Sugar, calorie labels to be required at teashops, stores
The proposed amendment also includes modifications to the standards for marking calories, caffeine content and fruit content. Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei TimesThe proposal would require freshly made drinks sold by beverage stores to have a nutrition label that specifies the sugar and calorie content of all elements of the drink. They would have to provide the maximum total sugar content, using sugar cubes — equal to five grams of sugar — as the standard unit, as well as the maximum total calories, including toppings, Lee said. Under the proposal, fruit or vegetable drinks that contain less than 10 percent real fruit or vegetable juice would have to be labeled by manufacturers as a “drink,” or a name with the same meaning, Lee said. Drinks with no real fruit or vegetable juice would have to be renamed as “flavored” or as a “XX flavor” beverage, she added.
Source:Taipei Times
October 05, 2020 15:56 UTC
CECC launches government-funded flu vaccines
CECC launches government-funded flu vaccinesLEADING BY EXAMPLE: One of those vaccinated at a demonstration yesterday was the health minister, who said there are 6 million doses of government-funded vaccinesBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterAs government-funded seasonal influenza vaccinations began yesterday, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said that the total number of vaccines is expected to cover more than 31 percent of the population. Fitness trainer Eddie Pan (潘若迪) was invited as a disease prevention ambassador to promote the government-funded flu vaccination program. He also received a flu vaccination, along with a pregnant woman and a pair of twin infants. The nine groups of people eligible for the government-funded flu vaccines and the number of procured vaccines for this flu season are the same as last flu season, Chen said. Chuang said that people who are 65 or older have been eligible for government-funded flu vaccines since 1998, and the vaccination rate in this age group has reached about 51.3 percent.
Source:Taipei Times
October 05, 2020 15:56 UTC
New vehicle sales soar on pent-up demand
New vehicle sales soar on pent-up demandBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterNew vehicle sales last month jumped 13.4 percent year-on-year to 37,241 units as new models from Mercedes-Benz and other brands stimulated sales, online market researcher U-Car said in a report on its Web site yesterday. In the first nine months of this year, new vehicle sales expanded at an annual rate of 4.4 percent to 325,805 units, according to U-Car. The revamped CR-V model was the most popular recreational vehicle in Taiwan last month, with sales of 1,753 units. Sales of imported vehicles rebounded to 18,669 units, up from 17,178 units in August and accounting for 50.1 percent of overall new vehicle sales. Among imported vehicle vendors, Mercedes-Benz Taiwan Ltd (台灣賓士) saw sales rise rapidly to 3,573 units from 2,680 a month earlier, retaining its No.
Source:Taipei Times
October 05, 2020 15:56 UTC
Largan revenue rises to highest in seven months
Largan revenue rises to highest in seven monthsBy Angelica Oung / Staff reporterHandset camera lens maker Largan Precision Co (大立光) yesterday reported that revenue last month grew 1.9 percent month-on-month to NT$5.12 billion (US$176.4 million), the highest revenue since March. Largan Precision Co’s headquarters are pictured in Taichung on June 12, 2018. Photo: Chen Mei-ying, Taipei TimesThird-quarter revenue was NT$14.79 billion, an increase of 17 percent quarter-on-quarter, but a 20 percent decline year-on-year. In the first three quarters of this year, cumulative revenue fell 4 percent to NT$40.65 billion, company data showed. Separately, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海) reported revenue of NT$466.36 billion for last month, up 10.9 percent monthly, but down 20.66 percent annually.
