Page Three

NPM to display rare treasures of the Holy See

Taiwan Today
Date: January 29, 2016

An exhibition showcasing beautiful religious and historical treasures

The reliquary and relic of St. Francis Xavier is one of the highlights of Treasures from Heaven: A Special Exhibition of Artifacts from the Holy See running Feb. 5 to May 2 at NPM in Taipei City. (Courtesy of NPM)

The reliquary and relic of St. Francis Xavier is one of the highlights of Treasures from Heaven: A Special Exhibition of Artifacts from the Holy See running Feb. 5 to May 2 at NPM in Taipei City. (Courtesy of NPM)

from the Holy See will take place from Feb. 5 to May 2 at National Palace Museum in Taipei City.

Treasures from Heaven: A Special Exhibition of Artifacts from the Holy See features 60 priceless objects, many of which represent some of the finest examples of craftsmanship in the world. Most of the treasures are usually stored in the Vatican Sacristy and are rarely displayed to the public. The exhibit is divided into six categories, namely the altar, the Holy See, the liturgical year, the pope and history, sacraments and the spread of Catholicism to the East.

During the Jan. 28 crate-opening ceremony at the Taipei institution, NPM Director Fung Ming-chu said that the event gives recognition to the facility’s leading position in the international museum landscape. “It also serves as evidence of strong ties between the ROC and our European ally through cultural operations,” she said.     [FULL  STORY]

KMT name change not needed: acting chair Huang

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 30, 2016
By: Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Acting Chairperson Huang Min-hui (黃

Former Chiayi mayor Huang Min-hui, right, who is a candidate for head of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), makes a heart-shaped sign at a drawing contest organized by the Fu-Tian-Fu Social Welfare Foundation in Chiayi City yesterday. Photo: CNA

Former Chiayi mayor Huang Min-hui, right, who is a candidate for head of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), makes a heart-shaped sign at a drawing contest organized by the Fu-Tian-Fu Social Welfare Foundation in Chiayi City yesterday. Photo: CNA

敏惠), who is hoping to be elected chairperson, yesterday said that there is no need to change the party name to reverse its fortunes.

Huang, who announced her bid on Wednesday, when former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) declared he would stay out of the race, yesterday reiterated that her decision to run was prompted by public expectations of party reform and has nothing to do with rumors that plans were afoot to block outgoing Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) from the position.

When asked whether the KMT should remove “China” from its name, Huang said: “A name change would not alter its fate,” referring to the practice of changing characters in a name to reverse fortunes.

“The name has a history. It is a nation-founding political party, establishing the Republic of China. The party was founded by Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙) and revolutionary martyrs to achieve democracy, freedom and equality,” she said. “The spirit is long-standing, universal and should be maintained by all of us.”

“All I have to say is, the Chinese Nationalist Party is the Republic of China Nationalist Party,” she said.     [FULL  STORY]

Tsai tight-lipped about whether to visit Taiping Island

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-01-28
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taiwan’s president-elect Tsai Ing-wen Thursday reiterated Taiwan’s 6731865sovereignty over the disputed islands in the South China Sea but was tight-lipped when asked whether she will visit Taiping Island after taking office on May 20.

Democratic Progressive Party’s stand on the South China Sea disputes is to insist Taiwan’s sovereignty in this region, ensure freedom of navigation, and settle related disputes peacefully according to international law and the Law of the Sea Convention, Tsai said. As a member of the region, “We have a shared responsibility to maintain peace and stability in the region,” she added.

Earlier in the day, Mark Toner, deputy spokesman of the U.S. State Department, expressed U.S. government’s disappointment over Ma’s visit to the island, saying it does not contribute to the peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea.     [FULL  STORY]

Passenger volume at Taiwan’s largest airport sets new high

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/28
By: Bien Ching-feng and Lee Hsin-Yin

Taipei, Jan. 28 (CNA) Passenger volume last year at Taiwan Taoyuan

CNA file photo

CNA file photo

International Airport, the country’s main gateway, reached 38.47 million, an all-time high and representing a 7.45 percent annual growth, the Taoyuan International Airport Corp. (TIAC) said Thursday.

Contributors to the increase include four carriers that started offering services through the airport last year — NokScoot, Turkish Airlines, Jeju Air and Jetstar Japan — according to the TIAC.

New routes to cities such as Istanbul, Houston and Melbourne also introduced new passengers, it said.     [FULL  STORY]

Female legislator numbers hit record high in Taiwan

Taiwan Today
Date: January 28, 2016

More women will be sworn in as lawmakers than ever before when the

The 113-seat ROC Legislature is set to welcome a record 43 female lawmakers when the ninth Legislative Yuan is sworn at the start of next month in Taipei City. (CNA)

The 113-seat ROC Legislature is set to welcome a record 43 female lawmakers when the ninth Legislative Yuan is sworn at the start of next month in Taipei City. (CNA)

ninth ROC Legislative Yuan sits for the first time Feb. 1 in Taipei City.

A total of 43 female legislators are set to take their places in the 113-member Legislature following the Jan. 16 elections, up from 38 in the eighth edition. This equates to 38 percent—the highest in Asia and topping such countries as the Philippines at 27.1, South Korea 16.3 and Japan 11.6, according to the latest statistics released by Switzerland-based Inter-Parliamentary Union.

