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U.S. congressmen back observer status for Taiwan in Interpol

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/10/26
By: Tony Liao, Rita Cheng and Elizabeth Hsu

Washington, Oct. 25 (CNA) Two U.S. congressmen voiced their support on Tuesday for Taiwan to participate as an observer in the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), which will hold its 85th general assembly in Bali, Indonesia next month.

Ed Royce, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, released a statement reiterating his support.

“It’s time Taiwan be allowed to obtain Interpol observer status,” Royce said.

Calling Taiwan a strong friend and critical partner of the United States, Royce described Taiwan’s continued exclusion from the important organization as “troubling.”

“Global security is needlessly put at risk due to Taiwan’s inability to quickly share and receive the latest information about international crime. Everyone’s security would be improved by Taiwan’s participation in Interpol,” the congressman said.    [FULL  STORY]

4 Taiwan cities, 1 county named in 2017 Smart21 Communities

Taiwan Today
Date: October 24, 2016

Five locations in Taiwan comprising Keelung and Taoyuan cities in the north, Chiayi and Tainan cities in

Four cities and one county in Taiwan are among the 2017 Smart21 Communities selected by the New York-headquartered Intelligent Community Forum.

Four cities and one county in Taiwan are among the 2017 Smart21 Communities selected by the New York-headquartered Intelligent Community Forum.

the south and the northeastern county of Yilan were recently named among the 2017 Smart21 Communities by the New York-headquartered Intelligent Community Forum.

The Smart21 list recognizes cities, counties and rural areas that apply digital tools to help local economies and societies prosper. In addition to the five in Taiwan, the latest edition features seven communities in Canada, four in Australia, and one each in Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S.

When announcing the list Oct. 19, ICF co-founder Louis Zacharilla said nominees from Australia, Canada and Taiwan excelled as the countries have central governments that tend to work more closely with communities to unleash “the power of the local.” They also show strong commitment to both smart city development and the Intelligent Community movement.

Selected from nearly 400 entries, the 21 communities will vie for a place in ICF’s Top7 Intelligent Communities, set to be announced Feb. 7 next year in Taipei City. One of the seven will then be named Intelligent Community of the Year at the Intelligent Community Summit and Awards Dinner June 8 in New York.    [FULL  STORY]

Asian sailors freed by Somali pirates arrive in Kenya before flying back home

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-10-24
By: Wendy Lee, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Twenty-six Asian sailors released after being held hostage for nearly five years in a small fishing village 6774888in Somalia arrived in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya on Sunday.

The crew of the Naham 3, including nationals from Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, were the second-longest held hostages by Somali pirates, who hijacked their fishing vessel and held them captive in March 2012 in Dabagala, Somalia, about 400 kilometers northeast of the capital Mogadishu, an area known to be frequented by pirates.

The pirates on Saturday morning handed over the group to Somali authorities in the northern town of 6774889Galkayo after 18 months of negotiations.

“They have spent over four and a half years in deplorable conditions away from their families,” said John Steed, one of the main negotiators working with the Hostage Support Partner, according to an AFP report.

Among the 29 hostages, one had died during the hijacking and two more “succumbed to illness” during their captivity, said Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) in a statement.    [FULL  STORY]

Chinese students to be covered by Taiwan’s health insurance (update)

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/10/24
By: Sophia Yeh, Chen Wei-ing , Hsu Chi-wei and Lilian Wu

Taipei, Oct. 24 (CNA) Chinese students studying in Taiwan will be covered in the National Health 201610240030t0001Insurance system in line with overseas Chinese and foreign students, according to an agreement reached at a policy coordination meeting held Monday.

In the meeting presided over by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the participants reached an agreement that the legislative caucus of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party will move to revise the National Health Insurance Act along the following principles.

First, based on humanitarian consideration and human rights values, the treatment of Chinese students should be in line with that of foreign and overseas Chinese students by including them into the National Health Insurance system.

Second, due to limited government resources, and the fairness of social insurance, foreign, overseas Chinese and Chinese students should pay the full amount of health insurance premiums themselves. But the rights of those overseas Chinese and foreign students who have come to Taiwan before the law is amended will not be affected.    [FULL  STORY]

Chungshan Institute’s R&D on right track: official

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 25, 2016
By: Lo Tien-pin and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Research and development (R&D) of defense projects conducted by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology are on the right track, a senior Ministry of National Defense official familiar with the institute said.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, made the remarks in response to queries regarding the ministry’s plan to establish a national defense technology division in January next year to oversee the research and development of crucial technologies.

The institute’s projects and recent achievements suggest its continued relevance, alongside the planned “national defense technology division,” the official said.

People at the ministry-affiliated institute view the proposed division as a positive development for national defense and are prepared to coordinate their efforts with those of the planned agency, he said.     [FULL  STORY]

Restart for plant reactor ‘unlikely’ despite shortage

The China Post
Date: October 25, 2016
By: Sun Hsin Hsuan

TAIPEI, Taiwan — The Atomic Energy Council (AEC) on Monday said that despite growing concerns over electricity shortages in the coming years, there was a “near-zero likelihood” that the suspended nuclear reactor at the No.1 Nuclear Power Station in New Taipei City would be restarted.

