TRA, HSR add services for Dec. 18 referendum

TRA, HSR add services for Dec. 18 referendum

2021-12-08

New services will be added to Taiwan’s train network, ahead of the four-in-one referendum on Dec. 18.

The Taiwan Railways Administration has announced eight extra services from Friday, Dec. 17 to Sunday, Dec. 19. The high-speed rail will add eight trips on Dec. 17. Seat reservations will open this Friday.

因應返鄉公投人潮雙鐵加開班次高鐵12/10開賣

2021-12-08

下週六就是公投日了，為了因應返鄉公投需求，台鐵和高鐵也增開班次。

台鐵除了原先假日加開的52列次加班車外，再加開東線自強號4列次、西邊區間快車2列次，以及南迴線自強列車2列次，但目前各車次都還有剩；高鐵最新也宣布，會在12月17日午後加開南下、北上各4班次列車，總計加開8班次，10日開賣。

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Father-and-son volunteers win Virtue Awards for taking care of the roads

A seventeen-year-old from Pingtung has become the youngest-ever recipient of the National Ba-teh Eight Virtues Award. Huang Chuan-yu received the award for his voluntary work filling potholes in the road. He follows in the footsteps of his father, who has also won the prize. After decades of altruistic service, the two of them have made Pingtung’s roads safer for everyone.

A road leveling machine flattens tarmac. Seventeen-year-old Huang Chuan-yu is totally absorbed in his work. He’s out here stoically rain or shine, filling potholes.

Huang Chuan-yu
Pingtung Industrial Vocational High student
It does get hot. You just get used to it, then it’s not tough. You just have to keep going.

His father, Huang Cheng-tsai, has been resurfacing dodgy roads out of his own pocket for decades. Huang senior began the project before Chuan-yu’s mother was even on the scene. Chuan-yu has helped out since second grade, when his dad would get him up early on Sunday mornings to help with the materials. Now he can lift bags of cement and drive the road leveler. Working on the road is father-and-son bonding time.

Huang Cheng-tsai
Road leveling volunteer group leader
The way we hang out is to give our best on the road, for everyone who uses it. That’s our unique way of spending time together. He loves laying the asphalt. He’s never skipped a session. He comes with us every week.

Huang Chuan-yu
Pingtung Industrial Vocational High student
I feel happy filling in the holes in the road.

Sunday is the day of rest, but for this pair, it’s a chance to protect other road-users’ safety, with countless holes filled in over the years. Last year, the father won a National Ba-teh Eight Virtues Award. This year it’s his son’s turn. He’s the first youth to receive the ethical gong.

Ko Chao-tu
Pingtung Industrial Vocational High head
Let’s all come together to do public service, let’s get all our students and everyone who cares about society involved. We’ll only have a happy and peaceful society with a virtuous cycle.

Chuan-yu plans to donate his prize-money to a fund for rural students from low-income families, to help them buy school uniforms. His heartfelt love of service is the greatest reward his dad could hope for.

2021-12-08

Shou SHan Zoo to reopen in April 2022 after COVID hiatus

Shou Shan Zoo in Kaohsiung is over 40 years old. It had to go on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, relying on livestreaming to give fans a glimpse of the animals. But renovations are well underway while the zoo is closed. Zoo keepers are adamant the zoo will reopen in April next year. In the meantime, they’re enjoying the patter of very tiny feet.

A newborn baby sloth lies in its mother’s arms. The bundle of joy barely opens its eyes, as it chews languidly on a bit of sweet potato leaf.

Here in Kaohsiung, Shou Shan Zoo is undergoing renovations as part of the “New Zoo Campaign.” Since it closed its doors in May, it has welcomed its youngest denizen. This tiny little sloth was born in late October. At a month old, its sex was still undetermined. It’s the second child of its mom, whose name is Baby.

Chuang Hsuan-chih
Shou Shan Zoo director
Baby is a very maternal sloth. The little sloth spends all day lying on its mom’s tummy.

