Many avid fans of ‘Phoenix Claws’ are appalled by the way the workers use their mouths to debone chicken feet

Taiwan News 
Date: 2017/12/21
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A video has recently been circulating on a Thai Facebook group showing a group of workers using their mouths to debone chicken feet, reported Hong Kong’s Apple Daily.

In the video, which was posted on Dec. 13 on a Thai Facebook page (เมือง ทุ่งสง) and has since been viewed 425,000 times and shared 5,500 times, approximately eight men and women can be seen huddled over buckets as they use their mouths to remove the bones from chicken feet in rapid-fire fashion. After ferociously tearing into the scaly claws with their teeth, they spit the bones into one bucket and toss the hollowed-out feet into another, all in about 1 to 2 seconds flat.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/12/21
By: Yu Hsiao-han and Kuan-lin Liu

Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) An overwhelming majority of the public is in favor of legalizing physician assisted suicide, according to a survey by The Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association, the results of which were released on Thursday.

According to Yang Chih-chun (楊智鈞), a volunteer with the association which serves as a platform for members of the LGBTQ community, 92 percent of respondents were in favor of legalizing assisted suicide, 1 percent were against, 6 percent unsure and 1 percent abstained.

The overwhelming support for the legalization of physician assisted suicide, an issue that renowned Taiwan sports anchor Fu Da-ren (傅達仁) brought to light in Taiwan, cuts across sexual orientations, Yang noted, saying that there was no discernible difference in opinion between heterosexual and homosexual respondents.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-12-20

Taiwan and Japan signed a memorandum on Wednesday on cooperatino in maritime rescue

operations. The signing took place at the closing of the second round of talks on bilateral maritime cooperation in Taipei.

The head of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association, Chiou I-jen, said this agreement shows that the two sides are willing to be flexible and pragmatic on dealing with their maritime issues.

“Of course the issues between the Coast Guard Administration and Japan’s Coast Guard are not just rescue operations, cooperation in fighting crime, etc. We need to continue to work on these issues. We’ve also had progress on cooperation in marine science. With fishing rights, we have some differences but through this dialogue we can narrow our differences,” said Chiou.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei’s street names are rarely older than 50 years, but their story goes back another century.

The News Lens
Date: 2017/12/20
By: Lo

If you find yourself lost and wandering in Taipei, you may find that there is a secret navigational aide built into the city streets themselves – if you can make a mental map of China, you can (sort of) find your way home.

It wasn’t always this way. During the Japanese era, Taipei’s streets weren’t even given a formal name, but the city was divided into neighborhoods known as ding (町). A few ding remain today, the most famous of which is Ximending. After Japan was defeated in World War II and the Nationalists took over Taiwan, the government looked to “eliminate all traces of Japanese rule,” including place names.

On Nov. 17, 1945, the nationalist government promulgated a “measure for the correction of street names in counties and cities in Taiwan province.” There were four criteria when renaming the streets: To “promote the ethnic Chinese spirit” in names such as Zhonghua Road, Xinyi road, or Heping road; to “spread the three principles of the people” in Sanmin Road, Minzu Road, Minsheng Road; to “commemorate nationalist heroes” in Zhongshan Road and Zhongzheng Road; or to “fit geography, customs or existing special meanings.”
[FULL  STORY]

Chinese Air Force aircraft spotted north and south of Taiwan Wednesday

Taiwan News 
Date: 2017/12/20
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday it would no

longer issue reports about aircraft or ships from China’s People Liberation Army moving close to Taiwan after the latest incidents Wednesday.

Over the past few weeks, Chinese fighter jets have repeatedly flown closely to or even entered Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), resulting to pictures of Chinese jets, supposedly with the island’s best-known mountain peaks in the background. Chinese Navy vessels on their way to or from maneuvers in the Pacific or in the South China Sea also passed close by Taiwan, leading to speculation that the communist country was rehearsing an eventual invasion of the island.

Wednesday saw the 10th incursion of Chinese military aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ since the 19th Congress of China’s Communist Party last October, the Apple Daily reported.

The latest Chinese airplane appeared around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, and was met by the immediate takeoff of Taiwanese jets, reports said.

