Page Three

KMT urges Tsai to table foreign policy

UNFRIENDLY MOVE:Beijing informed Taipei about its diplomatic relationship with the Gambia via text message in a move that could begin a domino effect, Hung Hsiu-chu said

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 19, 2016
By: Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday called on president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to table her foreign and cross-strait policies, concerned that the resumption of ties between the Gambia and China on Thursday is only the beginning of “scorched-earth” diplomacy with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) returning to the presidency.

The KMT caucus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of West Asian and African Affairs Director-General Chen Chun-shen (陳俊賢) and the Mainland Affairs Council’s (MAC) Planning Department Director Hu Ai-ling (胡愛玲), held a news conference in Taipei saying that Taiwan’s foreign policy “is highly interrelated with its cross-strait policy.”

KMT Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said people are concerned about how the new government might react to Beijing’s bottom line — the “one China” principle.

“Is the Gambia episode a warning to Tsai or the beginning of the new government’s ‘scorched earth’ diplomacy? Both the ruling and opposition parties hope that the nation’s international space will not be severely limited due to pressure [from Beijing],” Chiang said.

KMT Legislator Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) said the timing of the resumption of diplomatic ties was curious, “as the cross-strait relationship is fairly good now.”     [FULL  STORY]

NSC considers Beijing reactions to Tsai’s inauguration speech

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-03-17
By: Chia Lee, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The National Security Council (NSC) was asked Thursday about the impact of President-

National Security Council (NSC) on Thursday during an interpellation was asked about the impact of president-elect Tsai Ing-wen’s inauguration speech on cross-strait relations.

National Security Council (NSC) on Thursday during an interpellation was asked about the impact of president-elect Tsai Ing-wen’s inauguration speech on cross-strait relations.

elect Tsai Ing-wen’s inauguration speech on cross-strait relations.

Yang Kuo-chiang, director-general of the NSC, said in response that if the Chinese government is not satisfied with Tsai’s inauguration speech, it may express its displeasure by withdrawing from cross-strait negotiations, restricting mainland tourists from visiting Taiwan, or increasing diplomatic pressure.

Yang, however, did not offer solutions if the above happened. “The NSC is merely responsible for laying out the possible risks,” said Yang.

It has been a heated debate whether Tsai’s May 20 speech will include a mention of the Constitution of the Republic of China as well as the recognition of the 1992 Consensus, which is considered the cornerstone for cross-strait relations, as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stated Thursday.

Last month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered a speech in Washington, urging Tsai to accept the “one China” principle.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan-Nicaragua air services agreement goes into effect

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/17
By: Chi Chin-ling and Romulo Huang

Taipei, March 17 (CNA) An air services agreement signed between the Republic of China

Carlos Salazar (right)

Carlos Salazar (right)

(Taiwan) and Nicaragua went into effect on Wednesday after Carlos Salazar, director general of the Nicaraguan Institute of Civil Aeronautics, inked the accord on behalf of the Nicaraguan government that day in Managua.

The bilateral aviation services agreement, which had already been signed by Lin Tyh-Ming (林志明), director general of Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration on Feb. 18, is the result of a series of negotiations between the two nations over the past two years, according to a statement issued by the Republic of China Embassy in Nicaragua.

The accord is aimed at establishing a commercial flight connection between the two nations, and to further strengthen bilateral ties, it said.

Under the agreement, all of the commercial flight operators or enterprises of Taiwan and Nicaragua are allowed to run inbound and outbound flight services to and from the two sides with the use of regular flights or charter planes, it added. Such flights will be granted rights of loading and unloading passengers, cargo and postal parcels at third nations on their way from and to destinations in the two countries, it added.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan genius helps computer trounce human Go champ

Taiwan Today
Date: March 17, 2016

A Taiwan artificial intelligence star is shining brighter after his jointly developed computer

Taiwan AI researcher Aja Huang (left) is one of the architects behind Alphago’s landmark trouncing of South Korean champion professional Go player Lee Se-dol March 9-15 in Seoul. (Courtesy of Go Game Guru)

Taiwan AI researcher Aja Huang (left) is one of the architects behind Alphago’s landmark trouncing of South Korean champion professional Go player Lee Se-dol March 9-15 in Seoul. (Courtesy of Go Game Guru)

program achieved a milestone victory over a champion professional Go player from South Korea.

