[{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"112","ar_id":"2003831423","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-06","ar_head":"Taiwan News Quick Take","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"IMMIGRATIONGerman daily lauds Taiwan Taiwan is one of only four countries in the world and the only one in Asia worth immigrating to, the German daily Der Tagesspiegel said in an article on Sunday. Taiwan\u2019s democratic system, low crime rate, good infrastructure and friendly visa policies for skilled","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/06\/2003831423","photo":[]},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"112","ar_id":"2003831424","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-06","ar_head":"Lantern show","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"A large lantern of \u201cStrong,\u201d the mascot for the World Masters Games 2025 Taipei and New Taipei City is pictured at Taipei Lantern Festival\u2019s Beimen display zone yesterday. This year\u2019s Taipei Lantern Festival, being held in the west of the city with four main display zones, is to run until Feb. 16.","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/06\/2003831424","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831424","ph_attr":"Photo: Gan Mang-ling, Taipei Times","ph_cap":"","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/06","ph_fname":"P01-250206-009.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/06\/P01-250206-009.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/06\/thumbs\/P01-250206-009.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"64","ar_id":"2003831425","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-06","ar_head":"Ready for the big top","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Performers of the Focasa Circus and Cloud Gate Dance Theatre yesterday perform a part of their new show at a news conference at Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei. The show is a collaboration between Focasa, Cloud Gate and renowned Taiwanese picture book artist Jimmy Liao, and is to be performed i","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/06\/2003831425","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831425","ph_attr":"Photo: CNA","ph_cap":"","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/06","ph_fname":"P02-250206-608.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/06\/P02-250206-608.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/06\/thumbs\/P02-250206-608.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"79","ar_id":"2003831426","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-06","ar_head":"Snow on snow","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"A valley in the Hsuehshan Range (aka Snow Mountain) in central Taiwan is pictured after snowfall yesterday.","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/06\/2003831426","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831426","ph_attr":"Photo courtesy of Chang Wen-chun","ph_cap":"","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/06","ph_fname":"P03-250206-008.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/06\/P03-250206-008.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/06\/thumbs\/P03-250206-008.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"226","ar_id":"2003831378","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli to perform at Taipei Dome in April","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli is to hold a concert at the Taipei Dome in April, in what is to be the venue's first performance by a Western artist, the concert's promoter said yesterday.The opera singer is to perform on April 4, while additional details on his musical accompaniments and ticket sales ","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831378","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831378","ph_attr":"Photo courtesy of MNA","ph_cap":"Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli is pictured in an undated photograph.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"Bocelli.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/Bocelli.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/Bocelli.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Tsai Wen-chu and Hollie Younger ","ar_views":"135","ar_id":"2003831377","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"Tainan to host orchid show in March ","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"This year\u2019s Asia Pacific Orchid Conference and Taiwan International Orchid Show are to run from March 8 to 23 at the Taiwan Orchid Technology Park in Tainan\u2019s Houbi District (\u5f8c\u58c1). The conference host rotates between different member cities in the Asia-Pacific region every three years and is to retur","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831377","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831377","ph_attr":"Photo courtesy of the Tainan Tourism Bureau","ph_cap":"A display for this year\u2019s Asia Pacific Orchid Conference and Taiwan International Orchid Show is pictured at the Yawen Lakeside Healing Forest in Tainan\u2019s Houbi District in an undated photograph.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"orchids.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/orchids.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/orchids.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Sam Garcia","ar_views":"214","ar_id":"2003831376","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"Ministry investigating local firms for facilitating Chinese ID applications","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"More than 30 people have been questioned for possessing Chinese ID cards, while three to five companies are under investigation for assisting with the application process, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (\u5289\u4e16\u82b3) said today.These companies may have breached the Act Governing Relations Between th","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831376","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831376","ph_attr":"Photo courtesy of Yahoo TV ","ph_cap":"Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang discusses Chinese IDs in an interview with Yahoo TV broadcasted today.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"Liu on Yahoo TV.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/Liu on Yahoo TV.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/Liu on Yahoo TV.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Lo Tien-pin and Lery Hiciano","ar_views":"381","ar_id":"2003831374","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"Over 100 marines deployed to Songshan airport","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"As part of a push to strengthen defenses around the capital, the marine corps has deployed more than 100 soldiers and officers of the 66th Marine Brigade to Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), a source with knowledge of the matter said today.Two weeks ago, a military source revealed tha","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831374","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831374","ph_attr":"Photo courtesy of the Military News Agency","ph_cap":"A marine rides in a Humvee equipped with a 20mm cannon at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) in an undated photograph.