SHOW OF DEFIANCE:Roads in Taipei were blocked off yesterday afternoon as protesters weaved along a 3km route that led them to the Presidential Office Building

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 08, 2015
By: Abraham Gerber  /  Staff reporter

Yesterday’s meeting between President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Chinese President Xi

Jinping (習近平) prompted a protest outside the Presidential Office Building, with activists condemning the meeting and pledging to continue the fight against negotiations over the trade in goods agreement with China.

“The Ma-Xi meeting demonstrates that ‘one China with different interpretations’ and the [so-called] ‘1992 consensus’ are shattered, made-up constructions,” Economic Democracy Union convener Lai Chung-chiang (賴中強) said.

The “1992 consensus” is a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted to making up in 2000, referring to a tacit understanding between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese government that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/06
By: S.C. Tsai and Lillian Lin

Taipei, Nov. 6 (CNA) The meeting between the leaders on the two sides of the Taiwan

Strait was able to be realized because both Taiwan and China want to maintain the status quo, former National Security Council Secretary-General Su Chi (蘇起) said Friday.

At the same time, Beijing wants to avoid the escalation of tensions with the United States while President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is looking forward to further normalizing cross-strait relations, according to Su.

In a commentary published by the Central News Agency, Su contended that Xi Jinping (習近平), as the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, has been more attentive to the social situation in Taiwan than his predecessors.

Thus, the choices of meeting venue and form of address, as well as the pre-conference statement that no agreement will be signed at the meeting, all reflected Beijing’s consideration to soothe the feelings of insecurity and suspicion among Taiwanese people, he said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: November 6, 2015

Live Forever in Taipei will kick off Nov. 7 at Taipei Expo Park, showcasing the nation’s

emerging independent music scene and the artistic vibrancy of the northern Taiwan metropolis.

Organized by Taipei City Government’s Department of Cultural Affairs, the four-weekend event featuring 103 concerts by 45 singers and bands will be staged at 18 venues including Eslite bookstores, Guang Hua Digital Plaza, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi Plaza and Taipei Cinema Park.

“Our goal is to provide young indie singers, songwriters and bands with a chance to promote their music and gain more experience of performing live,” DCA Commissioner Ni Chung-hwa said Nov. 4 at a promotional event.

Echoing Ni’s remarks, Wang Chih-cheng, director of the Department of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development under the Ministry of Culture, said offering emerging musicians the opportunity to stage shows at venues across the city will cultivate exceptional local talent.

“It will also help boost the sector as a whole and raise the profile of Taiwan artists on the world stage,” he said, adding that the completion of the Taipei Pop Music Center, scheduled for 2018, will further facilitate the growth of the industry.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 07, 2015
By: Staff writer, with CNA

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday urged the public to step up their efforts

to prevent the spread of dengue fever by eradicating mosquito breeding sites in their living areas, as the weather is forecast to remain warm across the nation over the next few days.

The warm weather provides favorable conditions for vector breeding, which is why people need to remain vigilant against the mosquito-borne disease, the CDC said.

Since May 1 through Thursday, the nation had recorded 30,902 dengue fever cases, the agency said.

The disease has been concentrated mainly in the southern cities of Tainan and Kaohsiung, which have reported 22,056 and 8,297 cases respectively since May, CDC data showed.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-11-05
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

President Ma Ying-jeou’s plan to normalize future meetings between two leaders of the

strait is still too early to tell, as there would be no second chance if the first round of talks turned out to be sour, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je said Thursday.

“I wouldn’t worry about the first Ma-Xi meeting. I’m guessing all they will do is grab a meal together, and then snap a few photos,” Ko joked.

Commenting on Ma’s sudden announcement of his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Ko said the president should have announced the meeting earlier, as it is a major national affair.

“The real concern should instead be what happens after Ma steps down, what shoddy deals he will make with Beijing without the knowledge of others.”      [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: November 5, 2015

Taiwan moved up one place to 21st in the latest global Prosperity Index released Nov. 2

by London-based public policy group Legatum Institute.

The nation came sixth in the Asia-Pacific region, trailing New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong, in that order, but ahead of South Korea at 28th.

According to the report, the most prosperous country in the world is Norway, followed by Switzerland, Denmark, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Finland and Ireland.

Of the index’s eight equally weighted categories, Taiwan performed strongest in safety and security, ranking as the world’s sixth safest country amid global trends of increasing tension, violence and displacement.

This marks Taiwan’s best ranking in the subindex since 2011. Key factors contributing to its excellent performance include above-average scores for demographic stability, freedom of expression without fear, and low incidence of crime, the report said.     [FULL  STORY]