VALUES: The party was founded to change Taiwan’s political culture and rid it of corruption, Ko Wen-je said, as independence advocates rallied against him outside

Taipei Times
Date:  Aug 07, 2019
By: Lee I-chia  /  Staff reporter

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, center left, poses with his supporters outside the National Taiwan University Hospital

International Convention Center in Taipei after he announced the establishment of the Taiwan People’s Party yesterday.

The Taiwan People’s Party (台灣民眾黨, TPP) was formally established yesterday in Taipei, with the party announcing its constitution and the election of Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) as its chairman.

The founding ceremony was held at the National Taiwan University Hospital International Convention Center, with hundreds of people attending.

Ko arrived shortly past noon and was welcomed by enthusiastic chants of: “Taiwan’s choice — Ko Wen-je,” “The best choice — Ko Wen-je” and “The party members’ choice — Ko Wen-je” — similar to the slogans used during his mayoral re-election campaign last year.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 5 August, 2019
By: Natalie Tso

The anti-government protests in Hong Kong have led to a general strike which began on Monday. Strike organizers have said more than 14,000 people in 20 sectors have committed to the strike. The protest movement is experimenting with different means of peaceful protest. That’s after two months of demonstrations have failed to force the government to cancel a controversial extradition bill.

The strike on Monday led to about 200 cancelled flights, including over 30 between Taiwan and Hong Kong. At least eight railway lines were partially or fully shut down in Hong Kong. Protestors have also sought to block commuter metros and traffic.    [FULL  STORY]

Mainland authorities reportedly banned couriers from delivering helmets and other supplies to Hong Kong

Asia Times
August 5, 2019
By: KG CHAN

Hong Kong students and emigrants in Taiwan have been buying helmets, goggles, umbrellas, plastic wrap and Band-Aids in bulk and couriering them to pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, authorities in mainland China have reportedly been intercepting Hong Kong-bound parcels containing similar items bound for Hong Kong as the protests show no sign of slowing down in the former British territory.

Hongkongers in Taiwan say Beijing has told mainland package service companies like SF Express to step up checks of the contents of parcels before delivering them to people in Hong Kong.

With helmets and other items running out in Hong Kong as more people join the rallies, Taiwan has become the main source of supplies thanks to its geographical proximity, and more importantly, the island’s pro-Hong Kong ethos and its sympathetic government.    [FULL  STORY]

Archery instructor sentenced to death for murdering, dismembering body of female student in Taipei's Huashan Grassland

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/08/05
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An archery instructor has been found guilty of murdering his female student and dismembering her into 13 pieces and has been sentenced to death.

After meeting with an archery teacher to discuss art at Taipei's Huashan Grassland (華山大草原), a woman went missing for over two weeks, only for the instructor to later confess to strangling her, dismembering her body into 13 pieces and dumping them on Taipei's Yangmingshan.

A 30-year-old woman surnamed Kao (高) and a 37-year-old archery teacher surnamed Chen (陳) recently rented out a space at the Huashan Grassland in Taipei to hold classes that he called Yejucaotang (野居草堂). On May 31, 2018 after a class had ended at the venue, only Kao and Chen remained at the venue late that evening.

After the others had left, Chen claims that Kao had become drunk after only having consumed two beers, and she went back with him to his cabin to lie down at 12:30 a.m. on June 1. However, police suspect that Chen either added Kaoliang wine to her beers or spiked them with drugs to make her more compliant, reported Liberty Times.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/08/05
By Matt Yu and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Aug. 5 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday conferred the Order of Brilliant Star with Violet Grand Cordon on Madeleine Majorenko, outgoing head of the European Economic and Trade Office, for her contribution to promoting bilateral relations.

Majorenko assumed the post in July 2015 and will step down later this month.

"It's a personal pleasure for me to receive an award from you," Majorenko told Tsai during the ceremony at the Presidential Office, adding that during her time in Taiwan she has seen Tsai's inauguration, her administration in power and its work that has seen Taiwan flourish.

