held a series of large civil defense exercises in Nantou County over the weekend bringing together about 100 participants to practice essential skills aimed at building grassroots resilience against war and natural disasters More than 10 civil defense groups from across Taiwan took part in the two-day drills at the National Fire Agency’s Training Center participants were divided into groups based on their specialities and assigned to scenarios requiring them to provide medical care to personnel injured in battle evacuate wounded civilians and manage disruptions from hecklers the groups coordinated their actions in response to various scenarios participants reviewed the drills they had completed and discussed ways to improve they handled tasks such as transporting and sheltering the injured with greater composure and confidence The second day began with drills focused on transporting injured soldiers from the battlefield to medical stations behind the front lines participants searched for and rescued semi-conscious or injured people trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building following a missile strike transporting them to shelters or emergency medical stations Participants also tested their ability to manage an overcrowded medical station overwhelmed with casualties Deputy Interior Minister Ma Shyh-yuan (馬士元) National Fire Agency head Hsiao Huan-chang (蕭煥章) members of the Presidential Office’s Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee and several retired military generals observed the drills Ma said that all participants were members of private-sector civil defense groups which is an indication of the public’s determination to resist external threats against Taiwan’s military He expressed hope for greater public participation in such activities saying it would help build greater societal resilience FRA chairman Jason Chen (陳彥升) said that the threat posed by China was growing and civilians should be prepared to serve as a backup for the armed forces in the event of war or natural disasters,so that the country can better channel its strengths a non-governmental organization that promotes political conservatism and national security organized the event to help society prepare for times when its strength might be needed adding that the association is planning to hold more drills across Taiwan a member of the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee gave a briefing to staff members from the Japanese Canadian and Dutch representative offices in Taiwan Liu said there were about 20 civil defense groups in Taiwan — not including the Kuma Academy and the Forward Alliance which are larger organizations — that offer training in fitness a member of a New Taipei City-based civil defense group told the Central News Agency that he found the after-action review particularly useful adding that conducting a joint exercise involving different groups allowed members to network and familiarize themselves with each other’s resources so they could collaborate instead of “going it alone.” a retired army major general and special consultant for the FRA said that armed forces are training to rapidly assume defensive positions in the event that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army shifts from a military exercise to a surprise attack joint civil defense drills would also help shorten civilian response times and streamline necessary actions April 28 (CNA) The Formosa Republican Association (FRA) held a series of large-scale civil defense exercises in Nantou County over the weekend with some 100 participants practicing essential skills in an effort to build grassroots resiliency against war and natural disasters More than 10 civil defense groups from around Taiwan joined the two-day drills at the National Fire Agency's Training Center in the central Taiwan county the participants were divided into different groups to deal with scenarios that required them to provide care to personnel injured in battles the groups coordinated their actions in response to the situations but appeared flustered at first the participants reviewed the drills they had already enacted and they discussed how to make improvements They were subsequently more composed and surefooted in handling tasks such as transporting and sheltering the injured in a later drill 2025The second day began with drills to transport injured soldiers from a battlefield to a medical station behind the frontlines the participants searched for and rescued semi-conscious or injured people trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building after a missile strike and took the injured to shelters or emergency medical stations The participants also tested their ability to manage a busy medical station swamped with injured people Deputy Interior Minister Maa Shyh-yuan (馬士元) members of the Presidential Office's Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee and several retired generals from Taiwan's military observed the drills he said the participants were all members of private-sector civil defense groups which was an indication of the people's determination to resist external threats against Taiwan's military He expressed the hope of seeing increased public participation in such activities which he said would help build greater resilience in society saying that the threats posed by China were growing Civilians should serve as a backup for the armed forces in the event of a war and during natural disasters so that the country can better channel its strengths an NGO that promotes political conservatism and upholding national security organized the event in the hope of preparing civil society for times when its strength might be needed adding that the FRA is planning to hold more drills across Taiwan and Dutch representative offices in Taiwan Liu said there were around 20 civil defense groups around Taiwan -- not including the Kuma Academy and the Forward Alliance -- that offer training in fitness a member of a New Taipei-based civil defense group told CNA that he found the after-action review to be particularly useful as it gave the participants an opportunity to figure out ways of improving their approach He also said that a joint exercise involving different groups allowed them to network and learn about each other's resources so they could collaborate instead of "going it alone." a retired Army major general and special consultant for FRA said that Taiwan's Armed Forces are training to rapidly take defensive positions in the event that the Chinese People's Liberation Army switches from an exercise to a surprise attack the joint civil defense drills would also shorten civilian response time and streamline the necessary actions Shenzhen’s Nantou Ancient City project represents a groundbreaking approach to revitalizing China’s historic urban villages in a way that preserves their cultural heritage and community fabric Mixed UseDeveloper: Shenzhen Vanke Development Co Ltd.Owner: 300 individual villagersPlanning and Design Management Consultants: Vanke Urban Research Nanyue GujianConsultant: reLifesyling Real Estate Consultancy (Shanghai) Ltd.Site Size: 12.08 acres (4.89 ha)Date Opened: August 23 2021Buildings: 237,882 square feet (22,100 sq m)Parking (# of spaces): 132Open Space: 50,913 square feet (4,730 sq m) After China’s government designated Shenzhen as a Special Economic Zone in 1980 the city’s more than 400 urban villages grew rapidly to provide informal housing for an influx of migrant workers The result: high-density residential areas that maximized rental income but often compromised on fire safety and hygiene standards the government launched a pilot project at Nantou Ancient City and established a joint venture involving the government The goal was to draw on private investment to address the negative effects of rapid urbanization focused on refurbishing approximately 300 of 992 buildings Rather than pursuing wholesale redevelopment the joint venture adopted an incremental approach that revitalized 25 percent of key areas to spark community engagement and inspire local landlords to make improvements on their own the joint venture engaged more than 20 architects to make sure that the look and feel of the refurbished structures would be cohesive but varied This approach maintained architectural unity while respecting the site’s historical context Sustainable design features include the creation of rooftop bamboo gardens the strategic integration of pocket gardens and the placement of circulation along building exteriors to maximize daylight penetration Sustainable design features of Nantou Ancient City include the creation of rooftop bamboo gardens The project also added creative industry professionals and performers to the existing mix of residents Ongoing programs help build community by creating opportunities for all residents to interact the project pairs volunteer designers with local businesses