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Chinese-branded cellphones banned in Taiwan’s military

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/05/07
By: Matt Yu and Flor Wang

Taipei, May 7 (CNA) Chinese-branded cellphones are absolutely banned on military bases throughout Taiwan, Minister of National Defense Yen Teh-fa (嚴德發) said Monday.

“Taiwan’s military personnel are banned from using any smart or feature phones manufactured by Chinese brands,” Yen stressed while answering questions from Legislator Tsai Shih-ying (蔡適應) of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

Tsai had raised concern over the issue following a ban by the U.S. Defense Department on sales of Chinese phones made by Huawei and ZTE on U.S. military bases around the world.

“It is also clearly stipulated in procurement regulations that any handsets purchased by the military must come with proof of product origin and brand name,” Yen said.
[FULL  STORY]

Army submits modernization budget

EXCESSIVE? Army generals want to place an order for more than 500 tanks to replace legacy models, while the ministry says the army has more than 1,000 tanks in service

Taipei Times
Date: May 08, 2018
By: Lo Tien-pin and Jonathan Chin  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

The army has proposed a modernization program to replace or upgrade nine major types of weapons and equipment, including replacing aging battle tanks with US-made M1A2 Abrams, a Ministry of National Defense official said.

The budget plan, titled “The Follow-up Plan for the Procurement of Important New Combat Systems for the Army,” requests the ministry to obtain a substantial number of new weapons, the official said on condition of anonymity.

While the army has over the past decade obtained AH-64 attack and UH-60 utility helicopters and CM-32 wheeled armored personnel carriers, large quantities of other essential equipment still need modernization, the official said.

The nine items on the army’s wish list are tanks, anti-tank guided missiles, self-propelled air defense systems, mortars and 155mm howitzers, infantry fighting vehicles, tracked field recovery vehicles, fuel trucks and new rifles, the official said.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan’s one-stop science park breeds ‘lapu-lapu’

Busines Mirror
Date: May 6, 2018
By:  Recto Mercene –

For the first time in pisciculture or fish farming history, Taiwan was able to breed in

In Photo: The movie Finding Nemo helped increase the interest of hobbyists in regal blue tang (right), a species of Indo-Pacific surgeonfish, and in Nemo, the clownfish (second and third from right) among the corrals.

captivity one of Asia’s premium fish, the large-mouth grouper, called in the Philippines as lapu-lapu, and commonly referred to in China as garupa.

This feat was achieved at the Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park (PABP), “the one and only science park dedicated to agricultural biotechnology in Taiwan,” Director General Dr. Susan Chang said.

The rare leopard stingray in an aquarium at Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park in Taiwan.

The Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa) invited 13 journalists, including this reporter, recently for a tour. For six days, Taiwan’s Mofa showcased its many achievements in science and technology, among others.

The group toured the PABP complex, a cutting edge of Taiwan’s technical and biological prowess. It is in a 233-hectare area in Pingtung County south of Taiwan. Comprising clusters of low-rise buildings, each structure is dedicated to a particular specialty in agriculture and aquaculture.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan exhibit showcases migrant cultures, including that of Filipinos

Philippine Daily Inquirer
Date: May 06, 2018
By: Vince F. Nonato – Reporter / @VinceNonatoINQ

TAOYUAN, Taiwan — This Taiwanese city’s agricultural exposition has dedicated an

A map shows the distance that migrant workers in Taiwan travel from their Southeast Asian homelands. (Photo by VINCE F. NONATO / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

exhibition to the culture of Filipinos and other Southeast Asians, in a bid to inform its citizens about its migrant population.

The VIPT (Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand) Agriculture Pavilion is one of the features of the 2018 Taoyuan Agricultural Expo, which runs in the Xinwu district of Taoyuan City until May 13.

Speaking through an interpreter, exhibit designer Chen Pao-tzu said it was meant for the Taiwanese to learn about the cultures of Southeaast Asian nations whose citizens make up a substantial part of the island’s labor force.    [FULL  STORY]

He’s back: Ma Ying-jeou rebuilds his popularity – might another run for Taiwan’s presidency be in store?

Even with lawsuits and allegations still swirling around him, the once disgraced former president has become more visible on what could well be a political comeback trail

South China Morning Post 
Date: 06 May, 2018
By: Lawrence Chung

Thousands of supporters packed a night market in Hualien in eastern Taiwan last month to try to get a glimpse of Ma Ying-jeou, the island’s former president.

Passionate fans even formed a queue at least 200 metres long to shake hands or have their photos taken with the ex-leader, who twice visited the city to show concern soon after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake wrecked Hualien in early February, killing 17 people and injuring 290 others.

