Page Three

First flight from Nantong to Taipei takes place

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-23
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The first direct flight from China’s Nantong Xingdong International

First flight from Nantong to Taipei takes place.

First flight from Nantong to Taipei takes place.

Airport in Jiangsu Province to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport took place Wednesday.

Shenzhen Airlines, currently the only airline to operate the route, will initially sell tickets with special prices. For example, a round-trip ticket if booked 21 days in advance sells for RMB 1,000 (about NT$ 5,000, taxes not included).

To celebrate the occasion, Shenzhen Airlines female flight attendants danced to the tune of the famous Taiwan folk song “Green High Mountain” and other songs at the Nantong airport before the plane took off at 8:40 AM. The flight takes about 100 minutes.     [FULL  STORY]

Presidential candidates concerned with ward chief rights, benefits

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/23
By: Chen Chun-hua, Sophia Yeh, Claudia Liu and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Dec. 23 (CNA) The rights and benefits of village and ward 28449157chiefs, the lowest-ranking elected representatives of the people in Taiwan, drew the attention of the three presidential candidates Wednesday, with each promising to make improvements if elected.

In a meeting with village and ward chiefs from around Taiwan, James Soong (宋楚瑜) of the People First Party (PFP) said that if elected, he will seek to endow them with “the legal rights they deserve.”

The position definition of village and ward chiefs is vague, causing controversy over whether they are part of the public service system or representatives of the people.

Because of this uncertainty, village and ward chiefs are often driven to walk close to the edge of the law, complained Chen Chien-liang (陳建良), head of the Federation of Village and Ward Chiefs’ Unions, at the meeting with Soong and the presidential candidates of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) and opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).     [FULL  STORY]

Deaf artist wins inaugural Hsinchu City photo contest

Taiwan Today
Date: December 23, 2015

Pan Ting-jung, a deaf painter turned lensman, was awarded a trophy

Pan Ting-jung’s touching train station-themed series is worthy winner of the inaugural Hsinchu City Love Photo Shooting competition. (Courtesy of Hsinchu City Government)

Pan Ting-jung’s touching train station-themed series is worthy winner of the inaugural Hsinchu City Love Photo Shooting competition. (Courtesy of Hsinchu City Government)

and cash prize of NT$100,000 (US$3,030) as winner of Hsinchu City’s inaugural Love Photo Shooting competition Dec. 23.

With Hsinchu Station as the theme of his four-piece series, Pan depicts commonly seen aspects at the historic facility in northern Taiwan—passengers waiting on the platform, ticket gates, an approaching train and nearby nighttime street scenes—to convey the mood of travelers.

“Pan’s work demonstrates good pictures can transcend various obstacles in life while capturing the artistic beauty of the moment,” said chief panel judge Chen Wen-pin, a retired high school teacher who has documented the sights of Hsinchu with photos over the years.

Graduated from National Taiwan Academy of Arts, the forerunner of National Taiwan University of Arts, Pan used to work in advertising and animation. He was also a frequent winner of numerous painting contests.     [FULL  STORY]

Huang furious over ‘anti-China posturing’ story

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 24, 2015
By: Alison Hsiao  /  Staff reporter

New Power Party legislative candidate Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday blasted a report by China Times Weekly magazine alleging that his “anti-China stance is all fake, as his father-in-law has made grand investments in Shandong, China.”

The story said that while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led green camp has been slamming Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) over his father-in-law’s investments in China’s agricultural industry and his alleged exporting of Taiwanese agricultural technology to China, “[DPP presidential candidate] Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) should demand that the green camp hold Huang, whom Tsai supports, to the same standards and examine his father-in-law’s business.”

According to the report, Huang’s father-in-law, Kao Hsi-chih (高熙治), has invested more than NT$100 million (US$3.02 million) in Shandong Province’s ecological agriculture park, which was publicly lauded by the Chinese media in 2007.

“It makes one wonder how Huang, who is famous for manipulating anti-Chinese sentiment and Taiwanese independence ideology, views his father-in-law’s investments,” the report said.     [FULL  STORY]

Six most romantic Christmas decorations in greater Taipei area

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-22
By: Chen Wei-ting, Stephanie Low, Central News Agency

A giant Christmas tree situates inside Taipei railway station.

Six most romantic Christmas decorations in greater Taipei area.

Six most romantic Christmas decorations in greater Taipei area.

Christmas is just around the corner. Here are where you can find the six most romantic Christmas decorations in the greater Taipei area.

The Westin Taipei The hotel located on Nanjing East Road has spent NT$3 million creating a 100-meter “Christmas boulevard” using 100,000 LED light bulbs.

Christmasland, New Taipei The central feature is a 360-degree 3D label flash Christmas tree.

