內政部全球資訊網-Ministry of the Interior

Premier makes bread(2010-02-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Premier Wu Den-yih (center) tries his hand at bread-making during a visit to the Nantou Education and Nursing Institute in Mingjian Township, Nantou County Saturday. The institute, operated by the Ministry of the Interior, is dedicated to training the mentally challenged for work. CNA photo, Jan. 23, 2010

Premier visits training institute(2010-01-27 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Premier Wu Den-yih (left) plants a tree at the Nantou Education and Nursing Institute in Mingjian Township, Nantou County Saturday. A student (right) at the institute, which is run by the Ministry of the Interior to train mentally challenged people for work, helps Wu with the planting. CNA photo, Jan. 23, 2010

Premier visits newly-developed settlement(2010-01-08 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Premier Wu Den-yih is given a briefing on the development of new settlement in Danshuei, Taipei County Sunday. The project, carried out by the Construction and Planning Agency under the Ministry of the Interior, is designed to slow down surging property prices in Taipei. CNA photo, Jan. 3, 2010

Today in history(2010-01-04 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 4 (CNA) Today is Monday, Jan. 4, or the 20th day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1643: Sir Isaac Newton, the British mathematician and physicist who explained the law of gravity, is born.

1809: Louis Braille, French musician and educator who lost his sight at the age of three, is born. He invented a writing and printing system for visually impaired and sightless people in 1829.

1813: Sir Isaac Pitman, British educator and inventor of a system of shorthand, is born.

1877: Cornelius Vanderbilt, U.S. transportation promoter and financier who amassed a great fortune through railroad and shipping interests, dies in New York at the age of 83, leaving a fortune estimated at US$100 million.

1896: Utah becomes the 45th state of the United States.

1917: Tsai Yuan-pei assumes his post as president of National Peking University.

1935: Floyd Patterson, U.S. heavyweight boxing champion and the youngest holder of the world title, is born.

1936: Billboard publishes the first ever pop chart in New York.

1937: The national government grants special amnesty to Chang Hsueh-liang, who later moves to Taiwan and lives under house arrest in Hsinchu.

1941: The Communist New Fourth Army revolts against the national

government.

1944: Berlin under Adolf Hitler issues an order instructing all children over the age of 10 to be ready to fight in World War II.

1948: Burma leaves the British Commonwealth, becoming fully independent.

1951: Mainland Chinese and North Korean forces take Seoul, as the South Korean government moves to Pusan.

1960: Seven European countries, including Britain and Austria, sign a treaty in Stockholm for the establishment of a European Free Trade Association.

1968: Vice President-Premier C.K. Yen leaves for Bangkok for a seven-day official visit.

1973: The Asian Relations Association opens its Japan office in Tokyo.

1976: Premier Chiang Ching-kuo travels to the Central Mountain Range area to visit aboriginal citizens and retired servicemen.

1980: The United States curtails grain sales to the Soviet Union due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

1980: Statistics released by the International Monetary Fund show that foreign trade growth in the Republic of China rose 73-fold in 25 years, the highest growth rate among newly industrialized countries.

1983: Tsai Pei-huo, Taiwan's first graduate of a junior college, dies of liver cancer at the age of 95.

1990: President Mikhail Gorbachev tells Lithuania's communists they can leave the Soviet Communist Party.

1997: A cold spell causes more than 225 deaths in Europe, including that of a 99-year-old woman who refused to leave her unheated home in Paris.

1998: David Levy, foreign minister of Israel, resigns.

2000: The Legislative Yuan approves a disputed agricultural development statute known as the Second Land Reform Act.

2001: Taiwan's Delta Electronics donates one million of its company stocks to National Tsinghua University for the establishment of the Sun Yun-suan Chair in Technology in honor of the former ROC premier.

2002: Christine T.Y. Tsung, president and CEO of China Airlines (CAL), is listed in the January issue of Fortune Magazine as a "person to watch."

Confucius' lesson of the day: "When a man has learned wisdom in the morning, he may be content to die in the evening before the sun sets."

Taiwan headline news(2010-01-04 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 4 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Monday are as follows:

@The China Times:

The Spanish Real Madrid soccer team is expected to visit Taipei Aug. 4

@The United Daily News:

88-year-old Hakka woman wins top prize in culinary contest

@The Liberty Times:

Seven I-Kuan-Tao volunteers killed after their SUV was hit by a gravel truck

@Central Daily News online:

KMT official says President Ma's peace-themed cross-strait policy will contribute to regional development

@Economic Daily News:

Taiwan's China Steel Corp. staff will have to work during the lunar New Year holiday as market demand skyrockets

@Commercial Times:

Flat panel prices see unexpected big surges in January

@The China Post:

The Burj Dubai opens

@The Taiwan News:

Britain and the U.S. agree to fund Yemen anti-terror police unit

@The Taipei Times:

Ma postpones banquet with legislators

News digest of local media - Real Madrid coming(2010-01-04 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid soccer team may visit Taipei this summer, probably before its exhibition game at Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium to commemorate the second anniversary of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

If the plan comes true, it will mark the first time that one of the world's most spectacular soccer teams has ever graced Taiwan.

While organizers believe the team's visit will contribute to Taiwan's international publicity, tourism and the Taipei INT'L FLORA EXPO IN 2010, some sports administrators worry that the event may draw political opposition, particularly if the Spanish squad plays with an all-star team composed of Taiwanese and Chinese players, instead of a native one during its Taipei visit.

The following is a digest of some local media reports on the issue:

China Times:

Elephant Ching, a senior executive of Dot Han integrated marketing company who is actively promoting the plan, said Monday that he hopes Taipei can become the first stop of Real Madrid's upcoming Asian tour.

The team's main itinerary is to plan an exhibition game at Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium on Aug. 8 to mark the second anniversary of the 2008 Olympic Games.

"We hope Real Madrid can visit Taipei first and play an exhibition game at the Taipei Municipal Stadium on Aug. 4, " Ching said.

According to him, the team's Asian tour following the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa June 11 - July 11 will cover only two stops.

Japan and Vietnam have been working hard in hopes of becoming the second stop, Ching said.

As the Beijing organizer maintains cooperative ties with Dot Han, Taiwan may have the opportunity to host another of the team's exhibition games this time around, Ching said.

"It is a very rare and precious opportunity for Taiwan to host a star-studded premiere soccer team," Ching said, adding that he hopes local Taiwanese society will pool resources to have the "dream come true."

Chung Chien-wu, deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Taipei Soccer Association, said the association will be pleased to see Real Madrid visit Taiwan to help inspire local people's interest in football.

Nevertheless, he said he hopes Real Madrid can play with a local team in its exhibition game in Taipei. If it plays with a cross-Taiwan Strait all-star team, Chung said he is afraid that the event could draw politically-motivated criticism. (Jan. 4, 2010)

United Daily News:

Elephant Ching said he hopes to raise 3 million euros (about NT$138 million) needed for Real Madrid's Taipei visit.

The team, which has Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and many other star players on its roster, is expected to decide the second host city of its August Asian tour in late February, Ching said.

Meanwhile, Chen Hsien-chung, deputy minister of the Sports Affairs Council, said the council welcomes Dot Han's plan to invite the world-renowned team to visit Taipei.

"We hope local business groups can offer financial support to help materialize the plan," he added. (Jan. 4, 2010) (By Sofia Wu)

Foreign exchange rates(2010-01-04 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Jan. 4 (CNA) The exchange rates for major foreign currencies quoted in New Taiwan dollars by Chang Hwa Bank Monday.

BUYING RATES SELLING RATES US dollar 31.768 32.168 Euro 45.10 46.10 Hong Kong dollar 4.071 4.171 Japanese yen 0.3405 0.3465 Australian dollar 28.48 28.68 Canadian dollar 30.31 30.51 Pound sterling 51.27 51.67 Singapore dollar 22.66 22.86 South African rand 4.276 4.376 Sweden krone 4.406 4.506 Swiss Franc 30.64 30.84 Thai baht 0.9439 0.9839 N. Zealand dollar 22.91 23.11 Chinese yuan 4.531 4.751

* Exchange rates for the US dollar in amounts less than US$10,000.

Taiwan shares open higher(2010-01-04 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 4 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange's main index opened higher Monday, moving up 34.31 points at 8,222.42 on a turnover of NT$5.57 billion (US$172.98 million).

The weighted price index rose 75.83 points, or 0.93 percent, to close at 8,188.11 on Dec.31, which was also the 2009's highest level. (By Sofia Wu)

U.S. dollar down in early Taipei trading(2010-01-04 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 4 (CNA) The U.S. dollar opened lower against the New Taiwan dollar in early trading in Taipei Monday.

The greenback was trading at NT$31.968 at 9:45 a.m. on the Taiwan Foreign Exchange, down NT$0.062 from last Thursday's close. (By Sofia Wu)

Today in history(2010-01-03 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 3 (CNA) Today is Sunday, Jan. 3, or the 19th day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

106BC: Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman statesman and orator, is born.

1777: George Washington leads troops to defeat the British at the Battle of Princeton.

1868: Japanese Emperor Meiji seizes power from the Tokugawa Shogun, ending 700 years of military rule.

1924: British archaeologist Howard Carter discovers the tomb of Tutankhamen in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. The pharaoh's tomb was filled with treasures, including a solid gold sarcophagus, a gold death mask, jewelry, and other artifacts.

1932: The Chinese Communists set up a Soviet-style regime in Kan Hsien in Kiangsi Province.

1933: The Japanese imperial army, navy and air force conduct a joint attack on Shanhaikwan, a fortress located at the eastern end of the Great Wall. All the Chinese defenders, including battalion commander An Teh-hsing, die in the ensuing battle.

1939: A group of Chinese generals, including Chen Cheng, Lung Yun, and Hsueh Yueh, cable their support for Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek in the War of Resistance Against Japan and for sanctions against Wang Ching-wei, a high-ranking Nationalist official who advocated peace talks with Japan.

1940: Kao Chung-wu and Tao Hsi-sheng, right-hand men of Wang Ching-wei, flee Shanghai for Hong Kong after opposing the secret treaty signed by Wang and the Japanese which saw Wang installed as the head of a puppet government of the Japanese in Nanking.

1947: Yu Pin assumes his post as archbishop of the Nanking area.

1956: Mainland Chinese pilot Fan Tien-cheng commits suicide after failing in an attempt to fly a MIG fighter jet to Taiwan.

1956: The Soviet Union extends technical assistance to Communist China.

1959: Alaska becomes the 49th and largest state of the United States.

1961: The United States severs diplomatic relations with Cuba.

1962: President Sukarno of Indonesia proclaims West New Guinea an independent province.

1963: Chu Chia-hua, former president of Academia Sinica, dies in Taipei at the age of 71.

1973: Vice President C.K. Yen leaves for a week-long trip to the United States to attend memorial services for U.S. President Harry S. Truman.

1974: A technical cooperation agreement signed between the ROC and Malawi the previous November is approved by the Executive Yuan.

1975: The Republic of China and Jordan sign a provisional aviation accord under which their airlines will exchange freight and passengers at an intermediate point between Taipei and Amman.

1977: The International Monetary Fund lends nearly US$4 billion to Britain to bolster its currency.

1980: The U.S. government informs the ROC government that it will resume arms sales to the ROC after a one-year suspension.

1993: U.S. President George Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin sign an arms control treaty to reduce nuclear weapon stockpiles by two-thirds.

1994: Negotiations between Communist China and Britain on the future political system of Hong Kong come to a standstill.

1996: The ROC and the Republic of Senegal resume full diplomatic relations, increasing to 31 the number of nations with which the ROC maintains official diplomatic ties.

2000: The Shang Yi Airport on the offshore island of Kinmen is turned over to the Civil Aeronautics Administration by the ROC Air Force, ending more than four decades of military administration of the airport.

2001: Su Hsiu-ying, a 103-year-old female cancer patient who underwent surgery at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou in late December, is discharged from the hospital.

2002: Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (CTOC) President Huang Ta-chou is re-elected to the four-year post at a meeting of the CTOC's Executive Committee.

Confucius' lesson of the day: "Men's faults are characteristic. By observing a man's failings, you can judge his moral character."

Taiwan headline news(2010-01-03 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 3 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Sunday are as follows:

@The China Times:

Super-rich woman spends NT$130 million a year as Taiwan's wealth gap widens

@The United Daily News:

Pop icons will star in music videos to help promote Taiwan tourism

@The Liberty Times:

Taiwan's top sacred tree in critical state

@Central Daily News online:

President Ma Ying-jeou vows to maintain peaceful development of cross-strait ties and introduce innovative reforms

@Economic Daily News:

Wafer stocks rally on OEM price hikes

@Commercial Times:

16 stocks will rally further as major institutional investors made large purchases in the last trading session of 2009

@The China Post:

NCC to fine cable firms

@The Taiwan News:

Danish police stop attack on cartoonist Kurt Westergaard

@The Taipei Times:

Obama imperiling Taiwan: U.S. group

News digest of local media -- Taiwan's security(2010-01-03 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The head of a U.S. business association that groups companies with interests in Taiwan has accused U.S. President Barack Obama of compromising Taiwan's security to promote U.S. relations with China.

Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council, wrote in a sharply worded year-end report that Taiwan is watching the developments "with increased exasperation."

"If the Obama administration balks at providing replacement F-16 fighters to Taiwan, China will have won a major victory in the Taiwan Strait without firing a shot," he warned, adding that the updating of Taiwan's F-16 fleet was a "material response" to Beijing's own fighter modernization.

The following is a digest of some local media reports on the issue:

United Daily News:

The paper carried a Jan. 1 Reuters article that quoted Hammond-Chambers as saying that the U.S. departments of state and defense, as well as the U.S. trade representative, appeared interested in building closer U.S. ties with Taipei despite resulting complications in the U.S.-China relationship.

"Regrettably, this effort runs smack into a White House that clearly views Taiwan as a barrier to U.S. interests in Asia, " he wrote in an annual year-end report dated Thursday and distributed the following day.

Stating his belief that the "strong support for Taiwan strengthens both our own and Taiwan's standing with China, " Hammond-Chambers said the council will press in 2010 for an end to the U.S. administration's habit of notifying Congress of its decision to sell arms to Taiwan as a package.

"Packaging" of arms sales undermines the U.S. resolve to help Taiwan defend itself and significantly weakens Taiwan's defense modernization, Hammond-Chambers said.

The alternative is to send arms sales notifications one by one to Congress, which has the power by law to block them. The United States is bound by the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with "defense articles and services" needed for its self-defense, he added. (Jan. 3, 2010)

China Times:

Hammond-Chambers also urged the Obama administration to refrain from retaliating against Taiwanese lawmakers' attempts to block imports of U.S. ground beef and offal by dragging its feet on resuming the long-stalled sub-Cabinet talks under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).

Pushing for a full resumption of TIFA meetings without preconditions will be one of the priorities the council has outlined for its work in 2010, Hammond-Chambers added. (Jan. 3, 2010)

Meanwhile, on the sidelines of a Republic of China flag-raising ceremony in Washington, D.C., Jason Yuan, Taiwan's representative to the U.S., said the Obama administration will not correlate the beef trade issue with arms deals with Taiwan or President Ma Ying-jeou's request for a brief transit stay on his way to Latin America for a state visit.

According to Yuan, the beef issue will be handled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the office of the U.S. trade representative, while the other two issues fall within the remit of the U.S. departments of defense and state and the White House. (Jan. 3, 2010)

Liberty times:

Hammond-Chambers wrote in his report that the council will see the U.S. sale of updated F-16s to Taiwan as a top priority in the bilateral relationship for 2010.

The council will also push for the resumption of visits to Taiwan by U.S. Cabinet officials to promote U.S. economic interests in Taiwan. (Jan. 3, 2010) (By Sofia Wu)

Taiwan grouper farmers struggle to keep heads above water(2010-01-03 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 3 (CNA) Taiwan grouper farmers, if they survived Morakot Typhoon at all, have been struggling to keep their heads above water in their efforts to recover the lucrative market.

The culture of groupers, also known as rock fish, in seawater aquaculture ponds in the southernmost county of Pingtung, particularly in its Linbian and Jiadong townships, had been a leading cash cow in Taiwan's aquaculture industry, with exports topping US$40 million in 2008, a figure that has jumped 48-fold in the last three years.

The fishery, however, was nearly drowned by a mass inundation triggered by Typhoon Morakot, with 90 percent of the grouper farms washed away or choked by silt even if the fish themselves were not washed away.

"Only about 10 percent of the original grouper farms remain, " said Chen Chung-min, chief secretary of the Linbian Farmers Association.

It takes at least two years for fish farmers to have their aquaculture stocks replenished and export delivery resumed, Chen said.

Besides the time factor, he went on, the fish farmers need to raise money to survive.

As grouper culture is a "high risk, high investment return" business, the farmers need to raise at least NT$15 million (US$454,545) to start a pond, he said.

"Some farmers have lost over NT$50 million because of Typhoon Morakot," he noted.

In the wake of the typhoon, some managed to raise enough money to resume grouper culture, some shifted their operations to cheaper fish such as tilapia, and many were forced out of the market altogether after failing to secure loans from banks, according to Chen.

Live grouper exports are a top money earner, and Pingtung, Kaohsiung and Taitung counties are ideal locations because of their tropical climate, said Hu Hsing-hua, vice chairman of the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture.

In recent years, traders have marketed high-priced Taiwanese grouper to Hong Kong, where they are highly prized.

The fish are also sought after by expensive restaurants in China's Shanghai and Guangzhou, Hu said.

Nevertheless, he went on, declining yields in the wake of the typhoon have caused exports to shrink abruptly, which has created a business niche for competitors in China and Malaysia.

"The only way to prevent these competitors from stealing Taiwan's export markets is to resume production quickly, " Hu noted. (By Deborah Kuo)

Beef dispute will not affect other aspects of U.S. ties: official(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Washington, Jan. 1 (CNA) Washington will deal with Taiwanese lawmakers' attempts to block imports of U.S. ground beef and offal sensitively, rather than confusing it with Taiwan's requests for arms sales or for its president to make transit stops in the U.S., Taiwan's representative to Washington Jason Yuan said Friday.

On the sidelines of a Republic of China-flag raising ceremony, Yuan said the beef issue is handled by the Department of Agriculture while the other two issues fall within the purview of the Department of Defence, Department of State, or even the White House respectively.

"They won't mingle these issues together." Yuan said in response to journalists' questions on whether the plan by Taiwan's legislature could trigger reprisals from Washington in dealing with Taiwan's requests.

Taipei agreed to allow the imports of U.S. bone-in beef, on Oct. 22. However lawmakers who were concerned about the safety of the U.S. beef are set to alter the law to exclude U.S. ground beef and offal, despite the country's agreement with Washington.

Yuan dodged journalists' questions on whether the issue will influence other aspects of bilateral ties, saying that friendship is a feeling toward each other, but no matter how close friends Taiwan and the United States are, "disputes could not be avoided all together."

Just as many U.S. congressmen who come from agricultural states should speak for their constituents, Taiwanese lawmakers must defend their constituents' interest.

"How could there be no disputes between them?" Yuan said.

The beef issue in Taiwan is a natural one for a democracy, Yuan said, adding that the governments of the U.S. and Taiwan should deal with it reasonably.

As Taiwan's representative in Washington, Yuan said his job is to convey Taiwan's points of view thoroughly to Washington.

Meanwhile, Richard Bush, director of the Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies at the Washington-based Brookings Institute told CNA that he was puzzled at how this issue has developed.

Bush, who had served as the American Institute in Taiwan's chairman in Washington, and had been billed as one of the candidates to be the chief of the AIT Taipei Office, guessed that the ruling Kuomintang's (KMT's) lawmakers were concerned that the issue of American beef is one that the Democratic Progressive Party can exploit to make headway, particularly among independent voters.

"The politically-safe strategy, therefore, is to go along, even if there is no scientific basis for the fears and even though there are many different ways to protect the food supply," Bush said.

Also, Bush said, he suspected that some members of the KMT caucus were trying to make a point regarding the balance of power between the Legislative Yuan on the one hand and the Office of President and the Executive Yuan on the other. (By Zep Hu, Jorge Liu and Maubo Chang)

United Daily News: Three wishes for 2010(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

At the beginning of 2010, we are making three wishes for the Republic of China: agreeing to disagree with Beijing on the definition of "one China, " working toward becoming a platform in the Asia-Pacific region, and establishing a respectable democracy.

In the context of cross-Taiwan Strait competition and cooperation, democracy is the only thing that Taiwan can still maintain an edge and pride over. We must not sit by and watch Taiwan's democracy be eroded. In particular, we must not allow Taiwanese people to lose pride and self-esteem in their democracy.

With the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou yet to formulate a clear theory on cross-strait relations, the best solution is for the two sides to agree to disagree on "one China." Both the ruling and opposition camps in Taiwan should support this national survival strategy. Should Beijing have any doubts about this proposal, Taipei should try very hard to make it realize the underlying mutual benefits. If the "Taiwan independence" advocates oppose it, we should tell them that Taiwan has no way out otherwise.

Lastly, if Taiwan is to stand firm politically and economically, the country must work to develop itself into an "Asia-Pacific platform" and a "free trade island." (By Y.F. Low)

U.S. government urged not to retaliate against Taiwan on beef issue(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Washington, Jan. 1 (CNA) The head of an influential U.S. business group has urged Washington to refrain from retaliating against Taiwan's legislative decision to resume a ban on certain U.S. beef imports by freezing the United States' long-stalled talks with Taiwan on a trade agreement.

Delaying talks on the proposed U.S.-Taiwan trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA) to force Taiwan to give in would be a "counterproductive approach, " said Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council.

Such a strategy could harm Taiwan's trust for the U.S., which Taiwan also has been regarding as its most important trade market, Hammond-Chambers warned.

"A decade ago America was Taiwan's most important trading partner. When coupled with our security relationship and guarantees, it meant that there is no more important relationship for Taiwan than that with the U.S., " he said.

The situation, however, is now changing, the business leader said in the Council's annual year-end report distributed Friday.

"China's economic importance to Taiwan has soared, and that relationship will soon be formalized in a free trade agreement, " Hammond-Chambers said.

"Meanwhile, America's increasing inability to maintain a credible and consistent security commitment undermines Taiwan's confidence in our resolve," Hammond-Chambers added. "Couple that with our 'on again off again' trade policy, and we are doing a great deal to undermine broader U.S. interests in the market."

In Taiwan, President Ma Ying-jeou has instructed his government to use every power to try to minimize any destructive impact on Taiwan's friendly relations with the United States that the lawmakers' decision could have.

Lawmakers of both the ruling and opposition parties reached consensus on Dec. 29 that no ground beef and bovine offal from the U.S. will be allowed to enter Taiwan.

The legislative decision contradicts a Taiwan-U.S protocol signed two months ago in which Taiwan agreed to open the market to previously-banned bone-in U.S. beef and some high-risk beef products, such as spine and eyes.

Citing a Financial Times report, Hammond-Chambers pointed out in his report that Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang had told legislators that " it was the Taiwan government's understanding that 'there is a certain interaction' between the beef ban and future U.S. arms sales to Taiwan."

Hammond-Chambers argued that if it is true, "this sort of linkage directly violates the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) , which clearly states that 'the (U.S.) President and the Congress shall determine the nature and quantity of such defense articles and services based solely upon their judgment of the (defense) needs of Taiwan."

"If the Obama administration balks at providing replacement F-16 fighters Taiwan, China will have won a major victory in the Taiwan (issue) without firing a shot, " he warned, saying that the updating of Taiwan's F-16 fleet was a "material response" to Beijing's own fighter modernization.

Stating his belief that the "strong support for Taiwan strengthens both our own and Taiwan's standing with China, " Hammond-Chambers listed in his report four priorities the business group has outlined as its work for 2010.

The priorities include that the council will argue for a full resumption of TIFA meetings without preconditions and with an agenda that identifies areas of liberalization that can -- in some way -- counter China's efforts to challenge U.S. economic interests in Taiwan.

The council will also press for an end to the U.S. administration's habit of notifying Congress of its decision to sell arms to Taiwan, as a package, instead of making one-by-one notifications on weapons that it deems ready to be sold to Taiwan. Congress has the power to stop the sales.

"Packaging" of arms sales undermines U.S. resolve to help Taiwan defend itself and significantly weakens Taiwan's defense modernization, Hammond-Chambers said.

The council will also support the acceptance of a Letter of Request for 66 F-16s to replace Taiwan's aging F-5s and Mirage 2000s and to offer some material response to China's ongoing investment in fourth generation fighters such as the J-10.

And the council will support the resumption of visits to Taiwan by U.S. cabinet officials to promote U.S. economic interests on the island.

The business group represents many companies doing business with Taiwan, including top arms supplier Lockheed Martin, Boeing Co. and Raytheon Co.

According to a report by Reuters citing Hammond-Chambers, the council sees the sale of updated F-16s to Taiwan as a top priority in the bilateral relationship in 2010 and "will work with the Obama Administration to achieve this goal." (By Jorge Liu and Elizabeth Hsu)

Apple Daily: An improper comparison(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Political commentator Nan Fang Shuo has recently risked making an improper comparison by likening President Ma Ying-jeou to Chungchen, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty in ancient China. Nan Fang Shuo argues that the two leaders have several things in common: they are anxious to please everyone, lacking in guts, and too narcissistic.

In terms of both personality and behavior, Ma and Chungchen share no similarities, except that they are both narcissists.

Narcissism is everyone's problem, however, because it is the result of self-identification, and most successful leaders in history are extremely narcissistic.

Ma undoubtedly is a severe narcissist. The charisma and neat-freak tendencies deriving from his narcissism are exactly what have lifted him up to the presidential throne. Therefore, narcissism is a neutral trait, which can either lead someone to success or failure.

To make Ma's narcissism a target of criticism is not enlightening at all. Also, the eagerness to please everyone is a common problem shared by the presidents of democracies. It seems Ma does not lack guts, either. Does it not require guts to open Taiwan's doors to China? (By Y.F. Low)

Today in history(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

> Taipei, Jan. 2 (CNA) Today is Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010 or the 18th day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1492: The Spanish army captures Granada, the last Spanish Muslim stronghold, from the Moors, ending 700 years of Arab rule in Spain.

1727: James Wolfe, the British general who played a major part in fighting the French in Canada, is born.

1788: Georgia becomes the fourth state in the United States by ratifying the U.S. Constitution.

1882: John D. Rockefeller becomes the most powerful American outside the White House by gaining a stranglehold on the fast-growing oil industry.

1900: The first electric omnibus begins running in New York City.

1900: U.S. Secretary of State John Hay announces the U.S. open door policy on China.

1905: Russians surrender the Manchurian city of Lushun (Port Arthur) to the Japanese after the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War.

1913: Taiwan's first bus begins operating in Taipei City, running between the train station and Yuanshan.

1930: The Taiwan Civilian Party, which would remain active until the surrender of Japan at the end of Word War II, files a suit at the League of Nations in Geneva against Japanese rulers in Taiwan for the Japanese policy of allowing people to smoke opium.

1932: Japanese rulers install a puppet regime known as Manchukuo after capturing Chingchou, in China's Liaoning Province.

1942: Chinese expeditionary forces enter Burma.

1942: Japanese forces capture Manila as Gen. Douglas MacArthur starts evacuating Allied forces from the Philippines.

1942: Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek assumes command of the China Theater of War.

1943: German forces begin their withdrawal from the Caucasus.

1952: Pope Pius XII declares that television is a threat to family life.

1957: The Republic of China Air Force carries out the biggest airdrop since 1949 over the communist-held mainland, distributing food, medicine and propaganda almost to the outskirts of Beijing, 1,700 miles north of Taiwan.

1965: Under President Sukarno, Indonesia quits the United Nations.

1966: Taiwan's first meteorological radar station is inaugurated in Hualien, eastern Taiwan.

1969: A China Airlines C-47 domestic plane crashes south of Mount Tawu in Pingtung, killing 24 people.

1970: U.S. Vice President Spiro T. Agnew and his mission arrive in Taipei for a visit on behalf of President Richard M. Nixon. A member of his mission presents a lunar rock to President Chiang Kai-shek as a gift.

1980: U.S. President Jimmy Carter suggests that the Senate not ratify the SALT nuclear arms treaty with the USSR until the Soviets withdraw from Afghanistan.

1996: Kamal Ganzouri is appointed prime minister of Egypt, succeeding Atef Sedki, who had been prime minister for nine years.

1996: U.S. government dietary guidelines acknowledge for the first time that consuming some alcohol can be healthy.

2000: China Airlines, Taiwan's largest civil aviation company, wins the top award at an international float show held in Pasadena in suburban Los Angeles.

2001: The 4,700-ton Tai Ma, a passenger vessel carrying a 500-member delegation from the islands of Matsu, becomes the first ship to complete a legal direct voyage from Republic of China territory to mainland China in over five decades.

2001: The Emerging Stock Market (ESM), a place for the trade of those stocks unlisted on the Taiwan Stock Exchange or the over-the-counter market, becomes operational in Taiwan, with an inauguration ceremony presided over by Premier Chang Chun-hsiung.

2001: The Bank of Taiwan issues bills with a denomination of NT$200 for the first time in the history of Taiwan.

2002: The Emerging Stock Market (ESM) became operational in Taiwan.

Confucius' lesson of the day: "A wise man who leaves his moral character is no longer entitled to the name of a wise man. A wise man never for one single moment in his life loses sight of a moral life; in moments of haste and hurry, as in moments of danger and peril, he always clings to it."

Institutional investors optimistic about local stock prospects(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) Taiwan's benchmark stock index stands a chance of hitting the 10,000-point mark this year, given Taiwan's improved economic fundamentals and an anticipated capital infusion from China, market analysts predicted Friday.

They made the optimistic forecast after the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) bade farewell to a rough year in an upbeat mood Thursday, with its weighted index closing at its 2009 high of 8,188.11.

Although Taiwan's economy suffered a severe slump in 2009 as a result of the global financial downturn, the local bourse has rallied substantially since hitting the year's lowest level of 4,242.61 points Jan. 20

For the year, the index advanced 3,596.89 points or 78.34 percent, the largest one-year rally in 16 years, according to TWSE statistics.

Market analysts said the bullish trend is expected to continue in the first month of 2010 in terms of capital inflow and general economic performance.

They believe that quite a few Taiwanese companies found new niche markets following the global financial meltdown and have posted record earnings in 2009.

"Their remarkable gains are one of the major factors that have attracted the capital inflow that has helped fuel the recent stock market rally, " said Chang Tao-lang, a senior executive at Jih Sun Securities Investment Trust Co.

In December alone, Chang said, foreign institutional investors bought a net NT$80 billion in shares in anticipation of a continued robust rally on the local stock exchange.

Moreover, Chang said, Chinese qualified domestic institutional investors (QDIIs) are expected to pump at least NT$30 billion into the local stock market after the cross-Taiwan Strait memorandum of understanding (MOU) on financial supervisory cooperation takes effect Jan. 16.

"Investment from Chinese QDIIs will further contribute to market liquidity," Chang added.

David Chu, chairman of Huanan Investment Trust Corp., echoed Chang's optimism, saying the local bourse will remain strong in the first quarter of this year.

But he said the market's prospects for the second quarter will depend on whether domestic economic fundamentals can catch up with market expectations.

According to statistics compiled by KGI Securities Investment Trust Co., the local stock index has risen an average of 4.24 percent in January over the past 25 years, with the index rising 13 times and falling the 12 others.

In his New Year's Day speech, President Ma Ying-jeou reaffirmed his administration's commitment to work hard and promote investing in Taiwan to revamp the local economy following its year-long recession.

Declaring that "now is the time to invest in Taiwan," Ma said the government will invest about NT$328.5 billion in major infrastructure construction projects in the new year and private investment is expected to reach an estimated NT$1.72 trillion.

Ma's remarks are expected to further bolster the stock market prospects for the coming months, the analysts said. (By Han Ting Ting and Sofia Wu)

Taiwan FDA officially becomes operational(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which streamlines four bureaus under the Cabinet-level Department of Health (DOH) into one, became officially operational Friday.

The FDA integrates the functions of the Bureau of Food Sanitation, the Bureau of Pharmaceutical Affairs, the National Laboratories of Foods and Drugs, and the National Bureau of Controlled Drugs and will have a staff of 505 people.

Of the 505, around 100 will be newly recruited exclusively to perform food safety checks at points of entry into the country, in response to rising demand for inspectors as a result of closer exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.

The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs is currently responsible for the function and will continue to be so until 2011, when the 100-member food safety inspection team becomes operational, said Kang Jaw-jou, the FDA's first director-general.

Addressing an inaugural ceremony marking the launch of Taiwan's FDA, Premier Wu Den-yih said food and drug safety is of vital importance not only for individuals, but for a country's national confidence.

Wu urged Kang to lead the FDA based on principles of precision, speed and service to allow the people access to safe and clean food and drugs.

For his part, DOH Minister Yaung Chih-liang said that as Taiwan's drug management becomes more sophisticated, the government will have to crack down on false claims in pharmaceuticals and food supplement advertisements, including those broadcast on underground radio stations.

Also speaking at the event, ruling Kuomintang Legislator Hou Tsai-feng said the controversy over melamine-tainted dairy products from China in 2008 caused the then DOH Minister Lin Fang-yue to step down but also led the government to streamline the country's food and drug safety control agencies.

Meanwhile, some workers with the nonprofit DOH-authorized Center for Drug Evaluation, who were present at the inaugural ceremony, told the media on condition of anonymity that the center is facing an exodus of brainpower because specialists and workers there have not been listed as regular DOH staff and are being poached by private companies with higher pay.

The center, which originally was expected to be folded into the new FDA with the other four agencies, will still provide support in screening applications for new drugs before they are approved for sale.

(By Chen Ching-fang and Deborah Kuo)

Moderate quake hits eastern Taiwan(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

> Taipei, Jan. 2 (CNA) An undersea earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale struck eastern Taiwan early Saturday morning, according to the Seismological Center under the Central Weather Bureau.

No casualties or damage have been reported.

The quake, which occurred at 1: 34 a.m., was centered 23.4 km south of Hualien City at a depth of 32.1 km, seismologists said. (By Y.F. Low)

Taiwan headline news(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 2 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Saturday are as follows:

@The China Times:

President: 2010 a crucial year to revitalize Taiwan's economy

@The United Daily News:

NCC to fine Eastern Media International for unlawful hijacking of cable channel programs

@The Liberty Times:

Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Krugman warns that China's currency manipulation could endanger the world

@Central Daily News online:

President: ECFA can help Taiwan cope with threat of China-ASEAN free-trade area

@Economic Daily News:

Institutional investors strongly recommend 12 bullish stocks

@Commercial Times:

14 stocks to benefit from facility expansion by semiconductor, display panel, plastics and chemicals makers

@The China Post:

China-ASEAN FTA starts

@The Taiwan News:

Thousands of protesters demand democracy in Hong Kong

@The Taipei Times:

Ma promises better communication

All-male ballet troupe to perform for first time in Taiwan(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 2 (CNA) It is not the classic ballet performance "Swan Lake"; it is instead an unusual performance by a troupe of male dancers and it is certainly not meant to be taken too seriously.

New York-based Les Ballets Grandiva, currently the largest all-male comedy ballet troupe in the world, will be the first ballet to be performed in Taipei at the beginning of the New Year.

Formed in 1996, the troupe features male ballet dancers performing both male and female roles in classical and contemporary ballets. These dancers wear tutus and present ballet in a humorous way.

Brian Norris, the troupe's artistic director, emphasized when he came to Taipei in December that the group was not just about having male dancers playing female roles, but about developing theatrical characters and promoting the art of ballet.

And Novel Hall, the event organizer, promised audiences would be laughing all the way to the end of the show.

The group's performance has been praised by the New York Post as "artistically brilliant," and "absolutely hilarious."

But if you think their presentation is just a comical show, then you're missing the point.

The dancers have all received professional training from prestigious dance troupes such as The Bolshoi, The Kirov, New York City Ballet, American Ballet Company, The Royal Ballet in London, The Royal Swedish Ballet, and others.

During their first trip to Taiwan, the troupe will present the most famous scene of Swan Lake, " The Dying Swan" as well as George Balanchine's work "Tarantella".

The troupe will arrive in Taipei on Jan. 5 and will perform from Jan. 6-9 at the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall.

(By Sunnie Chen)

Enditem/cs

Flexible salaries might be introduced in academia(2010-01-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) Facing a brain drain and difficulty recruiting top research personnel, the academic sector is coming up with a possible solution -- adopting a flexible salary structure that encourages and rewards excellence.

The Ministry of Education has recently unveiled a plan to replace the existing flat salary structure for public university faculty with a flexible structure, with a formal announcement of the policy expected in July.

The proposal has won the support of Wong Chi-huey, president of Academia Sinica -- the country's top research institution.

Wong pointed out that the existing seniority-based compensation system adopted by the academic sector is similar to that of the civil service. However, this stable system provides only "false fairness, " because it does not reward research fellows who achieve excellence, he said.

Since 2002, a total of 27 research fellows have left Academia Sinica, 13 of whom were recruited by research institutions in the United States or Europe, and nine of whom were recruited by institutions in Hong Kong, according to Wong.

He said the new system will target mainly new staff, in the hope that personnel can be paid at a level that is competitive with academia elsewhere in the world.

He estimated that the new system will require an additional funding of NT$4 billion to NT$5 billion a year and he suggested that the government finance this extra spending by raising its annual budget for science expenditure. (By Lin Szu-yu and Y.F. Low)

Commercial Times: Tough challenges ahead(2010-01-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Editorial abstract (File 2 of a daily roundup)

Two figures indicate that Taiwan's economy remains mired in recession, with its economic fundamentals yet to take a turn for the better.

First, a record amount of idle capital is locked in bank vaults. At present, local banks have total deposits of NT$28.3 trillion, while total lending stands at NT$18.2 trillion, leaving NT$10.1 trillion in excess capital.

Local banks have been overloaded with money since 2007, when the amount of idle capital was NT$7.2 trillion. The amount surpassed NT$8.6 trillion in 2008 and the figure had surged past the NT$10 trillion mark by the end of 2009.

The figures indicate that Taiwan dos not lack money. What Taiwan lacks are investment willingness and opportunities. If the investment willingness remains low, chances for the local economy to take off in the new year will be slim, if not nil.

Another bleak sign is declining bank loans to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

When President Ma Ying-jeou assumed office in May 2008, he set a goal requiring local banks to increase NT$300 billion in loans to SMEs within 18 months. But by the end of December, local banks' total loans to SMEs had ironically decreased by an impressive NT$51.8 billion.

As SMEs form the bulk of Taiwan's economy, the government should be alarmed by the decrease in bank loans and should study whether the global financial meltdown in the past year has critically hurt local SMEs and whether they can get back on track this year.

The government should not harbor the illusion that China can come to Taiwan's relief economically this year because the anticipated benefits from a proposed cross-Taiwan Strait economic cooperation framework agreement will not materialize soon.

