Front Page

Taipei and Tainan: Taiwan’s tale of two cities

Visiting the island’s former and current capitals gives you a flavour of its rich history, says Mark Jones

Independent
Date: November 27, 2015
By: MARK JONES

Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is actually about two cities: Venice and

Taipei Alamy

Padua. Venice is fast, mercantile, hard-edged; Padua slower, cultured, reflective. It’s an opposition you see all around the world: Sydney/Melbourne; Warsaw/Krakow; Frankfurt/Heidelberg; Tokyo/Kyoto. And you can add Taipei/Tainan to that list.

A fiercer kind of rivalry usually comes to mind when we think about Taiwan. In 1949, as Chairman Mao’s troops pushed south for a decisive victory, the Nationalist troops fled to Taiwan and established their government there. When the Republic of China (as Taiwan is officially known) goes to the polls in January, relations with the People’s Republic away to the north will, as ever, be the overriding issue.

The news crews and commentators will all be in Taipei (“Taiwan North”), the Taiwanese capital. I’d be surprised if you’ll see much reporting from Tainan (“Taiwan South”). It is, after all, only the former capital. As in Kyoto, when the money and power moved they left behind the temples, the poets and, maybe, a sense of relief in the air. With the responsibilities of state gone, they could get on with enjoying themselves. [FULL STORY]

Cabinet OKs indigenous language development bill

Taiwan’s efforts to preserve the rich legacy of Austronesian languages received a major boost with the Cabinet’s approval of a draft bill to promote indigenous tongues Nov. 26 in Taipei City. (CNA)

Taiwan Today
Date: November 27, 2015

A draft bill aimed at furthering the development of indigenous languages was passed by the Cabinet Nov. 26 in Taipei City, marking a new milestone in efforts to preserve Taiwan’s endangered tongues.

Under the legislation proposed by the Council of Indigenous Peoples, all levels of government will play a role in assisting with the revitalization of aboriginal languages, while the central government will stage linguistic proficiency tests and fund research and studies in the field. [FULL STORY]

Legislator-at-large election registrations finalized

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 28, 2015
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter

Registrations for the legislative elections concluded yesterday as a number of

Chiu Yi (邱毅 Legislator

small parties registered their legislator-at-large candidates.

Parties registering with the Central Election Commission included delegations from the New Party, China Unification Promotion Party, Republican Party and Military, Civil Servants and Faculty Alliance Party.

“I’ve always thought my ideals were similar to those of the New Party — our hearts and thoughts have always been together,” said former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmaker Chiu Yi (邱毅), who was a surprise candidate on the New Party’s legislator-at-large list, after the failure of a rumored campaign to win a spot on the KMT list. [FULL STORY]

Taiwan to ban artificial trans fats in processed foods

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-11-27
By: Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan passed an amendment to the Act Governing Food

Taiwan to ban artificial trans fats in processed foods. Central News Agency

Safety and Sanitation Friday to ban artificial trans fats in processed foods, with violators facing fines of up to NT$3 million (US$91,829).

Under the revised law, food manufacturers will have a three-year grace period to eliminate the forbidden materials from their products.

Ruling Kuomintang Legislator Wang Yu-min said scientific data shows that excessive consumption of artificial trans fats are harmful to health and increases the chances of developing cardiovascular disease. [FULL STORY]

U.S arms sales to Taiwan necessary: ex-AIT director

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/27
By: Sophia Yeh and Elaine Hou

Taipei, Nov. 27 (CNA) The United States has never said that it will stop selling weapons to Taiwan, William Stanton, former director of the Taipei Office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), said Friday, adding that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are necessary.

He also noted the U.S.’s Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), saying that he felt U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are necessary.

Stanton, now senior vice president for global affairs at National Tsing Hua University in the northern city of Hsinchu, was responding to reporters’ questions about an article written by Bloomberg View columnist Josh Rogin that said the U.S. government is close to announcing a US$1 billion arms deal with Taiwan.

