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‘You have a horse face. Your girlfriend is a whore’: Passenger hurls horrific racist abuse at white British man and his partner while travelling on a train in Taiwan

 

  •     Christopher Raymond Hall and his partner filmed the ordeal on a phone
  •     The verbal attack lasts several minutes and is seemingly unprovoked
  •     Insults and expletives are hurled at Mr Hall and his girlfriend
  •     The man who abused them has been cautioned for pushing Mr Hall

 

Date: 13 November 2015
By: Ted Thornhill for MailOnline

Shocking footage has been posted online showing a white British man and his girlfriend being racially abused by a stranger on a train in Taiwan who described her as a ‘whore’ for being with a ‘foreign scrounger’.

The abuse directed at Christopher Raymond Hall and his partner was so strong that she began recording the attack on her smartphone.

It becomes immediately apparent that the man has an issue with Mr Hall having a Taiwanese girlfriend.     [FULL  STORY]

Precarious future: The battle to save Taiwan’s Queen’s Head

Bangkok Post
Date: 13 Nov 2015
By: AFP

YEHLIU, TAIWAN – Scientists are battling to save Taiwan’s ancient “Queen’s Head” rock

Taiwan's ancient "Queen's Head" rock photographed (from left to right) in 1969, 1980, 1990 and 2010.

Taiwan’s ancient “Queen’s Head” rock photographed (from left to right) in 1969, 1980, 1990 and 2010.

from erosion — but the island is split over whether technology should be used to preserve the precarious natural masterpiece.

Taiwan’s ancient “Queen’s Head” rock photographed (from left to right) in 1969, 1980, 1990 and 2010.

More than three million people visit the coastal landmark in northern Yehliu each year, named for its supposed likeness to England’s Queen Elizabeth I.

The tilting “head” is an imposing sweep of sandstone which mushrooms out of a slender stem.

Honed by sea water and strong winds the head tapers up to a point, likened to the piled-up curls of the eponymous royal.

But at 4,000 years old, exposure to the elements means it may soon topple.     [FULL  STORY]

Why the Road to Taiwan’s Presidency Runs Through Washington

Bloomberg
By: Debra Mao and James Nash

With just weeks to go before Taiwan picks its next president, both candidates might be

Eric Chu, Chairman of Taiwan's Kuomintang, in Virginia on Nov. 11. Photographer: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images

Eric Chu, Chairman of Taiwan’s Kuomintang, in Virginia on Nov. 11.
Photographer: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images

expected to be crisscrossing the island picking up votes. Instead, Eric Chu — the ruling Kuomintang Party’s nominee — is in Washington, 12,600 kilometers (7,800 miles) away.

Chu’s five-day U.S. trip, which includes stops in ethnic Chinese enclaves in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, is all the more remarkable considering the New Taipei mayor is trailing far behind opposition leader Tsai Ing-wen in opinion polls. He entered the race last month after his party abruptly dumped its unpopular candidate.

The late cross-Pacific campaign swing shows the enduring U.S. influence over Taiwanese politics, even after years of flourishing trade with China, its one-time civil war foe. Just as important as stumping on the streets of Taipei is shoring up the U.S. backing that gives Taiwan a measure of geopolitical leverage over Communist Party leaders in Beijing. Tsai made a similar political pilgrimage to Washington in June.     [FULL  STORY]

Light sentences for adding bleach to soy shoots

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-11-13
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A businesswoman who added industrial bleach to soy shoots

Light sentences for adding bleach to soy shoots. Central News Agency

Light sentences for adding bleach to soy shoots. Central News Agency

received relatively light prison sentences of seven and four months, reports said Friday.

The Supreme Court rejected an appeal against the sentences, originally issued by the Taichung High Court, against Miaoli County food processor Huang Yu-huei and her father.

The verdicts were light reportedly because the court ruled that the practice had not started 30 years ago but was of a more recent date, while Huang’s father committed the alleged violations before current more stringent food safety legislation came into effect.

Huang Yu-hui reportedly used the bleach to make the soy shoots look cleaner and to keep them fresh for a longer time. She produced 480 kilograms of the product per day, delivering them to traditional markets and small restaurants, reports said.     [FULL  STORY]

New U.S. bill allows Taiwan’s inclusion in military training programs

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/13
By: Tony Liao and Elaine Hou

Taipei, Nov. 13 (CNA) The U.S. Congress recently passed a National Defense Authorization 62716878Act for 2016 that makes provision for Taiwan’s inclusion in U.S.-led training programs with foreign countries, with the aim of increasing maritime security in the South China Sea, and supports bilateral military exchanges between Taiwan and the United States.

The bill will now be sent to the White House and will take effect after U.S. President Barack Obama signs it into law.

The U.S. Senate passed the bill Nov. 10, five days after it cleared the floor of the House of Representatives.

The bill includes a South China Sea Initiative that authorizes the U.S. Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, to provide assistance and training programs aimed at “increasing maritime security and maritime domain awareness of foreign countries along the South China Sea.”     [FULL  STORY]

Presidential Office halls dedicated to national heroes

Taiwan Today
Date: November 13, 2015

President Ma Ying-jeou unveiled Nov. 12 three newly named halls of the Presidential Office

President Ma Ying-jeou (left) unveils the newly renamed Zhongshan Hall of the Presidential Office building Nov. 12 in Taipei City. (UDN)

President Ma Ying-jeou (left) unveils the newly renamed Zhongshan Hall of the Presidential Office building Nov. 12 in Taipei City. (UDN)

building in Taipei City, dedicating them to national heroes who played vital roles in Taiwan’s development.

