Temporary bridge in Guangfu to open on New Year’s Day

Temporary bridge in Guangfu to open on New Year’s Day

2025-12-22

It’s been almost three months since the deadly flood in Hualien’s Guangfu Township, which washed away a bridge across the Matai’an River. Now, a project to build a temporary steel bridge that connects both banks is set to be completed ahead of schedule. Originally, the bridge was slated for completion in late January, but now it’s expected on New Year’s Day. Let’s hear from the transport minister.

Chen Shih-kai
Transport Minister
Construction had to be put on hold for 10 days due to overflow from the barrier lake upstream. But despite that, the construction crew worked hard to ensure that the bridge can open to traffic on Jan. 1 and reconnect Provincial Highway 9. On behalf of our country and the ministry, I would like to thank all of you. The bridge is very sturdy so there won’t be restrictions on vehicles. But speed will be limited to 30 or 40km/h to ensure everyone’s safety.

The minister thanked the construction team for their efforts. The bridge, which stretches 500m has practically been completed. It will officially open on Jan. 1, reconnecting Provincial Highway 9 between Hualien and Taitung. The next goal after the temporary steel bridge is to build a permanent one by the end of 2027, to restore traffic to how it was before the disaster.

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

#guangfu #bridge #bridgebuilder #hualien #transport

"馬太鞍溪鋼便橋"元旦通車陳世凱兩度鞠躬謝施工團隊

2025-12-22

花蓮堰塞湖溢流、沖斷馬太鞍溪橋，至今快三個月。今天交通部長陳世凱，到鋼便橋施工工地視察，同時也宣布好消息，原本下個月底才完工的鋼便橋，提前一個月完工，明年元旦即將通車。

[[交通部長陳世凱]]
“過程當中還遇到我們堰塞湖溢流狀況，有十天不能施工，不過我們施工團隊還是全力趕工，在1月1日要把這座鋼便橋，讓民眾可以在台九線來使用，要代表國家，也代表交通部，深深一鞠躬感謝你們。鋼便橋強度非常強，所以通行車種不會有限制，車速部分限制在30公里或40公里，因為我們還是希望大家能安全通行”

陳世凱兩度鞠躬，感謝施工團隊的日夜趕工。透過空拍畫面來看，全長超過5百公尺的馬太鞍溪鋼便橋已經完工，元旦將正式通車，串聯起馬太鞍溪兩岸交通、以及台九線花東公路，施工團隊再接再厲，下一個任務就是2027年底完成永久橋，讓馬太鞍溪交通回到過去。

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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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Taipei Police defends officers amid criticisms in wake of attacks

Taipei police were criticized for being slow to respond to last Friday’s attacks. Tthe aggressor had carried out two attacks within 75 minutes, and committed arson three times earlier in the afternoon before the stabbings. On Monday, the director of the Taipei City Police Department explained that given the circumstances and how meticulously the attacks were planned, the officers did done all they possibly could have.

Taipei police are under fire for being “slow” in responding to last Friday’s mass attacks and identifying the instigator. It’s alleged that their handheld transceivers weren’t functioning at the time of the crime.

Huang Jie
Lawmaker (DPP)
The walkie-takie wasn’t connected. That’s really serious.

Chang Jung-hsing
National Police Agency director
It’s simply impossible. They had to verify first that the arsonist was the same person. I believe the police were racing with time when they arrived at the scene.

Looking at security footage from the day, the attacker appeared quite confident while he carried a gas tank to the back of a hotpot restaurant on Chang’an East Road and set the vehicles parked there on fire. At 3:48 p.m. on the 19th, he first committed arson at two locations on Linsen North Road, and then at Chang’an East Road. Critics are wondering why the police did not react there and then.

Chang Yao-jen
Zhongshan Precinct
The leadership at the local police station was notified in the group chat by borough wardens of the arsons on separate occasions. At 5:41 p.m., we identified the instigator as the man surnamed Chang.

