Children’s bicycle seat safety urged
Bicycles to carry children should have passed the TBIS007 safety inspection, the ministry said. Child safety seats to be installed on bicycles should also pass Taiwan’s CNS15978 national safety standard, the ministry said. That means there are 24 combinations of bike and seat, he said, adding that the information on certified bicycles and seats can be viewed on the center’s Web site at www.vscc.org.tw. All of the certified bicycles are made by Taiwanese manufacturer Giant, with prices ranging from NT$7,000 to NT$40,000. Certified seats are made by Bobike and Irbani, with costs varying from NT$3,000 to NT$8,000.
Source:Taipei Times
March 09, 2021 16:06 UTC
New book tells story of how 40 asteroids were named
The book, titled The Story of Asteroids (小行星的故事), aims to draw attention to the nation’s spirit and values, the university said. Guests pose at a launch event for a book titled The Stories of Asteroids at National Central University in Taipei on Monday. The asteroids discovered by the observatory are valuable assets for Taiwan, as according to International Astronomical Union rules, asteroids may be named by those who discover them, Ip added. The naming process can take from one to 10 years, Lin said, adding that all literature mentioning the celestial bodies would use those names. Before beginning the naming process, applicants must first prove an asteroid’s existence and plot its precise orbital path, Jou said.
Source:Taipei Times
March 09, 2021 16:06 UTC
A taste of sake
Beijing’s vaccine program could harm Taiwan: expertPOSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: As China attempted to promote its national image through humanitarian aid, its targets include New Southbound Policy countries, an expert said China’s “vaccine diplomacy,” which has become central to its foreign policy this year, might hamper Taiwan’s efforts to build relations with developing countries, an expert said. “China, as one of the few countries other than the United Kingdom and the United States to have produced a COVID-19 vaccine, will certainly use that as a diplomatic tool,” said Kung Shan-son (龔祥生), an assistant research fellow at the government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research. Beijing’s major goals in its “vaccine diplomacy” are to promote its national image through humanitarian aid and to solidify its relations with countries that are included in its
Source:Taipei Times
March 09, 2021 16:06 UTC
Year’s first local typhoid fever infection reported
Year’s first local typhoid fever infection reportedHOSPITALIZED: A teenager has since last month sought treatment for her symptoms, before being diagnosed with typhoid fever on Tuesday last week, an official saidBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported this year’s first indigenous typhoid fever case in Taiwan. Centers for Disease Control Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei reports this year’s first case of typhoid fever at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. As the symptoms did not abate, the girl was referred to another hospital for further examination on Tuesday last week and was diagnosed with typhoid fever, Guo said. Typhoid fever is transmitted by consuming raw or undercooked food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, he said. To prevent typhoid fever infection, people should frequently wash their hands with soap and water — especially before meals and after using the toilet — avoid drinking untreated water and avoid eating raw or undercooked food, Lin added.
Source:Taipei Times
March 09, 2021 16:06 UTC
MOFA urges dialogue on cross-strait issues
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki takes a question from a journalist during a daily press briefing at the White House in Washington on Monday. Photo: ReutersOu urged Beijing to face the reality of cross-strait relations, respect the opinions of Taiwanese and consider gestures of goodwill to improve bilateral relations. Promoting constructive dialogue and interaction should be prioritized to protect the welfare of people across the Strait, gradually resolve bilateral divergence and open a new page of cross-strait peace, Ou said. Ou also thanked Washington for continuing to support Taiwan, after White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Monday reaffirmed the US’ commitment to Taiwan. We maintain our longstanding commitments, as outlined in the Three Communiques, the Taiwan Relations Act and the ‘six assurances,’ and we will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability,” Psaki told a news briefing.
Source:Taipei Times
March 09, 2021 15:56 UTC
Politicians decry violence, push for a crackdown
Police officers gather evidence from the crime scene of a shooting yesterday evening near Jioucyutang Railway Station in Kaohsiung. The main suspect, a 64-year-old man surnamed Fang (方), was arrested yesterday. He allegedly tried to shoot Chien, but the bullets hit Chien’s two friends, surnamed Liu (劉) and Wu (吳), who were mediating the dispute, police said. In Nantou County’s Puli Township (埔里), a man surnamed Huang (黃) allegedly stabbed a woman to death yesterday, police said. The woman died of her wounds, while Huang was still in intensive care at press time last night, police said.