With this in mind, the government should take pragmatic action to address unemployment and revamp Taiwan's overall investment climate. Otherwise, the country's economic prospects will remain grim even by the end of 2010. (By Sofia Wu)

Today in history(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Institutional investors optimistic about local stock prospects(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taiwan FDA officially becomes operational(2010-01-02 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Today in history(2010-01-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) Today is Friday, Jan. 1, or the 17th day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

44BC: Julius Caesar, founder of the Roman Empire, introduces the Julian calendar.

1622: The papacy adopts Jan. 1 as the beginning of the new year, instead of March 25.

1814: Hung Siu-tsuen, Chinese leader of the Taiping rebellion, is born. He would proclaim himself emperor Jan. 1, 1851.

1863: U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation during the American Civil War, declaring the freedom of all slaves in the rebelling southern states.

1886: Britain annexes Upper Burma.

1901: The Commonwealth of Australia is established.

1912: The Republic of China is founded, with Dr. Sun Yat-sen as the first provisional president.

1912: The lunar calendar is officially replaced by the Gregorian calendar in China.

1916: Yuan Shih-kai, unmoved by the opposition of the Kuomintang, declares himself emperor and accepts congratulations from officials at the Hsinhua Palace in Beijing.

1923: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is proclaimed.

1927: The Nationalist government is established at Hankow in China.

1928: China's Nationalist government orders Chiang Kai-shek to continue the Northward Expedition.

1934: Republic of China government troops launch an all-out offensive against communist rebels in Fukien.

1942: A total of 26 nations, including the ROC, sign the "Joint Declaration of the United Nations" in Washington, D.C., affirming opposition to the Axis powers.

1947: The ROC government promulgates the ROC Constitution.

1949: ROC President Chiang Kai-shek, in a New Year's Day message to the nation, expresses his wish for a peaceful settlement to the nationalist-communist dispute.

1951: Taiwan's first man-made rain experiment is carried out at Sun-Moon Lake in Nantou County.

1951: Communist Chinese and North Korean forces break through U.N. lines at the 38th parallel dividing North and South Korea.

1966: U.S. Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey arrives in the ROC to confer with Chinese leaders.

1973: Dr. Edward Teller, known as "the father of the hydrogen bomb," arrives in Taipei for a three-day visit.

1978: The Yuanshan cantilever bridge on the North-South Freeway is opened to traffic.

1979: The United States and Communist China set up diplomatic ties, 30 years after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

1988: Registrations for new newspapers in Taiwan begin, and restrictions on the number of pages per issue are relaxed.

1994: Communist Chinese authorities annul the double-track exchange rate system for the renminbi and stop issuing foreign exchange notes.

1995: The southern common market, an economic union of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, is formally established.

1999: Member nations of the European Union adopt the euro as their common currency.

2000: Premier Vincent Siew announces that Taiwan has weathered any threats posed by Y2K and has successfully marched into the new millennium.

2001: Renowned Taiwan musician and composer Hsu Tsang-houei dies of illness at Taipei's Veterans General Hospital at the age of 72.

2002: Premier Chang Chun-hsiung issued a statement on Taiwan's Jan. 1 formal entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), hailing it as a historic event worthy of celebration.

2003: The Republic of China government reaffirmed its sovereignty claim over the disputed Taioyutai island group.

2004: President Chen Shui-bian urged mainland China to work hand-in-hand with Taiwan in pursuing true security and permanent peace.

Confucius' lesson of the day: "Riches and honors are objects of men's desire; but if I cannot have them without leaving the path of duty, I would not have them. Poverty and a low position in life are objects of men's dislike; but if I cannot leave them without departing from the path of duty, I would not leave them."

Taiwan headline news(2010-01-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Friday are as follows:

@The China Times:

14 Americans and Canadians killed in two terrorist bombings in Afghanistan

@The United Daily News:

Taiwan bourse wraps up 2009 in upbeat mood, with the weighted index closing at the year's highest level of 8,188 points

@The Liberty Times:

Fireworks spectacle illuminates Taiwan's night sky as revelers usher in 2010

@Central Daily News online:

Taiwan is not being 'Finlandized': President

@Economic Daily News:

2010 will be banner year for Taiwan stock market

@Commercial Times:

The daily price fluctuating limit on Taiwan stocks may be raised to 10 percent

@The China Post:

TAIEX in record rally

@The Taiwan News:

Hundreds of Filipinos injured in New Year revelry

@The Taipei Times:

Premier in U-turn on beef delegation

News digest of local media -- Stocks bullish(2010-01-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE) bade farewell to a turbulent 2009 in an upbeat mood, with its weighted index closing at the year's highest level of 8,188.11 points.

Although the global financial downturn hit hard in 2009, the local bourse has rallied substantially since hitting the year's lowest level of 4,242.61 points Jan. 20

Over the year, the TSE index advanced 3,596.89 points or 78.34 percent over the year-earlier level, for the largest rally of its kind in 16 years, according to official statistics.

The following is a digest of some local media reports on the issue:

United Daily News:

The TSE index, the local bourse's key barometer, ended at 8,188.11 points in the closing session of 2009, the year's highest level and a gain of 75.83 points from the previous session.

The market capitalization expanded nearly 80 percent over the year to reach NT$21 trillion, while the weighted index gained 3,596.89 points, the largest-ever rise recorded in 16 years.

Based on a stock trading population of about 3 million, each player made an average of NT$3.07 million during the year.

With foreign institutional investors continuing a buying binge Thursday and a steady stream of capital inflow, the local bourse is expected to continue a bullish run in January, many market analysts predicted optimistically. (Jan. 1, 2010)

China Times:

The TSE index surged 78.34 percent in 2009, marking the fourth- largest rally among Asian bourses after the Indonesia, India and Shanghai indexes.

Yu Ruei-ming, an executive with Prudential Financial Securities Investment Trust, said the TSE ranked among the world's top 10 in terms of its index rise for 2009.

"The rally is expected to continue in the first quarter of this year as trading volume expanded in the market's closing session, " Yu said, adding that the TSE index will move toward 8,300 points to 8,400 points in the coming months. (Jan. 1, 2010)

Economic Daily News:

Three local stock market analysts unanimously forecast Thursday that the local stock exchange will remain robust in 2010, with the index hitting a high of 8,800 points to 9,000 points in the fourth quarter.

Hu Li-yang, Tung Cheng-kang and Lin Lung-hsuan also predicted that small blue-chip stocks, companies using environmentally friendly or energy efficient technologies and industries set to benefit from a proposed cross-Taiwan Strait economic cooperation framework agreement will post substantial gains this year. (Jan. 1, 2010)

Commercial Times:

Taiwan Stock Exchange Corp. (TWSE) plans to raise the daily price fluctuation limit of stocks from the current 7 percent to 10 percent in response to the expectations of many foreign institutional investors, TWSE Chairman Schive Chi said Thursday.

The company has recently conducted a survey among investors at home and abroad and the feedback indicates that many institutional investors expect a relaxation of the price fluctuation limits, Schive said, adding that expanding the daily limit will facilitate interaction between local and international bourses. (Jan. 1, 2010) (By Sofia Wu)

President attends New Year flag-raising ceremony(2010-01-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou joined the public in a flag-raising ceremony held early Friday in front of the Presidential Office to mark the beginning of 2010.

Wearing a scarf designed in a pattern of the Republic of China national flag, Ma waved to the crowd upon his arrival.

Led by a choir of the Taipei Jingmei Girls High School, the president sang the national anthem as he watched the national flag slowly being raised.

Also participating in the event were Vice President Vincent Siew, Premier Wu Den-yih, Vice Premier Eric Liluan Chu, Control Yuan President Wang Chien-shien, Minister of National Defense Kao Hua-chu, opposition New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin and Taipei Magistrate Chou Hsi-wei, all of whom also wore national flag scarves.

A total of 5,000 of the scarves were prepared by the ceremony's main organizer -- the China Youth Career Development Association Headquarters (CYCDA) -- as souvenirs for the participants. They proved highly popular, with all of them snatched up within minutes of distribution amid scuffles and confrontations.

The ugly scenes prompted CYCDA Secretary-General Huang Chih-hung to call a news conference to apologize to the public later that day.

Huang said the CYCDA had not expected that this year's ceremony would draw nearly 40,000 people -- almost double that of last year.

While the CYCDA had originally planned to give away 9,999 scarves, only 5,000 were available because the supplier was hit by a production line breakdown, he said.

As an alternative, a total of 7,000 scarf coupons were distributed to some of the participants to allow them to pick up the souvenirs at the CYCDA office, according to Huang. (By Garfie Li, Lin Shu-yuan and Y.F. Low)

China Times: New Year wishes(2010-01-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Editorial abstract (File 1 of a daily roundup)

Five years ago, Taiwan's two major political camps entered their worst-ever standoff.

At the time, a group of people fed up with the endless partisan sparring decided to blaze a 1,000-km round-the-island walking trail that future generations will be able to follow to show their love for their homeland.

Almost at the same time, another group of people braved various difficulties to stage theatrical performances in remote townships in an effort to help narrow the widening gap between urban and rural areas in terms of children's access to the arts and cultural activities.

Even though their altruistic endeavors have yet to alleviate the blue-green confrontation, they have inspired an increasing number of people to adopt different attitudes toward life and work.

Over the past year, this newspaper has run a special section titled "My Small Revolution" to introduce those who have quietly experimented new lifestyles with new spirit and new vision.

Taiwan is actually an extraordinarily promising place where one can find a good way out at every turn of life.

In the new year, this paper will launch an even more ambitious drive, mobilizing all of our reporters to portray the evolution of various aspects of the daily life of the man in the street over the past century. Such developments are legacies of our forebears and common memories of our future generations. The campaign represents our best wishes for the New Year. (By Sofia Wu)

Iconic makers race for better position in green energy(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

While AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) was still talking with E-Ton Solar Tech Co., Ltd. over collaboration on solar-module manufacturing, United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) has decided to invest around US$300 million in eight green-energy projects in China.

E-Ton president Allen Guo recently confirmed that his company had delivered solar cell samples to AUO, Taiwan's No.1 liquid-crystal display (LCD) maker, for verification and expects his company will likely begin supplying AUO such cells for its solar modules some time next year if all goes smoothly.

Industry executives pointed out that any cooperation on solar-product manufacturing would come as no surprise since AUO is a shareholder in M.Setek of Japan, a major supplier of crystalline wafers to cell maker E-Ton.

Sanguine about the future of China's solar-energy market, AUO has also decided to invest US$8 million in a green-energy venture in there to offer solar-energy system designs and engineering services.

UMC, the world's No.2 silicon foundry player, has decided to invest around US$300 million in eight LED and solar-energy ventures in Shandong Province in China and open a US$800,000 R&D facility in the province to develop LED epitaxy wafers and chips.

Taiwanese chip assemblers poised to open high-end shops in mainland China(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taiwan's chip packaging and testing houses have raised sufficient capital to go in line with an expected government's decision to lift bans on their investments in high-end and middle-range factories in mainland China.

The Taiwanese manufacturers have been permitted since 2006 to open low-end factories in mainland China. Now they are eager to open high-end and middle-range factories in the mainland to test and package 65-nm and 90-nm chips for customers since low-end technologies can hardly meet customers` needs

The ban has hampered Taiwanese manufacturers from receiving contracts from integrated device manufacturers (IDMs), which have increased outsourcing contracts since the outbreak of the financial crisis to cut costs.

The IDMs have inspired Taiwan's manufacturers to open high-end and middle-range factories in the mainland to offer contract production service to them. In light of the trend, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, after holding talks with local manufacturers, is intending to lift the ban in early 2010.

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc. (ASE), Taiwan's No.1 packaging and testing house, has announced its plan to expand market share in the mainland by taking various approaches including acquiring packaging and testing assets that IDMs are peddling and entering into alliance with IDMs. In the mainland, ASE is running outlets in Shanghai, Suzhou, Wehai, and Kunshan.

Chipbond Technology Corp. will increase its stake in a joint venture in Suzhou to 100% as soon as the government lifts the ban, and then will boost the venture`s capacity The joint venture packages and tests LCD drive ICs.

Powertech Technology Inc. has taken over a factory in Suzhou from Spansion to do testing and packaging on MCP (polymide) chips. It plans to add logic-chip and memory-chip productions to the line once the investment ban is lifted.

Simplo, Dynapack expect promising future in 2010(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

With new orders from PC brands, Taiwan's top two battery pack makers-Simplo Technology Co., Ltd. and Dynapack International Technology Corp.-are expecting a promising future in 2010.

Simploy has recently landed new orders for notebook PC batteries from Japan's Toshiba and Sony and will start delivery in the first quarter and third quarter of next year, respectively. In the meantime, Dynapack is also reportedly going to ship notebook PC batteries to Samsung in the first quarter of 2010.

Tapping Taiwanese battery makers' excellent production efficiency, Toshiba and Samsung have increasingly outsourced battery modules for notebook PCs to the aforementioned two suppliers this year as a strategic move to boost shipments and market shares globally, according to institutional investors.

Simplo and Dynapack are also expected to benefit from launch of Apple's table PC in January 2010, as the product will adopt high-end lithium-ion polymer batteries for its slim, lightweight body instead of traditional notebook PC batteries, and single-quarter sales of the product are estimated to hit 1.5 million units. Furthermore, with concerns about development of electric cars continuing growing worldwide, the two firms, both of whom have been focused on related battery modules for the green vehicles, will also likely carve out niches in the emerging segment next year.

Today in history(2010-01-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

President Ma's New Year's Day Message(2010-01-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) Presdient Ma Ying-jeou said Friday in his New Year's Day Message that the government will work hard in the new year to improve its shortcomings and lead the country to a brighter future.

The following is the full text of President Ma's New Year's Day message, titled "Through Reform and Hard Work, Taiwan Will Rise Again":

Vice President Siew, Presidents of the Five Yuans, Ministers, Distinguished Guests, Fellow Countrymen:

Happy New Year!

Today we begin the 99th year of the Republic of China. Over the past year, we have experienced the impacts of a financial tsunami- the economy saw a deep recession and the unemployment rate climbed steeply. We also suffered the effects of the August 8 Flood in which many precious lives and a great deal of property were lost. Nevertheless, through the cooperation and hard work of the central and local governments and the people, we have overcome this myriad of difficulties. At present, Taiwan's economy is on its way to recovery, and reconstruction of disaster areas is also well under way. There certainly have been shortcomings in the government's work this past year, resulting in complaints. To improve, we have already engaged in a thorough review process and will work hard in the new year. I. Taking advantage of economic recovery and promoting major

investments

A little over a month ago, we were pleased to see that the economic monitoring indicator turned green, and last week it further turned to yellow/red. Export orders have gradually returned to their normal levels; the number of employees on involuntary unpaid leave in Hsinchu Science Park, Central Taiwan Science Park and Southern Taiwan Science Park declined from a peak of over 132,000 people last January to less than 1,000 at the end of 2009; the unemployment rate has fallen for two consecutive months; and the economic growth rate this year is expected to reach 4.39 percent.

This year will be crucial for the recovery of Taiwan's economy. To maintain steady economic growth, domestically we must be proactive. We have to improve the economic system, encourage more far-reaching industrial innovation, diversify the industrial structure, spur an upgrading of traditional industries, and increase the added value of the service industry. Internationally, we must grasp hold of current trends in the global economy, participate in the regional economic integration of East Asia, and explore and develop new markets.

However, in the course of promoting economic growth, we also need to monitor the distribution of wealth, increase employment opportunities, and help the disadvantaged in society. I understand that currently in some counties and cities, small and medium-sized businesses that rely on domestic sales, as well as certain shops and restaurants, have yet to see a recovery and are still struggling. Therefore, although the number of unemployed has fallen, it still is higher than in previous years. To relieve the burden of unemployment, the government has decided to continue to implement various measures to boost employment this year. It is estimated that over 100,000 jobs can be created, and college graduates who have just entered the job market will also benefit.

This year, the government plans to invest around NT$328.5 billion in major public works projects. Such projects include the construction of the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Access MRT System, the widening of the Wugu to Yangmei section of the Sun Yat-sen Freeway, the Taichung Metropolitan Area Railway Elevation Project, the electrification and double-tracking project for Taiwan Railways' Hualien-Taitung Line, and the construction of the Kaohsiung underground railway. The fourth expansion phase at Central Taiwan Science Park-the Erlin Science Park-began last week, and will create over 12,000 job opportunities in the next five years. Private-sector investment is estimated to reach NT$1,718.8 billion this year. If the Industrial Innovation Act is passed and promulgated as planned, I believe that this will attract more private investment, create more jobs and deliver a powerful boost to Taiwan's economic growth.

We are aware that in the past, investment was insufficient owing to cross-strait tensions, unclear policies and government inefficiency. But circumstances have changed of late. The cross-strait situation has stabilized, and economic cooperation between the two sides has expanded. Moreover, the government is determined to speed the pace of efforts to ease existing restrictions and create a positive investment environment, thereby removing barriers present in regulations, procedures, taxation, transportation and the living environment. We will also bring Taiwan's strengths into full play by promoting six emerging industries. The tourism industry, for example, is expected to kick-start the job market, and the renewable energy industry will help reduce carbon emissions and energy use.

My administration has been promoting a government-restructuring bill to improve administrative efficiency and has approved the formation of more special municipalities to help local governments stay competitive. These systemic changes at different levels of government were pursued not for the sake of winning the next election, but for the welfare of the next generation. We firmly believe that if we set up an open, business-friendly environment, Taiwan will be able to exert the full potential of its key position in the East Asian economy. Here, I would like to advertise to the world that now is the time to invest in Taiwan!

II. Adjusting our global deployment strategy in response to ASEAN Plus One

My fellow citizens, as the world economy rebounds from rock bottom this year, international competition will grow more intense. Taiwan needs to be alert to such changes and adjust its global deployment strategy accordingly. Starting this year, as the free trade zone involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and mainland China has come into effect, affected goods and services from the ten ASEAN member states can enter mainland China tariff-free. However, Taiwan's competing exports to the mainland are still subject to high import taxes, thus placing us at a disadvantage. We cannot simply sit by and watch this happen.

This is why the government is pushing to sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with mainland China. We hope to see an "early harvest" list of items eligible for lower tariffs included in the ECFA to help us maintain our export competitiveness, avoid being marginalized in our export markets, attract new foreign investment, stimulate Taiwan's economic growth and boost employment. And, concerning the industries and workers most likely to be harmed by the signing of the ECFA, we will draw up relief measures to invest NT$95 billion (US$2.85 billion) over the next 10 years into providing needed guidance and assistance. At the same time, we must stand firm in not allowing the import of more agricultural items from mainland China, and in forbidding mainland Chinese laborers to work in Taiwan.

The trend toward economic integration in Asia is clearly evident, and proceeding at a rapid pace. Regional trade accounts for over 50 percent of Asian nations' total trade, and now outweighs trade with markets outside the region. There were only three free trade agreements (FTA) between nations in the region in 2000, a figure which grew about 19-fold to 58 in 2009. North Korea and Taiwan are the only nations that have not participated in the integration process. Facing such a situation, Taiwan must not be marginalized, but make the most of opportunities presented by regional cooperation to expand our market presence. With the ECFA as our starting point, we will fight for a fair international environment to ensure that our enterprises are able to compete on equitable terms. In addition, we will actively pursue FTAs with our other major trading partners. Only through such linkages can we accelerate our involvement in East Asian regional economic integration and remain competitive.

III. Giving due attention to climate change, taking action to reduce carbon emissions and energy use

Global climate change is another challenge that Taiwan must face. The issue of reducing carbon dioxide emissions was given unprecedented attention at the recent climate change conference in Copenhagen. As a member of the global village, we welcome this development. We have set the reduction of CO2 emissions as a key national development goal. When running for president two years ago, I advocated that Taiwan's CO2 emissions be kept at the level of 2008 between 2016 and 2020, that they be reduced to the level of 2000 by 2025, and that they be cut to half the level of 2000 in 2050. This has now become government policy.

Saving energy and cutting CO2 emissions are part of a movement that stands to benefit everyone; they are elements of a better lifestyle. We should all incorporate them into our daily lives. We have already seen the results of the measure the government implemented to give discounts to those who reduce their electricity use. From the program's inception in July 2008 to the end of December 2009, we saved a total of roughly 6.3 terawatt-hours of electricity, equivalent to two years' worth of household electricity consumption by the 1.87 million residents of Tainan City and Tainan County. As a result, 4. 04 million fewer metric tons of CO2 were released into the atmosphere, an amount equal to what would be absorbed in the course of a full year by 10,919 of Taipei City's 26-hectare Da-an Forest Park. In 2008, Taiwan's CO2 emissions fell by 4.4 percent over the previous year, dropping to the level of 2005. In that same year, energy use per NT$1,000 of GDP fell by 3.6 percent year-on-year, meaning that energy-use efficiency has been raised, reversing a persistent trend that had existed prior to my taking office in 2008.

Although these achievements are but a small step toward our goal, the message they send is encouraging: As long as we work hard, we can all make a contribution to the environment and to the future of all humanity. The government will set up incentive programs, including plans for carbon trading and tax measures, and will help enterprises retool their facilities so as to reduce CO2 emissions. Further, the government will throw its weight behind "green" industries to turn Taiwan into a major producer of energy technologies while creating more job opportunities and enhancing our global competitiveness.

Global climate change has already had a detrimental effect on Taiwan. In August 2009, southern Taiwan was devastated by the August 8Flood. This year, the south is facing a severe drought. We must thoroughly review our development and use of water resources. The government has already enacted contingency measures to alleviate the drought. However, conserving water cannot merely be a slogan, it must become a comprehensive, nationwide movement that involves all the people so that we can get through this period of water shortage.

IV. Working on a climate of peace and strengthening cross-strait contact

My fellow citizens, the people of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are all of Chinese ethnicity. We share a common heritage, language, history and culture. But the two sides have been separately governed for 60 years now. In that time, each side has operated under different political, economic and social systems. As our ways of life and experiences are vastly different, we require a certain period of time in which to connect and gain a better understanding of each other. At present, making political choices hastily, whether they be for immediate unification or immediate independence, would cause serious confrontation and tumult. No one would be the better-off, and neighboring nations would all be affected.

And so, for cross-strait relations, I have always called for adherence to the principle of "no unification, no independence and no use of force" under the framework of the ROC Constitution, and have sought to promote cross-strait interaction and cooperation within the parameters of the 1992 Consensus. This is not passively maintaining the status quo, but rather an active attempt to gain enough time in which to allow for the peaceful development of the cross-strait relationship. This will help the people of Taiwan and mainland China better understand one another and eliminate prejudices through greater communication and cooperation in the areas of trade and culture. With Chinese culture as the foundation, we can seek pragmatic and feasible solutions to cross-strait disputes.

My fellow citizens, since I took office in 2008, the government has resumed cross-strait talks, insisting all the while on parity and dignity. The ROC is a sovereign, independent nation, and Taiwan long ago became a democracy in which sovereignty lies in the hands of the people. We should have full confidence that Taiwan's future is, as a matter of course, in the hands of its 23 million people. Precisely because the Republic of China is a democratic country, cross-strait policy must be subject to both supervision by the Legislature and to public opinion. As to cross-strait agreements that concern the people's welfare, the government must be responsive to public opinion and increase communication with opposition parties and the people to seek out consensus and gain support.

During the fourth round of talks held 10 days ago between Chiang Pin- kung, head of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation, and Chen Yunlin, head of mainland China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, the two sides signed three agreements. Along with the nine agreements signed previously, altogether 12 agreements have been signed over the past 19 months. These agreements have yielded considerable results, for they cover regular direct cross-strait flights; direct postal services; allowing mainland Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan; financial cooperation; food safety; cooperation on fishing crew affairs; product testing and certification; inspection and quarantine of agricultural products; and joint crime-fighting and judicial cooperation. Each agreement enhances and safeguards the rights and interests of Taiwan's people and has nothing to do with sovereignty.

During each of the four rounds of talks, the government has always held to the principle of "putting Taiwan first for the benefit of the people." The government will not do anything that is unfavorable to the people or will impair their ability to decide their own affairs. Additionally, the government has made the issues transparent and the content of the agreements public, and the process has been supervised by the Legislature. Numerous public opinion polls have shown that these agreements have the support of over half of the people. Over the past 19 months, steady progress has been made in cross-strait relations.

The mending of the cross-strait relationship has won the affirmation of the international community, thus restoring other nations' confidence in us and opening the door to closer and friendlier ties. On the international scene, Taiwan now symbolizes not only freedom, democracy and prosperity, but also peace. In the past, many countries stayed away from Taiwan, greatly apprehensive of getting caught up in cross-strait quarrels. Now that the cross-strait relationship has entered into a period of rapprochement, these countries have begun to discuss with us visa-free arrangements and agreements on the avoidance of double taxation. Today, more nations are supportive of Taiwan's participation in international organizations and related activities.

All of this has proceeded from cross-strait detente. However, this government will not indulge in wishful thinking by having the development of cross-strait ties determine our external relations. We will adopt a principle of seeking a proper balance between the two, so that cross-strait ties and foreign relations are mutually complementary and progress together, with neither subordinated to the other. Indeed, if Taiwan can get more international space, it will make us more willing and give us the courage to continue strengthening the cross-strait relationship, thereby creating a virtuous circle between the two sides. V. Pursuing progress and values and promoting reform among the entire

populace

While Taiwan may not be large in size compared with other advanced nations, it has nevertheless created twin economic and political miracles over the past 60 years. Taiwan's democracy and way of life are the sources of its creativity and vitality, and this is something of which the Chinese-speaking world can be proud. Just over a month ago, our young inventors made quite a sensation at the iENA Inventors' Trade Show in Nuremberg, Germany, securing a group championship with 26 gold, 26 silver and 15 bronze medals, and setting the finest record of recent years. Our fashion designers Jason Wu and Johan Ku have also made a splash on the international stage.

The spread of the A(H1N1) influenza around the globe has created aserious shortage of vaccines, but Taiwan has been able to produce 10 million doses of its own vaccine. At present, 5.2 million people in Taiwan-or nearly 22 percent of the population-have already been vaccinated. This puts Taiwan in the front ranks globally and has ameliorated public anxiety while contributing greatly to preventing an epidemic. It has also reduced the number of cases and cut the number of classes cancelled due to outbreaks of the virus from four figures to two. In the meantime, our government has purchased 500,000 doses of the Taiwan-manufactured vaccine, and will donate them to the World Health Organization once the peak influenza period has passed and the epidemic has been brought under control. In this way, we hope both to help people in other countries and to make the international community more aware of the positive value that Taiwan brings to the world.

Mainland China has arisen with lightning speed in recent years and is growing in influence day by day. However, it still lags behind Taiwan in such areas as democratic government, human rights guarantees, legal standards, innovative design and quality of life. We in Taiwan, therefore, should believe in ourselves and be fully confident about our values and institutions. In the process of working on a friendly relationship with mainland China, we should be glad to share our values and experiences. Freedom and democracy are the spiritual hallmarks of the people of Taiwan, and we have every reason to be proud of that fact.

Taiwan must continue to move forward. Reform cannot be centered on mere comparisons with our past; it must be future-oriented and forward-looking. Change for the better not only proves that we have progressed beyond the past; it also demonstrates that we can develop anew vision to fulfill the hopes and expectations of the people, as we march together into the future.

Divisions over independence versus unification, ethnic clashes and partisan wrangling are perennial issues that have shaped debate in Taiwan for decades. Despite changes in the environment and public fatigue with such controversy, the old divisions persist as before. However, if our discourse remains stuck in the past, reform and progress will surely be constrained.

Recently, a group of journalists published the book "Small Revolutions, " which recounts 24 stories from all over Taiwan. Each story stands as evidence that there is a group of people in Taiwan who believe in themselves. Indeed, they show a stubborn, never-say-die persistence that is most inspiring. In a variety of areas, they have broken through the bonds of traditional thinking and realized their dreams in hopes of transforming society for the better.

The book introduces the "PunCar" group, which drives around rural areas to help reduce the urban-rural digital divide. The reader also learns about fair-trade-coffee importers Hsu Wen-yen and Yu Wan-ru, who have stood up against exploitation in hopes of helping poor, marginalized farmers in developing nations. The story of Chen Meng- jin, who runs a farm that provides a home for mentally handicapped children, is also included, as is that of a group of young people who delivered meals to elderly people following the September 21, 1999 earthquake. This same group also set up community kitchens in Lugu, Longyanlin and Heping. Also written of is Ou Ji-fu, who leads a simple life in coastal Hualien.

The hard work of these people did not initially attract much attention, recognition or support-failure was even possible-but each of these stories radiates with idealism, passion, persistence, care for one's local community, courage to change and courage to innovate. These are the values Taiwan needs most at present.

I believe that there are not just 24 "revolutions" happening in Taiwan, but thousands upon thousands. The people involved in them are sacrificing quietly but are courageously realizing their ambitions, helping Taiwan to progress in many areas. The government' s responsibility is to create an open environment, encourage attempts and changes that foster progress, give everyone the chance to realize his or her dream and let these dreams become the force that shapes the new face of Taiwan.

Reform requires the ruling and opposition parties to work together. We hope that they can engage in dialogue on key policies soon so as to increase mutual trust and create consensus. Society is inevitably moving forward; political parties must not remain stuck in the past, living in mutual suspicion and fighting one another. There are so many issues on which the parties can work together to promote Taiwan's progress and prosperity. This is our hope in this new year, and even more so, it is the expectation of the people.

VI. Working together to bring back prosperity

My fellow citizens, 2010 will be a key year for rebuilding Taiwan's economy. This year, we will also implement a variety of reforms. I believe that as long as we are passionate, work together and spare no effort, we can certainly overcome any number of difficulties, leave this challenging period behind and ring in a time of unparalleled competitiveness.

Let us be bold and forceful as we work to reach our goals. In confidence, let us welcome the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China!

Happy New Year, everyone! Thank you all very much.

Feng Chia Universty's intelligent classroom takes roll and saves energy(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Feng Chia University has teamed up with the Ministry of Economic Affairs' "Production Technology Development Promotion Plan" to establish an intelligent classroom, where a wireless intelligent recognition system is able to read labeled nameplates carried by students, letting their presence, including pictures and names, appear in real time on the computer used by the teacher during class. The system's rapid and accurate attendance-taking has actually saved time and effort for the teacher.

The school says that since it usually takes 10 minutes or more for its teachers to manage roll calls in teaching the school's many large classrooms, the new system was first tested in such rooms with an installation cost of about NT$100,000. Whether or not to expand the scope of implementation depends on the outcome of the trial.

The system went into use on the 29th in a classroom designed to hold over 100 students. It took less than five minutes from the time the students entered the room to the moment roll call was complete, with most students showing up practically immediately in the system, impressing many.

The university has also linked the system to some energy-saving functions. When the use schedule indicates that there is a class in the room, the teacher uses a bookmark sensor to turn on the electricity for the room. An automatic test process within the system then monitors the room temperature to turn on the air conditioning when preset conditions are met. When the schedule indicates no class is to meet in the room, the electricity is automatically turned off.

The school also says that the system can be operated manually, so that changes to the normal routine can be easily accommodated. The design, besides being able to save energy and reduce the school's carbon footprint, should also save about NT$4,600 a month in power bills for a single classroom.

(The Chinese-language version of this article was published on December 30, 2009.)

Poll shows 70 percent approval for cross-strait talks(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Nearly 70 percent of respondents to a recent poll expressed approval of institutional cross-strait negotiations, saying they are helpful to forging peace and stability between Taiwan and China.

The survey, conducted by the poll center of the Taipei Municipal University of Education and commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council, found that 65 percent of respondents agreed that the establishment of communication channels between government agencies will help solve problems resulting from increased cross-strait exchanges.

On a proposed agreement on the avoidance of double taxation that was not signed as scheduled in the latest round of cross-strait talks that concluded last week, 58 percent of those polled said they supported the government's decision to postpone the signing of the pact.

With regard to the agenda for the next round of talks — scheduled for the first half of next year in China — 73 percent of those surveyed said the issue of intellectual property rights protection should be included, while 55 percent said they favored discussion on the proposed cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA).

The survey also found that after the latest talks, there was no apparent change in the percentage of people who categorically support either Taiwan's unification with or independence from China.

Those who were broadly classified as supportive of maintaining the "status quo" — including those who favor maintaining the status quo forever and those who would prefer maintaining the status quo now and then moving toward either unification or independence — accounted for 88 percent of respondents, with those who support the "status quo" forever increasing slightly to 30 percent.

The percentage of those who are broadly classified as favoring unification — including the "status quo" and then unification — and those broadly classified as favoring independence — including the "status quo" and then independence — remained unchanged at 10 percent and 20 percent respectively, the survey found.

The survey, conducted between Friday and Sunday with 1,092 valid samples collected, has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

Woman pays back 'big' for beverages she stole decades ago(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

At a little after 10 a.m. on Christmas Day, a curvaceous woman going under the pseudonym "Yu Guo" walked into the famous Daxin Double Happiness Cookies store in Hsinchu County's Zhubei City, placing a letter on the table before she left. The storeowner, Zhuang Shi-rong, first thought that the woman was just thanking them for providing cookies for some occasion. He was then shocked to discover NT$6,000 inside the envelope.

Included was a letter expressing how the woman wanted to apologize to the storeowner, saying that, over 20 years ago, she took several small containers of a yogurt drink from a small refrigerator placed outside the store without paying for them. The girl wrote: "I am truly very sorry for what I did. I ask that you forgive a young girl who did not understand the meaning of her actions. The money I am enclosing is compensation for your losses then. I respectfully ask that you accept it."

Zhuang says that the couple bottles of the yogurt drink were not worth much, adding that he had no idea of the theft at the time, and even if he had been aware of it, he would not have cared. Now seeing what the woman has done, Zhuang says that he deeply admires how she eventually owned up to her mistakes and bravely tried to set things straight. He stresses that the character the girl exhibited from her decision is something that money cannot buy.

Zhuang's wife, Huang Yu-ying, says that a small container of the Yakult yogurt drink the girl stole then cost only NT$4. "Even if she wanted to pay us back for what she took, the amount is really not that much!" Huang speculates that at the time, the girl probably lived in the area and likely was a student at Zhuren Elementary School.

Feeling that they could not accept the money, the couple decided to write out a flyer reading "A Christmas surprises. We've met an angel!" They rode their motorcycles through the streets and alleys of Zhubei to distribute the flyer, hoping that they would be able to find the woman and return the money to her.

"Let bygones be bygones," Zhuang says, adding that he understands the woman's intentions and is happy about her doing so, but he cannot accept the money. The 63–year-old Zhuang is a member of the Huaxing Lion's Club as well as the head of the Zhubei civil defense unit. He says that he has experienced much through his participation in these two social groups. He hopes that "Yu Guo" will come forward to reclaim the money. Either way, the members of the two groups are willing to double the money through donations, bringing the sum to NT$12,000, and donate the funds in Yu Guo's name to charitable organizations.

(The Chinese-language version of this article was published on December 30, 2009.)

The kingdom of orchids: Taiwan(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Walking on the streets of Europe, the romantic air may give you an urge to have a bunch of flowers in hand. Chances are that if you walk into a flower shop and buy a bouquet of orchids, they will have been imported from Taiwan.
In Taiwan, annual production of Taiwan Phalaenopsis sp. amounts to NT$3 billion to 4 billion (US$100-130 million), with most of the output exported to Japan, the U.S., China and Europe.

Located in the subtropics and surrounded by warm waters, Taiwan is an ideal place to grow many different kinds of flowers, especially orchids, and has earned the nickname of the "kingdom of orchids."

Phalaenopsis is the most popular of all orchid species. The flower's name means "looking like a butterfly," as its scientific name implies: in Greek, Phalaen- means "butterfly," and opsis means "looking like." Due to its lovely shape and colors, the Taiwanese have a special fondness for this butterfly-like flower, calling it the queen of orchids.

In Taiwan, there are two native species of Phalaenopsis-Phalaenopsis amabilis var. formosana and Phalaenopsis equestris Schauer Rchb.F. Adapted to temperatures between 18 and 25 degrees Celsius, they are frequently found in mountainous areas below 800 meters in altitude in the early days.

The former species won the championship at the International National Orchid Show in 1952 and 1953. It is distinguished by its white blossoms and is originated in Dawu, Lanyu and Hengchun, Pingtung.

The latter species originated on Little Lanyu Island and has small pink buds around 3cm in diameter. Its flowering season is between April and May each year. Neither species is easily found in the wild now due to changes in the forest habitat, environmental destruction and over-exploitation in recent years.

Such destruction has put Taiwan's native species on the brink of extinction, and currently they can only be found in profit-making or experimental units. To tackle such problems, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), aka the Washington Convention, was signed in 1973 to regulate international wildlife and plant trade, taking effect in July 1975.

These days the flower industry has developed into a leading agricultural sector in Taiwan as people start to pay more attention to environmental beautification. And in order to adapt to increasingly dense human communities, a new method of growing and display called vertical gardening has emerged.

Greenery decoration in urban areas can help economize on space if planted in a vertical direction. Renowned French botanist Patrick Blanc is famed for such innovation and has recently created two green walls in the National Theater in Taipei.

Dedicated on December 11, Blanc's brainchild "Orchid Waltz" is a perfect symbol of Taiwan's orchid industry.

"'Orchid Waltz' is made up of two separate green walls: one displays Taiwan's native species, and the other demonstrates Taiwan's technological advances," said Blanc.

The green wall called "The Butterfly Dance" features 46 hybrid species of orchids for a total of 250 plants, along with 2,000 Adiantums. The other wall, titled "The Wild Dance," utilizes 25 species of Taiwan native orchids for around 230 plants and nine other kinds of foliage plants, a total of 2,900.

The plants grow in small pockets of felt-like plastic and are irrigated through a system of plastic pipes that distribute a nutrient solution.

"Mr. Blanc treats plants like human beings. I was moved to see him create a conversation between humans and plants," noted National Theater Concert Hall (NTCH) Chairperson Tchen Yu-chiou. Tchen was the driving force behind the international cooperation project that brought Mr. Blanc to Taiwan.

"Orchid Waltz" is another step in Tchen's ongoing quest to make art a part of daily life. Asked how the idea emerged, she responded that when she participated in the opening ceremony of the Musee du Quai Branly in France, she was captivated by Patrick Blanc's work.

Musee du Quai Branly features indigenous art, cultures and civilization.

Blanc covered part of the museum's exterior surface with aquariums, filled with the most original plants in the world. "He echoed the original connection between plants and humankind," said Tchen.

The idea of setting up such green walls at NTCH struck Tchen, and she invited Blanc to design "Green Symphony" for the National Concert Hall in October 2007.

"The plants grow very well and we often receive compliments from the general public," she says, "so I decided to invite Mr. Blanc to design another green wall for the National Theater."

"A vertical garden for me is a kind of artistic expression," said the 56-year-old Blanc. Asked whether he ever grew tired of continual projects dealing with plants, he answered firmly, "Never, every commission is a new challenge for me and I will never grow tired of it."

