Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-08-20

The latest amendment to the Air Pollution Control Act will only affect a

portion of vehicles on the road. That’s the word from the deputy minister of the Environmental Protection Administration, Thomas Chan, on Monday.

According to the amendment, motorcycles that were manufactured before the end of 2003 must meet stricter emission standards by 2020. The new law also states that all large, diesel-powered vehicles that were manufactured before 2007 must also meet stricter standards by 2023.

The amendment has drawn controversy since its proposal, as many riders worry that it will forcefully phase out older motorcycles. Thomas Chan said Monday that the stricter standards are only aimed at two-stroke motorcycles and diesel-powered trucks manufactured before 2003. He said those vehicles are major sources of pollution.    [FULL  STORY]

Architects’ Journal
Date: 20 AUGUST 2018
By: RICHARD WAITE

According to local reports, a tender for the construction of the £1.9 billion Terminal 3 building failed to attract enough bidders, meaning the 640,000m² scheme might have to be simplified.

The Taiwan News claims one element that could be sacrificed is a proposal for 130,000 flower-shaped aluminium tubes which would have been suspended from the ceiling of the terminal’s departure hall.

It is reported that Taiwan’s transport minister Wu Hong-mo has given the Taoyuan International Airport Corporation (TIAC) three months to come up with ‘a redesign which would not negatively affect quality, image and budget’.    [FULL  STORY]

A test version of the iTrash system has been installed in Taipei’s Zhongzheng Dist.

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/08/20
By:  Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — TThe common scene of people chasing a

garbage truck on the street after they hear the melody of “A Maiden’s Prayer” approaching their houses might be a thing of the past as the Taipei city government has begun to experiment with a self-service garbage collection system, i-Trash.

The cost of dumping waste through the system provided by the iTrash Smart City is calculated by the weight of garbage. Five-hundred grams of general garbage costs NT$4 (US$0.13), but designated garbage bags issued by the city government are not required.

Yet recycling will be rewarded with humble reimbursement. People who recycle 10 plastic bottles or eight aluminum cans will get NT$1 (US$0.03) back. All transactions and reimbursement are done with the EasyCard or similar smart cards.

Chen Hui-min (陳慧敏), an official from Taipei City’s Department of Information Technology, said the service provider is testing the i-Trash system in a community on Linyi Street, in Zhongzheng District. It will continue the demo process with two other locations later this year and is hoping to expand the trial next year, said Chen.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/08/20
By: Chai Sze-chia and Ko Lin 

Taipei, Aug. 20 (CNA) Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) bashed China on Monday over its criticism of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and her recent trip overseas, saying that such a reaction will not help improve cross-Taiwan Strait relations.

The criticism was a response to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang’s (陸慷) statement earlier in the day that “the Taiwanese leader is finding excuses to visit foreign countries to engage in activities aimed at splitting China.”

The council also lodged a strong protest with Beijing, reiterating that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign country and that it was only natural that Tsai’s trip overseas was intended to strengthen relations with its allied nations.

Beijing’s harsh criticism only reflects its lack of civility, and its improper words will certainly not help the development of cross-Strait relations, the council said.     [SOURCE]

State Council, China’s cabinet, publicises document detailing application arrangements for new smart cards

Date: 19 August, 2018
By: Tony Cheung

Hongkongers working and living in mainland China will have their identity cards revoked there if they pose a threat to national sovereignty and security, the Chinese government revealed on Sunday.

That came days after the central government announced that residents from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan could start applying for the new smart cards from September 1 to enjoy access to a wide range of social and public services across the border, including school places for children and a housing scheme.

The State Council, China’s cabinet, publicised a document on Sunday detailing the application arrangements for the smart cards.

Apart from revealing that each “residence permit” would be valid for five years, the document listed the criteria under which a card could be revoked.

“The residence permit should be declared by the issuing authority as invalid [if the cardholder] lost their resident status in Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan … [and if he or she] could harm the nation’s sovereignty, security, reputation and interests,” it said.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan-made Australian finger lime may soon be available in-store

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/08/19
By: Scott Morgan, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – After six years of cultivation, Taiwan has

successfully started to produce the Australian finger lime, also known as the “caviar of citrus” according to CNA.

Horticulturalist Lin Chin-wen (林錦文) from Xinhua District in Tainan City told CNA that after six years of cultivation, Australian finger lime trees suitable to Taiwan’s climate have successfully blossomed at small scale.

The Australian finger lime (Citrus australasica) is a small fruit shrub from the microcitrus genus, which is commonly found in Australia’s eastern rainforests. The lime is filled with dozens of small fluid-filled balls, which taste somewhat similar to lime, but have a distinct smell and texture.

Australian finger limes have become increasingly popular throughout the world as a premium food due to their appearance and taste. Lin described the taste of Australian finger limes as “unique” and the aroma as “very special.”    [FULL STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/08/19
By: Tai Ya-chen and Joseph Yeh 

London, Aug. 18 (CNA) Taiwanese novelist Wu Ming-Yi (吳明益) said Saturday in London that his insistence on the correct designation of his home country in a recent international competition was meant to give prominence to a voice from Taiwan.

Wu became the first Taiwanese writer to be nominated for the Man Booker International Prize when the English version of his Chinese-language novel “The Stolen Bicycle (單車失竊記)” appeared on the long list of 13 novels published by the Booker Prize Foundation on March 12.

He was originally listed as a national of Taiwan but that was later changed to “Taiwan, China” following a complaint lodged by the Chinese embassy in London.

Wu later protested the change, prompting the organizers of the prize to change back the name of his country to Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]