Page Three

Beijing’s land reclamation in South China Sea almost complete

Want China Times
Date: 2015-06-16
By: Xinhua and Staff Reporter

The land reclamation project of China’s construction on some stationed islands and reefs of the

Lu Kang gives a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, June 15. (File photo/Xinhua)

Lu Kang gives a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, June 15. (File photo/Xinhua)

disputed Nansha (Spratly) islands, as planned, will be completed in the upcoming days, according to related authorities.

“Apart from satisfying the need of necessary military defense, the main purpose of China’s construction activities is to meet various civilian demands and better perform China’s international obligations and responsibilities,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said on Tuesday in a press release.

The obligations and responsibilities are in the areas such as maritime search and rescue, disaster prevention and mitigation, marine scientific research, meteorological observation, ecological environment conservation, navigation safety as well as fishery production service, Lu said.

After the land reclamation, China will start the building of facilities to meet functional requirements, Lu said. He stressed the construction activities on the islands and reefs fall within the scope of China’s sovereignty, which are “lawful, reasonable and justified.”     [FULL  STORY]

Some 25 WWII veterans receive medals in Kaohsiung

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/06/16
By: Lu Hsin-hui and Kuo Chung-han

Kaohsiung, June 16 (CNA) Some 25 retired soldiers who fought in the Second Sino-Japanese War 2015061600241(1937-1945) received commemorative medals from President Ma Ying-jeou in the joint commencement of five military academies in Kaohsiung Tuesday.

Tung Kuo-chang (董國璋), a veteran who received chemical warfare training, told reporters he remembers clearly the days of exchanging fire with Japanese troops in Bhamo, Myitkyina and Lashio as the Allies reoccupied northern Burma in 1944-1945.

The 94-year-old said he was very touched to receive the medal, which represents the fact that “the state has not forgotten us and our countrymen have not forgotten us,” the Military News Agency reported.     [FULL  STORY]

US may be rethinking stance: study

SHIFTING SANDS:China’s rise and policymaker shakeups have led analysts to examine if Washington is changing its view on the relationship between Taipei and Beijing

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 17, 2015
By: William Lowther  /  Staff reporter in Washington

The US may be rethinking the idea that closer cross-strait relations are always preferable, a new academic study says.

Written by Davidson College East Asian politics professor Shelley Rigger and published by the Foreign Policy Research Institute, the study is the latest in a series of articles suggesting that Washington could be shifting its policies.

Rigger contrasts the 2012 Washington visit of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) with her visit earlier this month, saying that on both occasions, Tsai’s “line” on cross-strait relations was not what Beijing wanted to hear.

“However, this year there was no rebuke from Washington,” Rigger said. “The gaps between Tsai’s two visits reflect profound changes in Taiwan and in US-China relations.”

US-Taiwan-China relations continue to evolve rapidly, Rigger said.

Tsai feels “little domestic pressure” to accept the so-called “1992 consensus,” Rigger said, “given that many Taiwanese voters now welcome the possibility that cross-strait interactions might decelerate.”

“Nor is there much evidence that the US is leaning on Tsai to compromise on the issue. Skepticism about China and anxiety about its rise appear to have affected US policy as well as Taiwan’s domestic politics,” she added.     [FULL  STORY]

Flying Tiger nose art revived for WWII commemoration in Taiwan

Want China Times
Date: 2015-06-14
By: CNA and Staff Reporter

Two of the fighter jets set to take part in a military display in Taiwan in July have been

Visitors pose for a group photo with a Sherman tank in Hukou, Hsinchu, June 11. (File photo/CNA)

Visitors pose for a group photo with a Sherman tank in Hukou, Hsinchu, June 11. (File photo/CNA)

painted with iconic livery as part of the events marking the 70th anniversary of the Republic of China’s victory over Japan in the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The eight-year war against Japan (1937-1945) started earlier than World War II but would become a theater of the war that ended when Japan and the other Axis Powers were defeated.

