TRAVEL SMART: Twenty-seven Taiwanese have been sentenced to death in Indonesia on drug-related charges, some of whom say they did not know what they were carrying

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 15, 2018
By: Lu Yi-hsuan  /  Staff reporter

Representatives of the nation’s overseas emergency assistance associations

yesterday urged Taiwanese to refrain from helping others carry packages of unknown content to Southeast Asia to avoid becoming an “unknowing courier.”

Despite some Southeast Asian countries being known for their strict laws against drugs, there have been many cases in which Indonesian customs officials have caught Taiwanese carrying illegal drugs, said Chiang Ching-cheng (江慶誠), an executive member of an overseas emergency assistance association for Taiwanese in Jakarta.

“We are here to remind our people and overseas expatriates… Do not help a stranger or even your friend carry a package [to these countries]. You could end up in jail for [carrying drugs as little as] 5g,” Chiang told a news conference in Taipei.

Statistics show that 27 Taiwanese have been sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug charges.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 14 November, 2018
By: Shirley Lin

The improved Suhua Highway that connects Suao and Hualien in northeastern Taiwan is in its final stages of completion. The original highway had a section alongside steep cliffs above the Pacific Ocean. However, the highway was often closed due to heavy rain, typhoons or landslides. A project named the Suhua Highway Improvement Project was begun in 2011.

President Tsai Ing-wen attended a ceremony to witness the perforation of the eighth and last tunnel of the improved Suhua Highway on Tuesday. Also known as Provincial Highway 9, the highway is 38.8 km long, with a total of eight tunnels taking up two thirds of the road.

President Tsai said that it is like the highway is being reborn. She said the improvements are a prerequisite to regional development. She also said the project is a model construction for Taiwan’s highways since construction took place with environmental conservation in mind.

The last tunnel, the Renshui Tunnel, will become the only single tunnel with bidirectional traffic on the highway. It will also become the biggest tunnel in Taiwan. The improved highway will be open to traffic before 2020.      [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 13 November, 2018
By: John Van Trieste

Over a week after its opening, Taichung’s Flora Expo is continuing to draw in visitors. Some are parents, bringing their children to some of the expo’s specially-built playgrounds for a day out. Others include high-profile figures, like President Tommy Remengesau of Palau, an allied head of state who is currently finishing up a state visit to Taiwan.

The flora expo opened November 3 and is a showcase of high ideals. The opening featured a homecoming for the “Taichung Declaration”, a proposal for sustainable growth that has been signed by countries and organizations around the world. There is also a range of innovative art and architecture to explore across the expo’s three venues. But sometimes, a nice day out at a playground is the best way to get in touch with the great, green outdoors.
[FULL  STORY]

Your daily bulletin of Taiwan news, courtesy of ICRT.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/11/13
By: International Community Radio Taipei (ICRT)

The Criminal Investigation Bureau said the government will boost its ability to monitor and fight fake news.

This includes prosecuting those who break the law by spreading false information in order to protect domestic security and social order.

The bureau said a special task force aimed at combating online fake news was recently established, and it has asked social networking and internet search engine providers Facebook and Google to provide help in finding the source of the fake news when necessary.

During a recent forum in Taipei, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said fake news poses challenges not only to Taiwan but to all like-minded countries across the region.    [FULL  STORY]

LUCfest is an excellent opportunity to enjoy music and explore Tainan

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/11/13
By: Alicia Nguyen, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Currently filled with crowds for the five-day “Pokémon GO Safari Zone” event, Taiwan’s southern city of Tainan is preparing to host the second annual LUCfest Music Festival which will kick off on Nov. 30.

“LUCfest, For Lucky People” (貴人散步音樂節) is a three-day weekend music festival taking place in the ancient capital city of Taiwan from Nov.30 to Dec.2., with a diverse combination of Asian music, artists, and creative activities. The event aims to provide a platform for independent Taiwanese artists to present their music as well as to introduce Tainan’s appealing scenery and culture to visitors.

With more than 10 showcase performances and six different stages around the city, 60 Taiwanese and international musicians will perform at the festival. Apart from performances, eight professional music forums will also be held during the festival with titles like”Global touring” and “Asian music market.”

The full lineup includes some renowned Taiwanese musicians, including a two-time winner at at Golden Melody Awards — EggPlantEgg, indie band — 88balaz, former lead vocalist of F.I.R pop-rock band – Faye, Manic Sheep, Go Go Machine Orchestra, Paige Su, and many others.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/11/13
By: Elaine Hou and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Nov. 13 (CNA) Germany’s public international broadcaster Deutsche

Welle (DW) opened an office in Taipei last month — its first office in East Asia — because of the high level of press freedom in Taiwan, according to DW Chinese Service chief Philipp Bilsky.

