Will this imperial Taiwan's security?

The National Interest3
Date: January 25, 2020
By: Huong Le Thu

In Taiwan’s presidential and legislative elections on 11 January 2020, Tsai Ing-wen secured a second term as president and her party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), maintained its legislative majority. The elections attracted unprecedented international attention in the context of US–China strategic competition and the hardline stance of the Chinese Communist Party in the Xi Jinping era.

Beijing continues to insist on the inevitability of ‘reunification’ and has intensified pressure on Taiwan. Meanwhile, Washington has increased the tempo of its engagement with Taipei, including arms sales, general diplomatic support and high-level interactions under the Taiwan Travel Act. The significance of the election result reaches beyond domestic party politics: the poll also reflects voters’ assessments of the successes and failures of Beijing’s Taiwan policies, US–China relations and regional security.

In the week before the elections, there was a surprising level of uncertainty about the outcome. At the end of 2018, Tsai had poor opinion poll numbers and her government had been challenged by rivals within her own party, by a stalled domestic policy agenda and by diplomatic reversals as Beijing poached Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic allies. Public opinion had turned strongly in her favour by the middle of 2019, but the DPP remained cautious up until election night. In the end, not only did Tsai secure a second term, but she received 8.17 million votes (57.13% of ballots cast), the largest number ever for a candidate since direct presidential elections began in 1996.

The political sentiment around Tsai’s win has been as much about expectations as her total vote count. Large winning margins are not unprecedented in Taiwan’s elections, but they’re usually associated with a change in the governing party. For example, in 2008, the leader of the pro-Beijing Kuomintang party (KMT), Ma Ying-jeou, was elected by a similar margin after eight years of a DPP government under Chen Shui-bian that was dogged by corruption allegations. However, Ma’s win in 2012 was by a much closer margin amid disillusionment about his government’s China policies. Similarly, in the legislature in this election, although the KMT made gains, they were smaller than expected for a second-term correction, and a minor party that is a key KMT ally, the People’s First Party, was wiped out.    [FULL  STORY]

106 people monitored in hospital isolation wards, with one confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in the country

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/01/24
By: Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In response to the escalating Wuhan coronavirus outbreak across the world, Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has given doctors a green light to prescribe government-funded influenza antiviral drugs to patients exhibiting influenza symptoms, regardless of their nationality.

The drugs in the past have been prescribed to Taiwanese patients who screen positive for the flu.

CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said on Friday (Jan. 24) that people who have been to Wuhan, China and developed a fever or acute respiratory infection are required to report to local health authorities, while those without symptoms should take the precautionary measure of wearing masks in enclosed areas, especially aboard public transport, after returning from the Chinese city.

Focus Taiwan
Date: 01/25/2020
By Fan Ching-yi and Evelyn Kao\

Taipei, Jan. 25 (CNA) There are many traditional customs practiced by ethnic minority groups in Vietnam to mark the "Tet" Lunar New Year festivities, including the slapping of bottoms by the Hmong ethnic minority as a means of courtship.

In addition to the majority Kinh ethnic group, which makes up 85.4 percent of Vietnam's population, the country has 53 ethnic minority groups, including the 1 million Hmong who live mainly in mountainous areas of northern Vietnam's Ha Giang and Lao Cai provinces.

The Lunar New Year is a time for the Hmong people to reflect on the past year and seek out new beginnings, and is also a time for family reunions, entertainment and courtship.

In colorful, embroidered traditional Hmong attire, single Hmong people of all ages in the Meo Vac highlands of Ha Giang gather in male and female groups for traditional games during Tet, including beanbag games, tug-of-war, ball challenges and love song duets.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 26, 2020
By: Liu Pin-chuan and Dennis Xie  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

Zihnan Temple (紫南宮), a famous temple to the Earth God (土地公) in Nantou County’s

Jhushan Township (竹山), drew nearly 70,000 worshipers yesterday — the first day of the Year of the Rat — to pray for prosperity.

The first in line for a “mother coin” (錢母) — which is believed to attract wealth and bring in more money throughout the year — distributed by the temple was an 81-year-old man surnamed Liao (廖), who said he had been waiting in line for five days.

The first 2,000 people in line received a “mother coin” and were eligible to take part in a lottery, with prizes ranging from NT$600 to NT$4,800 in cash, a golden ring, a “mother coin” set and a gold ingot, temple management committee director Chuang Chiu-an (莊秋安) said.

