Page Three

Taiwan is a model for becoming cycling nation: Singapore daily

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/04/06
By: Huang Tzu-chiang and S.C. Chang

Taipei, April 6 (CNA) An op-ed piece in a Singapore newspaper on Monday said the city state 201504060018t0001could learn from Taiwan and other Asian countries or cities to build a cycling infrastructure.

The piece by Nanyang Technological University associate professor Wong Tiik Diew in the Straits Times, titled “How we can shorten our journey to being a cycling nation?,” said Taiwan has built 4,000 kilometers of bike routes, including two round-the-island routes to Taiwan’s scenic spots.     [FULL  STORY]

Tsai could fudge ’92 Consensus to China’s satisfaction: scholar

Want China Times
Date: 2015-04-06
By: Lu Su-mei and Staff Reporter

Faced with a possible change of government in Taiwan next year, China has made

Tsai Ing-wen addresses the DPP Central Standing Committee, April 1. (Photo/Tu Yi-an)

Tsai Ing-wen addresses the DPP Central Standing Committee, April 1. (Photo/Tu Yi-an)

preparations for a worst-case scenario, a Chinese scholar says.

Shi Yinhong, director of the Center on American Studies at Renmin University of China in Beijing, said that Taiwan’s main opposition Democratic Progressive Party, riding the crest of a resounding victory in local government elections late last year, may well also regain the presidency in 2016 given that the demoralized ruling Kuomintang has yet to come up with a credible candidate to stand against the DPP’s leader and presumptive candidate Tsai Ing-wen.     [FULL  STORY]

Major parties neglecting constitutional reform: SDP

’IRRESPONSIBLE’:The SDP convener said the party’s goal was to see democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution, which should also promote diversity

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 07, 2015
By: Lii Wen  /  Staff reporter

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) yesterday accused the nation’s major political parties of being “irresponsible” about constitutional reform and urged the legislature to prioritize the public good over partisan interests.

SDP convener Fan Yun (范雲), a National Taiwan University professor, told a Taipei news conference that proposed amendments to the Constitution should ensure social diversity is represented in the legislature through electoral reforms.     [FULL  STORY]

Lawmakers query rewards, subsidies

’SECRET PURSE’:Critics say former premier Jiang Yi-huah’s pledge to spend NT$300m from the rewards and subsidies fund on infrastructure is a form of vote-buying

Taipei Times
Date: , Apr 07, 2015
By: Chung Li-hua  /  Staff reporter

A significant increase in government rewards and subsidies over the past seven years since President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) took office in May 2008 has recently been called into question by lawmakers, who said the increased funds could become the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) most powerful bargaining chip in the campaign for next year’s legislative and presidential elections.

The so-called “government rewards and subsidies” can be allocated to local governments, civic organizations, private schools and individuals, as well for the     [FULL  STORY]

Fog over KMT presidential candidacy to be cleared in mid-April

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/04/05
By: Kelvin Huang and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, April 5 (CNA) The oft-asked question of who will be chosen as the ruling Kuomintang’s

Lee Shu-chuan (李四川), center

Lee Shu-chuan (李四川), center

(KMT’s) presidential candidate in the 2016 election is expected to be answered in mid-April when the party is set to publish its nomination rules.

KMT Secretary-General Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) told reporters Sunday that the party’s candidate nomination rules for the presidential election of 2016 are expected to be same as those of the past and will be taken to the decision-making Central Standing Committee for approval April 8.

The rules will be published one week after their approval, to kick off the procedures for applications and endorsements for hopefuls, Lee said.     [FULL  STORY]

Typhoon Maysak downgraded to tropical depression

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/04/05
By: Chen Wei-ting and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, April 5 (CNA) Former Typhoon Maysak was reported to have weakened into a tropical

(From the Central Weather Bureau website)

(From the Central Weather Bureau website)

depression as of 2 p.m. Sunday and was located about 450 kilometers south of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving northwest at 20 kph, according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).

Despite the downgrade, the bureau still warned vessels in the Bashi Channel and around the Pratas (東沙), Paracel (西沙) and Macclesfield Bank(中沙) islands to remain alert.

The storm’s periphery could still bring rain to Taiwan and central and southern parts of the island could experience showers, according to the bureau.     [FULL  STORY]

Kaohsiung seniors’ home unveils restored Chiang Kai-shek statue

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/04/05
By: Chang Che-fon and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, April 5 (CNA) A senior citizens’ home in Kaohsiung held an unveiling ceremony Sunday 201504050021t0001of a bronze statue of the late President Chiang Kai-shek donated by a local university, a move in stark contrast to a campaign advocating the removal of statues of the late leader from campuses around the country.

“Those who don’t want statues are welcome to send them here,” Chang Ya-ling, chairwoman of the privately run Ren-ai senior citizens’ home in Daliao, said while presiding over the unveiling ceremony.

The bronze, which is 4 meters high and 1.8 meters across at its widest point, had been stored in a warehouse since being removed from the campus of Cheng Shiu University in Kaohsiung’s Niaosong District in 1997.     [FULL  STORY]

Civic groups pan referendum committee payments

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 05, 2015
By: Chung Li-hua and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

Civic groups lambasted the Executive Yuan’s Referendum Review Committee members for being eligible for NT$4,000 to NT$8,000 in part-time payments per month, even when the committee was not sitting in session, which was at odds with the other committees in the Executive Yuan, who were given a NT$2,000 flat appearance fee.

The best way to rectify the situation is to abolish the referendum committee once and for all, the civic groups said.

According to the Referendum Act (公民投票法), the job of committee members is to appear at meetings to review and vote on referendum items.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan SPCA calls for ban on cosmetics animal testing

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/04/05
By: Yang Shu-min and Kuo Chung-han

Taipei, April 5 (CNA) The Taiwan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TSPCA) is 201504050020t0001holding an exhibition in Taipei to raise awareness of the suffering of animals used in cosmetics testing and to call for a legislative ban on such testing.

The TSPCA pointed out that as the cosmetics industry and technology advance, animal testing for cosmetics can be avoided in many cases.

The advocacy group called for the Legislature to amend the law to ban such testing, following in the footsteps of the European Union, Israel, India, South Korea and New Zealand.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwanese visitors highlight exchange program

U-T San Diego
Date: April 4, 2015
By: Michelle Breier

ENCINITAS — The Grauer School recently hosted 11 students from a Taiwan high school for a

Students from National Taichung First Senior High School in Taiwan visited The Grauer School in Encinitas in February. Students from National Taichung First Senior High School in Taiwan visited The Grauer School in Encinitas in February. — Courtesy of The Grauer School

Students from National Taichung First Senior High School in Taiwan visited The Grauer School in Encinitas in February. Students from National Taichung First Senior High School in Taiwan visited The Grauer School in Encinitas in February. — Courtesy of The Grauer School

weeklong visit.

The students from National Taichung First Senior High School were accompanied by Johnson Liao, director of the school’s Library and International Exchange Program. Liao said he works to provide his students with a global perspective, and they already have visited schools in China, Japan and France this school year.

The visit in early February culminated in a collaborative Asian New Year Celebration at The Grauer School, whose students served as “buddies” to the Taiwainese visitors. Grauer parents and faculty members served as host families.     [FULL  STORY]