and supports stay-at-home parents in pursuing entrepreneurial ventures The joint venture’s long-lease strategy avoided lengthy property acquisition processes job opportunities with competitive salaries Thousands of developers and government officials across China have visited to try to understand and replicate its approach Nantou Ancient City offers a replicable approach to prioritizing community preservation while achieving significant economic and social improvements Its success suggests a promising path forward for similar villages across China and beyond To learn more about ULI’s Awards for Excellent or to enter your project for consideration: Information about how to serve as a juror for the ULI Awards for Excellence: The ULI Awards Jury Experience: Identifying and Elevating Excellence in Real Estate and Land Use ©2025 Urban Land Institute. All Rights Reserved. Legal Notices you’ll stay informed on the most important topics shaping the world of real estate with unlimited access to the award-winning Urban Land magazine This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page is a hybrid cluster of five individual buildings constructed during different historical periods reflecting the town’s rich history and cultural importance as an overlap of a millennia-old town and a vibrant urban village URBANUS has done in the past profound research on Nantou’s urban and cultural heritage spanning various historical periods Nantou Hybrit Building and its transformation became a project in which the architects applied their concept of With this project wanted to demonstrate a progressive regeneration approach focusing on preserving historical layers through collaging and juxtaposition The adaptive reuse design preserves the complexity has been retained in the repoussé and chasing of both the interior and exterior The exterior walls of the five buildings not only mark the boundaries of the property of the three owners but also play a significant role in its overall structural integrity The design carefully preserves the existing façade while removing partition walls and replacing the haphazard additions that pose a structural risk and a central void was created to accommodate a new elevator and staircase Communal spaces on each level extend outward from the core puncturing through the façade to create red-iron steel versatile plug-ins that serve as doorways the five building had their own separate circulation system The street level of the five buildings was packed with shops and stalls offering a variety of programs and activities to the surrounding public space and adding to the vibrant urban village lifestyle The renovation upholds the compact and vibrant ground floor layout enhancing it with additional semi-outdoor spaces The design meticulously preserves the existing façade’s myriad materials with selective replacement or supplementation of mosaics and colored paint The colorful collage of old and new materials reflects the authentic essence of the Nantou Hybrid Building A red semi-circular volume extends from the fourth to the fifth floor rectangular volume featuring semi-outdoor spaces These structures interact with the double-height space and skylights This innovative design brings together the previously separated rooftops into a single creating an oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of the urban village Project: Nantou Hybrid BuildingArchitects: URBANUSLead Architect: Meng YanProject Architects: Jiang Qingzhou and Wu XiaopengClient: Public Works Bureau of Nanshan District ShenzhenConstruction Agency: VankePhotographers: Zhang Chao and URBANUS Input your search keywords and press Enter You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/ Typhoon Kong-rey has claimed the life of one foreign national in Nantou County as authorities evacuated thousands of people to safe shelters and closed schools and businesses across the island Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall Thursday afternoon wreaking havoc across Taiwan with strong winds and heavy rain 73 people have been injured in rain- and flood-related accidents and authorities have evacuated nearly 10,000 people to shelters.The Central Weather Administration said super Typhoon Kong-rey is the largest cyclone to hit Taiwan in 27 years as the last time a typhoon of comparable strength with a radius of maximum wind larger than 300km (186 miles) made landfall was Typhoon Herb in 1996 Authorities said they have also made contact with two missing Czech tourists Local authorities also evacuated residents to safe places in New Taipei Kong-rey also forced authorities to cancel 527 domestic and international flights authorities announced the closing of workplaces and schools across the island due to the approaching storm Authorities also asked people to stay at home and directed banks and financial markets to remain closed due to heavy rain and storms Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration said that they rescued 17 crew members from a Chinese-registered cargo ship the weather agency lowered the storm alert in Batanes 4 as it was expected to weaken in the next 12 hours head of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration said the super typhoon has maintained its strength while moving northwestward near Batanes Good Neighbors Taiwan is collaborating with National Taiwan University’s Experimental Forest Administration and Mercuries Life Insurance to plant 300 trees in Nantou County’s Sinyi Township (信義) “Earth and Us,” Good Neighbors Taiwan is inviting people and industries to help promote carbon reduction Mercuries and the humanitarian organization are participating in the Experimental Forest’s six-year afforestation program to plant indigenous trees in Sinyi Township Entertainer Masha Pan (潘君侖) has been invited to be the initiative’s ambassador Administration deputy director Ko Chun-han (柯淳涵) yesterday told a news conference that it has been promoting a “biodiversity credit” to encourage local firms to invest in environmental protection The collaboration with Good Neighbors Taiwan and Mercuries would involve planting 300 trees in a 10,000m2 area which is equivalent to the annual carbon emissions of a small car and expected to generate 40 tonnes of carbon storage in 20 years To prevent exacerbating climate-driven natural disasters nearly 200 leaders around the world have agreed to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030 Good Neighbors secretary-general Yang Kuo-cheng (楊國正) said adding that carbon reduction is a global challenge for which everyone must be held responsible Mercuries chief financial officer Chang Tsai-yuan (張財源) said the company is committed to environmental protection and many years ago implemented a policy to reduce paper use It also provides premium rebates for clients who walked at least 7,000 steps per day on average in the previous year to incentivize people to help reduce carbon emissions by walking and using public transportation Asked whether companies could collaborate with Good Neighbors Taiwan under the project as part of their environmental Good Neighbors Taiwan senior specialist Liao Fang-pei (廖芳佩) said the organization would welcome all kinds of carbon reduction plans that companies propose Taipei, Jan. 6 (CNA) Snow fell on Taiwan's tallest mountain, Yushan in Nantou County, amid freezing temperatures early Monday morning according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA) 0.5 centimeters of snow had accumulated at the weather station on the highest peak of the mountain It estimated that the snow had fallen on Yushan after which the temperature there dipped to a low of minus 3.1 degrees Celsius around 2 a.m the heaviest snowfall this winter season was recorded Rime ice and snow pellets fell intermittently from around 8 p.m Photo courtesy of Central Weather Administration Jan which stands 3,150 meters above sea level on Hehuanshan 0.5 centimeters of snow had accumulated as of Monday morning Visitors have been flocking to Wuling on Hehuanshan since early Monday morning prompting the bureau to restrict travel between the 29-kilometer mark and 36.6-kilometer mark on Provincial Route No The Cuifeng-Songxue Lodge section on that route was closed Sunday night as a precaution due to icy roads but was reopened at 7 a.m the lowest temperatures recorded early Monday were 11.2 and 11.3 degrees in Taoyuan's Daxi District and New Taipei's Shiding District It has forecast that a dry southbound continental cold air mass approaching Taiwan will drive down temperatures nationwide Monday night but the skies in most parts of the country will be sunny to cloudy Daytime highs of 18-20 degrees can be expected Monday in northern and eastern Taiwan 21-25 degrees in central and southern areas The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a High Court ruling that former Nantou County commissioner Lee Chao-ching (李朝卿) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) serve