Fri, Apr 16, 2021
MORE TRUSTWORTHY? While officials investigate whether the shelf life of AstraZeneca vaccines can be extended, the Moderna jab might boost inoculations Shipments of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are due to arrive in Taiwan next month, while another batch of AstraZeneca vaccines allotted to Taiwan under the COVAX program is due to arrive by June, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday. The Chinese-language Apple Daily reported that the Moderna vaccines might arrive at the end of this month or next month. The center in February said that Moderna had agreed to supply about 5 million doses to Taiwan, although at the time the center estimated that they would arrive in the middle of this year. Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), who is the CECC’s spokesman, said that 9,470 additional AstraZeneca shots had been sent to 68 medical facilities to expedite the rollout. The CECC would also provide shots to local health departments, Chuang said, amid reports that vaccinations are lagging due to wariness among the public. The Apple Daily quoted National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital pediatrician Huang Li-min (黃立民) as saying that low administration rates of the AstraZeneca vaccine was due to safety doubts, not people failing to heed CECC recommendations to get the jab. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been linked to unusual blood clots, resulting in reluctance to get the shots, Huang said, adding that the Moderna vaccines should not draw the same skepticism. The CECC is moving forward with the vaccine rollout, Chuang said. The Food and Drug Administration has been asked to contact the manufacturers of the vaccines and inquire about extending their shelf life. Two shipments of AstraZeneca vaccines expire on May 31 and June 15. Regulations say that the manufacturer must conduct a stability test before an application to extend a shelf life can be submitted, Chuang said. In the worst case, the expiration date would be unalterable and the vaccines disposed of, he said. Asked about Denmark’s decision to stop its rollout of
Citigroup Inc plans to exit retail banking in 13 markets across Asia, and the region of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The bank would instead operate its consumer-banking franchise in both regions from four wealth centers in Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and London, it said yesterday in a statement. The move is part of an ongoing review of the company’s strategy by chief executive officer Jane Fraser, who took over last month. “This positions us to capture the strong growth and attractive returns the wealth-management business offers through these important hubs,” Fraser said. Citigroup is to exit its consumer franchises in Taiwan, Australia, Bahrain, China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam. The firm would continue to offer products in those markets to customers of its institutional clients group, which houses the private bank, cash-management arm, and investment-banking and trading businesses. The withdrawal came as Citigroup reported record quarterly profit of US$7.94 billion, or US$3.62 per share, boosted by the flurry of blank-check companies it helped take public in the first quarter. “While the other 13 markets have excellent businesses, we don’t have the scale we need to compete,” Fraser said. “We believe our capital, investment dollars and other resources are better deployed against higher returning opportunities in wealth management and our institutional businesses in Asia.” Yesterday, the Financial Supervisory Commission said it has been informed by Citibank Taiwan Ltd (花旗台灣) about its parent company’s latest decision and that the bank would find a buyer for its consumer banking business in Taiwan. Citibank Taiwan chairman Paulus Mok (莫兆鴻) told the commission that exiting Taiwan’s consumer banking market was a global strategy by its parent company and “had nothing to do with Taiwan’s business environment,” Banking Bureau Director-General Sherri Chuang (莊琇媛) said. “It is not clear when the bank will sell
The Canadian House of Commons on Wednesday unanimously passed a motion voicing its support for the Halifax International Security Forum’s plan to give the “2020 John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service” to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised that his administration would continue to help fund the US-based non-governmental organization. In the motion, which was introduced by Canadian Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Chong (莊文浩), parliament agreed with a statement by Halifax vice president Robin Shepherd that “President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan is a well-respected international leader, the first female president of Taiwan and a strong advocate of democracy... She would certainly be an ideal fit for this award.” It also called on Ottawa to continue funding the organization at the current level, even if the award goes to Tsai. Halifax, which holds its signature forum in the city of the same name in Nova Scotia each year, was planning to present its Leadership in Public Service award to Tsai, Politico reported on Sunday. However, the Canadian government threatened to withdraw its financial support if it went through with the plan, with potential provocation of China a concern, Politico reported. Trudeau said that his government supports and provides funding to Halifax, while ministers attend the forum every year and would continue to do so. Canadian Minister of Defense Harjit Sajjan on Monday denied the Politico report, saying that it was “absolutely false.” Trudeau also voiced support for Taiwan’s “meaningful participation in multilateral international forums,” saying that “Canada continues to have strong and growing people-to-people relations with Taiwan.” Asked whether Canada would support Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) next month, Trudeau said that “Taiwan’s role as an observer in World Health Assembly meetings is in the interests of global health.” “We welcome the participation of the entire international community to
Hong Kong police yesterday displayed a cuddly bear mascot, rappelled from a helicopter and goose-stepped as the territory held a “National Security Education Day.” Beijing last year blanketed Hong Kong in a sweeping National Security Law after months of democracy protests. Yesterday’s events, the first since the law’s imposition in June last year, included activities across the territory to burnish the security forces and outline the threats China perceives in Hong Kong. At a morning ceremony attended by senior officials, Hong Kong Liaison Office Director Luo Huining (駱惠寧) vowed to “strike down hard resistance and regulate soft resistance.” China was ready to “teach a lesson” to any foreign power trying to use the territory “as a chess piece,” said Luo, Beijing’s top official in Hong Kong. “For all deeds that endanger national security, and Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, the central authorities will take action as necessary,” he said. Over seven straight months in 2019, protesters demanded democracy and greater police accountability. Beijing’s leaders have dismissed the movement, portraying it as a “foreign plot” to destroy China. They have since embarked on a crackdown against critics and rolled out an official campaign — dubbed “staunch patriots governing Hong Kong” — to root out disloyalty toward the Chinese Communist Party. Hong Kong’s police college held an open day, at which officers revealed a new goose-stepping march, the same style used by police and troops in the mainland. The display was a symbolic break from Hong Kong’s British colonial past and Chinese army officers helped train police in the new style. Tactical units then demonstrated an “anti-terrorism drill,” which included officers sliding down ropes from a helicopter to shoot dead pretend armed militants and a hostage-taker. On the sidelines, guests wearing “I love police” T-shirts posed for selfies with a bear mascot dressed in a tactical uniform. Cuddly toy versions of the bear were also
