Monthly Archives: April 2016

Taiwan Accuses Kenya of Illegal Deportations as More Are Sent to China

The New York Times
Date: April 12, 2016
By: JEFFREY GET0TLEMAN and AUSTIN RAMZY

Video shows a group of Taiwanese citizens who barricaded themselves from Kenyan police officers who aimed to deport them to China. By MRS. LIU, VIA REUTERS on Publish Date April 12, 2016.

NAIROBI, Kenya — Usually prisoners want to get out of jail. But on Tuesday, a group of Taiwanese citizens did all they could to stay in — barricading themselves in a small cell as Kenyan police officers tried to storm in with assault rifles.

But the attempt failed, and the officers dragged the prisoners out — Taiwanese officials say after using tear gas, which Kenyan officials deny — and put them on a plane not for home, but for mainland China

Johnny Chiang, a legislator from the Kuomintang party, with a video clip showing Taiwanese detained at a Kenyan police station, during a news conference in Taipei on Tuesday. Credit Sam Yeh/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A video circulating on the Internet of the encounter shows a group of young men bracing themselves against a prison door to try to keep the Kenyan officers out. “Sir! We are Taiwan people, Taiwan people!” one of them yells.

The episode outraged Taiwanese officials, who accused Kenya of violating international law and trying to curry favor with China, which views the self-governed island as part of its territory.

This would not be the first time an African nation did something contentious to please China, the new heavyweight on the continent. Zambia, South Africa and others have bent over backward — often provoking the ire of their own people — to keep China happy. [FULL STORY]

Taiwan’s soccer team in turmoil after Chen quits

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 13, 2016
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter

Taiwan’s international soccer aspirations once again face turbulent times,

Then-Taiwan head coach Chen Kuei-jen, center, attends a press conference in Taipei ahead of an international soccer friendly against Guam on March 18. Officials are under pressure to find a replacement for Chen, who resigned last week. Photo: Lin Tsung-wei, Taipei Times

with officials under pressure to name a replacement at the top following last week’s abrupt resignation of national squad head coach Chen Kuei-jen.

The Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) has since been busy convening meetings and making consultations to find a new coach, as Taiwan need to be ready for an AFC Asian Cup two-legged qualifier against Cambodia in June.

In a surprise move on Tuesday last week, Chen announced that he was resigning to take responsibility for the team’s “shortcomings” in their qualifying campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Taiwan were eliminated ahead of their final Group F match, in which they were soundly beaten by Vietnam 4-1 in Hanoi on March 24. Taiwan lost every game home and away against their Group F opponents — Vietnam, Thailand and Iraq. [FULL STORY]

Taipei Spring Computer show to kick off April 14

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-04-12
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, April 12 (CNA) The 2016 Taipei Spring Computer Show will be held April 14-18 at the Taipei World Trade Center, according to the Taipei Computer Association, the organizer of the event.

The five-day show, with the theme of “Brand-new life experiences,” will be divided into four main sections featuring different types of consumer electronics.

One of the sections focuses on female consumers. Items on display in this area will highlight “living technology products” related to skin care. Food processors, such as a capsule breadmaker, will also be showcased. [FULL STORY]

Stabilization fund to be pulled out of equity market: Cabinet

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/12
By: Tai Ya-chen and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, April 12 (CNA) The National Financial Stabilization Fund’s (國安基金) current management committee has unanimously approved a move to pull out from the stock market during its last meeting Tuesday before the committee gets new members April 22, Cabinet spokesman Sun Lih-chyun (孫立群) said that day.

The benchmark index of Taiwan’s stock exchange, the Taiex, had risen 15.13 percent, or 1,120.84 points, as of Tuesday, since the stabilization fund was activated Aug. 25, 2015 to prop up the market, making the local bourse the second-best-performing market in the world during the period, behind only the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, Sun said.

Overall, the Taiex has performed well since the beginning of this year, gaining 2.69 percent, he added. [FULL STORY]

CEOs gloomy over economy: survey

TURBULENCE:Taiwanese business leaders see more risks than opportunities this year, with the gap widening to 20 percent, PwC Taiwan chairman Dexter Chang said

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 13, 2016
By: Crystal Hsu / Staff reporter

Taiwanese chief executive officers have grim views of the global and domestic economy this year, with exchange rate volatility, tax hikes and rapidly changing technology tastes, a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers Taiwan (PwC Taiwan).

Thirty-six percent of chief executive officers surveyed expect the global economy to weaken this year, the highest since the company launched the survey in 2012, though 43 percent said they expect an extended “status quo,” the survey showed.

Only 16 percent said they expect an upturn. [FULL STORY]

Ko under fire at city council

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-04-12
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je came under fire at the Taipei City Council Tuesday for failing to fulfill promises and for reading Buddhist texts as his popularity sagged.