a sentence of more than 22 years in prison Lee was convicted of 98 charges connected to kickbacks from contractors tasked with reconstructing damages caused by Typhoon Morakot in 2009 and has been serving his sentence since 2018 Lee filed appeals to the court for leniency for several reasons his advanced age of 74 years and frail health He also said that the prosecutors assigned to his case improperly divided the same criminal act into multiple charges that the amount of ill-gotten profits from the crimes was relatively minor and he had surrendered the sum in full Lee said that he had repented for his crimes and become a devout Buddhist since being imprisoned He asked for his sentence to be reduced to 17 years and six months Writing in a verdict later upheld by the Supreme Court the High Court’s Taichung branch said the prosecutors had rightfully charged Lee under the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例) Lee could not be properly deemed a first offender since the crime’s commission occurred across a two-year period The length of Lee’s sentence was appropriate for the number and gravity of his convictions adding that the former commissioner would be sentenced to 656 years in prison had the courts combined his terms 10 (CNA) The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) said Tuesday that it had retroactively nullified Chinese spouse and former Nantou County Councilor Shi Xueyan's (史雪燕) status as a public official earlier this month due to her failure to prove she had renounced her Chinese citizenship was sworn into Nantou County Council representing the Kuomintang (KMT) on Aug She lost her re-election bid in November 2022 and left office the following month the MOI said that under Taiwan's Cross-Strait Act Chinese nationals can be naturalized in Taiwan after annulling their Chinese household registration which oversees the National Immigration Agency explained that this makes it easier for them to assimilate into Taiwanese society access social benefits and find employment annulling one's Chinese household registration is not the same as renouncing People's Republic of China (PRC) citizenship describing the two as "distinct legal concepts." the Nationality Act requires that a person renounce any foreign citizenships they may hold In cases where a person with foreign citizenship is elected to public office they are required to renounce it before being sworn in and provide documentation of having done so within one year citing a legal document it sent to elected institutions and local governments in 2009 the Nantou County Council did not confirm her renunciation of PRC citizenship one year after she took office (on Aug After sending two letters to the Nantou County Council and confirming by telephone they had not received proof of Shi's citizenship renunciation the MOI retroactively nullified Shi's status as a public official on Dec The ministry added that it "respects" Shi's stated intention to appeal the decision in administrative court Shi would have to pay back her salary and other benefits from the year and roughly four months she spent as a city councilor The case also has implications for other Chinese spouses in Taiwanese politics such as Taiwan People's Party member Li Zhenxiu (李貞秀) who could enter the Legislature in 2026 if the party abides by a pledged agreement to rotate its lawmakers it is unclear whether China's government would help such individuals renounce their citizenship to serve as elected officials in Taiwan given that it does not recognize the Republic of China (Taiwan) and claims sovereignty over the island People take photographs of the sun setting precisely along Minzu Road in Nantou City yesterday 13 (CNA) A Nantou County court on Wednesday found a former elementary school teacher guilty of 68 counts of sexual offenses against 22 students and sentenced him to 13 years in prison Nantou District Court said on Wednesday that the defendant "clearly knew" that his student victims were less than 14 years or younger than 18 years old age milestones that relate to different potential sentences for sexual violations under Taiwanese law "The defendant took advantage of the victims' age and innocence to fulfill his own selfish desires," the court said in a summary of its ruling noting that Huang had already agreed to pay compensation to 14 of the victims Huang was convicted of 38 counts of aggravated forced indecency four counts of forced indecency against a juvenile a subject teacher and baseball coach at the school in Taiwan's central county admitted to committing offenses over an 18 year period against students from the school he had worked at since 1992 The court summary noted that Huang continued to commit crimes against some of the students as they progressed through middle school and high school He was prosecuted for offenses under the Criminal Code the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act and the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act Prosecutors led by Wu Hui-wen (吳慧文) concluded their investigation in June this year Huang had already been dismissed from his job and has been given a lifetime employment ban by the Nantou County government Nantou in central Taiwan has been named one of the top seven destinations in Asia for fresh air in February by online hotel booking platform Agoda In a statement released earlier this month Agoda said the list of seven destinations for travelers to enjoy fresh and healthy air to offer fresh air in February had been based on historical PM2.5 data Agoda described Nantou County as "surrounded by mountains and lakes" and offering "a serene escape with good air quality." "Visitors can explore the picturesque Sun Moon Lake and enjoy the tranquil surroundings making it a perfect spot for relaxation and rejuvenation," Agoda said B2B tourism website Travel and Tour World (TTW) echoed Agoda on its website saying that with the iconic Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) in Nantou reflecting its pristine surroundings the county feels like stepping into a painting Nantou's central mountains filled with crisp mountain air complement the peaceful vistas making the county a haven for travelers seeking tranquility Joining Nantou on Agoda's list were Sapporo Malaysia; Singapore; El Nido in the Philippines; Gangneung on the eastern coastline of South Korea; and Koh Lipe "These destinations are not only likely to offer cleaner air but also a variety of experiences from cultural festivals to natural wonders," Agoda said 28 (CNA) Authorities are investigating an incident this week in which a man was fatally shot as he returned from changing the battery of a wildlife surveillance camera in a remote mountainous area of Nantou County The Nantou Police Department's Ren'ai Precinct said the shooting occurred late Tuesday night a 50-year-old Indigenous man surnamed Chang (張) and two Indigenous companions went to change the battery of a Formosan black bear surveillance camera about three kilometers from the Ganzhuowan Peaks trailhead in the direction of Sanlailing Mountain Forest Road for reasons that are still being investigated who found him dead after dispatching a search team to the area early Wednesday Multiple news outlets reported Thursday that Chang was a member of a local organization that receives government funding to carry out Formosan black bear conservation work His shooting may have been caused by an accidental discharge of his own gun an Indigenous hunting rifle that he had brought into the woods with him Chang was walking behind his friends at the time of the shooting they rushed back to find him on the ground struck by a bullet that had gone through his nostril up into the back of his head Chang's companions have been listed as witnesses pending a forensic examination on Thursday and an autopsy scheduled for Friday to determine his cause of death The Ministry of the Interior on Tuesday said that it had retroactively nullified Chinese spouse and former Nantou County councilor Shi Xueyan’s (史雪燕) status as a public official earlier this month due to her failure to prove she had renounced her Chinese citizenship was sworn in to the county council representing the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) on Aug the ministry said that under the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例) explained that this makes it easier for them to adapt to Taiwanese society annulling one’s Chinese household registration is not the same as renouncing People’s Republic of China citizenship describing the two as “distinct legal concepts.” To hold public office in Taiwan,the Nationality Act (國籍法) requires that a person renounce any foreign citizenship they hold the Nantou County Council did not confirm her renunciation of Chinese citizenship one year after she took office on Aug After sending two letters to the Nantou County Council and confirming by telephone