Dance for me, Monkey Boy

I went for a hike on the No. 1 Trail in the Tak'eng 大坑 area on Tuesday, and had the pleasure of seeing at least three Formosan Rock Macaques (Tái​wān mí​hóu) 台灣獼猴 cavorting among the treetops. They were too far away for me to get any decent photos or videos, but I did give it a try:

I also came across a couple of magnificent snakes. One was a very long brown beauty that was slithering off into the underbrush as I was making my way up the mountain. Unfortunately, it moved too quickly for me to get a picture. The other one wasn't as impressive physically, but was more cooperative when it came to photographing and filming:

Something that wasn't as pleasurable was having to read this article in the Taipei Times on Saturday. As Michael Turton points out in The View from Taiwan:

"The yammerhead who got in a pissing contest over a 25 NT towel (for pete's sake) may end up causing trouble for other foreigners. Foreigners need to remember: you might not think you're part of a community, but the Taiwanese will treat you that way."

That's Asia for you. You're constantly being reminded of how different you are...until a problem arises, and then you're part of the team (of course, nobody remembered to inform you of the rules of the game beforehand).

However, there are several things about this story that bother me other than the fact that some idiot blew a gasket over something trivial as a towel, and forgot the old adage about being an ambassador abroad. Namely, that:

1.) Why is this even a media story in the first place? Would any news outlets have covered this if a foreigner hadn't been involved? I once saw a (Taiwanese) woman going ballistic over NT20 at a bus station, yelling at the top of her lungs and threatening to sue the bus company, before finally getting her way, yet I never saw anything about it in the papers or on TV. Of course, she wasn't allegedly moonlighting as a stripper. At least, not that I know of. Good god, I hope she wasn't, judging from the way she looked;

2.) Why are local politicians getting involved? Elected officials in Taiwan are notorious for fighting and grandstanding, and it's clear in this case that Councilor Hung was relishing the opportunity to get some quality time in the media spotlight. There's a tendency in Taiwan for people to drag local politicians into the smallest of disputes, as I know from personal experience (more on that later);

3.) Hung's involvement in the matter highlights the darker side of the Democratic Progressive Party 民進黨. The DPP may be the morally right party on the issue of Taiwan's identity, but it's also the political organization of choice for the betel-nut chewing, blue truck-driving yahoos of not-so-cosmopolitan Taiwan (every country has its Bubbas). Xenophobia goes down well with this voting bloc;

4.) In all the hubbub over Towelgate, where is "Mr. Eric's" side of the story? Certainly, Councilor Hung didn't bother ascertaining what "Mr. Eric" had to say, but that's understandable as foreigners can't vote (but "Mr. Wu" can). What's harder to digest is why the reporter, Mo Yan-chih, didn't attempt to track down "Mr. Eric" in order to find out what he had to say about the altercation. The Taipei Times may be superior to the China Post, but it has shown a serious lack of professionalism in this case. Assuming the local is right and going to print with the story isn't good journalism;

5.) Finally, there's that line about "not allow(ing)...any acts of disrespect toward Taiwanese". What exactly constitutes "disrespect"? Does that mean that we as foreigners are not supposed to get into any arguments or disputes with locals, lest we cause the latter to "lose face"? I guess we're just supposed to put up and shut up in these situations, otherwise the outraged native will contact his/her local politician, and the whole affair will risk turning into a media circus. It's "dance for me, monkey boy" as parents point out the foreigner to their children as if we were attractions in a zoo. "Disrespect" is a one-way street here.

A few months ago, I was riding on my scooter through a green light at an intersection, when a woman came flying through her red light and hit me. Neither of us was hurt, and both our bikes were undamaged, but I did lose my temper and let loose a few obscenities at the stupid bitch traffic law violator. I thought that was that, but the next thing I knew, I was being summoned to the local police station, and watched helplessly as various relatives (mine and hers) argued over what had happened, while a (you guessed it) local politician tried to settle everyone down.

Things got worse. We ended up in court, as she tried to sue me for damages to her and her scooter, but not before the woman and her gangster-looking fiance tried to shake down my brother-in-law for cash (no dice). Before an arbitrator, the woman tried to claim that I was the one who went through a red light, and not her. Unbeknownst to our heroine, I had a copy of the police report stating that she was the one who had failed to stop at a red traffic signal, and the surveillance camera video footage clearly showing the woman riding past stopped scooters and through the red light, into the intersection and then into me (my light was clearly green in the video). She got nothing.

But here's the kicker. One of her complaints was that I needed to apologize to her for having "failed to respect Taiwanese women". I refused to agree to any settlement until that part of the complaint was removed. I pointed out to the arbitrator that this was a minor traffic accident between two individuals and not an international incident involving overbearing barbarians and helpless Taiwanese virgins. The arbitrator agreed with me and lectured the woman on this matter before she reluctantly agreed to withdraw that part of her complaint.

It was a long, needless hassle over a mere fender bender, but the look on that woman's face as she walked out of the courtroom with nothing to show for her stupidity was almost worth all the trouble.

And for those of you whose reading comprehension skills need polishing, I'm not denying that "Mr. Eric" was a total jerk.

As for Councilor Hung, lets get together sometime so I can really demonstrate to you how a foreigner can show disrespect towards a Taiwanese. I certainly wouldn't mind a free one-way plane ticket back to my home country! :-)

Beaching about Taiwan

Taiwan is an island. An island is a large body of land surrounded on all sides of by water. The early Portuguese called this land Ilha Formosa, meaning "beautiful island". Taking these facts into account, one could assume that Taiwan would be an ideal place for a beach lover. One would be wrong, especially when looking at the western half of this island, where 80% of the population live. On this long stretch of coastline facing the Taiwan Strait 台灣海峽 there is nary a decent beach to be found. Where there are stretches of sand and surf open to the public, one faces the daunting prospects of trash-strewn sand, detritus-filled surf and water of dubious sanitary quality. This is partly due to the legacy of Cold War political tensions, as for a number of years many areas along the coast were closed off to recreational users by the military and police, who feared a Chinese invasion force someday storming ashore. An even bigger legacy is industrial development, as the western coast is home to several large factory complexes, which doesn't do much for swimmers, or rare dolphins for that matter. But the main factor explaining the sad state of Taiwan's western beaches (or lack of them) is cultural.

Taking a look at a map of this island, you can see that, with the exception of the southern port city of Kaohsiung 高雄, all of western Taiwan's major cities and towns are located well-inland, as if they're collectively turning their backs on the sea. Despite living on an island, many people here don't know how to swim, and the cultural preference for sickly pale white skin, especially on women, discourages people from getting out and soaking up some rays. Even in other parts of the country where there are good beaches, such as K'enting (Kěn​dīng) 墾丁, many visitors spend large chunks of their time checking out the glorified night market that constitutes the region's main town, while avoiding any physical contact with the water or the sunshine.

