HISTORY REPEATING:Xi’s comments on Hung Hsiu-chu’s proposed cross-strait peace accord are almost the same as the commentary from ex-Chinese president Jiang Zemin

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 03, 2016
By: Nadia Tsao and Jake Chung / Staff reporter in Washington, with staff writer

Cross-strait relations need to enter a phase of incremental and reciprocal progression in which both

sides of the Taiwan Strait build up mutual trust rather than Beijing’s unilateral and endless demands for President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration to offer guarantees of its good will, said Richard Bush, director of the Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington.

In an e-mail interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) on Tuesday, the former American Institute in Taiwan chairman said that after carefully reading the six-point statement issued by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) government following his meeting with Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), it is clearly a statement of Beijing’s policy on cross-strait relations.

While Beijing maintains its stance that it requires the Tsai administration’s guarantee of good will, Taiwan has reason to mistrust Beijing’s intentions, he said.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: November 3, 2016
By: John Liu

TAIPEI, Taiwan — More than 8,000 professionals visited the Kaohsiung Food Show between Oct. 27-30,

a 25-percent increase on last year, the event’s organizer said.

The food show drew buyers from Taiwan as well other countries, with Japan, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the U.S. making up the bulk of international buyers.

At the event, over 400 procurement sessions were held to match buyers and sellers. US$20.5 million in deals were struck, according to event organizer Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA).

Buyers from Southeast Asia and South Asia, regions targeted by the government’s “New Southbound Policy,” were more interested in tea, fruits and vegetables, snack and dessert, prepared food, sauces and condiment, TAITRA said.

Tin Thuong from Vietnam said Taiwan produced excellent passion fruits that were in great demand in Vietnam, adding that business deals were struck with Taiwanese sellers at the food show.    [FULL  STORY]

The News Lens
Date: 2016/11/01
By: Kathy Cheng

The popularity of Chinese medicine has been waning, but this traditional medicine clinic is rejuvenating itself through interior design.

Change or perish.

That is the choice facing traditional medicine shops in this city where storefront rents have been rising and the popularity of Chinese medicine has been waning. Some of the oldest medicine shops in the city take it all in stride. There is one in the Dadaocheng neighborhood where the store layout has remained unchanged — on purpose — since 1875.

But for Essentia, a traditional clinic first established in 1982, the decision was to rejuvenate and thrive.

To compare, the blue sign shows the original storefront on Roosevelt Road, Section 5, No. 295 in Taipei City.    [FULL  STORY]

The regulation is to require drivers to be more careful when opening vehicle doors in the future.

Taiwan News
Date: 2016/11/01
By: Wendy Lee , Taiwan News, Staff Writer

In the future, drivers who cause an open door accident will face fines of up to NT$3,600.

Legislative Yuan on Tuesday passed the third and final reading to regulate the opening of vehicle doors, in an effort to reduce the number of car accidents in the nation that comes with dooring.

When an accident caused by improper car door opening occurs, the driver will be liable under the amendment to the Statute Governing Road Traffic, and will be subject to a fine of between NT$1,200 and NT$3,600.

Kuomintang Legislator Chiang Nai-shin, who proposed the amendment bills, said Tuesday that an annual average of 3,581 accidents involving car doors left hanging open were reported over the past three years.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/11/01
By: Scarlett Chai, Hsieh Chia-chen and S.C. Chang

Beijing, Nov. 1 (CNA) Taiwan’s main opposition party head said on Tuesday that her party plans to promote a “peace platform” aimed at facilitating cross-strait stability and prosperity, which she contrasted with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s “independence platform.”

Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) said, after her meeting with Communist Party of China head Xi Jinping (習近平), that she “fully expressed Taiwan’s voice” to the Chinese leader, including Taiwan’s hopes for continued cooperation with China.

She also called for China to support Taiwan’s bid to participate in international affairs, as well as to increase the number of exchanges between young people in Taiwan and China.

Hung told the media, “I made a special call on behalf of the city of Taipei, inviting them to attend the 2017 Taipei Universiade” which will take place Aug. 19-30.     [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: November 2, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A baker who shot footage of former President Chen Shui-bian taking a walk near his

residence in Kaohsiung claims he has been threatened online.

After footage of Chen went viral, Huang stated he had received threatening phone calls and posts, including one telling him to “please bite a bullet.” Local police said they were investigating the issue.

Holding a press conference in Kaohsiung, baker Huang Shi-fu called for the news media and “persons with power” to stop interfering with his work.

He said that his Facebook page had been flooded with threats, and that he had been subject to excessive food safety and tax checks.

A netizen, identified as EZyou on the “ptt” online bulletin board, said he had notified public authorities of Huang’s various violations including a lack of proper permits to operate his stand.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: October 31, 2016

Taiwan-born filmmaker Ang Lee received the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for

Excellence in Directing at the 2016 British Academy Britannia Awards ceremony held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Oct. 28 in Beverly Hills, California.

“Ang Lee is truly one of the great visionary directors of our time, with a remarkable international career that continually demonstrates bold choices and provocative perspectives,” said Kieran Breen, chairman of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles. “From ‘Sense and Sensibility’ to ‘Life of Pi,’ Mr. Lee has had a special place in BAFTA’s heart.” Lee received the award from Jake Gyllenhaal, lead actor in Lee’s first Academy Award-winning film “Brokeback Mountain.” In return, Lee hugged Gyllenhaal when he was presented with the award.

Lee was the first person of Asian descent to be bestowed the prestigious honor by BAFTA Los Angeles. The London-headquartered organization bills itself as an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence.    [FULL  STORY]

Xinyi’s Chianti Plaza has been declared a smoke-free area since October 1st.

Taiwan News
Date: 2016/10/31
By: Wendy Lee , Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Starting Tuesday, November 1st, people smoking at the designated area of the Chianti

Plaza at Xinyi District will be ticketed and fined by police.

Xinyi’s Chianti Plaza has been declared a smoke-free area since October 1st, making it the first commercial area in Taipei to implement smoking ban.

Taipei City’s Department of Environmental Protection said on Monday that for the last several weeks the department and environmental volunteers have been advising residents that the new regulation prohibits the use of tobacco products in the specific area.

The smoke-free zone covers the area bounded by Songgao Road, Songzhi Road, Songshou Road, and Lane 20 of Songgao Road, according to Taipei City Government, affecting the arcades, sidewalks, and plazas surrounding buildings of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A8, A9, and A11, Breeze SONG GAO, and Humble House Taipei.    [FULL  STORY]