WARPED REPORT?DPP Legislator Lo Chih-cheng said that Taiwan has prepared to counter PLA tactics, adding that Lin Chong-pin may have been quoted out of context

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

Former deputy minister of national defense Lin Chong-pin (林中斌) said that the

Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could conquer Taiwan by force within three days, but added that a peaceful unification between Taiwan and China is likely.

In an interview with the Global Times Chinese daily published yesterday, Lin said that Taiwan’s armed forces could only resist China’s “acupuncture tactics” for 48 to 72 hours, as the PLA could paralyze Taiwan’s command system using electromagnetic weapons and digital attacks.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) said it was likely that Lin was quoted out of context, considering the Global Times’ hawkish stance.

“China already has the ability [to carry out acupuncture warfare], which would be quite difficult for Taiwan to withstand,” Lin told the Chinese newspaper. “Taiwan has admitted that it can only defend itself for] between 48 hours and 72 hours.”   [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: January 16, 2017

Film director Tsai Ming-liang and ink painters Liu Kuo-sung and Cheng Shan-hsi are

winners of the 36th National Cultural Award, the Ministry of Culture announced Jan. 14.

Each of the winners will be presented with a certificate, medallion and NT$1 million (US$31,580) in prize money at a ceremony scheduled for March 30 in Taipei City. “All three have made remarkable contributions to their respective fields, greatly enhancing Taiwan’s cultural depth,” Minister of Culture Cheng Li-chiun said.

An internationally renowned director, Malaysia-born Tsai studied film and drama at Taipei’s Chinese Culture University, graduating in 1982. Since the release of his first movie “Rebels of the Neon God” in 1992, his works have become a fixture of major film festivals around the world.

Tsai has won numerous prominent awards for his feature-length films, which often reflect on the isolation of urban life. These honors include a Golden Lion (Best Picture) for “Vive L’Amour” at the Venice Film Festival in 1994, Silver Bear Special Jury Prize for “The River” at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1997, and Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Achievement for “The Wayward Cloud” at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2005.    [FULL  STORY]

Fierce female cop’s facial expression and wicked weapon draws admiration from netizens

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/01/16
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taipei (Taiwan News) Two police officers posing as a couple successfully arrested a 46-

year-old man surnamed Liu, who was wanted for allegedly committing six crimes and had gone into hiding in a Chiayi mountain camping area.

Chiayi County police told CNA that Liu, who was wanted by the Chiayi District Prosecutor’s office for six crimes, was arrested on suspicion of infringement of freedom, theft, embezzlement, fraud (2 counts), and violation of forestry law.

Police said Liu has refused to respond to questioning over the six cases which they have linked to him. He had gone into hiding in a camping area in Jhuci Township, where he wore camouflage to conceal himself from police search patrols.

After being repeatedly outsmarted by Liu, Jhuci Township police station deputy director Kuo Shao-chi came up with the idea of having a new female officer, Su Chien-yu, and a young male officer with only two years on the force, Chen Chenghao, to pose as a couple and try and catch him off guard.   [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/01/16
By: Tai Ya-chen and S.C. Chang

Taipei, Jan. 16 (CNA) Former Premier Yu Shyi-kun (游錫堃) left Taiwan Monday at the head of a

Taiwanese delegation to attend the inauguration ceremony of United States President-elect Donal Trump scheduled for Friday in Washington, D.C.

Yu is a senior Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member who served as premier and secretary-general of the Presidential Office under the DPP administration of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who served two terms from 2000 to 2008.

Delegation members include Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), Chiayi County Magistrate Chang Kua-kwan (張花冠) and Tung Chen-yuan (童振源), an advisor to the National Security Council. Yu’s wife, Yang Bao-yu (楊寶玉), is also on the delegation.

Other members of the Taiwanese delegation include lawmakers Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party; Ko Chih-en (柯志恩), Lu Yu-ling (呂玉玲) and Lin Wei-chou (林為洲) of main opposition Kuomintang; Freddy Lim (林昶佐) of the New Power Party and Chen Yi-chieh (陳怡潔) of the People First Party.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 17, 2017
By: Staff writer, with CNA

 

The government plans to establish a national human rights institution to meet with the international Paris

Principles standards, Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said yesterday.

