Want China Times
Date: 2015-06-26
By: CNA

Students from two elementary schools in Taiwan’s central county of Chiayi have been

doing small community jobs and giving street performances to raise money to participate in summer festivals in Europe.

A trip to Europe to see a different world and meet people of other cultures is an aspiration of many Taiwanese school children, including those from Alishan Elementary and Second School and Neipu Elementary School in Chiayi county.

Students from the Alishan school, mostly from the indigenous Tsou tribe, are scheduled to tour Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia July 15 to August 3, performing aboriginal dances at summer festivals.

A folk music group from the Neipu school, meanwhile, are preparing to play Taiwanese folk songs on traditional instruments at festivals in central Europe from June 27 and July 17.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date:  Jun 27, 2015
By: Staff writer, with CNA

Despite the easing of tensions across the Taiwan Strait in recent years, Taiwan’s

security cannot depend on the goodwill of China, Minister of National Defense Kao Kuang-chi (高廣圻) said yesterday, adding that the Taiwanese military must remain on guard.

“Although cross-strait ties have improved, it doesn’t mean that our security can depend on goodwill extended by others,” Kao said at a military personnel promotion ceremony.

The Taiwanese military must maintain its efforts to be combat-ready to ensure the security of the nation and peace across the Strait, he said, calling on the military to “stay highly vigilant.”

A strong national defense is a staunch backing for Taiwan to engage with China and is key to maintaining peace and stability across the strait and in the region, Kao said.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/06/25
By: Li-jung Liu and Lillian Lin

Taipei, June 25 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou said Thursday at a meeting of small and medium businesses that as a country dependent on trade to grow its economy, the Republic of China must not miss out on the opportunity to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Addressing an assembly of the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, R.O.C., President Ma stressed that all-out efforts are required to achieve the targets.

Pointing out the fact that Taiwan does not have diplomatic relations with most of its leading trade partners, President Ma said it is far more difficult to sign free trade agreements with these trade partners than doing business with them.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Post
Date: 2015-06-25
By: CNA

The tension caused by territorial disputes in the South China Sea seems unlikely to

ease in the near future, given the almost-completion of Chinese runways on reclaimed land and Beijing’s possible deployment of J-11 fighter jets there, according to a Hong Kong newspaper report.

If China goes ahead, the deployment in the Spratly islands, which China and Taiwan call Nansha, “would dramatically extend the reach of the nation’s military beyond its southernmost base at Sanya on Hainan island,” said the June 21 report published in the English-language South China Morning Post, citing unnamed analysts.

However, the report said the jets, built based on the Soviet-designed Su-27, would be limited to a defensive role because it is an older model outclassed by aircraft in the US Air Force.

The report said the J-11s have a range of 1,500 kilometers, which can be extended with additional fuel tanks. “Setting up operations on the islands would move the reach of China’s air force about 1,000 km further south, and in conjunction with the Liaoning aircraft carrier, take China towards its stated goal of moving away from offshore defense to open-sea protection,” it said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taichung’s annual US Independence Day festival is fun for the whole family, while eating contests are on the celebratory menu in Taipei

Taipei Times
Date:  Jun 26, 2015
By: Han Cheung  /  Staff reporter

In many countries, an American away from home would have to get creative when

celebrating the July 4, also known as Independence Day, doing things like cutting out makeshift American flags from magazines and planting them on hot dogs cooked on a stove because grills are not allowed.

There seems to be no such problem in Taiwan — there’s even a free, open to the public July 4 festival where people can go listen to country and rock music, eat burgers, drink beer and pretend for a second that they’re in America.

Taichung American Chamber of Commerce’s 21st annual American Independence Day Celebration takes place from 12pm to 9pm at the Calligraphy Greenway (草悟道商圈). Attendees can sample a variety of all-American fare and international cuisine and listen to the eight scheduled musical acts while their children play in a game area.

