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Taiwanese Town Emphasizes The Quality Of A Slow-Paced Life Through Snail Racing 

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Fenglin is a Taiwanese town that has obtained a reputation for being a place where life moves slowly, allowing residents to catch their breath and appreciate the little things that make living so great. 

The town has a population of about 10,000, and now, they’re embracing their new reputation through snail racing. 

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Fenglin has been holding snail races as a way to celebrate the attitude on a slower, more sustainable, lifestyle that values healthcare, longevity, and embracing community connections. Two years ago, a strong earthquake in the area caused tourism to drastically decline, but now the town is rebuilding itself and opening their doors to travelers. 

“The earthquake two years ago had a relatively big impact on tourism because people are worried an earthquake may happen again,” said Hsu Lu, a 32-year-old resident, to AP. 

“Many people have left Hualien because of earthquakes,” Hsu said.

Fenglin has had an association with snails since 2014. That year, the town joined the Cittaslow international network of small cities that have a focus on quality of life and locally sourced foods. Cittaslow’s symbol itself is a snail carrying an assortment of buildings on its shell. 

Fenglin also represents Taiwan’s “super-aged” society, in which certain towns have a high senior citizen population. Fenglin itself has more than 20% of its residents older than 65. 

The April 2024 earthquake killed 19 people and injured over 1,100. To help reinvigorate local tourism, residents decided to host a snail race, according to organizer Cheng Jen-shou. 

“We thought that our event could attract people, and that would be a small help,” he said.

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This year the town has hosted the third edition of the race over the May Day holiday. Several dozen residents and tourists gathered to attend the race. 

The event itself was stretched over two days and featured six snail races. The winners from each race then competed in the final, but not before taking their moment in the spotlight to pose in front of audiences while they were pulled on a piece of plywood across a green carpet as fans cheered. 

Li Cheng-wen is a 70-year-old retiree from Fenglin who brought several snails to the race. Li caught the snails in his vegetable garden while they ate his leafy greens and instead of killing them to maintain his home-grown food, he decided to keep them as pets. He now feeds them slices of bananas, papaya, and vegetable leaves while giving them daily showers. 

“As to the criteria for choosing snails for the race, I usually select those that are very active and pleasing to the eye.”

The race consisted of 10 snails being placed near the center of a round table covered in a thin vinyl sheet. The first snail to reach the edge of the table was the winner. This year’s absolute champion was Guage, or Brother Snail. Tanya Lin from Hualien has been raising the snail since 2024, and it won the race the same year as well. 

Beyond the snail race, the local government has been trying to bring back tourism by offering guided e-bike tours to show off the city’s historic sites.

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2 Million Evacuated In Southern China As Typhoon Ragasa Unleashes Deadly Flooding In Taiwan

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Around 2 million people in southern China have been evacuated as an intense typhoon makes its way through one of the most populated coasts in the world. Deadly flooding from Typhoon Ragasa has already taken over Taiwan and killed at least 17 people.

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Taiwan Is Now Home To The Only Michelin-Star Ice Cream Shop In The World 

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Taiwan has always been known for its fine dining establishments. In the 2024 Michelin Guide, the island had ten establishments gain stars, bringing their total number of establishments with stars to 49.

In the city of Taichung, Minimal has become the world’s first and only ice cream establishment to receive a Michelin star. The restaurant is two stories and has both a takeaway outlet and a dine-in section that offers a seven-course tasting menu. 

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“Focusing on ice and ice cream, the restaurant skillfully layers flavors and textures through temperature variations and creative combinations, using unique local ingredients from Taiwan,” says the Michelin Guide’s write-up of Minimal.

“The meticulous flavors, delicacy and mature, skilful techniques all impressed us and reached a higher level, warranting a Michelin star.”

Arvin Wan, the founder of Minimal, stated that he’s been obsessed with ice cream since he was a kid. 

“My family had a double-door refrigerator with an installed ice-maker. I’d eat ice cubes every day.”

