Taiwan News Quick Takes

Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration

A strengthening northeasterly wind system is to bring cooler weather to northern and northeastern Taiwan starting today, with another surge expected later in the week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Brief showers are forecast for the Keelung north coast, Taipei and New Taipei City, eastern Taiwan and the Hengchun Peninsula, with isolated rain also possible in Taoyuan. Elsewhere, skies are forecast to remain partly cloudy to sunny, it said. The weather is expected to improve as winds weaken on Wednesday and Thursday, it said. Another northeasterly wind system is forecast to arrive on Friday and linger through Saturday, bringing another round of cooler weather to northern and northeastern Taiwan, it said.

ECONOMY

Teahouse raises prices

Taichung-based teahouse chain Chun Shui Tang (春水堂) yesterday said that it had raised prices on more than 80 percent of its menu items by an average of 12 percent, citing rising operating, ingredient and labor costs. The price increases took effect yesterday, the company said, adding that actual prices for individual items are listed at its stores and on its official Web site. Using prices in northern Taiwan as an example, Chun Shui Tang said that a medium-sized bubble tea would cost NT$200, an increase of about 5 percent, while the price of a medium-sized uva black tea would remain unchanged at NT$160. Chun Shui Tang also announced several promotional gift offerings, including a voucher for a small uva black tea, a voucher for a small bubble tea or a small tote bag, based on the amount spent in a single transaction.

ENVIRONMENT

Earthquake strikes in Yilan

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Taiwan at 4:20pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The epicenter of the temblor was located at sea, 39.4km east-northeast of Yilan County Hall, at a depth of 119.5km. The earthquake’s intensity was highest in parts of Yilan and Hualien, where it measured a 3 on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale, it said. The quake also measured an intensity of 2 across most of northern, eastern and central Taiwan, as well as in Tainan, CWA data showed.

MILITARY

Air force drills begin

The air force is scheduled to begin its annual Tien Lung, or “Sky Dragon,” drills today to test pilots’ combat skills and ground-based logistical support, a military source said yesterday. The drills are scheduled to run through Friday and would test pilots’ air-to-air, air-to-sea, and air-to-ground combat skills using the air force’s main fighter aircraft — F-16Vs, Mirage 2000-5s and Indigenous Defense Fighters — the unnamed source said. The exercises would focus on aerial interceptions and the use of the aerial gunnery target system. They would also simulate pilots scrambling their aircraft at short notice, identifying targets, firing missiles at them and conducting mock “dogfights” with enemy aircraft, the source said. As in previous years, the air force would also select flying aces in different categories, including aerial combat and precision. The source added that the Tien Lung exercises would also include ground-based logistical support drills and test the air force’s joint operational capabilities with the army, navy, and Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command.