Taipei was ranked as the 62nd most livable city in the world for the second consecutive year in the latest global survey released on Monday by the UK-based Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
The survey, now in its 10th year, assesses living conditions in 140 cities around the world by assigning a rating of relative comfort based on more than 30 qualitative and quantitative factors in five broad categories — stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.
The survey gives an overall rating of 0 to 100, with 1 denoting intolerable conditions and 100 ideal conditions.
Sixty-four cities achieved scores of more than 80, while 13 cities were ranked in the bottom tier of livability with ratings of below 50.
Jon Copestake, editor of the report, said that Taipei obtained a rating of 81.9, which means that the city has few, if any, living standard challenges.
He said, however, that Taipei should seek to hold more international sports events and improve its living environment in order to gain a higher ranking.
In the greater China region, Hong Kong placed the highest at 39th, Tianjin 72nd, Suzhou 74th, Beijing 76th, Shenzhen 83rd, Shanghai 84th, Dalian 85th, Guangzhou 89th and Qingdao 95th.
Worldwide, Vancouver retained its ranking as the most livable city, followed by Vienna, Melbourne, Toronto, Perth and Calgary (tied for fifth), Helsinki, Geneva, and Sydney and Zurich (tied for ninth).
Rounding up the top 20 were Adelaide, Auckland, Osaka, Stockholm and Hamburg (tied for 14th), Brisbane, Montreal and Paris (tied for 17th), and Frankfurt and Tokyo (tied for 19th).
US cities in the top tier were Pittsburgh in 29th place and New York in 56th position.
London, meanwhile, was ranked 51st.
The report said that the cities with the best scores tended to be mid-sized, in developed countries with a low population density, had cultural and recreational assets, lower crime levels and fewer infrastructure problems.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS