Vendors charging for plastic bags as Middle East war continues

Vendors charging for plastic bags as Middle East war continues

2026-03-26

The war in the Middle East has caused gas prices to rise around the world, and now even plastic bags are getting pricier. It’s become so expensive that food and grocery vendors are no longer giving out bags for free unless buyers specifically ask for one. Others are now even charging for bags, with prices ranging from NT$1 to NT$5. A wholesale packaging supplier says that another price hike is set to come on April 1. Already, prices have grown by 50%. Let’s hear more.

Packaging supplier
Announcing price hike
When Formosa Plastics announces a price increase, the price increases immediately. The price changes by the day and now we’ve seen three daily increases. Sometimes the factories straight up tell you the price is going up 30% there and then. They don’t give you any preferential treatment. And on April 1 prices are going up again by 10%.

Voice of Tsou Yu-hsin
Industrial Development Administration
We will provide assistance starting from the highest upstream suppliers, to shift exports into domestic sales to meet domestic demand. Should there be any cases of stockpiling or unreasonable price hikes, we will form a team to lead an investigation.

Raw material shortages and the anticipation of higher prices in the future have lead to hoarding, delayed shipments and even price increases for essential plastic products. All this has thrown the plastic bag market into disarray. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has established a hotline for any businesses in the supply chain that are unable to purchase raw materials. Reports will be handled by the ministry, which will facilitate solutions at any level of the supply chain. Officials are also urging businesses to not hoard goods or intentionally delay shipments to wait for price increases, as that could lead to legal consequences.

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

#plastic #plasticbag #prices #petrochemical #economy #economics

塑膠袋喊漲"1至5元不等"! 小吃店.菜市場"不主動提供"

2026-03-26

中東戰火讓石化原料供應緊張，也讓塑膠袋喊漲，現在不少小吃業者、菜市場已經不提供塑膠袋，甚至還出現一個塑膠袋要1到5元不等，包材批發商也說，4月1號還會再漲，累計下來已經漲50%。

[[包材批發商]]
“當台塑只要一公佈漲，他們就立刻漲，我們有曾經就是，一天一個價，就是連續漲三天的。然後也有工廠是，他一次就跟你說，我漲30%，而且是即刻，也沒有什麼的優待，都沒有，4月1日開始又再漲10%”

[[聲源:經濟部產業署副署長鄒宇新]]
“我們還是從供應鏈，最上游端來協助，就是請上游端，外銷部分改為內銷，就是充分供應國內的需求，如果有任何人檢舉有囤貨，或者是不合理漲價的情形，我們就會有，稽查小組去稽查”

原物料缺，在預期心態下，民生所需塑膠製品出現盤商囤貨、暫緩出貨，甚至調漲情況，引發塑膠袋之亂。經濟部已經成立電話專線，只要供應鏈上中下游業者，買不到原料，直接反映，經濟部就會出面媒合，也呼籲所有業者，不要囤貨等調漲，以免觸法。

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Hsin-Yi Children’s Animation Awards sees record number of submissions

The most recent Hsin-Yi Children’s Animation Awards had over 1,600 entries from 102 countries—a record high—including works from 36 elementary schools across Taiwan. Its diverse themes incorporated the environment and AI, showcasing young creators’ perspectives on global issues.

Falling behind her friends, a little raindrop hurries along in distress. In the midst of a terrifying thunderstorm, her coming-of-age journey begins.

These colorful animations and cute characters were created by children in Taiwan. They were standouts at this year’s Hsin-Yi Children’s Animation Awards.

Hsieh Cho-lin
Award winner
We started by using clay to create stationary characters, then used a camera to take lots of photos, then put a series of photos together to make the characters move.

Hsieh Hsiang-yun
Award winner
The most difficult part of the process was writing the script. Once it was finished, it was perfect and vivid.

Lin Hsiao-ying
Advisor to award-winning group
During the process, every kid shared their own life experiences or favorite things with our group. Then through collaborative learning, we gradually connected these ideas into a story, and this time we were able to complete really good work.

The Hsin-Yi Children’s Animation Awards have been held for 17 straight years, expanding from a national to international competition. This year saw a record number of submissions, with 1,618 entries from 102 countries, including 130 entries in the children’s category, covering themes such as the environment and AI.

