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KMT’s Hung asked to quit presidential race (update)

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/10/05
By: Claudia Liu and S.C. Chang

Taipei, Oct. 5 (CNA) A ruling Kuomintang (KMT) official confirmed Monday that KMT

KMT Chairman Eric Chu (center left), Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (center) and President Ma Ying-jeou (center right) rally when Hung received nomination on July 19.

KMT Chairman Eric Chu (center left), Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (center) and President Ma Ying-jeou (center right) rally when Hung received nomination on July 19.

Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) has twice urged the party’s presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) to quit the race because her chance of winning the election is too small.

If Hung, who is also deputy legislative speaker, refuses Chu’s calls for her to step aside, the party’s Central Standing Committee, which is due to meet Wednesday, will likely resolve to call a special party congress to nominate Chu, said the party official who declined to be named.

Rumors of Hung being forced out of the race have mounted as she trails front-runner Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of the Democratic Progressive Party by wide margins in the polls.

Some polls even have her behind James Soong (宋楚瑜), the chairman of the minor opposition People First Party.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan wins international fireworks contest

Macau News
Date:  6 October 2015

Taiwan wins international fireworks contestThe 27th Macau International Fireworks 20151005cDisplay Contest concluded splendidly. Yung-feng Firecrackers & Fireworks Co. Ltd. from Chinese Taiwan won the championship, followed by the fireworks teams from China and France in the second and third place respectively.

The prize-giving ceremony was held at Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre. The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Alexis, Tam Chon Weng; Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao Special Administrative Region, Pan Yundong; Acting Director of Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), Cecilia Tse and Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong attended the ceremony among other guests and presented the awards to the winning teams.

During her speech, Acting Director Cecilia Tse remarked that the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest has been staged in Macau for 27 years in a row, and over the years, MGTO has been looking for a wide range of outstanding fireworks companies worldwide to bring into the limelight in every edition. She added that the Office hopes to show to visitors from around the world the glamour of Macau as a City of Culture and Events through the Contest.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Zoo suggests using water bugs to ward off dengue

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-05
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taiwan’s dengue fever epidemic needs a bug fix, the Taipei Zoo said Monday.

As the mosquito-borne disease continues to plague southern Taiwan, the zoo pointed out

Taipei Zoo: bug antidote can combat dengue. Central News Agency

Taipei Zoo: bug antidote can combat dengue. Central News Agency

that the water bug was already proven effective against mosquito larvae in parts of Southeast Asia and India.

The Belostomatidae, also known as giant water bug, is typically encountered in freshwater streams and ponds in many parts of the world, and are fierce predators which stalk, capture, and feed on aquatic invertebrates, snails, and crustaceans.

“Studies also found that they feed on mosquito larvae, as proven by researchers in the Philippines,” the zoo said.

Recent studies also found that a water bug can consume 86-99 full grown mosquito larvae per day.

The Belostomatidae are back brooders, which means that the males care for the eggs attached to their backs – laid by the females after mating.     [FULL  STORY]

Taitung hot air balloon flies ROC flag at US balloon festival

Want China Times
Date: 2015-10-05
By: CNA

A hot air balloon from Taitung, bearing a Republic of China flag, took to the air at the

The hot air balloon bearing a Republic of China flag at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 4. (Photo courtesy of Taitung County Governemnt)

The hot air balloon bearing a Republic of China flag at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 4. (Photo courtesy of Taitung County Governemnt)

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Saturday, an event that drew balloon enthusiasts from around the world.

Taitung magistrate Justin Huang was aboard the balloon for a 50-minute flight, the first by a hot air balloon from Taiwan in the United States, according to Huang.

Huang told visitors on the ground that Taitung has hosted several hot air balloon events over the past five years and that county government personnel have visited four continents to invite balloonists to take part in what has become an annual extravaganza in the southeastern Taiwan county.

About 750 balloons from 16 countries took part in the world’s largest balloon fiesta in the New Mexico city. The fiesta will run through Oct. 11.

The Taitung hot air balloon, which is sponsored by the county government, has visited 10 countries over the past three years.

Huang also exchanged city governance experience with officials from Bernalillo County, of which Albuquerque is the county seat.     [FULL  STORY]

Chu shrugs off presidential bid report

‘NONSENSE’:Chu acknowledged that opinions in the party have been divided recently, and said that he has urged members to speak their minds and exchange ideas

Taipei Times
Date:  Oct 06, 2015
By: Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporter

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) yesterday shrugged off a

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu grins while talking to the media in New Taipei City yesterday. Photo: Lai Hsiao-tung, Taipei Times

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu grins while talking to the media in New Taipei City yesterday. Photo: Lai Hsiao-tung, Taipei Times

media report alleging that he plans to resign as mayor of New Taipei City next week so that he can replace Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) as the party’s presidential candidate.

