Page Three

Nonresident student numbers hit new high in Taiwan

Taiwan Today
Date: February 1, 2016

Taiwan’s nonresident student numbers hit a record 110,182 in 2015,

Taiwan’s nonresident student numbers are growing on the back of the rising reputation of the country as a top-notch provider of high-quality tertiary education. (Courtesy of MOE)

Taiwan’s nonresident student numbers are growing on the back of the rising reputation of the country as a top-notch provider of high-quality tertiary education. (Courtesy of MOE)

up 17.66 percent from the year before, according to the ROC Ministry of Education Jan. 30.

This group comprised 8.27 percent of enrollment at local tertiary educations, up from 6.9 percent in 2014 and 5.9 percent in 2013. The number of diploma-seeking students rose 16.08 percent to 46,523 during the year.

“The figure surged 62.12 percent compared to 2012, showing that government policies aimed at promoting Taiwan as a top destination for tertiary education is paying dividends,” an MOE official said.

Among the 57.78 percent of nondiploma-seeking students, those from mainland China on short-term courses comprised 53.59 percent, followed by those studying Chinese at 29.29 percent and other programs at 7.47 percent.     [FULL  STORY]

Legislator urges scrutiny of NCC members

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 02, 2016

Liberty Times (LT): How do you view the blitzkrieg approval [by the

New Power Party Legislator Huang Kuo-chang gestures during an interview in Taipei on Thursday last week. Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times

New Power Party Legislator Huang Kuo-chang gestures during an interview in Taipei on Thursday last week. Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times

National Communications Commission (NCC)] of FET’s acquiring of CNS [through bond purchases of Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia’s subsidiary North Haven Private Equity Asia IV LP, which in turn bought a 60 percent stake in CNS from South Korean private equity firm MBK Partners LP]?

Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌): In short, the public was blindsided by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) and the NCC. They rammed the deal through when the legislature was out of session and in the middle of a busy campaign season [for the Jan. 16 elections], when everyone was distracted.

The NCC held its public hearing 10 days ago on the pretext that the FTC had already approved the case, and the hearing itself was a staged performance, with no NCC members attending, and criticism of the deal ignored. Two days later, the deal was put on the NCC’s agenda, followed by its quick approval.     [FULL  STORY]

Shezi residents to decide future developments through I-voting: Ko

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-01-31
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Residents of Shezi, a 290-hectare sandbar at the confluence of the Clipboard013Keelung River and Tamsui River in Taipei, will decide the community’s future course of development in a vote between February 27 to 28, with voters able to cast ballots or vote online, reports said Sunday.

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je disclosed in the morning that since it will be the first plebiscite held in the city, he is calling on to its residents to take an active approach to the upcoming ballot, dubbed “I-voting.”

“The development plans and discussions will be put out in the open for public review,” Ko said, cautioning those involved in the project not to dwell on striking it rich but to think about the long-term benefits for residents in Shezi.     [FULL  STORY]

Two cold air masses forecast before Feb. 8

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/31
By: Wang Shu-fen and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Jan. 31 (CNA) Two cold air masses are expected to approach

CNA file photo

CNA file photo

Taiwan before Chinese New Year’s Day on Feb. 8, with northern Taiwan expected to experience chilly, wet weather during both cold waves, the Central Weather Bureau forecast on Sunday.

The first cold front, a continental cold air mass from southern China that will affect Taiwan from Monday to Wednesday, will send temperatures to lows of 13 degrees Celsius in the north and northeast.

The mercury will fall to lows of 14 degrees in central and southern Taiwan and 16 to 17 degrees in Hualien and Taitung counties.

During the period, rain is expected for areas in the northern half of Taiwan, and parts of eastern and southern Taiwan, the bureau said.

That cold front will weaken on Thursday, and another cold air mass will approach Taiwan on Friday.

DPP threatens to boycott disputed bills

NO POPULAR MANDATE :The negotiations over the trade in goods agreement with China should wait until the newly elected government takes office, a lawmaker said

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 01, 2016
By: Chang Hsiao-ti / Staff reporter

As the Executive Yuan plans to continue pushing controversial policies before president-elect Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) inauguration on May 20, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers said that the DPP caucus would stage a boycott if the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) caretaker government attempts to force the policies through.

Following the KMT’s defeat in the presidential and legislative elections on Jan. 16, the Cabinet on Wednesday published a list of policies it said it would continue to push before Tsai takes office.

