Page Two

KMT vows to safeguard staff rights

‘TRUE ENEMY’:Staff were told that the assets settlement committee is the reason they are losing their jobs, while they are to receive half of their November salary

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 29, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday vowed to safeguard the rights and interests of its staff after its first forum to communicate with employees about cuts and restructuring plans, which it said went “smoothly and peacefully.”

Speaking at a news conference in Taipei yesterday afternoon, KMT Culture and Communications Committee deputy director Hu Wen-chi (胡文琦) said KMT Secretary-General Mo Tien-hu (莫天虎) and KMT Administration and Management Committee director Chiu Da-chan (邱大展) briefed employees on planned personnel reforms.

“They also provided an unequivocal account of the party’s current financial situation, while reassuring KMT staff that the party is not stashing any money,” Hu said, adding it denied allegations that NT$94 million (US$2.96 million) the party withdrew from KMT-affiliated Mingsheng Foundation bank accounts earlier this month was meant for personal use.”    [FULL  STORY]

Laid-off S. Korean workers protest in Taipei

The China Post
Date: November 29, 2016
By: Kuan-lin Liu

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Employees of the South Korean company Hydis returned to their protest Monday,

Employees from the former Hydis factory in South Korea stand outside YFY's headquarters to protest the closure of the site by its Taiwan parent company, Monday, Nov. 28. The protesters, who have refused a severance package of NT$3 million per person, have demanded that the factory be reopened. (CNA)

Employees from the former Hydis factory in South Korea stand outside YFY’s headquarters to protest the closure of the site by its Taiwan parent company, Monday, Nov. 28. The protesters, who have refused a severance package of NT$3 million per person, have demanded that the factory be reopened. (CNA)

Nov. 28 outside the Yong Feng Yu (YFY) (永豐餘) company headquarters.

The Hydis Union demanded that YFY reverse its decision to close down the Hydis factory and rehire the employees that were let go as a result.

Currently, the severance package that was negotiated for the employees averaged NT$3 million per person. Negotiations were between the management team at Hydis and representatives of E Ink, the subsidiary of YFY that acquired Hydis in 2008, and spanned seven months.

Of the 377 employees that were let go as a result of the Hydid factory’s closure, close to 300 employees accepted the severance package deal and were not involved in the protests.

The Hydis Union had previously filed cases of unlawful termination of employment against E Ink in 2015. However, both an initial decision and a decision after appeal by the Central Labor Committee in South Korea maintained that E Ink did not behave illegally in closing down the factory and letting the employees go.    [FULL  STORY]

Tainan court denies it was too lenient in quake-collapse case

The China Post
Date: November 28, 2016
By: CNA

TAIPEI, Taiwan — The Tainan District Court on Sunday rejected criticism that it was too lenient in its sentencing of five people implicated in the collapse of a housing complex in Tainan following an earthquake in February that resulted in the deaths of 115 residents.

The five individuals, involved in the construction of the complex, were found guilty of “professional negligence resulting in death” and given five-year prison sentences on Friday. They were also fined NT$90,000 (US$2,824) each. The verdict can be appealed.

Among the people who lashed out at the sentencing was Tainan Mayor Lai Ching-te (賴清德).

In a TV interview on Saturday, Lai said that although the five defendants were found guilty, there was a big gap between the sentences and public expectations.    [FULL  STORY]

First train for Taipei Metro Circular Line arrives in New Taipei for testing

The train, made in Italy, has arrived at Taipei Harbor in Bali District, New Taipei City

Taiwan News
Date: 2016/11/27
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The first train to run on the medium-capacity Taipei Metro Circular Line has arrived for static testing as 583a9e93871e473.45 percent of the line’s first-stage construction has been completed

The first train to run on the medium-capacity Taipei Metro Circular Line has arrived for static testing as 73.45 percent of the line’s first-stage construction has been completed(By Central News Agency)

The first train to run on the medium-capacity Taipei Metro Circular Line has arrived for static testing as 73.45 percent of the line’s first-stage construction has been completed, the New Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems (DRTS) said on Saturday.

The train, made in Italy, arrived at Taipei Harbor in Bali District, New Taipei City on Nov. 24, and has been transported to the line’s Xindian depot for static testing.    [FULL  STORY]

Japan delegation to arrive for trade and economic meeting

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/11/27
B:y Tai Ya-chen, Chen Cheng-wei and S.C. Chang

Taipei, Nov. 27 (CNA) A group of Japanese officials are scheduled to arrive in Taipei Monday for an economic and trade meeting with their Taiwanese counterparts in the following two days, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and Council of Agriculture (COA) officials said Sunday.

A MOFA official said both delegations will exchange views on the meeting agenda Monday, and will not “touch on substantive issues” — effectively denying some media reports that the two sides will be holding a preliminary meeting on inking an economic partnership agreement (EPA).

“We will express our interest in signing such an agreement with Japan, but that is a matter for higher level politicians to decide, not working level officials,” said the MOFA official who declined to be named.