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/12/20
By: Claudia Liu and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Dec. 20 (CNA) The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said Wednesday that from

next year, it will streamline the process for Chinese nationals traveling via the “three mini links,” between mainland China and Taiwan’s two offshore counties.

Starting Jan. 1 next year, the NIA said, Chinese nationals holding a permit for travel to Taiwan from Fujian Province in China will no longer be required to present a so-called G note detailing the date and purpose of their travel, once they are arriving in Kinmen or Lienchiang (Matsu), two island counties under Taiwan’s administration.

In addition, the time to review applications by Chinese citizens to visit via the three mini links for artistic, cultural or business purposes will be reduced from five to three days, the NIA said.    [FULL  STORY]

PRO-CHINA: Another party member said he would not abandon his pro-unification stance and that he plans to run for Taipei city councilor to safeguard public rights

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 21, 2017
By: Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporter

New Party spokesman Wang Ping-chung (王炳忠) yesterday maintained that he has never

received any funds from organizations affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), as his party vowed to initiate a referendum to ensure witnesses’ right to an attorney following his and three other party members’ arrests on Tuesday in connection with an espionage investigation.

Wang made the remarks at a news conference at the New Party headquarters in Taipei yesterday morning, one day after he, his father and fellow party members Hou Han-ting (侯漢廷), Lin Ming-cheng (林明正) and Chen Ssu-chun (陳斯俊) were taken to the Investigation Bureau and the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning.

They were questioned as part of a probe into suspected leaks of classified information in connection with an investigation into convicted Chinese spy Zhou Hongxu (周泓旭).

“They [prosecutors and investigators] acted worse than gangsters,” Wang said, alleging that they refused to let his attorney be present when they raided his residence in Taipei, held his throat in a tight grip and shoved him into a car.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-12-19

A second round of talks between Taiwan and Japan on maritime cooperation opened in

Taipei on Tuesday.

The head of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association, Chiou I-jen, said there were a number of challenges to overcome, including disputes over fishing rights. But he said the bonds of friendship between the two sides made cooperation possible.

“From one perspective, these difficulties and challenges are a test for our two sides,” Chiou said. “But based on our resolute friendship and common strategic [interests], I am confident that this kind of dialogue will, step by step, enable us to overcome them in the end.”

Chiou’s Japanese counterpart, Ohashi Mitsuo of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, echoed Chiou’s words. He said the first round of talks in October last year had brought constructive interaction in cooperation on fishing, marine research and maritime rescue.
[FULL  STORY]

The News Lens
Date: 2017/12/19
By: Adam Hatch

Credit: Tourism and Travel Department, New Taipei City Government.
Taipei has plenty of Christmas activities for all the holiday lovers out there. If there is anything we left out, be sure to let us know in the comments! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas, Taiwan.

Christmas is less than a week away and, while the quintessential Western holiday might not seem like a Taiwanese thing, Taipei has plenty to offer for anyone looking to get into the Christmas spirit. Here are five of the best activities for getting a little holiday cheer this Christmas.

Christmasland in New Taipei City
Easily the biggest Christmas event in Taiwan, Christmasland in New Taipei City is hosting its famous light tree and Christmas square. Easily accessible by MRT (Banqiao Station, Exit 3), visitors will be able to take photos, shop for gifts, eat, and even check out the Christmas concert on Dec. 23. For Christmas festivities all month long, and for a real Christmas concert this Saturday, be sure to stop by.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News  
Date: 2017/12/19
By: Taiwan Today,Agencies

Taiwan will start issuing next-generation biometric passports Dec. 25 as part of government

efforts to strengthen security and prevent forgery, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The upgraded passports feature leading-edge security measures such as a third image of the holder and a metallic surface relief that is significantly more difficult to replicate. In keeping with past travel documents, inner pages include Taiwan landmarks and cultural symbols.

In addition to enhancing security, the next-generation version will further boost international trust in Taiwan’s high-quality passports as well as provide holders with greater convenience when traveling overseas, the MOFA said, adding that the government will continue to pursue better visa treatment for Republic of China (Taiwan) nationals.

Taiwan began issuing first-generation biometric passports Dec. 29, 2008. The upgraded edition demonstrates the nation’s commitment to keeping up with technological advances and maintaining the highest global security standards so as to prevent criminal activity like identity theft, the MOFA said.    [FULL  STORY]