And what has brought about this beaching...er, bitching? The fact that I was looking forward today (Saturday) to going with my wife and daughter to Mashakou 馬沙溝, one of the few remotely attractive places to enjoy the sun, sand and surf between Kenting in the south and Fulung 福隆 in the northeast. Located near T'ainan 台南, Amber and I went there a couple of years ago (with my friend Steve and his brood) and really enjoyed ourselves. Unfortunately, when Pamela called yesterday afternoon to see if the beach area was still open, she was told that it has been closed since the end of August. Apparently, it's only open during the summer months. Of course the fault is mainly mine, for not getting off my ass and taking Amber to the shore earlier, when Mashagou and other west coast swimming areas would have still been open for business. And yet, when I see all that coastline and think of what could be if only cultural attitudes toward the sun and the sea were different, I'm left once again with that cultural disconnect that keeps me and Taiwan so far apart from each other.

Oh well, at least I got to go to Okinawa 沖縄 this year.

Looking sunnier than my beach outing plans is the relationship these days between Japan and Taiwan. Friday's Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ has this Kyōdō News 共同通信社 on the signing of the investment pact between the two countries:

"Taiwan and Japan on Thursday signed an agreement that lowers bilateral investment barriers, a significant step toward an eventual free-trade deal between the two countries.

In the absence of diplomatic ties, the agreement was signed in T'aipei 台北 by Mitsuo Ōhashi 大橋光夫, chairman of the Japan Interchange Association 財団法人交流協会, and his Taiwanese counterpart, Peng Run-tsu 彭榮次, chairman of T'aipei's East Asian Relations Commission.

The accord covers three areas: trade liberalization, trade promotion and protection of investment. It will now be sent to Taiwan's Parliament, the Legislative Yuän 立法院, for review before it enters into force.

The investment arrangement is the first economic deal Taiwan has signed with a nonallied country since Taipei and Beijing 北京 inked a preferential free-trade agreement in June last year.

Ōhashi said the pact is a major milestone for bilateral relations that will allow exchanges between the two countries to enter a new phase.

Japan is Taiwan's second-largest trading partner and its biggest investor, with more than $16 billion invested over the past 50 years, while Taiwan is Japan's fourth-largest trading partner and has invested about $1.6 billion in its Asian neighbor."

Downtown Fengyuan 豐原 on a Friday night

Watch for falling rocks

It hasn't been a good week. Starting on Saturday, and lasting for several days, I had a bad case of diarrhea, with resultant stomach cramps. On Monday I started having dizzy spells, which were strong enough to keep me off balance much of the time, and frequent enough that I ended up not going to work on Monday evening. Tuesday was better, but then yesterday my chest was bothering me throughout the day. Combined with the general feeling of exhaustion I've been having for over the past year or so, the result of feeling tired every night but unable to go to sleep, and I've been rather irritable these past few days. Life as usual in Taiwan, in other words.

On Tuesday, however, I was feeling good enough to go for a hike. I did a four-hour round-trip walk (slower than usual due to my weakened condition) on Huoyanshan 火炎山, that badly-scarred mountain located just to the left of the No. 1 Freeway 中山高速公路 if you're driving north from T'aichung 台中 to San'i 三義:

(http://hoher.idv.tw/blog/read-1406.html)

The mountain's appearance is most likely the result of having been stripped for the materials to manufacture concrete. There are several points along the hiking trail where we look right down into the abyss:

Half the fun of hiking Huoyanshan is being able to start several small rock slides. I just don't want to be up there the when the next large earthquake strikes.

The Beautiful Hair Salon. Many Taiwanese hair salons use Japanese script on their signs, an indication of how much influence Japan has on fashion and style in this country.

Business is another area in which the Japanese influence can be easily seen here. Japan Today posted an AFP article this morning on the signing of investment pact between Japan and Taiwan:

"Taiwan and Japan signed an arrangement Thursday to bolster mutual investment despite their lack of formal diplomatic ties.

The deal comes amid steadily improving ties between the sides. Relations hit a trough at the beginning of Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou’s 馬英九 term in office, but have blossomed in recent months, particularly after Taiwan extended substantial aid to Japan in the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the country in March.

Taiwanese Vice Economics Minister Hwang Jung-chiou said the arrangement is expected to help Taiwan lure more investment from Japan, including from companies considering moving production overseas to avoid supply chain disruptions caused by the March disaster.

'Japan has been the biggest source of technology for our industries,' Hwang said. 'Many of the big Japanese corporations have already invested here, but with the arrangement, we can attract those who were not as enthusiastic before, such as makers of machinery components, chemical materials, and biotechnology.'

Taiwan’s East Asia Relations Commission Chairman Peng Run-tsu signed the new agreement with his Japanese counterpart Mitsuo Ōhashi 大橋光夫, chairman of the Japan Interchange Association 財団法人交流協会.

The deal is not expected to draw protests from China, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan but has improved its own ties with its rival in recent years. The two sides split amid civil war in 1949.

Last year, China signed a landmark deal to offer tariff cuts for hundreds of Taiwan-made goods. Taiwanese officials say Japanese corporations may be lured to invest on the island to get access to the same preferential tariffs when exporting to China.

Hwang said Japanese investment in Taiwan has increased over the past two years, and that bilateral trade totaled nearly $70 billion in 2010.

Under the arrangement signed Thursday, companies from the two sides can enjoy the same benefits as local counterparts when investing in each other’s territories.

Both governments will be obligated to assure the free movement of money by their companies to the other side. Investment disputes can also be resolved by international arbitration agencies.

Tōkyō 東京 switched recognition from T'aipei 台北 to Beijing 北京 in 1972.

Hwang said the two sides will also consider the signing of a more comprehensive free trade agreement, which would involve liberalization of the service sector and removing remaining import and export barriers."

Another clip joint

Chips falling where they may

Across the street from the MOS Burger モスバーガー in T'aichung 台中 where Amber and I had dinner last night is a sporting goods store with one of those practice walls for rock climbing. Apparently, some kind of experiment was going on while we were eating, for one young man was having what looked like electrodes being taped to his arms, while his back was a tangle of wires. As he started his ascent up the wall, a couple of people on the ground were taking pictures and filming him as he made his way to the top. After coming down, the man in the white shirt in the photo above gave the climber some papers, which the latter looked over carefully before signing.

