Page Two

MOFA confirms death of Taiwanese man in Italy

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/06/09
By: Scarlett Chai and Elaine Hou

Taipei, June 9 (CNA) Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday confirmed the

CNA file photo

death of a Taiwanese man in Italy and said it had contacted the man’s family and offered its assistance in dealing with the situation.

The ministry said Taiwan’s representative office in Rome was notified by Italian police on June 7 that a man believed to be a Taiwanese citizen had died in Castellanza, a town in northern Italy, and that the cause of his death had yet to be determined.

The ministry said it pledged to assist the family in getting to Italy and dealing with the aftermath of the man’s death, but it did not provide any further information.
[FULL  STORY]

KMT councilors question Lai’s policy on China

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 10, 2017
By: Tsai Wen-chu and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Tainan Mayor William Lai’s (賴清德) comment espousing “friendly relations with China,

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Tainan City Councilor Hsieh Lung-chieh, right, walks up to the speaker’s podium to challenge Tainan Mayor William Lai on Thursday at the Tainan City Council. Photo: Tsai Wen-chu, Taipei Times

while loving Taiwan” became the focus of a city council meeting on Thursday, with Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) councilors demanding that he clarify his statement.

KMT Tainan City Councilor Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) Hsieh said Lai’s comment on Monday does not seem to differ from the policy of former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and reflects a “double standard” on cross-strait policy.

Lai and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) were very critical of Ma’s cross-strait policies throughout his presidency, panning Ma for being “too friendly” toward China and accusing him of “selling out” Taiwan, Hsieh said.    [FULL  STORY]

Some students aren’t happy that a type of lettuce is nicknamed ‘mainland girl

The China Post
Date: June 9, 2017
By: The China Post

TAIPEI, Taiwan — “Mainland girl” has long been a colloquial name for Fukuyama lettuce in Taiwan, but a group of students from Taipei National University of the Arts want the public to ditch the name, which they say has racist and sexist connotations.

The “mainland girl” name is so common that many people don’t know that its proper name is Fukuyama lettuce or the origin of the colloquialism.

According to the students behind the movement, the term “mainland girl” was used in the 1980s to denote prostitutes and other Chinese women who came to Taiwan illegally.

Over time, with Taiwan’s induction into the World Trade Organization, different produce, including Fukuyama lettuce, made its way into Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]

AmCham Taipei backs FTA with US

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-06-08

The American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, or AmCham Taipei, supports Taiwan signing a free trade agreement with the US. That’s according to AmCham’s 2017 Taiwan White Paper published on Thursday. The paper is a report that assesses Taiwan’s business climate and sets priority issues.

Responding to the report, the Presidential Office said the paper’s suggestion is in line with the administration’s policy. In order for the two sides to sign an FTA, Taiwan must first deal with the issue of US imports of agricultural goods. The government says Taiwan hopes to secure food safety and the rights of local farmers before taking part in any international trade negotiations. The Presidential Office said the government will work on promoting overall economic development and expand bilateral cooperation for a win-win.    [FULL  STORY]

Hsinchu City in northern Taiwan adds four YouBike stations on Thursday

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/06/08
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan)—Four new stations joined the service of the YouBike system in the

Four new stations joined the service of the YouBike system in the northern Taiwanese city of Hsinchu, the city government announced on Thursday. (By Central News Agency)

northern Taiwanese city of Hsinchu, the city government announced on Thursday.

The new four additions are the Ambassador Hotel Station near the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store and the National Hsinchu Girls’ Senior High School, the Chituqi Park Station (赤土崎公園站) near National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), the NTHU Xiao Chi Bu Station (清大小吃部站) on the university campus, and the National Chiao Tung University Zhu Feng Square Station (交通大學逐風廣場站) on the NCTU campus.

