New Year Plan 結果共11筆

Garbage collectors in Taoyuan City receive unexpected bonuses totaling over NT$156,000 in cash gifts from citizens during Lunar New Year. Despite refusing red envelopes, the city’s cleanup teams were still gifted with tokens of appreciation. The workers plan to donate the entire amount to local social welfare institutions. Taoyuan City’s Department of Environmental Protection emphasizes that garbage collection is a routine duty and urges the public to avoid gifting cash or presents, instead promoting proper waste segregation and eco-friendly habits.

A recent survey reveals that 90% of Taiwanese employees plan to give out red envelopes for the Lunar New Year, with an average amount of NT＄11,292. The survey also shows that workers plan to spend an average of NT＄31,093 during the seven-day holiday, contributing NT＄288.7 billion to the economy. Popular activities include getting together with friends and family, visiting hometown, resting at home, paying visits to friends and relatives’ households, and watching television or DVDs at home. Other activities include praying at temples, making travel arrangements, gaming, job hunting online, and shopping. Compared to the Year of the Rabbit in 2023, 49.7% of respondents said their red envelope budget would remain the same, 26.8% said it would be more, and 23.5% said it would be less. Additionally, 64% of workers plan to give gifts during the New Year, with an average gift budget of NT＄4,977.

The first batch of recruits in Taiwan reported to Hsinchu County’s Litoushan Camp in Xinpu Township on Thursday (Jan. 25). The 206 Brigade’s Battalion 4 received 304 new recruits from the northern region, who will undergo an eight-week training program. The military restored its previous one-year conscription in line with the ＂Strengthening National Defense Force Structure Adjustment Plan.＂ The training curriculum is divided into four stages, focusing on core values, fitness, rifle shooting, combat coaching, and weapon handling. All new soldiers underwent health screening and inspections upon arrival, including drug-sniffer dogs. Additionally, the recruits had their heads shaved after receiving their uniforms.

The Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC) will add eight more trains during the Lunar New Year transport season from Feb. 6 to 15. These additional services include five southbound and three northbound trains. Tickets for these services will be available starting midnight on Saturday, Jan. 27. During the passenger peak period, THSRC will also expand unreserved seating across eight carriages on trains running between Nangang and Taichung. THSRC will provide a total of 461 additional train services over the Lunar New Year period, with 246 southbound and 215 northbound trains. Passengers are advised to plan in advance by checking the corporation’s website for transport season sales information and avoiding peak times. Real-time updates on passenger numbers at different stations will be available on the THSRC website. Stations implementing crowd control for unreserved seating will display a yellow or red light, indicating expected queue times of over 30 minutes or over 60 minutes, respectively. Passengers can also receive crowd control information and manage their travel plans via the T-EX mobile ticketing app.

The Kuomintang (KMT) responds to proposals from the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) regarding future operations in the new legislature, promising to respect the opinions of the Legislative Yuan party groups. As the majority in parliament, the KMT pledges to provide vigorous oversight and advance the issues agreed upon in the cross-party meeting with the TPP on October 30th last year. Agreed matters include peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, resumption of cross-strait dialogue, environmental sustainability, national security, public health, and strengthening the legislature’s function under the existing constitutional system. The KMT emphasizes its unchanged vision for Taiwan’s future development. Additionally, they plan to scrutinize issues such as the controversy over the purchase contracts of the Medigen COVID-19 vaccine by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government. The KMT welcomes those with similar political ideals to join in preventing authoritarian one-party rule and ensuring democracy aligns with the public’s wishes.