Patrick Blanc was born in Paris in 1953. As a child he was obsessed with aquariums and has dedicated his life to plant study. "Plants are like people, they're living things," he said.

That is pretty much the way Taiwan's flora industry has developed. The industry's history can be divided into three phases. Prior to the 1970s the area planted in flowers totaled only 234 hectares and overall annual market value was around NT$53 million.

The first institute for flower promotion and propagation, the Taiwan Flower Development Association, was founded in 1972. By 1978 flower planted areas had grown to 1,200 hectares and the market value had soared to NT$400 million.

In the second extended phase, the Taiwan Flower Export Industry Association was set up in 1981. TFEIA serves as a consulting unit for flower exporters. With its establishment, Taiwan's domestic flower industry can now receive first-hand market information.

In 1993 the Taipei Flower Auction Co., Ltd., built Taiwan's first floral bouquet exhibition room, turning over a new leaf in the bouquet trading history of Taiwan. In January 1995 the Taichung Flower Wholesale Market was founded, commencing an age of heightened competition in the flower wholesale market.

Taiwan's flower industry has thrived with the passage of time, and in 1999, the domestic flower planted area had expanded to 10,848 hectares.

In March 1994, Taiwan hosted the 8th Asia Pacific Orchid Exhibition, a show which set a record with more than 150,000 visitors in ten days. The following year Taiwan participated in the Dubai Flower Trade Show, marking the debut of Taiwan's floral industry in the Middle Eastern market.

Numerous floral and garden expositions have been held around the world in the second half of the 20th century. The host country uses the event to demonstrate its competitiveness in the gardening industry as well as its ability to organize an international program.

Taiwan is no exception and will host the Taipei International Flora Expo in 2010. This will be the first international exposition approved by the International Association of Horticultural Producers ever to be held in Taiwan.

Scheduled from November 6, 2010, to April 25, 2011, the 2010 Taipei Flora Expo is expected to attract an estimated more than six million visitors and will bring overall economic benefits exceeding NT$11 billion (US$330 million).

The Expo is organized based on three concepts. First of all, it is aimed at presenting the essence of garden, technology and environmental protection. Second, it is aimed at achieving greater awareness of carbon emission reduction and the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle). The third aim is to create a green life which combines art and culture.

The 2010 Taipei Flora Expo is expected to promote and popularize greenery among the public, seeking to reverse the stereotype of Taipei as a crowded and cold city and guiding visitors in experiencing a feast for the eyes.

MOI tweaks immigration rules to help out busy foreign spouses(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) on Wednesday tweaked rules for immigrant spouses trying to meet residency requirements to apply for citizenship.

The Nationality Act (國籍法) stipulates that a foreign resident must stay in the country continuously for three or five years to apply for citizenship.

However, a person's accumulated time of residency resets to zero if he or she fails to extend his or her Alien Residency Certificate (ARC) before the expiration date.

Under the new rules, the period of residency will not be reset as long as the applicant extends his or her ARC up to 30 days after the expiration date.

"The accumulated residency period of a foreigner or stateless resident prior to becoming naturalized will not be affected if the [person] fails to extend his or her Alien Residency Certificate, as long as the overstay is less than 30 days," the MOI said in a statement.

The ministry said it was relaxing the rules because many foreign residents are very busy — notably spouses who are unable to extend their ARCs in time because they are too busy taking care of their children or other family members.

Meanwhile, the agency charged with issuing naturalization documents for prospective citizens to present to their country of origin in renouncing their previous citizenship will be changed from local governments to the MOI.

The MOI also said it would drop the requirement that applicants for naturalization provide police documentation.

"The MOI's Department of Household Registration will check from our end," the statement said.

The new measures take effect on Friday, the MOI said.

Today in history(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 31 (CNA) Today is Thursday, Dec. 31, or the 16th day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1799: The Dutch Administration in Batavia (now Jakarta) takes over the Dutch East India Company's territories in Indonesia.

1879: Thomas A. Edison, American inventor, demonstrates for the first time his electric incandescent light at Menlo Park, New Jersey.

1880: George Marshall, U.S. Army general and statesman, is born. As secretary of state, he devised the Marshall Plan for post-war economic recovery in Europe.

1909: The Manhattan Bridge, a two-section suspension bridge, is opened to traffic in New York.

1915: Yuan Shih-kai, who promised to establish a republican government when he assumed the provisional presidency of the Republic of China, orders the restoration of the imperial system, with himself on the throne, beginning from 1916.

1919: The United States, Britain, and Japan sign an agreement on East Siberia.

1924: Dr. Sun Yat-sen, who had fallen ill earlier, arrives in Peking from Tientsin to hold talks with Tuan Chi-jui, provisional chief executive of the Peking-based government. While in Peking, Dr. Sun succumbed to liver cancer and died on March 25, 1925.

1946: U.S. President Harry S. Truman officially proclaims the end of World War II.

1946: Chiang Kai-shek reiterates the government's policy of continuing attempts to settle disputes with the communists by political means.

1946: Chang Hsueh-liang, the commander of the Northeastern Army who played a key role in the kidnapping of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek in Xian, is escorted to Taiwan and put under house arrest at the Chingshang hot spring in Hsinchu. The Xian Incident was a severe setback to Chiang's efforts to subjugate the communists.

1956: President Sukarno proclaims a state of siege in Sumatra, Indonesia.

1964: President Sukarno threatens to quit the United Nations if Malaysia is given a seat on the Security Council.

1971: Kurt Waldheim of Austria takes over as the United Nations secretary-general after U Thant retired.

1975: More than 1,600 foreign students present an autographed album to Premier Chiang Ching-kuo at a year-end meeting.

1976: Education Minister Y. S. Tsiang hosts a dinner to honor foreign students and visiting professors at the Chientan Youth Activity Center with more than 1,000 students and teachers from 30 countries attending.

1977: Cambodia breaks off diplomatic relations with Vietnam and suspends all air services between the two countries.

1979: The Sino-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty against the Chinese communists in the area is ended.

1983: The United States deploys Cruise missiles and Pershing II missiles in Britain and West Germany.

1985: The Taipei World Trade Center is inaugurated.

1988: Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto sign the first agreement between India and Pakistan in 16 years, agreeing not to attack each others' nuclear facilities.

1991: All senior delegates to the ROC's First National Assembly, Control Yuan, and Legislative Yuan retire from office.

1996: Taiwan Provincial Governor James Soong submits his resignation to Premier Lien Chan.

1997: Mohammed Rafiq Tarar becomes the ninth president of Pakistan.

1998: Finance ministers of the European Union announce definite rates for converting the currencies of the 11 nations due to launch the single euro currency on Jan. 1, 1999.

1999: President Lee Teng-hui calls for increased constructive dialogue between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits on an equal footing so as to contribute to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

2000: President Chen Shui-bian calls on Beijing leaders to try to break through the existing cross-strait stalemate with open-mindedness and forward-looking vision so as to jointly establish a mechanism for permanent peace and political integration of Taiwan and the mainland.

2001: The Ministry of Finance (MOF) issues operational certificates to seven financial holding companies, the first batch of its kind in Taiwan.

Confucius' lesson of the day: "It is only men of moral character who know how to love men or to hate men. If you fix your mind upon a moral life, you will be free from evil."

Taiwan to promote sales in emerging markets(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) will carry out a series of promotional plans targeting emerging markets in 2010, an official said Wednesday.

In addition to organizing business tours to emerging markets, TAITRA will also invite major buyers from these markets to Taiwan, said TAITRA Secretary-General Chao Yung-chuan.

According to Chao, emerging markets can be divided into two sections: China and emerging areas outside China.

After the China-ASEAN free trade area is officially inaugurated Jan. 1, 90 percent of goods traded within the region will be given duty-free treatment, which will severely impact Taiwan's small- and medium-sized businesses and conventional industries, Chao said.

At present, direct exports from Taiwan to ASEAN countries account for 15-16 percent of the country's total exports, higher than the 12 percent to Europe or the United States, he noted.

He said 10 purchasing missions from China are expected to visit Taiwan in the coming year, with miscellaneous goods and food the main targeted products. (By Liu Jian-bang and Y.F. Low)

Human rights in China need to improve: report(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD), a nonprofit organization set up by the government to promote democracy around the world, has concluded that China's human rights situation did not improve this year.

According to the TFD's annual China human rights report, which will be officially released Dec. 31, human rights protections in China in social, political, judicial, economic, environmental, educational and cultural spheres still have room for further improvement.

The report found that China's system and its legal environment protect those government officials who infringe on citizen's human rights, while, at the same time, policies and regulations which can protect human rights are not effectively implemented.

The report points out that the Chinese regime continued to pressure Chinese dissidents and human rights defenders and restrict freedom of speech this year, and it also severely punished those who criticized the shoddy construction quality of buildings that collapsed in the Sichuan Earthquake in May 2008.

The Chinese government also imposed new ways to control Internet access and interfered with the news media after the Beijing Olympics, while also using a more systematic approach to apply greater pressure on human rights defenders, the report says.

All of these factors contributed to the continued deterioration of human rights in the country, the report observes.

Although China issued its first action plan on human rights this year, vowing to address a host of issues from torture to the death penalty and the environment, it still remains debatable whether China will be able to implement the plan, as it still executes more people than any other country in the world, the report says.

In terms of economic and environmental rights, the Chinese government lacks a practical and comprehensive development plan to solve outstanding problems left over from the past, with the rural garbage issue requiring the most urgent attention, the report says.

The report, which was first published in 2003, also points out that the blocking of many foreign news and domestic human rights-related Web sites also violates people's right to know and their freedom of speech.

(By Ming-chung Lee and Fanny Liu)

One quarter of Taiwan people's exercise regularly: survey(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) Some 24.4 percent of Taiwan's population regularly exercises three times a week for at least 30 minutes at a time, an increase of 0.2 percentage points from 2008, a survey conducted by the Cabinet-level Sports Affairs Council (SAC) has found.

According to the results of the SAC's 2009 survey on the exercise habits of people in Taiwan's 25 cities and counties, released Wednesday, Taiwan's people exercise mainly to improve their health, shape their bodies or simply to have fun.

Walking is the most popular exercise, performed by 31.7 percent of respondents, followed by hiking (21.9 percent) , cycling (21.1 percent) and basketball (18.9 percent), the survey found.

Walking has been identified by the annual poll as the most popular form of exercise in Taiwan for three straight years. Hiking rose to second from fifth a year ago while jogging fell to fifth from second place last year, SAC officials noted.

Kao Chun-hsiung, a professor at National Taiwan Sport University, said more people were choosing to hike in the mountains instead of jogging because of the serious air pollution in many parts of the country.

The survey also found that 80.5 percent of Taiwan's people exercise regularly or occasionally.

Wu Lung-shan, an SAC department director, said the council will allocate NT$1.6 billion (US$49.69 million) over the next four years to make exercise more common among Taiwan's people.

The central government hopes to make Taiwan a "vigorous island" in collaboration with local governments through the four projects, designed to boost the people's interest in exercising at safe and complete facilities, Wu said,

The SAC survey was based on 25,518 valid responses from all 25 localities around the country, including Kinmen and Matsu islands.

Also on Wednesday, SAC Minister Tai Hsia-ling reported at the Legislative Yuan that the sports lottery should generate about NT$2 billion in funds every year to help promote sports in the country.

The funds will be used to encourage corporate sponsorship of sports businesses and develop athletes. (By W. T. Lin and Flor Wang)

Kaohsiung plans to drill new wells to fight drought(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Kaohsiung, Dec. 30 (CNA) The Kaohsiung City government unveiled Wednesday a plan to drill new wells along the Gaoping River to solve water shortages as a result of scanty rainfall.

According to Kaohsiung Deputy Mayor Lin Jen-yi, daily water demand in the greater Kaohsiung area amounts to approximately 1.25 million cubic meters by household users and 300,000 cubic meters by industrial users.

With the water flow of the Gaoping River having decreased by 40 percent compared with last year, the government has to find new water sources, Lin said.

Noting that wells supply 200,000 cubic meters of water per day in the region at present, Lin said the water supply from wells is likely to double to 400,000 cubic meters after new wells are drilled.

Wang Ming-shiao, deputy manager of Taiwan Water Corp.'s Seventh Branch, confirmed that the company is planning to drill two new wells to meet the demand.

Lin also urged the authorities concerned to repair a water pipeline that delivers water from Nanhua Reservoir to the Gaoping River dam. The channel was damaged during Typhoon Morakot in August.

Wang replied that the pipeline is expected to be repaired by the end of next May. He also predicted that the water supply will remain normal before Chinese New Year even if the drought continues. (By Emmanuelle Tzeng and Y.F. Low)

Time not yet ripe for cross-strait political talks: MAC(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) The time is not yet ripe for Taiwan and China to hold political negotiations, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Vice Chairman Chao Chien-min said in a statement Wednesday to clarify comments he made two days earlier.

Briefing foreign envoys posted in Taiwan on Monday, Chao talked about the direction of future talks between Taiwan and China, and some media outlets interpreted his remarks as signaling that cross-Taiwan Strait political talks were not far away.

In Monday's briefing, however, Chao said Taiwan and China would continue to discuss issues related to investment protection and security after a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement is signed.

On proposed cross-strait political negotiations, Chao told the foreign envoys that it was indeed worrisome that China has deployed over 1,000 missiles on its coast opposite Taiwan.

He said the time was not ripe for Taiwan and China to proceed with political talks related to Taiwan's international space, the political status of each side and military security since "there is a lack of mutual trust between us."

Responding to a question by a representative of the American Institute in Taiwan, which represents U.S. interests in Taiwan in the absence of official ties, Chao cited both MAC Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan and Chen Yunlin, China's top negotiator with Taiwan, as saying that political talks are not the priority task of both sides at the moment. (By Feng Chao & Bear Lee)

Talk of the Day -- News digest of local media -- KMT assets(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The ruling Kuomintang (KMT) announced Wednesday it will sell the last of the party's most controversial assets - the Central Investment Holding Co. - by the end of next June to resolve the contentious party asset issue and restructure itself into an "election machine."

However, the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) remained skeptical of the KMT's sincerity, saying that many KMT chairmen have promised to resolve the party asset problem during their term, "but so far we have seen no improvement."

The following is a digest of some local media reports on the issue:

China Times:

The KMT failed in its two previous attempts to sell Central Investment Holding Co., in 2006 and in February this year. The company has a net worth of NT$22.9 billion and is the last of the party's most contentious assets, following the sale of its policy research institute complex, three media outlets and its former headquarters building.

KMT Secretary-General King Pu-tsung stressed at a news conference that in the future, the KMT's funding will come from membership fees, fund raising and government subsidies for political parties, but he would not promise that funds from the sale of Central Investment will not be used to help bankroll the campaigns of KMT candidates in next year's special municipality elections.

Lin Yong-jui, head of the KMT's administration and management department, said on the same occasion that the party will not appeal if Broadcasting Corp. of China (BCC) loses the third trial over its two plots of land in Banciao, Taipei County and in Hualien County.

The previous DPP administration sued BCC for occupying six plots of government-owned land as part of its efforts to return the KMT's "stolen" assets to the public. BCC won the second trial. (Dec. 31, 2009)

United Daily News:

Speaking at the KMT Central Standing Committee's weekly meeting, President Ma Ying-jeou, in his capacity as KMT chairman, reiterated his determination to resolve the party asset issue.

"Dealing with the issue is part of our party's determination to transform itself, " Ma said, adding that he hopes the company can fetch a good price as Taiwan's economy has shown signs of a turnaround from its yearlong slump. (Dec. 31, 2009)

Liberty Times:

The DPP said the KMT's plan to sell its "stolen" assets is unacceptable.

"The KMT's assets were stolen from the country. What the people of Taiwan want to see is the party return those assets to the national coffers. The party should do so to uphold the principles of justice and fairness," the DPP said in a statement. (Dec. 31, 2009) (By Sofia Wu)

Talk of the Day -- News digest of local media -- Damage control(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taiwan's government has stepped up fence-mending efforts after a Legislative Yuan consensus to restrict U.S. beef imports drew a strong protest from the United States on Wednesday. Both the administration and the private sector plan to organize delegations to visit Washington, D.C. and drive home their stances.

The following is a digest of some local media reports on the issue:

China Times:

President Ma Ying-jeou ordered Wednesday that a team be sent to the United States to communicate with Washington after the legislature on Tuesday agreed to amend the Act Governing Food Sanitation in a way that would ban imports of "risky" beef products from areas where cases of mad cow disease have been documented over the past decade.

The U.S. representative office in Taipei immediately voiced its concern Tuesday over the planned legislation, because it contravenes a Taiwan-U.S. protocol signed in October that lifted a previous ban on bone-in beef imports from the United States.

Ma's men will be visiting Washington aimed at minimizing the impact of the beef controversy on U.S.-Taiwan relations.

Washington has expressed its concern over the beef issue on three occasions since November and many believe that if Washington takes any retaliatory moves against Taiwan, it would likely be a new freeze on the resumption of talks under the Taiwan-U.S. trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA).

Washington could also retaliate by shelving plans to have ministerial-level U.S. officials visit Taiwan. (Dec. 31, 2009)

Liberty Times:

High-ranking officials, including President Ma, have perceived that the situation has gone beyond salvation as the Legislature is set to have the new ban consensus passed into law next week.

Ma agreed that things would have turned out much better if relevant government agencies had communicated more closely with the Legislature before Taiwan signed the beef protocol with the U.S. in October.

The president stressed that his team will be visiting Washington to let the U.S. know that the ban, if takes place, will involve only about 2 percent of Taiwan's total U.S. beef imports.

"Some 98 percent of U.S. beef imports, including bone-in beef from cattle younger than 30 months, will not be affected, " Ma stressed. (Dec. 31, 2009)

United Daily News:

Ma administration officials have said that the "sternly-worded" concern that Washington has expressed over the Legislative Yuan's amendment represents the "most serious diplomatic crisis" for President Ma since he took office in May 2008.

Veteran diplomat Eugene Yi-cheng Lok said Washington's latest wording was so strong that it went beyond diplomatic rhetoric and suggested that the next step could be that Washington recalls its liaison officer from Taiwan over the flap.

Lok pointed out, however, that while the Ma administration scrambles to "communicate" with Washington to minimize any possible fallout, the government should also communicate with the Legislative Yuan, which represents the voices of Taiwan's people. (Dec. 31, 2009)

(By Deborah Kuo)

Taiwan shares open higher(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 31 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange's main index opened higher Thursday, moving up 42.89 points at 8,155.17 on a turnover of NT$4.24 billion (US$131.27 million).

The weighted price index rose 58.45 points, or 0.72 percent, to close at 8,112.28 Wednesday. (By Sofia Wu)

U.S. dollar down in early Taipei trading(2009-12-31 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 31 (CNA) The U.S. dollar opened lower against the New Taiwan dollar in early trading in Taipei Thursday.

The greenback was trading at NT$32.178 at 9:45 a.m. on the Taiwan Foreign Exchange, down NT$0.06 from Wednesday's close. (By Sofia Wu)

Disappointing Chinese investment in Taiwan(2009-12-30 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah tells the Legislative Yuan Monday that there have been 35 Chinese applications for investment in Taiwan's real estate sector since 2002. Ten have been approved for a total investment of NT$18.03 million (US$558,619). He was responding to a lawmaker's concerns about the disappointing results of the government's policy of attracting Chinese investment to Taiwan. CNA photo, Dec. 14, 2009

Minister promotes administrative impartiality(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (right) says Monday that officials of his ministry and of the Ministry of Justice should avoid stumping for candidates in elections to ensure administrative justice and fairness in the electoral process. CNA Photo, Dec. 7, 2009

Security personnel urged to show propriety(2009-12-14 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah said Monday that incumbent and former heads of state and their deputies are entitled to certain privileges and resources "but in the execution of their duties, security authorities should gauge the propriety of their actions." He was responding to a report accusing President Ma Ying-jeou of abusing his privileges Nov. 28 when his security detail used megaphones to demand other vehicles in a traffic jam on the highway to clear an inner lane for the president's motorcade. CNA Photo, Nov. 30, 2009

Borough chief recognized(2009-12-10 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (left) presents an award to Wu Yi-shui, chief of the Wanshou borough in northern Taiwan's Taipei City, in recognition of his devoted service over the past 30 years. The award ceremony recognized 51 popularly elected representatives and borough chiefs for their longstanding service. CNA Photo Nov. 27, 2009

Anti-fraud hotline center(2009-12-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Premier Wu Den-yih (back, center) and Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (back, left) watch as police officer responds to a call at the 165 anti-fraud hotline center in Taipei Wednesday. A growing number of people have been falling victim to fraud rings. CNA Photo Nov. 11, 2009

Premier visits Interior Ministry(2009-11-30 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Premier Wu Den-yih (front, right) -- accompanied by Vice Premier Eric Liluan Chu (back, left) and Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (front, left) -- visit the ministry in Taipei Tuesday. CNA Photo Nov. 3, 2009

Interior minister determined to fight crime(2009-11-27 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (right) reaffirms his ministry's resolve to fight crime during a meeting held by the ministry at the National Police Agency (NPA) in Taipei Friday. Looking on is NPA Director-General Wang Cho-chiun. CNA Photo Oct. 30, 2009

Donation for post-typhoon relief effort(2009-11-10 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Representatives from the Taiwan Soka Association present a donation of NT$1 million to Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (second from right) in Taipei Monday for relief efforts in the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot, which swept across the country in August. CNA Photo Oct. 26, 2009

'I oppose men visiting prostitutes'(2009-11-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Premier Wu Den-yih (left), accompanied by Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah, says during a legislative hearing in Taipei Friday that he opposes men visiting prostitutes. Wu made the comment while discussing the topic of whether to exempt sex workers from criminal prosecution. CNA Photo Oct. 9, 2009

Uighur activist should not be allowed to visit Taiwan: minister(2009-10-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Premier Wu Den-yih (left) and Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah speak during a question and answer session at the legislature in Taipei Friday. Jiang recommended Taiwan should not permit Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer to visit because her Uighur World Congress is closely associated with a terrorist group. Wu supported his position. CNA Photo Sept. 25, 2009

Meeting on relief efforts following Typhoon Morakot(2009-10-01 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Vice Premier Eric Liluan Chu (center), gestures during a meeting convened at the Central Emergency Operation Center in northern Taiwan's Taipei County Monday to discuss relief efforts in the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot. Looking on was Interior Minister Jiang Yi-huah (left). CNA Photo Sept. 21, 2009

Expressway inaugurated in Taipei County(2009-09-30 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei County Magistrate Chou Hsi-wei (fourth from left), Presidential Office Secretary-General Liao Liou-yi (third from left) and Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (second from left) cut a ribbon during a ceremony in the northern county Saturday to mark the inauguration of an expressway linking Bali township and Sindian City. CNA Photo Sept. 19, 2009

New interior minister(2009-09-10 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Outgoing Interior Minister Liao Liou-yi (left) hands over the official seal of office to his successor Jiang Yi-huah (right) in a ceremony witnessed in Taipei Thursday by Premier Wu Den-yih. CNA Photo Sept. 10, 2009

Today in history(2009-12-30 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) Today is Wednesday, Dec. 30, or the 15th day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar.

Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1922: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or the Soviet Union, is established.

1927: The Ueno-Asakusa line of Tokyo's subway begins operating.

1947: Romania abolishes monarchy and establishes republicanism.

1949: The Republic of China announces the severance of diplomatic relations with India.

1965: Ferdinand E. Marcos takes the post as president of the Philippines.

1997: South Africa and mainland China sign a communique to establish diplomatic relations.

Apple Daily runs most negative stories about children, teenagers(2009-12-30 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 29 (CNA) More than half of the news stories about children and teenagers published in the first 11 months of this year by Taiwan's four major dailies were negative, with the Apple Daily tabloid contributing the largest number, according to statistics released Tuesday by a media monitoring group.

Of the total of 3,829 news stories about children and teenagers run by the United Daily, China Times, Liberty Times and Apple Daily between January and November, 1,991, or 52 percent, involved negative content such as domestic violence, sexual abuse, drug abuse and delinquency, the statistics reveal.

While 1,474, or 38.5 percent, of the stories were positive, 364, or 9.5 percent, were classified otherwise.

Among the four dailies, Apple Daily published 704 negative reports about children and teenagers, accounting for 80 percent of the reports about children and teenagers run by the paper during the period.

The largest number -- 154 -- of the negative reports related to sexual abuse, the statistics show.

The Apple Daily is often criticized for the sensationalist nature of its crime stories.

Next Media, the company that owns Apple Daily, raised an uproar last month when it launched an online news service that reports murders, sexual assaults and domestic violence using disturbing motion graphics and narration. (By Tsai Ho-ying and Y.F. Low)

Premier reveals idea of building affordable houses in Linkou(2009-12-30 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 29 (CNA) The central government is considering building "fairly priced" houses in a zone near Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in an effort to provide houses at affordable prices, Premier Wu Den-yih said Tuesday.

Speaking to local electronic press reporters, Wu said the central government has had the idea of constructing the houses in the A7-A9 zone along the metro line that will link Taipei with Taiwan International Taoyuan Airport in neighboring Taoyuan County upon its completion in 2014.

Wu admitted that housing prices in Taiwan's major urban areas, especially Taipei City, have surged to levels that are far beyond the reach of the vast majority of salaried young people.

"Through administrative measures, the government can provide more inexpensive houses on suitable land for the general public, " the premier said. He expressed hope that construction of the houses and the metro line to the airport will both be completed in 2014 as scheduled.

According to Wu, the land in the A7 zone is close to Linkou's Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and is close to "all prime facilities." "As the cost of land in Linkou is much lower than in Taipei, the new houses should be much cheaper," he contended.

Real-estate brokers, however, voiced skepticism about the idea, pointing out that relatively cheap housing in the Linkou and Tamsui areas already far exceeds demand. They called on the government to carefully weigh the possible impact of even greater supply in such areas.

Liu Pen-sheng, an executive at Evertrust Rehouse -- one of Taiwan's leading real-estate brokers -- said houses built by the government, except for those constructed in Taipei City, are unpopular and difficult to sell. The same is very likely to occur in Linkuo and the government should be cautious about going ahead with the plan, he said.

Another expert said the government's intention to build more cheap houses in Linkou is pointless, as there is already superfluous inexpensive housing in the area and the opening of a new metro line will not necessarily help matters, with the low house prices in Tamsui a clear example. (By M.C. Lee and Flor Wang)

Nearly 70% people approve of cross-strait talks(2009-12-30 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Dec. 29 (CNA) Nearly 70 percent of the respondents to a recent poll expressed approval of the institutional cross-Taiwan Strait negotiations, saying they are helpful to forging peace and stability in relations between Taiwan and China.

The survey, conducted by the poll center of the Taipei Municipal University of Education under the commission of the Mainland Affairs Council, found that 65 percent of the respondents agreed that the establishment of communication channels between relevant government agencies of the two sides will help solve the problems resulting from increased cross-strait exchanges.

On a proposed agreement on the avoidance of double taxation that was not signed as scheduled in the latest round of cross-strait talks that concluded last week in Taiwan, 58 percent of those polled said they support the government's move to postpone the inking of the pact.

With regard to the agenda for the next round of talks -- scheduled in the first half of next year in China -- 73 percent of those surveyed said the issue of intellectual property rights protection should be included, while 55 percent said they favor discussion on the proposed cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA).

The survey also found that after the latest talks, there was no apparent change in the percentage of people who categorically support either Taiwan's unification with or independence from China.

Those who were broadly classified as supportive of maintaining the status quo -- including those who favor maintaining the status quo forever and those who would prefer maintaining the status quo now and then moving toward either unification or independence -- accounted for 88 percent of the respondents, with those who support the status quo forever increasing slightly to 30 percent.

The percentage of those who are broadly classified as favoring unification -- including the status quo and then unification -- and those broadly classified as favoring independence -- including the status quo and then independence -- remained unchanged at 10 percent and 20 percent, respectively, according to the survey.

The survey, conducted Dec. 25-27 with 1,092 valid samples collected, has a margin of error of 3 percentage points. (By Feng Chao and Bear Lee)

Taiwan shares open higher(2009-12-30 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange's main index opened higher Wednesday, moving up 25.08 points at 8,078.91 on a turnover of NT$3.27 billion (US$101.23 million).

The weighted price index dipped 3.66 points, or 0.04 percent, to close at 8,053.83 Tuesday. (By Sofia Wu)

Taiwan headline news(2009-12-30 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Wednesday are as follows:

@The China Times:

President Ma helps stateless Indonesian girl obtain ROC nationality

@The United Daily News:

Three medical doctors expelled from profession for defrauding insurance firms

@The Liberty Times:

NY Times says unease rising in Southeast Asia over 'ASEAN Plus China' free trade zone

@Central Daily News online:

KMT-CPC dialogue platform to be further strengthened for mutual benefit: KMT official

@Economic Daily News:

LiteOn Technology has 18 months of orders

@Commercial Times:

U.S. Federal Reserve proposes selling term deposits to absorb excess reserves

@The China Post:

Law to ban U.S. beef

@The Taiwan News:

China confirms execution of Briton, despite UK plea

@The Taipei Times:

Lawmakers agree to ban 'risky beef'

Talk of the Day -- News digest of local media -- Tax reform(2009-12-30 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The Tax Reform Committee under the Executive Yuan ended its one-and-a-half-year mission Tuesday, but whether the committee has achieved its goal on tax reforms is debatable.

The following is a digest of some local media reports on the issue:

Commercial Times:

Sun Keh-nan, a financial scholar who served in the committee, reported Tuesday that although the committee has simplified taxation procedures and improved economic efficiency, "inappropriate tax cuts" have made the tax system even more unjust.

In the short term, the tax cuts will result in lost revenues of NT$21 billion (US$650.15 million) annually, and in the medium- and longer-term, the government is bound to raise taxes.

Compared with the results of the previous two committees, it is believed this committee has been the most affected by political interference and the one that has achieved the least, analysts said.

(Dec. 30, 2009)

Economic Daily News:

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) will be responsible for tax reform now that the Tax Reform Committee has bowed out.

The MOF is planning to propose luxury, energy and property taxes by the end of next year. It is also scheduled to put into practice by 2012 a partial capital gains tax on stock investments to be levied on institutional investors.

Liberty Times:

Vice Premier Eric Liluan Chu said Tuesday that raising taxes is not the trend but that a tax system of fairness and justice is.

The phaseout of income tax exemption for military personnel and teachers was originally planned for next year, but Vice Finance Minister Chang Sheng-ford said that because the necessary legal revision could not be completed in time, the measure will be postponed for one year, meaning that it will be put in practice in 2011. (Dec. 30, 2009) (By Lilian Wu)

Investment protection, security on agenda after ECFA(2009-12-29 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Negotiations between Taiwan and China will move on to the issues of investment protection and security after the signing of a proposed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official said on Monday.

Taiwan's policy and negotiation priority has always been "economics first, politics second," which is why it intends to sign the ECFA with China before anything else, said James Chang, deputy director-general of MOFA's Department of Information and Cultural Affairs.

"After the ECFA is signed, both sides will begin an even more difficult and sophisticated part of talks. "

The new phase of negotiation is expected to touch upon various issues such as investment protection and security, which includes the missiles deployed on China's southeastern coast, as well as anti-terrorism measures," he said.

Chang made the remarks while briefing the media after the ministry briefed around 70 foreign representatives in Taiwan on the results of the fourth round of cross-strait talks.

Taiwan and China both intend to focus on economic issues at present as Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) President Chen Yunlin made it very clear in the talks that "political discussions are not an urgent issue right now, " Chang said.

Once the ECFA is signed, the new phase of negotiations will not be limited to politics.

Taiwan has always called for China to remove its missiles aimed at the country in order to reduce cross-strait tension and convince the people of Taiwan of China's goodwill.

Meanwhile, investment protection is a serious concern of Taiwanese businessmen in China, some of whom have faced legal problems or have suffered operating losses or various forms of fraud in China.

Taiwan has been doing its best since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008 to improve cross-strait relations, Deputy Foreign Minister Shen Lyu-shun told the foreign representatives.

"One side-effect of improved cross-strait relations is the enlargement of Taiwan's international space, " Shen said, citing Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly, the Government Procurement Agreement, and high-level representation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum as examples.

Sun Moon Lake cable car system opens to the public(2009-12-29 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

A cable car system linking Sun Moon Lake and the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village amusement park in Nantou County opened to the public on Monday, although its official opening is more than three months away.

The 1.87-kilometer system takes seven to 10 minutes between the two sites, which are 10 kilometers apart by road, the park administration said. The system linking the lake's Ita Shao Dock and the park is expected to promote local tourism because it will give visitors a bird's eye view of the scenic lake area and the Puli basin, the park administration said.

The cable car system was constructed over 18 months by the park under a build-own-operate model. It passed Nantou County Government inspections on Thursday. The park is offering residents of Yuchi Township (魚池) with free cable car rides and admission through Sunday.

Before the system's official opening on March 31, tickets will be NT$250, while groups of more than 20 will pay NT$225 per head. After March 31, tickets will be NT$300, concessionary prices for students and others will be NT$250 and group tickets will be NT$270. The system will operate from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and until 5 p.m. on holidays and weekends. The 86-car system will be able to transport up to 3,000 passengers per hour, the park administration said.

Auto conference explores cross-strait synergies(2009-12-29 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taiwan's automotive industry has relied on foreign partners, especially from Japan, for technical support over the past 50 or more years. Originally, the industry focused on styling and equipment modification of assembled cars to meet domestic tastes. A few players tried to introduce homegrown models with locally developed engines and chassis techniques, but success was elusive.

Key players in the cross-strait automotive industry at the Conference on Cross-strait Cooperation and Exchange in the Automobile Industry, including CAAM vice chairman Dong Yang (third from right) and Chen Kuo-rong (third from left), TTVMA chairman and Yulon Group president.

Today, Taiwan's auto industry is making a second stab at core technological self-sufficiency with the aid of government support. Carmakers and key-part suppliers are also working hard to develop real indigenous automotive technical capability, from powertrain development to other key systems.

More than 500 senior executives of major automotive-related enterprises and organizations in Taiwan and China discussed future cooperation opportunities at the conference.

In China, Taiwan automakers have been slow to enter the market relative to the big international auto brands. But they are quickly making up ground with competitive cost, good quality, and innovative products. Gains have accelerated with government support, the warming of relations between Taiwan and China, and the backing of strong local information and communication technology (ICT) and electronic industries.

VIPs after signing three cooperation LOIs between Taiwan and China's automotive industries.

In order to foster closer cooperation ties in the cross-strait auto industry, Taiwan`s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) commissioned the Taiwan Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers` Association (TTVMA) and the Taiwan Automotive Research Consortium (TARC) to organize the Conference on Cross-strait Cooperation and Exchange in the Automobile (including Battery Energy Storage) Industry on November 23 to 25, 2009.

Battery electric vehicle (BEV) models were displayed and test-driven during the cross-strait conference.

At the conference, over 500 senior executives of major automotive-related enterprises in Taiwan and China (over 100 people) discussed future cooperation opportunities after the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between Taiwan and mainland China. Major automotive-electronic companies and automotive research institutes, including the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Automotive Research and Testing Center (ARTC), Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST), and Metal Industries Research and Development Center (MIRDC), showcased their latest R&D achievements to major players in the Chinese automotive industry.

TTVMA chairman Chen (right) shows Yulon's Luxgen own-brand multi-purpose van (MPV) car model to CAAM vice chairman Dong.

The conference was the biggest-scale event for promoting cooperation and exchange between Taiwan and China's automotive sectors. Among the heavy-weight representatives invited to the event were Chinese delegation leader Dong Yang, vice chairman of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), and high-ranking representatives of the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC), FAW, SAIC, Dongfeng, Changan, Geely, and Chery. Participants from Taiwan included the heads of local automakers Yulon, China Motor, Kuozui, Ford Lio Ho, and most major first-tier parts suppliers.

Chances for Taiwan, China
In his opening speech, Cheng Kuo-rong, chairman of the TTVMA, stressed that Taiwan could play a major role in helping Chinese automakers expand in the global market quickly and efficiently, since "Made in Taiwan" represents higher added-value. With the development of intelligent transportation vehicles worldwide, he said, more and more advanced automotive-electronics technologies are adopted to enhance steering, fuel efficiency, and comfort. With the strong support from Taiwan's world-leading IT industry, more and more local auto-parts makers have developed advanced products with improved functionality and lower cost.

China has become one of the world's largest automobile markets and is likely to replace the United States as the top nation, creating huge demand for quality auto parts and vehicle products, the chairman said. Closer cross-strait cooperation will further lead to a win-win outcome for both sides.

Joe Huang, president of ARTC, the top vehicle testing and automotive-electronic system R&D center in Taiwan, pointed out that the core advantage of Taiwan's automotive industry lies in its superior quality and strong manufacturing capability in the auto-parts sector. In recent years, he added, these advantages have grown with increased production flexibility, government R&D support, and backing from the local ICT industry. These combined forces have positioned Taiwan to become a major player in the global automotive-electronics and EV businesses.

China, Huang continued, is the world's third-largest automobile producer, accounting for one-sixth of global production. Most local independent automakers in China are in the fast-growth stage, while carmakers with foreign partners are still dependent on imported technology. That means China still has a long way to transform from a big auto market into a big and independent auto producer, Huang said. Taiwan is also facing many challenges ahead, which, however, also present great opportunities for cross-strait cooperation.

The two-day conference addressed two major themes, including the development of indigenous brands for the global market and development of alternative power sources and complementary supply-chain relations in the global market.

Speakers on the first day touched on several issues related to auto industry prospects, homegrown technology development, branding, testing and certification techniques on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, as well as the practical ways for the two sides to cooperate, specialize and develop mutually complementary relations.

On the second day of the conference, speakers discussed the future of alternative fuels and various new-energy propulsion solutions. Representatives from private makers and research institutes in Taiwan and China also exchanged views and explored possible niches for EV supply-chain cooperation.

Wu Ming-gi, general director of Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT) under the MOEA, said the goal of the automotive conference was to enhance exchanges between Taiwan and China and create a win-win outcome for automotive companies on the both sides. He said that recent developments have shown there is great potential in for cooperation in both the Chinese and international markets.

Fruitful Results
On the last day afternoon of the two-day conference, auto industry groups from the two sides, including the TTVMA and TARC of Taiwan and CAAM and CATARC of China, jointly signed three cooperation letters of intent (LOIs) to accelerate cross-strait interaction in the automotive industry. The agreements also pave the way for further integration of cross-strait resources to develop in the global automotive market.

The three LOIs concerned cooperation between automakers associations, research institutes, and private companies in Taiwan and China. The first was signed between CAAM and TTVMA to strengthen research, exchange, and cooperation in key industry sectors. The second was signed by TARC and CATARC to expand exchanges relating to market information, regulations, and testing/certification techniques. The third LOI was signed between lithium-ion battery makers Power Source Energy Co., Ltd. of Taiwan and CITIC Guoan Mengguli (MGL) of China to jointly develop power cells.

