Page Two

China hits Indian TV for advocating Taiwan freedom

The Manila Times
Date:October 18, 2020
By: Global Times

NEW DELHI: Chinese Embassy in India made a solemn statement Friday lodging strong representation and firm opposition against an Indian media interview advocating “Taiwan independence.”

“It seriously violated One-China principle and provoked China’s bottom line disregarding long-standing position of the Indian government,” spokesman of Chinese Embassy in India, Counselor Ji Rong, said in the statement.

Referring to certain Indian TV’s interview with the head of the Taiwan authorities’ foreign relations department Jaushieh Joseph Wu openly advocating “Taiwan independence,” Ji pointed out that there is but one China in the world and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.

Ji said these facts are recognized by a United Nations resolution and constitute the universal consensus of the international community, and no matter how the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in Taiwan and separatist forces distort facts and advocate “Taiwan independence,” they cannot change the historical and legal facts that Taiwan is a part of China.
[FULL  STORY]

Taiwan stands out by favoring Trump, survey shows

European and Asia-Pacific countries would rather Joe Biden was US president

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/10/17
By: Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

President Donald Trump speaks in Georgia, Friday. (AP photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Local media call U.S. President Donald Trump the "most Taiwan friendly U.S. president in history," and a poll backs this up by showing Taiwanese uniquely favor Trump over Joe Biden.

Since being elected, Trump has initiated a golden age of U.S.-Taiwan relations. The best example was Trump's phone call with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in late 2016 — marking the first time an American president has officially spoken with Taiwan's leader since 1979.

It was followed by the passage of several acts in favor of Taiwan: Taiwan Travel Act (2018), Taiwan International Participation Act (2018), TAIPEI Act (2019), the Act that allows display of Taiwan flag at government agencies – Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty Act (2020), and Taiwan Defense Act (2020).

YouGov, a London-based international research data company, unveiled the results of a similar poll in Europe last week, which shows all the major European countries want Biden to win the U.S. presidential election. A week later, the organization published a survey looking at eight countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific area, and it indicated Biden was more popular in six of the countries.    [FULL  STORY]

Chinese embassy in India interfering with press freedom: Taiwan

Focus Taiwan
Date: 10/17/2020
By: Emerson Lim and Chen Yun-yu

Ministry of Foreign Affairs. CNA file photo

Taipei, Oct. 17 (CNA) The Taiwan government said Saturday that the Chinese embassy in India was attempting to interfere with press freedom there when it wrote a letter to a TV channel, protesting the airing of an interview with Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮).

In a statement issued Saturday, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said the Chinese government continues to meddle in Taiwan's engagement with other countries and international organizations, despite the fact that it does not control Taiwan.

"Actions that violate basic values such as democracy and freedom, including interference with freedom of expression and freedom of the press, will naturally be rejected by the freedom-loving people of Taiwan and India," MOFA said.

MOFA's statement was in response to a letter of protest sent by the Chinese embassy in New Delhi to the TV channel India Today, after the broadcast of an interview with Wu on Thursday.
[FULL  STORY]

Ma calls on US to ‘keep an eye on’ CtiTV hearing

PRESS FREEDOM ISSUE: The former president said that Tsai Ing-wen has turned government agencies into political instruments, calling for international attention

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 18, 2020
By: Shih Hsiao-kuang / Staff reporter

The National Communications Commission office is pictured on Oct. 13.
Photo: Yang Mien-chieh, Taipei Times

Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday called on the US Department of State and Washington-based non-governmental organization Freedom House to keep an eye on the license renewal application of CtiTV News to prevent Taiwan’s freedom of the press being suppressed.

The TV station’s license is to expire in December, and the National Communications Commission (NCC) is on Monday next week to hold a public hearing on its license renewal application.

CtiTV is perceived as sympathetic to the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), which on Thursday accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government of trying to shut down the channel, citing documents leaked from the Presidential Office in May that instructed DPP-leaning NCC members to tackle the CtiTV issue.

If the government does not renew CtiTV News’ license, it would deal a blow to the freedom of speech and the nation’s democracy, Ma wrote on Facebook.    [FULL  STORY]

COVID-19: Taiwan confirms four new cases, all from Indonesia

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 16 October, 2020
By: Shirley Lin

Central Epidemic Command Center confirms four new imported cases of COVID-19 on Friday

Taiwan reported four new cases of COVID-19 on Friday. This brings the total number of cases Taiwan has confirmed so far up to 535.