Source:Taipei Times
October 05, 2020 15:56 UTC
Pharmacy retail sales recover on cosmetics demand
Pharmacy retail sales recover on cosmetics demandBy Angelica Oung / Staff reporterConsumers in August spent NT$16.7 billion (US$575.5 million) at local pharmacy retailers, a 4.1 percent annual increase, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday. Pharmacy retailers include drugstore chains, such as Cosmed (康是美) and Watsons (屈臣氏), as well as independent pharmacies. The ministry defines pharmacy retail sales as including sales of medicines, medical equipment and dietary supplements, as well as those of cosmetics and skincare products. Pharmacy retail sales declined during the first few months of the outbreak because cosmetic sales dropped, Department of Statistics Deputy Director-General Huang Wei-jie (黃偉傑) told the Taipei Times by telephone. Pharmacy retail sales returning to growth in July and August reflects that life is returning to normal, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
October 05, 2020 15:56 UTC
First responders, chorus to lead national anthem
First responders, chorus to lead national anthemCELEBRATING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan has proven wrong Beijing’s claims that only its version of socialism can overcome the pandemic, the legislative speaker saidBy Lin Liang-sheng and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNAFirst responders and the Taipei Medical University Sing Song Chorus are to lead the national anthem at the main Double Ten National Day celebration on Saturday in front of the Presidential Office Building, the National Day Preparatory Committee announced yesterday. This year’s theme, “Democratic Taiwan, Advancing With Confidence,” was chosen because the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, challenging democracies worldwide, Legislative Speaker and committee chairman You Si-kun (游錫堃) said. Taiwanese puppet master Chen Si-huang, right, performs at a news conference in Taipei yesterday held by the National Day Preparatory Committee. Taiwan has become a model for the world, making it impossible for China to discredit the idea of democratic governance, he added. This year’s souvenir bags are to be a light shoulder bag that comes in two colors — gray and brown.
Source:Taipei Times
October 05, 2020 15:56 UTC
National park attendance plunges nearly 20 percent
National park attendance plunges nearly 20 percentBy Huang Hsin-po / Staff reporterThe number of visitors to national parks in the first eight months of the year has fallen nearly 20 percent, except at Taijiang National Park in Tainan, which recorded an increase, Ministry of the Interior data showed. The number of visitors to Kinmen National Park declined the most, falling by 50.44 percent, followed by a 47.85 percent drop at Dongsha Atoll National Park and a 46.59 percent decrease at Kenting National Park, the data showed. The sign at the entrance to Taijiang National Park in Tainan is pictured on Sept. 11, 2017. However, Taijiang National Park, Yushan National Park and South Penghu Marine National Park appeared to be unaffected by the effects of the pandemic and saw a growing number of visitors. Meanwhile, the numbers of visitors to South Penghu Marine National Park and Yushan National Park increased by 39.57 percent and 37.01 percent respectively, the data showed.
Source:Taipei Times
October 03, 2020 16:07 UTC
Lawmakers take aim at ‘ineffective’ lobby rules
Ministry of the Interior statistics showed that since the Lobbying Act’s promulgation 12 years ago, government agencies at all levels have only registered 427 applications, of which 403 have been approved and 24 repealed. The entrance to the Control Yuan in Taipei is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Hsieh Chun-lin, Taipei TimesNo fines based on the act have ever been issued, the statistics showed. DPP caucus secretary-general Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said that the main problem with the Lobbying Actstemmed from the government’s lack of effort to enforce it. Amendments that do not address this issue would have no effect, he said, adding that the DPP caucus was willing to discuss any measures to improve the acts.
Source:Taipei Times
October 03, 2020 16:07 UTC
Ministry to push English at universities
Photo: Rachel Lin, Taipei TimesThe source said that less than 30 percent of graduate-level courses at the nation’s universities are taught in English. He also outlined the challenges of increasing the number of courses taught in English over a short period, saying that only one-third of his university’s graduate courses are taught in English, and only 15 percent of its undergraduate classes are taught in English. “Whether universities can push strongly for bilingualism would depend on the students’ English-language foundation,” National Pingtung University president Guu Yuan-kuang (古源光) said. It hopes to have all of its courses taught in English by 2030, it said, adding that 20 percent of its instructors are foreigners. It would then aim to have an additional four courses taught in English per department per year, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
October 03, 2020 16:01 UTC
Taipei to restore historic building in Dadaocheng
The historic Chen Tien-lai Residence in Taipei’s Dadaocheng area is pictured on Friday. Photo: Tang Hsin-hui, Taipei TimesThe city’s plan to restore the building would cost NT$200 million (US$6.9 million), and work would start by October next year, with plans to finish by 2024, it said. The budget includes NT$130 million to restore the building itself, NT$40 million to repair the surrounding property, and NT$30 million to restore historic artifacts in and around the building, it said. The city would provide 80 percent of the funds, while the Chen family would provide the remaining 20 percent. Speaking to reporters, Chen family members said that they had always wanted to restore the property, but disagreements on how to proceed had prevented any progress.
