Religious group stopped in time to avert ecological disaster

2026-10-08

A group of religious practitioners nearly caused an ecological disaster in Yilan. Dozens of worshippers gathered on the banks of the Dongshan River to release captive animals to the wild to earn good luck and personal merit. The problem is they had gathered large amounts of animals from invasive species such as American bullfrogs, Chinese stripe-necked turtles, and goldfish. Fortunately, officers stepped in just in time to prevent the release of the bullfrogs, which do not have any predators in Taiwan. Let’s hear more.

Member of public
Appalled by animal release
It would unbalance the ecosystem and ruin it. After all, there are already animals living in this ecosystem.

Member of public
Appalled by animal release
Those animals are not endemic to Taiwan, they are invasive species. You don’t have to release these animals specifically; there are other ways to do things.

Voice of Chiang Wei-ming
Environmental conservation organization
Frogs are generally carnivorous, so if you introduce them in a new environment they will prey on other animals and pose a danger to the ecosystem.

Liu Pi-yang
Yilan agriculture official
Under Article 18 of the Wildlife Conservation Act, there are species that require approval before they can be released into the wild. We will also investigate whether the animals were illegally obtained and how.

By the time officials had arrived at the scene, the group had already released pond loaches into the river. Fortunately, they arrived in time to prevent the release of invasive bullfrogs, which reproduce rapidly and could’ve quickly destroyed the ecosystem. The Yilan County government may issue a fine of NT$90,000 to NT$450,000, while authorities investigate where the animals were procured.

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

#release #fish #karma #loach #bullfrog

宜蘭冬山河現"放生人龍" 外來種牛蛙丟進河恐釀浩劫

2026-10-08

又有民間團體到河邊放生，幸好被民眾目擊成功阻了一場生態浩劫。週三，有民眾發現有一群人在宜蘭冬山河放生，趕緊通知農業處，到場後查獲牛蛙、班龜還有鯽魚。幸好即時攔查，否則沒有天敵的牛蛙一旦被放生，就會嚴重破壞生態。現在縣府不僅要罰，還要查這些生物從何而來。

[[民眾]]
“真的會影響到生態的平衡，會破壞這邊，畢竟這邊有它自己本身的一些生態的物種。”

[[民眾]]
“本來這些東西有些都不是我們台灣的本來種，是外來的，所以不一定要放生用這種東西，也可以用其他的方式去支援。”

[[聲源:蘭陽綠野協會常務理事江瑋銘]]
“所有的蛙類牠都是肉食性的，那牠到一個原本不是牠的地方，牠會捕食其他的動物，那造成那邊環境上的生態上的危害。”

[[宜蘭縣農業處技正劉必揚]]
“根據野生動物保育法第十八條，牠是有一些經過，要放生動物需要經過核准的物種。我們會另外再調查牠是不當採集，或是怎麼樣去收集這些動物。”

農業處人員在貨車上查獲斑龜、牛蛙和少許的鯽魚，泥鰍則全部被丟入冬山河。放生生物之一的牛蛙，屬於外來種，體型碩大，繁殖迅速，若丟入河裡，恐怕對生態會造成嚴重破壞。現在宜蘭縣府要開罰，9到45萬元的罰鍰，還要查這些野生動物是怎麼來的。

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

Chiang Wan-an suddenly proposes shutting down Songshan Airport

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an dropped an eyebrow-raising campaign proposal on Thursday, with just 51 days to go until Election Day. The mayor, who is seeking reelection, said he planned to shut down Taipei’s Songshan Airport to build a 300-hectare AI tech park. He says Taoyuan International Airport’s future Terminal 3 could take over Songshan’s duties. But officials from the central government say the process is not so straightforward. Let’s hear more.

Chiang Wan-an
Taipei mayor
Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 3 will be completed in 2027, and opened in 2033. So there is still a long time to go, but we must start planning now. Of course, we will discuss the matter with the central government, and work together on the project.

Michelle Lee
Executive Yuan Spokesperson
As for Songshan Airport’s relocation, we just saw how it is. From what we know, when Mayor Chiang spoke on the matter four years ago, he mentioned that any proposals would have to be carefully reviewed within the framework of national land planning. He said it was not a matter that should be brought up willy-nilly for election season. The closure of Songshan Airport would have to be discussed with the central government.

Chen Yen-po
Transport ministry official
Over the past four years, Taipei didn’t once bring up any plans to shut down Songshan Airport. Our position, of course, is that we respect all the different opinions. But since this matter affects aviation, urban development and transport to outlying islands, it’s something that must be carefully considered.

Puma Shen
Taipei Mayor Candidate (DPP)
His time as legislator and his four years as mayor add up to some 10 years. But yet I don’t know what kind of preparations Mayor Chiang has done regarding the relocation of Songshan Airport’s services.

Songshan Airport was built in 1935, as a military airbase. It later became the first airport with shared military and civilian use in Taiwan. The issue of its closure or relocation has been a perennial topic of debate when election season comes around. Back in 2014, when the DPP’s Pasuya Yao ran for Taipei mayor, he advocated for tearing the airport down and building a public park. The idea was refloated by the DPP’s Enoch Wu in 2022, when he was up against Chiang for the legislative seat. Back then, Chiang said that the matter would have to be evaluated from every angle, including the impact on civilian, military and commercial aviation, and on urban development. The issue, he said, was not something to be brought up in haste just for the elections.

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 #songshan #airport #aviation #urbanplanning

2026-10-08

Tsai Ing-wen shares on Taiwan at DEFCON address in Stanford

Former president, Tsai Ing-wen made her first trip to the US since her presidency. She delivered a keynote at Stanford University, sharing Taiwan’s strengths and challenges and underscored its importance in global security. She called on other democracies to strengthen their defense cooperation with Taiwan. For her half-hour full English address, she received a standing ovation. During the campus tour, she even signed autographs for Taiwanese students and wished them to graduate soon! Let’s hear more.

Former president, Tsai Ing-wen just got on stage and barely spoke a word before the entire audience erupted into cheers and applause.

Tsai Ing-wen
Former President
Please be seated, don’t make me nervous.

Tsai attended Stanford University’s annual DEFCON Technology & National Security Conference and delivered a speech on Building Security Together: Taiwan’s Role in Global Stability, sharing how Taiwan, located at the center of the first island chain and facing frequent harassment from China, is building an asymmetric defense on its own.

Tsai Ing-wen
Former President
Because of terrain interference, often times exploit the goodness of democratic societies. Even the most sophisticated military systems cannot compensate for weak institutions, disruptive critical services or a loss of public confidence. Deterrence, in other words, is a property of an entire nation not only of its military.

Tsai gave a detailed account of her tenure, where she focused on building cyber security and developing domestically produced warships. She also mentioned that the US makes up 75% of global AI computing power, but most of the manufacturing is done by Taiwanese firms. This demonstrates Taiwan’s manufacturing resilience and its importance in global supply chains.

Tsai Ing-wen
Former President
Taiwan has the combination of advanced manufacturing, accumulated process knowledge, engineering talent, dense electronic supply chains, and the ability to take complex design and produce them reliably.

Many Taiwanese students attended the event, and during Tsai’s campus tour, she kindly signed autographs for them and encouraged them to “graduate soon.” Through her wit and warm demeanor, Tsai created frenzy at Stanford.

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

#femalepresident #tsaiingwen #蔡英文#stanforddefcon #taiwandemocracy

2026-10-08

Presidential Office light show tells Taiwan’s democracy story

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the National Day light shows at the Presidential Office. And it so happens to be the 30th year since Taiwan held its first democratic presidential election. That’s why this year’s light show is titled “Democratic Taiwan, the Heartbeat of the World.” The dazzling projection covers every aspect of life in Taiwan, from every day affairs, to the nation’s democratic development.