CONFIDENTIAL: The trip had not been made public until just before ex-senator Chris Dodd, and ex-state department officials Richard Armitage and James Steinberg arrived The government yesterday welcomed an “unofficial” delegation sent by US President Joe Biden, while another delegation led by US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry was headed to Shanghai. Biden’s first delegation to Taiwan is made up of former US senator Chris Dodd, and former US deputy secretaries of state Richard Armitage and James Steinberg. They are to stay in Taiwan until tomorrow. Their arrival, on a chartered flight, had been kept confidential until media reported the visit yesterday morning, after which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a short notice that they were expected to arrive at 2:40pm. The flight landed at about 3:05pm at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), where the delegation was received by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), American Institute in Taiwan Director Brent Christensen and other officials. “We hope you enjoy your visit & look forward to working together to strengthen the #Taiwan #US partnership,” President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) wrote on Twitter. Tsai is due to meet with the US officials at the Presidential Office in Taipei at 10am today and host a dinner with them at her official residence in the evening, Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (張惇涵) said in a statement. Dodd is known for his friendship with Biden and he was a crucial advocate of the US’ Taiwan Relations Act, which took effect in 1979, Chang said. Armitage and Steinberg served as deputy secretaries of state during the administrations of former US presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama respectively, he said, adding that they have visited Taiwan several times and have been friendly toward the nation. Over the past weeks, the ministry had been exchanging opinions with its Washington counterpart about the visit, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said, without saying when the plan was finalized. Biden sending a heavyweight delegation to Taiwan less than three months since
JAB BENEFITS: Vaccinated staff returning on short-haul flights are to be exempted from self-health management and only need to practice a ‘disease prevention lifestyle’ The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday announced that it would ease quarantine regulations for airline crew from today. The center also announced less restrictive self-health management regulations for Taiwanese returning from Palau. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said that new quarantine regulations for airline crew would solve the problem of them being in a cycle of flying abroad, quarantine and self-health management. The regulations were tightened after a cluster of infections linked to a commercial flight, and reports of disease prevention measures not being thoroughly adhered to at layover destinations, Chen said. As Taiwanese airlines seem to have improved their management, the mandatory quarantine period for flight crews returning to Taiwan was reduced from seven days to five, he said, adding that it would be further reduced to three days. “Crew members returning on long-haul flights from countries with a level 3 ‘warning’ travel advisory will be subject to three days of home quarantine, and if they return a negative polymerase chain reaction [PCR] test for COVID-19 on the third day, they can practice self-health management for the next 11 days,” Chen said. Crew members who return on same-day flights and have not entered a country with a level 3 advisory are required to practice self-health management for 14 days, he said. As crew members are eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations, those who have received the double doses would have quarantine rules loosened further, he said, adding that eligibility would start two weeks after the second jab — or at least 10 weeks after the first, as the doses should be administered at least eight weeks apart. Vaccinated crew on long-haul flights would be required to practice seven days of self-health management and no more if they tested negative in a PCR test on the seventh day, while those returning on
GOING BANANAS: The Council of Agriculture said it would strengthen regulation and inspection of fruit farms exporting to Japan to ensure product quality A shipment of bananas that was rejected by Japan early this month might have been contaminated by nearby fields, the Council of Agriculture (COA) said yesterday. Japan Customs had destroyed the shipment of 450 crates of bananas after tests showed that the fruit contained 0.02 parts per million (ppm) of Decis, an insecticide better known as Dimiening (第滅寧) in Taiwan, COA Deputy Minister Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) told a news conference. The Japanese legal standard is that no residue of the substance should be detected, Chen said, adding that Japanese instruments can detect up to 0.01ppm of residue. As the local standard for Decis residue is 0.2ppm, the council believes that the shipment to Japan might have been exposed to insecticide residues from neighboring fields, he added. Since the tests revealed only a small amount of the substance, the council is confident that Japan would not increase testing protocols on imports of Taiwanese bananas, he said, urging farmers not to worry. Taiwanese bananas are already under heightened scrutiny in Japan after a 750-crate shipment last month was found to contain 0.12ppm of Pyraclostrobin, or six times over the legal limit. Pyraclostrobin is a fungicide used to treat plant anthrax, among other conditions. That prompted Japan Customs to raise the banana testing protocol from level one to level two. This means 30 percent of the fruit is tested per shipment, instead of the previous 3 to 5 percent per shipment, Chen said. Should the Japanese invoke “level three” food safety protocols, 100 percent of each banana shipment would be tested for chemical residues, which would significantly affect the trade because it would take longer to clear customs, he said. To avoid this scenario, the council has enhanced the regulation and inspection of fruit farms exporting to Japan and provided vital assistance to ensure product quality, he said. The council
INTERNATIONAL WEED DAY: Advocates are to hold a demonstration to push for the decriminalization of marijuana and allowing its use for treatment of certain conditions It is time for Taiwanese society to examine the medical benefits of cannabis, in line with the international trend to lift restrictions on and decriminalize the use of marijuana, two legislators said yesterday, ahead of tomorrow’s “Rally for Equal Rights for Cannabis” in Taipei. Taiwan is one of a few countries holding a “420 International Weed Day” event — which usually takes place around the April 20 weekend — as most nations have canceled it this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, said organizer Green Sensation, which is composed of doctors, lawyers and entertainers, among others. The group released a statement listing three demands: stop stigmatizing cannabis consumption; raise the allowable limit of total tetrahydrocannabinol in hemp from 0.001 percent to the same level as the US at 0.3 percent; and conform to the global trend, with the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in December last year removing cannabis from the global narcotic drugs list. The cannabis issue deserves wider discussion in society and lawmakers should sit down for a closer examination of scientific studies and reports on the use of cannabis as medication or for treatment of certain conditions, independent Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) told the Taipei Times. “Advocates in Taiwan are looking catch up with the global community on the decriminalization and medical use of cannabis, but the judicial system still restricts it and classifies it as an illegal drug. Any change will have to start with members of the legislature’s Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee initiating amendments,” Lim said. Taiwan Statebuilding Party Legislator Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟) also urged lawmakers to review reports and scientific evidence on the benefits of medical cannabis and push for its decriminalization. However, it would be a long process due to opposition from some sectors and its current listing as a Category 2 narcotic