A survey conducted by online job bank Yes123 revealed that 88.4 percent of Taiwan’s companies plan to hold year-end parties before the Lunar New Year, with employees most eager to receive cash prizes. The survey also found that 60.3 percent of companies with year-end party plans will host lucky draw events. Among the preferred prizes, cash ranked as the top choice with 66.2 percent of employees, followed by smartphones (43.3 percent), cars (42.5 percent), department store vouchers (34.3 percent), and convenience store coupons (33.2 percent). The survey also showed that 73.6 percent of office workers have previously won a prize at year-end parties, with the average value of the biggest prize being NT＄11,833. The spokesperson for Yes123, Yang Tsung-pin, stated that the willingness of companies to hold year-end events has returned to normal, indicating the recovery and stabilization of the economy following the disruptions caused by Covid-19. The survey was conducted online from Dec. 1 to Dec. 14, with 1,366 valid responses and a confidence level of 95 percent and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.65 percent.

Launch Technologies Co., a golf manufacturer in Pingtung, Taiwan, has reached a severance agreement with 204 of its local workers following a layoff plan submitted last month. The company, which suffered a significant explosion at its factory in September, has also helped some employees find new jobs and provided them with generous severance pay. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has pledged to closely monitor the labor rights of the affected workers. The factory buildings remain closed and operations will only resume after third-party verification of their structural safety. Launch Technologies has established an internal legal team to compensate the impacted employees and has committed to continuing salary payments through the end of the year.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor has denied rumors of plans to introduce 100,000 Indian workers by the end of the year. Labor Minister Hsu Ming-chun clarified that the consideration of India as a new source of migrant labor is aimed at addressing domestic industry shortages and reducing reliance on traditional labor markets. Hsu emphasized that this approach has gained consensus among various sectors of society. Discussions are ongoing for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with India, but no date has been determined yet. The number of workers to be recruited from India will be decided after evaluating the current condition and statistics of industries already permitted to employ foreign labor. The process will involve fixed quotas and a cautious, gradual opening. The primary aim of the plan is to diversify the countries from which Taiwan sources its labor force, with no specific issue concerning the number of workers from India. India would need to establish a talent database and provide language and skill training for potential migrant workers to meet the requirements. Taiwan is looking to expand its labor force to meet growing demand in key industries and maintain its competitive edge in the global market.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor has denied rumors of plans to introduce 100,000 Indian workers by the end of the year. Labor Minister Hsu Ming-chun clarified that the consideration of India as a new source of migrant labor is aimed at addressing domestic industry shortages and reducing reliance on traditional labor markets. Hsu emphasized that this approach has gained consensus among various sectors of society. Discussions are ongoing for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with India, but no date has been determined yet. The number of workers to be recruited from India will be decided after evaluating the current condition and statistics of industries already permitted to employ foreign labor. The process will involve fixed quotas and a cautious, gradual opening. The primary aim of the plan is to diversify the countries from which Taiwan sources its labor force, with no specific issue concerning the number of workers from India. India would need to establish a talent database and provide language and skill training for potential migrant workers to meet the requirements. Taiwan is looking to expand its labor force to meet growing demand in key industries and maintain its competitive edge in the global market.

Taiwanese health authorities plan to include Chinese students in the island’s health insurance starting from the 2024 school year, according to Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan. Currently, international students must wait six months after arriving in Taiwan to be eligible for health insurance. The reform was prompted by concerns from Paraguay about the health rights of its students in Taiwan and was supported by Vice President Lai Ching-te, who advocated for equal treatment of Chinese students. Currently, international students with a residence permit and six months of residency in Taiwan can apply for health insurance at a cost of NT$826 per person per month. The Ministry of Health and Welfare, along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mainland Affairs Council, has been considering this measure for some time and has evaluated its financial impact. The inclusion of Chinese students in the health insurance program will require adjustments to premiums for all international students, but the overall impact is expected to be minimal. The new measure will not apply to students who are in Taiwan for short periods and not pursuing a degree. However, it could be implemented as early as September 2024 for international students with a residence permit. Despite a halt on Chinese students coming to Taiwan since 2020, 378 students registered in 2022. The peak of Chinese students in Taiwan was in 2016, with a total of 41,975 students.

 The New Taipei City Government has announced a four-year plan to invest NT＄800 million in education.