“We like to refer to it as the longest running international celebration in Taichung,” organizer Douglas Habecker said. “To my knowledge it’s the only public, large-scale (US Independence Day) celebration in Taiwan.”     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/06/24
By: Jennifer Huang and Lee Hsin-Yin

London, June 24 (CNA) The High Court of Justiciary in Scotland decided Wednesday

to examine conditions at Taiwan’s prisons before issuing its ruling on the extradition a British citizen, who was given a prison sentence in Taiwan.

A court session will be held in September to rule on the appeal that was filed by Zain Dean, a British citizen convicted of killing a Taiwanese man in a drunk driving accident in March 2010.

The court’s decision to examine conditions in Taiwan’s prisons implies that there will be no decision in the case any time soon, an attorney representing Taiwan said Wednesday.

Dean fled Taiwan in August 2012, using a friend’s passport, after he was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison.      [FULL  STORY]

Sunday’s beach clean-up at the coastal community of Toucheng in Yilan County will serve to raise environmental awareness while providing participants with an opportunity to mix, mingle and take a dip in the ocean

Taipei Times
Date:  Jun 25, 2015
By: Dana Ter  /  Staff reporter

Earlier this year, the Taipei Times published an editorial highlighting the severity of

environmental pollution caused by plastic waste and the harm it has not only on aquatic life but on us as well, since plastic residue eventually enters our food chain (“Nation engulfed in plastic tsunami,” Jan. 9, 2015). Now that summer is here, it’s important to keep this in mind and refrain from littering as we head out to the beach — and for those of us who really want to get involved in keeping the coast clean, there will be a beach clean-up on Sunday morning by the Toucheng river mouth (頭城河出海口) in Yilan County (宜蘭).

Organized by Love Your Coast Taiwan — a Facebook community consisting of individuals and local businesses such as Rising Sun Surf Inn, Bottle Shop Taiwan and Lian Kuai Co (連岡股份有限公司) collaborating to organize monthly clean-ups — the goal is simple: pick up rubbish, meet new people and take a dip in the ocean afterward to cool off.

“We’re trying to make the clean-ups really safe, fun and easy for people to take part in,” Duncan Gibb from Love Your Coast Taiwan told the Taipei Times. “Providing snacks and refreshments for people should make it much more enjoyable.”     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/06/24
By: Lillian Lin

Taipei, June 24 (CNA) Chang Hui-er (張蕙而), the 17-year-old female student who

was rescued earlier this month after drifting more than 20 hours in the sea off northern Taiwan coasts, visited her savior in Penghu Wednesday to show her gratitude.

Chang was reported missing when the inflatable banana boat she and friends were on board capsized in the sea off Shanzhi, New Taipei in the evening of June 8.

The recreational activity of the young vacationers turned into panic because for hours the rescue teams of the Coast Guard and the National Airborne Service Corps could not find Chang.

While a life jacket had kept her afloat, Chang was lucky to be spotted by the Yita No. 68, a fishing boat passing by.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-06-24
By: Lin Chih-cheng, Chen Hsuan-yu and Staff Reporter

“Many among us will have a massive influence on Taiwanese society in the future.

Please invest in us!” read an appeal for donations from a group of university students taking a leadership course as part of their studies at National Taiwan University in Taipei, the country’s most prestigious school, reports our sister paper China Times.

The 25 students were trying to raise funds of NT$500,000 (US$16,200) for a hiking trip to Nanhu mountain in central Taiwan as part of a leadership course. Their appeal was met with derision online, however, with internet users mocking their “shameless boasting” and stating that “they’re no different than beggars.”

Investment in Students

This unit of the team-building and outdoor leadership course is led by Chu Shi-wei, a physics professor at the university. Chu planned to take the 25 students to Nanhu mountain for outdoorsmanship training from July 6-15. To this end, the students set up a website aiming to raise NT$500,000 in donations to allow them to buy climbing equipment and to cover transport and food costs for the trip.     [FULL  STORY]