Aja Huang, who holds a doctorate in computer science and information engineering from Taipei City-based National Taiwan Normal University, put his education and experience as a top amateur Go player to good use in co-masterminding Alphago’s 4-1 defeat of Lee Se-dol March 9-15 in Seoul.

A member of program developer London-headquartered Google DeepMind since 2012, Huang was responsible for key program adjustments during the series of headline-grabbing matches.

Huang burst on the scene in 2010 when self-developed Go program Erica beat Zen, widely considered the best of its kind at the time, during the Computer Olympiad in Japan.

Professor Lin Shun-shii—Huang’s thesis advisor at NTNU—said the AI expert spent 10 to 16 hours per day for nearly a decade in the lab developing Erica. Huang deserves full recognition for Alphago on the strength of his dedication, proven track record in related research and extensive knowledge of this ancient Chinese board game, he added.     [FULL  STORY]

Red Cross Act needs to be amended, minister says

TERM LIMITS:Lin Tzu-ling said that according to the act, the organization’s president can remain in the post indefinitely, with an amendment proposed for a two-term limit

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 18, 2016
By: Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter

The Executive Yuan yesterday proposed an amendment to the Red Cross Society Act of the Republic of China (中華民國紅十字會法), with Deputy Minister of the Interior Lin Tzu-ling (林慈玲) saying that the law could be changed, but should not be abolished.

New Power Party and Democratic Progressive Party legislators proposed that the act be abolished, saying they consider it to be a remnant of the authoritarian era, granting special privileges to organization that had — until a legislative amendment in 2000 — been a “government facility” according to the regulations.

Lin said in a news conference after the Cabinet’s weekly meeting yesterday that the Red Cross Society has made great contributions in its special missions, such as rescuing and nursing wounded soldiers during wartime and participating in disaster-relief activities during peacetime.

The Red Cross Society law has its raison d’etre, but it should also be subject to review, Lin said.

According to the existing act, the president of the organization is elected by the group’s national member representatives’ congress with a term of four years and can be re-elected indefinitely.     [FULL  STORY]

KMT lawmaker indicted for vote-buying

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-03-16
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Kuomintang legislator Chien Tung-ming and 57 6741723other people were indicted Wednesday for their alleged involvement in vote-buying during the campaign for the January 16 elections.

Chien, an indigenous politician also known as Uliw Qaljupayare, is one of only 35 KMT candidates who won election to the 113-seat Legislative Yuan.

Last January, the directors of the KMT offices in two small villages in Pingtung County were detained on suspicion they bought votes for Chien, but since then, prosecutors investigated further and came to the conclusion that the politician himself was also involved, reports said.

The list of the 58 persons charged included Chien, the two KMT officials, as well as many campaign workers and the citizens who accepted the money for their votes, prosecutors said.

Chien denied the accusations, saying that money found by investigators was destined to pay campaign officials, not to buy off voters. He apologized for causing his supporters so much trouble and said he was convinced that in the end, the judiciary would prove him right.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan hotels to observe Earth Hour on Saturday

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/16
By: Cheng Wei-ting, Esme Jiang and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, March 16 (CNA) Several hotels throughout Taiwan will join

W Taipei (white, center left) and other buildings in Taipei's Xinyi District during the Earth Hour in 2010.

W Taipei (white, center left) and other buildings in Taipei’s Xinyi District during the Earth Hour in 2010.

communities around the world in observing Earth Hour by turning off their lights for an hour from 8:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. on March 19.

The annual global event is usually held toward the end of March, encouraging individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol of their commitment to the sustainable future of the planet.

Le Meridien Taipei Hotel, Humble House Taipei, Sheraton Grande Taipei Hotel, Grand Hyatt Taipei Hotel and W Taipei Hotel as well as Palais de Chine Hotel Taipei and Fleur de Chine Hotel, which are affiliated with LDC Hotels & Resorts Group, have announced that they will take part in Earth Hour for a sustainable future.