Future Rounds
At the closing ceremony of the highly productive conference, ARTC president Huang said that the conference would continue to develop in three directions with support from the DoIT. The first is to develop mutually complementary R&D by integrating available resources in Taiwan and China's green-energy and intelligent-vehicle sectors, and thereby form a technology platform for developing alternative energy vehicles and value-added products.

The second direction is to develop a cross-strait division-of-labor system, integrating Taiwan's high-quality products in the supply chains of independent Chinese automakers, as well as helping Taiwanese motor, battery, propulsion system and ICT makers link up with China`s thriving automotive industry.

Thirdly, Taiwan and China will jointly explore the global market through cooperation in technology, branding, marketing, and product value-added fields.

In addition to more than 500 senior executives and experts at the conference, the conference attracted over 1,000 visitors, ARTC said.

Today in history(2009-12-26 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 26 (CNA) Today is Saturday, Dec. 26, or the 11th day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1792: Charles Babbage, British mathematician and inventor of the first computer, is born.

1797: John Wilkes, British political reformer noted for his published attacks on George III and for his support of the rights of American colonists, dies at the age of 70.

1890: Heinrich Schliemann, the German archaeologist who discovered the ruins of ancient Troy and excavated Mycenae, dies in Naples, Italy, at the age of 58.

1893: Mao Zedong, chairman of the Chinese Communist Party who proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, is born in Hunan Province.

1908: American boxer Jack Johnson defeats world heavyweight champion Tommy Burns at Rushcutter's Bay in Sydney, Australia, with a dazzling display of fighting skills, becoming the first black boxer to win the title.

1912: Mackay Memorial Hospital is inaugurated in Taipei.

1914: The United States pays back the remainder of a large sum of indemnities, totaling $11 million, that China was forced to pay in the signing of the Treaty of Peking in 1901.

1916: Tsai Yuan-pei becomes president of National Peking University.

1938: Chiang Kai-shek reiterates China's determination to carry on the war of resistance against Japan and charges that a recent statement by Japanese Prime Minister Prince Fumimaro Konoye clearly reveals Japan's intention to conquer China.

1941: The Unites States declares Manila an open city as Japanese forces approach.

1943: The British Royal Navy sinks the mighty German battle cruiser Scharnhosrt, making the sea lanes of the North Sea safer for Allied convoys.

1971: Sixteen U.S. veterans of the Vietnam War seize the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor to dramatize their anti-war stance.

1972: The Association of East Asian Relations of the Republic of China and the Interchange Association of Japan sign an agreement in Taipei to establish offices in each other's country.

1972: Harry S. Truman, U.S. president between 1945-53, dies in Kansas City at the age of 88.

1974: Hironori Ito, former director of the Taipei Office of the Japanese Interchange Association, returns to Japan for a new assignment.

1975: The Legislative Yuan passes the Radio and Television Act.

1976: The 11th Convention of the Committee on Constitutional Research of the National Assembly opens at the Taipei City Auditorium.

1976: A two-day discussion on the electronic calculator opens at National Taiwan University.

1985: The Futehkeng landfill formally opens in Mucha, Taipei.

1989: Nobel Prize-winning Irish dramatist Samuel Beckett dies in Paris at the age of 83.

1999: Vice President Lien Chan chooses the Taiwan black bear as the one animal most representative of wildlife indigenous to Taiwan.

1999: The China Democracy Party, banned by Beijing a year earlier, issues a bold call to end one-party rule, challenging both the Communist Party's constitutional hold on supreme power and the Beijing regime's threat to use force to reunify Taiwan.

2000: Kuomintang heavyweight John Chang says in Xiamen that the purpose of his ongoing visit in mainland China is to promote the development of Taiwan-funded companies and to establish a bridge of communication with related mainland officials.

2000: Premier Chang Chun-hsiung presides over the inaugural ceremony of an administrative coordination center on the frontline island of Kinmen for managing affairs related to the "mini three links."

Confucius' lesson of the day: "A gentleman never competes in anything he does, except perhaps in archery. But even then, when he wins he courteously makes his bow before he advances to take his place among the winners; and, when he has lost, he walks down and drinks his cup of forfeit. Thus, even in this case of competition, he shows himself to be a gentleman."

MOEA to consider alternative plans for DRAM restructuring(2009-12-26 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) will seriously consider alternative plans to help Taiwan's ailing DRAM sector if the Legislative Yuan decides to reject the government's plan to restructure the industry, an MOEA official said Friday.

Economics Minister Shih Yen-shiang said that with DRAM prices on the rebound, there will be more time for the ministry to consider more sophisticated ways to restructure the industry.

"We will not do it in hurry," he added.

The Legislative Yuan's Economics Committee adopted a resolution in November asking the MOEA to suspend its DRAM industry restructuring plan and withdraw its proposed investment in the state-backed Taiwan Innovation Memory Co. (TIMC), which was supposed to be the centerpiece of the plan.

Although the ministry has been lobbying lawmakers not to scuttle the plan, Shih said it will propose alternative plans if another resolution opposing the restructuring plan is passed by the full Legislative Yuan by the end of the current session on Dec. 31.

The Executive Yuan has conditionally approved TIMC's request for NT$8.1 billion in funding from the National Development Fund (NDF) , but legislators across the political spectrum believe that the Fund should not invest in TIMC because DRAM prices have recovered, making it pointless to proceed with the original plan.

The government had hoped that TIMC would secure badly needed core technologies and bring together some of the sectors' big players, including Powerchip Semiconductor, ProMOS Technologies, and Rexchip Electronics, to spur the consolidation of the fragmented industry.

Taiwan's DRAM industry has been bleeding money over the past two years because of overcapacity and a slump in demand. It boasts six of the world's top 10 DRAM manufacturers but holds a global market share of only 15 percent. (By Pei-chun Tang and Fanny Liu)

MAC heads respond to Chinese dissident's sentence(2009-12-26 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) China's 11-year sentence of leading dissident Liu Xiaobo on Friday for subversion serves as a test of the Chinese government's approach to dealing with human rights, according to Taiwan's top government agency for China affairs.

Mainland Affairs Council Vice Chairman Liu Teh-shun said human rights are universal values and that all governments around the world should endeavor to ensure that their citizens enjoy their human rights.

Earlier, opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokeswoman Hsiao Bi-khim accused President Ma Ying-jeou, who during his term as Taipei mayor championed the rights of Tiananmen Incident protesters, of staying silent about China's gross violations of human rights since taking office.

Liu did not address the criticism head on, but he said it is inevitable that the Chinese government will move toward the path of freedom, democracy and human rights in the future.

MAC Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan also said that her council has been consistent on its position and attitude toward human rights both at home and abroad.

After a Chinese court handed down the harsh sentence to Liu Xiaobo on charges of "inciting subversion of state power" Friday, the United States and European Union urged Beijing to free Liu immediately, and many countries have expressed concern about the sentence.

The pro-democracy activist has been in jail since 2008 after being arrested one day before releasing a document known as Charter 08, a petition calling for the end of one-party rule in China and the establishment of a multi-party democracy.

(By Lee Ming-chung and Y.L. Kao)

Law amendment planned to facilitate imports of U.S. bone-in beef(2009-12-26 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) Lawmakers from ruling and opposition camps have decided to discuss an amendment next week that would allow U.S. bone-in beef products to enter Taiwan without disputes, the legislative caucus whip of the governing Kuomintang (KMT) said Friday.

Lu Hsueh-chang said KMT legislators and their opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) peers are slated to deal with the amendment to the Act Governing Food Sanitation that has been stalled for nearly two months on Dec. 29.

They hope to provide a sound legal basis for the executive branch's disputed decision in late October to allow bone-in beef to be imported from the United States.

Lu said versions submitted by the two parties have many similarities, but further discussions may be needed to bridge the differences. He pointed out that the KMT will never give way to the DPP's request that "U.S. bone-in beef products will be permitted to enter Taiwan only after their bones are removed in advance."

According to Lu, the KMT version would note the principle of "offshore inspection guidelines" and would require the government to send officials to check every batch of bone-in beef products in the United States before being shipped to Taiwan.

If the DPP's version is selected, the KMT will add a note explaining that the legislation's logic falls in line with the requirements set by the World Organization for Animal Health, which gives the administration a basis for discussing the issue with the U.S., he said.

Once an amendment is passed, Lu wondered "whether someone in the government should be held politically accountable" for all the furor that has arisen over the issue in the past two months.

"It is important to review the entire process of the government's poor handling of the matter, even if an amendment to the Act Governing Food Sanitation, whether the KMT version or the DPP version, clears the Legislative Yuan," he argued.

The lack of advanced notice to the legislature of its decision to allow U.S. bone-in beef into Taiwan has affected related legislation and also delayed the screening of the central government's budget, he said.

The Cabinet-level Department of Health's announcement Oct. 23 that bone-in beef and other previously banned beef products would be allowed into Taiwan starting Nov. 10 provoked an outcry led by the DPP, and it demanded that the Executive Yuan reopen negotiations with the United States on the protocol covering U.S. beef imports.

Su Chi, secretary-general of the National Security Council, has ruled out the possibility of a new round of beef talks on the grounds that doing so will jeopardize two-way relations. (By L. C. Su and Flor Wang)

Skilled papermakers turn 'green cancer' into 'green gold'(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Two years ago, the owner of Puli's Kuanghsing Paper Factory, Huang Huan-chang, and his wife, Wu Shu-li, set up an artistic and cultural industry plan with the support of the Council on Cultural Affairs. They aim to promote some of Taiwan's unique plants and special products as a new type of paper of which the nation could be proud.

The duo made handmade varieties of paper out of water bamboo, bittervine, okra, pineapple, coffee grounds, sugar cane dross, paddy waste, peppers, onions, carrots, moss, and grass. A total of over 100 types of creative handmade paper varieties were displayed on the 23rd at the "Paper Loves Taiwan – Top 100" exhibition.

Huang says that bittervine has severely damaged the Taiwanese landscape, like a "green cancer", a name by which it is known in Chinese. Its leaves and stems yield fiber when cooked, fiber that can be used for papermaking in a 1:1 ratio with paper pulp. The result is a lovely art paper suitable for handicrafts or wrapping gifts. It can also be used for making decorations, CD covers and other projects, turning the "green cancer" into "green gold".

The couple also turns okra, peppers, tangerines, and even radishes to natural, edible wrappings, without adding any traditional paper pulp at all. Acting Puli town chief Chen Jung-fa and other visitors made a point of trying it on their visit, reporting that it felt a bit like seaweed in the mouth. This type of edible paper can be used to wrap food for deep-frying, yielding a product that is both safe and delicious.

Wu also makes a type of paper with a variety of herb seeds scattered in it. With natural sunlight substituted for artificial heating, the embedded seeds need only be placed in a moist environment to sprout. Paper that actually grows is an intriguing product.

The Puli Township Office says that to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China in 2011, it will suggest that the central government use symbols of Taiwanese handicrafts to represent national pride, and develop associated creative products.

(The Chinese-language version of this article was published on December 24, 2009.)

Chen Shui-bian indicted over financial reform(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Prosecutors indicted jailed former President Chen Shui-bian and his wife Wu Shu-jen with 20 relatives and top business people on Thursday on charges ranging from money laundering to breach of trust.

The charges were related to the ex-president's financial reform program, which included the privatization and merger of financial companies. The NT$400 million Chen's family received from the Cathay Financial Holding and NT$210 million from the Yuanta Financial Holding would be confiscated, prosecutors said.

Chen, who has been jailed as a suspect since December 30 last year, was sentenced to life in prison and a fine of NT$200 million on September 11. Wu received the same jail term and a NT$300 million fine. Both are appealing the verdicts. Chen was also indicted for alleged misuse of special diplomatic funds on September 22.

The total of 22 people indicted on Thursday included several members of Chen's family as well as a long list of well-known business leaders.

The ex-president's daughter, Chen Hsing-yu, was for the first time indicted for money laundering. Until now, she had not featured in the scandals implicating her parents. In addition, the ex-president's son Chen Chih-chung and daughter-in-law Huang Jui-ching were also indicted.

The indictments included top business leaders accused of helping the Chen family launder money. The list included Yuanta Financial founder Rudy Ma and his two sons, former Mega Financial Chairman Cheng Shen-chih and Cathay Financial Vice Chairman Tsai Chen-yu, a member of Taiwan's wealthiest family.

Prosecutors said that from 2001 to September or October 2004, Chen would request Cathay pay him NT$100 million each year through a close aide.

Prosecutors linked payments to allegations that prominent financial groups paid the former First Family in return for favors, in particular for the permission to go ahead with the acquisition of other financial firms.

Examples were the takeover of the Fuhwa Financial Group by Yuanta, and Cathay Financial merging the United World Chinese Commercial Bank with its own bank to form the Cathay United Bank, prosecutors said.

Yuanta founder Ma was charged for helping Wu move an estimated NT$740 million from a Cathay United Bank vault to one of his buildings and later wire the money overseas, reports said.

Yuanta issued a statement on Thursday saying the Ma family no longer held senior positions at the company. The indictments would not influence its business, the statement said.

Former Chinatrust Financial Vice Chairman Jeffrey Koo, Junior was indicted for violations of banking and stock transaction laws in connection with an attempt at taking over the Mega Financial group.

Koo has played a crucial role in the investigation, returning from Japan where he was avoiding prosecution for a financial scandal to face questioning. His brother Angelo Koo, a former president of China Development Financial Holdings, was also indicted on Thursday.

Prosecutors decided not to file charges against five suspects, including Ma's wife Judy Tu and former presidential cashier Chen Chen-huei.

The ex-president's daughter-in-law told Sanlih E-Television that she was surprised at the verdict, but other family members had not reacted by late Thursday.

Chen's detention was recently extended by two months until late February. He has always pleaded innocent, accusing the Kuomintang government and the judiciary of a "vendetta" against him.

MOTC unveils upgrade plans for Suhua Highway(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) on Thursday finalized plans to improve the Suhua Highway connecting Yilan and Hualien counties, also known as Highway No. 9.

MOTC Deputy Minister Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) said the ministry had shelved the plan to build the Suhua Freeway because of controversies surrounding the project. However, it said it would reserve the corridor in case there was a need to construct the freeway in future.

Based on the plan laid out by the Directorate General of Highways (DGH), a 3.3-kilometer tunnel will be constructed between Suao (蘇澳) and Dongao (東澳).

Meanwhile, the DGH will take advantage of old railway tunnels to build two tunnels connecting Nanao (南澳) and Heping (和平).

The tunnels will be 8.3 and 4.7 kilometers long, respectively. A short tunnel will also be built between Heping and Chongde (崇德).

About 118 kilometers in length, the Suhua Highway is the only road connecting Yilan and Hualien. The section between Suao and Chongde, spanning about 77 kilometers, often becomes inaccessible during typhoon season because of landslides and other road damage.

Chi Wen-chung (祁文中), director general of MOTC's Department of Railways and Highways, said the improvements would shorten the section between Suao and Chongde from 77 kilometers to 60.4 kilometers. The speed limit will be increased from 40kph to 60kph. The width of the road will also be expanded from between 7 and 10 meters to between 10 and 16 meters, Chi said.

The traveling time from Suao to Chongde will also be reduced from two hours to 1.2 hours.

Chi showed reporters the improvement plan delivered by the DGH. Aside from a small section between Nanao and Heping that appears to use the route designed for the Suhua Freeway, the highway improvement plan is different from the Suhua Freeway.

"We will use a combination of different construction methods. Either we improve the road conditions on Highway 9, or we create new routes by building short or long tunnels," Chi said. "Each method was chosen based on the condition of each section of road."

However, the ministry has maintained the policy that the railway will be the main mode of transport along the East Coast, he said.

Yeh said the ministry was expected to submit the plan to the Executive Yuan for final approval. The project will also have to be evaluated by the Environmental Protection Administration. The ministry aims to begin construction by the end of next year and to complete it within eight years. The cost for the project is estimated at NT$40 billion (US$1.24 billion).

Chinese firms test waters as investment barriers fall(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

"We are testing the waters in Taiwan," Crystal Wang (王晶), CEO of Fujian Newland Computer Co, told reporters on the sidelines of an investment forum on Wednesday held in conjunction with cross-strait talks in Taichung.

Fujian Newland, China's leading barcode service provider, which employs 2,000 people, is the first Chinese enterprise that was allowed to invest in Taiwan after the nation opened selected sectors to Chinese investors in June.

"Many enterprises in China are not familiar with Taiwan's investment environment. We are slightly worried about [social] safety issues and whether we could make money," the executive said.

However, the company decided to launch its subsidiary here to support Asian operations outside China because of Taipei's excellent business ambience and its proximity to the company's Fuzhou headquarters.

Four months after starting operations in Taiwan, business is picking up and running smoothly, although there are occasional hiccups. Visa approval for the company to send Chinese staff to Taiwan takes time, and Wang said the government should offer easier visa procedures such as landing visas to Chinese who work for subsidiaries in Taiwan.

"Taiwanese can easily obtain landing visas in China and we hope the same could apply here," she said. "In the tech world, speed is competitiveness."

Fujian Newland is not alone.

Easier personnel exchanges, opening more industries to investment and transparency in government policies would play a key role in drawing Chinese investment to Taiwan, the Chinese executives said during their Taichung visit.

With enterprises from the two sides joining hands and sharing their respective advantages, Taiwan and China are set to gain a foothold in the international market, they said.

Wang is one of about 20 entrepreneurs who traveled with the Chinese delegation and attended the investment forum, which the government organized to deepen delegates’ understanding of investment sentiment in Taiwan.

Other executives included representatives of Central Huijin Investment Co, a major investor in Chinese banks; the Lenovo Group, China's largest and the world’s fourth-largest PC maker; and China Shipbuilding Industry Corp, China’s largest ship equipment maker.

China Quanjude (Group) Co, famed for its Peking duck, is also mulling investment in Taiwan.

"The market in Taiwan has potential. We have inspected sites in northern, central and southern Taiwan," Quanjude executive vice general manager Yun Cheng (雲程) said.

Despite an interest in investing in Taiwan, to date cross-strait investment has been a one-way street, with Taiwanese firms pouring capital into China, but not vice versa.

Taiwanese firms were allowed to invest in China as early as 1992 and have since injected NT$150 billion (US$4.7 billion) into China — a total that helped boost China's economy and increase job opportunities.

In June, Taiwan finally opened 192 sectors in the manufacturing, services and public construction sectors to Chinese investors. Telecoms, financial and insurance services, among others, remain barred from obtaining Chinese-sourced funds.

To date, 22 investment projects worth NT$1.19 billion from China have been approved, with investment concentrated mainly in the software, digital content and civil aviation sectors, Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) data show.

"The amount and number of cases are still minimal and the government will work to deepen [investors'] understanding and increase their willingness to come here," said Fan Liang-tung (范良棟), head of the ministry's Investment Commission.

The ministry is set to convene an intra-ministerial meeting early next year to evaluate the situation and discuss which sectors should be opened in future.

As far as visa regulations are concerned, Fan said Chinese executives are allowed to hold one-year, multiple-entry visas, but landing visas are not feasible for now.

Woody Duh (杜紫軍), director-general of the MOEA’s Industrial Development Bureau, said Taiwanese subsidiaries of Chinese high-tech enterprises will also be eligible to take advantage of tax incentives.

He said that any local foreign-invested or Chinese-invested enterprise is considered a legal entity in Taiwan and therefore eligible for tax breaks as long as they have been established in compliance with Taiwan's Corporation Act (公司法).

NTU denies using ‘ghost’ articles(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

National Taiwan University (NTU) on Thursday defended itself against accusations from a Spanish world university ranking body that it had cheated in the annual rankings by including a large number of academic papers on its Web site by students not affiliated with the university.

NTU secretary-general Sebastian Liao (廖咸浩) told reporters that the school would never use such methods to influence the school's performance in any university rankings.

Liao said the university did not pay too much attention to the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities — a university lineup released by the Cybermetrics Lab, a research group affiliated with the biggest public research organization in Spain — otherwise the university would have taken advantage of the ranking to boost NTU's profile.

The research group said on its Web site that it had reviewed more than 18,000 higher education institutions worldwide based on the number of Web pages related to the institutions recovered from four main search engines, the visibility of the institutions, the number of one-word files relevant to the institutions' academic and publication activities and the number of research papers and citations for each academic field from researchers in the institutions.

NTU ranked 55th in the lineup last year and made major progress this year by climbing to 26th place.

The research group said in its latest news release that it was seeking to improve its visibility indicator to reflect the academic impact of the institutions more accurately.

"Stronger actions are scheduled for punishing the ranking of institutions using bad practices according to our criteria," the group said.

"We have discovered several universities that are hosting large numbers of academic papers authored by scientist [sic] that do not belong to those institutions. This is not only unfair, but it clearly violates copyright of the involved papers," the group said, naming NTU and the University of Sao Paulo as schools whose Web sites contain "suspicious files."

Liao called the allegations "groundless," adding that NTU had requested that the group elaborate on the matter and remove the references to NTU from the press release.

University professors could receive salary increase(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The Ministry of Education will propose measures to increase salaries at local universities to prevent talented teachers and researchers from being recruited by universities abroad, Minister of Education Wu Ching-chi (吳清基) said on Thursday.

Wu told lawmakers at the Education and Culture Committee meeting that some distinguished university teachers would leave for jobs in other countries because they believe they are underpaid.

For example, Wu said, the salary for professors in South Korea is about twice that in Taiwan while in Hong Kong it is about four times as much.

Wu said the Executive Yuan had held a cross-departmental meeting to discuss whether to grant professors at top universities flexibility in terms of the salary and that the ministry would announce the measure on Jan. 23.

Wu made the remark in response to concerns raised byKuomintang (KMT) Legislator Chiang Nai-shin (蔣乃辛).

Chiang said teachers at local elementary or junior high schools receive a monthly salary of up to NT$78,000, including bonuses, while university lecturers receive NT$76,050 and associate professors NT$76,715.

Professors in Taiwan receive a monthly salary of NT$90,000 on average while those in Hong Kong enjoy NT$370,000 and those in China receive NT$200,000 per month, Chiang said.

"Given our pay scale, of course university professors will not stay in the nation," Chiang said.

Mandatory autopsies for ‘vaccine deaths’ mulled(2009-12-24 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said on Wednesday that it was working on a proposal to amend the Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Act (傳染病防治法) to make an autopsy mandatory for people who die after having received a vaccine.

"If a person is believed to have died as a result of a vaccine, answers should be found as soon as possible so as to avoid a panic," said CDC spokesman Chou Jih-haw (周志浩), referring to the death of a Taichung doctor's seven-year-old son on Monday.

The doctor said his son's death was related to his receiving the A(H1N1) influenza vaccine on November 19.

Chou said that autopsies can shed light on whether a death was related to vaccines. Such information may remain hidden if family members do not authorize an autopsy, he said.

Chou said that the proposal would be forwarded to the Legislature, but said he was unclear how long the process would take.

Former Department of Health minister Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) agreed with the CDC's move and said that details of such cases should be made public as soon as possible.

"In addition, follow-up investigations on patients who suffer from side effects after taking shots must be made public, too," Chen said.

He reiterated his support for the national vaccine program and said that vaccines were the best weapon against viruses.

"People have the right to know details of potential side effects or risks they will be taking if they receive the shots," Chen said. "Then, it is up to them whether they want vaccinations or not."

In related news, several doctors told a Taiwan Immunization Vision and Strategy seminar that people who are not vaccinated might catch swine flu during its next peak of infections.

"Usually, there will be two or three peaks during a flu epidemic and the impact will last between two to five years," said Lee Ping-ing (李秉穎), an associate professor of pediatrics at National Taiwan University Hospital. "The virus will not just go away. It may become stronger after mutation and attack those who are vulnerable."

TIVS chairman Lee Ching-yun (李慶雲) said that swine flu vaccines were made using a "dead virus," which is safer than other vaccines made using a "live virus."

"The side effects of swine flu vaccines can include dizziness or skin allergies but these symptoms usually go away within 24 hours," Lee Ching-yun said.

All members of ex-first family indicted again(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) Former President Chen Shui-bian and his three immediate family members were indicted again Thursday, along with 19 other people, on charges of corruption and money laundering --crimes that prosecutors said were carried out by manipulating financial reforms introduced by the Chen administration.

In a third round of indictments, the Special Investigation Division under the Supreme Prosecutors Office charged Chen, his wife Wu Shu-jen, their daughter Chen Hsing-yu and son Chen Chih-chung again with bribery, money laundering and forgery.

According to the indictment, the first couple took bribes amounting to NT$610 million (US$18.89 million) from the Cathay and Yuanta financial groups to facilitate the groups' acquisition of other Taiwanese banks to form new financial holdings companies.

Other relatives and friends of Chen on the latest indictment list were Chen Chih-chung's wife Huang Jui-ching; Wu Shu-jen's elder brother Wu Ching-mao; Wu Ching-mao's wife Chen Chun-ying; Chen Shui-bian's former adviser Wu Li-pei; Ma Yung-cheng, a top presidential aide during the Chen administration; and Yuanta Group founder Rudy Ma.

They were indicted on money laundering charges for helping Chen Shui-bian and his wife to "hide and move money" within Taiwan and to transfer NT$740 million to Swiss banks, prosecutors said.

Hou Hsi-feng, former chairman of Kuo Yang Construction, and Lu Yung-tai, chairman of Kao Hsing Chang Iron and Steel, were indicted on similar charges for helping the ex-first couple to purchase a luxury apartment in Taipei City, according to the prosecutors.

The indictment stated that Jeffrey Koo Jr., former vice chairman of Chinatrust Financial Holding Co., was charged with crimes related to manipulating the financial reforms that were conducted during the Chen administration.

In the first round of trials last year, the Taipei District Court sentenced Chen and his wife to life imprisonment, while 10 other people were given prison terms ranging from three months to 20 years.

In the second round of indictments in September this year, prosecutors charged former Vice Premier Chiou I-jen and former Foreign Minister Michael Ying-mao Kao for colluding with Chen to embezzle funds under the guise of "secret diplomacy spending."

Chen has been detained at the Taipei Detention Center since Dec. 30, 2008 on charges of embezzlement, bribery, money laundering and forgery.

(By Lin Chung-sen, Ann Chi-shen, Lai Yu-chia and Deborah Kuo)

Today in history(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) Today is Friday, Dec. 25, or the 10th day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past.

1915: Tang Chi-yao, Tsai O and others declare independence of Yunnan Province and the establishment of the National Protection Army against self-proclaimed Emperor Yuan Shi-kai.

1926: Japanese Emperor Taisho dies, ushering in a new era of Showa under Emperor Hirohito.

1936: National Government Military Commission Chairman Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek is freed and flies safely from Xian to Luoyang.

1945: National Taiwan University unveils a list of 36 hopefuls who have passed the school's first ever entrance examination.

1946: The National Constituent Assembly passes the Constitution of the Republic of China.

1947: The Republic of China Constitution goes into effect.

1948: The Mandarin Daily News -- the only paper to use mandarin phonetic symbols along with Chinese characters -- is launched in Taipei City.

1962: The Republic of China government proclaims Dec. 25 as Constitution Day and designates it as a national holiday.

1969: The first Taipei City Council since the city's upgrading to a special municipality is inaugurated, with Lin Ting-sheng elected as speaker; Lo Chia-lun, a national policy adviser to the President, dies in Taipei at the age of 73.

1975: The first national literary award is introduced in Taiwan, but only Kuo Yi wins a prize, in the photography category; there are no winners in other categories.

1977: Charlie Chaplin, U.S. actor and director, dies in Switzerland at the age of 88.

1986: Sixty-two people killed when a hijacked Iraqi passenger plane explodes during a forced landing at a Saudi Arabia airport.

1989: Romania dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife are executed after being sentenced to death by a military court.

1997: The Taipei metro's Danshuei Line opens in full.

2003: A passenger plane bound for Beirut crashes into the sea shortly after taking off from Benin, West Africa, killing 111.

2005: Taiwan Television Enterprise Chairman Lai Kuo-chou, General Manager Cheng Yu-ho, Chinese Television System Chairman Chou Jung-sheng and General Manager Chiang Hsia, as well as the directors and supervisors that represent the government at the two TV stations, resign en masse in line with a government policy on the withdrawal of political, governmental and military influence from the media.

2007: According to the World Economic Forum's "2007-2008 Global Competitiveness Report,"Taiwan has again taken first place in the world in the "state of Cluster Development" index.

Confucius' lesson of the day: "A wise and good man, in the matter of food, should never seek to indulge his appetite; in lodging, he should not be too solicitous of comfort. He should be diligent in virtue and learning in order to profit from their lessons and example. In this way, he may become a man of real culture."

Taiwan shares open higher(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange's main index opened higher Friday than its previous close, moving up 43.96 points at 8,007.50 on a turnover of NT$4.82 billion (US$149.23 million).

The weighted price index gained 62.04 points, or 0.78 percent, to close at 7,963.54 Thursday. (By Y.F. Low)

Commercial promoting Taiwan tourism to be shown in New York(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

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New York, Dec. 23 (CNA) A commercial featuring Taiwan's beauty will be shown in Times Square, a New York City landmark, for one month starting Dec. 24 as part of efforts to promote tourism, Taiwanese officials posted in the United States said Wednesday.

The campaign, which will cover the prime period between Christmas and New Year, will mark the first time a Taiwanese commercial has been presented in the iconic square.

From 6 a.m. until 2 a.m. every day, the 2.5-minute commercial will be shown every hour on each of two wall screens located on either side of the Times Square Ball -- the focus of the New Year countdown that attracts more than 1.6 million revelers every year.

Kao Jen-chuan, director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, said the presentation will provide a rare opportunity for Taiwan's beautiful scenery to be brought to the world stage.

Chang Cheng-yuan, director of the Tourism Bureau's New York office, said with a total running time of 100 minutes per day during the coming month, the commercial is expected to greatly increase Taiwan's media exposure and help attract more international visitors to the country.

Due to the economic slump caused by the global financial crisis, visitor arrivals from the United States to Taiwan dropped by 5 percent year-on-year in the first 11 months of this year.

Chang said the Tourism Bureau will evaluate the performance of the commercial to decide whether to launch a similar campaign next year. (By Hwang Jaw-pyng and Y.F. Low)

NTU accuses Spanish ranking institute of libel(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) The National Taiwan University (NTU) lodged a protest Thursday with Webometrics Ranking against an allegation by the Spanish ranking institute that NTU has resorted to " bad practices" to win an inflated status in the world university rankings.

In its latest world university ranking published in July, Webometrics put NTU in 26th place, advancing from 55th place the previous year. NTU was the only Taiwanese university to make the top 100 in the rankings.

The institute, however, named NTU as of one of several universities that have resorted to "bad practices" in a bid to get better rankings.

According to the institute, NTU and several other universities "are hosting large numbers of academic papers authored by scientists that do not belong to those institutions."

"This is not only unfair, but it clearly violates the copyright of the papers involved. We urge these universities to take action to decrease the number of suspicious files," Webometrics said on its Web site.

However, NTU said in a statement that the allegation was not "clear" enough, could be classed as libel, and has undermined the reputation of the university, widely regarded as the best in Taiwan.

The statement said that NTU has always taken matters regarding its world ranking in stride, and has never tried to manipulate its ranking in any way. (By Iu Jang-yig and Bear Lee)

Housing, rental prices in Taipei City forecast to rise(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) Compared to other major cities in Asia such as Tokyo, Shanghai or Hong Kong, house prices and rentals in Taipei City still have potential to continue surging, real-estate brokers said Thursday.

According to the newest list of Asia's most expensive places to live published by Forbes magazine, Taipei ranks 16th with an average monthly rent of US$1,065 for a high-end two-bedroom apartment.

Toyko topped the list at US$4,737, followed by Hong Kong at US$3,871 and Beijing in third place at US$3,659.

Urban enclaves where prices rose the most include the region's financial hubs such as Mumbai, Singapore and Taipei, according to a Mercer Consulting's annual cost-of-living survey.

Despite the global downturn, rents are relatively high and property prices are on the rise in these cities, according to Forbes.

"In the past, we've seen Europe as the most expensive. Over time, the Asian cities have caught up quite a bit in terms of cost-of-living increases, " said Cathy Loose, a principal consultant at Mercer. "Mainly because of the limited space, real estate in terms of demand versus supply is driving the rental price high."

Huang Cheng-fu, an assistant manager with Evertrust Rehouse -- one of the leading real estate brokers in Taiwan, said the US$1,065 monthly rental estimated by Mercer for a fine two-bed room apartment in Taipei's upscale Daan or Hsinyi district is a reasonably accurate figure.

Compared to the US$3,871 average monthly rent for a similar product in Hong Kong, rents and house prices in Taipei are expected to continue rising amid ever closer exchanges in the greater China area, Huang contended.

Su Chi-jung, a manager at Sinyi Realty Estate, said Taipei's 16th-spot ranking reflects the fact that there is ample room for it to become more international, on the grounds that the rate of a city's globalization is closely related to its rental levels.

Once there are more foreign business executives in a city, its rent levels usually go up because such foreign nationals want to rent high-quality houses, he said.

With cross-Taiwan Strait exchanges continuing to expand and more foreign and Chinese executives coming to Taiwan, Su predicted that Taipei will move further up the list in the future.

Locations in other parts of the country, however, will not see a similar rise in real estate property or rental prices, another analyst added. (By Y. F. Lin and Flor Wang)

Taiwan headline news(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Friday are as follows:

@The China Times:

Ex-first couple accused of taking bribes worth NT$610 million over financial group mergers and acquisitions

@The United Daily News:

Five members of ex-first family and heads of three financial groups are indicted over corruption and money laundering

@The Liberty Times:

Criminal ring makes NT$1.6 million per transaction in brokering deals involving foreign surrogate motherhood

@Economic Daily News:

Formosa Plastics Group will begin fifth phase of construction on its Mailiao petrochemical complex

@Commercial Times:

Central bank demands banks lower credit ceilings for property in three areas

@The China Post:

U.S. health bill passes

@The Taiwan News:

Ex-President Chen Shui-bian indicted over financial reform

@The Taipei Times:

Prosecutors indict 22 in former first family case

Foreign exchange rates(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Dec. 25 (CNA) The exchange rates for major foreign currencies quoted in New Taiwan dollars by Chang Hwa Bank Friday.

BUYING RATES SELLING RATES US dollar 32.039 32.439 Euro 45.83 46.83 Hong Kong dollar 4.106 4.206 Japanese yen 0.3497 0.3557 Australian dollar 28.39 28.59 Canadian dollar 30.59 30.79 Pound sterling 51.31 51.71 Singapore dollar 22.80 23.00 South African rand 4.240 4.340 Sweden krone 4.375 4.475 Swiss Franc 31.00 31.20 Thai baht 0.9515 0.9915 N. Zealand dollar 22.67 22.87 Chinese yuan 4.571 4.791

* Exchange rates for the US dollar in amounts less than US$10,000.

U.S. dollar down in early Taipei trading(2009-12-25 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) The U.S. dollar was traded at NT$32.254 at 9:45 a.m. Friday on the Taipei Foreign Exchange, down NT$0.046 from Thursday's close. (By Y.F. Low)

Auto industry shines as November industrial production rises(2009-12-24 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 23 (CNA) Taiwan's industrial production index for November rose 31.46 percent year-on-year, growing for the third consecutive month, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) reported Wednesday.

The industrial production index stood at 108.78 in November -- representing the highest year-on-year growth since August 1978-- an increase that the MOEA attributed to the low base last year and the recovery of the global economy.

Production in the motor vehicle and parts industry increased the most, at 71.69 percent, while chemical material production rose 63.45 percent, and electronic parts and components climbed 60.96 percent, the statistics show.

MOEA Statistics Department Director-General Huang Chi-shi attributed the sharp growth in the auto industry to rebounding consumer demand. The number of vehicle registrations in November rose to 31,000 -- more than 140 percent higher than 13,000 for the same month last year, he noted.

Huang forecast that the auto industry will continue to grow in December, as the current commodity tax reduction on auto purchases will expire at the end of this year.

Although industrial production in December is expected to show steady growth, the MOEA estimates that the rate for the year will be between -8 percent and -9 percent, Huang said. (By Ye-fong Lin and Fanny Liu)

Gov't agencies seek to allay public concerns over cross-strait pacts(2009-12-24 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 23 (CNA) Government agencies started a campaign Wednesday to allay major public concerns over three new accords signed between Taiwan and China the previous day amid mass protests by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and civic groups.

In their fourth round of talks, China and Taiwan's top cross-strait negotiators signed three agreements Tuesday on fishery worker cooperation, agricultural quarantine inspection and industrial product standards certification.

In response to the fears expressed by the DPP that the agreements will result in job losses and a compromise of Taiwan's sovereignty, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said that since President Ma Ying-jeou assumed office in 2008, the government has been firmly safeguarding the interests of local industries and the Taiwan people.

Regarding the fishery cooperation pact, the Council of Agriculture's Fisheries Agency said it will maintain the current restrictions on the importation of specific species of fish from China, in order to protect Taiwan's fish farming sector.

Commenting on the 144 percent increase in the sale of Chinese catch on the Taiwan market this year from 2008, the Fishery Agency said this was due to the Taiwan government's efforts, including its effective crackdown on smuggling and its stipulation that Taiwanese fishing boats must be equipped with monitoring systems.

These measures have helped reduce the smuggling of fish catches across the strait and have led to normal trade between the two sides, the agency said.

In the area of quarantine inspection of agricultural products, the COA reiterated that the agreement has nothing to do with opening the Taiwan market to Chinese produce. The pact is aimed at ensuring that Taiwan's fruit and vegetables clear China customs more quickly and at ensuring more transparent information on chemical residues on both sides, the COA said.

The Bureau of Standards, Meteorology and Inspection under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), meanwhile, said the industrial product standards certification agreement will allow Taiwan industries to find a footing in the Chinese market in the short term and to access the global market in the long term.

According to the bureau, the vast Chinese market will serve as stepping stone for goods manufactured under Taiwan-China joint ventures to go international and to obtain global standards recognition. This will save Taiwan enterprises from having to pay high royalties to U.S. or European companies, it added.

The DPP's claim of a "one-China market" is a far-fetched theory, it added.

The three agreements were signed by Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Taiwan Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) , and his Chinese counterpart, Chen Yunlin, president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), in Taichung City, central Taiwan. (By C. C. Liu and Flor Wang)

Protesters shadow Chinese envoy on tour of central Taiwan(2009-12-24 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taichung, Dec. 23 (CNA) Pro-independence protesters continued their efforts Wednesday for the fourth consecutive day to show their opposition to a visit by a Chinese special envoy, as he toured central Taiwan.

In the mountainous county of Miaoli, protesters chanted slogans and held banners and placards before and during the arrival in the area of Chen Yunlin, chairman of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS).

Chen is on a sightseeing tour, after having completed his main mission in Taiwan -- to sign three accords with his Taiwan counterpart Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF).

At the gate of West Lake Resortopia in Miaoli, dozens of protesters chanted slogans, while supporters of Chen's visit responded in kind.

