Prosecutors seek 10 years for Guangfu Township Mayor

Prosecutors seek 10 years for Guangfu Township Mayor

2026-03-09

Last year, a barrier lake in the mountains of Guangfu Township collapsed, causing a tragic flood that killed 19 people and left 5 more missing. The Hualien District Prosecutors Office on Monday indicted the Mayor of Guangfu Township, Lin Ching-shui, on charges including causing catastrophe through dereliction of duty. Prosecutors are seeking 10 years in prison for him and 9 years for both the township office’s secretary Chang Yuan-pao and the civil affairs section head, Wang Yung-jun. Let’s hear more.

Liao Jung-kuan
Hualien District Prosecutors office
The Hualien District Prosecutors Office has concluded its investigations and filed charges against three individuals including Mr. Lin, for alleged dereliction of duty resulting in catastrophe. We will continue looking into the matter. It is not the end. The case will continue with all the relevant authorities involved and provide the public with a satisfactory resolution.

Lee Kuan-ting
Hualien County Government official
We respect the investigation by the judicial authorities and would like to reiterate that we handled all matters related to disaster relief in accordance with the relevant procedures in the Disaster Prevention and Protection Act.

Prosecutors say Lin falsified evacuation data on the morning of Sept. 23, during a meeting regarding emergency measures to prepare for the overflowing of the lake, which happened later that day. Lin reported that evacuations in all danger areas had been completed without any problems. Because of that, disaster prevention and relief agencies did not provide any further assistance or oversee further actions. That meant that later on that day, when the barrier lake overflowed, there were still people within the evacuation zone who were unable to flee and perished in the muddy current.

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#guangfuflood #guangfudisaster #guangfu #hualien #barrierlake #mataiancreek #neglect

馬太鞍溪堰塞湖洪災19死光復鄉長林清水等3人遭起訴

2026-03-09

馬太鞍溪堰塞湖事件，釀成19死5失蹤悲劇，花蓮地檢署今天正式起訴光復鄉長林清水等3人，依公務員廢弛職務釀成災害等罪嫌，求處林清水10年有期徒刑，公所秘書張源寶、民政課課長王詠濬也求刑9年。

[[花蓮地檢署主任檢察官廖榮寬]]
“花蓮地檢署偵結林姓被告等3人涉嫌公務員廢弛職務，釀成災害等案件，並提起公訴。我們還會持續偵辦中，不會到這邊就是句點了，只要跟本案相關的權責機關，我們都還在持續的偵辦中，未來也會給社會大眾一個交代”

[[花蓮縣新聞科長李冠霆]]
“我們也尊重司法機關的調查，再次也重申我們一切，救災的相關規定，我們都是依照災害防救法，相關的規定以及流程來辦理”

地檢署指出，去年9月23日上午10時，花蓮縣災害應變中心召開「馬太鞍溪堰塞湖緊急應變整備會議」時，林清水謊報「已完成預防性撤離並無任何問題」，其他相關災害防救機關即未採取進一步之協助或督導作為。導致溢流時，「警戒區內」民眾避難不及，遭驟然而至之水土泥沙淹沒口鼻導致窒息死亡之重大災情。

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Pay-upon-delivery ‘ghost packages’ now the most common scam

Investment scams, in which victims are gradually lured into parting with large amounts of money for non-existing returns, are no longer scammers’ most-utilized method. Instead, they now favor “ghost packages,” in which the victim believes they’re shopping online, only to receive nothing after paying upon delivery. For scammers, it’s a low-stakes method, because victims usually accept the relatively small losses and tend not to seek remedy or report the case to authorities. However, the police is encouraging victims to still report the cases and reminding them that they can apply for a refund with the convenience store where the package was delivered.

The shopper cuts open the package and finds nothing inside, after forking out some cash.

They’re not the only victim of this scam. Last year, singer and TV personality Fifi Yu wrote on social media that she paid a bit over NT$1,300 for a package, only to receive a bag of packing material. According to the National Police Agency, reported losses from scam totaled more than NT$6 billion, and “ghost package” delivery scam was the most common method.

Chuang Ming-hsiung
Central Investigation Bureau
Scammers are taking advantage of the fact that victims have no way of tracing the source of the package once they paid and found out that they did not receive what they expected to. The sum victims paid ends up becoming losses to scam, and there’s no recourse.

The police showed us a fake online shopping website created by scammers. It looks almost legitimate, save for a few details upon closer inspection.

Chuang Ming-hsiung
Central Investigation Bureau
The address of most e-commerce websites ends with .com.tw or .org .tw for some organizations. Recently, there are fishy-looking websites that end with .store.biss.cc selling heavily discounted goods. People must pay attention in these cases.

