Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/29
By: Ku Chuan and Lilian Wu

Taipei, Jan. 29 (CNA) Taiwan is the top choice for Japanese students

Japanese students in Taipei (CNA file photo)

in their overseas educational tours, and Taipei is seeking to work with Japanese photographer Mika Minagawa to entice more Japanese students to come here, the Taipei City government said on Friday.

The city’s Department of Information and Tourism said it is still discussing ways to cooperate with Minagawa and the matter is not yet final. One of the ways could be to use pictures taken by Minagawa in Taipei to promote the city as a travel and study destination for Japanese students.

Each year, the period between October and March is the peak season for Japanese students to go abroad for educational tours.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/28
By: Tsai Pei-chi, Huang Kuo-fang and Kay Liu

Taipei, Jan. 28 (CNA) Chiayi County Magistrate Chang Hwa-kuan (張花

CNA file photo

冠) was handed a not-guilty verdict in a bribery case brought against her as the Supreme Court made a final ruling on Thursday, rejecting prosecutors’ appeal.

Chang, who was found not guilty of the corruption charges in the two previous trials, had been accused of taking bribes of NT$30 million (US$0.89 million), in the form of loans, between 2005 and 2006 when she was a legislator.

The money, according to prosecutors, was paid by businessman Pan Chung-hao (潘忠豪) to Chang, so she could help secure loans and push through land registration works.

The lower courts ruled in favor of Chang on the ground that prosecutors had failed to prove the payments were made for the alleged purpose.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: January 28, 2016

ROC President Ma Ying-jeou completed a one-day trip to Taiping Island

ROC President Ma Ying-jeou outlines the roadmap for his South China Sea Peace Initiative after returning from a one-day visit to Taiping Island Jan. 28 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of Presidential Office)

(Itu Aba) Jan. 28 in the South China Sea, wishing stationed personnel glad tidings for the Lunar New Year holiday and reaffirming the nation’s sovereignty over the island.

“Whether from the perspective of history, geography or international law, it is indisputable that the Nansha [Spratly], Shisha [Parcel], Chungsha [Macclesfield Bank] and Tungsha [Pratas] islands, as well as their surrounding waters, are inherent parts of the territory of the ROC,” Ma said.

“Building on the pragmatic approach shaped by the South China Sea Peace Initiative I proposed in May 2015, the ROC government will work to safeguard sovereignty, shelve disputes, pursue peace and prosperity, and promote joint development in this region.”     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/27
By: Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) Taiwan ranked 30th in the 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index compiled by Transparency International (TI), advancing five notches from 35th in the index’s 2014 edition.

Taiwan shared the position with Poland with a score of 62 points — one point higher than last year.

This year’s index covers perceptions of public sector corruption in 168 countries, with Denmark taking the top spot for the second year running and North Korea and Somalia the worst performers.

North Korea and Somalia each scored just eight points on a scale from zero (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 points (perceived to be very clean).     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: Taiwan News
By George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

According to National Police Agency statistics, the number of senior citizens falling victim to scams increased as opposed to other age groups from January to September last year.

To fight the growing trend of senior scams, Schroders, a multinational asset management company, will team up with Lan Yang Dance Troupe to put forward an anti-scam Chinese opera with a view to arming senior citizens with anti-scam awareness and knowledge.

According to NPA statistics, scam ranked second in the crime index in Taiwan from January to September last year, with a total of 22,209 cases. The number of scam victims above 50 years increased from January to September last year compared to the same period in the previous, while scam victims within other age brackets fell during the same period.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: January 27, 2016

ROC President Ma Ying-jeou sent a letter to Pope Francis Jan. 19 in

ROC government-donated prefabricated houses in Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp underscore Taiwan’s role as a global provider of humanitarian aid. (Courtesy of ROC Red Cross Society)

response to the head of the Roman Catholic Church’s World Day of Peace message issued at the beginning of the year.

“I heartily agree with and admire the profound insights expressed in your message celebrating the 2016 World Day of Peace … which calls on people around the world to build a culture of solidarity, mercy and compassion to combat global selfishness, resignation and indifference,” Ma said.

Widespread indifference to poverty and the environment has created new forms of poverty and injustice that may ultimately threaten global security and peace, the president said. “If we wish to foster peace, we must overcome people’s indifference.”

According to Ma, since he took office in May 2008, Taiwan has faithfully fulfilled its responsibility as a responsible member of the global community by providing relief to victims of natural disasters and wars in Guatemala, Nepal, northern Iraq, Syria and West Africa.     [FULL  STORY]