- 10 months ago
A ban on the slaughter and transport of pigs has been extended from five to 15 days after African swine fever was detected on a central Taiwan farm. So far, the disease — which is fatal to pigs, but doesn't affect humans — has been contained. But food vendors are already suffering from a pork shortage.
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00:00U.S.-China talks grab attention at a major summit in Southeast Asia.
00:13How will U.S. President Donald Trump get along with Japan's new prime minister when they meet?
00:21Taiwan food vendors struggle to cope as African swine fever prompts 10 more days of bans on pork products.
00:30Plus, a group of young people work to restore some local icons of Penghu Island.
00:48Welcome to Taiwan Plus News. I'm Yvonne Young.
00:52Heads of state from Southeast Asia and beyond are gathering in Malaysia for the ASEAN Summit.
00:57The Southeast Asian bloc has much to celebrate, from a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia to the induction of a new member, Timor-Leste.
01:06But, as John Vantrias reports, it's U.S.-China trade talks on the sidelines that are gaining much of the attention.
01:12Host Malaysia rolls out the red carpet for dignitaries from around the world for a second time this year.
01:22This is the second of 2025 summits bringing together the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN.
01:30But the list of guests goes well beyond the bloc.
01:33Non-members from the U.S. and China to Brazil and South Africa have sent their own VIPs, too.
01:38There's been progress since the bloc's last meeting in May.
01:46Just back in July, Cambodia and Thailand were firing at each other across their contested border, killing at least 48 people.
01:53But now they've signed an enhanced ceasefire deal, along with U.S. President Donald Trump, whose intervention helped stop the fighting.
02:01It's already having an impact, with Cambodia withdrawing weapons from the Thai border Sunday.
02:09And the two countries' prime ministers are optimistic.
02:12Ladies and gentlemen, today marks a historic moment, profound, significant for Cambodia and Thailand.
02:19A day that we affirm, I will share conviction that peace is always possible.
02:24When nations have the courage and wisdom to pursue it together.
02:29This declaration reflects our will to resolve differences peacefully, in full respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
02:40This declaration, if fully implemented, will provide the building blocks for a lasting peace.
02:49But more importantly, it will begin the process of mending our ties.
02:55As of Sunday, ASEAN also has a new member, Timor-Leste.
03:00Southeast Asia's poorest and youngest country gained independence in 2002.
03:05And accession to ASEAN has taken over a decade.
03:08The country's prime minister says it's a big moment for the country's 1.4 million people.
03:13For the people of Timor-Leste, this is not only a dream realized, but a powerful affirmation of our journey.
03:24When marked by resilience, determination, and hope.
03:33It's the U.S.-China talks happening on the sidelines, though, that have grabbed the world's attention.
03:38Trump looks to be in high spirits as the two sides hammer out a framework of a trade deal,
03:44a possible de-escalation in what's been a punishing trade war.
03:48That's ahead of a meeting Trump's scheduled to have with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea later this week.
03:54The president had given me maximum leverage when he threatened 100 percent tariffs
04:00if the Chinese imposed their rare-earth global export controls.
04:05So I think we have averted that.
04:08We also agreed on substantial agriculture purchases for U.S. farmers.
04:14We agreed that the Chinese would begin to help us with the precursor chemicals
04:19for this terrible fentanyl epidemic that's ravaging our country.
04:24The two sides discussed the various concerns, such as the two sides are the main concern of the export management.
04:35The correct payment to further expand the problems of the trade war.
04:41The further expansion of the trade war and the trade war problem.
04:47Absent in the talks was any mention of Taiwan, one of the sore points in U.S.-China relations.
04:53China claims Taiwan and says it will use force to take it if need be.
04:57Though it's still possible Taiwan could come up in the Trump-Xi meeting,
05:01U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the country won't be a bargaining chip
05:06in talks that are really about trade.
05:08The ASEAN summit ends Tuesday, but there's still more to come
05:12from Trump's whirlwind week of diplomacy in Asia,
05:14with the region and global markets watching for what may come next.
05:19Brian Wu and John Van Trieste for Taiwan Plus.
