Taiwan’s President Tsai says she is looking forward to working with President-elect Trump.

The News Lens
Date: 2016/11/09
By: Olivia Yang

Donald J. Trump has been elected the 45th President of the United States of America and is

scheduled to take office on Jan. 20, 2017.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said today, as the elections results were unfolding, that she has “confidence in future U.S.-Taiwan relations,” and “has already instructed government authorities to prepare” for the effects the U.S. election results may have, reports state-owned CNA.

After the results were announced, Tsai congratulated Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence on their victory. She said the U.S. is the most important democratic country in the world and also Taiwan’s most “solid” international partner. She looks forward to working with Trump and his government in improving U.S.-Taiwan relations and becoming a cornerstone in maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
Tsai also thanked current U.S. President Barack Obama and his administration in supporting and cooperating with Taiwan regarding various issues.    [FULL  STORY]

Tsai says relationship based on common values

Taiwan News
Date: 2016/11/09
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Relations between Taiwan and the United States should not change because

of the elections, President Tsai Ing-wen said Wednesday before it was announced that Donald Trump had won.

The result might bring new influences and changes, but Tsai had instructed government departments to make all the necessary preparations to respond, a spokesperson of her Democratic Progressive Party quoted her as saying.

No matter who is elected president of the U.S., “on the basis of maintaining regional stability, boosting economic prosperity and strengthening international cooperation, we have long-term common interests, which will not change because of the elections,” Tsai said.

“Taiwan-U.S. relations have always been built on friendship and common values,” she said.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/11/09
By: Chen Che-fon and Lilian Wu

Taipei, Nov. 9 (CNA) An alliance to develop offshore wind power was formed on Wednesday to tap into the commercial opportunities created by Taiwan’s policy to develop green energy.

The alliance, signed at CSBC Corp. Taiwan (台船) in Kaohsiung, also includes Taiwan Power Co., China Steel, Chunghwa Telecom, the Steel Industries Research and Development Centre, the Ship and Ocean Industries R&D Center, Industrial Technology Research Institute, the CR Classification Society and major companies.

CSBC will coordinate the alliance and rely on its specialties to jointly plan, install and maintain facilities and train people for offshore wind power construction work.

The state-owned shipbuilder said offshore wind power construction is still in an early stage, but the strong experience and technology of the alliance’s members are well positioned to take advantage of the green energy opportunities that exist.    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 10, 2016
By: Shih Hsiao-kuang and Cheng Hung-ta / Staff reporters

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday expressed the hope

that Taiwan-US ties could further deepen following US president-elect Donald Trump’s victory, as other political parties also responded to the widely watched election.

At about 3:30pm in Taiwan yesterday, when US polls showed Trump leading his Democratic rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, by 247 to 215 electoral votes, the KMT issued a press release extending Hung’s congratulations to Trump.

“US elections have been the best exemplification of democracy. We also look to strengthen Taiwan-US bilateral ties,” Hung said in the news release.

Hung said that when former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was in office, Taiwan was admitted to the US’ Visa Waiver Program and Taipei’s relationship with Washington improved, with numerous mutual exchanges and bilateral programs being conducted between the two sides over the past eight years.

“The KMT wishes to build up on this foundation, to continue our mutual efforts and to deepen our cooperation in various sectors, in the hopes of … building closer Taiwan-US ties,” Hung said.

Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) said that Washington’s policies on Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region would still be based on US interests.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: November 10, 2016
By: Joseph Yeh

TAIPEI, Taiwan — United States-Taiwan relations will continue to thrive whether the U.S. has a

Republican or Democrat president, the de facto U.S. ambassador to Taiwan said Wednesday in Taipei before the election was called.

“Over the last few decades, the Taiwan-U.S. relation has been extremely resilient, regardless (of) whether it is a Republican administration or a Democratic administration,” American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) director Kin Moy told reporters in Taipei.

Moy said he had personally seen”consistency” in U.S.’ Taiwan policy as he served in administrations of both parties throughout his career. He stressed that there was “so much support” in the U.S. for Taiwan and for U.S.-Taiwan relations.

“I have a great deal of confidence that we (U.S. and Taiwan) will continue in a very positive direction or a positive trajectory (no matter who wins),” he noted.    [FULL  STORY]

The News Lens
Date: 2016/11/08
Bye: TNL Staff

Taiwan has edged closer to becoming the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, after proposed amendments to marriage laws passed the first reading in its parliament today.

Draft amendments to the Civil Code regarding same-sex marriage passed the first reading in Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan this afternoon.

Two drafts, proposed by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Yu Mei-nu (尤美女) and opposition Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Hsu Yu-jen (許毓仁), have now been handed over to the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee for review. A similar proposal by the New Power Party (NPP) is still pending..

Pressure has been mounting on Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration to progress same-sex marriage after Tsai used marriage equality as part of her campaign platform ahead of the January election.

On Oct. 25, legislator Yu proposed the draft amendment to legalize same-sex marriage. Taiwan’s executive branch of government – the Executive Yuan – has since said it will support legislation to allow same-sex marriage and marriage equality.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2016/11/08
By: Central News Agency

The number of Taiwanese nationals displaying aberrant behavior overseas has increased this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday, noting that 53 such cases had been reported in 2016 as of the end of October.

Roger Luo (羅添宏), deputy director-general of the ministry’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, said its overseas offices handled between one to two dozen cases involving Taiwanese showing aberrant behavior between 2010 and 2015.

The number rose as high as 33 in 2014, and Taiwanese nationals were detained or even sent for treatment in some of those cases, Luo said.

But in the first 10 months of this year, the number of cases has risen even higher to 53, said Luo, who described the increase as a matter of concern.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/11/08
By: Hsu Chi-wei and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Nov. 8 (CNA) The Ministry of Education has launched a project to provide subsidies for young

people to study in countries in Southeast Asia and South Asia for two months, to encourage them to participate in international activities, the ministry said Tuesday.

As the government is promoting its “new southbound policy” to strengthen exchanges with countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand, the project is aimed at encouraging Taiwanese young people to study in international organizations and non-government organizations in those countries, thereby enhancing the country’s visibility, according to the ministry’s Youth Development Administration.

The project is also designed to encourage young people to learn about the operations of such organizations elsewhere in the region so that they can provide suggestions to help similar organizations in Taiwan improve their operations, it said.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: November 9, 2016
By: Stephanie Chao

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Former President Ma Ying-jeou appeared in court on Tuesday to defend himself

against allegations of involvement in a classified information leak as part of a 2013 wiretapping scandal.

The Taipei District Court summoned former President Ma Ying-jeou to appear in court over allegations he was responsible for a leak of confidential information by former State Prosecutor-General Huang Shyh-ming.

The suit was filed by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming, who accused Ma of encouraging Huang to leak information about an ongoing investigation into then-Premier Jiang Yi-huah in 2013.

Ker’s lawyer had urged the court to detain Ma on Tuesday, a request which was rejected by the judge, who said the court would first proceed with its investigation.

Whether Ma would be detained would be concluded after assessments have been made regarding the inquiries, the judge said.