Source:Taipei Times
March 08, 2021 16:07 UTC
KMT to hand referendum signatures to CEC today
KMT to hand referendum signatures to CEC todayBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) today plans to submit to the Central Election Commission (CEC) signatures it has collected backing its petitions to hold referendums on imported pork containing racotpamine residue and when referendums should take place, the party said yesterday. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang, second right, and members of the KMT Women’s Department prepare bromelain, an enzyme extract derived from pineapples, to mark International Women’s Day and promote domestic pineapples in Taipei yesterday. The Referendum Act (公民投票法) stipulates that referendums from this year are to be held once every two years on the fourth Saturday of August. The two petitions have each garnered more than 700,000 signatures, Chiang announced in Taipei at an event organized by the KMT Women’s Department to mark International Women’s Day. Chiang and Lin would take the signatures from the KMT’s headquarters in Taipei and deliver them to the commission’s offices by car this morning, the KMT said.
Source:Taipei Times
March 08, 2021 16:07 UTC
Monsoon to bring some rain, colder temperatures
Cloudy skies are forecast in the plains of central and southern Taiwan, the bureau said. The bureau forecast the monsoon to become strong again on Friday and to affect the nation until Sunday. Reservoirs in central and southern Taiwan are in the mountainous areas, which would not receive significant rainfall until the plum rain season, which is in May and June, Cheng said. Because of a strong subtropical system, spring rain this year would mostly fall on the plains, which worsens the water shortage problem, Cheng said. “A regional high-pressure system is hovering above southern Taiwan at the moment, which helps stabilize the weather and makes it less likely to rain,” he said.
Source:Taipei Times
March 08, 2021 16:07 UTC
Pro baseball starts on Saturday, when Lions meet Brothers
Pro baseball starts on Saturday, when Lions meet BrothersBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterTaiwan leads world baseball again this year, with the CPBL set to start the season on Saturday, ahead of other leagues. The opener comes before the start of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball on March 26, US Major League Baseball on April 1 and South Korea’s Korea Baseball Organization League on April 3. CPBL commissioner Tsai Chi-chang, back row center, baseball players and cheerleaders attend a news conference on Sunday in Tainan to promote the start of the new CPBL season on Saturday. Regarding the slogan, Tsai said it was important for people to unite to support Taiwanese professional baseball, as running a club puts a heavy burden on the sponsor companies. While family members and small groups of friends can sit together, others would be separated to meet social distancing guidelines, they said.
Source:Taipei Times
March 08, 2021 16:07 UTC
GIS Holding benefits from tablet, notebook demand
GIS Holding benefits from tablet, notebook demandBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterGIS Holding Ltd (業成), which supplies touch modules for Apple Inc’s iPads and MacBooks, yesterday said its net profit last year grew 10 percent annually, benefiting from increased demand for notebook computers and tablets as the stay-at-home trend persisted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Net profit rose to NT$3.73 billion (US$131.79 million), compared with NT$3.39 billion in 2019, the company said in a filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange. Photo: Chen Mei-ying, Taipei TimesEarnings per share rose to NT$11.04 last year from NT$10.02 the prior year. The Miaoli-based company has aimed to increase shipments of higher-definition touch modules equipped with mini-LED backlights for tablets and OLED touch modules for smartphones. Yuanta Securities Investment Consulting Co (元大投顧) said GIS has benefited from pandemic-driven demand for notebook computers and tablets with touch modules, with a revenue contribution of 75 to 80 percent.
Source:Taipei Times
March 08, 2021 15:56 UTC
Hiyes International revenue more than doubles on demand in Hsinchu, Tainan
Hiyes International revenue more than doubles on demand in Hsinchu, TainanBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterHiyes International Co (海悅國際開發), the nation’s largest housing broker, on Friday said its revenue last month more than doubled from a year earlier to NT$478 million (US$16.89 million), driven mainly by demand for housing in Hsinchu and Tainan. The monthly figure was the second-highest next only to December last year’s NT$536 million, Hiyes said in a statement. Photo: Hsieh Wu-hsiung, Taipei TimesDemand for new housing is strong near technology clusters in Hsinchu and Tainan, where Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) has announced plans to build new foundries to make advanced chips, Hiyes said. Stable economic growth also lends support to the property market, boosting demand for housing in New Taipei City, Taipei and Kaohsiung. The first quarter, normally the low season for the housing market, might fare well this time around, Hiyes said.