Wearing a dark blue lightweight jacket with a hood, Ma busily worked the crowd. Some fans said they had been waiting for hours to see him.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei encourages residents to recycle batteries to help protect environment

The well-received “recycling battery for rewards” program organized by Taipei City’s Department of Environmental Protection has returned

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/05/06
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)–The well-received “recycling battery for rewards” program organized by Taipei City’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has returned.

The DEP said that from now through May 31, residents who drop off their old batteries at the environmental education house in Shanshuilu Eco Park will receive prizes such as stainless steel chopsticks, drink carriers, and scrub sponges

The rewards will be based on the number of batteries recycled:

  • 100 batteries for a pack of chopsticks
  • 50 batteries for a drink carrier
  • 10 batteries for a scrub sponge

The DEP said that batteries contain a number of heavy metals (e.g. cadmium, lithium, and nickel) and toxic substances which can lead to soil and groundwater contamination if not disposed of properly. The agency advises the public to keep old batteries in an empty container to avoid accidental leaking before taking them to the recycling truck or depot.    [FULL  STORY]

Cabinet to pass Aboriginal justice bill

PERSONAL CAUSE:DPP  Legislator Tuan Yi-kang in December last year vowed to have an Aboriginal transitional justice bill passed in six months, or resign from his seat

Taipei Times
Date: May 07, 2018
By: Lee Hsin-fang and Jonathan Chin  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Executive Yuan is scheduled to approve a proposed transitional justice bill for Aborigines on Thursday before submitting it to the Legislative Yuan for review, Minister Without Portfolio Lin Wan-yi (林萬億) said on Saturday.

The proposed bill, titled “the Aboriginal historical justice and restitution act,” represents a personal victory for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康), who is convener of the legislature’s Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee.

In December last year, Tuan vowed that he would within six months either see the nation pass a transitional justice bill dedicated to people of Aboriginal descent or resign his seat as a lawmaker.

His pledge was a response to the Act on Promoting Transitional Justice (促進轉型正義條例), which was passed by the legislature on Dec. 5 last year and has been criticized for failing to address Aborigines’ historical grievances.    [FULL  STORY]

Myopia rates up among Taiwan children

Date:  2018-05-05
Source: Xinhua|

TAIPEI, May 5 (Xinhua) — The rates of myopia, or nearsightedness, have increased in all age groups of children in Taiwan, the island’s health care authority said Saturday.

The finding was based on a survey in 2017, which covered 7,348 preschoolers and students aged from 3 to 18.

The myopia rate for kids at the senior year of kindergarten was 9 percent, but increased sharply to 19.8 percent and 38.7 percent in the first two years of primary school.

In a previous study in 2010, myopia rate of grade two pupils was 28.3 percent.

The new results for the grade six at primary school and the third year of junior high school also reached 70.6 percent and 89.3 percent, respectively.

In response, the authority called on schools and parents to increase outdoor activities and cut the use of digital screens.

Taiwanese warned to avoid Hawaii due to volcanic eruptions

The Bureau of Consular Affairs warned against travel to the state on Saturday after a large earthquake and eruption hit Big Island

Taiwan News  
Date: 2018/05/05
By:  Central News Agency

TAIPEI (CNA) — Taiwan travelers should avoid unnecessary visits to the Big Island

(By Associated Press)

of Hawaii, which has experienced a series of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions over the past few days, the Bureau of Consular Affairs warned Saturday.

The Hawaii state government has closed Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a major tourist attraction, and issued an emergency order to evacuate local residents, the bureau said.

Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes located in the park, began erupting Thursday. A spate of earthquakes followed on Friday, culminating in a magnitude 6.9 temblor — the most powerful on the island since 1975, U.S. media reported.    [FULL  STORY]

CNA launches internship workshop for overseas bureaus

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/05/05
By: Sunrise Huang and Ko Lin

Taipei, May 5 (CNA) Taiwan’s Central News Agency launched Saturday a workshop that offers undergraduate college students with an interest in journalism a chance to intern at one of CNA’s overseas bureaus.

About 90 students from 34 universities in Taiwan took part in the first day of the program “I’m an Overseas Correspondent” in New Taipei’s Banqiao District, where they learned the fundamentals of news reporting and writing, video production and editing.

At the workshop, students also heard from some of CNA’s foreign correspondents, including CNA editor-in-chief Jay Chen (陳正杰), who was once based in the Ivory Coast, West Africa, as well as London and Washington D.C.

In his opening speech, CNA Chairman Liu Ka-shiang (劉克襄) said he hopes the program will help cultivate new talent on school campuses.    [FULL  STORY]