Page Two

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je’s speech to European Parliament infuriates city councilors

Formosa News
Date: 2018/02/02

The speech Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je gave at the European Parliament Wednesday has ignited a storm of criticism back in his own city. City councilors blasted him for failing to mention Taiwanese values, speaking only of ‘Taipei’, and claiming to have won his seat because Taipei residents were sick of “political rivalry and trickery”, and were desperate for an independent mayor. Others got personal, saying Ko was egotistical and full of himself.

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je arrived in Poland, the third leg of his tour of Europe and Eurasia. But the speech he gave to the European Parliament the day before sent shock waves through Taiwanese political circles.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan says China air route dispute will determine future ties image:

Channel News Asia
Date: 01 Feb 2018

TAIPEI: A dispute with China over its opening of new air routes near Taiwan will

The spat has become increasingly bitter, with both sides trading accusations after two Chinese airlines cancelled extra flights to Taiwan over the Lunar New Year. (Photo: AFP/STR)

determine future relations between Taipei and Beijing, Taiwan’s government said amid a deepening disagreement that could strand thousands over an important holiday.

The spat has become increasingly bitter, with both sides trading accusations after two Chinese airlines cancelled extra flights to Taiwan over the Lunar New Year, the most important holiday in the Chinese calendar, potentially leaving thousands of Taiwanese without tickets to go home.

“The people’s eyes are sharp. Whether this disputed issue can be resolved is an important indicator of how Taiwan people will view the future direction of relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait,” Taiwan’s China-policy making Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement late Wednesday.    [FULL  STORY]

Vatican not like other countries: Foreign ministry

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-02-01

The foreign ministry says it is aware of ongoing dialogue between China and the

Foreign ministry spokesperson Anna Kao. (CNA file photo)

Vatican and that it will closely monitor the latest developments.

Ministry official Ann Kao declined to comment further on reports that the Vatican and Beijing could be on the verge of a breakthrough over the appointment of Chinese bishops. Sources suggest Beijing has asked the Holy See for two bishops to step down in favor of bishops appointed by Chinese authorities.

Kao said the public should view the Vatican as a different entity from other countries when it comes to its religious mission. She said, “The Vatican is not a secular country. Its most important mission is evangelism and pastoral care. Another important matter is how to care for the Catholic churches and Catholics in mainland China. From our perspective, we cannot view this on the same level as other diplomatic or non-diplomatic allies.”    [FULL  STORY]

Editorial: Taiwan National Women’s League chooses path of self-destruction

Taiwan News  
Date: 2018/02/01
By:  Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Transitional justice is one of the major themes of President

National Women’s League HQ in Taipei. (By Central News Agency)

Tsai Ing-wen’s administration.

What that means in practice, has been on show recently in the shape of the investigation into the National Women’s League.

Despite a name which on the surface seems to indicate a perfectly natural preoccupation with women’s rights, the organization carries a lot of baggage with it.

The league was founded by President Chiang Kai-shek’s wife Soong Mei-ling in 1950, at the height of the Cold War and the White Terror, and has therefore always been seen as closely tied to the Kuomintang.

Its main official mission was to care for low-income military families, but one of the ways it claimed to do that was by using a Military Benefit Tax on the value of imported goods from 1955 to 1989. Questions have long surrounded the funding of its charity work, with demands for detailed accounts of how that income was spent.

The Ministry of Interior and the Ill-Gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee, the body set up by the government to address the financial dark side of the KMT era, reached an agreement with the National Women’s League late last year. The deal led to believe that a solution was possible by reducing confrontation to a minimum.    [FULL  STORY]

Cabinet approves proposed extension of tax cut on day trading

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/02/01
By: Ku Chuan and Frances Huang 

Taipei, Feb. 1 (CNA) The Cabinet gave approval Thursday for a reduced transaction tax on day trading to be extended for another three years, Cabinet spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) said.

The decision was taken in a bid to encourage greater investment in the local equity market and help boost turnover, Hsu said.

The proposed tax cut extension would require an amendment to the Securities Transaction Tax Act, and Premier Lai Ching-te (賴清德) is hoping that the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) could discuss the issue soon with lawmakers to ensure legislative passage of the amendment, according to Hsu.

