Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/10/21
By: C.W. Cheng and Lillian Lin

Taipei, Oct. 21 (CNA) The International Committee of Museums and

From the National Taiwan Museum website

Collections of Natural History (ICOM-NATHIST) on Wednesday called on natural history museums to take action to conserve natural habitats and populations.

The call was made in a declaration released upon conclusion of the non-governmental organization’s 2015 conference in Taipei, which was attended by delegates from the Paris-based organization’s 30 regional and national committees Oct. 18-21. .

At the end of the four-day meeting, ICOM-NATHIST President Eric Dorfman said the Taipei declaration expressed the expectations and promises of the natural museums regarding biodiversity conservation.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-10-21
By: CNA

A revision to regulations governing how films are rated in Taiwan is aimed at

A movie theater in Taoyuan. (File photo/Yang Ming-feng)

giving teenagers the chance to see more movies in the theater, an official from the country’s Ministry of Culture said Tuesday.

Films in Taiwan are now being classified into five categories instead of the previous four. The new rules took effect on Oct. 16.

Before the revision, films were rated “restricted” (viewing not permitted for those under 18), “parental guidance” (viewing not permitted for children under 12), “protected” (viewing not permitted for children under six; children between six and 11 must be accompanied by adults), and “general audience” (viewing permitted for audiences of all ages).

Under the new rule, the parental guidance category is divided into two categories: one that bars people under 12 from seeing a movie and the other that bars those under 15 from seeing a movie.     [FULL  STORY]

SILENT PARTNERS:Five of the nation’s allies failed to speak up for Taiwan in the UN this year, while some would like to normalize ties with China, a PFP legislator said

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 22, 2015
By: Alison Hsiao  /  Staff reporter

While Taiwan’s relations with its diplomatic allies in the first half of the year

Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin yesterday takes part in a question-and-answer session in the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times

were stable, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) yesterday said that he could not predict how they would develop in the latter half of the year amid speculation of Chinese interference in the run-up to January’s presidential and legislative elections.

Responding to a question by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Huang Wei-cher (黃偉哲) at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee, Lin said that diplomatic ties with Central and South American allies were stable and the ministry would continue to monitor developments amid rumors that Beijing might try to sabotage Taiwan’s efforts.

Lin rated the current state of diplomatic ties as a “green light,” but added that “predicting [the second half] is difficult, as it depends on the outcome of the coming elections.”     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-10-20
By: CNA

The chair and new presidential candidate of Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang, Eric

Eric Chu arrives the Taipei headquarters of Taiwanese network TVBS for an interview, Oct. 19, 2015. (Photo/CNA)

Chu, said Monday that young people in Taiwan will have misgivings if the government “leaps” into “pure political talks” with China.

Cross-strait relations should develop step by step, Chu said, noting that his party insists on developing ties with China based on the 1992 Consensus — a tacit understanding between the KMT and Beijing that there is only “one China,” with each side free to interpret what that means.

Based on that consensus, President Ma Ying-jeou has set a guideline for Taiwan’s China policy — “No unification, no independence and no use of force” — a guideline that has helped promote the peaceful development of cross-strait ties, Chu said during a TV interview.     [FULL  STORY]