Ex-minister says Taiwan’s Mirage crucial for airspace defense

Ex-minister says Taiwan’s Mirage crucial for airspace defense

2024-10-09

The Mirage 2000 has served in Taiwan for over 27 years now, but recent accidents have raised concerns. Despite this, the Ministry of National Defense is still planning to procure parts to extend its service life. Lawmakers are questioning why the French aircraft is not being decomissioned.

Hsu Chiao-hsin
Lawmaker (KMT)
After 27 years of service, with five pilots having lost their lives, and the original French manufacturer having discontinued the Mirage 2000, why is the Air Force still flying it?

Yen Teh-fa
Veterans Affairs Council Chair
During my time as Minister of National Defense, we did assess whether the Mirage 2000 should be retired. Its primary mission, air defense in the northern region, is crucial. Given the state of the Air Force at that time, it played a very important role, so we hoped it would not be retired. While the logistics and maintenance costs are higher, we still have to bear that burden, as air security and national safety are more important.

Military experts point out that the Mirage fighter jet still outperforms the F-16 and the Ching-kuo fighter jet in air-to-air combat capabilities. The eight-year extension of its service life is intended to bridge the gap while awaiting the delivery of aircraft from the US. During this transition period, the Mirage 2000 will continue to be a key component of Taiwan’s air defense.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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為何不淘汰幻象2000? 嚴德發:對防衛北台灣領空很重要

2024-10-09

幻象2000為我國服役超過27年，近年事故頻傳，但國防部仍規劃採購零件、延長使用壽命，立委質疑為什麼不淘汰？

[[立委(國) 徐巧芯]]
“服役27年，5飛官殉職，法國原廠都汰除的幻象2000，為什麼國軍還在飛”

[[退輔會主委嚴德發]]
“在我當國防部長時期，的確評估過幻象2000是否要汰除，主要任務是北部空防非常重要的，就我們空軍現在戰力來講，在我那個時期是非常重要的地位，所以我們希望不要汰除，後勤(維護費)會比較貴，但還是要承擔，畢竟空安、國家安全更重要”

軍事專家指出，幻象戰機在空對空戰鬥性能上，仍優於F-16與經國號，8年延壽期也是等待美方出售給我國的戰機一一交貨。在這段期間幻象2000仍會是我國空防主力。

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Yunlin County readies National Day fireworks

This year’s National Day fireworks will be held in Huwei, near the Yunlin High Speed Rail Station. The extravaganza will last a whopping 41 minutes. Apart from the launching site, there are 11 other optimal viewing locations recommended by the county government. Let’s find out where.

Brilliant fireworks light up the night sky. This is a sneak-peak of the 2024 National Day fireworks. Although the test launch back in mid-September only lasted 3 minutes, the real deal tomorrow will be 41-minutes long.

Chang Li-shan
Yunlin County Commissioner
Currently, the locations are all set, including the viewing sites and where they face. The view is good and will allow everyone to watch the fireworks to their heart’s content.

On Tuesday evening, Yunlin County Commissioner Chang Li-shan stopped to check on the rehearsals, to ensure that everything goes according to plan.

The next morning: another round of rehearsals for this Chinese-Western music ensemble from a local middle school. After all, to perform for the country’s biggest day is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Chang Tzu-hsien
Dongnan Junior High School
On such a festive day, we hope that the repertoire will bring joy to everyone.

For the event there will be 18 traffic-controlled areas and 4 free shuttle bus routes. Spectators can take them from Douliu Train Station, Dounan Train Station, Silou Bus Station and Beigang Cultural Center to the event and back.

Starting from 8 p.m. on Thursday, more than 30,000 fireworks will light up the night sky. The county government has compiled a list of 11 optimal viewing locations, including the New Huwei Softball Field, Sanhe Elementary School and Huwei Night Market. But here’s another secret spot.

It’s the students’ dorms at National Formosa University, and the view is probably even better than the listed locations. The students there seem to be excited.

Student
I can play the guitar, so maybe I’ll bring a guitar and join in the fun with everyone.

Student
I’m so happy to study here, because I can see the fireworks.

The National Day fireworks will be staged at Huwei High-Speed Rail Special Zone. And with 1,600 police officers dispatched, spectators can sit back and enjoy the show.

