday evening. Fans hope she will be able to focus on the match, and that the hurtful rumors won’t overshadow her performance.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Tainan’s famous ‘warm beef’ can be enjoyed daily in Taipei

Tainan’s famous “warm beef” hot pot is a favorite of many foodies, called “warm beef” because it’s never refrigerated. One enthusiast spent a year in Tainan studying how to make the dish before returning to Taipei to open a restaurant. To maintain quality, his restaurant only serves one dish a day with beef delivered straight from the butcher in Tainan that morning. Let’s take a look!

Each slice of beef is rolled up like a rose and grilled under a hot flame until medium rare. Paired with onions, a special pomelo sauce and garnished with sesame seeds, Tainan’s “warm beef” is prepared to perfection.

This restaurant’s signature dish is sesame beef. To make it, first they fry ginger slices in sesame oil, then add spices, then the beef. After that comes rice wine to add even more flavor, and the dish is ready.

Customer
Normally, sesame oil feels very greasy. But it pairs so well with their fresh beef that the whole dish is upgraded.

The butcher has excellent knife skills, thinly slicing premium cuts of Taiwan’s top-grade beef into slices just 1 millimeter thick that will melt in your mouth.

To satisfy all customers, every day at 10:30 in the morning, the beef is sent directly from the butcher in Tainan to Taipei. It’s 3 or 4 in the afternoon by the time the meat arrives, so the restaurant can only serve dinner.

Cheng Hsin-nan
Restaurant owner
The process is very challenging. Sometimes customers have already arrived, but the meat still isn’t here for over an hour. I remember once when the meat finally arrived, all the customers clapped and cheered, “The meat’s here!”

To make sure people in Taipei can enjoy authentic Tainan flavor, they are also very particular about the soup. It stews for eight hours, using bones and onions to make a clear broth. Then they add beef, apples and carrots. One spoonful makes the fresh beef medium rare, and a second makes it medium, sparking joy with every bite.

Cheng Hsin-nan
Restaurant owner
My brother had the chance to try Tainan’s famous “warm beef,” and he loved it so much that he started an apprenticeship in Tainan. Every day he rode the high speed rail from Taipei to Tainan to learn about it.

When the mood strikes Cheng Hsin-nan, he takes up his violin and plays for his customers. With this relaxed and hospitable atmosphere, he hopes that every diner will enjoy their meal to the fullest.

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