Chang Hsing-ju
Hsin-Yi Foundation chair
As times have changed, we thought we could use more digital or animated methods to tell stories to children. The children’s part comes from adults making animations for children, and now that’s extended to children themselves finding topics from their lives and making their own animations.

These awards give children a unique opportunity to express themselves through animation, learning in a creative and fun way.

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

#animation #awards #HsinYiChildrensAnimationAwards #children #Taiwan #creative #talent

2026-03-26

Transport minister inspired by Japanese manga hero Astro Boy

Astro Boy is a Japanese manga character with a strong sense of justice. He’s adored by many Taiwanese born in the 1960s and 1970s. Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai is no exception. Chen has a large collection of Astro Boy figurines, some of which can be found in his ministerial office. He says Astro Boy is his main inspiration when he fights for improved traffic safety. Let’s find out more.

Striking a muscular pose to the familiar theme song, Astro Boy brings back nostalgic memories for Taiwanese born in the 1960s and 1970s. Astro Boy dressed in shorts and sporting a hairstyle like a helmet has been the favorite of transport minister Chen Shih-kai from boyhood to adulthood.

- First, he is wearing clothes, because many Astro Boy characters are in a more original state without clothes, like this.

The minister’s office is full of Astro Boys figurines: in jumpsuits and raincoats and Lego versions, both colorful and all-white versions. They accompany him while he works. This doesn’t even include the minister’s personal collection. Astro Boy’s spirit has been a constant theme throughout Chen’s career.

Chen Shih-kai
Minister of Transportation and Communications
In the animated series, he’s always helping people solve problems. He sees what difficulties people are facing and then he goes to help them. He’s very capable and energetic. His power is inexhaustible. One of the characteristics of Astro Boy is that no matter what episode it is, he’s still a child. That also means you need to stay true to your original ideals.

Chen Shih-kai revealed that whenever he is busy with official duties or feels a little dejected, looking at Astro Boy gives him energy.

Chen Shih-kai
Minister of Transportation and Communications
In the story, if you’ve seen it, Astro Boy is always saving lives. We hope that Taiwan’s traffic can be made safer. I believe Astro Boy is telling me that we should save people. The risks people face on the road shouldn’t be so high. We need to find ways to reduce the risks for everyone, reduce traffic accidents, and keep the number of traffic fatalities decreasing.

After taking office, Chen Shih-kai declared war on dangerous situations facing pedestrians. The country’s important transportation infrastructure projects were also completed one after another. Chen brought the “Astro Boy” philosophy to the Ministry of Transportations and Communications, protecting public traffic safety and establishing convenient transportation.

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

#astroboy #transport #collector #collection #nostalgia

2026-03-26

Pingtung farmer gets famous overnight for delicious guava

A guava farmer has become famous overnight. People found guavas at the supermarket that were the best they ever had and started searching online for who grew them. It turns out the farmer who grew these delicious guavas is a handsome young man from Pingtung. Surprised by his sudden popularity, he said the secret to his delicious fruit is Pingtung’s abundant sunshine.

This fresh guava is plump and juicy with tiny seeds, the hallmark of a Pingtung guava. The warm climate and abundant sunshine there make it an ideal place to grow the fruit. They’re also irrigated with fertilizer made with fermented milk, giving them more flesh and smaller seeds.

Yang Chung-hsien
Pingtung farmer
It will be a bit softer, but it will definitely be more ripe, so it will taste better. That’s what makes Pingtung guavas so special.

This young farmer recently became popular on social media. People found him online after buying his guavas at the supermarket. They were so delicious they had to know who grew them, so everyone started searching for him, much to his surprise.

Yang Chung-hsien
Pingtung farmer
I was so shocked! I thought, what the heck is going on, I just grow guava, why is everyone looking for me?

Yang is cooperating with a production and marketing team for the first time this year. In the past he focused solely on cultivating crops, but through this collaboration, which includes professional packaging and marketing, his fruit looks even more appealing.

Lu Wang-sheng
Production chair
We have a small-farmer section, and export channels to Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. We also handle our own online delivery services.

The production team sells through online delivery and farmer’ sections at supermarkets, attracting consumers with low prices and high quality. Yang also specializes in growing Irwin mangoes. With mango season coming up from April to June, it’s a great time to support small farmers.

