Over 1.3 million people apply for gym vouchers worth NT$1,000

2022-07-18

Back in April, the CECC issued a policy requiring gyms to admit only those who had received three COVID vaccine shots. The policy impacted gym owners, as the number of patrons went down. In a bid to get people back in the gym and help the sector recover, the Ministry of Education on Monday launched a voucher program offering 300,000 gym vouchers worth NT$1,000. Within minutes of registration opening, more than 1.3 million people had registered. But with so many people attempting to sign up at once, the server crashed for a brief period.

To be eligible for the vouchers, gymgoers would have had to indicate their interest in the lottery last year when they were applying for the Quintuple Stimulus Vouchers. Registration will remain open until Wednesday, and the lucky winners will be notified on Friday. The vouchers will be valid from 10 a.m. on July 25 to the end of August.

千元"動滋健身券"登記首日 30萬名額搶到當機

2022-07-18

之前疫情影響，中央4月份曾規定，民眾打滿3劑才能到健身房，為期近一個月，讓業者渡過一陣子業績寒冬。教育部體育署針對當時受3劑令影響之健身場館，推出30萬份1，000元動滋健身券，今天上午開放登記，就湧入超過130萬人登記，一度搶到當機。

這次健身券登記資格，針對曾在去年曾於振興五倍券共通平台完成勾選「動滋券」抽籤的民眾，即日起開放登記到20號，22號抽籤，中籤民眾於7月25日上午10時起至8月31日24時止進行領券及抵用。

High temperatures causing thermal stress on coral reefs islandwide

2022-07-18

Cantonese barbecue brand opens new location to focus on delivery

2022-07-18

Weight loss insurance policy rewards dieters, divides commenters

An insurance company has launched the first insurance policy designed to encourage weight loss! The plan gives customers incremental discounts if they lose weight, or maintain a healthy weight. The product has ignited fierce debate online, with some saying it could be motivational, and others saying it’s the wrong approach.

A delicious mango cake followed by a full cup of milky latte. Watching TV with friends and enjoying some snacks. Lots of people became couch potatoes during the pandemic, and it doesn’t take much to start gaining weight.

Member of public
Sometimes I don’t eat three regular meals a day. So it’s easy for me to gain weight. Right now I think I weigh almost 100 kilos, and I’d like to lose 10 kilos.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, in 2021, almost 48% of Taiwanese adults were overweight or obese. A BMI of 24 or above is considered overweight. One canny insurance company has launched the first weight loss insurance policy. Your fees go down by 1% for every kilo you lose, up to 20% of the total. If you maintain a healthy weight, and renew the policy after a year, you automatically get a 20% discount. It’s an elaborate motivational tactic.

Member of public
It would provide a bit more motivation. You shouldn’t do it for the money – that’s kind of superficial.

Member of public
I’ve maintained the same weight for more than 20 years. I would think I’d won if I bought this insurance. I’d just keep my weight down and the insurance fees would be cheaper.

Weng Chien-hsun
Insurance industry
We want to really be there with our clients, as they manage their weight and achieve their goals of a healthy BMI.

The company says lots of customers are eager to try the policy. On social media, commenters have joked that it’s adding insult to injury for folk who just can’t find a way to slim down. One commenter said they were saving up 30 years of fat just for this very moment. Whether the policy helps people protect their health or just gives them a good chuckle, it’s certainly got them talking.

2022-07-18

President Tsai and local election candidates attend commerce chamber event

The Asia Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce on Monday held an event on the post-pandemic world economy in Taichung. Local election candidates attending the event seized the opportunity to assure businesspeople that their issues would be addressed. Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen was at the event, saying that Taiwanese businesses favor her city for operations.

President Tsai Ing-wen enters the meeting hall, with Deputy Legislative Speaker Tsai Chi-chang behind her in close step. It’s the day after the DPP held its National Party Congress, and the president is in Taichung to attend an event held by the Asia Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce. The group is meeting to discuss the post-pandemic world economy, and Taiwan’s resolve to help get it back on track.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
We are especially thankful for the hard work of the Asia Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce. It not only connects our friends across Asia, but also actively promotes cooperation between Taiwan and other countries throughout the world. This effort puts Taiwan in the spotlight. The government will also work hard to have everyone’s back.

With the local elections just around the corner, seating at the event was carefully arranged. Sat next to the president was Vice Premier Shen Jong-chin. Then there was Tsai Chi-chang, who is running for Taichung mayor – his seat near the president a reflection of his current status as deputy legislative speaker. Sat next to him was economics minister Wang Mei-hua, and incumbent Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen, who is seeking reelection.

Tsai Chi-chang
Deputy legislative speaker
There is no issue raised that has no solution, nothing that can’t be asked. Whatever issues are brought up in this meeting will be brought up again next time. So, we try to find quick solutions for our businesspeople, to solve the difficulties they encounter.