On a completely unrelated topic, it looks like Japan's loss will be Taiwan's gain, according to this Yomiuri Shimbun 読売新聞 article from today's Daily Yomiuri ザ・デイリー読売:

ELPIDA PLANS TO MOVE PART OF PRODUCTION TO TAIWAN

"Elpida Memory, Inc. エルピーダメモリ株式会社 announced Thursday it would transfer up to 40 percent of the production capacity at its Hiroshima 広島 plant to its subsidiary in Taiwan, in response to the extremely strong yen and rapid deterioration of the market. Elpida, the world's third-largest manufacturer of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips, said it was considering incrementally transferring the production capacity at its plant in Higashi-Hiroshima 東広島, Hiroshima Prefecture 広島県, to its cost-competitive subsidiary Rexchip Electronics Corp. 瑞晶電子 in Taiwan. The Hiroshima plant will focus on products for smartphones. Elpida said it would maintain employment by transferring affected workers within the Elpida group. Moves to transfer production and other operation bases overseas are accelerating among manufacturers, whose business environment is deteriorating due to the high appreciation of the yen. Panasonic Corp. パナソニック株式会社 plans to transfer part of its parts procurement and distribution functions to Singapore in the first half of fiscal 2012, sources said Thursday. The sources said Panasonic will transfer about 20 of the 120 employees of its procurement and distribution headquarters in Ōsaka 大阪 to Singapore. A base in Singapore will serve as a center for parts procurement abroad. Panasonic also will reduce the number of companies from which it procures parts to about 10,000, down 40 percent from the current level of about 18,000, in fiscal 2012. The company aims to cut annual costs by about 60 billion yen ($780 million) through a central purchasing system, the sources said."

The Japan Times has a Kyōdō News 共同通信社 article on the same story, apparently written at an earlier point in time, as it mentions that Elpida is only considering the shift in production to Taiwan:

YEN MAY DRIVE ELPIDA TO MOVE SOME OUTPUT TO TAIWAN

"Elpida Memory Inc., Japan's only manufacturer of dynamic random-access memory chips used in computers and game systems, said Thursday it may move part of its manufacturing capacity offshore to counter the strong yen and the worsening business environment for such components. The world's third-largest DRAM maker plans to gradually transfer some of its manufacturing duties from its factory in Hiroshima to a Taiwanese unit to improve its cost structure and make it more competitive with South Korean rivals at a time when a strong yen is hurting earnings. It plans to expand manufacturing facilities at its Taiwanese subsidiary, Rexchip Electronics Corp., and consolidate the manufacture of general-purpose products for personal computers. Elpida will refurbish its Hiroshima plant in Higashihiroshima with 30-nanometer processing lines to make high-end products, such as those for smartphones. There is a chance that, over time, this move may cause Taiwan's output to eclipse Japan's, it said. The company plans to retain jobs at its Hiroshima plant by shifting workers within the group. Elpida loses roughly ¥3 billion ($39 million) in operating profit annually for every ¥1 rise against the dollar. It said in a statement that it faces an 'extremely harsh business environment,' partly because DRAM prices have fallen by about one-third from a year earlier."

   

Meanwhile, the Times also has a Kyōdō story in its Friday edition about the gift of a pair of red-crowned cranes 丹頂『タンチョウ』from Japan to Taiwan:

RED-CROWNED CRANES ARRIVE AT TAIPEI ZOO

"A pair of red-crowned cranes on loan from Japan have arrived in Taiwan, where they will make their public debut on Oct. 30. The species, a designated special natural treasure in Japan, is a symbol of longevity and conjugal love. Taiwan asked the city of Kushiro 釧路市, Hokkaidō 北海道, in 2009 to lease some of the birds. After assessing the request, the prefectural government and the city decided to lease a pair of the cranes free of charge for an indefinite period as part of an academic exchange to see whether the birds can breed in an environment with different food and climate, Kushiro officials said. Taiwan has some experience with the species. A red-crowned crane wounded by gunfire was found in the northern city of Hsinchu 新竹市 in September 2004."

Craning necks

This Japanese-era building in Fengyuan 豐原 was originally the head office of a local textile company. It was idle for quite some time until a few years ago, when someone converted it into a Western-style restaurant called Zion. Unfortunately, Zion didn't last as long as Jerusalem has, and now it appears to be in the process of being turned into a Japanese restaurant, appropriate considering the site's history. Before this place officially opens for business, however, somebody should point out to the owners that 丸田 is pronounced as "Maruta" まるた, and not as まみた...um, I mean まぬた...no, sorry I mean to say...actually, I don't what the hell this sign actually says. It probably won't matter, anyway - most Taiwanese will just assume the name is "Want'ien".

From Thursday's edition of Japan Today comes this article:

ENDANGERED CRANES ARRIVE IN TAIWAN FROM JAPAN

"A pair of red-crowned cranes 丹頂『タンチョウ』 from Japan were flown to Taiwan on Wednesday in the country’s first ever export of the endangered bird, zoo officials said. The birds, named 'Big' and 'Kika', were transported to T'aipei 台北 from Kushiro 釧路, northern Japan. They will be quarantined for 21 days before the nine-year-old male bird, 'Big', which is used to human contact, is introduced to the public on October 30, Taipei Zoo 木柵動物園 said. There are about 1,000 of the birds - one of the world’s largest cranes - in Japan.

Biologists estimate that 1,600 others live in the wild or in captivity in Siberia, China, Mongolia and Korea."

The local media here is playing up the angle of the cranes 丹頂鶴 being given by Japan to Taiwan in gratitude for the financial assistance provided by the Taiwanese people in the aftermath of the March 11 triple disasters 東日本大震災. The reality is that this was in the planning stages well before the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdowns that have wreaked so much death, destruction and dislocation in Japan's Tōhoku region 東北地方. Still, it does make for a nice story.

UPDATE: One of my students, DJ, has pointed out (via Facebook) that the hiragana 平仮名 written on the sign in the photograph above is actually read as "Mawita". Wi is rendered as ゐ in hiragana, and as ヰ in the katakana 片仮名 script. As this Wikipedia article notes, wi is seldom encountered in modern Japanese. I certainly don't recall ever seeing it when I was learning kana 仮名 all those years ago.

In any event, the sign should read まるた. So there.

Floundering in traffic

  A hirame ヒラメ is the Japanese word for a flounder.

Speaking of things related to the water, this article appears in today's edition of the Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ:

"A group of Japanese will swim from Okinawa Prefecture 沖縄県 to Taiwan in a gesture of gratitude for the island's support in the wake of the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake 東日本大震災, organizers of the event said Tuesday.

The 'Japan to Taiwan Ocean Swim Challenge 2011' will be undertaken by six Japanese swimmers who will spend 48 hours spanning three days from Sept. 17 to Sept. 19 to take turns swimming approximately 150 km from Yonaguni Island 与那国島 in Okinawa Prefecture to Suao 蘇澳, Taiwan.

The swimmers will take with them letters of appreciation from the governors of Miyagi 宮城県, Fukushima 福島県 and Iwate 岩手県 prefectures, the areas most affected by the deadly quake and tsunami.

Taiwan donated more than ¥20 billion ($675 million/¥52 billion) to Japan following March 11, of which 90 percent was believed to be donations from the public.

Kazuya Suzuki, a former top-ranking competitive swimmer and leader of the group, said he felt he had to do what he could to show appreciation for Taiwan's support.