Ko was elected mayor by a landslide in November 2014, but recent opinion polls have shown his support from the public sagging to its lowest level so far.

After the presentation of his policy report to the city council Tuesday, the outspoken mayor was faulted for failing in his plans to subsidize healthy school lunches, resolve traffic jams, converting a market and other local issues.

In contrast to previous sessions, most of the criticism Tuesday came from the Democratic Progressive Party, the party which helped Ko win election.

The mayor barely reacted to the verbal attacks, reports said, as he consulted documents, talked with Vice Mayor Charles Lin who was seated next to him, or read a small booklet with yellow pages, which was interpreted as being a collection of Buddhist texts. [FULL STORY]

Tsai calls for early cross-strait negotiations over deportation row

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/12
By: Lee Ming-tsung and Elaine Hou

Taipei, April 12 (CNA) President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) called Tuesday

Eight Taiwanese are held in the detention center in Beijing.

for China to start negotiations with Taiwan immediately to address the issue of Taiwanese nationals sent by Kenya to China in connection with phone fraud in the African country.

Tsai, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), also expressed the party’s serious condemnation and protest over the forced deportation of Taiwanese nationals to China by the Kenyan police.

She warned that the incident will deepen the negative image of China among the Taiwanese public, and called for Beijing to start negotiating with Taiwan immediately.

“The Beijing authorities do not have the right to deal with the deportation of Taiwanese nationals on behalf of our own government,” she said.

If Taiwanese nationals commit crime overseas, they should be sent back to their home country to face trial, Tsai said. [FULL STORY]

Taiwan stages calculus gaming competition

Taiwan Today
Date: April 12, 2016

The inaugural Calculus World Cup concluded April 8 in Taipei City, with a

Winners of the inaugural Calculus World Cup are joined by NTU professor Benson Yeh (fourth left) at the event’s presentation ceremony April 8 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of CWC)

student team from National Taiwan University claiming the top honor and US$10,000.

Co-organized by the Taipei City-based university, CWC is the first student competition in the world combing e-sport and mathematics. More than 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 45 countries and territories vied for cash prizes totaling NT$70,000 (US$2,164).

Among these, 36 players from Taiwan, Indonesia, Russia, Ukraine and mainland China were invited to compete, with those from NTU, Institut Teknologi Bandung from Indonesia and Xiamen University from mainland China making the final round.

Staged on the PaGamO online education platform, the competition tested contestants’ problem-solving skills and gaming strategies. It was broadcast on live video streaming platforms Livehouse and Twitch, and attracted more than half a million views.

Benson Yeh, an NTU professor of electrical engineering, said CWC builds on the success of PaGamO, the world’s first multiplayer social platform that allows students to learn class materials while gaming online. [FULL STORY]

Spy charges ‘could damage’ US-Taiwan ties

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 13, 2016
By: William Lowther / Staff reporter in Washington

The US Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the FBI are now

US Navy Lieutenant Commander Edward Lin speaks on Dec. 3, 2008, in a picture released by the US Navy. Photo: US Navy/MC1 Sarah Murphy via AP

investigating allegations that a serving US naval officer has been spying for Taiwan and China.

A former US defense official has told the US Naval Institute (USNI) News that if Taiwan had indeed cultivated the spy as a source of classified information, “the revelation could damage the relationship between Taipei and Washington.”

Espionage charges against Taiwan-born US Navy Lieutenant Commander Edward Lin remain shrouded in secrecy, with officials refusing to reveal evidence.

It appears the case is extremely serious, involving state secrets relating to US national security.

Sources told Washington news organizations on Monday that Lin allegedly spied for both Taiwan and China. [FULL STORY]

KENYA INCIDENT: Officials say Chinese action was legal

LEGAL JURISDICTION:China demanded that the eight Taiwanese be deported to China to face fraud charges as the phone scams targeted Chinese citizens, officials said

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 13, 2016
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter

Officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Mainland Affairs Council

(MAC) yesterday said the government had expressed its concern to Chinese authorities about the rights of eight Taiwanese who were deported to China by Kenya.

However, they said that Beijing acted in conformity with the principles on legal jurisdiction in having them deported to China, where the targets of the fraud schemes reside.

Tai Tung-li (戴東麗), deputy director of the ministry’s Department of International and Cross-Strait Legal Affairs, told a news conference in Taipei that the government had asked Beijing to deal with the eight Taiwanese in accordance with the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement (海峽兩岸共同打擊犯罪及司法互助協議), and that they be released and sent back to Taiwan.

“Chinese government officials said they are investigating the Taiwanese suspects for fraud involving phone scams. As these cases took place in China, they were asserting their legal jurisdiction in having the Taiwanese suspects forcibly taken to China,” she said.

Tai said that the Chinese Ministry of Public Security had informed Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau that the eight were held in custody in Beijing on Monday, and promised to handle the case in accordance with the cross-strait legal agreement. [FULL STORY]

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