05:23President Trump has now arrived in Japan,
05:25where he's set to meet with new Japanese Prime Minister Takechi Sanae on Tuesday
05:29as part of his East Asia tour.
05:32And to find out what to expect from their talks,
05:34our reporter Larry Isiano spoke to Cai Xixun,
05:37a Japan politics expert at Danjiang University.
05:41Trump and Takechi will be meeting for the first time on Tuesday.
05:43What challenges do you think Takechi will face
05:46in balancing the U.S.-Japan relationship alongside regional concerns?
05:51Let's see if Takashi Taka Ejici won't see the U.S.
05:56But he's already in charge.
05:58He's preparing for the plan on the election.
06:00He's preparing for the plan on the policy.
06:01Because on September 24th,
06:04the U.S.
06:06In a speech, Takaichi has already said that
06:11in 2027, the防衛費 will be reduced to 2%.
06:15But they think that in this year, it will be reduced to 2%.
06:20So, Trump still hasn't opened it.
06:22He did this first.
06:36Because we know that today,
06:38today, we see a competition.
06:42It's a competition.
06:45So, today, it will be combined with Taiwan.
06:49And Taiwan, it will also be combined with the安全保障.
06:55So, that's why Japan has Taiwan as a統治国.
07:00Today, it will be combined with Taiwan.
07:02So, we don't have a diplomatic relationship with Taiwan.
07:06But we're in a mutual bond.
07:09It's a joint joint.
07:10In the US, the military team has made its role.
07:13Taiwan has made its role.
07:15So, Taiwan will be the role of Japan.
07:18So, Taiwan will be the role of Japan.
07:20If the role of Japan is the role of Japan,
07:22it is what I think that the US would like to see.
07:26So, just Trump will be the role of Taiwan.
07:29We respect Taiwan.
07:31We don't have too many.
07:33This is a big card.
07:36That was Professor Cai Xixun of Danjiang University.
07:41Taiwan has expressed serious concern
07:43after Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
07:45reaffirmed his country's support for the One China policy
07:48in opposition to Taiwan independence.
07:51Wong made those remarks during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang,
07:55who was on an official visit to the city-state.
07:58In response, Taiwan's foreign ministry urged Singapore to respect the country's sovereignty
08:03and to avoid comments that could hurt bilateral ties.
08:08Taiwan's defense ministry says Beijing is spreading propaganda
08:11after Chinese state media released videos of warplanes flying near the country.
08:16The Weibo account of China's state television shared an undated video of H6K bombers
08:21and J-10 fighter jets practicing confrontation drills over what it said was Taiwan.
08:26Taiwan defense officials say the video is propaganda meant to psychologically intimidate Taiwan.
08:32The ministry says it continues to monitor and respond to Chinese incursions in the air and waters around the country.
08:38Officials in Taiwan say they are ready to take down an alleged Chinese app that promotes unification if it even exists.
08:48Videos shared on social media platforms have shown an app called Return Home
08:52that allegedly lets Taiwanese nationals surrender and apply for Chinese IDs.
08:57The app claims to have 28,000 Taiwan users who can earn points by joining and inviting others to join.
09:04However, the Mainland Affairs Council, which handles relations with China, says the app cannot be found on any app stores in either Taiwan or China.
09:12Officials warn these posts mirror a standard Chinese disinformation tactics aimed at Taiwanese citizens.
09:18Restaurants and shopkeepers are bracing for losses and possible closures as pork supplies dwindle.
09:25Authorities have extended a ban on pig slaughter and transport for another 10 days to contain African swine fever after confirming the country's first case.
09:34Aichi reports.
09:37This food market in the southern city of Kaohsiung is practically shut down.
09:41One victim of African swine fever cases does jeopardize Taiwan's pork supply.
09:46The only store here with pork still in stock only has a three-day supply left.
09:51On the Friday that day, it's a food supply.
09:55We don't have to go to the supermarket.
09:58So, African swine fever isn't a threat to human health.
10:02It is fatal in pigs.