'I felt it was my duty to deepen the friendship between the two countries and pass this on to the next generation,' he said.

The challenge will begin at 5 a.m. Saturday and is expected to finish at around 10 Monday."

Follow the lights

Recently, one of the roads near my apartment buildings has seen a long string of red lanterns strung up along one side of it. Out of curiosity this evening on my way home from work, I followed the lights to see where they led. After passing through a brightly lit arch...

...I followed the lanterns (now lining both sides of the street) to this brightly-illuminated temple located near the No. 1 Freeway 中山高速公路:

It seems every twenty years, certain Taoist temples 宮觀 will hold festivals to celebrate...something.

Not seeing the (warning) light, apparently, is the Japanese government, according to this translated article from the Yomiuri Shimbun 読売新聞 ("Taiwan to make factory complex for small, midsize Japan firms", Daily Yomiuri ザ・デイリー読売):

"Taiwan has decided to develop its first industrial complex exclusively for small and midsize Japanese companies in a bid to learn from their technical strengths, according to sources.

Interpreters will be stationed at the complex, and local authorities will allow Japanese businesses to complete administrative procedures at one place and develop a comfortable living environment for Japanese workers, the sources said.

Taiwan also will help Japanese companies hook up with local companies and advise them on new business opportunities.

Many Asian countries and regions are looking for ways to team up with Japanese companies to improve the competitiveness of their own firms.

These opportunities will make it easier for many Japanese small and midsize firms, which are currently being buffeted by the super-strong yen and electricity shortages, to venture into overseas markets. However, it also could accelerate the hollowing-out of domestic industries, according to observers.

Christina Liu, who heads Taiwan's Council for Economic Planning and Development 經濟建設委員會, announced the decision about the industrial complex during a recent visit to Japan.

The complex's location has been decided, and the area will open as soon as roads and other infrastructure are completed.

At the end of August, Taiwan sent about 230 delegates from the public and private sectors to Tōkyō 東京 and Ōsaka 大阪 in a massive push to encourage Japanese companies to set up shop in the complex.

Taiwan's effective corporate tax rate is only 17 percent, far less than Japan's about 40 percent. Wages in Taiwan are said to be about 30 percent of those in Japan, which also would help companies cut production costs.

In addition, Taiwan has signed an economic cooperation framework agreement--effectively a free trade agreement--with China. Expanding into Taiwan could be a stepping stone for Japanese companies hoping to enter China's gigantic market."

As I write this, the yen is trading at roughly ￥77.35 to the dollar. Under the postwar Bretton Woods system, the yen was pegged at ￥360 to $1. The first time I went to Japan, in the winter of 1989, the rate was 124. If Japan's policymakers can't find a way to mitigate the effects of the strong yen 円高, the loss of manufacturing jobs could very well be Taiwan's gain.

TRA la la

Like my daughter, the Obama administration is going through contortions over the question of whether or not to sell upgraded versions of F-16 fighter planes to Taiwan. As an article by scholar Michael Richardson that appeared the other day in the Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ points out, the "Taiwan arms deal serves as (a) litmus test of U.S. resolve":

"Buoyed by growing economic and military strength, China is drawing more lines in the sand in the vast, but disputed, offshore zones in Asia over which it claims sovereignty or jurisdiction. These 'red lines,' which China warns should not be crossed, affect the vital interests of Taiwan, Southeast Asia and Japan.

They also test the resolve of the United States to continue to support a treaty and partnership system with its allies and friends that has been a foundation for stability and growth in East Asia since the end of World War II.

China wants to tilt the balance of power in the region so that it has more influence and the U.S. less. But the red line policy is a challenge for China as well: how will it react if the lines it draws are crossed by the U.S. and other countries?

China claims sovereignty over Taiwan. It says it owns islands in the South China Sea also claimed (and in some cases garrisoned) by Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. Beijing says islands in the East China Sea administered by Japan rightfully belong to China. It asserts jurisdiction over the surrounding waters of all these islands.

Although often treated as separate issues, the Chinese claims are linked and part of a strategic fabric. Taiwan's Deputy Defense Minister Andrew Yang explained in a recent interview with Defense News that if China took control of Taiwan and had bases there it would open the door for Chinese power projection into both the East and South China seas.

'Taiwan would become an important hub and stepping stone for China to exert and expand its presence in the South China Sea, which is certainly not in the U.S. interest,' he said. 'It would immediately challenge U.S. strategic calculations and its security umbrella in the Asia-Pacific region.' Yang added that if Taiwan became part of China, 'then immediately the United States will lose a vital interest in this part of the world.'"

The question that is seemingly vexing officials in the Obama administration is whether shoring up the defenses of an obvious bulwark against Chinese expansionism worth the "damage" to Sino-U.S. relations should such a sale be approved:

"More difficult for the U.S. to finesse is Taiwan's request for 66 advanced F-16 jet fighters to replace 145 older models of the same aircraft. The sale is strongly opposed by China. Some U.S. analysts have called for a reassessment of arms transfers to Taiwan. They argue that doing so would smooth relations with China and defuse an Asian flash point.

When the Obama administration authorized the sale in January 2010 of $6.4 billion in arms to Taiwan, including missile systems and transport helicopters, China suspended all military contacts with the U.S. for about a year.

Washington is due to make decision by Oct. 1 on Taiwan's request for the new F-16s. A possible compromise that may be less objectionable to China could involve the U.S. upgrading Taiwan's existing F-16s to make them more capable.

Whatever the outcome, it will be a litmus test of U.S. resolution in the face of Beijing's red line diplomacy."

Michael Turton has pointed out on numerous occasions on The View from Taiwan  how denying such sales to Taiwan would not deter China from pressing its numerous (not to mention questionable) territorial claims. The issue is also complicated by the fact that the support given by the administration of Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 for the arms package is rather tepid at best (it was the Kuomintang 國民黨, remember, that blocked earlier arms sales proposals in the legislature during the previous administration, when the KMT was an opposition party). Support for Taiwan, however, is one of those few issues where the conservatives have got it right, and the Obama administration should not hesitate to provide the arms that Taiwan's military needs, Chinese objections be damned. Close American allies in the region, such as Japan and the Philippines, who are embroiled in their own nasty territorial spats with China, will no doubt be paying close attention to what the U.S. ultimately decides.

Meeting Chagall

For those of you who don't read Japanese, the writing on the packet says "Blueberry Sōmen" (thin Japanese noodles made of wheat flour, and served cold in the summertime). I found these today in a small store that stocked imported Japanese foods. I haven't tried them yet, but I expect they will taste, um...different?

The president is turning on the charm offensive again when it comes to Japan:

MA: JAPAN, TAIWAN SHOULD ENTER CHINA AS PARTNERS
(Yomiuri Shimbun 読売新聞)

"T'ái​wān 台灣 President Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 has called for a Japan-Taiwan partnership to help penetrate fast-growing Chinese markets.

