Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/06/08
By: Miao Chung-han and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, June 8 (CNA) Over 70 percent of Taiwanese reject China’s insistence that “the two sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China” as a political prerequisite for the development of cross-strait relations, according to a poll released on Thursday by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC).

The poll found that 73.4 percent of respondents do not recognize China’s adherence to the “one-China” principle as a political precondition and consider it an effort to treat Taiwan as a local government.

Meanwhile, 83.9 percent thought China’s ongoing efforts to limit Taiwan’s international space have undermined Taiwan’s rights and interests and 80.5 percent said that China should recognize the existence of the Republic of China, the official denomination of Taiwan, according to the poll.    [FULL  STORY]

AMCHAM REPORT:The ‘Taiwan White Paper’ said genetically modified fresh produce should be allowed in school meals and urged further reform of the financial sector

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 09, 2017
By: Ted Chen / Staff reporter

The American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei (AmCham) yesterday released its

American Chamber of Commerce chairman Albert Chang speaks during a presentation on the organization’s Taiwan White Paper at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

Taiwan White Paper, characterizing President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration’s policy initiatives over the past year as a “mixed bag” of successes and disappointments.

The AmCham commended the government for improving regulatory coherence by adopting a 60-day notice and comment period, and for taking steps to promote innovative industries.

However, AmCham Taipei chairman Albert Chang (章錦華) said that the new “one fixed day off, one flexible rest day” policy is a step backward in Taiwan’s aim to transform its industries, as the scheme is better suited to manage “old economy” factory workers and moves away from ongoing efforts — such as the “five plus two” innovative industries plan for an “Asian Silicon Valley,” “intelligent” machinery, “green” energy technology, biomedicine and national defense, as well as a new agricultural business model and a circular economy — to promote services and knowledge-based industries.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: June 8, 2017
By: The China Post

Washington, CNA — China’s decades of military modernization has eroded many of

(CNA)

Taiwan’s historical advantages in deterring People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aggression, the U.S. Department of Defense said in an annual report to Congress on military and security developments involving China.

Those historical advantages include the Taiwan military’s technological superiority, the geographic advantages of island defense, and the PLA’s inability to project sufficient power across the Taiwan Strait, according to the report that was released Tuesday.

“Although Taiwan is taking important steps to build its war reserve stocks, grow its defense-industrial base, improve joint operations and crisis response capabilities, and strengthen its officer and non-commissioned officer corps, these improvements only partially address Taiwan’s declining defensive advantages,” the report said.
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-06-07

President Tsai Ing-wen said that she hopes the Donald Trump administration will

President Tsai Ing-wen (right) meets Wednesday with Admiral Samuel Locklear (left), part of a visiting delegation from US think tank The National Bureau of Asian Research. (CNA)

stick to the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances in aiding Taiwan’s defense. She was speaking with a visiting delegation from the US think tank The National Bureau of Asian Research on Wednesday.

The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) forms the basis of Taiwan’s relationship with the United States in the absence of diplomatic ties. Notably, the TRA requires the US to supply Taiwan with “arms of a defensive character”. It also says the US must maintain the capacity to “resist any resort to force” that would jeopardize Taiwan.

The Six Assurances are pledges that US President Ronald Reagan made in 1982. Under those assurances, the US State Department says that the United States does not “formally recognize the People’s Republic of China’s sovereignty over Taiwan.”
[FULL  STORY]

Only relatives of 15 out of 123 residents can continue legal action

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/06/07
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled against state

Xiaolin in 2009 after the passage of Typhoon Morakot. (By Central News Agency)

compensation demands by 123 residents of the village of Xiaolin (小林) in Kaohsiung City over the destruction of their homes by Typhoon Morakot (莫拉克) in 2009.

The storm, which is also known as the August 8 flooding disaster (八八水災), caused widespread destruction in mountainous areas in Southern Taiwan, most precisely in inland parts of Greater Kaohsiung.