The Taipei office became fully operational Oct. 15 with four full-time staff members, three of whom are from Taiwan and one from Hong Kong, Bilsky told CNA via e-mail. It is the first time DW’s Chinese Service has had a field office employing exclusively local staff, he added.

“The most important reason for opening the office in Taipei is to bridge the time gap between Germany and our main target region, China,” said Bilsky, noting that DW can now react much more quickly to events in the region.

He pointed out that the main focus of the Taipei office is not on Taiwan. “Rather, we report from Taipei about the whole world for our Chinese service and also provide news to DW’s English news channel.”
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 12 November, 2018
By: Jake Chen

“Shadow” is among the nominated films of this year’s Golden Horse Awards
The 2018 Golden Horse Film Festival kicked off on Thursday in Taipei, featuring 175 films from around the world. Among the standouts this year are the nominees for the upcoming 55th Golden Horse Awards – one of the most prestigious and time-honored events for Chinese-language films.

A laid-off steel mill worker goes after a serial killer in a film called “The Looming Storm.” “Shadow” is the story of an assassin trying to break free of his troubled past in a time of warfare in ancient China. And in “Dear Ex”, a woman discovers that her late husband left his insurance payout to his gay lover. These are just some of the films that have been nominated at this year’s Golden Horse Awards.

One of the most anticipated films this year is “Long Day’s Journey Into Night”, an art-house mystery about a man who retraces his memories and finds surprises in his past. Chinese director Bi Gan, who won Best New Director at the 2015 Golden Horse Awards, is back in Taipei, this time with an all-star cast, including Tang Wei and Sylvia Chang.

One of the film’s leads, Taiwanese actor Lee Hong-chi, says that working with Bi is like improvisation, sparking a lot of creative ideas during the shoot. Bi himself says he is eager to show the audience his latest work.
[FULL  STORY]

Premier William Lai’s decision to comment favorably on a pro-Taiwan video by a Polish fringe far-right group might not have been the best idea.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/11/12
By Brian Hioe

Polish far-right wing media organization Idź Pod Prąd recently released a video declaring support of Taiwan and opposition to China. In the video, a woman speaking in Mandarin and man speaking in English state opposition to China and support for Taiwan, citing Poland’s one hundred years of independence, stating that Poland historically has fought for the independence of other countries, and encouraging Taiwanese to vote for independence. The man also puts on a red hat saying “Make China Lose Again,” resembling the 2016 Donald Trump campaign’s iconic “Make America Great Again” hat and originating from the Taiwanese activist clothing brand Radicalization. Several clips are also shown of Polish locals vowing support for Taiwan.

Idź Pod Prąd has kept up its social media campaign expressing support of Taiwan and opposition to China, as observed in numerous pictures posted on social media accounts of individuals holding up signs saying “Say Yes to Taiwan, Say No to China”. Idź Pod Prąd also displays an awareness of that its video caught on popularly in Taiwan, as evidenced in reposting Liberty Times articles on their video,or a picture of Taiwanese leftist independence activist Su Beng (史明) holding up a similar sign. Premier William Lai (賴清德) would even comment on the video, stating that the video is a sign that there are like-minded countries who support Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]

The stamps celebrate a pottery collection housed by the National Palace Museum

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/11/12
By: Ryan Drillsma, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Chunghwa Post is to issue a new collection of blue and white pottery stamps on Nov. 15.

To celebrate the beauty of the Chinese cultural relics, many of which are housed in Taiwan’s National Museum of History, Chunghwa Post has been producing blue and white pottery stamps since 2014. A new selection of stamps, based on a blue and white porcelain collection held by the National Palace Museum, will be available later this week.

Chunghwa Post’s blue and white pottery stamps have been consistently voted as the most beautiful in their annual competition. Customers will be able to buy a complete set of four different, partially-embossed stamps decorated with the new designs from Thursday.

The stamp set includes one featuring a bowl decorated with a fish, algae and plum blossom design beloved by Ming Emperor Xuande, another featuring a bowl decorated with a phoenix, one featuring a blue and white pot associated with the Qianlong Emperor, and one featuring a vase painted with the eight auspicious symbols.    [FULL  STOREY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/11/12
By: Lu Hsin-hui and Evelyn Ka

Taipei, Nov. 12 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday

expressed her gratitude to her Palauan counterpart in Taipei for Palau’s support of Taiwan in the international community.

Tsai also said during a meeting with Palau’s President Tommy Remengesau Jr. at the Presidential Office that she is looking forward to visiting Palau.

Noting that Palau had voiced support for Taiwan at many international forums, including the World Health Assembly in May, the United Nations General Assembly, and the U.N. High-Level Meeting on Non-communicable Disease in September, Tsai thanked Remengesau Jr. for that backing on behalf of Taiwan’s people.

Tsai praised Remengesau Jr. for his focus on climate change, marine resources and clean energy, and said Taiwan will continue to cooperate with Palau in these areas.    [FULL  STORY]