The institution would promote and protect human rights and aim to prevent major violations, Chen said at the opening ceremony of the meeting for the review of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights report.

On Dec. 10, 2009, Taiwan adopted two international human rights treaties, which were the basis for establishing a human rights reporting system, and in April 2012, presented its first national human rights report.

Taiwan invited independent human rights bodies from the international community to visit Taipei in 2013 to review the report.

The review of Taiwan’s second national report in Taipei began yesterday and concludes on Friday. It is being broadcast live.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: January 17, 2017
By: Stephanie Chao

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Fair Winds Foundation (長風基金會) launched Monday with former Premier Jiang Yi-

huah at the helm and a mission to converge “positive forces” and connect Taiwanese youth to the global community.

During a launch ceremony for the foundation, Jiang said the organization was created in hopes of reducing the domestic strife that had engulfed Taiwan’s society.

The foundation also hopes to help Taiwan find a path for a better future and to help propel Taiwanese youth into international society, Jiang said.

He emphasized that the foundation itself was not a platform to boost his own popularity.

“It is not a personal stage, and it is not a foundation built up by Jiang Yi-huah,” Jiang said.

“It is a platform, where some people with similar insights gather and invoke participation from likeminded individuals.    [FULL  STORY]

The News Lens
Date: 2017/01/15
By: Matthew Fulco

Taiwan’s steakhouse market has moved upmarket with the arrival of some new restaurants.

High-end Western food has long struggled to gain a footing in Taipei. Celebrity chefs known for fusion

cuisine, like Singapore’s Justin Quek, have come and gone. Yet one type of pricey Western restaurant has been successful here: the American steakhouse and other establishments specializing in beef. Indeed, Taipei has more than 20 such restaurants, some long established. Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse opened in 1993, Lawry’s The Prime Rib Taipei in 2002, and the Ambassador Hotel’s A Cut Steakhouse about a decade ago.

“There’s a perception in Taiwan that steak or prime rib is equivalent to fine dining,” says Alex Lin, restaurant manager at Lawry’s.

With the arrival of California-based Alexander’s in 2015 and Chicago-based Morton’s in 2016, Taipei’s steakhouse scene has now moved further upmarket. A three-course dinner at either (without alcohol) can easily surpass NT$4,000 (US$120) if a diner selects one of the more premium cuts of beef. In June, Alexander’s invited Michelin chef Claude Le Tohic to co-present an eight-course tasting menu priced at NT$7,000 (US$220) per person.    [FULL  STORY]

Temperatures on the North Peak slipped to as low as minus 3.8 degrees Celsius in the early morning hours.

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/01/15
By: Wendy Lee, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Freezing mist has gripped Taiwan’s highest mountain, Yushan, prompting warnings from authorities to watch out for the slippery mountain roads and dangerous driving conditions.

Temperatures on the mountain’s North Peak slipped to as low as minus 3.8 degrees Celsius in the early morning hours Sunday, said the Yushan National Park Administration Office.

While there was not enough moisture in the air to snow, freezing mist was seen spreading across the mountain from the kilometer-long trail from Paiyun Lodge all the way to the mountain’s Main Peak.

Paiyun Lodge is located 3,402 meters above sea level on the trail to the Main Peak of Yushan, or Jade Mountain, the highest peak in Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/01/15
By: Yang Ming-chu and Ko Lin

Tokyo, Jan. 15 (CNA) Six Taiwanese men have been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle illicit drugs

into Okinawa, a Kyodo News report said Sunday.

According to customs officials cited by Kyodo News, four kilograms of amphetamines were found strapped to the torsos of five Taiwanese men at Naha Port on December 20 after they disembarked from a cruise ship that departed from Taiwan.

Police said another person from Taiwan was recently arrested after he was caught attempting to smuggle 2.6 kilograms of drugs through customs control at Naha Port.

A total of 6.6 kilograms of amphetamines worth 4-billion yen (NT$110 million) have since been confiscated over a possible organized smuggling operation, police said.    [FULL  STORY]