Students of National Chengchi University and other schools have been protesting against universities in Taiwan setting English proficiency requirements as a threshold for graduation based on outside tests.

Taiwan News 
Date: 2017/11/22
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)—Students of National Chengchi University and other schools have

Extramural English test results as a threshold for graduation are being challenged in Taiwan. (By Wikimedia Commons)

been protesting against universities in Taiwan setting English proficiency requirements as a threshold for graduation based on outside tests, prompting the country’s legislature to ask the Ministry of Education to come up with a comprehensive strategy to address the issue.

Many universities in Taiwan require their students to achieve certain English proficiency standards in order to graduate. For example, some schools require students to achieve certain scores on GEPT (General English Proficiency Test), TOEFL, or TOEIC. Such requirements have recently drawn protests from students, who criticized schools for shifting the responsibility of English education to outside agencies, such as cram schools and test centers. Some Chengchi University students have even initiated an administrative lawsuit against the policy.      [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 23, 2017
By: Jonathan Chin  /  Staff writer, with CNA

Premier William Lai (賴清德) yesterday vowed that the nation would pass the Asia Pacific

Premier William Lai, second left, yesterday participates in a news conference held by the Cabinet’s Anti-money Laundering Office in Taipei, vowing to pass the third-round evaluation of the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering next year.  Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times

Group on Money Laundering’s (APG) evaluations next year, hinting that banking reforms are likely.

Lai made the comments at a news conference to announce the Cabinet’s determination to repair the nation’s reputation on transparency of financial institutions.

Taiwan was the first Asian nation to pass legislation dedicated to countering money laundering and is a founding member of the group, he added.

The nation in 2007 landed on the group’s “regular follow-up” list after its first-ever evaluation of the region’s efforts to fight money laundering, Lai said.

In 2011, Taiwan was placed on the group’s “enhanced follow-up” list after foreign regulators levied penalties against the nation’s banks for poor implementation of money laundering measures and weak internal regulation, he added.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-11-22

Defense Minister Feng Shih-kuan says a number of Chinese military aircraft have flown

(CNA file photo)

from the Bashi Channel towards the Pacific Ocean. The channel is the waterway that separates Taiwan from the Philippines.

Feng was speaking at the legislature on Wednesday. Feng later left the legislature to keep a close watch on the Chinese aircraft. Defense ministry spokesperson Chen Chung-ji explains

“There were many [Chinese aircraft] today, so the defense minister and relevant agencies took this very seriously. When the minister was attending a legislative interpellation, he was also keeping an eye on the monitoring of this situation,” Chen said.

Chen said that the defense ministry keeps close watch on the moves of the Chinese military and will act according to set rules in any situation. 　[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/11/22
By: Chiu Chun-chin and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Nov. 22 (CNA) The In-Town Check-In service currently provided to passengers of China Airlines and EVA Air in conjunction with Taipei Main Station Airport MRT line has been suspended for passengers flying to Canada, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Co. said on Wednesday.

The suspension was introduced after Canadian civil aviation authorities sent personnel to Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration to learn more about the advanced check-in procedures being followed, according to the company.

During the review, the Canadian inspectors raised concerns about security measures in place at the do-it-yourself check-in and luggage check-in counter at Taipei station, in the center of Taipei City, the company added.    [FULL  STORY]

EMPTY JOB?The former vice president said that he would not have been asked to help in the negotiations, as that office does not have a clearly defined function

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 23, 2017
By: Shih Hsiao-kuang and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday rejected

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Den-yih talks to reporters in Taipei yesterday after the inauguration of King En-ching as the new director of the KMT’s Huang Fu-hsing military veterans chapter.  Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times

allegations that he was involved in negotiations with then-Executive Yuan secretary-general Chien Tai-lang (簡太郎) over a navy minesweeper project during his tenure as vice president and accused President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of having a close connection with a scandal-hit shipbuilder.

Local media reported that Chien, who led Cabinet negotiations for a syndicated loan to Ching Fu Shipbuilding Co (慶富造船) in 2015, met with Wu twice at the Presidential Office Building.

Wu said that while there were ample opportunities to meet with Chien, who was unlikely to speak with him about the minesweeper project, because the vice president has no clearly defined state function.

Wu displayed a picture of Tsai talking with Ching Fu president and founder Chen Ching-nan (陳慶男) at Coast Guard Administration drills in Keelung earlier this year, saying: “This picture says everything.”    [FULL  STORY]

Chinese intelligence jets flew past area where Taiwan jet crashed, ‘to collect intel about Taiwan’s communication, and rescue and emergency response’

Asia Times
Date: November 17, 2917
By: Asia Times Staff

A Taiwan Air Force fighter AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo intercepts a PLA H-6 bomber above the Taiwan Strait. Photo: Taiwan Defense Ministry. A Taiwan Air Force fighter AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo intercepts a PLA H-6 bomber above the Taiwan Strait. Photo: Taiwan Defense Ministry.

Six Chinese warplanes, including four H-6 strategic bombers, two electronic intelligence jets, one Tu-154MD and the other Y-8, flew past the Miyako Strait between Taiwan and Japan’s Okinawa prefecture on November 19, until the Japanese Self-defence Force scrambled jet fighters to monitor and intercept the flyover, Japan’s Ministry of Defence said.

Taiwan authorities confirmed that the Chinese warplanes crossed deep into the island’s airspace – above the waters off Eastern Taiwan – before following the same route back.

“The flyover was closely monitored while our warplanes and pilots were put on full alert. The national armed forces will strive to defend airspace and the safety of our people,” Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said in a statement.

A report on Monday in Beijing mouthpiece Global Times also said that a number of People’s Liberation Army Air Force planes traversed the Taiwan Strait – the first time after the conclusion of the Communist Party’s 19th Congress last month and US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing. It hailed the resumption of saber-rattling a “righteous patrolling of Beijing’s own sea and airspace”.    [FULL  STORY]