UP 結果共669筆

KMT chairman Eric Chu expresses optimism about the upcoming legislative elections and suggests that the KMT could potentially secure a majority if things go smoothly. He is joined by legislators-at-large candidates Ko Chih-en and Hsieh Lung-chieh, as they declare their commitment to victory in the 2024 elections. The KMT acknowledges that about 15 electoral districts are currently in tight races and plans to mobilize a strong team including former Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu, presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih, vice-presidential candidate Jaw Shaw-kong, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, and Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen to bolster support in these critical areas. Chairman Chu expresses confidence in the quality of the KMT’s legislative nominees and emphasizes the party’s careful and cautious approach to the election battle. With high-profile party members rallying to support candidates nationwide, the KMT is gearing up for a significant push ahead of the 2024 legislative elections.

Taipei actor Greg Hsu’s appearance in a music video by Mandopop legend Jay Chou at the age of 13 has shocked fans online. In a throwback clip from Chou’s ＂Class 3-2＂ music video, a young Hsu can be seen playing table tennis while wearing black-rimmed glasses. Despite his rounder face, his distinctive features are already evident. The discovery of this footage has sparked surprise and admiration for Hsu’s transformation from a young table tennis player to a heartthrob. Now 32 years old, Hsu gained fame through his breakout role in the Taiwanese drama ＂Someday or One Day＂ and has become immensely popular across Asia, particularly in China and South Korea. Hsu has revealed that he took up sports, including table tennis, to manage his childhood asthma. His talent in the sport earned him a spot on the elementary school team and eventually led to his cameo in Chou’s music video. ＂Someday or One Day,＂ which co-stars Alice Ko, is considered a landmark Taiwanese television series and has garnered such acclaim that South Korea produced its own remake titled ＂A Time Called You.＂

Former President Ma Ying-jeou criticizes DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te’s opposition to the cross-strait services trade agreement, calling it ＂a screw loose＂ and accusing the DPP of questioning the policy’s benefits. Ma also highlights the DPP administration’s governance failures, including shortages of vaccines and rapid test kits during the pandemic. He emphasizes the stability of cross-strait relations under the ＂1992 Consensus＂ during his presidency, contrasting it with the increased military incursions under the DPP’s approach. Ma argues that opening up service trade with China would benefit Taiwanese professionals but has been hindered by the DPP’s interference.

The Legislative Yuan has passed amendments to the Controlling Guns, Ammunition and Knives Act, imposing stricter penalties for firearms offenses in public spaces. Offenders firing standard-issue firearms in or towards public areas could face a minimum of seven years in prison and fines of up to NT＄15 million. Discharging non-standard firearms in public venues may result in sentences ranging from five to twelve years and fines of up to NT＄10 million. The amendments also address loopholes by adjusting the terms for those confessing or turning themselves in, allowing judges to decide on leniency based on each case’s specifics. These revisions aim to combat gun-related crimes and strengthen social safety and order.

Taiwanese badminton star Tai Tzu-ying reflects on her disappointing performance in the second half of 2023 but expresses gratitude towards her team and fans. Despite her struggles, Tai triumphed at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Finals, claiming the women’s singles title. This victory marked her fourth World Tour Finals title and served as a beautiful conclusion to a challenging year. Prior to the year-end event, Tai had only secured two titles out of the 18 matches she played in 2023. Concerns about her form were raised, but her win on Sunday dispelled any doubts. Tai also mentions the challenges she faced leading up to the championship, including injury and limited training.

On ＂Super Saturday＂ in Taichung, three groups of candidates rallied to support their respective parties’ legislative contenders ahead of Taiwan’s 2024 presidential and legislative elections. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice-presidential candidate Hsiao Bi-khim campaigned tirelessly for her party’s legislative candidates, while Kuomintang (KMT) vice-presidential hopeful Jaw Shaw-Kong attended back-to-back events supporting Chiang Chi-chen and Yen Kuan-heng. The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) also made a strong showing, with Tsai Pi-ru, TPP’s first district legislative candidate in Taichung, gathering an impressive lineup of supporters including Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-ye, former Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu, and TPP’s presidential candidate Ko Wen-je.