“Washington will likely offer Taipei transfers of missile frigates, about a dozen AAV-7 amphibious assault vehicles, one replacement AH-64 Apache helicopter and munitions including Stinger, Javelin and TOW missiles,” Rogin wrote in his Nov. 25 column, citing unnamed U.S. officials. [FULL STORY]

Wang apologizes to Chu over property scandals, protests

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-11-26
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Kuomintang vice presidential candidate Jennifer Wang apologized to party

Wang apologizes to Chu over property scandals. Central News Agency

chairman Eric Chu in the morning over the alleged housing scandal involving her buying and selling of military properties, reports said Thursday.

Wang said during an online press conference that Chu understood the matter and that he has complete faith in her.

“He even apologized for dragging me into the election campaign, urging me to stay strong despite the attacks from opposing parties,” she said, citing that Chu hopes her joining could help him win further support.

Wang was accused of having indulged in real estate speculation by buying and selling military properties. Earlier this week, she had to declare her assets when registering as a candidate in the January 16 election. [FULL STORY]

Poor air quality caused by local pollutants: official

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/26
By: Yeh Tzu-kang and Y.F. Low

Taipei, Nov. 26 (CNA) The high concentration of pollutants found in the air over Taiwan recently originated from local sources, an official said Thursday.

Between late October and mid-November, there were many days in which fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) reached unhealthy levels in central and southern Taiwan, said Chang Chiao-wei (張喬維), acting director-general of Yunlin County’s Environmental Protection Bureau.

Chang said one of the reasons behind the problem was a lack of wind to disperse the pollution on the western coast, as this season’s prevailing easterly wind has been blocked by the central mountain range. [FULL STORY]

ROC commits to providing humanitarian aid

Taiwan Today
Date: November 26, 2015

The ROC will continue providing humanitarian aid and support to those affected by

Members of the Thunder Squad under the ROC Aviation Police Bureau conduct a patrol at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Nov. 24 as part of government response measures to the recent terrorist attacks around the world. (CNA)

the ongoing armed conflicts in the Middle East, according to the Cabinet Nov. 25.

“As a firm advocate of such universal values as peace and respect for human rights, the ROC is deeply concerned with the threat to global security arising from terrorism,” a Cabinet official said.

Since the outbreak of armed conflict in Syria in 2011, Taiwan has provided victims in the region with emergency relief supplies such as clothing, food, LED lighting equipment, medical supplies and prefabricated housing units.

“The government will continue collaborating with other countries and international organizations to make greater contributions to the global community,” the official added. [FULL STORY]

Wang vows to move out of controversial housing

‘HIGHER MORAL STANDARD’:Wang said she did nothing wrong, but must live up to expectations, while a woman denied Wang cheated her husband in a land deal

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 27, 2015
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vice presidential candidate Jennifer Wang (王如

The wife of a landowner surnamed Hsiao speaks to reporters yesterday in Miaoli County’s Nanjhuang Township concerning allegations that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vice presidential candidate Jennifer Wang forced Hsiao to buy back a hillside plot of land he previously sold to Wang. Photo: CNA

玄) yesterday pledged to move out of the government dormitory in which she and her husband have been living for a decade as soon as possible, as the controversy surrounding her real-estate dealings continues to snowball.

“The faculty dormitory we have been living in was applied for in accordance with the regulations and our residence there is legal,” Wang told reporters yesterday morning.

As a human-rights attorney, Wang said her decisions are based on legal reasoning, but that she understood a vice presidential candidate would be subjected to a higher moral standard. [FULL STORY]

Chu’s personal wealth worth billions: reports

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-11-25
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Kuomintang presidential candidate Eric Chu and his wife together currently

Chu’s personal wealth worth billions. Central News Agency

possess 14 land rights, three real estate properties, NT$73.85 million-worth of securities, and NT$69.10 million in cash deposits, according to the Chinese-language Apple Daily Wednesday.

Chu declared his assets with the Central Election Commission (CEC) in the morning after registering his presidential candidacy for the January 16 election, reports said.

Besides the 14 land rights Chu owns across the greater Taipei metropolitan area, Taoyuan, and Tainan, his personal valuables include five luxury watches worth NT$900,000, and NT$28.94 million-worth of market shares.

Comparing to the property statement he declared last year, Chu’s assets remained roughly the same, but his cash deposits increased significantly, from the previous NT$25.67 million to the current NT$69.10 million, according to the Apple Daily report. [FULL STORY]

Page 921 of 1067

« 1 … 919 920 921 922 923 … 1,067 »