Page Three

Groups urge Tsai to put women in Cabinet

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

President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) should take advantage of her historic election to use women to fill at least one-third of Cabinet posts, women’s rights advocates said yesterday.

Campaigners from 14 women’s rights organizations gathered at a news conference inside the Legislative Yuan to call on Tsai to make good on a 2012 electoral promise to appoint women to at least one-third of all Cabinet and committee posts.

“We have a lot of hope in [Tsai], because Taiwan’s presidents have done such an awful job and also because her election represents the culmination of the efforts of Taiwan’s entire feminist movement. That a woman like her — without any special political background — could become Taiwan’s president is the fruit of the work of all of our organizations,” Awakening Foundation Chairperson Shen Hsiu-hua (沈秀華) said.

“Because she is the product of progressive forces, we hope that she will continue to push the movement forward,” she added.

Taiwan Women’s Link executive secretary Hsiung Chen-yu (熊晨妤) said that the percentage of women in Cabinets under the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had fallen almost continuously, reaching a low of 11.4 percent, which was well below the 25 percent Ma promised before taking office.     [FULL  STORY]

Disputes with budget airlines rise in Taiwan

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/04
By: Yang Shu-min and Lilian Wu

Taipei, March 4 (CNA) Disputes with budget airlines have risen over the past 201603040024t0001three years in Taiwan, the Department of Consumer Protection under the Executive Yuan said Friday, urging the airlines to respond to the needs of consumers quickly.

It said city and county governments have handled an increasing number of disputes with budget airlines, with the number ballooning to 332 cases in 2015, up from 47 cases in 2013 and 101 cases in 2014.

Since Taiwan first began allowing budget airlines to operate in 2004, there are now 19 local and overseas-based budget carriers offering regional flights to and from Taiwan and many cities in Asia.

As more airlines enter the market and competition among carriers increases, more problems involving service quality have arisen.

In 2015 alone, the number of cases involving disputes over ticket refunds or ticket changes totaled 164, accounting for 49 percent of the total.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan tilapia earns global quality accreditation

Taiwan Today
Date: March 4, 2016

Taiwan is establishing itself as a global supplier of premium tilapia on the back

Taiwan tilapia growers see ASC certification as vital to ensuring bigger hauls and healthier export numbers. (Courtesy of Council of Agriculture)

Taiwan tilapia growers see ASC certification as vital to ensuring bigger hauls and healthier export numbers. (Courtesy of Council of Agriculture)

of local aquaculture operators gaining certification by Netherlands-based Aquaculture Stewardship Council.

Around two dozen farmers have gained the ASC certification since 2013, underscoring the commitment of the sector to maintaining the country’s competitive edge in farming the in-demand fish, according to Taiwan Tilapia Alliance.

TTA Chief Executive Officer Shih Yuan-yuan said ASC International Standards for Responsible Tilapia Aquaculture are the global benchmark and cover seven categories like animal welfare, disease control, environmental, labor and social practices.

“On top of ensuring Taiwan-raised tilapia meet the highest quality standards, ASC certification opens the door for local farmers to tap the European market,” Shih said. “These products also command much better prices.”

According to Shih, Taiwan produces between 60,000 and 80,000 tons of tilapia every year, with half exported to Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the U.S. Total output hit NT$2.1 billion (US$63.29 million) last year.     [FULL  STORY]

Groups urge Tsai to put women in Cabinet

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 05, 2016
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter Staff Reporter
President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) should take advantage of her historic election to use women to fill at least one-third of Cabinet posts, women’s rights advocates said yesterday.

Campaigners from 14 women’s rights organizations gathered at a news conference inside the Legislative Yuan to call on Tsai to make good on a 2012 electoral promise to appoint women to at least one-third of all Cabinet and committee posts.

“We have a lot of hope in [Tsai], because Taiwan’s presidents have done such an awful job and also because her election represents the culmination of the efforts of Taiwan’s entire feminist movement. That a woman like her — without any special political background — could become Taiwan’s president is the fruit of the work of all of our organizations,” Awakening Foundation Chairperson Shen Hsiu-hua (沈秀華) said.

“Because she is the product of progressive forces, we hope that she will continue to push the movement forward,” she added.

Taiwan Women’s Link executive secretary Hsiung Chen-yu (熊晨妤) said that the percentage of women in Cabinets under the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had fallen almost continuously, reaching a low of 11.4 percent, which was well below the 25 percent Ma promised before taking office.     [FULL  STORY]

Expect Tsai to address conflicts of interest

Taiwan News
EDITORIAL
Date: 2016-03-03
By: Taiwan News, Staff Writer

President-elect Tsai Ing-wen is not scheduled to be sworn in and become Taiwan’s 6738870first-ever female president until May 20, but already her relatives have come under scrutiny and their business dealings analyzed.

She started a tour of Taiwan’s economic sectors with biotechnology, one of the most promising industries likely to lift the country out of its present gloom and on to a higher plane of development.

Yet, just days later, accusations surfaced of insider trading at one of the most prominent companies in the sector, OBI Pharma Inc. The plot thickened even further when reports in the media identified Tsai Ying-yang, one of the president-elect’s brothers, as a shareholder in OBI Pharma.

While there was not a single report indicating he was involved in the as yet unproven case of insider trading, fingers immediately started pointing at Tsai, saying she was no better than the average Kuomintang politician.

