The China Post
Date: October 16, 2017
By: Lu Hsin-hui and Joseph Yeh

TAIPEI (CNA) – An annual conference between Taiwan the United States, which

opened Sunday in New Jersey, focuses this year on the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration on Northeast Asia and their potential impact on Taiwan’s defense affairs.

The 2017 U.S.-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference will also discuss the threat and response options for Taiwan and how it could exploit China’s weakness in both traditional and emerging domains, covering air, land, sea and cyberspace, according to information on the conference’s website.

Now in its 16th year, the conference is considered an important platform for dialogue on Taiwan’s national security needs, weapons procurement and defense cooperation with the U.S.

The Taiwan delegation to the three-day conference in Princeton is being led by Deputy Defense Minister General Chang Guan-chung (張冠群), who will deliver a keynote address on Oct. 16.    [FULL  STORY]

The Straits Times
October 16, 2017

TAIPEI • Taiwanese authorities are investigating alleged efforts by China to destabilise

the island through the funding of groups linked to Taiwanese triads, according to the Financial Times.

This reportedly followed recent clashes between supporters of a pro-China political party in Taiwan and pro-independence protesters.

The pro-China political party – the Chinese Unity Promotion – backs unification between China and Taiwan. The party is run by notorious gangster-turned-politician Chang An-lo, 70, also known as “White Wolf”.

China considers Taiwan a renegade province to be taken back by force, if necessary.

Relations between Taipei and Beijing have nosedived since Ms Tsai Ing-wen of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party won the presidential election last year.   [FULL  STORY]

Panamanian cargo ship runs aground off Taoyuan

Taiwan News 
Date: 2017/10/15
By: Juvina Lai, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A malfunctioning engine caused a Panamanian cargo ship to

ran aground off the coast of Taoyuan City, as said in a statement by the Maritime and Port Bureau.

The ship, called the ‘Harvest Sky,’ was left dead in the water after the main and steering engines malfunctioned, said the bureau.

However, the ship and its 21 crew members are safe and in a good condition, said the bureau, adding that there was no risk of maritime pollution.

The vessel carried 19,068 tons of coal and 1,590 tons of diesel when it was stranded.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/10/15
By: C.W. Huang and Joseph Yeh

Taipei, Oct. 15 (CNA) People from all walks of life turned out in their numbers Sunday in Taipei to take part in a foot-washing ceremony, a ritual that symbolizes filial piety in traditional Chinese culture.

The annual ceremony, held at the plaza in front of the Presidential Office, was aimed at raising awareness among youth of the importance of filial devotion and inspiring people to be good to their parents, said Chang Chao-kuo (張朝國), president of the Republic of China Sports Federation (ROCSF) that organized the event.

“People who show filial piety tend to have a stronger sense of morality and are more grateful in life,” Chang said, adding that such people are also more likely to be successful.    [FULL  STORY]

The Chinese president has a huge opportunity to shape China’s statement of policy on cross-strait relations. Brookings Institute’s Richard C Bush gives his two cents on what the general secretary might say.

Financial Times
Date: 14 Oct 2017
By: Richard C Bush

WASHINGTON: No, I have not been given a draft text of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s

report to the 19th Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Congress, which will serve as the principal policy and programmatic document of the conclave.

So I don’t know specifically what the section on Taiwan will say, but I can guess parts of it, based on previous reports. Those will provide the benchmark for assessing the significance of what Xi says during the meeting, which begins on Oct 18.
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-10-14

Firefighters on the outlying island on Kinmen say they have begun to bring a wildfire

that broke out Friday night under control.

The island of Kinmen sits opposite the Taiwan Strait from Taiwan itself. The area has seen little rain over the past several months. On Saturday, Yang Shu-kai, director-general of the Kinmen County Fire Bureau, said that the fire was the result of this dry weather combined with high winds and fallen brush leftover from a typhoon last year.

The fire burned around 125,000 square meters, but was contained by firefighters and brought under control with the help of around 30 soldiers. As of Saturday, the fire continued to smolder. High winds have forced the National Airborne Service Corps to cancel a plan to help control the blaze with helicopters. Firefighters remain on alert and are using excavators to create breaks in order to keep the fire from spreading to nearby villages.    [FULL  STORY]

Nobody injured in the disaster: reports

Taiwan News 
Date: 2017/10/14
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A landslide caused by the torrential rain brought on by

Tropical Storm Khanun flooded the Hoya Hot Springs Resort and Spa in the Taitung County resort town of Zhiben (知本), reports said Saturday.

Torrential rains brought on by the storm, which is staying away from Taiwan to the south, have lashed most of the island, but especially its eastern side from Friday to Saturday, triggering landslides and floods in the counties of Taitung and Yilan.

In Zhiben, a town famous for its numerous hot springs, a landslide smashed the windows of the Hoya resort’s first floor and dumped a torrent of mud and rocks into its restaurant around 10:40 Saturday morning, reports said.

No guests were present at the time of the disaster, and none of the staff were injured either, so the cleaning up could start right away, hotel management told the Chinese-language Liberty Times.    [FULL  STORY]