Taipei Times
Date: Jul 26, 2015
By: Abraham Gerber  /  Staff reporter

The police chief who arrested three journalists on Thursday night will not be punished, Taipei

Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday.

The journalists were arrested along with student activists and charged with trespassing on the Ministry of Education’s grounds, with police officers temporarily confiscating their mobile phones and cameras.

“I view this as an unexpected situation and am prepared to shoulder the responsibility myself because there were no clear rules to follow,” said Ko, adding that it would be unfair to for Zhongzheng First Precinct Police Chief Chang Chi-wen (張奇文) to take the blame for the journalists’ arrest.

Late on Friday, Ko apologized in a media release for what he said was the police department’s “infringement on press freedom.”     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/07/24
By: Chiu Chun-chin and Christie Chen

Taipei, July 24 (CNA) A 17-year-old boy was arrested on homicide charges Friday after allegedly killing his younger brother accidentally by punching him too hard in the abdomen in a fight over a smartphone, police in Taoyuan said Friday.

The suspect allegedly chased and punched his 16-year-old brother several times in the abdomen two days ago after discovering that his brother had taken his smartphone and refused to give it back to him, the police said.

The 16-year-old complained to his parents of a stomach ache later that day, but they thought he was merely hungry.

He complained again on Thursday before passing out at home and being rushed to the hospital, the police said.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/07/25
By: Kelven Huang and Elaine Hou

Taipei, July 25 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said Saturday that a group of U.S.

medical experts have commended Taiwan on its treatment of patients who suffered severe burns in a flash fire at a New Taipei water park last month.

The experts in burn treatment, who visited Taiwan to offer advice, highly praised the work of the Taiwanese medical staff and the government’s efforts to assist the hundreds of burn victims, Ma said on his Facebook page.

Ma made the comment after meeting Friday with the six-member team, which was led by Stephen Maxwell Milner, director of the Johns Hopkins Burn Center.

“This was the first visit by the experts to Taiwan and they were impressed by Taiwan’s advanced medical equipment, techniques and the national health insurance system,” Ma said.     [FULL  STORY]

Defence News
Date: July 25, 2015
By: Wendell Minnick

TAIPEI — Taiwan’s Navy seeks to procure eight to 10 MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine

warfare (ASW) helicopters via the US Foreign Military Sales program to replace aging MD500 “Defender” helicopters, a local defense industry source said.

An announcement is expected by the end of this year and a possible letter of acceptance in 2016, the source said. A US-based defense industry analyst said the deal was estimated at $700 million to $800 million.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed that the MD500s are scheduled for retirement and that it was seeking a replacement.

The revelation comes on the heels of news that Lockheed Martin will acquire Sikorsky Aircraft, maker of the Seahawk, from United Technologies for $9 billion. The new Seahawks will also augment the Navy’s existing inventory of 18 S-70C(M) ASW helicopters now in operation.

“Some of the older S-70s’ mission equipment and avionics is outdated,” the defense industry source said. The MH-60Rs will be able to take up some of the heavy lifting.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-07-25
By: Xinhua and Staff Reporter

China on Friday voiced grave concern and strong dissatisfaction over Japan’s decision to

allow former Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui to visit Japan.

“Lee Teng-hui is a stubborn Taiwan splittist,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang in a press release.

Despite stern representations from China, Japan assisted Lee’s visit and his involvement in Taiwan separatist activities, said Lu.

The Taiwan issue concerns the core interest of China, he said, adding that China is resolutely opposed to any individual trying to engage in Taiwan separatist activities in any form.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/07/25
By: M. H. Chang, K. C. Lu, S.F. Wong and Lillian Lin

Taipei, July 25 (CNA) Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) has filed a lawsuit against a

ruling by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) that the company must pay compensation to certain residents living along the high speed railway.

The EPA’s impact assessment committee had earlier decided that the THSRC should pay a total of NT$8.33 million (around US$270,000) to 26 residents in Miaoli County, on grounds that the noise from the bullet trains had caused them to suffer insomnia and mental health disorders.

Since the high speed rail began commercial operations in 2007, THSRC has received numerous complaints from residents along the route about excessive noise.     [FULL  STORY]

KMT’S RESPONSE:Legislator Lee Guei-min said the protesters had breached the Criminal Code. Hung Hsiu-chu said ‘protest backers’ must leave the students alone

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 26, 2015
By: Loa Iok-sin and Alison Hsiao  /  Staff reporters

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said legal action by the Ministry of

Education against students is a “big joke,” after a group broke into the ministry building late on Thursday night in a protest over proposed adjustments to high-school curriculum guidelines.

“The ministry broke the law with the proposed curriculum guidelines, and now it is bringing legal action against students,” DPP spokesperson Huang Di-ying (黃帝穎) said. “If Minister of Education Wu Se-hwa (吳思華) does not withdraw the action against the students, he will destroy his image and blight his conscience, becoming a dirty politician with a bad name that will follow him for the rest of his life.”

Thirty-three people, including three journalists, were detained by police after they entered the building. The protesters were released late on Friday after posting bail ranging from NT$10,000 to NT$30,000. The journalists were placed under house arrest after each refused to pay NT$10,000 bail.     [FULL  STORY]

news.com.au
Date: July 24, 2015

IT WOULD almost be laughable if the consequences weren’t so potentially dangerous.

The conflict in the South China Sea continues to intensify as each country moves to assert their dominance.

But some nations have more power than others.

In the case of Taiwan, it lacks the financial resources, military might and diplomatic influence to risk a direct confrontation with China, so the government has taken an unusual approach to make sure it stays in the game.

It is just one of six nations vying for a piece of the Spratly archipelago, a group of islands and reefs off the coast of Malaysia and the Philippines.

China has been building artificial islands in the area to try and extend its dominance, as well as testing hypersonic glide vehicles capable of carrying nuclear weapons.     [FULL  STORY]