Ma expressed high hopes of future economic deals between Japan and T'ái​wān such as an agreement on mutual protection of investment.

'Economic cooperation between Japan and Taiwan could be more systematized,' Ma said in an interview with Shoichi Oikawa, an executive adviser to The Yomiuri Shimbun, at the presidential office in T'ái​pěi 台北 on Thursday.

Taiwan companies are versed in Chinese markets while Japanese firms boast high levels of technology, Ma said of the two sides' respective strengths.

'If [Japan and Taiwan] jointly go into the markets, we're more likely to succeed,' he said.

In June last year, China and Taiwan signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement 海峽兩岸經濟合作架構協議, equivalent to a free trade deal. If cooperation with Taiwan firms is strengthened, Japanese companies likely will find it easier to enter Chinese markets.

There has already been evidence of this: A Japan-Taiwan partnership helped Japanese companies enter Chinese markets in information and telecommunications technology and machine tools fields...

Meanwhile, Ma appeared to highly regard the Japan-U.S. alliance. 'In the past 60 years, it has served as a foundation for stability in East Asia,' he said.

Since he assumed the presidency, Ma has called on Japan to exhibit art works from Taipei's National Palace Museum 故宮博物院 as part of the two sides' cultural exchange, saying: 'Although [such an exhibition] was held in the United States, Japan has yet to have one. We're hoping Japan will hold it in 2013.'"

The China Post 英文中國郵報 also reported on Ma's interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun, although the paper chose to focus on what the president had to say regarding the Senkaku Islands 尖閣諸島 issue:

"President Ma Ying-jeou has ruled out the possibility of Taiwan aligning with China in dealing with issues related with the disputed Tiào​yú Islands 釣魚台群島.

While making this stance clear in an interview with two major Japanese newspapers Yomiuri Shimbun and Nihon Keizai Shimbun 日本経済新聞, Ma also expressed his hope that the sovereignty dispute over the uninhabited island group can be resolved through peaceful dialogue with Japan...

The (Yomiuri) recalled that shortly after Ma took office in May 2008, nine Taiwanese patrol ships and private protest vessels entered Tiaoyutai waters. At the time, the Yomiuri said, the Ma administration adopted an apparently strong attitude toward the issue.

But Ma later softened his stance and seriously considered steps to strengthen relations with Japan as he came to understand that frayed ties would do no good to Taiwan's security and economic well-being, the Japanese daily observed."

The perpetually factually-challenged China Post also provided this historical background information on the dispute:

"The United States took control of the island group after World War II and handed them over to Japan along with Okinawa 沖縄 in 1972."

What the Central News Agency 中央通訊社 fails to inform us is that the U.S. seized control of the islands from Japan, which has administered the Senkakus ever since annexing them in early 1895 as a case of Terra nullius. Welcome to the wonderful world of revisionist Chinese nationalism.

I had always told myself I wasn't going to be one of those parents who tried to force "art" or "culture" on his kids, but reality has a way of rudely intruding upon ideals. With an exhibition of paintings by the Russian-French-Jewish artist Marc Chagall currently on display at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts 台灣美術館, I gave in to the temptation to introduce my five year-old daughter to the world of high culture.

Not surprisingly, Amber wasn't all that impressed with the paintings, though she did like some of the ones depicting clowns, as well as the one depicted on the admission ticket ("The Birthday"). It was obvious that she wanted to be outside in the sunshine, riding her bike and hitting plastic balls with her plastic bat, but to her credit, she was patient and well-behaved during the time we were walking through the exhibit. I found myself feeling a little disappointed with the exhibition - it seemed a little small, and the majority of the paintings dated from the Seventies. I admit I don't know much about Chagall, but I do know that he came to prominence before World War II, and I would've liked to have seen more of his works from the prewar period (interestingly, the majority of the paintings on display at the art museum appear to have been loaned from collections in Japan). Still, kudos go out to the museum for providing the opportunity to see works from such a well-known master, and even minor Chagall is far superior to what was being displayed by local artists in honor of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of China 中華民國 (cue the yawning).

And, yes, if the art museum has another exhibition featuring a noted Western (or Japanese) artist, I will probably drag Amber there again.

波ちゃん may have been only mildly interested in Chagall, but she really enjoyed the storybook area in the basement of the museum. For parents of expatriate or bicultural kids, this is one of the best places in T'ái​chūng 台中 to take your children to, and the selection of English-language titles is quite impressive. More kudos.

No kudos go out, however, to the overpriced restaurants that line the Art Museum Parkway. The editors of Compass Magazine, as well as wannabe hipsters and members of the nouveau riche, may like this neighborhood, but Amber and I found a nice little cafeteria a block over where we ate very well for less than half the price.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at a large park in the southern part of Taichung, where Amber enjoyed working up quite a sweat riding her bicycle, throwing a Frisbee and swinging her bat and hitting some balls. Art, literature, food and exercise - quite the well-balanced day だろう.

The Process of Unshaftification

Even bureaucrats can, on occasion, recognize the error of their ways...

TAIWAN STUDENTS TO GET DISASTER FUNDS AFTER ALL

"The government will expand an emergency relief payment program to cover undergraduate students from T'áiwān 台灣 studying in the disaster-stricken Tōhoku region 東北地方, after having earlier denied such payments, according to Japan's de facto mission in T'áiwān.

The Interchange Association 財團法人交流協會 said in a statement issued Tuesday that applicants eligible for the one-month payment must demonstrate an excellent scholastic record and financial difficulty in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami 東北地方太平洋沖地震 that devastated the region's coastal areas in March.

The policy shift was made after Taiwanese undergraduate students studying at a private university in Tochigi Prefecture 栃木県 lodged a protest earlier this month.

After the disaster struck, the education ministry 文科省 had asked universities in affected regions to solicit applications for the one-month relief payments of ¥125,000 ($1590/NT45,815) for eligible undergraduate students studying at their own expense in the country, treating them the same as students on government scholarship programs."

(Kyōdō News 共同通信社, Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ）

An island of Rodney Dangerfields

I’m surprised this story hasn’t received more attention here in T'áiwān 台灣, especially on the local blogosphere. Just the headline alone from this Kyōdō News 共同通信社 article that appeared in the Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ last Sunday should’ve generated some discussion – “Students from Taiwan denied disaster funds. Lack of official ties with Taipei nixes ¥125,000 relief payments.”:

“Students from Taiwan studying at universities in the disaster-stricken northeast at their own expense were barred from applying for emergency funds that the central government made available to foreign students, according to sources.

The education ministry 文科省 said they were ineligible 'because of the lack of diplomatic relations with Taiwan'...

To support foreign students studying in Japan at their own expense, the education ministry decided to take an emergency measure to treat them equally as students on government scholarship programs, according to the ministry.”

