Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/06/02
By: Joseph Yeh

Taipei, June 2 (CNA) A recently-implemented rule that requires applicants for U.S.

visas to submit their social media usernames, previous email addresses and phone numbers, will not affect most Taiwanese travelers to the U.S. who visit the country visa-free, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said Sunday.

The AIT statement came after an Associated Press report on Saturday that the U.S. State Department is now requiring nearly all visa applicants to submit more detailed personal information as part of the Trump administration’s enhanced screening of potential immigrants and visitors.

The change, which was first proposed in March 2018, is expected to affect about 15 million foreign nationals who apply for visas to enter the United States each year, the AP report said.

Asked to comment, an AIT spokesperson citied information previously released by the State Department as saying that the changes have been made for national security reasons.    [FULL  STORY]

AVOIDING ACCIDENTS: After simulated scenarios were added in 2016, the pass rate on the scooter test fell to 68.91 percent, a record low for the nation, the DGH said

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 02, 2019
By: Cheng Wei-chi and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

Of the 250,000 people that take the scooter driver’s license test each year, more than half

incorrectly answer questions about how to drive safely when a vehicle is positioned to the front and right of them, the Directorate-General of Highways (DGH) said yesterday.

Since 2015, when more than 1,000 questions were added to the exam database, the passing rate has dropped to less than 81 percent, the agency said.

After simulated scenarios were added on May 1, 2016, the rate dropped even lower, with only 68.91 percent of test takers passing, a record low for the nation, it said.

Examinees performed better on the questions added last year, with a more than 70 percent pass rate from December last year to April, it said, adding that the pass rate had fallen to 68.9 percent in November last year.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 31 May, 2019
By: Jake Chen

Lanterns are a popular decoration in many Taiwanese households. A craftsman in the northeastern county of Yilan has breathed new life into lantern-making by using recycled materials.

Lanterns of different shapes and sizes hang from the ceiling of Lin Chao-chin’s workshop. They are not just beautiful to look at- many of them are functional, serving as practical objects like vases, lamps, and fishbowls.

Lin used to work as a postman, but he became hooked on the craft of lantern-making after trying it out for the first time a few years ago. He has since been trying to incorporate discarded materials into the lantern-making process, incorporating cloth, bottles, and even leaves into his works.

Lin says that finding ways to put these materials to use brings him a lot of joy. He says he looks forward to continuing to push boundaries and to make lanterns in creative ways.
[SOURCE]

South China Morning Post
Date: 1 Jun, 2019 
By: Catherine Wong  and Minnie Chan  

Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe warned Washington on Friday not to underestimate Beijing’s determination over Taiwan, during talks with his US counterpart Patrick Shanahan on the sidelines of a regional security forum in Singapore.

In their first meeting since Shanahan became acting defence secretary in January, the two also discussed North Korea, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to denuclearisation and stability on the Korean peninsula, Chinese defence ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Wu Qian said.

Wu described the meeting between Wei and Shanahan as “constructive”, “candid” and “friendly”, saying both sides remained committed to continuing military exchanges although they remained deadlocked over issues ranging from trade to security.

He said Wei made clear during the meeting China’s firm opposition to what it sees as Washington’s interference in Taiwan affairs.    [FULL  STORY]

Meeting did not include Farglory managers, Taipei City Government says

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/05/31
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members of the Taipei City

Council have accused the administration of Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) of trying to reach a secret deal with the developer of the Taipei Dome, while the mayor struck back with allegations of illegal eavesdropping.

The 40,000-seat Taipei Dome project became the focus of controversy after the outspoken Ko first took office in late 2014, and subsequently ordered work on the sports complex halted amid concerns over safety violations.

DPP city councilor Chien Shu-pei (簡舒培) produced audio tapes reportedly indicating that city officials met last November, shortly before Ko’s re-election to a final and second term, to prepare a deal with developer Farglory Group about the future of the Taipei Dome.

City officials said the November meeting did not involve Farglory representatives and amounted purely to an internal discussion. As no decision was reached, there had been no need to write any statement into official records, the Central News Agency quoted an official as saying.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/05/31
By: Chen Chun-hua and Ko Lin

Taipei, May 31 (CNA) Any potential political accord with China will need not only the

approval of lawmakers, but also of the people via a national referendum, according to an amendment passed Friday by the legislative Yuan.

The bill, which adds a clause to the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, requires that a national referendum be held before any cross-Taiwan Strait political agreement, including a peace treaty, can be signed and put into effect.

The purpose of the bill is to allow the public to participate in and monitor agreements between Taiwan and China, especially after opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said Feb. 14 that his party could sign a peace treaty with Beijing in accordance with the law if the KMT regains the presidency in 2020.

According to Cabinet spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka in late March, the push to get the amendment passed also came after a Jan. 2 speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) proposing the “one country, two systems” model for unification with Taiwan and calling for negotiations with representatives of various sectors in Taiwan on the issue.
[FULL  STORY]

FOUR YEARS: The grants for 300 doctoral students should help ease their financial burden and encourage them to produce quality research, Chen Liang-gee said

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 01, 2019
By: Lin Chia-nan  /  Staff reporter

To sharpen the nation’s technological competitiveness by helping doctoral students focus

on their research, the government will from September offer a four-year scholarship to 300 candidates, who are to receive at least NT$40,000 (US$1,265) per month, Minister of Science and Technology Chen Liang-gee (陳良基) told a news conference in Taipei yesterday.

Since taking office in February 2017, Chen has repeatedly said that the nation could lose its technological edge because of the decline in the number of students enrolling in technological programs.

To ease the financial burden of doctoral students and encourage them to produce more quality research, Chen said he first broached the subject of a scholarship program at a meeting with university principals in January and has garnered support from Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠).

Universities can file applications with the ministry to nominate outstanding doctoral students — including foreigners — for the scholarship, he said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 30 May, 2019
By: Shirley Lin

Taiwan’s Liao I Chiu has been dubbed the “Father of Prawn Farming”. On Wednesday, he was presented with the Nikkei Asia Prize in Tokyo. The prize recognizes the achievements of people who have helped to improve the quality of life in Asia.

Liao received the awarded for his contributions to prawn farming in Taiwan. Liao was born in Japan, and in 1968, he became the first person to successfully raise giant tiger prawns. That same year, he came to Taiwan to create a prawn farm.    [FULL  STORY]