Focus Taiwan
Date: 02/28/2020
By: Chen Yun-yu, Lai Yen-hsi, Stanley Cheung and Emerson Lim

Taipei, Feb. 28 (CNA) Taiwan's government on Friday condemned the arrest of Hong Kong pro-democracy businessman Jimmy Lai (黎智英) by Hong Kong police on charges of illegal assembly and intimidation.

In a press statement, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) expressed concern over Lai's arrest and urged the Hong Kong government to protect the right of its people to assemble as guaranteed by its Basic Law.

The Hong Kong authorities should prioritize COVID-19 outbreak containment instead of political reprisal, said the MAC, an agency that handle Taiwan's relations with Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

"Considering the current situation, we hope the Hong Kong side can exercise restraint and respond to people's demands sincerely, to be able to get to the crux of problems and resolve them," the MAC said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 27 February, 2020
By: Paula Chao

President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday lauded the army’s chemical unit for playing an important role in curbing the spread of the new coronavirus COVID-19. Tsai’s comments came during a visit to the unit in northern Taiwan.

Taiwan has recorded 32 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including one death, since the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, last December.

The army’s chemical unit has been on hand at critical points to help with disinfection. 
[FULL  STORY]

The Hill
Date: 02/27/20
By: Joseph Bosco, Opinion Contributor

Should Xi Jinping be quaking in his boots at the prospect that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) might become president? Sanders just stated emphatically that he would “absolutely” use military force if China attacks Taiwan.

That is an (almost) unprecedented  expression of strategic clarity on the U.S. commitment to Taiwan’s democratic security. But Beijing might be forgiven for dismissing it as so much political rhetoric in the midst of a presidential campaign. It has heard such tough talk before, and seen it dissipate once the candidate took office and actually had the power to follow through — but didn’t.

When Richard Nixon prepared his 1968 run for the presidency, he laid out his strategy to get “Red China” to moderate its harsh domestic policies and aggressive approach in international affairs. He argued against making premature concessions such as “to ply it with trade … which would serve to confirm its rulers in their present course.”

He delegated to his junior partner, national security adviser Henry Kissinger, the immediate task of starting negotiations, but told him to avoid giving away too much just to get a deal: “We cannot be too forthcoming in terms of what America will do. We’ll withdraw from Taiwan, and we’ll do this, and that, and the other thing.”    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan to ramp up production of surgical masks to over 12 million per day by mid-March to battle Wuhan coronavirus

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/02/27
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As panic buying of face masks continues to grip Taiwan over the Wuhan coronavirus, Taiwan's authorities on Thursday (Feb. 27) announced that production of masks should ramp up to over 12 million by mid-March.

Ho Chin-tsang (何晉滄), director-general of the Ministry of Economic Affairs' (MOEA's) Small and Medium Enterprise Administration (SMEA), said on Thursday at a press conference that the daily production of surgical face masks stands at 6.2 million. As 60 new production lines go into full operation on March 9, this number should leap to 10 million per day, reported CNA.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 02/27/2020
By: William Yen

Taipei, Feb. 27 (CNA) The Indonesian representative office in Taipei said Thursday it is providing some 2,400 surgical face masks for Indonesian students and undocumented migrant workers in Taiwan in an effort to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.

Of that number, 1,500 have been given to the Indonesian Students Association for distribution to students free of cost, the Indonesian Economic Trade Office (IETO) in Taipei said.

Another 900 masks will be placed at three shops in Hsinchu and Taichung cities for supply to undocumented Indonesian workers, also at no cost, the IETO said.

This is to help provide some protection to Indonesian workers who do not have a valid National Health Insurance (NHI) card, which is required to buy masks in Taiwan under the government's current rationing system, according to IETO official Eva M. Odameng.    [FULL  STORY]

Determined to denuclearize, Taiwan strikes balance between green energy and low price of electricity

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/02/26
By: Chris Chang, Taiwan News

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Although the Taiwanese voted in a 2018 referendum to abolish the earlier deadline of 2025 to denuclearize the country, the island nation continues its march toward a greener future.

By 2025, Taiwan will generate 20 percent of its electricity through renewable energy, a goal which is backed by the Four-year Wind Power Promotion Plan and Two-year Solar PV Promotion Plan. Following these projects, the capacity of renewable power is expected to reach 26.9 gigawatts (GW) within five years.

In 2019, the country opened Asia's first commercial offshore wind field outside of Miaoli County. The 22 wind turbines have a total capacity of 120 megawatts (MW) and can support the daily needs of 120,000 to 130,000 households, according to Chen Chung-hsien (陳崇憲), director of the Electricity Division in Taiwan's Bureau of Energy (BOE).

The current wind farm is composed of wind turbines from Denmark, capital from Japan and Australia, and technical support from the U.K. The presence of foreign companies is necessary at this stage because this technology-intensive industry is entirely new to Taiwan.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 02/26/2020
Breakdown of Taiwan’s 32 confirmed COVID-19 cases    [SOURCE\