Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/04/04
By: Tai Ya-chen and Kuan-lin Liu

London, April 4 (CNA) The U.K-based Man Booker Foundation changed the designated nationality of a nominated Taiwanese author back to “Taiwan” after previously revising it to “Taiwan, China” in an effort to appear “politically neutral.”

On March 29, Wu Ming-Yi (吳明益), whose book “The Stolen Bicycle” featured on the longlist for the Man Booker International award released on March 12, took to Facebook to object to being listed as a national of “Taiwan, China” on the international literary prize’s website.

Wu said in his post the designation does not represent his personal opinion and he would be seeking assistance to express “my personal position to the award organization.”

The foundation first responded by saying they had been advised to use the wording “Taiwan, China” as “the correct, politically neutral form,” but indicated they were asking the U.K’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office for advice.    [FULL  STORY]

UNDER ATTACK: The government’s digital domains suffered 10 level 3 incidents last year, which might have compromised personal data stored on the affected systems

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 05, 2018
By: Lee Hsin-fang and Jonathan Chin  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

The threat from state-sponsored cyberattacks on the nation’s digital infrastructure,

including those directed by Beijing-affiliated groups, has increased in sophistication and severity over the past year, the Department of Cyber Security said yesterday.

Last year, Chinese hackers mounted 288 successful cyberattacks on the government’s systems, or 80 percent of the total of 360 successful attacks that the department discovered, department Director Chien Hung-wei (簡宏偉) said.

Each month, the government’s systems are subjected to anywhere between 20 million and 40 million attacks, in addition to billions of probing actions made by hackers looking for weaknesses, he said.

These actions are initiated by hackers from around the world, though groups based in China are believed to be involved in many of them, Chien said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-04-03

President Tsai Ing-wen traveled to the northern port city of Keelung Tuesday to launch a

project to boost local tourism. The project will involve moving facilities that belong to the Navy. Tsai said the move will present Keelung with a new chance for development.

The northern harbor city of Keelung has a long history as a commercial port, a fishing port, and a military port. In more recent times, the city’s potential as a center for tourism has also been explored. However, the government says that military wharves and a naval barracks on Keelung Harbor’s eastern edge have become an obstacle to transportation along the harbor side, hampering the area’s development.

On Tuesday, President Tsai Ing-wen formally launched a project that will move the naval facilities on the harbor’s east side elsewhere. NT$2.1 billion (US$72 million) in funding is going into the project, which is slated for completion in 2021. The cleared area will be converted into a 3km harbor side space that can cater to cruise ship passengers as well as other visitors who come to appreciate Keelung’s ocean scenery and maritime history.
[FULL  STORY]

As Taiwan’s fishing industry awaits a critical EU decision, nonprofits and NGOs call for assistance for migrant workers and improvements in deep sea regulation.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/04/03
By: Nick Aspinwall

Last month, an explosive video released by the UK-based Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) made unwelcome waves throughout Taiwan’s prosperous yet embattled fishing industry. The EJF revealed that migrant workers at sea are continually abused, underpaid, and subjected to long working hours and deplorable working conditions. The video brings to the forefront the role of Taiwan’s Fishing Agency (FA) in policing up to 1,800 Taiwanese fishing vessels, many of which engage in illegal fishing. Hundreds of additional vessels operate under flags of convenience (FOC) and change flags while at sea, making it harder for Taiwan and other states to regulate their activities.

Following a March visit by European Commission (EC) fisheries investigators, Taiwan may be subjected to a “red card” after receiving a “yellow card” warning in October 2015 for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities. Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture (COA) has said it has complied with the EU’s requirements and hopes to see its “yellow card” lifted.    [FULL  STORY]

The state media People’s Daily called for an international arrest warrant against Premier Lai

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/04/03
By:  Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China’s official news channel People’s Daily wrote on Saturday,

March 31, that Taiwan’s Premier Lai should be prosecuted under China’s 2005 Anti-Secession Law for discussing Taiwan as an independent country, declaring him a “Taiwan independence worker.”

