‘CHEATING’:Killing convicts is not the answer to public demands for better child protection and building a safer society, death penalty advocates and opponents say

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 06, 2015
By: Loa Iok-sin  /  Staff reporter

The Ministry of Justice’s executions of six death row inmates yesterday drew fire from

both advocates and opponents of the death penalty.

“I support the death penalty, but I cannot accept that this is the government’s response to our call for better protection for children,” said Wang Wei-chun (王薇君), chairwoman of the Association for Promotion of Children’s Rights and the aunt of a two-year-old child who died after being abused. “The government is not shouldering the responsibility that it should; it is trying to cheat.”

“So what happnes after the executions? Six more next year, or more executions when the next serious crime occurs? What is the government doing [about crime prevention]?” Wang asked.

Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty executive director Lin Hsin-yi (林欣怡) echoed Wang’s views, although they hold different opinions on whether capital punishment should continue.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/06/04
By: Tang Pei-chun and Lillian Lin

Taipei, June 4 (CNA) The European Economic and Trade Office (EETO) and all 16 European Union member state offices in Taiwan jointly called on Taiwan to join the global efforts with concrete action in reducing greenhouse emissions before the Paris Climate Conference COP 21.

The joint op-ed posted on the EETO Facebook page and sent to Taiwan’s Chinese- and English-language media urges the government to establish a stringent and legally binding greenhouse reduction target, as the international community is expected to reach an agreement to take on climate change at the 2015 United Nations Conference on Climate Change.

According to the article, in the reference to the agreement, the EU has already established its target and will reduce carbon output by 20 percent by 2020 (in comparison to the 1990 level), 40 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-06-04
By: CNA

The Association of Taiwan Journalists (ATJ) on Wednesday railed against China’s

draft National Security Act, which had passed its second reading in the National People’s Congress Standing Committee last month, as it may gravely endanger Taiwan’s freedom of news coverage and freedom of expression.

Article 11 of the draft law states that China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is a common obligation of all Chinese people, including the people of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, and that no division will be tolerated.

The association said the article had failed to recognize the reality that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are governed by two distinct states whose sovereignty and legal jurisdictions do not overlap, and the fact that Taiwan is not subject to such “obligations.” It demanded that the PRC delete the “ridiculous” article.

Most notably, the association pointed out, Article 81 of the draft bill states that violation of this and other relevant laws is liable to legal repercussions, meaning that Taiwanese reporters working in China will undoubtedly become a “high risk group” after the law is enacted.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date:  Jun 05, 2015
By: William Lowther  /  Staff reporter in WASHINGTON

More than a score of US Congress members attended a Wednesday night reception

to welcome Democratic Progressive Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to Capitol Hill.

Veteran observers of the US-Taiwan scene said that it was the most enthusiastic and warm reception they could remember for a Taiwanese visitor.

“The atmosphere was utterly new, everyone was talking about how the attitudes in Washington have completely changed,” one guest said.

“Dr Tsai had a look of confidence and satisfaction — congressmen and women were bubbling,” he added.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/06/04
By: Liu Li-jung and Lillian Lin

Taipei, June 4 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou declared Thursday the Republic of China cannot be absent from the global joint effort in reducing carbon emissions and the ROC government’s level of resolve is in line with the target set by European Union.

The European Economic and Trade Office (EETO) and all 16 European Union member state offices in Taiwan jointly called on Taiwan to join the global efforts with concrete action in reducing greenhouse emissions before the Paris Climate Conference COP 21.

Presidential Office spokesman Charles Chen (陳以信) said that the President made the declaration in a government meeting on June 1 focusing on carbon reduction.     [FULL  STORY]

SINGLE NOTE:President Ma Ying-jeou said a democratized China would let people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait think on an equal basis as a prelude to any integration

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 04, 2015
By: Alison Hsiao  /  Staff reporter

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) recounted his administration’s efforts to promote

regional stability as a peacemaker and as a US ally in a video link to a conference with US academics and former US officials organized yesterday by Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law.

He also described as “interesting” Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) desire to uphold the “status quo,” calling it an unexpected move from an opposition leader.

Speaking at the beginning of the conference, Ma said the Taiwan-US relationship is at its best in 36 years.

“There are two key reasons,” he said. “First is the successful handling of the cross-strait relationship based on the 1992 consensus, namely the ‘one China, respective interpretations’ principle. Second [is] the low-key and surprise-free approach to the conduct of our [Taiwan-US] bilateral relations.”     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/06/03
By: Claudia Liu and S.C. Chang

Taipei, June 3 (CNA) In a rare show of unity with Taiwan’s main opposition party, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) said Wednesday that the island’s cross-strait and foreign policies should be decided by its 23 million citizens.

KMT spokesman Yang Wei-chung (楊偉中) said the recent remarks by China’s Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai (崔天凱) about Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) proposed policies on China and foreign affairs were inappropriate and unhelpful to building mutual trust between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Tsai, the DPP’s 2016 presidential candidate, is on a visit to several U.S. cities, including Washington, D.C.

Cui questioned the wisdom of Tsai explaining her China policy and foreign policy proposals to her U.S. hosts.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-06-02
By: CNA and Staff Reporter

Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je spent more on his campaign than any other mayoral

candidate running in last November’s local elections, according to figures released on Monday by the Control Yuan, Taiwan’s government watchdog agency.

Ko, who ran as an independent and defeated Sean Lien of the Kuomintang by about 16 percentage points, spent NT$142.3 million (US$4.6 million) on his campaign but also raised the most money — NT$139.8 million (US$4.52 million) — of any candidate.

Lien spent NT$141 million (US$4.56 million) but raised only NT$110 million (US$3.56 million), according to information he submitted to the Control Yuan, but Ko did not believe Lien, who is personally wealthy and the son of former vice president Lien Chan, spent as little as he declared. “It is impossible,” Ko said in an interview.     [FULL  STORY]