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Taiwan supports Haitian agricultural development

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-09-12
By: Wang Cheng-chung and Lilian Wu, Central News Agency

Taipei, Sept. 12 (CNA) Taiwan has committed US$4.6 million in funding for agricultural cooperation projects in Haiti this year, the embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Haiti said.

The ROC’s ambassador to Haiti, Hwang Tsai-chiu, pledged the funds to Haitian Minister of Agriculture Fresner Dorcin at a ceremony Friday, a statement issued by the embassy said.

Dorcin expressed appreciation for Taiwan’s long-term support and contributions to the country’s agricultural development, noting that agricultural cooperation projects over the past 43 years have been fruitful.

The embassy said Taiwan’s agricultural technical mission in Haiti will manage the US$4.6 million fund and the agricultural projects for which it will be used. The embassy said funding for agricultural cooperation projects in Haiti has risen to its current level from US$100,000 in 1972, contributing greatly to Haitian agricultural output and development and improving the life of local farmers.     [FULL  STORY]

Ko’s presence in high demand on campaign trails

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 13, 2015
By: Sean Lin and Tu Chu-min  /  Staff reporters

With campaigns for next year’s legislative elections in full swing, many “third force”

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, center, is joined by Discovery Networks Asia Pacific president and managing director Arthur Batings, left, and TLC host Janet Hsieh, right, at TLC’s Taipei Picnic Day event yesterday. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, center, is joined by Discovery Networks Asia Pacific president and managing director Arthur Batings, left, and TLC host Janet Hsieh, right, at TLC’s Taipei Picnic Day event yesterday. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times

candidates have asked Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) to make an appearance at their campaign events.

Despite having announced that he would neither be recorded nor filmed, and would not endorse any legislative candidates in the run-up to the elections, Ko, an independent, has carried out other forms of collaboration with candidates nominated by small parties.

Ko last night attended a campaign event for New Power Party (NPP) legislative candidate Freddy Lim (林昶佐), during which he sang two classic Taiwanese songs.

Ko late last month met with Social Democratic Party (SDP) legislative candidates and NPP legislative candidate Hung Tzu-yung (洪慈庸), and is to attend a forum organized by SDP candidate Fan Yun (范雲) this afternoon, during which the two are to discuss politics from a historical perspective.

In other news, Ko on Friday said he is against the the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District (貢寮) because the nation’s geology makes it unfit for developing nuclear energy.     [FULL  STORY]

Paraguay honors Taiwan’s departing ambassador

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/09/12
By: Elaine Hou

Taipei, Sept. 12 (CNA) Paraguay has honored Taiwan’s departing ambassador to the

Ambassador Liu (left) and Gen. Garcete (right)

Ambassador Liu (left) and Gen. Garcete (right)

South American country, Liu Der-li (劉德立), in recognition of his efforts to promote military exchanges between the two countries.

Luis Garcete, commander in chief of the Paraguayan Armed Forces, conferred the medal “Orden del Merito Militar en el Grado de Gran Cruz” upon Liu during a ceremony held Thursday.

Garcete praised Liu’s contributions to bilateral military cooperation.

In accepting the honor, Liu spoke of the close bilateral exchanges between the two countries on general defense issues, humanitarian assistance and personnel training, citing as examples Taiwan’s donations of retired UH-1H utility helicopters and military protective gear to Paraguay.

Taiwan has also donated ward beds and medical equipment to Paraguay’s tri-service general hospital, Liu said.     [FULL  STORY]

Xi to lobby US to ensure next Taiwan president adheres to 1992 Consensus

Want China Times
Date: 2015-09-11
By: Lu Su-mei and Staff Reporter

Chinese president Xi Jinping is likely to ask for the US to play a more active role in securing

Tsai Ing-wen at an event. (File photo/China Times)

Tsai Ing-wen at an event. (File photo/China Times)

cross-strait stability on his upcoming visit to the US, especially given the upcoming presidential election in Taiwan next January, reports our Chinese-language sister newspaper Want Daily.

Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a US thinktank in Washington DC, made a statement to this effect at the Cross-Straits Series: Implications of the Upcoming Taiwanese Elections to the Asia-Pacific conference held by US thinktank the Atlantic Council on Sept. 9.

Glaser said Xi will raise the subject of cross-strait relations when meeting Obama, delivering a clear message that China expects the US to ensure that Taiwan’s new president accepts the 1992 Consensus–an agreement reached between Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China that there is one China, although it leaves room for interpretation as to what constitutes this–for the sake of cross-strait stability.     [FULL  STORY]

‘Consensus’ is ‘common sense’: Hung

‘A FACT’:Hung was responding to an article that appeared to say a US academic had said accepting the ‘consensus’ was necessary, although the academic denied saying that

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 12, 2015
By: Alison Hsiao  /  Staff reporter

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday reiterated the “common-senseness” of the so-called “1992 consensus” when asked about a US academic’s expectation that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) would demand that the US endorse the “one China” policy.

