Monthly Archives: April 2016

China downsizing tourists to Taiwan hurts feelings: Kaohsiung tourism sector

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-04-26
By: George Liao, Central News Agency , Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Lin Fu-nan, head of the Southern Taiwan Tourism Industry Alliance, said on Tuesday that he hopes China could think of the politics and economy separate from each other as slashing the number of Chinese tourists allowed to visit Taiwan is hurting people’s feelings across the Taiwan Strait.

“In the past two years, Kaohsiung City has invested about NT$1 billion every year in hotels and restaurants, but as words spread that some hotel operators in Kaohsiung are planning to convert their hotels into long-term care centers, it is evident that the local tourism sector is no longer prosperous,” Lin said.

Since the beginning of this year, the numbers of Chinese tour groups and school exchange groups coming to Taiwan have fallen, with many of them canceling their trips, Lin said, adding that it’s a far cry from the prosperity in the past.

Traditionally April is an off season, but China’s recent economic and stock market downturns could have possibly played a partial role in the curtail of its tourists, Lin said.

What has really got him worried is the prospect after the power transition on May 20, when the axe will fall on Taiwan’s tourism sector, which is very likely to face impact from China’s cutting the number of tourists to Taiwan in half, Lin said. [FULL STORY]

China’s Wen Jiabao likely to be one-day hero in Taiwan

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/27
By: Wang Chao-yu and S.C. Chang

Taipei, April 27 (CNA) A statue of China’s former Premier Wen Jiabao was unveiled as a “Taiwan Hero” at a private cultural park in Keelung on Wednesday, but under pressure from the local mayor, the statue is likely to remain there for just one day.

The unveiling of the statue appeared to have been a public relations stunt by Yong Heng Creative Culture Park, which invited the media to the ceremony, saying only that it was a statue of a “Taiwan hero.”

Many of the people at the ceremony seemed surprised when they saw the statue, which depicts a barefooted Wen holding a pair of leather shoes.

At the base of the statue there are two Chinese characters that mean harmony, while on each side there is a couplet, one reading “Opened up Chinese tourism to Taiwan as part of China’s Taiwan-friendly policy,” and the other saying “Maintained cross-strait peace and expanded trade and economic exchanges.”

They referred to cross-strait policies implemented during Wen’s tenure as premier from 2003-2013.

Activists call for talks on supervisory bill

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 28, 2016
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter

Civil activists yesterday announced plans to hold local forums to pressure legislators on a draft

Economic Democracy Union convener Lai Chung-chiang, left, and several activists yesterday call for an open debate with the Democratic Progressive Party on its draft cross-strait agreement oversight act in front of the party’s headquarters in Taipei. Photo: CNA

bill to supervise cross-strait agreements, demanding that any review of the draft legislation be put on hold until after Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) takes office.

About 10 protesters from the Economic Democracy Union, Democracy Tautin and other groups gathered in front of DPP headquarters in Taipei, calling on the party to remember the Sunflower movement, as the Legislative Yuan prepares to begin a review of a bill imposing new regulatory standards on negotiations with China.

“We should have come to DPP headquarters to ‘pound the table’ long ago, but we are not here to pound the table today,” Democracy Tautin general coordinator June Lin (林倢) said, referring to statements by Tsai that activists should not hesitate to engage in “table-pounding” if they feel the government is ignoring their views.

Activists last week promised to take action if the DPP refused to agree to talks and open debate over the supervisory bill, questioning the DPP draft legislation’s use of the word “area” to refer to Taiwan, as well as the exemption of the service trade agreement from the new requirements.

Forums announced yesterday are to target DPP members of the Legislative Yuan’s Internal Administration Committee — which is responsible for the supervisory bill’s initial review — demanding that legislators pass amendments to the legislation to reflect their demands. [FULL STORY]

Poll: Most Chinese Support Using Force to Unify with Taiwan

The News Lens
Date: 2016/04/27
Compiled and translated by Shin-wei Chang

According to a recent online poll in China, 85% of Chinese support using force to unify with

Soldiers prepare for a beach raid during the 2010 Han Kuang military exercise in Pingtung, southern Taiwan, April 29, 2010. Taiwan on Thursday held its biggest joint military exercise in over a year with the army, navy and air force participating, despite warming ties with Beijing ever since China-friendly Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou took over in 2008. REUTERS/Nicky Loh (TAIWAN – Tags: MILITARY POLITICS) – RTR2D8XJ

Taiwan. What is more, 60% support unification, even at the cost of waging a total war.

On April 25, state-owned Global Times and the Shanghai Academy of Social Science launched an online survey on the unification issue.

China Times reports, tens of thousands answered the questionnaire within a day. There were 25 questions, asking whether people support using force, what is the best timing for doing so, the scale of a possible war, whether the US would intervene in the war and what citizens would be willing to sacrifice to achieve unification.

It turned out that 96% of the participants recognize Taiwan as part of China. More than 60% support the unification at the cost of waging a total war – as opposed to a war being isolated to specific regions.

Moreover, 39% would sacrifice their lives to reach unification.

In addition, 82% of respondents think the number of supporters for Taiwan’s independence will only increase in time, and nearly 60% of them say the best timing for carrying out the unification by force is within the next five years. [FULL STORY]

Taiwan sees new temperature high for the year

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/27
By: Chen Wei-ting and Kuo Chung-han

Taipei, April 27 (CNA) Taiwan experienced its hottest temperature in a low-lying area this year

Taitung. (CNA file photo)

when the mercury hit 35.8 degrees Celsius in Taitung County on Wednesday afternoon, a Central Weather Bureau official said.

