Page Three

Local politician handed 15-year jail sentence in kickback case

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/04/12
By: Hsiao Po-wen and Kuan-lin Liu

Taipei, April 12 (CNA) A former mayor of Gangshan Township in southern Taiwan’s

Image taken from Pixabay

Kaohsiung City will serve a 15-year-and- four-month jail term after Taiwan’s Supreme Court rejected his appeal in an illegal kickback case.

According to the court’s statement on Thursday, Wu Sen-fa (吳森發), in an effort to avoid his township’s annual budget being cut, entered into an agreement in 2008 with Ho Tsun-hsiu (何存秀), then chairman of the local council, to take kickbacks from businesses looking to secure contracts for the township’s infrastructure development.

The men enlisted a businessman named Lan Chin-chang (藍金章) to be their go-between, which involved Lan telling businesses that if they wanted to win contracts with the township, they would have to go through him and pay 8-10 percent in kickbacks per tender, the statement noted.

In total, the three men received kickbacks from 39 tenders, ranging from NT$26,000-NT$670,000. Wu and Ho split the money 40-60 after paying Lan his fee, according to the court.    [FULL  STORY]

Countermeasures to PRC incentives needed: survey

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 13, 2018
By: Ann Maxon  /  Staff reporter

More than 70 percent of Taiwanese believe the government should develop initiatives for rewarding talent and enhancing local industries as a response to China’s 31 incentives for Taiwanese, the Mainland Affairs Council said yesterday.

A survey conducted by National Chengchi University’s Election Study Center showed that 88.9 percent of respondents thought the government should communicate with the public about its approach before conducting any cross-strait exchanges that might affect the public’s rights, and 69.9 percent believed the government should improve regulations on cross-strait exchanges to safeguard the nation.

In addition, 80.9 percent of respondents believed to maintain a better long-term relationship, cross-strait talks should not be based on any prerequisites, the council said.

It said that 82.2 percent of respondents support holding cross-strait exchange events that exclude political factors, allow both sides to maintain their dignity and are in line with regulations.    [FULL  STORY]

Family Offers NT$500, 000 Reward to Find Missing Hiker Alive

Taiwan English News
Date: April 11, 2018 
By: Phillip Charlier  

Relatives and friends of a man missing in the Central Mountain Range have offered NT$500, 000 to anyone who finds the man alive, and NT$200, 000 if his body is located.

Lee Chaoyuan, 61, set off on a solo hike from Kaohsiung on March 23. Lee’s challenge was to traverse the length of the Central Mountain Range. Lee successfully completed the southern section on April 1, which was the last contact Lee made with his family. The experienced hiker was scheduled to reach Nantou on April 7, where he planned to resupply before continuing north. However, Mr Lee has not been seen or heard from.

Search and rescue personnel from Taitung County Fire Department headed to Lee’s last known location yesterday in an attempt to follow his trail. Helicopters were also dispatched from Taitung and Kaohsiung this morning.

At around 6:00am, a team from Nantou hit the trail from the other end. A team of 4 personnel has also been dispatched from Kaohsiung.    [FULL  STORY]

Talks on US tariffs still ongoing: Foreign minister

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-04-11

The foreign minister, Joseph Wu, has said talks with the United States on new steel and aluminum import tariffs are still ongoing.

Last month, President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on steel imports, and a 10% tariff on aluminum. In 2017, the United States accounted for 13.16% of Taiwan’s steel exports and 23% of its aluminum exports. This makes the US Taiwan’s largest steel export market and sixth-largest aluminum market.

At the Legislature on Wednesday, lawmakers noted that Mexico and South Korea have been exempted from the tariffs. They asked Wu whether the US has demanded certain conditions for Taiwan to be exempted. Wu said talks on the matter are still ongoing, and that he had not heard such demands. Wu also said that Taiwan is focusing on providing the US with information on the degree of Chinese product and labor involved in its steel and aluminum exports. China is the particular target of the Trump administration’s recent trade measures.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan’s Yehliu allows visitors to admire the iconic Queen’s Head rock in the evening

Only 500 visitors with tickets are allowed to enter the show

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/04/11
By: Alicia Nguyen, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan’s remarkable tourist destination, Yehliu Geopark is going

Tourism Bureau

to open in the evening for the first time to allow the public to admire the iconic Queen’s Head rock in combination with light effects.

