FIRST MEETING: Brent Christensen said that Taiwan shares the US’ values, and the two must ‘stand together to protect … our freedom, our democracy and our future’

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 24, 2018
By: Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporter

American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen yesterday

pledged the US’ support for Taiwan’s global contributions and participation, and denounced China’s interference in the domestic politics of Western nations.

Christensen made the remarks in his first meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei since assuming the helm of the institute’s Taipei office on Aug. 11.

The meeting, which was streamed live on Tsai’s Facebook page, came just two days after Taiwan severed diplomatic ties with El Salvador after learning of its decision to switch allegiance to China.

Some political commentators have said that Beijing orchestrated El Salvador’s switch of recognition to vent its grievance over warming Taiwan-US ties, the latest evidence of which being Tsai’s high-profile transit stops in Los Angeles and Houston, Texas.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-08-22

Taiwan’s laws and regulations outline 15 different types of vacation time to

which workers may be entitled in different circumstances. But a new survey by job bank 1111 finds that half of workers may face trouble or repercussions for taking time off.

The survey, conducted from August 7-21, asked 1,069 workers about their experience taking time off.

37% of respondents reported difficulty taking leave on short notice. Workers in construction, real estate, the media, and publishing were among those who had to hardest time getting time off quickly.

1111’s deputy head says that workers in small companies have an especially difficult time getting time off. He said that difficulties getting vacation time may be a result of companies hiring too few workers for the amount of work that need to be done.    [FULL  STORY]

Your daily bulletin of Taiwan news, courtesy of ICRT.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/08/22

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said China’s pressure on Taiwan’s allies to

switch diplomatic recognition from the ROC (Taiwan) to the PRC (China) is an “infringement” on the island’s “sovereignty.”

Speaking after Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) announced Taiwan is cutting diplomatic relations with El Salvador, Tsai called for national unity to, in her words, “defend the status quo” of Taiwan.

According to Tsai, Taiwan is entitled to its independent sovereignty and dignity, despite China’s efforts to suppress the island through intimidation, military coercion, and by luring its diplomatic allies away.

The president also warned Beijing about its actions, saying that China has now crossed the line with all of Taiwan’s major political parties.
[FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News  
Date: 2018/08/22
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)—Taiwan is highly alert to the recent outbreaks of African swine fever in China, with Council of Agriculture Deputy Minister Huang Chin-cheng (黃金城) warning that if the deadly viruses find their way into Taiwan, the overall loss could be as high as NT$200 billion.

Three African swine fever outbreaks have happened in China in the last 15 days and the outbreaks are spreading from the north to the south, which makes Taiwan feel very threatened.

On Wednesday Taiwan held an inter-ministerial meeting to discuss what measures should be taken to ward off the viruses. Huang said in the meeting that Taiwan needs to prevent the viruses from coming into the country at all ports of entry, such as the harbors and border.

As African swine fever is highly deadly, infected pigs usually die within 24 to 48 hours, Huang said. In case of mass deaths, culling should be carried out before inspection, he added.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/08/22
By: Fang Cheng-hsiang and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Aug. 22 (CNA) A group of Māoris from Karetu, a region in New Zealand’s North Island, arrived in Taiwan Wednesday on a cultural roots-searching tour.

The 18 Karetu people, including 10 teenagers, received a warm welcome from Cabinet spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka at the Executive Yuan, which they visited soon after their arrival on the island based on Māori tradition.

Kolas, who is a member of Taiwan’s indigenous Amis tribe, told the press that the visiting Māori tribe believes their forefathers were from the island, therefore initiated a plan called Hawaiki, which means “ancestor” in the Māori language.

The Hawaiki Plan is a initiative to find the cultural roots of the tribe, noted Kolas, who played a key role in making the Karetu’s visit possible.
[FULL  STORY]

‘GRAVE MISTAKE’: Gardner said abandoning Taiwan would ‘negatively influence’ ties with the US, while Rubio said the decision would prove ‘costly and short-sighted’

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 23, 2018
By: Staff writer, with CNA

A number of US lawmakers on Tuesday expressed their support for Taiwan

following the termination of diplomatic ties with El Salvador, which decided to switch recognition to China, allegedly for financial aid.