Despite scam awareness-raising campaigns by the police, members of the public still fall prey to “ghost packages.” It’s becoming scammers’ favorite because victims tend to let things slide, seeing that most losses aren’t large in sum.

Chuang Ming-hsiung
Central Investigation Bureau
There’s a refunding mechanism available in all four major convenience stores. You can apply for a refund using the in-store kiosk system, such as ibon, specify details of the package, including serial codes and other delivery information, and get refunded within a certain period of time.

The police is encouraging people not to let petty scams like “ghost packages” slide. Even though the losses aren’t great, it’s still your own hard-earned cash.

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

#scam #scamawareness #ecommerce #onlineshopping #fraud

2026-03-09

CCP’s infiltration of Taiwan’s military broadens to include rank-and-file soldiers

China has long been targeting Taiwan’s military for infiltration, but it used to mainly target high-ranking retired generals. Not anymore. Security experts say its strategy has changed in recent years to also target rank-and-file soldiers. Experts say that just finding out the morale in these grassroots units can help China determine their combat effectiveness. CCP agents often initially offer soldiers loans and later on offer to waive their debts or interest payments if they hand over information. Let’s find out more.

We are at the Zuoying military district in Kaohsiung, home to Taiwan’s largest naval base. Recently, a series of Chinese espionage infiltration cases have been reported.

- They’ll come to develop new areas because we have a lot of military personnel here.
- Are they targeting military personnel?
- I think so.

This young woman in the photo is soliciting people to fill out questionnaires on bustling Zuoying Avenue. On the surface, she is introducing investment and financial management opportunities, but in reality, it may be a CCP trap.

Mr. Wu (voice altered)
Retired Zuoying military region officer
The questionnaire asks what your current occupation and social class are, and then tells you that we offer small loans. People in need will actually call that number.

If a soldier is unable to repay the debt, they may be required to provide military intelligence to write the debt off.

Mr. Wu (voice altered)
Retired Zuoying military region officer
These documents or manuals are harmless and not confidential, so I’ll just take photos of them and we can just waive the interest for this period

A National Security Bureau analysis shows in recent years, the CCP has been targeting active-duty rank-and-file military personnel for infiltration. But why are these rank-and-file soldiers, who clearly have no access to classified intelligence, becoming infiltration targets?

Shen Ming-shih
Institute for National Defense and Security Research
If he just tells you what kind of weapons they have, and what the resistance will or combat morale of the rank-and-file soldiers is like, that alone provides the CCP with a very solid basis for assessing the combat effectiveness of the unit.

For rank-and-file soldiers, who may fall into a treason trap over a few tens of thousands of New Taiwan dollars, is there a "stop-loss mechanism" and a relevant legal system in place?

Hsu Kai-chieh
Taipei District Court
Once he realizes that his actions won’t be punished, we can actually take control of this so-called infiltration line and use it to feed him more of this so-called false intelligence, thereby getting him to do even more.

The CCP’s infiltration of Taiwan is already being deployed systematically. Addressing legal loopholes and maintaining the first line of defense is not just a challenge for the military—it is a national security crisis that society as a whole must confront.

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

#Chinesespies #Chineseinfiltration #Taiwanespionage #counterintelligence

2026-03-09

Indoor ski school creates winter wonderland in hot Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung certainly never snows, so winter sports enthusiasts often take advantage of their holidays to chase slopes abroad. But now, the city has its very own ski school. It’s gotten popular recently, averaging over a dozen customers daily during the peak season. It even has a winter wonderland with temperatures kept at 3 degrees below zero, where visitors can play around in the softly falling powder constantly generated by snow machines.

Following their instructor’s directions, students put on ski boots, protective padding, and helmets in preparation for their lesson.

They’re here to learn how to ski. Standing on an indoor slope simulator, they learn how to keep still as the machine starts up to practice their stance. Then they glide down slowly, getting a feel for the sport.

Student
Learning to ski
I skied once many years ago. It was a pretty good experience. But since it’s been a while, it feels a little awkward. I’m afraid I’ll end up rolling down the mountain. So I figured I should take a class first.

Student
Learning to ski
I wanted to learn before going to Japan to ski so that I won’t be as afraid or nervous. I think it’s great. The instructors here are also very attentive. They’ll give attention to every student. It makes learning easy and fun.

With the instructor monitoring their movements and adjusting their posture, the students gradually become familiar with skiing techniques.

Yin Yin
Ski school assistant manager
We’re special as the first ski school in southern Taiwan. We all underwent professional training before becoming instructors. Skiing started getting pretty popular last year, so by now we’ve grown by 20 or 30%.

The school also has a slope where kids can go sledding and enjoy the delights of a winter wonderland right here in Kaohsiung—no need to travel abroad.