The zoo’s duty is to protect animals but also to give its charges comfortable and spacious homes. Kaohsiung Deputy Mayor Charles Lin was at the zoo to inspect the renovations. The latest news is that the zoo plans to focus on becoming a top destination for parents and children.

Charles Lin
Kaohsiung deputy mayor
There’s a sky walk that’s more than 830 meters long. It’s about 2.4 meters wide. You can go up on it even pushing a buggy. All the works are well ahead of schedule. It will definitely completely reopen in September next year. A partial reopening will begin in April.

Early bird tickets will be available from April onward. But while the zoo has been shut for the pandemic, its four-legged inhabitants have never stopped being adorable.

Ali the Elephant cools off with a spurt of water. Then he sidles up to his human as if looking for a pet. The zoo has been livestreaming through the pandemic. The stream attracted more than 2,000 views in its first two hours.

Although Kaohsiung residents can’t head to the zoo right now, they can still keep up with the animals online. And hopefully by this time next year you can pay the creatures an in-person visit once more.

2021-12-08

Two capybaras escape from Taipei Zoo enclosure, baby penguin meets public

2021-12-08

Passengers get early access to TRA’s EMU3000 intercity express

The Taiwan Railways Administration gave a sneak peek of its new EMU3000 intercity express on Wednesday. Passengers in Taitung were able to hop on the electric train and go on a short test ride. Taiwan has ordered 50 EMU3000’s from the Japanese conglomerate Hitachi. The first train delivered will enter service on Dec. 29, while another four will be ready for Spring Festival.

With its sleek, minimalist design in black and white, the EMU3000 is the pinnacle of elegance. The train pulls slowly into the platform, which is full of passengers eager to hop on.

Wearing flower crowns, they’re happy as clams as they pose for photos with the new train. The TRA’s new intercity EMU3000 offered its first trial service to the public on Wednesday. The train offers spacious and bright interiors, with charging ports on every seat. Braille signage is up all over the train, which also has dedicated accessible spaces.

Passenger
First of all, it’s very stable. The seats are spacious. It’s not bad at all. It’s squeaky clean.

Passenger
It doesn’t sway as badly. This is the business-class car. The seats are more comfy.

Passengers heap high praise on the new train. One whips out a selfie stick to snap a shot. The EMU3000 is a 12-car train with 538 seats. That’s 40% more capacity than the Taroko Express and the Puyuma Express.

The EMU3000 takes about 15 minutes longer than the Puyuma Express to travel from Taipei to Taitung. But the tickets cost the same: NT$783 for standard and NT$1,145 for business class. The EMU3000 will formally enter service on Dec. 29.

Passenger
As soon as I stepped in, I could tell that the seats would be very comfortable. I can’t wait for the trains to bring joy to passengers on the East Coast.

Feng Hui-sheng
Taiwan Railways Administration
The first train in the first group has already cleared all the testing protocols and the paperwork has all been inspected and approved. Once other trains complete their tests, we’ll add them to the circulation. We hope to have five by the Lunar New Year.

Passengers gaze out the window to take in the stunning mountains, golden fields and big blue skies of Eastern Taiwan. In the future, the TRA plans to replace its old rolling stock with 50 EMU3000s totaling 600 cars. The new trains will offer a more comfortable ride home to East Coast residents.

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Garden of Hope Foundation raising funds for adoptable children

A Taipei adoption program is seeking donations for children who are still waiting for a happy home. Due to the pandemic, children at the Garden of Hope Foundation in Taipei are waiting longer than ever to be adopted. The foundation has launched a fundraiser to support their care. Formosa News reporter Stephany Yang has the details.

This is Ling Ling. She was given up to a foundation when she was 45 days old. Early on, her caretakers discovered that her development was slower than that of other children. They’ve sought out intensive medical treatment to support her special needs.

Kuo Tung-yun
Social worker
She is slower than the average child. But because her nanny has worked with her extensively, she is able to keep up. In addition to her intensive training at home, she still has to go back routinely for physician follow-ups.

The Garden of Hope Foundation in Taipei is holding a fundraiser to support adoptable children like Ling Ling. Over the past three years, its adoption program has taken in a rising number of children with special needs. It’s also been caring for the children for longer periods of time. Due to COVID border controls and restrictions, it now takes at least one year on average before an adoptable child finds a family.

