TNL Staff
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What you need to know
The biggest stories around Taiwan today.
New Power Party to hold forum with HK lawmakers, activists
The New Power Party (NPP) will hold a forum this weekend with pro-localization Hong Kong lawmakers to connect with politicians of other nations, reports the Taipei Times. Hong Kong lawmakers Edward Yiu (姚松炎), Nathan Law (羅冠聰) and Eddie Chu (朱凱廸), as well as democracy advocate Joshua Wong (黃之鋒), are scheduled to attend the event.
Discussions will include how to strengthen democracy and reduce economic inequality, says NPP Executive Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌).
The NPP held talks with political parties from Canada, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Denmark last year.
Taiwan tech industry facing serious brain drain: NDC
Taiwan’s National Development Council (NDC) said last Thursday around 500,000 to 1 million tech workers have gone to China to work, according to Taiwan News. Other affected industries include business management and technical personnel.
A 2016 survey conducted by Business Weekly shows: 62 percent of Taiwanese aged 20 to 35 plan to work abroad; 89 percent of these young adults say that the low salaries in Taiwan are what drive them to leave the country; 76 percent of the subjects think Taiwan does not provide enough opportunities for young people and that working abroad can improve their resumes.
On average, countries such as the U.K. and the U.S. offer salaries 2.5 times more than Taiwan, while Japan and Singapore offer 2.4 times more, China 2.3 times, and ASEAN countries 2.2 times.
Vietnam deports four Taiwanese suspects to China
Photo Credit: Reuters / 達志影像
Vietnamese authorities on Jan. 1 deported four Taiwanese suspects to China, reports CNA. The four were arrested on suspicion of telecommunications fraud in late December.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday that it tried negotiating with the Vietnamese authorities to have the four sent back to Taiwan for investigation, but failed as Beijing had also demanded the suspects to be deported to China.
Last June, 25 Taiwanese nationals also suspected of telecom fraud in Cambodia were deported to China.
Endangered rays sold at fish market in southern Taiwan
Photo Credit: 翻攝自臉書
Two endangered reef manta rays on Tuesday were seen for sale at a fish market in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, reports Taiwan News. Pictures of the slaughtered rays have been circulating social media platforms in Taiwan.
The reef manta ray is one of the largest rays in the world and is considered to be vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in its Red List of Endangered Species. However, manta ray is not on the list of protected species in Taiwan, and local fishermen have been catching and selling their meat when they pass by Taiwan during migration.
Editor: Edward White