A weather station in Dawu Township in the southeastern county recorded the new high for the year at 12:31 p.m., said Cheng Ming-dean (鄭明典), the bureau’s Weather Forecast Center director, on his Facebook page.

Though a high for the year, the temperature fell short of the historical high of 38.6 degrees for Dawu Township set in April 2006.

The previous high recorded this year in Dawu Township of 34.9 degrees came on April 21. [FULL STORY]

Taiwan calls on Japan to respect fishing rights in disputed waters

Taiwan Today
Date: April 27, 2016

Taiwan called on Japan to respect the rights of Taiwan and other countries to navigate and fish

Dong Sheng Ji No. 16 and its crew are free to resume fishing operations after payment April 26 of a 6 million yen (US$53,973) deposit secured release from the Japan Coast Guard. (Courtesy of Liuqiu Fishermen’s Association)

in disputed waters surrounding Okinotori in the western Pacific Ocean following the seizure and subsequent release of one of the country’s fishing boats, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs April 27.

The Dong Sheng Ji No. 16, a Pingtung County, southern Taiwan-registered vessel, was detained April 25 by Japan Coast Guard while operating 150 nautical miles east-southeast of Okinotori. The fishing boat and its crew were released April 26 after payment of a 6 million yen (US$53,973) security deposit.

MOFA said the deposit paid to Japan by the ship’s owner does not indicate that the government implicitly accepts Japan’s claim to a 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone surrounding Okinotori.

The legal status of Okinotori has not been decided by the U.N. Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. Japan unilaterally claims an exclusive 200-nautical-mile EEZ extending from the nine-square meter Okinotori.

During a national security meeting at the Presidential Office April 27 in Taipei City, President Ma Ying-jeou said the incident violates the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. [FULL STORY]

DPP targeting Ma, KMT, Hung says

POLITICAL AGENDA:The KMT chairwoman accused the DPP of breaking its promises and focusing on bringing down the president and the KMT, instead of public issues

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 28, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday accused the

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu yesterday hosts a KMT Central Standing Committee meeting at the party’s headquarters in Taipei. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of letting its political agenda against the KMT and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) take precedence over public interests, following several groups’ request that Ma be barred from leaving the country as he may have to face potential prosecution.

“We regret to see Huang Di-ying (黃帝穎) — who sometimes speaks in his capacity as the DPP spokesman, while at other times, as the DPP’s lawyer or a private citizen — file various unsubstantiated charges against Ma yesterday [Tuesday] and request that the president’s right to leave the country be restricted after his term ends,” Hung wrote on Facebook.

Hung was referring to a move by Huang, the Taiwan Forever Association, the Northern Taiwan Society and the Taiwan Association of University Professors on Tuesday calling on the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office to launch investigations into alleged power abuse and corruption by Ma and to bar him from leaving the country.

Ma’s presidential immunity from prosecution is set to expire on May 20, when he is due to hand over power to president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

Hung said the DPP has reneged on many of its pledges and policies, including the party’s attempt to avoid any “state to state” dictum from its proposed bill on monitoring cross-strait agreements, its alleged plan to open the nation’s doors to US pork containing ractopamine residue and its welcome for more Chinese tourists to Taiwan. [FULL STORY]

AIDS Student Expelled in Taiwan

The News Lens
Date: 2016/04/27
Compiled and translated by Bing-sheng Lee

A student at the National Defense University was expelled from the school after he was found

AIDS

diagnosed with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The Center for Disease Control (CDC) filed an administrative litigation against the school for the student, but the court ruled against CDC . The CDC says it would appeal against the ruling.

The student was diagnosed with AIDS fours years ago. Upon learning about the student’s condition, the school prohibited him from taking swimming classes and required that his food, plates and clothes must be washed separately from those of other students.

Each week, school officials would ask him to take a leave of absence because “he was feeling bad both physically and mentally,” and asked him to drop out of school because “his classmates thought he was weird.” In the end, the school even threatened the student that it would notify his family of his condition if he didn’t drop out.

When the student was about to graduate, the school expelled him after accusing him of having a disobedient attitude and being disrespectful to teachers. The student then went to the Persons with HIV/AIDS Rights Advocacy Association of Taiwan (PRAA) and CDC for help.

Lin Yi-hui, secretary-general of PRAA, says the student learned about his condition from the results of the annual health examination at the school. She thinks the school’s obsolete attitude towards AIDS and the improper measures it took to address the issue has hurt the student. [FULL STORY]

Ex-Premier Hsieh confirms Japan posting

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-04-27
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Former Premier Frank Hsieh confirmed his posting as Taiwan’s representative to Japan by the next government, according to an interview published in the Japanese media Wednesday.

He accepted an invitation by President-elect Tsai Ing-wen, who valued relations with Tokyo, he told Japan’s Nihon Keizai Shimbun in an interview.

Hsieh said it would mean saying goodbye to almost 30 years of membership of the Democratic Progressive Party’s Central Standing Committee. Apart from premier, Hsieh has also served as mayor of Kaohsiung City, legislator and Taipei City councilor. He ran for vice president in 1996, at the first-ever direct presidential election, and for president in 2008 but lost both times.

He told Taiwanese reporters that he had admitted his appointment to Japanese media because they also had ways of obtaining information and because he wanted to start his relationship with them on a positive footing. [FULL STORY]

Mangnitude-5.6 quake shakes eastern Taiwan

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/27
By: S.C. Chang

Taipei, April 27 (CNA) A magnitude-5.6 earthquake hit eastern Taiwan at 11:17 p.m. Wednesday, with Yilan area to the north of Hualien registering an intensity of five. No injuries were immediately reported.

The quake’s epicenter was in the sea 34.9 km northeast of Hualien County government building at a depth of 10 km. [SOURCE]

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