The Central American country switched its recognition from Taiwan to China after Taipei refused to invest an “astronomical sum” of money in its Port of La Union development project, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

To voice the US’ support for Taiwan and condemn El Salvador for abandoning its democratic ally of 85 years in favor of a communist regime, US senators Cory Gardner and Marco Rubio introduced an amendment to a “minibus” appropriations bill on restricting US funding to the Central American nation, a statement on Gardner’s official Web site said.

“I urge for it [the amendment] to be included in the final bill. This amendment will send a direct message to Taiwan’s allies that the US will use every tool to support Taiwan’s standing on the international stage and will stand up to China’s bullying tactics across the world,” said Gardner, who is chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific and International Cybersecurity Policy.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-08-21

President Tsai Ing-wen has returned from a trip to two of Taiwan’s other

diplomatic allies in Latin America. On arrival, Tsai hailed her trip as a success and said that Taiwan will not give in to pressure from Beijing.

After nine days overseas, President Tsai Ing-wen returned to Taiwan late Monday.

The president’s trip took her to Paraguay and Belize, two of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the Americas. She said she spoke with Paraguay’s new president about furthering bilateral ties. She also said the trip had given her the opportunity to deepen Taiwan’s friendship with Belize.    [FULL  STORY]

Just 17 countries recognise Taiwan after El Salvador switches allegiance to Beijing

The Guardian
Date: 21 Aug 2018
By: Lily Kuo in Beijing

The president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, has vowed to fight against Chinese

pressure after the island lost the diplomatic allegiance of El Salvador to Beijing.

El Salvador and Taiwan severed official ties on Monday after the central American country announced the move. Taiwan’s foreign ministry said it had terminated bilateral ties with El Salvador and was recalling all staff from the country.

“We will turn to countries with similar values to fight together against China’s increasingly out-of-control international behaviour,” Tsai said.

The latest diplomatic switch leaves Taiwan further isolated on the international stage. Beijing claims that Taiwan, which operates under its own government, currency, and military, is an inseparable part of China and says it will not maintain ties with any country that has formal diplomatic ties with Taipei.    [FULL  STORY]

President of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador pledges to issue official apology to Taiwan

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/08/21
By: Huang Tzu-ti, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Leading politicians in El Salvador have lambasted

the government’s decision to switch diplomatic recognition to China as Taiwan severed ties with the Central American country on August 21, describing the move as “betrayal.”

Norman Quijano, President of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador, noted that switching allegiance to China would have an impact on the international society. The U.S. Ambassador in El Salvador had warned that the decision could affect the relationship between the U.S. and the Central American Country, he said.

Expressing his regret over the development, Quijano lashed out at the government, calling the decision a deviation from the path to democracy and betrayal of an ally, reports Liberty Times.

Quijano condemned President Salvador Sanchez Ceren for making the decision, which could have serious implications. He vowed to take action in the Legislative Assembly, seeking to issue a statement against the government’s deed and “apologize to the people of Taiwan.”
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/08/21
By: Shih Hsiu-chuan

Taipei, Aug. 21 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Tuesday that

the way China has been pressuring the allies of the Republic of China (Taiwan) into switching diplomatic allegiance to Beijing is tantamount to “infringement on our sovereignty.”

At a press conference, President Tsai called for national unity to “defend the status quo of the ROC (Taiwan),” after her administration announced a decision to sever diplomatic relations with El Salvador because the Central American country was preparing to switch recognition to China.

The loss of Taiwan’s fifth ally since Tsai took office, and the third in the past four months, came one day after she returned from a trip to Paraguay and Belize, during which she made two transit stops in the United States that were seen as a breakthrough in U.S.-Taiwan ties.

At Tuesday’s press conference, Tsai said that as a member of the international community, Taiwan is entitled to a place in the world, and its 23 million people have the same rights to freedom and equality as the peoples of other nations.    [FULL  STORY]