Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/03/21
By: Matt Yu and Kuan-lin Liu

Taipei, March 21 (CNA) China’s aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, entered waters that are part

of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Tuesday, Defense Minister Yen Teh-fa (嚴德發) said, but he insisted his ministry is keeping a close watch on Beijing’s regional drills.

Pressed on the issue by lawmakers at the Legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, Yen confirmed on Wednesday the Liaoning did in fact enter the Taiwan Strait, which is part of Taiwan’s ADIZ, on Tuesday after participating in drills in the East China Sea on Sunday and Monday.

He said, however, he was not at liberty to disclose any more details or comment on the issue, but noted that the military is monitoring all of China’s regional drills from start to finish and will respond as needed.    [FULL  STORY]

‘POINTLESS’: Such missions take at least two weeks to plan, meaning it was likely meant to mark the end of the CCP’s congress, not the US’ Taiwan Travel Act, one lawmaker said

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 22, 2018
By: Sean Lin  /  Staff reporter

The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and its escort warships on Tuesday night again

passed through the Taiwan Strait, Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa (嚴德發) said.

Yen confirmed the reports during a question-and-answer session at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign and National Defense Committee in Taipei following questioning by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政).

However, Yen declined to comment further on the carrier’s passage, saying only that the ministry had “thoroughly monitored” the event.

The Chinese fleet entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone at about 8pm, sailed southwest to the west of the median line of the Strait and exited the zone at about 12:30pm yesterday, the Ministry of National Defense said, adding that jets and vessels were dispatched to monitor the situation.

Meanwhile, China’s state-run tabloid the Global Times (環球時報) touted the move as Beijing’s response to US President Donald Trump’s signing of the Taiwan Travel Act on Friday last week.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-03-20

Premier William Lai says that Beijing’s pressure on other countries to list Taiwan as part

of China gives others the impression that China is a tyrant. Lai was speaking Tuesday while answering questions in the Legislature.

Sweden’s tax agency on February 28 listed Taiwan as a province of China instead of as the Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name. A number of multinational companies such as Mercedes-Benz and Lufthansa have also changed Taiwan’s designation on their websites due to pressure from Beijing.

Lai said China’s tactics only make the US and other Western countries more wary. Lai also expressed gratitude to countries that speak up in support of Taiwan’s sovereignty. He said, “Taiwan is a sovereign nation. Pressure from outside will not affect us in any way. While we see China’s oppressive power, we also want to thank those countries who support us and who safeguard national sovereignty and rights.”    [FULL  STORY]

Online rumors have swirled over the management of donations offered by private citizens.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/03/20
By: TNL Staff

After the Feb. 6, 2018 earthquake, donations from around the world flowed into Hualien

County’s coffers, but the use of these funds to bail out local industry has proven controversial.

On March 16, 2018, an unverified post on Taiwanese online forum PTT declared that the donations had surpassed NT$2 billion (US$60 million), of which 43.5 percent were spent on disaster victims, 40 percent on bailing out the stoneworking and tourism industries, with the remainder spent on other projects.

One philanthropist going by the name Chen Zhi-han (陳之漢), who said he donated NT$1 million because of his own experience in the 1999 earthquake in Jiji, in Taiwan’s Nantou County, expressed his anger in a widely-viewed online video, accusing the Hualien government of misusing the funds intended for immediate disaster relief and reconstruction: “This wasn’t intended to subsidize industry; companies can always turn a profit again, but once people’s hearts are lost, they can’t be restored.”    [FULL  STORY]

Though Taiwan is seeking the F-35B fighter jet, the F-15C Eagle could be a viable Plan B

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/03/20
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Though Taiwan’s government is eagerly seeking the advanced F-

35B fighter jet to greatly modernize its defenses against China’s massive military buildup across the strait, the F-15C Eagle could be a viable alternative that would be less costly and politically risky.

