Page Three

CDC shares virus screening method with Southbound Policy nations

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-07-19

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is sharing a virus screening method with the countries of Southeast Asia.

The move is part of the New Southbound Policy, which seeks closer ties with a number of countries, including those in Southeast Asia. The method can be used to quickly detect dengue fever, Chikungunya, and Zika.

CDC director Chou Chi-hao spokes Wednesday about the policy of sharing the technique with Southeast Asia countries.

“Our own detection methods for Dengue fever, Chikungunya virus, and for Zika virus are very effective. At the beginning of the year, we conducted training for medical experts from 18 other countries. This is very helpful for the target countries of the New Southbound Policy,” Chou said. “We are going to conduct similar training in the future so that these exchanges will become a new norm. This is beneficial for us and for our Southeast Asian neighbors. This is also our contribution as global citizens.”
[FULL  STORY]

Taipei’s Railway Division tour available by preregistration

Taipei Railway Workshop’s nighttime light-up gives citizen a different look of the national historic site

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/07/19
By: Maggie Huang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Railway Division of Taiwan Governor General’s Bureau of

Photo courtesy of photographer Cheng,Chin-Ming, lighting designer Chou Lien and ORIGINATOR LIGHTING DESIGN CONSULTANT

Transportation, also known as Taipei Railway Workshop, is to open to visitors on July 19 while a guided tour will be provided every other week.

The National Taiwan Museum will launch guided tours of the heritage site starting this July on Thursdays and Sundays, for which visitors need to make reservations in advance. The tour will be provided to visitors holding valid tickets with free admission.

Built in 1899, the Railway Division of Taiwan Governor-General’s Bureau of Transportation was an administration for managing and operating national railways during the Japanese colonial era.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan decides not to ban U.S. beef, says mad cow case poses no threat

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/07/19
By: Chang Ming-hsuan and Lee Hsin-Yin

Taipei, July 19 (CNA) Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Wednesday

CNA file photo

that it will not ban beef imports from the United States, where a fifth case of mad cow disease was confirmed the previous day.

The infected cow was 11 years old and posed no immediate threat to human health since Taiwan’s beef imports from the U.S. are limited to boneless and bone-in beef and specified meat products from cattle under 30 months, said FDA section chief Wu Tsung-hsi (吳宗熹).

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the cow in Alabama tested positive for the atypical type of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease.    [FULL  STORY]

Balloons, flour, scuffles, no work

COMMITTEE SESSION:Sixteen KMT lawmakers attended the review of the infrastructure development program’s special budget. Both sides appeared well-prepared for clashes

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 20, 2017
By: Sean Lin / Staff reporter

Chaos erupted again at the legislature yesterday, as more than a dozen Chinese

Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers yesterday hold up placards in an attempt to protect themselves from a barrage of water balloons thrown by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators. Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times

Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers bombarded their Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) colleagues with water balloons, flour and eggs during a cross-committee meeting to review budget proposals for the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program.

The KMT lawmakers’ actions prompted the DPP caucus to push through the special budget and 126 motions to another cross-committee review, which means the special budget passed its intial review.

KMT caucus members first tried to filibuster the proceedings.

However, as soon as the last KMT lawmaker finished speaking, DPP Legislator Wang Jung-chang (王榮璋), who chaired the meeting, instructed an emcee to read the motions tendered by the DPP, the New Power Party (NPP) and the People First Party (PFP).
[FULL  STORY]

Yuan Zai isn’t getting a brother or sister any time soon

The China Post
Date: July 19, 2017
By: The China Post  

TAIPEI, Taiwan — There won’t be any newborn pandas gracing Taipei Zoo this year.

(Taipei Zoo)

The zoo announced Wednesday that Yuan Yuan was without baby, after staff inseminated her on March 17 with sperm from her apparently estranged hubby Tuan Tuan. The two giant pandas, who arrived in Taiwan from China in 2008, have so far had only one child together: Yuan Zai, who was born in 2013.

Perhaps they’re following their home country’s one-child policy.

But it hasn’t all been bleak news for the prospect of a preggers panda in Taipei Zoo.