It seems that only those foreign students “who have nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan” are eligible for scholarships from the Japanese government to help cover the cost of their studies at Japanese universities. The government has determined that foreign undergraduate students enrolled in universities in the Tōhoku 東北地方 and Kantō 関東地方 regions are eligible to receive relief payments of ¥125,000 ($1580/NT45,570) for one month. However, this assistance comes with the aforementioned “diplomatic relations” proviso that applies to students on Monkashō scholarships, meaning that those among the 1800 Taiwanese undergraduate student population in Japan who are going to schools in the affected areas are prevented from getting any assistance.

The situation takes an even more ridiculous turn when the article reveals that:

“The relief program also covered graduate students and those from Taiwan were also apparently eligible. Twenty-five Taiwanese graduate students received payments through the Interchange Association 財團法人交流協會, which serves as Japan's de facto embassy for Taiwan.”

So it seems that those Taiwanese who are studying in Japanese university undergraduate programs at their own expense can’t get any financial help in a time of crisis due to reasons related to international diplomacy (a decision apparently made by the Education Ministry, and not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 外務省), but their counterparts who are fortunate enough to be enrolled in graduate programs at (presumably many of) the same schools ARE eligible for assistance, despite the lack of official ties between Japan and T'áiwān.

The mind boggles when it comes to the workings of the Japanese bureaucracy.

Just why the “diplomatic relations” clause is a requirement for government aid in the first place is a mystery. Japan maintains official relations with virtually every nation on the planet, save for two – our perpetually picked-on Republic of China 中華民國, and the much-despised (and deservedly so) Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Was the requirement a result of pressure from the Chinese government in Beijing, and, if so, why? Or was it aimed at North Korea? Japan has a large population of resident Koreans 在日韓国・朝鮮人, a number of whom are associated with the pro-Pyongyang Chongryon 朝鮮総聯 organization, so it’s certainly not out of the question that the exclusion might be aimed at North Koreans in Japan. The latter are considered “permanent foreign residents” (as are the pro-South Korean segment) rather than Japanese nationals, despite having been born and raised in Japan, and, in most cases, speaking Japanese as their mother tongue (as opposed to Korean). Chongryon-run private schools at all levels, including Korea University 朝鮮大学校 in Tōkyō 東京, do not receive any subsidies from the central government. Elements within the Japanese government may have felt that the scholarships for foreign students could have provided a loophole for those North Korean residents to receive the same, so they might have come up with the diplomatic recognition requirement as a way to prevent that from happening. So it’s certainly plausible that Taiwanese students may be the unfortunate victims of the complex relationship between Japan, its resident Korean population and North Korea.

Whatever the reason (and much of this is pure speculation on my part), it just seems extremely unfair. There’s the risk that all of this could have negative consequences down the road. As the article notes:

“The ministry could face criticism for its inflexibility, as people in Taiwan have been among the most generous donors to Japan following the March 11 quake and tsunami, contributing around ¥17 billion ($215 million/NT6.2 billion.”

The story has already generated at least one outraged letter to the editor at the Japan Times, who points out that:

“…the Japanese government will deny relief funds to Taiwanese students in the Tōhoku region, because Japan does not recognize Taiwan. And yet Japan had no problem at all with accepting millions in donations from Taiwan.

This kind of double standard casts a very bad shadow on Japan. If Taiwan can donate money for disaster relief in Japan, why can't Taiwanese students in Japan receive the same type of aid as other foreign students? For shame!”

The window of the restaurant, Sol Kitchen, where Amber and I had dinner this evening. The menu was almost entirely in Japanese, with Chinese translations of the items placed in parentheses. I ordered the taco rice タコライス, one of the signature dishes in Okinawa 沖縄.

The aforementioned taco rice. It wasn't bad, but without salsa sauce, it was drier than the dish I had on Taketomi Island 竹富島 a couple of weeks ago. In any event, Amber ended up eating most of it because the beef curry rice ビーフカレーライス she ordered proved to be too spicy for her.

In the news

From Friday's online edition of Japan Today (300-strong Taiwan tourism delegation visits Hokkaidō, Kyōdō News 共同通信社 ):

"A 300-strong T'ái​wān​ 台灣 tourism delegation led by Wang Jin-pyng (Wáng​ Chīn-​p'íng) 王金平​, president of the island’s Legislative Yuan 立法院 or parliament, arrived in Hokkaidō 北海道 on Thursday to help rehabilitate Japan’s tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the March 11 earthquake, tsunami 津波 and subsequent nuclear crisis.

'I want to send a strong message to Taiwanese people that Hokkaido is safe and they can visit here at ease,' Wang told a news conference in Sapporo 札幌.

The delegation is visiting at the request of Hokkaido Governor Harumi Takahashi 高橋はるみ, who has been seeking to restore tourism in the northern island, as Taiwan is Hokkaido’s top source of foreign tourists, accounting for almost a quarter of all foreign visitors.

In fiscal 2009, the number of Taiwanese who visited Hokkaido came to around 180,000.

While in Hokkaid, Wang’s delegation will visit Sapporo, Kushiro 釧路 and Otaru 小樽.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization 国際観光振興機構, Taiwan accounted for the second-largest group of foreign tourists to Japan last year, totaling almost 1.14 million. The largest number of tourists came from South Korea."

Wang is a significant figure in local politics here. Not only does he hold the powerful position of parliamentary president, he is also the biggest rival to President Ma Ying-jeou (Mǎ​ Yīng​-chiǔ​) 馬英九 within the ruling Kuó​mín​tǎng 中國國民黨. Wang represents the party's pro-localization faction, i.e. those KMT members who were born and raised on this island, and can speak the Taiwanese dialect known as Hoklo (T'ái​yǔ) 台語. This often pits him against the "mainlanders" (​wài​shěng​jén​) 外省人, who still hold many positions of power and influence in the ruling party. Wang also has close ties to the Japanese political class, and he is a frequent visitor to Japan, often on missions to repair once-close ties that have been damaged in recent years by Ma's pro-China policies.

