Taiwan’s indie scene has coalesced with the mainstream, sometimes muddying the distinction between ‘indie’ and ‘independent.’

The News Lens
Date: 2018/10/06
By Chen-yu Lin

Other than being known as the production center for Mandopop in its heyday, in recent years, Taiwan has also a burgeoning indie music scene. The capital city, Taipei, has even been praised as the world’s newest capital of indie music. Just like many other places in the world, when it comes to music, the notion of ‘independence’ and ‘indie’ have been contested, yet these concepts remain powerful regarding the creation and mobilization of collective identities among Taiwanese music lovers.

Due to its specific socio-economic and cultural context, the label of ‘indie music’ in Taiwan has distinctive meanings generated by local practices. This article will explore what ‘indie music’ means in today’s Taiwan by examining three aspects of independent music: firstly, the connotation of ‘independent music’ by inspecting local development and changes of recording music industry. Secondly, it will look at the spatial attributes of indie music performances. Finally, the article will conclude by examining indie aesthetics by providing an example of a particular version of ‘independent sound’ associated with Taiwanese music, ‘Little Fresh’ (小清新).    [FULL  STORY]

Hundreds of people and 10 rights groups march through Taipei in support of animal rights

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/10/06
By: Scott Morgan, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – On the afternoon of Oct. 6, hundreds of people concerned for animal welfare met in Ximending, Taipei City (西門町, 臺北市) to march in support of animal rights worldwide, and to listen to music and speeches.

The march was held in good spirit, attended by people of all ages, and saw participation by ten animal rights groups.

The march marked the second annual Taiwan Animal Rights March (台灣動物權遊行), with last year’s event drawing around 150 participants in wet weather.

An additional march was held in Kaohsiung City (高雄市) today, and the events are timed to coordinate with National Animals Rights Day, as marked in the U.S. by conservation group Our Planet, reported Taiwan News.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/10/06
By: Rita Cheng and Frances Huang

Washington, Oct. 5 (CNA) Susan Thornton, former U.S. acting assistant secretary of state

for East Asian and Pacific affairs, on Friday praised President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) as being “very mature” in her attitude toward cross-Taiwan Strait ties.

On the sidelines of a seminar held by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a think tank in Washington, Thornton admitted relations between the United States and China have been deteriorating, but what Taiwan needs to do is keep doing what it has been doing, as it has a consistent policy toward China.

“I think President Tsai has really been very mature in her approach to cross-strait relations,” Thornton said. “I think basically keeping things steady as she goes, not overacting to things and to try to keep communications going across the (Taiwan) Strait is very important.”

“That’s what I would definitively prescribe as a continuation,” said Thornton, who retired from her position at the U.S. State Department in July.    [FULL  STORY]

‘PURSUING TRUTH’: Huang Huang-hsiung said the Sept. 12 incident that allegedly targeted KMT New Taipei City mayoral hopeful Hou You-yi added to political distrust

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 07, 2018
By: Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporter

Huang Huang-hsiung (黃煌雄) yesterday resigned as chairman of the Transitional Justice

Commission after an uproar last month concerning an alleged plan by his former deputy to target a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) mayoral candidate.

Huang said in a statement that he took the reins in May with the belief that transitional justice would provide legitimacy and legality for past democratic movements, transcending party politics.

“However, the Sept. 12 incident ruined the big picture and overshadowed the commission soon after its establishment with the stigma of being another Eastern Depot,” Huang said, alluding to the pan-blue camp’s comparison of the commission to a Ming Dynasty secret police and spy agency.

On Sept. 12, Chinese-language media reported a partial recording of an unofficial commission meeting on Aug. 24 called by then-commission deputy chairman Chang Tien-chin (張天欽), in which Chang allegedly discussed a plan to target KMT New Taipei City mayoral candidate Hou You-yi (侯友宜) using a lustration law.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-10-05

Legislature President Su Jia-chyuan has unveiled the motion graphics design of this

year’s National Day celebrations. Su, who is the chair of the preparatory committee of the National Day celebrations, spoke at a press conference on Thursday.

The honor guards twirl rifles. The beautiful voices flow from an aboriginal choir in Nantou County. They are just a part of the National Day celebrations on October 10th.

The theme of this year’s event is “Taiwan, Together”. For the first time, motion graphics design is being used for this important celebration. The design that highlights the diversity and inclusiveness of the Taiwanese people has been well received by the public.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan has acted to fine the owner and captain of a vessel involved in various labor abuses – and allegedly shark finning as well – though the punishments are unlikely to be viewed as much of a deterrent for others in the industry.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/10/05
Nick Aspinwall

Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency (FA) on Thursday announced at a press conference that it will fine and suspend the license of the Taiwanese distant water fishing vessel Fuh Sheng 11 after completing an investigation into labor abuse at sea, while another vessel received a heftier fine for illegal shark finning.

