Page Three

Service sector remains slow, loses peak season effects: survey

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/05
By: Huang Chiao-wen and Frances Huang

Taipei, July 5 (CNA) The local service sector remained weak in May, as an index that gauges the 201607050035t0001climate of the sector continued to point to a slowdown, losing the peak season effects usually seen in the wholesale industry in that month, according to the results of a survey released Tuesday.

The Commerce Development Research Institute (CDRI, 商發院) said that the index of service industry (ISI) stood at 96 points, and added that although the May figure was up one point from a month earlier the score remained in the range of a yellow-blue light for the seventh consecutive month.

The CDRI uses a five-color coded system, coupled with the ISI, to describe the climate of the local service sector, focusing on three major segments — securities trading, the labor market and wages, and business operations.

Red signals overheating, yellow-red indicates slight overheating, green represents steady growth, yellow-blue signals sluggishness and blue indicates recession. The score for a yellow-blue light ranges between 93 points and 99 points.     [FULL  STORY]

Burkina Faso’s Minister of Tranportation visits Taiwan

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-07-05
By: Jennifer Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Burkina Faso’s Minister of Transport Souleymane Soulama and other officials are currently in 6767219Taiwan on a visit invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). They come to learn the Taiwan experience and strength the cooperation of transportation authorities between the two countries.
Souleymane Soulama and Abel Sawadogo, chief of the National Agency of Civil Aviation, Mamadou Ouattara, the director-general of Road-Traffic Safety, Mamadou Boukouma, minister of Road Transport and Maritime Mamadou Boukouma, and Technical Adviser Jean Victorien Toe will spend four days in Taiwan.

They will pay a visit to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Taichung Airport, Directorate General of Highways, the Central Weather Bureau and the Transportation Bureau of Taichung City Government. The delegation will also visit Taipei 101, the National Cultural and Creative Gift Center, the Guang Hua Digital Plaza, and other cultural and economic setups to further understand the development of Taiwan.     [FULL  STORY]

Over 1,000 geese culled in Tainan over avian flu infection

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/05
By: Chang Jung-hsiang and S.C. Chang

Taipei, July 5 (CNA) More than 1,000 geese at a farm in the Xinhua District of Tainan in southern 201607050034t0001Taiwan were destroyed Monday after samples from the farm tested positive for a new strain of H5 avian flu virus, according to officials.

Officials of the city’s animal protection department said Tuesday that the farm owner reported abnormal deaths of geese on the farm July 1, and disease control experts who were sent to investigate found the remaining geese to be in low spirits and a bit distressed.

The experts took samples from the farm for testing and confirmed July 3 that a new strain of the H5 bird flu RNA virus had spread among the birds.

Animal protection officials followed standard procedure in culling a total of 1,048 geese on the farm and disinfecting the area, according to the department.     [FULL  STORY]

Summer Beer Festival cultivates craft beer market in Taipei

Taiwan Today 
Date: July 5, 2016

The inaugural Summer Beer Festival wrapped up July 3 at Taipei Expo Park, giving locals the

A pair of craft beer lovers samples a local brew at the local government-staged first Summer Beer Festival July 3 at Taipei Expo Park. (Courtesy of Taipei City Government)

A pair of craft beer lovers samples a local brew at the local government-staged first Summer Beer Festival July 3 at Taipei Expo Park. (Courtesy of Taipei City Government)

opportunity to learn more about the burgeoning craft beer market while sampling some of the best homegrown labels on the market.

Organized by Taipei City Government’s Department of Economic Development, the two-day event was notable for the popularity of two local offerings: Alechemist and Ma La Sun. The former is brewed in northern Taiwan’s Taoyuan City and hit the shelves in 2015, while the latter hails from Nantou County’s Sinyi Township in central Taiwan and has been available since 2014.

Robert Chen, co-founder of Alechemist Co., said Taiwan’s wide variety of high-quality agricultural produce like rice, wheat, white corn and tangerines makes it perfect for developing world-class small-batch craft beer. “Factor in the passion of Taiwanese with overseas experience in this niche market, and you have the right ingredients for the success of the product.”

According to Chen, events such as the Summer Beer Festival are helping his company achieve sales of 5,000 bottles per month. “They familiarize locals with craft beer and create greater demand,” he said.     [FULL  STORY]

‘Crisis’ remarks highlight diplomatic predicament

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 06, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee’s (李大維) remarks that ties with some diplomatic allies are facing a crisis do not refer to any specific nations, but are rather a reiteration of Taipei’s diplomatic predicament and the ministry’s long-standing goals, ministry spokeswoman Eleanor Wang (王珮玲) said yesterday.

Wang said a nation’s ties with its allies are pivotal to its survival and development, particularly to a nation’s sovereignty and the consolidation of its personality.

“Our nation is facing a special situation, which is why the ministry constantly faces challenges,” Wang told a routine news conference.

Echoing comments by Lee at the legislature in Taipei, Wang said the nation’s diplomatic personnel do not have the right to be pessimistic, and must persist in their endeavors to fortify the nation’s ties with its allies and develop substantial relationships with partner nations.     [FULL  STORY]

Government accepts TRA union requests

The China Post
Date: July 6, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — The government granted two of the three demands tendered by the labor union of the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA, 台鐵) in a meeting held yesterday.

