Want China Times
Date: 2015-08-03
By: CNA and Staff Reporter

The Taiwanese government is preparing to relax regulations to make it easier for foreign

volunteers and street artists to participate in events and perform in Taiwan, according to the country’s National Development Council (NDC).

The council convened a meeting on July 31 with officials from the Ministry of Labor, Ministry of the Interior and National Communications Commission (NCC) to discuss ways to create a friendlier environment for foreign nationals in Taiwan.

NDC said officials reached a consensus on several issues, such as allowing foreign volunteers to join charity events, and allowing foreign street artists who have been certified by local governments to perform in the country, without having to apply for a work permit.

The NCC will also revise regulations by the end of this year to allow foreign nationals to apply for mobile phones and other telecommunications services with the option of choosing either their passports or Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) as their first identification document, according to the council. However, they will still be required to present a second identification document.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-08-03
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

President Ma Ying-jeou requested that former head-of-state Lee Teng-hui make a formal

apology to the public after the Diaoyutai remark he made during his trip to Japan late last month, according to Ma’s official letter of statement released to the local media on Monday.

Lee openly stated that the disputed islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan, belong solely to Japan. He again reiterated his position on the issue in Tokyo at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan.

In the letter, Ma criticized Lee for distorting historical facts, breaching the International Law, and humiliating Taiwan’s sovereignty.

He owes the public a formal apology, according to Ma’s written statement.

Ma also wrote that based on history, geography, geology and the International Law, the Republic of China’s sovereignty over the Diaoyutai is undisputed.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-08-03
By: CNA

Five of Taiwan’s private university presidents made an announcement Sunday calling for

student protesters outside the Ministry of Education to withdraw as soon as possible and begin a rational dialogue with the ministry, but it was swiftly rejected by the protesters.

Chang Kwang-cheng of Chung Yuan Christian University in Zhongli read the announcement in a press conference, saying they understand the objectives of students’ protest and approve of their ideals, but condemn any unlawful and disorderly actions and hope the issue can be discussed rationally.

The announcement said they regret that some students’ radical approach to protesting may set a bad example and are concerned the issue could make the society more confrontational and impair Taiwan’s competitiveness in the future.

They called for the education ministry to invite professionals, experts and student representatives to fully communicate and find a solution and also called for students to stop protesting and withdraw from the front of the ministry building.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-08-03
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao said the decision to hold a special session at the Legislative

Yuan regarding the curriculum guideline controversy will be confirmed during the Kuomintang’s national assembly on Tuesday, reports said Monday.

“The final decision has yet to be confirmed during the national assembly tomorrow,” Lai said, adding that the final call would depend on the majority of the votes rather than the party’s one-sided opinion.

Lai pointed out that many legislators believe the curriculum issue taken by the Ministry of Education (MOE) is an administrative action rather than a legislative one, and so it is not up to them to counter the ministry’s right of power.

Although there has never been such a motion reviewed by the legislature before, he however said the decision to carry out the special session will depend largely on the voices of each legislator at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/08/02
By: Leaf Jiang and Flor Wang

Brussels, Aug. 1 (CNA) A group of foreign students in the Netherlands, led by a young woman from Taiwan, recently raised 500 euros for education on Orchid Island, by cycling around Southern Netherlands.

“It is not much, but it shows how much we care,” said Yang Ching-wen (楊景文), who is studying an MBA at Erasmus University in Rotterdam and organized the July 30-31 cycling event that took participants to The Hague, Delft, Leiden and Gouda.

“The idea occurred to me after I read an article about education on Orchid Island sent to me by a friend online,” explained Yang, who also visited the island to the southeast of Taiwan proper.

Motivated to help countrymen in need, Yang asked eight of her classmates from Japan, South Korea, Brazil, India, Bolivia, Peru and Holland to make the journey with her after the school semester ended.     [FULL  STORY]