She made the right response to the accusations, announcing she would resolve any likely conflicts of interest before her May 20 inauguration. She also denied any knowledge of her brother’s business activities.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan the largest importer of Vietnamese migrant workers

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/03
By: Fan Ching-yi and Elaine Hou

Hanoi, March 3 (CNA) About 56 percent of Vietnamese migrant workers who left

CNA file photo

CNA file photo

home in February came to work in Taiwan, making the country the largest importer of Vietnamese migrant workers, according to Vietnamese official statistics.

In February, there were 6,978 Vietnamese going overseas to work, and 3,963 of them came to Taiwan, the statistics showed.

In the first two months of 2016, a total of 15,605 Vietnamese went overseas to work, and 9,325 of them came to Taiwan, the figures showed.

Vietnam has set an annual target of exporting 100,000 migrant workers.

A total of 67,000 Vietnamese migrant workers came to work in Taiwan last year, making it continue to be the largest importer of Vietnamese migrant workers.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan ichthyologist leads florescent fish trend

Taiwan Today
Date: March 3, 2016

A Taiwan expert who bred the world’s first pink angelfish continues instilling

The pink angelfish features in aquariums worldwide after being created in 2012 by Lin Yu-ho with assistance from Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Ocean University. (Courtesy of NTOU)

The pink angelfish features in aquariums worldwide after being created in 2012 by Lin Yu-ho with assistance from Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Ocean University. (Courtesy of NTOU)

the local florescent ornamental fish industry with vibrancy and spurring exports of the tropical creatures.

Born in Chiayi County 56 years ago, Lin Yu-ho started his career in 1988 by establishing JY Lin Trading Corp. in Pingtung County—a warm weather southern Taiwan locale suited to breeding fish.

Lin cultivated the world’s first green convict cichlid in 2009 in cooperation with Academia Sinica—the nation’s top research institution—and Keelung City-based National Taiwan Ocean University. This accomplishment and his industry contributions saw him win a National Innovation Award in 2011.

But Lin is not content to rest on his laurels. After three years of research, he broke new ground by using electroporation to implant the fluorescence protein gene of coral into the ovaries of angelfish. This resulted in the creation of the world’s first pink pterophyllum scalare.

Ou Mei-ju, Lin’s wife and general manager of JY Lin Trading Corp., said she never doubted Lin’s ability to reach the top of his game.     [FULL  STORY]

KMT chairperson hopefuls meet veterans

SURPRISE VISIT:Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Ker Chien-min visited the KMT’s gathering, saying his party intended to establish dialogue with KMT supporters

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 04, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

Candidates to chair the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday gathered

Democratic Progressive Party legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming, right, and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairmanship candidate Lee Hsin join hands at the Veterans Association of the Republic of China’s New Year’s banquet in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chien Jung-fung, Taipei Times

Democratic Progressive Party legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming, right, and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairmanship candidate Lee Hsin join hands at the Veterans Association of the Republic of China’s New Year’s banquet in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chien Jung-fung, Taipei Times

to solicit support from retired military personnel in the chairperson by-election, pledging to build a better KMT while lamenting the party headquarters’ decision not to hold a televised debate among the hopefuls.

The Veterans Association of the Republic of China held a Lunar New Year banquet in Taipei yesterday morning, which was attended by the candidates KMT Acting Chairperson Huang Min-hui (黃敏惠), former deputy legislative speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), KMT Legislator Apollo Chen (陳學聖) and Taipei City Councilor Lee Hsin (李新).

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) also attended the event.

Hung said in a speech that she would extend full support to whoever wins the KMT’s chairperson by-election on Mar. 26 in the hope of uniting the party.

“Some people have slandered me and claimed that I would push for reforming the KMT into the New Party if elected chairperson. I have to urge you not to take such allegations too seriously,” Hung said.     [FULL  STORY]

Number of Chinese visitors to Taiwan under watch: premier

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-03-02
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Premier Simon Chang on Wednesday said he knew what to expect after 6738633seeing recent changes of the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Taiwan, but he was not specific on whether the number has dipped.

In response to a rumor circulating among industries related to tourism that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan has been falling and airline operators have cut down on number of flights to Taiwan, Chang said the government has been monitoring data and situations related to the issue, but “The other side [China] has never given an oral confirmation.”

Chang said he has heard that some airline operators have changed to using small airplanes to operate the routes between China and Taiwan.

As Taiwan and China have made a bilateral agreement on tourism, theoretically no sides should use man-made or administrative means to interfere the market mechanism, Chang said, adding that he can understand China’s concern behind not giving confirmation.     [FULL  STORY]

Moderate earthquakes shake Tainan, Kaohsiung

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/02
By: Lo Kuang-jen and Kuo Chung-han

Taipei, March 2 (CNA) A magnitude 4.2 earthquake shook southern Taiwan

From the Central Weather Bureau website

From the Central Weather Bureau website

Wednesday night, with the tremor felt in Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung, the Central Weather Bureau said.

The quake, which struck at 22:07 p.m., was centered 17.0 kilometers south-southwest of the Tainan City government office in the sea at a depth of 34.5 km, according to the bureau’s earthquake data.

An intensity of 2 was recorded in five districts in Tainan and an intensity of 1 in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County. There were no reports of damage or injuries.

An earthquake’s intensity measures how much it shakes the ground in a particular area, and is measured on a 0-7 scale in Taiwan.     [FULL  STORY]