10:04A news that hogs at the Taichung farm tested positive on October 21st
10:08has led to a call and ban on the slaughter and transport of fly pigs,
10:12originally for five days, but now extended for ten more.
10:16Genetic sequencing shows the disease got into Taiwan by way of Vietnam.
10:21But while investigators worry about how the disease got to Taiwan,
10:24businesses want to know what comes next and how they're going to make ends meet.
10:29From grilled meat and sausage to steamed buns and dumplings, pork is a staple of Taiwanese cuisine.
10:35For five days, we have a bit of a problem.
10:38So, we will find other people who haven't paired up with the company.
10:44Yesterday, we announced that we have to stop eating for 10 days.
10:47The meat of the food supply is very little.
10:49It's almost done.
10:50Some vendors say foreign pork isn't an acceptable substitute. In recent years,
10:54U.S. pork imports in particular have been controversial due to prevalence of
10:59feed additive bans in Taiwan. And some vendors say foreign pork, wherever it
11:03comes from, just doesn't taste the same. For some, this leaves few choices, none of them good.
11:20The agricultural ministry said Monday that the disease hasn't spread beyond the farm in central
11:26Taiwan, where it was first reported. But the ministry says it's still too early for Taiwan
11:31to let its guard down. Lui Phi Lee, John Ventreas and Aichi for Taiwan Plus.
11:37Stay tuned to Taiwan Plus news because coming up after the break,
11:41an indigenous group in Taiwan is one step closer to official recognition
11:45after a new law took effect last week. But the move is not without controversy.
11:50Thank you for sharing our passion for food and Taiwan. Veggie Island explores the vibrant world of plant-based cuisine.
12:07Wow, this is amazing. While Taiwan on the Rocks uncovers the stories and craftsmanship behind every sip.
12:13Have you ever tried Taiwanese beer? Are you ready to taste even more of Taiwan?
12:19How does Taiwan stay on the forefront of innovation? In a world of uncertain tariffs, wars and shifting geopolitics?
12:31Get answers and more. From award-winning programs to exclusive Mandarin dramas. Download the Taiwan Plus app to any device today. No ads, no bias, just facts. Taiwan Plus.
12:47Taiwan Plus.
12:57Welcome back. You're watching Taiwan Plus News.
13:01Taipei is pushing back against an op-ed published by China's ambassador to the UK, which says Taiwan has never been a country.
13:08A telegraph op-ed by Zheng Zeguang repeats Beijing's claims that a UN Security Council resolution proves Taiwan is part of China.
13:16Zheng called on the UK to, quote, stand firm on the issue, calling it key to China-UK relations.
13:22In response, the British Foreign Office cited its long-held policy that cross-strait issues must be settled peacefully and said there has been no change in its stance on Taiwan.
13:32Taiwan's representative office in London also rejected the statements while thanking the UK for stressing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
13:41The diplomatic row comes amid rising UK-China tensions over a recent spy case and a controversial plan for a new sprawling Chinese embassy in London.
13:50For more on how the Chinese ambassador's op-ed could affect UK-China relations,
13:57reporter Chris Gorin spoke to Gray Sargent from the Council on Geostrategy in London.
14:03So Gray, the Telegraph has published an op-ed from the Chinese ambassador to the UK,
14:08where he says in part that Taiwan has never been a country and the UK should accept that position.
14:15What exactly is the Chinese ambassador trying to accomplish here and why publish this now?
14:20What he's trying to do is present Beijing as a defender of the post-World War international order,
14:29and in doing so try and perhaps contrast China with the United States,
14:35who it would like to present as a force disrupting the world system.
14:41He's basically saying that the international order and the one China principle are one in the same thing.
14:46Why now? That's an interesting question.
14:49Well, we are marking the 80th anniversary of the Second World War.
14:53So it's only natural that Beijing wants to use this occasion to reinforce its claims to Taiwan.
14:58You've written in the past that the UK's position has always been that Taiwan's political status is undetermined,
15:04but has refrained from saying so since the 1970s.
15:07And you say that in future a clarification from the UK may be needed.
15:13But why? Hasn't the status quo worked relatively well, at least for Britain, for many decades?