that it had not received proof of Shi’s citizenship renunciation the ministry retroactively nullified Shi’s status as a public official on Monday last week The ministry added that it “respects” Shi’s stated intention to appeal the decision in administrative court Shi would have to pay back her salary and other benefits from the year and four months she spent as a city councilor such as Taiwan People’s Party member Li Zhenxiu (李貞秀) who could enter the legislature in 2026 if the party abides by a pledge to rotate its lawmakers It is unclear whether the Chinese government would help such individuals renounce their citizenship to serve as elected officials in Taiwan Taiwan's highest mountain Yushan (玉山) and other mountainous areas to its north were hit by snow early this morning due to the influence of a strong cold air mass According to the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency branch in Nantou County Hehuanshan (合歡山) received about 6cm of snow in the morning Photo courtesy of the Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area based on information provided by the Yushan Weather Station as of 8am 1cm of snow had been recorded on the 3,952m Yushan while a low of minus-2.6°C was seen at 5:29am Paiyun Lodge in Yushan National Park and Huagang in Nantou County's Renai Township (仁愛) at 2,400m also saw snow The Yushan National Park Headquarters said snow pellets began falling on Paiyun Lodge last night before turning into snow early today Snow was also observed in Lalashan (拉拉山) in Taoyuan's Fusing District (復興) the Lake Jiaming (嘉明湖) National Trail in Taitung County and Jianshi Township (尖石) in Hsinchu County Hsinchu County's Department of Personnel announced school closures for Hsin Kwang Elementary School in Jianshih Township today due to the snowfall there The cold air mass has also brought chilly weather and the Central Weather Administration has issued low temperature alerts for several areas in northern and central Taiwan The affected regions include New Taipei City where minimum ground-level temperatures could drop below 10°C Miaoli County's Sanwan Township (三灣) recorded the nation's lowest temperature in a low-lying area on Tuesday morning at 8.9°C followed by 9°C in New Taipei City's Shiding District (石碇) and 9.4°C in Hsinchu County's Guansi Township (關西) The agency said daytime highs today are forecast to remain at about 16°C to 17°C in the north and 18°C to 21°C in central Taiwan and Taitung County Another cold air system is expected to move into Taiwan and send temperatures further down gradually at night Also due to a southwest cloud system moving eastward brief showers are forecast across mountainous areas and parts of Hualien and Taitung during the day One person has died and 73 were injured as of 2pm as Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall in Taitung County the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) said while more than 200,000 households experienced power or water outages A 56-year-old foreign female passenger died at 1pm this afternoon after a tree fell onto a blue truck she was traveling in in Nantou County’s Renai Township (仁愛) two Czech tourists reported missing earlier after having entered Taroko National Park have been found 9,658 people had been evacuated as preventive evacuation was carried out in 13 regions Water outages have been reported across Taiwan with 3,558 households being affected where 3,044 households in Rueisui Township (瑞穗) are affected More than 207,000 households have experienced power cuts with electricity having been restored to 96,000 households as of the early evening 75 red alerts for debris flow had been issued in four regions — Yilan County’s Datong Township (大同) New Taipei City’s Sijhih District (汐止) and Hsinchu County’s Jianshi Township (尖石) 555 yellow alerts for debris flow had been issued in 11 regions Taichung’s Heping District (和平) and Taitung County’s Taimali Township (太麻里) Red alerts for large-scale landslides have been issued for three townships — Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) while yellow alerts have been issued for 16 locations in seven counties and municipalities New Taipei Metro Corp announced this afternoon that all services on the Circular Line and the Ankeng and Danhai light rail transit systems have been temporarily suspended due to strong winds from the typhoon The suspension of services on the Circular Line that links Dapinglin Station in Sindian District (新店) and New Taipei Industrial Park Station in Sinjhuang District (新莊) as well as the Ankeng and Danhai light rail systems A man in Nantou County has been convicted of sexual harassment and given a 30-day prison sentence for brushing his hand twice on a teenager’s breast while riding a bus with lawyers pointing out the importance of recording and presenting evidence in court The Nantou District Court found a 22-year-old man guilty of sexually harassing a 17-year-old high-school student on a Chuan Hang Co (全航客運) bus from Taichung to Puli Township (埔里) in September 2022 The teenager said the perpetrator held money bills in his left hand while he was getting off at a stop in Nantou’s Caotun Township (草屯) and used the back of his hand to brush against her breast twice took photos of the perpetrator’s back and side profile as well as the outside street and the time and then called her father to wait for her at the bus stop adding that the teenager told the bus driver what happened before getting off at her stop The girl and her father went to a local police precinct to file a complaint and record her statement She also presented the photos to the police as well as the bus’ registration number and the name of the driver Police officers were able to identify Teng based on the photos and camera footage around the bus stop I found her quite pretty and I wanted to get to know her better trying to get her attention and show that I was willing to make friends with her.” Prosecutors filed a sexual harassment charge against Teng and the court last month found him guilty of infringing on rights to privacy and autonomy of an individual’s body as well as hurting the girl’s mental health by causing anguish and stress practicing lawyer Chang Chun-hsiang (張鈞翔) said people can learn from the teenager’s actions: remain calm shout for help and get witnesses’ contact information so the court can request them to testify people who are groped or sexually harassed get scared and do not know what to do; they do not take photos or gather evidence so the case cannot proceed to a criminal prosecution touching of the buttocks or brushing on breasts The victim must remain calm and take photos to record the perpetrator’s face and features They can also shout to get the attention of others and the driver then report the incident to the police immediately and get their statement recorded,” he said last year’s typhoon season left many of Taiwan’s beaches littered with driftwood Media coverage focused on the legal status of this debris as the rules which govern who can remove fragments of trees washed out of state-owned forests what they can take and whether they can use it for commercial purposes are complex a few people were wondering if there’s another way to exploit this windfall Uprooted trees are a vast and mostly untapped resource A study by Taiwanese researchers that appeared in the July 2011 issue of Marine Pollution Bulletin noted that “more than three million trees fell and were washed away” during 2009’s Typhoon Morakot Just one-seventh of the estimated 980,000 tonnes of wooden debris was cleared up by the authorities the remainder being carried away by citizens or left to rot yet it’s less than a quarter of Taiwan’s monthly coal imports the energy content of wood is much lower than that of coal Burning a single tonne of the fossil fuel generates the same amount of heat energy as 2.6 tonnes of hardwood The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recognized the disadvantages of wood as long ago as 2006 noting that combusting solid biomass produces 110 kilograms of carbon dioxide per gigajoule of energy while for coal the emissions are around 96 kilograms Several countries operate wood-fired power stations nonetheless These plants burn wood pellets (compressed wood fibers) wood chips (typically two centimeters in length) and/or forestry residues sawdust and other logging-industry leftovers local journal Forest Economy published a mostly positive assessment of Taiwan’s potential for using wood as an energy source The authors estimated the country could produce 204,000 metric tons of wood and bamboo per year by sustainably extracting biomass from artificial forests recycling imported timber and gathering what’s pruned from roadside trees driftwood isn’t suitable for power generation a senior researcher at the Taiwan Bio-energy Technology Development Association (TBETA) Taiwan has several cogeneration plants and small boilers that