Sakura, Thou Art Here

Well, what do you know? We didn't have to endure gridlocked roads last weekend in a futile attempt to see cherry blossoms 櫻花 「サクラ」after all. It turns out that there a couple of trees in the area close to my apartment building, and both are in full bloom. Their surroundings, however, are less than ideal for hanami 花見 parties:

Freshwater eels ウナギ are a common component of Japanese cuisine 日本料理, whether grilled and served over rice 鰻丼, or as a sushi 寿司 item. The traditional calendar in Japan has a day called "doyō ushi no hi" 土用の丑の日, falling on the hottest day of the year, when the consumption of unagi is supposed to provide a source of stamina during the sticky hot summers. Despite the fame of places like Lake Hamana 浜名湖 in Shizuoka Prefecture 静岡県 as sources of unagi, it turns out that roughly 90% of the eels consumed every year by Japanese diners is imported from China and T'ái​wān​ 台灣. Naturally, the 10% that is cultivated domestically is considered to be of a higher quality, which is why the following Kyōdō News 共同通信社 story from Japan Today shouldn't come as a surprise ("Eel importer ordered to pay Y5 mil fine for false labeling"):

"The Tōkyō District Court 東京地方裁判所 on Wednesday fined a Tōkyō 東京 -based eel importer ¥5 million ($60,740/NT1.8 million) for falsely labeling eels farmed in Taiwan as domestically raised products in violation of the unfair competition prevention law. The court also sentenced Hirokazu Iwai, 55, former board member of the precursor of Clover Trading Co, to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, for masterminding the falsification, and fined him ¥1 million ($12,150/NT358,000). Judge Mariko Goto said the importer 'harmed the confidence of consumers,' while Iwai 'played the central role in the falsification.' According to the ruling, Iwai conspired with two officials of an Ōsaka 大阪 -based marine products firm to disguise 970 kilograms (2140 pounds) of Taiwanese-produced grilled eels as products originated in Aichi Prefecture 愛知県 between 2009 and 2010 to sell them to a Kyōto 京都 -based wholesaler for ¥3.2 million (/$38,875NT1.15 million)."

www.fukuzuchi.com/menu.html

Post 228

This sign would be funnier if it were the name of a cafe, and not of a boutique:

Did anybody notice this sentence from the first paragraph of today's front-page story in the China Post 英文中國郵報 on Ma Ying-jeou's 馬英九 formal apology to the victims of the 228 Incident 二二八事件?:

"Many immigrants to Tái​wān 台灣​ from China were killed in bloody clashes during a military crackdown 64 years ago in the incident."

Shouldn't that be more like "Many thousands of residents on Tái​wān were killed by soldiers from China..." or "Many thousands of Taiwanese were killed..."? The Post a few years back ran an editorial on the events of 1947 by looking back mournfully on the "hundreds" of mainlanders killed by the above-mentioned immigrants to Tái​wān in the incident, before briefly referring to the "thousands" of Taiwanese who lost their lives at the hands of soldiers who came from you-know-where.

(A bit of advice on semantics to the China Post news staff: according to Merriam-Webster, an "immigrant" is defined as "a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence", while one of the entries under "country" refers to "a political state or nation or its territory".)

This magnificent monster of a moth was taking a rest atop a urinal in the public restroom at the entrance to the No. 2 Trail in the Dà​kēng 大坑​ area:

Roadside detritus left over from the recently observed Lunar New Year 春節 and Lantern Festival 元宵節:

Yet another Yomiuri Shimbun 読売新聞 article on the Japan-Tái​wān alliance in the chip-making industry (from the Daily Yomiuri ザ・デイリー読売 "Elpida, eyeing China, listed in Tái​wān" ):

"Elpida Memory Inc. エルピーダメモリ, the world's third-largest Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) chipmaker, became the first Japanese company to be listed on the Tái​wān Stock Exchange  臺灣證券交易所 on Friday, and hopes tie-ups with Tái​wān firms will help it tap the vast mainland market. 'We are joining hands to expand into the Chinese market,' Elpida President Yukio Sakamoto said at a ceremony celebrating his firm's listing on the bourse in Taipei 臺北 ​. Tái​wān newspapers showed considerable interest in Elpida's listing. The Economic Daily News reported that Elpida plans to compete with South Korean giants through a Japan-Tái​wān alliance, while the Liberty Times  自由時報 said Elpida is eyeing integration with other Tái​wān DRAM makers. Elpida shares closed at NT21.7 (about ¥60/73¢) after their first day of trading, slightly higher than its initial public offering price of NT21.3. Elpida reportedly raised a total of ¥12 billion ($146 million) through the listing. Elpida has already reached an agreement to purchase the DRAM business of Tái​wān's Powerchip Technology Corp. 力晶科技股份有限公司, the world's sixth-largest maker of the chips. Elpida is also negotiating a business integration with Tái​wān's ProMOS Technologies Inc., the globe's seventh biggest. Elpida's moves are a bid to survive in the DRAM market for personal computers, which has seen severe price competition recently. The firm will transfer its DRAM production base from Japan to Tái​wān, which is currently the world's biggest production center for computer parts. Tái​wān authorities welcomed Elpida's stock listing, calling it a major step toward realizing a Japan-Tái​wān semiconductor alliance. One high-level Tái​wān official said, '[The listing] will greatly contribute to the integration of Japanese and T'ái​wān DRAM production, and to deepening technological cooperation.'

Tái​wān apparently aims to gain a leg up in international competition by merging its well-established management, production and sales networks in China with Japan's technology. Taiwan is strongly promoting investment in China, evident in its signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement 海峽兩岸經濟合作架構協議 , similar to a free trade pact, with China in June last year. Taiwan investment in China in 2010, including investment via third parties, was about $14.6 billion (¥1.19 trillion/NT43 trillion), far surpassing the $4.2 billion Japan has in the country. The unification of the Taiwan and Chinese economies, dubbed 'Chaiwan,' grows closer every year. Taiwan's real gross domestic product growth in 2010 was 10.82 percent, even higher than China's 10.3 percent. However, Taiwan has been increasingly concerned that domestic firms might be left behind by burgeoning South Korean and Chinese companies.

In addition to Elpida, many other Japanese companies are looking into integrating with Taiwan firms to establish a foothold in the huge Chinese market, a place that is extremely attractive but also considerably risky. During the past year, Japanese and Taiwan firms have formed alliances in the electricity, publishing, distribution and foods industries, among others. Many Japanese firms believe tie-ups in Taiwan will get them into the Chinese market by riding on the coattails of T'ái​wān's ever-deepening economic relationship with the mainland. Japanese companies doing business on their own in China have faced various difficulties, such as strikes by local employees demanding more pay and difficulty cutting through red tape to open new factories. Referring to these problems, a senior official at a major Taiwan IT company said, 'We understand the temperament of the Chinese as well as Japanese business practices.' A top Taiwan official said the Japan-Taiwan alliance would be very beneficial. 'The success rate of business in China by Japanese companies on their own is about 60 percent. But partnering with Taiwan firms will increase this by more than 10 percent,' the official said."

Sakura Sakura, O Where Art Thou?

It won't be long before winter is officially over, and already things have started to warm up here in central Tái​wān​ 台湾. In tandem with the rising temperatures, the cherry flowers are starting to bloom, so we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and check out the cherry blossoms (Japanese: sakura サクラ; Chinese: yīng​huā​ 櫻花).