All four patients are high school students from Indonesia enrolled in three Taiwanese schools. They arrived in Taiwan on September 30 and did not show symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival. They began their compulsory 14-day quarantine at four different quarantine hotels.
[FULL  STORY]

Taiwan says Hong Kong warned of ongoing danger after S.China Sea flight blocked

Reuters
Date: October 16, 2020
By: Ben Blanchard

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Hong Kong air traffic controllers told Taiwan there was danger until further notice on a flight path to Taiwanese-controlled islands in the South China Sea, Taipei said on Friday, a case that has raised fears Beijing may try and blockade the islets.

Tensions over the Pratas Islands, in the northern part of the contested South China Sea, have spiked in recent weeks, with China carrying out several military exercises near them. The Pratas are only lightly defended by Chinese-claimed Taiwan.

On Thursday, Taiwan said a regular civilian charter flight had to abandon its trip to the Pratas when Hong Kong air traffic controllers told the captain there were “dangerous activities” happening below 26,000 feet and the aircraft could not enter.

Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said they had told Taiwan air traffic controllers of the minimum safe altitude to be observed for the flight, and that Taiwan had then responded that they had cancelled the request to enter the Hong Kong flight information region.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei diner that employs Hongkongers vandalized with feces

Protest-themed restaurant provides work for young Hongkongers-in-exile

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/10/16
By: Micah McCartney, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Excrement left by vandal in 保護傘 restaurant. (Facebook, 獨眼新聞 photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Taipei restaurant founded to provide employment to Hongkongers was defaced Friday afternoon (Oct. 16) by a masked person armed with a bucket of excrement.

At around 12 p.m., a masked individual entered the Hong Kong protest-themed restaurant 保護傘 (Umbrella) Aegis and made a beeline for the kitchen. Staff told Apple Daily that before they could react, the intruder emptied the bucket's contents, splattering the interior and on-duty manager with what seemed to be chicken feces.

Witnesses said they believe the individual was most likely a man, according to the report. The restaurant stated that its losses were considerable and the cutlery would have to be discarded.

The eatery has filed a report with district police, and it announced on Facebook it would close for the rest of the day and Saturday (Oct. 17). As of Friday evening, the staff were fully engaged in the clean-up and unable to give an interview.    [FULL  STORY]

Chinese anti-submarine plane enters Taiwan’s ADIZ

Focus Taiwan
Date: 10/16/2020
By: Emerson Lim and Matt Yu6

Photo courtesy of the MND

Taipei, Oct. 16 (CNA) A Chinese military anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft entered Taiwan's southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Friday morning, the 19th such maneuver since mid-September, according to Taiwan's defense ministry.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said the Chinese plane involved in the incident was a Shaanxi Y-8 ASW from the People's Liberation Army.

Based on an MND chart showing the Y-8's flight path, it entered into the airspace between southwest Taiwan and the Taiwan-controlled Dongsha Islands, also known as the Pratas Islands, in the South China Sea.

Taiwan's military responded by scrambling planes to monitor the Chinese aircraft, issuing radio warnings and mobilizing air defense systems, the MND said.    [FULL  STORY]

New Taipei police seize 513 cannabis plants

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 17, 2020
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter

Seized cannabis plants are displayed at New Taipei City Police Department’s Tamsui Precinct yesterday.
Photo: Wu Jen-jieh, Taipei Times

New Taipei City police discovered 513 cannabis plants following two raids this week, with investigators saying the suspects stood to make an estimated NT$123 million (US$4.24 million) in illegal profits from the plants.

Police said that they had placed a suspect, surnamed Liao (廖), 32, under surveillance after being tipped off.

In the first raid on Thursday afternoon in Tamsui District (淡水), police recovered 166 potted cannabis plants, along with cultivation tools and equipment.

After questioning Liao, police later that afternoon raided another building in Bali District (八里), where they found a larger operation, recovering 347 potted cannabis plants, together with cultivation tools and equipment.    [FULL  STORY]

US Navy destroyer passes through Taiwan Strait

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 15 October, 2020
By: John Van Trieste

The US Navy has confirmed that one of its destroyers passed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday. (Photo from Twitter)

The US Navy has confirmed that the USS Barry, a US guided missile destroyer, passed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday. This is the tenth such transit by a US naval vessel so far this year.

In a tweet, the US Pacific Fleet said that this was a routine transit of the Taiwan Strait that demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
[FULL  STORY]