15:19So Britain for a long time maintained that Taiwan's status was undetermined,
15:24that it wasn't as Beijing claims a province of China.
15:27The status quo has worked quite well for everybody concerned.
15:31Peace has been maintained across the straits for a long time now.
15:35But Beijing doesn't seem so comfortable with maintaining the status quo as in, in fact, trying to alter it itself.
15:43If countries around the world buy China's one China principle,
15:49it's going to make opposing any unilateral action taken by Beijing across the straits very difficult.
15:55So it's about laying the groundwork and about establishing the rules around cross-strait relations.
16:01In the op-ed, the Chinese ambassador says that accepting Beijing's position on Taiwan is key to the development of China-UK relations.
16:10Some have taken that to be a demand of sorts from China. Do you see it that way?
16:15It certainly is a demand. The problem for UK-China relations, from at least Beijing's perspective,
16:21is that the UK does not agree with Beijing's claims.
16:27It has already, last year in the UK Parliament, clarified that it believes that Resolution 2758 made no determination on Taiwan's status.
16:37So if Beijing wants to push this further and keep on repeating its claims, unfortunately,
16:43it will find that when push comes to shove, Britain will have to speak out and say something different.
16:48This op-ed comes amid several other tensions between China and the UK.
16:52There's been protests over this so-called mega-embassy that China wants to build in London,
16:57a Chinese spying case that was recently dropped, now this op-ed.
17:01Keir Starmer, your country's prime minister, has said that he seeks steadier relations with China.
17:06Does this complicate things for him?
17:08I think the questions around national security, the alleged spy-in, the mega-embassy,
17:13are going to be bigger issues for Keir Starmer.
17:16I don't think that currently Taiwan throws too many problems in the UK-China relationship.
17:26Actually, we've seen in the past year UK-Taiwan relations improving steadily.
17:31And that hasn't, it appears, been too detrimental to relations between London and Beijing.
17:38I think the problems will come if China keeps on pushing its one-China principle
17:44and insisting that the UK subscribe to beliefs that it does not believe in.
17:48If Beijing simply let the matter lie, then the British government may well say nothing.
17:55That was Grace Sargent from the Council on Geostrategy.
17:59More people in Taiwan will now have the chance to be recognized as indigenous.
18:04That's after the legislature recently passed a bill opening the door for them to apply for recognition.
18:09But some are warning that the new law could spark more division than unity.
18:14Irene Lin reports.
18:16We're going to sing a new song, a new song, a new song.
18:21Okay.
18:22Katomana.
18:23Uma Taravan is at the forefront of the fight for Seraya Cultural Revival in Tainan in Taiwan's South.
18:36They're one of the largest Pimpu Plains indigenous groups in Taiwan.
18:40And her family has been fighting a decades-long battle for legal recognition.
18:44The Pimpu are lowland indigenous peoples who were gradually absorbed into Han culture,
18:50leading to a loss of their distinct identities, and they're not officially recognized as indigenous.
18:56But that may now change, after Taiwan passed a special act giving the Pimpu a legal definition
19:03and allowing individual groups to apply for recognition.
19:06The Pimpu Plains has given us three rules of認識.
19:09They have to have cultural characteristics,
19:11they have to have knowledge of culture,
19:12they have to have knowledge of culture,
19:13and they have to have historical records of history.
19:16These rules and rules must be used by law to make sure the rules.
19:21They must use a more relaxed standard standard.
19:25Because they are in the history of indigenous peoples,
19:28and in the history of indigenous peoples,
19:29they are in the history of indigenous peoples.
19:42The legal changes follow a landmark 2022 Constitutional Court ruling
19:46that said all Austronesian-speaking peoples
19:49beyond Taiwan's 16 recognized indigenous groups
19:52should be allowed to identify as indigenous.
19:55For the nearly one million Pimpu people,
19:58the ruling was a major step toward recognition.
20:01That's because they had assimilated into mainstream society,
20:04and colonial authorities had separated them from other indigenous groups
20:08that were able to maintain their culture and way of life.
20:11But Uma Taliban is worried that it could end up creating division among Pimpu peoples.