Big mistake. In Japan, the 桜 can be seen everywhere, but in T'ái​wān​, the best concentrations of blossoms are in the mountains. Take that fact into account, add in the sunshine and warmth, the middle day of a three-day weekend (Monday, Feb. 28, is a national holiday - 228 Peace Memorial Day 228和平紀念日), narrow mountain roads and the reality that there is only a finite number of things to see and do on this small island, and you've got the recipe for one, long frustrating traffic jam. Which is what we encountered this morning (and stretching into the beginning of the afternoon) in Túng​shì​h 東勢, as we attempted to see the blooming trees (British expletive pun intended). Sure, the cherry blossom season in Japan can result in mass concentrations of people, too. Ueno Park 上の恩賜公園 in Tōkyō 東京 turns into a circus when the flowers are at their park, while noted 花見 spots such as Yoshino 吉野 are swamped with visitors, but it is also quite possible to see beautiful pinks and whites without venturing far from your home - in Yokkaichi 四日市, for example, there was a winding river lined with cherry trees along both sides just a short bicycle ride from our apartment building, and it was never crowded. Unfortunately, we don't have that luxury where we live in Greater Tái​chúng​ 大臺中​. After an interminable length of time creeping along a narrow, winding lane, we made the decision to give up and turn around when we started seeing cars parking along the side of the road, and people getting out to walk to the leisure farm where all the cherry trees were (and with the park entrance still being some distance away). It just wouldn't have been worth the hassle (not the mention the prospect of the return traffic jam on the trip home later in the day), so we made our way back to central Túng​shì​h.

Amber eats lunch at a restaurant in downtown Túng​shì​h. At that point we would probably have still been stuck in traffic up on the mountain, and with rumbling stomachs further adding to our collective misery. With plenty of time left in the day following lunch, I suggested driving out to Tà​hú​ 大湖.

Central Chó​lán​ 卓蘭, where we stopped to buy some tea. A typical town involved in a typical daydream. All a friend can say is ain't it a shame...

Pamela suggested driving up to a Buddhist temple dating from the Japanese era 台灣日治時期 that offered a beautiful view of the plains below, but on the way there we encountered another long traffic jam. No problem, however. A quick U-turn, and in no time we were at a strawberry farm, filling up a basket with fresh strawberries. This was heaven for Amber, for 草莓 are her favorite fruit in the world, if not her favorite food.

Smiles aside, picking the right berries was serious business for my daughter.

Amber poses with the fruit of her labor. She's also holding a small carton of ice cream...strawberry, as if there was any doubt.

The view from outside the strawberry farm. It's hard to see in the photo, but if you look under the green and brown traffic signs, you can make out the tops of the long line of cars heading toward Dahu.

With one contented child in the backseat, we headed back to Fēng​yuán​ 豐原, stopping off along the way at a viewpoint overlooking the Lǐ​yú​ Reservoir 鯉魚潭水庫. It was crowded, of course.

The water level in the reservoir looked low. Are we in for a dry year this year?

Leaving the scenic viewpoint, we encountered...get ready for it...yet another traffic jam. As it was nearing 4 in the afternoon, a lot of folks were no doubt on their way home. Fortunately, when we turned off and headed in the direction of Sān​yì​ 三義, most of the other cars continued on in the other direction, and we made it back to Fēng​yuán​ without much fuss or bother. Despite the clogged arteries, we managed to enjoy ourselves. Amber got her strawberries, and I was pleased to discover that 7-Eleven has Samuel Adams Boston Lager in stock again! All in all, I shouldn't complain - those who drove up to Wǔ​líng​ Farm 武陵農場 today (Sunday) to see the cherry blossoms spent 7½ hours stuck in traffic! Perspective - what a concept.

The writing on the seal of Amber's orange juice cup says "Handmade pork cutlet sandwiches". Which is a rather odd thing to see in a hot pot/spaghetti restaurant.

From the Japan Today website:

ELPIDA RAISES $145 MILLION IN TAIWAN LISTING 

"Elpida Memory Inc エルピーダメモリ has raised 4.2 billion New Taiwan dollars ($145 million/¥11.5 billion) in a secondary listing on the Tái​wān Stock Exchange 臺灣證券交易所 as the Japanese memory chip maker seeks alliances amid fierce competition. The money will be used in Elpida’s development and production of cutting-edge 20- and 30-nanometer chips, said company president and CEO Yukio Sakamoto at a Tái​pěi​ 臺北 news conference. Elpida’s listing in the form of T'ái​wān Depositary Receipts comes amid closer ties with Taiwanese firms who are also facing tough competition from South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and Hynix Semiconductor. The market for DRAM, or dynamic random access memory, is expected to recover from a long slump in the April-June quarter, with demand for mobile chips expected to surge with the growing sales of tablet PCs and smartphones, Sakamoto said. Rexchip Electronics, a Taiwanese maker in which Elpida has a majority stake, will add mobile chips to its production lines in the second half this year, he said. He said Elpida’s output will also gain from its alliance with Tái​wān’s Powerchip Technology 力晶科技股份有限公司 , which has suspended its own marketing efforts to become a subcontractor for the Japanese maker. Elpida is seeking additional cooperation with other Taiwanese DRAM makers, Sakamoto said, but refused to give details. Amid a glut of DRAM supply following the 2008 global financial crisis, the Taiwanese government sought to consolidate its six DRAM makers into a new company working with either Elpida or U.S.-based Micron Technology. But the project fell apart."

Then there was this article in the Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ ("ELEMENTARY ENGLISH: Asian, European peers have big head start but success unquestioned"), comparing the state of elementary school English education in Japan with those in several other questions, including Tái​wān​. The relevant sections are listed below:

"While all elementary schools in Japan are scheduled to start teaching English this April, other parts of Asia and Europe have been doing it for years. They are teaching English earlier, longer and with more advanced content. Some even have teachers who are specialists in teaching the language. According to the education ministry 文部科学省, South Korea began teaching English in elementary schools in 1997. China and Tái​wān​ started in 2001, and Germany and France followed suit in 2004 and 2005, respectively. What's more, students in those countries are learning it at a younger age — from third grade in China, South Korea, Tái​wān​ and Germany, and from first grade in France. Japan's English-language schedule will consist of a lesson a week, or 35 per year. According to the ministry, however, Tái​wān​ and Germany give two lessons a week, France gives 54 hours of lessons a year, South Korea gives two lessons a week for third- and fourth-graders, and three a week for fifth- and sixth-graders...The lessons in Japan will be 45 minutes long, compared with 40 minutes in Tái​wān...The curricula differ as well. In Japan, students will learn to listen and speak English through songs, games and self-introductions, among other activities. They will also engage in cultural exchange activities by meeting foreigners and attending cultural events, as well as do their ABCs...In Tái​wān, pupils are required to write down around 180 vocabulary words and to speak about 300...The ministry also said teachers in charge of English in China and some urban parts of Tái​wān are specialists, unlike in Japan. Japan does not require teachers to have a qualification in English proficiency, but one city in T'ái​wān requires its teachers to have scored at least 213 on the TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language."