Attack happened on 71st anniversary of 228 massacre

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/02/28
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Alleged supporters of Taiwan Independence daubed the

temporary grave of late President Chiang Kai-shek with red paint on the 71stanniversary of the 228 Incident, an uprising which was put down with force by his Kuomintang, with tens of thousands of deaths and disappearances as a result.

In Taipei, the anniversary was marked with solemn events featuring prayers and the laying of flowers, but in Taoyuan City’s Cihu, a group calling itself “From Ethnos to Nation” entered the pavilion where Chiang’s body was kept and threw paint on his sarcophagus, the Central News Agency reported.

On its Facebook page, the group posted pictures of their actions and listed what they called the “228 action declaration of young Taiwan independence.” They said that young people who supported the government’s current push for transitional justice had used red paint to symbolize the blood of Chiang’s victims.    [FULL  STORY]

ORAL HISTORY: Survivors and families of victims of the massacre recounted the arrests, torture, killings and disappearance of many innocent people 71 years ago

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 01, 2018
By: Lai Hsiao-tung, Su Fu-nan and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporters, with staff writer

Due to the nature of the 228 Massacre and the subsequent White Terror period, many of

those who were arrested or questioned disappeared, making survivors of the massacre and their direct families precious sources of oral histories.

The 228 Incident refers to an uprising that began on Feb. 27, 1947, against the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) authoritarian regime. The resulting brutal crackdown left tens of thousands dead and led to nearly four decades of martial law.

New Taipei City 228 Association director-general Hung Hsien-chao (洪顯詔), son of massacre victim Hung Chin-mu (洪金木), urged the government to release historical records so the public could learn the truth.

Survivors and the families of victims, including Taiwanese social elite and many innocent people, have long lived under the shadow of the massacre and the White Terror era, he said.    [FULL  STORY]

6 best places in Taiwan to see spring flowers

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/02/28
By: David Spencer, Taiwan News, Contributing Writer

So, the Lunar New Year holiday is in the past and people all over Taiwan are getting back into the daily grind. But, it’s not all doom and gloom. After a chilly couple of months, by Taiwanese standards at least, spring is in the air at last, and in Taiwan, that means one thing. The blossom and spring flowers are on their way.

There is unquestionably something special about seeing an abundance of spring flowers. Maybe it is the fact that most Taiwanese people live in hugely over-developed urban areas with very few green and natural spaces. Maybe it is the bright and vivid colors which contrast so strikingly with the omnipresent concrete and plain-tiled facades of buildings. Whatever it is, Taiwan’s spring floral displays attract countless locals and overseas visitors alike. They are definitely worth making a trip for. And to help you find some good ones, here is my pick of the Best places in Taiwan to see Spring Flowers: [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/02/28
By: Chen Wei-ting and Frances Huang

Taipei, Feb. 28 (CNA) Heavy rains are expected around Taiwan on Wednesday as a

weather front passes over the island, according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).

CWB forecaster Cheng Chuan-fang (程川芳) said the chance of rain around Taiwan has risen because of the heavy moisture brought by the front and warned of downpours in the afternoon.

Cheng said anybody going outside on Wednesday — a holiday marking the 71st anniversary of the 228 Incident — should have an umbrella with them.

The rain, however, will ease Wednesday night as the weather system leaves Taiwan, the forecaster said.    [FULL  STORY]

 

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 28, 2018
By Chang Hsuan-che and Sherry Hsiao  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

Hsieh I-cheng (謝一誠), a 228 Incident victim, said that a certificate he is to receive today

to restore his reputation cannot erase the pain and torture he experienced during his imprisonment.

Hsieh, 93, grew up in Taichung’s Beitun District (北屯) and was drafted to the transport unit of the Japanese military in Taichung when he was 19, where he became familiar with Taichung’s arsenal, he said.

On Feb. 28, 1947, the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government violently suppressed a nationwide uprising against it and a series of bloody purges against civilians ensued in subsequent months. The event marked the beginning of the White Terror era that saw tens of thousands of people arrested, imprisoned and executed.

Hsieh said when he heard the crackdown had spread, he transported firearms and ammunition left behind by the Japanese military in an ammunition depot in Taichung’s Dakeng (大坑) to the downtown area to assist the militia.

On March 16, 1947, Hsieh was charged with theft and sentenced to death.

He spent more than two years in a jail in a military camp in Taichung’s Gancheng Borough (干城), he said.    [FULL  STORY]

Richmond News
Date: February 26, 2018 

Taipei – Taiwan replaced its China affairs chief Friday, promoting a minister associated

with pro-independence politics in what it said was a bid to forge a “new phase” in relations with rival Beijing.

Analysts said the move, part of a major reshuffle, signalled a push by President Tsai Ing-wen to take a more assertive stance as ties with the Chinese government grow increasingly frosty.

China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified and has cut off official communications with Taipei as Tsai refuses to acknowledge the self-ruling, democratic island is part of “one China”.

Chen Ming-tong will take over the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) which oversees Taiwan’s relations with China.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-02-26

Newly-appointed Foreign Minster Joseph Wu has taken office. At a ceremony marking his

first day in office on Monday, Wu said he felt honored to be appointed by President Tsai Ing-wen. He said he’s also well aware of the huge responsibilities of his new post.

The veteran politician said that although he has been working in foreign diplomacy for many years, this marks his first time on the front lines.

Wu was Taiwan’s representative to the United States from 2007 to 2008. His previous posts include Presidential Office secretary-general, as well as the head of the National Security Council and the Mainland Affairs Council.    [FULL  STORY]