Tsai Chi-chang describes himself as a man of action in resolving issues both at the central and local levels. Meanwhile, Lu took the opportunity to highlight her city administration’s achievements.

Lu Shiow-yen
Taichung mayor
Over 247 companies – the most nationwide – have chosen Taichung. Thank you, everyone, for recognizing Taichung. This also shows confidence in Taichung’s economic outlook.

With the local elections getting closer, both major parties are pulling out all stops in the race to win hearts and minds, both at the grassroots level and among the country’s business elites.

2022-07-18

Restaurant dangles beef volcano hotpot, cheese-pot and beef ice creams

2022-07-18

Victor Wang takes on leadership of CECC as Taiwan reports 17,549 COVID cases and 48 deaths

2022-07-18

Health minister Chen Shih-chung formally resigns and starts mayoral election campaign

Former health minister Chen Shih-chung on Monday handed the reins to Hsueh Jui-yuan, who had acted as deputy minister under Chen. With his health ministry role behind him, Chen said his farewells and kicked off his campaign for Taipei mayor. Chen addressed accusations against him by the opposition KMT, and discussed the city’s old-age pension policy.

Colleagues gather in the hallway of the health ministry to see off Chen Shih-chung. Chen officially stepped down as health minister on Monday, as he prepared to throw himself fully into his campaign for Taipei mayor. While delivering his farewell speech, he took the opportunity to appeal to voters.

Chen Shih-chung
Former minister of health and welfare
Thank you all for your help, through which we achieved success. With your help we successfully tackled the pandemic and ensured the health of our society. In the future, please continue to stand fast in your positions. Remember to vote for me. Thank you, everyone.

Looking back over the past five years as health minister and his work fighting the pandemic, Chen said he had mixed feelings about the future.

Chen Shih-chung
Former minister of health and welfare
Yesterday I was joking with my wife, telling her not to prepare a handkerchief for me – because I knew I would be brought to tears. Afterward I spoke with the chief secretary, and asked her to have a handkerchief ready for me, since I realized I would be unable to stop myself.

Chen is now retired from the health ministry and is on the campaign trail. Meanwhile, in his recently released autobiography, Chen revealed that he once applied for U.S. residency to leave Taiwan during the White Terror era. In response, the KMT criticized Chen for relying on the U.S. and being, quote, “self-important.” Chen fired back at the accusations.

Chen Shih-chung
Former minister of health and welfare
I didn’t use to have a green card, I simply applied for a green card once. However, I didn’t complete the application, because there were quite a lot of people ahead of me in the application process. Everyone should remember, in the 1970s Taiwan didn’t just leave the United Nations, another very serious issue we faced was the White Terror era. At that time there were many university students and others who wanted to go abroad and escape the White Terror. When I talk about this today and get criticized for doing so by the KMT, it pushes me to ask them: at that time did any of you think about leaving Taiwan? I’d also like to say that for them to bring this up as a manipulative tactic is really a bit low.

Personal attacks aside, a mayoral election campaign must focus on municipal policy. To that end, Chen expressed approval of Taipei City government plans to reinstate old-age pensions.

Chen Shih-chung
Former minister of health and welfare
If it were me in charge, I’d issue the old-age pension. We don’t need to be mavericks. Basically, when it comes to respect for the elderly, we need only worry about doing too little – nobody will say we do too much.

With only 131 days until the elections, Chen is planning to make the best use of his time possible. On Tuesday he is expected to announce his campaign team, and on Wednesday he will begin stomping in the city’s Wanhua District.

2022-07-18

M3 amphibious rig could defend Taipei against river attack from China

Reports say the military is planning to conduct drills in the Tamsui River in Northern Taiwan to strengthen its asymmetric warfare capabilities. The drills would feature the M3 amphibious rig, which could impede the passing of enemy vessels into the capital. Experts say using this kind of preexisting equipment in new ways is a type of asymmetric warfare that could prove effective at keeping Chinese attackers away.

China claims to have the world’s largest hovercraft, the Zubr, which it has repeatedly shown off for the cameras in combat training missions. The vessel has a full-load displacement of 555 tons, and a range of up to 500 kilometers. It can transport a fully armed amphibious warfare company consisting of three main battle tanks, 10 armored vehicles and 140 soldiers, or 500 fully armed soldiers. If such a vessel were to enter Taiwan via the Tamsui River in the north, it would be a significant threat to Taiwan’s political and economic center, Taipei.

To defend against such an invasion from China, Taiwan’s military is reportedly planning a training drill with M3 amphibious rigs at the mouth of the Tamsui, following exercises in the area in recent days.

The M3 amphibious rig is a self-propelled amphibious bridging vehicle. It creates a large platform on the water to project tanks and other vehicles across river obstacles.

