Author: Phillip Charlier

Taipei City New Year’s Eve party to go ahead: Mayor says “Don’t be defeated by irrational fear”

Taipei 101 Taipei City New Year's Eve fireworks
Entertainment 
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While New Year’s Eve parties in most counties and cities around Taiwan will have been cancelled after a returnee from the UK tested positive with what the media has been touting as a ‘mutant’ strain of COVID-19, Taipei City’s New Year’s Eve party will go ahead, Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) announced today, December 31. New Year’s events around the country were cancelled one by one yesterday, with a series of announcements from municipal governments, many of whom decided

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One man shot dead, two escape, after cops fire at wanted man’s car in Kaohsiung City

car abandoned by suspects
Crime and Criminals 
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A man was found dead in the back seat of an abandoned car, after police fired 10 shots towards a vehicle that had rammed two police officers during a chase through the streets of Kaohsiung City, yesterday evening, December 30. At around 7:40 pm Wednesday, Deputy Director of the Wujia Police Station, Wu Chien-ming, and Officer Dong Chia-ho, saw a black sedan with three occupants parked illegally at the intersection of Nanguang Street and Jintian Road in Fengshan District. The

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Road repair worker run over by road roller: Driver drunk

road roller involved in fatal accident
Health and Safety 
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A road repair worker in Taichung City died after he was accidentally run over by a road roller driven by a colleague who was over the legal blood alcohol limit, yesterday, December 29. At around 7:00 pm, a 36-year-old man named Ding (丁) was working on a road repair site on Xiang-shang Road in Taichung West District, when he put the vehicle into reverse, accidentally running over his 61-year-old co-worker, named Zou (鄒). Other workers screamed out, alerting Ding to

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Defense ministry sends out new year message, video: advancing bravely into 2021

Ministry of National Defense picture
Military Affairs 
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As 2020 comes to an end, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) released a video on Facebook, along with a press release, assuring the public that the three branches of the military will bravely advance into 2021, and continue to build a solid combat strength in the face of the “severe regional situation.” The message posted to the MND @MilitarySpokesman Facebook page noted that while 2020 has been a difficult year for many, the harder the times, the stronger the

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Taiwan east coast residents treated to spectacular Christmas light show in the form of missile tests

missile fired in Taitung County Taiwan, Christmas Day, 2020
Military Affairs 
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On Christmas Eve, and the evening of Christmas day, National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) test fired missiles from Taitung County, and Pingtung County, in what experts believe was an anti-missile intercept test. At 8:00 pm this evening, December 25, a missile blasted into the sky in Chenggong Township, Taitung County, providing a loud, spectacular light display until it disappeared around 20 seconds later. While the Ministry of National Defense (MND) and NCSIST stayed mum on the issue

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Navy accelerates production of “carrier killer” corvettes in response to communist military threats

ROC Navy Tuo Chiang class stealth missile corvette
Military Affairs 
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Taiwan’s ROC Navy is ramping up production of Tuo-chiang class corvettes, and the missiles to arm them, in response to “the communist military threat to Taiwan,” Liberty Times reported today, December 25. The navy originally planned to take delivery of three of the ships by 2025, but now wants six of the “carrier killers” delivered by 2023. Alongside the accelerated production of the ships, the military is coordinating with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology to also ramp

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PLA Navy, Air Force “expels trespassing” US Navy ship in the South China Sea

USS John S. McCain
Military Affairs 
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The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) announced that it had deployed naval and air forces to expel an American guided-missile destroyer that had “trespassed” into Chinese territory near the Spratly Islands today, December 22. PLA Air Force Colonel Tian Kai-jun, spokesperson for the Southern Theater of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army made the announcement on Chinese social media site WeChat this afternoon. Tian wrote that the USS John S. McCain had trespassed into waters adjacent to China’s Nansha Islands and

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3,000 luxury cars unloaded at Port of Taichung today, breaking previous record

cars imported from Europe at the Port of Taichung
Business and Economy 
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Three thousand cars imported from Europe were unloaded at the Port of Taichung on December 21, breaking the record for the number of cars unloaded in one shipment at the port. The cars were carried by the Norwegian 56,164 gross tonnage vehicle carrier Hoegh Trident. The shipment also broke the record for the highest value for a single shipment since the Port of Taichung was opened 44 years ago, port authorities said. The shipment is valued at almost NT$10 billion

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Boulder flattens car and crashes into house in New Taipei City

car destroyed by boulder and damaged house
Society 
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A man was treated for bruising and fractured ribs after a boulder landed on his car then crashed into his house in Ruifang District, New Taipei City this evening, December 21. Mr Hsu, the owner of the car, and sheet-metal house, was indoors when the boulder suddenly fell from a slope above the property at around 7:00 pm. Fire Bureau paramedics gave Hsu first aid at the scene before sending him to Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Heavy rain and

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28,000 run in 2020 Taipei City Marathon: #Dare to Breathe

Sport 
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Taipei City held the 2020 marathon today, despite COVID restrictions, using the theme “#Dare to Breathe.” Taipei City Mayor Ke Wen-je said that it was probably the only large-scale city marathon to held in the world this year, thanking epidemic prevention staff for making it possible. A total of 37,000 people registered for the event, with just 28,000 accepted using a lottery system. Eight-thousand ran the full marathon, while 20,000 ran the half-marathon event. Twelve elite foreign athletes were invited

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Pharma factory fire spreads to 5 other factories and may not be extinguished until tomorrow

fire at SCI Pharmtech factory
Fire 
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A fire that started after an explosion at the SCI Pharmtech factory in Taoyuan City shortly after noon today continues to burn this evening, and has spread to five neighboring factories. Large quantities of highly volatile solvents poured out of tanks after the initial explosion, making an intense fire, with risk of further explosions. These conditions prevented firefighters from approaching the main fire this afternoon. Strong winds generated by the northeast monsoon, and a sudden change in wind direction caused

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