A COA official said when both delegations meet on Tuesday and Wednesday, the council’s delegates will seek Japanese views on importing fruit from Taiwan and will not raise the issue of whether or not Taiwan will soon lift its ban on importing food from Japan’s radiation-affected areas.    [FULL  STORY]

China alerted HK customs: report

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 28, 2016
By: Staff writer, with CNA

The seizure of nine Singaporean military armored personnel carriers found on a ship bound from Kaohsiung to Singapore during a transit stop in Hong Kong last week came after a tip-off from China, Hong Kong media reported on Saturday.

Singapore has confirmed that the Terrex AV81 carriers belonged to its military and were “used in overseas training,” but it has not confirmed that the training mission was held in Taiwan.

The Kaohsiung customs office said the ship carrying the vehicles and other military items used by Singapore’s Armed Forces departed Kaohsiung on Tuesday last week.

Hong Kong’s Customs and Excise Department said it seized the containers holding the vehicles because it found “suspected controlled items” on board during a routine inspection.    [FULL  STORY]

Diplomatic appointee reform: modernization or political manoeuvring?

The China Post
Date: November 28, 2016
By: By Joseph Yeh, The China Post

How to best leverage Taiwan’s constrained position in the international realm has sparked debate over

Newly appointed top envoys are seen being sworn in during a ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' headquarters in Taipei in this undated file photograph. (Joseph Yeh, The China Post)

Newly appointed top envoys are seen being sworn in during a ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ headquarters in Taipei in this undated file photograph. (Joseph Yeh, The China Post)

the future of the country’s diplomatic core.

A government-backed amendment to make the appointment of non-career diplomats to overseas missions easier has been met with a mixed response.

Supporters have argued that reform is necessary to revitalize what they call a “staid system.”

But others warned it will pave the way for appointments made as a reward for partisan political loyalty.

On Oct. 31, an amendment to “Enforcement Rules of the Act for Appointment of the Members of the Diplomatic Staff and Consular Officers Stationed Abroad” (駐外外交領事人員任用條例) cleared the Legislature’s Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee session.

While the amendment must still clear a third reading before becoming law, it has already sparked heated debate among lawmakers.

Existing rules stipulates that the president of the R.O.C. can appoint non-career diplomats to overseas positions.

However, these “political” appointments are capped at 10 percent of total appointees.    [FULL  STORY]

Ex-President Lee calls on Tsai to ‘have vision’

The China Post
Date: November 27, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Former President Lee Teng-hui has questioned Tsai Ing-wen’s ability to push through reforms, warning that without decisive leadership she could become as unpopular as embattled South Korean leader Park Geun-hye.

“With the current chaos plaguing Taiwan’s politics, society, and economy, if the country’s leader lacks vision, or if the nation cannot see real progress, public opinion will change immediately,” Lee said at an alumni gathering at his former college on Saturday.

Despite the strongly worded remarks, Lee said he was “not criticizing” the incumbent president but rather “urging her to work harder.”

Lee warned that a failure to change course could prove disastrous for Tsai’s administration.

“The plunging popularity ratings (for Tsai) are really worrying … If she is not careful, she could become like Korea’s president.”    [FULL  STORY]

Typhoon Tokage set to bring more rain over weekend

The mild typhoon will reinforce the precipitation by Saturday evening.

Taiwan News
Date: 2016/11/26 11:34
By: Wendy Lee , Taiwan News, Staff Writer

This year’s 25th typhoon Tokage, which formed east of Philippines on Thursday, is set to bring more rain

Central Weather Bureau

Central Weather Bureau

to Taiwan over the weekend as it has gathered more strength and expected to move towards the East Vietnam Sea.

While most parts of the island have seen mostly sunny and warmer weather on Saturday morning, the weather is expected to change later in the day as a cold front passes through the island, according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).

The strengthened northeasterly winds will also turn weather chilly into the evening, the bureau said. The temperatures are forecast to dip to around 17 degrees Celsius by tomorrow morning in the northern part of Taiwan.

The mild typhoon will reinforce the precipitation by Saturday evening, while most of the heavy rain will be seen on Sunday across the island and especially in Hualien and Taitung of eastern Taiwan, as well as Taipei mountain area, according to the latest forecast.    [FULL  STORY]

GOLDEN HORSE AWARDS: ‘The Summer Is Gone’ wins best feature film

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/11/27
By: Christie Chen

Taipei, Nov. 27 (CNA) Director Zhang Dalei’s (張大磊) “The Summer Is Gone” (八月) bagged the Golden 201611270004t0002Horse Award for best feature film on Saturday, giving the Chinese film a total of two awards at the ceremony in Taipei.

“The Summer Is Gone,” which entered the competition with six nominations, came away with best feature film and best new performer for 10-year-old actor Kong Weiyi (孔維一).

The black-and-white drama, set in the 1990s in a small town in western China, is about a boy’s last summer vacation before he enters junior high school.

He and his friends spend their days carefree but with little to do while the adults around them are rocked by the loss of job security as China drastically reforms its state-owned enterprises.    [FULL  STORY]