Yunlin County Police Bureau cracked down on an illegal gambling operation that accepted bets on the outcome of the presidential election using virtual currency. Seventeen bettors were arrested, and police confiscated approximately NT$171,661 in gambling funds. The individuals were arrested for violating the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act. Eight of those detained were released after questioning, but the remaining nine were retained for further summons. The illicit betting was discovered when the Yunlin police’s internet patrol unit spotted a decentralized betting platform called Polymarket, which had set up betting pools for three presidential candidates. The online players could place bets on event outcomes using USDC, a virtual currency, from their own digital wallets.

Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan has passed amendments to the Sports Industry Development Act to combat ticket scalping. The revised law imposes fines on scalpers ranging from 10 to 50 times the ticket’s face value. The amendments also target the resale of complimentary and promotional tickets, with penalties reaching up to NT＄18,000. The use of ticket-buying bots will be met with up to three years’ imprisonment and/or fines up to NT＄3 million. These measures aim to crack down on the practice of reselling tickets at inflated prices, known locally as ＂huangniu＂ or Yellow Cow. The amended law ensures the anonymity of whistleblowers and potentially rewards them for reporting scalping activities. The updates to the legislation were led by the Legislative Yuan Education and Culture Committee, reflecting the legislature’s commitment to fair access to entertainment and sports for fans in Taiwan.

In the lead-up to Taiwan’s election, experts at the ＂Taiwan Goes to the Polls＂ event analyze the tightening race and the crucial role of young voters. The election, drawing global interest, is seen as a pivotal moment for Taiwan’s future direction.

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Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je’s campaign director, Huang Shan-shan, released the party’s latest internal poll on Tuesday, December 12. The poll showed that Ko’s support has remained above 20% and expressed their determination to continue working hard. According to the poll, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidates, Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Bi-khim, lead with a support rate of 34.3%. Ko Wen-je and his running mate, Cynthia Wu, have garnered 24.5% support, while the Kuomintang (KMT) candidates, Hou Yu-ih and Jaw Shaw-kong, are slightly behind with 22.9%. The poll also revealed that undecided voters and other candidates make up 18.3% of potential voter sentiment. Huang criticized some polls as tools of political manipulation and emphasized the authenticity of the TPP’s internal polling data. The survey, conducted on December 9 and 10, interviewed 1,217 respondents, with 857 respondents contacted via landlines and 360 respondents polled through mobile phones.

Presidential candidate Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party has shifted his stance on allowing heavy motorcycles on national freeways. Previously, he promised to open the freeways to heavy motorcycles if elected, but now suggests that if the majority opposes it, the government should amend the law accordingly. This change comes in response to public opinion polls showing that 60% of people are against the policy change. Ko cited discussions with the Drivers Union, which strongly opposes the idea, due to safety concerns such as an increase in accidents and fatalities. Additionally, Ko proposes eliminating the two-stage left turn system for motorcycles and having motorcyclists line up behind cars at traffic signals. He believes that the decision on left turns should be based on the number of lanes on the road, taking into account the specificities of different roadways.

The Taipei City Government is urging YouBike users to sign up for coverage to obtain additional protection, following a report stating that 812 YouBike accidents have occurred from last year to the end of November this year. Transportation Management Division Chief Chu Chen-tso indicated that most accidents involved riders cycling too fast or being unable to brake in time while going downhill, leading to falls and injuries. With injury insurance, compensation for fractures or serious accidents can reach up to NT$1 million, and hospitalization claims amount to NT$1,000 per day. However, minor scrapes and bruises are generally not covered. Since the initiation of a free public bicycle injury insurance policy in 2018, the insurance rate has risen from 49.4% to 63.5%. Despite this improvement, surveys reveal that 37% of individuals are unaware of public bicycle injury insurance, 30% believe they do not need the insurance, and 20% are reluctant to go through the insurance application process. Additionally, about 60% of users do not understand that each YouBike card requires separate insurance coverage. Taipei boasts 1,325 YouBike 2.0 stations and 15,047 bicycles.

Discover America Committee in Taiwan President Brenda Tang revealed that the U.S. travel market from Taiwan has rebounded to 84% of pre-pandemic levels, according to data from the Tourism Administration. Taiwanese travelers heading to the United States surged by 185% from January to October this year, reaching 396,913, as reported by the National Travel and Tourism Office. Flights to the U.S. during the peak summer season had load factors of over 90%, while the off-peak months of September and October maintained load factors of at least 85%. China Airlines and EVA Airways have nearly returned to pre-pandemic flight levels, and Starlux Airlines is set to launch its San Francisco route. United Airlines plans to double its Taipei to San Francisco flights, and Delta Air Lines is preparing to commence a Taipei to Seattle route. Tour package prices to the U.S. for the first quarter of next year and the Lunar New Year peak season are expected to increase by no more than 25%, offering travelers some price assurance amid growing demand.