On Friday, March 30, Premier Lai told parliament that he believed Taiwan was an independent country and he is and always would work for an Independent Taiwan.

China’s media published Premier Lai’s comments and called his prosecution for “promoting Taiwan’s independence.”

“If evidence of his crimes are cast iron, then a global wanted notice can be issued for him,” wrote People’s Daily, China’s official media outlet as reported by Reuters.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/04/03
By: Christie Chen 

Taipei, April 3 (CNA) Members of 17 civic groups and NGOs protested outside the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taipei on Tuesday, against what they called the Philippine government’s “unjustified” labeling of hundreds of people as “terrorists.”

The protesters shouted “stop the killings in the Philippines” and held placards that read “activism is not terrorism” outside of MECO, which represents the Philippines’ interests in Taiwan in the absence of official diplomatic ties.

The protesters denounced a court petition filed by the Philippine government in February that seeks to declare more than 600 individuals terrorists over their alleged links with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army.
[FULL  STORY]

REALITY CHECK: The Mainland Affairs Council said Beijing should face up to the truth that there are two separate governments on either side of the Taiwan Strait

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 04, 2018
By: Chung Li-hua and William Hetherington  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer and Reuters

Premier William Lai (賴清德) yesterday reiterated his position on Taiwanese independence

and called on China to respect freedom of speech, as Beijing ramped up its rhetoric.

Democracy signifies freedom to express one’s opinion on the direction that the country’s development should take and to advocate Taiwanese independence if they wish to, Lai said.

Free speech is valued all over the world and should therefore be protected in China as well, the premier added.

The latest verbal sparring was prompted by Lai’s comment on Friday at the Legislative Yuan that he was a “Taiwan independence worker” and that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent country, sparking a call by the Chinese tabloid Global Times for his prosecution under China’s 2005 “Anti-Secession” Law.    [FULL  STORY]

‘DEAR TO MY HEART’: Washington must ensure Taiwan has all the tools it needs to protect itself from Chinese aggression, US Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen said

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 03, 2018
By: Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporter

A US lawmaker yesterday urged Washington to increase Taipei’s political, economic and

military capabilities in the face of Beijing’s growing aggression.

US Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a former chairwoman of the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, made the remarks in a speech at the Presidential Office yesterday morning, after receiving the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon from President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) for her promotion of Taiwan-US ties over the past 30 years.

With the 39th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act just eight days away, Ros-Lehtinen said she was proud to say that the relationship between Taiwan and the US is stronger than ever.

“For as long as I am in Congress … Taiwan and the issues that are important at the face of this island-nation have been near and dear to my heart,” she said.  FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-04-02

US Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen says relations between Taiwan and the United

States are stronger than ever. The Republican Congresswoman from Florida was speaking Monday while meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei.

President Tsai awarded Ros-Lehtinen an Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon to recognize her contributions to strengthening ties between the two countries.

Ros-Lehtinen said the main purpose of her trip is to forge stronger ties, and that there is room for improvement in the relations. She said Washington should keep its pledge to Taipei, because the style of living enjoyed by the Taiwanese is but a dream for people in China.
[FULL  STORY]

Protests helped push a decision on the demolition of greater Taipei’s last flatland cemetery to a public meeting.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/04/02
By: James X. Morris

Preservation activists held a press conference in front of New Taipei City Hall in Banqiao District last week to affect change in the city’s decision-making processes prior to a meeting with officials from the city’s Cultural Department over a controversial cemetery development project in Xindian District.

At the heart of the matter is the activists’ mistrust of the city’s intentions over the ancient cemetery land, which contains tombs dating as early as the reign of mid-Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong (1735-1796).

The press conference was intended to pressure the city away from its typical “black box” meetings, a style of hearing in which public participation is strictly limited.
[FULL  STORY]