burn recycled wood and these facilities have lower fuel-quality requirements compared to large power stations It’s easy to damage a boiler when using it as fuel driftwood is expensive to transport and handle,” he says the masses of wood that appear in Taiwan’s waterways and along its shores after each typhoon therefore holds no real potential Yet he’s convinced that fuels derived from biomass — recently living organisms such as trees and crops — can and should play a part in Taiwan’s energy transition Biomass contains carbon absorbed by plants via photosynthesis The International Energy Agency (IEA)’s Web site acknowledges that combusting biomass inevitably releases carbon into the atmosphere yet reasons that the production of new biomass absorbs an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide thereby “making modern bioenergy a near-zero emissions fuel.” But not everyone agrees with the IEA’s position Among the reasons why Chang backs bioenergy is the inconsistency of wind and solar energy Bioenergy can help stabilize energy supplies by contributing to base load Waste-to-energy (WtE) systems have a similar advantage in that they also enjoy a stable and reliable fuel supply Chang points out that while the quantity of agricultural and forestry residues in Taiwan isn’t huge “they can still be mixed in low ratios with other solid biofuels or coal in thermal power plants and cogeneration plants,” as long as the boilers have been designed to cope with these fuels Since the first half of the 1895-1945 period of Japanese colonial rule Taiwan’s sugar mills have been burning bagasse the dry pulpy material left after sugarcane has been crushed to extract the juice (TSC) currently burns 70 percent of the bagasse it handles according to the state-owned company’s Web site facility at Huwei (虎尾) in Yunlin County was certified as a biomass power generation system in June last year; its approved capacity is 8.8 megawatts not much more than that of a single offshore wind turbine TSC plans to use this output to create Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) which it can sell to other enterprises TSC is continuing to “actively cooperate with government initiatives in developing bioenergy technologies,” the site says another type of bioenergy has been utilized for decades plant in Hualien County has been burning lignin This black liquid is concentrated through evaporation then combusted in a boiler to produce steam that propels a generator Heat from the boiler is diverted for drying and heating within the factory Emphasizing that electricity isn’t the only useful type of energy Chang points out that biomass-fired cogeneration systems like those used by Chung Hwa Pulp and TSC tend to be highly efficient recent increases in feed-in-tariff rates — subsidies offered to enterprises which supply renewable energy to the grid — for bioenergy including biogas derived from animal manure “are sufficient economic incentives to build new biomass power plants.” In contrast to the massive expansion of wind and solar energy in recent years Taiwan’s biomass and WtE capacity has barely grown since 2015 the country’s Net-Zero Emissions Plan expects this to double to between 1.4 and 1.8 gigawatts But compared to Japan’s national biomass energy target for 2030 of 6.02 to 7.28 gigawatts State-run utility Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) canceled two bioenergy projects last year One was the planned conversion of a coal-fired unit at Kaohsiung’s Hsinta Power Plant into a wood-burning facility The other would have resulted in the construction from scratch of a bioenergy plant in Taichung a small-scale biomass power station opened in Nantou County The privately-owned facility turns agricultural waste into electricity via gasification with an output of 1 to 1.2 megawatts per hour Among the world’s biggest biomass power stations are the UK’s Ironbridge and Drax plants with The Guardian reporting that it’s the country’s “largest single source of carbon emissions,” that its owners have pocketed billions of pounds in subsidies and that most of the wood pellets burned there are shipped from North America a commentary published in GCB Bioenergy looked at surging international demand for pellets derived from forestry biomass “Critical to this trade is the classification of woody biomass as ‘renewable energy’ and thus eligible for public subsidies much scientific study on the net effect of this trend suggests that it is having the opposite effect to that expected of renewable energy by increasing atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide for substantial periods of time.” It’s assumed that carbon dioxide emitted by wood-fired power plants will be reabsorbed while burning forest biomass sends this carbon into the atmosphere in a matter of minutes “there is a ‘payback period’ between this initial release and a return to forest carbon stocks through regrowth.” This could be years in the case of forestry residues “the payback periods depend on the species and conditions of regrowth which range from decades to centuries.” If artificial woodlands optimized for pellet production expand The authors of the Forest Economy article described deadwood that stays where it falls as “a waste of national resources.” Given their affiliation with the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute now part of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency Dead trees left in situ have considerable ecological value: as they decompose they provide wildlife habitat and slow soil erosion while aiding plant regeneration and nutrient cycling The authors argue that fully utilizing abandoned forestry resources and establishing “multiple regional wood-energy centers” could “open up win-win opportunities for energy supply and environmental protection.” But whether it’d be a net gain for the global climate is less certain the author or co-author of four books about Taiwan has been following environmental issues since he arrived in the country in 1991 He drives a hybrid and carries his own chopsticks Participants run in the Sun Moon Lake Marathon in Nantou County yesterday Photo courtesy of the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area More than 22,000 people yesterday participated in this year’s mass swimming event at Nantou County’s Sun Moon Lake Participants in the Sun Moon Lake Swimming Carnival entered the water early in the morning to swim the about 3km from one pier of the large Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) also donned a cap and goggles to join the swimmers in crossing the lake “This is Nantou’s most famous activity,” Ma said at the opening ceremony of the event which he also described as the “most Taiwanese” and “most iconic.” Ma said he first participated in the annual swimming event in 2002 when he was 52 years old he said it was a “pity” that the Sun Moon Lake Swimming Carnival only happens once a year adding that it could be held a second time annually in June or July Nantou County Commissioner Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) said this year’s crossing was the 42nd time it had been held She said that 22,606 people from 38 countries Addressing media reports that this would be the last time Ma swam in the event Hsu said that Ma would be invited to attend as a “distinguished guest” or take on another special role Hsu said she would also invite President William Lai (賴清德) and Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) to participate Starting from Chaowu Pier (朝霧) on the northern part of the lake the swimmers traversed the calm waters under bright sunshine to Ita Thao Pier (伊達邵) A court has handed a mother in central Taiwan a one-year jail sentence for failure to place her eight-month old baby in a child safety seat which led to brain damage after they were involved in a car crash The Nantou County District Court on Friday last week found a 21-year-old mother guilty of negligence resulting in serious injuries Liao in September 2021 took her baby for a ride in a car driven by a man surnamed Lu (盧) and held the baby on her lap instead of in a safety seat Lu got into a traffic accident when he did not brake in time and hit the vehicle in front of them who was sitting on the front passenger seat adding that medics and doctors administered emergency treatment Doctors at the hospital were unable to observe the baby overnight as Liao had left and headed to a friend’s residence in Nantou City for recuperation she went to a hospital emergency room after the baby displayed more severe symptoms The baby was diagnosed with brain hemorrhage and hypoxic encephalopathy due to trauma from the car accident After undergoing regular hospital treatment for about one year the diagnosis confirmed that the baby had sustained cerebral atrophy on the right side of her brain and irreversible damage to her central nervous system Social workers testified that the