LDC Hotels & Resorts Group said it will also encourage its guests to turn off their mobile phones that day and instead send postcards to their relatives and friends. As an incentive, the hotel group will enter the participants in lucky draw for a prize of dinner for two, a spokesman for the group said.     [FULL  STORY]

Pingtung indicts 58 after election probe

TANGLED WEB:The 58 include KMT Legislator Chien Tung-ming and members of his campaign team, as well as residents who admitted to taking money for their votes

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 17, 2016
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter

Pingtung County prosecutors indicted Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Aboriginal Legislator Chien Tung-ming (簡東明) and 57 other people on election law violations and vote-buying charges yesterday, after wrapping up a nearly two-month-long investigation.

The indictment was another strike against Chien, after prosecutors filed a court application on Feb. 19 as part of an investigation into vote-buying to nullify his election in the Jan. 16 presidential and legislative elections.

Lawmakers yesterday discussed options on how to fill the potential vacancy should Chien be found guilty in the Pingtung District Prosecutors’ Office case, which would cause him to lose his seat in the legislature, including awarding the seat to the Aboriginal candidate with the next-highest number of votes or holding a by-election.
Also indicted were Ma Chao-ming (馬昭明), director of the KMT’s local chapter in Pingtung’s Sandimen Township (三地門), and Wang Jung-yi (王榮儀), director of the KMT’s local chapter in Pingtung’s Majia Township (瑪家).

The 58 indicted also included other local KMT members, members of Chien’s campaign and residents who admitted to having taken money in exchange for votes for Chien.      [FULL  STORY]

Asia-Pacific women’s rights promoted by Taiwan, US

Taiwan Today
Date: March 15, 2016

A workshop on enhancing prosperity and opportunities for women throughout

WCI President Marjorie Margolies (center) discusses gender equality challenges as Stephenie Foster (left), senior advisor in the U.S. Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, and WCI International Consultant Valerie Biden Owens look on March 11 in Taipei City. (CNA)

WCI President Marjorie Margolies (center) discusses gender equality challenges as Stephenie Foster (left), senior advisor in the U.S. Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, and WCI International Consultant Valerie Biden Owens look on March 11 in Taipei City. (CNA)

the Asia-Pacific was recently staged in Taipei City under the Taiwan-U.S. Global Cooperation and Training Framework.

Hosted by the ROC Executive Yuan’s Department of Gender Equality, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Taipei City-based Foundation for Women’s Rights Promotion and Development, the March 11 event saw local experts and women’s rights activists exchange ideas and share experiences on a range of related matters with 16 of their counterparts from abroad.

These included Stephenie Foster, senior advisor in the U.S. Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues; Marjorie Margolies, president of Philadelphia-based Women’s Campaign International; and Valerie Biden Owens, an international consultant with WCI.

The daylong workshop is one of many ROC government initiatives aimed at improving the lot of women. It also demonstrates that Taiwan and the U.S. are serious about collaborating on empowering women and bridging the gender gap across the region, according to the MOFA.     [FULL  STORY]

Tsai pays visit to Taoyuan weapons research institute

GETTING UP TO SPEED:To learn more about developments in the local defense industry, Tsai was led on a tour by institute president Chang Kuan-chun

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 16, 2016
By: Staff writer, with CNA

President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday visited the nation’s main

President-elect Tsai Ing-wen, left, holds up a 3D-printed figure of herself during a visit to the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology in Taoyuan yesterday to learn about the national defense industry. Photo: CNA

President-elect Tsai Ing-wen, left, holds up a 3D-printed figure of herself during a visit to the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology in Taoyuan yesterday to learn about the national defense industry. Photo: CNA

weapons research and development institute to learn more about the defense industry, one of the areas she has pledged to bolster after she takes office on May 20.

During her visit to the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology in Taoyuan, Tsai was briefed on the institute’s projects, including the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile and the Tien Kung III surface-to-air missile, both of which are locally developed and constitute the nation’s main missile systems.

Tsai was also briefed on the institute’s Cardinal Mini-UAV (uncrewed aerial vehicle) that can be launched by hand, as well as telecommunications systems, electromagnetic protection systems, power storage systems and the ground control center of an international space project called Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.

During the one-hour tour, Tsai tested a 3D device that simulates a communications system used by military personnel in various military vehicles.

Tsai was greeted and accompanied by institute president Chang Kuan-chun (張冠群) to learn more about the developments in the local defense industry.     [SOURCE]