Hit ‘a-We’ mascot from Osaka World Expo makes Taipei return for free exhibition

2026-09-17

The “We TAIWAN” series hosted by the Ministry of Culture at last year’s World Expo in Osaka gathered artistic groups to deliver outstanding performances and shows at the global showcase. Now, all of these activities have returned to the Contemporary Culture Lab in Taipei, open to the public free of charge. Taiwan’s mascot from the event, “a-We,” is also being featured at a special exhibition, which includes a massive 17-meter-tall inflatable figure for people to take photos with.

a-We, a mascot designed to represent Taiwanese culture, was a hit at last year’s World Expo in Osaka. Now back in Taiwan, a special exhibition is being held in its honor at Taipei’s Contemporary Culture Lab.

Lin Yung-chi
FTV reporter
After his stint abroad, a-We is back in Taiwan for an exhibition! Don’t you just want to poke the big squishy blob? No problem! Here you can squish him as much as you’d like!

No matter how you much you squeeze a-We, he never loses his shape. This is meant to symbolize the resilience of the Taiwanese people in the face of hardship. Five different designs are making their debut at the show.

Lin Yung-chi
FTV reporter
a-We takes different forms, just like our emotions. Like this one, which looks a bit grumpy. Or if you’re perfectly adaptable, then you’re like Twistee here.

Visitors can take photos with all of these a-We variations, and complete a personality quiz to see which one you resemble the most. If you want to take one home, there are bag charms, totes, and stickers to buy.

Phil Wu
Curator
Hopefully Taiwanese people will see themselves in this character. Its many different forms speak to Taiwan’s resilience. It also uses an amazing Taiwanese IP for products all made in Taiwan.

Performances by Taiwanese troupes that proved a massive hit in Osaka last year have also returned, with weekend shows to be held throughout September. In addition, the Taiwan Spectrum exhibition will open at MOMA Tainan on Oct. 8.

Li Yuan
Minister of Culture
I was deeply moved by Chen Jing-lin’s masterful botanical and indigo dye work. The colors extracted from plants that grow in our land and soil are the true colors of Taiwan. Starting from the a-We show, if you visit every single exhibition, you’ll walk away with the confidence to say that Taiwan has a rich culture.

a-We is once again heading out to greet his fans, ready to relive the splendor of his debut at the Osaka World Expo.

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

#OsakaWorldExpo #aWe #mascot #MinistryofCulture #TaiwanIP #cute #CLab #exhibition #TaiwanSpectrum

去年風靡日本人! 大阪世博外交大使a-We回台辦展

2026-09-17

去年在大阪世博期間，文化部推出We TAIWAN系列活動，集結藝文團體，帶來精彩演出與策展內容，如今所有活動，已經搬回台北空總國家文化基地，免費開放民眾欣賞，代表台灣文化的吉祥物a-We，也推出特展，在園區打造高達17公尺的氣偶，成為打卡景點。

代表台灣文化的吉祥物a-We，去年在大阪世博期間圈粉無數，現在回台在空總國家文化基地，盛大舉辦特展。

[[民視記者林詠琪]]
“周遊列國的a-We，回到臺灣辦展覽了，看到它Q彈模樣，是不是很想戳一下，沒問題，這邊就讓你來按壓"

a-We最大特色，就是怎麼擠壓都不怕變形，象徵台灣人面對壓力時，展現出的韌性，這回還有5種新型態亮相。

[[民視記者林詠琪]]
“a-We就像情緒一樣，有不同型態，像這一隻看起來就是脾氣不太好。如果你是靈活度滿分的話，就是我們的轉轉a-We"

各種可愛型態讓你拍照打卡，完成心理測驗，還能測出你是哪一款，想帶回家也沒有問題，吊飾娃娃、帆布包、貼紙通通有。

[[策展人吳孝儒]]
"希望臺灣人有對這個IP，有自我的認同的投射，有很多不一樣的形變，其實也在講臺灣的韌性，那也把臺灣很棒的IP，結合Made in Taiwan的商品”

