Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai heads off to US for Nvidia GTC

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai heads off to US for Nvidia GTC

2026-03-11

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai on Wednesday set off on a trip to the United States. He’ll be visiting the US state of Arizona, take part in the Nvidia GTC and conduct tech exchanges with officials, industry representatives and academics. Before heading abroad, Chen was asked about whether he was planning on visiting any high-ranking officials in the US. Let’s hear his response.

Chen Chi-mai
Kaohsiung Mayor
I am a mayor, and I’m not planning on running for election, so my focus is Kaohsiung’s industrial development. I will take part in exchanges to strengthen city-to-city ties and share and learn about city governance. On Nvidia’s official website, Kaohsiung is listed as a demo city for applications in city governance. People all over the world are very interested in how visual language models and generative AI can be used to strengthen city governance. So we will hold a lot of closed-door meetings with high ranking executives at Nvidia.

Last year, the Kaohsiung mayor was invited by Nvdia to join the Nvidia GTC, a global conference on artificial intelligence. Now, he’s been invited for a second time. Chen’s first stop will be Arizona, where he will check in on Taiwan’s semiconductor investments in the state. He will then head over to California to take part in the AI event. He says he will continue working toward building a city-level AI platform that can be used as a model for the whole world.

#ai #tech #taiwan #kaohsiung #nvidiagtc #陳其邁

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高雄拚主權AI 陳其邁赴美參加NVIDIA GTC年會

2026-03-11

高雄市長陳其邁今天啟程赴美，前往美國亞利桑那州及參與輝達年度盛會GTC大會，並展開一系列產官學交流。但被問到，是否會拜會什麼重要官方人物，陳其邁笑說，他沒有要選舉。

[[高雄市長陳其邁]]
“我是市長，我也沒有要選舉，所以還是以高雄產業的發展為主，怎麼樣能夠強化在城市之間，在城市治理經驗的交換，這個一定會有。輝達的官網裡面，在城市治理的應用，高雄是一個DEMO示範的城市，怎麼樣能用 VLM (視覺語言模型) ，用生成式AI強化城市治理，是現在全球大家都非常關心的議題，所以我們會跟輝達的相關高層，就這部分會有非常多的閉門會議。”

高雄市長陳其邁，去年三月受到輝達邀請，驚喜現身全球AI盛會的NVIDIA GTC年會，時隔一年，輝達二度邀請陳其邁，再度到訪。陳其邁首站就將前往亞利桑納州，關心台灣與美國的半導體布局，緊接著再到加州，出席NVIDIA GTC年會，要繼續為建構城市級的主權AI平台努力，成為全球的典範。

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Driver faces license suspension, fine for blocking ambulance

An SUV was recently caught on video blocking an ambulance from passing on National Freeway No. 3 near Zhushan. Commenters online piled on the driver, calling them selfish and demanding action. Police said they haven’t received a formal report of the incident, but the driver might face a fine of up to NT$30,000, and could have their license and vehicle registration revoked.

An ambulance—siren blaring and lights flashing—tries to make its way down the inside lane of a highway, but it’s blocked by this SUV. It tries to signal for the driver to move out of the way, but nothing works. It ends up having to change lanes itself to overtake it.

Member of public
Weighing in
If the ambulance were carrying someone in critical condition, blocking it like that would waste precious time needed to save their life.

This incident occurred in the southbound lane of National Highway No. 3 on the stretch between Zhushan and Douliu. Commenters on the video couldn’t believe how selfish the driver was.

- We’ll change the siren like this as a signal.

Another ambulance driver said that they will typically change the sound of the siren to alert drivers in front. But if the situation demands it, dashcam footage can be used as evidence.

Ambulance driver
Unrelated to incident
If the car ahead shows no sign of yielding, then you prioritize safety and maneuver around them if the adjacent lane is clear. But if they’re being intentionally malicious, then we’ll provide dashcam footage as evidence to report the driver.

Ambulances are often racing against the clock. Drivers who break traffic rules may be fined up to NT$30,000. They could also have their license revoked and vehicle registration suspended.

Tu Chao-wen
Gukeng precinct officer
Upon receiving a report, we will review the evidence. If a violation of Article 45, Paragraph 2 of the Road Traffic Act is confirmed, a citation will be issued.

Whether the driver in this case failed to yield intentionally or not, it is never OK to block an ambulance from passing. Every second is precious to the life carried inside. There’s no room for error.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Alishan bathed in color as 31 types of cherry blossom bloom

The 2026 Alishan cherry blossom season has officially begun! All 31 varieties of sakura in the park are set to bloom in succession throughout the next month. Flowers can already be spotted on the Taiwan cherry, Ryukyu bell-flower, Okame cherry, and tangshi varieties, while the highly anticipated Yoshino cherry is expected to start blooming by the end of the week. Be sure to see these mountain blossoms before they’re gone!

