Taipei Times
Date: Apr 23, 2015
By: Shih Hsiu-chuan  /  Staff reporter, in Hsinchu City

Taking tough questions from students challenging the US on its “one China” policy, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Christopher Marut yesterday reiterated Washington’s stand, but said the younger generation should not be discouraged and should look forward because “being part of the process of speaking out” brings about changes.

Marut took questions from students after a speech at National Tsing Hua University about his three-year tenure as the US representative to Taiwan.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-04-22
By: CNA and Staff Reporter

The chair of Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang, Eric Chu, will meet his Communist Party of China counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 4, KMT sources said Tuesday.

The meeting between the heads of the ruling parties on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait will take place just one day after a forum between the two parties in Shanghai, which Chu will attend as head of the KMT delegation.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/04/22
By: Chang Jung-hsiang and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, April 22 (CNA) The rain brought by a weather front in southern Taiwan on Tuesday should provide a much needed boost to the water supply at Tsengwen Reservoir (曾文水庫), the Water Resources Agency’s South Region Water Resources Office reported Wednesday.

The office estimated that 1 million cubic meters of rainfall fell in the reservoir’s catchment area on Tuesday and will make its way into the reservoir, which was at only 18.28 percent of capacity as of Monday at midnight.

Reservoir capacity had improved to 18.39 percent as of Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m., but that was still a very low level amid Taiwan’s worst drought in decades and may not be enough to stave heavy water rationing in the area.     [FULL  STORY]

Ctimes News
Date: Apr 20,2015
By: Korbin Lan

TAIPEI, Taiwan － Due to water shortages in Taiwanese water reservoirs, measures have been implemented to limit water supplies, and this has caused electronic component supplies to be stretched thin, triggering price increases. Among these components, printed circuit boards (PCB) have been influenced most significantly. Recent customer advanced orders or value added package production capacity have seen price increases of approximately 3%, and this is the first time the PCB industry has experienced price increases during the traditional low season.

The global processing capacity for PBC is concentrated in Taiwan, especially in Taoyuan and New Taipei City. However, the production process for PCB requires large amounts of water, and as soon as water supplies are insufficient, it influences production. Currently Taoyuan and New Taipei City have implemented a “five days on, two days off” water rationing measure, which has limited production capacity.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-04-21
By: CNA

An 11-year-old girl from Cambodia expressed gratitude Monday to a Taiwanese donor who she

said helped prevent her family from being torn apart and gave her an opportunity to go to school.

Simorn Ri is one of five foreign youths who are currently visiting Taiwan to participate in a program titled Give Every Child a Brighter Future, which is being held for children receiving sponsorship via World Vision Taiwan.

Ri said her parents were struggling financially and had planned to sneak into Thailand to try to earn a living there but thanks to World Vision Taiwan’s monthly donation of NT$700 (US$22.60) her parents were able to take farming courses and increase their incomes in Cambodia.

At the gathering in Taichung where Ri met her Taiwanese sponsor, the child said the donation also makes it possible for her to attend school and gain an education.     [FULL  STORY]

The Weather Channel
Date: Apr 20 2015
By: The Associated Press

An earthquake off the southern Japanese coast on Monday led to a fatal house fire in Taiwan that killed one and caused Japanese officials to order evacuations.

Initially the quake sparked fears of a tsunami, but advisories were lifted after an hour.

In Taipei, Taiwan, the earthquake shook buildings and exploded a transformer box. According to Taiwan’s fire and rescue agency, that explosion sparked a house fire that killed one person.      [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/04/21
By: Chou Yi-ling and Bear Lee

Taipei, April 21 (CNA) Taiwan urged China Tuesday to respect the universal values of human rights, democracy and freedom and to be more tolerant of its dissidents.

The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC, 陸委會) made the call after the sentencing of author Kao Yu (高瑜) by a court in Beijing to a seven-year jail term for “illegally leaking state secrets to foreigners.”

Kao, 71, has been jailed several times in the past. She was first imprisoned for one year on June 3, 1989 for supporting the Tiananmen Square democracy movement. In November 1994, she was given a six-year jail term for leaking state secrets.     [FULL  STORY]

‘UNACCEPTABLE’:The chairman said claims about the safety of the structure were not true and he denied illicit dealings with former Taipei mayor President Ma Ying-jeou

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 22, 2015
By: Crystal Hsu  /  Staff reporter

Farglory Group (遠雄集團) chairman Chao Teng-hsiung (趙藤雄) yesterday called ongoing

criticism over the safety of the Taipei Dome project “an unacceptable joke” and urged the Taipei City Government to enter into discussions to end the controversy.

Chao, who shuns the media these days amid allegations of a bribery scandal, issued a statement after subsidiary Farglory Land Development Co (遠雄建設) came under attack over the project’s safety and alleged secret dealings.

Chao ceded the chairmanship to his son last year, but remains head of the conglomerate, which also owns Farglory Life Insurance Co (遠雄人壽), Farglory Hotel Co (遠雄悅來飯店), the Farglory Free Trade Zone (遠雄自由貿易港區), Taiwan Solar Energy Corp (元晶太陽能) and Golden Biotechnology Corp (國鼎生物科技).     [FULL  STORY]