The China Post
Date: October 18, 2017
By Ku Chuan and Ko Lin

TAIPEI (CNA) – The number of tourists from countries covered under the government’s

New Southbound Policy who visited Taiwan between January and August registered a 36.04 percent growth from the same period of last year, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) report released Tuesday.

During the period, Taiwan saw nearly 1.4 million tourist arrivals from the 18 countries covered by the policy, among which, Vietnam emerged as the largest source of visitors with a whopping 113 percent increase from the same period of last year, the report said.

The number of visitors from Thailand and the Philippines also posted more-than 70 percent growth, thanks to a more convenient visa policy introduced by the government for tourists from Southeast Asia, it added.

Meanwhile, trade between Taiwan and countries covered by the policy reached US$82.298 billion between January and September, a 19.03 percent growth from the same period of last year.
[FULL  STORY]

Taiwan’s ambitions to be a cycling paradise are blighted by industrial eyesores and local governments that turn a blind eye to polluters flaunting regulatory loopholes.

The News Lens
Date: 2017/10/17
By: Andrew Kerslake

With the annual bicycle festival right around the corner, the Tourism Bureau is again hard at work pumping Taiwan’s place in the bicycling universe with lofty powder-puff pay for play articles that seek to lure potential cycling tourists to our shores in search of a life of exotic adventure in the timeless swirling mists of the Far-East.

By the beginning of October the official Tourism Bureau budget is ripe enough to fete cycling writers and bloggers on managed tours of Taiwan’s hand picked cycling monuments, which all seem to rest amid the swelling bosom of tourism furniture — hotels, hot springs, knick knacks, food…etc…or they serve to validate government expenditures on infrastructure like meandering bike paths or bike-share programs that mainly cater to students. The copy retains a familiar form along the official Tourism Bureau talking points listed for each writer to earn airfare and a travel stipend. We see glowing reviews of “the Bicycle Paradise” or the cute moniker “the Cycling Kingdom” with its knowing wink to King Liu, the figurehead of Giant Manufacturing Co, Ltd. the maker of several branded bicycles and components.

Take these examples:

“Premier Mao stated that he envisions Taiwan becoming a “cycling paradise,” and relevant strategies are necessary to achieve this vision”. –Executive Yuan (2015)

 

“Combined with the country’s natural splendor with advance infrastructure i.e. good roads, Taiwan makes an ideal destination for cycling. Due to its vast infrastructure budget spent by the government for the maintenance of its roads, Taiwan altogether has over 3,000 kilometers of road network making it a paradise for cycling enthusiasts to venture within.” –Arabian Gazette

 

“Over the last two decades, Taiwan has transformed into a cyclist’s paradise, opening thousands of kilometers of interwoven bikeways through some of the island’s most beautiful landscapes. The extensive new network of routes has earned the country many accolades, including a spot on Lonely Planet’s 2012 Best Countries to Visit list and CNN Travel’s top “Cycling Routes That’ll Take Your Breath Away,” and for good reason. By bike, visitors can cruise past hillsides painted with colorful flower farms, marvel at the geology of Taroko Gorge’s marble walls, follow old rail lines through retired mining tunnels, cross thrill-inducing suspension bridges and sample sweet pineapple cakes from local farm stands.”–Smithsonian

[FULL  STORY]

A drunk college student who was lying on the sidewalk was run over by a truck and later succumbed to his injuries

Taiwan News 
Date: 2017/10/17
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As a 19-year-old male college student was lying on the

sidewalk in New Taipei’s Taishan District, he was suddenly run over by a semi-trailer truck and later succumbed to his injuries, reported UDN.

The Lee-Ming Institute of Technology student, surnamed Huang (黃), had collapsed on the sidewalk after a long night of drinking at 11 p.m. last night (Oct. 16). Meanwhile, as a parked semi truck revved up and started to leave, the 58-year-old driver, surnamed Wu (吳), noticed that he had run over something with his right front tire, which was in fact Huang’s abdomen.

A bit shocked but figuring it was a “rock” Wu backed the truck up again to get free of the object, thus crushing Huang’s body a second time. A student, surnamed Chiang (江), who was standing nearby, did not notice Huang and told the driver “it shouldn’t be anything.”

Wu then got out of the truck to investigate and saw Huang sprawled in front of his vehicle. He asked Huang “are you OK? Is their anything wrong?” but no matter how loud Wu shouted, Huang did not respond. To add to the confusion, Chiao told the driver “He’s drunk, it’s nothing.”    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/10/17
By: Shih Hsiu-chuan

Taipei, Oct. 17 (CNA) Taiwanese activists on Tuesday joined a global campaign initiated by the International Tibet Network that calls for condemnation of Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) over what the network said was China’s continued repression of Tibet during the past five years under his leadership.

Xi will begin his second five-year term as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) when it convenes its 19th Party Congress in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 18.

As Xi looks set to further consolidate his power, the International Tibet Network has launched a series of global campaigns titled “Xi Fails Tibet,” with the aim of bringing worldwide attention to what the network describes as a deteriorating situation in Tibet since 2012.