The policies include easing regulations to allow white-collar foreign workers in the nation, joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), allowing Chinese capital into the IC design industry, allowing Chinese visitors to buy securities in Taiwan, extending National Health Insurance coverage to Chinese students, mutually setting up representative offices across the Taiwan Strait with Beijing and shortening the waiting period for Chinese immigrant spouses’ naturalization.
The list also includes policy proposals that have been halted by the legislature, as well as amendments to existing laws.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan issues red travel alert for Sierra Leone

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-01-30
By: Chia Lee, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Friday evening issued a red 6732240travel alert for the West African nation, as signs of new Ebola cases were found.

The Ebola virus has returned to Sierra Leone just hours after the World Health Organization declared it Ebola-free. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Friday evening issued a red travel alert for the West African nation, as signs of new Ebola cases were found.

The nation that had been battling with the outbreak for two years was declared Ebola-free on November 2015. On January 14, the WHO declared an end to the Ebola outbreak. However, just hours later, the organization unexpectedly announced a new Ebola death.

On January 20, the WHO confirmed a second new Ebola case in Sierra Leone. The two cases were found connected as the latest patient was a relative of a 22-year-old woman who died of Ebola on January 14.

Taiwan confirms 2nd rabies case this year

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/30
By: Yang Shu-min and Lilian Wu

Taipei, Jan. 30 (CNA) The Council of Agriculture (COA) on Saturday

CNA file photo

CNA file photo

confirmed Taiwan’s second rabies case this year after a farmer in the central part of the country was bitten by a ferret-badger.

Shih Tai-hua (施泰華), deputy director-general of the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, said the farmer from Puli in Nantou County was bitten when he found a ferret-badger in his chicken coop on Jan. 29.

The ferret-badger was sent to the COA’s Animal Health Research Institute and was put to sleep after it was tested rabies positive.

The 70-year-old farmer was inoculated with a rabies vaccine and is said to be in good health.     [FULL  STORY]

DPP reacts to rumor Tsai is to quit as chair

FOCUSING ON TOP JOB:Tsai’s aides have expressed their support for her to stay on in the post, but sources close to the DPP said that Tsai is not keen to stay on

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 31, 2016
By: Sean Lin / Staff reporter Staff reporter

Rumors that president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) could resign as

President-elect Tsai Ing-wen, who is known as a cat lover, holds a cartoon portraying her as a cat at the Fancy Frontier Comics Festival in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

President-elect Tsai Ing-wen, who is known as a cat lover, holds a cartoon portraying her as a cat at the Fancy Frontier Comics Festival in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairperson have sparked mixed reactions among DPP members.

Sources close to the DPP said that Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) is a prospective candidate for the chairmanship if Tsai chooses to resign.

According to the DPP’s constitution, a party chairperson election is held biennially at the end of May, with the election scheduled to take place this year.

However, the party’s statutes also stipulate that the president may double as party chairperson, meaning that an election would not be necessary should Tsai decide to continue serving as the chairperson.     [FULL  STORY]

Su Jia-chyuan likely to be next legislative speaker as veteran yields

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-01-29
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, Jan. 29 (CNA) Ker Chien-ming, a veteran lawmaker and a 6732043declared candidate for the presidency of Taiwan’s legislature, said Friday that he would support an ally of President-elect Tsai Ing-wen to become the next speaker.

It would be best if Su Jia-chyuan becomes the speaker of the new legislature so that Tsai will have strong parliamentary support, said Ker, who has been the Democratic Progressive Party’s top lawmaker for several years.

In the Jan. 16 elections, the DPP won a majority in the Legislative Yuan for the first time and until Su surfaced as a candidate last week, Ker had been expected to take over the speakership from Wang Jin-pyng of the Kuomintang party, who has held the job since 1999.

Su is a former minister of the interior and was Tsai’s running mate in her first bid for the presidency in 2012.

Indonesia hoping for visa-free treatment from Taiwan

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/29
By: Jay Chou and Lilian Wu

Jakarta, Jan. 29 (CNA) Indonesia hopes Taiwan can provide visa-free

Taiwan travel show in Indonesia (CNA file photo)

Taiwan travel show in Indonesia (CNA file photo)

treatment to its nationals in view of the increased travel between the two sides, a tourism official said Friday.

Iqbal Alamsjah of the Indonesian Tourism Ministry said the Indonesian government cares greatly about the rights of its nationals overseas and expressed the hope that Taiwan will offer visa-free treatment to Indonesians.

In October, Indonesia offered visa-free treatment to the nationals of an additional 30 countries and regions, including Taiwan.

A Taiwanese official versed in visa operations said reciprocity is a factor in Taiwan’s consideration of the countries to which it provides visa-free treatment.     [FULL  STORY]