The business spent thousands to import a snow machine, keeping the temperature at 3 degrees below zero to create an indoor snowscape. Families have a blast playing in the powdery snow.

Visitor
Experiencing snow
I figured, since there’s snow here, I can bring the kids to come experience it. His sister came to play as well. They’re having such a good time together. It’s also the only place in southern Taiwan. We’re from Tainan.

It might not snow in Kaohsiung, but that’s no problem. Coming here to get a taste of a snowy winter is just as good.

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

#snow #skiing #wintersports #skischool #indoorslope #Kaohsiung #winterwonderland #sledding #wintertravel

2026-03-09

Beyblade buyer takes seller to court over 0.06g disparity

Two Beyblade fans in Taiwan have taken the game so seriously that they’ve ended up in court. For the uninitiated, Beyblade is a game played with spinning tops that are battled against each other, so metrics such as weight and speed are key to winning. Recently in Taiwan, a player bought a spinning top advertised as weighing 37.95g on Facebook. But he was horrified when he found that the top he received was actually underweight by 0.06g, or about the weight of 5 staples. He asked for a refund, but the seller refused, and now they are going to court.

3, 2, 1, Let it Rip! Beyblades are launched onto the arena spinning as fast as can be and knocking into each other. The first one down loses. It’s a fun game. But for two fans, it’s serious business, and they’re going to court because of it.

The grievance started after a buyer purchased a 37.95g Beyblade on Facebook. But when he received it, he weighed it and noticed it was 0.06g lighter than advertised. He found it unacceptable and told the seller so, asking for a refund. The seller refused, saying the disparity could be due to the tuning of the weighing scale. After a dispute, the buyer was so furious he decided to sue.

Mr. Hsu
Blader
I think most players would be OK with it, if there’s a small discrepancy. But it’s inevitable that some people would like to stir up trouble.

So just how heavy is 0.06g? Is the drama justified? A regular sheet of paper weighs 5.29g, a piece of toilet paper, 1.84g. Ultrathin weighing paper is just 0.27g, but that’s still heavier than the 0.06g from the dispute. We put five small staples on the scale to finally reach the minute amount. Surely such a minuscule weight difference can’t have such a big impact, right?

Mr. Hsu
Blader
Some players might take a look at big data and think that a certain weight is better, and if it’s a bit lighter it could be a bit worse. But it’s really just a reference. Heavy doesn’t guarantee the win, and lighter doesn’t mean you’ll lose.

Such an infinitesimal difference isn’t decisive for victory, but trying to convince the buyer any other way seems like a no-go at this point. Now, it’s up to the courts to decide.

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

#beyblade #blader #petty #facebook #letitrip

2026-03-09

Passenger plane goes on auction with minimum bid of just NT$8M

2026-03-09

Stuart Fairchild thanks Taiwan fans for outpouring of support

A new baseball star is on the rise in Taiwan. It’s none other than Taiwanese-American MLB player Stuart Fairchild, known locally as Feizai. Fairchild put on a stunning show at the World Baseball Classic in Tokyo, where he represented his mother’s home country for the first time. During the competition, he crammed in two home runs in just four games, helping lead Taiwan to victory. He says the experience has been dreamlike, and is very grateful to all the support from the fans.

- I am the lucky boy.

With a few words in Taigi, Fairchild melted his fans’ hearts.

Stuart Fairchild
Baseball player
I just want to say, thank you so much for your support during the WBC. I’ve had an absolute blast, and this entire time has felt like a dream.

It was the first time that the Taiwanese-American MLB player played for his mother’s home country at the World Baseball Classic. The outpouring of love from the fans left a deep impression on him.

From the moment he landed at the airport, he was greeted with boundless admiration. Though it was his first time sporting the Team Taiwan uniform, he made an indelible mark in baseball history, hitting two home runs, driving in six runs, scoring five runs and stealing three bases, all in four games.

Stuart Fairchild
Baseball player
It’s been so fun getting to know my team, and the coaches and the staff here, as well as all you fans who have shown us nothing but love. We appreciate it so much and we love you.

Fairchild is overwhelmed with the support he’s received. He and his wife say they have had a wonderful time.

Stuart Fairchild
Baseball player
We’ll see you soon in Taiwan.

Hannah Fairchild
Wife
I am so thankful that I got to meet Ou-Gao, he’s my favorite. And I’m glad to share this special time with you.

His wife is not just passionate about the sport, but also about Ou-Gao, Team Taiwan’s black dog mascot.

Wherever she went, she was joined by Ou-Gao in the form of plushies, and even Fairchild himself arrived in Taiwan with one in hand. The plushies have become so sought-after that they’re already sold out. But fret not. CPBL Commisisoner Tsai Chi-chang says he’s contacted the factory to make more, so fans can feel closer to their newest baseball idol.