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China suspected in cinema bomb threats

The documentary "State Organs," which discusses the subject of organ harvesting in China, has recently been released in theaters across Taiwan. Following its premiere earlier this month, theaters have started receiving bomb threat letters. The police have been inundated with reports and are now increasing patrols while also investigating IP addresses. Preliminary assessments suggest that these threats are typical harassment tactics used by Chinese cyber attackers operating from overseas.

A documentary that uses numerous testimonies, recordings of victims before their disappearance, and accounts from participating surgeons vividly portrays the horrors of organ harvesting.

The documentary began screening in several theaters across Taiwan in October. Theaters started receiving death threats and intimidation days after they began showing the documentary.

Wang Yu-chun
FTV reporter
One media outlet received a bomb threat within 20 minutes of reporting on the upcoming release of the documentary “State Organs.” However, the threats weren’t limited to the media. Threatening calls were made to various theaters across Taiwan.

In threats, the sender clearly stated that they had made a bomb and had gathered information about the theaters. They further threatened that if the movie continued to be screened, they would come to the theaters and shoot civilians. In response, the police immediately increased patrols and investigations while also tracking the sender’s IP address. The Criminal Investigation Bureau initially assessed that this is a typical harassment tactic used by Chinese cyber attackers.

Puma Shen
Lawmaker (DPP)
Regarding the film “State Organs,” it hits a sensitive nerve for China, so if they did nothing, it would be quite unusual. Instead, they resorted to online threats, such as sending emails and other forms of harassment, which could eventually escalate into real-world threats.

Voice of Kuan Nung-yun
Lion Travel & Entertainment
Due to the disruptions faced by the theaters, they can no longer continue screening the film. We hope that national security and police agencies can provide the public with an environment of freedom to live and express themselves.

The theaters screening the documentary have been affected, and some operators, concerned about the safety of their audiences, have decided to cancel the screenings. This may very well be the intended goal of the person sending the threat letters.

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Education platforms team up on “New Taiwan History Movement”

Two major Taiwanese popular education platforms have teamed up on a project called the "New Taiwan Movement." An exhibition kicks off this multiyear project in Taipei, with a series of interactive exhibits about Taiwan’s history. It’s a collab between the YouTube channel Taiwan Bar and the online platform StoryStudio. They hope to provide viewers with a fresh look at some of the most recent research on Taiwanese history, updating stories about the island and its people. While the project is Taiwan based, it aims to attract viewers from all over the world.

Taiwan Bar, which has over one million YouTube subscribers, collaborated with the platform StoryStudio, to create the “New Taiwan Movement” animations. Now they have even bigger plans.

Hsiao Yu-chen
Taiwan Bar CEO
International attention on Taiwan is starting to grow. We’re calling academia together again, we’re calling the general public together, to create a very grassroots cultural project, to gather up the results of research on Taiwanese history in the last 30 or 40 years, and share those results.

There are three big sections to the exhibition. Interactive historical exhibits invite visitors to imagine the future, turning visitors into explorers, and offering a brand-new perspective on the roots of Taiwanese society and its diverse culture.

Tu Feng-en
StoryStudio founder
We will have a website, actually, and there’ll be animations, as you just saw. This animation series will have videos, we hope, as well as in-person elements, including the exhibition we see today, and a series of lectures. It will last at least three years, perhaps even longer.

The exhibition is at the General Association of Chinese Culture, and will show until Nov. 17. After it closes, the project will continue, and the two platforms are adamant that this project will go global.

Tu Feng-en
StoryStudio founder
We hope that in the end it will be in 10 languages, but first we’re starting with the languages people are most familiar with, so obviously Mandarin, English and Japanese. We will also produce a version of the website in Taiwanese. So through these languages we hope that, as we just said, there will be a lot of care and attention on the situation of Taiwan internationally.

The project aims to present a new angle and format for Taiwanese history, not just a rehash of things you’ve already seen in textbooks: an angle that will allow the world to rediscover Taiwan in the 21st century.

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Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Peek into the lives of Czech royals at National Taiwan Museum exhibition

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a Czech noble in medieval times? The National Taiwan Museum is holding an exhibition centered on the life of Czech royalty. With miniature castles and artifacts used by aristocrats from the medieval era to the 19th century, visitors can see jewelry, put on costumes worn at the opera and more. Our very own Stephany Yang takes us in for a peek.

