Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/08/23
By: Matt Yu and Emerson Lim

Taipei, Aug. 23 (CNA) A United States military ship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Friday, two days after Beijing warned Washington on a possible sale of advanced F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan.

A U.S. landing platform dock sailed northbound through the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said in a statement, but it did not identify the name of the ship.

MND spokesman Shih Shun-wen (史順文) said the ministry is closely monitoring air and sea movements around Taiwan and announcements will be made if there are any new developments.

The move came after Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang (耿爽) warned Washington on Wednesday to stop selling weapons to Taiwan or "bear all the consequences," a day after the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of a possible sale of 66 F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]

EQUAL RIGHTS: The only item ruled to be unconstitutional disqualified retired civil servants and others who take jobs at private institutions from receiving pensions

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 24, 2019
By: Jason Pan and Sean Lin  /  Staff reporters

The Council of Grand Justices yesterday ruled that most legal changes made for pension reforms

pertaining to public-sector employees and civil servants are constitutional.

In Constitutional Interpretations No. 781, 782 and 783, the council said that the legislation mostly conformed with the Constitution, which provided legal backing for the government’s push for pension system reform.

The only item found to be unconstitutional stipulated that retired civil servants, military personnel and public-school teachers would be ineligible to receive government pensions if they take jobs at private institutions, which typically have higher wages than equivalent positions in the public sector.

The clause is unconstitutional, as it goes against the principle of equal rights, the council said.
[FULL  STORY]

POWER PROPOSAL: The Cabinet’s spokeswoman said that the government would ensure stable energy supply, while lawmakers said Han Kuo-yu’s plan was deceptive

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 23, 2019
By: Sean Lin, Jason Pan and Lin Hui-chin  /  Staff reporters

Restarting work on the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant and deferring decommissioning of the Guosheng

plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and Ma-anshan plant in Pingtung County’s Ma-anshan (馬鞍山) would pose technical difficulties, so plans to do so are infeasible, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka said yesterday in response to a proposal by Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜).

The Ministry of Economic Affairs has said on numerous occasions that Taiwan would not face an energy shortage in the run-up to 2030, Kolas told a news conference in Taipei after a Cabinet meeting.

State-owned Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) in January said it plans to invest more than NT$400 billion (US$12.75 billion) to develop sources of renewable energy over the next 15 years, with the aim of expanding the nation’s total installed offshore wind power capacity to 180 megawatts and total installed solar power capacity to 100 megawatts by 2030.

The government is dedicated to developing sources of renewable energy, with those currently installed allowing the nation to retain an operating reserve of 10 percent last month, despite peak summer demand for electricity, an unprecedented feat, she said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 22 August, 2019
By: Paula Chao

[GIVEAWAY BONANZA!]

66 F-16Vs have been approved by Donald Trump for sale to Taiwan and we tell you all about these new fighter jets in this episode.

We also talk trash – Taiwan’s successful trash management that is – how it happened and exciting new trends.  Special guest Nate Maynard, host of Waste Not Why Not, does a 60-second explainer on Taiwan’s trash management and shares about cool trends in recycling. 

We are also GIVING AWAY 3 RTI environmental straw sets and 3 RTI tote bags!

Remember to COMMENT on our program below, and you’ll be entered into the drawing this week!
[FULL  STORY]

Taiwan's 2020 Presidential Race

The News Lens
Date: 2019/08/22 , Illustration
By: By Milo Hsieh, Fainjin Lin, Machi Lee, Patrick Peng, TNL Staff

The News Lens International is a Taiwan-based independent digital media, providing balanced reporting and thought-provoking opinions from Taiwan and all around Asia. As Taiwan's 2020 presidential election is approaching, the public speculation is as exciting as Game of Thrones. It happens not in the fantasy land of Westeros, but in real life, on this island named Republic of China (ROC) or Taiwan depending on your pledge of allegiance or political correctness.

Whether you're a GoT fan, never cared to watch it, or think you've wasted your prime years chasing a show that ended in disgrace, you'd probably find our Taiwan 2020 parallels entertaining. If you're unfamiliar with Taiwanese politicians, this is also a great place to get started — with some fun and laughter.

For context, Taiwan's 2020 presidential election is seen as a survival game of Taiwanese identity and democracy, a battle between the pro-China Kuomintang (KMT) and the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), with some third-wave powers meddling.

Forewarning: If you're a very serious person or a scholar on cross-strait relations, please breathe and refrain from being offended.    [FULL  STORY]

Sign, removed at request of Chinese attendees, contained no reference to Taiwan or any national emblems

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/08/22
By: Duncan DeAeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Chinese officials in attendance at the ASEAN Smart Cities Network Conference and Exhibition 2019 in Bangkok Thailand, Aug. 22-24, forced event organizers to remove a sign advertising a delegation of Taiwanese tech companies organized by the System Integration Promotion Alliance (SIPA) under office of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA).

The sign that was removed on the morning of Aug. 22 didn’t even contain the word “Taiwan” nor any flag or government insignia. The only words indicating a relationship to Taiwan on the sign were “Ministry of Economic Affairs” (經濟部) which Chinese officials in attendance objected to, reports CNA.

The delegation organized by SIPA consists of Taiwanese manufacturers hoping to build networks with companies and government agencies throughout the ASEAN region. The SIPA signboard which bothered the Chinese officials prominently displayed the motto “Partnership Accelerator.”

The innocuous sign board had been previously approved by the event organizers, and initially event organizers refused to comply with the requests of the offended Chinese officials, reports CNA. However, shortly after the opening ceremony of the conference, an employee was dispatched to remove the signboard, leaving the Taiwanese representatives to work under a mostly unmarked booth for the three day event.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/08/22
By: Ku Chuan, Wang Shu-fen, Matt Yu and Ko Lin

Taipei, Aug. 22 (CNA) A land warning could be issued for Tropical Storm Bailu as early as Friday afternoon, depending on the path it takes as it approaches Taiwan, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said Thursday.

The tropical storm, centered around 975 kilometers southeast of Taiwan's southernmost tip as of 8 p.m. Thursday, was moving in a northwesterly direction at a speed of 23 kilometers per hour, according to the weather bureau.

It was packing maximum sustained winds of 82 kph and gusts of 108 kph, according to the bureau.

Sea and land warnings could be issued at 5:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively, on Friday, the CWB said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 21 August, 2019
By: Shirley Lin

Wall plastered with messages in support of protesters in Hong Kong[/caption] A pedestrian underpass in the central city of Taichung has been plastered in sticky notes, each one filled with a message of support to protesters in Hong Kong. This homage to Hong Kong’s ongoing protest movement is an expression of solidarity and concern that covers the underpass walls.

The local government is none too pleased. It warned that it would issue a fine of US$3,200 if the messages weren’t cleared away. But the public pushed back. One woman said that for every note the authorities take down, she would put up another. She said that posting these messages is a way for people to exercise their freedom.

The organizers also refused to back down, saying they would continue supporting freedom of speech and would not give in.    [FULL  STORY]

RNZ
Date: August 22, 2019

The decision to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan or switch to China won't be made by the

2Solomon Islands government this year, an MP says.

Rick Hou the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands.. Photo: RNZ/Pacific Koroi Hawkins

Sixteen MPs have declared they want the country to stick with Taiwan.

Led by the former prime minister and current Minister for National Planning and Aid Coordination, Rick Hou, the MPs made their stance clear in a statement released on Tuesday.

The statement followed the visit of a ministerial delegation to China last week, and the appointment of a taskforce to review Honiara's relationship with Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]