A European digital art festival is exhibiting 15 artworks by National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) students, the only one in Asia to receive an invitation. Recto VRso, an international festival held during the Laval Virtual exhibition in Laval, France, aims to promote works of art “related to interactive and immersive art between the real and the virtual.” The theme of this year’s show, “Virtual Exhibition / Real Exhibition,” seeks to explore the evolving ways spectators interact with art through the digital world, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students at the university’s College of Arts and Interdisciplinary Program of Technology and Art were invited to set up a digital booth in the “Laval Virtual World” alongside other universities from France, Canada and Australia. NTHU invited Chen Chu-yin (陳珠櫻), a professor at Paris 8 University’s Department of Arts and Technologies of Imagery, to return to Taiwan and advise 20 undergraduate and graduate students in preparing the work. “The pandemic has restricted movement, but it cannot block artists’ creativity,” Chen said. “In the virtual world, imagination and creativity are exploding faster than ever.” Student Huang Chi-hung (黃紀虹) said that her piece, Digital Creatures (數位生物), brings to life robot-like beings from her imagination that jump out of an electrical socket. Viewers can see the figures through augmented reality using a tablet or smartphone. Another student, Lin Tzu-yan (林子妍), created a miniature building with QR codes in the place of windows. Scanning the codes leads to clues into the inner life of the building, from piano music to a succulent garden, news playing on a television or people fighting in an alley. The 15 digital artworks are on display in the second gallery of NHCUE Art Space on NTHU’s Nanda Campus in Hsinchu until May 1. The “virtual” part of the Recto VRso festival began on Wednesday and is to close today. The “physical” part, in
HARSH? While the eight-year sentence was longer than the one sought by prosecutors, the mother of the victim said it cannot return her daughter’s life The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday sentenced a drunk driver who struck and killed a Taiwanese student to eight years in prison, two years longer than prosecutors sought in a decision that South Korean media called rare. Doctoral student Elaine Tseng (曾以琳), 28, was on her way home from a professor’s residence in Seoul on Nov. 6 last year when she was killed by a drunk driver after he ran a red light at a pedestrian crossing. Prosecutors were seeking a six-year sentence for the 52-year-old driver, surnamed Kim, which is longer than usual for similar drunk driving cases in South Korea. However, the court on Wednesday handed down an even harsher sentence, which Yonhap news agency said was even more unusual. The court said it based its decision on the driver’s record, as he already had two drunk driving convictions, and that he killed a pedestrian who was following traffic rules after he ran a red light. It also considered the defendant’s hiring of a local lawyer to handle compensation, it added. Although he pled guilty, Kim had requested leniency, saying he could not see Tseng crossing the road because the contact lens in his left eye had slipped out of place and he could not wear one in his right eye due to a recent surgery. However, the court said it made the defendant’s actions even more deserving of condemnation, as it should have made him more careful when driving. Even though the sentence was harsher than expected, Tseng’s friends told Yonhap that it is still a far cry from the maximum life sentence afforded under the law. Only by strengthening penalties could drunk driving be stopped, Tseng’s lawyer told the news agency. “How can eight years take the place of 28?” Tseng’s mother, Shih Yu-ching (石宇慶), told reporters, saying that a ruling cannot return her daughter’s
‘MINIMAL RISK’: Chinese military activity near the Nanpeng Islands in the South China Sea was not designated ‘exercises,’ a national defense official said No air defense missile systems had been activated before a US delegation arrived in Taipei on Wednesday, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The delegation is comprised of former US senator Chris Dodd, former US deputy secretaries of state Richard Armitage and James Steinberg, and US Department of State Taiwan Coordination Office Director Dan Biers. On the day of the delegation’s arrival, China’s Maritime Safety Administration announced a six-day live-fire military exercise, conducted daily from 8am to 6pm, near the Nanpeng Islands (南澎列島) in the South China Sea. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) said that the exercise is a “necessity” to prevent collusion between Taiwan and the US, while Taiwan’s water shortage had been caused by arms purchases from the US. TAO spokesman Ma Xiaoguang (馬曉光) said that the “unofficial” visit of the US delegation was a sham, adding that China is categorically against any sort of Taiwan-US interaction. “Interactions between Taiwan and the US cannot change the fact that Taiwan is a part of China,” Ma said. In Taipei, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) told reporters ahead of a meeting of the legislative’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee that Taiwan is tracking all Chinese military movements. Chiu denied that the military had put anti-aircraft missile systems and units on alert to ensure the safe arrival of the US delegation. Chiu also disputed China’s comments on Taiwan’s water shortage. Arms purchases from the US do not affect infrastructure funding, he added. Chiu said the statements are efforts to subtly influence the military through cognitive warfare, “but our military will not be affected and will continue its mission — to protect our country.” In response to queries from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lee Guei-min (李貴敏), Deputy Minister of National Defense Chang Che-ping (張哲平) said that the ministry had not designated Chinese military movements as
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday reiterated that opposition parties have had few opportunities to meet with foreign delegations since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office. The statement came after KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) in a radio interview on Wednesday said that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration has on multiple occasions neglected to arrange meetings for opposition politicians with US delegations and visitors from other nations. No arrangements had been made for KMT members to meet with former US senator Chris Dodd, and former US deputy secretaries of state Richard Armitage and James Steinberg, who have been in Taiwan since Wednesday, Chiang said. DPP spokeswoman Hsieh Pei-fen (謝佩芬) yesterday called on Chiang to apologize for making accusations “without evidence,” saying that KMT Legislator Charles Chen (陳以信) told reporters that he had received an invitation to meet with the delegation. Local media reported that the US delegation was to meet with lawmakers across party lines yesterday afternoon. Chen, who is vice chair of the legislature’s USA Caucus, said after the meeting that he had accepted the invitation from the American Institute in Taiwan in his personal capacity and that he would not be participating on behalf of the KMT. However, at the time of the invitation, he was not aware that the meeting would be attended by important US visitors, Chen said. The nature of the meeting was “completely different” from an exchange with political parties, the KMT said, accusing the DPP of trying to “shift the focus.” During former president Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration, the government tried its best to arrange for foreign guests or delegations to meet with the ruling and opposition parties, as well as relevant think tanks, to help the international community understand different views within Taiwan, the KMT said. Since Tsai took office, visits by foreign guests have largely focused on
