Unexploded depth charge found while unloading catch in fishing harbor

January 22, 2021January 22, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Kaohsiung City, unexploded ordnance

Coast Guard officers blockaded a fishing port in Kaohsiung City yesterday, after an unexploded depth charge was found on a fishing vessel while the crew was unloading the catch at the fish market. The unexploded bomb was found at 11:00 am at the Keziliao Fishing Harbor. Entry to the port was blocked until an bomb disposal team from the Army Fourth Regional Support Command ammunition depot arrived at around 1:00 pm. Army personnel identified the bomb as an MK6 depth

Taiwan representative Hsiao Bi-khim at the Presidential Inauguration ceremony, January 20, 2021

International Relations

January 21, 2021January 21, 2021 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment Hsiao Bi-khim, USA-Taiwan

Taiwan’s representative to the United States Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) attended the inauguration ceremony for President Joe Biden today, and it is the first time Taiwan’s representative to the United States was officially invited by the organizing committee since diplomatic ties were broken off in 1979. Since 1979, Taiwan representatives have attended Presidential Inauguration ceremonies with admission tickets provided by individual congress members, to be issued at their own discretion, local media outlets in Taiwan reported. The Taipei Economic and Cultural

derelict freighter aground on rocks in South Penghu Marine National Park

Marine and Fisheries

January 19, 2021January 20, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Penghu Islands, ship aground

An unmanned ship that ran aground in the Penghu Islands yesterday, was identified as the Philippine-registered HM FOUNDATION, but the last-registered owner has claimed that the ship has been sold, and did not disclose who currently owns it. Coast Guard officers boarded the vessel today and confirmed that there was no crew onboard. A large amount of water was present in the cargo hold, and some oil was leaking from the ship. The Coast Guard Administration dispatched three boats to

unnamed, unmanned freighter aground on rocks on Xiji Island, Penghu Islands

Marine and Fisheries

January 18, 2021January 18, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ghost ship, Penghu Islands, ship aground

An unnamed, unmanned freighter ran aground on Xiji Island in Penghu County, Taiwan in the early hours of this morning, January 18, and authorities are concerned of a possible pollution incident. The Coast Guard Administration Penghu branch received a report of a freighter seen aground on the rocky northern coastline of Xiji Island at around 10:20 am. The coast guard sent two patrol boats and a helicopter on an emergency rescue mission, only to find there was apparently nobody aboard

scene from Taiwan zombie film The Sadness

Entertainment

January 17, 2021January 18, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Taiwan films and movies, zombies

Some pre-release reviews say that the Made in Taiwan zombie flick The Sadness is different from horror movies such as Korea’s Train to Busan, because the monsters are not the living dead, but living humans that have mutated in such a way that they are hellbent on fulfilling the most evil desires in their hearts. But, according to the official trailer, and research so far, The Sadness promises to be horrifying, and will probably rate quite highly on the cringe

Animals

January 17, 2021January 18, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment indigenous people, Orchid-Island

The Council of Agriculture (COA) delivered 28 pure-bred miniature pigs native to Orchid Island back to their homeland after a 40-year captive breeding program designed to protect the species. The pygmy pigs arrived by boat at the Kaiyuan Harbor on January 15, according to United Daily News. The 10 boars and 18 sows were welcomed home by members of the indigenous Yami people. Shi La-heng, head of Langdao Village said that the pigs will be raised and bred in captivity

Society

January 17, 2021January 17, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment nightlife, Taichung City

A newly-opened nightclub in Taichung City faced two run-ins with the law in the last week after dancers simulated a sex act on stage, on one occasion, and an Alpaca was brought into the club on another. The night club was investigated by police after a dance performance on January 10 saw two female dancers, wearing skin-tight, skin-colored tights, sitting on top of a male dancer and gyrating their hips in a simulated sex act. A member of the audience

I don't need therapy, I just need to go to Taiwan, Taiwan supports frontline health heroes mug

Politics

January 16, 2021January 16, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Chung Chia-pin, COVID-19, legislative-yuan

A series of products featuring the words “I don’t need therapy, I just need to go to Taiwan” has generated a viral level of sales on online shopping sites recently, so a Taiwanese legislator had a mug designed with the addition “Taiwan support frontline health heroes.” With much of the world gripped in fear, and locked down with restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a design company in the United States launched a coffee mug featuring the words “I don’t

Fire

January 15, 2021January 15, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Kaohsiung City, residential fire

Three members of a family died after a fire in a four storey residential building in Kaohsiung City in the early hours of the morning today, January 15. The Kaohsiung City fire department responded to reports of a fire in Fengshan District at 4:44 am. Twenty-eight vehicles and 62 personnel were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, firefighters found a 33-year-old woman named Wu, holding a one-year-old infant, on a balcony on the third floor calling for help. Firefighters raised

Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific

Military Affairs

January 13, 2021January 14, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Asia Pacific, China expansionism, defense, USA-Taiwan

The surprise declassification of the U.S. Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific has revealed that the current US national defense policy for the Asia-Pacific region includes a commitment to developing a defense strategy capable of denying China air and sea dominance inside the “first island chain,” and “defending the first-island-chain nations, including Taiwan.” The previously classified “secret” and “not for foreign nationals” document was developed in 2017, and has guided the Trump administration since 2018. The document was officially declassified last

the Yong Yu Sing No.18 adrift in the Pacific Ocean and no sign of crew

Marine and Fisheries

January 12, 2021January 12, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment marine search and rescue, ship adrift

A Taiwanese fishing vessel that has been drifting at sea with no sign of crew after being spotted by a search and rescue aircraft January 2, is now under tow, and expected to be able to be boarded once it reaches calmer waters tomorrow. See previous stories: Missing Taiwan fishing boat spotted near Midway, no sign of crew Mystery deepens over Taiwanese ghost ship adrift in Pacific Ocean After being approached by Taiwanese fishing vessel Lian Horng No. 67, who

Month: January 2021

Unexploded depth charge found while unloading catch in fishing harbor

Taiwan representative attends Presidential Inauguration with official invitation for the first time since 1979

Derelict freighter aground in Penghu Islands identified, leaking oil

Ghost freighter runs aground in the Penghu Islands

A mutant virus, excess gore, and violent zombie hordes: Taiwan’s first movie release in 2021

Native pigs return to Orchid Island after 40-year captive breeding program

Taichung night club facing charges of public obscenity, now being investigated for animal cruelty to alpaca

“I don’t need therapy, I just need to go to Taiwan” a big hit in online sales, so legislator features his own mug

Three family members dead after residential fire in Kaohsiung City

Declassified US Indo-Pacific security framework document shows commitment to defense of Taiwan

Taiwanese long-liner with missing crew under tow and expected to be boarded tomorrow