MEDIA
Reporters moving to Taiwan
There has been an increase in the number of foreign media companies with bases in Taiwan, as it protects freedom of the press and is a hub in the Indo-Pacific region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. The nation’s free circulation of information and respect for diverse opinions also appeals to foreign journalists, ministry spokesman Jeff Liu (劉永健) said. Taiwan ranked 35th in this year’s World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders, its highest ranking since 2008, he said. The nation’s Internet freedom was also the highest in the Asia-Pacific region in this year’s Freedom in the World report published by US-based Freedom House, he said. By the end of last month, 174 reporters from 82 international media firms were stationed in Taiwan, up from 81 reporters from 48 companies in March 2016, he said. Taiwan welcomes international media firms and is willing to provide assistance to all journalists, Liu said.
DEFENSE
China balloon crosses Strait
A suspected Chinese weather balloon on Monday floated across the Taiwan Strait, but remained well north of Taiwan, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. It was the third time this month that a Chinese balloon has been reported near Taiwan. Monday’s balloon was detected at 9:09am after crossing the Strait’s median line 67 nautical miles (124km) northwest of Keelung. It was at an altitude of about 4,572m, headed east and disappeared at 11:52am, the ministry said. It said its initial judgement is that it was a weather balloon. Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) had said after the first incident that monsoon winds might have blown the balloon toward Taiwan, and that it might be used to gather meteorological research data.
BEVERAGES
Apple Sidra back on shelves
Apple Sidra has returned to the market seven months after sales of the soda were suspended because of the discovery of mold. Apple Sidra maker Oceanic Beverages Co, Inc said in a statement on Monday that two of its production lines at its Taoyuan factory formally resumed operations on Nov. 16, and its products passed random inspections by the Taoyuan Department of Public Health. The inspections found that the products met hygiene standards and the company’s own control criteria, Oceanic Beverages said. As a result, the department agreed to allow the company to sell the beverage. The Apple Sidra now available in stores was made during trial runs on Oct. 27 or when official production started on Nov. 16, the company said. In April, a customer found white residue in a bottle of Apple Sidra and alerted the local health department. Tests confirmed the presence of mold and yeast in the bottle, leading to the suspension of all three of the Taoyuan factory’s production lines in May.
WEATHER
Colder temperatures arriving
A strong continental cold air mass that sent temperatures plummeting to 14°C to 16°C in northern Taiwan and 17°C to 19°C in southern and eastern Taiwan last night would continue today, the Central Weather Administration said. More cold weather is expected to arrive tomorrow, sending temperatures to lows of 10°C in north and central Taiwan, and 13°C in the south and east, the agency said. The cold, wet weather is expected to ease slightly on Saturday, it added.
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) was questioned by prosecutors for allegedly orchestrating an attack on a taxi driver after he was allegedly driven on a longer than necessary route in a car he disliked. The questioning at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office was ongoing as of press time last night. Police have recommended charges of attempted murder. The legally embattled actor — known for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代) — is under a separate investigation for allegedly using fake medical documents to evade mandatory military service. According to local media reports, police said Wang earlier last year ordered a
CAUTION: Based on intelligence from the nation’s security agencies, MOFA has cautioned Taiwanese travelers about heightened safety risks in China-friendly countries The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday urged Taiwanese to be aware of their safety when traveling abroad, especially in countries that are friendly to China. China in June last year issued 22 guidelines that allow its courts to try in absentia and sentence to death so-called “diehard” Taiwanese independence activists, even though Chinese courts have no jurisdiction in Taiwan. Late last month, a senior Chinese official gave closed-door instructions to state security units to implement the guidelines in countries friendly to China, a government memo and a senior Taiwan security official said, based on information gathered by Taiwan’s intelligence agency. The
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said yesterday that it is looking to hire 8,000 people this year, at a time when the tech giant is expanding production capacity to maintain its lead over competitors. To attract talent, TSMC would launch a large-scale recruitment campaign on campuses across Taiwan, where a newly recruited engineer with a master’s degree could expect to receive an average salary of NT$2.2 million (US$60,912), which is much higher than the 2023 national average of NT$709,000 for those in the same category, according to government statistics. TSMC, which accounted for more than 60 percent
President William Lai (賴清德) should protect Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), and stop supporting domestic strife and discord, former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) wrote on Facebook yesterday. US President Donald Trump and TSMC on Monday jointly announced that the company would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next few years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US. The TSMC plans have promoted concern in Taiwan that it would effectively lead to the chipmaking giant becoming Americanized. The Lai administration lacks tangible policies to address concerns that Taiwan might follow in Ukraine’s footsteps, Ma wrote. Instead, it seems to think it could
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