Front Page

Taiwanese nationals urged not to make passport changes

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/18
By: Tony Liao and Elaine Hou

Taipei, Dec. 18 (CNA) Taiwan’s representative office in Washington urged 16655327Taiwanese nationals on Thursday not to place stickers on the cover of their passports, warning that they could be denied entry to the United States for doing so.

In a statement, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States said that if Taiwanese passport holders traveling to the U.S. place “Republic of Taiwan” stickers on the cover of their passports, they could be asked to remove the stickers by immigration officers after they arrive at the airport, or be questioned by immigration authorities.

In the worst-case scenario, they could be even denied entry and be deported back to Taiwan immediately, the office warned.     [FULL  STORY]

Ma reaffirms commitment to equal rights for disabled

Taiwan Today
Date: December 18, 2015

President Ma Ying-jeou said Dec. 17 that the ROC government is committed

President Ma Ying-jeou (right) greets a participant during the international conference on the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Dec. 17 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of Presidential Office)

President Ma Ying-jeou (right) greets a participant during the international conference on the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Dec. 17 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of Presidential Office)

to enhancing the well-being of the disabled and promoting equal opportunities for all members of society in Taiwan.

“Attainment of this worthy goal is being achieved through incorporating related international covenants into law,” Ma said. “These include passage of an enactment act last year aimed at implementing the provisions of U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”

The president made the remarks while delivering the opening address at a CRPD international conference in Taipei City.

According to Ma, the government has chalked up significant headway in ensuring dignified and equal treatment of the disabled. “Following adoption of the U.N. convention in 2006, the People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act was amended a year later to bring it more in line with international standards,” he said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei plans to abolish vacation assignment rule

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 19, 2015
By: Sean Lin  /  Staff reporter

Taipei is to become the nation’s first city to abolish a rule observed by

A boy in Hualien yesterday plays a prank on a girl focused on her homework. Photo: Hua Meng-ching, Taipei Times

A boy in Hualien yesterday plays a prank on a girl focused on her homework. Photo: Hua Meng-ching, Taipei Times

elementary schools since 1975 that asks students to work on school assignments during their summer and winter vacations.

The Taipei Department of Education yesterday announced that it had abolished a set of guidelines covering assignments that elementary schools give pupils before they go on summer and winter vacations.

Starting next year, pupils at elementary schools across the city are not to have assignments during summer and winter vaction, the department said.

Department Commissioner Tang Chih-min (湯志民) said the cancelation of the assignments would help to create a “student-oriented” learning environment, thereby helping pupils to cultivate independent thinking.     [FULL  STORY]

University short films tell stories of education

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/18
By: Christie Chen and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Dec. 18 (CNA) Three university short films that recently won a 201512180009t0001Ministry of Education award tell the stories of dedicated teachers and promote the training of talents.

The three films — “Thursday’s Music Lessons,” “Angel’s Pushing Hands” and “Unseen Southeast Asia” – won the gold, silver and bronze awards presented by the ministry, respectively, as part of its “Talent Education Stories” project.

The contest, organized by National Cheng Kung University, was aimed at encouraging university students to create films in four themes: honoring dedicated teachers, combining studies and career skills, promoting students’ international competitiveness, and boosting students’ future productivity.     [FULL  STORY]

“Star Wars” fan’s dream job: Crafting realistic lightsabers

The Washingrton Post
By Johnson Lai and Tassanee Vejpongsa | AP

TAIPEI, Taiwan — This is not your father’s lightsaber, Luke. This is not the

In this Dec. 14, 2015, photo, 32-year-old Tsai Jung-chou, also known as “Makoto Tsai”, poses with his handcrafted replicas of the Star Wars lightsaber at his home workshop in New Taipei City, Taiwan. A former optical engineer, Tsai now designs and fabricates his own versions of the iconic sci-fi weapon which he sells for up to $400 per model. (Wally Santana/Associated Press)

In this Dec. 14, 2015, photo, 32-year-old Tsai Jung-chou, also known as “Makoto Tsai”, poses with his handcrafted replicas of the Star Wars lightsaber at his home workshop in New Taipei City, Taiwan. A former optical engineer, Tsai now designs and fabricates his own versions of the iconic sci-fi weapon which he sells for up to $400 per model. (Wally Santana/Associated Press)

weapon of a Jedi Knight, but the handcrafted replica of a Taiwanese man who disliked the official “Star Wars” products, started making his own blades and now sells them for up to $400 each.

It’s a booming business for Tsai Jung-chou, enough for him to quit his optical engineering job three years ago and make models of the iconic sci-fi weapon full-time. He says his mailbox is flooded with orders from fans around the world.

The 32-year-old says his model, a metal hilt attached to a glowing polycarbonate tube, is the brightest and strongest on the market, strong enough to use in gentle duels. He even offers to replace or fix those that break in mock combat.

