Amendments feature tougher measures against production and distribution

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/12/24
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The use of illegal drugs has not been decriminalized, says the Ministry of Justice. (CNA photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Ministry of Justice came out Tuesday (December 24) to reject media reports that amendments at the Legislative Yuan would decriminalize the use of drugs.

The reports were completely false and the public should not continue to spread them or face legal action, the Central News Agency quoted the ministry as saying.

Current fines ranging from NT$10,000 (US$330) to NT$50,000 and between four and eight hours of lectures for possession of class-3 and class-4 illegal drugs would continue, a ministry official said.

Recent legal amendments approved by the Legislative Yuan on December 17 included tougher penalties for the manufacturing, distribution and transportation of drugs, for the sale of drugs to pregnant women and to minors, and more leeway for the authorities to confiscate profits from the drugs trade.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/12/24
By: Stacy Hsu, Matthew Mazzetta and Emerson Lim

Washington, Dec. 23 (CNA) A bill being proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives would require directors of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) to receive confirmation in the Senate and be given the rank and status of an ambassador-at-large.

The "Taiwan Envoy Act," which is being sponsored by Ohio Republican Steve Chabot and California Democrat Brad Sherman, cites the position's ambassador-level importance by noting that "an extended period without a director…would be detrimental to United States interests."

While U.S. ambassadors are confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate, the AIT director is appointed, without Congressional approval, by the Secretary of State, given the institute's unofficial status.

The Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), a U.S.-based group that advocates for Taiwan independence, issued a statement on Monday praising the legislation.    [FULL  STORY]

FINGER-POINTING: Delays in school vaccinations are a trickle-down effect of the WHO delaying recommendations, the CDC said, amid accusations of inefficiency

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 25, 2019
By: Lee I-chia  /  Staff reporter

The number of emergency hospital visits for flu-like illness has exceeded the epidemic threshold,

marking the start of the flu epidemic period in the nation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.

A total of 100,442 hospital visits for flu-like illness were reported last week — up 7.6 percent from a week earlier — of which 11.8 percent were emergency-room visits, surpassing the epidemic threshold of 11.5 percent, CDC Intelligence Center Deputy Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said.

There were also 55 cases of serious flu complications, including five deaths, confirmed last week, the highest weekly number since the flu season began in October, he said, adding that most of the cases were caused by the A(H1N1) virus.

Although the epidemic period started two weeks earlier than in the previous two years, it is not considered an abnormal phenomenon, CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said.
[FULL  STORY]

Live Edinburgh News
Date:  2019  December  22  

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information to help trace a 19-year-old man. Richard Yu was last seen in Edinburgh

City Centre, leaving Edinburgh Castle around 2.15pm this afternoon (Sunday, 22 December, 2019).Richard is described as a Taiwanese male, 5ft 7ins, of stocky build with short, feathery, black hair. He was last seen wearing a knee-length black coat and trousers. Constable Alex Champman, of Edinburgh Gayfield Square Police Station, said: “We are becoming increasingly concerned for Richard’s welfare and are keen to trace him as soon as possible. “Anyone who may have seen Richard or has knowledge of his whereabouts is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 2360 of 22 December.”    [FULL  STORY]

The News Lens
Date:2019/12/22
By: Jennifer Gunther

Tensions were high in Kaohsiung on Saturday, as the southern city’s usually sleepy streets were filled to bursting with protesters from two clashing political rallies. Tens of thousands of angry Kaohsiung citizens assembled at the Kaohsiung Cultural Center, expressing their outrage at the “disappearance” of their city mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) who has taken time off for his presidential election campaign.

Meanwhile, mere kilometers away in Aizihdi Park, Han loyalists who were decked out in the Taiwanese national flag flocked together for a counter-rally in support of the pro-Beijing presidential candidate. Amid the blaring of horns, booming of gongs, and the chanting of “Clear Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) off the shelf, give us back Taiwan!”, the carnival atmosphere implied no traces of disillusionment at the mayor’s absence from city affairs.

Protesters in support of Han Kuo-yu marched in northern Kaohsiung on Saturday, December 31, 2019.

Although fewer in number, the Han loyalists made it clear that their support of the mayor was unshakeable. The rally set off at 1:11 p.m., a time reflecting the date of the January 11 presidential election. Symbolism also permeated the event in the form of “number 2 badges,” a reminder that Han is a lucky number two on the ballot.

