Page Three

Taiwan bans entertainers from endorsing medical advertisements

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-09-30
By: Chang Ming-hsuan and Christie Chen, Central News Agency

Taipei, Sept. 30 (CNA) The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Friday it has revised a law to ban entertainers from endorsing advertisements for medical care, with effect from Sept. 27.

As of Sept. 27, such advertisements are now banned from showing entertainers’ images, as well as before and after photos of patients who have undergone surgery or treatment, according to the ministry.

The amended law does not apply to celebrities such as TV pundits or those who have established a following online.

The businesses are also prohibited from engaging in sales promotion activities, such as promoting discounts, group sales, coupons, prepaid plans, and free treatments and injections, the ministry said. Exaggerated phrases such as “the country’s first,” “the best,” “completely cures,” “once and for all” and “never relapse” are also banned from being used in advertisements.     [FULL  STORY]

TAIPEI Quarterly — Tranquil Streets Close to Nature

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/09/29

In your free time, take a Taipei green tour. Early in the morning, head to Fuyang Eco Park (富陽自然生20160929155630態公園) and breathe in the fresh air. In the afternoon, enjoy a leisurely YouBike ride or stroll along Qingtian Street (青田街), admiring the old homes down the shaded side lanes and alleys.

Then, visit the Water Garden Organic Farmers’ Market (水花園有機農夫市集) at Taipei Water Park (自來水園區), and purchase a week’s worth of groceries directly from small farm owners.

At night, head to Treasure Hill Artist Village (寶藏巖國際藝術村) and get away from the daytime heat. Treasure hunting under the moonlight is a different way to have fun.      [FULL  STORY]

Tsai, Honduran president to meet in Taipei: MOFA

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 01, 2016
By: Staff writer, with CNA

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez is on a state visit to Taiwan from today until Tuesday, during which he is to hold talks and exchange honorary decorations with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.

Hernandez is to be welcomed with a military ceremony presided over by Tsai, before the two leaders begin their talks at the Presidential Office, the ministry said in a statement.

They are to release a joint declaration after the meeting, it said.

To show the government’s appreciation to Hernandez for his efforts to strengthen his nation’s relations with Taiwan, Tsai is to confer the Order of Brilliant Jade on Hernandez.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan hosts own event at ICAO meet, 20 countries attend

The China Post
Date: October 1, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Representatives from almost 20 member countries of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) assembly attended a reception hosted by Taiwan in Montreal Thursday, with many of the attendees voicing support for Taipei, which was blocked from participating in assembly.

According to the Central News Agency, the reception was hosted by Kung Chung-chen, representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada, along with civil aviation officials from Taiwan.

The officials had flown to Montreal despite not being invited to the ICAO meet, which runs from Sept. 27 to Oct. 7.

The reception attracted nearly 100 guests, including representatives from nine of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies and other countries.     [FULL  STORY]

Suspect Mega transactions not via Taiwan

The China Post
Date: September 30, 2016
By: Christine Chou

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Tseng Ming-chung (曾銘宗) said Thursday the Legislative Yuan’s finance committee had found that none of Mega International Commercial Bank’s (兆豐銀行) 174 suspicious transactions had passed through Taiwan.

Tseng said the findings should put an end to rumors that prominent local figures were involved in money-laundering.

“None of the transactions came from Taiwan,” said Tseng. “This shows the pan-green media has been inventing stories.”

The finance committee — which is tasked with reviewing bills related to finance, monetary policy, budget and statistics — held a closed-door meeting Thursday morning.     [FULL  STORY]

China cites bizarre reasons to stifle Taiwan’s ICAO bid

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-09-29
By: Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

A Canadian media outlet allegedly obtained a letter issued by China’s permanent mission to all 6773973International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) member nations in which China conveyed its stern opposition to Taiwan’s participation in the 39th ICAO Assembly, which began on Tuesday in Montreal, citing the “great changes in Taiwan politics.”

The ICAO is a United Nations body that cooperates on aviation regulations.

