Hands contaminated with salmonella believed to be source of illness

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/10/11
By: Huang Tzu-ti, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Newborn in Taiwan has fallen severely ill due to salmonella infection, with the source of transmission suspected of being linked to the poor hygiene practices of the parents.

The Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital said on Sunday (Oct. 11) that it has admitted three infants under one year of age recently over the bacterial disease. The youngest, who is 10 days old, has developed serious complications, including inflammation of the intestines and abdomen as well as sepsis.

The medical staff speculated that the young patients’ parents may have been the ones to blame, as they were found to not have washed their hands thoroughly before preparing food for the babies. The culprit of the infections could also be the use of a single cutting board for both fresh produce and meat, which creates a favorable environment for the growth of foodborne pathogens, according to Liberty Times.

As the coronavirus continues to grip the nation’s attention, Chiu Cheng-hsun (邱政洵), vice superintendent of the hospital, cautioned that the public should also heed the threat of salmonellosis, which runs rampant between July and October. Children under the age of five are particularly vulnerable to the illness, he added.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 10/11/2020
By: Matt Yu and Joseph Yeh

Taipei, Oct. 11 (CNA) A Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Sunday, marking the 17th such incursion by the Chinese military into the nation's ADIZ in less than a month.

According to the Ministry of National Defense (MND), a Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft entered the the nation's southwest ADIZ earlier in the day.

In response, Taiwan's military sent aircraft to monitor the Chinese aircraft, issuing radio warnings and mobilizing air defense systems before it left the ADIZ, the MND said.
[FULL  STORY]

An open commitment to defend Taiwan won’t mean much unless the U.S. has the certain capacity to do so.

The Diplomat
Date: October 09, 2020
By: Andy Zelleke

In a recent Foreign Affairs piece, Richard Haass and David Sacks proposed that the United States abandon its longtime posture of “strategic ambiguity” over Taiwan, in favor of “strategic clarity” in regard to defending the island from a potential Chinese attack. In the prevailing climate of pessimism about U.S.-China relations and fast-mounting concern for Taiwan’s

future, their proposal has developed some momentum in the American policy community.

But the proposed shift to strategic clarity would be unwise. It likely wouldn’t substantially enhance deterrence, its primary objective, but it would materially increase risk for the U.S., perhaps dramatically, at a difficult time. Strategic ambiguity continues to deliver a healthy dose of deterrence, and shouldn’t be abandoned.

For one thing, a change now would be needlessly provocative. Strategic ambiguity, in the context of the “one China” policy artfully crafted by Washington ahead of normalization with Beijing in 1979, has managed for four decades to help keep China at bay with regard to Taiwan – an island that Beijing emphatically considers to be its rightful territory and the unfinished business of China’s civil war. Meanwhile, in 2020, Sino-American relations are at their worst shape in almost half a century. And Chinese leader Xi Jinping has repeatedly highlighted Taiwan’s centrality to Chinese sovereignty and his project of “national rejuvenation.” Against that backdrop, it’s hard to imagine that an important policy shift announced by a U.S. president – an explicit, public commitment to go to war in support of Taiwan’s autonomy from China – would be heard in Beijing as anything short of an incendiary provocation.    [FULL  STORY]

Posters saying "Taiwan Happy National Day October 10" were put up near the Chinese embassy in New Delhi, but were removed by the New Delhi Municipal Council within hours, an official said.

India Today
Date: October 10, 2020
By: Ram Kinkar Singh

Posters wishing Taiwan on its 'National Day' were seen near the Chinese embassy in New Delhi on Saturday, days after China had issued a set of guidelines for Indian media for the coverage of 'National Day of Taiwan'.

The posters saying "Taiwan Happy National Day October 10" were put up by Delhi BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, who also tweeted pictures of these posters.

The posters were put up Friday night on the sidewalk of Shanti Path close to the embassy of China in the capital's diplomatic enclave Chanakyapuri.

Later an NDMC official said, "We have removed the posters which were put up close to Chinese embassy."    [FULL  STORY]

The US president could conceivably ditch the `one China' policy in a desperate attempt to get reelected

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/10/10
By: David Spencer, Taiwan News, Contributing Writer

KAOHSIUNG (Taiwan News) — The scenes that have unfolded over the past few weeks at the White House and the Walter Reed National Medical Center have been pure Hollywood, and pure Donald Trump.