While the Supreme Court verdict in effect ends the case, the demands for compensation from the families of 15 residents said to have died because the village head refused to evacuate can still be heard, with the Kaohsiung City Government forced to provide evidence, reports said.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/06/07
By: Rita Cheng and Christie Chen

Washington, June 7 (CNA) China’s decades of military modernization has eroded

(CNA file photo)

many of Taiwan’s historical advantages in deterring People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aggression, the U.S. Department of Defense said in an annual report to Congress on military and security developments involving China.

Those historical advantages include the Taiwan military’s technological superiority, the geographic advantages of island defense, and the PLA’s inability to project sufficient power across the Taiwan Strait, according to the report that was released Tuesday.

“Although Taiwan is taking important steps to build its war reserve stocks, grow its defense-industrial base, improve joint operations and crisis response capabilities, and strengthen its officer and non-commissioned officer corps, these improvements only partially address Taiwan’s declining defensive advantages,” the report said.
[FULL  STORY]

ON HIGH SEASOcean acidity levels and garbage in the sea are not included in EPA surveys, an academic said, adding government organizations need to communicate

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 08, 2017
By: Yang Chun-hui and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday urged the government to

A fishing boat operates near Kaohsiung yesterday. Photo: Huang Hsu-lei, Taipei Times

submit plans to create a ministry for maritime affairs within one year.

Additionally, a basic law governing maritime affairs should be passed by late next year, lawmakers Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆), Chen Man-li (陳曼麗) and Kolas Yotaka told a news conference at the legislature.

The measures are to help integrate maritime policy across sustainable development, research and sea tourism, they said.

Directorate-General of Personnel Management official Yang Hsiu-chen (楊秀珍) said the government is to complete a draft bill for review at the next session of the Legislative Yuan.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: June 7, 2017
By: The China Post

An explosion at a food-processing plant in New Taipei Wednesday morning injured at

(CNA)

least 12 people, some with extensive cuts and burns.

While investigations are ongoing, authorities believe the blast was centered on the first and second floors of the center, which specializes in traditional postpartum food.

Reports indicate that the explosion occurred while employees were preparing meals for delivery. It sent panicked employees rushing out of the building, while smoke continued to rise from the seven-story structure’s second and third floors.

The most severely injured victims included a man in his 50s who suffered second-degree burns to over a quarter of his body and a woman in her 30s who had lacerations to her forehead. Both were sent to Far Eastern Hospital for treatment.
[FULL  STORY]

The battle against intolerance in Taiwan looks set to continue.

The News Lens
Date: 2017/06/06
By: Kuan Chen

A prominent anti-gay rights group in Taiwan has been criticized after it demanded a

Photo Credit: Ludovic Bertron@ CC BY-SA 2.0

high school stop prominently displaying a large “rainbow” banner.

Students at a high school in Taipei last week raised the banner, the international symbol of LGBT rights, ahead of a graduation ceremony held on June 3.

According to a local media report, in the days before the ceremony, members of the Defend Family Student League (捍衛家庭學生聯盟), a group linked to conservative religious organizations, contacted the high school urging it to remove the flag.

The banner was taken down earlier this week. Students have complained it was removed earlier than planned because of the pressure put on the school by the league. The school reportedly discussed the issue with students on Monday and resolved to take down the flag.    [FULL  STORY]

Police unleash hail of gunfire in New Taipei’s Sanchong District after driver refuses to stop

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/06/06
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — When police in New Taipei’s Sanchong District were attempting to have a car pull over to check if it had been stolen, the driver, surnamed Liu (劉) refused to stop and instead sped away, leading police on a high speed chase that ended with guns blazing, Liberty Times reported.

The white Mitsubishi Colt Plus was first spotted near Shuhong East Road and Zhuweizi Street, but then quickly fled to the intersection of Chenggong Road and Huanhenan, where the little hatchback lost control and smashed into a taxi on the side of the road. It was not until the police had fired 13 warning shots and a large, blue truck blocked its path that the vehicle finally came to a halt and the driver complied with officers’ commands.    [FULL  STORY]