After the three arson attacks, Chang returned to his rented residence and set it on fire. A great number of canisters were found on the site. Within an hour, he committed arson at three different locations, and it took just as long to track him down.

Chen Jui-chi
Zhongcheng First Precinct director
After his facial features were captured more clearly on camera, and corroborated with the intel from Zhongshan Precinct, we interviewed the landlord of his residence on Gongyuan Road to confirm his identity. The entire process took 73 minutes. Immediately afterwards, we began our mission to capture him.

By then, the aggressor had begun to set off smoke bombs at Taipei Main Station. The chief of the local police station and his team arrived on scene just nine minutes later, when the attacker had already gone to his hotel room to change and pick up more weapons for the knife attacks at Zhongshan. Within 75 minutes, he’d committed homicide in two locations. Why wasn’t he stopped?

Chen Jui-chi
Zhongcheng First Precinct director
He set off 17 smoke bombs and Molotov cocktails to induce chaos at the scene. It was clearly planned in advance to divert the police. But our team still managed to identify him despite his efforts to distract us.

Amid criticism, the Taipei City police hopes that the public could be more understanding and offer encouragement to officers.

Lee Hsi-ho
Taipei City Police Department director
We humbly accept all criticisms and feedback, but I believe our colleagues can all do with simple words of encouragement.

According to the police, the aggressor had planned the whole attack so well that officers did all they could. They say they will continue to remain vigilant, as always.

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

#breaking #breakingnews #taipeiattacks #publicsafety #taipeimetro

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Japanese celebrity Otani Mondo defends Taiwan amid China spat

Japanese celebrity Otani Mondo has come to Taiwan many times over the years. Now as relations between Japan and China sour over the prime minister’s comments about Taiwan, the film star has been hitting back on comments by Chinese netizens. Taiwanese are praising him, saying that foreigners love Taiwan even more than Taiwanese do. Otani just said that he was voicing what the majority of Japanese think.

A commenter online tells President Lai Ching-te to get out of Taiwan, and claims that Taiwan is China’s. Japanese film star Otani Mondo won’t stand for it. In a response, he asks if they need to get their head checked. Another says that Taiwan is a part of China. Otani replied: “You have to listen to us, because we have a president.” The ever-outspoken Otani has recently taken it upon himself to hit back on Chinese commenters in defense of Taiwan’s sovereignty.

Voice of Otani Mondo
Japanese celebrity
I don’t represent the views of all Japanese people, but what I say is what most Japanese think.

After Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae last month said that an attack on Taiwan may constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, Chinese people have been lashing out online. Otani isn’t taking it sitting down, even praising Takaichi for doing a great job as premier.

Voice of Otani Mondo
Japanese celebrity
Taiwan and Japan have great relations. Our prime minister is also doing a great job. It’s that simple. Ever since I first brought the taekwondo team to Taiwan, everyone was so nice to me. So Taiwan is my second home, my second country.

At 45, Otani has been developing his entertainment and fitness careers in Taiwan for 20 years now. Calling himself a Japanese fitness icon, Otani works as an actor, model, and even an agent. At a time of tense cross-strait relations, he’s standing up for his second home.

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

#MondoOtani #celebrity #TaiwanJapan #JapanChina #Takaichi #Taiwancontingency #internationalsupport #netizen #sovereignty

2025-12-22

Taipei Philharmonic to celebrate 40 years with grand Mahler symphony

The Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. It has gone abroad to perform many times over the decades, including in Vienna’s Golden Hall, Chicago, and Boston. Before the year closes, the orchestra will perform one more time, bringing the masterpiece Symphony No. 8 by the Austrian composer Gustav Mahler to the National Concert Hall in Taipei. Because of its grant scale, the piece is often called the “Symphony of a Thousand.”

The symphony swells to a soaring crescendo as traditional Taiwanese puppets writhe to the music. The Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra was recently invited to the Osaka World Expo in Japan to perform a unique fusion of classical Western and Taiwanese folk music, exhibiting Taiwan’s global cultural influence.