And while it won’t cut metal, his lightsaber certainly sounds like the real thing when it’s turned on, with a motion-sensor soundboard that generates the humming and buzzing heard in the movies.     [FULL  STORY]

Indonesia deports 50 Internet scammers to Taiwan, China

Yahoo News
Date: December 16, 2015
By: Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia deported 50 Taiwanese and Chinese

Cyber crime suspects from Taiwan and China sit as they wait for deportation at an immigration detention center in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015. Indonesian authorities have repatriated 50 alleged cyber criminals from Taiwan and China who were arrested for running Internet scams targeting Chinese and Taiwanese victims. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

Cyber crime suspects from Taiwan and China sit as they wait for deportation at an immigration detention center in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015. Indonesian authorities have repatriated 50 alleged cyber criminals from Taiwan and China who were arrested for running Internet scams targeting Chinese and Taiwanese victims. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

citizens on Wednesday who were members of a cross-border telephone and Internet fraud ring, officials said.

Immigration official Yurod Saleh said the 49 Taiwanese and one Chinese were repatriated to face charges in their homeland. They have already spent two months in Indonesian jails and have been fined $770 for violating their tourist visas.

He said 419 Taiwanese and Chinese citizens have been arrested since August in several major Indonesian cities for involvement in cross-border telephone and Internet fraud. About 280 have been sent home since October.

Jakarta police chief of detectives Lt. Col. Krishna Murti said the arrests followed a tip-off from Chinese police.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan pins same-sex marriage hopes on political change

mySinchew
2015-12-17 13:14
By Michelle YUN

Taipei (AFP) — Taiwan’s presidential elections in January are expected to

Local residents taking part in the annual gay rights parade in Taipei. Photo courtesy: AFP

Local residents taking part in the annual gay rights parade in Taipei. Photo courtesy: AFP

usher in a new political era, and many hope it will also see the island become the first Asian power to legalise same-sex marriage.

Taiwan — the host of Asia’s biggest gay pride parade — is already one of the region’s most forward-thinking societies when it comes to gay rights, and this year three of the country’s biggest cities began allowing gay couples to register as one household.

But a move towards marriage equality has remained stagnant in parliament for over two years and some activists say they need to look beyond the country’s two dominant political parties if they are to achieve their goal.     [FULL  STORY]

Chiayi inaugurates a rooftop PV system

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-17
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Chiayi City Thursday inaugurated a PV system installed on the rooftops of

Chiayi inaugurates a rooftop PV system. Central News Agency

Chiayi inaugurates a rooftop PV system. Central News Agency

38 school and government buildings. The system is estimated to generate 3,550,000 kWh of electricity a year.

Chiayi Mayor Twu Shiing-jer inaugurated the rooftop PV system at the Jhih Hang Elementary School.

Twu said the city has an average of 5.7 hours of sunshine a day, and therefore he has been promoting installation of PV systems and development of renewable energy in the city since his inauguration.

The city’s environmental protection bureau said the first PV system installment on the rooftops of the 38 public buildings has a capacity of 2,896.45kW, which can generate 3,550,000 kWh of electricity and cut 1,700 tons of carbon emission a year.     [FULL  STORY]

Law amended to further prevent adulterated food

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/17
By: Tsai Pei-chi and Lee Mei-yu

Taipei, Dec. 17 (CNA) The Legislature passed an amendment to the 201512170044t0001Criminal Code Thursday that will authorize the court to confiscate illicit profits gained from sales of adulterated food products.

The revised law gives the court the power to take over the illicit gains of both juridical persons and non-juridical persons.

The move came after the Supreme Court overruled an extraordinary appeal filed by Prosecutor-General Yen Ta-ho (顏大和) to confiscate NT$1.85 billion (US$56 million) from Chang Chi Foodstuff Co. (大統長基), a company responsible for a major tainted oil scandal, citing the current law that stipulates that confiscation of illicit gains can only be carried out on natural persons but not against corporations.

The ruling had triggered widespread controversy in Taiwan, where the public urged the government to get tough on companies that make or sell adulterated food.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan welcomes notification of US arms sales

Taiwan Today
Date: December 17, 2015

Washington’s commitment to providing Taipei with defensive weapons in

Perry-class frigates included in a US$1.83 billion arms sale package announced Dec. 16 by the U.S. government are set to strengthen Taiwan’s defensive capabilities. (CNA)

Perry-class frigates included in a US$1.83 billion arms sale package announced Dec. 16 by the U.S. government are set to strengthen Taiwan’s defensive capabilities. (CNA)

accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and improving bilateral ties was welcomed Dec. 16 by the ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The US$1.83 billion package, notified earlier the same day by the U.S. government to Congress, comprises two Perry-class frigates, AAV7 amphibious assault vehicles, stinger missiles, and anti-aircraft and anti-ship systems.

It is the fourth such deal between the two sides since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in May 2008, taking the total to more than US$20 billion—the highest following the signing into law of the TRA in 1979.

“This positive state of affairs underscores the high level of mutual trust and exchanges between Taipei and Washington,” a MOFA official said. “As a valued economic and security partner of the U.S. in the Asia-Pacific, we look forward to taking this relationship to the next level while upholding our common interests in this region.”     [FULL  STORY]