This Week in Taiwan 1115-1122
November 16: Taiwan's railway construction has reached a new milestone. The ocean line of the Danhai light rail added three new stations from Tamsui Fisherman's Wharf to Taipei University of Marine Technology which began operations on November 15.
Taichung also launched its first metro line starting November 16. On ts first day, the Taichung Metro attracted more than 70,000 passengers. The Taichung Metro is scheduled to officially begin operations on December 19.
Both locations are providing free rides to the public for a month.
November 18: Colonel Chiang Cheng-chih piloted a F-16 fighter jet, which took off on the evening of November 17 from Hualien. Chiang was conducting scheduled night-time flight training but lost contact two minutes after the aircraft took off. Signal from the flight data recorder (FDR) of said aircraft was found 9 nautical miles from the coast. The military has commissioned personnel to recover the FDR.
November 18: The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that, from December 1, all persons entering or transiting through Taiwan, regardless of nationality, type of traveler, or purpose of travel, will be required to present a negative report on the nucleic acid test for coronavirus (COVID-19) performed within three days before boarding.
At the same time, people will be required to wear masks at eight types of locations including medical care facilities, pubic transportation, shopping centers, educational and learning institutions, exhibit and athletic venues, entertainment facilities, religious locations, and public buildings. Those who do not cooperate may be fined between NT$3,000 (about US$105) to NT$15,000 (about US$525).
November 20: According to a November 19 report by the New York Times, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler of the United States will lead a delegation to visit Taiwan to promote cooperation on ocean protection. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Minister Joseph Wu personally invited Wheeler to visit Taiwan over the phone in December last year. According to critics, the move is evidence that the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen gambled on President Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election and even now is rushing to create domestic propaganda.
Update: But after domestic concerns were raised about the costs of the travel, Wheeler canceled this planned trip.
November 21: The U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue was held on November 20 and included discussions on such issues as 5G mobile technology and supply chains. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation. The dialogue mechanism is expected to be held annually in Washington and Taipei and will not be affected by transfers of political power.
November 22: The "Autumn Struggle" demonstration marched on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Office of the President. Some 50,000 people chanted to withdraw the executive order to import American pork containing ractopamine, demanded Premier Su Tseng-tsang to step down, and called for opposition against poisonous pork, double standards, and the party state. Protesters marched through the Legislative Yuan and Executive Yuan and finally arrived in front of the central headquarters of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). They pasted a paper containing the Chinese character for "poison" on the fence outside the DPP headquarters. If the Tsai administration does not revoke the executive order to lift import restrictions on American pork, the protesters do not rule out a following wave of resistance.