Zhubei mayor shares stage with French pianist Richard Clayderman

Zhubei mayor shares stage with French pianist Richard Clayderman

2025-12-03

As of October, Zhubei City’s population reached 220,000, making it Taiwan’s largest city administered at the county level. Mayor Cheng Chao-fang celebrated the milestone with the highest honors, closing roads to hold a concert featuring world-renowned pianist Richard Clayderman. Many people braved the elements to see the maestro at work, and at one point, the mayor even shared the stage with Clayderman, playing a violin.

After giving a captivating performance, Richard Clayderman, hailed as France’s most successful pianist, gave an excited shout to the audience in Hsinchu County’s Zhubei. The city invited the pianist to perform, treating residents to a world-class performance without having to leave their neighborhood.

Zhubei resident
I’m excited. He was my idol when I was growing up, so I’m honored that living here in Zhubei, I still have the chance to see him perform without having to fly to another country.

Zhubei resident
It was just pouring rain, so I was afraid it would be canceled. But we still braved the rain to come. We prepared umbrellas and rain jackets. Our shoes are soaked. We started lining up just past 4. We’re still so excited.

Zhubei held a concert over the weekend that sold out immediately after tickets went on sale. There was even a special surprise.

Taking up his violin, Zhubei Mayor Cheng Chao-fang joined Clayderman on the stage. This international event not only elevated the city’s cultural status, but also marked its milestone of surpassing 220,000 residents to become Taiwan’s largest city administered by a county.

Cheng Chao-fang
Zhubei Mayor
We’re celebrating Zhubei’s designation as Taiwan’s largest county-administered city with the highest standards. I’m confident that through our efforts, Zhubei residents will feel that their city has the potential to become a major international hub in Taiwan.

Besides the main venue, the newly renovated Shidong Park also served as an alternative site to watch the performance, drawing 50,000 spectators in total.

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#Zhubei #ZhubeiCity #Hsinchu #concert #piano #pianist #RichardClayderman #music #performance

法國鋼琴家理查克萊德門受邀演奏竹北市長拉小提琴同台演出

2025-12-03

竹北市人口在10月份來到22萬人，躍升成為全台最大縣轄市，竹北市長鄭朝方以最高規格慶賀，封路舉辦音樂會，邀請到世界知名鋼琴家"理查.克萊德門"，現場演奏，讓不少粉絲們不畏風雨也要一睹大師風采。甚至鄭朝方都和大師合奏了一段。

台上沉醉彈奏鋼琴，演出完還俏皮跟聽眾互動，被譽為最成功的法國鋼琴家理查・克萊德門，受邀到新竹竹北演出，史詩級人物不用飛出國就能看到，讓竹北市民相當興奮。

[[竹北市民]]
“很興奮，因為他是我小時候的偶像，所以就覺得很榮幸，就是住在竹北這裡，然後還是有機會，不用飛到其他國家，就可以聽到偶像的演奏會”

[[竹北市民]]
“剛下了一場大雨，我們很擔心會取消，但是還是冒雨前來，雨衣雨傘都準備好了，我們鞋子都是濕的，我們四點多就來排隊了，還是非常的期待”

竹北周末舉辦音樂會，一開放索票就秒殺，現場還有驚喜橋段。

竹北市長鄭朝方拉小提琴，與理查・克萊德門同場演奏，這一次國際交流活動不只提升城市文化，近期竹北市人口超越22萬人，已經躍升成為了全台最大的縣轄市。

[[竹北市長鄭朝方]]
“我們以最高規格的方式，來為竹北成為全台灣，最大縣轄市來做慶賀，那我相信透過我們的努力，一定會讓市民朋友感受到，這一座城市有機會，可以成為台灣很重要的國際城市”

除了活動會場，連一旁修好的市東公園，也成為轉播副場地，大師級的音樂饗宴，共有5萬人共襄盛舉。

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民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

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Voice of witness (voice altered)
Saw what happened
If your identity or your views differ from ours, you’re welcome to share them in your own space. Or better yet, go create your own happy little Daruma display. There’s no need to be destructive to convey any grievances you might have or your opinion.

When the news got out, people online were furious, saying that messing with others’ Daruma dolls will bring bad luck.

Voice of Chen Chien-chin
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If you have a wish you want to fulfill, you get a Daruma with three painted eyes. As for touching someone else’s doll—to be honest, unless you’re beyond a certain level, messing with someone else’s Daruma while they’re wishing for something will only bring misfortune upon yourself.

Katsuo-ji Temple in Osaka is famous for its variety of Daruma dolls. Many visitors like to buy one to wish for success or good luck. During the World Expo, the temple even initiated a World Daruma Challenge, and included Taiwan’s flag on the poster. Unfortunate that the outburst of one Chinese tourist could cause so much trouble.

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To make delicious sweet potato balls, you need to hand-press them in a pan to make them fluffy, crispy, and chewy.

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Our average profit is between NT$40,000 and NT$60,000, but profits depend on how well the business is doing. Like during the previous summer vacation it was very hot and we’d probably just make NT$20,000 a month. Outlets that are doing good business can make upwards of NT$100,000. The advantage of franchising is that the brand manufacturers control the market, and when prices rise, they absorb the increase, so we franchisees don’t have to pay extra in response to price increases.

For franchises, the brand owner controls the rise and fall of costs. For example, the rent for this sweet potato ball restaurant located next to Shuanglian MRT station in Taipei is about a monthly NT$10,000 to NT$18,000. The owner doesn’t hire any staff in a one-person operation and makes a profit of NT$40,000 to NT$60,000 after deducting all costs. However, it’s not so easy to make money with your own brand.

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The profits aren’t as good as before. Sweet potatoes, oil, and paper prices have all risen hugely. Paper prices have probably increased seven or eight times, and oil prices have almost doubled. If you have your own brand, the costs are higher.

For those creating their own independent brand who source and prepare all the ingredients themselves, although the cost of goods is high, as long as business is thriving and there is a lot of foot traffic, even though it’s sold one cheap bag at a time, it is still very profitable.

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