Yuan Zai not only recently turned 4 years old but also appeared to be going through a phantom pregnancy.    [FULL  STORY]

Efforts to solidify ties with allies continue: Foreign ministry official

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-07-18

Taiwan’s efforts to solidify ties with its diplomatic allies are continuing despite pressure from Beijing. That’s according to Diego Chou, head of the foreign ministry’s Latin American and Caribbean Affairs section.

Chou was responding to reporters’ questions on Tuesday. Latin America and the Caribbean remain an important source of diplomatic support for Taiwan. Eleven of Taiwan’s 20 remaining allies are located in the region. That’s despite Panama’s recent decision to cut ties with Taiwan and build ties with Beijing.

Chou said that maintaining ties with allies like these is the foreign ministry’s most important duty. He said diplomats have a responsibility to work in the national interest despite pressure. Chou said diplomatic allies raise Taiwan’s dignity. He also said these allies help Taiwan make its voice heard on the international stage, especially when it comes to participating in international organizations.    [FULL  STORY]

China not happy with U.S. bill backing Taiwan military

The National Defense Authorization Act passed on Friday increases “defense cooperation” between US and Taiwan.

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/07/18
By: Juvina Lai,Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – China has expressed its dissatisfaction with the United States after it passed a bill on Friday that is likely to expand defense communications with Taiwan.

China says it has made a ‘stern’ complaint with the U.S. after the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act on Friday which increases defense cooperation with Taiwan by expanding military training and exercises.

China, which views Taiwan as a part of its territory, was unhappy with the decision and has reacted in a negative way.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan ‘best assignment,’ American diplomat says

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/07/18
By: Elaine Hou

Taipei, July 20 (CNA) Having served as a diplomat in several foreign countries and

U.S. diplomat Joseph Bookbinder

territories, a seasoned U.S. diplomat who recently came to the end of his posting in Taiwan described it as the best, not only for himself but also for his family.

“I’ve been a diplomat for 25 years. And Taiwan is my favorite assignment,” said Joseph Bookbinder, who wrapped up his time as public diplomacy section chief for the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and returned to Washington last week.

Both he and his family felt that Taiwan was the best posting he has ever had, Bookbinder said, which is why he chose to extend his three-year term for an additional year.

His family loved Taiwan so much that they did not want to leave, he said, adding that his children enjoyed the Taipei American School. His wife, who is a keen mountain climber, also joined hiking clubs with her friends and conquered several local peaks, according to Bookbinder, whose overseas assignments have included stints in China, Hong Kong and India.    [FULL  STORY]

Ministry urged to keep housing rights promises

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 19, 2017
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter

The Ministry of the Interior has failed to follow through on promises to hold hearings on controversial expropriation projects, housing rights advocates said yesterday, demanding that the ministry call a hearing to force the Taoyuan City Government to clarify a road expansion project.

A handful of protesters gathered outside the ministry in Taipei, with residents affected by the expansion of Lungkang Road in Taoyuan’s Jhongli District (中壢) performing a skit in which hundreds of coins were poured into bottles, to represent the work, which they called “wasteful” and a “violation of human rights.”

“The ministry passed guidelines last year, but there has been no effort to pass them,” said Tien Chi-feng (田奇峰), a consultant for a residents’ self-help association, adding that the situation exemplified concerns about the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program.

“In this case, the size of the expansion is unnecessary, but it keeps getting reviewed and approved by the minister of the interior, demonstrating just how hard it is to cancel such projects once they get rolling,” he said.    [FULL  STORY]

Famed tabloid magazine Next to change hands

The China Post
Date: July 18, 2017
By: The China Post

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Next Magazine, one of the biggest-name tabloids in Taiwan and Hong

Next Magazine

Kong, is being sold by its founder.

Hong Kong media company Next Digital announced Monday that the magazine was being acquired by businessman Kenny Wee,, owner of W Bros. Investment Limited, for HK$500 million (NT$1.9 billion).

The deal includes both the Taiwanese and Hong Kong editions as well as Suddenly Weekly, Next+One, ME! and Face, subsidiary products of Next Digital owned by founder Jimmy Lai

Next Magazine was launched seven years ago and quickly made a name — and won a large readership — for its gossip reports as well as major political exposes, including ones that helped bring down ex- President Chen Shui-bian and former Executive Yuan secretary-general Lin Yi-shih (林益世).

The magazine was commonly cited as introducing paparazzi journalism to Hong Kong and Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]