Leading shipping companies, including Evergreen Marine Corporation, plan to raise shipping rates by up to 30% in 2024. Evergreen’s stock surged by 5.73% after the announcement, while its competitors, such as Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation and Wan Hai Lines Ltd., experienced declines in their stock prices. Evergreen reported a 37.11% year-on-year decline in consolidated revenue for November due to lower international shipping rates and reduced global freight demand.

Taipei City Councilor and legislative candidate Yu Shu-hui highlights the crucial role Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an plays in attracting young voters with only 32 days remaining until the 2024 elections. Chiang’s popularity is evident as he rallies for Kuomintang (KMT) candidates in Taichung and Kaohsiung, receiving warm greetings from enthusiastic supporters. Yu advises Chiang to increase interaction with younger voters, possibly collaborating with KMT vice-presidential candidate Jaw Shaw-kong. The KMT needs to diversify its approach to connect with the electorate, as Chiang’s rising popularity adds pressure to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Chiang’s strategic positioning in this election indicates the KMT’s focus on courting the youth vote and leveraging his appeal to challenge the DPP’s stronghold. As political tensions rise, all eyes will be on Chiang as he continues to campaign across Taiwan leading up to the January election.

The Legislative Yuan has passed the Minimum Wage Bill in Taiwan, which requires employers to meet minimum wage standards when settling wages with employees. Noncompliance with this law could result in fines of up to NT＄1.5 million and public disclosure of the offender’s name. The new legislation mandates the inclusion of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as one of the key references when determining minimum wage, linking wage adjustments more closely with the cost of living. Previously, adjustments to the basic wage were governed by lesser regulations - the Deliberation Regulations for Basic Wage, which are merely administrative orders and do not guarantee annual wage increases. Labor Minister Hsu Ming-chun welcomed the passage of this legislation, expressing gratitude to labor and employer groups, scholar experts, and legislators from all parties for their support. President Tsai Ing-wen had initially proposed the elevation of the Minimum Wage from an administrative order to the force of law in her 2016 policy plan, but it took seven years for the draft to make its way through the legislative process.

The Taoyuan Union of Pilots (TUP) has revealed that EVA Airways pilots have experienced a more than 10% decrease in real wages since 2011, resulting in a nearly 10% loss of the national pilot workforce. TUP accuses EVA of collaborating with illegal brokers to recruit foreign pilots, potentially jeopardizing flight safety. EVA pilots have unanimously passed a resolution to proceed with a strike vote, with details to be announced soon. Despite EVA’s record-high pre-tax profit, pilot wages have been frozen since 2011. Last year, pilot salaries were marginally adjusted, failing to keep up with the rising Consumer Price Index, resulting in a real wage decrease of 10% to 12%. The per diem for pilots, unchanged for 30 years, saw a minimal increase last year. Over a hundred national pilots, mostly experienced, have left EVA in the past year. The union criticizes EVA for cost-cutting measures that have led to staff resignations and safety incidents. They are urging the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to intervene and are planning a potential legal strike.

Starting September 2024, Taipei’s male junior high school students will receive the 9-valent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for free, as announced by the Taipei City Department of Health. The aim of this initiative is to enhance herd immunity, reduce HPV infections, and lower the incidence of related cancers by vaccinating both male and female students. With a vaccination rate of 91% among junior high school girls in 2021, the Health Commissioner decided to extend the program to boys. Consent from students and parents will be required, and a health assessment will be conducted by a physician. Vaccination sites will be set up in 93 schools, and there are also 115 contracted medical institutions available for students who cannot receive the vaccine at school. The vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing infections and reducing the risk of related cancers is supported by medical studies. The World Health Organization recommends that 90% of girls under 15 receive the HPV vaccine, with boys included as a secondary priority group. The Health Promotion Administration has been providing the vaccine to female junior high students at public expense since 2018, establishing a strong foundation for safeguarding boys against HPV as well.

