Cases involve land sale, bank takeover and Taipei Dome

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/07/12
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) still has

to face three legal cases following a recent indictment and a prison sentence issued last May, reports said Thursday.

He was charged on July 10 for criminal breach of trust due to his alleged involvement in the sale of Kuomintang (KMT) media companies when he chaired the party.

In May, the former president was sentenced to four months in prison, possible to be commuted to a fine of NT$120,000 (US$3,900), for leaking classified information from a judicial investigation.

However, according to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, investigations are still continuing into the former president’s role in three cases. They involve a sale of land for the National Development Institute, the takeover of a Taipei City-owned bank by the Fubon Financial Holding while Ma served as mayor of the capital, and the Taipei Dome project.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/07/13
By: Miao Chung-hen and Flor Wang

Beijing, July 13 (CNA) Visiting former Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Lien

Chan (連戰) put forth four proposals regarding cross-Taiwan Strait ties in a closed-door meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Beijing Friday.

According to a press release issued by Lien’s office after the meeting, Lien suggested that the two sides seek common ground under the “one China” principle, despite different interpretations of what “one China” means, build perpetual peace for the people on both sides of the strait and the world, step up two-way exchanges to forge harmony between the two sides, and work together to boost the rights and livelihoods of the people and rejuvenate the Chinese nation.

Prior to the closed-door meeting at the Great Hall of the People, Xi first gave a public speech in a 15-minute session open to the media, in which he vowed to achieve peaceful unification across the strait.
[FULL  STORY]

FLUSH: While two companies whose assets have been frozen were the bulk of the NT$18.9 billion, the party had NT$910 million in real estate, as well as other assets

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 14, 2018
By: Chen Yu-fu and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) last year declared NT$18.9 billion

(US$618.54 million) in total assets and remains by far the nation’s richest political party, according to the Ministry of the Interior’s 2017 Political Parties’ Assets and Finances report released yesterday.

The annual report, which is mandated by the Political Party Act (政黨法), aims to make the finances of political parties more transparent, Deputy Minister of the Interior Lin Tzu-ling (林慈玲) said yesterday.

Of the parties that declared their finances, the Democratic Progressive Party was second-richest with NT$769 million in total assets, followed by the New Power Party — founded in January 2015 — with NT$25 million, the People First Party with NT$20 million and the New Party with NT$16 million, the report said.

The Executive Yuan’s Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee in 2016 designated Central Investment Co (中央投資) and its spin-off, Hsinyutai Co (欣裕台), as affiliated organizations of the KMT and froze the two companies’ assets through an administrative order, which the KMT has contested in an ongoing lawsuit.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-07-12

The recipients of this year’s President’s Education Award were honored by

President Tsai Ing-wen during an award ceremony held at the Presidential Office this past Friday.

During the award ceremony, President Tsai Ing-wen commended the outstanding achievements of the 56 recipients of this year’s President’s Education Award.

The award is set to honor students who have made outstanding achievement in a particular field, or those who have shown exemplary character in facing great challenges. In the last 18 years, a total of 1,053 students have received the award.

Tsai highlighted the achievements of some of the recipients at the award ceremony. They include Ko Hung-yu, an award-winning young poet who suffers from cerebral palsy, Ko Yu-long, an e-game competitor from New Taipei City who takes care of his single mother, and Lin Chia-ching, a roller skating champion from Taoyuan City.

Tsai also expressed gratitude towards the students’ parents and teachers. She said their support has been crucial in enabling these young people to develop their talents.    [SOURCE]

The News Lens
Date: 2018/07/12
By: International Community Radio Taipei (ICRT)

Speculation about a pending Cabinet reshuffle is intensifying, with reports

saying Premier William Lai will make an announcement next Monday.

The heads of at least four ministries are expected to be replaced. A new education minister will also be named, as that post has been vacant since Wu Mao-kun stepped down in late May after only 41 days in office.

Although government officials are remaining tight-lipped about the reshuffle, reports are claiming the heads of the Ministry of the Interior, the Transport Ministry, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, and the Council of Agriculture will be replaced.

