The risk of a miscalculation triggering a confrontation is real

Nikkei Asian Review
Date: November 20, 2018
By: Chris Horton, Contributing writer

TAIPEI — The U.S.-China relationship is at its lowest point since then President Bill Clinton sent aircraft carrier groups to stop Chinese intimidation of Taiwan in 1996.

Today, just as then, Taiwan is caught in the middle of rising tensions between Washington and Beijing.

In an early November meeting with U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton, Chinese envoy Yang Jiechi warned that Taiwan was Beijing’s “most important and sensitive” issue. As Yang undoubtedly knows, before joining the Trump administration, Bolton had called for steps including the restoration of full diplomatic recognition of Taipei if China continued its strong-arm tactics against the self-ruled democracy.

Taiwan is claimed by a Chinese government that has never ruled it and backed by a U.S. government that does not officially recognize it. The island occupies an awkward and uncertain position as Beijing and Washington step up belligerent rhetoric over trade, the South China Sea and human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
[FULL  STORY]

Huang Hung Cheng, otherwise known as  ‘Taiwan’s World’s Greatest Man, President, and God of Wealth’ is well-known for his performance antics

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/11/20
By: Duncan Deaeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Returning to electoral politics, for yet another attempt to become Mayor of Chiayi City in southern Taiwan, is Huang Hung Cheng (黃宏成), who is known for his absurdist antics on the campaign trail.

Huang, who runs under the official name of “Taiwan’s World’s Greatest Man, President, and God of Wealth” (台灣阿成世界偉人財神總統), did not disappoint constituents this year, when he delivered an impassioned portion of the famous Gettysburg Address as part of his appeal to voters.

And, that was just one small portion of his remarkable twenty five minute address, which took place on Nov. 18, during a publicly televised event to acquaint local voters with the candidates and their platforms.

Appearing in costume as the “god of wealth” (財神) of classic folk tradition, Huang began his address by invoking blessings for the country, and then by throwing a large amount of NT$1000 bills into the air and towards the camera.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/11/20
By: Yu Hsiao-han and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Nov. 20 (CNA) A supporter of same-sex marriage denounced Tuesday a referendum proposal to regulate same-sex marriage with a new law drafted specifically for that purpose as discriminatory and described excluding same-sex couples from Taiwan’s Civil Code as “racism.”

Pan Tien-ching (潘天慶), a member of the legal group working with the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights, made the statement at a public forum to debate the referendum proposal attended by supporters and opponents.

The referendum, which will be held alongside local government elections on Nov. 24, asks eligible voters: “Do you agree to types of unions, other than those stated in the marriage regulations in the Civil Code, to protect the rights of same-sex couples who live together permanently?”

The referendum was proposed by Tseng Hsien-ying (曾獻瑩), president of the Coalition for the Happiness of Our Next Generation (ANGH). The group advocates maintaining the definition of marriage as it currently exists in the Civil Code. It proposed the referendum to determine whether there should be a separate law for same-sex couples.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 21, 2018
By: Lee I-chia  /  Staff reporter

The number of enterovirus infection cases reported last week increased 13.8 percent

to 10,427, nearing the epidemic threshold of 11,000, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Liu Ting-ping (劉定萍) said yesterday.

The number has increased for two consecutive weeks, she said, adding that the rate was higher in central, northern and eastern Taiwan.

There were no cases of serious complications or deaths associated with the disease in the past two weeks, but 32 serious enterovirus-related complications have been reported this year, she said.

The two peak periods for enterovirus infection are usually between spring and summer, and when school begins in autumn, CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 19 November, 2018
By: Natalie Tso

Taiwan’s Defense Minister Yen Teh-fa says that the US has sent two aircraft carriers to the West Pacific as part of its Indo-Pacific strategy. He says they are there to maintain peace and security in the region.

The USS John C Stennis is currently in the Philippine Sea and the USS Ronald Reagan is near the Balintang Channel off the Northern Philippines.

The defense minister says Taiwan’s military is keeping close tabs on the two warships. He says Taiwan respects the freedom of navigation principles defended by the United States.