In cooperation with the Tourism Bureau’s promotion of seaside tourism, Taiwan’s North Coast holds the first evening event called Luminous Yehliu – Queen Sleepless from April 20 to 28 with online ticket booking starting on March 10.

At the press conference, the deputy director of the Tourism Bureau, Chang Hsi-tung (張錫聰) said it is the first time that Yehliu Geopark will open for nighttime admission. Tourists will be able to observe the dazzling display of natural sculptures accompanied by colorful theme lights dancing to the music.    [FULL  STORY]

Indonesian workers keep old Taichung clean

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/04/11
By: Lee Hsin-Yin

Taipei, April 11 (CNA) A group of Indonesian workers have launched a monthly event to

Photo courtesy of Pindy

clean up an old district in Taichung, central Taiwan, in an effort to both raise environmental awareness and reverse local people’s stereotype that migrant workers are not civic-minded.

“We want to find a way to contribute to society because Taiwan is our second home,” said Pindy, who started the campaign in March in the city’s Central District, a decaying neighborhood that has suffered from pollution as urban development has sprawled westward in recent years.

She said the program, which takes place on the first Sunday of each month, brings together around 30 Indonesian volunteers each time to clean up the district, starting from ASEAN Square, a renowned hangout spot for Southeast Asian migrant workers.
[FULL

MOFA denies paying for celebration in Swaziland

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 12, 2018
By: Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporter

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday denied a blog report that it has paid US$1.7 million for a national celebration in Swaziland this month, saying it only funded a fireworks show.

An article on the Swazi Media Commentary blog on Wednesday last week said Taipei has donated US$1.7 million for celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Swaziland’s independence from the UK and its establishment of diplomatic ties with Taiwan, as well as the 50th birthday of King Mswati III.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who is to leave for a five-day state visit to Swaziland on Tuesday, is the only head of state to have publicly accepted an invitation to the event on Thursday next week, the blog said.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Shih-ying (蔡適應) asked Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) about the allegations during a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee.    [FULL  STORY]

MAC head: China should respect will of Taiwan’s people

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-04-10

The head of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), Chen Ming-tong, said Tuesday that China should respect the will of Taiwan’s people in deciding their own future. The remark come after China’s president, Xi Jinping, spoke against Taiwan independence at the Boao Forum in China.

Chen said that Beijing should not make acceptance of its position on Taiwan a prerequisite for cross-strait talks. He also said Beijing should cease resorting to intimidation and pressure tactics in its approach to Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]

MOI: Taiwan officially becomes an aged society with people over 65 years old breaking the 14% mark

Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior announced Tuesday that Taiwan has officially entered the stage of an “aged society” as Taiwanese people over 65 accounted for 14.05% of the country’s total population at the end of March

Taiwan News 
Date:2018/04/10
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)—Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior announced Tuesday that Taiwan

Photo from Wikipedia

has officially entered the stage of an “aged society” as Taiwanese people over 65 years old accounted for 14.05% of the country’s total population at the end of March, which means one out of every seven people in the country is a senior citizen.

According to the WHO, the proportion of a society’s population that is comprised of persons age 65 or older is called the “aging rate”. If a society’s aging rate exceeds 7%, it is an “aging society”. If the rate surpasses 14%, it is an “aged society”; if over 21%, it is a “super-aged society”.
According to the MOI, old people accounted for more than 7% of Taiwan’s population in 1993, signifying that Taiwan had entered the stage of an “aging society” at that time.

The MOI said the municipality with most old people in Taiwan is Chiayi County with 18.61% of its population being over the age of 65, followed by Yunlin County with 17.69%, Nantou County with 16.7%, and Taipei City with 16.58%.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan a chess player, not a pawn: president

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/04/10
By: Shih Hsiu-chuan

Taipei, April 10 (CNA) Taiwan is not a small country at the mercy of other countries but

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文, CNA file photo)

one endowed with formidable economic and military strength, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Tuesday, as she sought to allay fears that Taiwan could become a pawn in the politics of global powers.

In a pre-recorded interview with Era News that aired Tuesday night, Tsai said young people, especially from foreign countries, often ask her questions that reflect their concern Taiwan could be used as a “pawn” by the global powers.

“This is my answer to them: Do not underestimate Taiwan. With a population of 23 million, Taiwan is not a small country, while the economic and military might Taiwan has developed also make it a country with considerable strength,” Tsai said.  [FULL  STORY]