ICAO misrepresents Taiwan as “province of China” in press release on economic impact of coronavirus

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) headquarters, Montreal, Canada
International Relations 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , , ,

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) referred to Taiwan as a province of China in a press release forecasting the economic impact of the Wuhan coronavirus on international airlines, February 13. Using the World Health Organization’s (WHO) freshly-designated name COVID-19, which was coined to avoid reference to the original source of the epidemic in a capital city of a province of China, the press release noted that 70 airlines have cancelled international flights to and from China, and that a

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Taiwan president thanks Philippine friends after travel ban lifted

President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen
International Relations 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , ,

President Tsai Ing-wen expressed her gratitude to “friends from all walks of life” in the Philippines for their support, after a cabinet-level meeting resulted in a lifting of a travel ban by the Philippine government, today, February 14. Philippine presidential spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo announced that the Philippines has lifted the travel ban imposed Feb. 10, effective immediately. The announcement came after what was described as “a heated debate,” according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, quoting anonymous Philippine officials. Thousands

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One firefighter dead, 4 injured after collision in Kaohsiung City

firefighters rescue colleagues after traffic accident in Kaohsiung City
Traffic Accidents 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A Kaohsiung City firefighter lost signs of life at the scene of an accident, and four others were injured, after a fire truck dispatched to the scene of a fire collided with a semi-trailer, last night, February 13. Five firefighters were aboard the fire truck, dispatched from the Fengxiang Fire Station to Dingpu Street in Fengshan District at around 10:00 pm when the accident occurred. Dash-cam footage provided by a witness to local media agencies showed the firetruck, with sirens

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US Air Force conducts flybys around Taiwan after China’s provocative air maneuvers

American Air Force B-52 long-range bomber
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

American B-52 long-range bombers, and a C-130J flew east and west of Taiwan yesterday, February 12, just two days after a Chinese bomber crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense (MOD), two US Air Force B-52s skirted Taiwan’s air-defense zone off the east coast of Taiwan moving north to south, while an MC-130J flew in the same direction via the Taiwan Strait to the west between Taiwan and China. The flights come just

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Philippines bans visitors from Taiwan under one-China Principle

passengers stranded at a Philippine airport
International Relations 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , ,

Around 150 people were caught mid-flight and banned from entering the Philippines after the Civil Aeronautics Board of the Philippines (CAB) suddenly imposed a ban on entry from Taiwan based on the one-China principle late last night, February 10. The CAB announced the ban at 9:50 pm, while flights from Taiwan to several Philippines airports were already in the air. The ban stipulated that arrivals from Taiwan will not be allowed entry other than those with a Philippines passport or

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In the midst of virus battle, China launches provocative military flights around Taiwan

A Chinese PLA H-6 bomber is flanked by an F-16 of the ROC Air Force
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

The People’s Liberation Army sent aircraft to circle Taiwan two days in a row, starting yesterday, February 9, provoking Taiwan into scrambling armed F-16 fighters to monitor the flights, and to broadcast a warning after a PLA H-6 bomber crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait today, February 10. President Tsai Ing-wen said via Facebook that choosing military actions during the virus outbreak made no sense, and was unnecessary, urging the Chinese government to concentrate efforts on quickly controlling

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Google and Facebook apply to route trans-Pacific data via Taiwan and Philippines amid China security concerns

Google for Taiwan picture of the Executive Yuan
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Google and Facebook are seeking permission from America’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to route data via undersea cables landing in Taiwan and the Philippines after attempts to activate links to Hong Kong and China faced security hurdles, according to a report in TechCrunch, February 7. In 2016, the two tech giants announced development of a new fiber-optic undersea cable network that would be the first direct undersea cable to connect Hong Kong and the USA. The 120 terabit-per-second Pacific Light

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Wuhan virus panic threatens to spark toilet paper crisis 2.0

sign showing limit to one pack of toilet tissue per customer
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Premier Su Tseng-chang, domestic tissue manufacturers, and supermarket executives rushed to reassure consumers that there were no impending toilet paper shortages as major supermarket chains reported signs of panic buying reminiscent of the toilet paper crisis of 2018, today, February 7. Costco began to restrict customers to purchasing one pack of certain brands of tissue after bulk-buying threatened to wipe shelves clean this morning . The panic buying is believed to have been sparked by messages on social media that

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World Health Organization continues to refer to Taiwan by any other name

Health for all, Taiwan can help logo
Breaking News 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

The World Health Organization unilaterally reduced Taiwan’s international status to a city and its hinterland in a report issued February 5, drawing the ire of the democratically-governed nation of 23 million people. The 16th WHO Novel Coronavirus Situation Report, released yesterday, listed cases from Taiwan under “Taipei and environs” in a table of confirmed cases reported by provinces, regions, and cities in China, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency. Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu, slammed the World Health

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Man suffers electric shock after climbing onto train roof

Stupid Stuff 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A 26-year-old man suffered burn injuries to his lower body, after he clambered onto the roof of a train and came into contact with overhead power lines at Wuri Station in Taichung City, yesterday, February 3. A train conductor was called to one of the train carriages shortly before the incident at around 1:15 pm, after receiving a complaint that a man was harassing passengers on the local commuter train. The offending passenger, named Wu, alighted from the train after

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Banana man outshines competition at Nantou County lantern festival

bananaman lantern in Nantou County
Odd News 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

A 10-meter-tall rotating, singing rat that takes selfies complete with flashes and clicks every thirty minutes is the official central attraction at the Nantou Lantern Festival this year, but a lantern named “Banana Brother” is proving to be one of the most outstanding exhibits. The festival kicked off on January 18, spanning the Lunar New Year holidays, and running until February 9. Divided into 15 themed subject areas, the lanterns are arranged to illuminate various aspects of Nantou County, its

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