The China Post
Date: May 27, 2017
By: CNA

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Armed Services Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a bill earlier this week to help strengthen security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, including continuing arms sales to Taiwan and expanding military exchanges.

According to the bill proposed by Rep. Mac Thornberry, it is the sense of Congress that the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) “codified the basis for commercial, cultural, and other relations between the United States and Taiwan, and the Six Assurances are an important aspect in guiding bilateral relations.”

The TRA, which was enacted in 1979 after Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, states that the U.S. must “make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.”

In accordance with the TRA, the U.S. should provide a timely review of requests for defense articles and defense services that may be necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability, said the section on strengthening Taiwan defense in the proposed bill.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: May 28, 2017
By: Sean Lin / Staff reporter

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) retains a lead over rumored candidates for next year’s Taipei mayoral election, a survey by the Taiwan Competitiveness Forum said, while New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) has the highest approval rating among prospective pan-blue candidates.

The poll shows that Ko, an independent, has the highest overall approval rating at 38 percent, leading his rumored Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) challengers, Tainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德) and DPP Legislator Pasuya Yao (姚文智), whose ratings stand at 25.5 percent and 8.8 percent respectively.

Chu had the highest approval rating (30.3 percent) among Ko’s prospective pan-blue rivals, followed by former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator Ting Shou-chung (丁守中) with 27.1 percent.

Forum director-general Pan Chien-kuo (龐建國) said the KMT would likely win pity votes if Ting were nominated.

Ting in 2010 and 2014 had the highest approval ratings during party primaries for the Taipei mayoral elections, but he gave KMT Central Standing Committee member Sean Lien (連勝文) and then-Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) the chance to run.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-05-26

The legislature on Friday passed the third reading of an amendment to the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act.

Under the amendment, the justice ministry is required to set up a drug prevention fund. The fund aims to subsidize drug inspections, treatment for addiction, anti-drug campaigns and other related research. There will also be subsidies for addicts for their employment, medical care, schooling and family needs.

Opposition KMT lawmaker Wang Yu-min commented on Friday.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: May 26, 2017
By: CNA

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A drone incident briefly suspended operations at Taipei Songshan Airport on Friday, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said.

The incident occurred at around 1:43 p.m., when air traffic controllers received a report from a Uni Air aircraft on its approach to the airport that an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was spotted 1 nautical mile from the plane, the CAA said.

The aircraft was about 3 nautical miles from the airport at that time, the administration said.

To ensure safety, the airport suspended all landings and takeoffs and reported the case to police, according to the CAA.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-05-25

A total of 18 countries have expressed support for Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA), currently in its third day in Geneva. The WHA is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization. After several years attending as an observer, Taiwan was not invited to this year’s WHA due to obstruction from China.

In addition to the United States, Germany, Australia, Burkina Faso and Honduras, another 13 countries have spoken up for Taiwan at the assembly.

Japan’s representative, Seisi Baba, said a globalized world is prone to epidemics such as the Ebola outbreak in recent years. Baba said all should have ways of coping with sudden outbreaks and the inclusion of different health systems should be strengthened. He said no specific region should be excluded from the world health body, thus creating a regional void. He voiced support for Taiwan’s participation in the WHA.

The representative from Swaziland, Sibongile Ndlela-Simelane, expressed gratitude for Taiwan’s continued aid to the country, a diplomatic ally. She lamented the fact that Taiwan was not invited to this year’s WHA and hopes that the WHO can extend an invitation to Taiwan to the assembly.    [FULL  STORY]