Popular New Taipei bus oozes people during rush hour

2026-10-01

Sanchong’s Route 299 bus is notorious for being packed during rush hour. But one woman’s desperate attempt to squeeze aboard has sparked a safety debate. The bus was already jam-packed when a passerby filmed the woman trying to force her way inside. She was practically hanging out of the doorway, yet she kept going, grabbing onto the handrails and squeezing into the last bit of space.

But transportation officials say there’s a reason passengers are not supposed to stand in the yellow zone by the bus doors. It’s a dangerous area, meant to prevent passengers from getting caught in the doors or blocking the driver’s view. The operator says buses on Route 299 run frequently, every five to eight minutes. So passengers are being urged not to risk their safety just to get on the vehicle.

#sanchong #publictransport #bussardine #crammedbus #traffic #taiwan

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雙北299公車"擠得像沙丁魚" 婦人不聽勸硬鑽上車

2026-10-01

299公車三重新北大道中華路口往台北方向，每次尖峰時段上車都很困難，有民眾拍下，當時車上滿滿乘客，卻有一名婦人硬是要擠上車，人幾乎都已經站出車外，還是不放棄，打開雙手死命抓住兩邊扶手，找到縫拼命鑽。引發不少人質疑說難道不管制嗎?

照理說，公車門前的黃色區域，是禁止站立的危險地帶，就是要防止乘客被開關門夾傷，或阻擋司機視線，大都會客運公司也表示，該路線班次來得相對密集，多等一班頂多5-8分鐘，別拿安全開玩笑。

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Winter melon with lemon overtakes bubble tea as foreign favorite

Bubble tea is the pride of Taiwan. It’s a must-have whenever people come to visit from abroad. But many people have found that their foreign friends aren’t used to chewing pearls in their drink, and they prefer having it without. Instead the tangy and sweet winter melon with lemon was the greatest crowd-pleaser, followed by Yakult drinks and fruit teas.

Bubble milk tea is Taiwan’s most iconic drink. For most people visiting from abroad, it’s a must-have. But actually, some people have pointed out that their foreign friends like another drink more.

With its tangy and refreshing taste, winter melon with lemon juice has taken the crown as the most universally loved favorite. We went to ask some visitors what they think.

- Have you tried the fruity ones?
- No, I haven’t tried the fruity ones.
- OK, so here’s a chance.
- OK, which one is this one?
- Winter melon with lemon.
- OK, here goes!

This traveler from the US gave it a thumbs up after one sip.

- It tastes like mild lemonade. It’s, like, sweet, but there’s a strong sense of lemon in it.
- Do you think that the foreigners will like this?
- Yeah, absolutely.

On an online list of drinks to recommend to foreigners, ones with Yakult and papaya with milk were also favorites.

Hsu Chun-wei
Drink shop manager
They seem to like fruity drinks and ones that are refreshing and thirst-quenching. Winter melon with lemon perfectly fits that sweet-and-sour profile. About four of every 10 order boba. The fruit drinks have also done well.

Visitor from Vietnam
Passionate about boba
Vietnamese very very like pearl milk tea in Taiwan.

Visitor from Germany
Sharing cultural differences
I almost never drink milk tea. In foreign countries, like in Germany, “bubble tea” is usually sold as fruity tea. Especially also the bubbles are fruity. It’s like, if you bite on them, they pop and then there comes some fruity flavor out of it. I also prefer passion fruit with green tea over bubble tea.

While boba is loved among travelers in Asia, people from Western countries tend to find the tapioca hard to get used to. Although bubble tea remains the pride of Taiwan, the next time you’re hosting visitors, consider introducing them to other flavors as well!

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#bubbletea #boba #foreigntravelers #wintermelon #drinkculture #drinks #milktea

2026-10-01

Taiwanese celebrities flock to celebrate China National Day

Today marks China’s National Day and some Taiwanese celebrities have sparked a wave of public outrage over their opinions. Among them were actress Michelle Chen, who stood at the Great Wall and wished China a prosperous future in a CCTV special. On Weibo, the trend continued with a series of reposts. Comedian and singer Huang An, who has long been pro-China, was among the first to post a message for China’s National Day. Though controversial, the Mainland Affairs Council says the messages are not illegal.

China’s National Day celebrations have kicked off. A promotional video features Taiwanese actress, Michelle Chen, dressed to impress at the Great Wall and confessing her love for the nation. In the video, she refers to China as her “motherland” and wishes it a future filled with prosperity.

Additionally, Taiwanese actor, Morning Zhang, who is currently in Xiamen, shouted the slogan, “The Chinese Dream, My Home and Country.” The two are promoting CCTV’s National Day special program, which they also appeared in.