Lai I-cheng
Garden of Hope Foundation
In the past, the Garden of Hope Foundation took an average of 4 to 6 months to help children find a suitable adoptive family. In the past few years, we’ve seen a rising rate of special needs children. More care and support or medical resources are needed to help the children find a suitable adoptive family.

The Garden of Hope Foundation says it costs NT$42,000 a month to care for an adoptable child, and that it still has 15 children waiting for a loving home. Donations, which can be made online, will go toward the children’s medical care, nanny fees, food, and other living expenses. The Garden of Hope Foundation in Taipei began providing adoption services in 2009 and has since helped to place 160 children in new families.

2021-12-08

CECC extends Taipei Main Station vaccine clinic, expands vaccination-or-testing policy

Turning now to Taipei Main Station, where walk-in COVID vaccinations are underway. The pop-up vaccine clinic is now in its fourth day, and the crowds are showing no signs of letting up. To meet the demand, the CECC has decided to keep the clinic open an extra three days, until Dec. 12. In related news, the CECC is expanding its "vaccination-or-testing" policy, which previously applied only to personnel at 24 types of venues, including daycares and universities. It’s now asking four priority groups to get vaccinated by next Friday, or be subject to COVID testing every week.

Completed forms are checked over by staff. There’s a long line for COVID shots at Taipei Main Station, and even getting through ID screening requires a wait. It’s already the fourth day of vaccinations here, and the station is now administering vaccines at three locations. Even so, the lobby is still packed with people.

Member of public
I had some spare time, so I was able to come out here. I can’t book appointments that are in the evening or in the morning. I also can’t read the Chinese on the booking system.

Member of public
My blood pressure has been more stable these past two days, so I thought I should hurry up and get a shot. I came here before 1. The end of the queue was all the way over there.

At Taipei Main Station, Moderna is available to everyone without an appointment.

To meet strong demand, the CECC deployed more medical staff to the station. It’s also extended the vaccination period for three days to Dec. 12. Everyone in Taiwan is eligible for a shot, regardless of nationality. After the jab, they’ll receive a NT$100 supermarket voucher. In its first three days, more than 5,600 people were inoculated. So far, there’s been a surge of demand at Taipei Main Station and clinics at supermarkets and department stores. Together, they’ve administered all 34,000 Moderna doses that were going to expire on Dec. 7.

Chuang Jen-hsiang
CECC spokesman
There are fewer than 40,000 doses that will expire on Dec. 12. We will administer the Moderna vaccine until Dec. 21. We will provide promotional materials – that is, a gift, to encourage people to get vaccinated.

Also on Wednesday, the CECC expanded its vaccination-or-testing policy to more groups of people. The policy now also applies to the first three priority groups and Priority Group 7. These are health care workers, epidemic prevention personnel in the government, front-line workers, and essential workers. In addition, employees of correctional facilities and funeral parlors will also be required to get their second dose by Dec. 17, or undergo weekly COVID testing.

Chuang Jen-hsiang
CECC spokesman
These are actually people who were previously prioritized for vaccination. Our hope is to encourage them to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible.

In the first and second priority groups, 94% of people are fully vaccinated. In the third and seventh priority groups, only 88% are fully vaccinated. In related news, the CECC announced that second doses will be administered to students aged 12 to 17, starting Dec. 15.

2021-12-08

Taiwanese expats in America back US pork

Taiwanese expats in America are throwing their support behind U.S. pork. Dialing in to a Taiwanese talk show, U.S.-based expats touted the safety of American pork. They also emphasized that allowing U.S. imports was key to Taiwan’s accession to global trade organizations. The issue of U.S. pork containing ractopamine is one of four referendum questions that will go up for a vote in Taiwan on Dec. 18.

Yang Huang Maysing
Former ambassador-at-large
This is the international standard. But some people in Taiwan are calling it poisoned pork. That’s not good. That’s an insult.

