Page Three

China is conducting exercises, while at the same time Taiwan is arming itself

bulgarianmilitary.com
Date: Aug 14, 2020
By: TOC 

This post was published in Defence24. The point of view expressed in this article is authorial and do not necessarily reflect BM`s editorial stance.

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WARSAW, (BM) – What has already been announced has happened, i.e. China is to make a show of strength in the course of military maneuvers, which are Beijing’s direct response to the visit of the American official delegation to Taiwan. However, the Taiwanese authorities are also not passive and indicate that an increase in the defense budget is planned for the next year.

China emphasizes that it had to take the necessary steps to secure sovereignty and security in the region. Of course, it is about the commenced military exercises within the Theater Eastern Command. They involve a number of units and are conducted near the strategic Taiwan Strait. Their military goal is to test combat readiness and the possibility of cooperation between various formations.

And a political response to the visit of the official delegation from the United States, led by the American secretary of health, to Taiwan. Beijing believes that such behavior on the part of the United States (not directly indicated, but you can safely read it) sends the wrong signals against what is known in China as “separatist forces”.

The spokesman of the local Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zhao Lijian, presented the matter clearly, neither, nor under any circumstances – e.g. the COVID19 pandemic, official US-Taiwanese relations should not take place and Beijing is strongly against them. It must be remembered that for the Chinese authorities there is no such thing as the Republic of China in Taiwan and we are dealing with the so-called a rebellious province that is part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan to boost ‘invasion’ defenses with US weapons

Cruise missiles and naval mines eyed as Taiwan plans cost-effective, lethal deterrent to a potential attack from China

Asia Times
Date: August 14, 2020
By: Dave Makichuk

Taiwanese military officials believe that naval mines could help deter Chinese invasion forces, specifically the Type 05 assault vehicle. Credit: National Interest.

If China is bent on invading Taiwan, then let it be “painful.”

At least, that’s Taiwan’s view of things, as it works with the US on strengthening its asymmetric warfare capabilities against Xi Jinping’s sabre rattling, Taiwan News reported.

Think cruise missiles and naval mines — all things to help deter an invasion by China’s military, said Taiwan’s Representative to the US, Hsiao Bi-khim.

During a video conference hosted by the Hudson Institute and Center for American Progress on Wednesday, Hsiao was asked to elaborate on Taiwan’s plans to develop its asymmetric capabilities, Taiwan News reported.

Hsiao responded by saying that the cornerstone of Taiwan’s defense is its asymmetric capabilities, which she defined as “cost-effective but lethal enough to become deterrents, to make any consideration of an invasion very painful.”    [FULL  STORY]

6 Taiwan Ghost Month taboos for hotel rooms

Remember 6 taboos to avoid ghoulish guests staying in hotel rooms during Taiwan's Ghost Month

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/08/14
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

(Pixabay photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — For those who happen to be traveling during Ghost Month (鬼月), which starts on Wednesday (Aug. 19), there are a number of do's and dont's to follow when staying in hotels to avoid uninvited ghoulish guests.

Taiwan's Ghost Month is observed in the seventh month of the lunar calendar and this year runs from Aug. 19 to Sept. 16. During this period, Taoists and Buddhists believe that the gates of hell are opened for "hungry ghosts" to roam the world of the living in search of food, money, entertainment, and possibly souls.

A "hungry ghost" is a being that has been sent to the underworld to suffer an eternal state of hunger for their misdeeds or because they were not given a proper burial. The terms "Good Brothers" (好兄弟) and "Good Sisters" (好姐妹) are considered the preferable terms to politely refer to lost souls, as opposed to "ghosts," to avoid offending them.

On Aug. 12, one week before the start of Ghost Month, well-known Taiwanese numerologist Eiffel (艾菲爾) on his Facebook page "Tarot Teacher Eiffel" (塔羅牌老師艾菲爾) posted six taboos to keep in mind to avoid random roommates when staying in hotels during this perilous period.    [FULL  STORY]

Supporters flock to rallies on eve of Kaohsiung mayoral by-election

Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/14/2020
By: Flor Wang, Hou Wen-ting and Liu Kuan-ting

Kaohsiung, Aug. 14 (CNA) The final campaign rallies of the main candidates in Saturday's mayoral by-election in Kaohsiung drew big crowds Friday night even though the outcome in the minds of many is a foregone conclusion.

Former Vice Premier Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, Li Mei-jhen (李眉蓁) of the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), and Wu Yi-jheng (吳益政) representing the Taiwan People's Party, are competing in the three-way contest.

The by-election is being held to fill the vacancy left by the KMT's Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), who was recalled and removed from the post in June after being elected in November 2018.

Chen, who lost the 2018 race by a 9 percent margin to Han, is widely viewed as the overwhelming favorite in Kaohsiung — a stronghold of the DPP, which had ruled the southern port city for 20 years before Han's election.    [FULL  STORY]

Consumer group calls for improved bus safety

STRICTER TESTS: While the Taipei City Government assesses bus operators annually, criteria on passengers’ safety are too few and insufficient, the group said

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 15, 2020
By: Lo Chi / Staff reporter

The Consumers’ Foundation yesterday called on the government to update safety regulations for public buses, after several injuries were reported over the past few months.