China celebrates its 77th anniversary with promotional videos and stage performances leading to a wave of support on Weibo. Chinese state media CCTV also launched a National Day greeting video with many Taiwanese celebrities sharing and leaving messages.

Taiwanese entertainer, Huang An, was eager to fire the first birthday message for China’s National Day with a Weibo post. The images included messages such as “Celebrating National Day,” “1949 to 2026,” to “77th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China,” making his love for China indisputable.

Aside from Huang An and Will Liu, other Taiwanese celebrities who shared messages include Jiro Wang, Peter Ho, and Ken Chu. Wu Kang-ren, a two time Golden Horse Award winner, had his studio post a message in advance, stating, “May our land be beautiful and our nation prosperous and peaceful,” indicating his support.

Liang Wen-chieh
Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister
19 people posted celebratory messages, forwarding CCTV’s post and template. It’s mostly these celebrities. Some of them, you wouldn’t know they’re Taiwanese unless you were specifically reminded. We talked about two red lines last time: first, you cannot advocate for the use of force against Taiwan; second, you cannot advocate for the elimination of the Republic of China’s sovereignty. If these cases arise, we would investigate and deal with them.

The Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister emphasized the two rules, as long as no lines are crossed, there are no issues. It seems that every year on China’s National Day, pro-China celebrities face extreme scrutiny.

#chinanationalday #republicofchina #china #taiwan #crossstraitrelations

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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2026-10-01

Flu and Covid shots now available for free for 11 high risk groups

2026-10-01

Influencer jumps into mangrove at national park to retrieve sunnies

2026-10-01

Village chief candidate made unrecognizable by AI editing

With local elections approaching, campaign billboards are popping up everywhere. Candidates often edit younger photos of themselves for posters, but now some are directly using AI, like Hsu Mei-fang, who’s running for village chief in Songling, Zhongli. People online said her photo was so heavily edited that she’s no longer recognizable.

This election campaign poster looks like a marriage advertisement, even with “Hsu Mei-fang wants to marry you” in big pink characters. The candidate for Songling village chief in Zhongli is pictured with delicate, polished features and her fingers making a heart shape. The photo has been heavily edited, likely by AI.

People online couldn’t stop criticizing it, calling it “the most repulsive campaign poster” and saying AI made the candidate look completely different and utterly unrecognizable. Some even called it fraud.

Songling Village resident
Can’t recognize candidate
I looked up her real photo and it’s completely different. They should use a photo taken in the last three months, not one that’s been heavily edited like this.

- I don’t know what she actually looks like.

After sparking residents’ curiosity, Hsu appeared in person to answer their questions.

- That’s me!

Hsu is introducing herself to make sure people recognize her. It’s her first time in front of a news camera, showing her true self.

Hsu Mei-fang
Songling village chief candidate
I want you to see my authentic self. Hopefully it’s not as bad as you thought.

She posted a video and explanation, saying she’s come to face the music, acknowledging her poster’s shock factor, and emphasizing that her supporters made it. She welcomed people to come to Zhongli and meet her in person. Hsu isn’t the only one. A candidate for village chief in Kaohsiung, 25-year-old Lee Chih-wei, has also been called out for heavily editing her photo. Politicians have often used younger photos, but now they’ve started using AI images as well. While it can save the cost of a professional photo shoot, heavy editing makes candidates difficult to recognize, and voters say it’s harder to trust them.

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

#election #localelection #villagechief #AI #AIimage #photo #editing #filter #poster #billboard #campaign

2026-10-01

Elementary school’s purple track becomes picture-perfect destination

2026-10-01

OneSong Orchestra invites Korea’s Jasmine Choi for European tour

The renowned Korean flautist Jasmine Choi has teamed up with Taiwan’s OneSong Orchestra for three concerts in Taiwan followed by a European tour to Vienna, Prague, Dresden, and Berlin. Choi says the songs in this concert accompanied her growing up and remind her of her mother’s warmth and love.

Renowned Korean flautist Jasmine Choi takes the stage in a beautiful blue dress, returning to Taiwan to perform the piece Taiwan Dreams in a Golden Age with the OneSong Orchestra.

The piece incorporates melodies well known in Taiwan and Korea, and it reminds Choi of her childhood. She says these songs accompanied her growing up.

Jasmine Choi
Flautist
I know these tunes growing up, so most of the time I’m so nostalgic and I think of my mother, and I try to create her warmth and her love and her smell, so it was very special for me every time I even practiced.

The OneSong Orchestra invited Choi for three performances in Taiwan, in Taichung on Sept. 26, Taipei on Sept. 27, and Kaohsiung on Oct. 2, sharing their music with Taiwan audiences before departing for a European tour.