According to reports, the Army plans to use the M3 amphibious rig as a sort of minelayer to defend the river. The rig can be used to block access to the river but also to lay down explosives and detonate them when the Chinese hovercraft passes by the area, destroying the target. This would be an example of the military’s innovative approach to asymmetric warfare.

Hsu Chih-hsiang
Institute for National Defense and Security Research
When we talk about asymmetric warfare, we usually talk about two things. One is asymmetric equipment. For example, we can use smaller rocket missiles, which are cheaper high-precision ammunition to fight high-cost payloads. The other is asymmetric strategy. This latter one refers more to using the equipment we already have and finding ways to use it effectively in asymmetric warfare, making the most of its combat effectiveness. Because compared with us on numbers alone, our opponent is very powerful. So we need to have unique approaches to maximize our combat power.

Strengthening the defenses at the Tamsui estuary has long been an important mission for the military. During the Chen administration, the strategy was to deploy the Marine Corps with assault amphibious vehicles to defend the area. Now, the Tsai administration plans to station amphibious reconnaissance and search battalions with the M3 amphibious rig. Military experts believe such a strategy is highly effective against enemy attempts to remove Taiwan’s leadership.

Hsu Chih-hsiang
Institute for National Defense and Security Research
Having enough units deployed near the capital is crucial to prevent attempts at taking out our leadership, or attempts to take over our political and economic center. There could be Marine Corps troops in Linkou and the Military Police in Taipei, carrying out exercises every now and then to drill combat scenarios. From the war in Ukraine we saw that the Russian army dispatched airborne troops in an attempt to take over Kyiv International Ariport. It was an attempt to take control of Ukraine’s political and economic center as fast as possible.

Amid the disparity in military strength between Taiwan and China, the military continues to refine its asymmetric warfare capabilities.

2022-07-18

Former US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper leads delegation to Taiwan

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper is leading a delegation from the Atlantic Council to Taiwan. The four-day visit will include a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, as well as talks with government agencies and think tanks about regional security. Esper is a long-time supporter of Taiwan, having advocated for the U.S. to reevaluate its “one China” policy and shift to strategic clarity on Taiwan.

Mark Esper (Feb. 22)
Former US secretary of defense
As I mentioned, Minister Wu is a champion of the U.S.-Taiwan partnership. So it is my honor to welcome him here.

Earlier this year, foreign minister Joseph Wu discussed U.S.-Taiwan relations via teleconference with former U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. Now, the former U.S. official is leading a delegation to Taiwan for four days, in his capacity as a scholar of the Atlantic Council think tank. With him will be Atlantic Council senior vice president and director Barry Pavel, as well as former diplomatic advisor to the president of Italy Stefano Stefanini. The three will sit with President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday. They’ll also hold meetings with the relevant government agencies and think tanks on security and trade in the Indo-Pacific. They are also expected to conduct deep exchanges on the relationship between Taiwan, the U.S. and Europe.

Arthur Ding
NCCU Graduate Institute of Asian Studies
In the past, the Atlantic Council mainly concerned itself with the European continent. But it’s shifted its attention to the Asia-Pacific region, and especially to the Indo-Pacific as it has gradually become the focus of international politics.

Esper previously participated in the Gulf War and was vice president for governmental relations at Raytheon, a major U.S. defense contractor. He later joined the Trump administration as secretary of defense and was a big supporter of providing Taiwan with defensive weapons. That was until 2020, when then-U.S. President Donald Trump fired him over Twitter. After leaving his post, he has become even more involved in countering China and supporting Taiwan.

Mark Esper (June 22)
Former US secretary of defense
In many ways the “one China” policy has outlived its usefulness. I think Joe Biden’s instincts are spot on. He’s said three times, right now, we would support them (Taiwan) militarily. I think it was a very clear statement, and I don’t know why the White House keeps walking back on this.

Esper called on Biden to reevaluate the U.S.’ “one China” policy. He says that amid the soaring danger of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the U.S. should shift to a “strategic clarity” on the issue. He has said that if an emergency were to happen in Taiwan, neighboring countries such as Japan and South Korea would be unable to remain uninvolved. He has urged the U.S. to strengthen its cooperation with its Indo-Pacific allies to counter China’s growing threat.

Wang Ting-yu
DPP lawmaker
Esper has long advocated for Taiwan’’s security and stability, saying that it is the foundation of peace in the first island chain. For Taiwan, his visit is another opportunity to gain visibility on the international stage and for direct communication. It is an opportunity to strengthen the security, peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait.

DPP lawmaker Wang Ting-yu says Esper’s visit could be motivated by his desire to gain a better understanding of the cross-strait situation. In any case, it is sure to be a way for Taiwan to remain part of public discourse in the U.S.

2022-07-18