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"marines in songshan.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/marines in songshan.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/marines in songshan.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Hollie Younger ","ar_views":"177","ar_id":"2003831372","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"Taipei government censured over child sexual assault case ","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"The Control Yuan today announced it has reprimanded the Taipei City Government after an investigation found significant failures in the handling of a child sexual assault case from 2022 to 2023. Private preschool teacher Mao Chun-shen (\u6bdb\u756f\u73c5) was convicted last year on charges of sexually abusing chil","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831372","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831372","ph_attr":"Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times","ph_cap":"Control Yuan member Yeh Ta-hua today presents at a news conference in Taipei to discuss findings of an investigation into the Taipei City Government over handling of a child sexual assault case from 2022 to 2023.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"ControlYuan.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/ControlYuan.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/ControlYuan.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Sam Garcia","ar_views":"211","ar_id":"2003831371","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"TRC ticket fare increase pending board approval","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Taiwan railway ticket prices may increase for the first time in 30 years, as the Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) is proposing an average fare increase of 26.8 percent to its board of directors this afternoon. According to the Legislative Yuan, a reasonable rate of return for TRC ticket revenue is 3 to 5 p","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831371","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831371","ph_attr":"Photo: Peng Chien-li, Taipei Times","ph_cap":"Passengers exit a Taiwan Railway Corp train at Miaoli Station on Aug. 2 last year.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"TRC train.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/TRC train.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/TRC train.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Lery Hiciano","ar_views":"322","ar_id":"2003831370","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"US representatives propose bill to invite Taiwan to IMF","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"US representatives Young Kim and Al Green have proposed a bipartisan bill, the \u201cTaiwan non-discrimination act,\u201d calling for the country to join the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a member.The bill calls for Taiwan\u2019s participation in IMF activities, employment opportunities at the IMF for its c","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831370","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831370","ph_attr":"Photo: Reuters","ph_cap":"A person waves a Taiwan national flag in front of a US national flag in an undated photograph.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"U.S. Taiwan flags.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/U.S. Taiwan flags.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/U.S. Taiwan flags.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"709","ar_id":"2003831369","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"Nine face prison over Taiwan\u2019s largest cannabis growing operation","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"The Hsinchu District Court has handed prison sentences ranging from four to 10 years to nine men in connection with the largest cannabis growing operation ever uncovered in Taiwan.Nearly 6,000 cannabis plants as well as various cannabis products with a total market value of NT$2 billion (US$60.81 mi","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831369","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831369","ph_attr":"File photo courtesy of the Hsinchu Police Bureau","ph_cap":"Marijuana plants are pictured in Hsinchu County after a police bust in an undated photograph.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"cannabis.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/cannabis.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/cannabis.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION: ","ar_byline":"By Yang Yuan-ting\r\nand Sam Garcia","ar_views":"587","ar_id":"2003831349","ar_sbhdbody":"Making major funding cuts to Taiwan\u2019s leading research institution gives the impression that science is not a priority, James Liao said","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"Academia Sinica\u2019s head criticizes cut to its budget","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Taiwan\u2019s international reputation would be harmed by cutting a large portion of Academia Sinica\u2019s budget at a time when national defense, economics, politics, and science and technology are closely linked, Academia Sinica president James Liao (\u5ed6\u4fca\u667a) said yesterday.The Legislative Yuan, led by the Chi","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831349","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831349","ph_attr":"Photo: CNA","ph_cap":"Academia Sinica President James Liao, right, speaks at the institution\u2019s booth at the Taipei International Book Exhibition yesterday.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"P02-250205-602.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/P02-250205-602.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/P02-250205-602.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"SUPPORT IN US: ","ar_byline":"By Hollie Younger","ar_views":"528","ar_id":"2003831350","ar_sbhdbody":"Senator Marsha Blackburn said that Washington must stand with Taiwan and oppose the stance of South Africa and the Chinese Communist Party","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"South African office talks intensify","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"The current phase of talks with South Africa regarding its demand to move the nation\u2019s representative office from Pretoria is \u201cmore challenging\u201d than the first round due to intensified Chinese pressure, a source with knowledge of the matter said yesterday.On Oct. 7 last year, South Africa requested ","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831350","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831350","ph_attr":"Photo: Huang Chin-hsuan, Taipei Times","ph_cap":"Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of West Asian and African Affairs deputy head Chen Yung-po speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"P02-250205-009.