Taiwan’s indigenous assault vessel on track for planned launch says Taiwan Navy official

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/09/28
By: Scott Morgan,Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed its first ever amphibious assault vessel is on schedule to enter into service in 2021, during the Kaohsiung International Maritime and Defense Expo on Sept. 27.

A Taiwan Navy official told confirmed to U.K. defense and security intelligence firm Jane’s that the project is going ahead on schedule.

Taiwan International Shipbuilding Corporation (CSBC) was awarded the contract for the amphibious assault vessel in April, after a public tender process, reported Taiwan News.

The new vessel comes at a time when the Taiwan armed forces are going through a period of modernization, with large swathes of money being attributed to indigenous development projects, like submarines.   [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/09/28
By: Ku Chuan and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Sept. 28 (CNA) Premier Lai Ching-te (賴清德) has directed the Ministry of

Education (MOE) to look at ways to ease regulations that currently ban English education at preschools, in an effort to start the process of transforming Taiwan into a country that speaks Chinese and English.

Lai issued the instruction during a meeting last week with officials from the MOE and National Development Council, Cabinet spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka told CNA Thursday when asked about the premier’s plan to make Taiwan a bilingual country, with English and Chinese as official languages.

Concrete proposals are expected to be presented in 2019.

Kolas said that during the meeting, which discussed how to best ensure the development of bilingual education in Taiwan, it was suggested that the earlier children start learning a language, the quicker they learn to use the language.
[FULL  STORY]

NATIONAL SECURITY: The Mainland Affairs Council said that the government needs to block the political intention of Beijing behind residency permits for Taiwanese

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 29, 2018
By: Chung Li-hua and Sherry Hsiao  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

Beijing is attempting to create the illusion that it has jurisdiction over Taiwan with its

new residency permits for Taiwanese, a government official said yesterday on condition of anonymity.

With the cards, Beijing is attempting to make it seem as though some Taiwanese are governed by China, the official said, adding that Beijing is attempting to “govern Taiwan prior to unification” and to implement the “one country, two systems” principle in advance.

The Chinese State Council Information Office on Aug. 16 announced that from this month, Taiwanese, Hong Kongers and Macanese who have lived, worked or studied legally in China for more than six months would be eligible to apply for the cards, although reports have said that applicants who present proof of residence or employment, or are married to Chinese, could apply regardless of their time in China.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) at a routine news conference did not deny the reports, saying that local agencies would treat applicants on a case-by-case basis and try to meet the needs of applicants.

The office on Sept. 11 said that as of Sept. 10, more than 22,000 Taiwanese had applied for the cards.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-09-27

President Tsai Ing-wen said Thursday that Taiwan has made great efforts

towards implementing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. That’s despite Taiwan being excluded from membership of the UN.

The president was speaking at an international forum organized by Radio Taiwan International and the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) on sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Our belief is very simple. The earth is not divided into “you” and “me.” If only Taiwan is sustainable, this is not sustainable. At the same time, a sustainability that excludes Taiwan is not true sustainability for the planet. Taiwan is firmly proceeding down this road. I want to thank everyone for their support in making Taiwan [an agent] for global sustainable development, and helping Taiwan to make a greater contribution,” said Tsai.     [FULL  STORY]

Your daily bulletin of Taiwan news, courtesy of ICRT.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/09/27
By: International Community Radio Taipei (ICRT)

The Changhua County Government has begun demolishing a controversial temple that had been turned into a shrine worshipping the Chinese Communist Party.

Demolition of additions to the Biyun Temple in Erlin Township comes after several of the buildings were deemed to be illegal structures.

The county government cut water and power supplies to the temple last week days after publication by the New York Times of an article about the building and its owner, Wei Ming-jen (魏明仁).

According to Deputy County Magistrate Lin Ming-yu (林明裕), it will take seven days and cost NT$5 million (US$163,000) to tear down all of the complex’s illegal structures and the owner will be liable to pay the demolition costs.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/09/27
By: Central News Agency

A Taiwanese drug mule allegedly responsible for smuggling narcotics into Thailand has been detained in Pattaya, thanks to law enforcement cooperation between the two countries, according to Taiwan’s Investigation Bureau.