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

#guava #farmer #fruit #Pingtung #mango #Irwinmango #popular #famous

2026-03-26

Tatsuo Miyajima’s solo show at Asia University Museum of Modern Art

Renowned as one of Japan’s leading contemporary artists, Tatsuo Miyajima is holding his first-ever solo museum exhibition, hosted by the Asia University Museum of Modern Art. The show features 13 works, including newly created pieces and five collaborative installations developed with Taiwanese participants. Join FTV reporter Stephany Yang as she takes us in for a look!

One of Miyajima’s works, Painting of Change-000 is composed of seven segmented panels, the piece displays numbers from 1 to 9, with their arrangement determined by a dice roll. When the dice lands on 0, all segments vanish from the wall-symbolizing a moment of reset or removal within the cycle of existence. Miyajima is renowned for his sculptural and immersive installations that combine light and numbers.

Tatsuo Miyajima
Artist
Over 30 years ago, I began contemplating what kind of philosophy contemporary artists should adopt as the foundation for their creative work. While exploring suitable materials, I discovered that the countdown display format of LED light could complement and embody the core concept I wanted to express. That realization led me to start using numbers as a form of visual expression

Making its debut in Asia," Innumerable Count" is a collaborative installation created with students from Asia University. It features randomly sequenced numbers from 1 to 9, handwritten by students. The exhibition also includes rarely shown concept sketches for performance and installation work. His signature LED works, endlessly cycling through numbers, are a reflection of his insights about life, death, time, space, and existence.

Tatsuo Miyajima
Artist
When I was a child, I suffered from a serious illness, and I was fortunate enough to recover. However, a friend who had the same illness sadly passed away. That experience deeply shaped me ever since, I’ve lived each day with intention. It became the foundation of my perspective on life and death, and this is reflected in my work.

Miyajima’s works will be featured at the Asia University Museum of Modern Art until May 10, 2026.

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

#TatsuoMiyajima #Exhibition #Art #ArtExhibition #AsiaUniversityMuseumofModernArt #Events #Taichung

2026-03-26

K-pop 2AM star Lim Seul-ong showcases his AI chops in Taiwan

There’s a new way to follow your favorite celebrity: see him as a speaker at a tech expo. First a star and now a slashie who’s candid about his heavy use of artificial intelligence, K-pop 2AM member Lim Seul-ong made history by being the first Korean idol to speak at an AI event in Taiwan. Many of his fans took time off of work on Thrusday afternoon to see Lim at the AI EXPO Taiwan 2026, where he revealed new songs from 2AM might incorporate AI.

- Many 2AM fans are here. Thank you, everybody. We’re all sharing this moment together.

This speaker, like many other experts at the event, may be sharing his analysis of how AI is playing a growing role in the entertainment industry, but he’s actually a star in another industry, the K-pop music industry.

16 years ago, 2AM’s song “Can’t Let You Go Even If I Die” turned the group into a household name in Taiwan, yet this time around Lim Seul-ong returned to Taiwan not to sing but to teach, turning his fans into students.

2AM debuted 18 years ago. Known for their sentimental ballad-style songs, Lim shared his beliefs about whether or not he’s concerned about being replaced by AI.

Lim Seul-ong
Member of 2AM
I believe that when it comes to the art we create and our performances, AI might help us better express our emotions as well as have more of an impact on popular culture. But, as for pure singing skill, I might just lose to AI.

A heavy user of AI, Lim shared his own AI trick: he has trained Chat GPT to be more direct. With a smile on his face, he revealed that Korea has an urban legend about speaking informal Korean to AI. Lim also shared how back in Korea he asked GPT which Taiwanese locations he should visit.

Lim Seul-ong
Member of 2AM
I want to eat at a lot of restaurants with delicious food. I also really enjoy visiting art museums. As for my dinner plans, I’ve heard that Korean barbecue restaurants have opened all around Taiwan, so I’m looking forward to enjoying the local culture in Taiwan.

Lim’s visit to speak in Taipei is also a warm-up to his May 24 concert in Taiwan. The island nation has been a constant fixture in 2AM’s world tours for 3 years in a row. Lim also directed his attention to his fan club members, who are collectively known as I Am.

