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Thousands attend rally by Republican Party in Taipei

Taipei Times
Date:  Oct 25, 2015
By: Abraham Gerber  /  Staff reporter

The Republican Party yesterday flexed its organizational muscles with a

Republican Party supporters attend a rally on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times

Republican Party supporters attend a rally on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times

massive rally along Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei.

Following hours of performances and speeches, each of the party’s legislative candidates symbolically waved the party’s banner, passed to them by party Chairman Hsu Hsin-ying (徐欣瑩).

The “Lion of Justice” emblazoned on the banner also served as the theme of the rally, which was officially titled “The Lion of Justice Saves Taiwan.”

Party volunteers said that the lion (獅子) was chosen as the theme animal, because it sounds the same as “teacher” (師) in Mandarin.     [FULL  STORY]

Number of dengue fever cases tops 26,660 in Taiwan

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/10/23
By: Lee Hsin-Yin

Taipei, Oct. 23 (CNA) Taiwan has reported another 307 cases of dengue 201510230012t0001fever, bringing the total number of infections since the start of May to 26,660, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Friday.

As of the previous day, Kaohsiung and Tainan, where the dengue fever outbreak is concentrated, reported 185 and 119 new daily cases, respectively.

The other three new cases comprised two in Pingtung County and one in Hualien County, the CDC said.

It appeared that the dengue fever outbreak was continuing to abate in Tainan, where 20,942 cases have been recorded so far.     [FULL  STORY]

South-west Taiwan faces tsunami risk: Experts

The Straits Times/Asia News Network
Date: October 23 2015
By: Samantha Boh

Scientists have warned that the south-western coast of Taiwan is a potential

(Illustration via tribunnews.com)

(Illustration via tribunnews.com)

tsunami zone, after unraveling the mystery surrounding a tsunami which occurred there in the 18th century.

That giant wave was the most devastating ever reported in the South China Sea, killing more than 40,000 people when it struck between 1781 and 1782.

The scientists from Nanyang Technological University’s Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS) have now found that it was likely caused by an underwater landslide on the upper portion of the continental slope offshore from southwestern Taiwan. This was likely triggered by an earthquake.     [FULL  STORY]

Beijing says Taiwan part of China

Arab News
Date: 24 October 2015
By: REUTERS

BEIJING: Chinese people have a “sacred mission” to ensure Taiwan is

Taiwan military honor guard march during the National Day celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, in this Oct. 10, 2015 photo. (AP)

Taiwan military honor guard march during the National Day celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, in this Oct. 10, 2015 photo. (AP)

always considered part of China, a top Chinese leader said on Friday ahead of the 70th anniversary of Japan giving up control of Taiwan at the end of World War Two.

Taiwan was a Japanese colony from 1895-1945 and the then-Nationalist government of China took over rule of the island after Japan lost the war. Japan had gained control of the island from imperial China.

But the Nationalists had to flee to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with the Communists, who to this day insist the island is an integral part of China and have never renounced the use of force to bring it under Beijing’s control.     [FULL  STORY]

Hung aide denies funding allegations

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-23
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Yeh Kuang-shih, the former aide to the former Kuomintang presidential

Hung aide denies funding allegations. Central News Agency

Hung aide denies funding allegations. Central News Agency

candidate Hung Hsiu-chu, walks out of the Supreme Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Division late Wednesday.
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – An aide to former Kuomintang presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu on Friday rejected allegations that she had accepted NT$30 million (US$926,000) from the party in return for dropping out of the race.

The Supreme Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Division has been investigating allegations brought by opposition politicians that the KMT “paid off” Hung in order to persuade her to drop her candidacy for the January 16 election.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei still pondering timetable for replacing lead pipes

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/10/23
By: Huang Li-yun, Tseng Ying-yu and Lilian Wu

Taipei, Oct. 23 (CNA) The Taipei City government will convene a meeting 48348080Monday to discuss the timetable for replacing water pipes made of lead installed decades ago amid health concerns, the chief of the Taipei Water Department (台北自來水事業處) said Friday.

Chen Jiin-shyang (陳錦祥) said it would take a minimum of three years to replace the lead pipes managed by Taipei’s water department, and that the timetable could not be shortened any further.

But Kuomintang Legislator Lin Te-fu (林德福) said Friday that Premier Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) has agreed to use the government’s reserve fund to help government agencies speed up the phaseout of the lead pipes, and hoped the Taipei water department could shorten the time to within a year and a half.

Taiwanese cities, counties named 2016 Smart21 intelligent communities

Want China Times
Date: 2015-10-23
By: CNA

Five cities and counties in Taiwan — New Taipei, Taoyuan, Kaohsiung,

A view in Kaohsiung. (Photo/Hsieh Ming-tso)

A view in Kaohsiung. (Photo/Hsieh Ming-tso)

Taitung county and Hsinchu county — were named Wednesday among the world’s Smart21 Communities of 2016 by the New York-based Intelligent Community Forum (ICF).

Their inclusion gives them the potential to be awarded as one of the seven Intelligent Communities of the Year. Other finalists include eight communities from Canada, two communities each from the United States and Australia, and one community each from Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Sweden.     [FULL  STORY]

Hung to sue over Storm Media report

LEGAL ISSUES:Hung Hsiu-chu has hired an attorney over allegations in an online media outlet that she demanded the party call an extraordinary congress to replace her

Taipei Times
Date:  Oct 24, 2015
By: Alison Hsiao  /  Staff reporter

Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), whose presidential

Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu stares at her desk while presiding over yesterday’s legislative session in Taipei. Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times

Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu stares at her desk while presiding over yesterday’s legislative session in Taipei. Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times

nomination was rescinded by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) on Saturday, yesterday hired an attorney to sue online news outlet Storm Media for defamation over a report alleging that she had called for the extraordinary party congress at which she was replaced.

Storm Media on Thursday reported that former minister of transportation and communications Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) — an adviser to Hung’s campaign team — had been among the first group of people to be summoned by the Special Investigation Division (SID) on Wednesday over its probe of Hung’s ouster.

Yeh was the go-between between party headquarters — under the leadership of KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) — and the Hung camp, and conveyed messages and brokered meetings between the two sides, the report said.     [FULL  STORY]

Group urges government to more closely supervise home caregivers

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/10/22
By: Lung Pei-ning and Lee Mei-yu

Taipei, Oct. 22 (CNA) Taiwanese government and local organizations should 201510220028t0001work together to establish a system of supervision to prevent any possible incidents of abuse in the future, the Taiwan Association of Family caregivers said Thursday.

The association made the remarks in response to the recent case of an Indonesian caregiver who recorded a video of her being abused by her employer.

Chen Jing-ling (陳景寧), president of the Taiwan Association of Family Caregivers, said that domestic caregivers face many challenges and issues of their own including physical and emotional stress.     [FULL  STORY]

Hung to reimburse donors

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-22
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Former Kuomintang presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu waives as she

Hung to reimburse donors. Central News Agency

Hung to reimburse donors. Central News Agency

thanks her supporters outside the KMT congress after the KMT revoked Hung’s candidacy on October 17.
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Former Kuomintang presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu said Thursday she would start giving back a total of NT$11.83 million (US$364,000) in political donations to the donors.

The KMT replaced her as its candidate for the January 16 election with its chairman, Eric Liluan Chu, just last weekend, putting her in a difficult position.     [FULL  STORY]