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

#fairchild #taiwan #baseball #cpbl #sports #歐告

2026-03-09

Beijing angered after premier goes to baseball game in Tokyo

Among the fans watching Team Taiwan play at Tokyo Dome this past week was none other than Taiwan’s premier, Cho Jung-tai. His presence at the competition was remarked upon by baseball fans. But not just that, it also marked a new milestone bilateral relations between Taiwan and Japan, which ended up triggering the wrath of Beijing. That’s because Cho’s visit to Japan is the first by any sitting premier of Taiwan since the two countries severed diplomatic ties. According to Japanese media, China immediately contacted Japan’s embassy in China to condemn Cho’s visit. Japan reportedly replied that Cho was visiting in a personal capacity, and that his trip was in line with the Japan-China Joint Communique of 1972. Let’s hear more.

Voice of Yaita Akio
Indo-Pacific Strategy Thinktank
Whenever Taiwan makes any kind of diplomatic effort, China complains. But what’s most beneficial for Taiwan this time around is that Cho Jung-tai had already returned to Taiwan by the time that China found out. China-Japan relations are in bad shape, and China hasn’t been left with many cards to play. That is quite good for Taiwan’s diplomacy.

Ho Hsin-chun
Lawmaker (DPP)
Premier Cho Jung-tai was able to step on Japanese soil. They explained it very clearly. It was a visit made in a personal capacity to watch the World Baseball Classic. If you want to watch the baseball games and cheer for Team Taiwan, it’s something everyone can do. We’re all in this together. It’s a wonderful thing.

Chuang Jui-hsiung
DPP Legislative Caucus
Regardless of what capacity Premier Cho Jung-tai went to Japan in, I feel that everyone definitely feels that it is a breakthrough in Taiwan-Japan relations. China’s cries are to be expected, but this time the KMT was quicker than Beijing to get mad.

Cho’s visit to Tokyo angered China and also the opposition KMT. KMT Caucus Secretary-General Lin Pei-hsiang demanded that Cho provide receipts to prove that it was a private trip paid for by himself. In response, the DPP says that it’s unthinkable that officials or legislators would be required to justify their every private expense. Pundits say the KMT is trying to force Cho into saying the trip was a diplomatic affair, in order to give China room to involve itself in the matter.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#KMT #tokyo #beijing #taiwan #卓榮泰

2026-03-09

WTCC holds conference in Sydney, Australia, revealing FM’s stopover

The World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce is holding a semi-annual conference, attended by Taiwan’s global business community, in Sydney, Australia. At the opening ceremony on Monday morning, Taiwan’s leadership delivered remarks, either in person or via a pre-recorded video. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung’s pre-recorded video surprised everyone, as it was recorded right in front of the Sydney Opera House when he stopped by over the weekend.

The 32nd semi-annual conference of the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce, or WTCC, has kicked off in Sydney, Australia. The opening ceremony on Monday morning has a surprise for everyone.

Johnson Hsiung
WTCC Chair
Minister Lin could not attend our conference in person due to his busy schedule, but he still made a pre-recorded video in front of the Opera House to wish our event a success.

Wang Yun-hsuan
FTV reporter
Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung was on a state visit to Tuvalu last week. Upon returning, he stopped over in Australia. He’s also made a mark at this LED billboard in the ICC Sydney.

The foreign minister’s rare stopover in Australia was recorded and featured at the WTCC conference.

Lin Chia-lung
Foreign Minister
Sydney is a city which I emulate in my tenure to promote meetings, exhibitions, events and festivities. Today, Taiwan’s business communities from the world over are gathered here to devise the future of WTCC, as well as promote Taiwan’s global connections and welcome the world to Taiwan.

Chiang Chi-cheng
Deputy Legislative Speaker
We all hope to further improve bilateral relations, and of course exchanges between officials comprise a part of closer bilateral relations.

Lin Chu-yin
Lawmaker (DPP)
Taiwan is now an indispensable partner for international society and liberal democracies. You can see this in Premier Cho Jung-tai’s personal trip to watch a baseball game at Japan’s Tokyo Dome, as an incumbent premier. We’ve also witnessed how our foreign minister took Taiwan to the world through a series of events and engagements.

President Lai Ching-te also gave remarks via a pre-recorded video before the foreign minister. After 14 years, the WTCC’s conference is being held in Australia again, during which two MOUs were signed with Fu Jen Catholic University to promote alliances between Taiwanese overseas businesses and the university, as well as facilitating overseas Taiwanese of age to study in Taiwan.

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

#wtcc #taiwan #business #investment #australia

2026-03-09