Radio Taiwan International
Date: 25 December, 2020
By: Leslie Liao

KMT lawmaker Chiang Wan-an leads other potential candidates in a hypothetical race for the Taipei mayor’s office. That’s what an evaluation of potential candidates’ chances by Taiwan Brain Trust has found. 

Taiwan Brain Trust published its findings on Friday. 

The next Taipei mayoral race will not take place until 2022, but already Taiwan Brain Trust is looking into how potential candidates might fare. 

In addition to Chiang Wan-an, the analysis also looked at the chances of possible campaigns led by Health Minister Chen Shih-chung, DPP Legislator Kao Chia-yu, New Frontier Foundation Deputy CEO Enoch Wu, and former Presidential Office Spokesperson Lo Chih-chiang.      [FULL  STORY]

Reuters
Date: December 25, 20205
By: Ju-min Park

TOKYO (Reuters) – A top Japanese defence official on Friday urged U.S. President-elect Joe Biden to “be strong” in supporting Taiwan in the face of an aggressive China, calling the island’s safety a “red line.”

“We are concerned China will expand its aggressive stance into areas other than Hong Kong. I think one of the next targets, or what everyone is worried about, is Taiwan,” State Minister of Defense Yasuhide Nakayama told Reuters.

In an interview, Nakayama, Japan’s deputy defence minister, urged Biden to take a similar line on Taiwan as outgoing President Donald Trump, who has significantly boosted military sales to the Chinese-claimed island and increased engagement.

Japan’s engagement with Taiwan has also flourished in recent years on a largely non-governmental basis. Tokyo maintains a “one China” policy, delicately balancing its relationships with neighbouring giant China and its longtime military ally in Washington.
[FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/12/25
By:  Central News Agency

The president and deans of general affairs and student affairs at Chang Jung Christian University have resigned following the murder of a female Malaysian student two months ago, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Friday.

Lee Yung-lung (李泳龍), president of the Tainan university, resigned to take the blame, the MOE said, and Dean of Student Affairs Tu Chia-ling (杜嘉玲) and Dean of General Affairs Yen Yi-wen (顏義文) followed suit.

The moves came after the ministry requested that the university review its campus security measures and those aimed at protecting the safety of students and teachers, and discipline those found responsible for the school's negligence that led to the death of the 24-year-old Malaysian student in late October, according to the MOE.

A Taiwanese man, surnamed Liang (梁), is suspected of abducting the student, surnamed Chung (鍾), at a location close to the university's campus in Tainan's Gueiren District on Oct. 28, before strangling her with a rope.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date" 12/26/2020
By Yu Hsiao-han and Lee Hsin-Yin

Taipei, Dec. 26 (CNA) There are chances of snow on Dec. 30, in mountains higher than 1,000 meters in northern Taiwan, thanks to abundant moisture and a cold surge, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said Saturday.

The cold and wet air will send temperatures to 8-11 degrees Celsius in northern Taiwan, while mountainous and coastal areas there will see lows between 5-8 degrees, the bureau said.

Wu Der-rong (吳德榮), an adjunct associate professor of atmospheric sciences at National Central University, said snow fans could try Datun and Qixing mountains in Taipei from the evening of Dec. 30, but cautioned that the amount is expected to be small.

Besides the north, there are also chances of snow in Taiping Mountain in eastern Taiwan's Yilan County between late Dec. 30 and early Dec. 31, Wu said.    [FULL  STORY]

SERIOUS CRIMES: Ciaotou District Chief Prosecutor Wang Po-tun said that Liang Yu-chih was indicted on several charges, including sexual assault and homicide

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 26, 2020
By: Tsai Ching-hua and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNA

Kaohsiung prosecutors yesterday sought the death penalty for a suspect accused of abducting and killing a Malaysian university student earlier this year.

At a news conference yesterday, Ciaotou District Chief Prosecutor Wang Po-tun (王柏敦) said that the office had indicted Liang Yu-chih (梁育誌) on several charges, including sexual assault and homicide.

Liang is accused of abducting a 24-year-old Malaysian student, surnamed Chung (鍾), as she was walking back to her dormitory at Tainan’s Chang Jung Christian University on Oct. 28.