It said that in Tibet, dissent has been stifled, political prisoners are being tortured, and people are persecuted for their religious beliefs.    [FULL  STORY]

‘CUT ITS WRISTS’:A New Power Party lawmaker asked the premier if Ching Fu won the contract after signing an investment deal with a Chinese local government

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 18, 2017
By: Chen Wei-han  /  Staff reporter

The Cabinet would dissolve a multibillion-dollar contract to build minesweeper ships

with financially troubled Ching Fu Shipbuilding Co (慶富造船) if necessary, Premier William Lai (賴清德) told lawmakers yesterday.

Ching Fu, one of the nation’s largest private shipbuilders, won a NT$35.85 billion (US$1.19 billion at the current exchange rate) contract with the Ministry of National Defense in October 2014 to build six minesweepers as part of the nation’s indigenous shipbuilding and upgrade program, but it is suspected of using the money to invest in projects in China and of defrauding banks.

Prosecutors in August questioned company executives about NT$3 billion in loans that are suspected of having been obtained under false pretenses.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: October 17, 2017
By: Liu Lee-jung and Evelyn Kao

TAIPEI (CNA) – A Taiwanese official expressed the hope on Tuesday that the United

States will not use Taiwan as a bargaining chip or sacrifice ties with Taipei to strengthen relations with Beijing when U.S. President Donald Trump visits China in November.

Trump will make his first trip to China next month and will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for the third time.

Taiwan has always paid close attention to high-level U.S.-China talks and has already begun discussing Trump’s visit to Asia with the U.S. side, said Chen Li-kuo (陳立國), the head of the Department of North American Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In terms of Washington’s Asia strategy, Taiwan is trying to get a better understand Trump’s regional security policy, such as its policy toward North Korea, according to Chen.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-10-16

Foreign Minister David Lee says that because of time constraints, President Tsai Ing-

wen will only be able to visit three of Taiwan’s six Pacific allies in late October.

The president is scheduled to visit Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands and the Soloman Islands. The trip, which will begin on October 28, aims to deepen Taiwan’s links with the three allies. The president will return to Taiwan on November 4.

Taiwan has held diplomatic ties with Tuvalu and the Soloman Islands for more than 30 years, and with the Marshall Island for nearly 20 years.

Lee said Taiwan has stable diplomatic ties with those three countries, as well as with Kiribati, Palau and Nauru.    [SOURCE]

The consecutive heavy downpour for northern Taiwan over the weekend brought over millions of tons of rainwater to Feitsui Reservoir, ensuring a continuous supply of water to the greater Taipei area through February 2018

Taiwan News 
Date: 2017/10/16
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)–The combination of strong winds from nearby Typhoon Khanun

and northeast winds resulted in consecutive heavy downpour for northern Taiwan over the weekend, bringing over millions of tons of rainwater to Feitsui Reservoir that ensures a continuous supply of water to the greater Taipei area through February 2018, according to a news release issued by the Feitsui Reservoir Administration (FRA) on Sunday.

According to the FRA, the reservoir now has roughly 319 million tons of water, which reaches 95.12 percent of its effective storage capacity.

Between October 10 and 6 p.m. on October 15, the reservoir reported receiving 538 millimeters of accumulated rainfall in the catchment area, the FRA said.

As of 6 p.m. on October 15, the water level of the reservoir reached 168.27 meters, the FRA said, adding that compared to the same period in previous years, the water level is roughly 7.5 meters higher than the average level of 160.77 meters.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/10/16
By: Wu Hsin-yun and Flor Wang 

Taipei, Oct. 16 (CNA) A raft of air pollution fees is being drafted and is expected to take effect in next spring, in an effort to better protect Taiwan’s environment and its people’s health, an Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) official said Monday.

Drafting of the rules is expected to be finalized by the end of this year and is scheduled to be put in place in April at the earliest, said Tsai Hung-teh (蔡鴻德), director-general of the EPA’s Department of Air Quality Protection and Noise Control.

By that time, around 8,000 factories that regularly emit PM2.5 particles will be required to pay air pollution fees, which are estimated to generate NT$1.2 billion (US$39.8 million) that will be used for air pollution control, according to Tsai.
[FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 17, 2017
By: Jonathan Chin  /  Staff writer, with CNA

The government should maintain conscription, pro-independence groups said

yesterday, adding that the all-volunteer force scheduled to be implemented next year will not keep the nation safe.

World United Formosans for Independence (WUFI) and the Taiwan Radical Wings Party (TRWP) jointly held a press event, titled “Observations on the Taiwan Crisis.”

Taiwan is in a crisis because its government and public are too complacent to be conscious of the Chinese military threat, WUFI chairman Chen Nan-tien (陳南天) said.

An all-volunteer military is not a viable policy in light of the nation’s conflicted identity, but politicians are too fearful of losing votes to tackle the nation’s need for the military draft, Chen said.    [FULL  STORY]