Sources close to the matter told Up Media that during a discussion between the U.S. and Taiwan on ways of bolstering Taiwan’s air defense interception capabilities, the U.S. proposed the leasing of F-15C fighter jets, based on the precedent of the T-38 Talon trainer program. Because it would be a “lease” it would not count as an arms sale to Taiwan, with the length of the lease open to adjustments in terms of time and based on budget constraints. The proposal has been submitted to Ministry of Defense for evaluation, according to Up Media.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/03/20
By: Leaf Chiang, Rita Cheng and Christie Chen

Washington, March 19 (CNA) The United States on Monday reiterated its commitment to

the one-China policy in response to Beijing’s protest over the recent passing of a bill that encourages visits between government officials of the U.S. and Taiwan.

“The United States remains committed to our one-China policy based on the three joint communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act,” a U.S. Department of State spokesperson said by email to CNA, in reply to questions about the U.S.’s response to China’s opposition.

“We consider Taiwan to be a vital partner, a democratic success story, and a force for good in the world,” the spokesperson said.

“Consistent with that view and with the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States for decades has maintained robust unofficial contacts, including through reciprocal visits by high-level U.S. government and Taiwan representatives,” according to the spokesperson.
[FULL  STORY]

AMCHAM MEETING: The AIT denied there was a link between the visit by US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Alex Wong and the enactment of the Taiwan Travel Act

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 21, 2018
By: Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporter

A US Department of State official arrived in Taipei last night for a three-day visit, the first

to arrive following the enactment of the US’ Taiwan Travel Act on Friday last week.

Alex Wong (黃之瀚), deputy assistant secretary at the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, is scheduled to deliver remarks at the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Taipei’s annual Hsieh Nien Fan (謝年飯) banquet tonight, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a news release yesterday.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) will also attend the AmCham banquet and deliver a speech.

Wong is also scheduled to meet with Taiwanese official to discuss various issues connected to Taiwan-US relations, the AIT statement said.

AIT spokeswoman Sonia Urbom dismissed the idea of a link between Wong’s visit and the enactment of the Taiwan Travel Act — which encourages visits by high-level US and Taiwanese officials — saying the trip had been planned for some time.

Wong, a political appointee, took office on Dec. 11 last year. He previously served as foreign policy adviser and general counsel to US Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican.
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiuwan International
Date: 2018-03-19

Taiwan’s top government body in charge of relations with China has a new minister:

National Taiwan University National Development Professor Chen Ming-tong. The new minister took office on Monday at a ceremony on Monday. He received an official seal, marking his first day in office.

Chen is no stranger to the position. He served as MAC Minister from 2007 to 2008. Chen says that when he first took the job 11 years ago, it was a huge responsibility, as the job is crucial to the security of Taiwan’s 23 million people.

Chen pledged to work hard to map out China policies and push for them under the leadership of President Tsai Ing-wen and Premier William Lai. He says he will strive for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. That way, he says, Taiwanese people from all walks of life, and all sectors of the economy, from agriculture to industry, can have peace of mind and make a lot of money.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan’s plans to promote universal basic income must focus on a single idea.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/03/19
By: David Green

Taiwan’s unconditional basic income (UBI) movement is making progress, but still has a way to go if it is to realize its ambition of successfully promoting a national referendum.

Over the weekend, scholars, academics and advocates of UBI – the regular distribution of free money to all citizens as a form of social security – convened at National Chengchi University (NCCU) and National Taiwan University (NTU) in Taipei for the Basic Income Asia Pacific 2018 Conference (BIAP).

Speakers included Sarath Davala, the lead researcher of renowned UBI trials in India, Kuomintang politician Jason Hsu (許毓仁) and Enno Schmidt, the man behind Switzerland’s failed UBI referendum in 2016 (Schmidt prefers to focus on the 23 percent of people who voted in support of the idea.)

The event even received the blessing of Andrew Yang, the American entrepreneur and UBI proponent who is vying to become the Democratic Party’s candidate for President of the United States. “UBI Taiwan is fighting the good fight,” Wang said by remote link. “I was honored to contribute to the BIAP conference because job automation has the potential to seriously hurt Taiwanese workers – and American workers – if UBI doesn’t become a reality soon.”