Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/07/2020
By: Flor Wang and Matt Yu

Taipei, Aug. 7 (CNA) Taiwan security analysts on Friday played down the importance of a military exercise to be staged by China in the East China Sea, and ruled out a link between the drills and an upcoming visit by a U.S. official to Taiwan.

Taiwanese media have speculated that the military exercise might be a protest against a visit to Taiwan by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Alex Azar in the coming days.

Azar will be the highest ranking U.S. cabinet official to visit Taiwan in four decades. Beijing sees the visit as Washington disregarding its One China Policy, under which it defines Taiwan and the mainland as a part of one China, and violating the agreements between the two sides.

On Thursday, China's Maritime Safety Administration posted a notice on its website about a three-day, live-fire exercise between 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. from Aug. 11-13 in waters off the Zhoushan Archipelago. Commercial ships are not allowed to pass through the designated area during this period of time.    [FULL  STORY]

BOLSTERING DEFENSES: The deal would need the approval of the US Congress, which might receive formal notification as early as next month, two sources said

Taipei Times
Date:  Aug 08, 2020
By: Reuters, WASHINGTON

The US is negotiating the sale of at least four sophisticated aerial drones to Taiwan for the first time, aircraft that can keep watch over huge swathes of sea and land, six US sources familiar with the negotiations said.

The SeaGuardian surveillance drones have a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,100km), far greater than the 300km range of Taiwan’s fleet of drones, potentially giving the nation greater capacity to peer into China, observing its air force, missiles and other facilities.

While the US Department of State tacitly authorized the sale of the uncrewed aerial vehicles, two of the people said, it is not known whether the US officials have approved exporting the drones with weapons attached, one of them said.

The deal must be approved by the US Congress, which might receive formal notification as soon as next month, two of the people said. Lawmakers could block a final agreement.
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 06 August, 2020
By: Paula Chao

[Happy Father’s Day!][/caption] It’s not easy shopping for dads — they already have plenty of ties and wallets! Today, in honor of Taiwan’s Father’s Day (August 8), we turn to one of Taiwan’s most famous and admired dads, the chairman of Dale-Carnegie Taiwan, John Hei, for suggestions.  

The Washington Times
Date: August 6, 2020
By: Lauren Meier – – Thursday,

U.S. officials are reportedly negotiating the sale of at least four large sophisticated aerial drones to Taiwan in a historic purchase that is all but set to add to heightened tensions with China, which claims Taiwan as its territory.

The purchase includes SeaGuardian surveillance drones that can travel 6,000 nautical miles, Reuters reported, citing six sources familiar with the deal. Taiwan’s current drones max out at a 160-mile range.    [FULL  STORY]

Washington Times' Bill Gertz says China threat much greater than Russia during Cold War

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/08/06
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As Washington and Beijing ties continue to plummet, American national security journalist Bill Gertz said Wednesday (Aug. 5) it's time for the U.S. to change its "one China policy," Liberty Times reported.

According to the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), Taiwan's de facto U.S. embassy, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar will soon be leading a delegation to visit Taiwan. It marks the highest-level visit by a U.S. official since 1979 when the two countries severed ties.

Azar made two comments about Taiwan and his mission to the country on Twitter on Wednesday, one of which read, “Will visit #Taiwan in the coming days to convey @POTUS’s support for their global health leadership and to underscore our shared belief that free and democratic societies are the best model for protecting and promoting health.”   [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/06/2020
By Chen Chih-chung, Fan Cheng-hsiang and Chiang Yi-ching

Taipei, Aug. 6 (CNA) Students at National Taiwan University (NTU) on Thursday held a press conference to criticize what they say was "discrimination" against student journalists by university authorities who denied them access to public meetings.

Among their accusations is that the school has gone back on its promise to treat student media on an equal level as regular news media, and has targeted student journalists who questioned the remarks of high-level university officials.

Their grievances date back to March, when at a university affairs meeting, representatives voted to ban the livestreaming of the event and to forbid reporters from participating, according to NTU's student association, which organized Thursday's press conference.

The university affairs meeting, which is held at least twice every semester, is where high-level NTU officials, staff and student representatives vote on school initiatives.    [FULL  STORY]

‘CROSS-STRAIT CONSIDERATIONS’: Groups said that the Ministry of Education’s policies excluded Chinese and students should not be blocked over political issues

Taipei Times
Date:  Aug 07, 2020
By: Staff writer, with CNA

The Taiwan International Student Movement yesterday said it would protest today outside the Ministry of Education in Taipei against a policy that excludes some Chinese students from returning to Taiwan amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since June 17, the ministry has allowed foreign students from 19 “low risk” and “medium-low risk” countries and regions to enter Taiwan.

On July 22, it announced that it was relaxing restrictions to include students from all countries and regions who are graduating this semester and on Wednesday it further expanded entry to students enrolled in degree programs.

A letter sent by the ministry on Wednesday to universities did not exclude students from China.
[FULL  STORY]

ALEX AZAR: The first visit by a head of the Department of Health and Human Services would strictly observe the CECC’s special regulations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 06, 2020
By: Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter

US Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar is to lead a delegation to Taiwan — the highest-level visit by a US Cabinet official since the two sides cut formal relations in 1979.

The plan was announced yesterday morning by the US Department of Health and Human Services and confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Beijing has expressed its concerns to Washington, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin (汪文斌) said later yesterday.

Taiwan and the US only issued statements saying that the visit would happen “in the coming days.”    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 05 August, 2020
By: Katherine Wei

Taiwan's Special Forces kicks off a summer camp for young adults interested in training like the troops.[/caption] Because of the strict gun control laws in Taiwan, most people grow up without ever touching or even seeing a gun. That’s unless, of course, you’re a member of Taiwan’s armed forces—or just taking part in a boot camp experience like one that’s just begun.

Taiwan’s armed forces has opened a summer camp for young adults interested in getting a taste of military training. 100 of the 700 who signed up were selected to take part and learn how the special forces train. 

Most participants are high school students getting ready to attend university. The kids are eager to learn how to use guns, take part in battle drills, and rappel from the ceiling. 

The training isn’t entirely as strict as the real thing: at one point, the camp had trainers rappel from the ceiling with cakes for this month’s birthday girls. The girls say they were very excited to have their birthday celebrations kick off at the military camp. 

But that’s not to say the training isn’t serious. Among the skills the camp teaches are wilderness survival skills, such as collecting water and drilling wood to start a fire.

South China Morning Post 
Date: Aug 5, 2020
By: Lawrence Chung

The Pratas Islands, known as the Dongsha Islands in Chinese, seen here in July 2008, are small islands under Taiwan (ROC) control and administration since the end of World War II. 

• A Taiwanese military source said a 200-strong force has been sent to the Pratas Islands following reports the Chinese military was planning a large-scale simulated invasion.
   
• Mainland China has been steadily boosting its presence in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, where a number of other countries have claims.
   
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Taiwan's military has sent a marine company to reinforce the garrison on a small outpost in the South China Sea amid reports that the People's Liberation Army was planning a simulated attack on the islets.

A military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the navy had sent a company of around 200 marines to reinforce the coastguards stationed on the Pratas Islands, which are known as the Dongsha Islands in Chinese.

"The marines left for the Pratas about a week ago and will remain there on a short-term rather than a long-term basis," the source said, adding the posting was in line with the military's off-site training operations.

In May, Japan's Kyodo News reported that the PLA was planning to conduct a large-scale training exercise on Hainan island this month, which would include a simulated takeover of the Taiwanese-controlled islets.    [FULL  STORY]