Actors dressed as divine beasts greet visitors to this mystical forest as they welcome the start of the 2026 Alishan cherry blossom season. Throughout the national park, delicate pink flowers have begun to dust the branches of the Taiwan and Okama cherry trees. Those hoping to see the famous Yoshino cherry blossoms will have to wait until later this week.

Tsai Hui-ying
Alishan Federation of Community Associations chair
The Yoshino cherries will start blooming around March 15 or so.

- I think Alishan is beautiful.

What makes Alishan’s cherry blossom season so magical is its length and variety. Starting in mid-March and continuing through the end of the month is time for the Yoshino cherries. Then in the first half of April, the Takasago and Kanzan varieties take over. But it has more than just sakura, too. The park also boasts primrose, magnolia, camellia, rhododendron, and wisteria.

Lee Ting-chung
Forestry Agency Chiayi branch director
Alishan has 31 varieties of cherry blossom. We also estimate that the Taiwan pleione, wisteria, magnolia, and Yushan rhododendron will all bloom at the same time during these two windows.

No matter when you visit over this next month, you’ll be greeted by a completely different, but no less vibrant landscape. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to snap a picture of the blossoms as the Alishan Forest Railway chugs by. Don’t miss your chance to head up the mountain and catch the blossoms while they last!

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#Alishan #cherryblossoms #sakura #flowers #blooming #spring #beautiful #mountain #travel

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Pear orchards face heavy loses due to temperature swings

Farmers are facing serious difficulties due to recent fluctuations in temperature. One pear orchard in Miaoli’s Dahu Township is struggling with false fruit sets, causing it to lose over 30% of its harvest. Because of large swings in temperature, flowers blossom but the fruit drops late or never fully develops. Farmers look at an orchard full of pear blossoms, but they may bear little to no fruit.

This 1,300-hectare pear orchard in Miaoli is in full bloom. Outsiders may find it beautiful, but farmers have little to smile about. Due to recent temperature swings, the pear trees may be flowering and the fruits may be setting, but they often never fully develop.

Tree branches are marked with yellow, red, or blue tape to indicate how many times farmers had to graft them. Grafting means attaching a small branch from one tree onto another so it can grow there and produce fruit. Some pear trees are failing to produce any fruit, even though they have been almost entirely grafted over again.

Pears are usually grafted after winter starts, with the work completed before spring. But with large temperature swings this year, the grafts haven’t been growing or pollinating properly. Normally shoots are bright green, but they turn yellow if the fruit is unhealthy.

Voice of pear farmer
Facing growing troubles
It loses the competition for nutrients and later falls off. In this case, the fruit stalk is more yellow. Normally it’s green.

Chiu Chun-yuan
Local village chief
Its roots begin to wake up when the temperature rises, but when the temperature suddenly drops, it returns to hibernation, so it loses its fruit.

Farmers say the grafts usually flower after 20 days, but this year it took over 30. And it’s not just in Dahu. Orchards in other Miaoli townships are also facing similar disasters. It’s expected that losses will reach the standard for natural disaster subsidies.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#pear #pearorchard #farmer #Miaoli #graft #fruit #temperature #weather #climatechange #disaster

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Blooming wisteria flowers turn Ruili into magical sea of purple

A sea of bright purple wisteria flowers is engulfing Ruili, turning the area into a magical place to visit. The Chiayi County Government has officially kicked off the local wisteria festival, which this year is happening alongside the Taiwan Lantern Festival. But if the flowers and the vast lantern exhibition aren’t enough to convince you to head south, there are also plenty of other things to do in the county.

The wisteria festival is ushered in with the sweet melodies of “The Green Mountain” performed by Lily on the flute, merging classical and modern. Entertainer Okubo Mariko joined Chiayi County Commissioner Weng Chang-liang onstage to sing the praises of all the sights and highlights that Ruili has to offer.

Weng Chang-liang
Chiayi County Commissioner
I invite everyone to come to Chiayi and relax. Chiayi is the perfect place to unwind. There are so many people who come and fall in love with Chiayi.

Chiayi County is hosting the Taiwan Lantern Festival, which has attracted huge crowds to tour its vast exhibition space. After viewing the lanterns visitors can head up the mountains to taste tea and coffee, and stop by Ruili to dive into a sea of bright wisterias.

Weng Chang-liang
Chiayi County Commissioner
So many people have come to the lantern festival, it’s packed. Some people say the exhibition is so big that their legs got all sore. So to those people, I would recommend heading to Ruili to rest after the lantern festival.

