Radio Taiwan International
Date: 05 August, 2020
By: Natalie Tso

The Transitional Justice Commission said on Wednesday that it will take inventory of all intelligence files from a range of government agencies. That’s amidst government efforts to confront and make amends for Taiwan’s totalitarian past. 

The plan is to take inventory of all intelligence information from agencies including the National Security Bureau, Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau, National Police Agency, and Ministry of Defense. The goal of this project is to establish comprehensive files. 
[FULL  STORY]

GZERO World
Date: August 05, 2020
By: GZERO Media

On the latest episode of GZERO World, Ian Bremmer discusses the mounting tensions between the US and China with Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief of The Economist. As US hawks talk tough on how to respond to China's increased aggression—Hong Kong, Taiwan, the South China Sea—Beddoes argues now is the time to pursue a more cohesive and long-term diplomatic strategy. "I would hope that…even with countries who have a fundamentally different ideology that you don't trust, that you don't share, that you frankly find abhorrent, that you can find ways of dealing with those countries, not just to prevent a descent into military conflict, but also to tackle the global challenges that we need to tackle," she says. "And what's really profoundly depressing about this particular moment is that in the face of the worst pandemic since 1918, which is ineluctably global in nature and demands a global response. We haven't had that."    [FULL  STORY]

 

Health minister reveals mask-wearing regulations amid increased coronavirus cases

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/08/05
By: Ching-Tse Cheng, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Health Minister and Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) on Wednesday (Aug. 5) announced eight public settings where mask-wearing will be compulsory, in response to the country's increased coronavirus cases over the last few weeks.

Since late June, a few foreign nationals from Japan, Thailand, and Belgium have received a positive COVID test result after leaving Taiwan, all of them with unidentified sources of infection. Despite none of the cases' contacts have been confirmed with the virus, a growing concern has arisen from the public over potential undetected local infections.

During a CECC press conference Wednesday afternoon, Chen said the new regulations will take effect immediately, but no fines will be issued to violators for now. He expressed hope that the public will respect the regulations and continue to maintain social distancing as well as personal hygiene, reported Liberty Times.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/05/2020
By: Su Mu-chun and Elizabeth Hsu

Taichung, Aug. 5 (CNA) Prosecutors on Wednesday obtained a court order to detain a migrant worker from the Philippines, who was accused of involvement in an investment scam targeting her compatriots in Taiwan.

The 32-year-old Filipina caregiver, identified only as Nelsa, allegedly set up a fraud ring in February 2019 to lure clients to deposit money into an account in Taiwan, which would allow them to obtain a higher exchange rate on their currency conversion from Taiwan dollars to Philippine pesos, according to the Taichung District Prosecutors' Office.

Using messaging apps, "agents" in the fraud ring in Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Chiayi and other parts of Taiwan were advertising Nelsa's "exchange and remittance" offer among Filipino migrant workers, prosecutors said.

The scammers were telling migrant workers that they could get an exchange rate of 2.5 Philippine pesos on the Taiwan dollar one month after the deposit was made, and that the rate would rise to 6 pesos after 75 days, prosecutors said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 04 August, 2020
By: Natalie Tso

The second annual 2020 Taiwan Film Festival of Boston has begun and this year, the festival has moved online for all to enjoy due to the pandemic. 

August features its Lost and Found Series and the 1967 film "Foolish Bride, Naive Bridegroom". Director Hsin Chi uses an exaggerated style to portray the challenges a young couple has in balancing their love with traditional views of marriage. The irreverent film mocks gender stereotypes in love, relationships and marriage.    [FULL  STORY]

RTE
Date: 4 Aug 2020

Taiwan has provisionally approved the use of dexamethasone, a cheap and widely-used steroid, to treat Covid-19.

It comes as the island faces a shortfall of the antiviral drug remdesivir, after the United States bought nearly all global supplies.

Taiwan Centres for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang told reporters that medical experts had decided to provisionally allow dexamethasone to be listed as a Covid-19 treatment but that procedures still needed to be completed before it could be given to any patients.

Taiwan has reported 476 cases of the new coronavirus, including seven deaths.
[FULL  STORY]

Representative to US focused on solidifying Taiwan as reliable trade partner, avoiding unnecessary conflict

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/08/04
By: Kelvin Chen, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), Taiwan’s new envoy to the U.S., has stated that her primary goal will be to expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation as well as maintain Taiwan's overall national security.

Having only arrived in the U.S. 10 days ago, Hsiao talked to Chinese language media on Monday (August 3) at the Taiwanese-owned Twin Oaks Estate in Washington D.C., CNA reported.

She confessed that a major obstacle to inking a Taiwan-US bilateral trade agreement is the fact that the Taiwanese government still regulates specific agricultural products. Nevertheless, Hsiao pledged to continue negotiations with the U.S.

Hsiao also said that the global strategic situation is changing rapidly, and it is necessary to find a way for Taiwan to avoid unnecessary conflict.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/04/2020
By: Chiang Yi-ching

Taipei, Aug. 4 (CNA) The Ministry of Culture on Tuesday announced this year's winners of Taiwan's most prestigious publishing awards, with the special contribution award going to seasoned publisher Ho Fei-peng (何飛鵬).

The Golden Tripod Awards for Publications, now in its 44th year, honored 28 books, magazines and pieces of digital media this year, which were selected from over 1,300 entries, the ministry said in a statement.

Ho, who is currently chairman of the publishing group Cite Publishing Ltd. and co-founded such influential local magazines as Business Weekly and Business Next, received the special contribution award for his visionary work, the ministry said.

As a publisher, Ho has dedicated himself to improving the publishing industry in Taiwan, especially in the realm of digital publishing, the ministry said.    [FULL  STORY]