‘POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY’: A mechanism for families affected by a train crash in Hualien would be put in place at the ministry before he leaves, Lin said Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on Wednesday approved Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung’s (林佳龍) resignation after informing President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of his decision, the Executive Yuan said yesterday. Lin offered his resignation one day after the derailment of a Taroko Express train in Hualien County on April 2, which killed 49 people and injured 244, Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said, adding that Lin would leave office on Tuesday next week. Tsai and Su considered it a top priority to resume railway service after the derailment, leading to the delayed acceptance of Lin’s resignation, Lo said. After restoration work at the site of the crash was concluded, Lin on Tuesday met with Su, telling him that he was determined to take full political responsibility for the incident, Lo said, adding that Su and Tsai respected Lin’s decision. “The resignation was approved on Wednesday and is to take effect on Tuesday next week,” he said. “We are still interviewing potential candidates for the post and will announce when a new transportation minister is found,” Lo said. The meeting of Lin and Su lasted about one hour, and Lin reported what he had done since the derailment, from helping and visiting families of the deceased to restoring railway traffic, Lo said. Su and Lin agreed that reform of the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) is necessary, and should address safety and labor issues, Lo said, adding that in their view, reform of the agency should be swift and on a large scale. “The premier has been briefed about several feasible solutions to enhance the safety of the TRA and reduce the agency’s financial losses,” Lo said. “We are not planning to privatize the agency, but we hope that it could operate efficiently and safely through a corporate management.” In a statement issued by the Ministry of Transportation and
The government should stop all railway projects and allocate funding to rebuild the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA), a transportation expert said in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee yesterday. The committee held a public hearing to explore ways to reform the agency after Taroko Express No. 408 on April 2 crashed inside a tunnel in Hualien County after slamming into a crane truck near the tunnel’s entrance, killing 49 people and injuring 244. Several transportation experts were invited to share their views, with some of them having been previously recruited by the Executive Yuan to examine the TRA after the derailment of a Puyuma Express train in 2018, which killed 18 people and injured 215. “The situation facing the TRA today is the result of a wrong government policy that has been implemented for 30 years, which has prohibited the agency from raising the ticket price for more than two decades,” said Anne Chung (鍾慧諭), deputy director of Feng Chia University’s Innovation Center for Intelligent Transportation and Logistics, who was from 2014 to 2016 Taipei Department of Transportation commissioner. The agency has accumulated losses of NT$430 billion (US$15.15 million), of which more than NT$100 billion was caused by an old pension system, she said. In addition to allowing the TRA greater flexibility in adjusting fares based on different train services, Chung suggested that the government set financial goals for the agency. Meanwhile, funds allocated for railway projects in the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program — about NT$351.6 billion — should instead be used to rebuild the agency, she said. Most projects in the infrastructure program would only deepen the TRA’s financial woes, she said. “The government spent NT$309.3 billion on grade separation projects in Taipei and Kaohsiung. Rather than making the train system operate faster, the projects have greatly reduced transport capacity and increased operating costs to
More than 100 people have been questioned in connection with a Taroko Express train crash in Hualien on April 2, Hualien Prosecutor Chou Fang-yi (周芳怡) said yesterday. The remarks came in response to criticism that slow progress had been made in the investigation of the incident. Chou denied that there had been complaints from Taiwan Transportation Safety Board officials, who, according to local media reports, allegedly said that the slow investigation had allowed suspects to coordinate ahead of being questioned. The main suspect, Lee Yi-hsiang (李義祥), the driver of a crane truck that fell onto the track and into which the train crashed, and his Vietnamese assistant, Hoa Van Hao, had been placed under judicial detention, Chou said. More work was needed to identify a person in surveillance video footage who is seen standing near the tracks ahead of the incident, he said. Local media reported that the person is Hoa, who was allegedly ordered to warn incoming trains of the obstacle on the tracks. In addition, Hoa is identified in other footage recorded near the site on the day of the crash, Chou said, adding that this would help determine Hoa’s role in the incident. The investigation is also focused on corruption allegations involving Taiwan Railway Administration and government officials, he said.
FUTURE GROWTH: TSMC chief executive officer C.C. Wei said customer demand for 3 and 5-nanometer technologies is so strong that it needs to spend on more capacity Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday raised this year’s capital expenditure to a record US$30 billion, as demand for advanced chips used in high-performance-computing (HPC) applications is stronger than last quarter. The figure surpasses the chipmaker’s allocation in January of US$25 billion to US$28 billion. The investment is part of a three-year US$100 billion capital expansion plan that TSMC unveiled earlier this month. “As we enter a period of higher growth, underpinned by the multiple years of structural mega-trends of 5G-related and HPC applications, we believe a higher level of capital investment is necessary to capture the future growth opportunities,” TSMC vice president and chief financial officer Wendell Huang (黃仁昭) told a conference call with investors. About 80 percent of the capital budget is to be spent on the buildup of advanced technologies — including 3, 5 and 7-nanometer technologies — while about 10 percent would be for less-advanced technologies, Huang said. “We are seeing stronger engagement with more customers on 5-nanometer and 3-nanometer technologies. The engagement is so strong that we need to really prepare the capacity for it — that is the main reason,” TSMC chief executive officer C.C. Wei (魏哲家) said. Nearly all of the company’s customers build higher levels of inventory as geopolitical tensions persist, while the COVID-19 pandemic still poses uncertainty to chip supply, Wei said. Asked whether overbooking is a factor behind the supply-demand imbalance, Wei said that the chipmaker “cannot rule out the possibility of inventory correction, or overbooking. But, actually, we expect structural growth to continue.” TSMC also sees increasing demand for production outsourcing from customers who make some of their chips in-house, such as Intel Corp. Overall, chip supply constraints are to continue through this year and might go into next year, Wei said. However, an auto chip shortage would “greatly” improve next quarter, as TSMC has allocated wafer
INFRASTRUCTURE EFFECT: China Steel said that mills worldwide have seen steady demand, thanks to trillions of dollars of infrastructure spending in the US and China China Steel Corp (中鋼), the nation’s biggest steelmaker, yesterday said that it is planning another price hike for next month — the 11th consecutive month of increases — with the price of steel products for domestic delivery rising 8.1 percent on average. The price of hot-rolled steel plates would increase NT$2,000 (US$70.47) per tonne, while the price of hot-rolled steel bars and wire rods would increase NT$2,500 per tonne, the company said. The price of hot-rolled carbon steel would increase NT$2,000 per tonne; cold-rolled sheets and coils would increase NT$2,300 per tonne; and hot-dipped, zinc-galvanized sheets would increase NT$2,500 per tonne, it said, adding that the price of electrical sheets would increase NT$500 per tonne for low-to-medium-grade products and NT$1,000 per tonne for high-grade products. The planned price adjustments are smaller than the hikes elsewhere in the world and reflect its “moderate and steady” price policy, the state-owned company said. Domestic steel prices are as much as US$100 to US$200 per tonne lower than international prices, with some mainstay products, such as rerolling quality steel, “possibly the cheapest of all the international markets,” the company said. Steel prices in the US and Europe keep setting new records, with the price of European hot-rolled steel soaring to US$1,070 per tonne and the price of US hot-rolled steel reaching US$1,500 per tonne, while delivery dates are being pushed out to as late as the third quarter, it said. Steel mills worldwide have seen steady demand, thanks to Washington’s US$2.3 trillion infrastructure program and Beijing’s 10.6 trillion yuan (US$1.6 trillion) infrastructure program, as well as many economies beginning to recover from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, China Steel said. “In Taiwan, domestic consumption, exports and investments are all up, meaning more demand for steel,” the company said. China’s target to reach “peak carbon emission” by 2030 and “carbon neutrality” by
The Executive Yuan yesterday approved an amendment to the Tax Collection Act (稅捐稽徵法) that would increase fines for tax evasion, aiming to fix a loophole that allows tax evaders to get away with milder penalties. Under the existing act, people found to have intentionally evaded paying their taxes face a fine of up to NT$60,000 (US$2,114) or five years in prison. Some lawmakers have long said that the act allows room for “certain powerful people” to skirt the law after dodging billions in taxes. For example, under the existing act, Landseed International Hospital superintendent Chang Huang-chen (張煥禎), who was in October 2018 indicted for not paying more than NT$500 million in taxes from 2007 to 2016, would only be fined up to NT$60,000. The amendment drafted by the Ministry of Finance stipulates that people found guilty of evading more than NT$10 million in taxes or profit-making enterprises found to have evaded more than NT$50 million in taxes are to face one to seven years in prison or a fine of NT$10 million to NT$100 million, the Executive Yuan said in a statement. Chang could be sentenced to seven years in prison and fined NT$100 million, the ministry said. The amendment would increase the maximum fine for mild tax fraud to NT$5 million, it added. The amendment changes the reward for those who report tax evaders to 20 percent of the amount of taxes evaded or up to NT$4.8 million, although tax bureau personnel, tax inspectors, their spouses and close relatives are ineligible for rewards. The revised act is to be forwarded to the Legislative Yuan for further deliberation, the Executive Yuan said in the statement.
An unofficial delegation of retired US officials — former US senator Chris Dodd, and former US deputy secretaries of state James Steinberg and Richard Armitage — arrived on Wednesday for talks with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and senior Taiwanese officials. The visit came after China on Monday dispatched a record 25 military airplanes into Taiwan’s southwestern air defense identification zone, in a significant upping of the ante. Officials from Washington and Taipei clearly went to a lot of trouble to ensure that the delegation’s three-day visit was conducted in as low key a manner as possible. It was kept secret until just a few hours before the delegation, traveling in a small unmarked private jet, touched down at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) on Wednesday afternoon. Despite having gone to such extremes not to offend Beijing’s delicate sensibilities, Chinese officials exploded into paroxysms of rage. At a news conference on Wednesday, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) described the unofficial delegation as “official contact,” accused the US of “sending the wrong signals to Taiwanese independence forces” and called on Washington to “stop playing with fire.” Having recast the visit as “official,” which allowed him to fabricate an imaginary transgression of diplomatic protocol, Zhao demanded that Washington sever all contact with Taipei. “We urge the US side to … immediately stop official contact with Taiwan in any form,” Zhao said. It was a classic bait-and-switch maneuver. In addition to this rhetorical sleight of hand, Zhao selectively referred to the Three Joint Communiques to create the impression that the US was not keeping to its side of the bargain. The US must rigidly adhere to the contents of the communiques, Zhao said, referring to the US’ “one China” policy and its declaration that it would end formal political relations with the Republic of
The US administration’s guidelines on exchanges with Taiwan have finally been released. The new version announced by the US Department of State on Friday last week relaxes restrictions on US exchanges with Taiwan. This will improve US-Taiwan relations, and affect interactions between Taiwan, the US and China. Since diplomatic relations between the US and the Republic of China (ROC) were severed in 1979, Washington has maintained unofficial relations with Taiwan based on its Taiwan Relations Act. During this period, all US government agencies had restricted contact with Taiwan. During the administration of former US president Donald Trump, tensions between Washington and Beijing increased, and the US polished the “Taiwan card.” Before Mike Pompeo stepped down as US secretary of state, he canceled contact guidelines announced in 2015, and eliminated all internal restrictions on official contact between US officials and Taiwan, to which China expressed strong dissatisfaction. Since US President Joe Biden moved into the White House, everyone has been paying attention to his administration’s handling of US-Taiwan relations and guidelines for contact with Taiwan. The new guidelines basically follow Pompeo’s policy, greatly relaxing restrictions on the contact that US officials have with their Taiwanese counterparts. US and Taiwanese officials can now visit each other’s government offices on official business. Work-related meetings between US and Taiwanese officials can be held at US federal institutions or at Taiwan’s representative office in the US, the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office. In the past, such exchanges were explicitly banned. The new guidelines have clearly elevated US-Taiwan relations, and bilateral exchanges will take on a more official significance, making them more equal and effective. This is a reflection of the Biden administration’s China strategy, which treats Beijing as the US’ biggest adversary. In keeping with its strategy, the US is bringing together its allies — including Taiwan — to counterbalance
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) between the US, India, Australia and Japan has found a new lease of life after China’s militarization of the South China Sea, acquisition and fortification of a new — and China’s first — naval facility in Djibouti, and growing naval activities in the Indian Ocean. With the Chinese navy consolidating its presence in the Indian Ocean and building a base in Djibouti, as well as foraying into the Mediterranean and Baltic seas, major European powers have been unsettled. France and Britain are already busy stepping up their naval presence in the Indo-Pacific region. In February, Paris sent warships to the South China Sea and also deployed a nuclear attack submarine in the region. Before the annual Jeanne d’Arc training and patrol mission commenced in February, the French Navy said that the mission is not just a training mission, but a true operational deployment that is part of France’s defense strategy in the Indo-Pacific region. It is worth noting that the French-led task force is to dock in countries at odds with China. Singapore is not a claimant to the disputed area, yet it is bolstering its security partnership with the US and India, which side with the Southeast Asian nations, challenging Chinese territorial claims. In the Indian Ocean, the French territories of Mayotte and Reunion, strategically located in the southwest quadrant, are both considered an “overseas department.” They operate as “interlocking military stations,” together with French military facilities in Djibouti. The UK has announced that the newly launched aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, is to be deployed in the South China Sea. The Quad, though a strong concept, will remain weak in reality unless it embraces the Indo-Pacific strategy in a more holistic way. For this, a Quad+6 that involves Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan, Singapore, France and
ON THE TABLE: While another Japanese official dismissed the comments, a minister in charge of vaccinations said that there could be a total bar on spectators at the Games Canceling the Tokyo Olympics over COVID-19 remains a possibility, a senior Japanese politician said yesterday, as a surge in cases renews concerns about the Games with less than 100 days to go. Toshiro Nikai, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) No. 2, said the Olympics must be canceled “without hesitation” if the virus situation is too severe. A year after their historic postponement, the 2020 Olympics remain beset by COVID-19 problems, with parts of the torch relay forced behind closed doors and public support consistently low. Organizers and Olympic officials insist the Games will go ahead safely, but Nikai said that all options were on the table. “We need to make a decision depending on the situation at the time,” he told the private Tokyo Broadcasting System. “We need to cancel it without hesitation if they’re no longer possible,” added Nikai, who is the LDP’s secretary-general. Asked if he considered cancelation an option, Nikai said: “Yes of course.” “If infection spreads because of the Olympics, I don’t know what the Olympics is for,” he said. However, he added that he sees the Games as an “opportunity,” and it was “important for Japan to foster excitement with support from the public”. “We definitely want to make a success. In order to do so, there are various issues to solve. It’s important to solve them one by one,” he said. An LDP official quickly dismissed the comments, telling the Jiji Press news agency that “the Games will not be canceled.” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said that she had “been told that the comment meant it is an option.” “I take it as a message of strong encouragement that we contain the coronavirus by all means,” she said. Meanwhile, Japanese Minister for Administrative Reform and Regulatory Reform Taro Kono, who is in charge of vaccinations, mooted the possibility of a total bar on spectators at the
Juergen Klopp on Wednesday bemoaned Liverpool’s inability to turn dominance into goals as Real Madrid held out for a 0-0 draw at Anfield to progress to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League 3-1 on aggregate. Mohamed Salah and Georginio Wijnaldum were guilty of wasting glorious opportunities to get Klopp’s men back into the tie as they failed to replicate a remarkable recovery from 3-0 down to beat Barcelona 4-3 on aggregate at the semi-final stage two years ago. “We didn’t lose the tie tonight. We lost it definitely in Madrid, but even if we drew there 0-0, we would probably still be playing because we didn’t score,” said Klopp, whose side faces a battle just to qualify for next season’s Champions League through a top-four finish in the Premier League. “It’s a little bit ourselves this year. We had games here in the Premier League where we just don’t finish the situation often enough,” he said. Madrid were far from their best, but did not need to be to set up a semi-final clash with Chelsea as Los Blancos extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 14 games. “We knew we had to suffer tonight, but in the end we got what we wanted, which was to go through,” Zinedine Zidane said. “We knew they’d start fast and they were really good in the opening 15 minutes, but that’s normal. In the quarter-finals of the Champions League you have to dig in and we did that and got through,” he added. Elsewhere, at the fifth time of asking, Pep Guardiola has guided Manchester City to a Champions League semi-final as they saw off Borussia Dortmund and the demons of previous quarter-final disappointments. Attention turns to a semi-final clash with Qatari-owned Paris Saint-Germain that would be a meeting of two projects financed by Middle Eastern investment. For all
Left-hander Carlos Rodon on Wednesday pitched the 20th no-hitter in Chicago White Sox history, striking out seven batters in an 8-0 rout of the Cleveland Indians in Chicago. The 28-year-old American, who lost his bid for a perfect game with one out in the ninth inning, pitched a gem, but the Florida native also had some timely hits from his teammates and a clutch out by first baseman Jose Abreu early in the ninth to preserve the milestone. “That was awesome. A full team effort,” Rodon said. “I can’t believe it. I can’t.” The White Sox have the second most no-hitters in MLB history, behind the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 23. Rodon flirted with a perfect game, but a slider pitch got away from him and he hit Indians batter Roberto Perez on the foot with a 1-2 count in the ninth inning. It would have been the fourth perfect game in White Sox history. “It wasn’t meant to be,” he said. “I hit him on the top of the back foot. Lucky we got the no hitter. The rest is history.” Rodon retired the first 25 batters he faced, throwing a total of 114 pitches in front of the COVID-19-pandemic-limited crowd of 7,100 at Guaranteed Rate Field stadium. This was the second no-hitter of the young MLB season and the first for the White Sox since Lucas Giolito did it in August last year against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rodon’s no-hitter came just five days after San Diego ace Joe Musgrove threw the first no-hitter in Padres’ history. Musgrove did it for his hometown team, which had been the only MLB club without a no-hitter. After hitting Perez on the foot, Rodon regrouped and struck out Taiwan’s Chang Yu for the second out of the ninth. Jordan Luplow grounded out to third baseman Yoan Moncada to end the game and
