Man detained during stopover in Abu Dhabi released at last

Man detained during stopover in Abu Dhabi released at last

2025-11-28

And there’s a new development in the story of a couple from Yunlin whose holiday became a nightmare during a layover in the United Arab Emirates. Mr. Chen was arrested by local authorities on Nov. 23 while transiting in Abu Dhabi as part of a tour group heading to Turkey. Mr. Chen has since been located and was released on Friday, but his travel ban will unfortunately remain in place until Dec. 3, as the UAE is on holiday until then. Since he is currently without a passport, he cannot check into any hotels, so he’ll be staying at Taiwan’s representative office in Dubai. Let’s hear more.

Voice of Hsiao Kuang-wei
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson
Our representative office contacted Mr. Chen in the early hours of Friday and arranged accommodation for him at the mission’s staff dormitory. The office will continue to provide assistance, including issuing the necessary travel documents.

Chang Chia-chun
Lawmaker (KMT)
His luggage and passport are still being held. His legal team must continue working to clarify why he was taken away to begin with.

Liu Chien-kuo
Lawmaker (DPP)
I believe the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can also help with all the unforeseen expenses incurred due to the incident, and continue to provide assistance to the parties involved.

Mr. Chen posted a selfie on a group chat to show he was safe, moments after his wife shared the good news that he had been freed. Mrs. Chen believes her husband was apprehended due to his Romanized name, which is identical to that of a wanted criminal. So it could be that the whole issue is just a misunderstanding, albeit an expensive and harrowing one.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#dubai #taipei #travel #abudhabi #uae

台男阿布達比轉機被押今獲釋妻曝原因:撞名被誤抓

2025-11-28

雲林一對陳姓夫妻，23日從桃園機場出發，要前往土耳其旅遊，在阿布達比轉機時，陳先生卻遭5名武裝人員帶走，老婆跨海求救，現在傳出好消息，陳男在28日清晨獲釋，不過11月29日到12月2日，是杜拜國定假日，陳先生12月3日還得到警局報到，辦理解除旅行禁令，因為沒有護照無法入住飯店，只能暫時借宿駐杜拜台北辦事處。

[[聲源:外交部發言人蕭光偉]]
“我駐處在(28日)凌晨聯繫上陳姓國人後，已先暫將其安置在職務宿舍，並持續提供，包括核發後續旅行文件等協助

[[立委(國) 張嘉郡]]
“目前他(陳先生)的行李跟護照，還是被扣押當中，所以這個律師必須繼續，幫他釐清為什麼他被帶走”

[[立委(民) 劉建國]]
“中間橫生的相關的一些費用，我想外交部在權限可以協助的情況之下，我們也都會要求，務必一定要協助當事人”

群組裡，陳太太曬出好消息，陳先生也自拍報平安，行動重獲自由。只是陳姓男子，為何被抓走？陳姓男子的妻子推測應該是被冤枉的，可能是姓名拼音和通緝犯相同，去年10月在當地遭到判刑，才會延伸這場抓錯人烏龍。

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Rolling hills are blanketed in pristine white snow, perfect for gliding down the slopes with the biting wind at your face. Afterward, you can enjoy a deliciously juicy apple and steaming hot pot. As China-Japan relations have soured and Beijing advised against travel there, it’s likely this winter wonderland in Japan’s Aomori Prefecture will see far fewer Chinese tourists. But the local government isn’t concerned, because they like Taiwanese visitors better.

Hideki Nishi
Aomori City Mayor
Taiwan and Aomori have close relations. We hope to further deepen our bilateral relationship.

Aomori Mayor Hideki Nishi vowed to promote policies to escape reliance on the Chinese market. He hopes the region’s winter landscape will attract other tourists, especially Taiwanese.

Hideki Nishi
Aomori City Mayor
A lot of the people who come to Aomori for the snow are Taiwanese. Since it doesn’t snow in Taiwan, lots of people from there enjoy this white landscape. Compared to China, there is more growth potential for Taiwanese tourists.

Apart from tourism, Japanese seafood has also been blocked once again from export to China. Facing this ban as well, Aomori’s mayor is just as resolved. He vowed to stand behind producers and help them seek new markets.

Hideki Nishi
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Of course we’ll first promote products domestically. Then we’ll consider export to countries other than China. The local government will help businesses with this.

Facing myriad pressures from China, Taiwan and Japan are joining hands to resist together.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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Artist’s lifelike peanut sculpture mistakenly seized by Japan customs

Inspired by his childhood growing up on a farm, Kaohsiung sculptor Tseng Ching-tung specializes in carving peanuts out of wood. Turns out they’re a little too realistic. When mailing his sculpture of peanuts and shells to Japan for an art competition, they were seized by customs for two days. Fortunately, they made it safely to their destination in the end. Let’s see just how realistic they are...

It’s hard not to be tempted by this platter of peanuts, some still in the shell and others broken open to reveal the peanut inside. But they’re actually all carved out of wood. Even if you look closely, they still look real. It was good enough to fool Japanese customs, which seized the sculpture.

Tseng Ching-tung
Sculptor
I found Japan’s customs were holding it, and were even going to send it for testing. This is an artwork, not a banned product. I broke out into a sweat. You can’t import nuts. Ah, they really look like nuts.

Fortunately, after customs kept it for two days and tested it, they confirmed it was just wood. On Oct. 30, they forwarded the artwork to the contest, where it was selected for the finals and exhibited at an art center in Kobe. The outer shells are made of hinoki while the nuts are a slightly reddish juniper. Just one takes an entire day to carve. To make the entire platter, it took over a month.

Tseng Ching-tung
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It’s not easy being a farmer. We have an affinity for and understanding of these crops. So I’ll carve things that relate to our lives as farmers.

67-year-old Tseng used to install intercoms before running a parking lot, both careers that have nothing to do with art. But 15 years ago, after Typhoon Morakot, he saw lots of driftwood by the shore and imagined giving it new life. So he studied how to sculpt out of wood, and is now a master at making these remarkably lifelike nuts.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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Devoted resident Father Michelini named honorary Yilan native

After moving to Taiwan 60 years ago, Father Gian Carlo Michelini has become one of Taiwan’s greatest champions. Now 89 years old, for decades he has devoted himself to the arts and education. He established the Lanyang Dance Troupe and helped create the Yilan International Children’s Folklore and Folkgame Festival, investing 60 years into Yilan’s cultural development. In recognition of his devotion, the Yilan government awarded him a certificate recognizing him as an honorary native of the county.

As the crowd applauds, Father Gian Carlo Michelini receives an honorary native certificate from Acting Yilan County Commissioner Lin Mao-sheng. This affirmation of his identity took 60 years to achieve. At the ceremony, Lin recalled how the Lanyang Dance Troupe only had the chance to perform for the pope because of the priest’s help.

Lin Mao-sheng
Acting Yilan County Commissioner
Through Father Michelini’s facilitation, the Lanyang Dance Troupe went to the Vatican and met the pope. They were the first dance troupe to ever perform for the pope. It brought Taiwan to the world, and showed the world Taiwan and Yilan.

Chen Hung-hsi
Yilan County Councilor
The first money I ever made was NT$6,000 from Father Michelini. When I graduated, I worked as a lifeguard at the Lanyang Youth Center pool. So not matter what, I have Father Michelini to thank.

At the event, young dancers with the Lanyang troupe gave a stirring performance. The troupe was founded in 1964 entirely of Father Michelini’s own accord. Their masterful performances have taken them around the world, putting Taiwan on the global stage and showing Father Michelini’s profound impact on Taiwanese culture and education.

Father Michelini
Honory Yilan native
I’ve been in Yilan for 60 years. I haven’t been back to my country. Taiwan is my country. How much do I love Taiwan? China doesn’t recognize Taiwan. So I’m bringing Taiwan out to the world.

60 years of setting deep roots in Taiwan is his life’s achievement. Now 89 years old, Father Michelini has used dance to write his shared history with Yilan, proving through action that he is and always has been the most authentic native of the county.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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KMT proposes bill to let Chinese nationals run for office in Taiwan

The KMT is moving to promote a bill to allow China-born residents to run for office without having to renounce their Chinese nationality. If passed, Chinese nationals would be allowed to be elected and hold public office as long as they have household registration in Taiwan for at least 10 years. The bill applies exclusively to Chinese immigrants, and not nationals of other countries. It has cleared its first reading and has been sent to the relevant committee for review. Let’s hear more.

Lai Ching-te
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We shouldn’t let love become a weapon. There is no need to amend the Nationality Act, or give special exemptions to Chinese immigrants so that they don’t need to have sole allegiance to the ROC. Should the amendment pass, it would only increase suspicion on Chinese immigrants. I hope that the lawmakers so enthusiastically pushing for the amendment will think twice before acting.

Lo Chih-chiang
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During the administrations of Chen Shui-bian and Tsai Ing-wen, people such as Shi Xueyan and Deng Wanhua were allowed to run for office. How was that the case then!

Lai Jui-lung
Lawmaker (DPP)
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Liang Wen-chieh
Mainland Affairs Council
China’s Counterespionage Law, National Intelligence Law and National Security Law require Chinese citizens to cooperate with the state’s intelligence operations. If someone from China were to hold public office in Taiwan, and obtain access to state secrets, the CCP would absolutely demand that they provide the information and evidence.

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For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Chen Hung-wei
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The reporter called 110 to file a report and said that he’s lost his wallet, and needed us to examine surveillance footage at the convenience store to track it down.

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They looked really downcast. So I asked him if they needed any help. He insisted that he’d be fine and that he’d hang on.

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I was worried that their car might stop running, so I gave them some cash. I told them it’s okay to keep it just in case. If you really want to pay me back, just donate to charity. It’s okay if I don’t get it back.

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He’s really proactive and kindhearted, and also very diligent. Seeing that the member of public made a social media post to thank him really showed that he’s made a great impact passing on kindness.

After the couple got home, they made a social media post to thank the police officer for lending a helping hand.

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