Falun Gong practitioners and pro-independence supporters waited for Chen at his second stop, Wooden Sculpture Museum in Sanyi. On Chen's arrival there, the protesters shouted slogans such as "Taiwan, China -- one country on each side", "Communists, go back (to China) " and "stop suppressing Falun Gong."

Chen, surrounded by tight security, appeared unfazed by the protests.

At the day's final stop at Dajia Jenn Lann Temple, one of the most well-known temples in Taiwan dedicated to the sea goddess Matsu, Chen's motorcade was again beleaguered by Falun Gong members and pro-independence supporters. Some 1,000 police and 200-300 volunteers were deployed around the temple to maintain order.

In the morning, three city councilmen from the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) sneaked past security into an alley outside Chen's hotel in Taichung City, where they chanted slogans until the police removed them.

Chen is scheduled to visit Sun Moon Lake, a scenic spot in Nantou County that is popular among Chinese tourists, and is expected to spend the night there before leaving for Beijing Friday.

Falun Gong practitioners said they will stage a protest at Sun Moon Lake as well.

Chen has been bombarded by protests almost everywhere he has gone so far during his five-day visit to Taiwan. An estimated 30,000 protesters marched against his visit and a proposed trade pact on Dec. 20, the day before he arrived in Taiwan.

Since then, smaller protests have been held every day close to the Windsor Hotel where he was staying in Taichung City.

Local groups said before Chen's arrival that they will deploy a "shadow strategy" and follow Chen everywhere he goes. (By Chris Wang)

United Daily: DPP's dissent(2009-12-24 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

ditorial abstract (file 1 of a daily roundup)

We are realizing more and more the hollowness and lack of common sense in the Democratic Progressive Party's mainland China policy, based on the party's protests against the negotiations between Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), and Chen Yunlin, president of the Association for the Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) , and to the proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA).

Many people have the same question: What exactly is the DPP protesting against? In the four Chiang-Chen meetings so far, 12 cross-strait agreements have been signed on issues that include direct flights, Chinese visitors to Taiwan, judicial cooperation, food safety, agricultural products inspection, fishery labor affairs, and standardization of certificates. As hardly any objections to the agreements have been heard from the DPP, could it be that it is only opposed to Chen's traveling around during his visit in Taiwan, not to the 12 agreements?

As to the ECFA proposal, the signing of such an agreement is meant to meet the challenges of globalization. If the DPP really considers the ECFA such a disastrous idea, why is not against the efforts to join the trade cooperation framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)?

If the DPP is building its cross-strait policy on the political notion of a "Taiwan Republic" and the economic idea of "anti-globalization," where will the DPP find its footing?

The DPP should immediately stop its political manipulations of deceit and self-deception. (By Lillian Lin) Enditem/ pc

Taiwan shares open higher(2009-12-24 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange's main index opened higher Thursday, moving up 33.84 points to 7,935.34 on a turnover of NT$3.64 billion (US$112.7 million).

The share prices closed higher Wednesday, with the weighted index, the market's key barometer, increasing 45.5 points, or 0.57 percent, to close at 7,901.5. (By Sofia Wu)

U.S. dollar down in early Taipei trading(2009-12-24 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) The U.S. dollar was lower against the New Taiwan dollar in early trading in Taipei Thursday.

The greenback was trading at NT$32.313 at 9:30 a.m. on the Taiwan Foreign Exchange, down NT$0.047 from Wednesday. (By Deborah Kuo)

Taiwan headline news(2009-12-24 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Thursday are as follows:

@The China Times:

Poll shows incumbent Taipei Mayor Hau enjoys a 2% edge over supposed DPP challenger Su in next year's mayoral race

@The United Daily News:

Police officer sustains head injuries in clashes during street protests against Chinese negotiator's visit

@The Liberty Times:

Cross-strait investment flows seriously imbalanced, with Taiwan pouring NT$4.8 trillion into China while receiving a mere NT$1.19 billion in Chinese capital

@Economic Daily News:

Flat panel and steel industries to be opened to Chinese investment

@Commercial Times:

China will not impose any ceiling on QDII investment in Taiwan

@The China Post:

Clashes in Taichung

@The Taiwan News:

Pro-green protesters dog Chen on sightseeing trips

@The Taipei Times:

MOF says politics did not stop tax deal

Talk of the Day - News digest of local media -- Investment argument(2009-12-24 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The imbalance in investment flows across the Taiwan Strait became the focus of a forum Wednesday on promoting inbound Chinese investment, with Taiwan's top cross-strait negotiator Chiang Pin-kun saying that Taiwan has poured over US$150 billion into China over the past two decades while receiving a mere US$36.84 million in Chinese capital.

The following is a digest of some local media reports on the issue:

China Times:

Responding to Chiang's complaint that Chinese investment in Taiwan remains limited, China's top Taiwan negotiator said Wednesday that the persistent protests and public opposition in Taiwan have spooked potential Chinese investors.

Chen Yunlin, president of Beijing's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) , said during discussions in Taichung that Chinese enterprises are likely to gauge two major factors -- whether their investments would be lucrative, and whether it would be safe for them to operate in Taiwan. (Dec. 24, 2009)

United Daily News:

While China's top negotiator with Taiwan said that the Taiwan environment is not "stable enough" to lure Chinese investors, Kao Koong-lian, vice chairman of Taiwan's intermediary Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), reported the same day that so far Chinese investors have channeled some NT$1.15 billion into 22 investment projects in Taiwan. In comparison, Taiwanese entrepreneurs have invested a mammoth NT$4 trillion in more than 70,000 projects in China over the past 20 years, he noted.

Kao said the government is reviewing its policy on Chinese investment in Taiwan, hopefully to open more industry sectors early next year to Chinese investment and thus attract more capital. (Dec. 24, 2009)

Liberty Times:

In Wednesday's discussions, SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung said so far Chinese investment in Taiwan has been not at all significant in comparison to the amount invested by Taiwanese firms and individuals in China.

In response, ARATS President Chen Yunlin said many Chinese entrepreneurs are skittish because of the constant opposition and protests in Taiwan.

Chen said he fully understands how the Taiwanese people, particularly those in southern Taiwan, feel about the signing of a proposed cross-strait free trade pact, but he argued that if Taiwan could "not be afraid," it would attain a more advantageous position. (Dec. 24, 2009)

(By Deborah Kuo)

Today in history(2009-12-24 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) Today is Thursday, Dec. 24, or the ninth day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past.

1491: Ignatius Loyola, Spanish founder of the Jesuit order, is born.

1524: Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese explorer who discovered the sea route to India around the Cape of Good Hope, dies.

1814: The War of 1812 between Britain and the United States ends with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent.

1851: Fire destroys part of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., and the whole of the Library of Congress.

1905: Howard Hughes, American billionaire industrialist and film producer, is born.

1908: French President Armand Fallieres opens the first international aviation show in Paris.

1914: The first German bomb lands on British soil.

1919: Wealthy U.S. merchant John D. Rockefeller donates US$100 million for charitable use.

1921: Mahatma Gandhi is sworn in as chairman of India's Congress (I) Party, on a platform of non-cooperation.

1937: Japanese forces capture Hangchow in eastern China.

1943: President Roosevelt appoints Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower as supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force preparing for the invasion of France.

1945: Pope Pius XII promotes Republic of China Bishop Tien Keng-hsin of Chingtao to cardinal, making him the first cardinal in East Asia.

1951: Libya declares independence.

1967: Communist China conducts its seventh nuclear test, detonating a small device in northeastern China.

1976: Takeo Fukuda organizes a new Japanese Cabinet.

1978: Local movie and television actor Ku Ming-lun jumps to his death from the top of a building.

1983: The Taipei City Fine Arts Museum formally opens to the public.

1992: President George Bush pardons former U.S. Defense Secretary Casper Weinberger and five other Reagan aides involved in the Iran-Contra affair.

1993: Former ROC President Yen Chia-kan dies at the age of 90.

1999: Gen. Joao Batista Figueiredo, the Brazilian military ruler who ended 20 years of military government by restoring civilian rule in 1985, dies at the age of 81.

1999: Taipei's fifth rapid transit line -- the Pangnan Line -- is inaugurated, completing the foundation of the city's rapid transit network.

2000: About 5,000 Falun Gong practitioners from Taiwan and 18 other countries and areas take part in a peaceful street march in Taipei to call world attention to mainland China's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

2000: Thai Rangsit University confers an honorary doctoral degree on former ROC Premier Vincent Siew in recognition of his contributions to promoting political democratization and economic liberalization in Taiwan.

Confucius' lesson of the day: "A wise and good man, in the matter of food, should never seek to indulge his appetite; in lodging, he should not be too solicitous of comfort. He should be diligent in virtue and learning in order to profit from their lessons and example. In this way, he may become a man of real culture."

Policeman injured; six protesters detained(2009-12-24 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taichung, Dec. 23 (CNA) A police officer was injured but appeared to be in stable condition and six protesters were detained in an incident Wednesday night in front of the hotel where Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin is staying, Taichung City police said.

It was the first arrest and the most serious injury that occurred since a series of protests were launched Dec. 20 against a five-day visit by Chen, president of the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits.

Chen arrived in the central Taiwan city Monday for the fourth round of cross-strait talks with his Taiwan counterpart, chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation. The talks concluded the previous day with three agreements inked.

Chen Chu-hsiang, a police officer in the Criminal Investigative Corps, sustained an injury to his forehead when he was pushed from a vehicle by protesters as he tried to stop them from launching firecrackers in the direction of the Windsor Hotel, Yu Hui-mao, Deputy Director-General of Taichung City's Police Bureau, said at a press conference.

Six protesters were detained after the incident and are still in custody on charges of endangering public safety, disrupting public service and assault, Yu said. The vehicle carrying the protesters was also seized, he added.

The firecrackers set off by the protesters, who were mostly from the pro-independence group "The Taiwan Republic Campaign, " posed a safety hazard for the hotel and the nearby area, Yu said.

An eye witness among the demonstrators told reporters that more than a dozen police officers jumped on the vehicle to go after the protesters and Chen accidentally fell off the truck onto the ground.

"No one pushed him. I have a video recording to prove that, " said a graduate student who asked not to be named.

The police also videotaped the incident but the footage cannot be made public because the case is now under investigation by local prosecutors, Yu said.

"Our video footage shows that Chen was pushed from the vehicle, " he said.

Yu urged the protesters to express their views in a peaceful manner in order to avoid such incidents.

(By Chris Wang)

Today in history(2009-12-23 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 23 (CNA) Today is Wednesday, Dec. 23, or the eighth day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar.

Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1888: Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh cut off one of his ears in an epileptic attack.

1948: Japanese war criminal Eiki Tojo is executed.

1957: Republic of China Premier Yu Hung-chun is impeached by the Control Yuan, the highest watchdog body.

1958: The construction of the 333-meter Tokyo Tower is complete.

1974: The test-flight of B-1 bombers by U.S. pilots proves successful for the first time.

1986: Soviet human rights activist Andrei D. Sakharov is released from exile and he returns to Moscow.

1989: Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife are arrested.

Hualien magistrate's appointment of deputy invalid: MOI(2009-12-23 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah said Tuesday that Hualien Magistrate Fu Kun-chi's naming of his "ex-wife" as deputy magistrate is invalid, on the grounds that their divorce was fake and that the appointment of his wife therefore is in breach of the relevant laws.

Jiang made the announcement following a meeting in which officials from the Interior Ministry, the Justice Ministry, the Central Personnel Administration, the Executive Yuan and the Control Yuan made the decision.

Jiang said his ministry will ask the Executive Yuan to rescind Fu's appointment of Hsu Chen-wei, his wife, as deputy magistrate of Hualien County because the two are still married to each other.

According to the Public Official Employment Law, it is against the law for a holder of public office to designate a spouse or a family member living under the same roof as his or her deputy.

Fu, who was elected by a landslide in the Dec. 5 local elections running as an independent after being expelled by the ruling Kuomintang, supposedly divorced Hsu Dec. 18 and then picked her as his deputy just three days later.

In a bid to make the divorce appear bona fide, Fu re-registered Hsu's family registration in the house of his mother-in-law, who lives next door to Fu, the MOI said in a news release.

According to Jiang, the MOI will also ask the Control Yuan to fine Fu between NT$1 million (US$30,000) and NT$5 million for breaking the Employment Rules of the Act on Recusal of Public Servants Due to Conflicts of Interest because their actual relations are husband and wife.

Fu's appointment of Hsu is widely seen as an attempt to hold on to the post, as he is also appealing a six-and-a-half-year sentence for violating securities trading regulations.

The MOI said Fu and Hsu are recognized as "members of the same family" given that they are rearing their children together and because they have told supporters that they are still a family.

According to the MOI, the divorce apparently violates Article 87 of the Civil Law and thus was ruled invalid.

Also, in line with the fourth provision of Article 75 of the Local Government Law, Fu's designation of Hsu as his deputy is unlawful, the MOI said.

The case also violates Article 6 and Article 7 of the Enployment Rules of the Act on Recusal of Public Servants Due to Conflicts of Interest for naming a "related person" to a public office post.

So-called "related persons" refer to a spouse or family member living under the same roof, according to the law. (By C.C. Hsieh and Flor Wang)

DPP blames MAC, SEF for failing to ink tax deal with China(2009-12-23 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) The main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said Tuesday that both the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) head and the chief negotiator with China should be held responsible for failing to ink a tax deal in the latest cross-strait talks that concluded that day in central Taiwan.

MAC Chairwoman Lai shin-yuan and Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) , Taiwan's chief negotiator in the talks, are to blame for the failure, said DPP acting spokesman Chung Shuo-han at a press conference.

Chiang and his Chinese counterpart, Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) President Chen Yunlin, signed three agreements on fishery crew cooperation, agricultural quarantine inspection, and industrial product standards, inspection and certification in the talks, the fourth of their kind since last year, but fell short of a fourth on taxation, citing "technical reasons."

"The government should make public the reasons behind the failure for the tax deal, which could result in a loss of NT$30 billion (US$940 million) in tax revenue," said Chien Yao-tang, a research fellow with the Taiwan Thinktank, at the press conference.

Well ahead of the talks, the government had blared about forging the tax pact, and the last-minute failure shows its inability to control the tenor of the negotiations, said Liu Chieh-hsin, deputy chief of the DPP's Strategy Committee.

Concern on the part of China-based Taiwanese investors about a possible tax probe by the government is the main reason for the delay in the cross-strait tax pact, he claimed.

Meanwhile, in response to a challenge by the ruling Kuomintang for the opposition party to publish information concerning investments in China by DPP officials and public office-holders, Liu said the KMT has been trying to "shift the focus of concerns" and has failed to play its role as the ruling party.

KMT spokesman Lee Chien-jung said earlier in the day that given the close cross-strait exchanges over the past decade, DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen should publicize such data in light of its opposition to the economic accords signed between Taiwan and China in the just-concluded talks.

Lee said it is regrettable that the DPP ignored the meeting agenda, sent "one-sided" and "misleading" information to its supporters and mobilized protests instead of engaging in rational policy debates.

However, Liu said that as the main opposition party, the DPP is obliged to exercise checks and balances on the government, and that in terms of investments in China, its greatest concern is "whether any of the ruling party members have ever pursued personal interests in the process of talks with China."

"Members of Taiwan's negotiating teams should therefore make public the business operations in China of either their own or family members," he said. (By Wen Kuei-hsiang and Bear Lee)

Taiwan shares open higher(2009-12-23 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 23 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange's main index opened higher Wednesday, moving up 36.75 points to 7,892.75 on a turnover of NT$3.22 billion (US$99.53 million).

The share prices closed higher Tuesday, with the weighted index, the market's key barometer, increasing 68.73 points, or 0.88 percent, to close at 7,856. (By Elizabeth Hsu)

Taiwan headline news(2009-12-23 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 23 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Wednesday are as follows:

@The China Times:

Hualien County magistrate cancels ex-wife's appointment after divorce deemed 'fake'

@The United Daily News:

Interior ministry invalidates Hualien County magistrate's appointment of 'ex-wife' as his deputy over 'fake' divorce

@The Liberty Times:

DPP accuses KMT of intending to secretly reach ECFA deal with China

@Economic Daily News:

Flat panel prices to rise ahead of schedule after earthquakes damage two major Taiwanese makers' production lines

@Commercial Times:

Taiwan earthquake prompts local and Korean makers to raise flat panel prices

@The China Post:

ECFA now top priority

@The Taiwan News:

Taiwan and PRC envoys launch push for ECFA

@The Taipei Times:

SEF, ARATS ink three pacts, drop one

U.S. dollar up in early Taipei trading(2009-12-23 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 23 (CNA) The U.S. dollar was higher against the New Taiwan dollar in early trading in Taipei Wednesday.

The greenback was trading at NT$32.364 at 9:45 a.m. on the Taiwan Foreign Exchange, up NT$0.009 from Tuesday. (By Elizabeth Hsu)

News digest of local media - Fu's controversy(2009-12-23 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The drama surrounding new Hualien County Magistrate Fu Kun-chi's politically calculated appointment of his wife of 10-plus years to be his deputy has come to an end after Fu withdrew the appointment late Tuesday in wake of the Interior Ministry's announcement that their divorce was fake.

The following is a digest of some local media reports on the controversy:

China Times:

The Ministry of the Interior ruled Tuesday that Fu's divorce with Hsu Chen-wei constituted "collusion" between the couple and that Fu's appointment of Hsu is invalid because of the false divorce.

Fu will be fined up to NT$5 million for violating conflict of interest regulations for civil servants, the ministry said.

Fu later said he would act in accordance with the ministry's order, and he withdrew the appointment. (Dec. 23, 2009)

United Daily News:

Interior Minister Jiang Yi-huah said in a tough tone that Fu's divorce with his wife was obviously false and an attempt to "make use of a loophole in the law."

Civil servants have to act according to the law, and if they "try to take advantage of any loopholes, it is very possible that they will ending up being guilty of even bigger violations, " Jiang added. (Dec. 23, 2009)

Liberty Times:

Fu panned the authorities for being "too ruthless" in ruling that his divorce with Hsu Chen-wei is invalid.

Fu called on the Ma administration not to try to divert public attention from the failed cross-strait talks to his county. (Dec. 23, 2009)

PRC envoy gets warm welcome from protesters, hosts(2009-12-22 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin expressed "respect" for Taiwan residents who "opposed my visit and do not welcome me" and effusively thanked supporters and host Strait Exchange Foundation Chairman Chiang Ping-kun and Taichung Mayor Hu Chih-chiang upon his arrival at the Windsor Hotel in the central Taiwan city on Monday afternoon.

The chairman of the People's Republic of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait began a five-day visit to Taiwan for a fourth set of SEF-ARATS discussions at 12:23 p.m. at Taichung Airport after his chartered Air China airliner was delayed for 40 minutes due to strong headwinds.

Chen and Chiang, who is also a vice chairman of the ruling Kuomintang, were scheduled to hold talks and then sign four new cross-strait agreements on Tuesday on setting of industrial standards and certification, on the inspection and quarantine of agricultural products, on avoidance of double taxation and on labor affairs related to the fishing industry, but the two associations decided to delay signing the taxation pact after preparatory discussions on Monday afternoon.

Chen, a former director of the PRC and ruling Chinese Communist Party's Taiwan Affairs Office, attended an official greeting at the Windsor Hotel on the western outskirts of Taichung City where he was welcomed by blow horns and catcalls from protestors from various Taiwan independence organizations and Falunggong believers and cheers from a group of supporters upon his arrival at 12:50 p.m.

Supporters and protesters alike were separated from the hotel by a six lane highway, several lines of barbed wire barricades and hundreds of police.

After exiting his limousine under heavy security guard, Chen entered the Windsor Hotel and was greeted by Chiang and a set of SEF officials and hotel executives and flashes from media cameras.

Before entering the hotel, the ARATS chairman turned twice to wave to his supporters, who held up red and white banners expressing support for the Chiang-Chen talks and calling on the two sides to "work hand in hand to create mutual benefit."

Horns and slogans from hundreds of protestors were distinctly audible in the hotel lobby during the welcome ceremony, which featured statements by both the SEF and ARATS chairmen.

Chiang related that the three previous SEF-ARATS meetings held in Beijing, Taipei and Nanjing since President Ma Ying-jeou's KMT administration took office in May 2008 had signed nine agreements which he said aimed to "promote mutual benefit" and would pave the way for the "normalization of cross-strait trade" through a process of consultations and "dealing with economics first and politics later" and "setting aside differences and focussing on mutual agreement."

The SEF chairman indirectly referred to the Ma administration's controversial proposal for a cross-strait "economic cooperation framework agreement" when he said that Taiwan faces the challenge of regional integration of the "Association of Southeast Asia Nations plus Three," referring to the addition of the PRC, Japan and South Korea to the ASEAN free trade zone.

Chiang said that Taiwan could go through the SEF-ARATS platform to promote "mutual cooperation to solve this challenge and create more opportunities."

After expressing condolences to the victims of the 6.8 magnitude earthquake offshore Hualien on Sunday evening, Chen expressed thanks for the "warm welcome" to Chiang, KMT Taichung City Mayor Jason Hu, news media reporters and the hundreds of police and security agents tasked with keeping order during his visit.

The ARATS chairman stated that if the four new agreements were "smoothly signed" on Tuesday, the results would further "promote the interaction of personnel, goods and capital between the two sides."

Chen called on "Taiwan compatriots" to "persist in taking the current positive and correct path" which he said would open a "bright and broad road to cross-strait peace."

Besides conveying "best wishes" to "all Taiwan compatriots on behalf of mainland compatriots," Chen acknowledged that "many compatriots oppose the talks and do not welcome my visit, but even more compatriots are understanding and supportive" and stated that "we absolutely respect different views and are deeply grateful to compatriots who welcome us!"

Shortly after arriving, Chen was accompanied by Chiang and Hu on a brief visit into Taichung City, the details of which were not released to news media until the arrival of reporters at the two sites, which included an apartment complex and One Hotel Taichung, which is managed by the Landis Group.

A spokeswoman for the Taichung City government stated that Chen was taken to the apartment complex to help promote Taichung's development. There, a single young male protestor held up a T-shirt declaring "I am Taiwanese" and shouted "Taiwan, China, one side one country" and later left through the back door of the complex.

Chen was then driven to Hotel One, where he held a meeting with Hu and Chiang and enjoyed Taichung's speciality of "bubble tea" and the view of the city from the top 46th floor.

Chen, Chiang and Hu held a brief joint news conference during which the Taichung City mayor apologized to reporters angered by the refusal to be informed in advance of the schedule of the tour and asked understanding for "security reasons."

The ARATS chairman was scheduled to visit the Wan Ho Temple, built in 1684 in honor of the fishermen's goddess Mazu, but Hu said that this stop had been cancelled "due to lack of time." Taichung City Deputy Mayor Hsiao Chia-chi told reporters that one stop had also been cancelled "because it was surrounded by protesters."

DPP spokesman Tsai Chi-chang told reporters that the Taichung City deputy mayor had been referring to the temple, at which many protesters had gathered.

DPP "Rapid Reaction Headquarters" spokesman and former DPP secretary-general Lin Chia-lung chided Chen for "choosing to leave by the back door instead of opening the front door" and "avoiding any contact with real Taiwan public opinion."

While Chen was touring Taichung together with Chiang and Hu, preparatory negotiations on the agreements hit a roadblock that appears to have sunk chances for all four pacts to be signed on Tuesday.

In a news conference after Tuesday's preparatory discussions between SEF Vice Chairman Kao Koong-lien and ARATS Vice Chairman Zheng Lizhong, Kao announced on Tuesday afternoon that Chiang and Chen would not sign the proposed agreement on avoiding dual taxation and tax affairs cooperation "due to technical problems."

A statement issued by Taiwan's Ministry of Finance related that the two sides had been discussing the proposed agreement since October and had attained a "basic consensus."

However, the MOF noted that "because of certain technical problems," the two sides decided in Monday afternoon's prepatory discussions that it was necessary "to hold further exchange of views."

School provides real treasure to encourage students to read(2009-12-22 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The ancients used to say, "In books, there is a treasure trove." Chen Tsai-ching, principal of Taipei's Fangho Middle School, wanted to get more disadvantaged children into the school's library, and she devised a plan the ancients would surely approve of: hiding "gold certificates" inside the pages of various books. Any child who opens up a book has a chance of coming across unexpected spending money.

The "Fishing for Gold in a Sea of Books" plan has since successfully captured the hearts of the students. In the past, student Shan Lin-jung would only accompany friends to the library, but she never read the books there herself. Now, however, she goes to the library whenever she is free, because "you can read and you might find some money, too! It's great!"

There are currently gaps in Taiwan between North and South, city and countryside, and even in Taipei itself there are also gaps between schools, with the exclusive schools of the Da'an district generally filled with prosperous parents and students. Principal Chen says that middle and lower-income families at her school make up about 1/5 of the student population, and such students often lack not only the material goods but also the cultural stimulation needed for success. Chen believes that children will not be able to understand the pleasure of reading if they are not attracted to read on their own, and the school should make that happen.

Chen's first attempt was aimed at just getting students into the library. She dug into her own pocket to come up with NT$3,000, and then placed NT$100 bills and NT$10 coins in various places around the library as "treasure" for which students could hunt. Whether it was NT$10 or NT$20, the children learned that reading sometimes comes with additional rewards and surprises.

When the money ran out, the school switched to "Golden Questionnaires". Parent volunteers show up at the library each day to select different kinds of books, designing a theme and incentives. Only children who correctly answer the questions are eligible for a prize drawing to win from NT$5 to NT$50. There is also a Wall of Fame for book borrowers, and a monthly award for the "Reading King".

After two months, the plan has really inspired interest in reading on campus. The number of kids willing to walk into the library and borrow a book has risen 30%, and the library has helped out by extending its hours until 6 p.m. so that more children can come there to read after school hours.

Chen was moved when one student told her, "I don't have any pocket money, but I'm reading a lot." It seems some youngsters in her school are developing a love of reading to testify the old saying that there really is a treasure trove in books.

(The Chinese-language version of this article was published on December 21, 2009.)

Cold snap to end today, another front on the way(2009-12-22 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Temperatures are expected to begin rising on Tuesday as a cold front that lingered over the nation through the weekend weakens, the Central Weather Bureau said on Monday.

The bureau said daytime temperatures today are expected to rise by about 3 degrees Celsius, adding that the relatively warm weather will last through Friday.

Another cold front is scheduled to arrive on Saturday and will cause temperatures to drop again, the bureau said.

The bureau said that while the next cold front is not forecast to be as strong as its predecessor, it could bring rain to northern regions.

On Tuesday, the temperature is expected to be between 13 and 21 degrees in the north, between 12 and 23 degrees in central areas, and between 15 and 25 degrees in the south.

Despite the rise in temperatures, residents living in counties above Chiayi, northeast coastal areas, and Kinmen and Matsu will continue to experience low temperatures in the morning, the bureau said.

On Monday, the lowest temperature reported was in Danshui (淡水), which hit a low of 7.1 degrees early in the morning. It was followed by Taipei and Chiayi, which recorded temperatures of 9.8 and 10 degrees respectively.

Both Yushan (玉山) and Hohuanshan (合歡山), meanwhile, recorded the lowest temperatures since winter began. The low in Yushan occurred on Sunday, with the temperature sliding to minus 8.3 degrees. The temperature in Hohuanshan dropped to minus 4.3 degrees.

Taiwan pressing to recover funds embezzled in diplomatic scandal(2009-12-22 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) Taiwanese prosecutors are taking civil action to retrieve the more than NT$200 million (US$8.58 million) frozen in several Singapore bank accounts held by Ching Chi Ju, one of the two middlemen involved in Taiwan's abortive bid to buy diplomatic relations with Papua New Guinea.

The move is the prosecutors latest effort to recover all of the US$29.8 million that Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) wired into a joint account held by Wu Shih-tsai and Ching in Singapore's OCBC Bank on Sept. 15, 2006 to facilitate the diplomatic initiative.

Taiwanese authorities found that the money had disappeared by December 2006 without any progress being made in developing ties with the Pacific country and concluded that Wu and Ching embezzled most of the funds.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs filed a civil suit via its representative office with Singapore's High Court against Wu and Ching last year to demand repayment of the sum in full.

The agency received good news on Saturday when Singapore's high court ordered OCBC Bank to remit back to Taiwan the sum of S$2.1 million (US$1.49 million) that had been frozen in an account held by Wu, a Singaporean national.

Local prosecutors have also sought the help of their Singaporean counterparts to investigate the flow of funds held by the two middlemen.

At the same time, they have seized two houses Wu bought using the funds he embezzled and frozen US$1.5 million in a Taiwan bank account he held and NT$70 million worth of structured notes and other financial instruments in his name, according to the source.

Prosecutors to date have frozen nearly NT$400 million worth of assets held by the two suspects, the source added.

Singapre's high court is scheduled to hold a hearing on Ching's case in February 2010.

Wu is presently serving time in a Taiwan jail after he was convicted in October 2008 of forgery and making false accusations and sentenced to 28 months in jail. He began serving the sentence in May 2009. (By Lin Chung-sen and Y.L. Kao)

Taipei book fair to open in January, will showcase France(2009-12-22 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) The 2010 Taipei International Book Exhibition (TIBE) , set to open Jan. 27, 2010, will host record-setting numbers of French guests and events as it showcases France as the theme country.

According to the Taipei Book Fair Foundation, the organizer of Asia's biggest book fair, France was chosen as the theme country because books in French and translated from French into Chinese have enjoyed steady growth in Taiwan in recent years.

Paulina Lin, director of the foundation said the sales of books translated from French in 2008 rose 28 percent from 2007.

Foundation Chairman Linden Lin said France will send a record 40 people to participate in the exhibition, including renowned writers Muriel Barbery and Philippe Claudel, and the number of special activities held to celebrate the theme country will also be the highest in the show's history.

Some 2,500 of the latest French publications, will go on display, and the National Library of France is preparing to exhibit some of its volumes from between the 18th and 20th centuries.

Among other events, a publishing forum will be held at the book fair for French and Taiwanese publishers to exchange their experiences and an exhibit featuring the picture book "Taiwan-Treasure Island" by French illustrator Nicole Lambert will also be launched.

The fair will take place from Jan. 27 to Feb. 1 at the three exhibition halls of the Taipei World Trade Center, with Hall 1 reserved for international publishers, Hall 2 for animation and comic books, and Hall 3 for children's books.

(By Yulia Chen and Fanny Liu)

Chiang waxes poetic in lauding cross-strait achievements(2009-12-22 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taichung, Dec. 21 (CNA) Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) , recited a poem he composed during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Monday evening to highlight their achievements in three previous rounds of talks, saying that decades of hostility were "unrelated to winning or losing" and that "through negotiations, world peace can be achieved."

The SEF chairman hosted a dinner to welcome Chen Yunlin, president of the Association for the Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) , who is heading China's delegation at this week's round of cross-strait negotiations to be held Dec. 22-23.

Chen also showed his sentimental side at the party, saying that he found it amazing that many issues that had built up over the past six decades had been resolved in the past 18 months.

He said he felt pride whenever thinking about the nine bridges that they had built, referring to the nine cross-strait agreements signed in the previous rounds of negotiations.

(By Liu Cheng-ching and Lillian Lin)

Draft bill offers tax incentives to firms headquartered in Taiwan(2009-12-22 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) A draft bill offering special tax incentives to businesses headquartered in Taiwan is expected to pass the Legislative Yuan Tuesday and take effect starting on Jan. 1, 2010.

A Ministry of Economic Affairs spokesman said that with the implementation of the new bill, Taiwanese businesses with their operating headquarters in Taiwan will be eligible for tax breaks, including receiving tax exemptions for certain categories of income.

Business income from research and development projects and patent rights and profits from investments in related overseas enterprises will not be taxed, while income from other operations will be taxed at 20 percent, the standard corporate income tax rate in Taiwan beginning in 2010.

Multinational companies that establish their headquarters in Taiwan will receive an even deeper tax break. Their corporate income will be taxed at a fixed 15 percent rate while enjoying the same tax exemptions for specific categories of income.

The spokesman said the draft bill is aimed at attracting more multinational companies to set up operational headquarters in Taiwan. He estimated that the global or regional headquarters of an international business could create at least 1,000 job opportunities and contribute tax revenues of NT$3 billion annually. (By Tang Pei-chun and Lillian Lin)

Taiwan headline news(2009-12-22 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Tuesday are as follows:

@The China Times:

Tax agreement off the table after differences arise in Taiwan-China talks

@The United Daily News:

Tax agreement breaks down due to sovereignty dispute

@The Liberty Times:

Fourth round of SEF-ARATS talks open; tax agreement delayed

@Central Daily News online:

Latest round of cross-strait talks open, ECFA discussions to begin

@Economic Daily News:

Cross-strait tax agreement hits snag due to sovereignty dispute

@Commercial Times:

TSMC announces across-the-board 15 percent pay raise

@The China Post:

Wider road to peace: Chen

@The Taiwan News:

PRC envoy gets warm welcome from protesters, hosts

@The Taipei Times:

ARATS chief Chen arrives to protests

Foreign exchange rates(2009-12-22 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Dec. 22 CNA) The exchange rates for major foreign currencies quoted in New Taiwan dollars by Chang Hwa Bank Tuesday.

BUYING RATES SELLING RATES US dollar 32.183 32.583 Euro 45.78 46.78 Hong Kong dollar 4.125 4.225 Japanese yen 0.3515 0.3575 Australian dollar 28.34 28.54 Canadian dollar 30.37 30.57 Pound sterling 51.82 52.22 Singapore dollar 22.91 23.11 South African rand 4.127 4.227 Sweden krone 4.396 4.496 Swiss Franc 30.87 31.07 Thai baht 0.9591 0.9991 N. Zealand dollar 22.67 22.87 Chinese yuan 4.592 4.817

* Exchange rates for the US dollar in amounts less than US$10,000.

Taiwan's Formosan landlocked salmon benefit from conservation efforts(2009-12-21 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

While many people fear that various ecosystems might have been destroyed by Typhoon Morakot-triggered heavy flooding and landslides in early August, the Formosan landlocked salmon, one of Taiwan's most treasured fish, was fortunately not impacted by the storm's effect on the Qijiawan River, the fish's primary habitat.

In an initiative to conserve Formosan landlocked salmon, the Shei-pa National Park Headquarters in 2006 began releasing some of the fish raised in a controlled setting back into their natural habitat, in a move to create a more diverse genetic pool among the fish and increasing their chances of spawning successfully.

The Shei-pa National Park used to have a breeding center for the fish near the No. 2 dike on the Qijiawan River. The area was destroyed in a 2004 typhoon. The national park then established a seed bank for the fish in the Wuling Recreation Area in 2005, dispatching specialists to build an incubation center, hatchery, a feeding area, and a fish fry-nurturing zone.

The seed bank is tantamount to an insurance bank for this treasured fish, and, thanks to the collective efforts of the staff, huge strides have been made in conservation and re-population technologies, say Chung Ming-shan, the deputy director of the Shei-pa National Park Headquarters, and Yu Shu-fen, the head of the conservation division. They add that about 2,000 to 3,000 young fish are raised at the facility each year, with the success rate coming in at about 30-40%.

Efforts to protect the fish and encourage its re-population with the help of technology in the Shei-pa area began in 1993. The fish have also been raised on an artificial basis in various habitats such as the Gashan River, the Qijiawan River and the Taoshanxi River. Research commissioned by the park authority on the various issues related to the population of the fish discovered that the Formosan landlocked salmon was facing a crisis in that its gene pool was too small. Although the fish's habitat was vulnerable to frequent typhoons and natural disasters, sand dams have been helpful to a certain degree in shielding the fish from losing their habitat.

In adjusting its conservation mode, the Shei-pa National Park Headquarters started releasing the young fish raised in artificial environments back into the Qijiawan Stream area in 2006, as well as continuing its work on conserving the fish's seed and spawning. The researchers also began looking for other historical habitats of the fish in the Xijielan Stream, the Nanhu Stream and the upstream areas of the Yousheng River as places to release the young fish.

Chung Ming-shan says that of the young Taiwan landlocked salmon released in the Xijielan Stream and the Nanhu Stream two years ago, several schools have been spawning on their own. However, the number is still quite unstable and they are still vulnerable to being wiped out by flooding caused by typhoons.

In June of this year, the park authorities invited the Wuling Farm and units in the Taichung County government to take part in an activity to release the fish back into their historical habitats. Young fish continued to be released back into the Xijielan Stream and the Luoyewei Stream, which is in the upstream area of the Yousheng River. In all, 250 of the adolescent fish were released. After Typhoon Morakot struck, fears that the fish would be wiped out turned out to be unfounded, as surveyors discovered 108 of the fish still swimming in the two waterways, boosting confidence in the efforts to re-populate the schools.

Chung Ming-shan says that the researchers discovered that the Louyewei Stream area was a more appropriate place for the landlocked salmon to live than the Qijiawan Stream in terms of water temperature, amount of oxygen in the water, nutritional salts, and water insects. In addition, a large number of plants have enclosed parts of the rivers with deep pools, helping to increase the number of endangered Formosan landlocked salmon.

(The original Chinese-language version of this article was published on December 20, 2009.)

President Ma to officiate meeting on security in Taichung(2009-12-21 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

President Ma Ying-jeou will preside over a briefing on security and police preparedness in Taichung on Monday, the day when China's top negotiator with Taiwan is scheduled to arrive for the latest round of high-level cross-strait talks, the Presidential Office said on Sunday.

The president will listen to officials' reports and issue directives regarding public order in the central Taiwan city, where the fourth meeting between Chen Yunlin, president of the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, and his Taiwan counterpart, Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation, will take place, said Paul K. Chang, director-general of the Presidential Office's Department of Public Affairs.

Highly concerned about public order in Taichung because of plans by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to stage protests during Chen's stay there from December 21-25, President Ma will preside in person over the meeting on public order, Chang said.

Presidential Office meetings on public order are usually overseen by the deputy secretary of the office, he added.

Ranking officials from the National Security Council, the National Police Agency and the Government Information Office are also expected to attend.

Chang said the Presidential Office believes Chen and his group are guests and are entitled to safety, comfort and dignity during their visit.

"We should behave ourselves with grace as hosts," Chang said.

According to a ruling Kuomintang heavyweight who spoke on condition of anonymity, Ma presided over a similar security meeting in early November 2008 before Chen Yunlin set foot on Taiwan's soil for the first time.

The DPP, however, held massive protests outside the Grand Hotel in Taipei City where Chen and his group stayed. One of the protests, staged outside the Grand Formosa Regent where Chen was having dinner, forced the Chinese diplomat to stay in the hotel until the early hours of the morning.

Ma will remind those attending today's meeting that if undesirable scenarios occur during Chen's visit in Taichung, law enforcement authorities should handle the situations and respond in real time, according to Chang.

