Monthly Archives: April 2016

Ex-Philippine president to visit Taiwan to promote exchanges

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/05
By: Emerson Lim and Elaine Hou

Manila, April 5 (CNA) Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos is scheduled to visit Taiwan later this week, during which he will meet with President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in an effort to promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

Ramos, who will travel with a trade delegation comprising Taiwanese businessmen based in the Philippines and Philippine businessmen, is scheduled to arrive in Taiwan Wednesday, said Chen Wen-ju (陳文儒) of the Taiwanese chamber of the South Philippines, which is helping to organize the trip.

This will mark the eighth consecutive year in a row for Ramos to visit Taiwan on a trip organized by the chamber.

Ramos, whose father once served as the Philippines’ ambassador to the Republic of China, is described as being friendly toward Taiwan.     [FULL  STORY]

Navy proposes upgrade program for two submarines

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 06, 2016
By: Lo Tien-pin / Staff reporter

The military has proposed a NT$400 million (US$12.35 million) program to upgrade the nation’s two aging Dutch-made Zwaardvis-class submarines, in which the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology would supervise the “life extension program” (LEP) that would be contracted out to foreign defense companies.

According to sources in the navy, the two submarines have been in service for nearly 30 years and are still seaworthy and capable of carrying out maritime patrol missions, but their electronics and weapons systems are obsolete in terms of operational consistency and reliability.

The two diesel-powered, 2,660-tonne submarines, Hai Lung (海龍, sea dragon) and Hai Hu (海虎, sea tiger), entered service in the navy in 1987 and 1988 respectively.
As most parts for the vessels are no longer in production and suitable replacements cannot be found, it is difficult to maintain and repair the submarines, naval officials said, adding that a large-scale upgrade program is needed to enhance their operational capabilities and to extend their service lives.

Plans for upgrades were also made necessary by president-elect Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) indigenous defense submarine project to enable the domestic production of eight attack submarines, under which the first vessel would not be commissioned until 2025.     [FULL  STORY]

Hung looks to revamp KMT leadership

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-04-05
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Kuomintang leader Hung Hsiu-chu was likely to announce her 6746059choice of a secretary-general and other new appointments next month, reports said Tuesday

The announcements were likely to coincide with the transition of power from President Ma Ying-jeou and the KMT to President-elect Tsai Ing-wen and her Democratic Progressive Party on May 20, reports said.

Interior Minister Chen Wei-zen and Overseas Community Affairs Council Minister Steven Chen were being named in the media as potential candidate for the position of secretary-general.

In addition to a secretary-general, Hung might consider appointing as many as up to six deputy secretary-generals, according to media reports.

Hung was elected as the KMT’s first-ever female leader on March 26, with 56 percent of the vote, defeating three other candidates including acting chairwoman Huang Min-hui. She was sworn in on March 30.     [FULL  STORY]

Garbage collection machines being tested for Taipei residents

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/05
By: Huang Chiao-wen and S.C. Chang

Taipei, April 5 (CNA) An environmental technology company is testing two garbage collection machines in which users can pay or get a refund with EasyCards or iPasses.

Liu Han-yu (劉涵宇), deputy general manager of Hao Yang Environmental Technology Co., said users can swipe an EasyCard or iPass to open the machine, throw in the garbage and then push the confirm button within 20 seconds. The machine will then show the weight and amount of money deducted.

In another machine, users can put in 8 tin cans to get a NT$1 refund on their EasyCards or iPasses. This is part of a government policy to encourage people to recycle.

Liu said the garbage collection machine, which is patented, has cooling, compressing and deodorizing functions. Citizens would no longer have to buy garbage bags to store their household waste.

He said his company plans to launch a pilot project in five locations in Taipei’s Xinyi District in August. If successful, the garbage collection machines will be promoted in other areas where residents will no longer have to hurry back home from work to wait for garbage trucks.      [FULL  STORY]

Foundation must cut benefits: agency

BETTER THAN EXPECTED:A Budget Center report showed employees have received more bonuses than are granted to civil servants, including for three major holidays

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 06, 2016
By: Chen Yu-hsuan / Staff reporter

The Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center recently advised the cash-strapped Veterans and Veterans’ Dependents Foundation to reduce the benefits it grants to its staff, which are better than what civil servants are entitled to.

The center recently said that the foundation not only allots 1.5 months of pay to its workers for year-end bonuses, in line with the standard for civil servant benefits, it also grants special bonuses during three major holidays — Lunar New Year, the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival — and NT$35,000 as a performance bonus for each senior employee evaluated as having performed well.

The center said those benefits surpassed those enjoyed by public servants and should be eliminated.

During deliberation over the central government’s general budget for 2013, the Legislative Yuan passed a resolution stating that foundations established with government aid are under the aegis of government policies, they are public interest groups and should act as such, the center said.     [FULL  STORY]

Loss making Metro mall to open to other vendors next year

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-04-05
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC), which operates the Taipei Metro System, 6746098said on Tuesday that the Zhongshan Metro Mall will be open to other vendors besides bookstores when the current lease ends in March next year.