“Such a result shows women’s political participation rate is on the rise in Taiwan,” an official from the Central Elections Commission said. “This reaffirms that gender equality in Taiwan is advancing as per Article 134 of the ROC Constitution.”

A similarly high proportion can be seen in the ROC Control and Examination yuans, which comprise 50 percent and 38 percent female members, respectively.     [FULL  STORY]

President should not double as party chairperson: survey

PRIORITY LIST:TISR said its survey shows that most people want the president to place their duties as the nation’s leader before any obligations to their party

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 29, 2016
By: Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter

A poll by Taiwan Indicators Survey Research (TISR) yesterday showed that 53.6 percent of respondents consider it inappropriate for the president to double as a party chairperson, compared with 32.1 percent of respondents who said it was okay.

The latest figures show that people’s attitude toward a president also being the ruling party’s head is not significantly affected by a transfer of political power, the group said, adding that in 2013, 59.6 percent of respondents were against it, in 2008, 58.3 percent, and in 2004, 46.8 percent.

“It shows that most of the people hope the president could put their responsibilities and obligations as the nation’s leader on top of their priority list,” TISR said.

The poll also found that with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) securing 60 percent of the legislative seats in the Jan. 16 elections, 60.1 percent of respondents said that they have faith in the party’s resolution in legislative reforms, while 29.8 percent expressed distrust.     [FULL  STORY]

Chinese tourists into Taiwan depends on cross-Strait relations: TAO

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-01-27
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said Wednesday that the operation of 6731688Chinese tourists travelling into Taiwan, the ongoing cross-Strait trade-in-goods agreement, and the cross-strait hotline will depend on development of cross-Strait relations after Taiwan’s general elections.

On the issue of whether China will reduce the number of Chinese tourists allowed into Taiwan after the elections, TAO spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang said in the first press conference after the elections that China has never set a quota on Chinese tourists allowed to enter Taiwan.

“Setting a quota was Taiwan’s unilateral decision,” Ma said, adding that the fluctuation of numbers of Chinese tourists to travel into Taiwan is a market behavior determined by travel agencies and tourists’ intentions.

However, Ma said, “The next step is that we will handle related affairs according to development of cross-Strait relations and demand of tourism markets on both sides.”     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei event remembers Holocaust victims

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/27
By: Elaine Hou

Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) The representative offices of Israel and Germany 28761493held an event in Taipei Wednesday in commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust, marking the first time the two offices have co-hosted such an event on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The event, which is aimed at promoting peace, freedom and better understanding of the Holocaust, was attended by about 200 people, including President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and foreign officials based in Taiwan from Europe and countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

One rabbi from Israel led the participants in a prayer for the victims, before another rabbi lit six candles to commemorate the six million Jewish people killed by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust, which began when the Nazis came to power in 1933 and continued until the end of World War II in 1945.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Game Show readies for record attendance

Taiwan Today
Date: January 27, 2016

Taipei Game Show gets underway Jan. 28 at Taipei World Trade

A stellar lineup of video game characters portrayed by models promotes the 2016 Taipei Game Show at a preshow media event Jan. 20 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of TCA)

A stellar lineup of video game characters portrayed by models promotes the 2016 Taipei Game Show at a preshow media event Jan. 20 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of TCA)

Center, with 2,000 booths by 300-plus exhibitors worldwide set to draw a record attendance of 450,000 during the six-day show.

Themed Games Connect, the TGS lineup features some of the biggest names in the industry. These include Taiwan’s Softstar Entertainment Inc., French multiplatform publisher Ubisoft Entertainment S.A., Hong Kong mobile game developer Mad Head Ltd., Japan’s Bandai Namco Entertainment and Singapore online gaming outfit Garena Group.

Organized by Taipei Computer Association, the annual event is seen as a major trade platform in the Asia-Pacific gaming sector.

“We anticipate a 73 percent increase in business-to-business transactions for the 2016 edition, with 5,000 professional buyers from 30 countries participating in trade talks with 221 firms from all over the world,” a TCA official said, adding that the figures mark a new milestone in the 14-year history of the show.

In addition to software titles, an eye-catching feature of the show is the array of new-generation gaming gadgets on display. A diverse assortment of innovative devices with augmented or virtual reality capabilities is expected to be unveiled by electronics heavyweights.

Taiwan’s HTC Corp. will roll out Vive Pre, a VR headset boasting enhanced resolution and wearing comfort. It is up against Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.’s Gear VR and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.’s PlayStation VR head-mounted display.

Plans to move Tainan rail underground slammed

SHIFT:Opponents said that the city government has not provided sufficient evidence as to why land in the east of Tainan is needed for railway tunneling

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 28, 2016
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter

The Ministry of the Interior’s Construction and Planning Agency yesterday delayed deliberations on moving railway lines in Tainan underground following contentious talks with residents and environmental groups.

Officials in the agency’s group working on the project made a motion to require the Tainan City Government to provide a further response to activists’ concerns following a marathon meeting, punctuated by occasional shouting and table pounding.

Their decision to delay a decision on the project until a third meeting represented a partial victory for activists, who had vowed to stop the plan’s passage.

While moving the railway underground has been discussed for decades, the latest round of controversy concerns city plans to shift the line eastward to facilitate tunneling efforts, appropriating land from several hundred residents.     [FULL  STORY]