Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/12/31
By: Ku Chuan and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Dec. 31 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) approval rating fell for the third

consecutive month in December, possibly because of her passive response in the face of Chinese military maneuvers near Taiwan, according to poll results released on Sunday.

Tsai’s approval rating was 35.9 percent at year’s end, down 2.7 percentage points from the 38.6 percent support she received in November, the survey by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation found.

A total of 46.6 percent of respondents disapproved of the president’s performance in leading the country in December, according to the survey.

You Ying-lung (游盈隆), chairman of the Taipei-based group that has monitored Tsai’s approval rating since she took office in May 2016, attributed the fall to Tsai’s reaction to repeated long-distance training missions by Chinese military aircraft and vessels near Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) this year.   [FULL  STORY]

Los Angeles Times
Date: Dec 29, 2017 
By: Ralph Jennings

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said Friday she would raise the defense budget and develop

more domestically manufactured weapons as its powerful political rival China steps up military test flights just offshore.

The island will increase defense spending with a focus on building military hardware such as a multifunctional drone, Tsai told a news conference at a defense research center near the capital, Taipei.

“Taiwan may not be big, but we are very determined to defend our country,” Tsai said.

“Here, I solemnly pledge that we will continue to increase our defense budget on a stable and reasonable basis each year.”    [FULL  STORY]

Percentage of the population over 12 using the internet has risen from 62 percent to 82 percent since 2005

Taiwan News 
Date: 2017/12/30
By: Duncan DeAeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan internet usage by citizens over 12 years old has surged by

20 percent over the past 12 years according to recent reports, jumping from 62.7 percent to 82.3 percent from the years 2005 to 2017.

The results of surveys carried out by the National Development Council (NDC), released on Friday Dec. 29 revealed the huge leap in Taiwanese internet usage, reports CNA.

The years between surveys mark the turn from a previous generation of cell-phones, to the current smart-phone age, and with the expanding internet of things (IoT) the rate of internet usage in Taiwan is likely to climb even higher in the years ahead.

The survey indicated that household use of the internet rose 2.6 percent in 2017 from the previous year 2016.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/12/30
By: Liu Lee-jung and Kuan-lin Liu

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) The number of people traveling to and from Taiwan in the first 11

months of 2017 was up slightly from last year, helped by a sizable increase in visitors from Southeast Asia, Ministry of the Interior figures released Saturday showed.

According to the ministry’s statistics, there were a total of 48.17 million travelers who departed from and arrived in Taiwan from Jan. 1 to Nov. 30 this year, up 4.1 percent from the same period of 2016.

Just over three-quarters of those travelers (75.35 percent) entered or exited Taiwan through Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, ministry figures showed.

Of the 24.08 million people who entered Taiwan, 9.62 million were foreign nationals, of which 25.81 percent were from China, 17.78 percent were from Japan and 15.74 percent were from Hong Kong and Macao.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 31, 2017
By: Sean Lin  /  Staff reporter

Premier William Lai (賴清德) on Friday said he hopes that proposed amendments to the

Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法), Income Tax Act (所得稅法) and the general budget will be passed during an extraordinary legislative session that is to begin on Friday next week.

Lai made the remarks during a visit to the Legislative Yuan late in the evening to thank Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators for their work, as the day marked the end of the regular legislative session.

Earlier in the day, DPP caucus members during a luncheon with Lai agreed to hold a cross-caucus negotiation on Wednesday to discuss the agenda for the extraordinary legislative session.

Aside from the Labor Standards Act, Income Tax Act and general budget, the DPP also made plans to review the Act of Irrigation Association Organization (農田水利會組織通則) and a proposal that would give lawmakers the right of investiture for Control Yuan members to be nominated by President Tsai Ying-wen (蔡英文) to fill vacancies left by members named by former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in 2014.    [FULL  STORY]

RT.com
Date: 29 Dec, 2017 14:27
By: Michael Weberberger / Global Look Press

Scientists have found a shark with both male and female reproductive organs in waters off

the coast of Taiwan.

The spadenose shark was caught by a fishing trawler in the strait between Taiwan and China in January. After spotting a pair of penis-like appendages known as claspers near its pelvic fin, marine biologists judged the 50cm-long (1.6ft) fish to be an adult male. However, an internal examination revealed that the shark had male and female reproductive tracts as well as a pair of ovotestes, an organ that produces both eggs and sperm.

The study, published in the journal Marine and Coastal Fisheries by scientists from Xiamen University in China, also showed how germ cells from both sexes were found inside the shark, meaning it could, theoretically, play the male or female role in reproduction. Intersex sharks discovered previously have had only partially-formed reproductive organs.
[FULL  STORY]

Ms Chew, 37, tried to jump from a multistorey carpark in Taiwan’s Taoyuan city on Dec 28, 2017.

The Straits Times
Date: 29 December 2017
By: Lydia Lam

A Singaporean woman who flew to Taiwan to meet her online lover tried to commit suicide

by jumping from a multistorey carpark when he failed to turn up, according to Taiwanese media reports.

The Straits Times understands that the 37-year-old woman is surnamed Chew and that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is aware of the case.

The incident occurred at around 12.30pm on Thursday (Dec 28) in Taiwan’s Taoyuan city, at a multistorey carpark in Zhongli District’s Yanping Road, Shin Min Daily News reported on Friday.

She was reportedly standing on the parapet at the roof of the five-storey-high carpark.

Taiwan’s Apple Daily news site said the police received a call about the incident and rushed to the scene, along with the civil defence force, which dispatched a fire engine equipped with stairs.    [FULL  STORY]

The News Lens
Date: 2017/12/29
By: William Yang

Tainan’s focus on preserving its traditional Taiwanese architecture is a beacon of hope in an ocean of soulless modernity.

Tainan has long been known for its authentic representation of Taiwanese cuisine and culture, and many are now starting to appreciate its dedication to preserving Taiwan’s architectural tradition as well. A tour through the historic part of Tainan can give you a clear idea why the city tops the list of must-visit places for many tourists. The antique-looking balcony of many residential houses and the city’s historic temples are some of the best examples of Taiwan’s architectural excellence.

Instead of randomly erecting a modern-looking skyscraper in the middle of some of Tainan’s most prominent historic sites, the city government keeps the area close to its original look by maintaining iconic architectural flourishes in many historic buildings. The result is that the whole area retains a coherent look and feel that is not spoiled by modern buildings unexpectedly disrupting the view.

If you visit Tainan, don’t miss the chance to wander among its densely packed historic temples. A few uniquely Taiwanese architectural features can be spotted on the way, including dominant red coloring, colorful dragon sculptures, and golden decorations on censors. They reflect the depth of Taiwan’s architectural tradition while showcasing the unique taste, aesthetic perception and design concepts that run through Taiwan’s architectural history.

Many of these traditional elements are slowly disappearing; replaced by modern, and less distinctly Taiwanese architecture but Tainan remains a living example of how Taiwanese cities can build a positive reputation among tourists through an emphasis on cultural traditions. If we focus on highlighting the cultural traditions that are uniquely Taiwanese, we may have a better chance of earning more positive recognition that could eventually help us cope with the growing international alienation.    [FULL  STORY]