The China Post
Date: November 26, 2016
By: Stephanie Chao

President Tsai Ing-wen Friday urged for the development of a people-centric judicial system and the

incorporation of diverse expertise into the judicial reform process.

In order to push for judicial reform, “there should be more participation from experts in different fields, a people-centric approach, the incorporation of diverse opinions and participation from all citizens,” Tsai said during her opening remarks at a preparatory meeting for the National Affairs Conference on Judicial Reform. Taiwan’s legal system has long been criticized for its biases and has been riddled by accusations that its judges lack professionalism. These outcries resurfaced in the mainstream media in March, after the brutal murder of a four-year-old in Taipei shocked the nation.

The Second Stage of Reforms

“17 years ago, Taiwan held a national judicial reform meeting,” Tsai said, stating that legal experts had laid out the direction of the first stage of reforms after martial law was lifted.    [FULL  STORY]

Case dates back to power struggle with legislative speaker

Taiwan News
Date: 2016/11/24
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Taipei District Prosecutors Office will summon former President Ma Ying-

jeou for questioning on December 1 as a defendant on the accusation of having made the prosecutor general leak confidential information.

The case goes back to his power struggle with then-Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng beginning in late 2013. At the time, the prosecutor general told Ma at the latter’s residence that Wang had tried to influence prosecutors into not filing an appeal against a not-guilty verdict for a top opposition lawmaker, Ker Chien-ming.

As a result, Ma accused Wang of influence peddling and tried to have him ousted from the Kuomintang, which would have ended the latter’s legislative career. After courts repeatedly sided with Wang in the dispute, the KMT eventually ended its attempts to expel him.

Earlier this month, Ma already appeared at the Taipei District Court as a defendant because he had been sued over the same case by Ker.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/11/24
By: Elaine Hou and Tai Ya-chen

Taipei, Nov. 24 (CNA) The Cabinet passed a proposal Thursday on developing a digital and innovative

economy, and will allocate NT$11 billion (US$344.6 million) for digital economy, in an effort to rank Taiwan among the world’s top 10 in e-competitiveness and raise the ratio of the digital economy to GDP to 30 percent.

The plan, passed during the Cabinet’s weekly meeting, is aimed at boosting the country’s digital development over the period from 2017 to 2025. To implement the plan, an initial NT$11 billion will be allocated in 2017, with an annual budget of NT$20 billion to be allocated in the following years.

Proposed by the board of science and technology under the Executive Yuan, the plan includes building an environment conducive to digital innovation, cultivating digital talent, upgrading the digital industry, and developing digital cities, the Executive Yuan said in a statement.

Speaking during the meeting, Premier Lin Chuan (林全) directed relevant government agencies to step up efforts to draft a digital communication act and amend the Telecommunications Act.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: November 25, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Regent Taipei lit its central court Christmas tree yesterday in Taipei. It is the largest

Christmas tree throughout all of Taiwan’s five-star hotels and the tree-lighting ceremony is a 24-year-old Taipei tradition, according to a press release from the hotel.

Guests at the ceremony included Republic of El Salvador Ambassador Marta Chang De Tsien and President of Taiwan China Travel Service Chou Ching-hsiung, who participated in Regent Taipei’s annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony with FIH Regent Group Chairman Steven Pan and Regent Taipei GM Melvin Yang.

Standing at a soaring 42 feet, Regent Taipei’s Christmas tree is over three floors high and is decorated with 27,000 dazzling LED lights, 1,700 ribbon bows, 2,000 gold and silver ornament balls, 1,500 gold pinecones and 1,500 red poinsettias — a total of over NT$1 million in Christmas decorations, according to the hotel.

Regent Taipei’s Christmas tree is an annual favorite, and many guests visit every Christmas to take a picture with Regent’s beautiful tree, as a record of happy times and yearly growth, the hotel stated.

This is the Regent Taipei’s 24st annual tree lighting ceremony. On Nov. 24, delightful Christmas carols from the Taipei European School Choir will serenade visitors, and Santa Claus will also be in the crowd, the hotel said.    [SOURCE]

Taiwan News
Date: 2016/11/23
By: Maggie Huang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The 15th Shilin Residence chrysanthemum exhibition is kicking off on November 27, and lasting until December 11. To welcome the Universiade 2017, the exhibition will feature the theme of sport this year, with statues, topiaries, and landscaping of athletic features.

The Chrysanthemum Exhibition at Shilin Residence was fist held from 1950s-1975 to celebrate Chiang Kai-Shek’s birthday on October 31st. It was later restored in 2002, and is now the largest chrysanthemum show in Taiwan.

In addition to the annual show’s star, the striking chrysanthemums blossomed from a single main branch loaded with more than a thousand blossoms, there is also a big dinosaur topiary in the main flora area.

With 15 years history of exhibition, the Shilin Residence chrysanthemum exhibition earned its name for being the most celebrated flower show in autumn. Organizer of the exhibition calls for the event comers to share their old pictures of the previous years.    [FULL  STORY]