Business and Economy

Pilots, flight attendants decline invite to COVID after-party: human rights abuses cannot be nullified with awards

composite image showing medical professions in clown suits and pilots in PPE
Aviation 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , , ,

Both the Taoyuan Flight Attendants’ Union and the Taoyuan Pilots’ Union declined invitations from the Ministry of Health and Welfare to an event labeled as a COVID-19 contribution appreciation and awards party, citing the stigma and deprivation of human rights they suffered over the last three years as the reason for not attending. The ceremony was held yesterday evening, May 2, at the Sheraton Grand Hotel Taipei, and was hosted by President Tsai Ing-wen and Premier Chen Chien-jen. The President

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Runway closed after Taoyuan International Airport receives report of bomb on plane

China Air plane on tarmac
Aviation 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment

A China Air passenger plane landed at Taoyuan International Airport this morning, but remained parked on taxiway after airport administrators received a report that explosives were aboard the aircraft today, Wednesday, April 26. China Air flight CA185 departed Beijing at 8:25 am and was scheduled to land at Taoyuan International Airport at 11:45 am. However, at around 11:00 am the Taoyuan Airport Company received a report that there was a bomb on the plane. The airport company informed the Aviation

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Two Eva Air planes damaged after ground handling accident at Taoyuan Airport

Wingtip of Airbuss A321-200 embedded in nose of Boing 777-300R at Taoyuan International Airport
Aviation 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Two Eva Airways planes were damaged after an Airbus A321-200 under tow collided with a Boeing 777-300R parked on the tarmac, yesterday evening, April 16. Both planes were empty at the time of the accident. According to pictures published by Taiwanese media outlets, the wingtip of the A321 was embedded in the 777’s fuselage under the cockpit. Eva Air confirmed the incident today, April 17, saying that they had suspended the employees responsible for the accident. Eva Air made a

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Unmanned combat subs to strengthen Taiwan’s asymmetrical combat power

Seawolf 400 autonomous underwater vehicle
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Taiwanese UAV manufacturer Thunder Tiger (8033.TW) has revealed a new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) designed to enhance Taiwan’s defense capability. Thunder Tiger executives introduced the prototype Seawolf 400 AUV combat system to President Tsai Ing-wen during the president’s visit to the Asian Drone Innovation and Application R&D Center in Chiayi County, Saturday, March 25. The Seawolf 400 was developed by Thunder Tiger in collaboration with Taiwan Swarm Innovation Inc., the Ministry of National Defense, and National Chung-Shan Institute of Science

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Tourism operators disappointed after luxury cruise ship cancels east coast port of call due to bad weather

Cruise ship Seven Seas Mariner passes by the Port of Hualien
Travel and Tourism 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

A cruise ship carrying 500 passengers sailed past the port of Hualien, and will sail directly to Keelung Harbor, after the captain of the vessel decided that high winds and swells made it unsafe to enter the port. The Seven Seas Mariner was scheduled to dock at the Port of Hualien at 7:00 am today, March 13. However, sustained winds of level 6 to 7 on the Beaufort Scale, gusts up to Beaufort-scale 10, and swells of 3 to 4

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Garmin launches handheld satellite communication device for Taiwan’s booming outdoor sports market

Garmin inReach mini 2
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , ,

In cooperation with Taiwan’s Executive Yuan, the National Fire Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, and national communications carrier Chunghwa Telecom, Garmin has launched a handheld communications device utilizing low-orbit satellites that can assist people in emergencies when out of mobile phone communications range. Taiwan is one of the most mountainous countries in the world, with around 70% of its landmass consisting of mountains, of which 268 are more than 3,000 meters high. According to statistics, in the past

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Taiwan insurance companies suffer heavy losses on COVID and vaccine policy payouts

Taiwan NT$1,000 bills
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 2 Comments , , ,

Some of Taiwan’s largest insurance companies have applied for capital reserve funding increases and short term loans to cover losses to the tune of more than NT$80 billion as Covid-19 and COVID vaccine insurance claims continue to pour in, the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) said yesterday, September 6. The FSC Insurance Bureau reported that from the beginning of the year to September 5, there had been more than 1.7 million claims settled on COVID-19 insurance and more than 386,000 claims

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Retired tech exec to invest NT$1 billion to train 3 million civilians to help defend Taiwan against China

UMC founder and former Chairman Robert Tsao
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

The founder and former chairman of chip manufacturer United Microelectronics (UMC) has pledged to invest NT$1 billion (US$32.8 million) to train 300,000 specialist marksmen, and 3 million “black bear warriors” to actively assist with regional defense in the face of growing threats from the People’s Republic of China. Robert Tsao revealed the plan at an international press conference held this morning, September 1, saying that the civilian force will cooperate with the soldiers of the national army to form an

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Korean Airliner makes emergency landing at Taoyuan Airport

T' way Air plane landing
Aviation 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A South Korean passenger aircraft carrying 117 passengers and 10 crew made an emergency landing at Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan after detecting an engine-related problem during a flight from Singapore to Incheon International Airport today, August 2. The T’way Air Airbus A330-300 flight TW172 departed Singapore’s Changi Airport at 3:30 am local time Tuesday. “It was not that there was a serious problem with the plane, but that the flight crew detected an engine abnormality and made the decision

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China issues ban on Taiwanese food imports, TAIEX slumps ahead of Pelosi visit

composite picture of Nancy Pelosi and a stock chart
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment ,

China slapped a ban on more than 100 Taiwanese food manufacturers late last night, affecting potentially up to around 3,000 products, ahead of the expected visit of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi later today, August 2. The General Administration of Customs of China made a surprise announcement late last night shortly after it became apparent that Pelosi would visit Taiwan, despite the country not being mentioned on the official itinerary of her Asian tour. Chinese customs authorities  cited

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Kaohsiung City in first place for electric bus deployment

Model T electric bus in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Kaohsiung City has the the largest proportion of electric buses in its public bus fleet accounting for 19.5% of the total, according to a Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) press release today, June 24. The Kaohsiung City Government assisted bus operators to obtain subsidies from the national government in order to reduce sources of mobile pollution. There are currently 195 electric buses plying routes in the city. At 19.5% of the overall bus fleet, Kaohsiung City won first place

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