The foundation said that on Aug. 2, a college student in Taichung had her neck clamped by a bus door for more than 10 seconds while trying to disembark.

On June 11, National Taiwan University physics professor Chiueh Tzi-hong (闕志鴻) had his right leg clamped by a bus door, while the bus was driving, the foundation said, adding that the driver only stopped after several hundred meters.

The driver had failed to wait for Chiueh to safely board the bus through the rear door, it said.
[FULL  STORY]

Fishers from Yunlin county criticize wind turbine project

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 14, 2020
By: Hsieh Chun-lin and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Yunlin County-based fishers yesterday called on the Wpd Taiwan Energy to build its proposed offshore wind turbines farther away from coastal fishing areas and to stop threatening local fishers.

Wpd has been one of Taiwan’s major wind energy developers since it bought InfraVest Wind Power in 2016, including a projected windmill farm with 80 offshore wind turbines.

The turbines would be located in waters 8 to 17km off the nation’s west coast and produce 640 megawatts (MW), the company’s Web site showed.

The fishing industry is by no means against the national policy to transition to green energy, but the fishers demand transparency of the project, said Lee Ping-shun (李平順), chairman of a coastal fisheries association in the county.    [FULL  STORY]

VIDEO: Ammonium nitrate stored in Port of Taichung removed

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 13 August, 2020
By: Paula Chao

Twenty containers of ammonium nitrate stored in central Taiwan’s Port of Taichung have all been removed. That’s after an ammonium nitrate explosion that devastated Beirut, Lebanon last week.

On August 4, a massive explosion at the Port of Beirut in Lebanon killed at least 200 people. The blast was triggered by 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored improperly there.

The tragedy has prompted the Taiwan International Ports Corporation to check storage conditions at Taiwan’s ports. The corporation found that Pier 34 at the Port of Taichung stored the highest volume of imported ammonium nitrate in Taiwan.  

A company official says that there were 20 containers of ammonium nitrate at the site, but that all have been removed. The official says the stocks were probably intended for use in the manufacture of laughing gas, although the compound can also be used to make agricultural fertilizers.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei boosts military spending by 10 per cent

The increase is due to threats from China, which does not rule out retaking the "rebel" island by force. China holds naval exercises in the Taiwan Strait. Taipei wants to buy cruise missiles and underwater sea mines from Washington. Taiwan is among the top 30 countries in the world in terms of military capabilities.

asianews.it 
Date: 08/13/2020

Taipei (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Taiwan today announced plans to boost its military spending by more than 10 per cent next year, up to NT$ 453.4 billion (US$ 15.4 billion).

For the Taiwanese government, the increase is justified by China’s growing aggressiveness. Beijing considers the island a "rebel" province, and has not ruled out the use of force to retake it.

Recently, China carried out military exercises near the Taiwan Strait and the waters north and south of the island at the same time as US Health Secretary Alex Azar was on a visit to Taipei.

Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan’s representative in Washington, said that her country is negotiating the purchase from the United States of cruise missiles for coastal defence as well as underwater sea mines to be employed in case of an amphibious attack against her country.
[FULL  STORY]

Tips to tell real from fake Made-in-Taiwan masks

Consumers in Taiwan advised to buy masks in boxes with clear CNS labeling

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/08/13
By: Huang Tzu-ti, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Packages of certified medical masks in Taiwan (CNA photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — With mask fraud rife in Taiwan amid robust demand, methods have emerged to determine whether a mask offers protection against COVID-19.

Certified medical masks will be sold in boxes with clear labeling that says “CNS 14774," said Taiwanese pharmacist Shen Tsai-ying (沈采穎). The code means the protective gear is effective in filtering out droplets, aerosolized bacteria and particles, as well as body fluids, according to a guideline published by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration.

While many people tend to distinguish real from fake masks with the embossed “Made in Taiwan” characters on them, Shen cautioned that the method no longer works, as phonies are found to bear the same stamp, wrote CNA. Not every mask manufactured by members of the “national mask team of Taiwan” is embossed with the characters, she added.

Consumers are reminded not to confuse masks labeled as CNS 14774 with ones that come with other certification codes. For example, CNS 14755 denotes the ability to keep dust away while CNS 14756 suggests the use of activated carbon filters, but neither are the two types able to block germs or viruses, wrote Heho.    [FULL  STORY]

Indigenous culture at core of new tourism drive on Alishan

Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/13/2020
By: Tsai Chih-ming and intern Grace Hu

Photo courtesy of the Alishan National Scenic Area Administration

Taipei, Aug. 13 (CNA) A series of new tour packages for the Alishan National Scenic Area will feature immersion in the culture of the indigenous Tsou people, who live in the mountains of southeastern Taiwan, the area's administration said Wednesday.

The packages will be promoted as "momaemaezo holiday trips," meaning learning tours, and will offer visitors an opportunity to not only enjoy the natural beauty of Alishan but also gain a firsthand experience of the Tsou tribe's way of life, the Alishan National Scenic Area Administration (ANSAA) said.

One package, for example, offers a four-day stay in a Tsou village and includes a traditional carpentry workshop, at which the participants will learn to craft handmade wood signs, the ANSAA said.

Other special attractions in the tours include feeding Formosan sika deer and stargazing, it said.    [FULL  STORY]