However, an NGO which independently spoke to Fuh Sheng 11 crew members criticized the FA for levying insufficient penalties and conducting a flawed initial investigation into the vessel, which had been inconsistent with the findings of South African investigators.

The FA, which regulates Taiwan’s lucrative fishing industry, levied a total of NT$3.75 million (US$121,546) in fines towards the Fuh Sheng 11 and suspended its fishing license for five months (see a breakdown of the fines below) after that vessel became the first ever detained for violating the International Labour Organization’s Work in Fishing Convention (C188) when docked in Cape Town, South Africa. Along with the penalties, the FA has forwarded the case to the Kaohsiung District Prosecutor’s Office to investigate possible violations of Taiwan’s Human Trafficking Prevention Act.

Max Schmid, the deputy director of London-based NGO Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), said Thursday’s penalties were “not sufficient,” telling The News Lens that “the initial fines are a first step, but they’re not enough alone as a deterrent.” EJF had released a video on Sept. 12 detailing brutal beatings of Indonesian crew members, 22-hour work days, and underpayment or nonpayment, as well as the illegal finning of sharks, including endangered hammerheads.    [FULL  STORY]

Shanghai woman frequently targeted Chinese leaders in sharp tweets

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/10/05
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A social commentator in China has reportedly gone missing after

posting online criticism of the government for luring Taiwan’s diplomatic allies away.

Since 2016, five of the island’s official allies have switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing, mostly due to financial considerations and promises of major aid packages.

Tang Yantao (唐燕濤), a woman from Shanghai also known as Tang Tang, slammed the practice in one of her many messages on Weibo and Twitter, the Liberty Times reported. On September 29, she was taken away by police and has not been seen in public since, though she is believed to have been held at a police station.

Tang is known for posting illustrations online with texts frequently criticizing government policies, according to the Liberty Times. She had been commenting on recent incidents such as the trade war with the United States as well as making unfavorable comparisons between Communist China and Nazi Germany.    [FULL  sTORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/10/05
By: Chiang Chin-yeh and Elizabeth Hsu

Washington, Oct. 4 (CNA) China’s military is posing a growing threat to Taiwan because of improved capabilities to execute a military action against the island, the Heritage Foundation has said in an annual report analyzing the United States’ military strength.

The 2019 Index of U.S. Military Strength, published by the Washington-based conservative think tank Thursday, warned of China’s growing military might in its chapter highlighting threats to the U.S.’s vital interests.

It describes China’s longstanding threat to end Taiwan’s de facto independence and ultimately to bring it under Beijing’s authority — if necessary, by force — as both a threat to a major American security partner and a threat to the American interest in peace and stability in the Western Pacific.

The 494-page report described Taiwan as an “essential part of the People’s Liberation Army’s ‘new historic missions,’ shaping PLA acquisitions and military planning.”
[FULL  STORY]

TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE: Wu Sheng-jun, who was sentenced during the White Terror era, thanked the government for repealing convictions that had disgraced people

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 06, 2018
By: Sean Lin  /  Staff reporter

The Transitional Justice Commission yesterday exonerated 1,270 people who were

convicted after the 228 Incident, with commission Chairman Huang Huang-hsiung (黃煌雄) touting the move as “a small, but significant step toward realizing transitional justice.”

The commission held a news conference at the Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel, which was attended by people who were wrongfully or unjustly tried during the White Terror era, as well as family members of those who have died.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Premier William Lai (賴清德), Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) and Control Yuan President Chang Po-ya (張博雅) also attended the news conference, which featured speeches by people affected by the 228 Incident and the White Terror era.

Chung Yi-jen (鍾逸人), 98, said he was arrested during the 228 Incident when he was 26 for trying to protect his hometown of Taichung against the “corrupt” officials and troops Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) sent from China, who “bullied and slaughtered” Taiwanese.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/10/04
By: Liu Chien-pang and Ko Lin

Taipei, Oct. 4 (CNA) Local authorities have successfully raided a number of underground

money transfer establishments across Taiwan, as part of a campaign launched in September against such activities, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said Thursday.

Li Wei-hao (李維浩), head of the CIB’s Economic Crimes Division, said a total of 72 people were arrested and nearly NT$500 million (US$16.20 million) in illegal cash was seized in the process.

The raids were carried out Sept. 15-30 on establishments purporting to be warehouses and brokerage agencies, according to the CIB.

The purpose of the sweep was to protect the safety of citizens and ensure law and order, particularly during the campaign season ahead of the local government elections in November, Li said.    [FULL  STORY]