The two fighters will be among more than 20 aircraft taking part in a flyover at the military display set for July 4 at an army base in Hukou, Hsinchu County.     [FULL  STORY]

Event to commemorate Marco Polo Bridge Incident

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 15, 2015
By: Staff writer, with CNA

The Ministry of National Defense is to hold a military display in an army base in Hsinchu County on July 4 to mark the 78th anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident near Beijing on July 7, 1937.

Two of the planes that are to participate in the event, a US-made F-16 jet and an Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF), have been painted with historic icons.

The F-16 has a flying tiger cartoon on one side, along with a shark’s mouth on its nose, to commemorate the aid the American Volunteer Group (AVG) gave to the Republic of China (ROC) in its fight against Japan.     [FULL  STORY]

Mask carnival in New Taipei devoted to Philippine independence day

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/06/14
By: Wang Hung-kuo and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, June 14 (CNA) The New Taipei City government and the Philippine Representative 201506140019t0001Office in Taiwan jointly held a mask carnival at the public square in front of the New Taipei City Hall Sunday in celebration of Philippine independence day.

The festive carnival, hosted by New Taipei Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) and de facto Philippine ambassador in Taiwan Antonio Basilio, drew crowds of local people and Filipinos with musical and dance performances as well as a dazzling mask parade.

Chu said he was happy to celebrate the Philippine festival along with new immigrants from the Southeast Asian country. He also expressed thanks to the Filipino workers who have contributed or are continuing to contribute toward the development of New Taipei.     [FULL  STORY]

US deployments heralding arms race with China and Russia

Want China Times
Date: 2015-06-14
By: Tseng Fu-sheng

The United States and Japan have successfully conducted the first live-fire test of

President Barack Obama speaks at the White House, April 23. (File photo/Xinhua)

President Barack Obama speaks at the White House, April 23. (File photo/Xinhua)

Raytheon’s new Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA missile that is being jointly developed by the two countries.

The United States contributed a little over US$2 billion to the program, which began in 2006 and is set to see the missile fully deployed in 2018, while Japan provided around US$1 billion. It marks the first successful case in which the US and Japan have shared the cost of developing and modifying ballistic missile defense technology.

During the Obama administration, the US has been actively developing a global ballistic missile defense system to protect its territory from missile attacks and building up its missile defense capabilities in regions to shield its overseas military bases and NATO allies, as well as its allies in East Asia and the Middle East.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei posts poll about Dome safety

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 15, 2015
By: Sean Lin  /  Staff reporter

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday launched an interactive survey on Facebook asking city residents to determine a safety index for the controversial Taipei Dome project.

The five-question survey presents two options for each question on the structure’s evacuation and emergency response plan, with illustrations to help respondents grasp the scenarios described in each question.

Each option is assigned a weighting of either three or 10 points.

Respondents are then asked to calculate the total score based on their choices, with the perfect score, 50, denoting the “safest” and 15, the least safe.     [FULL  STORY]

Army clamps down on Starlight soldier party photographs

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 14, 2015
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter

Military commanders are moving quickly to contain the damage done after pictures of Singaporean “Starlight Program” soldiers carousing and drinking beer at an army base in Taiwan were uploaded to social media.

Reports indicated the photographs came from inside the base of the army’s 584th Armored Brigade in Hsinchu County, allegedly showing Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) soldiers fraternizing with their Taiwanese counterparts, with beer cans, poker cards and food cluttering tables at a base club.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan sees a lower divorce rate in 2014: interior ministry

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/06/13
By: Tang Pei-chun and Elaine Hou

Taipei, June 13 (CNA) Taiwan saw a total of 53,144 divorces in 2014, down 0.8 percent from 2015061300171the previous year, according to the latest statistics released by the Ministry of the Interior Saturday.

On average, 145.6 couples got divorced every day last year, 1.25 less per day than the previous year, statistics showed.

Last year’s numbers also indicated a trend toward high divorce rates among couples who had been married for less than five years. Such short marriages accounted for 31.28 percent of the total divorces in 2014, the ministry said.     [FULL  STORY]