Elderly farmer looks back at six decades with camellias(2009-12-21 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

83-year-old Yeh Kuo-chen has been planting over 100 varieties of camellias for 60 years now. He can take care of any aspect of camellia-growing, including grafting, inarching, potting, rooting cuttings and planting, marcotting and propagation, all without any difficulty. Last year, he even managed to move a 100-kilogram oiltree camellia tree for grafting. His determination as well as his love for camellias have earned him a great deal of approval. Even former ROC Vice President Lee Yuan-Tzu and former Examination Yuan President Chiu Chuang-huan came to enjoy his flowers nearly every year.

Yeh started at the tender age of 16 with several thousand pots of all types of camellias, large and small, in his family's modest farm. He was delighted by the world of flowers there and was able to feel the freshness in the air as well as the delicate, subtle fragrance from the many pots, even in the off-season for flowers.

Yeh's eyes brighten immediately at the mention of camellias. Although he is a man of few words, he is astonishingly knowledgeable about his favorite flowers, and he can tell you the proper times to fertilize them, prune them, fight insects, weed them, change the soil around them or transplant them. He sounds as though he is talking about raising a child, each sentence distilling the accumulated wisdom of his years in this field.

Yeh says that he sees camellias the minute he opens his eyes in the morning, and he does pretty much the same thing each day without pause. If he didn't really love them, he says, he just couldn't go on. It certainly would not be as though 60 years had passed in a day, "and although it has been a lot of hard work, the feeling of success I've enjoyed has more than compensated me for the fatigue."

Chiu Wen-cheng, head of the Hsinchu Camellia Producers Promotion Group is full of admiration for Yeh and the efforts he has made over the years for the flowers. He praises Yeh as "an old man with a young heart that commands young men's respect!"

Chiu most admires Yeh's ability to nurse dying plants back to health. He also enjoys teaching anyone about camellias, passing along knowledge of the craft that is truly priceless.

Yeh says that his farm has plants grafted from an oiltree camellia that was over 300 years old. The tree is beautiful, and its flowers are well-formed as well; it is the treasure of his spread. Yeh plants over a hundred varieties of camellias, with some of them showing sparse flowers but striking foliage, shaped with myriad tiny twists and turns along the blades. Others are Japanese in origin, and some have leaves that look like azaleas and flower all summer. There is also the unique "goldfish king" leaf, with protuberances on the ends that resemble fish. There is also a variety without a footstalk and another with yellow and green leaves.

Yeh is particularly pleased when Japanese visitors come to purchase plants. He has gone to Japan to bring back "Alishan Maiden" plants originally grown on Alishan in Taiwan, which are now quite a rare variety, and also offers many other rare varieties that are scarcely available on the market today.

Yeh says that camellia plants are like children, requiring three hours a day just to make sure they are all watered. Then there's the weeding, fertilizing and insect control to consider. He often has to return to a patch after just having weeded it a few days before, because the weeds have made a comeback or insects have invaded. His "hit list" includes red spiders, aphids and leaf-hoppers; he also has to be on his guard against plant diseases. All the labor and difficulties are repaid, however, when one of his "children" bursts forth into flower, rewarding his attentive care.

Although his four sons have decided to take other paths in life, Yeh is happy that his eldest daughter, Yeh Li-fang, is interested in camellias as well. She is by his side, helping to water, weed and graft. Looking back on his years working with the plants, Yeh feels that it was all worthwhile now that his daughter will be carrying on the farm, and he has no regrets about his life among the flowers.

(The original Chinese-language version of this article was published on December 20, 2009.)

Today in history(2009-12-22 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) Today is Tuesday, Dec. 22, or the seventh day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1666: Shah Jahan, the mighty Mogul emperor of India who built the Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz-i-Mahal, dies at the age of 74.

1771: Spain agrees to cede the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic to Britain.

1775: Andre Ampere, the French physicist and discoverer of electromagnets who gave his name to the "amp" as a unit of electricity, is born.

1901: After a 64-year reign, Queen Victoria, whose sense of duty and strict moral code had great influence on 19th-century British society, dies at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight at the age of 81.

1905: Tsarist troops fire salvo after close-range salvo into a crowd in St. Petersburg, Russia, leaving the snow red with the blood of at least 500 strikers.

1922: Pope Benedict XV, originally Giacomo della Chiesa, who sponsored World War I relief efforts and sought to mediate peace, dies in Rome. He was succeeded by Pope Pius XI.

1924: Ramsay MacDonald becomes Britain's first Labor prime minister, replacing Stanley Baldwin.

1935: After long negotiations, Japan pays 140 million yen for Soviet interests in the Chinese Eastern Railway, the last legal trace of Russian influence in Manchuria.

1944: Allied landings begin at Arizo, Italy, involving an estimated 50,000 U.S. and British troops.

1945: More than 500 U.S. warplanes launch air-raids on Okinawa and Taiwan.

1945: The land route to China -- the Ledo Road across Burma from India to China -- reopens.

1946: U.S. President Harry Truman orders the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency.

1949: The guerrilla army of China's Mao Tse-tung marches toward Beijing after crossing the Yangtze River to defeat the Nationalist army at Huai Hai north of Beijing.

1955: Adm. Felix B. Stump, commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, says that the United States will help defend Taiwan if attacked following the signing of the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty in Washington on Dec. 3, 1954.

1965: Peng Ming-min, a professor at National Taiwan University, and two students, are charged with subversion against the government by military prosecutors.

1973: Prince Tuipelehake, C.B.E., prime minister of the Kingdom of Tonga, arrives in Taipei for a one-week visit.

1973: Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th U.S. president, who succeeded John F. Kennedy, dies of a heart attack in Texas at the age of 64.

1975: Nobutaka Shikanai, president of the Sankei Shimbun newspaper and the Fuji Television Corporation of Japan, arrives in Taipei for a five-day visit.

1979: Demonstrations are held at Kaohsiung railway station and Chiaotou township in southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung County against the arrest of Yu Teng-fa for sedition.

1980: Dr. Andrei Dimitrievich Sakharov, the Soviet physicist who helped develop the first Soviet hydrogen bomb, is arrested, stripped of his honor and banished to Gorky from Moscow. An outspoken advocate of human rights and nuclear disarmament, he won the 1975 Nobel Peace Prize.

1986: Typhoon Wayne blasts across central and southern Taiwan and the offshore island county of Penghu, killing 256 people and causing property losses estimated at NT$11.5 billion. The typhoon damage is the heaviest in 20 years, and the Executive Yuan allocates NT$1 billion to help the victims.

1987: ROC President Chiang Ching-kuo receives the chiefs of administrative branches under the Executive Yuan, and urges them and other government officials to persevere in discharging their duties and to endeavor to promote political reform.

1990: The Yugoslav Communist Party renounces its monopoly on power after 45 years of rule.

1996: The Pentagon announces for the first time the size of the U.S. chemical weapons arsenal, and says all 3.6 million weapons will be destroyed by 2004.

2000: Taiwan's Wei Yun-chieh shoots a five-under-par 67 to win the Chunghua Cup Women's Golf Tournament, the first leg of the 2000 Women's Asian Circuit, with a three-day total of 213.

2001: ROC Government Information Office Director-General Su Tzeng-ping conveys his congratulations to Ang Lee, a Taiwan-born director whose "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" won the 58th Golden Globe best director and best foreign film awards.

2002: U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance William H. Lash, III arrives in Taipei for a four-day visit.

2002: Republic of Chad Ambassador to the Republic of China Hissein Brahim Taha presents his credentials to President Chen Shui-bian.

Confucius' lesson of the day: "Those who know it are not as those who love it; those who love it are not as those who find their joy in it."

Today in history(2009-12-21 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) Today is Monday, Dec. 21, or the sixth day of the 11th month of Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1620: Pilgrims on the ship Mayflower come ashore at Plymouth, Massachusetts.

1804: Mohammed Ali Jinnah, founder and first governor-general of Pakistan, is born.

1817: Governor Lachlan Macquarie formally adopts the name "Australia" for the British colony located on the continent with the same present-day name.

1876: Joseph Stalin, Soviet leader, is born.

1898: Scientists Pierre Curie and Marie Curie discover radium.

1901: The "Ching Yi Pao," a newspaper founded by Liang Chi-chao, who together with Kang Yu-wei initiated a reform movement in 1898, ceases publishing after the 100th issue.

1930: Hwang Thu-sui, Taiwan's first sculptor, dies at the age of 35.

1935: Walt Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" premieres in the United States.

1940: F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American author who chronicled the Jazz Age in books such as "Tender is the Night" and "The Great Gatsby," dies at the age of 44.

1945: George Smith Patton Jr., the U.S. general who led the Third Army's sweep across France and into Germany during World War II, dies in a car crash at the age of 60.

1958: Charles de Gaulle is elected president of France after a new constitution is adopted, marking the beginning of the Fifth Republic.

1968: The Apollo 8 spacecraft, as a part of the United States' Apollo program to land men on the moon, is launched.

1971: Hsieh Kuan-sheng, president of the Judicial Yuan, dies in Taipei.

1971: Kurt Waldheim, an Austrian diplomat who later become president, is chosen to be the secretary-general of the United Nations on his birthday.

1972: East and West Germany sign a treaty ending more than two decades of enmity.

1975: The convention of the World Chinese Language Education Association opens in Taipei.

1975: Oil ministers from 12 countries are taken hostage after terrorists raid an OPEC meeting in Vienna, Austria.

1975: The Executive Yuan announces that Taiwan's economy grew by 2.8 percent in 1975, with a GNP of US$14.4 billion and per capita income of US$700.

1988: Soviet cosmonauts Musa Manarov and Vladimir Titov return to earth after a record 365 days in space.

1988: A Pan American jumbo jet crashes in the Scottish border town of Lockerbie, killing all 258 people on board.

1990: The building of the ROC Navy's first missile frigate begins at the Kaohsiung shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Corp.

1991: The ruling Kuomintang wins 71 percent of the vote and 254 of the 325 seats in elections for the Second National Assembly.

1995: Under an agreement signed between Israel and the PLO in September 1995, Israeli troops withdraw from Bethlehem, ending their 28 years of occupation.

1998: Beijing sentences mainland Chinese dissidents Xu Wenli and Wang Youcai to prison terms of more than 10 years each for trying to register the China Democracy Party.

1999: Taiwan is listed as the 12th-most important maritime country in the world for the year.

2000: Taiwan's non-profit Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) announces the development of a commercial software package, dubbed Fast Local Alignment for Gigabases (FLAG), allowing rapid genomic DNA searches and comparisons.

2001: The Legislative Yuan approves an amendment to the Employment Services Act allowing foreign workers to work in Taiwan up to six years instead of three years.

Confucius: "Uphold the cause of the just and put down every cause that is unjust, and the people will submit. But uphold the cause of the unjust and put down every cause that is just, then the people will not submit."

Tens of thousands march to protest trade pact with China(2009-12-21 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taichung, Taiwan, Dec. 20 (CNA) Tens of thousands of Taiwanese marched in the central Taiwan city of Taichung to protest the government's plan to sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China.

The rally took place one day before Chen Yunlin, chairman of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) , arrives here to sign four economic agreements with his Taiwan counterpart Chiang Pin-kung, the chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), but the ECFA is not on the meeting's formal agenda.

The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and local civic groups said the purpose of the protest was to call attention to the poor overall performance of President Ma Ying-jeou's administration and the lack of transparency in its negotiations on the ECFA with China.

Braving strong winds in temperatures of around 10 degrees Celsius, pro-independence protesters from across the country assembled in downtown Taichung for the rally after marching in two separate legs in the city.

"Taiwan is facing three problems. The first problem is Ma, the second problem is Ma. The third problem is still Ma, " DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen told the crowd.

Polls show that the president is leading Taiwan to unification (with China), she said, adding that "the biggest problem is that we have a president who is only focused on unifying with China."

Tsai said people gathered because no one knows what the president is doing, especially on the ECFA, which Ma argues Taiwan must sign or it will be marginalized.

The ECFA is expected to be included in the next round of talks between both sides, which is scheduled to take place in the first half of 2010 in China.

Tsai accused Ma of never explaining the ECFA clearly and of refusing to communicate with the people, the Legislative Yuan or the opposition on its contents.

The only beneficiaries from the ECFA are big corporations, while many ordinary people will lose their jobs because of it, Tsai contended, adding that the president has never disclosed its potential adverse impact on Taiwan's people.

An economic model run by the Ministry of Economic Affairs found that Taiwan would gain a net 260,000 jobs if an ECFA was signed, while the Council of Labor Affairs estimated it would create a net 105,000 to 125,000 jobs.

Both models acknowledged, however, that some workers in vulnerable industries could lose their jobs.

Almost all the DPP heavyweights showed up and spoke to the gathered crowd.

"If Taiwan signs the ECFA with China, President Ma should also ask China to help Taiwan sign FTAs with other countries, such as Japan and South Korea, so Taiwan will be able to trade with others as well, " said former Vice President Annette Lu.

In the days leading up to Sunday's protest rally, the DPP said it hoped to mobilize 100,000 people, and the party estimated after the event that the turnout had surpassed its goal. The Taichung City government, on the other hand, put the turnout at 31,000.

Fears that clashes would break out never materialized. Taichung City government spokesperson Tsou Mei-liang earlier said that no confrontations took place Sunday, and it was not a surprise since "the protest was legally applied for and all arrangements had been implemented beforehand."

Prior to the main rally, the protesters marched for more than two hours in Taichung's streets, and made the most noise when they walked past the Windsor Hotel, where Chen will stay during his five-day stay, to express their displeasure over the Chinese negotiator's visit.

The crowds chanted slogans such as "Taiwan and China; one country on each side" as they marched, while others expressed their views in more colorful ways.

A senior citizen from Chiayi City showed everyone a picture of Ma wearing only a swimming suit and said "this is all he does -- swim."

A protester surnamed Hsu, who came from the southern city of Tainan complained not only about the government's China policy but also security precautions taken for Chen's visit.

"We don't want a trade agreement with China. And all these barricades, security deployments and traffic controls for a Chinese representative are outrageous. The Taichung City police should remove them all." (By Chris Wang)

Restrictions on hiring foreign caregivers should remain: foundation(2009-12-21 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec.20 (CNA) The government should reconsider its plan to ease restrictions on hiring foreign caregivers or maids because such a move could deprive local middle-aged and older women of job opportunities, an advocacy group said Sunday.

The Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) is considering allowing families that have two members in their 80s or one member older than 90 plus a toddler under one year of age to apply to hire foreign caregivers.

"On the surface, the proposed liberalization is not large, but in effect, its impact on local women, particularly those in middle or senior age groups, would be great, " said Lin Shih-chia, chairman of the Peng Wan-ju Foundation.

According to Lin, foreign caregivers who have come to Taiwan on caregiving contracts usually have to do all sorts of household chores, such as cleaning the house, washing clothes, and cooking, the jobs that in many cases are currently done by middle-aged local women.

"As a result, middle-aged and senior women's job opportunities could be affected, " Lin explained.

An initial estimate shows that at least 10,000 local women could fall victim to the proposed measure, he added.

Over the years, the foundation has offered training courses for local women who want to work as maids. In 2009 alone, Lin said, the foundation successfully helped mediate 13,442 maid contracts worth more than NT$900 million.

At the same time, Lin said, the in-home service market has grown steadily.

"The Cabinet-level CLA should not ignore potential market demand and should instead adopt measures to boost the development of this line of service which is especially suitable for middle- or senior-aged women to undertake," Lin said.

With an average service charge ranging between NT$180 and NT$250 per hour, a well-trained or trusted live-in maid can earn more than NT$30,000 a month, Lin said. (By Chen Shun-hsieh and Sofia Wu)

Foreign exchange rates(2009-12-21 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Dec. 21 (CNA) The exchange rates for major foreign currencies quoted in New Taiwan dollars by Chang Hwa Bank Monday.

BUYING RATES SELLING RATES US dollar 32.165 32.565 Euro 45.87 46.87 Hong Kong dollar 4.122 4.222 Japanese yen 0.3545 0.3605 Australian dollar 28.62 28.82 Canadian dollar 30.22 30.42 Pound sterling 52.03 52.43 Singapore dollar 22.96 23.16 South African rand 4.214 4.314 Sweden krone 4.415 4.515 Swiss Franc 30.96 31.16 Thai baht 0.9593 0.9993 N. Zealand dollar 22.85 23.05 Chinese yuan 4.590 4.815

* Exchange rates for the US dollar in amounts less than US$10,000.

Taiwan shares open higher(2009-12-21 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange's main index opened higher Monday, moving up 44.02 points to 7,797.65 on a turnover of NT$3.02 billion (US$93.79 million).

The share prices closed higher Friday, with the weighted index, the market's key barometer, increasing 11.46 points, or 0.14 percent, to close at the day's high of 7,753.63. (By Sofia Wu)

Taiwan headline news(2009-12-21 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Monday are as follows:

@The China Times:

Hualien magistrate's appointment of ex-wife as his deputy may be invalid: Interior Ministry

@The United Daily News:

Hualien shocked as new magistrate names 'ex-wife' as his deputy

@The Liberty Times:

100,000 take to the streets to oppose any secret KMT-CPC deal

@Central Daily News online:

President Ma: Taiwan will strive for FTAs with other countries after cutting ECFA deal with China

@Economic Daily News:

MOEA offers strong incentives to encourage development of electric car, pledging subsidies of NT$500,000 per unit

@Commercial Times:

AU Optronics may become first Taiwanese panel maker to invest in China

@The China Post:

Round 4 talks to begin

@The Taiwan News:

Tens of thousands protest KMT-CCP 'black box' talks

@The Taipei Times:

Nation rallies against Chiang-Chen talks

U.S. dollar up in early Taipei trading(2009-12-21 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) The U.S. dollar was higher against the New Taiwan dollar in early trading in Taipei Monday.

The greenback was trading at NT$32.41 at 10:30 a.m. on the Taiwan Foreign Exchange, up NT$0.008 from Friday. (By Sofia Wu)

Today in history(2009-12-20 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 20 (CNA) Today is Sunday, Dec. 20, or the fifth day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1852: British troops annex Pegu, lower Burma, during a war with Burma.

1913: Taiwan's North-South Railway Trunk Line is completed.

1921: Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysian prime minister, is born.

1927: Kim Young-sam, former president of South Korea, is born.

1922: Fourteen republics of Russia form the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

1924: Adolf Hitler is paroled after serving eight months of a prison sentence after being convicted of high treason.

1928: Britain recognizes the government of the Republic of China.

1941: The Flying Tigers, flown by U.S. Air Force volunteers, shoot down four Japanese planes in their first encounter near Kunming in southwest China.

1944: Young Chinese students begin to enter training camps in response to a call to join the armed forces and fight against Japan.

1945: Soviet troops move an estimated US$2 billion-worth of machinery from Manchuria to the Soviet Union.

1950: Fu Shih-nien, president of National Taiwan University, dies of a stroke at the age of 55. He collapses while answering interpellations at the Taiwan Provincial Assembly.

1968: John Steinbeck, the American novelist who won the Nobel Prize for literature for books such as "The Grapes of Wrath" and "East of Eden," dies at the age of 66.

1960: The Viet Cong, the armed wing of the National Liberation Front, is founded in South Vietnam.

1968: The ROC chooses 26 new members of the National Assembly and the Legislative Yuan from among 52 candidates.

1971: President Agha Mohammed Yahya Khan resigns after Pakistan losses control over East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.

1973: Spanish Premier Luis Carrero Blanco is killed when assassins bomb his car in Madrid, Spain.

1981: The Kuangfu River Tunnel in Taitung is formally open to traffic, becoming the first railway tunnel under a river in Taiwan.

1982: Arthur Rubinstein, Russian-born American pianist, dies at the age of 95 in Geneva.

1986: Some 30,000 students march for democracy through the streets of Shanghai in mainland China's largest demonstration since the Cultural Revolution.

1988: The first batch of five mainland Chinese students, who are studying in the United States, arrive in Taipei for a visit.

1989: Some 12,000 U.S. troops join 12,000 already in Panama to unseat Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega as head of that country.

1991: President Boris Yeltsin announces that Russia wants to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

1994: Mexico lowers the peso's trading floor, triggering a drastic devaluation.

1997: South Korean President Kim Dae-jung pardons Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, two former military dictators who had tried to kill him when he was a dissident.

1998: Nkem Chukwu of Houston, Texas, becomes the first woman to give birth to eight live babies.

1999: The Wang Kuang-ying Library, dedicated to a public-spirited ROC man who collected garbage for 35 years and used the money he earned to buy books and donate them to the local and overseas institutions, is inaugurated in Taipei.

1999: ROC President Lee Teng-hui tells visiting U.S. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that the ROC's ultimate goal of seeking peaceful reunification with mainland China remains unchanged.

2000: Republic of China President Chen Shui-bian says when receiving a seven-member Japanese parliamentary delegation that maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait is in the common interest of the ROC, Japan and the United States.

2001: Twenty-one city and county chiefs from around Taiwan are sworn in at official ceremonies, vowing to better serve the local people and to deliver on their campaign promises.

2001: A consortium of leading telecommunication companies launches services on the Asia Pacific Cable Network 2 (APCN 2), the world's first Asian submarine ring system that comprises 19,000 km of cable connecting mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.

Confucius: "Now, if in your conversation you give few occasions for men to criticize you, and in your conduct you have few occasions for self-reproach, you cannot help getting preferment."

Best director Leon Dai regretful about society wanting sympathy(2009-12-20 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Kaohsiung, Dec. 19 (CNA) Leon Dai showed no sign of happiness Saturday evening after accepting the best director award for his film No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti at the 53rd Asian Pacific Film Festival, as he criticized ruthless newspapers that failed to respect the positions of others.

"I am afraid that I have opened a 'Pandora's Box, '" said Dai, referring to his movie which was based on the true story of a single father's frustration over his efforts to maintain legal custody of his daughter.

The film won five awards, including best director, at Taiwan's Golden Horse Film Festival last month.

After accepting his award, the director mentioned that he was sorry to find that two newspapers played on his movie's name to call attention to stories published Saturday about single fathers who had abused their daughters, a far cry from the film's narrative of a father's devotion to his daughter.

The director said that he was in no mood to be happy about receiving another award because he found some media had manipulated the theme of his film and that society had little sympathy for others.

"I spent three years to produce a film with an intention to provide some positive energy to society, and I am afraid that I have opened a 'Pandora's box' and incurred negativity instead, " he said. (By Chen Yun-yu and Lillian Lin)

Taiwan wins big in Asia Pacific Film Festival(2009-12-20 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 19 (CNA) The Asia Pacific Film Festival took to the stage in southern Taiwan Saturday after a two-year hiatus, with Taiwan taking home five awards, including those for best director and best actress.

Taiwanese filmmaker Leon Dai won the best director award for his film No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti, which was a five-time winner at this year's Golden Horse Awards, Taiwan's version of the Oscars.

Chang Hsiang-yu, who had never before helped produce a film, won the best cinematography award for his work on Dai's film. It was also the first award that Taiwan won on the night.

The best documentary award went to Baseball Boy, a Taiwanese film that has been sold to France and South Korea, according to a representative from the Public Television Service station, which partially funded the film.

Taiwanese-French actress Sandrine Pinna won the best actress award for her work in the film Yang Yang, while Hopscotch, a 28-minute drama, earned another honor for Taiwan by winning the best short film award.

World-renowned filmmaker John Woo of Hong Kong received the lifetime achievement award. "When I use these eyeglasses (reading glasses) , " he said, "it is about time to get a life achievement award."

Halfway through the ceremony, an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richer scale rocked Taiwan for around 20 seconds and created a panic among the audience, including those from abroad who had never experienced an earthquake before. It did not disrupt the ceremony, however.

This year's awards presentation also featured Azharuddin Ismail and Rubina Ali, child stars in the Oscar-winning Indian film Slumdog Millionaire, as well as South Korean pop group Super Junior-M.

The festival saw 16 member countries taking part, along with 58 films competing for a total of 15 awards. The festival has a total of 18 members.

The film festival was suspended for two years due to the global economic crisis. It is the annual event of the Federation of Motion Picture Producers in Asia Pacific, and its secretariat is based in Taipei. (By Angela Tsai, Emmanuelle Tseng and Alex Jiang)

Taiwan headline news(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 19 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Saturday are as follows:

@The China Times:

President pledges to protect the people and exercise government authority during Chiang-Chen talks.

@The United Daily News:

Why the Kuomintang lost a million votes in recent elections

@The Liberty Times:

DPP chairwoman says President Ma should not allow Chen Yunlin to tour Taiwan

@Central Daily News online:

SEF plans to take Chen Yunlin to Typhoon Morakot-affected areas in central Taiwan

@Economic Daily News:

17 conventional industry stocks expected to lead rebound after Kai Yih becomes part of Tong Yang Group

@Commercial Times:

16 companies listed as hot Christmas stocks

@The China Post:

Four pacts significant: Chen

@The Taiwan News:

China opposes Taiwan's bid for UNFCCC at Copenhagen forum

@The Taipei Times:

'Detente' disarray after Chinese snub

DPP needs to build on trust of people: Tsai(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Liberty Times: How do you look upon the results of these elections?

Tsai Ing-wen: Of the four county commissioners that were elected, three were incumbents and they all won solid victories. In regaining power in Yilan County, we defeated the incumbent because of his poor performance. This once again gave the DPP a foothold in northern Taiwan and made inroads into this blue region, which is of major significance.

In a few areas where we have had difficulties, we edged closer [to the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)]. For example, the difference in Penghu County was a mere 500-odd votes. Then there is Taitung and Taoyuan and a couple of other places. Unfortunately we lost there, but we fought well, and this shows that the traditional strength of the pan-blue camp in these areas can no longer be taken for granted.

The total vote exceeded 45 percent, a clear improvement on the 38.2 percent from four years ago, and it is also better than the 39.5 percent in last year’s presidential election. Considering that there were no elections in areas where we traditionally have been strong, such as Tainan County and city and Kaohsiung, and also considering that we are not the ruling party, this was the best result ever in the mayor and county commissioner elections. Considering all elections, it is second only to the presidential election in 2004.

As for the township chief and city and county councilor elections, the DPP saw a great increase in its number of seats. This has strengthened our monitoring powers in local councils and improved our ability to develop the grassroots level.

LT: Is this in any way significant to the DPP as an opposition party?

Tsai: This is a very positive result for the DPP, and an important step toward a comeback. In particular, given the KMT’s frequent vote buying and slander, and its disproportionate administrative resources and party assets, we are fighting an asymmetric war. This shows that Taiwan is affirming the DPP’s local government record and our ongoing reform and review.

As I see it, the government has committed many mistakes, and the DPP has grasped this opportunity to win more votes through rational persuasion. Furthermore, pan-blue supporters did not come out to vote because they were disappointed with the achievements of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).

That doesn’t mean we can say that these people will not come out to vote next time or that they will begin to support the DPP. That means there is still a lot of room for improvement. Only when a majority of voters trust the DPP and votes for us can we talk about victory.

We should welcome the results with humility and be confident without being complacent, because each future election will be harder. There are seven legislative by-elections and the preparations for the special municipality elections. Beginning today, I have already told the party leadership not to relax and that they should once again begin preparing for battle.

In terms of developing party affairs, three things must be stressed. First of all, this was the first time that the DPP had relied mainly on small donations to fight a national election, and that has helped the party transform. We are not in control of the central government and have no party assets, and we have had to put every individual and every cent to their best use in these elections. It’s as if I am once again seeing that past pioneering, hardworking spirit of the DPP. The significance of finding our way back to this traditional spirit may be even more important than the election results.

Second, despite a lack of resources, many young cadres are not afraid to take on difficult tasks and many young candidates have been willing to take on difficult constituencies and taken up impossible challenges. They have delivered excellent results and even more importantly, they have been the engine that has helped city and county councilors and township chiefs to also deliver excellent results. The DPP must cultivate these cadres for the long term and help them grow local connections so that they can win over new voters.

Third, the party’s unity was on full display in these elections. We have proved that the DPP is united in adversity.

LT: What do you think the election results mean to the government?

Tsai: The KMT’s number of votes declined in these elections. Many blue voters voted for the DPP or elected not to vote at all in order to teach the KMT a lesson. The public is capable of differentiating between the achievements of different rulers. They’re not blind, and every political party must be aware of this.

The most significant lesson from these elections was that the public cast a vote of no confidence in the government’s performance over the past year. Behind this lies public complaints over failed economic policies, the damage to national dignity and the insensitivity of top officials.

The public is beginning to lose patience. The government’s digging their heels in on the ECFA and US beef issues, and their ineffectual responses to natural disasters and economic decline, speak of complacency. They are in government and have a majority in the legislature, and this has blinded them to their own errors. The KMT needs to scrutinize these results, and look at the message the public is sending them: They cannot just rely on money, factions and vote buying when it comes to elections.

LT: Next year we have five special municipalities elections. How do you plan to tackle them?

Tsai: Well, we’ve made some minor gains during these elections, but our goal is to get back into central government. There is quite a way to go before this is achieved, and a lot of work to be done. The special municipality elections are just one step, albeit an important one. If we can win them, we may harbor some hope of victory in the next step, the legislative and presidential elections.

However, if we are going to get that far, the last thing we want is party infighting. There is nothing wrong with competition per se, but we are going to have to unite under the party banner. Party members are going to have to put the fortunes of the party first, it’s not about having a platform for individual egos. It’s just like baseball. Winning is everything, and the only goal is to get glory for the team. Our supporters are not going to be impressed if we can’t work together.

So, we’re going to find some time after the election and have everyone sit down together. We will need to discuss how we are going to allocate work for the 2012 presidential elections. We have to find a way we can move forward together and eradicate problems ahead. I am hoping we can do this without too many opposing voices within the party. We have several options for candidates for next year’s special municipality elections within the green-held areas that can potentially win, so we are looking for a fair, coordinated process unhindered by disputes.

LT: What are the DPP’s mid and long-term objectives and plans, in terms of party development?

Tsai: The DPP has made significant progress over the last few years, but that is not to say that there are not some areas in which we can improve as a party. We need to build more trust among the public and make them believe that they can really hand the reins of the country back to us.

I don’t think it right to discuss too far into the future. Having said that, there are three things I would like the DPP to achieve before 2012. First, I would like to see us win at least three posts in the 2010 special municipality elections.

The places we win will form the foundation of our bid for victory in 2012, and I would like at least one in the north and north central areas. Second, the party needs to produce a comprehensive and complete set of political ideas and policies, to show what we stand for.

We want to present ourselves to the public again, but they are going to be asking us where we want to take the country. They will be asking us what we have, policy wise, to offer as an alternative to President Ma Ying-jeou’s policies. We cannot rely on the superstars within the party, or hope that the KMT are going to slip up, if we want to win the election. It is imperative that we can provide some kind of vision of how we want to see Taiwan develop, if we are going to win the people’s trust.

I believe that the gap in support for the ruling party is because of a question of credibility, and this is something that the DPP needs to think long and hard about if we are to break through the current blue- green deadlock.

Now that President Ma has fallen from grace, Taiwan has been left without a king to lead it into the future. We cannot rely on some superstar figure to come and elevate the party, we have to move forward as a whole. It is important for us to present a clear image and set of ideas to the public, and build on the trust of the people to give our candidates the best possible chance.

Survey reveals split of opinion on the signing of an ECFA(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

More than half of Taiwanese support the signing of an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China, although slightly less than half have concerns about the government’s ability to protect Taiwan’s rights, a survey by Global Views magazine’s Survey Research Center showed yesterday.

The telephone survey, which polled 1,022 people from Monday to Wednesday, showed that 54.4 percent said an ECFA should enhance economic exchanges across the Taiwan Strait. However, 49 percent said they did not trust the government’s ability to to protect their rights and prevent any negative impact an ECFA would have on local businesses.

A total of 55.4 percent of respondents did not think an ECFA with China would lead to unification. Forty-four percent supported government efforts to seek closer economic cooperation with China, while 27.8 percent disapproved.

The poll showed that 51.2 percent of people said the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) should have a more open China policy. Forty-nine percent agreed that the DPP would be better able to protect Taiwan’s interests if it cooperated more with China.

Among DPP supporters, 46.1 percent said they did not think a closer relationship with China would help the party protect Taiwan’s national interests.

Meanwhile, a poll by National Chengchi University’s Election Study Center showed that nearly 60 percent of respondents support consultations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The results showed that 59.5 percent of those polled supported such talks, while 18.7 percent did not.

The Mainland Affairs Council unveiled the results of the survey yesterday.

The results also showed that more than half of the respondents supported the four agreements expected to be signed on Tuesday in Taichung by Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) and his Chinese counterpart, Chen Yunlin (陳雲林).

The survey showed 65.3 percent supported an agreement on industrial product standards, inspection and certification, while 61.3 percent believed an agreement on agricultural quarantine inspections would help safeguard public health.

Fifty-six percent supported both sides reaching an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CNA

Vaccine safe, mothers-to-be told(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The Central Epidemics Command Center (CECC) yesterday said there was no connection between the A(H1N1) influenza vaccine and 37 reported incidents of pregnant women losing their babies after having their flu shots.

“We performed an autopsy on two of the babies after their mothers alleged that the vaccines were related to their deaths. One died because of an abnormal placenta, while the other choked on the umbilical cord,” said Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳), Department of Health (DOH) deputy minister and spokesman for the CECC.

After studying the two cases, a group of physicians who serve as advisers to the DOH found that neither incident was caused by the new vaccine and Chang insisted that, based on the results to date, the immunization program is safe for pregnant women.

Chang said that the latest statistics show that more than 13,000 pregnant women have received their vaccines, a figure reflecting mistrust of the vaccine among pregnant women. There are approximately 200,000 pregnant women in the nation.

Of the pregnant women to have received their shots, 37 have suffered a miscarriage.

“More than 13,000 pregnant women have been immunized. The ratio of miscarriages is lower than for pregnant women who have not taken the shots and the ratio of stillborn babies is the same for the two groups,” Chang said.

The DOH would continue to monitor the effect of the vaccines on pregnant women and their babies, he said.

A Centers for Disease Control staffer said her agency had received 22 applications for redress from people who have suffered problems after receiving the vaccine.

Among them, one had been filed by a pregnant woman and her case is still being reviewed.

Of the other 21 applications, three have been screened by a team of medical experts, who found that the conditions reported had “nothing to do with the new vaccines,” Chang said.

The three cases involved an 82-year-old man who died because of acute cerebrovascular disease, or a heart attack; a 19-month-old baby whose right eyelid droop was caused by a disease of the immune system; and a senior high school student who became numb on the left side of her body after receiving the vaccine, but whose neural functions were found to be normal following a further examination.

Family members who are not satisfied by the panel’s judgment could take legal action for a forensic examination to determine an exact cause of death.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CNA

Director Leon Dai urges help for movie industry(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taiwanese director Leon Dai (戴立忍) told the government on Thursday that without its help the local film industry would be finished.

“Without you, without revival efforts, Taiwan’s film industry will be reduced to doing OEM [original equipment manufacturer] work for the movie industry in China,” Dai said during a discussion with Hollywood director John Woo (吳宇森) in Taipei on the limited resources available to the local film industry.

Dai and Woo were invited to discuss film industry issues at a forum attended by government officials, film industry specialists and the media, as part of the 53rd Asian-Pacific Film Festival.

Dai is seen as an emerging talent in the nation’s movie industry, while Woo is an acclaimed Hong Kong director known for his highly choreographed 1980s action films and his success in Hollywood during the past decade.

At the forum, Woo praised Dai’s Golden Horse Award-winning No Pudeo Visir Sin Ti, saying that with better promotion it could have done even better at the box office.

“If you want to explore the international market, you must be able to find the movie language recognized by audiences of different regions and cultures.”

— John Woo, Hollywood-based Hong Kong director

In response, a frustrated Dai said the production crew did the best they could with a budget of just NT$4 million (US$130,000) to package the film.

“You cannot expect a film with such a small budget to achieve box office records,” Dai said.

The gap between Hollywood productions and those of Taiwanese directors is like the difference between a posh restaurant and a roadside food stand, Dai said, adding that like many Taiwanese directors he must eat at the food stand.

Dai said that because the traditional Chinese concept of theater is merely entertainment, he doubted that the government would make the film industry a key sector for incentives.

He urged the government to give adequate support to the local movie industry to help it avoid the fate of becoming an OEM for China, as has already happened to some manufacturing industries.

He said the government should put similar effort into reviving the movie industry as it has done for the electronics sector, by providing incentives.

In response, Frank Chen (陳志寬), director of the Government Information Office’s (GIO) Department of Motion Pictures, said the office has mapped out a five-year development plan to provide more incentives to film producers and that a market research institute was also being planned.

Citing market research and his experience of the international market, Woo said Taiwanese producers attempt to make movies in all the various genres.

“If you want to explore the international market, you must be able to find the movie language recognized by audiences of different regions and cultures,” he said.

The local film industry was greatly encouraged last year by the success of local production Cape No. 7, which achieved a box office record of NT$350 million in a domestic market generally dominated by Hollywood movies.

Following that success, Dai impressed audiences and the jury at the Golden Horse Film Festival last month with his movie based on a true story about an impoverished single father’s struggle to retain the guardianship of his young daughter.

No Pudeo Visir Sin Ti won four Golden Horse Awards — best feature film, best director, best original screenplay and most outstanding Taiwanese film of the year.

While the awards may help propel his movie career, however, Dai said they do not guarantee financial support for his future projects and he still needs to find capital from investors at home and abroad.

“Creativity is one of Taiwan’s advantages in the development of its film industry,” he said, adding that he wants the government to provide more support to the local film industry to create an original Taiwanese cultural brand.

Legislature grinds to halt again over beef imports(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Legislators yesterday again failed to deliver on a promise to come to a consensus on amending the Act Governing Food Sanitation (食品衛生管理法) to address perceived flaws in the Taiwan-US protocol that allows the entry of what some lawmakers have called “unsafe US beef products.”

Legislators initially set a deadline of Nov. 17 to amend the legislation based on the agreed conclusion reached at a cross-party negotiation meeting, however, lawmakers last Friday postponed the deadline to yesterday, but a settlement is still not in sight.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus yesterday revised its original version. The original banned imports of skull, brains, eyes, spinal cords, ground beef and intestines from “areas affected by mad cow disease or areas with a history of the infections,” while the new version banned such products from “areas affected by mad cow disease or areas with a history of the infection in the last 10 years.”

The Act had allowed the import of US ground beef and intestines, but if the amendment passes, such imports would be banned from entering the country because the US discovered its third mad cow disease case in 2003.

“The latest DPP version was close to the [KMT caucus’] position, but the Presidential Office still has concerns over violation of the protocol,” KMT caucus whip Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) said.

“If the Presidential Office is OK with the DPP’s version, the KMT caucus will support it. If not, we hope the Office will explain to the public its reasons,” Lu said.

The KMT’s latest proposal says that skulls, brains, eyes and spinal cords imported from areas where mad cow disease has been reported in the past 10 years should be banned from entry and ground beef and intestines without examination credentials issued by exporting countries that it has been thawed and passed batch-by-batch inspections should not be allowed entry.

The legislative plenary session, scheduled to review bills, sat idle the whole day yesterday because of the disagreements.

