President Tsai reaffirms Taiwan’s coronavirus-fighting commitment
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said March 19 that the government is sparing no effort in combating the global outbreak of coronavirus first reported late last year in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Taiwan has limited the initial wave of imported infections, earning international praise for its disease-fighting measures, Tsai said, adding that the people should remain resolute and refrain from hostility and mutual blame. According to Tsai, Taiwan is working with allies and like-minded partners to fight the pandemic and realize Health For All. As a responsible member of the international community, Tsai said, Taiwan is willing and able to share its experiences and contribute to global efforts aimed at managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
PERC ranks Taiwan 5th least corrupt economy in Asia-Pacific
Taiwan was ranked as the fifth least corrupt economy in the Asia-Pacific region in the Corruption Perception Index report released March 24 by Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC). The country’s score of 5.15 in the annual survey, improved from last year’s 5.37, saw it finish behind Singapore, Australia, Japan and Hong Kong. Economies evaluated in the PERC report are ranked on a scale of zero to 10, with zero the best possible result. The Agency Against Corruption under the Ministry of Justice said the index shows government efforts to root out graft are paying dividends.
MAC poll shows majority support Taiwan’s cross-strait policy
The overwhelming majority of people in Taiwan support the government’s cross-strait policy, according to a poll released by the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) March 26. Over 86 percent of respondents agree with the goal of promoting cross-strait interactions according to the principles of democracy, dialogue, equality and peace. More than 84 percent approve of maintaining the cross-strait status quo, with 45 percent viewing cross-strait interactions as proceeding at an adequate pace. In addition, over 92 percent agree only Taiwan’s 23 million people have the right to determine the country’s future and the direction of the cross-strait relationship. Conducted March 19-23 by the Election Study Center of Taipei City-based National Chengchi University, the telephone survey involved 1,089 individuals aged 20 and above countrywide. It has an error margin of 2.97 percent with a confidence level of 95 percent.
MOFA spotlights global praise for Taiwan’s efforts combating coronavirus
Taiwan’s use of timely, transparent and high-tech methods to combat coronavirus has been praised by international leaders, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) March 24. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in an interview March 15 that when it comes to the disease, her country intends to closely follow the “Taiwanese model.” This comes after Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech March 14 at his Jerusalem office. Emphasizing the need to track the virus, he announced intentions to follow similar technological methods implemented by Taiwan. In a March 18 Time magazine article titled “Taiwan Has Been Shut Out of Global Health Discussions. Its Participation Could Have Saved Lives,” former Denmark Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen described the country’s application of big data, centralized command and clear messaging as highly effective, adding that the World Health Organization needs Taiwan at the table.
US, EU to work with Taiwan on fighting coronavirus
Taiwan is set to work with the U.S. and EU on combating coronavirus, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) March 19. The Taiwan-U.S. Joint Statement on a Partnership against Coronavirus signed by MOFA Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and American Institute in Taiwan Director Brent Christensen March 18 states that both sides will share best practices and collaborate on activities including R&D of rapid tests, medicines and vaccines; contact tracing techniques and technology; joint conferences by scientists and experts; and cooperation and exchange of medical supplies and equipment. Related discussions were also held between Academia Sinica (AS) and the EU. According to AS President James C. Liao (廖俊智), Taiwan’s top research institution is ramping up virus research and will cooperate with EU member states in managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taiwan earns top rating from Freedom House
Taiwan was listed as “free” in the latest Freedom in the World report released March 4 by U.S.-based nongovernmental organization Freedom House, marking the 22nd consecutive year it has received the designation. Of the 195 countries and 15 territories around the world included in the survey, 43 percent—including Taiwan—were rated free, 32 percent as partly free and 25 percent not free. Taiwan’s total score of 93 placed second in Asia behind only Japan, 96. Hong Kong was classified as partly free at 55, while China was designated not free with a score of 10. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country’s ranking is welcome recognition from the international community, and Taiwan will continue working with like-minded partners to advance peace, stability and prosperity around the world.
