Radio Taiwan Inernational
Date: 08 December, 2020
By: Paula Chao

Taiwan has reported two new imported cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number to 718.

The spokesman for the Central Epidemic Command Center, Chuang Jen-hsiang, said one case involves an Indonesian migrant worker in her 20s. She arrived in Taiwan on November 23, with a negative test result taken three days prior to boarding. While she has since developed no symptoms, the test taken Monday came back positive Tuesday.    [FULL  STORY]

The Hill
Date: 12/08/20 08
By: Zack Budryk

Chinese officials on Tuesday blasted the U.S. over a new round of sanctions against Beijing officials and an additional sale of military hardware to Taiwan, which China does not recognize as independent.

The announced sanctions apply to 14 Chinese lawmakers and bars them from either traveling to the U.S. or using its financial system, according to The Associated Press. It comes in the wake of the passage of a Hong Kong national security law that international critics have said significantly erodes the city’s autonomy.

Washington previously applied similar sanctions to Chinese and Hong Kong officials over both the national security law and human rights abuses against the predominantly Muslim Uighur ethnic minority.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China would respond to the sanctions with “resolute and forceful countermeasures and resolutely defend its sovereignty, security and development interests,” according to the AP.    [FULL  STORY]

Proposed sale marks 11th arms deal to Taiwan under Trump administration

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/12/08
By: Eric Chang, Taiwan News, Contributing Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale of a Field Information Communications System (FICS) and related equipment to Taiwan for an estimated cost of US$280 million.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the possible sale on Monday (Dec. 7), according to a DSCA press release. The arms package includes 154 communications nodes (CN) with S-788 Type III shelter, 24 communication relays with S-788 Type III shelter, eight network management systems (NMS) with S-788 Type III shelter, Basic Issue Items (BII), communication support equipment, equipment integration, tools and test equipment, and other related elements of technical, engineering, equipment, logistics, and program support.    [FULL  STORY]

NEW US LEADERSHIP: Alicia Wang said Joe Biden has indicated that until the US solves domestic problems, it would not sign new trade deals with other countries

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 09, 2020
By: Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporter

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday urged the government to rescind its decision to allow imports of US pork containing traces of ractopamine, saying that the policy might not lead to a trade agreement.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Aug. 28 announced that from Jan. 1 Taiwan would set permissible residue levels of the animal feed additive in imported pork, and ease restrictions on imports of beef from US cattle aged 30 months or older.

The decision was “based on our national economic interests and consistent with our overall strategic goals for the future,” Tsai said at the time.

KMT Culture and Communications Committee director-general Alicia Wang (王育敏) told a news conference in Taipei yesterday that US president-elect Joe Biden indicated in an interview that until the US solves its domestic labor, education and economic problems, it would not sign any new trade agreements with other countries.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 07 December, 2020
By: Andrew Ryan

A bus attendant welcomes a passenger on board the Jinma Express.[/caption] Taiwan’s Central Cross-Island Highway turns 60 years old this year. It travels through the most mountainous part of Taiwan, making it an incredibly difficult road to build. In fact, more than 200 people died during the four years it took to construct. 

Today, there are parts of the road that are only accessible by bus, due to landslides. So to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the highway, one local bus company has come up with a nostalgic way for people to experience this remote part of Taiwan. 

There used to be a saying in Taiwan: in the skies, you have China Airlines, and on the ground you have the Jinma Express. And for many people, it was the impeccably dressed bus attendants who left an impression. They were a fixture of the Jinma Express ever since it began offering long-distance service in Taiwan in 1959. 

Now, on the 60th anniversary of the Central Cross-Island Highway, one local bus company is bringing back the attendants! They hired four students from a local university, and one of the original bus attendants to train them.     [FULL  STORY]

• A man has been fined £2,650 in Taiwan for breaking coronavirus restrictions 
• He had been quarantining when he stepped out of his hotel room for 8 seconds 
• Hotel staff contacted the Department of Health after reviewing CCTV footage  

Dai0ly Mail Online
Date: 7 December 2020.
By: Sophie Tanno

A man has been fined £2,650 in Taiwan for breaking coronavirus restrictions for eight seconds. 

The man, a migrant worker from the Philippines, had been quarantining in a hotel in Kaohsiung City. 

Under the country's Covid-19 rules, people in quarantine are not allowed to leave their hotel rooms, regardless of the length of time. 

A man has been fined £2,650 in Taiwan for breaking coronavirus restrictions for eight seconds. Stock image above 

The man stepped out of his room into the hallway for eight seconds in an incident which was caught on CCTV.     [FULL  STORY]

.Police officer calmly watches as Asian giant hornet bites into his ear

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/12/07
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A police officer on Saturday (Dec. 5) was attacked by an Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia), which bit into his ear before he was able to kill the murderous marauder.

While patrolling the Dajia River Power Plant in Taichung City's Heping District at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning, Chang Wen-yung (張文勇), 51, came upon an Asian giant hornet, known in Taiwan as a “tiger head bee” (虎頭蜂), which suddenly landed on his left ear — its venomous stinger positioned precariously close to his temple.

According to his account of the harrowing encounter posted on Facebook on Sunday (Dec. 6), Chang wrote that he could hear the buzzing sound of the hornet but he dared not swipe or bat his ear as he feared this would provoke the insect to begin relentlessly stinging him. He said the creature then began to chew into the cartilage next to his ear canal.

He wrote that he walked into a bathroom in order to get a better look at where the beast was positioned. The hulking Hymenoptera continued to chomp on his ear for approximately five minutes as Chang calmly recorded the assault with his smartphone.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 12/07/2020
By: Emerson Lim

Taipei, Dec. 7 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday thanked the departing Australian envoy to Taiwan Gary Cowan for his contributions to Taiwan-Australia relations and pledged that Taiwan will stand by Australia in difficult times.

Tsai made the remarks when she received Cowan, who is ending his tour of duty in Taiwan next month, at the Presidential Office.

"On behalf of the people and government of Taiwan, I want to thank you for your hard work and contributions to Taiwan-Australia relations," she said.

Tsai recalled that she has met Cowan at many events over the past two years, reflecting the close cooperation between the two sides in a broad range of areas, especially in the energy sector.    [FULL  STORY]