Washington Times
Date: July 14, 2019
By: Lauren Meier – The Washington Times

Rep. Michael McCaul, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said Sunday

that Taiwan’s latest purchase of about $2 billion of U.S. weapons “sends a very strong message to China.”

Speaking to Fox News, the Texas Republican said “we’re going to arm Taiwan so she can defend herself from what’s become a very aggressive Chinese communist party right on the doorstep.”

The State Department earlier this week approved the sale of JAG1 missiles, Abrams tanks, and grenades to Taiwan, a self-ruled Democratic state, which sparked bitter criticism from the Chinese government and threats of sanctions.

The deal comes amid an ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China that has hit several U.S. tech companies and agricultural industries. Lawmakers and diplomats met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen last week, in a move that angered Beijing.    [FULL  STORY]

Precedent-breaking 'transits' set stage for possible visit to Washington

Nikkei Asian Review
Date: July 14, 2019
By: Chris Horto

TAIPEI — Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen flew out of New York on Saturday, after her highest-profile

"transit" in the U.S. since taking office in 2016.

She met members of the Taiwanese diaspora, and spoke at Columbia University — a rare honor for a visiting Taiwanese president. In her speech, she framed the existential threat that China poses to Taiwan as the front line of the global struggle between authoritarianism and democracy.

"Taiwan's survival is about more than just cross-strait relations," Tsai said. "We are a vital bastion of democracy in the Indo-Pacific, and the entire world is closely watching the precedent we will set for the future of democracy."

For most of the past 20 years, American administrations from both parties have kept the U.S.-Taiwan relationship in the background of their Asia policy. Since Tsai's congratulatory phone call to President-elect Donald Trump in late 2016, however, the relationship between Washington and Taipei has steadily warmed — and become much more open.    [FULL  STORY]

Ma calls DPP administration 'worse than Hong Kong's government,' accuses Tsai of trapping Taiwan in 'unfree democracy'

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/07/14
By: Duncan DeAeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Former President Ma Ying-Jeou (馬英九) on Sunday (July 14) gave a

keynote address at a seminar hosted by the Fair Winds Foundation on the topic of the “Distance between Taiwan and Democracy” (台灣與民主的距離研討會).

In his keynote address, Ma railed at the Tsai administration, claiming it is “worse than the Hong Kong government,” and characterized the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) governance as “trapping Taiwan in an unfree democracy.”

The former president especially criticized the Transitional Justice Commission (TJC) and the Ill-Gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee, claiming that they were designed as political tools used to damage the reputation of the Kuomintang (KMT).

Ma’s keynote and political attacks on the Tsai administration and the DPP comes just one day ahead of the KMT’s announcement of primary polling results.The announcement on Monday (July 15) should provide a clear indication of the party’s nominee to challenge incumbent Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in the upcoming Presidential election.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/07/14
By: Wen Kuei-hsiang and Elizabeth Hsu

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 13 (CNA) Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) praised Haiti as a solid friend while highlighting the partnership with the Caribbean ally on economic, trade and other cooperation projects during a brief stop in the country Saturday.

Tsai flew to Haiti on Saturday to begin a tour of four diplomatic allies in the Caribbean region, after concluding a visit to New York.

She was greeted by Haiti President Jovenel Moïse and his wife Martine Marie Étienne Joseph upon her arrival at Toussaint Louverture International Airport.

Tsai and Moïse then attended the opening of a Taiwan trade fair jointly organized by Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) in Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince.    [FULL  STORY]

HELPING PARENTS: The city plans to extend its subsidy for children aged three to four who are enrolled at a private childcare center to also include two-year-olds

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 15, 2019
By: Lee I-chia  /  Staff reporter

The Taipei City Government plans to budget about NT$200 million (US$6.43 million) per year on

subsidies for children aged two to three who are enrolled at childcare centers, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday.

The city’s Department of Education provides a subsidy of NT$13,660 per semester for children aged three to four who are enrolled at a private childcare center, Ko said.

However, when the policy was created, there was ambiguity about whether children aged two to three should be considered as falling under childcare or infant care, so subsidies were not provided for that age group, Ko said.

The new plan would extend the subsidy to children two to three years old, he said.
[FULL  STORY]

The Star Online
Date: 13 Jul 2019

AUTHENTIC speciality Taiwanese food and produce landed in Kuala Lumpur, much to the delight of Taiwanese cuisine lovers and gastro-fans, when the fifth edition of the annual Tasty Taiwan Food Fair took up space at Isetan KLCC.

Organised in conjunction with the Taiwanese government’s efforts to reach out to trade reps in emerging markets, the Tasty Taiwan food expo in Malaysia gave shoppers the chance to sample a tempting spread of Taiwanese dishes, including street food prepared using high-quality local ingredients and those sourced from Taiwan.Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia representative, Anne Hung, said the city-state was making great strides in agricultural technology and is thus improving its variety and volume of quality produce.Understanding that food is a universal language that connects people across borders and cultures, the organisers of Tasty Taiwan food fair introduced more than 300 food varieties at the event, including premium teas, noodles, confectionery and fresh produce.    [FULL  STORY]

Group smuggled Chinese nationals from Mexico into U.S.

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/07/13
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan and the United States arrested 38 people suspected of using Taiwanese passport to smuggle Chinese citizens into the U.S. from Mexico, reports said Saturday (July 13).

As Taiwan’s passport gives access to 146 countries without the need for a visa, it has become a useful tool for international people-smuggling gangs of “snakeheads” to take illegal immigrants across borders, the Liberty Times reported.

The present case came to light in June 2017, when a Taiwanese man tried to take a Chinese citizen across the U.S.-Mexico border but was discovered because the latter was too nervous, according to the Liberty Times.

As a result, the National Immigration Agency (NIA) formed a special taskforce to launch a more intense investigation into the phenomenon.   [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/07/13
By: Elaine Hou and Ko Lin

Taipei, July 13 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) welcomed Saturday a decision by St. Vincent and the Grenadines to set up an embassy in Taiwan and said it was willing to provide any assistance necessary.

The Caribbean nation currently maintains a consulate general in Taipei.

MOFA spokesman Andrew Lee (李憲章) said the ministry welcomed the announcement made by the Vincentian government and was looking forward to working with the embassy to create more opportunities for cooperation in the future.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1981, bilateral exchanges and cooperation have been strong, Lee said.    [FULL  STORY]