Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), known for his off-the-cuff remarks to reporters, made news again yesterday after saying that he might pass a gift watch to a scrapyard because he had “no use for it.”
The pocket watch was given to him by British Minister of State for Transport Susan Kramer.
Giving clocks or watches as gifts is traditionally seen as taboo in Taiwanese and Chinese culture because the phrase “giving a clock” (送鐘) is pronounced the same as “bidding farewell” to the deceased (送終) at a funeral.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
After being asked by reporters whether he felt uncomfortable with the gift, Ko said he was not worried, because he and his wife were both doctors and were not superstitious.
He added that he lives on the fourth floor, considered unlucky by some people because the number four sounds similar to the word “death” (死).
However, the comment that drew the most media attention came as Ko laughed and said: “I can just give it to someone else or take it to a scrap metal dealer and sell it for cash.”
Taipei City Government spokesperson Lin Ho-ming (林鶴明) said that the mayor’s comment “was just a joke,” and that the gift had been stored in the city repository and would not be sold.
In his meeting with Kramer, Ko spoke in English as they discussed rail transport and urban renewal — important topics for Taipei as it prepares to host the 2017 Universiade.
The mayor presented Kramer with a miniature of Taipei 101. There was no word on what she thought of the gift.
Kramer was quoted by officials with the British Trade and Cultural Office in Taipei later in the day as saying that she had learned something about giving gifts.
“I’m sorry. We learn something new each day. I had no idea a gift like this could be seen as anything other than positive: In the UK a watch is precious — because nothing is more important than time,” she was quoted as saying. “The gift came from the House of Lords — which is only accessible to members of the UK’s upper parliament. It is a very unique item.”
“It was a huge honor to meet Mayor Ko. We look forward to working with him and his team in Taipei,” she added.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators