According to media reports, after the national baseball team’s victory in the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Premier12, rumor has it that President William Lai (賴清德) is considering replacing the image of Nanwang Puyuma Wreath Experimental Elementary School’s (南王國小) junior baseball team on the NT$500 bill with an image of the “Taiwanese baseball heroes” of the national team. I think: Why not?
The designs of the New Taiwan dollar bills were renewed in about 2000 when the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) gained power in the nation’s first power transfer.
According to the experience of countries across the world, a currency is renewed every 10 to 20 years.
In July, the Bank of Japan started to issue new ￥1,000, ￥5,000 and ￥10,000 banknotes, the first time in 20 years that Japan has issued new bills. The image of the ￥10,000 bill was changed from thinker Fukuzawa Yukichi to the Meiji-era entrepreneur Shibusawa Eiichi, the image of the ￥5,000 bill was changed from female writer Ichiyo Higuchi to female educator Umeko Tsuda, and the image of the ￥1,000 bill was changed from medical scientist Hideyo Noguchi to medical scientist Shibasaburo Kitasato. The design logic behind the new bills not only highlights the significance of the times, but it also makes use of the latest printing technology to prevent counterfeiting
In 2020, the UK also changed the image on the back of the ￡20 bill from economist Adam Smith to painter William Turner, which became the first art-themed British banknote. Plus, the paper banknote has been upgraded to a “plastic banknote,” which is the most durable and difficult to counterfeit. The change in material not only extends the life of the bills, but also reduces printing and transportation costs.
Taiwan should keep up with the times and take this opportunity to renew its banknotes to keep up with the world trend of replacing paper banknotes with plastic ones. Compared with traditional paper bills, the plastic ones are considered more durable and more environmentally friendly, and they have improved security features.
The meaning of renewing banknotes lies in “commemorating events of special significance.” The issuance of commemorative bills featuring baseball heroes is not only representative and appropriate, but also highlights the unique significance of Taiwan’s victory in the championship. Every time Taiwanese use the new bills, they would remember the glorious and proud moment, all of which would be of benefit to creating a “Taiwan consensus.”
Dino Wei works in the information technology industry.
Translated by Eddy Chang
Taiwan’s victory in the World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier12 championship is an historic achievement. Yet once again this achievement is marred by the indignity of the imposed moniker “Chinese Taipei.” The absurdity is compounded by the fact that none of the players are even from Taipei, and some, such as Paiwan catcher Giljegiljaw Kungkuan, are not even ethnically Chinese. The issue garnered attention around the Paris Olympics, yet fell off the agenda as Olympic memories retreated. “Chinese Taipei” persists, and the baseball championship serves as a reminder that fighting “Chinese Taipei” must be a continuous campaign, not merely resurfacing around international
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) appears to be encountering some culture shock and safety issues at its new fab in Arizona. On Nov. 7, Arizona state authorities cited TSMC for worker safety violations, fining the company US$16,131, after a man died in May. The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health released its six-month investigation into the fatality and cited TSMC for failing to keep the workplace free from hazards likely to cause death or serious harm. At about the same time, the chip giant was also sued for alleged discriminatory hiring practices favoring Asians, prompting a flurry of debate on whether TSMC’s
This month, the National Health Insurance (NHI) is to implement a major policy change by eliminating the suspension-and-resumption mechanism for Taiwanese residing abroad. With more than 210,000 Taiwanese living overseas — many with greater financial means than those in Taiwan — this reform, catalyzed by a 2022 Constitutional Court ruling, underscores the importance of fairness, sustainability and shared responsibility in one of the world’s most admired public healthcare systems. Beyond legal obligations, expatriates have a compelling moral duty to contribute, recognizing their stake in a system that embodies the principle of health as a human right. The ruling declared the prior
US president-elect Donald Trump is inheriting from President Joe Biden a challenging situation for American policy in the Indo-Pacific region, with an expansionist China on the march and threatening to incorporate Taiwan, by force if necessary. US policy choices have become increasingly difficult, in part because Biden’s policy of engagement with China, including investing in personal diplomacy with President Xi Jinping (習近平), has not only yielded little but also allowed the Chinese military to gain a stronger footing in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. In Xi’s Nov. 16 Lima meeting with a diminished Biden, the Chinese strongman signaled little
RSS