Record-breaking Wang Yeh boat burning ceremony held in Tainan’s Jiali District

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/02/22
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Jiali Jintang Temple in Tainan’s Jiali District held the rare

Wang Yeh boat burning ceremony this morning at 10 a.m., breaking a record for the number of offerings given.

Once every three years, and after a few days of pilgrimage, a large boat, called a wangchuan (王船, king boat), is burned on a massive pyre of joss paper as an offering to Wen Shen (瘟神), a deity responsible for curing illness, plague and disease. Wen Shen is one of the large pantheon of spiritual emissaries known as Wang Ye (王爺信仰) worshiped in Chinese folk religion.

The vessel burned today was typical in size for a wangchuan at about 23 feet in length, 9 feet wide, and with a 25-foot-tall mast. However, the 11,000 packages donated by worshipers filled firewood, rice, oil, salt, and other offerings broke a local record, reported CNA.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/02/22
By: Yang Shu-min and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Feb. 22 (CNA) Another poultry farm in Taiwan was confirmed Wednesday to be

infected with avian flu, bringing the total number to 33, according to the Council of Agriculture (COA).

The latest infection was found on a farm in Yunlin County, one of the hardest hit areas, the COA said.

The other areas where bird flu outbreaks have been confirmed are Chiayi, Changhua, Yilan and Hualien counties and Tainan City, according to the COA.

Whenever a farm is found to be infected, all of its birds are usually culled, and the number destroyed so far has reached 281,410, the COA said.   [FULL  STORY]

‘HIJACKED MEMORIAL’:China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said the 228 Incident was a ‘just action’ against dictatorship and ‘part of the Chinese people’s liberation struggle’

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 23, 2017
By: Reuters, BEIJING

China yesterday described 228 Incident protests as a ploy by Taiwanese independence

forces to hijack commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the massacre.

The 228 Incident has become a rallying point for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which favors formal independence for the nation.
Then-president Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) troops put down rioting sparked on Feb. 27, 1947, by a dispute between tobacco mnonpoly agents and an illegal cigarette vendor in Taipei.

The number “228” refers to the day the slaughter began in earnest.

It led to nationwide protests against the KMT, which two years later took refuge in Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War against the Chinese Communist Party and imposed martial law until 1987.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: February 23, 2017
By: Kuan-lin Liu

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Urban renewal for the “Justice Country House” (正義國宅) can

officially get underway after the signing of the syndicated loan to fund its reconstruction took place on Wednesday.

The rebuilding of the Judicial Country House, a development of traditional significance located in Daan District, is the brainchild of construction companies Longlin Construction Co., Ltd. and Shanyuan Group, who have been working on renewal plans for the past 20 years.

Representatives from lead arrangers of the loan, including the Land Bank of Taiwan (LBOT), Taishin International Bank, Mega International Commercial Bank, Hua Nan Bank and Cathay United Bank, were all present at the ceremonial signing on Wednesday to witness the historic moment.

NT$12.09 Billion

LBOT Chairwoman Joanne Ling (凌忠嫄), Longlin Construction’s Chairman Yeh Sung-nien (葉松年), and Shanyuan Group’s Chairman Wang Kuang-hsiang (王光祥) signed copies of the contract which granted the construction companies a loan of NT$12.09 billion for the renewal project.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-02-21

The government is considering whether to extend its seven-day ban on the transport

and slaughter of birds to stop the spread of an avian flu outbreak. The ban is set to end at midnight Thursday.

Deputy agriculture minister Chen Chi-chung said a decision will depend on developments over the next two days.

“If developments concerning the outbreak are positive over the next two days, we can take more relaxed measures,”said Chen. “But more active measures will be needed if the situation gets worse. There was a meeting with specialists yesterday. The regulation calls for three days of observation to make a decision. We will make a final call on Thursday.”

Meanwhile, no new cases of H5N6 bird flu had been confirmed as of Tuesday afternoon. There have been 34 confirmed cases to date and more than 220,000 birds have been culled to prevent the spread of the virus.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan receives 73% favorable ratings, compared to China’s 50%

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/02/21
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan is the seventh most favorite country among Americans,

according to a survey by the Gallup polling organization.

The latest poll ranked 21 countries and territories according to their popularity with the public in the United States between February 1 and 5, the company said.

“North Korea remains least popular country among Americans,” the article on its website headlines, with Canada, Great Britain and Japan leading the list. Countries with a rating of more than 80 percent are considered to be the “most favorable” group, which also includes France and Germany.

The top country with a “favorable” image is India with 74 percent, with Taiwan following close behind at 73 percent, ahead of Israel and the Philippines with 71 percent each.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/02/21
By: Chung Jung-feng and Elaine Hou

Taipei, Feb. 21 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) pledged Tuesday that the

government will make every effort to boost the development of smart cities in Taiwan and will work closely with local governments to improve the quality of life for the people, at the opening of the 2017 Smart City Summit and Expo.

There are all kinds of possibilities in the development of smart cities, she said, adding that through the framework of the Internet of Things (IoT) that will help collect big data in various areas, the government will be able to better address transportation, public security, public health and pollution issues.

Meanwhile, long-term care, food safety management systems, energy efficiency and disaster monitoring are areas upon which the government should focus when developing smart cities, she said.    [FULL  STORY]

YOUNG SHARPSHOOTERS:The defense ministry said senior-high school students who perform well in firearms training will be eligible for special training from snipers

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 22, 2017
By: Chen Wei-han / Staff reporter

The Ministry of National Defense yesterday denied reports that it would make a military

exercise scheduled in May a large-scale operation to mark the anniversary of President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) inauguration.

Plans for a large-scale military exercise in May as part of the annual Han Kuang exercises — including a missile test at a military base in Pingtung County — were to coincide with the anniversary of Tsai’s inauguration and to raise public awareness of national defense, local media reported.

However, Minister of National Defense Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) denied that the ministry planned to expand the scope of exercises.

“The scope of the exercise will not be expanded,” Feng said at a legislative session.
[FULL  STORY]