Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-05-08

President Tsai Ing-wen sent her congratulations on Monday to France’s President-

elect Emmanuel Macron.

Tsai said that France has one of the world’s strongest democratic traditions and shares with Taiwan the values of liberty, equality, fraternity and human rights. Tsai said she believes the welfare of the people of France will improve under Macron’s leadership.

President Tsai said she also looks forward to more cooperation between Taiwan and France. Right now, France is Taiwan’s fourth largest trade partner in the European Union. Tsai said she looks forward to strengthening cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, technology and culture.

Macron won the presidency with 66% of the votes, defeating far-right populist candidate Marine Le Pen. He was formerly the minister of economy and finance and stepped down last year to launch the En Marche party and movement. At 39 years of age, Macron will be France’s youngest president and the first from a non-establishment party.    [SOURCE]

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/05/08
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan)–Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) Alishan Forest Railway Branch announced on Monday that Alishan forest railway tickets for the Dragon Boat Festival from May 27 to May 30 will be open for booking at 6 a.m. on May 12.

The booking website is http://alishan.railway.gov.tw/

The TRA branch said it will operate additional trains on the forest line from Chiayi Station to Fenqihu Station on May 29 during this year’s Dragon Boat Festival.

A total of two additional trains of non-reserved seats will be added to the regular May 29 schedule, with one additional train going up the mountain from Chiayi at 8:30 a.m. and the other going down the mountain from Fenqihu at 1:30 p.m.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/05/08
By: Tsai Yi-chu and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, May 8 (CNA) Taipei was ranked the tenth most visited destination in the Asia Pacific by international travelers, with 7.4 million international overnight arrivals last year, according to the results of the 2017 MasterCard Asia Pacific Destinations Index released recently.

The second MasterCard Asia Pacific Destinations Index, an offshoot of Mastercard’s annual Global Destination Cities Index, ranked 171 destinations, including island resorts as well as towns and cities across the region, in terms of the total number of international overnight arrivals; cross-border spending and total number of nights spent in each destination.

The 171 destinations are drawn from 22 countries across the Asia Pacific and represent 90 percent of all international overnight arrivals within the region.
[FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: May 09, 2017
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter

Money saved from getting rid of preferential savings rate accounts for retired public

employees should be plowed back into the nation’s pension funds, a teachers’ union said yesterday as the Legislative Yuan began review of bills on reforming teachers’ pension.

“There is only one criterion as we look at reform — whether or not any money that is saved is entirely plowed into the pensions funds,” National Federation of Teachers Unions deputy secretary-general Lo Te-shui (羅德水) said.

While the Executive Yuan’s reform proposal includes the critical provision, some versions proposed by Democratic Progressive Party legislators do not.

A committee review of pension reform for civil servants last week struck out a similar provision from the government-sponsored bill, he added.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: May 9, 2017
By: CNA

CNA — Two pieces of petrified wood are seen here placed outside an ebony-themed antiques museum in Pingtung on Monday, May 8. The museum’s owner purchased the two fossils to have them placed in front of the museum, which has attracted visitors and passerbys’ attention. Museum owner Cheng Chih-tsung said professional appraisement results revealed that the two pieces have 6,000 to 6,500 years of history..    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: May 08, 2017
By: Staff writer, with CNA

A new generation of racing car developed by a National Tsing Hua University (NTHU)

team debuted on Saturday.

The new car is lighter and faster, with all its functions upgraded. Its weight has been cut by one-third, and it can accelerate from zero to 100km per hour in 4.2 seconds.

The team, NTHU Racing, is made up of Tsing Hua students devoted to Formula One. It made the racing car last year and took it to Student Formula Japan to compete for the first time.

Even though it did not achieve good results, the team returned with fresh ideas for a second generation of the car.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/05/07
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan)–With the Taipei Summer Universiade only 103 days away, Taipei

City’s Department of Information and Tourism (TPEDOIT) has introduced a new website providing accommodation booking service for 100 hotels and inns partnering with the sporting event.

The booking site for the Taipei Universiade contracted hotels is available by clicking http://hotels.2017.taipei/

According to the TPEDOIT, visitors will be able to search the website for a preferred lodging based upon factors such as reception languages, price ranges, check-in and check-out dates, as well as proximity to the sports venues. The contracted hotels will offer information regarding Universiade games, transportation, and tourism. Available languages include English, Japanese, Korean, French, Spanish, German, Cantonese, Thai, and Malay.

To ensure the quality and safety of the accommodations throughout the event period, the TPEDOIT has organized two training program sessions for hotel staff, as well as scheduled inspection visits by the Fire Department and the Department of Health.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/05/07
By: Emmanuelle Tzeng and Ko Lin

Taipei, May 7 (CNA) Taiwan took 74 medals, including 11 gold, 23 silver and 40 bronze, at one of the world’s most prestigious invention fairs that closed Saturday in Paris.

This year, 45 participants from Taiwan presented 77 items to the Concours Lépine International Paris, an event that has been held since 1901.

Among the country’s gold medalists were two who were participating for the first time and who also received special mentions from the French organizers.

Chang Chun-hsiang (張鈞翔), a 14-year-old student from Kuai Ji Junior High School in Taoyuan, was awarded gold for his anti-doze alarm detection.   [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: May 08, 2017
Translated by: Jake Chung and William Hetherington

Liberty Times (LT): How does the council view the series of food security incidents including the avian flu outbreak, pesticide abuse and excessive dioxin in eggs? How does it plan to improve the situation?

Lin Tsung-hsien (林聰賢): There are rumors that the council is about to relax regulations on more than 100 kinds of pesticides; this is a severe misunderstanding.

The pesticides are not additional ones, but rather an expanded list of allowed pesticides.

The nation’s limited agricultural space has caused different kinds of crops to be planted in close proximity to each other. In such circumstances, pesticides originally intended for rice might be carried over to nearby vegetable patches or fruit orchards. While the pesticides will not necessarily be harmful to humans, it would prevent farmers from being able to sell their products, leading to losses.

To address this issue, former council minister Chen Bao-ji (陳保基) issued a directive to look into amendments that would allow for residues of legal pesticides on other agricultural products.    [FULL  INTERVIEW]