According to the indictment, Liang is suspected of strangling Chung with a rope and sexually assaulting her before placing her in the back seat of his car.    FULL  STORY]1

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 24 December, 2020
By: Paula Chao

The foreign ministry says it will continue monitoring developments in the US, where US President Donald Trump has vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021.

In his statement on Wednesday, President Trump called the US$740.5 billion defense policy bill “a gift to Russia and China.” Trump also said the bill failed “to include critical national security measures” and “includes provisions that fail to respect our veterans and our military’s history.”

The House of Representatives is set to vote on the act again next Monday, and the Senate will convene to discuss the matter Tuesday.

The National Defense Authorization Act includes several Taiwan-related items, such as the Taiwan Relations Act, which allows the US to continue providing Taiwan with defensive weapons. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou says that the act clearly signals the US Congress’s bipartisan support for Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]

One Mile At A Time
Date: Dcember 24, 2020 
By: BEN 18

CHINA AIRLINES, EVA AIR

Taipei Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan might become the first airport in Asia-Pacific to get a US Pre-Clearance facility.

Taipei Taoyuan may get US Pre-Clearance facility

It’s being reported that Taiwan has applied to offer a US Pre-Clearance facility, offering US immigration screening before passengers board US-bound flights.

US Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf revealed this during a virtual event earlier this week, stating that the US is looking at Taiwan’s application. If approved, Taipei Taoyuan Airport would be the first in the region to have such a facility.

The request for such a facility was first filed back in September, though as you’d expect everything is moving a bit slower right now due to coronavirus.

For context, Taipei Taoyuan has nonstop flights to the US on China Airlines, EVA Air, and United Airlines, and as of 2022 we can also expect nonstop flights on Starlux Airlines.
[FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News has created a list of restaurants and hotels in Taipei where Christmas dinners are available in 2020

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/12/24
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — For those who long to enjoy a Christmas dinner this year in Taipei, Taiwan News has created a list of restaurants, bars, and hotels that offer either dine-in opportunities or turkey hampers for carryout in 2020.

Many places require reservations in advance, so one should move quickly before all the spots are gobbled up as Christmas Day nears.

Prices for such meals vary greatly from one establishment to another. In the list of venues below, the approximate cost for a Christmas dinner will be indicated by the number of dollar signs in parenthesis: ($) NT$490-$799; ($$) NT$800-$999; ($$$) NT$1,000-$2,000; ($$$$) NT$2,001+    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 12/24/2020
By Lin Yu-hsuan, Wang Yu-yang,
Wang Cheng-chung, Yeh Su-ping and Joseph Yeh

Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) Taiwan's three opposition parties on Thursday expressed regret over the approval a slew of administrative directives made by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-controlled legislature earlier in the day, backing the government's decision to allow imports of pork containing the controversial feed additive ractopamine.

The main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and two smaller parties — New Power Party (NPP) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) — reiterated their opposition to the new policy, which is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1 and is widely viewed as an effort to satisfy United States prerequisites for a bilateral trade deal.

In a press event, KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) apologized over the party's inability to prevent the DPP from forcing through the nine directives with its 61 seat majority in the 113-seat Legislature.

"The forced passage of these directives shows the DPP's blatant disregard for the opinion of the majority of Taiwanese who oppose the new policy," Chiang said.    [FULL  STORY]

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT? The KMT’s Cheng Li-wun said that DPP lawmakers had castrated themselves by opposing the public will and that they were a rubber-stamp team

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 25, 2020
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter

Nine administrative directives to lift restrictions on imports of pork products containing ractopamine residue, as well as US beef from cattle 30 months or older, were approved yesterday, with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) prevailing, given its majority in the legislature.

The results pave the way for Taiwan to allow imports and sales of such US pork and beef products from Friday next week.

DPP lawmakers, who hold 61 of the 113 seats in the Legislative Yuan, voted to pass the nine directives, which included regulations on ractopamine residue levels; labeling of the origin of pork products; quarantine and examination procedures for imported beef; and rules for imports of US and Canadian beef.

Opposition lawmakers from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) voted against the directives.    [FULL  STORY]