去年台灣藝術團隊，在大阪深受歡迎的表演也回來了，九月每個週末都有演出，另外，台灣光譜展，十月八日，會在台南國家美術館登場。

[[文化部長李遠]]
"陳景林老師的植物染，藍染(創作)我真的非常感動，因為透過臺灣的風水，風土長出來的植物，取出來的顏色就是臺灣的顏色，能夠從我們a-We開始，每一個展覽都不要錯過的話，你走一遍，你可能終於很有信心說，原來我們臺灣文化是這麼豐富"

a-We再次與大家見面，重溫台灣團隊在大阪文化世博期間，留下的精彩與感動。

更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
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

New strawberry bed tiller saves farmers time and labor

Every September, strawberry farmers in Miaoli’s Dahu Township prepare fields for the growing season. While they used to turn soil and add fertilizer by hand, they now use machines to save labor and time. The equipment speeds up the process and mixes fertilizer more evenly, helping strawberry roots take hold and grow strong.

A strawberry farmer turns the soil with a small rake, slowly moving along the elevated bed. It takes lots of time and effort, but now there’s a machine to help.

The tiller moves quickly down the row, turning the soil and evenly spreading fertilizer so the strawberry plants can grow strong.

Yeh Te-tung
Strawberry farmer
People can turn the soil in two to three rows per day, but the tiller can do almost 20 rows a day.

Every September, strawberry farmers in Dahu, Miaoli, prepare their fields for planting. They used to spend all day raking fertilizer into the soil by hand, but this new machine is making the job much faster and easier.

- How did you turn the soil before the machine? By hand?
- Yeah. It would take over a month. The elevated beds cover almost half an acre.
- How much time does the machine save you?
- 70 or 80%.

Yeh Te-tung
Strawberry farmer
Traditionally, farmers place coconut fibers in the center before planting the strawberries, but the roots might have trouble growing through it. I thought using a tiller could loosen the soil and mix the fibers in.

If the soil isn’t loose enough, strawberry roots will have trouble growing and not as many plants will survive. The tiller not only saves time, but helps more strawberries grow and can even be customized for use in elevated beds.

- How many could you plant when there were no connecting beds?
- We could only plant 3,700, but now we can plant up to 6,000.

To grow more strawberries in a limited space, farmers developed connecting channels between beds. While these channels don’t qualify for subsidies from the Agriculture and Food Agency, the tiller is expected to qualify, which could reduce farmers’ costs considerably.

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

#strawberry #Dahu #strawberryseason #planting #farmer #tiller #soil #fertilizer #strawberrypicking

2026-09-17

Farmer breeds peanut variety that stays fresh for almost a year

Peanuts are both nutritious and a very common snack. However, ordinary ones can’t be stored for very long or else they go rancid. Now, a young farmer from Citong Township in Yunlin has successfully cultivated “red-skinned, high-oleic acid" peanuts, which extend their shelf life for a whopping ten months at room temperature. It’s the result of a three-year collaboration with the Tainan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station. Let’s find out more:

One after another, each peanut is plump, glossy, and vibrant red, bringing a cheerful, festive touch. They are an improved variety: red-skinned, high-oleic peanuts.

Lee Shou-ching
Young farmer
It’s high in monounsaturated fatty acids, which is why it’s called “high oleic.” That also makes it much less prone to going rancid

Lee Shou-ching took over his family farm 15 years ago. He also went on to study at a biotechnology research institute, wanting to upgrade his family’s agricultural products. He found that traditional peanuts tend to develop a rancid oil taste shortly after high-temperature processing. He collaborated with the Tainan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station for three years and successfully cultivated a new variety.

Lee Shou-ching
Young farmer
It has a subtle nutty aroma with complex layers, giving it a completely different flavor from traditional peanuts.

High-oleic peanuts contain up to 80% monounsaturated fatty acids, can be stored at room temperature for up to 10 months, and exhibit stable disease resistance, representing another breakthrough in agricultural technology in Citong Township in Yunlin.

Liu Chien-kuo
Legislator (DPP)
Citong Township has given strong support to local agriculture in recent years and with the help of the Agriculture and Food Agency, we are here today to promote this extensively.

