WEATHER
Bureau issues rain warning
Residents in the southeast of the nation and on the outlying Green Island (綠島) and Lanyu (蘭嶼) — also known as Orchid Island — should be on high alert for heavy rainfall caused by Tropical Storm Bebinca, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday. Daren Township (達仁) in Taitung County had seen 201mm of rainfall between midnight and 10:30am yesterday, with more rain expected in the area over the course of the day, forecasters said. Greater Kaohsiung and Pingtung County could expect 130mm of rain, the bureau said, warning of flooding, falling rocks and high waves. As Tropical Storm Bebinca is likely to bring in southwestern winds over the next few days, central and southern Taiwan could also face downpours and thunderstorms, the bureau added.
TRAVEL
Canada warning issued
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday issued an “orange” travel alert for several areas in Alberta, Canada, after days of torrential rainfall triggered serious flooding there. The ministry urged Taiwanese to avoid unnecessary travel to Calgary, the largest city in Alberta Province, and the mountain resorts of Banff and Canmore. Ministry spokesperson Anna Kao (高安) cited information sent by overseas representative offices saying that only a few Taiwanese tourists had been in Canmore hotels because the highway was closed. In the ministry’s four-color-coded travel advisory system, an “orange” alert is the second-highest level. In case of emergency, the ministry urged Taiwanese to call the 24-hour emergency line on 1-604-377-8730, or the emergency liaison center at 886-800-085-095 for assistance.
AGRICULTURE
Lychee farmers get boost
The nation is to begin exporting lychees to Australia next year as part of efforts to expand the overseas market for the fruit, a Council of Agriculture officials said, adding that they have had some very positive responses after 10 years of promotional efforts. Australian experts came to Taiwan earlier this month for on-the-ground inspections and such exports are “very likely” to be allowed by the next harvest season, the council said. The fruit is harvested mainly in June. Taiwan currently exports lychees to China, Canada, Japan and Malaysia, with a total annual average of about 1,000 tonnes shipped, the council said. In addition to lychee exports, Taiwan and Australia are also planning further exchanges through mutual visits and workshops for farmers, the council said. To ensure a year-round supply of new tropical fruit varieties to meet domestic and international demand, the two countries are also discussing the possibility of further technical cooperation, it added.
POLITICS
Ma gets clean bill of health
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday completed his annual physical checkup at Taipei Wanfang Hospital, where two colorectal polyps were found that appeared to be benign. The hospital is conducting a biopsy on the polyps, and is to present the results in three or four days. According to Taipei Wanfang Hospital president Lee Fei-peng (李飛鵬), Ma’s overall health is very good, with most of the checkup results similar to last year. Ma’s physical checkup lasted about nine hours and Lee said the presiden’s eyesight is better than average though he has a slight cataract. Ma’s heart and vital capacity are in great shape thanks to his habit of running, but he has suffered some joint issues, he added.
ANOTHER EMERGES: The CWA yesterday said this year’s fourth storm of the typhoon season had formed in the South China Sea, but was not expected to affect Taiwan Tropical Storm Gaemi has intensified slightly as it heads toward Taiwan, where it is expected to affect the country in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 8am yesterday, the 120km-radius storm was 800km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving at 9kph northwest, the agency said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued tonight at the earliest, it said, adding that the storm is projected to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday. Gaemi’s potential effect on Taiwan remains unclear, as that would depend on its direction, radius and intensity, forecasters said. Former Weather Forecast
As COVID-19 cases in Japan have been increasing for 10 consecutive weeks, people should get vaccinated before visiting the nation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said. The centers reported 773 hospitalizations and 124 deaths related to COVID-19 in Taiwan last week. CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) on Tuesday said the number of weekly COVID-19 cases reported in Japan has been increasing since mid-May and surpassed 55,000 cases from July 8 to July 14. The average number of COVID-19 patients at Japan’s healthcare facilities that week was also 1.39 times that of the week before and KP.3 is the dominant
The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) working group for Taiwan-related policies is likely to be upgraded to a committee-level body, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said. As Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is increasingly likely to upgrade the CCP’s Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs, Taiwanese authorities should prepare by researching Xi and the CCP, the report said. At the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CCP, which ended on Thursday last week, the party set a target of 2029 for the completion of some tasks, meaning that Xi is likely preparing to
US-CHINA TRADE DISPUTE: Despite Beijing’s offer of preferential treatment, the lure of China has dimmed as Taiwanese and international investors move out Japan and the US have become the favored destinations for Taiwanese graduates as China’s attraction has waned over the years, the Ministry of Labor said. According to the ministry’s latest income and employment advisory published this month, 3,215 Taiwanese university graduates from the class of 2020 went to Japan, surpassing for the first time the 2,881 graduates who went to China. A total of 2,300 graduates from the class of 2021 went to the US, compared with the 2,262 who went to China, the document showed. The trend continued for the class of 2023, of whom 1,460 went to Japan, 1,334 went to