Local aerospace firms secure US$2B in global orders
Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) and three other homegrown aviation sector firms secured international orders totaling US$2 billion over the next 10 years, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) March 25. State-backed AIDC, Gongin Precision Ind. Co. (GPIC), Mirle Automation Corp. (MAC) and Vision Wide Tech Co. (VWTC) will tap opportunities predominantly in the global aerospace composites market. GPIC specializes in waterjet cutting equipment; MAC, 3D laser-cutting and -drilling systems; and VWTC, ultrasonic machining. The MOEA said all four companies are positioned to take a share of this business on the back of extensive industry know-how, cutting-edge processing technology and strong international supply chain presences. The strategy going forward is to support more collaborations and ensure Taiwan grows its footprint in this niche market, the ministry added.
Premier Su approves 2nd COVID-19 relief act
Legislation comprising US$1.31 billion in business and personal relief measures aimed at dampening the economic impact in Taiwan of the global coronavirus outbreak was approved March 24 by Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌). Drafted by the Ministries of Economic Affairs, Finance, Health and Welfare, Transportation and Communications, as well as the Financial Supervisory Commission, the bill is the second of its kind for the country since the virus was first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan last year. One of the legislation’s central planks addresses the needs of small and medium enterprises in hard-hit sectors like aviation and tourism. These firms are eligible for discounted utilities, preferential and special loans, subsidies and tax reductions. The bill also takes into account difficulties encountered by the public. Remedies include deferred taxation and telephone charges, as well as reduced interest rates for home loans. Underprivileged groups, including children, the mentally and physically challenged, and older adults, can also apply for a monthly supplement for a maximum of three consecutive months.
Shipbuilding industry revenue rises over 25 percent
Taiwan’s shipbuilding industry revenues rose 25.2 percent to US$896.6 million in 2019, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) March 16. Container ships, luxury yachts and fishing vessels comprised 73 percent, 23.7 percent and 3.3 percent of earnings, respectively. An uptick in overseas orders of luxury yachts also helped drive growth, bringing in US$230 million and accounting for 57 percent of the year’s total ship exports. According to a 2018 survey conducted by the MOEA, Taiwan has 188 shipbuilding factories employing around 7,400 personnel, with nearly 60 percent of the industry based in the southern city of Kaohsiung.
Taiwan welcomes homebound investment totaling over US$500M
Applications from four Taiwan businesses to invest a total of US$509.83 million were greenlighted March 19 by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Topping the list is a local business specializing in wafer-level and thin-film optics based in northern Taiwan’s Hsinchu Science Park. The company, whose name was not released, is joined in pledging to increase domestic investment by New Taipei City-based Keding Enterprises, a leading manufacturer of wood construction materials. In addition, Sunspring Metal Corp., which turns out top-notch plumbing components, will ramp up its investment to establish two factories in Taichung City’s Central Taiwan Science Park. Following suit is golf equipment producer Fusheng Precision, headquartered in the northern city of Taoyuan.
Science parks achieve record results for 2019
Revenues at Taiwan’s three science parks rose 1.39 percent to a record NT$2.63 trillion (US$87.8 billion) in 2019, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology March 9. Hsinchu Science Park in northern Taiwan led the way with revenues of NT$1.09 trillion (US$36.3 billion), up 1.5 percent from the previous year. Although Southern Taiwan Science Park in Tainan and Kaohsiung Cities reported a drop of 6.59 percent to NT$743 billion (US$24.7 billion), this decline was offset by a 9.98 percent surge to NT$797 billion (US$26.5 billion) at Central Taiwan Science Park in Taichung City. The integrated circuit sector remained the top revenue generator at the parks, increasing 2.12 percent. Rising 94.42 percent and 38.64 percent respectively, the computing and telecommunication industries also registered impressive growth. The parks additionally delivered record combined exports, up 15.99 percent to NT$2.07 trillion (US$69 billion). Total employment similarly set a new benchmark at 280,048.
4 Taiwan restaurants named among Asia’s best
Four Taiwan eateries have made the latest list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants announced March 24 by U.K.-based William Reed Business Media. Mume, a modern Michelin-starred restaurant in Taipei City, was the highest Taiwan entry at 18th overall. Placing 26th was JL Studio, which serves unique Singaporean cuisine in the central city of Taichung. Other recipients included Taipei-based restaurants Raw, established by world-famous chef Andre Chiang, 36th; and Shoun RyuGin, featuring traditional Japanese-style set meals, 43rd.
Foreign Minister Wu talks Taiwan’s COVID-19 response on Fox Business
Taiwan’s strategy for combating coronavirus relies on a whole-of-government approach and open communication backed by the lessons learned from dealing with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), according to Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) March 24. The experience managing SARS in 2003 has helped Taiwan when compared with other countries confronting the disease, Wu said during an interview for “Mornings with Maria” on U.S.-based TV network Fox Business. According to the minister, the government started to take action in late December last year when it learned there were cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan. Measures included setting up the Central Epidemic Command Center, implementing onboard screening for passengers from the Chinese city and strengthening border checks at airports for all visitors. This is the second time Wu has appeared on an international network discussing how Taiwan is managing the pandemic, following a March 19 interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.
NCTU, TSMC unveil breakthrough for IC manufacturing
An indigenously developed advance in integrated circuit technology was unveiled by Hsinchu City-based National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) March 17 in northern Taiwan. With support from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the joint research team discovered how to synthesize single-atom-thick sheets of boron nitride. Used as an insulating layer in 2D semiconductors, the sheets are a critical step in industrywide efforts to scale down the size of transistors and increase the efficiency of ICs. The discovery was published in the March issue of Nature, one of the world’s preeminent academic journals. According to the MOST, the collaboration is a milestone in the country’s technological and scientific advancement.
Online museum offers high-tech take on Taiwan craft creativity
A recently launched online museum is showcasing top Taiwan craft creations in a virtual 3D environment as part of government efforts to heighten global awareness of the country’s rich creative pedigree. Overseen by state-backed Institute for Information Industry and National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (NTCRI) under the Ministry of Culture, the museum features an array of eye-catching bamboo, ceramic, fiber, lacquer, metal, stone and wood pieces. NTCRI Director Hsu Keng-hsiu (許耿修) said new technology is enriching the cultural lives of the people of Taiwan. It is also ensuring artistic pursuits remain unaffected by the impact of social distancing brought on by the coronavirus first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, he added. According to Hsu, NTCRI hopes it can still broaden the horizons of those undergoing self-quarantine or avoiding public spaces to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection and transmission.
Taiwan ranks 25th in World Happiness Report
Taiwan ranked first in East and Southeast Asia, as well as 25th globally for the second consecutive year, in the latest World Happiness Report released March 20 by U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Taiwan’s score rose to 6.455 out of 10, placing it third in Asia behind Israel, 14th, and the United Arab Emirates, 21st. The country outperformed Singapore, 31st; the Philippines, 52nd; Thailand, 54th; South Korea, 61st; Japan, 62nd; and China, 94th. The report is based on surveys conducted with around 1,000 residents from 153 countries and territories between 2017 and 2019 spanning indicators including gross domestic product per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption.
Nobel laureate Lee Yuan-tseh honored for human rights work
Taiwan’s Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) is one of 10 Nobel laureates appearing in a human rights photographic exhibition staged March 11 to June 1 in Washington by U.S.-based National Academy of Sciences. Lee has dedicated himself to bridging the connection between science and human rights in his leadership of scientific communities both at home and abroad, according to the Committee on Human Rights of U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. He is also celebrated for championing freedoms of association, speech and scientific practices during his presidencies of Taipei City-based Academia Sinica (AS) from 1994 to 2006 and France-based International Council for Science from 2011 to 2014, according to AS. Lee became the first laureate from Taiwan when he won the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Dudley Herschbach and John Polanyi.
Employment satisfaction among new immigrants nears 90 percent
Employment satisfaction among new immigrants to Taiwan has hit 89.8 percent, according to the results of a survey released March 11 by the Ministry of the Interior (MOI). Findings indicate that overall quality of life for respondents has been steadily improving, as reflected by growing salaries and better access to social welfare services, the MOI said. According to the survey, household income has increased by 13.9 percent, up NT$6,401 (US$213) from five years ago. The labor force participation rate remains high at 70.92 percent, a figure significantly greater than the 59.19 percent for Taiwan nationals, the MOI added. For medical coverage, 97 percent of Taiwan’s new immigrants have enrolled in the country’s National Health Insurance program, rising 7.5 percentage points from 2013. Additionally, inclusion in forms of labor insurance surged from 32.6 percent in 2013 to 55.5 percent in 2018.