At a public event in New Taipei City yesterday afternoon, Chu refused to comment on “nonsense and groundless rumors.”

When asked whether he would honor his pledge to serve out his mayoral term, Chu said that he would try his best to fulfill his duties as a mayor every day.

The media storm was ignited by an article published yesterday in the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper), which cited anonymous sources as saying that Chu has reached an agreement with the Presidential Office to run for president in Hung’s stead.     [FULL  STORY]

Court rescinds fine on hippo owner

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/10/04
By: Liao Jen-kai and Maria Tsai

Taipei, Oct. 4 (CNA) The Taichung High Administrative Court has recently revoked a city

CNA file photo

CNA file photo

government decision to fine the owner of a hippopotamus that died late last year in two accidents.

The court ruled that the city government had no valid reason to fine the owner of A He, whose death caused the nation to reflect on how display animals are treated in Taiwan.

After the death of the hippo last December, the owner, surnamed Chang, was fined NT$500,000 (US$15,800) for negligence by the Taichung city government based on the Animal Protection Act.

Chang brought a lawsuit against the city government after his appeal against the fine was rejected.     [FULL  STORY]

Beach cleanup held in coastal parts of New Taipei

Want China Times
Date: 2015-10-04
By: CNA

Beach cleanups were held in coastal areas of New Taipei on Saturday, with around 1,000

Volunteers collect garbage from a beach, Oct. 3. (Photo/CNA)

Volunteers collect garbage from a beach, Oct. 3. (Photo/CNA)

people taking part at the main venue at Jinshan Beach.

Among the participants were Wei Kuo-yen, head of the Environmental Protection Administration, American Institute in Taiwan director Kin Moy, and New Taipei deputy mayor Chen Shen-hsien.

Chen said the municipality has around 120 kilometers of coastline and he urged concerted efforts to help make it beautiful and clean.
Moy noted that this was the third year AIT has taken part in the beach cleanup, saying that environmental protection is an issue in which every nationality, age and region should do its share.     [FULL  STORY]

US group warns of ‘storm’ to hit South China Sea

CHINESE PERCEPTION:Heritage Foundation fellow Dean Cheng said inaction by the US over Chinese island-building could cause Beijing to see it as weak

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 04, 2015
By: William Lowther  /  Staff reporter in WASHINGTON

There is a military storm brewing in the South China Sea and it will involve Taiwan, a US stormnational defense and strategic planning consultancy on Friday told a Washington conference.

“China is maneuvering and building up its military forces with clear intent,” Global Strategies and Transformation president Paul Giarra said.

Giarra told the Heritage Foundation think tank that Beijing had convinced the US not to consider the nation in the context of geography or military operations.

“We are thinking of Taiwan as a political problem that we want to go away,” he said at the conference, titled “Taiwan in the South China Sea.”     [FULL  STORY]

Dengue fever epidemic subsides in Tainan, but worsens in Kaohsiung

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-04
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed Sunday that the number of

Dengue subsides in Tainan, Kaohsiung worsens. Central News Agency

Dengue subsides in Tainan, Kaohsiung worsens. Central News Agency

dengue fever contracts has reached 22,410 since the beginning of summer, while Tainan alone accounted for 17,278 cases.

Despite being the hardest hit by the mosquito-borne disease, the number of new infections in Tainan has shown day-to-day signs of slowing down with 274 cases on Saturday, according to the city’s health department.

The increase in the number of cases in Tainan has slowed for the tenth consecutive day, the CDC noted.     [FULL  STORY]

Dengue fever cases top 20,000

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/10/04
By: Flor Wang

Taipei, Oct. 4 (CNA) The number of dengue fever cases nationwide had reached 20,241 201510040004t0001as of Sunday morning, an increase of 352 from the previous day, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

In Tainan, where the mosquito-borne disease has been especially virulent this summer, there have been 17,278 cases. There have been 2,636 in neighboring Kaohsiung and 81 in the southernmost county of Pingtung, the agency said.

In the capital city of Taipei, 40 local and 46 foreign related dengue fever cases had been reported as of 10am on Sunday.

There were two more suspected dengue fever-related fatalities on Saturday, bringing the total number of deaths to 56 across the country as of Sunday morning, while 54 people remain in intensive care.     [FULL  STORY]