Epoch Times
Date: October 11, 2019
By: Eva Fu

Taiwan’s immigration authorities said Chinese officials involved in persecuting adherents of spiritual discipline Falun Gong will be barred from entering the island. The move comes amid growing calls for countries to sanction rights abusers in China.

A senior official at Taiwan’s immigration ministry, Ge Guangwei, during a parliamentary committee hearing on Oct. 2, said the island’s immigration laws prohibit entry of Chinese officials who “previously persecuted Falun Gong, or those who had violated rules or laws in Taiwan.”

Ge’s statement was in response to a question from legislator Wang Ting-yu of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, who asked: “Under what situation will the National Immigration Agency not let in people who are connected to the Chinese communist government or the Chinese military?”

The official said the same restrictions would also apply to Chinese students or tourists in Taiwan who damage Lennon Walls—large mosaics of post-it notes or posters relaying messages of support to the ongoing Hong Kong protests—or those who beat up or insult sympathizers of the Hong Kong movement.    [FULL  STORY]

Three others allowed to leave hospital, prepare return to Taiwan

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/10/114
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Three of four Taiwanese students injured in a car accident near the Grand Canyon were allowed to leave hospital in Flagstaff, Arizona, and to prepare returning home, but the fourth still had to remain for observation, reports said Friday (October 11).

The Taiwanese office in Los Angeles, California, was helping relatives to travel to the United States, while also warning Taiwanese to drive carefully in the area, the Central News Agency reported.

The accident reportedly occurred at 1 a.m. Wednesday (October 9) when the driver had to swerve out of the way for an animal which suddenly appeared in a bend.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/10/11 15:44:27
By: Chi Jo-yao

Taipei, Oct. 11 (CNA) Two scenic areas in Taiwan — Sun Moon Lake and the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area — were named among the world's top 100 green destinations of 2019 on Thursday.

The two destinations were highlighted in the latest 2019 Sustainable Destinations Top 100 unveiled in Croatia that day by Green Destinations (GD), a Dutch nonprofit organization focused on efforts to promote sustainable tourism.

GD described Sun Moon Lake as playing the starring role of hydroelectric power production in Taiwan and focusing on travel with a low carbon footprint.

"With the circulation of water in Sun Moon Lake generating electricity and tourism development efforts, this has been a popular destination for many years," according to the GD website.
[FULL  STORY]

STORMY SEAS: A buoy stationed near Oluanpi that was designed to monitor typhoons and other extreme weather was found far away from its original position

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 12, 2019
By: Lin Chia-nan  /  Staff reporter

A data buoy for weather and sea observations deployed by Taiwanese researchers was

vandalized by unknown individuals, with the estimated losses of Taiwanese and US instruments reaching millions of New Taiwan dollars, National Taiwan University’s Institute of Oceanography said yesterday.

A team at the institute in 2015 started deploying two buoys (named NTU1 and NTU2) in waters 375km and 175km off the coast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) for collecting in-situ data of air and sea conditions to improve typhoon forecasts, institute associate professor Yang Yiing-jang (楊穎堅) said.

The buoys have resisted 14 typhoons, thanks to their solid anchoring 5.5km below the surface, he said.

However, the team last month found the NTU1 buoy had unexpectedly drifted away from its position, and they immediately convened members to board Ocean Researcher I to look for it, he said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 09 October, 2019
By: Shirley Lin

National Day is fast approaching, and preparations for the National Day are nearly complete.

Participants in this year’s National Day parade held a rehearsal several days in advance of the real event. There were performances by a Chinese drumming group, students from a girls’ high school and a lion dance troupe.

Every year, the parade reaches a peak with a procession led by members of the armed forces. This year is no exception. The armed forces will put on a rifle drill display to the songs “Holding Hands” and “Volare” by Taiwanese pop diva A-Mei.    [FULL  STORY]

Wang paid for extra newspapers and prison office with food, cosmetics, vouchers: court

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/10/09
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Media tycoon Gary Wang (王令麟) was sentenced to two years and two

months on Wednesday (October 9) for buying off a prison official, who received a 16-year sentence.

Wang, the founder of the Eastern Media empire and a former Kuomintang legislator, was permitted to sign documents from his business group while serving a previous sentence.

The deputy warden of the Taipei Prison, Su Ching-chun (蘇清俊), also allowed other prisoners, including senior organized crime figures, to receive benefits in return for payment, leading to his 16-year prison sentence, the Liberty Times reported.

Several other prison officials received sentences of between six and 11 years in jail. Wang’s secretary, like Wang, was sentenced to two years and two months, and a gangster was given two years and six months.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/10/09
By: Emerson Lim

Taipei, Oct. 9 (CNA) A high-level U.S. official said Wednesday that the White House supports Taiwan's efforts to increase its global contributions through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

In opening remarks at a round table dialogue, Sandra Oudkirk, the U.S. senior official for APEC, shared the scope and impact of APEC on regional development.

The U.S. still sees Taiwan as an "active and committed partner" in the Indo-Pacific region, even though the two economies are still at odds over some bilateral trade issues, said Oudkirk, who also serves as the U.S. State Department's deputy assistant secretary for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

"And I can reiterate the commitment that our leadership is made to continue to support our reliable partner, as it seeks to expand its already significant contributions to global challenges and free and open trade investment," she said.    [FULL  STORY]

FRAUD: An online temple lighting scheme was a pretext for Jenn Lann Temple’s vice chairman to obtain loans for his own business, prosecutors said

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 10, 2019
By: Yang Cheng-chun  /  Staff reporter

Dajia Jenn Lann Temple deputy chairman Cheng Ming-kun (鄭銘坤) was yesterday released on bail of

NT$1 million (US$32,415) after being questioned over suspected fraud involving the temple in Taichung and Chunghwa Telecom.

Taichung prosecutors on Tuesday raided several sites after receiving reports of alleged collusion between Cheng and other temple officials with the telecom.

Ten people were summoned for questioning about the scheme, which reportedly involved NT$30 million in illegal profit.

The case involved the practice of lighting “luminous lamps” (光明燈) in temples to pray for good fortune, health, or job advancement among other requests, with prices differing depending on their wishes.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 08 October, 2019
By: Paula Chao

A submarine float will participate in this year's National Day parade[/caption] Twenty-three floats will participate in this year’s National Day parade on October 10th. This year marks the 108th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China. The Republic of China is Taiwan’s official name.

An official ceremony is set to be held in front of the Presidential Office on Thursday, to be followed by a parade. There are also performances by the armed forces, students and civic groups.

Twenty-three floats will be on display on National Day. They include Taipei’s mascot “Bravo the Bear,” a smiling God of the Earth, and a tiger that brings people wealth and fortune. One float is devoted to Taiwan’s new indigenous planes.    [FULL  STORY]