TAOYUAN BLAZE: Last month’s fire highlighted loopholes and safety flaws in the current regulations governing hazardous chemicals, protesters said

Taipei Times
Date: May 15, 2018
By: Ann Maxon  /  Staff reporter

A coalition of labor and environmental groups yesterday protested outside the Legislative

Yuan in Taipei to demand that the government pass laws requiring factory owners to inform the government, fire departments and area residents of hazardous chemicals stored at their factories.

The protest began an hour after the legislature’s Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee began a meeting to review current policies on chemicals control and disaster prevention in the wake of last month’s fire at a Chin-Poon Industrial Co factory in Taoyuan that killed six firefighters and two Thai employees.

Representatives of the National Association for Firefighters’ Rights, the Migrants Empowerment Network in Taiwan (MENT), the Green Citizens’ Action Alliance and other groups called on the government to increase protection for firefighters, people living near chemical factories and the environment.

Last month’s fire took a heavy toll on the Taoyuan Fire Department because the firefighters were given limited information on the hazardous chemicals stored at the factory before going inside, association advisor Cheng Ya-ling (鄭雅菱) said.    [FULL  STORY]

The carcass washed ashore around 7 p.m. on Friday night, May 11, local residents claim it is a bad omen

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/05/13
By: Duncan DeAeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Outside the town of San Antonio of Oriental Mindoro in the Philippines, the carcass of a strange creature measuring over six meters long, washed up on the beach around 7 p.m. Friday night, May 11.

The long, white, and hairy foul smelling carcass is causing worry among some local residents, with many claiming that the dead mystery creature is an omen that disaster or misfortune is coming for the Philippines.

Such creatures, usually decomposing bodies of large ocean dwelling mammals, are often referred to as “globsters” before they are properly identified. A similar looking creature washed ashore on Dinagat Island in the southern Philippines in February last year.

A local officer with the Fisheries department was quoted by media as saying “For now we can say it is a whale, but the exact species is still unknown.” The body measures, 6.1 meters long,  1.2 meters wide at one end. and .6 meters wide at the other end, reports the Daily Mail.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/05/13
By: Joseph Yeh

Taipei, May. 13 (CNA) More than 60 migrant workers joined a program in Taipei Sunday that offers vocational training in making Taiwanese trademark dishes and drinks such as beef noodles and bubble tea, to help them prepare for life after they return to their home countries.

The program, titled the Global Workers’ Upskill Center program, is now in its second year. In its first year, it offered baking and e-commerce courses. This year, the program has expanded to cooking and hairdressing.

Karen Hsu (徐瑞希), secretary-general of the Global Workers’ Organization in Taiwan, the chief organizer of the program, told CNA that the initiative is designed to help migrant workers expand their skill sets.

According to Hsu, Taiwanese companies are keen to expand their business in Association of Southeast Asian Nation countries but they lack talent that has both Taiwanese experience while at the same time a deep knowledge of local markets.
[FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: May 14, 2018
By: Liberty Times reporters Aaron Tu, Huang Wei-chu and Lo Tien-pi

The Ministry of National Defense sees the rapid build-up of the military’s operational capabilities as its top priority and would like to see efforts to create a self-sufficient defense industry receive more funding than the procurement of US arms, Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa said in an interview with Liberty Times’ (sister newspaper of the Taipei Times) staff reporters Aaron Tu, Huang Wei-chu and Lo Tien-pi

Liberty Times (LT): Has the country officially requested the US to sell F-35 jets and M1 tanks?

Yen De-fa (嚴德發): The air force’s operational requirements dictate that the next generation of fighters must possess stealth characteristics, be short take-off capable and be able to fight beyond visual range. The F-35 is a fine fighter and we are seeking it.

To answer the question as to whether we have formally requested the F-35 from the US, although we have been holding dialogues with US officials, they have not reached a definitive conclusion. US officials are evaluating it, and they might have their own concerns over its high cost or other considerations.

However, I can confirm that negotiations are ongoing.