Okubo has visited Ruili to take in the wisterias for many years in a row. Her secret to enjoying the place is spending the night in Ruili to see the sunrise and head up the mountains to drink exquisite high-mountain tea and coffee.

Okubo Mariko
Entertainer
The wisteria are so full and dense, it’s so dreamy. What I like to do is finding a place to sit down and take in the blossoms.

About one third of the flowers are in bloom, meaning it will only get prettier in days to come. So, if you are looking for a colorful getaway, why not head down south to view the flowers at Ruili?

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#wisteria #blossoms #flowers #beautiful #chiayi #ruili #travel #taiwantravel

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Team Taiwan returns from Japan after concluding WBC

Taiwan’s national baseball team touched down at Taoyuan International Airport on Wednesday morning, having concluded their rounds at the World Baseball Classic. They were welcomed by Sports Minister Lee Yang as well as a legion of fans at the airport. Earlier, head coach Tseng Hao-jiu had announced that he and pitcher Chen Kuan-yu will be stepping down from the national team.

Tsai Chi-chang
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This is Tsai Chi-chang. Next, I’d like Chieh-hsien, our captain, to give us a few words on behalf of Team Taiwan.

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I’m really so happy to see so many baseball fans from Taiwan. They made Tokyo Dome their home field. It’s really not an easy feat.

Captain Chen Chieh-hsien thanked fans for their support. His teammates in the first-class cabin also appeared pleased.

They were welcomed by Minister of Sports Lee Yang upon landing. Bouquets were presented to head coach Tseng Hao-jiu and pitcher Chen Kuan-yu. The two will be stepping down from the national team.

The announcement was made by Tseng on Threads in a post that thanked his team and fans for their efforts and support over the years. Fans seemed unready for the news, considering that Tseng helped lead the team to Premier12 championship in 2024.

As soon as the team reached the lobby, they were greeted by a legion of chanting fans. They waved back in response, and silence soon followed when Captain Chen walked through.

His wife walked in front of him with their two kids in a stroller. Chen gestured to fans to keep quiet so as to not wake up his kids. No wonder it’s suddenly so quiet. Regardless, fans couldn’t contain their excitement when they were able to finally express it again.

Baseball fan
Watched WBC
They won against Korea. It’s the first time for us to win against Korea at the World Baseball Classic. We did it, at last! The team did so well. Even though we did not advance into the next round, there’s another chance in four years. Someday, we’ll win the championship. Winning the WBC championship isn’t just a dream.

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They did very well. At least we kept winning against Korea internationally. That’s the happiest of things.

No matter how the national team does, they can always count on the support from fans at home.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Ex manager escorted from football game for cheering “go Taiwan’

Football fans were left with a bitter taste in their mouths, when they should’ve been celebrating Taiwan’s win over India at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup on Tuesday. Though Team Taiwan prevailed and won the match 3-1, a decision from organizers to ban cheers for Taiwan put a damper on the mood. During the game, a former national team football manager led the crowd in cheers of “Go Taiwan!” only to be asked to sit down. He refused to do so, and after several interventions he was escorted from the pitch. Organizers claimed the cheer carried a political message, but fans say it’s all just double standards, as fans for the other team were not stopped from cheering for India.

It’s Taiwan versus India at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. On the side, former national team manager Chen Kuei-jen leads the crowd to cheer “Go Taiwan!” But the excitement and sportsmanship was brought to a screeching halt, after organizers told Chen to sit down, saying that standing up was forbidden. But that rule didn’t seem to apply to the other team.

Organizers said that saying “Go Taiwan!” was a political message. After three warnings, Chen was kicked out.

Chen Kuei-jen
Former football national team manager
I’m fine. I’m OK. I’ll keep watching over our football team, to help them qualify for the World Cup.

Voice of Peter Huang
Taiwanese-Australian businessman
The moment he stood up, security personnel would order him to sit down. During the half-time break, security staff asked him to go up, and there was a bit of a shuffle. They were 100% trying to oppress Taiwan. Double standards!

Australians watching the game took it upon themselves to continue leading the cheers for Team Taiwan. Somehow, that no longer bothered organizers.

Lin Chu-yin
Lawmaker (DPP)
Security is very strict, and extends to cheers and flags and even symbols referring to Taiwan. You can’t bring any of those things in. But are these rules the same for everyone? If that’s the case, and they are in place to prevent conflict, then we respect the decision of the organizers.

But it appears that other teams were allowed to bring in flags, messages and symbols representing their country. It seems that once again, Taiwan was singled out.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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