Some supporters even claimed that Han’s leadership is not only right, but it is fate.    [FULL  STORY]

Chairman of Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation You Ying-lung says US influence more obvious

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/12/22
By: Chris Chang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – American influence in the upcoming 2020 presidential election has become more obvious, according to Chairman of the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation You Ying-lung (游盈隆).

"From certain points of view, the significance of American factors has surpassed Chinese factors in the 2020 presidential election," You said in a Facebook post on Saturday (Dec. 21). The U.S. has passed multiple bills regarding Taiwan this year, including the Taiwan Travel Act and the TAIPEI Act, as well as approving US$2.2 billion in arms sales.

"The U.S always has a great influence on Taiwanese middle-class voters. Every candidate supported by the U.S. will be elected in the end, no exception," said You, referring to the Kuomintang victory in the 2012 presidential election. "But its methods were more subtle and indirect in the past, different from what we've seen this year."

You additionally mentioned the trade war between the U.S. and China, saying this was having an influence on Taiwan. The U.S. has also passed three non-Taiwan related acts this year, supporting human rights in Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/12/22
By Matt Yu and Joseph Yeh

Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) The upcoming addition of 66 F-16 C/D Block 70 fighter jets, commonly known as the F-16Vs, to Taiwan's air force, will be posted in eastern Taiwan to boost the military's defense capability against Chinese aircraft carriers, defense specialists told CNA Saturday.

Taiwan announced that day that it officially sealed the F-16V deal with the U.S. earlier this month after the two sides signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for the procurement project.

Military officials said the U.S. is expected to deliver one F-16 C Block 70 (single-seater) and one F-16 D Block 70 (two-seater) in 2023 for testing. Formal deliveries of all 66 of the aircraft to Taiwan will be completed in 2026.

A military source told CNA Saturday that the addition of the 66 F-16Vs will bring the Air Force's fighter jet muster to 350.    [FULL  STORY]

‘SAFE AND COMFORTABLE’: With the improvement projects completed, Highway No. 9 became the nation’s second-longest highway, as certain parts were bypassed

Taipei Timeshttp://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2019/12/23/2003728027
Date: Dec 23, 2019
By Shelley Shan  /  Staff reporter

The last stretch of the widened South Link Highway (南迴公路) is to open for traffic today after successive

governments spent 15 years planning and completing the project.

An opening ceremony is to be held in Taitung in the morning and drivers can start accessing the highway in the afternoon, said the Directorate-General of Highways, which is in charge of the project.

The South Link Highway, which is part of Highway No. 9, connects Taitung and Pingtung, and has been described as one of the nation’s most beautiful highways, the agency said.

However, natural disasters often triggered landslides and disrupted traffic on the highway, which in 2011 prompted the agency to increase the number of lanes to improve driving safety, it said.
[FULL  STORY]

VnExpress International
Date: December 21, 2019
By: Quoc Thang

Two Taiwanese men wanted for trafficking drugs from the Golden Triangle were arrested in Saigon Saturday, city police said.

Teng Tien, 63, and Chen Chih Hsiung, 56, were internationally wanted criminals belonging to a ring that trafficked more than a ton of drugs from the Golden Triangle (Myanmar) to Thailand, the Philippines and other areas. The pair had escaped to Vietnam when their accomplices were arrested earlier in Taiwan.

The Ministry of Public Security is completing procedures to deport the two to Taiwan.

Vietnam is a key trafficking hub for drugs from the Golden Triangle, an intersection of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar and one of the world's largest drug producing areas after the Golden Crescent in South Asia.    [FULL  STORY]

Daily Mail
Date:  21 December 2019
By: AFP

Beijing Saturday slammed a new US defence act, which includes measures to strengthen Washington's ties with Taiwan and support for Hong Kong's pro-democracy protestors, saying it "blatantly interfered" in China's internal affairs.

The tough-worded statement by China's top lawmaking body comes a day after President Xi Jinping told his US counterpart Donald Trump that US comments and actions regarding Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet were harming ties between the two economic giants.

Beijing and Washington have agreed to a temporary truce in their bruising trade war, with a phase-one deal that has rolled back tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods.

But China has come under strong criticism in Congress, including from Trump's Republican party, over its attempt to clamp down on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.    [FULL  STORY]