baby displayed no signs of physical abuse while an investigation found that Liao had contravened road regulations by not strapping the baby into a child safety seat the baby hit her head on the car’s dashboard inflicting trauma to her head that resulted in cerebral atrophy and permanent paralysis The judge ruled that Liao should be held accountable and found her guilty of negligence causing serious injuries and handed her a one-year prison sentence It was the first ruling and the case can be appealed said the sentence would serve as a warning that parents would be held accountable for the safety and welfare of their children and would face charges and penalties for mishaps that resulted in the injury or death of their children Lee said drivers must know that the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例) states “drivers are legally the ‘guarantor’ responsible for the safety and prevention of criminal offense when there is a child onboard.” the driver must also pay compensation for damages or medical conditions when a victim files a lawsuit Lee added that under the Regulations on Implementation of Child Safety Seats in Automobiles (小型車附載幼童安全乘坐實施及宣導辦法) a toddler under the age of four and weighing less than 18kg must be strapped into a child safety seat amid freezing temperatures early this morning the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said 0.5cm of snow had accumulated at the weather station on the highest peak of the mountain Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration after which the temperature there dipped to a low of minus-3.1°C at about 2am Rime ice and snow pellets fell intermittently from about 8pm yesterday to early this morning which stands 3,150m above sea level on Hehuanshan 0.5cm of snow had accumulated as of this morning Visitors have been flocking to Wuling on Hehuanshan since early this morning prompting the bureau to restrict travel between the 29km mark and 36.6km mark on Provincial Route No The Cuifeng-Songxue Lodge section on that route was closed yesterday night as a precaution due to icy roads but was reopened at 7am to limited traffic the lowest temperatures recorded early Monday were 11.2°C and 11.3°C in Taoyuan's Dasi District (大溪) and New Taipei City's Shihding District (石碇) respectively It has forecast that a dry southbound continental cold air mass approaching Taiwan would drive down temperatures nationwide tonight but the skies in most parts of the country are to be sunny to cloudy Daytime highs of 18°C to 20°C can be expected today in northern and eastern Taiwan 21°C to 25°C in central and southern areas A strong continental cold air mass and abundant moisture bringing snow to mountains 3,000m and higher over the past few days are a reminder that more than 60 years ago Taiwan had an outdoor ski resort that gradually disappeared in part due to climate change the National Development Council posted a series of photographs on Facebook recounting the days when Taiwan had a ski resort on Hehuanshan (合歡山) in Nantou County when developing a branch of the Central Cross-Island Highway had a snow accumulation period of about two months every winter Photo: Screen grab from the National Development Council’s Facebook The government established the Wuling Winter Training Base (武嶺寒訓基地) on Hehuanshan to train armed forces in skiing and survival skills adding that the decision laid the foundation for the winter tourism industry the Chinese Taipei Ski Association was founded to promote snow activities and Hehuanshan became a popular destination for the China Youth Corps’ winter camps with skiing and snow-viewing camps bringing crowds to the cold mountain areas a 400m gondola lift was available between Hehuanshan’s East Peak (東峰) and Songsyue Lodge (松雪樓) and a ski training center was built beside the lodge to train Taiwan’s athletes for international competitions many Taiwanese still remember having enjoyed their skiing vacation at Hehuanshan or the China Youth Corps’ camps to learn skiing snow accumulation and the snow accumulation period on Hehuanshan have been reduced and with international travel becoming more convenient Taiwan’s first ski resort has gradually phased out and disappeared A person commented on the council’s post saying that traces of the abandoned gondola lift can still be seen in the Hehuanshan mountain areas which serves as a reminder of the former glorious days of Taiwan’s ski resort 2014TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A landslide occurred in Taiwan’s Nantou County on Sunday morning (July 2) due to heavy rain the past few days The landslide happened on Taiwan’s Provincial Highway No. 14, subsequently blocking access from Nantou’s Puli to Hehuan Mountain, reported UDN Drivers will not be able to use the mountain road until maintenance crews have cleared the highway which happened at the 18.7-kilometer mark of the Cuifeng Section (Sec Police have secured the area and are asking people stranded on the road to be patient Heavy machinery has been dispatched to clear rocks and earth from both sides of the road said that the government expects the highway to be cleared by 5 p.m Travelers planning to use the road to cross the Central Mountain Range on Sunday or Monday should consider using other routes Drivers and cyclists are cautioned to pay attention to current traffic and weather conditions Taiwan Railways Corporation criticized for slow reaction to landslide that caused derailment North Taiwan highway cleared of landslide ahead of schedule Heavy rain and landslides disrupt traffic on Taiwan's east coast Video shows landslide block road in Taiwan's Keelung Niaozuetan reservoir opens ahead of schedule in central Taiwan Taiwan dollar hits NT$29 per US dollar triggering currency exchange rush Taipei MRT reminds passengers of drinking water ban Magnitude 5.5 earthquake strikes off east Taiwan Vietjet flight makes unscheduled landing in Taiwan Four Vietnamese residents found dead in northern Taiwan Central Bank steps in as Taiwan dollar posts strong single-day gain Taiwan ranked 2nd most innovative country in world Taiwan ranks 1st in Asia on World Press Freedom Index US tech earnings spark Taiwan stock market rally Rising Taiwan dollar over Trump tariffs has pros and cons Agoda says Nantou County listing based on historical PM2.5 data ( Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Headquarters photo) 4040TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Nantou County was ranked one of Asia's best destinations for fresh air by Agoda Agoda listed seven places in February where travelers in Asia can enjoy especially clean air. It said its ranking was based on historical PM2.5 data, per CNA Located in Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range Nantou is "surrounded by mountains and lakes" and offers "a serene escape with good air quality,” the platform said The platform highlighted the picturesque Sun Moon Lake one of the most visited destinations in Taiwan among locals and foreigners.  B2B Travel and Tour World added that its surroundings “feel like stepping into a painting.” Despite being a popular tourist destination Nantou offers visitors tranquility away from the busy city.  Among Asia's seven best fresh air destinations were Sapporo Central Taiwan irrigation project nears completion Taiwan's Sun Moon Lake gears up for annual swimming event Most individuals stranded on Yushan are between 55 and 65 A helicopter takes an injured hiker to safety in Nantou Wednesday 3294TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Rescue teams had to venture into Yushan National Park to save hikers 10 times in 12 days The area in central Taiwan surrounds the country’s tallest peak In the latest case, a hiker surnamed Lee (李), 71, fell down a slope while hiking as part of a 10-person group on the Batongguan Traverse Trail, per CNA He had head injuries and a fractured left arm As a rescue team needed a full day to reach him the Nantou County Fire Department decided to call in the National Airborne Service Corps A helicopter picked up Lee on Wednesday at noon and flew him to the Fire Service Training Center at Zhushan where an ambulance waited to transfer him to a hospital 10 incidents were recorded in the park over 12 days Most of the individuals were aged between 55 and 65 Yushan park management called on hikers to take all the necessary measures to prepare for their trips and not to overestimate their physical capabilities to reduce the risk of accidents Central Taiwan sees 5-year high autumn raptor migration Taiwan national park educates students on endangered Alishan salamander Hiking guide fatally stung by hornets in east Taiwan Taiwan’s Yushan National Park reports more sightings of Formosan black bears Hiker dies after tumbling 300 meters down Taiwan's Yushan 9784TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Police on Friday afternoon (July 15) arrested a man suspected of shooting five