Our nation’s new strategic doctrine is strong defense and layered deterrence. Military history is clear in that land warfare continues to be the decisive form of combat. We need to re-establish our ability to deter on the ground. The combat power of tanks is crucial toward that end.    [FULL  STORY]

Business Mirror
Date: May 13, 2018
By: Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero –

Story & photos by Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero

I started traveling very early—even before the advent of travel blogging—yet it took me eleven years to finally take myself to Taiwan.

The tiny country is so close to the Philippines that it even makes flying to Thailand or Singapore seem so much longer. However, going there is not the easiest, as one has to go through the hassle of obtaining a tourist visa, and flight options are also very limited. So, when the Taiwanese government relaxed their immigration policy toward tourists, my family and I just had to take advantage of the pass.

Taipei is hard to describe, but is quite easy to love. I was subconsciously always comparing it with Hong Kong and Shanghai, two equally modern metros that I have been to several times before that share the same textures as Taipei, but the culture of Taiwan’s capital is very different and refreshing. Strolling around old Taipei is easy, and provides a sneak peek into the soul of the nation. Anyone can just take any of the recommended walking routes, often available upon request in most hotels, to see various aspects of the historic precinct. Given that I only had two days to explore Taipei proper, I combined various itineraries to get to the Longshan Temple, a Chinese folk religious temple first built in the early-1700s by Fujian immigrants and is now a designated second-grade heritage building. In doing so, I passed through other important and interesting sites, such as the Taiwan 228 Peace Memorial and the National Museum inside a well-manicured public park and the Red House right beside the Ximending shopping district, among others.    [FULL  STORY]

President Tsai wants to avoid sending the wrong signal to China

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/05/12
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – United States National Security Adviser John Bolton is

unlikely to visit Taiwan next month for the opening of the new American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) offices, an official at the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) told the BBC.

Bolton is known as a hardline supporter of Taiwan against China, and his presence had been expected as another sign that the administration of President Donald Trump favors the island, reports said.

However, MAC Deputy Minister Chang Tien-chin (張天欽) said in a BBC interview that even though he did not know what the final decision would be, he thought Bolton would not attend the AIT event.

“The reason is simple: even though China is giving us a lot of pressure, our president is still hoping to express goodwill toward China, and does not want to stir up trouble,” the BBC quoted Chang as saying.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/05/12
By: Justin Su and Lee Hsin-Yin

Taipei, May 12 (CNA) A 14-year-old Taiwanese boy is having his own creation of a Lego

model reviewed by the Danish toy company after getting 10,000 votes at Lego Ideas, a website that allows users to submit ideas for Lego products to be turned into potential sets available for sale.

Cheng Yu-liang (鄭宇亮) created a vintage BMW R60/2 motorcycle and reached the threshold of 10,000 votes April 28 to be eligible for a review by Lego designers and marketing representatives to decide whether to turn it into a new Lego product.

Cheng’s creation was made for a friend and fellow Lego enthusiast to commemorate his father, who would take him on rides on this very motorcycle through the countryside, according to the description of the project on the website.

The motorbike was constructed to match all the various specifications and details of the original bike, including the unique triangular front fork, handbrakes, fuel tank and twin cylinders, it read.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: May 13, 2018 
By Lee I-chia  /  Staff reporter

Last year’s Taipei Summer Universiade displayed the “tough Taiwanese spirit,” Taipei

Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday.

Ko made the remarks in response to comments by former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) that Taiwan won many medals in the Games because China’s best athletes did not compete.

“Did we perform so well in the Universiade? It’s because China made it easy for us. They held the National Games of the People’s Republic of China at the same time, so all the best athletes stayed in China,” Lu said on a political talk show aired on Thursday evening.

She also claimed that the Chinese government informed Ko in advance that it would “let him off the hook and make it easy for him,” and that is why Taiwan was able to win so many gold medals.

Taipei was the host of the Games and Team Taiwan won 26 gold medals, 34 silvers and 30 bronzes, the best Universiade result that the nation had ever achieved.
[FULL  STORY]