A US press release says the two carriers were recently conducting high-end dual carrier operations in the Philippine Sea. The press release also says that bringing two carrier strike groups together provides unparalleled naval combat power, as well as tremendous operational flexibility and reach across the region. It says the US Navy will fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan’s LGBTQ rights movement is mobilizing ahead of referenda on marriage equality and gender equity education this Saturday.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/11/19
By: By Brian Hioe, 破土 New Bloom

A reported 100,000 people attended a rally on Ketagalan Boulevard in support of LGBTQ rights Saturday, with a nationwide referendum on marriage equality and LGBTQ-friendly education scheduled to take place Nov. 24. Featuring musical performances and speeches, the rally culminated with a performance by heavy metal band Chthonic, which is fronted by legislator Freddy Lim of the New Power Party (NPP).

That the rally would be so large was a surprise to most, with the expectation being that the event would only draw thousands or tens of thousands, particularly as it was announced at short notice. With 100,000 in attendance according to organizers, this would put the rally on a similar scale to the Formosa Alliance’s demonstration in front of the Democratic Progressive Party headquarters on Oct. 20, which mobilized individuals from all across Taiwan. This would even put the event close in size to the pride parade which took place on Oct. 28 – the largest pride parade in Taiwanese history – which drew 140,000 to the streets of Taipei. Indeed, while campaign events were also held today by Taipei mayoral candidates Ko Wen-je, Ting Shou-chung, and Pasuya Yao, the rally on Ketagalan Boulevard far dwarfed them all.

As a rally and concert, the event was similar to an anti-nuclear concert held the previous week at Liberty Plaza, which had some overlapping organizers. The event, which was MCed by Jennifer Lu and Cheng Chi-wei of the Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline, was a star-studded affair, with performers including a number of pop musicians such as Ailing Tai, Z-Chen, Enno Cheng, Lara Liang, Sean Lin, and Afalean Lu. A number of famous television and film actors also spoke, including Ding Ning, Amber An, Wen Chen-ling, and others. Directors Zero Chou and actor and film producer Li Lie also spoke. Foreign attendees included Ben Yuen of Hong Kong, who had won best supporting actor at the Golden Horses the previous night, and French actor, Félix Maritaud, the lead actor of “Sauvage.”    [FULL  STORY]

Chen Wen-fan says NSB will not violate Taiwanese right to freedom of speech

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/11/19
By: Scott Morgan, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Deputy head of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau (NSB, 國家安全局), Chen Wen-fan (陳文凡), said it does not monitor Facebook and the NSB will not infringe on the people of Taiwan’s freedom of speech, during a Legislative Yuan hearing on Nov. 19, reported CNA.

Chen went on to say “there is no need to doubt” that the Chinese government is attempting to influence public opinion in Taiwan.

Chen’s comments were made during a Legislative Yuan Finance Committee hearing in Taipei, where the NSB’s work in relation to national communication and network systems was audited, among a host of other government departments.

In regards to a question whether the NSB conducts domestic monitoring and investigation into Facebook posts, Chen said the bureau does not “step on the red line of free speech.”    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/11/19
By: Ku Chuan and Ko Lin

Taipei, Nov. 19 (CNA) The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) announced Monday that

it will launch a cheese certification program in Taiwan next year to teach up-and-coming food industry professionals about cheese.

According to an AIT statement, the program is an industry-academic partnership between the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism (NKUHT).

The “USA Cheese Specialist Certification Program” consists of three courses — Associate, Intermediate and Master — and graduates who complete all three will receive the designation of USA Cheese Specialist, which comes with a sew-on patch they can display on their uniforms, it said.

Chris Frederick, director of AIT’s Agricultural Trade Office, hopes the effort will help forge closer ties between the U.S. dairy industry and Taiwan’s food industry.
[FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 20, 2018
By: Lee I-chia  /  Staff reporter

The Taipei Department of Health yesterday said 688,000 cans of dietary supplements

imported and resold by Abbott Taiwan (亞培台灣), which were pulled from shelves in September due to suspected quality defects, have been disposed of, with the process expected to be completed by March.

The department issued a notice on six types of Abbott’s canned dietary supplements — Ensure (original flavor), Suplena, Nepro, Osmolite, Jevity and Osmolite HN — and ordered the removal on a precaution after the company received 629 complaints in eight months.

The number of complaints was about 22 times the number it received in the same period last year, and Abbott headquarters in May informed Abbott Taiwan about mild bacterial contamination detected in products, the department said, adding that Abbott Taiwan failed to report the situation within 24 hours.

The company last month was fined NT$100,000 as stipulated by Taipei’s food safety regulations.    [FULL  STORY]