China Global Television Network (CGTN)
Date: 13-Nov-2019

Eastern Theater Command of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA)'s spokesperson Zhang Chunhui on Wednesday responded to the issue about the USS Chancellorsville recently sailing through Taiwan Straits.

"We urge the U.S. side to adhere to the one-China policy and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, correctly handle the Taiwan question so as not to damage bilateral relations as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits," Zhang said.      [FULL  STORY]

Claire Wang is mother of the girl known as 'Little Light Bulb,' who was murdered in Taipei in 2016

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/11/13
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)—The New Power Party (NPP) on Wednesday (Nov. 13) announced a list of

its nominees for legislators-at-large, including the mother of the murdered child known as "Little Light Bulb” (小燈泡), according to a UDN report.

Under Taiwan's Constitution, only candidates for legislator-at-large from parties that exceed 5 percent of the party-list votes are represented in Taiwan's legislature.

The NPP finished nominating and ranking its candidates for legislator-at-large on Wednesday. Those at the top of the list have a higher chance of being selected by the proportional representation mechanism for the election of legislators from political parties.

According to NPP rules, legislator-at-large candidates will be voted for online by party members for the next three days, beginning on Thursday. Those receiving a simple majority vote will be officially approved, according to the media report.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/11/13
By: Wang Cheng-chung and Frances Huang

Taipei, Nov. 13 (CNA) People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) has formally announced that he will run for president in the January 2020 elections, his fourth attempt for the presidency after three previous defeats.

The 77-year-old Soong, who has not been relevant in a presidential race since 2004, may be mounting his latest bid more to support PFP legislative candidates and maintain the small party's presence in the Legislative Yuan than out of any expectation of winning the presidency, political observers said.

At a news conference in which Soong announced his bid, he said the 2020 presidential election will be the last fight in his political career.

"I don't care whether I win the 2020 election and will not seek fame or benefits for myself," Soong said. "But I will fight for a win for Taiwan and a victory for the Republic of China," he said, without elaborating.    [FULL  STORY]

REPORTED ONLINE: The NCC has been asking tablet and smartphone makers to sign an affidavit pledging to accurately label Taiwan in the operating system settings

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 14, 2019
By: Shelley Shan  /  Staff reporter

Mobile phone and tablet manufacturers have been asked to refer to the nation with its proper name

in their built-in operating systems and applications, the National Communication Commission (NCC) said yesterday.

The caller ID on Huawei P30 and Nova 5T smartphones has been displaying the caller’s location as “Taiwan, China,” rather than “Taiwan,” since a security update to their operating systems, according to messages posted on a discussion forum on the Mobile 01 technology Web site.

In some Huawei Mate 20X smartphones, a list of warranty areas refers to Taiwan as a part of China, although the device’s caller ID still displays the caller’s location as “Taiwan,” the users said.

The commission said it has asked the manufacturer to address the issue as soon as possible, as the designation does not faithfully reflect the reality and undermines the nation’s dignity.
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwasn International
Date: 12 November, 2019
By: Natalie Tso

Keelung's Esquare and Folio Hotel were the top winners at Taiwan's 2019 Architecture Awards.

Commendations of excellence were also given to Kaohshiung's new performing arts center, Weiwuying, National Taiwan University's Wehouse and Yilan's Chuang Wei Shabing. 

The judges for this year's awards considered the core values of energy conservation, public service, environmental impact, inspiration and innovation as factors for their selection.[FULL  STORY]

China's new 26 measures and its call for "Wan Wan" to come home are just trivial attempts to undermine Taiwan's 2020 elections, again.

The News Lens
Date: 2019/11/12
By: Syrena Lin

Last week, China's state-run broadcaster CCTV News anchor Hai Xia (海霞) called for “Wan Wan (灣灣)” to come home after Beijing announced yet another “26 measures,” in an attempt to attract Taiwanese talents and businesses.

The latest measures include offering Taiwan-funded enterprises access to research and development in 5G technology and granting Taiwanese athletes training in Beijing for the 2020 Olympic Games among other initiatives.

In a prerecorded video, Hai announced the new incentives and said, "We show our sincerity to our Taiwanese compatriots because we are all Chinese. Taiwan's destiny is connected with its motherland. Wan Wan come home!"

She added, "Some people are not being pragmatic about such practical measures. They also say strange things and even spread rumors and slander. If they don't have a Chinese heart, how can they understand our sincerity?"    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan denies it is refusing extra flights, availability could affect voter turnout in 2020 elections

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/11/12
By: Huang Tzu-ti, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan has denied reports that it is refusing to grant additional cross-strait flights between Jan. 4 and Feb. 15, as requested by China, to accommodate an expected increase in demand during the Chinese New Year holiday.

Reports emerged on Tuesday (Nov. 12) that Taiwan officials of the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) have turned down Beijing’s request to discuss details of an extra flight program for the busy holiday, reported UDN. The move was described by Chinese media as “disregard for the need of Taiwanese residents living in China.”

Refuting the reports, the aeronautics authority said it is investigating the needs of Taiwanese business people and students who wish to return home for one of the most important holidays in the Chinese-speaking world. The reports simply contradict the facts, it added.

The issue has sparked controversy as extra flights could affect the number of Taiwan residents coming home to cast their votes. Taiwan is gearing up for the 2020 presidential election, which falls on Jan. 11, the same month as individuals head home for family reunions during the Lunar New Year.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/11/12
By: Kuo Chien-shen, Fan Cheng-hsiang, Wang Yu-yang and Emerson Lim

Taipei, Nov. 12 (CNA) The first two of 66 F-16V fighter jets that Taiwan has purchased from the United States are expected to arrive in 2023, Defense Minister Yen De-fa (嚴德發) said Tuesday during a legislative hearing.

The rest of the all-weather multi-role aircraft will be delivered in batches of four or five units between 2024 and 2026, Yen said.

The U.S. State Department approved the sale of the F-16 C/D Block 70 fighters, popularly known as the F-16V, on Aug. 20.

Taiwan's military said in late October that it received a draft letter of offer and acceptance (LOA), which is a contract between the U.S. military and a foreign military buyer, detailing its offer to sell the fighters.    [FULL  STORY]

DEFENSE: Taiwan’s participation in the US’ Indo-Pacific strategy is a response to enemy activities, as Beijing steps up its military pressure on Taiwan, the defense minister said

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 13, 2019
By: Sean Lin  /  Staff reporter

China has over the past few years ramped up its

military pressure on the nation, sending about 2,000 reconnaissance aircraft and warplanes to the Taiwan Strait each year, Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa (嚴德發) said yesterday at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.

Yen made the remarks at a question-and-answer session on the special budget for the 66 F-16V jets that the nation plans to buy from the US, while fielding a question from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) on the likelihood of Taiwan and the US engaging in joint military exercises in the Taiwan Strait or elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific region.

Chiang said that thanks to the Link 16 tactical data network installed in the F-16Vs, the new jets would be able to communicate with US warplanes and share data.

He asked whether this would signal closer military cooperation with the US.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 11 November, 2019
By: Leslie Liao

National Security Bureau Director-General Chiu Guo-cheng reporting to the legislature on Monday

morning

The head of the National Security Bureau, Chiu Kuo-cheng, says that his organization is making all necessary preparations for the upcoming presidential election. Chiu was speaking during a report to the Legislature on Monday morning.

Chiu says that his bureau has a handle on all external forces that could interfere with the election.     [FULL  STORY]