Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/07/28
By: Wang Shwu-fen and Elizabeth Hsu

Kaohsiung, July 28 (CNA) Thirty-two students from 12 diplomatic allies of Taiwan were

conferred with honorary white coats at I-Shou University in Kaohsiung Tuesday.

The students, who are halfway through a four-year post-graduate program, are the first to be recruited by the university’s School of Medicine for International Students since the school was established in 2013 in compliance with a government policy aimed at cultivating international medical professionals among Taiwan’s diplomatic allies.

Addressing the white coat ceremony, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said he was inspired by Cuba’s medical relief to various countries to come up with the idea of helping the country’s diplomatic allies to train their students using Taiwan’s medical resources.

In this way, the Taiwan government can also reduce the pressure of sending its own physicians to allied nations on medical relief missions, Ma said.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-07-27
By: CNA and Staff Reporter

Japanese media have been touting a commercial directed by Hong Kong director John Woo

and starring Japanese actor Takuya Kimura as the product of a “dream pair.”

At the invitation of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Kimura visited Taiwan July 11-14 to shoot the commercial, I Love Taiwan, which is aimed mainly at Japanese tourists. It was the first time that Kimura and Woo have worked together on a production.

In the commercial, to be released in October, Kimura introduces Taiwan’s renowned xiaolongbao (steamed dumplings), mango ice, oolong tea and other gourmet food and attractions.

The commercial was shot at a hot springs resort in New Taipei, the Neihu flower market and Shih Chien University in Taipei, as well as other locations.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Editorial
2015-07-27

As Greece moves agonizingly toward a third bailout package that will bring yet more austerity

to the beleaguered country, the cash-strapped county government of Miaoli in northern Taiwan finds itself in a somewhat similar bind. The county is steeped in debt to the point that it cannot pay its public sector workers and has appealed to the central government for help.

The situation has triggered discussion of how political parties have adopted pork barrel policies to ingratiate voters, plunging the nation’s finances into dire straits. The central government has cut taxes several times in the past decade and the ratio of tax revenue to GDP has continued to slip even as government expenditure has continued to rise.

Because of this, it has been more difficult for the central government to draft a budget. It has had to cut funding for culture and education and investment in public construction projects, which is not favorable to the long-term development of the economy.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/07/27 22:48:50
By: Milly Lin and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, July 27 (CNA) The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA, 經濟部) is expected to pass a differentiated water-price system on Tuesday to raise water rates for families in Taipei with monthly water consumption exceeding 20 cubic meters starting next year.

According to the plan, heavy users at various levels will be subject to a surcharge of up to 30 percent on their water bills, according to the MOEA.

For instance, heavy users with monthly consumption exceeding 1,000 cubic meters will have to pay NT$21 per cubic meter, while those with monthly consumption of 20 cubic meters or less will remain subject to current rates as low as NT$5 per cubic meter.

That means that around 62 percent of water consumers, or 941,000 households, whose monthly water consumption is less than 20 cubic meters will not be affected by the new rates.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date:  Jul 28, 2015
By: Loa Iok-sin  /  Staff reporter

Academia Sinica researcher Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday officially announced his

candidacy for New Taipei City’s 12th constituency on the New Power Party ticket, promising to resign from his position with the nation’s top research institute before registering for the legislative elections.

“I would like to tell all my friends out there that I have decided to join politics by running for the legislative seat representing New Taipei City’s 12th constituency, which includes my hometown, Sijhih (汐止), as well as Rueifang (瑞芳), Jinshan (金山), Wanli (萬里), Pingsi (平溪), Shuangsi (雙溪) and Gongliao (貢寮) districts,” Huang said in a press conference at the Taiwan Presbyterian Church in Sijhih.

He said the nation is facing a multitude of crises: the Chinese threat, skyrocketing national debt, a pension system on the brink of bankruptcy, an unfair taxation system, low salaries, rising property prices and low food self-sufficiency.

“However, we do not see a government that can solve these problems; instead, we see collusions between the government and businesses, abuse of power and failed governance,” he said.     [FULL  STORY]