Lim Seul-ong
Member of 2AM
When I was giving my speech I was thinking about what I’d say to all the many fans I have here. At the end of the day, I’m just in awe of how every time I come I have so many people who want to see me.

AI technology might be able to break barriers when it comes to time and space, yet its increasing capabilities will never be able to match the power of a pop star meeting his biggest fans in person.

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

#kpop #slashie #AI #2am #LimSeulong #임슬옹

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Former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je sentenced to 17 years in prison

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DoIT showcases AI solutions at international machine tool show

Taiwan is stepping into the future of manufacturing, as artificial intelligence takes center stage at one of the industry’s biggest global events. The Department of Industrial Technology under the Ministry of Economic Affairs has officially opened its R&D Pavilion at the Taiwan International Machine Tool Show, spotlighting cutting-edge AI innovations that are transforming production. As geopolitical shifts reshape global supply chains, Taiwan’s machine tool sector is racing to stay ahead through smart manufacturing. From faster prototyping to precision upgrades, AI is redefining how companies compete on the world stage.

Officials inaugurate The R&D Pavilion put together by the Department of Industrial Technology at the Taiwan International Machine Tool Show. AI innovation is its central theme.

The world’s machine tool industry is at a turning point brought about by geopolitical shifts and supply chain restructuring. As a key player in the industry, Taiwan is harnessing AI applications to enhance precision, quality and system integration. Amid labor shortages in manufacturing, generative AI has been implemented in production lines, and AI simulations are being used in the prototyping process, bringing down costs.

Wang Pei-ning
ITRI
Manufacturers can use AI in the production of small-batch and diverse projects. It can help cut down the cost of prototypes, and reduce the number of prototypes needed. That increases speed of the prototype phase and leads to stability in mass production.

Wu Chuan-fu
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We’re slowly and gradually seeing tangible results as we move to integrate AI and digitize our operations.

Companies are increasingly seeing the benefits of using AI. Applications such as AI diagnostics can act like a doctor for machine tools. AI can also be used to enhance the precision in stamping presses. These improvements can help companies expand into the supply chains of major global aerospace manufacturers.

Wang Jen-chieh
ITRI
In aerospace applications, the focus is integrating sensor technologies. These solutions were implemented in production lines at King Fong, which has been producing parts for Bombardier.

The Department of Industrial Technology hopes to promote AI-driven upgrades to help companies shift from price-based competition to value-based competition, in hopes of strengthening Taiwan’s key position in global manufacturing supply chains in the long term.

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

#tech #ai #manufacturing #technology #ITRI #DOIT

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Nearly 100 Thai nationals forced to pick strawberries for 16 hours a day

The National Immigration Agency has cracked a case involving Thai nationals who were lured to Miaoli by an illegal brokerage firm to take part in a working holiday that was anything but a holiday. The workers were forced to do 16-hour days for less than minimum wage. Once the strawberry season had come to an end, things only got worse for the nearly 100 Thai workers, who were sent to the south to fend for themselves.

Police rush into this strawberry farm as a group of migrant workers are attempting to flee.

These officers are actually attempting to calm down these workers, who are being saved, not arrested.

With the ultimate goal of luring Thai nationals to come to work illegally on strawberry farms in Miaoli, an illegal brokerage firm posted a Facebook advertisement for a working holiday opportunity. The post’s misleading photos included young women leisurely picking strawberries, a large plane, airport pick-up and drop-off, and a free Taiwanese cellphone.

But the reality was that, in addition to cramped living spaces, the women worked up to 16 hours a day and earned less than NT$100 per hour. To make matters worse, when the strawberry season ended the illegal employer no longer needed these workers, and so they were sent to the south, where they had to fend for themselves

Chao Chih-cheng
National Immigration Agency
This group recruited nearly 100 Thai nationals to Taiwan to work illegally, which violates the Human Trafficking Prevention Act. Their work also may infringe on the Employment Service Act, and so the case will be filed with local prosecutors.

Many of these Thai migrant workers dreamed of coming to Taiwan to work, with some even selling their houses in order to pay the 60,000 baht broker fee. They couldn’t possibly have imagined that they’d suffer so much abuse on these strawberry farms. The National Immigration Agency is still in the process of tracking down the total number of victims.

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

#Thai #working holiday #strawberry season #Miaoli #abuse

2026-03-26