Yuka Saso and Brittany Altomare shared the lead in the opening round of the LPGA Lotte Championship on Wednesday, finishing atop a tight leaderboard that also includes Canadian Brooke Henderson in search of her third straight title, while Taiwan’s Hsu Wei-ling was tied for seventh. Saso, a 19-year-old from the Philippines who made history for her country with double Asian Games golf gold in 2018, was first in the clubhouse on eight-under 64, racing home with four of her eight birdies at her last four holes. Altomare, of the US, followed with an even more impressive surge, stringing together seven straight birdies after the turn on the way to nine birdies and a bogey for an eight-under total. Saso, a two-time winner on the Japan LPGA Tour, said there was no real secret to her success at Kapolei Golf Club in Oahu, Hawaii. “I made some good putts, had good up and downs, my driving was very consistent today,” said Saso, who is playing this week on a sponsor’s exemption. Saso opened with a birdie on 10 and added birdies at 17, 18 and the fourth, before reeling off birdies at six, seven, eight and nine. Tied at five-under 67, Hsu, with birdies on two, six, seven, nine and 17, was in good company at seventh alongside world No. 3 Kim Sei-young of South Korea, who won the tournament in 2015, as well as New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, American Jessica Korda, Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow, South Korean Lee Mi-hyang and amateur Rose Zhang. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Cheng Ssu-chia, 23, had a two-under 70, with birdies on nine, 10, 11 and 14, tempered by bogeys on eight and 15, placing her tied for 48th. Min Lee was six-over on the par-72 course to tie for 141, while former world No. 1 Yani Tseng was seven-over at the bottom in 144th
STAYING FOCUSED: A five-day New Year holiday began on Tuesday, but protesters canceled the usual festivities to focus on countering the coup Burmese security forces yesterday opened fire on a pro-democracy protest by medical workers in the city of Mandalay, and during more shooting in a nearby area one man was killed and several were wounded, media reported. Opponents of a Feb. 1 coup that ousted an elected government led by Nobel peace laureate and Burmese State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi have kept up their campaign against the military this traditional New Year week with marches and other displays of resistance. Medical workers, some of whom have been at the forefront of the campaign against the coup, gathered in the second city of Mandalay early, but troops soon arrived to disperse them, opening fire and detaining some people, the BBC’s Burmese-language service said. The BBC and other news outlets did not have details of casualties or arrests at the protest, but Khit Thit media said that a man was shot and killed in the compound of a nearby mosque as security forces broke up the medics’ protest. A spokesman for the junta could not be reached for comment. A resident of the neighborhood where the mosque is located said that soldiers had arrived there and started shooting, wounding one person who was later taken to hospital. “There was no protest here. The soldiers just came and seemed to be searching for someone,” the resident, who declined to be identified, said by telephone. The BBC Burmese service reported that four people were wounded in that neighborhood. The five-day New Year holiday, known as Thingyan, began on Tuesday, but democracy advocates canceled the usual festivities to focus on their opposition to the generals. Hundreds of people joined protests marches in several other towns, according to pictures posted by media outlets. The coup has plunged Myanmar into crisis after 10 years of tentative steps toward democracy, with, in addition to the daily protests, strikes
When the pallbearers brought Phil McLean’s coffin into the chapel, there were gasps before a wave of laughter rippled through the hundreds of mourners. The coffin was a giant cream doughnut. “It overshadowed the sadness and the hard times in the last few weeks,” his widow, Debra McLean, said. “The final memory in everyone’s mind was of that doughnut, and Phil’s sense of humor.” The doughnut was the latest creation by Phil McLean’s cousin, Ross Hall, who runs a business in Auckland, New Zealand, called Dying Art, which custom builds colorful coffins. Other creations by Hall include a sailboat, a firetruck, a chocolate bar and Lego blocks. There have been glittering coffins covered in fake jewels, a casket inspired by the movie The Matrix, and plenty of coffins depicting people’s favorite beaches and holiday spots. “There are people who are happy with a brown mahogany box and that’s great,” Hall said. “But if they want to shout it out, I’m here to do it for them.” The idea first came to Hall about 15 years ago when he was writing a will and contemplating his own death. “How do I want to go out?” he thought to himself, deciding it would not be like everyone else. “So I put in my will that I want a red box with flames on it.” Six months later, Hall, whose other business is a signage and graphics company, decided to get serious. He approached a few funeral directors who looked at him with interest and skepticism, but over time, the idea took hold, he said. Hall begins with special-made blank coffins, and uses fiberboard and plywood to add details. A latex digital printer is used for the designs. Some orders are particularly complex, like a sailboat coffin, which included a keel and rudder, cabin, sails, even metal railings and pulleys. Depending on the design,
A dance troupe’s performance at a Royal Australian Navy event yesterday created a furor as initial criticism over apparent twerking at dignitaries turned into a story of inaccurate media coverage and criticism of the national broadcaster by the prime minister. The Australian Department of Defence found itself in hot water over reports of inappropriate entertainment during the commissioning of a A$2 billion (US$1.55 billion) naval ship in Sydney on Saturday last week. A seven-woman troupe dressed in black shorts, red crop tops and berets performed a dance routine that included twerking in front of the auxiliary vessel, HMAS Supply, according to footage shown by the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) on Wednesday. Video of the performance by the 101 Doll Squadron prompted criticism that it was too risque for a formal occasion. The ABC report cut between shots of the dancers and a crowd of dignitaries, including Australian Governor-General David Hurley. However, Hurley had not arrived at the time of the routine, a spokesman for the Australian Defence Force said. The dance troupe, which the military said was hired as part of its engagement with the local community, were critical of the ABC report, saying that it was “deceptive,” and they were hurt and disappointed by their portrayal, and the resulting controversy. “The media which purports to support women have been the most virulent,” the troupe said in a statement. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was disappointed over the “misreporting” that had misled people. “I think that was disrespectful to the performers to suggest the governor-general or others were in attendance,” he said at a news conference in Perth. In a statement, the ABC said it had updated its footage to reflect that the governor-general and chief of navy were not in attendance for the dance routine, and apologized to its viewers and both men for the error.