Premier Wu Den-yih sets limited Cabinet reshuffle for Sunday(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Premier Wu Den-yih said yesterday he might force through a limited reshuffle of his Cabinet over the weekend.

About two county chiefs or city mayors who completed their terms following the Dec. 5 local elections might join the Cabinet or head state-run enterprises, Wu said, setting the date for the changes at around Sunday Dec. 20.

Wu's comments followed media reports that the Cabinet spokesman, Government Information Office Director Su Jun-pin, might be replaced by Cheng Li-wen, a young Kuomintang lawmaker who was once a member of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party.

Su might be appointed to a spokesman position within the KMT hierarchy by the ruling party's new secretary-general, King Pu-tsung, who took office on Wednesday.

Wu said he didn't know about the rumored GIO changes, but said he would consider any personnel requests from King.

The premier said the public should not be expected any major changes to the Cabinet.

"The scale of the reshuffle will be very limited," Wu told reporters.

He didn't mention any names but said there were two local government leaders who had come to the end of their terms but could be useful to the Executive Yuan thanks to their rich experience and their positive performance.

There were a number of positions dealing directly with the public which needed the experience of directly elected officials, Wu said.

He said his Cabinet, which took office in early September, had been working hard on issues such as the reconstruction in the wake of Typhoon Morakot and the campaign against the A(H1N1) swine flu virus.

Wu took over as premier after widespread dissatisfaction about his predecessor Liu Chao-shiuan over his handling of the typhoon in early August.

One of the expected new members of Wu's Cabinet could be outgoing Hsinchu Mayor Lin Jung-tzer.

Today in history(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 19 (CNA) Today is Saturday, Dec. 19, or the fourth day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1036: Chinese poet Su Tung-po is born.

1154: Henry II accedes to the throne of England.

1741: Vitus Bering, the Danish navigator and explorer who in 1728 sailed through the Bering Strait while exploring a route around Siberia to China, dies of scurvy at the age of 60.

1793: French troops under Napoleon Bonaparte capture Toulon.

1842: The United States recognizes the independence of Hawaii.

1932: The third plenary session of the fourth Central Committee of the ruling Kuomintang approves the convening of an assembly that will meet regularly and which will give the public a voice in governmental affairs.

1941: Adolf Hitler dismisses his chief of staff and takes personal command of the German army after military setbacks.

1946: War breaks out in Indochina as Ho Chi Minh's troops launch widespread attacks against the French.

1950: General Dwight D. Eisenhower is named by the North Atlantic Council as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, Europe.

1965: Charles de Gaulle defeats Francois Mitterand in the French presidential election runoff.

1969: President Apollo Milton Obote of Uganda is shot and injured. He would later be overthrown by the Ugandan army in 1971.

1972: The Apollo 17 spacecraft splashes down on target in the Pacific Ocean, bringing to an end the United States' Apollo program of landing men on the moon.

1980: The States-General of the Netherlands approves the selling of two submarines to the Republic of China.

1984: Britain and mainland China sign an agreement determining the fate of Hong Kong after a 99-year lease of the territory to Britain expires in 1997. The joint declaration signed by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and mainland Chinese Prime Minister Zhao Ziyang spells out the terms for Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997.

1985: U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy announces that he will not run in the 1988 presidential campaign.

1988: Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visits Beijing.

1990: The first stock exchange on the Chinese mainland opens in Shanghai.

1990: Albanian authorities formally recognize the country's first non-Communist party.

1991: Mikhail Gorbachev resigns as president of the United Soviet Socialist Republic, a country that effectively ceased to exist on Dec. 12 of the same year.

1992: The Kuomintang wins 53.02 percent of the popular vote and the Democratic Progressive Party gets 31.03 percent in the elections for the Second Legislative Yuan.

1996: The ceiling on foreign institutional investments on the Taiwan Stock Exchange is raised from US$400 million to US$600 million.

1997: A Singapore SilkAir Boeing 737-300 airliner crashes near Palembang in Indonesia, killing all 104 people on board.

1997: South Korea's newly elected president, Kim Dae-jung, proposes dialogue with North Korea as a step toward reconciliation.

1999: Chen Shui-bian calls on voters to support the DPP's Chen-Lu ticket in the March 18 presidential election and says he will do what he can to finish off the KMT's "black gold" dealings and to distribute the money held by the KMT to the populace.

1999: Macau is formally handed over to mainland China at midnight after 442 years of Portuguese colonial rule.

2000: Peter Banko, managing director Taiwan and country manager of the Bank of America, is elected as the new president of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Taipei.

2001: ROC Vice President Annette Lu departs for Gambia to attend the inauguration of re-elected Gambian President Yahya Jammeh Dec. 21 on behalf of President Chen Shui-bian.

Confucius: "Read and learn everything, but suspend your judgment on anything of which you are in doubt; for the rest, be careful in what you say: in that way you will give few occasions for men to criticize what you say. Mix with the world and see everything, but keep away and do not meddle with anything that may bring you into trouble; for the rest, be careful in what you do: in that way you will have few occasions for self-reproach."

Cabinet mulls tax increases after economy recovers(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 18 (CNA) Premier Wu Den-yih has instructed the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to prepare measures in advance to increase taxes so that they can be readily promoted after the country's economy recovers, an official said Friday.

The directive was issued by the premier during a visit to the MOF, according to Deputy Minister of Finance Chang Sheng-ford.

Wu believes that despite the government's worsening fiscal difficulties, it is not the right time now to raise taxes now because it could lead to public outrage, Chang said.

Therefore, Wu requested the MOF to take the time to communicate the government's policies to the public before they are implemented, he said.

Also, Chang added, the premier asked the MOF not to give in to any requests for tax cuts too quickly because it could further worsen the fiscal situation.

Wu said he expects the ministry to effectively use and manage state-owned property to increase the government's revenue, according to Chang. (By Lin Ye-fong and Y.F. Low)

BOFT clarifies report on company selling nuclear components to Iran(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 18 (CNA) The Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) said Friday that a Taiwanese firm reported to have illegally sold components to help Iran with its nuclear program did not breach international rules on the proliferation of nuclear arms.

The bureau said that after a thorough investigation, it was found that the company did not violate international regulations when it sold 108 pressure transducers to Iran in March, because the item was not included on a list of strategic high-tech commodities (SHTC) in Taiwan at the time.

The BOFT has reported the result of its probe to the international body in charge of the issue, bureau officials said.

The investigation came after the London-based Daily Telegraph reported in early December that a Taiwan-based company had sold Iran 100 pressure transducers that the Middle East country could use to enrich uranium to weapons grade.

The report added that the equipment, which it said was banned for sale to Iran by the Nuclear Suppliers Group, was believed to have been originally manufactured in Europe, but then sold to Iran through intermediaries based in Taiwan.

According to the BOFT officials, the Taiwan company imported the 108 pressure transducers from Switzerland and then sold them with MOEA approval to Iran in March, before the world body issued an advisory saying that the item had been listed on the SHTC control list.

The deal at that time did not violate either Taiwan's export regulations or international norms, the officials said. (By S. Y. Lin and Flor Wang)

Taiwanese NGO representatives shut out of Copenhagen conference(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Copenhagen, Dec. 17 (CNA) A number of Taiwanese delegations attending the Copenhagen conference on climate change in Denmark as non-government organizations (NGOs) were unable to attend the conference Thursday due to the sponsor's strict restrictions on the number of NGOs allowed to attend.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat said in an email sent to the major attending NGOs that to ensure the safety of leaders from over 110 countries and in consideration of the limited accommodation at the Bella Center, the conference venue, it could allow only 300 NGO members to attend that day's conference.

Chiu Wen-yen, deputy minister of the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) , described the restriction as "very inappropriate."

"The task of fighting climate change is not only a government matter, the private sector all over the world also plays a major role, " he said, adding that the United Nations' shutting out of NGO members does not conform to its principle of tolerance.

Reports have said that if a global carbon emissions agreement is passed at the conference, Taiwan's exports will face an uncertain future as the United States and other parties will be allowed to impose trade sanctions through tariffs, border and carbon taxes. (By Jou Ying-cheng and Lilian Wu)

News digest of local media -- English ability(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taiwanese schoolchildren's English ability is second-best in non-English-speaking Asian nations, but older students lag behind other countries in the region, according to the results of recent international examinations.

The following is a digest of some local media reports on Taiwanese students' English proficiency:

United Daily News:

Benjamin Wang, president of the Taiwan branch of the U.S. Educational Testing Service (ETS), attributed the problem Thursday to the fact that Taiwan's English education at senior high and vocational schools attaches no importance to the field of teaching or guiding students on how to use the language in daily life.

Even though English proficiency among children in the 7-12 age group ranked 2nd among non-English-speaking Asian nations, the poor performance of technical and vocational school students in the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) played a leading role in pulling down the overall average TOEIC score of Taiwanese students, according to Wang.

A manager at the Taiwan branch of Cambridge ESOL -- another major English proficiency test -- said the overall performance of Taiwanese children in the 7-12 age group in the ESOL test was almost at the average global level, but she agreed that they lost their edge when they entered more advanced levels. (Dec. 18, 2009)

China Times:

Wang Su-wei, a manager at the Cambridge ESOL Taiwan branch, said she has found that Taiwanese students cannot use English well in daily life and treat the language as only a tool for school tests.

Since the ESOL tests focus on overall English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing, they appear difficult for local students at higher grades, who are simply taught to recite vocabulary and study grammar when learning English, Wang said. (Dec. 18, 2009)

Liberty Times:

Professor Chen Chao-ming of the Department of English at National Chengchi University said Taiwanese college students do not read enough English and warned that if the problem is not addressed, Taiwanese students' English skills will lag further and further behind those of other Asian countries such as South Korea. (Dec. 18, 2009)

Today in history(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Cabinet mulls tax increases after economy recovers(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

BOFT clarifies report on company selling nuclear components to Iran(2009-12-19 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taiwan-US trade talks might reopen in early 2010: MOFA(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taiwan and the United States are likely to resume two-way talks early next year based on the foundation of a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) , a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official said on Thursday.

Since the two countries suspended formal diplomatic ties in 1979, the TIFA talks have provided a significant official channel for Taiwan-U.S. dialogue on trade and economic issues after the agreement was signed in September 1994.

The talks are usually hosted by either side on an annual basis.

Harry Ho-jen Tseng, director general of the MOFA's North American Affairs Department, told reporters on Thursday that ranking officials with the U.S. Trade Representative Office had visited Taiwan last week to pave the way for the next round of the TIFA talks.

Three winners announced for Presidential Science Prize(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The Presidential Office announced Tuesday that three outstanding members of Taiwan's highest research institution, Academia Sinica, are the winners of this year's Presidential Science Prize, the fifth of its kind, held every two years since 2001.

Presidential Secretary-General Liao Liou-i announced Li Jen-kuei, Liao I-chiu and Chien Shu as the winners at a news conference at the Presidential Office that was attended by Academia Sinica President Wong Chi-huey and National Science Council Minister Lee Lou-chuang.

Liao Liou-i hailed their remarkable academic performances on the world stage and described them as "the pride of Taiwan."

President Ma Ying-jeou will personally deliver the awards to the three scientists on Friday, with each one receiving prize money of NT$2 million (US$61,920), a certificate and a trophy.

Liao I-chiu, 73, took the award in the category of applied science for his prominent research in and contribution to Taiwan's breeding of shrimps and fish.

Dubbed Taiwan's "father of black tiger shrimp," Liao is the first scientist in the field to receive the prize. He is also responsible for introducing from Israel the tilapia, a fish now popular among Taiwanese consumers.

Chien, 78, attributed his award in the category of life science, to his wife, to whom he has been married for 52 years.

Chien, a graduate from the National Taiwan University School of Medicine and internationally famous for his long-term research in microcirculation and hemorheology, said Taiwan must cultivate deep roots in scientific studies if it wants to be a strong power.

The 73-year-old Lee, a linguistic expert for over 40 years, won the award for his long-term studies of the Austronesian tribes.

Since 1968, Lee has traveled to islands scattered across the South Pacific, including Vanuatu and the Philippines among many others, to trace the origins of the diverse Austronesian languages and dialects. "It is hard for many people to imagine what kinds of hardship and solitude a man has to endure while carrying out such a task," he recounted.

Li commented that Taiwan's aboriginal languages are the biggest gift the country has endowed to the world because "Taiwan's aboriginal languages are essential and indispensable to the reconstruction of Austronesian history and culture."

Intelligent grid market forecast to take off in 2010(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

In light of determined intelligent-grid plans announced by the United States, Europe Union, Japan and mainland China, Taiwan's manufacturers estimated the market would grow until at least 2020 after it begins to take off in 2010.

Industry executives estimated the market would bring fortunes to not only manufacturers of electricity meters, transformers, grid systems, power-transmission systems, and wireless networks but also manufacturers of renewable equipment like solar cells and wind turbines.

In Taiwan, manufacturers in the supply chain include intelligent-meter makers Shihlin Electric, Allis Electric, Chung Hsin Electric & Machinery Mfg., and Fortune Electric as well as suppliers of intelligent-grid systems like Gemtek Technology, SerComm, Edimax Technology, and AcBel Polytech.

GemTek executives pointed out that for network-communication industry the business opportunities in intelligent-grid business are mostly created by intelligent grid networks and detectors. They said the company is actively developing wireless-transmission modules for uses in intelligent-grid systems of North America.

SerComm has finished the development in cooperation with European electricity companies on a power-management system, which is designed to analyze state of household electricity consumption through transmission management network. It is delivering the system. The company`s executives noted that intelligent grid products would become a major driver of the company's revenue.

Edimax has begun delivering wireless-transmission modules for the grid network`s intelligent meters. The company estimates countries with intelligent-grid projects will need three to five years to replace intelligent meters for traditional meters.

AcBel Polytech has recently branched out into intelligent-grid segment and is developing intelligent meter, and powerline communication (PLC) system.

Industry watchers suggest that the island's manufacturers should carve out niche in intelligent-grid market with products like intelligent meters and wireless transmission systems as they are not able to compete against big players like Intel and Cisco for contracts for the core units of intelligent-grid systems.

Magnificent Buddhist statue from Taiwan receives divine manifestation in India(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

On December 14, a 12-meter high copper statue of Buddha made in Taiwan by sculptor Zhan Wen-kui from Hualien was christened in Nagpur, India. Some 100,000 Indians attended the divine manifestation ceremony of the statue, marking the largest Buddha statue unveiled within India since the Buddhist revival movement got underway in the country in 1956.

The appearance of this Taiwan-made statute in Nagpur is especially meaningful as the city is regarded as the core of the Buddhism revival movement that took place following World War II. The religion originated in India over 2,000 years ago, but fell out of favor before long. However, it continued to flourish in other countries throughout the Far East, including Taiwan, where the development of Buddhism became quite advanced.

Zhan's design portrays a peaceful and serene Buddha in walking meditation. The body of the Buddha is leaning ever so slightly forward, and his two heels are stepping on the lotus flowers of compassion and wisdom. The sleeves of the Buddha are fluttering in quite a lifelike position. The position emphasizes the Buddha's moving towards the goal of edifying more souls.

The funding for the project, a total of NT$15 million, was raised by Master Guangxin of the Zhenguo Temple in Nantou, along with the donations from many Buddhists in Taiwan. After three years of designing and construction, the statue was completed in May of 2009 and was shipped in parts to Nagpur, India. Zhan Wen-kui says that this symbolizes the care that Buddhists in Taiwan have for the Buddhist revival movement in India, as well as demonstrating gratitude among Buddhist devotees here to the founder of Buddhism, Sakyamuni.

(The Chinese version of this article appeared on December 17, 2009)

Golden rain trees bring unwanted red tide(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Nearly 2000 golden rain trees (Koelreuteria formosana) lining the sides of Xinhai Road in Taipei have been giving local people a headache every autumn and winter as the trees attracts thousands upon thousands of red stink bugs, which tend to fly into residents' homes. The red plague can make people's scalps itch, and residents of the Xsingye and Xingde sub-districts of the city have requested the city government to solve the bug problem associated with the trees.

Hong Chang-jung, head of the Xingye sub-district, says that the red bugs are attracted to the golden rain trees' sap in droves each fall and winter, making the plant not exactly universally loved in the sub-district. The bugs breed prolifically and often fly into homes, onto tabletops or beds, and frightening the elderly and small children. Cars parked beneath trees are soon covered in sticky liquid that is difficult to clean off. In short, the trees are seriously impacting the quality of life in the area, says Hong.

Huang Hsi-fu, head of the Xingde sub-district, hopes that the city will replace the trees with cherry trees or at least move them somewhere else, thus ending the headaches they are causing local residents.

At present, Taipei has golden rain trees planted on both sides of Xinhai Road, as well as Dunhua North and South Roads, Wolong Street, and Zhongzheng Road in Tianmu. The trees on Xinhai Road are closest to residences, and city councilor Li Keng Kui-fang is also calling for the Office of Parks to look into the appropriateness of using this species as a roadside planting.

Kao Min-tian, director of the Landscaping Team at City Government's Office of Parks, says that the red bugs are not harmful, and live in symbiosis with the trees. They are also part of nature, and if the trees are changed, other bugs will simply replace the current set. He feels that the city should better center its efforts on resident education.

Kao also notes that the red bugs breed between the end of December and April or May of the following year, so parks can help curb their numbers by spraying water or sprinkling a low-toxicity pesticide to reduce their numbers.

(The Chinese version of this article appeared on December 17, 2009)

Exchange of spies could be included in cross-strait talks: SEF(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 17 (CNA) An exchange of intelligence agents from Taiwan and China being held captive by each side could be put on the agenda for the future round of cross-Taiwan Strait talks, Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Deputy Chairman Kao Koong-lian said Thursday.

Answering reporters' questions at the Legislative Yuan, Kao said that though the subject never emerged, "if the time is right, " many issues could be put on the negotiation table between negotiators of Taiwan and China, including the exchange of intelligence agents.

The reporters were conveying a call made a day earlier by Chen Hu-men, a former Military Intelligence Bureau (MIB) chief, for the SEF to work toward the release of Taiwanese spies held in China over the decades by taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the talks between Taiwan's SEF and China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) next week in Taichung.

If it is inconvenient for the government to openly raise the issue, it could commission a task force formed by retired MIB officials to initiate contacts with the Chinese authorities to discuss the matter, Chen Hu-men added. (By Y.L. Kao)

Kiribati, Burkina Faso back Taiwan's UNFCCC bid(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 17 (CNA) Kiribati and Burkina Faso expressed support Thursday during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference held in the Danish capital of Copenhagen for the inclusion of Taiwan in the global response to climate change.

According to Kiribati President Anote Tong, in achieving its carbon reduction commitment, it is very important for the UNFCCC to be inclusive so as to ensure that all nations, including Taiwan, can play a part in the efforts.

Blaise Compaore, president of Burkina Faso, also urged UNFCCC to admit Taiwan.

He said it is time for the world to allow Taiwan to participate more actively in the international community and help with the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The remarks by Tong and Compaore followed similar ones by Palau President Johnson Toribiong and St. Lucia Prime Minister Stephenson King a day earlier at the conference, which opened Dec. 7 and will run through Dec. 18. (By Ho Hung-ju and Y.F. Low)

ECFA talks may take 20 years: scholar(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 17 (CNA) Taiwan may take 20 years to complete its talks with China on a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA), an economist said Thursday.

In a bid to forge closer cross-Taiwan Strait economic and trade relations to sharpen its competitive edge, Taiwan is poised to sign the ECFA early next year.

"Given the great differences among the public with regard to ties with China, it might take 20 years or so for Taiwan to complete ECFA issues other than the items to be included on an `early harvest list, '" said Chu Yun-peng, a former minister without portfolio and one of the main economic advisers to President Ma Ying-jeou.

Chu, now an economics professor at National Central University, said at a Taipei seminar on the global financial crisis and cooperation between Taiwan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that the ECFA is not a panacea but rather a possible solution for Taiwan in the face of the formation of regional trade groupings from which Taiwan is excluded.

He added that the countries in the region and the rest of the world have been aggressively signing free trade agreements (FTAs) , which are having a negative impact on Taiwan, especially in terms of its trade competitiveness.

Although it is now too late for Taiwan to seek an FTA with ASEAN, it still could pursue bilateral economic cooperation and tariff reduction arrangements with ASEAN countries through negotiations, Chu said, adding that "China's influence will be crucial to Taiwan's attempts to forge closer economic ties with ASEAN."

Chu, who has been dubbed the "pusher" of the ECFA idea, said that since public support for the pact is still low, it poses a rigorous challenge for the government.

He said that an ECFA is not tantamount to an FTA with China but is rather a framework agreement with most of its contents needing to be added step-by-step through negotiations.

An ECFA can only serve to help eliminate Taiwan's competitive disadvantages, while the nation has to create "a new blue sea" by creating brands and possessing advanced technologies, Chu said. (By Erin Ho and Bear Lee)

Foreign exchange rates(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Dec. 18 (CNA) The exchange rates for major foreign currencies quoted in New Taiwan dollars by Chang Hwa Bank Friday.

BUYING RATES SELLING RATES US dollar 32.175 32.575 Euro 45.93 46.93 Hong Kong dollar 4.124 4.224 Japanese yen 0.3591 0.3651 Australian dollar 28.06 28.80 Canadian dollar 30.17 30.37 Pound sterling 52.14 52.54 Singapore dollar 22.96 23.16 South African rand 4.251 4.351 Sweden krone 4.394 4.494 Swiss Franc 30.93 31.13 Thai baht 0.9591 0.9991 N. Zealand dollar 22.88 23.08 Chinese yuan 4.590 4.815

* Exchange rates for the US dollar in amounts less than US$10,000.

U.S. dollar up in early Taipei trading(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 18 (CNA) The U.S. dollar was higher against the New Taiwan dollar in early trading in Taipei Friday.

The greenback was trading at NT$32.366 at 9:30 a.m. on the Taiwan Foreign Exchange, up NT$0.018 from Thursday. (By Lilian Wu)

Taiwan shares open lower(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 18 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange's main index opened lower Friday.

The weighted price index was down 51.73 points at 7,690.44 on a turnover of NT$3.09 billion (US$95.66 million) at the open. The index fell 9.43 points, or 0.12 percent, to close at 7,742.17 Thursday.

(By Lilian Wu)

Talk of the Day -- News digest of local media -- Polls on talks(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

A series of public opinion polls has found that more than half of the respondents do not want to see street protests against high-level cross-Taiwan Strait talks slated to take place Dec. 21-25 in the central Taiwan city of Taichung. Even a survey conducted by the opposition DPP, which is planning to stage the protests, found that only 48.5 percent support the plan.

The following is a digest of local media reports on the latest developments related to the polls on cross-strait talks:

China Times:

Fifty-three percent of the Taiwan people oppose the pro-independence opposition Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP's) intention to stage massive protest rallies against the upcoming meeting between the top negotiators from the two sides of the Taiwan Strait in Taichung City.

The latest poll conducted by the daily found that 71 percent of the respondents are aware of the Dec. 21-25 meeting between Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation and Chen Yunlin, president of the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits.

Thirty-nine percent of the respondents said they are in favor of the meeting, 49 percent said the current pace of cross-strait engagement is "just right, " while 53 percent said they disagree with the DPP's plans to boycott the meeting.

The poll also found that 50 percent of the respondents do not consider it as "selling out" Taiwan if the country chooses to sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China, while a high of 76 percent hope President Ma Ying-jeou will debate with DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen over the ECFA plan. (Dec. 18, 2009)

United Daily News:

The holding of the fourth round of high-level cross-strait talks in central Taiwan has triggered a new standoff between the DPP and the Kuomintang government, with the Ministry of the Interior stepping up security measures to prevent any incidents from occurring and the DPP threatening a massive "siege" against Beijing's proxy and his delegation.

A DPP poll has found that nearly 50 percent of the Taiwan people support the planned protests and demonstrations against the forthcoming Chiang-Chen meeting, while over 60 percent oppose the government's plans to compromise the people's freedom of assembly in the name of assuring Chen's personal security during the visit. (Dec. 18, 2009)

Liberty Times:

Taiwan's top China policy planner, the Mainland Affairs Council, has claimed that over half of the Taiwan people have endorsed all of the four agreements expected to be signed during the imminent Chiang-Chen meeting.

Poll figures, however, are telling the truth that the people's support for systematic cross-strait negotiations has waned, from over 70 percent in the past to lower than 60 percent now. (Dec. 18, 2009) (By Deborah Kuo)

Today in history(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 18 (CNA) Today is Friday, Dec. 18, or the third day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1787: New Jersey becomes the third state of the United States.

1825: Tsar Nicholas I succeeds to the Russian throne.

1829: Jean Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet Lamarck, one of France's best scientists, dies at the age of 75. His most important work was the study of evolution.

1865: The United States abolishes slavery.

1911: Wu Ting-fang, representative of anti-Ching revolutionaries, holds peace talks in Shanghai with Tang Chao-yi, representative of the Ching government.

1913: Willy Brandt, German statesman and chancellor of West Germany from 1969 to 1974, is born.

1913: Lo Fu-hsing, who participated in Dr. Sun Yat-sen's overthrow of the Ching dynasty and was a leader of the "Miaoli Incident," is arrested by the Japanese in Tamsui.

1927: Chiang Kai-shek, who was appointed commander of the National Revolutionary Army on June 5, 1926, captures Wuhan (Hankow), which had been proclaimed the capital of the Nationalist government by a left-wing group of the Kuomintang on Jan. 1, 1927.

1941: German forces retreat in North Africa during World War II.

1956: Japan is admitted into the United Nations.

1961: The Republic of China establishes diplomatic ties with Upper Volta.

1965: Nine African states break diplomatic ties with Britain over Rhodesia.

1969: Britain formally abolishes the death penalty.

1969: The ROC's first satellite ground station is established, enabling satellite communications with the United States, Japan and Thailand.

1976: Thanat Khoman, former Thai foreign minister, arrives in Taipei for a three-day visit.

1980: Soviet Premier Aleksei Nikolayevich Kosygin, who succeeded Nikita Khrushchev but was often overshadowed by the Communist Party secretary, Leonid Brezhnev, dies at the age of 76.

1985: Chang Fu-lin, the first Chinese-American astronaut, flies aboard the space shuttle Columbia.

1987: The Taiwan Provincial Government announces that it will cease to issue lottery tickets starting in 1988.

1987: In South Korea, Roh Ta-woo is declared the winner of the first presidential election to be held in 16 years. However, students riot, claiming electoral corruption.

1987: The "Hai Lung," a submarine purchased by the Republic of China from the Netherlands, arrives in Kaohsiung.

1989: The European Economic Community signs a 10-year trade pact with the Soviet Union.

1991: The first international project to save the world's rainforests is launched when the World Bank, the European Commission, and the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations grant Brazil US$250 million for conservation work in the Amazon basin.

1992: Kim Young-sam, a member of South Korea's Democratic Liberal Party, is elected the country's first civilian president after 32 years of military rule.

1998: Andrew Lavern Smith is put to death in the state of South Carolina, becoming the 500th person to be executed in the United States since capital punishment was reinstated in 1977.

1999: Construction on Taiwan's first national children's hospital, to be operated by National Taiwan University Hospital, is begun.

1999: TransAsia Airways formally opens passenger flight services between Taipei and the Thai island of Phuket.

2000: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's biggest semiconductor manufacturer, sets a record by delivering the world's first batch of 12-inch wafers ordered by a customer.

2001: President Chen Shui-bian presides over a ceremony marking the commissioning of the nation's first F-16 fighter wing into service held at Chiayi Air Base in southern Taiwan.

2001: The Central News Agency (CNA) and the MiTAC-Synnex Group enter into a strategic alliance to offer speedy corporate news and commercial and industrial information services in Chinese to domestic and global enterprises.

Confucius' lesson of the day: "Study without thinking is labor lost. Thinking without study is perilous. To give oneself up to the study of metaphysical theories -- that is very injurious indeed. Shall I teach you what is understanding? To know what it is that you know, and to know what it is that you do not know -- that is understanding."

Government performance in health, financial supervision poor(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 17 (CNA) The Consumers' Foundation announced Thursday that the Cabinet-level Department of Health (DOH) and Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), along with the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA), turned in the most unsatisfactory performances by any government agencies in 2009.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Consumer Protection Commission under the Cabinet, and the Control Yuan were lauded for their efficiency in monitoring, inspecting and correcting matters in relation to consumer protection.

The foundation said that a "Gold Good Award" will be presented to each of the three outstanding agencies, while the poor performers will suffer the ignominy of being given a "Gold Bad" token.

The Control Yuan was appraised for correcting a mistake by the Ministry of the Interior in its real estate price assessment, while the foundation had high praise for a Consumer Protection Commission initiative in dealing with food safety issues and e-commerce disputes.

Turning to the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, the foundation praised its efficiency in inspecting the safety of household equipment.

On the other hand, the relaxation of import restrictions on bone-in beef from the United States and numerous food contamination cases have made the DOH a major target of complaint.

The FSC, which has been faulted by the foundation for two consecutive years, was accused of failing to keep the interest rates of debit cards and credit cards within reasonable levels, in addition to being incapable of protecting the public from losses caused by the collapse of some businesses.

The CAA for its part caused discontent mainly because ticket prices for cross-Taiwan Strait flights have not been lowered in line with reductions in operating costs thanks to the average 43 percent cut in distances caused by direct flights, according to the foundation. (By Yang Shu-min and Lillian Lin)

Legislators say plainer language needed to promote ECFA(2009-12-18 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 17 (CNA) A ruling Kuomintang (KMT) legislator said Thursday at a legislative committee meeting that the government should use metaphors to teach the public about the proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China.

According to Lin Hung-chi, signing the proposed trade pact with China is like wearing spiked racing shoes to enhance Taiwan's competitiveness, while forcing Taiwanese companies to compete with other countries on a non-level playing field is like wearing iron shoes.

Lin said he had been told by some labor leaders that briefings held by the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) about the ECFA were not very helpful and that they still do not understand what it is.

Therefore, Lin went on, the administration should use plainer language to promote the trade pact with China.

CLA Minister Wang Ju-hsuan agreed with Lin and said the CLA will start using plainer language to promote the ECFA.

KMT Legislator Huang Ho Tsai-feng also said that even though the CLA has spent NT$1.1 million on nine ECFA briefings, many workers who have attended the briefings are still no wiser about the ECFA.

With another 16 such briefings to be held, she demanded that the CLA develop a better approach to the issue. (By Shu-fen Wang and Fanny Liu)

Today in history(2009-12-17 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 17 (CNA) Today is Thursday, Dec. 17, or the second day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1888: The Ching dynasty establishes its Peiyang (northern) navy and appoints Ting Ju-chang as the admiral.

1891: Hu Shih, a noted Chinese scholar who proposed that literature be written in the vernacular language rather than in the classical style, is born in Shanghai.

1902: Classes begin for the first time at National Peking University, China's first university and most prestigious institution of higher education.

1903: American aviation pioneer Orville Wright and his brother Wilbur make the world's first successful sustained flight in a heavier-than-air vehicle, which they invented, flying over sand dunes near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

1919: Pierre Auguste Renoir, French impressionist painter whose warm luminous works include "Child with Watering Can" and "Luncheon of the Boating Party," dies at the age of 78.

1925: The Anping Canal in Tainan, southern Taiwan is inaugurated.

1941: Japanese forces invade North Borneo during World War II.

1948: The Dutch attack Indonesia and arrest President Sukarno and other leaders.

1949: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China announces the severing of diplomatic relations with Burma.

1957: The United States successfully test-launches its first intercontinental ballistic missile.

1967: Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt disappears while swimming at Portsea, Victoria.

1968: The Chinese National Committee of the International Press Institute is established in Taipei.

1971: Pakistan and India end a two-week war over East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.

1971: The International Commercial Bank of China (formerly the Bank of China) is inaugurated, becoming a complete private enterprise.

1973: Luis Alberto Monge Alvarez, Costa Rican speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, arrives in Taipei for a weeklong visit.

1973: Denzo Okubo, president of the Federation of the Japan-ROC Association, arrives in Taipei for a five-day visit.

1975: Economics Minister Y. S. Sun and Korean Deputy Premier Nam Duck Woo sign a joint communique calling for further economic cooperation.

1975: A boxing tournament opens at the Tainan City Gymnasium, with boxers from the Philippines, South Korea, Japan and the ROC competing.

1978: More than 5,000 people stage an angry protest outside the U.S. embassy in Taipei.

1979: Tsiang Yien-si succeeds Chang Pao-shu as the secretary-general of the Central Committee of the Kuomintang.

1986: The 1986 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, Lee Yuan-tseh, a member of the Academia Sinica, returns to the ROC. Lee and his wife are received by President Chiang Ching-kuo on Dec. 18.

1986: New Costa Rican Ambassador to the ROC Ruben Acon Leon calls on President Chiang Ching-kuo to present his credentials.

1989: Gen. Albert C. Wedemeyer, who succeeded Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell as commander of the U.S. forces in China during World War II, dies in Washington D.C.

1991: Boris Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev agree to dissolve the Soviet Union and proclaim a new commonwealth on New Year's Day.

1993: Lee Yuan-tseh succeeds Wu Ta-you, becoming the 7th president of the Academia Sinica.

1996: The Ching dynasty's last eunuch Sun Yao-ting dies in Beijing at the age of 93.

1997: A treaty eradicating bribery in international business is signed by the representatives of 34 countries.

1999: Mandarin Airlines, a subsidiary of the Republic of China's former flag carrier China Airlines, opens direct flights between Taipei and Thailand's northern city of Chiang Mai.

2000: Ten king penguins from the United States arrive in Taipei. They are introduced into Taiwan by the Taipei Zoo.

2001: Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan meets with about 100 party representatives from Japan's Tokyo and Yokohama areas over a dinner in Tokyo.

2001: Five Japanese Lower House members belonging to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) arrive in Taipei for a three-day visit at the invitation of the ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Confucius: "A wise man will not make himself into a mere machine fit only to do one kind of work. A wise and good man is one who acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions. A wise man is impartial, not neutral. A fool is neutral but not impartial."

Trusted Ma adviser becomes secretary general of ruling party(2009-12-17 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 16 (CNA) Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou on Wednesday swore in his long-time trusted adviser to a leading post as secretary-general of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) party, in a move widely seen as an attempt by Ma to gear up for reelection in 2012.

King Pu-tsung, considered the brains behind Ma's successful presidential campaign which helped him get elected in 2008, flew back to Taiwan Wednesday, cutting short his visiting scholar post in the United States, and was sworn in almost immediately as the KMT's new secretary general.

He gave few clues about what his top priorities are on his first day on the job, but promised to "less talk and more action" and carry out various party reform plans that are underway, saying he will be the one who is responsible for reforming the 115-year-old party.

"My job is the (KMT's) chief executive officer, therefore I am the one to be held accountable if things fail, " the close confidant of Ma said in the first press conference he gave after assuming office.

Ma has been keen to rid the party of corruption and clean up its image, but observers said that would not be the only reason the president sought King's help.

King's appointment comes just days after Ma's ruling party suffered a setback in the Dec. 5 county and city elections, winning a smaller percentage of overall votes than it did in local elections four years ago. The election results were widely seen as a warning to the party, especially with the presidential race just two years away.

King served as the main campaign manager in Ma's two mayoral elections and the 2008 presidential election. He was lured back to Taiwan halfway through his visiting scholar program with the Washington-based Brookings Institution.

His main tasks now are believed to be helping the ruling party win four upcoming elections in the next 12 months, reversing the party's long standing culture of vote-buying and handling its assets.

King said all of these tasks will not be easy, and he will not be able to do it alone without teamwork.

Nicknamed "the Switchblade, " and "loner" King, an avid Triathlon runner, has built a reputation in Taiwanese politics over the years as someone who is good at political maneuvering.

But King presented a different image at the press conference Wednesday. He said that if he could be good at one thing, he wants to change the polarization in Taiwanese politics and make the KMT's battle with the opposition Democratic Progressive party (DPP) "a healthy competition".

He also envisioned the party being "accepted and embraced" by younger generations of Taiwanese people.

"I want to make the KMT a better party," King said.

King told the media his first move will be visiting local counties and cities, especially those the KMT had lost in previous elections and the ones which will hold legislative by-elections next month.

He did not rule out the possibility of carrying out a personnel reshuffle in the KMT, saying that "of course we'll make personnel changes."

Whatever he does, he is expected to enjoy the backing of the president, who also serves as the KMT's chairman and handpicked King as his right hand man.

With King's help, Ma has never lost an election.

Now, many political analysts and ordinary Taiwanese people will be watching to see if King can again deliver an election victory for the president, whose approval ratings have taken a beating from the recession, public criticisms over his administration's handling of Typhoon Morakot, and criticisms over his proposed free-trade agreement with China. (By Chris Wang) Enditem/cs

Taiwan's tax revenues will rise after pact with China: minister(2009-12-17 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 16 (CNA) Minister of Finance Lee Sush-der said Wednesday that he expects most of the Taiwan investors in China will choose to be taxed in Taiwan after the proposed cross-strait agreement on avoidance of double taxation is signed.

This is because Taiwan only levies a 20 percent operating income tax, much lower than the 25 percent imposed by China, he said.

As a result, the government's tax revenues will definitely grow, Lee said at a press conference held to explain the proposed tax agreement with China.

But Lee said he cannot assess how much the additional tax income will amount to until after the pact takes effect, as the government currently has no idea about the business situation of Taiwan investors in China.

Taiwan and China negotiators will meet in the central Taiwan city of Taichung Dec. 21-23 to sign four agreements, including the tax pact.

Lee said that the tax agreement is aimed at protecting Taiwanese businessmen's rights and ensuring the government's power to levy taxes on its nationals on the mainland.

Without the pact, Taiwan investors in China are not under any government protection since Taiwan does not have a say in the way China treats them, he said.

Lee refuted news reports that many Taiwan investors in China are worried that the proposed Taiwan-China tax agreement will enable the government to easily trace their business deals and incomes.

He said that Taiwan has signed tax agreements with 16 countries, and over the past five years, there have been only eight cases of tax information exchange between Taiwan and those countries for the purposes of preventing major tax evasions.

Lee gave the assurance that exchanges of tax information would not result in leakage of data on the incomes of any Taiwanese individual or company in China. (By Lin Ye-fong & Bear Lee) Enditem/pc

Internet shopping increases from last year: poll(2009-12-17 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 16 (CNA) Nearly 60 percent of Internet users in Taiwan have made online purchases this year -- an increase of 10 percentage points compared to 2008, according to the results of an annual survey on the country's digital divide.

The survey conducted by the Cabinet-level Research, Development and Evaluation Commission (RDEC) found that 59.3 percent of people over the age of 12 in Taiwan who went online this year have made Internet purchases.

However, due to the economic downturn, the average value of individuals' online purchases dropped to NT$9,816 (US$304) from NT$13,565 in 2008, according to the survey results which were released Wednesday.

The poll also found that 88 percent of Internet users went online to search for information on daily life, up slightly from 86 percent the previous year.