“I grew up in a single-parent household, after graduating from culinary school, I worked as a chef when my mother was battling cancer. The two shifts in the kitchen meant very long working hours. Every morning, I could see my mother for a short while before heading to work, and she was already asleep by the time I got home,” Wan said. 

“Before her passing, I didn’t spend much time with her. (After that) I reflected a lot — if I continued on my current path, I wouldn’t have time for people I cherish in the future.”

“Desserts often aren’t the most important part of a meal in a restaurant,” he says. 

“They’re more like a finish, a supporting act. I really only love ice. I don’t feel the same way about other desserts. So I just wanted to make ice but that isn’t possible from a restaurant’s perspective — you can’t just serve ice as dessert all year.”

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Minimal first opened in 2021. Wan explained that the name was a reference to the amount of elements within ice cream. “Minimalist design may look very simple, but it’s extremely complex if you understand it,” says Wan.

“Similar to ice cream, it goes through a very complex calculation and planning process to obtain such a state and taste.”

On the ground floor, Minimal offers takeaway ice cream from six different flavors that are regularly updated. The second floor opens up to a 20-seater restaurant that serves a seven-course set menu that serves food at mainly sub-zero temperatures. 

Wan stated that he experiments with his menu ideas at various temperatures with the help of Minimal’s kitchen system, which is made up of many fridges at different settings. He ensures that everything not only tastes good, but smells good as well.  

“Most ice doesn’t have a lot of aroma because fragrance is very inactive below zero,” he says.

“To overcome that, I have to complement it with some other ingredients to create a more complex nose and taste that reminds you of the theme of the dessert.”

“When we were young, most of us loved eating iced desserts. As we grow older, the prospect of eating ice is much less exhilarating – the ice itself hasn’t changed, but the feeling towards it has changed — it’s no longer new and special,” he says.

“I hope that with Minimal, grown-ups can rediscover the joy of eating ice again – as if it was their first ice cream experience.”

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Singapore To Repeal Law Banning Gay Sex, ‘A Win For Humanity’

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Singapore will repeal a law that bans gay sex in the city-state, effectively making it legal to be homosexual, which activists are calling a “win for humanity.”

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Following Trip, Nancy Pelosi Offers Support To Taiwan Despite Threats, Criticism

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Following a trip to Taiwan that made her the first U.S. Speaker to visit the country in more than 25 years, Nancy Pelosi voiced her and her delegation’s continued support despite the trip heightening tensions between China and the U.S.

While Pelosi didn’t state the U.S. would defend Taiwan militarily, it’s “committed to the security of Taiwan, in order to have Taiwan be able to most effectively defend themselves.” Pelosi also brushed off threats from Beijing, explaining they will not stand in the way of people visiting the self-governing nation.

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Pelosi arrived in Taiwan’s capital of Taipei late Tuesday and was greeted by Taiwan’s foreign minister, amongst other Taiwan and American officials. Among Pelosi’s delegation include Reps. Gregory Meeks, Andy Kim, Mark Takano, and Raja Krishnamoorthi.

Meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, Pelosi explained America’s solidarity with Taiwain is more important than ever as the world faces a choice “between democracy and autocracy.”

“America’s determination to preserve democracy, here in Taiwan and around the world, remains ironclad.”

While members of Congress have visited Taiwan in recent years, Pelosi’s high standing in the government has added further fuel to a conflict centered around China’s belief it controls Taiwan as its territory while discouraging Taiwanese foreign relations with other countries.

Pelosi went deeper into China’s grip on Tawainese global relations. “Sadly, Taiwan has been prevented from participating in global meetings, most recently the World Health Organization, because of objections by the Chinese Communist Party,” she stated.

In response to Pelosi’s visit, China announced military exercises around the island and in Taiwan waters that sit 12 miles from the shore. Not only will they disrupt supply and airplane routes, but some of those exercises are also set to include live fire, which experts explained can sometimes be seen as an act of war.