The orchestra has been well received through its many performances abroad. Now reflecting on its 40 years, the chairman said it was passion that kept them going through the decades.

Chen Wei-chung
Taipei Philharmonic Foundation chairman
The longer I’ve been involved, the more my admiration grows. It enhances the appeal and recognition of Taiwan and of our orchestra, doing a great deal for our country through musical diplomacy.

Over the years, the orchestra has performed everything from chamber music to grand symphonies, community events to international tours. For the year’s grand finale, it is to perform Symphony No. 8 by the Austrian composer Gustav Mahler at the National Concert Hall. Due to its immense difficulty and grand scale, the piece is often called the “Symphony of a Thousand.” Renowned Korean soprano Kim Sungyeun will also be featured.

Lai Wen-fu
Taipei Philharmonic founder
I’ll use the phrase recently made famous by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi: Work, work, work! The Taipei Philharmonic is the same. Create, create! Over the next 40 years, all of Taipei will become a musical city.

The orchestra has also invited junior-high choir students to join, affording them the rare and valuable chance to be part of a grand ensemble. This extraordinary event promises to be a feast for the ears.

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

#TaipeiPhilharmonic #orchestra #choir #Mahler #symphony #music #singing #performance #concert #NationalConcertHall #SymphonyNo8

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Italian YouTuber rejects Chinese sponsorship over Taiwan demand

An Italian bassist with over 13.6 million followers on YouTube recently shared in a video that five years ago, he got a sponsorship deal with a Chinese mobile game. But just as he was getting ready to upload the video, the company demanded he delete a comment he made saying that “Taiwan IS a country,” or else it would cancel the deal worth US$75,000. He refused, saying it’s just common knowledge.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Italian YouTuber Davide Biale, who goes by the handle Davie504, spent US$10,000 out-of-pocket to buy 15 bass guitars for a fan giveaway. It was for a video that was to be the biggest sponsorship deal of his career. But just before he was about to post it, the company made a demand over a comment he previously wrote, saying, “Taiwan IS a country.”

Davide Biale
YouTuber
They wanted me to delete one YouTube comment I wrote one year earlier. I stared at my screen like I just got jump-scared in a horror game. It turns out the mobile game company was from a country that didn’t like at all this kind of comment. You can guess which country.

The story happened five years before. At the time, the mobile game company partnered with the influencer to create a 60-second video for a total of US$75,000, or about NT$2.33 million. But the company waited until after the video was finished and the contract signed to demand that he delete the comment, or else it would cancel the entire deal.

Davide Biale
YouTuber
And this is not even political. It’s just geography. Like, literally. Just go on Google Maps and you will see it too. What really matters is, I kept my integrity, my comment, my free speech, and I learned a powerful lesson. Some brands want to buy your silence more than your sponsorship.

Davide ended up rejecting the sponsorship and posted the video anyway with the sections promoting the game taken out, absorbing all costs himself. It’s common knowledge that Taiwan is a country, he said. After all, he’s married to a Taiwanese woman and lived in Taiwan for a time.

The original comment was from this video he made in 2019.

Over footage of himself playing bass in front of Taipei 101, he overlaid text saying he was in the country of Taiwan. It drew the ire of Chinese users, who even tried to get him blocked. But in the comments, he said, “Taiwan IS a country.” The comment is still there today, and Davide has proven through his actions the value of free speech.

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

#freespeech #YouTuber #Davie504 #bassist #sponsorship #coercion #economiccoercion #sovereignty #Taiwan #littlepinks

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Cloudscapes and live music at Alishan for New Year’s Day

The Alishan Sunrise Concerts that combine breathtaking cloudscapes with live music have become a hallmark of Chiayi County’s New Year’s Day celebrations. This year the concert, which is held at an altitude of 2,400 meters, will have a theme of “Dreams Above the Clouds.” Chiayi has invited three famous music groups, including The Chairman, who will join the public to welcome in the first day of 2026. Let’s find out more.