The largest of the three has been rechristened Zhongshan Hall in commemoration of ROC Founding Father Dr. Sun Yat-sen, with the ceremony taking place on the 150th anniversary of his birth.

The other two venues have been named for Liu Ming-chuan, who served as governor of Taiwan in the late Qing dynasty (1644-1911), and Chiang Wei-shui, founder of the Taiwan Culture Association and the Taiwan People’s Party during the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945).

“Taiwan has been able to enjoy its advances in democracy and prosperity based on the foundations laid down by these great figures all those years ago,” Ma said. “Through the naming ceremony, the government seeks to acknowledge their determined efforts and highlight the historical significance of their contributions to the country.”     [FULL  STORY]

Hualien recognizes banana silk yarn making as intangible cultural heritage

Taipei Times
Date:  Nov 14, 2015
By: Staff writer, with CNA

The technique of making banana silk yarn, a craft that is exclusive to the Kavalan

A Kavalan woman weaves cloth in Pate Rungan Village in Hualien’s Fengbin Township on Wednesday last week. Photo: Hua Meng-ching, Taipei Times

A Kavalan woman weaves cloth in Pate Rungan Village in Hualien’s Fengbin Township on Wednesday last week. Photo: Hua Meng-ching, Taipei Times

community, has been recognized as part of the intangible cultural heritage of Hualien County.

The Kavalan are the only Aboriginal community in the nation with the skills to make fabric from banana plants, a technique that has been passed down from one generation to the next.

According to traditional stories, banana fiber was adopted as an alternative to sisal to make fabric, because bananas can be grown all year round.

Thanks to a group of women in Pate Rungan Village in Hualien’s Fengbin Township (豐濱), this craft has been preserved.     [FULL  STORY]

Tsai does not need Xi

Taiwan News
Editorial
Date: 2015-11-12
By: Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taiwan has only just been recovering from all the excitement of President Ma Ying-jeou

Editorial: Tsai does not need Xi. Taiwan News

Editorial: Tsai does not need Xi. Taiwan News

traveling to Singapore for an 82-second handshake and a one-hour meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping.

Yet, already, never-resting talk show commentators and media are starting to throw theories around about the need for the Ma-Xi summit to be succeeded by a similar meeting with the next president of Taiwan.

Whatever motivations the president might have had in timing his encounter with his Chinese counterpart on November 7, the most recent polls show that any impact of the summit on the presidential election is likely to be negligible.

Democratic Progressive Party Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen had the backing of 42 percent of the public, Kuomintang Chairman Eric Liluan Chu could count on 22 percent, and People First Party Chairman James Soong would still receive 8 percent if an election were held soon, a poll conducted on behalf of Business Weekly concluded after the Ma-Xi summit.     [FULL  STORY]

Citrus-flavored Mountain Dew drinks ordered to be pulled from shelves

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/12
By: Lung Pei-ning and Elaine Hou

Taipei, Nov. 12 (CNA) Health authorities on Thursday ordered the hypermarket chain

FDA official Wang Te-yuan.

FDA official Wang Te-yuan.

RT-Mart to pull all citrus-flavored Mountain Dew soda drinks from its shelves, after an inspection found traces of a prohibited ingredient in the drinks.

Mountain Dew is a popular U.S. carbonated soft drink brand.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Ministry of Health and Welfare conducted an inspection of the citrus-flavored Mountain Dew drinks after receiving a report that such drinks imported by RT-Mart from the United States contain traces of brominated vegetable oil (BVO).

BVO is a food additive sometimes used to keep citrus flavoring from separating out in sodas and sports drinks. It is banned in Taiwan as a food additive, but is not in the U.S.     [FULL  STORY]

Ma commits to boosting national competitiveness

Taiwan Today
Date: November 12, 2015

President Ma Ying-jeou said Nov. 11 the government is leaving no stone unturned in its

President Ma Ying-jeou (right) discusses Taiwan’s innovation-related policies with Harvard Business School scholar Christian Ketels Nov. 11 at the Presidential Office. (CNA)

President Ma Ying-jeou (right) discusses Taiwan’s innovation-related policies with Harvard Business School scholar Christian Ketels Nov. 11 at the Presidential Office. (CNA)

efforts to enhance Taiwan’s competitiveness amid the changing dynamics of the global economy.

“The government is continuing to upgrade the country’s key industries through forward-thinking policies such as the Productivity 4.0 project, which was released earlier this year and targets eight specific industries,” the president said.

“Over the next nine years, this NT$36 billion [US$1.1 billion] initiative will see the per capita output of the local agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors top NT$2.5 million, NT$10 million and NT$2.3 million, respectively, or increases of 70 percent, 60 percent and 40 percent from last year.”

The president made the remarks while receiving Christian Ketels, a faculty member of Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness, at the Presidential Office.     [FULL  STORY]