On April 28, 2017, the day trading transaction tax was reduced from 0.3 percent to 0.15 percent for a one-year period.    [FULL  STORY]

Ex-vice president mulling mayoral run

LAST FRONTIER: Former vice president Annette Lu said Taipei needs a leader who identifies strongly with Taiwan to guard the capital — and that she would ‘jazz it up’

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 02, 2018
By: Yang Chun-hui  /  Staff reporter, with CNA

Former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), a member of the Democratic Progressive

Former vice president Annette Lu yesterday in Taipei answers questions about the possibility of her running for Taipei mayor.  Photo: CNA

Party (DPP), yesterday said she is considering seeking party nomination for the Taipei mayoral election on Nov. 24.

Considering the perceived falling-out between the DPP and Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) — to whom the DPP yielded the candidacy for the 2014 Taipei mayoral race — she would be “doing the right thing” by seeking the nomination, Lu told reporters at a meeting with DPP Taipei city councilor candidates for the Zhongzheng (中正)-Wanhua (萬華) and Zhongshan (中山)-Datong (大同) constituencies in Taipei.

Lu said she informed President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who doubles as DPP chairperson, of her desire to run two months ago, adding that she entertained the idea of running even before the 2014 Taipei mayoral election.

Lu said that Tsai likely has her priorities, considering that the DPP is holding primaries in other cities and counties, but that she would “wait very patiently” for the DPP to announce its decision on the Taipei mayoral election, which she would “absolutely respect.”    [FULL  STORY]

CWB predicts no let up to cold weather; true cold wave coming Saturday-

Formosa News
Date: 2018/01/31

We’re really in the grip of winter now, with wave after wave of cold spells coming over Taiwan. Tonight another cold wave descended from the north and will keep things chilly until Friday. But the Central Weather Bureau says that the strongest cold wave of the season will hit on Saturday, lasting until Tuesday. The felt temperature in the north could be as low as 4°C.

The cold, grey weather continues this week. Several cold fronts in quick succession have been linked to 53 sudden deaths across Taiwan in recent days. The CWB says that temperatures could dip to 10°C before Friday – and after that, an even colder snap is coming.

Chen Chien-an
CWB Forecaster
We expect the coldest period to be from Saturday to Tuesday. Over these four days, it’ll be cold enough to be classified as a true cold wave. Starting tomorrow, we expect a gradual shift in the island-wide precipitation. It will remain damp upwind and become more dry downwind.     [FULL  STORY]

Rep. office in Indonesia negotiating return of Taiwanese suspects

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-01-31

Taiwan’s representative office in Indonesia is negotiating the return of eight Taiwanese nationals being held on suspicion of internet fraud.

The eight Taiwanese nationals were part of a group of 68 recently arrested in Bali. The majority of those arrested are Mainland Chinese.

The group allegedly impersonated legal authorities and bank staff, and used threats of criminal investigation to extort money from victims. The group targeted people in China and Taiwan.

Indonesian police says that the suspects will be deported to their countries of origin after trial. This means that the eight Taiwanese nationals could be sent to China.
[SOURCE]

Government offers vision of English as official language in Taiwan

That is the vision promoted by Premier Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and his administration, which is mulling making English Taiwan’s second official language.

Taiwan News  
Date: 2018/01/31
By: Central News Agency

A Taiwanese child grows up learning arts, science and other subjects at school in both

CNA file photo

Chinese and English. That child becomes immersed in both languages and years later, when attending an international youth summit, he or she can fluently express ideas in
English and communicate with peers from around the world.

Meanwhile, taxi drivers, night market vendors and people from all walks of life in Taiwan are able to speak a little English and communicate on a basic level with foreign English speakers visiting the country.

That is the vision promoted by Premier Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and his administration, which is mulling making English Taiwan’s second official language.    [FULL  STORY]

Traffic controls planned in case snow falls on Yangmingshan

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/01/31
By: You Kai-hsiang and S.C. Chang

Taipei, Jan. 31 (CNA) Taipei City officials said Wednesday that they will impose traffic

CNA file photo

controls at key road entrances to areas of Yangmingshan where snow is likely to fall Feb. 3-6.

With the arrival Saturday of the strongest cold surge in Taiwan this winter, temperatures are forecast to dip to lows of 8 degrees Celsius in Taipei and 6 degrees in coastal regions.

The cold surge will linger until Feb. 6, bringing plenty of moisture to northern Taiwan, while central and southern Taiwan will be dry and cold, according to the Central Weather Bureau.

Forecasters are expecting snow to fall on Qixing and Datun, the two highest peaks in the Yangmingshan area in Taipei, which is likely to draw hordes of visitors driving on slippery roads.    [FULL  STORY]