Source:Taipei Times
March 08, 2021 15:56 UTC
Taipei Fubon becomes first domestic bank to issue SLL
Taipei Fubon becomes first domestic bank to issue SLLBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterTaipei Fubon Commercial Bank (台北富邦銀行) yesterday approved a three-year sustainability-linked loan (SLL) to audio electronics maker Merry Electronics Co (美律實業), the first such loan granted by a local bank. DBS Bank Taiwan (星展銀行) provided NT$2 billion (US$70.66 million at the current exchange rate) of SLLs to AU Optronics Corp (友達光電) in 2019, followed by HSBC Bank (Taiwan) Ltd’s (匯豐台灣商銀) two SLLs totaling NT$450 million to Taya Group (大亞集團) and Sinbon Electronics Co (信邦電子) last year. A Taipei Fubon Bank sign is pictured in Kaohsiung on July 11, 2015. Photo: CNALike HSBC Taiwan and DBS Taiwan, Taipei Fubon would lower the loan’s interest rate if the borrower’s sustainability performance improves, which includes greenhouse gas emissions, power management and energy efficiency, the bank told the Taipei Times. HSBC Taiwan also encouraged its borrowers to use the loans for their operations related to green energy or greenhouse emissions reduction, but Taipei Fubon said it has no such requirements.
Source:Taipei Times
March 08, 2021 15:56 UTC
Taipower to issue bonds
Taipower to issue bondsBy Angelica Oung / Staff reporterTaiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) yesterday announced a plan to issue NT$17.65 billion (US$623.6 million) of unsecured corporate bonds next month, as the state-run utility aims to raise funds to build new liquefied natural gas (LNG) generators at the Taichung Power Plant, a combined-cycle LNG generator project in Taoyuan’s Datan Power Plant, the 7th Transmission and Substation Project as well as other investments. The debt would comprise NT$3.4 billion of five-year bonds with a yield of 0.45 percent, NT$10.55 billion of seven-year bonds with a yield of 0.55 percent and NT$3.7 billion of 10-year bonds with a yield of 0.62 percent, Taipower said in a statement. The entrance to Taiwan Power Co headquarters is pictured in Taipei on June 7, 2018. Photo: Lin Jing-hua, Taipei TimesThe power generation projects would increase the diversity and strength of Taiwan’s power supply, Taipower said. Inaugurated on Saturday, the transmission line, which spans 105 towers across 40km, is running at full capacity, Taipower said, adding that it would help stabilize the electricity supply in northern Taiwan.
Source:Taipei Times
March 08, 2021 15:56 UTC
Taiwan in two rooms
An overview of the cultural history portion of the National Taiwan Museum exhibition, Exploring Taiwan. Fossils are displayed in the natural history portion of the National Taiwan Museum exhibition, Exploring Taiwan. Photo: Han Cheung, Taipei TimesBoth sides of the exhibition end with a MIT (Made In Taiwan) display, arranging the letters with mini models of the natural creatures of Taiwan (pineapple and Formosan magpie) and its human-made products (including bubble tea). We often forget how unique Taiwan is, especially during these times when it’s difficult to travel overseas, and this show reminds us to appreciate Taiwan more. Photo: Han Cheung, Taipei TimesViewers of a nature video can enjoy the company of a Formosan black bear and a clouded leopard.
Source:Taipei Times
March 08, 2021 15:56 UTC
PMI in ‘harmless’ retreat, CIER says
PMI data aim to capture the health of the manufacturing industry, with scores lower than 50 indicating contraction and values above the neutral threshold signaling expansion. Photo: Chen Wen-chan, Taipei Times“Holiday disruptions accounted for the month-on-month retreat, which is harmless, as firms expressed clear order visibility for the coming six months,” CIER president Chang Chuang-chang (張傳章) told a media briefing. Hiring activity hovered at a similar level of 58, or 0.5 points lower from one month earlier. Customers’ inventory level was 44.5, 1.3 points lower from one month earlier. Purchasing activity among non-manufacturing firms last month showed a similar pattern of losing some steam with a reading of 52.1, 2.9 points lower than in January, CIER said.
Source:Taipei Times
March 08, 2021 15:56 UTC