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Lai-Hsiao ticket leads in latest 2024 presidential polls
According to a recent poll conducted by ETtoday, the "Lai-Hsiao" (Lai Ching-te, Hsiao Bi-khim) ticket of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is leading in Taiwan’s presidential election in 2024 with 38.1% of voter support. The "Hou-Jaw" (Hou Yu-ih) ticket of the Kuomintang (KMT) follows closely behind with 34.8%, while the "Ko-Wu" (Ko Wen-je, Cynthia Wu) ticket of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) stands at 19.2%. The approval rating for the Lai-Hsiao ticket has increased by 1.9 percentage points since the last poll, while the Hou-Jaw ticket has remained constant, and the Ko-Wu ticket has experienced a slight decrease of 1.5 points. As a result, the gap between Lai and Hou has grown from 1.4 to 3.3 points. In terms of demographics, Lai is leading in Taiwan’s southern regions and among people aged 40-49, with respective approval ratings of 49.7% and 38.1%. Hou, on the other hand, is leading in the north, outlying eastern islands, and among those aged 60 and older, with approval ratings at 38.6%, 42.5%, and 52.7%, respectively. Ko is leading among younger voters aged 20-39. Lai’s support has seen a significant increase of 15.9 points among voters aged 50-59, indicating improvement in a previously weaker demographic. However, Lai’s support has decreased by 20 points among DPP supporters. In contrast, Hou’s support has remained steady, and Ko’s approval has surged by 10.6 points among pan-DPP supporters. The poll was conducted on December 25-26, surveying Taiwanese aged 20 and older about the 2024 presidential elections. The sample size was 1,618, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.44% and a confidence level of 95%.2023/12/27 14:33 -
CWA reveals NYE sunset, Near Year’s Day sunrise times
Discover the times for sunrise and sunset on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in Taiwan. The latest sunset on the main island will be at 5:24:49 p.m. at the "Chi-Ku" sea wall in Tainan City. On outlying islands, the latest sunset will occur at 5:29:16 p.m. on the L18 Stronghold beach on Lieyu island. As for the first glimmer of dawn’s light, it will appear at 6:32:32 a.m. on Taitung’s Orchid Island and at 6:35:02 a.m. at the Pingtung Hengchun Longkeng Ecological Reserve on the main island.2023/12/27 13:25 -
Taiwan prepares for Lunar New Year rush with extra flights
Bookings for additional flights to Taiwan’s outlying islands during the Lunar New Year holiday will open next Tuesday, according to the Civil Aviation Administration. The first wave of extra flights and regularly scheduled flights have been available for booking since December 5. The upcoming Spring Festival rush will see 6,646 seats available for Penghu routes and 4,334 seats for Kinmen routes. The number of additional seats for Matsu has not been disclosed, but the total number of extra seats reaches nearly 11,980. Travelers are reminded to issue their tickets within three days of booking to facilitate airline companies in managing reservations. The CAA also advises that seats are still available for off-peak dates and times across various routes.2023/12/20 21:36 -
Taiwan to see sun, approaching rain as cold front nears
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has forecasted sunny to partly cloudy skies across Taiwan and its outlying islands on Friday (Dec. 15), with a front bringing brief rain showers to the north, northeast, and Matsu in the evening. A continental polar air mass will move in the next day, resulting in a drop in temperatures and damp, cold weather that will persist through Monday. Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu predicts that a stronger wave of cold air will arrive on Tuesday (Dec. 19), potentially marking the season’s first cold wave. Brief showers are expected in the northern and eastern parts of Taiwan from Saturday, with lows around 12 degrees Celsius in some metropolitan areas. Rain will pause on Monday until Tuesday afternoon, followed by another wave of cold air from Tuesday evening to Friday (Dec. 22). Weather models suggest that this wave might reach the strength of a strong continental cold air mass, with the potential for it to be upgraded to a cold wave. The cold is expected to gradually weaken by Saturday, Dec. 23.2023/12/15 15:40 -
More conscripts to outlying islands possible: Taiwan MND
Taiwan Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng announced that the nation’s mandatory military service may require some conscripts to serve on outlying islands. Chiu clarified that not all outlying islands have sufficient military resources, which may result in individuals being assigned there. During a special report by the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign and National Defense Committee, Chiu emphasized the need for firearms to be used silently to avoid detection amidst cross-strait tensions. He also addressed the possibility of extending the service period for mandatory service, indicating that this would require careful consideration and that willing and qualified individuals might serve in specific combat units. Chiu noted that obliging recruitment for combat units is a multidimensional process involving several steps and insurance issues. The military will continue to monitor different scenarios and work towards the most efficient conscription system.2023/10/30 14:00