With light melodious music, Skyline Jazz Band delivers a brilliant performance.

The Alishan Sunrise Concert, which combines stunning cloudscapes with live music, has become a hallmark of Chiayi’s New Year celebrations. The theme of the 2026 concert is “Dreams Above the Clouds.”

- Please promote our Chiayi more, okay? Please promote Alishan more, okay?
- Definitely, definitely, I’ll do my best.
- Are you going to wear this that day too?
- No, because it will be very cold.
- It’s quite pleasant today, isn’t it? It might be 5 or 6 degrees Celsius over there. If a cold front comes, it could drop to -1 to -2 degrees Celsius.

The event blends jazz, rock and classical music and features The Chairman, Skyline Jazz Band and Philharmonia Moments Musicaux. They will join the public to welcome the first rays of the New Year in 2026.

Weng Chang-liang
Chiayi County Commissioner
We’re in our 24th year. Every year we celebrate New Year’s Day with everyone at an altitude of 2,400 meters on Alishan. We start our performances at around 5:30 a.m. through to 7 a.m. when the sun rises. When the sun rises, we welcome the first day of the New Year with Beethoven’s Ode to Joy to allow everyone to make the best resolutions on New Year’s Day.

Chiayi’s county commissioner said he would join the public to welcome the first day of the New Year with cheerful and upbeat music. He also invited the public to go to Alishan’s Zhushan Sunrise Observation Deck, where they will experience an exquisitely beautiful musical feast, high in the clouds.

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

#Alishan #NewYear #cloudscapes #concert #2026 #happynewyear #holidays

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Exclusive: man who sacrificed himself in Taipei stabbings, per friend of 30+ years

One of the victims of last Friday’s mass stabbing was Yu Chia-chang, a Taoyuan resident who tried stopping the attacks near Exit M7 of MRT Taipei Main Station. Sadly, he was stabbed to death by the attacker, much to the shock and horror of friends and family. One friend of more than 30 years recounted that Yu once said he would’ve tried to stop the 2014 Taipei metro attack if he had been present. And his action 11 years later revealed him as a true person of his word and honor.

Mr. Lin says when the identity of the man who tried to stop last Friday’s mass-stabbing was revealed bit by bit, he still hoped it wasn’t his friend of more than 30 years, Yu Chia-chang. However, he soon had to accept it was, after texts to him in the friend group were left unanswered.

Mr. Lin
Friend of Yu Chia-chang
What comes first: tomorrow, or an accident?

Mr. Lin traveled from Linkou in New Taipei to Taipei Main Station to offer flowers to his late friend who died trying to restrain the aggressor. He also offered a salute to Yu, since they did mandatory military service together. He recalled how 11 years ago, following the 2014 Taipei Metro attack, Yu mentioned that he would have tried to stop the attacker if he were present.

Mr. Lin
Friend of Yu Chia-chang
So you did act on what you said you’d do more than 10 years ago. But I still think you shouldn’t have been so rash… you need to consider your age. You’re no longer young. That said, we’re still immensely grateful. We’ll always remember your bravery in the depths of our heart.

The photo was taken when the group of friends last met up. They were all smiles. Those who knew 57-year-old Yu all said he was your average good guy and a family man. He chose to reside in Taoyuan and commute to Taipei for work so he could take care of his aging mother. What happened last Friday was the utmost tragedy.

Peng Shih-sung
Zhongxing Borough warden
His mother says he’s always been an honest and straightforward person who stands up for the less fortunate, so what happened didn’t surprise me at all. He just bought a new place in Taoyuan and a new car. He hasn’t even had a chance to drive his new car.

Everyone is paying tribute to the late Yu Chia-chang for his courageous and selfless deed.

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

#taipeiattacks #hero #publicsafety #taipeimetro #余家昶

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