Well that wasn’t a particularly auspicious start. The town of Dawu deep in southern Taitung County is not, it turns out, the gateway to Dawu Mountain (大武山) Nature Reserve. From their reaction, it seemed that nobody in this tiny collection of indigenous-styled wooden houses and its post office had ever heard of the mountain. So I headed out of town on my rented scooter and followed a road that appeared to lead into the interior. Rice fields, power stations, pretty mountain roads and birds, but no Dawu Mountain. Heading back north on Provincial Highway 9, the views of radiant blue Pacific are reason enough to take a trip here. About 30 minutes south of Taimali Township (太麻里), a sign indicated Jinlong Township (金龍). Beyond the town, large mountains loomed. I turned in. This backwater, situated at the mouth of a river, is apparently a popular rest stop for cyclists touring the east coast. On the main road through town a brown and white sign read: Dawu-Shan Eco Education Center 2.5km. It exists! I booked a room at a small hotel a few meters away (Jinlong is a very small town), and hopped back on the scooter to find the road that leads into the interior. A good indication that I was on the right track murals on a whitewashed cement embankment depicting: mountain scops owl, masked palm civet, wild pig, barking deer, black bear and clouded leopard. An ornate red bridge led to an empty but well-kept parking lot, so I parked and set off to explore the trail. The river was audible below and I found my way down an embankment and dunked my head into the clear Dawu River (大武溪). Lots of nice forest, but still way too close to humanity. I climbed back up and found that
Right down to its production design, the Oscars have not always felt like the most welcoming place for the disabled. “I’ve always seen that stage with its stairs as a symbol that they don’t expect people who had mobility issues to be nominated or to win an award,” said Jim LeBrecht, the co-director and co-star of the Oscar-nominated documentary Crip Camp. “It’s always been this kind of negative tacit statement.” This year shows signs of change. LeBrecht, who has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, will attend the April 25 ceremony. So will Robert Tarango, the deaf-blind star of the nominated short, Feeling Through. The victors’ podium will be accessible for both. And LeBrecht hopes that will become a permanent change, both literally and figuratively. The two films, along with Sound of Metal, nominated for six awards including best picture, have the people behind them hoping their Oscar moment can become a catalyst for Hollywood to stop using the disabled as sources of inspiration, objects of pity or twisted villains. “I think that the goal is to alleviate the fear,” Tarango said through a translator, “to open the doors so that executives don’t look at our ability to hear or not to hear and to see that somebody who is blind, deaf-blind, who has any kind of disability is just part of the world and can be part of these films.” The academy, under pressure, has pushed for greater race and gender inclusion in recent years. The disabled can too often be forgotten in that discussion. “It’s time that people need to recognize that diversity should include the disabled, the deaf-blind and the deaf community,” Marlee Matlin, an executive producer on Feeling Through and the only deaf actor to win an Oscar, said through a translator. “I hope that it’s not just the
Magic mushrooms have a long and rich history. Now scientists say they could play an important role in the future, with their active ingredient a promising treatment for depression. The results from a small, phase two clinical trial have revealed that two doses of psilocybin appears to be as effective as the common antidepressant escitalopram in treating moderate to severe major depressive disorder, at least when combined with psychological therapy. “I think it is fair to say that the results signal hope that we may be looking at a promising alternative treatment for depression,” said Robin Carhart-Harris, head of the center for psychedelic research at Imperial College London and a co-author of the study. Carhart-Harris said psilocybin was thought to work in a fundamentally different way to escitalopram. While both act on the brain’s serotonin system, he said escitalopram seemed to work by helping people tolerate stress more easily. “With a psychedelic it is more about a release of thought and feeling that, when guided with psychotherapy, produces positive outcomes,” he said, adding participants given psilocybin had often reported feeling they had got more fully to the root of why they were depressed. However, Carhart-Harris cautioned against seeking out magic mushrooms — a class A drug in the UK — for DIY treatment. “That would be an error of judgment,” he said. “We strongly believe that the … psychotherapy component is as important as the drug action.” The ￡1 million (US$1.37 million) trial builds on previous work by the team exploring how psilocybin affects the brain, and an earlier clinical trial in which the drug helped alleviate treatment-resistant depression in 12 patients. Over the six-week trial, 30 out of 59 adults with moderate to severe major depressive disorder were randomly allocated to receive two 25mg doses of psilocybin three weeks apart — a dose that Carhart-Harris said was
How’s the house-hunting going? (5/5) 你房子找得怎麼樣了？（五） B: The other good thing about the apartment we saw is that it is unfurnished. It has a refrigerator and washing machine, but that’s it. A: Why is that a good thing? I thought you would want it to be furnished, so you didn’t have to fork out for new furniture. B: We own most of what we need. We have a bed, sofa, dining table, chairs and a chest of drawers from the last apartment. A: It’s all good then. Don’t forget to ask about whether there is a management fee, and remember that you will need to pay the agent: I think they usually ask for half a month’s rent. B: 我們去看的那間公寓，它的另一個優點是不附傢俱，只有冰箱和洗衣機。 A: 為什麼這算優點啊？我以為你希望它附傢俱，這樣就不用自己花錢買新的了。 B: 需要用的，我們大部分都有了。我們有床、沙發、餐桌、五斗櫃，是從上一間公寓搬過來的。 A: 那這樣就沒問題了。別忘記問是不是需要繳管理費，而且你也需要付仲介費，費用通常是半個月的房租。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
How’s the house-hunting going? (4/5) 你房子找得怎麼樣了？（四） B: We went to view an apartment yesterday. It checked all the boxes for me, but my partner was not entirely convinced. A: Well, it’s an important decision. You will have to give it a lot of thought before you take the plunge. B: I know. It has a modern kitchen with newly fitted units and a spacious bathroom. All the walls are clean and there is plenty of storage in the bedrooms. A: It sounds pretty good to me. Why was your partner undecided? B: The main bedroom overlooks a main road. It could be quite noisy at night. We need to go back after dark to see if the noise levels are acceptable. B: 我們昨天去看了一間公寓，我需要的條件它都符合了，可是我另一半不太滿意。 A: 租房子是重要的決定，出手之前要想清楚。 B: 我知道。它有現代化的廚房，設備都是新的，還有空間寬敞的浴室。牆壁都很乾淨，而且臥室裡有很多收納空間。 A: 這聽起來很不錯啊？你另一半還要考慮什麼？ B: 那個主臥室旁邊底下是一條大馬路，晚上可能會蠻吵的。我們需要在天黑以後再去一次，看看噪音是不是在能接受的範圍內。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
How’s the house-hunting going? (3/5) 你房子找得怎麼樣了？（三） A: How are you looking? Are you walking around neighborhoods you like and seeing if people have placed signs in their windows? B: No, we’re looking online, filtering for neighborhoods we would want to live in and setting the range we are willing to pay. A: Do you need to specify what kind of apartment you’re searching for? B: Yes. We’ve checked the boxes for a new building with an elevator, for at least two rooms and a balcony, and at least 20 ping. We need space for the dogs. A: You have dogs? Then you’d better also check whether the landlord will accept pets. A: 你們是怎麼找房子的？是到你想租的區域走一走，看有沒有人把出租的廣告貼在窗子上嗎？ B: 不是，我們是上網找的，用我們想住的地方來搜尋，然後設定價格區間。 A: 你需要具體說明要找怎樣的公寓嗎？ B: 需要。我們勾選了有電梯的新房子、最少有兩個房間、有陽台，而且面積至少二十坪，我們需要養狗的空間。 A: 你有狗啊？那你最好也要跟房東確認一下能不能養寵物。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
| New Taipei City | 20-21 | 30% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 19-20 | 30% | |
| Hsinchu City | 19-20 | 30% | |
| Taipei City | 20-21 | 30% | |
| Miaoli County | 20-20 | 30% |  |
| Taoyuan City | 20-20 | 30% | |
| Keelung City | 19-19 | 50% | |
| Yunlin County | 21-21 | 10% |  |
| Taichung City | 22-22 | 10% |  |
| Nantou County | 21-22 | 10% | |
| Changhua County | 21-22 | 10% | |
| Chiayi County | 21-22 | 0% | |
| Chiayi City | 20-22 | 0% | |
| Tainan City | 22-23 | 0% | |
| Kaohsiung City | 24-25 | 0% | |
| Pingtung County | 22-24 | 0% | |
| Yilan County | 20-21 | 20% | |
| Hualien County | 21-22 | 20% | |
| Taitung County | 23-24 | 30% | |
| Kinmen County | 18-18 | 20% |  |
| Penghu County | 22-22 | 0% | |
| Lienchiang County | 14-14 | 20% | |
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