The sky is dark, and the Presidential office becomes a huge canvas of glimmering lights. There’s the iconic tri-color gaji bag pattern, the distinctive geometric window grates and even the red round tables from roadside banquets. The 100-year-old building can’t get more Taiwanese than this.

The scenes change rapidly to focus on the athletes of Team Taiwan, high-tech chips and even drag queen Nymphia Wind. The lights and music take everyone from the cozy alleys of Taiwan to the world stage.

But then the lively colors fade into black and white, to display historical footage of Taiwan’s democracy movement. Scenes from 11 films including A City of Sadness, Super Citizen Ko and A Foggy Tale traced Taiwan’s journey from authoritarian rule to democracy.

Lai Ching-te
President
Over the past 10 years, the light shows have covered everything from film, literature and photography to national defense and everyday life, turning our century-old Presidential Office Building into a glowing storybook. I would like to thank all the artists and creators for bringing the images, memories and creativity of different generations to the Presidential Office.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first democratic presidential election. To mark the occasion, this year’s light show, organized by the National Cultural Association of Taiwan, has been titled “Democratic Taiwan, the Heartbeat of the World.” The images illustrate decades of Taiwan’s memories, from everyday life and workers across different industries to the democratic movements that began in the 1980s. The opening show was kicked off with a performance by the Taipei Jazz Orchestra, followed by a ceremony with President Lai Ching-te and other important guests.

Lai Ching-te
President
One person’s power may seem small, 23 million people can come together to shape Taiwan’s future with their choices. Generation after generation, the mountain of democracy continues to grow. Tonight, we light up Taiwan together and let the world see the light of our democracy.

The projections will light up the Presidential Office Building every evening until Oct. 10. So, if you’re looking to whet your appetite with the true taste of Taiwan, head over to Ketagalan Boulevard and enjoy the show.

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

#projection #lightshow #doubletenth #nationalday #taiwan

2026-10-08

High tide and monsoons cause seawater flooding in Pingtung

Imagine the road you take home suddenly flooded? This was the case for some locals in at the creek located at the border of Taitung and Pingtung. The water here is normally clear and calm, but on Wednesday due to northeast monsoons and high tides, the seawater rapidly rose and flowed into the creek. The two locals were nearly swept away with their scooters as the current grew stronger, but they managed to escape to the shore and wait it out.

An inspector from the Aljungic Historic Trail was heading home on his scooter when he suddenly heard someone shout that seawater was flooding the stream.

- Just got off work and there’s no way to cross, seawater flooding, what to do?

The stream levels suddenly started to rise and flow backwards, people and vehicles had to evacuate to the shore. This is the Makuljikulji, a river where Taitung’s Daren Township meets Pingtung County and also the north entrance to the Aljungic Historic Trail. Normally, the creek has calm and level waters, but with the northeast monsoon and high tide, the seawater has begun to flow upstream.

Chou Hung-wen
North Aljungic Historic Trail Inspector
During the northeast monsoon, there will be high tides and so all of this is seawater that’s flowed in.

Two inspectors were riding their scooters home after work when they saw a sudden high tide that left them stuck on the shore. They considered calling for help, but after assessing the water level and waiting for it to drop, they were able to safely cross the river, half-carrying and half-pushing their scooters.

Chen Yang Cheng-hua
Historic Trail Guide
When faced with such incidents, we can mostly just wait it out, otherwise walk upwards. We’ve encountered this before, we just walk upwards and eventually cross to the other side and walk slowly down.

Local guides who are familiar with the terrain remind visitors and residents to check tidal updates and the weather before making the trip to Makuljikulji and forbid people from recklessly crossing the creek as it could cost them more than any saved time.

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

#alangyitrail #flooding #seawaterflood #monsoon #taitung #pingtung

2026-10-08