Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/03/18
By: Liang Pei-chi, Ozzi Yin and Elizabeth Hsu 

New York, March 17 (CNA) Visiting Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), a potential independent candidate for Taiwan’s presidency in 2020, told New York University students Sunday that the one thing to avoid when running a country is believing one can change it overnight.

Ko has yet to confirm whether he will run in the presidential race, but the fact he could is of great interest to Taiwan’s media thanks to his popularity among young voters. The workshop with NYU students drew a full house of 400 on Sunday.

The outspoken physician-turned politician told the audience how he went from a career as a doctor at National Taiwan University Hospital to mayor of the capital city.

In a 30-minute speech, Ko said that he has always thought of the U.S as “honest,” adding that although President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 due to the Watergate scandal, “Taipei political circle would be empty if anyone telling a lie had to step down.”
[FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 18, 2019
By: Fang Chih-hsien and Jonathan Chin  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

Erectile dysfunction linked to higher obesity rates is increasingly prevalent among men in

their 20s and 30s in Taiwan, E-Da Dacheng Hospital urologist Wang Chii-jye (王起杰) has warned.

Excessive consumption of fatty and calorific foods by men in that age group has resulted in higher obesity rates, which is correlated to erectile dysfunction, the Kaohsiung-based physician said on Thursday.

His department has treated patients as young as 17 for the problem, which is usually associated with older men, he said.

An overweight high-school student sought treatment after finding himself unable to perform, despite his and his girlfriend’s “best efforts,” Wang said.    [FULL  STORY]

The film titled “The Winds of ShenAo Bay” stars famed Japanese actor Munetaka Aoki

Taiwan News   
Date: 2019/03/17 
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A tourism film portraying the Shen’ao Rail Bike along Taiwan’s northern coast won the Director’s Award at the Japan World’s Tourism Film Festival (JWTFF) on Thursday, New Taipei’s Tourism and Travel Department (TTD) said in a news release on Friday.

The film titled “The Winds of ShenAo Bay,” directed by Taiwan’s award-winning director Jay Chen (陳鈺杰) stars famed Japanese actor Munetaka Aoki (青木崇高).

(video taken from YouTube, courtesy of New Taipei Tour)

Film Director Chen, who went to Osaka, Japan to receive the award, said that he intended to portray the enduring human bonds forged by way of one traveler helping another, even though they are strangers to each other, the TTD said.

Since the release of the film two months ago, it has been viewed more than 18,000 times, and some viewers have left messages saying they must experience the Shen’ao Rail Bike themselves.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/03/17
By: Chen Chi-fong, Chiang Ming-yen and William Yen

Kaohsiung, March 17 (CNA) Terry Gou (郭台銘), chairman of manufacturing giant Hon Hai

Precision Industry Co., and Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Sunday to promote the development of the city’s smart technology.

The MOU was signed at a press conference that was live-streamed on YouTube following a tour of Hon Hai’s data center and supercomputer at the Kaohsiung Software Park.

Terry Gou (郭台銘, fourth left), chairman of manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., and Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜, fourth right)

Speaking at the press conference, referred to as “AI Kaohsiung Smart Industry and Agriculture,” Gou pointed out that AI refers to artificial intelligence and also sounds like the word for “love” when spoken in mandarin Chinese.

Hence, it can be implied that using high technology to “love” Kaohsiung can not only help bring prosperity to the city but more importantly, can help the city’s industries, Gou said.
[FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 18, 2019 
By: Ann Maxon  /  Staff reporter

A nationwide survey found that 65 percent of children are worried about interpersonal

relationships, while more than 10 percent say they are unpopular in the classroom, the Child Welfare League Foundation said yesterday.

Its survey, which asked 11 and 12-year-olds questions about interpersonal relationships, found that respondents on average had 10 good friends and two peers they dislike in class, the foundation said.

A total of 69.7 percent of respondents said they have friends whom they often play with between classes, while 64.1 percent said their friends would comfort them when they are sad, the foundation said.

However, 14.5 percent of respondents said more classmates disliked than liked them, while 18.6 percent said that they have a difficult time finding classmates willing team up with them for group assignments and 10.9 percent said they were often bullied and mocked at school.    [FULL  STORY]

Strong language skills and work ethic make new grads attractive hires

Nikkei Asian Review
Date: March 16, 2019
Kensaku Ihara, Nikkei staff writer

TAIPEI — A growing number of younger Taiwanese are looking to land jobs in Japan, driven by meager starting salaries and dissatisfaction with life on the island.

According to a March survey released by Global Views, a major Taiwanese magazine, 41.9% of those aged between 18 and 39 plan to go abroad to work or study within the next several years. The most popular destination was Japan at 22.6%, followed by mainland China at 21.4% and the U.S. at 16.7%.

Work visas for Taiwanese have doubled in five years. Japanese companies are snapping up newcomers for their language skills, close cultural ties and generally pro-Japan views. Many have been promoted to managerial posts in the tourism industry and in companies expanding abroad.

The young workers are a boon for Japanese businesses amid an ongoing labor shortage. Many Taiwanese are trilingual — fluent in Chinese, Japanese and English — and comfortable in international environments, making them attractive additions for companies with overseas ambitions.    [FULL  STORY]

New Bloom
Date: 03/16/2019
By: Brian Hioe

A PLEDGE LAST month by Taiwan to donate 500,000 USD to Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who declared himself interim president of Venezuela in January with American backing, is quite telling about Taiwan’s priorities in diplomatic affairs. The pledge is claimed to be “humanitarian assistance,” but many questions exist about what it exactly will be used for.

By acknowledging Guaido as president, this invalidates an election result which would have seen Nicolas Maduro continue to serve as president. As such, the ouster of Maduro has been seen as nothing less than an American-backed coup, something that would hardly be new for America in Latin American and South American countries.

The Trump administration would prefer a regime change in Venezuela, likely taking the view that the self-proclaimed leftist rhetoric of the Maduro government would threaten American interests in the region. As such, American has also frozen the assets of the Maduro government in America. Most EU countries have complied with acknowledging Guaido as president of Venezuela, as have some Latin American countries. Guaido is also supported by elements of civil society and a number of conservative business interests in Venezuela.

It is very probable that Taiwan felt compelled to back Guaido in order to echo the Trump administration and other members of the international community. Frankly speaking, neither is Maduro the saint that some elements of the left make him out to be, and Venezuela is far from some socialist utopia. Millions were already fleeing Venezuela under Maduro because of food and medicine shortages, for one. But, either way, the situation in Venezuela is likely to deteriorate further with split recognition of different political leaders by foreign powers.    [FULL  STORY]

Ship should help speed up development of naval weapon systems

Taiwan News   
Date: 2019/03/16
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST, 中科院) on Friday launched a ship which will function as a testing platform for new weapons.

The ceremony took place at the Longde shipyard in Yilan County where the ship, the “Glory Star” (光榮之星) was built, but it will take until the second half of this year before it will start to be used, the Central News Agency reported.

Its aim was to shorten the research and development process for new maritime weapon systems to be produced by NCSIST, the defense developer said. The launch of the new ship was an essential element of the government’s policy to promote locally developed defense products, according to CNA.

The “Glory Star” is an 80-ton ship, is 28 meters long and 8.4 m wide, and should be handed over to the NCSIST by May 31.    [FULL  STORY]