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/P02-250205-009.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/P02-250205-009.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Chen Yu-fu\r\nand Lery Hiciano","ar_views":"386","ar_id":"2003831351","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"MAC issues report on HK","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"As part of its continued focus on \u201cnational security\u201d concerns in Hong Kong, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has begun classes on \u201cXi Jinping thought\u201d as part of the territory\u2019s curriculum, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said.Since the passage of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, the cou","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831351","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831351","ph_attr":"Photo: Bloomberg","ph_cap":"Police officers stand outside the West Kowloon Court in Hong Kong on Nov. 19 last year.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"P02-250205-315.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/P02-250205-315.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/P02-250205-315.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"","ar_views":"337","ar_id":"2003831352","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"Companies donate 1.11m masks to Ukraine, Estonia","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Two Taiwanese companies yesterday announced a donation of 1.11 million medical masks to Ukraine and Estonia for frontline personnel and other medical workers.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a ceremony in Taipei for the donation \u2014 which it is helping to facilitate \u2014 by Motex Healthcare and Tai","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831352","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831352","ph_attr":"Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times","ph_cap":"From left, Taiwan Comfort Champ chairman Andy Chen, Estonia-Taiwan Friendship Group chairman Kristo Enn Vaga, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu and Motex Healthcare chairman Y.C. Cheng pose in front of boxes of masks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"P02-250205-010.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/P02-250205-010.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/P02-250205-010.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Huang Ching-hsuan\r\nand Jason Pan","ar_views":"370","ar_id":"2003831353","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"Indian envoy touts ties with Taiwan at Taipei lantern event","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"Officials representing Taipei and India at the weekend celebrated \u201cthree decades of friendship\u201d between the two nations at the Taipei Lantern Festival, which features lanterns of landmarks and technological achievements of India.Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (\u8523\u842c\u5b89) and India-Taipei Association (ITA) Dir","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831353","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831353","ph_attr":"Photo courtesy of the India-Taipei Association","ph_cap":"India-Taipei Association Director-General Manharsinh Laxmanbhai Yadav, left, and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an look at an India-themed lantern at the Taipei Lantern Festival on Sunday.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"P02-250205-008.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/P02-250205-008.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/P02-250205-008.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"TREND: ","ar_byline":"By Lee I-chia ","ar_views":"477","ar_id":"2003831354","ar_sbhdbody":"Hospital visits for diarrhea and flu-like illness are expected to increase this week after declining last week, as hospitals and clinics reopen, an official said","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"Man dies of meningococcal meningitis","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported this year\u2019s first case of meningococcal meningitis, adding that hospital visits for diarrhea and flu-like illness are expected to significantly increase this week. The case of meningococcal meningitis is a man in his 70s in northern Taiwan who","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831354","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831354","ph_attr":"Photo: Cheng Shu-ting, Taipei Times ","ph_cap":"People line up to get flu vaccines in Taoyuan\u2019s Bade District yesterday.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"P03-250205-013.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/P03-250205-013.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/P03-250205-013.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"","ar_byline":"By Shelley Shan","ar_views":"334","ar_id":"2003831355","ar_sbhdbody":"","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"Book exhibition opens in Taipei","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"More than 500 publishers from 29 countries are attending the Taipei International Book Exhibition this year, which opened at Hall 1 of the Taipei World Trade Center yesterday.President William Lai (\u8cf4\u6e05\u5fb7), Minister of Culture Li Yuan (\u674e\u9060), Italian Economic, Trade and Cultural Promotion Office Represen","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831355","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831355","ph_attr":"Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times ","ph_cap":"People walk among booths at the Taipei International Book Exhibition at the Taipei World Trade Center yesterday.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"P03-250205-012.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/P03-250205-012.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/P03-250205-012.jpg"}},{"ar_sbhdtease":"IMPROVEMENT:","ar_byline":"By Shelley Shan","ar_views":"777","ar_id":"2003831356","ar_sbhdbody":"The ratio of tourists disappearing upon arrival dropped to nine out of 10,000 as of April 30 last year from three out of 1,000 in 2015","ar_section":"Taiwan News","ar_pubdate":"2025-02-05","ar_head":"Rules to be eased to attract tourists from six nations","dp_urlname":"taiwan","ar_desc":"The Tourism Administration yesterday said it aims to attract more tourists from India and five Southeast Asian countries by readjusting the procedures to enter the country and easing penalties for travel agencies that lose tourists. The government on Nov. 1, 2015, implemented the Kuan Hung Pilot Pro","ar_url":"News\/taiwan\/archives\/2025\/02\/05\/2003831356","photo":{"ar_id":"2003831356","ph_attr":"Photo: CNA ","ph_cap":"People line up at a check-in counter at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on July 25 last year.","ph_fpath":"2025\/02\/05","ph_fname":"P03-250205-603.jpg","ph_url":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/P03-250205-603.jpg","ph_url_thumbs":"images\/2025\/02\/05\/thumbs\/P03-250205-603.jpg"}}]