[Central News Agency] Well-known British columnist Turner was invited by the Tourism Bureau to travel to Taiwan for the first time at the end of February. Today, he shared his experience with The Times.

She mentioned that unlike the imagination of many British people, there is no cloud of war in Taiwan, and "there is no more fascinating place than Taiwan right now."

She also said that islands that have difficulty getting along with their neighbors (Taiwan and the United Kingdom) should support each other.

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From late February to early March, Janice Turner and editor Ben Preston visited many places in northern, central, southern and eastern Taiwan.

The Office of the Tourism Bureau in London recently stated that Taiwan opened up to tourists in October last year. It is expected that Turner’s report will help the British people understand Taiwan from the perspectives of history, culture, natural scenery, and food, and then want to come to Taiwan to explore for themselves. .

Turner's lengthy report contains many "interesting" details, revealing how people from another political, social and cultural environment might view Taiwan when they visit Taiwan for the first time.

The title of the article stated that Taiwan is an island in Asia that is "ancient, neglected, and risk-averse", but at the same time has the energy of an "Asian Tiger".

Turner mentioned that when she announced her upcoming visit to Taiwan to her friends, one of them asked, "Will you live in the bunker?" Turner admitted that people who want to visit Japan or China seldom consider coming to Taiwan along the way. tour.

She described Taiwan as a fusion of Japanese and Chinese cultures while having its own personality: sui generis, efficient and "ridiculously" friendly.

Turner pointed out that on average only about 3,000 British tourists visit Taiwan a year, and she rarely saw Western faces during her 12 days in Taiwan.

She believes that this has something to do with the imagination of Taiwan not keeping up with the times and China's military coercion.

She mentioned that Made in Taiwan (Made in Taiwan) no longer means cheap plastic products, but 92% of the world's highest-end chips.

Turner wrote that it is precisely because of the threat of China that it is even more important to go to Taiwan: to defend freedom and democracy by tasting the most exquisite dumplings in the world; to explore ancient Chinese culture in a place where dissidents will not be imprisoned; The first government to legalize same-sex marriage applauded.

Although the loud noise of fighter planes taking off from military bases has been heard several times in Tainan, Turner said that Taiwan seems to be safer than in the UK: public places are clean and orderly, pedestrians will not cross the road at will, drivers obey the speed limit, and there are almost no traffic accidents. Criminal or littering, although there are few trash cans on the street.

She mentioned that Taiwanese society really pays attention to risk avoidance, so you can see "ridiculous" warnings such as "no umbrellas on bridges", "no conversations in elevators", and "no slippers/sandals on escalators".

Also, despite the good water quality at Sun Moon Lake, the adventurous Taiwanese are only allowed to swim during the annual Sun Moon Lake swim.

Turner noticed that Taiwanese people are crazy about playing claw machines, and they don't seem to care whether they can get the loot.

In Taipei, Turner visited the Forbidden City.

She wrote that the Forbidden City's vast collection of cultural relics has encouraged some Taiwanese to believe that they are "real Chinese" and "will one day retake the mainland."

In the UK, even small restaurants often have wine lists, and lunchtime drinks are not uncommon.

Turner observes that many restaurants in Taiwan are surprised by customers who "don't just want tea."

However, according to Turner's experience visiting Taiwanese bars, once Taiwanese people make up their minds to drink, they will go all out without hesitation.

Turner visited Fo Guang Shan in Kaohsiung and Longshan Temple in Taipei.

She mentioned that Fo Guang Shan is like a glamorous shopping mall, and it makes good use of high technology, and there are nuns who can operate drones.

In Longshan Temple, she found that worship can be a very practical activity: bring sacrifices to worship the gods, and then make specific requests to the gods.

Turner seemed particularly impressed with Tainan, saying he enjoyed exploring the alleys near the Confucius Temple.

She said that Tainan is definitely not to be missed; she is willing to stay for an extra week just to observe the local characters.

Turner mentioned that Tainan has some of the best food in Taiwan.

She said that at the old restaurant "Du Xiaoyue", she had the best meal of the whole trip.

The descendants of the founder of the shop said that the delicious secret of "Du Xiaoyue" lies in a "pot that is never washed".

On March 15, "The Times" (The Times) published a sketch of Turner's trip to Taiwan, touching Taiwan's history and future.

The article pointed out that in the face of China's military intimidation, the people of Taiwan appear calm.

Turner said a manager at the hotel where she was staying was horrified that his son, who was not yet 20, had learned to sing the Chinese national anthem from the short-video app TikTok.

The manager told Turner that his son does not see China as a threat and wants to study in China.

Turner also visited the White Terror Jingmei Memorial Park of the National Human Rights Museum, which she specifically asked the Tourism Bureau to include in the itinerary.

Turner shared that when she asked the young tour guide if her friends were worried about the threat from China, the tour guide responded sadly, and the friends were not worried, and the demonstrations and arrests in Hong Kong did not make the friends feel worried. I have a special feeling; "When you grow up in a free environment, you will not cherish freedom until the day it disappears." (Editor: Chen Zhengjian) 1120323