There is speculation that Cabinet spokesman Xu Guo-yong will be appointed interior minister, while aboriginal lawmaker-at-large Kolas Yotaka will become the new Cabinet spokesperson.    [FULL  STORY]

 

Cases involve land sale, bank takeover and Taipei Dome

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/07/12
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) still has

to face three legal cases following a recent indictment and a prison sentence issued last May, reports said Thursday.

He was charged on July 10 for criminal breach of trust due to his alleged involvement in the sale of Kuomintang (KMT) media companies when he chaired the party.

In May, the former president was sentenced to four months in prison, possible to be commuted to a fine of NT$120,000 (US$3,900), for leaking classified information from a judicial investigation.

However, according to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, investigations are still continuing into the former president’s role in three cases. They involve a sale of land for the National Development Institute, the takeover of a Taipei City-owned bank by the Fubon Financial Holding while Ma served as mayor of the capital, and the Taipei Dome project.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/07/12
By: Tai Ya-chen and Joseph Yeh

Mark Field, minister of state for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom (Image taken from Field’s Facebook page)
London, July 11 (CNA) The British government will continue its long-standing policy in referring to Taiwan as simply “Taiwan” and U.K. companies should not be placed under political pressure by Beijing to make changes on its designation of Taiwan, a U.K. foreign affairs official said Tuesday.

Asked by members of Parliament Andrea Jenkyns and Bob Blackman about China’s pressuring of British Airways and other airlines to list Taiwan as part of China on their websites, Mark Field, minister of state for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, said that the U.K. government’s long-standing policy on Taiwan has not changed.

“The government refers to Taiwan as simply ‘Taiwan’ and, when included in a list of places, does so under an inclusive heading, such as ‘country/territory’ or ‘world locations,'” Field said in a statement.

He also made clear the U.K.’s stance on Beijing’s move, stressing that private companies and organizations should be able to decide the terminology that they use to list destinations.    [FULL  STORY]

‘UNIVERSAL VALUES’: Foreign ministry spokesman Andrew Lee called on like-minded countries to support Taiwan and stand up to Beijing in defense of democracy

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 13, 2018
By: Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporter, with CNA

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday expressed its gratitude to a

British foreign affairs official who on Tuesday reiterated the British government’s long-standing policy of referring to the nation as “Taiwan.”

Asked by British lawmakers Andrea Jenkyns and Robert Blackman about China pressuring British Airways and other international airlines to list Taiwan as a part of China on their Web sites, British Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field said that the British government’s long-standing policy on Taiwan has not changed.

“The government refers to Taiwan as simply ‘Taiwan’ and, when included in a list of places, does so under an inclusive heading, such as ‘country/territory’ or ‘world locations,’” Field said in a written response to the lawmakers.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-07-11

The military is helping with recovery efforts across northern Taiwan as

Typhoon Maria leaves the island.

The defense ministry has close to 1,900 troops and around 100 vehicles on hand for recovery work, along with armored vehicles and rubber boats.

On Wednesday, Defense Minister Yen Teh-fa commended the military’s work with local governments during the storm. Speaking on behalf of President Tsai Ing-wen, he praised soldiers and officers for helping with evacuations and delivering supplies.

However, he said the military must stay in touch with local authorities and work to bring affected areas back to normal. Troops are being dispatched to areas across northern Taiwan for work that includes cleanup operations, clearing fallen trees from roads, and removing sandbags.   [FULL  STORY]

Labeled a Category 5 storm as recently as yesterday, Typhoon Maria weakened and turned north, relieving Taiwan of any major harm.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/07/11
By: Nick Aspinwall

Taiwan emerged mostly unscathed after Typhoon Maria skirted the island as a significantly weakened Category 2 storm. Projected as a Category 5 ‘Super Typhoon’ as recently as yesterday evening, the storm’s eye passed north of the island, ensuring that Taiwan only encountered its periphery.

While New Taipei residents were granted a day off, Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) made the call for offices and schools to operate as usual today. Heavy rains and powerful winds thrashed through the city last night, but caused little visible damage, and sunshine peeked through the post-Maria clouds in Taipei this morning.   [FULL  STORY]