Source:Taipei Times
October 03, 2020 15:56 UTC
Taiwan ‘no chance’ in war against PLA, former general says
Former army commander-in-chief general Chen Ting-chung is pictured in an undated photograph. “Let’s terminate the subsidy to Chen’s school... As the school’s founder, he insulted people ... and the government should not provide him with further financial subsidies,” DPP Legislator Chaung Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said. The council in a statement expressed its regret about Chen’s remarks, saying that his speech hurt the feelings of the public. “Operating a school for the Taiwanese business community in China is no easy task. To guarantee the right to education for Taiwanese students in China, we should not link the education subsidy to Chen’s personal remarks, as there is no direct connection,” the statement said.
Source:Taipei Times
October 02, 2020 16:55 UTC
DPP bill to ban promoting China or flying its flag
DPP bill to ban promoting China or flying its flagBy Chen Yun and Dennis Xie / Staff reporter, with staff writerDemocratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) proposed an amendment to the National Security Act (國家安全法) to ban activities that promote Taiwan’s unification with China, damage Taiwan’s national identify, or other actions that work in the favor of China, Hong Kong and Macau, or other foreign opposition forces. The draft amendment includes fines of NT$10,000 to NT$100,000, with fines for displaying the People’s Republic of China flag of up to NT$50,000. The proposed amendment has so far gathered support from 28 DPP lawmakers and Taiwan Statebuilding Party Legislator Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟). Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei TimesHowever, a number of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) spoke out against the proposal, citing freedom of speech concerns. It would be more reasonable to ask people not to wave the flag or sing the national anthem of an enemy country, Chen said.
Source:Taipei Times
October 02, 2020 16:18 UTC
Longdong border to ease fishers, tourists conflict
The bay has become a popular destination for diving and stand-up paddle boarding, leading to confrontations between tourists and fishers, the office said. People swim in the waters off Longdong in New Taipei City on Sept. 19. Longdong Community Development Association director Chang Tzu-chiang (張自強) said that diving centers were encouraging their customers to dive in local fishing areas, posing a danger to fishers and divers alike. The government needs to enact measures to help keep tourists and fishers safe, he said. She also called on authorities to step up patrols and dissemination of information to tell tourists, tourism companies and fishers about the new boundaries.
Source:Taipei Times
October 02, 2020 16:18 UTC
Miaoli to give rewards for leopard cat conservation
Miaoli to give rewards for leopard cat conservationBy Chang Hsun-teng and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Miaoli County Government has approved an ordinance regulating rewards and subsidies for leopard cat conservation to encourage people and organizations working to help these animals. Experts estimate there are 500 to 600 leopard cats nationwide, with 300 to 400 of them in the county’s Cianshan (淺山) area. The county last year promulgated the Autonomous Ordinance for the Conservation of Leopard Cats in Miaoli County (苗栗縣石虎保育自治條例), which serves as the legal basis for the ordinance approved on Tuesday. An undated photo shows a worker examining a leopard cat kitten found in Miaoli County. Farmers and other groups working in fields close to paths visited by leopard cats are to be given NT$5,000 per hectare, it added.
Source:Taipei Times
October 02, 2020 16:18 UTC
Bureau expecting surge in renewable energy program
Bureau expecting surge in renewable energy programBy Angelica Oung / Staff reporterMore than 500 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) are likely to be sold through a Taiwan Renewable Energy Certification Center program through the end of this year, driven by intense corporate demand for green energy, the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspections (BSMI) said yesterday. The Ministry of Economic Affairs’ bureau administers the Taiwan Renewable Energy Certificate (T-REC) program. TSMC in July signed the Climate Group’s global RE100 pledge, promising to be “committed to 100 percent renewable electricity” by 2050. Taipower charges NT$0.058 per kilowatt hour to “wheel” energy from renewable sources through its grid from supplier to producer. An amendment last year to the Renewable Energy Development Act (再生能源發展條例) provided the legislative structure for T-REC, Huang said.
Source:Taipei Times
October 02, 2020 16:07 UTC