As the potential of a KMT government in 2020 looms large in the thinking of Latin American governments loyal to Taipei, the US has an important role to play in the continuance of Taiwan’s diplomatic presence in the region.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/12/12
By: R. Evan Ellis

From Nov. 26 to Dec. 2, 2018, I traveled to Taipei, Taiwan to speak at the prestigious private university, Tamkang. There I had the chance to interact with academics, officials, and students regarding Taiwan’s relationships in Latin America and the Caribbean and its associated struggle for diplomatic and existential survival.

My visit to Taiwan coincided with the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires, where Chinese President Xi Jinping’s presence highlighted the growing PRC role in Latin America and its successes in the global diplomatic struggle with Taiwan. Xi began his time in Argentina with an important bilateral meetingwith Argentine President Mauricio Macri, where the two leaders outlined a five-year plan for cooperation. While many in Washington focused on the negotiation between President Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump at the summit, for Xi, the conversation with his U.S. counterpart was only one among many. Following the summit, President Xi departed for Panama for his first state visit with China’s new diplomatic partner, Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela, who was seeking to seal the deal on another series of accords with China that will accelerate the deepening of the PRC-Panama relationship.    [FULL  STORY]

As winter is here now, it’s the best time to visit a couple of places in Hualien’s Shoufeng Township famed for their postcard scenery of deciduous cypress trees

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/12/12
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – As winter is here now, it’s the best time to visit a couple of places in Hualien’s Shoufeng Township famed for their postcard scenery of deciduous cypress trees at this time of year, according to a Central News Agency (CNA) report on Wednesday.

These places include Yunshanshui (雲山水), Yu Zhan Miao Pu (鈺展苗圃), and Promisedland Resort and Lagoon (理想大地渡假飯店) . All three places are located in the county’s Shoufeng Township.

Yunshanshui, which means “cloud, mountain, Water” in Mandarin, became famed after a drink advert was filmed there. A lake lying at the center of the land is surrounded by deciduous cypress trees. The reflection of the red and yellow leaves of the trees on the lake has visitors feel like they are in a different country than Taiwan, the report said.

The scenery of the deciduous cypress forest at Yu Zhan Miao Pu is hailed as equally mesmerizing as that of Yunshanshui after it went viral on the Internet, thus attracting crowds of visitors, according to the report.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/12/12
By: Wu Rui-chi and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Dec. 12 (CNA) A Tesla sedan on autopilot crashed into two police patrol cars parked on the side of a freeway in northern Taiwan Tuesday night but caused no casualties, according to traffic police.

The driver in the Tesla electric car had turned on its autonomous driving assistant system shortly he entered the north-bound National Freeway No. 3, traveling from Miaoli, police said Wednesday.

At the 99.3 kilometer mark on the Hsinchu section of the freeway, four traffic police officers were dealing with an accident on the inside lane and the two police vehicles were parked on the side of the road, according to Lin Tien-kan (林天淦), a deputy division chief at the National Highway Police Bureau.

He said the police had put up a barricade of 12 traffic cones and eight warning lamps about 100 meters ahead of the accident site.    [FULL  STORY]

A SENIOR CHINESE General has advocated for military action to retake control of the self-governing island of Taiwan, claiming when the “strategic opportunity emerges”, Beijing should not fear starting a “war of liberation”.

Express
Date: Dec 11, 2018
By: MARTINA BET

Speaking at a conference organised by the ruling Communist Party’s official newspaper The Global Times, Senior Colonel Dai Xu discussed the forceful reunification of China and Taiwan in light of the heightened tensions in the South China Sea. Mr Dai, who serves as the president of the country’s Marine Institute for Security and Cooperation, urged the military to ramp up its aggression towards the US in the dispute waters, and suggested some provocation might push China towards military action targeting Taiwan. The Chinese General said: “Why do we put the battlefield in the South China Sea and Taiwan?

World War 3 THREAT: China to send TWO warships to CONFRONT US Navy

US ambassador SUMMONED as Beijing rages over Huawei chief’s arrest
“If cross-Straits tensions rise, there is no need to think too much.

“Though the economy is the most important aspect of overall development and we should definitely focus on saving it, once the opportunity for reunification comes, why not take it?

“Tensions will accelerate reunification and will only be the beginning of Taiwan’s war of liberation.”    [FULL  STORY]

Shopping malls in Taoyuan have instilled the festive spirit with Christmas decorations, crafts, and “snow”

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/12/11
By: George Liao,Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – As Christmas is just around the corner, shopping malls in Taoyuan have geared up for the holiday season and instilled the festive spirit with Christmas decorations, crafts, and even “snow,” according to a recent news release posted on the Taoyuan Travel website by Taoyuan’s Department of Tourism.

Gloria Outlets (華泰名品城), whose Christmas Village last year received high praises, has erected an 18-meter-tall Christmas tree on its square for this year, and also built a “tree hole” for people to explore, the release said, adding that there will also be periodical artificial snowfalls.

MetroWalk Shopping Center (大江國際購物中心) has constructed the only Christmas castle in Taiwan, where visitors can also visit Santa Claus.

TaiMall Shopping Center (台茂購物中心) presents the “Christmas tree of light” with 10 different light changes and regular artificial snowfalls.    [FULL  STYORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/12/11
By: Chen Wei-ting and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Dec. 11 (CNA) A Taiwanese traveler was killed and two others were injured in a

motor vehicle crash on a freeway in Perth, Australia Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday, citing Taiwan’s representative office in the country.

The three tourists were part of an 11-member tour group organized by an Australian travel agency, according to the ministry.

The head-on collision caused at least three deaths and nine injuries, according to news reports.

After receiving a phone call Monday from survivors of the accident, Taiwan’s representative office in Australia expressed concern on behalf of the government for the Taiwanese victims and has asked Taiwanese volunteers there to visit them, according to MOFA.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 10 December, 2018
By: Andrew Ryan

Human Rights Day is observed every year around the world on December 10. On that day, 70 years ago, the United Nations declared the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen marked the occasion by presenting the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award.

This year, the award went to a group called Gusdurian Network Indonesia (GNI). The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy is the group behind the award. It lauded GNI for “defending victims of conflicts that arise from religious differences and suppression of minority groups.”

During Monday’s ceremony, President Tsai spoke about the group’s connection to late Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, who is known as Gus Dur. She said the organization’s work is based on his core principles of tolerance and dialogue, and enabling oppressed minorities to play an important role in  times of religious or ethnic tension.

President Tsai said that Taiwan has undergone a democratic transformation during the last 30 years. Even today, she said, there are still challenges to overcome.
[FULL  STORY]