The man, identified by his surname Chiang, was tracked down by agents of Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board and military officers Wednesday at a house he was renting in Pattaya, following a tipoff provided by bureau personnel stationed in Thailand.

Chiang was caught shortly after he allegedly transported 355 kilogram of methamphetamine with a street value of US$6.16 million to the house, where his accomplices were to repackage the drugs for sale, according to the bureau.

The drugs were found to have been smuggled into Thailand from Myanmar, it said.    [SOURCE]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/09/27
By: Wang Shu-feng and Shih Hsiu-chuan

Taipei, Sept. 27 (CNA) As Typhoon Trami moves toward Japan’s Okinawa,

Taipei-based China Airlines (CAL) and EVA Airways (EVA Air) have canceled all flights bound for Okinawa slated for Friday, the two airlines announced Thursday.

Tigerair Taiwan said Thursday that the departure time for Flight IT230 from Taoyuan to Okinawa will be moved forward one hour to 5:50 am Friday and Flight IT231 from Okinawa to Taoyuan on Friday moved from 10:10 am to 9:10 am.

Round-trip flights IT232/IT233 between Taoyuan and Okinawa and IT288/IT289 between Kaohsiung and Okinawa Friday will be canceled, Tigerair Taiwan said.    [FULL  STORY]

PRIORITY BILL: The proposals stemmed from a 2016 case in which Chinese investors who purchased Tatung Co shares through a Hong Kong firm were fined NT$600,000

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 28, 2018
By: Lee Hsin-fan  /  Staff reporter, with CNA

The Cabinet yesterday passed draft amendments to the Act Governing

Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例) that would increase fines for Chinese or Chinese institutions that illegally invest in Taiwan.

The draft bill has been listed as a priority for the current legislative session.

Under the proposed amendments, any Chinese investor or enterprise that invests in Taiwan without getting permission from the authorities could be subject to a fine ranging from NT$50,000 to NT$25 million (US$1,633.88 to US$816,940), compared with the current range of NT$120,000 to NT$600,000, plus rectification.

Failure to rectify the matter could lead to consecutive fines until the situation is remedied.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-09-26

The light design for the 2018 Taichung World Flora Exposition has been

showcased for the first time, with lights in two of the expo’s three pavilions turned on for the first time.

The exterior of the exhibition hall at Taichung’s Houli Horse Ranch is completely lit up. The lights slowly change in hue and intensity, coming together in a purple and gold color scheme.

Meanwhile, the lights at the city’s Fengyuan Huludun Park are bigger, brighter, and placed further apart. They are designed to highlight the contours of the various structures in the area, such as the arch-shaped bus stations and footpaths.    [FULL  STORY]

Your daily bulletin of Taiwan news, courtesy of ICRT.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/09/26
By: International Community Radio Taipei (ICRT)

The administration of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is expressing its thanks to the U.S. government after it officially notified Congress of a proposed US$330 million (NT$10.12 billion) arms sales package to Taiwan.

The package includes spare parts for several aircraft, including F-16 warplanes and C-130 cargo planes, as well as related logistics and program support elements.

Foreign ministry spokesman Andrew Lee (李憲章) said the arms package shows the U.S. government’s commitments toward Taiwan, and the sale will enhance the island’s defensive capability and boost confidence in self-defense.

We welcome the #US government’s approval of US$330 million in arms sales to #Taiwan. The decision demonstrates a rock-solid commitment to the #TaiwanRelationsAct & #SixAssurances. It also enables Taiwan to maintain a robust self-defense, as well as cross-strait peace & stability.

However, China is demanding the U.S. cancel the sale, warning of “severe damage” to bilateral relations and mutual cooperation if Washington fails to comply. Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang is also claiming the sale violates international law and the “basic norms governing international relations,” although it’s unclear what aspect of international law the Chinese official is referring to.    [FULL  STORY]