Tourism Bureau designates 2020 ‘Year of Mountain Tourism’
Taiwan News
Date: 2019/08/21
By: Zin Kao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
Ali Mountain (Pixabay photo)
Taiwan has abundant mountaineering resources, with 268 peaks over 3,000 meters in height awaiting intrepid climbers. In order to attract more visitors to the mountain vistas, the Cabinet has switched from the "permission system" to the "reporting system" regarding mountain control.
[FULL STORY]
Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/08/20
By: Joseph Yeh
Taipei, Aug. 20 (CNA) The United States de facto ambassador to Taiwan Brent Christensen on Tuesday visited a naval base in Kaohsiung, where he looked at a destroyer and a batch of amphibious vehicles that the U.S. had sold to Taiwan more than 12 years ago.
The visit to the Zuoying Naval Base by Christensen, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that he had approved the sale of F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan.
At the naval base, Christensen toured a Keelung-class destroyer, formerly a U.S. Kidd-class destroyer, and looked at the AAV7 Assault Amphibious Vehicles that are assigned to the Marine Corps stationed at the base.
In a series of Facebook posts about the visit, the AIT said the U.S. sells Taiwan defense equipment in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) in order to maintain regional peace and stability.
[FULL STORY]
TOP OF THE LINE: The warplane’s manufacturer has said that the latest version has technologies that did not exist when earlier variants currently in service were made
Taipei Times
Date: Aug 22, 2019
By: Su Yung-yao and Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporter, with staff writer and AFP, WASHINGTON
A “new air force” is to take flight after the administration of US President Donald Trump approved a
A Lockheed Martin F-16V prepares to land in an undated photograph.
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
The US Department of State has approved the US$8 billion deal, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Tuesday in an official notification to the US Congress.
Tsai yesterday welcomed the development and expressed thanks to the Trump administration and Congress for their long-standing and firm fulfillment of the promises in the US’ Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances.”
This is the beginning of a new air force, she said, adding that the nation would continue to improve its air defense capabilities through expansion and improvements to personnel training.
[FULL STORY]
Radio Taiwan International
Date: 20 August, 2019
By: Natalie Tso
President Tsai (second left) next to a model of a F-16 (CNA photo)\
Tsai said that the package is aligned with the principles in the US Taiwan Relations Act which says the US should help Taiwan defend itself. She said that Taiwan should have the right to defend itself as a nation and she hopes China can respect that. [FULL STORY]
The 2019 Taiwan International Queer Film Festival runs from 8/15 to 8/25 in Taipei and from 8/28 to 9/8 in Kaohsiung. This film review is based on a complimentary media screening.
The news Lens
Date: 2019/08/20
By: CJ Sheu
Photo Credit: 2019 Taiwan International Queer Film Festival
Written, directed, and edited by Argentine Marco Berger, The Blond One (Un Rubio 2019) spent most of its 108 minutes on furtive glances and smoldering stares, lustful envy and tension-filled rooms, and the anguished push and pull between the two men in their late twenties or early thirties.
The blond and relatively pale-faced Gabriel (an angelic name) rents a room from furniture factory coworker Juan, who like his namesake Don Juan has a voracious sexual appetite. In a film with a spare soundtrack (by Pedro Irusta), the techno music coming from somewhere in the apartment incites our and Gabriel’s curiosity; turns out it’s coming from Juan’s room, from which a naked woman (Julieta Tramanzoli) emerges, followed by an equally naked Juan. That music, the credits inform us, is called “Tecno Sex,” and indeed we hear it every time Juan has a lady over.
Having a techno-loving womanizer as a flatmate would be bad enough, but what makes it worse is that Gabriel has an obvious crush on him. He sneaks glances whenever they’re together in the living room, usually with some of Juan’s guy friends, and is pleasantly uncomfortable when Juan, reaching over, puts a hand very high up Gabriel’s thigh for support. Is it innocent? or very subtle flirting? [FULL STORY]
IRRECONCILABLE: Democracy and authoritarianism cannot coexist, the president said, warning the world about Beijing’s military buildup and expansionism
Taipei Times
Date: Aug 21, 2019
By: Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter
The protests in Hong Kong are proof that China’s “one country, two systems” model does not work,
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
While Taiwan promotes sustainable and joint development projects with its partners, Chinese military expansionism has sparked concern in many countries, Tsai said at the 2019 Asia-Pacific Security Dialogue, citing Beijing’s aggressive claims over territory and its military buildup in the South China Sea.
China has not given up its ambition to annex Taiwan by force or impose its “one country, two systems” model on the nation, despite the model’s failure in Hong Kong, the president said.
Taiwan has been developing its own aircraft and submarines, with its first domestically developed training aircraft model to be finished in the second half of next month, she said, while thanking US President Donald Trump’s administration for its four previous arms sales to Taiwan.
[FULL STORY]
Itinerant Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu alleges govt. placed tracking device in his car
Taiwan News
Date: 2019/08/20
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
Han inside his vehicle. (By Central News Agency)
At a press conference at the Kaohsiung City Government, Han said that the central government surveillance apparatus has been highly active, and a tracking device may have been placed in his vehicle, reported CNA. He said that he felt it is wrong that the government would monitor him and his family, and he wishes to lodge a protest.
In response to Han's allegations, presidential spokesman Chang Chun-han (張惇涵) at noon today (Aug. 20) said the relevant government departments would not carry out such illegal monitoring of the actions of specific persons, according to CNA. Chang said that politicians should not make such accusations without providing evidence.
Chang asked Han to take the initiative to provide the evidence to prosecutors and police as soon as possible. He also asked Han to immediately inform the Presidential Office, which supports a thorough investigation by prosecutors and police units to clarify the truth. [FULL STORY]
Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/08/20
By: Joseph Yeh
Photo from AIT Facebook Page
The visit to the Zuoying Naval Base by Christensen, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that he had approved the sale of F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan.
At the naval base, Christensen toured a Keelung-class destroyer, formerly a U.S. Kidd-class destroyer, and looked at the AAV7 Assault Amphibious Vehicles that are assigned to the Marine Corps stationed at the base.
In a series of Facebook posts about the visit, the AIT said the U.S. sells Taiwan defense equipment in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) in order to maintain regional peace and stability.
[FULL STORY]
Radio Taiwan Internatinal
Date: 19 August, 2019
By: Leslie Liao
Mo Shan-ting (second from right) underwent a liver transplant while three months pregnant. The case was the first of its kind in Taiwan.
Mo learned of her ailment three months after getting pregnant, and was told that her condition would turn critical within two weeks. Luckily, Mo received a liver donation, which spared both her and her child’s life. Mo went on to successfully give birth to her daughter. [FULL STORY]
The Tuo Chiang-class corvette is a Taiwanese-designed class of fast and stealthy multi-mission corvettes built for the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy.
Navy Recognition
Date: 19 August 2019
Flight II Tuo Chiang-class Corvette (Picture source: Twitter account: Guy Plopsky)
The Tuo Chiang-class corvette is a Taiwanese-designed class of fast and stealthy multi-mission corvettes built for the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy. It is designed to counter the numerous and increasingly sophisticated People's Liberation Army Navy ships by utilizing hit-and-run tactics, and thus featured clean upper structure design with very few extrusions to reduce radar signature, pre-cooled engine exhaust to reduce infrared signature, and a reduced visual signature to reduce chance of detection. The new Tuo-chiang will enhance the Navy’s stealth capabilities and weapons systems. They will be equipped with the Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles, which are dubbed the “aircraft carrier killers.” The project will also add four fast minelayers to upgrade the Navy’s fleet.
[FULL STORY]