Red-skinned, high-oleic peanuts are currently grown across 87 hectares through contract farming, involving 32 local farmers. With production and sales traceability certification already secured, efforts are underway to expand promotion and make them a nationwide favorite.

#peanutvarieties #healthyfats #Taiwanpeanuts #Taiwanfood

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

2026-09-17

Taiwan increases paid marital leave for newlyweds to whopping 14 days

Taiwan is giving couples more time off to get married, and hopefully use some of that time to make a baby. The government is giving the marital leave policy a major makeover, expanding the number of marital leave days from eight to a whopping 14. The policy will enter effect on Oct. 1, and will also apply to couples who registered their marriage within the previous three months.

Brides and grooms hold hands as they take the next big step in life. For years, tying the knot would grant each party eight days of marital leave, which many say is barely enough to tie up loose ends. Now, saying “I do” will grant couples a longer vacation of 14 days.

Huang Chi-ya
Ministry of Labor
Here’s how to check if you are eligible to extend your eight days of marital leave to 14. First, you need to still have some of your original eight days left. Then, check whether your eligibility period extends beyond Oct. 1, counting three months starting from 10 days before your marriage registration. If you haven’t used up your leave, and you qualify under the second condition, the new rules apply.

The new rules will enter into effect on Oct. 1, adding six days of paid marital leave to newlyweds. But who’s shouldering the bill? Not employers, as the government will subsidize the wages in full starting from the ninth day of leave. The new rules will also apply to couples caught between the old and new rules. As long as they haven’t yet used up their original eight days and they registered their marriage within the three months prior to Oct. 1, they can claim the extra leave. The government hopes the extra leave will encourage more workers to get married. But will it lead to more marriages? And babies?

Member of public
Doubtful of a marriage boom
I don’t think the extra leave will do much to get more people to get married. There are a lot of other factors to consider.

Member of public
Doubtful of a marriage boom
It depends on the person. If you don’t want to get married, getting more days off won’t change your mind.

The government is hoping that the extra vacation days will make people more willing to get hitched and bring more little ones into the world. But whether the figures increase remains to be seen.

#marriage #wedding #leave #workersrights #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

2026-09-17

Fashion designer takes on New York; suona player delights Turkish audiences

Kaohsiung-born Erika Chung recently became a focal point at New York Fashion Week with her own self-created brand. Inspired by her hometown, her designs fuse local features with elements of traditional Chinese characters. Meanwhile, suona player Lin Yu-cheng was invited to perform in Turkey, where he played the iconic fight song Taiwan Hero Hito to thunderous applause.

At New York Fashion Week, models wearing an array of designs strut down the runway.

One of them in the middle is wearing a sharply tailored black top featuring the traditional Chinese character for “love” across the chest. At the end of the lineup, there’s another surprise.

A male model walks out in a suit jacket with the two large characters “Takau,” which is the historic name for Kaohsiung, written across the front. The chic threaded lines give the piece a unique look, courtesy of the Kaohsiung designer Erika Chung.

Attendee
Happy about Taiwanese designer
As a Taiwanese person, seeing a Taiwanese designer here at such a huge fashion week in the US makes me so happy. And seeing elements from Kaohsiung in the work makes me so proud.

A fellow participant from Kaohsiung shared their pride after watching the designs walk down the runaway. Across the Atlantic, another artist has also been making Taiwan proud.

The familiar sound of Taiwan’s classic fight song are played on the suona as the national flag is unfurled on stage. Suona musician Lin Yu-cheng was invited to lead a group to an international culture, arts, and sports festival in Turkey, where they brought their set to a climax with the energetic song.

Lin Yu-cheng
Suona musician
When we started playing, even all the Turkish people there started dancing along. I feel so happy and honored to bring glory to Taiwan.

Suona, reed flute, and drums turn this street parade into a Taiwanese concert, showing the world the unique spirit of 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

#NewYorkFashionWeek #fashiondesigner #EricaChung #suona #TaiwanHiroHito #Turkey #prideofTaiwan #Taiwanculture

2026-09-17