The talk was attended by Transportation Minister Ho Chen Tan (賀陳旦) and TRA union head Hsieh Sheng-ming (謝勝明).

In the meeting, Ho Chen approved 303 more employees for the TRA workforce this year and a salary table that spells out the organization’s promotion standards. The salary table is also necessary for the administration to hold recruit exams.

Ho Chen said he will submit the proposal to the Executive Yuan within three days, and requested the Cabinet’s approval by July 15.

The TRA has long experienced a manpower shortage. With a different mindset, the new minister accepted the TRA’s first two demands, Hsieh said. The third demand of filling the labor shortage of 1,318 positions is still being evaluated.      [FULL  STORY]

Taiwanese Scrivener-Turned-Artist Clashes Western and Eastern Cultures

The News Lens
Date: 2016/07/04
By: Olivia Yang

The highly distinguishable artist has never received any professional training, but his works

Photo Credit：周學 Joe Anderson 創作藝術家 Facebook page

Photo Credit：周學 Joe Anderson 創作藝術家 Facebook page

are in the possession of people like Luc Besson.

A portrait of Michael Jackson clad in traditional Hakka-style floral fabrics took the streets of Taipei by storm last year to commemorate the King of Pop’s birthday.

Behind the piece, which contrasted western and eastern culture, is emerging artist Joe Anderson (周學), who is now exhibiting at the Taiwan National Treasure Art Museum in Hualien and has works collected by well-known people such as French director Luc Besson.

But this highly original artist didn’t start out as a painter.

Photo Credit：周學 Joe Anderson 創作藝術家 Facebook page

Photo Credit：周學 Joe Anderson 創作藝術家 Facebook page

From full-time scrivener to emerging amateur artist

Seventeen years ago, Anderson was a scrivener looking for a way to release his stress and escape his busy work life. At the age of 30, Anderson started taking lessons at a studio and hasn’t stopped painting ever since.

The artist told The News Lens International that he didn’t specifically choose oil painting, but that this is what most studios teach.

“I personally like oil paints better though,” he says. “The colors and brush strokes come out more.”

Anderson says he is also good at pencil drawings and Chinese ink painting, but the black and white colors don’t stand out enough for him.     [FULL  STORY]

No more overseas trips for president this year: MOFA

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-07-04
By: Wendy Lee, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Foreign Minister David Lee said Monday that President Tsai Ing-wen will not make any more 6767086foreign visits this year due to a shortage of fund.

Tsai embarked on a nine-day trip on June 24 to Panama and Paraguay, two of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in Latin America, for the president’s first overseas official visit as the head of state since taking office on May 20.

Foreign Minister David Lee was at the Legislative Yuan Monday morning for a report on President Tsai’s foreign visit, and said that the visit has cost nearly NT$90 million. Former President Ma Ying-jeou, on the other hand, had spent about NT$60 million on his trip to Guatemala and Belize earlier this year.

The annual budget for presidential overseas state visits was exceeded by more than NT$30 million, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Ting-yu concluded in the meeting.     [FULL  STORY]

Low screening rate explains rise in breast cancer in Taiwan: expert

Focus Taiwqan
Date: 2016/07/04
By: Chang Ming-hsuan and S.C. Chang

Taipei, July 4 (CNA) A low screening rate may be behind an increase in a higher incidence of

CNA file photo.

CNA file photo.

new cases of breast cancer in Taiwan, physicians and experts said Monday.

Less than 40 percent of women invited to take advantage of free breast cancer screening took such a test in 2014, far below the 60 percent target set by government agencies and medical institutions, said Lai Chi-ming (賴基銘), CEO of Formosa Cancer Foundation.

He cited a study as saying that in 2013, new breast cancer cases reached 11,281, up 756 cases from 2012, or 3.2 per 100,000 population, making it the top cancer among women.

Breast cancer incidence is up while new cases of all other cancers have been on a decline in Taiwan, he noted.     [FULL  STORY]

Protesters call for review of land development rules

IGNORED:One demonstrator said government policy has not fully implemented requirements for residents’ views to be respected, resulting in forced evictions

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 05, 2016
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter

More than 100 protesters from more than 30 civic groups yesterday marched against forced evictions, calling for land development and urban renewal to be halted until related laws and regulations are reviewed.

Shouting “solidarity” and “zero eviction” in English and Chinese, protesters threw shoes at a cardboard box barrier on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei. The barrier was covered with slogans representing a lack of public participation, abuse of public power to further private interests and a lack of avenues of relief under current rules.

“There are all sorts of shortcomings with current land policy, including the laws themselves and their implementation. We want a comprehensive policy review, with a freeze on all controversial cases until it is completed,” said Hsu Shih-chung (許世忠), spokesman for the International Tribunal on Evictions, an opinion court the groups hosted a session for on Saturday to raise awareness of housing rights.

“Land appropriation policy has not fully implemented requirements for the views of residents to be respected, resulting in discussions with residents being reduced to a formality and expropriations occurring by force when residents disagree,” he said.     [FULL  STORY]