Fu Jen Catholic University The university is the school with the best Christmas atmosphere in Taiwan, with Christmas decorations beginning to appear in the university in November.     [FULL  STORY]

Water park explosion top Yahoo Kimo news story of year

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/22
By: Jeffrey Wu and Christie Chen

Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) A fiery explosion that claimed 15 lives and 201512220040t0001injured hundreds at the Formosa Fun Coast Water Park in New Taipei in June has been selected by web portal Yahoo Kimo as Taiwan’s top news event of 2015.

The Yahoo Kimo News App released its list of the year’s top 10 news stories Tuesday, with second place going to the historic meeting between President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in November.

Third place went to the adulterated cooking oil scandal involving Ting Hsin International Group (頂新集團), in which group executives were acquitted by a district court in November due to a lack of evidence.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipower unveils top 10 electricity pylon designs

Taiwan Today
Date: December 22, 2015

Taiwan Power Co. revealed the winners of an inaugural electricity

Cheng Wen-cheng’s winning design for an electricity pylon combines the beauty of trees with indigenous Atayal tribal culture. (Courtesy of Taipower)

Cheng Wen-cheng’s winning design for an electricity pylon combines the beauty of trees with indigenous Atayal tribal culture. (Courtesy of Taipower)

pylon design competition Dec. 21, underscoring the state-run utility’s commitment to reducing the visual impact of its transmission lines.

Ten designs beat out 23 other submissions to claim cash prizes totaling NT$520,000 (US$15,717). They were honored by Taipower President Chu Wen-chen during a ceremony in Taipei City.

Cheng Wen-cheng, assistant professor of multimedia design at New Taipei City-based Chihlee University of Technology, took first place and NT$100,000 with an entry shaped like a pine tree incorporating the bow and arrow of Taiwan’s indigenous Atayal tribe.

A regular winner of local design competitions, Cheng said his work is inspired by Austronesian cultural heritage and the natural beauty of Yilan County in northeastern Taiwan—the site for the pylons.     [FULL  STORY]

Politicians’ ‘servility’ condemned

Taipei Times
Date:  Dec 23, 2015
By: Hsiao Ting-fang, Tu Chu-min and Jonathan Chin  /  Staff reporters, with staff writer

Labor activists yesterday rallied to protest a meeting between Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and representatives from major manufacturing and business groups, billing it as a “job interview” that indicates the “servility” of the nation’s politicians to corporations and their indifference to workers’ rights.

More than 30 protesters from the Workers’ Struggle Alliance — a coalition of labor groups, including the National Alliance for Workers of Closed Factories, the National Highway Toll Collectors’ Self-Help Association and others — protested outside the meeting at the Howard Plaza Hotel in Taipei.

“The ‘Ing clique’ gives workers phony forms, the job interview is servile,” the protesters chanted.

Workers’ Struggle member Lu Chih-hung (盧其宏) said that Tsai’s labor platform is “hollow,” and that Tsai and her party have repeatedly ignored the demands of labor groups, citing as an example the DPP’s absence from the Workers’ National Conference last month and the faltering negotiations over the presidential debate on Monday next week.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Library must pay violinist NT$1.67 m. after finger accident

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/21
By: Page Tsai and Lilian Wu

Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) The Taipei District Court ruled Monday that the Taipei Public Library should pay NT$1.67 million (US$50,760) in compensation to a violinist after a faulty gate on its premises cut her finger.

According to the plaintiff, surnamed Chiang, who is a professional violinist and pianist, she was invited to perform at the library in September 2013. But as she was preparing to step out of the room to perform, the gate immediately closed after being opened, injuring her right hand.

She was forced to have part (指節) of her thumb amputated, while her second finger suffered a fracture.

She later filed a lawsuit to ask for compensation of NT$1.87 million, including her medical bills.

The library said at that time that the gate was functioning normally and that there was no management or facility negligence. Moreover, security personnel did not see Chiang seeking medical treatment.     [FULL  STORY]

MOE high school education forum concludes in Taipei

Taiwan Today
Date: December 21, 2015

A Ministry of Education-staged secondary school forum wrapped up Dec. 20

Participants in an MOE-hosted secondary school forum give the thumbs-up to enhanced communication on key education issues Dec. 20 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of MOE)

Participants in an MOE-hosted secondary school forum give the thumbs-up to enhanced communication on key education issues Dec. 20 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of MOE)

in Taipei City, further expanding communication channels between the government and students.

The two-day event brought together 20 experts, officials and teachers, as well as 100 high school and vocational students, from around Taiwan to discuss the key topics of career and curriculum planning, civic awareness and social participation, multiculturalism and globalization, and smart life solutions and technology development.

Education Minister Wu Se-hwa said the forum serves as a valuable platform for students to voice different opinions. “It also helps them develop independent thinking and glimpse their potential on the road to a bright future.”

Echoing Wu’s remarks, Huang Tzu-teng, director-general of K-12 Education Administration under the MOE, said the forum breaks down the barriers to intergenerational dialogue. “By springboarding off this positive collaboration, we hope to draft policies more in line with the expectations of students.”     [FULL  STORY]