‘UNITED FRONT’:Chen Miao-ting and Chen Yi-ting, who received support from Hakka musicians Kou Chou Ching, were charged with vandalism and obstructing public officials

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 01, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporter

The two people responsible for defacing the artworks donated by Hong Kong

actor Jackie Chan (成龍) to the National Palace Museum Southern Branch yesterday defended their actions as a protest against China’s cultural “united front” strategy.

“As far as China is concerned, the 12 zodiac animal heads are antiquities looted from them by foreigners and they must be returned to their rightful owner. Putting copies of the sculptures in Taiwan insinuates that ‘Taiwan is China’s lost property,’” 19-year-old Chen Miao-ting (陳妙婷) and 33-year-old Chen Yi-ting (陳儀庭) said in a statement issued yesterday.

The pair said the statues serve as an expression of China’s political message that “both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one family” and that “there is bound to be unification after prolonged division.”     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-30
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Hsu Ching-hsiang, the father-in-law of popular

entertainer Dee Hsu, better known as Little S, changed his plea to guilty in his Taiwan High Court trial for insider trading linked to the Top Pot Bakery.

The Taipei District Court sentenced him to two years in prison last August but found his son, Mike Hsu, the husband of Little S, not guilty. Following appeals, the Taiwan High Court held its first hearing in the case on Wednesday.

The suspicion of insider trading began in 2013 after Top Pot, which had relied on a reputation for pure and healthy products, was found to have used artificial flavorings in its bread.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/30
By: Chang Jung-hsiang and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) The National Tainan Girls’ Senior High School in Tainan,

southern Taiwan had to call off a plan to present a commemorative graduation certificate Thursday to a 93-year-old who was forced into sexual slavery by Japanese forces during World War II, the school said Wednesday.

The presentation had to be postponed because Hsiao Tao Ah-ma (小桃阿嬤) has taken ill and has been admitted to a hospital, a spokesman for the high school said.

To prevent disturbing her, the school will conduct the conferral after the “Ah-ma” (which means grandma in Taiwanese) is feeling better, the spokesman said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: December 30, 2015

Three Taiwan medical groups were honored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Dec. 29 in recognition of their contributions to promoting the country in the international arena.

Changhua Christian Hospital in the central Taiwan city, Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation in Taipei City and Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps in New Taipei City were awarded the Friend of Foreign Service Medal by MOFA Minister David Lin in Taipei City.

“It is a great honor to present the medals to these humanitarian aid groups and extend the government’s appreciation for their invaluable contributions to raising Taiwan’s international profile,” Lin said at the ceremony.

“Nongovernmental organizations play a key role in the country’s diplomatic efforts,” Lin said. “MOFA remains committed to supporting such altruistic groups so as to expand participation in global charity work and people-to-people exchanges.”     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: December 29, 2015

The ROC remains steadfast on its stance that the Japanese government

should officially apologize to and compensate Taiwanese comfort women, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dec. 29

“We will continue negotiating with Japan to restore the dignity of Taiwanese women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese army during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) and World War II,” MOFA Minister David Lin said during a press conference.

According to Lin, a task force comprising officials and civic organization representatives is in charge of upholding the rights of these victims, with MOFA remaining highly involved in related activities.

The minister’s remarks came after Japan’s Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and his South Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se reached an agreement on the issue the day before in Seoul.     [FULL  STORY]

‘COMFORT WOMEN’:Representative to Japan Shen Ssu-tsun has been ordered to conduct talks with Tokyo on a deal similar to one struck by Japan and South Korea

Taipei Times
Date:  Dec 30, 2015
By: Staff writer, with CNA

The government yesterday reiterated its demand that Tokyo issue an apology

to Taiwanese women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II, euphemistically known as “comfort women,” and to offer them compensation.

“The Republic of China has always said that Japan should apologize to Taiwanese comfort women and offer them compensation,” President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said at a ceremony to promote military officers, adding that the government’s stance has never changed.

Later in the day, Ma asked Representative to Japan Shen Ssu-tsun (沈斯淳) to conduct immediate negotiations with the Japanese government and demand that Tokyo give Taiwanese comfort women the same treatment it offered South Korean victims, Presidential Office spokesman Charles Chen (陳以信) said.     [FULL  STORY]