China’s permanent mission at the United Nations sent members a letter stating that “this year has witnessed great changes in Taiwan politics. The Democratic Progressive Party has not renounced ‘Taiwan independence’ in its constitution after coming into power and has intentionally remained vague on the fundamental issue of the nature of cross-strait relations and refuses to recognize the ‘1992 Consensus’ and the essence of ‘both sides of the strait belong to one China. For these reasons, China does not consent to Taiwan’s participation in the 39th ICAO Assembly.”     [FULL  STORY]

Formosa Chemicals won’t shut down its Changhua plant before Oct. 8

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/09/29
By: Pan Chih-yi and Romulo Huang

Taipei, Sept. 29 (CNA) Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Vice Chairman Hong Fu-yuan (洪福源) said Thursday that his company will not shut down its plant in Changhua County, in central Taiwan, prior to Oct. 8, despite concerns that it is causing excessive pollution.

According to county authorities, the sulfur content in the bituminous coal used by Formosa Chemicals & Fibre at its Changhua plant’s power generators was 1.2 percent, higher than the 0.84 percent-0.87 percent it had promised to maintain the level at.

The county had repeatedly asked the company to improve the situation by the Sept. 28 deadline.

However, Hong said on Thursday that his company has presented an application to the county government for allowing its plant to shut down the three power generators no earlier than Oct. 8, citing safety reasons, saying the operation of power generators cannot be suspended suddenly.     [FULL  STORY]

DPP members say party must discuss core values

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 30, 2016
By: Chung Li-hua and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter and staff writer, with CNA

Several Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members said a discussion about the party’s core values

Visitors on Monday look at photographs at Taipei’s Zhongshan Hall marking the 30th anniversary of the Democratic Progressive Party on Wednesday. Photo: Lin Cheng-kun, Taipei Times

Visitors on Monday look at photographs at Taipei’s Zhongshan Hall marking the 30th anniversary of the Democratic Progressive Party on Wednesday. Photo: Lin Cheng-kun, Taipei Times

is necessary as they called for a rescheduling of events marking the 30th anniversary of the DPP’s founding that were to take place at the Grand Hotel in Taipei on Wednesday, but were canceled due to Typhoon Megi.

On Sept. 28, 1986, 132 people took an oath at the Grand Hotel to found the DPP at a time when Taiwan was still under martial law and the establishment of new political parties was not allowed.

The DPP planned to hold an expanded meeting of its Central Standing Committee at the hotel, inviting all 18 members of the organizing committee to a reunion.

Hsu Jung-shu (許榮淑), one of the 18 who founded the party, on Wednesday said the DPP should consider the interests of Taiwanese and adopt a clear and definite cross-strait policy to avoid reacting passively to Beijing’s moves.     [FULL  STORY]

Beijing’s ICAO reasoning ‘an excuse’: Gov’t

The China Post
Date: September 30, 2016
By: Yuan-Ming Chiao

A Cabinet official for cross-strait affairs hinted Tuesday that China used the “1992 Consensus” as “an excuse” to bar Taiwan’s participation in this year’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) meeting in Montreal.

Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Vice Chairman Chang Tian-chin was asked by reporters before a judiciary committee meeting whether Beijing’s move to blockade Taiwan’s participation at the ICAO was due to the government’s refusal to accept the “1992 Consensus.”

“When former President Ma (Ying-jeou) wanted to seek admission to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), he had accepted the ‘1992 Consensus.’ Yet the bid (to enter) was unsuccessful. I think many things are probably excuses,” Chang answered.

Taiwan’s exclusion from ICAO is the first major fallout in cross-strait relations, which have grown perceptibly chilly since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May. Beijing, which distrusts the ruling Democratic Progressive Party flatly stated earlier this week that Taiwan was not granted an invitation to the ICAO due to its failure to accept the “1992 Consensus.”     [FULL  STORY]

MOFA ‘respects’ the silence of allies at UN assembly

The China Post
Date: September 29, 2016
By: Joseph Yeh

The Foreign Ministry respects the decision made by some of the nation’s diplomatic allies not to speak up for Taiwan during the just concluded U.N. General Assembly session, a ministry spokeswoman has said.

Ministry spokeswoman Eleanor Wang told reporters in Taipei that representatives of some of Taiwan’s allies decided not to speak up for the R.O.C. at the U.N. summit, possibly “due to their own concerns.”

“Some allies may have had other more pressing domestic or regional issues they wanted to address during the U.N. assembly,” she told reporters when asked to comment on the issue.

According to the ministry, 13 of the 22 total diplomatic allies of the R.O.C. voiced support this year for Taiwan’s participation in U.N.-related agencies during the U.N. General Assembly held from Sept. 13-26 at U.N. Headquarters in New York.     [FULL  STORY]