employees at a biotechnology company in central Taiwan Surveillance camera footage shows Li riding scooter Early Friday morning (July 15), police were able to pinpoint Li's location in Wufeng District and tried to arrest him. However, by 4 a.m., an officer was quoted by CNA as saying Li had escaped Later that day, police identified Li's location, this time at a massage parlor on Zhongqing Road in Taichung City's North District. At 1 p.m., a team of 40 heavily armed officers entered the parlor, and by 1:58 p.m. arrested Li after 21 hours on the run, reported UDN When police apprehended Li they found he had been carrying three sets of handcuffs Li had initially evaded police by hiding in a compartment holding the water tank on the fifth floor of the massage parlor As police escorted Li out of the spa, he told the congregated media, according to Up Media I killed because I wanted revenge," "I killed five that's right," and "I have a deep hatred More than eight years ago, Li had a conflict with a female section chief surnamed Hung (洪) over problems operating machinery, reported FTV News. On the fifth day of the lunar new year in 2015, the man allegedly beat the female section leader over the head and body with an iron rod about 200 meters away from the company and reportedly shouted, "I want you to die! I will kill you!" Items seized from Li. (New Reporter photo) Hung suffered serious lacerations to her head and a ligament in her hand was injured, requiring four operations. The victim testified that Li was behind the assault. Nantou District Prosecutor's Office later charged Li with attempted murder. When the Nantou District Court heard the case, Lai, a female accountant, and Liu all served as witnesses corroborating Hung's testimony. However, because Li was able to present an alibi, he was found not guilty. Husband charged in New Taipei triple homicide case Puppet box murder solved after 28 years in Taiwan Taiwan police still looking for suspect in Tainan Fisherman’s Association murder Suspected killer of Tainan Fisherman Association chair arrested in Kaohsiung Police close in on Tainan Fisherman Association chair shooter 3rd getaway vehicle, DNA of Tainan Fisherman Association chair shooter found You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email 7255TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The first snowflakes of the season were seen on Yushan on Monday afternoon The Central Weather Administration (CWA) reported that temperatures on Yushan’s North Peak dropped to minus 3.9 degrees Celsius at 2:53 a.m Snowflakes were briefly seen from 3:05 p.m though winter officially begins on Dec Another brief flurry occurred at 3:30 p.m The CWA said a continental cold air mass weakened during the day but abundant atmospheric moisture caused heavier cloud cover over much of Taiwan Scattered showers were reported along Keelung’s north coast Mountains above 3,000 meters had conditions suitable for frost and rime formation The weather bureau said radiative cooling has led to significantly lower temperatures across many regions. A yellow cold surge advisory for temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius is in effect from Monday night to Tuesday morning in Hsinchu County Cold front could bring snow to Taiwan's mountains Government emphasizes ban on dual citizenship 2826TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A Chinese spouse faces doubts about her eligibility to become a legislator for the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Ahead of the legislative elections in January the TPP said its lawmakers would have to resign halfway through their four-year term and make way for replacements with all eight slated to resign before Feb would be the first Chinese spouse to enter the Legislative Yuan Questions have been asked about her eligibility with the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) emphasizing that people holding dual nationality cannot serve as legislators The TPP said that another Chinese spouse was elected to Nantou County Council and served without problem, per CNA. However, the opposition party did not specify whether Lee and the Nantou politician had given up their Chinese passports. Lee wrote on Facebook that she only held a Taiwan passport, and needed the same special travel document from China to visit as any other Taiwanese citizen. She added that neither of her parents was a member of the Chinese Communist Party. Taiwan labor unions demand 7 more national holidays Poll shows declining support for Taiwan's ruling party, but still leading others Taiwan opposition parties reject government budget Legislative speaker thanks French Senate for supporting Taiwan Taiwan People’s Party embroiled in corruption scandals Deputy speaker of Taiwan legislature begins diplomatic tour in Europe The renovation has reorganized chaos into coherence micro-complex within the densely populated Nantou Old Town It meets the social and cultural demands of contemporary living and introduces a novel typology of vertical communal spaces that are both public and accessible paving the way for future urban village developments In the face of extensive urban construction enhancing and optimizing original genealogies structures and environments emerges as a crucial strategy against urban homogenization The Nantou Hybrid Building represents a significant experiment by URBANUS It transcends mere architectural innovation representing a paradigm shift in thought and concept Visitors stop by a wall of lanterns in Puli Township Nantou County in this press photo released by the township office on Wednesday A 1.8-kilometer wall of lanterns will be lit up from 5-10 p.m 8-16 to mark the upcoming Lantern Festival Photo courtesy of Puli Township Office Feb Hikers lose vital signs after tumbling from mountain peak into 380-meter valley Snow and strong winds complicate Yushan rescue mission 8095TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Two hikers in their 20s died after falling into a valley while climbing Yushan’s main peak on Saturday according to the Nantou County Fire Department Authorities received a report around 10 a.m. that a man and a woman had fallen from a hiking trail into a deep valley, CT Want reported. A nine-person search and rescue team, with helicopter support, was quickly mobilized. The pair were located around 5 p.m. in a valley 380 meters deep, partially buried in snow and appearing unconscious. However, steep mountain terrain and unstable wind conditions forced rescuers to delay the operation until daybreak Sunday. Melting snow further complicated efforts, and it took more than three hours for rescuers to reach the hikers around 11 a.m., at which point both were confirmed to have no vital signs. Again, due to the difficult terrain and wind, the victims could not be airlifted by helicopter. The bodies will be moved to a more accessible location before a helicopter extraction can be attempted. The recovery operation remains ongoing. Feature photo: Stunning sunrise on Taiwan's Yushan Yellow-throated martens spotted mating in central Taiwan Taiwan's Yushan sees rime and glaze ice Taiwan’s tallest peak records 10 rescue missions in 12 days 7628TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A cold air mass on Tuesday brought snow to Hehuanshan Approximately 6 cm of snow has accumulated on Hehuanshan, transforming the mountain into a winter wonderland, per CNA. Snow has also been reported in Yushan and Huagang, an area in Renai Township over 2,400 meters in elevation. The cold air mass and ample moisture led to snowfall at Hehuanshan in the early morning. Areas including Kunyang, Wuling, Songsyue Lodge, and Xiaofengkou have been blanketed in white.  Visitors braved the overnight cold at Wuling (elevation 3,275 meters) to witness the snowfall. Guests at Songsyue Lodge were delighted to see the snowfall in the early morning. Due to hazardous conditions, a precautionary road closure was implemented from 18 km (Cuifeng, Nantou) to 41.5 km (Dayuling, Hualien) along Provincial Highway 14A from Monday night until Tuesday morning. The Highway Bureau lifted restrictions at 7 a.m. following snow removal operations, but some sections between Cuifeng and Dayuling remain covered in ice and snow.  Officials warned that the winding, shaded sections of the Wuling to Songsyue Lodge road section are prone to skidding. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are advised to use snow chains.  Snowfall has also been recorded in Huagang, the main peak of Yushan (elevation 3,952 meters), and Paiyun Lodge (elevation 3,402 meters). According to Yushan National Park Headquarters, Paiyun Lodge received ice pellets Monday night, and snowfall on Tuesday reached a depth of 5.5 centimeters. The CWA issued a cold surge advisory early Tuesday morning. Temperatures north of Taichung and parts of Yilan may drop to 10 C or lower.  