Chinese children are increasingly experiencing antibiotic resistance when treating Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which poses a global health and economic concern. By 2050, drug-resistant diseases could result in healthcare costs of NT＄31 trillion and economic losses of up to NT＄106 trillion, according to the World Bank. The overuse of antibiotics has led to the rise of superbugs, diminishing the effectiveness of these medicines and compromising treatment outcomes. Azithromycin, a commonly used antibiotic in China for Mycoplasma pneumoniae, now faces an alarming resistance rate of nearly 80% to Macrolides. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns of the dangers of antibiotic overuse and refers to the situation as a ＂silent pandemic.＂ WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expresses concern that antibiotic resistance could bring us back to an era where minor infections are untreatable.

Taiwan’s manufacturing sector shows signs of recovery with increased overtime hours in October, according to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS). Manufacturers’ overtime climbed to 15.4 hours, a 1.6-hour increase from the previous year, marking continuous growth over four months and a return to 2021 levels. The average regular wage from January to October 2022 was NT$45,441, a 2.49% year-over-year increase. The total average salary within the same period was NT$59,270, up by 1.53%. However, when adjusted for inflation, the real average regular earnings only inched up 0.06%, and the real total earnings witnessed a slip of 0.87% year-over-year, the first negative growth in nearly seven years. This decline in total real wages is attributed to tepid exports and the rising cost of living. Employment in the industrial and service sectors stood at 8.19 million people as of October, with a slight increase compared to September 2021 and largely unchanged from October 2021. The service sector gained 41,000 employees in October, offsetting the decrease in the industrial sector. Throughout the first ten months of 2022, the average number of employed workers was 8.175 million, with the accommodation and food services and arts, entertainment, and recreational services sectors seeing new hires while the manufacturing sector lost jobs. In October 2022 alone, the average regular salary for employed workers was NT$45,564, a 2.31% annual rise, and the average total wage for the month was NT$51,143, a 1.35% increase from the previous year.

Taiwan’s average regular earnings for employed workers increased by 2.49% from January to October, reaching NT$45,441. However, this growth is the lowest in the past three years, with total earnings, including bonuses and other irregular income, only up by 1.53%. The average monthly real wage slightly increased by 0.06% to NT$41,370, while the average total real wage decreased by 0.87% to NT$53,960, the first decline in seven years. This decline is attributed to a decrease in year-end bonuses following a cooling economy and a decrease in exports. Despite an overall increase in employment of 10,000 workers compared to last year, the manufacturing industry saw a significant drop of 27,000 employees due to economic adjustments. In October, the average regular wage was NT$45,564, up 0.13% from the previous month and 2.31% year-on-year. Part-time workers’ average hourly regular earnings increased marginally to NT$200, reflecting a 1.01% year-on-year gain. While industries such as arts, entertainment, and leisure services, as well as real estate, experienced wage increases, sectors like computer, electronic, and optical product manufacturing saw significant decreases in total wages by 18.54%. The employment numbers in manufacturing have been impacted by export decline, with an increase of 10,000 employed workers from January to October. The industrial sector saw a decrease of 0.63%, while the service sector grew by 0.67%. Accommodation and food services experienced a growth of 13,000 jobs, arts, entertainment, and leisure services saw an upsurge of 7,000, but manufacturing was hit with a reduction of 27,000 employees.

The Superstar Christmas Concert in New Taipei concluded with captivating performances by Taiwanese singer Sam Lee and actor-singer Nick Chou (NICKTHEREAL). The event featured an impressive lineup of renowned singers and bands, delighting fans who filled the venue. Chou’s rendition of his hit song ＂Handsome to Break Up＂ ignited the crowd, while Sam Lee, known as the ＂Taiwanese Prince of Love Songs,＂ mesmerized the audience with his performances of ＂The Night Sky Under Your Eye＂ and ＂Absolute Infatuation.＂ The atmosphere was enhanced by the audience, who created a starry night effect using their cellphone flashlights. Another standout moment was singer and rapper OSN’s rendition of his classic song ＂Without You,＂ which prompted a massive sing-along among fans. The two-day concert at New Taipei Fun Christmas City set a festive tone for the upcoming Christmas season, with fans eagerly cheering for their favorite artists.

Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yi-ih and his running mate Chao Shao-kang held a rally in Hualien, drawing a crowd of thousands. Former President Ma Ying-jeou also made an appearance. The event, organized by KMT Legislator Fu Kun-chi, saw around 50,000 participants. Hou emphasized his plans to improve local infrastructure and criticized the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and its vice presidential candidate Hsiao Bi-khim for opposing the island-wide rapid broadband project. KMT Chairman Eric Chu praised the unity displayed in Hualien. The collaboration between Fu and Ma at the rally signifies a reconciled front leading up to the election.