Taiwan’s special municipalities earn top marks for carbon reduction
Taiwan’s six special municipalities earned a place on the 2019 Cities A List published Feb. 18 by U.K.-based Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). A total of 105 out of over 850 participating metropolitan areas around the world obtained the A ranking, with Taipei City and New Taipei City; Taoyuan City, northern Taiwan; Taichung City, central Taiwan; and Tainan and Kaohsiung Cities, southern Taiwan, all making the grade. Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung received the top distinction for the second year running. CDP is a nonprofit organization operating a global environmental disclosure system assisting thousands of companies, cities and countries in measuring and managing their environmental impact. The first City A List was released in 2018, with 7 percent of 596 achieving the highest mark.
TDRI exhibition presents evolution of Taiwan chair design
An exhibition portraying the evolution of national chair design opened March 10 at Taiwan Design Museum in Taipei City’s Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. Hosted by Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI) and homegrown DHH studio, “Sit Down Please” runs through July 5 and showcases dozens of chairs reflecting the changing aesthetics of seats spanning several generations. The exhibition is divided into three sections displaying various types of chairs manufactured over the past century in Taiwan, pieces crafted by contemporary local designers and an influential work from abroad. Among the historical pieces on show are iconic bamboo chairs of the 1930s, tulip-shaped plastic chairs of the 1950s and circular chairs of the 1960s. Thirteen of Taiwan’s top furniture designers contributed pieces to the exhibition’s contemporary works, which highlight innovations in the use of materials and manufacturing processes.
Top Taiwan short earns coveted spot in Dam Short Film Festival
“Taiwanese Cha Cha Cha” has beaten stiff competition to earn a coveted spot in the 16th Dam Short Film Festival running Feb. 13-16 in Boulder City, Nevada. The 16-minute submission explores issues of disappearing dialects and generation gaps in Taiwan’s modern society using Director Yang Yu-hui’s (楊渝惠) signature humorous touch. It previously won Best Foreign Entertainment Narrative Film in Japan’s 2019 Kadoma International Film Festival. The Dam Short Film Festival, founded in 2003, has earned a reputation for bringing entertaining and distinctive works of cinematic art no longer than 40 minutes to the silver screen. This year’s lineup will include 146 offerings spanning a range of genres such as animation, comedy, documentary, drama and horror.
Taiwan troupe set to feature in Danish percussion festival
Taiwan’s Ju Percussion Group is set to take center stage at the Percussion Pulse 2020 festival kicking off Feb. 12 in Copenhagen. The ensemble will delight festivalgoers at the Royal Danish Academy of Music’s Concert Hall Feb. 15, staging an eclectic array of pieces including “Notre-Dame de Paris,” “Solar Myth” and “Zhong Kui Marrying His Sister Off” by Taiwan composers Lin Ching-cheng (林金丞), Chang Chiung-ying (張瓊櫻) and Liu Yu-yun (劉昱昀), respectively. According to the Taipei City-based outfit, the performance combines Eastern and Western motifs through the use of a variety of contemporary and traditional techniques. This is in line with the event’s theme of “From Native to Innovative” and highlights the value of percussive instruments in an increasingly multicultural world, the group added. Established in 1986 by Ju Tzong-ching (朱宗慶), the 16-percussionist collective has staged more than 3,000 performances in 33 countries and territories, and is renowned for revolutionizing music teaching in Taiwan.
MOC minister honors winners of Taiwan-France Cultural Award in Paris
An artistic director and an academic association were honored with a joint cultural award Feb. 3 in Paris for efforts promoting folk culture and research of Taiwan in the French-speaking realm. Minister of Culture Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君) said the contributions of the awardees are strengthening Taiwan’s artistic pedigree and raising the creative profile of the country on the international stage. Robin Erik Ruizendaal was recognized for promoting Taiwanese puppetry in over 50 countries and staging more than 100 exhibitions. The artistic director of Taipei City-based Taiyuan Puppet Theatre Company said all cultural elements warrant respect and support. Francophone Association for Taiwan Studies (AFET), which has boosted academic research and cultural awareness of Taiwan in the French-speaking world since 2010, is equally praiseworthy. AFET President Jerome Soldani said the Paris-headquartered nonprofit is committed to protecting the country’s cultures, languages and society by establishing Taiwan studies as a globally distinct field.
Photos: Central News Agency, Fox Business, Institute for Information Industry, Ju Percussion Group, Liberty Times, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of the Interior, Presidential Office, Taipei City Government, Taiwan Design Research Institute and www.theworlds50best.com