Majorenko said she has been in Taiwan for four years and had a lot of fun aside from all the hard work, because Taiwan and the European Union have achieved much together, including holding dialogues in different areas.    [FULL  STORY]

.‘HOSTAGE TOURISM’: Beijing’s strategies to intimidate Taiwan by manipulating Chinese travelers before the polls is typical of an autocratic state, Lin Chia-lung said

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 06, 2019.
By: Shelley Shan  /  Staff reporter

The government is considering including more countries in its visa-waiver program to attract more

drive P movie list drive E movie listtourists after China last week suspended a program that had allowed individual tourists from 47 Chinese cities to travel to Taiwan, Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday.

Aside from suspending visits by independent travelers, media reports said Beijing is planning to reduce the number of Chinese tour groups starting on Sept. 1.

They also said that China would expand the restrictions to include Chinese tourists traveling to Penghu, Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) — also known as the “small three links” — between the two nations, but Taiwanese and Chinese authorities denied the reports.

“China is attempting to interfere in our elections in January by suspending visits by Chinese tourists before then,” Lin said.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiqwan English News
Date: August 4, 2019 
Phillip Charlier

Tourists were both delighted, but also nervous when a pilot whale approached the shore at Sanxiantai in Taitung County recently.

Hundreds of tourists were on the shore, some wading ankle deep, when the whale swam within a few meters of the beach on Monday, July 29.

The whale circled around and came back to shore, leading one woman, fearful that the whale intended to beach itself, shouting, “don’t come back, don’t come back!”

After completing a circle, the whale swam away into deeper waters.    [FULL  STORY]

The Hill
Date: 08/04/19
By: Dylan Adelman, Opinion Contributor— 08/04/19 11:00 AM EDT 20

The views expressed by contrbutors are their own and not the view of The Hill.

Mike Pompeo will become the first U.S. Secretary of State to visit the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) when he arrives in the Pacific Island nation on Monday. His meeting with the leaders of FSM, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and Palau will be a significant signal to both friends and adversaries in the Pacific that U.S. commitment to these partners is strong and growing deeper.

They are several of the smallest and most isolated countries in the world. With their scarce resources, high economic volatility, health crises and the constant threat of natural disasters — notably, rising sea levels that threaten their very existence — U.S. engagement and support is indispensable.

They also are of critical geopolitical importance. Each boasts healthy democracies, represents positive diplomatic voices in the international community and has a vote at the United Nations General Assembly, which they have used consistently in support of American global interests. 

Besides the U.S., Israel and Taiwan also have offered unique support. With profound mutual respect and diplomatic ties that date, in some cases, prior to declarations of sovereignty, bonds among these three societies and those on the Pacific Islands run deep.    [FULL  STORY]

Investigation underway to determine cause of death of 75 year old Tainan man

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/08/04
By: Duncan DeAeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – In Tainan’s Dongshan District (東山區) on Sunday morning (Aug. 4), the body of a 75 year old man was found in the Chianan Irrigation Canal (嘉南大圳), by local firefighters.

Firefighters with the Tainan Municipal Fire Department were conducting a water rescue training drill when they discovered a dead body in the canal. After removing the body from the water, it was quickly identified as a local man surnamed Lian (連).

The man was clearly deceased when he was discovered by the firefighters. However, upon removing the body from the water, a wound from a sharp object was discovered on the back of the man’s head, reports CNA.

It is unclear if the man died as a result of an accident or foul play. An investigation is ongoing to determine what caused the wound on the man’s head.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/08/04
By: Elaine Hou and Emerson Lim

Taipei, Aug. 4 (CNA) A United Nation's entity has labeled Taiwan as a "province of China" in a graphical representation of countries that recognize same-sex marriages, prompting protests from the Taiwan government and netizens.

U.N. Women, which is dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, posted a list of nations that recognize same-sex marriages Sunday, with their respective flags.

"All people should be able to choose freely whether to enter a partnership, when and with whom," the post said.

Taiwan, together with the United States, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and 20 others were on the list.    [FULL  STORY]