TRTC President Yen Pang-chieh said that stores at the TRTC-run Taipei Metro Mall and East Metro Mall are mostly profitable because of the bustling crowds. But the Zhongshan Metro Mall, which is an underground passageway connecting the Zhongshan and Shuanglian MRT stations and caters to bookstores, is a different story because most of the stores were in the red due to failure to bring in crowds over the years.

Actually there are many tourists above the underground mall, including the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department stores on Nanjing East Road and many unique coffee shops, fashion accessories and apparel stores and hair salons located along the surrounding alleys, Yen said, adding that if only we could bring them to the Zhongshan Metro Mall.     [FULL  STORY]

KMT announces appointments of 7 deputy secretaries-general

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/05
By: Claudia Liu and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, April 5 (CNA) The Kuomintang (KMT) announced Tuesday the appointments of

Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱, center)

Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱, center)

seven new deputy secretaries-general in its first round of personnel arrangements after former Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) was elected to head the party March 26.

The seven newly appointed deputy secretaries-general include former Legislator Lin Kuo-cheng (林國正), former Pingtung Mayor Yeh Shou-shan (葉壽山), former Taitung County Council Speaker April Yao (饒慶鈴), and former Legislator Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔).

The three other new deputy secretaries-general are Chiayi City Council Speaker Hsiao Shu-li (蕭淑麗), KMT legislative caucus whip Lin Te-fu (林德福) and National Development Council special assistant Chang Ya-ping (張雅屏). Chang was also appointed as the head of the KMT Organization and Development Committee.

In addition, Taipei City Councilor Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) will serve as KMT spokeswoman and deputy director of the KMT Culture and Communication Committee, while Cheng Hang-sheng (陳杭升), the former head of the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Government Ethics Department, will serve as the personnel chief of the KMT’s Administration Management Committee.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan the 7th country to join the U.S. Global Entry program

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-04-05
By: Chia Lee, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taiwanese citizens will soon find it even easier to enter the United States due to an

Both the U.S. CBP’s Global Entry program and Taiwan’s NIA E-gate program will grant pre-approved, low-risk travelers expedited entry upon arrival at selected ports of entry.

Both the U.S. CBP’s Global Entry program and Taiwan’s NIA E-gate program will grant pre-approved, low-risk travelers expedited entry upon arrival at selected ports of entry.

agreement signed between the representative bodies of the two countries, the American Institute in Taiwan announced Tuesday.
AIT and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) signed a joint statement Monday regarding cooperation on an International Expedited Traveler Initiative, which outlines how the two institutions will work together to expand U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Global Entry program and Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency’s (NIA) E-gate program to include eligible travelers from the U.S. and Taiwan, AIT announced Tuesday.

Taiwan becomes the seventh country in the world, and the second in Asia to join the program, along with the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, the Republic of Panama, South Korea and Mexico.

Both the U.S. CBP’s Global Entry program and Taiwan’s NIA E-gate program will grant pre-approved, low-risk travelers expedited entry upon arrival at selected ports of entry.     [FULL  STORY]

Highs of 30 degrees expected for last day of Tomb Sweeping holiday

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/05
By: Chen Wei-ting and Lilian Wu

Taipei, April 5 (CNA) The weather across Taiwan will be largely stable Tuesday, the last 201604050003t2017day of the four-day Tomb Sweeping holiday, with highs reaching nearly 30 degrees Celsius, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said.

But increased clouds due to a weak front may bring sporadic rain to northern and eastern Taiwan, the CWB said.

Northern, central and eastern Taiwan will have highs of 27 to 28 degrees, and southern Taiwan will see highs of around 29 to 31 degrees during the day.

Temperatures could drop by about 10 degrees at night, however, to between 20 and 22 degrees.     [FULL  STORY]

Okinawan’s Taiwan redress ruling reignites calls for ‘comfort women’ compensation

The Japan Times
Date: APR 4, 2016
By: Nick Horton, Staff Writer

A recent Taiwanese court ruling that found a Japanese man was entitled to compensation

Former comfort woman Chen Lien-hua talks to reporters at a ceremony in Taipei on March 8 to unveil the nameplate of a museum dedicated to Taiwanese women forced to work in Japanese wartime military brothels. | REUTERS

Former comfort woman Chen Lien-hua talks to reporters at a ceremony in Taipei on March 8 to unveil the nameplate of a museum dedicated to Taiwanese women forced to work in Japanese wartime military brothels. | REUTERS

over his father’s presumed death during the so-called 228 Incident has reignited calls for Japan to redress the former colony’s few remaining “comfort women.”

In a first for a non-Taiwanese national, the Taipei High Administrative Court ruled on Feb. 17 that 72-year-old Keisho Aoyama, from Urasoe in Okinawa Prefecture, should be paid 6 million New Taiwan dollars (about ¥21 million) by the state-funded Memorial Foundation of 228 over the wrongful death of his father, Eisaki, in 1947.

Aoyama’s father is believed to be one of more than 20,000 people killed in the anti-government uprising that began on Feb. 28 that year, following a crackdown on unauthorized tobacco sales in Taipei, and which inflamed underlying tensions between Taiwanese and the nascent Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government.

Aoyama filed the suit last September following a failed application to the memorial foundation, which rejected his compensation claim on the grounds that Japan had never paid reparations to Taiwanese “comfort women” or soldiers conscripted into the wartime Imperial Japanese Army.     [FULL  STORY]