Emphasizing that American pork is not poisoned pork, former Ambassador-at-Large Yang Huang Maysing says that a green light for U.S. pork imports is key to Taiwan’s accession to international trade organizations.

Yang Huang Maysing
Former ambassador-at-large
If you object to it, the U.S. won’t discuss trade with you. Trade agreements are reciprocal. The CPTPP is under Japan’s leadership at the moment. This is our chance.

Yang Huang had lived in the U.S. for decades before returning to settle in Taiwan. On the talk show, she backed the decision to allow U.S. pork imports. Taiwanese expats in the U.S. also dialed in to express support.

Stone Chen
US-based artist
U.S. pork is eaten in hundreds of countries all over the world. The U.S.’ 300 million people eat it. Today Taiwan wants to join the CPTPP. Dozens of its member countries eat it. If you oppose it, you will not be able to join. You’ll become an orphan of the world.

The Taiwanese Association of America issued a statement addressing the upcoming referendum. It said that referendums were an important democratic mechanism. It said that the KMT had long stood opposed to referendums, yet was now proactively promoting them. The party’s motives for pushing the upcoming vote are questionable, the statement continued.

Stone Chen
US-based artist
Taiwanese at home and abroad must work hard to oppose unreasonable referendums, for the sake of their own future and the future of their children and grandchildren.

Wu Chao-feng
US-based finance specialist
The U.S. is Taiwan’s second largest trading partner. There are quite a few people and companies in Taiwan that need to do business with America, in order to feed their families. The U.S.’ perception of Taiwan can determine the future development of Taiwan-U.S. economic and trade relations.

Voices from Taiwan and the U.S. spoke out in favor of U.S. pork imports. In Los Angeles, Taiwan expats held a press conference to make their stance known. Bringing out dishes including braised pork trotter and soy-stewed pork, they called on Taiwan nationals to support U.S. imports and vote no in the upcoming referendum.

2021-12-08

US to take ‘every action possible’ to prevent PLA invasion of Taiwan: Biden adviser

U.S President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan says that Washington will take, quote, "every action that we can take" to prevent a Chinese attack on Taiwan.
During a Tuesday press briefing, Sullivan was asked if the U.S. was prepared to react, if China tried to take over Taiwan. He replied that the U.S. intended to take every action it could to ensure Taiwan’s security.

Jake Sullivan
National security adviser
The United States is going to take every action that we can take, from the point of view of both deterrence and diplomacy, to make sure the Taiwan scenario you just described never happens.

In a warning to China, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stressed that every effort would be made to ensure Taiwan’s security.

Jake Sullivan
National security adviser
And with respect to Taiwan, the sum total of the efforts we’ve undertaken over the course of the past eight months in the Indo-Pacific have also all been geared towards avoiding any kind of scenario where China chooses to invade.

Joining the U.S. in backing Taiwan was former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo. In an exclusive interview with Japan’s Fuji Television, Abe brought up Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor 80 years ago. He said that at the time, Japan had, quote, “misjudged” the global geopolitical situation. He said he hoped that other countries won’t make the same mistake.

Tsai Shih-ying
DPP lawmaker
Of course, Japan knows very well what happens after launching a war. Abe’s remarks are a reminder to cherish our hard-won peace.

Several days earlier, Abe said publicly that a “Taiwan emergency” would be a “Japan emergency.” When asked for clarification by Japan media, he said that the distinction between wartime and peacetime was increasingly blurred. Even if China does not launch a full-on cyberattack or military invasion against Taiwan, it could attack an offshore island and cause chaos, he said. If Japan allows this to unfold, he said, Japan itself could be attacked, and that would affect Japan’s national security. He said that Japan may provide support to the U.S. and other allies.

Chao Tien-lin
DPP lawmaker
The U.S., Japan, and even Australia in the South Pacific are all expressing concerns about this situation. Each country, through its legislation or the speeches of politicians, is demonstrating that China’s military aggression is drawing a global opposition and containment effort.

For the U.S. and Japan, Taiwan’s security is firmly at the top of the agenda. The lawmaker said that the harder China pushes other nations, the harder the backlash will be.

2021-12-08