The exhibition showcases 37 architectural gems from the Czech Republic. The National Taiwan Museum has created 3D-printed miniature models of castles.

Chen Chen-jung
National Taiwan Museum
Curating this exhibition was actually very difficult. We couldn’t bring all the Czech castles to Taiwan and put them in our exhibition hall. So the National Taiwan Museum selected two castles and made 3D models of the castles.

This is an exhibition organized by the National Taiwan Museum and the Czech Republic’s National Museum and National Heritage Institute. It features paintings of castles as well as artifacts such as tableware, interior decor, theater costumes and jewelry.

Chen Chen-jung
National Taiwan Museum
Starting with a conception of foreign military, we gradually introduced perspectives of aristocrats by showcasing the subsequent development of castles, and then the life of aristocrats. We selected at least 96 classic collections. Everyone imagines a lot about what the life of aristocrats would be like. We show their strength, their artistry, and their financial resources in their homes. You can see here very exquisite afternoon tea tableware, glassware and fans. Their leisure activities include literature, art, and music performances. There are many original costumes worn by the nobles at the theater. This is the costume of the goddess Athena.

The exhibition seeks to give audiences an in-depth look at Czech castles and the lives of Czech royalty and aristocrats, as well as deepen Taiwan and Czechia ties. The National Taiwan Museum and the Czech Republic’s National Museum have signed a sister-museum agreement. Even more collaborations between the two museums are expected in the future.

Chen Chen-jung
National Taiwan Museum
It was quite special to choose this theme. We know that Czech music is very famous and we hardly see castles in Taiwan, so people are curious about them. We hope that through this exhibition, people can learn more about the Czech Republic. There will be more cooperation between the two sides in the future. The Taiwan Museum and the Czech National Museum started interacting more than 20 years ago, but we had not signed a sister museum agreement at that time. In 2027, we will exhibit exquisite collections from National Taiwan Museum at the Czech National Museum.

The exhibition will be held at the National Taiwan Museum until Nov. 30.

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Pingtung residents freed from fallen trees at their houses

Typhoon Krathon devastated Kaohsiung and Pingtung. Many roads have been obstructed by fallen trees. In one community in Yanpu Township, residents have been freed from trees blocking their houses, thanks to a local expert woodcutter, Lee Ching-hua. After more than three decades in the business, Lee is dexterous handling lumber. We met him at work to hear more of his life story.

After the typhoon, Lee Ching-hua got an urgent call. A tree had fallen and was blocking the entrance to a house: the residents needed to be freed by a chainsaw.

Local resident
The whole road was blocked off. You couldn’t get in or out.

With a few chops, Lee got to work, starting with the smaller branches and working his way towards the trunk. In the end, they were left with a pile of easy-to-transport lumber.

Lee Ching-hua
Woodcutter
You just keep sawing and don’t rest it. When you pause for a moment to catch breath, then you let the saw rest.

Another family nearby asked Lee to help them out, too. They had initially borrowed an electric saw and planned to manage a fallen tree by themselves. But when they realized Lee was available, they decided that maybe it was best to get a pro to do the job.

Local resident
I thought to cut it myself at first but I don’t want to now. I’ll let the professional do it. If I use it myself, it might be a lot of effort.

In one morning, Lee dealt with three big fallen trees. It was more than 30 years ago that Lee, fresh out of his military service, learned lumber jacking from a friend at the Forestry Service. It was just a bit of fun for him at first; then, to his surprise, it became a life’s work.

Li Ching-hua
Woodcutter
I just thought, “I’ll learn something new. It can’t do any harm to learn a new skill, it’s a plus.” He taught me how to hold an electric saw, how to manage it, how to cut the wood. The first thing my teacher told me was, “Everything has a spirit in it. Before we cut something, before we start work, no matter what, we have to pray.”

Lee’s got a spiritual practice before he begins, and when it’s over, he has a process for taking care of the lumber.

Lee Ching-hua
Woodcutter
It takes about an hour. I tidy it up. Each one takes about an hour.

Cleaning up after typhoons are not Lee’s only source of income. But when there has been a big storm, there are always loads of calls coming in. This professional’s top tip is to always prune your trees in a timely manner. That’s the best way to fliprevent accidents.

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

2024-10-09