Speaking at a press conference in Taipei, Lina Pan, president of the Republic of China Beauty Consultation and Development Association, said the first round of competition is scheduled to be held at the beginning of April, while finals will take place in July at the Grand Hotel in Taipei.

“We will select suitable candidates during the preliminary stage of the contest from the northern, central and southern areas of the country,” said Pan.

Aspiring contestants must be between the ages of 18 and 30, taller than 160 cm, unmarried, must never have given birth, and must have high-school education or higher, Pan said.

The organizing committee will accept registrations for the contest until March 15, she said.

“In the Miss Taiwan Beauty Contest, which is held once every two years, we are very particular about the transparency of the judging process,” said Pan.

The organizing committee has always done its best to make sure that the judges’ decisions are fair and objective, she added.

Pan said that in light of the tight economic situation, the organizing committee has lowered the registration fee for the beauty contest from the usual NT$3,000 (US$90) to NT$1,000.

According to Pan, in a new segment that has been added to this year’s competition, the contestants will be required to wear a costume that represents their own heritage.

“The costumes can range from traditional Chinese dresses to indigenous outfits,” said Pan, adding that the new category was designed to promote Taiwan’s rich and diverse culture.

According to the event’s organizers, the winner of this year’s Miss Taiwan Beauty Contest will receive a prize of NT$300,000 (US$8,892) and will have a chance to participate in local and international charity and cultural exchange events.

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