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The People’s Liberation Army air force flew 21 airplanes toward Taiwan the night of Pelosi’s arrival, while an additional 27 crafts were flown Wednesday night. “Facing deliberately heightened military threats, Taiwan will not back down,” Tsai stated in regards to Bejing’s intimidation.

“We will firmly uphold our nation’s sovereignty and continue to hold the line of defense for democracy.”

Despite Pelosi’s expressed commitment, the U.S. will continue to abide by the long-standing “one-China policy,” which maintains that Taiwan is a part of China. However, the policy also allows unofficial relations with Taipei.

Though having cautioned against the notable visit, the Biden Administration stated Pelosi’s trip — and Tawainese comments — are consistent with U.S. policies, while China will now be watched carefully after Pelosi’s visit.

For the U.S., the China-Taiwan tensions are just one of several continuing global conflicts the country finds itself in the heart of. Russia’s defense ministry claimed the U.S. is “directly involved” in the Ukraine conflict due to American spies coordinating and approving Ukraine missile strikes.

Following stops at Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan, Pelosi then flew to a South Korean military base Wednesday before meeting with officials and leaders in Seoul. She plans to then visit Japan as part of her Indo-Pacific region trip that is focusing on the “mutual security, economic partnership and democratic governance” of the region.

If China Invades Taiwan, Biden Confirms U.S. Military Would Intervene

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While United States government officials already have set opinions on how to proceed in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, it appears not everyone is on the same page. On Monday, President Joe Biden stated that if such a situation developed, the U.S. would intervene military.

Biden gave his remarks during a joint press conference in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida when asked if the U.S. would go further to help Taiwan in an invasion than it did with Ukraine’s conflict with Russia.

“Yes. That’s the commitment we made,” Biden stated. “We agree with the One China policy. We signed on to it, and all the attendant agreements made from there, but the idea that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, is [just not] appropriate.”

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Biden gave further thoughts on the rising tensions between the two territories, saying a conflict would dislocate the entire region, similar to how Russia’s attacks have had shockwaves throughout Europe. Biden also stated that China is “already flirting with danger right now by flying so close and all the maneuvers they’re undertaking.”

However, the White House downplayed his statements, saying they don’t reflect a change in policy. It’s the third time in past months Biden has made a comment about Taiwan protection, only for the White House to give opposing views.

“As the President said, our policy has not changed. He reiterated our One China policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also reiterated our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself.”

According to the One China policy, the U.S. recognizes China’s position that there is only one Chinese government and that Taiwan is a part of China, but the U.S. hasn’t recognized the country’s claim to the self-governing island. China, meanwhile, believes a reunification between Taiwan and the mainland is a necessity – one that would likely take an armed conflict to make happen.

According to administration aides speaking to CNN, several of Biden’s top administration officials were caught off caught by his remarks. Biden running off-script and giving unexpected statements has become a running occurence in recent weeks. In late April, the President said that Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power,” causing a media stir. The White House and allies backtracked those claims afterwards.

Responding to Biden’s comments, China expressed its “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition,” noting it would not allow any external force to interfere with its internal affairs. Speaking to reporters, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated that Taiwan is an “inalienable part of China’s territory.”

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“On issues touching on China’s core interests of sovereignty and territorial integrity, China has no room for compromise or concession,” Wenbin said. “No one should underestimate the firm resolve, staunch will and strong ability of the Chinese people in defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

As CNN noted, the U.S. has supplied Taiwan with defensive weapons, similar to the help it has given Ukraine throughout the Russian invasion that is now in its third month. Taiwan — which consists of a population of over 23 million — would certainly need help in a conflict.

China’s armed forces dwarf any potential resistance thanks to its expected 2022 spending of 1.45 trillion yuan ($230.16 billion USD) on defense. In terms of activity duty personnel, China possesses around 2 million while Taiwan boasts just 163,000.