Other areas that reported snow included Fushoushan, Taipingshan, and Lalashan. Residents are advised to take precautions against the cold to prevent respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. North Taiwan temperatures set to hit low of 8 C Northern Taiwan to see temperatures drop to 10 C 1st snow of year falls on Taiwan's Yushan Taiwan's Xueshan sees 1st snow of winter Architectural appearance. Image © Boris NTU Experimental Forest formulates plan to allow giant camphor to live for a century 5-year plan formulated to protect world's tallest camphor tree 2114TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 700-year-old camphor tree in Nantou’s Xinyi Township stands a towering 46.4 meters and has been registered as the tallest camphor tree in the world with arborists formulating a health regimen to ensure it can live for another century The tree is under the jurisdiction of National Taiwan University’s Experimental Forest, which undertakes monthly health checks of the tree. The results of the most recent check released on Monday indicated the tree's health is akin to a “healthy elderly man,” per CNA. According to arborists, a tree of this age will inevitably be infested by insects and fungal decay that causes trunk hollowing. Experimental Forest has formulated a five-year inspection and management regimen to mitigate these risks.  NTU Experimental Forest Deputy Director Chung Li-chan (鍾立展) said a recent inspection of the tree, which measured the degree of trunk hollowness, soil condition, and upper canopy, revealed it was in adequate health. Chung added that more advanced analysis, such as root soil sampling, will take more time. Shen Hui-sheng (沈揮勝), a lecturer at the Community University of Nantou and a participant in the tree’s health check, said stress wave testing (acoustic) on the trunk revealed internal deterioration and overall decay between 80-90%. Despite the high ratio of trunk decay, the outer shell is considered intact and can carry out normal photosynthesis with vascular bundles and sieve tubes retaining their ability to operate. Shen said the five-year plan not only includes monthly on-site observations but also annual health checks and expert analysis of pest infestation and decay. Such data will be used to formulate a more specific and effective health regimen to ensure it can live a healthy life for another century. 5 top Taiwan universities to have long winter break National Taiwan University ranks 74th globally, 4th in Asia Historic National Taiwan University building transforms into museum NTU students tell visiting Chinese this is not 'Chinese Taipei' National Taiwan University drops 20 spots to 172nd in world Nantou Ancient Town— witness of the city's history for millennia Nantou Ancient Town Renovation and Upgrade is a project launched to inherit the historical context for more than a thousand years and recapture the memory of Shenzhen city Various Associates was entrusted to participate in the cluster renovation of the Project led by Vanke The studio has completed an "urban memory exhibition hall" in the core area at Nanbei Street — the demonstration section of the Project The Pazeh have applied to become the 17th officially recognized indigenous community in Taiwan the Council of Indigenous Peoples said on Thursday Miaoli and Taichung delivered an application to the council on Wednesday in a bid to receive official recognition as the country’s 17th indigenous community The Pazeh have promoted the revival of their language and culture for more than 25 years Nantou County Pazeh Ethnic Culture Association head Bauke Abuk said He has long been committed to the promotion preservation and research of the Pazeh language and led the indigenous peoples name rectification movement they applied to become Taiwan’s 17th officially recognized indigenous community He added that the traditional territory of the Pazeh community a subgroup of the Taiwan plains indigenous people in central Taiwan stretches from the north bank of Daan River to the south bank of Dajia River covering Sanyi and Jhoulan townships in Miaoli some members of the community migrated to the Ailan Plateau in Puli Township are Taiwanese indigenous people who originally lived in lowland areas There are 16 officially recognized indigenous people in Taiwan: Amis have struggled to have their indigenous status recognized as “lowland” indigenous people the Constitutional Court ruled in 2022 that the Siraya and other Pingpu groups have the right to be recognized as “indigenous,” and gave the government a three-year deadline to implement a law to facilitate their recognition The ruling came after the Council of Indigenous Peoples rejected an attempt by the Siraya to register as indigenous in 2012 and the legal case reached the Constitutional Court in 2020 Kaxabu and Pazeh applied to be officially recognized as plains indigenous groups adding that it would deal with these applications in accordance with the due process A by-election is to be held on March 4 to fill the legislative seat vacated by Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) who was inaugurated as Nantou County commissioner on Sunday the Central Election Commission (CEC) said on Sunday Under the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) an election must be held within three months of a legislative seat becoming vacant Voting in the March 4 by-election is to start at 8am and end at 4pm The by-election is to be officially announced today and candidate registration is scheduled to take place from Jan Candidates for the race being speculated on by local media include Nantou County chapter head Lin Ru-bin (林儒彬) Nantou Mayor Song Huai-lin (宋懷琳) and Nantou County Councilor Yu Hao (游顥) Also being reported are Jiji Township (集集) Mayor Chen Ji-heng (陳紀衡) and Nantou County Councilor Lai Yen-hsueh (賴燕雪) from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) The DPP has also reportedly encouraged Tsai Pei-hui (蔡培慧) who lost to Hsu in the commissioner election on Nov Also sworn in as local leaders on Sunday were two other legislators: Chou Chun-mi (周春米) of the DPP as Pingtung County commissioner and Ann Kao (高虹安) of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) as Hsinchu mayor as both Chou and Kao were legislators-at-large — meaning that they were elected on a separate ballot in which voters choose their preferred political party rather than individual candidates tied to electoral districts — their seats can be filled by their parties Chou’s seat has been filled by Chen Ching-min (陳靜敏) while Kao’s was filled by TPP legislative caucus office director Chen Wan-hui (陳琬惠) gracefully blurs the indoor-outdoor boundary These evolving changes unfold throughout the day echoing its dynamic context with a diverse and vibrant spatial experience inside and out Once a densely packed and compressed area in the north side of the town the site sitting between two residences underwent constant renewal over time resulting in a distinctive aesthetic of chaos and vitality The autonomous and spontaneous construction in the urban village has resulted in a confined spatial layout and visual occlusion within the architecture it encompasses three distinct property plots that transition from private residences to a public domain This shift prompts a proactive design response to connect with surrounding public spaces TAO’s architectural volume recedes from the delicate outer metal skin creating a multifaceted space that blends the building with the street while reflecting the diversity of the urban village provides meandering access to galleries and a roof terrace the moving figures strolling behind the hazy facade also inject the building with a dynamic nature sited within a compressed urban node in Nantou Ancient Town Due to spatial limitations, the architects’ at TAO maximize floor area utilization projecting volumes further outwards as floors ascend establishing a unique physical rhythm and urban gap space inclined columns support the volumes on the east side and west sides with the west side’s overhanging framework exposed externally while the middle columns remain concealed within the walls Different forms of space thusly emerge and embody a sense of lightweight structural aesthetics part of the Diverse Homology Museum complex TAO shrouds the structure in a veil of semi-translucent metal mesh the space offers various perspectives of the town its architecture embraces a transient approach reflecting the town’s active state of rapid evolution a vertical passage provides meandering access to galleries and a roof terrace architecture: Trace Architecture Office (TAO) contractor: Shenzhen Vanke Development Ltd project planning and design management: Urban Research Institute of China Vanke curation design: Diameter Narrative Design structural and MEP design: Bowan Architecture client: Bureau of Public Works of Shenzhen Municipality Nanshan District AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style