OVERSEAS PRODUCTION:With the army’s new boots to be produced in Vietnam and Malaysia, officials said that proprietary technology could be obtained by China

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 22, 2015
By: Jason Pan  /  Staff reporter

A major military procurement prompted concerns over the leaking of proprietary technology that could endanger the lives of military personnel, which were raised by officials when an order for army combat boots was changed to allow its production in foreign nations.

The Chinese-language Apple Daily yesterday reported that the procurement was for 141,100 pairs of CB-99 combat boots, made from a combination of leather and canvas, and with a “digital camouflage” coating developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST).

The Ministry of National Defense’s Armaments Bureau 205th Factory called for the CB-99 combat boots to be made in Taiwan.

However, after the tender process was completed, Armaments Bureau officials agreed to the contractor’s request to produce the boots in Vietnam and Malaysia.

Ministry data showed the total budget for the purchase was NT$119.94 million (US$3.64 million).

A military official, who declined to be named, yesterday said it is a concern that the CB-99 combat boots are to be produced in foreign nations, because the “digital camouflage” coating and its chemical ingredients use proprietary technology, including anti-infra red detection.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-09-19
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, Sept. 19 (CNA) Taiwan is hoping that Japan will fulfill its international responsibility and contribute to international peace and stability, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Saturday, after Japan’s parliament passed two controversial security bills earlier in the day.

The passage of the two bills means that Japanese troops will be allowed to fight abroad for the first time in the 70 years since the end of World War II. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Eleanor Wang said that the bills were aimed at expanding Japan’s participation in international security affairs and deepening its security alliance with the United States.

The U.S.-Japan security alliance serves as a basis for regional peace and stability, she said. “We’ll continue to keep close tabs on related developments.” Taiwan hopes that Japan will fulfill its international obligations and contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the international community, Wang said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-09-19
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The row over card covers showing a Japanese porn star has caused a severe dent in Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je’s popularity, according to an opinion poll released Saturday.

After the city-controlled EasyCard Corporation announced last month it would sell two card covers showing Japanese actress Yui Hatono, critics said the choice was inappropriate. As a result, the company sold its cards online in a sale which lasted barely four hours.

The issue flared up again over the past week when the city government admitted that 3,000 cards had been reserved and released a list of city councilors who had ordered copies. In the ensuing row, Kuomintang councilor William Hsu insulted Ko, leading to a new escalation of the issue. Amid the conflict, it was announced that EasyCard Chairman Tai Chi-chuan would step down but hold on to his position as company CEO. He then took immediate unpaid leave.

According to an opinion poll by cable station TVBS issued Saturday, Ko’s approval rating was still standing at 50 percent, but the apparently high figure signified a sharp decline from the 70 percent the outspoken mayor still scored in a similar poll in March.     [FULL  STORY]