20:17We can't pass the driver for anti-��族.
20:18We have suggested that it would be international
20:20and direct the law that could end up getting the fireless,
20:23and then it's been couped to frosting along the lines of the UN.
20:25And now, the idea of this law,
20:27the needless to amend the law
20:29and the democratic unity of local indigenous peoples
20:31that are called the civil rights group.
20:33The nationality of the African community
20:36or the country of the African community
20:37and the United States,
20:39which could be the nationality of the South.
20:40They could be an MVP of the African community
20:41and the state of the European community
20:42Of if the country of the state are a morelear child,
20:44the area, the state of the Central America,
20:45legal recognition is about more than just having an official title
21:01under current laws the 16 recognized indigenous groups are granted special rights like the ability
21:07to hunt and own reserve land and preferential treatment in college admissions none of those
21:13benefits are included in the new law for ping-poo peoples so my husband here is a
21:42any influence. So they will do this. Of course, they will say that they are good for the PINPU
21:50people. But I think that this is what they will do for the first and foremost
21:58approach. Extending those benefits to the PINPU would mean amending more than 300 articles
22:06in the Indigenous People's Basic Law, a move that could force the more than 600,000 recognized
22:11Indigenous People to share already limited resources.
22:41The Council of Indigenous People says, distributing benefits and resources should focus on what
22:48each Indigenous group actually needs.
22:50And those questions about what each group needs today are deeply tied to how different groups
22:57were impacted throughout Taiwan's colonial history.
23:03And those questions about what each group needs today are deeply tied to how different
23:16groups were impacted throughout Taiwan's colonial history.
23:18The new law has given the legislature three years to grant to PINPU the resources they
23:25need, a deadline that may force lawmakers to speed up the process. Regardless of what happens
23:29next, the PINPU people still have a long road ahead of them to achieve full recognition.
23:36Eason Chen and Irene Lin for Taiwan Plus.
23:43The Penghu Islands off Taiwan's west coast are home to many fish weirs, stone enclosures in
23:49the sea that bring in fish with each tide. But with modern industrial fishing, the
23:54island's shrinking populations, many of them have fallen into disuse and disrepair. Now a
24:11group of young islanders is relearning the art of fixing them up. Eric Gao has the story.
24:16Here in the Penghu Islands in the middle of the Taiwan Strait, there's a long tradition of
24:19carefully stacking heavy stones like these in the sea to form fish traps. Called stone weirs,
24:26the tides carry fish into them, ready for the islanders to catch. They're tough to build,
24:31but good at what they do, taking the hassle out of getting fish from the sea.
24:38But while they're an important part of the island's culture, and some even attract tourists, many
24:55have been left to fall apart as modern fishing fleets make them obsolete, and young people leave
25:00Penghu for school and work on the main island of Taiwan. But there's a group of young people here in
25:05Penghu who have decided to turn this trend around with their own hands. They've set up a training
25:10program that teaches people how to maintain these stone enclosures, a cultural preservation
25:15project.
25:16It's a tough battle keeping all the islands'
25:35of many weirs in shape, but this group of locals are determined to keep the knowledge of how to do it alive.
25:41Devin Tsai, John Van Trieste and Eric Gao for Taiwan Plus.
25:46Taiwan has secured more medals at the 2025 Asian Youth Games in Bahrain.
25:51The Athletic Team won one gold, two silver, and one bronze on Sunday, with Wang Chen Yu triumphing in the
25:57men's 3,000 meters in just over eight and a half minutes. This marks Taiwan's fourth gold medal overall,
26:03and the Athletic Team's third. Meanwhile, in Taekwondo, Zhou Ke Yijun nabbed bronze in the women's
26:0963-kilogram category after being defeated by her Chinese opponent Guo Ru Yue.
26:15Thank you for watching Taiwan Plus News. You can visit the Taiwan Plus website or follow our social media for more stories from Taiwan and around the world.
26:24Before you go, check out these inflatable sculptures of famous characters at Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour.
26:29I'm Yvonne Young, take care, and I'll see you next time.
26:59Bye.
27:00Bye.
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