In Kaohsiung, Hung re-emphasized the importance of the “1992 consensus,” a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) admitted making up in 2000 that says that both sides of the Taiwan Strait recognize that there is “one China,” but have different interpretations of what “China” means.     [FULL  STORY]

Executive Yuan Gazette website expands English services

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-09-11
By: Chen Cheng-wei and Y.F. Low, Central News Agency

Taipei, Sept. 11 (CNA) The Executive Yuan Gazette website operated by the National Development Council has expanded its English services as part the government’s efforts to create a more international environment and attract foreign investment, the NDC said Friday.

Subscriptions to the site’s English online newsletter have been available since Sept. 10, and there are English translations for the items listed in the “pre-publication of proposed regulations” column on the site’s Chinese home page, the council said.

According to the NDC, the website mainly publishes laws and regulations related to people’s rights. The site has been visited more than 5.11 million times since it was created.     [FULL  STORY]

Han Kuang 31 enters third day of exercises with live artillery drill

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-09-10
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The Han Kuang 31 moved on to its third day of military exercises Thursday showcasing

Han Kuang 31 enters third day of exercises. Central News Agency

Han Kuang 31 enters third day of exercises. Central News Agency

live-fire drills of artillery and mortar units from the Republic of China Army’s 532th Armored Brigade, including simulated anti-amphibious beach assault carried out by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

President Ma Ying-jeou supervised the drill, applauding the successful maneuvers undertaken by his troops to fend off enemy invasion.

Artillery and mortar shells blasted enemy targets, demonstrating military preparedness to ward off opposing forces attacking naval supply vessels heading to shore.

For the artillery drill, the armored brigade fired from 155mm M109A2 cannons, 39-caliber 155mm M109A5 Howitzers, and self-propelled M110A2’s M107 175mm SP Guns.     [FULL  STORY]

NT$2.9 billion Super Lotto jackpot waiting for you

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/09/10
By: Tien Yu-pin & Bear Lee

Taipei, Sept. 10 (CNA) The Super Lotto jackpot is expected to reach NT$2.9 billion (US$88 201509100036t0001million) on Sept 14 since no one has claimed the top prize of the lottery for 40 draws in a row Thursday, according to the Taiwan Lottery Co.

The top prize of NT$2.9 billion will be the second highest in the history of Supper Lotto, the lottery company said. It will also be the third time this year that the top prize has accumulated to over NT$2 billion.

The company estimated that the high jackpot will drive more people to try their luck by spending about NT$1 billion on the next Supper Lotto draw whose winning numbers will be selected next Monday.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan enters Cannes-winning The Assassin for 2016 Oscars

Want China Times
Date: 2015-09-10
By: Xinhua and Staff Reporter

Taiwan’s Motion Picture and Drama Association has entered Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-

Shu Qi in a still from Hou Hsiao-hsien's The Assassin. (Photo/CFP)

Shu Qi in a still from Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin. (Photo/CFP)

hsien’s acclaimed martial arts film The Assassin for the 2016 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

According to a statement released by the association on Wednesday, The Assassin stood out among 13 candidates thanks to “its high degree of proficiency in cinematography, lighting, arts and character shaping, which succeeded in demonstrating natural personalities of people in a classic setting.”

“The director shows great ambition in creating a new film language style,” the statement read.

Set in ancient China, the film tells about a general’s daughter named Nie Yinniang who was trained by a nun to become an assassin.     [FULL  STORY]

KMT Taipei councilors criticize Ko over construction company tax cut

BROKEN PROMISE?Ko Wen-je said during his election campaign that he would endeavor to uphold ‘residential justice’ and the policy belies that pledge, the KMT said

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 11, 2015
By: Sean Lin  /  Staff reporter

A property tax cut proposed by the Taipei City Government yesterday came under fire from

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei city councillors hold a press conference in Taipei yesterday to criticize Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je for proposing a tax cut on Taipei properties. Photo: CNA

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei city councillors hold a press conference in Taipei yesterday to criticize Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je for proposing a tax cut on Taipei properties. Photo: CNA

the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Council caucus, with city councilors saying that the policy is aimed at benefiting construction companies.

The city government earlier this month proposed a tax cut that would reduce property taxes paid by construction companies from 3.6 percent of the estimated value of a property to 2 percent for each house they are selling.

Under a draft bylaw, the tax rate would apply for one year after a property is put on the market, after which it would be raised back up to 3.6 percent.

The 2 percent rate is lower than that for residents holding two properties — 2.4 percent — and much lower than the rate stipulated for people with three or more properties — 3.6 percent.

At a news conference, KMT Taipei City Councilor Chen Chung-wen (陳重文) criticized the policy, saying that it created double standards for construction companies and Taipei residents.     [FULL  STORY]