Lawmakers grilled AEC Chairman Hsieh Hsiao-hsing on Monday over the decommissioning of nuclear power plants in the nation and over whether the council plans to restart one of the oldest reactors, whose operations have been suspended since 2014 due to technical failures.

Hsieh said the likelihood of restarting said reactor was “almost zero,” adding that the Taiwan Power Company (Taipower), which operates the reactors, would have to meet three requirements in order to do so.

He said Taipower would have to prove the reactor meets safety standards, would need to receive legislative approval and would need to satisfy conditions laid out by Premier Lin Chuan earlier this year.     [FULL  STORY]

A royal wellness experience

The China Post
Date: October 24, 2016
By: Chris Chang

When was the last time you have had a vacation so rejuvenating, it lingered on and enabled you to

Wake up amid the wonders of nature and be enlightened by the fresh mountain air at Beitou's natural springs. Hotel Royal invites you to take a stroll among several near-century-old historic sites around the area as you slowly uncover the many cultural stories of the district's heritage.

Wake up amid the wonders of nature and be enlightened by the fresh mountain air at Beitou’s natural springs. Hotel Royal invites you to take a stroll among several near-century-old historic sites around the area as you slowly uncover the many cultural stories of the district’s heritage.

recollect once forgotten sparks of passion after you have returned to the daily grind?

Built on the core principles of healing and fitness, this is exactly the kind of holiday experience Hotel Royal Beitou (北投老爺酒店) has dedicated itself to providing to all its guests.

As travel and recreation have taken on many forms in the modern age, services provided by numerous world-class hotels and resorts have also become increasingly refined. Situated at Beitou (北投), one of the nation’s most cherished and historic natural hot spring destinations, Hotel Royal Beitou, under the flagship of Hotel Royal Group (老爺酒店集團), is the first and only hotel with a specially-designed series of all-around vacation packages built with a blueprint of personal wellbeing and health management. From luxurious accommodation and dining, to soothing hot springs and spa sessions, the experience is embroidered with an array of vitalizing leisure and fitness activities tailored to each guest’s needs.    [FULL  STORY]

Fake prosecutor nabbed while collecting money at victim’s home

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-10-23
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

A fraud suspect posing as a prosecutor was nabbed by police on Sunday while collecting NT$300,000 6774879from an old woman at her home in Kaohsiung City.

The Criminal Investigation Corps of Kaohsiung City Police Department said Yeh Wei-chih tricked the victim, an unidentified woman in her 70s, into believing he was enforcing a provisional seizure of her property, for which she had to pay NT$300,000 as she was being charged with making false National Health Insurance claims.

Police said Yeh has criminal records of drug offenses and offenses against privacy.

The victim’s family reported the case to police after learning what was going on. At first, the old woman did not want to give all the details, but after police’s persuasion, she agreed to cooperate with the investigation. Therefore, several police officers went into hidding and waited for the suspect to show up to collect the extorted money at the victim’s home.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwanese universities aiming to attract Indonesian students

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/10/23
By: Jay Chou and Kuo Chung-han

Jakarta, Oct. 23 (CNA) Forty nine Taiwanese universities participated in a Taiwan Higher Education Fair

Photo courtesy of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Jakarta

Photo courtesy of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Jakarta

in Indonesia that started Saturday with the aim of attracting more Indonesian students to study in Taiwan as part of President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) “new southbound policy.”

The fair was held in Jakarta before moving to Medan in Sumatra for the following two days. A delegation from Taiwan present at the fair was led by Deputy Education Minister Chen Liang-gee (陳良基).

Chen thanked the Taiwan Alumni Association in Indonesia for organizing the fair and he expressed hope that Indonesian students will be able to get to know the quality and reasonable-cost higher education choices that Taiwan provides.

Chen said the Ministry of Education (MOE) has a budget of NT$1 billion (US$31.49 million) to follow Tsai’s “new southbound policy” and plans to set up government-funded fellowships and vocational education programs specifically for Indonesian students, tailored to their needs.    [FULL  STORY]

Tsai’s approval rating starting to rebound: survey

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 24, 2016
By: Chen Wei-han / Staff reporter

President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) approval rating has rebounded to more than 50 percent, its highest point in a month, while 67 percent of respondents to a Taiwan Style Foundation survey said they support the president’s coordinatation of the government’s executive and legislative branches, the foundation said yesterday.

Tsai’s approval rating rose from 49 percent last month to 50.6 percent this month, with her disapproval rating standing at 45.2 percent, the foundation said.

The result is seen as a comeback for Tsai after recent polls showed her approval rating dipping below 50 percent. A poll published earlier this month by Taiwan Indicators Survey Research showed Tsai’s approval rating at a record low of 37.6 percent.

Foundation chairman Wang Zhin-sheng (王智盛) said a sharp decline in the government’s approval rating has been halted due to Tsai’s recent moves in cross-strait relations and government leadership.    [FULL  STORY]