Hsinchu City will continue to expand YouBike service and will have a total of 45 YouBike stations by the end of this year, the city government said.    [FULL  STORY]

Government working to ensure adequate supply of electricity: MOEA

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/06/08
By: Huang Li-yun and Frances Huang

Taipei, June 8 (CNA) Economics Minister Lee Chih-kung (李世光) said Thursday that

CNA file photo

the government is carrying out its plan for Taiwan to transition to greener power and has a feasible 10-year goal for a stable electricity supply to facilitate economic growth.

He was responding to concerns raised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei over instability of Taiwan’s power supply during its period of transition away from nuclear power.

“The transition to a post-nuclear fuel mix is important, but it also has the potential to be economically disruptive if it is implemented too rigidly or quickly without a clear replacement plan that ensures continued cost-competitiveness, affordability, and reliability of the electricity supply,” AmCham said in a white paper released Thursday.
[FULL  STORY]

Food safety, farmers top concern: office

RESTRICTIONS:The American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei suggested that Taiwan make concessions on the import of US pork in exchange for a bilateral trade agreement

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 09, 2017
By: Staff writer, with CNA

Food safety and the rights of farmers are the government’s foremost considerations when pushing for Taiwan’s participation in international trade agreements, the Presidential Office said yesterday.

The office was responding to a suggestion by the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei (AmCham) that Taiwan compromise on the issue of US pork and beef imports in exchange for a bilateral trade agreement with the US.

A Taiwan-US trade agreement would seem feasible, given the long and mutually fruitful economic relationship between the two nations and the support Taiwan continues to enjoy in the US Congress, AmCham said yesterday in its Taiwan White Paper.

“Clearly Taiwan would have to make some concessions on outstanding trade issues, with its current restrictions on the import of some American pork and beef products as the major example,” AmCham said.

The government welcomes continued communication and cooperation with the US on trade and will work to expand the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two nations, the office said.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei to charge towing fees for bicycles from Jan. 1 next year

The China Post
Date: June 8, 2017
By: CNA

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taipei will begin next year to charge towing and storage fees for

(CNA)

impounded bicycles, the city’s Department of Transportation announced Thursday.

The charges will take effect on Jan. 1, 2018, announced Chang Jer-yang (張哲揚), head of the department. The towing fee will stand at NT$100 (US$3.32) per bike, with the storage fee set at NT$25 per 12 hours, he said.

No storage fee will be levied if an impounded bike is reclaimed within one hour of towing, said Chang.    [FULL  STORY]

Swiss official supports finding way to include Taiwan in WHA

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-06-07

Switzerland’s interior minister, Alain Berset, says his country supports finding a way to include Taiwan in the World Health Assembly (WHA).

Berset was responding Tuesday to questions from the head of the Swiss National Council’s economics committee.

Switzerland is the host of the annual WHA, which takes place in Geneva. Taiwan began attending the WHA as an observer in 2009, but pressure from Beijing saw Taiwan’s delegation blocked from this year’s assembly.

Berset expressed regret at Taiwan’s exclusion. He said the Swiss government will convey its support for Taiwan’s inclusion to other WHA participants. Switzerland hopes that all WHA participants, including observers, will be able to fully hold exchanges as health issues do not know borders.    [SOURCE]

Taiwan Presidential Office rolls out redesigned website

The new site was designed by I-Mei Foods Co.’s subsidiary company – I-Mei Multimedia e-Content Production & Marketing Co., which will be launched at 8 a.m. Wednesday with a key focus to make it user-friendly…

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/06/07
By: Wendy Lee , Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan’s Presidential Office announced Tuesday the launch

courtesy of Presidential Office website

of its newly redesigned website (english.president.gov.tw/Default.aspx), featuring enriched content and a simpler layout that provides a better overall user experience, making it easier to navigate and for people to find information they are looking for.

The new site was designed by I-Mei Foods Co.’s subsidiary company – I-Mei Multimedia e-Content Production & Marketing Co., which will be launched at 8 a.m. Wednesday with a key focus to make it user-friendly.

The website also features a new color scheme – blue, gold, and red, the three colors that symbolize the Taiwanese spirits.    [FULL  STORY]