In addition, 80.7 percent of Internet users searched for information on travel and gourmet food; 80.7 percent for news; and 68.6 percent researched product and pricing information before making purchases.

Some 75 percent of the respondents engaged in online leisure and entertainment activities, 6.7 percentage points higher than last year; while 28.9 percent used online banking services, up from 26.1 percent last year.

There is an obvious gender divide in terms of online shopping, the poll indicated, as 63 percent of the online shoppers were women, while 55.1 percent were men.

The survey also found that about 10 percent of Internet users have sold products online, with 90 percent of them being part-time online sellers.

In terms of the profit generated from online auctions, 50.3 percent of the sellers said they gained less than NT$1,000 a month, 22.2 percent said their profits were between NT$1,001 and NT$5,000, and 4.2 percent said they made more than NT$5,000 a month.

The survey results also show that 43.8 percent of Internet users have their own blogs, up from 36.7 percent last year.

Nearly half of the younger respondents -- 49.5 percent of the 21-30 age group -- have their own blogs, compared to 44.4 percent last year.

Instant messaging and blogging remain a craze among the younger generation, with micro-blogging becoming a new, growing segment this year.

Some 81.7 percent of those in the 21-30 age group said they have MSN Instant Messenger accounts, 58 percent are members of Facebook, 13 percent are on Plurk and 4.6 percent have Twitter accounts.

According to 38 percent of the respondents, they spend time on Internet social networks primarily because they want to connect with friends quickly and economically; while 7 percent admitted that they suffer anxiety if they are away from the Internet for more than a day.

Among those who are on social networks, 40 percent said they have forwarded information about influenza A(H1N1), disaster prevention and important government information via MSN Instant Messenger, email and other services.

The RDEC said that the Internet is expected to become another excellent public information dissemination tool based on the fact that each Internet user has an average of 60 contacts on their online friends list, with more than 80 percent of those being known acquaintances.

The survey was carried out between July 13 and Aug. 21 among 16, 133 respondents via telephone. It had a margin of error of 0.8 percentage points.

(By Chia-chen Hsieh and Fanny Liu)

Gov't sets goal of reverse mortgage plan by end of 2010(2009-12-17 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 16 (CNA) The government is expected to work out by the end of 2010 a plan for the introduction of reverse mortgages in Taiwan, which is considered essential to retirement security among the growing number of senior citizens, Minister of the Interior (MOI) Jiang Yi-huah said Wednesday.

According to Jiang, the government will solicit the opinions of various sectors of society in its formulation of the plan, with attention to details such as whether to enact a special law for the system and whether to link it to a social welfare program.

The minister noted that the policy -- which will allow senior homeowners to convert equity into cash -- has received much public attention since it was proposed a few months ago, mainly because it is likely to meet the needs of Taiwan's fast-graying society.

At present, the number of citizens aged 65 or older accounts for over 10 percent of the country's population, and is likely to surpass 20 percent in less than 20 years, Jiang said.

Meanwhile, the results of surveys conducted by the MOI revealed that the number of seniors who live alone has been increasing, from 25 percent in 1986 to 40 percent in 2008, he said.

The percentage of seniors who live with their children, on the other hand, dropped from 70 percent in 1986 to below 50 percent in 2008, he added.

Also, the surveys found that 33 percent of seniors do not have any regular source of income, while more than 60 percent are living on their own or their spouses' retirement benefits, Jiang noted.

The minister was attending a seminar in Taipei on the issue of reverse mortgages.

Among the other speakers was Edward Szymanoski, a member of a team within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that 20 years ago developed a reserse mortgage model which came to be known as the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage.

Sharing his country's experience in promoting the program, Szymanoski said when the model was first launched in the United States, the results were unsatisfactory because there was too little government intervention.

The program, however, has produced prominent results since it was made part of the U.S. social welfare system, he said.

Chang Chin-o, a professor at National Chengchi University's Department of Land Economics, explained that reverse mortgages are intended to allow seniors to "age in place," which means not having to move from their residence in order to secure support services in response to changing personal needs.

In addition to reverse mortgages, a sale-and-leaseback program under which seniors can sell their homes to an insurer in return for annuities can also serve a similar purpose, Chang said.

Another option is for senior homeowners to obtain loans using their property as collateral, and those loans would not have to be repaid until after the death of the borrowers. They could also transfer their property into a trust to pay for the care services provided by social welfare institutions, he said. (By Kao Chao-fen, Lin Ye-fong and Y.F. Low)

DPP plans mass protest on arrival of key Chinese official(2009-12-17 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 16 (CNA) The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) issued a mobilization order Wednesday for its members to gather for a protest at an airport in Taichung where Chen Yunlin, China's top negotiator with Taiwan, will land Monday for a meeting in the central city.

The DPP also plans to hold a mass protest march and rally Sunday afternoon prior to Chen's arrival, DPP spokesman Tsai Chi-chang told reporters..

On Tuesday, the DPP will organize a motorcade in the city in protest against Chen's presence in Taiwan, and on Wednesday it will hold a seminar discussing the facts surrounding past secret deals between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Communist Party of China, Tsai said.

More than 100,000 DPP supporters are expected to take part in the series of anti-China activities, he said.

DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, former Vice President Annette Lu and former Premier Frank Hsieh are expected to join Sunday's protest march, he noted, adding that party members who fail to show up at these events will be disciplined.

"These activities will be conducted peacefully, " the spokesman said, and he urged the police and other authorities not to overreact to the protests.

Bloody squabbles erupted between policemen and DPP supporters last year when Chen was in Taipei City for the second round of cross-strait talks.

Chen, in his capacity as president of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), will hold the fourth cross-Taiwan Strait talks with his Taiwan counterpart, Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the quasi-official Straits Exchange Foundation, Dec. 22-23, in Taichung City.

Four agreements on fishing crew cooperation, agricultural quarantine inspection, industrial product standards, inspection and certification, and the avoidance of double taxation are expected to be signed by Chiang and Chen in the coming talks. (By K.H. Wen and Flor Wang)

Talk of the Day -- News digest of local media: LCD panel industry(2009-12-17 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

China's top negotiator with Taiwan -- Chen Yunlin, president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) -- is scheduled to arrive in Taiwan next Monday for a new round of talks with his Taiwanese counterpart -- Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chiang Pin-kung -- on matters of mutual concern, such as industrial certification standards, agricultural quarantine and avoidance of double taxation.

Chen will reportedly take advantage of his Dec. 21-25 visit to push Taiwan to further ease restrictions on cross-strait investment and lobby Taiwan's top flat panel manufacturer AU Optronics Corp. to invest in China to produce new generation liquid crystal display (LCD) panels.

The following is a digest of some local media reports on the latest developments related to the flat panel industry:

Commercial Times:

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs has promised to evaluate before the end of this year the feasibility of allowing local companies to invest in China in the production of large-sized LCD panels.

With this in mind, ARATS President Chen Yunlin will try to attract Taiwanese manufacturers in the field to venture into the Chinese market, with AU Optronics (AUO) as the prime target.

Chen's delegation will include representatives of 18 blue-chip companies in electronics, fiber optics and other high-tech industries.

On the sidelines of the formal Chiang-Chen talks, Chinese high-tech industry executives will meet with their Taiwanese counterparts on possible trade or joint-venture deals. Chen will also take the opportunity to explore the possibility of AUO setting up production facilities in China.

Economic Daily News:

With flat panel prices going up, foreign institutional investors have raised profit forecasts for major local LCD companies, such as AUO and Chi Mei, for the first quarter of next year.

Merrill Lynch securities analysts said Wednesday that major South Korean flat panel makers have reported increases in market demand for their products. With panel prices about to be raised from January, the analysts predicted that AUO and Chi Mei will see better profits next quarter. (By Sofia Wu)

Taiwan shares open higher(2009-12-17 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 17 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange's main index opened higher Thursday.

The weighted price index was up 53.10 points at 7,804.70 on a turnover of NT$5.26 billion (US$162.90 million) at the open. The index fell 56.02 points, or 0.71 percent, to close at 7,751.60 Wednesday.

(By Deborah Kuo)

U.S. dollar down in early Taipei trading(2009-12-17 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 17 (CNA) The U.S. dollar was lower against the New Taiwan dollar in early trading in Taipei Thursday.

The greenback was trading at NT$32.316 at 9:45 a.m. on the Taiwan Foreign Exchange, down NT$0.012 from Wednesday. (By Deborah Kuo)

Talk of the Day -- News digest of local news media -- Security during(2009-12-17 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

isit

With the pro-independence opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) preparing to stage massive protest rallies during the fourth round of high-level cross-Taiwan Strait talks, government authorities have stepped up security measures to prevent any incidents during the Chinese delegation's upcoming visit.

The DPP headquarters has also issued action guidelines to demand that its members exercise self-restraint during the protest activities.

The following is a digest of some local media reports on the latest developments related to security concerns in Taiwan during that time:

China times:

The Taichung City police have begun to prepare for protests during the Dec. 21-25 meeting between Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and Chen Yunlin, president of the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS).

The SEF said it has been told that security personnel will be able to cope with up to 150,000 protesters. If the weather in the central city of Taichung is fine, the protests will be marathons, which means that China's top negotiator with Taiwan could be besieged for all five days during his stay.

Information obtained by the SEF indicated that a number of private companies are footing the bill for protesters to travel by bus from southern Taiwan to Taichung to join the demonstrations against Beijing's proxy and his delegation.

Yu Hui-mao, deputy director-general of the Taichung city police department, said the police will set up a restricted zone near the venue of the Chiang-Chen meeting to ensure security, and if necessary, traffic to and from the Taichung Cloverleaf will be closed. (Dec. 17, 2009)

Liberty Times:

In order to protect Chen and his group, the security forces of President Ma Ying-jeou's administration will not only be in battle array against their own compatriots, but the police could also close the main traffic artery in Taichung.

It is far too much to have the right of movement of thousands of motorists compromised simply because of one man's visit. (Dec. 17, 2009)

United Daily News:

ARATS Vice President Zheng Lizhong is expected to lead a group of Chinese security officers to Taiwan Friday, three days before Chen's arrival Dec. 21, to ensure that the meeting is held smoothly and order is maintained.

Zheng and his group are expected to scout the 10-plus locations that the SEF has arranged for Chen and his delegation to visit, to simulate security conditions there. (Dec. 17, 2009)

(By Deborah Kuo)

Morakot-hit rail lines and residents seeing revivals(2009-12-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

The South Link Railway (南迴鐵路), devastated by Typhoon Morakot in August, will resume full operations on December 30, the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) said on Monday.

The agency also said that passengers for the first Tzuchiang-class express train on the reopened South Link Railway can buy tickets at a 50 percent discount.

Morakot severely damaged one of the nation's most scenic railway routes. The TRA was able to restore the section between Taitung and Fangliao (枋寮) by September 15, while work on the section from Fangliao and Kaohsiung will be complete soon.

The TRA said it would also increase express train and commuter train services between Hualien and Kaohsiung.

The first cruising tourist train on the South Link Railway will run in the early hours of the morning of January 1 from Tainan. It will arrive at the beach at Taimali (太麻里) in Taitung around dawn.

The TRA will also offer cruising train services for those planning to celebrate New Year's Eve on the East Coast. Passengers can board a business-class train from Shulin (樹林) on the evening of December 31, which is scheduled to arrive at Fulong (福隆) and Toucheng (頭城) at midnight. The train's final destination will be Taimali, where the passengers will be able to see the first rays of sunlight on January 1.

The railway is also offering two other options for New Year's. Passengers can board an express train to Hualien and join the cross-year celebration there, then reboard the train at Hualien at 2 a.m. and head to Fulong to join a music festival on the beach.

The third option is to board the train to Chongde (崇德) to greet the sunrise and then take a day tour at the Taroko National Park.

President Ma presents his vision in WSJ Asia article(2009-12-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 14 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou told the Wall Street Journal Asia that military means is one of the means his government will use to defend Taiwan, but it will also depend on the country's soft power to engage China.

In an interview with WSJ Asia editorial writer Leslie Hook in November at the Presidential Office, Ma described what his administration has achieved over the past months in reducing tension in the Taiwan Strait.

He mentioned direct flights between Beijing and Taipei, direct postal links and cargo shipments, Taiwan's opening to mainland tourists, and agreements on fishing crews, industrial certification standards, agricultural standards, and avoiding double taxation that are expected to be signed in Taichung in late December.

"We'll continue the current state of affairs, easing tension across the Taiwan Strait, and trying to forge a closer relationship in economic and other fields," Ma added.

Arguing that "Taiwan might be left in the cold and marginalized" as the pace of regional economic integration continues to increase, the president insisted that Taiwan needed to urgently open its economy to China and systemize trade through an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA).

Describing Chinese tourists who visit Taiwan as a central part of his vision, Ma said "they are very impressed by the society... a society where individuals respect each other's rights and privacy, and the right to freedom of speech....they also admire some of our democratic institutions."

The story also noted that Ma emphasized that his diplomacy is built around the "three no's" -- no unification during his term in office, no pursuit of de jure independence, and no use of force to resolve differences across the strait.

Referring to the idea of unification, Ma was quoted as saying that "both sides have a lot to learn about each other."

"Conditions for unification are not ripe, " and "we don't even know each other that well,"the president maintained. (By Lillian Lin)

University student learns lesson after hit-and-run(2009-12-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Many years ago, former gangster "Brother Guang" was apprehended during a sweep of criminals and gang activity throughout Taiwan and ended up in prison. He reformed himself during his jail time and turned to business after he completed his sentence. Since then, he cut ties with the criminal activity that put a blemish on his younger years.

One day recently when he was driving along Hsinchu's bustling Guangfu Road past National Tsing Hua University, the side of the car and the side view mirror were hit by a motorcycle that had darted out from nowhere, creating quite a noise. Before Guang could tell whether the motorcyclist was injured, the driver of the motorcycle had already sped off, leaving Guang thinking that the lad might be one of the young people these days who like to speed through the streets on their motorbikes.

Angry at the motorcyclist's escape, Guang chased the runaway in his car for about 500 meters before he was able to block the motorcyclist from driving away. Guang originally wanted to take the driver to the second precinct police station nearby, but abandoned the thought after the driver proved with his ID that he was a master' degree student at National Tsing Hua University.

Instead, Guang immediately began admonishing the student, calling his fleeing the scene an action no different from that of a criminal. After taking into consideration that the student one day could be an important building block in the nation's development, Guang suppressed his rage and tried to instill some good sense into the student, hoping this would change the youth's behavior in the future.

Rather than wanting to file the case with the police or asking for compensation from the student, Guang requested that the young man write an essay about what he learned from the experience. Several days later, he received a letter of repentance written in pencil by the student, who, in addition to apologized for his actions, also stressed that he had disgraced his family, and that he desired to become a responsible person to make his family and friends proud of him.

After reading the letter, Guang said that he felt the student had gotten the message and realized his wrong, adding that actually he had actually forgiven the student right after the accident, and he deeply hopes that the student will make the most of his talents to help create for a better society.

(The Chinese version of this article appeared on December 14, 2009)

Today in history(2009-12-16 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 16 (CNA) Today is Wednesday, Dec. 16, or the first day of the 11th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar canlendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1773: Bostonians creep onto British ships in Boston Harbor and dump cargoes of tea overboard.

1922: Tu Tsung-ming is granted a medical doctorate at the Kyoto University, becoming the first Taiwanese to gain the doctorate during the Japanese colonial period.

1949: Chinese Communist Chairman Mao Zedong visits Soveit Union for the first time.

1962: The United States launches the "Explorer 16" satellite into orbit.

1975: Chinese Communist Central Committee Vice Chairman Kang Sheng dies in Beijing at the age of 77.

1978: The United States and mainland China announce that they will establish diplomatic relations from Jan. 1, 1979.

1988: The United States and the Palestinian Liberation Organization hold a meeting in Tunis, Tunisia, for the first time.

1991: Taiwan Provincial Government Chairman Lien Chan presides over a ceremony to inaugurate the South-Link Line of Taiwan's railway system.

1991: The Association for Ralations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS), mainland Chinese quasi-official organization responsible for talks with Taiwan on cross-strait issues, is formed in Beijing.

1996: Former South Korean Presidents Chuan Doo Huan and Roo Tae Woo are sentenced life imprisonment and 17-year jail term, respectively.

Talk of the Day -- News digest of local media: Carbon reduction(2009-12-16 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taiwan dropped 15 places and was ranked among countries judged as performing poorly in a global rating of national carbon emission reduction performance.

But government officials said the assessment by two Germany-based nongovernmental think tanks was based on 2007 figures and did not reflect Taiwan's current situation. If last year's figures were used in the poll, they said, Taiwan should have been part of the group of top-ranked countries.

The following is a digest of some local media reports on the latest developments related to the carbon emissions reduction issue:

China Times:

Taiwan was ranked 47th and received 47.5 points in the 2010 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) , lagging behind India, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Singapore and South Korea in Asia while faring better than only China and Malaysia.

It was just the second year that Taiwan was included in the CCPI, which compared the emissions reduction performance of 57 industrialized countries.

While pointing out that Taiwan's CO2 emission volume posted negative growth for the first time in history in 2008, Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Minister Stephen Shu-hung Shen said Tuesday the decline in Taiwan's CCPI ranking indicates there is still room for improvement and that other countries have progressed faster than Taiwan.

United Daily News:

The EPA unveiled the "Taiwan Carbon Label" Tuesday as part of its efforts to raise consumer awareness of the environmental impact of individual products. The labeling campaign will be launched in March 2010 at the earliest.

"The label, featuring the words 'CO2, ' a footprint composed of a dark green heart carrying a number representing the carbon footprint of a product, and two pale green leaves, epitomizes our love for the Earth and our commitment to move toward a low carbon society, " said Yang Ching-hsi, director of the EPA's Performance Evaluation and Dispute Settlement Bureau, at a news conference held to unveil the label. (By Sofia Wu)

Taiwan shares open lower(2009-12-16 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 16 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange's main index opened lower Wednesday.

The weighted price index was down 6.32 points at 7,801.30 on a turnover of NT$3.6 billion (US$111.4 million) at the open. The index fell 11.51 points, or 0.14 percent, to close at 7,807.62 Tuesday. (By Elizabeth Hsu)

U.S. dollar up in early Taipei trading(2009-12-16 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 16 (CNA) The U.S. dollar was higher against the New Taiwan dollar in early trading in Taipei Wednesday.

The greenback was trading at NT$32.310 at 9:45 a.m. on the Taiwan Foreign Exchange, down NT$0.029 from Tuesday. (By Elizabeth Hsu)

Campuses warm to tackling energy conservation challenge(2009-12-16 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

os 3,4,5 by Deborah Kuo

CNA staff writer

The air conditioning system in Yuan Ze University classrooms is just like that at any other university. It costs a lot of money to run.

But at Yuan Ze, where saving energy has become an obsession, the air conditioning and the lights are only turned on 10 minutes before class begins and shut off automatically after class ends. Lights in hallways and student lounges go off five minutes after they are turned on.

Rather than simply preach environmental consciousness, Yuan Ze administrators also make students pay for the discretionary use of electricity to instill energy-saving concepts.

Students are required, for example, to use stored value cards to pay to play on the campus's tennis and basketball courts at night.

"The idea is not aimed at saving or making money, " said Rong-jong Wai, the university's chief general affairs officer. "We want the students to be environmentally conscious."

Yuan Ze University's aggressive approach to saving energy seems to be working. The private school, founded by business conglomerate Far Eastern Group, won a Ministry of Education (MOE) Green University competition this year by cutting power consumption 4.6 percent in 2009 and reducing the school's electricity bill by NT$19 million (US$588,780).

"The trick is to link the school's power supply and monitoring systems to the scheduling of classes," Wai disclosed.

Believing that environmental awareness should be cultivated through everyday life and in schools, the MOE started a campaign in early 2008 to get schools to take the issue seriously and offer them assistance in saving energy and water.

The MOE is limited by budgetary constraints and can provide only minimal cash incentives to schools that succeed in saving resources, but the program has nonetheless awakened institutions to the threat of climate change and Taiwan's need to protect the environment.

So far 312 universities and colleges, 248 senior high schools and 59 junior high and elementary schools have responded to the campaign, according to the MOE Environmental Protection Task Force.

Though the rate of participation remains relatively low, it has created a spillover effect among other schools, the task force said, leading to a reduction in power usage.

The combined electricity consumption of the country's schools in 2008 was 7.8 percent lower than in 2006, the task force said, citing data from Taiwan Power Co., Taiwan's sole power generator and distributor.

"That represents savings of about NT$700 million if the value of the savings are calculated based on a unit cost of NT$2.65 per kilowatt-hour," said Chang Tzu-chao, executive secretary of the task force.

A breakdown shows that vocational high schools were the most effective at conserving energy, reducing power consumption by 12.3 percent in 2008 compared to 2006, followed by universities and colleges, senior high, junior high, and elementary schools, which lowered power use by 8.03 percent, 7.23 percent, 6.54 percent and 6.07 percent, respectively, over the same period.

Unlike in 2009 when a private university won the top prize for being a "green" institution, the top 21 universities in 2008 were all public national institutions, Chang said.

That top 21 saved NT$44 million in electricity expenses in 2008 from a year earlier, translating to a reduction of 10,500 tons of greenhouse gas emissions that would have otherwise been emitted, he noted.

Of these schools, National Taiwan University, with NT$7 million in savings, and National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, with NT$6 million in savings, saved the most in electricity expenses.

National Taichung University, however, had the highest rate of reduction of electricity consumption of the 21 top performers.

University administrator Yi Cheng-ming said the school's mechanical systems and other facilities were overhauled to save power, but getting people to change their behavior was more difficult.

"People are more difficult to manage than machines, " Yi said, explaining that it has taken more than rhetoric to get students to be environmentally responsible.

He said the university employs extra shifts of workers to patrol the campus simply to prevent electricity from being wasted.

If the person on patrol finds that students engaged in after-class studies are scattered too thinly over too many classrooms, he will ask the students to move to one or two smaller rooms to study.

If he finds that the ambient temperature is not high enough to warrant the use of air conditioning, students are persuaded to turn them off, Yi explained.

The MOE Environmental Protection Task Force said conserving electricity is not a daunting task. Schools can easily reduce power consumption by at least 5 percent if people in schools become more environmentally conscious and closely adhere to power-saving measures, Chang said.

He indicated that a significant portion of the power consumed on campuses was wasted because schools tend to use old air conditioners and conventional light bulbs that are not energy-efficient, a problem that can be easily fixed.

"Electricity bills will shrink by 10 percent if old light bulbs are replaced with energy-saving bulbs and by another 10-15 percent if out-of-date air conditioners are replaced with new, energy-efficient models," he asserted.

(Also with contribution by Szuyu Lin)

Talk of the Day -- News digest of local news media -- Unification(2009-12-16 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

After the Wall Street Journal Asia misquoted President Ma Ying-jeou on his vision of the future development of relations with China, the Presidential Office responded quickly, highlighting how contentious talk of cross-strait unification is.

The newspaper quoted Ma as saying: "Whether there will be reunification as expected by the mainland side depends very much on what is going to unfold in the next decade, " but the Presidential Office produced a recording showing that Ma actually said "decades." Opposition groups took the opportunity to again stress that Taiwan's future should be decided by its people in a national referendum, not by any single party or individual.

The following is a digest of some local media reports on the latest developments related to the sensitive unification issue:

United Daily News: President Ma Ying-jeou reaffirmed Tuesday that he will not negotiate unification with China during his term in office and that his cross-strait policy is no independence, no unification and no use of force while maintaining the status quo.

In a private meeting with professor Winston L. Y. Yang from Seton Hall University of the United States, Ma also clearly said that "there is little support in Taiwan for unification with China." (Dec. 16, 2009)

Liberty Times: The ruling Kuomintang suffered a setback in recent local elections and a recent opinion poll suggests it has to do with the Ma administration's China-oriented political and economic policies.

A poll released by CommonWeath Magazine Tuesday showed that 61 percent of the people worried that Taiwan's economy is too dependent on China.

The survey also found that 62 percent of respondents identified themselves as Taiwanese, 22 percent as both Taiwanese and Chinese, and only eight percent as Chinese. Among those in the 18-29 age bracket, 75 percent said they are Taiwanese. (Dec. 16, 2009)

China Times: Opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen said in Tokyo Tuesday that the party will insist that Taiwan's people decide their future.

Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo, Tsai also said that the party will safeguard the democratic system in Taiwan to let Taiwan's people choose and decide their own future. (Dec. 16, 2009) (By Lilian Wu)

New KMT secretary-general arrives home from U.S.(2009-12-16 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 16 (CNA) King Pu-tsung, who was recently named to serve as secretary-general of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT), arrived in Taiwan Wednesday after spending time in the United States.

Upon his arrival at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, he said he would attend the KMT's Central Standing Committee meeting later in the day.

Asked to comment on the just-concluded local elections in which the KMT suffered a setback, he said he will address the issue publicly at a later date, stressing that at present, he wants to "speak less and do more."

King, a former deputy mayor of Taipei, was widely seen as President Ma Ying-jeou's right-hand man during Ma's tenure as the city's mayor.

In his capacity as KMT chairman, Ma appointed King on Dec. 9 to replace Chan Chuen-po, who is also a KMT vice chairman, as the manager of the party's day-to-day affairs.

The announcement came as King was serving as a visiting scholar at the Brookings Institution in the U.S. and drew mixed reactions from within the KMT.

Before he returned to Taiwan, King told the Central News Agency that he was also surprised by the appointment and that he would make every effort to prove the skeptics wrong.

"I will speak less and do more in the future and give the job my best shot," he said.

He appealed to the KMT hierarchy and Taiwan's society to give him time to do his best to streamline the ruling party.

It is widely believed that Ma's appointment of King to the management post was a response to the KMT's setback in the just-concluded local elections. (By Bien Chin-feng and Elizabeth Hsu)

Taiwan delegation arrives in Copenhagen for climate conference(2009-12-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 14 (CNA) A delegation from Taiwan headed by Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Deputy Minister Chiu Wen-yen arrived in Copenhagen Sunday for the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference.

Chiu said in a telephone interview with the Central News Agency that he hopes to take the opportunity to discuss with other countries the development of green energy technologies and solicit the support of Taiwan's diplomatic allies to help the country participate in the conference in a more dignified way.

A main goal of the UNFCCC conference is to reach a global agreement among rich and developing countries that will commit them to specific greenhouse gas emission reductions, and Chiu believes Taiwan should do the same even if it is not a signatory nation of the UNFCCC.

The EPA official said he hopes Taiwan's Legislative Yuan will quickly pass a greenhouse gas control act to revise the country's target for cutting carbon dioxide emissions.

Chiu also said Taiwan should seek cooperation with other countries in introducing their technology or equipment to Taiwan to develop the local renewable energy sector.

Taiwan can learn a lot from Europe in terms of the development of green energy industry, he said, citing wave and tidal power technologies in the United Kingdom and the complete renewable energy network developed by Germany.

Meanwhile, Chiu expressed his discontent for EPA officials' participation in the conference in their capacity as expert consultants with the Industrial Technology Research Institute, a nongovernmental organization.

As many of Taiwan's allies, such as the island countries of Palau and Kiribati, are facing the threat of being submerged by rising sea levels, the delegation will discuss with them ways Taiwan could help address the climate warming issue and seek their support to push Taiwan's participation in the conference as an observer.

Taiwan has been excluded from participating in the U.N. climate talks as a "state" because it is neither a member of the U.N. nor a UNFCCC signatory nation. (By Liu Kwang-yin and Y.L. Kao)

70 percent of clinics to use e-medical records in three years: ITRI(2009-12-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 14 (CNA) The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) , Taiwan's leading technology research institute, plans to help 70 percent of Taiwan's 18,000 clinics use electronic medical records within three years, the head of ITRI's cloud computing research center said Monday.

Chiueh Tzi-cker, the head of ITRI's Cloud Computing Research Center for Mobile Application (CCMA) , said at a seminar that the management of electronic medical records and digital pictures through cloud computing technology -- is the center's major focus in developing the cloud computing mobile applications market.

The CCMA, which was jointly established by ITRI and IBM in September, has started working with many of Taiwan's small clinics to set up cloud computing platforms suitable for developing and using electronic medical records, the ITRI official said.

Chiueh, a former director of the Core Research Group at Symantec, also said the CCMA hopes to launch its self-developed cloud computing data center and operating system by the end of next year.

The center believes the new system will create new commercial opportunities for Taiwan and boost the country's exports.

The CCMA has 33 employees divided into three teams -- hardware equipment, software services, and applications. The center will continue to expand in the near future, Chiueh said, with the number of employees expected to increase to 80 in the first quarter of 2010 and 150 in 2011.

The center is expected to have a budget of NT$200 million (US$6.1 million) in 2010, ITRI said in September.

Cloud computing is a Web-enabled software solution that uses the Internet as a platform for performing tasks on the computer and delivers a range of inter-operable applications.

According to the institute, cloud computing can help a 200-person operation reduce costs by about 30 percent.

The value of Taiwan's cloud computing services market is expected to reach NT$5.56 billion this year, up 12.8 percent from last year, and could climb to NT$6.21 billion next year, the Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute said in November.

(By Anita Pan and Fanny Liu)

President Ma presents his vision in WSJ Asia article(2009-12-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

U.S. dollar down in early Taipei trading(2009-12-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 15 (CNA) The U.S. dollar was lower against the New

Taiwan dollar in early trading in Taipei Tuesday.

The greenback was trading at NT$32.295 at 9:45 a.m. on the Taiwan Foreign Exchange, down NT$0.015 from Monday. (By Maubo Chang)

Taiwan headline news(2009-12-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 15 (CNA) The lead stories in major Taiwan dailies on Tuesday are as follows:

@The China Times:

Unification prospects depend on coming 10 years: President Ma

@The United Daily News:

Instant noodles without meat can only be classified as soup

noodles

@The Liberty Times:

Student associations from three universities ask Premier Wu to clearly explain ECFA

@Central Daily News online:

Chinese delegation from Henan to purchase US$500 million worth of items in Taiwan

@Economic Daily News:

Government mulling whether to impose tax on luxury residences

@Commercial Times:

Chunghwa Telecom to spend NT$13 billion to build cloud computing center

@The China Post:

Taichung talks ready

@The Taiwan News:

Taiwan to spend US$1.4 b. to help workers tackle China pact

@The Taipei Times:

SEF chief calls for 'open minds'

Foreign exchange rates(2009-12-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Dec. 15 CNA) The exchange rates for major foreign currencies quoted in New Taiwan dollars by Chang Hwa Bank Tuesday.

BUYING RATES SELLING RATES US dollar 32.088 32.488 Euro 46.80 47.80 Hong Kong dollar 4.115 4.215 Japanese yen 0.3609 0.3669 Australian dollar 29.41 29.61 Canadian dollar 30.39 30.59 Pound sterling 52.46 52.86 Singapore dollar 23.11 23.31 South African rand 4.305 4.405 Sweden krone 4.489 4.589 Swiss Franc 31.17 31.37 Thai baht 0.9598 0.9998 N. Zealand dollar 23.36 23.56 Chinese yuan 4.578 4.803

* Exchange rates for the US dollar in amounts less than US$10,000.

US readying arms sale: magazine(2009-12-14 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Foreign Policy magazine says that U.S. President Barack Obama "is getting ready" to announce an arms sales package to Taiwan that will include Black Hawk helicopters and Patriot missile batteries.

"Taiwanese sources now say they expect the decision shortly after Obama returns from the climate-change conference," the magazine said.

Obama will be at the Copenhagen conference on Friday and Washington sources said the arms package for Taiwan was likely to be announced during the final week of the year.

But this could not be confirmed, and internal White House politics could always result in a delay.

Most significantly, the magazine says, the package will not include advanced F-16 fighters or design plans for diesel submarines.

White House experts believe that China will react negatively to the announcement and may even break off the recently reestablished military-to-military contacts with the U.S. as a way of showing its displeasure.

In private conversations last month — before Obama's trip to China — administration sources told reporters not to expect the new arms package before next month or February.

Other sources now say that the announcement has been moved forward at least in part to answer U.S. domestic critics who have complained loudly that Obama failed to stand up to Beijing and that he spent most of his Asia visit "kowtowing to the Chinese leadership."

The arms package for Taiwan, these sources say, is designed to demonstrate that Obama's Asian policies are not dominated by a desire to please the Chinese.

"The Obama administration is getting ready to announce a package of arms sales to Taiwan that could complicate delicate relations between Washington and Beijing," the magazine said this weekend.

Foreign Policy says it has been told by "Taiwanese government sources" that the arms package will include most of the items the U.S. and Taiwan agreed upon previously, but not F-16s or submarines.

National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Ho Szu-yin (何思因) was in Washington recently to discuss details of the package.

Earlier this year, Taipei wanted to submit a formal letter specifically requesting advanced F-16 fighters, but sources say the Obama administration strongly discouraged this move so that they would not have to turn it down.

Abe Denmark, Asia expert at the Center for a New American Security, is quoted by the magazine as saying: "Given the broad agenda that Presidents Obama and [Chinese President] Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) laid out in Beijing last month, I expect China to register their complaints, register their disapproval and then move on."

The White House will send an official notification to Congress detailing what arms it plans to sell Taipei under the Taiwan Relations Act.

At that point, only Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, a Democrat, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also a Democrat, have the right to object and ask for changes.

"But that is seen as very unlikely," Foreign Policy said.

Black Hawk helicopters and Patriot missile batteries are expected to be in the package.

"Over the years, U.S. arms sales to Taiwan have become a political football, more symbolic than strategic considering the towering and growing imbalance of power across the Taiwan Strait," Foreign Policy says.

"China continues to build up its missile inventory opposite Taiwan, which is now estimated to top 1,300 missiles capable of hitting Taiwan," the magazine says.

"When the sale is announced, pundits on both sides of the Pacific will be sure to praise or decry the move as Obama either bravely standing by Taiwan or dangerously thumbing his nose at the Chinese. But following the harsh criticism of his trip to Beijing, criticism the White House feels was unfair and unsupported, the White House is looking for a new storyline," the magazine says.

Today in history(2009-12-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 15 (CNA) Today is Tuesday, Dec. 15, or the 29th day of the 10th month of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. Following is a list of important events that have occurred on this date in the past:

1891: The Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, goes into effect.

1915: Noted Taiwan folklore writer Chung Li-ho is born.

1920: China and Austria are admitted into the League of Nations.

1927: The Republic of China government orders the closure of the Soviet consulate in Shanghai and begins rounding up communists following an attempted communist coup in Canton the day before.

1931: Chiang Kai-shek, chairman and premier of the Nationalist government, retires, citing the interests of party unity as the reason for his move.

1938: The United States agrees to lend US$25 million to China under a Sino-American oil loan agreement.

1944: Chinese expeditionary forces capture Bhamo in northern Burma.

1946: The U.N. General Assembly decides to set up its permanent headquarters in New York City.

1948: France completes the construction of its first nuclear reactor.

1949: The ROC Executive Yuan names Wu Kuo-chen as governor of Taiwan.

1952: Beijing rejects India's plan for a Korean armistice.

1961: The U.N. General Assembly votes against a Soviet proposal to admit Communist China as a member.

1965: The U.S. Mariner spacecraft flies past Venus and relays data about the planet to scientists on Earth.

1966: Walter Elias Disney -- the U.S. animator, showman and film producer known as "Walt" -- dies at the age of 65.

1970: The first Sino-American Conference on Mainland China is opened in Taipei.

1971: The state-run Bank of China becomes a private bank and changes its name to the International Commercial Bank of China.

1972: The Republic of China severs diplomatic relations with the Malagasy Republic.

1972: The Japanese embassies in Taipei and Kaohsiung are closed.

1973: Tachien Dam, which had been under construction in central Taiwan for four years, becomes operational.

1977: A newly built integrated steel plant of the state-run China Steel Corp. starts operating in Kaohsiung.

1978: U.S. President Jimmy Carter announces that he will establish diplomatic relations with Communist China from Jan. 1, 1979, and break off relations with the Republic of China at the same time.

1978: The "Chang Sheng," the first Taiwan-built 20,000-ton container vessel, is launched in Keelung.

1980: The ROC's Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park is inaugurated.

1988: The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly calls for the convening of an international Middle East peace conference.

1993: The ROC Legislative Yuan approves a revision of the University Law, giving more autonomy to colleges and allowing students to participate in meetings related to school affairs.

1995: Beijing sentences Wei Jingsheng, a noted dissident, to 14 years in jail for "conspiring to subvert the government," a move that arouses international condemnation.

1999: The U.S. State Department clarifies its stance on the ROC's bid to join the World Health Organization, saying the U.S. supports Taiwan's "meaningful participation," not its membership, in the body.

2000: Chiang Peng-chien, a member of the Control Yuan and founding chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), dies of pancreatic cancer at the age of 61.

2001: The Second International Bio Science and Technology Exposition opens at the Taipei World Trade Center, with over 300 firms from home and abroad participating.

2001: Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan leaves for Japan for a week-long visit, making him the first KMT chairman to visit Japan since the party moved its headquarters to Taiwan in 1950.

Confucius' lesson of the day: "Think how anxious your parents are when you are sick, and you will know your duty toward them. The duty of a good son nowadays means only to be able to support his parents. But you also keep your dogs and horses alive. If there is no feeling of love and respect, where is the difference?"

Decommissioned howitzers to become new attraction of Kinmen park(2009-12-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Kinmen, Dec. 14 (CNA) The Kinmen Garrison Command on Monday handed over a tunnel that hid howitzers during the Cold War to the Kinmen County Government, which will convert it into a new attraction in a park dedicated to the former battlefields of Kinmen.

Kinmen Garrison Commander Lu Hsiao-jung and Kinmen County Magistrate Lee Chu-feng signed a letter confirming the transfer after an artillery battalion demonstrated to an audience how to prepare to the howitzer to be fired.

The granite tunnel that was once filled with howitzers was built in June 1970 and helped the frontline island return fire when it was shelled by Chinese batallions just a few kilometers away in Xiamen.

After the Cold War, tensions eased between Taiwan and China and the old battlefields in the northeastern corner of Kinmen were turned into a tourist attraction.

On Oct. 18, 1995, the country's sixth national park was established in Kinmen and featured the old battlegrounds and the island's unique southern Fujian architecture.

In its newest attraction, only one of the old 8-inch howitzers will remain in the tunnel for tourists to see, according to Lu, while some of the other decommissioned artillery will be housed in an exhibition hall to be developed by the county government.

The hall, which will also screen films on how the howitzers were fired and store archives about the tunnel, is expected to be completed by the second half of 2010. (By Ni Kuo-yeng and Lillian Lin)

Taiwan shares open higher(2009-12-15 )

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:03:43 GMT

Taipei, Dec. 15 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange's main index opened higher Tuesday.

The weighted price index was up 19.40 points at 7,838.53 on a turnover of NT$5.9 billion (US$182.73 million) at the open. The index gained 24.06 points, or 0.3 percent, to close at 7,819.13 Monday. (By Maubo Chang)