Choi posted on social media after the performance in Taichung, thanking the audience and noting how music connects people. She will soon depart for Europe with the orchestra, bringing Taiwan’s music to historic concert halls in Vienna, Prague, Dresden, and Berlin.

Lee Che-yi
OneSong Orchestra music director
Taiwanese culture is very diverse. Even though it’s a small country, we have many different elements. Through these concerts, I hope people in Europe can quickly get a feel for all the different aspects of Taiwanese music. This is a very important part of our European tour.

Choi and the OneSong Orchestra are performing for audiences across Taiwan and Europe, connecting people across cultures through music.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#music #classicalmusic #flute #flautist #JasmineChoi #orchestra #OneSongOrchestra #tour #EuropeTour #Taiwan #culture

2026-10-01

Victim fires back at honey trap claims in Neihu borough warden race

After a past conviction for attempted sexual assault came to light, a borough warden candidate in Taipei announced he was quitting the race. But it turns out; he is still canvassing for votes. Wang Chien-sheng, is the son of the current borough warden in Neihu’s Wufen Borough, and even his father believes he is still in the race. Now, as rumors circulate that he was set up in a so-called “honey trap,” the victim, Ms. Chen, is speaking out.

Ms. Chen
Victim of attempted sexual assault
Wang Chien-sheng is not suited to become Wufen’s borough warden. All he says is lies.

An attempted sexual assault conviction has cast a shadow over Wang Chien-sheng’s bid to follow in his father’s footsteps and run for borough warden at Neihu’s Wufen Borough. Once his history came to light, Wang announced he was withdrawing from the race on Facebook. But shortly after, he’s been accused of canvassing for votes anyway while some try to spin the narrative that his conviction was a setup.

Ms. Chen
Victim of attempted sexual assault
He’s a bastard. When I saw him, there was only one piece of clothing left on him. The rest was lying on the side of my bed.

Five years have passed, and it remains tough for Ms. Chen to recall the incident, which took a toll on her both physically and mentally. Now that she’s being accused of honey trapping Wang, she’s come forward to explain the truth about the situation.

Ms. Chen
Victim of attempted sexual assault
If I had been trying to honey trap him, how could the court have convicted and sentenced him. Though it’s been a long time, I still feel an incredibly deep pain in my heart.

Wu Hsin-tai
Taipei City Councilor Candidate (TSP)
Somehow, this person, who did something wrong, can still work as an aide to a sitting councilor, and even run for election for village chief. Even when the victim comes forward to talk about what happened, she’s forced to once again prove to everyone that she has evidence. This whole situation is unacceptable.

We called Wang’s father, aka, the current neighborhood warden to ask about his son’s electoral race.

- Only he would know. I don’t know.
- Did he withdraw?
- No, no, he didn’t.

Our reporter went to the neighborhood warden’s office early in the morning. But it so happened he was handing out bags of rice to locals, and declined to comment on the matter.

#sexualassault #sa #rice #election #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

2026-10-01

Heart of Tainan’s new railway project is finally unveiled

Tainan’s underground railway system has a new look! The underground stations are finally unveiled. We’ll give you a sneak peak at the heart of the station, the central control room, as well as the electromechanical and ventilation equipment that won’t be visible once the station opens! Let’s hear more.

Stepping into the brand new underground station of Tainan’s Railway system, the first thing that catches the eye is the well-lit, spacious passenger hall. Although the passageway gates are covered, they are equipped with the latest technology from the Taiwan Railway.

Shih Chun-hua
Railway Bureau
Passenger information viewing system and ticket verification gates are the latest generation, capable of handling all payment conditions.

Entering the central control room, there is a comprehensive system that combines vehicle monitoring, electromechanical equipment and various safety and disaster prevention systems.

Wang Chun-hsuan
Railway Bureau
All of the station’s life support systems as well as the tunnel monitoring systems including ventilation and fire protection are connected to the central control room.

Similarly, the electromechanical passageway, which is not open to passengers, has large exhaust fans and smoke extraction rooms that control the tunnel’s ventilation. As for the platform level below, there is a different view of the underground tracks compared to the surface tracks.

Cheng Po-hui
FTV reporter
This is Tainan’s TR platform after upgrades. The most distinctive feature you can see is that the tracks, which were originally of gravel, have been replaced with slab tracks without ballast.

Taiwan Railway plans to switch tracks and construct temporary walkways overnight after the last train on the 17. They will do this to connect the existing station with the new underground station. Then, the public will finally be able to see the brand-new underground station and visit the shops that will have opened by that time as well.

#TRA #newstation #tainanrailway #tainanstation #undergroundtrain

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

2026-10-01

Hsinchu dessert shop renowned for fresh, flavorful shaved ice

2026-10-01