A local resident, surnamed Lo (羅), won the golden ingot, valued at NT$12,000.
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan Internatiional
Date: 24 January, 2020
By: John Van Trieste

What will the coming year hold for Taiwan? That’s a question that temples across the island attempt to answer each year around the start of the Lunar New Year holiday.

One temple in Kaohsiung has just released its prediction, using a unique form of divination to do so. Let’s see what this temple says lies ahead.

At Kaohsiung’s Wujia Guandi Temple, a special ceremony has just recently concluded. A medium, following the nudges of the gods, has finished writing out what the heavens say will happen to Taiwan in the coming year.

Around this time of year, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, there are plenty of temples issuing predictions of their own about how Taiwan will fare. But this temple is the earliest to release its predictions. And it’s also the only one that looks into Taiwan’s future using this kind of spirit writing ceremony.    [FULL  STORY]

Passengers making false health statements to face a maximum penalty of US$5,000

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/01/24
By: Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Although the World Health Organization on Thursday (Jan. 23) decided not to declare the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak a global emergency, Taiwan's customs and quarantine authorities are on guard, announcing that passengers from China, Hong Kong, and Macau must complete a health form upon arrival.

Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced Thursday evening that residents of Wuhan will be denied entry and that passengers from elsewhere in China, Hong Kong, and Macau are required to issue a statement of health. Those exhibiting fever and other symptoms related to the mysterious pneumonia-causing virus will be dispatched to isolation wards in hospitals as part of the country's string of precautionary measures to combat its spread.

"Passengers who make false health statements will face a maximum penalty of NT$150,000 (US$5,000)," said Minister of Health and Welfare Dr. Chen Shih-chung (陳時中).

Chinese authorities have imposed a travel ban on residents of Wuhan and expanded it to nearby Huanggang on Thursday. Taiwan's health ministry has also ordered air carriers to deny residents passage from Wuhan to Taiwan. It is believed that the restriction will soon be extended to other Chinese cities on lockdown.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 01/24/2020
By: Tang Pei-chun and Frances Huang

Brussels, Jan. 23 (CNA) Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) were questioned Thursday about Taiwan's exclusion from the organization and its global disease prevention efforts amid escalating fears over the spread of a new coronavirus that originated in China.

At an international news conference after a two-day WHO emergency meeting in Geneva to discuss the deadly new coronavirus, a reporter asked whether the WHO would consider accepting Taiwan as a member and would exchange information about the virus, as diseases know no borders.

In response, Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO Health Emergencies Program, said only that his organization works "very closely with technical partners in China, Taiwan," referring to Taiwan.

He said that during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Taiwan in 2003, the WHO provided technical support to Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]

‘HAPPY NEW YEAR’: While sending New Year’s greetings is good, avoid excessive screen time, which could lead to serious vision problems

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 25, 2020
By: Liao Hsueh-ju and Dennis Xie  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

People should watch out for the adverse effects of excessive mobile phone use during the Lunar

New Year holiday, especially with the trend of using messaging apps to send congratulatory remarks, which has made many highly susceptible to eye problems, an ophthalmologist said.

Dubbed “Lunar New Year mobile phone syndrome,” the condition commonly occurs during or after the holiday because of people staring at their screen for hours, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital ophthalmologist Chen Ying-shan (陳瑩山) said.

Excessive use of technological devices can lead to dry eyes, as well as put a strain on the ciliary muscles, which help the eyes automatically adjust to short and long-range vision,Chen said.

If a person spends extended periods looking at objects nearby, such as a computer or a phone, then their ciliary muscles would constantly be in a state of contraction, leading to muscle fatigue and loss of elasticity, the main causes of vision loss, he said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 23 January, 2020
By: Natalie Tso

The first batch of Taiwan’s delicious guavas just arrived in Los Angeles. The 13-ton shipment is the very first export of the Taiwan fruit to the US.  Taiwan is the first Asian country to export guavas to the US. The only other country that exports guavas there is Mexico.

The guavas arrived just before the Lunar New Year and have been gifted to US commerce officials and congresspersons.  US commerce officials and congresspersons were on hand to participate in the welcome ceremony.    [FULL  STORY]