Everything from his departure on Marine One and the carefully staged photos of him "working" in the presidential suite at the hospital, to his return to the White House were choreographed down to the last detail. They were an attempt to portray the president as the leader and statesman he wants to be perceived as.

The notion we are being fed is of a president bravely fighting off COVID-19 to advance his agenda. The fact that he is keen to cultivate this perception so close to an election is no coincidence.

To some, it will seem desperate and incredulous. Yet, for many of his core voters, it will come across as patriotic and statesmanlike.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 10/10/2020
By: Charles Kang, Ko Lin and Matthew Mazzetta

New Delhi, Oct. 10 (CNA) Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Saturday thanked India for its support after the country rebuked the Chinese embassy in New Delhi for attempting to manipulate media coverage of Taiwan's Double Ten National Day.

Earlier in the week, the Chinese embassy sent an email to around 250 Indian journalists asking them not to refer to Taiwan as a "country" or "nation" in their coverage of Taiwan's Oct. 10 National Day events, local media outlets reported.

The incident sparked controversy on social media and prompted a response from India's Ministry of External Affairs, which reiterated that India's media is free and reports on issues as it sees fit.

In a Twitter post on Saturday, Wu wrote: "Hats off to friends from around the world this year, India in particular, for celebrating Taiwan National Day. With your support, Taiwan will definitely be more resilient in meeting challenges, especially those 'get lost' types."    [FULL  STORY]

HOPEFUL COEXISTENCE: President Tsai Ing-wen said that the most pressing issue is how both sides of the Taiwan Strait can coexist in mutual respect and goodwill

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 11, 2020.
By: Staff writer, with CNA

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday expressed her willingness to hold “meaningful dialogue” with Beijing so that peace and stability can be maintained across the Taiwan Strait.

“At this stage, the most pressing cross-strait issue is to discuss how we can live in peace and coexist based on mutual respect, goodwill and understanding,” Tsai told Double Ten National Day participants.

“As long as the Beijing authorities are willing to resolve antagonisms and improve cross-strait relations, while parity and dignity are maintained, we are willing to work together to facilitate meaningful dialogue,” she said.

Tsai’s statement follows a further deterioration of already sour cross-strait relations as Taiwan and the US have shown closer engagement, such as high-level visits by US officials and more arms sales to Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Datse: 09 October, 2020
By: Shirley Lin

Rain expected on National Day[/caption] It looks as though the weather is set to literally rain on Taiwan’s National Day parade on Saturday. But forecasters say that while Taipei can expect wet weather, weather in the southern city of Tainan, where this year’s National Day fireworks will take place, is expected to be dry.

ABC.com
Date: October 09, 2020
By: Bang Xiao and Michael Walsh

Yuke Chen is worried about having children — but not for the same reasons as most people in their twenties.

The 24-year-old Taiwanese woman says she fears China will one day move to take back her island home by force, turning it into "the next Hong Kong".

Today, Taiwan is celebrating Double Ten Day, a day the self-governing island views as its National Day, however, China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has never relinquished the right to use its military to seize control.

Earlier this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that Taiwan "must and will be" reunited with China, and urged the island's people to accept that fate.    [FULL  STORY]

Aircraft could be stationed on standby outside Taiwan to thwart spies and preemptive strikes

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/10/092
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – In the face of aggressive incursions by China’s Air Force, the United States should help Taiwan by leasing it F-35 stealth jets, a retired Pentagon official wrote in Newsweek Thursday (Oct. 8).

Former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Stephen Bryen said that Taiwanese pilots’ supposed lack of ability to fly the sophisticated fighters could be helped by training them in the United States. Any fears of China’s reaction could lead to the aircraft being kept on standby in the U.S., though they would either belong to Taiwan or be leased by the island.

Looking at its current fleet of jets, by the end of 2020, 50 of its 140 F-16 jets would be upgraded, but it still would have to wait at least five years for the delivery of 66 new F-16V versions, Bryen said. The lease of stealth fighters would also make more financial sense than the purchase of new jets or the upgrading of all old ones, he added.    [FULL  STORY]